Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2021

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 Central banks in Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and South Africa are set to conduct a cross border payments trial using different central bank digital currencies (CBDC).
• Bank of International Settlement (BIS) Innovation Hub is leading the scheme.
• This latest project aims to develop prototype shared platforms for cross-border transactions using multiple CBDCs
• Another BIS-led project exploring using CBDCs for cross border payments is also underway involving central banks from China, Hong Kong, Thailand and the UAE.

Notes:

• India’s Ministry of Defence has signed a project agreement with the US Department of Defence for cooperation in the development of air-launched unmanned aerial vehicle (ALUAV).
• This Project Agreement for ALUAV is under the overall framework of the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI).
• It also includes the collaboration between Air Force Research Laboratory, Indian Air Force, and DRDO in the process of co-developing an ALUAV Prototype

Notes:
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ICAR-Indian Institute of Millet Research (ICAR-IIMR).

This is expected to boost value addition and farmers’ income and for increasing exports. MoU also seeks to create market linkages with farmers as well as Farmer Producers Organizations. A joint coordination committee with representatives from APEDA and ICAR-IIMR would also be set up.

Notes:
The state government of Arunachal Pradesh has launched 2 schemes named Atma Nirbhar Krishi Yojna and Atma Nirbhar Bagwani Yojna. AtmaNirbhar Krishi Yojna is an agri sector scheme while Atma Nirbhar Bagwani Yojna is a horticulture scheme.

The government has allocated a total sum of Rs. 120 crores for these two schemes, Rs.60 crores for each of the schemes.

Notes:
Indian Navy’s Offshore Patrol Vessel INS Savitri arrived Chattogram harbour, Bangladesh, carrying two 960 LPM (Litres Per Minute) Medical Oxygen Plants (MOP) to support the ongoing efforts of the Bangladesh in tackling Covid-19.

The MOPs were developed and manufactured by DRDO in India. The ship is also scheduled to participate in a Maritime Partnership Exercise with BN ship on departure from the Chattogram port.

Notes:
Carlos Alcaraz recently became the youngest player in the Open era to reach the quarter-finals of the US men’s tournament.

The 18-year-old Spaniard beat Germany’s Peter Gojowczyk in five sets. He is eight days younger than Andre Agassi when the American reached the 1988 U.S. Open quarter-finals and semi-finals. He is also the youngest to reach this stage in New York since Thomaz Koch of Brazil did in 1963.

Notes:
Some 28% of the 1,38,374 species assessed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for its survival watch list are now at high risk of vanishing forever. The IUCN World Conservation Congress 2020 is being held in Marseille, France from September 3 to 11, 2021. Habitat loss, over-exploitation and illegal trade have hammered global wildlife populations for decades, and climate change is now kicking in as a direct threat as well as reported by the IUCN. The event was originally scheduled in June, 2020 but was rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Notes:
UCO Bank has partnered with Finwizard Technology, which runs Fisdom, to offer wealth management products and services via its mBanking Plus App. Under this collaboration, customers of UCO bank can make seamless investments in mutual funds via its mBanking Plus App. Kolkata-based UCO Bank is one of the leading public sector banks in India with over 3 crore customers Currently, the bank has around 22,000 employees and 3,069 pan India branches with overseas presence in Hong Kong, Singapore and Iran.

Notes:
International Day to Protect Education from Attack is observed globally on 9th September. The first ever International Day to Protect Education from Attack was observed on 9th September, 2020. This day is also observed to spread awareness about the difficulties faced by those children living in countries which are affected by military conflicts. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness of the importance of protecting schools as a protective and safe place for students and educators, and the need to put education at the top of the public agenda.