IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF FEBRUARY 27th, 2018

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF FEBRUARY 27th, 2018

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF FEBRUARY 27th, 2018

1. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Indonesian President Joko Widodo have jointly agreed to restore full military cooperation between the two countries.
a. Note : Indonesia's military had suspended military cooperation in January after finding material insulting Indonesia's founding principles at an Australian base. Australia and Indonesia are also in economic partnership talks to cut tariffs and promote trade.
2. 'Clicktivism' (a word for armchair activists on social media), 'otherize' (viewing a group of people as intrinsically different from oneself) and 'haterade' (excessive criticism) are among the new additions to oxforddictionaries.com.
a. Note : The words emerged during the US Presidential elections.
3. Nation paying tribute to martyrChandrashekhar Azad (23rd July 1906 – 27th February 1931)  on his 87th Death Anniversary today.
a. He was a great Indian freedom fighter who was involved in Kakori Train Robbery, the attempt to blow up the Viceroy's train, and the shooting of Saunders at Lahore to avenge the killing of Lala Lajpat Rai.
b. He was the mentor of Bhagat Singh,another great freedom fighter.
c. After the independence, to commemorate Chandra Shekhar Azad, Alfred Park (Allahabad), where Chandra Shekhar Azad shot himself was renamed Chandra Shekhar Azad Park.
4. The city of Ahmedabad (Gujarat) has celebrated its 606th foundation day on Sunday.
a. Manek Nath, a seer, advised the city's founder Ahmed Shah I to begin the construction of Manek Burj, the foundation bastion of the city on 26th February 1411.
b. Note : Ahmedabad is the sixth largest city and seventh largest metropolitan area of India.
5. The Madras High Court today suggested Tamil Nadu government bring in a special Act to remove Prosopis Juliflora (Seemai Karuvelam) trees in Tamil Nadu.
a. Note : The trees are causing extensive damage to the environment and water.
b. So far only 15% of the trees had been removed, the court stated.
6. NITK Surathkal will be hosting its annual cultural festival 'Incident' from 1st to 5th March 2017.
a. This year's theme : 'A Coastal Carnival'
7. US Democrats today elected former Labor Secretary Tom Perez as the Chairman of theDemocratic National Committee to head the opposition to Republican President Donald Trump.
a. Perez, who had served in the Barack Obama administration, won over Keith Ellison by getting 235 out of 435 votes of the Democratic National Committee and immediately declared Ellison as his deputy.
8. OSCARS 2017 Highlights :
a. The Barry Jenkins directorial 'Moonlight' has won the Oscar for 'Best Picture'.
b. Emma Stone won Best Actress award for 'La La Land' and Casey Affleck was named Best Actor for 'Manchester By The Sea'.
c. 'La La Land' Director Damien Chazelle, who is 32 years and 38 days old, became the youngest to win the Oscar for Best Director.
d. American actor Mahershala Ali became the first Muslim actor to win an Oscar as he was named Best Supporting Actor for 'Moonlight'.
e. 'The Salesman', the Iranian film by director Asghar Farhadi, was named the Best Foreign Language Film.
f. A musical tribute was paid to Indian actor Om Puri, who passed away on January 6 this year, at Oscars 2017 during the 'In Memorium' segment.
o He has starred in Hollywood films like 'The Hundred-Foot Journey'.
9. Paytm's e-commerce arm has launched 'Paytm Mall', a new mobile app and online shopping portal.
a. This new platform will allow customers to shop products across categories such as fashion, electronics, consumer durables and home furnishings.
b. Note : Paytm has launched a separate e-commerce app since the original Paytm app is now Paytm Wallet and is a part of Paytm Payments Bank.
10. Homegrown technology company Smartron is set to launch an exclusive Sachin Tendulkar-branded mobile phone in April.
a. The Sachin Tendulkar-branded smartphone will be the third device launched by Smartron in less than 12 months, the other gadgets being the t.phone and t.book.
11. Finland-based licensee of the Nokia brand HMD relaunched the Nokia 3310 phone at about ₹3,500 with a colour display and the iconic Snake game.
a. The phone, which was phased out in 2005, will have two micro SIM slots, a 2.4-inch screen, and a 2-megapixel camera.
b. It will have 25 days of standby time and 22 hours talk time.
12. Chinese smartphone maker ZTE has unveiled the 'Gigabit Phone', which it says is theworld's first 5G network compatible smartphone.
o Its download speeds can reach 1Gbps, 10 times faster than the first generation of 4G services widely in use.
o How is 5G mobile network different from 4G ?
o The 5G or fifth-generation mobile network will be up to 10 times faster than 4G LTE network, with peak download speed of up to 20 Gbps.
o This means, an HD movie can be downloaded within a second.
o The 5G network will boost the development of new technologies like self-driving vehicles, virtual reality, and the Internet of Things.
13. FORPHEUS, developed by Japan-based Omron Corporation, has been given the Guinness World Records title for being the 'First robot table tennis tutor'.
a. The robot possesses unique technological intelligence and educational capabilities and is known for playing better than humans.
14. UK's tallest man Neil Fingleton (36), who portrayed the giant 'Mag the Mighty' on HBO series 'Game of Thrones', has passed away.
15. Emmy-nominated actor Bill Paxton (61), who starred in some of the biggest Hollywood blockbusters of the 1980s and ’90s passed away.
a. He is famous for his roles in the films like The Terminator, Aliens, Twister and Titanic as well as TV shows Big Love and Hatsfields & McCoys
16. Former Union Minister P Shiva Shankar (88) passed away.
a. He also served as Governor of Sikkim and Kerala.
17. India has won it's  1st Gold medal of ISSF World Cup in Delhi in 10m Pistol Mixed team event.
a. Indian shooters Jitu Rai and Heena Sidhu clinched the gold medal by defeating Japan in the event's final.
b. Note : Earlier, Pooja Ghatkar had won the women's 10m air rifle bronze medal at the competition.
c. ISSF - International Shooting Sport Federation
18. Kalinga Lancers (Bhubaneswar) beat Dabang Mumbai to lift maiden Hockey India League Title in Chandigarh today.

