17th November 2013 Current Affairs Updates

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International Affairs

• The Defense Department spent USD 10.2 billion over three decades burning tons of deadly nerve gas and other chemical weapons stored in four US states, some of the agents so deadly even a few drops can kill.
• French Interior Minister Manuel Valls vowed that his government would continue to support Mali in its fight against terrorism, despite a planned withdrawal of most of its troops.
• Turkey Prime Minister RecepTayyipErdogan meets Iraqi Kurdish leader to shore up peace talks.
• CHOGM to end today with 3 declarations and a Summit Communiqué
• New Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen has said he will draw half pay, as promised by him during his election campaign, citing the economic downturn in the country due to prolonged political impasse.

National Affairs

• GuruNanakJayanti is being celebrated across the country.
• Kartik Purnima is being celebrated across the country.
• LalaLajpatRai remembered on his death anniversary.
• Describing extensive coverage of the recent cyclone Phailin as “commendable”, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) asked media houses to specially train scribes in disaster reporting and management.
• All party meeting in Bihar unanimously demands allocation of Rs 4 lakh crore from 14th Finance Commission to Bihar to speed up development.
• In a bid to improve grievance redressal system in areas under its jurisdiction, the New Delhi Municipal Council has started a 24x7 call centre to address the concerns of citizens.
• Literature for children will be the focus at the upcoming edition of New Delhi World Book Fair (NDWBF) with Poland being chosen as the Guest of Honour country.
• Bihar needs special category status to sustain an impressive growth rate and also push inclusive growth of the country, industry body Assocham has said.

Awards and Honors

• Veteran actress Waheeda Rehman will receive the inaugural Centenary Award for the Indian Film Personality of the Year, a special honour to commemorate the 100 years of Indian cinema.

New Appointments

• Algeria's 76-year-old President AbdelazizBouteflika nominated for 4th term as party's candidate in 2014 presidential election
• Yameen Abdul Gayoom of Progressive Party sworn in as the sixth President of Maldives by defeating MohamedNasheed.

Business and Economy

• Foreign investors have poured in over Rs 4,000 crore in the equity market so far this month amid renewed optimism about the Indian economy, and delaying of US Fed's tapering of its monetary stimulus to shore up the American economy.
• The government is likely to soon appoint three more independent directors on the board of the world's largest coal producer, Coal India Ltd (CIL).
• US tax department is in for a major windfall from Twitter' blockbuster IPO, which has made 1,600 of its employees millionaires and they will together pay an estimated $2.2 billion (about Rs 13,800 crore) in taxes.
• India's gold imports are likely to fall by 40% to 500 tonnes in the current financial year, providing relief to the government, which is trying to narrow the current account deficit and stabilize the rupee.
• Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) extends Nalco's temporary working permit for 3 months.

Deaths 

• Doris Lessing, one of Britain’s most-influential authors and a Nobel Literature laureate, has died at 94.

Science and Technology

• NASA's newest Mars flyer to explore atmosphere, due to blast off tomorrow afternoon on a 10-month journey
• According to a new research Saudis are world's biggest Tweeters; India at 21st position.

Sports

• ICC Test Bowlers Rankings : Ashwin climbs to career-best 5th with 808 points.
• ICC Test Batsmen Rankings :  Cheteshwar Pujara climbs to career-best 6th with 801 points.

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