27 February 2018 Current Affairs
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China elected as Vice President of Financial Action Task Force
China was elected as the Vice President of Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a global body mandated to combat terror financing and money laundering. China’s election came after the FATF plenary meeting in Paris. China’s election to the FATF assumes significance as Pakistan is set to be put in the FATF ‘grey list’ in June 2018. The grey lists puts countries under the scanner for not implementing the objectives of the task force. FATF was created in 1997 during G7 summit to counter the increasing problem of money laundering.
Bangladesh appoint Courtney Walsh as coach
Bangladesh has named former West Indies cricketer Courtney Walsh as the interim coach for upcoming tri-nation Twenty20 series. Walsh, who has been Bangladesh’s bowling coach since 2016, takes over as interim coach from former Zimbabwean cricketer Richard Halsall. Position of Bangladesh’s head coach had been vacant since Oct, when Chandika Hathurusingha quit after three years at the helm.
Michael McCormack named Australia’s new Deputy Prime Minister
Michael McCormack has been elected new Deputy Prime Minister of Australia. He has replaced former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce. The leader of the National Party automatically becomes deputy prime minister under the terms of the coalition agreement with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s Liberal party.
Inclusive Internet Index 2018: India ranks 47th
India was ranked 47th out of 86 countries in Inclusive Internet Index (III) 2018 report. India has slipped by 11 positions compared to 36th rank in 2017 III report due to low internet usage and poor quality. The report was commissioned by Facebook in 2017 and is conducted by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). It provides rigorous benchmark of national-level Internet inclusion across four categories: Availability, Affordability, Relevance and Readiness. 2018 edition of report has covered 91% of the world’s population and expanded data set of 86 countries, up from 75 countries in 2017.
Russia vetoes UN draft resolution pressuring Iran over Yemen
Two resolutions were presented in the UNSC over the issue of Yemen. First resolution was presented by the UK and the other one by Russia. However, UK and the USA backed resolution was vetoed by Russia. Russia has vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that would have put pressure on Iran for failing to prevent its missiles from being used in the Yemeni conflict. The Security Council subsequently voted unanimously in favor of a resolution drafted by Russia, which omitted Iran and the findings of UN report that said Iranian made missiles had been found in Yemen.
TV Journalist Rahul Mahajan named Rajya Sabha TV Editor-in-Chief
Television journalist Rahul Mahajan has been appointed as editor-in-chief of the television channel Rajya Sabha TV. Mahajan’s name was recommended by a five-member selection committee headed by Prasar Bharti chairman A. Surya Prakash and was approved by the vice-president of India M.Venkaiah Naidu. The committee also included Swapan Dasgupta, Shashi Shekhar Vempati, P.P.K. Ramacharyulu and Rahul Srivastava.
Saudi Arabia allows women to enlist in Military
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has for the first-ever time opened applications for women to enlist in the military. Women have been given time till March 1, 2018 to apply for positions with the rank of soldier in the provinces of Riyadh, Mecca, al-Qassim and Medina. The move is a continuation of the Kingdom’s effort to enact reforms that grant females more access to a wide range of previously forbidden careers.
US to overtake Russia as top oil producer
According to International Energy Agency, U.S. will overtake Russia as the world’s biggest oil producer by 2019 at the latest. U.S. crude oil output rose above 10 million barrels per day late last year for the first time since 1970s, overtaking top oil exporter Saudi Arabia. US oil is also increasingly being exported, including to the world’s biggest and fastest growing markets in Asia.
Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein arrives in India
King of Jordan Abdullah-II bin Al-Hussein has arrived in India on a 3 day visit. This will be his second visit to India after his visit along with Queen Rania in 2006. The two sides are expected to sign a number of memorandums of understanding and agreements in diverse areas of bilateral cooperation. India is Jordan’s fourth largest trading partner with bilateral trade worth $1.35 billion.