Current Affairs

PARIS PARALYMPICS 2024

Why in the News?

Preeti Pal become the first Indian female track and field athlete to win two medals at the Paralympics, securing a bronze in the 200m T35 category at the Paris Paralympics. This remarkable feat makes her the second Indian woman to earn two medals at a single Paralympics, following shooter Avani Lekhara's gold and bronze achievements in Tokyo.

Preethi Pal

Paralympic Games

• The games are an international multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities, held every four years following the Olympic Games.
• The first official Paralympic Games were held in Rome in 1960, but the origins trace to the Stoke Mandeville Games in 1948, organized for World War II veterans with spinal cord injuries.
• The Games promote inclusion, diversity and the breaking down of barriers for people with disabilities.
• The Paralympics feature a wide range of sports, including athletics, swimming, wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, and para-powerlifting, among others.

DHULIKHEL

Why in the News?

World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Dhulikhel Municipality of Kavrepalanchok district as Nepal’s first ‘healthy city’ and second healthiest city in Asia. Among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the government, Dhulikhel Municipality has achieved progress in four areas: poverty alleviation, quality education, access to quality drinking water and zero carbon emissions.

About WHO

• Founded: 17th April 1948
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
• Director-General: Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
• About:
  • It is an inter-governmental organization and works in collaboration with its member states usually through the Ministries of Health.
  • It has194 Member States, including India.
• Objectives
  • To act as the directing and coordinating authority on international health work.
  • To establish and maintain effective collaboration with the United Nations, specialized agencies, governmental health administrations, professional groups and such other organizations as may be deemed appropriate.
  • To help the Governments, upon request, in strengthening health services.
  • To promote cooperation among scientific and professional groups which contribute to the advancement of health.

About Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• SDGs are officially known as Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
• It was established by the United Nations in 2015 to address urgent environmental, political, and economic challenges.
• Aim: To end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all by 2030.
• There are 17 Sustainable Development Goals, 169 associated targets and 304 indicators.

NAMIBIA TO SLAUGHTER WILD ANIMALS

Why in the News?

Namibia plans to cull hundreds of its most majestic wild animals, including elephants and hippopotamuses to supply meat to nearly half of its 1.4 million people who are struggling with the worst drought in a century. 723 animals, including 30 hippopotamuses, 60 buffaloes, 50 impalas, 100 blue wildebeest, 300 zebras, 83 elephants, and 100 elands (a type of antelope), are slated for culling.

About Droughts

• A drought is a prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall, leading to a shortage of water.
• Causes
  • Natural Factors: Lack of precipitation, changes in weather patterns, and high temperatures.
  • Human Activities: Deforestation, overgrazing, excessive irrigation, and climate change.
• Types
  • Meteorological Drought: Due to lack of rainfall.
  • Agricultural Drought: When soil moisture is insufficient for crops.
  • Hydrological Drought: Low water levels in rivers, reservoirs, and groundwater.
  • Socioeconomic Drought: When water scarcity impacts human activities and economy.
• Impacts
  • Agricultural Loss: Reduced crop yields and livestock deaths.
  • Water Scarcity: Limited access to drinking water and sanitation.
  • Economic Damage: Loss of income for farmers, increased food prices, and reduced industrial productivity.
  • Environmental Degradation: Soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, and increased wildfires.
  • Humanitarian Crises: Food shortages, malnutrition, displacement, and increased mortality.

About Namibia

• Capital: Windhoek
• Currency: Namibian Dollar
• Prime minister: Saara Kuugongelwa
• Official language: English
• It is the second least densely populated, located along the Southern African coast.
• It shares a border with the surrounding countries of South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Angola.
• It has a diverse environment that is home to deserts, marshlands, savannas, mountains, and river valleys.

Location of Namibia

MARITIME PARTNERSHIP EXERCISE (MPX)

Why in the News?

INS Tabar conducted Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) with Spanish Navy Ship Atalaya in the Mediterranean Sea. India and Spain have been engaging in multiple fields towards enhancing the existing bilateral relations, including maritime domain. The MPX involved a series of exercises such as Station Keeping, Replenishment at Sea Approaches (RASAPs), Flying Exercise (FYEX), Steam Past and PHOTOEX serials.

About INS Tabar (F44)

• Also called as Battle Axe is the third of the Talwar-class frigate of the Indian Navy.
• The frigate was commissioned on 19^th April 2004 in Kaliningrad, Russia.
• Current Commanding Officer (CO): Captain Mahesh Mangipudi.
• It reached in India on 31^st July 2004. and is assigned to Indian Navy’s Western Naval Command, head-quartered in Mumbai.
• It is a well-equipped warship that has the ability to handle air/surface/sub-surface missions or defending herself operating either independently on maritime missions or supporting a larger naval task force.

Note

• Frigate is a medium size square-rigged warship of the 18th and 19th centuries.
• They are smaller and faster than ships of the line (the principal vessels of naval warfare) and served as scouts or as escorts protecting merchant convoys.

INS Tabar

INDIA POST PAYMENTS BANK (IPPB)

Why in the News?

India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) marked its 7^th Foundation Day on 2^nd September 2024. It was launched by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in 2018.

About

• Headquarters: New Delhi, India
• Owner: India Post, Department of Post, Ministry of Communications, Government of India
• CEO: R. Viswesvaran
• It was established with 100% equity owned by the Government of India.
• It embarked on its transformative journey by launching pilot branches in Ranchi, Jharkhand, and Raipur, Chhattisgarh.
• It aims to facilitate paperless, cashless and presence-less banking and secure transactions, offering simple and affordable solutions through intuitive interfaces in 13 languages.
• Infrastructure: 1,55,000 Post Offices and 3,00,000 postal employees.
• Vision: To create an accessible, affordable and trusted bank for all citizens.
• Achievements
  • Acquired over 9.88 crore customer accounts.
  • On-boarded more than 12 lakh merchants.
  • Successfully disbursed over ₹45,000 crore in Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) to beneficiaries under various government schemes.
  • Facilitated mobile number updates for Aadhaar cards for over 7.10 crore customers.
  • Enabled Digital Life Certificate services for more than 20 lakh pensioners.

About Payment Bank

• They were part of the Reserve Bank of India’s strategy of offering differentiated banking licenses.
• A committee headed by Dr. Nachiket Mor recommended setting up of 'Payments Bank' to cater to the lower income groups and small businesses.
• A payments bank is a differentiated bank, offering a limited range of products.
• It can accept demand deposits only that is savings and current accounts, not time deposits.
• They are restricted to holding a maximum balance of Rs. 2,00,000 (Rupees Two lakh only) per individual customer.
• Payment Banks cannot accept Non-Resident Indian (NRI) deposits.
• They cannot set up subsidiaries to undertake non-banking financial services activities.

WORLD COCONUT DAY

• It is annually observed on 2^nd September and was first celebrated in 2009.
• The day was established by the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community (APCC) to commemorate the organisation’s founding in 1969.
• The day promotes sustainable farming practices and is dedicated to raising awareness about the uses of coconuts and encouraging their consumption worldwide.
• The theme for the day 2024 is Coconut for a Circular Economy: Building Partnership for Maximum Value.

General Knowledge

EMINENT PERSONALITIES IN THE NEWS TODAY

Name	Designation	Image
V. Satish Kumar	Director (Marketing), Indian Oil
Vishnu Deo Sai	Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh