Daily Current affairs - February 13, 2018 for all competitive exams
World Radio Day 2018 will be celebrated every
year on 13 February.
- It
was proclaimed on 3 November 2011 by UNESCO's 36th General Conference
after originally being proposed by the Kingdom of Spain.
- Theme:
Radio and Sports
World Radio Day 2018 will celebrate the traditional sports
that connect us to our cultural heritage, the grassroots sports that anchor
us within our communities, and the inspiring stories that challenge gender
stereotypes and provide positive role models for young people around the
world.
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President of India hosts ‘LPG Panchayat’ at
Rashtrapati Bhavan
The
President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, hosted an LPG Panchayat on February
13, 2018 at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
- The
LPG Panchayat was organised by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
with an aim to provide a platform for LPG consumers to interact with each
other, promote mutual learning and share experiences.
- Each
LPG Panchayat has about 100 LPG customers coming together, near their
living areas,to discuss safe and sustainable usage of LPG, its benefits
and the link between clean fuel for cooking and women’s empowerment.
- The
Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas intends to conduct 1 lakh such
Panchayats across India before March 31, 2019.
Modi to launch DD Arun Prabha on Feb 15
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch DD Arun
Prabha, a new 24×7 satellite television channel of Doordarshan for the
north-eastern region.
- He
will launch it during his day-long visit to the state Arunachal Pradesh on
February 15.
- The
Prime Minister is also scheduled to inaugurate the state Civil Secretariat
complex, officials at the chief minister office said.
DD Arun Prabha will showcase programmes on the diverse
culture of the northeastern states. This will be Doordarshan’s second channel
for the north-eastern region.
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Taj introduces Rs 200 fee for main mausoleum, hikes entry fee
The tourists visiting the Taj Mahal will have to
shell out extra from April 1 as the government has decided to introduce Rs 200
charge for seeing the main mausoleum and also raise the entry fee to Rs 50 from
Rs 40.
- As of now, there is no separate fee for entry to the
main mausoleum.
A recent report by the National Environmental Engineering
Research Institute (NEERI), which conducted a study on Taj Mahal’s
load-bearing capacity, recommended immediate steps to reduce the number of
footfalls into the mausoleum to protect its integrity.
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M.P. agrees to shift six tigers to Odisha
The Madhya Pradesh government has given an “in
principle” nod to translocate three pairs of tigers to Odisha’s Satkosia Tiger
Reserve (STR)
- The
six tigers are likely to be translocated by March-end, as the All India
Tiger Estimation (AITE) 2018 is currently under way in the State.
- According
to the officer, the in-principle approval came after Chief Minister
Shivraj Singh Chouhan agreed to the Odisha government’s request for
translocation of the big cats.
Rajasthan CM announces schemes, benefits for
SC, ST, OBC
Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje
announced various schemes and benefits for the welfare of the people.
- Her
benefits are for the SC, ST and OBC categories and economically backward
classes (EBC). She announced waiver of loans of up to Rs 2 lakh along with
the interest on it for SC/ST, sanitation workers and differently-abled.
- The
chief minister said interest-free loan of Rs 2 lakh will be provided to
hair stylists, cobblers, rickshaw pullers, plumbers among others for skill
development.
Prisons Department aims to make Telangana
beggar-free
Having successfully implemented Anand Ashram
initiative for the rehabilitation of beggars in Hyderabad, the State Prisons
Department has now decided to extend the drive to other parts of the State.
- So
far they have admitted 3,749 beggars, including 1,302 women and children,
in both Chanchalguda and Charlapalli Central prisons
- Mr.
V.K. Singh said that the city is almost free from beggars and the
department is aiming to make Telangana a beggar-free State by extending
the initiative to other districts.
- The
Director General said that they have sent a proposal to the State
government to set up Anand Ashrams on the premises of district jails and
they expect government’s approval in a week.
Iran president Hassan Rouhani to meet Modi in
India on Feb 17
Iranian president Hassan Rouhani will arrive in
India later this week for talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other
Indian leaders.
- The
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will travel to India on February 15,” the
Iranian Students.
- This
will be the first visit by Rouhani, who is the seventh President of Iran,
after taking charge in August 2013.
