20 November 2018 - Daily Current Affairs

The 49th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) has begun at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium in Bambolim, Panaji (Goa).
The 9-day event will showcase 212 films from 68 countries.
Indian Panorama will showcase 26 feature films and 21 non-feature films.
Malayalam movie Olu (directed by Shaji Karun) will be the opening movie of the feature film section of Indian panorama.
World Panorama section will present 67movies including 15 OSCAR nominated films from different countries.
Israel is the focus country, Jharkhand is the focus state this year.
This year IFFI will showcase two movies 'Sholay' and 'Hichki' as part of a special package for visually impaired children.
Veteran Israeli filmmaker Dan Wolman will be given the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Note:

This year’s IFFI will showcase six Indian sports biopics (Gold, Mary Kom, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, 1983, MSD: The untold story and Soorma) as an extension of Khelo India initiative.

The 14th edition of JashneBachpan (theatre festival for children) was held at the Sammukh, Abhimanch, Abhikalp and Little Theatre Group (LTG) auditorium in New Delhi.
The main aim of conducting Jashnebachpan is to bring theatre into prominence.
The JashneBachpan has been organized by the National School of Drama.

The President has given assent to the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2018 recently.
Punjab is the third state in the country after Gujarat and Maharashtra where hookah bars or lounges were banned through law.
These bars are being opened in restaurants, hotels, and clubs and hookahs are even served at marriages venues.

Important Days

The Universal Children's Day has been observed across the world on 20th November each year to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children's welfare.
The theme of 2018 is ‘Children are taking over and turning the world blue’.
The intergovernmental organisation is asking individuals, schools and corporates worldwide to 'Go Blue' this Universal Children’s Day to help build a world where every child goes to school and is safe from harm.
UN (United Nations) Universal Children’s Day was established in 1954.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has appointed the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) CEO Ajay Bhushan Pandey (1984 batch - IAS officer of Maharashtra cadre) as the new revenue secretary.
He will succeed current Finance and Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia (retires on 30^th November 2018).
Mr. Pandey will continue to hold the additional charge of Chief Executive Officer of UIDAI and Chairman of Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN) until further orders.

Jalaj Srivastava (IAS – officer 1984 batch) has been appointed as chairman of the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI).
Currently, Mr Srivastava is working as Additional Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture.
The IWAI comes under the Union Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways.

At the crucial meeting of the RBI board, The board has decided to set up a high-powered committee to examine issues related to the surplus capital of Rs 9.69 lakh crore with the central bank.
The Board for Financial Supervision (BFS) of the RBI would examine the issues concerning the bank's health under Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework and the Economic Capital Framework (ECF) of RBI.
On the capital framework issue, RBI will form an expert panel to study if RBI has surplus reserves and whether the same should be transferred to the government.
The Reserve Bank and the Finance Ministry will decide the committee’s composition.
The Board, while deciding to retain the CRAR at 9%, agreed to extend the transition period for implementing the last tranche of 0.625% under the Capital Conservation Buffer (CCB), by one year (up to 31^st March 2020).
RBI has announced to inject Rs 8,000 crore into the system through the purchase of government securities on 22^nd November.

The Union Govt. has approved the additional assistance of Rs. 546 crores from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to Karnataka.
The decision was taken during a High-Level Committee, Chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh to consider the additional Central Assistance to the State affected by floods during 2018-19.

Note:

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is a specialised force constituted "for the purpose of specialist response to a threatening disaster situation or disaster" under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

According to Maldives new President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, The Maldives cabinet has approved to rejoin the Commonwealth (the 53-nation grouping).
The country left the Commonwealth during former President Abdulla Yameen's administration in October 2016.
Mr Solih's office has issued a 15-page document outlining its agenda for the first 100 days which includes measures to launch investigations into state funds lost through corruption, fraud and money laundering.

Note:

The Commonwealth is an intergovernmental organisation of 53 members states that are mostly former territories of the British Empire.
Queen Elizabeth II is the Head of the Commonwealth.

Fuego volcano of Guatemala has erupted for the fifth time this year, sending bursts of ash and lava down the mountain.
According to Disaster Management Agency, a red has been issued and some 4,000 people were taken to temporary shelters as a precaution.
A column of ash rose about a kilometre above the crater and areas around the volcano, near Guatemala City, were under a barrage of gas-ash and fiery rocks.

Alexander Zverev (Germany) beat world number one Novak Djokovic 6-4 6-3 to win the ATP Finals.

Zverev is the first German to win the title since Boris Becker in Frankfurt in 1995 and the youngest since Djokovic won at the same age in Shanghai in 2008.
He is the son of former Russian tennis player Alexander Zverev Sr. and the younger brother of tennis player Mischa Zverev.

Note:

The 2018 ATP World Tour is the global elite men's professional tennis circuit organised by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) for the 2018 tennis season.