Daily GK Updates - 31st October, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. JK will cease to be a state; India now has one less state and two more UTs: From 31st October Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) will cease to be a state and will be bifurcated into two Union Territories (UTs). Regarding this, on August 5, the Narendra Modi government made the monumental decision to change the status of Jammu and Kashmir and the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 was passed by the parliament and Article 370 was abrogated. Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh are now two separate UTs. Jammu and Kashmir will have its own elected legislature and government, presided over by the appointed Lieutenant-Governor, more or less like the Delhi and Puducherry models. India now has one less state and two more Union Terrorities, which takes the tally to 28 states and 9 UTs.

IAS officers Girish Chandra Murmu and R K Mathur, who has been appointed the new Lieutenant Governors (LG) for the Union territories (UTs) of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh respectively, will be sworn-in at separate functions to be held in Srinagar and Leh. The appointed day for the new UTs to come into existence is 31st October 'The National Unity Day, marked as the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

2. India celebrated ‘Rashtriya Ekta Diwas’ or ‘National Unity Day’ 2019: Rashtriya Ekta Diwas 2019 (National Unity Day) was celebrated all across the country on 31st October to commemorate the 144th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Sardar Patel played an instrumental role in India’s struggle for independence, and later during the integration of the country. Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel is also known as the Iron Man of India. At the time of independence, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel played an instrumental role in India’s struggle for independence, and later during the integration of the country by convincing several princely states to align with the Indian Union. The day of his birth, therefore, celebrates his efforts and contributions.

In 2014, when a new government formed at the Centre, it was decided that October 31 be celebrated as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas. Last year, the government unveiled the ‘Statue of Unity’, sculpted in honour of Sardar Patel in the Kevadia, Gujarat. Sardar Patel was the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of India.

3. TN became the first state to enact a law on contract farming: Tamil Nadu has become the first state in the country to enact a law on contract farming with President Ram Nath Kovind giving assent to the Agricultural Produce and Livestock Contract Farming and Services (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2019. The Bill aims to set a policy framework and institutional mechanism on agricultural produce and livestock contract farming. The Bill was adopted by the Tamil Nadu State government in February 2019. The Bill is first-of-its-kind legislation that assures farm income.

Note: Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu: Edappadi K. Palaniswami; Governor: Banwarilal Purohit; Capital of Tamil Nadu: Chennai.

4. Bull-Catching Festival ‘Hori Habba’ celebrated in Karnataka:  'Hori Habba', is a popular bull-catching celebration in Karnataka. It is celebrated during the harvest season. It is an ancient folk game native to Haveri district of Karnataka and played on the lines of Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu and Kambala in Dakshina Kannada district. The government has not been allowing these traditional games to be played following a ban on such sports by the Supreme Court in 2017.

5. IIIT Hyderabad create first ever Indian Brain Atlas: Researchers from the Indian Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad (IIIT-H), Telangana have created the first-ever ‘Indian brain atlas’ (IBA). The Indian brain atlas was constructed in collaboration with the Department of Imaging Sciences and Interventional Radiology, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The study has revealed that the Indian brain, on an average, is smaller in height, width and volume when compared to Western and other Eastern populations. This will help in early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and other brain-related ailments. The research has been published in Neurology India, a peer-reviewed journal.

6. Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Datta Padsalgikar appointed as Deputy NSA: Former Mumbai Police Commissioner and Maharashtra DGP Datta Padsalgikar have been appointed as Deputy National Security Advisor (NSA). The 1982-batch IPS officer had earlier served in the Intelligence Bureau (IB). He had also served as DCP (Detection) in crime branch, and in EOW (Economic Offences Wing). He retired as the Director-General of Police (DGP) in 2018.

Note: Present National Security Advisor (NSA): Ajit Doval.

7. Anup Kumar Singh takes charge as new DG of National Security Guard: Senior IPS officer Anup Kumar Singh has taken charge as the new Director General (DG) of the National Security Guard (NSG). A 1985-batch IPS officer of the Gujarat cadre, Singh's appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The NSG is a counter-terrorism unit under the Ministry of Home Affairs. It was raised in 1984.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Sheikh Sultan inaugurates Sharjah International Book Fair 2019: The 38th edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) 2019 was inaugurated by Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi. Nearly 1800 exhibitors from 77 countries are participating in the Fair. The fair will showcase 987 activities presenting scientific, knowledge and literary themes. The theme of the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) 2019 is ‘Open Books Open Minds’ to promote books and reading across age groups and communities. The Republic of Mexico has been declared as the Guest of Honour at the 38th edition of SIBF. Sharjah International Book Fair is an annual event and runs for 11 days.

Note: Capital of the UAE: Abu Dhabi; Currency of the UAE: Dirham.

2. Pak releases coin to commemorate 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak: The government of Pakistan released a new coin to commemorate the 550th anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak. The coin worth Pakistan Rupees 50 will be available at the Kartarpur Sahib along with a postal stamp worth Pakistan Rupees 8 to the travelling pilgrims. The first group of pilgrims from India is expected to depart for the neighbouring country on November 9. Islamabad will levy $20 as a service charge on each Indian, who will visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, the shrine of Guru Nanak Dev in Pakistan. The corridor connects the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur in India to Darbar Sahib Gurdwara in Kartarpur, Pakistan.

Note: Prime Minister of Pakistan: Imran Khan; President: Arif Alvi; Currency: Pakistani rupee; Capital: Islamabad.

3. World’s first blockchain-based carbon trading exchange in Singapore: Worlds’ first blockchain-based carbon trading exchange was launched by the Singapore-based AirCarbon Pte. This will allow airlines and other corporate buyers to buy as well sell tokens backed by carbon offset credits approved by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). The company is applying to the Monetary Authority of Singapore for a recognized market operator license the targets for the exchange to be fully operational in 2020. The AirCarbon Exchange will finance the registration costs of some carbon-mitigation projects at no charge to developers to help generate credits to trade.

