Current Affairs 09th & 10th November 2021

 

CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

World Urbanism Day- Nov 8

• The World Urbanism Day, often known as “World Town Planning Day” is celebrated on 8 November globally, to recognize and promote the role of planning in creating livable communities.
• World Urbanism Day is an occasion to examine planning from a global perspective in order to raise awareness of the environmental consequences of urban and territorial development.
• WUD is organized by the International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP).
• The day was founded in 1949 by the late Professor Carlos Maria Della Pollera of the University of Buenos Aires, to advance public and professional interest in planning.
• ISOCARP was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands.

International Day of Radiology- Nov 8

• International Day of Radiology is observed globally on 8th November every year.
• The theme for 2021 is ‘Interventional Radiology – Active care for the patient’
• The day is celebrated to promote the awareness of the value that radiology contributes to safe patient care, and improve public understanding of the vital role radiologists and radiographers play in the healthcare continuum.
• The day also marks the anniversary of the discovery of x-rays by Wilhelm Roentgen in 1895. 
• It was first introduced in 2012, as a joint initiative of the European Society of Radiology (ESR), the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), and the American College of Radiology (ACR).
• The International Day of Radiology is acknowledged and celebrated by nearly 200 national, sub-speciality, and related societies around the world.

National Legal Services Day- Nov 9

• The National Legal Services Day is observed on November 9 annually in India.
• The Legal Services Day is celebrated to commemorate the enactment of the Legal Services Authorities Act 1987.
• The National Legal Services Day is significant to create awareness among people regarding various provisions under the Legal Services Authorities Act as well as the rights of the litigants.
• The Day is celebrated to make people aware of the various provisions under the Legal Services Authorities Act and the right of the litigants.
• The Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 was enacted on October 11, 1987, and the act came into effect on November 9, 1995.
• The National Legal Services Day was commenced by the Supreme Court of India in 1995 to assist and provide help and support to the weaker sections of the society and commemorate the enactment of the Legal Services Authorities Act.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment releases Training Modules of Central Sector Scheme

• Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar has released the Training Modules of Central Sector Scheme at a function in New Delhi.
• The Training Modules have been developed by Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) for different level of target groups including health and allied professionals, education functionaries, grass-root level functionaries, senior and mid-level functionaries.
• The Training Modules will be instrumental to sensitise the government functionaries at different levels and other stakeholders to deal with persons with disabilities effectively and through this scheme 12 thousand government functionaries have been sensitised till date.
• The scheme proposes to train about 10 thousand key functionaries every year through short term training programmes and the Department has sanctioned 7 crore 62 lakh rupees to RCI for further release of Grant in Aids to implementing agencies.
• The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, DEPwD has been in process of implementing this scheme all over the country in the coming months. The union minister also appealed to all the stakeholders to work together for this social cause and the inclusion of persons with disabilities.
• Secretary, DEPwD, Anjali Bhawra, the Training Modules will play an important role for up gradation of knowledge of stakeholders for empowerment of persons with disabilities in our country.

DRDO has signed a Bilateral Innovation Agreement with Israel for development of dual-use technologies

• Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Directorate of Defence Research and Development (DDR&D), Ministry of Defence, Israel have entered into a Bilateral Innovation Agreement (BIA) to promote innovation and accelerated research and development in start-ups and MSMEs for the development of dual-use technologies. The agreement was signed in New Delhi.
• Ministry of Defence, under the agreement, start-ups and industry of both countries will work together to bring out next-generation technologies and products in the areas such as Drones, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Quantum technology, Photonics, Energy Storage and Natural Language Processing.
• Products and technologies will be customised to meet unique requirements of both the countries.
• The development efforts will be jointly funded by DRDO and DDR&D, Israel and the technologies developed under BIA will be available to both countries for their domestic applications.

About DRDO:

• The Defence Research and Development Organisation is the premier agency under the Department of Defence Research and Development in Ministry of Defence of the Government of India, charged with the military’s research and development, headquartered in Delhi, India.
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Founded: 1958

About Israel:

• Capital: Jerusalem
• President: Isaac Herzog
• Prime minister: Naftali Bennett
• Currency: Israeli Shekel

NITI Aayog has announced five top aspirational districts in education sector

• NITI Aayog has announced the top five most improved aspirational districts in the education sector for the month of September.
• Bhoopalpalli in Telangana tops the ranking.
• It is followed by Chatra and Sahibganj in Jharkhand, Nuapada in Odisha and Jaisalmer in Rajasthan.
• This is as per NITI Aayog’s delta rankings.
• The Government is committed to raising the living standards of its citizens and ensuring inclusive growth for all – “Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas aur Sabka Vishwas”.
• To enable utilization of their potential, this program closely focuses on improving people’s ability to participate fully in the burgeoning economy.
• Districts are prodded and encouraged to first catch up with the best district within their state, and subsequently aspire to become one of the best in the country, by competing with, and learning from others in the spirit of competitive & cooperative federalism.

