Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2021

Notes:
India’s rank has slipped by six places from last year to 90 on the Henley Passport Index, which lists the world’s most travel-friendly passports.
The index ranks the passports of countries according to the number of destinations their holders can visit without a prior visa. The rankings are based on the analysis of data provided by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Japan and Singapore hold the first rank on the passport index, while the second position is shared by South Korea and Germany.

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 Manila headquartered Asian Development Bank has announced that it has elevated its target to deliver climate financing to its developing member countries to $100 billion. This would be achieved in the period 2019–2030.
This decision has been made by the ADB on account of worsening climate crisis and call for increased climate finance.

Notes:
Ernst & Young (EY) has released the 58th edition of “Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index”. This ranks world’s top 40 nations based on attractiveness of their renewable energy investment.
India has been ranked at 3rd position without a position change compared to last year’s rankings. USA and China have been placed in the top 2 spots.

Notes:
During Brexit negotiations, all parties agreed that protecting the 1998 Northern Ireland peace deal, also called as the Good Friday agreement, was a priority.
Recently, the European Union has set out its proposals to change the way the Brexit deal for Northern Ireland (NI Protocol) is implemented. It was designed to prevent checks along the border between Northern Ireland (in the UK) and the Republic of Ireland (in the EU), after Brexit.

 

Notes:
BrokerChoose, a broker discovery and comparison platform has released its annual proliferation index. As per the index, India has the highest number of individuals owning cryptocurrency with 10.07 crore users.
The second position is occupied by USA with 2.74 crore crypto and Russia is placed at the third position.

Notes:
The present Managing Director and CEO of UCO Bank Shri. A K Goel has been elected as the chairman of Indian Bank’s Association for the year 2021-22. The election was held at the body’s Managing Committee meeting held on 14th October 2021.
He succeeds Mr Rajkiran Rai G, who is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Union Bank of India.

Notes:
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is an intergovernmental military alliance of 30 member countries, of which 28 are European countries and 2 North American Countries. The NATO is headquartered at Brussels, Belgium
Recently, Russia has announced that it is suspending its missions to NATO and that NATO’s military liaison and information offices in Moscow would be closed.

Notes:
Every year, 16th October is observed as International Observe the Moon Night (InOMN), which is an event marking the night when moon is near the first quarter phase.
On this date, the moon will be in waxing gibbous, an intermediate phase in which it is not yet full. Celebration of this event is sponsored annually by the Solar System Exploration Division at NASA.

Notes:
Fencer Bhavani Devi, won the women’s individual sabre title at the Charlellville National Competition in France.
She made history at the Tokyo Olympics by becoming the first Indian to compete in fencing at the Olympics. Though she won the first round, she was defeated by bronze-medallist Manon Brunet of France in the next round. The top-ranked fencer from India is currently ranked 50th in the world.