Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2024

Notes:
The inaugural Kho Kho World Cup will be held in India in 2025, announced by the Kho Kho Federation of India and the International Kho Kho Federation. The event will feature 24 countries from 6 continents, with 16 teams for both men and women. To promote the sport, the KKFI plans to introduce Kho Kho in 200 schools across 10 cities and aims to register at least 50 lakh players. The tournament will include a week of matches with top athletes worldwide, aiming to elevate Kho Kho to an international level. Kho Kho, rooted in India, has a global presence, with 54 countries participating in the sport.

Notes:
Vuhledar, meaning “gift of coal,” is a coal mining town in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, with a pre-war population of around 14,000. Built in the 1960s by the Soviet Union, it has significant coal reserves and has been a focal point in the ongoing conflict. Its strategic location allows control over supply lines and positions in the eastern and southern fronts. The town has faced extensive devastation due to fierce battles, with Russian forces recently claiming control after encircling Ukrainian defenders, highlighting its importance in the broader conflict over the Donetsk region.

Notes:
Scientists found carbon dioxide and hydrogen peroxide on Pluto’s largest moon, Charon. Charon is half the size of Pluto, measuring 1,214 km across, discovered in 1978. It’s named after the ferryman of dead souls in Greek mythology. Charon’s mass is over one-tenth of Pluto’s, and the two form a double dwarf planet system. The distance between Pluto and Charon is 19,640 km. Both bodies are tidally locked, always facing each other in same side. Charon completes one orbit of Pluto in 6.4 Earth days.

Notes:
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.

Notes:
Assam has launched the “co-district” initiative, a new governance model that replaces the traditional civil sub-division system. Co-district commissioners will have the same powers as district commissioners for more localized control. It is the first initiative of its kind in India, aiming to decentralize administration and improve accessibility to governance.
The initiative was launched in 39 Assembly constituencies on October 4, 2024, with a second phase expanding to 35 more constituencies. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma emphasized that it will make governance more responsive and citizen-friendly.

Notes:
The Drought Resilience+10 (DR+10) Conference, held from September 30 to October 2, 2024, in Geneva, Switzerland, focused on enhancing global drought preparedness and resilience. It marked a decade since the first High-Level Meeting on National Drought Policy and brought together policymakers, experts, and practitioners to discuss advancements in drought management. With droughts becoming more frequent due to climate change, the conference emphasized the need for effective policies and global mechanisms to address systemic drought risks and promote sustainable development.

Notes:
DRDO completed development trials of the 4th Generation Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORAD) with three successful tests at Pokhran, Rajasthan. VSHORAD is a Man Portable Air Defence System (MANPAD) designed to neutralize low-altitude aerial threats at short ranges. It was developed by DRDO’s Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad, with industry partners. The missile features advanced technologies like a miniaturised Reaction Control System (RCS) and integrated avionics, and is propelled by a dual-thrust solid motor.

Notes:
Ceres was reclassified from an asteroid to a dwarf planet due to its mass, which allows it to maintain a round shape. Recent studies by Purdue University and NASA revealed that its crust is likely composed of 90% ice, suggesting a history as a watery world. The findings are based on data from NASA’s Dawn mission, which provided insights into Ceres’ cratered surface and icy composition, challenging previous assumptions about its geology.

Notes:
Iran recently launched over 180 ballistic missiles, including the hypersonic Fattah-2, targeting Israel’s air defenses. Fattah-2 is a new version of Iran’s first domestically made hypersonic ballistic missile, Fattah, which means conqueror in Farsi. It features a hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) warhead that can maneuver and glide at hypersonic speed. The missile uses a liquid-fuel rocket propellant, allowing its engine to adjust thrust force.

Notes:
Union Health Minister JP Nadda was elected Chairperson of the 77th session of WHO’s Regional Committee for Southeast Asia. The committee shapes WHO’s health policies in the region. The three-day session began in New Delhi and includes health ministers from Southeast Asian nations like Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and others. The focus is on improving public health systems and addressing key epidemiological and demographic challenges.