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.

Daily GK Updates - 4th November, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. AYUSH Minister Inaugurates National Research Institute of Unani Medicine for Skin Disorders: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH Shri Shripad Yesso Naik inaugurated National Research Institute of Unani Medicine for Skin Disorders (NRIUMSD) in Hyderabad. It is upgraded institutions from the Central Research Institute of Unani Medicine (CRIUM). On the occasion, Shri Naik praises the success of the CRIUM in the treatment of vitiligo and other chronic and stubborn diseases and said that it’s perhaps the only medical institution in the world that has treated more than 1.5 lakh patients of Vitiligo alone.

Note: Director-General, Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM): Asim Ali Khan.

2. Jharkhand assembly elections to be held in 5 phases: According to the Election Commission, Jharkhand assembly polls will be held in five phases between November 30 and December 20, and the counting of votes will take place on December 23. As per the Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora, the polls to 81-member assembly will be held on November 30, December 7, 12, 16 and 20.

Note: Jharkhand Capital: Ranchi; Governor: Draupadi Murmu; Chief Minister: Raghubar Das

3. Siemens signs MoUs with NTPC, TERI on decarbonisation, energy transition: German multinational conglomerate company, Siemens Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NTPC Limited to identify, evaluate and set up reference use cases of hydrogen sector-coupling for various upstream and downstream applications. The collaboration is aimed at developing innovative technologies, solutions and techniques to reduce the dependence on Hydrocarbons in India. Siemens Limited has also inked a separate MoU with TERI for collaboration on technologies to support the energy transition in India including sector-coupling. Among the objectives of the MoU with TERI is realizing the research and technology development projects to enable energy transitions across the electricity, transport and industrial sectors.

Note: NTPC Chairman and Managing Director: Gurdeep Singh; Headquarters: New Delhi.

Siemens headquarters: Munich, Germany; MD and CEO: Sunil Mathur

Director of TERI is Ajay Mathur; Headquarters: New Delhi.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Germany to invest 1 bn euros green funds for urban mobility in India: German Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged to invest 1 billion euros over the next five years on environmentally-friendly urban mobility in India. Merkel, whose visit to the country coincided with one of the worst spells of air pollution in Delhi/NCR, also emphasized on the need to replace diesel-run public transport with electric vehicles. Germany would also put in 200 million euros to reform the bus sector in Tamil Nadu.

Note: Germany Capital: Berlin; Currency: Euro

2. Amit Shah to inaugurate SCO Joint Exercise on Urban Earthquake Search and Rescue (SCOJtEx) in New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will inaugurate the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Joint Exercise on Urban Earthquake Search and Rescue (SCOJtEx) in New Delhi on November 04, 2019. The 4-day event will be attended by all eight SCO member countries – China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The purpose of the event if to test the region’s preparedness to activate intergovernmental interaction for immediate response

Note: Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Headquarters: Beijing, China.

3. Hardeep Singh Puri inaugurates Guru Nanak Chair at University of Birmingham: Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs has inaugurated a new Guru Nanak Chair by the support of Indian government, at the University of Birmingham to enable research around the teachings of the founder of the Sikh religion. He announced the new Chair to mark the 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak, during his visit to Birmingham where he delivered an Annual Lecture on the Contemporary Relevance of Guru Nanak's Teachings.

Note: England Capital: London; Currency: Pound sterling

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Maisnam Meiraba clinches Korea Jr Open Title 2019: India’s Maisnam Meiraba Luwang clinched the boys’ singles U-19 title at the Woncheon Yonex Korea Junior Open Badminton International Challenge 2019 in Miryang, Korea. The top seed Maisnam from Manipur needed just 36 minutes to brush aside the challenge of 15th seed Lee Hak Joo of Korea in a 21-10 21-13 win. Meanwhile, the eighth seed, Sathish Kumar Karunakaran, who had bowed out to Luwang 16-21, 22-24 in the semi-final claimed bronze in the same category.

2. Pooja Gehlot wins silver in UWW Under-23 World Championships: Pooja Gehlot (53kg) in wrestling claimed India’s second silver medal after going down to Japan’s Haruna Okuno in the finals of the UWW Under-23 World Championships in Budapest. She lost 0-2 to Okuno in the summit clash. Ravinder (61kg), had won India’s first silver earlier this week.

