Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2023

Notes:
The daily global sea surface temperatures have surpassed the 2016 record, reaching 20.96°C, which is significantly higher than the usual average for this period.
The previous record was established during the 2016 El Niño event, when it touched 20.95C. Scientists say that the record will continue to be broken, as usually oceans are at their hottest globally in March, not August.

Notes:
Northern muriquis are critically endangered monkeys, emphasizing the importance of successfully breeding healthy offspring for their survival.
Researchers are studying their faeces to gain insights into their mating behaviors and partner selection.

Notes:
The 130-year-old Kuttikkanam Palace, the summer residence of the kings of erstwhile Travancore, is set to be declared a historical monument.
Kuttikkanam is a hill station lying between Wagamon and Thekkady. The State Archaeology department is set to declare the famed Kuttikkanam Palace, also known as Ammachi Kottaram, as a historical monument.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet approved an outlay of ₹1.39-lakh crore for BharatNet, a project to provide last-mile connectivity across 6.4 lakh villages.
BharatNet is one of the biggest rural telecom projects in the world, implemented in a phased manner to all 2.5 lakh gram panchayats in the country for last-mile broadband connectivity.

Notes:
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has recently laid foundation stone for the ‘Iconic Site Museum’ at Adichanallur archaeological site in Tamil Nadu.
On the site, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has covered with glass excavated trenches with artefacts dating as far back as 3,800 years. The other four iconic sites proposed by the government are Rakhigarhi (Haryana), Hastinapur (Uttar Pradesh), Shivsagar (Assam), and Dholavira (Gujarat).

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the foundation stone-laying event for the redevelopment of 508 railway stations throughout the country, as part of the significant Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.
The launch of the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme aims to revamp 1,309 stations nationwide.

Notes:
India’s HS Prannoy finished runner-up at the Australian Open Super 500 badminton tournament after losing a three-game thriller to China’s Weng Hong Yang in the men’s singles finals.
The 31-year-old player from Kerala had beaten Weng in a three-game play to claim the Malaysia Masters in May.

Notes:
Azure-thighed treefrog (Litoria azuroscelis) is a newly discovered species of treefrog, which has been found in New Guinea.
Azure-thighed treefrog as measuring approximately 2.5 inches in length. Its back displays a hue of dark green, while its groin and thighs exhibit a shade of purplish blue.

Notes:
India ended its World University Games (WUG) campaign with its best-ever performance, winning a record haul of 26 medals, including 11 gold.
India finished at seventh spot with 11 gold, 5 silver and 10 bronze, the best ever standing in the medal tally.

Notes:
Two products from Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri and Anantnag districts—the Rajouri Chikri woodcraft and the Mushqbudji rice variety—have earned the coveted Geographical Indication (GI) tags.
With its honey-toned appearance and smooth, refined texture, Chikri wood is found in the mountainous regions of the Jammu province.