Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2019

Notes:
In a first of its kind offer from any national carrier, IRCTC will compensate passengers of India’s first corporate train – New Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express – in case of delay in the train schedule. An amount of Rs 100 will be paid in case the delay is for over an hour and Rs 250 for delay of over two hours. The latest offer is in addition to the Rs 25-lakh free insurance that will be given to passengers of the train. This travel insurance also includes coverage of Rs 1 lakh against household theft and robbery during travel period of the passengers, which is again a first for those travelling on board trains. The train will be flagged off on October 4.

Notes:
On the eve of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary, India’s largest ‘charkha’ (the 1,650-kg spinning wheel) made of used plastic waste was inaugurated by Union Minister Smriti Irani in Noida. The ‘charkha’ symbolizes Gandhi’s dream of Swadeshi (self sufficing and self reliance). It measures 14 ft × 20 ft × 8ft and is made of 1,250 kg of used plastic. The charkha has been recognized as the largest made of used plastic waste in the country by India Book of Records.

Notes:
Babita Tade, who won Rs. 1 crore on quiz show ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’, has been appointed as the Amravati district ambassador for the Election Commission (EC)’s SVEEP programme ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly polls. The Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) is a flagship programme of the Election Commission for spreading voter awareness and promoting voter literacy in the country. Tade works as a mid-day meal cook in a government school for a meager sum. 

Notes:
The 2019 edition of World Space Week (WSW) is celebrating the 50th anniversary of humankind’s first step on the Moon on 20th July 1969 with theme “The Moon: Gateway to the Stars” from 4th to 10th October. The theme is devoted to our nearest space neighbor to celebrate the incredible achievement of landing on the Moon and to spark consideration of the value of the Moon in humankind’s future space endeavors.

Notes:
Axis Bank has launched a short-term online fixed deposit product ‘Express FD’ that allows a customer to open a FD account in 3 minutes through the digital mode without opening a savings account with the bank. The new product offers a host of features like attractive interest rates, zero issuance fees and no penalty on pre-mature withdrawal (up to 25% of the amount). A customer can now open an Express FD account by investing a minimum Rs 5,000 up to Rs90,000, for a tenure of 6 to 12 months.

Notes:
The International Teachers’ Day  is celebrated every year on 5th October with an aim to acknowledge the significant role of educators across the world. The 2019 theme “Young Teachers: The Future of the Profession”, recognizes the critical importance  of  reaffirming  the  value  of  the  teaching  mission. The day also aims to address some of the issues that are key to attracting the brightest minds and young talents in the profession and retaining them.

Notes:
Dr Hargovind Laxmishanker Trivedi (87) was the renowned nephrologist, immunologist and stem cell researcher. He passed away in Ahmedabad, Gujarat on 2nd October 2019. He was an expert in handling kidney transplant surgeries & was awarded Padma Shri in 2015 for his contribution to society as a nephrologist.

Notes:
Mexican actress Yalitza Aparicio has been named UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Indigenous Peoples. She made history as the first indigenous performer nominated for a best actress honor at the 2019 Academy Awards for her performance in the film “Roma”, in which she speaks in an indigenous language and in Spanish.

Notes:
The World Post Day (WPD) is celebrated every year on 9th of October to create awareness of the role of the postal sector in people’s and businesses’ everyday lives and its contribution to the social and economic development of countries. The day also marks the anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in 1874 in the Swiss Capital, Bern. 

Notes:
The Nobel Prize 2019 for Chemistry has jointly been awarded to three scientists – John D. Goodenough, M. Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino – for the development of lithium-ion batteries that we use in everyday life from mobile phones to electric vehicles.