3. Novak Djokovic won the Paris Masters 2019 title: Novak Djokovic of Serbia has won the fifth Paris Masters title for 2019 by defeating Canadian youngster Denis Shapovalov in the final. He secured 6-3 6-4 to win the title. Thus, he sealed his 34th Master’s title and fifth overall ATP victory of the year 2019.

4. Lakshya Sen wins SaarLorLux Open badminton tournament: India’s Lakshya Sen has won the SaarLorLux Open badminton tournament at Saarbrücken in Germany. He defeated Sen Weng Hong Yang of China. Lakshya, seeded eighth, needed 59 minutes to overcome Weng 17-21 21-18 21-16 in the summit clash for his third successive singles title of the season.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Sumant Kathpalia appointed as new MD & CEO of IndusInd Bank: Sumant Kathpalia has been chosen as the new Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of IndusInd Bank. He will replace Romesh Sobti. Kathpalia is the head of consumer loans at the Hindujas-promoted lender and his name has been forwarded to the Reserve Bank for approval. Sobti, who has been at the helm for over a decade, will be retiring in March 2020 at age of 70. The 55-year-old Kathpalia has also been with the bank since 2008 and is credited with building a consumer loan portfolio from scratch, as part of a strategy to diversify the loan book adopted by the bank.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Writer Anand selected for Ezhuthachan Puraskaram: Noted writer Anand has been selected for the 27th Ezhuthachan Puraskaram, the highest literary honour of the Kerala state government. This award is given by the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award and the Government of Kerala. His one of the famous novel is Aalkoottam which portrays the unique crises that the nation had witnessed with a rare finesse. Born at Irinjalakuda in 1936, his real name is P. Satchidanandan. He served the nation as a planning director in the Central Water Commission in New Delhi. His Govardhante Yatrakal had won the Kendra Sahitya Akademi award, Veedum Thadavum and Jaina Manushyan Kerala Sahitya Akademi award and Marubhoomikal Undakunnath, Vayalar award.

Note: The Ezhuthachan Puraskaram comprises a cash prize of ₹5 lakh and a citation.

2. Documentary on Real Kashmir Football Club bags BAFTA & Scotland Awards: A documentary on Real Kashmir Football Club has bagged the prestigious British Academy of Film and Television Awards (BAFTA) and Scotland Awards at a glittering ceremony in Glasgow, Scotland. The documentary narrates the journey of former Rangers ace David Robertson as the coach of Real Kashmir FC, which in its first season finished third in the I-League, which is currently India’s second-tier football league. The hour-long film won in the ‘Single Documentary’ category.

3. Indian-origin researcher wins award for work on batteries: An Indian origin researcher from the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, Australia, Neeraj Sharma (35) has won the ‘Early Career Researcher of the Year Award-2019’ (Physical Sciences). The Award has been given by the Australian government for his work in lithium-ion batteries found in electronic devices, electric vehicles and the grid, as well as next-generation battery systems such as sodium-ion batteries that will leave a minimal environmental impact, and transition away from fossil fuels for energy generation and transportation. Neeraj Sharma who is a professor at University of South Wales (UNSW)’s School of Chemistry, Sydney is considered one of the global leaders in the use of neutron and X-ray scattering methods to study materials for next-generation lithium-ion batteries.

Note: Australia capital: Canberra; Currency: Australian Doller; Prime Minister: Scott Morrison

4. Madhuri Vijay’s first novel ‘The Far Field’ wins 2019 JCB prize for Literature: Novel “The Far Field” by US based-Indian author Madhuri Vijay’s has bagged the 2019 JCB prize for Literature.  It was her first novel. JCB prize for Literature is the most expensive Indian award for writing. It carries a cash prize of ₹25 lakh.

Daily GK Updates - 3rd November, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Vice President inaugurates 21st North East Book Fair in Guwahati: Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the 21st North East Book Fair in Guwahati, Assam. Vice President laid stress on the use of the mother tongue and the relevance of books to stir one’s creativity and stimulate innovative and inventive ideas. This book fair organized by the All Assam Publishers and Booksellers Association (AAPBA). There are as many as 217 bookstalls including one from Bangladesh.

