Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2023

Notes:
The Bab el-Mandeb, a narrow strait, has become a strategic chokepoint due to Houthi attacks on tankers passing through the Red Sea, escalating the conflict and impacting global shipping.
Bab-el-Mandeb Strait is also known as Gate of Tears in Arabic. It connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean via the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. It separates Africa from the Arabian Peninsula.

Notes:
SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating the Moon) is a tiny Japanese probe, slightly larger than a tennis ball, sent by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to demonstrate precise landing on the lunar surface. SLIM recently entered the moon’s orbit, ahead of a planned touchdown on January 20. If successful, it will showcase Japan’s prowess in precision lunar landing with an error margin under 100 metres. This will be a historic achievement making Japan the fifth nation after the US, Russia, China and India to softly land a probe on the moon.

Notes:
President Droupadi Murmu has nominated Justice Sanjiv Khanna of the Supreme Court as the new Executive Chairperson of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA). As per convention, the second senior-most judge of the Supreme Court occupies this post tasked with providing free legal services to the poor and marginalized. Justice Khanna, the apex court’s senior-most puisne judge, takes over from Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul who demitted office on December 25 upon retirement.

Notes:
BRI 1335-0417 is the name of the galaxy showing a spiral structure in its early developing phase, located over 12 billion light years from Earth. Analysis of gas flow patterns inside BRI 1335-0417 enabled documentation of a phenomenon similar to ‘seismic waves’, a first for early galaxies. Researchers compare its rotating disc comprising stars, gas and dust to ripples formed when a stone is thrown into a pond. Study of this exceptionally distant spiral aims to advance comprehension of mechanisms driving rapid star formation in early cosmic epochs.

Notes:
Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, which was ravaged by fire in 2019, plans to replace stained glass windows in side chapels with modern ones based on an approval by President Emmanuel Macron. It is facing criticism as people have signed petition calling it vandalism of the historical monument’s Gothic architecture.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Environment and Forest recently issued a draft notification declaring a one-kilometre area from the boundaries of the Pong Dam Wildlife Sanctuary in Kangra district as an eco-sensitive zone. Pong Dam Lake (also known as Maharana Pratap Sagar) is a manmade reservoir formed due to the construction of Pong Dam on the Beas River in the wetland zone of Shivalik Hills. In 1983, the entire reservoir was declared a Wildlife Sanctuary by the Himachal Pradesh government. Pong Dam Lake was declared a Ramsar Site in November 2002.

Notes:
Iran has recently threatened to close the Strait of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean Sea unless Israel stops bombing Gaza. Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow strait that serves as a natural boundary between two continents and two countries. It separates Europe and Africa, specifically the southern coast of Spain in Europe and the northern coast of Morocco in Africa. The strait connects the Atlantic Ocean to the west with the Mediterranean Sea to the east, and its strategic location has been historically significant for trade and military navigation. The Strait of Gibraltar is approximately 14 kilometers (about 9 miles) wide at its narrowest point, making it one of the key maritime chokepoints in the world.

Notes:
As per reports, coral reefs occupy less than 0.1% of the total ocean floor area but support around 25% of all known marine species at some stage, hence critical for marine biodiversity. This highlights their huge ecological significance disproportionate to size. Climate change poses significant risk to their survival.
Coral Vita is a Dubai startup attempting to restore coral reefs by growing heat-resistant corals in a land-based lab to be eventually transplanted back to sea. Its coral farm in Dubai houses corals trimmed from Gulf waters, providing ideal conditions for them to regenerate before replanting.

Notes:
The disease is called Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), which leaves infected animals like deer emaciated and behaving oddly, hence the “zombie” moniker. It has spread to wildlife across over 30 US states, and experts warn it could someday transmit to humans as well, like mad cow disease did in the UK previously. There is concern over its appearance recently in popular public lands like Yellowstone National Park.

Notes:
National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited said that nearly 99.95% of total land acquisition has been completed so far for the 508 km Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train corridor. The project is funded by a soft loan from Japan and aims to build India’s first high speed rail line based on Japan’s Shinkansen technology to cover the route in under 3 hours.
Shinkansen, also known as the Japanese Bullet Train, is a high-speed rail system. It utilizes advanced technology, like aerodynamic designs, electromagnetic braking, and dedicated tracks, to achieve speeds up to 200 mph, making it efficient and safe for passenger transport.