Latest Current Affairs – February 10 2019
1.Indian smartphone market grew by 10% in 2018
The Indian smartphone market grew 10% in 2018 in terms of total shipments with Xiaomi leading the pack. This, even as the global market has been shrinking, according to a new report by Singapore-based industry tracker Canalys. India now accounts for more than 10% of the global smartphone market with a total of 137 million smartphones shipped in 2018—up from 124.9 million in 2017.
China and the US, however, still account for a majority of the market with shipments of over 350 million and 150 million units, respectively, even though their numbers fell in 2018 as buyers in upgraded to newer phones less frequently.
The report, though, qualifies that India wasn’t the fastest growing smartphone market in 2018. Indonesia with an annual growth rate of 17.1% and Russia with 14.1% were ahead in the figure of India in the list. Among manufacturers, Xiaomi consolidated its position in 2018 and remained at the top for the entire year with a 30% market share and 41 million units shipped.The slump in the Chinese smartphone market has made India a major destination for Chinese companies. India is now the biggest market for Xiaomi worldwide.
2.India exports to China touch $12.7 billion in Apr-Dec
India’s exports to China has reached $12.7 billion during April-December 2018 on account of growth in shipments of marine products, chemicals, plastics, petroleum products, grapes and rice. The commerce ministry has identified and shared with Indian exporters and other stakeholders, specific items where the US would lose competitiveness in China and where India had an export potential and encouraged the exporters to seize this opportunity.
India’s exports to China have grown after several years. India is poised to achieve its highest ever exports to China this fiscal. Between April-December 2018, exports were $12.7 billion which is closer to last year’s exports of $13.33 billion.the growth in the exports has been driven by marine products, organic chemicals, plastics, petroleum products, grapes and rice.
3.Popular Bollywood actor and ’90s villain Mahesh Anand passed away at 57
Popular villain of Bollywood films in the 90s, Mahesh Anand breathed his last. The actor, 57, was quite a popular face as an antagonist in the 80s and the 90s and was last seen in Govinda’s Rangeela Raja that released on January 18 this year. The cause of his death is not clear yet and reportedly his body has been taken to Cooper Hospital for postmortem.
The actor has worked in many hit movies of Bollywood like Kurukshetra, Swarg, Coolie No 1, Vijeta, Shahenshah and more. The actor has also worked with some big names in Bollywood including Dharmendra, Sunny Deol, Sanjay Dutt, Govinda, Amitabh Bachchan and others.
4. First World Pulses Day : 10th February
The annual celebration of pulses presents a tremendous opportunity to raise awareness of the critical role they play in contributing to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda by addressing the challenges of poverty, food security and nutrition.
Member States at FAO decided to create a legacy for pulses, and on 5 July 2017, they adopted a resolution calling for the establishment of an annual World Pulses Day to be celebrated on 10 February, annually. Subsequently, on 8 November, the Second Committee of the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted, by consensus, the draft resolution establishing 10 February as World Pulses Day (WPD), as a lasting legacy of the enormously successful 2016 International Year of Pulses.
5.Abu Dhabi adds Hindi as third language in courts
The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) has added Hindi as the third official language to be spoken in the city’s courts, alongside Arabic and English.
According to the ADJD, this step was aimed at helping foreigners to learn about litigation procedures, their rights and duties without a language barrier, in addition to facilitating registration procedures via unified forms available through the Department’s website. This is in addition to facilitating registration procedures to the public through simplified and easy forms and raising litigants’ legal awareness via interactive forms of the statements of claims, to ensure access to the legal materials related to the subject of the dispute.
Of the United Arab Emirates’ population of over 9 million people, 88.5 per cent are expatriate workers, according to official figures.Indians account for 38 per cent of the population.
6.Five-day multinational maritime exercise begins in Pak
The five-day multinational maritime exercise ‘AMAN-19’, in which 46 nations are taking part, commenced near the coastal city of Karachi. The Pakistan Navy’s ships, submarines, boats, marines and special forces will all take part in the exercise, along with the Pakistan Air Force, Pakistan Army and Pakistan Rangers.
