Daily GK Updates - 7th November, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. PM Modi inaugurates two-day Global investors’ meet in Dharamshala: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated a two-day Himachal Pradesh Global investors’ meet – ‘Rising Himachal’ in Dharamshala. The event is being organised by the Himachal Pradesh government to attract investment and create employment opportunities in the state. Ambassadors from 16 countries, 209 foreign delegates along with local entrepreneurs will participate in the mega event. The State government has set a target of signing pacts worth 85,000 crores rupees during the meet.

Note: Himachal Pradesh Capital: Shimla; Governor: Bandaru Dattatreya; CM: Jai Ram Thakur 

2. Lucknow railway station gets ‘Health ATM’: The Indian Railways has installed two ‘Health ATMs’ at the Charbagh railway station in Lucknow. The kiosks, promoted by YOLO Health ATM, provide 16 health check-ups for Rs 50-100. There are two types of check-ups a 9-minute one that costs Rs 100, and a 6-minute one that costs Rs 50. The report is delivered instantly to the email or smartphone of the user. The check-ups include body mass index, blood pressure, body fat, haemoglobin, metabolic age, muscle mass, weight, height, temperature, muscle mass, basal metabolic rating, visceral fat, oxygen saturation, pulse rate, blood glucose, and bone mass. Health ATMs can be defined as private, walk-in medical kiosks with integrated medical devices for basic vitals, cardiology, neurology, pulmonary testing, gynaecology, basic laboratory testing and emergency facilities and staffed by a medical attendant.

Note: Uttar Pradesh CM: Yogi Adityanath; Governor: Anandiben Patel; Capital: Lucknow

3. Odisha government signs pact with Tata Strive, Tech Mahindra for skill upgradation: The Odisha state government signed agreements with Tata Strive and Tech Mahindra to add new dimensions in skilling and employability of the youth. The agreement between Directorate of Technical Education and Training and Tata Strive is aimed at imparting life skills to the students of all 49 government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in the state. The pact between Tech Mahindra and the Biju Patnaik University of Technology will see setting up of a centre for excellence in artificial intelligence and machine learning. It will work on the proof of concept for real-life business problems to keep up with the market demand and enhance employability of engineering students.

Note: Chief Minister of Odisha: Naveen Patnaik; Governor: Ganeshi Lal; Capital: Bhubaneshwar.

4. Govt allocates unique HS code for Khadi: The Union government has allocated a separate Harmonized System (HS) code for Khadi to give impetus to the export of this fabric. Allocation of HS code to the khadi will help the government to plan the export strategies effectively. Earlier, Khadi did not have exclusive HS code and all the export data regarding this fabric used to come under the normal fabric head.

Note: Khadi is being promoted in India by Khadi and Village Industries Commission, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. Khadi is handspun, hand-woven natural fibre cloth from the Indian Subcontinent, mainly made from cotton.

5. IIT-Madras launches affordable standing wheelchair: Indian Institute of Technology-Madras, in collaboration with Phoenix Medical Systems, launched the country’s first indigenously-designed standing wheelchair. Wheelchair named “Arise”, was designed and developed by the TTK Centre for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development (R2D2), headed by Sujatha Srinivasan, a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at IIT-Madras. The wheelchair is priced at Rs 15,000. The assistive device helps the wheelchair-bound move from a sitting to standing position, and vice-versa, independently.

Note: IIT Madras Established: 1959, in Chennai, TamilNadu.

6. PS Sreedharan Pillai takes oath as Governor of Mizoram: P.S Sreedharan Pillai (65-years) took oath as the Governor of Mizoram (15th). The Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court ‘Ajai Lamba’ administered the oath of Office and Secrecy at Raj Bhawan in Aizawl. P.S Sreedharan Pillai replaced Governor of Assam Jagdish Mukhi (additional charge- Mizoram).

Note: Mizoram capital:

7. HRD Minister and Harsimrat Kaur badal to launch 3 books on Guru Nanak Dev Ji: Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ and Minister for Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal will launch three books on Guru Nanak Dev Ji at Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Khalsa College, the University of Delhi, on the occasion of 550thBirth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. The National Book Trust has published three titles: Guru Nanak Bani, Nanak Bani, and Sakhian Guru Nanak Dev to spread the message of Guru Nanak Dev’s writings among readers of Indian sub-continent. These books, published originally in Punjabi, shall be translated into 15 major Indian languages.

