Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2023

Notes:
The India’s first semi-high-speed regional rail services has been named ‘RAPIDX’ by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC). The RAPIDX trains will run on the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridors, which would connect key urban nodes across the National Capital Region (NCR).
The project is implemented by NCRTC which is a a joint venture company of the Union government and states of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

Notes:
The United States of America and the Philippines have launched their largest combat exercise named Balikatan, meaning shoulder-to-shoulder. The exercise is launched in waters across the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait.
The exercise would witness participation of more than 17,600 military personnel and the drills will include live-fire exercises and a boat-sinking rocket assault.

Notes:
International Aviation Safety Assessment was conducted recently by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the US.
It found that India meets every international safety standard. As per the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), India’s International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) category will continue to be published as Category 1.

Notes:
The first-ever Global Buddhist Conference will be hosted by India on April 20 and 21. It will be organized based on the theme “Response to Contemporary Challenges from Philosophy to Praxis”.
It will cover subjects such as Buddhism and peace, environmental crisis, health and sustainability, and the preservation of the Nalanda Buddhist tradition, Buddhist pilgrimage, living heritage and Buddha relics.

Notes:
Satuani is a festival related to nature. The traditional harvest festival will be celebrated in North India mainly in Bihar to mark the start of the summer season.
It includes eating sattu made out of lentil flour. Jur Sital, also known as Maithili new year will be observed on the next day of Satuani.

Notes:
The European Space Agency has successfully launched its mission to Jupiter’s moons. The Ariane 5 rocket was launched from the ESA’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) project aims to send a satellite on an eight-year journey to reach the icy moons of the planet, gas giant.

Notes:
The G20 Space Economy Leaders Meeting was organized in Shillong in April 2023. The Meeting is being organised under India’s G20 presidency by the Department of Space, Government of India.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will be organizing the precursor event of this meeting.

Notes:
The Indian Army observes the 13th of April every year as Siachen Day to commemorate the anniversary of Operation Meghdoot. It was launched by the Indian Army on April 13, 1984 to secure the Siachen Glacier which is of strategic importance.
This year marks the 39th Siachen Day in which the Commander of Siachen Brigade laid a wreath on behalf of the General Officer Commanding (GOC) and paid respect to war heroes at the Siachen War Memorial, Base Camp.

Notes:
Miguel Diaz-Canel recently became the first non-Castro leader in Cuba to be re-elected as president. He won a second five-year term in a parliamentary vote that had him as the sole candidate. The 62-year-old leader took over the reins in 2018 as Cuba’s first civilian leader after around 60 years of hegemony by the Castro brothers.

Notes:
The Government of India has recently notified the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023 under Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act, 1960. This notification is released by superseding the Animal Birth Control (Dog) Rules, 2001.
The new rules require the respective local authorities, municipalities, municipal corporations and Panchayats to carry out sterilization and immunization of stray dogs by addressing to the issues regarding to prevention of cruelty to animals.