Iran
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Capital
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Tehran
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Currency
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Iranian rial
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President
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Hassan Rouhani
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Canadian PM Justin Trudeau to visit IIMA on Feb
19
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau,
arriving in India later this week, will deliver a lecture at the Indian
Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.
- Trudeau
is scheduled to visit the IIMA on February 19 and address its students,
the leading business school.
- The Indian
Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) will have the pleasure of
hosting the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau.
Canada
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Capital
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Ottawa
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Currency
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Canadian dollar
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Prime minister
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Justin Trudeau
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World’s first robot ski competition held in South Korea
World’s first robot ski competition was held in
South Korea in which self-operational humanoid skiers with two legs
participated wearing skis.
- The
robots were reportedly equipped with sensors, batteries and deep learning
algorithms that allowed them to move on their own.
- Eight
teams from local universities and tech firms took part in the competition.
World's 1st Autonomous Pods Unveiled in Dubai
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority
(RTA) launched the first tests of the world’s first autonomous pods
at the World Government Summit.
- The
autonomous pods are launched in cooperation with Next Future
Transportation (US-Based).
- They
can be coupled together in as little 15 seconds or detached depending on
the riders’ destination in five seconds.
US proposes $336 million aid to Pakistan, down
by $10 million
US President Donald Trump has proposed $ 256
million in civilian and $ 80 million in military aid to Pakistan, down about $
10 million, in the annual budget, but linked the defence assistance to
Islamabad’s action against terror safe havens on its soil.
- The
proposed aid is the part of a $ 4 trillion annual budget for the fiscal
2019 beginning October 1.
- The
proposal of aid to Pakistan comes weeks after Trump administration
suspended nearly $ 2 billion in security assistance to Islamabad due to
its inability to take action against terrorist groups operating from its
soil.
- The
budgetary proposal says that the military aid depends on Pakistan taking
action against terrorist safe havens.
Lupin launches generic Tamiflu in the US
Pharmaceutical firm Lupin on has launched its
generic Oseltamivir Phosphate capsules used for the treatment of influenza in
the US markets.
- The
company said in a BSE filing that it has launched its tablets after
receiving the approval from the United States Food and Drug
Administration.
- The
capsules, in the strengths of 30 mg, 45 mg and 75 mg, are generic versions
of Ho
Bank of Baroda to exit South Africa after
controversies
Bank of Baroda, which became embroiled with the
Guptas scandal-ridden businessmen friends of President Jacob Zuma, has
announced plans to exit South Africa.
- The
Bank of Baroda, the last financial institution in South Africa offering
banking services to the Guptas’ Oakbay investment holding firm.
- In
September, Oakbay lost a court bid to keep their accounts open at Baroda’s
South African unit.
Bank of Baroda
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Headquarters
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Vadodara
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Tagline
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India's International Bank
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MD and CEO
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P. S. Jayakumar
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8.4% growth in foreign tourist arrivals in one
year
Ministry of Tourism compiles monthly
estimates of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) & FTAs on e- Tourist
Visa on the basis of Nationality-wise, Port-wise data received from Bureau
of Immigration (BOI).
- The
growth rate in FTAs in January 2018 over January 2017 was 8.4%. During the
month of January 2018, a total of 2.40 lakh foreign tourists arrived
on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 1.52 lakh during the month of
January 2017 registering a growth of 58.5%.
The percentage share of top 3 source countries
availing e- Tourist Visa facilities –
- UK
(18.6%), USA (10.6%), Russian Fed (6.5%).
The percentage share of top 3 ports in foreign
tourist arrivals on e-Tourist Visa-
- New
Delhi Airport (37.3%), Mumbai Airport (19.6%), Dabolim (Goa) Airport
(12.4%)
Naidu is richest, Manik poorest: ADR
Extreme inequality in India is evidently not
restricted to the general population, going by an analysis of the assets of
Chief Ministers.
It extends to top politicians as well, with the
richest Chief Minister found to be 680 times wealthier than the ‘poorest’ one.
- The
richest Chief Minister, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu
Naidu, has declared assets worth Rs. 177 crore, while the ‘poorest’ Chief
Minister, CPI (M) leader and Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, had
total assets worth all of Rs. 26 lakh.
