Current Affairs (August – 2020)

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This post contains important current affairs of 1 August 2020. It includes all Major National, International, Business and Sports related current affairs of 1 August 2020. We have collected the latest current affairs and compiled them date wise. These current affairs are important for all competitive exams like bank, ssc, ibps, sbi exams. The GK current affairs will help you score more in these competitive exams. A brief explanation of every current affair is provided to further enhance your general knowledge. Once you have gone through these current affairs we would recommend to you to try 1 August 2020 Current affairs test.

1-7 August – World Breastfeeding Week
World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year from 1 to 7 August to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world. It commemorates the Innocenti Declaration signed in August 1990 by government policymakers, WHO, UNICEF and other organizations to protect, promote and support breastfeeding. The 2020 theme is “Support breastfeeding for a healthier planet”

WHO appreciates Covid-19 management model of Ahmedabad city
The Covid-19 management model of Ahmedabad city was appreciated by the World Health Organization. WHO scientist called the model worth emulating for other cities in the world. Various initiatives taken by Ahmedabad such as dhanvantari rath, 104 helpline, corona ghar seva.

Nitin Gadkari inaugurates upstream carriageway of Mahatma Gandhi bridge over river Ganga in Bihar
Road, Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the upstream carriageway of Mahatma Gandhi bridge over river Ganga in Bihar through video conference. Over 5.5 kilometres long, the four lane bridge lies on NH-19 between Patna and Hajipur. It is being constructed at a cost of one thousand 742 crore rupees. It involves replacement of the existing concrete superstructure of old bridge by new steel deck superstructure. The work on the bridge was started in June 2017.

Madhya Pradesh to begin ‘Ek Mask-Anek Zindagi’ public awareness campaign
Protection is the keyword to prevent corona infection and for that it is very important to wear a mask at all times. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also appealed to the people to wear masks and follow physical distance. Following the Prime Minister’s appeal, a public awareness campaign called ‘Ek Mask-Anek Zindagi’ means one mask-many lives will be conducted from August 1 till August 15 in many districts of Madhya Pradesh. The Mask Bank will also be established under the Ek Mask-Anek Zindgi Campaign. In this mask bank, masks will be collected from donors and distributed free of cost to the poor people.

Delhi Police prohibits flying of UAVs, hot air balloons till Independence Day
Delhi Police Commissioner S N Shrivastava issued an order prohibiting the flying of ‘sub-conventional aerial platforms’ like UAVs, paragliders, and hot air balloons in the national capital till August 15 citing security reasons.

PM Modi pays tribute to freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak on his 100th death anniversary
Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered Lokmanya Tilak on his 100th Punya Tithi. Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar too paid tributes to freedom fighter Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak on his death anniversary today. He remembered the social reformer as the one who pioneered and fought for the idea of self-rule as birthright for every Indian.

Govt to permit export of ventilators
Government has decided to permit exports of ventilators. The decision was taken as India continues to maintain a progressively declining low rate of case fatality of COVID-19 patients, which currently stands at 2.15 per cent. The Group of Ministers, GOM on COVID-19 has considered and agreed to the proposal of the Ministry allowing the export of Made-in-India ventilators.

Dr Harsh Vardhan launches ‘Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan 2020-21
Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan today launched ‘Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan, 2020-21. This initiative is a national programme for popularizing science among school students of Class 6th to 11th. It was designed to identify the bright minds with a scientific aptitude among the student community.

Ravi Shankar Prasad invites global mobile manufacturing stalwarts to intensify manufacturing in India
India is poised to become a global electronic manufacturing hub. Briefing the media in New Delhi today, Union Electronics Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad informed that the government has received a warm response to the production linked incentive scheme it had rolled out to boost electronic manufacturing in the country. He also invited global mobile manufacturing stalwarts including Apple and Samsung to intensify manufacturing in India.

PM Modi congratulates telecom industry for completing 25 years of mobile telephony in country
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated the telecom industry for completing 25 years of mobile telephony in the country. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) organised a special online event “Desh Ki Digital Udaan” to commemorate the event.

MyGov to organise AatmaNirbhar Bharat logo design contest
Government is looking to have a distinct identity for ‘AatmaNirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ by developing a logo based on creative and innovative inputs from the citizens of the country. MyGov.in platform has started the AatmaNirbhar Bharat Logo Design Contest on its website where Indian Citizens can submit their entries without any hassle through online medium. The last date for submission of entries is 5th of August till 11.45 PM. The winning logo will be awarded a cash prize of 25 thousand rupees.

Govt to bring helmets under mandatory BIS regime
The government has initiated a process to bring helmets under mandatory BIS regime as part of efforts to reduce fatal injuries involving two-wheelers, the Road Transport and Highways Ministry. Once the process is completed only BIS-certified helmets for two-wheeler riders would be manufactured and sold in India.

