1. Michael Keating to be the new Special Representative for Somalia and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia
(i) UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon announced Michael Keating (UK) as the new Special Representative for Somalia and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM).
(ii) Keating will succeed compatriot Nicholas Kay, who served in the role for two years.
(iii) Keating has several years’ experience in supporting political and peace-building transitions besides steering humanitarian and recovery programmes in Afghanistan, the Middle East and Africa.
2. Operation Inherent Resolve launched by US to eliminate ISIS
(i) The US-led coalition army attacked the Islamic State militant group in Iraq and parts of Syria in a joint task force mission called the Operation Inherent Resolve.
(ii) Besides the US, coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, Netherlands, the UK, whereas Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, have carried out attacks in Syria.
(iii) The objective is to eliminate IS and the threat it poses to Iraq, Syria, and the international community as a whole.
3. 6th Edition of Asian Business Leadership Forum to be held in UAE
(i) The 6th edition of the Asian Business Leadership Forum (ABLF) will be held in UAE on November 29, 2015.
(ii) Annually held in UAE, ABLF series is a global leadership platform, which commenced in 2005.
(iii) It is regarded as one of the best business platforms that brings business tycoons from the Gulf, Asia and Africa to facilitate dialogue, collaboration, support the investments into UAE and promote the Arab nation as the new global business hub.
4. Maharashtra state govt. launches accident insurance scheme for farmers
(i) The Maharashtra government has decided to launch an accident insurance scheme for farmers.
(ii) It is to be named after the late BJP leader Gopinath Munde and will be implemented from 2015-16.
(iii) Under this scheme, each farmer will get Rs. 2 lakh annual insurance cover. Around 1.37 crore farmers are likely to be benefitted in the state.
5. Telangana declares 231 of its mandals drought hit
(i) The Telangana government recently declared 231 of its mandals as drought hit due to scanty rainfall.
The government submitted a report to the Centre, listing the drought-prone mandals and has requested immediate monetary assistance worth Rs.1,000 crore.
The Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has urged the Union Government to send a team to assess drought conditions in the state
6. Lanco Pvt Ltd to help Chattisgarh Govt. set up 100 MW solar cell manufacturing plant
(i) Lanco Solar Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of Lanco Infratech Limited (LITL), signed an agreement with the Chhattisgarh government to set up a 100 MW solar cell manufacturing plant in Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh.
(ii) The project will be developed under the National Solar Mission objective of achieving domestic PV cell production of 2200 MW/year and the Make in India initiative.
7. Axis Bank opens representative office in Bangladesh
(i) With a view to extend its footprint abroad, Axis Bank recently opened a representative office in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
(ii) Axis Bank group executive P Mukherjee said, “The bank aims to leverage the growing economic integration between the two countries by actively facilitating trade transactions, both inbound as well as out-bound. The bank will also contribute towards employment generation, both directly and indirectly in the country.”
(iii) Axis Bank already has branches in Singapore, Hong Kong, Colombo and Shanghai, representative offices at Dubai and Abu Dhabi and a fully-owned subsidiary in the UK.
8. SEBI signs MoU with Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission
(i) The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) to enhance co-operation and technical assistance.
(ii) Signed by the chairmen of the bodies in the presence of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed, the pact will enable the nation’s capital market to gain from SEBI’s extensive experience besides improving investor protection and promoting economic links.
(iii) SEBI has thus far signed such agreements with 21 nations.
9. Japan launches its first commercial satellite
(i) The Japanese national space programme launched its first commercial satellite, thereby entering a business mainly dominated by Russian and European firms.
(ii) The H-IIA rocket carried the TELSTAR 12V communications and broadcasting satellite for Canadian satellite operator Telesat.
(iii) The launch was overseen by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries from Tanegashima Space Center in southwest Japan.
10. Tunisia declares state of emergency after bomb attack
(i) Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi declared a nationwide 30-day emergency after a presidential guard bus was bombed in the capital Tunis, which is under curfew.
