Daily Current Affairs, 17th July 2020

1) World Day for International Justice celebrated on 17th July

•World Day for International Justice is observed on 17th July every year. It is observed to recognise the strengthening system of international justice and also to promote the rights of the victims. 17 July every year to mark the importance of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and for the people to pay attention to serious crimes happening around the world.

2) DCGI approves India’s 1st homemade Pneumonia vaccine

•India’s first fully indigenously developed Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Conjugate Vaccine (Pneumonia vaccine) has received the approval from Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). It will be utilized for active immunization against invasive disease and pneumonia caused by “Streptococcus pneumonia” among infants.

•Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Conjugate Vaccine (Pneumonia vaccine) has been developed by Serum Institute of India Pvt Ltd, Pune. It is India’s first indigenously developed vaccine in the field of pneumonia. With the DCGI’s approval, Serum Institute of India has been granted permission to manufacture the vaccine domestically.

3) NABARD launches development projects in Andaman & Nicobar Islands

•National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has launched development projects in Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The projects worth Rs 44 lakhs aims to strengthen the concept of Atmanirbhar Bharat through rural entrepreneurship. Under this, there would be focus on the formation and skill development of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to promote rural entrepreneurship at micro level.

•As part of the initiative, NABARD will conduct 385 village-level programmes and also offer training to leaders of newly formed SHGs with a sum of more than Rs 10 lakh. Training for Mushroom Cultivation and Bamboo Handicrafts making will be provided to the women attached to SHGs in Little Andaman. It will also include training programme for tour and travel agents in Swaraj Dweep. NABARD will also conduct agricultural programmes in association with Centre of Agriculture Research Institute (CARI).

4) Digital Indo-Italian Business Mission on Food Processing

•Opening session of the Digital Indo-Italian Business Mission on Food Processing has commenced virtually. The two-day event will include digital conferences, trade fair and B2B meetings. Opening session of the mission was addressed by the Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal. During the session, the minister discussed the emerging trends and growth opportunities in the food processing sector. She also emphasized on the India’s role as a potential market.

•The Digital Indo-Italian Business Mission will witness the participation of 23 Italian companies and will conduct virtual exhibition of their products & services and also participate in the Business (B2B) Meetings with the end users and other industry players in India. Meetings and the webinars across the key areas such as Fruits & Vegetables, Cereals, Milk & Dairy processing, Packaging & Bottling will also held during the virtual session.

5) First on-line NISHTHA programme launched in Andhra Pradesh

•First on-line NISHTHA programme has been launched by the Union HRD Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ and Minister of State for HRD Shri Sanjay Dhotre in Andhra Pradesh. Online NISHTHA programme has been launched for 1200 Key Resources Persons of Andhra Pradesh, hence making it the first ever state in the country. NISHTHA has been customized for online mode because of COVID-19 pandemic situation which has affected the conduct of this programme in face-to-face mode.

•Online NISHTHA programme would be conducted through DIKSHA and NISHTHA portals by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). These 1200 resource persons will support in the mentoring of teachers of Andhra Pradesh, who will take on-line NISHTHA training on DIKSHA.

6) Pakistan, China sign agreement for “Azad Pattan Hydel Power Project”

•Pakistan and China have signed an agreement for the 700 MW Azad Pattan hydel power project on the Jhelum river in Sudhoti district of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).

•The $1.5-billion project is the second power project under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The first agreement, for the 1,100 MW Kohala project, was signed on June 23. That project, worth $2.3 billion, too will come upon the Jhelum near Muzaffarabad.

7) UNICEF India partners with SAP India for employability of young people

UNICEF India has partnered with SAP India to offer career counselling to young people in the country. The partnership between the two aims to improve the employability skills of young people in a COVID-19 as well as post COVID-19 era. Under this initiative, UNICEF has collaborated with YuWaah (Generation Unlimited) to offer digital education as well as occupational skillset to the underserved young people of India.

The UNICEF – YuWaah – SAP India partnership has a prime objective to empower young people, to utilize their creativity, problem-solving and leadership assets, to improve their own lives as well of their communities. Above objectives would be achieved by:

•Improving digital skills and life skills for young people
•Offering young people with career options
•Reimagining the model in other states with the Government of India
•Impacting 10,00,000 young people by the end of 2022

8) DRDO develops P7 Heavy Drop System for IL 76 aircraft

•Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed the P7 Heavy Drop System which is capable of para dropping military stores up to 7-ton weight class from IL 76 aircraft.

9) Roshni Nadar Malhotra becomes new chairman of HCL Tech

•India’s wealthiest woman, Roshni Nadar Malhotra becomes the new chairman of Noida-based IT company, HCL Technologies. The appointment of non-executive director Roshni Nadar Malhotra to the new role takes effect immediately. She will replace her father, Shiv Nadar. Shiv Nadar will continue to be HCL Tech’s managing director, with the designation as the chief strategy officer.

10) IOC postpones 2022 Dakar Youth Olympics to 2026

•The Youth Olympic Games in Dakar will be celebrated in 2026 after Senegal and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) “mutually agreed” to postpone the Games from 2022.

•The IOC and Senegal understand that this news will be disappointing for many young athletes. Both parties can only appeal to their understanding. This agreement results from the large scale of the operational challenges which the IOC, the NOCs and the IFs are facing following the postponement of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. Earlier, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics have been postponed to next year. Now the event will be held from July 23 to August 8, 2021.