Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2021

Notes:
Reserve Bank of India recently released a discussion paper on revised regulatory framework for Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs).
As per the paper, the regulatory and supervisory framework of NBFCs shall be based on a four-layered structure namely Base Layer, Middle Layer, Upper Layer and a possible Top Layer. RBI also recommended more power for the NBFC Boards on capital and risk management.

Notes:
A resolution titled “Promoting a culture of peace and tolerance to safeguard religious sites” has been adopted in the United Nations General Assembly recently.
The resolution calls for efforts to promote a culture of tolerance and peace at all levels. It also invites the Secretary General to convene a global conference to advance the UN’s “Plan of Action to Safeguard Religious Sites”.

Notes:
Reigning Olympic champion, Carolina Marin from Spain and former World Champion Viktor Axelsen from Denmark recently claimed their second Thailand Open badminton men’s and women’s singles titles respectively.
The 27-year-old Carolina Marin went into the final without losing a single game across both tournaments. The Badminton World Federation World Tour Finals will be contested by the top eight of each discipline.

Notes:
AMPEX 21 is India’s tri-service joint amphibious exercise which was conducted in the Andaman & Nicobar group of islands. It involved the participation of Naval vessels, Army’s amphibious troops and flying machines of the Air force.
The aim of conducting this exercise is to validate the security force’s capabilities to safeguard the territorial integrity and enhance interoperability among the three forces.

Notes:
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has launched a revamped website, which provides information about gallantry awards in India and their recipients.
The portal has all the important information, which will be available throughout the day. The Minister also launched an e-magazine named ‘Shauryawaan’ and a gallantry award quiz competition.

Notes:
Estonia’s two biggest political parties – the Reform Party and the Centre Party have agreed upon a deal to form a new government, which would be headed by Kaja Kallas.
If approved by the law makers, she would become the first women Prime Minster of Estonia. Earlier, the previous Government collapsed on charges of corruption scandal.

Notes:
The DRDO’s Integrated weapons system design centre has been inaugurated by the Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu at Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex – Hyderabad.
This centre would set an all-new platform for enhanced design – development for surface to air missile (SAM) systems and ballistic missile defence (BMD) systems.

Notes:
The second edition of the International Conference on Gender Equality (ICGE-II) is to be hosted in February, 2021, at the Gender Park Campus, Kozhikode, Kerala.
The Chief Minister is also set to inaugurate a Gender Park at Kozhikode. It was established in 2013 under the Department of Women and Child Development. It has partnerships with various global organisations like UN Women.

Notes:
A recent research by University of Sao Paulo has revealed that Melatonin hormone secreted in the lungs of human beings act as an effective barrier against Covid-19 infection.
It has been identified that the hormone secretion inhibits the expression of genes that are entry points for the virus.

Notes:
Republic of Chad, a land locked country in North – Central Africa, has requested the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for debt restructuring, under the new common framework. Chad’s request makes it the first country to seek debt restructuring from IMF.
Chad has been struggling with high debt burden against a backdrop of the coronavirus crisis.