Day & Dates News

World Tsunami Awareness Day being observed today

•    World Tsunami Awareness Day is being observed today across the world, including Pakistan, aiming at minimizing the number of people affected by disasters worldwide. 

•    The objective of the day is to raise awareness about precautionary measures against tsunami and share innovative approaches to risk reduction. 

•    Over the past 100 years, 58 tsunamis have claimed more than 260,000 lives, which is the highest number of deaths than in any other natural hazard.

Sports News

Subhankar Dey wins SaarLorLux Open Badminton tournament in Germany

 In Badminton, Subhankar Dey has won the SaarLorLux Open at Saarbrucken in Germany.

SaarLorLux Open 
 
The 2018 SaarLorLux Open was a badminton tournament which takes place at Saarlandhalle in Saarbrücken, Germany from 30 October to 4 November 2018 and had a total prize of $75,000.

Obituary News
1971 war hero M.P. Awati passes away

Vice-Admiral M.P. Awati (retd.), who commanded a naval unit of the Eastern Fleet in the 1971 India-Pakistan war and whose actions led to the destruction of an enemy submarine, passed away at his hometown near Satara in Maharashtra. Vice-Admiral Awati, a Vir Chakra recipient, was 91.

International News
India, South Korea sign MoU on cooperation in sports
India and South Korea signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in sports in New Delhi. 

Sports Minister Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore and Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism of South Korea Do Jong-hwan signed the MoU. 

The MoU covers a range of areas including elite sports, sports science and anti-doping. 

International News

No anti-dumping duty on PTFE resin from India, China: USITC
 

The US International Trade Commission has ruled against putting anti-dumping duty on the imports of a synthetic fluoropolymer, a key ingredient in non-stick coating for pans and other cookware, from India and China.

USITC

The United States International Trade Commission is an independent, bipartisan, quasi-judicial, federal agency of the United States that provides trade expertise to both the legislative and executive branches.

The agency determines the impact of imports on U.S. industries and directs actions against unfair trade practices, such as subsidies, dumping, patent, trademark, and copyright infringement.

National News
State to sanction Rs. 42 cr. to BBMP for immediate cleaning of SWDs

•    The State government told the High Court of Karnataka that it had been decided to sanction Rs.42 crore to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for immediate cleaning of Storm-water Drains (SWD).

•    A submission in this regard was made before a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice S.Sujatha during the hearing on the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petitions, related to potholes, SWDs, and illegal hoardings, through which the court is monitoring the actions of the BBMP and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board to address various issues. 

•    The Bench suggested that it was advisable to clean the SWDs once now as it would take some time for the BBMP to finalise the process for regular maintenance system.

Defence News
India's 1st Ballistic Missile Sub Fully Operational
 

INS Arihant, India's first nuclear ballistic missile submarine, has completed its first "deterrence patrol".

INS Arihant

INS Arihant is the lead ship of India's Arihant class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines. The 6,000 tonne vessel was built under the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project at the Ship Building Centre in the port city of Visakhapatnam.

Offshore patrol vessel ICGS Varaha launched

•    The Indian Coast Guard has launched a new offshore patrol vessel called ICGS Varaha from a corporate shipyard near Chennai. 

•    This is the third in a series of seven similar ships to be handed over to the Coast Guard. The timeline for the delivery of all the vessels is March 2021.

•    ICGS Varaha will soon be fitted with advanced navigation and communication equipment, sensors and machineries. The weapons will include a 30 mm guns with Fire Control Systems.

•    It will also be capable of carrying a twin-engine helicopter and four high-speed boats for Search and Rescue and Maritime Patrol. 

•    It also carries pollution response equipment to contain the oil spill at sea.

(National News)

Jharakhand to become ODF by 15th of this month

With the current rate of sanitation coverage in Jharkhand, the state will become open defecation free (ODF) by November 15, Union Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation.
Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar on November 15, 2000 to create a separate state.
"Ganga Gram" is a concept to transform the banks of the Ganga river there into ideal villages with emphasis on ODF, solid and liquid waste management, water conservation, groundwater recharge, modern crematorium, tree plantation, and organic and medicinal plant agriculture.

Soura Jalanidhi’ scheme launched

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched ‘Soura Jalanidhi’ scheme which aims at increasing use of solar energy for helping farmers in irrigation.

