NATIONAL NEWS

Etawah Lion Safari in Uttar Pradesh opened for public

• The Uttar Pradesh based Etawah Lion Safari, which was formerly known as Etawah  Safari Park and officially as Lion Breeding Center and Multiple Safari Park, Etawah has been opened for public without the lion segment, with effect from November 24, 2019.

• The Safari was inaugurated by the Uttar Pradesh Forest Minister Dara Singh Chauhan.

• It is one of the biggest safari parks in Asia, spread over an area of 350 hectares (860 acres).

• The Etawah lion safari is the first in India to have a lion breeding centre set up with an aim to develop a research facility on Asiatic lions.

70th Constitution Day for India

• The yearlong nationwide activities on Constitution Day are being launched to mark the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Indian Constitution by the Constituent Assembly, beginning November 26, 2019.

• The day 26th November is celebrated every year as Constitution Day (also known as ‘Samvidhan Divas’).

• These activities aim to reiterate and reorient the citizens towards the values and principles expressed in the Indian Constitution and encouraging all Indians to play their rightful role in strengthening the Indian Democracy.

• The Constituent Assembly of India adopted the Constitution of India on 26 November 1949, and it came into effect on 26 January 1950.

Maharashtra CM Fadnavis resigns

• Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputy Ajit Pawar on Tuesday resigned from their posts ahead of the floor test ordered by the Supreme Court. 

• The NCP, the Congress and the Shiv Sena meanwhile unanimously elected Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray as the chief ministerial candidate. 

• The MVA has the support of 162 MLAs in the house of 288 and has approached the Governor to stake claim to form the government under Thackeray’s leadership. 

She Shuttles Bus Services in Hyderabad

• Government of Telangana and Cyberabad Security Council (SCSC) Launched She Shuttles Bus Services in Hyderabad for women employees in the IT corridor in the Cyberabad area was launched on 29th June 2015.

• The She Shuttles bus services will run on all the main roads, connecting Hitech City, Madhapur, Gachibowli, Kondapur and other areas from 8 am to 11 pm.

• One bus covers 8 km in the Inorbit-Mind Space-Cyber Tower route and another covers 12 km in the Hitech City railway station-Shilparamam-Kondapur-Gachibowli-Wipro Junction route

• The She Shuttles Bus Mobile app was developed and deployed by Votary Tech, officials said.

• The SCSC officials said that with the smart phone app the passengers can see the location of the bus and track its movement.

• SHE-Shuttles is yet another step forward towards making Hyderabad Safer and Smarter.

Indian Railway Set up Institute of Financial Management (IRIFM) in Hyderabad

• The Indian Railways has set up the Institute of Financial Management (IRIFM) at Moula-Ali, Secunderabad, in Hyderabad district of Telangana.

• The new entity, IRIFM, will impart professional training in management of railway finances.

• The institute was formally inaugurated by Vinod Kumar Yadav, Chairman, Railway Board.

• Rail Vikas Nigam Limited conceived and constructed the project , on a 14-acre campus at a cost of Rs 85 crore.

• IRIFM is a green building that can generate 90% of its own power needs with solar installations on the campus besides a water-recycling plant.

 “Finding a Gaps” authored by Simon Taufel released

• Former Australian cricket umpire Simon Taufel released his book titled “Finding a Gaps” in Kolkata on Nov 24, 2019.

• Simon Taufel is a five-time ICC Umpire of the Year and has been a part of ICC’s Elite Panel of Umpires, till he retired in 2012.

DoT sets up committee to examine the impact of telecom tariff hikes

• The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has set up an internal committee to examine the impact of the increase in tariff hikes that Vodafone Idea, Bharti Airtel, and Reliance Jio have announced and will come into effect on December 1.

• This committee of secretaries is headed by the Cabinet Secretary Shri Rajiv Gauba and is looking at providing appropriate relief.

Remembering 26/11

• In remembrance of 26/11, the internet paid emotional tributes on the 11th year of the Mumbai attacks.

• Around 166 people died as a result of the attack and over 300 were injured. Several officials including Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, Sub-Inspector Tukaram Omble, Mumbai Anti Terrorist Squad Chief Hemant Karkare, Havaldar Gajendra Singh and Inspector Vijay Salaskar, were killed.

BANKING AND ECONOMICS

RBI expands scope of SNRR account to popularise rupee in cross-border transactions

• The Reserve Bank of India has expanded the scope of SNRR Account by permitting person resident outside India to open such account.

• Before this, only a person resident outside India, having a business interest in India, was authorised to open a Special Non-Resident Rupee Account (SNRR account) with an authorised dealer for the purpose of putting through bona fide transactions in rupees.

• Now RBI has expanded the scope of SNRR Account by permitting person resident outside India to open such account for:

a.         External Commercial Borrowings in INR;

b.         Trade Credits in INR;

c.         Trade (Export/ Import) Invoicing in INR; and

d.         Business related transactions outside International Financial Service Centre (IFSC) by IFSC units at GIFT city like administrative expenses in INR outside IFSC, INR amount from sale of scrap, government incentives in INR, etc. The account will be maintained with bank in India (outside IFSC).

• Also, earlier there was a restriction that No operations are permissible in the account after seven years from the date of opening of the account. Now this restriction of 7 years has been removed.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Sangram Dahiya & Varsha Varman win double trap national titles at 63rd National Shotgun Shooting Championship

• Sangram Dahiya of Haryana has clinched double trap titles to win gold in men’s category at the 63rd National Shotgun Shooting Championship in New Delhi.

• In women’s category, Varsha Varman of Madhya Pradesh won the double trap gold.

• Besides this, both Sangram and Varsha also won the team gold for their respective States.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Lt Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza promoted to the rank of Chief of General Staff: ISPR

• The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) announced major appointments and postings on Monday, according to which Lieutenant General Sahir Shamshad Mirza has been appointed Chief of General Staff.

