Current Affairs November 15 2018

We are here for you to provide the important Current Affairs November 15 2018, which have unique updates of all daily events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

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 INDIAN AFFAIRS

Overview of First Lady of Republic of Korea’s 4-day visit to India
i. On November 4, 2018, First Lady of the Republic of Korea Mrs. Kim Jung-sook arrived in New Delhi to start her 4-day visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
ii. On November 6, 2018, Her Excellency Mrs. Kim Jung-sook arrived at the Amausi Airport in Lucknow. The “Deepotsav” was organized by the State Government of Uttar Pradesh and was a first where a foreign dignitary attended Diwali celebrations.
iii. On the Sidelines of her visit the following MOUs were signed

• Ministry of Tourism signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Government for the Republic of Korea for strengthening cooperation in the field of Tourism.
• India and South Korea signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in sports……………………………………Click here to Read more

UNICEF- Atal Tinkering Lab Hackthon launched jointly by NITI Aayog and UNICEF on Children’s Day 2018
On November 14, 2018, NITI Aayog and UNICEF launched UNICEF- Atal Tinkering LabHackthon to commemorate Children’s Day.

Objective:
To encourage children towards making new innovations.
Key Points:
i. It is a 72-hour problem solving quest whose winners will be announced on 20th of November.
ii. This is a part of the Atal Tinkering Labs and Atal Innovation Mission.
Other News:
i. During the Children’s Day Week, from November 14- 20 2018, AIM and UNICEF are jointly seeking linkages to create a platform of innovation.
Background:
♦ On October 2, 2017, AIM’s Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) launched 6-month long nationwide challenge called the Atal Tinkering Marathon, across six different thematic areas, namely, clean energy, water resources, waste management, healthcare, smart mobility and agri-technology.
♦ Among over 650 innovations, 30 were chosen and everal prizes including a three month-long ATL Student Innovator Program in partnership with industry and start-up incubators.
♦ Children’s Day: November 14.
♦ World Children’s Day: November 20.

Union Minister Mahesh Sharma Inaugurates 38th India International Trade Fair in New Delhi
On 14^th November 2018, the 38th edition of India International Trade Fair (IITF) was inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Culture, Mahesh Sharma at Pragati Maidan, in New Delhi.

Key Points:
i. Theme of the 38^th IITF was: ‘Rural Enterprises in India’. The event will take place for 14 days. It will end on 27^th November 2018.
ii. For the 38^th IITF, Afghanistan is the Partner Country. Nepal is the Focus Country. Jharkhand is the Partner State.
iii. Nearly, 800 participants from various States, government departments and domestic and international companies are taking part in the IITF to display their products.
iv. IITF will act as a platform for all kind of businesses to exhibit their excellence and services to trade, industry and public.
Some wildlife sanctuaries in Delhi:
♦ Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary
♦ Najafgarh drain bird sanctuary

Union Agriculture Minister launched NCDC’s new scheme to promote young entrepreneurs in cooperatives
On November 14, 2018, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh launched of a scheme named “Yuva Sahakar-Cooperative Enterprise Support and Innovation Scheme”.
This scheme was launched while inaugurating the 65th All India Cooperative Week organised by the National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI) in New Delhi.
Objective:
To provide cheaper loans to startups in the cooperative sector.
Key Points:
i. This scheme will be implemented by National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC)  by linking it to Rs 1000 crore ‘Cooperative Start-up and Innovation Fund (CSIF) created by it.
ii. This schemes would provide term loans with 2% less than the applicable rate of interest to projects costing up to Rs 3 crore including 2 years moratorium on payment of principal.
iii. General category projects would be provided 70% of the project cost whereas special catergories would be getting a up to 80% of the project cost.
iv. Hence more incentives will be provided for cooperatives of North Eastern region, Aspirational Districts and cooperatives with women or SC or ST or PwD members.
v. This is a part of Sahakar 22, a Mission for Doubling Farmers’ Income by 2022, embarked on by NCDC.
National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC):
♦ Headquarters: New Delhi.
♦ MD: Shri. Sundeep Kumar Nayak.

