Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2023

Notes:
Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell and the All-India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) have launched the sixth edition of Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2023.
Since its inception in 2017, the Smart India Hackathon has become a global model for hackathons and innovation frameworks. This event presents 239 problem statements, including 182 software challenges and 57 hardware challenges.

Notes:
Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) has recommended Karnataka to release 5,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu for the next 15 days.
While Tamil Nadu sought 24,000 cusecs to be given, Karnataka had indicated it would be able to supply 3,000 cusecs.

Notes:
Former US Open champion Stan Wawrinka became the oldest man to win a singles contest at the tournament since 40-year-old Jimmy Connors in 1992.
The 38-year-old Swiss veteran, who claimed the last of his three Grand Slam titles in New York in 2016, outclassed Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka.

Notes:
In a new study published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports, researchers have successfully extracted ancient DNA from a 2,900-year-old clay brick, uncovering a wealth of information about the plant life cultivated during that era.
The brick analyzed in this study was found in the palace of the Neo-Assyrian king Ashurnasirpal II, located in the ancient city of Kalhu, in modern day Iraq.

Notes:
Recently, Shinon Meeras, a centre showcasing the history of Dard-Shina tribes, was opened to the public at the Gurez Valley in Kashmir.
Dard is a strong community of around 38000 people living in the valley, which speaks the rapidly fading Shina language. The first such cultural centre has been curated and developed by the Indian Army and the Lieutenant-Governor’s administration.

Notes:
The Asia Cup 2023 tournament kicked off across four venues in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The 16th edition of Asia Cup is all set to start on August 30 and will end on September 17.
A total of six teams will be participating. The teams have been divided into two groups and are playing against each other in round-robin style.

Notes:
The new U.S. – India Renewable Energy Technology Action Platform (RETAP) under the Strategic Clean Energy Partnership has been launched.
RETAP was announced meeting in Washington D. C., between His Excellency Joseph R. Biden, President of the United States of America and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when the two leaders announced the expansion of collaboration on new and emerging technologies to accelerate the clean energy transition.

Notes:
In Athletics, India’s Avinash Sable qualified for his maiden Diamond League Final after finishing fifth in the men’s 3000m steeplechase race at the Xiamen Diamond League 2023 in China.
Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali, the reigning Olympic and world champion, won the Xiamen track and field event with a meet record. India’s Neeraj Chopra (men’s javelin throw) and Murali Sreeshankar (men’s long jump) have already entered the Diamond League Final.

Notes:
Koraput Kalajeera Rice, known as the ‘Prince of Rice,’ recently received Geographical Indications status. Indigenous to Odisha’s Koraput district, this aromatic rice has been cultivated for generations by local farmers. Resembling coriander seeds, it boasts excellent nutritional and cooking qualities. The rice, grown by the region’s tribal communities for thousands of years, is celebrated for its black color, enticing aroma, and rich taste. Traditional wisdom suggests it aids memory, diabetes control, raises hemoglobin levels, and boosts metabolism. Moreover, this fragrant grain possesses various medicinal properties, including being antispasmodic, stomachic, carminative, antibacterial, astringent, and sedative. It thrives in areas like Tolla, Patraput, Pujariput, Baliguda, and Mohuli in Koraput district.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet has approved the Scheme for Viability Gap Funding (VGF) aimed at fostering the development of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).
This scheme aspires to generate 4,000 MWh of BESS projects by 2030-31, backed by up to 40% capital cost support in the form of VGF. the scheme seeks to provide clean, reliable, and cost-effective electricity to citizens. With an initial outlay of Rs. 9,400 crores, it aims to achieve a Levelized Cost of Storage (LCoS) ranging from Rs. 5.50-6.60 per kWh.