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Monthly Digest November-2017

Dear readers,

This Monthly GK Digest is a complete docket of important news and events that occurred in a month of November 2017. We have compiled important & expected questions, which can be asked in upcoming Banking interviews and all upcoming Banking & Insurance exams.

Banking & Financial Awareness

1. Chairman of 15th – NK Singh. 4. SBI launched ‘YONO’ app - The State Bank of India has The Government has constituted the 15th Finance launched a unified integrated app ‘YOYO’. The ‘YOYO’ Commission under the chairmanship of NK Singh. The stands for – ‘You Only Need One’. commission will make recommendation for five years • The app is launched by Finance Minister Arun commencing from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2025. Jaitely. • The other members of the 15th Finance commission • ‘YOYO’ is the first digital banking platform which are –, former Secretary to Union offer customized products to the customer. SBI has Government & Anoop Singh, Adjunct Professor at tied with 60 e-commerce players, including Georgetown University. Amazon, Ola, Flipkart, Yatra, etc. to provide more • While, Chairman of Bandhan Bank Ashok Lahiri and facility other than banking services. Member of NITI Aayog Ramesh Chand will be the • With the help of this app, any customer can open Part time members of the Commission. their bank accounts with SBI in a few minutes, • Arvind Mehta will be the Secretary to the transfer funds, and utilize various other services. Commission. • The application can be accessed on web browser Note: and mobile phones– Android and iOS platforms. • N. K. Singh is a politician, economist, and former 5. The Sub-Committee of Financial Stability and Indian Administrative Service officer. He is a senior Development Council (FSDC) headed by Reserve Bank of Member of the since March India (RBI) Governor Urjit Patel has reviewed the major 2014 after having served as a Member of Parliament global and domestic developments that could block in the Rajya Sabha from Bihar. country’s financial stability. • The Chairman of 14th Finance Commission is – Y.V. 6. IMD Talent Rankings 2017 – India ranked at 51st Reddy (former Governor of RBI). position among 63 countries. The rankings of countries • The 15th Finance Commission is constituted under are based on their performance in three main categories clause (1) of article 280 of the Indian Constitution, — investment and development, appeal, and readiness. the commission came into force with the approval Note: President . • India previous year ranking – 54 2. BOB launched Digital Supply Chain Solution – Bank of • Top three countries – Switzerland, , and Baroda has launched a supply chain finance solution to Belgium. offer working capital loans to small and medium 7. RBI raises shareholding limit of ARCs enterprise and large corporate clients. • As per the notification released by the Reserve 3. S&P Retains India’s Sovereign Rating at ‘BBB- Bank of India, now Asset Reconstruction American financial services firm, Standard & Poor's kept Companies (ARCs) can hold more than 26% post India’s Sovereign Rating unchanged at ‘BBB. The conversion of debt into equity in companies headquarter of S&P is in New York. undergoing restructuring. • The RBI also said that; i. ARCs should also maintain new owned fund (NOF) of Rs. 100 crores. 2 | P a g e

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ii. ARCs should have at least half of the board 15. UAE’s Emirates NBD has started operations in India by members as independent directors to be eligible opening a branch in -- Mumbai. for exemption from shareholding limit. Note: This branch is Emirates NBD’s fifth international branch outside of its UAE, offer a range of services to 8. RBL Bank has set up an all women branch in -- , corporate, institutional clients and Small and Medium Tamil Nadu. Enterprises (SMEs). The bank has planned to invest USD Note: The branch would be managed by eight women 100 million capital into its Indian operations over a and offer all products and services across liability and period of time. assets. RBL Bank has 246 branches and 389 ATM 16. The bank has “strategic alliance” with mobile wallet services across the country. major MobiKwik to launch a co-branded virtual Visa prepaid card for customers of MobiKwik -- IDFC Bank. 9. Moody’s Investors Service upgrades ratings of PSUs-- Note: This pre-paid card will now allow MobiKwik users Nine. to shop from Amazon or Flipkart where currently Note: Moody's Investors Service has upgraded ratings MobiKwik wallet use is not allowed. This Visa pre-paid (stable from positive) of nine state-owned firms. These card is replica of the wallet and can be used anywhere. are Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL), Hindustan 17. GST Council reduces tax on 178 items from 28 to --18%. Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL), Indian Oil Corp (IOC), Note: Tax on 178 items have been reduced to 18% from Petronet LNG Ltd (PLL), Oil and Natural Gas Corp 28% and only 50 items now remain in the highest tax slab of 28%. The Council has decided that food at all (ONGC), National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), restaurants in the country, except those in starred hotels, NHPC, National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and will be taxed at 5% rather than 18%, without Input Tax GAIL India Credit (ITC). 10. Bank of China’s first branch in South Asia in - Karachi 18. American digital payments company PayPal has (). launched domestic operations in India. Note: The bank would strengthen the "brotherly Note: Indian customers will not be able to store any money in their PayPal accounts as the company is yet to relations" between the two countries in the financial receive a prepaid payment instrument (PPI) licence from sector. the RBI. 11. The Reserve bank of India (RBI) has asked banks to 19. The Uttar Pradesh state govt toped in opening new provide doorstep banking facilities to senior citizens PMJDY (Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana) accounts after (above 70 years) and differently-abled persons by -- demonetization. December 2017. Note: More than five crores new PMJDY accounts in the Note: Banks have also been advised that a fully KYC Indian banking system came from Uttar Pradesh alone. compliant account should automatically be converted 20. Urjit Patel has been appointed to the Financial Stability into a 'Senior Citizen Account' based on the date of birth Institute Advisory Board or the Bank of International available in the bank's records. The RBI asked banks to Settlement (BIS). provide a minimum of 25 cheques leaves every year for a Note: The Advisory Board will comprise a small but savings bank account free of charge. diverse group of central bank Governors, heads of 12. Full GST council headed by Union Finance minister Arun financial sector supervision and chairs of standard- Jaitley meet and review the impact of the new tax regime setting bodies and regional supervisory groups.Bank for in the first quarter of its implementation in -- Guwahati. International Settlements (BIS) is an international 13. US-based Major credit rating agency Moody's has financial organisation owned by 60-member central upgraded India's sovereign credit rating to 'Baa2' from banks across the world. 'Baa3’. 21. The union govt. has constituted a ministerial panel Note: Moody's Investors Service was established in headed by Finance Minister to oversee 1909, headquarters in New York, USA. Standard & Poor's merger proposals of state-owned banks. Financial Services LLC: was founded in 1860, Note: The other members of the panel are Railway & headquarters in New York, USA, subsidiary of S&P Global. Coal Minister and Defence Minister 14. HDFC Bank has announced the launch of its SmartUp Zone in -- Kochi. . Note: The objective is to harness the potential of the 22. The Corporation has come together with HDFC to create startup and fintech eco-system using a multi-pronged a USD 800 million fund for finance construction to boost approach. SmartUp Zones will be launched in over 65 affordable housing finance in India -- IFC (International branches in 30 cities across India. Finance Corporation).

