Dr.CSVepa's Current Affairs - NSB Hyderabad

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Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs Date: 1.10.2017, Sunday Rohit's masterful knock gives India 4-1 series win Rohit Sharma achieved a memorable milestone with his classy century as India outplayed Australia by seven wickets in the fifth ODI to seal the series 4-1 and cement their number one spot in the ICC rankings. Rohit (125) and Ajinkya Rahane (61) set up the comprehensive win with a 124-run stand, their third century stand in a row, before the former shared a 99-run partnership with captain Virat Kohli (39) to take the team on the cusp of a big victory. Chasing a modest 243, India eventually got home in 42.5 overs with Manish Pandey hitting the winning four. Rohit not only completed his 14 ODI ton over the course of his masterful knock, he also became the ninth Indian to reach the 6000-run mark in ODIs. The comfortable chase complemented the good work done by the bowlers, who were able to restrict Australia to a below par 242 despite a promising start by David Warner (53) and Aaron Finch (32). Leftarm spinner Axar Patel stood out among the Indian bowlers with figures of three for 38 in 10 overs. With the emphatic series win, India also avenged the 1-4 series defeat the last time they played in Australia. India got home rather comfortably but batting was not easy on the newly laid surface which became slower as the day progressed. Rohit and Rahane dished out an exhibition of sublime strokemaking. On display were the delightful straight drives, crispy cuts and powerful punches off the backfoot. It was Rahane who pierced the field early on as Rohit took 15 balls to get off the mark. But after his first two scoring shots, which were straight boundaries, there was no stopping him. He mostly played with the straight bat and his special effort was laced with 10 fours and three sixes including the one he hit to get to his hundred. Rahane was deeply disappointed to get out in the 23rd over despite his fourth successive fifty. He knew there was a hundred for the taking after all the hard work he put in early on. He got to play all five games in the absence of Shikhar Dhawan and grabbed the opportunity with both hands. After Rahane s dismissal, Rohit and Kohli took the team closer to the finishing line but both perished while trying to clear the fence. Earlier, Australia once again failed to build on a promising start provided by Warner and Finch. Patel bowled a tidy spell, ending with his second best figures in ODIs while Jasprit Bumrah (2/51) bounced back brilliantly in the death overs after leaking 34 runs in his first four overs. India, who gave match practice to their reserve pacers Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami -- in the previous game, went into the middle with a full strength squad. In the spin department, spinner Axar Patel took the field alongside Kuldeep Yadav as Yuzvendra Chahal was unwell. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was fairly accurate his first spell but Bumrah paid the price for being erratic. After starting with a maiden, Bumrah was guilty of bowling either too full or too short as the dangerous duo of Warner and Finch took him to the cleaners. Bumrah ended up leaking 34 runs in his opening spell of four overs and was hit for as many seven boundaries. Finch particularly punished the usually accurate pacer, hitting him for five fours including three in a row in the eighth over. Such was Finch s onslaught that Australia reached 60 for no loss in 10 overs after they had scored just 21 in the first five. The two big-hitters were once again successful in providing their team a good start after Steve Smith won the toss and opted to bat for third game in a row. Their 66-run stand came after their monumental 231-run effort in Bengaluru. Kohli had to do something to change the momentum of the game and he brought in Hardik Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs

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Pandya as first change. The lanky all-rounder struck in his second over with Finch mistiming a full ball to Bumrah at mid-off. The spin trio of Patel, Kuldeep Yadav (0/48) and part- timer Kedar Jadhav (1/48) then stemmed the flow of runs. It was also the first time Jadhav bowled his full quota of 10 overs. Jadhav was impressive and besides keeping things tight, took the prized wicket of Smith, who missed a sweep shot to be plumb in front, leaving Australia at 100 for two in the 20th over. Two quick wickets, Warner and Peter Handscomb, followed the captain s dismissal triggering a middle-order collapse and undoing the good work done by the openers. However, it was not the first time in the series that Australia were not able to capitalize on a solid start. They were sitting pretty at 100 for one but soon found themselves under severe pressure on 118 for four in the 25th over. Travis Head (42) and Marcus Stoinis (46) steadied the ship with an 87-run stand off 112 balls but got out just when they looked set to push the scoring rate. Eventually, the visitors could only muster 52 runs in the last 10 overs. Prez inaugurates Shirdi airport, flags off flight to Mumbai President Ram Nath Kovind today inaugurated the newly-built airport at Shirdi in Maharashtra and flagged off the facility's first commercial flight to Mumbai. The president's aircraft arrived at the Shirdi airport from New Delhi at around 10.30 am after which he immediately inaugurated the new structure and flagged off an Alliance Air flight, airport sources said. Kovind said the new airport would help pilgrims and visitors, besides triggering economic activities and creating jobs in the region. Alliance Air, the regional arm of national carrier Air India, will operate services to Shirdi from Mumbai and Hyderabad. Minister for Civil Aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis launched the flight by giving away boarding passes to passengers, along with Air India CMD Rajiv Bansal and senior Air India officials, the national carrier said in a statement. Raju tweeted "A new beginning. Alliance Air starts first flight to Mumbai from Shirdi' new airport today. May Baba's blessings be with all.@airindia." The flight landed in Mumbai at 11.15 am. "The flight AI 9654, a 72-seater ATR 72-600, took off from the Shirdi airport at about 10.30 am and landed at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport at 11.15 am," Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) vice chairman and managing director Suresh Kakani said. Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao and Leader of Opposition in the state Legislative Assembly, Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, were among the other diginitaries present. Fadnavis said the Shirdi airport was the first in the country to be developed developed by a state government. He said its runway will be expanded to 3,200 metres from the present 2,500 metres to accommodate bigger aircraft in future. The airport secured the aerodrome licence from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for commercial operations last month. Located 238 km from the country's financial hub Mumbai, Shirdi is home to the famous shrine of Sai Baba and is one of the prominent pilgrimage centres in the country. According to an estimate, about 60,000 pilgrims visit Shirdi everyday, of which the airport authorities plan to tap at least 10-12 per cent. The aerodrome is owned and developed by MADC, a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to develop airports in the state. The trials of flights from the airport had been conducted recently. Constructed at an investment of Rs 350 crore, including Rs 50 crore from the Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, the airport, with its 2,500 meter-long runway, is capable of handling single narrow-body aircraft, such as the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737. The 2,750 sq m terminal building has been designed to handle upto 300 passengers, including the arriving ones. The 72-seater flight from Mumbai to Shirdi and vice versa will operate daily. "The flight AI 9653 will depart Mumbai at 8.30 am to reach Shirdi at 9.15 am. The return flight will depart Shirdi at 9.45 am and arrive in Mumbai Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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at 11.05 am on Wednesday, Friday and Sundays," Air India said in the statement. On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday it will leave Mumbai at 3.29 pm to arrive in Shirdi at 4.5 pm and leave Shirdi at 4.30 pm to arrive in Mumbai at 5.15 pm. Air India said the Hyderabad Shirdi route will also be serviced by a 72-seater plane on all days except Thursday. "The flight AI 9869 will leave Hyderabad at 2.10 pm to arrive in Shirdi at 4 pm. The return flight AI 9870 will depart Shirdi at 4.30 pm to arrive in Hyderabad at 6.15 pm," Air India said. Government announces Swacchhata awards The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs will tomorrow confer awards on those who contributed towards the Clean India objective in urban areas on the third anniversary of the launch of the Swacchh Bharat Mission (Urban). Among the winners is a Delhi-based Facebook citizen group -- 'My Delhi Keep It Clean' -- which is being awarded for promoting efforts to clean public places. The ministry will also felicitate 20 individuals and agencies in seven categories for significant contribution towards furthering the Clean India objective in urban areas, a government release said. Fertiliser Cooperative KRIBHCO will be conferred the Swacchata Award for marketing of compost made from municipal solid waste. Kasturba Gandhi Balika Awasiya Vidyalaya, Ambikar will receive the award in the schools and colleges category while Swacch Ambikapur Sahakari Samiti has been chosen in self-help group category for women empowerment and livelihood generation by converting garbage into wealth. Pemayangste Monastery in Sikkim will be felicitated in the category of religious institutions for being a Zero-waste institution. India opens two border crossing points with Myanmar, B'desh India has opened two immigration check posts along the borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh, a reflection of its growing closeness with the two eastern neighbours. In a gazette notification, the home ministry said the central government has designated Zorinpui land check post in Lawngtlai district of Mizoram as an authorised immigration check post for entry into or exit from India with valid travel documents for all classes of passengers to or from Myanmar. In a separate notification, the ministry said the central government designated Kawrpuichhuah land check post in Lunglei district of Mizoram as an authorised immigration check post for entry into or exit from India with valid travel documents for all classes of passengers to or from Bangladesh. Zorinpui was selected for a new land custom station along the Indo-Myanmar border in Mizoram for the Kaladan multi-modal project. The remote Zorinpui is 287 km away from Sittwe Port in Myanmar. An agreement on Zorinpui was included in the joint statement issued during the visit of the then prime minister Manmohan Singh to Myanmar in May, 2012. Kawarpuchiah is situated in Mizoram along a riverine border with Bangladesh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Myanmar for two days from September 5, the first bilateral visit to the neighbouring country. India shares a 1,643-km-long border with Myanmar which touches Arunachal Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram. India enjoys close relations with Bangladesh and shares a 4,096-km-long border which touches Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya and West Bengal.

