Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2023

Notes:
The Valkyrie, a next-generation drone, is a prototype, has been introduced by the United States military force.
It will serve as a supplement to the fleet of traditional fighter jets. The robot is powered into flight by a rocket engine and it can fly a distance equal to the width of China. It has a stealthy design and is capable of carrying missiles that can hit enemy targets far beyond its visual range.

Notes:
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Fourth Partner Energy Private Limited signed a long-term loan of up to 1.2 billion Indian rupees to construct and operate a 25-megawatt solar photovoltaic-based power plant in the state of Tamil Nadu in India.
It is expected to generate about 50.7 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually and increase clean and low-cost energy supply to commercial and industrial customers.

Notes:
The England Cricket Board (ECB) announced that it will increase the match fees for the England Women’s cricket team to bring them in line with the Men’s cricket team.
England joins the likes of New Zealand, India and South Africa in announcing equal match fees for both men’s and women’s teams.

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:
WR Chess has triumphed as inaugural FIDE World Rapid Team Champions. Altogether, WR Chess secured 22 matchpoints, Freedom finished on 20, and third-placed MGD1 had 18.
WR Chess had one Indian- R Praggnananda, Freedom had two Indian players and MGD1 eight. When it comes to individual medals for board prizes, as many as seven Indians won either a Silver or Bronze medal.

Notes:
In a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Karnataka Cabinet approved the formation of fact-checking units to tackle ‘fake news syndicates’.
The government would introduce legislation against the propagation of fake news and propose punishment for the spread of fake news.

Notes:
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) launched the “Adopt a Heritage 2.0” programme under which corporates are invited to fund amenities at monuments from their corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds.
The aim of “Adopt a Heritage 2.0” programme is to enhance the visitor experience at centrally protected monuments, improve amenities, and bolster the culture and heritage value of the country.

Notes:
National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has been granted the deemed-to-be-university status by the Ministry of Higher Education, Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan.
It was announced on the 63rd Foundation Day of the apex decision-making body for school education. He suggested setting up Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence labs in all seven regional centres of NCERT.

Notes:
National Carbon Registry is open-source software that allows countries to manage their carbon credit trading data and processes. The software was launched by the UNDP in August 2023. It is the first of its kind to allow countries to customize the code to their specific needs. The registry is supported by the Digital4Climate Working Group, which includes the UNDP, World Bank, UNFCCC, and EBRD. The group aims to build a digital public infrastructure to address climate challenges and carbon markets.
The carbon registry system allows companies to track their emissions and then offset them by investing in emission-reducing projects. For example, a company might invest in a project that captures methane from a landfill or replaces high-emitting lightbulbs with low-emitting LED lights. The registry’s framework is based on globally recognized ISO standards. Independent verification bodies ensure that carbon reduction projects follow strict rules in offsetting.

Notes:
I-CRR was introduced as a temporary measure to manage the excess liquidity in the banking system, which occurred due to the return of Rs 2000 currency notes. This reserve required banks to maintain 10% of the increase in their net demand and time liabilities between May and July 2023 to absorb the surplus liquidity. The RBI has decided to discontinue the I-CRR in a phased manner by releasing impounded funds in installments, as mentioned in the text, to ensure that the system liquidity is not subject to sudden shocks and that money markets function smoothly.