Latest Current Affairs February 2018
- Shyam Benegal receives lifetime achievement award at MIFF
Veteran filmmaker Shyam Benegal was conferred with V Shantaram Lifetime achievement award at the 15th Mumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, Short and Animation Films.
The filmmaker was honoured with the award for his outstanding contribution in the field of feature and documentary films.
The award, given to Benegal by Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, carries a trophy, a citation and cash prize of Rs 10 lakh.
- Shabnam Asthana Wins Times Power Woman 2017 Award
The Times Group recently celebrated the invaluable contribution of women by introducing The Times Power Woman 2017 (Pune) awards.
These awards were initiated to celebrate the victories of women who have been a great source of inspiration.
Shabnam Asthana was awarded the ‘Times Power Women of the Year 2017’- Pune for Global PR.
- John Hennessy Appointed Alphabet’s New Board Chairman
Google parent Alphabet Inc replaced long-time Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt with board veteran John Hennessy, a former Stanford University president and one of search engine company’s first users.
Hennessy, 65, a computer scientist with expertise in chip design and deep connections in Silicon Valley, joined Google’s board in 2004 months before the company went public.
- Thanglura Darlong appointed as Ambassador of India to Romania
Thanglura Darlong has been made the new Ambassador of India to Romania. Darlong is a 1988 batch IFS officer and is currently serving as CLO at South Asian University, New Delhi.
- India Joins Ashgabat Agreement
India has joined the Ashgabat agreement, which envisages setting up of an international transport and transit corridor linking central Asia with the Persian Gulf to significantly ramp up trade and investment.
Accession to the Agreement would diversify India’s connectivity options with central Asia and have a positive influence on India’s trade and commercial ties with the region.
- Kanpur gets its first butterfly park
The Uttar Pradesh government has inaugurated the state’s first ever butterfly park in Kanpur to preserve the ecosystem.
According to the Kanpur Zoo authority, the butterfly park was constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 1 crore. A total of 100 species of flowers have been planted in order to attract the butterflies. By now, more than 50 species of butterflies have already been observed in the park.
- CRISIL, SIDBI Launch India’s First MSE Sentiment Index
The Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Shri Arun Jaitley launched CriSidEx , India’s first sentiment index for micro and small enterprises ( MSEs) developed jointly by CRISIL & SIDBI.
CriSidEx is a composite index based on a diffusion index of 8 parameters and measures MSE business sentiment on a scale of 0 (extremely negative) to 200 ( extremely positive) . The parametric feedback was captured through a survey of 1100 MSEs in November –December.
CriSidEx will have 2 indices , one for the ‘survey quarter’ and another for the ‘next quarter’ once a trend emerges after few rounds of the survey , providing independent time series data.
- ‘Exam Warriors’ – book authored by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched
Students now will be able to refer to the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s advice on how to tackle exam challenges in his book, ‘Exam Warriors’. It seeks to help spread smiles during examinations, viewing them as occasions to celebrate learning with festive joy.
he book was launched at a function in Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Exam Warriors’ is an inspiring book for the youth. It is a thought-provoking book and will be a handy guide for students in India and across the world.
- UAE Launches World’s Longest Zip Line
Guinness World Records officials certified the zip line in Ras al-Khaimah. The Jebel Jais Flight takes thrill-seekers atop the country’s largest mountain peak, from a launch pad 1,680 meters (5,512 feet) above sea level.
- India wins ICC Under-19 World Cup Final 2018
India became U-19 World champions by defeating Australia in the final by eight wickets at the Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui.
This is India’s fourth U-19 World Cup title after Mohammad Kaif’s team won it in 2000, Virat Kohli’s team won it in 2008 and Unmkut Chand led India won in 2012.
- Malaysian chef wins International Young Chef Olympiad 2018
The 4th edition of International Young Chef Olympiad (YCO) concluded with Lai Jia Yi from Malaysia winning the top spot and Indian student chef Surya Sekhar Roy Choudhury claiming the second position.
Lai Jia Yi was awarded the YCO 2018 Trophy and a cash prize of USD 10,000 by Sanjeev Kapoor, chairman of the YCO 2018 jury David Foskett, and Suborno Bose, founder and chief mentor of IndiSmart Group and IIHM.
