Current Affairs 18 July 2020

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Current Affairs 18 July 2020

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1. India emerged as among top ten nations in intellectual property filings
  • As per World Intellectual Property Indicators-2019 Report, India has emerged as the top tenth nation in the ranking of the total (resident and abroad) Intellectual Property (IP) filing activity. With government push to schemes like ‘Make in India’, ‘Skill India’ and now ‘Atma-nirbhar Bharat’, IP Filing and grant activity is likely to increase. 
  • Industry 4.0 is witnessing new inventions and breakthroughs as it faces challenges in providing the right environment to stimulate innovation, especially in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. IP-intensive industries have been identified as an important and integral part of a country’s economy and account for more jobs and a larger share of its GDP.
  • The National IPR Policy, launched in May 2016, to promote strong IP regime in the country encourages innovation to achieve Country's industrial and economic development goals. This will provide an efficient IP ecosystem and build up pace of industrial growth in the country.
2. There will be no postal ballot facilities to electors above 65 years in Bihar Polls
  • The Election Commission will not be extending postal ballot facilities to electors above 65 years of age in the Bihar assembly poll and other bye-elections.
  • The facility of optional postal ballot will be extended to electors who are above 80 years of age, voters with physical disabilities, electors engaged in essential services and those who are COVID-19 positive or are in quarantine (home or institutional) in these elections. The limit the number of voters to be served by each polling station to 1,000, for the ease and safety of voters in Covid-19 situation.
  • The 1,000 voter-limitation had increased the total number of polling stations in Bihar to 1.06 lakh, a rise of 34,000, which would require deployment of 1.8 lakh more polling personnel and other additional resources including vehicles.
Foot Notes:
About Bihar:
Capital: Patna
Governor: Fagu Chauhan
Chief Minister: Nitish Kumar
 
3. Nelson Mandela International Day is observed on 18 July every year
  • Nelson Mandela International Day or Mandela Day is observed on 18 July every year across the globe. The day is aimed to honour Nelson Mandela, South Africa's first black president, Nobel Prize winner, and anti-apartheid icon.
  • Mandela Day was first held on 18 July 2009, in New York. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) recognized the day later that year. On 10 November 2009, the UNGA adopted a resolution A/RES/64/13 to recognize 18 July as the "International Day of Nelson Mandela". The day is designated to mark the contribution Nelson Mandela brings to peace through his active participation in resolving disputes, addressing racial issues, international democracy and reconciliation, and the promotion of human rights.
  • Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born in the Eastern Cape, South Africa on 18 July 1918. In 1942, he began his career in politics. In 1944, he joined the African National Congress. Mandela was accused of treason in South Africa and was arrested on 5 December 1956.
4. Digital Indo-Italian Business Mission addressed by the Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal
  • Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal virtually addressed the opening session of Digital Indo-Italian Business Mission on Food Processing. The session will hold a two-day event. It will include digital conferences, trade fairs, and Business-to-Business service (B2B) meetings.
  • The Digital Indo-Italian Business Mission on Food Processing will offer a unique platform for India and Italy to explore partnership opportunities. This Digital Indo-Italian Business Mission on Food Processing is expected to start a new digital journey and pave the way for a closer connection between the food processing ecosystems of the two countries. The Mission comes as many food processing companies are attempting to diversify and expand their product line-up.  The move aims to expand its global outreach. 
Foot Notes:
About Ministry of Food Processing Industries:
Harsimrat Kaur Badal Constituency: Bathinda, Punjab
Minister of State (MoS): Rameswar Teli
 
About Italy:
Capital: Rome
President: Sergio Mattarella
Prime Minister: Giuseppe Conte
Currency: Euro
 
5. Kate Winslet to receive TIFF Tribute Award during Toronto film festival
  • The Toronto International Film Festival(TIFF), announced that Kate Winslet will be receiving the 2020 TIFF Tribute Actor Award at the virtual event of the 45th edition of TIFF. 
  • Kate will receive the honour in the virtual gala on 15th September 2020, following her film, Francis Lee’s Ammonite in which she played a fossil hunter Mary Anning.
  • Kate Winslet debuted in the film Heavenly Creatures directed by Peter Jackson. She was known for her role as Rose DeWitt in James Cameron’s Titanic (1997).She won the Oscar for the best actress for the film The Reader.
  • She received multiple Golden Globes for her movies like Revolutionary Road, Mildred Pierce and Steve jobs.
Foot Notes:
About TIFF tribute award: The TIFF Tribute Actor Award is presented to a leading performer in their field for their outstanding contribution to cinema.
 
