Current Affairs (25th June, 2024)

Kozhikode in north Kerala conferred this title for its status as a cultural hub for literature.
Earlier, United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) added Kozhikode to its Creative Cities Network (UCCN).
Historical Significance of Kozhikode (Calicut)
- City of Zamorins: Once known as the city of Zamorins.
- British Rule Name: Known as Calicut during British rule.
- The city served as the gateway to the coast for many foreigners, such as Persians, Arabs, Chinese, and eventually Europeans, centuries ago.
Kozhikode as City of Literature
- The city has a long history of hosting various literary events, such as the Kerala Literature Festival, which is one of the largest literary gatherings in Asia.
- This acknowledgement reinforces the city's role as a hub for intellectual exchange and literary discussions.
- Kozhikode carried the distinction of being home to over 500 libraries.
- The city is also home to many renowned writers, including S. K. Pottekkatt (the most celebrated writer of the city), Thikkodiyan and P. Valsala Sanjayan, along with poets, scholars, and publishers who have contributed to the diversity and vibrancy of Malayalam literature and culture.

United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Creative Cities Network (UCCN)

It was created in 2004.
It aims to promote cooperation among cities which recognize creativity as a strategic factor in their urban development.
The network covers seven creative fields: crafts and folk arts, media arts, film, design, gastronomy, literature and music.

The Hon'ble President of India, Droupadi Murmu has appointed Bhartruhari Mahtab as the ‘Speaker pro tem’ of the 18th Lok Sabha.

About Pro-tem Speaker

Appointed by the President under Article 95 (1) of the Constitution to perform the duties of the Speaker till the election of the Speaker.
Pro-tem is a Latin phrase which means “for the time being”.
The Pro-tem Speaker is appointed to preside over the sittings of the newly elected house.
Usually, the senior most member of the house is made the Pro-tem Speaker.
When the new Speaker is elected by the House, the office of the Pro-tem ceases to exist.

Duties of Pro-tem Speaker

Presides over the first sitting of the Lok Sabha and administers the oath of office to the newly elected Members of Parliament.
To conduct the vote for election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
Administers the floor test.

Floor Test

A floor test serves as a crucial mechanism to ascertain whether the executive retains the confidence of the legislature.
This process is conducted in both Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies.

They are found along the Buffels River in South Africa’s Namaqualand region, covering about 20 per cent of the surface area.
Locally, these mounds are called Heuweltjies which means little hills in Afrikaans.
These termite mounds are inhabited by an underground network of tunnels and nests of the southern harvester termite, Microhodotermes viator.

About Namaqualand

It is a desert region of southwestern Africa.
From north to south, it stretches from the Karas region of Namibia to the Northern Cape province of South Africa.
From west to east, it stretches from the Namib Desert to the Kalahari.
It covers an area of 400,000 square kilometres.
The Namibian section, north of the Orange River, is sometimes called Great Namaqualand.
The South African section, south of the Orange River, is sometimes called Little Namaqualand.
It is very dry and succulents are the only plants that can be seen on the vast plains.
Rain falls mostly in the winter.
If there is enough rain, wildflowers cover Namaqualand for a few weeks during springtime.
The area was traditionally inhabited by the Nama people before the German occupation of the region in the 19^th century.
There are large deposits of copper in Namaqualand.
In the early 1900s diamonds were discovered in several places in Namaqualand, including Sperrgebiet in Namibia and the Richtersveld in South Africa.

What are Termites?

Termites are insects that eat wood.
They are found all around the world, and there are more than 2,000 species. However, they are most common in tropical rainforests.
Some underground nests rise partly above the ground as mounds or towers.
Termites live in organized groups called colonies. Mature termite colonies can contain 60,000 to 1 million termites, depending on the type of termite colony.
Each colony has three kinds of termites: royalty, soldiers, and workers, they have certain jobs within the colony.
Termites also help nature by breaking down dead wood into nutrients. The nutrients can then be recycled and used by bacteria and plants.

Sino-French Satellite Launched to Study Gamma-Ray Bursts

The Long March 2C rocket, carrying the Space Variable Objects Monitor (SVOM) satellite, launched from Xichang Satellite.

Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs)

These are violent electromagnetic explosions which can release as much energy in a few seconds as the Sun will emit over its entire 10-billion-year lifetime.

Space Variable Objects Monitor (SVOM)

It is a collaboration between the China National Space Administration (CNSA) and France’s Centre national d’ etudes spatiales (CNES).

It is observed annually on 23^rd June and was first celebrated in 1948.
The objective of the day is to promote sports and spread the message to make sports an integral part of life.
The theme for 2024 is Let’s Move and Celebrate.

International Olympic Committee

Founded: 23 June 1894, Paris, France
Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland
President (Incumbent): Thomas Bach
Objective: To promote Olympic values of excellence, respect, and friendship.