NOMURA'S FOOD VULNERABILITY INDEX (NFVI): India stands 44

About:

• Nomura’s Food Vulnerability Index (NFVI) ranks countries on the basis of their exposure to large swings in food prices.

• NFVI has three components: (1) country’s GDP per person, (2) the share of food in household consumption and (3) the net food imports. Typically, lower per capita GDP, higher share of food in household consumption and high net food imports would make a country more vulnerable to spikes in food prices.

Key findings:

• The 50 countries most vulnerable to food price surges in the coming months largely belong to the Emerging Market group. The top 50 together account for almost 60 per cent of the global population.

• India has been ranked 44 out of 110 countries; a higher rank is worse.

• At 4.6%, India’s retail inflation for October touched a 16-month high because of the jump in food prices. Food inflation grew by almost 8% – almost double the rate of overall retail inflation. Key items that contributed to this rise were pulses (inflation rate 12%) and vegetables (inflation rate 26%) and fish and meat (inflation rate 10%).

• Nomura is an Asia-headquartered financial services group with an integrated global network spanning over 30 countries.

Ocean Dance Festival of Bangladesh begins in Cox’s Bazar on Friday

• The 2019 edition of the four day long Ocean Dance Festival was held in Cox Bazar of Bangladesh from November 22-25, 2019.

• The theme of 2019 festival was ‘Bridging the distance’ or Durotter Shetubandhan.

• Ocean Dance Festival is the largest international dance festival of Bangladesh.

• More than 200 dancers, choreographers and scholars from 15 countries participated in the festival.

• The festival aims to expand cultural tourism in Bangladesh and also to bridge the cultural and economic distances among the countries.

• It was inaugurated by State minister of cultural affairs KM Khalid.

• The festival was organised by the Nrityajog, the Bangladesh wing of World Dance Alliance (WDA).

NATIONAL NEWS

Sangai Festival 2019 Commences in Manipur(21st to 30th November)

• In Manipur, week-long Manipur Sangai Festival 2019 started from Sunday.

• The ‘Festival’ is named after the State animal, Sangai, the brow-antlered deer found only in Manipur.

• The festival is organized by the State Tourism Department and biggest festival held annually to promote tourism.

• The formal inaugural function of the festival was held at Hapta Kangjeibung at Imphal this evening.

• During the festival, cultural programmes, traditional games, folk dance and classical music will be performed by different communities of the State as well as from other States.

• The festival will conclude on the 30th of this month.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Eliud Kipchoge, the first man to run a marathon in less than two hours, and 400 metres hurdles world champion Dalilah Muhammad won the World Athlete of the Year awards.

• Kipchoge, claimed governing body World Athletics’ year-ending prize in Monaco after making history last month when he ran the marathon distance of 42.195 kilometres (26.219 miles) in 1hr 59min 40.2sec. American Muhammad won her award after a magnificent year that saw her set a world record of 52.20 seconds at the US Trials in Iowa in July breaking a record that had stood since 2003.

SPORTS

Davis Cup final: Spain beat Canada with wins for Rafael Nadal & Roberto Bautista Agut

• Rafael Nadal clinched an emotional Davis Cup victory for Spain over Canada when he beat Denis Shapovalov in front of a jubilant home crowd in Madrid.

• Nadal's win gave Spain an unassailable 2-0 lead and a sixth Davis Cup title.

• The world number one has won all eight of his rubbers this week to help Spain to a first title since 2011

Lakshya Sen wins 4th title of the season, claims Scottish Open

• Lakshya Sen has clinched three titles out of the four tournaments that he has played since September -- SaarLorLux Open, Dutch Open, and Belgian International.

• After this win, Lakshya will break into the top-40 in the BWF rankings

• The Scottish Open 2019 was held from November 21- 24, 2019 at Glasgow, Scotland.

India bag 28 medals including 13 gold in U-15 Asian Wrestling C'ships

• In wrestling, India concluded its campaign at the Under-15 Asian Championships with 28 medals, including 13 gold, 14 silver and a bronze.

• The superb show by Indian grapplers continued as they won 5 gold on the last day at Taichung, China yesterday

• For the first time, India finished on top of the team rankings in freestyle category with 225 points as all 10 wrestlers finished on the podium.

• Kazakhstan finished second while Japan was third.

OBITUARY

The General Secretary of the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and former West Bengal Minister Kshiti Goswami passed away.

Goswami was PWD Minister in Jyoti Basu and Buddhadev Bhattacharjee’s cabinet in the Left Front Government in the State.

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kailash Joshi has passed away.

He was called as the ‘saint of politics’, served as the state’s chief minister from 1977 to 1978. He was MLA for eight terms and also served as a member of both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.

SUMMITS AND MOU’S

India to host SCO forum of Young Scientists and Innovators 2020

• India has been chosen to host the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Forum of Young Scientists and Innovators in 2020.

• This decision was taken during the 5th Meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Member States Heads of Ministries and Departments of Science and Technology and Permanent Working Group on S&T Cooperation concluded in Moscow, Russia recently.

• Indian delegation was led by Secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and Director General Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Dr. Shekhar Mande.

• Apart from this, India will be the host of Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) of SCO Member States in 2020, which will approve the Draft SCO Roadmap on cooperation between research institutions of SCO Member States for the period 2021-2023.

• SCO has eight full time members namely:

China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, India and Pakistan.

PM Modi launches Fit India School grading system

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Fit India School grading system in schools across the country on November 24, 2019.

• The Fit India School rankings have been divided into three categories — The Fit India Schools, which is the first level of ranking, Fit India School (3 star) and Fit India School (5 star).

• Schools can declare themselves as fit by visiting the Fit India portal. Fit India three star and Fit India five star ratings will also be given.

India to host SCO forum of Young Scientists and Innovators next year

• India has been chosen to host the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Forum of Young Scientists and Innovators in 2020.

• Indian delegation was led by Secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and Director General Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Dr. Shekhar Mande.

