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Showing posts with label
November 2014 Current Affairs updates.
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Showing posts with label
November 2014 Current Affairs updates.
Show all posts
National Affairs
- One of India's Greatest Scientist, Shri J C Bose's 156th Birth Anniversary today.
- Railways Minster Suresh Prabhu has said that more women security personnel will be engaged for escorting trains.
- He stressed the need for better coordination between Railways and State Police in investigation and control over crimes.
- India's populous cities Mumbai and Kolkata are most vulnerable to loss of life and property due to flooding in the second half of the century, the government has said quoting a United Nations report ahead of a key global climate conference in Lima, Peru.
- The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned against extreme weather events like occurrence of heatwave, heavy precipitation, droughts, floods, cyclones and wildfire that cause damage to ecosystems and human systems in various regions, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi today announced that his government would utilise land transfer agreement with Bangladesh in a manner that although it might seem to be an immediate loss to Assam, it serves the longterm security interests of the State.
- Pitching for 'SMART' policing, Prime Minister Narendra Modi
today said intelligence gathering is the most vital aspect of the
security essentials of the country which must honour its police martyrs
and ensure welfare of police personnel.
- He said, by 'SMART' policing, he meant S for strict but sensitive, M
for modern and mobile, A for alert and accountable, R for reliable and
responsive and T for techno-savvy and trained.
- He stressed that security of the nation does not depend on arms but on intelligence gathering.
- Centre working on a scheme to recruit youth from North-East in Delhi Police, he said.
- The use of a bicycle pump to conduct laparoscopic tubectomy on 56 women at a sterilization camp organized by local authorities at Banarpal village, about 150 km from Bhubaneswar, has triggered public outrage in the area.
- Although the surgeon defended the procedure saying that the use of such pumps was not new, it angered the local residents.
- The government has ordered a probe into the incident.
Awards & Honors
- 45th International Film Festival of India concludes today
- Russian Film "LEVIATHAN" (directed by Andrey Zvyaginstev) bags the Golden Peacock Award
- Marathi feature film "EK HAZARACHI NOTE" (directed by Shrihari Sathe) wins special Jury Award and Special centinary Award.
- 'Leviathan' star Alexel Serebriakov shared the best actor award with Dulal Sarkar of 'Chotoder Chobi'.
- The best actress award was shared by Cuban actress Arina Rodriguez and Israeli actress Sarit Larry
- Both played teachers in their respective films.
- The award for best director went to Nadaf Lapid for 'The Kindgarten Teacher'.
- The Lifetime Achievement award was presented to Hong-Kong filmmaker Wong Kar-wai, known for his films like 'In the Mood for Love', 'Ashes of Time' and 'Chungking Express'.
Science & Technology
- Minister for Communications and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad has said that 750,000 km of cable is proposed to be laid over next three and a half years to provide broadband in every village of the country.
- 40-seater Bio-Bus, the United Kingdom’s first bus powered entirely by human and food waste, has gone into service between Bristol and Bath.
- Engineers believe the bus could provide a sustainable way of fueling public transport — cutting emissions in polluted towns and cities.
- Coins featuring the face of Alexander the Great have been found at the largest tomb ever unearthed in Greece
People in News
- Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Chief Dilip Trivedi today retired from service, government yet to name successor.
- US police officer Darren Wilson, who fatally shot unarmed black teenager Michael Brown, triggering nationwide riots, has resigned.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi has slipped to the second place in the Time magazine's 'Person of the Year' poll with the Ferguson protesters surging ahead of him in a vote by the readers.
- Joshua Wong, face of the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement, is placed third.
- Nobel Peace prize winner Malala Yousafzai (5.3 per cent) and Russian President Vladimir Putin are placed fourth and fifth respectively.
- Bollywood actresses Priyanka Chopra and Freida Pinto
today launched a multi-level global campaign, ‘Girl Rising’, which
includes a documentary film featuring the two stars and seven other
Bollywood actresses, to spread awareness about importance of girls’
education.
Deaths
- Veenapani Chawla (67), an acclaimed theatre personality and founder of the Adishakti Laboratory for Theatre Arts and Research, passed away.
