Current Affairs Quiz-September, 2020

Notes:
Indian Economy has contracted by 23.9% in the Q1 of FY 2020-21 compared to the same quarter of previous FY. This is supposed to be the worst performance since quarterly measurement began in 1996.
The prime reason for economic slowdown and contraction is the COVID 19 pandemic and the nationwide lockdown that followed it.

Notes:
Union Foreign affairs minister S Jaishankar held a virtual meeting with his Nigerian counterpart Geoffrey Onyeama.
The discussion focussed on India-Nigeria bilateral relations in Maritime security and co-operation. They also discussed on collaboration on political Security, Economic and Defence security. India is Nigeria’s largest trading partner and Nigeria is India’s largest trading partner in Africa.

Notes:
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has released Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) operation of Metro Trains in the country.
The metro services are set to restart from 7th September. It has been directed that wearing of face mask is mandatory for all passengers and staff. In order to ensure social distancing, markings at stations and inside trains will also be done.

Notes:
The lawmakers of Tunisia have approved Hichem Mechichi as the country’s new Prime Minister. Mechichi and his proposed government won a confidence vote, after a long debate.
Earlier, the 46-year-old former Minister explained how his government would bring the country out of the economic and social crisis. This is the third Government of Tunisia since October and the ninth since the revolution held in 2011.

Notes:
The Very-large Crude Carrier (VLCC), that was hired by state-owned Indian Oil Corp. (IOC’s) Paradip refinery, caught fire off the eastern coast of Sri Lanka.
The oil tanker of the Carrier, New Diamond was carrying crude for Indian Oil’s Paradip refinery from Kuwait. The Panama- registered was hired by IOC for carrying 270,000 thousand tonnes of crude oil. Indian Coast Guard sent three ships and a Dornier aircraft for fire-fighting.

Notes:
The state Government of Karnataka has approved a new Information Technology (IT) policy 2020-25.
The new policy is expected to help the state in retaining and leveraging its position in Information Technology segment. Through the policy, the state aims to achieve 1 trillion-dollar digital economy and create 6 million job opportunities.

Notes:
The Indian Institute of Public Administration is a Research and training organization under the Union Ministry of Personnel. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu is the ex-officio President of IIPA.
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) and Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) has recently organized a two-day ‘National Tribal Research Conclave’ through virtual platform chaired by the Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Shri Arjun Munda.

Notes:
The third annual Indo-Pacific Business Forum is to be held in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam on October 28 and 29, 2020.
The United States Government will sponsor the forum, in collaboration with the Government of Vietnam, the US-ASEAN Business Council and others trade associations. The main focus will be on Infrastructure, Digital economy, Market connectivity, health and economic recovery.

Notes:
The International Literacy Day was observed on September 8 every year, across the world. The first International Literacy Day was declared at the UNESCO General Conference in 1966.
The day aims to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals and communities around the world. The theme of this year’s International Day focusses on “Literacy teaching and learning in the Covid-19 crisis and beyond.”

Notes:
The Indira Gandhi Peace Prize 2019 was conferred to the British broadcaster David Attenborough. The price was conferred to him in a virtual event by former Indian PM Manmohan Singh.
The “Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development” was instituted in 1986 and is awarded to individuals / institutions who work to achieve international peace. It consists of a monetary award of Rs.25 lakh along with a citation.