(International News)

India – Czech Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation held in Prague

 
•    The eleventh session of India – Czech Republic Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation (JCEC) was held on 22nd – 23rd October 2018 at Prague.
•    Both sides reviewed developments in their bilateral trade since the 10th Session of the Joint Commission held in New Delhi in January 2015 and welcomed the increasing trend in the volume of trade.
•    Czechoslovakia is preparing a project called Czech Industrial Cluster (CIC) near Bengaluru. The CIC will comprise administrative and production units and will serve as a hub for Czech companies that intend to settle down in India. 

Forty-five Indian companies participate in SIAL Paris exhibition

Forty-five Indian companies are participating in the SIAL Paris exhibition – the largest international market place for food service professionals.  Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI) has inaugurated a special Indian pavilion in the ongoing mega exhibition for the participating companies. 
SIAL Paris exhibition
The Global Food Marketplace (French: Salon International de l’alimentation, or SIAL) is a trade fair held every two years, which specializes in the food processing industry. This event was first held in 1964 in Paris.

Netherlands becomes first country to issue gender-neutral passport

•    Netherlands has become the first country to issue a gender-neutral passport to one of its citizens.
•    The news came after a court in the country gave a ruling earlier this year saying that a third gender should be recognised for people who don’t identify as male or female.
•    The first gender-neutral passport was given to 57-year-old Leonne Zeegers. Their passport now has an 'X' mark as their gender specification, rather than an 'M' for mannetje (male) or a V for vrouw (female).

China opens world's longest sea-crossing bridge

Chinese President Xi Jinping has officially opened the world's longest sea crossing bridge, nine years after construction first began.
Important to Know:
•    Including its access roads, the bridge spans 55km (34 miles) and connects Hong Kong to Macau and the mainland Chinese city of Zhuhai.
•    The bridge has cost about $20bn (£15.3bn).
•    Mr Xi attended the opening ceremony of the bridge, which took place in Zhuhai, along with the leaders of Hong Kong and Macau.
•    The crossing connects three key coastal cities in southern China - Hong Kong, Macau and Zhuhai.
•    The bridge, designed to withstand earthquakes and typhoons, was built using 400,000 tonnes of steel, enough to build 60 Eiffel Towers. 
•    It is part of China's plan to create a Greater Bay Area, including Hong Kong, Macau and nine other cities in southern China.

Infosys, Finnish firm in AI alliance

•    Leading global corporations Pöyry and Infosys announced the release of Krti 4.0® Artificial Intelligence (AI) Framework for Operational Excellence.
•    The framework overcomes some complex and expensive lifecycle management challenges faced by organisations across operational technology (OT) systems.
Krti 4.0 model
•    The Krti 4.0 model based data driven framework applies AI, cognitive/machine learning and Machine to Machine (M2M) capabilities to the industrial environment.
•    Krti 4.0 is designed to dramatically reduce system maintenance costs and expensive operation shutdowns, and improve reliability, employee and environmental safety.

(Sports News)

French Open Badminton tournament begins in Paris

•    French Open Badminton tournament begins in Paris this afternoon. 
•    Ace Indian shuttlers, including defending champion Kidambi Srikanth, PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal will be eying their first major title of the year. 
French Open Badminton tournament
The French Open is an annual Badminton tournament held in France since 1909 and hosted by the Fédération française de badminton (FFBa). The tournament was halted between 1915 and 1934, in 1965, 1970, 1972, 1994 and 2006.

 (National News)
 “Harit Diwali-Swasth Diwali” campaign launched by Ministry of Environment 

•    Environment Ministry has launched Harit Diwali, Swasth Diwali campaign. This campaign was initiated in 2017-18 wherein large number of school children participated and took pledge to minimize bursting of crackers. 

The Ministry has initiated the campaign on the similar lines but extended to a pan-India. 
•    The Harit Diwali-Swasth Diwali campaign is now merged with “Green Good Deed” movement that has been initiated as a social mobilization for conservation and protection of environment. The Ministry is encouraging all schools and colleges to be part of this campaign. 
•    Air pollution is a serious health issue in the country especially in the northern parts during winter seasons. It is attributed to dust, burning of crops in certain states, burning of garbage construction and prevailing climatic conditions. Diwali falls during the same period.

PNB Metlife launches AI-powered customer service app

 
•    Life insurer PNB Metlife has unveiled an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered customer service app ‘Khushi’. 
•    The app is designed to be a one-stop shop providing insurance-related information, anytime, anywhere, such as policy features, premium due details besides providing fund value and portfolio details. It has the ability to understand customer intent and provide tailored responses.
•    Khushi can interact with customers via text as well as speech. When requested, the app can also locate the nearest PNB MetLife branch, arrange a call back from call centre representatives, fix an appointment with an advisor and much more, according to the company.
•    In 2016, the company had launched ‘conVRse’, virtual reality (VR) service platform as well as ‘eBranch’, a paperless digital platform enabling real time transfer of information. 