About NITI Aayog:

• The NITI Aayog is a public policy think tank of the Government of India, established with the aim to achieve sustainable development goals with cooperative federalism by fostering the involvement of State Governments of India in the economic policy-making process using a bottom-up approach
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Chairperson: Narendra Modi
• Founder: National Democratic Alliance

Srinagar joins UNESCO Creative Cities Network 2021 under crafts, folk arts category

• UNESCO has included Srinagar city of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in its coveted list of Creative Cities Network (UCCN).
• The announcement was made by UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay through a press release describing the list of 49 cities selected ” in recognition of their commitment to placing the culture and creativity at the heart of their development and to sharing knowledge and good practices”.
• The Jammu and Kashmir LG, Manoj Sinha, also described it as an ultimate recognition for artisans and weavers of J&K.
• The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) is a project of UNESCO launched in 2004 to promote cooperation among cities which recognized creativity as a major factor in their urban development. As of 2017, there are 180 cities from 72 countries in the network.
• The network aims to foster mutual international cooperation with and between member cities committed to invest in creativity as a driver for sustainable urban development, social inclusion and cultural vibrancy.

About UNESCO:

• The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialised agency of the United Nations aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, the arts, the sciences, and culture.
• Headquarters: Paris, France
• Head: Director-General; Audrey Azoulay
• Founded: 16 November 1945, London, United Kingdom

Centre amends Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules 2011 for enhanced protection of Consumer Rights

• Centre has amended the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules 2011 for enhanced protection of Consumer Rights.
• The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has omitted the Rule 5 defining the Schedule II prescribing the pack sizes of various types of commodities.
• A new provision has been introduced to indicate the unit sale price on pre-packed commodities, which will allow easier comparison of the prices of the commodities at the time of purchase. The amendments will come into effect from 1st April 2022.
• The declaration of date of manufacture on the pre-packed commodities is made mandatory for pre packed commodities under the revised rules.
• The provisions of declarations of MRP have simplified by removing illustration and providing for making the mandatory declaration of MRP in Indian currency inclusive of all taxes.
• This has allowed the manufacturer to declare the MRP on the pre-packed commodities in a simplified manner.

LEADS Report 2021: Gujarat is the best performing state and UP the top improver

• Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal has launched the 3rd edition of the Logistics Ease Across Different States (LEADS) report, 2021. 
• As per the report, Gujarat has been adjudged as the Best Performing State while Uttar Pradesh is the top improver. Gujarat occupied the first position, Haryana second while Punjab got the third position as per the report.
• Launching the report in New Delhi, Goyal, that some states have leap-frogged in their rankings and Uttar Pradesh has moved ahead seven places and this reflects the efforts that have been done in improving the quality of infrastructure in Uttar Pradesh.
• The inputs were given by Logistics Ease Across Different States Report 2021 can lead the way to bring down logistics costs by five percent over the next 5 years. 
• India is committed to build modern infrastructure for the 21st century, at a pace never seen before. Referring to the recently launched PM Gati Shakti Master Plan, it would revolutionize the next generation of multimodal infrastructure development in the country.

DoT Formed a Technology Innovation Group on 6G; Chaired by K Rajaraman, Telecom Secretary

• The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), under the Ministry of Communications, has formed a technology innovation group on the Sixth Generation (6G), to take lead in the development of 6G Technology globally.
• Rajaraman, Chairman Digital Communications Commission & Secretary(Telecom) has been named the chairperson of the initiative. Technology Innovation Group is a 22 member group.

Addl.Info:

• To create vision and objectives as well as develop a roadmap for research and development (R&D), pre-standardisation, development of applications and products, and action plans for 6G technology.

5th Ganga Utsav 2021-The River Festival held virtually; Ganga Atlas developed by IIT Kanpur has Launched

• The annual ‘Ganga Utsav 2021-The River Festival’ was organized virtually on November 1-3 by National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) to mark the anniversary of the announcement of River Ganga as the ‘National River’ i.e., November 4th.
• This year marked the 5th edition of the festival which was celebrated under the leadership of Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Ministry of Jal Shakti, as a part of the ongoing celebrations for 75 years of Independence and Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
• The minister launched the ‘Ganga Atlas: River of the Past’ developed by Prof Rajiv Sinha, IIT Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh (UP).

About National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG):

• The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, is a society registered on 12th August 2011 under the Societies Registration Act 1860.
• It acts as the implementation arm of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA).
• Aim – To clean Ganges and its tributaries.
• Director General– Rajiv Ranjan Mishra
• Headquarters– Delhi

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL

UNEP’s Sustainable Urban Cooling Report: Cities will be Too Hot to Live

• Beating the Heat: Sustainable Urban Cooling Handbook report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) indicates that cities will be the hotspots, if global warming continues.
• The temperature increases due to the Urban heat island effect by an average of 4 degree celsius by 2100.
• Many cities could warm as much as 4 °C if GHG emissions continue at high levels at the end of the century.
• High temperatures affect productivity, water quality, and increase air pollution.
• The report was launched during the UN Climate Conference (COP26) by the Cool Coalition, UNEP, RMI, the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM), Mission Innovation and the Clean Cooling Collaborative.

UK launches 1st Commemorative Coin featuring Mahatma Gandhi

• The Government of the United Kingdom (UK) unveiled a £5 coin to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion of Diwali.
• This is the 1st time the UK government is releasing a coin on Mahatma Gandhi.
• Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of UK, chose the final design for the coin.
• It is the first time Mahatma Gandhi has been commemorated on an official UK coin.