Sports
- Indian shuttler P V Sindhu wins Macau Open Grand Prix Gold.
- India remain 6th while Pakistan dropped a place to 4th in the latest ICC Test rankings released in Dubai today.
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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.
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International Affairs
- Ending months-long deadlock, the WTO today approved a trade facilitation pact while agreeing to India's demand for continuing the peace clause till a permanent solution is found to the food stockpiling issue, crucial for continuing food security scheme.
National Affairs
- 24x7 All India Security Helpline for Train Passengers is Operational Now.
- An All India Security Helpline ‘1800-111-322’ has been operational at railway Board to enable passengers to seek security related assistance round the clock.
- On vulnerable and identified routes/section, on an average 1300 trains are escorted by Railway Protection Force (RPF) daily, in addition to 2200 trains escorted by Government Railway police of difference states daily. All the ladies special trains running in metropolitan cities are being escorted by lady RPF constables to ensure proper security to the lady passengers.
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International Affairs
- 18th SAARC summit concludes in Nepal today.
- Next summit will be held at Pakistan
- SAARC
countries today managed to salvage their summit by agreeing to a
last-minute deal to trade electricity among them after Pakistan
torpedoed proposals for greater regional connectivity which India and
other countries of the bloc were pushing for.
- Foreign Ministers of all the eight
countries signed the framework agreement on cooperation in power sector
which will ensure electricity trading through grid connectivity but the
two pacts on motor vehicle and railways could not be inked following
resistance by Pakistan.
- The World Health Organisation (WHO) suspends operations in Pakistan's Balochistan province after the murder of four polio workers.
- Saudi Arabia today beheaded a Pakistani for heroin smuggling, bringing the number of Pakistanis executed in the country since mid-October to nine.
- The oil-rich Gulf state saw the third highest number of executions in the world last year after Iran and Iraq, according to Amnesty International whose figures did not include China.
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International Affairs
- 18th SAARC Summit begins in Kathmandu today
- India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka to participate
- India says, its vision for SAARC rests on five pillars of trade, investment, assistance, cooperation and contacts between the people.
- PM Narendra Modi holds structured meetings with Heads of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Maldives.
- Pakistan stalled the inking of SAARC connectivity agreements, including motor vehicle pact, saying it was yet to complete its “internal process”, notwithstanding other countries, including India and Sri Lanka, who have been strongly pitching for strengthening the people-to-people contact and movement of goods in the region.
- India will soon set up a smart fencing mechanism along Pakistan and Bangladesh Border, BSF Director General DK Pathak said today.
- This is as part of an over 4,500-crore rupees modernization plan being implemented by Border Security Force to plug loopholes in the porous and unfenced borders along Pakistan and Bangladesh.
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National Affairs
- The government today launched the 'Swachh Bharat Kosh', a fund that will be utilized to build toilets in schools, rural and urban areas to achieve the objective of cleanliness across the country
- The Rajya Sabha has passed labour law amendment bill to bring about transparency in recruitment process.
- Draft Bill for amending the Citizenship (Amendment) Act is expected to be brought to the Cabinet for approval soon.
- The Bill will enable merger of the Person of Indian Origin, PIO and
Overseas Citizenship of India, OCI schemes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi
had made a number of announcements for PIOs and OCIs recently.
- In another major initiative, Visa-on-Arrival and Electronic Travel
Authorization will be launched in respect of 43 countries on Thursday.
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International Affairs
- Bangladesh's Supreme Court today cleared the way for the trial of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia on corruption charges, rejecting appeals filed by her.
- World Bank warns that Climate change could undermine efforts to defeat extreme poverty around the globe.
National Affairs
- 333rd anniversary of the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur observed today
- Polling for first phase of assembly election in Jammu Kashmir and Jharkhand to be held tomorrow.
- Chhattisgarh High Court has directed the state government to hold camps in villages across the state to seize medicines that were banned following the death of 15 women at botched sterilizations in Bilaspur district.
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International Affairs
- The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) today said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to Kathmandu for the 18th SAARC Summit will focus on enhancement of connectivity and people-to-people contact.
