CURRENT AFFAIRS – 25-10-2024

POCKET INFO

1. Luong Cuong was elected President during the 8th session of the
National Assembly with 91.67% votes. He will replace Tom Lam
and remain in office until 2026.

2. India and Pakistan have extended the Kartarpur Corridor

Agreement till 2029. Now Indian pilgrims will be able to visit
Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan by 2029.

3. The Diamond Jubilee Celebrations of National Diary

Development Board was held in Anand, Gujrat. The function was
presided over by Union Home Minister and Cooperation Minister
Amit Shah.

4. Karnataka has won the 24th National Para-Swimming

Championships 2024 with 392 points. Karnataka is followed by
Maharashtra (378) and Rajasthan (248).

5. Egypt has been officially certified as malaria-free by WHO. This

year, it has become the second country in the world to get this status
after Cabo Verde.

6. The central government has exempted Usna rice and brown rice
from export duty. The Finance Ministry has reduced export duty on
parboiled rice, brown rice and paddy from 10 per cent to ‘zero’.
7. Mega International Container Transshipment Port at Galathea
Bay, Great Nicobar Island becomes India’s 13th port.

8. The United Nations Conference on Biological Diversity (COP16)

has begun in the Colombian city of Cali. COP16 focuses on
commitments to prevent and reverse biodiversity loss.

9. Indian cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur has been named in the

ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 Team of the Tournament.

10. Archer Deepika Kumari has won the silver medal in the women’s
recurve competition at the Archery World Cup Final 2024.

Stadiums in India

Name of Stadium City State / UT

Narendra Modi Stadium Ahmedabad Gujrat

Green Park Kanpur Uttar Pradesh

Eden Garden Kolkata West Bengal

Biju Patnaik Hockey Stadium Bhubaneshwar Odisha

 QUIZ
1. In September 2024, Tata Steel commissioned India’s largest blast furnace
with a volume of 5,870 square metres, as part of its Rs 27,000 crore
Phase II expansion, at which of the following places?
A. Jamnagar, Gujarat
B. Kalinganagar, Odisha
C. Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
D. Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Ans – B

Exp –
 Tata Steel commissions India’s largest blast furnace at
Kalinganagar.
 Tata Steel Ltd had commissioned ‘India’s largest blast furnace’ at
Kalinganagar, Odisha as part of the Phase II expansion its plant.
 With a total investment of Rs.27,000 crore, the Phase II expansion
at Kalinganagar will take the total capacity at the site from 3
million tonnes per annum (MTPA) to 8 MTPA.
 The new facility was inaugurated by T. V. Narendran, CEO and
Managing Director, of Tata Steel.
 The new blast furnace will significantly boost the plant’s overall
production capabilities, allowing Tata Steel to meet the growing
demands of various industries, including automotive,
infrastructure, power, shipbuilding, and defence. It will also
provide advantages in specific areas like oil & gas, lifting &
excavation, and construction.

2. In September 2024, which company signed an MoU with the Rubber

Research Institute of India (RRII) to enhance research on using Rubber
Process Oils in tyre and non-tyre rubber products?
A. Hindustan Petroleum
B. Indian Oil Corporation
C. Oil and Natural Gas Corporation
D. Steel Authority of India Limited

Ans – B
 Exp –
 Rubber Research Institute signs MoU with Indian Oil.
 The Rubber Research Institute of India (RRII) has signed an MoU
with Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) to enhance research on the
use of Rubber Process Oils marketed by IOCL in various tyre and
non-tyre rubber products.
 This collaboration aims to improve product performance and
rubber processing across these applications.
 The partnership reflects a shared commitment to drive innovations
in rubber processing while addressing the growing global demand
for environmentally sustainable industrial products.

3. According to the Asian Power Index Report 2024, released recently by

the Australian think tank Lowy Institute, India is ranked the third most
powerful country in Asia. Which is the most powerful country in Asia?
A. Russia
B. UK
C. USA
D. China

Ans – C

Exp –
 India becomes 3rd Most Powerful Nation in Asia, Surpasses Japan
in Asia Power Index.
 According to the Asian Power Index Report 2024, released
recently by the Australian think tank Lowy Institute, India is
ranked third most powerful country in Asia after the United States
of America and China.
 Last year, India was ranked the fourth most powerful country in
Asia in the 2023 report, but this year, India overtook Japan to be
ranked.
 The 2024 Asia Power Index Report ranks 27 countries and
territories. For the first time, the Southeast Asian country of Timor
Leste has been included in the Report.
 The report evaluates the power of the countries on 131 indicators
across eight thematic measures: Military Capability and Defence
Networks, Economic Capability and Relationships, Diplomatic and
Cultural Influence, as well as Resilience and Future Resources.
4. Which bank has joined hands with Mastercard to launch MyBiz, a
business credit card designed exclusively for sole proprietors and small
business owners?
A. Axis Bank
B. HDFC Bank
C. UCO Bank
D. ICICI Bank

Ans – A

Exp –
 Axis Bank and Mastercard join hands to unveil MyBiz credit card
for small business owners in India.
 Axis Bank, one of the largest private sector banks in India, has
joined hands with Mastercard, a global technology company in the
payments industry, to launch MyBiz, a business credit card
designed exclusively for sole proprietors and small business
owners.
 The new card, part of the World Mastercard category, combines a
wide range of business and travel benefits to meet the diverse
needs of SME owners.
 MyBiz card offers a comprehensive suite of business and travel
benefits — an end-to-end digital offering that simplifies our small
business clients’ experience through greater rewards, increased
purchasing power, zero liability protection, and increased
employee controls.”

