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If you’re preparing for a government exam or a recruitment drive, here’s a summary of the most important news stories from the week.
List of important events to look back at from the past week for your UPSC preparation (Representative image)
From UPSC Civil Services to SSC recruitment exams, from college admissions to group discussions, general knowledge questions mark a significant part of almost every exam. For candidates preparing to crack an exam or those who need to get their news in a compact form, News18 offers a weekly column – GK Capsule. While we provide you a weekly news wrap, to get more information on a specific topic or an exam, reach out at @news18dotcom.
Current affairs are a crucial part of all government exams and recruitment drives, including the UPSC. If you are preparing for a government exam, you should be well-versed in current affairs and national and international events around the world. This will help you crack the written exams and ace your interview round.
From Delhi’s smog to the PM-Vidyalaxmi scheme, here are the top news stories from this week:
Rapidly Increasing Vehicles On Delhi Roads Become Biggest Polluters
The biggest contributor to Delhi’s harmful smog is the steadily growing number of cars clogging the city’s highways. A recent analysis by the Centre for Science & Environment (CSE) in New Delhi found that when all local sources are taken out of the equation, the transport sector accounts for more than half of the PM2.5 concentrations in the national capital. This is despite the biggest-ever CNG program for public and local commercial transportation, the phase-out of diesel and petrol vehicles older than 10 and 15 years, the ban on non-destined trucks, the implementation of Bharat Stage-6 emissions standards, and the start of fleet electrification. READ MORE
One Rank One Pension For Veterans
On November 7, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the introduction of “one rank one pension” (OROP) for veterans. He said this is a major step in reiterating the nation’s appreciation for its heroes. In a post on X, he mentioned what the BJP had promised before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, was put into effect on this day. The benefits of OROP became operative from July 1, 2014, when his government decided to implement it and issued an order on November 7, 2015. The Prime Minister further noted that his government will always make every effort to improve the welfare of those who serve the country and bolster the military forces. READ MORE
Indian Officials Hold First-Ever Talks With Taliban’s Acting Defence Minister
A senior official from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) met with Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, the Taliban’s acting defence minister, in the first-ever meeting between India and the Taliban-led government to discuss ways to further bilateral ties. India’s Joint Secretary for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran, JP Singh, met with Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, the Taliban’s military leader since 2020, in Kabul on November 5. According to Hindustan Times, Yaqoob is the son of Mullah Omar, the founder of the Taliban. This was an important milestone in India’s diplomatic relationship with Afghanistan under Taliban rule. READ MORE
What Happens To Pending Criminal & Civil Cases Against Donald Trump After His Re-Election?
Donald Trump, a convicted felon, elected to the White House of the United States, is still awaiting sentencing in his New York hush-money case. On November 6, he was re-elected as the President of the United States (US). Trump declared, “This will truly be the golden age of America,” in his victory speech. Prosecutors from the state and federal governments had wanted to present their evidence against Trump before election day, but his legal team used many postponed strategies that led to only one Manhattan criminal trial. CNN reports that Jack Smith, Trump’s special counsel, is currently discussing ways to resolve the criminal lawsuits against Trump with the leadership of the Justice Department. READ MORE
PM-Vidyalaxmi Scheme
On November 6, the Union Cabinet gave its approval to the PM-Vidyalaxmi scheme, which offers financial aid to deserving students pursuing higher education. Every year, the programme seeks to provide school loans to more than 22 lakh deserving students who are accepted into the top 860 prestigious universities in the country. Students can apply for special education loans under the PM-Vidyalaxmi scheme that are free of collateral and guarantors. With a fully digital platform to guarantee comfort and convenience for students, the application process is made to be straightforward, accessible and student-friendly. READ MORE
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