Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2024

Notes:
Olympian and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Dipa Karmakar announced her retirement from gymnastics. She was the first Indian female gymnast to gain international recognition. She narrowly missed a medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, performing the Produnova vault. Dipa won a bronze medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and gold at the 2018 World Cup in Turkiye. She also won gold at the 2024 Asian Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Notes:
Pakistan recently banned the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), calling it a national security threat. PTM advocates for the rights of ethnic Pashtuns. Pashtuns, also known as Pathans or Pakhtuns, are an ethnic group in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They mainly live between the Hindu Kush in Afghanistan and the northern Indus River in Pakistan. The Durand Line, drawn in the late 19th century, separated Pashtuns in Pakistan from those in Afghanistan. Pashtuns make up 40-50% of Afghanistan’s population and primarily speak Pashto. They also use Farsi for trade.

Notes:
The forest department held its first ‘Cyclothon’ to celebrate World Wildlife Week 2024 at the Kawal Tiger Reserve’s buffer zone. Kawal Tiger Reserve is in north-eastern Telangana, along the Godavari River. It covers an area of 2,015 sq. km in the Sahyadri Mountain Ranges. The government declared it a Tiger Reserve in 2012. The reserve features diverse habitats, including forests, grasslands, rivers, and water bodies. It is part of the Central Indian Tiger Landscape, connecting to Tadoba-Andhari in Maharashtra and Indravati in Chhattisgarh.

Notes:
The population of Indian Wild Ass (Equus hemionus khur) in Gujarat increased from 6,082 in 2020 to 7,672 in 2024, a rise of 26.14%. The khur is a subspecies of the Asiatic wild ass (Equus hemionus), also known as the onager. It is primarily found in the Little Rann of Kutch (LRK), Gujarat. Little Rann of Kutch is both a wetland and desert, and the khur is a generalist herbivore. It is solitary and shy, classified as endangered by IUCN and listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Notes:
The third edition of the Mindfulness India Summit is scheduled to take place on October 17 and 18 in Mumbai. It aims to provide leaders and professionals with strategies for healthier, more empathetic workplaces. It is organised by the Mindful Science Centre. The summit will focus on mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and neuroscience. The theme, “Thrive in the Age of Disruption,” highlights mindfulness as essential for navigating today’s business challenges.

Notes:
The Bihar government announced that the Centre approved a tiger reserve at Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary. This sanctuary is the largest in the Kaimur District, located in the Vindhyachal hill ranges. It plays a crucial role as a catchment area for the Kav, Sone, and Durgawati river systems and their tributaries. Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary connects with the Chandraprabha Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh. This connection links to the Sanjay Dubri Tiger Reserve and the Panna landscape in Madhya Pradesh through forests and other wildlife sanctuaries.

Notes:
World Mental Health Day is observed on October 10 and was first initiated in 1992 by the World Federation for Mental Health. The day aims to raise awareness about mental health issues and support mental health care globally. It has become a significant platform for collaboration among governments, organizations, and individuals to promote lasting change in mental health care. The 2024 theme, “Mental Health at Work,” highlights the importance of mental health in the workplace, where around 60% of the global population is employed. It stresses the need for safe and inclusive work environments to promote mental well-being and support those in need.

Notes:
India’s National Space Commission approved the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (Lupex), India’s fifth lunar mission. Lupex follows the success of Chandrayaan-3’s Moon landing in August 2023, making India the fourth nation to land on the Moon. It is a joint mission between India’s ISRO and Japan’s JAXA, focusing on lunar resource exploration. The main objective is to study the presence and distribution of water on the Moon’s surface and beneath its regolith. Lupex aims to provide crucial data for future lunar exploration and potential human habitation.

Notes:
The Union cabinet, led by PM Modi, approved the continuation of fortified rice distribution under all government schemes, including Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), from July 2024 to December 2028. The initiative is fully funded by the Centre, providing a unified mechanism for implementation. India faces high malnutrition levels, especially among women and children, with widespread deficiencies in iron, Vitamin B12, and folic acid. The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) shows high anaemia rates, with every second woman anaemic and every third child stunted. Rice, a staple food in India, is ideal for fortification to address malnutrition and improve health.

Notes:
The World Bank released the South Asian Development Update report, indicating that output growth in South Asia will exceed that of other emerging market regions. Climate change is exposing South Asia to extreme heat, floods, and other weather-related shocks, with smaller firms in India being particularly vulnerable. Female labor force participation in the region is low at 32%, highlighting the potential for income growth through gender equity. The report mentions a marriage penalty, noting that marriage decreases women’s labor force participation. Bhutan’s economy is projected to grow by 7.2% in FY25, with India close behind at 7%, driven by private consumption, tourism, and hydropower exports.