48th National Day Celebrations to be held in UAE
The 48th National Day Celebrations of the United Arab Emirates will be held under the patronage of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE at the Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
The celebration will be centred around a spectacular theatrical production titled “Legacy of Our Ancestors”. The show will be staged on a grand scale with more than 5,000 experts from 70 countries coming together to shape this production.
The National Day of UAE is celebrated on 2nd December every year. It marks the day when emirates united together at Union House to form the United Arab Emirates in 1971. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was the first president of UAE.
BCCI to approach SC seeking a review of administrative reforms on tenure cap
The Sourav Ganguly-led BCCI has decided to approach the Supreme Court seeking a review of administrative reforms on tenure cap for its office-bearers. The decision was taken at the Board’s 88th Annual General Meeting in Mumbai.
As per the current constitution, an office-bearer who has served two three-year terms, either at the BCCI or at the state association, goes into a compulsory three-year cooling-off period.
Ganguly, who took charge on October 23, was to vacate office next year but a dilution could see him continue till 2024.
FPIs net buyers for 3rd month; invest Rs 22,872 cr in November
Foreign investors remained net buyers in the Indian capital market for the third straight month in November, putting in Rs 22,872 crore on net basis during the month, according to depositories data.
A net sum of Rs 25,230 crore was flowed into equities by FPIs in November. However, they pulled out Rs 2,358.2 crore from the debt segment, translating into a total net investment of Rs 22,871.8 crore by FPIs in November.
Expectations of a trade deal between the US and China, and more relief measures as well as disinvestment drive by the government among other factors helped keep FPIs stuck on the capital markets
GST revenue collection crosses Rs 1 lakh cr during November
Gross GST collections stood at Rs 1.03 lakh crore in November, marginally up from the previous month, according to official data. GST collections have crossed Rs 1 lakh crore mark after three months. In July, the GST collections stood at Rs 1.02 lakh crore.
After two months of negative growth, GST revenues have witnessed an impressive recovery with a positive growth of 6 per cent in November, 2019 over the November, 2018 collections. This is the eighth time since the inception of GST in July 2017 that monthly collection has crossed the mark of Rs one lakh crore.
November’s CGST stood at Rs 19,592 crore, SGST was Rs 27,144 crore, IGST was Rs 49,028 crore (including Rs 20,948 crore collected on imports) and Cess was recorded Rs 7,727 crore (including Rs 869 crore collected on imports).i
Gurpreet Singh, Sunil Kumar clinch gold medals in Senior National C’ships
Gurpreet Singh and Sunil Kumar clinched gold medals on the final day of the senior national wrestling championships in Jalandhar. Gurpreet defeated two-time world junior championships medallist Sajan Bhanwal, by a 3-1 margin, in the 77 kilogram category.
Sunil also managed an easy win over Punjab’s Prabhal. He used all his experience to crush the Punjab wrestler 5-1 in the 87 kg final.
Meanwhile in the women’s category Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik registered convincing wins in the finals to claim gold medals at the Senior Wrestling National Championships in Jalandhar.
India becomes first country to make entire Haj process digital
India has become the first country to make the entire process for pilgrims going on Haj completely digital. Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has signed the bilateral annual Haj 2020 agreement between India and Saudi Arabia.
Mr Naqvi said, an online application, e-visa, Haj mobile app, ‘e-MASIHA’ health facility, “e-luggage pre-tagging” providing all information in India itself regarding accommodation and transportation in Mecca and Madina will be provided to 2 lakh Indian Muslims going for Haj in 2020.
E-MASIHA (E-Medical Assistance System for Indian Pilgrims Abroad), an online system to create and maintain the complete health database of Indian pilgrims.
Intensified Mission Indradhanush 2.0 to be launched across the country
The Central government will launch the Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 2.0 across the country. The scheme is aimed at immunizing children under the age of 2 years and pregnant women against eight vaccine preventable diseases.
The IMI 2.0 aims to achieve targets of full immunization coverage in 272 districts spread over 27 States. The IMI 2.0 will be carried out between December 2019 and March 2020.
The IMI covers vaccines for diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, poliomyelitis, tuberculosis, measles, meningitis and Hepatitis B. Vaccines for Japanese encephalitis and hemophilus influenzal are also being provided in selected areas.
The IMI was built on Mission Indradhanush, using additional strategies to reach populations at high risk, by involving sectors other than health. It was an effort to shift routine immunization into a peoples movement.
Karnataka beat Tamil Nadu in last-ball thriller to win Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Final
Karnataka won the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy final 2019 for the second year running after beating Tamil Nadu in a last-ball thriller at the Lalabhai Contractor Stadium, Surat. Sent into bat, Karnataka made a challenging 180/5, riding on skipper Manish Pandey’s 45-ball unbeaten 60.
With 13 runs needed of the last over, K Gowtham defended it with Murugan Ashwin failing to get 3 runs in 1 ball as TN were restricted at 179/6.
With this win Karnataka are now the first team to win the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Mushtaq Ali in the same season.
Soma Roy Burman takes charge as new Controller General of Accounts
Soma Roy Burman has took charge as the new Controller General of Accounts, CGA. She is the 24th CGA and the seventh woman to hold this coveted position. She took over from J P S Chawla.
Burman, a 1986-batch Indian Civil Accounts Service officer has held cadre positions at different levels in Central government Ministries during her 33-year long career.
She handled the critical areas of accounting rules, policy and reforms, financial reporting, data analytics, cash and budget management.
South Asian Games 2019: India beat Sri Lanka to set up final clash with Pakistan in men’s volleyball competition
Defending champions India will face Pakistan in the summit clash of the men’s volleyball competition in the South Asian Games after their respective wins in the semifinals on Sunday.
India defeated Sri Lanka 27-25 25-19 21-25 25-21 in a hard-fought match while Pakistan beat Bangladesh 25-15 25-21 26-24 in the other semifinal.
Syed Modi International: Sourabh Verma loses to Wang Tzu Wei in men’s singles final
Indian shuttler Sourabh Verma’s impressive run at the Syed Modi International tournament came to an end after he lost in straight games to Chinese Taipei’s Wang Tzu Wei in the men’s singles final in Lucknow.
Wei took just 49 minutes to defeat Verma in straight sets by 21-15, 21-17.
Meanwhile in women’s category Spanish Shuttler Carolina Marin has bagged the gold medal.
Telecom operators hike mobile tariffs, data tariffs by upto 42 per cent
In an attempt to tide over the crisis in telecom sector, incumbent operators Vodafone Idea (VIL) and Bharti Airtel hiked mobile tariffs by up to 42 per cent, effective December 3.
VIL, which posted its highest-ever net loss for a corporate in the country, hiked mobile tariffs by an average 20-30 per cent for its pre-paid services. In certain data schemes, the tariff increases were as high as 42 per cent.
Bharti Airtel also hiked tariffs by up to 42 per cent, with effect from December 3, by launching a slew of new schemes.
Airtel’s new plans represent tariff increases in the range of 50 paise per day to Rs 2.85 per day and offer generous data and calling benefits.
Reliance Jio has also announced a hike in mobile tariffs by up to 40% to applicable from December 6. The telecom operator will raise its mobile services rates through its all in one (AIO) plans where it will offer 300% more benefits.
Ujjivan Small Finance Bank raises Rs.304 cr from 18 anchor investors ahead of IPO
Ujjivan Small Finance Bank (USFB) has mopped up Rs.303.75 crore from anchor investors ahead of its Initial Public Offering (IPO), which commences on December 2. The Bank has finalized the allocation of 8,20,94,594 shares at Rs.37 apiece to 18 anchor investors.
Government of Singapore, Monetary Authority of Singapore, CX Partners Fund, Aberdeen, HDFC Life Insurance Company, Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company, Sundaram Mutual Fund, Goldman Sachs India, ICICI Prudential have participated in the anchor investor bidding.
USFB, which is seeking to raise Rs.750 crore to augment its Tier 1 capital, has fixed a price band of Rs.36-37 per share for the IPO.
UN Climate Change Conference to be held in Spain from Dec 2 – 13
UN Climate Change Conference, known as COP25 gets underway in the Spanish capital, Madrid, under the Presidency of Chile from 2-13 December 2019.
COP 25 is an important conference as countries prepare to move from pre-2020 period under Kyoto Protocol to post-2020 period under Paris Agreement.
India’s approach will be guided by principles and provisions of the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement particularly the principles of Equity and Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capability (CBDR-RC).
India has been leading the world in its pursuit of enhanced solar energy capacity through International Solar Alliance (ISA).
The Indian delegation will be led by Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar.
WTO: 163 countries agree to make changes in rules governing trade dispute resolution
In an unusual development, 163 countries have agreed to make comprehensive changes to the rules governing the resolution of trade disputes merely to placate one member — the US — for keeping the Appellate Body afloat.
The Appellate Body, which is the highest adjudicating court for global trade disputes will become dysfunctional on December 11 when it will be reduced to one member from the mandatory minimum of three members. The US has blocked the selection process for filling six vacancies at the AB for the past two years.
To appease the US, a draft General Council decision with comprehensive changes in the rules governing dispute settlement understanding was finalized.
