Daily Current Affairs- 4th November 2016

Dear Readers, we are presenting Daily Current Affairs for All Exams- 4th November 2016.

1. Sanjiv Arora appointed as India's Ambassador to Lebanon

1. Sanjiv Arora, an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, was on 31 October 2016 appointed as the Ambassador of India to the Republic of Lebanon by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). 2. Lebanon, officially known as the Lebanese Republic, is a sovereign state in Western Asia.

2. NDTV India ordered to be taken off air for 24 hours

1. An Inter-Ministerial Committee of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry in the first week of November 2016 asked for one-day ban on a leading Hindi News Channel, NDTV India from 12.01 A.M. of 9 November to 12.01 A.M. of 10 November 2016.

2. The channel is facing the possibility of a complete blackout for 24 hours for revealing strategically-sensitive information during its coverage of the anti-terror operations at the Pathankot airbase in January 2016. The telecast under scanner was aired on 2 January 2016 when Indian military forces were preparing their counter attack strategy at the Pathankot airbase.

3. The order by the Inter-Ministerial Committee claimed that the channel revealed several confidential details like location of the ammunition depot, details of arms cache and fighter planes, details of schools and residential areas located around the airbase, endangering lives of both civilians and defense personnel.

3. GST Council fixes 4-rate structure

1. The GST Council has finalised 4-level Goods and Services Tax (GST) rate structure with a multiple-slab rates, including the cess for the new indirect tax regime. 

2. Thus, GST will be levied at multiple rates ranging from 0% to 28%. Decision in this regard was taken by the GST Council meeting chaired by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in New Delhi.

3. The four bands of tax rates have been fixed at 5%, 12%, 18% and 28%.

4. Besides, another category of tax between 40% and 65% will be imposed on luxury goods like pan masala, tobacco products, aerated drinks and high-end cars. 

5. Nearly half of the consumer inflation basket goods including food grains, will be zero-rated (i.e. 0% GST) to insulate people from inflationary pressures. 

6. The lowest slab of 5% will be for items of common consumption. The bulk of the goods and services including fast-moving consumer goods will be included in two standard rates of 12% and 18%. 

7. Ultra luxuries, demerit and sin goods, will attract 28% GST along with a cess for a period of 5 years. The quantum of cess on each of these will depend on current incidence of tax.

4. NASA completes construction of James Webb Space Telescope

1. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has completed the construction of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) after more than 20 years of work. 

2. JWST is the largest-ever space telescope is expected to launch in 2018 following the in-depth testing. It is bigger and more powerful than NASA’s operational Hubble Space Telescope.

3. James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a space telescope optimized for observations in the infrared. It is a planned to be launched in 2018 on an Ariane 5 rocket from French Guiana. It is the formal successor to the Hubble Space Telescope and the Spitzer Space Telescope. After its launch it will be the premier observatory of the next decade.

5. Paris Agreement on Climate Change enters into force

1. The Paris Agreement to combat climate change officially entered into force after 55 parties to the convention accounting for at least 55% of total GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions ratified it. 

2. The threshold for entry into force of the Paris Agreement was achieved on 5th October 2016. At present, 94 parties have ratified the convention. India was 62nd country to ratify it on 2 October 2016.

3. It is an international climate deal to combat climate change. It facilitates enforcement of global GHGs reduction measures in the post-2020 i.e. in post Kyoto Protocol scenario. Under it, all countries must pursue to keep global temperature rising below 2°C by 2100 above pre-industrial levels with an ideal target of keeping temperature rise below 1.5°C.

6. Maharashtra becomes first state to launch cyber police stations in all districts

1. Maharashtra has become the first state in the country to have a cyber-police station in each district to take on cyber criminals. In this regard, state government is converting 42 state-of-the-art cybercrime labs into cyber police stations simultaneously.

2. These cyber police stations will also be set up at police commissionerate and Range IG offices. Any offence related to cybercrime will be registered in these police stations at district level.

7. India’s first titanium project starts test production in Odisha

1. The first titanium project of India has started its test production Ganjam district of Odisha. The project has been established by Saraf Group. 

2. This is first of its kind titanium plant and the only one in the country. During the test run, one of its four furnaces became functional. 

3. After inception, this plant is expected to produce 36,000 tons of titanium slag and 20,000 tons of pig iron per year. The raw material of the plant ilmenite would be procured from Odisha Sands Complex (OSCOM), a unit of Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL) in Ganjam district of Odisha as well as a private company which has its unit in Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh.

8. Chinese scholar Xuan Zang stayed in Vijayawada to study Buddhist scriptures

1. Seventh century Chinese Buddhist pilgrim and scholar Xuan Zang (also spelled Hsuan Tsang) stayed a couple of years in Bezawada (the old name of Vijayawada) to copy and study Buddhist scriptures. 

2. In 630 AD, Xuan Zang came to India through Kashmir after visiting Central Asia, Iran and Afghanistan through the Silk Route. He had travelled from north to east during his 14-year stay and lived in Bihar for a couple of years. At Nalanda University, Xuan Zang had interacted with scholars and students, mastered local languages and discovered Buddhist stupas.

9. Rekha to be awarded DIFF Lifetime Achievement Award

1. Veteran Bollywood actress and Rajya Sabha MP Rekha will be honoured by the upcoming Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) with a Lifetime Achievement Award. 

2. She will be honoured for her 40-year career contribution and participation in more than 180 films. 2016 DIFF will commence on 7 December 2016 and will conclude on 14 December 2016.