Changing the way of learning… Weekly Current Affairs Capsule October 2018 - 3rd Week 1. World Students' Day: 15 October World Students' Day is observed to mark the birthday of A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. It is observed on Kalam's birthday, 15 October. In 2015 the United Nations declared 15 October "World Students' Day". Dr. Kalam was the 11th president of India. 2. Naidu to visit Brussels for 12th ASEM summit Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu will be on a three-day visit to Belgium later this week to attend the 12th Asia- Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit. Naidu will lead an Indian delegation to the summit, scheduled to be held on October 18-19 in Brussels. The theme of this year's ASEM summit is 'Global Partners for Global Challenges'. 3. World Food Day: 16 October World Food Day is a day of action dedicated to tackling global hunger. The theme of World Food Day 2018 is ‘Our actions are our future – A zero hunger world by 2030 is possible’. Speaking on the World Food Day, Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Radha Mohan Singh said that the Indian Council of Agricultural Research takes action to remove the suffering from hunger and ensure food security and a nutritious diet for all. 4. India is 58th most competitive economy in WEF index India has been ranked as the 58th most competitive economy on the World Economic Forum’s global competitiveness index for 2018, which was topped by the US. India’s rank rose by five places from 2017, the largest gain among G20 economies, the WEF said. On the list of 140 economies, the US is followed by Singapore and Germany at the second and the third positions respectively. India was ranked 58th with a score of 62.0 in the latest Global Competitiveness Report. 5. International Day for the Eradication of Poverty: 17 October The United Nations’ (UN) International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is observed on October 17 each year since 1993. It promotes people’s awareness of the need to eradicate poverty and destitution worldwide, particularly in developing countries. This year’s theme is ‘Accelerating global actions for a world without poverty’. 6. India is world’s most depressed country According to a World Health Organization report, India is the world’s most depressed country, closely followed by China and the US. According to the 2015-16 National Mental Health Survey (NMHS), every sixth person in India needs mental health help of some sort. At least 6.5 per cent of the Indian population suffer from some form of the serious mental disorder. 7. Indian SMEs Delegation participates in 8th European SMEs Congress in Poland A delegation of 32 Indian SMEs led by Ms. Alka Arora, Joint Secretary, Ministry of MSME,is participating in the 8th European Congress on SMEs at Kotawice, Poland. Inaugurating the event, Ms. Alka Arora said India is home to more than 60 million MSMEs, which have the ability and capability to access international markets and work as ancillaries to larger international firms. These MSMEs provide livelihood to more than 100 million people and create value for the entire global community. Ms. Arora said, given the impact of MSMEs in India, it is imperative to integrate them now into the global value chain by establishing possible linkages with International partners. Small and Medium Enterprises from around 50 countries are participating in the 3-day event, which will continue till 19th of this month. The main theme of the event is “Business-Self-Government Together for Economy”. 8. Vice President addresses plenary and retreat sessions of 12th ASEM Summit The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has said that terrorism is a major threat to peace and stability, and called for an early conclusion of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. He was addressing the plenary and retreat sessions of the 12th ASEM Summit, with the theme "Global Partners for Global Challenges", in Brussels, Belgium. During his interventions, the Vice President stated that India valued ASEM as a platform that brings together leadership of Asia and Europe to exchange views and address global challenges. 9. World Osteoporosis Day: 20 October World Osteoporosis Day is observed annually on 20 October, and launches a year-long campaign dedicated to raising global awareness of the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis and metabolic bone disease. It is organized by the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF). The theme of World Osteoporosis Day 2018 calls for global action in order to improve bone health and prevent fractures caused by osteoporosis. 10. 7th Meeting of Education Ministers of SCO Member States held in Astana 7th meeting of education ministers of member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was held in Astana, Kazakhstan. Dr. Satya Pal Singh, Minister of State for Human Resource Development, participated on behalf of Government of India. Minister of Education and Science of Kazakhstan Yerlan Sagadiyev chaired the event. 