Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2021

Notes:
A historic kangaroo painting created over 17,000 years ago by Aboriginal artists has been identified in Australia.
This is claimed to be the oldest intact rock art of Australia. The two-metre-long artwork has been found in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.

Notes:
The Indian Army is in the process of acquiring 556 Augmented Reality Head Mounted Display (ARHMD) systems.
As per a recent communication from the Defence Ministry, the ARHMD system may be considered as an enhancement to the Land-based Air Defence Weapon Systems. The Army also signed a contract for the construction of eight Missile-cum-Ammunition (MCA) barges.

Notes:
The Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) is an international agreement between all the member countries of the World Trade Organization (WTO)
India as well as South Africa have proposed the WTO to consider the TRIPS waiver on COVID-19 vaccines. If India succeeds in getting the waiver, it will reduce the cost of vaccines significantly and facilitate free flow of medicines and easy technology transfer across the world.

Notes:
India and Ireland recently held bilateral consultations on the UN Security Council issues via video conference.
During the session, both the countries congratulated each other on their election to the UNSC and agreed to work closely together during their stint at the UNSC in 2021-2022. Joint Secretary (UNP and Summits) Prakash Gupta led the Indian delegation.

Notes:
As per the second advanced estimates of GDP released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), the GDP for the financial year 2020-21 is recorded as -8 per cent.
NSO, MoSPI also released the quarterly estimates. After two consecutive quarters of contraction, India’s GDP for the October-December quarter (Q3) grew by 0.4 per cent. With this the country is said to have exited recession.

Notes:
China celebrates its traditional Lantern festival, on the 15th day of the first Chinese lunar month.
The festival also marks the final day of the Chinese New Year or ‘Spring Festival’ period. This year, the country entered the ‘Year of the Ox’ on February 12, 2021. This Festival also falls the first full moon night in the Chinese calendar.

Notes:
The leading computer manufacturer HP, has made its first ever personal computer using plastic found in oceans.
The company’s Pavilion 13, Pavilion 14, and Pavilion 15 series of laptops have been manufactured using ocean plastic wastes materials. The company estimates that nearly 92,000 plastic bottles are pulled out of the oceans to manufacture these computers

Notes:
The NDC (Nationally Determined Contribution) synthesis report has been prepared and released by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It has been prepared in response to the requests from COP 21.
This report comes ahead of the COP 26 scheduled to be held in the year 2021.

Notes:
Exercise Desert Flag is a multinational exercise, which is to be held in the United Arab Emirates. Ten countries are to take part in this exercise including India, France and the U.S. This exercise will be held for three weeks this month.
This semi-annual exercise will involve multiple, intensive air combat sorties. IAF’s Su-30-MKI and C-17s fighter jets took off recently to participate in this exercise.

Notes:
The Land Ports Authority of India was founded in 2012. It is a statutory body working under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
It is responsible for creating, upgrading, maintaining and managing border infrastructure in India. It manages several Integrated Check Posts all across Borders of India. The 9th foundation say of the Land Ports Authority of India was observed on March 1, 2021.