Current Affairs Daily Digest – August 07 2020
1. GoI extends Line of Credit worth 18 million USD to Maldives
The Government of India has extended Line of Credit of worth 18 million USD to Maldives to expand fishing facilities at Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO).
Maldives is important to India for its strategic location. In Indian Ocean, Maldives archipelago comprises of 1,200 coral islands. They lie next to the shipping lanes that ensure uninterrupted energy supplies to India, China and Japan.
2. August 7: National Handloom Day
Every year, the Government of India celebrates National Handloom Day on August 7. The day is celebrated to honour the handloom weavers in the country. Also, the day highlights handloom industry in India.
August 7 was chosen as National Handloom Day to commemorate Swadeshi movement that was launched in 1905 on the very same day.
3. Airtel Payments Bank, Bharti AXA partner to offer ‘shop insurance’ for retailers
Airtel Payments Bank has partnered with Bharti AXA General Insurance to offer “Smart Plan Shop Package Policy” for the financial protection of the bank’s retailers and merchants. The policy will provide financial protection in case of damage to assets inside the shop due to fire and allied perils and burglary, among others, as covered in the product.
4. Indian Railways launches “OHE Inspection app” for real-time monitoring
Indian Railways has launched an Overhead Equipment (OHE) Inspection app which will help in minimizing the train delays and long waits due to technical snags. The app has been rolled out on an all over India basis.
On 1 July 2020 for the first time in the history of Indian Railways, 100% punctuality of trains was achieved as 201 trains arrived at their destination at the right time. The previous best was 99.54% on 23rd May 2020.
5. Pulitzer Prize-Winning Novelist Shirley Ann Grau passes away
The famous fiction writer and Pulitzer Prize-winner, Shirley Ann Grau passed away. She was born on July 8, 1929, in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. She wrote six novels and four short stories which are all set in the Deep South, from New Orleans to north Louisiana and Alabama. Her first book, The Black Prince was published in 1954.
6. WTF Sports appoints Suresh Raina, Harmanpreet Kaur as brand ambassadors
A sports gaming platform, WTF Sports has appointed cricketers Harmanpreet Kaur and Suresh Raina as its global brand ambassadors. Raina is also joining the brand as a Strategic Partner. The announcement was made through a web conference.
7. India’s first ‘Kisan Rail’ to begin services
The Indian railways will begin its “Kisan Rail” services to transport perishable goods. India’s first ‘Kisan Rail’ will run between Devlali in Maharashtra’s Nashik and will reach Danapur in Bihar.
The train will cover the journey of 1,519 kilometres in over 31 hours. The train will be flagged off via video conferencing by Union Minister of Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal.
8. Serum Institute signs landmark deal to manufacture up to 100 million doses of COVID vaccine for India
The Serum Institute of India (SII) has entered into a landmark partnership with Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to accelerate the manufacture and delivery of COVID vaccine for India and the middle and low-income countries.
9. Mahinda Rajapaksa’s SLPP party wins landslide victory in Sri Lankan Parliamentary Elections
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa-led Sri Lanka People’s Party (SLPP) registered a landslide victory in the Sri Lankan Parliamentary Elections on August 5, 2020. The party and its allies secured two-thirds of the seats at the elections.
10. Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries ranked No 2 brand globally after Apple on FutureBrand Index 2020
Billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s oil-to-telecom conglomerate Reliance Industries has been ranked second biggest brand after Apple on the FutureBrand Index 2020. “This year’s highest entrant at number two, Reliance Industries excels on every attribute,” FutureBrand said, releasing its 2020 Index.
