Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2024

Notes:
The Tibetan brown bear, a rare subspecies, was recently spotted in Sikkim, marking the first confirmed sighting in India. Scientifically known as Ursus arctos pruinosus, it historically thrived in the alpine eastern Tibetan plateau. With distinctive features like shaggy dark fur and a white collar, these solitary bears have acute senses and feed on marmots and alpine vegetation. Despite their rarity, their conservation status is currently listed as “Least Concern” on the IUCN Red List.

Notes:
Vice Admiral AN Pramod assumed charge as the Director General Naval Operations (DGNO) in the Indian Navy. Pramod previously served as the flag officer commanding (FOC) of the Indian Navy’s Maharashtra Naval Area. Pramod is a graduate of the 38th Integrated Cadet Course at the Naval Academy in Goa and was commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 1990. Pramod succeeds Vice Admiral Atul Anand, who was appointed DGNO on April 1, 2023.

Notes:
The Panchayat Mausam Sewa Portal, a collaboration between the India Meteorological Department, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, and Green Alert Mausam Sewa, offers weather forecasts in English, Hindi, and twelve regional languages to every panchayat head and secretary. The initiative aims to empower farmers with timely weather alerts, reducing input costs and crop losses. It facilitates informed agricultural planning for activities like sowing, transplantation, and irrigation.

Notes:
The Kerala Drug Control Department recently launched Operation Amrith (Antimicrobial Resistance Intervention for Total Health) to combat antibiotic resistance (AMR). The initiative aims to prevent the misuse of antibiotics and protect the state’s citizens from its potentially deadly consequences. The operation includes surprise raids in pharmacies to detect over-the-counter (OTC) sales of antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription. The department has also provided a toll-free number for lodging complaints against medical shops. The operation also aims to raise awareness about AMR, ensure responsible antibiotic use, and prevent the spread of drug-resistant infections.

Notes:
India Meteorological Department (IMD) launched MAUSAM, an integrated GIS-based mobile app offering weather services such as hourly forecasts, Rainfall, Humidity, Sunrise/Sunset, Moonrise/Moonset, Rain Alert, Lightning Alert, Cyclone Alert, and more. The app supports 12 Indian languages and introduces “mausamgram” accessible via the mobile app or IMD website. “mausamgram” enables users to view observations, forecasts, and warnings through a map or search function using place names, pincodes, or coordinates, aligning with the vision “Har Har Mausam, Har Ghar Mausam.”

Notes:
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, inaugurating the 12th General Assembly of the Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace, highlighted global challenges like climate change, conflict, terrorism, and poverty. Emphasizing Buddha’s timeless wisdom, Dhankhar praised the Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path as transformative guides for inner peace and conflict resolution. Stressing the importance of non-violence, he noted that violence doesn’t breed unity. Dhankhar called for embracing Buddha’s teachings, asserting their relevance in India’s governance, environmental sustainability, and as a beacon of hope for global harmony.

Notes:
The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) titled ‘Beyond Basics’ by Pratham Foundation surveyed 34,745 rural students aged 14 to 18 across 28 districts in 26 states. It assessed foundational reading and arithmetic skills, focusing on youth engagement activities, digital awareness, educational and career aspirations, and the application of foundational skills in daily life. The report provides valuable insights into the educational landscape, revealing the status of Indian youth’s abilities and aspirations.

Notes:
A recent study in Scientific Reports explored the link between migraines and the development of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). IBD encompasses chronic inflammation in the digestive tract, ranging from mild to severe. Types include Ulcerative colitis, affecting the colon and rectum, and Crohn’s disease, marked by inflammation in the digestive tract, commonly in the small intestine. Indeterminate colitis IBD combines features of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, posing potential life-threatening complications for some individuals.

Notes:
Representatives from Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra will receive the traditional ceremonial bow, ‘Onavillu,’ from Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The Padmanabhaswamy Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu, holds significance in epics and puranas. Balarama is mentioned to have visited, bathed in Padmatheertham, and made offerings. Onavillu, a bow-shaped instrument with puranic inscriptions, is crafted in Karamana, Thiruvanthapuram, and Kerala.

Notes:
The Third South Summit is a meeting of the Group of 77 (G-77) that took place in Kampala, Uganda on January 21–22, 2024. The theme of the summit was “Leaving No One Behind”. The summit also included the G77+China Conference. The G-77 is a group of 134 countries, including China, India, Indonesia, and Pakistan. The G-77 was established as a reaction to the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, which were designed to meet the needs of developed countries. The G-77’s policies include strengthening multilateralism, developing friendly relations, and promoting peaceful settlement of disputes.