INTERNATIONAL

Cyprus Finds C-19 Infections That Combine Delta and Omicron

•Cyprus has detected a new variant dubbed as “Deltacron”, that has a similar genetic background to the Delta variant, coupled with 10 mutations from Omicron. The variant has already affected 25 people in Cyprus. According to Dr Leondios Kostrikis, the head of the laboratory of biotechnology and molecular virology at the University of Cyprus, of the 25 samples taken in Cyprus, 11 were hospitalised due to the virus, while 14 were from the general population.

•The new variant from the lineage named B.1.640.2 is believed to have infected 12 people in the country, according to the yet-to-be peer-reviewed study supported by the French government. Studies have shown that the co-existence of Delta and Omicron increases the chances of a new variant as a result of them trading genes.

NATIONAL

India’s Forest, Tree Cover Rose By 2,261 Sq Km In Last 2 Years: Environment Minister Releases Report

•Union Environment Minister, Bhupender Yadav has launched the 17th edition of the biennial ‘India State of Forest Report (ISFR)’ 2021. ISFR is released by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), every two years since 1987 to assess the country’s forest resources. India’s forest and tree cover rose by 2,261 square kilometres in ISFR 2021 as compared to the assessment of 2019. This includes an increase of 1,540 square kilometres in forest cover and a 721 sq km increase in tree cover.

•The forest and tree cover in India is now 8,09,537 sq km. Total forest cover is 7,13,789 sq km, (21.71 per cent of the geographical area) and tree cover is 95,748 sq km (2.91 per cent of the geographical area).

•The total forest and tree cover in the country is now spread across 80.9 million hectares or 24.62% of the geographical area of the country.

•The top five states in terms of increase in forest cover are Andhra Pradesh (647 sq km), Telangana (632 sq km), Odisha (537 sq km), Karnataka (155 sq km) and Jharkhand (110 sq km).

Kachai Lemon Festival begins in Manipur

•The 18th edition of the two days long Kachai Lemon Festival began in Manipur at the Local Ground of Kachai Village in Ukhrul district. The Kachai Lemon Festival is organised annually to promote this unique kind of lemon fruit and to encourage lemon farmers. This year, altogether 260 stalls are put up at the festival showcasing the rich reap of lemon this year. This year the festival is being organised under the theme ‘Organic Kachai Lemon for Safe Environment and Rural Transformation’. A training program for lemon farmers will be held tomorrow as part of the festival.

•Kachai Lemon of Manipur has been accorded Geographical Indication (GI) registration tag and widely grown in the Kachai Village of Ukhrul district. Unlike the other lemon varieties grown in other parts of the world, Kachai Lemon is considered to be unique as it is a rich source of ascorbic acid and famous for its juice content.

SPORTS

AISCD will host the first World Deaf T20 Cricket Championship in Kerala from January 10 to 20, 2023

•The All India Sports Council of the Deaf has got approval from the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) to host the first World Deaf T20 Cricket Championship in Kerala from January 10-20, 2023. This championship was planned to be conducted in 2020-21 but due to the sudden outbreak of coronavirus, it was postponed first to 2022 & now fixed for 2023. A minimum of eight countries are expected to take part in the championship and this kind of international event is being held in India with the approval of the ICSD for the first time.”

•AISCD is the only Centre-recognised national sports federation for the deaf, while the ICSD is the only international federation recognized as governing body of the deaf sports movement and Deaflympics sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Isro successfully conducts cryo engine test for Gaganyaan rocket

•Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully conducted the qualification test of Cryogenic Engine for Gaganyaan programme for a duration of 720 seconds at ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu. According to the space agency, the performance of the engine met the test objectives and the engine parameters were closely matching with the predictions during the entire duration of the test.

•This successful long-duration test is a major milestone for the Human Space Programme – Gaganyaan. It ensures the reliability and robustness of the cryogenic engine for induction into the human-rated launch vehicle for Gaganyaan. Further, this engine will undergo four more tests for a cumulative duration of 1810 seconds. Subsequently, one more engine will undergo two short-duration tests & one long-duration test to complete the cryogenic engine qualification for Gaganyaan Programme.

APPOINTMEN & RESIGNATION

Kurukshetra University's Prof Emeritus Tanwar Made ICHR Chairman

•Professor emeritus, Kurukshetra University, Raghuvendra Tanwar has been appointed as chairman of the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR). Tanwar appointment is for a period of three years from the day he assumes the office of the Chairman of the Council or until further order. Tanwar, who joined Kurukshetra University as a lecturer in August 1977, has an outstanding academic record, with two gold medals in MA History.

•The primary aim and objective of the Indian Council of Historical Research is to promote and give directions to historical research and to encourage and foster objective and scientific writing of history. Enhancing the academic standard of the output of ICHR activities has been the foremost objective in it’s agenda.

OBITURY

29-year-old Olympic & World Medallist Deon Lendore Passes Away In Car Crash In Texas

•Olympic athlete Deon Lendore, who participated in the 400 meters race at the 2020 Olympics, passed away at the age of 29 years due to a fatal car accident in Texas, United States (US). He was born on 28 October 1992 in Trinidad and Tobago (the Caribbean Islands, South America), was an expert of 400 meters championships. He participated in the London Olympics in 2012 and won a Bronze medal in 4×400 meter relay. He also participated in the Tokyo Olympic 2021 and in 2016 Rio Olympics.

IMPORTANT DAYS

Indian Army Day 2022 : 15th January

•The Army Day in India is celebrated on 15 January every year, to salute the valiant soldiers who sacrificed their lives to protect the country and its citizens. This year marks the 74th Indian Army Day. The day is marked to commemorate the day when General (later Field Marshal) KM Carriappa took over the command of the Army from General Sir FRR Bucher, the last British Commander-in-Chief in 1949 and became the first Commander-in-Chief of Indian Army post Independence.

•The Indian Army is one of the most powerful militaries of the world, competing with superpowers like the US, Russia and China. The motto of the Indian Army is ‘service before self’ and its mission is to ensure national security and national unity, defend the nation from external aggression and internal threats, and maintain peace and security within its borders. Salute to the brave soldiers, who risk and sacrifice their lives to protect us. Even the Prime Minister of India Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1965 had given the slogan like “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan”.

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

Forex reserves down by USD 878 mn to USD 632.736 bn

•As per the weekly Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data, the foreign exchange reserves of India declined by $878 million to USD 632.736 billion in the week ended January 7, 2022. In the previous week ended December 31, India’s reserves dropped by $1.466 billion to $633.614 billion. The decline was mainly due to a fall in gold reserves and foreign currency assets (FCA). In the reporting week, FCAs decreased by $497 million to $569.392 billion.

•Gold reserves declined by $360 million to $39.044 billion. The special drawing rights (SDRs) with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) fell by $16 million to $19.098 billion. India’s reserve position with the IMF dipped by $5 million to $5.202 billion.

HDFC Bank adjudged 'Best Private Bank in India' at the Global Private Banking Awards 2021

•HDFC Bank was named as the ‘Best Private Bank’ in India at the ‘Global Private Banking Awards 2021’ which was organised by Professional Wealth Management (PWM) in a virtual ceremony. PWM is a wealth management Magazine, published by the Financial Times Group. The award was given for contributing to accelerate key trends, including digitalisation, communication and investment in environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies.

INTERNATIONAL

Bangladesh and US kick off bilateral maritime exercise CARAT for a free and open Indo-Pacific

•US military personnel and Bangladesh Navy (BN) began the 27th annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) maritime exercise virtually from 1 December in the Bay of Bengal. The nine-day exercise focuses on a wide range of naval capabilities and includes cooperative actions that demonstrate the US and Bangladesh’s capacity to work together to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific.

•CARAT is to promote regional cooperation and build relationships, according to Bangladesh Navy Fleet Commander Rear Admiral S M Abdul Kalam Azad. Since 2011, the Bangladesh Navy has been participating in the CARAT exercise, which is celebrating its 27th anniversary this year.

Sweden gets first female prime minister for second time in less than a week

•The former Finance Minister of Sweden, Eva Magdalena Andersson from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) won her 2nd election and became the 1st female Prime Minister (PM) of Sweden. On 24 November 2021, she was first elected as the PM but later resigned after her coalition partner (Green Party) quit the government and the budget failed to pass. Swedan’s Parliament is known as Riksdag. Sweden is the last Nordic country to get a female Prime Minister.

•Magdalena Andersson was born on 23 January 1967. She is a 54-year-old Swedish politician and economist serving as the PM from the Social Democratic Party or SDP.

•She began her political career as a political adviser to then PM Goran Persson in 1996 and then as Director of Planning.

•In 2004 she began to work in the Ministry of Finance as State Secretary.

•She became the head of the SDP on November 4, 2021. She is the second woman leader of the SDP.

NATIONAL

Nagaland begins Hornbill Festival 2021 celebration at Naga Heritage village, Kisama in Kohima

•The biggest cultural extravaganza of Nagaland, the Hornbill Festival has kicked off with colorful renditions of traditional music, dances, and contemporary in one roof at Naga Heritage village Kisama. It is the 22nd edition of the Hornbill festival and will be celebrated in 6 districts of Nagaland. More than 282,800 people visited the festival during the 20th edition in 2019, including over 3,000 foreign tourists and at least 55,500 domestic visitors.

•This year’s edition of Nagaland’s iconic Hornbill Festival, widely hailed as the “festival of festivals”, will be held in its traditional format, starting on December 1 after it was held virtually last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The opening ceremony culminated with the flight of the Hornbill- A musical presentation by Task Force for Music and Arts Nagaland.

India joins G20 Troika, to assume G20 presidency on Dec 1 next year

•India has joined ‘G20 Troika’ and will work closely with Indonesia and Italy to ensure consistency and continuity of G20’s agenda. Apart from India, Troika consists of Indonesia and Italy. India will assume G20 Presidency in December 2022 from Indonesia and will convene the G20 Leaders’ Summit for the first time in 2023. Troika refers to the top grouping within G20 that consists of the current, previous, and incoming presidencies (Indonesia, Italy and India).

•Italy hosted the G20 summit during October 30-31 that was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi where India had raised the issue of Afghanistan’s future following the takeover by the Taliban.

•Indonesia took over the G20 presidency on December 01, 2021.

SPORTS

Anju Bobby George the first Indian athlete to win a medal at the world championships

•Legendary Indian athlete, Anju Bobby George has been bestowed with the Woman of the Year Award by World Athletics for grooming talent in the country and for her advocacy of gender equality. In 2016, she formed a sports academy for young girls. Through this, she has helped India advance in sports and also inspire more women to follow in her footsteps. She is also presented with the award for advocating gender equality. Anju, the only Indian to have won a medal in the World Championships with a long jump bronze in the 2003 edition.

•She is a gold medallist in the 2005 IAAF World Athletics Finals.

•She was the first Indian athlete to win a bronze medal in the long jump at the World Championships in Athletics held in 2013 in Paris.

APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

Sambit Patra appointed as chairman of ITDC

•Sambit Patra has been appointed as the chairman of India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. IAS officer, G. Kamala Vardhana Rao will hold the post of managing director of ITDC. The India Tourism Development Corporation is a hospitality, retail, and education company owned by the Government of India, under the Ministry of Tourism. Earlier, Patra had served as an independent Director of ONGC.

•Appointment of Dr Sambit Patra as Part-Time Non-Executive Director & Chairman of ITDC for a period of three years from the date of assumption of charge, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

OBITUARY

Padma Shri awardee ‘Sirivennela’ Seetharama Sastry passes away

•The renowned Telugu film lyricist and Padma Shri awardee, ‘Sirivennela’ Chembolu Seetharama Sastry passed away at the age of 66 years. He was born on May 20th, 1955 in Anakapalle village in Visakhapatnam district, Andhra Pradesh. He launched his first song in the film, ‘Janani Janmabhoomi’ directed by K Viswanath.

•In 1986 the movie ‘Sirivennela’ directed by K Viswanath made him famous and also gave him a second name as ‘Sirivennela’ Seetharama Sastry. He got the first ‘Nandi Award for best lyricist for ‘Sirivennela’, presented by the Andhra Pradesh state government. Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist- Telugu, Padma Shri (2019) and He won ‘Nandi’ Awards several times.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Day of the Handicapped 2021: 3rd December

•World Handicapped day also known as the International Day of Persons with disabilities is observed every year on 3rd December globally. The day is marked and observed to support critical issues which are related to the inclusion of persons with disabilities. The IDPWD day was proclaimed in 1992 by the United Nations General Assembly.

•The theme of the World Day of the Handicapped 2021 is the Leadership and participation of persons with disabilities. The day is celebrated to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development, and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Bihar bagged gold medal in the 40th India International Trade Fair

•Union Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal has inaugurated the 40th edition of the India International Trade Fair (IITF) 2021 at Pragati Maidan in Delhi. It was organized by the India Trade Promotion Organisation with ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ as the theme and to further promote the idea of ‘Vocal for Local’. Bihar is the partner state for the 40th IITF and the focus states are Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand.

•The Bihar pavilion won the 6th gold medal by showcasing the state’s art and cultural richness through handicrafts like Madhubani, Manjusha arts, terracotta, handlooms, and other indigenous products of the state at IITF 2021. Piyush Goyal listed five pillars of India as Economy, Exports, Infrastructure, Demand, and Diversity.

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

RBI appoints three-member panel to advise Reliance Capital administrator

•Reserve Bank of India (RBI) superseded the Board of Directors of Reliance Capital Ltd (RCL), a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC), by exercising its power conferred under Section 45-IE (1) of the RBI Act, 1934. RCL is promoted by Anil Dhirubhai Ambani’s Reliance Group. In this regard, the apex bank has appointed Nageswar Rao Y (Ex-Executive Director, Bank of Maharashtra) as the Administrator of the company under Section 45-IE (2) of the RBI Act. The reason behind this is the defaults made by RCL for various debt obligations payments and serious governance concerns.

•The Central Bank will also apply to the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) for appointing the administrator as the Insolvency Resolution Professional. Reliance Capital will become the third non-banking financial company to go under the insolvency procedure after DHFL and Srei Group companies. A part of Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, Reliance Capital has repeatedly failed to repay its debt obligations.

INTERNATIONAL

UK unveils commemorative Mahatma Gandhi coin to mark Diwali

•The Government of the United Kingdom (UK) has unveiled a £5 coin to commemorate the life and legacy of Mahatma Gandhi. It is the first time Mahatma Gandhi has been commemorated on an official UK coin. The coin is available in a range of standards, including gold and silver, The special collectors’ coin was designed by Heena Glover.

•Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the UK, chose the final design for the coin. The coin features an image of a lotus, India’s national flower, alongside one of Gandhi’s most famous quotes – ‘My life is my message’.

Guangmu: China launches earth science satellite

•China has launched the world’s first Earth-science satellite, Guangmu or SDGSAT-1 into space from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in the northern Shanxi Province. The satellite was launched by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and developed by the International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals (CBAS).

•Guangmu was launched by a Long March-6 carrier rocket which is the 395th flight mission. SDGSAT-1 is the first satellite customized according to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which was adopted in 2015 with 17 SDGs for peace and prosperity.

NATIONAL

PM dedicates various National Highway and Road projects to the nation

•Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone and dedicated various National Highway and Road projects to the nation in the temple town of Pandharpur in Maharashtra, through video conference. These initiatives are aimed at improving connectivity in the region to facilitate the hassle-free and safe movement of devotees.

•PM laid the foundation stone for four laning of five sections of Sreesanth Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Palkhi Marg (NH-965) and four laning of three sections of Sant Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi Marg (NH-965G).

•The Sreesanth Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Palkhi Marg will be completed in five phases at estimated costs of more than Rs. 6690 crore while Sant Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi Marg will be completed in three phases at estimated costs of about Rs. 4400 crore.

Tripura develops country's 'first-ever' bamboo made cricket bat

•Bamboo and Cane Development Institute (BCDI) of Tripura along with the North East Centre of Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR) claimed to have developed the country’s first-ever bamboo made cricket bat maintaining all the standard protocols used for manufacturing cricket bats. These bats could be used in all forms of cricket. The most preferred wood for the production of cricket bats is willow. The company’s CEO recently gave Biplab Kumar Deb a demonstration of the product.

•For the development of the bats, the hard Boom (local name) bamboo has been utilized. “Kanakaich (a local kind of bamboo)” has also been used to build bamboo wickets, which are almost completely solid.

Third Goa Maritime Conclave to begin on Sunday

•The third edition of Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) 2021 has been organised by the Indian Navy from November 07 to 09, 2021 at Naval War College, Goa. Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh would chair the conclave. The theme for 2021 GMC is “Maritime Security and Emerging Non-Traditional Threats: A Case for Proactive Role for IOR Navies”.

•Chiefs of Navies/ Heads of Maritime Forces from 12 Indian Ocean Region (IOR) countries are participating in the conclave, which includes Bangladesh, Comoros, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The conclave provides a platform to discuss non-traditional threats in the Indian Ocean Region and other issues.

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Legal Services Day 2021: 09th November

•In India, 09 November is celebrated as “National Legal Services Day” every year by all Legal Services Authorities, to commemorate the enactment of the Legal Services Authorities Act 1987. The Day is celebrated to make people aware of the various provisions under the Legal Services Authorities Act and the right of the litigants.

•On 11 October 1987, the Legal Services Authorities Act 1987 was enacted, while the act took effect on 9 November 1995. The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) was constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 on 5 December 1995, to provide free Legal Services to the weaker sections of the society and to organize Lok Adalats for amicable settlement of disputes.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Mountaineer Priyanka Mohite to get Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award 2020'

•Maharashtra-based, 28-year old mountaineer Priyanka Mohite was selected by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports for the prestigious ‘Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award 2020’ for outstanding contribution in the field of land adventure. She scaled the world’s highest peak Mt Everest, Mt Lhotse and Mt.Makalu. She is the 1st Indian woman to climb Mt Annapurna, the 10th highest mountain peak in the world.

•Priyanka is one among the 7-recipients of the ‘2020 Tenzing Norgay National Award’ & will receive the award from President Ram Nath Kovind in during the 2021 National Sports Award.

BOOKS & AUTHOR

Book “An Economist at Home and Abroad: A Personal Journey” by Shankar Acharya

•Noted Economist and former Chief Economic Adviser to the Government of India, Dr Shankar Acharya has authored a new book titled “An Economist at Home and Abroad: A Personal Journey”. The book features the professional and personal life of the most accomplished policy economist Dr Shankar Acharya.

Book “The Cinema of Satyajit Ray” authored by Bhaskar Chattopadhyay

•A new book titled ‘The Cinema of Satyajit Ray’ written by the author Bhaskar Chattopadhyay and published by Westland details the life of legendary Indian Filmmaker – ‘Satyajit Ray’. Bhaskar Chattopadhyay also authored novels like “Patang” (2016), “Here Falls the Shadow” (2017), and “The Disappearance of Sally Sequeira” (2018).

Book ‘Not Just Cricket: A Reporters Journey’ by Pradeep Magazine

•A book titled ‘’Not just cricket: A Reporters Journey’’ authored by Pradeep Magazine is going to be released in Dec 2021. It consists of life experiences, social, political, ups and downs of Indian cricket by the journalist Pradeep Magazine. He is the author of the book “Not quite cricket” which exposed the match-fixing scandal.

•Pradeep Magazine is a cricket writer, columnist and former sports editor of The Pioneer, the India Today e-paper and Hindustan Times. He began his journalistic career in 1979 with the Chandigarh edition of The Indian Express and was its cricket editor in 1999-2000. Widely travelled, Magazine has covered international cricket in every Test-playing nation; he is the author of the book Not Quite Cricket that exposed the match-fixing scandal much before it surfaced in 2000.

INTERNATIONAL

Alphabet launches new AI drug discovery startup, Isomorphic Labs

•Google parent company Alphabet Inc. has launched a new company in London called Isomorphic Labs. The company aims to use AI (artificial intelligence) for drug discovery and medicine to find cures for some of humanity’s most devastating diseases. Demis Hassabis will be the CEO of Isomorphic Labs. Hassabis is the CEO and co-founder of DeepMind, another Alphabet subsidiary that used AI to predict the 3D structure of a protein directly from its amino acid sequence.

•The London-based Isomorphic Labs will work on the most important applications of AI — in the field of biological and medical research. The company aims to use AI to accelerate drug discovery, and ultimately, find cures for some of humanity’s most devastating diseases. The new venture also plans to partner with biomedical and pharmaceutical companies, using artificial intelligence to discover new medicinal advancements.

NATIONAL

Union Minister R K Singh virtually inaugurated the diversion of the Marusudar River

•Union Power Minister R K Singh virtually inaugurated the diversion of the Marusudar River of Pakal Dul Hydro Electric Project in Kishtwar, J&K. Pakal Dul HE Project (1,000 MW) is being constructed by Chenab Valley Power Projects Pvt Limited (CVPPPL) and Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation. Marusudar River is a major tributary of the Chenab River.

•Pakal Dul HE Project is a 1000 MW project. It is being constructed by Chenab Valley Power Projects [P] Ltd. It is a joint venture company of JKSPDC (Govt of J&K) and NHPC Ltd (Govt of India Enterprise).

•Pakal Dul H.E. Project will help in fulfilling the target of 450 GW Renewable energy by 2030.

SPORTS

President's Cup: Manu Bhaker, Javad Foroughi Win Air Pistol Mixed Team Gold

•India’s woman pistol star Manu Bhaker and Iranian Olympic champion Javad Foroughi has won the 10m air pistol mixed team gold at the inaugural ISSF President’s Cup at the Wroclaw in Poland. The Indo-Iranian pair beat the French-Russian duo of Mathilde Lamolle and Artem Chernousov 16-8 to clinch the gold medal. A seven-member Indian contingent is participating in the ISSF President’s Cup.

APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

Zubeen Garg Appointed as the brand ambassador of Bandhan Bank for Assam

•Bandhan Bank has announced Popular Assamese & Bollywood singer Zubeen Garg as the brand ambassador for the Bank in Assam. This association is a landmark one for Bandhan Bank as this is the first time ever that the Bank has associated with a brand ambassador since its inception six years back.

•To mark the commencement of this association, Zubeen has released his new music video which showcases diverse elements of Assamese culture and heritage. The song and video have been produced courtesy of Bandhan Bank. Titled ‘Axom Amaar Mone Praane,” the song is a melodious blend of the different kinds of folk music native to Assam.

OBITUARY

Tarak Sinha, the father-figure coach, passes away

•Eminent Cricket Coach and Dronacharya Awardee, Tarak Sinha has passed away after a prolonged illness. He is known for training some of India’s finest cricketers like Manoj Prabhakar, Raman Lamba, Ajay Sharma, Atul Wassan, Surinder Khanna, Sanjiv Sharma, Aakash Chopra, Anjum Chopra, Rumeli Dhar, Ashish Nehra, Shikhar Dhawan and Rishabh Pant.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Urbanism Day 2021: 08th  November

•World Urbanism Day, also known as “World Town Planning Day”, is celebrated on 8 November globally, to recognise and promote the role of planning in creating livable communities. World Urbanism Day provides an opportunity to look at planning from a global perspective, in order to draw attention to the environmental impact resulting from the development of cities and territories.

•WUD is organised by the International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP). The day was founded in 1949 by the late Professor Carlos Maria della Paolera of the University of Buenos Aires, to advance public and professional interest in planning.

International Day of Radiology 2021: 08th November

•International Day of Radiology is observed globally on 8th November every year. The day is celebrated to promote the awareness of the value that radiology contributes to safe patient care, and improve public understanding of the vital role radiologists and radiographers play in the healthcare continuum. The theme for 2021 is ‘Interventional Radiology – Active care for the patient’.

•Radiology is the medical discipline that uses medical imaging to diagnose and treat diseases within the bodies of animals and humans. A variety of imaging techniques such as X-ray radiography, ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), nuclear medicine including positron emission tomography (PET), fluoroscopy, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are used to diagnose or treat diseases. Interventional radiology is the performance of usually minimally invasive medical procedures with the guidance of imaging technologies such as those mentioned above.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Kannada actor Puneeth Rajkumar will be posthumously conferred the Basavashree award 2021

•Kannada actor Puneeth Rajkumar will be posthumously conferred the Basavashree award 2021 by the Bruhanmutt. Fondly called Appu, Puneeth, who was born in Chennai on March 17, 1975, was an actor, playback singer, television presenter, and producer. Puneeth, son of Matinee Idol Rajkumar, was a lead actor in 29 films and as a child and appeared in many films.

•The award honours people for services to society in their respective fields by following the principles of Lord Basaveshwar. It is presented by Chitradurga Bruhanmutt since 1997. The award includes Rs 5 lakh cash and a memento. PT Usha (2009), Malala Yousufzai (2014), P Sainath (2016), Dr K Kasturirangan (2020) are some to win the award in recent times.

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

GST Collections Touch Rs 1.30 Lakh Crore In October

•Gross Goods and service tax (GST) collection for the month of October came in at Rs 1,30,127 crore, the second-highest collection since GST was implemented in July 2017. The highest-ever GST collection of Rs. 1.41 lakh crore was recorded in April 2021. Revenues for the month are 24% higher year-on-year.

•Of the gross GST revenue collected in October, Rs 23,861 crore was towards CGST, Rs 30,421 crore was towards SGST and Rs 67,361 crore was towards IGST, and Cess amounted to Rs 8,484 crore. According to the decision taken by the GST Council, back to back the loan of Rs 1.59 lakh crore has been released in advance in lieu of a shortfall in the release of GST compensation during the current fiscal.

INTERNATIONAL

American technology company Yahoo Inc. stops its services in China

•Yahoo Inc. has announced that the company has stopped providing service in mainland China with effect from November 01, 2021, due to the increasingly challenging business and legal environment in the country. With this Yahoo has ended its 22-year presence in the Chinese market.

•This means that services like Yahoo Weather, Yahoo Finance, and other websites run by Yahoo such as AOL.com, TechCrunch and Engadget will not be accessible from within China. Earlier, US tech platform LinkedIn also announced the closure of its localized social media network in China on October 14.

NATIONAL

India's GDP likely to grow at 10-10.5% in FY2022: Brickwork Ratings

•Domestic credit rating agency Brickwork Ratings has estimated the gross domestic product (GDP) of India at 10-10.5 per cent in the current financial year, i.e. in 2021-22 (FY22). Earlier this was estimated at 9 per cent.

•Brickwork Ratings is a SEBI registered Credit Rating Agency with headquarter in Bengaluru. It expects the GDP growth for Q2 FY22 to be at 8.3 per cent (year-on-year), on the back of a 7.4 per cent contraction in Q2FY21. The country’s GDP grew at 20.1 per cent in the first quarter of fiscal 2022.

SPORTS

Rashid Khan Becomes Youngest Bowler to Take 400 T20 Wickets, Joins Dwayne Bravo, Sunil Narine in Elite List

•Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan became the youngest bowler to take 400 T20 wickets during his team’s crucial Super 12 encounter against New Zealand in Dubai. Martin Guptill became Rashid’s 400th victim in T20 cricket. Rashid joined an elite list of cricketers as he picked up his 400th wicket in ongoing New Zealand vs Afghanistan T20 World Cup game.  He is the 4th bowler to enter the 400 club after Dwayne Bravo (553), Sunil Narine (425) and Imran Tahir (420).

•Earlier, Rashid had become the fastest bowler to register 100 dismissals in Twenty20 Internationals during a T20 World Cup 2021 match against Pakistan. Rashid has 103 wickets for Afghanistan and 93 scalps for Sunrisers Hyderabad while the rest have come for the teams he plays for in different T20 tournaments around the world.

WTT Contender Lasko: Manika Batra, Archana Kamath Clinch Doubles Title

•In Table Tennis, Indian duo Manika Batra and Archana Girish Kamath clinched the women’s doubles title in the WTT Contender tournament in Lasko, Slovenia. The Indian pair defeated the Puerto Rican team of Melanie Diaz and Adriana Diaz, 11-3, 11-8, 12-10 to win the title. Meanwhile, Manika Batra also claimed a bronze medal in the women’s singles title after Wang Yidi of China defeated her by 2-4 (11-7, 7-11, 13-11, 10-12, 11-7, 11-5).

Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen extended his lead in the 2021 Formula One World Championship

•Max Verstappen (Red Bull – Netherlands) has won the 2021 Mexico City Grand Prix held at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City. Seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-Great Britain) stood second while Sergio Perez (Mexico- Red Bull) came third. Perez became the first Mexican to stand on his home podium at a jubilant Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

RANKING

2022 QS World University Rankings

•QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) has released the 2022 QS World University Rankings. The ranking has been topped by the National University of Singapore (NUS) for the 4th year in a row. It is followed by China’s Peking University at 2nd position and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, and the University of Hong Kong in Hong Kong at 3rd.

•Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) (42nd regionally) and IIT Delhi (45th regionally) are the only two Indian institutions among the Top-50. IIT Madras, which was in 50th place last year, has lost four places and now ranks 54th. India features 118 Indian Universities following China with 126 universities.

Books & Authors

Book “The Sage with Two Horns: Unusual Tales from Mythology” authored by Sudha Murty

•The chairperson of the Infosys Foundation and a renowned author, Sudha Murty has published her new book titled “The Sage with Two Horns: Unusual Tales from Mythology”, the 5th and last book of the “Unusual Tales from Mythology” series. The series features the stories of kings and queens, gods and goddesses, sages, and extraordinary men and women of wisdom.

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

SBI launches ‘Video Life Certificate’ facility for pensioners

•The State Bank of India has launched a video life certificate service for pensioners. This new facility will allow pensioners to submit their life certificates via video from their homes. This facility is available for pensioners (other than family pensioners). Thus, the spouse of the pensioner receiving a pension from the government will not be able to use this facility.

•As per SBI, the process of video life certificate is paperless and free of cost.

•It is important for pensioners and family pensioners to submit their life certificates before November 30 every year to avoid their pensions getting suspended.

INTERNATIONAL

Bill Introduced In US Congress To Declare Diwali As Federal Holiday

•United States lawmakers led by Congresswoman Carolyn B Maloney from New York, introduced a bill to declare Diwali a national holiday in the country. The lawmaker announced the Deepavali Day Act in the House of Representatives.

•The historic legislation is being supported by a number of lawmakers including Indian-American Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi. Meanwhile, Krishnamoorthi also introduced a resolution in the US Congress to recognise the religious and historical significance of the festival of lights.

NATIONAL

Amit Shah rolls out Ayushman Bharat CAPF healthcare scheme

•Union Home Minister Amit Shah has announced that the Central government has extended the benefits of the “Ayushman CAPF healthcare scheme” to the personnel of all Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). The scheme was launched in line with the commitment of the Modi govt to ensure healthcare facilities of CAPF personnel so that they can discharge their duties with full concentration.

•Under this scheme, CAPF personnel & their families would be able to avail cashless in-patient and out-patient healthcare facilities across the hospitals that come under Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY.

PM Modi's 'One Sun, One World & One Grid' Pitch At COP26 Climate Summit

•Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Boris John son jointly launched the ‘One Sun, One World, One Grid’ (OSOWOG) initiative at the COP 26 Climate Meet in Glasgow. This project is about setting a ‘trans-national electricity grid to supply solar power across the world.

•The vision behind OSOWOG is ‘The Sun Never Sets. It is a constant at some geographical location, across the globe, at any given point of time. This is the most ambitious scheme undertaken by India and is significant in terms of economic benefits. It has been taken up under the technical assistance program of the World Bank. This plan will also leverage the International Solar Alliance (ISA).

PM Modi offers prayers at Kedarnath temple, unveils Adi Shankaracharya statue

•Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Kedarnath in Uttarakhand on November 05, 2021, to inaugurate key infrastructure projects related to the redevelopment of Kedarnath.

•PM inaugurated the reconstructed Shri Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi (final resting place) at the premises of the Kedarnath Temple in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand and unveiled the statue of Shri Adi Shankaracharya at the Samadhi. The Samadhi was damaged in the 2013 Kedarnath flood.

Country's first rooftop drive-in theatre to open in Mumbai today

•The first open-air rooftop drive-in movie theatre in India has been inaugurated at Jio World Drive mall of Reliance Industries in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The drive-in theatre will be operated and managed by the multiplex chain PVR Ltd. The theatre has been launched in partnership with the Reliance Retail and multiplex chain PVR.

•The facility can accommodate around 290 cars. The first movie screened at the theatre was Akshay Kumar’s Sooryavanshi.

SPORTS

Indian boxer Akash Kumar managed to clinch bronze medal at the 2021 AIBA Men's World Boxing Championships

•Indian boxer Akash Kumar managed to clinch the bronze medal at the 2021 AIBA Men’s World Boxing Championships on November 05, 2021 at Belgrade in Serbia.

•The 21-year-old Akash lost 0-5 in the 54 kg category to Makhmud Sabyrkhan of Kazakhstan. Akash is the seventh Indian male boxer to win a medal at the world championships.

APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

Indian-origin CS Venkatakrishnan takes over as Barclays CEO

•Barclays new CEO is CS Venkatakrishnan, an Indian-American and the first person of color to hold that position. Venkatakrishnan, who was most recently Barclays’ co-president and head of global markets, is stepping in as CEO after Jes Staley resigned over his ties with late financier Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender who died by suicide in prison three years ago.

•As chief risk officer, Venkatakrishnan put in place processes that proved instrumental in helping Barclays steer clear of the Archegos Capital Management implosion; more recently, he was put in charge of the bank’s markets division.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict 2021 : 6th November

•The International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict is an international day observed annually on November 6. On 5 November 2001, the UN General Assembly declared 6 November of each year as the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict.

•At the time of war, it affects the ecosystem such as water supply is poisoned, the forest is burnt, animals being killed, etc. Though humanity has always counted its war casualties in terms of dead and wounded soldiers and civilians, destroyed cities and livelihoods, the environment has often remained the unpublicized victim of war. Water wells have been polluted, crops torched, forests cut down, soils poisoned, and animals killed to gain military advantage.

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

World Bank And Niti Ayog Ready Electric Vehicles Financing Push

•NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog and the World Bank (WB) are working together to facilitate a program for faster and easier financing of electric vehicles (EVs). NITI Aayog and World Bank are setting up a $300-million ‘first loss risk sharing instrument’, with the State Bank of India (SBI) as its program manager.

•The current rate of interest for electric two-wheelers & electric 3 Wheelers, which is in the range of 20-25 per cent is expected to be reduced to 10-12 per cent.

RBI issues revised Prompt Corrective Action framework for banks

•The RBI has issued a revised Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework for banks to enable supervisory intervention at “appropriate time” and also act as a tool for effective market discipline. Capital, asset quality and leverage will be the key areas for monitoring in the revised framework. The revised PCA framework will be effective from January 1, 2022. The framework was last revised in April 2017.

•The objective of the PCA framework is to enable supervisory intervention at an appropriate time and require the supervised entity to initiate and implement remedial measures in a timely manner, so as to restore its financial health. The central bank also stressed that the PCA framework does not preclude the RBI from taking any other action as it deems fit at any time, in addition to the corrective actions prescribed. 

INTERNATIONAL

Covaxin gets WHO approval for emergency listing

•Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin has got WHO approval as the technical advisory team has recommended the India-made vaccine for emergency use listing for 18 years and above. This marks a major victory for India’s journey in vaccination against C-19. Covaxin is a vaccine, completely ‘made in India’, by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech and the Indian Council of Medical Research. WHO has so far approved C-19 vaccines of Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca-SK Bio/Serum Institute of India, Johnson 7 Johnson – Janssen, Moderna, and Sinopharm for emergency use.

•The emergency listing got delayed last month as the technical advisory group sought some additional clarification from Bharat Biotech for its final risk assessment. The technical advisory group met to take the final call, and Covaxin has been recommended for emergency use listing. Covaxin has demonstrated 77.8 per cent effectiveness against symptomatic C-19 and 65.2 per cent protection against the new Delta variant.

NATIONAL

Manipur CM inaugurates 29 museums to protect culture of ethnic tribes

•In Manipur, with a vision to preserve and showcase the rich culture, tradition, art and crafts of various tribes of Manipur, twenty nine Tribal Museums constructed at ten different districts of the State were inaugurated.

•Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh virtually inaugurated these museums at a function held at CM Secretariat Imphal. The State government decided to construct a total of 31 tribal museums in the State under the aegis of Manipur State Archaeology. Out of these, six museums were constructed at Chandel, three museums at Tengnoupal, five museums at Kangpokpi, six museums at Churachandpur, four museums at Senapati, three museums at Tamenglong, one museum each at Pherzawl , Ukhrul, Noney and Imphal East.

MP Government to bring law to recover property damages from rioters

•The Madhya Pradesh government on November 2 announced to bring a law to ensure constitution of tribunals having civil court powers to adjudicate the claims for damages to public and private properties and recover them from rioters and protesters involved in such incidents.

•Under the law, city specific tribunals will be constituted for such incidents in the respective areas, state Home Minister Narottam Mishra told reporters.

SPORTS

BCCI appoints rahul dravid as head coach of indian cricket team

•Former India captain Rahul Dravid has been appointed as the Head Coach of the senior Indian men’s cricket team, the BCCI announced on Wednesday.

•Dravid takes over from Ravi Shastri, whose term ends after the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup. Dravid, among the finest batsmen India has produced, was unanimously appointed by the Cricket Advisory Committee comprising of former international cricketers Sulakshana Naik and R.P. Singh.

•Dravid’s innings will commence with the home series against New Zealand later this month.

Unmukt Chand becomes the first  Indian male cricketer to sign up for BBL

•Unmukt Chand has become the first Indian male cricketer to sign up for the Big Bash League as he is set to feature in the Melbourne Renegades side in the upcoming edition. The 28-year-old, who led India to the Under-19 World Cup title in 2012, has represented India A, apart from featuring in teams like Delhi Daredevils, Mumbai Indians, and Rajasthan Royals in the IPL. He announced his retirement from Indian cricket in August this year stating that he would explore ‘better opportunities from around the world’.

•Chand has now shifted his base to the United States of America (USA). He was recently named ‘Player of the Tournament as his side, Silicon Valley Strikers, won the Minor League Cricket (MCL) title. The right-handed batter will travel to Australia later this month and be available for the entire duration of the tournament.

APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

Ajaneesh kumar appointed India's ambassador to Estonia

•Ajaneesh Kumar, an IFS official from the 1996 batch, has been named India's next ambassador to Estonia.Kumar is currently the Indian High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam.

•According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Ajaneesh Kumar (IFS: 1996), the current High Commissioner of India to Brunei Darussalam, has been named the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Estonia.Kumar is anticipated to start working on the project soon.

Partha Satpathy appointed as next Indian Ambassador to Hungary

•India has appointed Sanjay Bhattacharyya as its next Ambassador to Switzerland, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) informed on Wednesday.

•Currently, Bhattacharyya is serving as Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, the official statement added.

•Bhattacharyya -- an Indian Foreign Service officer of the 1987 batch -- is expected to take up the assignment shortly.

•Earlier, he had also served as India's Ambassador to Turkey and Egypt.

 IMPORTANT DAYS

World Tsunami Awareness Day 2021: 5th November

•World Tsunami Awareness Day was observed across the world on 5 November. The day is celebrated to spread awareness among people across the world in matters related to the dangers of tsunami. In 2021, World Tsunami Awareness Day promotes “Sendai Seven Campaign,” target (f), which aims to ‘substantially enhance international cooperation to developing countries through adequate and sustainable support to complement their national actions for implementation of the present Framework by 2030.’

•World Tsunami Day was first officially observed on 5 November 2016 After the announcement of the UN General assembly on 22 December 2015. The UN General Assembly called all the countries in international bodies to raise awareness about this natural disaster and share product ideas.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Damon Galgut wins 2021 Booker Prize for his novel "The Promise"

•South African playwright and novelist, Damon Galgut has won the 2021 Booker Prize for “The Promise”, his third shortlisted novel which chronicles a family in his homeland from the late apartheid era through to Jacob Zuma’s presidency. Spanning several decades, the book shows the family’s growing disintegration as the country emerges into democracy.

•Mr. Galgut took the prize on his third time as a finalist, for a book the judges called a “tour de force.” He was previously shortlisted for “The Good Doctor” in 2003 and “In a Strange Room” in 2010, but lost both times.

INTERNATIONAL

Ethiopia declares nationwide state of emergency

•Ethiopia declared a nationwide state of emergency on Tuesday and ordered residents of the capital Addis Ababa to prepare to defend their neighbourhoods amid fears that Tigrayan rebels were heading there.

•The measures came after several days of reported advances by the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) rebel group, which is locked in a brutal year-long war against Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government.

UNEP, European union launch observatory to curb methane emissions

•The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has launched a new methane observatory as it looks to drive action on reducing emissions of the greenhouse gas.

•The International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) was launched at the G20 Summit over the weekend, with support from the European Union.

•“Methane is one of the most dangerous gases for our climate. We urgently need to reduce methane emissions to keep our climate targets in reach,” European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said.

•“Better satellite monitoring is essential and the EU is proud to support the creation of the International Methane Emissions Observatory.”

SpaceX sets up subsidiary in India, plans to apply for licence

•World’s richest person Elon Musk-owned SpaceX has incorporated its wholly-owned subsidiary in India to start local broadband operations. SpaceX’s satellite broadband arm Starlink aims to start broadband services in India from December 2022, with 2 lakh active terminals subject to permission from the government.

•The company is charging a deposit of USD 99 or Rs 7,350 per customer and claims to deliver data speeds in the range of 50 to 150 megabits per second in the beta stage. The services of the company will compete with that of Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea in broadband and it will be a direct competitor to Bharti Group-backed OneWeb. The company is keen to work in rural areas for providing broadband services.

NATIONAL

Arjun Munda Launched New Tribes India outlets in Patna and Chennai

•The Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Shri Arjun Munda launched 4 new Tribes India Outlets virtually today, one in Patna and three at Chennai Metro. With this, Tribes India has expanded its retail network to 147 outlets across the country.