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Note: IFC will infuse USD 200 million by subscribing to 29. The new series of Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGBs) has been masala bonds, rupee-denominated instruments issued by fixed per gram at 2,934 rupees. HDFC and to be listed on the Stock Exchange. Note: SGBs are government securities denominated in The remaining amount of USD 600 million will be grams of gold, substitutes for holding physical gold. contributed by HDFC from its own resources. 30. The India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) will become 23. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has withdrawn the sale operational in all 650 districts of the country by April of Rs. 10,000 crores worth of government securities 2018. under -- Open Market Operations (OMO). Note: These banks will be linked to 1.55 lakh rural post Note: It is view of the recent market developments and offices and carry out banking services. Two such banks based on a fresh review of the current & evolving are already operational in Ranchi and Raipur. liquidity conditions. 31. The cash sales of agricultural produce by a cultivator to a 24. India to be third largest economy by 2028, says trader for less than 2 lakh rupees will not attract tax report – As per the report of Bank of America Merrill under the Income Tax Act. Lynch, India will emerge as the world’s third-largest Note: The cultivator and the trader will also not have to economy, overtaking in nominal GDP by 2028. provide their Permanent Account Number or furnish The American brokerage has conservatively projected Form 60. the country’s real GDP growth at 7 per cent potential. 32. Digital payment platform Paytm has introduced 25. According to the World Bank’s released report, 'Doing payments using “BHIM UPI” BHIM (Bharat Interface for Business 2018: Reforming to Create Jobs', India’s Money) UPI (Unified Payment Interface) on its platform. ranked- 100th spot. Note: Now, users can create their own Paytm BHIM UPI Note: The Doing Business Report assesses covers 10 ID on the app, which will be issued by Paytm Payments indicators which span the lifecycle of a business. India is Bank. As per the National Payments Corporation of India the only country in South Asia and BRICS economies to (NPCI) guidelines, users can send up to Rs. 1 lakh a day feature among most improved economies of the DB using BHIM UPI; while there's no receiving limit. Report this year. 33. India has signed a loan agreement with World Bank for 26. State Bank of India (SBI) has slashed benchmark the Odisha higher education programme for excellence lending rate by 0.05% across maturities. and equity project -- 119 million Dollar. Note: The reduction in the marginal cost of funds based Note: The objective of the project is to improve the lending rate (MCLR) came after a gap of almost 10 quality of students' equitable access to selected months. The MCLR for one year has come down to 7.95% institutions and enhance governance of the higher from 8%. The MCLR on overnight borrowings has been education system in Odisha. reduced to 7.70% from 7.75%, while the lending rate for 34. The Union govt has doubled the import duty on wheat to three-year tenure has been cut from 8.15% to 8.10%. curb cheap shipments and give positive price signal to 27. India's first voice-based international remittance service farmers in the ongoing Rabi season -- 20%. to enable non-resident Indians (NRIs) to send money to Note: It has also imposed import duty of 50% on peas to any bank in India- ICICI Bank. check cheaper shipments from countries like and 28. YES bank unveiled a BHIM YES PAY by fully integrating to boost domestic prices. It seeks to increase rate of the application with all the India Stack APIs and NPCI basic customs duty on wheat from 10 to 20% and on Products. Peas from present Nil rate to 50%. Note: BHIM YES PAY supports e-KYC, UPI, IMPS, RuPay, BBPS and BharatQR making customers’ as well as retailers’ digital journey smooth.

New Appointments National

1. President of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis 3. SEBI Executive Director - Anand Rajeshwar. (IDSA) - Nirmala Sitharaman (Union Defence Minister). 4. Indian Navy's First Female Pilot - Shubhangi Swaroop. 2. Madras High Court Judge - Justice Satrughana Pujahari.

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5. New President of the 36th International Geological 14. Former economic affairs secretary has been appointed Congress (IGC) - Vijay Prasad Dimri India’s G20 Sherpa for the Development Track of the 6. RBI Governor Urjit Patel appointed to the Financial grouping--Shaktikanta Das. Stability Institute Advisory Board of the Bank of Note: The Department of Economic Affairs will provide International Settlement (BIS). necessary support to the Sherpa.A Sherpa is a personal 7. New Chairman of Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) – S. representative of the leader of a member country at an Ravi. international Summit meeting such as the G8/G20 or the Note: He replaced Dhirendra Swarup. Nuclear Security Summit. 8. New Finance Secretary -- . 15. Senior IAS officer has been appointed as the Chairman Note: The Finance Secretary is the Permanent Secretary- and Managing Director (CMD) of Air India -- Pradeep level civil servant, who plays a leadership role in the Singh Kharola. bureaucracy of the Finance Ministry, Government of Note: Currently, Mr. Kharola is the Managing Director India. The vacancy was caused following the (MD) of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. superannuation of . 16. Snehlata Shrivastava.has been appointed Lok Sabha 9. The new Secretary (Security) in Cabinet Secretariat -- SK Secretary General Sinha. Note: Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has approved the 10. New head of the parliamentary standing committee on appointment of Senior IAS officer Snehlata Shrivastava defense -Major General (Retd.) B C Khanduri. (1982 batch: Madhya Pradesh cadre) as new Secretary- 11. Ambassador of the AIBA Women's Youth World General of Lok Sabha. Snehlata will be the first woman Championships – MC Mary Kom. Secretary-General of Lok Sabha. 12. Karnataka’s first woman Director General and Inspector General of Police - Neelmani N. Raju. 13. Private Secretary to President Ram Nath Kovind- Railway officer Vikram Singh.

International

1. New President of Zimbabwe - Emmerson Mnangagwa. 7. New Director-General of UNESCO -- Audrey Azoulay. 2. New Ambassador of UNAIDS Special Ambassador for Note: She replaced outgoing Director-General Irina Adolescents and HIV - Professor Quarraisha Abdool Bokova. She is the France's former culture minister. Karim 8. India's Ambassador to Pakistan -- Ajay Bisaria. 3. Britain appoints Karen Pierce as its new Ambassador to Note: He will succeed Gautam Bambawale. UN. 9. Next US Ambassador to India - Kenneth Juster 4. New Judge of International Court of Justice (ICJ) - Note: He would replace Richard Verma, who resigned Dalveer Bhandari was re-elected as Judge of ICJ. from the post with the swearing in of Donald Trump as 5. Ambassador of World Packaging Organisation - AVPS the 45th President of the United States. Chakravarthi 10. New Prime Minister of - Jacinda Ardern. 6. Re-elected Slovenia President - Borut Pahor.

Important News – India

1. PM Modi inaugurates Global Entrepreneurship • More than 10 countries are represented by an all- Summit - The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has female delegation, including from Afghanistan, Saudi inaugurated the eighth edition of Global Entrepreneurship Arabia, and Israel. Summit (GES) in Hyderabad. • US President's Advisor, Ivanka Trump will lead the US • The three-day summit hosted by India and the contingent. United States is being held for the first time in South • This will be the first Global Entrepreneurship Summit Asia in Hyderabad. in which over 52.5% of the participants are women and theme is ‘Women First, Prosperity for All’.

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2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates Hyderabad districts in Jammu and Kashmir and northeast affected by Metro Rail terrorism. • PM Narendra Modi has inaugurated the first phase of 9. India to host 36th International Geological Congress the 30 km-long (24 stations) Hyderabad Metro Rail (IGC) in 2020 in . from Miyapur to Nagole. Note: • The project, estimated to cost Rs 15,000 crore, is • The IGC is prestigious conclave of geoscientists from implemented entirely on public-private partnership around world. It is considered as an Olympic of the basis. International Geosciences fraternity. 3. The first edition of International Symposium to • The 35th International Geological Congress was held Promote Innovation & Research in Energy Efficiency at Cape Town, in 2016. (INSPIRE 2017) was held in Jaipur, Rajasthan. • The first session of IGC was held in 1878 in France. Note: INSPIRE 2017 is an international conference that 10. India has sent proposal to the United Nations (UN) for aimed to bring together various stakeholders such as declaring the year 2018 as ‘International Year of policy makers, innovators, financiers, influencers to show Millets’. case best practices in sector. 11. Govt. launched UMANG app - The Government has 4. President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the launched new all-in-one mobile application called UMANG International Gita Mahotsav 2017 in Kurukshetra, with an aim to make Government services accessible on Haryana. mobile phone of the citizens. 5. India & Greece signed Air Services Agreement (ASA) Note: and MoU on Cooperation (MoC) in field of New and • The term UMANG stands for Unified Mobile Renewable Energy. Application for New-age Governance. 6. The 12th meeting of Standing Committee of Inter-State • It was launched to promote Digital India program and Council was held in New Delhi. The purpose of the to drive mobile e-governance in India. meeting was to discuss the recommendations of the • The app was developed by Ministry of Electronics Punchhi Commission on Centre-state relations. The and Information Technology (MeitY) and National meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. e-Governance Division (NeGD). 7. 30.76 lakh houses sanctioned under PMAY (Urban) 12. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has scheme till now: Govt. – Since the launch of Pradhan approved expansion of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) Scheme in June 2015 Yojana for a pan India coverage from 2017-18 to 2019- 30.76 lakh houses for the urban poor have been 20. sanctioned till now. The report is released by the Union Note: Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs. • It expansion has proposed outlay of Rs.1132.5 crore. Note: • It will cover all the 640 districts (as per census 2011) • PMAY(U) provide houses to all poor in urban areas by of the country to have a deeper positive impact on 2022. Child Sex Ratio (CSR). • It is new version of Prime Minister’s Housing for All • Currently the scheme is being implemented in select by 2022 vision. 161 districts have low CSR. • Its objective is to construct two crore houses across 13. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) nation. approved ‘Pradhan Mantri Mahila Shakti Kendra’ scheme • It covers entire urban area consisting of 4041 for a period 2017-18 to 2019-20. statutory towns with initial focus on 500 Class I cities. Note: PMMSK scheme is envisioned as one-stop 8. Govt. to transform 115 backward districts by 2022 - convergence support service for empowering rural women The Government of India has selected 115 backward with opportunities for skill development, digital literacy, districts for rapid transformation by 2022 in line with health and nutrition and employment. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to create a “New 14. Safe City plan for women in 8 cities – The Govt. will soon India” over the next five years. implement a comprehensive ‘safe city’ plan for women in Note: These 115 backward districts include 35 districts eight cities for women in eight metropolitan cities of the affected by Left Wing Extremists (LWE) violence, 55 country. districts just affected by LWE and another 15 including

