CURRENT AFFAIRS --NOVEMBER 26 TO 30 2016 --FOR IBPS CLERKS RRB CLERKS AND OFFICERS MAIN

26/11/16

Scientists Develop Artificial Human Lung

Scientists from Czech Republic have developed a model of a functioning human lung using 3D printing and other technologies. It has received three patents for its modeling. The model was developed by the research group from the Brno University of Technology. It can be used to simulate problems like asthma or other chronic diseases and their treatments.

Co-creator of Iconic MIG 29 Ivan Dies

Famous Russian aircraft designer, co-creator of the MiG-29 fighter jet Ivan Mikoyan has died . During his career, he took part in the development of the design of the MiG-21 and the MiG-29 fighters. For his work on the MiG-29, Mikoyan twice received the USSR State Prize state honor. Mikoyan received the USSR State Prize honor twice for designing the MiG-29 fighter jet.

S Korea Braces for Largest’ Protests

Some two million people are expected to join nationwide protests in South Korea to demand the resignation of President Park Geun-hye. Estimated 1.5 million will gather in Seoul and 500,000 in other regions – in what would be largest rallies since the demonstrations began five week ago. Ms Park is accused of allowing her friend, Choi Soon-sil, to manipulate power from behind the scenes.

Colombia Signs New Peace Deal with Farc

The Colombian government and the country’s largest rebel group, the Farc, have signed a revised peace deal. The previous deal was rejected by the Colombian people in a popular vote on 2 October. The revised agreement has been submitted to Congress for approval, rather than put to a popular vote. The deal is aimed at ending five decades of armed conflict.

Former Cuban President Fidel Castro Dies

Revolutionary icon, former Cuban president and leader of the Communist revolution, Fidel Castro has passed away. Fidel Castro ruled Cuba as a one-party state for almost half a century before handing over the powers to his brother Raul in 2008. His supporters praised him as a man who had given Cuba back to the people. But he was also accused of suppressing opposition.

NITI to Digitise Govt-Citizen Trans

Government has constituted a committee to enable cent per cent conversion of Government-Citizen Transactions to the digital platform. The panel, under the leadership of NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant, will identify and operationalise user-friendly digital payment options in all sectors of the economy. It will engage regularly with Central Ministries, State governments, district administration.

Govt Launches Campaign to Open Accounts

The government has launched a campaign to open bank accounts of workers, both in organised and unorganised sectors. The campaign is being organised by the Union Labour Ministry in collaboration with the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance. Special camps will be organized in every district at specific locations to facilitate the workers to open their bank accounts.

Manoj Bajpayee Wins Best Actor Award

Indian actor Manoj Bajpayee has won the best performance award by an actor at the 10th Asia Pacific Screen Awards. Nawazuddin Siddiqui was awarded a special mention in the same category. The 2016 Awards marked the 10th year of APSA recognising and promoting cinematic excellence. Bajpayee won the award for his performance as Professor Siras in “Aligarh” directed by Hansal Mehta.

Nalanda University Chancellor Resigns

Former Singapore Foreign Minister and Chancellor of Nalanda University, George Yeo, resigned. He was taken this decision because of autonomy in the university. The university Board was reconstituted by President Pranab Mukherjee as its Visitor on November 21. Nalanda University is located in Rajgir, Bihar. The University began its first academic session on September 1, 2014.

26th November: Constitution Day

The ‘Constitution Day’ of India is being observed on 26th Nov to spread awareness of Indian Constitution and its architecture Dr. B R Ambedkar. The government had, last year, decided to observe 26th Nov as Constitution Day. On the day in 1949, constitution of India was adopted which came into force in 1950. The day is celebrated to value and preserve the rich heritage of composite culture.

PV Sindhu Becomes No 1 Indian shuttler

PV Sindhu became the number one Indian player in BWF rankings as she went past compatriot Saina Nehwal. The Rio Olympic silver medallist moved two places to claim ninth spot as Saina,slipped five places to be at 11^thposition in world rankings. In men’s singles, Ajay Jayaram jumped four places to reach the 19th spot. H S Prannoy also improved two spots to climb to the 25th place.

Harjeet to Lead India in Jr Hockey WC

Mid-fielder Harjeet Singh will lead the 18-member Indian Men’s hockey team in the Junior World Cup to be held in Lucknow. Defender Dipsan Tirkey will shoulder the responsibilities of the vice-captain. Harjeet was part of the Indian senior men’s team that won the silver medal at the FIH Champions Trophy in London this year. Tirkey had led the Indian team to a splendid win at the EurAsia Cup.