• SCO has eight full time members namely:

China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, India and Pakistan.

8th International Tourism Mart Organised at Imphal, Manipur

• The 8th International Tourism Mart has been organised at Imphal, Manipur from 23 November to 25 November, 2019.

• The Theme of 2019 International Tourism Mart is “Sustainable Tourism an engine for Economic Growth and Employment”.

India Ranks 44 in Nomura’s Food Vulnerability Index (NFVI) 2019

• India has been ranked 44 among 110 countries in Food Vulnerability Index (NFVI) 2019, complied by Nomura Global Market Research.

• The NFVI ranks countries on the basis of their exposure to large swings in food prices.

• The higher the rank, the worse is the case.

AIIA signs MoU with Western Sydney University to promote Ayurveda

• The New Delhi based All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Western Sydney University, Australia.

• The MoU will promote collaboration in research and help in developing guidelines for integrating Ayurveda principles with modern medicine.

• The exchange of MoU took place on the occasion of the event ‘India- Australia International Education and Research Workshop’ held at the Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi.

National Tribal Craft Mela 2019 inaugurated in Bhubaneswar

• Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the 7-day long National Tribal Craft Mela-2019 in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha on November 23, 2019.

Indian Army conduct ‘Epic Run 2019’ in West Bengal

• Indian Army conducted the ‘Epic Run 2019’ at Pedong, West Bengal on November 23, 2019 in recognition and respect for the soldiers and their Next of Kin (NOK).

• The Indian Army is commemorating the Year 2019 as the ‘Year of NOK’ (YoNoK).

OECD predicts India’s GDP growth rate in 2020 at 6.2%

• Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has made the following GDP growth rate predictions for India:

• 2019- 5.8%

• 2020- 6.2%

• 2021- 6.4%

• The projections were made in the OECD Economic Outlook’s second edition.

Marathon Man Eliud Kipchoge, Hurdle Heroine Dalilah Muhammad Win Athlete of the Year

• .The pioneering marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge, who is the first man to run a marathon in less than two hours, has won the World Athlete of the Year 2019.

• Besides, the 400 metres hurdles world champion Dalilah Muhammad has been named as the World Athlete of the Year 2019 in women’s category.

Former Madhya Pradesh CM Kailash Joshi Passes Away at 91

• Former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Kailash Joshi died after a prolonged illness. He was 91.

• He had served as the state’s chief minister from 1977 to 1978.

Devendra Fadnavis Takes Oath as Chief Minister of Maharashtra for Second Term

• Devendra Fadnavis has taken oath as the Maharashtra Chief Minister for the second term.

• Ajit Pawar of Nationalist Congress Party has been sworn in as the deputy CM.

• President’s Rule, which was imposed in Maharashtra on November 12 under Article 356(1), has been revoked.

• The oath was administered by Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.

Sub Lieutenant Shivangi is the first-ever woman pilot for Navy

• First woman pilot of Indian Navy will join Naval operations in Kochi on December 2, 2019 two days before the Navy Day.

• Shivangi, who had been undergoing training at the Southern Naval Command, will get authorisation on December 2, 2019 to fly Dornier aircrafts.

India ranks 8th in WHO study on physical activity among adolescents

• As per The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health report of the World Health Organisation (WHO), India has been ranked at 8th spot in terms of the lowest level of insufficient physical activity among adolescents.

• Bangladesh tops the list while USA’s adolescents figure fourth on the list of 146 countries. India is ranked eighth with an overall prevalence of insufficient physical activity in adolescents at 73.9 percent.

Army Dedicates Goodwill Park To Celebrated Soldier Lt. Naib Subedar Chuni Lal

• An Army Goodwill Park has been dedicated by the Indian Army as a tribute to the late Naib Subedar Chuni Lal, at his native Dhara village of Bhaderwah in Doda district of Jammu & Kashmir.

• The park was inaugurated by the Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Ranbir Singh on November 22, 2019.

• Chuni Lal is the most decorated soldier who was awarded with

o Sena Medal in 1987

o Vir Chakra in 2000

o Ashok Chakra (posthumous) in 2007

G20 foreign ministers, including South Korea's Kang Kyung-wha, gather in Nagoya for Japan's last turn as host

• The G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting 2019 was held in Nagoya, Japan on November 22 an 23, 2019.

• The G20 is made up of 19 countries and the EU. The 19 countries are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the UK and the US

World’s biggest Islamic Congregation Aalmi Tablighi Ijtima Begins in Bhopal

• In Madhya Pradesh, the four-day Aalmi Tablighi Ijtima, world’s biggest Islamic Congregation began in Bhopal this morning. More than one million people from 54 countries are expected to attend the congregation which will continue till 25th November.

• Ijtima began in the era of Nawabs in Bhopal and now it has become the identity of Bhopal worldwide.

• The first Alami Tablighi Ijtima took place in Bhopal in 1944.

11th Agrovision: India’s Premier Agri Summit

• The Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Shri Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the 11th edition of Agrovision, an Agricultural exhibition, which is scheduled from 22-25 November, 2019 at Reshimbagh Ground, Nagpur, Maharashtra.

• Agrovision is one of “India’s Premier Agri Summit” to create a prosperous agrarian society where farmers are well informed about the latest practices and agriculture becomes a remunerative and attractive profession.

• The theme of the 11th Agrovision is “Smart Technologies for Sustainable Development”.

• The new Initiatives in 11th Agrovision includes

o IT in Agriculture

o Start-Ups in Agriculture

o International Pavilion

o MSME Pavilion

Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat releases short documentary fim "Shikhar se Pukar"

• The Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat released the short documentary film on Water Conservation titled “Shikhar se Pukar” by author Shri Ravindra Kumar, District Magistrate Bulandshahr.

• The film has been made to promote ‘Jalshakti Abhiyan’ and create awareness about water conservation “Jal Sanrakshan Abhiyan”.

