Daily Current affairs - March 14, 2018 for all competitive exams
Pi Day is an annual celebration of the
mathematical constant π.
- Pi
Day is observed on March 14.
- Most
recognized digits are 3.14. National Pi Day is celebrated by pi
enthusiasts and pie lovers alike.
- In
2009, the United States House of Representatives supported the designation
of Pi Day
Pi Approximation Day is observed on July 22 (22/7 in the
day/month format), since the fraction 22⁄7 is a common approximation of Ï€,
which is accurate to two decimal places and dates from Archimedes
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Cabinet approves MoU between India and Iran on
co operation in the field of Health and Medicine
The Union
Cabinet has given its ex-post-facto approval for the Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) between India and Iran on cooperation in the field of
Health and Medicine.
- The
MoU was signed on 17th February, 2018 during the visit of the
President of Iran to India.
- The
MoU will encourage cooperation between the two countries and strengthen
bilateral ties between them.
Cabinet approves continuation of ongoing urea
subsidy scheme beyond 12th Five Year Plan
The
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the proposal of Department
of Fertilizers:
- To
continue Urea Subsidy Scheme from 2017 upto 2020 at a total estimated cost
of Rs. 1,64,935 crore and Implementation of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)
for disbursement of fertilizer subsidy
The continuation of
the urea subsidy scheme will ensure that adequate quantity of urea is made
available to the farmers at statutory controlled price. Implementation
of DBT in Fertilizer Sector will reduce diversion and plug the leakages.
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Haj Subsidy to be discontinue from Financial
Year 2018-19
Union
government has decided to discontinue the Haj subsidy from the year 2018-19.
- The
amount of Haj subsidy provided by the Government of India reflects in the
budget of Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), which is the nodal Ministry
responsible for making air travel arrangements for Haj pilgrims identified
by the Haj Committee of India (HCoI).
- Budgetary
provision of Rs. 200 crore for the Haj subsidy has been made in the Budget
Estimates for 2017-18.
The welfare schemes
meant for minorities are implemented by Ministry of Minority Affairs from the
budget allocated to the Ministry. An additional allocation of Rs.505 Crore
has been made for the Ministry of Minority Affairs for the year 2018-19. It
has been decided to allocate bulk of the additional funding for educational
empowerment of Minority communities.
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Bill on chit funds introduced in Loksabha
The Chit Funds
(Amendment) Bill, 2018 has been introduced in the Lok Sabha.
- The
bill aims to streamline and strengthen the chit fund sector. The Bill is
based on the recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on
Finance and the Advisory Groups on Chit Funds set up by the central
government.
- The
Amendment Bill provides for allowing the mandatory presence of two
subscribers, as required either in person or through video conferencing
duly recorded by the foreman, while the bids are being opened.
- It
mandates video conferencing while the opening of bids and seeks to hike commission
of foremen from 5% to 7%.
The Chit
Funds Act, 1982 was enacted to provide for the regulation of chit funds
which are indigenous business in India and have conventionally
satisfied the financial needs of low income households.
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Home Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurates
Asia-Pacific regional conference of IACP
Home Minister Rajnath Singh has inaugurated the
two-day Asia-Pacific Regional Conference of the International Association of
Chiefs of Police (IACP) in New Delhi.
- The
theme of the conference is "Challenges to Policing in 2020 - How is
Cyber Space shaping our approach to Cybercrime and Terrorism, how do we
perform within it and take advantage of it".
India-Russia
bilateral summit likely to take place in Oct
The India-Russia annual bilateral
summit this year is likely to take place in October.
- The
event would be the “high point” of the celebrations marking 70 years of
diplomatic ties between the two nations.
- Ambassador
of Russia to India Nikolay Rishatovich Kudashev also described the current
ties between the two countries as “excellent”.
- And,
the high point of the celebrations, would be the (India-Russia) bilateral
summit, expected to take place here in India in October.
IATA signed MoU with Ministry of Civil aviation
The
International Air Transport Association (IATA) has signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the National
Aviation University to enhance human resource availability in India’s aviation
industry.
- Under
the agreement, the signatory institutions would also leverage “the
existing infrastructure for training in India to expand the reach of
vocational training in aviation disciplines”.
India is
expected to be the third largest aviation market in the world behind China
and the US by 2024, and is forecast to grow to a market size of 480
million passengers in 2036.
The
International Air Transport Association (IATA) is the trade association for
the world’s airlines, representing some 280 airlines or 83% of total air
traffic. Formed in April 1945, it is the successor to the International Air
Traffic Association, which was formed in 1919.
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World Hindi secretariat
World Hindi
Secretariat building has been inaugurated in Mauritius.
- It
is an international organisation representing countries and regions where
Hindi is the first or customary language, where a significant proportion
of the population consists of Hindi speakers or where there is a notable
affiliation with North Indian culture.
The
organisation was set up by the governments of India and Mauritius to promote
Hindi across the world.
The main
objective of the WHS is to promote Hindi as an international language and
further its cause for recognition at the United Nations as an Official
Language.
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Saudi arabia cabinet approves nuclear power
program national policy
Saudi Arabia's Cabinet has approved the national
policy of its atomic energy programme, as the kingdom prepares to award
contracts for its first nuclear power plants.
- The
policy insists on limiting nuclear activities to peaceful purposes and
calls for enhanced safety measures as well as the use of best practices
for radioactive waste management.
Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, is
seeking nuclear power to diversify its energy supply mix in order to free up
oil to boost exports.
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Saudi
Arabia
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Capital
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Riyadh
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Currency
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Saudi
riyal
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King
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Salman
of Saudi Arabia
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Philippines withdraws from ICC
The
Philippines is pulling out its support from the International Criminal Court
(ICC) in protest against the “baseless” and “outrageous” attacks against the
administration as well as violations of due process.
- The
decision comes after the ICC said it could investigate Philippines
President Duterte for alleged crimes against humanity involving
extrajudicial killings resulting from his administration’s campaign
against illegal drugs.
- The
Hague-based ICC announced last month it was launching a “preliminary examination”
of Duterte’s bloody anti-drug crackdown that has drawn international
concern. Police say they have killed nearly 4,000 drug suspects as part of
the campaign, while rights groups claim the toll is around three times the
numbers given by authorities.
The
International Criminal Court (ICC), located in The Hague, is the court of
last resort for prosecution of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against
humanity.
It is the first permanent, treaty based, international criminal court established to help end impunity for the perpetrators of
the most serious crimes of concern to the international community.
Its founding treaty, the Rome Statute, entered into force on July
1, 2002.
Although the
Court’s expenses are funded primarily by States Parties, it also receives
voluntary contributions from governments, international organisations,
individuals, corporations and other entities.
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Philippines
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Capital
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Manila
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Currency
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Philippine
peso
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President
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Rodrigo
Duterte
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Newton-Bhabha Fund for arsenic research in Ganga basin
An India-UK
Joint Team has won the Newton-Bhabha Fund for a project on Groundwater Arsenic
Research in Ganga River Basin.
- The
Newton Bhabha Fund, provided by the British Council, aims to bring
together the UK and Indian scientific research and innovation sectors to
find joint solutions to the challenges facing India in economic
development and social welfare.
The team
members involved with the project will try to assess how the problem of
arsenic poisoning can get aggravated in the next 25 to 30 years and influence
groundwater management practices and suggest water remedial technologies
accordingly.
Arsenic in ground water is a geogenic contaminant i.e. caused by
natural geologic processes.
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Tata Motors and IOC tested trials of India’s
first hydrogen bus
Tata Motors and Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) have
begun the country’s first demonstration trials for a hydrogen fuel cell bus.
- The
demonstration event was held in the presence of Dr R Chidambaram,
principal scientific adviser to the government of India and the chairman
and board members of Indian Oil.
- The
project is being executed under partial financial support from the
Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) and Ministry of
New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
Apple acquires digital magazine Texture, takes
on Flipboard, Google Newsstand
Apple has acquired Texture, a digital magazine
subscription service which gives users unlimited access to their favourite
titles for a monthly fee for an undisclosed amount.
- Called
the “Netflix of magazines”, Texture brings over 200 of the world’s best
magazines to life.
- Texture
costs $9.99 a month and offers access to magazines like The New Yorker,
People, Time and GQ.
Amazon Launches First Debit Card In Mexico
E-Commerce Push
Amazon.com Inc launched its first-ever debit card
in Mexico, part of a push to encourage shoppers without bank accounts to buy
online.
- Part
of the challenge is attracting consumers who are wary of online fraud and
do not have access to credit and debit cards. Less than a third of adults
in Mexico have credit cards, according to a 2017 government report.
Sebastian Pinera sworn in as Chile’s president
Businessman-turned politician Sebastian Pinera
was sworn in as Chile’s president, beginning what will be his second term in
office after a four-year absence.
- Pinera,
68, was re-elected in last November elections, promising to lower taxes
and boost investment, and will serve until 2022.
- According
to Forbes magazine, Pinera is the fourth wealthiest man in Chile.
Bidya Devi Bhandari, Nepal’s 1st female president, wins second term:
Nepal’s
lawmakers have elected President Bidya Bhandari for a second term.
Key facts:
- In
2015, she was elected as the first female head of the state.
- An
electoral college, including members of parliament and provincial
assemblies, will vote in the Presidential election.
ICMR wins 2017 Kochon Prize for TB research
The 2017 Kochon Prize was awarded to the Indian
Council of Medical Research in New Delhi on Tuesday for building a tradition of
excellence in TB research and development.
- The
$65,000 prize is awarded annually by Stop TB Partnership to individuals
and/or organizations that have made a significant contribution to
combating the disease.
- The
ICMR emerged the winner from among 18 nominations.
Stephen Hawking: Visionary physicist dies aged
76
World-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking has died
at the age of 76.
- Dr Hawking did that largely through his book “A
Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes,” published
in 1988.
- Scientifically, Dr Hawking will be best remembered for
a discovery so strange that it might be expressed in the form of a Zen
koan.
Former RS member Begum Hamida passes away at
101
Begum Hamida Habibullah, former Rajya Sabha
member and a Lucknow personality who worked for women empowerment, died
- Ms. Habibullah was the daughter of Nawab Nazir Yar Jung
Bahadur, Chief Justice of the Hyderabad High Court, and wife of Major
General Enaith Habibullah, who went on to become the first Commandant of
the National Defence Academy.
- Ms. Habibullah was known for working for women issues
and promoting self-employment among them through Lucknow’s famed
chikankari art. She was a member of the All India Congress Committee from
1969, and also held the post of Mahila Congress Uttar Pradesh president
from 1972 to 1976.