M C Mary Kom to Receive Legends Award

Indian boxer M C Mary Kom is all set to add another honour to her glittering career. She will receive the ‘Legends Award’ from the International Boxing Association (AIBA) on its 70th anniversary. An Olympic bronze-medallist and a five-time world champion, Mary Kom is also Rajya Sabha MP now. Mary Kom was named an AIBA brand ambassador during the World Championships earlier this year.

ESAF Ties up with FIS for MF Bank

One of the largest microfinance providers in India, ESAF, has selected FIS, a global leader in financial services technology, to power the launch of its small finance bank. ESAF Small Finance Bank was created to serve micro- and small-credit needs for women in parts of India where there is little bank representation. FIS will serve as the bank’s technology partner.

Government imposes safeguard duties

Government has slapped safeguard duty on import of certain steel products to protect domestic manufacturers from cheap in-bound shipments. The safeguard duty has been imposed on import of hot rolled flat sheets & plates of alloy. The effective duty rate will be calculated after deducting value of goods. The duty arrived at would be 10 per cent in the first year and will gradually reduce.

India’s GDP Growth to Slow to 6.5%

India’s real GDP growth is expected to slow to 6.5% in the current fiscal on the likely impact of demonetisation, says a Deutsche Bank report. According to the global financial services major, economic growth will see a moderation in the near term. It would gradually recover to 7.5% in the next financial year. PM Modi had on Nov 8 announced the demonetisation of Rs. 500 & Rs. 1,000 notes.

AirSewa Portal Launched

Government has launched an AirSewa Portal and Mobile App to offer air travelers a convenient and hassle free experience. Through this app, passengers can check their flight status, flight schedule and register their grievances. Passengers will be able to post their feedback and complaints. The user will be given a unique reference number for each reported grievance.

Airbnb Signs MoU with SEWA

Leading community-driven hospitality company Airbnb has announced signing of a MoU with the Self-Employed Women’s Association of India (SEWA). Through the partnership Airbnb will work with SEWA members to help them share their homes with Airbnb’s community of international and domestic guests. It will create economic opportunities for women in rural areas and promoting tourism.

Tata Steel Replaces Cyrus Mistry

The board of Tata Steel voted to replace Cyrus Mistry as the chairman of the company. The board has named State Bank of India veteran OP Bhatt as an interim replacement. Mr. Bhatt will serve as chairman till the outcome of the EGM of the company. The company said this decision was taken to also ensure stability in the larger interest of Tata Steel’s stakeholders.

SIB Launches Contactless Debit Card

South Indian Bank has announced the launch of its contactless debit card. The Near Field Communication (NFC) technology makes the contactless cards very secure, as the card does not leave the cardholder’s possession. Once the merchant enters the purchase amount in the contactless PoS terminal, the customer simply has to just wave the card on the terminal.

27/11/16

UK Parliament Clear New Surveillance Law

British Parliament has passed a new snooping law which, if gets royal assent, will give authorities power to access the internet browsing history of everyone in the UK. The new Investigatory Powers Bill has been dubbed the “snooper’s charter” for its sweeping nature of access to the British public’s internet history. The law forces UK internet providers to store browsing histories.

Putin Gives Russian Passport to Steven

President Vladimir Putin has presented US action film star Steven Seagal with a Russian passport. Putin called the gesture a sign of a thaw in relations with the United States. It comes after he awarded Seagal Russian citizenship through a presidential decree earlier this month. Seagal has vocally defended Putin’s policies in recent years and become a regular visitor to Russia.

Swiss Votes on Nuclear Phase Out Process

Swiss voters are casting their ballots to decide whether or not to speed up the process of phasing out the country’s nuclear power plants. If voters choose “yes” in referendum,it would force three of the country’s five reactors to close next year & the remaining two by 2029. The five plants currently generate 40 per cent of Switzerland’s electricity. Polls suggest a tight race on the issue.

Election Recount to Place in Wisconsin

Wisconsin, one of three battleground US states won by President-elect Donald Trump will undergo votes recounting. It received two petitions in this regard from a third-party candidate who alleged that Russian hackers may have infiltrated voting systems. Votes cast in the state of Wisconsin, having 10 presidential electoral college votes, will be recounted.

Javed Bajwa Named New Pak Army Chief

Pakistan has named Lt Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa as the country’s new army chief. He will succeed the popular Gen Raheel Sharif,who is retiring after a three-year stint during which he is credited with improving security. He has commanded the elite X Corps,responsible for the area along the ceasefire line in disputed Kashmir. He currently serves as the Inspector-General Training and Evaluation.