•As India moves ahead with its strategy for India@75 and focuses on converting development into a mass movement, TRIFED is working with its roots in ground realities and emphasizing the welfare both in design and implementation. With the focus on “Vocal for Local” and building an “Atmanirbhar Bharat”, TRIFED is undertaking several path breaking activities, while re-dedicating its efforts towards tribal empowerment.

Union minister Jitendra Singh inaugurates supercomputing facility

•Inauguration of the advanced 650 teraflops supercomputing facility at the National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI) was done online by Union Minister of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh on Tuesday.

•The facility has come up under the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) in collaboration with C-DAC, Pune.

•Established and funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) with an approximate cost of Rs 20 crore, this high-end facility will be helpful in the analysis of large-scale genomics, functional genomics and structural genomics data.

•This 650 teraflops supercomputing facility will uniquely cater to the needs of the interdisciplinary cutting-edge research being carried out at the institute in the areas of  Agricultural and Nutritional Biotechnology, according to an official release.

IAF's Mirage 2000 squadron takes part in Blue Flag exercise in Israel

•A total of 84 Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel took part in the international multilateral combat exercise Blue Flag 2021, along with IAF’s Mirage 2000 aircraft squadron at Israel’s Ovda Airbase. The theme of Blue Flag 2021: Integration of fourth and fifth-generation aircraft in complex operational scenarios.

•The exercise involves Air Force missions from 8 countries, to share knowledge and combat experience to improve operational capabilities. The other seven countries that have participated in the exercise include the US, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Greece, and Israel.

SPORTS

Indian GM Iniyan wins chess tournament in Serbia

•Indian Grandmaster (GM) P Iniyan has won the 5th Rujna Zora chess tournament held at Serbia. International Master (IM) Makarian Rudik of Russia finished 2nd and another Indian Player V S Raaghul finished 3rd and IM S. Nitin placed 4th. P Iniyan is the 16th Indian Grand Master from Erode, Tamil Nadu. His current International Chess Federation (FIDE) ratings is 2556.

APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

Arun Chawla appointed as director-general of Ficci with immediate effect

•Industry chamber Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) named Arun Chawla as its new director-general. He will assume charge with immediate effect. He joined FICCI in 2011 and is currently the deputy secretary-general of the chamber. He joined the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry in 2011 and is currently the deputy secretary-general of the chamber.

SUMMIT'S & MOU's

Axis Bank signs MoU with Indian Navy for salary accounts

•Axis Bank signed an MoU with the Indian Navy to offer a defence service salary package under ‘’Power Salute’’ at New Delhi. Through the agreement, the bank will provide several benefits to all ranks of Indian Navy veterans and cadets. ICICI Bank also renewed its MoU with the Indian Army to offer enhanced benefits and new features through its ‘Defence Salary Account’ (DSA) to all serving as well as retired Army personnel.

•Major benefits included under “Power Salute” are an accidental cover up to INR 56 lakh, children education grants up to INR 8 lakh, total permanent disability cover up to INR 46 lakh, partial permanent disability cover of up to INR 46 lakh and air accidental cover of INR 1 crore, zero processing fee and 12 EMI (Equated Monthly Installment) waivers on the home loan.

INTERNATIONAL

7th Indian Navy Frigate of P1135.6 class was launched

•The seventh Indian Navy frigate of the P1135.6 class was launched at the Yantar Shipyard at Kaliningrad in Russia. The ship has been formally named as Tushil, a Sanskrit word that means protector shield. Tushil will be commissioned into the Indian Navy in mid-2023 followed by its sister ship by the end of 2023.

•The ship has been developed under the Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) between India and Russia in 2016 for the construction of four additional P1135.6 class ships for Indian Navy.

•Out of the four ships, two ships of Project 1135.6 ships were to be constructed in Russia and two ships in India at M/s Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL).

NATIONAL

Haryana CM launched ‘Uttam Beej portal’

•Chief Minister (CM) of Haryana, Manohar Lal Khattar has launched the ‘Uttam Beej portal’ which will benefit the farmers of Haryana by providing quality seeds with transparency. The portal will provide transparency in the seed production programme arranged by both the Government and private seed producing agencies and ensure the quality of certified seeds.

•This seed portal has been linked with Meri Fasal Mera Byora Portal and Family Identity Card ID. Meri Fasal Mera Byora Portal offers particulars to all these farmers who’ve land or who’ve given their land on contract and should promote their crop. Farmers will now get good high-quality seeds, which can improve their manufacturing and revenue. Along with authorities businesses, non-public visa businesses will even should register.

IREDA launches 'whistle blower' portal to check fraud, abuse of power

•The Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA) has launched a ‘Whistle-blower Portal’ as a part of the celebration of ‘Vigilance Awareness Week 2021’. The portal was launched by Shri Pradip Kumar Das, Chairman & Managing Director (CMD), IREDA on November 02, 2021.

•The Whistle-blower Portal has been developed by the IT Team of the company and will help the IREDA employees to raise concerns related to fraud, corruption, abuse of power among other things. The IREDA is a PSU under the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) established as a Non-Banking Financial Institution.

National Tribal Dance Festival 2021

•Chhattisgarh has observed the annual 2nd National Tribal Dance Festival 2021 at Raipur’s Science College ground as a part of the tourism development plan of the state. It was inaugurated by the Chief Minister (CM) of Jharkhand Hemant Soren and CM of Chhattisgarh Bhupesh Baghel. This year’s event was clubbed with Chattisgarh’s Rajyotsava (state foundation day- November 1, 2021).

•The festival will host artists belonging to diverse tribal communities from countries including Uzbekistan, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Syria, Mali, Palestine, and the Kingdom of Eswatini. The artists from tribal areas of Bastar, Dantewada, Koriya, Korba, Bilaspur, Gariabandh, Mainpur, Dhura, Dhamtari, Surguja and Jashpur in Chhattisgarh will represent their culture and traditions through their dance forms.

SPORTS

J&K team for deaf clinches 1st position in World Deaf Judo Championship

•The Jammu & Kashmir team for deaf clinched 1st position in World Deaf Judo Championship held at Paris Versailles, France. Rakshanda Mehak who is part of the Indian team for the deaf clinched the bronze medal by defeating the South Korean team in the semifinal. The championship was held at Versailles, France. The championship is organised by the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf.

Harbhajan Singh, Javagal Srinath get MCC life membership

•The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has released the list of 18 Cricketers who were selected for the MCC awards Honorary Life Membership of the Club. The list witnessed the names of 2 former Indian cricketers – Harbhajan Singh and Javagal Srinath. This year’s list saw the names of 18 players, including 16 Male & 2 Female players (Sarah Taylor & Sara McGlashan).

MCC awards Honorary Life Membership

National Sports Awards 2021

•Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra, wrestler Ravi Kumar Dahiya, Boxer Lovlina Borgohain and Indian men’s hockey team goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, Para Shooter Avani Lekhara, Para Athlete Sumit Antil, Para-Badminton players Pramod Bhagat and Krishna Nagar, Para Shooter Manish Narwal, cricketer Mithali Raj, footballer Sunil Chhetri and Indian men’s hockey team captain Manprit Singh are the 12 sportspersons who will be honoured with the Khel Ratna the National Sports Awards 2021. Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports announced the National Sports Awards 2021 on Tuesday. The awardees will receive their awards from the President of India at a specially organized function at the Darbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan on 13th November, 2021 (Saturday) at 1630 hrs. National Sports Awards are given every year to recognize and reward excellence in sports.

