Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2021

Notes:
Nabard has recently entered into a MoU with the Assam government for facilitation of Rs 13,200 crore infrastructure projects in the state over a period of three years.
NABARD has also sanctioned Rs 608 crore for different infrastructure projects in rural areas in Assam. The infrastructure projects include rural roads, rural bridges, flood protection projects and soil conservation projects under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) – XXVII.

Notes:
NASA has selected a new space telescope proposal to study the recent history of star birth, star death, and formation of chemical elements in the Milky Way.
The gamma-ray telescope, called the Compton Spectrometer and Imager (COSI), is set to be launched in 2025 as NASA’s latest small astrophysics mission. COSI will study gamma rays from radioactive atoms produced when massive stars exploded. It will also probe the origin of our galaxy’s positrons, also known as antielectrons.

Notes:
Konkan Shakti 2021 is the first-ever tri-services joint exercise between India and the UK. The week-long exercise has begun recently.
The exercise will be a platform to share each other’s experiences and to showcase the cooperation between the two countries. The maritime component of the exercise will be conducted off India’s west coast and the Harbour phase will be held in Mumbai. The land phase of the exercise will be held at Chaubatia in Uttarakhand.

Notes:
Barbados has elected its first-ever president Sandra Mason to replace Britain’s Queen Elizabeth as head of state.
Barbados is a former British colony that gained independence in 1966 but had maintained ties with the British monarchy. There have been calls from across the country for full sovereignty and homegrown leadership. Sandra Mason was a former jurist who has been governor-general of the country since 2018.

Notes:
China has passed a new Education Law to reduce students’ homework and off-school tutoring. It aims to strike a balance between academics, rest and physical education.
China has been making large efforts to exercise strict controls over the citizens’ personal and social lives. There have been several legislations to limit the time kids and youth spend on playing video games.

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.

Notes:
National Small Matchbox Manufacturers Association announced that from December 1, the price of a matchbox would be increased to Rs 2 from the present Rs 1.
The proposed price increase comes after a gap of 14 years, as the price of raw materials have increased leading to a jump in cost of production. The raw materials include red phosphorous, wax, pottasium chlorate and splints (sticks). Fuel price led transportation cost is also a factor. Consumers will get more matchsticks up from 36 to 50 per box.

Notes:
Kittur Chennamma was the Queen of Kittur, a princely state in present-day Karnataka. She was one of the first Indian rulers to lead an armed revolt against the British East India Company in 1824, protesting the Doctrine of Lapse, introduced by Lord Dalhousie
Every year in the month of October since 1824, ‘Kittur Utsava’ has been observed to commemorate Kittur Rani Chennamma’s rebellion. The leader’s anniversary was observed recently.

Notes:
Italy has been holding the presidency of the G-20 since December last year and the 16th G-20 Summit is scheduled to be held in Rome from October 30-31.
Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi will be participating in the 16th G-20 Summit in Rome, at the invitation of Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi. He would also attend the World Leaders’ Summit of COP-26, at Glasgow, UK.

Notes:
Climate Vulnerability Index has been recently released by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW).
As per the report, over 80 per cent Indians live in districts vulnerable to climate risks. It also states that Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Bihar are states which are most vulnerable to extreme climate events such as floods, droughts and cyclones in India.