DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS: FEBRUARY 22, 2019

Dear Aspirants,

Daily Current Affairs (February 22, 2019) like many other sections is inevitable and this also helps to score in the Banking awareness, Static GK and Financial Awareness sections. Remember, Banking Awareness and Static Awareness Questions are asked from the General Awareness section. This will also help you to ride your preparations for the forthcoming exams.

NATIONAL

Cabinet Approves KUSUM Scheme For Farmers’ Welfare :

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the launch of Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM) with a central aid of ₹34,422 crore to provide financial and water security to farmers.
The scheme aims to provide water security to farmers through harnessing solar energy capacities of 25.75 gigawatt (GW) by 2022.
The proposed scheme consists of three components — 10,000 megawatt (MW) of decentralised ground mounted grid connected renewable power plants (Component-A); installation of 17.50 lakh standalone solar powered agriculture pumps (Component-B); and solarisation of 10 lakh grid-connected solar powered agriculture pumps (Component-C), according to the statement.

Centre signs pact with Canadian University for Research on Environmental Issues :

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada for next 10 years to explore opportunities for collaborations in the field of Forestry Science and to work on various environmental issues like Climate Change, Forest Resource Management and Wildlife.
The MoU will assist in the exchange of students, researchers and faculty, developing research projects, livelihood opportunities and augment the income of the forest-based communities.

INTERNATIONAL

Australian rat mammal becomes first to go extinct due to climate change :

A small brown rat which lived on a tiny island off northern Australia is the world’s first mammal known to have become extinct due to “human-induced climate change,”.
It was found only on a small sand island near the coast of Papua New Guinea.The Australian government has officially listed the Bramble Cay melomys as extinct.

India and Sri Lanka Ink MoU To Establish Business Centre For ICT Incubators :

India and Sri Lanka signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a business centre for ICT incubators in Jaffna through grant of 25 crore Sri Lankan rupees from India.
The MoU was signed by High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Mr. Taranjit Singh Sandhu, and Secretary, Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade Mr. S. T. Kodikara in Colombo in presence of Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe.
The centre would provide opportunities and enhance the enabling environment for Information Communication Technology (ICT) and other professional services in the Northern region inhabited by minority Tamils.

China Unveils the World’s First Female AI News Anchor :

China’s state-run news agency, Xinhua unveiled “the world’s first female AI news anchor” to read alongside its male AI news presenters.
Named Xin Xiaomeng, the perfectly coiffed broadcaster was developed jointly by Xinhua and search engine company Sogou, and was shown off in a video on social media.
Earlier, Xinhua also developed Qiu Hao, the world’s first male AI news anchor at the World Internet Conference in Wuzhen held in November 2018.
The computer-generated journalist was modelled after real-life Xinhua news anchor Qu Meng, whose voice and image provided inspiration for developers.

PM Modi Conferred with Seoul Peace Prize in South Korea :

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred the 14th Seoul Peace Prize at a function in Seoul.The award was first announced by the Seoul Peace Prize Cultural Foundation in October 2018.He was also awarded with the prize money of $200,000.
Former Secretary-General of the United Nations Kofi Annan and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are among previous recipients of the award.
The prime minister was conferred the honour for his efforts in promoting global peace and harmony through inclusive economic growth and for improving quality of life.

NITI Aayog Organized Conference on Future of Indian Banking and role of technology :

Dr. Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog, inaugurated a conference on “The Future of Indian Banking” with the Foundation for Economic Growth and Welfare (EGROW Foundation).
The conference aims to increase and elevate the discourse on the banking sector in India, and help develop insights to inform the continued evolution of the Indian banking sector for optimally supporting the growing credit needs of the Indian economy.
The event is expected to host 200 domestic and international participants, including policy makers, academicians, researchers, professionals, and students from various banks, universities and institutes.

STATIC: NITI Aayog

CEO: Amitabh Kant

Vice Chairman: Rajiv Kumar.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

EPFO hikes provident fund interest rate by 0.1% to 8.65% :

The Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) announced a hike of 0.1% in the interest rate on employees’ provident fund (PF) deposits for FY 2018-19.
After the hike by the retirement fund body, the PF interest rate will increase to 8.65% from 8.55% in FY18.As many as over 6 crore subscribers of EPFO will benefit from the interest hike.The announcement was made by Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar.

APPOINTMENTS

BFI President Ajay Singh Appointed As The Head Of AIBA Elite Foundation

Boxing Federation of India president Ajay Singh has been elected as the President of the Foundation Board for Better Boxing, an elite International Boxing Association (AIBA) elite foundation.
This is being considered as a recognition of India’s rapid strides in world boxing over the past few years.

Supreme Court Appoints Former Judge DK Jain as First Ombudsman in BCCI :

The Supreme Court appointed its former judge, Justice D K Jain as the first ombudsman for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Bringing a quietus to the quibbling between the Committee of Administrators (CoA) which runs the BCCI and the State bodies that form the Board, a Bench of Justices S.A.

AWARDS & HONOURS

TCS ranked as top employer in Europe for third consec utive year :

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) ranked by the Top Employers Institute as global Top Employer for the third year in a row.
It is the only firm among the top 10 IT services brands which has received this certification.TCS has the most employee-friendly workplace policies, good work culture and has done large investments for the skill development of its 4.17 lakh employees globally.

SPORTS

Chris Gayle breaks Shahid Afridi’s record for most sixes in international cricket :

Chris Gayle toppled Shahid Afridi to top the list of most international sixes during the 1st ODI between West Indies and England at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados.
Gayle scored 135 from 129 balls, including three fours and 12 maximums.Third on that list is former New Zealand wicket-keeper-batsman Brendon McCullum, who has hit 398 international sixes.Former Sri Lanka opener Sanath Jayasuriya is fourth with 352 international sixes.
India’s Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni come in fifth and sixth on the list with 349 and 348 international sixes, followed by AB de Villiers, who has 328 international sixes.

OBITUARY

Bengali singer Pratik Choudhury passed away at the age of 55 :

Popular Bollywood film producer Rajkumar Barjatya passed away in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
He was the producer of popular films like Prem Ratan Dhan Paayo (2015), Hum Saath Saath Hain (1999), Hum Aapke Hain Koun (1994) and Maine Pyar Kiya (1989) etc.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Mother Language Day is being observed on February 21:

International Mother Language day was observed on February 21,2019.This day is observed to promote linguistic diversity and multilingual education.
“Indigenous languages matter for development, peace building and reconciliation” is the theme for the year 2019.