Current Affairs 20 February 2018

International Current Affairs 1. J P Nadda addresses Global Digital Health Partnership Summit “Information and Communication Tech...

International Current Affairs

1. J P Nadda addresses Global Digital Health Partnership Summit

“Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has great potential towards improvement of delivery of healthcare services. This was stated by Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare during his address at Global Digital Health Partnership Summit, at Canberra, Australia.

• India is committed to reforms in health service delivery using ICT under Digital India Program of Government of India.”
• The Union Health Minister spoke on the topic: Making Digital Health Services a Priority in Healthcare Reform.

2. UK and India upgrade joint research on clean water and clean energy

 

UK-India research projects on ‘Water Quality Research’ and ‘Energy Demand Reduction in Built Environment’ were launched by Dr V K Saraswat, Member, National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog, Professor Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology (DST) India and Daniel Shah, Director, Research Councils UK (RCUK) India.

• The ‘Water Quality Research’ programme has eight projects and ‘Energy Demand Reduction in Built Environment’ programme has four projects, with a total joint investment of up to £15 million.
• These projects aim to deliver mutual benefits and research solutions not only to the UK and India but also to address shared global sustainable development goals – clean water and clean energy.

National Current Affairs

3. PM addresses at the World Conference on IT

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on February 19, addressed World Congress on Information Technology in Hyderabad via Video Conference.

• This event is being held in India for the first time.
• It has been organized in partnership with NASSCOM, WITSA and the Government of Telangana.

4. India to host World Environment Day

India will host the World Environment Day 2018, Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan and United Nations Environment Program chief Erik Solheim said.

• The theme for the World Environment Day-2018, held every year on June 5, is “Beat Plastic Pollution”.
• Canada hosted the event in 2017.
• Meanwhile, Harsh Vardhan also launched the first electric charging facility at the Lodhi Road UN office — the first ever in a UN office in India.

Business

5. Amazon Becomes World's Third Most Valuable Company

Amazon’s market value surpassed Microsoft’s for the first time, making Amazon the world’s third most valuable company.

• Apple and Alphabet stand ahead of Amazon as the most valuable companies in the world.
• Microsoft, now ranked fourth, follows, ahead of Tencent and Facebook.

Appointments

6. Govt appoints two new EDs in banks

Debashish Mukherjee and Murali Ramaswami have been appointed executive directors of Canara Bank and Vijaya Bank respectively, according to an official order.

• Mukherjee is at present the general manager of United Bank of India and Ramaswami is the GM of Vijaya Bank.
• Mukherjee's appointment is initially for three years but it is extendable by two years after review of his performance, the order issued by personnel ministry said.

Awards

7. BAFTA Awards 2018: Full winners list

The 71st British Academy Film Awards were presented on 18 February. Below is the full list of with winners.

• Best Film: "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri"
• Outstanding British Film: "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri"
• Outstanding Debut By A British Writer, Director Or Producer : "I Am Not A Witch"
• Film Not In The English Language: "The Handmaiden"
• Documentary: "I Am Not Your Negro"
• Animated Film: "Coco"
• Director: "The Shape Of Water," Guillermo Del Toro
• Original Screenplay: "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri," Martin Mcdonagh
• Leading Actress: "Frances Mcdormand, "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri"
• Leading Actor: Gary Oldman, "Darkest Hour"
• Supporting Actress: Allison Janney, "I, Tonya"
• Supporting Actor: Sam Rockwell, "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri"
• Original Music : "The Shape Of Water"
• EE Rising Star Award (voted for by the public): Daniel Kaluuya

8. Rahane, Rohit Sharma awarded Shiv Chhatrapati State Sports Awards

Indian cricket team members Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma have both been awarded Shiv Chhatrapati State Sports Awards by the Government of Maharashtra.

• Former India cricketer and assistant coach of Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Delhi Daredevils Pravin Amre was awarded Coach of the Year for the 2016-17.

Deaths

9. Telugu actor Gundu Hanumantha Rao passes away

Well-known Telugu cinema comedian Gundu Hanumantha Rao passed away on February 19 in Hyderabad. He was 61.

• Born in Vijayawada on October 10, 1956 in a middle class family, Mr. Rao dabbled with theatre from a young age.
• The first role he essayed on stage was in a play called Ravana Brahma in Vijayawada.