Hyderabad is all set to get a regional spoke of the Indian Institute of Creative Technology alongside National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) in Mumbai.

• The primary institute will be in Mumbai, Hyderabad will host a regional spoke due to its strong ecosystem in this sector
• said Sanjay Jaju, secretary, Union ministry of information and broadcasting.
• Speaking at the Indian Game Developers Conference (IGDC 2024) in Hyderabad on Wednesday( 13 November), Jaju outlined the centre's goal to enhance skill development and nurture start-ups in the animation, visual effects, gaming, comics and extended reality (AVGC-XR) sectors.
• Jaju also discussed the progress on direct-to-mobile (D2M) technology, noting, "The ministry has completed the proof of the concept and is actively working on implementing this pioneering technology."

The Indian Navy is set to launch the fourth edition of the comprehensive ‘Pan-India’ Coastal Defence Exercise, ‘Sea Vigil-24,’ on 20-21 November.

• This year’s exercise will be the most expansive yet, involving six ministries and 21 agencies and covering a vast geographic scope across India’s coastline.
• In preparation for the main event, the Coastal Defence and Security Readiness Evaluation (CDSRE) phase has been underway since late October.
• This phase involves a thorough audit of coastal defence and security measures.
• For the first time, officials from the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) will join the Indian Navy-led CDSRE teams alongside personnel from the Coast Guard, state marine police, customs, fisheries, and other key agencies, according to the Indian Navy officials.

Amul, India’s leading dairy brand, is set to enter the European market with a launch in Spain by the end of this month, according to Jayen Mehta, Managing Director of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF).

The cooperative, owned by 3.6 million Indian farmers, will expand across Europe following its initial launch, broadening its international footprint.

• The move follows Amul’s successful entry into the U.S. market in March, where it introduced four milk variants to cater to the Indian and broader Asian diaspora.
• Mr. Mehta highlighted that dairy production is a key source of income for over 100 million Indian families, mostly small and marginal farmers.
• Amul has grown significantly, achieving an annual turnover of ?80,000 crore and securing a reputation as one of the world’s strongest dairy and food brands.
• The entry into Europe marks another major step in its strategy to serve the global market while maintaining strong ties to its farmer-owned cooperative roots.

India’s retail inflation, based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), surged to a 14-month high of 6.21 per cent in the month of October 2024, driven by a sharp rise in food prices, data released by the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI) showed on Tuesday( 12 November 2024).

• In September, CPI inflation came in at 5.49 per cent, higher than 3.65 per cent in August.
• The previous high was recorded in December 2023 at 5.69 per cent.
• The Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI), the index of food inflation, came in at 10.87 per cent (Provisional) for the month of October and the corresponding inflation rate for rural and urban stood at 10.69 per cent and 11.09 per cent, respectively.

Chief Engineer at Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited Er. Mara Kocho has been appointed as the Managing Director of the North Eastern Handicraft and Handloom Development Corporation (NEHHDC), headquartered in Guwahati.

Er. Kocho was earlier posted at Chief Engineer in BSNL Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.

• Born to Late Norbo Kocho at Rang village under Seppa circle in East Kameng district in Arunachal Pradesh on 10th February 1977, Kocho is the first Indian Engineering Service(IES) from the Nyishi community.
• He already served as  Chief Engineer at BSNL Ambala, Haryana, New Delhi, Deputy General Manager (EM) on deputation at Hydro Power Development Corporation of Arunachal Pradesh
• Ltd. (HPDCAPL) and superintendent of engineer at BSNL Shillong and Guwahati.
• Kocho did his Bachelor of Technology in electrical Engineering  from North-East Regional Institute of Technology(NERIST) Nirjuli in 2000.
• He also did Master of  Business Administration from IIM Lucknow, Noida Campus.

About North Eastern Handicrafts & Handlooms Development (NEHHDC)

Incorporated in 1977, North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation (NEHHDC), as the name suggests is an organisation that attempts to develop and promote the indigenous crafts of the region by connecting craftsmen to prospective markets and consumers and generating economic, cultural and social opportunities for creators while adding cultural value for consumers. The corporation is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Government of India.It offers a range of products from all the eight North Eastern states namely Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. 

The world's first high-altitude para sports centre dedicated to training and nurturing para-athletes in the country will be established in Leh, Ladakh.

• It will focus on training for international competitions, including the larger goal of preparing para-athletes for the 2028 Paralympics.
• A Memorandum and Understanding (MoU) to this effect was signed by the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh and the Aditya Mehta Foundation (AMF).
• The high-altitude para sports centre will offer inclusive, world-class training to para-athletes, not only from India but globally.

The Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) announced the appointment of Amandeep Johl as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) from January 2025.

A respected name in Indian golf, Johl brings extensive experience to his new role.

The appointment comes alongside another recent significant leadership addition, with the legendary cricketer Kapil Dev assuming the role of PGTI President in June this year.

Johl replaces Uttam Singh Mundy, who has essayed a key role in the organisation since its inception.

Australia appointed its first anti-slavery commissioner to strengthen efforts aimed at “preventing and responding to modern slavery.”