4. World Cities Day: 31 October: The United Nations General Assembly has designated the 31st October as World Cities Day. The Day is expected to greatly promote the international community’s interest in global urbanization, push forward cooperation among countries in meeting opportunities and addressing challenges of urbanization, and contributing to sustainable urban development around the world. This year, the United Nations has selected the theme “Changing the world: innovations and better life for future generations” to discuss how urbanization can be used to achieve sustainable development.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Shiva Thapa, Pooja Rani clinch gold in Olympic Test event for Boxing: Indian boxer Shiva Thapa and Pooja Rani clinched gold medals in Olympic Test Event for Boxing in Tokyo, Japan. While Ashish settled for a silver, ending India’s brilliant campaign at the Olympic Test Event. Four-time Asian medallist Thapa outpunched Kazakhstan’s national champion and Asian bronze-winner Sanatali Toltayev 5-0 to claim the top honours in the 63-kilogram category. Former Asian Games bronze-medallist Pooja Rani edged past Australia’s Caitlin Parker in 75-kilogram category to ensure that the Indian women’s contingent also had gold in its kitty. In 69 kilogram category, Ashish, however, lost to Japan’s Sewon Okazawa to sign off with a silver medal.

2. India to play its first-ever Day-Night Test: According to the BCCI President Sourav Ganguly, the Indian cricket team will play its first-ever Day-Night Test match here against Bangladesh next month. The Test is scheduled to be held at the Eden Gardens from November 22-26 and will be the second game of a two-match series.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. India signs MoU with Saudi to launch RuPay card in the Gulf Kingdom: India on 29th October signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia to launch the RuPay card in the country, making it the third nation in West Asia to initiate India's digital payment system which will benefit not only the 2.6 million Indians in the Gulf Kingdom but also Haj and Umrah pilgrims. India has already launched the RuPay card in the UAE, Bahrain, Singapore and Bhutan.

Note: The RuPay card is a first-of-its-kind Indian domestic Debit and Credit Card payment network, with acceptance at ATMs, POS devices and e-commerce websites. It was launched in 2012 to fulfill the Reserve Bank of India's vision to have a domestic, open and multilateral system of payments.

OBITUARIES

1. First female UN refugee chief Sadako Ogata passes away: First female UN refugee chief Sadako Ogata passed away. She served as the Chief of the UN refugees from 1991-2000. She had also served as the head of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) from 2003- 2012 and also as the chairman of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) from 1978-1979.

2. Former Karnataka Lokayukta N. Venkatachala passes away: N. Venkatachala, former judge of the Supreme Court and former Lokayukta of Karnataka passed away. Venkatachala was known for bringing to light the existence of Karnataka’s autonomous anti-corruption wing as the Lokayukta by conducting raids on public servants and disclosing their names and particulars of seized assets. He also functioned as the head of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, during 1990. He was Lokayukta from July 3, 2001, to July 2, 2006.

3. Actor and comedian John Witherspoon passes away: Actor and comedian John Witherspoon passed away recently. He was best known best known for the hit Friday franchise and The Wayan Brothers. He made his feature debut in the film The Jazz Singer (1980) and entered showbiz through stand-up comedy and started acting in the late 1970s with guest-starring TV roles.

 

Daily GK Updates - 30th October, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Pramod Kumar Tiwari Appointed Director General of Bureau of Indian Standards: Pramod Kumar Tiwari has been appointed as the Director General (DG) of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. Previously, he was the joint secretary, department of food and public distribution, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India-Saudi Arabia Signs 12 MoUs During the Visit of PM Modi: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on an official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on 29 October 2019 at the invitation of King of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. During the visit, the two nations signed 12 MoUs/Agreements in various fields.

Some of the MoUs/Agreements are: (1) Strategic Partnership Council Agreement; (2) Agreement on Security Cooperation; (3) MoU between Saudi General Authority of Military Industries (GAMI) and Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence concerning collaboration in military acquisition, industries, research, development and technology; (4) MoU for Cooperation in the field of Civil Aviation; (5) MoU between Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited (ISPRL) and Saudi Aramco; (6) MoU for Cooperation between National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul); (7) MoU between National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and Saudi Payments

2. European Union Extends Brexit Deadline until January 31, 2020: The European Union (EU) has agreed to delay Brexit until January 31, 2020. The earlier deadline was October 31, 2019. Brexit is the scheduled withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU). The decision has been agreed on by ambassadors from the 27 other EU countries. The deal grants a three-month extension to Britain’s EU membership. It allows the U.K. to leave earlier if it and the EU both ratify the withdrawal deal.

Note: EU has a total of 28 countries including the UK.

3. Filipe Nyusi Wins Second 5 years Term as President of Mozambique: Mozambique’s incumbent President Filipe Nyusi has won the Presidential elections 2019 to be elected as the head of the country for the second consecutive term. The 60-year-old secures 73 percent of the votes marking a landslide victory.

Note: Mozambique capital: Maputo; Currency: Mozambican metical

4. Lebanon PM Saad Hariri Resigns amid Nationwide anti-government Protests: Lebanon Prime Minister Saad Hariri has announced his resignation from the post on October 29, 2019. His decision to step down comes after massive anti-government protests against his government over political corruption and economic turmoil.

Note: Lebanon Capital: Beirut; Currency: Lebanese pound

5. Rafael Grossi Named New Chief of IAEA: Rafael Grossi of Argentina has been named as the new director-general of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The 58-year-old will succeed late Yukiya Amano. He will be the sixth head of the Vienna based IAEA since its foundation on 29 July 1957.

6. HBR’s list of 10 best performing CEOs has 3 Indian-origin CEOs: The Best-Performing CEOs in the World, 2019′ list compiled by the Harvard Business Review (HBR) features 100 CEOs. The list has been topped by American technology company NVIDIA’s CEO Jensen Huang. Among the top 10 chief executives on the list, 3 spots have been occupied by the Indian-origin CEOs.

The list features 100 CEOs and has been topped by American technology company NVIDIA's CEO Jensen Huang. Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen was ranked 6th, followed by MasterCard CEO Ajay Banga was ranked 7th and Microsoft chief Satya Nadella on the 9th spot. The list also features India-born CEO of DBS Bank Piyush Gupta on the 89th spot. Apple CEO Tim Cook was ranked 62nd in the list. The 2019 list has 4 female CEOs in the top 50 of the rankings.

Note: The HBR took into account three metrics for each CEO’s tenure: the total shareholder return (including dividends reinvested) adjusted by country and by industry and change in market capitalisation (adjusted for dividends, share issues, and share repurchases), measured in inflation-adjusted USD.

7. Nirmal Purja climbs world’s 14 highest peaks in record-breaking 189 days: Nirmal Purja (Nims), a former British army soldier from Nepal created history by climbing all the 14 world’s 8,000-metre-high mountains in a record-breaking 189 days (6 months 6 days). Purja finished the task of his 14 climbs with the summit of Shishapangma on October 29, 2019. The various mountains that were scaled by Nims are: Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Kanchenjunga, Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Nanga Parbat, Gasherbrum I, Gasherbrum II, K2, Broad Peak, Cho Oyu and Manaslu.

Note: Italy’s legendary Reinhold Messner was the first person to scale 14 peaks in the year 1986.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Tiger Woods clinched historic 82nd title with Zozo Championship 2019: The Zozo Championship 2019 tournament title was clinched by America’s Tiger Woods, aged 43, which was his 82nd PGA Tour crown. He sealed a historic three-stroke win to draw level with Sam Snead (America) for the most victories on Tour. The Zozo Championship 2019, a professional golf tournament, was held at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club, Chiba, Japan. It was the first event sanctioned tournament by the PGA (Professional Golfers’ Association) Tour in Japan, in a deal that will last until at least 2025.  The prize money of the tournament was US$9.75 million.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. BSE partners with Ebix for Insurance products: The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) has formed a joint venture with Ebix (the global leader in insurance exchanges). The JV is named BSE-Ebix Broking Insurance Broking Pvt Ltd. The Joint Venture has received in-principle approval for a certificate of registration to act as a direct insurance broker under the IRDAI (Insurers Brokers) Regulations 2018. BSE-Ebix Broking Insurance Broking Pvt Ltd, will enable distribution outlets, wealth management advisors, point of sales (POSs) to sell life and non-life insurance products.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Gandhi Mandela Award 2019, an initiative to commemorate All-Time World Pioneers: New Delhi based Non-Profit Organisation (NPO), the Gandhi Mandela Foundation has constituted India's first International Award, the Gandhi Mandela Award in 2019. The award was announced on the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on October 2, 2019, and will be organized in India in December 2019. The award will honour exemplary work and achievements of the Heads of State and Government and other distinguished persons/organizations around the world. These awards will be given to personalities who have made significant contribution in the fields of Peace, Social Welfare, Culture, Environment, Education, Healthcare, Sports and Innovation. The Gandhi Mandela Foundation plans to hold the 2nd Edition of Gandhi Mandela Award in London on October 2nd 2020.

Daily GK Updates - 29th October, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. ‘Aarambh’, common foundation course for IAS probationers held in Statue of Unity: The Centre’s first-ever common foundation course “Aarambh” (Beginning) for 2019 batch probationer civil servants has begun at the Statue of Unity in Kevadia, Gujarat. There are around 500 newly recruited bureaucrats are undergoing six-day training. The theme this year is ‘How to achieve the goal of making India a 5 trillion dollar economy’.

2. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launches 'Odisha Mo Parivar' programme: The Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik has launched a social service initiative aimed at encouraging environment protection, blood donation and the welfare of Odias in distress. Under the 'Odisha Mo Parivar' (Odisha, my family) programme, party leaders will dedicate themselves to protect the environment and undertake extensive planting of trees, and create awareness among the public.

Note: Governor of Odisha: Ganeshi Lal; Capital: Bhubaneswar.

3. Govt set up a committee of secretaries (CoS) to help ease stress in the telecom sector: The government has constituted a Committee of Secretaries to work out a financial bailout package that may include lowering of spectrum charges as well as ending the era of free mobile phone calls and dirt cheap data. The committee will be headed by Cabinet Secretary, Rajiv Gauba and secretaries from finance, law, telecom ministries will be its members. The panel will comprise of secretaries to the ministries of finance, law, and telecom. The panel has been asked to look at the demands of telecom service providers (TSPs) for deferment of payments they had promised for the spectrum won through auction as well as consider lowering airwave usage charge.

4. Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde Appointed as 47th Chief Justice of India: The senior-most judge in the Supreme Court, Justice Sharad Arvind Bodbe has been appointed as the next Chief Justice of India (CJI). His Warrant of Appointment was signed by President Ram Nath Kovind under Article 124 of the Constitution of India. He will be the 47th CJI and will take oath on November 18th, a day after incumbent Ranjan Gogoi demits office. He will have tenure of 17 months and would demit office on 23rd April 2021. Born in Nagpur, Maharashtra on April 24, 1956, justice Bobde completed a Bachelor of Arts and LLB degrees from Nagpur University. Justice Bobde served as an additional judge in Bombay High Court and Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court. He was elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court on April 12, 2013.

Note: KK Venugopal is present Attorney General of India.

5. A new book titled "The Unquiet River: A biography of the Brahmaputra", to be released: A new book titled "The Unquiet River: A biography of the Brahmaputra", written by historian Arupjyoti Saikia is to be released. The book published by Oxford University Press (OUP). The book describes the river's long lineage and its centrality in Assam's environment. It is the intertwined story of the river and floodplains, water and land, human and non-humans, which continue to converge.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 9th edition of Bangladesh-India Friendship Dialogue: The 9th edition of Bangladesh-India Friendship Dialogue will be held at Cox Bazar in Bangladesh from November 1, 2019. The dialogue aims to draw from learning and experiences in these sectors between India and Bangladesh. The two-day dialogue will cover a wide range of issues like trade and investment, connectivity, technology, energy, regional security, extremism, and sustainable development among others. The event will be organized jointly by the India Foundation and Bangladesh Foundation for Regional Studies.

Note: Bangladesh Capital: Dhaka; Currency: Taka; PM: Sheikh Hasina.

2. 29th BASIC Ministerial Meet on Climate Change concluded in Beijing, China: The 29th ministerial meeting of the BASIC (Brazil, South Africa, India, China) countries on Climate Change was held at Beijing, China on 25th-26th October 2019. The meeting was chaired by E. Mr. LI Ganjie, Minister of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China. The Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Shri Prakash Javadekar represented India at the event. India will host the 30th BASIC Ministerial Meeting in 2020.

Note: BASIC: Established by an agreement in 2009 BASIC is a geopolitical alliance (bloc) of four advanced developing countries – Brazil, South Africa, India and China. These four countries collectively account for one-third of the world’s geographical area and nearly 40% of the world’s population.

3. Birender Singh Yadav to be next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Iraq: Birender Singh Yadav has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Iraq. The 1997 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, Birender Singh replaced Pradeep Singh Rajpurohit as the ambassador.

Note: President of Iraq: Barham Salih; Prime minister: Adil Abdul-Mahdi; Capital of Iraq: Baghdad; Currency: Iraqi dinar.

4. IIM Calcutta’s MBA Ranked in Top 20 in the World: Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIMC) has secured the 17th rank globally in the 'Financial Times Masters in Management Rankings 2019' released on October 28, 2019. The list was topped by the University of St.Gallen in Switzerland followed by HEC Paris, France and London Business School, UK. The IIMC got the ranking for its 2-Year Masters in Business Administration (formerly Post Graduate Programme in Management). IIMC has improved by 6 ranks from last year when it had secured the 23rd spot. The institute has also taken over IIM Ahmedabad for the top spot in the country. IM Ahmedabad is placed at 21st rank this year. IIM Bangalore, the 'B' of the IIM ABC trio, is at 44th place. IIM Udaipur at 76th rank and IIM Indore at 81st rank are the new entrants in the list.

5. Facebook launches healthcare tool for check-up reminders: Facebook has unveiled a ‘Preventive Health’ tool that connects people to health resources and sends check-up reminders. Facebook has launched the tool in the United States. The tool is designed to help users of the social networking giant to find affordable places to receive care, set reminders to schedule tests and mark when tests are completed. The recommendations to the users will be provided on the basis on their age and sex. The resources available in the tool are provided by the American Cancer Society, the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Note: Facebook Headquarters: California, US; CEO: Mark Zuckerberg.

6. World Internet Day: 29 October: Every year on October 29, World Internet Day is celebrated all across the world. It was on this day, the first electronic mail (email) was sent from one computer to another in 1969. This was the year of 1969 when Charley Kline, a student programmer at the UCLA transmitted the first-ever message on 29th of October in 1969. The Internet is a worldwide, publicly accessible series of interconnected computer networks that transmit data by packet switching, using standard IP (Internet Protocol). Now the Internet has become one of the most important parts of our life.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty bag silver in doubles event at French Open: India's top men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty won the silver medal in Badminton French Open 2019. The Indian duo lost to world No.1 Indonesian pair of Marcus Fernaldi Gideon and Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo in the finals of the French Open in Paris. Satwik and Chirag had won their maiden Super 500 title at the Thailand Open earlier in August this year. It was the first time that an Indian men's doubles pair reached a World Tour 750 final.

The list of winners is:

Men’s Singles- Chen Long (China)

Women’s Singles- An Se-young (South Korea)

Men’s Doubles- Marcus Fernaldi Gideon and Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo

Women’s Doubles- Lee So-hee and Shin Seung-chan

Mixed Doubles- Praveen Jordan and Melati Daeva Oktavianti

2. ICC bans Bangladeshi cricketer Shakib Al Hasan for 2 years: The International Cricket Council has banned Bangladesh Test and T20 Captain Shakib Al Hasan for 2 years from all forms of cricket. The Bangladeshi cricketer has been banned for not reporting to the ICC that he was approached by the bookies. The cricketer was approached by the bookies during the 2018 home tri-series against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka. One year of the punishment has been suspended after he accepted three charges of breaching the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. BSE-Ebix JV gets IRDAI approval for distribution of insurance products: The BSE-Ebix Broking Insurance Broking Private Limited, the joint venture between Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and Ebix has received in-principle approval from the insurance regulator for insurance distribution. The venture will enable distribution outlets, wealth management advisors, Points of Sale (POS) to sell life and non-life insurance product". The joint venture will make use of the reach of both BSE and EbixCash, which spans over 300,000 outlets across the country. It will cover the entire insurance lifecycle, from customer relationship management, agency management, multi-quoting, underwriting, policy creation, claims filing to the insurance company and coordinate with the insurance company for settlement of claim and back-end insurance policy administration.

Note: BSE is Asia’s first stock exchange established in 9 July 1875, its headquarters is situated in Mumbai, Maharashtra and its MD and CEO is Ashish Kumar Chauhan. Ebix Headquarters is situated in Atlanta, United States and its President & CEO is Robin Raina.

IRDAI is insurance regulatory body in India Headquartered in Hyderabad, Telangana and its Chairman is Subhash Chandra Khuntia

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Nawazuddin Siddiqui wins award at 2019 Cardiff International Film Festival: Nawazuddin Siddiqui has been awarded the Golden Dragon Award at this year’s Cardiff International Film Festival in the UK. Nawazuddin Siddiqui has made a mark internationally with Netflix’s Sacred Games, Ritesh Batra’s Photograph and BBC UK’s McMafia.

Daily GK Updates - 28th October, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. First-ever Ladakh Literature Festival: Ladakh administration is organizing the first-ever Ladakh Literature festival. The 3-day Literature Festival is being organized from 29 to 31 October 2019. The first-ever Ladakh Literature festival aims to celebrate the uniqueness of the region in the fields of Art, Culture and Literature. There will be screenings of Ladakhi films, discussions on Heritage and presentations on History and Archeology of Ladakh, during the festival. To provide an opportunity to children, youth and women to participate in the 3 Day Ladakh Literature Festival several competitions and events like Calligraphy, Culinary art are also incorporated.

2. Odisha inks LoU with UNICEF to provide safe drinking water: The Odisha government has signed a Letter of Understanding (LoU) with UNICEF to provide safe drinking water to every household in the state. The LoU was signed by the state housing and urban development department (HUDD) to provide 24-hour safe drinking water and the project has been named as 'Drink from Tap Mission'. The project will be launched on a pilot basis for about 1.2 lakh people involving 22,000 families in pockets of Puri and Khurda district. The project is being undertaken with financial support from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), which will hopefully help in achieving the state government's target.

3. Andhra Pradesh launches online platform SMARTPORT for Ease of Doing Business for Ports: Andhra Pradesh has launched an online portal named SMARTPORT for implementing the Ease of Doing Business Reforms related to trade and export promotion in all ports in the state. Andhra Pradesh is the first state in the country to launch such a portal for port-related services.

SMARTPORT will enable online services like request for entry of vessels into Indian waters, furnishing cargo declaration, request for entry certificate of vessels, furnishing import/export parameters and request for final clearance certificate.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Alberto Fernandez Elected as President of Argentina: Argentina has elected Centre-left opposition candidate Alberto Fernández as its new President. The 60-year-old law professor secured 47.36 percent votes, crossing the threshold for outright victory. He will succeed incumbent conservative Mauricio Macri and assume office on December 10, 2019.

Note: Argentina Capital: Buenos Aires; Currency: Argentine peso

2. Bill Gates overtakes Jeff Bezos as the world’s richest person: Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates overtook Jeff Bezos to become the world’s richest person. Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos lost the title as the world’s richest man to Bill Gates, after losing nearly $7 billion in stock value leaving his net worth to $103.9 billion. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is currently worth $105.7 billion. Bezos ended Gates’ 24-year run as the richest man in 2018 and became the first man on earth with a net worth of $160 billion. Bill Gates debuted on Forbes’ first ever billionaire list in 1987 with a net worth of $1.25 billion.

