Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2021

Notes:
As many as 10 reported cases of Legionnaires’ disease were reported in New York, USA. It is rare form of pneumonia caused by a bacteria called Legionella.
As per the country’s health department, the cases have been reported around the Long Island neighbourhood. People can contract Legionnaires by breathing in a vapour containing the Legionella bacteria. The symptoms include breath, high fever, cough, muscle aches and headache.

Notes:
India is set to host young leaders from 75 democracies under the initiative of Gen-Next Democratic Network.
As per the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), this initiative is a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. Young leaders below the age of 35 from the ruling party, opposition party and other major parties are being invited. The first batch will include leaders from Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Japan, Indonesia, Chile and Zambia.

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:
Ecuador President Guillermo Lasso announced a 60-day nationwide state of emergency in response to a wave of violent crime.
The President announced that Police and the armed forces were being mobilised. As per official figures, the number of murders in the first eight months of this year are twice those in the same period last year. Some weeks ago, a prison fight in the port city of Guayaquil made 119 inmates dead.

Notes:
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has launched a toll-free helpline to help government job aspirants from economically weaker sections (EWS) and backward classes among others.
The toll-free number, 1800118711 will provide assistance to the candidates who have applied or seek to apply for examinations or recruitment. The helpline, which will remain operational on all working days during office hours, is part of celebrations under the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’.

Notes:
Imprisoned Russian Opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been awarded the European Union’s top human rights prize- the Sakharov Prize.
The European Parliament praised the 45-year-old activist’s immense personal bravery. He was poisoned with a nerve agent last year and arrested and imprisoned. He has campaigned consistently against the corruption of Russia’s ruling government.

Notes:
Mount Aso is the largest active volcano in Japan, and is one of the largest in the world. It is located in the island of Kyushu, and its peak is located 1,592 meters above sea level.
Japan’s Mount Aso volcano recently erupted, spewing a huge column of hot gas and ash over 3,500 metres into the sky. Japan’s meteorological agency raised alert level for the volcano to level 3 on a scale of 5, and asked people not to approach the mountain.

Notes:
Storm “Aurore” swept across parts of northern Europe, leaving four dead in Poland and causing severe damage in Germany, France, the Netherlands and other places.
Power disruption were observed across Northern Europe due to the strong winds and fallen trees. Several houses and properties were destroyed. Railways and Airlines were also disturbed due to the effects of the storm.

Notes:
ABHYAS – the High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) was successfully flight-tested by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The vehicle was tested from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Bay of Bengal in Odisha. It can be used as an aerial target to evaluate various missile systems. ABHYAS is designed and developed by DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), Bengaluru.