Current Affairs Today March 4 2018

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INDIAN AFFAIRS

North East Assembly Elections 2018 – Results
During February 2018, Legislative Assembly Elections were held in three North Eastern States – Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland. Counting for all these Legislative Assembly Elections was held on March 3, 2018.
i. Tripura State Legislative Assembly election – Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with its ally, Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) has won 43 seats and has thereby got the majority. BJP won has 35 seats while IPFT has won 8 seats.
ii. Meghalaya State Legislative Assembly election  threw a hung verdict as none of the parties contesting the election managed to get a clear majority.
iii. Nagaland State Legislative Assembly election, 2018 was held on February 27, 2018 for 59 out of 60 seats.Incumbent Chief Minister TR Zeliang’s Naga People’s Front (NPF) won 27 seats and emerged as single largest party. However, it fell short from attaining majority……………………….Click here to Read more

Karnataka unveils healthcare scheme Arogya Karnataka
On March 2, 2018, Karnataka Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah unveiled ‘Arogya Karnataka’ (Healthy Karnataka), a healthcare scheme to provide quality primary, secondary and tertiary treatment to Below Poverty Line (BPL) and Above Poverty Line (APL) families in Karnataka.Salient Feature of ‘Arogya Karnataka’ scheme:
i. Under this scheme, individuals from all below-poverty-line (BPL) households in the state will get free treatment at government hospitals.
ii. For individuals from above-poverty-line (APL) households, the State Government will bear about 30 per cent of the treatment cost.
iii. This scheme was announced in Karnataka’s State Budget presented in February 2018 and is expected to be implemented across the entire state by December 2018.
iv. About 1.43 crore households in Karnataka will gain benefits from this scheme.
Quick Facts about Karnataka:
♦ Capital – Bengaluru
♦ Current Chief Minister – Siddaramaiah
♦ Current Governor – Vajubhai Vala
♦ Important National Parks – Bandipur National Park, Bannerghatta National Park

Odisha govt launches ‘Ama Gaon, Ama Vikas’ programme
Odisha State Government has launched ‘Ama Gaon, Ama Vikas’ (our village, our development) programme with an objective to reach out to the people in rural areas of Odisha and involve them in developmental activities.
Information related to ‘Ama Gaon, Ama Vikas’ programme:
i. On March 3, 2018, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik flagged off ‘Ama Gaon, Ama Vikas’ video vans.
ii. These video vans will move across Odisha and will highlight various welfare schemes of Government.
iii. Through the Wi-fi enabled video walls in these vans, people would be able to send their grievances directly to the Chief Ministers’ Office Secretariat in Bhubaneswar.
iv. Odisha State Government believes that this initiative will help in solving people’s grievances instantly.
Quick Facts about Odisha:
♦ Capital – Bhubaneswar
♦ Current Governor – S.C. Jamir
♦ Current Chief Minister – Naveen Patnaik
♦ Important National Park – Bhitarkanika National Park

BANKING & FINANCE

India wins back fastest growing economy tag, grows at 7.2 per cent in Q3
In the October-December 2017 quarter (Q3) of the current fiscal, Indian economy grew at 7.2 per cent rate and there by regained its tag of world’s fastest growing economy.India – The Fastest Growing Economy:
i. India regained its tag of fastest growing economy from China, as Chinese economy recorded a 6.8 per cent growth rate during October-December 2018 quarter (Q3) of the current fiscal.
ii. The uptick in growth to 7.2 percent as compared to 6.3 per cent in previous quarter (July – September 2017) indicates that Indian economy has finally overcome the disruptions caused by Goods and Services Tax (GST) roll out in July 2017.
iii. In Q3, Manufacturing sector grew at 8.1 per cent as compared to 6.9 per cent in the previous quarter. Similarly, agriculture sector grew at 4.1 percent from 2.7 percent in the previous quarter.
iv. Besides, Construction sector grew at 6.8 per cent in Q3 of 2017-18, which is higher than 2.8 per cent in previous quarter, while services sector (including financial services) registered a growth of 6.7 per cent, up from 6.4 per cent in previous quarter.

India remains 12th largest foreign holder of US govt securities
According to data compiled by US Treasury Department, India’s exposure to US government securities stood at USD 144.7 billion at the end of 2017.
India’s exposure to US government securities:
i. During 2017, India increased its holding of American government securities for most of the months and remained the 12th largest overseas holder of such securities.
ii. India’s 2017-end holding of US Government Securities at USD 144.7 billion marks an increment of nearly USD 26 billion as compared to USD 118.2 holding in December 2016.
iii. During 2017, the exposure was highest in September 2017 – at USD 145.1 billion.
US Government Securities – Top 5 Holders:

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Gadchiroli book reading event sets new Guinness world record
On 3^rd March 2018, Gadchiroli book reading event created a new Guinness world record breaking the Guinness world record created in Turkey on 18^th May 2017.Gadchiroli book reading event sets new Guinness world record:
i. Nearly 7,000 people participated in the book reading event conducted at Gadchiroli, Maharashtra. The event was organised by police authorities.
ii. Representatives from the Guinness Book of World Records witnessed the event. The book reading event in Turkey held on 18^th May 2017 had participation from 5,754 people.
iii. Maheshwar Reddy, Superintendent of Police, Gadchiroli, said that, Gadchiroli is a Naxal dominant region and this event will project a positive image of Gadchiroli to the world.
Some temples of Maharashtra:
♦ Bhimashankar Temple – Pune
♦ Triambakeshwar Temple – Nashik
♦ Shani Shingnapur Nevasa – Ahmednagar

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Astronomers detect for first time light from very first stars of universe
For the first time, a team of astronomers from Arizona State University have discovered signals from the period when the universe’s earliest stars emerged.
Signals from ‘Cosmic Dawn’:
i. The period when the universe’s earliest stars emerged is referred to as ‘Cosmic Dawn’.
ii. The team was led by astronomer Judd Bowman  and also included an Indian graduate student Nivedita Mahesh.
iii. If the signals discovered from ‘Cosmic Dawn’ are confirmed, it could provide insights into the elusive ‘dark matter’, which is believed to form a fundamental part of our universe.
iv. A radio telescope called Experiment to Detect the Global Epoch of Reionization Signature (EDGES), based at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory in the middle of Western Australian desert was used in this research.

