NATIONAL NEWS
UN to launch project on creating India's intangible heritage inventory
Concerned over the "disappearance" of many intangible legacy of India over time, the United Nations (UN) will soon launch a project on creating an "inventory" of art forms, craftsmanship and other intangible cultural heritage of the country.
- A total of 13 intangible cultural heritage elements from India have been inscribed till date on the UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
These include the Kumbh Mela, Novruz, Tradition of Vedic chanting, Ramlila, Kutiyattam, Sanskrit theatre; Ramman, religious festival and ritual theatre of the Garhwal Himalayas; Kalbelia folk songs and dances of Rajasthan; and Chhau dance.
India, Japan sign MoC to promote Ayurveda, Yoga
India and Japan decided to cooperate for the first time in the areas of Indian traditional medicinal systems such as Yoga and Ayurveda to provide holistic healthcare and wellness in both the countries.
- The Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) between India’s Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) and the Kanagawa Prefectural Government was signed during the ongoing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Japan.
- The MOC will also complement another MoC to promote cooperation in the areas of National Health Protection Mission.
- PM Modi is in Japan to attend the 13th India-Japan annual summit in Tokyo.
India, Japan sign bilateral currency swap agreement worth $75 Bn
India and Japan concluded a USD 75 billion bilateral currency swap agreement, a move that will help in bringing greater stability in foreign exchange and capital markets in the country. The agreement will further strengthen and widen the depth and diversity of economic cooperation between the two countries.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is visiting Japan, and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe held delegation-level talks during which the two leaders discussed a range of bilateral, regional and global issues including the situation in the Indo-Pacific region.
ISRO successfully tests lander for soft landing on the moon
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted crucial tests to ensure smooth and precise landing of Vikram, the lander aboard Chandrayaan 2.
- The aim of the Lander Actuator Performance Test (LAPT) was to assess the performance of the navigational system onboard the lander for steering the module horizontally and vertically to reach a predefined target.
India's first engine-less train unveiled
The country's first engine-less train, widely regarded as the success to the Shatabdi Express will hit the tracks on October 29. Known as Train 18, this train is run by a self-propulsion module without a separate engine. The train is capable of running at a speed of 160 kmph and comes with technical features for enhanced quick acceleration. Train 18 was developed by Chennai-based Integral Coach Factory in 18 months.
- The coach has been designed in such a manner that it allows passengers to take a look at the driver's cabin. The self-propelled Train 18 is fitted with CCTV cameras, and has two executive compartments in the middle with 52 seats each. Trailer coaches will have 78 coaches each. It is also fitted with diffused lighting, automatic doors and GPS-based Passenger Information System.
CII Joins WhatsApp to Train SMEs Across India
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) announced that it would work with WhatsApp to educate and train Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) on how WhatsApp Business app can help them grow their businesses.
- There will be on-ground trainings for SMEs on the features and best practices for WhatsApp Business app. The business owners will have the opportunity to attend training webinars that will help them grow and expand.
- Facebook-owned WhatsApp and the CII will work to enhance business communication for Indian SMEs through CII’s SME Technology Facilitation Centre. WhatsApp and CII will also develop informative content to be distributed among entrepreneurs both in physical and digital formats.
Facebook launches Digital Literacy Library in 6 Indian languages
As part of its efforts to train 3,00,000 people in India on digital literacy by end of 2018, Facebook has announced the launch of the Digital Literacy Library, a collection of lessons in six local languages - Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam.
- This was announced at Facebook's South Asia Safety Summit where the Ministry of Women and Child Development together with Facebook convened a group of leaders in safety and technology and was joined by over 70 organizations from five countries, including India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.
- With more than 200 million young people online in India, this library will be a resource for educators looking to address digital literacy and help young people build the skills needed for safely enjoying digital technology.
Vigilance Awareness Week to be observed to achieve Corruption Free Society
The Vigilance Awareness Week will be observed across the country from 29 October to promote probity in public life and achieve a corruption-free society. The theme of the week this year is, 'Eradicate Corruption - Build A New India'.
- The observance of the week will commence with pledge taking by public servants in the Ministries, Departments, PSUs, Banks and all other Organisations.
