Daily GK Updates - 18th November, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Yogi Adityanath inaugurates North India’s 1st sugar mill which will produce ethanol: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has inaugurated North India’s first sugar mill which will produce ethanol direct from sugarcane. The mill was inaugurated in Pipraich area of Gorakhpur, which is a unit of Uttar Pradesh Sugar and Sugarcane Development Corporation Limited. The mills, which previously produced around 8,000 quintals of sugar, will now produce more than 50,000 quintals of sugar every day.

Note: Governor of Uttar Pradesh: Anandiben Patel.

2. Defence Minister inaugurates Sisseri Bridge built by BRO: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated Sisseri Bridge, built by the Border Road Organisation (BRO) on Pasighat-Bomjir Highway, Arunachal Pradesh. The 200-metre long bridge between Jonai-Pasighat-Ranaghat-Roing road will provide connectivity between Dibang Valley and Siang to meet the long-pending demand of the people of Arunachal Pradesh.

Note: Director-General of BRO: Lt. Gen.Harpal Singh; Headquarters: New Delhi; Founder of BRO: Jawaharlal Nehru.

3. Mumbai tops Water Quality Report for State Capitals by BIS: The Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Shri Ram Vilas Paswan has released the Water Quality Report for State Capitals & Delhi as analysed by Bureau of India Standards (BIS).  Bureau of India Standards (BIS), on the basis of quality of piped drinking water being supplied in the country has ranked the States, Smart Cities and even Districts. Mumbai has topped the ranking, Hyderabad and Bhubaneshwar share the joint second spot while Ranchi is on the third. Delhi is ranked at 15th.

4. Justice Dr Ravi Ranjan takes oath as Chief Justice of Jharkhand HC: Justice Dr Ravi Ranjan took oath as the Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court. Justice Ranjan has been appointed as the 13th Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court. The post was lying vacant since May this year after the former Chief Justice, Anirudh Bose was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court. Justice Dr Ravi Ranjan was a judge in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He was elevated to Additional Judge of the Patna High Court on July 14, 2008. Later, he was appointed as a permanent judge on January 16, 2010. He also served as the Acting Chief Justice of the Patna High Court for a brief period last year.

Note: Governor of Jharkhand: Draupadi Murmi; Chief Minister: Raghuwar Das.

5. Justice Akil Abdulhamid Kureshi sworn in as Chief Justice of Tripura High Court: Justice Akil Abdulhamid Kureshi was sworn in as the new Chief Justice of the High Court of Tripura. Justice Kureshi was serving as a judge of the Bombay High Court before his transfer to Tripura. The Supreme Court collegium headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi had recommended Justice Kureshi’s elevation as Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, but the recommendation was not approved by the Department of Justice.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Gotabaya Rajapaksa wins Sri Lanka Presidential election: Sri Lanka’s former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa has won the Presidential election. He is the brother of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Gotabaya got 52.25 per cent of the total valid votes. According to the final vote count released by the country’s Election commission, he received around 6.9 million votes against his main rival, Sajith Premadasa who got around 5.56 million votes. Gotabaya served as the Defence Secretary during the end of the LTTE War. He will succeed Maithripala Sirisena. The 2019 Sri Lankan presidential election was the 8th presidential election and this was the first Presidential election in Sri Lanka where no sitting president, prime minister or opposition leader was contesting.

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

2. Pakistan first country to introduce new typhoid vaccine into routine immunization programme: Pakistan became the first country in the world to introduce the World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) into its routine immunization programme. It is the first typhoid vaccine that can be given to children as young as 6 months of age and confers longer term protection against typhoid. The government of Pakistan is launching the vaccine introduction with a campaign in Sindh Province, which is the centre of an ongoing extensively drug-resistant (XDR) typhoid outbreak that began in November 2016.

In 2017, 63% of typhoid cases and 70% of typhoid deaths in Pakistan were among children younger than 15 years of age. With funding support from the Global Alliance for Vaccine Initiative (Gavi), the Vaccine Alliance, the vaccine introduction will begin with a two-week vaccination campaign targeting 10 million children 9 months to 15 years old in urban areas of Sindh Province. It will be followed by a transition to routine immunization of 9-month-old infants in all parts of the province once the campaign ends. The vaccine will be introduced in neighbouring Punjab Province and Islamabad next year and then nationally in 2021.

Note: Typhoid, a serious illness caused by Salmonella Typhi, is spread through contaminated food and water and disproportionally impacts children and low-resource communities in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. The Global Burden of Disease study estimates that, in 2017, there were nearly 11 million typhoid cases and more than 116 000 typhoid deaths worldwide.

After Pakistan, Liberia and Zimbabwe are also preparing to introduce TCV next year with support from GAVI.

In January 2018, Typbar TCV became the world’s first conjugate vaccine prequalified by the WHO. That enabled the procurement and supply to UNICEF, GAVI, and Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO). The company announced a price of $1.50 per dose for procurement by GAVI-supported countries.

3. US$500 million to reduce Mumbai’s congestion: The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has lent US$575 million for projects to ease congestion in Mumbai, India, and boost private capital investment in renewable energy, power transmission and water infrastructure.

