16 October 2018 - Daily Current Affairs

16 October 2018 - Daily Current Affairs

1. World Food Day being observed today

• The ‘World Food Day’ is observed every year globally on 16th October to mark the foundation of Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations in 1945.
• The Theme for 2018 World Food Day is “OUR ACTIONS ARE OUR FUTURE. A #ZERO HUNGER WORLD BY 2030 IS POSSIBLE”.

Note: FAO is an agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Its parent organization is UN Economic and Social Council (UNESC).

Obituaries

2. Microsoft co-founder, philanthropist Paul Allen passes away

• The co-founder of Microsoft, Paul G. Allen (65-year) passed away due to cancer in Seattle, Washington.
• Paul had helped usher in the personal computing revolution and then channeled his enormous fortune into transforming Seattle into a cultural destination.
• In 1982, he left Microsoft.
• He was a philanthropist and also the owner of the National Basketball Association's Portland Trail Blazers, the NFL's Seattle Seahawks and had a stake in Seattle's Sounders soccer team.

3. Environmentalist GD Agarwal passes away

• Environmentalist G.D. Agarwal (86-year) passed away after a heart attack in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand.
• Professor Agarwal was on a fast for the last 111 days demanding a clean Ganga.
• He was a former IIT-Kanpur professor.

National Affairs

4. Defence Minister dedicates a DRDO website to former president APJ Abdul Kalam

• The Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman dedicated a DRDO website 'The Kalam Vision - Dare to Dream' to former president and Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam (87th birth anniversary) in New Delhi.
• The website focuses on subjects such as artificial intelligence, robotics, autonomous systems and cyber-security.
• It will also facilitate an open competition for students and startups, and it is available at drdo.gov.in/drdo/kalam/kalam.html.

5. India International Silk Fair -2018 begins in New Delhi

• The Union Minister of Textiles Smriti Zubin Irani has inaugurated the three-days 6th edition of India International Silk Fair (IISF) at Pragati Maidan.in New Delhi.
• Around 108 exhibitors of silk and blended silk products manufactured in different parts of the countries are displaying their product.
• Over 218 buyers from various countries will participate in the fair.
• India is the 2nd largest producer of silk in the world.
• India International Silk Fair organized by the Indian Silk Export Promotion Council (ISEPC).

6. International Film Festival of Shimla 2018 concludes

• The International Film Festival of Shimla 2018 concluded with "The Fog" by Ali Shoorvarzi and Hoseyn Mahroughi bagging the 'best short film' award.
• The festival has been organized by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in collaboration with Himalayan velocity saw the participation of 23 countries including the US, Russia, Japan, Iran, Dubai, Argentina, Cyprus, Bangladesh, Canada, Israel, France, Australia, Belarus, Nepal.
• A total of 80 international and national films were screened at the festival.

7. RK Singh launches award scheme under 'Saubhagya'

• The Minister of State (IC) for Power and New & Renewable Energy Shri RK Singh has announced an award scheme ‘Saubhagya’ to felicitate the DISCOMs / Power Department of the States and their employees for achieving 100% household electrification in their area of operations.
• Awards would be provided for achieving 100% household electrification at DISCOM/Power Department level of the States.
• Eight States (Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Goa, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Punjab, and Tamil Nadu) which have already achieved more than 99% household electrification prior to the launch of Saubhagya are ineligible for participation under the award scheme.
• All the remaining States and their Discoms are eligible for the award.

Note:

• The Saubhagya Scheme is an Indian government project to provide electricity to all households.
• The project was announced in September 2017 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aim was to complete the electrification process by December 2018.

8. A “Museum on Prime Ministers of India” to be set up in Delhi

• Dr. Mahesh Sharma (Union Minister for Culture) and Shri Hardeep Singh Puri (Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs) jointly laid the Foundation stone for proposed Museum (expected - cost 271 crore rupees) at Teen Murti Estate, in New Delhi.
• The proposed Museum is dedicated to all the Prime Ministers of India.
• It is envisaged to give visitors a holistic understanding of the continued thread of leadership, initiatives and sacrifice that have helped shape our nation since independence.

9. Uttar Pradesh govt changes name of Allahabad city to ‘Prayagraj’

• The Uttar Pradesh government rechristened the name of Allahabad city to its old name of ‘Prayagraj’.
• Now all the departments like Railways and others would be asked to change the name of Allahabad to Prayagraj in their records.
• Earlier, Prayagraj’ name has been accepted by the state government before the coming Kumbh Mela to be held early next year.

10. Harsh Vardhan launches Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi

• The Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan has launched Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi.
• It will provide information three to four days prior to any large-scale air pollution events before the situation gets worse.
• The System is designed to predict extreme air pollution events and give alerts to take necessary steps as per Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) of the Government of India.
• The air pollution system has been developed jointly by the scientists at Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, India Meteorological Department and National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF).

11. Foreign tourists can now visit Andaman & Nicobar Islands without any restrictions

• According to the Home Ministry Source, Now, Foreign tourists can visit Andaman and Nicobar Islands without any restrictions.
•  Home Ministry has modified its earlier order which made it mandatory for Foreigners to register with the Foreigners Registration Officer within 24 hours of their arrival.
• This step has been taken on the suggestion made by the Tourism Ministry to boost the foreign tourist arrivals in the Union Territory.

Honors & Awards

12. Khayyam named for Hridaynath Award for lifetime achievement

• The veteran composer, lyricist and writer Mohammed Zahur Khayyam Hashmi (Known as ‘Khayyam’) has been named for this year’s Hridaynath Award for Lifetime Achievement.
• The award carries a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh, a memento and shawl be conferred by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at a function in Mumbai on 26th October 2018.
• Padma Bhushan Khayyam (91-years), started his music career in Ludhiana in 1943 at the age of 17 and later teamed up as Sharma of the music-director duo‘Sharmaji-Varmaji’ to compose music for films like 'Heer Ranjha' (released 1948).
• In 1981, Khayyam composed music for the sensitive blockbuster film 'Umrao Jaan'.