India's wholesale price index (WPI) recorded a 0.52 per cent decline in October compared to the same period last year, marking the seventh consecutive month in negative territory.

• In comparison, wholesale inflation declined by 0.26 per cent in September.
• Fuel and power prices in October fell by 2.47 per cent year-on-year, a slight improvement from the 3.35 per cent drop in September. 
• Primary article prices increased by 1.82 per cent, contrasting with the 3.70 per cent rise the previous month.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to attend the 10th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADM plus) in Jakarta, Indonesia, from November 16-17, the Ministry of Defence said.

• On the sidelines of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ meet, Singh will also have bilateral meetings with the Defence Ministers of participating countries there. During these sessions, the Ministers will discuss issues related to defence cooperation
• Indonesia is hosting the meeting as it is the chair of ADMM-Plus.
• During the meeting, which will take place on November 16, the Union Defence Minister will address the forum on regional and international security issues. 
• According to the Defence Ministry release, the ADMM is the highest defence consultative and cooperative mechanism in ASEAN. Moreover, ADMM-Plus is a platform for the ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam) and its eight dialogue partners (India, US, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand) to strengthen security and defence cooperation.
• Since 2017, the ADMM-Plus Ministers have been meeting annually to bolster cooperation amongst ASEAN and the Plus countries. In 1992, India joined ASEAN as a dialogue partner, and on October 12, 2010, the first ADMM-Plus was convened in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Russia has signed an agreement with India to supply its Igla hand-held anti-aircraft missile to the country. According to the pact, Russia will also allow domestic production of the Igla anti-aircraft missile system in India, Reuters reported quoting news agency TASS.

• India is the world’s largest arms importer and Russia remains its largest supplier despite the damage to the reputation of its army and weaponry from the war in Ukraine, where Russia has suffered numerous setbacks at the hands of a smaller but highly motivated and Western-equipped military.
• Despite India's efforts to cut down dependence on arms import, Russia remains its biggest weapons supplier.
• The Igla-S is a man-portable air defence system (MANPADS) that can be fired by an individual or crew to bring down an enemy aircraft.

The ‘AAINA Dashboard for Cities’ portal www.aaina.gov.in has been made live by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) on 13th November, 2023 where Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across the country can participate in this pioneering initiative to voluntarily submit their key data on a regular basis, through a simple, easy-to-fill, data entry form on the portal. 

• The primary objectives of the AAINA Dashboard are to help cities to (i) see how they are faring vis-à-vis other cities, (ii) inspire them by pointing to possibilities and areas of improvement and (iii) providing opportunity to learn and engage with frontrunners.
• While not ranking the ULBs, the AAINA dashboard would serve as a tool for comparing similarly placed cities and promoting peer learning among cities.
• The Dashboard will present the data submitted by the ULBs on the basis of indicators across five broad pillars namely, (i) Political & Administrative Structure, (ii) Finance, (iii) Planning, (iv) Citizen Centric Governance and (v) Delivery of Basic Services. The ULBs will submit their data, including audited accounts, and self-reported performance metrics by logging in to the dashboard’s portal. 

Iceland,  has recently experienced an unusual surge in seismic activity, raising alarm among experts and the local population. The country, situated atop the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a divergent tectonic plate boundary, is accustomed to tremors, but the recent escalation has set off concerns about potential volcanic eruptions and their implications.

• The Icelandic Meteorological Office recorded thousands of earthquakes in the last few weeks, the most significant being a 5.7 magnitude quake in the Reykjanes Peninsula.
• This surge, coupled with heightened volcanic activity and ground swelling, has led scientists to closely monitor the situation.
• On November 10, Iceland experienced an extraordinary swarm of earthquakes, with a staggering 800 quakes hitting the southwestern Reykjanes peninsula in less than 14 hours. Over the preceding 24 hours, a total of 1,400 earthquakes were recorded, adding to the already alarming tally of 24,000 seismic events since late October.
• Authorities have issued alerts, urging preparedness measures and advising residents to stay informed. The prospect of volcanic eruptions poses risks of ash clouds disrupting air travel, potential lava flows, and localized disruptions.

Virat Kohli becomes first batter in the world to score 50 ODI centuries, breaks iconic Sachin Tendulkar's record of 49 centuries.

•  Virat Kohli breaks the long-standing record of compatriot Sachin Tendulkar for the most ODI hundreds of all-time.
• Virat Kohli today reached the landmark 50th ODI century at the ongoing ICC Men's Cricket World Cup and became the leading century scorer of all times. 
• Virat Kohli has also goes past Sachin Tendulkar's record for most runs in a single World Cup. He has gone past 673 runs which Tendulkar made in the 2003 World Cup.
• Virat Kohli, 35, reached his century with a two off fast bowler Lockie Ferguson, having faced 106 balls, hitting eight fours and a six to break the record of 49 ODI hundreds he had shared with Sachin Tendulkar.