2. Health Minister launched Intensified Mission Indradhanush 2.0 portal: Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare launched Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 2.0 portal in New Delhi. This portal start from December 2019-March 2020. The IMI2.0 is a rechristened version of mission Indhradanush Universal Immunization Programme(UIP) that aims to achieve 100% immunization. The portal was launched during the celebration of the silver jubilee of the Pulse Polio Programme. The health minister also launched Operational guidelines for ‘Strengthening immunization systems to reach every child’ and ‘Operational guidelines for Strengthening Td10 and Td16 vaccine implementation.

Note: Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare: Harsh Vardhan.

3. Maps of newly formed Union Territories of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh released by GoI: The maps prepared by Survey General of India depicting the new Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has been now released. The new Union Territory of Ladakh consists of two districts of Kargil and Leh. The rest of the former State of Jammu and Kashmir is in the new Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. In 1947, the former State of Jammu and Kashmir had the following 14 districts – Kathua, Jammu, Udhampur, Reasi, Anantnag, Baramulla, Poonch, Mirpur, Muzaffarabad, Leh and Ladakh, Gilgit, Gilgit Wazarat, Chilhas and Tribal Territory. By 2019, the state government of former Jammu and Kashmir had reorganized the areas of these 14 districts into 28 districts. The names of the new districts are as follows – Kupwara, Bandipur, Ganderbal, Srinagar, Budgam, Pulwama, Shupian, Kulgam, Rajouri, Ramban, Doda, Kishtivar, Samba and Kargil.

4. Kolkata International Film Festival to start on Nov 8: The 25th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) will start on November 8. Germany is the Focus Country of this year’s festival. In all, 214 Feature Films and 152 Short and Documentary Films from 76 countries will be screened at 17 venues. The important segment of the festival includes Homage, Centenary Tribute, Retrospective, Contemporary World Cinema. Satyajit Ray Memorial Lecture will be delivered by Noted Film Personality Kumar Sahani.

Note: Chief Minister of West Bengal: Mamata Banerjee; Governor of West Bengal: Jagdeep Dhankhar.

5. Punjab Cabinet passes resolution to institute Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Award: Punjab State Cabinet passed a unanimous resolution to institute Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Award for Promotion of Peace and Interfaith Understanding, in commemoration of the 550th Prakash Purb of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. The award would carry a citation and a cash prize of 11 lakh rupees. This coveted award would be given each year and would be adjudicated by a jury to be notified by the State Government.

Note: Punjab CM: Amarinder Singh; Governor: VP Singh Badnore.

6. IIT Delhi to set up space technology cell in collaboration with ISRO: The Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-D) will set up a space technology cell (STC) in collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). This collaboration is to contribute to the space technology research areas such as AI (Artificial Intelligence), nanotechnology, functional textiles, smart manufacturing at its campus. It is also proposed that IIT, Delhi as an Institute becomes an academic partner of ISRO.

Note: IIT Delhi Director: V Ramgopal Rao.

ISRO Director: K.Sivan; Headquarters: Bengaluru; Established: 1969.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. PM Modi Releases Commemorative Coin to Mark 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak at Bangkok: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a three-day visit to Bangkok, Thailand to participate in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit as well as East Asia, and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) summits. During the visit, PM Modi released a commemorative coin marking the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev on November 2, 2019. He also released Thai translation of Tamil classic ‘Tirukkural’.

2. UNESCO designates Mumbai and Hyderabad as member of UCCN: UNESCO has designated Mumbai as a member of UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) in the field of FILM and Hyderabad in the field of GASTRONOMY. The 7 categories for recognition under UCCN are Crafts and Folk Arts, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Music, Media Arts and Literature. Previously, 3 Indian cities were recognized as members of UCCN, namely- Jaipur-Crafts and Folk Arts (2015), Varanasi-Creative city of Music (2015), Chennai-Creative city of Music (2017).

Note: UCCN, created in 2004, is a network of cities which are thriving, active centres of cultural activities in their respective countries. The UNESCO Creative Cities Network now counts a total of 246 cities.

UNESCO President: Audrey Azoulay; Founded: 16 November 1945; Headquarters: Paris, France.