- For the first time, former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has said what he has hinted at for years: that Pakistan’s leadership had demanded in bilateral meetings that India reduce its presence and aid projects in Afghanistan.
- Tunisians voted today in their first presidential election since the 2011 revolution that sparked the Arab Spring, in a ballot set to round off an often fraught transition to democracy.
- The SAARC committee today decided to dissolve three regional centres, including one in India, and merge four others to end the duplication of work and reduce its budget.
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International Affairs
- A day-long joint secretary-level meeting began at Khatmandu today to set the agenda for the 18th SAARC Summit and give final touches to the Kathmandu Declaration.
- The 18th South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) Summit will be held in Kathmandu, Nepal on 26th November 2014.
- This is the first time Kathmandu is hosting the summit in 12 years.
- The theme this year is, 'Deeper Integration for peace and prosperity'.
- The United Nations has adopted the first-ever resolution calling on governments to stop child marriages, despite misgivings from countries who had hoped to include sex education as key to preventing the practice.
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National Affairs
- Government will provide free online education to all in the country and it is taking steps in this direction.
- Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani said that all government and University libraries will be digitized so that free education could be possible for all the people.
- Karnataka Government has planned to free the state from open defecation by 2018.
- To achieve this, the government has envisaged mega toilet building programme.
- The Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj H K Patil informed that 50 lakh toilets have to be built to end open defecation.
- Out of which the plan is to build 10 lakh toilets by March next year.
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International Affairs
- Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa today declared snap Presidential election to seek a record third term.
- Rajapaksa became eligible to call an election on Wednesday after completing the mandatory four years in his second term.
- A female Chihuahua named Frida, has won her first political office, being named Mayor of San Francisco for a day as part of a campaign to support the city's animal shelter.
- Last November, San Francisco transformed itself into the fictional Gotham City so that a little boy could celebrate his win against cancer by becoming "Bat Kid" for the day.
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International Affairs
- Today (19th November 2014) is World Toilet Day
- This day is observed by the United Nations to raise awareness about all people who do not have access to a toilet - despite it is their basic right.
- Of the world’s seven billion people, 2.5 billion people do not have improved sanitation and 1 billion people still defecate in the open.
- India has highest no of people practising open defecation at 597 mln,says UN which adds political will at highest level needed to address it
- Bangladesh has handed over a list of 51 criminals, 10 militants and 41 others to a National Investigation Agency (NIA) from India.
- These criminals are believed to be hiding in India.
- This list includes JMB chief Sohel Mahfuz, Anwarul Islam Faruque alias Jamai Faruque, Bomaru Mizan, Salehin, Tariqul Islam, Maulana Taj and Maulana Yahiya, said a source in Rab.
- India and Fiji today signed three agreements to strengthen bilateral relations.
- Seeking stronger engagement with the Pacific Islands, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 5 million dollar fund to promote small business and village enterprises and a 70 million dollar line of credit to Fiji for setting up a power plant.
- He also announced a visa on arrival for Fijians and assistance projects that included a parliament library and doubling the scholarships and training slots in India for people from this country.
- Sri Lanka has released five Indians who were given the death sentence after being convicted for smuggling drugs into the country.
Awards & Honors
- Indian American Neha Gupta wins 2014 International Children's Peace Prize.
- The award is widely accepted as the most prestigious international award a young person can win.
- She honored with this award for her exceptional work to raise money for orphans and other vulnerable children.
- Along with the prize, a €100,000 grant will be given to projects closely associated with Neha’s area of dedication.
- The list of projects includes opening libraries, developing paths to health care, and promoting education.
- Netherlands
King Willem-Alexander, former archbishop and Nobel Peace Prize winner
Desmond Tutu and Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai presented
Neha Gupta with her award during a ceremony at The Hague, Netherlands.
National Affairs
- Indian Freedom Fighter Rani Laxmi Bai's 186th Birth Anniversary today.
- Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda chaired an inter-ministerial meeting today to review the situation arising out of Ebola Virus disease outbreak in West Africa.
- Health Ministry issued directions to strengthen preparedness and response management for this disease.
- Centre has clarified that it is not considering any proposal to reduce the age limit for civil service aspirants.
