SSC CHSL 2019 Recruitment Notification Out, Apply Online @ssc.nic.in

AISSEE 2020: Sainik School Admission For Girls : Apply Here Now

Punjab Patwari Recruitment 2019 Notification Out: 1090 Patwari | 34 Kanungo

AISSEE 2020: Sainik Schools Entrance Exam Admit Card Released, Download Here

30 November 2019 - Daily Current Affairs

30 November 2019 - Daily Current Affairs

1. Noted Malayalam poet Akkitham wins Jnanpith Award 2019

• Noted Malayalam poet Akkitham Achuthan Namboodiri (known as ‘Akkitham’- 93 years) has been declared the recipient of the 55th Jnanpith Award (country’s highest literary honour) for the year 2019.
• His work includes Irupatham Noottandinte Ithihasam, or the legend of the 20th century, which is considered to have brought modernism into Malayalam poetry.
• Akkitham is the 6th Malayalam writer to be conferred this award.
• Akkitham Achuthan Namboodiri is the recipient of the Padma Shri (in 2017), Kerala Sahitya Academy Award (in 1971), the Sahitya Academy Award (in 1973), and the Vayalar Award i(n 2012).
• Writer Amitav Ghosh was the recipient of Jnanpith Award in 2018.

Note:

• The Jnanpith Award is an Indian literary award presented annually by the Bharatiya Jnanpith to an author for their 'outstanding contribution towards literature'.
• The award was given to the authors for their most outstanding work and consisted of a citation plaque, a cash prize of Rs 1.5 lakh and a bronze replica of ‘Saraswati’.

Important Day

2. 30 November: Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare

• The Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention decided that a memorial Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare would be observed on 30 November each year.
• This commemoration provides an opportunity to pay tribute to the victims of chemical warfare, as well as to reaffirm the commitment of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to the elimination of the threat of chemical weapons.

Source: UN.Org

Defence

3. India successfully test-fires Spike anti-tank missiles

• The Indian Army has successfully test-fired two Spike long-range anti-tank missiles at Mhow, Madhya Pradesh.
• Army Chief General Bipin Rawat and several commanders witnessed the firing of the newly acquired missiles on Wednesday.
• Spike is a fourth-generation missile which can engage any target with precision at ranges up to 4-kilo metres.
• The Spike long-range anti-tank missiles will bolster the Army's firepower capability.

4. Indian Navy commissions sixth Dornier aircraft squadron

• The sixth Dornier aircraft squadron ‘Indian Naval Air Squadron 314’ has been commissioned at Naval Air Enclave- Porbandar on Gujarat coast.
• Deputy Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral M S Pawar was the chief guest on this occasion.
• According to Defense Sources, the INAS 314 derives its name Raptors from the Bird of Prey family.
• This squadron will operate the Dornier aircraft, a multi-role SRMR aircraft, with twin turboprop engine manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautical Limited, Kanpur.
• The aircraft can be used for electronic warfare missions, maritime surveillance, search and rescue and to provide targeting data to weapon platform.

Source: AIR News

5. India, Japan hold Foreign and Defence Ministerial Dialogue in New Delhi

• India-Japan Foreign and Defence Ministerial Dialogue started in New Delhi.
• Rajnath Singh (Defence Minister) and Dr. S. Jaishankar (External Affairs Minister) will head the Indian delegation, while the Japanese delegation will be led by Toshimitsu Motegi (Foreign Affairs Minister) and Mr. Taro K (Minister of Defence).
• The meeting would provide an opportunity for the two sides to further strengthening defence and security cooperation to provide greater depth to the ‘India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership’.
• The two sides will also exchange views on the situation in the Indo-Pacific region and their efforts for achieving their shared objective of peace, prosperity and progress for a better future for the people of the two countries and the region.

Source; AIR News

Banking & Finance

6. Aditya Birla Finance is now 1st firm to list commercial papers on exchanges

• Aditya Birla Finance Ltd (ABFL), the NBFC arm of Aditya Birla Capital, became the first company to list its commercial papers on the stock exchanges.
• The value date of the commercial paper is November 28 and maturity date on February 7, 2020.
• This move came after the exchanges -- the BSE and the NSE -- came out with a framework for listing of commercial papers (CPs), in a bid to broaden investors' participation in such securities.

