Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2020

Notes:
Indian President Ram Nath Kovind has approved 84 gallantry awards for Defence personnel. Abdul Rashid Kalas, Head Constable of Jammu and Kashmir Police has been posthumously awarded the Kirti Chakra.
The third highest gallantry award in peacetime, Shaurya Chakra has been awarded to nine Army personnel including Lt.Col. Krishan Singh Rawat, Major Anil Urs and Havildar Alok Kumar Dubey and IAF Wing Commander Vishak Nair. The President approved Sena Medal to 60 Army personnel, four Nao Sena Medal and five Vayu Sena Medal.

Notes:
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved a proposal of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) to expand to cover border and coastal districts.
The proposal regarding the scheme was announced by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day address. As many as one lakh cadets from 173 border and coastal districts will be inducted to the NCC with one-third Cadets being girls. Over 80 NCC units will also be upgraded as a part of this expansion.

Notes:
India is set to launch a new direct cargo ferry service to the Maldives, in the third week of September, as per the Indian high commission in the Maldives.
The service will link Kochi and Tuticorin with Male and will boost bilateral trade relations. A vessel operated by the Shipping Corporation of India, will be used for the ferry service. The vessel is to carry electrical machinery, medicines, construction material as well as perishable goods.

Notes:
A massive fire outbreak has recently occurred in the Srisailam hydroelectric power plant located in the state of Telangana.
Nine people including five engineers of Telangana State Power Generation Corporation were killed in the massive fire. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao directed to launch an investigation into the incident. He also announced compensation to the families of the deceased and the injured.

Notes:
Under the Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana, Employees and State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has relaxed its norms, wherein it would pay 50% (up from earlier 25%) of average wages of three months as unemployment benefit.
The scheme would be available to people who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic between March 24 and December 31 this year. This is expected to benefit nearly 40 lakh industrial workers.

Notes:
The United Nations General Assembly designated 22 August as the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief.
It comes a day after the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism. The UN asks its members to ensure the upholding of human rights of persons belonging to religious minorities, including their right to exercise their religion or belief freely.

Notes:
Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIM-K) has signed a MoU with Switzerland based HELP Logistics.
This partnership is aimed to develop humanitarian logistics in India through consulting services and logistics training to United Nations bodies, Government Institutions and Non-Governmental Organizations. The MoU will be in force of a period of 1 year.

Notes:
The UEFA Champions League 2020 has been won by the Germany-based football club, the Bayern Munich.
The team won 1-0 against the Paris Saint Germain (PSG) at the final match held at Estadio da Luz, Lisbon. Kingsley Coman scored the only goal of the match during the 59th minute. Bayern Muncih has won the league after 7 years.

Notes:
The Republican Party of the United States has formally re-nominated President Donald Trump as the party’s Presidential candidate and Vice President Mike Pence as the running mate of the President.
The Presidential Election is to be held on November 3 in the United States. Elected Republican Party delegates from all 50 States of the country polled votes to re-nominate Trump. Democratic party had earlier nominated Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as their nominees of President and VP respectively.

Notes:
The COAS (Chief of Army Staff) Unit Appreciation was conferred to NSG’s (National Security Guard) 51 Special Action Group (SAG). The appreciation was conferred to the unit for the group’s exemplary achievements in combating terrorism.
The most important operation undertaken by the unit is “Operation Black Tornado” which was launched against the terror strikes in Mumbai in November 2008.