Latest Current Affairs – February 12 2018
- Indonesian Finance Minister wins world’s Best Minister Award
Minister of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia Sri Mulyani Indrawati was announced as the ‘Best Minister in the World’ during the sixth World Government Summit.
She was hailed for her efforts in fighting against corruption and increasing transparency in the government with the help of her team in Indonesia.
She was ranked as the 38th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes magazine and was selected among eight ministers who were shortlisted during the final round of the award.
- Indian engineer awarded at Sci-Tech Oscars 2018
Vikas Sathaye, an enginner from Mumbai was part of the technical team that was honoured with the scientific and engineering award at the Oscars 2018 Scientific and Technical Awards recently.
The ceremony was held at the Beverly Hills in which all the four members of the team (Brad Hurndell, John Coyle Shane Buckham and Vikas Sathaye) was felicitated for the concept, design, engineering and implementation of the Shotover K1 Camera System.
- National Youth Festival organised by Indian Red Cross Society begins
A three-day National Youth Festival organised by the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) began in Noida to help the youth understand their potential and encourage them to contribute to the society in a more effective manner.
Around 400 Red Cross volunteers from across the country participated in the festival which aims to give the volunteers direction towards self-sufficiency and sustainability.
- 12th International Conference on corporate social responsibility held in Bengaluru
After organising the largely-attended Indo-Global Business Meet at the House of Lords, UK and the IOD Global Convention on Corporate Governance and Sustainability at London in October, 2017, and Global Convention on Risk Management and Business Meet at Singapore in December, 2017, the Institute Of Directors organised it’s 12th International Conference on corporate social responsibility (CSR) on February 9 and 10 at Hotel Lalit Ashok, Bengaluru (India).
CSR in India is at a nascent stage. There is unanimity about desirability, but few organizations have developed any overall strategy to actualise it. The best approaches to CSR are still fragmented and disconnected from overall business.
- CCTNS project rolled out in Punjab
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has launched the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS), a project to keep digitised records of FIRs and information on crimes and criminals.
FIRs and General Diaries can now be updated online by police officials on CCTNS ‘Go-Live’. They would be provided Tablets for this purpose. The basic objectives of the project includes improving quality of investigation and prosecution, linking crimes with criminals and vice versa.
- Govt to observe National Productivity week till Feb 18
The commerce and industry ministry has stated that national productivity week will be observed till February 18.
The National Productivity Council, under the ministry, has selected ‘Industry 4.0 Leapfrog Opportunity for India’ as the theme for the week.
This will result in the ‘Smart Factory’ which is characterised by versatility, resource efficiency, ergonomic design and direct integration with business partners
- Rajasthan to distribute free sanitary pads in rural areas
A new scheme promoting menstrual hygiene, under which sanitary pads will be provided to girls and women in rural areas of Rajasthan, will be launched in Rajasthan.
Raje, who also holds the financial portfolio, allotted Rs 76 crore for the scheme which she announced during her budget speech in the assembly.
The sanitary pads will be distributed to women under the age group of 15-45 through schools, colleges, anganwadis, sub-health centres and Annapurna Bhandars.
- PM to inaugurate WSDS 2018
The World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) 2018 will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 16.
The event being organised by TERI aims to bring together global leaders on the issue of sustainable development, energy and environment.
Themed ‘Partnerships for a Resilient Planet’, WSDS 2018 aims to create action frameworks to resolve some of the most urgent challenges facing developing economies in the backdrop of climate change.
- Cabinet clears direct admission to PhD in IITs and IISc
The Union cabinet has approved the Prime Minister Research Fellowship scheme for students of higher education institutions such as IITs, NITs and IISERs. The move was also aimed at preserving the country’s talent pool.
Under the scheme, graduates or final-year students of B Tech, integrated M Tech or M Sc in the science and technology streams at the IISc, IITs, NITs, IISERs and IIITs will be offered direct admissions to PhD programmes at IITs and the IISc.
- SAIL joins hands with IIT-K to promote ‘Science of Happiness
Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) has joined hands with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur to promote ‘Science of Happiness’.
