Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2023

Notes:
Markets regulator SEBI has asked stock exchanges to set up an Investor Risk Reduction Access (IRRA) platform
The platform will give investors an opportunity to square off their position or cancel pending orders in case of disruption of trading services. There is a rise in instances of glitches in systems of trading members, some of which lead to disruption of trading services.

Notes:
The ‘Dhanu Yatra’ festival, considered to be the world’s largest open-air theatre, began in the Western Odisha town of Bargarh.
The ‘Dhanu Yatra’ came into existence in Bargarh in 1947-48 as part of the celebration of the country’s Independence. It is celebrated annually and episodes related to Hindu God Krishna is presented through folk art forms.

Notes:
Sweden has taken over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the first six months of the year, on January 1, 2023,
It followed Czech Republic, which headed the Council in the second half of 2022. This is the third time that Sweden has taken over the Presidency of the Council. The EU Council Presidency rotates every six months between the Member States of the EU.

Notes:
A recent study by scientists of the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) have discovered that butterflies warn, fool, and escape their predators using traits such as wing colour patterns and even flight behaviour.
The study investigated the butterfly mimetic communities of the Western Ghats over five years. The female Common Mormon mimics the toxic Common Rose. In mimicry, a palatable organism resembles an unpalatable organism to deceive predators.

Notes:
A new species of confuciusornithid bird being named ‘Confuciusornis shifan’ has been identified from a complete skeleton found in northeastern China.
The bird lived in present-day China during the Early Cretaceous epoch, some 119 million years ago. Confuciusornithidae is a clade of Early Cretaceous pygostylian birds and represents the earliest known toothless, beaked birds.

Notes:
The Theosophical Society was founded in 1875 by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky and others. It is a worldwide body with the aim to advance the ideas of Theosophy.
The 147th International Convention of the Theosophical Society (TS) was organised at its international headquarters in Adyar. “The theme of this conference is ‘Our Responsibility in the Interconnected World’.

Notes:
The Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that no rhinos were poached in Assam in the year 2022.
Since 2000, it is for the first time there were no incidents of rhino poaching in the state. Assam’s Kaziranga National Park is the biggest habitat for one-horned rhinos globally. In 2021, the Assam government established a 22-member task force for containing the act of poaching.

Notes:
22-year-old Vaidehi Chaudhari has clinched the USD 15,000 ITF women’s tournament singles in Gwalior after beating top seed Ksenia Laskutova.
It was Vaidehi’s maiden singles title in the professional circuit. She had won her maiden doubles title earlier with Laskutova as her partner. Vaidehi is also the reigning National Tennis champion.

Notes:
Scientists from South Korea have developed a new water purification system that can efficiently filter out microplastics.
The polymer used is inexpensive with excellent adsorption performance and photo-thermal properties. In a recent experiment, over 99.9 per cent of contaminants were taken out of the water in 10 seconds.

Notes:
Indian Government signed USD 1.2 billion loan agreements for infrastructure projects with Asian Development Bank.
A loan agreement was signed worth USD 350 million to improve connectivity in Maharashtra, and a loan agreement worth USD 300 million to upgrade highways and major roads in Assam. Other agreements are to improve power sector in Tripura and metro rail system in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.