Current Affairs Current Affairs October 2018

 Environment Ministry has launched Harit Diwali, Swasth Diwali campaign. This campaign was initiated in 2017-18 wherein a large number of school children participated and took a pledge to minimize bursting of crackers. The Harit Diwali-Swasth Diwali campaign is now merged with “Green Good Deed” movement that has been initiated as a social mobilization for conservation and protection of the environment. 
Source- Press Information Bureau (PIB)

 Uzbekistan Ambassador to India Farhod Arziev inaugurated a four-day international dance festival titled “Udbhav Utsav” in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. Dance troupes from Bulgaria, Turkey and Sri Lanka, apart from 25 teams from India, participated in the event. The dance festival was sponsored by the Greenwood group of schools.
Source- Business-Standard

 The 27th IAEA Fusion Energy Conference (FEC 2018) has started in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The FEC 2018 aims to provide a forum for the discussion of key physics and technology issues as well as innovative concepts of direct relevance to the use of nuclear fusion as a source of energy. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) fosters the exchange of scientific and technical results in nuclear fusion research and development through its series of Fusion Energy Conferences.
Source- iaea.org

 Paytm has launched a QR-based smartphone payment settlement service in Japan in collaboration with SoftBank and Yahoo Japan Corporation.  it is a smartphone-based settlement service that allows users to store money from a bank account in their ‘PayPay’wallet and make payments with it. Paytm stated that it is built around its QRtech which it has deployed in India to allow customers to make offline payments. Paytm is also offering a ‘cashback’ to users of PayPay in Japan.
Source- Business Today

 Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is the only Indian company among top 10 firms to get foreign labour certification for the H-1B visas for the fiscal year 2018, according to data from the US Department of Labour. The H-1B visas are the most sought-after among Indian IT professionals.The visa programme allows employers to temporarily employ foreign workers in the US on a non-immigrant basis in specialty occupations or as fashion models of distinguished merit and ability. London-headquartered Earnest and Young, a multinational professional services firm, has emerged as the top employer to have received the certification. 
Source- The Livemint

 A contingent of the Russian Army arrived in Pakistan to participate in joint training exercise ‘Druzhba-III’. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), this will be the third joint military drill between Islamabad and Moscow under the bilateral training cooperation agreement. Russia and Pakistan have been holding the “Friendship” drills since 2016. In October 2016, they held their first-ever joint military exercise in Pakistan.
Source- The Tribune

 China has opened the longest sea-crossing bridge ever built, nine years after construction began. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge connects Hong Kong and Macau to the mainland Chinese city of Zhuhai.  The $20-billion bridge spans 55 kilometers.  The bridge, designed to withstand earthquakes and typhoons, has been built using 400,000 tonnes of steel, enough to build 60 Eiffel Towers. Estimates suggest the bridge will be in use for 120 years but there are likely to be restrictions on usage. 
Source- BBC

 India and Croatia signed two agreements to strengthen cultural and diplomatic cooperation between the two countries. The agreements were signed following External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Croatia Marija Pejcinovic Buri? in New Delhi. Both leaders discussed ways to step up cooperation in trade and investment, health, science and technology, education, tourism and culture. 
Source- Press Information Bureau (PIB)

 The first India-China high-level meeting on bilateral security cooperation held in New Delhi recently. During the meeting, the two sides discussed issues of mutual interest including bilateral cooperation on counter-terrorism and welcomed increased cooperation between India and China in the area of security. An Agreement on security cooperation was also signed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh and State Councilor and Minister of Public Security of China, Zhao Kezhi.   
Source - Air World Service

  Former India fast bowler Praveen Kumar has retired from all forms of international cricket. Praveen last played for India in 2012 and represented India in 84 international matches. He made his ODI debut for India in 2007 against Pakistan, while his Test debut came four years later against West Indies in Jamaica. In his first-class career, Kumar took 267 wickets for Uttar Pradesh in 66 matches. 
Source- Hindustan Times


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