(ii) Tunisia has been the target of Jihadist attacks since its 2011 democratic revolution. In the recent attacks around 12 people were killed and around 20 were wounded.
11. Vijaya Bank seeks Rs.5,000 crore from the Centre under the capital infusion plans
(i) Recently, south-based Vijaya Bank sought Rs.5,000 crore from the Centre under the capital infusion plans. MD and CEO Kishore Sansi said, “We have submitted a proposal to the Union Finance Ministry seeking Rs.5,000 crore under capital infusion.”
(ii) Presently, the gross NPA of the bank is 3.90 percent, which is lowest among public sector banks. The bank’s target is to reduce it to 3 percent by March 2016
12. Ministry of Railway signs MoU with TERI University
(i) The Ministry of Railways signed a Memorandum of Understanding with TERI University, New Delhi, to set up a railway research chair on sustainable mobility at the university.
(ii) The MoU was signed in the presence of Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu. The chair will promote research in finding innovative solutions for issues related sustainable mobility, use of energy-efficient technology, green energy projects.
The ministry has allocated Rs.20 lakh annually for the research chair.
13. Tourist Mitra initiative launched by Karnataka state govt.
(i) A joint initiative called Tourist Mitra has been started by the Tourism Department, Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation and Home Department.
(ii) Local policemen bearing the Tourist Mitra logo will be Homa Guards trained to ensure tourists’ safety and maintain law and order at select destinations across 13 districts.
14. Kuldip Nayar bagged the Ramnath Goenka Lifetime Achievement Award
(i) Veteran Indian journalist Kuldip Nayar was conferred the Ramnath Goenka Lifetime Achievement award at the recently concluded eighth edition of the Ramnath Goenka Excellence awards for 2013 and 2014.
(ii) A total of 56 journalists were awarded across categories for their outstanding reportage in print and broadcast media.
(iii) Nayar was the former editor of The Indian Express and during the 1970s emergency he was jailed under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) for spearheading a protest against the highhandedness of the administration.
15. Noted Economist T. S Papola passes away
(i) Renowned labour economist T S Papola passed away in Delhi, aged 74 recently. He specialised in matters of labour and employment, development planning, industrial economics, regional development and enterprise development.
(ii) He taught in several universities in India and abroad. Besides serving as an advisor to the Planning Commission of India during 1987-1995, he was also chairman and member of several national and state-level bodies.
(iii) Papola was also the founder member, former director and honorary professor at the Institute for Studies in Industrial Development, besides being associated with several other institutes. He served as an advisor to several international organisations including ILO, UNCTAD, UNIDO, UNICEF and UNDP.
16. Noted short story writer and Journalist Mahip Singh passed away
(i) Noted short story writer, journalist and Hindi professor Mahip Singh passed away in Gurgoan at 85. Singh was known for carving out a niche for his style of writing in the 1960’s.
(ii) He penned over 100 novels, of which some of the famous works are Subah ke Phool (1959), Ye Bhi Nhi, Abhi Shesh Hai and Bich ki Dhoop.
(iii) He was the editor of the literary magazine Sanchetna and established Bhartiya Lekhak Sanghatnan in 1978.
17. India recently test fired nuclear capable Dhanush ballistic missile
(I) India test-fired its ‘nuclear capable’ surface-to-surface Dhanush ballistic missile from INS Subhadra in the Bay of Bengal.
(ii) As per reports, Dhanush is considered the naval variant of India’s ‘indigenously developed’ Prithvi missile and has a strike range of 350 km.
(iii) The missile can carry the conventional as well nuclear payload of 500 kg and can hit both land and sea-based targets within its specified range.
18. Former long jump champion Anju B George to be the chairperson of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme
(i) Former Indian long jump champion Anju Bobby George was appointed as the chairperson of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS).
(ii) George will take charge in the first week of December, and will address complaints of athletes about the lack of support or funding from the government for the preparation for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
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