Current Affairs Quiz - November, 2024

Notes:
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu inaugurated Himachal Pradesh’s first digital library in Bilaspur. The library includes seating for 40 people and essential amenities. It houses around 2,500 books, with offline access to NCERT and CBSE books for classes 1 to 12. The library provides free reading access to the public.

Notes:
The Nepal government has announced provide free cancer treatment to children under 14 in designated public hospitals.This initiative is effective from November 16 and aims to ease the financial burden on parents. Treatment can be accessed at Kanti Children Hospital, Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital, and BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital. If government funds are insufficient, the Ministry will arrange additional funding from internal sources. In 2022, Nepal reported 22,000 new cancer patients, with cancer causing 11% of deaths, and around 1,500 children are diagnosed with cancer each year.

Notes:
Durgesh Aranya Zoological Park in Kangra’s Dehra constituency will be India’s first IGBC-certified zoo for sustainable infrastructure. It is located in the Bankhandi area of Kangra. The park will have 34 enclosures featuring 73 species, including Asiatic lions, crocodiles, gharials, and indigenous birds. With a budget of ₹619 crore, it focuses on eco-friendly design. The zoo aims to boost tourism, create jobs, and promote eco-tourism, enhancing Kangra’s status as Himachal Pradesh’s “Tourism Capital.”

Notes:
Scientists have discovered a lost Mayan city in the dense Mexican jungle using LiDAR technology. LiDAR stands for Light Detection and Ranging and is a remote sensing method that uses pulsed lasers to measure distances to the Earth’s surface. It can create high-resolution 3-D models of ground elevation with vertical accuracy of up to 10 cm. The LiDAR system includes a laser, scanner, and GPS receiver. The laser fires rapidly, hitting surfaces like vegetation and buildings, with the reflected light recorded by the sensor.

Notes:
New York State authorities confirmed a case of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in a deer facility, highlighting its impact on deer, elk, and moose. CWD is a fatal neurological disease caused by prions that damage brain tissue in cervids. It leads to severe symptoms like weight loss, lack of coordination, drooling, and eventually death. CWD spreads through bodily fluids and contaminated environments, but there is no evidence of it infecting humans. Symptoms can take up to 16 months to appear, and there is currently no vaccine or treatment available.

Notes:
North Korea announced a successful test of its newest intercontinental ballistic missile, the Hwasong-19. Hwasong-19 uses solid-fuel propulsion, enabling faster deployment and making it harder to detect and intercept. This missile measures around 28 meters, significantly longer than advanced U.S. and Russian ICBMs, which are under 20 meters. Analysts estimate Hwasong-19’s range exceeds 13,000 kilometers, capable of reaching the U.S. mainland.

Notes:
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu launched the Deepam 2.0 scheme in Edupuram, Srikakulam district, as part of the “Super Six Promises” initiative. The scheme aims to provide free gas cylinders to eligible families to enhance their quality of life. This initiative is part of a broader effort to improve living conditions and promote clean cooking energy in households, thereby enhancing health and safety. The scheme also includes financial support for women, aiming to reduce their financial burdens and reliance on traditional cooking methods, ultimately fostering women’s empowerment in the state.

Notes:
Indian botanists have discovered a new leafless orchid species, Gastrodia lohitensis, in Arunachal Pradesh’s Lohit district. This orchid thrives in bamboo thickets around Tezu, relying on nutrients from fungi in decomposing leaf litter instead of sunlight. The discovery was led by Krishna Chowlu from the Botanical Survey of India during a May 2024 expedition. Gastrodia lohitensis stands 50-110 cm tall and has unique features, including linear calli and ridges on its flower lip. It is classified as “Endangered” due to threats from local land use, emphasizing the need for habitat protection in this biodiverse area.

Notes:
Annapurna Base Camp saw a record number of tourists after this year’s Dashain festival. Mount Annapurna is located in Gandaki Province, north-central Nepal, in the Annapurna Range. It is the world’s tenth-highest peak, with an elevation of 8,091 meters. The mountain lies within the Annapurna Conservation Area, covering 7,629 square kilometers. Known as the “Killer Mountain” due to its high fatality rate among climbers attempting the summit.

Notes:
The US Army is conducting a test launch of the Minuteman III hypersonic nuclear missile after Election Day voting closes. The LGM-30G Minuteman III is an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) used by the United States (US). It became operational in the 1970s and is the sole land-based component of the US nuclear triad. Designed by Boeing, it was originally meant for ten years of service but has been modernized. The missile was the first to have multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRVs). The US currently has about 440 Minuteman III missiles in its arsenal, with a replacement planned for 2029.