Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2023

Notes:
The Democratic Republic of the Congo reported 12,569 suspected mpox cases, including 581 deaths, from January 1 through November 12, 2023, according to World Health Organization (WHO) situation report.
This is the highest number of annual cases ever reported, noted WHO. The first confirmed sexually-transmitted mpox infections and the first cases in the country’s capital. The cases were recorded in 22 out of 26 provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Notes:
The Indian Government cleared for submission the country’s Third National Communication (TNC) and Initial Adaptation Communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The submission will fulfil India’s obligation to furnish information under the Convention and the Paris Agreement. In a press brief, key points were highlighted from the TNC, emphasising India’s commitment to addressing climate change, reducing emissions, and enhancing adaptive capacities. India currently has a 41 per cent share of clean power in terms of capacity, while India generated 73 per cent of its power from coal in 2022-23.

Notes:
Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina has been appointed as the youth voter awareness ambassador for Jammu and Kashmir.
Chief electoral officer (CEO) of Jammu and Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole announced the collaboration and said that Suresh Raina holds considerable influence, particularly among the youth.

Notes:
India announced a USD 250 million line of credit to Kenya for modernisation of its agricultural sector as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Kenyan President William Samoei Ruto agreed to enhance bilateral ties in areas of defence, trade, energy, digital public infrastructure and healthcare.
The two sides signed five pacts providing for cooperation in a range of areas including sports, education and digital solution, and unveiled a joint vision document to scale up maritime engagement in the Indian Ocean region. The Kenyan side offered to provide land to Indian companies and institutions for cultivation of crops, including millets.

Notes:
India saw a rise of 24 per cent in cybercrimes registered in 2022 compared to 2021, whereas other categories of crime – including economic offences (11%), crimes against senior citizens (9%), against women (4%), too recorded an increase, as per the latest data released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
According to the report ‘Crime in India’, 65,893 cases were registered under cybercrime, showing an increase of 24.4 per cent compared to 52,974 cases in 2021. According to the NCRB data, a total of 1,93,385 cases were registered under economic offences, showing an increase of 11.1 per cent compared to 1,74,013 cases in 2021.

Notes:
Fifty artisans from across the country will showcase their traditional crafts at the newly made Aatmanirbhar Bharat Centre for Design (ABCD), which will be opened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The centre, under the aegis of Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) of the Union ministry of culture, is in a British-era barracks, L1, in the Red Fort. ABCD is a part of the Art, Architecture and Design Biennale. The centre has been envisioned to facilitate craft development through design innovations in sync with current trends.

Notes:
Israel has intensified its strike in and around Khan Younis, Gaza’s second-largest city. Israel has ordered people out of nearly two dozen neighbourhoods instead of the entire region, as it did in the north.
Palestinians say that as Israel continues to attack across the besieged territory, there are no safe areas left.

Notes:
Telangana government has issued guidelines for the implementation of Maha Lakshmi scheme, aimed at providing free travel to women in TSRTC buses.
The Maha Lakshmi scheme aims to provide free travel for girls, women of all age groups, and transgender persons in state-run Palle Velugu and express buses operated by the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) within the borders of Telangana State.

Notes:
Noted Bhutanese author Tshering Tashi was conferred with the Sahitya Akademi’s ‘Premchand Fellowship’.
Mr. Tashi is a writer known for his works in the field of creative non-fiction. He has written numerous books on Bhutan and is the co-author of The Bodhisattva King, Bold Bhutan Beckons, Symbols of Bhutan, and is an independent author of works like Mysteries of the Raven Crown, Legacy of Gongzim Ugyen Dori, and Myth and Memory – Untold Stories of Bhutan.

Notes:
UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited, in collaboration with India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change unveiled the “Green Rising” initiative at COP28 in Dubai.
The main goal is to mobilize millions of young people worldwide, encouraging their active participation in green initiatives addressing and adapting to the severe impacts of climate change on their communities. Through the YuWaah campaign in India, the focus is on engaging youth to drive impactful environmental actions at the grassroots level, inspired by the Mission Life movement.