Current Affairs Updates - 16th March 2018
Achieversrule team has brought to you a list of points according to the Latest Headlines in our today's Current Affairs Updates - 16th March 2018. These consists of news under different sections of National, International, Schemes, Obituary and Agreements. We have picked up the most recent and they have the highest chance of being asked in the exams such as IBPS PO, IBPS CLERK, SSC CGL, SSC CHSL, and other Government Exams. We request our readers to go through the Daily Current Affairs Quiz regularly for better performance in the examination. We also provide with Static Note Down Points and GK One Liner at the end of the day regularly.
New Appointments: International
Gina Haspel, the newly nominated first-ever female director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), is a career intelligence officer with more than 30 years' experience.- The so-called black sites - secret overseas locations where the CIA carried out what it termed "enhanced interrogation" techniques - were closed by former US President Barack Obama.
- Germany's parliament earlier approved her re-election by 364 votes to 315.
- Mrs Merkel has vowed to get to work quickly after the longest period of coalition-building in post-war Germany.
Banking, Economic & Financial Affairs
World Bank forecasts India GDP growth rate at 7.3% in 2018-19- The World Bank said while India’s GDP growth rate will return to 7.5% in two years’ time, to sustain an 8% GDP growth rate, India requires a decisive structural reform momentum that succeeds in stimulating investment and export growth while maintaining macroeconomic stability.
Rankings & Indexes
Pune came on top in the fifth edition of the Annual Survey of India’s City-Systems (ASICS), edging out Thiruvananthapuram which had topped the previous two editions of the survey.- Bengaluru was ranked at the bottom. Thiruvananthapuram dropped two ranks to be placed third out of 23 cities spread across 20 states in the survey done by urban governance watchdog Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy, which evaluated the quality of governance in India’s cities by assessing laws, policies and institutional processes currently in place.
- Among the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries, Pakistan was ranked 75th, while Nepal was ranked at 101st. Bhutan has been placed at 97th rank and Sri Lanka at 116th position. Bangladesh is ranked at 115th in the happiness index.
- The report titled Fostering Effective Energy Transition, ranks countries on how well they are able to balance energy security and access with environmental sustainability and affordability.
- As per the Worldwide Cost of Living 2018 survey, South Asian cities, particularly those in India and Pakistan offers the best value for money. Bangalore, Chennai, Karachi and New Delhi featured among the 10 cheapest locations surveyed.
National Affairs
President Kovind inaugurates World Hindi Secretariat building in Mauritius- President Ram Nath Kovind today inaugurated the World Hindi Secretariat building in Mauritius on the third day of his visit to the country.
- President Ram Nath Kovind today said it is time to revitalise trade relations between India and Madagascar which go back to several centuries.
International Affairs
The US Trade Representative (USTR) has challenged Indian export subsidy schemes at World Trade Organisation (WTO), saying these programmes harm its manufacturing sector and workers by creating an uneven playing field.- According to USTR, at least half a dozen Indian programmes provide financial benefits to Indian exporters, which allow them to sell their goods more cheaply to detriment of US workers and manufacturers.
Defence & Railway News
The Indian Air Force's largest transport aircraft — C-17 Globemaster — landed at Arunachal Pradesh's Tuting airfield which is close to the Chinese border.- The landing of the US-manufactured aircraft is seen as part of the IAF's move to strengthen its overall operations in the strategically-key border state.
Application / Portal
NCRB has introduced a Mobile App called “Citizen Services” that will provide smooth interface between Citizens and Police.- States/UTs upon customization can host this App on their CCTNS platform through which citizens can register Police Complaint, and can check the Status of their complaint. Another feature of the App also enables a complainant to download FIR (except those categorized as "Sensitive").
Schemes / Programme
HRD Ministry to set up ‘Innovation Cell’ to promote education - The “Innovation Cell” would be headed by a scientist and would be comprised of a senior ministry official and young professionals, the minister who chaired a high level review meeting, said.
Agreements/ MoUs Signed
The Telangana government is setting up a 100-crore Apparel Super Hub in Sircilla. It signed a memorandum of understanding with Kay Ventures to roll out the project.- To be set up on 20 acres, the hub will be completed in three phases.
- The first phase will be taken up with an investment of 30 crore in a year.
- While the State government will infuse 90 per cent of the phase-1 funds, Kay Ventures and its associates will take care of the balance amount.
- The three parties to the MoU "formalised this partnership in the presence of Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha on the sidelines of Wings India 2018 in Hyderabad", IATA said in a statement.
- Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of WHO met Mr J P Nadda, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister, on the sidelines of EndTB Summit 2018 at New Delhi. They discussed perspectives on national, regional and global public health program.
- Under the agreement, both the countries will explore various ways of co-operation in the field of defence.
- The MoU was signed in January 2018 during the visit of Minister of Electronics & Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad to Sri Lanka
Summit /Conference / Events
Home Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurates Asia-Pacific Regional Conference of IACP. Theme of the conference is "Challenges to Policing in 2020 - How is Cyber Space shaping our approach to Cybercrime and Terrorism, how do we perform within it and take advantage of it". - Speaking on the occasion the Home Minister said that Social Media has brought a big challenge for Law enforcement agencies. He said Radicalization through Internet is a matter of concern huge and there is a need to stop this.
Awards & Honours: Miscellaneous
The 2017 Kochon Prize was awarded to the Indian Council of Medical Research in New Delhi for building a tradition of excellence in TB research and development.- The 65,000 dollar prize is awarded annually by Stop TB Partnership to individuals and/or organizations that have made a significant contribution to combating the disease.
Other Sports & Award Related News
The Indian football team has re-entered the top-100 of the FIFA world rankings and is now placed at 99th at the latest chart.- The team, which did not play any international match in this ranking period, jumped three places to enter the top-100 for the first time this year. It now has 339 points to its kitty to be at joint 99th spot with Libya.
Obituary
Lebanese author, feminist Emily Nasrallah passes away at 87- Nasrallah began her career as a journalist and published her first book, “Birds of September,” in 1962, to critical acclaim.
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