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF FEBRUARY 26th, 2018

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF FEBRUARY 26th, 2018

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF FEBRUARY 26th, 2018

1. Venezuela and Libya were suspended from voting in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in the 2016-17 session for not paying dues to the world body.
a. This is for the 2nd time in two years both countries have been suspended.
b. Besides them other four other countries Papua New Guinea, Sudan, Vanuatu and Cabo Verde also may lose their voting rights for not paying their in past two years .
2. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir has made a rare visit to Iraq, meeting PM Haider al-Abadi.
a. It is the first visit of a senior Saudi minister since the US overthrew Saddam Hussein in 2003.
3. The Mexican government today announced that it would not accept US deportees from third countries under any circumstances.
a. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly had asked Mexican officials during their Thursday visit if they would host deportees.
b. Note : Most of the immigrants crossing the US-Mexico border in recent years have been Central Americans.
4. Pakistan has signed 10 Agreements with Turkey to enhance bilateral cooperation in various fields.
a. The agreements and MoUs were signed during Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s recent visit to Turkey during which he co-chaired the 5th Session of Pakistan-Turkey High Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC).
b. The agreements were signed in the fields of hydrocarbons, information, environment, forestry, exchange of financial intelligence relating to money laundering and exchange of armed forces personnel.
5. The Union Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Harsh Vardhan has launched aFarmer's kit developed by scientists of the CSIR-lab, the Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CECRI), at Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu.
a. This kit will help farmers assess the soil condition and decide the fertilizer usage plan economically themselves.
6. The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has directed all the engineering colleges affiliated to it to urgently put in place an online mechanism for redressal of grievances.
7. International rating agency Moody’s report titled ‘Modest Acceleration in the Global Economy’ has predicted that India will be the fastest growing economy among G-20 countries in year 2017 with 7.1% growth.
8. Following the failure of its global bid, the Indian Railways has decided to manufacture its own trainsets in Chennai that can run at up to 160 kmph.
a. Named 'Train-2018', the first such trainset is expected to be ready in 2018.
b. Note : A trainset has coaches that are individually powered by a propulsion system, eliminating the need for a locomotive.
9. A group of energy tech startups in cooperation with electricity providers in Australia has launched a pilot program of the world's first digital marketplace for rooftop solar energy.
a. The Decentralised Energy Exchange (deX) will let homeowners monetise their solar panels and batteries by essentially renting them to the grid when they're most needed.
10. Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal, who became a member of the International Olympic Committee's Athletes' Commission (IOC AC) last year, would be representing the panel in the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
a. Currently, ranked world number 10 in BWF rankings, Saina is aiming to win the All England Championship next month.
11. India won all three medals in the 12.8 Kilometre Individual Time Trial at the 6th Asian Para-Road Cycling Championship held in Bahrain.
a. They are :
o Gold - Abhishek (Chandigarh)
o Silver - Divij Shah (West Bengal)
o Bronze - Harinder Singh (BSF)

