Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2024

Notes:
General Dong Jun has been appointed as China’s new defence minister, replacing General Li Shangfu who mysteriously disappeared from public view four months ago without any explanation. 62-year old Dong Jun has a Navy background and was previously the deputy commander of the Southern Military Command, overseeing the sensitive South China Sea region. His appointment is seen as a significant move by President Xi Jinping to place a loyalist in charge of the 2.3 million-strong People’s Liberation Army, particularly amidst rising tensions with the US and Taiwan.

Notes:
St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) is an annual Russian business event held in St. Petersburg since 1997, under the Russian President’s auspices since 2006. It gathers 10,000+ participants from 120+ countries, including CEOs, heads of state, and ministers. The Forum aims to bridge barriers between Russia and other countries including India, attract foreign investment, and promote Russia as a business-friendly nation. SPIEF is often compared to the World Economic Forum in Davos and called Russian Davos. It was held recently.

Notes:
The primary objectives of the recently launched XPoSat (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite) by ISRO are to investigate the polarization of intense X-Ray sources and study the enigmatic world of black holes. This satellite is India’s first dedicated scientific satellite for conducting research in space-based polarization measurements of X-ray emission from celestial sources. It carries two scientific payloads: POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays) for measuring polarimetry parameters in the medium X-ray energy range of 8-30 keV photons and XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing) for providing spectroscopic information in the energy range of 0.8-15 keV. These instruments will help in gaining a deeper understanding of X-ray sources in space, including neutron stars and black holes.

Notes:
China’s President Xi Jinping, in a New Year speech, declared that China’s “reunification” with Taiwan is inevitable. Beijing asserts that Taiwan is its “sacred territory.” While Xi did not mention military threats in his speech, China has not ruled out the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. Xi emphasized the importance of reunification and called for a common sense of purpose among “compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.” This underscores China’s territorial claim over Taiwan.

Notes:
On January 1, 1948, the town of Kharsawan in present-day Jharkhand witnessed a massacre of Adivasis by the police. This happened during a protest against the merger of the princely state of Kharsawan into Odisha state. The protesters and locals had gathered there in thousands to hear a speech by Jai Prakash Singh Munda. However, he could not make it to the venue and the restive crowd was fired upon by the police, killing hundreds. The massacre is seen as reminiscent of the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy. The exact death toll remains disputed, with estimates ranging from 35 officially to a few thousand unofficially.

Notes:
Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) has commissioned the Asanur Pipeline Terminal in Tamil Nadu to cater to the growing energy demand in the state. Built at a cost of ₹456 crore, it will serve 8 districts in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry by transporting petroleum products through a pipeline network. It will reduce pressure on existing terminals in Chennai.

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:
IHCL’s Managing Director & CEO Puneet Chhatwal assumed charge as Chairman of FAITH after Nakul Anand stepped down following retirement from ITC Hospitality. Chhatwal aims to make FAITH a strong tourism and hospitality policy advocacy body.

Notes:
The Himachal Pradesh government made two major decisions on January 1st, 2024 – all government offices have been prohibited from purchasing petrol or diesel vehicles since January 1st. This decision has been taken to make Himachal Pradesh a clean and green energy state by March 31, 2026. The government will now only purchase electric vehicles. This shows the state government’s commitment to environmental protection.

Notes:
The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) along with National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) launched ‘SMART 2.0’ to promote clinical studies in priority areas of Ayurveda through mutual collaboration with Ayurveda institutions across India. The objective is to generate evidence on efficacy and safety of Ayurveda interventions using interdisciplinary research methods.