Railways to Introduce ‘Tri-Netra’

Railways may soon get an advanced system, called “Tri-Netra”. It will help reduce train accidents by keeping a record of the track maintenance & will also provide better visibility. Tri-Netra stands for terrain imaging for diesel drivers infrared, enhanced optical and radar assisted system. The system provides a locomotive pilot a clear view of up to one kilometre on a straight track.

Upma Chaudhary Named Director of LBSNAA

Upma Chowdhary has been appointed Director of Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) at Mussoorie. She is the first woman to be named for the post. The post has been upgraded to Secretary rank and Chowdhary would be the 23rd director. She will replace Rajeev Kapoor. Academy imparts training to officers of civil services.

Senior Journalist Dileep Padgaonkar Dies

Senior journalist Dileep Padgaonkar passed away. He was a former editor of the The Times of India. He began his career in journalism at the age of 24 and joined Times of India as its Paris correspondent after receiving a doctorate in humanities from the Sorbonne in June 1968. He served as its editor for six years from 1988. From 1978 to 1986, he worked with UNESCO in Bangkok and Paris.

National Milk Day Observed

Every year 26 November is being observed as National Milk Day (NMD) to mark birth anniversary Father of the White Revolution Dr.Verghese Kurien. The idea of observing National Milk Day was first mooted by Indian Dairy Association (IDA) in 2014 on the lines of World Milk Day observed on June 1. The first NMD was observed on 26 November 2014 by all Indian diary sector majors.

Govt Launches E-pashu Haat

Government has launched an e-pashu haat portal which will provide detailed information to farmers about bovine animals. Information relating to Certification of the animal, its picture, breeding, volume of milk given by the cow etc will also be available in this portal. Animal fodder varieties, its volume and price information will also be available at this portal.

Mariamma Appointed As Hockey India Prez

Hockey India announced Mariamma Koshy as it’s new president. Mushtaque Ahmad, who was earlier the secretary general, has now taken over as the chairman of the Hockey India League Governing Board. The decision was taken at the 41st Hockey India Executive Board meeting. The decisions will require ratification in the Hockey India Congress to be held soon.

Shamim Khan Wrests CG Open Trophy

Delhi’s Shamim Khan has wrested the one crore rupees CG Open golf title and the lead in the Rolex Ranking. Bengaluru’s Khalin Joshi finished runner-up at 18-under-262 after a final round of 65. He also moved up to second place in the Rolex Ranking.

Sachin Wins Gold at the AIBA Champ

Sachin Singh became the third Indian boxer ever to bag gold at the AIBA Youth World Championships. In the 49 kg weight class, Sachin recorded a stunning unanimous victory over Cuban Jorge Grinan in the summit clash at St Peterburg, Russia. India thus finished the tournament with one gold and a bronze. Naman Tanwar in the 91 kg had settled for a bronze after losing in the semifinal.

PV Sindhu Loses Hong Kong Open Final

Rio Olympics silver medallist PV Sindhu lost in the Final of the Hong Kong Open Super Series tournament. She lost to fourth seed Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei, in straight games, 15-21, 17-21. This was Ying’s fifth victory over Sindhu. The ace Indian has defeated the Taiwanese thrice in the past. Ying had stunned world number one Carolina Marin of Spain in the semi-finals.

INOX Partners with SBI

Multiplex chain INOX Leisure has launched an initiative to ease the process of cash withdrawal in supporting the demonetization drive by the Government. The company has partnered with State Bank of India (SBI) to facilitate this transaction at the nearest INOX multiplex using a debit card. Citizens can swipe their debit cards & take up to Rs 2,000 in cash per card per day.

Bharti Airtel Acquires Econet’s Stake

India’s top carrier Bharti Airtel’s Netherlands arm Saturday acquired 4.2% Econet Wireless shareholding in the Airtel Nigeria. With this move, the telco’s holding in Airtel Nigeria has surged to 83.25%. Though financial details of the deal were not disclosed, Econet had valued the stake at $3 billion. After acquiring Zain’s telecom business in 2010, Airtel ran into a dispute with Econet.

Canara Bank,Bajaj Allianz Ink Pact

Canara Bank & Bajaj Allianz General Insurance have signed a corporate agency agreement for the distribution of Bajaj Allianz’s general insurance products. Both have set a target to achieve Rs 400 crore business in the first year (FY 2017-18) of operations. Under this agreement, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance will offer its products to Canara Bank customers.

