TNPSC Current Affairs November 18, 2019

www.tnpsc.academy – TNPSC Current Affairs Nov 18, 2019 (18/11/2019)

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Topic: Latest Diary of Events

Lala Lajpat Rai

November 17 is the death anniversary of Lala Lajpat Rai, the firebrand Indian nationalist leader affectionately called ‘Punjab Kesari’.

Key facts:

Rai is remembered for his role during the Swadeshi movement and for his advocacy of education.

Born in 1865, he became a follower of Dayanand Saraswati, the founder of the Arya Samaj, and went on to become one of the society’s leaders. In 1881, he joined the Indian National Congress at the age of 16.

Rai, Tilak, and Bipin Chandra Pal (called Lal-Bal-Pal) fervently advocated the use of Swadeshi goods and mass agitation in the aftermath of the controversial Partition of Bengal in 1905 by Lord Curzon.

He founded the Indian Home Rule League of America in New York City in 1917.

He was elected President of the Indian National Congress during its Special Session in Kolkata in 1920, which saw the launch of Mahatma Gandhi’s Non-cooperation Movement.

The patriot died at Lahore in 1928 after he was attacked by police during a protest rally against the Simon Commission.

His important works include: ‘The Arya Samaj’, ‘Young India’, ‘England’s Debt to India’, ‘Evolution of Japan’, ‘India’s Will to Freedom’, ‘Message of the Bhagwad Gita’, ‘Political Future of India’, ‘Problem of National Education in India’, ‘The Depressed Glasses’, and the travelogue ‘United States of America’.

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Topic: International Diary of Events

President of Sri Lanka- Election process

Sri Lanka’s former wartime defence chief Gotabaya Rajapaksa, part of the country’s most powerful political dynasty, has been elected president.

The government structure:

Sri Lanka’s government operates under a semi-presidential system, where the president holds widespread executive authority but governs in partnership with a prime minister they appoint and a cabinet recommended by the prime minister.

Election of the President:

The president is directly elected for a five-year term, through a version of Instant-runoff voting in which electors rank up to three candidates, and limited to only two rounds in total.

If no candidate wins a majority in the first round of voting, second and third preferences from ballots whose first preference candidate has been eliminated are used to determine the winner.

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Topic: International Diary of Events

India’s free trade agreements with Asean

A report, analysing the benefits of India’s free trade agreements with Asean has been released. The report has been prepared by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Background:

Asean compromises 10 countries including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

India had signed an FTA in goods with the regional bloc in 2009, known as the Asean–India Free Trade Agreement (AIFTA). In 2014, an FTA in services was also included.

Key facts:

Overall, India failed to benefit from free trade agreements (FTAs) with the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean). In fact, India’s trade deficit had increased ever since the country entered into FTAs with Asean.

India’s net exports to countries without a trade agreement were only marginally lower than its net exports to countries with FTAs.

The imports from countries with trade agreements were substantially higher, pushing India into a trade deficit.

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Topic: Profile of States, Latest Diary of Events

Indian Oil develops winter grade diesel for Ladakh

Indian Oil Corporation has developed winter-grade diesel for Ladakh to address the problem of loss of fluidity in fuel during extreme winter conditions.

Significance: The new fuel has a pour point of – 33^oC and does not lose its fluidity function even in the extreme winter weather of the region unlike the normal grade of diesel which becomes exceedingly difficult to utilise.

Need: Using the normal grade of diesel fuel becomes an difficult task for the people in the winter months where temperatures fall to sub zero temperatures of nearly –30 degree Celsius.

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Topic: Profile of States, General Administration

Darjeeling Green Tea & White Tea receive GI Tag

Two tea varieties of Darjeeling were registered under “Geographical Indication of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999”. It includes Green Tea and White Tea of Darjeeling.

About Darjeeling Tea:

Darjeeling produces 85 lakh kilograms of tea. Of this Green Tea constitutes 10 lakh kilo grams and White Tea constitutes 1 lakh kilo grams.

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Topic: Profile of States, Latest Diary of Events

India International Cherry Blossom Festival celebrated in Shillong

The 4th edition of India International Cherry Blossom Festival, 2019 was celebrated in Shillong, Meghalaya from 13 to 16 November 2019. The festival is a great example of how natural resources and sustainable tourism can be utilised in an effective manner and create value of something which already exists.

Why is it held?

The festival celebrates the unique autumn flowering of Himalayan Cherry Blossoms with several cultural events. With the annual festival the state government seeks to focus on Meghalaya’s natural strength such environment and beautiful landscape to enhance the experience of tourists.

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Topic: Awareness in Space, Latest Diary of Events

Hayabusa 2: Japanese spacecraft

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) Hayabusa 2 probe is heading back to earth from its mission of collecting samples from an asteroid called Ryugu, about 300 million kilometres from Earth. The unmanned probe ‘Hayabusa 2’, named after a falcon is scheduled to return to Earth by the end of 2020.

Why Asteroid? Asteroids are believed to have formed at the dawn of solar system. Moreover, scientists believe that asteroid Ryugu may contain organic matter that may have contributed to life on Earth.

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Topic: Awards and Honours, Persons in News

Sand Artist Sudarsan Pattnaik-The first Indian to win Italian Golden Sand Art Award

Sudarsan Pattnaik becomes the first Indian to win the Italian Golden Sand Art Award, 2019. He was felicitated at the International Scorrna Sand Nativity Fete in Italy.

Key facts:

Mr Pattnaik created a 10-foot-high sand sculpture of Mahatma Gandhi along with Russian artist Pavel Minilkov. Around 8 sculptors from different countries participated in the event.

About Sudarsan Pattnaik:

Sudarsan Pattnaik was born in 1977 in Puri District of Odisha. The Coastal sea paved way for him to become a sand artist though he wanted to contribute in shaping the field of education.

Sudarsan has participated in more than 60 international sand art festivals. He has so far won 27 championship prizes. He was awarded the Padma Shri by the Indian Government in 2014.

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Topic: Latest Diary of Events

Sindhu Sudarshan exercise

The Strike Corps (also known as Sudarshan Chakra Corps) of Indian Army is conducting the annually held exercise, dubbed Sindu Sudarshan-VII, in Barmer, Rajasthan.

Objective: To validate battle readiness and operational effectiveness of Sudarshan Chakra Corps in an Integrated Air-Land Battle scenario.

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Topic: New Inventions on Science and Health, International Diary of Events

Pakistan-First Country to introduce WHO approved India made Typhoid Vaccine

Pakistan becomes the first country to introduce WHO approved typhoid vaccine. The Vaccine is to be used in southern Sindh province as more than 10,000 cases of Typhoid were documented since 2017.

Key facts:

A four-week campaign will be conducted targeting 10 million children of age nine months to 15 years. The campaign is launched with the support of Geneva based Gavi Vaccine alliance. The Gavi Vaccine Alliance is backed by several global organization such as World Bank, WHO, UNICEF, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to lower vaccine costs for poor countries.

In 2017 around 70% of deaths due to typhoid were among children. This is mainly because, Pakistan spends meagre amount of its national resources on public health

Pakistan is suffering from drug-resistant typhoid fever since November 2016. The Salmonella Typhi bacteria that causes Typhoid is called a super-bug in the country as it has developed resistance towards old drugs.

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Topic: Latest Diary of Events

Roar of the sea: Naval Exercise between Qatar and India

A three-day naval exercise, Za’ir-Al-Bahr (Roar of the Sea) is being conducted between November 17 and November 21, 2019 between the Indian and Qatar Naval Forces. The aim of the exercise is to enhance interoperability between the naval forces.