Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2023

Notes:
Of the Rs 1,100 crore estimated for the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Rs 600 crore has been set aside for the recently announced Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development (BIND) Scheme.
The scheme has a total outlay of over Rs 2,500 crore. The scheme aims to boost public sector broadcasting in the country and focuses on infrastructure development of Prasar Bharati, including All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan (DD).

Notes:
Medium-density Amorphous (MDA) Ice is a new form of ice that was recently discovered by scientists. This ice has same density and structure as water.
The ice was created by scientists in a container with stainless steel balls at a -200°C. The MDA ice does not have any ordered structure. It will provide the opportunity to improve the understanding of the properties of water.

Notes:
The Budget presented by Kerala announced a road map for setting up green hydrogen hubs in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram in the next two years.
A scheme of ₹200 crore has been announced for viability gap funding/grant/equity support to set up the green hydrogen hubs. An amount of ₹20 crore is earmarked additionally for the purpose in the Budget.

Notes:
As per the CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) trade database, 28 incidents of Red Sanders confiscation, seizure, and specimen were exported from India.
These consignments were exported to China (53.5%), Hong Kong (25.0%), Singapore (17.8%) and the United States of America (3.5%) from 2016 to 2020. Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus) or red sandalwood, is an endemic tree species with distribution restricted to the Eastern Ghats of India and is found in Andhra Pradesh.

Notes:
The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 4 February as the International Day of Human Fraternity in 2020.
It celebrates the values of compassion, religious understanding, and mutual respect. On the occasion, the UN chief called for renewed commitment to form an ‘alliance of peace’ amid a surge in hate speech, sectarianism and strife.

Notes:
The Eagle 44 (Oghab 44) is the first underground air force base of Iran. It is capable of housing fighter jets equipped with cruise missiles.
The unveiling of the Oghab 44 is seen as a display of Iran’s aerial military strength in response to a joint drill conducted by the US and Israel. It will host jets and drones equipped with long-range cruise missiles to destroy adversary targets in case of attack.

Notes:
In Chile, at least 23 people were killed in devastating forest fires which occurred after a blistering heat wave in the central part of the country.
The state of emergency has been extended in the South American country. According to an official briefing on Saturday at least 979 people have been affected following the calamity.

Notes:
The US and Brazil, two of the world’s largest biofuels markets, are joining an India-led initiative of International Biofuels Alliance.
The Alliance will aim to boost demand for the lower-emissions energy source. India has also earmarked 350 billion rupees (USD 4.3 billion) in its union budget to promote energy security.

Notes:
PK Rosy, was the first actress in Malayalam cinema. She is famed for defying gender and social norms by acting in a film.
On her 120th birth anniversary, she was honored with a Google Doodle. PK Rosy belonged to a Dalit subcaste and learnt the traditional Kakkarissi Nattakam. Her debut film was Vigathakumaran (The Lost Child, 1928).

Notes:
The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Reserve Bank of India hiked the key policy rate, the Repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.50 per cent in a bid to control the retail inflation.
The RBI has increased the repo rate by a cumulative 250 basis points to 6.50 per cent since May this year. The RBI has projected GDP growth for the next fiscal (FY2024) at 6.4 per cent.