Daily Current Affairs and GK | 19 November 2019

1. US favours Israel to build settlements in the Palestinian territories

• After deserting its statement, the US has now stood in favour of Israel on building settlements on the occupied West Bank in the Palestinian territories.
• The United States of America has also stated that the Israeli settlement is not illegal and is consistent with international laws.
• While the European Union has denied any Israeli settlement in the occupied territory of Palestine because it is said to be illegal under international law.
• Israel: It is a country of the middle-east region near the Mediterranean Sea. Its capital is Jerusalem. Its currency is Israeli new shekel.
• Palestine: It is officially known as the State of Palestine. It is a partially sovereign state claiming East Jerusalem to be its capital. Its administrative capital is Ramallah.

2. Fine of Rs. 280 crore imposed by NGT on leather industries in Kanpur, UP

• National Green Tribunal (NGT) has fined a sum of Rs. 280 crore on 22 Tanneries (local name for leather industries) in Kanpur for polluting the water channels.
• The Uttar Pradesh Government has also been fined a sum of Rs. 10 crore for not keeping a check on sewage discharge, which contains toxic chromium into the river Ganga.
• According to NGT, the issue of Chromium discharge has not been taken into account for the last 43 years, which has resulted in contamination of groundwater. Thus, affecting the health of the residents.
• NGT also advised CPCB to issue guidelines such that no authority violates the law by discharging polluted sewage directly into a water channel, even during monsoon season.
• National Green Tribunal (NGT): It is formed by an Act of Parliament in 2010.  It is a statutory body. The main function of NGT is to provide efficient and fast disposal of environmental protection cases through the enforcement of legal rights. It is headquartered in New Delhi.
• Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB): It is a statutory body which comes under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). It was created under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. The main function of CPCB is to check and hear cases related to all kinds of pollution. It is also given the powers and functions under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. It is headquartered in New Delhi.

3. Chit Funds (Amendment) Bill 2019 for consideration in Lok Sabha

• The Chit Fund (Amendment) Bill 2019 was first introduced in Lok Sabha on 5 August 2019, and presently, it is under consideration in Lok Sabha.
• The new bill seeks to amend the old Chit Funds Act, 1982 which prohibits any chit fund from being created without prior approval from the State Government.
• The new bill provides different names, which can be referred such as Chit, Chit fund and Kuri.  The bill also inserts terms like ‘fraternity fund’ and ‘rotating savings and credit institution’.

4. ‘Bharatiya Poshan Krishi Kosh’- a repository of diverse crops

• Recently, the Union Government has announced to have ‘Bharatiya Poshan Krishi Kosh’ which will act as a repository to various crops of 128 different agro-climatic zones.
• This project is a collaboration of the Ministry of Women and Child Development with Bill and Melinda’s Gates Foundation.
• ‘Bharatiya Poshan Krishi Kosh’ aims to reduce malnutrition through reinforcing healthy dietary practices both at individual and community levels, especially among women and children.
• Dr. M S Swaminathan (Father of Green Revolution in India) also suggested a 5-point action plan which aligns with this project. These include
  • Ensuring a calorie-rich diet to women and children
  • Ensuring a high protein diet to all
  • Eradication of hidden hunger due to deficiency of micronutrients
  • Ensuring clean drinking water supply and
  • Spreading nutrition literacy across the country
• Women and Child Development Minister: Smriti Zubin Irani

5. Justice Bobde was sworn in as new Chief Justice of India

• Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde has sworn in as 47^th Chief Justice of India.
• He was administered the oath of office by President Ram Nath Kovind.
• He succeeded Justice Ranjan Gogoi.
• He was one of the judges in the 5-judge Constitutional Bench which delivered the Ayodhya verdict.

6. 6^th  ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) held in Bangkok

• 6^th ASEAN Defence Minister’s Meeting- Plus (ADMM-Plus) is held in Bangkok, Thailand which was attended by Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh along with 17 other Defence Ministers of ADMM-Plus countries.
• The ADMM-Plus countries include
  • 10 ASEAN Member nations which are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
  • 8 Plus countries - Australia, China, US, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and the Russian Federation.
• The ADMM-Plus aims to increase security and defence co-operation to achieve peace and development in the region.
• ASEAN: It stands for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It aims to promote intergovernmental cooperation in political, economic, socio-cultural, educational, and security integration among its member nations. It was found in 1967. It is headquartered in Jakarta, Indonesia.

