Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2024

Notes:
Officials in Oregon are addressing a rare case of bubonic plague, likely transmitted by a pet cat. Bubonic plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, commonly found in small mammals and fleas. Named the Black Death, it killed millions in the Middle Ages. Symptoms include fever, chills, abdominal, arm, and leg pains, and swollen lymph nodes. Spread by fleas, it has a case-fatality ratio of 30-60% but can be treated with antibiotics like Ciprofloxacin and Doxycycline.

Notes:
The Haryana police used drones to drop tear gas shells on protesters near the Shambhu border. This is the first time law enforcement agencies in India have used drones to launch tear gas shells. The drones are originally designed to monitor agriculture and horticulture crops, survey infrastructure projects, and conduct security surveillance in sensitive areas. The drones were repurposed for crowd control.

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the 300 MW Barsingsar Solar Power Plant in Rajasthan’s Bikaner district, advancing India’s renewable energy goals. NLC India Limited, a Navratna CPSE, is implementing the project under the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy’s CPSE Scheme. The initiative, aligned with the Atma Nirbhar Bharat initiative, uses cutting-edge technology, aims to produce 750 million units of green power annually, and marks NLCIL as the first CPSE to achieve a 1 GW Solar capacity milestone in India.

Notes:
The 16th World Social Forum (WSF) conference in 2024 started in Kathmandu in February 2024. The conference is a five-day event that aims to promote exchange among civil society organizations, social movements, trade unions, and individuals who oppose neoliberal globalization. The theme of the conference is “Another World is Possible”.

Notes:
South Indian Bank has been honored as the Best Technology Bank of the Year at the 19th IBA Annual Banking Technology Conference. The bank received six awards, including three wins, one runner-up position, and two special mentions. T Rabi Sankar, Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, presented the accolades to PR Seshadri, MD & CEO of South Indian Bank, at the Mumbai venue organized by the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA).

Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Nepal Rastra Bank have partnered to integrate India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and Nepal’s National Payments Interface (NPI). The collaboration aims to establish infrastructure for seamless cross-border transactions, facilitating efficient remittances. The formalized agreement signifies a concerted effort to interlink UPI and NPI, enhancing the speed and ease of cross-border payments between the two countries.

Notes:
India and Colombia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to share India’s open-sourced digital public infrastructure (DPI). The MoU is for cooperation in digital transformation, including sharing successful digital solutions that have been implemented at population scale. India has developed some of the world’s best digital public goods infrastructure, including delivering services to the public during the COVID pandemic.

Notes:
Burhanpur in Madhya Pradesh, known as the banana city, is hosting its annual Banana Festival in collaboration with the district administration. The two-day event, under the One-District One-Product programme, highlights Burhanpur’s agricultural strength with 23,650 hectares of banana cultivation involving 18,325 farmers. The region yields an impressive 16 lakh metric tonnes of bananas, contributing to a significant sales turnover of 1,700 crore rupees. The festival aims to attract investment by showcasing Burhanpur’s agricultural prowess to companies, experts, and scientists nationwide.

Notes:
Lough Neagh, the largest freshwater lake in the British Isles, faces an alarming ecosystem collapse in 2024, marked by the absence of its native fly. Situated in East-central Northern Ireland, covering 392 sq km with a 5,700 sq km catchment area, it serves as a crucial water source, supplying over 40% of Northern Ireland’s drinking water. Known for Europe’s largest wild eel fishery and hosting 100 bird species, it holds cultural and archaeological significance as a jewel in the region.

Notes:
Union Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated India’s first Skill India Centre in Sambalpur, Odisha. The initiative aims to upgrade skills in demand-driven industries, empowering over 1200 students. Shri Pradhan emphasized the need for a skilled workforce to drive India’s development in the 21st century. The Centre offers low-cost courses to democratize access to quality education, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision. Equipped with modern facilities, it focuses on high-demand trades like Media & Entertainment, Leather, Tourism & Hospitality, and IT-ITeS, fostering industry-specific skills for youth empowerment.