The principal purpose of the exercise, conducted after every two years since it was initiated in 2007, is to provide a forum for understanding of each other’s maritime concepts and operational cultures and come up with ways and means to combat common threats at sea, according to Radio Pakistan.
The flag of 46 countries including Pakistan were hoisted and the contingents of Pakistan Navy presented a march-past.
7.World Government Summit begins in Dubai, UAE
seventh edition of the World Government Summit (WGS) kicks off in Dubai. The pope, who recently made a historic three-day visit to the UAE, will deliver a speech from the Vatican during the WGS that will run till February 12.
The summit will see the attendance of almost 100 ministers from around the world, with more than 120 presidents and officials from leading international companies all joining forces to address the issues of today and tomorrow on the global platform of WGS 2019. More than 4,000 dignitaries from 140 countries and some of the world’s movers and shakers are expected to attend the seventh edition of the summit, held every year under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The event will also be hosting 600 world-famous speakers in more than 200 interactive sessions
Discussions will revolve around seven key areas: the future of technology and its impact on future governments; health and quality of life; environment and climate change; education and the labour market; trade and international cooperation; societies and politics; and the future of information and communication between government and society.
8.Mukesh Ambani tops Hurun India Philanthropy list
Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) Chairman Mukesh Ambani topped the Hurun India Philanthropy List 2018, with the highest contribution of Rs 437 crore between October 2017 and September 2018. Ambani was followed by Piramal Group Chairman Ajay Piramal who made Rs 200 crore donations during the period.
The list, compiled by the Hurun Research Institute, ranks individuals from India who donated Rs 10 crore and above between October 1, 2017 and September 30, 2018. The total Indian philanthropy amount in the list stands at Rs 1,560 crore. The list included 39 Indians.
He was also named the richest Indian by the Barclays Hurun India Rich List for 2018, released in September last year, with a net worth of Rs 3.71 lakh crore as on July 31, 2018.
9.3rd Brahmaputra Literary Festival,2019 begins
The 3rd Brahmaputra Literary Festival which is a three-day literary Fest from February 9 to 11, 2019 has been opened at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra. The primary aim is to promote the habit of reading amongst the youth.
The Festival not only proposes to focus on the languages, literatures, culture, society, politics, performance traditions, music, identity, media of the north-eastern region of the country, but also national and international elements packaged in the three day event. It brings together prominent personalities and celebrities, writers, thinkers, artists and other performers both from the northeast and across the country as well as internationally acknowledged litterateurs and other intellectuals from across disciplines. This get together will not only encourage new ideas and their dissemination but will also create an atmosphere of enthusiasm and offer a platform for intellectual exchanges.
The basic components of the festival will include panel discussions on issues concerning books, literature and language, In-Conversation sessions with writers, reading sessions, book signing sessions as well as cultural programmes showcasing indigenous cultures.
10.Country’s first Institute of Advanced Virology inaugurated
The country’s first Institute of Advanced Virology, affiliated to the Global Virus Network, which has 45 centres of excellence in over 29 countries, was inaugurated by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The institute, which was announced after the outbreak of the Nipah virus in the state in May last year, is located at the Bio 360 Life Sciences Park at nearby Thonnackal. The Nipah outbreak claimed the lives of 17 people– 14 in Kozhikode district and three in neighbouring Malappuram since its outbreak.
The foundation stone for the institute was laid on May 30, 2018 and the 25,000 square feet building was completed within a period of eight months, the Chief Minister said in his Facebook post.
11.Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurates 13th PETROTECH 2019 at India Expo Mart, Greater Noida
The 13th International Oil and Gas Conference – PETROTECH – 2019 got underway at India Expo Mart, Greater Noida . Over 95 Energy Ministers from partner countries are expected to participate in the three day Conference. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will formally inaugurate the event.
Welcoming the delegates at the event, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, India is the third largest consumer of crude oil and petroleum products and the government has taken several measures to provide energy for all. He said, the theme of the conference is Collaborating For Sustainable and Secure Energy Access for all.
