NATIONAL NEWS

Ministry of Tourism Organising International Tourism Mart

· The Ministry of Tourism is organising the International Tourism Mart at Shillong in Meghalaya to create awareness about the tourism potential of the North East Region.

· The event is scheduled to be inaugurated by Tourism Minister Kishan Reddy and attended by Tourism Ministers of North Eastern states.

· The three-day event will provide a platform for North Eastern stakeholders to interact with their counterparts from the country and overseas markets.

· The International Tourism Mart is an annual event held by the Ministry in one of the northeastern states on a rotation basis.

· This event has also been planned as a Green Event by adopting low-carbon options along the lines of the action points formulated by the Environment Ministry for the implementation of Mission LiFE.

· There will be no use of single-use plastic, and a digital and paperless route will be followed as well as a tree plantation drive will be undertaken.

· During the event, the eight North Eastern States would present updates on their new destinations as well as new opportunities in their states.

 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Delhi And Fukuoka 'Friendship Agreement'

· The Delhi government and Japan's Fukuoka Prefecture have extended their 'Friendship Agreement' for another three years, with an emphasis on collaboration in areas such as the environment, culture, tourism, heritage, education, and youth exchange.

· To mark the 15th anniversary of their twinning arrangement, a 35-member team visited Delhi and met with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, including Fukuoka Vice-Governor Akie Omagari.

· The original agreement, which was signed on March 5, 2007, has now been extended until March 31, 2026.

· Because of rising strategic convergence, India-Japan contacts have grown in importance, as has the Indo-Pacific region's common outlook on issues of peace, security, and stability.

AIM– NITI Aayog Launches New Accelerator To Support Australian

· 'Atal Innovation Mission' NITI Aayog has launched a new accelerator to advance Australian and Indian circular economy startups.

· Rapid Innovation and Startup Expansion (RISE) was launched as a new accelerator.

·  'Atal Innovation Mission' is a major initiative of the Government of India to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in the country.

· RISE Accelerator stands as a pioneering multi-year bilateral program, uniquely crafted between India and Australia, dedicated to addressing the shared challenges of both economies.

· Focused on the overarching theme of environment and climate technology, RISE provides a platform for startups to innovate solutions that transcend global challenges.

 

BANKING

UCO Bank Suspends Online IMPS Transfers

· The government-owned UCO Bank has suspended online Immediate Payment System (IMPS) transfers temporarily.

· The suspension was initiated after a technical issue was identified from November 10 to 13, 2023.

· During this period, funds from transactions initiated by customers of other banks were erroneously credited to UCO Bank account holders, while the bank did not actually receive the money.

· UCO Bank has taken a precautionary measure by making the IMPS channel offline.

· The bank is actively working to resolve the issue and restore IMPS services at the earliest.

· IMPS, is an electronic fund transfer process through which money is sent to the payee/beneficiary account instantly and in real-time.

State Bank of India (SBI) Expands Yono Global App

· The State Bank of India (SBI) is set to launch the Yono Global app in Singapore and the United States (US).

· The expansion aims to offer digitised remittance and other financial services to SBI customers in these regions.

· Vidya Krishnan, Deputy MD (IT) of SBI, engaged in discussions with Singapore-based digital platform enablers, local regulators, and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) for the app's launch.

· Presently, SBI offers Yono Global services in 9 countries.

· In September 2019, it started with the UK operations.

· SBI is integrating the Yono Global app with PayNow, a digital payment system in Singapore.

· SBI is continuing to invest in Yono Global to offer the best services available, SBI’s deputy MD (IT) Vidya Krishnan stated at the three-day Singapore Fintech Festival (SFF).

 

SPORTS

ATP Finals

· The Serbian Novak Djokovic won his record Seventh ATP finals title at Turin's Pala Alpitour stadium, Italy, by defeating the Italian player Jannik Sinner.

· With this win, Djokovic also broke the record of Swiss great Roger Federer, who has won 6 ATP final titles.

· He is also the first world number one player to win the ATP final event since the British tennis player Andy Murray won it in 2016.

FIH Goalkeeper Of The Year Award 2023

· Indian Women's Hockey team captain and goalkeeper Savita Punia has been nominated for the third consecutive time for the FIH Women Goalkeeper of the Year award category at this year's FIH Hockey Stars Awards.

