Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2023

Notes:
Renowned classical pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim and Palestinian peace activist Ali Abu Awwad have been jointly awarded the prestigious Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament, and Development for 2023. The award recognizes their exceptional contributions in bringing together the youth and peoples of Israel and the Arab World for a non-violent resolution of the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Maestro Daniel Barenboim, known for his exceptional performances and his efforts in utilizing music as a tool for fostering cultural understanding and peaceful cooperation, has been acknowledged for his significant role in bridging social and cultural gaps through the universal language of music.
Ali Abu Awwad, an eminent Palestinian peace activist, has been recognized for his peace-building efforts, including co-founding the initiative “Roots” and establishing the mass independent movement Taghyeer, dedicated to addressing social development needs and forging a non-violent path towards ending the Israeli occupation.
The Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament, and Development is a prestigious award presented annually to individuals or organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the promotion of international peace, disarmament, and development.

Notes:
Kabir Bedi, a renowned actor, was awarded the “Order of Merit of the Italian Republic” (Merito della Repubblica Italiana), Italy’s highest civilian honor, in a private ceremony in Mumbai in December 2023. President Mattarella of Italy praised Bedi for his significant role in enhancing India-Italy relations over the past three decades, acknowledging his popularity across generations in Italy.

Notes:
China has achieved a significant milestone in its quest to shift away from traditional coal-fired power plants and decrease its reliance on foreign technologies. Recently, the Shidao Bay nuclear power plant in eastern Shandong province commenced commercial operations, heralding the era of next-generation gas cooled nuclear reactors. This development is crucial for China’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions and securing a sustainable energy future.

Notes:
The first Indian Art, Architecture & Design Biennale (IAADB) 2023 was held from December 9–15, 2023 at the Red Fort in New Delhi. The event was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The IAADB is a cultural introduction to Delhi, and acknowledges the “invisible edges between reality and fiction, memory and design, and past and present”. The event also marked the launch of the student Biennale, Samunnati, and the “Aatmanirbhar Bharat Centre for Design”.

Notes:
The indigenous Koya tribe in Andhra Pradesh, residing in the Papikonda hill range, has embraced eco-friendly practices to conserve the Indian Bison (Bos gaurus).
Koyas have replaced traditional Indian Bison horns with palm leaves to craft their traditional flute, Permakor. Permakore is a traditional flute, originally made from Indian Bison horns, and is now created using palm leaves as an eco-friendly alternative. The flute serves as a communication tool during hunting, celebrations, and festivals.

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:
The Houthi movement, officially named Ansar Allah or “Supporters of God,” is a Shia Islamist political and military organization originating in Yemen’s Saada Governorate in the 1990s. Belonging to a clan from Yemen’s northwestern Saada province, the Houthis adhere to the Zaidi branch of Shiite Islam. Their emergence is linked, in part, to a response against increasing Saudi financial and religious influence. In November 2009, during their rebellion against Yemen’s central government, the Houthis entered Saudi Arabia. Originally led by Hussein Badr al-Din al-Houthi, a Yemeni politician and activist of the Zaydī sect, the movement is rooted in Zaydī revivalism.

Notes:
The fifth LEADS (Logistics Ease Across Different States) 2023 report, recently released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, provides insights into the logistics performance of various states and Union Territories in India. Among the noteworthy highlights, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh, and Gujarat are included in the 13 states and Union Territories recognized as “achievers” in the logistics index chart for 2023.
It is worth mentioning that the count has decreased from 15 to 13 states this year, with Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand transitioning to the categories of “aspirers” and “fast movers,” respectively. Sikkim and Tripura demonstrated notable progress by moving from the “fast movers” category in 2022 to the esteemed “achievers” category this year.

Notes:
The International Gender Equality Prize in 2023 was awarded to the Afghan Women Skills Development Center. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo of Finland presented the €300,000 award to Mahbouba Seraj, the Center’s Executive Director, in Tampere on December 11, 2023. The Center is recognized for its crucial work in defending women’s rights and promoting gender equality in Afghanistan, particularly under challenging conditions following the Taliban’s rise to power.
International Gender Equality Prize is a government prize administered by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland. Tampere has been a partner of the Prize and the host city for the award ceremony since 2017.

Notes:
World Arabic Language Day is observed on December 18th annually, established in 2010 by UNESCO to celebrate the Arabic language and cultural diversity. International Migrants Day, also on December 18th, was initiated by the UNGA in 2000 to recognize the increasing global migrant population. In India, National Minorities Rights Day is marked on December 18th to uphold the rights of various minority groups. The International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers is commemorated on December 17th, started in 2003 to highlight violence against sex workers.