• Mr Evans has been appointed as the Anti-Slavery Commissioner following a merit-based selection process and will commence a five year term on 2 December 2024.
• Modern slavery deprives victims of their dignity, fundamental rights and freedoms. It encompasses a range of exploitative practices including human trafficking and slavery-like practices such as forced marriage, forced labour, deceptive recruiting and debt bondage.
• The establishment of the Anti-Slavery Commissioner delivers on the Albanese Government's election commitment to establish an independent Commissioner to lead the fight against modern slavery.  
• Earlier in September, the New South Wales anti-slavery commissioner issued a report saying the state has an estimated 16,400 persons in modern slavery.
• The state administration promptly requested an investigation into the risks of modern slavery for temporary migrant workers.

President-elect Donald Trump has named Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik as his pick for UN ambassador.

• The New York congresswoman, the fourth-ranking House Republican, has been a strong ally of the president-elect and a major fundraiser for the GOP.
• The choice of Stefanik signals a more combative US posture toward the UN. 
• Stefanik, the House Republican Conference chair, has for years been one of Trump’s staunchest supporters in Congress.
• Her aggressive performance during his 2019 impeachment hearings made her a “Republican star,” as Trump himself said at the time.

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, has finally issued a notification demarcating an area from 1 km to 2.035 km around the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary as an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) on the Haryana side in Panchkula district for the purpose of preventing, controlling and abating environment pollution.

Key Points

• The ESZ in general extends up to 1 km from the boundary of the sanctuary on the Haryana side. It is further extended to 2 km in the reserved forest on the northern side.
• On the eastern side, the ESZ boundary is mostly 1 km, running along the boundary of the reserved forest. However, it is extended on the south-eastern side to make it co-terminus with the boundary of the reserved forest.
• The total area of the ESZ is 24.60 sq km.
• The ministry has turned down the proposal of the Haryana Government that area of 1 km around the sanctuary on its side be delineated as an ESZ.

About Sukhna LAke

The Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary, where the beautiful city of Chandigarh meets the untamed wilderness, spans a vast 2,600 hectares, standing as a defiant wall against the relentless march of urbanisation, offering a glimpse into the region's rich ecological treasures. 
Carved from the reserved forests of Chandigarh, this cherished sanctuary was born from a fervent desire to protect, propagate, and nurture the delicate balance of flora and fauna on this land.

About ESZ

Eco-Sensitive Zones or Ecologically Fragile Areas are areas in India notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Government of India around Protected Areas, National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries. The basic aim is to regulate certain activities around National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries so as to minimise the negative impacts of such activities on the fragile ecosystem encompassing the protected areas.

World Diabetes day (WDD) is an important healthcare event observed every year on 14 November to highlight the growing prevalence of diabetes and its impact and educate people about the preventive tips of diabetes.

World Diabetes day is one of the largest diabetes awareness campaign organised every year, with its presence in more than 160 countries reaching and impacting the life of more than 100 crores with its awareness campaigns.

British writer Samantha Harvey won the Booker Prize for fiction on November 12 with "Orbital", a short, wonder-filled novel set aboard the International Space Station that ponders the beauty and fragility of Earth.

• Harvey was awarded the £50,000 ($64,000) prize for what she has called a “space pastoral” about six orbiting astronauts, which she began writing during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.
• The confined characters loop through 16 sunrises and 16 sunsets over the course of a day, trapped in one another’s company and transfixed by the globe’s ever-changing vistas.
• Last year’s winner was Irish writer Paul Lynch for post-democratic dystopia Prophet Song.
• Lynch handed Harvey her Booker trophy at the ceremony, warning her that her life was about to change dramatically because of the Booker publicity boost. 

Bollywood actor Pankaj Tripathy has been appointed the brand ambassador of Madhya Pradesh tourism.

• The Madhya Pradesh state tourism development corporation has unveiled its first television commercial featuring its new brand ambassador.
• The television commercial, titled ‘MP ki maya ne iss baar sach me moh liya re! (Madhya Pradesh has truly cast its charm this time), showcased the state’s majestic and architecturally rich ancient temples, beautiful landscapes and wildlife sanctuaries.
• Mr.Tripathy gained popularty working in projects like Stree, Stree 2, Lukka Chhupi, Oh My God 2, Ludo and Gangs of Wasseypur.

Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai, Judge of the Supreme Court of India, has been appointed as the new Executive Chairman of National Legal Services Authority (NALSA).

• The appointment was made by the President of India Droupadi Murmu.
• This decision took effect on November 11, 2024, following a notification published by the Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India in the Official Gazette.
• Chief Justice of India, Justice Sanjiv Khanna was the previous executive chairperson of NALSA. As per convention, the post is occupied by the second senior-most judge of the Supreme Court of India.
• Prior to his nomination as the executive chairperson, NALSA, Justice Gavai was the Chairman of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee (SCLSC).

The 18th PBD Convention will be organised from January 8 to January 10 next year in Bhubaneswar in collaboration with the Odisha government.

• It will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday ( 12 November).
• The official website of the 18th PBD Convention was jointly launched by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday( 12 November 2024).
• Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh also joined the launch ceremony.