In Current Affairs for 18 November 2024, we will see the latest national and international current affairs news. These important current affairs will be beneficial for your upcoming NDA, CDS, CDS OTA, AFCAT, TA, Agniveer Army, Agniveer Navy, Agniveer Air Force, Women Military Police, INET, MNS, ACC exams, SCO, PCSL, CAPF, and SSB interviews, and direct entries for Army, Navy, and Air Force like SSC Tech, TGC, JAG, NCC, TES, 10+2 Cadet. Download a PDF file about current events at the end of this article. Let us now see the Current Affairs.
Current Affairs 18 November 2024
Lala Lajpat Rai
- The nation is remembering Lala Lajpat Rai, popularly known as Punjab Kesari, on his 96th death anniversary, On 17th november.
- He died of severe head injuries he sustained when batonned by the British police, while leading a peaceful protest march against the Simon Commission.
- He was one of the three members of the Lal Bal Pal trio, a trinity of nationalist leaders during the Indian freedom struggle. These leaders were Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and Bipin Chandra Pal.
- A tribute-paying ceremony was held at his native village Dhudikey in the Moga district of Punjab. Punjab Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema along with many others paid tributes to the martyr.
G20 Summit In Brazil
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the G20 Summit in Brazilian city of Rio De Janeiro. Mr Modi is also expected to hold separate meetings with world leaders on the sidelines of the summit.
- Mr Modi, US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping will be among the leaders who will attend the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro today and tomorrow. Prime Minister Modi arrived in Brazil this morning on the second leg of his 3-nation visit.
- India is part of the G20 Troika along with Brazil and South Africa and has been actively contributing to the ongoing G20 Summit discussions.
- During the event, Prime Minister Modi will present India’s positions on various global issues and build on the outcomes of the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration, as well as the Voice of the Global South Summits hosted by India in recent years.
- The theme for this year’s G20 Summit is ‘Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet’ where Brazil would priorities the issues of social inclusion, poverty, sustainable development and reform of global governance institutions.
- In September last year, India hosted the successful G20 Summit in New Delhi, where it scored a major diplomatic victory by convincing world leaders on a common ground to include the Russia-Ukraine war in the New Delhi Declaration.
- As the chair, India also brought the African Union into the G20 bloc in a major push towards voicing the priorities of the Global South on a global stage.
Grand Commander Of The Order Of The Niger Award
- Prime Minister has been conferred with the ‘Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger’ Award by Nigeria.
- In his speech, Mr Modi said he accepts the honour with great humility and dedicated it to the people of India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi noted that an Indian Prime Minister is visiting Nigeria after seventeen years.
- He expressed happiness that he got the opportunity to visit Nigeria in his third term. He said India is sending 20 tonnes of humanitarian aid to support Nigeria in its flood relief efforts. He congratulated Nigeria for becoming a partner country of BRICS.
- Mr Modi expressed confidence that India and Nigeria will bring the issues affecting Global South in front of the rest of the world. Several Memorandum of Agreement, MoUs were exchanged following the talks in the presence of Prime Minister Modi and President Tinubu.
India’s Heavy Communication Satellite GSAT-20
- Elon Musk’s SpaceX will launch India’s heavy communication satellite GSAT-20 from Cape Canaveral in the US on Nov 19.
- Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO) Chairman S Somanath has said that SpaceX’s Falcon-9 will launch ISRO’s GSAT-20, also called GSAT N-2, on November 19.
- The satellite is expected to remain in operation for 14 years. It will provide vital services across India, including internet connectivity for remote areas. Weighing 4,700 kg, GSAT-20 is one of India’s heaviest communication satellites.
- The GSAT-20 is too heavy for India’s own rocket LVM-3, popularly known as ‘Bahubali’ to carry, so SpaceX was chosen for the launch.
- Radhakrishnan Durairaj, Chairman and Managing Director of New Space India Ltd (NSIL), the commercial arm of ISRO, said that the ISRO has got a good deal for launching such a heavy satellite on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.
