Daily Current affairs - March 3&4, 2018 for all competitive exams
World life day is observed every year on March 3rd by
United nations.
- On
20 December 2013, at its 68th session, the United Nations General Assembly
(UNGA) decided to proclaim 3 March, the day of the adoption of the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora (CITES), as World Wildlife Day, which was proposed by Thailand, to
celebrate and raise awareness of the world's wild fauna and flora.
- The
2018 theme is "Big cats - predators under threat"
National Wildlife Day is observed annually on September
4th. National Wildlife Day is an opportunity to learn more about endangered
species, preservation and conservation efforts around the world. Zoos,
aviaries, and marine sanctuaries provide a variety of ways to get involved.
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March 4 - National Safety Day
National Safety Day/week is being observed from 4th March
2018 to 10th March 2018 organised by National Safety Council
- The
National Safety Day/Week Campaign is celebrated in India every year by the
National Safety Council to enhance the safety awareness among people.
- Themes
of National Safety Day / Week 2018: Reinforce Positive Behavior at the
Workplace to Achieve Safety and Health Goals
National Safety Council of India is a self-governing body
nonprofit and nongovernmental organization for public service which was
established on 4th of March in 1966 under the Societies Act in Mumbai.
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Labour ministry proposed Social security scheme
The labour
ministry has proposed a comprehensive social security system to provide
retirement, health, oldage, disability, unemployment and maternity benefits to
50 crore workers in the country.
- The
scheme will be implemented in three phases over 10 years, after which the
government hopes to make it universal. The scheme will be implemented in
four tiers with the government wholly financing the cost for people below
the poverty line.
- The
first phase of the scheme will cost Rs 18,500 crore. The first phase will
see all workers getting the bare minimum, which includes health security
and retirement benefits. The second phase will see unemployment benefits
being added to it while in the third phase, other welfare measures can be
added.
The scheme
will be largely funded from the Building and Construction Worker Cess and
funds allocated to other scattered schemes through the National Stabilisation
Fund set up for the purpose.
India’s
total workforce stands at around 500 million. A little over 10% of this is in
the organised sector, where workers enjoy social security of some sort under
EPFO and ESIC. But a major portion of the total workforce is still in the
unorganised sector, where workers do not often get even the minimum wage and
lack any kind of social security cover.
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Lakshadweep joins hand to incorporate UDAY
scheme providing electricity to people
Lakshadweep, the Union Territory joined hands with the UDAY
scheme, which is meant for the revival of debt-stressed power distribution
companies (discoms) in the country.
- The
Memorandum of Understanding signed as an operational turnaround of the
Union Territory’s Electricity Department.
- The
Union Territory will have an overall benefit of around Rs 8 crore that
would provide ways of cheaper funds, reduction in AT&C losses, and
intervention in energy efficiency.
UDAY provides for the financial turnaround and revival of
Power Distribution companies (DISCOMs), and importantly also ensures a
sustainable permanent solution to the problem. UDAY is a path breaking reform
for realizing the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of affordable and
accessible 24x7 Power for All. Andhra Pradesh was the first state to
join in UDAY scheme.
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Race to save 3,000-year-old treasures
A small village in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh
is yielding clues to life in the region some 3,000 years ago.
- The
State Archaeology department has dug up artefacts from burial sites here
dating back to 1000 B.C. and the megalithic era. However, it faces a
challenge: to complete the excavations early because the area will be
flooded by the Polavaram project.
- Rudramkota
in Velperupeta mandal of West Godavari district has so far yielded human
figures, terracotta figurines, and red and black pottery, from a dolmen
burial.
The Commissioner, Department of Archaeology and Museums, G.
Vani Mohan, said the objects would be sent to the Centre for Cellular and
Molecular Biology to determine their antiquity through carbon dating. Closer
study would yield insights into the lifestyle of the megalithic period, she
said.
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Punjab inks
MoU with Nandan Nilekanis e-Gov to provide online services
Punjab government in both transparent and smooth manner,
the state government signed a MoU with e-Governance Foundation (e-Gov) of
Nandan Nilekani.
- According
to the MoU, a total of 67 services would be provided online
within a span of 1 year under 12 modules namely Property Tax, Water
& Sewerage Management, Complaints and Grievance, Licensing, Fire
Service, Verification, Birth and Death, ULB web portal, Mobile App, State
and ULB Dashboards, Payroll and Financial Accounting.