8. National Cancer Awareness Day: 7 November: The National Cancer Awareness Day is observed annually in India on November 7, to spread awareness on cancer, its symptoms and treatment. The day was first observed in 2014 as and when announced by the union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan. The day coincides with the birth anniversary of scientist Marie Curie (Marie Skłodowska Curie), winner of the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Note: World Cancer Day: February 4th

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. The two-day ‘BIMSTEC Conclave’ begins in Visakhapatnam: Union Minister of State for Shipping Mansukh L. Mandaviya has inaugurated the two-day BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal initiative multi-sector technical and economic cooperation) Conclave at Visakhapatnam. Vizag port trust is hosting the conclave first time ever since the formation of BIMSTECH in 1997. Seven-member countries that include Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal, Bhutan are participating in the conference. The thrust would be to discuss and share experiences in increasing productivity, availing investment opportunities, development of free trade zones, development of tourism and measures required for safety and security. Ease of doing business, sharing of expertise, and emulation of best practices would be few among the deliberations.

2. Ministry of Tourism participates in three-day-long WTM in London: The Ministry of Tourism has participated in the three-day-long World Travel Market (WTM) in London, UK. The theme for India Pavilion at WTM 2019 is ‘Incredible India - Find Incredible India’. This year, the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and the Statue of Unity are also being promoted and publicized in the India Pavilion at WTM 2019.

3. Lok Sabha Speaker addresses 6th Speakers’ Summit of G 20 Countries: Lok sabha speaker Om Birla composed the Indian Parliament delegation for 6th parliamentary summit of G20 countries, held in Tokyo, Japan 2019. G20 presiding officer of parliament attended the summit. The summit had three sessions on separate themes related to trade, technology and sustainable development. The gathering of this summit was about the terrorism which destroying the system of economy.

Note: President-Shinzo Abe; Capital: Tokyo; Currency: Yen.

4. China approves drug to cure Alzheimer’s disease: China’s National Medical Products Administration has officially approved an indigenously developed Alzheimer’s drug called GV-971 (sodium oligo-mannurarate). The Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which has developed the drug jointly with the Ocean University of China and Green Valley Pharmaceutical Co Ltd, after 22 years of research. Extracted from brown algae, the oral drug is the world’s first multi-targeting and carbohydrate-based drug, which will now be available to patients from 29 December, 2019.

Note: Alzheimer disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory, thinking ability, and the capability to carry out simple tasks.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Manu Bhaker bags gold medal in Asian Shooting Championships 2019: India’s Manu Bhaker has won a gold medal in women’s 10m air pistol event at Lusail Shooting Complex, Doha, Qatar. She put up a dominant showing, shooting 584 in qualification and 244.3 in the final to take gold. Vivaan Kapoor & Manisha Keer also won the Gold medal in junior trap mixed event at the Asian Shooting Championships 2019.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Govt sets up fund to revive stalled housing projects: The Union Cabinet has decided to set up 25 thousand crore rupees fund to revive stalled housing projects. According to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the government will put in 10 thousand crore rupees in the Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) while State Bank of India (SBI) and Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) will provide 15 thousand crore rupees taking the total size to  25 thousand crore rupees. It will finance over 1,600 stalled housing projects comprising about 4.58 lakh housing units across the country. The fund will provide relief to developers that require funding to complete a set of unfinished projects and consequently ensure delivery of homes to the home buyers.

2. Ujjivan Small Finance Bank launches Instant Digital Savings and Instant FD Account: The finance service company, Ujjivan Small Finance Bank (SFB) has launched an instant digital savings account (SA) along with Fixed Deposit (FD) and Privilege Savings Account to offer distinctive banking and digital services to its customers.

Instant Digital SA account: This account has the restriction of Rs 1 lakh deposit & has the unlimited free transactions on the bank’s own ATM (automated teller machine) and 6 free transactions for other bank ATMs per month.

Instant Fixed Deposit (FD): With interest rate ranging from 5.5% (7 days to 29 days) & up to 8.3% (799 days), the customers can invest in this account up to a maximum of Rs. 1 Lakh without a Savings Account.

Privilege SA: This account comes with the eligibility for a monthly salary of Rs. 30,000 or above on maintaining a Monthly Average Balance of Rs 25,000 / opening a Fixed Deposit of Rs. 10 Lakh. It provides a higher accidental insurance cover of Rs. 2 Lakh.

