Latest Current Affairs – November 10 2018
1. Vice President inaugurates 1st India-built war memorial in France
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the Indian Armed Forces Memorial in France, the first India-built war memorial in the country, as a tribute to Indian soldiers who lost their lives during World War I. “India contributed immensely to the war effort…Her soldiers served with credit and honour in numerous battlefields around the globe”, Vice President Naidu said.
2. AmEx becomes first foreign card company to get China licence
American Express won approval to clear card payments in China, making it the first foreign payments company allowed to build a network in the nation. The US-based company formed a 50:50 joint venture with Chinese fintech firm LianLian to set up the payment network. After building the network, the joint venture is required to get a separate approval.
3. Bajrang Punia becomes world no. 1 wrestler in 65-kg category
Asian Games and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Bajrang Punia has become the world number one wrestler in the 65-kg category. The 24-year-old, who won silver in World Championships recently, is on top of the United World Wrestling rankings with 96 points, 30 points ahead of the second-placed wrestler. He’s the lone male Indian to figure in top-10 in any category.
4. China, Myanmar sign deal to build port along Bay of Bengal
China and Myanmar have signed an agreement to build a port in Myanmar’s Kyaukpyu town along the Bay of Bengal. China will fund 70% of the project, while the remaining 30% will be funded by Myanmar. A joint venture will be set up to construct and operate the port, which is being built under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
5. Sri Lanka President dissolves Parliament amid political crisis
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena dissolved the Parliament after his party announced that it did not have the majority to secure support for PM Mahinda Rajapaksa. Sirisena called for snap parliamentary elections on January 5, nearly two years ahead of schedule. Sri Lankan Parliament’s Speaker, Karu Jayasuriya, had refused to recognise Rajapaksa as PM until he proved majority.
6. Scotland 1st to mandate LGBTI-inclusive curriculum in schools
Scotland has mandated a curriculum that will teach about lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) rights at all public schools, with the government claiming that the move is a world first. Schools will also teach about LGBTI terminology, tackling homophobia and prejudice. “The (move) will celebrate differences, promote understanding and encourage inclusion,” the government said.
7. Arunima Sinha gets honorary doctorate in UK
Arunima Sinha, worlds first Indian woman amputee to scale Everest gets honorary doctorate in UK. She has been awarded for her inspirational achievements in mountaineering. In 2013, she became the world’s first woman amputee to climb Mount Everest. She is a former Indian national Volleyball player.
8. Actor Jayant Sawarkar to be conferred with Natvarya Prabhakar Panshikar Lifetime Achievement award
Actor Jayant Sawarkar to get Maharashtra governments Natvarya Prabhakar Panshikar Lifetime Achievement award. Tabla artist Vinayak Thorat will be awarded the Sangeeta acharya Annasaheb Kirloskar Lifetime Achievement. Both the awards consist of cash prizes of Rs 5 lakh, citation, and a memento each.
9. Super 30 founder Anand Kumar honoured with education award Global Education Award in Dubai
This was awarded by Malabar Gold & Diamonds’, flagship company of Malabar Group, a leading Indian business conglomerate. He was honored for his “pioneering” contributions to the field of education.
10. Ozone layer recovering at 1 to 3 per cent per decade: United Nations
The ozone layer that shields life from cancer-causing solar rays is recovering at a rate of one to three percent per decade, reversing years of dangerous depletion caused by the release of harmful chemicals. The Antarctic ozone hole is recovering while continuing to occur every year.
11. Mahila-E-Haat online portal to promote women farmers and entrepreneurs launched by WCD
The main aim is to unique organic products of the women farmers and entrepreneurs from across the country. It will serve as an e-platform to bring them together and promote the achievements of women farmers. It was launched during the 5th “Women of India National Organic Festival, 2018”.
12. Saudi bans Israeli Muslims from Hajj pilgrimage
New Saudi passport rules have barred Israeli Muslims from visiting Mecca for Hajj pilgrimage. Since Israel and Saudi don’t have diplomatic ties, Israeli Muslims visited Mecca by going to Jordan where they got temporary Jordanian passports that allowed them to travel to the kingdom. Saudi will no longer accept temporary Jordanian passport.
13. NASA’s Ralph to explore Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids in 2021
Ralph – a space instrument that has travelled as far as Pluto — was first launched aboard the New Horizons spacecraft in 2006 and obtained stunning flyby images of Jupiter and its moons.
In 2021, Ralph is set to journey with the Lucy mission to Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids. The instrumet will fly by another Kuiper Belt object called 2014 MU69 — nicknamed Ultima Thule – in January 2019.
