Daily GK Updates - 5th November, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. PM Modi inaugurates the 5th India International Science Festival: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the 5th India International Science Festival (IISF) in Kolkata, through video conference. The theme for this year’s festival is RISEN India - Research, Innovation and Science Empowering the Nation. The prime objective of IISF is to instil scientific temper among people, showcase India’s contribution in the field of Science and Technology and encourage the translation of its benefits to people.

Note: India International Science Festival (IISF) 2019, an annual event organised jointly by science & technology- related Ministries and Departments of the Government of India and Vijnana Bharati (Vibha), 2019. IISF is a festival to celebrate the achievements of India’s scientific and technological advancements with students, innovators, craftsmen, farmers, scientists and technocrats from India and abroad.

2. First-ever movement of container cargo on Brahmaputra: The first-ever containerised cargo movement via Indo-Bangladesh protocol route and Brahmaputra River will start from West Bengal’s Haldia. The vessel MV Maheshwari, carrying 53 containers of petrochemicals, edible oil and beverage will take 12-15 days to reach the IWAI terminal at Pandu in Assam’s Guwahati. National Waterway 2 (NW-2) is a section of the Brahmaputra River having a length of 891 km between the Bangladesh border near Dhubri and Sadiya in Assam.

3. Amarinder Singh launches ‘Punjab job helpline’: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has launched a first of its kind job helpline number 76260-76260 for the unemployed youth of the state under ‘Ghar Ghar Rozgar’ programme. The objective of this helpline is to reach every house in Punjab and it can be contacted on 75 thousand mobile numbers daily. In this process, a 110-seat call centre of Punjab Job Helpline has also been created for the data to be prepared.

Note: Punjab Capital: Chandigarh; Governor: V.P. Singh Badnore.

4. National Tribal festival to be held from 16th Nov in New Delhi: The National Tribal festival (15-day Aadi Mahotsav) will be held in New Delhi (from 16th November 2019). The theme of the festival is a celebration of the spirit of tribal culture, craft, cuisine and commerce. More than one thousand tribal artisans from 27 states will participate in the event. The festival will feature exhibition-cum-sale of tribal handicrafts, art, paintings, fabric, jewellery and much more through two hundred stalls.

5. IFFCO introduces India’s first nanotechnology-based products for on-field trials: The world’s largest fertilizer cooperative Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) introduced India’s 1st nanotechnology-based product range by introducing Nano Nitrogen, Nano Zinc, Nano Copper for on-field trials at an event held at its Kalol unit in Gujarat. The products were produced at IFFCO’s Nano Biotechnology Research Centre (NBRC) in Kalol unit. The first phase of the launch was tested with support from Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK)/Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). These nanostructured formulations effectively deliver nutrients to the plants. Other benefits of these Nano-products include a reduction in the requirement of conventional chemical fertilizer by 50%, up to 15-30% increase in crop production, improvement in soil health, reduction in the emission of greenhouse gases.

Note: Managing Director of IFFCO: Uday Shankar Awasthi; Founded: 3 November 1967; Headquarters: New Delhi.

6. Aditya Mishra appointed as chairman of Land Ports Authority of India: Senior IPS officer Aditya Mishra (1989 batch: Uttar Pradesh cadre) has been appointed as the chairman of the Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI) for a period of five years. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Mishra as the chairman of the LPAI on the recommendations of a search-cum-selection panel.

Note: The Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI) is a statutory body (created through the Land Ports Authority of India Act, 2010) working under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. It is responsible for creating, upgrading, and maintaining and managing border infrastructure in India. It manages several Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) across Borders of India.

Headquarters of LPAI: New Delhi; Founded: 2012.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Guyana to be the fastest-growing country in the world next year at 86%: According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) report, South America's Guyana GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is expected to be more at 86% in 2020 after expanding 4.4% in 2019. This growth expectation had done after Exxon Mobil Corp.’s discovery of oil at Guyana. Guyana’ GDP is to get fourteen times as fast as China’s GDP in 2020. Guyana is projecting USD 300 million in petroleum revenue in 2020. The oil sector will represent about 40% of the economy within five years.