Features of Coin:

• Coin Designer – Heena Glover
• Image in Coin – Lotus Flower
• Quote in Coin – ‘My Life is my message’
• The coin is available both in Gold and Silver.

Note:

• Annually, 2nd October is observed as the International Non-violence Day by the United Nation, marking the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi.

Addl.Info:

• The design of the coin builds on enhancing the relationship and cultural connection between the UK and India.
• It is a part of the Royal Mint Advisory Committee’s wider Diwali collection. Which includes 1gram and 5gram gold bars in henna-style packaging.
• This is the first gold bar from the UK, which depicts Goddess Lakshmi.
• The 20gram Lakshmi Gold bar was designed in partnership with the Hindu community in South Wales

About United Kingdom:

• Prime Minister- Borris Johnson
• Capital – London
• Currency – Pound sterling

Climate Risks remain even if World Limits Warming to 1.5 deg C: 6th Adaptation Gap Report by UNEP

• During the ongoing 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, aka COP26 (Conference of Parties) in Glasgow, Scotland, a report titled ‘The Adaptation Gap Report 2021: The Gathering Storm’ by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) was released.
• It was the 6th edition of the Adaptation Gap Report.
• The report states that if the world limits warming to 1.5°C, many climate risks remain and will be irreversible.
• Currently the warming level is at 1.1°C which resulted in climate-related devastation in 2021 ranging from floods in Europe and China, heatwaves in Pacific North West, wildfires in Greece and floods and monsoon variabilities in India.

About UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme):

• Executive Director– Inger Andersen
• Headquarters– Nairobi, Kenya

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

Srinagar has joined UNESCO Creative Cities Network 2021 under crafts, folk arts category

• UNESCO has included Srinagar city of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in its coveted list of Creative Cities Network (UCCN).
• The announcement was made on Monday by UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay through a press release describing the list of 49 cities selected ” in recognition of their commitment to placing the culture and creativity at the heart of their development and to sharing knowledge and good practices“.
• The news about inclusion of Srinagar in the UNESCO’s coveted list was hailed by the cross-section of the society.
• The Jammu and Kashmir LG, Manoj Sinha, also described it as an ultimate recognition for artisans and weavers of J&K.
• The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) is a project of UNESCO launched in 2004 to promote cooperation among cities which recognized creativity as a major factor in their urban development. As of 2017, there are 180 cities from 72 countries in the network.
• The network aims to foster mutual international cooperation with and between member cities committed to invest in creativity as a driver for sustainable urban development, social inclusion and cultural vibrancy. The Network recognizes the following creative fields.

About UNESCO:

• Headquarters: Paris, France
• Head: Director-General; Audrey Azoulay
• Founded: 16 November 1945

Venkaiah Naidu will inaugurate the 24th edition of Bengaluru Tech Summit

• Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu will inaugurate the 24th edition of Bengaluru Tech Summit 2021 being organised by the Department of Electronics, IT & BT of the Government of Karnataka jointly with Software Technology Parks of India, from November 17-19.
• More than 30 countries, including the likes of Israel, Japan, Sweden, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Taiwan, Denmark, Netherlands, Lithuania, Switzerland, Vietnam, Finland and other members of the EU are expected to participate in the event.
• The event will see the participation of international dignitaries like Naftali Bennett, Prime Minister of Israel; Prof. Klaus Schwab, Founder and Chairman, World Economic Forum and Martin Schroeter, Chief Executive Officer, Kyndryl and senior Ministers from Central & State Governments and host of international industry captains and government officials, most of whom will be present virtually.
• The theme for the edition is ‘Driving the next’, and will highlight the role of digital and technological innovations which drove and supported growth of multiple sectors in a post-pandemic world.
• The event will witness the coming together of global tech leaders, Indian corporates and start-ups from IT, deep tech and biotech, showcasing disruptive technologies, forging partnerships and alliance

About Karnataka:

• Governor: Thawar Chand Gehlot
• Capital: Bengaluru
• Chief minister: Basavaraj Bommai
• NP and WLS: Bannerghatta National Park, Anshi National Park, Bandipur National Park, Kudremukh National Park, Arabithittu Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary.

Jitendra Singh has inaugurated Centre for Bioresources and Sustainable Development in Arunachal Pradesh

• Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office and MoS for Earth Sciences, Science & Technology as well as Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Dr Jitendra Singh has inaugurated DBT – APSCS&T Centre of Excellence for Bioresources and Sustainable Development and Rural Technology Demonstration Centre at Kimin in Papum Pare District of Arunachal Pradesh.
• Since the formation of Modi Government in 2014, he has emphasized the development of the North East Region.
• PM has a vision to bring the North Eastern States at par with the most developed states in Western India like Gujarat and Maharashtra.
• Dr Singh informed that two years ago, the Union Government brought an amendment in the North East Council Act that the deprived and neglected section of the society will get special attention and special grants. With this motive for development, the Centre for Excellence has been established in this territorial and north-eastern-most State of Arunachal Pradesh so that the benefits reach the tribal areas.
• Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, Lok Sabha MP from Arunachal East Tapir Gao and Rajya Sabha MP Nabam Rebia were also present on the occasion.

About Arunachal Pradesh:

• Capital: Itanagar
• Chief minister: Pema Khandu
• NP and WLS: Namdapha National Park, Arunachal Pradesh, Mouling National Park, Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary, Daying Ering Wildlife Sanctuary, Kane Wildlife Sanctuary, Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary.

