Current Affairs 11th November 2017 (11/11/2017)

National Current Affairs

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first World Food India event at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi on November 3, 2017. The three-day event is billed as the biggest congregation of global investors and business leaders of major food companies. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Modi noted that there was an immense potential for food processing and value addition in areas such as organic and fortified foods.
• The Union Cabinet has given its nod for introduction of a Bill in Parliament which will amend the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) Act, 1993. The amendment will ensure that students studying in the academic Institutions/ Universities, or already passed out, find employment as teacher. The amendment will grant retrospective recognition to all such Central/State/Universities which were found to be conducting teacher education courses without NCTE permission.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off a run in New Delhi, called the ‘Run for Unity’, on October 31 on the 142nd birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. In his address, the Prime Minister said unity in diversity was India’s greatest asset and people must work toward building the nation based on this source of strength.
• The Centre has convinced the Supreme Court to defer hearing on petitions challenging the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir, saying it has appointed an inter locutor to commence talks with stakeholders in the State. Attorney General K.K. Venugopal said before a Bench led by Chief Justice Dipak Misra that the court should adjourn the hearing on the petitions against Article 35A of the Constitution for six months. The court, however, settled for 12 weeks in its order.
• The Supreme Court has decided to constitute a five-judge Constitution Bench to hear petitions from November against the validity of the Aadhaar scheme. A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra took the step after Attorney General K.K. Venugopal said falsehoods had been spread about Aadhaar linking.
• The Supreme Court has asked the government to frame a central scheme for setting up special courts across the country to exclusively try criminal cases involving ‘political persons’ In a determined effort to cleanse politics of criminality and corruption, the apex court said it takes years, probably decades, to complete the trial against a politician.
• Army has finalized one of its biggest procurement plans for infantry modernization under which a large number of light machine guns (LMGs), battle carbines and assault rifles are being purchased at a cost of nearly Rs. 40,000 crone to replace its ageing and obsolete weapons.
• The Defence Ministry has approved procurement of 111 utility helicopters for the Navy at a cost of Rs 21,738 crore. The long Pending proposal was cleared at the meeting of the Defence Acquistion (DCA), chaired by the Defence Minister.
• President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the Global Clubfoot Conference, organised by the CURE India in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopedic birth defects.
• The President of India inaugurated the 21^st World Congress of Mental Health being organised by the World Federation for mental Health in Partnership with caring Foundation and other institutions in New Delhi on November 2. The World Congress of Mental Health is taking place in India for the First Time.

International Current Affairs

• India and Bhutan held the first summit after the Doklam crisis as Bhutanese king visited India on a three day trip. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck in New Delhi. Earlier, welcoming the Bhutanese King, President expressed his deep appreciation for his country’s support in resolving the Doklam.
• India and Italy inked six pots to boost cooperation in key sectors, including energy and trade, after detailed talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart Paolo Gentiloni in New Delhi on ways to strength en ties and countering terrorism.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi held separate talks with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and Latvian Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis in New Delhi to cement India’s bilateral ties with the two countries.
• India has flagged off a shipment of wheat for Afghanistan through Iran’s Chabahar port-marking the operationalization of the port for the trans-shipment of goods from India to the landlocked country.
• China has again blocked a bid at the United Nations by the US, France and Britain to list Maulana Masood Azhar, chief of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) militant group, as a global terrorist, citing a lack of consensus among the members of the UN Security Council.
• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has announced that India will host next Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Species of Wild Animals Conference of Parties 13 (CMS C0P13) in year 2020.
• The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increased at record speed in 2016 to hit a level not seen for more than three million years, the UN has warned. The new report has raised alarm among scientists and prompted calls for nations to consider more drastic emissions reductions at the upcoming climate negotiations in Bonn.

Business & Economy Current Affairs

• The World Bank has released the Doing Business (DB) Report. India ranks 100 among 190 countries assessed by the Doing Business Team. India has leapt 30 ranks over its rank of 130 in the Doing Business Report of last year. The DB Report is an assessment of 190 economies and covers 10 indicators which span the lifecycle of a business.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said, ease of Doing Business will lead to Ease of Life for every Indian. Speaking at an event- India’s Business Reforms in New Delhi, Mr Modi said, GST is a commendable reform done by the country and it will benefit the ease of doing business.
• India and the US held 11th Trade Policy Forum Meeting in Washington D.C. on October 26. The Minister for Commerce and Industry Suresh Prabhu had productive discussions with the United States Trade Representative, Ambassador Robert Lighthizer and his team in a cordial, friendly and positive manner. The Minister for Commerce and Industry noted that the TPF serves as a robust platform that contributes towards promoting bilateral trade and investment between India and the US.
• The Govememnt has launched MSME Delayed Payment Portal – MSME Samadhaan (http://msefc.msme.gov.in), empowering micro and small entrepreneurs across the country to directly register their cases relating to delayed payments by Central Ministries/Departments/CPSEs/StOe Government.
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) gave ex-post facto clearance to implementation of the Special Banking Arrangement (SBA) of Rs10,000 crone for payment of outstanding claims of fertiliser companies towards fertiliser subsidy in 2016-17.
• The CCEA has cleared the continuation of Rashtriya Krishi Villas Yojana (RKVY) as Rashtriya Krishi Villas Yojana – Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied sector Rejuvenation (RKVY-RAFTAAR) for three years till 2019-20.

Sports Current Affairs

• Indian shooters Prakash Nanjappa, Amanpreet Singh and J. Rai made a clean sweep in the 50m pistol event at the Commonwealth Shooting Championships at Gold Coast in Australia. Prakash won the coveted gold medal, Amanpreet the Silver and Jitu settled for bronze medals.
• Sonia Lather and Neeraj have entered the quarterfinals of the Asian Women’s Boxing Championships being held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
• The Indian women’s hockey team continued its splendid run to stun defending champions Japan 4-2 in the semi-final of the Asia Cup hockey tournament in Kakamigahara, Japan.