22 February 2019 - Daily Current Affairs
1. PM Modi receives the Seoul Peace Prize in South Korea
- Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received the prestigious Seoul Peace Prize - 2018 for his contribution to international cooperation and fostering global economic growth.
- The award was presented to him by the Seoul Peace Prize Foundation at a grand ceremony in Seoul.
- PM Modi gives the prize money of Seoul Peace Prize USD 200,000 to Namami Gange fund.
- Earlier, PM Narendra Modi paid tributes to Korean soldiers at the National Cemetery.
- Seven documents signed between India and South Korea at the bilateral meeting including on cooperation in media, start-ups and police among others.
Note:
- The Seoul Peace Prize was established in 1990 to commemorate the success of the 24th Olympic Games held in Seoul.
- The award was established to crystalise Korean people's yearning for peace on the Korean peninsula and in the rest of the world.
International Affairs
2. Trump signs order to establish US space force
- US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to establish its Space Force as a new armed service within the Department of Air Force.
- The Space Force will include both combat and combat support functions to enable prompt and sustained offensive and defensive space operations in all domains.
- The force will be organized, trained, and equipped to meet and protect the US national interests in the space, consistent with international laws.
- It will organize and train the next generation of warriors to deter aggression and defend the United States.
3. Month-long ‘festival of India’ begins in Kathmandu
- Manjeev Singh (Indian Ambassador to Nepal) and Rabindra Adhikari (Nepal’s Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation) jointly inaugurated a month-long 'Festival of India' event in Kathmandu, Nepal.
- The festival organised by the Indian Embassy and Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre.
- Buddhism has been established as a major religion in both the countries as Lord Buddha was born in Nepal and attained enlightenment in India.
Obituaries
4. Bengali singer Pratik Choudhury passes away
- Bengali singer Pratik Choudhury (55-years) passed away at a City hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest
- The popular singer, known for his albums on contemporary Bengali songs invluding “Mukhosh”, “Bhusandir Mathe”, “Ebar Pratik er Pallay” and so on.
- He has sung in numerous TV serials, Bengali movies.
5. Veteran film producer Raj Kumar Barjatya passes away
- Veteran Bollywood producer Raj Kumar Barjatya (75-year) passed away at Reliance Hurkissondas Hospital in Mumbai.
- He helmed several Bollywood hit films including ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain’, ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun’, ‘Vivah’, ‘Prem Ratan Dhan Payo’, ‘Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon’ among others.
- He worked in the industry as a producer and mostly backed films that were directed by his son Sooraj.
Note:
- Rajshri Productions Pvt. Ltd. (established in 1947) is a film production and distribution company based in Mumbai, India, and is primarily involved in producing Hindi films.
- The banner was founded by Raj Kumar Barjatya’s father Tarachand Barjatya.
National Affairs
6. ‘KALIA Chhatra Bruti’ Scholarship launched in Odisha
- Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has launched ‘KALIA Chhatra Bruti’ scholarship for the children of farmers the state in Bhubaneshwar.
- The objective of the scheme is to provide financial assistance for technical and professional education to farmers’ children.
- The state government will bear all expenses involved in various levels of education.
- The scholarship will be sent directly to the bank accounts of students via. DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer).
7. UP CM announces increase in wages of Anganwadi workers
- Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced a phenomenal increase in the wages of Anganwadi workers, Mini Anganwadi workers, Sahayikas and Prantiya Raksha Dal members.
- The salary increase will benefit around 4 lakh Anganwadi and helper workers.
- There will an increase of Rs. 1500 in the present honorarium of Anganwadi workers, Mini Anganwadi (Rs. 1250), Sahayikas (Rs.750) increase in their present monthly salary.
- Prantiya Raksha Dal will also get a daily increase of 125 rupees.
Note:
- Anganwadi is a type of rural child care centre in India, provides basic health care in Indian villages.
- Uttar Pradesh has more than one lakh 80 thousand Anganwadi centres.
8. EPFO hikes Interest rates on EPF 2018-19 by 0.1%
- Employee’s Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has hiked interest rate on employee’s provident fund to 8.65% (earlier- 8.55%) for the 2018-19 fiscal year.
- Now, the proposal would go to the Finance Ministry for approval.
- The Central Board of Trustees (CBT) headed by Labour Minister is the apex decision making body of the EPFO which finalises rate of interest on PF deposits for a financial year.
- As many as over 6 crore subscribers of EPFO will benefit from the interest hike.
Note:
- The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is statutory body formed by the Employees' Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 and is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India.
National Appointment
9. SC appoints former Judge Justice D.K. Jain as BCCI Ombudsman
- The Supreme Court (SC) has appointed Justice (retired) D K Jain as BCCI’s (Board of Control for Cricket in India) first ombudsman.
- The Ombudsman is expected to resolve any issue that comes with regards to the players as also financial issues.
- Supreme Court has appointed Lt General Ravi Thodge as a third member of Committee of Administrators in Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
- Thodge will join Chairman Vinod Rai and former women’s captain Diana Edulji in the panel entrusted with the job of running the BCCI by the apex court.
10. Justice Uma Nath Singh to take oath as first Lokayukta of Nagaland
- Today, Justice Uma Nath Singh has taken oath as the First Lokayukta of Nagaland for a term of five years or till, age of 70-years.
- Nagaland Governor PB Acharya administered the oath of office to Justice Singh at a ceremony at Raj Bhavan in Kohima.
- Justice Singh is a former Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court.
Note:
- The ‘Lokayukta’ is an anti-corruption ombudsman organization in the Indian states.
- Once appointed, Lokayukta can-not be dismissed nor transferred by the government and can only be removed by passing an impeachment motion by the state assembly.
Sports
11. ICC bans UAE Cricket coach Irfan Ansari for 10 years
- According to the International Cricket Council (ICC) statement, United Arab Emirates (UAE) coach Irfan Ansari has been banned from all forms of cricket for ten years.
- The Anti-Corruption Tribunal of ICC found him guilty of breaching three counts of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.
- Ansari approached Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed during Pakistan series with Sri Lanka in the UAE in October 2017.