Daily Current Affairs and GK | 16 July 2020

1. Indo-Italy Business Mission Digital Conference on Food Processing was organized.

• Recently the Indo-Italy Business Mission's Digital Conference on Food Processing was organized.
• Union Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur addressed the inaugural session of this digital conference.
• It is the first joint digital trade mission of India and Italy.
• This initiative is part of a process aimed at establishing a long-term strategic partnership between Italy and India in the food sector.
• The two-day event will host digital conferences, trade fairs and other meetings.
• The event will involve governments of India and Italy, stakeholders in the food technology industry, leading industries, trade associations and other key institutions including ambassadors.
• Italian technologies in the areas of fruit and vegetable processing, milk and dairy product processing, grain processing, packaging and bottling etc. will be demonstrated during the event.
• Italy:
  • It is a European country with a long Mediterranean coastline.
  • Capital: Rome
  • President: Sergio Mattarella
  • Prime Minister: Giuseppe Conte
  • Currency: Euro

2. 15^th Summit between India and EU concluded in virtual format.

• Recently the 15^th summit between India and the European Union was concluded in virtual format.
• India was represented in this conference by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while the European Union was represented by the President of the European Union Charles Michel and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
• The two sides held talks on the following topics:
  • Strengthening international security.
  • Strengthen preparedness and response to global health emergencies.
  • Enhancing global economic stability and inclusive growth.
  • Implement Sustainable Development Goals.
  • To promote their cooperation in international forums to protect the climate and environment.
• India and the European Union agreed to keep the global trade system open, with World Trade Organization as the basis for the rules based multilateral trade system.
• The European Investment Bank's ongoing activity in India and the upcoming planned investment of Euros 550 million in the Pune and Bhopal Metro Rail projects were also welcomed.
• Also, the leaders of both sides have adopted the “India-EU Strategic Partnership: A roadmap to 2025” for the next five years.
• The India-EURATOM agreement was signed on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
• The subsequent renewal of the India-EU Science and Technology Agreement for the next five years was also welcomed.
• European Union:
  • It is a political and economic union of 27 member states which are mainly located in Europe.
  • It was founded on 1 November 1993.
  • It is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.

(Source: News on AIR)

3. COROSURE, the most affordable COVID-19 test kit launched.

• Recently HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Minister of State Sanjay Dhotre have launched the most affordable COVID-19 test kit Corosure.
• It is designed by IIT Delhi.
• This kit is RT-PCR based.
• New Tech Medical Devices has manufactured this kit and will be available in hospitals and all testing centers.

(Source: News on AIR)

4. Britain banned buying 5G equipment from Chinese telecommunications company Huawei.

• Recently the UK has banned its companies from sourcing 5G equipment from Chinese telecommunications company Huawei.
• UK Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden made the announcement following a meeting chaired by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
• According to this announcement, from the end of this year, telecom providers are prohibited from purchasing any 5G equipment from Huawei.
• The new guidelines require British telecom operators to remove all 5G-related equipment supplied by the Chinese telecommunications company by 2027.
• Recently, US has also banned Huawei and ZTE citing them as national security threats.
• United Kingdom:
  • It is an island nation in northwestern Europe.
  • It is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
  • Prime Minister: Boris Johnson
  • Capital: London
  • Currency: Pound Sterling

(Source: News on AIR)

5. 16 July: World Snake Day.

• World Snake Day is observed every year on 16 July.
• It is a day to raise awareness about various species of snakes worldwide.
• There are more than 35,000 species of snakes worldwide, of which only 600 are venomous, 330 of these 600 species are found in India.
• The most commonly found dangerous are the snake-crate, the Russell viper, the ow-scaled wiper, and the Indian spectacled cobra.

(Source: News on AIR)

6. DCGI approved the first indigenously developed pneumococcal polysaccharide conjugate vaccine.

• Recently the Drug Controller General of India has approved the first indigenously developed pneumococcal polysaccharide conjugate vaccine.
• This vaccine is developed by the Serum Institute of India, Pune.
• The institute was allowed first, second and third stage trials of vaccine which are now completed. The company has also conducted tests in the Gambia.
• This vaccine is used for the treatment of invasive disease and pneumonia caused by Streptococcus Pneumonia in infants.
• It is the first vaccine developed indigenously for the treatment of pneumonia. Earlier, such vaccines were imported into the country.

(Source: The Hindu)

7. Coir and coir products from India recorded an all-time high record exports in the year 2019-20.

• Recently, coir and coir products from India have recorded an all-time high record exports in the year 2019-20.
• 2,758 crore worth of coir and coir products have been exported from India in 2019-20.
• This is about 30 crores more than the year 2018-19.
• 9 lakh 88 thousand metric tons of coir and related products were exported from the country during the year 2019-20, while during the previous year more than 9 lakh 64 thousand metric tons were exported.
• Exports of coir pith, tufted mats, coir geo-textiles, carpets, coir rope and power-loom mats have shown growth both in terms of quantity and value.
• About 99% of the exports of coir and coir products are done through the Tuticorin, Cochin and Chennai ports. Other major ports of export of coir and coir products are Visakhapatnam, Mumbai and Kolkata.

8. Launch of Amal, the Mars orbiter of the United Arab Emirates, was deferred once again.

• Recently the launch of Amal, the Mars orbiter of the United Arab Emirates, was deferred once again.
• This orbiter launch has been postponed due to inclement weather.
• The orbiter named Amal means Hope is the first interplanetary mission in the Arab world.
• The UAE mission will be launched from the Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan.
• The US and China are also planning two other Mars missions in the coming days.
• Japan is also planning to launch a moon mission to Mars in 2024.
• United Arab Emirates:
  • It is a country in western Asia at the northeast end of the Arabian Peninsula on the Persian Gulf.
  • It shares border with Oman and Saudi Arabia.
  • Capital: Abu Dhabi
  • Currency: United Arab Emirates Dirham
  • President: Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan

(Source: The Hindu)

9. Tunisia's Prime Minister Elyes Fakhfakh submitted his resignation to President Kais Saied.

• Recently Tunisia's Prime Minister Elyes Fakhfakh has submitted his resignation to President Kais Saied.
• Mr. Elyes Fakhfakh was sworn in as Prime Minister only five months ago.
• In such a situation, there is now a political crisis in Tunisia along with the economic crisis.
• Tunisia:
  • It is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa.
  • Capital: Tunis
  • Currency: Tunisian Dinar

(Source: The Hindu)

10. According to the Lancet study, India's population may be at the peak by 2047.

• According to a recent Lancet study, by 2047 India's population may be at its peak.
• The study states that the peak population forecast for both China and India will be 2050 before and thereafter marks the population decline of both countries.
• Between 2010 and 2019, India's population grew at an average annual rate of 1.2%.
• At the current rate of growth, India's population is expected to increase to around 161 billion by 2047 and thereafter decrease to 1.03 billion by 2100.
• However, if India fulfills the development goals of the United Nations, this peak will be earlier and then there will be a decline in population and to 929 million by the end of this century.
• The world's population is expected to reach 9.73 billion by 2061 and 8.79 billion by 2100.
• In 2100, the 5 most populous countries will be India, Nigeria, China, America and Pakistan.