Latest Current Affairs – October 29 & 30 2018
1. IIT Kharagpur organises Young Innovators Programme
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur organised the final round of ‘Young Innovators Programme 2018’, a competition for class 8-10 students, at its campus on October 27 and 28. Kaanger Valley Academy, Raipur, Chhattisgarh won the competition for devising a low-cost home-made herbal mask to help breathe in a polluted environment. The event was also attended by schools from Singapore.
2. New Sri Lankan cabinet sworn in amid political crisis
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena swore in a new cabinet amid the political crisis in the island nation. Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was appointed as the Prime Minister after Sirisena sacked Ranil Wickremesinghe, got the Finance and Economic Affairs portfolio. A total of 12 new Cabinet Ministers, one State Minister and a Deputy Minister were sworn in.
3. China to build its first permanent airport in South Pole
China will build the country’s first permanent airport in the South Pole which will provide logistical support to the scientists’ research there, the Chinese state media reported. The airport will decrease the exposure time of researchers in the polar environment as well as medical aid time, officials at the Polar Research Institute of China said.
4. Bangladesh, Myanmar to begin return of Rohingyas in November
Bangladesh and Myanmar have reached an agreement to begin the repatriation of the Rohingya refugees in November. Over 7 lakh Rohingya refugees had fled to Bangladesh after the Myanmar Army began its crackdown on the minority community in the Rakhine State in August 2017. The announcement comes despite the UN’s warning of an ongoing genocide against the Rohingyas in Myanmar.
5. RBI clears re-appointment of Aditya Puri as HDFC Bank CEO
HDFC Bank said the RBI has approved the re-appointment of Aditya Puri as Managing Director and CEO for another two years. Shareholders had already approved his appointment in 2015 for a period of 5 years subject to RBI approval. Puri has helmed HDFC Bank since 1994, making him the longest-serving head of any private bank in India.
6. NASA spacecraft becomes the closest human-made object to Sun
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe became the closest human-made object to the Sun, surpassing the closest approach of 42.72 million kilometres set by German-American Helios 2 spacecraft in April 1976. Launched on August 12, Parker Solar Probe also broke Helios 2’s record for fastest spacecraft travelling relative to the Sun which had reached a heliocentric speed of 246,960 kmph.
7. Humanity has wiped out 60% of animals in 44 years: WWF
Humanity wiped out 60% of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians between 1970 and 2014, according to World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) Living Planet Report 2018. The report finds that the vast and growing consumption of food and resources by global population is destroying the web of life. “We are sleepwalking towards the edge of a cliff,” a WWF official said.
8. India tops in under-5 child deaths by air pollution in 2016: WHO
As many as 1,01,788 children under five years of age died in India in 2016 from exposure to toxic air, according to World Health Organization, making India the worst affected country, followed by Nigeria (98,001) and Pakistan (38,252). In low and middle-income countries, 98% of under-5 children are exposed to PM2.5 levels above WHO air quality guidelines, the report added.
9. India-Japan sign 6 key pacts, agree to hold 2+2 dialogue
During PM Narendra Modi’s visit, India and Japan signed six key agreements, including on deeper naval cooperation, and agreed to initiate 2+2 dialogue between the foreign and defence ministers. Besides signing an agreement for $75-billion bilateral currency swap, PM Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe reviewed the progress of Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed rail project.
10. World’s 1st robot citizen Sophia gets first ever robot visa
World’s first robot citizen Sophia has been granted the world’s first robot visa for a world tour on behalf of her Hong Kong-based developer Hanson Robotics. She was issued the electronic visa upon her arrival at Azerbaijan’s Baku International Airport. The AI-powered humanoid is in Azerbaijan for a tech conference, where she is a keynote speaker.
11. India, Japan sign $75 billion currency swap agreement
India and Japan signed a $75 billion bilateral currency swap agreement in Tokyo during PM Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to the nation. “The agreement should help bring greater stability to foreign exchange and capital markets in India,” a statement said. “This swap arrangement would be 50% higher than our last swap agreement,” Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said.
