Daily Current Affairs, 10th August 2020

1) International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples: 9 August

•United Nations observes the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples on 09th August every year. The day is being observed to raise awareness of the needs of indigenous peoples. The theme of International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 2020 is “COVID-19 and indigenous peoples’ resilience”.

•To commemorate the day, the Indigenous Peoples and Development Branch – Secretariat of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues will organize a virtual event which will feature a panel discussion on the innovative measures to make indigenous peoples continue to demonstrate resilience and strength in the face of the pandemic, while confronting grave threats to their survival.

2) Submarine Cable connectivity to Andaman & Nicobar Islands launched

•The submarine Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) connecting Andaman & Nicobar Islands to the mainland has been launched by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The 2300 Kms long submarine cable will boost the endless opportunities in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands by providing better internet & mobile connectivity.

•The submarine Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) will enable the Andaman & Nicobar Islands to reap all the benefits of Digital India with the help of cheaper & better connectivity. The network will help the island in improving online education, tele-medicine, banking system, online trading and in boosting tourism. The launch of Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) connecting Andaman & Nicobar Islands to the mainland is also expected to play an instrumental role under India’s new trade strategy for Indo-Pacific region.

3) GoI extends Line of Credit worth 18 Million dollars to Maldives

•A Line of Credit of worth 18 million US dollars has been extended by the Government of India to the Government of Maldives. The Line of Credit has been extended with the primary objective of expanding the fishing facilities at Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO).

•The project will promote investment in the fish collection as well as the storage facilities. It also aims to set up a tuna cooked plant and fishmeal plant, as fishing is deeply connected to the Maldivian way of life.

4) Bangladesh to construct War Memorial for Indian soldiers

•Bangladesh has took a decision to construct a monument for the Indian soldiers. The country will establish monument for the Indian soldiers who died in 1971 during the Bangladesh’s struggle for independence from Pakistan. The announcement was made by the Bangladesh War Liberation Minister Mozammel Haque.

•The government of Bangladesh has selected 3.5 acres in Ashuganj of Brahmanbaria district, bordering Tripura, citing its importance in the Liberation War of 1971 during which Indian army fought some decisive battles with the Pakistan Army. The proposed Memorial is meant for Indian soldiers alone in order to cherish the amaraderie between the Indian Army and freedom fighters of Bangladesh.

5) KVIC to set up Silk Training cum Production Center in A.P.

•Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) will open the Silk Training cum Production Center in the tribal village of Chullyu in Arunachal Pradesh. This would be the first Silk Training cum Production Center in the state. Machinery like handlooms, Charkha, Silk reeling machines and warping drums would be installed in the training cum production Center.

•KVIC has transformed the dilapidated school building into the training cum production center for Eri Silk, and has also selected the first batch of 25 local artisans of Chullyu village to begin the training with. With the launch of Silk Training cum Production Center, the state would soon be bustling with spinning and weaving activities. The center will boost the great potential of silk production and other activities of village industries in the village.

6) Mauritius declares a “state of environmental emergency”

•A “state of environmental emergency” has been declared by the island nation of Mauritius. The environmental emergency has been declared as a Japanese bulk carrier “MV Wakashio” ran aground on a reef in Mauritius and began leaking oil into the ocean. The ship stranded two weeks ago is leaking tons of fuel into the surrounding waters.

•According to the environmentalists, the stranded ship, MV Wakashio currently lying at Pointe d’Esny in an area of wetlands near a marine park, is creating an ecological disaster, endangering corals, fish and other marine life around the Indian Ocean island. The incident is being considered as one of the most terrible ecological crises that Mauritius has ever seen.

7) Flipkart partners with the U.P. Government’s ODOP scheme

•India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace, Flipkart has signed an MoU with One District, One Product (ODOP) scheme of the Government of Uttar Pradesh. The MoU will bring the artisans, weavers and craftsmen under the ODOP scheme into the scope of the “Flipkart Samarth” initiative. This will provide artisans, weavers and craftsmen under the ODOP scheme a momentum to expand their business online as they face social and economic challenges.

•The Flipkart Samarth initiative will offer various services to artisans, weavers and craftsmen such as training, dedicated space in Flipkart’s fulfilment centres, constant seller support along with cataloguing guidance and visibility on the platform. With help of this, these under-served communities from UP will get a push to showcase their specialized products and crafts to millions of customers across the country.