3. India ranked 133 in 2019 Women, Peace, and Security Index: India has been ranked at 133rd rank in the 2019 Women, Peace, and Security Index. Norway has topped the ranking. The ranking has been released by Georgetown University’s Institute for Women, Peace and Security. It ranks 167 countries on women’s equality, reveals trends in women’s wellbeing across 11 indicators. Switzerland is on second, Finland on third and Denmark on fourth. Yemen is ranked last.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. South Africa won Rugby World Cup 2019: The 2019 Rugby World Cup Final was a rugby union match played at the International Stadium Yokohama in Yokohama, Japan. It marked the culmination of the 2019 Rugby World Cup and was played between England and South Africa. This was the 3rd Rugby World Cup title win for South Africa with a 32–12 victory.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. E-Stamp counter launched at Tripura Gramin Bank in Agartala: The Tripura Gramin Bank in collaboration with Stock Holdings Corporation of India Ltd. has launched an e-Stamp Counter at the Abhoynagar branch of Tripura Gramin Bank in Agartala. Facilities will bring cent per cent transparency and will also save the hard-earned money of customers from forged vendors, who are involved with black-marketing of stamp papers.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Unemployment rate rises to 8.5%: CMIE: As per the data released by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), India’s unemployment rate in October rose to 8.5%. This is the highest since August 2016, and up from 7.2% in September. Here are some other facts: Urban unemployment rate: 8.9%; Rural unemployment rate: 8.3%.; Tripura and Haryana saw unemployment levels of more than 20% (the highest); while unemployment was the lowest in Tamil Nadu at 1.1%.

2. OECD predicts India’s GDP growth at 6.6% in 2020-24: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has predicted India’s GDP growth rate for 2020-2024 at 6.6%. For 2013-17 it was 7.4. IT was revealed by OECD in its report titled Economic Outlook for Southeast Asia, China and India 2020. Overall Southeast Asia region is expected to record 5.7 per cent growth on average in 2020-24.

3. Google to buy wearables maker Fitbit for $2.1 billion: Google has agreed to buy Fitbit for $2.1 billion in a move giving the US tech giant an entry into the wearable technology space, the two companies announced Friday. The move comes with Google seeking to expand beyond its core business of online search into hardware, and with Fitbit struggling against rivals including Apple.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Pepsico India wins US award for saving water: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo presented the prestigious Award for Corporate Excellence to Pepsico India. This award is given for its efforts to save more than 17 billion of litres of water by conducting various community programs and replenished over 5 billion litres of water, by impacting 60,000 community members. This award is given by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs.

Note: Chairman and CEO of Pepsico: Ramon Laguarta.

2. Rajinikanth to be honoured special Icon award at IFFI: The 50th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will honour superstar Rajinikanth with a special Icon of Golden Jubilee Award and the Life Time Achievement Award for a Foreign Artiste will be conferred to French Actress Isabelle Huppert. The festival will be held in Goa from November 20 to 28. Russia will be the partner country at the festival this year.

Note: Chief Minister of Goa: Pramod Sawant; Governor of Goa: Satya Pal Malik.

3. Odisha Artist Sudarsan Pattnaik Picked For Italian Golden Sand Art Award: Internationally-acclaimed sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has been selected for the prestigious Italian Golden Sand Art Award 2019. He will be honoured during the International Scorrana Sand Nativity in Italy scheduled to be held from November 13 to 18. Mr Pattnaik said he will also represent India in International scorrana sand Nativity. As many as eight sculptors will participate in this festival.

DEFENCE

1. India, Uzbekistan to conduct first-ever military exercise- DUSTLIK-2019: India and Uzbekistan will hold their first-ever joint field training exercise named ‘DUSTLIK-2019’. It will be held at Chirchiq area in Uzbekistan from November 04 to November 13, 2019. The aim of the exercise is to promote positive relations between the Indian Army and the Army of Uzbekistan.

OBITUARIES

1. Industrialist K.K. Modi passes away at 79: Industrialist and chairman of Modi Enterprises, Krishan Kumar Modi, passed away at the age of 79 years. Modi was also a former president of FICCI. Modi led FICCI in 1997. Modi Enterprises includes companies like Godfrey Phillips, Indofil Industries and Modicare. K.K. Modi was the eldest son of late Rai Bahadur Gujarmal Modi (founder of the city of Modinagar). K.K. Modi was also the president of the Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry from 2002 to 2006.

Daily GK Updates - 2nd November, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. SC panel declares a public health emergency in Delhi-NCR: Supreme Court-mandated panel declared a public health emergency in the Delhi-NCR region and banned construction activity till November 5th.  As the pollution level in the region entered the "severe-plus" category, the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority also banned the bursting of crackers during the winter season. The Delhi government has ordered shutting of schools till November 5 in wake of the alarming level of pollution. According to the EPCA chairperson Bhure Lal, the air quality in Delhi-NCR deteriorated further 31st October night and is now at the severe-plus level.