12. Lewis Hamilton wins 5th Formula One world title at Mexico GP
Mercedes’ British driver Lewis Hamilton won his fifth Formula 1 world championship after finishing fourth at the Mexican Grand Prix. Hamilton is now the joint second most successful F1 driver in history in terms of titles won. The 33-year-old is now just two titles short of Michael Schumacher’s all-time record of seven F1 titles.
13. Delhi approves government jobs for sportspersons from Delhi
The Delhi Cabinet approved government jobs for sportspersons from the city who excel in their respective fields. “Rules to be notified within one month,” Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted. Earlier, in August, the Delhi Cabinet had increased the cash incentive for sportspersons for their achievements in the Olympics, the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games.
14. Japan launches rocket carrying 1st UAE-made satellite
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries launched the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) first locally made satellite KhalifaSat into orbit. The Japanese rocket also carried an IBUKI-2 greenhouse gas observation satellite for Japan. Both the satellites separated from the rocket within 15-30 minutes after liftoff, the space agency said.
15. India, Pak joint winners of Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2018
India and Pakistan have been declared as joint winners of the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2018 after the final was forfeited due to heavy rain in Oman’s Muscat. Prior to the 2018 edition, India and Pakistan had won the tournament twice each. India’s Harmanpreet Singh finished the edition as the second-highest scorer with six goals.
16. Marathi music composer Yeshwant Deo dies
Veteran Marathi musician Yeshwant Deo, who had composed music for many films including Shabana Azmi-starrer “Saaz”, passed away after suffering from a brief illness. He was 91. He worked in All India Radio as a sitar player. A recipient of the Lata Mangeshkar award, He was also knonw for his composition in Bhav Geet.
17. USFDA approved Cipla for hypertension and cardiac conditions drug
Cipla, a major drug firm, received final approval from the United Nations Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), the U.S. health regulator to market Metoprolol tablets. The drug is used to treat hypertension and various cardiac conditions. The strengths of the drug are 50mg, 100mg and 200mg.
18. Jair Bolsonaro is elected as President of Brazil
Jair Bolsonaro, Former Army Captain, was elected as the President of Brazil. He promised a fundamental change in direction for the country. Mr.Bolsonaro, 63, will take office on January 1, 2019.
Official results gave him 55.13% of the votes in the run-off election, to 44.87% for leftist opponent Fernando Haddad, with 99.99% of the ballots counted. The U.S. President Donald Trump congratulated him.Mr. Bolsonaro publicly admired the American leader.
19. Worlds largest airport under one roof opened in Istanbul, Turkey
World’s largest airport terminal under one roof with a capacity to serve 90 million passengers was opened in Istanbul, Turkey. It has been constructed as a part of the phase-1A of the project – Istanbul New Airport.
It has been constructed by – IGA and the first phase costed 7.5 billion Euro. It has five pier blocks as well as 77 boarding gates and 143 aero-bridges.
20. Indian Golfer Khalin Joshi Clinches Panasonic Open India Title
Khalin Joshi became the seventh Indian to win the Panasonic Open India title in the last eight editions of the tournament. He finished second best after finishing with a par on the 18th.
21. Clara Sosa Won Miss Grand International 2018 In Myanmar
Clara Sosa won the Miss Grand International 2018 title at the 6th edition of the beauty pageant in Yangon, Myanmar. She succeeds Miss Grand International 2017 Maria Jose Lora of Peru.
22. Gujarat First Mega Food Park Inaugurated In Surat
Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Smt Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurated the first Mega Food Park in Gujarat. It is located at Village Shah and Vasravi, Taluka Mangrol, District Surat. A 2nd Mega Food Park has been sanctioned by the Ministry in Mehsana District of Gujarat. This Mega Food Park has been set up in 70.15 acres of land at a cost of Rs. 117.87 crore.