Army signs MoU with University of Kashmir for providing distance education courses to soldiers

• In the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Army has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Kashmir enabling the soldiers posted in J&K to seek admission in various courses.
• According to PRO (Defence) Srinagar, Col Emron Musavi, the MoU has been signed between Srinagar-based Chinar Corps of Army and Directorate of Distance Education, University of Kashmir.
• This is a decision taken to establish a long-term relationship for the provision of distance education courses to soldiers presently serving in Kashmir.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND ECONOMY

RBI to organise its first global hackathon with theme ‘smarter digital payments’

• Reserve Bank of India has announced its first global hackathon ‘HARBINGER 2021 – Innovation for Transformation’ with the theme ‘smarter digital payments’. Registration for the hackathon starts from November 15.
• For the Hackathon, RBI invites participants to identify and develop solutions that have the potential to make digital payments accessible to the under-served, enhance the ease of payments and user experience, while strengthening the security of digital payments and promoting customer protection.
• Ideas have also been sought for innovative, easy-to-use, non-mobile digital payment solutions for converting small-ticket cash transactions to digital mode; alternative mechanism for digital payments; and social media analysis monitoring tool for detection of digital payment fraud and disruption.

RBI imposes curbs on Babaji Date Mahila Sahakari Bank; caps withdrawals at Rs 5,000

• The RBI has imposed several restrictions on Maharashtra-based Babaji Date Mahila Sahakari Bank, including capping withdrawals at 5,000 rupees for customers, amid deterioration in the lender’s financial position.
• The restrictions will remain in force for six months. According to Reserve Bank, Babaji Date Mahila Sahakari Bank, Yavatmal, should not, without prior approval of RBI in writing, grant or renew any loans and advances, make any investment, and incur any liability.
• The liability part includes borrowing of funds and acceptance of fresh deposits.
• Without RBI’s nod, the cooperative bank cannot also disburse or agree to disburse any payment, enter into any compromise or arrangement and sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of its properties or assets.

Junio ties up with RuPay for debit card for pre-teens, teenagers

• Children-focussed fintech, Junio, has launched a smart multipurpose card for pre-teens and teenagers on the RuPay platform.
• The Junio RuPay Card is designed for kids and can function as a debit card for both their online and offline purchases
• Kids and parents can sign up on the Junio app, and use virtual Junio smart cards with zero annual charges. In addition, children can enjoy up to seven per cent cashback and other reward benefits on Junio payments.
• The newly launched Junio Smart Card powered by RuPay will allow youngsters to make online and offline payments with ease. They have already seen increased acceptance of the card across the merchant network given the robustness of the RuPay platform

IBM has launched client innovation centre in Mysuru

• IBM has announced that it had launched a client innovation centre (CIC) in Mysuru, Karnataka. 
• The CIC initiative aims at supporting the rapid, high-tech driven economic growth in tier 2 and 3 regions while providing comprehensive hybrid cloud and AI technology consulting capabilities. 
• The CIC specialises in design, software engineering and analytics and it had facilitated the launch as part of its ‘spoke-shore strategy’ to attract companies to set up operations in cities ‘Beyond Bengaluru
• The IBM CIC will play a key role in the digital transformation of the IT-ecosystem throughout the city and create new employment opportunities to foster the next wave of technology innovation

Tata Motors has signed a 5-year MoU with Equitas SFB:

• Tata Motors has signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Equitas SFB, to bring financial solutions to its customers. 
• These benefits will be applicable across the Tata Motors small commercial vehicle (SCV) range. Tata Motors will leverage Equitas SFB’s network across the country, spanning 861 branches and 550+ CV customer touchpoints, to make these solutions accessible for customers
• Equitas SFB, one of India’s leading small finance banks, to make the extensive range of vehicles available to a larger set of customers, with easy financing and flexible repayment options.
• With an extensive 3 million customer database and sustained years of expertise in the sector, Equitas SFB will helps to extend the beneficial offerings to CV customers across the nation

About Equitas Small Finance Bank:

• Headquarters: Chennai
• Tagline: It’s Fun Banking
• MD & CEO: Vasudevan Pathangi Narasimhan

Bandhan Bank appointed as “Agency Bank” of RBI to Conduct Govt. Business

• In November 2021, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) appointed Bandhan Bank, a scheduled private bank, as an “Agency Bank” for undertaking government business. 
• Bandhan Bank will now be authorised to handle transactions related to GST (Goods & Services Tax), VAT (Value Added Tax) & other functions on behalf of Central & State governments.
• Note: In May 2021, RBI issued guidelines to authorise scheduled private sector banks as ‘agency banks’ to conduct government business.

