Latest Current Affairs – October 27 & 28 2018
1. Wickremesinghe recognised as Sri Lanka PM three days after sacking
Sri Lankan Parliament’s Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has recognised Ranil Wickremesinghe as the country’s lawful PM, three days after his sacking by President Maithripala Sirisena. Jayasuriya said Wickremesinghe’s request to retain the security and privileges of PM was fair until another candidate could prove a majority in Parliament. Sirisena had appointed ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa as new PM.
2. Ireland votes to overturn constitutional ban on blasphemy
In a referendum, Ireland voted to remove the offence of blasphemy from the constitution, with 64.85% of the voters supporting the move and over 35% voting ‘No’. Minister for Justice and Equality Charlie Flanagan called it a significant step in Ireland’s constitutional history. The offence carried a fine of up to €25,000 (over ₹20 lakh).
3. IRS officer Sanjay Mishra takes charge as interim ED chief
Sanjay Kumar Mishra, a 1984-batch Indian Revenue Service officer, on Saturday took charge as the Interim Director of Enforcement Directorate (ED), replacing Karnal Singh. Mishra is expected to hold the post for three months or until the appointment of a regular chief. He has also been appointed as Principal Special Director in the ED.
4. Kareena, Alia win awards at Vogue Women Of The Year 2018
Kareena Kapoor Khan was named ‘Vogue and IWC Schaffhausen Style Icon Of The Year’ while Alia Bhatt won the award for ‘Vogue and Lamborghini Youth Icon Of The Year’ at Vogue Women Of The Year 2018. Radhika Apte won the award for ‘Vogue Trends Disruptor Of The Year (Female)’ while Meghna Gulzar was named ‘Vogue Filmmaker Of The Year’.
Actor Ranbir Kapoor was named ‘Vogue Man Of The Year’ at Vogue Women Of The Year 2018. While Vicky Kaushal won the award for ‘Vogue Trends Disruptor Of The Year (Male)’, Ayushmann Khurrana won the ‘Vogue Man Of The Moment’ award.
5. Former Delhi CM Madan Lal Khurana passes away at 82
Delhi’s former Chief Minister Madan Lal Khurana passed away at the age of 82 in Delhi. Khurana, who suffered a brain haemorrhage in 2013, had been keeping unwell for quite some time. The BJP leader served as Delhi’s CM from 1993 to 1996 and briefly as the Governor of Rajasthan in 2004.
6. Sourav Kothari wins World Billiards Championship title
India’s Sourav Kothari defeated Peter Gilchrist of Singapore 1134-944 of to clinch the 2018 WBL World Billiards Championship title in England on Friday. Earlier in the semifinal stage, Kothari steered his way to a victory in the dying minutes of the game over 6-time World and defending champion David Causier of England.
7. ‘Blooming Buds’ wins best film award at ‘Fotographia 2018’
‘Blooming Buds’, a film about a mother and daughter’s relationship after the former’s divorce, won best film award at GD Goenka University’s film and photography festival ‘Fotographia 2018’. Sachin from Maharaja Agrasen College won in photography, while a documentary on Vrindavan widows bagged best documentary award. The theme was ‘Beautiful Lives: Human Dignity, Human Rights.’
8. Sri Lanka Prez sacks PM, replaces him with ex-Prez Rajapaksa
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and replaced him with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Sirisena sacked Wickremesinghe following months of tension between the two leaders that led to a political crisis. This came as Sirisena’s United People’s Freedom Alliance withdrew from the coalition government, the local media reported.
9. Asma Jahangir wins UN Human Rights Prize posthumously
Asma Jahangir, late Pakistani human rights activist and lawyer was posthumously announced as one of the winners of the UN Human Rights Prize.The announcement was made through the official Twitter account of President of the UN General Assembly Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces.
Jahangir was chosen for the prize along with three other including Rebeca Gyumi of Tanzania, Brazil’s first indigenous lawyer Joenia Wapichana and Ireland’s human rights organisation Front Line Defenders,
Before Jahangir only three Pakistani women, Begum Ra’ana Liaquat Ali Khan (1978), Benazir Bhutto (2008) and Malala Yousufzai (2013) have been accorded the honour.
10. Tezpur University professor bagged INSA Teachers Award
Indian National Science Academy (INSA) selected Tezpur University professor Ashis Mukherjee for the prestigious Indian National Science Academy (INSA) Teachers Award (2018).
He was selected for his consistent and high-level of teaching, and inspiration and mentoring students to take up careers in Science and Technology. He will be conferred the award at the Anniversary General Meeting of the Academy in December 2018.
11. Saurabh Kumar named Indias next Ambassador to Myanmar
Saurabh Kumar is an Indian Foreign Service Officer (IFS) of 1989 batch. At present, he is the Ambassador of India to Iran. He will take up this assignment soon. He will succeed Vikram Misri who has been serving as Ambassador of India to Myanmar since 2016.
12. India most outward migrants in 2017 according to ADB report
The number of international migrants was topped by India, followed by China and Bangladesh. One-third of international migrants were from Asia in 2017.
India had the most outward migrants in 2017 (17 million), followed by China (10 million) and Bangladesh (7.5 million). The global stock of international migrants from Asia rose 3.9 percent from 83.6 million in 2015 to 86.9 million in 2017.
13. India Becomes Second Largest Solar Market: MERCOM
India installed 4.9 GW of solar power, consolidating its position as the second largest solar market in the world, during the first half of the calendar year 2018 according to a report by Mercom Communications India. According to the report, China topped the list.
