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Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 03 November 2019

::NATIONAL::

Govt. releases maps of Jammu and Ladakh UT’s

Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is part of the newly created Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, while Gilgit-Baltistan is in the UT of Ladakh in the fresh maps released by the government on Saturday following the bifurcation.
In a notification, the Ministry of Home Affairs also released the new map of India depicting the two UTs with PoK 'capital' Muzaffarabad within the geographical boundary of the country.
As per the new map, PoK remains with Jammu and Kashmir UT and Gilgit-Baltistan with the UT of Ladakh, according to the maps.
In 1947, the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir had the following 14 districts - Kathua, Jammu, Udhampur, Reasi, Anantnag, Baramulla, Poonch, Mirpur, Muzaffarabad, Leh and Ladakh, Gilgit, Gilgit Wazarat, Chilhas and Tribal Territory, a home ministry statement said.
By 2019, the government of erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir had reorganised the areas of these 14 districts into 28 districts. The names of the new districts were - Kupwara, Bandipur, Ganderbal, Srinagar, Budgam, Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam, Rajouri, Ramban, Doda, Kishtwar, Samba and Kargil.

Centre to set up anti-human trafficking units under Nirbhaya Fund

The government will set up anti-human trafficking units in all districts with the help of the Nirbhaya Fund.
In a tweet, Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said that women help desks will also be set up in all police stations across the country using this fund. She said, this initiative will strengthen women safety and instil a greater sense of security among them.
Mrs Irani expressed her gratitude to Home Minister Amit Shah for speedy intervention and ensuring efficacy in fructifying these initiatives. She said, the step will go a long way in addressing women and children safe in the country.
The empowered committee (EC) under the Nirbhaya framework has recommended setting up anti-human trafficking units and women help desks at a cost of 100 crore rupees each to be fully funded by the centre.
Nirbhaya Fund was announced by the Centre in 2013 to support the initiatives of the government and the NGOs working towards the safety of women.

::ECONOMY::

OECD projects India’s growth rate at 6.6% in 2020-2024

India’s gross domestic product (GDP) could grow 6.6% in 2020-24, lower than its 2013-17 average of 7.4%, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said on Saturday.
While reliance on consumption will continue, the large informal labour share indicates that there is room to strengthen the consumption base.
“Sustaining efforts to prop up the health of the banking sector is a vital challenge, while bridging the disparity in urban and rural infrastructure is important for spreading investment and economic opportunities while addressing urbanisation,” it said.
The organisation has predicted a regional GDP growth of 5.7% over 2020-24, down from 6.7% in 2013-17.
As per the report, China would need to bridge the gap between demand and supply of digital talent, while improving digital literacy and increasing access to digital devices are critical in India.
Trade tensions between the United States and China are continuing, and the broadening economic weakness in advanced economies adds substantial uncertainty to export prospects.
Stability in the labour market, and in certain cases inflows of income from overseas workers, will sustain domestic consumption. Realisation of infrastructure projects that are already in the pipeline should provide more lift to domestic demand.

India to strengthen connectivity with ASEAN nations

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that ASEAN related Summits are key elements of India’s foreign policy, most notably the Act East Policy.
In his departure statement before leaving for Bangkok, Mr Modi said, India is eager to improve connectivity with ASEAN nations. He said, there will be meetings with various world leaders to discuss important bilateral and global issues.
The Prime Minister said, the East Asia Summit gives an opportunity to present India's vision for the Indo-Pacific region. He said, at the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Summit, the leaders will take stock of the progress in RCEP negotiations.
Mr Modi said, during the summit, the leaders will consider all issues including whether India’s concerns and interests in trade in goods, services, and investments are being fully accommodated.
Mr Modi said, connecting with the Indian diaspora is something he always looks forward to. He said, today at 6 P.M. in Bangkok, he will interact with the Indian community-based in Thailand. He said, People of Indian Origin and Non-Resident Indians in Thailand have made significant contributions to Thailand.

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::INTERNATIONAL::

UN chief warns Asian countries on its coal addiction

The Chief of the United Nations has warned Asia to quit its addiction to coal in a bid to tackle climate change.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said countries in the region were among the most vulnerable to global warming and should be on the front line of efforts to stop it. He cited a new study that found that Asian countries were at particular risk of climate-driven flooding.
Coal is a major source of power in many Asian countries. Speaking to reporters in the Thai capital Bangkok today, Mr. Guterres described climate change as the defining issue of our time.
The UN Chief referenced a study published on Tuesday, which found that climate change would put millions of more people at risk from coastal flooding by 2050 than previously thought. The majority of those implicated were in developing countries across Asia, the study said.

Home ministry to inaugurate SCO joint exercise on search and rescue

Home Minister Amit Shah will inaugurate the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Joint Exercise on Urban Earthquake Search and Rescue -SCOJtEx-2019 in New Delhi on Monday.
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is hosting the event which will continue till November 7. The aim of the exercise is to rehearse the disaster response mechanism, share knowledge, experience and technology for mutual coordination.
This stimulation exercise will also provide an opportunity to enhance the coordination and co-operation involving multi-agency operations in an earthquake scenario.
The main focus of Joint Exercise on Urban will be to test the region’s preparedness and resilience towards effective activation of Inter-governmental interaction for immediate response.
All the eight-member countries of SCO namely China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan will participate in this exercise.

::SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY::

Scientists decode Big Bang explosion phenomenon

The universe began with the Big Bang, and now scientists have explained how the mysterious explosion may have taken place around 13.8 billion years ago.
The Big Bang theory states that all matter that exists today in the universe sprung forth from a single point in an epic explosion.
The research, published in the journal Science, details the mechanisms that could cause the explosion, which is key for the models that scientists use to understand the origin of the universe.
The team uncovered the criteria for creating a Big Bang-type explosion while exploring methods for hypersonic jet propulsion.
The finding may have applications in faster air and space travel, and improved power generation, including reactions that generate zero emissions as all of the products used in the combustion are converted into energy, the researchers said.

::SPORTS::

South Africa wins Rugby world cup

South Africa galloped by England to win the Rugby World Cup in Japan.
The Springboks claimed the Cup for the first time since 2007. It was a rematch of the final game of 2007. Both teams scored only penalty kicks in the first half. South Africa led 12-6 at half time.
In the second half, the Springboks' Makazole Mapimpi and Cheslin Kolbe each pushed the ball across the line for the only two tries of the game. The final score was 32-12.
The Springboks became the second team after New Zealand to win three World Cup titles.