1. India, Malaysia sign pacts for cyber security, cultural exchange and infrastructure development
(i) PM Narendra Modi and his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak agreed to sign three agreements to deepen cooperation in various areas during the former’s recent visit to the Southeast Asian country.
(ii) The cyber security agreement was signed between Indian Computer Emergency Team (CERT-IN) and Cyber Security, Malaysia, while the cultural exchange pact was inked between the culture ministries.
(iii) The infrastructure development agreement was signed between India’s NITI Aayog and Malaysia’s Performance Management and Delivery Unit.
2. India signs 10 pacts with Singapore
(i) India and Singapore pledged to enhance their ties and signed several bilateral agreements in areas like cyber security, shipping and civil aviation.
(ii) The 10 agreements included a joint declaration by both the Prime Ministers on a strategic partnership.
(iii) As per the joint declaration the two countries aim to broaden engagement in existing areas of cooperation and catalyse new ones ranging from political, defence and security cooperation to economic, cultural and people-to-people contact.
3. Bangladesh to obtain 100 MW power from Tripura-based project
(i) Bangladesh and India are set to sign a pact in November 2015 that would enable the former to obtain 100 megawatt (MW) power from Tripura’s gas-fired thermal power project at Palatana in Gomati district.
(ii) The agreement will also stipulate the tariff rate. Bangladesh has opted to get the transmission done on its Victory Day on December 16.
4. Mahatma Gandhi International Centre opened in Sri Lanka
(i) Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena inaugurated the Mahatma Gandhi International Centre (MGIC) in Matale, Sri Lanka. The Indian High Commissioner Y K Sinha attended the inauguration ceremony.
(ii) Built at a cost of over Rs.4 crore, the centre comprises an auditorium, library, meditation centre and a conference hall. It will focus on spreading Mahatma Gandhi’s teachings, promote cultural activities and practices such as meditation and yoga.
5. Indian-American Swati Dandekar named Executive Director of Asian Development Bank
(i) Indian-American politician Swati Dandekar was declared the Executive Director of the Asian Development Bank with ambassadorial rank by US President Barack Obama.
(ii) Dandekar, who became the first-ever Indian-American to win a state legislature seat in the US in 2003, will replace Robert M Orr, who held the position since 2010.
6. UP enters Guinness Book of World Records for planting 10 lakh saplings in 8 hours
(i) Uttar Pradesh earned itself a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for its massive green drive. Under the state government’s ‘Clean UP, Green UP’ initiative, over 10 lakh saplings were planted at 10 places within eight hours.
(ii) The Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav received the award for the state’s record achievement, which was successfully completed with joint efforts of the forest and irrigation departments.
7. Zarin Daruwala appointed as CEO of Standard Chartered Bank
(i) Standard Chartered Bank recently appointed senior banker Zarin Daruwala, who was with the ICICI Bank, as the CEO of its India operations. She will replace Sunil Kaushal, who has been promoted to the post of regional CEO for Africa and the Middle East.
(ii) In a career spanning over two decades, Daruwala has held positions across areas like corporate banking, structured finance, project finance, government and public sector banking, financial institutions, besides building ICICI Bank’s rural and agri-finance offering.
(iii) In India, the bank has around 20 lakh retail banking and about 2,500 corporate clients across 100 branches in 43 cities.
8. Indian Customs Electronic Commerce and Electronic Data Interchange Gateway (ICEGATE) to be integrated into the banking system
(i) India’s intelligence agencies and the RBI recently announced a proposal to integrate the Indian Customs Electronic Commerce and Electronic Data Interchange Gateway (ICEGATE) into the banking system to curb illegal forex remittances and money laundering.
(ii) The decision comes after the CBI and Enforcement Directorate’s have filed cases involving illegal forex remittances by banks, the recent being Bank of Baroda’s illegal transfers to Hong Kong amounting to Rs.6000 crores.
(iii) ICEGATE is an infrastructure project that fulfills the customs department’s electronic commerce/electronic data interchange and data communication requirements. It is the electronic depository comprising bills of entry, shipping bills, electronic messages and other import-export documents. Presently it has about 24,000 registered users serving around 6.72 lakh importers/exporters.
9. e-lala online portal launched to tackle challenges faced by small traders
(i) Minister of Urban Development Venkaiah Naidu launched an e-commerce portal along with the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) to help small traders tackle challenges posed by e-commerce sites.
(ii) Small traders could use this platform to make the most of digital technology to enhance their reach and marketing strategies. HDFC Bank and Master Card will provide digital payment solutions for this initiative.
10. Tarun Jain to head the products division of Flipkart’s online ad business
(i) India’s largest e-commerce firm Flipkart recently hired former Twitter executive Tarun Jain to head the products division of its online advertising business, which is headed by Group CEO Sachin Bansal.
(ii) Jain will be responsible for business strategy, developing product vision and its execution, partnerships and customer adoption.
(iii) As the group product manager in Twitter, Jain developed product strategies for various ads and commercial products. He was previously with Google and built advertising platforms like AdWords Express, Dynamic Ads, Google Offers and Google Shopping
11. November 21 observed as World Fisheries Day
(i) World Fisheries Day is annually celebrated on November 21. As per a latest study by the UN, over two-third of the world’s fisheries have been fully harvested. More than one-third are in a state of decline due to loss of essential fish habitats, pollution, and global warming.
(ii) This day is marked in order to highlight the importance of water and the lives sustained inside and outside of it.
(iii) In India, Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Radha Mohan Singh launched the scheme Blue Revolution: Integrated Development and Management of Fisheries on this day.
12. Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza bag the women’s doubles title at ATP World Tour Finals
(i) Veteran Swiss player Martina Hingis and Indian top seed Sania Mirza won the women’s doubles title at the ATP World Tour Finals in Singapore.
(ii) In a season of 10 appearances, this is their ninth title. Mirza and Hingis won in Beijing, Wuhan, Guangzhou, US Open, Wimbledon, Charleston, Miami and Indian Wells. Further, Mirza won the Sydney International with Bethanie Mattek-Sands (US), taking her doubles trophy count to 10 in 2015.
13. Djokovic wins the men’s singles title at the ATP World Tour Finals
(i) On November 22, Serbian tennis player and world number one Novak Djokovic bagged the men’s singles title at the ATP World Tour Finals, defeating Swiss champ Roger Federer 6-3, 6-4.
(ii) Djokovic is the first player in the tournament’s 46-year history to win the title for four successive years and this is his 11th title in 2015.
(iii) He has ended this year with an 82-6 win-loss record (first player to win 80 matches in a season since Rafael Nadal (82-11) in 2008.
14. Indian junior men’s hockey team wins the Junior Men’s Asia Cup
(i) Indian junior men’s hockey team defeated Pakistan 6-2 to win the Junior Men’s Hockey Asia Cup at the Wisma Belia Hockey Stadium in Malaysia.
(ii) India is now on par with Pakistan’s record of three victories. The Indian team has won previously in 2004 and 2008 while Pakistan won in 1987, 1992 and 1996.
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