Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2023

Notes:
Lavani folk art is a traditional art form in which women dancers wearing brightly coloured sarees, perform on stage before live audience. This indigenous art form gained popularity during the Peshwa era in the 18th century.
There are various sub-genres of Lavani. The most popular among them is the Shringarik or the erotic kind. A younger generation of women dancers is accused of vulgarising the traditional folk-art form.

Notes:
Madhya Pradesh cabinet has decided to close all the bars operating in the state, and the liquor shops only will be allowed to sell liquor to the customers at the shop.
‘Ahatas’, an area attached to a liquor shop for people to drink and shop bars have been closed under the new excise policy. As per the policy, distance of liquor shops from educational institutions has also been increased from the earlier 50 to 100 meters.

Notes:
The 49th meeting of the GST Council was held recently, under the chairship of the Union Finance Minister.
It was decided to clear all pending dues of pertaining to GST compensation to states. The finance minister also spoke about the GoM report on online gaming and said that the report has been submitted. The chair of the GoM is Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma.

Notes:
China has introduced a 30 days paid marriage leave plan is aimed at increasing the country’s declining birth rate.
This policy change aims to encourage young couples to get married and have children, and is seen as an effective way to increase the fertility rate. The extension of marriage leave is especially being implemented in areas with relatively slow economic development.

Notes:
The AMASR (Amendment) Bill is a proposed legislation that aims to make several changes to the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act.
The Act regulates the preservation of historical monuments and archaeological sites. It seeks to redefine the current definition of a ‘monument’ which currently requires it to be at least 100 years old.

Notes:
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a free trade agreement between 15 countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Philippines Senate recently ratified the country’s entry into the RCEP. The RCEP, which was signed in 2020, represents the largest trade bloc in history. RCEP aims to increase economic integration and reduce trade barriers among its member nations.

Notes:
INS Sindhukesari is a Sindhughosh-class diesel-electric submarine belonging to the Indian Navy. This 3,000 tonne submarine underwent a major ‘medium refit-cum-life extension’ in Russia’s Severodvinsk that ended in 2018.
INS Sindhukesari recently reached Jakarta in Indonesia for the ‘maiden operational turnaround’ via the Sunda Strait. This is the first long-range deployment of a submarine.

Notes:
Mount Mayon, a strato-volcano located in the Bicol province of the Philippines, is famous for its symmetrical and perfectly conical shape.
It is a popular tourist attraction and is considered sacred in Philippine folklore. It is the centrepiece of the Albay Biosphere Reserve and is currently being considered for nomination as a World Heritage Site.

Notes:
Kaziranga National Park is a protected area located in the Indian state of Assam. It is home to a large population of one-horned rhinoceroses,
As of 2018 census, 2,613 rhinos are living in the park. The Central government has sought a factual report on the rhino population numbers in the National Park and Tiger Reserve based on the survey conducted in March 2022. Earlier, an activist found the possibility of number of rhinos being inflated.

Notes:
The United States and South Korea recently conducted a simulated table-top exercise called DSC TTX.
It is aimed at determining actions to be taken in the event of a possible nuclear attack by North Korea. The exercise was the eighth edition of the US and South Korean deterrence strategy committee table-top exercise.