Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2024

Notes:
NASA’s Cassini spacecraft, part of a joint mission with ESA and ASI, recently unveiled a vast ocean beneath the icy surface of Saturn’s moon Mimas. Launched in 1997, Cassini orbited Saturn from 2004 to 2017, contributing vital insights about the planet and its moons. Weighing 2,125 kg, it mapped Titan’s surface with radar and studied Saturn’s magnetic field. Cassini’s Huygens probe, weighing 349 kg, landed on Titan, discovering six moons and identifying Enceladus and Titan as potential locations for extraterrestrial life.

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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.

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Reality tech firm recently revealed a digital twin of Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah’s grand tomb in Hyderabad. The tomb, constructed in 1602, stands at a majestic height of 60 m within the Qutb Shahi heritage park complex. Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah, the fifth king of the Qutb Shahi dynasty and founder of Hyderabad, was a prolific poet in Persian, Telugu, and Deccani Urdu. His poetry touched on diverse aspects of communal life, festivals, love, and faith, blending traditions in a unique manner.

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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.

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In the Western Ghats of India, scientists discovered a Bonnet mushroom growing on the Golden-backed Frog, endemic to Karnataka and Kerala. This thumb-sized frog thrives near water bodies in evergreen forests and faces threats like habitat loss, water pollution, and non-native species introduction. The surprising mushroom-frog interaction adds a unique aspect to understanding their ecology and highlights the challenges these frogs encounter in their natural habitat.

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A dispute in Lakshadweep has arisen over the administration’s assertion of government ownership of Pandaram lands, leading to tension with locals. The conflict escalated as the administrator claimed Pandaram properties belonged to the government, contradicting traditional ownership. Locals allege the administration is violating a High Court stay on numbering coconut trees on Pandaram lands, suggesting potential felling. Despite officials refusing to comment on record, a senior official dismissed concerns as presumptions.

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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.

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Japan recently hosted a conference to discuss reconstruction of Ukraine. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida committed to long-term engagement in Ukraine’s reconstruction, framing it as a future investment. In a conference co-organized with Ukraine, Kishida emphasized Japan’s commitment to inclusive, humanitarian, and technologically-driven cooperation. Over 50 deals were signed between Japanese and Ukrainian entities, highlighting their collaborative efforts in supporting the war-torn nation two years after Russia’s invasion.

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The UNESCAP’s ‘Asia and the Pacific SDG Progress Report 2024’ reveals that the region is 32 years behind the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals target. Established in 1947 as ECAFE, it became ESCAP in 1974, one of the UN’s five regional commissions. With 53 member states (including India) and 9 associate members, UNESCAP is headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand. Its objective is to foster cooperation among members to address sustainable development challenges.

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Kathmandu recently hosted the multinational military exercise ‘Shanti Prayas IV,’ becoming a hub for global peacekeeping efforts. The event involved army representatives from 19 nations engaged in UN Peacekeeping missions, emphasizing collaborative dedication to global peace and security. Co-hosted by the Nepali Army and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, the exercise highlighted the robust military cooperation between Nepal and the United States.