Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2024

Notes:
Alzheimer’s disease is a prevalent brain condition, responsible for 60-80% of dementia cases, affecting memory, thinking, and daily activities. Recent studies suggest rare medical accidents can transmit the disease between humans. Typically impacting those aged 65 and older, with unknown exact causes, it involves genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. Symptoms range from forgetting recent events to serious memory loss, and while there’s no cure, certain medications and therapies can temporarily manage the symptoms.

Notes:
The Secretary, Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications, unveiled the “Bharat 5G Portal” during ‘Bharat Telecom 2024.’ This integrated platform focuses on quantum, 6G, IPR, and 5G domains, catering to startups, industry, and academia. In collaboration with PANIIT USA, it introduces the Future Tech-Experts registration portal to support India’s Telecom ecosystem. The portal serves as a centralized hub for quantum, IPR, PoCs/Pilot, 5G, and 6G, promoting innovation, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing in the telecom sector for Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Notes:
The National Conference on Promotion of Seaweed Cultivation, chaired by the Union Minister of Fisheries in Koteshwar, Kutch, Gujarat, showcased diverse seaweed cultivation methods (Monoline, tube-net, and rafts). CMFRI, CSMCRI, and NFDB demonstrated these techniques. Seaweeds, macroscopic algae lacking true roots and leaves, thrive in marine and coastal waters. They are classified into four groups based on pigments that absorb specific wavelengths of light. The event aimed at fostering seaweed development and enhancing awareness about its potential in India.

Notes:
Shumang Leela, a traditional Manipuri theatre form, faces challenges due to ethnic violence, impacting its artists and jeopardizing the state’s cultural richness. Originating as a comic genre for royalty, it has evolved into a powerful medium for mass education and entertainment. In this unique theatre, male actors portray female roles (Nupi Shabis), and transgender actors take on female characters. The plays aim to educate the public on social, political, and economic issues, with two types – Nupa Shumang Leela (performed only by men) and Nupi Shumang Leela (performed only by women).

Notes:
Members of a Hindutva group recently breached the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected Martand Sun Temple, a historic Hindu temple near Anantnag in the Kashmir Valley. Built in the 8th century by King Lalitaditya Muktapida, it blends Kashmiri, Gupta, Chinese, Gandhara, Roman, and Greek architectural styles. Spanning 32,000 sq. ft., the stone temple features an 86-column courtyard, a 60-ft vimana with intricate carvings, and 84 smaller shrines. Sultan Sikandar Shah Miri is believed to have demolished it in the 14th century.

Notes:
The Defence Budget for the Financial Year 2024-25 has reached Rs 6,21,540.85 crore, constituting 13.04% of the total Union Budget. Finance Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman presented this budget with a focus on self-reliance and exports. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) received the highest allocation, marking an 18.35% increase from FY 2022-23. Capital accounts for 27.67%, revenue for 14.82%, pay and allowances for 30.68%, defence pensions for 22.72%, and civil organizations under MoD for 4.11%.

Notes:
A recent discussion between the United States and China have focused on joint efforts to combat the influx of fentanyl into the U.S. Fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid (a type of drug), has wreaked havoc in America and is linked to ingredients produced in China. The drug, 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine, is FDA (Food and Drug Administration) -approved for severe pain but is also illegally manufactured and sold recreationally, often mixed with other drugs, posing a high risk of addiction and fatality in large doses or when combined.

Notes:
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated the ‘Ministry of Education – AICTE Investor Network,’ a collaborative effort by AICTE and the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell. The initiative aims to boost innovation and entrepreneurship in education by offering financial support, mentoring, and strategic guidance to early-stage student or faculty-led startups. Aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, the network seeks to encourage private investment, empower educational institutions as innovation hubs, and foster a better environment for startup development.

Notes:
The Subika painting style, intricately linked to Meitei cultural history, faces near extinction due to neglect. Its survival depends on six manuscripts—Subika, Subika Achouba, Subika Laishaba, Subika Choudit, Subika Cheithil, and Thengrakhel Subika. Subika Laishaba is a vital continuation of Meitei tradition through visual images. Despite Manipur’s historical significance, Subika paintings, estimated to date back to the 18th or 19th century, highlight a decline in visual arts, emphasizing the need for preservation efforts.

Notes:
Telangana police conducted Operation Smile-X, rescuing 3,479 child labourers state-wide. Cyberabad police alone saved 718 children, reuniting 526 with parents. 329 were from the state, 389 from other states. Of the rescued, 640 were from child labour, and one was a reported missing child. Throughout the operation, 2,947 children were reunited with parents, involving 676 police personnel working in teams coordinated with various departments and NGOs. The operation resulted in 254 registered cases in the Cyberabad Commissionerate.