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Showing posts with label
January 2015 Current Affairs updates.
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Showing posts with label
January 2015 Current Affairs updates.
Show all posts
International Affairs
- Italian lawmakers elected Sergio Mattarella, a constitutional court judge and seasoned politician, as the country’s President
- He became the Italy’s 12th president since World War II.
National Affairs
- The Minister for Communications & Information Technology, Ravi Shankar Prasad along with the Minister for Urban Development &
Parliamentary Affairs Venkaiah Naidu and the Minister for Rural
Development Chaudhary Birender Singh released Commemorative Postage
stamps on the theme of Swachh Bharat to mark the Martyrdom Day of
Mahatma Gandhi.
- Swachh Bharat Mission was launched by
the Prime Minister on the 2nd October, 2014 on the occasion of Birth
Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
- Release of a
set of three stamps and a miniature sheet on the theme Swachh Bharat is
a part of this effort to achieve the vision of Clean and Healthy India.
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International Affairs
- The Portuguese Cabinet has approved rules under which descendants of Jews expelled from Portugal more than 500 years ago can claim citizenship
- Many Sephardic Jews were killed, forced to convert to Christianity or leave at the end of the 15th Century.
- Parliament paved the way for a change in citizenship laws two years ago, but the move needed Cabinet approval.
- From now on, descendants of Sephardic Jews who can prove a strong link to Portugal can apply for a passport.
- Thousands of Sephardic Jews were forced off the Iberian peninsula, first from Spain and then from Portugal.
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International Affairs
- The Malaysian government has officially declared the disappearance of Malaysian Airline flight MH370 an accident and has said that there were no survivors.
- No trace of the Beijing-bound aircraft has been found since it disappeared on 8 March 2014.
- Officials said that the recovery operation is ongoing but that the 239 people on board are now presumed dead.
- Cuba has demanded the US hand back the Guantanamo Bay military base before relations with Washington are normalized.
- President Raul Castro also called for the lifting of the US trade embargo and Cuba's removal from a terror list.
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International Affairs
- Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today said that he wanted relations with India based on equality and mutual respect, values which are vital for peace in the region, a media report said.
- In a meeting with Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit in Islamabad, Mr. Sharif said that Pakistan longed for good relations with all countries, including India and desired to achieve peace in the region.
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International Affairs
- India has said that talks with Pakistan were not possible until Islamabad addresses concerns highlighted by New Delhi, including that of terrorism.
- Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan TCA Raghavan said that negotiations with Pakistan were not possible in a climate of terrorism.
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International Affairs
- China has offered to lift its strategic partnership with India to a “higher level,” and prompted New Delhi to avoid a “zero-sum trap” that was being set up by Washington and its allies.
- In a message, on the occasion of 66th Republic Day, to President Pranab Mukherjee, his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping expressed China’s willingness “to make concerted efforts with India to lift their strategic cooperative partnership oriented to peace and prosperity to a higher level”.
- Anti-austerity Syriza party has won Greece's general election, putting the country on a possible collision course with the EU over its massive bailout.
- Left-wing party leader Alexis Tsipras, who wants to renegotiate Greece's debt, said "the Greeks wrote history".
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International Affairs
- World Leprosy Day is being observed today.
- This Day is observed internationally on 26th January or its nearest Sunday to increase the public awareness of the Leprosy or Hansen's Disease, the oldest recorded diseased in the world.
- Obama's Visit to India
- US President Barack Obama arrived in India on historic 3-day visit today.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi received him at Palam airport with a handshake and a warm hug. He was accompanied by US ambassador Richard Verma.
- Obama, the first US President to be in India twice while in office, is visiting India on the invitation of Modi, who was until last year denied a visa to visit the US.
- Obama will also be the first US president present at Republic Day parade as a chief guest.
- India and the United States today reached "a breakthrough" on issues holding up their civil nuclear cooperation and agreed to move towards commercial cooperation of their landmark civil nuclear deal that was initialled by the then leaders of the two countries on July 18, 2005.