Note:

• CP is an unsecured money market instrument issued in the form of promissory notes.
• It can be issued for maturities between a minimum of 7 days and a maximum of up to one year from the date of issue.
• CP is usually issued at a discount from face value and reflects prevailing market interest rates.

Source: Business Standard

 Obituaries

7. Japan Former PM Yasuhiro Nakasone passes away

• Yasuhiro Nakasone (101-years), one of the longest-reigning Prime Ministers and known for his friendship with Ronald Reagan passed away at a Tokyo hospital.
• Nakasone (Prime Minister from 1982 to 1987) shared the world stage with Reagan and Margaret Thatcher while battling with bureaucrats over domestic reforms.
• Nakasone also broke an unwritten rule on limiting the annual defence budget to 1% of Gross National Product.
• In 1983, he became the first Japanese Premier to officially visit South Korea, mending fences with a country that Japan had brutally colonized from 1910 to 1945.

Source: DD News

National Affairs

8. FASTag deadline extended to December 15

• Union Government has extended the date for making FASTag mandatory for toll payments on National Highways to 15th December 2019.
• Earlier, The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had announced that from 1st of December, toll payments on highways would be accepted through FASTags only.
• The Ministry in a statement said that it has been found that many citizens have still not enabled their vehicles with FASTag due to various reasons.
• The Ministry also said NHAI FASTag will continue to be provided free of cost till 15th December.

Note:

• National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has equipped all Fee Plazas with Electronic Toll Collection System and to ease in availability of FASTag.
• It has also launched MyFASTag APP whereby all information regarding FASTag can be obtained.

9. PM Modi announces 400 million-dollar line of credit to Sri Lanka

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a 400 million-dollar Line of Credit of to Sri Lanka to boost the island nation's development.
• PM Modi said India will also extend a 50 million dollars Line of Credit to Sri Lanka to fight terrorism.
• India gives priority to its relations with Sri Lanka under its Neighbourhood First' Policy.
• This is Mr Gotabaya's first overseas visit since assuming office.
• The Sri Lankan President said in his statement that the discussions were cordial and reassuring and a major focus area of the deliberations was on security cooperation.

State Affairs

10. EC recognizes JJP as state party of Haryana

• The Election Commission has recognized the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) as a State Party of Haryana.
• Currently, It was a registered unrecognized party in the state.
• In a letter to the JJP, the Commission said, it has alloted Key Symbol for the party.
• The decision in this regard was taken based on the poll performance of the party in the recent Assembly elections in Haryana.

National Affairs

11. India to set up 12 hi-tech parks in Bangladesh

• India will set up 12 hi-tech parks in Bangladesh at a cost of USD 193 million.
• According to High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das, these hi-tech parks will provide training to 30,000 youth of Bangladesh as skilled IT professionals.
• She also inaugurated Swami Vivekananda Bhawan at Rangpur which houses a Computer Center, Charitable Medical Centre, Coaching centre and student's home.

Source: AIR News

12. Hallmarking to be mandatory for gold jewellery from 2021

• According to Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, Hallmarking for Gold jewellery and artefacts will be mandatory from 15th January 2021.
• He said, Notification in this regard will be issued by 15 of January next year Jewellers and Retailers will get one-year time for clearing their old or existing stock.
• More than 26 thousand jewellers have taken the Bureau of Indian Standards, BIS (Hallmarking) registration till now.
• If anyone is found violating the set rules after 15th January 2021, they may attract a fine of minimum one lakh rupees or five times the value of the items or a jail term of one year.

