Current Affairs – April 10 2018
1. Japanese man aged 112 named world’s oldest living man
Masazo Nonaka from Japan was recognised as the world’s oldest man at the ripe old age of 112. Nonaka, who was born on July 25, 1905 received a certificate from Guinness World Records at home on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido. Nonaka has officially taken the title after Francisco Nunez Olivera from Spain died in February aged 113. There are around 68,000 people aged 100 or older in Japan.
2. Wipro’s Rishad Premji appointed Nasscom Chairman for 2018-19
IT industry body Nasscom has appointed Wipro’s Chief Strategy Officer and board member Rishad Premji as its Chairman for 2018-19. Premji was the Vice Chairman for 2017-18 and has been a member of Nasscom’s Executive Council. Notably, Rishad Premji is the son of Wipro’s Chairman Azim Premji.
3. President Ram NathKovind becomes first visiting Head of State to address Parliament of Swaziland
The President of India, Ram NathKovind, addressed members of the Parliament of Swaziland (April 10, 2018). He became the first visiting Head of State to address the Parliament of the country. To support the Swaziland National Disaster Management Agency, India has offered US$ 1 million as well as foodgrains. In another event, the President inaugurated the Royal Science and Technology Park. The Park has been developed and built with the assistance of India.
Swaziland, a small, landlocked monarchy in southern Africa, is known for its wilderness reserves and festivals showcasing traditional Swazi culture.
King : Mswati III
Capitals : Mbabane, Lobamba
Currencies : Swazi lilangeni, South African rand
4. International conference on ‘Water, Environment & Climate Change begins in Kathmandu
The first international conference on ‘Water, Environment and Climate Change: Knowledge Sharing and Partnership’ has started in Kathmandu. Vice President of Nepal Nanda Bahadur Pun inaugurated the conference. The 3 day conference is organised by the Department of Water Supply and Sewerage, Govt of Nepal in association with the Society of Public Health Engineers Nepal and Nepal Engineers Association.
The basic objective of the conference is to bring together professionals, academicians, researchers, entrepreneurs, government and non government institutions to discuss and deliberate on challenges, opportunities and strategies related to water and environmental issues.
More than 100 international participants from 20 countries including India participating in the conference.
5. CWG 2018: Heena Sidhu wins gold
Heena Sidhu picked up India’s third gold medal in shooting at the ongoing Commonwealth Games, finishing on top in the women’s 25m pistol event and also breaking the CWG record. The 28-year-old Sidhu shot a final score of 38, two of them perfect fives, to claim the top honours ahead of Australian Elena Galiabovitch. This was Sidhu’s second medal at the ongoing Games after having claimed a silver in the 10m air pistol event behind 16-year-old compatriot Manu Bhaker.
6. Anas 1st Indian to enter CWG 400m final since Milkha Singh
Muhammed Anas Yahiya has become the first Indian to qualify for the men’s 400m final at the Commonwealth Games since Milkha Singh. Anas was the joint-third fastest runner to qualify for final with a timing of 45.44 seconds. Milkha had won gold in the 400m race (then called 440-yard race) at the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958.
7. Ranveer Singh to get Dadasaheb Phalke Excellence Award
Ranveer Singh will be honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Excellence Award in the Best Actor category for his work in ‘Padmaavat’. The awards, which were established by the Dadasaheb Phalke Film Foundation, recognise contributions to Indian cinema. Apart from Ranveer, Anushka Sharma will also be awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Excellence Award for her contribution to films as a producer.
8. PM Modi launches India’s 1st all-electric high-speed train
Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off India’s first all-electric high-speed locomotive in Bihar. The first big Make-in-India project completed by France’s Alstom, the train has the country’s most powerful engine with 12,000 horsepower and a maximum speed of 120 km per hour. The average cost of one high-speed locomotive is around ₹25 crore.