Note: An AQI between 0-50 is considered 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor' and 401-500 'severe'. Above 500 falls in the 'severe-plus emergency' category.

2. New Chief Justices appointed to Madras, Patna, Madhya Pradesh High Courts: The Government of India notified the appointment of new Chief Justices to the High Courts of Madras, Madhya Pradesh, and Patna. All three Chief Justices are expected to take charge of their respective offices by November 13.

Patna High Court's Chief Justice Amreshwar Pratap Sahi has been appointed as the next Chief Justice of the Madras High Court. Meghalaya High Court's Chief Justice AK Mittal has been appointed the next Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court. Tripura High Court's Chief Justice Sanjay Karol has been appointed the next Chief Justice of the Patna High Court, to fill the vacancy left behind in view of Chief Justice Sahi's transfer to Madras. Patna HC judge, Justice Rakesh Kumar was transferred to Andhra Pradesh HC and Punjab & Haryana HC judge Justice Amit Rawal was transferred to Kerala HC.

3. Telecom Regulatory fixes mobile call ring time at 30 seconds; 60 seconds for landline: Telecom Regulatory Authority of Indian (TRAI) fixed phone call ring time at 30 seconds on mobiles and 60 seconds for landline phones, in case the call is neither answered nor rejected by the subscriber. "The time duration of alert for an incoming voice call, which is neither answered nor rejected by the called party, shall be thirty seconds for Cellular Mobile Telephone Service and sixty seconds for Basic Telephone Service. Till now there was no such limit for calls within India. Telecom operators on their own were reducing incoming call ring time to attract reverse calls from the subscriber of other networks.

Note: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India is a statutory body set up by the Government of India in 1997. Headquarters: New Delhi; Chairman: Sunil K. Gupta

4. V K Singh addresses 5th International Conference on Road Tech: The 5th edition of the International Conference on ROADTECH 2019 was held in New Delhi. It was organized by industry body ASSOCHAM India (Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India). Union Minister of State for Road Transport V.K. Singh addressed the meeting. The main objective of the conference is to pool suggestions & solutions from all stakeholders and to cooperate between the road infrastructure stakeholders and the Government. During the conference, the minister highlighted that in the last five years great amount of works have been done in the field of infrastructure and in future much more will be done. He urged the industry body to find a unique way to monetize the road projects in an environment-friendly manner.

Note: The ASSOCHAM is India's premier apex chamber covers a membership of over 4 lakh companies and professionals across the country. It was established in 1920 with headquarter in New Delhi; Balkrishan Goenka is its President.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 5th Indo-German Inter-Governmental Consultations held in New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel co-chaired the 5th Indo-German Inter-Governmental Consultations to strengthen the "very close" relationship between the two countries. The two leaders also discuss bilateral issues including agriculture economic partnership, trade and investment. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is on a two-day visit to India. Merkel paid tributes to Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. Angela Merkel will have delegation-level talks with an aim to strengthen bilateral and multilateral efforts to combat terrorism and extremism. The countries are also working on opportunities in E-mobility, smart cities, inland waterways, and environmental conservation.

Note: Germany Capital: Berlin; Currency: Euro; President: Frank-Walter Steinmeier

2. 2nd Assembly of International Solar Alliance (ISA) 2019 held in New Delhi: The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has hosted the second Assembly of International Solar Alliance (ISA) on 30 and 31 October 2019 New Delhi. The assembly was presided by Minister for New and Renewable Energy and Power, R.K. Singh. France’s Minister of State for the Ecological and Inclusive Transition, Ms. Brune Poirson was the Co-President of the Assembly. On 30 October 2019, coordination and consultation meetings on different aspects of ISA programmes and initiatives were held and the Assembly met on 31 October 2019. 2 countries, Eritrea and Kitts & Nevis signed the ISA framework agreement taking the total number of signatories to 83. The Government of India has allotted 5 acres of land to the ISA in the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) campus, Gurugram and has released a sum of Rs. 160 crore

Note: The ISA is an Indian initiative that was launched by the Prime Minister of India and the President of France on 30 November 2015 at Paris, France on the side-lines of the COP-21.