National News

Insolvency Law Committee submits its 2nd Report on Cross Border Insolvency 
 
The Insolvency Law Committee (ILC) constituted by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs to recommend amendments to Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code of India, 2016, has submitted its 2nd Report to the Government, which deals with cross border insolvency.  
The ILC has recommended the adoption of the UNCITRAL Model Law of Cross Border Insolvency, 1997, as it provides for a comprehensive framework to deal with cross border insolvency issues.  
The Committee has also recommended a few carve outs to ensure that there is no inconsistency between the domestic insolvency framework and the proposed Cross Border Insolvency Framework.
Important:
The UNCITRAL Model Law has been adopted in as many as 44 countries and, therefore, forms part of international best practices in dealing with cross border insolvency issues.

Tejas wins Rs. 111 crore Indian Navy order
 
Tejas Networks, a maker of networking product, has received a Rs. 111 crore purchase order from Sterlite Technologies to implement Indian Navy’s country-wide next-generation digital communications network.
Tejas Networks will supply its terabit capacity Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) systems and high-performance layer-3 multi-gigabit ethernet switches for Navy's pan-India network, according to a company statement.

Women of India Organic Festival to be held at IGNCA, New Delhi
 
The Ministry of Women and Child Development is organizing the 5th edition of the Women of India Organic Festival from 26th October to 4th November, 2018 at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, Janpath Road, New Delhi.
Aim:
This is aimed to boost organic culture and promote Women Organic Farmers and Entrepreneurs. Being the country's largest organic festival, it bears witness to the fact that women are the torchbearers of the nation's organic movement.
Important:
Ministry of Women and Child Development: Maneka Gandhi 

Ayushman Bharat has benefitted 100,000 within a month of its launch
 
Union Health Minister JP Nadda on October 21, 2018 announced that nearly a month after the roll out of the health insurance scheme ‘Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY)’ (Ayushman Bharat), one lakh people have availed of the ambitious programme. 

The Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, considered as the world's largest health insurance programme, was launched pan-India by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Jharkhand on September 23, 2018.
Important:
Ayushman Bharat, the government-sponsored health insurance scheme, will provide free coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year in any government or even empanelled private hospitals all over India. 

The Ayushman Bharat programme will be funded with 60 percent contribution from the Centre and the remaining from the states.

President to inaugurate 'Vishwa Shanti Ahimsa Sammelan' in Maharashtra
 
President Ram Nath Kovind will inaugurate a three-day 'Vishwa Shanti Ahimsa Sammelan' at Mangi Tungi in Nashik district of Maharashtra on 22nd October.
The President will also give away the first international 'Bhagwan Rishabhdev Award' to Teerthanker Mahaveer University based in Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh.
The award, which carries a cash prize of  11 lakh rupees, a memento and a citation, will be given to the chancellor of the university, Suresh Jain.  
President Kovind will also release a book, titled 'Sarvoccha Digambar Jain Pratima', on the occasion.

PM Modi to attend fourth edition of NITI Lecture Series on artificial intelligence 
 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the fourth edition of NITI Lecture Series being organised at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. 
The keynote address will be delivered by Jensen Huang, President and Co-Founder of NVIDIA Corporation. 
This year's theme is 'Artificial Intelligence for All: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Inclusive Growth'.   
 

International News

NASA names gamma-ray constellations after Godzilla, Hulk
 
NASA scientists have devised a new set of 21 modern gamma-ray constellations and named them after fictional characters such as the Hulk and Godzilla. The constellations, constructed with sources visible through its gamma-ray telescope, were devised to celebrate the completion of 10 years of operations of the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope.
Since July 2008, Fermi’s Large Area Telescope (LAT) has been scanning the entire sky each day, mapping and measuring sources of gamma rays, the highest-energy light in the universe.

China to ban polluting tourist vehicles near Mt Everest in Tibet
 
China is planning to ban polluting tourist vehicles at the Mount Everest base camp in Tibet from next year as part of its efforts to reduce pollution in the area that has a fragile environment.
Some 2.26 tons of human waste, one ton of mountaineering trash and 5.24 tons of household waste have been removed from the world’s highest peak since April. A further eight tons of trash was removed between 5,200 meters and 6,500 meters above the sea level.

