Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2023

Notes:
Launched in June 2020 with 15 members, Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence’s (GPAI) membership has expanded to 28 member countries and the European Union (EU).
India is hosting the Annual GPAI Summit from December 12-14, 2023 in New Delhi. As part of the Annual GPAI Summit, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is organizing the AI Gamechangers Award. This event will recognize and award AI entrepreneurs and innovators from diverse backgrounds to highlight their innovative AI solutions.

Notes:
Vishnu Deo Sai, a prominent tribal face of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), sworn in as the next Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh.
Raman Singh, who has run the state government for 15 years, has been made the Speaker of the state assembly.

Notes:
Captain Fatima Wasim created history by becoming the first woman medical officer to be deployed at an operational post in the world’s highest battlefield, the Siachen Glacier. After rigorous training at the Siachen Battle School, she was inducted to a post at Partapur sector at an altitude of 15,200 feet in the Union Territory of Ladakh. Her posting is seen as a major milestone for women empowerment in the armed forces.

Notes:
The apex predator mosasaur fossil discovered in Japan’s Wakayama Prefecture has been named ‘Wakayama Soryu’ which means Blue Dragon. The nearly complete 72 million-year old fossil was discovered by researcher Akihiro Misaki in 2006 and has recently been detailed in a study published in the Journal of Systematic Paleontology. The revelation of this massive sea monster, which had a crocodile-like head and paddle-shaped flippers, provides new insights into the prehistoric marine predators.

Notes:
Maldives has announced that it will not renew its hydrographic survey agreement with India, citing concerns about its sovereignty. The agreement, signed in 2019, allowed India to conduct studies of Maldives’ territorial waters, including reefs, lagoons, and coastlines. The decision to not renew the agreement was made as part of the “Hafthaa-14” roadmap, which aims to revoke bilateral and diplomatic agreements that could jeopardize Maldives’ sovereignty. The agreement can be renewed every five years, but the Maldives government has decided to let it expire in June 2024.

Notes:
The United Kingdom has seen a notable rise in cases of norovirus infection in recent weeks, often colloquially called the winter vomiting bug. By early December, the UK had reported around 1500 confirmed norovirus cases – a 60% jump from last year signalling a challenging winter for healthcare systems. Marked by vomiting, nausea and diarrhea, norovirus spreads quickly in closed settings. With no vaccine available, the spike in cases highlights the importance of hygiene, sanitation and adequate fluid intake in curbing transmission.

Notes:
India plans to establish a goods showcase and distribution facility named Bharat Mart spanning over 100,000 sq meters in the UAE by 2025. Modeled on China’s enterprises, it will integrate warehousing, retail and hospitality offerings under one roof in the Jebel Ali free trade zone. This aims to boost exports of Indian products to West Asia, Africa and Europe leveraging the UAE’s connectivity and stimulate two-way India-UAE trade eyed to reach $100 billion by 2030.

Notes:
India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test flew an indigenous autonomous stealth drone named Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator from the Aeronautical Test Range in Chitradurga, Karnataka. Its maiden flight in 2022 was followed by additional developmental trials, including the recent pre-programmed autonomous take-off and landing. This highlights maturing aviation technologies within India through simulations and flight testing from advanced test infrastructure.

Notes:
The UK’s newly enacted Online Safety Act 2023 seeks to regulate online speech and media, with a primary goal of establishing the country as the safest online environment globally. The legislation emphasizes safeguarding children from online harm by assigning greater responsibility to tech companies for preventing and removing illicit content. Notably, Australia has its Online Safety Act, passed in July 2021.

Notes:
Kashi Tamil Sangamam is an initiative by the Ministry of Education, government of India aimed at celebrating the civilizational connect between Kashi (Varanasi) and Tamil Nadu. Being held from December 17-31 this year, it involves cultural groups from Tamil Nadu showcasing various art forms in Kashi. The objectives are to revive ancient bonds between the two knowledge and cultural centres, and provide a platform for exchange of literature, philosophy, spirituality, music, dance and more. 27 shops showcasing special products of both regions have also been set up.