Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2023

Notes:
Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) has announced an online allotment of safe deposit locker facility for its customers and non-customers.
The new facility can be accessed online just by logging into the bank’s portal. The bank’s customers and non-customers can avail the locker facility without physically visiting a branch, as per the public sector lender.

Notes:
The Governor of Assam, Gulab Chand Kataria, unveiled the ‘Sarpanch Samvaad’ mobile application developed by the Quality Council of India (QCI).
This app is part of the Sarpanch Samvaad initiative, which aims to connect approximately 2.5 lakh Sarpanchs (elected village heads) across India. The initiative provides a platform for networking, knowledge sharing, and collaboration among Sarpanchs.

Notes:
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued a Consultation Paper (CP) titled “Digital Inclusion in the Era of Emerging Technologies”.
This paper aims to address the challenges and opportunities brought about by rapid advancements in emerging technologies, with a specific focus on ensuring inclusivity, especially for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). It also highlights the challenges faced by the MSME sector in adopting emerging digital technologies.

Notes:
Buddh International Circuit (BIC) in Greater Noida has been approved by the international motorsports body for two-wheelers, FIM, to host the country’s first MotoGP race, the Grand Prix of India, on 24 September.
The 13th leg of the prestigious MotoGP event will be the next big motorsports event to be organised at BIC after the three Formula 1 races held at the venue between 2011 and 2013. The first batch of equipment for the MotoGP Bharat arrived at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC).

Notes:
The Defence Ministry cleared procurement of various weapons systems and platforms including Dhruvastra short range air-to-surface missile and 12 Su-30 MKI fighter jets at a cost of around Rs 45,000 crore.
The 12 Su-30 MKI fighter jets will be manufactured in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. These proposals were sanctioned under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.

Notes:
UNESCO, the United Nations cultural organization, has designated the World Heritage Sites in the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv and Lviv as “in danger” due to the ongoing conflict sparked by Russia’s invasion.
This decision was made during UNESCO’s annual world heritage committee meeting in Riyadh. Kyiv’s Saint Sophia Cathedral, dating back to the 11th century, and Lviv’s historic center, near the Polish border, have faced constant danger since the invasion.

Notes:
National Hispanic Heritage Month, observed from September 15 to October 15 annually, honors the rich cultural heritage and contributions of Hispanic Americans in the United States.
This celebration began with Hispanic Heritage Week and was officially recognized as a month-long observance by President Lyndon Johnson in 1968.

Notes:
The International Labour Organization (ILO) has issued a policy brief stating that the world is falling significantly behind in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 8 (SDG 8), which seeks to promote sustainable economic growth, full employment, and decent work for all.
According to the ILO’s analysis, nearly two-thirds of the SDG 8 indicators show insufficient progress, and the international community is as far from reaching the targets as it was in 2015.

Notes:
The Sangeet Natak Akademi announced special one-time awards, commemorating 75 years of India’s independence to 84 artists, who are above the age of 75 years and haven’t been accorded any national honour in their career so far.
The ‘Amrit’ awards were presented by Vice-President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar to a total of 84 artistes, including 70 men and 14 women.

Notes:
Health authorities in several US states, including New York City, New Jersey, Georgia, Maryland, and Texas, are expressing increasing concerns over cases of West Nile virus.
In New York City, officials report a higher number of mosquito pools infected with the virus compared to the five-year average, with 16 human cases documented across the five boroughs. The virus is primarily transmitted through mosquito bites and has no human vaccine.