26th November Current Affairs: Appointments 1. Indian tennis star Sania Mirza was appointed the United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for the South Asian region by UN Women at an event held to mark the International Day to End Violence against Women. • Sania, Indias most successful womens tennis player and the first Indian to break into the World Tennis Associations top 50 rankings, is the first South Asian woman to be appointed the goodwill ambassador in the organisations history. Special Days 1. Sixth anniversary of 26/11 Mumbai Terror Attack remembered across the country • Nation remembered sixth anniversary of 26/11 Mumbai Terror Attack on 26 November 2014. • On this day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his speech at SARRC Summit remembing the Mumbai 26/11 terror attack of 2008 requested the SARRC countries to work and combat terrorism together. • He 26/11 terror attack consisted of series of coordinated shooting attacks and bomb explosions that lasted for 4 days in Mumbai in 2008. The attack left 166 people dead and 304 injured. 2. National Milk Day • Indian dairy sector majors decided to celebrate 26 November as National Milk Day to mark the 93rd birth anniversary of Father of White Revolution, Dr. Verghese Kurien. • Indian diary sector majors that have joined hands are National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), Indian Dairy Association (IDA) along with around 22 state level milk federations including Gujarats own - Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) that markets brand Amul. Awards 1. Assam NGO Aaranyak nominated for UN Lighthouse Activities award • Aaranyak, an Assam-based NGO working for the conservation of nature and a Kathmandu-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) won United Nations Lighthouse Activities award for the year 2014. • They won the award under the focus area of information and communication technology (ICT) solutions. • They won the award for its community-based flood early warning system that has benefited 40 villages in flood-prone Dhemaji and Lakhimpur districts. 2. Michael Phelps named Male Athlete of the Year at the 2014 USA Swimming Golden Goggle Awards • Michael Phelps was crowned Male Athlete of the Year at the 2014 USA Swimming Golden Goggle Awards on 24 November 2014. He was crowned with the title for a fifth time. • Michael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer and the most decorated Olympian of all time, with a total of 22 medals. • Phelps also holds the all-time records for most Olympic Gold medals, Olympic Gold medals in individual events, and Olympic medals in individual events for a male. Banking 1. Canara Bank Goes for Pact with Micro Energy • Canara Bank has signed a memorandum of understanding with Micro Energy Credits Corporation to finance bank customers buying energy efficient ‘green’ products such as cook stoves, solar home systems, biogas digestors and water purifiers. • The partnership has identified Chitradurga district in Karnataka to promote such green products on a pilot basis. • Note: Micro Energy Credits Corporation is USA based company. 2. SBI proposes its up-coming Shariah based banking in the country • State Bank of India announced that bank will launch a Shariah-compliant mutual fund. In the coming month the bank will come up an Islamic financial instrument. For the time bank is introducing such an initiative for the 170 million Muslim population of the country. • The bank has reported that bank has got the RBI’s nod to launch the Shariah complaint. About Islamic banks • The Islamic banks are a bit different, they offer products such as Sukuk and they don’t charge any kind of interest on them 3. SBI draws up social media code, warns of disciplinary action against non-compliance • State Bank of India is pressing employees to accept a social media policy, styled ‘Code of conduct for employees for expressing views in social media’. • A circular was issued by the bank on June 17 and the same is now being circulated digitally in the bank’s Human Resource Management System portal. • Online acknowledgement: All employees are required to submit online their acknowledgement of the circular, which will be stored digitally in the portal. This is mandatory for all new recruits while setting up their profile on the portal the first time. 4. PNB announces free ATM usage for customers • Punjab National Bank (PNB) said it will continue giving free transactions to all saving bank account cardholders using PNB ATMs, irrespective of the number of transactions. Back Ground: • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had advised that atleast five free transactions (inclusive of financial and non-financial transaction) per month in six metros should be permitted to the savings bank account holders for use of own bank ATMs. Economy 1. Nippon Life to raise stake in Reliance Capital Asset Management to 49% • Nippon Life Insurance plans to increase its stake in the Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Capital Asset Management (RCAM) to 49% from 26% at present. The hike in stake is expected to be carried out in two or more tranches, said Reliance in a notice to the exchanges. • According to the notice, Nippon Life Insurance would initially invest Rs 657 crore in the first tranche for an additional 9% stake, taking its total holding to 35%. • Note: FDI permitted insurance is raised to 49% percent from 26% through cabinet amendment and yet to be passed in parliament. • Nippon Life Headquarters : Osaka, Japan 2. Samsung Electronics to buy back $2 bn in shares • South Koreas Samsung Electronics Co Ltd on Wednesday announced a $2 billion share buyback plan, its first since 2007, following investor calls for higher returns against a backdrop of rapidly declining profits. • The worlds largest smartphone maker will buy back 1.65 million common shares and 250,000 preferred shares to stabilise its share price and boost value for shareholders, it said in a regulatory filing, its second-largest buyback ever. • Founders : Lee Byung-chul • Headquarters : Seoul, South Korea • Chairman : Lee Kun-hee 3. Chinese mobile firm OnePlus to enter India on Dec 2 • After Xiaomi and Oppo, another Chinese handset maker OnePlus is now gearing up to launch its product in India on December 2. • OnePlus has partnered eCommerce firm Amazon to launch its One in the country. Though the pricing is yet to be divulged, the handset would be priced aggressively in the mid-range, between Rs 15,000-25,000. International 1. United Nations moves to strengthen digital privacy • The United Nations adopted a resolution on protecting digital privacy that for the first time urges governments to offer redress to citizens targeted by mass surveillance. • The resolution presented by Germany and Brazil builds on a landmark text presented last year in the wake of revelations by Edward Snowden of widespread surveillance by the U.S. and British governments. The resolution was adopted by consensus by the committee and now goes before the full Assembly in December. It followed weeks of tough negotiations with Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and the U.S. — members of the so-called Five Eyes intelligence alliance. 