Rs 75 coin to be issued by government to mark 75th anniversary of Tricolour hoisting by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose
On November 14, 2018, the Ministry of Finance issued a notification regarding the release of the Rs 75 coin to commemorate 75th anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose hoisting the Tricolour for the first time at Port Blair in Andaman Nicober Islands.

About the physical features of the coin:
i. It will weigh 35 grams.
ii. The composition of the coin is as follows:

• 50 per cent silver,
• 40 per cent copper, and
• 5 per cent each of nickel and zinc.

iii. It will have the portrait of ‘Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’ saluting the flag on the background of Cellular Jail in Port Blair.
iv. A numeral 75th along with inscription “anniversary” will be depicted below the portrait.
v. It will carry an inscription saying ‘First Flag Hoisting Day’ in both Devnagari script and English.
Background:
On December 30, 1943, Bose had hoisted the Tricolour for the first time at Cellular Jail, Port Blair.
Finance Ministry:
♦ Union Minister: Shri Arun Jaitley.
♦ Minister of State: Shri Shiv Pratap Shukla, Shri P. Radhakrishnan

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Overview of 3-day visit of Vice President of India to France
i. On November 9, 2018, Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu embarked on a 3-day visit to France.
ii. On November 10, 2018, he also inaugurated the Indian Armed Forces Memorial at Villers-Guislain town to commemorate  the contribution of the soldiers to the freedom of France in the World War I.
iii. On November 11, 2018, the centenary ceremony of Armistice Day was held at Arc de Triomphe. It was presided over by French President, Emmanuel Macron.
iv. India also participated in Paris Peace Forum, which took place in Paris from 11-13 November 2018, as a part of the Armistice Centenary. This year a total of 120 projects under the 5 themes were selected of which 5 were from India.

• ACT project by Earth5R
• Zero-budget Natural Farming by Govt. of Andhra Pradesh
• Decentralized electricity network
• Network of Southern Think Thanks
• STAR C (Solar Technology Application Resource-Centre) by International Solar Alliance………………………………..Click here to Read more

India to top US as 2nd-largest carbon emitter from power: International Energy Agency
On November 13, 2018, according to the report by the International Energy Agency titled ‘World Energy Outlook’, India would surpass US as the 2^nd biggest emitter of carbon dioxide from the power sector in the world after China.

Highlights:
i. India’s growing energy demand is the reason for the title which is expected to be achieved before 2030.
ii. Further there will be a rise of nearly 80 per cent by 2040 as power use almost triples due to the growth of  air conditioning in the country.
iii. Two-thirds of India’s households are projected to own an air conditioning unit over that period, a 15-fold increase from the present scenario.
iv. Also the demand for cooling is set to increase by as much as 700 per cent over the period.
v. But even with this power demand, India’s per-capita electricity consumption will remain one of the world’s lowest.
vi.Globally, India and Southeast Asia combined are the growth centers for coal-fired power, with demand more than doubling over the period to 2040.
vii. Whereas, developed nations including Canada, Germany and the UK are in the attempt to phase out coal for power generation.
International Energy Agency:
♦ Headquarters: Paris, France.
♦ Executive Director: Dr Fatih Birol.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

ISPRL and ADNOC signed MOU for storage of Crude Oil at Padur Underground Facility in Karnataka
On November 12, 2018, Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Ltd (ISPRL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) in Abu Dhabi.

i. This MOU was signed on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC).
ii. Under the MoU, ADNOC is expected to store crude in compartments at Padur. 
iii. The ISPRL’s underground oil storage facility at Padur in Karnataka has a  2.5 million tonne capacity.
iv. The MOU follows the arrival, on November 4, of the final shipment of the initial delivery of ADNOC crude in ISPRL underground facility at Mangalore, storing 5.86 million barrels of ADNOC crude oil.
Other News:
i. ISPRL has already built 5.33 million tonnes of underground storage capacity at three locations – Visakhapatnam (1.33 million tonnes), Mangalore(1.5 million tonnes) and Padur (2.5 million tonnes), that can meet around 9.5 days of the country’s oil needs.
ii. Additionally, the government of India, in June 2018, announced the creation of 2 new reserves:

• a 4 million tonnes storage facility at Chandikholin the eastern state of Odisha and
• an additional 2.5 million-tonne facility at Padur.

