Current Affairs: November 20, 2018

November 20, 2018

Punjab Govt. bans hookah parlours after and

After Maharashtra and Gujarat, Punjab becomes

country's third state to ban hookah bars or

lounges. The ban was announced through a law

after President Ram Nath Kovind has given

assent to a bill from the state to check the use of

tobacco. According to a report in Hindustan

Times, a Home Ministry official said that the president has approved the Cigarettes and other

Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce,

Production, Supply and Distribution) (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2018 recently.

VAJRA PRAHAR 2018 – Indo-US Special Forces start a 12 day rigorous joint training

The annual Indo-US joint military training exercise

– Vajra Prahar – started from 19th November at

Mahajan Field Firing Ranges, Rajasthan. A

contingent of one officer and ten other ranks from

the Special Forces Group of the United States

Pacific Command arrived at Mahajan Field Firing

Ranges on November 18 for undertaking joint training with the Indian Special Forces. https://examprep.talentsprint.com 1

Current Affairs: November 20, 2018

Jashne Bachpan: 9-day 14th edition of international children’s theatre festival held in New Delhi

On November 17, the 9-day 14th edition of

Jashne Bachpan, a theatre festival for children,

commenced at the Sammukh, Abhimanch,

Abhikalp and Little Theatre Group (LTG)

auditorium in New Delhi. The festival has been

organized by National School of Drama’s

(NSD) Theatre in Education (TIE) Company.

RBI to set up expert panel to look into issues on capital surplus

The RBI board on 19th November decided to set up

a high-powered committee to examine issues

related to surplus capital of Rs 9.69 lakh crore

with the central bank and advised it to consider a

scheme for restructuring stressed assets in the

MSME sector. In 2017-18, the RBI transferred a

surplus of Rs 50,000 crore to the government (comprising an interim transfer of Rs 10,000 crore),

up from Rs 30,659 crore in 2016-17, but lower than in the previous three years. For the year

ended June 2018, the RBI had total reserves of Rs 9.6 lakh crore, comprising mainly currency

and gold revaluation account (Rs 6.91 lakh crore) and contingency fund (Rs 2.32 lakh crore). https://examprep.talentsprint.com 2

Current Affairs: November 20, 2018

BSE to cut ties with S&P Dow Jones; develop own in-house indices

Asia's oldest bourse BSE has decided to snap ties

with S&P Dow Jones, which manages and operates

benchmark SENSEX, and plans to develop indices

through its own in-house development team,

exchange's officials said. The two entities had

announced a joint venture -- Asia Index -- in 2013 to

provide an array of indices enabling global and domestic investors to participate in South Asia's

vibrant economies. The deal with BSE came after the expiry of the licensing arrangement

between Index Services & Products (IISL), a joint venture of NSE and S&P-owned Crisil.

The exchange officials said that BSE will not renew its agreement with S&P Dow Jones Indices

LLC which expires on December 31, 2018 and it is looking to develop indices through its own

team.

NSE launches online platform an app ‘NSE goBID’ for retail investors to buy G- sec

National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) on 19th

November launched a mobile application and

web-based platform for retail investors to buy

government securities. The new app - NSE

goBID, was launched by Sebi chairman Ajay

Tyagi. The platform will allow retail investors to

invest in treasury bills (T-Bills) of 91 days, 182 days and 364 days and various government

bonds from one year to almost 40 years. https://examprep.talentsprint.com 3

Current Affairs: November 20, 2018

KONNICHI WA : 1st 2-day Indo-Japan Business Council’s business festival held in Pune

On November 18, 2018, the 2-day 1st Indo-

Japan Business Council- KONNICHI

WA PUNE concluded in Pune,

Maharashtra. It was organized by the

Indo-Japan Business Council (IJBC). The

festival aimed to boost investment,

promote businesses and cultural exchange between India and Japan.