‘Soura Jalanidhi’
‘Soura Jalanidhi’ is a dug well based solar pump irrigation system in convergence mode. Under the scheme, 5,000 solar pumps will be provided to farmers at a subsidy of 90 per cent to irrigate 2,500 acres of land.
The Chief Minister also launched the web portal of this scheme on the occasion
The State Government has allocated `27.18 crore for implementation of the scheme. 

(Award News)

Anupam Kher Conferred with 'Distinguished Fellow' Title by Boston Business School
 
Veteran actor Anupam Kher was conferred a 'Distinguished Fellow' title at the Cambridge MIT Sloan School of Management in Boston.

(International News)

22-yr-old Jharkhand girl heads Australia High Commission for a day

Making India proud, a 22-year-old girl, Pari, hailing from a Naxal-affected village in Jamshedpur, took charge of the Australian High Commission for a day.
Pari, who advocates for child rights and their development in remote rural areas, got selected by Plan India, a child rights organisation providing children, especially girls, with access to education, healthcare, protection, and livelihood opportunities.

(National News)

President Kovind inaugurates Gyan Kumbh in Haridwar

•    President Ram Nath Kovind today inaugurated the 1st Gyan Kumbh, billed as a premier event of higher education in Uttarakhand. 
•    This event is being jointly organised by the Higher Education Department of the Uttarakhand Government and the University of Patanjali in Haridwar.
•    The higher education ministers of 18 states, the Union HRD minister as well as over 200 academicians from across the country would attend the event.

(International News)

US is reportedly granting 8 countries Iran sanctions waivers
 

•    India and 7 other nations have been granted a temporary waiver from US sanctions against buyers of Iranian crude oil. 
•    The US will reimpose sanctions on Iran on November 5, with crude oil being Iran's largest source of income. 
•    India currently imports nearly 80% of its crude oil consumption.

(Sports News)
Delhi to host Women’s World Boxing C’ship

India is going to host AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships from 15th to 24th November 2018 at New Delhi.
AIBA World Boxing Championships 
The AIBA World Boxing Championships and the AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships[2] are biennial amateur boxing competitions organised by the International Boxing Association (AIBA), which is the sport governing body.

(Appointment News)

Atul Goel takes over as MD, CEO of UCO Bank

Atul Kumar Goel today assumed charge as Managing Director and CEO of UCO Bank. o He is going to replace R. K. Takkar, who completed his three-year tenure on November 1, 2018. 
Prior to this assignment, he was executive director of Union Bank of India.

International News

India Pavilion Inaugurated at Videocittà 2018 in Rome Film Festival
 
India was partner country at Videocittà 2018, an event focussing on Virtual Reality, Video gaming, Animation, Film Making, etc. was organized along with Rome Film Festival and Mercato Internazionale dell'Audiovisivo (MIA) (the International Audio Visual Market). India’s participation at Videocittà 2018, Rome was organized by Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and coordinated on Ministry’s behalf by FICCI.

23rd World Corporate Games 2019 in Qatar
 
Qatar will host the 23rd edition of the World Corporate Games next year.
This is the first time the World Corporate Games will be held in the Middle East.
World Corporate Games
Founded in 1988 the Corporate Games are the world’s largest multisport festivals for businesses with great sports and fabulous celebrations for everyone to enjoy regardless of their age, ability or level of fitness.

The U.S. revoked duty import of at least 50 Indian products
 
The U.S. revoked duty-free concessions on the import of at least 50 Indian products, mostly from handloom and agriculture sectors. 
The Federal Register issued a notification, listing 90 products which were so far subject to duty-free provisions under the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), an oldest and largest U.S. trade preference programme. 
The GSP is designed to promote economic development by allowing duty-free entry for thousands of products from designated beneficiary-countries.

Japan cabinet approves bill to accept foreign workers
 
Japan's cabinet on Friday approved a draft bill to bring more blue-collar foreign workers into the country to address chronic labour shortages.
The bill would allow foreign nationals with skills in sectors facing particularly severe shortages to obtain five-year visas, which would not allow them to bring their families. 
Foreign workers in those fields who hold stronger qualifications and pass a more difficult Japanese language test will be able to obtain a visa that can be extended indefinitely, eventually leading to residency, and will be able to bring over family. 

