Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2023

Notes:
National Research Foundation is an autonomous agency that comes under the aegis of Ministry of Science and Technology (DST).
The Union Budget 2023-24 has earmarked Rs.2,000 crore as an outlay for the National Research Foundation to boost research and innovation within India.

Notes:
Medium-density Amorphous (MDA) Ice is a new form of ice that was recently discovered by scientists. This ice has same density and structure as water.
The ice was created by scientists in a container with stainless steel balls at a -200°C. The MDA ice does not have any ordered structure. It will provide the opportunity to improve the understanding of the properties of water.

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:
India’s first Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine (H2ICE) technology was launched by Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) for heavy-duty trucks.
It was developed by RIL in collaboration with vehicle partners like Ashok Leyland and others and was launched during the India Energy Week 2023. The H2ICE technology minimizes carbon emissions and delivers better performance when compared with conventional diesel trucks.

Notes:
The Eagle 44 (Oghab 44) is the first underground air force base of Iran. It is capable of housing fighter jets equipped with cruise missiles.
The unveiling of the Oghab 44 is seen as a display of Iran’s aerial military strength in response to a joint drill conducted by the US and Israel. It will host jets and drones equipped with long-range cruise missiles to destroy adversary targets in case of attack.

Notes:
Experts at the 5th International Marine Protected Areas Congress in Canada have recommended the setting up of Marine Protected Areas.
Marine protected areas are regions in the ocean where human activities are regulated by the government. These protected areas are set up to address issues such as pollution, litter, overfishing, and climate change.

Notes:
National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT) is an apex government body that comes under the aegis of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP).
It is responsible for development of industrial corridors like Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor, Bengaluru – Mumbai Industrial Corridor and others. The Indian Government has sanctioned and approved 8 projects under NICDIT.

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:
Kerala Police have recently arrested 113 people who were accused in various criminal cases, under ‘Operation Aag’.
The raids are being held to arrest those who were placed under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act. Other initiatives of the state police include ‘Pink patrol’ which is specifically for women’s safety, ‘Prasanthi’ for senior citizens among others.

Notes:
Union Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh recently inaugurated Mission Antyodaya Survey (MAS) 2022-23.
The objectives of the scheme are- conducting an annual survey at the Gram Panchayat level to monitor the progress in the development process in rural areas, Panchayat wise ranking and making Gap report, which serves as an important input for the Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP).