Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2023

Notes:
Goa Shipyard Ltd and Kenya Shipyard Ltd signed an MoU for capacity building and collaboration in ship design and construction.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Defence Aden Bare Duale held bilateral talks in New Delhi to promote military industry cooperation and deepen maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region.

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 Union government appointed Jaya Verma Sinha Chairperson of the Railway Board, becomes the first woman to head the Board.
Jaya Verma Sinha succeeded Anil Kumar Lahoti as chairman and chief executive officer of the Railway Board. Sinha is a seasoned member of the Indian Railway Management Services (IRMS).

Notes:
India is finalizing a Letter of Request (LoR) to the US government to acquire 31 MQ-9B Predator drones from General Atomics. These drones, a variant of the MQ-9 “Reaper,” offer remote or autonomous flight capabilities and also carry strike missiles for precise target elimination. Developed by General Atomics, the MQ-9B comes in two versions, SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian. The Indian Navy already operates the MQ-9B Sea Guardian since 2020. With a payload of up to 5,670 kg, the drone can fly above 40,000 feet for 40 hours, making it valuable for surveillance, warfare, and expeditionary roles, including integration into civil airspace.

Notes:
The Cabinet has granted approval for an allocation of Rs. 1164.53 crore for the Industrial Development Scheme (IDS) 2017 in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
The IDS 2017 was initially introduced in 2018 with a financial outlay of Rs. 131.90 crore, which was fully utilized by the fiscal year 2021-22. To fulfil obligations until 2028-29, an additional fund was required, prompting the Cabinet’s approval. These measures aim to stimulate industrial growth and create job opportunities.

Notes:
A private company, Jaivik Shree Farmers Producers Company (JSFPC), applied for the GI tag for ‘Kala Jeera Rice’ of Koraput, Odisha.
The M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) in Jeypore, Odisha, has raised concerns over potentially excluding local farmers from its benefits. MSSRF argued that only government agencies should apply for GI tags to ensure broad benefits to the farming community.

Notes:
Hitachi Payment Services, a subsidiary of Japan-based Hitachi, introduced India’s first UPI-ATM in partnership with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) during the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai.
This UPI-ATM allows customers to withdraw cash without the need for a debit or credit card. The United Payments Interface (UPI) is a mobile payment method operated by NPCI that enables instant and free fund transfers between bank accounts.

Notes:
Scientists have discovered the fossil of a pheasant-sized, bird-like dinosaur in Fujian Province, China, dating back to approximately 148 to 150 million years ago.
The dinosaur, named Fujianvenator prodigiosus, has an unusual anatomy, with elongated legs and arms resembling wings. It belonged to a group called avialans, which includes birds and their closest non-avian dinosaur relatives.

Notes:
Mexico’s ruling party, the leftist National Regeneration Movement (MORENA), has named former Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum as its candidate for the next year’s presidential election. Sheinbaum, a close ally of the President, is now positioned to become Mexico’s first female leader.
Sheinbaum secured her nomination after winning each of five nationwide polls, averaging about 39% of the vote.