16 November 2017 Current Affairs
16 November: National Press Day
India celebrated the National Press Day on November 16 as the Press Council of India started functioning as a responsible body overlooking the works of the press as a whole body on this day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted media on National Press Day, which is commemorated every year on November 16, and appreciated their contribution to make India a democratic country.
Leonardo Da Vinci’s Christ painting sold for record USD 450 Million
A painting of Christ by Italian Renaissance painter Leonardo da Vinci was sold for a record USD 450 million at an auction, breaking all the previous records of artworks sold or auctioned. It was sold be Christie’s auction house. The highest price ever paid for a work of art at auction was USD 179.4 million for Pablo Picasso’s painting ‘Women of Algiers (Version O)’ in May 2015. While, the highest known sale price for any artwork was USD 300 million for Willem de kooning’s painting ‘Interchange’.
US approves first Pill with Digital Tracking Device
The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first drug in the United States with a digital ingestion tracking system, in an unprecedented move to ensure that patients with mental illness take the medicine prescribed for them. The drug Abilify MyCite, developed by Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, was first approved by the FDA in 2002 to treat schizophrenia. The ingestible sensor, made by Proteus Digital health, was approved for marketing in 2012.
16 November: International Day of Tolerance
The International Day of Tolerance was celebrated across the world on 16 November 2017. The observance aims to bolster United Nations commitment to strengthen tolerance in the world by fostering mutual understanding among cultures and people. Taking forward the same commitment, the UN has launched a new campaign called ‘Together’ to promote tolerance, respect and dignity across the world. The global campaign aims to reduce negative perceptions and attitudes towards refugees and migrants and to strengthen the social contract between host countries and communities and refugees and migrants.
Andhra Pradesh hosting its first ever hot-air balloon festival
The Araku Valley of Andhra Pradesh is hosting the first edition of its Hot Air Balloon Festival. The Hot Air Balloon Festival is organized by SkyWaltz and supported by Andhra Pradesh tourism. The festival will feature unique balloons from 13 countries. The participating countries are India, Australia, USA, Brazil and South Korea. The Extraordinary shaped balloons like the Seahorse, the Kiwi, the Bee and much more are lined up in the festival. This festival is being organized to promote tourism. A large team of over 100 photographers, nature lovers and students from across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana arrived at Araku to capture the scenes of the festival. Araku is known for its coffee plantations, rich cultural heritage, and stunning waterfalls.
BSE appoints S Ravi as its New Chairman
Eminent chartered accountant Sethurathnam Ravi has been appointed as the chairman of the leading Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). Ravi, who was a public interest director at the BSE, replaced Dhirendra Swarup. The appointment has been approved by Market regulator SEBI.
Mukesh Ambani topped Forbes List of Asia’s Richest Families
India’s Ambani family topped the Forbes list of Asia’s Richest Families for the first time with a net worth of $44.8 billion, up $19 billion from the previous year. The collective wealth of Asia’s 50 richest families on the list is a record $699 billion, according to the Forbes.
RBI Governor Urjit Patel appointed to advisory board of BIS
RBI Governor Urjit Patel was appointed to the Financial Stability Institute Advisory Board of the Bank of International Settlement (BIS). The Bank of International Settlement is a global financial organisation owned by major central banks from across the world. The Financial Stability Institute (FSI) of the BIS assists financial sector authorities worldwide in strengthening their financial systems.
UN Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial Conference 2017 held in Canada
Canada hosted the 2017 UN Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial Conference in Vancouver, Canada. This conference is the largest gathering of Defence ministers dedicated to UN Peacekeeping. The goals of this conference are to measure the progress made since the 2016 UN Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial. The main aim is to encourage new pledges from the Member States, particularly in areas where the UN faces gaps, such as rapid deployment, helicopters, and francophone units.
Abu Dhabi award for APMDC
The Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC) has bagged an international award from Abu Dhabi. The ADI PEC (Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference) Excellence in Energy Awards 2017 had adjudged the APMDC as the winner for the second position in the category of “social contribution in country value”.
Army takes over Mugabe government in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe’s military leaders have seized control of the impoverished southern African nation, placing longtime leader Robert Mugabe under house arrest and deploying armored vehicles to the streets of the capital, Harare. The military move follows a power struggle over who might replace Mr Mugabe. His vice-president, Emmerson Mnangagwa was fired last week, making Mr. Mugabe’s wife Grace the president’s likely successor which left top military officials feeling sidelined.
Vice President inauguraes ‘Aadi Mahotsav’ Tribal Festival
The Vice President, M. Venkaiah Naidu will inaugurate ‘Aadi Mahotsav’ – fortnight long Tribal Festival with the theme of ‘A Celebration of the Spirit of Tribal Culture, Cuisine and Commerce’ on 16 November at Dilli Haat, INA, New Delhi. The festival will run for a fortnight through 30th November 2017. The festival will feature exhibition-cum-sale of tribal handicrafts, art, paintings, fabric, jewellery and much more through about 200 stalls. The Mahotsav is an effect to take tribal commerce to the next level of digital and electronic transactions. The Mahotsav apart from exotic handicrafts will also showcase the electronic and digital skills of the tribals as a special attraction.