3. International Animation Day: October 28: The International Animation Day is observed every year on October 28 to celebrate the art of animation and also recognise the artists, scientists and technicians behind animation. The day was created in 2002 by ASIFA, an International Animated Film Association, a member of UNESCO. 2019 marks the 18th International Animation Day.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Lewis Hamilton wins Mexican Grand Prix 2019: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes – Britain) has won the Formula One, Mexican Grand Prix 2019. Sebastian Vettel remained on second position, Valtteri Bottas was on third followed by Charles Leclerc on fourth spot. Hamilton’s 10th win of the season, and 83rd of his career, was also a 100th for Mercedes as a constructor.

2. Federer Won 10th Basel Title: Roger Federer won his 10th Swiss Indoors Basel title, entering double digits at a tournament for only the second time by racing past #NextGenATP Aussie Alex de Minaur 6-2, 6-2. Federer, playing in front of a fervent home crowd, played attacking tennis against the speedy 20-year-old, who was going for his fourth title of the season (3-1)

3. Open final: Satwik-Chirag settles for silver: The Indian men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty finished second best after losing the finals in straight games against top seeds Marcus Fernaldi Gideon and Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo of Indonesia at the French Open Super 750 in Paris.

BANKING AND FINANCE

11. RBI imposes ₹35 lakh fine on Tamilnad Mercantile Bank: The Reserve Bank has imposed a penalty of ₹35 lakh on Tamilnad Mercantile Bank for violating norms on frauds classification and notification. The bank has been penalised for “non-compliance with certain provisions of directions issued by RBI on frauds classification and reporting by commercial. The RBI had conducted a statutory inspection of Tamilnad Mercantile Bank on its financial position as on March 31, 2017.

2. SBI Life fined Rs 4 lakh by IRDAI for violating norms on protection of policyholders: Insurance sector regulator IRDAI has imposed a fine of Rs 4 lakh on SBI Life Insurance Company Ltd for violating norms on advertisement and protection of policyholders’ interest. Irdai examined samples of proposal forms signed on November 30, 2016; December 23, 2016; February 17, 2017; and March 23, 2017. It was found that provisions prior to the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Act, 2015, were incorporated instead of new provisions.

ORBITUARIES

1. Padma Shri Awardee Nonagenarian Yoga Exponent V Nanammal Passes Away: The renowned nonagenarian yoga exponent V Nanammal passed away. She was 99 years old. V Nanammal was conferred the Padma Shri in 2018 and the Nari Shakti Puraskar and Yoga Ratna awards in 2016 and 2017 respectively. She had trained over 10 lakh students over 45 years, with nearly 100 students daily.

Daily GK Updates - 27th October, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Manohar Lal Khattar sworn in as CM of Haryana for a second term: Manohar Lal Khattar took oath as the chief minister of Haryana for a second consecutive term. The oath is administered by governor of Haryana, Satyadev Narayan Arya. The swearing in ceremony took place a day after Khattar was elected as the legislative party leader of BJP. Along with Khattar, Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) leader Dushyant Chautala also took oath, he will become the deputy chief minister of the state. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fell short of a majority after it could only win 40 out of the 90 assembly seats. The crucial support to BJP came from five independent Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and 10 members of JJP.

2. CBSE and NCERT to launch 'Tamanna' aptitude test for Class 9 and 10 students: Education board the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) have launched an online aptitude test called as ‘Tamanna’ (Try and Measure Aptitude and Natural Abilities). This will help students of class 9th and 10th make a better choice of subjects, eventually helping them in making an informed decision while choosing subjects in Class 11 and 12. The CBSE (Know your aptitude) KYA exam will assess a student's weaknesses and strengths in academics.

3. Varanasi most polluted city of India: CPCB: In a major health concern for the state, four UP cities were among the five most polluted in the country. According to the data released by the Central Pollution Control Board, Varanasi was the most polluted city with air quality index (AQI) touching 276, followed by Lucknow (AQI 269), Muzaffarnagar (AQI 266), Yamunanagar in Haryana (AQI 264) and Moradabad (AQI 256).

4. Guinness World Records set by Ayodhya for lighting over 4 lakh diyas: Uttar Pradesh state government’s Deepotsav celebrations on the eve of Diwali in Ayodhya has set a Guinness World Records as 4 lakh 10 thousand ‘diyaas’ were lit on the banks of Saryu river. Apart from this, more than two lakh ‘diyaas’ were lit elsewhere than the ghat. In all, more than 6 lakh ‘diyaas’ were lit. Last year’s record was of three lakh one thousand one hundred eighty six ‘diyaas’ at the ghat.

5. Indian Army Celebrates 73rd Infantry Day in J&K: The Indian Army celebrated the 73rd Infantry Day in Jammu and Kashmir on October 27, 2019, as a remembrance of the first military event of independent India and the supreme sacrifices of the infantry in countering the Pakistani raiders in Jammu and Kashmir in 1947. October 27 is celebrated as Infantry Day by the Indian Army in J&K, known by nickname, Chinar Corps. On October 22, 1947, the Pakistan Army and Lashkar invaded into Jammu and Kashmir and wreaked havoc on the people. Thereafter the First Battalion of the Sikh Regiment of Indian Army fought battle to accomplish victory over the first attack on the Indian soil, on October 27, 1947, in the Kashmir valley.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Indians will no longer require Visas to visit Brazil: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said that South American nation will drop its requirement that visiting Chinese and Indian tourists or businesspeople obtain visas. Bolsonaro, a far-right politician, came to power at the beginning of the year and has made it a policy to reduce visa requirements from a number of developed countries. But the announcement, made during an official visit to China, is the first he has made expanding that policy to the developing world. Earlier this year, the Brazilian government ended visa requirements for tourists and business people from the United States, Canada, Japan and Australia. Those countries, however, have not in return dropped their visa requirements for Brazilian citizens.

Note: Brazil Capital: Brasilia; Currency: Brazilian real

2. Sophie Wilmes Becomes First Women to be named as Belgian Prime Minister: Sophie Wilmes has been chosen as Belgium’s new Prime Minister. She is currently the Budget Minister of Belgium. Sophie is the first female to be appointed as the Prime Minister of the country. She will succeed incumbent Prime Minister Charles Michel, who is set to take over as European Council president on December 1.

