Current Affairs Quiz - November, 2024

Notes:
National Epilepsy Day is celebrated in India on November 17 to raise awareness about epilepsy, its challenges, and the need for early diagnosis. Epilepsy, or seizure disorder, is a chronic brain condition where nerve cells misfire, causing recurrent seizures. Seizures happen when neurons fire rapidly at once, causing unusual movements, sensations, emotions, or behavior changes. This abnormal brain activity can lead to loss of awareness. Recovery time after a seizure varies from instant to hours. Epilepsy can result from genetics, brain abnormalities, infections, traumatic brain injury, stroke, or tumors, but for half of those affected, the cause remains unknown.

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The Odisha Government, in partnership with International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), launched a “Compendium of Regenerative Agriculture” to promote sustainable farming. This compendium was released at the International Symposium on Shree Anna and Forgotten Foods. It outlines five key principles: minimizing soil disturbance, maximizing crop diversity, maintaining soil cover, keeping living roots year-round, and integrating livestock. ICRISAT is an international organization focused on improving dryland farming and food systems in Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and other semi-arid regions.

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India aims to develop the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as a tuna export hub under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY). The Department of Fisheries has already notified the formation of a Tuna Cluster in the region. The global tuna market is valued at $41.94 billion; the Indian Ocean is the second-largest producer, supplying 21% of global tuna. Andaman and Nicobar primarily harvest neritic tuna, with smaller quantities of skipjack, big-eye, and yellowfin. Tuna is a large, agile fish, part of the Thunnini tribe, found in tropical and temperate oceans. Rich in protein, omega-3s, vitamins, and minerals, tuna promotes heart and brain health.

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The Global Freight Summit 2024 started in Dubai on November 18, hosted by DP World. More than 5,000 leaders from 155 countries are attending the three-day event. The theme is “Acting today to reach the opportunities of tomorrow.” Discussions focus on AI, blockchain, sustainable shipping, and resilient trade routes. Indian firms like Wipro, Tech Mahindra, and SRM Tech are participating.

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Russia’s Defence Ministry reported that Ukraine fired six US-made Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) at Russia’s Bryansk region. ATACMS is a surface-to-surface artillery weapon system. It is manufactured by Lockheed Martin, US defence company. It is capable of striking targets beyond the range of standard artillery and was first used in the 1991 Gulf War. Other operators include Bahrain, Greece, South Korea, Taiwan, and the UAE. The missile has a range of 190 miles (305 km) and uses single-stage solid propellant. It is launched from HIMARS and MLRS platforms and can carry cluster munitions to target larger areas.

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Coal India Limited (CIL) received the Green World Environment Award in the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) category and the title of Green World Ambassador. The award recognizes CIL’s exemplary CSR work through the Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojna, providing curative treatment for over 600 Thalassemia patients via stem cell or Bone Marrow Transplants (BMT). Launched in 2017, it was the first CSR project by a PSU for Thalassemia treatment in India. Financial assistance of up to ₹10 lakh is provided per patient under the scheme. CIL partners with 17 leading hospitals across India for the initiative.

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Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, will have India’s first night safari at Kukrail Night Safari Park and Wildlife Centre. The 900-acre park will offer both night and day safaris, promoting eco-tourism and wildlife conservation. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath targets project completion by June 2026 with a focus on sustainability and solar energy. The initiative aims to boost tourism and provide a unique wildlife experience for visitors. Kukrail will be the fifth night safari destination globally.

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Bihar will host the Khelo India Youth Games 2025 in April, marking its addition to the Khelo India map. For the first time, Bihar will also host the Khelo India Para Games, following the Youth Games with a 10-15 day gap. The first Para Games edition was held in Delhi last year. The Khelo India Youth Games 2023 were in Tamil Nadu. Bihar plays a key role in the Ministry’s infrastructure development and grassroots athlete support.

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An international team of astronomers used the MeerKAT radio telescope to study giant radio galaxies in the Cosmological Evolution Survey (COSMOS) field. MeerKAT is located in South Africa’s Northern Cape province and originally had 20 receptors, but with increased funding, it now has 64. It is part of South Africa’s contribution to the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project, which aims to build the largest radio telescope. MeerKAT is a powerful radio interferometer, consisting of 64 dishes, each 13.5 meters wide, studying the universe’s evolution using radio signals.

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Indian Institute of Science (IISc) introduced STRONG (STring Representation Of Nanopore Geometry), a new language for encoding nanopore shapes as character sequences. STRONG helps machine learning models predict nanopore properties accurately. It assigns letters to atomic configurations, improving understanding of nanopore geometries. This tool supports applications like gas separation and enhances data analysis. STRONG’s integration with neural networks boosts prediction accuracy. This breakthrough marks a significant advancement in materials science and computational research.