Dr Harsh Vardhan launches 'Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan 2020-21

NATIONAL NEWS

Govt approves Khadi Agarbatti Atma Nirbhar Mission to generate employment and make India self-reliant in agarbatti production

• Union Minister of small, micro & medium enterprises, Nitin Gadkari has approved Khadi Agarbatti Atma Nirbhar Mission an important programme on employment generation.
• Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) proposed the programme to make India Atma Nirbhar in Agarbatti production.
• The aim of the mission is to create employment for unemployed and migrant workers in different parts of the country.
• KVIC is a statutory body formed in April 1957 by the Government of India, formed to plan, promote, facilitate, organise and assist in the establishment and development of khadi and village industries.

Fact: Chairperson of KVIC - Vinai Kumar Saxena

Amit Shah inaugurates international webinar on 'Lokmanya Tilak - Swaraj to Self-reliant India'

• Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah inaugurated a two-day international webinar on the theme of 'Lokmanya Tilak - Swaraj to Self-reliant India'.
• The webinar was organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations on the 100th death anniversary of the great freedom fighter Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak.

Dr Harsh Vardhan launches 'Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan 2020-21

• Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has launched 'Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan, 2020-21.
• A national programme for popularizing science among school students of Class 6th to 11th.
• The programme is to identify the bright minds with a scientific aptitude among the student community.
• The programme plays as a platform in identifing the talent in the field of science and to promote the scientfic acumen among the students.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri launches ARHCs Knowledge Pack and Launches mobile app of CREDAI

• Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Hardeep Singh Puri released the Affordable Rental Housing Complexes Pack through Video Conferencing on July 31, 2020.
• The main objective is to provide dignified and affordable rental accommodation to the urban poor and migrant workers.
• The Minister has also launched Awaas app for Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India (CREDAI).
• Awaas is a residential project discovery online application that will help buyers to virtually explore and experience Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) approved projects by CREDAI developers.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

India & UK tie up for new 8 Million Pounds Medicinal Research

• Minister of State for South Asia and the Commonwealth, Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon has announced funding and tie up between The United Kingdom (UK) and India for five new medicinal research projects worth 8 million pounds.
• Aiming to tackle the anti-microbial resistance to support the combat against antibiotic resistant bacteria and genes during his ‘virtual visit’ to India.
• This investment will enable the nations to jointly work on global health challenges like the search for COVID-19 vaccine.
• The UK also partnered with India’s Serum Institute for the manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccine.

Fact: Prime Minister of UK – Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson.

Bangladesh to construct modern food storage system with USD 202 million World Bank financial support

• The World Bank has approved a dollar 202 million additional financing for the modern food storage facilities project in Bangladesh.
• Bangladesh will be constructing five more modern food storage systems in the country in addition to the three already under construction with financing support from the World Bank to enhance the storage capacity and improve the efficiency of grain storage.
• The project will support construction of eight modern grain storage steel silo complexes for rice and wheat in eight districts.
• The funding is from the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA).

Fact: Bangladesh President – Abdul Hamid

UAE becomes first country in Arab World to produce nuclear energy

• UAE became the first country in the Arab World to produce nuclear energy.
• The new plant is part of the UAE's graph to become less reliant on oil and gas, the current source of the vast majority of its energy.
• UAE is among the world's biggest fossil fuels producers.
• Barakah plant situated in the Al Dhafrah region of Abu Dhabi
• The plant, powered by South Korean technology, hopes to produce 5.6 gigawatts of electricity and supply up to 25% of the UAE's electricity needs.

APPOINTMENTS

Air Marshal V R Chaudhari takes over as chief of IAF’s Western Air Command

• Air Marshal V. R. Chaudhari took over as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Western Air Command of Indian Air Force.
• The Air Marshal replaces Air Marshal B Suresh.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Breastfeeding Week 2020 – August 1st to August 7^th

• World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated annually in the first week of August (from 1st of August to 7th of August) around 120 countries in the World.
• The day is celebrated to encourage breastfeeding and improve the babies’ health around the world.
• The theme for the year 2020 is, “Support Breast feeding for a healthier planet”.
• The day was commenced after signing the Innocenti Declaration in August 1990.
• The global campaigning was first organized by the WABA (World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action) along with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in 1992

Fact: Headquarters of WABA – Penang, Malaysia