Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2021

Notes:
The Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) is an intergovernmental military alliance of 6 full time members (Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan) and two non-member observer states (Afghanistan and Serbia).
Recently the CSTO has proposed to hold a military drill near the Afghan border in Tajikistan from October 22-23.

Notes:
The American space agency NASA has recently released a climate action plan, which aims to avert climate related impact on its key missions to space.
The plan also ensures resilience of NASA’s facilities and assets and to provide important climate related observations to nations across the globe.

Notes:
As per a civic report on vector-borne diseases, Delhi recorded over 720 Dengue cases and first death, this season so far.
This is also the highest case count since 2018 for the same period. Over 240 cases have been recorded in one week. A woman from south Delhi has died due to dengue, which is the first fatality due to the disease reported in the capital this year.

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:
India is ranked at 71st position out of 113 countries in the Global Food Security (GFS) Index 2021, with an overall score of 57.2 points. It is a global report released by Economist Impact and Corteva Agriscience.
Ireland, Australia, the UK, Finland, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Canada, Japan, France and the US shared the top rank with the overall GFS score in the range of 77.8 and 80 points on the index. The GFS Index considers 58 unique food security indicators including income and economic inequality.

Notes:
The Indian Railways has recently ordered to dissolve Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation (IRSDC).
The Cabinet secretariat had recommended to integrate, and undertake structural reforms in various bodies under Railways Ministry. It also suggested merger of various institutions of the railways. The report on ‘Rationalisation of Government Bodies under the Ministry of Railways’ was prepared by Sanjeev Sanyal, Principal Economic Advisor.

 

Notes:
Hardoi MLA Nitin Agrawal was recently elected Deputy Speaker of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, which has five months left in its tenure.
Agrawal became the MLA from Samajwadi Party (SP) in 2017, later switched to the BJP. In 2019, SP sought his disqualification from the Assembly under the anti-defection law and was rejected by the Speaker. Article 178 contains the position for Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of a state. More than two years of constitution in 2019, the 17th Lok Sabha remains without a Deputy Speaker.

Notes:
International Union for Conservation (IUCN), Global conservation body alerted Assam government on the threats faced by Bengal florican.
As per IUCN, Development activities and the state government’s plan to set up a university at Kokilabari seed farm near Manas National Park in Assam has posed a threat to the Bengal florican. IUCN urged that the Kokilabari seed farm, which is a haven for the Bengal florican, should be protected by declaring it a community reserve.

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:
Bangladesh has announced that it would present its “climate prosperity plan” at the upcoming UN Climate Conference at Glasgow.
Bangladesh is considered prone to extreme weather and rising ocean levels. The plans aim to lessen the effects of climate change on the economy. It also seeks to boost renewable energy, make agriculture more resistant to climate shocks and restore mangroves to protect coasts from cyclones.