Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2021

Notes:
Global terror financing watchdog Financial Action Task Force (FATF) retained Pakistan on its ‘Grey List’ of countries.
FATF also announced that three new countries: Turkey, Jordan, and Mali have also been added to the Grey List. FATF affirmed that Pakistan is cooperating and only four action items remain to be completed. In June this year, FATF had retained Pakistan on its ‘Grey List’ for failing to check money laundering, leading to terror financing.

Notes:
India has become the top source of Chinese rice imports during January-August this year. The shipments during the month of August alone accounted for 45 per cent of the total imports.
This data has been released in the USDA’s Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report on China’s rice prices. It said Indian rice made up 23 per cent of total imports by China during January-August this year.

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:
A statistical analysis conducted by Mumbai-based International Institute for Population Studies shows that life expectancy in India has dropped by two years due to Covid-19 pandemic.
According to IIPS, the life expectancy at birth for men and women has declined from 69.5 years and 72 years in 2019 to 67.5 years and 69.8 respectively in 2020. The study also found out that the Covid mortality was reported to be the highest for men in the age group of 35-69.

Notes:
Goa has been complimented for achieving ODF (Open defecation free) status and connecting every household with electricity. Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur congratulated Goa for this achievement.
He also highlighted that Goa provided tap water to every household under Har Ghar Jal Mission and it has become the first state to achieve the feat. Goa has also achieved 100 per cent target in providing free ration to the poor and needy as well as 100 per cent first dose vaccination.

Notes:
The Group of Seven wealthy nations agreed on a collective set of principles to govern cross-border data use and digital trade.
The deal is expected to bridge the highly regulated data protection rules used in European countries and the more open methods of the United States. Trade ministers from the G7 reached agreement at a meeting held recently in London.

Notes:
The Indian Navy’s first training squadron arrived in Sri Lanka on a mission aimed at exposing young officers to overseas deployments and aspects of maritime diplomacy.
The training squadron comprises seven indigenously built ships— Indian Naval Ships Tir, Sujata, Magar, Shardul, Coast Guard ship Vikram and two sail training ships INS Sudarshini and INS Tarangini, from the Southern Naval Command (SNC) headquartered in Kochi, Kerala.

Notes:
The regional association BIMSTEC will adopt the connectivity master plan which includes 267 projects worth USD 124 billion in its upcoming summit at Colombo.
The Secretary-General of BIMSTEC Tenzin Lekphell said that BIMSTEC Charter will also be signed during the summit. Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a regional organization. Set up in 1997, it includes seven member states Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand.

Notes:
The Supreme Court recently set up an expert panel to investigate whether the Centre used the Pegasus spyware to snoop on citizens.
The three-member expert panel, overseen by retired Supreme Court judge R.V. Raveendran, will also find out details of people targeted by the military-grade Israeli spyware. This was announced by the bench, headed by Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana.

Notes:
The Indian Army celebrated the 75th Infantry Day on 27th October 2021. This day commemorates the operation launched by Independent India against Pakistan’s aggression in Jammu & Kashmir in 1947.
This day seeks to remember the sacrifices made by the Indian Army Jawans to defend the nation against foreign infiltrations and agitations.