21 November 2017 Current Affairs
Veteran Journalist Manik Banerjee Gets IMF Award
Veteran journalist Manik Banerjee, who is also an acclaimed mountaineer was presented with the ‘Life Time Achievement Award’ by the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF). Banerjee was presented the award in recognition of his achievements in mountaineering over a period of four decades.
Nabaneeta Dev Sen Presented Big Little Book Award 2017
Sahitya Akademi awardee Bengali writer Nabaneeta Dev Sen has been declared winner of the Big Little Book Award for year 2017 in the “Author in Bengali Language” category for her contribution to the children’s literature. The award, given out by Parag initiative of Tata Trusts to recognise and honour authors and illustrators of children’s literature, focused on the writers in Bengali language in its second edition. Chennai-based illustrator Proiti Roy received the award in the illustrator category.
S African Indian-origin Appointed UNAIDS Special Ambassador
Acclaimed South African Indian-origin AIDS researcher Professor Quarraisha Abdool Karim has been appointed as a UNAIDS Special Ambassador for Adolescents and HIV. Professor Abdool Karim is one of the world’s leading AIDS researchers and has made pioneering contributions to understanding the HIV epidemic among young people, especially among young women.
21 November: World Fisheries Day
The World Fisheries day is celebrated every year on November 21 throughout world by fisherfolk communities to highlight critical importance to human lives, of water and lives it sustains, both in and out of water. Water forms a continuum, whether contained in rivers, lakes, and ocean. Fish forms an important part of diets of people around world, particularly those living near rivers, coasts and other water bodies. A number of traditional societies and communities are rallied around occupation of fishing.
India’s Nominee Dalveer Bhandari re-elected to International Court of Justice
India’s Nominee to the International Court of Justice (ICj), Dalveer Bhandari was re-elected to the International Court of Justice on 21 November 2017. Bhandari received 183 – 193 votes in the General Assembly and secured all the 15 votes in the Security Council after separate and simultaneous elections were held at the UN headquarters in New York. Bhandari and Britains Christopher Greenwood were locked in a neck fight for re election to the ICj. However, in a dramatic turn of events Britain withdrew its candidates from the election.
President Ram Nath Kovind reaches Imphal to inaugurate Manipur Sangai Festival
President Ram Nath Kovind reached Imphal to inaugurate the Manipur Sangai Festival, 2017 this afternoon. He was accorded a warm welcome at the Imphal Airport by State Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh and his cabinet colleagues. The 10-day state festival will be opened today at the Bhagyachandra Open Air Theatre at Palace Compound in Imphal. He will open a two-day North-East Development Summit at the City Convention Centre in Imphal. Around 20 memorandums of understanding(MoU) will be signed with investor companies during the Summit to attract investment in the State to generate employment avenues for the unemployed educated youths of the State.
IFFI 2017 Indian Panorama inaugurated at Panaji by noted actress Sridevi
The Indian Panorama, the most sought-after section of the International Film Festival of India, IFFI, was inaugurated at Panaji in Goa by noted actress Sridevi. Around 6 feature films and 16 non-feature films selected from different languages and regions will be screened in the Indian Panorama section. Vinod Kapri-directed Hindi film ‘Pihu’ was the opening movie in the feature film category, while ‘Pushkar Puran’ by Kamal Swaroop opened the non-feature film category. They included Sudhir Mishra, Rahul Rawail, Ruchi Narain, Nishikant Kamat, Nikhil Advani and KG Suresh. Filmmakers whose movies are being screened in the prestigious Indian Panorama section were also felicitated.
Beyonce Named 2017’s Highest-Paid Woman in Music according to Forbes
American singer Beyonce has been named the highest-paid woman in music in 2017 by the Forbes. Her earnings, mainly from album ‘Lemonade’ and Formation World Tour, have been estimated to be $105 million (Rs682 crore). Adele, with earnings of $69 million came second while Taylor Swift, with earnings of $44 million, was ranked third on the list. The Top 5 highest-paid woman in music in 2017 are Beyonce ($105 million) Adele ($69 million) Taylor Swift ($44 million) Celine Dion ($42 million) Jennifer Lopez ($38 million).
Nagaland, A&N Islands, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu ink MoU under UDAY Scheme
Government has signed four MoUs under Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY) Scheme with Nagaland and UTs of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Dadra & Nagar Haveli & Daman & Diu for operational improvements. With this, 27 States and 4 UTs have joined UDAY till date. These State/UTs have joined only for operational improvement and shall not undergo financial restructuring and issue of bonds under the scheme. These MoUs will pave way for improving operational efficiency of Electricity Departments or DISCOM of these State/UTs.
India ranks 51 on IMD Talent Rankings
India ranked 51st among 63 countries on the IMD Talent Rankings in terms of ability to attract, develop and retain talent. In previous rankings, India was ranked 54th. The annual IMD World Talent Ranking covers 63 countries and assessed methods countries adopted to attract and retain talent. The rankings of countries are based on their performance in three main categories – investment and development, appeal, and readiness.
Sri Lankan PM arrives in Bengaluru on 4 day visit to India
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has arrived in Bengaluru on four-day visit to India. He will be taking part at the opening ceremony of the 5th Global Conference on Cyberspace which will take place on 23rd & 24th of November 2017 in New Delhi.
1st Indo-Myanmar joint military exercise
A group of 15 officers from the Myanmarese army started a 6 day bilateral military exercise with their counterparts from the Indian Army in Meghalaya in the first ever joint training of the troops from the 2 neighboring countries. IMBAX-2017 will take place at the recently created Joint Training Node of the Indian Army at Umroi. The IMBAX-2017 would conclude on November 25.
21 November: World Television Day
In December 1996 the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 November as World Television Day. It commemorates the date on which the first World Television Forum was held in 1996. The UN acknowledges that television can be used to educate many people about the world, its issues and real stories that happen on the planet.
Daniel dies after crashing in Macau GP
Daniel Hegarty, a British motorcycle racer, was killed after hitting the barriers on the outside of the circuit and losing his crash helmet, at the Macau Grand Prix, in Macau. The race was immediately stopped as Daniel Hegarty crashed on a part of the track known as Fishermen’s Bend. He is the first rider to die at Macau since Portugal’s Luis Carreira was killed in qualifying in 2012.
Sarajevo in UNESCO’s Memory of the World
Sarajevo Haggadah, the 14th- century richly illuminated Hebrew manuscript, has been included in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register. Sarajevo Haggadah has been kept at the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina since 1894. In Hebrew, Haggadah means a handwritten story (on parchment). It is read by family members on the occasion of the Jewish feast of Passover.