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF FEBRUARY 22nd, 2018

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF FEBRUARY 22nd, 2018

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF FEBRUARY 22nd, 2018

1. India has been ranked 81st in the Global corruption perception index for 2017, released by Transparency International.
a. Last year, India was in the 79th place.
b. New Zealand and Denmark were placed the highest in the list.
c. Syria, South Sudan and Somalia were ranked lowest.
2. Japan has donated over 10,000 ballot boxes worth $7.5 million (over ₹48 crore) forCambodia's 2018 general elections.
3. Actor Kamal Haasan launched his political party 'Makkal Needhi Maiam' and hoisted a flag carrying the party's symbol in Tamil Nadu's Madurai.
a. The flag of Makkal Needhi Maiam Party depicts 6 hands holding onto each other with a six-pointed star in the middle.
4. The Jharkhand government has banned the Popular Front of India, claiming its members were "internally influenced by the ISIS".
5. Indian Air Force officer Avani Chaturvedi has become the country's first woman to fly a fighter jet solo, as she operated Russian-made MiG-21 aircraft in her first training sortie.
6. Microsoft is going to add support for email addresses in 15 Indian languages across its apps and services.
a. It would allow users to send or receive emails in local language email addresses for Outlook accounts on personal computers.
b. The 15 Indian languages supported for email address include Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.
7. India successfully conducted the first night trial of indigenously developed nuclear-capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile Prithvi-II.
8. The Grace Bay beach in the Turks and Caicos Islands has topped the 2018 Travellers' Choice Beach Awards by TripAdvisor.
a. The Baia do Sancho beach in Brazil and Varadero Beach in Cuba have been placed second and third respectively.
b. Note : The Agonda Beach in Goa was placed 18th on the list and was the only Indian beach in the top 25.
9. India and Canada have signed a bilateral agreement to support entrepreneurs and startups from both the countries.
a. Under this agreement, the governments of both the countries have partnered with startup accelerator Zone Startups India, which will identify 40 startups that will receive support. The program will especially focus on women entrepreneurs.
10. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has constituted an expert committee to look into the entire gamut of issues relating to classification of bad loans, effectiveness of audits andrising incidents of frauds.
a. Head of this Committee : Y H Malegam (Former member of Central Board of Directors of RBI).
11. Government  has constituted an Empowered Expert Committee (EEC) to select 20 Institutions of Eminence from among 104 institutions (public or private) that have applied for the status.
a. Head of this Committee : N Gopalaswami (Former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC))
12. The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)  lowered the interest rate to 8.55% for the financial year 2017-18, compared to 8.65% for 2016-17.
a. This is the second straight year that the provident fund body, which manages a corpus of over ₹11 lakh crore, has reduced the interest rate.
13. India's largest lender State Bank of India (SBI)  cautioned its cardholders ofpotential legal, financial and other risks associated with Bitcoin and otherCryptocurrencies.
a. However, the bank did not ban the use of its cards for such investments.
b. Important Note : Citibank India had already banned the use of its credit and debit cards towards purchase or trading of cryptocurrencies.
14. Goa CM Manohar Parrikar  presented the Rs 17,123-crore budget for 2018-19, an increase of 6.84 per cent over the ongoing fiscal, with a stress on education and job creation.
15. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced that KYC (Know Your Customer)verification of payments bank customers done by telecom companies is not permissible.
a. It has instructed payments banks to complete the KYC process independently through third parties.
b. This comes after Airtel was penalised by UIDAI for allegedly opening payments bank accounts without 'informed consent' of the users.

