Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2021

Notes:
The Finance Minister of Germany “Olaf Scholz” belonging to the Social Democrats, the ecologist Greens and liberal FDP have announced a preliminary deal to form a new government in Germany. If successful, he would succeed Angela Merkel as Chancellor of Germany.
Earlier in September, Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) won the general elections but could not have a clean majority.

Notes:
The 8th India-U.S.A. Economic & Financial Partnership Dialogue was held at Washington D.C recently, in which India was represented and Chaired by the Union Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman. The meeting was co-chaired by Secretary of the Treasury of the United States Dr. Janet Yellen.
Discussions on macroeconomic outlook and economic recovery from COVID, financial regulatory and technical collaboration between the two countries were held.

Notes:
Kudumbashree is a flagship community-oriented programme of Kerala. Recently, the Kerala Government has planned to start an online platform to deliver products manufactured by Kudumbashree and other micro, small and medium production units.
The state also inaugurated the State-level seed capital financial assistance scheme, in which assistance will be given to self-help Groups as part of the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises (PMFME) project.

Notes:
October is observed as the ‘Cybersecurity Awareness Month’. It is co-led by the National Cyber Security Alliance and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
This year, the theme is “Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart.” Cybersecurity Awareness Month is being observed for 18 years. National Bullying Prevention Month is also observed in October. It was started 15 years ago by PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center.

Notes:
The first meeting of the Foreign ministers of India, Israel, the UAE and the USA held recently. It is dubbed as the New QUAD.
The virtual meeting discussed on increasing trade, enhancing cooperation in maritime security and global public health, as well as joint infrastructure projects in transportation and technology. Indian foreign minister S. Jaishankar held discussions with his counterparts.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Culture, International Buddhist Confederation in association with the Government of Uttar Pradesh is organising the Abhidhamma Day on the auspicious occasion of Ashwin Poornima.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also participating in an event marking Abhidhamma Day at Mahaparinirvana Temple. Eminent monks from Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, South Korea, Nepal, Bhutan, Cambodia and ambassadors of several nations will take part in occasion.

Notes:
Valneva SE, a French vaccine company, announced the results from its Phase 3 trial of its inactivated Covid-19 vaccine candidate, VLA2001.
As per the company, the vaccine was as effective as the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine. VLA2001 is an inactivated, adjuvanted vaccine. The Sars-CoV-2 virus is killed using chemicals, heat, or radiation and delivered in an inactivated form. India’s Covaxin vaccine is also an inactivated vaccine.

Notes:
Russia is set to host the third meeting of the Moscow format of consultations on Afghanistan. India will be represented at joint-secretary level at the meeting.
The Moscow Format was established in 2017 as a six-party system comprising Russia, Afghanistan, India, Iran, China and Pakistan. It was then expanded with the inclusion of more countries. Its meetings were held in Moscow in 2017 and 2018. India and Taliban may have their first face-to-face meeting at the occasion.

Notes:
The Kinnow is a high yield mandarin hybrid cultivated extensively in the Punjab region of India and Pakistan.
Around 100 farmers in Punjab, especially in the kinnow belt, have started making Bio Enzymes from this Kinnow fruit. It is usually considered as a waste by farmers. But this fallen fruit can improve soil, water, air and depleting ground water. It also helps prevent excess usage of chemical sprays of fungicides and bacterial diseases on crops, especially vegetables and cereals.

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the U.N. climate summit (COP26) in Glasgow, as per Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav.
India is the world’s third-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases after China and the United States. India and China have not yet made stronger pledges to cut emissions, known as nationally determined contributions or NDCs.