About Bandhan Bank:

• Bandhan Bank was established in 2015, prior to which it functioned as an NGO since 2001.
• MD & CEO- Chandra Shekhar Ghosh
• Headquarters – Kolkata, West Bengal

About Reserve Bank of India (RBI):

• Governor -Shaktikanta Das (25th Governor)
• Headquarters- Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Founded– 1 April 1935

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS NEWS

Facebook has launched a new localised business hub to help SMBs in India

• Facebook has launched the ‘Grow Your Business Hub’ at the Grow Your Business summit, to help micro, small, and medium businesses to find relevant information, tools, and resources curated to cater to their business goals based on their growth journey.
• The social media giant is also looking at creating customised programmes depending on the stage of growth of the business providing them with relevant training and digital enablement.
• Globally, more than 200 million businesses, mostly small businesses use Meta’s tools to connect with customers through its various apps including WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram.
• A significant share of this comes from India. For instance, there are more than 15 million WhatsApp for Business app users in India.
• ‘Grow Your Business Hub’, the inaugural edition of the summit also saw the launch of ‘Grow Your Business Playbook’ that is aimed to inspire and equip early-stage businesses to start their journeys on Meta’s apps.
• The Playbook is Facebook India’s first published book on everything small businesses need to know from starting a business page, creating content on the page, to the first steps they need to take to start advertising.
• In August, Facebook launched the ‘Small Business Loans Initiative’ partnering with fintech player Indifi to enable 5-minute business loans at 17-20 per cent annual interest rate. Facebook will continue to work with small business advertisers through third-party lenders.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATION

Indian-origin Canadian Anita Anand Sworn-in as Canada’s 43rd Defence Minister

• Anita Anand (54 years), an Indian-origin Canadian has been sworn in as the 43rd Defence Minister of Canada replacing Harjit Sajjan, who has been appointed as the Minister of International Development Agency.
• She is the 2nd Woman to hold this position following the former Canadian Prime Minister Kim Campbell, who held the post for 5 months in 1993.
• She is the first Hindu Canadian to become a federal cabinet minister
• Anita Anand, born in rural Nova Scotia, Canada, was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Oakville in 2019.
• She has previously served as Minister of Public Services and Procurement.

Vice Admiral R Hari Kumar to be next Chief of Naval Staff

• The Government has appointed Vice Admiral R. Hari Kumar as the next Chief of the Naval Staff. 
• He is presently the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command.
• The present Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh is retiring from service on 30th of this month.
• Vice Admiral R. Hari Kumar was commissioned on 1st January, 1983 into the Executive Branch of the Indian Navy. During his long and distinguished service spanning nearly 39 years, he has served in a variety of Command, Staff and Instructional appointments.
• Vice Admiral R. Hari Kumar’s Sea Command includes INS Nishank, Missile Corvette, INS Kora and Guided Missile Destroyer INS Ranvir.  
• He also commanded Indian Navy’s Aircraft Carrier INS Viraat. He served as Fleet Operations Officer of the Western Fleet.
• Vice Admiral R. Hari Kumar has undergone courses at the Naval War College, US, Army War College, Mhow and Royal College of Defence Studies, UK.
• Vice Admiral R. Hari Kumar has been decorated with the Param Vishist Seva Medal, Ati Vishist Seva Medal and Vishist Seva Medal.

Byju’s names Anil Goel as President – Technology

• Edtech decacorn Byju’s has announced the appointment of Anil Goel as President – Technology.
• Goel was previously group chief technology and product officer of OYO. He has also worked with Amazon, RealNetworks, and HyperQuality.
• At Byju’s and its group companies, besides directing technology strategy and introducing emerging technologies, Goel will be responsible for product development, network operations, and implementation of management information systems, software applications and IT infrastructure.
• Goel holds an MBA degree in marketing from the City University of Seattle and a B.Tech (Hons) in Electrical and Electronics from Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani.
• An avid sportsperson, he has run a full marathon, done a 200-km cyclathon, and loves adventure sports like scuba diving and skydiving.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOUR

South African author Damon Galgut bags Booker Prize 2021

• South African author Damon Galgut has won the prestigious Booker Prize 2021 for fiction for his novel ‘The Promise’.
• It was his ninth book that states the decline of one dutch family in South Africa over four decades from the apartheid era to the present day.
• It is a tale of a troubled Afrikaner family and its broken promise to a Black employee.
• With this recognition, Damon Galgut won 50,000 pounds $69,000 as an award amount.
• Booker prize is the world’s most prestigious literary honours which is also called Oscars of world literature

CURRENT AFFAIRS : BOOKS & AUTHORS

Aseem Chawla authors a Book titled ‘Finding A Straight Line Between Twists and Turns’                      

• Aseem Chawla announced the release of his new book titled ‘Finding A Straight Line Between Twists and Turns – An Imperfect, Yet Honest Reflections on the Indian Tax Landscape’.
• The book has been published by Matrix Publishers.
• The book was unveiled by Chief Guest, Justice S Ravindra Bhat, Judge, Supreme Court of India, along with the Guest of Honour, Justice Vipin Sanghi, Hon’ble Judge, Delhi High Court at Silver Oak, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.

About the Book :

• The Book provides in-depth analysis of key recent milestones/landmark events, which have influenced the Indian tax landscape, in particular, over a decade.
• It deals with the cross border influences on the tax ecosystem

About Aseem Chawla :

• Aseem Chawla is India’s leading tax lawyer and well known international tax and policy expert.
• He is a Member of the Bar & also a Fellow Chartered Accountant.
• He is a Certificate Holder of “Comparative Tax Policy and Administration” Program of Harvard Kennedy School & “Vienna Certificate in Double Tax Treaties” from Vienna University of Economics and Business, Austria.
• He was featured in The Week magazine’s special coverage on young lawyers & he has been bestowed the award of Young Achiever lawyer.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SPORTS NEWS

U23 World Wrestling Championships 2021: India Wins 5 medals

• Indian wrestlers secured five medals at the U23 World Wrestling Championships 2021 in Belgrade, Serbia.
• It marks India’s most successful outing at the event since its inaugural edition in 2017.

