Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2024

Notes:
The International Day of Neutrality is observed on December 12 to promote neutrality in intergovernmental relations and support global peace and security. Neutrality means a country abstains from participating in wars and maintains impartiality, emphasizing dialogue over conflict. Switzerland is renowned for its neutrality, avoiding destruction in both World Wars. India’s neutrality was evident during the Cold War, maintaining friendly relations with both the US and Russia without aligning with either. The UN General Assembly declared the day in 2017, following a resolution by Turkmenistan, a permanently neutral state. The UN uses preventive diplomacy, mediation, and peacemaking to resolve and prevent conflicts globally.

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Israel’s military recently targeted several key Syrian military sites, including naval vessels at Latakia Port. Latakia Port is located on the East Mediterranean coast, with a good harbor and a vast agricultural hinterland to the west of Syria. It serves as Syria’s principal port, exporting products like bitumen, asphalt, cereals, cotton, fruit, eggs, vegetable oil, pottery, and tobacco. The port city’s local industries include cotton ginning, vegetable oil processing, tanning, and sponge fishing.

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The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has introduced ‘Rajmarg Saathi’, advanced Route Patrolling Vehicles (RPVs) aimed at enhancing road safety and incident management on national highways. Equipped with AI video analytics, these vehicles monitor highway conditions and respond to emergencies. The RPVs will replace vehicles after 300,000 km or three years of operation, ensuring optimal service. This initiative reflects NHAI’s commitment to improving traffic flow and safety for road users across the country.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the fourth National Conference of Chief Secretaries on December 14-15 in New Delhi. The conference strengthens Centre-state partnerships and reinforces cooperative federalism. Previous conferences were held in Dharamshala (June 2022) and New Delhi (January, December 2023). The 2024 conference focuses on a unified development agenda and strategic growth plan.

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Israel plans to double its population in the occupied Golan Heights, a hilly region overlooking the upper Jordan River valley. The Golan Heights, originally Syrian territory, was occupied by Israel during the 1967 Six-Day War and annexed in 1981, though this is not internationally recognized. It spans 71 km north to south, 43 km wide, and covers 1,150 sq. km. The region has 30+ Israeli settlements with 20,000 settlers, considered illegal under international law, alongside 20,000 Druze Arabs who remained after the occupation. The Golan Heights is strategically important for water resources, overlooks Damascus, and borders Jordan and Lebanon.

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Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL) in Singrauli, Madhya Pradesh, launched the ‘CHARAK’ scheme, a health-centric Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative. ‘CHARAK’ stands for “Community Health: A Responsive Action for Koylanchal.” The scheme aims to provide free treatment for life-threatening diseases to economically weaker patients in Singrauli and Sonbhadra districts. It ensures access to quality healthcare, easing the financial and emotional burden on affected families. Eligible residents with an annual family income below Rs. 8 Lakhs can access specialized healthcare services, addressing critical health issues like malignancies, TB, and cardiovascular diseases, thus improving the socio-economic conditions of the region.

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The Credit Guarantee Scheme (CGS) for electronic negotiable warehouse receipts (e-NWRs) based Pledge Financing was launched to help small farmers avoid distress selling. It aims to provide credit to small farmers to prevent distress selling of crops. A corpus of Rs 1,000 crore is allocated for post-harvest finance. Farmers can avail loans against electronic negotiable warehouse receipts (e-NWRs) after storing commodities in WDRA-accredited warehouses. Loan coverage includes up to Rs 75 lakh for agricultural purposes and up to Rs 200 lakh for non-agricultural purposes. The scheme improves access to credit and supports farmers financially post-harvest.

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Experts link Santa Ana winds and climate change to wildfires in Malibu, California. Named after Santa Ana Canyon, these winds are dry and warm, blowing from the deserts of the Great Basin. They occur when high pressure forms over the Great Basin and low pressure develops along California’s coast. The pressure difference drives strong winds westward over the mountains toward the Pacific Ocean. As winds descend, they heat up and lose humidity—sometimes dropping below 10%, drying vegetation and increasing fire risk. Santa Ana winds usually occur between October and January, driven by winter weather patterns.

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Science and Technology Minister, Dr Jitendra Singh Kisan Kavach, India’s first anti-pesticide bodysuit to protect farmers from harmful pesticide exposure. Developed by Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC-inStem), Bangalore, Bengaluru, with Sepio Health Pvt. Ltd., the suit promotes farmer safety and sustainable agriculture. It is washable, reusable for up to a year, and priced at ₹4,000, with plans for greater affordability. The suit uses advanced fabric technology that deactivates pesticides through nucleophilic hydrolysis, preventing health risks like respiratory issues and vision loss. This innovation aims to address pesticide toxicity while empowering farmers and ensuring sustainable farming practices.

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The 22nd edition of CII Connect was held on December 17-18, 2024, in Chennai, focusing on “Artificial Intelligence in Action – Real-World Applications in Business.” Discussions highlighted AI’s role in rural and urban development, manufacturing, supply chain resilience, smart governance, and community empowerment. Advancements in quantum computing and AR/VR were explored, along with AI-driven products for business operations. The event emphasized industry-academia collaboration to develop an AI-ready workforce for future challenges.