Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2023

Notes:
River Rejuvenation Project Devika is nearing completion. It is built at a cost of over Rs 190 crore on the lines of ‘Namami Ganga’.
Urban Environmental Engineering Department (UEED) of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir is undertaking the project. Out of the 190 crore funds allocated for the project, the sharing of allocation is in the ratio of 90:10 by the Centre and UT respectively.

Notes:
A recently discovered coronavirus variant named Eris, also known as EG.5.1, is rapidly spreading throughout the United Kingdom, causing concern among health authorities.
This variant, which originated from the highly transmissible Omicron variant, was initially identified in the country last month.

Notes:
A recent publication by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) points out that about 5% of birds found in the country are endemic and are not reported in other parts of the world.
The publication, titled 75 Endemic Birds of India, was recently released on the 108th foundation day of the ZSI. India is home to 1,353 bird species, which represents approximately 12.40% of global bird diversity. Of these 1,353 bird species, 78 (5%) are endemic to the country.

Notes:
Azure-thighed treefrog (Litoria azuroscelis) is a newly discovered species of treefrog, which has been found in New Guinea.
Azure-thighed treefrog as measuring approximately 2.5 inches in length. Its back displays a hue of dark green, while its groin and thighs exhibit a shade of purplish blue.

Notes:
Chhattisgarh state cabinet decided that the admission process in educational institutions would be completed under the existing system of 58% reservation instead of the previous 50% roster.
The Supreme Court passed an order, which stayed a high court decision that invalidated a 2012 state government order to implement a 58% reservation in government job appointments and admissions in educational institutions.

Notes:
The National Health Authority (NHA) has extended the Digital Health Incentives Scheme (DHIS) of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission until December 31, 2023.
The scheme offers incentives to hospitals, diagnostic labs, and digital health solution providers to encourage digitization under the ABDM.

Notes:
In New South Wales, Australia, scientists have identified the remains of a 247-million-year-old lizard-like amphibian, potentially rewriting the evolution of amphibians in the country.
This remarkable species, named Arenaepeton supinatus, survived two mass-extinction events and is part of the rare Temnospondyli family, with only three such fossils identified in Australia to date.

Notes:
Pennsylvania State University researchers tested the ‘wet bulb temperature,’ where sweat no longer evaporates, leading to potential heatstroke.
It is the lowest temperature that can be reached under current ambient conditions by the evaporation of water only. Their findings revealed that the critical limit is 30.6°C, significantly lower than previously thought.

Notes:
Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill was introduced in Rajya Sabha.
It proposes the setting up of a 3-member committee led by the Prime Minister for appointing future chief election commissioners and election commissioners.

Notes:
In March 2022, astronomers announced the discovery of the farthest known star via an image taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.
They named it Earendel, after the old English name for “morning star”. Recently, James Webb Space Telescope’s Near-infrared Camera (NIRCam) and its NIRSpec spectrometer have taken a look at the same star and revealed that it is a hydrogen-burning star. Compared to the Sun, it’s twice as hot and a million times more luminous.