- US to support India's full membership of the four international export control regimes
- The two countries also decide to deepen defense cooperation.
- Both countries agreed to set up a hotline between their top leaders -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama.
- This is the first time that India and the US will have a hotline at the level of top leadership.
National Affairs
- The Fifth National Voters Day is being celebrated across the country today.
- The theme of this year is Easy Registration, Easy Correction.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi & US President Barack Obama will jointly address the nation in the next edition of Mann Ki Baat on All India Radio.
- The programme will be broadcast on 27th of January.
- Considering the growing penetration of Internet and smart phones, TRAI has introduced a Web-based application as well as an Android-based app for assessing customer perception of cellular services
- With this, mobile phone subscribers can give instant feedback on quality of services provided by operators to regulator Trai
- Operators will invite penalty if they fail to meet minimum service quality benchmarks set up TRAI.
- TRAI - Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
New Appointments
- Edgar Lungu has sworn in as Zambia’s new President.
- He is sixth president of Zambia.
People in News
- Bangladesh opposition leader Khaleda Zia has been charged by police of masterminding an arson attack on a bus that left 29 people injured, days after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the former premier could be put on trial for recent violence
- Telangana Deputy Chief Minister T. Rajaiah, who also holds the Health portfolio, has been sacked from the Cabinet in wake of adverse reports about his functioning and failure to take preventive measures in controlling swine flu in Telangana.
Awards & Honors
- Poet Arundhathi Subramaniam has won the inaugural Khushwant Singh Memorial Prize for Poetry
- He won this award for her work "When God is a Traveller".
- Wing Commander Pooja Thakur became the first woman to lead the
ceremonial Guard of Honour which was inspected by the U.S. President
Barack Obama at Rashtrapathi Bhavan
MOUs
- India has signed three Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) with the United States for building of smart cities in Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh) and Ajmer (Rajasthan).
- These memorandums were signed in the presence of Union Urban Development Minister, M Venkaiah Naidu and United States Trade Development Agency, USTDA Director, Leocadia I. Zak. Addressing the gathering, Mr Naidu said, the people of both countries are looking forward to work for the betterment of the world.
Awards & Honors
- Padma Awards announced; Padma Vibhushan for nine including L.K.Advani, Amitabh Bachchan and Dilip Kumar, 20 personalities to get Padma Bhushan and 75 Padma Shri. Check complete details from here.
Sports
- Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold Title 2015
- Men's Singles Winner : Parupalli Kashyap by defeating Kidambi Srikanth
- Women's Single : Saina Nehwal by defeating Carolina Marin (Spain)
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International Affairs
- US President Barack Obama has left for a three-day visit to India today's evening.
- The White House said that Obama will be accompanied by the First Lady Michelle Obama, and a delegation that will include several top officials.
- 1st Day :
- He is expected to touch down in Delhi at 10 am tomorrow at the Air Force Station, Palam.
- On his arrival, he will be accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhawan by President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- Thereafter, he will pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi at the Rajghat and participate in a tree planting event there.
- In the evening, he is scheduled to meet embassy personnel and families. He will then drive down to the Rashtrapati Bhawan to attend the state dinner with Mr Pranab Mukherjee.
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International Affairs
- The president of Yemen Mansour Hadi, has resigned today along with his
prime minister Khaled Bahah and cabinet in protest at the takeover of
the capital Sanaa by Shia Houthi rebels, creating a dangerous political
vacuum.
- In a stern message to Pakistan, US President Barack Obama has said that the safe havens of terrorism within that country are not acceptable and those behind the Mumbai attack, must face justice.
- Ahead of his visit to New Delhi, Obama said in an e-mail interview to an Indian Magazine in New Delhi, that US will keep working with India for a future that delivers greater security, prosperity and dignity for all people.
- Upbeat about his upcoming three-day visit to India whom he described as a "natural partner", Obama said he was proud to be the first US President to visit India twice.