- According
to an analysis by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), Arunachal
Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder
Singh are the second and third richest CMs, with assets worth Rs. 129
crore and Rs. 48 crore respectively.
- The
second ‘poorest’ was Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief
Minister Mamata Banerjee, with assets worth Rs. 30 lakh.
- As
for those with criminal cases pending against them, 35%, or 11 of the 31
CMs, have criminal charges against them.
- In
terms of educational qualification, 10% of the 31 CMs are 12th pass, 39%
graduate, 32% graduate professional, 16% postgraduate and 3% doctorate.
India records marginal increase in forest cover
India posted a marginal 0.21% rise in the area
under forest between 2015 and 2017, according to the biennial India State of
Forest Report (SFR) 2017.
- The
document says that India has about 7,08,273 square kilometres of forest,
which is 21.53% of the geographic area of the country (32,87,569 sq. km).
- Getting
India to have at least 33% of its area under forest has been a long
standing goal of the government since 1988.
- Andhra
Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala topped the States that posted an increase in
forest cover. Currently, 15 States and union territories have 33% of
their geographical area under forests.
India is ranked 10th in the world, with 24.4% of land area
under forest and tree cover, even though it accounts for 2.4% of the world
surface area and sustains the needs of 17% of human and 18% livestock
population
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R.K. Singh Inaugurates International Conference
‘Indian Power Stations 2018’ in New Delhi
Union Minister of State (IC) for Power and New
and Renewable Energy, Shri R.K. Singh inaugurated the ‘Indian Power
Stations 2018’ in New Delhi.
- It
is the three-day International Conference on Operations and
Maintenance.
- The
Minister exhorted the NTPC to become India’s power sector multinational by
setting up power plants in other Nations and become world’s largest power
producer.
12th International Conference on CSR Held in
Bengaluru
The Institute Of Directors organised
it’s 12th International Conference on Corporate Social
Responsibility in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
- In
the conference, the Prestigious Golden Peacock Award 2017 were
presented.
- The
leadership award for philanthropy and social change was presented
to Mr. Vineet Nayar, Founder Chairman, Sampark Foundation.
First Pakistani woman from Hindu minority to
become a lawmaker
The first woman from Pakistan’s tiny minority
Hindu community is poised to become a lawmaker next month.
- She
will be the first woman after the country’s opposition party nominated her
for the upcoming Senate elections.
- Kumari
will be the first female Hindu lawmaker in Pakistan since 1947 when
Pakistan gained independence from Britain.
Indonesian Finance Minister wins world’s Best Minister Award
Indonesia’s Finance Minister Sri Mulyani
Indrawati won the ‘Best Minister in the World’ award at the World Government
Summit in Dubai.
- She
was awarded for her efforts in implementing successful reforms to tackle
corruption and increase transparency in her country.
- Indrawati
has previously served as the Managing Director of the World Bank Group
from 2010 to 2016.
The World Government Summit is an annual
event held in Dubai,UAE. It brings together leaders in government for a
global dialogue about governmental process and policies with a focus on the
issues of futurism, technology and innovation, as well as other topics.
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Odisha’s first female filmmaker passes away
Parbati Ghose, Odisha’s first female filmmaker,
passed away following a prolonged illness
- She
was born in Cuttack district in 1933. Parbati started working as child
artist in All India Radio and soon transcended to silver screen as a child
artiste (Nila Madhava) in the movie ‘Shri Jagannath’ in 1949. Four years
later, in 1953 she got a big break when offered the lead role in ‘Amari
Gaan Jhua’ (Our Village Girl).
- She
turned to film direction after tasting phenomenal success in mainstream
cinema. In 1973, she joined her husband Goura Prasad Ghose to direct the
film ‘Sansara’. She won three national awards by the mid-1980s.
Kishan Gangolli Wins 13th Edition of National
Chess Championship for Blind
Defending champion Karnataka’s Kishan
Gangolli won the 13th edition of the National ‘A’ Chess Championship
for the blind in Mumbai.
- The
championship was organised by All India Chess Federation for the Blind
(AICFB).
- Gangolli
became the champion for the fifth consecutive time with 10.5 points.
Gujarat’s Ashvin Makwana stood second with 9.5 points.
