Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2020

Notes:
Major technology company Microsoft has unveiled the latest edition of its Security Endpoint Threat Report 2019.
As per the report, India has been placed among the countries with the highest cryptocurrency mining encounters in the last year. India registered the seventh highest malware encounter rate in the past year and the third highest ransomware encounter rate across the Asia-Pacific region.

Notes:
China is celebrating the completion of its BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), which is seen as a competitor to the U.S. Global Positioning System.
After the 55th and final satellite that was launched last month started operating, the Chinese President Xi Jinping formally commissioned the system. The satellite is a part of the third sequence of the BeiDou system.

Notes:
India has recently imposed restrictions on the import of Colour Television sets, in an effort to promote its domestic production.
The import of the TV sets was freed from previous restrictions two decades ago and since then there has been no amendments in the import policy. Now the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) notified to change the policy from free to ‘restricted’. However, there is no restriction on importing monochrome TVs.

Notes:
World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated during the first week of August (August 1-7) across the world in many countries.
The campaign was initially organised by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) in association with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF in 1992. The week also marks the signing of the Innocenti Declaration. The theme of this year is “Support breastfeeding for a healthier planet”.

Notes:
Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Harsh Vardhan launched a national- level programme named ‘Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan’ 2020-21.
This initiative aims to promote scientific temper among school students of Class 6 to 11. It is jointly organised by Vijnana Bharati, in collaboration with Vigyan Prasar, an autonomous organisation under Science and Technology Ministry and NCERT of Education Ministry. It identifies and trains bright students with interest in Science.

Notes:
Mohamed Irfaan Ali has been sworn in as the new President of the South American country Guyana, five months after the General Elections.
The 40-year-old former housing minister and lawmaker will succeed the previous President David Granger. After several allegations in the elections, the opposition candidate has been selected by the Election Commission.

Notes:
As per the Health Minister of Lebanon, at least 137 people were killed and more than 5000 people were wounded in a massive blast by seized explosives stored at its port.
An estimated 2,750 metric tons of the explosive ammonium nitrate stored at a warehouse in its port allegedly exploded. The government declared the capital of Lebanon, Beirut a ‘disaster city’ and imposed a two-week state of emergency.

Notes:
The Government of India has abolished All India Handicrafts Board, as per the recent notification of the Textiles Ministry.
The Board was constituted on January 23, 1992 under the chairmanship of the Union Textiles Minister. It has Secretaries in Ministries of Rural development and Micro small & medium enterprises and various states as members. It had been advising the Government on creation of development programmes in the handicrafts and handloom sectors.

Notes:
The San Giorgio Bridge, that has been found in news, was inaugurated in Genoa, one of the largest cities in Italy.
Designed by the world-famous architect Renzo Piano, the bridge is the replacement for the Morandi Bridge that collapsed in a storm two years ago in Italy. The 1,100-metre-long motorway bridge was inaugurated by the Italian prime minister.

Notes:
In the recently held Parliamentary Elections of Sri Lanka, the Sri Lanka People’s Freedom Alliance led by the ruling party has secured a landslide victory.
The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) has secured around 60% of the total votes polled and a two-thirds majority. Mahinda Rajapaksa is to be sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Sri Lank and he is the elder brother of the Sri Lankan President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa.