NOVEMBER 16 TO 20 CURRENT AFFAIRS -- FOR IBPS CLERKS

16-Nov: International Day of Tolerance

International Day for Tolerance & Peace is celebrated on 16th of Nov. The day is an annual observance declared by UNESCO in 1995 to generate public awareness of the dangers of intolerance. It is observed every year to appreciate the rich variety of world’s cultures, forms of expression & ways of being human. Tolerance recognises the universal human rights & fundamental freedoms of others.

World Internet Conference 2016 Begins

The 2016 World Internet Conference will kick off today in the eastern Chinese town of Wuzhen. The three-day event is expected to be attended by delegates from more than 120 countries, including 8 top foreign leaders. Foreign firms such as LinkedIn, Microsoft & Nokia will also take part. The China-sponsored event is the third one of its kind following two previous conferences in 2014 & 2015.

20 Nations Sign Framework Agmt of ISA

Over 20 countries signed the framework agreement of the International Solar Alliance (ISA). It is an initiative that is the brainchild of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The framework agreement of ISA was opened for signatures on the sidelines of CoP22 to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change at Marrakech, in Morocco. ISA is an alliance of 121 solar resource-rich tropical countries.

China’s First Female J-10 Pilot Dies

China is mourning the death of Yu Xu, the country’s first female J-10 jet pilot who was killed during an aerobatic training session. Yu was hit by the the wing of another aircraft after ejecting from her plane. Yu from Sichuan province, joined the air force in 2005. She was the first of four female pilots to qualify to fly the two-seater, multi-role J-10 fighter jet.

Mohamed Morsi Death Sentence Overturned

Egypt’s Court of Cassation overturned a death sentence against deposed president Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood and ordered a retrial. He was sentenced to death in June 2015 in connection with a mass jail break during Egypt’s 2011 uprising. He was overthrown in mid-2013 by then-general Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Mass trials have been held for thousands of Muslim Brotherhood supporters.

India, China Joint Training Exercise

The sixth edition of India-China Joint Training Exercise “Hand in Hand 2016” has started in Pune, Maharashtra. The aim of the bilateral military exercise is to share the expertise in drills and practices while tackling insurgency and terrorism. The Hand-in-Hand joint training exercise is in continuation of the series of joint exercises between both countries.

Parliament Winter Session Begins

The winter session of the Parliament opened. On the first day of Winter session of parliament, Loksabha adjourned for the day after paying tribute its passed away members. During the month long session, nine new bills including on GST and surrogacy regulation are expected to be introduced. The issue of demonetisation of old 500 and 1000 rupee notes is set to echo in the winter Session.

Committee for Inter- Linking of Rivers

The Union Cabinet chaired by PM Modi has approved constitution of ‘special committee for inter-linking of rivers’ in compliance with a 2012 Supreme Court order. The move will help in monitoring precious projects to be carried out under its National Perspective Plan, 1980. Status-cum-progress report of the special committee will be submitted bi-annually to Cabinet.

ZakirNaik’s NGO Declared Illegal

The Union Cabinet gave a go-ahead to declare the NGO Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) run by ZakirNaik as an unlawful association which disturbed social and communal harmony. It is placed under a ban for five years. Banning any organisation under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act requires an approval by the Cabinet. A Tribunal will be set up where Dr. Naik could challenge the ban.

Tajamul Wins Gold at Kickboxing Champ

Eight-year-old Tajamul Islam from India scripted history at the World Kickboxing Championship in Italy. Tajamul defeated her rival from the United States to become the world champion in kickboxing. She made India proud, by becoming the first player ever from the sub-junior category to clinch a gold medal. She won six games in a 5 day long championship in which 90 countries had participated.

Marsh Steps Down as Australia Selectors

Rod Marsh has resigned as Australia’s chairman of selectors in the wake of the test team’s 2-0 series loss to South Africa. Marsh was appointed chief selector in May 2014, replacing John Inverarity. He was previously Cricket Australia’s manager of elite coaching development, head of the Australian Cricket Academy & and worked for the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Padmini Wins National Women Chess Champ

International Master Padmini Rout has won the 2016 National Women Premier Chess Championship. With this win, she has scored a hat-trick in the National Women Premier Chess Championship. S Vijayalakshmi of Air India won silver medal while Eesha bagged bronze. The victory ensured that Padminiwill be a part of the Indian women team in the next World team chess championship.

Samsung to Buy Harman

Samsung Electronics has agreed to acquire auto-systems maker Harman for $8 billion. Samsung will pay $112.00 per share in cash for the Stamford, Connecticut-based company, making the acquisition Samsung’s biggest ever. Harman provides connected cars and audio systems with safety and entertainment features. Last month, the company bought artificial intelligence firm Viv Labs.

Cyrus Mistry Removed as TGBL Chairman

Cyrus Mistry was voted out as chairman by the board of the Tata Global Beverages, the second listed firm of $103 billion Group to remove him. 7 out of 10 directors at the board meeting of Tata Global Beverages voted for removal of Mistry as chairman. Tata Global Beverages named company veteran Harish Bhat as its new chairman. Bhat is believed to be a confidant of Ratan Tata.

Viacom Buys Telefonica’sTelefe

Viacom had bought Argentine broadcaster Television Federal SA (Telefe) from telecom carrier Telefonica SA for $345 million in cash. The deal to buy the Spanish-language network and content producer is part of Viacom’s plan to boost its presence in Argentina and Latin America. The company has 12 pay-TV networks, including Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Comedy Central, Paramount Channel and VH1.

Check Against Repeated Exchange of Notes

The govt has announced a raft of measures to unclog the replacement of withdrawn currency with new banknotes. Economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das said banks will mark with indelible ink the fingers of people exchanging old currency at counters. It aims to stop them from coming back repeatedly & choking queues. The process similar to the indelible ink used in elections to tag voters.

Government Hikes Prices Of Wheat, Pulses

The Government has hiked the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of wheat by 100 rupees per quintal and pulses by up to 550 rupees a quintal. It aims to boost the output of these rabi crops and check prices. This decision was taken in a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) in New Delhi. The CCEA approved 100 rupees per quintal hike in wheat MSP to 1,625 rupees per quintal.

WPI Inflation Dips to 3.39% in Oct

Wholesale price inflation eased to 3.39% in October this year against 3.57% in September and minus 3.7% in October last year. Wholesale price inflation in vegetables was -65.97%. But wholesale inflation in pulses was 21.8% in October, according to Commerce Ministry data.

Union Budget 2017 on 1 Feb

The government has announced that budget will now be presented on 1 February. The Cabinet on 21 September had in-principle decided to end the colonial-era tradition of presenting the budget on the last working day of February. The earlier practice was inherited from the colonial era, when the British Parliament would pass the budget in the noon followed by India in the evening of that day.

Federal Bank to Open its Overseas Branch

Federal Bank has received RBI’s permission to open its first international branch at the Dubai International Financial Centre. The proposed branch at Dubai will help the Bank serve its Non-Resident clientele better. The private sector bank operates through a branch network of 1,252 branches and 1,524 ATMs. The Bank’s total business mix stands at Rs. 1.37 Lakh Crore as at March 31, 2016.

17/11/16

Google Launches Photo- Scanning App

Tech giant Google has rolled out a new scanning app Google PhotoScan that allows users to scan and digitise physical photographs. The free standalone app detects edges, straightens the image, rotates it to the correct orientation and removes glare. Scanned photos can be saved in one tap to Google Photos to be organised, searchable, shared and safely backed up at high quality.

Turkey Names New Ambassador to Israel

Turkish President RecepTayyipErdogan named a new ambassador to Israel,reciprocating a move by Israel. IKemalOkem will assume his duties in Tel Aviv with immediate effect. Israeli-Turkish relations broke down in 2010 when 10 Turkish pro-Palestinian activists were killed by Israeli commandos. Israel agreed to pay out $20 million to the families of those killed.

House OKs Bills to Renew Iran Sanctions

The US Congress has passed a bill seeking to extend sanctions on Iran for another ten years. Lawmakers voted 419-1 in favor of extending the Iran Sanctions Act, the foundation of a range of U.S. sanctions against Iran. In July 2015, Iran signed a historic deal with the P5+1 group of countries to maintain a peaceful nature of nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

Beijing issue Orange Alert for Pollution

Beijing & its adjacent area have issued an orange alert for heavy air pollution. The orange alert, the second highest in the four-tier warning system. Beijing Vice Mayor Zhang Gong ordered implementation of full emergency measures, including restrictions on coal burning, production & heavy trucks. The smog is expected to disperse when a cold front is forecast to arrive in north China.

SonamKapoor to be Honoured

SonamKapooris set to be honoured with the best actress award for her performance in ‘Neerja’ at the Asia Vision Movie Awards to be held in Dubai. The actress won rave reviews and accolades for her portrayal of slained Pan Am flight attendant NeerjaBhanot in the Ram Madhvani directed film. Earlier this year she won the critics choice award at the Hello Hall of Fame, for the role.

Punjab Assembly Passes Resolution on SYL

Punjab Assembly unanimously passed two resolutions on the SYL issue, directing the state govt not to hand over land to any agency. Also directed not to allow anyone to work for the construction of the Sutlej Yamuna Link canal. The second resolution said the State govt should take up the matter with the Centre &neighbouring states for levying cost and royalty on the release of water.

Aadhaar Toll-Free Helpline Launched

Revamped Aadhaar Toll-Free Helpline No. 1947 launched. It will bring convenience to Aadhaar holders, provide solutions anytime, anywhere. It enable residents to locate an Aadhaar Enrolment Centre, know generation status of an Aadhaar number (after enrolment) and help retrieve Aadhaar details. On an average the helpline number handles about 1.5 lakh calls per day.

Akhilesh Inaugurates Gomti River Front

Uttar Pradesh CM AkhileshYadav inaugurated the Rs 1500-crore Gomti riverfront development project & Gaus Mohammad Stadium in Lucknow. Under this project, a diaphragm wall has been made on both banks of the Gomtiriver to channel its waterflow. The land between the waterway and the embankment has been developed for public use. The stadium is named after ace lawn tennis player Gaus Mohammad.

DRDO Rustom-2 Flies For The First Time

Rustom-2, the unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) developed by DRDO, successfully completed its first flight in Challakere, about 200km from Bengaluru. The vehicle reportedly has a wing span of 20 metres& an endurance time ranging from 24 to 30 hours. Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd & Bharat Electronics Ltd partner Defence Research & Development Organisation( DRDO) in the development of Rustom-2.

IBC Signs Deal to Boost Pro Boxing

The Indian Boxing Council (IBC) and Sporty Solutionz signed a 5-year commercial deal. Under which the Sporty Solutionz will pump a huge amount worth Rs. 100 crore to give a boost to professional boxing in India. The investment is made in order to make India the global hub for profession boxing in the next five years. This step will give active boxers an opportunity to compete and earn.

Cricket Aus Names Hohns Interim Chairman

Cricket Australia appointed former test spinner Trevor Hohns interim chairman of selectors. Greg Chappell will also join the selection panel on an interim basis with Mark Waugh & Darren Lehmann. The appointments were made at an extraordinary meeting of the Cricket Australia board following Marsh’s decision to stand down. Marsh’s resignation followed Australia’s loss to South Africa.

SSP Chawrasia Wins Asian Tour Title

Indian golfer SSP Chawrasia lifted his first Asian Tour title outside the country after prevailing at the second play-off hole to win the $1 Million Resorts World Manila Masters. It is his first Asian Tour title outside India. He birdied the 18th play-off hole twice to clinch victory over Sam Chien of the United States and Malaysia’s Nicholas Fung.

Axis Bank to Launch Chat Bots

Axis Bank is set to launch intelligent banking chat bots to make mobile banking services more conversational. The bank tied up with Active Intelligence Pte or Active.ai, a Singapore-based fintech platform. It will enable customers to chat through its mobile banking app and messaging platforms such as Facebook messenger. Chat bots are expected to reduce long-term costs for the bank.

Sun Pharma, Others Ink Pact for Malaria

Sun Pharma announced signing of agreement between Indian Council of Medical Research,Govt of M.P & Foundation for Disease Elimination & Control of India (FDEC- India) to launch the malaria-free India demonstration project in Mandla, M.P. FDEC-India has been established by Sun Pharma as part of its corporate social responsibility initiative. It aims To Eliminate malaria from India by 2030.

China Weakens Yuan to Eight-Year Low

China weakened the yuan’s fix against the dollar to a nearly eight-year low. The central People’s Bank of China set the value of the yuan at 6.8495 to the greenback, down 0.30%. China only allows the yuan to rise or fall two percent on either side of the daily fix. During the presidential campaign Trump repeatedly accused China of keeping the yuan undervalued to boost exports.

Reliance Group Launches IoT Venture

Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group has launched UNLIMIT, an independent unit, which will provide Internet of Things (IoT) services. Reliance Group, including its mobile network, has partnered with Cisco Jasper for the launch of this venture. Internet of Things (IoT) – A connected network scheme in which everyday utility objects are connected in a network and can access each other.

Moody’s Affirms India’s Baa3 Rating

Moody’s Investors Service reaffirmed the lowest investment grade rating—Baa3—for India with a positive outlook. The rating update comes days after S&P Global Ratings kept its sovereign credit rating for India unchanged at the lowest investment grade—BBB- with a stable outlook. India has long held that such ratings are inherently biased against emerging economies.

TelanganaGovt Inks Pact with Microsoft

Telangana government has signed anMoU with Microsoft Corporation India. Under the MoU ,Microsoft will help the government to explore cloud, machine learning and mobile-based solutions to improve citizen services, education & agriculture. The State has also launched an innovative ICT enabled solution for govt schools called TS-CLASS (Telangana State Computer Literacy & Skills in Schools).

Nepal Rastra Bank Stops INR Exchange

Nepal’s central bank stopped all transactions & exchange of Indian currency notes of Rs 1,000 & Rs 500 denominations. It also requested RBI governor Urjit Patel to arrange exchange facilities for Nepalese. Presently Rs 33.6 million in old currency notes within the financial system in Nepal. Nepalese rely on Indian currency and have huge stock of high denomination notes.

Snapchat Files for $25 Billion IPO

Snapchat has filed for an initial public offering. The Venice, California-based company could go public as soon as March and be valued at $20 billion to $25 billion. It would be the largest U.S. technology IPO since Facebook Inc’s debut in 2012. Snapchat filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the U.S. Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act.

18/11/16

Scientists Improves Photosynthesis

Scientists have improved the photosynthesis,most important biological process on the planet. The breakthrough, published in the journal Science used genetic modification to increase the amount of sunlight energy crop plants can channel into food production. That increased the yield in the experimental crop by 15%. Researchers say this is a critical step towards increasing crop production.

Oldest Woman in Space Blasts off to ISS

Record holder astronaut Peggy Whitson has blasted off into space for her third mission to the International Space Station, ISS. The veteran NASA astronaut is the first woman to have commanded the ISS. She already holds the record for the longest time spent in space by a woman. This time, turning 57 while on mission, she is the oldest woman in space.

Oldest Ten Commandments Carving Sold

The world’s earliest known stone carving of the Ten Commandments has been sold in an auction for $850,000 . The marble slab, which is just over 60 centimeters high, is inscribed in an early Hebrew script called Samaritan. It only includes nine of the original Biblical commandments; the 10th is a local Samaritan rule. The carving was discovered in 1913 during the excavation.

Russia Withdraws from ICC Treaty

Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved an order to withdraw the nation from the process of joining the International Criminal Court (ICC). Russia signed the Rome statute, which governs the ICC, in 2000 but never ratified the agreement to become a member. The decision came after an ICC ruling that Russia’s activity in Crimea amounted to an “ongoing occupation”.

DNI James Clapper Resigns

US Director of National Intelligence James Clapper has submitted his letter of resignation. He had been expected to step aside, as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to appoint his own officials. Mr Clapper will remain in post until President Barack Obama leaves office. Mr Clapper has authority over 17 different agencies including the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

China Wins Supercomputer Crown

China has retained the top spot in the list of the world’s fastest supercomputers for its ‘Sunway TaihuLight’. TaihuLight is capable of performing 93 million billion calculations per second (petaflop/s). It made its appearance in June, replacing the former champion, Tianhe-2, also a Chinese system. It was built entirely using processors designed and made in China.

Mauritius PM inaugurates AYUR Herbarium

PM of the Republic of Maritius AniroodJugnauth inaugurated AYUR Herbarium project in North Goa. It is an initiative by the pharmaceutical major in association with Union AYUSH Ministry. The Goa govt& Govt of Mauritius are actively collaborating on various projects. The medicinal herbarium is a fascinating collection of various Ayurvedic medicinal plants exhibited with informative details.

India Ranks 20th in CCPI 2017

India has been ranked 20th on Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2017. The publication was issued by Germanwatch and Climate Action Network Europe. Although, India belongs to the ten largest CO2 emitting countries, per capita emissions are still relatively low, The Climate Change Performance Index is an instrument designed to enhance transparency in international climate politics.

UoH Inks MoU with UK-based University

University of Hyderabad (UoH) signed anMoU with the UK-based University of Bradford (UoB) on polymer based materials for therapeutics for diseases like cancer and tuberculosis. The collaborate research effort relies on novel nanotechnology based approaches to solving problems of current interest. The results are expected to have great societal impact due to the nature of diseases involved.

J&K ex-Guv Lt Gen Sinha Passes Away

Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Lt Gen SK Sinha passed away. He led the first batch of Indian troops that entered Jammu and Kashmir when Pakistan raiders invaded in 1947. He quit service after the government superseded him and appointed General AS Vaidya as the Army Chief. He later served as the Governor of the state. He also served as India’s Ambassador to Nepal and Governor of Assam.

SA Captain Charged with Ball Tampering

South Africa captain Faf du Plessis has been charged with ball tampering in the second Test win over Australia in Hobart. Video footage appears to show, he licking his finger and shining the ball while eating a sweet. Du Plessis was charged for breaching level two of the International Cricket Council code of conduct relating to changing the condition of the ball. He has pleaded not guilty.

Sprinter Dharambir Handed 8 year Ban

Haryana sprinter Dharambir Singh has been slapped an eight-year ban by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA). 200-metre runner Dharambir had returned positive for an anabolic steroid in an in-competition test conducted by the NADA in Bengaluru on July 11. Since this was his second dope-related offence, the NADA Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel has handed him a lengthier ban of eight years.

Cgarh Adopt Resolution on Demonetization

Chhattisgarh has become the first state to adopt a resolution welcoming the demonetisation of high-value currency notes. The state Assembly adopted a resolution moved by Chief Minister Raman Singh welcoming the Centre’s decision. The CM said, the decision was taken to flush out black money from the system. It will usher in the clean transaction and clean money system.

Select Petrol Pumps to Dispense Cash

In a bid to ease cash crunch, the government allowed dispensing cash of up to Rs 2,000 through debit card swipe at select petrol pumps. It has been decided to start this facility at around 2500 petrol pumps spread across the country. POS machines are the machines which are generally used for debit or credit card transactions. This facility will be available even after November 24, 2016.

Mastercard, RBL Launches Payment System

Mastercard announced the India launch of Masterpass QR, a quick response (QR) mobile payments solution. It will help mobile banking users safely pay for face-to-face purchases using their smartphone. Mastercard has tied up with Ratnakar Bank (RBL Bank). It has become the first lender to integrate the Masterpass QR service with its its mobile platform –the OnGo digital wallet.

Iran Overtakes Saudi as Top Oil Supplier

Iran has surpassed rival Saudi Arabia to become India’s top oil supplier in the month of October, according to shipping data. India’s oil imports from Iran shot up this year after sanctions over its nuclear development programme, which limited exports, were lifted in January. The surge is also due to Iranian price discounts, which attracted purchases from India’s programme.

AdityaPuri in Fortune’s Top Bizmen List

HDFC Bank’s AdityaPuri has been ranked 36th in the US magazine Fortune’s top 50 business persons list for 2016. He has been ranked 36th in the list, which evaluates corporate leaders’ business performance. AO Simith’sAjitaRajendra is at 34 followed by Mastercard’s Ajay Banga at 40. Facebook’s Mark Zuckerburg leads the list,Microsoft’s chief executive SatyaNadella has been ranked fifth.

South Indian Bank Got RBI Approval

South Indian Bank has received RBI approval to open a representative office in Dubai. This office will be a major boost to the bank’s efforts to reach out to the NRI customers in the UAE,. SIB provides remittance services to the NRI community in West Asia through Hadi Express Exchange. SIB has also extensive arrangements with leading exchange houses in West Asia & Singapore.

Union Bank Loan Scheme for Start-ups

Union Bank of India has launched a loan product to support and promote start-ups. The bank will provide working capital & term loan finance up to ₹5 crore at low interest rates and no processing fee. This was announced at its 98th Foundation Day when it also felicitated five distinguished personalities. They included Missionaries of Charity (St Teresa) in the field of social work.

Several Banks Slash FD Rates by up to 1%

Several banks have slashed their Fixed Deposit rates by up to 1% after the surge in deposits following demonetisation. Canara Bank announced lowering its deposit rates in the range of 0.05 to 0.25%. United Bank of India slashed rates of short-term deposits by 1%. ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank cut their deposit rates by up to 0.25%.

19/11/16

Nations Adopt Work Plan for Climate Pact

About 200 countries, including India, adopted a work plan for the implementation of Paris climate agreement by 2018 during an important UN summit in Marrakesh. The Marrakesh climate change summit also underline the urgent need for early action on part of developed countries for emission reduction. The decision sets up the stage for an early implementation of the Paris agreement.

19-Nov: World Toilet Day

World Toilet Day is a United Nations (UN) observance, on Nov 19. The day highlights a serious problem – 2.5 billion people in the world do not have access to proper sanitation. PM Modi’sSwachhta Mission has become popular to spread the importance of cleanliness and sanitation. The World Bank Group is aligning to help countries achieve the target of universal access to sanitation by 2030.

Zika Virus No Longer an Emergency – WHO

The World Health Organization declared an end to its global health emergency over the spread of the Zika virus. The world health body’s emergency committee Chair Dr David Heymann said, the Zika virus remains a highly significant & long term problem, but it is not any more a public health emergency. Brazil Health Minister Ricardo Barros said that they are not yet ready to lower their guard.

