GK and Current Affairs Updates

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.

NATIONAL

COP26 climate change summit begins in Glasgow

•With the UK hosts warning that "lights are flashing red on the climate change dashboard", the COP26 UN climate summit kicked off on Sunday in Glasgow, marked by pointed warnings of growing threats as emissions-cutting pledges still fail to add up.

•"I do not underestimate the challenge" of reaching an effective deal to adequately slash emissions, Alok Sharma, Britain's COP26 president, told delegates at the talks' opening. But, he added, "I believe that we can resolve the outstanding issues."

Samudrayaan project for deep ocean exploration launched

•The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences Dr Jitendra Singh officially launched India’s First Manned Ocean Mission called the “Samudrayan project” at Chennai. The Unique Ocean Mission aims to have deep underwater manned vehicles for carrying out subsea activities. With this technology, India joins the elite club of nations such as the USA, Russia, Japan, France and China to have such underwater vehicles.

•The Unique Ocean Mission aims to have deep underwater manned vehicles for carrying out subsea activities.

•The deepwater manned submersible has been codenamed as the ‘MATSYA 6000’.

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh dedicates 'Sardar Patel Leadership Centre'

•Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh has dedicated to the nation “Sardar Patel Leadership Centre” at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie. The facility was inaugurated on the occasion of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas on October 31, 2021, which marks the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

•The Sardar Patel Leadership Centre aims to lay the foundation capacity building for future generations of Civil Servants from India and Abroad, as visualised by the Father of All India Services. The Centre aims to emerge as a Huge Resource Centre to provide continuous study and learning opportunities to Civil Servants so that they learn from the best practices of leadership across the world while remaining connected with their cultural ethos, values and roots.

After 14 years, price of matchbox to be hiked to Rs 2

•National Small Matchbox Manufacturers Association has increased the price of a matchbox from Rs.1 to Rs. 2 per box. This will come into effect from December 01, 2021. The increase in the price of matchbox has been done after 14 years since last increase in 2007 from 50 paise to Re. 1.

•However, with the increase in the price of matchboxes, the number of matchsticks in each box has also been increased from 36 matchsticks to 50 matchsticks. The increase in price was necessary as the price of all the 14 key raw materials of the matchstick has increased.

Manoj Sinha inaugurates Apple Festival in J-K's Srinagar

•Union Agriculture Minister, Narendra Singh Tomar and Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha has virtually inaugurated Apple Festival, organized for the first time in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.

•It will provide a better platform to apple growers and other stakeholders. With an annual production of more than 2 million metric tonnes, apple from J&K contributes to 87% of the national production and is linked to the livelihood of about 30% of the population of Jammu and Kashmir.

Karnataka ranks 7th in governance ranking: Report

•According to the 6th edition of the Public Affairs Index (PAI 2021) report by the Public Affairs Centre (PAC), a Bengaluru- based non-profit think tank, the top three slots have been taken by Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana among 18 large states.

•PAI 2021 highlights the state government’s quality governance and especially the state’s government involvement over the curb of Covid-19.

Ministry of Rural development launched initiative for SHG women

•The Ministry of Rural Development recently launched an initiative to create Lakhpati SHG women to enable rural SHG women to earn at least Rs 1 lakh per annum.

•To achieve this ambitious goal, the ministry has envisioned livelihood support to 25 million rural SHG women in the next two years. Based on various models existing across India, the government has issued a detailed advisory to state governments.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Pearl Agarwal becomes First Miss India 2021

•The grand finale of the All India Beauty Pageants First Miss India’21 and First Miss India Teen’21 was held at Novotel Dona Sylvia Resort, Goa on Saturday, 30 October.

•Many celebrities and dignitaries graced the mega event. Jagdeesh Chandra and Bollywood celebrity Hina Khan crowned the winners during the ceremony. The First Miss India 2021 title was bagged by Pearl Agarwal with Lekh Utaiah as 1st runner up and Shreya Gupta as the 2nd runner up while Rayna Sikri was declared as the First Miss India Teen 2021 with Shubhi Dhaneta as 1st runner up and Mrunmayi Barve as the 2nd runner up.

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

ADB approves $250 million loan for India’s National Industrial Corridor Development Program

•The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD 250 million (about Rs 1,875 crore) loan to support India’s National Industrial Corridor Development Program (NICDP). This is the first subprogram of the programmatic USD 500 million loans to develop 11 industrial corridors spanning 17 states.

•NICDP aims to develop world-class industrial nodes that are supported by efficient urban agglomerations and multimodal connectivity, including international gateways like ports and airports and inclusive, climate-resilient, and sustainable infrastructure.

Government approved 8.5% interest rate on EPF for FY21

•Ministry of Finance has approved the interest rate on employees’ provident fund (EPF) deposits for 2020-21 at 8.5%. The rate has been kept unchanged as for the year 2019-20.

•EPF is one fixed-income instrument that is completely tax-free under the exempt-exempt-exempt (EEE) regime, along with PPF and the Sukanya Samriddhi Account. Now the labour ministry will notify the interest rate for it to come into effect.

INTERNATIONAL

Microsoft passes Apple to become the world’s most valuable company

•Microsoft Corp. has surpassed Apple Inc. to become the world’s most valuable publicly-traded company by market capitalisation. At market close on October 29, 2021, Apple stood at about $2.46 trillion while Microsoft reached nearly $2.49 trillion. Apple had held the top position for more than a year.

•Microsoft became the second US public firm to surpass a $2 trillion market value in June, driven by expectations that its dominance in cloud computing and enterprise software will expand further in a post-coronavirus future. This year, its stock has outpaced Apple and Amazon.com Inc. on forecasts of long-term earnings and revenue growth, as well as expansion in areas such as machine learning and cloud computing. Microsoft is up more than 49%, Apple is up around 13%, and Amazon is up more than 3%.

NATIONAL

Amit Shah Launches Dairy Sahakar Scheme for Strengthening Dairy Sector in India

•The Union Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah has launched the “Dairy Sahakar” scheme at Anand, Gujarat during a function organised by Amul to celebrate the 75th Foundation Year of Amul. The total outlay of the Dairy Sahakar scheme is Rs 5000 crore. The scheme will be implemented by National Cooperative Development Corporation ( NCDC) under the Ministry of Cooperation.

•The scheme will supplement the existing efforts of strengthening the dairy sector in the country, doubling the farmer’s income as well as realizing the vision of ‘from cooperation to prosperity’.

CBSE launches Veer Gatha project to inform students about bravery of armed forces

•CBSE launches Veer Gatha project in schools to raise awareness on Gallantry Awards. Schools affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) have been asked to prepare projects and engage in activities based on the Gallantry Award winners.

•The Veer Gatha project aims to raise awareness about the brave acts and sacrifices of the Gallantry Award winners among school students. The Veer Gatha project is being conducted from October 21- November 20. The projects can be interdisciplinary & in various formats such as poems, essays, etc.

Biggest Aromatic Garden of India Opens in Nainital, Uttarakhand

•Uttarakhand gets India’s largest aromatic garden in the Nainital district. The research wing of the Uttarakhand forest department inaugurated the biggest aromatic garden of India in Lalkuan of Nainital district.

•Established in an area of over 3 acres, the garden has 140 different species of aromatic species from across India. The project was initiated in the year 2018-19 after approval of the Research Advisory Committee in June 2018.

APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

Justice Ashok Bhushan is new NCLAT chairperson

•The Centre has appointed former Supreme Court Judge Justice Ashok Bhushan as the new Chairperson of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), for a period of four years or until he attains the age of 70 years, whichever is the earliest. He was the former Chief Justice of Kerala High Court. NCLAT was formed by the government under Section 410 of the Companies Act, 2013.

•Apart from this, Justice Ramalingam Sudhakar has been appointed as the new President of the quasi-judicial body, National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) for five years or till he attains the age of 67 years. Justice Sudhakar was the former Chief Justice of Manipur High Court.

OBITUARY

Sunao Tsuboi: Campaigning Hiroshima survivor dies aged 96

•Hiroshima nuclear bomb attack survivor, Sunao Tsuboi has passed away. A leading Japanese campaigner against nuclear weapons who survived the world’s first atomic bomb attack has died at the age of 96. Some 140,000 people were killed and Tsuboi dedicated his life to campaigning to eradicate nuclear arms. He met Barack Obama on his historic visit to Hiroshima as US president.

Eminent Oncologist Padma Shri Dr Madhavan Krishnan Nair passed away

•Padma Shri Dr Madhavan Krishnan Nair, an eminent Oncologist and the founding director of the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC), has passed away. He has served as a member of the expert group that prepared the National Cancer Control Plan of India. He has also served on the Expert Advisory Panel on Cancer of the World Health Organization (WHO). The GoI has honoured him with the Padma Shri for medicine in 2001. 

IMPORTANT DAYS

Rashtriya Ekta Diwas or National Unity Day 2021: 31st October

•In India, the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas or National Unity Day is observed every year on October 31 since 2014, to commemorate the birth anniversary of the Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

•This year marks the 146th anniversary of the great leader who played an instrumental role in India’s struggle for independence, and later during the integration of the country.

World Cities Day 2021:31st October

•The United Nations General Assembly has designated the 31st of October as World Cities Day. The Day is celebrated to promote the international community’s interest in global urbanization, push forward cooperation among countries in meeting opportunities and addressing challenges of urbanization, and contribute to sustainable urban development around the world.

•The global theme of World Cities Day 2021 is “Adapting cities for climate resilience”, acknowledging that integrated climate resilience policies and action plans will greatly reduce climate-related risks for urban populations.

World Vegan Day 2021: 01st November

•World Vegan Day is observed globally on 1st November every year. This day is celebrated to spread the benefits of veganism for humans, non-human animals, and the natural environment. Vegan Day is an opportunity to promote the benefits of a vegan diet and veganism in general.

•The day was established in 1994 by Louise Wallis, then Chair of The Vegan Society in the United Kingdom, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the organisation and the coining of the terms “vegan” and “veganism”. The President of the Vegan Society decided to elect the date of the 1st of November. This is now recognised as the date on which the Vegan Society was founded and on which Vegan Day would be observed.

NATIONAL

Maharashtra became the first state to release its own Wildlife Action plan 2021-30

•During the 17th meeting of the State Board for Wildlife (SBWL), the government of Maharashtra approved its own Wildlife Action Plan (2021-2030), which will be implemented over the next 10 years. Maharashtra became India’s first state to pass its own Wildlife Action Plan. The board has also approved the extension of the boundary of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, in the Chandrapur district of the Vidarbha region, by around 79 sq km.

•The plan has suggested integrating climate change adaption in wildlife conservation. “To develop a Climate Action Plan for the Coastal Region of the state in sync with the ‘State Climate Change Action Plan’ with special emphasis on ‘Climate Change Adaptation’ (CCA) and ‘Disaster Risk Reduction (DDR)’,” the plan states.

Google partners MeitY Startup Hub to launch Appscale Academy

•MeitY Startup Hub, an initiative of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and Google have partnered to launch ‘Appscale Academy’, a growth and development programme, to train early to mid-stage startups across India. The programme focuses on the emerging startup ecosystem in Tier II and Tier III cities of India to provide them with the help needed to build scalable app solutions.

•Appscale Academy will focus on helping local early to mid-stage startups build and scale a range of world-class apps across domains, including gaming, healthcare, fintech, edtech, social impact, and others.

•Applications for the Appscale Academy will be open till December 15, 2021. Out of the applicants, 100 startups will be selected based on defined qualitative and quantitative parameters by a panel of industry experts, members of MeitY Startup Hub, and Google Play.

India ranked 9th In “Global Climate Tech Investment trend” report

•In accordance with the report ‘Five years on: Global climate tech investment trends since the Paris Agreement’ by London & Partners, and Co, India ranked 9th in the list of top 10 countries for climate technology investment from 2016 to 2021. Indian climate tech firms received USD 1 billion in venture capital (VC) funding in this period.

•The report analyzed the trends in the climate sector since the 2016 United Nations Conference of Parties (COP) in Paris, France. The list has been topped by the United States (US) with USD 48 billion which is followed by China USD 18.6 billion.

SPORTS

Netherland’s All-rounder cricketer Ryan ten Doeschate announced retirement 

•Ryan ten Doeschate, the 41-year-old Cricket all-rounder from the Netherlands, announced retirement from International Cricket after Netherland failed to qualify for the Super 12 stage of the International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 World Cup. During the qualifiers, Netherland lost to Namibia and failed to enter the Super 12 stage, which was his last international match.

•Ryan ten Doeschate has scored 2074 runs from 57 international Test matches, 1541 runs from 33 One Day Internationals & 533 runs from 24 T20 internationals, since his debut in 2006.

APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

Centre extends RBI Governor Das’s tenure for 3 more years

•The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the reappointment of Shaktikanta Das as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India ( RBI) for a further period of three years with effect from December 10, 2021.

•He assumed the charge as the 25th governor of RBI on December 12, 2018, for three years. Before his appointment at RBI, Das served as a member of the 15th Finance Commission. He is a 1980 batch Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer from the Tamil Nadu cadre.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Thrift Day 2021: 31st October

•World Thrift Day is celebrated every year on October 31, across the world, but in India, the day is celebrated annually on October 30. This day is celebrated to promote the importance of savings and how saving money is important in today’s world. It is an important day to be remembered for individuals as well as the country’s economy. Savings, as we all know, is a necessity for every depositor who contributes to economic development.

•World Savings Day was first introduced in 1924 as World Thrift Day at the first International Thrift Congress held in Milan, Italy. It was decided that the day will be marked across the globe to encourage the idea of saving money and restore the public’s confidence in banks.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

TVS Motor Company Wins India Green Energy Award 2020

•TVS Motor Company has been awarded the ‘Outstanding Renewable Energy User’ at the third Edition of India Green Energy Award 2020 by the Indian Federation of Green Energy (IFGE).

•The award was presented by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari. IFGE has recognized the efforts of TVS Motor in researching and implementing the use of alternative power sources in the renewable energy domain while ensuring their longevity and stability.

BOOKS & AUTHOR

Former Union minister Nishank gifts his book to PM Modi

•The former Union Minister of Education Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ has gifted a copy of his book titled ‘AIIMS Mein Ek Jang Ladte Hue’ to Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi in Delhi. The book was written by Pokhriyal while he was battling C-19 at AIIMS in Delhi. The book was published by Prabhat Prakashan Pvt. Ltd.

RANKING

State Energy Efficiency Index 2020: Karnataka on Top

•Karnataka has topped the State Energy Efficiency Index 2020 (SEEI), scoring 70 points out of 100 on the back of several initiatives to improve energy efficiency in the state. Rajasthan is on second rank followed by Haryana on third. Last year i.e in SEEI 2019 ranking, Rajasthan was on top. The State Energy Efficiency Index (SEEI) 2020 was released under the Ministry of Power.

•State Energy Efficiency Index is released by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) and Alliance for an Energy-Efficient Economy (AEEE).

•The SEE index, assesses the states in four categories of Aspirant with a score below 30 points, Contenders with a score between 30-50, Achievers with a score of 50-60 and the Frontrunners with above 60 points score.

•SEEI 2020 has assessed the performance of 36 states and Union territories in energy efficiency (EE) using 68 qualitative, quantitative, and outcome-based indicators aggregating to a maximum score of 100 across six sectors.

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

SBI General Insurance ties up with Google Pay for health insurance

•SBI General Insurance made a technological partnership with Google Pay to enable users to buy SBI General’s health insurance on the Google Pay app. This collaboration marks Google Pay’s 1st partnership with an insurer in India to offer health insurance.

•The users were enabled to buy both individual and family plans under SBI General’s Arogya Sanjeevani policy through Google Pay Spot.

INTERNATIONAL

Facebook to change corporate name to Meta

•Facebook is now called Meta, in a rebrand that focuses on building the “metaverse,” a shared virtual environment that it bets will be the successor to the mobile internet. The name change, the plan for which was first reported by the Verge, is a significant rebrand for Facebook, but not it’s first. In 2019 it launched a new logo to create a distinction between the company and its social app.

•The metaverse is a term coined in the dystopian novel “Snow Crash” three decades ago and now attracting buzz in Silicon Valley. Zuckerberg said the new name, coming from the Greek word for “beyond,” symbolized there was always more to build. It refers broadly to the idea of a shared virtual realm that can be accessed by people using different devices.

Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue starts

•Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD) 2021 is being organized as a three-day online event on 27, 28 and 29 October 2021. IPRD 2021 will focus on the theme ‘Evolution in Maritime Strategy during the 21st Century: Imperatives, Challenges and Way Ahead’. It will focus on eight specific sub-themes.

•The National Maritime Foundation is the Indian Navy’s knowledge partner for IPRD 2021. It is also the Indian Navy’s chief organiser for IPRD 2021.