- The announcement came against the backdrop of news reports which suggested that the Modi government will implement the previous UPA regime's decision to bring down the upper age limit by four years.
- Instead of reducing the age limit, the government has already announced that civil service aspirants, who may have lost out due to changes in the exam pattern, will get two additional attempts.
- Self-styled ‘godman’ Baba Rampal was tonight arrested from his ashram, ending an over two-week tense standoff between his supporters and the police after close to 15,000 of his followers were evacuated from the sprawling premises.
- He will produced in a Hisar court tomorrow.
- The Karnataka High Court today allowed continuation of controversial “Made Snana” ritual in its traditional form at Kukke Subramanyaswami temple at Subramanya till the court decided constitutional validity of the ritual.
- Made Snana is a ritual in which devotees roll over the food leftover in the leaves in which priests ate.
Business & Economy
- Revamping its nearly two-decade old regulations on insider trading, SEBI today approved stricter norms, including new definition for connected people, to prevent the menace.
- The auction of first lot of coal blocks, whose allotment was cancelled by the Supreme Court, will start on February 11 and mines will be allotted only to specified end-users, government announced today.
- The government will also ensure that power tariffs will not increase after the auction coal blocks, whose allocation were cancelled by the apex court terming the allotment of 204 mines since 1993 as "arbitrary and illegal".
Science & Technology
- Scientists at European Organization of Nuclear Research announced that they have discovered two new subatomic particles never seen before that could widen our understanding of the universe.
- Micro-blogging site Twitter has launched a search engine to help users search through tweets.
- According to a report by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and IMRB International, The number of people online in India is forecast to touch 302 million or 30.2 crore by end of this year, overtaking the U.S. as the second-largest Internet market in the world.
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International Affairs
- Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is dissolving the lower house of Japan's parliament and calling for new elections in December (two years ahead of schedule), a move that came just a day after data showed the nation's economy had shrunk for the second consecutive quarter.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi has concluded his 5-day visit to Australia, during which he attended the G-20 Summit and held talks with his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott.
- He presented the Man Singh Trophy, a prized possession of Sikh regiment battalions, to his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott at the War Memorial to commemorate his visit.
- He describes Australia as a vital partner in India's quest for progress and prosperity;
- Australian Prime Minister Tony Abott says two countries will have Free Trade deal by the end of next year.
- Today he left for Fiji's capital Suva on a special Indian Air Force plane.
- He will hold talks with his Fijian counterpart Frank Bainimarama tomorrow.
- He is India's first premier to visit the Pacific country, after Indira Gandhi, who made a visit in 1981.
- The Church of England today broke with a centuries-old tradition by paving the way for the appointment of female bishops.
National Affairs
- Justice Nanavati Commission has handed over its final report on 2002 Gujarat riots to Chief Minister Anandiben Patel today.
- Though, the findings of final report have not been officially disclosed, according to sources, it has given clean chit to then Chief Minsiter Narendra Modi.
- Earlier, the Commission had already handed over its interim report to then Chief Minister Narendra Modi in September 2008, which was later tabled in the state assembly.
- The earlier interim report was related to introduction, proceedings, evidence and findings that led to setting on fire some coaches of Sabarmati Express Train near Godhra Railway Station, while the final reports is covering the violence incidents that took place after Godhra train carnage.
- In Haryana, supporters of self styled Godman Rampal fired on police; Some media persons injured;
- Rampal has been charged with interfering in judicial proceedings during the hearing of a case in the Hisar sessions court.
- With Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday giving the government time till Friday to produce Rampal in contempt of court case, the police tried to arrest him today. Then his supporters have indulged in clashes with police.
- Punjab Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal has approved a plan of 20 Crore rupees to construct separate toilets for boys and girls in all government schools of the state by March next year.
- He has also urged all the members of parliament to contribute 50 lakh rupees each from their local area development (MPLAD) fund for the Government Schools in their respective constituency
MOUs
- Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency, IREDA and US-Exim Bank today signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation on clean energy investment.
- US Exim Bank will provide one billion dollar medium and long-term loans to finance US technologies, products and services utilized during commercial development activities within the clean energy sector by IREDA.