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF FEBRUARY 21st, 2018

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF FEBRUARY 21st, 2018

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF FEBRUARY 21st, 2018

1. (21st February) is International Mother Language Day.
a. This day is observed to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism.
b. First announced by UNESCO on 17 November 1999, it was formally recognized by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution establishing 2008 as the International Year of Languages.
c. February 21 was specifically chosen to mark the day in 1952 when students demonstrated for recognition of their language, Bangla as a national language in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).
d. Theme of International Mother Language Day 2018 : "Linguistic diversity and multilingualism count for sustainable development".
2. Kerala has made vaccination compulsory for school admissions from next academic year onwards.
a. Parents will have to show details of shots given to children at the time of enrolment in schools.
3. Following a Supreme Court directive, the Union Cabinet has approved the setting up of atribunal to resolve the dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh on sharing water from the Mahanadi river.
a. In 2016, Odisha had moved the SC against Chhattisgarh building dams on the river alleging that it was affecting the river flow and water supply to its farmers.
4. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has announced that commuters can now use theirSmart Cards to make payments in feeder buses and at parking lots of 13 stations in the NCR.
a. The move is part of Common Mobility Card project and is aimed at ensuring last-mile connectivity to commuters.
5. To improve the learning skills of students in government and municipal-run schools, theDelhi government has announced the launch of 'Mission Buniyaad' from this year.
6. Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated the 'UP Investors Summit 2018' in Lucknow.
a. This is the first such event to be organised by UP’s Yogi Adityanath government.
b. The 2-day event is aimed at showcasing investment opportunities and potential across various sectors in the state.
7. In order to take on Apple Pay, the technology giant Google has launched a new payments app called Google Pay.
a. The platform includes features like the ability to pay at checkout counters with a smartphone, or pay for public transportation.
8. Venezuela today formally launched a pre-sale of its state-backed cryptocurrency 'Petro' in a bid to recover from its worst financial crisis.
a. Note : 'Petro' is the world's first state-issued cryptoasset.
9. The Union Cabinet has approved Cooperation Agreement between India and Moroccan National Railways Office (ONCFM) to develop long-term cooperation and partnership in different areas of railway sector.
10. The Indian Railways has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Maharashtragovernment to set up a ₹600-crore metro coach factory in Latur district.
11. India’s indigenous light transport aircraft SARAS has been successfully test flown for a second time today.
a. This was the second of the 20 test flights planned for SARAS PT1N, before freezing the production version.
12. According to a recently released report by UK-based wireless coverage mapping company OpenSignal, India has recorded the lowest 4G LTE speed in the world at an average of6.07 Mbps.
a. Singapore topped the list with an average 4G speed of 44.31 Mbps, followed by theNetherlands and Norway.
13. World's richest man Jeff Bezos today revealed installation of the 500-feet-tall clock, which will keep time for 10,000 years, has begun in the US.
14. Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has announced that he is going to retire.
a. The upcoming Pakistan Super League will be his last professional tournament as a cricketer.
15. With a total of 14 medals, Norway's Marit Bjoergen became the most successful athlete in Winter Olympics history today after winning bronze for USA in cross country skiing's women's team sprint free.

