Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2024

Notes:
A 2023 nationwide study revealed that India has an estimated 10.13 crore individuals with diabetes and 13.6 crore with pre-diabetes. The glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) test, commonly used in diagnosing and managing both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, measures blood sugar levels over time. Hemoglobin, found in red blood cells, transports oxygen throughout the body. This crucial blood test offers insights into diabetes management effectiveness.

Notes:
Arunachal Bugun Tribe generously donates land in Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary for the protection of critically endangered Bugun Liocichla, a small babbler bird with olive-grey plumage and black cap, measuring only 20 cm. Discovered by astrophysicist Ramana Athreya in 2006, this species is exclusive to Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary. With just 14 individuals spotted in Braiduah village, it’s India’s first bird discovery post-independence, facing severe endangerment.

Notes:
In March 2024, Iceland declared a state of emergency after a volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula. The eruption site is located a few kilometers northeast of Grindavik, a coastal town about 50 km southwest of Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital. The eruption has sent orange lava streams into the sky at night. The eruption has also led to the evacuation of nearby areas, including the Blue Lagoon, a well-known tourist attraction.

Notes:
Google DeepMind unveiled SIMA, an AI gaming agent adept at executing tasks across diverse virtual environments using natural language instructions. SIMA, or Scalable Instructable Multiworld Agent, functions as a generalist AI capable of various tasks. It acts like a virtual companion, navigating dungeons or constructing castles based on user commands. Trained to understand human language, SIMA autonomously completes assigned challenges or tasks within video game settings.

Notes:
The National Commission for Women (NCW) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Railway Protection Force (RPF) in New Delhi in March 2024 to combat human trafficking in India. The MoU’s key objectives include working together to prevent human trafficking and rescue trafficked women.

Notes:
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur and the Indian Navy signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in March 2024 to promote technology development, innovative solutions, and joint R&D. The MoU was signed at Naval Headquarters, New Delhi, and will be co-ordinated by INS Shivaji, Lonavala. The collaboration focuses on joint research and development initiatives involving teams from both the Indian Navy and IIT Kharagpur.

Notes:
The fourth Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Startup Forum was held in New Delhi on March 19, 2024. The initiative aims to promote innovation, job creation, and collaboration among SCO member states, as well as inspire young talent. The forum also focuses on increasing interactions between startups within the SCO, and creating an environment that encourages innovation.

Notes:
Hong Kong recently passed a new national security law that expands government powers to suppress dissent and imposes life sentences for treason and insurrection. The law also includes life sentences for sabotage and “colluding with foreign forces”. The law is seen as the latest step in a political crackdown that began in 2019 with pro-democracy protests. In 2020, Beijing imposed a national security law that gave it broad new powers to punish critics and silence dissenters.

Notes:
In 2023, India ranked as the 3rd most polluted country globally, per the World Air Quality Report by Swiss company IQAir. Drawing data from 30,000+ air quality monitoring stations across 7,812 locations in 134 countries, only 10 met the WHO’s clean air standard. French Polynesia, Mauritius, and Iceland had the cleanest air, while India trailed behind Pakistan and Bangladesh in pollution levels.

Notes:
INS Tir and INS Sujata join India Mozambique Tanzania (IMT) Tri Lateral Exercise, March 21-29, 2024. IMT TRILAT began in Oct 22 with INS Tarkash. The current edition’s harbour phase (Mar 21-24) involves joint training in Damage Control, Fire Fighting, Visit Board Search and Seizure, Medical Lectures, and more in Zanzibar and Maputo. The sea phase focuses on countering threats, maneuvers, firing exercises, and joint EEZ surveillance. Joint debrief at Nacala concludes the exercise.