Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2024

Notes:
China has introduced a revolutionary new ocean drilling vessel called the ‘Mengxiang’, designed to penetrate the Earth’s crust and reach the mantle for the first time in human history. If successful, the Mengxiang’s planned drilling to breach the Mohorovicic discontinuity (Moho) over 7,000 metres beneath the ocean floor would open the door to unprecedented scientific exploration and discovery within the planet. Crafted through collaboration between China’s Geological Survey and over 150 institutes, the Mengxiang is an enormous, specially-equipped ship capable of withstanding extreme conditions.

Notes:
Astronauts on the International Space Station experience 45 minutes of daylight followed by 45 minutes of darkness in each orbit. This is significantly different from the typical 12-hour day-night cycle on Earth. Thus, the crew at International Space Station witnesses 16 New Year countdowns in a row.

Notes:
The NPCI has set the daily payment limit for UPI transactions to a maximum of Rs. 1 lakh starting from January 1, 2024. However, RBI raised the transaction limit for UPI payments to hospitals and educational institutions to Rs 5 lakh on December 8, 2023, to broaden the use of UPI payments.

Notes:
Ved Prakash Nanda, who received the Padma Bhushan award on 20 March 2018 in the field of literature and education, passed away on January 1, 2024. He was an esteemed professor of International Law at the University of Denver, Colorado, indicating that his primary academic expertise was in International Law. His significant contributions in this field were further recognized through the establishment of the Ved Nanda Center for International and Comparative Law at the University of Denver, emphasizing his profound influence and specialization in International Law.

Notes:
Kyrgyzstan has declared the snow leopard as its new national symbol. Snow leopards inhabit the Tian Shan mountain range in the country. They feature in Kyrgyz folklore and are seen as a symbol of greatness, nobility and resilience. Conservation of the endangered species will be promoted under the new status.

Notes:
Students can enroll in APAAR, the Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry, through the Digilocker portal. During the registration process, students are required to provide basic details such as their name, age, date of birth, gender, and a photograph. This online enrollment process facilitates ease of access and simplifies the procedure for students across India, allowing them to seamlessly monitor their academic journey and take advantage of the various benefits offered by the APAAR system. The integration of APAAR with the Academic Bank Credit (ABC) account further enhances the digital management of academic credits, reducing reliance on physical documents and improving academic tracking.

Notes:
Adani appointed Hafeez Contractor Architects as the city planning firm for charting out the draft development plan for Dharavi project along with US firms Sasaki and Buro Happold. Contractor is known for slum rehabilitation and social housing projects aimed at improving lives.

Notes:
‘Bharat Park,’ a project announced by India’s Commerce and Textiles Minister Piyush Goyal, is intended to facilitate the trade of Indian goods in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This initiative, involving the establishment of a goods showroom and warehouses in the UAE, aims to create a dedicated platform for showcasing and selling Indian products to other countries. Announced during an event organized by the Synthetic and Rayon Textiles Export Promotion Council (SRTEPC), the creation of Bharat Park is a strategic move to enhance the visibility and accessibility of Indian goods in international markets.

Notes:
Microsoft is introducing a notable feature in some of the new personal computers running its Windows operating system – the “Copilot key”. This special key is designed to launch Microsoft’s AI chatbot, marking a strategic move by the company to integrate and capitalize on its partnership with ChatGPT-maker OpenAI. The addition of the Copilot key to PC keyboards is a significant step in making Microsoft a key player in the applications of generative AI technology. This initiative represents Microsoft’s most substantial change to PC keyboards since the introduction of the Windows key in the 1990s.

Notes:
Nepal’s government imposed a ban on its citizens from traveling to Russia or Ukraine for employment due to concerns over their recruitment in the ongoing armed conflict. The Department of Employment in Nepal issued a notice following reports that Nepalese nationals were being recruited by the Russian Army to fight in the conflict, with some casualties and captures reported. There are also unconfirmed beliefs that some Nepalese citizens might be fighting as hired soldiers on the Ukrainian side. This decision by the Nepalese government highlights the serious implications of international conflicts on citizens and the measures taken to ensure their safety and well-being.