23 October 2018 - Daily Current Affairs


23 October 2018 - Daily Current Affairs

23 October 2018 - Daily Current Affairs

1. China unveils world's longest sea-crossing bridge linking Hong Kong - Macau -Zhuhai

  • China's President Xi Jinping has officially opened the world's longest sea-crossing bridge connecting Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China.
  • The bridge connects Hong Kong to Macau and the mainland Chinese city of Zhuhai.  
  • The bridge spans 55km including its access roads and has cost about USD 20bn.
  •  About 30km of its total length crosses the sea of the Pearl River delta.
  • To allow ships through, a 6.7km section in the middle dips into an undersea tunnel that runs between two artificial islands.
  • The bridge, designed to withstand earthquakes and typhoons, was built using 400,000 tonnes of steel, enough to build 60 Eiffel Towers.

National Affairs

2. 3rd Himachal Pradesh Science Congress begins in Mandi

  • The two-day Himachal Pradesh Science Congress (3rd) has begun at Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), Mandi to boost to rural innovation sector.
  • During the event, scientists and researchers will discuss recent progress and future trends in technologies relevant for rural transformation.
  • The theme of Himachal Pradesh Science Congress is "Rural Upliftment through Science and Technology Interventions".
Note:
  • The HPSC event was jointly organized by Himachal Pradesh Council for Science, Technology, and Environment (HIMCOSTE) and IIT, Mandi.

3. India 9th most valuable nation brand in the world

  • According to the Nation Brands 2018 report by Brand Finance, India is the 9th most valuable nation brand (last year it’s rank – 8th) in the world.
  • India's brand value is USD 2,159 billion in 2018.
  • US topped in the list with a brand value of USD 25,899 billion.
Note:
  • Brand Finance measures the strength and value of the national brands of 100 leading countries using a method based on the royalty relief mechanism employed to value the world’s largest companies.

4. India's first railway station inside the tunnel to come up in Himachal Pradesh

  • A railway station will be built inside a tunnel at a height of 3,000 meters, on the strategic Bilaspur-Manali-Leh line close to the Sino-India border.
  • The Keylong station in Himachal Pradesh will be the first on the railway network to be inside a tunnel, Once completed.
  • Keylong (26 km from Manali) is the administrative center of Lahaul and Spiti district and 120 km from the Indo-Tibetan border.

5. 'Padmaavat' officially selected at 2018 Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival

  • Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum opus "Padmaavat" has been officially selected for 2018 Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival 2018.
  • The film is Bhansali's re-imagining of the story of Queen Padmavati, her king-consort Maha Rawal Ratan Singh and Sultan Alauddin Khilji.
  • Actors Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, and Ranveer Singh featured in the movie, which was 2018's first blockbuster.

6. Maharashtra Govt. proposes to extend benefits of Employees Provident Fund

  • The Maharashtra Govt. has to extend benefits of Employees Provident Fund (EPF) as well as insurance schemes to those cutting, harvesting and transporting sugarcane.
  • The state has around eight lakh laborers engaged in these works in 168 cooperative and private sugar factories.
  • It has been proposed to extend benefits of EPF, insurance schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, financial assistance for children's education and housing to these laborers.

7. India’s longest bridge to be built across the Brahmaputra river

  • India’s longest river bridge will be built across the Brahmaputra, connecting Dhubri (in Assam) to Phulbari (in Meghalaya).
  • The 19.3 km (four-lane bridge) will be built by 2026-27, cut road travel by 203 km as also travel time.
  • At present, vehicles take an over-200 km-long detour using the Naranarayan Bridge.
  • The new bridge will complete the missing link of NH127B from Assam to Meghalaya.

8. Gwalior hosts four-day International Dance Festival

  • Uzbekistan Ambassador to India Farhod Arziev has inaugurated a four-day international dance festival "Udbhav Utsav -2018" in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.
  • Dance troupes from India (25 teams), Bulgaria, Turkey, and Sri Lanka are taking apart in the event.
  • The main objective of the competition-festival is to give the opportunity to performers for creative communications, to present new talents and to facilitate acquaintance with pieces of national culture and arts in different countries.
  • An initiative to establish peace and love in the world! One Spirit and One Religion!

Banking & Finance

9. IFC launches USD 1 Billion masala bond programme in the US & Europe

  • International Finance Corporation (IFC) has launched its USD 1 billion masala bond programme in the US and Europe.
  • These bonds are aimed at funding the rapidly expanding investment activities of IFC in India.
  • Masala bonds are bonds issued outside India but denominated in Indian Rupees.
  • IFC uses them to raise rupee funds overseas and brings the proceeds to India for investments. 
Note:
  • Masala (means spices) term was used by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to evoke the culture and cuisine of India.
  • The first Masala bond was issued by the World Bank-backed IFC in November 2014 when it raised 1,000 crore bonds to fund infrastructure projects in India.

Sports

10. French Open Badminton tournament begins in Paris today

  • French Open Badminton tournament has begun in Paris, France.
  • Ace Indian shuttlers, including defending champion Kidambi Srikanth, PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal will be eying their first major title of the year.
  • Srikanth and Saina along with B Sai Praneeth and Sameer Verma are scheduled to begin their Singles campaigns tomorrow.
  • Today, The Men's Doubles pair of Arjun MR and Ramchandran Shlok will play their opening round match.

11. Serbia wins 2018 Women’s Volleyball World Championship

  • The Serbian women earned their 2nd World Championship medal, and first-ever World Championship title, on in Yokohama, Japan.
  • It claimed the title for the first time in history at the Volleyball Women's World Championship after edging Italy 3-2 here Saturday, while China hammered the Netherlands in straight sets to get a bronze.

12. Bajarang punia bagged silver at Wrestling World Championship

  • Wrestler Bajrang Punia settles for silver after losing to Japanese Takuto Otoguro ((19-years) in 65 kg category in the final at the World Wrestling Championship in Budapest.
  • Otoguro consistently attacked the left leg of Punia and emerged a comfortable 16-9 winner.
  • Now, Otoguru became Japan's youngest World Champion at the age of 19.
  • Sushil Kumar is the lone Indian to win a gold medal at the World Championships, achieving the feat in 2010 in Moscow in the 66kg category.

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