Latest Current Affairs – February 07 2018

1. Alcon Laboratories wins ASSOCHAM Medical Technology Excellence Award

Alcon, the global leader in eye care, a division of Novartis, has won the prestigious Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) Medical Technology Excellence Award in two categories, Best Technology Solution in Surgical and Best Technology Solution in Ophthalmology.

S. Chowdhary, Minister of State for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Government of India presented the Award to Alcon India in New Delhi.

ASSOCHAM is a very prestigious and leading trade association of India. Established in 1920 and having more than 4, 50,000 members. It is also referred to as the “Chamber of Chambers” having in its fold more than 400 Industry Chambers.

2. Maharashtra to organise its first wine festival

The state government has organised its first wine festival — ‘India Grape Harvest, Wine Festival 2018’.

This festival is an initiative of the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), a government subsidiary that works for tourism development in the state.

The festival will be organised in and around Nashik with the help of various vineyards. It consists of an exhibition of the best wines at various vineyards, social and cultural events and a carnival

3. Maharashtra govt to develop app for auto rickshaws in Pune

The government of Maharashtra is throwing its collective virtual weight behind autorickshaw drivers in Pune by committing to start a mobile app for them.

The app is expected to make autorickshaw services in Pune completely transparent and more efficient. Four private companies are already running apps that offer autorickshaw services.

4. Kerala’s first ever global IT summit in Kochi

Nearly 2,000 professionals, entrepreneurs, academicians, key influencers and other stakeholders from across the globe will attend Kerala’s first ever global IT summit to be held in Kochi by the third week of next month.

The summit, #Future, will set in motion the process to locate high quality and experienced people from the knowledge sector who can contribute to the future of the state, M Sivasankar, IT Secretary to the Government of Kerala.

5. Woman to lead mega Jain festival in Karnataka for first time

The 88th Mahamastakabhisheka is set to begin at Shravanabelegola in Hassan on 07 February 2018 with Sarita Jain becoming the first woman at the helm in the history of the Jain festival.

The mega Jain festival, held once in twelve years, will begin from February 17 and continue till February 25 and has drawn thousands of Jain seers and devotees from across the country.

6. Assam govt signs MoU to set up university

The Assam Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding worth Rs 300 crore with the AISECT Group of Universities for setting up a university in the state.

The university, the location of which was not yet finalised, would be named after physicist Dr C V Raman.

7. Forbes releases its first-ever cryptocurrency rich list

Forbes, known for its “World’s Billionaires List”, published a lAist of the richest people in cryptocurrency for the first time. Many business people invest in crypto currencies to make profits. And Forbes for first time released rich people in crypto currency list.

This is nothing but Digital currency In which funds are generates according to value and can be transferred as like normal currency.Many business people invest in crypto currencies to make profits.

8. Mumbai Dabbawalas partner with Paytm Payments Bank

Paytm Payments Bank, a digital bank which provides zero balance accounts and zero charges on digital transactions, partnered with the Mumbai Dabbawala Association, the pioneers of home-cooked food delivery.

As part of this association, around 5000 dabbawalas will now be able to collect instant payments for their Dabba service through Paytm QR. Additionally, they will also avail an easy access to banking and other financial services by opening their bank accounts with Paytm Payments Bank.

9. RBI projects inflation for FY19 at around 4.5%

The Reserve Bank of India’s projections indicate inflation for 2018/19 to be at around 4.5 percent stated by Governor Urjit Patel that meant there was no need to change the monetary policy stance based on the existing data.

The central bank has kept its main repo rate at 6.00 percent. Its statement projected inflation to reach 5.1 to 5.6 percent in April to September and then 4.5 to 4.6 percent in October to March.

10. ISRO sets up 473 Village Resource Centres for rural development through satellite technology

To demonstrate the potential of satellite technology for development of rural areas, ISRO established Village Resource Centres (VRCs) on a pilot scale, in association with selected NGOs, Trusts and State Government Departments.

VRCs have provided various space technology enabled services such as tele-healthcare, tele-education, natural resources information, advisories related to agriculture, career guidance to rural students, skill development and vocational training etc. About Rs 18 crores was spent for establishing 473 VRCs.

11. Nuclear-capable Prithvi-II missile successfully test-fired

India has successfully test-fired its indigenously developed nuclear capable Prithvi-II missile as part of a user trial by the Army from a test range in Odisha.

The surface-to-surface missile has a strike range of 350 km. It was launched from launch complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur near Balasore.

Prithvi-II is capable of carrying 500-1,000 kilogram of warheads and is thrusted by liquid propulsion twin engines. The state-of-the-art missile uses advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvring trajectory to hit its target.

12. SpaceX launches its most powerful rocket towards Mars

The world’s most powerful rocket, SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy, roared into space through clear blue skies in its debut test flight from a Florida launch site where moon missions once began, in another milestone for billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk’s private rocket service.

SpaceX’s webcast showed Musk’s Tesla roadster soaring into space, as David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” played in the background — with the words “DON’T PANIC” visible on the dashboard, in an apparent nod to the sci-fi series the “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.”

13. Africa could host Olympics as soon as 2032

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach stated that Africa could host the Olympics for the first time as early as 2032. It came after the IOC approved plans to target Africa to host the fourth Summer Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in 2022.

Rio de Janeiro in 2016 became the first South American host of the Olympic Games.

14. India wins three straight ODIs against SA in SA for 1st time

India registered three consecutive ODI victories against South Africa in South Africa for the first time after beating them by 124 runs in the third ODI.

Kohli, who struck 160 off 159 with 12 fours and two sixes, recorded his 34th ODI century.

15. Jhulan Goswami 1st woman in the world to take 200 ODI wickets

India’s veteran pacer Jhulan Goswami has added another feather to her illustrious cap by becoming the first female cricketer to take 200 ODI wickets.

Goswami achieved the feat during the second ODI between India and South Africa. The 35-year-old, playing her 166th ODI, dismissed opener Laura Wolvaardt for her 200th scalp.

Interestingly, the first male cricketer to pick 200 ODI wickets, was also an Indian — the great Kapil Dev.