Kalaburagi Airport Inaugurated in Karnataka Under UDAN / RCS

• The Chief Minister Of Karnataka Shri B S Yediyurappa inaugurated the Kalaburagi Airport on November 22.

• The airport has been built under the UDAN-RCS Scheme of Government of India.

• With the operation of Kalaburagi airport, the North-east Karnataka region is set to have air connectivity to Bengaluru and the rest of India under the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik)-Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS).

Chitharesh Natesan Becomes first Indian to be crowned Mr Universe 2019

• Delhi-based Chitharesh Natesan from Kerala has become the first Indian to be crowned Mr Universe 2019 title at the 11th World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championship (WBPF) 2019 held in South Korea from November 5 to 11, 2019.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Oxford Word of the Year 2019: climate emergency

• The Oxford Word of the Year 2019 is “climate emergency. “

• Climate emergency is defined as 'a situation in which urgent action is required to reduce or halt climate change and avoid potentially irreversible environmental damage resulting from it.

• The Oxford Word of the Year is a word or expression shown through usage evidence to reflect the ethos, mood, or preoccupations of the passing year, and have lasting potential as a term of cultural significance.

• Analysis of language data collected in the Oxford Corpus shows the rapid rise of climate emergency from relative obscurity to becoming one of the most prominent – and prominently debated – terms of 2019.

Global Terrorism Index 2019: Afghanistan most impacted by terrorism

• The Global Terrorism Index released by the Australia based Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP) ranks 163 countries according to the impact of terrorism on the basis of factors such as the number of attacks, fatalities, injuries and the extent of property damage.

• India has been placed at 7th position in terms of country most impacted by terrorism.

• According to the 2019 Global Terrorism Index (GTI), Afghanistan recorded largest increase in deaths from terrorism.

•  Top 10 countries most impacted by terrorism

1.         Afghanistan

2.         Iraq

3.         Nigeria

4.         Syria

5.         Pakistan

6.         Somalia

7.         India

8.         Yemen

9.         Philippines

10.       Democratic Republic of the Congo

US approves sale of 13 naval guns worth over $1 billion to India

• The United States has approved the sale of 13 MK45 Naval guns and related equipment to India at an estimated cost of $1.0210 billion (approximately Rs 7,331.76 crore).

• The MK 45 5 inch/62 calibre (MOD 4) naval guns will provide the capability to conduct anti-surface warfare and anti-air defense missions while enhancing interoperability with the U.S. and other allied forces.

• India will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defense.

CII India Europe 29 Business Forum 2019

• Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India are organising 5th edition of the India-Europe 29 Business Forum on 20-21 November 2019 at the Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra, New Delhi, India.

• Focus Sectors

• Artificial Intelligence

• IT & ITeS

• Pharmaceuticals

• Renewable Energy

• Smart Cities, including urban transportation

• Key Outcomes Expected

• Bring together various stakeholders to facilitate dialogue on pre-identified projects.

• Focus on tangible outcomes in terms of building new business partnerships.

• Chart out a roadmap for increased trade and investment by focusing on certain sectors, capitalizing on opportunities in those sectors and removing bottlenecks.

• Create a higher level of awareness of the business climate and incentives provided by each country.

Potential Diarrhea vaccine developed in Sweden

• The researchers of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden have developed a potential Diarrhea vaccine.

• Science journal, The Lancet, reports that it has been proved safe and effective in an early-stage clinical trial in Bangladesh.

• The report said that 80 to 100 per cent of the children aged two to five years and 50 to 80 per cent of infants aged six to eleven months, selected for the study responded to all key immunity generating components of the vaccine.

• The researchers said, there is no vaccine yet for use for children and vaccine development for Diarrhea is a World Health Organization priority.

NATIONAL NEWS

India to host 1st counter-terror exercise for Quad countries

• The National Investigation Agency (NIA) will host the first-ever counter-terrorism exercise for the Quad countries, including India, the US, Japan and Australia, here at its headquarters in New Delhi on November 21 and 22.

• The ‘CT-TTX’ (counter-terrorism table-top exercise) would be the first engagement among the four countries to discuss issues of common interest related to counter-terrorism.

• The purpose of the exercise is to assess and validate counter-terrorism response mechanisms in the light of emerging terrorist threats.

• The table-top exercise also aims at improving the inter-agency cooperation between different counter-terrorism and other agencies of the Quad countries.

4-day Northeast festival in Varanasi from November 23

• The 2019 edition of the ‘Destination North East’ Festival will be held at IIT BHU grounds in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

• The festival is being organised by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER).

• A four-day festival showcasing art, culture, cuisine, handicrafts and handlooms of the northeastern region will be held for the first time in Varanasi.

• It will be inaugurated by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of DoNER, Dr Jitendra Singh.

• All 8 Northeastern states will participate the event to display their handicrafts, handloom, organic products and cultural troupes.

Bengaluru is India’s top-ranked city in new global inclusive prosperity index

• Bangalore has emerged highest-ranked Indian city in the first-ever Prosperity & Inclusion City Seal and Awards (PICSA) Index which features world’s 113 cities in terms of economic and social inclusivity.

• Three Indian city has been listed in the index.

• While Bengaluru is placed at 83rd position, Delhi (101) and Mumbai (107) are the other two Indian cities in the list.

• The index has been topped by Zurich in Switzerland.

• Vienna, Copenhagen, Luxembourg and Helsinki are the top five cities in the index respectively.

• The PICSA Index has been commissioned by Basque institutions and compiled by D&L Partners.

• The index is designed to showcase not only the quantity of economic growth of a city but also its quality and distribution across populations

Microsoft rolls out the K12 Education Transformation Framework widely in India

• The Microsoft K-12 Education Transformation Framework provides a holistic framework to facilitate a comprehensive digital transformation of schools.

•  It comprises of four pillars-Leadership and Policy; Modern Teaching and Learning; Intelligent Environments and Technology Blueprint.

• Microsoft India launched the framework at the second edition of the Microsoft Education Days, which was participated by more than 700 school leaders, educators, students, and Microsoft partners to deliberate on the future of learning.

• To help school principals initiate their journey of digital transformation, the program will offer a series of workshops based on each of these pillars.

• The Microsoft K-12 Education Transformation Framework is an effective, flexible platform based on the latest research and input from hundreds of academics, experts and policy makers.

• Education leaders in more than 50 countries have already adopted the Microsoft K-12 Education Transformation Framework to help plan their learning strategies in partnership with Microsoft.

BANKING AND ECONOMICS

OECD cuts global GDP growth outlook to 2.9% in 2020

• In its latest economic outlook report released on Thursday, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) trimmed the global economic growth forecast to 2.9% in 2020, while the outlook for 2019 remained unchanged, also at 2.9%. The 2020 figure was cut from a 3% forecast in September and marks the lowest growth rate since the financial crisis.

• The outlook for the US was also revised from 2.4% to 2.3%, while the figure for next year has remained the same. Euro area's growth was revised up by 0.1 points to 1.1% in 2019 and 1.1% in 2020. In China, the growth rate drop will be sharper, the report indicated, from 6.2% in 2019 to 5.7% in 2020.

• Also, OECD sees the global economic growth edging back up to 3% in 2021.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Sub Lieutenant Shivangi, 24, first woman pilot of Indian Navy to join duty on December 2

• Shivangi, hailing from Muzzafarpur, Bihar, has created history by becoming the first Indian woman pilot to join the Indian Navy.

• She is set to join naval operations on December 2 in Kochi, two days ahead of Navy Day, which falls on December 4.

• Shivangi will join naval operations as a Lieutenant on completion of her operational training which she has been undergoing at the Southern Naval Command in Kochi.

• After the training, Shivangi will get authorisation to fly dornier aircrafts with effect from December 2.

• Till now, the Indian Navy’s Aviation branch has had women officers operating as air traffic control officers and as ‘observers’ in the aircraft who are responsible for communication and weapons.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

UP rail coach factory to employ India-made humanoid robot Sona 1.5

• The Modern Coach Factory (MCF), Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh has introduced indigenously developed humanoid robot named ‘Sona 1.5’ to transport documents from one place to another.

• The full-service robot Sona 1.5 has been developed by Jaipur based Club First Technologies and will also be used for welcoming visitors, technical interaction, other types of training.

• The robot is said to be the first in the world having human-like spine technology which helps them to balance.

• In addition to this, the humanoid robot is based on navigation and mapping with the help of sensors and reach the target.

NATIONAL NEWS

Two fast patrol vessels for Indian Coast Guard launched

• The vessels, named ICGS Amrit Kaur (102nd warship) and ICGS Kamla Devi after freedom fighters, are the third and fourth in a series of five fast patrol vessels being built by GRSE for the Indian Coast Guard Ships(ICGS).

• These two fast patrol vessels manufactured by Defence PSU Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers for Indian Coast Guard were launched Thursday.

• The vessels are 50 metres long, 7.5 metres wide with a displacement of around 308 tons.

• These ships are designed for a maximum speed of 34 knots with an endurance of more than 1,500 nautical miles.

• ICGS Priyadarshini and ICGS Annie Besant are the first two FPV in the series which has already been delivered to ICGS.

• The last two FPVs namely ICGS Kamla Devi and ICGS Kanaklata Barua will be commissioned shortly, after successful sea trails.

CCEA  Approved Bills: November 20

Approvals made by The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCAE) chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on November 20, 2019 are as follows:-

• Establishment of the National Institute for Sowa-Rigpa in Leh as an autonomous organization under the Ministry of AYUSH

• Ex-post facto approval for the proposal that has been approved under Rule 12 of the Government of India (Transaction of Business) Rules, 1961 with regard to removing difficulty arising in giving effect to the provisions of the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act 2019 with regard to section 3 of the Act

• Extension/renewal of the extant Pharmaceuticals Purchase Policy (PPP) with the same terms and conditions while adding one additional product namely, Alcoholic Hand Disinfectant (AHD) to the existing list of 103 medicines till the final closure/strategic disinvestment of the Pharma CPSUs

• Approved the proposal for introducing the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in order to replace the Ordinance.

• Adoption of the Patent Prosecution Highway programme

• Mitigating financial stress being faced by the Telecom Services Sector

• Introduction of International Financial Services Centres Authority Bill, 2019 in Lok Sabha, after withdrawal from Rajya Sabha

• Introduction of the Industrial Relations Code, 2019 in the Parliament.

• Amendments and modifications in the Toll-Operate-Transfer model and securitization of user fee receipts of NH

•  ‘In-principle’ approval for strategic disinvestment in select CPSEs: Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL), Shipping Corporation of India Ltd. (SCI), Container Corporation of India Ltd. (CONCOR), Tehri Hydro Development Corporation India Limited (THDCIL) and North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO)

• Reduction of Government of India equity shareholding in select CPSEs below 51% by retaining management control

• Proposal for enactment of Recycling of Ships Bill, 2019 and accession to the Hong Kong International Convention for Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009.

• MoU between India and Finland for strengthening cooperation in the field of Tourism.

• MoU between India and Comoros on cooperation in the field of Health and Medicine

Kolkata Becomes First City to Install 'Third Umpire' RT-PCR Machines for Speedy Detection of Dengue

• In a major step towards upholding public health, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has installed first of its kind high-end reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) machines in India for quick detection of diseases like dengue, tuberculosis and swine flu.

• These machines are to serve as a ‘third umpire’ in situations when medical reports and blood tests reveal contradictory results. “The purpose is to give accurate DNA report on blood tests in order to ascertain the exact cause of illness,”

• Tests will be conducted free of cost said Deputy Mayor of KMC, Atin Ghosh.