- India had till now relied on French launch service provider Arianespace for such heavy satellite launches, however, the company does not have any operational rockets at present and the only reliable option India had was to go with SpaceX. SpaceX’s heavy-lifter Falcon-9 rocket can launch payloads of 8,300 kg or 8.3 tonnes to geostationary transfer orbit.
Ayush Ministry’s Yoga At Work
- Ayush Ministry’s Yoga at Work (Y-Break) has been awarded a Certificate of Appreciation for its outstanding performance on the iGOT Karmayogi Bharat Platform.
- The award was presented by the Minister of State for the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Dr. Jitendra Singh, during the Valedictory Ceremony of the National Learning Week – Karmayogi Saptah in New Delhi.
- The Ayush Ministry said that the Y-Break course emerged as the top-performing course on the iGOT platform, with around 8 lakh 70 thousand government officials successfully completing it.
- It highlighted that the achievement reflects the widespread acceptance and effectiveness of this initiative in promoting health and well-being among working professionals.
- The Y-Break protocol is a five-minute yoga regimen, including yogic practices such as Tadasana, Urdhva Hastottanasana, Prasarita Padottanasana, and Nadisodhana Pranayama.
- It is tailored to boost immunity, reduce stress, and improve overall mental and physical health, even within the constraints of a busy schedule.
US Announces Return Of Over 1,400 Looted Artefacts
- In a significant move to repatriate cultural heritage, the United States announced the return of over 1,400 looted artefacts valued at 10 million dollars to India.
- The items, part of an ongoing initiative to restore stolen art to South and Southeast Asia, include pieces recently displayed at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Among the returned treasures is a sandstone sculpture of a celestial dancer, illicitly transported from central India to London before being sold to a Met patron and subsequently donated to the museum.
- Manhattan District Attorney’s Office revealed the recovery was the result of ‘several ongoing investigations’ targeting looting networks, including those run by convicted art traffickers Nancy Wiener and Subhash Kapoor.
- Kapoor, a former antiquities dealer, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for managing a multimillion-dollar looting operation through his New York gallery. After his arrest in Germany in 2011, Kapoor was extradited to India, where he awaits further legal proceedings and extradition to the US.
- A formal handover ceremony took place at the Indian consulate in New York, underscoring the strengthened cultural ties between the two nations.
- This development follows the US-India agreement signed in July to combat illegal trading of cultural property and expedite the return of stolen artefacts.
- Just two months earlier, the US had returned 297 artefacts to India, spanning 4,000 years from 2000 BCE to 1900 CE.
- These items originated from across India, with many terracotta pieces from Eastern India, alongside stone, metal, wood, and ivory artefacts.
- The Ministry of External Affairs noted that since 2016, the US has repatriated 578 cultural items to India, the largest number returned by any single country.
- Notable instances include the return of 10 antiquities during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s US visit in 2016, 157 in 2021, and 105 in 2022. The restitution of these artefacts reflects a growing emphasis on cultural cooperation between India and the US, marking a positive chapter in the preservation of global heritage.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- A New Dataset Released At The United Nations Climate Talks Reveals That Cities In Asia And The United States Are The Largest Contributors To Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
- Shanghai Tops The List Of Polluting Cities, Followed Closely By Tokyo, New York, And Houston. The Data, Compiled By Climate Trace Using Advanced Observations And Artificial Intelligence, Highlights The Urgent Need For Global Action To Combat Climate Change.
- Top Polluting Cities
- Shanghai: Emits 256 Million Metric Tons Of Greenhouse Gasses, More Than Countries Like Colombia Or Norway.
- Tokyo: Releases 250 Million Metric Tons, Ranking It Among The Top 40 Emitters Globally If It Were A Country.
- New York City: Emits 160 Million Metric Tons, Placing It In The Top 50 Of Global Emitters.
- Houston: Produces 150 Million Metric Tons, Also Ranking In The Global Top 50.
- Seoul, South Korea: Fifth Among Cities With 142 Million Metric Tons.
- Global Trends In Emissions
- Earth’s Total Greenhouse Gas Emissions Rose To 61.2 Billion Metric Tons In 2023, A 0.7% Increase From The Previous Year.