List of 5 winners in U23 Championships 2021 in India :

1. Shivani Pawar won silver in 50kg
2. Anju won bronze in 55kg
3. Divya Kakran won bronze in 62kg
4. Radhika won bronze in 65kg
5. Nisha Dahiya won bronze in 72kg

• Russia bagged the Freestyle team title with 145 points while Iran finished second with 140 & Armenia who had 114 points with third

About U23 World Wrestling Championships 2021 :

• The 2021 U23 World Wrestling Championships will be the fourth edition of the U23 World Wrestling Championships.
• It will be held from 1 to 7 November 2021 in Belgrade, Serbia.

About United World Wrestling :

• United World Wrestling (UWW) is the international governing body for the sport of amateur wrestling.
• President: Nenad Lalović
• Headquarters: Corsier-sur-Vevey, Switzerland
• Founded: 1912
• Membership: Representatives from 176 national federations

Max Verstappen wins 2021 Mexico City Grand Prix                                    

• On Nov 07, 2021, Max Verstappen (Red Bull – Netherlands) won the 2021 Mexico City Grand Prix held at the  Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City.
• In the 2021 Mexico City Grand Prix, Max Verstappen is 19 points ahead of Lewis Hamilton.
• Seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-Great Britain) stood second while Sergio Perez (Mexico- Red Bull) came

About Max Verstappen :

• Max Emilian Verstappen was born on 30 September 1997 in Hasselt, Belgium.
• He is a Belgian-Dutch racing driver currently competing in Formula One, under the Dutch flag, with Red Bull Racing.
• At the age of 18, he won the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix on his debut for Red Bull Racing, becoming the youngest-ever driver and the first Dutch driver to win a Formula One Grand Prix.

Wins of Max Verstappen in 2021 :

• Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
• Monaco Grand Prix
• French Grand Prix
• Styrian Grand Prix
• Australian Grand Prix

About 2021 Mexico City Grand Prix :

• The 2021 Mexico City Grand Prix officially known as the Formula 1 Gran Premio de la Ciudad de México 2021.
• It was a Formula One motor race, held on 7 November 2021 at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City.
• The race was the 18th round of the 2021 Formula One World Championship and marked the 21st edition of the Mexican Grand Prix

ICC revealed Players of the Month for October 

• The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the winners of the Player of the Month for October. 

ICC Men’s Player of October :

• Asif Ali (Pakistan)

ICC Women’s Player of October :

• Laura Delany (Ireland)
• Asif Ali beat Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan and Namibia’s David Wiese to the men’s award & Delany beat teammate Gaby Lewis and Zimbabwe’s Mary-Anne Musonda to the women’s prize.

About Asif Ali :

• Asif was born on 1 October 1991 in Faisalabad, Pakistan.
• Asif represents Northern, and he plays for Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League.
• In January 2021, he was named in Northern’s squad for the 2020–21 Pakistan Cup.
• Ali scored 52 runs without defeat across three matches for Pakistan in October at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, scoring at a strike rate of 273.68.

About Laura Delany :

• Laura Delany currently captains Typhoons and Ireland.
• She is a right-handed batter and right-arm medium pace bowler.
• Delany played four ODIs against Zimbabwe in October and scored a total of 189 runs with a strike rate of 108.62.

List of Winners of ICC Player of the Month in 2021 :

Month	ICC Men’s Player of the Month	ICC Women’s Player of the Month
January	Rishabh Pant (India)	Shabnim Ismail (South Africa)
February	Ravichandran Ashwin (India)	Tammy Beaumont (England)
March	Bhuvneshwar Kumar (India)	Lizelle Lee (South Africa)
April	Babar Azam (Pakistan)	Alyssa Healy (Australia)
May	Mushfiqur Rahim (Bangladesh)	Kathryn Bryce (Scotland)
June	Devon Conway (New Zealand)	Sophie Ecclestone (England)
July	Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh)	Stafanie Taylor (West Indies)
August	Joe Root (England)	Eimear Richardson (Ireland)
September	Sandeep Lamichhane (Nepal)	Heather Knight (England)
October	Asif Ali (Pakistan)	Laura Delany (Ireland)

About ICC :

• Chairman: Greg Barclay
• Deputy Chairman : Imran Khwaja
• CEO: Geoff Allardice; (Interim)
• Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• Founded: 15 June 1909
• Membership: 106* members (12 Full Members , 94 Associate Members)

About ICC Player of the Month :

• The ICC Player of the Month is a monthly award presented since January 2021 by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Purpose :

• To recognise cricketers, male and female, that have performed best across all forms of international cricket in a particular month.

Indian Table Tennis pair of Manika Batra, Archana Kamath clinches women’s doubles title in WTT Contender Table Tennis Tournament

• On Nov 07, 2021, 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 world number 36 pairing beat the 23rd-ranked combine of Melanie Diaz and Adriana Diaz from Puerto Rico 11-3, 11-8, 12-10 to win the title.
• In the singles competition, Manika Batra won a bronze medal after losing to Wang Yidi of China by 2-4 (11-7, 7-11, 13-11, 10-12, 11-7, 11-5) in the semi-finals.

