Kongali Bihu in Assam
- In Assam, there are three Bihu festivals are being celebrated namely Rongali Bihu, Bohagi Bihu, and Kongali Bihu.
- Kongali Bihu, also known as Kati Bihu, has been celebrated on 18th October.
- Kongali word refers to ‘poverty’ or ‘having nothing’; name justifies as in this season farmer’s food grains are at its minimum stock level.
Liquidity Coverage Ratio
- RBI has eased the Liquidity Coverage Ratio by permitting banks to use government securities equal to the incremental credit disbursed to NBFCs for meeting liquidity coverage ratio (LCR) requirements.
- To ensure that the financial system does not face any liquidity constraints, RBI has also eased the single borrower exposure limit for NBFCs not in infrastructure financing from 10 percent to 15 percent.
China’s artificial Moons
- China is planning to put up three artificial moons in the sky to light up streets of civil areas. These moons are actually satellites with huge mirrors to reflect lights from outer space.
Rashtriya Mahila Kishan Diwas
- India celebrates 15 October as Rashtriya Mahila Kishan Diwas to honor women farmers across India.
Polio-free status of India reconfirmed
- UNICEF & WHO both reiterated India’s status as a polio-free country after some oral polio vaccine vials were found contaminated with the type-2 poliovirus last month.
- India has a high routine immunization coverage and so the risk of children getting vaccine-derived poliovirus was “minimal”, said the two global organizations in a joint statement.
India elected to UNHRC
- India has been elected to UNHRC with from Asia-Pacific category. India secured the highest votes number of votes (188).
- India elected to United Nations’ Human Rights Council for a period of three years beginning January 1, 2019.
Annapurna Devi passed away
- Annapurna Devi, Legendary musician of Hindustani classical music has passed away in Mumbai.
- 91 years old Annapurna Devi was an Indian surbahar player.
- She was the daughter and disciple of Allauddin Khan. She was married to sitar maestro Ravi Shankar.
International Day for Disaster Reduction
- International Day for Disaster Reduction, held every 13 October, celebrates how people and communities around the world are reducing their exposure to disasters.
World Bank Human Capital Index
- World Bank has released the Human Capital Index in which India is ranked at 115, signifying that Indian children are not learning enough in schools.
- Human Capital Index is a part of World Development Report.
Global Hunger Index
- India has been ranked at 103 out of 119 countries in Global Hungar Index.
- 21 percent of Indin children are under-weight, these children under the age of five years are having an extremely low weight for their height, reflecting acute under-nutrition.
Malaysia abolished Capital Punishment
- Malaysia’s cabinet has abolished the capital punishment (death penalty) which was currently mandatory in cases of murder, kidnapping, possession of firearms and drug trafficking etc.
Turtle ‘Olly’ to be Hockey World Cup Mascot
Olly, the Olive Ridley sea turtle has been declared as the mascot of Man’s Hockey World Cup to be organized in Odisha from 28 November to 16 December.
Earlier in 2017, Olly was the mascot of Asian Athletics Championship, 2017.