Stephen Hawking wheelchair, thesis up for sale
 
The online sale announced by auctioneer Christie’s features 22 items from Hawking, including his doctoral thesis on the origins of the universe such as “Spectrum of Wormholes” and “Fundamental Breakdown of Physics in Gravitational Collapse.”
The auction includes one of five existing copies of Hawking’s 1965 Cambridge University Ph.D. thesis, “Properties of Expanding Universes,” which carries an estimated price of 100,000 pounds to 150,000 pounds ($130,000 to $195,000).
Stephen Hawking was a cosmic visionary, a figure of inspiration and a global celebrity.
 

International News

India to Host Fourth Edition of Global Partners’ Forum 2018

India will play host to the largest-ever Partners' Forum on 12th and 13th December 2018 in New Delhi.

PMNCH (The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health) will bring together 1,200 partners from over 100 countries dedicated to the Every Woman Every Child (EWEC) movement and to the achievement of the UN Secretary General’s Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health (Global Strategy). This unique forum aims to unite PMNCH’s 1,000+ partners around common strategies so that every woman, child and adolescent – no matter where they live – can survive, thrive and transform our world.

Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa to form new govt in Bhutan

The Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT) will form new government in Bhutan. The party has won 30 seats in 47 members National Assembly, the lower house of the parliament.
The Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) has got remaining 17 seats.
This is the first time in Bhutan’s decade old parliamentary democracy that a new party has been chosen to form the government. 

Science News

Scientists Develop Gel That Could Protect Farmers From Toxic Pesticides
 
Indian researchers developed a gel which, when applied on the skin, can inhibit some pesticides from getting absorbed into the body. 
It thus averts serious adverse effects and even death. Organophosphate-based pesticides, which are commonly used by farmers in India, are toxic to the nervous system and heart and can cause cognitive dysfunction. 
The gel, named poly-Oxime, has been prepared by researchers at the Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (InStem), Bengaluru, from a nucleophilic polymer.

National News 

India’s longest bridge to be built across Brahmaputra
 
India’s longest river bridge will be built across the Brahmaputra, connecting Dhubri in Assam to Phulbari in Meghalaya, and will cut road travel by 203 km as also travel time. The 19.3 km, four-lane bridge will be built by 2026-27.

Awards

Piyush Goyal to receive Carnot prize

Recognising the pathbreaking transformations in India’s energy sector under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania School of Design is awarding its fourth annual Carnot Prize to Shri Piyush Goyal, Minister of Railways & Coal and former Minister of Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines, Government of India.

Carnot Prize
The Carnot Prize is the Kleinman Center’s annual recognition of distinguished contributions to energy policy through scholarship or practice. The most prestigious award in the energy sector, Carnot Prize is named after French physicist Nicolas Sadi Carnot who recognised that the power of the steam engine would “produce a great revolution” in human development. The Carnot Prize is intended to honour those leading revolutions in energy policy to further progress and prosperity.

10-year-old from Jalandhar wins 'Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year' award
 
Ten-year-old Arshdeep Singh from Jalandhar has won the Junior Asian Wildlife Photographer award, in the 10-years-and-under category. It was his candid snap of an owlet popping out of a waste-pipe that clinched the title.
The photograph ‘Pipe Owl’ earned him much applause at the award ceremony held at the Natural History Museum, London. 

Sports

World Wrestling Championships begins in Budapest, Hungary
 
World Wrestling Championships begin in Budapest, Hungary today. Asian Games gold medalist Bajrang Punia will be India's best bet for a medal as a 30-member team seeks a strong performance at the event. Bajrang had won a bronze at the Championships in 2013.
Important:
UWW United World Wrestling is the Amateur Wrestling World Championship organized by the United World Wrestling.
The Men's Greco-Roman Wrestling tournament began in 1904, and the Men's Freestyle Wrestling tournament began in 1951. The Women's Freestyle championships were first staged in

International News

1987.Turkey to host 4-nation summit on Syria crisis
 
A summit between the leaders of Turkey, France, Germany and Russia will be held in Istanbul this month to discuss the conflict in Syria and efforts for a lasting solution to the war in the Arab country.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have confirmed their participation in the summit.
Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said it will take place on October 27.

Rwanda names 50 percent female Cabinet, following Ethiopia

Rwanda, the East African nation, announced gender-balanced Cabinets with 50% women. 
The East African nation announced that women now make up half of the slimmed-down, 26-seat Cabinet.
Rwanda joins a handful of countries, mostly European, where women make up 50 % or more of ministerial positions, according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union and UN Women.
The country has received international recognition for female representation in government, with women making up 61% of Parliament.

India, Japan, U.S. plan joint air exercise

India, Japan and the U.S. are set to elevate the bilateral ‘Cope India’ air exercise to a trilateral format. The three countries already conduct naval war games under the expanded Malabar naval exercise.
Cope India was first conducted in 2004 and has grown in scope with the involvement of fighter aircraft and force multipliers such as Airborne Warning And Control System (AWACS), but has been held only intermittently.
This elevation of the air exercise is similar to the Malabar naval exercise. Malabar began in 1992 as a bilateral naval exercise between India and the U.S. 