Donald Trump Picks Michael Flynn as NSA

US President-elect Donald Trump has announced key Cabinet picks, with the post of National Security Adviser going to his military Adviser Michael Flynn. Mr Flynn is a retired United States Army Lieutenant General & former director of the Defence Intelligence Agency. Mr Trump chose Republican Senator Jeff Sessions as his Attorney General and Congressman Mike Pompeo as Director of the CIA.

Trump Agrees to $25mn Settlement •

Donald Trump agreed to pay $25 million to settle lawsuits against his now-defunct Trump University for real estate investors. The agreement came 10 days before jury selection was scheduled to begin in one of three cases. The complaints accused Trump University of defrauding students who paid up to $35,000 a year to enroll in programs that promised to share Mr. Trump’s real estate secrets.

Chourasia Get Lifetime Achievement Award

Noted flautist PtHari Prasad Chourasia was conferred this year’s SumitraCharat Ram Award for lifetime achievement in the field of Indian classical music. The prestigious award was given by Lt Governor Najeeb Jung. The award is given to individuals who have excelled in the field of Indian classical dance and music or other disciplines of the Indian art and culture.

International Conference on Brucellosis

The International Conference on Brucellosis 2016 & the 69th meeting of the International Society on Brucellosis was inaugurated in New Delhi. The three day conference has been organised by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) in collaboration with Indian Council for Agriculture Research (ICAR). Brucellosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria belonging to the genus Brucella.

PM Inaugurates Rail VikasShivir

PM NarendraModi addressed the Rail VikasShivir at Surajkund through video conferencing. The Prime Minister emphasized that Indian Railways has to develop and be financially strong. He said this will benefit India and particularly those working for the Railways. The programme will seek to generate innovative yet practical ideas in the most crucial areas of rail operations.

Navy Induct Sonars To Boost Surveillance

Navy has formally inducted four types of indigenously developed sonars. The systems included Abhay – compact hull mounted sonar for shallow water crafts, Humsa UG – upgrade for the Humsa sonar system, NACS – Near-field Acoustic Characterisation System & AIDSS – Advanced Indigenous Distress sonar system. The systems have been designed and developed by NPOL, a Kochi based laboratory of DRDO.

QuamiEkta Week Begins

The Communal Harmony Week or QuamiEkta Week is being observed across the country. The week is observed to highlight the strength & resilience of the nation to withstand any potential threats to the secular fabric. National Foundation for Communal Harmony, an autonomous organisation with the Union Home Ministry, organises Communal Harmony Campaign coinciding with the QaumiEkta Week.

IOC Strips 10 Athletes of Olympic Medals

The International Olympic Committee stripped 10 athletes of medals from the 2008 Olympics after banned substances were found during retests of samples from the games. The IOC says the 10, nine of whom hail from former Soviet nations, had all tested positive for various steroids. No gold medalists were among the 10, though there were three silver medalists from weightlifting & wrestling.

MahelaJayawardene Replaces Ponting

Former Sri Lankan captain MahelaJayawardene has been appointed as the new head coach of the Indian Premier League team Mumbai Indians. Jayawardene’s appointment has come in the wake of Ricky Pointing – coach for the previous two years – contract coming to a close. Jayawardene will take charge of the Mumbai Indians for the upcoming 2017 edition of the Indian Premier League.

Sindhu into Semifinals of China Open

Rio Olympics silver medallist PV Sindhu has advanced to the semifinal of the Thiahot China Open Super Series tournament in Fuzhao. PV Sindhu got the better of China’s He Bingjiao 22-20, 21-10 in 30 minutes. She will now play South Korea’s Ji Hyun Sung for a place in the final. Sung defeated Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi 22-2010-2121-18. Meanwhile, it was curtains for Ajay Jayaram.

Gitanjali Gems Loses SEZ Project

The government has approved the cancellation of Gitanjali Gems’ special economic zone (SEZ) project in Maharashtra. A decision regarding this was taken by the board of approval. The company’s SEZ was notified on June 9, 2008, & a formal approval expired on October 24, 2011. The developer could not get green zone converted to industrial zone even after lapse of eight years from notification.

Reliance Global Call Launches New App

Reliance Communication’s international calling service Reliance Global Call launched an app RGC India. It will allows international calling at Rs 1.4 a minute. This app will enables direct-dialing of international contacts, without the need to enter toll-free number or PIN numbers. This service is available to all mobile phone and land-line users.

