11 November 2017 Current Affairs
The 23rd edition of the Kolkata International Film Festival inaugurated
Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF), India’s second oldest film festival, will screen an assemblage of 143 films spanning 53 countries under 16 different categories till Nov 17. This festival is hosted by the West Bengal government and is presided over by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Britain will be the focus country this year in commemoration of the UK-India Year of Culture 2017.
Padma Shri awardee Author Manu Sharma passes away
Noted author and Padma Shri awardee Manu Sharma died in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh following a prolonged illness. He was 89. He was nominated as one of the navratna of the Swachha Bharat Abhiyan by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sharma had donated his lifetime savings of Rs 20 lakh for the renovation of a ghat in Varanasi to carry out a cleanliness campaign.
Debjani Ghosh to be first woman President of NASSCOM in 2018
The National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) has named Debjani Ghosh its president-designate. She will succeed R Chandrashekhar after his tenure ends in March 2018. It will make her first female president global trade body representing software companies. She is former Managing Director of Intel South Asia. She is also member of NASSCOM’s Executive Council and a trustee of NASSCOM Foundation.
GST on AC, non AC restaurants reduced to 5 percent
The GST Council had previously pegged GST rates for air-conditioned eateries and those with liquor licences at 18%, and non-air-conditioned restaurants at 12%. During 23rd GST Council meeting held at Guwahati, Assam, the GST Council slashed rates for both air conditioned and non-air-conditioned restaurants to 5% without input tax credit (ITC). Background Fact:- Federation of Hotels & Restaurants Association of India (FHRAI) – President- Garish Oberoi requested the GST council members to either bring down the GST rate on restaurants to 12% with input credit or 5% without input credit.
Haryana, first state in India to treat Hepatitis-C patients with Oral Medicine
Haryana has emerged as the first state in the country to treat Hepatitis-C patients through oral medicine, according to the health minister Anil Vij of the state. This medicine would be provided free of cost to permanent residents of all categories at district level. The medicine and treatment costs about Rs 28,000 to Rs 30,000 in the market, but the state government would provide this facility free of cost.
Qatar appoints four women to Shura Council for the first time
Qatar has appointed four women to one of its most important consultative bodies, the Shura Council, for the first time in the country’s history. The women appointed were named as Hessa al-Jaber, Aisha Yousef al-Mannai, Hind Abdul Rahman al-Muftah and Reem al-Mansoori. Important Person:- Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
India became the first country to partner with Facebook on disaster response
India is the first country to partner with social networking site Facebook on disaster response, Union minister Kiren Rijiju announced at the inaugural meeting of the ‘India Disaster Response Summit’, organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook. The programme will be piloted in two disaster-prone states – Assam and Uttarakhand.
Gautam Gambhir named Govt Nominee in DDCA managing committee
Former Test opener Gautam Gambhir was named a government nominee in the Delhi & Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) managing committee. The 36-year-old Gambhir has played 58 Tests, 147 ODIs and 37 T20 Internationals. He has been the top scorer in finals of two World Cups (2007 T20 and 2011 50-over) that India won.
UNESCO confirms France’s Audrey Azoulay as New Head
UNESCO member states confirmed the nomination of France’s former culture minister Audrey Azoulay to head the cultural agency. 45-year-old Azoulay becomes UNESCO’s second woman director general. Azoulay succeeds Irina Bokova of Bulgaria, whose eight-year term. Ms Azoulay was France’s Minister of Culture and Communication from February 2016 to May 2017. Ms Azoulay is the 11th Director-General of UNESCO. She will take office on 15 November 2017.
Pune University to give gold medal to only vegetarians and non drinkers
Only vegetarian students and those who do not consume alcohol will be considered for the Maharishi Keertankar Shelar Mama Gold Medal at the Savitribai Phule Pune University. There is a list of 10 qualifications for a student to be eligible for the gold medal. Other criteria includes students following Indian culture, and participation in blood donation and environment protection.
Govt to give proxy voting rights to over 25 million Non Resident Indians
The government has decided to give proxy voting rights to over 25 million non-resident Indians (NRIs) spread across the world, Attorney general KK Venugopal told the Supreme Court. The Election Commission of India had already recommended that the government take necessary steps to amend the law for NRI voters. It had prepared a report titled ‘Exploring Feasibility of Alternative Options for Voting by Overseas Electors’ and presented it to the court in October 2014.
Prannoy emerges as New National Champion
HS Prannoy defeated Kidambi Srikanth in the finale to claim the men’s singles title at the 82nd Senior National Championship. He achieved his career-best ranking of World No. 11 recently, saw off top seed Srikanth in a 49-minute clash to return the favour after his semi-final loss to his compatriot at the French Open Super Series last month. The tournament was held in Nagpur.
China all set to make first contact with aliens
China, which on its way to emerge as a Space Superpower, has claimed be the first nation to make contact with alien life using the world’s largest radio dish. According to reports, china has spent billions of pounds into space exploration and the world’s largest dish to detect alien signals coming from other galaxies.
11 November: National Education Day
National Education Day is an annual observance in India to commemorate the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the first education minister of independent India, who served from 15 August 1947 until 2 February 1958. National Education Day of India is celebrated on 11 November every year.