9. Sylvie Lucas appointed as Chair of IGN of UNSC Reforms

Luxembourg envoy to the United Nations (UN) Sylvie Lucas on October 27 was appointed as the chair of the Inter-Governmental Negotiations (IGN) on UN Security Council reforms. Lucas replaces Ambassador Courtenay Rattray of Jamaica, was appointed by the 70th UN General Assembly President Mogens Lykketoft. Her appointment came ahead of the next round of negotiations UNSC Reforms to be held in UNGA after negotiating text was tabled in UNGA.

• Read the Full Update @ Sylvie Lucas

10. 8th Edition of National Seed Congress begins in Hyderabad

The Eighth edition of National Seed Congress (NSC) has begun in Hyderabad on October 27. This event is organized to deliberate on advanced seed development technologies and regulatory measures. The event was formally inaugurated by the Telangana state Agriculture Minister Shrinivasa Reddy and has been organized by Union Agriculture Ministry. The three day congress aims to provide common platform to all stakeholders to discuss a variety of issues including advances in seed development technologies and various seed policies with respect to the seed industry.

• Read the Full Update @ National Seed Congress

11. India replaced China to emerge as Biggest Gold Consumer in World: Thomson Reuters

GFMS team of Thomson Reuters has released Gold Survey Q3 2015 Review and Outlook. The survey says that India regained its top position replacing China as the biggest overall consumer of gold in the first nine months of year 2015. India consumed a total of 642 tonnes of gold in this period, while China is trailing by just 63 tonnes with total consumption of 642 tonnes in first nine month of the year.

12. Exim Bank announced setting up of project development firm KPDC in Africa

Exim Bank announced on 27 October 2015 that it will set up a development firm, the Kukuza Project Development Company (KPDC), in Africa to facilitate Indian participation in infrastructure projects across the continent. IL&FS Group, African Development Bank and State Bank of India are also the shareholders in KPDC.

KPDC aims to strengthen every partner, who will complement each other in building Indian project exports while simultaneously aiding the furtherance of economic and political ties between India and Africa.

13. Aruna Sundarajan appointed new Steel Secretary

Senior IAS officer Aruna Sundarajan has been appointed as Secretary in Ministry of Steel as part of a top-level bureaucratic reshuffle effected by the government. Sundarajan, a 1982 batch IAS officer of Kerala cadre, is presently Administrator, Universal Service Obligation Fund under Department of Telecommunications. She has been appointed in place of Rakesh Singh, who superannuated on September 30, an order issued by Department of Personnel and Training said.

14. Najib Shah appointed CBEC chairman

Senior IRS officer Najib Shah was today appointed as Chairman of Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC), apex body on Indirect Taxes. The Appointments Committee of Cabinet has approved the appointment of Shah as Chairman. Shah, who had also been Director General of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), was also acting Chairman of the board after retirement of Kaushal Srivastava, about three months back.

15. India ranks 8th on minority investors’ protection

India is ranked 8th globally when it comes to protection of minority investors, ahead of many developed economies including the US, Germany and Japan. China is ranked much lower at 134th and India is ranked best among all BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa).

This is part of the latest ‘Doing Business 2016’ report of the World Bank that covers 189 economies and where India’s overall ranking for ease of doing business has remained low at 130th position, despite an improvement since the last year.

16. Katich is KKR assistant coach

Former Australia batsman Simon Katich has been appointed Kolkata Knight Riders’ assistant coach, days after the IPL franchise named Jacques Kallis as their head coach. Katich, who replaces Vijay Dahiya, had retired from T20s to end his playing career in July 2014. He had led the Perth Scorchers to the Big Bash title in the 2013-14 season, and last played in the IPL in 2009 for Kings XI Punjab.

17. Nepal gets first woman President

Bidhya Devi, a Communist leader who has long campaigned for women’s rights was elected on Wednesday as Nepal’s first female President. Bidhya Devi Bhandari of the Communist Party of Nepal Unified Marxist-Leninist received 327 votes against her opponent’s 214 in the Parliament on Wednesday, Parliament Speaker Onsari Gharti announced.

The new President has been a leading political figure since her husband Madan Bhandari, who was then leader of the party, was killed in a still unsolved car accident in 1993. She also led many demonstrations against the then King Gyanendra in 2006 that finally ended his authoritarian rule and restored democracy.

THANK YOU 🙂 🙂 🙂

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