Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 14 July 2022
Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 14 July 2022
::NATIONAL::
Kerala man who returned from UAE showed suspected Monkeypox symptoms: minister
- A Kerala resident who returned from UAE has reported suspected symptoms of the Monkeypox virus, state health minister Veena George said. The samples have been sent to virology institute in Pune for testing. The minister said the disease could be confirmed only after getting the test results.
- George said the person who showed symptoms of Monkeypox was in contact with a patient abroad.
- More than 60 countries across the world have reported the outbreak of the disease as confirmed cases have crossed 10,400. The disease which spreads through close contact and was first found in monkeys, mostly occurs in west and central Africa and only occasionally spreads elsewhere.
- As of July 12, United Kingdom had 1,735 confirmed cases, while Spain reported 2,447 infections. Germany, France, Greece and other European countries have reported Monkeypox infections.
- On June 26, the World Health Organisation's chief TedrosAdhanomGhebreyesus had said that the Monkeypox outbreak was deeply concerning evolving threat but did not constitute a global health emergency. He also convened a committee of experts to advise him whether to sound the UN health agency's strongest alarm over the outbreak.
::INTERNATIONAL::
I2U2 Summit to unveil $2-bn initiative to tackle food security
- The new grouping of India, Israel, the UAE and the US (I2U2) is set to unveil a $2-billion food security initiative, which envisages setting up agricultural parks in India with funding from the UAE, during its first virtual summit
- Prime Minister NarendraModi will join his Israeli counterpart YairLapid, United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan and US President Joe Biden for the I2U2 Summit. The meeting is being held during Biden’s first visit to West Asia since becoming president.
- The I2U2 Summit will focus on the current food security challenge and “a $2-billion project, which the UAE is helping to fund, for agricultural parks in India,” and some other measures will be announced at the meeting, a senior US administration official told reporters on Wednesday.
- Israel will lend technological expertise for the initiative, and there will be some support from the US private sector, the official said.
- US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan also told reporters on Wednesday that there will be a “significant announcement around food security and agricultural technology” at the summit. This is an area “where all four countries can come together to help deal with an immediate crisis facing the entire world”, he added.
- The senior US administration official said India and Israel will serve as innovation and entrepreneurial hubs that will facilitate I2U2’s efforts to tackle the food security challenge.
- I2U2 will bring together countries, governments and the private sector to tackle challenges, the official said.
- I2U2 was established as an international forum for economic cooperation at a virtual meeting of foreign ministers of the four countries last October. These countries have said there is no military angle to their cooperation and they are pushing a constructive agenda focused on the economy, especially infrastructure projects..
::ECONOMY::
RBI governor Shaktikanta Das says will ensure orderly movement in rupee
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is for an orderly appreciation or depreciation in the currency and is intervening in all market segments to curb volatility, governor Shaktikanta Das said.
- “We don’t have a level in mind, but our endeavor is to ensure there is orderly evolution of rupee in both ways,” Das said in a fireside chat at the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s event in the city-state on Tuesday.
- India’s currency has been on a downward spiral, falling 6.6% this year, as fears of a global recession and deteriorating external balances fuel outflows. The central bank, earlier this month, announced measures to help shore up its foreign exchange reserves that have declined to the lowest in more than 14 months at $588.3 billion as of July 1.
- The rupee’s tumble to a succession of record lows is sparking fears of a deeper sell-off and pitting the central bank against analysts and strategists who are predicting further losses.
- The central bank is intervening across all segments of the foreign exchange market, whether spot, forwards or offshore, Das said. “As a central bank, we don’t like excessive volatility. Our dealing room guys decide the strategy on a minute to minute basis.”
- The rupee declined 0.2% to 79.6025 to a dollar on Tuesday. It fell to another low of 79.6613 in intraday trade.
::Sports::
Player power, potential for conflict in AIFF draft constitution
- India’s top league to be managed by the All India Football Federation (AIFF), greater agency for players and a mandatory cooling-off period between three four-year terms for office-bearers find mention in the working draft of the constitution of the AIFF sent to FIFA and states’ representatives early on Wednesday. HT has a copy of the draft prepared by the Committee of Administrators now running AIFF following a Supreme Court verdict.
- The draft has possibilities for conflict with state associations and Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), which runs Indian Super League, India’s top tier competition.
- “Seniormost top division league shall mean the league competition owned, operated, recognised and directly managed by AIFF…function/roles cannot be assigned to any other entity or organisation,” according to the draft.
- This could contravene the master rights agreement between AIFF and FSDL that is valid till 2025. Till press time, FSDL could not be reached for a comment.