About Manika Batra :

• Batra was born on 15 June 1995 in Delhi, India.
• She ranked 62nd in the world as of July 2021.
• Batra became the first Indian woman to bag a commonwealth table tennis individual gold medal in CWG 2018 by beating Yu Mengyu of Singapore.

Awards & Honours :

• She was awarded the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna in 2020.

About WTT :

• WTT – World Table Tennis
• WTT, is an organization created by the ITTF ( International Table Tennis Federation )
• The head of its council is Liu Guoliang ( Former Olympic gold medalist and former head coach of China).
• It  is split into two categories, WTT Star Contender & WTT Contender
• In the WTT Contender Series, the WTT Contender tournament in Lasko is the sixth tournament.

About International Table Tennis Federation :

• Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland
• Founded: 1926
• CEO: Steve Dainton
• President : Thomas Weikert
• Membership: 226 member associations

West Indies star all-rounder Dwayne Bravo announces retirement from international cricket

• West Indies star all-rounder Dwayne Bravo announced his retirement from international cricket after the conclusion of West Indies’ T20 World Cup campaign.
• He will continue to play franchise cricket for a few more years.

About Dwayne Bravo :

• Dwayne Bravo born on 7 October 1983, in Santa Cruz, Trinidad and Tobago.
• Bravo is right-handed and bowled right-arm medium-fast.
• He has appeared at all seven T20 World Cups and helped West Indies to lift the trophy in 2012 and 2016.
• He scored 1,245 runs at an average of 22.23 and a strike rate of 115.38 & he has a total of 78 wickets in 90 matches.
• Bravo has played for his native Trinidad and Tobago since 2002.
• He has played for the Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League.
• In 2013, he was named as a franchise player at the launch of the Caribbean Premier League.
• He was a key member of the West Indies team that won the 2004 ICC Champions Trophy, the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 and the 2016 ICC World Twenty20.
• In 2020, in the match against the St Lucia Zouks, Bravo became the first bowler to take 500 wickets in T20 cricket, and the first bowler to take 100 wickets in the CPL.

Sankalp Gupta becomes 71st Grandmaster from India                                    

• Nagpur-based teenager Sankalp Gupta becomes the 71st Grandmaster of India by scoring5 points and finishing second in the GM Ask 3 round-robin event in Arandjelovac, Serbia.
• To achieve the Grandmaster title, a player has to secure three Grandmaster norms and cross the live rating of 2,500 Elo points.
• Meanwhile, The 18-year-old secured the three required GM norms in just 24 days by playing three tournaments on the trot.
• In all the three events, his performance rating was at 2599 ELO level or above.

About AICF :

• President: Sanjay Kapoor
• Founded: 1951
• Headquarters : Chennai

Daily CA On Nov 07 & 08 :

• The National Cancer Awareness Day is observed annually in India on November 7, to spread awareness on cancer, its symptoms and treatment.
• Former Union Ministers Arun Jaitley, George Fernandes, and Sushma Swaraj were conferred with Padma Vibhushan posthumously along with Classical singer Pandit Chhannulal Mishra.
• Power Minister R K Singh has addressed the 47th Raising Day of NTPC in New Delhi.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emerged at the top of the global leader approval ratings.
• Publications Division is participating in the 40th Sharjah International Book Fair.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Kedarnath in Uttarakhand, to inaugurate key infrastructure projects related to the redevelopment of Kedarnath.
• India and Bhutan are set to have seven additional entry and exit points for trade in order to increase trade connectivity.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently published its ‘Statement of Commitment to Support Greening India’s Financial System – NGFS.
• Haryana government has notified the State Employment of Local Candidates Act, 2020, which will come into force from January 15, 2022.
• The third edition of Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) 2021 is being held from November 7-9 under the aegis of Naval War College, Goa. 
• Indian-origin has taken over the reigns of a major multinational company. S. Venkatakrishnan, head of global markets for Barclays, has been appointed as the bank’s chief executive, following the resignation of Jes Staley after a report by UK regulators explored links with late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
• Air forces of India and Egypt conducted a two-day exercise called Desert Warrior at the latter’s El Berigat airbase.
• Quacquarelli Symonds released the QS Asia University Rankings 2022 for the continent’s best higher education institutions, the National University of Singapore has come up as Asia’s best university for the fourth consecutive year.
• On Nov 06, 2021, China successfully launched three new remote sensing satellites from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in the country’s southwestern Sichuan province.
• The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Air Force (IAF) have carried out two successful flight tests of indigenously-developed Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW).
• The chairperson of the Infosys Foundation & Indian author Sudha Murty has come out with her latest book for children titled “The Sage with Two Horns.
• Pradeep Magazine authored a Book Titled Not Just Cricket: A Reporter’s Journey through Modern India releasing in December 2021.
• Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar released a book titled “Modern India” authored by Poonam Dalal Dahiya.
• On Nov 05, 2021, India’s woman pistol ace Manu Bhaker and Iran’s reigning Olympic champion Javad Foroughi, won the 10M Air Pistol Mixed Team Gold at the ongoing International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) President’s Cup Rifle/Pistol in Wroclaw, Poland.
• On Nov 06, 2021, Dronacharya Awardee and renowned cricket coach Tarak Sinha Passed away.

