Current Affairs Quiz - November, 2020

Notes:
India and the European Union (EU) held the sixth round of consultations on disarmament and non-proliferation matters in a virtual format.
As per the statement issued by the Union External Affairs Ministry, the India and the EU exchanged developments in the area of nuclear, chemical, biological disarmament and non-proliferation. The consultations also focussed on outer space security issues, export control regimes among others.

Notes:
NITI Aayog has formed a high-level panel to explore the technological and commercial viability of the Virgin Hyperloop technology in India.
NITI Aayog member VK Saraswat has been named as the Chairman of the panel and Sudhendu Jyoti Sinha as its convener. The panel also includes Railway Board Chairman & CEO VK Yadav, DRDO Head, Director of IIT- Delhi among others.

Notes:
India and the United States of America has recently extended the Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation on nuclear energy for 10 more years.
In a joint statement issued by the two countries, this is the tenth year of cooperation between them at the Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership (GCNEP). The MoU was signed at New Delhi in the year 2010.

Notes:
India has recently announced the launch of Phase-IV of the High Impact Community Development Projects in Afghanistan.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced this during the 2020 Afghanistan Conference organized in Geneva, co-hosted by the United Nations, the Government of Afghanistan, and the Government of Finland. India would undertake over 100 projects worth 80 million dollars in Afghanistan.

Notes:
As per the recent report released by ‘Transparency International’, as many as 74 per cent of the respondents said corruption is one of the biggest problems in their country.
The report also highlighted that around 19 % paid a bribe in the last 12 months, to access public service and youngsters are more likely to pay a bribe or use personal connection to avail public service.

Notes:
Malayalam film Jallikattu, directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery, has been selected as India’s official entry for the 93rd Academy Awards, 2021.
It is also the third Malayalam film to be shortlisted for the Oscar Award. This film is based on writer S. Hareesh’s acclaimed story titled ‘Maoist’. As of now, only three Indian films Lagaan, Mother India and Salaam Bombay! have won the coveted award.

Notes:
UMANG App has completed three years since its launch. On the occasion, Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ravi Shankar Prasad launched the newly instituted UMANG Awards.
The awards will be presented for Departments of Centre and States, based on average transactions in the past six months. Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has been conferred with Platinum Partner Award for registering more than 25 lakh transactions on UMANG App.

Notes:
The Government of Madhya Pradesh has made a change in “Draft Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Bill 2020”. As per the revised draft, marriages for forcible religious conversions would be a punishable offence with a jail term of 10 years.
Earlier, the proposed bill contained that the term of jail would be 5 years. The Government is expecting to table the bill in the state assembly session to be held in December.

Notes:
The state Government of Kerala has announced a two-day mourning in the state, to mark respect for the Foot Ball legend Diego Maradona, who passed away recently.
Diego Maradona was a professional football player belonging to Argentina. He has won the most prestigious “FIFA Player of the 20th Century award” and is recognised as the greatest football players of all times.

Notes:
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) had organised a virtual meeting with importers of Germany to promote export of fresh fruits and vegetables from India. The event was organised in collaboration with Indian Embassy in Germany and German Agribusiness Alliance.
APEDA is an apex body under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry which regulates export of agricultural products in India.