· Savita won the FIH Goalkeeper of the Year Awards in 2021 and 2022.

· The World Hockey governing body FIH released the list of nominees selected by an Expert Panel composed of players, former players, coaches and officials selected by each of their Continental Federations.

· The players were selected on the basis of their performance in every international match played in 2023.

IBSF Billiards Championship 2023

· India’s Pankaj Advani has lifted his 26th world title as he won the World IBSF Billiards Championship 2023 in Doha, Qatar .

·  Pankaj defeated opponent Sourav Kothari with 1000-416 margin in the final.

· Advani stormed into the final with a convincing victory over fellow Indian Rupesh Shah. He defeated the Gujarat cueist 900-273.

 

AWARDS & PRIZES

'SRC To Bharatiya Cinema' Award At 54th IFFI

· Renowned actress, Madhuri Dixit was honored with the 'For Making a Distinction in Indian Cinema' award at the 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI).

· Madhuri Dixit has graced Indian film screens with her long-lasting, unmatched talent for four decades.

· Her ability to bring diverse characters to life has enthralled audiences for generations.

· The 'For Making a Distinction in Indian Cinema' award is a testament to Madhuri Dixit's extraordinary achievements and her lasting impact on Indian cinema.

· The 54th International Film Festival of India began on 20 November 2023 in Goa.

· The inaugural ceremony was held on 20 November evening at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium, Bambolim.

International Emmy Award

· Actor-comic Vir Das has won the International Emmy Award in the best comedy category for his Netflix stand-up special 'Vir Das: Landing'.

· He has become the first Indian artist to win this award.

· The 51st International Emmy Awards were held in New York City, America.

· This award show was organized by the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (IATAS).

 

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Presidential Election of Argentina

· In the presidential election held in Argentina on 19 November 2023, right-wing leader Javier Milei won the country's presidential election.

· Javier Milei has made many big promises to the people in Argentina amid deepening discontent among the public over increasing poverty.

· Javier Milei will now be the new President of Argentina in place of Alberto Fernandez..

· According to the Argentine Election Authority, 95 percent of the votes were cast in the presidential election, in which Javier Milei received 55.8 percent and Sergio Massa received 44.2 percent.

Sourav Ganguly Named As Brand Ambassador of West Bengal

· The West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, appointed former BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) president Sourav Ganguly as the brand ambassador of West Bengal.

· Mamata Banerjee announced the appointment of the former Indian cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly in her inaugural address at the seventh Bengal Global Business Summit in Kolkata.

· The seventh two-day Bengal Global Business Summit is being held in Kolkata on 21 and 22 November 2023.

· Several hundred companies from more than 25 countries, including the United States of America, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Japan, Australia, France, and Germany are participating in the Business Summit.

 

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Television Day

· World Television Day is observed every year on 21 November.

· World Television Day highlights the importance of Television as a major source of video consumption.

·  It acknowledges its importance as a major tool in informing, channeling and affecting public opinion.

· Since its invention in 1924 by Scottish engineer John Logie Baird, Television has evolved as a major source of multimedia and interactive content, such as streaming videos, music, and internet browsing.

·  In the 21st Century, Television has become a symbol of connection and globalisation.

· The theme of the World Television Day 2023 is Accessibility.

World Fisheries Day

· World Fisheries Day is celebrated every year on 21 November.

· It to raise awareness about the importance of fisheries and support the livelihoods of people dependent on fisheries.

· The theme of World Fisheries Day 2023 is 'Celebrating the Wealth of Fisheries and Aquaculture'.

 

OBITUTARY

Founder of Sankara Netralaya Dr.S.S Badrinath

· The founder of Sankara Netralaya Dr.S.S Badrinath passed away in Chennai.

· Dr. S.S. Badrinath graduated from Madras Medical College in 1962. He was closely associated with the Sankara Mutt as he performed a cataract surgery on his spiritual guru Chandrasekara Saraswathi Swamigal.

· He founded the Sankara Nethralaya as a unit of the Medical Research Foundation in 1978.

· He was a recipient of the Padma Shri in 1983 and Padma Bhushan in 1999.

· The institution which he founded has become iconic, a symbol of the progress of modern medicine.