Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2023

Notes:
The collapse of an ash pond in a thermal power plant run by the state-owned Odisha Power Generation Corporation (OPGC) has destroyed crops and polluted the Hirakud Dam reservoir.
A breach in the pond’s dyke at Banharpali village in the district caused its dam to collapse. Slurry from the pond flowed into paddy fields spread across 150 acres of land. Most of the croplands had standing paddy crops while in some of the land, the freshly harvested crops are completely destroyed. The slurry has also damaged the soil for future cultivation.

Notes:
Astronomers have detected the oldest black hole ever observed, with around a million times the mass of the Sun.
The black hole dates back more than 13 billion years to the dawn of the universe. The observations, made by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), reveal it to be at the heart of a galaxy 440 million years after the big bang. The observations of the GN-z11 galaxy suggest that they were either born big or ballooned extremely rapidly early on. There is no direct image of the black hole captured, which is unseeable as no light can escape it. However, astronomers found telltale signatures of its accretion disk, the halo of gas and dust that swirls around the cosmic sinkhole.

Notes:
The government is planning to launch a revised incentive scheme, Scheme for Promotion of Manufacturing of Electronic Components and Semiconductors (SPECS), with allocation up to ₹10,000 crore. This move aims to boost electronic components and semiconductor manufacturing in alignment with the semiconductor mission to establish India as a global electronics hub.

Notes:
Scientists from the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and Bengaluru-based IDRS Labs have collaborated to develop Aktocyte tablets for the treatment of pelvic cancer. These tablets are designed to supplement cancer radiotherapy, functioning as a regenerative nutraceutical, immunomodulator, and antioxidant. The collaboration involves experts from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Tata Memorial Hospital, and the Advanced Centre for Training Research and Education in Cancer, along with IDRS Labs. The primary aim of this collaborative effort is to minimize the side effects of radiotherapy, which often impact patients’ quality of life. Aktocyte tablets have multiple innovative functions, supporting natural healing processes, enhancing the immune response to cancer cells, and protecting healthy cells from damage during radiotherapy. Aktocyte has received approval from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), ensuring its safety and quality standards. This development revolutionizes pelvic cancer care, offering a promising solution with multifunctional properties and regulatory approval.

Notes:
In an effort to boost tourism and attract more visitors, Iran has decided to cancel visa requirements for visitors from India. The decision, made by the Iranian Cabinet, is part of a larger initiative to waive visa requirements for 33 countries. The Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, Ezzatollah Zarghami, believes that this move will neutralize “Iranophobia” campaigns and increase tourism arrivals. This decision follows similar actions by Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam, who have also waived visa requirements for visitors from India. Iran has seen a significant increase in foreign arrivals, with 4.4 million visitors during the first eight months of the current Iranian year, representing a 48.5% increase compared to the same period last year. The 33 countries approved for Iran’s visa-waiver program include India, Russia, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, and several others. Iran had previously implemented visa waiver programs for visitors from Turkey, Azerbaijan, Oman, China, Armenia, Lebanon, and Syria.

Notes:
The settlement where evidence of the oldest domesticated yak along with domesticated cattle was found is called Bangga. It is located in the Shannan or Lhokha prefecture of China’s Tibet Autonomous Region near the Brahmaputra river. Archaeologists discovered remains of yaks, taurine cattle and their hybrids that were domesticated by humans in Bangga some 2,500 years ago. This provides the oldest known record of yak domestication, highlighting the region’s historical significance in livestock farming.

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Vijay Diwas, celebrated on December 16th every year, commemorates the victory of the Indian armed forces over Pakistan during the 1971 war. It marks the creation of Bangladesh from erstwhile East Pakistan. On this day, India pays homage to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives to defend the nation. The war resulted in the biggest-ever military surrender since World War II, with General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, the head of Pakistan’s armed forces, surrendering to the combined forces of the Indian Army and the Mukti Bahini of Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, December 16th is celebrated as Victory Day. Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, the Chief of the Army Staff during the 1971 war, is regarded as the architect of India’s victory. The day holds significant historical and national importance, symbolizing India’s emergence as a celebrated nation. It also altered the relationship between the US and the South Asian region. Five inspirational quotes by Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw were shared, highlighting his leadership and wisdom.

Notes:
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, one of India’s most prestigious engineering and research institutes, is establishing the Kotak School of Sustainability on its campus in collaboration with Kotak Mahindra Bank. This marks India’s first fully integrated school focusing holistically on sustainability education, research and solutions. Being set up with support from Kotak Bank, the school will offer undergraduate and postgraduate programs on various sustainability themes and will be housed in a state-of-the-art green building with net zero energy and waste systems. This highlights the rising global and national priority for sustainability across higher education.

Notes:
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu attended the annual Shar Amartala Torgya Festival at the Thegtse Sangye Choi Long monastery here at Balemu, a small hamlet at the trijunction of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Bhutan in West Kameng district.

Notes:
China has marked a significant achievement in physics by inaugurating the world’s deepest and largest underground laboratory, known as the Deep Underground and Ultra-low Radiation Background Facility for Frontier Physics Experiments (DURF). Situated at a remarkable depth of 2,400 meters, DURF is a collaborative effort between Tsinghua University and Yalong River Hydropower Development Company, Ltd. The facility offers exclusive testing conditions unavailable elsewhere, aiming to contribute substantially to the global exploration of dark matter—a mysterious substance that exhibits limited interaction with light or the electromagnetic field.