Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2023

Notes:
The fourth unit of the Kakrapar Atomic Power Project (KAPP-4) in Gujarat, with a capacity of 700 MWe, achieved criticality recently, marking the initiation of a controlled fission chain reaction.
The Kakrapar facility, houses the largest indigenous nuclear power reactors built by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL). These pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWRs) utilize natural uranium as fuel and heavy water as coolant and moderator. The NPCIL is a public sector undertaking of the Department of Atomic Energy which already operates indigenous PHWRs at other facilities.

Notes:
Australian World Cup winning captain Pat Cummins became the 2nd most expensive IPL player in history (first being Mitchell Starc to KKR) as Sunrisers Hyderabad bought him for a record Rs 20.5 crore.

Notes:
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced the establishment of Operation Prosperity Guardian, a new US-led multinational security initiative under the Combined Maritime Forces, focusing on maritime security challenges in the Red Sea region. This comes following recent attacks on commercial shipping by Iran-aligned Houthi rebels based in Yemen using drones and missiles. The operation aims to ensure freedom of navigation in response to the escalating security crisis.
Before that, the Swan Atlantic, a Cayman Islands-flagged chemical/oil tanker, sent out a mayday call after being attacked by drones and an anti-ship missile launched by Houthi rebels while transiting the Red Sea on December 18th. The US Navy destroyer USS Carney responded to assist the vessel and assess damages.

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the Kashi Tamil Sangamam Express, a new regular train service connecting Kanyakumari, the southernmost tip of India, to Varanasi, the holy city in the north. He flagged off the train’s inaugural run during his visit to Varanasi for the Kashi Tamil Sangamam cultural integration event. The train route passes through all major cities of Tamil Nadu over 32 hours to highlight the ancient bond between Tamil Nadu and Kashi.

Notes:
Terracotta artefacts were found in the Bhuipal village of the Sattari district in Goa that provide insights into the traditional kumeri farming practices followed in the region historically. Kumeri refers to slash-and-burn agriculture that involved offerings made to folk deities. The artefacts include images of musicians, dancers, animals and boats that reflect local cultural practices tied to primitive agricultural methods no longer in use. Kumeri cultivation is practiced mostly by the tribal population in the hilly forested areas of western ghats particularly Goa. Though the tribal community was engaged in this age-old method of cultivation, they didn’t enjoy any rights over the land or their produce as the land came under the reins of the state’s forest department.

Notes:
The carbon tax that the UK plans to levy from 2027 on imports of carbon-intensive materials is the Carbon Border Tax. It will apply to items like iron, steel, aluminum, ceramics and cement. The tax rate will depend on the carbon emissions associated with making the imported goods overseas and the gap with UK carbon prices. India opposes such green border levies as non-tariff barriers. The UK is following the EU which has already rolled out its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.

Notes:
It is former Army Chief General M M Naravane’s forthcoming memoir “Four Stars of Destiny” that mentions the armed forces were taken by surprise when the Agnipath military recruitment scheme was introduced. Gen Naravane writes he had proposed a Tour of Duty model for limited jawan intake but what came up as Agnipath applied to all new recruits in Army, Navy and Air Force, that too for only 4 years.

Notes:
The International Debt Report, formerly known as the International Debt Statistics (IDS), is an annual publication by the World Bank now in its 50th year. The report focuses on providing external debt statistics and analysis for 122 low- and middle-income countries that participate in the World Bank’s Debt Reporting System. As an annual publication spanning five decades, the International Debt Report offers insights into external debt trends and debt sustainability for developing economies.

Notes:
India has provided 1 million in relief aid to Papua New Guinea following a damaging volcanic eruption. The eruption occurred at Mount Ulawun, an active volcano on the island of New Britain in Papua New Guinea. Sitting on the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire, Papua New Guinea frequently experiences seismic and volcanic activity. The Mount Ulawun eruption caused extensive damage and forced the evacuation of over 26,000 people. To aid Papua New Guinea in responding to this natural disaster, India sent 1 million worth of relief materials for the affected populations.

Notes:
Prehistoric rock art has recently been discovered in Andriamamelo Cave located in western Madagascar. This cave is situated within a karst limestone landscape in the Beanka Protected Harmonious Landscape, part of a broader UNESCO World Heritage karst region that includes Bemaraha National Park. Andriamamelo’s distinct underground formations arise from soluble limestone rocks dissolving over time. The cave drawings offer a rare glimpse into ancient peoples and cultures that inhabited this region of the island nation of Madagascar off the southeastern coast of Africa.