President declares Urban Maharashtra as Open Defecation Free President, Ram Nath Kovind today said that a healthy and prosperous India will be built only on the foundations of a clean India. The President was speaking at a function in Mumbai to declare Urban Maharashtra as Open Defecation Free. He said it is a big step in the direction of New India by 2022, conceived by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Mr Kovind said declaration of 'ODF' Urban Maharashtra is particularly relevant for the state as 49 per cent of Maharashtra’s people live in urban areas. The President added that keeping the environment dirty is a curse to any society as it spreads diseases and decreases the overall productivity thereby decreasing GDP of the nation. Earlier, the President inaugurated the Shirdi Airport in Ahmednagar District of Maharashtra. He also flagged off the inaugural flight from Shirdi to Mumbai. Maneka Gandhi inaugurates 3rd organic festival in Delhi Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi today inaugurated the 3rd annual Women of India Organic Festival at Dilli Haat in South Delhi. The festival will be held till 15th of this month and it has on display India's most varied offerings of organic products ranging from food, personal care, home improvement, kitchen composters and solar products. Mrs Gandhi emphasized the importance of going the organic way and organic food has been proven to contain far more vitamins, minerals and nutrients than similar foods produced with chemical fertilizers, pesticides and preservatives. She said, now with the affordability factor coming into organic produce, concerted efforts should be made to promote this sustainable alternative and boosting the financial well-being of farmers as well as health of consumers. Kaziranga national park to reopen for visitors today The world heritage site Kaziranga national park will reopen for the visitors today after the annual monsoon closure. Assam Forest minister Pramila Rani Brahma will attend the inaugural program at Kohora range of the park along with Water Resource minister Keshab Mahanta. Pobitora wildlife sanctuary in Morigaon district will also reopen today. Forest minister Brahma said, Kaziranga national park authority Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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will phase-wise start elephant and jeep safari in the park. This year flood caused major infrastructure damages to the park. The world heritage site is one of the most important tourist hubs in the North East. Kaziranga has the largest population of the one horned Rhinos. The park has recorded an increasing number of tourists every year. UAE begins collecting 'sin' taxes on tobacco, energy drinks The United Arab Emirates today started collecting new "sin" taxes on tobacco products, energy drinks and soft drinks. Tobacco and energy drinks will be taxed at 100 per cent and soft drinks at 50 per cent. Shoppers could be seen stocking up the day before. he new tax push comes as the UAE and other oil-rich Gulf nations have struggled with low global energy prices. The UAE will start collecting a 5-per cent valueadded tax on certain goods in January. All six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council have agreed to begin collecting VAT taxes, though others may begin later than January. China marks 68th National Day China today marked the 68th anniversary of the founding of People's Republic of China. More than 115,000 people from across China gathered at the Tiananmen Square at the heart of Beijing to watch the raising of the National Flag. At the backdrop was a 17-meter-tall giant display in the shape of a floral basket, which symbolizes a thriving and prosperous country. The National Day is celebrated with a week-long holiday. Indian entrepreneur wins UK business award for innovative IT solutions A Ghana-based Indian entrepreneur has won a prestigious business award in the UK for his efforts to bring innovative IT solutions to Africa. Birendra Sasmal, CEO of Subah, bagged the International Business Person of the Year at the Asian Achievers Awards in London for turning the company into a thriving IT, telecoms and manufacturing success story with operations across West Africa. Headquartered in Accra, Ghana, the Subah Group employs around 350 people with offices in Guinea, Sierra Leone, New York City and Dubai. Under Sasmal's leadership, the group's revenues have increased by over 3,000 per cent and it has been named among one of Africa's fastest growing tech companies. Honda to start mass recall in China over Takata airbags Japanese carmaker, Honda will recall more than 245,000 vehicles in China over concerns about airbags made by Japanese giant Takata. China's top consumer watchdog said today said Honda and its Chinese joint venture partner Guangqi Honda will start withdrawing vehicles fitted with the potentially faulty airbags beginning October 23 and will include Accord, Fit, City, Crosstour and Everus S1 models. They will replace the faulty airbags for free, said the authority. Takata has recalled some 100 million airbags produced for some of the world's largest automakers, including about 70 million in the US, because of the risk that they could improperly inflate and rupture, potentially firing deadly shrapnel at the vehicle's occupants. Last month, Honda reached a USD 605 million settlement in a lawsuit over defective airbags in millions of cars on American roads. Swachh Bharat Mission completes three years on Oct 2 2nd October marks Bapu's birth anniversary. It also marks a milestone of a people's movement like the one that the nation had never witnessed before. Mahatma Gandhi's vision and PM Narendra Modi Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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simple message of cleanliness struck a chord with people from all walks of life. When PM led with a broom, people followed. Swachh Bharat Mission has led to many cities and states becoming open defecation free and many are on their way in securing right to proper sanitation and, thereby, dignity for the people. Prime Minister's clarion call for bringing in a social revolution for Swachhta from the ramparts of Red Fort on 15 August 2014. And then on October 2, 2014 came the day which marked a new beginning to turn cleanliness into a mass movement for a better society, a cleaner country. The Prime Minister led the nation as he took up a broom to kick start the Swachhta campaign. The whole nation joined as people from all walks of life pledged to make their share of contribution...Prime Minister Narendra Modi even wrote a letter to celebrities calling on them to become ambassadors for the swacchta mission and there has been a massive response. A movement achieves its goals only with the participation of people. The Prime Minister took no time in taking charge getting people to join in. PM Modi not only exhorted countrymen to give in their best to achieve the objective of 'Swachta hi seva' but himself did 'shramdaan' to motivate the masses. Inspired by Bapu, PM Modi called on the nation to make cleanliness a habit. Swachh Bharat Campaign has achieved a lot since its launch in 2014. Six states have been declared open defecation free. The swachhta mission is not only bringing about positive changes in the attitudes of people but also changing the face of cities and towns. The nationwide campaign has turned into a movement with ordinary citizens getting their hands dirty to get their surroundings clean. And this movement must continue to gain momentum to pay a true tribute Mahatma Gandhi, the first Swachhagrahi on his 150th birth anniversary in 2019. Facebook to roll out feature for easy blood donation in India today Social networking giant Facebook will roll out a new feature that will enable individuals and blood banks to connect easily with donors, on October 1. Designed especially for India, the feature will also show a message on user's News Feed to encourage them to sign up as a donor. They would be asked to share their blood group and whether they have donated blood before. In case someone is in need of blood, they will be able to create a special type of post containing the information donors need to offer help, like blood group required, hospital's name and contact person's phone number. "India, like many countries, has a shortage of safe blood. We noticed many times, people turn to platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp to find donors," Ritesh Mehta, Head of Programs for Facebook South Asia, said. He added that thousands of people seek blood donors on Facebook each week and this tool is designed to make it more efficient by bringing blood donors and people in need together. "Our research suggested that when people have better information and tools, they are more willing to donate blood and it is also easier to find donors," he said. All the donor information will remain private and set to 'only me' by default unless people choose to share their donor status on their timelines, Facebook Product Manager (Health) Hema Budaraju said. She added that the feature (to be available on Android and mobile web) is being rolled out first in India. Budaraju said people, and organisations like blood banks, hospitals in Delhi and Hyderabad will be able to connect with blood donors on Facebook. This will be extended to other cities Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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over the next few weeks. Once a request is created, Facebook will notify blood donors who may be nearby. Donors can then contact the requester directly through WhatsApp, Messenger or a phone call. However, the donor's information will not be available to the requestor unless the donor himself/herself explicitly provides it. "As part of our research, we