Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2024

Notes:
Rescue teams are searching for 48 missing migrants after their boat overturned near Spain’s Canary Islands. The Canary Islands are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, about 1300 km south of mainland Spain and 115 km west of Morocco. They consist of two Spanish provinces: Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Formed by volcanic eruptions millions of years ago, the islands have rich volcanic soil. The climate is subtropical with warm temperatures and little seasonal variation. An archipelago refers to a group of islands formed by volcanic activity, tectonic movements, or sediment accumulation.

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Six years after Cyclone Gaja, farmers in Vedaranyam, Tamil Nadu, are preparing for their first harvest of casuarina (savukku) plantations. Casuarina, native to Australia, was introduced in India in the 19th century and is also known as kattadi. There are four cultivated species: Casuarina equisetifolia, glauca, cunninghamaina, and junghuniana.
Its nitrogen-fixing ability and adaptability to diverse soil and climates make it ideal for commercial and environmental planting. Casuarinas grow well in tropical, subtropical, and Mediterranean regions, thriving in temperatures from 10°C-33°C and rainfall of 700-2000 mm.

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Researchers discovered two new fish species in Nagaland: Garra zubzaensis and Psilorhynchus kosygini. These are torrent minnows, small freshwater fish found in fast-flowing streams. Garra zubzaensis was found in the Zubza River, a Brahmaputra tributary in Kohima, with its habitat being fast-flowing, rocky streams. Psilorhynchus kosygini was discovered in the Tepuiki River, a Barak River tributary in Peren, thriving in fast-flowing, shaded waters. Both species are adapted to strong currents, using sucker-like structures to cling to surfaces and forage in rocky habitats

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Mount Erebus, Antarctica’s second-largest volcano, is unexpectedly spewing gold dust, surprising scientists. Typically, the volcano releases steam, gases, and rocks, but now tiny crystallized gold particles are also emerging. These particles have been found 621 miles from the volcano, valued at around $6,000 (Rs 5 lakh). NASA scientists suggest molten rock brought the gold particles to the surface, crystallizing in Antarctica’s sub-zero temperatures. While other volcanoes produce gold in gas or liquid form, Mount Erebus uniquely releases solid gold particles carried by the wind.

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The Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP) 8×8 is an Indian-origin vehicle undergoing final assembly in Casablanca, Morocco, as part of a strategic partnership between Tata Advanced Systems Limited and the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces. This light armoured vehicle can transport troops and perform various roles, including medical evacuation and surveillance. The Moroccan facility marks a significant step in local defence manufacturing and aims to enhance Morocco’s self-reliance while also creating local employment opportunities.

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Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated India’s first supercapacitor manufacturing facility at Keltron, Kannur, Kerala. The plant was developed with ISRO’s collaboration and an initial investment of Rs 42 crore. It will boost Kerala’s electronics industry, supporting sectors like defence and electric vehicles. The facility aims to produce 2,000 supercapacitors daily, meeting global standards. CM Vijayan announced an additional Rs 1,000 crore investment to modernize Keltron and other electronics units, with a Rs 395 crore master plan in place. The goal is to make Kerala a hub for electronics manufacturing.

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The Prime Minister launched the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan in Jharkhand with an outlay of about Rs 80,000 crore. It aims to develop 63,843 tribal villages, benefiting over 5 crore people across 30 states/UTs. The scheme addresses gaps in social infrastructure, health, education, and livelihood through 25 interventions by 17 ministries. The total outlay is Rs. 79,156 crore, with Rs. 56,333 crore from the central government. It builds on the success of PM-JANMAN, launched in 2023, which focuses on Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG).

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The 2024 Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD), an annual Indian Navy conference, held in New Delhi. The conference’s theme is “Resource Geopolitics and Security in the Indo-Pacific.” IPRD is the Indian Navy’s key platform for international strategic engagement, discussing maritime security in the Indo-Pacific. This year’s conference highlights the impact of traditional and new marine resources on geopolitics, with a focus on offshore energy resources like hydrocarbons shaping future geopolitics.

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Biologists and the public are responding to reports of stranded manatees in Florida following Hurricane Helene. Manatees are aquatic mammals that belong to the Sirenia group, which also includes dugongs. They have paddle-shaped tails, while dugongs have fluked tails resembling those of whales. Manatees live in shallow coastal areas and rivers. There are three species of manatees: the Amazonian manatee, which lives only in freshwater; the African manatee, found in tropical West Africa; and the Caribbean manatee, located in Florida and the West Indies.

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Switzerland and Italy have redrawn their national boundary due to melting Alpine glaciers. Many parts of the Swiss-Italian border are determined by glacier ridgelines, which are shifting as glaciers melt. The redrawn section lies beneath the Matterhorn, one of Europe’s highest peaks. Switzerland’s glaciers lost 10% of their ice volume in 2022-2023, a record high. More than half of Switzerland’s electricity comes from hydroelectric facilities, which are also at risk due to accelerated glacier melting.