Current Affairs 18th July 2016

National News:

• The Commerce Ministry has launched an e-marketplace for online purchase of goods and services by all government ministries and departments.
• To ensure a garbage-free Puducherry, the government will form ‘Swachh Bal Senas ‘ to make children the watchdogs of cleanliness and prevent elders from littering
• The Indian Railways has proposed to construct thematic vintage hotels on the original coaches of the luxury tourist train ‘Palace on Wheels’
• The Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Ministry has launched an online portal ‘India Skills Online’, and four other initiatives under the ‘Skill India’ campaign
• Around 54.5% (approximately 1.46 crore) of India’s total disabled population of 2.68 crore is literate, according to the 2011 Census-based data released by the Registrar General of India (RGI)
• The Indian Railways has launched a special train for car freight called ‘Auto Express’

International News:

• UK PM Theresa May has made key changes in the cabinet, putting Brexit supporters in charge of negotiating the country’s exit from the European Union
• South Korean government has set up a task force to remove ‘incorrect’ translations of Korean dishes from menus
• UNESCO declared the Archaeological Site of Philippi in Greece and the Antequera Dolmens Site in Spain to be ‘World Heritage Sites’
• UNESCO declared five ‘World Heritage Sites’ in Libya to be in danger, citing damage caused by the conflict in the country as well as the threat of further damages

New Appointments:

• Congress leader Pema Khandu, son of late Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu, was sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh
• Indian-origin UK MP Priti Patel has been appointed as the International Development Secretary in PM Theresa May’s cabinet reshuffle

Awards & Honours :

• Jeff Bezos, CEO and Founder of Amazon.com, is currently the fourth richest person in the world with a net worth of $63.9 billion
• NGOs in Manipur conduct an annual competition and give cash prizes to women with the highest number of children

Business & Economy :

• Yatra Online, Inc. and Terrapin 3 Acquisition Corporation entered into a definitive merger agreement. The transaction values Yatra at an enterprise value of 218 million dollars (1458 crore rupees)

Science & Technology :

• Three indigenously-developed 155 mm ‘Dhanush’ artillery guns have been handed over to the Indian Army for user trial by the Jabalpur-based Gun Carriage Factory
• South Africa’s MeerKAT radio telescope showed off its phenomenal power by revealing 1,300 galaxies in a tiny corner of the universe where only 70 were known before

Sports :

• India sealed a spot in the Davis Cup World Group Playoff after taking an unassailable 3-0 lead in their Group 1 tie against South Korea in Chandigarh
• Indian professional boxer Vijender Singh became the WBO Asia Pacific Super Middleweight champion after defeating Australia’s Kerry Hope in New Delhi by unanimous decision