- He also said that, he saw it as an opportunity to work with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make concrete progress and to hopefully begin a new era in the history between US and India.
- Ahead of US President Barack Obama's visit, India and the US today agreed to cooperate in the field of Information & Communications Technology and Electronics (ICTE) to facilitate, among others, the ambitious 'Digital India' programme aimed at transforming India into a digital-empowered society and knowledge economy.
- The relevant Joint Declaration of Intent for cooperation in the field of Information & Communications Technology and Electronics (ICTE) was signed by Secretary in the Department of Electronics and IT R.S. Sharma, and US Ambassador to India Richard Verma.
- The Intent will facilitate the 'Digital India' programme, electronic manufacturing, cyber security and several other such related fields between two countries.
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International Affairs
- In a bold move to curb homegrown insurgency, the Pakistan government has banned terror outfits Jamaat-ud-Dawa, which is led by Mumbai terror attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed, and the Afghan-based Haqqani network.
- The Nawaz Sharif government has asked authorities to freeze assets of Jamaat-ud-Dawa and the Haqqani network.
- The newly formed Sri Lankan government sets up a high powered committee to investigate corruption by previous Rajapaksa government.
- It is also planning to seek assistance from the Reserve Bank of India, the World Bank and the IMF to trace billions of dollars in ill-gotten wealth allegedly stashed abroad by persons close to former president Mahinda Rajapaksa.
- In Yemen, rebels reach a deal with President Mansour Haadi to end the standoff in the capital Sanaa.
- The agreement promised to give the rebel Houthi movement more say in the affairs of the Arab world's poorest country in exchange for the group removing its fighters from President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi's home.
- In the deal, the Houthis also agreed to release a top aide to Hadi that they had kidnapped in recent days.
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International Affairs
- The UN Security Council today condemned an Attack by Huthi rebels on Yemen's presidential palace and voiced strong support for President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi.
- The Shiite militia fighters known as the Huthis earlier attacked the presidential complex and Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi's residence in an apparent bid to overthrow the embattled government.
- French security forces will get better weapons and protection to fight terror and the country will hire 2,600 new counter-terrorism officers, Prime Minister Manuel Valls announced on Wednesday.
- Mr. Valls said the government will spend 425 million euros on counter-terrorism over three years in response to the Paris attacks. Three police were among those killed by the gunmen.
- Global business school INSEAD has released the 2014 edition of its Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI) in Davos, Switzerland.
- India has been ranked 78th globally in terms of talent competitiveness of its human capital, which shows a shortage of skilled workforce in the country.
- Switzerland has topped the list of 93 countries, followed by Singapore and Luxembourg in second and third places, respectively.
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International Affairs
- The EU (European Union) today decided to lift a seven-month-long ban on the import of mangoes from India after the world's biggest producer made significant improvements in plant health controls and certification system, clearing the way for them to return to the 28-member bloc by March.
- A European Commission committee meeting in Brussels voted to lift the ban on mangoes today.
- However, the prohibition on the import of vegetables from India will be reviewed at later stage after collecting more evidence, the EU said in a statement.
- The Union Minister for Finance, Corporate Affairs and Information & Broadcasting, Arun Jaitley held a bi-lateral meeting with The Finance Minister of Germany, Mr. Wolfgang Schauble, who is on a two-day India visit, to enhance bilateral economic relations.
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International Affairs
- The 8th version of 4 day World Future Energy Summit 2015 has begun in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
- This summit is Middle East’s largest gathering on future energy and one that drives actionable solutions to the world’s energy challenges.
- WFES 2015 will attract upwards of 30,000 delegates from 170 different countries, representing expertise from industry, technology, finance and government.
- Hosted by : Masdar (Abu Dhabi's renewable energy company)
- Bee’ah, Middle East’s leading award-winning fully integrated environmental and waste management company, announced its new, state-of-the-art and eco-friendly headquarters during the first day of the summit.
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International Affairs
- The Islamic State (IS) militant group has freed at least 200 members of the Yazidi religious community in northern Iraq.