National News

PM to hoist Tricolour on Oct 21 at Red Fort
 
The Prime Minister of India, Shri  Narendra Modi, would be hoisting the National flag and unveiling the plaque to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the formation of Azad Hind Government on 21st October, 2018, at the Red Fort, Delhi.
Important:
The Azad Hind Government, founded on 21st October, 1943 was inspired by Neta ji Subhash Chandra Bose who was the leader of Azad Hind Government and also the Head of State of this Provisional Indian Government-in-exile. 
It was a part of the freedom movement, originating in 1940s outside India with a purpose of allying with Axis powers to free India from British rule. 

Assam celebrates Kati Bihu festival
 
Assam's third Bihu festival, known as Kati Bihu or Kongali Bihu, was being celebrated across the state on 18th October.
The festival derives its name from the Assamese month of Kati officials said, adding, this is a much sombre festival when compared to the other two Bihu festivals of the state - the Rongali and Bohagi Bihu.

The festival is held at this time of the year since the granaries of the farmers usually remain empty and therefore it is known as Kongali (poor) Bihu.

International News

Dharma Guardian: First India, Japan joint military exercise to be held in Mizoram 

The first joint military exercise named “Dharma Guardian” between India and Japan will be held at the Army’s Counter-Insurgency Warfare School at Vairengte (Mizoram) from November 1 to 14, 2018. The exercise is aimed at developing mutual understanding and respect between militaries of both countries, as also facilitate in tracking worldwide phenomenon of terrorism.
Dharma Guardian
In this exercise, Indian Army will be represented by 6/1 Gorkha Rifles, while Japanese Ground Self-Defence Force will field its 32 Infantry Regiment.

National

NCR RASTA and Yatri RASTA
The North Central Railways (NCR) launched two mobile apps, NCR RASTA (Railway assets Summerised Tracking Application) and Yatri RASTA (Railway Approach to Station Tracking Application) for its employees and passengers, respectively, for locating assets and stations.
Key Facts
Both these apps are aimed at helping to fulfil twin objectives of better passenger service and asset maintenance by using cutting-edge technology and for handling emergencies.

NCR RASTA app: It is for use of railway officers and staff and has exact mapping of all railway assets. It will enable railway staff to reach desired asset using Google Navigation in case of any emergency.
Yatri RASTA app: It will allow general public to locate railway stations easily.

PM Narendra Modi chairs 6th meeting of NDMA
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired sixth meeting of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) at New Delhi. In this meeting, he reviewed activities of NDMA to effectively manage and respond to disasters affecting country. He also reviewed ongoing projects undertaken by NDMA. During this meeting, he emphasized on need for better coordination between various stakeholders and undertake more joint exercises to bring about effective response to save life and property. He also stressed upon need to bring in global expertise in the field of disaster management.

India's first Cryptocurrency ATM Installed In Bengaluru 
 
ATM for deposit and withdrawal of money for cryptocurrencies has been installed in Bengaluru's Kemp Fort Mall by virtual currency exchange Unocoin.  Users can deposit money to buy currencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum using an OTP received on their registered numbers

Obituary

Former UP and Uttarakhand CM Narayan Datt Tiwari passes away

Former Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Narayan Dutt Tiwari passed away in New Delhi. He was 93-year-old. He is only Politician who has served as CM of two states. He was known as Vikas Purush and was instrumental in developing the industrial sector in Uttarakhand.
Narayan Dutt Tiwari
Born on October 18, 1925 in Baluti, United Provinces in then British India (now in Uttarakhand, India). He was three-time CM of Uttar Pradesh and was first elected CM of Uttarakhand as well. His first stint as UP CM was from January 1976 to April 1977 and then again from August 1984 to September 1985 and from June 1988 to December 1988..

National News

Bihar's 'Shahi Litchi' Gets Geographical Indication Tag

After Katrani rice, Jardalu mango and Magahi paan (betel vine), Bihar's Shahi litchi has got the Geographical Indication (GI) tag and has become an exclusive brand in the national and international market.
Important:
The famous Shahi litchi, which is famous for its sweet, juicy, unique flavour and aroma, is mostly grown in Muzaffarpur and neighbouring districts including East Champaran, Vaishali, Samastipur and Begusarai.
The GI registration was done in the name of Litchi Growers Association of Bihar, which had applied for the tag.
Bihar produces 40 per cent of the litchi grown in the country on 38 per cent of the area.
Geographical Indication (GI) tag
A GI is a name or sign used on certain products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin such as a town, region, or country.

