Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2023

Notes:
Zimbabwe announced that it will construct its first utility-scale geothermal energy Independent Power Producer (IPP) and support the reduction of greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in the country.
Energy sector is the highest contributor of the emissions in the country. Zimbabwe’s total energy generation in 2021 comprised of 29 per cent from non-renewable sources and 71 per cent from renewable sources, with hydropower (69%) as the largest share.

Notes:
In an initiative touted at aiming to leverage data for social good, the Foundation for Science Innovation and Development (FSID) within the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) announced the launch of the Centre of Data for Public Good (CDPG).
CDPG will serve as a hub for multidisciplinary research, bringing together experts from academia, industry, and government to harness the power of data to benefit the public.

Notes:
Rahul Dravid has been reappointed as the head Coach of the Indian men’s cricket team till the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Paras Mhambrey (bowling coach), Vikram Rathore (batting coach) and T. Dilip (fielding coach) have also been reappointed.

Notes:
The common term used for tactics like false scarcity claims, confirm-shaming, forced bundling, and subscription traps in online transactions, which were recently addressed by the Indian government, is “dark patterns.” Government of India has notified guidelines banning online platforms from deploying deceptive designs or ‘dark patterns’ tricking users into certain choices benefitting the company. Any commercial entity systematically offering goods or services in India must refrain from such practices numbered in the rules. With e-commerce expanding, curbs became imperative as exploitative mechanisms undermine consumer autonomy and fair competition. Companies could face penalties for violations. As digital adoption rises, informed consent and transparency in interface flows matter. Hence regulations aim safeguarding web-use.

Notes:
A Goa government appointed committee has determined that the deadly Sattari landslides in July 2021 were caused by a combination of geological factors, human activity, and extreme rain. Their report states that deep chemical weathering of rocks creating structural weaknesses, combined with naturally steep slopes, made the terrain prone to landslides during heavy precipitation. Additionally, anthropogenic activities like unscientific road cutting, construction, mining, etc further aggravated slope instability in protected forest areas of Sattari such as Satre, Karmali-Budruk, Karanzol-Savarde, and Maushi-Zarme.

Notes:
Anthrobots are tiny, self-assembling robots made from human cells. They can move around in a lab dish and are capable of healing neurons and damaged tissue. Anthrobots are made from human tracheal cells and can be created without genetic modifications. They are made up of a few hundred cells and only last a few weeks before breaking down. This means they can be easily reabsorbed into the body after their work is done. Anthrobots could be used in personalized medicine. They could help heal wounds or damaged tissue by forming large structures that span the width of a wound.
A team at Tufts University and Harvard University’s Wyss Institute created anthrobots.

Notes:
Brazil’s President Lula da Silva has clarified that Brazil is seeking OPEC+ membership to convince member nations to move away from fossil fuels, not to cap its own oil output. Lula said Brazil aims to persuade major oil producers to invest profits into renewable energy development assistance for poorer regions like Africa and Latin America instead.
Brazil seeks a leadership role in rallying OPEC+ oil economies to finance global south’s green transition through proceeds earned from essentially the last fossil fuel boom before inevitable decline. Joining the 23-member group controlling 40% of world’s oil reserves aligns with Lula’s climate justice advocacy, with rainforests protection another priority. Hence Brazil is eyeing OPEC+ as platform for climate action cooperation.

Notes:
The recently announced roadmap by the National Biofuels Coordination Committee (NBCC) lays out a phased plan for mandating blending of compressed biogas (CBG) into city gas distribution (CGD) networks across India. As per this roadmap, CGD entities will have to start blending CBG with compressed natural gas (CNG) for transportation and piped natural gas (PNG) for households from the financial year 2025-26.
The blending percentage will be 1% of total CNG and PNG consumption in FY26, progressively increasing to 3% in FY27 and 4% in FY28. From financial year 2028-29 onwards, the obligatory CBG blending percentage has been set at 5% of overall CNG and domestic PNG demand.

Notes:
The researchers of NOAA Ocean Exploration, in a major discovery, found a massive underwater mountain, also known as a seamount, on the Pacific Ocean’s floor off the coast of Guatemala.
The seamount is likely to be a remnant of an extinct volcano, similar to other seamounts. The seamount found is 1,600 metres (5,249 feet) tall, which is nearly twice the height of Burj Khalifa in Dubai – the world’s tallest building.

Notes:
Since 1947, Norway has sent an annual gift to Britain, expressing thanks for its support during World War Two.
This year, the symbol of historic gratitude has arrived in Trafalgar Square. At 20 meters tall and approximately 70 years old, this year’s “queen of the forest” was carefully selected from woodlands around Oslo, then ceremonially felled in November.