Minister of Coal and Mine, Pralhad Joshi, inaugurated the “E-portal of accreditation scheme” for minerals exploration on November 23, 2021.
Launch of the portal help in simplifying the application process for mining blocks exploration. It will also help in ensuring transparency during the auction of coals. The portal will bring all the stakeholders together on this digital platform, in order to work for the country.
GSI is a scientific agency of India, which was founded in 1851. It is an agency under Ministry of Mines organisation. It conducts geological surveys and studies of India. GSI works as the prime provider of basic earth science information to general public, industry and government besides official participant in coal, steel, cement, metals, power industries and international geoscientific forums.
According to military of Syria, Israeli warplanes attacked army positions in the its central region on November 23, 2021. This attack left two civilians dead and seven people wounded, of which six are soldiers.
Israel has carried hundreds of strikes on targets in government-controlled Syria for years. But it has rarely acknowledged or discussed such operations. However, Israel has acknowledged that it targets the bases of Iran-allied militias, like Lebanon’s Hezbollah group which has deployed fighters in Syria.
Israel and Syria have been locked in a perpetual war ever since the establishment of Israel in 1948. Most significant and direct armed engagements between both the countries was in First Arab–Israeli War in 1948–1949, Third Arab–Israeli War of 1967, as well as the Fourth Arab–Israeli War of 1973. Apart from that, Israeli and Syrian forces also witnessed extensive combat against each other during Lebanese Civil War and War of Attrition.
The major bone of contention between both the countries is that, Syria has never recognized Israel as a legitimate state. It does not accept Israeli passports as legally valid to enter into Syrian territory. Similarly, Israel regards Syria as a hostile state. Israel usually prohibits its citizens from travelling to Syria. They have never established formal diplomatic relations since the inception of both in mid-20th century.
Second edition of the Maritime SheEO digital conference is scheduled to held on November 25, 2021.
Keynote speakers of the conference include:
The conference will comprise of four screens to stream content. One of the screens is dedicated to ‘Navigating Your Career’. It also comprises of few closed sessions as well. In closed sessions, people can learn to have conversations in a safe environment.
Maritime SheEO offers services focusing on business case for diversity. It aims to create solutions which can impact ‘maritime and allied industries’. It also focuses on diversity & inclusion (D&I), innovation, leadership, entrepreneurship and competitive advantage. It works to create a level playing field and environment conducive for women in order for them to rise to leadership positions. It works with the objective of increasing participation of women and reduce all forms of biases in Maritime Industry.
Indian Railways has launched a new scheme called “Bharat Gaurav Scheme” on November 23, 2021. Under this scheme, private tour operators can take trains on lease from railways and run these trains on any circuit of their choice.
Theme-based tourism circuit means, trains like:
Any interested party can apply online to lease the train, by registering with a one-time fee of Rs 1 lakh. This arrangement can be made for two to 10 years. Operators will also require to give a security deposit of Rs 1 crore per rake. Size of each train will be 14-20 coaches, including two guard vans. Railways will just look after haulage charges and Right to Use fee.
Parameters of the Bharat Gaurav scheme are that, Operator will have to offer sightseeing, local transport (taxi etc), food, onboard entertainment, hotels at stopover places etc.
The railways will set up special units across the zones, in order to facilitate and handhold the operators. Railways has also allowed branding and advertisement inside and on the exterior of such trains.
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has granted permission for mass production of AK-203 rifles, providing fire power to the standard weapon profile of armed forces. DAC has also approved an independent satellite for Indian Air Force (IAF).
IGA was signed in February 2019. Under this agreement, first 70,000 rifles will include Russian components as technology transfers.
Manufacturing of the Kalashnikov Rifles or AK-203 will be done in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh. It will be manufactured jointly by Indo-Russia Rifles Pvt Ltd (IRRPL). IRRPL was created as a joint venture between Ordnance Factories Board (OFB) of India and Rosoboronexport & Concern Kalashnikov of Russia. OFB is holding 50.5 per cent stake in the concern, while Russian entities is holding the remaining 49.5 per cent share.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has stressed that, Russia adheres to the “two-state solution” to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
It is one of the most enduring conflicts worldwide. The conflict started with the Israeli occupation of West Bank and Gaza Strip, and has now reached in its 54th year. Several attempts have been made for resolving the conflict as a part of Israeli–Palestinian peace process.
