Monthly Current Affairs Capsule October 2018 [ 1 ] The 46th edition of Cervantino International Festival, to be held in Mexico, will see India participating as a guest of honour. The festival, started in 1953 with a focus on theatre, had India participating regularly since 1979. International Day of Older Persons: 1 October However, it will be India's first time as a guest of The International honour country. Day of Older Persons is observed Interpol chief resigns amid detention in China on October 1 each The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) year. received the resignation of its Chinese president Meng On Hongwei, who was missing since over a week. December Senior Vice-President of Interpol's Executive 14, 1990 Committee, Kim Jong Yang of South Korea, will be the United instated as the acting president. Nations General Assembly voted to establish October The General Assembly Session, to be held in Dubai 1 as the International Day of Older Persons as from November 18 to 21 will elect a new president recorded in Resolution 45/106. for the remaining two years of the president's term. Theme for the year 2018 is “Celebrating Older This comes in the wake of an announcement from Human Rights Champions.” China that Meng had been held in the country and was being probed for his alleged involvement in World Habitat Day 2018: 1 October unspecified criminal activities. World Habitat Day is celebrated annually on the first Monday of October. World Post Day 2018 The event focuses on the state of human settlements World Post Day is celebrated each year on 9 October, the and people’s right to sufficient shelter. anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Postal Union This year theme is “Municipal Solid Waste (UPU) in the Swiss Capital, Bern. It started in 1969. Management”. The theme for 2018 is: “Imagine you are a letter travelling through time. What message do you wish to IBSAMAR-VI kicks off at Simons Town, South Africa convey to your readers?” The sixth edition of IBSAMAR, a joint Multi – National Maritime Exercise between the Indian, Brazilian and South Nikki Haley resigns as US Ambassador to United Nations African Navies, is being held at Simons Town, South Africa US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley resigned from 01 – 13 Oct 18. directly to President Donald Trump. The last edition of IBSAMAR (IBSAMAR V) was Nikki Haley served as US Ambassador to the United conducted off Goa, from 19 – 26 Feb 16. Nations since 2017. The aim of the exercise is to undertake collective At United Nations, she has been a vocal critic of training for participating navies, building Russia and a supporter of US sanctions. interoperability and mutual understanding as well as President Trump has categorically stated that Nikki sharing of best practices. Haley will continue as the US Ambassador to the United Nations till the end of the year. India moves up to 28th rank in govt e-payment adoption India's overall ranking on the government's adoption of e- India ranks 147th in Oxfam world inequality index payments has moved up to 28th in 2018, from 36th in 2011. India has been ranked among the bottom 10 countries in a new The country holds the top ranking on B2G and G2B worldwide indexon the commitment of different nations to transactions, and comes third on C2G transactions reduce inequalities in their populations. jointly with Argentina. UK-based charity Oxfam International's Norway leads the pack in the 73-country ranking, 'Commitment to Reducing Inequality (CRI) Index' followed by France and Denmark. ranks India 147th among 157 countries. The index is topped by Denmark, based on its high India to be guest of honour at Mexico's international and progressive taxation, high social spending and cultural fest good protection of workers. [ 2 ] Japanese Passport Named As The World's Most Powerful enhancing a resilient international financial Passport architecture, financing infrastructure development, Replacing the Singaporean passport, the Japanese passport has progress on compact with Africa as well as been declared the most powerful passport across the world in streamlining of the GPFI process. 