12th August 2020 Current affairs

1.Saudi Arabia has ended its loan and oil supply to Pakistan, ending the decades-long friendship between the two countries. Pakistan has also been asked to pay back USD 1 billion to Saudi Arabia, which was given as a part of a $6.2 billion package announced by Saudi Arabia in November 2018. 

2. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden chose California Senator Kamala Harris as his vice-presidential running mate for the 2020 US Elections on August 11, 2020. This makes Harris the first black and Asian American woman to compete on a major party’s presidential ticket in the United States. 

3. The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Nitin Gadkari has unveiled a microwave device called ‘Atulya’, which can disinfect any premises in just 30 seconds. The device can be used to disinfect any premises up to five metres area including home and office furniture, beds and boxes. 

4.Israeli Ambassador to India Dr. Ron Malka formally handed over AI-based high-end equipment and technology solutions to AIIMS Director Dr. Randeep Guleria on August 11, 2020. The high-end equipment includes a 12-hour disinfection product called CPD, a non-invasive remote patient monitoring system and AI-based software for Ultrasound use.

5. The Union Home Minister’s Medals for Excellence in Investigation for 2020 have been awarded to 21 Police personnel. The award-winning personnel also include twenty-one women police officers. The medal was set up in 2018 with the aim to encourage high standards of crime investigation and to recognize the excellence of investigating officers.

6. Russia has decided to name its first COVID-19 vaccine as ‘Sputnik V’ after the world’s first satellite. President Vladimir Putin announced the approval of the vaccine candidate less than two months of human testing amid skepticism from scientists.

7. International Youth Day was observed on August 12, 2020. The day aims to celebrate young peoples’ voices, actions and initiatives, as well as their meaningful, universal and equitable engagement. The day’s theme this year is Youth Engagement for Global Action.

8. Noted yesteryear Tamil film lyricist P K Muthusami passed away on August 12, 2020 at his residence in

R Pudupatti village in Namakkal, near Trichy in Tamil Nadu. He was to complete his 100th birthday this year.