Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2023

Notes:
Tharman Shanmugaratnam is the president-elect of Singapore. He was born on February 25, 1957. He is a popular politician who has won several parliamentary elections. In 2023, he resigned from all government positions and the PAP to run for the Singaporean presidential election. He won the election with 70.4% of the votes.
Shanmugaratnam was previously the Senior Minister of Singapore from 2019 to 2023. He also served as Deputy Prime Minister for eight years. He studied at the London School of Economics, Cambridge University, and Harvard University.

Notes:
The Government of India has decided to organise a literacy week from 1st September to 8th September 2023 to celebrate International Literacy Day.
UNESCO will celebrate International Literacy Day (ILD) on 8 September 2023 under the theme ‘Promoting literacy for a world in transition: Building the foundation for sustainable and peaceful societies’.

Notes:
Japan’s average temperature in 2023 summer was the highest since records began 125 years ago, according to the country’s weather agency.
The average temperature from June to August was 1.76 degrees Celsius higher than the 30-year average. Earlier in August, Japan recorded the hottest day of the year as temperatures hit 40C in the Fukushima Prefecture.

Notes:
On September 4, 2023, President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, unveiled a 12-foot statue of Mahatma Gandhi and inaugurated ‘Gandhi Vatika’ at Gandhi Darshan, New Delhi. She praised Gandhi’s global influence, highlighting his non-violence principles during times of world turmoil like the world wars. The President cited leaders such as Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., and Barack Obama who followed Gandhi’s path for world welfare. She emphasized the role of institutions like Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti in promoting his teachings through various media.

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 Jharkhand government, has decided to incorporate the transgender community into its universal pension scheme, in a bid to provide social security and inclusion.
The Cabinet decided to include transgender individuals under the backward class category, ensuring they receive associated benefits. Under the Mukhyamantri Rajya Samajik Suraksha Pension Yojana, eligible transgender beneficiaries will receive Rs 1,000 per month as financial aid.

Notes:
The Odisha State Transport Authority (STA) has made it mandatory for all commercial vehicles, excluding three-wheelers, to install Vehicle Location Tracking (VLT) devices with panic buttons.
This decision, aimed at enhancing passenger safety, particularly for women and children, applies to all categories of new commercial vehicles, including buses, taxis, goods vehicles, and ambulances. The deadline for new vehicles to have these devices is October 1, with installation required at the time of registration. Older vehicles have until December 31 to comply.

Notes:
The International Monetary Fund and Financial Stability Board has recommended cross border co-operation and information sharing for consistent regulation of crypto assets, the two said in a joint report to the Group of 20 nations.
As per the Synthesis Paper, the FSB will, by 2025-end, conduct a review of the status of the implementation of the two sets of high-level recommendations at the jurisdictional level.

Notes:
The G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration has underscored the importance of women’s empowerment, with a particular focus on bridging the digital gender divide.
The declaration announced the creation of a new ‘Working Group on Empowerment of Women’ to support the G20 Women’s Ministerial, with its first meeting scheduled during Brazil’s G20 presidency. The declaration also calls for regulatory policy frameworks that enable women and girls to actively participate in national digital strategies.

Notes:
The G20 Leaders’ Summit endorsed pivotal role of tourism and culture in sustainable socio-economic development and prosperity.
The ‘G20 Leaders Declaration’ highlighted the importance of the ‘Goa Roadmap for Tourism’ as a means to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It focusses on key priorities such as Green Tourism, Digitalization, Skills, Tourism MSMEs, and Destination Management.