RInfra Gets SEBI Nod to Launch

Reliance Infrastructure has received Sebi’s clearance to launch an infrastructure investment trust (InvIT). The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has granted the certificate of registration. The market watchdog has already granted InvIT licenses to IRB Infrastructure, GMR and MEP Infrastructure. SEBI had in August 2014 introduced InvITs.

Gopal Jiwarajka is New PHDCCI President

Gopal Jiwarajka, CMD of Salora International,took over as the new President of PHD Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Prior to becoming the President of PHD Chamber, Jiwarajka was its Senior Vice President. He is also a founder member of Indian Cellular Association. He has served on executive committee of Electronic Industries Association of India & Telecom committee of industry body Ficci.

RBI introduces incremental CRR

The RBI has introduced an incremental Cash Reserve Ratio of 100 per cent for the fortnight. It aims to absorb the surge in liquidity of banking system following the demonetisation of high value notes. CRR is the portion of the deposits which banks are required to park to the RBI. The incremental CRR is intended to be a temporary to drain excess liquidity in the system.

28/11/16

Zuma Faces ANC Vote of No Confidence

President Jacob Zuma of South Africa is facing a vote of no confidence from the leaders of his own party, the ANC. He has survived several parliamentary votes but this is the first time the ANC will formally discuss his position. The top ANC body has extended its meeting to debate the motion. Mr Zuma has increasingly come under criticism over corruption allegations.

Swiss Reject Quick Exit from Nuke Power

Swiss voters has rejected an effort to hasten the process of phasing out the country’s nuclear power plants. About 55 percent of voters turned down the initiative, with 45 percent favouring it in a vote. The plan would have meant closing three of Switzerland’s 5 nuclear plants next year, with the last shutting in 2029. No new nuclear power stations have been built in Switzerland since 1984.

Fukushima Nuclear Decommission

Japan’s trade ministry has almost doubled the estimated cost of compensation for the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster and decommissioning of the damaged Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear plant. The trade ministry at the end of 2013 calculated the cost at 11 trillion yen, which was comprised of 5.4 trillion yen for compensation. The new estimate raised the cost of compensation to 8 trillion yen.

Kuwait Opposition Win Half of Parliament

Kuwait opposition groups & their allies have won nearly half seats for the 50-seat Parliament. The opposition and its allies won 24 seats. Safaa al-Hashem is the only woman to win one of the 50 seats. The liberal candidate has served in previous parliaments, and was one of 15 women who ran for seats. A new Cabinet is now expected to be formed within a week.

Fillon Wins Conservative Candidacy

France former Prime Minister Francois Fillon has won France’s Conservative Presidential primary. Fillon, won 68 percent of the vote against Juppe, another former Prime Minister. He is likely to face a Socialist candidate and the far-right’s Marine Le Pen in next April’s election. During the campaign, ex-Prime Minister Fillon proposed economic reforms.

PM Unveils Statue of Sathya Sai Baba

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the statue of Sathya Sai Baba. He addressed the students of Sathya Sai Medical Institute in Palwal via Video conferencing. PM Modi said Sathya Sai Baba lived Mantra of Love all and serve all. Sathya Sai Baba was an Indian guru and philanthropist. He claimed to be the reincarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi.

PM Modi Flag off ‘Humsafar’ Train

PM Modi flagged off the Humsafar train between Gorakhpur & Delhi`s Anand Vihar terminus from Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh. This train will run between this two station thrice in a week. Humsafar train will have several new features, including LED screen display,vending machines ,refrigerated pantry & ports for charging. the fare in the Humsafar train would be 20% more than the normal trains.

51st Annual DGPs Conference Concluded

The 51st Annual Conference of Directors-General of Police of States was held in Hyderabad, Telangana. The three day conference was inaugurated by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. It was attended by around 100 DGPs of states, Director Generals of Central paramilitary forces & their Inspectors General. The Conference focused on cross-border terrorism, infiltration & radicalisation of youth.

Noted Marathi Author Anand Yadav Dies

Noted Marathi author and Sahitya akademi awardee Anand Yadav passed away. His autobiography ‘Zombi’ won him Sahitya Akadmi award in 1991. Mr Yadav faced a major controversy over his book ‘Santsurya Tukaram’, wrote on Sant Tukaram, a 17th century saint poet from Maharashtra. He has penned around 40 books which comprise collection of essays, poems, criticism among others.

