Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2023

Notes:
Mahe, Malvan and Mangrol, the first three ships of Shallow Water Craft (CSL) project were launched recently.
The contract for building eight ASW SWC ships was signed between the Ministry of Defence and Cochin Shipyard Limited in 2019. The Mahe class of ships will be equipped with indigenously developed, state-of-the-art underwater sensors, and are envisaged to undertake anti-submarine operations in coastal waters as well as Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO) and Mine Laying Operations.

Notes:
Karnataka government on signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with tech firm Meta to launch two initiatives aimed at raising awareness among students and educators about online safety and digital citizenship.
The state government plans to train 1 lakh teachers and 10 lakh students in digital safety and AR/VR skills by 2025 through this partnership with Meta.

Notes:
Several nations are witnessing outbreaks of a bacterial lung infection or pneumonia among children, which antibiotics are unable to treat effectively. In China, such cases being reported likely involve the mycoplasma pneumoniae pathogen. The ‘white lung’ syndrome leads to distinctive marks on scans. Beyond China, rise in the US, Netherlands and Denmark point to a wider spread.

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:
Victims of chemical warfare in Syria are leading international efforts to set up a specialist tribunal to prosecute illegal toxic attacks that killed and maimed thousands during the civil war. This proposed Exceptional Chemical Weapons Tribunal has quietly garnered engagement from over 40 countries across continents in assessing the political, legal and logistical viability. If created through a treaty, this court based in The Hague could try perpetrators of chemical strikes worldwide, not just limited to Syria. Survivors believe such a tribunal could provide delayed justice and deter future use of prohibited weapons.

Notes:
The EU has introduced a new policy called the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism or CBAM to account for carbon emissions from imported goods. This applies to imports of products like iron, steel and aluminum which require a lot of energy to make and therefore result in high emissions.  Under the CBAM, companies importing these goods into the EU will have to buy carbon certificates corresponding to the polluting emissions.

This is to ensure imported products face similar carbon costs that European producers pay already under EU emissions rules.  The aim is to prevent European manufacturers being undercut by cheaper imports not subject to carbon pricing. It also incentives foreign exporters to transition toward cleaner production.  However, organizations like the World Bank and UN warn that these extra charges could negatively impact developing countries that export to EU, especially industries unable to quickly cut emissions. So while CBAM protects EU competitiveness, it may burden trading partners and needs to be designed sensitively.

Notes:
Hundreds of people displaced from Manipur due to ethnic clashes have taken refuge in Mizoram’s capital Aizawl since May 2022. They were given shelter, education for children, and healthcare by the previous MNF government. However, with Mizoram elections bringing a possible change in power, the Manipuri refugees housed in Aizawl’s Falkland camp grow uncertain about their future.
The 62 families appeal to the new government for continued support and being allowed to stay until stability returns back home. They do not want a change in government to alter the empathetic policy towards them. Their appeals come amid calls for a separate Kuki administrative division in Manipur following prolonged tensions between tribes and armed groups.

Notes:
Methotrexate (MTX) is a widely used anti-cancer drug. The MTX value of more than 10 µM in blood plasma is hazardous if it remains in the system for more than 10 hours, resulting in poisoning effects on the lungs, ulcers of the stomach, and heart stroke.
A new highly fluorescent material with exceptional optical properties has been developed using phosphorene, cystine, and gold (Ph-Cys-Au) which can be used as a visual sensing platform for detecting anti-cancer drug MTX overdosage.

Notes:
Indian Space Research Organisation has announced a plan to launch its first X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) aiming to investigate the polarisation of intense X-Ray sources.
The mission objectives include – measurement of X-Ray polarization in the energy band of 8-30 keV emanated from X-Ray sources and long-term spectral and temporal studies of cosmic X-Ray sources in the energy band of 0.8-15 keV. The mission life is expected to be 5 years.

Notes:
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has extended the timeline for implementation of linking SEBI Complaint Redressal (SCORES) with the online dispute resolution platform to April 1, 2024.
Earlier, the deadline for linking both the platforms was December 4. The SCORES platform, launched in 2011, was an initiative by SEBI to provide a facilitative platform for investors to file their grievances against listed companies or registered intermediaries which are unresolved.