Note: Belgium Capital: Brussels; Currency: Euro

3. World Day for Audiovisual Heritage: 27 October: The World Day for Audiovisual Heritage, observed by the United Nations on 27th October, recognizes the need to preserve audio-visual links to the past. The Theme of 2019 is 'Engage the Past through Sound and Images'. The General Conference of UNESCO approved the commemoration of a World Day for Audio visual Heritage in 2005 as a mechanism to raise general awareness of the need to preserve and safeguard important audio-visual material for future generations.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. World Military Games: Boxer Deepak loses finals: Indian boxer Deepak lost the finals of the men's light fly 46-59 kg weight category against Zhussupov Temritas from Kazakhstan in the World Military Games in China. Deepak had to settle for the silver in the men's light flyweight (46-49kg) category after losing 0-5 to gold medallist Zhussupov Temirtas of Kazakhstan in the final. Temritas defeated Deepak 5-0 in the finals.

2. ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2020 to be held in South Africa: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that the 13th edition of ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2020 will be hosted by South Africa from 17th January to 9th February 2020. South Africa will host this tournament for the second time. For the first time it hosted the 2nd edition of the tournament in 1998 when England won the tournament after beating New Zealand in the final. A total of 16 teams will participate in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2020, including the hosts South Africa. The defending champion India has won the tournament 4 times.

Note: ICC Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates; ICC Chairman: Shashank Manohar; ICC CEO: Manu Sawhney

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. NDB Approves Two Projects with Loans Aggregating to USD 800 milllion for Brazil and India: New development bank will provide a sovereign loan of USD 500 million to the Federative Republic of Brazil for the Fundo Clima – Brazil National Climate Fund Project. The loan represents a threefold increase of Fundo Clima operations and the total amount of USD 500 million is expected to be fully committed by 2024. Sectors including urban mobility, waste treatment, renewable energy, energy efficiency are expected to be financed under the project. Bank provide a loan of USD 300 million to REC Limited to support the Government of India’s increasing investment in the renewable energy sector. The Project is aimed at improving the energy mix in India by providing funds for the construction and commissioning of renewable energy sub-projects. The Project will create jobs and contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions and environmental pollution.

Note: ADB Headquarters location: Shanghai, China; Founder: BRICS; Founded: 15 July 2014, Fortaleza, State of Ceará, Brazil; President: K. V. Kamath

Daily GK Updates - 26th October, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Health Ministry to observe Vigilance Awareness Week: The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will observe the Vigilance Awareness Week from 28th October to 2nd November 2019 with the theme “Integrity- a way of life”. Vigilance Awareness Week will commence with the administration of ‘Integrity Pledge’ to the officers/staff of the Ministry by the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, to fight against corruption and commit to highest standards of honesty and integrity. The week will be observed as per directions of Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), Government of India.

2. Girish Chandra Murmu appointed first Lieutenant Governor of J&K: Expenditure Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Girish Chander Murmu has been appointed as the first Lt Governor of Jammu and Kashmir. He will be administered the oath of office on October 31 in Srinagar after which he will be the administrative head of Kashmir and Jammu provinces.

3. Radha Krishna Mathur appointed the first Lt Governor of Ladakh: Former Chief Information Commissioner of India (CIC), Radha Krishna Mathur has been appointed the Lieutenant Governor of the union territory of Ladakh. The reorganization of Ladakh as UT will take effect from October 31, 2019. Radha Krishna Mathur was given the charge as the Chief Information Commissioner of India (CIC) in 2016 and he retired as CIC in November 2018. He has been the Union Defence Secretary, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Secretary of India and the Chief Secretary of Tripura. He has also served as the Development Commissioner in the Ministry of Textiles and the Chief Enforcement Officer in the Ministry of Textiles in the Central government.

4. Satya Pal Malik appointed new Governor of Goa: Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik has been transferred and appointed as Governor of Goa. He was appointed as the governor of undivided Jammu & Kashmir in August last year. In September 2017, he was appointed the governor of Bihar. Earlier, he was a member of the 9th Lok Sabha and represented Aligarh Constituency from 1989 to 1991. He was a member of Rajya sabha from Uttar Pradesh during the two-term of 1980-86 and 1986-1992.

5. Govt sets up panel to resolve contention between MeitY and Niti over AI: The government of India has formed a committee under the chairmanship of principal scientific advisor, K Vijay Raghavan to resolve the contentions between the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) and the NITI Aayog over the ownership to implement the ambitious Artificial Intelligence Mission. The panel will specify the roles of different agencies in achieving the AI mission. The committee will also be represented by the secretary in the department of science and technology, the CEO of Niti Aayog and secretary of MeitY. The committee is tasked with rooting out duplication of work between various government arms, while clearly specifying the role of different agencies to fast-track the implementation of the AI mission. Earlier, Niti Aayog received clearance from the expenditure finance committee (EFC) for a budget of Rs 7,000 crore, while MeitY had sent a separate Rs 400 crore proposal to the EFC to set up a national AI programme.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. First Global Health Security Index 2019 released, India ranked at 57th position: The first comprehensive assessment of epidemic and pandemic threats globally ‘The Global Health Security Index 2019’ was released. Among the 195 countries, India got 57th position in the index while the United States of America (USA) topped the list, followed by the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Thailand and South Korea were among the best-performing countries in Asia. This is a project of the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) and the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security, with research by The Economist Intelligence Unit

2. Evo Morales has been Re-elected as President of Bolivia. Evo Morales has narrowly won a controversial fourth presidential term just as tens of thousands of Bolivians marched in the administrative capital, La Paz, and cities across the country on the fourth day of protests decrying alleged voter fraud. With 99.99% of the official vote counted, Morales won 47.07%, fractionally clearing the 10-point margin he needed to avoid a second-round run-off against the main opposition candidate, Carlos Mesa, who won 36.51% of the vote. A spokeswoman for Bolivia’s electoral board said 0.01% votes have been voided in the region of Beni with new voting there scheduled for November. She said they were not enough to change the outcome.

Note: Bolivia Capital: La Paz, Sucre; Currency: Boliviano

3. Ruling Party Wins Botswana Elections: The Botswana Democratic Party shrugged off a spirited challenge from the opposition coalition, the Umbrella for Democratic Change, to keep intact its 53-year, uninterrupted rule. The BDP secured the 29 of 57 National Assembly seats required to form the next government. Botswana Chief Justice Terrence Rannowane declared BDP leader, Mokgweetsi Masisi, the country's president.

