Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2023

Notes:
The New START Treaty is the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty between the US and Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently announced Russia’s intention to suspend the participation in this treaty.
The treaty caps the number of strategic nuclear warheads that the two countries can deploy. It was signed in 2010 between former US President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

Notes:
A new low-cost vertical farming structure has been developed by the ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticulture Research (IIHR) for growing crops such as cabbage and cauliflower, as well as flowers like lilium and gerbera.
The structures consist of vertically stacked layers, allowing for high planting density and utilization of the available unit area in the poly-house by up to 5-6 times.

Notes:
The Rideau Canal Skateway is a popular winter attraction in Ottawa, Canada. It is the world’s largest skating rink.
It is part of the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For the first time since it was built in 1971, Rideau Canal Skateway will not open because of the lack of ice. This is due to the unusually high temperature in the region.

Notes:
Anopheles stephensi is a mosquito species that can transmit both Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax malaria parasites.
Recently, Kenya recorded this species, making it the sixth and the latest country in Africa to report the invasion of this vector. The species is well adapted to urban areas and has been spreading to new regions, including parts of East Africa.

Notes:
The I2U2 Group consists of four countries – India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States.
Recently, the inaugural I2U2 Business Forum was organized in Abu Dhabi. This meeting discussed the possibility of building integrated agricultural facilities across India.

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:
The Bhutan National Digital Identity (NDI) mobile wallet has been launched in Bhutan. During its launch, Bhutan’s Crown Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck became the country’s first digital citizen.
This makes Bhutan government the first in the world to create a national digital identity system in a self-sovereign framework. Its aim is to provide citizens and residents with secure and verifiable identity credentials.

Notes:
Russia recently launched an uncrewed Soyuz spaceflight named Soyuz MS-23. The purpose of this mission is to replace the Soyuz MS spacecraft currently docked at the International Space Station. The Soyuz MS-22 capsule’s cooling system was found to be leaking. The new spacecraft will provide a safe and reliable means of transportation for future missions to and from the space station. The mission also includes the repairing of the leaking capsule.

Notes:
New Zealand created a Recovery Visa recently to help bring in specialist workers required to support the rebuilding efforts in the disaster-hit regions of the country.
It was launched after the Gabrielle cyclone and Auckland flooding. It covers experts such as insurance assessors, infrastructure and utilities engineers and technicians, heavy machinery operators and debris removal workers.

Notes:
Nepal is planning to develop the Phukot Karnali Hydropower Project, a semi-reservoir hydropower project with a capacity of 480 MW.
It is to be built through collaboration between India’s National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) and Nepal’s Vidyut Utpadan Company Ltd (VUCL). The surplus electricity from this hydroelectric project will be exported to India and Nepal will get 21.9% free energy monthly from the project.