• Four machines have been installed in the initial stages of the project at Hatbagan in North Kolkata, Behala, Jadavpur and at Haji Mohammad Mohsin Square in central part of the city.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Greta Thunberg and Divina Maloum receive 15th International Children’s Peace Prize

• This year, there are two different winners.

• Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg (16) and peace activist Divina Maloum (15) received the prize from Nobel Peace Prize recipient and human rights advocate Kailash Satyarthi.

• Last year, for the first time, the prize was awarded not to an individual, but to a collective (March For Our Lives)

Swachh Survekshan Grameen 2019 Awards

• The top ranked state in the list is Tamil Nadu.

• The top ranked district is Peddapalli (Telangana).

•  The state with the maximum citizen participation was given to Uttar Pradesh.

• Corporates for contribution under the Swachhata Hi Seva campaign 2019 areCement Manufacturers Association (CMA), Hindustan Unilever Limited and AMUL

SPORTS

ISSF World Cup Final: India tops medal tally with five gold, two silver and a bronze

• Manu Bhaker bagged India's first gold medal at the tournament this year in Women's 10m Air Pistol.

• Manu Bhaker broke the junior world record with her total of 244.7.

• Manu Bhaker also became only the second Indian shooter after Heena Sidhu to win a gold medal Women's 10m Air Pistol at the ISS World Cup.

• Divyansh Singh Panwar, 17, Bags India's 3rd Gold Medal at ISSF World Cup Finals of 10m Air Rifle event on Thursday.

• Divyansh won gold in the men's category after he shot a score of 250.1 in the final round

• Earlier, 20-year-old Elavenil clinched the gold in the women's 10m Air Pistol category with a score of 250.8 in the final round

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Nuclear capable Prithvi-2 missile successfully testfired off Odisha coast at night

• The trial of the surface-to-surface missile with a strike range of 350 km was carried out from a mobile launcher from launch complex-3 of the ITR at 7:05 pm

• It is capable of carrying 500 to 1,000 kg of warheads and is powered by liquid propulsion twin engines. The state-of-the-art missile uses an advanced inertial guidance system with maneuvering orbit to hit its target.

• Prithvi was inducted into the Armour of the defence forces in 2003.

SUMMITS AND MOU’S

India to organize NuGen Mobility summit 2019 in November

• India's International center for Automotive Technology (ICAT) will organize a NuGen Mobility summit 2019 in November this year in association with SAENIS, SAE INDIA, SAE International, NATRiP, DIMTS, DHI, MoRTH, SIAM and ACMA

• Theme of 2019 is “Smart & Green Mobility”

• The heavy industries and public enterprises ministry said the summit would be held at Manesar, falling in the national capital region (NCR) of Indian capital - New Delhi from November 27 to 29.

• "The objective of the summit is to share new ideas, learnings, global experiences, innovations and future technology trends for faster adoption, assimilation and development of advanced automotive technologies for a smarter and greener future,"

• This event will help in building a platform for bringing together all stakeholders in the automotive industry to understand global advancements in technologies.

Keynote address by Secretary (East) at the BIMSTEC Coastal Security Workshop (November 20, 2019)

• The first ever "BIMSTEC Conclave of Ports” was held recently at Vishakhapatnam on 7-8 November 2019.

• At this Conclave three MoUs between Ranong Port of Thailand on the West Coast and the Ports of Chennai, Vishakhapatnam and Kolkata on the Indian East Coast were signed.

• The workshop aims at sharing views, best practices and experiences on issues of common maritime interest.

• The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, BIMSTEC is an international organisation of seven nations - Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan.

•  Secretary (East) Vijay Thakur Singh  said BIMSTEC nations have to be mindful of security challenges, both at sea and at the coastline. She said that in the last three years, BIMSTEC has developed full security cooperation and this should continue, deepen and diversify, be it in cybersecurity, or maritime security.

New Delhi to Host First 3-day “Global Bio-India 2019” Summit from 21st - 23rd November

• The DBT, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India along with its Public Sector Undertaking, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) is organizing this event.

• The event has been structured to bring together stakeholders from 30 countries, 250 start-ups, 200 exhibitors. Central and State ministries, regulatory bodies, investors, totalling to 3500 participants is anticipated.

• The event is expected to strengthen the indigenous research capabilities, bio-entrepreneurship, investments and last-mile-delivery of technology across rural India and tier-2, 3 cities.

• Theme: Power to Transform Lives: Bioscience to Bioeconomy – USD 100 Bn by 2025

Lt Col Jyoti Sharma becomes first female JAG officer from Army to be deployed on foreign mission

• Lieutenant Colonel Jyoti Sharma has been appointed as the Indian Army’s female Judge Advocate General officer.

• She became the first female officer from the army to be deployed on a foreign mission.

• Lt Sharma will be appointed as the military legal expert with the government of Seychelles.

• Wing Commander Anjali Singh joined Indian Embassy in Russia as India’s first female military diplomat in an abroad mission in Sep.

Kolkata Becomes First Indian City to Install ‘Third Umpire’ RT-PCR Machines

• The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has installed India’s first-of-its-kind high-end Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) machines for quick detection of diseases like dengue, tuberculosis and swine flu.

• The RT-PCR machines will serve as a ‘third umpire’ in situations when medical reports and blood tests reveal contradictory results.

• These machines will give accurate DNA report on blood tests in order to ascertain the exact cause of illness.

IRCTC Signs MoU with Karnataka Tourism to market & run Golden Chariot train

• Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC), a tourism arm of Indian Railways, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) to market and operate the Golden Chariot Train in New Delhi .

• Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) will soon hand over the reins of the train to IRCTC. IRCTC is planning a revamp of the train itineraries also to add different flavours that Karnataka has to offer.

• The new itineraries shall be a mix of history, culture, wildlife and nature. It is proposed to include Bandipur, Mysore, Halebid, Chikmagalur, Hampi, Bijapur and Goa in the itinerary.

Virat Kohli named PETA India’s 2019 Person of the Year

• Indian Cricketer, Virat Kohli has been named as the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India’s Person of the Year 2019.

