NATIONAL NEWS

Karnataka Celebrates its 68th Foundation Day

· Karnataka celebrated its 68th Foundation Day on 01 November 2023.

· Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has greeted the people of the state on the 68th State Foundation Day.

· On this occasion, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also inaugurated a Rajyotsava across the state.

· The state of Karnataka was formed on 01 November 1956 under the States Reorganization Act.

· was formerly known as Mysore State. On 01 November 1973, Mysore State was renamed Karnataka.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Dharmendra Pradhan is on a Three-day Visit to UAE

· The Union Minister for Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan is in Abu-Dhabi on a three-day visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 01 November to 03 November 2023.

· During his visit, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will meet several key ministers, and participate in important discussions related to the education and skills ecosystem of the two countries.

· An MoU was signed between India and the United Arab Emirates on 01 November 2023 to strengthen the existing education cooperation between the two countries.

· Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will visit ‘Global Tech Ecosystem Hub 71’ in Abu Dhabi on 02 November 2023.

Gwalior and Kozhikode Join UNESCO Creative Cities Network

· Gwalior and Kozhikode of India were included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN).

· By the year 2050, 68 percent of the world's population is estimated to live in urban areas.

· Gwalior of Madhya Pradesh has made it to this prestigious list in the 'Music' category, while Kozhikode of Kerala has been included in this list in the 'Literature' category.

· According to a statement issued by UNESCO, these new cities are included in the list for their strong commitment to using culture and creativity as part of their development strategies and demonstrating innovative practices in human-centred urban planning.

· The newly nominated creative cities are invited to participate in the 2024 UCCN Annual Conference to be held in Braga, Portugal from 01 July to 0 5 July.

· ‘Bringing Youth to the Table for the Next Decade’ is the theme of the conference.

Sixth Assembly of International Solar Alliance

· The 6th Assembly of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) was held on October 31, 2023 at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

· ISA was chaired by India's Minister of Power and New and Renewable Energy R.K. Singh served as the President of the ISA Assembly.

· The Assembly was co-chaired by Ms Chrysola Zacharopoulou, Minister of State for Development, Francophonie and International Partnerships of France.

· The ISA was attended by ministers from 20 countries and representatives of 116 member and signatory countries.

· The Sixth Assembly of the International Solar Alliance was held in New Delhi during October 30- November 2, 2023.

· R.K. Singh Addressing a joint press conference with ministers of member countries said that the sixth assembly of the ISA has decided to increase the Viability Gap Financing (VGF) for projects from 10% to 35%.

India and Bangladesh to Inaugurate Three Development Projects

· On 01 November  2023, the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, H.E. Sheikh Hasina, will jointly launch three Indian-assisted development projects.

· The three projects are the Akhaura-Agartala Cross-Border Rail Link, the Khulna-Mongla Port Rail Line, and the Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant Unit II.

· These projects will improve regional connectivity and energy security.

· Akhaura-Agartala Cross-Border Rail Link project was carried out with a grant of INR 392.52 crore from the Government of India to Bangladesh.

· The Khulna-Mongla rail line project has received 69.18 percent of its finance from Indian Lines of Credit (LoC).

· Unit I of the Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant was launched by Prime Ministers of India and Bangladesh in September 2022, while Unit II will be launched on November 1, 2023.

· The completion of the Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant will improve energy security in Bangladesh.

Thailand Offers Indians Visa-Free Entry

· Indians can travel to Thailand without a visa from November 10 to May 10, 2024.

· India is one of the major tourism sources for Thailand.

· On one entry a person can stay for up to 30 days.

· Sri Lanka also made the announcement of granting a couple of countries including India, visa-free entry facilities for their citizens.

BANKING

RBI To Directly Regulate Entities - Cross Border Payment Transactions

· The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced its decision to directly regulate all entities that facilitate cross-border payment transactions related to the import and export of goods and services.

· This directive is aimed at ensuring transparency, security, and adherence to financial regulations in these cross-border transactions.

· The RBI, in its circular, introduced a novel category known as Payment Aggregator-Cross Border (PA-CB) to encompass all entities involved in facilitating cross-border payments.

· This move comes in response to the evolving landscape of cross-border payments, which has witnessed significant growth and transformation in recent years.

·  The RBI now seeks to bring these entities under its direct regulatory purview to maintain the stability and integrity of the financial system.

SBI Card tied up with Reliance Retail

· SBI Card tied up with Reliance Retail for the launch of ‘Reliance SBI Card’.

· The co-branded credit card comes in two variants, i.e. Reliance SBI Card, and Reliance SBI Card PRIME.

· The SBI and reliance Retail co-branded credit card is set to benefit card-holders while shopping at various Reliance Retail outlets.

SPORTS

David Willey Announced his Retirement from International Cricket

· David Willey, the England cricketer, has announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket at the end of the World Cup.

· Willey has played 70 one-day internationals and 43 Twenty20s for England.

· Willey was a member of England’s T20 World Cup-winning squad in Australia 2022.

RANKS, INDICES & REPORTS

AQI Report 2023-Delhi

· An Air Quality Index (AQI) is data used by government agencies to assess and report on air pollution levels.

· The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital Delhi stood at 336 on November 1. According to SAFAR-India, it continues to remain in the 'very poor' category.

· The air quality index (AQI) is projected to remain in the ‘Very poor' category until 03 November. The AQI is likely to remain in that range for the next six days.

· According to the Commission for Air Quality Management, starting 01 November, only electric, CNG, and BS VI-compliant diesel buses would be permitted between Delhi and towns in the National Capital Region.

DEFENCE

Drone Company to Receive Certification from DGCA

· Throttle Aerospace Systems has received Type-Certification from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

· It received certification for its multi-purpose drone DOPO, RattanIndia Enterprises Ltd said on 01 November 2023.

· Throttle Aerospace Systems (TAS) is a part of RattanIndia Enterprises Ltd.

· With this, DOPO can be deployed across multiple industries such as survey, mapping, inspection, along with agriculture, surveillance as well as disaster management.