Daily GK Updates - 19th November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Manushi Chhillar wins Miss World 2017 title: India’s Manushi Chhillar was crowned the coveted Miss World crown for the year 2017. The win comes 17 years after Priyanka Chopra brought home coveted title in the year 2000. The winner of 2016 title, Puerto Rico’s Stephanie Del Valle passed on her crown to Ms Chhillar at a grand event held in Sanya in China.

2. India’s first mega Coastal Economic Zone to come up at JNPT in Maharashtra: The Union Government has given go-ahead for setting up India’s first mega coastal economic zone (CEZ) at Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT) in Maharashtra. The first of its kind mega CEZ will stretch along north Konkan region spread across Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Nashik and Raigarh. About 45 companies across auto, telecom and IT sectors will soon bid for 200 hectares of land to set up manufacturing units in zone.

3. Indira Gandhi’s 100th Birth Anniversary observed: The 100th Birth Anniversary of Ms. Indira Gandhi was observed today. A commemorative programme to mark the anniversary of Gandhi held at Shakti Sthal, New Delhi. Indira Gandhi was the only female Prime Minister of the country. She served as Prime Minister from 1966 to 1977 and from 1980 until her assassination in 1984.

4. Manmohan Singh to get Indira Peace Prize: Former prime minister Manmohan Singh will receive the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development this year for his leadership of the country between 2004 and 2014 and for enhancing India’s stature globally. The award, comprising a cash prize of Rs.25 lakh and a citation. It was instituted by the Indira Gandhi Memorial trust in 1986.

5. Karnataka passes SC/ST promotions bill: Karnataka passed ‘Karnataka Extension of Consequential Seniority to Government Servants Promoted on the Basis of Reservation Bill 2017’. Prior to introduction of this bill, SC had struck down Karnataka Govt.’s provision for providing reservation in promotion for SC/ST employees.

6. Delhi to form ‘Mahila Suraksha Dals’: Deputy CM of Delhi Manish Sisodia said that, the Delhi would form “Mahila Suraksha Dals” to curb crimes against women in the national capital. The government would constitute these teams in coordination with the Delhi Commission for Women. These MSDs will comprise representatives of the local community, both men and women, besides civil defence volunteers & will work at the grassroot-level.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. World Toilet Day observed today: The World Toilet Day (WTD) is observed every year across the world on 19 November to raise awareness and inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis. The theme for year 2017 is Wastewater. Observance of the day seeks to draw attention of people around world to raise global awareness of the daily struggle for proper sanitation which in fact is a human right along with clean water.

2. NASA launches Joint Polar Satellite System-1: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has launched a next-generation satellite called the Joint Polar Satellite System-1 (JPSS-1) into space. JPSS-1 is a joint venture between NASA and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It was launched into orbit atop United Launch Alliance-built Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. It will be renamed NOAA-20 when it reaches its final orbit.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Swiss parliamentary panel approves automatic information exchange with India: Paving the way for India to get instant access to details on Indians with Swiss accounts, a key parliamentary panel in Switzerland has approved an automatic information exchange pact between the two countries. The Commission for Economic Affairs and Taxes of the Council of States — a key panel of the Swiss Parliament’s Upper House — approved the proposed pact with India as also with 40 other countries, but suggested strengthening the provisions for individual legal claims.

2. Anand Baiwar becomes Executive Director of SEBI: Markets regulator SEBI said Anand Rajeshwar Baiwar has taken charge as an executive director. An Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer of the 1990 batch, Baiwar assumed office on November 16. Baiwar will look after the investigation department and division of foreign portfolio investors and custodians. Prior to this assignment, he was working as an income tax commissioner in Kolkata.

3. Reliance General Insurance and YES Bank ink bancassurance pact: Reliance General Insurance has signed a comprehensive bancassurance-corporate agency agreement with YES Bank. YES Bank will enable RGI to reach a large base of retail and MSME clients.

SPORTS:

1. Cheteshwar Pujara becomes third Indian to bat on all five days of a Test: Cheteshwar Pujara joined an elite list of players on Monday as he became the third Indian batsman to bat on all five days of a Test match. This was after he came out to the crease on the last day of the first Test against Sri Lanka at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. The two other Indians who have achieved this rare feat are ML Jaisimha and current India head coach Ravi Shastri. 

2. India to host Asia Cup of Road Racing (ACRR): Round 3 of FIM Asia Cup of Road Racing (ACRR) was held at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida, India. Top bikers will participate in round three of the FIM ACRR. India will be represented by Sai Rahil Pillarisetty and Israel Vanlalhruaizela, who are fourth in the standings after the first two rounds in Thailand and Taiwan.

OBITUARIES:

1. Former Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna dies at 49: Former World No 2 Jana Novotna died peacefully in her sleep, surrounded by her family, at 49 on Sunday. She had been battling with cancer for a long time. The player from Czech Republic won 17 Grand Slam titles through her career – 12 in doubles, four in mixed doubles and her solitary Slam in singles came at Wimbledon in 1998. She beat Frenchwoman Nathalie Tauziat in the final and thus became the last Czech player to win a Slam until Petra Kvitova won in 2011.