Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2024

Notes:
Ukraine successfully tested its first ballistic missile, named Hrim-2, developed by its defense industry. Hrim-2, also known as Grim, Grom, or OTRK Sapsan, is a Ukrainian short-range ballistic missile system. It combines the features of a tactical missile system and a multiple rocket launcher. The export version of Hrim-2 has a range limited to 280 km to comply with international regulations. For Ukraine’s military, the missile’s range is extended to 700 km. The Sapsan system features a 10-wheeled launcher that carries two missiles and can evade modern air defenses, similar to Russia’s Iskander missile.

Notes:
India Post Payment Bank (IPPB) recently celebrated its 7th Foundation Day. IPPB was established under the Department of Posts, Ministry of Communication, with 100% ownership by the Government of India. It aims to provide efficient banking services to every household in India, enhancing financial security and empowerment. IPPB leverages a vast postal network of over 1,61,000 post offices across the country. Services offered include savings and current accounts, Direct Benefit Transfers, bill and utility payments, and access to third-party products like loans and insurance.

Notes:
Sharath Kamal has been named the first Indian ambassador of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Foundation.
The announcement was made during day 11 of the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) season five at Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium. Sharath was elected to the ITTF’s Athlete’s Commission in November 2022. He will promote table tennis for development, especially among children from underprivileged backgrounds. He holds the record for the most medals in Commonwealth Games history for table tennis, including 13 medals with three golds at the 2022 Birmingham Games.

Notes:
World Coconut Day is observed every year on September 2nd to highlight the importance of coconuts. It aims to raise awareness about various uses of coconuts and promote sustainable farming practices. The theme for World Coconut Day 2024 is “Coconut for a Circular Economy: Building Partnership for Maximum Value.” The day was first celebrated in 2009, initiated by the International Coconut Community (ICC), a UNESCAP intergovernmental body. The ICC includes 21 coconut-producing countries, with India as a founding member. The ICC’s headquarters is located in Jakarta, Indonesia, and it was known as the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community until 2018.

Notes:
The WHO’s “South-East Asia Regional Status Report on Road Safety” was released at the 15th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion. The South-East Asia Region accounts for 28% of global road traffic deaths, with an estimated 330,222 fatalities. In India, there were about 216,618 estimated road traffic deaths in 2021, with reported deaths at 153,972. Two- and three-wheeler drivers/riders make up 45.1% of these deaths. India’s road traffic death rate is 15.4 per 100,000 people, higher than the global rate of 15.

Notes:
The Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology (CMLRE) recently held a national workshop on the Indian Ocean Biodiversity Information System (IndOBIS) in Kochi. IndOBIS is the Indian regional node of the global Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS). Hosted by CMLRE, IndOBIS collects data on marine species in the Indian Ocean and contributes to OBIS. OBIS is a large global repository with millions of marine species records from various contributors worldwide. It provides detailed information on species distribution, habitats, and environmental data across the world’s oceans.
OBIS offers tools for searching, visualizing, and downloading biodiversity data.

Notes:
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) launched the Vishvasya-Blockchain Technology Stack to provide Blockchain-as-a-Service (BaaS). It is built on a distributed infrastructure, designed to support different permissioned blockchain applications. MeitY also introduced NBFLite, a lightweight blockchain platform, and Praamaanik, a solution for verifying mobile app origins. The National Blockchain Framework (NBF) aims to enhance digital trust and service delivery through research and application development. NBF offers secure, transparent services using smart contracts and an API gateway. The system is hosted in NIC data centers in Bhubaneswar, Pune, and Hyderabad.

Notes:
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) launched the India Graphene Engineering and Innovation Centre (I-GEIC) as part of the Graphene Aurora program (GAP) in Kerala. The GAP is managed by Digital University Kerala.
The IGEIC is a non-profit organization based in Trivandrum, Kerala. Its goal is to become a leading center for the commercialization of graphene technology. The IGEIC aims to bridge the gap between research and commercialization by offering comprehensive facilities for startups and industries. Previously, MeitY had established India’s first graphene center, the India Innovation Centre for Graphene (IICG), in Kerala.

Notes:
The Indian Navy and South African Navy signed an agreement to enhance naval cooperation, ensuring the safety of the South African Navy’s submarine crew during emergencies. Under this agreement, the Indian Navy will assist by deploying its Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) when needed. This strengthens the maritime relationship between India and South Africa. The agreement follows a 2023 incident where three South African Navy personnel died off Cape Town’s coast. South Africa, with a few submarines, will benefit from India’s DSRV, which is used for submarine rescues and covert operations.

Notes:
The United Arab Emirates has completed the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, the first nuclear power plant in the Arab world.
Located in Al Dhafra, Abu Dhabi, near Ruwais, it began construction in 2012 and started operations in 2020. The plant has four reactors and, once fully operational, will reduce carbon emissions by 21 million tonnes annually. It will produce 40 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity each year, meeting 25% of the UAE’s electricity needs, equivalent to New Zealand’s annual consumption. The plant will power major companies, including ADNOC, Emirates Steel, and Emirates Global