9. Atlanta airport named world’s busiest, Delhi airport 16th
US’ Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport was ranked the world’s busiest airport, with nearly 104 million flyers in 2017, by Airports Council International. The Beijing Capital International Airport and Dubai International Airport were placed second and third respectively. The Delhi airport jumped from 22nd rank in 2016 to 16th rank, as passenger traffic grew by 14.1% to 63.45 million.
10. Eighth Regional 3R Forum in Asia and Pacific held in Indore
The Eighth Regional 3R Forum in Asia and Pacific was held in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. It was co-organized by Ministry of Housing and Affairs, Japan’s Environment Ministry, and United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD).
The theme of this edition of forum was “Achieving Clean Water, Clean Land and Clean Air through 3R and Resource Efficiency– A 21st Century Vision for Asia-Pacific Communities”. The event saw participation of around 40 mayors of cities around the world and mayors of more than 100 cities across India.
The Regional 3R Forum in Asia and Pacific was launched in 2009 in Tokyo, Japan with objective of integrating 3Rs– reduce, reuse and recycle in policy, planning and development.
The forum provides strategic platform for sharing best practices in 3R areas, including new and emerging issues of concern in waste management.
11. M Sathiyavathy appointed as member of UPSC
Labour Secretary M Sathiyavathy has took over as a member of Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Senior IAS officer UP Singh, who is at present secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, has been given additional charge of the post of secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Sathiyavathy is an IAS officer of the 1982 batch of Union Territories cadre. She comes to the UPSC with a rich experience, having worked in various key positions under the government during the course of a career spanning over 35 years.
12. Singapore, China ink MoU for collaboration on Belt and Road Initiative
Singapore and China inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to promote greater collaboration between companies from both countries in third-party markets along the Belt and Road routes.
The MOU, witnessed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, will see the formation of a working group between the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), China’s National Development and Reform Commission, and Enterprise Singapore.
The group will identify sectors and markets of mutual interest, organise business-matching activities and forums to facilitate third-party market cooperation between Singapore and Chinese companies under the Belt and Road Initiative.
13. UIDAI launches digitally signed QR code with photo on e-Aadhaar
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has brought in secure digitally-signed QR code on eAadhaar that will now contain photograph of the Aadhaar holder too, in addition to demographic details, to facilitate better offline verification of an individual.
A QR code is a form of barcode label which contains machine-readable information, while eAadhaar is the electronic version of Aadhaar that can be downloaded from UIDAI website. The new feature, the digitally-signed QR code, will contain photo of the Aadhaar holder in addition to existing facility of demographic details, in turn allowing various user agencies like banks to verify authenticity of Aadhaar card offline.
14. Ban Ki-moon elected as Chairman of Boao Forum
Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has been elected chairman of Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), replacing former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda. Founded in 2001, the BFA is a non-governmental and non-profit international organisation committed to promoting regional economic integration and bringing Asian countries closer to their development goals.
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Li Baodong was appointed BFA secretary-general.
Former central bank governor Zhou Xiaochuan was designated as China’s chief representative to BFA.
15. FSSAI launches Project Dhoop to address vitamin D deficiency amongst youngsters
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has launched ‘Project Dhoop’, which is an initiative aimed at shifting the school assembly time to noon to ensure maximum absorption of Vitamin D in students through natural sunlight.
The project was launched at National Bal Bhavan in New Delhi and saw participation of around 600 students from NCERT, NDMC and North MCD Schools. Schools across the country have been sent two advisories, which asks them to hold daily assembly between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Project Dhoop’s Noon Assembly is an innovative and effective concept to ensure that school students get adequate Vitamin D through sunlight, while also opting to choose food products like milk and edible oils that are fortified with Vitamins A and D.
16. China launches remote sensing satellites
The first group of China’s Yaogan-31 remote sensing satellites was launched into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre. The satellites were carried by a Long March-4C rocket, the 271st mission for the Long March rocket family.
The mission also sent a micro nanotechnology experiment satellite into orbit. The satellites will be used for electromagnetic environment surveys and other related technology tests. China launched the first “Yaogan” series satellite, Yaogan-1, in 2006.