Background:
ADNOC is the only foreign oil and gas company, so far, to invest by way of crude oil in India’s strategic petroleum reserves program.
♦ ADNOC Group CEO: Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber (Aslo UAE Minister of State )
♦ ISPRL CEO & MD: Mr. HPS Ahuja.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Six winners of Infosys Prize 2018 for science and research announced
On November 13, 2018, Six eminent professors were selected for the Infosys Prize 2018 across different categories of science and research.
i. The Infosys Prize seeks to honour the efforts of some of the brightest scientists and researchers and is given by Infosys Science Foundation (ISF).
ii. A six-member jury of renowned scientists and professors selected the winners from 244 nominations received in six categories.
iii. The annual award includes a pure gold medal, a citation and a prize purse worth Rs. 65 lakhs.
iv. The Awardees are:

Infosys Science Foundation (ISF):
♦ Headquarters: Bengaluru.
♦ Chairman: Nandan Nilekani.
♦ President:  K Dinesh.

Lionel Messi wins 6th La Liga Player of the Year award (football)
On 12^th November 2018, Barcelona forward Lionel Messi was declared La Liga league’s best player of the 2017-18 campaign, by Marca at an awards ceremony in Barcelona, Spain.

Key Points:
i. The award was presented at Marca’s football awards for the 2017-18 season. Marca is a Spanish national daily sport newspaper.
ii. Lionel Messi also won the Pichichi Trophy given to the top scorer in La Liga each year. He also won the Di Stefano trophy, awarded to the best player of the season.
iii. Other award winners are:

• Zamora trophy (Goalkeeper of the year ) – Jan Oblak
• Zarra award (for the top Spanish scorer) – Iago Aspas
• Miguel Munoz trophy (for La Liga’s best coach) – Marcelino
• Guruceta trophy (for La Liga’s best referee) – Carlos Del Cerro Grande

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

Sadananda Gowda, Narendra Singh Tomar given charge of Ananth Kumar’s portfolios
On November 13 2018, Union Ministers DV Sadananda Gowda and Narendra Singh Tomar were assigned additional portfolios of the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers and the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs due to the sudden demise of Union Minister and Karnataka BJP leader Ananth Kumar.

i. Ananth Kumar, a Union Minister died at a private hospital on November 12 2018 due to severity of lung cancer.So Union Ministers DV Sadananda Gowda and Narendra Singh Tomar were assigned the additional portfolios which were earlier held by Ananth Kumar.

Apple appoints Nokia veteran Ashish Chowdhary as its India operation head
On 13^th November 2018, Apple appointed Ashish Chowdhary as its India operation head.

Key Points:
i. Ashish Chowdhary is Chief Customer Operations Officer at Nokia Networks. He will leave Nokia Networks at the end of 2018.
ii. He will take charge as Apple’s India operation head in January 2019. He has 25 years of international experience in the enterprise and telecom sectors.
iii. He has held various positions in Nokia Networks such as Chief Business Officer, Head of Asia Middle East and Africa, Head of Global Services Business Unit, etc.
About Apple:
♦ CEO – Tim Cook
♦ Headquarters – California, United States

Abhay Thakur appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the Federal Republic of Nigeria
On 12^th November 2018, Abhay Thakur was appointed the next High Commissioner of India to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Key Points:
i. Abhay Thakur is an Indian Foreign Service Officer (IFS) of 1992 batch. At present, he is the High Commissioner of India to Mauritius.
ii. He has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He will replace B.N.Reddy. He will take up this assignment soon.
About Nigeria or the Federal Republic of Nigeria:
♦ Capital – Abuja
♦ Currency – Naira
♦ Official language – English
♦ President – Muhammadu Buhari

Flipkart Group CEO Binny Bansal resigned with immediate effect
On November 14, 2018, Binny Bansal , CEO of  Flipkart, the Indian e-commerce giant group resigned from the post.
i. His resignation was accepted with immediate effect due to an allegation of ‘serious personal misconduct’.
ii. Kalyan Krishnamurthy will continue to be the CEO of the e-commerce company.
iii. Ananth Narayanan, who is the CEO of Myntra and Jabong, will continue in those roles and will now report to Krishnamurthy.
Background:
In May 2018, Walmart paid $16 billion for a roughly 77-percent stake in Flipkart .
Flipkart:
Headquarters: Bengaluru.