•‘Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award’ is given for the spectacular and most outstanding performance in the field of sports by a sportsperson over a period of previous four years.

OBITUARY

Former Afghan Prime Minister Ahmad Shah Ahmadzai has passed away at the age of 77

•Ahmad Shah Ahmadzai, the former Prime Minister (PM) of Afghanistan and a renowned jihadi leader passed away at the age of 77 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Ahmad Shah Ahmadzai has served as the acting PM of Afghanistan under President Burhanuddin Rabbani during 1995-1996 prior to the 1996 Taliban Takeover.

BOOKS & AUTHOR

Book “John Lang: Wanderer of Hindoostan, Slanderer of Hindoostanee, Lawyer for the Ranee” authored by Amit Ranjan

•Amit Ranjan authored a book titled “John Lang: Wanderer of Hindoostan, Slanderer of Hindoostanee, Lawyer for the Ranee”. The book is about John Lang’s life, his exploits, and literary works. He was an Australian journalist and lawyer who settled in India in the 19th century. He fought many cases against the British and also represented Rani Laxmibai in her legal battle against the annexation of her kingdom of Jhansi by the East India Company (EIC).

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

Bandhan Bank now an Agency Bank of RBI, to conduct govt business

•The Reserve Bank of India has now appointed Bandhan Bank as an Agency Bank of the RBI to conduct government business. Bandhan Bank now joins several other private banks that have been empanelled as an Agency Bank of the RBI. Bandhan Bank will now be authorised to handle transactions related to GST, VAT and the collection of state taxes.

INTERNATIONAL

“Vax” is the Oxford English Dictionary word of the year for 2021

•‘Vax’ has been chosen as the word of the year by the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) in 2021. Vax is derived from the Latin word Vacca, which means cow. Vax is used as a short form for vaccines and means a substance put into a person’s body to prevent them from getting a disease. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, words related to vaccines saw a surge in 2021, including terms like double-vaxxed, unvaxxed and anti-vaxxer.

NATIONAL

3-day 'Ganga Utsav 2021 - The River Festival' inaugurated

•The 5th edition of the three-day-long Ganga Utsav has been organised from November 01 to 03, 2021 in virtual format. The “Ganga Utsav 2021 – The River Festival “ will not only celebrate the glory of the river Ganga but all the rivers of the country to promote the celebration of ‘Nadi Utsav’ (River Festival). The 2021 event has been organised under the leadership of the Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.

•The annual event is organised by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) jointly with the Ministry of Jal Shakti to mark the anniversary of the announcement of River Ganga as the ‘National River’ on November 04, 2008..

•The 2021 celebrations will be part of the 75 years of Independence and Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations.

Glasgow climate summit: India targets 'net-zero' carbon emissions by 2070

•Addressing the COP26 Glasgow Climate Summit held in Scotland, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that India will reach net-zero carbon emission by 2070. PM Modi stressed on a five-point plan or ‘Panchamrit’ to fight the devastating effects of global warming and climate change. More than 120 world leaders were present at the COP26 Glasgow Climate Summit.

•India is the last of the world’s major carbon polluters to announce a net-zero target. China has said that it would reach the net-zero carbon emission goal in 2060 while the United States and the European Union are aiming for reaching the goal by 2050.

G20 Summit Ends with Adoption of Leaders' Declaration

•The 2021 G20 (Group of Twenty) Summit was held in Rome, Italy on October 30 and 31, 2021. It was the 16th meeting of the G20 group. The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi. The summit concluded with the adoption of the Rome Declaration by G20 Leaders.

•Moto: People, Planet, and Prosperity

•Agenda: climate change, economic recovery, the pandemic and the global minimum corporate tax rate.

Chennai-Mysore Shatabdi Express becomes Indian Railways’ first Integrated Management System certified Shatabdi

•The Chennai-Mysore-Chennai Shatabdi Express has become the first train of Southern Railway to receive Integrated Management Systems (IMS) certification. It got the certificate for world-class maintenance of the train, environment-friendly resources and convenient and safe travel of the passengers. It is also the first Shatabdi train and the only second mail/express train of Indian Railways to receive this prestigious certification.

•The IMS certificate provided are ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 45001:2018. The first train of Indian Railways to be IMS certified is Habibganj-Hazrat Nizamuddin-Habibganj Bhopal Express.

APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

Isha Ambani appointed to Board of Trustees of Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art

•Board member of Reliance Jio Infocomm, Reliance Retail and Reliance Foundation, Isha Ambani was appointed on the Board of Trustees of the prestigious Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art. The appointment is for 4 years. Apart from Isha Ambani, Carolyn Brehm, founder and CEO of the consulting firm Brehm Global Ventures LLC and lecturer, and Peter Kimmelman, also joined the board. Antoine van Agtmael is the chair of the museum’s board of trustees.

•The museum collection of Asian art includes more than 45,000 objects, dating from the Neolithic period to the present, originating from the ancient Near East to China, Japan, Korea, South and Southeast Asia and the Islamic world. Opened as the Freer Gallery of Art in 1923, the museum will celebrate its centennial in 2023.

OBITUARY

Legendary Australian All-rounder Alan Davidson passed away at 92

•Australian legend Alan Davidson has passed away. The bowling allrounder, who made his Test debut against England in 1953, represented Australia 44 times in the longest format. The left-arm pacer had finished his career with a stunning average of 20.53, having picked up 186 wickets.

•His career-best figures of 7/93 came against India in 1959. Davidson was a handy batsman as well, registering five vital half-centuries in his career, including the 80 he hit in the first-ever tied Test match in 1960 against West Indies. In the same game, he had also picked up 11 wickets.

Kannada superstar Puneeth Rajkumar passed away due to a fatal cardiac arrest

•Kannada superstar Puneeth Rajkumar passed away due to a fatal cardiac arrest. He was the son of legendary actor Rajkumar. He was known to fans as “Appu” – after the 2002 film. He was also a singer and was admired for his dance skills. Puneeth was the presenter of Kannadada Kotyadhipathi, the Kannada version of the game show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists 2021: 2 November

•The International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists is an UN-recognized day observed annually on 2 November. The day draws attention to the low global conviction rate for violent crimes against journalists and media workers, estimated at only one in every ten cases.

•The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2 November as the ‘International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists’ in General Assembly Resolution A/RES/68/163. The Resolution urged the Member States to implement definite measures countering the present culture of impunity. The date was chosen in commemoration of the assassination of two French journalists in Mali on 2 November 2013.

RANKING

Azim Premji remains India’s Top Philanthropist

•Hurun India and EdelGive have jointly released the Edelgive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2021. The list was topped by Azim Premji, the founder chairman of Wipro, with a donation of Rs 9,713 crore during fiscal 2020-21 which is around Rs 27 crore a day.

•HCL’s Shiv Nadar once again retained the second spot on the list with an annual donation of Rs 1,263 crore, marking a 59 per cent rise. Mukesh Ambani, the chairman of Reliance Industries, and his family occupied the third spot on the philanthropy list with an annual donation of Rs 577 crore.