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Note: The plan will be implemented in Delhi, Mumbai, Note: The week was chosen as the nation celebrates the , Ahmedabad, Chennai, Lucknow, Bengaluru, and International Child Rights Day, celebrated annually on 20 Hyderabad. Decision in this regard was taken Steering November. Committee meeting under chairmanship of Union Home 23. Govt to introduce BS-VI grade auto fuels in National Secretary Capital Territory (NCT) in -- 2018. 15. 5th edition of Global Conference on Cyber Space (GCCS) Note: This is part of government's concerted efforts to held in New Delhi. reduce vehicular emissions & improve fuel efficiency with Note: an aim to reduce the carbon footprints and keep a healthy • The conference was inaugurated by Prime Minister environment. India has followed the regulatory pathway Narendra Modi. for fuel quality and vehicle emissions standards termed as • GCCS is one of world’s largest conferences on cyber Bharat Stage (BS). space. It is for first time organized in India. 24. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has • The theme of the conference is “Cyber4All: A Secure removed restrictions on export of all types of pulses. and Inclusive Cyberspace for Sustainable Note: It is expected that pulses production will be Development”. sustained in the country and its import dependence on 16. India signed agreement with on mutual pulses will come down substantially. assistance in customs matters. 25. National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) 17. Committee to review Income Tax (IT) Act 1961 headed will float a tender to buy farm stubble at Rs. 5,500 per by Arbind Modi - The Union Finance Ministry has tonne to use as fuel at its power plants. constituted task force to review Income Tax (IT) Act 1961 Note: Now, the farmers can earn around Rs. 11,000 per and draft new direct tax law in consonance with current acre from the sale of stubble or straw pellets. It will economic needs. The task force will be headed by CBDT encourage farmers not to burn stubble, which is a main member Arbind Modi. reason of air pollution in the country. 18. India & Russia agreement on in field of combating all 26. The International Film Festival of India (IFFI) have a forms of terrorism and organized crime. Bioscope Village this year at -- Panaji,Goa. 19. First ever North-East Development Summit (NEDS) Note: The Bioscope Village will screen new and classic 2017 was held in Imphal, Manipur. films including Children movies. The theme for the short Note: film festival is ‘IFFI as never seen before’. It is being set up • It was inaugurated by Ram Nath as part of the IFFI Next Gen side bar program aimed at Kovind. involving greater participation from the local Goan • It was organised by Delhi-based think tank India audience. Foundation in collaboration with Union Government 27. President Ram Nath Kovind has presented Standards to and Manipur government. the 223 Squadron and the 117 Helicopter Unit of the 20. Asia’s largest Solid-State Interlocking (SSI) system Indian Air Force (IAF) at the Air Force Station -- Adampur, installed in West Bengal - Indian Railways has installed Punjab. Asia’s largest Solid State Interlocking (SSI) system at 28. The Union Govt. has given approval to set up India’s first Kharagpur in West Bengal. The system will enable station mega coastal economic zone (CEZ) at -- masters to set 800 different routes for trains in a matter of Port (JNPT)Maharashtra. minutes. Note: Around 45 companies across, telecom, auto, and IT 21. Bio-toilets to be installed in all Indian Railways coaches sectors will soon bid for 200 hectares of land to set up has been advanced to -- December 2018. manufacturing units in the zone.The first of its kind mega Note: Indian railways also called for a need for increasing CEZ will spread across Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Nashik and role of renewables in the railways to achieve net Raigarh, entails a total investment of Rs 15,000 crore and decarbonization at an event organized in Bonn. The first create employment opportunities for more than 1.5 lakh bio-toilet-fitted train, Gwalior-Varanasi Bundelkhand people. Express, has been running since January 2011. 29. The union minister ‘R.K. Singh’ has launched the Pradhan 22. The ministry is celebrating the Child Rights Week (16-20 Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yogna ‘Saubhagya’ Web Portal - November) by hosting ‘Hausala 2017’ festival this year-- -http://saubhagya.gov.in. Ministry of Women and Child Development.

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Note: On 25th September 2017, ‘Saubhagya’ scheme was of global terrorist outfits and devising strategies to launched by PM Modi with an amount of Rs. 16,320 Crore. counter their propaganda. The Union govt. will provide all willing households in rural 36. The Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has inaugurated the 'India areas and poor families in urban areas free electricity Disaster Response Summit' in -- New Delhi. connections identified under Socio-Economic and Caste Note: The summit focused on how best to leverage social Census (SECC) data 2011. media platforms to 'prepare, respond and recover' during 30. The two-days “12th North-East Business Summit” to and after a disaster. The summit has been organized explore the scope for business opportunities in the North- jointly by National Disaster Management Authority Eastern (NE) region of India in -- New Delhi. (NDMA) & Facebook. Note: Focus areas are Infrastructure and Connectivity with 37. NITI Aayog releases proposal to develop electric vehicle Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), Skill Development, charging infrastructure in Delhi. Financial Inclusion, etc. Note: NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar has 31. Vice president ‘M Venkaiah Naidu’ has inaugurated three- released a proposal to develop electric vehicle charging days AP AgTech Summit-2017 in -- Visakhapatnam. infrastructure in Delhi. The "quick pilot" project includes Note: Summit has been organized by the Andhra Pradesh 55 locations with 135 charging stations.The proposal can Government in association with Bill and Melinda Gates be used to provide a structure for electric vehicle Foundation, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and infrastructure rollout in the Gurgaon- Dahlberg Advisors. International Airport-South Delhi-Noida corridor. 32. The world's fastest supersonic cruise missile BrahMos has 38. National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed only 50,000 been successfully tested for the first time from a Sukhoi- pilgrims will be allowed to visit the Vaishno Devi shrine in 30MKI fighter of the Indian Air Force (IAF). Jammu to avoid any unfortunate incident. Note: Now, BrahMos is capable of being launched from Note: If the number of pilgrims exceeds the prescribed land, sea, and air. world's only supersonic cruise missile cap, they will be stopped at Ardhkuwari / Katra town, BrahMos was built as an India-Russia collaboration, considering that the Vaishno Devi Bhawan structure named after the rivers Moskva and Brahmaputra. cannot accommodate more than 50,000 persons. 33. President Ram Nath Kovind visited the Indian National 35. The union Govt. has conferred infrastructure status to -- Army (INA) War Memorial and Museum at -- Moirang, Logistics sector. Manipur. Note: The decision will help logistics sector access longer Note: President Kovind also visited the INA museum term finance and on better financing terms.This status will which houses wartime relics, photographs and other help the sector get credit at competitive rates and on a documents related to INA. Moirang was the headquarters long-term basis as rising logistics cost impacts the global of Azad Hind Fauz during World War II. competitiveness of exporters. 34. According to the Insurance Regulatory Authority of India 39. The union govt. has launched its second and final phase of (IRDAI), all insurance policies must be linked with -- -- BharatNet project. Aadhaar. Note: BharatNet project’ will provide high-speed Note: Linkage of Aadhaar number to Insurance Policies is broadband service in all Gram Panchayats by March 2019, mandatory under the Prevention of Money-laundering implemented at an outlay of around 34 thousand crore (Maintenance of Records) Second Amendment Rules- rupees. 2017.These rules have statutory force and, as such, life and 40. The Union Minister RK Singh has launched the National general insurers has to implement them without awaiting Power Portal (NPP) http://npp.gov.in for collation and further instructions. dissemination of Indian power sector information. 35. The Union Home Ministry has formed two new divisions to Note: The Dashboard would also act as the single point exclusively deal with emerging security challenges such as interface for all Power Sector Apps launched previously by radicalization and cyber-crime -- CTCR & CIS. the Ministry, like TARANG, UJALA, VIDYUT PRAVAH, Note: The two divisions also encompass merger of some of GARV, URJA, MERIT. the Ministry’s existing divisions. The CTCR (Counter- 41. India’s first black buck conservation reserve at Allahabad. Terrorism and Counter-Radicalisation) wing is basically Note: The Uttar Pradesh state cabinet has decided to make modified version of the Home Ministry’s internal security- India's first conservation reserve for blackbuck at the Meja II division to focus on tracking & assessing the online reach forest division near Allahabad. Indian Blackbuck is an

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antelope and is the only living species of the genus Anti manufacturers or dealers if the vehicles have already left lope. the factories. 42. The 36th edition of Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) 49. Indo-Kazakhstan joint exercise Prabal Dostyk 2017 2017 at -- Expo Centre Sharjah. begins in Himachal Pradesh. Note: The theme of this year’s SIBF is ‘A World inside Note: A joint training exercise between Indian Army and My Book’.This year’s book fair will see the participation the Kazakhstan Army “PRABAL DOSTYK – 2017” of 1,650 publishing houses from 60 countries. Sharjah commenced with the opening ceremony at Bakloh, International Book Fair (SIBF) is the most prestigious in Himachal Pradesh. the Arab world and home to the most exciting literary 50. Indigenously developed Glide Bomb has been successfully event in the region. tested from Indian Air Force aircraft at Integrated Test 43. 150 - years old train running Shramik train (coolie Range in Chandipur, Odisha. train) on Bhagalpur-Kiul section has been withdrawn Note: The Bomb- SAAW (Smart Anti Airfield Weapon) from service. released from the aircraft and guided through precision Note: On 8th February,1862, the two ‘Shramik’ trains were navigation system, reached the targets with high rolled out for the convenience of railway employees accuracies. working at Asia-fame diesel locomotive factory in 51. The Union Minister Mahesh Sharma has inaugurated the Jamalpur. three days North-East Festival, in New Delhi. 44. Goa state is hosting the inaugural India-US Ocean Dialogue Note: The festival, will see performances by artistes like aimed at promoting sustainable development of the Blue rapper Borkung Hrangkhawl, heavy metal bands Pulse Economy. Pandits, Girish & Chronicles (GATC) and Traffic Jam. Note: The dialogue is being hosted by the Indian Ministry 52. The union HRD Ministry Prakash Javadekar has of External Affairs at the Council of Scientific and inaugurated the two-day National Workshop on School Industrial ResearchNational Institute of Oceanography Education in New Delhi. (CSIR-NIO). Note: The workshop will focus on the five themes of 45. President Shri Ram Nath Kovind has inaugurated the 21st Digital Education, Physical Education, Value Education, World Congress of Mental Health in New Delhi. Life Skills Education and Experiential Learning Note: The World Congress is being organized by the 53. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has commissioned World Federation for Mental Health in partnership with a new Instrument Landing System (ILS) for a runway at Caring Foundation and other institutions. the Chennai airport. 46. The Union Govt. has approved reservation for Other Note: The ILS provides the necessary guidance to the Backward Classes (OBC) students in NTSE Stage-II pilots while they approach for landing at the runway. conducted by the NCERT. 54. The Indian & Bangladeshi army are taking part in the 7th Note: This reservation will be in addition to reservations edition of joint training exercise in Meghalaya and for SC, ST & Physically Handicapped (PH) category Mizoram -- SAMPRITI. students as per Central Government norms. The OBC quota Note: Th exercise will be conducted at India's Jungle will be effective from 2019 and enhanced from 1000 Warfare School at Vairengte in Mizoram and at the Joint students to 2000. Training Node at Umroi in Meghalaya 47. PM Narendra Modi has inaugurated the mega food event 55. The 20th International Children’s Film Festival of India ‘World Food India 2017’ in New Delhi. (ICFFI) was held in Hyderabad city. Note: Around two thousand participants from 30 Note: 317 films from over hundred countries will be countries, nearly 50 global CEOs and representatives of all screened in about 40 theatres in Hyderabad and also at the state are participating in the event. district head-quarters across the state. 48. All cars sold or manufactured on or after 1st December 56. Union Minister Smriti Irani flagged off Digital Rath in New will have to be rolled out with --“FASTags” (electronic Delhi to create awareness among people for cashless toll collection product). transaction. Note: FASTags work mainly through radio-frequency Note: UPI transactions have increased from 3.8 million in identification (RFID) strips pasted on windscreens for April to 77 million in October this year. The digital Rath contact-less passage in toll plazas on national highways. will travel (20 thousand kilo-metre) from Delhi to Now, the RFID strips will have to be pasted on vehicles by

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Lucknow, then Kolkata, Puducherry, Mumbai,and Bhopal Note: The Bandhan Express is the second cross-border till 31st Dec 2017. train between the two neighboring countries start from 16 57. India successfully conducted a test of its indigenously November onwards.The train will run in either direction designed and developed long-range sub-sonic cruise twice a week, cover the 177- km distance between Kolkata missile at Chandipur, Odisha -- Nirbhay. and khulna within 4 1/2 hours. Note: Nirbhay missile carry warheads of up to 300 kg and 61. 2nd edition of India International Cherry Blossom capable of carrying 24 kinds of war weapons. Nirbhay is festival held in -- Shillong. very manoeuvrable and can fly at tree-top level, making it Note: The State Govt is focusing on promoting tourism difficult to detect on radar, and strikes targets of 1,000 km potential of the State by organizing such festivals which away carrying nuclear warheads. will not only boost tourism but also protect and preserve 58. Prince of Wales Charles Philip Arthur George the forest and wildlife biodiversity. The festival is being accompanied by Camilla (Duchess of Cornwall) arrived on organized by Government of Meghalaya, Institute of Bio- a 2-day visit to India. resource and Sustainable Development with support from Note: This visit is a part of their ten days tour to the Indian Council of Cultural Relations. , Malaysia, Brunei, and India. India is the 3rd 62. The Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, Shri largest investor in the UK and the 2nd largest international Radha Mohan Singh has inaugurated the three-day job creator in the (UK). ‘Organic World Congress -2017’ at -- India Expo Centre, 59. Union Minister Smt Maneka Gandhi has launched online Greater Noida. complaint Management System ‘SHe-Box’ for working Note: The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized women to lodge complaints of sexual harassment at once every three years in a different country. Around workplace. 1,400 representatives from 110 countries, and 2000 Note: The SHe-Box has been launched to provide platform delegates from India participated in the OWC 2017 to aggrieved women to make their complaints directly so that suitable action is taken to redress their grievances. 60. PM Modi and Sheikh Hasina has jointly inaugurated the direct train-service ‘Bandhan Express’ between Kolkata and Khulna through video-conferencing.

States News

1. President Ram Nath Kovind has inaugurated the Manipur 4. Ministry Dr. Jitendra Singh has contributed 25 crore Sangai Festival at Palace Compound in -- Imphal, rupees as part of the initial funding for country’s first- Manipur. ever air dispensary based in a helicopter in -- Northeast. Note: Galaxy of foreign dignitaries including ambassadors Note: Ministry had been exploring the idea of introducing of South-East Asian countries and some western a helicopter based Dispensary and OPD service in such far countries will attend the inaugural function. flung and remote areas, where no doctor or medical 2. Longest river bridge of Asia will be constructed over-- facility was available. The proposal has been accepted Brahmaputra river. and is in the final stages of process in the Ministry of Civil Note: The 20 kms long river bridge will be constructed Aviation. over the Brahmaputra between Dhubri and Phulbari. The 5. The State Govts of Odisha and West Bengal has conducted Assam government will construct 320 bridges at rural joint security exercise to tighten the existing coastal areas under PMGSY as well as 8000 kilometres of rural security mechanism of 630 km long coastline-- Sagar roads. Kavach. 3. The recipient of the Mother Teresa Memorial Award - Note: It was security exercise to check efficacy of security 2017 for Social Justice--United Nations High parameters & preparedness of various security forces and Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). district administration.Odisha for the first time will have Note: The UNHCR provides humanitarian aid to a joint security drill along with West Bengal. innumerable people internally displaced by conflicts and 6. West Bengal has been awarded with the Geographical helping stateless people all over the world. Harmony Indication (GI) tag for -- Banglar Rasogolla. Foundation has instituted the official award in memory of Note: A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign Mother Teresa and the theme for 2017 is Compassion used on certain products which corresponds to a specific Beyond Borders.