A loan of US$500 million granted to the government of India is expected to fast-track work on Mumbai’s suburban railway network, improving the safety and daily commute of millions of passengers across the city. The funds will contribute to a quadrupling of Virar-Dahanu Road corridor (64km) to provide an extension of the suburban railway service to connect peripheral areas with Mumbai. The project will also see the construction of a new suburban railway corridor of 28km between Panvel and Karjat to cater to commuters in the area which is experiencing rapid urbanisation and population growth. Rail is the primary means of transport in Mumbai, where the suburban network totals almost 400km and carries more than 7.5 million passengers a day.

As part of its firm commitment to financing sustainable infrastructure, the Bank also approved a loan of US$75 million to Tata Cleantech Capital Limite, a financier of renewable energy in India.

The total value of AIIB investment in India is now reported to be US$2.9 billion since the AIIB began operations in January 2016.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Korea’s Kim Joo Hyung wins Panasonic Open: South Korea’s Kim Joo Hyung has won the Panasonic Open held at the Classic Golf and Country Club in Gurugram, India. India’s Shiv Kapur finished tied runner-up with S. Chikkarangappa. The victory has made Hyung the second-youngest winner behind Thailand’s Chinnarat Phadugsil on the Tour at 17 years and 149 days.

2. IAAF officially changes its name to “World Athletics”: The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has officially changed its name and will now be known as “World Athletics”. The name has been changed in a bid to make the sport more accessible. The IAAF was founded in 1912 as the International Amateur Athletic Federation and changed its name to the “International Association of Athletics Federations” in 2001.

3. Spain’s striker David Villa retires from football: Spain’s striker David Villa has announced his retirement from football. He represented Spain in three World Cups and was also a member of the Spanish side that lifted the trophy in 2010, and won the European Championships in 2008. He netted 59 times for Spain which is a national record. His achievements also includes a Champions League title with Barcelona, as well as two La Liga wins and a World Club Cup medal.

4. Harmeet Desai claims Indonesia Open TT Championship: Indian paddler Harmeet Desai wins men’s singles title at International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Challenge Indonesia Open 2019 Table Tennis tournament held at Batam, Indonesia. Harmeet had defeated compatriot Amalraj Anthony by 11-9, 9-11, 11-9, 11-9, 10-12, 11-9 score.

5. Sarita Devi elected as member of AIBA athletes commission: Laishram Sarita Devi (Manipur) is among the 6 boxers from 5 continents who were elected as members of AIBA Athletes Commission. She was inspired by Muhammad Ali’s achievements and turned professional in boxing in the year 2000. She is DSP in Manipur Police. The election of the Athletes Commission members was organized during AIBA Men and Women World Boxing Championships 2019 in Russia. Boxers from all over the world voted for new members – one per continent, except Europe which has two representatives.

Note: International Boxing Association Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. New rules framed under IBC for rescue of non-bank lenders: The Government of India has issued fresh rules under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) to govern the rescue of non-bank lenders. The new rules are likely to help out distressed shadow banks and housing financiers, which have been battling a liquidity crunch for a year. These entities will be covered by a special window under the bankruptcy code, which will be notified from time to time. Reserve Bank of India has been given the authority to decide which companies will be taken up to a bankruptcy tribunal under these rules. The bankruptcy tribunal will appoint an administrator who will be nominated by the regulator, will try to stitch together a turnaround plan. In case a turnaround of the financial institution is not possible, the tribunal will gather the views of the regulator before deciding to liquidate it.

2. ICICI Bank launches ‘Maha Loan Dhamaka’ to provide on-the-spot loan approvals: ICICI Bank has announced the launch of its own loan mela- ‘Maha Loan Dhamaka’ - to provide on-the-spot loan approvals. ICICI bank plans to organise 2,000 such ‘Maha Loan’ camps across the country in rural and semi-urban locations and on the company premises in the current fiscal. The first camp was inaugurated at Deesa in Banaskantha district, Gujarat. Recently, public sector banks held loan melas in over 400 districts in two phases in October to boost sagging credit growth due to the economic downturn.

AWARDS AND HONOUR

1. Veteran actors Sridevi and Rekha conferred with ANR National Award: The veteran actors Sridevi and Rekha were conferred with the Akkineni Nageswara Rao National Award for 2018 and 2019 respectively. The award was presented by renowned Telugu actor Chiranjeevi. The award is instituted by the Akkineni International Foundation and honours those who have made a lasting impact on Indian cinema.

2. Rezwana Choudhury Bannya gets ICCR Alumni award in Dhaka: Renowned Rabindra Sangeet exponent from Bangladesh Rezwana Choudhury Bannya has conferred the ICCR distinguished alumni award in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The award was given away by the High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das in a musical function organised by the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC). Rezwana Choudhury Bannya is widely recognised as a great exponent of Rabindra Sangeet. She is known for her distinctive style of singing. She has established a musical school ‘Shurer Dhara’ in Bangladesh to carry forward the Guru-Shishya tradition as practised in Shantiniketan. Distinguished Alumni Award was instituted in 2015 to recognise foreign students who have studied in various Indian Universities under the ICCR sponsored scholarship schemes and made an exemplary contribution in varied fields.