spoke to blood banks, hospitals, NGOs and industry experts to understand the challenges," Budaraju said adding that the intent is also to raise awareness about blood donation in the country. Google honours Indian chemist Asima Chatterjee on 100th birthday Google Doodle, today, celebrates the 100th birthday of Asima Chatterjee, a renowned Indian chemist, who was the first female Doctorate of Science in India from an Indian University. Born on September 23, 1917, Dr Asima Chatterjee has various contributions on the research of vinca alkaloids and the development of anti-epileptic and antimalarial drugs. According to Google's blog, "Dr Chatterjee primarily studied the medicinal properties of plants native to India. Throughout her career, her research contributed to the development of drugs that treated epilepsy and malaria. Dr Chatterjee's most noted contribution to the field, however, was her work on vinca alkaloids. Alkaloids are compounds made from plants, often to treat medical ailments. Vinca alkaloids, which come from the Madagascar periwinkle plant, are used today in chemotherapy treatment because they help slow down or stall the multiplying of cancer cells." The post continued, "Dr Chatterjee's groundbreaking contributions to medicine were recognized by universities all over the world. She received numerous accolades from the Indian government, including some of the highest awards (like the Padma Bhushan) and an appointment to the upper house of Parliament!" Asima joined the Lady Brabourne College in Calcutta Universtiy in 1940 and founded the department of chemistry in the college. Asima Chatterjee's work in the field of science opened the doors for millions of women to excel in the field and her research on vinca alkaloids which is now widely used in chemotherapy and helps to slow down the growth rate of cancer cells. Her phenomenal contributions have won Asima various awards and accolades from all over the world and she was also honoured with India's highest award, Padma Bhushan. In 1975 she became the first woman to be appointed general president of the Indian Science Congress. She had one child, a daughter called Julie, with her husband Dr Baradananda Chatterjee, and died in 2006 in her nursing home at the age of 90. Elon Musk's new vision: Travel anywhere on Earth in less than an hour Entrepreneur Elon Musk, who envisions a human colony on Mars, is planning to create a much larger rocketship code named “BFR” capable of travelling anywhere on Earth in under an hour. If the concept becomes reality, a journey from New York to Shanghai can be completed in about 30 minutes. The surprise announcement means that Musk’s Space Exploration Technologies, which has already disrupted the aerospace industry with reusable launches, plans to ferry humans not just to distant planets but across this one as well. “If we are going to places like Mars, why not Earth?” Musk said Friday at the 68th International Astronautical Congress on Friday in Adelaide, Australia. Animation played on a big screen behind him, showing scores of people getting Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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on a high-speed ferry in New York, then boarding the BFR. The spaceship then headed for Shanghai. Musk said that SpaceX, which has launched 13 rockets so far this year, aims to complete 30 missions for customers next year. SpaceX has many commercial satellite operators as customers, and the revenue from those contracts will help fund the development of BFR, which will also help set up a base on the Moon. Musk, 46, has a net worth of more than $20 billion and has said in the past he’d use his own personal assets to help fund his vision. He detailed his Mars plans in a talk at the IAC in Guadalajara, Mexico, a year ago and later published a paper about it, generating enormous excitement but raising concerns it included few details on financing. Musk promised his Twitter followers this summer his updated Mars plan would address the lack of payment details —which he called “the most fundamental flaw” in his first take. Previously, Musk had talked about sending an unmanned “Red Dragon” spacecraft to Mars in 2018. The new plan calls for the first BFR to land on Mars in 2022, followed by crewed missions in 2024. Musk, who’s also CEO of electric-carmaker Tesla, founded SpaceX in 2002 with the ultimate goal of enabling people to live on other planets. The closely-held space exploration company flies its Falcon 9 rocket for customers that include NASA, commercial satellite operators and the US military. The Hawthorne, California-based company also has plans to launch its own satellite network. The cost of a Falcon 9 launch is roughly $62 million, according to SpaceX’s website, with modest discounts available for contractually committed, multi-launch purchases. SpaceX’s rockets are designed for reuse, with rocket reusability now seen as key to making space travel affordable. SpaceX celebrated its first launch using a previously flown booster in March. On top of the 13 launches in 2017, SpaceX has several more missions on its manifest for the remainder of the year. The company expects to demonstrate later this year the first test flight of Falcon Heavy, a far more powerful rocket capable of heavy payloads and sending paying space tourists on a flight around the moon. Mars is no longer the stuff of science fiction. Mars exploration got an enormous boost in August 2012, when NASA’s Curiosity Rover landed on the red planet. The robotic vehicle continues to transmit breathtaking, high-resolution photographs of the dune-and butte-filled landscape to the delight of scientists and Curiosity’s 3.8 million Twitter followers. Still, human colonisation of Mars won’t be easy. Getting to the Red Planet will take several months, with unknown risks to the human body and psyche. Even if space explorers survive the 155-million-mile journey and subsequent first-ever manned landing, they would need to get to work immediately to create a habitable atmosphere and produce the fuel needed to propel the rocket ship homeward. Defence, aerospace PSUs transforming into super integrators, says Director-General of Missiles Large public sector undertakings in the aerospace and defence sector are transforming themselves into super integrators with private sector providing critical inputs in the changed business environment, according to G Sateesh Reddy, Director-General of Missiles and Strategic Systems. Reddy, who serves as Scientific Advisor to Raksha Mantri, mentioned how Bharat Dynamics Limited, a manufacturer of missiles and missile systems, has become one such super integrator. It is currently executing orders of over Rs. 24,000 crore for various missile systems and of this nearly 80 per cent is being provided by the private sector players. “This only shows how the country has transformed over the years from purely being dependant on imports to a manufacturer and integrator of systems indigenously. However, we still depend a lot on imports and the focus has been to reduce such dependency,” he said addressing the students at convocation of University of Hyderabad. Referring to HAL, he said, India has managed to indigenously develop the light combat aircraft, and joins a select group of countries to do so. “While some of the developed nations might have taken lesser time (about 15-16 years) to achieve this, we have managed to achieve this feat in about 20 years. Now HAL is in the process of executing an order for over 100 light combat aircraft, also as a super PSU with inputs from private sector,” he said. Outlining the country's progress in various strategic sectors under the Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space and Research in the Defence Sector, Reddy said over the next decade all these would play a very significant role, including the addition of about 30,000 mw from Atomic Energy Division. Indigenisation Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Prime Minister Narendra Modi is keen we focus on innovation, indigenisation and research and develop systems within the country. He said varsities are engines of innovations and academicians, research centres and industry can work collaboratively for the development of the country. The industry needs upgrade from merely developing products to specifications to innovating and developing them for domestic requirements and to cater to markets globally. As a part of this drive, the Government is looking for innovation and innovative ideas and laying stress on start ups, and encouraging them. It is here universities could play a strategic role towards the country's indigenisation. Mentioning about the Advanced Centre for Research in High Energy Materials established in the UoH, he said it is playing important role in high propulsion systems which are useful in making missiles. On immense capabilities that the country has, he highlighted how the Brahmos project, developed through Indo-Russian joint venture has gone on to become the only supersonic missile system that the world currently has. Narayan Rane floats political party Narayan Rane, the former chief minister of Maharashtra, floated a political party called Maharashtra Swabhimaan Paksh on Sunday. He recently resigned from the Congress saying the party had not lived up its promises. Rane, through his younger son and Congress MLA Nitesh Rane, was controlling Swabhiman Sanghatana, ostensibly an NGO for social development. It is this same NGO which is now being used as a launch pad for the new party. On Sunday, Rane told mediapersons that he has just launched the party, and is waiting for some other leaders to join the party. After that, the next course of action would be decided. Last week, amidst intense speculation in political circles, Rane had met BJP President Amit Shah in New Delhi. But it is understood that the BJP’s top leadership remained non-committal about Rane joining the party. Rane, who is known for an aggressive style of leadership, started his career as a Shiv Sena party worker in Mumbai. In 1999, when the Shiv Sena-BJP government was in power, Sena chief Bal Thackeray sacked Manohar Joshi and made Rane the chief minister. In mid-2005, Rane was sacked from Sena for criticising party president Uddhav Thackeray. He joined Congress and continued until September 21, when he quit the grand old party over differences with Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan and unfulfilled promises by the party high command. After Rane’s resignation his elder son and former Congress MP Nilesh Rane had also quit the party. However, Rane’s younger son and MLA Nitesh Rane continues to be in the Congress party. When Rane announced his severing of ties with Congress at a press conference in his hometown Kudal in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra, he had said that Nitesh would take a decision about his political future at an appropriate time. Political commentator Nagesh Kesari said Rane’s decision to float a new political outfit will not have any major impact on any of the parties in the State, as he does not have a large support of MLAs in the Maharashtra Assembly. ***

