Daily CurrentTitle Affairs Capsule th Title 24 October 2020

Mole Day: 23 October

The Mole Day is celebrated every year on 23 October from 6:02 a.m. to 6:02 p.m.

 It commemorates chemistry’s measuring unit called “Avogadro’s Number” (6.02 x 10²³)  For a given molecule, one mole is a mass (in grams) whose number is equal to the molar mass of the molecule.

United Nations Day: 24 October

October 24 has been celebrated as United Nations Day since 1948.

 The United Nations officially came into being after the signatory documents which includes the five permanent members of the Security Council.  The United Nations officially came into existence on 24 October 1945.  The year 2020 marks the 75th year of the UN's existence.  The theme for 2020 is 'The Future We Want, the UN We Need: Reaffirming our Collective Commitment to Multilateralism’.

World Development Information Day: 24 October

The United Nations celebrates World Development Information Day every year on October 24.

 The UN General Assembly in 1972 established the World Development Information Day to direct people’s attention toward developmental problems and the need to strengthen international cooperation to solve them.  The day aims to direct people’s attention toward developmental problems and the need to strengthen international cooperation to solve them.

US approves sale of weapons systems worth around 1.8 billion dollar to Taiwan

The US State Department has approved the sale of weapons systems worth around 1.8 billion dollar to Taiwan.

 The deal comprised three weapons systems, including rocket launchers, sensors and artillery.  Taiwan welcomed the decision and said the weapons will help improve its defensive capabilities to deal with the enemy threat and new situation.  China said that the arms deal will likely have a major impact on its relationship with the US.

Brazil's President Bolsonaro rejects purchase of coronavirus vaccine from China

Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro has decided to cancel the purchase of Coronavac, a COVID-19 vaccine in phase- 3 clinical trials by Chinese firm Sinovac.

 Both Brazil's President and Health Minister have been infected by a novel coronavirus.  Brazil has been among the world’s hardest-hit nations by the pandemic, with more than 5 million infections and more than 150,000 COVID-19 deaths.  Earlier, Bangladesh had rejected co-financing of the phase 3 trial of the Sinovac made Corona vaccine.

V Prez Venkaiah Naidu pays tributes to on his birth anniversary

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu paid tribute to the revolutionary freedom fighter Ashfaqulla Khan on his birth anniversary.

 The young freedom fighter is most widely known for the Kakori train robbery in 1925 and subsequent arrest with fellow Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) leader .  Ten other revolutionaries, along with Bismil and Khan, had conducted an armed robbery in the Kakori Express that was going from to .  Bismil and Khan were sentenced to death by hanging, along with Rajendra Lahiri and .

Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin gets nod for phase 3 clinical trials

India's indigenous COVID-19 vaccine candidate, COVAXIN, developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has received the nod for Phase-3 clinical trials in the country.

 The Subject Expert Committee which functions under the drug regulator Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has given approval for the last phase of clinical trials with certain conditions.

 In the Third Phase of trials, which is proposed to begin in the first week of next month, the potential vaccine candidate will be tested on over 28 thousand people aged 18 years and above.  These tests will be conducted across 10 states and 19 sites including Delhi, Mumbai, Patna and Lucknow among others.  Besides, Bharat Biotech's COVAXIN, another indigenously developed vaccine candidate by Zydus Cadila Limited is also in Phase -2 of human clinical trials.

AYUSH Minister inaugurates Regional Raw Drug Repository at AIIA

AYUSH Minister Shripad Yesso Naik inaugurated the Regional Raw Drug Repository at All India Institute of Ayurveda in New Delhi through a virtual function.

 This RRDR is the second in the series of repositories proposed by the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB).  There is an increased demand for the natural healing and herbal products across the globe which has been further pushed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.  In order to document the diversity in the genetics and chemistry of medicinal plants, eight RRDR and one NRDR have been proposed by the Ministry of AYUSH.

Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district bags top position for implementation of PMGSY

Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district has bagged top position among 30 districts of the country in successful implementation of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).

 Himachal Pradesh has also secured second position at the national level for construction of roads under PMGSY.  Union Ministry of Rural Development has declared the list of top performing 30 districts in the country for implementing the PMGSY programme.  Six more districts of Himachal Pradesh have also secured position among top 30 best performing districts, which include Chamba, Shimla, Kangra, Una, Sirmour, Hamirpur and Solan.

 PMGSY is a programme funded by the Union government to connect habitations having population of more than 250 in the state.

October 22: Black day for Jammu and Kashmir

In Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha said that October 22 will always remain a black day.

 On October 22, thousands of tribal invaders from Pakistan crossed into Kashmir overrunning outposts of Hari Singh’s state forces in Muzaffarabad, Domel and other places on the road to Srinagar.  The Kashmir forces were too small in number. Plus, the Muslim soldiers, who were in equal numbers with the Dogras in the force, joined hands with the raiders.  Pakistan maintained it had nothing to do with this invasion, but Indian military histories say the invasion was planned two months ahead by the Pakistan Army, and codenamed Operation Gulmarg.

UP cops to converse in regional dialects also on 112 helpline number

In a novel initiative of Uttar Pradesh government, police personnel will also converse in regional dialects on 112 police Help Line to the convenience of the rural population of the state.

 As part of this scheme, it has been decided to include Bhojpuri, Awadhi, Braj, Bundeli and other local dialects in the system.  The communication officers serving at the emergency services have been specially trained for this purpose and they can speak in many dialects including pahari and Bhojpuri.