3. Spain offered to host COP25 climate change summit after Chile's withdrawal: The Spanish government confirmed that it made its bid to host the United Nations Climate Change Conference or Conference of the Parties (COP25) climate summit 2019 in Madrid on the scheduled dates of 2-13 December 2019. The move comes after Chile withdrew its plans to host the summit due to deadly anti-government protests in Santiago. The COP25 was originally scheduled to be held in Brazil but after two months of the announcement as host nation, Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro pulled out citing economic crisis. The COP25 summit is aimed to bring out details of the implementation of the Paris Agreement climate pact. The 25th annual Climate Change Conference will feature the 25th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 25) to the UNFCCC and the meetings of the UNFCCC subsidiary bodies.

Note: The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP) aims to assess progress in dealing with climate change. The first UN Climate Change Conference COP-1 was held from 28 March to 7 April 1995 in Berlin, Germany.

Spain Capital: Madrid; Currency: Euro

Chile Capital: Santiago; Currency: Chilean peso

4. Pavan Kapoor appointed as Ambassador to UAE: Pavan Kapoor, a 1990 batch Indian Foreign Service officer took charge as the new Ambassador to UAE. He replaced Navdeep Singh Suri, who retired last month.During his diplomatic career, Pavan Kapoor has served in different capacities at the Indian Missions in Moscow, Kyiv, London, and Geneva. During his last posting, Mr. Kapoor served as the Ambassador to Israel. Pavan Kapoor was India's High Commissioner to Mozambique and the Kingdom of Swaziland from January 2014 to February 2016.

5. International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists: 2 November: The International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists is an UN-recognized day observed annually on 2 November. The day draws attention to the low global conviction rate for violent crimes against journalists and media workers, estimated at only one in every ten cases.This year’s International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, is focused on local journalists.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. MD and CEO of Dhanlaxmi Bank T Latha Resigns: Private sector lender Dhanlaxmi Bank managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO). T. Latha has resigned due to personal reasons. The resignation has been accepted by the board and the same has been intimated to the RBI. Ms Latha was appointed as MD and CEO of Dhanlaxmi Bank for three years.

Note: Dhanlaxmi Bank: Founded in1927; Headquarters: Thrissur, Kerala; Chairman: Mr. Sanjeev Krishnan

2. GeM Signs MoU With Indian Bank and Canara Bank For Payment Related Services: Government e-Marketplace (GeM) has signed MoU with Indian Bank and Canara Bank. The MoU will facilitate a cashless, paperless and transparent payment system on the portal and would create an efficient procurement system for government entities. Through this partnership, both the banks will be able to offer an array of services including transfer of funds through GeM Pool Accounts (GPA), advising of Performance Bank Guarantees (e-PBG), Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) and Payment Gateway to the registered users on the portal. GeM is also working with Banks, TReDs and SIDBI to provide bill discounting and financing of working capital where the cost of capital is linked to the performance and rating of a seller on GeM. This will help sellers in general and MSMEs, in particular, to access easy credit and do better business with the government.

Note: MD & CEO of Indian Bank: Padmaja Chunduru.

MD & CEO of Canara Bank: R A Sankara Narayanan.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. 28th Vyas Samman for 2018 conferred on Hindi Writer, Leeladhar Jagoori: The 28th Vyas Samman for the year 2018 was conferred on well-known Hindi writer Leeladhar Jagoori at a function in New Delhi. The prestigious award was presented to him by renowned author Govind Mishra. Mr Jagoori has been chosen for the prestigious award for his poetry collection- Jitne Log Utne Prem.

Note: The Vyas Samman started in 1991, is given by KK Birla Foundation in honour of Indian industrialist Krishna Kumar Birla for an outstanding literary work in Hindi authored by an Indian citizen published during the last 10 years. It carries an award money of four lakh rupees along with a citation and plaque.

OBITUARIES

1. Film producer Champak Jain passes away: Film producer Champak Jain passed away. He was one of the owners of Venus Records and Tapes which produced hit films like the 1994 blockbuster Main Khiladi Tu Anari starring Saif Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar.

Daily GK Updates - 1st November, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Disabled People over 80 can vote through Postal Ballot: The people over 80 years of age and Persons with Disability can now cast their votes through postal ballot. However, such voters will have both the choices available either voting through postal ballot by following due procedure or going to the polling station on polling day for voting. On the recommendations of the Election Commission, the Ministry of Law and Justice has amended the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, allowing senior citizens and person with disabilities in the absentee voter list. The person will make an application in a new Form 12 D, which will reach the Returning Officer within 5 days following the date of notification of election. After the receipt of such application, the elector will be issued a postal ballot paper, which will be deposited in the specified centre after the recording of the vote.