Vinod Dasari, CEO and MD of Ashok Leyland stepped down
On November 13, 2018, Vinod Dasari, CEO and MD of Ashok Leyland announced his resignation from the company citing personal reasons.
i. He will continue his office till 31 March 2019.
ii. He has served the company 14 years of his professional career.
iii. Earlier, he was the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the company after which he was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director.
iv.Upon his resignation, the board of the company assigned Dheeraj Hinduja to step in as executive chairman (EC) with immediate effect.
v. Dheeraj Hinduja was the Chairman of the company prior to this appointment.
Ashok Leyland:
Headquarters: Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

ISRO successfully launch GSLV Mk III-D2 carrying GSAT-29 satellite
On 14^th November 2018, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched its latest communication satellite GSAT-29, which was put in Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit by India’s 5^th generation heavy-lift rocket Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III D2 (GSLV-Mk III D2).

Key Points:
i. GSLV Mk III D2 was launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. This was the second successful developmental flight for GSLV Mark III, which is considered ISRO’s most powerful rocket.
ii. GSLV Mark III is India’s heaviest launch vehicle. GSAT (Geo synchronous Satellite) -29 is the heaviest satellite launched in orbit by an Indian launch vehicle.
iii. GSAT-29 satellite weighs 3423 kg. It carries Ka and Ku band high throughput transponders that will provide communication services to remote places in the North East and Jammu and Kashmir.
iv. GSLV Mark III D2 placed the satellite in the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit in a little over 16 minutes after the lift off.
v. The satellite will be placed in its final Geostationary Orbit using the onboard propulsion system within few days after separation from launcher to reach the orbital slot.
vi. The satellite has high resolution camera and optical communication payloads. GSLV Mark III has been designed to carry 4 ton class satellites into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit.
vii. The launch vehicle will be deployed for Chandrayan 2 and India’s first manned mission to space.

SPORTS

Odisha government signs MoU with AIFF to host national camps, become home of Indian Arrows
On 12^th November 2018, Odisha government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with All India Football Federation (AIFF) to host National team camps and become the home of the I-League side Indian Arrows.

Key Points:
i. The MoU between AIFF and Odisha government was signed at the Kalinga Stadium complex in ‎Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
ii. The training and related infrastructure like gymnasiums, swimming pool, etc, will be set up at the Kalinga Stadium Complex.
iii. The Indian Under-15 National team and AIFF’s development side Indian Arrows, consisting of Indian Under-17 World Cup players, have been using the infrastructure.
About All India Football Federation (AIFF):
♦ President – Praful M Patel
♦ Location – New Delhi

Pacer Munaf Patel announces retirement from all forms of competitive cricket
On 9^th November 2018, Indian fast bowler Munaf Patel announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.
Key Points:
i. Munaf Patel is 35 years old. He has expressed interest in taking up a coaching career.
ii. He made his debut for India in March 2006. He has played 13 Tests, 70 ODIs and 3 T20Is for India. He was part of the 2011 World Cup winning team.
iii. In test cricket he had taken 35 wickets at an average of 38.54. In ODI cricket he had taken 86 wickets in 67 innings at an average of 30.26 and strike rate of 36.6.
iv. He had 173 wickets in 140 List A matches and 101 wickets in 97 T20 matches. He played for the Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians in the IPL (Indian Premier League).
v. During his career (April 2006 to September 2011), he was the third-highest wicket-taker for India in ODI cricket.
vi. His bowling average was the second-best for an Indian bowler (min. bowling innings 40) during this period.

Football: Former England and Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole retires
On 13^th November 2018, former England midfielder Joe Cole announced his retirement from football.