The conflict has been ongoing for 100 years between Jews and Arabs for a piece of land between Jordan river and Mediterranean Sea. During 1882 to 1948, Jews from across the world gathered in Palestine. This movement was called as Aliyahs. In 1917, UK got control over Palestine, as Ottoman Empire fell after World War 1. After UK’s control, Balfour Declaration was issued with the aim of setting home for the Jews in Palestine. However, during that period, Arabs were in majority in Palestine. Jews supported this idea but Palestinians rejected it. Then, Jews claimed Palestine to be their natural home alongside Arabs. Jews got support from international community.
In the year 1947, United Nations voted for Palestine to be split into separate Jewish & Arab states with Jerusalem as an international city. This plan was accepted by Jewish but Arab side rejected it. Thus, the plan was never implemented.
Israel still occupies the West Bank but pulled out of Gaza. UN still recognise that piece of land as part of occupied territory. Israel claims whole Jerusalem as its capital, while Palestine claim East Jerusalem as the capital of future Palestinian state. As a result, tensions are often high between Israel and Palestinians who are living in Gaza, West Bank and East Jerusalem.
US President Joe Biden has invited Taiwan, along with more than 100 countries, for a virtual summit.
The first ever “Summit for Democracy” is scheduled to take place online on December 9 and 10, 2021. The in-person meeting of the summit will be held at its second edition in 2022. This summit is being organised because democracy has suffered setbacks across countries where US had great hopes.
The Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2021 is expected to be taken up for final consideration and passing during the winter session of the parliament, which is scheduled to start from November 29, 2021.
This move comes after a week of first-ever Parliamentary panel discussion on crypto finance. During the panel discussion, a consensus was reached that cryptocurrency needs to be regulated, instead of its complete ban. Bill has been prepared after several meetings with stakeholders and discussions on regulating digital currencies. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also chaired a high-level meeting with officials from RBI and several ministries on this issue. RBI and Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI) have voiced concerns on the unregulated growth of cryptocurrencies in India, by keeping vulnerable retail investors in focus.
Cryptocurrency is the collection of binary data, that works as a medium of exchange. Cryptocurrency does not exist in physical form. It is not issued by a central authority and use decentralized control.
NITI Aayog launched “Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Urban Index and Dashboard 2021-22”. Shimla has topped the list of cities by scoring highest on the index.
The SDG Urban Index & Dashboard (2021-22) was launched by NITI Aayog on November 23, 2021. It ranks 56 urban areas on 77 SDG indicators across targets like zero hunger, ending poverty, quality education, good health and wellbeing, gender equality etc in the SDG framework. The index and dashboard will help in strengthening SDG localization as well as institute robust SDG monitoring at the city level. The index highlights strengths and gaps of ULB-level data, monitoring as well as reporting systems.
Out of total 56 urban areas ranked in the index, 44 are having the population of more than one million. Twelve are state capitals having population of less than one million.
Top ten urban areas in the index are: Shimla, Coimbatore, Chandigarh, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Panaji, Pune, Tiruchirapalli, Ahmedabad and Nagpur, in that order.
Bottom ten urban areas in the index are: Faridabad, Kolkata, Agra, Kohima, Jodhpur, Patna, Guwahati, Itanagar, Meerut and Dhanbad.
Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), a flagship initiative of NITI Aayog announced to collaborate with Vigyan Prasar which is an autonomous organization of the Department of Science & Technology, to drive synergies between Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) of AIM and ‘Engage With Science (EWS)’ of Vigyan Prasar.
Collaboration between AIM and Vigyan Prasar will play a significant role in reviving and updating education practices for keeping up with technological advances. Engage with Science program with ATLs will help in fostering culture of STEM innovation. It will also serve as a platform where young minds are exposed to experiential learning while focusing on innovation, invention, and collaborative problem-solving to maximize impact.
The Sagar Shakti Exercise was held from November 19 to 22, 2021 in creek sector of the Kutch peninsula.
This exercise was held at the time when India has bolstered its maritime combat capability in light of evolving security scenarios in Indian Ocean Region.
Sir Creek was originally called as Ban Ganga. It is a 96-km tidal estuary in uninhabited marshlands of Indus River Delta, at the border between India and Pakistan. The creek separates Gujarat state in India from Sindh province of Pakistan. It flows into the Arabian Sea.