Current Affairs - December 12, 2024 Current Affairs

Google's revolutionary quantum chip is called Willow. This chip has achieved major milestones in quantum computing, including exponential error correction and an unmatched computational speed. Willow completed a task in five minutes that would take supercomputers 10 septillion years, marking a significant step forward in the pursuit of scalable quantum computers capable of solving complex global challenges. By addressing the challenge of qubit error correction, Willow sets a new benchmark in the development of quantum technologies.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has revised India’s GDP growth forecast for FY25 to 6.5%, down from the initial estimate of 7%. This revision was made due to factors such as weaker industrial output, muted public spending, and tight monetary policies. In addition, the slowdown in GDP growth during Q2FY25, which fell to 5.4%, has impacted these projections. Despite these challenges, the economy remains supported by strong agricultural output and resilience in the services sector.

BMW has partnered with UNICEF to enhance STEM education in rural India. This collaboration aims to improve foundational learning and STEM skills for 100,000 children in regions such as Assam, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. The initiative focuses on marginalized adolescent girls in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas and Tribal Ashramshalas, promoting gender equality and aligning with India’s national education and gender goals for inclusive growth. This partnership highlights BMW's commitment to supporting education and gender equality in India.

OpenAI has launched Sora, an AI-powered video generator designed to create realistic videos. While offering high-quality video content creation, Sora comes with restrictions on how it can depict people, addressing ethical concerns and the potential risks of deepfakes. This tool aims to provide advanced capabilities for video content creation across various industries, while also ensuring responsible use of the technology.

The ice events of the Khelo India Winter Games 2025 will be held in Leh, Ladakh, from January 23 to 27, 2025. Leh is one of the host locations for the event, while snow events will take place in Gulmarg, Jammu & Kashmir. The Khelo India Winter Games focus on promoting winter sports and providing a platform for young athletes to showcase their skills, especially those from remote Himalayan regions. This event continues to be an important fixture in India's sports calendar.

Saudi Arabia has been selected to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, making it the first time the tournament will be held in the Middle East since Qatar hosted it in 2022. This decision marks a significant step for Saudi Arabia in the world of international sports. The 2034 World Cup will follow the 2026 edition, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and the 2030 tournament, which will be hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain.

India’s first human gene therapy, developed by CSCR at CMC Vellore, targets Hemophilia A, a genetic disorder causing blood clotting issues. The therapy, using lentiviral vectors, successfully reduced the annual bleeding rates to zero for five participants, eliminating the need for repeated injections. The results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) and show both long-term safety and efficacy. This breakthrough offers significant hope for the 136,000 patients suffering from Hemophilia A in India, marking a major step forward in the treatment of genetic disorders.

Uttar Pradesh is set to become India's top producer of cow milk, with an annual production of 5.29 million tonnes. The state's government, under Yogi Adityanath, focuses on cow welfare, including indigenous breed conservation, vaccination, and breed improvement. Additionally, Uttar Pradesh has invested in veterinary colleges, such as the ₹228 crore Gorakhpur Veterinary College, to further enhance dairy production and support sustainable agriculture. These efforts aim to position Uttar Pradesh as a leader in milk production within the country.

Coca-Cola sold a 40% stake in its India bottling business, Hindustan Coca-Cola Holdings (HCCH), to Jubilant Bhartia Group for ₹12,500 crore, valuing the company at ₹31,250 crore. This sale aligns with Coca-Cola's asset-light refranchising strategy and will help strengthen its presence in India, its fifth-largest market. The transaction also marks a significant step for Jubilant Bhartia Group to expand its portfolio in the beverage sector, leveraging its expertise from businesses like Domino’s and Dunkin’ to boost growth in the bottling sector.

The $25.45 million grant for the Solomon Islands water project was approved by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). This grant is part of the larger Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Project, which aims to improve water and sanitation services in Honiara and five other towns. The project focuses on providing sustainable, climate-resilient water services, enhancing hygiene awareness, and managing water efficiently. The total cost of the project is $125 million, co-funded by ADB, the World Bank, the Global Environment Facility, and the European Union.