Note: Headquarters of Ujjivan Small Finance Bank: Bengaluru; Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer: Samit Kumar Ghosh.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Tech Mahindra acquires New York-based BORN Group for $95 million: IT services firm Tech Mahindra Ltd (Tech M) has acquired BORN Group, a New York-based digital content and production agency, for $95 million. The acquisition will help to boost the electronic and mobile commerce segment globally, and equipped to deliver enhanced user experience to customers of Tech Mahindra globally. BORN’s services include consulting, content creation, maintenance and hosting services, digital and social marketing, among others. It has clients such as Google, Tata, Red Bull and TAG Heuer.

Note: Chairman of Mahindra: Anand Mahindra; MD & CEO: C.P. Gurnani; Headquarters: Pune, Maharashtra.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Italian movie ‘Despite the Fog’ to open at 50th IFFI this year: Italian movie ‘Despite the Fog’ will be the opening movie at the 50th edition of International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2019. The 100-minute film directed by Goran Paskaljevic narrates the tale of a child whose parents drown while trying to migrate to Italy in a rubber boat. The 50th edition of IFFI witnessed the screening of over 200 best films from 76 countries.

Note: The 2019 Golden Jubilee edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) is to be held from the 20th of November till the 28th at Panjim, Goa.

DEFENCE

1. GRSE delivers fast patrol vessel, ‘Annie Besant’ to Indian Coast Guard: Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE) delivered Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) ICGS Annie Besant, the second in the series of five such ships, to the Indian Coast Guard. A medium-range vessel with a length of 50 metres, a width of 7.5 metres and displacement of around 308 tonnes, the FPV is capable of operations in the maritime zones of the country. These powerful, fuel-efficient platforms are designed to perform multipurpose operations like patrolling, anti-smuggling, anti-poaching and rescue operations. ICGS Annie Besant is designed for a maximum speed of 34 knots with an endurance of more than 1,500 nautical miles.

Note:  GRSE Founded: 1884; Headquarters: Kolkata, West Bengal.

OBITUARIES

1. Former Maharashtra minister Babasaheb Dhabekar passes away: Senior Congress party leader & former Maharashtra minister Babasaheb Dhabekar (89-years) passed away in Mumbai. Mr. Dhabekar was water resources minister when the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance government came to power for the first time in the 1990s.

Daily GK Updates - 6th November, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. MSDE, IBM jointly launch SkillsBuild platform: The Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) launched the SkillsBuild platform in collaboration with IBM. As part of the programme, a two-year advanced diploma in IT, networking and cloud computing, co-created and designed by IBM, will be offered at the Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) & National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs). The platform will be extended to train ITI & NSTI faculty on building skills in Artificial Intelligence (AI). The digital platform will provide a personal assessment of the cognitive capabilities and personality via MyInnerGenius to the students. They will then learn foundational knowledge about digital technologies, as well as professional skills such as resume-writing, problem solving and communication.

Note: Minister of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE): Mahendra Nath Pandey.

IBM India Pvt Ltd MD: Karan Bajwa; Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka.

2. Agriculture Minister releases 5th edition of Wastelands Atlas 2019: Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar released the 5th edition of Wastelands Atlas 2019.  The Atlas, published jointly by Department of Land Resources and National Remote Sensing Centre, provides robust geospatial information on wasteland. It is helpful in rolling back the wastelands for productive use through various land development programmes and schemes. Wastelands Atlas-2019 also provides State and district wise distribution of different categories of wastelands area in the country and will be helpful in addressing land degradation.

3. Harsh Vardhan inaugurates global Mega Science Exhibition ‘Vigyan Samagam’: Union Minister of Science & Technology and Minister of Earth Science Harsh Vardhan has inaugurated India’s 1-ever multi-venue Mega science exhibition, ‘Vigyan Samagam 2019’, in Kolkata, West Bengal. The exhibition organized by Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Department of Science and Technology (DST), and the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), Ministry of Culture, the exhibition will be open till December 31, 2019 for public display and will showcase the world from micro to macro, unveiling the efforts of the international community in understanding the Universe.

4. ADB to give $451 mn for Chennai-Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor power links: The Asian Development Bank will provide a $451 million (about Rs 3,200 crore) loan to strengthen power connectivity between the southern and northern parts of the Chennai-Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor (CKIC) in Tamil Nadu. The total cost of the project is $653.5 million, of which the government will provide $202.5 million. The estimated completion date is the end of 2024. The project will help promote economic development by delivering a more reliable and competitive power supply for industry and services in the state, which will in turn spur jobs and improve livelihoods.

Note: Asian Development Bank Headquarters: Manila, Philippines, President: Takehiko Nakao.