Note: Botswana Capital: Gaborone; Currency: Botswana pula

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Karnataka crush Tamil Nadu to win 4th Vijay Hazare Trophy: Karnataka defeated Tamil Nadu by 60 runs (VJD method) to win the Vijay Hazare Trophy for the 4th time. KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal shared an unbeaten 114-run partnership after Abhimanyu Mithun took a hat-trick and completed a 5-wicket haul as Karnataka defeated Tamil Nadu to lift the Vijay Hazare Trophy for the 4th time. Karnataka were cruising towards a 253-run target before rain interrupted play. The final was eventually called off when Karnataka were 146/1 in 23 overs. With Rahul batting on 52 and Agarwal unbeaten on 69, Karanataka were declared winners by VJD method. Karnataka were well ahead of the VJD par-score, which was 87.

2. Jasprit Bumrah, Mandhana win Wisden India Almanack ‘Cricketer of the Year’ award: Indian cricketer Jasprit Bumrah and Batswoman Smriti Mandhana are the two Indian names among the five winners of the Wisden India Almanack Cricketer of the Year award. The other three winners are: Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman, Sri Lanka’s Dimuth Karunaratne and Afghanistan Rashid Khan. Wisden India Hall of Fame– Stalwarts Gundappa Viswanath and Lala Amarnath. Wisden India Book of the Year– “Cricket Country: The Untold History of the First All India Team” by Prashant Kidambi.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Union Government grants 'Maharatna' status to Hindustan Petroleum and Power Grid Corporation: The Indian government has accorded 'Maharatna' status to state-owned Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited and Power Grid Corporation Limited. In this regard, two separates orders were issued by the Department of Public Enterprises, under the Ministry of Heavy Industry and Public Enterprises. It will give both the enterprise greater operational and financial autonomy because the grant of Maharatna status will impart enhanced powers to their Boards to take financial decisions.

Note: Founded in 1974, the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited is a major petroleum company in India. Its headquarters is situated in Mumbai and Mr. Mukesh Kumar Surana is its Chairman and Managing Director.

Power Grid Corporation Limited is the countries largest power transmission company founded in 1989 and headquartered in Gurugram, Haryana. K Shreekant is the Chairman and Managing Director of Power Grid Corporation.

2. Indian Overseas Bank unveils health insurance policy with Universal Sompo: Public sector lender, Indian Overseas Bank unveiled a healthcare insurance policy through an online platform in association with Universal Sompo General Insurance Company Ltd. The policy offered on a real-time basis to customers at the branches of Indian Overseas Bank through the integration of technology of the two institutions. The co-branded healthcare policy designed by Universal Sompo General Insurance is offered with a sum insured from Rs 50,000 to Rs 15 lakh. The one of its kind family floater policy where the premium is charged as per the age of the proposer with no medical checkup up to the 50 years of age. Customers can avail of co-branded insurance at all IOB branches. Self, spouse, dependent children, dependent parents can be covered under this policy.

Note: Indian Overseas Bank Headquarters: Chennai, TN; MD and CEO is Karnam Sekar

While Universal Sompo General Insurance headquarters: Mumbai; Chairman: O N Singh

3. World Bank inks agreement project to support smallholder farmers in Odisha: The World Bank has signed a tripartite loan agreement worth $165 million with the Government of India and Odisha government to support 125,000 smallholder farmers in the 15 districts district of Odisha. Under this loan agreement, the project "The Odisha Integrated Irrigation Project for Climate Resilient Agriculture" will be implemented in Odisha's rural areas which are vulnerable to droughts and largely dependent on rainfed agriculture. This project will diversify and improve the marketing of their produce, for increased income by managing 128,000 ha of agricultural land in Odisha.

Note: World Bank Headquarters: Washington, D.C; President: David Malpass

DEFENCE

1. Indo-French joint military Drill 'Exercise Shakti-2019' will be conducted from October 31st in Rajasthan: Indo-French joint military exercise ‘Ex-Shakti-2019’ will be conducted from October 31 to November 13 in the Mahajan field firing range in Rajasthan. The joint exercise will focus on counter-terrorism operations in the backdrop of semi-desert terrain under the United Nations mandate. In this exercise, a contingent of the Sikh Regiment of south-western command will represent the Indian Army, while the troops of the 21st Marine Infantry Regiment of the 6th Armoured Brigade will represent French Army. The aim of this exercise is to enhancing understanding, cooperation and interoperability between the two armies. In 2018 it was conducted at Mailly Le Camp, France. The biennial exercise between the armies of the two countries had started in 2011.

OBITUARIES

1. Former Gujarat CM Dilip Parikh passes away at 82: Former Chief Minister of Gujarat, Dilip Parikh passed away at the age of 82 years. Parikh served as the 13th Chief Minister of Gujarat between October 1997 and March 1998.

Daily GK Updates - 25th October, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. President Kovind visits Rajgir for Golden Jubilee celebration of Vishwa Shanti Stupa: President Ram Nath Kovind has inaugurated day long golden jubilee celebrations of Vishwa Shanti Stupa (World Peace Pagoda) in Rajgir, Bihar. More than 300 Buddhist monks, devotees and eminent personalities from Japan, Thailand, Srilanka, Bhutan, Nepal, US and other countries have arrived to take part in the function. During his brief visit, the President participate in prayers and also address the gathering at the venue.

Note: The Vishwa Shanti Stupa has completed 50 years of its establishment. Vishwa Shanti Stupa is situated on Ratnagiri hillock, constructed by Japanese Buddhist monk popularly known as Fujii Guruji in 1969. Ratnagiri hillock of Rajgir attaches important relation with Lord Buddha because after getting the enlightenment he spent a monastic life and preached his disciples at nearby Gridhakut Parvat.

2. First “Global Bio-India 2019” Summit to be held in New Delhi: The first-ever Global Bio-India 2019 Summit will be held at New Delhi (from 21 to 23 November 2019). It is for the first time that India will host a mega event for the biotech community to attract investments, showcase our indigenous strengths and more importantly fuel the hopes and aspirations of the indigenous talent pool. The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India along with its Public Sector Undertaking, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) is organizing this event.

3. BPRD releases “Data on Police Organizations (DoPO 2018)”: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G. Kishan Reddy has released the Bureau of Police Research and Development’s flagship publication “Data on Police Organizations” (DoPO 2018) in New Delhi. The Data on Police Organisation in India is an important compilation of information on police infrastructure, manpower and other resources from all States, Union Territories, CAPFs and CPOs.