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geographical location or origin (e.g. a town, region, or Note: These traditional toys are made by artisans in country). Etikoppaka village in Visakhapatnam district. The 7. The state govt. has decided to ban the use of plastic water Geographical Indication (GI) is name or sign used on bottles in its offices including the state secretariat ___ certain products which correspond to specific Maharashtra. geographical location or origin. Note: The state govt. has also instructed the officials to 13. The Jammu and Kashmir government began functioning ban plastic water bottles from every govt. office in a time- in Jammu after shifting from Srinagar, the summer capital bound manner and promote paper & cloth bags.Women of the state, as part of the pre-Independence practice of self-help groups will be empowered to ensure they can darbar move. meet the needs of the state. Note: The Civil Secretariat and other 'darbar move' 8. Three-day festival Namami Barak festival has been offices function in Srinagar for six months of summer and inaugurated by the Assam Chief ‘Sarbanand Sonowal’ at in Jammu for the remaining six months of the year. In Police Parade ground in Silchar. 1872, the practice of 'darbar move' was started by Note: The event is being organised at 3 locations in Maharaja Gulab Singh to escape the summer heat of Silchar, Hailakandi and Karimganj district. Namami Barak Jammu and the biting winters of Srinagar. is an attempt to pay tribute to the River Barak and to 14. Kerala govt has launched ‘She Pad’ scheme to distribute showcase of Barak's potential & possibilities to emerge as free sanitary napkins to girl students from classes VI to a hub of trade & commerce. XII in schools. 9. The Haryana sate govt. has announced the lifetime Note: The scheme will be implemented in 300 schools in monthly pension of Rs 10,000 for 'Hindi Satyagrahis' of 114 panchayats by the Kerala Women Development the state. Corporation with the support of local self-governing Note: It would be providing enhanced financial assistance bodies. First time, a state government is distributing to World War-II veterans and their widows (from Rs sanitary napkins to school students. 4,500 to Rs 10,000). Earlier, the state govt. has identified 15. Delhi Govt signs twin City agreement with -- 194 'Satyagrahis' who were imprisoned during the 'Hindi Mayor. Satyagraha' launched by the Punjab Arya Pratinidhi Note: The agreement has been signed between Park Sabha in 1957 to promote the language. Won Soon (Mayor of Seoul Metropolitan Government) 10. According to the Child development NGO Plan India and Arvind Kejriwal (Chief Minister of Delhi) referred to released index, Goa sate ranked top in Gender as ‘Establishment of Friendship City Relationship’. Vulnerability Index (GVI). 16. Recently, the state govt. has declared Urdu as the state's Note: The index, which provides a state-wise ranking, has second official language -- Telangana. been calculated by analyzing four issues pertinent to the Note: According to CM Rao every office in the state will situation of girls — child safety/protection, poverty, have an Urdu speaking officer.Muslims form 12.7% of the health, and education.Bihar ranked the lowest at 30, with state's total population. Delhi faring only slightly better at 29 and Uttar Pradesh at 17. The Uttar Pradesh govt. has constituted a commission 28. headed by CM Yogi Adityanath to double farmers’ income 11. The Bihar govt. has decided to follow its reservation by 2022 -- Krishak Samriddhi Aayog. policy while engaging professionals and other employees Note: Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi will be through outsourcing agencies. Vice-Chairman of the commission. The commission will Note: New policy will make private outsourcing agencies help in finding ways and implement them for doubling recruit manpower based on the reservation policy of the farmers' income by 2022. It will also give suggestions in state government if they want to work with the state drafting of policies for sustainable and equal agriculture agencies. 50% of the government jobs are reserved for development. the Scheduled Cast(SC), Scheduled tribe (ST), other 18. The Himachal Pradesh Governor Acharya Devvrat has backward classes (OBC) and differently abled candidates inaugurated the four-day traditional fair at Rampur -- in Bihar. There is also a provision of 35% horizontal Lavi Fair. quota for women in all reserved categories. Note: This fair remained an important for trade between 12. The Geographical Indication Registry (GIR) has given India and Tibet for centuries and was a unique example of Geographical Indication (GI) tag traditional Etikoppaka the glorious, social, cultural, economic history and legacy toys from Andhra Pradesh state. of Himachal Pradesh.

Important Day

1. The World Fisheries day is celebrated every year on 2. The World Toilet Day (WTD) is observed every year November 21. across the world on 19 November to raise awareness

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and inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis. nature of reality and existence, of what is possible to The theme for year 2017 is Wastewater. know, and of right and wrong behaviour. 3. The birth anniversary (548th) of 1st Sikh Guru is being 11. The National Press Day (NPD) is celebrated across the celebrated across the country -- Nanak Dev jee. country on -- 16th November. Note: It was on this day, Guru Jee was born at Rai Bhoi di Note: The day is symbolic of a free and responsible press Talwandi (Nankana Sahib) in Pakistan.Guru Nanak was in India. The Press Council of India is a unique entity in the founder of Sikh religion and the first of the ten Sikh as-much-as this is the only body to exercise an authority Gurus. His words are registered in the form of 974 poetic even over the instruments of the state in its duty to hymns in the holy text of Sikhism. safeguard the independence of the press. 4. The World Tsunami Awareness Day (WTAD) has been 12. The World Toilet Day is observed across the world on -- observed across the world on 5th November. 19th November. Note: The theme 'Reduce the Number of Affected People'. Note: The theme for 2017 is ‘Wastewater’. In 2013, the On 5th November 2016, the first World Tsunami United Nations General Assembly officially designated Awareness Day was observed across the world. 19th November as World Toilet Day. 5. Uttarakhand state is celebrating its 17th formation day on 13. The Universal Children's Day has been observed across -- 9th November. the world on--20th November. Note: On 9th November 2000, Uttarakhand became the Note: The day promote international togetherness, 27th state of the Republic of India, being created from the awareness among children worldwide, and improving Himalayan and adjoining north western districts of Uttar children's welfare.The theme of 2017 is ‘It’s a Pradesh. #KidsTakeOver'. 6. The World Science Day for Peace and Development 14. Quami Ekta Week to be observed across country from -- (WSDPD) is annually held across the world -- 10th 19-25th November. November. Note: The Quami Ekta Week (National Integration Week) Note: The day highlights the important role of science in is being observed across the country from the 19th to society and the need to engage the wider public in 25th Novembe, 2017.The week is observed to highlight debates on emerging scientific issues. The theme of 2017 the strength and resilience of the nation to withstand any is ‘Science for Global Understanding’. potential threats to the secular fabric. 7. Public Service Broadcasting Day is being observed every 15. The World Fisheries day is being celebrated throughout year on --12th November. the world on -- 21st November. Note: The commemorate the first and last visit of Note: The Day helps in highlighting the critical Mahatma Gandhi to the studio of All India Radio(AIR), importance to human lives, of water and the lives it Delhi in 1947.On this occasion, Akashvani Award on sustains, both in and out of water. The theme of 2017 is Gandhian philosophy was also announced. “2022 Ka Hai Sapna … Kisan Ki Aay Ho Dugna - Sankalp Se 8. Jharkhand is a state in eastern India carved out of the Siddhi”. southern part of Bihar on -- 15 November 2000. 16. World Television Day is being observed across the world Note: President Ram Nath Kovind’ visited Jharkhand and -- 21 November. paid tributes to freedom fighter Birsa Munda at his statue Note: The day recognises that television plays major role at Birsa Chowk, Ranchi. in presenting different issue that affect people. In 9. The International Day for Tolerance is being observed December 1996, the United Nations General Assembly annually on -- 16th November. proclaimed 21st November as the World Television Day. Note: The day educate people about the need for 17. The National Milk Day (NMD) has been observed across tolerance in society and to help them understand the India -- 26th November. negative effects of intolerance. The UN has launched a Note: The day mark the birth anniversary of the Father of new campaign called ‘Together’ to promote tolerance, the White Revolution Dr. Verghese Kurien. respect, and dignity across the world. 18. The Constitution Day in India is being celebrated every 10. The World Philosophy Day observed across the world on year on -- 26th of November. -- 16th November 2017 (third Thursday of Nov). Note: India had adopted by the Constituent Assembly on Note: The Day encourages academic exchange and 26th of November in the year 1949 and came into force highlights the contribution of philosophical knowledge in on 26th of January in 1950. addressing global issues. Philosophy is the study of the

