Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2019

Notes:
The Reliance Mutual Fund has been renamed as Nippon India Mutual Fund (NIMF). The name change came after Nippon Life Insurance of Japan completed the acquisition of 75% stake in Reliance Nippon Life Asset Management from Reliance Capital. Nippon Life is Japan’s largest life insurance company and a global financial services conglomerate. It manages assets worth over $700 billion.

Notes:
Indian women’s cricket captain & right-handed batswoman, Mithali Raj has become the 1st female player to complete 20 yrs in international cricket. She achieved the feat while leading India to an emphatic 8-wicket win over South Africa Women in the first ODI at Vadodara on 10th October 2019. Mithali made her ODI debut against Ireland on 26th June 1999 & completed 20 years and 105 days in the 50-over format. She has played 204 ODIs till now, the most by a female.

Notes:
India has slipped sharply by 10 places to rank 68th on the 2019 WEF Global Competitiveness Index due to improvements witnessed by several other economies. The index is compiled by the Geneva-based World Economic Forum (WEF). In the overall competitiveness ranking, Singapore replaced the US to take the first position.

Notes:
Kadri Gopalnath (69), the well known Saxophone master & Padma Shri awardee, has passed away in Mangaluru on 11th October 2019.  He was considered as a pioneer in playing Carnatic ragas on his Saxophone. His production East-West is a fusion of western and Indian music. 

Notes:
India and Japan will hold the 2nd edition of joint military exercise ‘DHARMA GUARDIAN-2019’ in Mizoram from 19th of October to 2nd of November 2019. The focus of the 2-week-long exercise will be to increase the interoperability between the two forces and enhance coordination in dealing with various security challenges including counter-terrorism. The scope of this exercise covers platoon-level joint training on counter-terrorism operations in jungle and urban scenario.

Notes:
The book titled “How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need” has been authored by founder of Microsoft Corporation and American philanthropist Bill Gates. In the book, Gates will explain why he cares so deeply about climate change and what makes him optimistic that the world can prevent the worst impacts of the climate crisis. The book will hit the stands on June 24, 2020.

Notes:
Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu has been   conferred the highest Civilian Honour of East African island nation Comoros — The Order of the Green Crescent – at its capital Moroni. The honour was conferred by the President of the Union of Comoros Azali Assoumani. India and Comoros signed 6 agreements on defence, health and culture. Both the countries also decided to exempt each other from Visa for diplomatic and official passport holders for short visits. India has also extended over 60 million dollar line of credit  to Comoros in the field of energy and maritime defence cooperation.

Notes:
The 10th edition of the joint military exercise “Vajra Prahar” between India and the United States gas started at the Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) in Seattle on October 13 & will last till October 28. It  is a Special Forces joint training exerciseconducted alternately in India and the US.

Notes:
Indian shuttler Priyanshu Rajawat has won the men’s singles title at the 2019 Bahrain International Series Badminton at Isa Town. He beat top-seed Jason Anthony Ho-Shue from Canada in the finals 16-21, 21-7, 21-12 in the summit clash. Top-seeded Indian mixed double pair of Juhi Dewangan and Venkat Gaurav Prasad also finished at the top. In women’s singles, Ira Sharma finished second best.

Notes:
UAE announced the establishment of the first graduate-level, research-based AI university  – Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence( MBZUAI) – in the world. The MBZUAI will enable graduate students, businesses and governments to advance the artificial intelligence field. The University is named after Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, who has long advocated for the UAE’s development of human capital through knowledge and scientific thinking to take the nation into the future.