Railway Board established committee to review the CRS report on new Pamban bridge

• Committee is to investigate Southern Circle's concerns about construction of new Pamban bridge on November 28, 2024.
• Concern was raised due to Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) report on Pamban bridge which connect Rameswaram to India.
• The committee is tasked with reviewing the CRS report within 1.5 months.
• Ministry of Railways has clarified that steel bridge, designed by an international consultant, has been subjected to different measures.
• New Pamban Bridge, spanning 2.05 km, features a unique 72-m vertical lift span.
• Southern Railway has confirmed the safety of a bridge, stating that it was designed using modern principles.

UGC approved flexible duration degrees for undergraduate students

• UGC approves flexible-duration undergraduate degree programs, Accelerated Degree Programmes (ADPs) and Extended Degree Programmes (EDPs).
• It will implement the National Credit Framework for personalized learning declared on   November 28, 2024.
• Guidelines outline flexible timelines for ADPs and EDPs, eligibility criteria, implementation processes, and academic content.
• Program offers students the benefits of accelerated completion, flexible pace, and personalized learning.
• The UGC plans to release the Standard operating procedure (SOP) for public feedback before final implementation.

Australia's lower House has passed a bill

• Australia introduces world-first social media ban for children under 16, aiming to protect their mental and physical health on November 28, 2024.
• It prohibits minors under 16 from accessing platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, with severe penalties and enforcement trials starting in 2025.
• Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasized the risks of social media to children.
• Australia's unprecedented outright ban on parental consent for minors has global implications.
• Australia's history of challenging tech giants includes imposing royalties for media content sharing and proposing fines for failing to combat online scams.
• Australia's child online safety law faces scrutiny over enforcement, privacy, and potential unintended consequences, with a year-long trial period.

Masato Kanda (Appointment)

• 11th President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is going to Masato Kanda from February 24, 2025, declared on November 28, 2024.
• Masato Kanda is 59 years old, he for the Ministry of Finance, Japan, and Vice-Minister of Finance for International Affairs.
• He is also a member of G7 and G20 and a chairman of Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Corporate Governance Committee.
• Masato Kanda worked as the Japan’s Alternate Executive Director at the World Bank.
• Masato Kanda has also earned a Bachelor of Laws, from the University of Tokyo/and a Master of Economics from Oxford University.
• ADM was founded in 1966 and now includes 69 member countries, including 49 countries from the Asia-Pacific region.

Hemant Soren

• Hemant Soren, leader of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, is set to take the oath as Jharkhand Chief Minister for the fourth time on  November 28, 2024.
• Hemant Soren swears in as Chief Minister at Morabadi Ground, Ranchi, attended by prominent leaders from the INDIA bloc and national political figures.
• INDIA bloc, including JMM, won 56 seats in the Jharkhand Assembly, while National Democratic Alliance won 24 seats and Jharkhand Loktrantrik Krantikari Morcha won one.
• Hemant Soren secured his Barhait constituency victory by defeating BJP's Gamliyel Hembrom with a significant margin of 39791 votes.
• Hemant Soren, former Chief Minister of JMM, was briefly jailed in 2023 but resumed after release.

Amiya Kumar Bagchi

• Professor Amiya Kumar Bagchi, renowned for his groundbreaking research and teaching on colonialism and imperialism passed away on  November 28, 2024.
• Bagchi earned a master’s in economics from Presidency College, Kolkata and a Ph.D. from Cambridge University.
• Bagchi's pioneering contributions to economic history include private investment in India, deindustrialization debate etc.
• Bagchi was a renowned academic and institutional leader served as a Director of the Centre for the Study of Social Sciences.
• Bagchi, deeply connected to Bengali culture, enjoyed Rabindra Sangeet, Shakti Chattopadhyay's poetry, and Utpal Dutt's plays.
• His work on imperialism and under development, as well as his intellectual contributions, has significantly impacted economic history.

Siddharth Kaul

• Indian pace bowler Siddharth Kaul has announced his retirement on  November 28, 2024 from professional cricket at an age of 34.
• His international career highlights include representing the country in three ODIs and three T20Is during the 2018-19 season.
• He made his One Day International (ODI) debut against England in July 2018.
• He played for Punjab in domestic cricket, represented Delhi Daredevils, Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and India in 2008 ICC U-19 World Cup.
• He announced his retirement on social media, expressing gratitude to his teammates, coaches, and fans for their unwavering support.
• He is keen on participating in overseas cricket leagues to share his experience and contribute to global cricket.

3-member judicial committee

• On November 28, 2024, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel declared creation of a committee to investigate violence in Sambhal.
• Violence occurred in Sambhal's Kot Garvi area over a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid On November 24, 2024.
• Committee headed by retired Allahabad High Court judge Justice Devendra Kumar Arora.
• Its member is composed of retired IAS officer Amit Mohan Prasad and retired IPS officer Arvind Kumar Jain.
• The commission will investigate violence, determine if it was spontaneous or planned, evaluate local law enforcement readiness.
• Authorities put in place stringent measures including more CCTV cameras, drone surveillance etc.

Majhi government has rebranded 21 schemes implemented by the BJD regime in Odisha

• The BJP-led government in Odisha plans to rename 21 schemes initiated by the previous Biju Janata Dal regime on November 28 , 2024.
• They aiming to give them "neutral" names and remove political associations.
• KALIA Scheme, initially known as Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation, has been integrated under PM-KISAN.
• LAccMI known as Location Accessible Multimodal Initiative, connected villages to block headquarters via subsidized buses, now known as Gramanchal Paribahan.
• The BJP is renaming government schemes to establish its identity in Odisha, challenging the BJD's electoral advantage.
• Majhi government has introduced seven new schemes, none named after figures from Sangh Parivar, demonstrating a neutral approach.