18th August Daily Current Affairs – English

Monkey Measles:

• The World Health Organization declared a public health emergency of international concern on the 14th due to the rapid spread of monkey measles around the world.
• The World Health Organization first declared monkey measles an international public health emergency in 2022.
• Since then only 30 people have been diagnosed in India.
• For the second time in the past two years, the World Health Organization has declared monkey measles a public health emergency of international concern.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) emergency committee meeting issued this announcement after the monkey pox epidemic has so far spread to 116 countries.
• Monkey measles is a rare infectious disease caused by the virus.
• Monkey measles virus is a double-stranded DNA virus belonging to the genus Orthopoxvirus of the Poxviridae family.
• The virus has two distinct genetic segments.
• The first category was found in Central African countries and the second category in West African countries.
• Among these, the virus found in the Congo region was one of the most severe.
• 1958 – Monkey measles was discovered, and because it was first discovered in monkeys in the laboratory, the disease is called monkey measles.

 Para-drop of BHISHM critical trauma care cube:

• The Indian Army and Air Force jointly conducted the first successful test of a project to safely land a small platform containing medical supplies by parachute in disaster-prone areas.
• These medical halls, called Arogya Maithri Health Cube, are locally developed.
• This test was conducted in accordance with Prime Minister Modi’s vision of sending relief materials to the affected areas during the disaster.
• Accordingly, indigenously developed medical supplies were parachuted from a height of 15,000 feet at a precisely specified location.
• The test was conducted by an Indian Air Force C-130 J Super Hercules aircraft.
• The ‘Arogya Maitiri Health Cube’, which is being tested by the Indian Air Force, is the world’s first small disaster hospital that can be carried by air during emergencies.

Athikadavu-Avinashi Project Commencement:

• CM Stalin launched Athikadavu-Avinashi project which is a dream project of three districts of Erode, Tiruppur and Coimbatore.
• The Athikadavu-Avinashi project was started to raise the ground water level by filling the ponds and ponds of 3 districts namely Coimbatore, Tiruppur and Erode and for the needs of agriculture and drinking water.
• Jayalalithaa, who was the then Chief Minister, allocated Rs 3.27 crore as an initial phase fund for research work.
• On February 28, 2019, former Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami visited Avinashi and laid the foundation stone for the Athikadavu-Avinashi project.

Indian education system needs to be overhauled: IMF

• In order to improve the skills of Indian workers, India should reorganize its education system, said Gita Gopinath, Deputy Managing Director of the International Fund.
• Import duty rates on goods in India are high.
• India’s overall growth rate is 7 percent.
• India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world.
• As far as taxation is concerned, India is at par with other developing countries.
• Corporate tax rate has been reduced in India.
• Since 2010, India has seen an average growth of 6.6 percent.

Important Facts:

1. KC Venugopal has been appointed as the Chairman of the important Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee which can audit the revenue and expenditure of the central government.
2. To ensure the safety of women at night and to help women, the West Bengal government is going to introduce a program called ‘Rattirer Sathi’ with women volunteers.
3. On the occasion of Karunanidhi’s centenary, the central government will issue a Rs 100 coin with his image engraved on it.
4. August 29, the birthday of hockey player Dayan Chand, is celebrated as National Sports Day.
5. Sunil Kumar has been appointed as the Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Uniformed Staff Donation Board.
6. Liverpool, Manchester and PSG won the European Football Championship.
7. A 39-strong Indian team will participate in the U-15, U-17 Asia Cup Badminton Tournament to be held in Chengdu, China on 20th.