Indian Team Bags Silver in WRO

Team “High Voltage” from India (Gurugram) won a silver in the Regular Junior High category in the 13th World Robot Olympiad (WRO). The championship was jointly organised by National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) & India STEM Foundation (ISF). Over 2,000 students from over 50 countries showcased innovative solutions using robotics technology to reduce, manage& recycle waste.

S.L Beat Zimbabwe to Clinch Tri-series

Sri Lanka beat Host Zimbabwe by six wickets to win the triangular series final at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. Upul Tharanga and Kusal Mendis struck half centuries as Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe by six wickets. Sri Lanka’s victory completed an eventful tri-series,which featured a tie between Zimbabwe and West Indies. Sri Lanka now heads to South Africa for three tests, five ODIs & three T20s.

Lewis Hamilton Wins Abu Dhabi GP

Lewis Hamilton claimed the victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix but loses the World Championship title. Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg finishes second and becomes the 33rd World Champion. He claimed his first F1 world title with a second-place finish at the Abu Dhabi GP. He becomes the third German driver to win the world title 34 years after his father Keke won his own championship in 1982.

Mobikwik Partners NHAI

MobiKwik said its customers will be able to pay toll tax at 391 toll plazas using the mobile wallet. The company has received an approval from NHAI to enable commuters across all toll plazas in the country pay cashless through its mobile wallet. MobiKwik has about 40 million users and is accepted at 2.5 lakh merchants, including IRCTC, Big Bazaar, OYO Rooms, Zomato, Grofers & Big Basket.

Goa will be First State to go Cashless

Goa is likely to become the first state in India to go cashless from December 31. People will be able to buy perishables items or anything else at the press of a button on their mobile. One has to dial *99# from their mobile phone, not necessarily a smart phone, and follow the instructions to complete the transcation. This system is being introduced to transfer money to small vendors.

Centrum Direct Launches Mobile Wallet

Centrum Direct has launched a unique mobile wallet that also offers a physical card under the label of CentrumPay. The CentrumPay will be launched next week on the MasterCard platform with Yes Bank being the PIN issuer. CentrumPay can be used both as a virtual mobile wallet for any type of payment. User can also to withdraw cash at any bank ATMs as per the permissible limits now.

CCI Clears Tata Chemicals-Yara Deal

The Competition Commission has approved the proposed acquisition of urea & fertilisers business of Tata Chemicals by Norway’s Yara Fertilisers. Under the deal, Tata Chemicals will sell its urea plant in Babrala, Uttar Pradesh. It has an annual capacity of about 1.2 million tonnes for an estimated Rs. 2,670 cr. Mergers & acquisitions beyond a certain threshold requires the approval of CCI.

Ola Teams up with SBI, PNB

Ola cabs partners with lenders like SBI & Punjab National Bank to ease cash crunch. Cash dispensing through swipe of debit cards at POS machines was introduced at around 3,700 petrol pumps. The same is being replicated by Ola on a test basis in its cabs in Kolkata & Hyderabad. Taxis with a bank officer and POS machine are parked at different locations & dispense cash of Rs. 2,000 per card.

Revised Draft GST Laws Issued

Centre had released three draft model laws for the central and integrated goods and services tax (GST) as well as the model law for compensation. These laws will be considered by the GST Council in its meeting. If the GST council approves the revised draft in its meeting, the govt may be able to present it before Parliament. The Govt is keen to roll out the new regime from April 1,2017.

IBBI Sets up Two Advisory Panels

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) sets up two high-level committees under the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code. It aims to consolidate and amend laws relating to reorganisation as well as insolvency resolution. Advisory committee on service providers panel is lead by educationist Mohandas Pai. Corporate insolvency and liquidation panel is chaired by noted banker Uday Kotak.

HSBC Rolls Out UPI Sol for Corporates

HSBC has rolled out ‘Unified Payments Interface’ (UPI) solution for corporates in India. This UPI offering will provide improved collection solution to corporates, enabling them to drive sales. HSBC, the only other foreign bank that has gone live with an UPI offering is Standard Chartered Bank. The biggest impact will be on businesses as they would be able to sell more.

29/11/16

White House warns Trump on Cuba

White House has warned Trump after he threatened to end the detente policy with Cuba. The warning said that reversing historic rapprochement would have “significant” diplomatic, economic and cultural costs. The policy is considered as one of the foreign policy legacies of outgoing President Barack Obama.

Sahara proposes to pay over Rs 11,000cr

The Sahara Group on Monday presented in the Supreme Court a roadmap for repayment of an outstanding amount of over Rs 11,136 crore to SEBI. IT also proposed to clear its liability in 21 instalments in two-and-a-half years to ensure “absolute” release of its chief Subrata Roy. It proposed to repay Rs 2,700 crore by December next year in equal installments of Rs 300 crore.