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Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs Date: 2.10.2017, Monday Islamic State group claims Las Vegas attack: propaganda agency The Islamic State group claimed today that the shooting massacre in Las Vegas was carried out by one of its "soldiers" who had "converted to Islam" months ago. "The executor of the Las Vegas attack is a soldier of the Islamic State and he carried out the operation as a response" to calls to target countries engaged in military action against the jihadists, IS's propaganda outlet Amaq said in online statements. "The author of the Las Vegas attack converted to Islam a few months ago," Amaq said, in the statements posted on the Telegram online messaging service. It provided no evidence to back up its claims. Fifty people were killed and hundreds wounded last night when an attacker opened fire on a country music concert in Las Vegas, in the deadliest mass shooting in US history. Police said Nevada resident Stephen Paddock had been found dead by special forces responding to reports of gunfire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino. At least eight rifles rented by the 64-year-old were found inside the room, he added. The statements come after IS on Friday released an audio recording of what it said was its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi calling on jihadists in Syria and Iraq to "resist" their enemies. That was seen as a move to boost the morale of its fighters under pressure in the Syria and Iraq in the face of offensives by the Damascus regime and its allies including Russia and US-backed fighters in both countries. Since Baghdadi's previous message to his followers last November, the territory the jihadists still hold in the cross-border "caliphate" they proclaimed in 2014 has shrunk to a fraction of its former extent. Zuckerberg apologises for Facebook's negative effects Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has publicly apologised for the social-media platform's negative effects and asked for forgiveness for his work that was used to divide people rather than uniting them. Zuckerberg, 33, did not mention any specific incident, but his apology came in the face of mounting evidence that Russians had used Facebook he created more than a decade ago to spread propaganda and influence voter sentiment all to tip the US presidential election in Donald Trump's favour, Washington Post said. He took to his social media account and wrote, "For those I hurt this year, I ask forgiveness and I will try to be better." "For the ways my work was used to divide people rather than bring us together, I ask for forgiveness and I will work to do better," he wrote in a brief post. Earlier, Facebook had announced it would turn over to Congress copies of more than 3,000 advertisements that a shadowy Russian company bought for USD 100,000 from June 2015 to May 2017. The ads were linked to about 470 fake accounts likely operated out of Russia. Alex Stamos, Facebook's chief security officer, said last month that the vast majority of the ads didn t specifically mention the presidential election, but it touched on divisive topics, such as LGBT rights, race, immigration and gun rights. Facebook had initially declined to share copies of the ads, saying it would compromise user Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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privacy, but Zuckerberg announced a reversal of that decision on September 21, the paper said. "I don't want anyone to use our tools to undermine democracy. That's not what we stand for," Zuckerberg said in a Facebook Live video. Zuckerberg acknowledged that the amount of problematic activities Facebook has uncovered is "relatively small", but he vowed that the company will continue to investigate and enhance transparency on who buys political ads. UK's Monarch Airlines goes bust, govt launches repatriation The UK's low cost carrier Monarch Airlines collapsed today, forcing the government to launch one of the biggest peace time repatriation operations to bring back nearly 110,000 passengers stranded abroad. The country's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said it had been asked by the government to charter more than 30 aircraft to bring home stranded passengers after all Monarch flights were cancelled, affecting as many as 300,000 future bookings. The airlines went into administration in the early hours of today, with KPMG being appointed to oversee the financial chaos. "I have immediately ordered the country's biggest ever peacetime repatriation to fly about 110,000 passengers who could otherwise have been left stranded abroad," said UK transport secretary Chris Grayling. "This is an unprecedented response to an unprecedented situation. Together with the CAA, we will work around the clock to ensure Monarch passengers get the support they need," he said. The minister has warned of the size of the challenge, urging passengers to be "patient" as they would be flown back home from abroad. Monarch is the UK's fifth biggest airline, employing around 2,700 people. It reported a loss of 291 million pounds last year and was placed in administration at 4 am local time when there were no Monarch planes in the air. Chief Executive Andrew Swaffield blamed the collapse on terror attacks that had affected the budget carrier's revenues. In a letter to the staff, he said the airline was badly affected by the 2015 bombing of a Russian plane which departed from Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt, a terror attack in Sousse, Tunisia, during the same year which left 30 dead and a 2016 attempted coup in Turkey. "It has been a company that has cared for its customers and which has been like a family for many people for five decades. I cannot tell you how much I wanted to avoid this outcome and how truly sorry I am," he says in his letter. The CAA is coordinating the response to the crisis and has said that all Monarch Airline customers who were due to return to the UK in the next two weeks would be flown home at no extra cost and did not need to cut short their stay. CAA chief executive Andrew Haines said: "We are putting together, at very short notice and for a period of two weeks, what is effectively one of the UK s largest airlines to manage this task. "The scale and challenge of this operation means that some disruption is inevitable. We ask customers to bear with us as we work around the clock to bring everyone home." Monarch was founded in 1968 and has its headquarters at London Luton airport. It operates from four other UK bases London Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds Bradford travelling to more than 40 destinations around the world. The airline said it would work with the administrators and workers' unions to help its employees find new jobs as as quickly as possible Swachhta Abhiyan should be responsibility of every person of the country: PM Modi




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The Swachh Bharat Mission completes three years today. The mission was launched in 2014 by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make the country Open Defecation Free (ODF) and achieve 100 percent sanitation coverage by October 2019. The mission has become a mass movement and people are joining it enthusiastically. Mr. Modi today presented the swacchhta awards to the participants in various categories on the third anniversary of the Swacchh Bharat Mission at a function in New Delhi. Addressing the function on the third anniversary of the Swacchh Bharat Mission in New Delhi, Mr. Modi said, India has accepted the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan and the movement has become a people's movement due to the 'Siddhi' of Swachhagrahis. He said that clean India can be achieved only if 125 crore countrymen come together. He said that the Swachhta Abhiyan has now become a dream of common man in the country and Kids are the biggest ambassador of Swachhta. Prime Minister said, a positive spirit of competition has been created because of the mission. He said, Swachhta should be the responsibility of every person of the country. Prime Minister said, by ensuring cleanliness, one can get rid of illness caused by uncleanliness and dirt. He also congratulated all those who supported and participated in the Swachhata Hi Seva movement which was launched on 15th of last month. He appealed to the people to continue the momentum of Swachh Bharat built by the movement. Speaking on the occasion, Drinking, Water and Sanitation Minister Uma Bharti said, cleanliness is the culture and habit. She said, the number of people who use to defecate in open has now decreased to 30 crore from 60 crore. Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri said, Swachh Bharat Mission has become the mass movement in the country. He said, more than 80 lakh people participated in Swacchat Hi Sewa campaign in cities and towns. Mr. Puri said that presently 94.2 Mega Watt energy is being generated from waste. Minister of state for Drinking water S S Ahluwalia said, Out of the set target, more than 69 percent toilets have been constructed. He said, great enthusiasm was also seen among the people about essay and painting competition organised under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. President Kovind declares Rural Gujarat as Open Defecation Free President Ram Nath Kovind has reached at Porbandar on a day visit to Gujarat today. After reaching Porbandar, President Kovind first visited Kirti Mandir - the birth place of Mahatma Gandhi and offered tribute to the father of the nation. He also participates in an all religion prayer organised on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. President Ramnath Kovind has also declared the Rural Gujarat as ODF -Open Defecation Free- at a function held at Kirti Mandir in Porbandar. He has felicitated rural women for achieving ODF status for rural Gujarat. During his day visit to Gujarat, President Kovind will also inaugurate the new Jetty and other facilities at Jafarabad Fishing Harbour and upgradation of Veraval and Porbandar fishing Harbour. President will also inaugurate upgradation of Navibandar, Miyani & Salaya Fish Landing Centre and also lay the stone for development of Mangrol Phase-III fishing Harbour. Beside this announcement for development of Veraval Phase-II, Porbandar Phase-II, Navabandar, Mandhavad & Sutrapada Fishing Harbours and inauguration of Mangrol Rural Water Supply Augmentation Scheme of 45 villages at Mangrol will be done. Nation pays homage to Mahatma Gandhi on his 148th birth anniversary The nation offers homage to Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi on his 148th birth anniversary today. President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M. Venkaiah Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Senior BJP leader L K Advani and other dignitaries visited Rajghat and paid homage to the Father of the nation. An all religion prayer was also organised at Rajghat. A series of functions are planned to mark the occasion. In his message, President Ram Nath Kovind has said, Gandhi Jayanti is an occasion to rededicate to the ideals and values of Mahatma Gandhi. He said, Gandhi's philosophy of non-violence and peaceful co-existence is of increasing relevance in present times. Mr Kovind said, Gandhi believed that Cleanliness is next to Godliness and visualised cleanliness as having three dimensions- a clean mind, a clean body and clean surroundings. He said, achieving the goals of the Swachh Bharat Mission expeditiously will be a true expression of tribute and regard to Gandhi on his birth anniversary. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that noble ideals of Mahatma Gandhi motivate millions across the world. Fortnight long 'Swachhata hi Sewa' campaign will also conclude today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a function to mark the 3rd anniversary of Swachh Bharat Mission. On the occasion, Mr Modi will also give away the Swachhata awards. An inter faith prayer meeting was organized at Gandhi Smriti, Tees January Marg in New Delhi this evening. Vice President Venakaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma and other dignitaries were present on the occasion. Nation pays homage to former PM Lal Bahadur Shastri on his birth anniversary today Nation pays homage to former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on his birth anniversary today. President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Senior BJP leader L K Advani and other dignitaries visited Vijay Ghat, the Samadhi of Lal Bahadur Shastri to offer tributes. A number of functions will be organised to mark the occasion. Lal Bahadur Shastri led the country during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965 and gave the slogan - Jai Jawan Jai Kisan which is remembered even today. US biology trio wins Nobel Medicine Prize This year's Nobel Medicine Prize went to US geneticists Jeffrey C Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W Young for their discoveries on how plants, animals and humans adapt their biological rhythm so that it is synchronised with the Earth's revolutions. The award was announced today by the Nobel Assembly. For many years, scientists have known that living organisms, including humans, have an internal clock that help them adapt to to the rotation of earth. The clock influences such biological functions as hormone levels, sleep, body temperature and metabolism. It is what causes jetlag -when the internal clock and external environment move out of sync when we change time zones. Using the fruit fly as a model organism, the scientists isolated a gene that controls the daily biological rhythm. The trio will share the prize sum of nine million Swedish kronor (about 1.1 million US Dollars.) Meanwhile, the panel that awards the Nobel Prize in literature says this year's winner will be announced on Thursday. Nawaz to be re-elected PML-N chief after party clears way for reinstatement The ruling Pakistan Muslim League(Nawaz) PML-N today cleared the way for former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to be re-elected as the party's President. During a meeting of the party's Central Working Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Committee (CWC), PML-N leaders agreed to amend the party's constitution so that any person could assume the presidency even if that person did not hold public office. Earlier in the day, Nawaz Sharif had appeared before the accountability court after being summoned in connection with three graft cases prepared by the National Accountability Bureau against him and his family. However, he was not formally charged with a crime as his lawyer argued that all of the accused in the case must be present in court before they could be indicted. The accused - Nawaz; his children Hussain, Hassan, and Maryam; and son-in-law Mohammad Safdar - are now expected to appear on the 9th of this month to be formally indicted. The court has issued non-bailable arrest warrants for the men and a bailable warrant for Maryam, likely keeping in mind that she may need to stay with her ailing mother in London. Nepali version of Mahatma Gandhi’s autobiography released in Kathmandu On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti the Nepali version of Mahatma Gandhi’s autobiography “The story of My Experiments with Truth” was released at Kathmandu today. Renowned Gandhian Pradeep Giri, Former Prime Minister of Nepal Lokendra Bahadur Chand and Indian Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri jointly released the book. The autobiography of Gandhiji is translated by Shri Shekhar Giri. In his address the former Prime Minister of Nepal Chand highlighted the role of Mahatma Gandhi in the freedom struggle of India and Gandhiji’s contribution in world peace. Famous Gandhian Pradeep Giri stressed upon the importance of non-violence in bringing stability in administration and society of a country. Ambassador Puri said that Mahatma Gandhi’s teachings are relevant in modern day world also. He also lauded Shri Shekhar Giri for translation of the iconic autobiography of Mahatma Gandhi in Nepali. The event was organised by the Embassy of India and BP Koirala India-Nepal Foundation. Some rare photographs of Gandhiji were also exhibited. A documentary on life of Mahatama Gandhi was also screened on this occasion. The process of producing fabrics from ‘Charkha’ was demonstrated. Dedicated follower of Mahatma Gandhi, Ms. Uma Jee sang the famous Bhajan of Gandhiji ‘Vaishnava Jan to tene kahiye” on the occasion. More than hundred Nepalese writers, artists, intellectuals and media persons attended the programme. Sikh lawyer Jagmeet Singh voted leader of Canada's New Democratic Party A 38-year-old Sikh lawyer was today elected the leader of Canada's New Democratic Party, becoming the first member of a minority community to lead a major political party in the country. Jagmeet Singh, the Ontario provincial lawmaker, was elected on the first ballot to lead the party into the 2019 election against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals. He won the decisive first-ballot victory over three other candidates by winning 53.6 percent of the vote. He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from the University of Western Ontario in 2001 and a Bachelor of Laws degree from York University's Osgoode Hall Law School in 2005. Oppressed Gilgit Baltistan residents will vote for India: Abdul Hamid Khan Chairman of the Balawaristan National Front (BNF), Abdul Hamid Khan, has said that the oppressed people of Gilgit Baltistan will vote in favour of joining India as they are fed up with Pakistan's colonial rule. "There are only two options - either you can vote to India or you can vote to Pakistan. After the long 69 years of experience, we the people of Gigit Baltistan believe we are living under Pakistani occupation and we live like in a prison of 72,000 square kilometers (area). By keeping that in our mind, if we have only two options, we will not give our vote to Pakistan, we will vote for India" said Khan, who Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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lives in Belgium in political asylum. Criticising Islamabad for violating the UNCIP Resolution and for falsely framing political activists, religious