During the week, several functions will be organized to create awareness against the corrupt practices. The week, in which 31st October, the birthday of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel falls, is observed as Vigilance Awareness Week every year.
3-day India Mobile Congress 2018 concludes in New Delhi
India Mobile Congress(IMC) 2018, a marquee event which provided a peep into the exciting future in the rapidly evolving area of digital communications ended on 29 October. This year’s event theme was “New Digital Horizons – Connect. Create. Innovate.”
- The mega 3-day event was inaugurated on October 25 by Shri Manoj Sinha,Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Communications. Delegations from 20 countries participated in the event, which saw more than 300 companies showcasing their latest and best technologies, products, services, and applications.
India's First Robotic Dinosaurs Gallery Inaugurated In Kapurthala
The country's first gallery on robotic dinosaurs was opened to the public at the Pushpa Gujral Science City, Kapurthala.
A joint initiative of the Union and state governments, the science city is the biggest project of its kind in northern India and has been set up in 72 acres of land in the heart of Punjab, on Jalandhar-Kapurthala road.
- Built at a cost of Rs. 1.50 crore, the gallery with its robotic dinosaurs as well as manually operated ones will take the visitors million of years back to the period when dinosaurs roamed the earth freely.
Odisha CM Patnaik launches EDWS
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched India’s first automatic Early Warning Dissemination System (EDWS). The inauguration coincided with Odisha Government observing Disaster Preparedness Day. On this day, 19 years ago, the state was left devastated by “Super Cyclone” in 1999.
- In total 122 alert towers have been set up under the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project (NCRMP) along the coastal line of Odisha to give early warning on the risk in impending natural calamities like tsunami, cyclone and flood.
- During the launch, Patnaik also announced the programme for preparations of Village Disaster Management Plans (VDMPs) in 7000 villages in the first phase to build resilient community and to undertake a study on the vulnerability of landslides in Gajapati district of Odisha for taking preventive measures against loss of lives and property due to disasters in future.
- Other than EDWS, NCRMP also includes Satellite-Based Mobile Data Voice by Terminals (SBMDVT), Digital Mobile Radio (DMR), a mass messaging system to be operated from the state emergency operation centre and a universal communication interface to allow interoperability among different communication technologies.
Gujarat’s First Mega Food Park Inaugurated In Surat
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani inaugurated the state’s first ‘Food Agro Infrastructure Mega Food Park’, jointly built by Central and Gujarat Governments at a cost of Rs.120-crore on 70-acre plot, at Shah Village in Mangrol taluka in Surat district.
- The modern infrastructure for food processing created at Park will benefit the farmers, growers, processors and consumers of Gujarat and adjoining areas immensely and prove to be a big boost to the growth of the food processing sector in the State of Gujarat.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Angela Merkel to step down as German chancellor in 2021
Angela Merkel has announced she will quit as German chancellor when her mandate ends in 2021, as she sought to draw a line under a series of political crises that have rocked her fragile coalition.
- The veteran leader who has led Germany for 13 years said she hoped her planned departure would end bitter fighting in her coalition and finally focus it on its task of governing Europe’s biggest economy. She added that she would not stand in Germany’s next elections nor seek to renew her mandate as chancellor when her fourth term ends in 2021.
93 per cent children breathe toxic air globally: WHO
Every day, around 93 per cent of the children globally under the age of 15 years (1.8 billion children) breathe air that is so polluted it puts their health and development at serious risk, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said.
- The report, "Air pollution and child health: Prescribing clean air", examines the heavy toll of both ambient (outside) and household air pollution on the health of the world's children, particularly in low and middle-income countries.
- The air pollution related mortality and disease burden India faces is also the highest in the world. More than two million deaths occur in India prematurely every year, accounting for 25 per cent of the global deaths due to poor air quality.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Microsoft overtakes Amazon as second most valuable U.S. company
Microsoft overtook Amazon to become the second most valuable tech company in the United States. The change in rankings was the result of a drop in Amazon's stock value after a weaker-than-expected quarterly report from the online retailer wiped out $65 billion worth of market capitalization.
- Amazon's stock value stood at $805 billion while Microsoft's sat at $823 billion. Apple became the first U.S. company to be valued above $1 trillion earlier this year following a period of record stock buybacks.