India,
Vietnam deepen ties on N-energy, trade, agriculture
India and Vietnam agreed
to cooperate on nuclear energy, trade and agriculture as Prime
Minister Narendra Modi held talks with the President of Vietnam,
Tran Dai Quang.
Vietnam is one of
India’s closest strategic partners in the ASEAN region.
The two sides decided
to explore co-development projects in defence sector and boost ties in oil
and gas exploration, including with third countries.
Pakistan summons Indian envoy
Pakistan summoned India’s Deputy High Commissioner J.P. Singh
for the second consecutive day over “unprovoked firing” by Indian troops across
the Line of Control.
- The
Foreign Office said Director-General (South Asia & SAARC) Mohammad
Faisal summoned Mr. Singh, and condemned the “unprovoked ceasefire
violations” by the Indian forces along the LoC in the Bhimber/Samahini
sectors.
DefExpo 2018 – showcasing ‘India: The emerging
Defence manufacturing Hub’
DefExpo 2018 will, for the first time, project
India’s Defence manufacturing capabilities to the world.
- This
is reflected in the tagline for the Expo, which is ‘India: The Emerging
Defence Manufacturing Hub’.
- DefExpo
2018 will brand India as a defence exporter of several defence systems and
components for all three Services - Army, Navy and Air Force. While
showcasing strengths of India’s substantial public sector, it will also
uncover India’s growing private industry and spreading MSME base for
components and sub-systems.
DefExpo 2018 will brandish Hindustan
Aeronautics Ltd’s various flying platforms including domestically designed
and manufactured fourth-generation Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) - Tejas;
Advanced Light Helicopter - Dhruv which have both civil as well as combat
variants; Light Combat Helicopter for which IOC was received recently;
Dornier civilian aircraft for which DGCA clearance was received and which is
likely to be inducted for regional connectivity purposes. Apart from HAL’s
platforms, the Expo will also promote domestic private industry and
aero-components industry.
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Diabetes has five types, say scientists
Scientists
have unveiled a revised classification for diabetes. There are five distinct
types of diabetes that can occur in adulthood, rather than the two currently
recognised.
Currently,
the disease is divided into two sub-types:
- With
type-1 — generally diagnosed in childhood and accounting for about 10% of
cases — the body simply doesn’t make insulin, a hormone that helps
regulate blood sugar levels.
- For
type-2, the body makes some insulin but not enough, which means glucose
stays in the blood. This form of the disease correlates highly with
obesity and can, over time, lead to blindness, kidney damage, and heart
disease or stroke.
The
new clusters are:
1. Cluster
1 – severe autoimmune diabetes is broadly the same as the classical type 1 – it
hit people when they were young, seemingly healthy and an immune disease left
them unable to produce insulin
2. Cluster
2 – severe insulin-deficient diabetes patients initially looked very similar to
those in cluster 1 – they were young, had a healthy weight and struggled to
make insulin, but the immune system was not at fault
3. Cluster
3 – severe insulin-resistant diabetes patients were generally overweight and
making insulin but their body was no longer responding to it
4. Cluster
4 – mild obesity-related diabetes was mainly seen in people who were very
overweight but metabolically much closer to normal than those in cluster 3
5. Cluster
5 – mild age-related diabetes patients developed symptoms when they were
significantly older than in other groups and their disease tended to be milder.
This is the
first step towards personalised treatment of diabetes. This discovery could
lead to better treatments and help doctors more accurately predict
life-threatening complications from the disease.
Diabetes,
often referred to by doctors as diabetes mellitus, describes a group of
metabolic diseases in which the person has high blood glucose (blood sugar),
either because insulin production is inadequate, or because the body’s cells
do not respond properly to insulin, or both.
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Xiaomi to expand to more European markets
following the launch in Spain
Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi Technology Co said it was
planning to enter more European markets following its debut in Spain.
- Senior
vice president Xiang Wang said for the first time in Xiaomi history, we
launched products to cover all three channels.
- Xiaomi
was carefully planning its entry into more markets in western Europe.
