Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2023

Notes:
The Lok Sabha has recently passed the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill 2023. It aims to expand the scope of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.
The Bill acknowledges India’s international commitments and the national target set by the country for achieving Net Zero Emission by 2070.

Notes:
Recently, the University Grants Commission (UGC) approved the Guidelines for Institutional Development Plan (IDP) for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
These guidelines are intended to assist HEIs in attaining academic and research excellence while enhancing the quality of teaching and learning. Additionally, the IDP will offer direction to HEIs in exercising academic, administrative, financial, and business autonomy, while maintaining accountability.

Notes:
Recently, International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), a London-based think tank, in collaboration with India’s Bharat Shakti defense platform, organized the UK-India Defence and Military Technology Cooperation workshop in London.
The workshop aimed to explore joint initiatives in defense research and industrial production, focusing on various themes such as the changing strategic context of UK-India defense relations, perspectives on India’s Atmanirbhar program, and the UK’s defense technology partnerships.

Notes:
Amid escalating tensions in the South China Sea, China views the US presence as a violation of its territorial claims and has employed the “cabbage strategy,”.
It involves the construction of artificial islands and encircling disputed areas with numerous ships to assert control gradually. The situation has led to measures, including detaining trespassers and the possibility of implementing an air identification zone over the South China Sea by various nations involved.

Notes:
Singapore has hanged a 45-year-old woman who was caught with 31 grams of heroin. This is the first time the city-state has executed a woman in nearly 20 years.
Saridewi Binte Djamani was hanged after being convicted of trafficking “not less than 30.72 grams” of the drug in 2018.

Notes:
The Hyderabad-based International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) released BARI Chinabadam-12 (ICGV 07219), an improved groundnut variety in Bangladesh.
The variety is available for cultivation for the upcoming season post rains. It has resistance to foliar fungal diseases and matures four days earlier than its counterpart.

Notes:
The Central African Republic, a land locked country in African continent, has conducted a voting in a referendum for a new constitution. This comes after the country witnessing multiple coups.
In 2020, Mr. Touadera secured a second term as President of the country until 2025. If the referendum is passed, it would allow the existing President for a third term.

Notes:
NASA is using rocks from Scotland’s Isle of Rum to practice testing methods for examining Martian rocks, as they share similarities in geological, mineral, and chemical content.
The igneous rocks from the Isle of Rum exhibit comparable geological, mineral, and chemical characteristics to those discovered on Mars.

Notes:
Over 13.13 lakh girls and women went missing in the country between 2019 and 2021, with Madhya Pradesh reporting the highest cases at nearly two lakhs, followed by West Bengal.
The data, which was presented by the Union Ministry of Home Ministry (MHA), revealed that 10,61,648 women above 18 years and 2,51,430 girls below that age went missing between 2019 and 2021 across the country. The data was compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau.

Notes:
The Buddh International Circuit (BIC) in Greater Noida is set to host India’s inaugural MotoGP Bharat race, making it the 31st country to host a motorcycle grand prix.
Despite having previously held Formula 1 races, this will mark the first time India hosts the premier motorcycle race.