1. Queen Elizabeth II opens the commonwealth summit in Malta
(i) Queen Elizabeth II opened the Commonwealth summit in Malta, a Mediterranean island.
(ii) The meeting will focus on climate change and the threat of extremist violence.
(iii) The 53-nation Commonwealth links over 2 billion people across five continents, including huge countries like India, Australia and Canada and small island states like Tonga and Vanuatu.
2. PM Modi and French President Hollande to launch International solar initiative
(i) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Francois Hollande have invited over 100 countries to the International Solar Initiative to be launched by them on November 30, 2015 at the Paris Climate Conference (COP21).
(ii) The rationale behind this invitation is that combined efforts of leaders of several countries to speed up the development of solar power would help achieve the goal of sustainable development, universal energy access and energy security.
3. Orange the World campaign launched by UN
(i) The United Nations recently launched the, ‘Orange the World’ campaign in order to garner support for global action to end violence against women and girls.
(ii) As a part of this campaign, which will continue till December 10, several Indian monuments, including the India Gate, were illuminated in orange lights on the International Day of Elimination of Violence against Women that was observed on November 25.
4. RBI – Foreign bank to employ not not more than for expatriates and not over six in head office operations
(i) As per a recent RBI notification, a foreign bank can employ only four expatriates for each branch opened in India and not over six expatriates for its head office operations.
(ii) The central bank has eased the numerical restriction on involvement of expatriate officers (earlier it was two officers for the head office and one officer for every other branch) considering the operational difficulties foreign banks face in conducting their business.
(iii) However, rules pertaining the posting of trainee officers and remittance facilities by the expatriate officers remains unchanged.
5.HSBC to close down its indian private banking operations
(i) HSBC Holdings Plc decided to close down its India private banking operations after a strategic review. Its customers will have the option to be a client of HSBC Premier – its global retail banking and wealth management proposition.
(ii) The Indian private banking arm of HSBC has about 70 clients who will be transferred.
6. Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) Arvind Subramanian panel to give suggestions to GST
(i) The panel led by Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) Arvind Subramanian is expected to suggest multiple revenue-neutral rates (RNR) for the proposed goods and services tax (GST) based on different scenarios and let the proposed GST council decide on the rates.
(ii) The Subramanian panel may also recommend separate rates for two items which are not likely to be incorporated under GST – petroleum for the time being and alcohol permanently.
7. Eiffel Tower replica to come up in Kolkata
(i) Recently, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee laid the foundation stone for the 55-metre replica of the 324-metre Eiffel Tower that will be constructed in Kolkata’s Eco Park, in New Town.
(ii) The Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation announced that the project would take three years to complete and nearly 300 tonnes of steel would be used to build the replica.
(iii) The project has been conceived by HIDCO to pay tribute to the 129 victims of the November 13 terror attack in Paris, France.
8. Chhattisgarh state to get solar power under the Remote Village Electrification Programme
(i) Under the Remote Village Electrification Programme, the state-run Chhattisgarh State Renewable Energy Department Agency (CREDA) will provide solar power to 140 Naxal-hit villages that are mainly located in the Bastar and Sarguja division of the state.
(ii) The agency has provided solar power in around 1,700 villages/hamlets across the state since 2003 and has also involved villagers to ensure proper maintenance of the systems installed.
9. Tamil Nadu preferred state among women working force
(i) As per the India Skills Report 2016, Tamil Nadu is the preferred state for working among India’s women workforce as compared to all other states. ISR 2016 is an initiative of talent assessment company Wheebox, the Confederation of Indian Industry, among others.
(ii) Responses of five lakh candidates across 29 states and seven UTs were collated, based on parameters like numerical and logical ability, communication skills and domain knowledge.
(iii) Tamil Nadu is followed by Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka, and Punjab.
10. Bihar to ban liquor starting April 1, 2016
(i) Chief Minister Nitish Kumar recently announced his decision to ban liquor in Bihar from April 1, 2016 in keeping with the promise made before the assemble polls.
(ii) Though, Bihar annually earns Rs 4,000 crore from liquor sale, the CM stated that alcohol is the main cause of several social evils plaguing the state.
(iii) Within few hours of the announcement, shares of liquor companies plummeted.
11. National Milk Day observed on November 26
(i) National Milk Day (NMD) is observed across India to mark the birth anniversary of Dr Verghese Kurien, the Father of Indian White Revolution.
(ii) This year all major dairy associations such as the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), Indian Dairy Association (IDA), Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) and 21 other state-level milk federations celebrated National Milk Day.
(iii) The IDA mooted the idea in 2014 and the first NMD was celebrated on November 26, 2014.
12. Benoit Peeters to become the first ever Professor of graphic fiction and comic art in Britain
(i) Benoit Peeters, 59, a French novelist and critic, who is also an expert in The Adventures of Tintin comic series is set to become first ever professor of graphic fiction and comic art.
(ii) He will start as a visiting faculty at Lancaster University in north-west England for three years starting summer 2016.
(iii) He will conduct creative writing workshops, give lectures and supervise post-graduate students.
13. Sunil Kanoria has been appointed as the President of ASSOCHAM
(i) The Vice Chairman of SREI Infrastructure Finance Sunil Kanoria took over as the President of the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).
(ii) He succeeded Rana Kapoor, MD and CEO of Yes Bank. Kanoria has the credit of making SREI the first NBFC to be listed on London Stock Exchange under his leadership.
(iii) He has been associated with other industrial associations such as the Hire Purchase & Lease Association, Kolkata, Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce, Kolkata and Federation of Indian Hire Purchase Association (FIHPA), Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC), among others.
14. Sania Mirza and Mahesh Bhupati win the Tennis Masters 2015 series
(i) Indian pair Sania Mirza and Mahesh Bhupathi won against legendary Czech-American player Martina Navratilova and Leander Peas 7-5, 7-5 in the second exhibition match of the Tennis Masters 2015 series, which was held in Kolkata.
(ii) The next two matches of the three-leg promotional series are to be held in Hyderabad and New Delhi.
(iii) India’s top tennis players, namely Sania Mirza, Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi came together for this exhibition matches with Navratilova to promote the sport in the country.
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