BIHAR
- Nitish Kumar launches excavation at Jayanagar hills in Lakhisarai
- Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday launched an excavation work at the Jayanagar hills, 125km from Patna, in Lakhisarai district.
- The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) recently approved the excavation for a year based on the recent discovery of a medieval period monastery (6-10th century AD) at Jayanagar. The exercise is to be jointly carried out by the Bihar Virasat Vikas Samiti and Visva Bharati University, Shantiniketan.
- Nitish directed the state officials to take steps for the preservation and protection of seven archaeological sites in and around the Jayanagar hills.
- Quite a number of historical monuments, including Buddhist monasteries and Brahminical temples belonging to this have been found in and around Lakhisarai.
INTERNATIONAL
· Iran allows women weightlifters to compete internationally
- The President of the IranWeightlifting Federation has said that the nation will allow women weightlifters to compete internationally, after establishing the Iran Weightlifting Federation Women’s Committee.
- The federation’s chief also said that the women weightlifters can compete wearing special clothes for Muslim athletes.
· Worlds first AI politician developed SAM
- Scientists from New Zealandhave developed world’s first artificial intelligence politician named SAM.
- It was created by Nick Gerritsen, the entrepreneur in New Zealand.
- The virtual politician SAM can answer person’s queries regarding local issues such as policies around housing, education and immigration.
· Indonesia raises Bali volcano alert to highest level
- Indonesia raised its warning for Bali’s Mount Agung volcano to the top level four alert closed the holiday island’s airport and told residents near the summit to immediately evacuate, warning of the “imminent” risk of a larger eruption.
- Bali’s airport was closed for 24 hours, disrupting 445 flights and some 59,000 passengers, due to the eruption warning and the presence of volcanic ash from Agung.
· South Africa Contestant wins Miss Universe crown
- Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, who recently earned a business management degree crowned during the event at The AXIS theatre at Planet Hollywood casino-resort on the Las Vegas Strip.
- The runner-up was Miss Colombia Laura Gonzalez, while the second runner-up was Miss Jamaica, Davina Bennett.
- Ninety-two women from around the world participated in the decades-old competition. This year’s edition had the most contestants ever, including the first-ever representatives of Cambodia, Laos and Nepal.
NATIONAL
· Google offers 1,30,000 scholarships for developers and students for Skill India mission
- With an aim to boost ‘Skill India’ mission, Google now joined hands with Pluralsight and Udacity for a new scholarship program that will help 130K developers and students from India to gain the necessary skills needed to be successful in the constantly changing technology landscape.
- Google partners with Pluralsight and Udacity to provide training in emerging technologies like Mobile and Web Development, Machine Learning, AR/VR, AI, and Cloud Platforms.
- Google will also provide 1000 full nano degree scholarships from the 30,000 scholarships being offered. Interested candidates will also get access to Pluralsight’s unique adaptive assessment engine, which will help them match their unique learning path based on their skill level and interest.
· Maharashtra stands as the Indias single largest consumer of electricity
- Maharashtra stands as the single largest consumer of electricity in India, followed by Uttar Pradesh and Telangana. With a demand for 75,169 million units (MU) during April to September, revealed data carried out by Central Electricity Authority.
- With the increasing demand, there was an increase of 8.6% over the demand for 69,216 MU in the year ago.
- Among the larger states, Uttar Pradesh showed a growth of 15.37% year-on-year to 65,284 MU.
- Rajasthan and Telangana too showed good growth of 54.8% and 15.34%, respectively.
- Tripura with a consumption of around 1,000 MU saw its demand grow at a whopping 94.39%.
- This growth would have been higher but for the drag from some other states. Tamil Nadu saw growth slip by 0.42% from a year ago. Madhya Pradesh’s demand was almost unchanged, while Gujarat’s demand rose by only 0.57%.
- The Rating agency Investment Information and Credit Rating Agency ICRA Limited warned in a recent report that it is unclear whether such high growth overall would be sustainable.
· Bamboo not a tree any more President Clears Ordinance Amending Forest Act
- President Ram Nath Kovindcleared an ordinance amending the Indian Forest Act, 1927. The ordinance omits bamboo grown in non-forest areas from the definition of trees, thereby exempting it from requiring permits for felling or transportation.
- Before the ordinance was issued, the definition of tree in the Act included palm, bamboo, brushwood, and cane.
- Bamboo grown in forest areas shall continue to be governed by the Forest Conservation Act, 1980.
· NPPA cap prices of 51 essential medicines
- The drug price regulator National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA)capped prices of 51 essential medicines, including those used for the treatment of cancer, heart conditions, pain and skin problems.
- They notified ceiling prices of 36 medicines and revised ceiling prices of 15 medicines.
- All manufacturers of scheduled formulations, selling branded or generic or both versions of scheduled formulations (drugs) at price higher than ceiling price.
- National Milk Day: 26 November
- India celebrates National Milk Day on November 26, the birthday of Verghese Kurien, the Father of White Revolution in India.
- India credits Kurien for his billion-litre idea that made the country among the large-scale producers of milk in the world.
- The Father of Milk Revolution is also the founder of the popular dairy brand in India, Amul.
· Gopi Thonakal becomes 1st Indian man to win Asian Marathon Championship
- Gopi Thonakal created history by becoming first Indian man to winAsian Marathon Championship.
- He achieved the feat in the 16th edition of the prestigious event in China.
- It is a biennial international competition in marathon road running for Asian athletes.
- It is organized by the Asian Athletics Association.
· Golden Temple Awarded as Most Visited Place of the World
- The Golden Temple has been awarded the ‘most visited place of the world’ by ‘World Book of Records’ (WBR), a London-based organisation.
- General secretary of WBR India chapter, Surbhi Kaul, and president of WBR Punjab chapter, Randeep Singh Kohli, gave this award to Shiromani Gurdwara Pharbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief secretary Roop Singh and other senior officials at Teja Singh Samundari Hall, Amritsar.