Title Daily Current Affairs Capsule 14th August 2020

Daily CurrentTitle
              Affairs Capsule
             Title 2020
       14th August

World Organ Donation Day: 13 August

Organ donation day is observed on 13 August every year.

      This day strives to motivate people to donate their healthy and precious organs after death to save lives.
      There is a huge population which dies due to organ failure in India.
      As per the National Health Portal, 500,000 people die due to non-availability of organs.
      Organ donation day also tries to spread information and make people aware about organ donation. Organ
       donation can be life-changing for many. This practice can give a new life to the ones in need.

Trump announces historic peace deal between UAE, Israel

US President Donald Trump announced that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel have agreed to establish
full diplomatic relations as part of a new peace deal.

      Under the agreement, Israel would suspend its plans to annex parts of the West Bank. The deal is a
       significant step towards building a more peaceful, secure, and prosperous Middle East.
      The United Arab Emirates and Israel will immediately expand and accelerate cooperation regarding the
       treatment of and the development of a vaccine for the coronavirus.
      Working together, these efforts will help save Muslim, Jewish, and Christian lives throughout the region.

Russia, Brazil agree to cooperate in production & marketing of world’s first registered coronavirus
vaccine Sputnik V

Russia and Brazil have agreed to cooperate in the production and marketing of the world’s first registered
coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V.

      The agreement was reached with Brazilian State of Parana.
      As part of the signed strategic cooperation agreement, RDIF, together with pharmaceutical companies in
       the state of Parana, is organizing the production of Sputnik V vaccine and its distribution in Brazil and
       other Latin American countries.
      The Russian Health Ministry registered the world's first Sputnik V vaccine for the prevention of COVID-
       19.

Bangladesh to get largest ever dollar 3.1 billion loan package from Japan

Japan has signed its largest ever loan package worth dollar 3.1 billion for Bangladesh.

      The loan under its Official Development Assistance (ODA) will be given for seven projects of Bangladesh
       under concessional terms.
      The loan will cover the construction of Jamuna railway bridge in parallel to the existing Bangabandhu
       Bridge, expansion of the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development
       Projects and Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar Highway improvement project among the seven projects.
      The loan carries an interest rate of 0.65 percent with a repayment period of 30 years including initial 10
       years as grace period.
      Japan has been the single largest bilateral donor for Bangladesh since 2012. The total amount of its aid as
       Yen Loan has reached USD 22 billion (commitment base).

Indian Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Vessel 'Sarthak' launched

An Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) for the Indian Coast Guard was launched and re-christened as Indian Coast
Guard Ship ‘Sarthak’.

      The launching ceremony held at Goa Shipyard Limited was conducted through video conferencing from
       Coast Guard headquarters at New Delhi.
      Sarthak is the 4th in the series of five OPVs deployed by the Coast Guard to enhance maritime security.
      It has been designed and built indigenously by Goa Shipyard Limited in line with the Prime Minister
       Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Make in India’.
      The Ship is fitted with state-of-the-art Navigation and Communication equipment, sensor and machinery.

Sports Ministry to organise ‘Fit India Freedom Run’ from Aug 15- Oct 2

The Sports Ministry will organise the largest country-wide run, the Fit India Freedom Run from 15 August till
2nd of October.

      In keeping with the current pandemic situation and social distancing norms, the government has decided
       to encourage participants of the event to run at their own pace - anywhere and at any time of their
       convenience.
      Additionally, they can break up their runs over several days in this period.
      The total kilometers clocked can be tracked using a Global Positioning System (GPS) watch or manually.
      The motto of the ‘Freedom Run’ is to encourage fitness and help citizens to get freedom from obesity,
       laziness, stress, anxiety and other diseases.

African swine fever in Meghalaya

In Meghalaya, following the outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) in 12 villages located in four districts which
include West Jaintia Hills, West Khasi Hills, East Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi district, the government has decided
to declare all villages where pigs have died to be a containment zone.

      It was decided to ban all forms of import and export of pigs from those villages and also to ban slaughter
       and selling of pigs for consumption.
      Banning such activities will help in containing the spread of ASF.
      Till date 73 pigs have died and out of which 24 have tested positive for ASF.

Manipur observes Patriots’ day, commemorates heroes of Anglo-Manipuri war

In Manipur, the Patriots' Day was observed on 13 August commemorating the 1891 Anglo-Manipuri war.

      During the war many Manipuris sacrificed their lives to safeguard the independence of the State.
      The day is observed every year on the 13th August to pay homage to the great martyres.
      The Anglo-Manipur War was an armed conflict between the British Empire and the Kingdom of Manipur.
      The war lasted between 31 March and 27 April 1891, ending in a British victory.
      On 13 August 1891, five Manipuri commanders including Tikendrajit were hanged for waging war against
       the British Empire, Kulachandra Singh along with 21 Kangleipak noblemen received sentences of
       property forfeiture and lifetime exile.

Goa’s Harmal Chillies, Moira bananas, Khaje gets GI tag

Goa’s traditional festive sweet dish ‘Khaje’, spicy Harmal Chilli and Myndoli Banana (Moira Banana) has
obtained Geographical Indication (GI) tag from the Geographical Indications Registry.

      Khaje got a GI tag under foodstuffs falling in Class-30 and Moira Banana under Class-31.
      A GI tag protects the produce from being illegally used, and ensures benefits to the local growers’
       community.

Retail inflation rises to 6.93 % in July

Retail inflation rose to 6.93 per cent in July, mainly on account of higher prices of food items.

      As per the government data, the food inflation, according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) data,
       increased to 9.62 per cent in July.
      The retail inflation in June was 6.23 per cent, while the food inflation stood at 8.72 per cent.
      It is for the second consecutive month that the retail inflation has been above the RBI's comfort level.
      The government has mandated the central bank to restrict the inflation at 4 percent (plus, minus two per
       cent).

Sudha Murthy, ITC’s Sivakumar bag Gramodaya awards

Sudha Murty, Chairperson of Infosys Foundation and Sivakumar Surampudi, Group Head of Agri and IT
Businesses of ITC Ltd are among the winners of the Gramodaya Bandhu Mitra Puraskar.

      The other winners include Padma Bhushan Vijay Bhatkar, Padmasri SP Verma, Vilas Shinde (Director,
       Sahyadri Farms), Koosam Rajamouli, Former Sarpanch of Gangadevipalli in Telangana, Brig Pogula
       Ganesham, Founder of Palle Srujana, and Govinda Rajulu Chintala, Chairman of the Nabard.
      Gramodaya Bandhu Mitra Puraskaras instituted by Gramodaya Chamber of Commerce and Technology
       (GCOT), a not-for-profit organisation founded by the alumni of Osmania University.
      The awards recognise “Yeoman service rendered by individuals and institutions to provide succour and
       uplift the vast majority of our population dependent on agriculture and allied activities for livelihood”.

Malayalam poet-lyricist Chunakkara Ramankutty passes away

Poet and lyricist Chunakkara Ramankutty who made a special place in the hearts of music lovers with the romantic
hit song 'Devadaru Poothu' for the movie 'Engane Nee Marakkum' in the year 1983, passed away.

      Ramankutty started writing poems as a teenager for the student magazine of NSS College Pandalam where
       he graduated in Malayalam.
      His break in movies came with the song ‘Apsara kanyaka’ from the movie Ashramam released in 1978.
      Ramankutty wrote over 215 songs for 76 movies. His career peaked in 1984 when he wrote 32 songs in
       that year.