• Virat Kohli is a fierce animal rights proponent who never hesitates to run out cruelty to animals any way he can.

• Earlier, this accolade has been received by Shashi Tharoor, Anushka Sharma, Sunny Leone, Sonam Kapoor, Hema Malini, R Madhavan, Jacqueline Fernandez and former Supreme Court Justice KS Panicker Radhakrishnan.

Football Delhi 1st in India to Launch Academy Accreditation and Licensing System

• In a bid to improve football, professionalise the set-up and to reach out to every stakeholder in the National Capital Region (NCR), Football Delhi has implemented the Academy Accreditation and Licensing System.

• Delhi is the first state association to do so.

• This is an effort to ensure that every small football academy in the city, including schools and NGO-operated football training centres in the NCR, benefits as Football Delhi tries to spread the sport.

Sudhir Mital elected president of Gymnastics Federation of India (GFI)

• Former Competition Commission of India chairman SudhirMital and Shantikumar Singh were elected as president and general secretary respectively, of the Gymnastics Federation of India (GFI).

• KaushikBidiwala was elected as treasurer, defeating Ashok Kumar Sahoo by 42 votes to 2.

• Mital, a retired IAS officer of Punjab cadre, was a former president and served as GFI chief from 2003 to 2007. He served as chairman of Competition Commission of India in 2018 after joining the organisation in 2014 as a member.

• Shantikumar, a former national level gymnast from Manipur, had earlier served as GFI treasurer from 2011 to 2015 and then got elected as secretary in the 2015 elections.

Satya Nadella tops Fortune’s Businessperson of the Year 2019 list

• Microsoft’s Chief Executive Officer SatyaNadella has topped the Fortune’s Businessperson of the Year 2019 list. The list features 20 Businesspersons.

• Elizabeth Gaines of Fortescue Metals Group is on second, Brian Niccol is on third.

• Ajay Banga the CEO of Mastercard is the top Indian in the list and is ranked at 8th spot. JayshreeUllal of Arista is ranked at 18th.

Universal Children’s Day – 20 November

• Universal/World Children’s Day is celebrated on 20 November annually to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children’s welfare.

• The day also marks the anniversary of adoption of Declaration and Convention of the Rights of the Child.

• In 1959, UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child

• In 1989 UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

• 2019 marks the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Darjeeling Green Tea & White Tea receive GI Tag

• Darjeeling Tea Association said green and white tea of the hills have been registered as geographical indication (GI) products in the country.

• These two varieties of Darjeeling tea have been registered under Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act 1999, with effect from October 2019, it said.

• The Tea Board had filed an application in this regard on December 2017, the DTA said.

• This will “strengthen the protection of the intellectual property rights of the Darjeeling tea”, which is considered as “niche and luxury” products in the country and abroad.

• Of the total annual production of 8.5 million kilograms of Darjeeling tea, green tea comprises one million kilogram and white tea one lakh kilogram.

Joint Exercise between Qatar and India (Zair-Al-Bahr 2019)

• Indian Navy Guided Missile Stealth Frigate INS Trikand and Patrol Aircraft P8-I arrived at Doha for the inaugural edition of the Bilateral Maritime Exercise Za’ir-Al-Bahr (Roar of the Sea) being conducted from 17 to 21 Nov 19 between the Indian Navy and Qatari Emiri Naval Forces.

• Za’ir-Al-Bahr 2019 would strengthen cooperation and enhance interoperability between the two navies.

• The Exercise will include a three-day Harbour Phase and Two days Sea Phase.

• The activities during the harbour phase will include a seminar, professional interaction, official visits, sports fixtures along with social and cultural events.

India ranked 59 in IMD World Talent Ranking Report

• India has been ranked at 59 in the IMD World Talent Ranking out of 63 countries. Switzerland has topped the ranking.

• Denmark was placed second and Sweden was in the third place.

12th Urban Mobility India Conference and Expo 2019

• The 12th Urban Mobility India Conference and Expo 2019 was held from November 15 to 17 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

• The conference was organised by Institute of Urban Transport (IUT) under the aegis of Union Ministry of Urban Development.

• The theme of the conference was “Accessible and liveable Cities”.

International Principal’s Education Conference (IPEC) Inaugurated in Nagpur

• The 3-day International Principal’s Education Conference (IPEC) was inaugurated in Nagpur, Maharashtra by the RSS Chief Dr. Mohan Bhagwat on November 19, 2019.

• The conference is based on the theme “Scripting the Legends of Human Excellence through Schools.”

Meghalaya-based insurgent group HNLC banned by govt

• The central government of India has banned the Meghalaya-based insurgent group Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) for its increased activities of violence and other and other anti-India programmes

• The notification released by the MHA said “The HNLC along with all its factions, wings and frontal organisations has been banned for their involvement in activities aimed at breaking away those parts of Meghalaya which are inhabited by Khasi and Jaintiatribals, from India.”

ISRO To Launch Cartosat-3 Satellite and 13 Commercial Nano Satellites

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch its earth imaging and mapping satellite named Cartosat-3 on November 25 from the SatishDhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

• In addition to this, 13 commercial nano satellites from the US would also be launched.

• The launch would take place onboard Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C47).

• This will be the 21st flight of PSLV in ‘XL’ configuration (with 6 solid strap-on motors).

• The Cartosat-3 is a “third generation agile advanced satellite” with high resolution imaging capability.

• The satellite would be placed in an orbit of 509 km at an inclination of 97.5 degree.

Max Verstappen wins Brazilian Grand Prix 2019

• Max Verstappen (Red Bull – Belgian-Dutch) has won the Formula One Brazilian Grand Prix 2019.

• The Ferraris of Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc clashed in the race due to which Verstappen was able to take the lead and ultimately win the race.

• Pierre Gasly of France was on second position and was the first podium position for him while Lewis Hamilton remained on third.

