Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2023

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:
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s official aircraft, known as the ‘Flying Taj Mahal,’ experiences yet another mechanical issue.
This Airbus 310-300, nicknamed after lavish interior upgrades by former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. In 2016, it returned to Ottawa due to flaps malfunction, and in 2018, a damaged sensor extended a refueling stop in Rome. The aircraft also suffered significant damage in 2019 while being towed.

Notes:
The prestigious Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Awards for 2022 were recently announced after a one-year delay. These awards, which recognize outstanding scientists under 45 years of age, were presented to 12 exceptional researchers in various fields of science.
The awards were announced during the launch of the ‘One Week One Lab’ program by CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research.

Notes:
The Joe Biden administration has taken steps to secure the release of five American citizens detained in Iran by issuing waivers allowing international banks to transfer USD 6 billion in frozen Iranian funds from South Korea to Qatar without fear of American sanctions.
In exchange, the U.S. has agreed to release five Iranian citizens held in the United States. This move marks a significant development in diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Iran.

Notes:
The North Tech Symposium has commenced at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jammu, featuring new indigenous Defence Technology, made-in-India defence equipment, and weapons.
Indian Army displayed its latest Light Specialist Vehicles (LSVs) at the symposium, which can be equipped with anti-tank guided missile launchers, medium machine guns, and grenade launchers.

Notes:
A study warns that the invasive non-native ant species, the red fire ant (Solenopsis invicta), has become established in Italy and poses a threat to Europe and the UK due to global heating.
These ants have a powerful sting, damage crops, and can infest electrical equipment. They are known to form “super colonies” rapidly, prey on invertebrates, vertebrates, and plants, and out-compete native ants, insects, and herbivores for food. The red fire ant is considered one of the most destructive invasive species globally, causing an estimated $6 billion in damage each year.

Notes:
Archaeologists have uncovered a Paleolithic cave art site in eastern Spain, believed to be over 24,000 years old. The cave, known as “Cova Dones” or “Cueva Dones,” is situated in the Spain’s Valencia region.
The site contains more than a hundred individual prehistoric paintings and engravings, including depictions of hinds, horses, aurochs, and deer.Notably, most of the paintings were made using clay, which is a rare find at Paleolithic sites.

Notes:
The Assam government has introduced a bill that aims to exclude entities regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) from the ambit of the Assam Microfinance Institution (Regulation of Money Lending) Act, 2020.
This move is intended to prevent dual regulation of such entities in the state. The 2020 Act was initially applied to all RBI-regulated entities, including NBFC-MFIs. However, the recent amendment seeks to remove these entities from the scope of the Act, aligning with RBI regulations.

Notes:
Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen clinched his first China Open title after defeating unseeded Lu Guang Zu. His earlier Grand Slam of Super 1000 titles include the All England Open, the Indonesia Open and the Malaysia Open.
South Korean top seed An Se Young became the women’s singles champion, beating second seeded Yamaguchi Akane. She landed her ninth title of the year in the women’s singles.

Notes:
ITI Limited, a Central PSU under the Union Ministry of Communications, said it had developed its own laptop and “mini PC” that match international quality and performance.
The laptop  has been named “SMAASH” and it is winning against global brands ITI has partnered with Intel for design and manufacturing.