Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2020

Notes:
The Konso cultural landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located in a dry, hilly environment at the edge of the Rift Valley in southern Ethiopia. It has always been a relatively isolated area of the country, where life has remained largely unchanged for at least 400 years. The people live in closely-packed communities of wood-and-mud built, thatched dwellings from which they travel out to their fields of millet on a daily basis. The local chief’s hilltop ‘Palace’ comprises a collection of dome-shaped thatched rooms, with covered meeting and work areas, all surrounded by a heavy wooden ‘stockade’ with narrow gates. In nearby forest clearings, collections of anthropomorphic statues are maintained, one group of them kept under a pagoda-style shelter.

Notes:
World Health Day was first established in 1999 by the World Heart Federation (WHF) in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO).
World Heart Day is annually observed on September 29 to raise public awareness about cardiovascular diseases and their prevention. The World Heart Federation asks people around the world to ‘Use Heart to Beat CVD’.

Notes:
Serum Institute of India (SII) has partnered with Gavi COVAX and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to produce an additional 100 million doses of the COVID 19 vaccine.
The vaccine is presently being tested by SII. The additional production is targeted at 61 Low- and Middle-Income countries, including India.

Notes:
Google India has recently announced the launch of its nationwide campaign named ‘Make Small Strong’.
It aims to help support small businesses and enhance demand through customer support. It encourages people to buy locally and promote their favourite retailers by posting reviews. This new programme is based on feedback from Small and Medium Businesses.

Notes:
As per the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, senior bureaucrat P D Vaghela has been named as the new Chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).
P D Vaghela was a 1986- batch Gujarat cadre IAS officer replaces R S Sharma, who has held the post since 2015. Vaghela is to hold will serve as TRAI Chairman for three years or till he attains the age of 65.

Notes:
Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited (MECL) has commenced the exploration of the Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) in Karnataka. MECL is a Mini Ratna PSU under the Ministry of Mines.
This mining activity is expected to help resolve Bharat Gold Mines Limited (BGML) issue over exploration of the gold field, which is pending for past 16 years.

Notes:
The (Indian Council of Medical Research) ICMR’s second sero-survey findings state that one in 15 individuals aged 10 years and above were estimated to be exposed to corona virus infection.
It shows that, there is a large section of population still susceptible to COVID-19. The report has also stated that containment and behavioural change among the people have effectively checked the potential spread of Covid 19.

Notes:
iDEX4Fauji is an initiative launched by the Ministry of Defence to identify innovations created by Indian Armed Forces personnel.
The initiative has been launched to reward innovations identified by members of the Armed Forces and will boost innovative ideas from soldiers/ field formations. The Minister also launched Defence India Startup Challenge-4.

Notes:
NITI Aayog has organized a two-day national-level consultation programme on natural farming from 29th to 30th September.
The programme aims to bring out the socio-economic and environmental benefits of natural farming and to boosting farming income. Central and state government officials, scientists and experts from agriculture universities participated in this event.

Notes:
The state Government of Rajasthan has decided to give 30% of the new Public Distribution System (PDS) shops to women.
The decision has been taken by the Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, to empower the women in the state. The state has also approved an additional budget of Rs.11 crore to “Sahyog Evam Uphar Yojna”, where financial assistance is provided to needy families for daughter’s marriage.