Not a single mobile phone faces disconnect threat, says DoT 

The Department of Telecommunications (DOT) and Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) on October 18, 2018 clarified in a joint statement that a few news reports stating that 50 crore mobile numbers are at the risk of disconnection are completely untrue and imaginary. 
The joint statement clarifies that the Supreme Court in its judgement in Aadhaar case has nowhere directed that the mobile number which has been issued through Aadhaar eKYC has to be disconnected. Therefore, there is no reason for panic or fear at all. 

PM Modi to inaugurate India's 1st national police museum this month
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate India's first national police museum in Delhi on the occasion of police commemoration day on October 21.
The museum - depicting the history, artefacts, uniform and gear of central and state police forces - is coming up as an underground facility in the premises of the national police memorial in Chanakyapuri area of Delhi.
The museum project is being steered by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) in coordination with the central armed police forces (CAPFs) that function under the command of the Union home ministry.

CSIR develops affordable Water Disinfection System “OneerTM”

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Lucknow has developed an innovative technology for “Drinking Water Disinfection System” with Trade name “OneerTM” which was transferred to M/s Bluebird Water Purifiers, New Delhi in the presence of Union Minister of Science & Technology and Vice-President, CSIR, Dr. Harsh Vardhan. 
It is useful for continuous treatment of water and eliminates all disease causing pathogens such as virus, bacteria, fungi, protozoa and cyst to provide safe drinking water to domestic and communities settings as per National and International standards prescribed for potable water (BIS, WHO etc.).

Awards News
Irish Author Anna Burns wins Man Booker Prize 2018 for 'Milkman'
 
Anna Burns has become the first Northern Irish writer and the first woman since 2013 to win Britain's renowned Man Booker Prize for her novel 'Milkman'. 
Burns was born in the Northern Irish capital Belfast in 1962 and now lives in southern England. She had previously authored two novels - 'No Bones' and 'Little Constructions'.
Man Booker Prize
Established in 1969, the Man Booker Prize recognises the judges choice of "the best original novel written in English and published in the UK".
Last year’s Booker Prize went to “Lincoln in the Bardo,” by American writer George Saunders.

Science & Space News

BepiColombo: Joint Mission to Mercury
A British-built spacecraft will set off for Mercury this week in a mission which could finally determine if the nearest planet to the Sun has water.
BepiColombo, one of the most ambitious missions ever undertaken by the European Space  Agency (ESA), will send two orbiters to explore the fiery world where surface temperatures reach 842F (450C).
Only two spacecraft have been to Mercury up to now, Nasa’s Mariner 10 which flew past in 1974 and 1975 and Nasa’s Messenger which orbited the planet between 2011 and 2015.

International News

12th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit begins

•    The 12th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit begins in Brussels today. 
•    Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu will lead the Indian delegation at the two-day summit. 
•    The theme this year is, 'Global Partners for Global Challenges'.

Over 60,000 Indians Received Green Cards in 2017: United  States
 
Out of the over 600,000 Indians waiting for the most sought-after Green Card, only 60,394 have received the legal permanent residency last year which allows them to live and work in the US, according to the latest official figures.
Of the 60,394 Indians who received Green Cards in 2017, the maximum 23,569 were issued to the employment-based preferences like those on the H-1B visas.
Country-wise figures reveal that China topped the list with 71,565 Green Cards, followed by Cuba (65,028) and India (60,394).

The Statue of Unity dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel set to be unveiled on 31st October

The world's tallest statue, the Statue of Unity dedicated to the iron man of India Sardar Vallabh bhai Patel is all set to be unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 31st October, the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel.
Important:
•    The engineering marvel is vibration and earthquake proof and can withstand wind velocity of up to 60 metres/second.
•    The structure comprises of the Shrestha Bharat Bhavan, which is a 3-star lodging facility consisting 52 rooms.
•    The 182-metre statue is the tallest in the world and is twice the size that of Statue of Liberty in New York City, which stands at 93-metres and four times the size of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro. 
•    The statue costs Rs 2,389 crore and nearly 3,400 labourers and 250 engineers worked round the clock for 42 months to complete the project. 

Sports News
Akash Malik first Indian archer to clinch silver medal at Youth Olympic Games
 
Akash Malik became India's first silver-medallist in archery at the Youth Olympic Games being held in Buenos Aires, Argentina. 
The 15-year-old son of a farmer lost a one-sided final to Trenton Cowles of the USA 0-6 as India concluded the youth Olympics with three gold, nine silver, and one bronze. 
Akash Malik also won a gold medal at Asia Cup Stage-I, two bronze in Asia Cup Stage-II and silver and a bronze in the South Asian championship, in the last one year.

Ranking

India ranked 58th most competitive economy in WEF index

India has been ranked as the 58th most competitive economy on the World Economic Forum's global competitiveness index for 2018. The WEF said, India's rank rose by five places from 2017, the largest gain among G20 economies.

