Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2021

Notes:

• Shanti Lal Jain has been appointed as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Indian Bank.
• He was earlier serving as the Executive Director of the Bank of Baroda.
• Jain will replace Padmaja Chunduru, whose term ends on August 31, 2021.
• His tenure of three years would start from September 1, and will be extendable for another two years or until attaining the age of superannuation, whichever is earlier.

Notes:

• Paris, the capital city of France has introduced a speed limit just 30 kph in nearly all streets of the city.
• It’s the latest initiative by the city as an effort to tackle climate change.
• It is also aimed at reducing accidents and making Paris more pedestrian-friendly.
• The Paris city government has already restricted vehicle traffic on several streets and increased the number of bike lanes.

Notes:

• Navies of India and Germany carried out a joint exercise, in Gulf of Aden near Yemen.
• The exercise included helicopter landings and search and seizure operations.
• The Indian Navy’s frigate ‘INS Trikand’ exercised with German frigate ‘Bayern’ in the Gulf of Aden.
• INS Trikand is currently deployed in the Gulf of Aden region for anti-piracy patrol.

Notes:

• The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has recently declared that the use of leaded petrol has been eradicated from the globe.
• This is seen as a major milestone in safeguarding human lives and environment, since this is expected to prevent 1.2 million premature deaths globally.
• Lead is added to low quality petrol to increase its octane number and hence enhance engine performance.

Notes:

• Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu appointed Dr. Parasaram Pattabhi Kesava Ramacharyulu as the new Secretary General of the Rajya Sabha.
• Ramacharyulu has been working as Secretary in the Rajya Sabha Secretariat since 2018.
• He succeeds Desh Dipak Verma, who demitted office after serving for four years in the post.
• As per the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, Ramacharyulu is the first ever Upper House employee to have reached the Secretary General’s post.

Notes:

• Slovenia currently holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union.
• External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Slovenian President Borut Pahor and discussed the challenges facing India and the European Union.
• The Minister is set to visit Slovenia, Croatia and Denmark to boost bilateral ties and strengthen India’s cooperation with the EU.
• Slovenia has invited Jaishankar to attend the informal meeting of the foreign ministers of the EU states.
• Jaishankar will also attend the Bled Strategic Forum (BSF) being held in Slovenia.

Notes:

• The Fukutoku-Okanoba volcano, is situated in Japan.
• It is located at about 80 feet below the sea, five kilometres north of Japan’s South Iwo Jima Island.
• As per the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the underwater volcano that exploded in the Pacific Ocean, mid-August, poses a risk to the passage of planes and ships.
• This is regarded as unusual as the eruptions from submarine volcanoes did not reach the height that the plume did.

Notes:

• The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released the Atlas of Mortality and Economic Losses from Weather, Climate and Water Extremes (1970–2019).
• As per the report, every third death (35 per cent) from extreme weather, climate or water stress in half a century was in Africa.
• The African continent accounts for only 17 per cent of global population.
• Four droughts (1973 and 1983 in Ethiopia, 1981 in Mozambique and 1983 in Sudan) were responsible for 89 per cent of the total deaths in Africa from weather, climate and water extremes in the last 50 years.
• Almost 99 per cent of all reported deaths occurred in low-to-lower-middle-income countries in Africa.

Notes:

• Indian shooter Avani Lekhara became the first Indian woman to win two Paralympic medals.
• She won the 50m Rifle 3 Position SH1 bronze to add to the Gold she had won earlier in the Games.
• The 19-year-old Lekhara had become the first Indian woman to win a Paralympic gold after she topped the 10m air rifle standing SH1 event.
• Joginder Singh Sodhi was the only Indian to win multiple medals in the same edition of the Games when he got one silver and two bronze medals in the 1984 Paralympics.

Notes:
Thailand Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha won votes of confidence in Parliament, which would help him to steady his government. The Government has been facing criticism in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Prayuth and his government had survived two other no-confidence debates since the 2019 general election. Pro-democracy activists have been opposing his policies have been seeking his resignation since last year.