1) 2017 Nobel Physics Prize Awarded to Gravitational Wave Detectors
•The 2017 Nobel Physics Prize has been awarded “for decisive contributions to the LIGO detector and the observation of gravitational waves” to Rainer Weiss, Barry C. Barish and Kip S. Thorne of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory.
•The Prize announced by Sweden’s Royal Academy of Sciences comes with 9 million kronor ($1.1 million). For the past 25 years, the prize has been shared among multiple winners.
2) Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2017 to be Held in Hyderabad
•A high-level delegation from the Government of India and the United States met NITI Aayog to plan the 2017 Global Entrepreneurship Summit. The summit will be held on November 28-30 at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre in Hyderabad, India.
•This year’s theme is “Women First, Prosperity for All” to celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit in all its strengths and diversity. The Summit will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Advisor to the President, Ivanka Trump, who leads the U.S. delegation.
3) Ministry of Health Adjudged Best for ‘Swachhta Pakhwada’
•The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has been adjudged as the best department for its contribution during Swachhta Pakhwada, an inter-Ministry initiative of Swachh Bharat Mission of Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
•The Health Ministry observed the Swachhta Pakhwada in February 2017. The award was presented to the Ministry on 2nd October, the third anniversary of Swachh Bharat Mission. Shri C K Mishra, Secretary (HFW) received the award on behalf of the Ministry.
4) Chandrababu Naidu Launches 'Swachh Andhra Mission'
•Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu launched Swachh Andhra Mission on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti.
•Ace shuttler PV Sindhu has been chosen as the brand ambassador of Swachh Andhra.
5) India, Nepal to Conduct First Joint Tiger Count
•For the first time, Nepal and India will undertake a joint tiger census in their national parks, forests and protected areas adjoining the two countries using a globally-recognised method. The counting of tigers will begin from the second week of November.
•Tiger is an endangered animal listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The last tiger count conducted by Nepal in 2013 puts the number of adult tigers around 200 in the Himalayan country.
6) President Appoints Commission to Examine Sub-Categorisation of OBCs
•President Ram Nath Kovind has appointed a five-member Committee. The Committee will be headed by Delhi High Court's former Chief Justice G Rohini to examine sub-categorization of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) under Article 340 of the Constitution.
•The commission will examine the extent of inequitable distribution of benefits of reservation among the castes or communities included in the broad category of OBCs with reference to such classes included in the central list.
7) Madurai’s Meenakshi Temple Named Best ‘Swachh Iconic Place’ in India
•The Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple has been adjudged best ‘Swachh Iconic Place’ in India. Madurai District Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao and Corporation Commissioner S. Aneesh Sekhar will receive the award from Uma Bharati, the Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation.
•A total of 63 compact bins have been placed and four compactor trucks do the rounds around the temple premises. There are 25 e-toilets and 15 water ATMs for tourists to use. There are two road sweepers and battery operated vehicles specifically purchased to clean this stretch.
