Current Affairs 14 February 2018

International Current Affairs 1. World Radio Day: 13 February World Radio Day is an observance day held annually on 13 February. ...

International Current Affairs

1. World Radio Day: 13 February

World Radio Day is an observance day held annually on 13 February.

• It was proclaimed on 3 November 2011 by UNESCO's 36th General Conference after originally being proposed by the Kingdom of Spain.
• The theme of World Radio day 2018 is "Radio and Sports".

National Current Affairs

2. All villages to be linked by roads by 2019

The Centre is making efforts to connect all villages through a road network by next year as part of the 'Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna', said Union Minister Ram Kripal Yadav.

• Earlier, the target to compete these works was 2022 but it has been advanced to 2019.
• The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) was launched by the Central government to provide connectivity to unconnected habitations as part of a poverty reduction strategy.

3. Radio Umang: India’s first online radio station launched

Radio Umang, India’s first online radio station that allows the listener to just download and tune in, has been launched.

• 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.

4. President of India hosts ‘LPG Panchayat’ at Rashtrapati Bhavan

The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, hosted an‘LPG Panchayat on February 13, 2018 at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

• The LPG Panchayat was organised by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas with an aim to provide a platform for LPG consumers to interact with each other, promote mutual learning and share experiences.
• Each LPG Panchayat has about 100 LPG customers coming together, near their living areas,to discuss safe and sustainable usage of LPG, its benefits and the link between clean fuel for cooking and women’s empowerment.
• The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas intends to conduct 1 lakh such Panchayats across India before March 31, 2019.

5. India-Russia Agriculture Business Summit held in New Delhi

As a part of the country-wide year-long celebration of India-Russia Diplomatic Relations, since April 2017, the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare organised two major events, an India-Russia Agriculture Business Summit held in New Delhi and celebration of 70 years of Agricultural Relationship to be held  in Suratgarh, Rajasthan on 14th February 2018.

• Shri Gajender Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Mr Sergey Beletskiy, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Agriculture, Russia addressed the India-Russia Agriculture Business Summit 2018, held at PUSA, New Delhi. 
• Several business houses and leaders of business associations of both countries, working in agriculture sector attended the event.
• This will strengthen exchange of expertise to further business ties between the two countries.   

6. Venkaiah Naidu to inaugurate the Global Theatre Olympics

The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu will inaugurate the 8th Global Theatre Olympics on 17th February, 2018 at the majestic Red Fort in New Delhi.

• This Global Theatre Festival is being held in India for the first time.
• The 51 days long event will travel to 17 Indian cities with 450 shows, 600 ambience performances and 250 power packed youth forum shows.

7. R.K. Singh inaugurates ‘Indian Power Stations 2018’ - International Conference

Union Minister of State (IC) for Power and New and Renewable Energy, Shri R.K. Singh inaugurated the ‘Indian Power Stations 2018’ - three-day International Conference on Operations and Maintenance in New Delhi.

• 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.
• Shri Singh also added that there was huge opportunity to export cheap power to neighbouring countries which will be beneficial for the entire region.

8. India’s biggest Global Conference on Pharma Industry and Medical Devices

The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, along with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), is organizing ‘India Pharma & India Medical Device 2018’, with the theme - ‘Affordable and Quality Healthcare’.

• This is the 3rd International exhibition and conference on Pharmaceutical & Medical Device sector and to be held from 15th-17th February, 2018 in Bengaluru.

Awards

9. Tata Steel bags ‘most ethical company’ award

Tata Steel has been recognized by Ethisphere Institute, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, as the World’s Most Ethical Company for the year 2018.

• The company has received the award for the sixth time in the ‘Metals, Minerals and Mining’ category.
• IT company WIPRO has also won the award in a separate category.