Current Affairs Quiz - November, 2021

Notes:
The social networking giant Facebook is set to change its name and rebrand itself as “Meta”, as announced by its CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
The Company’s CEO has stated that the word “Meta” is derived from the Greek Word “Beyond”. It is stated that the company would not have any change in its corporate structure or functioning of its apps.

Notes:
The Matsya 6000 is the deep-sea vehicle being designed under the Samudrayan initiative. The vehicle will be ready for qualification trials by December 2024
It is designed to carry three people in a titanium alloy personnel sphere of 2.1-metre diameter enclosed space. The vehicle could work at a depth between 1000 and 5500 meters. The technology would help in carrying out deep ocean exploration of non-living resources like poly-metallic manganese nodules, gas hydrates, hydro-thermal sulphides and cobalt crusts.

Notes:
An Indian Air Force (IAF) team and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested India’s first indigenously developed Long-Range Bomb (LRB).
It was fired from the IAF Sukhoi-30 fighter jet flying at an altitude of 10 kilometres, over Balasore, Odisha. The LR Bomb was designed and developed by DRDO’s Research Centre Imarat (RCI). It has a range of 100 kilometres and can carry a warhead of 1000 kilograms.

Notes:
The Meeting of Heads of National Statistical Offices of BRICS Countries was held in virtual format, chaired by India. The Chief Statistician of India and Secretary, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) chaired the meeting.
During the meeting, the Joint Statistical Publication (JSP) 2021 and JSP-Snapshot 2021 for BRICS Countries were released. The theme of meeting was “NSOs efforts in monitoring Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”.

Notes:
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet reappointed Shaktikanta Das, Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for three years beyond 10.12.2021 or until further orders.
Shaktikanta Das, a retired Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer, assumed charge as the 25th governor of the RBI effective December 12, 2018. He had also served as a member of the 15th Finance Commission for a year. Benegal Rama Rau served RBI Governor between July 1, 1949, and January 14, 1957 and that is the longest such tenure so far.

Notes:
The UN Security Council adopted a resolution on the protection of education in armed conflict named ‘Resolution 2601’.
The resolution won the unanimous support of the 15-member council. It strongly condemns all violations of international law involving the recruitment and use of children by parties to armed conflict, their killing, sexual violence and abductions. It also condemns attacks against schools and hospitals as well as denial of humanitarian access by parties to armed conflict.

Notes:
India and Bhutan will have seven additional entry and exit points for trade as part of measures to increase trade connectivity.
These include Nagarkata Land Customs Station, Agartala Land Customs Station, Pandu port (Guwahati Steamerghat), Jogighopa port, Asian Highway 48 connecting Torsha Tea Garden in India and Ahllay in Bhutan among others. Trade between India and Bhutan rose from USD 484 million in 2014-15 to USD 1,083 million in 2020-21.

Notes:
Tamil Nadu has set up first ever Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) named Tamil Nadu Green Climate Company, to professionally manage three critical natural conservation missions
The Company will manage the Tamil Nadu Climate Change, Tamil Nadu Green and Tamil Nadu Wetlands missions. The SPV’s authorised capital will be ₹5 crore and the State Environment Secretary will be the company’s chairperson and MD.

Notes:
As per a new research, a plant in Samoa (country in Oceania) called ‘matalafi’ could be as potent as ibuprofen.
The Samoan plant was traditionally used to treat fevers, body aches, and ghost sickness. As per the study, it could rival ibuprofen for its anti-inflammatory properties. Matalafi is a small tree with red berries, also known as Psychotria insularum. It grows along the coasts and in the forests of Samoa.

Notes:
South Africa had announced that it would be the first beneficiary of the Climate Investment Funds (CIF).
India, Indonesia and the Philippines will join South Africa as the recipients of the pilot programme aimed at accelerating their transition from coal power to clean energy. The CIF said the Accelerating Coal Transition (ACT) programme targets developing countries, which lack adequate resources to finance the transition from coal.