DEFENCE

1. India successfully conducts first night trial of surface-to-surface medium-range missile Agni-II: India on November 16 successfully conducted the first night trial of surface-to-surface medium-range nuclear-capable missile Agni-II from Dr Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha coast. The Agni-II is an intermediate-range two-stage ballistic missile (IRBM) which can carry a payload of 1000 kg over a distance of 2000 km. This is the first time that the sophisticated missile was test-fired at night. The test was carried out by the specially formed Strategic Forces Command (SFC) of the Army with logistic support from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The entire trajectory of the trial was tracked by a battery of sophisticated radars, telemetry observation stations, electro-optic instruments and two naval ships located near the impact point in the down-range area of Bay of Bengal.

Daily GK Updates - 17th November, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 8th International Conference on Agricultural Statistics to be Held in New Delhi: The 8th edition of the International Conference on Agricultural Statistics (ICAS-VIII) will be held in New Delhi from 18th to 21st November 2019. The conference is being organized by the Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, ISI-CAS, FAO, the USDA, ADB, World Bank, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Eurostat, AfDB and various other organizations. Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Shri Narendra Singh Tomar will inaugurate the event. The Chief Guest for the event is Bill Gates. Theme of the Conference: ‘Statistics for Transformation of Agriculture to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)’.

2. Darjeeling Green and White Tea gets Geographical Indications (GI) tag: Darjeeling green and white teas, whose price varies from Rs 3,000 -Rs 10,000 per kg, have received Geographical Indication (GI) tag for the domestic market, which will put to rest any doubt about their authenticity and quality. Both these premium teas have been registered as a GI in the country with effect from October 24, 2019, which means that any teas sold as Darjeeling white and green teas in the domestic market without GI will not be considered authentic teas. Darjeeling black tea is already registered as GI.

Note: Geographical indications mean indications which identify a product as originating from the territory of a member, or a region or locality in that territory, where a given quality, reputation or other characteristic of the product is essentially attributable to its geographical origin.

Darjeeling white tea has a unique aroma. While the leaves used for making black tea undergo withering and oxidation, those used for making white tea do not face any withering and oxidation. In other words, white tea undergoes minimum processing and the terminal buds with rich pubescence of tea shoots are merely dried in natural sunlight. This allows the buds to retain the covering of velvety silver colour. Darjeeling white tea brews have a pale yellow/light translucent colour and has a slightly sweet flavour with no ‘grassy’ undertones sometimes associated with green tea. Darjeeling white tea has good demand in the US and European Union. The annual estimated production of Darjeeling white tea is one lakh kg.

3. Union Minister Harsh Vardhan launches SAANS campaign to curb pneumonia deaths in kids: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Harsh Vardhan has launched SAANS Campaign which stands for ‘Social Awareness and Action to Neutralise Pneumonia Successfully’. The aim of the campaign is to reduce child mortality due to pneumonia, which contributes to around 15% deaths annually of children under the age of five. The campaign was launched in Gandhinagar, Gujarat at the 6th National Summit on Good, Replicable Practices and Innovations. The HMIS data for 2018-19 ranked Madhya Pradesh on top in the number of child deaths due to pneumonia, followed by Gujarat on second.

4. 1st National Agrochemicals Congress held in New Delhi: The 1st National Agrochemicals Congress was held in New Delhi between November 13-16, 2019. The theme of the event was: Country’s Status on Various Fronts of Agrochemicals.  The Congress is conducted in view of the role chemical pesticides still continue to play in pest management as more and more target-specific and environment-friendly products are being introduced. From now onwards, it will be conducted once in every three years.

5. CBI sets up online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (OCSAE) Prevention/Investigation Unit at New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation has set up an online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (OCSAE) Prevention/Investigation Unit at New Delhi under its Special Crime Zone. The territorial jurisdiction of the online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (OCSAE) Prevention/Investigation Unit of CBI will be throughout India. OCSAE unit will collect, collate and disseminate information regarding publication, transmission, creation, collection, seeking, browsing, downloading, advertising, promoting, exchanging, distribution of information relating to online child sexual abuse and exploitation.

6. NCDEX ties up with NSE Indices to launch AGRIDEX, India’s first agri index: National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) has partnered with NSE Indices Limited and launched  India’s first agri index — ‘NCDEX Agridex’, for easy reference to price variations in agricultural commodities. The AGRIDEX tracks and replicates the performance of the ten most liquid commodities traded on the NCDEX’s platform. It is an index futures contracts.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Russian President Vladimir Putin invites PM Modi for Victory Day celebrations in May: Russian President Vladimir Putin invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Victory Day celebrations in May next year as the two leaders had an "excellent meeting" in Brasilia and discussed ways to further cement their special strategic partnership. Modi, who is in Brazil for the 11th BRICS Summit which will focus on building mechanisms for counter-terrorism cooperation and strengthen India's ties with the world's five major economies, met Putin on the sidelines of the meeting and reviewed the full range of India-Russia relations. PM Modi also tweeted in Russian about the meeting. Mr Putin said that bilateral trade has registered a growth of 17 per cent.

Note: The annual May 9 Victory Day parade in Moscow, where Russia shows off its military might, commemorates the May 1945 allied victory over Nazi Germany.

2. Bill Gates Surpasses Jeff Bezos as World’s Richest Person: Bloomberg: Billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft Corp. co-founder, Bill Gates has surpassed Amazon chief executive officer Jeff Bezos to become the world’s richest person on Earth with a net worth of $110 billion, according to the latest Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Gates, 64, had briefly topped Bezos (55), whose net worth stands at $109 billion. Europe’s richest person, Bernard Arnault, is third with $102.7 billion. Reliance Industries Limited Chairman Mukesh Ambani is the richest Indian in the list positioned at 14th spot with net worth of $56.7 billion.