India, Cyprus Ink New Tax Pact

India & Cyprus signed a new double tax avoidance Agreement (DTAA) under which capital gains tax will be levied on sale of shares on investments made after April 1,2017. The latest pact would replace the existing DTAA which was in place since 1994. It provides for source based taxation of capital gains. The agreement provides for assistance between the two countries for collection of taxes.

India,UK Sign 3 Advance Pricing Agmt

India & the UK have signed three Bilateral Advance Pricing Agreements (APAs). These three pacts cover international transactions in the nature of payment of intra-group service charges and pertain to the telecom industry. With this, India and the UK have concluded five bilateral APAs. The APAs are also meant to address complex transfer pricing issues in a fair and transparent manner.

Vodafone Ties up with Google Cloud

Vodafone Business Services (VBS),announced it has tied up with Google Cloud to offer G Suite to bring people together and help them work smarter. The “G Suite” has a set of intelligent apps — Gmail, Docs, Drive, Calendar, Hangouts designed with real-time collaboration and machine intelligence. Vodafone enterprise customers can conveniently and securely access G Suite in a pay-per-use.

Catholic Bank to Appoint C.V.R Rajendran

The RBI has granted approval for appointment of C.V.R. Rajendran as the MD & CEO of Catholic Syrian Bank for a period of three years. Rajendran is currently holding the position of Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Mutual Funds of India. Prior to this, he has held other key positions like Chairman and Managing Director of Andhra Bank & Executive Director at Bank of Maharashtra.

Canara Bank Introduces ATM on Wheels

Canara Bank has introduced ATM on wheels vehicles to ease the burden on the people after a madrush was witnessed due to the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes. It has brought relief to stranded customers byintroducing the mobile ATM that are stationed at strategic locations across. The mobile ATM van has given its services at Kolar district and in Bangalore rural district.

20/11/16

Archaeologists unearth ruins in China

Archaeologists have unearthed 1000-year-old ancient building ruins believed to be dating back to the Jin and Yuan dynasties in China’s northern Hebei province. The ruins of an ancient hearth, fire pits and wall footings are discovered. Staff working at the site have also unearthed a 6-meter-wide main road, flanked on both sides by the ruins of buildings.

A silken touch to healing

A Bengaluru-based company has developed a silk protein-derived product which can be used in place of the traditional dressing for wounds. The dressing is produced from cut cocoons after the silkworm has left the cocoon, and so is a cleaner alternative to collagen dressings. The product Fibroheal was developed by Sericare, a division of Health Line Private Limited.

Cilic confirms return to Chennai Open

World No. 6 Marin Cilic will be the biggest international star in the singles field at the upcoming Chennai Open, scheduled to begin on January 2. The 2014 U.S. Open champion confirmed his participation in India’s premium event at the SDAT tennis stadium in Nungambakkam. “I hope to break into the top five, and the top three, this year” he said.

SBI employee dies in bank

A 51-year-old employee of State Bank of India, handling the cash counter at a city branch died. He collapsed during a rush of people who had come to exchange the demonetised currency notes, a bank official said. The deceased, identified as RampantulaVenkatesh Rajesh, was a customer service assistant at the Gandhi Nagar branch of SBI.

Boeing to invest in new factory in India

Boeing will invest in a brand new factory in India and create an entire aviation ecosystem as far as its ‘Make in India’ plans for its fighter aircraft the F/A-18 Super Hornet are concerned, said the company’s F/A-18 Program vice-president Dan Gillian. He was speaking to a visiting Indian media team now in the U.S. It will create aviation ecosystem for its ‘Make in India’ plans.

RBI proposes ‘Islamic window’ in banks

The Reserve Bank of India has proposed opening of “Islamic window” in conventional banks for “gradual” introduction of Sharia-compliant or interest-free banking in the country. Centre & RBI are exploring the possibility of introduction of Islamic banking for long to ensure financial inclusion of those sections of the society. Islamic banking may be introduced in India in a gradual manner.

Sindhu wins maiden Super Series

Olympic silver medallist P.V. Sindhu clinched her maiden Super Series Premier title after edging out Sun Yu of China in the finals of the USD 700,000 China Open badminton tournament. Sindhu, who became the toast of the country after becoming the first Indian women to win a silver at Rio Games, continued her rampaging run. She lifted the title after beating Sun by 21-11 17-21 21-11.

Indore-Patna express train derails

In the worst rail accident in recent years, over 100 passengers were killed and more than 200 injured, when 14 coaches of the Indore-Patna Express derailed in Kanpur on Sunday. The tragedy could have been caused due to a rail fracture, according to sources in the Railways. Four sleeper coaches of the train — S1, S2, S3, S4 — were badly damaged in the accident.

