29th November 2014 - Important Current Affairs updates

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International Affairs

• A court in Egypt has dropped charges against former President Hosni Mubarak over the killing of 239 protesters during the 2011 uprising against him.
• In Nigeria, at least 120 people were killed and 270 wounded when two suicide bombers blew themselves up and gunmen opened fire during weekly prayers at a mosque in Kano.
• The number of victims of slavery in the UK is much higher than previous figures, the British government said.
• According to the latest Home Office analysis, there could be between 10,000 and 13,000 victims of slavery in the UK, as against the official figure of 2,744 for 2013. 

National Affairs

• The first passenger train to Meghalaya from Assam was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today.
• The train will run between Mendipathar to Guwahati.
• Government has asked those traveling to India from Ebola-affected countries to carry a certificate stating that there is no evidence of the Ebola virus in their body fluids.
• President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya today at Bhubaneshwar.
• The Mahavidyalaya was set up in 1964 by the then Chief Minister of Odisha, the late Biju Patnaik. 

Science & Technology

• India will send its first heaviest rocket, GSLV MK 3 alongwith the crew module atmospheric experimental re-entry capsule from Sriharikota in the second week of December.
• Instead of liquid hydrogen, the GSLV flight which has two stages of separation, will launch the crew module at an altitude of 126 kms from the earth within 20 minutes of take off from the launch pad at Sriharikota.

Business & Economy

• The Reserve Bank of India today came out with the final guidelines for the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS), which will help consumers pay multiple bills like electricity, telephone and school fees at a single point of transaction.
• “The BBPS is an integrated bill payment system offering inter-operable and accessible bill payment service to customers through a network of agents, enabling multiple payment modes, and providing instant confirmation of payment,” the RBI said in a notification.
• Easing the restrictions on gold imports, The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced that the government had decided to withdraw the 20:80 scheme and other restrictions placed on import of gold.
• Under the 80:20 norms, 20% of the imported gold had to be mandatorily exported before bringing in new lot.
• Bharatiya Mahila Bank (BMB), the country’s first all-women bank, said it is targeting a deposit base of Rs 1,000 crore and advances of Rs 800 crore by March-end this fiscal.
• At present, the bank’s deposit stands at over Rs 300 crore and loans at Rs 500 crore.
• President Pranab Mukherjee expressed confidence that India will soon achieve 8 to 9 percent annual growth and become a three trillion dollars economy.
• Central Board of Direct Taxes, CBDT has ordered an inquiry against a number of real estate developers in connection with property transaction.
• They were recently shown by an investigative portal to be willing to accept alleged blackmoney in property transactions.
• Ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala's Rare Enterprises has bought 75 lakh shares or 1.40 per cent stake in SpiceJet Ltd for Rs.13.41 crore through the open market route.

Sports

• Reigning Asian champion Ankur Mittal won the double trap gold in the National Shotgun Championship.
• Kerala’s Sreenith Mohan scripted a new national record in high jump in the Jio 30th junior National athletic championship today.
• The first test match between India and Australia scheduled for next Thursday postponed due to demise of cricketer Phillip Hughes.

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