Important:-

•    On the list of 140 economies, the US topped the list followed by Singapore and Germany.

•    Among the BRICS economies, China topped the list at 28th place. India, however, remained the "South Asia's main driving force".

World Economic Forum Index:

The World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Index 4.0 is a composite indicator that assesses the set of factors that determine an economy's level of productivity - widely considered as the most important determinant of long-term growth.

Day & Dates News

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is an international observance celebrated every year on October 17 throughout the world.

•    This year marks the 25th anniversary of the declaration by the General Assembly, in its resolution 47/196 of 22 December 1992, of 17 October as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. 

•    This year also marks the 30th anniversary of the Call to Action by Father Joseph Wresinski — which inspired the observance of October 17 as the World Day for Overcoming Extreme Poverty.

•    This year marks the 70th anniversary of the proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Theme:- 

2018 theme is “Coming together with those furthest behind to build an inclusive world of universal respect for human rights and dignity”

National News

MoU signed between Lady Irwin College & MoRD for Roshni
 
Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM), Ministry of Rural Development  and Lady Irwin College, have signed  a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for establishing ROSHNI – Centre of Women Collectives led Social Action. 
The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihood Mission was launched as the Aajeevika - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) in 2011.
Important:
ROSHNI is technically and financially supported by UNICEF India serving as a technical support unit at national level for DAY-NRLM and is embedded in the Department of Development Communication and Extension, Lady Irwin College, New Delhi.

Govt launches 'Swastha Bharat Yatra' campaign
 
The government has launched a national campaign 'Swasth Bharat Yatra' on the World Food Day under which a pan-India cycle rally is being organised to sensitise people about eating safe food and be healthy.
The 'Swasth Bharat Yatra' was launched simultaneously at Leh (in Jammu & Kashmir), Panaji (Goa), Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), Puducherry, Ranchi (Jharkhand) and Agarthala (Tripura). 

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is leading this campaign.

Important:-

FSSAI chief executive is Pawan Kumar Agarwal.

World Food Day is observed on 16th October.

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

RBI issues guidelines to facilitate payments among PPI
 
In a move aimed at promoting digital transactions, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released operational guidelines to facilitate payments among prepaid instruments (PPI) such as mobile wallets.

•    Inter-operability among mobile wallets, and between bank account and e-wallet would be enabled through the UPI system. 

•    The inter-operability shall be facilitated to all KYC-compliant PPI accounts and entire acceptance infrastructure.

NITI Aayog to launch Guidelines for PPP in Treatment of non-communicable diseases
NITI Aayog on October 17, 2018 launched the model guidelines for Public-Private partnership in Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). 

Under the guidelines, the private partner will invest in upgrading, building and deploying human resources. They will be responsible for operational management and service delivery.

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), also known as chronic diseases, tend to be of long duration and are the result of a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental and behaviours factors.

International News

Canada becomes second country to legalise use of recreational cannabis
Canada has become the second country after Uruguay to legalise possession and use of recreational cannabis.

The Government of Canada is preparing to send the mail to 15 million households, through which new cannabis laws will be explained and public awareness campaigns will take off.
What is Cannabis?
Cannabis is derived from the cannabis plant (cannabis sativa). It is also known as marijuana among other names. It is used as a psychoactive drug for medical or recreational purposes. 

Obituary News

Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen dies at age 65
 
Paul Gardner Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft, an investor, and entrepreneur, passed away on October 15, 2018 from complications related to Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, the less-common Hodgkin's disease, is a cancer of the lymphatic system. He was 65.
He co-founded the technology company Microsoft alongside Bill Gates in 1975.

International News

 
A Korean War memorial will be built in New Delhi to commemorate India’s role in the war which ended in an armistice in 1953.

India had sent medical aid during the Korean War from 1950-53 and there is an association of Korean War veterans in India.
The Korean War Veterans Memorial is located in Washington, D.C.'s West Potomac Park, southeast of the Lincoln Memorial and just south of the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall. It memorializes those who served in the Korean War.

Day & Dates News

World Food Day 16^th October

World Food Day is celebrated every year around the world on 16 October in honor of the date of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 1945. 
This year, FAO is calling for establishing 'Zero Hunger'.

National News

West Bengal govt. extends food security to 8.5 crore people

The West Bengal government has ensured food security to more than 85 million people of the state under the 'Khadya Sathi' scheme.
 'Khadya Sathi' scheme
West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee inaugurated the Khadya Sathi Scheme on January 27, 2016.
As per this scheme, 7 crore, or almost 90% of the State’s population, would get rice and wheat at Rs 2 per kg. Around 50 lakh more would get the same at half the market price.

