NATIONAL NEWS
India-UK to collaborate on research on Ganga delta, Bay of Bengal
India and the United Kingdom will collaborate on research on different aspects of the Ganga delta region and the Bay of Bengal. The two countries are also collaborating in several areas of earth sciences and weather, like the monsoon.
- M Rajeevan, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, said deliberations in this regard were on between the two sides. He was speaking on the sidelines of a programme launched by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The partnership through the UKRI has generated innovative scientific and technological solutions that will transform both societies and economies.
India contributes $300K to UN programme to train commanders
India has donated $300,000 to a programme to train commanders for UN peacekeeping.
Known as the "Pipeline to Peacekeeping Command Programme," it will "over a period of three years, help develop the capacity of future commanders and managers to lead by example and raise awareness of UN standards of conduct among their personnel. India's contribution will be used with a "a specific focus on issues of conduct and discipline".
Indian Railways is building world's highest railway line
Indian railways plans to connect New Delhi with Ladakh region through the world's highest railway line that will run along the India-China border. The national transporter plans to build a strategically-important Bilaspur-Manali- Leh line along the Indo-China border.
- Besides giving quick all-weather access to the armed forces, the railway line will also boost tourism in the scenic Ladakh region that is currently connected by road and air. The Ladakh-Himachal region receives heavy snowfall and road and air connectivity are sometime affected due to bad weather.
- The rail line will have a highest road point of 5,360 metres above mean sea level that is comparable only to the Qinghai-Tibet Railway Line in China, which is at a height of around 2,000 metres.
2nd Guwahati International Film Festival 2018 begins with focus on ASEAN
The second edition of the Guwahati International Film Festival (GIFF 2018) began on October 25. The week-long festival will end on October 31 and will witness the screening of more than 100 films from 50 countries.
- With the theme ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, the focus of the GIFF 2018 is the ASEAN region.
- The festival was inaugurated by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. The opening film of the GIFF 2018, was 'Bhoga Khiriki’ (Broken Window) by renowned filmmaker Jahnu Barua. Produced by Priyanka Chopra under the banner of Purple Pebble Pictures, it is also the first Assamese film produced under its banner.
- Extra info.:
ASEAN Headquarters: Jakarta, Indonesia
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NATO’s biggest military exercise begins in Norway
NATO's biggest military maneuvers since the Cold War began in Norway in a hypothetical scenario that involves restoring the Scandinavian country's sovereignty after an attack by a fictitious aggressor.
- The wargames bring together around 50,000 personnel from all 29 NATO allies, plus partners Finland and Sweden. It will go on till November 7.
- Extra info.:
NATO Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Microsoft completes $7.5 billion acquisition of GitHub
Microsoft has closed its $7.5 billion acquisition of GitHub, a leading software development platform which brings more than 31 million developers to create, collaborate, share and build on each other's work. Microsoft announced in June that it has reached an agreement to acquire GitHub.
- Nat Friedman, former CEO of Xamarin (acquired by Microsoft in 2016), is taking over as GitHub's CEO.
SPORTS
Simona Halep becomes first recipient of Chris Evert WTA World No.1 Trophy
World number one Simona Halep has become the first recipient of the Chris Evert Women's Tennis Association (WTA) World No.1 Trophy, named after WTA's first-ever world number one, Chris Evert.
- The 27-year-old, who lifted her maiden Grand Slam title at the Roland Garros and claimed the WTA Year-End world number one singles award for the second consecutive year.
- Extra info.:
Simona Halep: Romanian tennis player
Sourav Kothari wins World Billiards Championship title
India's Sourav Kothari defeated Peter Gilchrist of Singapore to clinch the 2018 WBL World Billiards Championship title. The former national and Asian Billiards champion was pipped at the post for the coveted World Billiards crown on two occasions in the last two years.
APPOINTMENTS
Sanjay Mishra appointed interim ED chief for 3 months
The government appointed IRS officer Sanjay Kumar Mishra as the Interim Director of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for three months as incumbent Karnal Singh will retire on October 28. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) also said that it has approved Mishra’s appointment to the post of Principal Special Director of the financial probe agency.
- Extra info.:
The ED investigates in two major areas — Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
Parent agency: Ministry of Finance
Headquarters: New Delhi, India
AWARDS
Young Indian scientist Roopam Sharma won World Health Summit Startup award in Berlin
Roopam Sharma, a 23-year old Indian scientist, won the World Health Summit Startup award, 2018 for his invention, Manovue – the world’s first intelligent personal assisting system for the visually impaired. He was awarded at an annual event of the Health Summit in Berlin recently.
- Manovue eliminates the need for Braille language to decipher a printed text and instead combines vision intelligence to help the visually impaired people read.
IMPORTANT DAYS
World Day for Audiovisual Heritage 2018
The World Day for Audiovisual Heritage takes place every 27 October. This commemorative day was chosen by UNESCO in 2005 to raise of awareness of the significance of and preservation risks recorded sound and audiovisual documents. The theme of this year is “Your Story is Moving”.
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