- IS attacked the Yazidi minority community in Iraq last year, killing and abducting thousands of people.
- An early estimate of their numbers was put at 350, but later reports said there were some 200 in the group.
- Diplomats from Iran and six world powers gathered in the Swiss city
of Geneva today to hold talks on Tehran’s peaceful nuclear program
at the deputy ministerial level.
- The meeting between Iran and the P5+1 group, comprising the permanent members of the UN Security Council (UNSC)- China, France, Russia, Britain and the US - and Germany, began today's morning.
- The negotiations were focused on bilateral engagements between the US and Iran during the past four days, which started with talks between the US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad-Javad Zarif Wednesday.
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International Affairs
- Japanese foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, who is on a two day visit to India, said today that synergies between the 'Abenomic' of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Modinomics of Prime-Minister Narendra Modi will help India becoming an economic hub in the Indo-pacific region.
- He also said that the Japan will contribute to the 'Make in India' initiative so as to support India in becoming a base of economic growth for the Indo-Pacific region and ultimately for the world.
- A high alert has been sounded in Europe following anti-terror raids and arrests of suspected militants.
- Security has been tightened in several European countries after last week’s attacks in Paris which left 17 people dead.
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International Affairs
- Pakistan decides to ban 12 terror outfits including the Jamaat-ud Dawa (JuD), a front for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba, as well as the Haqqani network.
- The move is seen as part of its renewed anti-terror efforts in the wake of last month's Peshawar school attack.
- The decision also comes a day after the US State Department declared Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan chief Mullah Fazlullah, sheltered in Afghanistan, a "specially designated global terrorist" on Islamabad's insistence.
- Last year the State Department had named JuD as a "foreign terrorist organization".
- India, along with the US, has been long demanding to ban Hafiz Muhammad Saeed-led JuD, which is accused of masterminding the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
National Affairs
- Addressing a consultative workshop on urban governance organized for the municipal commissioners of nine states and union territories in New Delhi today, Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said, his Ministry is currently working on a city challenge framework with the objective of selecting right city candidates for participation in schemes, such as, building 100 smart cities and development of 500 cities and towns.
- He said, all cities and towns seeking to participate in these schemes will be profiled based on specific parameters that have a bearing on their ability to address issues of governance reforms, resource mobilisation and execution.
- To avoid shortage of foodgrains once all states implement the food law, government today approved raising buffer stock and strategic reserve limits of Food Corporation of India for both wheat and rice.
- The censor board has given clearance to MSG: The Messenger of God featuring the controversial self-styled guru Ram Rahim Singh.
- Earlier, the censor board had objected to the film's release fearing it would cause communal tension and had also raised objections on the content of the movie and the manner in which the Singh projected himself as a ‘Godman’.
People in News
- Chairperson of Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) Leela Samson has resigned.
- She resigned after FCAT cleared the controversial film Messenger of God featuring Dera Saccha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in lead role.
- The Censor Board headed by Ms. Samson had earlier denied the clearance certificate to the film saying that the movie depicts Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh as a God.
- FCAT - Film Certification Appellate Tribunal
- New Chief Election Commissioner of India H S Brahma assumes charge
- He is the 19th Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India.
- He said his priority and "mission objective" is to ensure free and fair conduct of Delhi Assembly polls.
Visitors
- Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida reaches New Delhi on 3-day India visit.
- He will attend Indo-Japan Strategic Dialogue meeting
Deaths
- Veteran Gandhian and freedom fighter Ghelubhai Naik (90) passed away in Dangs district of Gujarat.
Awards & Honors
- Jammu and Kashmir has bagged the National Award 2014-15 for e-Governance for the best district-level initiative in the country.
- The BJP Government in Haryana has appointed Yoga Guru Ramdev as it's brand ambassador.
- The state has ambitious plans to promote yoga and ayurveda in a big way.