‘India by the Nile’ festival to begin next week
in Egypt
The mega annual cultural festival ‘India by the Nile’,
organised to celebrate Indian culture and its diversity, will begin in Cairo
next week with the main focus on classical culture this year.
- The
12-day event, the biggest foreign festival in Egypt, will host a wide
range of events and starts on March 6.
- The
festival which provides audiences an Indian cultural experience and
encourages artistic collaborations between India and Egypt will be held in
several cities such as Cairo, Alexandria and Port Said.
Vijayendra Saraswathi assumes charge
The 70th pontiff of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, Sri Sankara
Vijayendra Saraswathi, has started performing the duties of the Peetathipati.
- His
guru, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi, was placed in samadhi, after he passed
away.
Vietnam President Tran Dai Quang Arrives in
India on 3-day Visit
The Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang has arrived in
India on the 3-day visit. He is scheduled to hold delegation level
talks with PM Narendra Modi in New Delhi. Strengthening cooperation in the key
areas of defence and trade will be high on the agenda.
- The
two sides will sign MoUs in the areas of nuclear energy, agriculture and
trade and investment. This is Tran's first visit to India as president.
Armen Sarkisian Elected Next Armenian President
Armenian lawmakers elected Armen Sarkisian as the new
president of Armenia. He will succeed Serzh Sarkisian. Armen
Sarkisian was the ambassador to the United Kingdom.
- He
will assume presidential duties after his predecessor steps down in April
2018. The political shift comes after President Sarkisian in 2015
initiated controversial constitutional amendments to turn the impoverished
Moscow-allied country into a parliamentary republic with a powerful Prime
Minister.
Casting Couch statue debuts in Hollywood
A golden statue of a bathrobe-clad Harvey Weinstein, seated
on a couch with an Oscar in hand, took up temporary sidewalk residence close to
the site of Sunday’s Academy Awards.
- Casting
Couch is a collaborative work between a Los Angeles street artist known as
Plastic Jesus and Joshua “Ginger” Monroe, designer of 2016’s nude Donald
Trump statues placed in major U.S. cities.
Venkatesh Prasad quits as BCCI junior selection
chairman
Former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad submitted his resignation
from the post of chairman of the junior national selection committee.
- Prasad,
who cited personal reasons for stepping down, has worked as the head of
the committee for 30 months.
- Acting
president CK Khanna said that he tried convincing Prasad to stay but he
had made up his mind.
Azlan shah cup hockey tournament begins in
Malaysia
The 27th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup Hockey tournament begins in
the Malaysian city of Ipoh.
- Six
nations – India, hosts Malaysia, defending champions England, Australia,
Argentina and Ireland – are taking part in the tournament.
- India,
currently the world number six side, will take on world number two
Argentina in their opening round-robin match.
Navjot Kaur 1st Indian Woman to Win Gold in
Asian Wrestling Championship
Navjot Kaur has clinched the 1st gold medal for
India in the Asian Wrestling championship in Bishkek,
Kyrgyzstan. She defeated Imai Miyu of Japan in the final of women’s 65 kg
freestyle. With 1 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze medal, India was at the
second spot in the medals tally.
- Vinesh
Phogat and Pinki of Indian Railways claimed silver medals
while Sakshi Malik won a bronze in the 62-kilogram
category. China was leading the table with 4 gold and 1 bronze
medal while Japan was at the third place with 1 gold, 1 silver
and 2 bronze medals.
Debutant
Shahzar wins gold and a world record
Indian shooters
made the country proud at the ISSF World Cup in Mexico. Shahzar
Rizvi made his maiden ISSF World Cup appearance a memorable one
by winning the gold medal in the 10m air pistol
event at Guadalajara in Mexico.
- Rizvi shot
a world record score of 242.3 points in the final to
beat Christian Reitz of Germany, 239.7 points, to win the top honour.
- Anjum
Moudgil finished at fourth position with 208.6 points,
while Apurvi Chandela was seventh in the standings
with 144.1 points.
Rashid Khan became the Youngest
Cricketer to captain a national team
Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan became
the Youngest Cricketer at 19 years, 165 days to captain a national
side after leading the team as interim captain against Scotland today.
- Rashid
recently became the youngest player to hold the top spot for any form of
ICC men's ranking, after being elevated to the top spot in ODI and T20I
bowler’s rankings.