Suresh Prabhu launches upgraded versions of Airsewa 2.0 web portal, mobile

Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu on 19th

November launched an upgraded versions of

Airsewa 2.0 web portal and mobile app to make

air travel convenient and hassle-free. The digital

platform, Airsewa 2.0 will address air passengers'

grievances including flight delays, the problem in a

refund, long queues and complaints of lost baggage. The system will also give real-time

information about the current status and schedule of the flights.

https://examprep.talentsprint.com 4

Current Affairs: November 20, 2018

UASG confers Universal Acceptance Thought Leader award on Rajasthan CM

Global internet Body ICANN-supported UASG

Tuesday conferred "Universal Acceptance Thought

Leader award" on Rajasthan Chief Minister

Vasundhara Raje for enabling email service for

citizens of the state in local script. "Universal

Acceptance Steering Group has recognised work of

Hon'ble CM of Rajasthan and IT Department for

Rajmail project that enables access to email address to people in the state in Indic script.

Ankita Raina and Karman Kaur Thandi win first WTA doubles title in Taipei

Ankita Raina and Karman Kaur Thandi, India’s top

two women’s players, won their first doubles title

together as they lifted the OEC Open trophy in

Taipei on 18th November. It is also the first WTA title,

singles or doubles, for both Indians. The all-Indian

pair was 6-3, 5-7, 12-12 in the close final when their

opponents and were forced to retire at the WTA $125K

event. https://examprep.talentsprint.com 5

Current Affairs: November 20, 2018

Team Abu Dhabi’s Shaun Torrente wins UIM F1H2O Grand Prix of India at Amaravati

On 18th November 2018, Team Abu Dhabi’s

Shaun Torrente won the UIM (Union

Internationale Motonautique) F1H2O Grand Prix

of India held in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh. This

is Shaun Torrente’s 7th career-victory. He has

climbed to the top of the championship standings.

2nd place was secured by Emirates Racing’s Marit Stromoy, the only woman racer who

participated in the race.

Manav Thakkar settles for bronze in Belarus

India's Manav Thakkar settled for a bronze medal

in the Under-21 singles category while Harmeet

Desai progressed to the pre-quarter finals of the

men's singles in the International Table Tennis

Federation Challenge Belgosstrakh Belarus Open in

Minsk, Belarus on 17th November.

https://examprep.talentsprint.com 6

Current Affairs: November 20, 2018

Universal Children's Day: 20 November

November 20th is an important date as it is the

date in 1959 when the UN General Assembly

adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the

Child. It is also the date in 1989 when the UN

General assembly adopted the Convention on

the Rights of the Child. Since 1990, Universal

Children's Day also marks the anniversary of the date that the UN General Assembly adopted

both the declaration and the convention on children's rights.

2018 Theme: Children are taking over and turning the world blue

Africa Industrialization Day: 20 November

Within the framework of the Second Industrial

Development Decade for Africa (1991-2000), the

United Nations General Assembly, in 1989,

proclaimed 20 November “Africa

Industrialization Day”. The 2018 Africa

Industrialization Day will be celebrated at

UNIDO’s headquarters in Vienna.

2018 Theme: “Promoting Regional Value Chains in Africa: A pathway for accelerating Africa’s

structural transformation, industrialization and pharmaceutical production”

https://examprep.talentsprint.com 7

Current Affairs: November 20, 2018

Maldives cabinet approves to rejoin Commonwealth, 2 years after withdrawing from 53-nation grouping

The Maldives cabinet has approved to rejoin the

Commonwealth, two years after withdrawing

from the 53-nation grouping. New President

Ibrahim Mohamed Solih made the announcement

yesterday, saying that the proposal will be sent to

Parliament for ratification. The country left the

Commonwealth during former President Abdulla

Yameen's administration in October 2016, amid mounting pressure over corruption and

deteriorating human rights.

President: Ibrahim Mohamed Solih

Capital: Male

Currency: Maldivian Rufiyaa

2-Day APEC Summit 2018 held in Papua New Guinea

On November 18, 2018, 2-day Asia-Pacific

Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit 2018

concluded in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

APEC Summit 2018 held in Papua New Guinea. It

was hosted by Prime Minister of Papua New

Guinea, Peter O’Neill. All 21 member countries of

APEC participated in the Summit.

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) HQ: Singapore https://examprep.talentsprint.com 8

Current Affairs: November 20, 2018

Learn Two a Day: AMC: Asset Management Company

FFMC: Full Fledged Money Changer

https://examprep.talentsprint.com 9