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Current Affairs 18 July 2020
Daily Current Affairs 18 July 2020: We have collected the latest current affairs for 18 July 2020 that are important for all competitive exams like Bank, SSC, IBPS, SBI exams. The GK current affairs will help you score more in these competitive exams. Improve your general knowledge with our daily online current affairs. You can also read the daily current affairs on our mobile app.
National News
DCGI Gives Green Nod to India’s first Homemade Pneumonia Vaccine
- The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has given approval to India’s first fully indigenously developed vaccine against pneumonia ‘Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Conjugate Vaccine’.
- The vaccine has been developed by Pune-based firm Serum Institute of India.
- After reviewing the phase I, II and III clinical trial data for vaccines, submitted by Serum Institute, the drug regulator gave the market approval to the homemade vaccine.
- Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Conjugate Vaccine is the first indigenously developed vaccine in the field of pneumonia.
IIT Madras Startup ‘Modulus’ develops ‘MediCAB’ Portable Hospital Unit for COVID-19 Patients
- The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) incubated start-up Modulus Housing, has developed a portable hospital unit called ‘MediCAB’, that can be installed anywhere within 8 hours by four people.
- MediCAB is foldable and is composed of four zones including a doctor’s room, an isolation room, a medical room/ward and a twin-bed ICU, maintained at negative pressure.
- When folded, the collapsible cabins are reduced five-fold, making it very cost-effective for transportation.
- Six such units can fit in a truck and easily be deployed at any time and to any place.
- To begin with, the ‘MediCAB’ has been launched recently in the Wayanad district of Kerala.
- The portable facility has been developed keeping rural areas in mind, which do not have a lot of infrastructure and it is difficult to construct buildings from scratch immediately.
Telangana DGP launches ‘CybHer’ campaign to Tackle Cybercrime Against Women & Children
- The Telangana Director-General of Police, Mahender Reddy has launched an online cyber awareness campaign “CybHER”- Making cyberspace safe for Women and Children.
- The month long campaign has been organized by the Women Safety Wing of the Telangana State Police in collaboration with the Legal Aid Centre, and Symbiosis Law School at Hyderabad.
- The CybHER campaign aims to bring to light the immediate risks and threats faced by the vulnerable, women and children on cyberspace, which itself is as an interactive and informative platform for a healthy discussion on cyber safety.
- The campaign shall be held on multiple online platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Radio, Television sensitize people on cybercrimes, during the critical times of COVID-19.
NABARD launches development projects worth Rs 44 lakh in A&N Islands
- The apex development finance institution, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has launched development projects worth Rs 44 lakhs in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with the aim to strengthen the concept of Atmanirbhar Bharat through rural entrepreneurship.
- The development projects of NABARD consists of following initiatives:
- Formation and development of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and providing Skill development training to these SHGs members to promote rural entrepreneurship at micro level.
- Conducting 385 village-level programmes and provide training to leaders of newly formed SHGs.
- Women attached to SHGs in Little Andaman will be trained for Mushroom Cultivation and Bamboo Handicrafts making.
- A four -month long training programme for tour and travel agents in Swaraj Dweep
- Yearly Micro-Entrepreneurship Development Programme will be carried out for 150 members of various SHGs in Mayabunder in Middle Andaman.
- NABARD has tied up with Centre of Agriculture Research Institute (CARI) for conducting agricultural programmes.
- The apex institution is also providing a platform for sales of local products by financing Rural Haats in Gram Panchayats. Total Rs. 7.6 lakhs have been released to establish one such Haat in Namunaghar Panchayat of South Andaman.
Ranking
India Ranks Third In Global Manufacturing Risk Index 2020, China Tops: Cushman & Wakefield Report
- India is the third top-most country among 48 nations, in the 2020 Global Manufacturing Risk Index (MRI), for having the most-suitable locations for global manufacturing in terms of cost competitiveness and operating conditions.
- The annual Global Manufacturing Risk Index (MRI) report was released by the US-based property consultant Cushman & Wakefield, to rank the most suitable locations for global manufacturing among 48 countries in Europe, Americas, and the Asia-Pacific.
- China and the United States retain the top two positions respectively in MRI 2020, while India has moved one place higher from previous edition of the report, to rank third in MRI 2020.
- Each of the country has been assessed in four key areas: Bouncebackability,Conditions, Costs and Risks
- The MRI 2020 report also includes analysis of the impact of Covid-19 on the global manufacturing sector and the ability of the countries to restart their manufacturing sectors once confinement measures are relaxed and business starts to return to normal.
Appointments
Shiv Nadar Retires, Daughter Roshni Nadar takes over as new Chairman of HCL Technologies
- Roshni Nadar Malhotra has been appointed as the new Chairperson of the IT services company HCL Technologies, after her father Shiv Nadar, expressed his desire to step down from the position of the Chairman.
- Roshni Nadar took over the role of the Chairperson of the Board of Directors and the Company w.e.f. July 17, 2020.
- Before this, the 38-year-old Malhotra was the chief executive officer and non-executive director of the company.
- Shiv Nadar would continue as managing director and hold the designation of Chief Strategy Officer.
Ossouka Raponda appointed as first woman Prime Minister of Gabon
- Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda has been appointed as the first woman prime minister of Gabon on 16 July 2020.
- The 56-year-old is the 12th PM of the country and succeeds Julien Nkoghe Bekale.
- Prior to holding this position, Ossouka Raponda served as defence minister since February 2019.
- Her appointment is the fourth cabinet reshuffle by the President of Gabon, Ali Bongo Ondimba since January 2019.
- Gabon Capital – Libreville, Currency- Central African CFA franc
Award
Four Journalists Honored with CPJ’s 2020 International Press Freedom Awards
- Four Journalists have been named as the recipients of the 2020 International Press Freedom Awards by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a New York-based non-profit organisation to promote press freedom and defend the rights of journalists.
- All these four journalists have faced arrests or criminal prosecution for their reporting.
- 2020 International Press Freedom Awards Winners
- Shahidul Alam from Bangladesh,
- Mohammad Mosaed from Iran,
- Dapo Olorunyomi from Nigeria and
- Svetlana Prokopyeva from Russia.
- Apart from this, Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney has been honoured with the Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award.
- CPJ’s Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award is presented annually to an individual who has shown extraordinary and sustained achievement in the cause of press freedom.
- The 30th edition of the annual International Press Freedom Award will be presented to the winners on November 19, 2020.
- CPJ International Press Freedom Awards honor journalists or their publications around the world who show courage in defending press freedom despite facing attacks, threats, or imprisonment.
Sports
Real Madrid clinch record 34th La Liga title defeating Villarreal
- Real Madrid have been crowned La Liga Champions for the 34th time after defeating Villarreal 2–1, with one match remaining.
- Also, the La Liga 2019-20 season title for Spanish football club Real Madrid is first in three years. Last time the team won the title in 2017.
- Under the leadership of the coach Zinedine Zidane, Real Madrid won all 10 games out 10 since the restart, and still a game remaining.
- Karim Benzema was the leading scorer for a 2-1 victory against Villarreal.
Important Days
Nelson Mandela International Day : 18 July
- Nelson Mandela International Day (also Mandela Day) is held every year on July 18 globally to honour the legacy of the late President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela.
- The day 18 July marks the birth anniversary of the great South African leader, who was born in 1918.
- United Nations officially declared July 18 as UN Mandela Day in November 2009.
- The first UN Mandela Day was held on 18 July 2010.