3. World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims 2019: November 17: World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victimsis celebrated on Third Sunday in November every year. This year World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims is celebrated on 17 November, 2019 Purpose of this day is to remember those killed and injured on the roads, together with their families, friends, and others affected. Theme 2019: “Life is not a car part”.

Note: The day was started by the British road crash victim charity, RoadPeace, in 1993 and was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2005.

4. International Students’ Day: November 17: The International Students’ Day is celebrated on November 17 around the world, with special focus on ensuring education is available for all students.

Note: The date 17 November was chosen to be the International Students’ Day to commemorate the day in 1939, during World War II, when University of Prague was stormed by Nazis after demonstrations against the killing of Jan Opletal and the occupation of Czechoslovakia. Nine student leaders were subsequently killed, over 1200 students sent to concentration camps, and all Czech universities and colleges were closed.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. India Finishes Fourth in Medal Tally with 26 Medals in 2019 Asian Shooting Championships at Doha: The 14th edition of the Asian Shooting Championships, 2019 was held from 5 to 13 November 2019 in Doha, Qatar. India won total 26 medals (5G-10S-11B) to be placed at fourth spot in the medal table. China stood first with highest number of medals (45), followed by South Korea (21) and North Korea (11). Host nation Qatar won 3 medals to be placed at 8 spot among 16 nations that participated in the Championship. Winners of Gold Medal:

Udhayveer Sidhu, Vijayveer Sidhu, Gurpreet Singh – 5 m men’s standard pistol team

Angad Vir Singh Bajwa – Men’s Skeet

Manu Bhaker – Women’s 10 m air pistol

Anjum Moudgil, Kajal Saini, Tejaswini Sawant – Women’s 50 m rifle prone team

Abhishek Verma, Manu Bhaker – Mixed 10 m air pistol team

2. India record best-ever medal haul at World Para Athletics Championships, wins 9 medal: India has won 9 medals at the World Para Athletics Championship held in Dubai finishing in the 24th position. This is the best medal-winning haul by India. Out of these 9 medals, India won two gold, two silver and five bronze, securing 13 qualifying spots at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. Until this edition, London 2017 had been India’s best ever show where the para athletes finished with five medals (one gold) in the joint 34th place. China topped the medals tally with 59 medals including 25 gold. Asian Para Games 2018 champion javelin thrower Sandeep Chaudhary stood out among the Indian performers by setting a new world record (F44) on the way to clinching the gold with a personal best 65.80m in men’s javelin F64 category

3. India’s first-ever day-night pink ball Test match to be played at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens from November 22: In a historic move, the first-ever day-night pink ball Test match on Indian soil will be held at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata from 22–26 November 2019 against Bangladesh. India is the only major Test-playing nation which has not played a day-night Test match before. For Bangladesh also, it will also mark their debut test with the pink ball on the international stage. Although Indian players have played with a pink ball before, but that ball was manufactured by the Australian company Kookaburra. The pink balls for the upcoming Test has been made by Sanspareils Greenlands (SG) of Meerut.

4. Senior Journalist Rajat Sharma Quits as DDCA Chief: Senior journalist Rajat Sharma has resigned from the post of President of Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) on November 16 citing his inability to continue amidst “various pulls and pressures” within the organisation. Rajat Sharma said: “It seems that it may not be possible to carry on in DDCA with my principles of integrity, honesty and transparency, which I am not willing to compromise at any cost.”

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. NCAER predicts India’s GDP growth at 4.9% in FY20: The National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) has predicted India’s GDP growth rate for 2019-20 (FY20) at 4.9%. This comes a day after Moody’s cut its calendar year 2019 GDP forecast for India to 5.6 per cent from 6.2 per cent.

2. Google to launch checking accounts next year in a tie-up with Citigroup: Google will launch a checking account service next year in collaboration with Citigroup and a credit union at Stanford University. It will be launched under a project code named Cache. Google is working on a system that will host checking accounts clearly bearing the brands of the financial institutions.

3. Vodafone Idea posts India’s biggest ever quarterly loss at Rs 50,921 crore: Telecom firm Vodafone Idea has reported a record loss of Rs 50,921 crore for the July- September quarter 2019. This is the highest ever quarterly loss for any Indian company. The loss was reported as the company made a provision for the Supreme Court’s ruling on payment of average gross revenue (AGR) dues. Rs 30,774.5 crore was a one-time loss the company incurred due to the recent Supreme Court verdict.

Reliance Communications posted a mega loss of Rs 30,142 crore, registering India’s second biggest quarterly loss after Vodafone Idea. The firm was mainly hit due to provisioning for liabilities after the Supreme Court ruling on the AGR issue. Anil Ambani has submitted his resignation as director of Reliance Communications, even as the firm continues to remain under CIRP (Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process). Four other directors, including Smt. Chhaya Virani, Ryna Karani, Manjari Kacker and Suresh Rangachar have also submitted their resignation.

Bharti Airtel posted a loss of Rs 23,044 crore for the quarter ended September 30, due to Rs 28,450 crore provisions towards adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues.

