Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2023

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 Mukaab is a new development project that has been announced by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman.
The ambitious plan aims to build the largest inner-city building in the world named ‘The Mukaab’ in Riyadh, the country’s capital. It aims to develop the world’s largest modern downtown in Riyadh in line with Saudi Vision 2030.

Notes:
Horaglanis populi is a newly discovered species of aquifer-dwelling catfish. It was found in the lateritic aquifer systems in Kerala.
The state currently has 4 endemic species of Horaglanis genus. The new species has 4 pairs of well-developed barbels and a blood-red body. Its length is less than 3.2 cm. It is blind and does not have pigments. It is highly vulnerable to extinction due to its small ranges.

Notes:
The Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) was established as a result of a 2012 agreement between India and China
Its main purpose is to facilitate regular and institutional exchanges between the two neighbours. Recently, the top official in India’s External Affairs Ministry visited China to attend the 26th WMCC. It was held in Beijing.

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:
During an El Nino event, the trade winds that usually blow from east to west across the Pacific weaken, causing warm water to move towards the central and eastern Pacific.
This year is expected to witness the setting in of the El Nino weather. Although El Niño is a natural occurrence, there are concerns that climate change may aggravate its frequency and intensity.

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:
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.

Notes:
The Irinjadappilly Sree Krishna Temple in Kerala’s Thrissur district has made history by being the first temple in India to use a mechanical, lifelike elephant for its rituals, instead of a live one.
Named ‘Irinjadappilly Raman’, the robotic elephant was gifted to the temple by animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India. It is used to promote cruelty-free ceremonies and support the rehabilitation and life of real elephants in forests.

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.