SH- Current Affairs Update 18th, Feb 2018

Dear Aspirants,

 China's Qingdao to host SCO summit in June

East China's Qingdao City will host the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in June this year.

• Shandong is the birthplace of many ancient Chinese thinkers, including Confucius. In 2017, its GDP exceeded 7.2 trillion yuan.
• The summit has China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan as full members.

List of MoUs signed during the visit of President of Iran to India

President of Iran, Hassan Rouhani arrived in India on a three-day State visit. He has signed these MoUs with India:

• Agreement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation
• MoU on Exemption from Visa requirement for holders of Diplomatic Passports.
• Exchange of Instrument of Ratification of Extradition Treaty.
• Lease Contract for Shahid Beheshti Port- Phase 1 of Chabahar during Interim Period between Port and Maritime Organization (PMO), Iran and India Ports Global Limited (IPGL).
• MoU on Cooperation in the field of Traditional Systems of Medicine.
• MoU on the establishment of an Expert Group on Trade Remedy Measures to promote cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
• MoU on Cooperation in the field of Agriculture and Allied Sectors.
• MoU on Cooperation in the field of Health and Medicine.
• MoU on Postal Cooperation.

India's defence budget breaks into world's top 5: UK report

India's defence budget broke into the world's top five, beating the UK for the first time, a new report by a London-based global think-tank has said.

• India overtook the UK as the fifth-largest defence spender in the world in 2017 at $52.5 billion, up from $51.1 billion in 2016, according to the 'Military Balance 2018' report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
• In contrast, the UK's defence budget fell from $52.5 billion in 2016 to $50.7 billion last year.
• World's top five defence spenders are the US, China, Saudi Arabia, Russia and India.

Modi govt to set up 562 more Ekalavya schools

The government will set up 562 more Ekalavya Model Residential School (EMRS) in tribal areas across the country that will be on par with the Navodaya Vidyalayas, Tribal Affairs minister Jual Oram said.

• Detailing about the budgetary provisions for budget 2018-19, Oram said 271 EMRSs have already been sanctioned out of which 190 are currently operational.
• The EMRS are planned under a government scheme for model residential school for Indian tribals (Scheduled Tribes) across India.

National Banana Festival, 2018 held in Thiruvananthapuram

The Union Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Minister, Shri Radha Mohan Singh addressed at the National Banana Festival, 2018 held in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

• India is the largest producer of banana in the world with 29.7 million tonnes from an area of 0.88 million hectares with a productivity of 37 MT/ha.
• Although India accounts for only 15.5per cent in area, its contribution in the world’s production is 25.58per cent.

PM to Inaugurate the Fourth Container Terminal of JNPT

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Fourth Container Terminal (FCT) of Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust in Mumbai.

• With this, JNPT will  nearly double its container handling capacity .
• The new FCT will add a capacity of 24 lakh containers per year in Phase-I and after completion of Phase-II in 2022, the capacity of JNPT will be 100 lakh containers per year.
• The Fourth Container Terminal has been developed on Design, Built, Fund, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) basis for a concession period of 30 years at an estimated cost of Rs. 7915 Crore.
• The project is being implemented in two Phases. i.e. Phase –I and Phase –II. The indicative cost of the project for Phase – I is Rs 4719 Crore. The foundation stone for the project was laid by  Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi  in October 2015, and Phase I has been completed in record time.

TCS recognised as a global Top Employer for the third consecutive year

India's largest IT services company TCS is recognised as world's best employer by the Top Employer Institute for the third consecutive year.

• The Top Employer Institute, Amsterdam-based global certification company in employee conditions, selected TCS for its exceptional employee offerings from a pool of more than 1,300 companies in 113 countries.
• TCS picked up the latest Top Employer endorsement for 27 of its individual country teams across Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America and the Middle East.

Indian engineer awarded sci-tech Oscar Award

Vikas Sathaye, a Pune-born person has been honoured with the Scientific and Engineering Academy Award at the Oscars Scientific and Technical Awards 2018.

• Sathaye and his team received the award for his contribution towards conceptualisation, designing, engineering, and the implementation of the 'Shotover K1 Camera System'.
• The Shotover K1 Camera System is a camera mount that is used in aerial filming.

Long-serving former Dutch prime minister dies aged 78

The long-serving Dutch prime minister Ruud Lubbers, who led the Netherlands from 1982 to 1994, has died at the age of 78.

• Mr Lubbers had the longest tenure of any prime minister in the country's history, and guided the Netherlands through economic turmoil to prosperity.
• Mr Lubbers headed a conservative administration from 1982 to 1994.