Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2023

Notes:
Project Kuiper is a subsidiary of Amazon that was established in 2019. The goal is to provide fast, affordable broadband to underserved communities.
Amazon recently broke ground on a $120 million pre-launch processing facility in Florida. It also launched the first pair of test satellites for its planned internet service.

Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to keep key interest rates, projected economic growth, and inflation rates unchanged.
The RBI’s monetary policy committee (MPC) unanimously decided to keep the policy repo rate unchanged at 6.5%. This is the fourth straight time the RBI has maintained the status quo.  The RBI last raised the benchmark repo rate to 6.5% on February 8, 2023. RBI has also decided to extend the payments infrastructure development fund (PIDF) scheme by two years till December 31, 2025.

Notes:
India and Bangladesh have commenced the 11th edition of their annual joint military exercise, SAMPRITI, in Umroi, Meghalaya.
This exercise, which alternates between the two nations, highlights the strong bilateral defense cooperation between them. SAMPRITI, initiated in 2009, aims to boost interoperability, share tactical expertise, and promote best practices between the Indian and Bangladeshi armies.

Notes:
Telangana hosts a biennial festival known as the Sammakka Saralamma Jatara, which is renowned as one of the world’s largest gatherings of tribal people.
This event commemorates the 13th-century resistance by a mother-daughter duo against the local rulers who had imposed taxes on the Koya people. The Jatara, or pilgrimage features rituals conducted by Koya priests in adherence to their customs and traditions.

Notes:
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has revealed a new initiative, wherein gig workers will receive a one-time payment of Rs 5,000 upon registering with the state government.
This financial support is intended to help gig workers purchase essentials such as helmets, uniforms, and other items necessary for their daily work.

Notes:
The Ministry of Civil Aviation in India has introduced the Drone (Amendment) Rules 2023, which eliminate the mandatory need for a passport to enhance and simplify drone operations in the country.
Instead, individuals can provide government-issued identity proof and address proof if they do not possess a passport, as per the Ministry of Civil Aviation statement.

Notes:
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) introduced Card-on-File Tokenisation (CoFT) in September 2021 and began implementation from October 1, 2022. Tokenisation refers to replacement of actual card details with an alternate code called the token.
At present, Card-on-File (CoF) token can only be created through merchant’s application or webpage. RBI has now proposed to introduce CoF token creation facilities directly at the issuer bank level.

Notes:
A recent seismic event in western Afghanistan, marked by a potent 6.3 magnitude earthquake and subsequent strong aftershocks, has resulted in the loss of over 2,000 lives and left more than 9,000 individuals injured.
Afghanistan, situated amidst mountain ranges, has a rich history of experiencing powerful earthquakes, particularly in the rugged Hindu Kush region adjacent to Pakistan.

Notes:
Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in France, has experienced a reduction in its height. It is the Alps’ highest peak and the highest mountain in Europe outside of the Caucasus range.
It lost more than two meters (6.5 feet) in height over the past two years. This decrease in height has been linked to the effects of climate change affecting the region.

Notes:
Professor Claudia Goldin has been recently conferred the Nobel Prize in Economics 2023. It recognized her comprehensive research on women’s contribution to the labor market.
Claudia Goldin is an American economic historian and labour economist, who is currently a Professor of Economics at Harvard University.