NATIONAL

PM Modi to attend18th ASEAN-India summit virtually

•Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi has attended the 18th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-India Summit virtually. This was the 9th ASEAN-India Summit attended by PM Modi. The Summit was held under the chairmanship of the Sultan of Brunei.

•The Heads of State/Government of the ASEAN Countries participated in the Summit to review the status of the ASEAN-India Strategic Partnership and progress made in key areas of Covid-19 & Health, Trade & Commerce, Connectivity, and Education & Culture. The year 2022 will mark 30 years of ASEAN-India relations partnership, and will be celebrated as ‘ASEAN-India Friendship Year’.

Defence minister Shri Rajnath Singh chairs Ambassadors’ Round Table for DefExpo 2022

•In a major outreach to the friendly foreign countries as also to the defence manufacturing industries of the world, Defence minister, Rajnath Singh has chaired the Ambassadors’ Round Table for Def Expo 2022, in New Delhi. DefExpo 2022 will be Asia’s largest defence exhibition. The Round Table was aimed to brief the Ambassadors of foreign missions about the planning, arrangements and other details of DefExpo 2022, which will be held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat between March 10-13, 2022.

•More than 200 delegates, including Ambassadors, Heads of Missions and Defence Attaches attended the Round Table, reflecting the growing global interest in the Indian Defence space. Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, Secretary (Defence Production) Shri Raj Kumar and other senior officials of the Ministry of Defence & Government of Gujarat were also present.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

India successfully tests nuclear-capable Agni-V ballistic missile

•Recently, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has carried successful test-firing of surface-to-surface ballistic missile Agni-5.  The test-firing was carried around 7:50 PM from APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha on October 27, 2021. Agni-5 is a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which uses a three-stage solid-fuelled engine.

•The defence ministry of India said the successful test of Agni-5 is in line with India’s stated policy to have credible minimum deterrence that underpins the commitment to ‘No First Use’. The missile has been successfully tested five times and is in the process of induction into the Army. The successful test-firing of surface to surface ballistic missile Agni-5 has also come in the midst of a lingering border stand-off with China in Eastern Ladakh.

APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

Anita Anand is only the second woman to become Canada’s defence minister

•Indo-Canadian Anita Anand became just the second woman to be appointed Canada’s minister of national defence as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his new cabinet. The ministers were sworn in by governor-general Mary May Simon in a ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. She is the first woman to serve as defence minister since Kim Campbell in the 1990s.

SMB Neobank FloBiz ropes in Manoj Bajpayee as brand ambassador for myBillBook

•FloBiz, a neobank for Indian Small to Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs), announced Padma Shri Awardee actor Manoj Bajpayee as the brand ambassador for its flagship product. He will promote the ‘’Business Ko Le Seriously’’ campaign to mark the importance of digital solutions. He has signed to accelerate myBillBook’s outreach to the SMB sector and promote the adoption of myBillBook– a simple to use GST (Good & Services Tax) billing and accounting software.

K V Kamath appointed as NaBFID chairperson

•The government of India has appointed K V Kamath as chairperson of the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID). He is a well-known banker in India and is the first head of the New Development Bank (NDB). NaBFID is a newly set up development financial institution (DFIs) in India. It has been set up for infrastructure financing as per the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) Act 2021. The authorized share capital of the NaBFID is Rs one lakh crore. The initial paid-up capital of NaBFID is Rs 20,000 crore.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Psoriasis Day 2021: 29th October

•World Psoriasis Day is observed every year on 29 October by the International Federation of Psoriasis Associations (IFPA) to promote awareness, empowerment, and action for improving the quality of life for people with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. The theme for 2021 World Psoriasis Day is “Uniting for action”.

•Psoriasis is a kind of skin disorder that reasons skin cells to multiply up to ten times faster. Psoriasis causes the skin to build up into bumpy red patches embraced with white scales.

International Internet Day 2021: 29th October

•International Internet Day is celebrated on October 29 every year across the world to celebrate the usage of the internet for the first time. The day marks the sending of the first electronic message which was transferred from one computer to another in 1969. At that time the Internet was known as ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network).

•Charley Kline, a student programmer at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), transmitted the first-ever electronic message ‘LO’ on October 29, 1969.

•The first International Internet Day was celebrated on October 29, 2005, to celebrate this momentous event in the history of telecommunications and technology.