Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2023

Notes:
The Indian Navy has deployed an indigenous guided missile destroyer in the Gulf of Aden region. The move is aimed at augmenting the anti-piracy efforts in the Gulf of Aden region. The Gulf of Aden is a deepwater gulf of the Indian Ocean between Yemen to the north, the Arabian Sea to the east, Djibouti to the west, and the Guardafui Channel, Socotra and Somalia to the south. Gulf of Aden forms a natural sea link between the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea. The gulf is situated between the coasts of Arabia and the Horn of Africa.

Notes:
Three heritage projects from Punjab and Haryana, namely the Rambagh Gate & Ramparts in Amritsar, Pipal Haveli in Gurdaspur, and Church of Epiphany in Gurugram, have secured prestigious spots among the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.
While the Rambagh Gate in Amritsar received the Award of Excellence, the Church of Epiphany in Gurugram, Haryana, earned the Award of Merit. Additionally, three projects received the Award of Distinction, including the Fanling Golf Course in Hong Kong SAR, China; Dongguan Garden Residences in Yangzhou, China; and Karnikara Mandapam at Kunnamangalam Bhagawati Temple in Kerala, India.

Notes:
Wheebox, in collaboration with several entities including the All India Council for Technical Education, Confederation of Indian Industry, and Association of Indian Universities, has unveiled the India Skills Report. As indicated by the India Skills Report 2024, employability in India has shown improvement, with 51.25% of evaluated young individuals deemed employable possessing the necessary skills.
Kerala has emerged as the top choice among states for employment, securing the second position in overall employability within the 18-21 age group, reaffirming its position as a robust talent pool in India.

Notes:
French President Emmanuel Macron will be the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations on January 26, making him the fifth head of state from France to be accorded the honour, and the sixth time that a French leader will attend the celebrations as chief guest since 1976.
Modi was the guest of honour at the Bastille Day or French national day parade held in Paris on July 14.

Notes:
According to Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), India lost a record 204 tigers from January 1 to December 25, 2023. This is said to be the highest tiger mortality in a decade. Within India, Maharashtra topped the list with 52 tiger deaths this year, followed by Madhya Pradesh with 45 deaths. The reasons ranged from natural causes, infighting between tigers, poaching, road/train accidents etc. The high mortality is worrying for India which has been touted as one of the bright spots in tiger conservation globally. The tiger population had grown from 2,967 in 2018 to 3,167 in 2022 across India.

Notes:
The World Health Organization has prequalified the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine, enabling broader global access. In October 2023, WHO recommended the vaccine’s use in children based on expert advice. Prequalification facilitates procurement by UNICEF and funding from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. This is the second WHO-prequalified malaria vaccine after RTS,S/AS01 obtained prequalification status in July 2022. The new vaccine aims to prevent malaria in children, a key step in malaria control efforts.

Notes:
Indian biotech company Gennova Biopharmaceuticals has developed the nation’s first Omicron-specific mRNA COVID-19 vaccine named GEMCOVAC as a booster dose. As new variants like XBB and JN.1 emerge, India has approved its first homegrown mRNA vaccine GEMCOVAC targeting Omicron variant. Its efficacy against such strains strengthens India’s vaccine security.

Notes:
The commencement of the 26th National Integration and Youth Leadership Camp in Itanagar was marked by the inauguration by Lt. General KT Parnaik (Retd.), the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh. It was organized by the Central Calcutta Science & Culture Organization for Youth in collaboration with the Government of Arunachal Pradesh. Its theme was ‘Viksit Yuva, Viksit Bharat.’ The primary objective of the camp is to foster cultural connections among students and youth from diverse regions of India.

Notes:
Veer Bal Diwas is observed on 26th December every year to commemorate the martyrdom of the four sons of Guru Gobind Singh the tenth and last Sikh guru. The four sons were named Zorawar Singh, Fateh Singh, Jai Singh and Kulwant Singh who fought against the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and his army.

Notes:
Professor Waciny Laredj has won the United Arab Emirates (UAE) ‘Great Arab Minds Award’ (GAM) in the field of literature and arts. The Great Arab Minds Award is also known as the ‘Arab Nobel’.