13. UNDP launched Accelerator Lab in India to tackle pollution

• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched Accelerator Lab in India to address the pollution in the country through innovation.
• The project was launched in collaboration with the government’s Atal Innovation Mission and the laboratory will be housed in the UNDP India office.
• Along with pollution other issues that the laboratory will seek to address include sustainable water management and client-resilient livelihoods.
• The UNDP India after the launch of the Accelerator Labs also organised a #DateForDevelopment.
• It is one-of-a-kind "matchmaking platform" aimed at connecting local innovators with development practitioners.

Note:

• The Accelerator Lab is an innovative new initiative by the UNDP, Germany and Qatar, to find 21st-century solutions to today's complex new challenges.
• The Accelerator Labs located in various developed countries, including Iraq, Jordan, Argentina, Colombia, Serbia, Nepal, Mexico and Vietnam.
• The United Nations Development Programme is the United Nations' global development network.

Source: The Hindu

29 November 2019 - Daily Current Affairs

29 November 2019 - Daily Current Affairs

1. French film ‘Particles’ wins the Golden Peacock Award at IFFI 2019

• French film ‘Particles’ has won the coveted Golden Peacock Award at the 50th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa.
• Particles is a 2019 French-Swiss co-produced drama film directed by Blaise Harrison and produced by Estelle Fialon.
• The Golden Peacock Award carries a cash prize of Rs 40 lakhs to be shared equally between the Director and the Producer, Trophy and the citation.
• The IFFI 2019 ‘Best Director Award’ was conferred to Lijo Jose Pellissery for his Malayalam film ‘Jallikattu’.
• The Best Director award carries a Silver Peacock trophy, a citation and a cash prize worth Rs 15 lakh.
• The Best Actor (Male) Award went to Seu Jorge for his role in Marighella and Best Actor (Female) Award went to Usha Jadhav for her role in a Marathi crime film, Mai Ghatt: Crime No. 103/2005.

Source: DD News

Important Days

2. 29th November: International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

• In 1977, the General Assembly called for the annual observance of 29 November as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
• On that day, in 1947, the Assembly adopted the resolution on the partition of Palestine.
• This date is based on the call by the United Nations General Assembly for an annual observance of the resolution on the partition of Palestine.

Note:

• Palestine is a de jure sovereign state in the Middle East claiming the West Bank (bordering Israel and Jordan) and Gaza Strip (bordering Israel and Egypt) with East Jerusalem as the designated capital.

International Affairs

3. Maldives' former president Abdulla Yameen sentenced to 5 yrs in jail

• Maldives’ former president Abdulla Yameen (served from 2013 to 2018) has been found guilty of money laundering and sentenced to five years in prison.
• The five-judge bench of the criminal court unanimously concurred that Yameen is guilty on the charge of laundering state funds for personal gain.
• He was accused of over 1 million dollars deposit in his bank account by a company that was used to channel resort acquisition fees.

4. Pak SC grants 6 months conditional extension to Army Chief Gen Bajwa

• Pakistan's Supreme Court granted a six-month conditional extension to Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.
• Current Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army Mr. Bajwa (since 29 November 2016) continue as the Army chief for another six months.
• Pakistan's government withdrew the 19^th August orders after the top court's observations in the case and issued a fresh notification which was also rejected by the court.

Note:

• The Chief of Army Staff is appointed by the Prime Minister of Pakistan and final confirmation by the President of Pakistan.

National Affairs 

5. HRD Minister Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ launches Kartavya Portal

• Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ has launched the portal (kartavya.ugc.ac.in) for holding monthly essay competitions for students.
• The portal was launched as part of yearlong ‘Nagrik Kartavya Paalan Abhiyan’ being observed throughout the country.
• Mr. ‘Nishank’ also launched three books which are a collection of stories for Children namely Kumbh, Garam Pahad and Dilli ki Bulbul (Sindhi edition) in New Delhi.
• Books has been authored by a popular writer of children’s books and travelogues Dr Anita Bhatnagar Jain (IAS-1985 batch).
• The three books are a collection of stories for children and have brought out environmental issues and topics like socio-cultural unity& cultural heritage in a very simple and interesting manner.
• The Department of Higher Education under HRD Ministry will be holding 11 rounds of National Essay Competitions during the year.
• The topics of the essay will be based on one Fundamental Duty every month.