Science & Space News
China launches new high-orbit satellite

 •    China on Friday successfully launched a high orbit satellite to boost its home-grown BeiDou global satellite navigation system being built to rival United States Global Position System (GPS).
•    The satellite was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in the southwestern Sichuan Province.
•    It is the first BeiDou-3 satellite in high orbit, about 36,000 km above the Earth. In a geostationary orbit, following the Earth's rotation, it will view the same point on Earth continuously.
•    The satellite is meant to serve countries in the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI. 
•    It will be the fourth global satellite navigation system after the US GPS system, Russia's GLONASS and the European Union's Galileo.

Defence News
INDO - Japan joint military exercise DHARMA GUARDIAN 2018
  
•    Exercise DHARMA GUARDIAN - 2018, a joint military exercise between Indian & Japanese Armies, commenced at Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School, Vairengete, Mizoram, India on 01 November 2018. 
•    The Japanese contingent is being represented by 32nd Infantry Battalion, while the Indian side is being represented by 6/1 Gorkha Rifles. 
•    Being first of its kind, the 14 days long joint exercise is being conducted from 01 Nov 2018 to 14 Nov 2018. 

National News    
33rd Army Aviation Day celebrated on 01 Nov 2018

Army Aviation Corps celebrated its 33rd Raising Day on 01 Nov 2018, and to mark this occasion, a Wreath Laying Ceremony was held at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate, New Delhi.
The ceremonial wreath was laid by Lieutenant General Kanwal Kumar, Colonel Commandant and Director General of Army Aviation, along with a host of serving officers, soldiers and veterans in attendance.

PM Modi to launch Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Support and Outreach Programme

 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Support and Outreach Programme in New Delhi today. 
The  MSME Outreach Programme will run for 100 days covering 100 Districts throughout the country. 

Decommissioned carrier INS Viraat to become a floating museum

•    The Maharashtra Cabinet on Thursday approved the conversion of decommissioned carrier INS Viraat into a floating museum. 
•    As per primary estimates, the project worth 852 crore rupees will be implemented through public-private-partnership (PPP).
•    As per the proposal sent by the Maharashtra Government to the Union Defence Ministry, the carrier will be housed on a concrete foundation near Nivati Rocks in Sindhudurg in Konkan region of the state.
•    This will enable the tourists to see the diverse aquatic life and experience sky-diving, sailing and other thrilling sporting activities.
•    INS Viraat, which holds a place of pride in Indian defence history, was decommissioned in March 2017 and since then has been laid up at the Naval Dockyard. 

Four new Supreme Court judges sworn in
Justices Hemant Gupta, R.Subhash Reddy, M.R. Shah and Ajay Rastogi were Friday sworn in as judges of the Supreme Court, taking its strength to 28.
Important:-
•    Justice Gupta was the chief justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Justice Reddy was the Gujarat High Court’s chief justice.
•    Justice Shah was the Chief Justice of the Patna High Court and Justice Rastogi was the Chief Justice of the Tripura High Court.
•    The apex court has a sanctioned strength of 31.
•    With the elevation of these four new judges, the strength has risen from 24 to 28.

 Current Affairs 1st November 2018

Appointment News
SS Deswal appointed Director General of Indo-Tibetan Border Police

The ACC has approved the appointment of Shri S. S. Deswal, IPS (HY: 84) as Director General, Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).

He took charge from Shri R K Pachnanda, the outgoing DG of ITBP, who superannuated today.

Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is one of the five Central Armed Police Forces of India, raised on 24 October 1962, under the CRPF Act, in the wake of the Sino-Indian War of 1962. The ITBP was intended for deployment along India's border with China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

International News

Cabinet approves India-Morocco agreement on criminal matters

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the Agreement between India and Morocco on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters.

Benefits:-

•    The Agreement will provide a broad legal framework for bilateral cooperation between India and Morocco in investigation and prosecution of crime, tracing, restraint, forfeiture or confiscation or proceeds and instruments of crime. 

•    It aims to increase effectiveness in investigation and prosecution of crime, and in providing the necessary peaceful ambience which is a pre-requisite for the development of society as a whole. 

World Bank's 'Ease Of Doing Business' Index 2019

•    The World Bank on October 31, 2018 released the Doing Business Report 2019 titled as ‘Doing Business 2019: Training for Reform’, assessing and ranking countries on the basis of ease of doing business in the year 2018.

•    As per the 2019 Report, India jumped 23 places on the Ease of Doing Business Index to 77th rank, up from 100th rank last year. 

•    This year, India’s Distance to Frontier score improved to 67.23 from 60.76 in the previous year. 

