Current Affairs 14 February 2018 1. World’s first autonomous pods unveiled in Dubai ● Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) launched the first tests of the world’s first autonomous pods at the World Government Summit. ● The autonomous pods are launched in cooperation with Next Future Transportation, are designed to travel short and medium distances in dedicated lanes. ● They can be coupled together in as little 15 seconds or detached depending on the riders’ destination in five seconds. ●
Each pod is fitted with cameras and electromechanical technologies to carry out the coupling and detaching, which can be activated while the pod is in motion.
2. New tallest hotel in the world set to open in Dubai ● The new tallest hotel in the world is set to open in Dubai, taking the crown from the current holder, also located in the emirate. ● The Gevora Hotel, at 356 metres in height (or 75 floors), will overtake Business Bay’s JW Marriott Marquis by just one metre when it opens in Q1 this year. ● Located on Sheikh Zayed Road in the Trade Centre area, Gevora Hotel will have 528 guest rooms and suites and four restaurants.
3. 12th International Conference on CSR held in Bengaluru ● The Institute Of Directors organised it’s 12th International Conference on corporate social responsibility (CSR) on February at Hotel Lalit Ashok, Bangalore. ● In a packed full house, this year’s the Prestigious Golden Peacock Award 2017 were presented. The leadership award for philanthropy and social change was presented to Vineet Nayar, Founder Chairman, Sampark Foundation.
4. International Conference on Unani Medicine held in New Delhi ● Dr Jitender Singh inaugurating a two-day International Conference on Unani Medicine organized by the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM) as a part of Unani Day celebration here in New Delhi. ● In two day conference various national level eminent personalities and stakeholders from academia, industry, regulators, and researchers in the field of Unani Medicine are participating in deliberations. ●
Besides national delegates, representatives from countries like South Africa, UK, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, China, USA, Portugal, UAE, Slovenia, Israel, Hungary, Bahrain, Tajikistan, etc are also attending the conference.
5. R.K. Singh inaugurated the Indian Power Stations 2018 in New Delhi ● Union Minister of State (IC) for Power and New and Renewable Energy, Shri R.K. Singh inaugurated the Indian Power Stations 2018 in New Delhi. ● It is the three-day International Conference on Operations and Maintenance. ● The Minister exhorted the NTPC to become India’s power sector multinational by setting up power plants in other Nations and become world’s largest power producer. ●
The Minister stated that neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Nepal and Bangladesh are viable markets for export of power, where per unit cost of electricity is very high.
6. India-Russia Agriculture Business Summit held in New Delhi ● Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare organised two major events, an India-Russia Agriculture Business Summit held in New Delhi. The two countries discussed trade relations in the agricultural sector. ● Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Sergey Beletskiy, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Agriculture, Russia addressed the
India-Russia Agriculture Business Summit 2018, held at PUSA, New Delhi. Important points: Russia ➢ Capital: Moscow ➢ President: Vladimir Putin
7. RBI relaxes priority sector lending rule for banks ● Reserve Bank of India has made banks’ priority sector norms lenient by saying that all loans to micro small and medium enterprises (MSME) will henceforth qualify as priority sector lending. This was a long time demand from banks. ● Till date, loans up to Rs 10 crore per MSME borrower was considered for priority sector calculation. ● The sub-target for bank lending to the micro enterprises has been 7.50 percent of adjusted net bank credit or credit equivalent amount of off-balance sheet exposure, whichever is higher. ●
Foreign banks will also have to follow 8% sub-target for lending to the small and marginal farmers.
8. Chandrashekhara Kambara elected as new president of Sahitya Akademi ● Kannada litterateur Chandrashekar Kambar has been elected as a new president of the Sahitya Akademi in the election. Hindi poet Madhav Kaushik has been elected as vice-president. ● This is the second time election was held in the history of Sahitya Akademi, after Ananthamurthy’s election to the post. ● Prof. Kambar has served as a member of the Akademi executive board for over 10 years and was vice-president for 2013-18.
9. Radio Umang: India’s First Online Radio Station Launched
●
Deeper penetration of smartphones and internet data has given the fillip to several non-conventional services and Radio Umang is one of them. Launched recently, listeners can tune in to this online radio station through web streaming or download the app.
●
With 24 hours programming, it has found listeners in Hindi speaking regions of India and in over 60 countries worldwide.
●
Themed around love, peace and happiness, the station airs enriching talk shows and soothing soulful music.