RBI extends withdrawal limits

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Tuesday extended the withdrawal limit of cash from bank deposit accounts. RBI said that such a decision had been made as certain depositors are hesitating to deposit their money into bank accounts. RBI also revealed that banks across the country have received Rs 8.45 lakh crore in the period between November 10 and November 27.

Morgan Stanley degrades Flipkart’s value

US-based mutual fund Morgan Stanley has marked down the value of its shares in Flipkart by 38 per cent. This has dropped the valuation of the company to $5.58 billion. Flipkart’s valuation has been weighed down not just by Morgan Stanley, but also by mutual fund investors Valic and Fidelity.

South Korean President offers to resign

South Korean President Park Geun-hye said that she will resign her office once parliament develops a plan for a safe transfer of power. Ms. Park would be the first South Korean leader to resign since the country’s first president, Syngman Rhee. Her resignation comes amidst claims that she colluded with a friend who wielded government power from the shadows.

NGT downs petition against Kudankulam

The southern bench of the National Green Tribunal on Tuesday dismissed a petition filed by Poovulagin Nanbargal. The petition sought the cancellation of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) granted to Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) 3-6 units. In 2012, clearance was granted to KKNPP units 3-6 to enable the NPCIL to proceed with the necessary work to start building the plants.

RBI may front-load rate cut to December

Reserve Bank may bring forward the rate cut to December to support growth and tap favourable inflation outlook, says a DBS report. While global uncertainties and rupee volatility suggest first quarter of 2017 is a better time to ease rates according to the report. The Monetary Policy Committee last month cut benchmark interest rates by 0.25 per cent to 6.25 per cent.

Karan Singh for Auroville chairman

Congress MP Karan Singh has been re-nominated by the HRD ministry as the chairman of the Auroville Foundation for a term of four years. He would function as the chairman of the Board in an honorary capacity. Earlier in 2012, Singh had been nominated as chairman of the Auroville Foundation during the term of the previous UPA government.

Fitch Rating lower forecast to 6.9%

Fitch Ratings today lowered India’s GDP growth forecast for this fiscal to 6.9 per cent from 7.4 per cent. It said economic activity will be hit in the October- December quarter. This is because of the cash crunch created by withdrawal and replacement of 500 and 1000 rupee notes. These accounted for 86 per cent of the value of currency in circulation.

India beat Pakistan in a thriller

Indian women’s team beat Pakistan by 5 wickets on Tuesday in Bangkok. India also consolidated their position at the top of the points table in the 2016 ACC Women’s Asia Cup. In reply to Pakistan’s 97, India score 98 for 2 in 19.2 overs. India lagged behind right until the halfway mark but Raj and Harmanpreet came to rescue with the bat to secure a narrow win.

Govt. Denies Trump’s Claim of Fraud

The White House has said that there is no evidence to support the alleged “election fraud” claimed by President-elect Donald Trump. Trump has said that “millions” of people voted “illegally” for Hillary Clinton. Trump won 306 votes in the Electoral College to Clinton’s 232, putting him above the 270 votes needed there to win the presidency.

Women To Re-Enter Haji Ali Dargah

A group of women activists will enter the famous Haji Ali dargah in Mumbai on Tuesday afternoon. This win comes after five years and a series of legal battles and agitations. A group of around 75-80 women from all over India would visit the mausoleum of the saint for prayers around 3 pm. The Supreme Court on October 24 delivered its verdict upholding equal access to men and women.

UK Govt. Distances From Brexit Memo

The British government on Monday distanced itself from a memo outlining plans for Brexit. The memo suggests Britain will fail to keep access to the European single market and will seek to keep the negotiations to two years. Prime Minister Theresa May has refused to outline the government’s Brexit strategy.

SC asks Centre to take decision on Yoga

The SC has asked the Centre to take a decision within 3 months on making yoga compulsory for students of Class I-VIII across the country. A bench headed by Justice MB Lokur asked the Centre to treat the petitions filed on the issue as a representation and take a decision. The court was hearing the pleas filed by Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, a lawyer and Delhi BJP spokesperson and J C Seth.

Ban-Ki-Moon hopes for a resolved IWT

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has expressed hope that India and Pakistan will bilaterally resolve issues over water-sharing. Modi had said the waters of Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers will be stopped from going in Pakistan. Ban had also expressed deep concern last week over the deterioration of the situation along the Line of Control in Kashmir in recent days.

