Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2024

Notes:
The government has abolished windfall tax on crude oil, aviation turbine fuel (ATF), petrol, and diesel exports. Windfall tax targets industries earning unusually high profits due to favorable economic conditions. India introduced a windfall tax on domestic crude oil production in July 2022 after global crude prices surged. Such taxes are used to fund public projects, reduce deficits, or redistribute wealth.

Notes:
Indian Railways introduced the AI-powered Linen Inspection and Sorting Assistant (LISA) to improve linen hygiene in air-conditioned coaches. LISA, developed by the Pune Division, operates at the Ghorpadi Integrated Coaching Complex (GICC). It ensures 100% quality inspection by detecting defects, stains, or damages in linens. AI technology enables precise and efficient inspection of large linen volumes. The system reduces manual labor, streamlines operations, and enhances passenger comfort. LISA supports cleaner, more hygienic travel experiences while modernizing linen management.

Notes:
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports launched the Retired Sportsperson Empowerment Training (RESET) Programme. The aim is to support retired athletes’ career development through education, internships, and skill enhancement. Eligibility includes retired athletes aged 20-50, with achievements in recognized events. The program offers 16 specialized courses like Strength & Conditioning, Sports Nutrition, Yoga, and Sports Entrepreneurship. It combines academic learning with internships to provide practical exposure. The objective is to fill the human resource gap in the sports sector and offer career paths for retired athletes.

Notes:
The mass die-off of nearly 400 elephants in Botswana’s Okavango Delta in 2020 was linked to climate change-induced toxic algal blooms. Researchers found that elephants drank from contaminated waterholes where cyanobacteria thrived due to a shift from a very dry year to an extremely wet one. This environmental change led to the proliferation of harmful toxins in stagnant water, resulting in the deaths of elephants across the region. The study emphasizes the need for monitoring water quality to prevent similar ecological disasters. Okavango Delta is located in Botswana. It is both UNESCO World Heritage Site and Ramsar Wetland.

Notes:
The PENCiL portal was launched by the Ministry of Labour and Employment to enforce the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986. It has five components: Central Government, State Government, District Project Societies, Child Tracking System, and Complaint Corner. District Nodal Officers (DNOs) are appointed to ensure strict implementation of the Act. A model State Action Plan (SAP) guides State Governments in eradicating child labour, focusing on migrant, girl, and SC/ST children. The portal promotes efficient monitoring and grievance redressal to combat child labour effectively.

Notes:
The 29th Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Partnership Summit was held on 2-3 December 2024 in New Delhi. It brought together 61 countries, 30 global speakers, and 11 international ministers. The summit focused on building partnerships and promoting global cooperation for a sustainable future. It was organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) with support from Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) , Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The summit has been held annually since 1995. The previous summit in March 2023 saw participation from 67 countries, over 2000 business delegates, and 400 international representatives.

Notes:
A team from JNU’s Special Centre for Molecular Medicine identified Heat Shock Protein 70 (Hsp70) as a key factor in diseases like malaria and Covid-19. Hsp70 is a molecular chaperone that helps proteins fold correctly and protects them from stress. It becomes elevated during cellular stress, aiding protein folding, preventing aggregation, and maintaining cell survival. The team found that Hsp70 interacts with the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and ACE2 receptors, aiding viral entry. Inhibiting Hsp70 blocked viral replication in lab tests, suggesting it could help prevent drug resistance in infections.

Notes:
A study in Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Conservation Area explored the human-Cape buffalo conflict in sub-Saharan Africa. Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is an aggressive species and one of the four subspecies of African buffalo. They are stocky with short, thick legs and have distinctive horns with fused bases, forming a “boss.” Cape buffalo live in swamps, floodplains, grasslands, and forests across southern and eastern Africa, preferring dense cover. They are herbivores, feeding on grasses, leaves, and plants, and are excellent swimmers. The species is classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN.

Notes:
The first annual review meeting of Rural Technology Action Group (RuTAG) 2.0 projects was held at SKUAST, Srinagar, Kashmir. RuTAG, launched in 2004 by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA), supports rural development through Science & Technology interventions. It focuses on demand-driven solutions, addressing grassroots technology gaps, upgrading technology, and providing training and demonstrations. RuTAG 2.0, launched in 2023, aims to translate innovations into market-ready products. The initiative seeks to drive transformative changes in rural areas, ensuring sustainable development and empowering communities through accessible and impactful technologies.

Notes:
The International Energy Agency (IEA) hosted the ‘Global Conference on Energy & AI in Paris. The IEA’s Global Conference on Energy & AI featured a roundtable and technical forum on energy and AI. The IEA is an intergovernmental organization established in 1974 to address oil supply disruptions. It works with governments and industries to promote secure and sustainable energy. Its focus areas are energy security, economic development, environmental awareness, and global engagement. The IEA has 31 member countries and 11 association countries, tracking global energy trends and fostering international energy cooperation.