Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2023

Notes:
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) recently found 1,200-year-old idols in Nalanda in Bihar. They were found from a waterbody close to the ancient Nalanda University during desilting of a pond.
Nalanda Mahavihara is a world heritage site about 88 km from this place.  The idols were found during desilting under Bihar government’s ‘Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali’ project launched to protect and conserve water and the environment.

Notes:
As per the World Health Organisation (WHO), 300 children in three countries lost lives due to cough syrups made in India.
WHO is investigating whether there is any connection between manufacturers of the contaminated cough syrups. The deaths of children from acute kidney injury began in July 2022 in Gambia, followed by cases in Indonesia and Uzbekistan.

Notes:
India, France, UAE agreed to establish a formal trilateral cooperation, in fields including energy, defence, economy
The three countries said that they will explore the possibility of working with the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) to pursue actionable projects on clean energy, environment and biodiversity.

Notes:
International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation is observed on February 6 each year to raise global awareness about the issue concerning the female genital mutilation (FGM).
This day was established in 2003 after the Campaign against Female Genital Mutilation officially declared “Zero Tolerance to FGM” in Africa on February 6.

Notes:
Ricky Kej is an Indian musician and environmental activist. The Indian music composer recently won his third Grammy Award for the album ‘Divine Tides’.
He is the youngest person to win this award and only the fourth Indian to achieve this feat. He recently made another history by becoming the only living Indian to win the Grammy Award thrice.

Notes:
Guru Ravidass Jayanti is celebrated to mark the birth of Guru Ravidas, a mystic poet-saint of the Bhakti movement during the 15th century.
The poet was a contemporary of Kabir Das and he taught monotheistic spirituality and message of equality and liberation from Indian caste system. His teachings are widely followed in states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Haryana, among others.

Notes:
A new report ‘Teleconnections Among Tipping Elements in the Earth System’ Report, has found a direct link between deforestation of the Amazon rainforest and the temperature changes in Tibet.
Tibet is situated more than 15,000 km from the rainforest. It revealed the strong link between climate tipping elements. A tipping point is a threshold beyond which major, irreversible changes occur in a specific region.

Notes:
The US State Department gave the nod for the sale of M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers to Poland.
The HIMARS and the related equipment will be sold to Poland at a cost of around USD 10 billion. HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) is a type of artillery system that can fire long-range rockets with pinpoint accuracy. It has been used in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

Notes:
Superbugs are types of germs, like bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites that are not easily killed by antibiotics.
According to a recent report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), superbugs could be a major cause of death in the future. Overuse of antibiotics in animal farming and pollution from pharmaceutical companies can cause these germs to become resistant to antibiotics.

Notes:
Commonwealth Games 2022 bronze medallist Tejaswin Shankar won the men’s high jump event at New Balance Indoor Grand Prix 2023 in Boston, USA.
At the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold event, Tejaswin Shankar claimed first place with a jump of 2.26 metres. He beat the 38-year-old Donald Thomas of the Bahamas, a 2007 world champion.