Daily Current Affairs For Competitive Exam - 1st November

International Affairs

Today is Halloween.

The word Halloween came from 'Hallowed evening, and is the day before All Hallows Day - also known as All Saints' Day.

Today (31st October) is World Savings Day.

This day was established on October 31, 1924, during the 1st International Savings Bank Congress (World Society of Savings Banks) in Milano, Italy.

Today (31st October) is World Cities Day.

Aim of this day : To promote international community’s interest in global urbanization, push forward cooperation among countries in meeting opportunities and addressing challenges of urbanization, and contributing to sustainable urban development around the world.  

Theme of the year : “Inclusive Cities, Shared Development“.

In a first, US President Barack Obama celebrated Diwali by lighting a diya in the Oval Office of the White House.

Iceland has been named the best country for adventure tourism according to a new research compiled by global trade network Adventure Travel Trade Association. 

Top 5 Countries in the List :

·         Iceland

·         Germany

·         New Zealand

·         Norway 

·         Switzerland

The 'Dynamic Tower', an 80-storey rotating tower proposed to be built in Dubai by 2020. 

When constructed, it will be the world's first skyscraper consisting of separate rotating floors attached to a central column. 

The tower aims to be 420-metre-high and consist of luxury apartments, as per the proposition in 2008 by architect David Fisher.

National Affairs

Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) is being observed today to mark the 141st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. 

Theme of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas 2016 : 'Integration of India'.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off 'Run for Unity' at Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi to mark Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's 141st birth anniversary today.

The Delhi High Court, which was established on this day (31st October) in the year 1966, turned 50 years old today. 

Punjab government will observe November 1 as 'No Tobacco Day' in an effort to discourage tobacco use in the state.

Note : The sale of loose cigarettes, tobacco and e-cigarettes are banned in Punjab.

Recent Committees in News

The Union Government has reconstituted the Inter State Council (ISC) and the Standing Committee of the ISC under Clause 2 of the Inter State Council order, 1990. 

Note : The Inter-State Council is a constitutional body to facilitate coordination between states and the centre. 

Head of the Council : Narendra Modi (Prime Minister)

Members: 

Chief Ministers of all states and Union Territories (having legislative Assembly), 

Six Union Ministers

·         Rajnath Singh (Home Minister), 

·         Arun Jaitley (Finance Minister), 

·         Manohar Parrikar (Defence Minister), 

·         Sushma Swaraj (External Affairs Minister), 

·         M Venkiah Naidu (Minister for Information and Broadcasting)

·         Nitin Gadkari (Road Transport Highways and Shipping Minister)

Business & Economy

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have jointly topped the ‘Ease of Doing Business Reforms Ranking 2015-16’, conducted by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion and the World Bank. 

They were followed by Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. 

The rankings were based on a 340-point business reform action plan and their implementation by the States.

Science & Technology

India will start getting electricity generated from offshore wind energy plants installed in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat in next five years, an energy expert has said.

A 100-megawatt offshore pilot project will likely to be installed in Gujarat in about three years, and other prospects of generating electricity from solar and tidal wave energies are being explored, he added.

The first meeting of National Committee on Trade Facilitation (NCTF) was held in New Delhi to discuss ways for developing roadmap for implementation of WTOs trade facilitation agreement. 

Headed by : P K Sinha (Cabinet Secretary) 

Awards & Honors

Katherine Espin of Ecuador has won the Miss Earth 2016 title. 

Official Final Results :

·         Miss Earth 2016 – Katherine Espín (Ecuador)

·         Miss Earth - Air 2016 – Michelle Gomez (Colombia)

·         Miss Earth - Water 2016 – Stephanie de Zorzi (Venezuela)

·         Miss Earth - Fire 2016 - Bruna Zanardo (Brazil)

MOUs

The European Union (EU) and Canada have signed Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), a landmark trade deal. 

The deal was signed by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and top European Union officials in Brussels, Belgium. 

Now all 28 European Union states are required to endorse it.

Deaths

The first chief architect of Chandigarh, MN Sharma (93), died today.

Note : MN Sharma worked with the legendary architect Le Corbusier, after he joined his team of architects in 1951.

Sports

British Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton won the Mexican Grand Prix.

Indian tennis player Sania Mirza will end the season as the world's top doubles player for the second straight year after securing the 2016 WTA Year-End World No. 1 doubles ranking. 

Mirza, who won eight titles with three different partners in 2016, has held the WTA doubles world number one ranking for 81 consecutive weeks so far.

Basketball player, Palpreet Singh Brar, became the second Indian to be drafted into NBA's Development League after being picked up by the Long Island Nets today. 

Note : Earlier in 2015, India's Satnam Singh had become the first Indian basketball player to be drafted in the NBA.

WTA Finals debutante Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova defeated current world number one, Germany's Angelique Kerber 6-3, 7-6, to win her maiden year-end WTA Finals title in Singapore today.