ICFRE signs two pacts to spread awareness on forests and environment

The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), an autonomous council under the Environment Ministry, signed two pacts to spread awareness about forests, and environment among the youths of the country.
The first pact was signed between ICFRE, Dehradun, and Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS), and the second with Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS).
Important:-
This pact is signed for a period of 10 years.
This pact will launch the 'Prakriti' programme, which aims to promote awareness about forests and environment.

Government launches Saubhagya scheme
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched a Rs 16,320-crore scheme to supply electricity to all households by December 2018, providing free connections to the poor and at very low cost to others.
Saubhagya Scheme:-
The Saubhagya Scheme or Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana is an Indian government project to provide electricity to all households.  The project was announced in September 2017 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who said that the aim was to complete the electrification process by December 2018.

Prime Ministers’ Museum at Teen Murti Bhavan
 
Minister of state for culture, Mahesh Sharma and Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Hardeep Singh Puri on October 15, 2018 jointly laid the foundation stone for proposed Museum on Prime Ministers of India at Teen Murti Estate, New Delhi. 
The new museum will incorporate the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) at the Teen Murti Estate, the official residence of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
The proposed Museum will be constructed at a cost of Rs. 271 crore.

UP cabinet to rename Allahabad as Prayagraj
 
Uttar Pradesh cabinet today decided to change the name of Allahabad city to Prayagraj. 
Important:
The city's original name – Prayag or “place of offerings” comes from its position at the Sangam (confluence) of the Ganga, Yamuna and Sarasvati rivers.
The city is also mentioned in the Veda as the location where Lord Brahma attended his first ritual sacrifice.
It is also the site for historic Kumbh Mela, which is held once in every 12 years and it is also believed to be the same place where the drops of holy nectar fell.

RBI approves appointment of Sandeep Bakshi as ICICI Bank MD, CEO
 
RBI has approved Sandeep Bakshi’s appointment as Managing Director and CEO of the ICICI bank for three years.
Background:-
After the resignation of Chanda Kochhar, who was facing inquiry, earlier this month, the bank’s board had elevated Chief Operating Officer (COO) Bakshi as the new managing director and CEO for five years until October 3, 2023, subject to regulatory and other approvals.

(Day & Dates News)

International Day of Rural Women on 15th October

The International Day of Rural Women is being observed today. The day recognizes the crucial role of women and girls in ensuring the sustainability of rural households and communities, improving rural livelihoods and overall wellbeing. 

Theme 2018

Theme is "Sustainable infrastructure, services and social protection for gender equality and the empowerment of rural women and girls". 

The theme places empowerment of rural women at the heart of fulfilling the vision of the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs.

(National News)
Analytical report of the National Health Profile-2018

Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare released an Analytical Report of the National Health Profile 2018. This is the 12th edition of the health profile.

The report was prepared by the Central Bureau of Health Intelligence (CBHI), under the aegis of the Directorate General of Health Services. CBHI has been publishing National Health Profile every year since 2005. 

The National Health Profile 2018 covers:

•    Demographic, 
•    Socio-economic
•    Health status and health finance indicators
•    Along with comprehensive information on health infrastructure human resources in health

What is NHRR?

The National Health Resource Repository is the country’s first ever national healthcare facility registry of authentic, standardised and updated geo-spatial data of all public and private healthcare establishments.

EC launches 'C-vigil' app

The Election Commission of India is introducing the unique internet based mobile app C-vigil in the upcoming assembly polls. 

The ‘CVIGIL’, which stands for ‘citizens’ vigil’, will be operationalised for the first time as a pilot project. 

cVIGIL

“cVIGIL" is a user-friendly and easy to operate Android application. It will be operational only where elections are announced.

 “cVIGIL” will allow anyone in the election-bound state to report violations of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) that comes into effect from the date of announcement of elections and goes on till a day after the polls. 

(Sports News)

Leander Paes lifts Santo Domingo Open trophy
Indian tennis legend Leander Paes won his second Challenger-level title of the season, lifting the Santo Domingo Open trophy with partner Miguel Angel Reyyes-Varela.  

Santo Domingo Open

The Santo Domingo Open or Dominican Republic International or Santo Domingo International is an open badminton tournament held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The tournament has been an International Series level since 2003, but in 2013 categorized as a Future Series level from Badminton World Federation.

(Ranking News)

Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) world rankings 
 

Spain’s Rafael Nadal maintained the top spot of men’s Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) world singles rankings released on Monday with 7,660 points.

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic climbed one spot up to the second; Roger Federer on third position, the rest of the top-10 remained unchanged, as Alexander Zverev of Germany stayed at No. 5, followed by Marin Cilic of Croatia.

Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP)

The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) was formed in September 1972 by Donald Dell, Bob Briner, Jack Kramer, and Cliff Drysdale to protect the interests of male professional tennis players.