 
6. Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda appointed as Gabon’s First Woman Prime Minister
  • Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of Gabon appointed Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda(56), as the First Women Prime Minister of Gabon succeeding Julien Nkoghe Bekale. She is the sixth Prime Minister under Bongo’s Presidency since 2009.
  • Roponda is an economist in public finance from Gabonese Institute of Economy and Finance.
  • Raponda has served as Budget Minister since 2012.She was elected as First Woman Mayor of Libreville (Capital of Gabon), from Bongo’s Gabonese Democratic Party in 2014.
Foot Notes:
About Gabon:
President: Ali Bongo Ondimba
Capital: Libreville 
Currency: Central African CFA franc
 
7. RBI Approves reappointment of Shyam Srinivasan as the MD & CEO of Federal Bank
  • The Reserve Bank of India(RBI) approved the reappointment of ShyamSrinivasan as the managing Director and Chief Executive officer of Federal bank Limited with effect from September 23, 2020 till September 22, 2021.
  • Under Regulation 30 of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), RBI approved the reappointment of Shyam after the completion of the current term which ends on 22nd September 2020, along with the remuneration proposed by the Federal Bank.
Foot Notes:
About RBI:
Governor: Shaktikanta Das
Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
 
About Federal Bank:
Tagline: Your Perfect Banking Partner
Managing Director & CEO: Shyam Srinivasan
Headquarters: Aluva, Kerala
 
8. Odisha Government to include Transgenders under Madhu Babu Pension Scheme 
  • On July 18, 2020, Odisha Government announced that transgenders are to be included under MadhuBabu Pension Yojana.
  • Madhu Babu Pension Yojana is a social security scheme that was launched in the state of Odisha. Under the scheme, around 5,000 transgenders are to receive Rs 500, Rs 700 and Rs 900 per month as pension. The women currently fighting in divorce cases are also to be brought under the scheme.
  • The scheme was launched in the state of Odisha in 2008. It is a merger of two pension schemes namely Revised Old Age Pension Rules, 1989 and Disability Pension Rules, 1985. Under the scheme, the state government will provide pension to the state beneficiaries. This includes persons with disabilities, widows and now transgenders have been included.
Foot Notes:
About Odisha:
Capital: Bhubaneswar
Governor: Ganeshi Lal
Chief Minister : Naveen Patnaik
 
9. India’s 1st Para-Badminton Arjuna Awardee Ramesh Tikaram Athlete Passed Away at 51
  • Arjuna awardee, para-athlete, and para-badminton player, Ramesh Tikaram passed away at 51 due to coronavirus in a Bengaluru hospital. He organized the World Cup for Para badminton in Bengaluru in 2002.
  • He excelled in athletics before shifting to badminton. Tikaram was selected to represent India at the Barcelona Paralympics in 1992. 
  • As an athlete, he won many medals in shotput and Javelin throw including an international meet in Nottingham in 1995. He won gold in the Multi-Disability championship in Sydney for shot put.
10. India to launch 5 portals to promote Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan
  • Government of India announced that five portals are being developed by different organizations to promote innovation in India. This will help boost AtmaNirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
  • The portals being developed are for specific sectors and are as follows
  • BHEL for power sector
  • CMFTI for manufacturing sector
  • HMT for machine tools
  • ICAT and ARAI for automotive sector.
  • The portals were launched to bring the problem solvers and solution seekers together. The portal will focus on academia, industry, research institute, startups and experts.
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