India among nations that face grave danger to soil biodiversity

India’s soil biodiversity is in grave peril, according to the Global Soil Biodiversity Atlas prepared by the World Wide Fund for Nature.

The WWF’s ‘risk index’ for the globe — indicating threats from loss of above-ground diversity, pollution and nutrient over-loading, over-grazing, intensive agriculture, fire, soil erosion, desertification and climate change — shows India among countries whose soil biodiversity faces the highest level of risk. 

Important:-

Soil biodiversity encompasses the presence of micro-organisms, micro-fauna (nematodes and tardigrades for example), and macro-fauna (ants, termites and earthworms).

National News

Jharsuguda Airport is now 'Veer Surendra Sai Airport'

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved renaming of Jharsuguda Airport, Odisha as “Veer Surendra Sai Airport, Jharsuguda”

Important to Know:-

•    Veer Surendra Sai is a well-known freedom fighter of Odisha. 
•    Renaming of the Jharsuguda airport in his name will fulfill long-pending demand of the Odisha Government, which reflects the sentiments of the local public of the respective area.
•    It will also be a befitting tribute to the contribution of the revered personality associated with the State.

MHA approves Rs.194.44 crore Safe City Project for Lucknow
•    The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has approved a Safe City project for Lucknow at a total cost of Rs.194.44 crore under the Nirbhaya Fund Scheme. 

•    The project would be implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with Centre and State sharing the funding in 60:40 ratio.

•    This approval is a part of MHA’s plans to implement Safe City projects in 8 selected cities, namely, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Lucknow under Nirbhaya Fund with the purpose of strengthening safety and security of women in public places.

Madhya Pradesh celebrates its 63rd Foundation Day today

Madhya Pradesh is celebrating its 63rd Foundation Day with traditional pride and grandeur today. 

Madhya Pradesh was founded on November 1, 1956, and now is the second largest Indian state in size with an area of 3 Lakh 8 thousand sq. km.

Important:-

•    Governor is Smt. Anandiben Patel 
•    Chief Minister is Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Famous for:-

•    Bandhavgarh National Park
•    Kanha Tiger 
•    ReserveBhimbetka rock shelters

Growth of 8 infrastructure sectors slows down to 4.3% in September

Growth of eight infrastructure sectors slowed down to 4.3 per cent in September this year, the lowest in the last four months, as production of crude oil and natural gas declined.

1.    Fertilizer grew by 2.5 percent
2.    Cement by 11.8 per cent
3.    Electricity output grew by 8.2 per cent
4.    Coal declined to 6.4 per cent
5.    Refinery products to 2.5 per cent 
6.    Steel sectors fell to 3.2 per cent
7.    Crude oil dipped by 4.2 per cent 
8.    Natural gas by 1.8 per 

These eight segments comprise more than 40 per cent of the weight of items included in the Index of Industrial Production.

Defence News
India Conducts Successful Night Trail of Agni-1 Ballistic Missile
A night trial of India's indigenously developed nuclear-capable Agni-1 ballistic missile with a strike range of 700 km was successfully conducted today from a test range off Odisha coast as part of a user trial by the Army.

Agni-I (Agnī "Fire") is a short-range ballistic missile developed by DRDO of India under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program.

Day & Dates News

World Thrift day is observed as October 31

On October 31, 1924, World Savings Day or World Thrift day was established during the 1st International Savings Bank Congress (World Society of Savings Banks) in Milano, Italy. In India due to the death of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984, this day is celebrated on 30th October.

International News
Malala Yousafzai to be honoured by Harvard University

Nobel Prize Winner Malala Yousafzai will be honoured by Harvard University for her work promoting girls' education.

Harvard's Kennedy School said Yousafzai will be conferred with the 2018 Gleitsman Award at a ceremony on 6th December.

Important:-

Yousafzai became the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.

Malala Yousafzai is a student at Oxford University in England. The Gleitsman Award provides 125,000 US dollars for activism that has improved quality of life around the world.

Prime Minister addresses the India-Italy Technology Summit

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today, addressed the India-Italy Technology Summit at New Delhi. The Prime Minister of Italy,Mr. Giuseppe Conte, was also present on the occasion.

During the address, Prime Minister announced the launch of the next phase of the India-Italy Industrial Research and Development Cooperation program. 

He added that the program will enable our industry and research institutes to develop new products.