Science & Technology
- For the fourth consecutive year, China has retained the top spot in the list of the world's fastest supercomputers for its Tianhe-2
- India successfully test-fires indigenously
developed surface-to-air ‘Akash’ missile from the Integrated Test Range
(ITR) at Chandipur off Odisha coast.
- The missile was test-fired from launch complex number three of the ITR at 3.22, this afternoon.
Business & Economy
- Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Communication Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad relaunched the Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) investment scheme today to tap household savings for funding infrastructure development in the country and to lure them away from ponzi schemes.
- Here are some important points you should know about the Kisan Vikas Patra
- The amount invested in Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) would get doubled in 100 months or eight years and four months. This means KVPs would be giving a return of 8.7 per cent annually. This is in line with 8.70 per cent per annum interest rate offered by another popular savings instrument public provident fund (PPF).
- Investors would not get any tax benefit for their investment in Kisan Vikas Patra unlike in PPF.
- The Kisan Vikas Patra certificates would be available in the denominations of Rs 1,000, 5,000, 10,000 and 50,000 and there is no upper limit on investment in KVPs.
- Kisan Vikas Patra certificates can be encashed after a lock-in period of 30 months or 2 years and 6 months. Thereafter, investors can withdraw in any block of six months.
- Kisan Vikas Patra certificates can be issued in single or joint names and can be transferred from one person to any other person/persons, multiple times.
- The facility of transfer from one post office to another anywhere in India and of nomination will be available.
- Kisan Vikas Patra certificates can also be pledged as security to avail loans from the banks.
- Money to double in 8 years 4 months
- Initially, the Kisan Vikas Patra certificates will be sold through post offices, but later on they will be made available to the through designated branches of nationalised banks.
- Kisan Vikas Patra savings scheme was originally launched in 1988. The maturity period of the scheme when launched was five and half years and the money invested doubled on maturity.
- Kisan Vikas Patra was very popular among the investors and the percentage share of gross collections secured in KVP was in the range of 9 per cent to 29 per cent against the total collections received under all National Savings Schemes in the country. Gross collections under Kisan Vikas Patra in 2010-11 were Rs. 21631.16 crore which was 9 per cent of the total gross collections during the year.
- Kisan Vikas Patra scheme was withdrawn in 2011.
- In a major decision, the Bihar cabinet today approved Rs 337 crore cement plant planned by Shree Cement Limited in Aurangabad district of the state.
Sports
- Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar was declared the winner of the
Col. C.K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement trophy while Bhuvneshwar Kumar
was adjudged the best international cricketer for the eight annual BCCI
Awards, which will be given away on November 21st.
- India's chief hockey coach Terry Walsh quit from his position after his contractual talks with Hockey India and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) broke down.
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International Affairs
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed Indian Community in Sydney
- He assured a visa on arrival facility for Australian tourists and announced a two-month deadline for the long-pending merger of OCI and PIO status to woo the Indian diaspora from whom he sought support for his ambitious Clean India campaign.
National Affairs
- Nation Paid Tributes to great Indian freedom fighter Lala Lajpat Rai (28 January 1865 – 17 November 1928) on his death anniversary.
- He was popularly known as Punjab Kesari (The Lion of Punjab) also known as "Sher-E- Punjab" in Punjabi.
- He was the founder of Punjab National Bank.
- Delhi Metro is one of the six Indian projects to feature in the prestigious "Infrastructure 100: World Markets Report" compiled by the reputed international accounting firm KPMG.
- Yoga exponent Ramdev Baba has been provided with Z-category security by the central government taking into account his "vulnerability to attacks from his opponents".
- The Supreme Court grants 4 more weeks to CBI, to collect details about all registered NGOs, in the country and whether they file balance sheets before the authorities.
- A bench comprising Chief Justice H L Dattu and Justice A K Sikri asked the probe agency to write to the chief secretaries of the states which are not providing the details despite the court order in this regard.
- The court in July had granted three more months to CBI to provide details about all registered NGOs.
- The Department of Personnel and Training, DoPT, has issued an order including autism in the category for disabled children.
- The order says the government employees who have children suffering from autism will be exempted from routine transfers and they will not be asked to take voluntary retirement on refusing such postings.