2018. According to 2018 Henley Passport Index, the people International Day For Disaster Reduction: 13 October having Japanese passport can travel without a visa or The International Day for Disaster Reduction (IDDR) can get an on-arrival visa across 190 countries. encourages every citizen and government to take part in The passport of Singapore allows visa-free or on- building more disaster-resilient communities and nations. arrival visa travel to 189 countries. The United Nations General Assembly designated India, meanwhile, stands at a far 81st number - which October 13 as the International Day for Natural grants access to 60 destinations. Disaster Reduction. The theme for the year 2018 is “Reducing the Sushma Swaraj Participates In 17th CHG Meeting Of SCO economic loss of disasters”. In Tajikistan External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will be participating India Ranked At 115 in World Bank's Human Capital in the 17th Council of Heads of Government, CHG, meeting of Index Report the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to be held in The government has rejected the findings of the World Bank's Dushanbe, Tajikistan on 11th to 12th of this month. Human Capital Index (HCI), which has placed the country at This will be the second CHG meeting since India 115th position out of 157 countries on various parameters. became a full member of SCO in June 2017. Overall, India was ranked 115 among 157 countries. The leaders will be discussing prospects for further That’s much below its Asian peers, including China development of SCO and will exchange in-depth ranked 46, Indonesia (87), Malaysia (55). views on current international and regional issues. Singapore was ranked number one in the world followed by Japan, Hong Kong and Finland. Raksha Mantri Addresses on ‘India-France Defence Engagement in a Multipolar World’ in Paris India Ranks 103rd Among 119 Countries In Global Hunger Raksha Mantri Smt Nirmala Index Sitharaman is on maiden The Global Hunger Index report 2018 released on October 11 official visit to France on the is the thirteenth edition. invitation of French Defence Welt hunger life and Concern Worldwide has been Minister Ms Florence Parly issuing reports on hunger levels in the world since from October 10 - 13, 2018. 2006. Smt Sitharaman The main area of focus for this year’s report has been addressed ‘India- “Forced Migration and Hunger”. France Defence Engagement in a Multipolar World’ Of the 119 countries surveyed, India ranks at a dismal at the Institute of Strategic Research (IRSEM) in 103 with GHI score being 31.1. Paris. Belarus ranked first in this year’s index. In her speech, she said that her visit is a reaffirmation of India’s commitment to the strategic partnership International conference on the future of the Indian Ocean with France, especially in the critical areas of defence held in Colombo cooperation. “The Indian Ocean: Defining our Future” Conference was held On October 11, 2018 at Temple Trees, in Colombo, Sri G-20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Lanka. Meeting held in Bali It is aimed to explore strongest challenges in The Final G-20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors the Indian Ocean region. Meeting under the 2018 Argentine Presidency and the final The inaugural address of the Conference was BRICS Deputies Meeting under the 2018 South African delivered by President Maithripala Chairmanship were held on 11th -12th October 2018 in Bali, Sirisena while Prime Minister Ranil Indonesia on the sidelines of the IMF/Fund Bank Annual Wickremesinghe delivered the keynote address. Meetings. The deliberations in the G-20 FMCBG meeting World Students' Day: 15 October centered on key risks facing the global economy, [ 3 ] World Students' Day is observed to mark the birthday of A. P. According to a World Health Organization report, India is the J. Abdul Kalam. It is observed on Kalam's birthday, 15 world’s most depressed country, closely followed by China and October. the US. In 2015 the United Nations declared 15 October According to the 2015-16 National Mental Health "World Students' Day". Survey (NMHS), every sixth person in India needs Dr. Kalam was the 11th president of India. mental health help of some sort. At least 6.5 per cent of the Indian population suffer Naidu to visit Brussels for 12th ASEM summit from some form of the serious mental disorder. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu will be on a three-day visit to Belgium later this week to attend the 12th Asia-Europe Indian SMEs Delegation participates in 8th European Meeting (ASEM) summit. SMEs Congress in Poland Naidu will lead an Indian delegation to the summit, A delegation of 32 Indian SMEs led by Ms. Alka Arora, Joint scheduled to be held on October 18-19 in Brussels. Secretary, Ministry of MSME,is participating in the 8th The theme of this year's ASEM summit is 'Global European Congress on SMEs at Kotawice, Poland. Partners for Global Challenges'. Inaugurating the event, Ms. Alka Arora said India is home to more than 60 million MSMEs, which have World Food Day: 16 October the ability and capability to access international World Food Day is a day of action dedicated to tackling global markets and work as ancillaries to larger international hunger. firms. The theme of World Food Day 2018 is ‘Our actions These MSMEs provide livelihood to more than 100 are our future – A zero hunger world by 2030 is million people and create value for the entire global possible’. community. Speaking on the World Food Day, Minister of Ms.