AWARDS AND HONOUR

1. Indian sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik received the Italian Golden Sand Art Award 2019: Acclaimed Indian sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has been conferred the Italian Golden Sand Art Award, 2019 at a ceremony in Rome, becoming the first Indian to win the prestigious award for his contribution to sand art. Representing India at the International Scorrano Sand Nativity event held in Lecce from November 13 to 17, the acclaimed artist created a 10-foot high sand sculpture of Mahatma Gandhi along with Russian artist Pavel Minilkov.

2. Luka Modric Wins the 2019 Golden Foot Award: Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric has been announced as the winner of the 2019 Golden Foot Award. The Croatian, Luka is the 17th winner of the prestigious award which is exclusively ‘dedicated to the best footballers ever.’ The Golden Foot Award is an international football award given to active players of at least 28 years of age for their outstanding on-field achievements, both as an individual and a team player and for their personality. The award can only be won once.

ORBUTIRIES

1. Goa DGP Pranab Nanda dies of cardiac arrest in Delhi: Goa's Director General of Police Pranab Nanda has died due to cardiac arrest. Nanda was on a visit to Delhi after attending official functions in Goa. He was 57. The 1988-batch IPS officer was transferred to Goa on February 25 this year.

Daily GK Updates - 16th November, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Chandrayaan-3: Second bid to land on Moon by November 2020: The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), which failed to land a probe on Moon in its first attempt in September 2019 (Chandrayaan-2), has begun work on Chandrayaan-3 with a deadline of November 2020. ISRO has formed multiple committees- an overall panel and three sub-committees- and held at least four high-level meetings since October. The new mission will include only a lander and rover, as the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter is functioning well. So far ISRO has looked at 10 specific aspects of the mission, including landing site selection, absolute navigation, and local navigation. The top priority for the new mission is “strengthening the legs of the lander”, so that it allows landing even with a high velocity. ISRO will be building a new lander and a rover.

Note: It is to be noted that India has launched Chandrayaan-2 in July 2019, with three modules- Orbiter, Lander (Vikram) & Rover (Pragyan).

2. National Tribal Festival Aadi Mahotsav to begin in New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will inaugurate the National Tribal Festival “Aadi Mahotsav” in New Delhi. The theme of the 15-day Mahotsav is celebration of the Spirit of Tribal Culture, Craft, Cuisine and Commerce. It will be held at Dilli Haat in INA, New Delhi. The tribal textiles manufactured by master tribal craftsmen from Jammu & Kashmir in the North to Tamil Nadu in the South and from Gujarat in the West to Nagaland/Sikkim in the East will be the main attractions.

3. Conference on “Replication of Good Governance Practices in Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh” begins: Two- day Regional Conference on the theme “Replication of Good Governance Practices in Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh” begins in Jammu. The Conference is being organised by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, Government of India in collaboration with the Government of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. The Conference aims to bring national and state-level organizations on a common platform and to share experiences in Digital Governance, Citizen-Centric Governance, and Capacity Building and Personnel Administration etc. Delegates from 19 states and 4 Union Territories are participating in the Conference.

4. National Mission ‘NISHTHA’ launched in J&K: National Initiative for School Heads’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement (NISHTHA) has been launched in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. NISHTHA is aimed at improving learning outcomes at Elementary level through integrated Teacher Trainings. NISHTHA is a pioneer scheme being launched across the country, with a total of 86000 Elementary teachers of Government Schools being trained in J&K under the programme.

5. CSIR-IMTECH signs MOU with IIT Bombay for collaborative research: CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH), Chandigarh signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay to promote collaborative research. The MoU will facilitate the exchange of ideas, development of new knowledge and enhance high-quality research acumen between the researchers and faculty of both the institutes. The objective of this collaboration is to carry out state of the art research in areas of healthcare especially in projects and missions where both the institutes can significantly complement each other. This MoU is in line with the circular issued by MHRD in 2018 paving way for all IITs to sign MoUs with National Research Laboratories affiliated to CSIR to start new collaborations and to deepen, broaden interactions where such collaborations already exist.

Note: CSIR-IMTECH is a national center for excellence in microbial sciences and was established in 1984. IMTECH’s vision is to discover and develop translational products and new drugs to address key unmet societal and medical needs.

6. National Press Day: 16th November: India celebrates “National Press Day” on 16th November every year. The day is symbolic of a free and responsible press. On this day the Press Council of India started functioning as a moral watchdog to ensure that the press maintains high standards and is not constrained by any influence or threats. On the occasion, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar said the media should guard against “fake news” and desist from providing any “disinformation and misinformation”. To celebrate the day, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu will confer excellence in journalism awards.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India to contribute $13.5 mn for UN development activities for 2020: India has pledged to contribute USD 13.5 million for various operational activities of development across the UN agencies for the year 2020. Counsellor at India’s Permanent Mission to the UN Anjani Kumar announced India’s pledges at the UN General Assembly Pledging Conference for Development Activities. India will contribute USD 5 million to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, USD 4.5 million to the UN Development Programme. The World Food Programme will get USD 1.92 million, USD 900,000 to the UN Children’s Fund, USD 500,000 to the UN Population Fund, USD 200,000 dollars to the UN Voluntary Fund for Technical Co-operation and USD 150,000 dollars to the UN Commission on Human Settlements Programme. About 16 countries pledged a total of USD 516 million at the 2019 United Nations Pledging Conference for Development Activities. The contribution is in line with the country’s long-standing tradition of supporting development activities across the UN system.

