The Daily Brief – 3rd November 2019

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1. The 2019 ‘Global Microscope: The enabling environment for Financial Inclusion’ report, which assesses the enabling environment for financial access in 55 countries, was released by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). Colombia topped the list followed by Peru, Uruguay and Mexico. India was placed at 5^th. First published in the year 2007, it is the 12^th edition of the report. Founded in 1946, the EIU is the world leader in global business intelligence.
2. Mother Teresa Memorial Awards for Social Justice (MTMA), which recognize the exemplary and humanitarian work done by social activists in the fields and issues related to modern forms of slavery, will be presented on 3^rd November, 2019. The theme for the 15^th edition of the awards is ‘Combating Contemporary Forms of Slavery’. Being awarded annually since 2014, the awards honour individuals and organizations that promote peace, equality and social justice.
3. Penguin Random House released the Guinness World Records 2020, which lists thousands of new record titles and holders that will educate and entertain curious readers of all ages. The record for the “Most Polluted City in the World” was achieved by Kanpur of Uttar Pradesh with an average PM2.5 level of 173 micrograms/m³for the year 2016. This year, 80 record breaking achievements by Indians were included in the list.
4. Delhi Police Special Cell and sixteen officials from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) were awarded the Union Home Minister’s Special Operation Medal for 2019. The Delhi Police won the medal for arresting two terrorists Abdul Latif Ganai and Hilal Ahmad. The ITBP received the honour for the successful Nanda Devi Search and Rescue Mission. The Medal was instituted in June 2018 to promote high professional standards of investigation of crime in the State and Union Territory Police and the Central Investigating Agencies (CIAs) in India.
5. Chile Government cancelled the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP25) on 30^th October, 2019 due to the ongoing protests in the country. Spain has offered to host COP25. Earlier, in November 2018, Brazil had withdrawn from hosting the COP25 citing economic reasons. The first COP was held in Berlin, Germany in 1995.
6. Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh celebrated their formation day on 1^st November, 2019. Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh were formed on 1^st November, 1956. Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh on 1^st November, 2000 while Haryana was carved out of Punjab on 1^st November, 1966. There are 28 states and 9 Union Territories in India as of November 2, 2019.

   

7. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated 66 cities as “Creative Cities” on 30^th October, 2019 i.e. on the World Cities Day. This year, Hyderabad and Mumbai from India were included in the list. Mumbai, for its cinema-centric aura, gained the name “City of Dreams” and Hyderabad, known for its Biryani and other food items, has gained the name “The Home of Haleem and Biryani”. Varanasi, Chennai and Jaipur have already been included in the list.
8. Former Defence Secretary Radha Krishna Mathur on 31^st October, 2019 was sworn-in as the first Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Ladakh, which came into existence after the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir. Mathur, a 1977-batch IAS officer from Tripura, has also worked as the Chief Information Commissioner. Umang Narula, a 1989-batch IAS officer, has been appointed as an advisor to Mathur, while S S Khandare, a 1995-batch IPS officer, has been appointed as the Head of Police in Ladakh.

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