Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2024

Notes:
Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas is celebrated on January 9th every year to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community to the development of India. The day commemorates the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to Mumbai on January 9, 1915. Gandhi had spent over two decades in South Africa, building the foundations of Satyagraha and working to ease discrimination against the Indian community there. The Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas was established in 2003 by the Government of India Ministry of External Affairs to connect the Indian diaspora community more closely to India. Various events and award ceremonies take place on this day celebrating outstanding overseas Indians.

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Sri Lanka’s decision to impose a one-year ban on Chinese research vessels in its EEZ was influenced by concerns raised by India and the US. These concerns were regarding the potential activities of the Chinese vessels, including scientific research and ballistic missile tracking in the Indian Ocean. This move, which was communicated through diplomatic channels, reflects the geopolitical dynamics in the region, especially concerning the presence and activities of Chinese vessels in waters close to India.

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The Supreme Court of India issued the SOP for summoning government officials after observing that the constant summoning of officials instead of relying on government lawyers runs contrary to the constitutional scheme. The SOP aims to outline guidelines and restrain the overuse of summons power by courts which often pressurizes the government. It states that officials cannot be summoned just because their stance differs from the court’s view. This move brings much-needed reforms to strengthen executive-judiciary coordination by avoiding unnecessary harassment of government officials.

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France announced that it will become the first European country to fully shift Schengen visa procedures for visitors online and issue digital Schengen visas, starting with over 70,000 applicants for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Applicants for the sporting events will apply via the special “Olympic Consulate” system avoiding hassles. The move aligns with EU’s plans to launch digital Schengen visa platform by end of 2024, eliminating visa sticker requirements in passports.

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The government’s recent decision to issue 65 Quality Control Orders (QCOs), as announced by the Joint Secretary of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), is primarily aimed at containing the import of sub-standard goods into India. These QCOs cover over 500 products and are part of a broader strategy to ensure product safety for consumers and to boost domestic manufacturing. Under these orders, products must bear the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) mark to be produced, sold, traded, imported, or stocked in India. This initiative aligns with the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and serves to curb the influx of inferior quality imports, thereby protecting consumer interests and promoting fair trade practices. The stringent penalties for violations of these orders further underscore their importance in maintaining quality standards in the market.

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The humanoid robot ALOHA was developed through a collaborative effort by researchers at Google DeepMind and Stanford University. This innovative robot is designed for bimanual teleoperation and is capable of performing a range of tasks autonomously and through user-controlled operations. ALOHA’s development represents a significant advancement in the field of robotics, showcasing the capabilities of combining machine learning algorithms with practical robotic applications. The open-source nature of ALOHA’s hardware and software further emphasizes the commitment of Google DeepMind and Stanford University to contribute to the broader field of robotics research and development.

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The All India Conference of director generals and inspector generals of police in 2024 was held in Jaipur. This annual conference, a significant event in the Indian policing and internal security calendar, brought together top police officials from across the country. The conference focused on various critical issues such as artificial intelligence, cyber security, counter-terrorism, left-wing extremism, narcotics smuggling, and prison reforms. Hosting such a prominent event underscores Jaipur’s status as a key location for national-level conferences and discussions on important security and policing challenges in India.

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Smruti Mandir and Deekshabhoomi, both of which were recently in the news, are located in the city of Nagpur. Smruti Mandir is known for housing the memorial of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s (RSS) founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, while Deekshabhoomi is a significant landmark where Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar embraced Buddhism along with lakhs of his followers. These sites hold historical and cultural importance and recently attracted attention due to the visit of a Chinese delegation of Hindi scholars. Their visit to these landmarks in Nagpur was part of a cultural and educational exchange initiative, highlighting the city’s rich heritage and its significance in India’s historical and socio-political landscape.

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The primary goal of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Proba-3 mission, which is scheduled to launch aboard India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), is to demonstrate precision formation flying between two satellites for solar observation. This innovative mission aims to create an artificial eclipse by precisely positioning the two small satellites, namely the Coronagraph spacecraft and the solar-disc-shaped Occulter spacecraft, approximately 150 meters apart. This configuration will allow the Occulter to cast its shadow onto the Coronagraph’s telescope, effectively blocking the Sun’s direct light and enabling the observation of the Sun’s faint corona in visible, ultraviolet, and polarised light for extended periods.

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Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) in Bengaluru have observed a significant shift in the habitat of numerous bird species in the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, a protected area in the Himalayan foothills of West Kameng District, Arunachal Pradesh. The study attributes this migration to higher elevations to the escalating temperatures in the region. The sanctuary, part of the Eastern Himalayas biodiversity hotspot, boasts over 500 bird species and is renowned as a prime birding site due to its exceptional variety and accessibility of species. With altitudes ranging from 500 meters to 3,250 meters, Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary is characterized by a temperate cloud forest intermixed with bamboo patches, broadleaved evergreen forests, conifers, and rhododendrons.