2. 3rd edition of Global Ayurveda Summit 2019 inaugurated in Kochi, Kerala: The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) organized the third edition of Global Ayurveda Summit 2019 on October 30 and 31, 2019 at Kochi, Kerala. As many as 400 industry leaders and delegates from SAARC, GCC and African countries have participated in the summit. The theme of the summit was “Mainstreaming Ayurveda through Startups, Innovation and Branding”. The summit was inaugurated by the Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan.

Note: Kerala CM: Pinarayi Vijayan; Capital: Thiruvananthapuram

3. India to adopt Brazil model of human milk bank: India has taken inspiration from Brazil’s success in the field of human milk bank decided to adopt a similar model in creating a wide network of human milk banks. The Centre has set a target of ensuring at least 70 per cent infants to have access to breast milk by the year 2025. Target will subsequently be increased to 100 per cent.

Note: Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare: Ashwini Kumar Choubey.

4. Dr. Harsh Vardhan inaugurated National Symposium in New Dehli: Union minister of Health & Family Welfare (HWF), Science and technology and earth sciences, Shri Harsh Vardhan inaugurated the National symposium to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis in New Delhi. The theme of the symposium was “United to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis”. During the symposium, Dr. Harsh Vardhan signed a ‘Call to Action to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis by 2021’. 14th edition of National Health Profile (NHP) was also released by health minister during the event. The NHP which covered comprehensive information on demographic, socio-economic health status, health finance indicators, health infrastructure in the nation, was prepared by the Central Bureau of Health Intelligence (CBHI). The first edition of NHP was released in 2005.

Note: The Lymphatic Filariasis is a disease caused by a human parasitic worm called Wuchereria Bancrofti and spread by Culex Mosquitoes.

5. Sanjeev Nandan Sahai appointed as Secretary, Ministry of Power: Sanjeev Nandan Sahai assumed charge as Secretary, Ministry of Power. Prior to this, he was serving as the Special Secretary in the Ministry of Power. He is a UT cadre IAS officer of 1986 batch. He has also served as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Power from May 2018 to July 2019. He will replace Subhash Chandra Garg. Garg, who is a former finance secretary had sought voluntary retirement, which was approved by the government. Garg was to retire on October 31, 2020.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 35th ASEAN Summit begins in Bangkok: On October 31st, 2019, the 35th ASEAN Summit began in Bangkok, Thailand. The summit will continue till November 4, 2019. Thailand Prime Minister Prayut Chan -O-Cha inaugurated this summit at IMPACT convention complex. The theme of the summit is 'Advancing Partnership for sustainability'. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend this summit on November 3rd and 4th. Apart from leaders of 10 ASEAN countries, head of eight dialogue partner countries including India, USA China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Australia and New Zealand are also participating in the summit. The summit would discuss comprehensive and sustainable ASEAN economic development and s on negotiations related to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) including the market opening.

Note: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is an intergovernmental organization aimed primarily at promoting economic growth and regional stability among its members. There are currently 10 member states: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam. ASEAN was founded half a century ago in 1967 by the five Southeast Asian nations of Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

The headquarters of ASEAN is located in Jakarta, Indonesia.

2. Rajnath Singh to represent India at SCO meet in Tashkent: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will represent India at a two-day meeting of the council of heads of government (CHG) of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Tashkent on November 1-2. The SCO is an influential regional security grouping which is seen as a counterweight to NATO. It will be the third CHG meeting of the SCO after India became the member of the grouping in 2017. The last two CHG meetings were held in Sochi in Russia in 2017 and in Dushanbe in Tajikistan last year.

Note: Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a Eurasian political, economic and military organisation, which was founded in Shanghai by the leaders of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan in the year 2001. At present the eight permanent members of the SCO are China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan. India and Pakistan became full members of the SCO in 2017.

