Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2024

Notes:
The International Day of Mathematics (IDM), also known as Pi Day, is celebrated annually on March 14th to honor the mathematical constant Pi (approx. 3.14). Originating in 1988 by physicist Larry Shaw, it gained official recognition in 2009 by the US House of Representatives and UNESCO in 2019. This day acknowledges the importance of mathematics globally.

Notes:
The Central Government appointed Rahul Singh as the Chairman of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). Singh, a 1996-batch IAS officer, is currently Additional Secretary at DoPT. He replaces Nidhi Chibber, who was recently appointed an advisor in NITI Aayog. The CBSE is India’s national secondary school board, which oversees both public and private institutions.

Notes:
In March 2024, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas appointed Mohammad Mustafa as the new prime minister of Palestine. Mustafa is a political independent and economist who has been educated in the United States. He is the economic advisor to Abbas. Mustafa will lead a technocratic government in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, which could potentially administer Gaza before the state becomes independent.

Notes:
Madrigal Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s drug Rezdiffra gained the first US approval to treat nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a potentially deadly liver disease caused by fat buildup. NASH, part of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, can lead to cirrhosis. Symptoms include fatigue, unexplained weight loss, weakness, and upper right belly ache. Risk factors include obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and metabolic syndrome. Treatment involves managing conditions like cholesterol levels, weight, and diabetes.

Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 1, 40, 76,000 on Bank of India (BoI) for non-compliance with certain RBI directions on interest rates on deposits, customer service, and other areas. The penalty is for deficiencies in regulatory compliance, not to pronounce on the validity of any transactions or agreements between the bank and its customers.

Notes:
Union Minister Shri Hardeep Singh Puri launched ‘ETHANOL 100’, a groundbreaking automotive fuel at IndianOil’s retail outlet in Delhi. This ethanol-based fuel will be available in 183 outlets across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, New Delhi, and Tamil Nadu. Secretary Shri Pankaj Jain and IndianOil Chairman Shri Shrikant Madhav Vaidya also attended. Minister Puri emphasized ETHANOL 100’s role in reducing fossil fuel dependence, aligning with the Prime Minister’s vision of energy transformation.

Notes:
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the United Nations’ (UN) climate agency, releases the State of the Global Climate report. The 2023 report confirms that 2023 was the warmest year on record, with the global average near-surface temperature 1.45 °Celsius (with a margin of uncertainty of ± 0.12 °C) above the pre-industrial baseline. The report also confirms that 2023 was the warmest 10-year period on record. The WMO also said there is a “high probability” that 2024 will be another record-hot year.

Notes:
World Sparrow Day is celebrated annually on March 20th. The day is dedicated to raising awareness about the protection of sparrows and other birds that share our environment. It is a call to action to remember the delicate beauty around us that must be protected. The theme for World Sparrow Day 2024 is “I Love Sparrows”. This theme highlights the special connection between humans and sparrows.

Notes:
Leo Varadkar, Ireland’s Indian-origin Prime Minister, stunned the nation with his abrupt resignation from both his post and party leadership, citing “personal and political” motives. The 45-year-old Taoiseach made the emotional announcement in Dublin, expressing his intention to step down immediately and relinquish the position of taoiseach once his successor assumes office.

Notes:
NIXI unveils BhashaNet portal on Universal Acceptance Day for digital inclusion and linguistic diversity in India. Established in 2003, NIXI is a non-profit under Companies Act 2013. It promotes domestic routing for better internet service and manages .IN is India’s Country Code Top Level Domain since 2004. NIXI facilitates internet infrastructure and operates as NIR (IRINN) offering IXPs for Internet Exchange Points, aiming to increase internet penetration and adoption in India.