Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2020

Notes:
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has operationalized an advanced high-resolution air quality early warning system for the national capital named ENFUSER (Environmental Information Fusion Service).
Another model has also been made operationalized for the rest of the country. IMD has also improved the air quality forecast model ‘System for Integrated Modelling of Atmospheric Composition (SILAM)’, by implementing global emission inventories.

Notes:
Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has virtually launched the ‘ KAPILA’ Kalam Program for Intellectual Property Literacy and Awareness campaign.
Under the initiative, of higher educational institutions will be made aware of the application process for patenting their invention. It has been launched on the 89th birth anniversary of former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, also celebrated as ‘National Innovation Day’, across the country.

Notes:
The Ministry of Finance has authorised State Bank of India (SBI) to issue and encash Electoral Bonds. These bonds would be made available through SBI’s 29 Authorized Branches from 19th October to 28th of October this year. The is the 14th phase of sale.
Electoral Bonds will be valid for fifteen calendar days from the date of issue and no payment will be made to any payee Political Party if the Electoral Bond is deposited after expiry of the validity period.

Notes:
A naval version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was successfully test-fired from INS Chennai.
The missile was fired from the indigenously built stealth destroyer of the Indian Navy in the Arabian Sea. It hit the target accurately after performing extremely complex operations. The missile can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft or from land platforms.

Notes:
As per the recent statement of the Solvent Extractors’ Association (SEA) of India, the import of edible oils to the country reduced by 12 per cent in the first 11 months (November to September) of the oil year 2019-20.
The oil year ranges from November to October. India imported 11.95 million tonnes of edible oil during November-September of 2019-20 as against 13.58 million tonnes during the corresponding period of 2018-19.

Notes:
The ‘National Deworming Day’ was launched in the year 2015 in India. As per the recent statement of the Health Ministry, 14 states have shown a reduction in worm infections present among children.
Nine states showed a substantial decline in worm infections. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), the day seeks to eliminate worm infestation among children and adolescents living in areas with a high soil-transmitted helminthiases (STH) burden.

Notes:
The UN trade and development body, UNCTAD has revealed that the export growth declined in India in the third quarter of 2020 relative to the same quarter last year.
However, in September the export growth rose by four per cent. UNCTAD also estimates that the value of global trade to contract by 7 per cent to 9 per cent with respect to 2019.

Notes:
23rd October of every year is celebrated as World’s Snow Leopard Day. This day is observed to protect and conserve snow leopards and other wild animals of the Himalayas.
Snow Leopards are distributed across 12 countries in central Asia. They generally live in high altitudes of 3000 to 4500m. This day was first proclaimed at the Global Snow Leopard Forum at Bishkek, Kyrgyztan.

Notes:
Maharashtra became the third state in the country to curtail the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) powers in the state. The state withdrew its general consent agreement with the CBI agency.
Hence forth CBI has to seek permission from the Government of Maharashtra for every case it has to investigate. A similar move was earlier done by Rajasthan and West Bengal.

Notes:
A recent study on the Himalayan brown bear by scientists of Zoological Survey of India, has forecast that there is a decline in their suitable habitat, due to climate change.
The study has urged scientists to suggest an adaptive planning of protected area network in the western Himalayas, to conserve the Himalayan brown bear species (Ursus arctos isabellinus).