NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Assam Govt Allows Merger of SEBA and AHSEC: The Assam Gov has officially given the nod to the merger of the Board of
Secondary Education and the Assam Higher Secondary Education Council The state
is now set to establish a singular entity overseeing the realms of both Class
10 and 12 education boards in Assam Aim: To develop, regulate, and supervise
the standards and quality of School Education” in the region Objective: To
streamline and enhance the overall efficiency of the education system in the
state
2. Indian Navy Launches 4th Anti-Submarine Warfare Craft,
named ‘Amini’: 'Amini', the fourth in a
series of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) projects
built for the Indian Navy, was launched at Kattupalli in Tamil Nadu. The ship
has been named 'Amini' to signify the strategic maritime importance accorded to
the island of Amini at Lakshadweep, located about 400 km west of Kochi. The 77m
long ASW SWC ships with a displacement of 900 tons have a maximum speed of 25
knots and endurance of approx 1800 NM.
3. ‘Hello Naariyal’ Call Centre Launched By CDB: The Coconut Development Board has launched
‘Hello Naariyal’ Friends of Coconut Trees call centre facility to help farmers
with coconut harvesting and plant management operations. The ‘Hello
Naariyal’ call centre in Kerala functions from the headquarters of the Board in
Kochi. Aim: To benefit coconut growers and extend its services to traditional
coconut-growing States of Tamil Nadu, AP and Karnataka through the respective
unit offices of the Board.
4. Solar-Powered ‘Ramayana’ Vessels to Navigate Saryu
River in Ayodhya: Two solar-powered
mini-cruise ships is launched on the Saryu River in Ayodhya before the
inauguration of the Ram Temple in Jan 2023 The service will be provided by
Alaknanda Cruise, a company based in Varanasi. Aim: To offer a unique
experience to those who wish to explore the river and its surroundings in a
sustainable and eco-friendly manner. The 'Ramayana' ships are equipped with
modern amenities, and their goal is to disseminate knowledge about Lord Ram's
life.
5. Kochi In Conde Nast List of Best Places To Visit In
2024: London-based luxury travel magazine Conde
Nast has listed Kochi as one of the best places to visit in Asia in
2024. Heaping praise on the city for its sustainable initiatives and local
festivals, the magazine also highlights the city’s tourist attractions such as
waterways, lagoons and rivers. The magazine referred to the renovation that is
underway at Kochi’s 150-year-old Ernakulam Market. The recognition is a nod to
the city’s commitment to providing enriching experiences for travelers while
embracing eco-friendly practices and preserving its cultural heritage. Kochi International
Airport (CIAL) stands out as the world’s first airport to operate solely on
solar energy. This eco-friendly initiative underscores Kerala’s commitment to
sustainable practices. Recently, CIAL further enhanced its offerings by
introducing the largest business jet terminal in India, catering to the
evolving needs of discerning travelers.
6. IPS officer Alok Sharma appointed as Chief of SPG: Senior IPS officer Alok Sharma has been
appointed the director of the Special Protection Group (SPG), the elite
security unit responsible for the security of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The
Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the appointment of Alok Sharma,
a 1991-batch IPS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre who is currently working as
Additional Director General in the SPG, to the post of director from the date
of assumption of charge until further orders. A resident of Aligarh, Sharma is
a science graduate with a B.Tech (Mechanical) degree. He joined the IPS in
1991. He has held several important positions in Uttar Pradesh — he was Meerut
IG and after his promotion, he was shifted to Police Training School in Meerut
as ADG in 2016.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Pedro Sanchez Re-Elected As Spanish Prime Minister: In Spain, Socialist leader Pedro Sánchez has clinched the vote in
parliament to lead the country for another term as prime minister He won an
absolute majority in the investiture vote, securing the support of 179 members
of Spain’s 350 Member Parliament He secured the majority after sealing an amnesty
deal for Catalans involved in a failed bid to secede from Spain The pragmatic
Catalan Republican Left is also backing the new government in return for the
amnesty
2. International Conference on Plant Health Management
ICPHM 2023: The International Conference
on Plant Health Management (ICPHM) 2023 – Innovation and
Sustainability will be held in the city of Hyderabad, India, during 15th –
18th November 2023. The conference is being organized by the Plant
Protection Association of India (PPAI). The main objective of this
international conference is to pursue global opportunities in research and
entrepreneurship related to the field of PHM.
