Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2020

Notes:
The multilateral military exercise named Kavkaz 2020 (Caucasus-2020) is to be held in Astrakhan, Southern Russia.
The strategic exercise also includes participants from many other countries including China and Pakistan and other member-states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). Indian contingent includes 150 Army personnel and a small contingent from the Navy and Air Force.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced a phased restraint on the import of as many as 101 products of Defence equipment.
This decision has been announced on the lines of the Prime Minister’s Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) initiative. As the Armed Forces will procure those items from Indian Defence Manufacturers, it will provide more opportunities and increased jobs.

Notes:
A set of 10 ventilators were gifted by the Indian Army to the Army of Nepal in order to support Nepal tackle Covid-19. The ventilators were handed over by the Indian Ambassador to Nepal to the Nepal Army Chief.
The ventilators are to be deployed for a broad range of applications and advanced respiratory support. They are compact in size and are portable for using in intensive care. This assistance is a part of the humanitarian assistance and relief operations of the Indian Army.

Notes:
The Supreme Court of India ruled that the daughters cannot be deprived of their right of equality and they will have equal coparcenary rights in joint Hindu family property even if the father died before the Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005.
The daughters will have the right to inherit their ancestral property with retrospective effect with similar rights and liabilities as sons hold. Coparcener refers to a person who assumes a legal right in parental property by birth.

Notes:
China has initiated a new campaign to reduce food waste, called the “Clean Plate Campaign 2.0”.
The campaign has been implemented after the Chinese President Xi Jinping highlighted that Covid-19 had created an alarming situation on food waste. The first version of Clean Plate Campaign was launched in 2013 which aimed at restricting excessive official feasts and receptions.

Notes:
Paytm Money, a leading Indian e-commerce payment system and financial technology company has launched Stock Trading services on its platform.
It has launched the service in its beta version of Paytm Money App initially. The cash delivery trades are free on the application with minimal charge for intraday charges. It also permits a fully digital KYC and paperless accounting process.

Notes:
The state of Assam has proposed to launch a Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme named “Arunodoi”.
This scheme will be launched in lines with the flagship DBT scheme Jan Dhan Yojana. This is claimed as the largest DBT scheme of Assam till date. The scheme also called as Orunodoi, seeks to transfer Rs 830 per month to around 19.7 lakh families. The main beneficiaries of the scheme will be women.

Notes:
The Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) was launched by the Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, through an online webinar.
The NIIO has a 3-tier structure and it enables the users to interact with academia and industry, to achieve innovation and indigenisation in Defence. As per the Draft Defence Acquisition Policy 2020, Defence Service headquarters should establish an Innovation & Indigenisation Organisation within existing resources.

Notes:
Russia and Brazil have decided to cooperate in the production and marketing of Sputnik V, the world’s first registered coronavirus vaccine.
The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RIDF) announced that it has entered into the agreement with Brazilian State of Parana. RIDF is organising the production of the vaccine and its distribution in Brazil and other American countries.

Notes:
The Anti Drone System, developed by Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) has been deployed at Delhi in the Independence Day celebrations.
The system can capture drone movements and jam them up to a distance of 3 km. The system can also bring down a target up to 2.5 km using laser. It is seen as an efficient mechanism to counter drone based anti-national activities.