Current Affairs Quiz - November, 2024

Notes:
Indian tennis player Prajnesh Gunneswaran, 35, announced his retirement on November 15, 2024. He won a singles bronze at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games and peaked at world No. 75 in ATP rankings in 2019. Gunneswaran turned pro in 2010, achieving a singles record of 11–28 and a doubles record of 1-1. His highest doubles ranking was 248, reached in 2018. Competed in all four Grand Slams, with his best performance at the Australian Open in 2019 and 2020. His career highlight includes defeating world No. 18 Nikoloz Basilashvili at the Indian Wells Masters in 2019.

Notes:
The Cao Bang crocodile newt, or Tylototriton koliaensis, is a newly discovered species found in Vietnam. It inhabits mountainous forests at elevations over 3,300 feet, experiencing both dry and rainy seasons. These medium-sized newts are around 5 inches long, with stout, rough bodies and crocodile-like, knobby skin. They are entirely black, with bright orange markings on their fingertips, toes, and an orange stripe down the center of their gray belly and tail. They breed in slow-moving streams or pools in the rainy season and hide under rocks during winter. Known as “crocodile newts” for their textured skin, they belong to a genus of Asian salamanders.

Notes:
India is projected to lead the G20 in 2024 with a 7% GDP growth rate, reflecting its robust and fast-growing economy. Indonesia ranks second with 5%, followed by China at 4.8%. Russia (3.6%) and Brazil (3%) rank fourth and fifth, with the African region also at 3%. The US is at 2.8%, while Canada (1.3%) and Australia (1.2%) show slower growth. France, the EU, and the UK are at 1.1%, Italy at 0.7%, and Japan at 0.3%. Germany has zero growth, the lowest among advanced countries. The G20 Summit in Brazil focuses on hunger, poverty, inequality, sustainable development, and governance reforms.

Notes:
The Bihar Cabinet has allocated Rs 225 crore for ‘Mahila Samwad’, an initiative aimed at empowering women by informing them about government policies. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and officials will engage with women at district and block levels, gathering their expectations from the government. This initiative highlights the government’s focus on women’s issues, as women constitute nearly 48% of Bihar’s voters, emphasizing their significant role in governance and policy-making.

Notes:
The Sabarmati Riverfront project spans 38 km from Ahmedabad to Gandhinagar, with monetization of the first phase (11 km) underway. The Sabarmati River is monsoon-fed, originating in Rajasthan’s Aravalli Hills and flowing into the Arabian Sea’s Bay of Khambhat. The river traverses 371 km, with 48 km in Rajasthan and 323 km in Gujarat, bisecting Ahmedabad into western and eastern halves. Its basin covers 21,674 sq. km, bounded by the Aravalli Hills, Rann of Kutch, and Gulf of Khambhat. Agriculture covers 74.68% of the basin, with key tributaries being Wakal, Hathmati, Vatrak, and Sei.

Notes:
Recent research has identified Candidatus Phytoplasma as the causative agent of a peculiar disease in sesame fields in Midnapore, West Bengal. Sesame, known as the “Queen of Oil,” is an ancient oilseed crop with medicinal properties. The disease causes disfigurement and virescence in the plants, impacting their yield. Researchers, led by Prof. Gaurab Gangopadhyay, have been studying this issue and aim to improve sesame varieties through molecular marker-assisted breeding to combat this threat and enhance the crop’s benefits.

Notes:
The Ministry of Science and Technology launched India’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) Data Bank to drive innovation and strengthen national security. It provides researchers, startups, and developers access to diverse, high-quality datasets for scalable AI solutions. The launch was by Minister Jitendra Singh at the 7th ASSOCHAM AI Leadership Meet 2024, themed “AI for India: Advancing AI Development – Innovation, Ethics, and Governance.” The AI Data Bank supports real-time analytics for satellite, drone, and IoT data to enhance national security. It also aids predictive analytics in disaster management and cyber security, aligning with India’s AI roadmap.

Notes:
Armenia became the 104th full member of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) on November 15, 2024. ISA is a treaty-based intergovernmental organization founded by India and France to promote solar energy globally. The alliance aims to mobilize over USD 1000 billion by 2030 for large-scale solar energy deployment. Armenia’s membership was formalized with the exchange of the ratified Framework Agreement between Armenian Ambassador Vahagn Afyan and India’s Ministry of External Affairs.

Notes:
India and Sweden co-chaired the 6th Annual Summit of the Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT) in Baku, Azerbaijan, during COP29. LeadIT was launched in September 2019 at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York. LeadIT2.0, launched at COP28 in 2023, sets new targets for 2024-26. The summit was co-chaired by India’s Kirit Vardhan Singh and Sweden’s Romina Pourmokhtari. Attended by 41 member countries and various stakeholders from industry and academia. LeadIT, supported by the World Economic Forum, targets carbon emissions reduction in energy-intensive industries to achieve net zero by 2050.

Notes:
The 9th Amur Falcon Festival was celebrated in Tamenglong, Manipur, to raise awareness about Amur falcons, the world’s longest-traveling birds. These falcons roost in Tamenglong during October-November, migrating to southern and eastern Africa. Amur Falcons (Falco amurensis) are small raptors named after the Amur River, bordering Russia and China. They breed in southeastern Siberia and northern China and migrate across India to Africa, returning to Mongolia and Siberia.