11. India 9th most valuable nation brand in the world India ranked one of the 10 most valuable nation brands in the world. In Brand Finance's annual Nation Brands report, India was ranked 8th last year but slipped by a spot to the 9th rank. India's brand value is $2,159 billion in 2018. Topping the list and maintaining its lead is US with a brand value of $25,899 billion. 12. International Film Festival of Shimla 2018 concludes The International Film Festival of Shimla 2018 concluded with "The Fog" by Ali Shoorvarzi and Hoseyn Mahroughi bagging the 'best short film' award. The festival organised by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in collaboration with Himalayan velocity saw the participation of 23 countries including the US, Russia, Japan, Iran, Dubai, Argentina, Cyprus, Bangladesh, Canada, Israel, France, Australia, Belarus, Nepal. A total of 80 international and national films were screened at the festival. 13. A “Museum on Prime Ministers of India” to be set up in Delhi A “Museum on Prime Ministers of India” is to be set up in Delhi. Union Minister for Culture Dr. Mahesh and Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Shri Hardeep Singh Puri laid the Foundation stone for proposed Museum at Teen Murti Estate, in New Delhi. Shri Hardeep Singh Puri said that the proposed Museum is dedicated to all the Prime Ministers of India and is envisaged to give visitors a holistic understanding of the continued thread of leadership, initiatives and sacrifice that have helped shape our nation since independence.” 14. Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi launched Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi was launched in Delhi by the Union Minister for Earth Sciences and Environment, Dr. Harsh Vardhan. The System is designed to predict extreme air pollution events and give alerts to take necessary steps as per Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) of the Government of India. The air pollution system has been developed jointly by the scientists at Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, India Meteorological Department and National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF). 15. MoU Between ICFRE & Navoday Vidyalaya Samiti and Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan Two Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) were signed by Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Dehradun, with Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) and Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS). ICFRE is an autonomous Council under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The MoUs have been signed to launch the programme “PRAKRITI” with the objective to promote awareness about forests and environment, to stimulate interest among the students of NVS and KVS in maintaining a balanced environment and for acquiring skills that reflect care and protection towards forests, environment and society. Another objective is to provide a platform to school children to learn practical skills towards judicious use of our resources and to mobilize a cadre of youth for raising a peoples’ movement committed to conservation of forest and environment. 16. RK Singh launches award scheme under 'Saubhagya' Shri RK Singh, Minister of State (IC) for Power and New & Renewable Energy announced an award scheme under Saubhagya to felicitate the DISCOMs / Power Department of the States and their employees for achieving 100 per cent household electrification in their area of operations. Awards would be provided for achieving 100 per cent household electrification at DISCOM/Power Department level of the States. Eight States which have already achieved more than 99 per cent household electrification prior to launch of Saubhagya (Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Goa, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Punjab and Tamil Nadu), are ineligible for participation under the award scheme. All the remaining States and their Discoms are eligible for the award. 17. Goa Maritime Symposium – 2018 The Goa Maritime Symposium – 2018, the second edition of the Goa Maritime Symposium (GSM) – a forum towards fostering friendly relations with the maritime neighbours - was inaugurated by the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Sunil Lanba PVSM, AVSM, ADC, at INS Mandovi at Goa on 16th October 2018. The “Naval War College Journal”, an academic compendium with ideas and papers from writers and thinkers on maritime strategy and security, was also released on the occasion by the CNS. Welcoming the delegates to the seminar, Admiral Lanba reiterated the importance of cooperative engagement to promote maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The theme of the seminar, this year was “Building Stronger Maritime Partnerships in IOR”. 18. Much awaited Rani-Jhansi Flyover inaugurated in Delhi Rani Jhansi Grade separator, the ambitious flyover project in north Delhi was thrown open to public by Union Environment Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan. The six-lane, 1.8-km grade separator will provide connectivity to St Stephen’s Hospital near the Tiz Hazari Courts complex with Filmstan Cinema and also it will provide a link with the intersections for Baraf Khana, DCM Chowk, Azad Market and Subzi Mandi areas of Delhi.