Current Affairs on 09/08/2020

 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 Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
• The 2300 Km 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 launch of Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) connecting the Andaman & Nicobar Islands to the mainland is also expected to play an instrumental role under India’s new trade strategy for the Indo-Pacific region.

Hardayal Prasad becomes the new MD & CEO of PNB Housing Finance

• PNB Housing Finance has announced the appointment of the former SBI Card head, Hardayal Prasad as its new managing director and chief executive officer.
• Prasad will take over from, Neeraj Vyas the current interim managing director and chief executive officer of the company, will step down from the position on August 10

. 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 a monument for the Indian soldiers who died in 1971 during 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 Pakistan Army.

India to participate in Kavkaz 2020 exercise in Russia

• India will take part in the multilateral military "Russian Kavkaz 2020" strategic command-post exercise to be held in Astrakhan, Russia.
• The Indian contingent includes 150 Army personnel and a smaller number of people from the Navy and Air Force.
• The invitation for participation to Kavkaz 2020, also referred to as Caucasus-2020, has been extended to at least 18 countries including China, Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey apart from other Central Asian Republics part of the SCO.

GoI extends Line of Credit worth 18 Million dollars to the 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.

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.

KVIC to set up the 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 the 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

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 fulfillment centers, constant seller support along with cataloging guidance and visibility on the platform. 

World Biofuel Day celebrated on 10th August

• Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas celebrates the World Biofuel Day on 10th August every year.
• On the occasion, the ministry also organized the webinar with the theme “Biofuels towards Atmanirbhar Bharat”.
• World Biofuel Day is observed every year to aware of the importance of non-fossil fuels as an alternative to conventional fossil fuels. The day also highlights the various actions taken by the Government in the Biofuel sector.

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 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".