Daily Current Affairs Capsule 15th August 2018

1. Vienna ranked as most liveable city in the world

The Austrian capital, Vienna, has beaten Australia's Melbourne to be named the world's most liveable city.

• It's the first time a European city has topped the rankings of the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) annual survey. • The worldwide league table ranks 140 cities on a range of factors, including political and social stability, crime, education and access to healthcare.

2. Australia recommences its adoption programme with

The Government of Australia has decided to recommence the Adoption Programme with India, as per Hague Convention on Inter-Country Adoption.

• The adoptions from India had earlier been put on hold by the Government of Australia eight years ago, on the reported charges of trafficking of children for Inter-country adoption by some of the recognized Indian placement agencies (the Adoption agencies mandated to place children in Inter-country adoption at that point of time). • The regulation of Inter-country adoptions have been made strict by the Government of India with the enactment of Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 and notification of Adoption Regulations, 2017.

3. Shri Piyush Goyal Participates in India-Us Roundtable Discussion

Minister for Railways, Coal, Finance & Corporate Affairs, Shri Piyush Goyal, Chairman Railway Board, Shri Ashwani Lohani, other Railway Board Members and senior officials participated in the India-US Roundtable discussion.

• The roundtable discussion with a high-level delegation of leading US companies working in the area of railway construction, maintenance and Information Technology was held in the Ministry of Railways on 13th August, 2018. • The US delegation comprising 13 companies was led by US Ambassador to India H.E. Kenneth I. Juster. High-ranking US Embassy officials from US Commerce Services and US Trade Development Agency (USTDA) also participated.

4. NITI Aayog launches “Pitch to MOVE”

NITI Aayog has launched “Pitch to MOVE” - a mobility pitch competition that aims to provide budding entrepreneurs of India a unique opportunity to pitch their business ideas to a distinguished jury.

• Startups working in the various fields of mobility can pitch their ideas to industry leaders and Venture Capitalists for raising investments. • Winners of the event will be felicitated by Hon’ble PM during the Global Mobility Summit. • “Pitch to MOVE” is organised by NITI Aayog in collaboration with Invest India and Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) as a part of a series of engaging featured events in the run up to the main event.

• The Summit is scheduled to be held on 7th and 8th Sep 2018 at Vigyan Bhawan, in New Delhi and is being inaugurated by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India.

5. IRDA constitutes working group to review surveyors norms

Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) constituted a 7 member working group for norms regarding insurance surveyors.

• The group will be headed by Yegna Priya Bharat, Chief General Manager (Nonlife), IRDAI. • The group will work in the areas pertaining to licensing, renewal and others as per the existing regulatory framework for Surveyors and Loss Assessors. • It will submit its report with recommendations within six weeks.

6. Akshay Kumar Becomes Brand Ambassador for Road Safety Campaigns

Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Shri Nitin Gadkari launched three short films for generating public awareness towards road safety.

• Film actor Shri Akshay Kumar has featured in these films, which are directed by Shri R.Balki. • In a function attended by MoS Shri Mansukh L Mandavia in New Delhi, Shri Gadkari announced the appointment of Shri Akshay Kumar as Road Safety Brand Ambassador.

7. given additional charge as of

President Ram Nath Kovind today gave Madhya Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel additional charge of Chhattisgarh following the demise of Balramji Dass Tandon.

• Patel will discharge the additional duties until the regular arrangements for the office of governor of Chhattisgarh are made.

8. Chhattisgarh Governor Balram Das Tandon passes away

Chhattisgarh Governor Balram Das Tandon passed away after suffering a heart attack in Dr B R Ambedkar Memorial Hospital in . He was 90.

• Tandon was one of the founding members of the Jan Sangh which later became the BJP. • He became the governor of Chhattisgarh in July 2014 and had served on various other posts including the Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab.