NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Hemant Soren to be Sworn in as Chief Minister: Hemant Soren, leader of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), will be sworn in as Chief Minister on November 28. His party achieved victory in the recent state elections. Soren announced the oath-taking ceremony date during a media interaction. The JMM-led INDIA alliance secured a decisive win in the 81-seat Jharkhand Assembly. They obtained a total of 56 seats. The JMM alone won 34 seats. Congress, RJD, and CPI-ML contributed by winning 16, 4, and 2 seats, respectively.The BJP-led NDA alliance faced a setback, winning only 24 seats. The BJP secured 21 seats. Its allies, AJSU Party, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), and JD-U, each won one seat.
2. Telangana to Establish Joint Consultative Committee with CII: The Telangana government is actively exploring new industrial policies and a joint consultative committee with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is on the horizon. This committee aims to address industrial challenges in the state. Industries and IT Minister D. Sridhar Babu supports this initiative, which plans to establish the committee within a week. The committee will include the Special Chief Secretary for Industries and CII leaders will also participate. This committee mirrors a successful model in Kerala. It will focus on resolving industrial issues effectively.
3. Prime Minister Internship Scheme – 2024: The Prime Minister Internship Scheme (PMIS) will launch on December 2, 2024, and aims to enhance job opportunities and skills for India’s youth. The pilot phase began on October 3, 2024, and Selected candidates will receive joining orders on the launch day. The scheme received 6.2 lakh applications before the November 15 deadline. Eligible applicants must be aged 21-24. They should have completed at least the 10th grade, ITI, Polytechnic, Diploma, or graduation. Applicants can apply for up to five internships in their own or other states.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Centre launches World Bank’s ‘Jobs at your doorstep’ report: Union Minister for Education, Dharmendra Pradhan, along with Minister of Labour and Employment and Youth Affairs and Sports Dr Mansukh Mandaviya launched a report titled Jobs at Your Doorstep: A Jobs Diagnostics for Young People in the Six States, at an event in New Delhi.World Bank assists the Ministry of Education with its program called Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States (STARS) covering six states namely Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Rajasthan (collectively the STARS states) STARS Scheme has a national component under which key reforms are shared and disseminated for implementation.This report underscores the significant benefits of embedding skill-based education from grades 9-12 to prepare students for diverse career paths relying on a bottom-up approach, going deep in districts of the six states.
2. Iraq conducts first national census in nearly 40 years: Iraq began its first nationwide population census in decades, a step aimed at modernizing data collection and planning in a country long impacted by conflict and political divisions.The act of counting the population is also contentious. The census is expected to have profound implications for Iraq’s resource distribution, budget allocations, and development planning.The last nationwide census in Iraq was held in 1987. Another one held in 1997 excluded the Kurdish region.The new census “charts a developmental map for the future and sends a message of stability,” Planning Minister Mohammed Tamim said in a televised address.The census will be the first to employ advanced technologies for gathering and analyzing data, providing a comprehensive picture of Iraq’s demographic, social, and economic landscape, officials say.
3. India and EFTA – Trade Agreement: Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal recently visited Norway, and aimed to discuss the swift implementation of a free trade agreement. This agreement is between India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). EFTA consists of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. The Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) was signed in March. However, the implementation date remains undecided. Barthwal’s primary goal was to enhance trade relations. He sought to open an extensive EFTA market for Indian goods and services. Additionally, he advocated for an investment plan worth $100 billion. This plan aims to boost economic ties between India and EFTA countries.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. Rajnath Singh attends the 11th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Plus Meeting: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has represented India at the 11th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Plus Forum meeting in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic’s capital, Vientiane.Lao PDR, the Chair of the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), is hosting the 18th ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting and the 11th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Plus Meeting in Vientiane.During his visit to Vientiane, Rajnath Singh also held a bilateral meeting with the Defence Minister of Lao PDR, General Chansamone Chanyalath, Chinese Defence Minister Admiral Dong Jun and Malaysian Defence Minister Dato’ Seri Mohamed Khaled Bin Nordin, on the sidelines of the 11th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Plus Meeting.India has a close partnership with ASEAN. India was made a sectoral partner in 1992 and the relationship between the two was raised to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
2. Gen. Upendra Dwivedi Conferred with the Nepali Army’s General rank: The Indian Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Upendra Dwivedi, was conferred with the honourary rank of the General of the Nepali Army.General Upendra Dwivedi is on an official visit to Nepal from 20 to 24 November 2024 at the invitation of his Nepali counterpart, General Ashok Raj Sigdel. General Upendra Dwivedi was conferred the rank of honourary General of the Nepali Army by the President of Nepal, Ramchandra Paudel, at a special ceremony at the President’s House in Kathmandu. India and Nepal have a long tradition of honouring each other’s country’s chief of the army with this rank. This tradition was continued after India’s independence in 1947. A tripartite agreement was signed between India, the British government, and the Nepali government in 1947.
3. India and Japan Strengthen Defence Cooperation: India and Japan are enhancing their defence collaboration, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently concluded a visit to Laos. This visit included meetings with Japanese and Philippine counterparts during the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus). The discussions focused on military cooperation, which explored a potential agreement for sharing supplies and services. This agreement aims to improve coordination between their armed forces. It would allow the use of each other’s bases for repairs and supplies.
SPORTS
1. Bihar to host Khelo India Youth Games and Para Games in April 2025: Bihar will host the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) and Khelo India Para Games (KIPG) in 2025.KIYG is a national-level, multi-disciplinary sports competition for school and college students in India. It aims to promote sports culture and identify sporting talent at the grassroots level.The games are held annually in January or February and are part of the government’s Khelo India initiative.For the first time and in the lines of the Summer Olympics, the Khelo India Para Games will also be held in Bihar.The first edition of the Para Games was held in Delhi last year. Previously the Khelo India Youth Games 2023 were held in Tamil Nadu in January this year.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. ISRO, Australian space agency sign cooperation pact for human space flight: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has signed an Implementation Agreement (IA) with the Australian Space Agency (ASA) for further strengthening of cooperation in space activities between the two countries.The IA enables cooperation between both space agencies on crew and crew module recovery for Gaganyaan missions, the country’s first crewed spaceflight program.India and Australia are enduring strategic partners and both space agencies are working closely and are committed to explore current and future collaboration activities.The IA enables the Australian authorities to work with Indian authorities to ensure support for search and rescue of crew and recovery of crew module as part of a contingency plan for ascent phase that aborts near Australian waters.
2. IISc Study uncovers Cancer Cell Adaptation During Migration: Recent research from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) sheds light on cancer cell behaviour, published in the Biophysical Journal, and examines how the microenvironment influences cancer cell movement. These dynamics are crucial for tackling metastasis, the process by which cancer spreads. Researchers placed both cell types on surfaces that simulated healthy and diseased tissues. Soft surfaces represented healthy tissue, while stiff surfaces mimicked scarred tissue around tumours. This setup allowed scientists to observe how the cells moved in different conditions.
3. M-Pox Remains Global Health Emergency Status: WHO: The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared M-Pox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), which follows a rise in cases worldwide. The WHO Emergency Committee met recently to assess the situation. Concerns focus on a new variant known as clade Ib, which originated in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The WHO has approved additional vaccines to combat M-Pox. Bavarian Nordic’s vaccine received authorisation earlier this year. Japan’s KM Biologics vaccine was added to the emergency-use list in September. Despite these approvals, the WHO faces criticism for delays in vaccine distribution. A WHO spokesperson emphasised the need for a coordinated global response. Countries and health organisations must expedite vaccination efforts. Raising public awareness is crucial to prevent further spread of the virus.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. Tata Power ties up with ADB for $4.25 bn to finance clean energy projects: Tata Power has signed a MoU with Asian Development Bank (ADB) for financing clean energy projects worth $4.25 billion in India.The MoU outlines the evaluation of financing for key ongoing projects, such as the 966 MW solar-wind hybrid project, pumped hydro storage project, and other projects in the pipeline related to energy transition, decarbonization, and battery storage.It also includes ongoing financing for capital expenditures (capex) to strengthen the distribution networks managed by Tata Power.This agreement coincides with the ongoing climate conference (COP29) at Baku, Azerbaijan, aimed at enhancing Indias power infrastructure and promoting renewable and clean energy.this partnership is pivotal as India accelerates its journey toward achieving its renewable energy target of 500 GW by 2030.
2. RBI nod for Central Bank of India’s insurance foray in JV with Future Generali: The Central Bank of India has received Reserve Bank of India approval for its proposed foray into life and non-life insurance business through a joint venture with the Generali group.The RBI approved the bank’s entry in the insurance business, through a joint venture with the Generali group under Future Generali India Insurance Company and Future Generali India Life Insurance Company, subject to continuous compliance of conditions stipulated by it and approval of sectoral regulator IRDAI.This follows the Committee of Creditors for sale of Category 1 assets of Future Enterprises stake in FGILICL, and FGIICL declaring the State-owned lender successful bidder in August. In October, the Competition Commission of India had approved the proposed combination.
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