INTERNATIONAL NEWS

President Murmu’s First-Ever State Visit to Angola and Botswana

• President Droupadi Murmu will undertake a six-day visit to Angola and Botswana from 8 November, marking the first time an Indian Head of State visits both nations.

• The Ministry of External Affairs highlighted that this tour reflects India’s deepening strategic engagement with Africa, especially in economic and diplomatic areas.

• During her stay in Angola (8–11 November), she will hold formal talks with the Angolan President and participate in the 50th Independence Day celebrations, where she will also address the Parliament.

• The year also marks 40 years of India–Angola diplomatic ties, strengthened further by Angola’s role as the current Chair of the African Union.

• In the second phase, she will visit Botswana (11–13 November) to engage in discussions with its President and deliver an address at the National Assembly.

• Her Botswana schedule includes visits to significant cultural and historical locations, focusing on boosting cooperation in multiple sectors.

• India’s presence in Africa has grown rapidly, with 17 new diplomatic missions and trade nearing $100 billion, aligning with India’s wider goal of reinforcing partnerships across the Global South.

Denmark Moves to Restrict Social Media Use for Children

• Denmark has unveiled a plan to prohibit social media access for all children below 15 years of age.

• Those aged 13–14 will be permitted online only with parental consent, adding an extra layer of oversight for young users.

• The initiative aims to protect children’s mental well-being and curb excessive screen time.

• Digitalisation Minister Caroline Stage Olsen highlighted concerns that social media disrupts children’s emotional health and daily routines.

• Research indicates Danish youngsters spend around 2 hours and 40 minutes daily on platforms such as YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok.

• Denmark’s proposal aligns with Australia’s earlier move, where similar age-based restrictions were enforced.

• Australia had already barred social media use for under-16s last year, setting a precedent now being echoed in Denmark’s policy.

NATIONAL NEWS

Four New Vande Bharat Trains Launched

• PM Narendra Modi flagged off four new Vande Bharat Express trains from Varanasi on 8 November, boosting India’s semi-high-speed rail network.

• These new services aim to strengthen connectivity across key cultural, commercial and regional sectors of the country.

• The fresh routes introduced are Banaras–Khajuraho, Lucknow Junction–Saharanpur, Firozpur Cantt–Delhi, and Bengaluru–Ernakulam.

• The Banaras–Khajuraho train offers a direct link between two major cultural hubs and cuts the journey by nearly 2 hours 40 minutes.

• The Lucknow–Saharanpur service reduces travel time to about 7 hours 45 minutes, improving links across central and western UP and easing access to Haridwar via Roorkee.

• The Firozpur–Delhi Vande Bharat becomes the fastest option on this route, supporting better trade, tourism and economic movement in Punjab.

• In the South, the Bengaluru–Ernakulam train shortens the trip by over 2 hours, offering a quicker and more comfortable route for professionals, students and travellers.

Khangchendzonga National Park Rated “Good”

• The IUCN’s latest global review has given Khangchendzonga National Park a “good” status, making it the only Indian World Heritage Site with such a positive assessment.

• Unlike the Western Ghats and Sundarbans—both flagged for major concerns—Khangchendzonga continues to maintain strong ecological health.

• Recognised in 2016 as India’s first mixed UNESCO World Heritage Site, it upholds both natural splendour and deep cultural value.

• The park stretches across 1,784 sq km, rising from lush subtropical zones to the towering 8,586 m Mount Kanchenjunga, the third-highest peak in the world.

• This landscape includes 280 glaciers, more than 70 glacial lakes, and rich fauna such as snow leopards, red pandas, clouded leopards, and over 550 bird species.

• Khangchendzonga is revered as a sacred landscape by the Lepcha community and Tibetan Buddhists, blending cultural traditions with conservation practices.

• The expanded Biosphere Reserve (2018) links core protected areas with buffer zones where locals engage in sustainable agriculture and resource use, supporting long-term ecological balance.

SPORTS

India Welcomes Its 91st Chess Grandmaster

• Raahul VS has officially become India’s 91st Grandmaster after his victory at the 6th ASEAN Individual Chess Championship.

• He previously earned his International Master (IM) title in November 2021, completing key IM norms and crossing the 2400 rating barrier.

• His achievement follows closely after Illamparthi AR, who recently became India’s 90th Grandmaster by securing his final norm at the Bijeljina Open 2025 in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

• Earlier this year, S Rohith Krishna attained the position of India’s 89th Grandmaster, scoring six points at the Almaty Masters Qonaev Cup and breaching the 2500 Elo requirement.

• India’s rapid rise in the global chess arena continues with three players earning the highest title within months.

• The Grandmaster title, conferred by FIDE, represents the top distinction in competitive chess.

• It stands above other FIDE titles such as International Master (IM), FIDE Master (FM), and Candidate Master (CM).

ECONOMY NEWS

India’s Forex Reserves Record a Notable Weekly Decline

• India’s overall foreign exchange reserves dropped by USD 5.6 billion, settling at USD 690 billion for the week ending 31 October.

• The sharp fall was driven primarily by a major reduction in gold reserves, which fell by USD 3.8 billion to USD 101.7 billion.

• Foreign currency assets, the largest share of the forex basket, also slipped by nearly USD 2 billion, reaching USD 564.5 billion.

• The decline in FCA was influenced by fluctuations in major global currencies, including the euro, pound, and yen.

• Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) registered a minor dip of USD 19 million, bringing the total to USD 18.64 billion.

• In contrast, India’s IMF reserve position saw a small rise of USD 164 million, touching USD 4.77 billion for the week.

• The weekly movements highlight shifting market conditions and currency valuation effects across India’s reserve components.

SUMMIT AND CONFERENCES

First BIMSTEC–India Marine Research Network Conference

• Kochi hosted the first BIMSTEC–India Marine Research Network (BIMReN) Conference, a key step toward deepening blue economy cooperation among member nations.

• Held from 4–6 November, the meet brought together scientists, researchers and policymakers from across the Bay of Bengal region.

• Discussions centered on reviewing progress and shaping joint strategies for sustainable marine research and ocean governance.

• BIMReN, launched in 2024 by the Ministry of External Affairs, links leading Indian institutions with marine research centres across BIMSTEC countries.

• The initiative was originally announced by PM Narendra Modi in 2022 during the Colombo BIMSTEC Summit.

• In its pilot stage, BIMReN has already connected 25+ institutions and over 50 scientists working on collaborative ocean-related studies.

• Key focus areas include ocean health, ecosystem resilience, sustainable fisheries, and coastal resource management, vital for the Bay of Bengal region, which contributes 6% of global fish catch and hosts one-third of the world’s fishing fleet, aligning with India’s Neighbourhood First, Act East, Indo-Pacific and MAHASAGAR frameworks.

Global Media & Entertainment Investor Meet Set to Begin in Mumbai

• A two-day Global Media and Entertainment Investor Meet will take place in Mumbai starting December 1.

• The event is being organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in collaboration with WAVES Bazaar.

• It forms a key component of the 12th edition of the CII BIG Picture Summit, India’s leading platform for media and entertainment policy discussions.

• The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is extending official support to the investor meet.

• The primary objective is to attract new investments and accelerate growth across India’s expanding media and entertainment landscape.

• This year’s summit is centred around the theme “The AI Era: Bridging Creativity and Commerce,” highlighting the sector’s tech-driven evolution.

• Key stakeholders—government representatives, industry experts, and investors—will engage in dialogues on film, OTT platforms, gaming, animation, VFX, and live entertainment, shaping the industry’s future direction.