Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2020

Notes:
Leading stock exchange, the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) announced that it has signed a pact with private sector bank Yes Bank to empower the small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
As per the BSE, the agreement aims to empower SMEs listed on the platform, through awareness and knowledge-sharing programmes, for export promotion and banking and financial solutions. The bank will also offer customised services and products to the listed SMEs.

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:
The World Health Organization has announced that the body along with its leading partners to make available 120 million rapid-diagnostic tests for Covid-19.
The programme aims to help lower and middle-income countries in bridging the gap in testing process, though they are not funded. ‘WHO’ aims to provide the rapid diagnostic tests at five US Dollars apiece.

Notes:
The President of United States of America Donald Trump has announced its plans to distribute 150 million “15 minute” rapid Covid-19 test kits in the coming weeks.
Out of these 50 million test kits would be used for most vulnerable communities of the country, like nursing homes, assisted living facilities etc.

Notes:
SBI Cards and American Express have entered into a strategic partnership. This partnership will allow SBI Card’s premium products – SBI Card ELITE and SBI Card PRIME to be available on American Express global network.
It would offer enhanced premium experience to the customers of SBI Cards like complimentary domestic lounge program, access to VIP upgrades and privileges at hotels, restaurants and retail outlets around the world.

Notes:
NITI Aayog and the Embassy of the Netherlands, New Delhi recently signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) on ‘Decarbonization and Energy Transition Agenda’.
Under this partnership, NITI Aayog and the Dutch Embassy aim to create innovative technological solutions to accommodate cleaner energy. It also aims to lower the net carbon footprint, to promote bio-energy technologies among others.

Notes:
The Environment Minister of France has announced that it would impose a gradual ban on using wild animals including bears, tigers, lions and elephants in circuses.
It also includes the ban on keeping dolphins and killer whales in captivity in marine parks and raising mink on fur farms. However, the ban does not apply to wild animals in other permanent shows and in zoos.

Notes:
International Translation Day is an international day celebrated annually on 30 September across the world.
The day is celebrated the feast of St. Jerome, the Bible translator who is considered the patron saint of translators. The celebrations have been led by International Federation of Translators, since it was set up in the year 1953.

Notes:
India’s Sehgal Foundation has emerged as a co-runner up of the USA’s “Citizen Diplomacy Award”. The institution has been selected for its human rights and women empowerment work in rural India.
The Department of States – Bureau of Global Public Affairs of USA, launched the Citizen Diplomacy Award in 2017 to recognize significant contributions by citizens and organizations to deepen USA’s foreign policy around the world.

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.