Current Affairs - August 25, 2020 Current Affairs

Earth Overshoot Day 2020 is observed on August 22, 2020.Earth Overshoot Day is the date when the demands of biological resources and services of the year by humanity exceeds the generation capacity of Earth in that year. The first Global Earth Overshoot Day campaign was launched in 2006.

ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd.(ICICI Lombard) and Bharti AXA General Insurance Co. Ltd.(Bharti AXA) have signed definitive agreements to merge their insurance business.

RBL Bank has entered into a strategic partnership with Accenture to transform and enhance the future readiness of the bank's Information Technology (IT) systems and accelerate its digital transformation journey. The alliance will enable RBL Bank to offer next-generation banking services, boost the resilience and scalability of its systems and business processes, and also to improve its operational efficiency.

State Bank of India (SBI) has partnered with India's First Real-Time Group Negotiation E-Platform, AddaCorner to launch 'Online Home Carnival', which will help in boosting the Real Estate market in Bangalore. Along with the launch of 'Online Home Carnival', AddaCorner was also launched.

On August 23, 2020, Nuakhai Juhar festival was celebrated in Odisha, Chhattisgarh and other neighbouring states. It is celebrated to welcome the new crop of the season. It is also called Nuakhai Parab or Nuakahi Bhetghat.

On August 20-21, 2020, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand organized the two-day long 6th Round Table of ASEAN-India Network of Think Tanks (AINTT) through video conference on the theme "ASEAN-India: Strengthening Partnership in the Post COVID Era". ASEAN is an acronym for Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

On 21st August 2020, Nitin Jairam Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways launched the mobile app, "Harit Path" for monitoring plantations and transplantation of trees along the highway, during the meeting to review the New Green Highway Policy (Plantation).

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi appointed Ashwani Bhatia, Deputy Managing Director (DMD), State Bank of India (SBI) as the Managing Director (MD) of SBI, effective from his date of assumption upto the date of his superannuation(May 31, 2022) or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

In order to provide rapid, fair and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines worldwide, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has invited countries to join its Covid-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) facility by August 31, 2020. This facility is led by the WHO, along with the GAVI vaccine alliance (formerly the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation), and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).

Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank (KVGB) and SBI General Insurance Co Ltd have signed a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) in Dharwad, Karnataka to sell general insurance products through the branches of KVGB.

Tata Capital Ltd(Tata Capital), the financial services arm of the Tata Group launched its new service called, 'Swift Insta Personal Loans' (SIPL) on WhatsApp. Through the new service, the existing customers can easily apply for loans and receive sanctions for personal loans (on a single platform) using TIA, a chatbot of Tata Capital on Whatsapp.

The National Commission on Population under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) submitted the Report of the Technical group on population projections July 2020, titled "Population projections for India and States 2011- 2036". India's population is expected to grow by 25%, with reference to 2011, to 1.52 billion by 2036, according to the final report of the technical group on population projections.

On 21st August, 2020, US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) announced that Mahindra Group Chairman, Anand Mahindra and Adobe Chairman & Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Shantanu Narayen will receive the 2020 Leadership Awards for their exemplary vision and effort towards the promotion of US-India Bilateral Ties.

On August 23, 2020, China launched an advanced warship for Pakistan. This is the largest it has built for a country and also the first among the four most sophisticated naval platforms.

On 20th August, 2020 Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh launched a book on cancer - "Gastric Cancer" edited by Dr Ashok K. Vaid. He is a Noted Oncologist and was awarded Padma Shri in 2009 for his outstanding work in the field of medicine.

On August 21, 2020, Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) Ladies Organisation (FLO) inked a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Tourism for women empowerment through video conference. The MoU was inked in the presence of Minister of State (MoS) for Tourism (Independent Charge-IC), Prahlad Singh Patel.

On 21st August, 2020 Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan virtually launched an online system for registration and renewal of licence of gold assaying and hallmarking (A&H) centres. The online system can be accessed through the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) web portal - www.manakonline.in.

Religare Health Insurance Company, subsidiary health insurance of Religare Enterprises, has changed its name to 'Care Health Insurance' and became effective from August 19, 2020.

On August 25, 2020, the State Minister of Assam, Siddhartha Bhattacharya is to inaugurate India's longest ropeway across river Brahmaputra.

On August 21, 2020, National Sports Awards 2020 were announced by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. The awards were recommended by the Selection Committee headed by Justice (Retd.) Mukundakam Sharma (former Judge of Supreme Court of India) and after due scrutiny, the Government has decided to confer awards upon the deserving sportspersons, coaches and entities under various categories.