Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2020

Notes:
Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has released e-book on Standard Treatment Guidelines for the Management of Substance Use Disorders (SUD) and Behavioural Addictions.
The Minister cautioned that the World Drug Report 2020 suggests that COVID-19 will induce disorders in the country. The substance use is associated with non-communicable disorders like cardiovascular, cancer and mental health. He also highlighted that smoking increases the risk for Covid-19.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban affairs has formed a five-member central team under Smart Cities Director Rahul Kapoor.
The panel will formulate project reports for both the cities, to improve infrastructure and employment opportunities in Ladakh. These cities have been selected in addition to the 100 smart cities in different states. This idea was initially proposed by the Home Affairs Ministry.

Notes:
The UK India Business Council signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Industrial Extension Bureau (iNDEXTb), Industries and Mines Department of the state government of Gujarat.
This partnership between the UKIBC and Gujarat will help to boost business and industrial development in the state. UKIBC will also help to increase investment opportunities and provide market access to the businesses.

Notes:
India’s largest private shipping company, Great Eastern Shipping Company has named former Reserve Bank of India Governor Urjit Patel as an additional and Independent director.
The Mumbai headquartered company has named him for a term of five years with effect from August 1, 2020. Urjit Patel served as the 24th governor of the RBI from September 2016 to December 2018.

Notes:
The All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) is an apex Ayurveda medicine and research institution located in New Delhi.
It was seen in news as the institute has started providing free testing and treatment to patients in its COVID 19 Health Centre (CHC). AYUSH Minister Shri Naik inaugurated the ventilator-equipped Intensive Care Unit of the centre as well as a COVID Call Centre at AIIA.

Notes:
Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Harsh Vardhan launched a national- level programme named ‘Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan’ 2020-21.
This initiative aims to promote scientific temper among school students of Class 6 to 11. It is jointly organised by Vijnana Bharati, in collaboration with Vigyan Prasar, an autonomous organisation under Science and Technology Ministry and NCERT of Education Ministry. It identifies and trains bright students with interest in Science.

Notes:
As per the National Hurricane Center of the United States, North Carolina has recently witnessed a Hurricane Isaias.
The hurricane has made a landfall near Ocean Isle Beach in North Carolina. More than a dozen tornadoes have been reported in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. At least 2 people is said to have been killed in the hurricane.

Notes:
India’s leading private sector bank Axis Bank is set to launch a an Artificial-Intelligence powered multilingual voice bot ‘AXAA’.
The bank has entered into a partnership with a Bengaluru start-up Vernacular.ai in this regard. The partnership aims to optimise AI-based voice solutions and automate customer interactions through human-like dialogues.

Notes:
The state government of Chhattisgarh has implemented a scheme called ‘Godhan Nyay Yojana’, under which cow dung is being procured from cattle farmers at Rs 2 per kg.
It is a first of its kind scheme, which produces vermicompost from the dung so procured. It is then sold with the help of cooperative societies. The Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Bhupesh Baghel will inaugurate the process of payment to the bank accounts of beneficiaries under the scheme.

Notes:
The United States has successfully launched an intercontinental ballistic missile named Minuteman 3 from California.
The missile was test flighted from the Vandenberg Air Force Base to a target in the Pacific Ocean. The unarmed missile and its three vehicles travelled over 6750 kilometers to the Marshall Islands as a part of the test.