Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2024

Notes:
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has upgraded India’s GDP growth forecast to 6.7% for the current fiscal year, a 40 basis points rise from the previous estimate of 6.3%. This positive revision is credited to strong public investment and positive labor market trends, as outlined in the latest World Economic Outlook report.

Notes:
The Economics of the Food System Transformation report is a global policy report from the Food System Economics Commission (FSEC). The report estimates that transforming the global food system could create economic benefits of 5–10 trillion USD per year. The report also states that the policies and implementation to achieve these transformations would cost only 0.2–0.4% of global GDP. The report discusses the unsustainable trajectory of the global food system and the potential economic benefits of a transformation. It also states that transforming food systems worldwide could help address global climate, nature, and health emergencies.

Notes:
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman revealed the swift implementation of the U-WIN platform in the Union interim Budget 2024-2025 to streamline immunization management nationwide. The U-WIN portal is integral to digitizing India’s Universal Immunization Programme, currently undergoing pilot testing in two districts of every state and union territory, marking a significant step toward enhancing healthcare accessibility and efficiency.

Notes:
A record number of manatees recently gathered at a Florida state park. Manatees, often called “sea cows,” are large aquatic mammals belonging to the Sirenia group, which also includes dugongs. While they share similarities in appearance and behavior, the key difference lies in their tails – manatees have paddle-shaped tails, while dugongs have fluked tails, resembling whales. Manatees inhabit shallow coastal areas and rivers, with three species identified: Amazonian, African, and Caribbean manatees. They are listed as ‘Vulnerable’ by the IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species

Notes:
The GHAR (Go Home and Re-Unite) Portal, developed by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), facilitates the digital monitoring and repatriation of children under the Juvenile Justice Act. It expedites repatriation by tracking cases, transferring them to relevant authorities, and facilitating communication with State Governments for translators or experts. Child Welfare Committees use the portal’s checklist to identify children in need, linking them to government schemes for family strengthening during restoration.

Notes:
Astro Sat, India’s inaugural multi-wavelength astronomy mission, successfully measured the X-ray polarization of the Cygnus X-1 black hole system. Discovered four decades ago, Cygnus X-1 is among the first confirmed black hole systems in our galaxy. The black hole is 20 times the Sun’s mass, with a companion supergiant star (40 times more massive) in a binary system. Located 400 times farther than Earth-Sun distance, the gravitational pull forms an accretion disk, generating soft X-rays.

Notes:
Karnataka secured the Nagesh Trophy in the Men’s National T20 Cricket Tournament for the Blind 2023-24, triumphing over Andhra Pradesh by nine wickets in a thrilling final in Nagpur. The win ended Karnataka’s 20-year national title drought, highlighting the remarkable talent, resilience, and determination of visually impaired cricketers. The victory not only celebrated their sporting prowess but also emphasized the spirit that defines blind cricket as a testament to overcoming challenges.

Notes:
Candida auris, a deadly multidrug-resistant fungus, poses a global health threat by causing invasive infections, particularly in individuals with weakened immune systems. Discovered in Japan in 2009, it has rapidly spread worldwide. Primarily contracted in healthcare settings, it can colonize the skin without symptoms or cause severe infections by entering the bloodstream. The fungus spreads through contact with contaminated surfaces or infected individuals, emphasizing its potential for rapid transmission in hospitals and nursing homes.

Notes:
Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko set the world record for the most time spent in space, breaking the record of fellow Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka. Kononenko is 59 years old and has spent more than 878 days and 12 hours in space. Padalka’s record was 878 days, 11 hours, 29 minutes, and 48 seconds, set during five space missions until 2017. Kononenko works out regularly to deal with the physical effects of weightlessness. He has said that he doesn’t feel deprived or isolated, but that he realizes how much life he missed out on when he returns to Earth.

Notes:
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) recently achieved success with four flight trials of ‘ABHYAS,’ a high-speed expendable aerial target. Developed by DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Establishment, ABHYAS serves as a realistic threat scenario for weapon systems practice and validates Armed Forces equipment for aerial engagement. It features an autonomous flying design, an indigenously made autopilot, and a laptop-based Ground Control System for integration and analysis.