VINTAGE

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF NOVEMBER 9^th , 2018

                       IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF NOVEMBER 9^th, 2018

1.      India  participated in Moscow-format meeting on Afghanistan.

a.       This meeting was hosted by Russia.  

b.       The representatives of the Afghan Taliban radical movement were present in the meeting.

c.       India sent two former diplomats to the meeting. 

d.       The Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that India supports all efforts at peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan that will preserve unity and plurality.

2.      In a bid to boost tourism, Thailand's cabinet has approved a measure to temporarily waive the visa-on-arrival fees for visitors from India and 20 other countries.

3.      (9th November) is National Legal Services Day.

a.       This day was first started by the Supreme Court in the year 1995 all across the India to offer help and support to the weaker and poor group of sections of people (women, disabled persons, Scheduled Tribes, children, Scheduled Castes, human trafficking victims as well as natural calamities victims).

b.       Minister of Law and Justice - Ravi Shankar Prasad

4.      Union Cabinet has approved setting up of Central Tribal University in Andhra Pradesh. 

a.       The proposed university will come up after necessary amendment in the Central Universities Act, 2009.

5.      Chinese press agency Xinhua today unveiled the 1st ever AI-based anchor in the World that can read the news in English and Chinese. 

a.       The system, developed with Beijing-based search engine operator Sogou, produces realistic-looking speech, lip movements and facial expressions.

6.      Marathi actor Jayant Sawarkar will be honored with the Maharashtra government’s Natvarya Prabhakar Panshikar Lifetime Achievement award in the field of theatre. 

a.       Tabla artist Vinayak Thorat will be honored with the Sangeet Acharya Annasaheb Kirloskar Lifetime Achievement Award. 

b.       Both the awards consist of cash prizes of Rs 5 lakh, citation and memento each. 

7.      The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved strategic disinvestment of 100% Government of India’s shares in Dredging Corporation of India Limited (DCIL) to consortium of four ports. 

a.       The consortium of four ports consists of :

i)       Vishakhapatnam Port Trust (Andhra Pradesh)

ii)     Paradeep Port Trust (Odisha)

iii)   Jawahar Lal Nehru Port Trust (Maharashtra) 

iv)   Kandla Port Trust (Gujarat)

b)     Note : As of now, the Central Government holds 73.44% shares in DCIL.

8.      The cabinet also approved the filling of Padur Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR) at Padur, Karnataka by overseas National Oil Companies (NOCs). 

a.       The SPR facility at Padur is an underground rock cavern with a total capacity of 2.5 million metric tonnes (MMT) having four compartments of 0.625 MMT each. 

b.       The filling of the SPR under PPP model is being undertaken to reduce budgetary support of Government of India.

9.      The union cabinet today approved Agreement between India and Morocco on Mutual Legal Assistance in Civil and Commercial Matters. 

a.       The Agreement will be beneficial for citizens of both the countries. 

b.       It will also fulfill desire of both countries to strengthen bonds of friendship and fruitful cooperation in Civil and Commercial matters. 

10. State-run Allahabad Bank today announced that it will receive a capital infusion of ₹3,054 crore from the government. 

a.       Note : The bank received ₹1,790 crore as capital from the government in July this year. 

11. Indian-American Sikh businessman Harry Singh Sidhu has been elected as the Mayor of the Anaheim city in California, US. 

a.       With this, Sidhu became  the 1st Sikh Mayor of Anaheim.