7. Commemorative stamp entitled ‘Al Quds - Capital of Palestine’ issued by Emirates Posts

• To protect Arabian heritage, Emirates Post of UAE has issued a unified commemorative stamp named ‘Al Quds- Capital of Palestine’.
• The design of the stamp shows the features of the Al Aqsa Mosque and the flag of Palestine and a white dove symbolising peace.
• The UAE Postal Committee has agreed to issue such stamps in every Arabian country which received a favourable unilateral vote by all member states in response to Palestine’s request.
• Emirates Post: It is the official Postal agency of UAE. It was established in 1909. It is headquartered in Dubai, UAE.

8. 3-day IT Summit in Bengaluru, Karnataka

• Bengaluru Tech Summit 2019 was inaugurated by Karnataka Chief Minister B.S.Yediyurappa.
• The 3-day summit will showcase the skills and progress made so far in the field of Information Technology.
• This year the summit welcomes special delegates from 20 countries. It will also have a separate panel of discussion for women entrepreneurs to highlight their role in the IT field.
• The summit has the main focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cyber- Security, Space and Drone Revolutions, Electric vehicles, 5G, Genomics, Trends in Agriculture, etc.

9. 1^st sugar mill to produce ethanol directly from sugarcane

• Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh has recently inaugurated North India’s 1^st sugar mill which will produce ethanol directly from sugarcane.
• The sugar mill is going to set up in the Pipraich area of Gorakhpur.
• This step of the State Government will help to retain the state, the title of ‘Sugar-bowl of India’.

10. 63^rd National Shooting Championship for shotgun events held in New Delhi

• CWG champion Shreyasi Singh from Bihar won the Gold medal, Rajeshwari from Punjab won the Silver medal and Pragati Dubey of Madhya Pradesh won the  Bronze medal in Women's Individual Trap event at the 63^rd National Shooting Championship.
• Rajeshwari with Punjab Teammates also won the Gold medal in Women's Team Trap.
• Varda Sharma of Delhi won the Junior Women's Trap.

11. Greek tennis player Stefanos Tsitsipas won ATP Finals title

• Greek tennis player Stefanos Tsitsipas has defeated Austria's Dominic Thiem to win ATP Finals title.
• ATP Finals is a Tennis tournament. It comes 2^nd after four Grand Slam Tournaments in Men’s Tennis Tournament. Every year, it is held in London in November. The place of the event will shift to Turin, Italy in 2021.

12. DSP in Manipur Police elected as a member of AIBA Athletes Commission

• DSP Laishram Sarita Devi of Manipur has been elected as a member of AIBA Athletes Commission from Asia.
• Sarita Devi turned into a professional boxer in 2000 after inspiring from the achievements of Muhammad Ali (the greatest boxer of India).
• AIBA Athletics Commission is formed out of reforms recommended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for AIBA.
• AIBA stands for the International Boxing Association. The election of the Athletes Commission members was organized in Russia in 2019, where boxers from all over the world elected new members, one from each continent.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. The NGT has recently imposed a fine on Tanneries (leather industries) of which of the following places in Uttar Pradesh?

1. Bareilly
2. Kanpur
3. Gorakhpur
4. Varanasi

Correct Answer: b

2. Who is known as the father of the Green Revolution in India?

1. Dr. M S Swaminathan
2. Norman Borlaug
3. Verghese Kurien
4. Dr. Hiralal Chaudhuri

Correct Answer: a

3. Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde has sworn in as ______ Chief justice of India.

1. 46^th
2. 48^th
3. 47^th
4. 45^th

Correct answer: c

4. North India’s 1^st Sugar mill which will directly convert sugarcane into ethanol is going to set up in _______, Uttar Pradesh.

1. Varanasi
2. Saharanpur
3. Gorakhpur
4. Amroha

Correct Answer: c

5. ‘ATP finals’ is associated with which of the following sports?

1. Badminton
2. Polo
3. Boxing
4. Tennis

Correct Answer: d