Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2020

Notes:
Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology is set to have the largest ecosystem of incubation ecosystem in the country, in a year by setting up 21 centres of excellence.
The proposed 21 centres of excellence (CoEs) will incubate new technologies in various sectors. Out of the 21 CoEs, 12 of them are already operational. Three centres are related to Agriculture and one more is proposed to be launched.

Notes:
As per the recent notification from the Personnel Ministry, over 700 districts have participated in the Prime minister’s awards for excellence in public administration.
The awards will be conferred on October 31, the Ekta Diwas (Unity Day), at the Statue of Unity in Gujarat by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The award is to recognise the performance of District Collectors towards economic development of their regions.

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:
Walmart-owned Flipkart has recently committed for a complete transition to electric vehicles (EVs), by joining the Climate Group’s global electric mobility initiative, EV100.
Under the EV100 initiative, the companies committed towards fast-tracking the transition to EVs and make the electric transport feasible by the year 2030. Flipkart will place service contracts, install charging infrastructure and conduct awareness programmes.

Notes:
Indian Navy’s longest serving warship, the Indian Naval Ship (INS) Viraat, that was earlier decommissioned and laid at the Naval dockyard in Mumbai, is to be dismantled at Alang yard, Gujarat.
INS Viraat is a 27,800-tonne Centaur class aircraft carrier. It had originally served in the British Navy for 25 years till 1984. It was commissioned into the Indian Navy in the year 1987 and was operating Harrier fighter jets.

Notes:
Renowned scientist and the present head of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Dr.G.Satheesh Reddy has been given a 2 year extension as the Secretary, Department of Defence Research and Development and Chairman DRDO.
This extension in his service was approved by the Appointments committee of the Union Cabinet. Earlier, he was appointed for the post in August 2018.

Notes:
The Indian Air Force has launched a new mobile application called “My IAF”. It is developed as a part of Digital India Initiative and is introduced by Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria, Chief of the Air Staff.
The app is developed by the Indian Air Force in association with the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC). It aims to provide career-related information and guidance to aspirants who wish to join IAF.

Notes:
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), has signed a MoU with AFC India Limited, to mutually work together in the field of agriculture and allied sectors.
AFC India Ltd, formerly known as Agricultural Finance Corporation Ltd., is wholly owned by Commercial Banks, NABARD and EXIM Bank. APEDA has also signed a MoU with National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI), Delhi.

Notes:
Ace England Bowler James Anderson has become the first fast bowler to reach 600 wickets in Test matches.
Before his feat, only three spin bowlers had made this achievement, including Muttiah Muralitharan (800), Shane Warne (708) and Anil Kumble (619). Anderson achieved this feat during the third Test against Pakistan at the Rose Bowl.

Notes:
The Manila headquartered Asian Development Bank (ADB) has issued USD denominated, 5-year Global Benchmark Bonds amounting USD 3 Billion.
The bonds bear a coupon rate of 0.375% per annum payable half yearly. These bonds would mature by September 2025. These ADB bonds have recorded 41 % placement in Asia, 34 % in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and 25 % in America.