Over 100000 missing people creates global crisis: Red Cross

•    The International Committee of the Red Cross, ICRC has said over 100,000 people around the world are missing, which has created a global crisis.
•    Agnes Coutou, the organization's protection adviser, told the UN General Assembly's human rights committee that this is the highest number they have ever had.
•    The International Committee of the Red Cross works with the families of missing persons and authorities in over 40 countries affected by past and current conflicts.

VP Naidu embarks on seven-day visit to three South African countries

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu embarked on a seven-day visit to three South African countries this morning. He will visit Botswana followed by Zimbabwe and Malawi. 

Important:-

•    Mr Naidu will meet his Botswana counterpart Slumber Tsogwane and hold delegation-level talks on the first leg of his visit. 

•    He will also inaugurate the 13th Annual Global Expo Botswana 2018. 

•    During his visit to Zimbabwe, the Vice President will call on President Emerson Mnangagwa (मनंगाग्वा).

•    On his final leg of the visit to Malawi, Mr Naidu will call on its President Peter Arthur Mutharika. 

•    He will also inaugurate the Jaipur Foot Camp to mark the 150th Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi there.

National News

Rashtriya Ekta Diwas is being celebrated on 31st October

Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, the birthday of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, is being celebrated today.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday unveiled the 182-metre high ‘Statue of Unity’ in honour of the country’s first Home Minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and dedicated it to the nation.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

Vallabhbhai Patel born on 31 October 1875 – died on 15 December 1950, popularly known as Sardar Patel, was the first Deputy Prime Minister of India. He was an Indian barrister and statesman, a senior leader of the Indian National Congress and a founding father of the Republic of India who played a leading role in the country's struggle for independence and guided its integration into a united, independent nation.

Government vs RBI: All you need to know about Section 7 of the RBI Act
The Union Ministry of Finance on October 31, 2018 clarified that “the autonomy for the Central Bank, within the framework of the RBI Act, is an essential and accepted governance requirement”.

What does Section 7 of the RBI Act say?

According to it, the Central government may issue directions to the RBI as it may “consider necessary in public interest” after consultation with the RBI Governor. Section 7 deals with ‘management’ of RBI.

CSIR develops Less Polluting Firecrackers named – SWAS, SAFAL and STAR

“CSIR scientists have developed Less Polluting Firecrackers which are not only environment friendly but 15-20 % cheaper than the conventional ones”, said Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, Environment, Forest & Climate Change at a press conference here, today.

These crackers have been named as safe water releaser (SWAS), safe minimal aluminium (SAFAL) and safe thermite cracker (STAR).

(International News)

Earth's Wild Animal Population Plummets 60 Per Cent In 44 Years

"Runaway consumption" has decimated global wildlife, triggered a mass extinction and exhausted Earth's capacity to accommodate humanity's expanding appetites, the global conservation group WWF warned.

From 1970 to 2014, 60 per cent of all animals with a backbone -- fish, birds, amphibians, reptiles and mammals -- were wiped out by human appetites and activity, according WWF's "Living Planet" report, based on a survey of more than 4,000 species spread over 16,700 populations scattered across the globe.

Important:

WWF International Director General is Marco Lambertini.

Prime Minister of Italy Giuseppe Conte holds bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart Giuseppe Conte is underway in New Delhi. Both leaders are expected to discuss a range of issues of mutual interest. 

Both leaders will also attend the India-Italy Technology Summit which is being organised by Department of Science and Technology in partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry. 

The objective of the Summit is to facilitate technology transfers, joint ventures, Research and Development and market access between industry and research institutions in India and Italy.

Important:

•    President:- Sergio Mattarella
•    Prime Minister:- Giuseppe Conte
•    Currency:- Euro
•    Capital:- Rome

INS Tarangini returns after Vogage across the World

The sail training ship of Indian Navy, INS Tarangini based at Kochi, returned after a seven month long sailing across the world to a grand reception at naval base, Kochi on 30 Oct 18.

The Voyage named “Lokayan 18” was flagged off on 10 Apr 18 from Kochi. During the voyage, the ship has proudly 'shown the flag' and highlighted the diverse culture of India across 15 ports in 13 countries. 

The ship sailed across the Arabian Sea, Red Sea, Suez Canal, Mediterranean Sea, Strait of Gibraltar, North Atlantic Ocean, Bay of Biscay, English Channel and North Sea, right up to Norway before commencing her homeward passage back to Kochi. 
The ship also participated in the culminating event of the ‘Three Festival Tall Ships Regatta’ at Bordeaux, France. 