Awards & Honors
- The Assam government has presented the First State Bravery Award to Gunjan Sarma in Guwahati today.
- The
15 year old Gunjan, a resident of Sivsagar district has been selected
for the first ever bravery award for showing exemplary courage in saving
lives of 10 children from her school who was taken hostage by a gunman
on December 4.
- The brave girl volunteered to be taken hostage by a
gunman but later left abandoned at dense forest along the Assam-
Nagaland border.
- Renowned classical vocalist Pandit Jasraj conferred
with Sumitra Charat Ram Award for Lifetime Achievement by I&B
Minister Arun Jaitley.
Business & Economy
- In view of popular demand, the government will tomorrow relaunch saving instrument Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP), wherein the invested money will get doubled in 8 years and 4 months.
- The KVP, which will be relaunched by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, will be available in the denomination of Rs 1,000; 5,000; 10,000 and 50,000. There will be no upper ceiling on investment.
- Over 71 million bank accounts have been opened through the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana so far in the villages in India and the money deposited amounts to Rs.5,000 crore, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in Sydney in his address at the Allphones Arena today.
- The Adani group’s proposed plan to build a 7 billion dollar coal mine was cleared by Australia’s Queensland state, which also announced a major investment in rail infrastructure to support the Indian conglomerate’s mega project.
Sports
- Indian batsman Suresh Raina today joined the Hockey India League (HIL) franchise team, Uttar Pradesh Wizards, as its co-owner.
- The Supreme Court-appointed Justice Mukul Mudgal Committee, which investigated the allegations of spot fixing and betting in the 2013 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), gave clean chit to sidelined BCCI Chief N. Srinivasan.
- The report said that Srinivasan's son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan was involved in betting.
- World champions India consolidated its top rank on the ICC ODI Team Rankings after sweeping the series against Sri Lanka, which concluded in Ranchi.
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International Affairs
- Today (16th November 2014) is the International Day for Tolerance & Peace.
- Declared by UNESCO in 1995 to generate public awareness of the dangers of intolerance.
- G-20 summit concludes with a commitment to work for economic growth and to strengthen global institutions.
- In a communique, G-20 pledges to enhance the group's GDP by additional two percent; targets adding more than two trillion dollars to the global economy to create job opportunities. Strong measures to reduce global average cost of transferring remittances to five per cent also committed.
- Russia faces criticism from Western leaders for role in Ukraine crisis.
- PM Narendra Modi unveils Mahatma Gandhi's Statue in Brisbane (Australia).
- United Arab Emirates (UAE) bans 5 Pakistan-based outfits among 86 terror groups, including the dreaded Haqqani network and the LeT.
National Affairs
- Nation pays tributes to Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha (24 May 1896 – 16 November 1915), a national martyr on his 99th martyrdom.
- He was executed in Lahore central jail on November 16th, 1915. Kartar Singh was member of Gadhar party whose aim was to get freedom for the country in the early years of 20th century.
- He was only 19, when he attained martyrdom for his role in the national movement.
- Today is National Press Day
- In consonance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Digital India' project, the New Delhi Municipal Council today launched Public Wi-Fi services in Connaught Place, the business hub of New Delhi.
- It will cover about 4.5 Square kilometer inner and outer circle of the area.
- The visitors can avail the facility by filling in details like email ID and mobile number.
- After the free usage time is exhausted, they will have to conduct a recharge using scratch cards which will be available at various shops in the market area.
- Punjab government has ordered intensive vigil on the functioning of the ultrasound centres to keep a check on the female foeticide and infanticide in the state.
- Health and Family Welfare Minister of Punjab, Mr. Surjit Kumar Jayani today issued directions to all the Health officers including the Civil Surgeons to keep an eye on the ultra sound centres allegedly indulging in sex determination tests.
- Government has initiated a move to bring a bill in Parliament to make marriage laws more women friendly and allow both parties to file for divorce on the ground of irretrievable breakdown of marriage.
- The Law Ministry has circulated a draft Cabinet note on Marriage Laws (Amendment) Bill for inter-ministerial consultations.
- Gujarat government announces incentives to boost Information Technology sector; Targets one billion dollar turnover in IT Sector in next five years.