3. Russia’s Nuclear Submarine test fires Ballistic Missile from White Sea: Russia’s Knyaz Vladimir submarine of Borei-class vessel, test-fired its most advanced nuclear-powered missile named, Bulavaintercontinental ballistic missile which precisely hit the target range of 1000 km away in the Russian region of Kamchatka. The launch was conducted in the white sea of the northwest coast of Russia with a dummy payload. The Knyaz Vladimir submarine is the first upgraded model to be produced in the Borei class of Russian nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines. The test-fire was conducted amid arms control tensions between Moscow and the West following the demise of a landmark Cold War-era nuclear pact.

Note: Russia President: Vladimir Putin; Prime Minister: Dmitry Medvedev; Capital: Moscow; Currency: Russian ruble.

4. World Vegan Day: 1 November: World Vegan Day is observed on 1 November. The Day provides an opportunity to promote the benefits of a vegan diet and veganism in general. On the Day, vegan groups and practitioners organize workshops to highlight the importance of animal rights. Donald Watson coined the term Vegan which was derived from the word Vegetarian in 1944. The day was established in 1994 by Louise Wallis, then Chair of The Vegan Society in the United Kingdom, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the organisation and the coining of the terms “vegan” and “veganism”.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. India drops to 106th in FIFA Men’s rankings: The Indian football team dropped two places to 106th position in the latest FIFA rankings. The downward slid came following the Blue Tigers’ 1-1 draw against lower-ranked Bangladesh in the FIFA World Cup qualifier earlier this month. Bangladesh, however, benefitted from the draw, jumping three rungs to 184th spot. Belgium has managed to hold on to the top spot, followed by France and Brazil. England is placed fourth ahead of Uruguay, Portugal, Croatia, Spain, Argentina and Colombia.

Note: BCCI President: Sourav Ganguly; Headquarters: Mumbai.

2. Mary Kom named in IOC’s 2020 Olympics athlete ambassadors group: The 6-time world champion Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom has been inducted into the 10-member sports ambassador group by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Boxing workforce to represent boxers ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Mary Kom will represent the Asian bloc in the group, which also comprises the likes of Ukrainian legend Vasyl Lamachenko (Europe), a two-time Olympic and world gold-medallist who now plies his trade in the professional circuit, and five-time world champion and 2016 Olympic gold-winner Julio Cesar La Cruz (Americas) among others.

Note: Headquarters of IOC: Lausanne, Switzerland; President: Thomas Bach; Formation: 23 June 1894.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Overseas Citizens of India may now subscribe to National Pension System: The Union Ministry of Finance announced that the Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) are now eligible to enroll in the National Pension Scheme in par with resident Indians. Regarding this, a notification was notified by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA). As per the released notification, the Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) can apply for the pension system according to the PFRDA Act 2013 and the amount will also be repatriable based on Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) 1999, guidelines. Now, any Indian citizen, resident or non-resident and OCIs are eligible to join NPS till the age of 65 years.

2. SREI-UBI jointly offers loans under co-lending programme: Srei Equipment Finance Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Srei Infrastructure Finance, has partnered with the United Bank of India (UBI) to offer loans to the MSME sector and retail customers under a co-lending arrangement. The NBFC and the bank jointly organized Loan Utsavs across 20 cities. These loan melas were held in many cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Ranchi, Patna, Vijaywada, Chandigarh, Lucknow and Bhopal. Loans were offered to the MSME sector and other retail customers against purchase of construction equipment. They also offered different EMI options for these loans.

According to a release, loan to value of up to 90 per cent of the equipment were offered for the tenure of up to 5 years, while a moratorium of 30-60 days was also awarded depending on the loan structure and size.

OBITUARIES

1. Veteran CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta passes away: Former Parliamentarian and veteran CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta passed away. He was elected General Secretary of All India Trade Union Congress – AITUC, in 2001. He was a member of Rajya Sabha and also elected in Lok Sabha from Midnapore district of West Bengal. He was also former Deputy General Secretary of CPI and well-known trade unionist.

2. Telugu actress Geetanjali Ramakrishna passes away: Vetrean Telugu actress Geetanjali Ramakrishna passed away due to cardiac arrest in Hyderabad. She had an illustrious career spanning nearly six decades by doing movies not just in Telugu, but also in other South Indian languages. It was legendary actor-politician Jr NTR who had introduced Geetanjali as an actress in his directorial Seetharama Kalyanam, which released in 1961. She worked in a Hindi film titled Parasmani, which was produced by Lakshmikant and Pyarelal. Since her name was present in the title, the makers rechristened her as Geetanjali.