Current Affairs Daily Digest – February 21 2019
1. China unveils world’s first AI female news presenter
In a groundbreaking technological move, China’s state-owned TV channel Xinhua has introduced the world’s first ever Artificial Intelligence news anchor. Xinhua announced that in collaboration with Sogou (search engine) has created the world’s first female AI news anchor, known as Xin Xiaomeng.
2. Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore to inaugurate ISSF Shooting World Cup
Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore will inaugurate the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) World Cup in New Delhi . Various events in the world cup will start from February 23rd and end on the 27th.
The ISSF World Cup is crucial for Indian shooting as it has 16 quotas up for grabs for Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualification. Hosts India is fielding a 23-member squad with 11 shooters in the non-competition Minimum Qualification Score category.
3.HDFC ERGO Launches The First-of-its-kind Trip Protector’ Policy
HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company, India’s third-largest non-life insurance provider in the private sector, announced the launch of Trip Protector’ insurance policy, a pioneering policy in the non-life insurance segment in India. In the event of a cancellation, either a flight or hotel booking, Trip Protector insurance policy will safeguard travellers financially against the cost of cancellation levied by Hotels or Airlines.
In addition, the policy will also cover the travellers against cancellation of a pre-booked room, in case they are refused accommodation on arriving at the Hotel due to overbooking.
4.Vice President inaugurates Nellore FM Station
The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated Nellore All India Radio FM Station in Andhra Pradesh and asserted that radio broadcasting has made a comeback in the era of continuous bombardment of visual content by myriad channels.
Addressing the people of Nellore in Telugu and in English after the launch, Shri Naidu said that apart from broadcasting entertainment programmes in Telugu, the FM station would provide important information to farmers and other sections. This will encourage the locals to showcase their talent in music and other areas, apart from enabling them to keep abreast of current affairs, he added.
5. Dr Jitendra Singh addresses at the launch of ‘Shisht Bharat Campaign’
The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said that the elders should set example in their conduct before the younger generation, so that the youth can inherit these values naturally by emulating their elder generations. He was speaking at the launch of ‘Shisht Bharat Abhiyan’ organised by an NGO . The theme of the event was to discuss the importance of moral science education in schools and colleges and to include Moral Science as a subject in the educational curriculum.
The Minister said that such kind of campaigns help in channelizing the masses in a positive direction. He said that ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ (cleanliness campaign) launched by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has become a people’s movement now.
6. Digital Bharat, Saksham Bharat -A Compendium on Digital India released
A Digital India Compendium on Digital Bharat, Saksham Bharat was released by Hon’ble Minister for Electronics &Information Technology and Law &Justice, Sh. Ravi Shankar Prasad at Stein Auditorium, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
The objective of the document is to disseminate and propagate the success of Digital India among masses. The document is divided in two sections- Digital profile of India and Digital profile of States & UTs. Digital profile of India comprises a in-depth analysis, comparative study of implementation of Digital India Programme and transformation it has brought out in the lives of citizens.
7. EPFO hikes interest rates, PF deposits to give more returns for 2018-19
The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) on Thursday hiked the interest rate on employees’ provident fund by 10 basis point from 8.55 per cent to 8.65 per cent for the 2018-19 fiscal year. it would benefit around 6 crore subscribers of the retirement fund body.
At 8.55 per cent for 2017-18, the interest rate on the provident fund, the EPFO had provided a five-year low rate of returns on the PF deposits. The EPFO has brought the interest rate at the level of 2016-17, when the same 8.65 per cent rate was announced.
8. Turkish Women’s Cup 2019: 2 Sikkimese women footballers in Team India
There will be two Sikkimese women footballers to play for the Senior Women National Team for the upcoming Turkish Women’s Cup 2019. International footballers Lako Phuti Bhutia and Anju Tamang from Sikkim have been shortlisted by the All India Football Federation in Senior Women National Football Team to play in Turkish Women’s Cup 2019 to be held from February 25, 2019 to March 6, 2019.
Lako Phuti and Anju Tamang hail from West Sikkim and both are regular members of the Sikkim Football Association senior women football team.
9. SC appoints former judge Justice D.K. Jain as BCCI ombudsman
The Supreme Court appointed retired judge of the court Justice D.K. Jain as the first ombudsman under the new BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) Constitution approved by the court in a judgment on August 9 last.
