Current Affairs 2018 February 17 1. India’s biggest global pharma conference begins in Bengaluru ● An international exhibition and conference on Pharmaceutical & Medical Device sector ‘India Pharma & India Medical Device 2018’ begins in Bengaluru. ● The event is being organised by the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, along with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI). ● With the theme, ‘Driving NextGen Pharmaceuticals’, the event would be a positive step towards the development of Future Drugs i.e. Biologics and will catalyse the overall growth of the Pharmaceuticals Sector in India.
2. Yes Bank lists country’s first $600m MTN bond on IndiaINX ● Private sector lender, Yes Bank announced the listing of the Bank’s debut US $600 million bond issue under its maiden US $1 billion medium-term note (MTN) bond on country’s first international exchange BSE’s IndiaINX at the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) at GIFT City in Gandhinagar. ● The Yes Bank’s MTN programme — a debt note that matures or has a payback period of 5 years — on Global Securities Market (GSM) became the country’s first capital raising platform for international investors in any currency. Important points: Yes Bank ➢ Founded: 2004 ➢ Headquarters: Mumbai ➢ CEO: Rana Kapoor ➢ Founder: Rana Kapoor
3. India’s Umang App and Aadhaar win awards at World Government Summit ● India’sUmang App was named the winner of the Best M-Government Service award in the Accessible Government category while Aadhar won the best emerging technology award at the recently concluded World Government Summit 2018 in Dubai, where India had the status of ‘Guest of Honour’ country. ● The Summit acknowledged technology pioneers for providing global solutions to global challenges. ●
The mobile application Umang App provides users a unified platform that combines government departments and services, facilitating transactions for citizens. The award acknowledged Government of India’s efforts to provide convenient services to its citizens.
4. Canadian PM to arrive on a 7-Day visit to India ● Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau will arrive in India on a seven-day State visit. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, his visit is aimed at further strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries in key areas of mutual interest including trade and investment, energy, science and innovation, higher education, infrastructure development, skill development and space. ● Prime Minister Narendra Modi had paid a bilateral visit to Canada in April 2015. The last visit of a Canadian Prime Minister to India was in November 2012. Important points: Canada ➢ Prime minister: Justin Trudeau ➢ Capital: Ottawa
5. Indian engineer awarded sci-tech Oscar Award ● Vikas Sathaye, a Pune-born person has been honoured with the Scientific and Engineering Academy Award at the Oscars Scientific and Technical Awards 2018 at Beverly Hills in Los Angeles, California.
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Sathaye and his team received the award for his contribution towards conceptualisation, designing, engineering, and the implementation of the ‘Shotover K1 Camera System’ during his stint at Shotover Camera Systems in Queenstown, New Zealand.
6. Narendra Modi inaugurates World Sustainable Development Summit 2018 ● Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the second edition ‘World Sustainable Development Summit 2018’ (WSDS) in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. ● WSDS is the flagship forum of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and seeks to bring together on a common platform, global leaders and thinkers in the fields of sustainable development, energy and environment sectors. ●
The theme of the three-day summit is ‘partnerships for a resilient planet’ which seeks to create action frameworks to resolve some of the most urgent challenges facing developing economies in the backdrop of climate change.
7. India Signs Second Loan Agreement with NDB for USD 100 Million ● The Loan Agreement for the financing of Rajasthan Water Sector Restructuring Project for the Desert Areas was signed between Government of India and the New Development Bank (NDB) at New Delhi. ● This is the first tranche loan of USD 100 million approved by the NDB under the Multi-Tranche Financing Facility of USD 345 million for this project. ●
The objective of this Project is to rehabilitate the 678 km long Indira Gandhi Canal system built during 1958-63 to prevent seepage, conserve water, and enhance water use efficiency as mandated by both national and state-level policies on water use.
Important points: New Development Bank (NDB) ➢ Headquarters: Shanghai, China ➢ President: K. V. Kamath ➢ Founder: BRICS ➢ Founded: 15 July 2014, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil ➢ Formation: July 2014
8. Iranian President Rouhani in India ● Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold bilateral talks with visiting Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in New Delhi, during which discussions on the issues of regional, international and mutual interest to be held. ● In may 2016, Prime Minister Modi had visited Iran and 12 agreements were signed between the two nations. This visit by Iranian President could see the two sides discuss the strategically important Chabahar port. Important points: Iran ➢ President: Hassan Rouhani ➢ Capital: Tehran ➢ Currency: Iranian rial ➢ Supreme leader: Ali Khamenei