IBM to acquire Red Hat for $34 bn
Tech major IBM has announced to acquire Open Source Solutions leader Red Hat for a massive $34 billion. The acquisition, IBM's biggest so far, will provide open approach to Cloud, featuring unprecedented security and portability across multiple clouds.
- The deal will make IBM top Hybrid Cloud provider in an emerging $1 trillion growth market.
Red Hat will operate as a distinct unit within IBM's Hybrid Cloud team.
SBI, Hitachi Payments form JV for digital payment platform
Country's largest lender State Bank of India(SBI) and payments solution provider Hitachi Payment Services India entered into an agreement to form a joint venture for establishing a card acceptance and digital payment platform.
- The JV will provide various payment options to customers and merchants focusing on areas such as rollout of a nationwide card acceptance infrastructure, quick response (QR) code acceptance, Unified Payment Interface (UPI), mass transit sector and e-commerce businesses.
- Hitachi Payment Services India, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi Group, Japan.
SPORTS
Roger Federer claims 99th ATP title with Basel triumph
Roger Federer defeated Romanian qualifier Marius Copil at the Swiss Indoors in Basel to win the 99th ATP Tour title of his career. The Swiss now owns nine trophies from his hometown event and has won his last 20 matches at the tournament. It was his 12th successive appearance in the Basel final.
India & Pakistan declared joint winners of Asian Champions Trophy
In Men's Hockey, India and Pakistan were declared joint winners of the Asian Champions Trophy at Muscat in Oman. The tournament director declared both teams as winners after the summit clash was called off due to heavy rain.
- Defending champions India, thus, ended the tournament unbeaten. Before this edition, both India and Pakistan had won the tournament twice each.
Vishal bags gold, Raegan settles for silver in Egypt
Vishal Rajveer Shah won the mini cadet boys singles' title at the Egypt Junior and Cadet Open table tennis tournament after he outclassed local boy Badr Mostafa in straight games. He dominated the match from the very beginning as he defeated Mostafa to clinch the yellow metal.
- However, another Indian Raegan Alburquerque begged silver as he failed to go past the final hurdle as China's Ding Shixian defeated the him in the Junior Boys singles.
Atanu, Rajat among winners in indoor archery meet
India’s highest ranked archer Atanu Das won the men’s recurve title while Asian Games silver medallist Rajat Chauhan emerged on top in the men’s compound section in the first invitational Indian Open Indoor Archery tournament that concluded at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata.
Khalin Joshi wins Panasonic Open India for his maiden Asian Tour title
Indian golfer Khalin Joshi clinched his maiden Asian Tour title, claiming the Panasonic Open India at the Delhi Golf Club. Joshi became the seventh Indian to win the Panasonic Open India in the last eight editions of the tournament.
- Bangladesh's Siddikur Rahman finished second best after finishing with a par on the 18th even as Joshi birdied the final hole.
APPOINTMENTS
Jair Bolsonaro wins Brazil Presidential Election
Far-right politician Jair Bolsonaro has won a sweeping victory in Brazil's presidential election. The former army captain won 55.2% of the vote against 44.8% for Fernando Haddad of the left-wing Workers' Party.
- He 63-year-old leads the Social Liberal Party (PSL), an anti-establishment group that combines social conservatism and pro-market policies.
- Extra info.:
Brazil Capital: Brasilia
Currency: Brazilian real
AWARDS
Clara Sosa from Paraguay wins Miss Grand International 2018
Stunning Clara Sosa was crowned as the winner of Miss Grand International 2018. She represented Paraguay at the contest. The finale of the pageant was held at The One Entertainment Park, Yangon, Myanmar. Clara battled out 74 other girls in the contest to claim the title.
- First Runner-up was India's Meenakshi Chaudhary while Second Runner-up was Indonesia's Nadia Purwoko.
OBITUARIES
TMC founder member Pankaj Bandyopadhyay passes away
A founding member of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) Pankaj Bandyopadhyay passed away at a hospital in Kolkata after a prolonged illness. Pankaj Bandyopadhyay, also former leader of the opposition in West Bengal assembly, was 72. He was the chairman of the party's policy-making body for several years since the inception of the TMC.
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