Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2024

Notes:
President Droupadi Murmu attended a Global Summit on ‘Spirituality for Clean and Healthy Society’ in Mount Abu, Rajasthan. The summit was organized by Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya. President Murmu emphasized that spirituality is about recognizing inner power and promoting purity in thoughts and actions.

Notes:
Tunisian President Kais Saied was re-elected for a second five-year term with 90.7% of the vote. The election result was announced on 7 October 2024 by Tunisia’s Independent High Authority for Elections. The election, held on 6 October 2024, saw a record-low voter turnout of 28.8%. This is the lowest turnout since the 2011 Jasmine Revolution, which introduced democracy. In the 2019 election, voter turnout was 55%.

Notes:
The Karnataka State Wildlife Board recently approved the declaration of Hesaraghatta grassland as the Greater Hesaraghatta Grassland Conservation Reserve. This decision aims to protect green spaces in Bengaluru amid urban expansion. The area encompasses 5,010 acres, including multiple lakes and forest areas. The move addresses long-standing demands for environmental conservation and follows a previous rejection of the proposal in 2021, which was reconsidered due to a High Court directive.

Notes:
Recently, the Indian Navy received Nirdeshak, the second of four Survey Vessel ships, built at Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers in Kolkata. Nirdeshak features over 80% indigenous content, reflecting the commitment to ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat.’ These are the largest survey vessels in India, designed for comprehensive coastal and deep-water hydrographic surveys of ports and navigational channels. The ship will also gather oceanographic and geophysical data for both defense and civil applications.

Notes:
Russian and Chinese navy warships are conducting anti-submarine missions in the northwestern Pacific during a joint patrol after the Beibu/Interaction 2024 exercises. The operations involve complex training sessions and combat exercises, including anti-submarine defense and sea rescues. Key Russian vessels involved in the missions include Admiral Panteleyev and Admiral Tributs. China has deployed destroyers such as Xining and Wuxi, along with other ships for these exercises.

Notes:
INS Talwar arrived in South Africa for the eighth edition of exercise IBSAMAR. IBSAMAR is a joint maritime exercise involving India, Brazil, and South Africa. The exercise focuses on Blue Water Naval Warfare, covering Surface and Anti-Air Warfare. Activities include professional exchanges, firefighting drills, search-and-seizure operations, diving, aviation safety, and ocean governance seminars. The exercise strengthens naval interoperability, builds mutual trust, and fosters cooperation among like-minded nations for peaceful maritime environments.

Notes:
India’s men’s team won the bronze medal at the 2024 Asian Table Tennis Championships after losing 3-0 to Chinese Taipei in the semi-finals. This is India’s third consecutive bronze in the men’s team event, following 2021 and 2023. India has won a total of seven bronze medals at the Asian Table Tennis Championships. Indian players faced tough competition against higher-ranked opponents.

Notes:
Two foreign climbers, Michelle Theresa Dvorak (USA) and Fay Jane Manners (UK), were rescued from 6,015 meters near Chaukhamba III peak in Chamoli, Uttarakhand. Chaukhamba is part of the Gangotri Group in the Garhwal Himalayas, Uttarakhand. It is located west of Badrinath, near the head of the Gangotri Glacier.

Notes:
Footrot disease is affecting the sheep and goats of Gaddi shepherds in Himachal Pradesh. It is a highly contagious disease affecting the tissue between the toes of ruminants. Footrot is a common cause of lameness in cattle and sheep, leading to significant economic losses. The disease is caused by the Dichelobacter nodosus bacteria along with other bacteria. It spreads through infected feet contaminating the environment and enters through skin injuries. Footrot is seasonal, with the highest occurrence during wet seasons. Controlling footrot in an infected herd is challenging.

Notes:
More than 550 Katkari tribe members received caste certificates in Pune. The Katkari tribe is found in Maharashtra (Pune, Raigad, and Thane) and parts of Gujarat. They classified as one of India’s 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). Historically, they were forest dwellers, known for making katha from Acacia trees. They speak Katkari among themselves and Marathi with others; some also speak Hindi. Their occupations include agricultural labor, firewood selling, fishing, coal making, and brick manufacturing. Most Katkari families are landless, leading to high migration and seasonal livelihoods.