#DailyCAupdates 1. SC directs Centre to complete fencing work along Indo-Bangladesh border in three months The Supreme Court has directed the Centre to complete fencing work along the Indo-Bangla border within three months to check cross-border influx of illegal Bangladesh nationals into Assam and streamline the process to deport them back. A bench comprising justices R F Nariman and Ranjan Gogoi also asked the Centre to hold discussions with the Bangladesh government for ensuring that illegal migrants be sent back and passed a slew of directions in this regard. It asked, why even after 67 years of independence, the eastern border is left porous while border with Pakistan is properly fenced. 2. Govt. calendar has cleanliness as theme India’s official calendar for 2015 reflects the Centre’s commitment to cleanliness and vision of Digital India, Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley said. The calendar, with its theme on “Clean India, Green India” with a focus on sanitation and environmental issues, was developed by the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity in print and digital formats. 3. Ghanta Chakrapani is first TSPSC Chairman Academician, journalist and political commentator Ghanta Chakrapani has been appointed as the first Chairman of the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC). Three other members were also appointed. Prof. Chakrapani, who is presently the Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University (BRAOU) is a well-known intellectual face of the Telangana movement strongly arguing its case at the State and national level. The constitution of the TSPSC was approved by the Governor with these members but he rejected recommendation of the government to nominate T. Srinivas, Dinesh Kumar (of Kakatiya University), Rajeshwar Reddy (OU) and advocates Sriranga Rao, Gopu Chandrashekhar Reddy. 4. USAID head Rajiv Shah to step down The head of the U.S. Agency for International Development said that he will step down in February 2015. USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah has led the agency since 2010. USAID describes itself as the lead U.S. government agency working to fight poverty and promote democracy around the world. 5. First ever female Bishop in the Church of England History was made with the Church of England getting its first ever female bishop in the form of Libby Lane, a parish priest from Crewe. Her appointment brings to an end 22 years of resistance to the promotion of female priests. The general synod of the Church voted to back plans for female bishops in July and formally adopted legislation on November 17. The appointment will end centuries of male leadership of the Church and comes 20 years after women became priests. The nomination of Libby as the new Bishop of Stockport was approved by the Queen and announced. 6. 54 Nigerian soldiers sentenced to death for refusal to fight Boko Haram A Nigerian court martial has sentenced 54 soldiers to death for refusing to fight Boko Haram Islamist militants. The soldiers, who were found guilty of mutiny, were accused of refusing to help recapture three towns that had been seized by Boko Haram in August 2014. 7. UK proposes rules for embryos made from 3 people New rules proposed in Britain would make it the first country to allow embryos to be made from the DNA of three people in order to prevent mothers from passing on potentially fatal genetic diseases to their babies. The department of health said it had taken extensive advice on the safety and efficacy of the proposed techniques from the scientific community. This will give women who carry severe mitochondrial disease the opportunity to have children without passing on devastating genetic disorders. Experts say that if approved by parliament, these new methods would likely be used in about a dozen British women every year who are known to have faulty mitochondria, the energy-producing structures outside a cells nucleus. Defects in the mitochondrias genetic code can result in diseases such as muscular dystrophy, heart problems and mental retardation. 8. U.S., Cuba agree to re-establish diplomatic ties The United States and Cuba made a historic breakthrough in their Cold War stand-off, moving to revive diplomatic ties and launch measures to ease a five-decade U.S. trade embargo. In the wake of a prisoner exchange, President Barack Obama said the United States was ready to review trade ties and to re-open its embassy in communist Cuba that has been closed since 1961. The United States imposed a trade embargo against Cuba — the Cold War foe closest to its shores — in 1960 and the two countries have not had diplomatic relations since 1961. The embargo hurt the Caribbean island state’s economy, but it failed to unseat the communist governments led by the Castro brothers. 9. RBI imposes penalty on ICICI bank, Bank of Baroda The Reserve Bank of India has imposed monetary penalty on ICICI bank and Bank of Baroda for violation of its instructions regarding norms on KYC-know your customer and AML-anti money laundering etc. RBI press release informed that Rs 5 million and Rs 2.50 million were imposed on the respective banks. The penalties have been imposed in exercise of powers vested in the Reserve Bank under the provisions of the Banking Regulation Act; 1949.RBI also cautions State bank of India, Axis Bank Ltd. and State Bank of Patiala for violating KYC/AML Instructions. The action was taken on the basis a complaint from a reputed statutory organization in August, 2013 through which the details of a fraud committed in these five banks with the participation of certain officials of the statutory organization were brought to the Reserve Bank’s notice. Under the new norms low-risk customers can provide KYC documents within six months of opening the account. 10. Empays instant money transfer service gets RBI stamp Empays, a provider company of multi-bank payment systems, has said that its IMT-instant money transfer service has received authorization from the Reserve Bank of India. The company’s press release issued in Mumbai stated that the Reserve Bank has awarded the IMT payment system certificate of authorization under the Payments and Settlements Act 2007. The IMT payment system is a multi-bank mobile transfer solution that combines mobile phones and ATMs to reach the unbanked, making it a unique milestone in money transfers, payments and financial inclusion in India. The certificate enables the IMT payment system to access clearing and settlement arrangements between member- banks directly in the RBI, there by enabling the system to work across banks. 11. UP leads in life insurance Uttar Pradesh is one of the most mature markets in the country in terms of life insurance products. With over 32% penetration of private insurance companies in the state, as compared to the national average of 11%, the state is among the leading revenue generating markets of these companies, revels insurance company Aegon Religare. 12. Cabinet approves GST Constitutional Amendment Bill The Union Cabinet has approved the Constitutional Amendment Bill on Goods & Services Tax (GST), inching closer to the rollout of an ambitious indirect tax reform expected to raise revenues and boost growth. The government aims to implement GST by April 1, 2016 and has been working overtime to get states on board. 13. Boxer Sarita Devi banned for a year for refusing Asian Games bronze The International Boxing Association or AIBA has banned Indian boxer Sarita Devi for one year for not accepting her bronze medal at Asian Games medal ceremony. She was also fined one thousand Swiss Francs for the act. Indias foreign coach B I Fernandez was also handed a two-year ban for standing by Sarita during her protest. National coach G S Sandhu has, however, been cleared. Earlier, AIBA had suspended Sarita Devi from all competitions after refused to wear her bronze medal at the podium cremony after her semifinal loss to South Koreas Ji Na Parkat Incheon in October 2014. 14. Hariom Singh wins 50m rifle prone Army’s Hariom Singh, with 205 points, won the men’s 50m rifle prone gold in the 58th National shooting championship. Air Force’s Aditya U. Singh (204.8) won silver and Punjab’s Abhinav Bindra (183.8) the bronze. 15. Saina stuns Shixian in World Super Series Finals Olympic bronze medalist Saina Nehwal dished out a dominating performance to post a straight-game win over two-time All England Champion Shixian Wang of China and start her campaign on a positive note at the season-ending BWFs World Super Series badminton final. A 2011 finalist, Saina showed great temperament and good repertoire of strokes to tame the former World No.1 Shixian, who had beaten the Indian four times in their last five meetings.
Posted on: Thu, 18 Dec 2014 18:24:31 +0000
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