- National:
- Jio Satellite Communications and OneWeb have secured pan-India internet service provider (ISP) licenses from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to provide satellite broadband services in the country.
- The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-National Institute of Pathology (NIP) in New Delhi has introduced the Diagnostic Services in Healthcare (DISHA) portal. This portal is designed to assist the public in locating nearby diagnostic healthcare facilities.
- Researchers at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) have indeed made a significant discovery. One species is named the Arabian Sparrow Seer Fish (Scomberomorus avirostrus), and Russell’s Spotted Seer Fish (Scomberomorus leopardus).
- Shital Mahajan, a well-known Indian skydiver and recipient of the Padma Shri, indeed made history by becoming the first woman to skydive from a height of 21,500 ft in front of Mt Everest.
- The CCI cleared the acquisition of a minority stake in Shadowfax Technologies Private Limited (Target) by Mirae Group entities (Acquirers). The Target is a company that provides logistics services, especially third-party (3P) logistics services, in India. The Acquirers are entities that undertake venture investments and are ultimately controlled by the Mirae Group.
- International:
- Several countries and international organizations have officially designated Hamas as a terrorist organization.
- The Biden-Xi Jinping summit prioritized the resumption of military talks between the U.S. and China. The White House cited a resumption of U.S.-China military communications as a priority ahead of the meeting.
- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has launched an Open Data Platform. This platform provides data tools and resources to conduct research, develop web and mobile applications, design data visualizations, and more.
- Economy:
- India’s exports increased by 6.21 percent from a year earlier to USD 33.57 billion in October 2023, according to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. This was mainly driven by higher shipments of pearls, precious and semi-precious stones and jewelry, vehicles, parts and accessories, pharmaceutical products, and organic chemicals.
- Banking:
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed monetary penalties on Axis Bank and Manappuram Finance for non-compliance with certain provisions of the banking sector regulator.
- Two more Japanese banks are set to join the GIFT City, which is India’s first international financial services centre (IFSC) in Gujarat. The two banks are Mizuho Bank and MUFG Bank, which will be the first and second Japanese banks to open branches in the GIFT City respectively.
- ICICI Bank will get 7.71% equity stake in Jaiprakash Associates Ltd. (JAL) as the latter’s payment obligation for a loan taken from the bank. The bank has invoked the pledge on 13.72 crore equity shares of JAL, which amounts to 7.71% of the total paid-up equity share capital of the company, as per a regulatory filing by JAL on Saturday.
- Sports:
- Virat Kohli scored his 50th ODI century in the World Cup semifinal match against New Zealand on November 15, 2023. He became the first player to reach this milestone, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 49 ODI centuries.
- KL Rahul hit the fastest century by an Indian in the ODI World Cup history. He achieved this feat in the match against the Netherlands at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday, November 12, 2023.
- Important Days:
- National Press Day is celebrated on the 16th of November every year in India. The Press Council of India, a free-acting body, was established to monitor the proper functioning of the Indian media and press, ensuring that they are not swayed by any influence or external factors. The theme for National Press Day 2023 is “Media in the Era of Artificial Intelligence”.
- Awards & Honors:
- Author Salman Rushdie has indeed received the first-ever ‘Lifetime Disturbing The Peace Award. This award was presented by the Vaclav Havel Center on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
- Obituaries:
- N. Sankaraiah passed away at the age of 102. He was born on July 15, 1921, and died on November 15, 2023. He was a veteran Indian Communist Party politician and an independence activist.
Questions:
Q.1 Who was the recipient of the first-ever ‘Lifetime Disturbing The Peace’ Award?a. Vaclav Havel
b. Salman Rushdie
c. German Book Trade
d. Manhattan’s Upper East Side
Q.2 When is National Press Day celebrated in India?
a. 15th November
b. 16th November
c. 17th November
d. 18th November
