Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2024

Notes:
Parrot fever, or psittacosis, has claimed five lives in a recent outbreak across Europe. Caused by bacterium Chlamydophila psittaci, it primarily affects birds but can infect humans through contaminated particles. Common in those close to birds, symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pains, and pneumonia-like symptoms. Severe cases may lead to complications, treated with antibiotics like doxycycline. Human-to-human transmission is rare, emphasizing the importance of proper hygiene and supportive care for recovery.

Notes:
INS Tir, the flagship of the First Training Squadron, recently joined Exercise Cutlass Express – 24 in Seychelles. Held from Feb 26 to Mar 08, 2024, the exercise aims to counter malign activities in East African coastal regions and the West Indian Ocean. Sponsored by U.S. AFRICOM and led by U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet, it enhances maritime security, cooperation, and interoperability among participating nations. The Indian Navy, part of the exercise since 2019, actively engaged with participants from 16 friendly foreign countries in Maritime Interdiction Operations, Visit Board Search and Seizure procedures, and Diving operations.

Notes:
Union Minister Arjun Munda inaugurated the 3-day National Dairy Mela in Chaibasa, Jharkhand, organized by the National Dairy Research Institute. The first-of-its-kind event in Jharkhand aims to enhance livestock and agriculture development in tribal areas, attracting over 6,000 participants, including cattle rearers, farmers, entrepreneurs, students, and government officials.

Notes:
Researchers recently discovered a new scorpion species, Euscorpiops Krachan, in Thailand’s Krachan National Park. Belonging to the subgenus Euscopiops, it exhibits typical features of this group, yet is notably smaller, measuring just over 1 inch. Brownish in color, females are darker than males, possessing eight eyes and legs. Like other Scorpiops genus members, it likely hunts through ambush tactics. This discovery highlights the biodiversity of mountainous regions.

Notes:
A recent case of Lyme disease surfaced in Kerala’s Ernakulam district. Lyme disease, caused by Bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, spreads primarily through infected black-legged ticks’ bites. Not transmissible between humans or through pets, air, food, or water, it’s prevalent in wooded areas worldwide, especially during warmer months. Symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and the distinctive “bull’s-eye” rash. Early diagnosis, aided by this rash, is crucial to prevent severe complications affecting the joints, heart, and nervous system.

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s three-member selection panel has appointed Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu as the new Election Commissioners in the Election Commission of India. However, there seems to be dissent from the Opposition member of the panel, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who has questioned the process of their appointment. The appointments have been made under the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service, and Term of Office) Act 2023.

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:
According to the 2024 DHL Global Connectedness Report, India ranks 62nd out of 171 countries on the DHL Connectedness Index. This is a 5-position improvement from the previous year, when India ranked 67th. The report ranks countries based on their connectedness to the world through the flow of trade, capital, information, and people. The report also says that India is the world’s fastest-growing major economy, and that it will play an increasingly central role in the development of globalization over the coming decades.

Notes:
National Vaccination Day, celebrated annually on March 16, signifies collective commitment to public health. Its 2024 theme, “Vaccines Work for All,” emphasizes universal protection against diseases through vaccination. Originating in 1995 with India’s Pulse Polio Vaccination Program, it also commemorates WHO’s polio eradication initiative since 1988. Notably, it marks the 1975 eradication of smallpox. This day underscores the vital role of vaccination in preventing infectious diseases globally.

Notes:
The Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), under the Ministry of Education, India, conducted the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test (FLNAT) on March 17, 2024, across 23 states. FLNAT is part of the ULLAS – Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram initiative, aimed at revolutionizing education nationwide. ULLAS fosters a learning ecosystem for individuals, providing basic education, digital and financial literacy, and critical life skills, particularly for those aged 15 and above without schooling opportunities, through volunteerism.