29 May 2018 - Daily Current Affairs
Virat Kohli emerged as International Cricketer of Year at CEAT ratings
- India skipper Virat Kohli has emerged as the International Cricketer of the Year at the CEAT Cricket Rating awards.
- Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan was presented the International Batsman of the Year Award, while New Zealand pace sensation Trent Boult won International Bowler of the Year Award.
The other awards include –
- T20 Bowler of the Year Award - Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan.
- Outstanding Innings of the Year Award - Woman cricketer Harmanpreet Kaur, who single-handedly took the team to the final of the ICC Women's World Cup with her breathtaking knock of 171 not out against Australia in the semi-final.
- Lifetime Achievement Award was bestowed on former India wicket-keeper Farokh Engineer.
China won the 10th Thomas Cup title
- China won the Thomas Cup for the 10th time after defeating Japan by 3-1 in the final in Bangkok.
- China had won five straight Thomas Cup titles between 2004 and 2012.
About Thomas Cup
- The Thomas Cup, is also known as the World Men's Team Championships, is an international badminton competition among teams representing member nations of the Badminton World Federation, the sport's global governing body.
Japan clinched the Uber Cup for the first time since 1981
- Japan’s women clinched the Uber Cup by defeating Thailand 3-0 to end a 37-year wait to regain the title.
- Thailand, who had entered the finals for the first time after shock win against China in the semifinals, lost the final against Japan team in both singles and doubles.
- The last time Japan clinched the Uber Cup title was back in 1981 and it comes as a major boost ahead of Tokyo Olympics in 2020.
About Uber Cup
- The Uber Cup, also known as the World Team Championships for Women, is a major international badminton competition contested by women's national badminton teams.
- It has been contested every two years since 1984 when its scheduled times and venues were merged with those of Thomas Cup, the world men's team championship.
- The Uber Cup is named after a former British women's badminton player, Betty Uber, who in 1950 had the idea of hosting a women's event similar to the men's.
Appointment
Pakistan names former chief justice as interim prime minister
- Pakistan's former chief justice Nasir ul Mulk named as the caretaker Prime Minister until general elections on July 25, 2018.
- The present government will complete the tenure on May 31 and the caretaker government will remain in office until a new government is elected.
- The announcement came after weeks of deadlock between the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Opposition over the name of the caretaker prime minister.
- President Mamnoon Hussain approved July 25 as the polling date for general and provincial elections.
Note:
- Mulk was born on August 17, 1950, in Mingora, Swat, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
- He worked as lawyer and judge for several years before his appointment as the 22nd Chief Justice of Pakistan in 2014.
- The interim administration usually does not make any major decisions until the new government is elected, though it may be forced to act to shore up the economy amid a worsening macroeconomic outlook.
Agreement
BCCI, UN Environment sign agreement to promote ‘green' Cricket in India
- The BCCI and UN Environment signed an agreement to promote ‘green' Cricket in India.
- BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary and Erik Solheim, Executive Director of UN Environment, signed a letter of intent at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai.
- The BCCI in a statement that the partnership aims to spread greater awareness about key environmental challenges facing the country and highlight alternate and more sustainable solutions.
- The BCCI will endeavour to reduce its environmental impact by greening operations and engaging cricketers and fans in green initiatives.
- The partnership will also focus on phasing out single-use plastic across stadiums in the country.
Summits & Conference
Hamburg to host 2018 Global Wind Summit
- The first edition of the 2018 Global Wind Summit will be held in Hamburg, Germany in September 2018.
- Speakers from about 100 countries, including India, China, the US, Spain and Denmark are expected to participate in the event.
- The conference on wind is the largest and most important meeting of the wind industry worldwide. The event combines two conferences, WindEnergy Hamburg and WindEurope.
- The event will provide a platform for experts from across the globe to discuss innovative and green technologies for harnessing wind energy making.
Note: India is fourth largest country -- after China, the US and Germany -- in terms of wind energy installation capacity at around 33 GW.
International Affairs
Nepal celebrates 11th Republic Day
- Nepal is celebrating its 11th Republic Day today.
- President Bhandari and Prime Minister Oli have greeted people of Nepal on the occasion of Republic Day.
- Prime Minister Oli in his message said that Republic is not limited to a word, it is a journey of prosperity and development to bring happiness in the lives of common people.
Note: On May 28, 2008, the Constituent Assembly of the Himalayan nation declared Nepal the Federal Democratic Republic, abolishing the 240-year-old monarchy.
Sangeeta Bahl becomes oldest Indian woman to scale Mount Everest
- Sangeeta Bahl, a 53-year-old former model and entrepreneur from Jammu and Kashmir, has become the oldest Indian woman to conquer Mount Everest.
- She scaled the peak on May 19 with the help of two Sherpas.
- Bahl, who currently resides in Gurugram, was felicitated at the Indian embassy in Kathmandu.
- Her husband Ankur Bahl, who climbed Mt Everest in 2016, was also welcomed at the Indian embassy in Kathmandu.
- Sangeeta Bahl has already conquered six out of the seven highest peaks of the world.
- She broke the record of Premlata Agarwal, 48, who scaled Everest on May 20, 2011.
Obituaries
Alan Bean: the Fourth man to walk on Moon passed away
- Alan Bean, the fourth man to walk on the moon passed away at the age of 86.
- Alan Bean flew twice into space, first as the lunar module pilot on Apollo 12, the second moon landing mission, in November 1969.
- In July 1973 he was commander of the second crewed flight to the United States’ first space station, Skylab.