Major highlights of the DoPO 2018: There has been an increase of 19,686 Police personnel in the sanctioned strength of the State Police and 16,051 in the strength of CAPFs. There has been 20.95% increase in the strength of Woman Police which brings the total percentage of women in the Indian Police to 8.73%. Police Stations have increased from 15579 to 16422. This includes Cyber Police Stations whose number has risen from 84 to 120.

4. Chenani-Nashri Tunnel renamed as Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Tunnel: J&K’s Chenani-Nashri Tunnel, a 9 km-long tunnel that reduces the distance between Jammu and Srinagar by 31 km has been renamed as Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Tunnel. The ‘Chenani-Nashri Highway Tunnel’ is not only India’s longest highway tunnel but also Asia’s longest bi-directional highway tunnel. The renaming of the tunnel aims to preserve Mukherjee’s heritage and memory as well as a tribute for his sacrifice for the nation.

5. Indian Railway launches One Touch ATVM: Indian Railways has launched ‘one touch ATVM’ at 42 suburban stations of Central Railway over Mumbai Suburban Network. The machine has been launched to render fast ticketing to millions of commuters. This new machine will reduce the waiting time of the passengers and allow passenger to avoid standing in long queues. The new machine is loaded with the user friendly procedure which will greatly ease the load on ticketing system of Mumbai Suburban Network. A total of 92 ATVMs has been installed at 42 suburban stations.

6. Yogi Adityanath to launch Kanya Sumangala Yojana: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has launched its flagship scheme Kanya Sumangla Yojna in Lucknow. The scheme will provide an amount of 15 thousand rupees in a phased manner to every family in which a girl child takes birth. The scheme has been designed in a way that parents have to take care of girl child’s health and education to get the benefit. Funds will be released in instalments when a girl child completes various achievements, like vaccination, admission in class 1, 5 and 9, graduation.

7. Ayurveda Day: 25th October: Government of India is celebrating 4th Ayurveda Day (Dhanvantari Jayanti) on 25th October 2019. The Ministry of Ayush has distributed “National Dhanwantari Ayurveda Award” on National Ayurveda Day. The award comprises of trophy and cash reward of Rs 5 lakhs. Ayurveda Day is being celebrated as a part of the mission’s role in creating awareness about the medicines. Government has also upgraded a lot of Ayurvedic institutions as a part of AYUSH Mission.

8. Arvind Singh appointed the chief of Airports Authority of India: Senior IAS officer Arvind Singh has been appointed as the Chairman of Airports Authority of India (AAI). The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is a statutory body working under the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Senior IAS officer Sukhbir Singh Sandhu (1988-batch: Uttarakhand cadre) will head the National Highways Authority of India. The National Highways Authority of India (NIA) is an autonomous agency of the Government of India responsible for the management of a network of over 50,000 km of National Highways out of 1,15,000 km in India. Ganji Kamala V Rao has been named the chairman and managing director, India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) Ltd.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. International Artist’s Day: 25th October: International Artist’s Day is being observed every year on October 25th to honour artists and all the contributions they make. The day also celebrates one of the most famous artists, Pablo Picasso. The Spanish artist was born on October 25th, 1881. Artists work hard to create their work. They add beauty to the world around us. Most artists work with many different mediums.

Note: Canadian artist, Chris MacClure started International Artist’s Day in 2004. Since then, October 25th has been a day dedicated to celebrating all the contributions artists have given to society.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. China to host the inaugural edition of expanded 24-team Club World Cup 2021: According to Gianni Infantino (FIFA president), China will host the inaugural edition of the expanded 24-team Club World Cup. Gianni Infantino (FIFA president) made the announcement after a meeting in Shanghai of the FIFA Council, the decision-making unit of football's world governing body. The FIFA Council has decided, unanimously, to appoint China as the host of the new FIFA World Cup for Clubs. The current Club World Cup features seven teams including the holders of the UEFA Champions League. Qatar will host the competition this year and in 2020.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. IRDAI forms working group to revisit the product structure of title insurance: The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) has set a 12 membered working group to revisit the product structure of title insurance. The panel will be headed by T L Alamelu.

Note: Title insurance is an insurance of indemnity. It basically provides indemnity to developers and the subsequent homeowners of the property against losses and risks related to defects in the title of the property.

2. IRDAI sets up panel to evaluate application under Regulatory Sandbox: The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has set up an eight-member committee to evaluate applications filed under the Regulatory Sandbox approach to promote innovative ideas to foster growth in insurance sector. The committee will be headed by International Institute of Information Technology (Bangalore) Director S Sadagopan.

Note: Regulatory Sandbox (RS) refers to live testing of new products or services in a controlled/test regulatory environment for which regulators may permit certain relaxations for the limited purpose of testing.

3. ICICI Bank exits GST Network, sells entire 10% stake to 13 state govts: ICICI Bank which had 10% stake in GST Network, has sold its entire 10% stake to 13 state Governments. The stake sale is for aggregate cash consideration of Rs 1 crore. The bank will transfer 0.14 per cent stake to the Assam government and 0.81 per cent stake to the Telangana government. Besides, it will transfer Goa, Kerala, Manipur, Tripura, West Bengal, Delhi, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh governments 0.82 per cent stake each. Presently, Central Government and State Government had a total of 49% stake in GSTN (with 24.5% stake of each) while the remaining 51% was divided between 5 private firms with, HDFC, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and NSE Strategic Investment Co hold 10% each and LIC Housing Finance Ltd holding 11%.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Ilham Tohti Wins European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize 2019: The European Parliament has awarded the Sakharov Prize to Uighur intellectual Ilham Tohti. He has been awarded the Sakharov Prize for his attempts to “foster dialogue” between Chinese people and the Uighur. Ilham Tohti, who is from the Uighur minority, has been a fierce critic of China’s treatment of the Uighur people. He has been sentenced to life imprisonment in China for “separatism”. The outspoken former Professor of economics at a Beijing university was sentenced in 2014.

Note: Sakharov prize is named after Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov. It was created in 1988 to honour individuals or groups who defend human rights and fundamental freedoms.

OBITUARIES

1. Sports journalist and author K R Wadhwaney passes away: Veteran sports journalist and author K R Wadhwaney passed away at the age of 90 years. Wadhwaney was the Sports Editor of the Indian Express newspaper. He worked as a freelance writer for several Indian newspapers after his retirement.