Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2020

Notes:
A 10-member Technical Response Team and 30 tons of Technical Equipment are sent by India to assist Mauritius in its effort to contain oil spill. This has been done in response to the request by the Government of Mauritius.
A Japanese ship named MV Wakashio, ran aground at Pointe d’Esny of Mauritius last month and oil began leaking from it. It is estimated that more than 1000 tons of oil leaked from the ship. Government of Mauritius has announced this as a National Emergency.

Notes:
A new strain of coronavirus has been detected in Malaysia which is found to be 10 times more infectious than the existing Corona virus.
The mutated form of the virus called D614G was found in 3 of the 45 cases in a test cluster. The detection of new strain has implied that studies on COVID 19 vaccines may be incomplete or ineffective against the mutation. WHO has explained that the new strain will not cause a more severe disease.

Notes:
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has recently released ‘National Cancer Registry Programme Report 2020’.
As per the report, the number of people affected by cancer could increase by 12% in the next five years. By 2025, around 1.5 million people are estimated to suffer from the disease, increased from 1.39 million in 2020. Tobacco-related cancers find the major portion in the list.

Notes:
“Swadeshi Microprocessor Challenge” has been launched by the Government of India to promote indigenous microprocessor manufacturing and designing.
100 shortlisted companies will be given grant to build their prototype. 25 finalists will win Rs.1 crore each. The top ten teams will get a fund of total Rs.2.30 crore with 12-month incubation support, from the Ministry of Information Technology.

Notes:
Every year, August 19 is observed as the World Humanitarian Day by the United Nations (UN), to commemorate humanitarian workers killed and injured in the course of their work.
This year, the UN has initiated a global conversation / campaign -to thank #RealLifeHeroes to celebrate the humanitarians who have committed their lives to help others. The day marks the 2003 bomb attack killing 22 people, including the Iraqi chief humanitarian, Sergio Vieira de Mello.

Notes:
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has launched its wholly-owned subsidiary, NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL).
The company aims to popularise NPCI’s domestic payments technologies such as UPI and RuPay in other countries and co-create payment technologies with them. NPCI has appointed Ritesh Shukla as the Chief Executive Officer of NIPL.

Notes:
Joe Biden has accepted the nomination of the Democratic Party for Presidential Candidature. Joe Biden is the former Vice President of USA and is 77 years old.
Joe Biden served as the 47th Vice president of the United States from 2009 to 2017 and as the United States Senator from Delaware from 1973 to 2009. The Presidential elections in the USA are scheduled to be held on November 3, 2020.

Notes:
The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 August as the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism.
The day is observed to honour and support the victims and survivors of terrorism. It also strives to promote and protect their human and fundamental rights. This year, the UN held a virtual commemoration of the 3rd International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism.

Notes:
Karnataka has announced that it would be the first state to implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
The Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka participated in the ‘Highlights of the National Education policy and its implementation’ workshop. He announced that the state has started to launch administrative reforms and amendments to implement the policy.

Notes:
The state of Kerala is set to host the first-ever State Dragonfly Festival named ‘Thumbimahotsavam 2020’.
This is a part of the National Dragonfly festival being organised by the WWF India, Bombay Natural History Society & Indian Dragonfly Society. It also involves the collaboration of NBB, UNDP, UNEP and IUCN- CEC. The official mascot of the festival is named ‘Pantalu’.