- With a view to prevent fleecing of foreign tourists and creating a safe and secure environment for them, Tourism Ministry is set to roll out red carpet at airports to receive guests with garlands in a true 'Atithi Deva Bhavo' style.
- A comprehensive plan is being worked out to provide end-to-end service to overseas tourists, new Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma said.
- For the first time in India's history, a special squad of women troops has been deployed deep inside jungles of Jharkhand and Chattisgarh to undertake active and prolonged operations against Maoists.
MOUs
- India and Nepal are likely to sign an agreement for the construction of a 900 MW power project and another one for starting a direct bus service between Kathmandu and New Delhi during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the upcoming SAARC summit at Khatmandu.
Deaths
- Ian Craig, Australia's youngest Test cricket captain, has died aged 79.
People in News
- Cricketer and MP Sachin Tendulkar adopted a remote village Puttamraju Kandriga in Nellore district of coastal Andhra Pradesh.
Science & Technology
- Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch Aditya in 2017, its first satellite aimed at studying the sun.
- The satellite will be placed 1.5 million km away from the earth, at the Langrangian point of the Sun-Earth system.
- Commercial operations of the first 1,000 MW unit of Kudankulam nuclear power project is expected to start by January 22, 2015, as an earlier deadline could not be met due to technical problems.
Sports
- China Open 2014
- Kidambi Srikanth beat home favorite Lin Dan of China to record the biggest win in his career and win the prestigious China Open Super Series men's singles title 2014
- Indian badminton star Saina Nehwal beat Japan's Akane Yamaguchi to win the China Open Women's singles Title 2014
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National Affairs
- The union government today launched a modified scheme for direct transfer of subsidy benefits to domestic users of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
- The scheme, launched across 54 districts in 11 states including all in Kerala in the first phase, this will be extended to rest of the country by 1 January 2015.
- The NDA government was framing a new education policy to remove existing loopholes and give maximum and easy access to better education to all sections of the society, Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani said today.
- The Kerala government today moved the Supreme Court seeking its direction for lowering the water level in Mullaperiyar dam which has risen to 140 feet and order Tamil Nadu government to frame guidelines for releasing water.
- President Pranab Mukherjee will visit Vrindavan tomorrow to lay the foundation stone for building Lord Krishna's 'Chandrodaya' temple.
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International Affairs
- Today (14th November) is World Diabetes Day.
- International Diabetes Federation (IDF) has warned that the number of diabetes cases are soaring.
- It has predicted that the situation may worsen in the gulf countries with a decadent lifestyle and bad nutrition.
- After concluding his three-day Myanmar trip, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today reached Brisbane, Australia.
- Here, Modi will attend the G20 summit over the next two days and meet several world leaders, before participating in bilateral engagements with the Australian government.
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National Affairs
- The Chilika lake in Odisha has been declared as 'Destination Flyway' by the United Nation's World Tourism Organization.
- The chief executive of Chilika Development Authority Ajit Kumar Pattnaik informed that the lake has been accorded the tag by the UN body because of its natural treasure and bio-diversity.
- Sangeet Natak Academy, a national level academy for performing arts set up by the Government of India, has conferred classical status on 8 dance forms of India. Those are
- Bharatanatyam, Tamil Nadu
- Kathak, North India
- Kathakali, Kerala
- Kuchipudi, Andhra Pradesh
- Manipuri, Manipur
- Mohiniattam, Kerala
- Odissi, Odisha
- Sattriya,Assam
- Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and Samajwadi Party leader Ram
Gopal Yadav and ten political leaders were today elected unopposed to
Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
- Chhattisgarh government has suspended the sale of six drugs used in tubectomies in the government - organized sterilization camps in Bilaspur district which claimed the lives of 13 women.
- The Aam Aadmi Party has launched an initiative called, 'Delhi Dialogue', under which the party will seek people's opinion on the city's development.
- The Supreme Court asked the Centre to convene a meeting of Chief Secretaries of all the States within 10 days to find out the steps taken by them so far to provide shelter to homeless persons.
- The Indian Army convicted seven soldiers, including two officers, and sentenced them to life imprisonment for a staged killing of three Kashmiri civilians and passing it off as an anti-militancy operation for rewards and remunerations in J&K in 2010.