3. Biden Appoints Shakuntala Bhaya To The Administrative
Conference of US: US President Joe
Biden has appointed Indian American Shakuntla L Bhaya to serve
in a key role. Bhaya was appointed as a member of the Council of the
Administrative Conference of the United States. It is among the several
new appointments announced by Biden. Her practice focuses on representing
individuals who are seriously injured as a result of businesses and people
making unsafe decisions.
4. 17 November – World Prematurity Day: World Prematurity Day is observed annually on 17 November
every year. Objective – To raise awareness about the challenges faced by
premature babies and their families. Theme 2023 – Small actions, big
impact: Immediate skin-to-skin care for every baby everywhere In 2008, European
Parent organizations united to establish this international awareness day for
preterm birth (A preterm birth is characterized by babies being born alive
before the completion of 37 weeks of pregnancy). Premature birth is a
significant global health concern, often leading to infant deaths and various
health complications.
OTHER UPDATES:
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. IndusInd Bank Launches ‘IndusInd Bank Platinum RuPay
Credit Card’ on UPI: IndusInd Bank goes live with RuPay
Credit Card on UPI with the launch of ‘IndusInd Bank Platinum RuPay
Credit Card’, in collaboration with the National Payments Corporation of
India. IndusInd Bank RuPay credit card customers can now conveniently initiate
UPI payments by simply linking their credit cards with the UPI-enabled
Apps. Individuals can make transactions seamlessly on both online and
offline platforms and earn accelerated rewards on their UPI transactions.
2. RBI Approves New Directors Of Jio Financial Services: The Reserve Bank of India has approved the
appointment of Isha Ambani, Anshuman Thakur and Hitesh Kumar Sethia as
directors of Jio Financial Services. The central bank approved the
appointments on November 15. This approval is valid only for six months from
the date of this letter. In case the company fails to give effect to the
proposal within this time frame, it will have to apply again with reasons for
having failed to effect the change on the earlier occasion.
3. India To Become World’s Third-Largest Economy By 2027: According to Finance Minister Nirmala
Sitharaman India is expected to overtake Japan and Germany to emerge as the third
largest economy in the world by 2027. Observing that Indo-Pacific is
undoubtedly the world's most economically dynamic region, Sitharaman said it
encompasses 60% of global GDP, and almost 50% of global merchandise trade. According
to the UNCTAD, India was the 2nd largest exporter of ocean-based goods and
services among developing countries in 2020.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. Actor Ryan Reynolds received ‘Order of British
Columbia’: Canadian-American actor and film producer Ryan
Reynolds expressed gratitude on receiving the ‘Order of British
Columbia’, the province’s highest form of recognition. Reynolds was among 14
people appointed to the ‘Order of British Columbia’ this year. 224 citizens of
the Canadian province were nominated for the honor.
2. Bina Agarwal and David Barkin conferred 2023 Kenneth
Boulding Award: Bina Agarwal, a professor
at the University of Manchester, received the Kenneth Boulding Award in
Ecological Economics along with David Barkin in Colombia. The International
Society for Ecological Economics presented the award for their significant
contributions to ecological economics, focusing on environmental governance,
agrarian change, and social equity in developing countries. The prize was
granted by a jury including members like Peter May, Chair Full Professor at the
Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro-UFRRJ (retired); Carl Folke,
Anthropocene Lab, Beijer Institute, Stockholm Resilience Centre, Sweden; Lisi
Krall, Professor of Economics at the State University of New York, Cortland; Jane
Mariara, Executive Director of the Partnership for Economic Policy, Kenya;
Volker Mauerhofer, Professor, Mid Sweden University, Department for Natural
Science, Design and Sustainable Development, Sweden; and Rajeswari Raina,
Professor Shiv Nadar University, Delhi.
OBITUARIES
1. BN Goswamy passes away at 90: Indian art historian and a world authority on miniature paintings, Brijinder Nath Goswamy passed away at the age of 90. Born in August 1933, the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awardee BNG, as he was lovingly known in art circles, often called himself an “accidental art historian”. Best known for his path-breaking work on the Pahari style of paintings, Prof Goswamy is the author of more than 26 books. In 1958, he quit the prestigious civil services after less than three years to pursue a career in academics and research, a decision that caused a stir in his family.
No comments:
Post a Comment