2. International Day for Tolerance: 16 November: The United Nations observes “International Day for Tolerance” on 16th November every year. The United Nations is committed to strengthening tolerance by fostering mutual understanding among cultures and peoples. In 1996, the UN General Assembly by a resolution invited UN Member States to observe the International Day for Tolerance on 16 November. The Day is observed to educate the public on issues of concern, to mobilize political will and resources to address global problems and to celebrate and reinforce the achievements of humanity. In 1995, to mark the United Nations Year for Tolerance and the 125th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi, UNESCO created a prize for the promotion of tolerance and non-violence. The UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize for the Promotion of Tolerance and Non-Violence rewards significant activities in the scientific, artistic, cultural or communication fields aimed at the promotion of a spirit of tolerance and non-violence. The prize is awarded every two years on the International Day for Tolerance, 16 November.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Dutee Chand named in TIME 100 Next list: India sprinter Dutee Chand has been named in the TIME 100 Next, an expansion of the TIME 100 list of the most influential persons in the world. The list, an initiative of TIME magazine, highlights 100 rising stars who are shaping the future of business, entertainment, sports, politics, health, science, activism, etc. Dutee Chand from Odisha won two silver medals — 100m, 200m — at the Jakarta Asian Games and had become the first Indian woman sprinter to win gold in 100m at the 31st Summer Universiade Competition in Naples, Italy in 2019.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. CCI approves merger of the BNP Paribas (BNPP) and the Baroda (BOB) Mutual Fund: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) approves the merger of the BNP Paribas (BNPP) Mutual Fund and the Baroda (BOB) Mutual Fund, under Section 31(1) of the Competition Act, 2002. The Proposed Combination relates to the merger of the BNP Paribas Mutual Fund and the BOB Mutual Fund. The Parties propose to amalgamate (i) BOB Asset Management Company (AMC) into BNPP AMC; (ii) BNPP Trustee Company (TC) into BOB TC; (iii) After the merger, BNPP AMC and BOB TC will be the surviving entities.

Note: Chairman of CCI: Ashok Kumar Gupta; Headquarters of CCI: New Delhi; Founded: 14 October 2003.

MD and CEO of BNP Paribas Mutual Fund: Mr. Sharad Sharma; BNP Paribas Mutual Fund Headquarter: New Delhi

AWARDS AND HONOUR

1. Movie “Bhonsle” Wins awards at Asian Film Festival Barcelona: Manoj Bajpayee-starrer and critically acclaimed movie "Bhonsle" has won the ‘Best Screenplay’ and ‘Best Director’ awards at the ‘Asian Film Festival’ in Barcelona, Spain. The movie was directed by Devashish Makhija. The movie "Bhonsle" revolves around a police constable played by Manoj Bajpayee, who tries to help in the struggles of migrants and their battles with the local politicians. It also addresses the concerns of various ethnic groups and highlights the issues that they face in order to survive in a city like Mumbai, away from their home. "Bhonsle" was premiered in the 'A Window on Asian Cinema' section of the 2018 Busan International Film Festival. It was also screened at renowned film festivals including the MAMI Film Festival, 2018 Dharamshala Film Festival, the 2019 International Film Festival Rotterdam, the Bengaluru International Film Festival and the Singapore South Asian International film festival.

2. Tobacco Board of India wins Golden Leaf Award: The Tobacco Board of India, Guntur, has been awarded the Golden Leaf Award at Tab Expo 2019 event in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Executive Director of Tobacco Board, K. Sunitha, was presented the award. The award was presented to the board for its efforts to initiate various sustainability (green) initiatives in Flue-Cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco cultivation in India. The award was given in the most impressive public service initiative category for the year 2019. This is the 2nd time the board has bagged the award. In the year 2014, the board bagged the award for its implementation of an electronic auction system, which has made the marketing of flue-cured tobacco in India more transparent and accountable.

Note: The Golden Leaf Awards was created by Tobacco Reporter, an international magazine in 2006 to recognize professional excellence and dedication in the tobacco industry. Tobacco Board works under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry

Chairman: Shri Raghunadha Babu Yadlapati; Headquarters- Guntur, Andhra Pradesh

Daily GK Updates - 15th November, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to be the chief guest at Republic Day 2020: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro will be the Chief Guest at the Republic Day Parade 2020. Regarding this, he has formally accepted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invitation on the sidelines of the 11th BRICS Summit 2019. Both leaders agreed that on this occasion, the two countries can comprehensively enhance our strategic partnership. On 26th January 2020, India will celebrate its 71st Republic Day. First Republic Day of India was celebrated in 1950.

Note: The year 2018 was historic when leaders from the 10 ASEAN nations – Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Brunei – were the chief guests at Republic Day celebration. In 2019, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was in attendance as the chief guest. He was the second South African president, after Nelson Mandela, to attend the grand event as its chief guest.

Capital of Brazil: Brasilia; Currency: Brazilian real.

