Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2023

Notes:
PhonePe has entered into stock broking business with the launch of a new mobile application called ‘Share(dot)Market’, under its subsidiary PhonePe Wealth Broking.
It provides market intelligence and quantitative research-based WealthBaskets, a scalable technology platform. It will be available as a mobile app and a dedicated web platform, enabling retail investors to buy stocks, engage in intra-day trades, buy curated WealthBaskets and mutual funds.

Notes:
The National Green Tribunal has directed the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to plant at least 10,000 trees within a month in Uttarakhand.
This direction was s part of compensatory tree plantation to make up for hundreds of trees felled during construction of a road from Simli to Gwaldam. There were petitions about construction of a road in the fragile and sensitive mountains of Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.

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:
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:
‘International Aerospace Conference: Moving Towards Inclusive Global Value Chains’ was jointly organised by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.
It is a G20 initiative in the aerospace sector under G20 and B20 priority, focusing on developing inclusive global value chains for Global trade and Investment and aims to promote and strengthen trade and investment among the G20 countries.

Notes:
India’s first indigenously developed 700-megawatt electric (MWe) nuclear power reactor at the Kakrapar Atomic Power Project (KAPP) in Gujarat.
Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), is in the process of constructing two 700 MW pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs) at Kakrapar, which also hosts two 220 MW power plants.

Notes:
Vijayawada Railway Station achieved the prestigious ‘Green Railway Station’ certification, receiving the highest Platinum rating from the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), a division of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) founded in 2001. IGBC serves as India’s foremost certification body, offering services such as green building rating programs, certification, and training. They host the annual Green Building Congress and actively participate in global discussions on environmental issues. The station’s rating considers six key environmental categories: sustainable facilities, health and sanitation, energy and water efficiency, smart and green initiatives, and innovation. IGBC’s headquarters are located in Hyderabad.

Notes:
The first Su-34 bomber crew to launch a Kinzhal missile in Ukraine received state awards. The Kh-47M2, known as “Kinzhal” (Dagger), is a Russian air-launched hypersonic ballistic missile capable of carrying conventional or nuclear warheads with a 480 kg payload, including a 10-50 kt thermonuclear option. It achieves speeds up to Mach 10 (12,350 km/hr) and has a range of 1,500-2,000 km. With an 8 m length, 1 m body diameter, and 4,300 kg launch weight, it’s launched from MiG-31 jets at 18 km altitude, maneuvering throughout its flight to evade air defense.

Notes:
Recently, scientists from IIT Roorkee made a discovery by characterizing dinosaur fossils from the Middle Jurassic period, unearthed in the Thar Desert near the Jaisalmer Basin, by the Geological Survey of India. The fossils belong to a species known as Tharosaurus indicus, a member of the Dicraeosauridae family within the superfamily Diplodocoidea. These fossils represent the first dicraeosaurid sauropods ever found in India and are approximately 167 million years old, making them the world’s oldest known diplodocoid fossils.
The scientists coined the name Tharosaurus indicus, drawing from “Tharo” (referring to the Thar desert), “sauros” (Greek for lizard), and “indicus” (indicating its Indian origin). These dinos were distinct within their family, characterized by smaller size and shorter necks and tails compared to their long-necked sauropod counterparts. Sauropods originated during the Jurassic period around 200 million years ago and were a dominant group of dinosaurs, surviving until the late Cretaceous period, when dinosaurs met their demise. While dicraeosaurid fossils have been found in other parts of the world, this discovery sheds new light on prehistoric India’s biodiversity.

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.