This initiative is aimed at embracing ‘Science of Happiness’ for enhancing wellbeing and effectiveness of its employees and to enable them to contribute in a meaningful way towards the vision of the organisation.
The Rekhi Centre of Excellence for Science of Happiness was set up in IIT Kharagpur in 2016 with a vision to promote the science and practice of positivity for fostering meaningful life, happiness, wellbeing and holistic self- development.
- ICICI Lombard General Insurance, RBL Bank tie up for non-life insurance products
ICICI Lombard General Insurance and RBL Bank have entered into a corporate agency tie-up agreement for the distribution of non-life insurance products.
The agreement has been signed for the distribution of ICICI Lombard’s non-life insurance products at RBL Bank branches all over the country as part of the insurer’s Bancassurance channel focus.
Bancassurance tie-up is an important part of ICICI Lombard’s growth strategy and the company is focused on forging successful alliances, to enhance its distribution network in the country
- Bank of Baroda will no longer operate in South Africa
The Bank of Baroda (BoB), which is embroiled in controversial banking transactions involving the embattled Gupta family, will no longer operate in South Africa, the country’s central bank stated.
The Bank of Baroda has notified the Office of the Registrar of Banks of its exit from South Africa. The Registrar, which is part of the South African Reserve Bank, is in discussions with the Bank of Baroda to ensure its orderly withdrawal from South Africa so that no depositor is disadvantaged.
- ADB pledges USD 100 million to upgrade rural roads in Nepal
The ADB would provide USD 100 million to Nepal government for upgrading nearly 400 km of rural roads to all-weather standards.
The Rural Connectivity Improvement Project will also serve the agriculture sector and bring access to 7.5 million people in 16 districts, according to a press release issued by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Nepal.
This project is in line with the goal of the government’s Agriculture Development Strategy signed in 2015 of encouraging commercial agriculture, increasing productivity, creating new rural jobs and increasing prosperity.
- India, Oman sign eight MoUs
India and Oman signed eight Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs), including pacts on tourism and military cooperation.
The MoUs signed during the visit to Oman’s Muscat were:
1) Agreement on legal and judicial cooperation in civil and commercial matters.
2) Agreement on mutual visa exemption for holders of diplomatic, special, service and official passports.
3) MoU on cooperation in the field of Health.
4) MoU for cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space.
5) MoU on cooperation between Foreign Service Institute, Ministry of External Affairs, India and Oman Diplomatic Institute.
6) MoU on academic and scholarly cooperation sectors between National Defence College, Sultanate of Oman and the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses.
7) MoU in the field of Tourism Cooperation between India and Oman.
8) Annexure to the MoU on Military Cooperation.
- Scientists to celebrate Darwin Week to prove human evolution from apes
To remove the “doubts being planted in the minds of the common people” about the theory of evolution, and demonstrate with evidence how humans evolved from apes, scientists from across the country are celebrating ‘Darwin Week’.
The February 12 to 18 ‘Darwin Week’ is being organised by The India March for Science Organising Committee and the Breakthrough Science Society.
The objective of the Darwin Week will be to remove any doubt that has been planted in the minds of the common people about Darwin’s theory of evolution.
- Smith wins 2nd Allan Border Medal, Ponting in hall of fame
Australia captain Steve Smith won the Allan Border Medal and was named Test Player of the Year at the prestigious event in Melbourne.
Smith beat off competition from opening batsman and Test vice-captain David Warner as he secured 246 votes. Warner received 162 votes, while spinner Nathan Lyon and pace bowler Pat Cummins got 156 and 111 votes respectively.
He was recently named ICC Test Cricketer of the Year as well for scoring 1,875 runs, which included eight hundreds and five half-centuries, in 16 matches at an average of 78.12.
- Veteran Odia cine actress Parbati Ghosh dies
Veteran Odia cine actress, director and producer Parbati Ghosh passed away following prolonged illness. She was 85.
Born in 1933 at Manasinghpatana in Cuttack, Ghosh had carved a niche in the Odia film industry through her stellar performance on the silver screen.
She was honoured with national film awards for her stellar performance in ‘Laxmi’, ‘Kaa’ and ‘Stree’. Ghosh was also presented the prestigious Jayadev Puraskar and Bioscope Award.