Business & Economy
- The new guidelines from RBI allow banks to act as brokers and permitting them to sell insurance policies from different insurance companies
- Seeking to increase insurance penetration in the country, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has allowed banks to act as brokers for insurers, set up their own subsidiaries and also undertake referral services for multiple companies.
- Banks have also been allowed to set up subsidiaries and joint venture companies for undertaking insurance business with risk participation, the central bank added.
- The Government today hiked excise duty on petrol and diesel by 2 rupees per litre.
- A Finance Ministry notification said, the excise duty hike will be effective from midnight tonight.
- However, it will have no impact on the current prices of petrol and diesel and their prices will remain unchanged.
- This is the fourth increase in excise duty on the two fuels since November last year.
- The excise duty hike will result in about 20 thousand crore rupees in additional revenue this fiscal and will help the government meet its fiscal deficit target of 4.1 per cent of the GDP.
Science & Technology
- Britain's infamous "Beagle 2" spacecraft, once dubbed "a heroic failure" by the nation's Astronomer Royal, has been found on Mars - 11 years after it went missing searching for extraterrestrial life.
- Beagle 2, part of the European Space Agency's Mars Express mission, had been due to land on Mars on Christmas Day 2003, but went missing on December 19, 2003. Until now, nothing had been heard from it since then.
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International Affairs
- India and the United States are expected to sign Memoranda of Understanding on cancer research and Ebola control when U.S. President Barack Obama arrives here later this month.
- Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare - J.P. Nadda
- The world’s newest jetliner, the Airbus A350, began first commercial flight today carrying its first paying passengers from the Gulf Arab nation of Qatar.
- It marks the debut of the relatively lightweight, twin-aisle, long-range plane, which promises to connect smaller cities with major aviation hubs nonstop at a cheaper cost for airlines.
- The A350 is the third and final major new aircraft in a decade.
- First there was the double-decker Airbus A380 (world’s largest passenger jet) and second was Boeing 787.
- A U.S. federal district judge has dismissed the case brought by the American Justice Center, a human rights group, against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for his alleged role in the 2002 anti-Muslim pogrom in Gujarat, at a time when he was the was the Chief Minister of the state.
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International Affairs
- Japan's cabinet has approved a record 4.98 trillion yen (£28bn, $42bn) budget for defense spending, amid a long-running maritime dispute with China.
- The new budget represents a 2.8% rise from the previous fiscal year. It marks the third year of increased spending after a decade of cuts.
- Defence Minister - Gen Nakatani
- France's lower house of Parliament today overwhelmingly approved extending French airstrikes against the Islamic State group in Iraq.
- The vote came after France's worst terrorist attacks in decades. Last week in Paris, a man claiming allegiance to the Islamic State group killed four people in a kosher grocery and a policewoman, while two brothers that he knew for years claimed ties to al-Qaida in Yemen as they killed 12 people at a newspaper office.
- Yemen’s al-Qaeda branch today claimed responsibility for last week’s deadly attack on a Paris satirical newspaper, with one of its top commanders saying the assault was in revenge for the weekly’s publications of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, considered an insult in Islam.
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International Affairs
- The Twitter and YouTube accounts for the U.S. military command that oversees operations in the Middle East were hacked today by people claiming to be sympathetic toward the Islamic State militant group being targeted in American bombing raids.
- "American soldiers, we are coming, watch your back, ISIS," the hackers posted on the U.S. Central Command Twitter feed, using an acronym for the hardline Islamist group, which has taken control of parts of Syria and Iraq.
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International Affairs
- France is mobilising 10,000 troops to boost security after last week's deadly attacks, and will send thousands of police to protect Jewish schools.
- It is the first time troops have been deployed within France on such a scale.
- Defense Minister - Jean-Yves Le Drian
- The Army school in Peshawar, Pakistan, where more than 140 people, mostly children were killed last month, reopened today.
- Pupils and teachers pray for the victims of the Taliban attack.
- Israel has announced that the country is going to open centres of excellence for farmers in India to encourage research in agriculture sector.
- Israel's Agriculture Minister - Yair Shamir
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