Current Affairs in Short: 12 February 2018

1. Rohan More becomes first Asian to swim across Ocean Seven

Pune-based Indian long-distance swimmer, Rohan More, has become the first Asian and the youngest to swim across the Cook Strait between North and South Islands of New Zealand.

More managed to get a chance to swim across the Cook Straight on February 9, 2018, after a long wait due to bad weather conditions. Despite a sudden drop in water temperature, he covered the distance in eight hours and 37 minutes.

With this achievement, More also became the ninth person in the world to swim across Cook Strait.

2. Pyeongchang Winter Olympics hit by cyber attack

The Olympic officials in South Korea on February 11, 2018 said that a cyber attack was responsible for an internet and wifi shutdown during the Pyeongchang Winter Games opening ceremony.

South Korea's defence ministry and cybersecurity experts are included in the task force investigating the attack, but the possible culprit is being kept under wraps.

The internal systems crashed just before the much-awaited opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics 2018 but fortunately, it didn’t disrupt the high-tech gala, which saw in attendance VIPs from various nations including the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US Vice-President Mike Pence.

Cybersecurity experts had previously warned of potential attacks on the Winter Olympics, with both North Korea and Russia touted as possible sources. Earlier in January, a malware attack had targeted organisations involved with the Olympics.

3. UP government to open cowsheds to tackle problem of stray cows

The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath has announced that the state government is preparing a plan to open cowsheds to tackle the problem faced by farmers over stray cows.

The CM made the announcement while laying the foundation stone of Mahamana ‘Gau Gram’ scheme in Vrindavan for the development of 108 villages.

He said that the plan will be implemented in a phased manner. Initially, the cowsheds will be opened in urban areas and then they will be opened at tehsils and villages. He further asked the people of the state to support such cowsheds.

4. Using toilets at Railway stations to get cheaper

According to a new proposal by the Railway Board, using toilets at railway stations could soon be cheaper or even free at smaller railway stations.

The present 'pay and use' toilet policy allows the contractors who build such toilets to fix its usage rates. The new policy, however, will empower the Divisional Railway Managers to decide if they want these toilets to be paid for or keep them free for public usage.

According to an official letter from the Railway Board, the DRMs will be empowered to make location-specific assessments to decide whether construction, operation, maintenance of the pay and use toilets should be taken up as an 'earning contract' or a service contract. In a service contract, the toilets would be free or a nominal fee would be charged from the user.

5. Bihar Government bans sale of loose cigarettes

The state government of Bihar has banned the sale of loose cigarettes. The decision aims to serve as a deterrent to kids and youngsters who start smoking by buying loose cigarettes.

In this regard, a notification was issued on February 9, 2018 by the state health department under Section 20 of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003. Bihar is the 12th state in the country to bring such a ban into effect following Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab and Delhi.

6. Vegetarian diet maybe good for environment: Study

A new study has found that vegetarian diet that is rich in plant-based organic food may be better for the planet than one that is high in animal products.

The study, published in the journal called ‘Frontiers in Nutrition’, is the first to investigate the environmental impacts of both dietary patterns and farm production systems. It is also the first to investigate the environmental impact of organic food consumption using observed diets rather than models.

Many organisations, including the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization, advocate the urgent adoption of more sustainable diets at a global level. Such diets include reduced consumption of animal products, which have a higher environmental impact than plant-based products.