CURRENT AFFAIRS 18/11/2017

CURRENT AFFAIRS UPDATE 18/11/2017

1. India, France Agree to Deepen Security Co-operation

i. India and France have agreed to deepen security cooperation, bilaterally and in the multilateral fora, and strengthen strong commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

ii. After holding delegation-level talks with Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France Jean Yves-Le Drain, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj stated both countries have vowed to get rid of the menace of terrorism.

2. Centre Okays Rs 10,000 cr for 107 Maharashtra Irrigation Projects

i. The Centre has given an in-principle approval to provide an assistance of Rs 10,000 crore to fund 107 irrigation projects in drought-hit Vidarbha and Maratha regions of Maharashtra.

ii. The announcement was made by the Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis.

3. India’s First Mega Coastal Economic Zone to Come up in Maharashtra

i. The government has given the go-ahead for setting up India’s first mega coastal economic zone (CEZ) at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Maharashtra as part of a plan to develop 14 such industrial clusters to spur manufacturing and generate jobs.

ii. The plan envisages a total investment of Rs 15,000 crore in the first phase and creation of more than 1.5 lakh jobs.

4. 1st WHO Global Ministerial Conference on Ending TB held in Russia

i. The WHO Global Ministerial Conference “Ending TB in the Sustainable Development Era: A Multisectoral Response” was held in Moscow, Russia.

ii. It aims to accelerate implementation of the WHO End TB Strategy - with immediate action. A Ministerial Declaration was signed at the Conference, containing bold commitments by countries to accelerate action to end TB and meet the milestones towards the 2030 SDGs.

5.  Reliance Capital Arm, YES Bank in Bancassurance Pact

i. Reliance General Insurance, a subsidiary of Reliance Capital, has signed a comprehensive bancassurance-corporate agency agreement with YES Bank. YES Bank with its network of 1,040 branches across all 29 States and seven Union Territories will enable Reliance General Insurance to reach a large base of retail and MSME clients.

ii. This is the first partnership signed by YES Bank since the open-architecture norms under the corporate agency regulations were introduced by the IRDAI in April 2016.

6. Yes Bank Ties up with Centre Denmark India for Fintech Collaboration

i. Private sector lender Yes Bank has signed an MoU with Innovation Centre Denmark India (ICDK India), a partnership between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark and the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science to bring fintech innovations and startups from Denmark to India, and facilitate entry of Indian startups to the region.

ii. The partnership aims to build bridges to promote innovation and assist fintech companies in India and Denmark to expand into each other’s markets. 

7. Paytm, ICICI Bank Collaborate to Give Users Short Term Digital Credit

i. Paytm and ICICI Bank have collaborated to announce an all-new initiative where users can get interest-free short-term digital credit. Called Paytm-ICICI Bank Postpaid.

ii. As per the offer, customers can get digital credit account with instant activation without documentation or branch visit, and the activation will be online.

8. AVPS Chakravarthi Appointed World Packaging Organisation Ambassador

i. Ecobliss India managing director AVPS Chakravarthi has been appointed as the ambassador of World Packaging Organisation at its 99th board meeting held in Rio de Geneiro, Brazil.

ii. He has served as chairman of Indian Institute of Packaging, Hyderabad and has been on the board of Indian Institute of Packaging for over a decade. He has won Worldstar award for packaging excellence for five years in a row.

9. Nicaragua's Sergio Ramirez Wins Spain's Cervantes Prize

i. As per the Spanish government, Nicaraguan author and former politician Sergio Ramirez Mercado has won the 2017 Cervantes Prize It is the Spanish-speaking world's highest literary honor.

ii. Ramirez has written "Margarita, esta linda la mar" (Margarita, How Beautiful the Sea), which won Spain's prestigious Alfaguara award in 1998. Ramirez was deputy vice president of Nicaragua between 1985 and 1990.

10. Shagun Chowdhary Crowned National Women's Trap Champion

i. Shagun Chowdhary bagged a National Champion Crown when she won the women's trap event at the 61st National Shooting Championship.

ii. Representing ONGC, Chowdhary is the first Indian woman trap shooter to win an Olympic berth, overcame the challenge from Punjab's Rajeshwari Kumari to prevail 41-38 in the final.