Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2024

Notes:
Archaeologists unearthed an eighth-century Kotravai sculpture, dating back to the Pallava period, near Ulundurpet, Tamil Nadu. The Pallava Dynasty, a prominent South Indian power from the 3rd to 9th centuries, ruled northern Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. Known for supporting Buddhism, Jainism, and Brahminical faith, the Pallavas were patrons of music, painting, and literature. Their origins trace back to the Andhra Satavahanas, gaining autonomy and establishing Kanchipuram as their capital in the 4th century CE.

Notes:
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal highlighted the significant potential of India’s inland waterways as a growth engine, emphasizing PM Narendra Modi’s focus on harnessing this vital resource. Speaking at Kalugaht, Bihar, he inaugurated the Kalughat Inland Waterways Transport terminal on National Waterways-1, emphasizing the cost-effectiveness of water transport. Sonowal credited Prime Minister for amending the Inland Vessel Act, simplifying permit systems and transforming India into a major player in riverways and maritime cargo handling with the increase of National Waterways from 5 to 111.

Notes:
Prabowo Subianto, a 72-year-old former Special Forces commander and defense minister, claimed victory in the Indonesian presidential election, securing nearly 60% of votes according to quick counts. Born in Jakarta in 1951, he joined the Indonesian Military Academy in 1970, rising through the ranks. Prabowo, a close associate of Soeharto, married the former leader’s daughter. Notably, he led the Kopassus unit during the anti-Chinese riots in May 1998.

Notes:
NASA’s SOFIA airborne observatory, a telescope mounted on a Boeing 747 SP aircraft, recently discovered water molecules on the surfaces of two asteroids, marking the first such detection. Operating for 12 years until its premature end in 2022, SOFIA, jointly operated by NASA and the German space agency, studied infrared light, allowing astronomers to observe the universe from 38,000-45,000 feet, above most of Earth’s infrared-blocking atmosphere. It was the world’s largest airborne astronomical observatory, facilitating unique studies of celestial bodies and transient events globally.

Notes:
NASA and Japan’s space agency, JAXA, are planning to launch the world’s first wooden satellite, LignoSat, in 2024. The satellite is designed to reduce space debris and is made of biodegradable magnolia wood, known as Hoonoki in Japanese. The satellite is being developed by scientists at Kyoto University. First tests have been performed in space-simulating laboratories, and wood samples found no signs of damage, decomposition, or mass changes. The initiative aims to make spaceflight operations more sustainable and pave the way for a more sustainable future in orbit.

Notes:
An Indian Air Force Chinook helicopter made a precautionary landing in Punjab due to a technical snag. The Chinook/CH-47F, manufactured by Boeing, is a tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter used for troop and supply transport. India operates 15 Chinooks, featuring advanced cargo handling, a fully integrated digital cockpit, and a triple hook system. With a maximum speed of 160 knots, it can carry 55 troops or 10 tonnes of cargo, showcasing its versatility in military operations.

Notes:
The Chief Minister of Assam has announced a mission to reclaim chars, riverine islands in the Brahmaputra, to preserve ecological integrity. Chars face constant migration, with erosion upstream and deposition downstream during floods, impacting their geometry. Char areas encounter challenges like poor communication, mobility, and infrastructure, hindering development. Issues include isolation, flood threats, and difficulties implementing schemes for roads, irrigation, power, and education in these unique, flood-prone regions.

Notes:
Union Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal launched ‘Sagar Aankalan’ guidelines to improve Indian ports’ performance, focusing on mapping, benchmarking, and aligning standards globally. Stemming from the success of GMIS 2023, a major maritime summit, the initiative aims to boost the maritime sector, evidenced by a ₹10 lakh crore investment commitment. The move underscores the government’s dedication to modernize and optimize India’s maritime infrastructure for economic growth and global competitiveness.

Notes:
The Nagi Bird Festival is associated with the state of Bihar. The Bihar government’s Forest and Environment department hosts the three-day festival in Jamui, the district’s Nagi bird sanctuary. The festival’s primary objective is to educate people on migratory birds and their habitats, and to promote bird conservation.

Notes:
‘Anuvadini’ is an AI-driven multilingual translation app designed in-house, enabling rapid conversion of English content into various languages via machine learning, supplemented by expert reviews. In the last two years, it has translated numerous textbooks for Ekumbh, an online platform. The initiative also offers 12 regional language choices for national entrance exams, showcasing substantial progress in the realm of AI-based language translation.