Current Affairs Today - Latest Current Affairs Questions 2024

Lionel Messi won the eighth Ballon d'Or of his career, while Spain's World Cup-winning star Aitana Bonamati won the women's award. Messi, 36, won his first Ballon d'Or in 2009. Now he is three points ahead of his old rival Cristiano Ronaldo. Norway's Erling Haaland and French footballer Kylian Mbappe were placed second and third on the list.

According to a report titled “Impact of Disasters on Agriculture and Food Security” by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the frequency of extreme disaster events has increased significantly over the past five decades. In the 1970s, there were approximately 100 disaster events per year in the world. However, over the past two decades, this number has increased globally to approximately 400 disasters annually. This trend highlights the increasing challenges and risks posed by disasters to agriculture and food security around the world.

The Reserve Bank of India announced the launch of “Inflation Expectations Survey of Households” and “Consumer Confidence Survey”, which will provide important inputs for the bi-monthly monetary policy scheduled in December 2023. The surveys are conducted in 19 cities including Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai and Delhi.

Two Indian cities, Gwalior and Kozhikode, have recently become part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. In the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh has made it to the list in the 'Music' category, while Kozhikode in Kerala has made its place in the list in the 'Literature' category. Globally, 55 cities joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network on World Cities Day, which was observed on 31 October.

NASA conducted a sounding rocket mission known as the Integral Field Ultraviolet Spectroscope Experiment (INFUSE). The mission was launched from the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico with the aim of studying a stellar phenomenon within the Cygnus Loop, a supernova remnant that occurred approximately 20,000 years ago.

Co-operative banks in India are regulated by both the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the respective state governments. RBI is responsible for licensing, supervision and regulation of co-operative banks in India. Co-operative banks are owned and controlled by the members, who democratically elect a board of directors. Co-operative banks were brought under the regulatory framework of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in 2020.

Launched in 2013, the Dutch Golden Visa initiative was designed to stimulate the economic development of the Netherlands. Under the program foreign investors were required to contribute a minimum of €1,250,000 to Dutch businesses. The program was in line with the goals of many other countries that offer similar investment schemes. However, from January 2024, the Netherlands will discontinue its ‘Golden Visa’ programme.

The Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP) aims to connect the port of Kolkata to the Sittwe port in Rakhine state of Myanmar via sea. In this project, Kolkata is being connected to Myanmar through road, river, port etc. and then to the north-eastern states of India through Kaladan River of Myanmar. The project is worth US$484 million and aims to enhance regional trade. India and Myanmar have jointly inaugurated the Sittwe Port, a part of the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project.

The Indian Air Force has successfully operated three of its S-400 air defense missile squadrons along its borders with China and Pakistan. In 2018–19, India agreed with Russia to purchase S-400 missiles worth ₹35,000 crore. Of the five squadrons that were to be delivered, three have been delivered. While the delivery of the remaining two has been disrupted due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Record drought in the Amazon rainforest has led to the discovery of petroglyphs made by humans 2,000 years ago that are now partially submerged in one of the region's largest rivers. Pre-Columbian engravings were found in the Brazilian city of Manaus at a point where the black waters of the Negro River meet the Amazon River. Manaus is a city in Brazil. It is the largest city in northern Brazil. Manaus is the capital of the state of Amazonas. It is located on the north bank of the Negro River, 11 miles (18 km) upstream of that river's flow into the Amazon River.