Latest Current Affairs – September 24 & 25 2018
1. Dhoni becomes oldest player to captain India in an ODI
India’s 37-year-old wicketkeeper MS Dhoni became the oldest player to captain India in an ODI after he led the Indian team against Afghanistan in Rohit Sharma’s absence in the Asia Cup. Dhoni, who led the side 696 days after leaving the position, surpassed Mohammad Azharuddin who captained India at the age of 36.
2. Mozilla launches service to alert users on data breach
Mozilla launched Firefox Monitor, a security tool that will allow users to check if their online accounts were hacked in a recent data breach. It will provide them with details on sources of breaches and the types of personal data exposed in each breach. Users can also register with the service to get notified about future breaches.
3. Löfven becomes 1st Swedish PM to be ousted in no-confidence vote
Swedish PM Stefan Löfven became the country’s first leader to be ousted in a no-confidence vote. The 61-year-old received 142 votes in his favour while 204 MPs voted against him. Löfven, who could stay on as caretaker PM while his replacement is decided, said, “It is my wish to continue serving our country as PM”.
4. Mangalyaan completes 4 years around Mars
The cheapest Mars mission in history, India’s Mangalyaan, has successfully completed four years around Mars, despite being designed to last only six months. ISRO inserted Mangalyaan into Mars’ orbit in its first attempt on September 24, 2014, using the least amount of fuel possible. The spacecraft was launched utilising a unique Earth-Mars arrangement that occurs once in 780 days.
5. Bengaluru to get Boeing’s 2nd-largest aircraft electronics factory
US-based aircraft maker Boeing is setting up an electronics manufacturing and avionics assembly facility in Bengaluru at an investment of ₹1,152 crore. The 36-acre facility will be Boeing’s second-largest after its Seattle, Washington unit and is said to create about 2,600 direct jobs on completion. Boeing India President Pratyush Kumar met Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy to discuss the project.
6. German forward Lennart Thy won the FIFA Fair Play Award
German forward Lennart Thy won the FIFA Fair Play Award on Monday for missing his then team VVV-Venlo’s match against PSV Eindhoven to help a leukemia patient. The 26-year-old donated his stem cells after his DNA matched with the patient. Thy was rewarded with the man of the match award by Eindhoven despite his absence.
7. France’s World Cup-winning manager named Best FIFA Men’s Coach
France manager Didier Deschamps, who led France to victory in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, won The Best FIFA Men’s Coach award. The 49-year-old had become only the third person to win FIFA World Cup as both a player and manager in July. He was France’s captain when they won their first-ever FIFA World Cup in 1998.
8. Modrić who led Croatia to WC final named Best FIFA Men’s Player
Croatia midfielder Luka Modrić, who led his country to their first-ever FIFA World Cup final, won this year’s The Best FIFA Men’s Player award, finishing ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Mo Salah. The 33-year-old was named 2018 FIFA World Cup’s best player and also helped Real Madrid win Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup last season.
9. Dena Bank board approves merger with Vijaya, Bank of Baroda
State-run Dena Bank’s board cleared a proposal suggesting a merger with two other state-run banks, Vijaya Bank and Bank of Baroda. The government had last week suggested a merger of the three banks to create the country’s second largest state-run bank, after SBI. If the merger takes place, the number of government-run banks will be reduced to 19.
10. Andhra Pradesh tops government’s ‘Ease of Living Index’ rankings
Andhra Pradesh has topped the ‘Ease of Living Index’ rankings released by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT). Andhra Pradesh was followed by Odisha and Madhya Pradesh. AMRUT, launched in 2015, aims at providing basic civic amenities to improve the quality of life especially for the disadvantaged.
11. Salah beats Ronaldo, Bale to win FIFA best goal of the year award
Liverpool forward Mo Salah was awarded the 2018 FIFA Puskás award, given for the best goal of the year. The 26-year-old won the award for his solo goal against Liverpool’s city rivals Everton, receiving 38% fan votes. Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale and Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo were also in contention for their bicycle kick goals last season.
12. 129 countries at UN pledge to combat drug problem
Around 129 countries at the United Nations pledged to combat drug problem, signing a US-drafted one-page “call to action on the world drug problem”. The countries pledged to develop national action plans to reduce demand for illicit drugs through education, strengthen international cooperation on justice, law enforcement and health, and cut off the drug supply by stopping production.
13. Facebook India appoints Hotstar CEO Ajit Mohan as MD & VP
Facebook appointed Hotstar CEO Ajit Mohan as Facebook India’s Managing Director and Vice President. Ajit Mohan will join Facebook early next year and will be first Facebook India leader reporting to Menlo Park and not Asia Pacific. An MBA from The Wharton School, Ajit has also worked with McKinsey & Company in the past.
14. 3 jailed Saudi rights activists awarded ‘Alternative Nobel’
Three jailed Saudi human rights activists have been awarded the Right Livelihood Award, widely referred to as the ‘Alternative Nobel Prize’. Abdullah al-Hamid, Mohammad Fahad al-Qahtani and Waleed Abu al-Khair jointly got a one million kronor cash award “for their efforts to reform the totalitarian political system in Saudi Arabia”. Other winners included a farmer and an agricultural scientist.
15. Germany tests world’s first self-driving tram
The world’s first self-driving tram, fitted with multiple radar, LiDAR, and camera sensors, has successfully been tested in Potsdam, Germany. The tram, which relies on AI algorithms, can react to trackside signals and respond to hazards like crossing pedestrians and vehicles. However, the tram operated on a 6-km test route in real traffic with a safety driver for emergency purposes.
16. BRICS bank approves $525-mn loan for infra projects in India
The BRICS’ New Development Bank has approved a $525-million loan for infrastructure projects in India. The loan will be used by the Indian government for on-lending to the Madhya Pradesh government for rehabilitating major district roads with a total length of about 2,000 km. The loan aims to improve connectivity of the rural interior with the national and state highways.
17. PM inaugurates India’s 100th airport, Sikkim’s 1st at 4,500 feet
PM Narendra Modi inaugurated Pakyong Airport near Gangtok in Sikkim, which is India’s 100th airport and the state’s first airport situated at an altitude of 4,500 feet above sea level. Sikkim CM Pawan Chamling and Union Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu were also present at the inauguration. The first commercial flights would begin from October 4.
18. Tiger population doubles in Nepal since 2009
Nepal’s wild tiger population has reached 235, nearly doubling the baseline of around 121 tigers in 2009. The last survey in 2013 had estimated the tiger population at 198. If these trends continue, Nepal could become the first country to double its tiger population, since the launch of the TX2 goal to double the world’s wild tiger population by 2022.