India as Vice Chair of Kimberly Scheme

India has been elected as the Vice Chair for 2018 and Chair for 2019 of KPCS. The announcement was made at the recently held KP Plenary Meeting 2016 at Dubai. Earlier, India had held this position of KP Chair in 2008. India has been an important member in the world gem and jewellery industry and this position as chair of KPCS reinforces our position and acceptance by the world.

ITPO to participate in INTERMODA fair

India Trade Promotion Org. is holding India’s country level participation in IM INTERMODA-International Apparel & Textile Fair at Expo Guadalajara Exhibition Centre from January 17 to 20, 2017. Being a regular participant, ITPO aims to provide an excellent business opportunity in high potential Mexican markets. This attracts a large number of buyers from North & Latin American regions.

Kala Utsav 2016 concluded

The Kala Utsav, an annual festival to celebrate the talent of school children concluded on 18 Nov in New Delhi. It concluded with the presentation of awards in 4 segments of music, dance, theatre & visual arts. Speaking on the occasion Dr. MahendraNathPandey appreciated the initiative of PM Modi and PrakashJavadekar to bring out the latent talent of school children in various forms of art.

Afterimage: Portrays power & art

The passionate biopic ‘AfterImage’ a film directed by the legendary Polish Director AndrzejWajda, portrays the complex relationship between Power and Art. The film does not ask questions, but puts out questions and compels people to contemplate on the issues involved. This was stated by the Producer of the film Michal Kwiecinski, while briefing the media in Goa.

A Battery Car steals the show at IITF

A battery car developed and commercially produced by CSIR-CECRI and CSIR-CMERI, in collaboration with Mahindra steals the show at the ‘Energy’ theme at the 36th India International Trade Fair 2016. It was a Lithium-ion battery powered 4-door electric car. As a part of ‘Platinum Jubilee Techno Fest’, different themes-based activities are being organized at the IITF.

Trade Fair had over a lakh footfall

India International Trade Fair opened for general public from 19th November 2016. The weekend attracted over a lakh visitors to PragatiMaidan. Increase in visitorship is due to reduction in price of tickets from Rs. 120/- to Rs. 100/-. PragatiMaidan not only offers business opportunities at trade fair but also cultural events and varieties of eateries of almost all states.

CM flags off ‘Digital India Campaign’

Arunachal Chief Minister PemaKhandu flagged-off the ‘Digital India Outreach Campaign Van’. The CM appealed to his legislator colleagues to extend full cooperation and support to the ‘Outreach Campaign Van’. Various Digital India program and products have been launched to provide several government services to the people using IT and to integrate the government departments.

Global Citizen Festival starts in Mumbai

Coldplay, the British rock band that has doled out several memorable tracks including Sky Full Of Stars arrived at Global Citizen Festival 2016 India. The concert that has the likes of Jay Z, Amitabh Bachchan, ShahRukh Khan etc in performance is taking place just before the eighth anniversary of 26/11 Mumbai attacks. It is symbolic of the spirit of Mumbai — the show must go on.

India 2 most talked about destination

Incredible India 2 Most Talked About Destination During World Travel Market 2016 in London WTM London. The leading global event for the travel industry, is one of the must-attended 3-day business-to-business exhibition for the worldwide travel and tourism industry. Almost 50,000 travel industry professionals, government ministers & international press, embark on ExCeL London every November.

Bill to declare Pak terrorist nation

Independent RajyaSabha member Rajeev Chandrasekhar introduced a private member’s bill to declare Pakistan a terrorist state. He promised to do this after Uri attack. The reason behind the bill is to put the spotlight on the need for India to take a strong view on Pakistan as a terror state and to urge the government to take appropriate action to brand Pakistan a terrorist nation.

India’s solar capacity crosses 10,000 MW

India has achieved a major milestone in solar power capacity addition. Cumulative solar capacity, including rooftop and off-grid segments, has crossed 10,000 MW in the country. India is expected to become the world’s third biggest solar market next year, after China and the US. An average annual capacity addition of 8-10 GW per annum is expected from next year.

SC refuses govt.’s rejection of judges

The Supreme Court Collegium has refused to accept the government’s rejection of 43 names of the 77 it had hand-picked for judicial appointments in High Courts. The appointments of 34 names were done by the government. The Supreme Court informed the government that it had reiterated every one of the 43 names that was sent back by the Centre to the Collegium for re-consideration.

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