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF FEBRUARY 20th, 2018

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF FEBRUARY 20th, 2018

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF FEBRUARY 20th, 2018

1. (20th February) is World Day of Social Justice.
a. It is an awareness day which had been initiated by the United Nations (UN) in 2009 and it aims to bring back the approach of social justice to mind.
b. One of its basic principles is the fair dispersal of goods. Social Justice is the basic condition for peace and respect between the nations on a connected world.
c. Theme of World Day of Social Justice 2018 : "Workers on the Move: the Quest for Social Justice”.
2. According to a recently released UNICEF study, every year in India, at least 6, 00,000 newborns die within 28 days of their birth.
a. The study also revealed that Pakistan is the riskiest country to be born in as it accounted for the world's highest newborn mortality rate.
b. UNICEF - United Nations International Children's Education Fund
3. Pakistan senate has approved declaration of Mandarin (the main language spoken in China), as one of the official languages of the country.
4. One the eve of 53rd independence anniversary of the country, Gambia today announced the suspension of death penalty in the country.
5. Singapore is going to impose a 'Carbon Tax' from 2019 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in an effort to fight climate change.
a. A tax of S$5 per tonne of greenhouse gas emissions will be levied from 2019 to 2023 and will be imposed on facilities producing 25,000 tonnes or more of greenhouse gas emissions per year.
6. India will host the World Environment Day 2018 on June 5, Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan and United Nations Environment Programme Executive Director Erik Solheim have jointly announced today.
a. The of World Environment Day 2018 : 'Beat Plastic Pollution'
b. This year's theme urges governments and communities to explore sustainable alternatives and reduce production and excessive use of single-use plastic.
7. An all-woman crew today started operating the Gandhinagar Railway Station in Jaipur, in a first for Rajasthan.
a. Note : This is India's second railway station with an all-woman crew, with the first being Matunga Railway Station in Mumbai.
8. The Rajasthan government has announced the withdrawal of a bill seeking to bar courts from taking up complaints against public servants without government sanction, after it was triggered widespread protests.
9. To provide cheap sanitary pads to school girls and women, the Maharashtra government is going to roll out a scheme titled Asmita Yojana on the International Women’s Day (March 8, 2018).
a. Under this scheme, schoolgirls studying in Zilla Parishad schools will get sanitary napkin packet at Rs 5 while rural women can avail it at subsidised rate of Rs.24 and Rs.29.
10. India  successfully test-fired the medium-range nuclear-capable Agni II missilefrom APJ Abdul Kalam island off the Odisha coast.
a. The missile has a strike range of more than 2,000 km, can carry a payload of 1,000 kg, and is equipped with an advanced high accuracy navigation system.
11. United Kingdom and India have launched joint research projects on ‘Water Quality Research’ and ‘Energy Demand Reduction in Built Environment’.
a. The ‘Water Quality Research’ programme has 8 projects and ‘Energy Demand Reduction in Built Environment’ programme has 4 projects, with total joint investment of up to £15 million.
12. Google  announced that users can now pay utility bills with its Unified Payments Interface-based payment app 'Tez', without any transaction charges.
a. The feature includes bills for electricity, gas, water, DTH as well as mobile postpaid bills and recharge.
b. It will also send notifications when the bill arrives and allow users to check whether they have paid a bill.
13. Singapore is going to pay its citizens aged 21 and above a one-off 'SG Bonus' of up to S$300 each as the 2017 budget included a surplus of Singapore $10 billion.
14. India Signs Second Loan Agreement with New Development Bank for USD 100 Millionfor Rajasthan Water Sector Restructuring Project for Desert Areas
a. The Loan Agreement for financing of Rajasthan Water Sector Restructuring Project for the Desert Areas was signed between Government of India and the New Development Bank (NDB) on 13th February 2018 at New Delhi.
b. 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.
15. The Maharashtra government today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of ₹35,000 crore with Amol Yadav, the man who built an aircraft on his rooftop.
a. According to the MoU, the state government has promised to give infrastructural and financial support to Yadav.
16. Indian captain Virat Kohli has become the first Indian batsman to go past 900 points in the ICC ODI rankings.
17. The Hockey India selectors today brought back Sardar Singh as captain of a 28-member Indian squad for the 27th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup to be held in Ipoh, Malaysia from March 3.

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF FEBRUARY 19th, 2018

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF FEBRUARY 19th, 2018

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF FEBRUARY 19th, 2018

1.   To tackle ever-deepening crisis of depleting groundwater level, the Union Government has formulated ambitious water conservation scheme Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABY).

a.    Rs 6,000-crore will be piloted under the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation for this scheme.

2.   The government is going to reintroduce the Transgender bill in the Parliament with changes suggested by a parliamentary committee and various rights groups. 

a.    Some of the changes include, dropping the phrase "neither wholly male or female" from the definition of transgender and doing away with the need to have a screening committee at the district level.

3.   To provide healthy, nutritious and hygienic food at affordable prices to all poor and needy persons, the Haryana government has opened subsidised canteens in four districts under the ‘Antyodaya Aahaar Yojana’.

a.    These four districts are Faridabad, Gurugram, Hisar and Yamunanagar.

4.   US-based Virgin Hyperloop One has signed an MoU with Maharashtra government for a Hyperloop between Mumbai and Pune.

a.    This Hyperloop will reduce the travel time for 140-km distance to 25 minutes. 

5.   The drama film 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' written, produced, and directed by Martin McDonaghhas has won the Best Film Award at the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs) 2018. 

a.    Gary Oldman was honored with Best Actor Award.

b.    Frances McDormand was honored with Best Actress Award.

6.   Private sector lender Axis Bank has opened an Off-shore Banking Unit at the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City).

a.    The offshore Banking unit is capable to trade in foreign currency in overseas markets and also with Indian Banks, raise funds in foreign currency in deposits & borrowings from non-residential sources and provide loans and liabilities products for clients.

7. Amazon has launched it's own food retail venture titled Amazon Retail in Pune. 

a.     With this, Amazon has became the first foreign e-commerce firm to start its own food retail venture in India.

8.   The owner of Rotomac Pens, Vikram Kothari, has been accused of allegedly fleeing with loans of more than ₹800 crore from state-owned banks.

