Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2023

Notes:
Space Kidz India, a Chennai-based space tech start-up is set to launch their satellite made by 750 girls from government schools aboard an Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launch vehicle.
A targeted launch date of January 16 has been set for the satellite named AzaadiSAT. Space Kidz India selected 10 girl students from 75 government schools across the country for this mission. The project is also supported by Niti Aayog.

Notes:
The ruling Taliban has signed a deal with a Chinese company to extract oil from northern Afghanistan’s Amu Darya basin.
The agreement is the first major international energy extraction deal the Taliban signed since taking control of Afghanistan in 2021.

Notes:
As per a recent study by real estate consulting firm CBRE South Asia, Bengaluru led the rank in office space absorption.
Office space absorption in the city stood at 1.7 million square feet during the October-December 2022 period. Technology sector accounted for 43 per cent, while engineering and manufacturing was at 17 per cent.

Notes:
Pakistan is planning to dispatch 159 containers of ammunition including projectiles and primers to Ukraine through a port in Poland.
A vessel named BBC Vesuvius is set to carry 155 mm projectiles, propelling bag charges and other ammunition. Earlier, Pakistan played a crucial role in transfer of arms on behalf of the UK to Ukraine.

Notes:
Christmas is celebrated on December 25, according to the Gregorian calendar, in most of the Western world.
Orthodox Christians follow the Julian calendar and mark the festival on January 7. Russian President Vladmir Putin called for a temporary 36-hour ceasefire in Ukraine to allow Orthodox followers to attend Christmas services. Orthodox Christians are estimated to be between 200 and 300 million people globally.

Notes:
Deepor Beel, the only Ramsar site of Assam, recorded over 26,000 birds of 97 different species during a recent bird count.
The site recorded 10,289 birds of 66 species recorded in 2021. It is troubled by developmental projects and urban waste. A spot bird photography contest was also held during the event and  repeat of the bird count exercise is scheduled during the Asian Waterfowl Count.

Notes:
Union Minister of State Science & Technology; Dr Jitendra Singh released the theme for the ‘National Science Day 2023’, titled “Global Science for Global Wellbeing”.
The National Science Day (NSD) is celebrated every year on 28 February to commemorate the discovery of the ‘Raman Effect’ since 1986. On this day Sir C.V. Raman announced the discovery of the ‘Raman Effect’.

Notes:
The National Health Authority (NHA) is introducing a new system to measure and grade hospital performance under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY).
The new initiative will introduce the concept of ‘value- based care’, where payment will be outcome based and providers will be rewarded according to the quality of the treatment delivered. The providers will be rewarded for helping the patients improve their health.

Notes:
The First Education Group of G-20 countries is scheduled to meet in Chennai, from the 31st of January to the 2nd of February.
The Ministry of External Affairs, the Ministry of Education, the State government and a team from IIT Madras participated in the review meeting.

Notes:
In March 2020, U.S. health authorities issued ‘Title 42’ to allow border agents to rapidly send migrants who were crossing the U.S.-Mexico border back to Mexico or other countries.
The Federal courts have prevented to lift the Title 42 public health order, and the US Government has announced new enforcement measures to increase security at the border and reduce the number of individuals crossing unlawfully between ports of entry.