Current Affairs Quiz - November, 2020

Notes:
China has successfully launched the Chang’e-5 lunar probe, to collect samples from the moon’s surface and return to earth.
In the country’s first attempt to retrieve materials from an extra-terrestrial body, the unmanned space mission was launched from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in the southern province of Hainan. The spacecraft was launched by a Long March-5 rocket.

Notes:
Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ravi Shankar Prasad launched the UMANG’s international version in coordination with Ministry of External Affairs for select countries including USA, UK, Canada, Australia, UAE, Netherlands, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.
An online conference was organized to mark the occasion of 3 years of UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) and a milestone of 2000 plus services. The app will help Indian international students, NRIs and Indian tourists to avail the services of the Government.

Notes:
According to the IMD, Cyclone Nivar is estimated to cross Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts and make landfalls in the evening on November 25.
The IMD also highlighted that the cyclone will cross as a severe cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 120-130 kmph strengthening up to 145 kmph. Over 1000 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) rescue personnel have been deployed in the state of Tamil Nadu and its neighbouring coastal areas.

Notes:
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has launched Sahakar Pragya, the 45 new training modules developed by the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC).
The modules will impart training to primary cooperative societies in rural areas of the country. The National Cooperative Development Corporation is a statutory Corporation, under the aegis of Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

Notes:
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Invest India has recently launched the SDG Investor Map for India.
UNDP highlighted 18 investment opportunities areas (IOAs), which are in 6 important SDG (sustainable development goals) enabling sectors including education, healthcare, agriculture among others. This is expected to bridge the SDG financing gap occurred due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Notes:
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by the Small Industries Development Bank of India (Sidbi) with the Tamil Nadu government to develop the ecosystem for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the state.
Under the MoU, Sidbi will deploy a project management unit (PMU) in the government of Tamil Nadu. It will undertake the process of designing the training and capacity-building programmes to be taken up by the state government in areas.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet of India chaired by the Prime Minister approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in the field of Physical Culture and Sport signed among BRICS Countries.
Under the MoU, the five countries will help each other in expanding expertise in the area of sports science, sports medicine, coaching techniques etc. This would also strengthen bilateral relations with BRICS member countries.

Notes:
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has recently launched a portal that will enable transgender persons to apply online for certification of their self-perceived gender identity.
Transgender persons can upload declaration of their gender identity, which will be the basis for their identity certificates to be issued by the district magistrate. The Minister opened ‘Garima Greh: A Shelter Home for Transgender Persons’ in Gujarat. The Ministry will open such homes in all states.

Notes:
Odisha is set to celebrate International Sand Art Festival, at its Chandrabhaga Beach starting from December 1, 2020.
The five-day Sand Art Festival festival also coincides with the Konark Festival that is held in the backdrop of the Sun temple in Konark. On account of Covid-19 restrictions, only Indian sand artists will showcase their art using sand, bronze or wood.

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.