- Methane Emissions Increased By 0.2%; Although Short-lived, It Has A Potent Heat-trapping Effect. China, India, Iran, Indonesia, And Russia Saw The Largest Growth In Emissions From 2022 To 2023.
- Biggest Decreases: Venezuela, Japan, Germany, The United Kingdom, And The United States Recorded Significant Drops In Pollution Levels.
Current Affairs 18 November 2024 Question
- Who Was Appointed By US President Trump As The Director Of National
Intelligence
A. Marco Rubio
B. Tulsi Gabbard
C. Elon Musk
D. Mike Pompeo
ANSWER: B - Which Country’s President Unveiled The Chancay Mega Port In Peru
A. China
B. Russia
C. United States
D. Japan
ANSWER: A - Where Was The First Bodoland Mahotsav Inaugurated
A. Hyderabad
B. Chennai
C. New Delhi
D. Jaipur
ANSWER: C - Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM) Is Developed By Which
Organization
A. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
B. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
C. European Space Agency (ESA)
D. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
ANSWER: A - Which City Is Venue For The 16th India Game Developer Conference In 2024
A. Jaipur
B. Hyderabad
C. Chennai
D. Bhopal
ANSWER: B - Where Was The World’s Largest Coral Colony Recently Discovered
A. Solomon Islands
B. Papua New Guinea
C. Indonesia
D. Australia
ANSWER: A - The Jhiri Mela Is Held Annually In Which State/UT
A. Jammu and Kashmir
B. Uttarakhand
C. Lakshadweep
D. Rajasthan
ANSWER: A - Sumi Naga Tribe Is Predominantly Found In Which State
A. Assam
B. Nagaland
C. Manipur
D. Mizoram
ANSWER: B - Name Of The New Scheme Introduced By Australia To Allow Talented Young
People From India To Work In The Country
A. Indian Talent Mobility Scheme
B. Migration and Technology Employment Scheme
C. Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme
D. Australia-India Skill Exchange Scheme
ANSWER: C - Name Of The Animal Supplement For Which Scarecrow Incorporated Acquired
The World’s First Patent
A. Pinfenon
B. Mitralreg
C. Cardiapet
D. CanineCare
ANSWER: A - Primary Goal Of The Newly Inaugurated Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan
Aushadhi Kendras At Railway Stations
A. Availability of quality medicines
B. Promotion of local businesses
C. Expansion of railway facilities
D. Support for medical research
ANSWER: A - Which Company’s Rocket Was Used To Successfully Launch The Koreasat 6A
Communications Satellite
A. Blue Origin
B. SpaceX
C. Rocket Lab
D. Northrop Grumman
ANSWER: B - Where Is South Western Command’s New Think Tank, ‘Gyan Shakti,’ Based
A. Kochi
B. Mumbai
C. Chandigarh
D. Jaipur
ANSWER: D - Where Is The Replica Of The Original Handwritten Indian Constitution
Manuscript Being Showcased
A. Sharjah
B. Dubai
C. New York
D. New Delhi
ANSWER: A - Which Country Received 15 Tons Of Humanitarian Aid From India Following
Severe Flooding
A. Nigeria
B. Kenya
C. Bangladesh
D. South Sudan
ANSWER: A - Which International Institution Boosted Its Climate Lending By $7.2 Billion
With Guarantees From United States & Japan
A. World Bank
B. International Monetary Fund
C. European Investment Bank
D. Asian Development Bank
ANSWER: D - Name Of Tropical Storm That Made Landfall In Northern Honduras,
Threatening Floods In Central America And Southern Mexico
A. Maria
B. Laura
C. Sara
D. Emily
ANSWER: C - Who Became Japan’s 103rd Prime Minister After Fumio Kishida Stepped Down
A. Yoshihide Suga
B. Shigeru Ishiba
C. Taro Aso
D. Taku Eto
ANSWER: B - On Which Date Is National Press Day Observed In India
A. November 15
B. November 17
C. November 16
D. November 18
ANSWER: C - Where Was World’s Highest Enduro Mountain Biking Race Monduro 4.O”
Started
A. Mussoorie, Himachal Pradesh
B. Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh
C. Jorhat, Assam
D. Chamoli, Uttarakhand
ANSWER: B