persons and students of Gilgit Baltistan under the controversial anti-Terrorist Act of Schedule IV, Khan said access to justice is denied because there is no legal, constitutional high court or Supreme Court in the region. He claimed that the judicial system of Gilgit Baltistan is under Pakistan and its armed forces’ firm control. "Pakistan is the first country which violated the UNCIP resolution. If you are demanding a UN resolution, first you perform yourself, your obligation - you withdraw your forces from the area, and then, you can ask the United Nations to ask India to withdraw the bulk of its forces from that area. But, Pakistan is violating the rights of the people of Gilgit Baltistan. We are not allowed free speech, we are not allowed to free walk in our area. If you say anything, you will be detained under the terrorist law and booked for sedition, you will be detained under Schedule IV. People have no freedom and people of Gilgit Baltistan have no access to the justice system", Khan said. He added that the lives, properties and freedom of the people is under serious threat due to Pakistan and China's joint conspiracy to strengthen their occupation under the garb of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The corridor, which starts in China's Xinjiang Province enters Pakistan via Gilgit-Baltistan. Calling Gilgit Baltistan as victim of multibillion dollar CPEC project Khan said, "Gilgit Baltistan is the first victim of CPEC because the Chinese government did not talk with the representatives of the Gilgit Baltistan Legislative Assembly, the governor or the chief minister and take them into confidence. People from across Pakistan and China are now settling in Gilgit Baltistan as in 1974 the Government of Pakistan abolished State Subject Rule in the region. In an utterly disgraceful move to ensure its own colonial control over Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan has deployed its citizens in all departments, including administration, police and judiciary. Abdul Hamid calls it a deliberate attempt by Pakistan to grab the resources of Gilgit Baltistan by making the indigenous people into minority. He added, "In whole Jammu and Kashmir, including Ladakh and Gilgit Baltistan, the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir imposed State Subject Rule in 1927 to protect the people, their history, their culture, resources and their land from outside invasion. India is respecting the State Subject Rule. No Indian citizen from other state can buy any land in J&K and cannot acquire any permanent employment there and their rights are protected. But on the other side, in Gilgit Baltistan, this law is totally violated as Pakistan is sending on daily basis its citizens by violating the State Subject Rule. Pakistanis are not a democratic loving people as they don't listen to the people's voice". Two more cities in Afghanistan to be connected by direct flights to Delhi Mazar-e Sharif in North and Herat in the West are the two other major cities in Afghanistan are now going to have direct flights to Delhi. The inaugural direct flight was seen off from the Maulana Jalalludin Balkhi airport in Mazar-e Sharif for IGIA, Delhi at 10.30 am today. Kam Air - privately owned airline by the Kamgar Group will operate two flights a week from Mazar in Monday & Wednesday and from Herat on Friday & Tuesday. Monday's flight was inaugurated by Mohammad Afzal Hadeed, Chairman of the Provincial Council of Balkh Province and Manjish Grover, Consul General of India in Mazar-e Sharif. Speaking to local media at the occasion the Indian Consul General lauded the combined efforts of Afghanistan government and India, the Civil Aviation Depts. in both sides, authorities in Mazar and the Kam Air management in making this possible so quickly. First-ever shipment of US crude oil arrives in India at Paradip port Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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India today received its first ever shipment of US crude which reached odisha's Paradip port on Monday. IOC has recieved 1.6 million barrels at Paradip. The IOC deal comes within weeks of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's June-end visit to the US when the two countries expressed willingness to deepen their cooperation in the energy sector. MT New Prosperity, a very large crude carrier (VLCC), with a capacity to haul two million barrels of crude, left US Gulf Coast on August 19 and arrived at Paradip port on 2nd October. This is one of the first shipments to India since the United States stopped oil exports in 1975. With this shipment IOC also became the first Indian public sector refiner to source US crude. State-owned BPCL and HPCL have also placed orders for US crude. The total volume of the crude presently contracted by Indian public sector refineries are close to 8 million Barrels. US crude oil shipments to India have the potential to boost bilateral trade by up to USD 2 billion. Indian companies, both public and private, have invested about USD 5 billion in US shale assets. They have also contracted 5.8 million tonnes per annum of liquefied natural gas from the US and the first shipment is expected to be delivered to India in January 2018. The IOC deal came within weeks of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's June-end visit to the US when President Donald Trump talked of his country looking to export more energy products to India. During their June 26 meeting in Washington, Trump and PM Modi committed to expanding and elevating bilateral energy cooperation. The Indian government has encouraged state-controlled refiners to buy US and Canadian crude from the US Gulf coast as it looks at cheaper alternatives that have emerged due to global supply glut. US crude can take bilateral trade to USD 2 billion. India has invested about USD 5 billion in US shale assets Indian Companies have contracted 5.8 MTPA LNG from US First shipment of LNG From US expected in January 2018. Meet on blockchain tech in Vizag on October 9, 10 The State government is organising a major conference on blockchain technology here on October 9 and 10. The technology has been identified by the government as one with great potential and future in the IT sector. Representatives from major IT companies specialising in financial technology, over 40 start-ups from 20 countries and policymakers from the Centre and the States as well as CEOs in banking and insurance sectors will attend the conference. Three top winners offering solutions among the start-ups will be offered ₹5 lakh each and three runners-up ₹2 lakh each. Best performer from the student hackathon will be honoured at the summit being attended by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and other leaders. “With cyber security issues causing serious concern across the world, there is no doubt that blockchain technology is set to be the biggest disrupter not only in the financial world but also a number of online and offline sectors. Blockchain Summit-2017 is our initiative to create a self-sustaining ecosystem,” JA Chowdary, IT Adviser to the Chief Minister, said in an interview. The summit is hosted by Fintech Valley Vizag, formed by AP Electronics and IT Agency (APEITA), an autonomous society set up by the State government to promote investments. The summit is one among many initiatives to develop an ecosystem to develop fintech in Visakhapatnam. KPMG is the knowledge partner for launching BFSI Use Case Repository and Fintech Valley Accelerator Programmes. An innovation challenge would be organised during the summit to reward use cases in areas of supply chain finance, business processes and International remittances. The aim of the challenge is to seek innovative solutions and execute proof of concepts with the promising ones so that it will be useful for many financial technology companies. Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Catalan referendum: Spanish govt’s crack down takes the world by surprise




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Tensions were running high before Sunday’s Catalan referendum, which had been declared illegal by Spain’s Constitutional Court, but few could have envisaged the extraordinary scenes that grabbed headlines across the world, of voters, ensconced in polling stations, in Barcelona being dragged out by police. Catalan authorities estimate that over 800 people had been injured in clashes with police, a brutal and dramatic climax to an already extraordinarily heated situation which has been exacerbated by political intransigence, leaving the EU’s fifth largest economy in social and political turmoil. The immediate background to the events was the Catalan Parliament’s decision — backed by the regional government — on September 6 to approve legislation to enable the independence referendum to take place, putting in place the move for full secession. The central government’s response was swift: within a day the Spanish Constitutional Court, that had declared such a referendum illegal, suspended the referendum legislation (the Spanish constitution declares the “indissoluble unity of the Spanish nation” and the “Common and indivisible homeland of all Spaniards.”). The government led by Mariano Rajoy began a programme of confiscating electoral material in the region, shutting down websites promoting independence and pledging to show the “full force” of the law. While tensions between the Spanish government and the Basque separatist group ETA have gained international infamy, the tensions between the state and Catalonia, the wealthy industrial region in north eastern Spain, home to Barcelona, has until recently largely stayed out of the international spotlight. However, the tensions are decades old: reflecting economic, cultural, social and linguistic differences that gained