(International News)

India, China Launch Joint Programme to Train Afghan Diplomats

India and China have launched their first joint programme for Afghanistan to train its diplomats.

The first India-China Joint Training Programme for Afghan Diplomats will be held from October 15-26. 

This is 1st India-China joint training programme for Afghan diplomats under the aegis of the Trilateral Cooperation between India, China and Afghanistan.

An understanding to launch a joint programme was reached during an informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held in April at China's Wuhan city.

India International Silk Fair -2018

Union Minister of Textiles, Smriti Zubin Irani, will inaugurate the 6th edition of India International Silk Fair (IISF) in New Delhi on October 16, 2018. Minister of State for Textiles, Ajay Tamta will also be present on the occasion.

Important:

India is the 2nd largest producer of silk in the world. The silk industry is agriculture based and labour intensive and provides gainful employment to around 8 million artisans and weavers in rural areas.

The IISF-2018 is expected to generate  business of over USD 20 million for the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) engaged in producing silk and blended silk garments, fabrics, accessories and floor covering.

46th edition of IHGF-Delhi Fair Autumn-2018

Union Minister of State for Textiles, Ajay Tamta, inaugurated the 46th edition of world’s largest IHGF-Delhi Fair at India Expo Centre & Mart at Greater Noida.

IHGF:-

IHGF is amongst Asia's largest gifts & handicrafts fair, held biannually (Spring & Autumn edition) and is organised by Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH).

EPCH:-

EPCH, India's premier export promotion organisation with 10000 member exporters is engaged in trade promotion of handicrafts exports from India. IHGF Autumn Fair 2018 has been the hallmark for growth of the Indian handicrafts sector for over 24 years.

(INTERNATIONAL News)

India-Azerbaijan sign protocol on trade and economic, science and technology cooperation 

India and Azerbaijan has signed protocol on trade and economic, science and technology cooperation. It was signed at 5th meeting of India-Azerbaijan Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade and Economic, Science and Technology Cooperation (IA-IGC) held on 11-12 October, 2018 in New Delhi. The meeting was co-chaired by Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation Suresh Prabhu and Azerbaijan’s Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Mukhtar Babayev.

New Academy Prize in Literature: Maryse Conde wins alternative Nobel Literature Prize

Guadeloupean author Maryse Conde (81) was awarded New Academy Prize in Literature, an alternative award formed in protest to Nobel Literature Prize. She was selected from 47 authors who were nominated by Swedish librarians and voted on by nearly 33,000 people from around the world.

Conde is author of some 20 novels, including Desirada, Segu and Crossing the Mangrove. She is considered as grand storyteller who belongs to world literature. Her writings mostly describes ravages of colonialism and post-colonial chaos in language which is both precise and overwhelming.

(National News)

National Human Rights Commission celebrates Silver Jubilee

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) celebrated Silver Jubilee (25 years) on October 12, 2018. NHRC was set up on October 12, 1993. The silver Jubilee celebrations were held in New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the function and appreciated role of NHRC. NHRC also released special silver jubilee logo and commissioned documentary titled ‘NHRC: 25 years, Billion Hopes’ capturing the 25 years of its journey. It also organized ‘Human Rights Mela’ and ‘Human Rights Street Theatre Festival’ in New Delhi.

NITI Aayog, Microsoft sign agreement to bring in AI tools for agriculture and healthcare 

Government’s premier think tank NITI Aayog has inked agreement with Microsoft India to deploy artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to address challenges in agriculture and healthcare and promote adoption of local language computing among others.  This partnership will help NITI Aayog to move beyond pilots and understand how to scale AI implementation in sectors characterized by preponderance of public goods.
 Facts:
Under the agreement, Microsoft will provide NITI Aayog advanced AI-based solutions to address challenges in agriculture and healthcare including farm advisory services, healthcare screening models at Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and build capacity for AI through education among others. 

Sikkim awarded FAO’s Future Policy Gold Award for 100% organic farming

Sikkim was awarded UN Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) Future Policy Gold Award (Gold Prize) for its achievement in becoming the world’s first totally organic agriculture state. Sikkim beat out 51 other nominees from around the world for the award. Policies from Brazil, Denmark and Quito (Ecuador) were joinlty Silver Awards.

President of India inaugurates 13th annual convention of the CIC

The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, inaugurated the 13th Annual Convention of the Central Information Commission (CIC) here today.

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that free flow of information is the essence of democracy. And for the people of a free and free-spirited country, information is power. They have a right to know how they are being governed, how public money is being spent, how public and national resources are being deployed, how public services are being delivered, and how public works and welfare programmes are being carried out. In a democracy, there is no such thing as too much information. Information overload is always preferable to information deficit.