2. Nitin Gadkari Inaugurates Khadi Pavilion at I.I.T.F: Union Minister of MSME and Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the Khadi Pavilion at the India International Trade Fair (IITF) in New Delhi. The Pavilion entrance has been themed upon Sabarmati Ashram, with melodious Shehnai celebrating the ‘spirit of Indianness’. A wide range of products which includes food, handicrafts, leather, textiles and hosiery, readymade garments, wooden toys, cosmetics and herbal products offering a discount of up to 20% are being displayed in the Khadi Pavilion at IITF 2019.

Note: Chairman of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission: Vinai Kumar Saxena.

3. Andhra Pradesh government launches ‘Nadu-Nedu’ scheme: Andhra Pradesh government has launched the ‘Nadu-Nedu’ programme. The programme aims to introduce English medium from classes 1 to 6 in state-run schools. The scheme will be implemented in 15,715 schools in the first phase. It will cover all schools in three years’ time with a budget of Rs 12,000 crores. The decision to switch over to the English medium in government schools has been taken to uplift the marginalised section of society.

Note: CM of Andhra Pradesh: YS Jaganmohan Reddy; Governor: Biswa Bhusan Harichandan.

4. The 6th World Congress on Rural and Agricultural Finance was held in New Delhi: The 6th World Congress on Rural and Agricultural Finance (WCRAF) was held in New Delhi from November 12-13, 2019. The congress was inaugurated by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. It was jointly hosted by the Asia-Pacific Rural and Agricultural Credit Association (APRACA), National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India. This 6th version of the congress was attended by 300 delegates across the globe who engaged in interactive discussions to unleash the potential role of rural and agricultural finance. The theme of the event was “Rural and Agricultural Finance: Critical Input to achieve Inclusive and Sustainable Development”.

Note: The World Congress is held at regular intervals of the 3-year period. The first Congress was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 2005. It aims at bringing together stakeholders of rural and agricultural finance all over the world. The Congress is an opportunity to strengthen business relations and to promote products and services.

NABARD: Established in: 1982; Chairman: Dr. Harsh Kumar Bhanwala; Headquarter: Mumbai

5. Mihir Shah committee to draft a new National Water Policy: The Union Water Resources Ministry has set up a Committee to draft a new National Water Policy (NWP). The Committee will be chaired by Mihir Shah, formerly a member of the Planning Commission of India. The committee has 10 principal members, including Shashi Shekhar, a former secretary of Water Resources, and A.B. Pandya, former chairman of the Central Ground Water Board. The committee is expected to produce a report within six months. In September, Union Water Resources Minister Gajendra Shekhawat said that the Centre was planning to update the NWP and make key changes in water governance structure and regulatory framework.

Note: The NWP currently in force was drafted in 2012 and is the third such policy since 1987.

6. New signal fish discovered off Kerala coast: The new signal fish was found in Lakshadweep sea off Kerala coast, which is the home for unusual species like fish with a unique color. The name of the species is “Pteropsaron Indicum”, was collected by trawlers at a depth of 70 meters during a marine biodiversity survey. Scientists from the University of Kerala and the Ocean Science Foundation, United State of America (USA) have described the discovery of the new species of signal fish, was the first one of the genus recorded in Indian waters.

7. Nilam Sawhney appointed as Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary: Senior IAS officer Nilam Sawhney has been appointed as the Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh. She has become the first woman Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh. She belongs to the 1984 batch of the IAS and from AP Cadre. She will replace Neerabh Kumar who is holding the additional charge as the Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh.

Note: CM of Andhra Pradesh: YS Jaganmohan Reddy; Governor: Biswa Bhusan Harichandan.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India gets USD 43 million from Green Climate Fund to boost climate resilience: India kicked-off a USD 43 million project to boost climate resilience in three coastal states in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The project is funded by the Green Climate Fund, established within the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to assist developing countries. The six-year project will build climate-resilient livelihoods for 1.7 million people in three states viz Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Odisha.

Note: The Green Climate Fund: Green Climate Fund was established within the framework of the UNFCCC. It was formed in 2010. The headquarters of Green Climate Fund is in Incheon, South Korea. It is supported by a Secretariat and governed by a board of 24 members. The main objective of the Green Climate Fund is to support programmes, projects, policies, and other activities to develop country Parties using thematic funding windows. The current executive director is Yannick Glemarec.

2. Bangladesh tops business bribery risk in South Asia: Bangladesh has topped the business bribery risk in South Asia according to the Trace Bribery Matrix. Bangladesh has the highest business bribery risk among South Asian courtiers according to the annual ranking for 200 countries. Bangladesh has been placed at 178th position among 200 countries in terms of business bribery risk. The five countries with the lowest bribery risk in the world are New Zealand, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland. The countries with the highest risk are Venezuela, Yemen, North Korea, South Sudan and Somalia.

Note: TRACE is a US-based organisation which provides ranking to various countries in terms of the risk of bribery companies face in doing business in those countries. The Trace Bribery Matrix evaluates the countries under 4 parameters i.e. business interaction with the government, anti-bribery deterrence, transparency and civil society oversight.