Note: Guyana President: David A.Granger; Prime minister: Moses Nagamootoo; Capital: George Town; Currency: Guyanese Dollar.

2. Sri Lanka hosts biennial Commonwealth Law Ministers Conference: The biennial Commonwealth Law Ministers’ Conference is being held in Colombo, Sri Lanka from 4-7 November 2019. India will be represented at the conference by Union Minister for Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad. The theme for the 2019 CLM Conference is ‘Equal Access to Justice and the Rule of Law’. The Conference seeks to address challenges faced by millions of people seeking to resolve legal disputes. These include barriers such as poverty, lack of legal aid, distrust of the justice system and corruption.

Note: Sri Lanka Capitals: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte; Currency: Sri Lankan rupee; Prime minister: Ranil Wickremesinghe; President: Maithripala Sirisena.

3. World Tsunami Awareness Day: 5 November: The World Tsunami Awareness Day (WTAD) is being observed across the world on 5th November. The day is celebrated to spread awareness among people across the world in matters related to the dangers of tsunami. In 2019, the World Tsunami Awareness Day will promote Target (d) of the "Sendai Seven Campaign" which focuses on reducing disaster damage to critical infrastructure and disruption of basic services.

Note: The first World Tsunami Awareness Day was observed on 5th November 2016.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Valtteri Bottas wins US Grand Prix 2019: Finnish racing driver Valtteri Bottas (with Mercedes) has won the Formula One, United States Grand Prix 2019. Lewis Hamilton was on second, Max Verstappen on third, Charles Leclerc on fourth and Alexander Albon on fifth. Lewis Hamilton (sixth F1 world title) has won the Formula One World Drivers’ Championship for 2019. The maximum number of Formula One World Drivers’ Championship has been won by Michael Schumacher with 7 titles.

2. 'India B' clinched 2019–20 Deodhar Trophy: ‘India B’ beat ‘India C’ (defending champions) by 51 runs in the final to win the 2019–20 Deodhar Trophy (47th edition) at JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi. Deodhar Trophy was contested between three teams (India-A, India -B and India-C) selected by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Deodhar Trophy was named after Prof. D. B. Deodhar who was known as the Grand Old Man of Indian cricket.

Final Score:

India B: 283/7 (50 overs)

India C: 232/9 (50 overs)

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Finance Minister launches two IT initiatives 'ICEDASH' and 'ATITHI': The Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled two new IT Initiatives ‘ICEDASH’ and ‘ATITHI’ for improved monitoring and pace of customs clearance of imported goods and facilitating arriving international passengers.

ICEDASH is an Ease of Doing Business monitoring dashboard of the Indian Customs helping the public see the daily Customs clearance times of import cargo at various ports and airports.

The ATITHI app will facilitate hassle-free and faster clearance by Customs at the airports and enhance the experience of international tourists and other visitors at the airports.

Both these initiatives will be key drivers for further improvement especially as they reduce interface and increase the transparency of Customs functioning.

DEFENCE

1. Rajnath Singh co-chaired India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military: Defence minister Rajnath Singh has co-chaired the 19th India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military and Military-Technical Cooperation in Moscow. During his visit, Mr Singh is expected to hold discussions with Defence Minister of Russian Federation General Sergei Shoigu. Mr Singh and Denis Manturov (Russian Minister of Industry and Trade) will jointly inaugurate with India-Russia Defence Industry Cooperation Conference.

OBITUARIES

1. French Resistance member & Nazi camps survivor Yvette Lundy passes away: French Resistance legend & Nazi camps survivor Yvette Lundy who helped Jewish prisoners of war to escape prison during the Nazi occupation of France passed away at the age of 103. She was born on 22 April 1916 in France. Yvette was made Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour, which is one of the highest decorations in France.

2. Retired judge of Madras HC, N.V. Balasubramanian passes away: Justice N.V. Balasubramanian, retired Judge of Madras High Court passed away. He served as the Madras High Court judge from 1996 – 2007 & as the Chairman of committees on fixation of fee for self-financing professional colleges and polytechnics after retiring from service. He worked as senior counsel & arbitrator in Supreme Court (SC) of India for 11 years.