A robot chemist has synthesised compounds that could be used to generate oxygen from water. Powered by artificial intelligence (AI), the robot analysed meteorites from Mars, space.com said in a report. Scientists said the discovery will help future crewed missions to Mars, in which oxygen will be needed, not just for astronauts to breathe, but also for use as rocket propellant, the outlet further said in its report. Producing oxygen from substances found on the Red Planet will do away with the need to carry a bunch of oxygen-producing materials from Earth.

• The compounds created by the robot chemist, known as catalysts, are capable of spurring chemical reactions that "split" water molecules to generate oxygen and hydrogen gas, said space.com.
• The Martian meteorites on which experiment was carried out were rocks that crashed down on Earth after cosmic impacts blasted them off the Red Planet.
• After scanning the rocks using a laser, the AI-powered robot calculated more than 3.7 million molecules it could make from six different metallic elements in the rocks - iron, nickel, manganese, magnesium, aluminium and calcium.

The Indian private banking company, Federal Bank has signed a brand new partnership with the star Indian shuttler, HS Prannoy. 

• Via this brand new alliance, Federal Bank has been named the exclusive banking partner of Prannoy. 
• This is an annual partnership where the branding of the bank will be displayed by the 31-year-old player in several upcoming Badminton World Federation (BWF) events like BWF Super Series, BWF Gold Series, and BWF World Badminton. 
• Furthermore, the 2022 Asian Games bronze medalist will be seen carrying the logo of the bank during post-match interviews. 

The 77th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) convened from 6-10 November 2023 in Geneva, Switzerland. The CITES Standing Committee convened in Geneva, Switzerland from 6-10 November 2023. Over 717 participants registered for the meeting, representing the Committee members, alternates, parties, and observers, marking the largest Standing Committee meeting ever.

Highlights from this meeting include recommendations on:

• 11 agenda items on Article XIII compliance cases;
• the establishment of the CITES Global Youth Network;
• seizure reporting on big cats;
• monitoring elephant poaching;
• stockpiling timber; and
• consideration of possible future interaction between CITES and the new agreement on marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The central government has recently issued fresh guidelines for the selection of directors at Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). These guidelines bring significant changes to the qualifications required for IIM director appointments and grant enhanced authority to the President as the “visitor” to these prestigious business schools.

Major Changes

Under the new guidelines, candidates aspiring to become IIM directors must meet stricter educational qualifications. A “distinguished” academic record is now mandatory, which includes holding a first-class degree in both Bachelor’s and Master’s levels, in addition to possessing a PhD or its equivalent from a reputable institution.

This marks a departure from the previous qualifications, which only required a “distinguished academic record with a PhD or equivalent.”

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Week, taking place in San Francisco, has garnered significant attention as it hosts the first in-person meeting in a year between US President Joe Biden and China’s President Xi Jinping.

The meeting is set to address the ongoing tensions and trade disputes between the two nations, with the US-China relationship being a major focal point of the summit.

India’s Presence at APEC

While India is not a member of APEC, the country is represented at the forum by its Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, underlining the importance of the event in the global economic landscape.

The annual Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD), an apex-level international conference organized by the Indian Navy, is set to take place in New Delhi from November 15 to 17, 2023.

• This prestigious event features a distinguished lineup of speakers and aims to address crucial maritime security and connectivity issues in the Indo-Pacific region. 
• The IPRD follows closely after the Goa Maritime Conclave 2023, organized by the Indian Navy in Goa from October 29 to 31, 2023.
• While the Goa Maritime Conclave focuses on strategic-operational engagement among Chiefs-of-Navy and Heads of Maritime Agencies in the Indian Ocean Region, the IPRD takes a broader, strategic-level approach to address holistic maritime security issues across the vast Indo-Pacific.

Recently, a significant change of command took place within the Indian Navy’s Western Fleet, often referred to as the ‘Sword Arm.’ Rear Admiral CR Praveen Nair, NM, assumed the role of Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet in a grand ceremony held at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai.

• He succeeded Rear Admiral Vineet McCarty, marking a notable transition in the leadership of this vital naval fleet. 
• He was commissioned  in the Indian Navy on July 1, 1991. 
• He has pursued education and training at prestigious institutions, including the Naval Academy in Goa, the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington, and the US Naval War College in Newport, USA.
• With a specialization in Communication and Electronic Warfare, Rear Admiral Nair has served on several Indian Naval Ships, including Krishna, Kora, and Mysore.
• His role extended to serving as the Fleet Electronic Warfare Officer and the Fleet Communication Officer of the Western Fleet. Additionally, he held the position of Fleet Operations Officer of the Eastern Fleet, showcasing his diverse expertise in naval operations.