(Science & Space News)
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe closest ever to Sun
 
NASA’s historic Parker Solar Probe — enroute to the Sun to unravel its mysteries — has become the closest spacecraft to it. The spacecraft passed the current record of 26.55 million miles from the Sun’s surface on October 29, as calculated by the Parker Solar Probe team.
Parker Solar Probe
•    It will approach to within 9.86 solar radii (6.9 million kilometers or 4.3 million miles) from the center of the Sun and will travel, at closest approach, as fast as 690,000 km/h (430,000 mph).
•    Launch date was August 12, 2018
•    The project was announced in the fiscal 2009 budget year. 
•    The cost of the project is US$1.5 billion.

(National News)  
Supreme Court bans 15-year-old petrol & 10-year-old diesel vehicles in NCR to curb pollution

The Supreme Court has prohibited the plying of 15-year-old petrol and 10-year-old diesel vehicles in the national capital region due to the prevailing pollution situation.

Terming as "very critical" and "horrible" the prevailing pollution situation in Delhi-NCR, the apex court directed that a list of 15-year-old petrol and 10-year-old diesel vehicles be published on the website of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and transport departments of the NCR area.

India's largest dry dock to come up at Cochin Shipyard
The Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Mr Nitin Gadkari and Kerala Chief Minister Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan will lay foundation for India's largest Dry Dock at Cochin Shipyard.

Dry Dock

•    The Dry Dock will give an impetus to Make in India initiative under Sagarmala and raise India’s share in global market to two percent. 
•    The new Dry Dock is being constructed at a cost of rupees 1779 crores.
•    It will be 310 meters long and 75 meters wide and can handle both ship building and repair and is equipped with international safely standards. 

DoNER Minister lays foundation stone of ‘Technology Facility Center’ at Jorhat, Assam

Dr Jitendra Singh laid the foundation stone of new Science Centre, the "Technology Facility Centre" (TFC) in the premises of the CSIR-North East Institute of Science & Technology (NEIST) in Jorhat, Assam.

Dr Jitendra Singh referred to “North-Eastern Region Community Resource Management Project” (NERCORMP) and “North East Rural Livelihood Project” (NERLP), the two programmes run by the Ministry of DoNER and NEC, which were devoted to the cause of improving livelihood opportunities for unemployed youth, farmers, women and artisans. 

Twelve Projects Worth Rs 929 Crore Approved Under Namami Gange 

The Executive Committee (EC) of the National Mission for Clean Ganga on October 29, 2018 approved 12 projects worth Rs 929 crore under the Namami Gange programme in its 16th meeting. 

The committee sanctioned two Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) for Delhi for creating 340 MLD (Millions of Liters per Day) waste treatment capacity at a cost of Rs 580 Crore. 

Important:-

•    The committee sanctioned two sewage treatment plants for Delhi, various projects for Uttar Pradesh, two projects for West Bengal, and two projects under CSR category.

•    The Committee approved various projects for Uttar Pradesh at a total cost of Rs 128 crore.

•    For West Bengal, the committee sanctioned two projects at a cost of Rs 50 crore. 

(National News)

Union Minister Smt Harsimrat Badal inaugurates Gujarat’s first Mega Food Park in Surat

 Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Smt Harsimrat Kaur Badal today inaugurated the first Mega Food Park in Gujarat. Promoted by M/s Gujarat Agro Infrastructure Mega Food Park Pvt. Ltd the Park is located at Village Shah and Vasravi, Taluka Mangrol, District Surat. A 2nd Mega Food Park has been sanctioned by the Ministry in Mehsana District of Gujarat.
Important:
The Gujarat Agro Mega Food Park will benefit the people of Surat District and the people of nearby Districts of Navsari, Tapi, Narmada & Bharuch. This Mega Food Park has been set up in 70.15 acre of land at a cost of Rs. 117.87 crore.

SC to hear Ayodhya title dispute case in January 2019

•    The Supreme Court on Monday said the civil appeals on the Ram-Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute cases will be listed before an appropriate bench in January 2019. 
•    This was stated by a bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph.
•    The civil appeals arise from the Allahabad High Court's 2010 judgement in the land dispute case.
•    The appropriate bench will fix the schedule with regard to the hearing of appeals in the case.

