Current Affairs Daily Digest – March 05 2018
1. Afghan Taliban accepts offer for peace talks to end 16yr war
The Taliban has accepted Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani’s offer to join a peace dialogue in order to end the over 16-year-long war, officials said. However, the militant group set pre-conditions such as securing employment on the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project. The Taliban also said that it would ensure the project’s security.
2. Assam government extends AFSPA by six months
The Assam government has extended the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958 by six more months in the state. AFSPA gives special rights to security forces to carry out operations in “disturbed areas.” This comes after Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s remark that the era of violence in the state was over and the law and order situation had improved.
3. India 12th largest overseas holder of US securities in 2017
India’s exposure to US government securities rose sharply to a high of $144.7 billion at the end of 2017, according to latest official data. The country remained the 12th largest overseas holder of such securities, just behind oil rich Saudi Arabia, whose holding stood at $147.4 billion in December 2017. India has been raising its holding of American government securities during last year except for a few months when the total exposure had declined.
4. 90th Academy Awards (Oscars 2018)
Complete List of 90th Academy Award Winners
- Best Picture: “The Shape of Water”
- Director: Guillermo del Toro, “The Shape of Water”
- Actor: Gary Oldman, “Darkest Hour”
- Actress: Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
- Supporting Actor: Sam Rockwell, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”
- Supporting Actress: Allison Janney, “I, Tonya”
- Original Screenplay: “Get Out”
- Adapted Screenplay: “Call Me by Your Name”
- Foreign Language Film: “A Fantastic Woman”
- Animated Feature: “Coco”
- Visual Effects: “Blade Runner 2049”
- Film Editing: “Dunkirk”
- Animated Short: “Dear Basketball”
- Live Action Short: “The Silent Child”
- Documentary Short: “Heaven Is a Traffic Jam on the 405”
- Score: “The Shape of Water”
- Song: “Remember Me” from “Coco”
- Production Design: “The Shape of Water”
- Cinematography: “Blade Runner 2049”
- Costume Design: “Phantom Thread”
- Makeup and Hairstyling: “Darkest Hour”
- Documentary Feature: “Icarus”
- Sound Editing: “Dunkirk”
- Sound Mixing: “Dunkirk”
5. Marshall Islands to launch world-first digital legal tender
The Marshall Islands will launch the world’s first legal tender cryptocurrency after a law passed by parliament earlier this week went unopposed by an official council. The nuclear-ravaged nation has partnered with Israeli company Neema to issue 24 million units of the Sovereign (SOV) digital currency. It will cap the number to prevent inflation.
6. Odisha Government launches Ama Gaon, Ama Vikas programme
In a new initiative, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has launched the ‘Ama Gaon, Ama Bikas’ (Our village, Our development) programme from the State Secretariat to reach out to people in rural areas and involve them in the development process. The programme was launched on the occasion of the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik, which is observed as Panchayati Raj Day in the State every year.
7. British Indian man wins bravery award in Barcelona terror attack
An Indian-origin Birmingham man, who risked his life to help a fatally injured young boy in the last years Barcelona terror attack, has been selected for this years Pride of Birmingham award. Harry Athwal, a project manager from Great Barr area of north-west Birmingham, was in Spain on holiday with a group of friends and family, including his sister Kinde Dehr, when a terrorist drove a van into pedestrians on Barcelonas famous Las Ramblas tourist spot, killing 13 people and injuring hundreds.
He ran to help seven-year-old Julian Alessandro Cadman, who was among those hit, and defied police orders to evacuate the area to keep holding on to him until the emergency services arrived.
8. Gavaskar named as Commissioner of T20 Mumbai League
Legendary batsman Sunil Gavaskar was on Tuesday named as the Commissioner of the inaugural edition of the T20 Mumbai League, which will be held here from March 11-21. All the matches of the League, in which six teams are participating, will be held at the iconic Wankhede Stadium. The announcement to appoint Gavaskar was made by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) and Probability Sports India Private Limited (PSIPL) through a media release. Gavaskar was the first Test batsman to score 10,000 runs.
9. Dhoni named ambassador of popular chocolate brand
Chocolate maker Mars Wrigley Confectionery has announced that it has appointed Indian cricketer MS Dhoni as brand ambassador of popular chocolate Snickers. The chocolate’s association with the former Indian cricket captain kickstarts with a new 30 seconds television commercial. The brand has been earlier endorsed by Bollywood actors Rekha and Sonam Kapoor.
10. Anand wins Tal Memorial Rapid Chess
World rapid champion Viswanathan Anand continued his fine run in the faster version of the game and annexed the Tal Memorial rapid chess title here after an easy final round draw against Boris Gelfand of Israel. Anand finished with six points out of a possible nine, scoring four wins and four draws. His solitary loss came at the hands of Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan in the third round but thereafter the Indian ace showed his superb form.
11. 16-yr-old Indian shooter wins World Cup gold on int’l debut
India’s 16-year-old shooter Manu Bhaker won a gold medal in the women’s 10m Air Pistol event while making her international debut at the ISSF World Cup on Sunday. This was India’s second gold and fifth overall medal at the event. Notably, Bhaker, who was ranked 49 at Junior World Championship last year, took up shooting over two years ago.