Honors & Award National

1. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has been informative display at the 37th India International awarded the Bronze Medal for its creative and Trade Fair 2017 being held at Pragati Maidan. 12 | P a g e

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2. 3rd Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) Note: Ambani, whose total estimated wealth is USD 42.1 Distinguished Indologist Award for the year 2017 - billion (boost of USD 466 million) courtesy 1.22% rise in Professor Hiroshi Marui of Japan. shares of Reliance Industries to Rs 952.30. Businessman Note: Professor Marui has spent over 40 years working Hui Ka Yan, whose total estimated wealth went down by on Indian philosophy and Buddhist Studies. USD 1.28 billion to USD 40.6 billion. 3. 'Life Time Achievement Award' by the Indian 12. Noted Malayalam Poet and literary critic has been Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) - Manik Banerjee selected for this year's Ezhuthachan Puraskaram -- K (Veteran journalist) Satchidanandan. 4. Big Little Book Award for year 2017 - Nabaneeta Note: He has been selected for his contributions to Dev Sen (Sahitya Akademi awardee Bengali writer) Malayalam literature and poetry. Ezhuthachan Puraskaram is the Kerala government's highest literary 5. Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and honour, carries a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh and a citation. Development - Former prime minister Manmohan 13. Surat Municipal Corporation(SMC) awarded the Singh will receive the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Municipal Corporation(SMC) with the ‘Best City Bus Disarmament and Development this year for his Service Award’. leadership of the country between 2004 and 2014 and Note: Mysuru’s Public Bicycle Sharing has won the ‘Best for enhancing India's stature globally. Non-Motorised Transport’ Award. Kochi has been chosen 6. Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation for the ‘Best Urban Transport Initiative’ award for (APMDC) has bagged an international award from Abu completing its Metro Rail Project in a quick time. Chittor Dhabi in ‘social contribution in country value’ category. has been chosen for the ‘Commendable Initiative Award’. Note: APMDC was given the award for setting new 14. Hindi Litterateur Krishna Sobati will get the Jnanpith benchmarks in the particular area which would further Award for 2017 for her path breaking contribution to boost the performance of the corporation Indian literature. 7. Actor-playwright has been conferred with Tata Note: The Jnanpith Award is an Indian literary award Literature Live Lifetime Achievement Award 2017 for presented annually by the Bharatiya Jnanpith to an his outstanding contribution in the field of theatre -- author for their 'outstanding contribution towards Girish Karnad. literature'. Note: Tata Trusts' Big Little Book Award' for Author in 15. Sri Ranganathaswamy temple of Tamil Nadu has won Bengali Children's Literature went to Nabaneeta Dev the UNESCO Asia Pacific Award of Merit 2017 for cultural Sen.Book of the year in non-fiction category went to heritage conservation. 'Age of Anger: A History of the Present' by Pankaj Note: Sri Ranganathaswamy temple considered the Mishra. foremost of the 108 divyadesams, is situated on an islet between the Cauvery and the Coleroon rivers. 8. Most Visited Place of the World’ – Golden Temple. 16. Goa will host the Nobel Prize Event in Feb 2018. Note: The Golden Temple has been awarded the Note: The event will be jointly organized by Department ‘most visited place of the world’ by ‘World Book of of Bio-Technology, Union Ministry of Science and Records’ (WBR), a London-based organisation. Technology in collaboration with Department of Science 9. The 48th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) and Technology and Nobel Media AB, Sweden. 2017 at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium at - 17. Veteran actor Mohan Joshi has been felicitated with the - Bambolim, Panaji (Goa). prestigious Vishnudas Bhave award for his contribution Note: Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan has been to theatre. honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the Note: Joshi was honoured at a ceremony held in Sangli on film festival. Around 200 films from over 80 countries the eve of Marathi Rangbhumi Din. The award has been will be screened during the nine-day extravaganza. conferred in memory of the founder of Marathi theatre Canada is the focus country at the IFFI this year. Vishnudas Bhave. 10. Veteran actress Sharmila Tagore has been honored 18. The Insurance Company has been conferred with the with 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award by PHD 21st Asia Insurance Industry Awards in the “General Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) for her Insurance Company of the Year” category-- Apollo contribution in the field of cinema. Munich Health Insurance. Note: She had debuted in movies with legendary Note: It joint venture between integrated healthcare director Satyajit Ray’s Bengali film Apur Sansar (1959). provider, Apollo Hospitals Group, and the Munich Re Filmmaker-poet Muzaffar Ali was conferred with Group. Special Award for his outstanding contribution to 19. Indian short film has won the Best Short Film Award at promote and arts, fine art and literature. the South Asian Film Festival of Montreal (SAFFM)-- 11. According to Forbes’ real-time billionaire’s list, who has The School Bag. become the Asia’s richest person -- Mukesh Ambani.

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Note: The movie’s plot is based in Peshawar school bag on his birthday, but fate has something else (Pakistan).A story about the relationship between a in store for him.The film is directed by Dheeraj Jindal. mother and her seven-year-old son who wants a new

International Awards

1. - Demi-Leigh -based international beauty pageant organized Nel-Peters (22-year) crowned Miss Universe 2017 by The International Culture Association. award at a grand event in Las vega. 7. Popular singer has topped the list of the ‘World’s 2. European Golden Shoe Award - Lionel Messi. highest-paid woman in Music’ released by Forbes for 3. Miss World 2017 - Manushi Chhillar crowned Miss 2017 with USD 105 million pretax -- Beyonce. World 2017 Title at a grand event in China. Note: Adele stood second in the list, earning USD 69 Note: million and Taylor Swift grabbed the third spot with • She was presented the crown by the last year's total earnings of USD 44 million. Miss World winner Stephanie Del Valle (Puerto 8. Actor becomes UNICEF celebrity advocate for child Rico) at the event in Sanya City Arena in China. rights --Trisha. • Chhillar is the sixth Indian woman to win Miss Note: She is the first actor from the South Indian film World, and the first since Priyanka Chopra won industry to receive this honour.The film has won the Miss World 2000. two awards at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards in • Manushi Chhillar hails from Sonipat, Haryana. Brisbane ___Newton. 4. The World’s top city for International Visits-- Hong Note: The lead actor of ‘Newton’ movie, Rajkummar Kong. Rao won the Best Actor Award and Mayank Tewari Note: According to the Euromonitor International, and Amit V. Masurkar won the Best Screenplay Award. remains the world’s most visited city by “Newton" is India's official entry for the foreign international travelers.25.7 million arrivals are language film category at the Academy Awards 2018. expected in Hong Kong this year, Bangkok (Thai The movie is directed by Amit V Masurkar. capital) retains second place, London (Europe’s top 9. Myanmar's de facto leader has been stripped of the city) in third place with 19.8 million arrivals.The Freedom of Oxford award over her "inaction" in report was authored by Wouter Geerts (Euromonitor’s handling the raging Rohingya refugee crisis -- Aung senior travel analyst) on top 100 city destinations. San Suu Kyi. 5. Bollywood legend will be honored with personality of Note: Oxford City Council in London voted the year award at IFFI in Goa --Amitabh Bachchan. unanimously to permanently remove the honour given Note: Amitabh Bachchan has starred in over 190 to her in 1997. The Rohingya Muslims have fled to Indian films in a career spanning almost five decades. neighbouring country following a military crackdown He has won four national awards for best actor and 15 in Myanmar's Rakhine state, creating one of the Film fare Awards.The IFFI festival is conducted jointly world's most dire refugee crisis. by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, 10. Who honored with 3rd ICCR distinguished Indologist Directorate of Film Festivals and the Government of Award Prof. Hiroshi Marui. Goa. -- 6. has crowned 2017 Note: President Ram Nath Kovind conferred the 3rd by in Tokyo, Japan. Indian Council for Cultural Relations(ICCR) Note: She is the first Indonesian female to win the distinguished Indologist Award to Japan’s Professor crown of Miss International. Miss International is a Hiroshi Marui at a function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Obituaries

1. Former Lok Sabha Member and architect Baddam 2. Janata Dal (Secular) member of Karnataka Legislative Narasimha Reddy passed away in Hyderabad. Assembly (MLA) Chikkamadu passed away after a Note: Baddam Narsimha Reddy represented prolonged illness. Miryalaguda Constituency thrice.

