Daily Current Affairs Capsule 11th November 2017

1. APEC 2017 summit to be held in Vietnam

APEC 2017 is the year-long hosting of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting to be held in Vietnam.

• It will culminate with the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Da Nang to be hosted at InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort.
• It marks the second time Vietnam will be playing host to the APEC, having hosted the event previously in 2006.
• It is scheduled on 10-11 November.

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2. Cabinet approves appointment of Second National Judicial Pay Commission

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved appointment of Second National Judicial Pay Commission (SNJPC) for Subordinate Judiciary in the country.

• The Commission is to be headed by Shri Justice (Retd.J P.Venkatrama Reddi, former Judge of Supreme Court of India. Shri R. Basant, a former Judge of the Kerala High Court is the Member of the Commission.
• The Commission will make its recommendations to the State Governments preferably within a period of 18 months.

3. Cabinet approves Creation of National Testing Agency

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved creation of National Testing Agency (NTA) as a Society registered under the Indian Societies Registration Act, 1860, and as an autonomous and self-sustained premier testing organization to conduct entrance examinations for higher educational institutions.

• The NTA would initially conduct those entrance examinations which are currently being conducted by the CBSE.
• Other examinations will be taken up gradually after NTA is fully geared up.
• The entrance examinations will be conducted in online mode at least twice a year, thereby giving adequate opportunity to candidates to bring out their best.
• In order to serve the requirements of the rural students, it would locate the centres at sub-district/district level and as far as possible would undertake hands-on training to the students.

4. India's first Military Literature Festival in Chandigarh

India's first Military Literature Festival (MLF) will be held in Chandigarh in December as a tribute to the armed forces.

• The MLF will be held here from December 7 to 9.
• Top thinkers, authors, historians, curators and experts related to defence matters will participate in the event.

5. GST Council cuts tax slab for 178 items from 28% to 18%

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley that out of 228 items in the 28% tax bracket, 178 have been put into the lower tax category of 18%. It will be applicable from 15th of this month.

• Tax rate will be 5% uniform for all AC or non-AC restaurants, except those in hotels with tariffs of more than Rs. 7,500, which will continue to be taxed at 18%. Outdoor catering will be taxed at 18% with ITC.
• 23rd meeting of GST council, chaired by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, was held in Guwahati.

6. Debjani Ghosh is next Nasscom President

The National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom) has appointed Debjani Ghosh, former MD, Intel South Asia, as its President-Designate.

• Ghosh will be succeeding R Chandrashekhar whose tenure will come to an end in March.
• Ghosh has held other posts at Nasscom in the past. She has been a member of company’s executive council and a trustee of Nasscom Foundation.

7. National Entrepreneurship Award 2017 under Mentor Category

Dr. Renu Swarup, Senior Adviser in the Department of Bio-technology, Ministry of Science & Technology has been awarded with National Entrepreneurship Award, 2017 under Mentor (Government) category in the Recognition Track.

• Union Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley presented the awards at the National Entrepreneurship Award Ceremony, 2017 in New Delhi. 
• Dr Renu Swarup is presently Senior Adviser for Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology.  
• She also holds position of Managing Director, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a Public Sector Company.

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