recognition of one form or another over time. In 1932 the Spanish Parliament approved the Catalan Statute of Autonomy, though was swiftly repealed under the dictatorship of General Franco, amid brutal repression in the region. Under the democratic state that followed moves for greater autonomy have been met by some compromise and delegation of powers. The independence movement brings together a complex grouping of forces from the left and the right, with many in the region in favour of the referendum taking place, while sceptical about independence itself. Support for the movement gathered momentum following the 2007 financial crisis that tested the Spanish economy, and heralded an era of austerity, intensifying regional bitterness that it was propping up the rest of the economy. Two unofficial referendums have taken place in 2011, and 2014, and concluded with high levels of support for independence. The scenes in Barcelona have been met with incredulity from across the world — that a Prime Minister of a democratic nation would use force in the way that it was — but Rajoy’s “mano dura” (firm hand) on independence has considerable support across other parts of Spain. Ahead of the referendum several thousands gathered in Madrid to protest the referendum and assert their support for the Spanish nation state, while mainstream media sided with the central government ahead of the referendum. “Agreements cannot be reached with those who stage a coup,” headlined El Pais, the largest Spanish daily, citing constitutional principles on the day of the referendum. “Rajoy did not make his move alone. His actions reflected Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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consensus across the Spanish state and much of Spanish society,” tweeted Alexander Clarkson, a lecturer at Kings College London, following Sunday’s developments. The situation remains fast moving. The Catalan government has declared around 90 per cent backing for independence, in line with previous referendums and are expected to make a declaration of independence in days. A general strike is set to take place on Tuesday. The government’s brutal tactics are likely to have exacerbated existing tensions and spurred support for the independence movement. The political ramifications for Rajoy — who is expected to trigger Article 155 of the Constitution — a never before used section that would enable the centre to take control of the regional government - remains to be seen. There have been calls for his resignation with some drawing parallels between the approach of his government and that of General Franco, the bloody shadow of whose dictatorial regime continues to loom large. Barcelona’s mayor Ada Colau was among those who called for Rajoy to stand down, accusing him of shirking from his responsibilities as a leader through his authoritarian approach. “For a long time we have been in a situation of deadlock between Catalonia and the government of the Spanish state because there has been no dialogue…no proposals on the table,” she told Spanish television stations on Sunday. For now, however, Rajoy is under surprisingly little international pressure, perhaps reflecting anxieties about separatist movements elsewhere. Belgium’s premier Charles Michel is one of the few voices of condemnation in Europe, with others such as Britain and the European Commission itself insisting it was a matter for the Spanish state, and constitution. It has fallen to others such as the Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon to issue strong condemnation. “Regardless of views on independence, we should all condemn the scenes being witnessed,” she tweeted. Rajoy’s political support base domestically may give him little incentive to change too. “Rajoy’s toughness is playing well with his electoral base, which means he has no incentive to backtrack on his strategy,” wrote Antonio Barroso of risk analysis agency Teneo Intelligence. ***




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Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs Date: 3.10.2017, Tuesday

Vijay Mallya arrested in ED money laundering case, gets bail Embattled liquor baron Vijay Mallya was "re-arrested" today in a money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of India before being released on a 650,000 pounds bail by a court here. The 61-year-old flamboyant businessman, already out on bail on an extradition warrant executed by the Metropolitan Police earlier this year, was released on the same bail conditions as before to appear for his extradition hearing on December 4. Speaking to PTI outside the Westminster Magistrates' Court, Mallya said that he has "done nothing wrong" and described the allegations against him as "fabricated". The UK s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which is arguing the case against Mallya on behalf of the Indian authorities, told the court the new charges were "supplemental" to the earlier fraud charges against him. The new case gives evidence of the destination of the allegedly fraudulently obtained funds, some of which they claim may have landed in the Formula One team - Force India. "It is essentially about the ultimate destination of the funds... some of which we believe ended up in Force India Formula One," said CPS barrister Mark Summers. The previous fraud charges relate to Mallya's now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines owing more than Rs 9,000 crore to various Indian banks. The UB Group chief has been on self-imposed exile in the UK since he left India on March 2, 2016. The CPS told the court that the money laundering charges had been filed in India on June 14 and submitted as an evidence affidavit for the extradition case in the UK at the end of September. This resulted in the CPS technically re-filing its extradition request in court today, which has now "superseded" the previous ongoing case. Judge, Chief Magistrate Emma Louise Arbuthnot, agreed to formally re-open a fresh case while keeping to the same timetable as set before. However, she concurred with Mallya's defence team that there should be "nothing coming out of the woodwork" because if further evidence keeps coming in it could put the December 4 trial date at "risk". The CPS defended the Indian authorities over the issue, saying the new charges are linked to the original case. However, Ben Watson, arguing on behalf of Mallya, sought the court's direction to ensure "nothing further" would be presented from the Indian side. "We are very keen to keep the December hearing, something the government of India have pushed for. We can't be served further evidence like this again...we are doing all we can to meet the timetable," he said. Mallya's team will now respond to the additional evidence by the end of October with further responses on both sides scheduled for early November in time for a pre-trial hearing on November 20. The judge was sympathetic to the defence team, saying their request was "quite reasonable". She then informed Mallya that he is freed on the "same bail conditions as before", which he must abide by after the court clerk formally asked Mallya if he consented to be extradited to India on the charges and he responded with "no". The conditions of his bail include providing a bail bond worth 650,000 pounds, assuring the court of abiding by all conditions associated with extradition proceedings, such as the surrender of his passport and a ban on him Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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possessing any travel documents. He is exempt from appearing before the court now until his trial begins in December. Arbuthnot has been hearing Mallya's extradition case at Westminster Magistrates' Court on his previous arrest warrant executed by Scotland Yard in April. She is scheduled to preside over the hearing listed for two weeks starting December 4. If she rules in favour of extradition at the end of the trial, the UK home secretary must order Mallya s extradition within two months of the appropriate day. However, the case can go through a series of appeals before arriving at a conclusion. Sources in New Delhi said his arrest was pursuant to the extradition request made by the Indian government based on money laundering charges against Mallya. The ED in a statement said that the process for extradition of Mallya to ensure his presence during the trial of the offence of money laundering has been initiated by it. "For the purpose, a fresh application for his extradition was routed through the Ministry of External Affairs which has since been filed before the concerned court in London," it said. "The matter came up for hearing today. In pursuance of same Mallya has been arrested in pursuance of the fresh extradition request. He is already facing extradition proceedings in UK in a criminal case of CBI," the ED said. The statement added that the agency has attached assets worth Rs 9,890 crore (market value), under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), till now in connection with this case. India and the UK have an Extradition Treaty, signed in 1992, but so far only one extradition has taken place from the UK to India under the arrangement -- Samirbhai Vinubhai Patel, who was sent back to India last October to face trial in connection with his involvement in the post-Godhra riots of 2002. RBI opens branch in Doon The Reserve Bank of India today opened a branch in the city to make transactions of the state government more convenient. Inaugurating the RBI's branch here, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said it was an important step which will speed up economic development of the state besides making financial transactions of the government more convenient. Earlier, the state government had to do financial transactions through