Daily Current Affairs 22nd February, 2018

Daily Current Affairs 22 February 2018 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

Mobile app e-saathi launched at UP Investors Summit

At the UP Investors Summit, the government launched a mobile application – e-Saathi. Through the app, people will be able to avail public services sitting at home.

• The state government was working to double the capacity of seats in skill development from 500 to 1,000.

Gandhi Nagar becomes country’s first all-women railway station on the main line

Gandhi Nagar of Jaipur, Rajasthan became country’s first all-women railway station in the main line category of the Indian railways. Gandhi Nagar railway station has a footfall of nearly 7000 passengers per day and of the 50 trains which pass by, 25 trains halt.

India test-fires Prithvi II off Odisha coast

India successfully test-fired nuclear-capable medium range surface to surface missile Prithvi-II off the Odisha coast. Prithvi-II, which has a strike range of 350 km, is capable of carrying 500-1,000 kg of warheads and is thrusted by liquid propulsion twin engines.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

India contributes $1 mn for Tonga devastated by Cyclone Gita: UN

According to United Nations (UN), India is contributing $1 million for relief efforts in the Pacific Ocean Kingdom of Tonga that was devastated by Cyclone Gita last week.

• Of that $500,000 would be given as immediate relief to Tonga and another $500,000 would be allocated to it from the India-UN Development Partnership Fund (I-UNDPF).

BANKING & FINANCE

Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank begins operations

Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank became the fourth such entity to begin operations since issuance of licenses to 11 firms by RBI in August 2015.

• Telecom major Bharti Airtel was the first to begin the payments bank operations in November 2016. Other two such banks are Paytm Payments Bank and India Post Payments Bank.

EPFO Cuts Interest Rate to 8.55% for 2017-18

Retirement fund body Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has reduced the interest rate on deposits to 8.55% for 2017-18 from 8.65% for 2016-17 following a general decline in interest rates.

• The move will affect around 6 crore subscribers and leave EPFO with a surplus of Rs 586 crore against Rs 695 crore in the previous financial year.

Federal Bank acquires 26% stake in Equirus Capital

Private sector lender Federal Bank made its foray into investment banking by acquiring a minority 26 per cent stake in Equirus Capital, a boutique investment bank.

• It would widen the product offerings to a spectrum of wholesale clients by offering comprehensive financial solutions.

ECONOMY

India 7th most targeted nation for Web Application Attacks: Report

According to a report, nearly 40 per cent of over 53,000 cyber attacks in India occurred in the financial services sector during 2017, placing it at the 7th spot in the list of targeted countries for Web Application Attacks (WAA)

RECOGNITION

Avani becomes first-ever Indian woman to fly a fighter aircraft solo

Indian Air Force officer Avani Chaturvedi has become the country’s first woman to fly a fighter jet solo, as she operated Russian-made MiG-21 aircraft in her first training sortie. She is one of the three from the first women-batch inducted into IAF fighter stream in 2016. Notably, women are barred from combat roles in the Army and Navy.

OBITUARY

Activist and author Panoor passes away

Veteran author and civic rights activist K Panoor has passed away owing to age related illness. An author of many articles and books, which also included ‘Ha Naxalbari’ and ‘Keralathile America’, he was honoured by Kerala Sahithya Akademi in 2006, considering his comprehensive contribution to literature.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Mother Language Day: February 21

International Mother Language Day (IMLD) is a worldwide annual observance held on 21 February to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and promote multilingualism.

• The theme of International Mother Language Day 2018 is “Our languages, our assets.”

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