5. In September 2024, which bank partnered with Decentro, India’s largest

fintech infrastructure platform, to become the first to support the
integration of its newly unveiled eNACH and UPI AutoPay modules,
designed to streamline recurring payments for businesses?
A. Axis Bank
B. HDFC Bank
C. UCO Bank
D. Yes Bank

Ans – D
 Exp –
 Decentro unveils eNACH and UPI AutoPay, Streamlining
Recurring Payments.
 Decentro, India’s largest fintech infrastructure platform, has
introduced eNACH & UPI AutoPay, intended to streamline and
simplify the management of recurring payments for businesses.
 The company hopes to assist at least 100+ enterprises with
integrating these modules over the next three months, addressing
some of the most difficult obstacles that businesses encounter
regarding recurring payments. The first partner bank for this new
module is YES Bank.
 The total addressable market (TAM) for recurring payments in
India is around $800 million. However, businesses encounter
several hurdles, resulting in a large time (and monetary)
commitment of at least 500 man-hours to integrate and test these
systems with their banking partners.

6. India’s Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and Vijay Sundar Prashanth, who were

seen in the news in September 2024 for achieving a remarkable
achievement, are associated with which of the following sport?
A. Badminton
B. Chess
C. Tennis
D. Basketball

Ans – C

Exp –
 Indian tennis duo Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan & Vijay Sundar
Prashant win Hangzhou Open Doubles title.
 Indian tennis duo Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and Vijay Sundar
Prashanth won the doubles title in the ATP 250 Hangzhou Open
2024.
 They defeated the German pair of Constantine Frantzen and
Hendrik Jebens at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Expo Centre.
 The Indian duo staged a remarkable comeback to triumph 4-6, 7-6
(7-5), 10-7, marking their first ATP title together as a pair.
  For Jeevan, it ends a seven-year title drought, while for Vijay, this
victory represents a career milestone as it is his first-ever ATP title.

7. The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), together

with researchers of which IITs has developed lightweight bulletproof
jackets, named ABHED (Advanced Ballistics for High Energy Defeat),
which offer 360-degree protection)?
A. IIT Madras
B. IIT Kanpur
C. IIT Delhi
D. IIT Kharagpur

Ans – C

Exp –
 DRDO & IIT Delhi develop ABHED Light Weight Bullet Proof
Jacket.
 The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO),
together with researchers of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)
Delhi, has developed light weight bullet proof jackets, named
ABHED (Advanced Ballistics for High Energy Defeat), which
offer 360 degree protection.
 These jackets have been created from polymers and indigenous
boron carbide ceramic material.
 The design configuration is based on characterisation of various
materials at high strain rates followed by appropriate modelling
and simulation in collaboration with DRDO. The armour plates for
the jackets have passed all necessary R&D trials as per the
protocols.
 The jackets meet the highest threat levels, and are lighter than the
maximum weight limits stipulated in respective General Staff
Qualitative Requirement of the Indian Army. With minimum
possible weight of 8.2 kgs and 9.5 kgs for different BIS Levels,
these modular-design jackets having front & rear armours provide
3600 protection.
8. Which startup has been ranked first in LinkedIn Top Startups India List
2024 — an annual ranking of emerging companies where professionals
want to work?
A. Rapido
B. Zepto
C. Sprinto
D. Lucidity

Ans – B

Exp –
 Zepto retains first place in LinkedIn’s 2024 list of India’s Top
Startups.
 Quick commerce platform Zepto, for the 2nd consecutive year, has
been ranked first in LinkedIn Top Startups India List 2024 — an
annual ranking of emerging companies where professionals want to
work.
 The list draws insights from data based on the actions of more than
1 billion LinkedIn members globally. It measures startups based
on four pillars: employment growth, engagement, job interest and
attraction of top talent.
 Zepto was followed by compliance firm Sprinto and cloud storage
management platform Lucidity.
 E-commerce platform GoKwik, conversation intelligence platform
Convin, biofuel supply chain platform BiofuelCircle, and, mental
health platform MindPeers are also featured in the list.

9. Antyodaya Diwas is celebrated every year on September 25 across the

country. The day marks the birth anniversary of
___________________________________ to remember his life and
legacy.
A. Syama Prasad Mukherjee
B. Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya
C. Vinoba Bhave
D. Jayaprakash Narayan

Ans – B

Exp –
  Antyodaya Diwas is celebrated every year on September 25 across
the country.
 The day marks the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal
Upadhyaya to remember his life and legacy. It was dedicated by
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014 in honour of Pandit
Deendayal Upadhyaya, a prominent Indian political leader and
thinker.
 Pandit Deendayal was born in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh
on September 25, 1916. Later, he joined a 40-day camp in Sangh
education and a two-year training at the RSS education wing in the
1940s. Upadhyaya served the Bharatiya Jana Sangh from 1953 to
1968, where he became the source of ideological guidance and
moral inspiration for the BJP.
 He was also known for his philosophical and literary works.
Deendayal developed the concept of ‘Integral Humanism’
advocating the holistic development of the mind, body, intellect,
and soul. He died at the age of 51, on February 11, 1968.

10. The Maharashtra government has officially approved the renaming of

which airport to ‘Tukaram Maharaj Airport’ in honour of the revered
17th-century saint?
A. Jalgaon Airport
B. Sindhudurg Airport
C. Juhu Airport
D. Pune Airport

Ans – D

Exp –
 Pune airport to be renamed ‘Tukaram Maharaj Airport.
 The Maharashtra government has officially approved the renaming
of Pune airport to ‘Tukaram Maharaj Airport’ in honour of the
revered 17th-century saint.
 This move aims to pay tribute to Sant Tukaram Maharaj, a
prominent spiritual figure in Maharashtra’s history, known for his
devotional poetry and influence on the Bhakti movement.
 Sant Tukaram was a significant saint and spiritual poet of the
Bhakti movement, born in Pune district.