Daily CA On Nov 09 :

• The World Urbanism Day, often known as “World Town Planning Day” is celebrated on 8 November globally, to recognize and promote the role of planning in creating livable communities.
• International Day of Radiology is observed globally on 8th November every year & the theme for 2021 is ‘Interventional Radiology – Active care for the patient’.
• The National Legal Services Day is observed on November 9 annually in India.
• Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar has released the Training Modules of Central Sector Scheme at a function in New Delhi.
• Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Directorate of Defence Research and Development (DDR&D), Ministry of Defence, Israel have entered into a Bilateral Innovation Agreement (BIA) to promote innovation and accelerated research and development in start-ups and MSMEs for the development of dual-use technologies. The agreement was signed in New Delhi.
• NITI Aayog has announced the top five most improved aspirational districts in the education sector for the month of September.
• UNESCO has included Srinagar city of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in its coveted list of Creative Cities Network (UCCN).
• Centre has amended the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules 2011 for enhanced protection of Consumer Rights.
• Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal has launched the 3rd edition of the Logistics Ease Across Different States (LEADS) report, 2021. 
• The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), under the Ministry of Communications, has formed a technology innovation group on the Sixth Generation (6G), to take lead in the development of 6G Technology globally.
• The annual ‘Ganga Utsav 2021-The River Festival’ was organized virtually on November 1-3 by National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) to mark the anniversary of the announcement of River Ganga as the ‘National River’ i.e., November 4th.
• Beating the Heat: Sustainable Urban Cooling Handbook report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) indicates that cities will be the hotspots, if global warming continues.
• The Government of the United Kingdom (UK) unveiled a £5 coin to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion of Diwali.
• During the ongoing 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, aka COP26 (Conference of Parties) in Glasgow, Scotland, a report titled ‘The Adaptation Gap Report 2021: The Gathering Storm’ by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) was released.
• UNESCO has included Srinagar city of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in its coveted list of Creative Cities Network (UCCN).
• Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu will inaugurate the 24th edition of Bengaluru Tech Summit 2021 being organised by the Department of Electronics, IT & BT of the Government of Karnataka jointly with Software Technology Parks of India, from November 17-19.
• Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office and MoS for Earth Sciences, Science & Technology as well as Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Dr Jitendra Singh has inaugurated DBT – APSCS&T Centre of Excellence for Bioresources and Sustainable Development and Rural Technology Demonstration Centre at Kimin in Papum Pare District of Arunachal Pradesh.
• In the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Army has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Kashmir enabling the soldiers posted in J&K to seek admission in various courses.
• Reserve Bank of India has announced its first global hackathon ‘HARBINGER 2021 – Innovation for Transformation’ with the theme ‘smarter digital payments’. Registration for the hackathon starts from November 15.
• The RBI has imposed several restrictions on Maharashtra-based Babaji Date Mahila Sahakari Bank, including capping withdrawals at 5,000 rupees for customers, amid deterioration in the lender’s financial position.
• Children-focussed fintech, Junio, has launched a smart multipurpose card for pre-teens and teenagers on the RuPay platform.
• IBM has announced that it had launched a client innovation centre (CIC) in Mysuru, Karnataka. 
• Tata Motors has signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Equitas SFB, to bring financial solutions to its customers. 
• In November 2021, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) appointed Bandhan Bank, a scheduled private bank, as an “Agency Bank” for undertaking government business. 
• Facebook has launched the ‘Grow Your Business Hub’ at the Grow Your Business summit, to help micro, small, and medium businesses to find relevant information, tools, and resources curated to cater to their business goals based on their growth journey.
• Anita Anand (54 years), an Indian-origin Canadian has been sworn in as the 43rd Defence Minister of Canada replacing Harjit Sajjan, who has been appointed as the Minister of International Development Agency.
• The Government has appointed Vice Admiral R. Hari Kumar as the next Chief of the Naval Staff. 
• Edtech decacorn Byju’s has announced the appointment of Anil Goel as President – Technology.
• South African author Damon Galgut has won the prestigious Booker Prize 2021 for fiction for his novel ‘The Promise’.
• Aseem Chawla announced the release of his new book titled ‘Finding A Straight Line Between Twists and Turns – An Imperfect, Yet Honest Reflections on the Indian Tax Landscape’.
• Indian wrestlers secured five medals at the U23 World Wrestling Championships 2021 in Belgrade, Serbia.
• On Nov 07, 2021, Max Verstappen (Red Bull – Netherlands) won the 2021 Mexico City Grand Prix held at the  Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City.
• The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the winners of the Player of the Month for October. ICC Men’s Player of October :Asif Ali (Pakistan), ICC Women’s Player of October : Laura Delany (Ireland)
• On Nov 07, 2021, 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.
• West Indies star all-rounder Dwayne Bravo announced his retirement from international cricket after the conclusion of West Indies’ T20 World Cup campaign.
• Nagpur-based teenager Sankalp Gupta becomes the 71st Grandmaster of India by scoring5 points and finishing second in the GM Ask 3 round-robin event in Arandjelovac, Serbia.