Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2020

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended a first virtual summit with his counterpart of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen.
As per the joint statement, the new ‘Green strategic partnership’ will be based on existing Joint Commission for Cooperation for cooperation in various fields including politics, energy, environment and education.

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:
Famous Actor Sonu Sood has been conferred with “SDG Special Humanitarian Action Award” by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The award has been conferred upon him for his selfless assistance rendered to migrants, stranded students abroad and bring them back to India. He also opened his hotel in Mumbai for health care workers of nearby hospitals.

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:
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:
Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), Govt. of India has initiated an anti-dumping probe against two products imported from China.
The probe has been initiated against the import of Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) Blends (used in refrigerators and air conditioners) and Decor Paper. The probe has been initiated by DGRT after SRF Ltd and ITC Ltd have filed applications seeking investigation on dumping of the two products.

Notes:
Singapore based sovereign wealth fund GIC and global private equity firm TPG Capital have invested a total of Rs. 7,350 crores in Reliance Retail.
Reliance Retail Ventures has attracted more than USD 2 billion in investments from global investors, over the past few months. GIC will invest for a 1.22 percent stake while TPG Capital Management will invest for a 0.41 percent equity stake.

Notes:
The National Stock Exchange of India Ltd (NSE) has completed its live trading and other business operations from a Disaster Recovery (DR) site.
As per a release from NSE, all commercial operations of the exchange were executed from the DR site which is located in another city, which is a replica of the main production site located in Mumbai. After successful testing of the DR site, the operations were reverted to the original site.

Notes:
India and South Africa has formally submitted a request to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and sought a waiver on agreements related to prevent Covid-19.
The countries claimed that there were many reports about Intellectual property rights (IPR) hindering timely provisioning of affordable medical products to COVID-19 patients. Many Developing countries face difficulties while using TRIPS Agreement.

Notes:
The authorities of Saudi Arabia have announced that the Umrah pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca has been resumed.
Due to the spread of Covid-19, Saudi Arabia had earlier suspended the pilgrimage for foreign and domestic Muslims in March. The country has decided to open up the pilgrimage in gradual phases with precaution, depending upon the pandemic’s spread.