    
Arunachal Pradesh Government, British Council ink MoU to build educational cooperation

In order to strengthen the educational and cultural cooperation between the state and the Kingdom, the British Council and the Arunachal Pradesh government inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on October 28, 2018.
About the MoU:
1. The MoU was signed by British Council director, Alan Gemmell and Director of Arunachal Pradesh Higher and Technical Education, Tayek Talom in presence of Chief Minister Pema Khandu at Tawang in the sidelines of the Tawang Festival.
2. The MoU celebrates the British Councils 70th anniversary in India and seeks to strengthen the relationship for the next 70 years.

(Science News)

Moths are key to pollination in Himalayan ecosystem
 
•    Moths are widely considered as pests, but a recent study by scientists of Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has revealed that these groups of insects are pollinators to a number of flowering plants in the Himalayan ecosystem.
•    Under the project titled “Assessment of Moths (Lepidoptera) As Significant Pollinators in the Himalayan Ecosystem of North Eastern India”, scientists collected moth samples from different ecosystem. 
•    The analysis of proboscis, a long and thread-like organ used to suck flower sap, of a dozen moth species’ revealed the presence of pollen grains.Scientists develop web-based tool to monitor fake news on Facebook, Twitter.

 (Science & Technology News)

Scientists have developed a web-based tool to help monitor the prevalence of fake news on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

Developed by researchers at the University of Michigan in the US, the tool uses a Platform Health Metric called the Iffy Quotient, which draws data from two external entities: 
NewsWhip and Media Bias/Fact Checker

•    NewsWhip, a social media engagement tracking firm, collects URLs on hundreds of thousands of sites every day and then gathers information on which of those sites have engagements on Facebook and Twitter. 

•    Iffy Quotient queries NewsWhip for the top 5,000 most popular URLs on the two social media platforms. Then the tool checks to see if those domain names have been flagged by Media Bias/Fact Check, an independent site that classifies various sources based on their reliability and bias.

 (Science & Space News)

Japan Launches Satellite to Monitor Greenhouse Gases

•    Japan's space agency on Monday launched a rocket carrying a satellite that will monitor greenhouse gases, as well as the first satellite built entirely in the United Arab Emirates.
•    The nation's H-IIA rocket lifted off Monday from the Tanegashima Space Centre, according to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
•    The Japanese rocket also released "KhalifaSat", the first satellite built entirely in the UAE by local engineers.

China, France Launch Satellite to Study Climate Change

•    The first Franco-Chinese satellite was launched into orbit on Monday to study ocean surface winds and waves around the clock, better predict cyclones and improve scientists' understanding of climate change.
•    A Long March 2C carrier rocket blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China's Gobi Desert at 0043 GMT to enter orbit 520 kilometres (323 miles) above the Earth, according to China's State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence.
•    The 650-kilogram (1,430 pound) machine is the first satellite jointly built by China and France and will allow climate scientists to better understand interactions between oceans and the atmosphere.

(International News)
PM Modi Discusses Bilateral, Regional, Global Issues with Japan Leaders

•    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono and held productive, focused discussion on bilateral, regional and global issues.
•    PM Modi arrived in Japan on Saturday to attend the 13th India-Japan annual two-day summit which will seek to review the progress in ties and deepen strategic dimension of the bilateral relationship.

Sushma Swaraj Meets Emir of Qatar, Discusses Bilateral Ties

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today met Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani and discussed ways to move forward on the roadmap set by the top leaders of the two countries.
Ms Swaraj arrived in Doha yesterday on the first leg of her four-day visit to Qatar and Kuwait.

Background:-

The bilateral visit of the Emir of Qatar in March 2015 and Prime Minister of Qatar Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani to India in December 2016 and that of the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Qatar in June 2016 have further boosted traditionally cordial and close ties between the two countries.

International News

PM Modi reaches Tokyo to attend Annual India-Japan Bilateral Summit
 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a 3 day visit to Japan. Modi visited his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe in the Yamanashi Prefecture and discussed various issues. He has also visited the automation and robotic firm FANUC in the industrial city facing Mount Fuji. During this visit, modi will attend the 13th Annual India-Japan Bilateral Summit. 
Focus areas of 13th India Japan Bilateral Summit: To boost cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, carry out joint infrastructure projects in third countries and enhancing defence ties, including launch of talks for a logistic support pact between the two navies.