3. Mangala Mani becomes the first Indian Woman Scientist to live in Antarctica for 403 Days: Mangala Mani from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), is the first woman scientist to spend 403 days in Antarctica. She has forged history with this achievement. She was part of an expedition team that went to Bharati – India’s research station in Antarctica – in November 2016. She was the only woman in the 23-member-team that went to the freezing continent this time.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. India set to host World Kabaddi cup 2019 in Punjab: The 2019 World Kabaddi Cup will take place from December 1 to 9 and will be organised by the Punjab government in Punjab. This year’s tournament will be dedicated to the 550th birth anniversary of Sikh guru, Guru Nanak Dev Ji. The inauguration of the event will be held on December 1 at Guru Nanak Stadium, Sultanpur Lodhi and four matches are scheduled for the opening day. Nine teams -- India, USA, Australia, England, Sri Lanka, Kenya, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Canada -- are expected to take part in the tournament.

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

2. FIFA names Arsene Wenger as global football development chief: Veteran coach Arsene Wenger has been named FIFA’s Chief of global football development. The former Arsenal and Monaco coach would be responsible for the growth of the game for both men and women around the world and would also be the leading authority on technical matters, including potential changes to the sport’s laws. Wenger made the English Club Arsenal one of the strongest football clubs in Europe, winning three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups and taking his team to the 2006 Champions League final. He also won the French league in 1987 with Monaco, adding the French Cup four years later before departing for Japan in 1995.

Note: President of FIFA: Gianni Infantino; Founded: 21 May 1904; Headquarters: Zürich, Switzerland.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Moody's cuts India's GDP growth forecast to 5.6 per cent for 2019: Moody's Investors Service slashed India's economic growth forecast to 5.6 per cent for FY 2019. Moody’s says that government measures do not address the widespread weakness in consumption demand. Moody's had on October 10 slashed India's economic growth forecast for 2019-20 fiscal to 5.8 per cent from an earlier estimate of 6.2 per cent. Last week, it downgraded India's outlook to negative from stable.

Note: Moody’s Headquarters- New York, United States (US); Chief Executive Officer (CEO)- Raymond Whitehead McDaniel.

AWARDS AND HONOUR

1. Ravi Prakash awarded with the BRICS Young Innovator Prize: An Indian Ph.D. Scholar, Ravi Prakash has won the USD 25,000 BRICS-Young Innovator Prize for inventing an affordable indigenous milk chilling unit for smaller and marginal rural dairy farmers. Prakash, Ph.D. scholar of ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Bangalore, was a part of a 21-member delegation sent to Brazil by the Department of Science and Technology for the 4th BRICS-Young Scientist Forum (YSF), 2019. The theme for 4th BRICS-YSF was “Cybersecurity and Bio-economy” it highlights the important strategy of science, technology and innovation as the key drivers of youth entrepreneurship and leadership. The technology can be used for chilling milk from the point of production by bringing down the temperature of raw milk from 37C to 7C within 30 minutes using nano-fluid based phase change materials.

Note: The BRICS Young Innovator Prize aims to recognize and reward the research, development and innovation projects in the science and technology sector of the BRICS countries. It is in special recognition of young talented entrepreneurs and researchers, whose outstanding innovations will make a profound impact on the socio-economic environment and conditions of life in BRICS societies.

BRICS is the acronym of the five major emerging economies -- Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. This year's event is being held in Brasilia from November 13-14 under the theme BRICS: Economic Growth for an Innovative Future.

2. Robert De Niro to be conferred with SAG Life Achievement award: Hollywood veteran and double Oscar winner Robert De Niro will receive the SAG-AFTRA’s highest tribute: the SAG Life Achievement Award for career achievement and humanitarian accomplishment, at the 26th edition of the ceremony 2019. The SAG Life Achievement Award is given annually to an actor who fosters the “finest ideals of the acting profession”.

DEFENCE

1. India-U.S. tri-services exercise Tiger Triumph begins: The India-U.S. tri-services amphibious exercise “Tiger Triumph” has begun in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Tiger Triumph will go on for 9 days off the Visakhapatnam and Kakinada coasts. The training events will enhance U.S.-India military-to-military relations and hone individual and small-unit skills in humanitarian assistance and disaster response. This kind of training is expected to build the capacity of both the U.S. and Indian participants as well as improving their ability to operate together. More than 500 U.S. Marines and sailors and about 1,200 Indian soldiers, sailors and airmen are participating in the exercise.

2. Karabi Gogoi selected as Assistant Naval Attache in Moscow Embassy: The Indian Navy has selected Lt. Commander Karabi Gogoi as assistant naval attache at the Moscow Embassy. She will be the first woman Assistant Naval Attache and second woman defence personnel to be appointed for a diplomatic assignment in Russia. Currently posted as a naval engineer at the Karwar base of the Navy, the officer is also learning Russian and is expected to take up her new assignment in Moscow next month. In September, Wing Commander Anjali Singh became India's first female military diplomat to be posted in any of the Indian missions abroad.

OBITUARIES

1. Renowned mathematician Vashishtha Narayan Singh passes away: Renowned mathematician Vashishtha Narayan Singh passed away. The 77-year old had been suffering from Schizophrenia for 40 years. Born in 1942, Vashishth Narayan Singh was famous for his extraordinary skills of calculation. Narayan Singh was said to have challenged Einstein’s theory of relativity. Narayan went to the University of California in 1965 and completed his Ph.D. on cycle vector space theory in 1969. He had taught at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur and the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata. It is believed that before the launch of the Apollo mission when multiple computers went off at the same time, Narayan's calculations in his brains were the same as the computers when they came back up.