National Press Day, observed annually on November 16, celebrates the establishment of a free and responsible press in India. It commemorates the inception of the Press Council of India (PCI), which came into effect on the same date in 1966. The PCI was founded as a statutory body under the Press Council Act of 1965 to ensure the freedom of the press while maintaining journalistic ethics in the country.

The history of National Press Day traces back to recommendations made by India’s first Press Commission in 1956. The commission envisioned the formation of a statutory body to safeguard press freedom and uphold ethical journalism. This led to the establishment of the PCI, which began functioning on 16th November 1966. The council serves as a watchdog for press ethics and ensures that the media operates without undue influence or external pressures.

One of the Indian Army’s most devastating fire support systems, the indigenous guided Pinaka weapon system, has successfully completed its flight tests, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) announced on Thursday.

The Army first witnessed the havoc caused by the Pinaka multiple-barrel rocket launcher (MBRL) during the Kargil War in 1999, when the system, still under development, caused widespread depredation when fired at Pakistani infiltrators’ positions.

Impressed, the Indian Army decided to replace its Soviet-era MBRLs — the venerable GRAD BM-21 — with an indigenous MBRL. The result is the Pinaka.

A Pinaka MBRL unit consists of 18 launchers, each of which fires at the enemy from 12 launcher tubes. Firing in rapid succession, these 216 launcher tubes can rain down seven tonnes of high explosive in just 44 seconds on a target 60 kilometres away, catching enemy troops in the open without giving them time to take cover.

Australia’s government has proposed a social media ban for children under the age of 16 which experts have described as a “momentous step,” as parents globally call for greater regulation of tech companies.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last week said the legislation will be introduced into parliament this year, with the law coming into effect 12 months after it is approved by lawmakers.

The ban is expected to trial age-verification systems to block children from accessing social media sites including Meta’s Instagram and Facebook, Bytedance’s TikTok, and Elon Musk’s X.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has congratulated Tulsi Gabbard on being appointed as the Director of National Intelligence in the United States.

In a social media post, Ms. Sitharaman said, “Congratulations @TulsiGabbard on being selected to serve as Director of National Intelligence. For 21 years, you served the USA as a soldier, becoming a Lt. Colonel in the Army Reserve. In my few interactions with you, I have been impressed by the clarity of your thoughts and dedication. Good wishes.”

Ms. Gabbard, known for her service in the U.S. Army Reserve, has had a distinguished career spanning over two decades, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

Seamer Arshdeep Singh became India's second-highest wicket-taker in men's T20Is as the Men in Blue defeated South Africa by 11 runs in the third 20-over match of the series in Centurion.

In T20Is, Arshdeep has picked up 92 wickets from 59 innings at an economy rate of 8.34 and an average of 18.47.

The India pacer is now four wickets short of leapfrogging Yuzvendra Chahal and becoming India's top wicketer in the shortest format.

In the third T20I match of the series, Arshdeep Singh surpassed Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar to achieve the milestone.

Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan signed a strategic partnership agreement on the production and transfer of green energy during the sidelines of COP29 taking place in Baku.

The agreement was signed by the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, and the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on November 13.

According to Astana Times, the agreement was signed on the sidelines of the World Leaders Climate Action Summit, held as part of the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Baku.

State Bank of India, HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank continue to be identified as Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs) in the 2024 list of this category.

They have been named under the same bucketing structure as in the 2023 list of D-SIBs.

While the Additional Common Equity Tier 1 requirement as a percentage of Risk Weighted Assets (RWAs) for SBI has been fixed at 0.80%, it is 0.40% for HDFC Bank and 0.20% for ICICI Bank.

The Union Government-led Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) has launched the Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research (PAIR) programme to enhance quality research-oriented higher education in the country.

In line with ANRF, operationalised in September, the PAIR programme aims to bring major transformation in Indian Universities.

While being aligned with the objectives set by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the PAIR programme will cultivate research excellence in central and state public universities by fostering collaborations with top-tier institutions via a mentorship-driven hub and spoke model.

“The hubs will guide emerging institutions (spokes) in research activities, provide access to harness their resources and expertise, thus bridging the gap between institutions and nurturing a robust research ecosystem in India,” said the Ministry of Science & Technology.

GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL) has received international acclaim for its advancements in digital innovation, securing accolades at the ‘Airport Excellence Awards’ held during the Saudi Airport Exhibition 2024. The awards ceremony took place on November 12 at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center (RICEC), celebrated leading global innovations in the aviation industry.

GHIAL’s ‘Digital Twin’ secured an award in the Innovation and Technology and Facility Management categories. Another of GHIAL’s innovations, the ‘Smart Shopping Trolley,’ was recognised as the runner-up in the Airport Revenue Management category.

The Digital Twin at RGIA creates a virtual replica of the physical airport. Through real-time data integration from CCTV, sensors, and IoT devices, this advanced model offers a holistic, data-driven view of airport operations, from terminal functionality to passenger flow and resource management, as per a release.

The Fable, starring Manoj Bajpayee in the lead has scripted history by becoming the first Indian film to be honoured with the prestigious Best Film award in the main international competition (Constellation Features Competition) at the Leeds International Film Festival 2024. It marks a milestone achievement for Indian cinema, as no Indian film has earlier received this honour at the prestigious film festival since its inception in 1987.

The Ram Reddy directorial had its world premiere at the Berlinale Film Festival 2024, and bagged the Special Jury Prize at the 2024 MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.

Manoj Bajpayee feels honoured to be a part of The Fable and see it resonate with audiences globally.