Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2020

Notes:
A book titled ‘Connecting, Communicating, Changing’ will be released by the Defence Minister at Delhi. It narrates the third year in Office of Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu. The e-version of the book would be released by Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar.
The book highlights the Vice President’s travel in India & abroad, his interaction with foreign nationals, world leaders and various sections of the Indian society including farmers, scientists, administrators, industry leaders and artists, among others.

Notes:
Russia has become the first country to register and approve the world’s first Covid-19 vaccine. It has named the vaccine as ‘Sputnik V’.
This has been named as a reference to the world’s first satellite sent by the country. Russia claims that is has received requests from more than 20 countries for 1 billion doses of its newly-registered Covid-19 vaccine.

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:
The President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has recently won a landslide re-election victory, as per the country’s central Election Commission.
As per the figures of the votes counted, around 80 per cent of the votes were secured by the President. His main rival Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, won over 9 per cent of the votes. At least one person was killed and dozens were injured in the clashes held during the elections.

Notes:
The “Union Home Minister’s Medal for Excellence in Investigation”, constituted by the Home Ministry, for the year 2020 has been awarded to 121 Police personnel.
This medal was constituted in the year 2018 by the Union Government with the aim to promote professional standards of investigation of crime. It also stands as a Reward of Excellence in Investigation by investigating officers.

Notes:
Gujarat-based Zydus Cadila launches the country’s cheapest version of Remdesivir, under the brand name Remdac.
The generic version of the medicine will be used for treating patients suffering from severe symptoms of Covid-19. A 100-mg vial has been priced at Rs 2800 and this the most economical medicine so far. It will be available across the country.

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:
A five-month time extension has been given by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) from 25th March 2020 to 24th August 2020 to all the Renewable Energy Projects under implementation.
The implementing agencies have been directed to treat COVID 19 as a “Force Majeure”. This move is followed by the representation from various implementing agencies demanding extension of time due to COVID 19-imposed national lockdown.

Notes:
Soumya Swaminathan, the Chief Scientist of World Health Organisation, was conferred with the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s special award, for her advisory role in fighting the COVID-19 in the state.
The Chief Minister’s Best Practices award was given to the Department of treasuries. Greater Chennai Corporation and Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation were also awarded for their significant roles in the fight against the pandemic.

Notes:
The United Nations Security Council has rejected a resolution made by the United States to extend a ban of Arms on Iran.
Only the Dominican Republic supported the proposal of the United States in the 15-member UN Security Council. Russia and China opposed the proposal while Germany, France, the UK and eight other member countries abstained from voting.