1) World Humanitarian Day: 19 August
•World Humanitarian Day (WHD) is observed globally on 19th August every year. This day is celebrated to pay tribute to humanitarian personnel and those workers who lost or risked their lives while doing humanitarian service. This year is the 11th edition of World Humanitarian Day.
•On 19th August 2020, a global campaign with #RealLifeHeroes is going to happen to celebrate humanitarians with a THANK YOU for committing their lives in helping other people during difficult circumstances without knowing the risk and unpopularity for these deeds. This year World Humanitarian Day comes as the world continues to fight the COVID-19 pandemic over recent months. Aid workers are overcoming unprecedented access hurdles to assist people in humanitarian crises in 54 countries, as well as in a further nine countries which have been catapulted into humanitarian need by the COVID-19 pandemic.
2) Indian Railways introduces Drone based surveillance system
•Drone based surveillance system has been introduced by the Indian Railways for Railway security. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has decided to employ large number of drones for the purpose of Railway security. As a result, RPF has procured nine drones at a cost of around Rs 32 lakh at the South Eastern Railway, Central Railway, Modern Coaching Factory, Raebareli and South Western Railway. The deployment of drones aims to provide a force multiplier and increases the effectiveness of the security personnel deployed.
•Two Ninja UAVs have been procured by the Mumbai Division of Central Railway for better security and surveillance in Railway areas such as station premises, Railway track sections, yards as well as workshops. Drones procured are empowered with the ability of Real Time Tracking as well as Video Streaming and can be operated on Automatic Fail Safe Mode.
3) Delhi Police signs MoU with All India Institute of Ayurveda
•Delhi Police has signed an Memorandum of understanding (MoU) with All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), an autonomous Institute under Ministry of AYUSH. The MoU will offer Ayurveda Preventive and Promotive health services in the residential colonies of Delhi Police through a mobile unit named ‘Dhanwantari Rath’ and Police Wellness Centres. These sources would be catered by AIIA, supported by Ministry of AYUSH. “Dhanwantari Rath” is a mobile unit of Ayurveda health care services which comprises a team of Doctors who would be visiting Delhi Police colonies on regular intervals.
•Police wellness centres and Dhanwantari Rath would be outreach OPD services of AIIA. These services seeks to aid the Families of Delhi Police with the help of Ayurveda Preventive health care services. Delhi Police has also formed a joint venture “AYURAKSHA” with AIIA, which aims to maintain the health of frontline COVID warriors by distributing the AYURAKSHA kits among the police personnel to brought down the incidence and mortality of COVID-19 among them.
4) Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita resigns after military mutiny
•Malian President, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has resigned and dissolved parliament hours after mutinying soldiers detained him at gunpoint, plunging a country already facing an insurgency and mass protests deeper into crisis. Keita won a second term in elections in 2018, but there has been anger over corruption, the mismanagement of the economy and the rise of communal violence in areas of the country.
•The soldiers were expected to deliver a statement later, while countries in West Africa, along with former colonial power France, the European Union and the African Union, denounced the actions of the soldiers and warned against any unconstitutional change of power.
5) Satya Pal Malik appointed as Governor of Meghalaya
•President of India, Ram Nath Kovind has appointed Satya Pal Malik as the Governor of Meghalaya with effect from 18 August 2020. Prior to this, He was serving as the Governor of Goa.
•Satya Pal Malik replaced Tathagata Roy who completed his 5-year term by serving as governor of Tripura for 3 years and remaining in Meghalaya. Apart from this, Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has been given additional charge as the Governor of Goa, in addition to his own duties.
6) Rohit Sharma appointed Oakley’s brand ambassador in India
•Sports eyewear brand “Oakley” has appointed Indian cricketer, Rohit Sharma as its brand ambassador for a period of two years in India. As a part of the partnership, Sharma will be sporting Oakley eyewear equipped with patented Prizm technology created specifically for sports lenses.
•With this partnership, Sharma will sport the brand’s performance eyewear on and off the pitch. He joins the likes of Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh and Milind Soman who have endorsed the brand before.
7) Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award 2020
•The National Sports Awards selection committee have recommended four sportspersons for India’s highest sporting honour, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award 2020. Indian cricketer, Rohit Sharma and wrestler Vinesh Phogat are among the four sportspersons. Apart from Rohit and Vinesh, table tennis player Manika Batra and Paralympian M Thangavelu are the other two names. In a first, this year’s National Sports Awards ceremony is likely to be held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
•Rohit Sharma will be the fourth cricketer after legendary Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli to be conferred the award. Tendulkar was awarded the Khel Ratna in 1998, Dhoni got it in 2007 and Kohli received in 2018.
