Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2022

Notes:
Hiroshima Day is observed on August 6 to commemorate the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan, in the year 1945, at the end of World War II.
An estimated 80,000 people died instantly from the attack, while the effects of radiation killed tens of thousands more within the months and years that followed. At the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Japan, an annual event is held to highlight the effects of nuclear wars and pay respect to those who got killed and promote world peace.

Notes:
In the U.S state of Kansas, the voters rejected the ‘Value Them Both Amendment’ that sought to remove legal protections for abortion from the state’s constitution.
This was the first time the American public electorally responded to the landmark decision of the Supreme Court, as a record 9 lakh Kansans turned out to vote.

Notes:
The Department of Consumer Affairs recently launched the ‘Grand Onion Challenge’.
The challenge seeks ideas from young professionals, professors and scientists for designs and for improving pre-harvesting techniques, primary processing, storage, and transportation of post harvested onions in the country.

Notes:
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and public distribution launched a web portal named ‘Common Registration Facility’ (My Ration-My Right).
The registration facility in 11 states and UTs aims to enable homeless people, destitutes, migrants and other eligible beneficiaries to apply for ration cards. All 36 states/UTs have been onboarded under the One Nation One Ration Card plan.

Notes:
‘World Bio-fuel Day’ is celebrated annually on August 10 to highlight the importance of bio-fuels. On this date in 1893 that German inventor Sir Rudolf Diesel successfully operated his diesel engine on peanut oil.
Bio-fuels are produced from animal waste, algae, industrial and agricultural waste. Unlike fossil fuels, they are produced in a short amount of time and are liquid or gaseous. They are environment friendly, renewable and biodegradable. Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoP&NG) and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) started celebrating World Biofuel Day after 2015.

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the 2nd generation (2G) Ethanol Plant, in Panipat, Haryana. The 2G bio-fuel plant has been set up to boost the production and usage of bio-fuels in the country.
The ethanol plant has been developed by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL), at an estimated cost of over Rs 900 crore. The plant utilises about 2 lakh tonnes of rice straw annually to generate around 3 crore litres of Ethanol annually.

Notes:
Papua New Guinea’s Parliament has elected Prime Minister James Marape to power after elections in the South Pacific Island nation.
Marape was sworn in as the Prime Minister for a second time. The contenders to lead the new government were Marape and Peter O’Neill, his predecessor who resigned in 2019. Papua New Guinea is a diverse tribal society, which gained independence from Australia in 1975.

Notes:
Microsoft and the Indian government are set to collaborate for a programme to train 2.5 million civil servants in using Microsoft’s suite of digital tools.
The partnership between Microsoft, the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), and the Capacity Building Commission (CBC) aims to help civil servants in helping the underprivileged.

Notes:
Aurobindo Ghosh was the first proponent of ‘Purna Swaraj’ more than 20 years before the Indian National Congress’ declaration in 1930. The 150th year of his birth anniversary was celebrated recently.
Sri Aurobindo was born as Aurobindo Ghosh on August 15, 1872. He was a philosopher, poet, journalist and revolutionary. He wrote about the idea of complete independence in his newspaper Bande Mataram, and developed an approach to achieve that goal that included non-cooperation, passive resistance and use of swadeshi goods.

Notes:
The state government of Odisha joined hands with National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai for protection of saline embankments and coastal protection measures.
As Odisha is vulnerable to flood and cyclone, the partnership with NIOT will help save the life and property of people in coastal areas. The state government has planned to take up climate resilient coastal protection measures by strengthening saline embankments using the latest technology.