Daily Current Affairs, 17th August 2018

1) Ministry Of Railways Launches Digital Screens To Spread Awareness About Indian Railways Heritage

•In the wake of Prime Minister’s vision for creating digital museums at stations using QR code, Ministry of Railway has made “digital screens” operational at 22 stations on this Independence Day as an innovative low-cost solution to spread awareness among public about the opulent heritage of Indian Railways. 

•The project aims at showcasing the legacy of Indian Railways through one to two-minute-long movie clips on digital LED screens at the entrance gate of railway stations and also at different comfort areas. 

•In addition, QR code based posters on Railway Heritage are also being displayed at these stations. A passenger can scan the QR code on their mobile to view a streaming video on their mobile on various facades of Railway heritage. 

2) Ministry Of Agriculture Proposes To UNFAO To Declare 2019 As ‘International Year Of Millets’

•The Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Radha Mohan Singh urged to Jose Graziano da Silva, the Director General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (UNFAO) to declare the upcoming year as the ‘International Year of Millets’.\

•Singh stressed on the need to draw wider global attention and action to promote cultivation of millets. The adoption of this proposal by the FAO with the support of its Member Nations will enable it to be moved to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for the declaration of an upcoming year as International Year of Millets. 

3) 24th World Congress Of Philosophy Held In Beijing

•The 24th World Congress of Philosophy (WCP) was held in Beijing, China. It was organized by the International Federation of Philosophical Societies, and Peking University. 

•Its theme was “Learning To Be Human”. This was the first time that the quinquennial (once in five year) event was held in China. 

4) Smitha V. Crishna Tops List Of India’s Wealthiest Women

•Smitha V. Crishna, a third-generation heir of the Godrej family, ranks first in the Kotak Wealth Hurun-Leading Wealthy Women 2018 list with an estimated wealth of Rs37,570 crore. Ms. Smitha owns one-fifth of the Godrej Group.

•Roshni Nadar, CEO and executive director at HCL, ranks second in the list with an estimated wealth of Rs30,200 crore. She also heads the Shiv Nadar Foundation. The chairperson of the Times Group, Indu Jain, ranks third in the list. Her wealth is estimated at Rs26,240 crore. 

5) Ibrahim Boubacar Keita Re-Elected Mali President

•Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has been re-elected for a five-year term after winning a landslide in a runoff ballot. 

•Keita, 73, picked up 67.17% of the vote against 32.83% for opposition challenger and former finance minister Soumaila Cisse, 68, who also ran against Keita in 2013. 

6) EIU Releases Global Liveability Index 2018: Vienna Tops, Delhi Stands 112th

•The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) released the Global Liveability Index 2018, the ranking of 140 global cities based on their living conditions. The EIU is part of UK magazine ‘The Economist’ and provides forecasting and advisory services through research and analysis. 

•Delhi and Mumbai were the only two Indian cities that featured in the EIU’s annual index. Delhi was ranked at 112th position and Mumbai fetched 117th spot.  Austria’s capital Vienna has been ranked as the world’s most liveable city, displacing Australian city of Melbourne. 

•The Top three cities on the list are: 
1. Vienna,
2. Melbourne,
3. Osaka. 

7) Ang Lee To Be Honoured By Directors Guild Of America

•Oscar-winning director Ang Lee will be one of the recipients of the annual Directors Guild of America (DGA) honours at its ceremony. The event will be held at the DGA Theatre in New York City on October 18. 

•Apart from the 63-year-old director, Fox Searchlight chairman Nancy Utley, US Senator Amy Klobuchar, SAG-AFTRA senior adviser John McGuire and costume designer Ann Roth will also be honoured at the ceremony. 

8) US Forms ‘Iran Action Group’ For Post-Nuclear Deal Policy

•US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo announced the formation of the Iran Action Group (IAG) to coordinate and run the country's policy towards Iran. The development follows President Donald Trump's announcement of the unilateral withdrawal of the United States from the multinational Iran nuclear deal. 

•Pompeo has named Brian Hook, the State Department's director of policy planning, as the group’s head. The aim behind the formation of IAG is to change the Iranian regime's behaviour.