VINTAGE

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF NOVEMBER 30^th , 2018

              IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF NOVEMBER 30^th, 2018

1.     Konkan 18, a Naval Exercise between India and United Kingdomis being held at Goa. 

a.      The Harbour phase is scheduled from November 28 to November 30, followed by the Sea phase from 2-6 December. 

b.      The KONKAN series of exercises commenced in 2004, and since then has grown in scale. 

c.      This exercise provides a platform to periodically exercise at sea and in harbour, so as to build interoperability and share best practices.

d.      For this edition of exercise, Royal Navy will be represented by HMS Dragon, a Type 45 Class Destroyer equipped with integral Wildcat helicopter.

e.      Indian Navy will be represented by INS Kolkata, the first ship of latest Kolkata class destroyers, equipped with integral Seaking and submarine and maritime patrol aircraft Dornier.

2.     Prime Minister Narendra Modi today met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Argentina with an aim to further boost economic, cultural and energy ties between the two countries. 

a.      The two leaders discussed enhancing Saudi investment in technology, petroleum, renewable energy and defence sectors, among other sectors.

3.     UN cultural agency UNESCO has added 6 new elements into its coveted List of “intangible heritage” for the world to treasure .  

a.      The Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage is meeting until December 1 in Mauritius, inscribing new elements to its much coveted-list. 

b.      They are :

i)      Chidaoba (Georgia’s traditional wrestling). 

ii)    As-Samer (Dancing and singing)

iii) Hurling (Field game from Ireland).

iv)  Reggae (Jamaican music)

v)    Raiho-shin (Japanese rituals used to admonish laziness and teach children good behavior)

vi)  Spring festive rites of Kazakhstan’s horse breeders (End of the old and beginning of a new annual horse-breeding cycle)

4.     The Indian Air Force (IAF) and US Air Force (USAF) are going to participate in bilateral exercise ‘COPE INDIA 2019’ – scheduled to be held during 3rd to 14th December 2019 in West Bengal.  

a.      The bilateral flying training programme will be held at two important airbases in West Bengal – Air Force Station Kalaikunda and Air Force Station Arjan Singh at Panagarh.

5.     The 3 day South Asia Regional Youth Peace Conference was held in New Delhi as part 150th birth anniversary celebrations of father of nation Mahatma Gandhi. 

a.      This conference was inaugurated by Krishna G Kulkarni, great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi.

b.      It was organised by Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti, UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP) and STEP (Standing Together to Enable Peace).

c.      Objective of this conference : To eliminate stereotypes, prejudices across all borders to understand micro-macro aspect of issues, identify common challenges and develop plan of action and to build network of youth leaders.

6.     Indian Railways unveiled a new software titled ‘eDrishti’.

a.      This software will help Union Railway Minister to keep track of punctuality of trains as well as freight and passenger earnings and much more from anywhere in the country. 

b.      The software has been developed by Centre for Railway Information System (CRIS) to help Minister keep track of all information related to Indian Railways, one of the world’s largest rail networks.

7.     With an aim to provide free WiFi service worldwide, Chinese internet technology company LinkSure Network has unveiled plans to launch a constellation of 272 satellites by 2026. 

a.      The company is also going to invest $432 million into the project. 

8.     India and China signed protocol on hygiene and inspection requirements for exports of fish meal, fish oil imports from India to China. 

a.      It was signed as part of discussions between India’s Commerce Ministry and six-member Chinese delegation led by Vice Minister, General Administration of Customs of China, Hu Wei on easing market access for exports of various farm products held in New Delhi.

9.     The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) has announced the creation of a new divisionwithin its Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) segment to list startups. 

a.      Startups seeking listing should have existed for at least two years at the time of filing. 

10.The National Projects Construction Corporation Limited (NPCC) has been conferred with the status of Miniratna : Category –I by the Government of India. 

a.      The empowerment of Miniratna Status to NPCC will help the company in taking speedy decisions by enhancing the delegation of powers to the Board.

11.British-Dutch transnational consumer goods company Unilever's CEO Paul Polman is going to retire on 31st December after serving in the position for a decade. 

a.      Note : Unilever's beauty and personal care division head, Alan Jope is going to replace succeed Polman.

12.Salome Zurabishvili has become the 1st Female President of Georgia. 

a.      The 66-year-old has previously served as a diplomat and Georgia's Foreign Minister.

13.Ex-Team India captain Mohammed Azharuddin has been appointed as the working president of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee. 

14.Telangana based 13-year-old shooter Esha Singh beat the likes of Manu Bhaker and Heena Sidhu to win 3 Gold medals in women's air pistol events at the 62nd National Shooting Championships. 

a.      She won the Women's, Youth Women's and Junior Women's 10m Air Pistol competitions at the event.