Producers must obtain NOC before telecast of Army theme film, web series
The Defence Ministry has written to the Central Board of Film Certification asking them to direct producers of movies and web series to seek permission from the ministry before airing films depicting the Indian Army or military personnel.

ADB signs Dollar 200 million financing deal with Reliance for power plant in Bangladesh
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed a dollar 200 million financing deal with the Reliance Bangladesh LNG and Power Limited (RBLPL) to build and operate a 718 megawatt combined-cycle gas-fired power plant in Bangladesh. Announcing the deal in a press release on Friday, the ADB said that the project will ease ongoing energy shortages and drive further private sector investments in the country’s power sector.

Russia plans mass vaccination against coronavirus from October
Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said that the country would start mass inoculation process of its vaccine from October. He also said that doctors and teachers would be the first to get vaccinations.

Govt to extend Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme to individuals now
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman allowed loans for larger MSMEs and professionals for business purposes within the ambit of Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS). Individuals can avail themselves of ECLGS if they already had loans for business purposes and subject to condition that they fulfill eligibility criteria. The finance ministry has increased the annual turnover ceiling of companies that could avail loans under the scheme to ₹250 crore from ₹100 crore at present.

Khadi and Village Industries Commission signs MoU to supply mustard oil to ITBP
The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to supply mustard oil to ITBP. This development is seen as another major step towards making India Atmanirbhar. KVIC said, the development comes in wake of the instructions of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to the paramilitary forces to encourage local products in a bid to support the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.

Apple buys startup to turn iPhones into payment terminals
Apple Inc. has acquired Mobeewave Inc., a startup with technology that could transform iPhones into mobile payment terminals. Mobeewave’s technology lets shoppers tap their credit card or smartphone on another phone to process a payment.

Flipkart supports 6 lakh artisans in India through Samarth programme
Walmart-owned Flipkart has supported over six lakh artisans, weavers and craftsmen across the country through its Samarth programme and is working on onboarding more such sellers to the platform. The Samarth programme was launched last year, wherein the e-commerce major had partnered with five NGOs. Flipkart also supports MSMEs through Walmart Vriddhi, a supplier development programme that aims to empower 50,000 MSMEs.

Ministry of Tribal Affairs received SKOCH Gold Award for Empowerment of Tribals through IT-enabled Scholarship Schemes
Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) was awarded the SKOCH Gold Award for its “Empowerment of Tribals through IT-enabled Scholarship Schemes”. It is the project of the Scholarship Divison of the Ministry. MoTA chose to participate in Digital India & E-Governance-2020 Competition. The theme of the 66th SKOCH 2020 Competition was “INDIA RESPONDS TO COVID THROUGH DIGITAL GOVERNANCE.”

Ashish Bhatia appointed as DGP of Gujarat
Ahmedabad police commissioner Ashish Bhatia has been appointed new Director General of Gujarat Police. He succeeds Shivanand Jha. Bhatia who is 1985 batch IPS officer will take over charge today. Mr Bhatia has served at different crucial posts in Gujarat police. He had been the DGP of CID Crime and Railways. Bhatia who has been called as an anti terror expert is credited with solving the 2008 serial bomb blast case in Ahmedabad.

Senior bureaucrat Rajesh Bhushan takes charge as health secretary
Senior bureaucrat Rajesh Bhushan took charge as the Union health secretary. He will succeed Preeti Sudan. Rajesh Bhushan who is 1987 batch Bihar cadre IAS officer, was appointed Officer on Special Duty in the Ministry of Health in April this year.

Scientists figure out Ordinary water a weakness of coronavirus
Researchers from Russia’s VECTOR State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology in Novosibirsk, Siberia have figured out that ordinary water can help restrict the growth of the virus. In a study, scientists discovered that about 90% of the Covid-19’s particles die in room temperature water in the course of 24 hours. Furthermore, scientists confirmed that boiling water containing Covid-19 kills it immediately and completely.

WhatsApp Web gets Facebook Messenger Rooms shortcut
Facebook Messenger rooms, which can incorporate 50 people in a single video conference, has finally made its way the company’s instant messaging application WhatsApp. The Messenger Rooms support is now accessible via WhatsApp on the desktop version of the app. WhatsApp Web is now enabled to let you connect with people via Messenger’s video conferencing feature right from there. To create a room using WhatsApp’s shortcut, you first have to update your WhatsApp Web version.

Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh passes away
Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh, who was admitted to a hospital in Singapore, passed away. He was ailing for the past few months. He had earlier undergone a kidney transplant surgery.

Former Union Home Secretary Ram Pradhan passes away
Former Union Home Secretary Ram Pradhan passed away in Mumbai due to age-related ailments. Mr Pradhan served as the governor of Arunachal Pradesh during Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure as Prime Minister. He played a major role in the signing of the Assam Accord and Mizoram Peace Accord.