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  • Current Affairs 8th November 2018

    Updated : 08-Nov-2018

    Current Affairs 8th November 2018 - Important Points

    • Lucknow stadium renamed after Atal Bihari Vajpayee ahead of -  India-West Indies T20I match
    • United Nations Postal System issues special postal stamps to mark - Diwali celebration
    • UN World Food Programme, Alibaba Group form strategic partnership to - Eliminate hunger

    Current Affairs 8th November 2018 - Details

    Lucknow stadium renamed after Atal Bihari Vajpayee ahead of -  India-West Indies T20I match

    The freshly built Ekana International Stadium, Lucknow was renamed on November 5th, 2018 following former Indian PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The stadium will now be called as Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee International Cricket Stadium. The stadium was retitled just ahead of the 1st-ever international cricket T20 match between India and West Indies. The city organised its 1st International cricket match at the stadium on November 6th, 2018 when India played against West Indies in their 2nd T20 International match.
    Similar Initiatives Undertaken

    • Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh declared to rename the forthcoming capital Naya Raipur as Atal Nagar.
    • CM Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath also finalised to name the planned Bundelkhand Expressway as ‘Atal Path’.
    • AIIMS Rishikesh auditorium, which is a ghat on Sabarmati River in Gujarat and the cyber tower in Mauritius will also be named after Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
    • Even, North Delhi Municipal Corporation is fusing a list of institutions consisting parks, schools, and
      hospitals to be named in the honour of Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
    • AP wants to name AIIMS Mangalagiri after Vajpayee; and HP also wants to rename the Rohtang Tunnel after him. 
    • Several states including Andhra Pradesh, HP, Assam, and MP have requested the Central Government to rename landmarks after Vajpayee.
    • Shivraj Singh Chouhan has pursued Central Government’s approval to modify the name of Habibganj railway station in Madhya Pradesh after him. 
    • The state government of MP has also finalised to construct 2 memorials in Gwalior and Bhopal and include a biography on Vajpayee in the school curriculum from coming year to reserve the memory of the late leader.
    • The HP cabinet also sanctioned the suggestion to install a statue of Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Shimla’s historic Ridge.

    United Nations Postal System issues special postal stamps to mark - Diwali celebration

    UN Postal Administration has released special stamps with Diya lamps to honour India Hindu festival
    Diwali. These stamps are available at United Nations HQ post office in New York, United States and
    online also.
    Important Facts

    • The special event sheet (stamps) release by United Nations Postal Administration are in denomination of US $1.15.
    • It includes 10 stamps and tabs featuring festive lights and symbolic diyas. The background of sheet represents UN Headquarters structure illuminated with message of “Happy Diwali” to observe the spirit of the festival.
    • The description associated information about stamps mentioned that Diwali is joyous and popular
      festival of lights, which is observed in India and by followers of many faiths worldwide.
    • It also said that during celebrations clay made diyas are lit to imply the victory of good over evil. The festival also signifies beginning of new year for many communities.
      United Nations Postal Administration
      United Nations Postal Administration is a postal agency of UNs. It releases postage stamps and postal stationery, denominated in US $ for UNs offices in New York, in Swiss francs for offices in Geneva and in Euros for the offices in Vienna. Postage rates applied are identical to those of the host country.

    UN World Food Programme, Alibaba Group form strategic partnership to - Eliminate hunger

     UNs World Food Programme and Chinese e-commerce leader Alibaba Group have planned strategic
    partnership for backing efforts eradicate hunger worldwide by 2030. The contract was inked between
    World Food Programme Executive Director David Beasley and Alibaba Partner and Chairman Sun Lijun
    at Alibaba’s HQs in Hangzhou, China.
    Important Facts

    • Under this contract, Alibaba will loan its cutting-edge technology and capitals to support digital
      transformation of World Food Programme’s operations.
    • In actual, Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing branch of Alibaba will effort with World Food Programme to progress digital “World Hunger Map”.
    • The map will assist to monitor universal hunger and operations to eradicate scourge by 2030 which is one of United Nation’s important Sustainable Development aims.
    • It also goals to improve efficiency of interventions and condense emergency response times.
      More about World Food Programme
    • The World Food Programme is the food-assistance arm of the UN. It is the world’s principal humanitarian group talking hunger and promoting food security.
    • It works to benefit people who cannot produce/obtain  sufficient food for themselves as well as their families.
    • It is a member of the UNDG and part of its Executive Committee.
    • It was recognized in 1961 following 1960 Food and Agricultural Organization Conference.
    • It delivers food support to an average of 80 million people in 75 nations every year.