ALL EXAM QUIZ 16.12.2023

Explanation:

• Donald Tusk has been elected as new Prime Minister of Poland.
• After current leader Mateusz Morawiecki loses confidence vote in parliament, Donald Tusk has been elected as new Prime Minister of Poland.
• Donald Tusk received 208 votes in favour while 201 voted against him.
• He is elected as prime minister nearly two months after a national election that was won by a coalition of parties ranging from left-wing to moderate conservative.
• The incoming administration will be sworn in at the presidential palace by President Andrzei Duda.
• The reign of the outgoing right-wing populist Law and Justice (PiS) party witnessed numerous disputes with the EU over many issues.
• Donald Tusk said that he will try to unblock about 110 billion euros ($118bn) of European Union funds earmarked for Poland.

Explanation:

• India’s first Six Lane Steel Slag based Road has been constructed.
• India’s first Six Lane Steel Slag based Road Connecting NH-6 to Hazira Port has been constructed.
• Steel Slag is produced as a solid waste during steel production. Around 180 - 200 kg of steel slag is generated on per tonne of steel production.
• Ministry of Steel has funded a R&D project on “Development of Design Guidelines and Specifications for utilization of steel slag in road construction”.
• Under this R&D project, India's first six-lane steel slag based road connecting National Highway-6 to Hazira Port was constructed at Surat Hazira in May, 2022.
• Under this scheme, processed steel slag is used as a substitute for the natural component in all layers of bituminous pavement.
• The draft guidelines for construction of steel slag based roads have been prepared by CSIR-CRRI.

Explanation:

• 1st pair of Siberian tigers in India reached Darjeeling after 12 years.
• Two endangered Siberian tigers reached at Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park in Darjeeling, West Bengal.
• Siberian tigers Lara and Akamas reached Darjeeling after 12 years in two special ambulances from the Kolkata airport.
• The last Siberian tiger died at the Nainital Zoo in November 2011 due to age-related problems.
• The Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park has the highest altitude in India. It hosted Siberian tiger until 2007.
• They arrived Darjeeling from Cyprus as a part of an animal exchange programme.
• India sent Red Pandas to Cyprus’s Pafos Zoo as part of the animal exchange programme.
• The first ex-situ snow leopard conservation breeding programme was started at the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park in 1986.

Explanation:

• Writer Pushpa Bharati’s memoir has been selected for Vyas Samman award.
• Pushpa Bharati’s 2016 memoir ‘Yaadein, Yaadein aur Yaadein’ has been selected for the 33rd Vyas Samman.
• The award is presented to an outstanding Hindi literary work by an Indian citizen published during the last 10 years.
• A selection committee headed by eminent litterateur Prof Ramji Tiwari picked Bharati’s Yaadein, Yaadein aur Yaadein for the Vyas Samman award.
• The award carries a cash prize of ₹4 lakh, a citation and a plaque.
• Vyas Samman award was instituted in 1991. It is given by the KK Birla Foundation.

Explanation:

• India’s industrial production growth increased to a 16-month high level in October.
• In October, India’s industrial production growth increased to 11.7%.
• India’s industrial production growth had shown a contraction of 4.1% in the same period last year.
• According to the data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO), the output of the manufacturing sector grew by 10.4% in October 2023.
• At the same time, mining production increased by 13.1% during October 2023. Power sector output rose 20.4%.
• The IIP increased by 6.9% in April-October 2023 compared to 5.3% growth a year ago.
• Factory output is measured in terms of the Index of Industrial Production.

Explanation:

• 29th Kolkata International Film Festival ended on 12 December 2023.
• Israeli film 'Children of Nobody' won the Best Film Award under International Competition in Innovation Moving Images. It is directed by Erez Tadmor.
• 219 films from 39 countries were screened at different locations across Kolkata.
• Carlos Daniel Malave won the Best Director award. Anjan Dutta's 'Chalchitro Ekhon' won the Special Jury Award.
• Director duo Sharmistha Maity and Rajdeep Paul's 'Mon Potongo' won the award for the best film under the Bengali Panorama category.
• In addition to these, Hiralal Memorial Trophy, and Netpack Award were also given.
• 29th Kolkata International Film Festival was organized by the Information and Cultural Affairs Department, Government of West Bengal.
• It was held from 5 - 12 December, 2023 in Kolkata. It is accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers' Association or FIAPF.
• The Kolkata International Film Festival started in the year 1995.

Explanation:

• Global River Cities Alliance has been launched at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai.
• The Global River Cities Alliance (GRCA) led by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has been launched at COP28 in Dubai.
• India, Egypt, Netherlands, Denmark, Ghana, Australia, Bhutan, Cambodia, Japan and river cities like The Hague (Den Haag) from the Netherlands, Adelaide from Australia, and Szolnok of Hungary entered into a partnership.
• International funding agencies like the World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB), Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and knowledge management institutions like KPMG also entered into the partnership.
• Global River Cities Alliance covers more than 275+ global river cities in 11 countries.
• It is an important step towards river conservation and sustainable water management.
• The collective commitment of GRCA is to propel sustainable initiatives, knowledge sharing, and collaborative efforts for a resilient global water future.
• This alliance has been built upon the existing River Cities Alliance (RCA).
• The existing River Cities Alliance (RCA) was formed by NMCG in association with the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) in 2021.

Explanation:

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced redrafted criminal Bills.
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah presented three redrafted Bills in the Lok Sabha to replace the existing British-era criminal laws.
• The new bills incorporate the changes recommended by a parliamentary committee.
• The Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita Bill (BNSS), 2023 will take the place of the Indian Penal Code of 1860.
• Under the new bill, the definition of the terrorist act has been expanded.
• The “economic security” and “damage or destruction of any property in India or in a foreign country used or intended to be used for the defense of India” have been included in the definition of terrorist.
• Damage to the monetary stability of India by way of production or smuggling or circulation of counterfeit Indian paper currency, coin or of any other material has also been included under the terrorist offence.

Explanation:

• The name of Bhajan Lal Sharma has been announced as the new Chief Minister of Rajasthan. He was also the state general secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party four times.
• 56-year-old Sharma has become MLA for the first time from Sanganer Assembly of Jaipur. He defeated Pushpendra Bhardwaj of Congress.

Explanation:

• Veteran lyricist and writer Javed Akhtar will be honored with the Padmapani Lifetime Achievement Award at the Ajanta-Ellora Film Festival.
• He is being given this award for his contribution to the Indian film industry.
• He is the co-writer of classic Hindi cinema films like "Zanjeer", "Deewar", "Sholay", "Don", "Kala Patthar" and "Mr. India".
• Ajanta-Ellora Film Festival was earlier known as Aurangabad International Film Festival.