Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2021

Notes:
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has kept India’s growth forecast for 2021-22 unchanged at 9.5%, in its latest World Economic Outlook report.It also projected India’s economy to grow 8.5% in FY23.
In July, IMF had slashed India’s growth forecast for FY22 to 9.5% from earlier projection of 12.5%. It has lowered the global growth projection marginally to 5.9% from 6% earlier. Supply disruptions in advanced economies and worsening pandemic impact in developing countries are the reasons.

Notes:
India Exim Bank conducted a study titled “Prospects for Enhancing India Japan Trade Relations”. It has highlighted that over the past decade, India’s total trade with Japan has increased from 10 billion to almost 18 billion, with exports valued at US 5 billion and imports 13 billion in 2019.
It also noted that despite having a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with Japan, India is undergoing a persistent trade deficit with Japan, which has doubled during the decade, to almost US$ 8 billion in 2019.

Notes:
The Director-General of the World Health Organisation has set up the WHO Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins on Novel Pathogens (SAGO).
The SAGO will advise the Secretariat on technical and scientific considerations on emerging and re-emerging pathogens. An Indian epidemiologist, Dr Raman Gangakhedkar, will be part of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Scientific Advisory Group for determining the origin of covid-19 pandemic.

Notes:
The Malabar series of exercises, which began as an annual bilateral naval exercise between India and the US in 1992.
The Indian Navy is set to participate in the Second Phase of Multilateral Maritime Exercise Malabar along with the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force, Royal Australian Navy and the United States Navy. It is being conducted in the Bay of Bengal from 12 – 15 Oct 2021. First Phase of the exercise was conducted in the Philippines Sea in August.

Notes:
A key UN biodiversity summit, with an aim to protecting biodiversity has commenced in China, which witnessed the participation of delegates from about 195 countries. Discussion on “30 by 30” agenda that would accord 30% of the Earth’s land and oceans protected status by 2030 is being discussed in the summit.
During the summit, Chinese Government has committed and pledged a sum of $233 million into a fund, to protect biodiversity in developing countries.

Notes:
The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi has launched the PM Gati Shakti, a ‘national masterplan’ for multi-modal connectivity on 13th October 2021.
The master plan aims to use geo-mapping and real-time data on a single portal, to make sure that there is transparency and visibility over the project planning and implementation. Presently 16 government departments are part of the master plan.

Notes:
International Energy Agency (IEA) recently released its World Energy Outlook 2021 report. As per the report, almost $4 trillion investment into clean energy is required to meet the Paris Agreement pledge to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
The IEA mentioned some developing economies financing such projects, including India’s expansion of solar panels.

Notes:
The Chief of the World Health Organisation honored the late Henrietta Lacks with the Director-General award.
She an American woman whose cancer cells were taken without her knowledge during the 1950s. The cells provided the foundation for vast scientific inventions, including research about the coronavirus. The ‘HeLa’ cell line, derived from the first two letters of Henrietta Lacks, helped in the development of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines.

Notes:
The Global Hunger Index is a comprehensive measure and track of hunger across the globe, prepared by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe. The index uses 4 indicators namely : Undernourishment, child wasting; child stunting; child mortality.
In the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2021 India has been placed at 101st position as against its previous ranking of 94 in 2020.

Notes:
Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh recently launched the “Chief Minister’s Health for All”. Under the scheme, Door-to-door health screening will be conducted across the State and Jan Aushadhi medicines will be provided to patients free of cost for primary health care.
The Chief Minister Gi Hakchel Gi Tengbal (CM Health Care Scheme) and Ayushman Bharat health cards will be issued to the patients having severe and chronic illness.  During the campaign, screening will be done using a hand-held device known as ASHA Plus for 10 non-communicable diseases.