International Affairs.
- Today (13th November 2014) is World Kindness Day.
- This day was introduced in 1998 by the World Kindness Movement a coalition of nations kindness NGOs.
- UK, France and Nepal support India's candidature as permanent member
of a reformed UN Security Council.
- On day three of his visit to
Myanmar, Indian Prime Minister Narendra
Modi today met Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and called for
greater cooperation between their states and regions ahead of the East
Asia Summit.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi had his first
meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, who said that China is looking
forward to the Indian leader’s maiden visit to Beijing.
- Modi today said East Asia had a number of
complex and unresolved questions in the area of security and stressed
the need for a serious and sustained dialogue to strengthen the climate
of understanding and confidence among all stakeholders in the region.
- India and the US have resolved their disagreements on food security
issues, paving the way for the implementation of a global trade pact.
- External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has called upon the Non
Resident Indian (NRI) business leaders in the Gulf region to join the
‘India Growth Story’.
- Home Ministry allows manual acceptance of applications for grant of
Indian Citizenship to Minority Community nationals of Pakistan and
Afghanistan who entered India before 31st of December 2009.
People in News
- Rohit Sharma scores 264 to create a new record of highest individual score in ODI history
- He breaks Virender Sehwag's world record ODI score of 219.
- He becomes first player to hit two double-hundreds in ODI (He scored his first ODI double against Australia last November).
- Eight-year-old
Reuben Paul is among experts who will address a cyber security
conference starting Friday where Minister of State for External Affairs
V.K. Singh is also listed as a keynote speaker.
Science & Technology
- Imagination became reality when a mechanical space traveler called the Philae probe plunked down on its target, a comet named 67P, some 310 million miles from Earth.
- In a bid to push more users to share videos, social networking website Facebook has launched “Say Thanks”, a personalized video creation tool.
- This tool lets users put together personalized video cards combining preset themes and their own posts and photos.
- It also allows users to make shareable, customized videos to post on their friend’s timelines.
Business & Economy
- Retail Inflation drops to 5.52 per cent falling for the fourth straight month.
- Growth in Industrial Output improves to a three month high of 2.5 per cent in September.
- Government hikes excise duty on petrol and diesel by 1rupee 50 paise a litre. However, increase will not affect the retail price.
Sports
- India win the 4th one-dayer against Sri Lanka at Eden Gardens
- A FIFA ethics judge Hans-Joachim Eckert has cleared Russia and Qatar of corruption in their winning bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups in a report published today.
- England, however, was heavily criticized over its bid to host the 2018 tournament.
- The Sports Ministry today appointed a three-member panel comprising former India hockey captains Ajit Pal Singh, Ashok Kumar and Zafar Iqbal to assess the demands made by Terry Walsh to stay on as the chief coach of the national team.
- The Cricket Association of Bengal released postage stamps to commemorate 150 years of the Eden Gardens.
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National Affairs
- Amid high drama, the 13-day-old Devendra Fadnavis government today won the trust motion in the Maharashtra assembly through a voice vote, drawing angry reactions from Shiv Sena and Congress which accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of failing to prove its majority and ‘strangulating democracy’.
- BJP nominee Haribhau Bagde elected unopposed as speaker of the Assembly
- Five Congress lawmakers from Maharashtra have been suspended for allegedly manhandling and injuring Governor C Vidyasagar Rao outside the assembly today evening, while they were protesting against the controversial voice vote.
- Employee unions of public sector banks went on a nationwide strike today to press for wage revision, affecting banking services like cheque clearance and withdrawal from branches across the country.
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International Affairs
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for Three Nation Visit (10-day visit) to Myanmar, Australia and Fiji today.
- "India looking forward to discuss strategy for stregthening of international norms and regional cooperation for peace and stability", he said.
- Modi today met the President of Myanmar, Mr. U Thein Sein, at the Presidential Palace, shortly after arrival in Nay Pyi Taw (capital city of Burma).
- This was the first meeting between the two leaders, and focus was on connectivity, cultural contacts and commercial ties, during the 45-minute meeting.
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