5. Assam govt signs pact with AFD to restore forest ecosystems: The French Development Agency (AFD) and the Government of Assam have signed an agreement for supporting Phase II of Assam Project for Forest and Biodiversity Conservation (APFBC). The total budget for the second phase is Rs 500 crore. The project was launched in response to the threats posed by deforestation, poaching and over-dependence of local communities on forest resources.

6. Shripad Naik inaugurates DRDO’s Igniter Complex at HEMRL, Pune: Union Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik inaugurated the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) Igniter Complex at High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) in Pune, Maharashtra. HEMRL, a premier laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), is primarily engaged in developing rocket and gun propellants, pyrotechnic devices, high-explosive systems and synthesis of high-energy molecules. The laboratory has developed several ignition systems to ensure reliable initiation of rocket motors of various tactical as well as strategic missiles. The ignition system for Agni, Prithvi, Akash, Nag, Pinaka, Long RangeSurface-to-Air Missile (LRSAM), etc. have been designed and developed in HEMRL. Technology for AKASH, Nag missiles and Pinaka Mk-I Rocket has been transferred to Ordnance Factory, Dehu Road, Pune and private industries.

Note: DRDO Chairman: G Satheesh Reddy; Formed: 1958; Headquarters: New Delhi.

7. BJP MLA Gian Chand Gupta elected speaker of Haryana Assembly: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Panchkula Gian Chand Gupta has been unanimously elected as the Speaker of Haryana Assembly. Mr Gupta’s name was proposed by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and seconded by Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala. BJP party stitched an alliance with Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) and managed to get the support of seven independent MLAs in the 90-member Haryana Assembly

8. Kolkata students create Guinness World Records with the largest astrophysics assemble: The Guinness World Records for the largest astrophysics lesson (45 minutes) and assembly of spectroscopes was successfully achieved at the Science City, Kolkata at IISF-2019 with the participation of over 1,598 students. IISF (India International Science Festival) is the largest science festival in the world. Astronomers use spectroscopes to know details like temperature, chemical composition, etc. of celestial objects hundreds of millions of light-years away from us. A small personal model of advanced spectroscopes can easily be made by anyone using a box made of cardboard that has a very narrow window used to channel light into the spectroscope.

A piece of a Compact Disc is used to split the light by a process called diffraction.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India decided not to be part of the RCEP agreement: India (the sixth FTA partner) has decided not to be part of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement in the national interest. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced during his speech at the RCEP Summit in Bangkok. According to Mr Modi, the present form of the agreement does not fully reflect the basic spirit and the agreed guiding principles. A balanced trade deficit, better market access of the Indian goods and services and protection of the industries from the unfair trade practices were the key demands of India.

Note: The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between the ten member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) and its six FTA partners (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand).

2. Union Minister Prakash Javadekar attended 15th meeting of Governing Council of SACEP in Dhaka: The Union Minister Prakash Javadekar (Environment, Forest & Climate Change and Information & Broadcasting) has attended the 15th meeting of the Governing Council of South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP) in Dhaka.  The 14th meeting of the SACEP Governing Council was held in Colombo (March 2018).

Note: The SACEP is an inter-governmental organization which was established in 1982. Its member countries Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka aim to promote and support protection, management and enhancement of the environment in the region.

3. China launches Sudan’s first ever satellite “SRSS-1”: Sudan’s first-ever satellite for conducting research in military, economic and space technology has been launched by China. Sudan’s remote-sensing satellite (SRSS-1), was developed by the Shenzhen Aerospace Oriental Red Sea Satellite Co. The satellite was launched aboard China’s Long March-4B rocket along with other Chinese satellites including Gaofen 7, Xiaoxiang-1 08, Whampoa 1 from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern China. The Sudanese satellite has been mainly designed for civil and military remote sensing over Sudan. The remote-sensing satellite aims to advance research in space technology. Its main objective is to acquire the required data as well as discover natural resources for the country’s military needs. The satellite aims to generate a comprehensive, cost-effective and reliable database on the topographic, mapping and natural resources of Sudan.

Note: President of Sudan: Omar al-Bashir; Sudan Capital: Khartoum; Currency: Sudanese pound.

4. US-Bangladesh Navy exercise CARAT-2019 begins in Bangladesh: The second phase of the biggest US- Bangladesh Navy exercise named ‘Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT)- 2019’ started in Chattogram, Bangladesh. CARAT is one of the U.S. Navy’s longest continually running exercise in South Asia and Southeast Asia. The exercise provides an opportunity to gain a better understanding of the operational activities of the Navies of two countries and to get acquainted with advanced technology through various theoretical and practical training.