A CoA report filed recently in the Supreme Court pushed home the advantage of having an ombudsman – who should either be a retired Supreme Court judge or a former Chief Justice of a High Court to be appointed for a year – under the new BCCI Constitution to resolve internal disputes.
10. President Ram Nath Kovind unveils 15.2 feet tall statue of Gandhi Ji in Chennai
President Ram Nath Kovind unveiled a 15.2 feet tall statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the premises of Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha in Chennai . The event was organized in view of 150th year of Gandhiji and centenary year of the Sabha.
The Sabha has been established by Mahatma Gandhi in 1918 in Madras, which is now Chennai. He stayed in the institution for ten days in 1946. It has emerged as a prominent institution offering courses in Hindi.
11. Veteran film producer Raj Kumar Barjatya passes away
The man behind hit films like ‘Hum Aapke Hai kaun’ and ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’, veteran Bollywood producer and father of filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya, Raj Kumar Barjatya passed away in Mumbai.
Associated with some of the biggest hits in the history of Indian cinema, Raj Kumar Barjatya inherited the production banner of Rajshri films from his father Tarachand Barjatya and passed it on to his son Sooraj. Some of his other ventures include ‘Prem Ratan Dhan Paayo’ and ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain.’
12.’International Vision Zero Conference’ to Promote Occupational Safety and Health Inaugurated in Mumbai
Shri Heeralal Samariya, Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment inaugurated the three days Conference on the VISION ZERO and its relevance to Occupational Safety and Health being held in Mumbai.
The concept of ‘Vision Zero’ is fast gaining international acceptance and is expected to leverage the efforts of the Government of India to raise the occupational safety and health standards in the country so as to improve the occupational safety and health situation. The concept of Vision Zero is based on four fundamental principles viz. life is non-negotiable, humans are fallible, tolerable limits are defined by human physical resistance, and people are entitled to safe transport and safe workplaces.
13. International Mother Language Day: 21 February
February 21 is celebrated as the International Mother Language Day worldwide, as declared by the United Nations in 2000. The annual observance is marked to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and promote multilingualism.
The day has special significance for Bengalis worldwide. The day is known as Bhasha Dibas or Shahid Dibas in West Bengal and Bangladesh for more than six decades now. The idea to celebrate International Mother Language Day came from Bangladesh. 21st February is the anniversary of the day when Bangladeshis fought for recognition for the Bangla language in erstwhile west Pakistan.
2019 theme “Indigenous languages matter for development, peace building and reconciliation”.
14. Eighth World CSR Congress 2019 in Mumbai
World Corporate Social Responsibility Congress (World CSR Congress 2019) promotes Entrepreneurship, Social Responsibility, Sustainability and Social Development. The 8th World CSR Congress was held in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
The theme of the year 2019 is ‘Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)’ to focus on corporate strategies, innovation, and strategic alliances. Dr. Soumitro Chakraborty won ‘CEO of the year’ award.
15. Kerala Police introduces country’s first humanoid robot into force
The Kerala State Police claims to have created history by becoming one of the world’s first and the very first police force in the country to induct humanoid robots.Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan formally introduced the humanoid robot into the state police force on Tuesday evening, at a function at the State Police Headquarters here.
KP-Bot is designed to provide round-the-clock service, involving public interface and front office administration and overcome human limitations to avoid, to the extent possible, human error.
16. Bengali singer Pratik Choudhury passes away at 55
Bengali singer Pratik Choudhury passed away at a City hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest
The popular singer, known for his albums on contemporary Bengali songs invluding “Mukhosh”, “Bhusandir Mathe”, “Ebar Pratik er Pallay” and so on. Choudhury, a graduate from Calcutta University, began his music career in 1994 by singing jingles. He also sung in numerous TV serials, Bengali movies.
17. World Bank, UN Women and SIDBI plan ‘women’s livelihood bond’ to raise Rs300 cr.
The World Bank, UN Women (a United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and empowerment of women), and Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) have come together to launch a five-year tenor ‘women’s livelihood bond’ to raise Rs300 crore.The proceeds from these social impact bonds, which will be unsecured and unlisted, will be used to help rural women in the country’s poorest States to set up or scale up their own enterprises.
The bonds, which will be raised by SIDBI with the support of World Bank and UN Women, will be placed with leading wealth managers and corporates in the country on private placement basis. The coupon rate on these bonds will be 3 per cent per annum.
Junaid Ahmad, Country Director, World Bank, said investors expect greater social impact of their investment, which will fetch them a reasonable return of 3-4 per cent per annum.
