Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2023

Notes:
PhonePe recently became the first Indian fintech company to enable payments abroad. It allows international transactions through Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
With this, Indian travellers can make UPI transactions to foreign merchants using PhonePe platform. Cross-border transaction facility by PhonePe will support all international outlets in UAE, Singapore, Nepal, Bhutan and Mauritius having local QR Code.

Notes:
Article 153 of the Indian Constitution deals with the appointment of Governors for each state in India.
President of India Droupadi Murmu appointed governors in 12 states and a Union Territory while accepting the resignation of two. Jharkhand governor Ramesh Bais is now Governor of Maharashtra and Arunachal Pradesh governor B D Mishra has been appointed as L-G of Ladakh.

Notes:
The Tanimbar corella, which is also referred to as Goffin’s cockatoo, is a type of cockatoo that is found exclusively in the forests of Yamdena, Larat, and Selaru islands in the Tanimbar Islands archipelago in Indonesia.
It was later introduced to the Kai Islands, Singapore, and Puerto Rico. A new study found that Goffin’s cockatoos are capable of combining multiple tools to achieve a complex task that is only been recorded in humans and chimpanzees.

Notes:
The Christ the Redeemer statue is a landmark statue located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Made of soapstone and reinforced concrete, this statue is an important symbol of Christianity and a renowned tourist destination.
The statue is recognized as one of the most iconic and celebrated works of art and engineering in history. A Photographer recently captured the exact moment when lightning struck Christ the Redeemer statue.

Notes:
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched its second developmental flight of a Small Satellite Launch Vehicle — SSLV-D2.
It placed three satellites into a 450 km-circular orbit, which are ISRO’s Earth Observation Satellite – EOS 07, U.S.-based firm Antaris’ Janus-1 and Chennai-based space start-up SpaceKidz’s AzaadiSAT-2.

Notes:
The 3rd ASEAN Digital Ministers (ADGMIN) meeting with India was held on a virtual platform. India and Philippines co-chaired the meeting and adopted India-ASEAN Digital Work Plan 2023.
In 2022, ASEAN India Friendship Year was celebrated, commemorating 30th anniversary of establishment of dialogue relations with ASEAN. It was held under the theme ‘Synergy Towards a Sustainable Digital Future’.

Notes:
The Rajasthan state Forest Department has proposed to construct a zoo inside Keoladeo National Park, a World Heritage Site popularly known as Bharatpur bird sanctuary.
The Wetland Ex-Situ Conservation Establishment (WESCE) aims to display a range of wetland species, including rhinos, water buffaloes, crocs, dolphins and exotic species. AFD, an arm of the French government, has agreed to fund up to Rs 1,200 crore over eight years. Experts raise questions about the zoo coming up in a significant habitat for migratory birds.

Notes:
Based on analysis of feedback received from the discussion paper on Climate Risk and Sustainable Finance, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued guidelines to regulated entities.
The guidelines consist of a broad framework for acceptance of green deposits, disclosure frameworks on climate-related financial risks and guidance on climate scenario analysis and stress testing.

Notes:
New Zealand’s Prime Minister declared a State of Emergency after Cyclone Gabrielle. The Cyclone, which battered the North Island, is considered as a weather event not seen in a generation.
The state of emergency was declared only the third in New Zealand’s history. At least three people have died and about a third of the country’s population of five million live in affected areas.

Notes:
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), also known as the Tamil Tigers, was a militant organization in Sri Lanka that fought for an independent Tamil state called Tamil Eelam.
The militant group was founded in 1976 by Velupillai Prabhakaran. It engaged in armed clashes against the Sri Lankan government and armed forces. The LTTE was widely regarded as the most dominant Tamil militant group in Sri Lanka and a feared guerrilla force.