Important Current Affairs 24th October 2018 English

Award News

PM awarded the 2018 Seoul Peace Prize

The Seoul Peace Prize Committee has decided to confer the 2018 Seoul Peace Prize on Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

He is the fourteenth recipient of this award.

PM Modi was selected for this prestigious award in recognition of his dedication to improving international cooperation, raising global economic growth, accelerating the Human Development of the people of India by fostering economic growth in the world's fastest growing large economy and furthering the development of democracy through anti-corruption and social integration efforts.

Background

The Seoul Peace Prize was established in 1990 to commemorate the success of the 24th Olympic Games held in Seoul, Republic of Korea – an event in which 160 nations from across the world took part, creating harmony and friendship and a worldwide atmosphere of peace and reconciliation. 

M.S. Swaminathan to be awarded World Agriculture Prize

Agricultural scientist M.S. Swaminathan will receive the first World Agriculture Prize instituted by the Indian Council of Food and Agriculture (ICFA) in New Delhi.

The prize will be presented by Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu at Vigyan Bhawan at a special session, named Swaminathan Global Dialogue on Climate Change and Food Security organised by the Indian Council of Food and Agriculture.

World Agriculture Prize

The prize has been instituted by the ICFA with an aim to recognise individuals who have served humanity through agriculture. It will carry a cash component of $1, 00,000. 

International News

Cabinet approves MoU between the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and Certified Professional Accountants Afghanistan (CPA Afghanistan)

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the signing of a MoU between the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) and Certified Professional Accountants Afghanistan (CPA Afghanistan).

The MoU will establish mutual co-operation framework in the areas of Capacity Building of "Afghanistan Accountancy Board (AAB)", strengthening the IT Capacity and Quality Assurance in Afghanistan through facilitating Knowledge Transfer; Students and Members Exchange Programs; Conduct of Seminars, Conferences and Joint Activities mutually beneficial to both the parties.

Invest India Wins Top UN Award for Promoting Renewable Energy Investment

Invest India has received the top UN Investment Promotion Award in recognition of its efforts to boost investments in the renewable energy sector in India.

The award was presented by Armenian President Armen Sarkissian to Deepak Bagla, the CEO of Invest India in Geneva at the inaugurations of the World Investment Forum organised by the UN Convention on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

The other winners of the award were Bahrain Economic Development Board and the Lesotho National Development Corp.

India, China sign agreement on security cooperation

The first India-China high-level meeting on bilateral security cooperation held in New Delhi.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed issues of mutual interest including bilateral cooperation on counter-terrorism and welcomed increased cooperation between India and China in the area of security.

An Agreement on security cooperation was also signed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh and State Councilor and Minister of Public Security of China, Zhao Kezhi.  

3rd Decadal International year of Reefs-2018

The International Conference on Status and Protection of Coral Reefs (STAPCOR – 2018) with the theme “Reef for Life” was inaugurated by the Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan on 22nd October at Bangaram coral Island of Union Territory of Lakshadweep.
About 150 delegates both International and National are participating in this mega event at Bangaram Island from 22nd to 24th October, 2018. 

National News
Government removes CBI Director Alok Verma and appoints M Nageshwar Rao

 The Union Government on October 23, 2018 removed CBI Director Alok Verma from his post. He was appointed as CBI Director in 2016 for two years and his tenure ends in December 2018.

M Nageshwar Rao will take over the duties and functions of CBI Director with immediate effect. Rao, a 1986 batch Odisha cadre officer, joined the CBI as Joint Director and was promoted as Additional Director in 2018 itself.

Appointment News

Suresh Nambath appointed as next editor of The Hindu

•    The board of directors of The Hindu Publishing Group has appointed senior journalist Suresh Nambath as editor of The Hindu with effect from March 1 next year.

•    He will succeed Mukund Padmanabhan, who has been editor of the prominent newspaper since March 2016.

•    Nambath joined The Hindu as principal correspondent covering Tamil Nadu politics in October 1996 and served as the newspaper's Tamil Nadu bureau chief between July 2006 and February 2012.