9.   According to the recent data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), at least one bank staffer is caught and punished for involvement in fraud every four hours on an average.

a.    According to this data, around 5,200 officials of public sector banks punished between January 1, 2015, and March 31, 2017. 

b.    Among them, 1,500 officials were the employees of the State Bank of India (SBI).

10.   Noted French jazz violinist Didier Lockwood (62), a disciple of the late Stephane Grappelli, passed away.

11.   BJP nominated Rajendra Trivedi, a two-time BJP MLA from Raopura as the Speaker of the 14th state Legislative Assembly, Gujarat.

12.   Swiss tennis ace Roger Federer has won his career's 97th title by winning theRotterdam Open, two days after becoming the oldest world number one men's player. 

a.    Federer defeated Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria in the final match.

13.    Fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar has become the 1st Indian bowler to take a five-wicket haul in all three formats in international cricket. 

14.    USA's Christian Coleman broke the 20-year-old world record in the 60 metres sprintafter registering a timing of 6.34 seconds at the US Indoor National Championships in Albuquerque today.  .

15.    Star India Pvt. Ltd has won the rights for audio-visual production services for theIndian Premier League (IPL) and BCCI domestic cricket for the 2018-19 season. 

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF FEBRUARY 18th, 2018

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF FEBRUARY 18th, 2018

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF FEBRUARY 18th, 2018

1. Canadian PM Justin Trudeau arrived in India for his 7-day state visit.

a. His visit is aimed at meeting government and business leaders and strengthening the "close friendship" between the two nations.

2. For the first time, Pakistan is going to send transgenders to Saudi Arabia to serve as volunteers during 2018 Haj pilgrimage.

a. The move was aimed at promoting the social inclusion of transgender youth and help them attain confidence.

3. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is on a two-day official visit to Saudi Arabia.

a. During this visit, he will co-chair the12th India-Saudi Arabia Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) which is being held during 18th and 19th February 2018 at Riyadh.

4. Polling has concluded in Tripura to elect a new Assembly. 

a. A total of 292 candidates, including 20 women, are in the fray.

b. The counting of votes will be taken up on the 3rd of next month along with Nagaland and Meghalaya, which will go to polls on the 27th of this month.

5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated the ‘Magnetic Maharashtra’ Convergence Summit 2018 at the MMRDA grounds at Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex.

a. This is Maharashtra’s first Global Investors Summit and is being regarded as one of the biggest such events, especially on the lines of the ‘Make In India’ initiative launched by the Prime Minister in 2016 in Mumbai.

b. Note : It is being run with the tagline #MadeForBusiness.

6. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu today inaugurated the 8th Theatre Olympics at Red Fort in Delhi. 

a. The 51-day international theatre festival having 450 shows will be held in over 17 cities including Chandigarh, Bengaluru, and Mumbai. 

b. Theme of 8th Theatre Olympics : 'Flag of Friendship' 

7. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani today launched the maiden flight of Bhubaneswar-based airline Air Odisha, connecting Ahmedabad and Mundra. 

a. The airline has been established under the Centre's UDAN scheme, aimed at promoting regional connectivity in India. 

8. Google-spinoff Waymo has become the first company to receive approval to launch adriverless commercial ride-hailing service in the US. 

9. Women in Saudi Arabia can now open their own businesses without the consent of a husband or male relative, as the kingdom pushes to expand a fast-growing private sector.

a. The policy change, announced by the Saudi government today, also marks a major step away from the strict guardianship system that has ruled the country for decades.

10. Japan's government today reappointed Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda for another term.

11. Bollywood Actress Shilpa Shetty has released her second book titled 'The Diary of a Domestic Diva'

a. This book aims to share quick and hassle-free methods of cooking healthy, nutritious and delicious meals.

b. Note : The actress has became an author with her award-winning bestseller 'The Great Indian Diet' in 2014, which became one of the highest selling books in the health segment.

12. Former Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has been appointed as the Brand Ambassador of Pakistan Cricket Board.

13. A total of 225 Indian athletes will participate in 15 sports of this year'sCommonwealth Games, which will be held in Australia from April 4 to April 15. 

a. Note : The Indian basketball teams would be participating at the Commonwealth Games after a gap of eight years.

14. India’s Yuki Bhambri has finished as runner-up in the Men’s Singles in the Chennai Open ATP Challenger Tennis Championships.

a. In the finals, he was beaten by top-seeded Australian Jordan Thompson in three sets.