Key Points:
i. Joe Cole is 37 years old. He has planned to pursue coaching after retirement. He has made 716 professional appearances.
ii. He has scored 104 goals for 7 clubs. He has capped 56 times for England. He made his international debut at the age of 19 in 1999 with the Hammers club.
iii. He has played for clubs like West Ham, Chelsea, Liverpool, etc. He helped Chelsea win their first championship in 50 years in 2004-05.

OBITUARY

Eminent Odia singer Chitta Jena passes away in Cuttack
On 13^th November 2018, Odia singer Chitta Jena died following a short term illness in Cuttack, Odisha.

Key Points:
i. Chitta Jena was 76 years old. He was popular for his versatility and talent. He made his debut as a playback singer in 1974 in the movie Mana Akasha.
ii. He awarded Prafulla Kar Samman for his remarkable achievement in the field of music.
iii. His popular songs are: Mo Priya Tharu Kiye Adhika Sundara, Rupa Heithiba Labanyabati’, Udi Gale Gendalia and Ki Sundara Aaha Ki Aananda Maya.
Some important wildlife sanctuaries in Odisha:
♦ Baisipalli Wildlife Sanctuary
♦ Balimela Wildlife Sanctuary
♦ Balukhand-Konark Wildlife Sanctuary

IMPORTANT DAYS

Children’s Day: India remembers first PM of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on his 129th birth anniversary
On 14^th November 2018, Children’s day was celebrated in India to commemorate the first prime minister of independent India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s 129^th birth anniversary.
Key Points:
i. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was born on November 14, 1889 in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. He was very fond of children. He was fondly called Chacha Nehru.
ii. Before 1964, Children’s day was celebrated in India on November 20, which is the universal Children’s Day declared by the United Nations.
iii. After the death of Jawaharlal Nehru on May 27, 1964, India decided to celebrate his birthday as Bal Diwas (Children’s Day) to honour him.
iv. Leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to Jawaharlal Nehru and remembered his contribution to India’s freedom struggle.

World Diabetes Day – November 14
On 14^th November 2018, World Diabetes Day was observed throughout the world.

Key Points:
i. When: The World Diabetes Day is observed every year on November 14 led by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF).
ii. This day marks the birthday of Frederick Banting who, along with Charles Best and John James Rickard Macleod, conceived the idea that led to the discovery of insulin in 1922.
iii. This day aims to create awareness on diabetes mellitus. Diabetes mellitus results in high sugar in the blood (high blood glucose).
iv. Theme: for World Diabetes Day 2018 and 2019 is “The Family and Diabetes”. Also, the month of November is Diabetes Awareness Month.
About International Diabetes Federation (IDF):
♦ President – Prof Nam Cho
♦ Executive Office – Brussels, Belgium

Indian Army observes Vigilance Awareness Week – 29th October to 3rd November 2018
From 29^th October to 3^rd November 2018 ‘Vigilance Awareness Week’ was observed by Indian Army regarding maintaining core values of honesty and integrity in the organization.
Key Points:
i. During the Vigilance Awareness Week various events like workshops, seminars, lectures, competitions and pledge of Integrity towards organization were conducted across India.
ii. On 29^th October 2018, the Vigilance Awareness Week started with the pledge of Integrity towards the organization by various Directorates at Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Army).
iii. The theme of Vigilance Awareness Week 2018 was “Eradicate Corruption-Build a New India”.
iv. All departments conducted activities related to the theme to promote ethical practices and encourage a culture of honesty and integrity.
About Indian Army:
♦ Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) – General Bipin Rawat
♦ Headquarters – New Delhi

West Bengal Observes ‘Rosogolla Day’ On November 14
On 14^th November 2018, West Bengal observed ‘Rosogolla Day’ to commemorate the first anniversary of receiving Geographical Indication or GI tag for West Bengal’s famous sweet Rosogolla as ‘Bengal’s Rosogolla’.
i. The decision to observe ‘Rosogolla Day’ on November 14 was made by West Bengal government.
ii. On this day, various varieties of rosogollas were displayed in stalls of ‘Mishti Hub’ (Sweetmeat Hub), in Eco Park, Kolkata. A discussion on the history of Rosogolla was also held.