Indian Navy sailboat INSV Tarini arrives in Cape Town, South Africa
On 2^nd March 2018, the all-women Indian crew circumnavigating the globe on the Indian Navy Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini arrived at a port in Cape Town in South Africa.INSV Tarini arrives in Cape Town:
i. This expedition by the all-women Indian crew is named Navika Sagar Parikrama. It has reached Cape Town in South Africa during the last phase of its voyage.
ii. This is the first all-women Indian crew to go on a circumnavigation of the globe. Captain of the vessel is Lieutenant Commander Vartika Joshi.
iii. Crew members are: Lieutenant Commander Pratibha Jamwal, Lieutenant Commander P Swathi, and Lieutenant S Vijaya Devi, Lieutenant B Aishwarya and Lieutenant Payal Gupta.
iv. INSV Tarini was flagged-off from Goa on 10^th September 2017 by Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
v. INSV Tarini is expected to leave Cape Town on 14^th March 2018 and return to Goa in April 2018, completing its voyage.
About Indian Navy:
♦ Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) – Admiral Sunil Lanba
♦ Headquarters – New Delhi

SPORTS

Maharashtra women’s team wins interstate national tennis championship 2018 in Chhattisgarh
On 3^rd March 2018, the Maharashtra women’s team won the interstate national tennis championship 2018 held in Chhattisgarh.
Maharashtra women’s team wins interstate national tennis championship 2018:
i. The interstate national tennis championship 2018 was organised by the Chhattisgarh State Tennis Association (CSTA) under the guidance of All India Tennis Association (AITA) from 26^th February to 3^rd March 2018.
ii. Maharashtra’s Mihika Yadav defeated Delhi’s Rishika Sunkara 6-2,7-6,(3) in the finals.
iii. Ramsheela Sahu, Minister of Women and child development & Social Welfare Department, Chhattisgarh, gave away the prizes. The CSTA awarded Rs 25,000 each to both the finalists as a token of motivation.
Some National Parks in Chhattisgarh:
♦ Kanger Ghati National Park – Jagdalpur
♦ Indravati National Park – Bijapur district

Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan becomes youngest International Cricket Captain
Rashid Khan of Afghanistan has become the youngest captain in international cricket.Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan – youngest International Cricket Captain:
i. Rashid Khan is 19 years old. He took charge as captain for Afghanistan team as the previous captain Asghar Stanikzai was down with appendicitis.
ii. Afghanistan is now playing against Scotland in first of the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
About Rashid Khan:
♦ Batting – Right-handed
♦ Bowling – Right-arm leg break
♦ Role – Bowler

ISFF World Cup: Indian shooter Shahzar Rizvi clinches gold; Jitu Rai and Mehuli Ghosh bag bronze
On 3^rd March 2018, Indian shooter Shahzar Rizvi won gold medal with a world record score and Jitu Rai and Mehuli Ghosh won bronze medals at the ISSF World Cup in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Shahzar Rizvi clinches gold & Jitu Rai and Mehuli Ghosh bag bronze:
i. India’s Shahzar Rizvi shot 242.3 making a world record in the finals of the men’s 10m air pistol and defeated Germany’s Christian Reitz (239.7). Shahzar Rizvi won gold medal in the 10m air pistol event.
ii. India’s Jitu Rai scored 219 in the men’s 10m air pistol event and won bronze medal.
iii. Mehuli Ghosh shot a world junior record 228.4 and won bronze medal in the women’s 10m air rifle event.
About ISSF World Cup (Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun):
♦ Dates – 1^st to 12^th March 2018
♦ Location – Guadalajara, Mexico

OBITUARY

Literateur Prafulla Das passes away
On 3^rd March 2018, literateur Prafulla Das died after suffering from age-related ailments at his home at Rajkanika in Kendrapara district, Odisha.
Death of Prafulla Das:
i. Prafulla Das was 91 years old. He was honoured with the Sarala Award in 2014.
ii. He had written numerous books on India’s freedom struggle and the role of Odisha in it.
iii. His important works are ‘Kalapanira Angisikha’, ‘Agnujugar Aahwan’, ‘Bharatara Sasastra Mukti Sangram’, ‘Sahid Basu Bisnini’, ‘Kanika Prajaandolan Itihas’, ‘Netaji Aao feri Nahanti’, ‘Fashi Manchare Biplabi’ etc.
Some lakes of Odisha:
♦ Anshupa Lake
♦ Chilika Lake
♦ Kanjia lake

Italian footballer Davide Astori dies aged 31
On 4^th March 2018, Davide Astori, an Italian footballer, passed away due to a sudden illness, in his room at the La di Moret hotel in Udine, Italy.Death of Davide Astori:
i. Davide Astori was 31 years old. He was captain and defender of the Fiorentina team.
ii. He joined Fiorentina team in 2016. Earlier he had played for Cagliari team.
iii. The game that Fiorentina team was scheduled to play on 4^th March 2018 was cancelled due to Davide Astori’s sudden demise.
About Davide Astori:
♦ Born – 7 January 1987
♦ Occupation – Italian professional footballer