Important Current Affairs 30th October 2018 English

(International News)

Earth's Wild Animal Population Plummets 60 Per Cent In 44 Years

"Runaway consumption" has decimated global wildlife, triggered a mass extinction and exhausted Earth's capacity to accommodate humanity's expanding appetites, the global conservation group WWF warned.

From 1970 to 2014, 60 per cent of all animals with a backbone -- fish, birds, amphibians, reptiles and mammals -- were wiped out by human appetites and activity, according WWF's "Living Planet" report, based on a survey of more than 4,000 species spread over 16,700 populations scattered across the globe.

Important:

WWF International Director General is Marco Lambertini.

Prime Minister of Italy Giuseppe Conte holds bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart Giuseppe Conte is underway in New Delhi. Both leaders are expected to discuss a range of issues of mutual interest. 

Both leaders will also attend the India-Italy Technology Summit which is being organised by Department of Science and Technology in partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry. 

The objective of the Summit is to facilitate technology transfers, joint ventures, Research and Development and market access between industry and research institutions in India and Italy.

Important:

•    President:- Sergio Mattarella
•    Prime Minister:- Giuseppe Conte
•    Currency:- Euro
•    Capital:- Rome

INS Tarangini returns after Vogage across the World

The sail training ship of Indian Navy, INS Tarangini based at Kochi, returned after a seven month long sailing across the world to a grand reception at naval base, Kochi on 30 Oct 18.

The Voyage named “Lokayan 18” was flagged off on 10 Apr 18 from Kochi. During the voyage, the ship has proudly 'shown the flag' and highlighted the diverse culture of India across 15 ports in 13 countries. 

The ship sailed across the Arabian Sea, Red Sea, Suez Canal, Mediterranean Sea, Strait of Gibraltar, North Atlantic Ocean, Bay of Biscay, English Channel and North Sea, right up to Norway before commencing her homeward passage back to Kochi. 
The ship also participated in the culminating event of the ‘Three Festival Tall Ships Regatta’ at Bordeaux, France. 

(Science & Space News)
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe closest ever to Sun
 
NASA’s historic Parker Solar Probe — enroute to the Sun to unravel its mysteries — has become the closest spacecraft to it. The spacecraft passed the current record of 26.55 million miles from the Sun’s surface on October 29, as calculated by the Parker Solar Probe team.
Parker Solar Probe
•    It will approach to within 9.86 solar radii (6.9 million kilometers or 4.3 million miles) from the center of the Sun and will travel, at closest approach, as fast as 690,000 km/h (430,000 mph).
•    Launch date was August 12, 2018
•    The project was announced in the fiscal 2009 budget year. 
•    The cost of the project is US$1.5 billion.

(National News)  
Supreme Court bans 15-year-old petrol & 10-year-old diesel vehicles in NCR to curb pollution

The Supreme Court has prohibited the plying of 15-year-old petrol and 10-year-old diesel vehicles in the national capital region due to the prevailing pollution situation.

Terming as "very critical" and "horrible" the prevailing pollution situation in Delhi-NCR, the apex court directed that a list of 15-year-old petrol and 10-year-old diesel vehicles be published on the website of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and transport departments of the NCR area.

India's largest dry dock to come up at Cochin Shipyard
The Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Mr Nitin Gadkari and Kerala Chief Minister Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan will lay foundation for India's largest Dry Dock at Cochin Shipyard.

Dry Dock

•    The Dry Dock will give an impetus to Make in India initiative under Sagarmala and raise India’s share in global market to two percent. 
•    The new Dry Dock is being constructed at a cost of rupees 1779 crores.
•    It will be 310 meters long and 75 meters wide and can handle both ship building and repair and is equipped with international safely standards. 

DoNER Minister lays foundation stone of ‘Technology Facility Center’ at Jorhat, Assam

Dr Jitendra Singh laid the foundation stone of new Science Centre, the "Technology Facility Centre" (TFC) in the premises of the CSIR-North East Institute of Science & Technology (NEIST) in Jorhat, Assam.

Dr Jitendra Singh referred to “North-Eastern Region Community Resource Management Project” (NERCORMP) and “North East Rural Livelihood Project” (NERLP), the two programmes run by the Ministry of DoNER and NEC, which were devoted to the cause of improving livelihood opportunities for unemployed youth, farmers, women and artisans. 

Twelve Projects Worth Rs 929 Crore Approved Under Namami Gange 

The Executive Committee (EC) of the National Mission for Clean Ganga on October 29, 2018 approved 12 projects worth Rs 929 crore under the Namami Gange programme in its 16th meeting. 

The committee sanctioned two Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) for Delhi for creating 340 MLD (Millions of Liters per Day) waste treatment capacity at a cost of Rs 580 Crore. 

Important:-

•    The committee sanctioned two sewage treatment plants for Delhi, various projects for Uttar Pradesh, two projects for West Bengal, and two projects under CSR category.

•    The Committee approved various projects for Uttar Pradesh at a total cost of Rs 128 crore.

•    For West Bengal, the committee sanctioned two projects at a cost of Rs 50 crore.