6. Global Exhibition on Services-2019 organised in Bengaluru

• Union Minister Piyush Goyal has inaugurated the 2019 Global Exhibition on Services (5th edition) in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• The inaugural function was also attended by Chief Minister of Karnataka B. S. Yediyurappa.
• GES is an annual event established by the Department of Commerce, Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry in association with Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Honour & Award

7. G Satheesh Reddy awarded honorary fellowship by Royal Aeronautical Society of UK

• G Satheesh Reddy (DRDO -chairman) has been awarded honorary fellowship by Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) of United Kingdom (UK) during the Medals and Awards presentation ceremony in London.
• He is the first Indian recipient of the prestigious award in more than 100 years.
• It is one of the world’s highest distinctions for aerospace achievement awarded for only most exceptional contributions to the aerospace profession.
• It is considered as equivalent to Nobel Prize in the aerospace domain.

Banking & Finance

8. RBI raises concerns over bad loans from Mudra Yojana

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has raised concerns over increasing bad loans from the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana.
• RBI believes that there is an urgent need to monitor the loans sanctioned under Mudra Yojana.
• According to RBI, the percentage of MUDRA loans were at 2.52% in 2017-18 (now raised to 2.89% in 2018-19)
• It also says that the number of loans being sanctioned under the scheme has increased greatly.
• In 2017 the loans provided under Shishu category were 83,892 and it increased to 1,39,652 in 2019.
• According to RBI, out of 182 million MUDRA loans sanctioned, 3.63 million accounts have defaulted.

State Affairs

9. Shipping Ministry approves Loktak Inland Waterways project in Manipur

• Shipping Ministry gave approval for the development of Loktak Inland Waterways improvement project in Manipur under the central sector scheme.
• The estimated cost of the project is over 25 crore rupees.
• The Loktak Lake is the largest fresh-water lake in Northeast located at Moirang in Manipur.

Obituaries

10. World-renowned rock climber Brad Gobright passes away in Mexico fall

• A world-renowned rock climber Brad Gobright fell to his death while climbing a sheer rock face in northern Mexico.
• Witnesses said the men had finished climbing the 900-meter (2,300-foot) summit and were rappelling back down when the accident occurred.
• US national Gobright (31-years) and fellow American Aidan Jacobson (26-years) were climbing a route known as the Shining Path in the northern state of Nuevo Leon.
• The late rock climber was known for his gravity-defying solo ascents with no ropes.

National Affairs

11. G Kishan Reddy inaugurates 1st Intl. Conference on “Landslides Risk Reduction and Resilience"

• G Kishan Reddy (Minister of State for Home Affairs) has inaugurated the 1st International Conference on “Landslides Risk Reduction and Resilience" in New Delhi.
• According to Mr Redd, landslides have attracted global attention as they may cause huge havoc on communities, livestock, environment leading to huge loss of lives.
• He expressed hope that deliberations in this conference will go a long way in finding long term solutions to natural disasters.

Sports

12. Deepika wins gold, Ankita bags silver in Asian archery Championships

• Indian archers Deepika Kumari won gold while Ankita Bhakat bagged the silver medal in the women's individual recurve event of the 21st Asian Championships in Bangkok.
• Deepika defeated Ankita 6-0 in the one-sided final.
• Earlier, the duo had secured an individual Olympic quota for the country by storming into the semi-finals of the event.

Note:

• Asian Archery Championships is the archery championship organized by the World Archery Asia.

Source: AIR News

13. Sports Ministry constitutes a committee to review Draft National Sports Code

• Sports Ministry has constituted a 13-member expert committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Mukundakam Sharma to review the Draft National Sports Code.
• Former sports persons Gagan Narang, Bhaichung Bhutia, Anju Bobby George and national badminton coach Pulella Gopichand are part of the panel.
• The panel has been formed to suggest measures to make the Sports Code acceptable to all the stakeholders.
• It will try to strike a balance between the autonomy of National Sports Federations vis-a-vis need for transparency and autonomy.

Source: DD News