1. CURRENT AFFAIRS
14 March 2023
Dr. A. PRABAHARAN
Research Director, Public Action
www.indopraba.blogspot.com

2.  Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) signs an
accord to produce, distribute and promote lubricants of
one of the largest companies in the world, Chevron.
 The collaboration includes manufacturing, licensing as
well as distribution of Chevron products under the
Caltex Brand.
 Chevron’s other ventures like Havoline and Delo
products are also covered in the pact.
 HCL already holds its own labels having lubricant
products and this initiative is an add-on to its list.
 It is a long-term trademark agreement.
www.indopraba.blogspot.com
Chevron Corp and HPCL join hands for Marketing Products

3.  US-based Silicon Valley and Signature Banks have been
closed down amid high inflation across the globe.
 Regional banks are also under acute pressure after the
collapse of one of the leading banks in the United States.
 Interest rates have been elevated by the Central Banks
which further puts the economy in major turmoil.
 After economists study inflation and recession causes, India
has been saving the contemporary situation as far as the
Indian banks are concerned.
 RBI laid down certain regulatory measures for YES Bank,
Lakshmi Vilas Bank, PMC Bank and Global Trust Bank that
failed over the past 20 years.
www.indopraba.blogspot.com
Financial System Declines after SVB-Signature Banks Shut Down

4.  The Transport Minister, Nitin Gadkari unveils the first-ever
methanol-powered buses on March 12, 2023 (Sunday).
 These newly built buses will be run by the Bangalore
Metropolitan Transport Corporation.
 It comes under the Clean Energy Mission by the
government.
 Several pilot trials of MD-15 will be implemented by the
respective ministry.
 Methanol fuel will be provided by Indian Oil. Methanol is a
good alternative to replace Diesel, Petrol and Gasoline as it
is considered safer than other fuels.
www.indopraba.blogspot.com
Methanol-Fueled Buses Introduced by Nitin Gadkari

5.  ICC grants awards for February month 2023 to the
best deserving players separately for men’s and
women’s cricket teams.
 While Australian all-rounder player Ashleigh Gardner
bagged the women’s Player of the Month title by
defeating Laura Wolvaardt and Nat Sciver-Brunt, the
England representative cricketer Harry Brook has been
awarded the men’s Player of the Month as he beats
India’s Ravindra Jadeja.
 Both have shown remarkable hits in their matches
held in the past few months.
www.indopraba.blogspot.com
Harry Brook & Ashleigh Gardner Wins ICC Player of the Month

6.  From the Maharashtra region of India, Surekha Yadav is Asia’s
first woman to drive the indigenous Vande Bharat Express.
 Vande Bharat Train is a modern train that has been
developed with semi-high speed managed by the Indian
Railways.
 Surekha has controlled many types of trains in the past. She
has also been honoured with prestigious awards in her
lifetime.
www.indopraba.blogspot.com
Surekha Yadav becomes First Woman Train Driver

7. What is Red Tide?
 Red tide is an algal bloom.
 The ocean plants living in the sea grow uncontrollably and
cause a bloom.
 The bloom caused by red-coloured algae is called red tide.
 It is harmful to fish, and marine mammals, and also has harmful
effects on humans.
 Red tide has recently occurred on the coast of Florida.
 It generally disappears by spring. It has been found since the
1800s in the Gulf of Mexico.
 Swimming in or near the red tide waters can cause skin
irritations, rashes, irritated eyes and burning.
www.indopraba.blogspot.com

8. What is Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared
Astronomy (SOFIA)?
 The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy
(SOFIA) was a telescope mounted on a Boeing 747 SP
aircraft that used infrared light to observe the universe.
 The telescope had an 8.9-foot-wide and nearly 20-ton mirror
and was operated through a door in the side of the aircraft.
 The project was a joint effort between NASA and the
German Aerospace Center.
 It was cancelled in 2022 due to its high cost and inadequate
scientific output.
www.indopraba.blogspot.com

9.  NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) Mission is a
collaborative project between NASA and ISRO aimed at
building and launching an Earth observation satellite
equipped with a dual-frequency synthetic aperture radar.
 Notably, the satellite carries the most advanced radar system
ever to be launched in a NASA Mission.
 It also has the largest radar antenna of its type.
 The satellite will be the first of its kind and will be used to
remotely sense natural phenomena on Earth, such as the
Antarctic cryosphere.
 NISAR is expected to be the most expensive Earth-imaging
satellite, with a total cost of around 1.5 billion USD.
www.indopraba.blogspot.com
What is NISAR Mission?

10. What is an Atmospheric River?
 An atmospheric river is a narrow and elongated region in the
atmosphere that carries a substantial amount of water vapour outside
the tropics.
 Researchers first coined the term ‘atmospheric river’ in the 1990s.
 It is also known as a tropical plume, tropical connection, moisture
plume, water vapour surge, and cloud band.
 Atmospheric rivers can be thousands of kilometres long and transport
water vapour equivalent to the average flow of water at the mouth of
the Mississippi River.
 The Pineapple Express is an example. It carries moisture from the
Pacific region to USA and Canada.
 California is currently bracing for the arrival of atmospheric rivers,
which are expected to bring heavy rain, flooding, and heavy snowfall.
www.indopraba.blogspot.com

11. www.indopraba.blogspot.com