08th December 2018 Current Affairs
Japan govt enacts new law for foreign workers
- On 7 December 2018, the Japanese government enacted a new law to bring more blue-collar foreign workers into the country to address chronic labour shortages.
- Under the new law, Japan plans to bring in 3.45 lakhs foreign workers in construction, food services, nursing and other sectors.
- The law allows foreign nationals with skills in sectors facing severe shortages to obtain five-year visas.
FAO Council approves 2023 as International Year of Millets
- According to Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Council have approved India’s proposal to observe an International Year of Millets in 2023.
- The 160th session of the FAO Council, currently underway in Rome approved the proposal.
- This will enhance global awareness to bring back these nutri-cereals to the plate.
- Millets consist of Jowar, Bajra, Ragi and minor millets together termed as nutri-cereals.
Italy wins Admiral’s cup Sailing Regatta 2018
- Italy won the Admiral’s Cup Sailing Regatta 2018 (ninth edition) at Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala.
- Team Singapore was the Runners-Up and Team USA came third.
- The host country team (Indian Naval Academy) finished fourth in the overall position of Admiral’s Cup 2018.
Krishnamurthy Subramanian Appointed Chief Economic Adviser
- The Union government has appointed Dr Krishnamurthy Subramanian as the Chief Economic Adviser for three years.
- He is currently working as an Associate Professor at the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad.
- Mr Subramanian has a PhD from Chicago-Booth and IIT-IIM alumnus, is one of the world’s leading experts in banking, corporate governance and economic policy.
- In June 2018, Arvind Subramanian (Chief Economic Advisor of India) had resigned from the post.
Shubhankar won the ‘Asian Tour Order of Merit’
- Golf player Shubhankar Sharma became the youngest Indian to win the ‘Asian Tour Order of Merit’ on 8 December 2018.
- He is the fifth Indian to win the ‘Asian Tour Order of Merit’.
- Before him, Jyoti Randhawa (2002), Arjun Atwal (2003), Jeev Milkha Singh (2006 and 2008), and Anirban Lahiri (2015) won the ‘Asian Tour Order of Merit’.
- Jeev is the only golf player to win the Merit honours twice.
Indian Navy celebrating Submarine Day on 8 Dec
- The Indian Navy is celebrating Submarine Day on 8 December.
- The day commemorates the induction of the first submarine, the erstwhile INS Kalvari, into the Navy on this day in 1967.
- The Foxtrot class submarine was decommissioned on 31 May 1996, after 29 years of service.
China launches the 1st mission to land on the far side of the moon
- A Long March 3B rocket launches China’s first-ever spacecraft Chang’e 4 lunar probe from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.
- The probe is expected to make the first-ever soft landing on the far side of the moon in early January 2019.
- The Chang’e-4 mission will see a static lander and rover touch down in Von Kármán crater, located on the side of the Moon which never faces Earth.
- The mission will perform a variety of science work and plant a flag for humanity in a region that remains largely unexplored to date.
NASA's InSight lander 'hears' Martian winds
- NASA’s InSight lander has provided the first-ever ‘sounds’ of Martian wind on the Red Planet.
- According to NASA, InSight sensors captured a haunting low rumble caused by vibrations from the wind, estimated to be blowing between 10 to 15 miles per hour on 1st December.
- Two very sensitive sensors on the spacecraft detected these wind vibrations.
- The seismometer recorded lander vibrations caused by the wind moving over the spacecraft’s solar panels.
NABARD and GCF signed an agreemnent
- The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) signed an agreement with Green Climate Fund (GCF) on 8 December 2018.
- The agreement has been signed to infuse $100 million into a rooftop solar power project.
- The project will be executed by Tata Cleantech Capital Limited.
- The Green Climate Fund is a fund established within the framework of the UNFCCC.
Aero India and aviation expo to be merged
- For the first time, the country’s civil aviation exhibition will be merged with the ‘Aero India 2019’.
- The Aero India 2019 and the aviation exhibition will be held at Bengaluru from 20 to 24 February 2019.
- So far, ‘Aero India’ has been defence-oriented while a separate civil aviation exhibition is held in Hyderabad.
- The tagline of Aero India 2019 is ‘Runway for a billion opportunities’.
Try out the quiz ?
Q.1 Which of the following government has enacted new law for foreign workers?
On 7 December 2018, the Japanese government enacted a new law to bring more blue-collar foreign workers into the country to address chronic labour shortages.
Q.2 Which of the following year approved as International Year of Millets?
According to Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Council have approved India’s proposal to observe an International Year of Millets in 2023.
Q.3 Who has won Admiral’s cup Sailing Regatta 2018?
Italy won the Admiral’s Cup Sailing Regatta 2018 (ninth edition) at Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala.
Q.4 Who is appointed as Chief Economic Adviser by Union government?
The Union government has appointed Dr Krishnamurthy Subramanian as the Chief Economic Adviser for three years.
Q.5 Who has won ‘Asian Tour Order of Merit’?
Shubhankar won the ‘Asian Tour Order of Merit’
Q.6 On which day Indian Navy has Celebrated Submarine day?
Indian Navy celebrating Submarine Day on 8 Dec
Q.7 Which of the following country has launched 1st mission to land on the far side of the moon?
China launches the 1st mission to land on the far side of the moon
Q.8 Read the following Sentences carefully
1. NASA's InSight lander has provided the first-ever ‘sounds’ of Martian wind on the Red Planet.
2.According to NASA, InSight sensors captured a haunting low rumble caused by vibrations from the wind, estimated to be blowing between 10 to 15 miles per hour on 1st December.
3. Two very sensitive sensors on the spacecraft detected these wind vibrations. Which of the following is /are correct
NASA's InSight lander has provided the first-ever ‘sounds’ of Martian wind on the Red Planet. According to NASA, InSight sensors captured a haunting low rumble caused by vibrations from the wind, estimated to be blowing between 10 to 15 miles per hour on 1st December. Two very sensitive sensors on the spacecraft detected these wind vibrations. The seismometer recorded lander vibrations caused by the wind moving over the spacecraft's solar panels.
Q.9 Which of the following agency has signed with Green Climate Fund?
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) signed an agreement with Green Climate Fund (GCF) on 8 December 2018.
Q.10 Which of the following merged with aviation expo?
For the first time, the country’s civil aviation exhibition will be merged with the ‘Aero India 2019’.