Sharad Arvind Bobde sworn-in as 47th Chief Justice of India

• Sharad Arvind Bobde sworn-in as the 47th Chief Justice of India at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

CJI Bobde has in the past served as Additional Judge at the Bombay High Court and Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court.

• He was elevated as a Judge of Supreme Court in April 2013.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa wins Sri Lanka presidential election

• Sri Lanka’s ruling party presidential candidate has conceded defeat to rival Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the Indian Ocean island nation’s election.

• Rajapaksa reached the threshold for victory of 50% plus one vote, with most of Premadasa’s electoral strongholds counted.

Joker Bagged Golden Frog Award For Best Cinematography At EnergaCamerimage Festival

• Joaquin Phoenix starrer ‘Joker’ won the Golden Frog Award for cinematography in the main competition at the EnergaCamerimage International Film Festival in Torun, Poland.

• ‘Joker’, which was directed by Todd Phillips, also won the Audience Award at the festival.

• Joker is the fourth DC comic title to cross 1 billion USD, after Aquaman (USD 1.15 billion), The Dark Knight Rises (USD 1.084 billion) and The Dark Knight (USD 1.005 billion).

IAAF officially changes its name to World Athletics

• The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) will now officially be known as World Athletics, a statement said.

• The IAAF was founded in 1912 as the International Amateur Athletic Federation but changed its name to the International Association of Athletics Federations in 2001.

• It is the international governing body for the sport of athletics, covering track and field, cross country running, road running, racewalking, mountain running and ultra running.

UP CM Inaugurates North India’s First Ethanol Producing Sugar Mill in Gorakhpur

• Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated North India’s first sugar mill which will produce ethanol direct from sugarcane.

• The Pipraich Sugar Mill inaugurated in Gorakhpur is a unit of Uttar Pradesh Sugar and Sugarcane Development Corporation Limited.

India extends visa-on-arrival facility to UAE nationals

• The Indian government has decided to extend the visa-on-arrival facility to the United Arab Emirates nationals.

• It will be available to UAE nationals for up to 60 days with double entry for business, tourism, conference and medical purposes.

• It will be available only to those UAE nationals who have earlier obtained an e-Visa or a normal paper Visa for India.

• Japan and South Korea are the other two countries whose citizens are offered the visa-on-arrival facility by India.

• Citizens of around 170 countries are given e-Visa facility.

India Inks $91 Million Loan with ADB for Comprehensive Water Management in Karnataka

The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed USD 91 million loan under Karnataka Integrated and Sustainable Water Resources Management Investment Program (IWRM)

Harmeet Desai Wins 2019 Indonesia Open TT Championship

• In table tennis, India’s Harmeet Desai, defeated Anthony Amalraj, in the final at ITTF Challenge Indonesia Open table tennis championship 2019 held in Batam, Indonesia.

National Mission ‘NISHTHA’ launched in Jammu and Kashmir

• National Initiative for School Heads’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement (NISHTHA) was launched in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir with its formal inauguration by Commissioner Secretary, School Education Department, SaritaChauhan.

• NISHTHA is a National Mission aimed at “Improving learning outcomes at Elementary level” through Integrated Teacher Trainings.

• It brings competencies among all the teachers and school principals at the elementary stage to address the diverse needs of children through multiple pedagogies.

National Tribal Festival AadiMahotsav to begin in New Delhi

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah will inaugurate the National Tribal Festival “AadiMahotsav” in New Delhi.

• The theme of the 15-day Mahotsav being held at DilliHaat in INA, is celebration of the Spirit of Tribal Culture, Craft, Cuisine and Commerce.

• The tribal textiles manufactured by master tribal craftsmen from Jammu & Kashmir in the North to Tamil Nadu in the South and from Gujarat in the West to Nagaland/Sikkim in the East will be the main attractions.

Senior Journalist Rajat Sharma Quits as DDCA Chief

• Senior journalist Rajat Sharma has resigned from the post of President of Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) on November 16 citing his inability to continue amidst “various pulls and pressures” within the organisation.

• Rajat Sharma said : “It seems that it may not be possible to carry on in DDCA with my principles of integrity, honesty and transparency, which I am not willing to compromise at any cost.”

Manoj Bajpayee’s ‘Bhonsle’ Wins Two Awards At The Asian Film Festival Barcelona

• Manoj Bajpayee starrer critically accalimed movie Bhonsle has won two prestigious awards at the Asian Film Festival Barcelona.

• The DevashishMakhija directed film Bhonsle won Best Screenplay and Best Director awards at the festival.

• The Barcelona Asian Film Festival was the 7th edition featuring more than a hundred films from 25 countries of the Asian continent.

Rs 12,000 crore Nadu-Nedu programme in Andhra Pradesh

• Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy launched the ‘Nadu-Nedu’ programme to introduce English medium from classes 1 to 6 in state-run schools.

• Under the scheme, the government will transform all its schools with the required infrastructure, including setting up English Labs, besides providing basic amenities like furniture, toilets, running water, compound wall, blackboard, renovation.

• In the first phase, the ‘Nadu-Nedu’ programme will be implemented in 15,715 schools. It will cover all schools in three years under a budget of Rs 12,000 crores. For the first year in the initial phase, Rs 3,500 crores will be spent for infrastructure development, according to an official statement.

India’s first-ever day-night pink ball Test match to be played at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens from November 22

• In a historic move, the first-ever day-night pink ball Test match on Indian soil will be held at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata from 22–26 November 2019 against Bangladesh.

• India has not played a day-night Test match before.For Bangladesh also, it will also mark their debut test with the pink ball on the international stage.

International Day for Tolerance: November 16

• The International Day for Tolerance is observed annually on 16 November.Theday was declared by UNESCO in 1995 to generate public awareness of the dangers of intolerance.

National Press Day: November 16

• National Press Day is observed on November 16 every year to celebrate free and responsible press in India.It also commemorates the day when the Press Council of India started functioning.