New Zealand snatch spectacular win

New Zealand has registered their first Test series win against Pakistan since January 1985. Hosts sealed the Test rubber 2-0 on the fifth and final day in Hamilton on Tuesday. Neil Wagner was the star performer for the home side. He bagged the wickets of Mohammad Amir (0), Wahab Riaz (0) and Imran Khan (0) in 7 balls.

Jio Crosses 50 Million Subscribers

Reliance Jio has crossed the 50 million subscriber mark in less than three months. According to PTI’s sources, Jio has acquired 1,000 customers per minute and 6 lakh per day. Airtel reached the same milestone of notching 50 million subscribers in 12 years, Vodafone and Idea took 13 years each. It was launched nation-wide on September 5

Modi tells BJP MPs to give bank details

PM Modi has asked BJP MPs and MLAs to submit details of their bank transactions between November 8 and December 31. PM Modi also said the Income Tax Amendment Bill is not to turn black money into white, but to use the money looted from the poor for their welfare. The Modi government on the night of November 8 announced that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes would no longer be legal tender.

Physicists challenge Einstein’s view

Some researchers are challenging Einstein’s theory on the speed of light and have suggested that it could have been much higher in early universe. As per Einstein’s, the speed of light remains the same in any situation. The assumption that the speed of light is constant, and always has been, underpins many theories in physics, such as Einstein’s theory of general relativity.

Over 5 lakh children under siege:UNICEF

UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called for lifting sieges and allowing immediate humanitarian access. Nearly 500,000 children are living under siege amid escalating violence across Syria. The number of children living under siege has doubled in less than one year, Xinhua news agency quoted UNICEF as saying in a press release.

30/11/16

Mars Probe Returns First Pictures

Europe’s and Russia’s new satellite at Mars has sent back its first images of the planet. The Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) arrived on 19 October, putting itself in a highly elliptical parking orbit. TGO passed over a region called Hebes Chasma at its closest approach, just 250km from the Martian terrain. TGO sensors NOMAD and ACS also came through their early tests successfully.

Nepal Tables Constitution Amendment Bill

Nepal Constitution Amendment Bill has been tabled in Parliament to address the grievances of agitating Madhesi parties & other ethnic groups. The bill presented ,seeks to end a year-long political crisis in the country. The Bill proposes to amend provisions related to redrawing provincial boundaries, recognition of various languages, citizenship &representation in the National Assembly.

Thai Cabinet Acknowledges Appointment

Thailand’s Cabinet acknowledged the appointment of a new king. The death of the King Bhumibol Adulyadej on Oct 13 plunged the Southeast Asian nation into mourning. Following the king’s death, PM Prayuth Chan-ocha signalled Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn’s widely expected ascension. The cabinet,will ask the president of parliament to invite the crown prince to become king.

Texas Reports First Zika Case

Health officials in the US state of Texas said that they have recorded the first case of the Zika virus transmitted by a local mosquito. Up until now, all Zika cases in Texas have been contracted while travelling. The virus has been linked to microcephaly, a rare birth defect. Florida is the only other US state to have reported locally caught cases of Zika.

Haiti Election Won by Jovenel Moise

Jovenel Moise, the candidate backed by former president Michel Martelly,won the presidential vote in the first round. Provisional Electoral Council chief said Moise is leading against Jude Celestin,candidate of the opposition. Lapeh, scoring 55.67% against 19.52%. The election was held on 20 Nov,more than a year after the previous poll was annulled following allegations of widespread fraud.

Singapore Tops Global Education Rankings

Singapore has the highest-achieving primary & secondary pupils in international education tests in Maths & Science. Primary school pupils in Northern Ireland were ranked sixth at Maths,the highest of any in Europe. The top places in these rankings are dominated by East Asian countries. These international rankings,Trends in International Mathematics & Science Study,are published every 4yrs.

PM Launch Indian Police at Your Call App

PM Modi recently had launched the ‘Indian Police at Your Call’ mobile app at a national police conference held in Hyderabad. It was organised by the Intelligence Bureau (IB). The app is a GIS Map based interface for the citizens to locate police stations near to their current location so that they can easily reach the police station in case of emergency. The app was developed by NIC.

Daughter Wins Golden Peacock Award

Iranian film Daughter won the coveted Golden Peacock prize at the 47th International Film Festival of India. The best director award was won by Soner Caner and Baris Kaya — co-directors of the Turkish film Rauf. The ICFT-Unesco Gandhi medal,created at this IFFI was awarded to the Turkish film Cold of Kalandar. The special jury award was won by South Korean director lee Joon-ik.