Assistant chief of naval staff (operations) Bangladesh Navy rear admiral M Makbul Hossain was present as the chief guest in the opening ceremony.

5. International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict: 6th November: The International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict is observed annually on 6th November. On 5 November 2001, the UN General Assembly declared 6th November of each year as the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict (A/RES/56/4).

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Barty became first Australian to top WTA rankings: Ashleigh Barty finished the season in style by beating defending champion Elina Svitolina 6-4 6-3 to add the WTA Finals title. Now, Barty, became the first Australian to top the WTA rankings at the end of the year since they were introduced in 1975. With this win, Barty rose to the No. 1 ranking in the game becoming the first Australian to hold the year-end top spot.

2. Deepak Kumar wins Bronze at Asian Shooting Championships: Deepak Kumar secured India's 10th Tokyo Olympic quota in shooting after winning the men's 10m air rifle bronze medal at the 14th Asian Championships in Doha. India has already secured nine Tokyo quotas in rifle and pistol and lies behind China who has 25 quotas and Korea's 12 in the Asian region, besides the host-country Japan, in terms of quotas won. Deepak is the second Indian shooter to earn an Olympic quota in the men's 10 metres air rifle event after Divyansh Singh Panwar.

3. Official emblem unveiled for FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup India 2020: The official emblem of FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup for the year 2020 which is to be conducted in India was unveiled. The emblem was unveiled by Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and Local Organising Committee (LOC) at the launch event in the gateway of India, Mumbai, Maharashtra. The design of the emblem is bright blue waves rise from the base and reach up along the form of the trophy towards a crown forming the shape of Paisley or Boteh motif commonly used in Kashmiri Pashmina shawl and carpets. The droplet of the design framing a ball made from a marigold flower depicts a symbol of growth and development. The colour and style are inspired by Bandhani textiles, an Indian tie-dye technique dating back thousands of years. The stem of the marigold’s symbol is derived from traditional Warli paintings with Bandhani patterns.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. MSTC ties up with Allahabad Bank to develop e-auction platform: MSTC Ltd has signed an agreement with Allahabad Bank for the development of a dedicated e-Auction platform. This platform directly linked with the Indian Banking Association’s portal (https://ibapi.net) for sale of non-performing assets (NPAs) through the SARFAESI (Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Securities Interest) Act. The e-Auction platform will be a one-of-a-kind solution, where a bidder once registered, will be able to participate in auctions for all banks. This move will help the banks monetise NPAs through a streamlined process, thereby, increasing revenue generation.

Note: MSTC is a Central Government of India company engaged in domestic and international trading. It specialises in the international trade of ferrous input materials and has imported millions of tonnes of ferrous melting scrap, old ships for breaking, sponge iron, hot briquetted iron, re-rollable scrap, etc.

Chairman & MD of MSTC: Bam Bahadur Singh; Founded: 9 September 1964; Headquarters: Kolkata.

MD & CEO of Allahabad Bank: S. S. Mallikarjuna Rao; Headquarters: Kolkata.

2. RBI issues compensation norms for foreign, private banks: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued compensation guidelines for whole-time directors and chief executives of foreign, private, small finance, payments banks and local area banks, mandating the cash component of variable pay at 67 per cent. If the variable pay is up to 200% of the fixed pay, at least 50 % of it should be in non-cash. If the variable pay is above 200%, 67 per cent of it should be paid via non-cash instruments. Banks should continue to formulate and adopt a comprehensive compensation policy covering all their employees and conduct annual reviews.

3. LIC allows a revival of the lapsed policy of over 2 years: Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has allowed policyholders to revive their policies that have lapsed for more than two years. Earlier, after the IRDA Product Regulation 2013 (from 1st January 2014), the revival period was restricted to two consecutive years from the date of the first unpaid premium. Now, The LIC policyholders who bought their policies after January 1, 2014, could revive their, Non-linked policies within five years of the first unpaid premium.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Serbia’s Sara Damnjanovic wins “Miss Asia Global title 2019”: The 5th Edition of ‘Miss Asia Global Title 2019’ was organized at Gokulam Convention centre in Kochi, Kerala. Sara Damnjanovic from Serbia has been crowned ‘Miss Asia Global 2019’. The title is given to the winner from the Asian region. Nguyen Thi Yen Trang from Vietnam was awarded the Miss Asia title given to the winner from the rest of the world. Samiksha Singh from India won the sub-title of ‘Miss Beautiful Face’ Title. The Next ‘Miss Asia Global Title 2020’ will be held in Malaysia.

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.