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:
The British government has opened its second ballot under the UK-India Young Professional Scheme. This is a scheme for Indians aged between 18 and 30 years with graduate-level qualifications for visas to the United Kingdom.
It offers eligible young Indians the opportunity to live, work or study in UK for up to two years. This joint scheme between UK and India was formally launched this year in February. This scheme will enable candidates to enter the UK at any time while their visa is valid and leave or return anytime during their stay.

Notes:
Taiwan staged its first-ever military drill at Taoyuan International Airport, halting commercial traffic as soldiers practised defending the facility against a simulated attack by Beijing.
The exercise is part of Taiwan’s week-long massive wargames, the annual “Han Kuang” (Han Glory) drills. This is the first such drill held at Taiwan’s biggest airport near the capital since it opened in 1979.

Notes:
Maharashtra-based Aditya Samant became India’s 83rd Grandmaster after earning his third GM norm at the Master Tournament (MTO) in the Biel International Chess Festival.
He had earned his first norm to become a grandmaster at the Abu Dhabi Masters last year in August. His second norm was achieved in December last year at the 3rd El Llobregat Open.

Notes:
Micron reaffirmed its commitment to establish India’s first semiconductor plant in Gujarat, creating 5,000 direct jobs and addressing demand from domestic and international markets.
The project entails a total investment of USD 2.75 billion. The first Made in India’ chip should be ready by December 2024.

Notes:
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the government has decided to enable listed and unlisted domestic companies to directly list their equity shares on the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) at Ahmedabad.
The decision will facilitate access to global capital and result in a better valuation of the Indian companies. The Finance Minister also launched Corporate Debt Market Development Fund (CDMDF) and AMC Repo Clearing Ltd (ARCL).

Notes:
Formula One racing driver Max Verstappen secured his eighth win in a row, one short of the all-time record, at the Belgian Grand Prix.
Verstappen won the race with Red Bull’s Sergio Perez clinching second position and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc at third place.

Notes:
The Rohini Commission, constituted to examine the sub-categorisation of Other Backward Classes (OBCs), has submitted its report to President Droupadi Murmu after 13 extensions.
The Commission for Other Backward Classes was appointed to examine the sub-categorisation in the Central List of OBCs. Justice G Rohini, a retired chief justice of the Delhi High Court is its chairperson.

Notes:
Jim Skea of the United Kingdom has been elected as the new Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
WMO and the United Nations Environment Programme are co-sponsors of the IPCC. The main responsibility of the IPCC Chair is to supervise the reports published in every assessment cycle.

Notes:
China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will hold their first joint air force training, called FALCON Shield-2023, in Xinjiang, China, in August.
The training seeks to strengthen practical exchanges and cooperation between the two air forces, fostering mutual understanding and trust.