2. Modi proposes Saarc business traveller card • Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday proposed a SAARC business traveller card for making it easier for traders and merchants in the region to travel and access one anothers markets. • India will now give business visa for 3-5 years for Saarc. Let`s make it even easier for our businesses through a SAARC business traveller card, the prime minister said as the two-day, 18th SAARC Summit began at the Nepalese capital. 3. Pak media mughal, actor Veena Malik sentenced for blasphemy • Pakistan actor Veena Malik, her husband, and the owner of the countrys biggest media group, Geo TV, have been sentenced to 26 years in prison by an anti-terrorism court for allegedly airing a blasphemous programme. • Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, owner of Geo and Jang group, was accused of allowing the airing of a blasphemous programme by Geo television in May, which played a religious song while staging a mock marriage of Malik with Bashir. • Judge Shahbaz Khan also sentenced both Malik and Bashir, along with TV host Shaista Wahidi, to 26 years each. The ATC also imposed a 1.3 million Pakistani rupees fine on the convicts 4. China opens its defence equipment production to Pvt Sector • The aim is optimize its hefty USD132 billion defense budget and modernize the army. The official PLA Daily reported that the move indicates that the military is moving away from a monopoly of state-owned defense contractors in training logistics and lowering the eligibility threshold for military procurement. National 1. Bill to amend law on CBI chief’s appointment passed in LS • Ahead of the appointment of a new CBI Director early next month, the Lok Sabha, setting aside objections raised by the opposition to some of its provisions, passed The Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Bill, 2014. • The Bill was passed though voice vote but not before a division of votes on its consideration as well as an amendment moved by Biju Janata Dal MP Tathagat Satpathy was rejected. • The Bill seeks to include the leader of the single largest opposition party in the three-member committee that selects the CBI Director since there is no recognised Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. • In the past, apart from the Prime Minister and the Chief Justice, the third member used to be the recognised LoP, but as the Congress as the largest opposition party did not have the numbers to qualify for LoP status, it would not have been able to be part of the committee without this amendment. 2. Haryana government reduced retirement age of government employees from 60 to 58. • Haryana government reversed the retirement age of government employees from 60 to 58 years. It also reversed the retirement age of Class IV, visually impaired and handicapped employees from 62 to 60 years. • Government notification will come in effect from 30 November 2014. While, the upper age limit for fresh recruitment would remain 42 years. • The decision was made during a Cabinet meet chaired by Chief Minister Mahohar Lal Khattar at Chandigarh. Persons in News 1. Michael Phelps has been crowned Male Athlete of the Year for a fifth time at the 2014 USA Swimming Golden Goggle Awards despite being suspended from competition for six months after a drunken driving arrest in September. • Phelps was not at the New York ceremony where Keenan Robinson, an official from his training base, accepted the award on his behalf and confirmed Phelps had returned to the pool. • The 18-time Olympic gold medallist stepped away from training in early October. 2. A Pakistani actress has been sentenced to 26 years in prison for blasphemy after appearing in a mock TV wedding. • Veena Malik took part in the staged marriage on a morning show while musicians sang a devotional song about the wedding of the Prophet Muhammads daughter. • Her husband, Asad Bashir Khan, and the chief of the countrys biggest media group, Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, were also handed 26-year jail terms. • Mrs Malik, who has recently given birth to a baby boy, spoke of her anger and disbelief after the verdict was handed down by a Pakistani anti-terrorism court. Seminars - Meetings 1. Bilateral meetings with SAARC countries • Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 26th November held structured meetings with heads of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Maldives and discussed various issues including satellite, solar energy, medical cooperation and terrorism. • The Prime Minister also invited the President of Afghanistan Dr. Ashraf Ghani to visit India. • The National Security Advisor will travel to Sri Lanka and Maldives next month. Maritime security shall be on the agenda during these visits. • The Prime Ministers of India and Bangladesh had a detailed exchange of views on matters relating to security and terrorism which impact both countries. Sports 1. Gold winning hockey team of 1964 Tokyo Olympics felicitated • The Sports ministry honoured the members of the Indian hockey team that beat Pakistan to win a famous gold medal at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of that stupendous feat at the quadrennial extravaganza. • Five of the eight surviving members of the team led by star midfielder Charanjit Singh were present at their felicitation ceremony at the Dhyan Chand National Stadium. • Besides Charanjit, Harbinder Singh, Balbir Singh Jr, Dharam Singh and Ali Sayeed graced the occasion. All of them along with the families of the deceased were awarded Rs 7.5 lakh each. Haripal Kaushik, Gurbax Singh and Darshan Singh missed the function owing to personal commitments.
Posted on: Mon, 01 Dec 2014 14:58:52 +0000
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