India to become world’s third largest aviation market around 2024

India will become the world’s third largest aviation market around 2024 surpassing the United Kingdom, global airlines’ body IATA said on Wednesday as it projected total air passenger numbers to touch 8.2 billion in 2037.
Releasing the latest update to IATA’s 20-year Air Passenger Forecast, the grouping also cautioned that growth prospects for air transport and the economic benefits driven by aviation could be curtailed if protectionist measures are implemented by governments.

National News    
New Supreme Court bench formed to hear pleas in Ayodhya dispute from October 29

A new Supreme Court bench has been constituted to hear pleas in the Ayodhya title suit from October 29 in connection with the Ram Janmabhoomi Babri Masjid case.
The new bench will comprise of Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and two other judges, justices SK Kaul and Justice KM Joseph. From October 29, they may decide if the case will be heard on a day-to-day hearing or fix a hearing schedule.

The old bench comprised of CJI Dipak Misra and justices Abdul Nazeer and Ashok Bhushan.

Obituary News

Former Delhi Chief Minister Madan Lal Khurana Dies At 82

Delhi's former Chief Minister Madan Lal Khurana (82) passed away.
Madan Lal Khurana (15 October 1936 – 27 October 2018) was an Indian politician also was Chief Minister of Delhi from 1993 to 1996. He also served as Governor of Rajasthan in 2004.He was the Union Minister of Parliamentary affairs and Tourism in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. He was a member of Rashtriya Swayansevak Sangh and Bharatiya Janata Party.

National

First Regional Review Meeting for “Sustainable Sanitation” Held In Nagpur

The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Government of India, in coordination with the Water Supply and Sanitation Department, Government of Maharashtra, organized the first in a series of regional review meetings on Sustainable Sanitation today.

The regional review was held in Nagpur, attended by State Secretaries in-charge of rural sanitation, Mission Directors, and other State Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) officials, including representatives from 25 districts from Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat.

The regional meeting follows the official kick-start of the workshop in New Delhi on 24th October 2018, where the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation interacted with State SBM officials to review and communicate the various message of the Quality and Sustainability Mission. The series of sustainability regional workshops which will take place across the country have been scheduled within the next month to cover all States and Union Territories. Current locations include Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Nainital (Uttarakhand), Guwahati (Assam) and Kolkata (West Bengal).

Days and Dates

72nd Infantry Day Celebrations

To commemorate the selfless dedication to duty by Indian Army’s gallant Infantrymen, a wreath laying ceremony was organised at ‘Amar Jawan Jyoti’. General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Army Staff, along with senior officers, laid wreaths in a solemn ceremony.

Infantry celebrates 27 October each year as Infantry Day to commemorate the first Infantry action post independence. In response to the threat posed to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our Nation, on this day in 1947, the leading elements of the Indian Army from 1st Battalion of the SIKH Regiment air landed at Srinagar and gallantly fought the raiders aided by Pakistan Army. This bold action by the Indian Army and indomitable courage displayed by the Infantrymen reversed the tide of events and thwarted the adversary's nefarious designs.

Appointments

Sanjay Kumar Mishra appointed interim director of Enforcement Directorate

The Central Government has appointed Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer Sanjay Kumar Mishra as interim director of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for three months.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cleared his name as interim chief of the agency on the last day of Karnal Singh’s tenure.

A 1986 batch IRS Officer of the Income Tax cadre, Mr. Mishra has been appointed as Principal Chief Director of ED and given charge of the Director of ED for three months.

Economy and Banking

Storing data locally since October 15: Visa

Payments major Visa said it has begun storing data of local users within India, signalling partial compliance with the mandate of the Reserve Bank, which has been steadfast in its demand that all payments companies — global and local — retain transaction data of Indian users on local servers.

Visa has also submitted a status update to RBI, including a plan on how it will tweak its existing global processing systems to fully comply with the requirement to store data only in India.

While Visa has been retaining data of Indian users locally from the day of the RBI deadline, it continues to process the data outside the country. India had over 1 billion debit and credit cards as of August 2018, according to RBI. Nearly 98% are debit cards issued by Visa, Master-Card and local player RuPay. Around 40 million credit cards are in circulation in the country.

International News

Lankan President Suspends Parliament As Crisis Deepens After PM Sacked

Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena on Saturday suspended parliament, deepening political turmoil after he sacked the country's prime minister.

Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was sacked by the president late Friday, had earlier called for an emergency session of parliament so he could prove his majority.

The parliament had been due to meet again on November 5 to unveil the 2019 annual budget.