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Note: He was elected from Hunsur assembly segment in Note: Mr. Dasmunsi was elected to Lok Sabha five times Mysuru district first time and then H D Kote in the same and served as Union Minister for Information and district in 2013 from Janata Dal (S). Broadcasting (I&B) and Parliamentary Affairs. He is 3. A Saudi prince Mansour bin Moqren was killed when a survived by his wife former Union Minister Deepa helicopter with several officials on board crashed near Dasmunsi and son Priyadeep Dasmuni. the kingdom's southern border with war-torn Yemen. 8. Former Wimbledon champion passes away after long- Note:Prince Mansour was the son of Prince Muqrin bin battle with cancer -- Jana Novotna. Abdulaziz, a former intelligence service director and a Note: She won the women's singles title at Wimbledon in one-time crown prince of the kingdom. 1998 also won 12 Grand Slam women's doubles titles 4. Padma literature who wrote a 'cartoon poem' every day and four mixed doubles titles. In 2005, Novotna entered in 'Janvarta' passed away at Varanasi -- Shri Manu the tennis Hall of Fame. Sharma. 9. Eminent Hindi poet and Jnanpith awardee passed away Note: He was elected by the Prime Minister Narendra in New Delhi -- Kunwar Narayan. Modi as the Navratna for the Cleanliness Campaign. Note: Kunwar Narayan was honoured with Jnanpith 5. Former Prime Minister of Nepal passed away at Award in 2005 and Padma Bhushan in 2009. Kathmandu -- Kirti Nidhi Bista. 10. Veteran jazz singer and lyricist passed away at a New Note: He served three times as Prime Minister from 1969 York City in United States-- Jon Hendricks. to 1970, 1971 to 1973 and 1977 to 1979. Note: The Jazz singer wrote the lyrics to existing Basie 6. Recently Veteran cyclist passed away in an accident on songs, and the three recorded their own voices in layers the Sion-Panvel highway -- Ashok Khale. instead of using backup singers. Note: He had represented India in Giro d'Italia event and 11. Noted mimicry artist and actor passed away in Kochi-- called as the King of the Ghats. Shiv Chhatrapati awardee Kalabhavan Abi. Khale won several other medals for cycle-riding in state Note: Kalabhavan Abi performance as an aged Muslim and national-level championships. lady named ‘Amina Thatha’ made him a household name 7. Veteran Congress leader five times Lok Sabha MP passed and also acted in around 50 films.His son Shane Nigam is away at a private hospital in New Delhi -- Priya Ranjan also a popular film actor. Dasmunsi.

World News

1. The Colombia has signed a USD 300 million agreement Note: The Paradise paper is a global investigation that with the United Nations (UN) aimed to reduce the reveals the offshore activities of some of the world’s production of cocaine. most powerful people and companies. Among 180 Note: This agreement is opportunity to turn the tide countries represented in the data, India ranks 19th in against Colombia's coca cultivation and help farmers terms of number of names. Total of 714 Indian names embrace alternative development. This initiative will figure in the leaked data. provide compensation to farmers if they revert to 4. A new round of UN climate change talks in Bonn, producing safer crops like coffee and cacao. Germany. 2. The word of the year by Collins dictionary due to its Note: More than 190 countries and territories will take widespread use around the world--Fake news. part in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Note: According to the Collins Dictionary’s Change(COP23). They will also discuss how to report lexicographers (U.K.-based), the use of ‘fake news’ their reduction goals and updated efforts to fulfil them. registered a 365% rise in the last 12 months. 'Fake news' 5. Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri announces takes over from Brexit which was named the definitive resigned from his post. word last year after the June 2016 referendum in favour Note: In late 2016, Mr Hariri was appointed Prime of the U.K.’s exit from the EU. Minister and headed a 30-member national unity cabinet 3. International Consortium of Investigative Journalists that included the Shiite militant Hezbollah. (ICIJ) has released papers and reveals the offshore 6. Walmart India launched India's first Fulfilment center in activities of some of the world’s most powerful people Mumbai. and companies --The Paradise Papers. Note: The US-based retail chain giant Walmart India has opened its first Fulfilment Center (FC) in Mumbai.

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7. India, Nepal & Bangladesh will conduct the 2018 tiger Persons of Indian Origin, comprising more than 3% of its census in close coordination in their respective population. territories at the same time. 16. The 15th Asia Pacific Computer Emergency Response Note: The census will be held under the supervision of Team (APCERT) Conference will be held first time in NTCA and the Wildlife Institute of India.The first phase of ____New Delhi, India. tiger census will be completed by December end, second Note: The conference has been organized by Indian phase by January 2018 and the final phase will go on Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) under from February to October next year. the aegis of Ministry of Electronics & Information 8. China has launched the two BeiDou-3 satellites into Technology. The theme of conference was “Building space though a single carrier rocket. Trust in the Digital Economy”. Note: The two newly-launched satellites represent the 17. Japan will simplify its visa rules for Indians & issue third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System. multiple-entry-visa for a short-term stay from January China will become the third country in the world after 2018. the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system. Note: The move is expected to benefit tourists and 9. Scientists have discovered the most ancient spiral galaxy business persons as well as repeat visitors. The relaxed in the universe that existed years ago -- 11 billion. visa regime will not only have a simplification of visa Note: The galaxy, known as A1689B11, existed just 2.6 application documents but also the expansion of the billion years after the Big Bang, when the universe was scope of eligible applicants. only one fifth of its present age. 18. China has launched the world's first all-electric ship in 10. Twitter is ending its iconic 140-character limit and giving Guangzhou in South China's Guangdong Province. nearly everyone -- 280 characters. Note: This electric ship is 70.5-metre-long, weighs about Note: The expanded limit will get more people tweeting 600 tonnes, can travel up to 80 km with 2000-tonnes more, helping its lackluster user growth. 9% of tweets cargo after a two-hour charge. written in English hit the 140-character limit. Twitter 19. Syria has signed up to the Paris Agreement, leaving the was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey, Noah Glass, United States as the only country to reject the global Biz Stone, and Evan Williams and launched in July of that climate-rescue pact. year. Note:War-torn Syria became the 169th of 196 countries 11. India has been re-elected as the member of the that are members of the UN climate convention to take UNESCO's executive board. the legal step of ratification. Note: The election was held at the 39th session of the 20. Christ (500-year-old painting) believed to have been General Conference of the United Nations Educational, painted by Leonardo da Vinci has been sold in New York Scientific and Cultural Organization in Paris. for record -- USD 450 million. 12. Morocco has successfully launched an earth observation Note: The painting is known as Salvator Mundi (Saviour satellite from French Space Centre-- Mohammed of the World) and shows Christ with one hand raised, the VI-A. other holding a glass sphere.In 1519, Leonardo da Vinci Note: The ‘Mohammed VI-A satellite’ built for Morocco died and there are fewer than 20 of his paintings in by Thales Alenia Space as prime contractor and Airbus as existence. co-prime. It will be used for mapping and land surveying 21. NASA has successfully tested a supersonic landing activities along with regional development and parachute that will be deployed in its Mars rover agricultural monitoring. mission set to launch in 2020. 13. UAE, Saudi & Kuwait countries have advised its citizens Note: The mission will rely on a special parachute to from traveling to Lebanon amidst rising regional tension slow the spacecraft down as it enters the Martian between Riyadh & Tehran over Yemen and the Lebanon atmosphere at over 5.4 kilometres per second. The Mars issue 2020 mission will seek signs of ancient Martian life by 14. Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the meeting of investigating evidence in place and by caching drilled East Asia and the India-ASEAN Summits. samples of Martian rocks for potential future return to Note: He also visited the global rice research centre Earth. ‘IRRI’ (International Rice Research Institute) in the 22. The 8th edition of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit- Philippines.India is setting up a regional centre of the 2017 was held at -- Hyderabad. IRRI in Varanasi to develop high-yielding rice varieties. Note: The event will focus on supporting women 15. The fourth India-Canada Annual Ministerial Dialogue to entrepreneurs and fostering economic growth globally. focuse key commercial drivers to enhance the 23. The week-long Army warfare exercise by India & partnership in New Delhi. Myanmar has begun at the Joint Warfare Centre in -- Note: The trade ministers of both countries will discuss Meghalaya. issues to explore ways of expediting the early conclusion Note: The exercise aims to train the officers of Myanmar of the CEPA and the Foreign Investment Promotion and Army in various United Nations Peacekeeping roles and Protection Agreement. Canada has over 1.2 million tasks. 16 | P a g e

