05 November 2019 - Daily Current Affairs

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.

Source: PIB

2. 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.

Source: AIR News

3. First-ever movement of container cargo on the Brahmaputra

The first-ever containerised cargo movement via the Indo-Bangladesh protocol route and Brahmaputra river will start from Haldia (West Bengal).
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.

Source: Economics Times

4. 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.

Important Days

5. 5th November: World Tsunami Awareness Day

The World Tsunami Awareness Day (WTAD) is being observed across the world on 5th November.
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.
By the year 2030, an estimated 50% of the world's population will live in coastal areas exposed to flooding, storms and tsunamis.

Note:

The first World Tsunami Awareness Day was observed on 5th November 2016.

Source: UN.Org

6. National Tribal festival to be held from 16^th 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.

Source: AIR News

Obituaries

7. Former President of FICCI & Industrialist K.K. Modi passes away

Noted industrialist & Chairman of Modi Enterprises Krishnan Kumar Modi (79-years) passed away.
Mr. Modi served as the chairman of Modi Enterprises, which includes companies like Godfrey Phillips, Indofil Industries and Modicare.
Modi led Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in 1997 and the president of the confederation of Asia-pacific chambers of commerce and industry (from 2002 to 2006).
He was the eldest son of late Rai Bahadur Gujarmal Modi (founder of the city of Modi Nagar).

Source: Economics Times

Appointment

8. 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, maintaining and managing border infrastructure in India.
It manages several Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) across Borders of India.

Books & Author

9. Madhuri Vijay’s debut novel ‘The Far Field’ wins 2019 JCB Prize for Literature

U.S. based-Indian author Madhuri Vijay’s debut novel, “The Far Field” has won 2019 JCB prize for Literature (most expensive Indian award for writing).
Taking the reader through a complex personal story, The Far Field is set against the backdrop 1990’s Kashmir conflict
She also received the Rs 25 lakh as the prize money, a sculpture by Delhi artist duo Thukral & Tagra entitled Mirror Melting.
The novel published by Fourth estate India.

Note:

JCB prize is an annual Indian literary award instituted in 2018 for a distinguished work of fiction by an Indian writer working in English or to a translated fiction by an Indian writer.
The award is funded by English construction manufacturing group JCB, which established the JCB Literature Foundation to maintain this award.

International Affairs

10. 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.

11. Sri Lanka hosts biennial Commonwealth Law Ministers’ Conference

The biennial Commonwealth Law Ministers’ Conference has begun in Colombo, Sri Lanka 2019 (till 7^th November 2019).
The Union Minister for Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad is representing India at the conference.
The theme of the event: “Equal Access to Justice and the Rule of Law”.
Purpose of the event: It seeks to address challenges faced by millions of people seeking to resolve legal problems or disputes.

Source: DD News

Science & Defence

12. 1st-ever India-Uzbekistan joint military exercise ‘Dustlik-2019’ begun

The first-ever India-Uzbekistan joint military exercise ‘Dustlik-2019’ has begun at Chirchiq Training Area near Tashkent. (continue till 13th November)
India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Uzbekistan counterpart Major General Bakhodir Nizamovich Kurbanov presided over the Curtain Raiser of the military drill.
During the exercise, an Indian Army contingent will train along with Uzbekistan Army.
The exercise will enable the sharing of best practices and experiences between the Armed Forces of the two countries and will lead to greater operational effectiveness.
India and Uzbekistan have signed three Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) in the fields of Military Medicine and Military Education.

Source: AIR News

13. 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.

Source: AIR News

Sports

14. 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.

15. '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.
Shubman Gill (20 years, 57 days old)is the youngest-known captain in Deodhar Trophy finals. He is just 20 years, 57 days old