Current Affairs- Today’s Headlines: November 19, 2021

– Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO): Sexual intent of the offender, not skin-to-skin contact, forms assault says SC

– Indian Film Personality Award for the year 2021 will be given to Hema Malini and Prasoon Joshi

– ‘Rashtra Raksha Samarpan Parv’ in Jhansi (UP): DRDO shows offensive drone swarm capabilities

– Union Minister Smriti Irani turns author with her debut novel “Lal Salaam”

– Union Minister Nityanand Rai inaugurates family housing complex of CISF at Dwarka, New Delhi

– Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurates revamped war memorial in eastern Ladakh’s Rezang La, the site of an epic battle where Indian troops fought the Chinese in 1962

– India received $87 bn in remittances in 2021 says World Bank in its latest Migration and Development Brief report; US biggest source of funding

– RBI releases report of working group on digital lending chaired by Jayant Kumar Dash

– CCI imposes a penalty of Rs 5 lakh each on ten paper manufacturers for indulging in cartelisation

– Conference on ‘Creating Synergies for Seamless Credit Flow and Economic Growth’ organised by Finance Ministry

– PM inaugurates first global innovation summit of the Pharmaceuticals sector being held on Nov 18-19

– Economic advisory council to Prime Minister (EAC-PM) expects GDP growth in 2022-23 at 7%–7.5%

– Winners of the Cyber Security Grand Challenge felicitated by Union Minister for Electronics & IT, Communications and Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw

– Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announces revised Model Concession Agreement 2021 for PPP (Public Private Partnership) projects at Major Ports

– Nations agree to prepare BRICS Innovation Action under India’s leadership

– India re-elected to UNESCO executive board for 2021-25 term with 164 votes

– India stands at 82 in global business bribery risk rankings, dips by five spots

– PM Modi delivers keynote at Sydney Dialogue organised by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute on Nov 17-19

– Latin American artiste Frida Kahlo’s 1949 self-portrait sells for record $35 mn at auction in New York

– World Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Day observed on Nov 17

– World Philosophy Day celebrated by UNESCO on Nov 18

– Spain’s Garbine Muguruza wins WTA Finals tennis title at Guadalajara, Mexico; receives Billie Jean King Trophy

– Veteran football commentator and author Novy Kapadia dies at 67