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Sports News

1. Indian Sports Awards – 4. Heena Sidhu has won the 10-meter air pistol gold • Ace shuttler Kidambi Srikanth bagged the medal at the Commonwealth Shooting Championships Sportsman of the Year award at the inaugural in Brisbane. edition of Indian Sports Honours held in Mumbai Note: This was Sidhu's second successive • Olympic silver medallist PV Sindhu was the international gold after she along with Jitu Rai, claimed the top position in the 10-meter air pistol Sportswoman of the Year award in the individual mixed team event in the ISSF World Cup Finals in sport category. Delhi. • Ravichandran Ashwin was awarded Sportsman of 5. The Olympic flame arrived in begin its the Year award while women's cricket team skipper journey towards the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. Mithali Raj was awarded Sportswoman of the Year Note: The torch relay will cover 2,018 kilometres award in the Team Sport category. through nine provinces, eight major cities, and more than • The Indian Women's Cricket Team (runners-up in the 150 counties & districts before it winds up at its destination in Pyeongchang. The Games kick off on 9th ICC Women's World Cup) were named as the Team of February 2018 and will feature approximately 3,000 the Year. athletes from 95 NOCs. • Tennis player Sania Mirza was awarded the 6. India ended the Commonwealth Shooting Championships Inspirational Honour by the jury. with a rich haul of --20 medals. • Country's first Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Note: The Indian squad won a total of gold (6), silver (7) Bindra was honoured with the Transformational and bronze (7) medals during the competition. 7. Olympic bronze-medallist Gagan Narang has won a Contribution to Sport award. silver medal in the men's 50m rifle prone event of the 2. Asian champion Bajrang Punia and Vinod Kumar Commonwealth Shooting Championships. settled for silver medals at the Under-23 World Note: Dane Sampson of won the gold and Wrestling Championship in Poland. Swapnil Suresh Kusale (India) bagged the bronze in the Note: same event.India's Suraj Singh won the bronze in • Bajrang lost the 65kg final 6-17 to Russian women's 25m pistol final, while the gold and silver grappler Kuular while Vinod lost 1-3 to American went to host country's L Yaumleuskay and E Galiabovitch Richard Lewis. respectively. • Earlier, Ritu Phogat had won a silver medal in the 8. Indian shooter Prakash Nanjappa has won the gold women's 48kg final. medal in the 50m pistol event at the Commonwealth • India finished with three medals at the event. Shooting Championships at Gold Coast in Australia. 3. India win five golds at World Women’s Youth Note: Amanpreet the Silver and Jitu settled for bronze medals. Boxing C’ships – India bagged five top positions to 9. India's ace shuttler Kidambi Srikanth has achieved finish overall champions for the first time at the AIBA career-best World Number 2 ranking in the latest BWF World Women's Youth Boxing Championships in ranking. Guwahati. Note: Now, Srikanth has 73,403 points, 4527 points Note: away from World Champion Viktor Axelsen of Denmark, who heads the ranking list. Srikanth has reached in five • Nitu in the 48kg category, Jyoti Gulia in 51kg, finals and cliched four titles ( and Australia and Sakshi Choudhury in 54kg, Shashi Chopra in the Denmark and France) this year so far. 57kg and Ankushita Boro in 64kg category won the 10. FIFA has provisionally suspended Peruvian Football coveted yellow metals. striker Paolo Guerrero for 30 days after failing a doping • Two bronze medals secured by Neha Yadav in the test. Note: Guerrero tested positive after the World Cup Plus 81kg and Anupama in 81kg. qualifying match against . Doping is the taking • The championship has been hosted by India for the of banned substances or using prohibited methods to first time. enhance or maintain sporting performance. 11. The Indian hockey team has won the women's Asia Cup 2017 title at Kakamigahara city in Japan.

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Note: Team Indian beat China 5-4 (in Penalty shoot-out), Note: The decision to suspend Hafeez was taken after at full time both teams were level One-One. Now, the their findings that his action was illegal in the third ODI ‘Team India’ has secured a berth for itself at the 2018 against last month. Hockey World Cup. 20. The fourth season of the revamped Indian Super League 12. Indian golfer Shiv Kapur has clinched his first Asian (ISL) football has begun in-- Kochi. Tour title in India at the Delhi Golf Club in New Delhi. Note: There are 10 teams for the first time in the league's Note: He bagged the Panasonic Open by three strokes history, with Bengaluru FC and Jamshedpur FC entering after bringing home a card of four-under 68 in the fourth the fray.This season, Clubs allowed to field five foreign and final round. players (previous seasons – six players) 13. Gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the 21. Sushil Kumar, Sakshi Malik and Geeta Phogat has won Light Flyweight category (48-Kg) at in gold medal in their respective categories in the National Vietnam--Mary Kom. Wrestling championship in Indore. Note: She defeated DPR Korea’s Kim Hyang Mi in the Note: In men's 74kg freestyle, Sushil Kumar bag a gold final bout 5-0 by unanimous judge decision.This is Mary medal as three of his rivals gave him a walkover in men's Kom's first international gold medal since the 2014 Asian 74kg freestyle competition.In women's 62kg, Sakshi Games and her first medal in over a year. Malik finished on the top of the podium after posting a 14. The men’s champion in the 82nd Senior National dominating 10-0 victory over Pooja Tomar (Haryana). In Badminton Championship -- H S Prannoy. women’s 59kg category, Geeta Phogat clinched the gold Note: Prannoy beat Srikanth 21-15, 16-21, 21-7 to lift the medal with a win against Ravita. men's singles title. Saina (World No- 11th) beat Sindhu 22. Who has won the Delhi Half Marathon 2017 in Men’s and (World No. 2) in the final to claim the women’s singles Women’s section-- Birhanu Legese & Almaz Ayana. title at the 82nd Senior Badminton National Note: In the Men's section, Birhanu Legese () has Championship, in Nagpur. Satwik Sai Raj R and Ashwini won the Delhi Half Marathon, 2017 (59 minutes 46 Ponnappa clinched the mixed doubles crown. seconds) In the women's section, world recorded holder 15. Indian duo Leander Paes and Purav Raja has lifted Almaz Ayana (Ethiopia) clocked and won the Delhi Half Knoxville Challenger men's doubles Tennis title at Marathon, 2017 (one hour, seven minutes and 11 Tennessee in United States. seconds). Note: They defeated American-Australian duo of James 23. Women's Youth World Boxing Championship begins in -- Cerretani & John Patrick Smith 7-6, 7-6 in the final at the Guwahati. indoor hard court of Good friend Tennis Center. Note: Around 200 players from over 30 countries are 16. Ace Indian cueist lifted the IBSF World Billiards taking part in the event.The finals will be held on 26th Championship in the IBSF World Billiards Championship November 2017. at Doha -- Pankaj Advani. 24. Grigor Dimitrov has won the ATP Finals,defeating David Note: In the best-of-11 summit clash, Advani beat Russell Goffin in London. 6-2 to defend the 150-up format title he had won in Note: Grigor Dimitrov overcame David Goffin 7-5, 4-6, 6- Bengaluru last year. 3 to win the title. 17. Aditi Ashok has become the first to qualified for the 25. India's tennis star Yuki Bhambri beat Ramkumar season-ending CME Group Tour Championship on the Ramanathan to win the Pune Challenger tournament in LPGA. Pune. Note: She has now rushed to Florida for the season- Note:The KPIT MSLTA Challenger is a professional tennis ending Finale. This year Aditi has played 20 events on the tournament played on outdoor hard courts.It is currently LPGA and made cut in 13 of them with tied 8th at the part of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Marathon Classic as her best result. Challenger Tour held annually at Shree Shiv Chhatrapati 18. Shooter bagged a national champion crown at the 61st Sports Complex in Pune, India since 2014. National Shooting Championship in New Delhi -- Shagun 26. Afghanistan has won maiden Under-19 Asia Cup title in Chowdhary. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia-- Note: She overcame the challenge Rajeshwari Kumari to Note: Afghanistan posted 248 for 7 & Pakistan were prevail 41-38. Now, Shagun Chowdhary will be the first bundled out for just 63 runs in 22.1 overs. The Man of Indian woman trap shooter to win an Olympic berth. series: Mujeeb Zadran (Afghanistan) for his 20 wickets in 19. International Cricket Council (ICC) has barred Pakistan the tournament. off-spinner from bowling in international cricket -- Mohammad Hafeez.

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