78 Schemes Cover Under DBT System

As many as 78 schemes including Jhan Dhan Yojna & MGNREGA being implemented by 17 ministries are covered under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system. Minister of State for Food CR Chaudhary said, DBT for foodgrains is being implemented as per the cash transfer of food subsidy rules 2015. At present, cash transfer of food subsidy is being implemented in Chandigarh & Puducherry since Sept 2015.

IAAF Launches Online Portal

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has launched an online portal for anonymous reporting on the abuse, encouragement & promotion of performance enhancing drugs. The launched online portal,Report Doping is the latest weapon in its fight against cheating in sport. All submitted information would be transmitted via secure networks & on completely anonymous basis.

Pankaj Advani Claims Bronze

Pankaj Advani was defeated against Andrew Pagett of Wales to settle for a bronze medal at the IBSF World Snooker Championship in Doha. His opponent Andrew reached the final after displaying a14-74,8-71,0-87,78-64,0-81,70-37,7-80,37-68,19-74 win. The Indian is the only player in the world to compete at the world championship level in both sports & in all formats of both billiards & snooker.

India Beat England by 8 Wickets

India beat England by eight wickets in the third cricket Test at Mohali to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. Resumig their second innings at their overnight 78 for four, on the fourth day,the visitors were all out for 236 runs. The hosts then surpassed the victory target of 103 runs by making 104. The first Test ended in a draw before India won the second game in Visakhapatnam.

HSBC Cuts BSE’s 2017 Target

HSBC has cut BSE index target to 30,500 by 2017-end from its previous forecast of 32,400. The target cut reflects fall in Indian equities since announcement of banknote ban and Trump’s win on November 8. The BSE is down 4.3 per cent since November 8. It said forex reserves are “substantial,” and rupee is less reliant on trade with the United States.

RBI Limits Withdrawal from Jan Dhan A/c

To check the misuse of Jan Dhan accounts ,the RBI has restricted the withdrawal from such accounts to Rs. 10,000 per month. According to it, fully KYC-compliant Jan Dhan account holders will be allowed to withdraw Rs. 10,000 per month. While limited or Non-KYC compliant account holders can withdraw Rs. 5,000 per month. With regard to deposits,holders have a limit of Rs. 50,000.

Coal India Arm Signs Pact with SBI Caps

Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Ltd (CMPDI) the consultancy arm of Coal India Ltd has signed a MoU with investment banker SBI Capital Markets. The agreement is aimed at tapping each other’s strengths to increase their respective market share. The MoU covers areas like providing help for due diligence for the overseas coal and mineral properties for clients &advising bidders.

Naidu Head Committee on Demonetisation

Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu will head a committee of Chief Ministers to suggest measures to reduce hardships caused to the common man by demonetisation of Rs 500 & Rs 1000 notes. It will suggest measures to normalise the situation. The panel is also expected to work on ways to move towards a cashless economy. Naidu had been seeking a ban on high value notes as a way to combat black money.

Akodara becomes First Digital Village

Akodara village in Sabarkantha district of Gujarat has earned the coveted tag of becoming India’s first digital village in India. The village with a total population of 1,191 people uses a various cashless system for payments. All transactions in the village are carried out through digital modes like SMS, net-banking or debit cards. The village was adopted by ICICI Bank in 2015.

Gross NPAs of PSU Banks Touch over 6 L

Gross Non-Performing Assets (NPA) of public sector banks has touched around six lakh thirty thousand crore rupees at the end of Sept this year. Minister of State for Finance Santosh Kumar Gangwar said this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha. He said, the total number of NPA accounts are around 66 lakh 40 thousand. The minister said six new Debt Recovery Tribunals have been established.

Lok Sabha Passes Taxation Amendment Bill

Lok Sabha has passed the second amendment to Taxation Laws Bill. Bill seeks to tax up to 85% on those caught with undisclosed income post demonetisation. The Bill is aimed to levy tax up to 85 per cent on those caught with undisclosed income after demonetization. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that the money from the PM Gareeb Jan Kalyan Yojna will be used for welfare of the poor.

Govt Realises Over 23,497 Cr from DisInv

The government has realised over 23,497 crore rupees from disinvestment as on the 15th of this month. In the current financial year, the budget estimate for disinvestment is 56,500 crore rupees. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the government has identified some central public enterprises for sale in sectors like mineral and metal, oil and capital goods.

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