Rapid Fire
Rapid Fire Current Affairs
- 30 Oct 2023
- 4 min read
Exercise KAZIND-2023
Indian Army and Indian Air Force contingent departed for Kazakhstan to participate in the 7th edition of Joint Military 'Exercise KAZIND-2023'.
- The exercise will occur in Otar, Kazakhstan from 30th October to 11th November, 2023.
- The exercise between India and Kazakhstan began as "Exercise PRABAL DOSTYK" in 2016. After the second edition, it was renamed "Exercise KAZIND" and upgraded to a company-level exercise. This year, it was further upgraded to a bi-service exercise with the inclusion of the Air Force component.
- In this edition, both sides will practice counter-terrorism operations in a sub-conventional environment under a United Nations mandate.
Read more: KAZIND-2022
Causes of the 2023 Turkey-Syria Earthquakes
A recent study published in the journal Science sheds light on the catastrophic earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria in February 2023. These earthquakes, with unprecedented scale and destruction, have prompted a closer look at the intricate interplay of tectonic forces.
- Earth's crust is divided into tectonic plates, where fault lines form due to interactions such as collisions, separations, or sliding.
- The East and North Anatolian Fault Lines, stretching over 700 km and 1,500 km, played a significant role in the Turkey earthquakes.
- During the earthquakes, the conversation between the fault lines was interrupted by a seismic cascade (chain reaction of ruptures or movements in the Earth's crust that occurred during the earthquakes). Leading to a much bigger rupture than anticipated and causing extensive damage.
- These findings underscore the unpredictable nature of seismic events and reveal shortcomings in enforcing building codes to prevent disaster in earthquake-prone regions.
Read more: Earthquakes in Turkey and Causes
Dark Pattern Sales by Airlines Deemed 'Cybercrime'
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has directed its attention towards contentious practices observed within airlines and online travel agencies identified as "dark patterns", a matter raising potential cybercrime concerns.
- This has triggered a significant influx of consumer complaints, leading to government involvement. Specifically, the government has called upon major carrier IndiGo to rectify deceptive online practices related to seat selection and additional fees.
- Dark patterns are manipulative design strategies used in websites or apps. They are crafted to trick or push users into doing things they might not want to do.
- These can include hidden fees, misleading buttons, or confusing layouts, all aiming to make users take actions that benefit the company, not the user.
Read more: Dark Patterns
PFRDA's Mandatory Penny-Drop Verification for NPS
The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has introduced mandatory 'penny drop' verification for National Pension System (NPS) subscribers, ensuring timely fund transfers during withdrawals.
- The penny drop verification process involves Central Recordkeeping Agencies (CRA) verifying the active status of the savings bank account and cross-referencing the name in the account with the subscriber's Permanent Retirement Account Number (PRAN) or submitted documents.
- The verification success, inclusive of name matching, is vital for processing exit/withdrawal requests and modifying subscriber bank account details.
- Failure in the penny drop verification prohibits any such requests, prompting CRA to collaborate with nodal offices for rectification.
Read more: National Pension System
