Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2020

Notes:
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has recently launched a report on “Cancer preparedness in Asia-Pacific: Progress towards universal cancer control”.
As per the report, India has been ranked eighth for cancer preparedness among 10 Asia-Pacific countries including Australia, China, Japan among others. Australia tops the Asia-Pacific region, followed by South Korea and Malaysia.

Notes:
The Tiger Census of India has set a new Guinness Record for being the world’s largest camera trap wildlife survey.
The fourth edition of the census, which was carried out between 2018-19, has entered the Guinness Book, for being the most comprehensive in resources and data taken. India conducts Tiger Census once in every four years.

Notes:
Russia has become the first nation to complete clinical trials of a Covid-19 vaccine on humans, in a major step towards the vaccine.
Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University has successfully completed the clinical trails of the vaccine, produced by the Gamalei Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Russia. As per the WHO, there are as many as 21 vaccines under key trials across the world.

Notes:
India’s oldest apex industry body Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) has projected India’s annual median GDP growth for 2020-21 at -4.5%.
This has been projected in the association’s Economic Outlook Survey in the SBI Banking and Economics Conclave. It had previously predicted India’s growth rate to be 5.5 per cent in the January 2020 survey. In the conclave, RBI Governor said that Indian economy has started showing signs of getting back to normalcy.

Notes:
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has recently inaugurated and laid foundation stones of 11 highway projects in Haryana worth over 20,000 crore rupees.
These projects are part of the new Economic corridors in the state, which includes the Ambala Kotputli corridor among others. The projects will provide better connectivity to neighbouring states such as Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.

Notes:
Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has recently released a set of guidelines on Digital Education through online medium.
It is named ‘PRAGYATA’, which includes eight steps of digital learning namely Plan- Review- Arrange- Guide- Yak(talk)- Assign- Track- Appreciate. It aimed at addressing teachers, parents, and students on coping with stress during digital learning and recommended screen time for children.

Notes:
The flagship initiative of NITI Aayog, Atal Innovation Mission, (AIM) has launched a programme named ‘Demo-Days’.
The programme aims to identify start-ups with potential Covid-19 innovations and help them develop their ideas into workable solutions which will be deployed across the country. This was launched in partnership with other state-owned bodies including BIRAC, DBT, DST, Start-up India etc.

Notes:
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras-incubated start-up named Modulus Housing has developed a portable hospital unit.
The foldable unit called ‘MediCAB’ can be installed by four people anywhere within two hours. ‘MediCAB’ was launched recently in Wayanad District, Kerala to treat Covid-19 patients. The start-up was founded by two IIT alumni in 2008 and it is in the process of developing micro hospitals.

Notes:
Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda has been appointed as the first woman Prime Minister of the Central African country, Gabon.
The President of Gabon Ali Bongo Ondimba has appointed the 56-year-old, who replaces Julien Nkoghe Bekale, who was appointed the Prime Minister in 2019. Prior to this appointment, she had served as the Budget Minister in 2012 and then in Defence Ministry.

Notes:
P. Praveen Siddharth, a 2001 batch Indian Revenue Service- Income Tax (IRS-IT) officer, P. Praveen Siddharth, has been appointed Private Secretary to President Ram Nath Kovind.
He has replaced Vikram Singh, who has recently been appointed as the Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Shipping. The new Private Secretary is serving as the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the President’s Secretariat.