the Kanpur branch of the RBI, an official release here said. RBI's Principal Chief General Manager S Ramaswamy assured the state government of all support in its development endeavours saying a separate branch in the state will ensure smooth disposal of financial works of the state government through better coordination between the treasuries and the banks. Suu Kyi stripped of Oxford honour over Rohingya criticism An honour bestowed on Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi by the city of Oxford has been withdrawn as a reaction to her perceived inadequate response to the plight of Rohingya Muslims in the country. The 'Freedom of Oxford' had been granted to the de facto leader of Myanmar in 1997 for her "long struggle for democracy" by the Oxford City Council. A cross-party motion was unanimously passed by the council yesterday which said it was "no longer appropriate" for her to hold the honour. Oxford City Council leader Bob Price supported the motion to remove her honour and confirmed it was an "unprecedented step" for the local authority. The city council will hold a special meeting to confirm that the honour is removed on November 27. Suu Kyi, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, has close links to the Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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city of Oxford, having lived in Park Town with her family and earlier attended St Hugh's College from 1964 until 1967. The city council's move comes days after her alma mater, St Hugh's, removed her portrait from the main college entrance. While the exact reasons for the portrait's removal were attributed to a new replacement, there is a wider view that the allegations of ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya Muslims fleeing their homes to Bangladesh is likely to be behind the move. Nearly 500,000 people belonging to Myanmar's Rohingya minority have been displaced after violence allegedly instigated by the country's military, causing a major humanitarian crisis. Suu Kyi has been Myanmar's State Counsellor, a position similar to prime minister, since April, 2016. She spent years under house arrest as a campaigner for democracy while Myanmar was ruled by a military dictatorship. She became a worldwide icon for freedom before leading her National League for Democracy to victory in open elections in November, 2015. The UK government has made repeated calls for her take a more firm stance on the violence being suffered by the Rohingyas. SC to examine whether Kerala High Court can annul marriage The Supreme Court today said that it would examine whether the Kerala High Court can annul the marriage of a Muslim man with a Hindu woman, who had converted to Islam before tying the nuptial knot. A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said that the court will hear on Monday next the fresh plea of Shafin Jahan, the Kerala man who has sought recalling of the apex court's earlier order by which the National Investigation Agency (NIA) was asked to probe whether there was a wider pattern of alleged 'love jihad' in the case. Supreme court had on August 16 directed the NIA to probe the incident under the supervision of retired apex court judge, Justice R V Raveendran.The Kerala High Court had annulled the marriage terming it as an instance of 'love jihad'. Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2017 to be held in Hyderabad A high-level delegation of India and the United States today met in New Delhi to plan the 2017 Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES). The summit to be held between 28th to 30th of November in Hyderabad will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Advisor to the US President, Ivanka Trump, who leads the U.S. delegation. The summit is the preeminent annual gathering of emerging entrepreneurs, investors, and business leaders from around the world. Through networking, mentoring and workshops, the GES empowers entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas, build partnerships, secure funding and create innovative goods and services that will transform societies. This year, the focus will be on women entrepreneurs and the tremendous potential women bring to entrepreneurship. The summit will create an environment that empowers innovators, particularly women to take their ideas to the next level. Honeypreet Insan, adopted daughter of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, arrested in Punjab Honeypreet Insaan, the adopted daughter of Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh, has been arrested in Punjab today after 38 days of hiding. Punjab Police have given his custody to Haryana Police. Panchkula Police Commissioner A S Chawla said that she would be produced in the court tomorrow and police will seek her remand. Dhinakaran booked for 'derogatory' remarks against Modi, TN CM Tamil Nadu Police has booked the ruling AIADMK (Amma) Party's sidelined leader TTV Dhinakaran on charges of making derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and state Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy. Eight of Dhinakaran's loyalists were arrested yesterday in Salem. The FIR filed by Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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the police against them say the cadres owing allegiance to the sidelined leader of the party distributed pamphlets containing remarks against Prime Minister and the Chief Minister last month outside a hall where the chief minister was attending a function. The arrested include an ex-MLA Venkatachalam. In the FIR, the names of Mr Dhinakaran, the MLA Mr Vetrivel who was declared disqualified recently by the Assembly Speaker and the party’s Karnataka wing secretary Pugalendhi and a few others are included. This is the second case booked by the police against Mr Dhinakaran. He told journalists in Chennai yesterday, the police action is an act of political vendetta. He expressed confidence that her aunt Ms VK Sasikala who is undergoing a four year jail term in a Bengaluru prison after conviction in the DA case would get parole very soon. Her husband Mr Natarajan is admitted into the intensive care unit of a hospital in Chennai on complaints of renal malfunctioning and breathing troubles. Jaya Case: Madras High Court agrees to hear case against formation of an inquiry commission The Madras High Court has agreed to hear a case against the formation of an inquiry commission to look into the circumstances surrounding the demise of late chief minister and AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa. Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy recently announced a one-man commission of inquiry led by retired Madras High Court judge Arumugasamy. The senior counsel KM Vijayan today made a mention before the first bench consisting of Chief Justice Indira Bannerjee, saying, a case is already pending before the High Court seeking a Commission of inquiry consisting of three retired Supreme Court judges assisted by apex investigating agencies like the CBI. The High Court has agreed to hear the case tomorrow and directed the counsel to file his petition. GDP to hit $6 trillion by 2027 on digital leap: Morgan Stanley report India is likely to be the world's fastest-growing large economy in the next 10 years, driven by digitisation, favourable demographics, globalisation and reforms, predicts a Morgan Stanley report. According to the global financial services major, the trend line in India's annual GDP growth has been accelerating to 6.9 percent in 2000s, from 5.8 percent in the 1990s, and this momentum is likely to continue in the next decade as well. Morgan Stanley expects digitisation will provide an enhancement of 50-75 bps to GDP growth and forecast that India will grow to a 6-trillion-dollar economy and achieve upper-middle income status by 2026-27. Morgan Stanley said that India's real GDP growth to compound annually at 7.1 percent and nominal GDP growth to compound at 11.2 percent, over the coming decade. President Ram Nath Kovind appoints Commission to examine sub-categorisation of OBC President Ram Nath Kovind has appointed five member Commission to examine the sub-categorisation of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs). Justice (Retd.) G. Rohini will be the chairperson of the Commission which will present its report to the President within twelve weeks. The sub-categorization of the OBCs will ensure that the more backward among the OBC communities can also access the benefits of reservation for educational institutions and government jobs. The Commission will examine the extent of inequitable distribution of benefits of reservation among the castes or communities included in the broad category of OBCs with reference to such classes included in the Central List. It will work out the mechanism, criteria, norms and parameters in a scientific approach for sub-categorisation within such OBCs. Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Dream of Swachh Bharat will be realised by 125 cr Indians: PM Paying tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on Gandhi Jayanti, Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the nation, especially Swachhagrahis, for making the Swachhta Mission a mass movement. He added that the challenge of making India cent percent Open defecation free by 2019 still remains. PM gave away awards and inaugurated an exhibition to mark the end Swachhta hi seva fortnight. Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a clarion call to the Nation on 15th august 2104 and three years later he spoke of the impact. He said that the willpower of 125 crore people can bring about a great change towards Clean India and the results are visible on the ground. Within 3 years, 6 states have been declared Open Defecation Free and about 70 per cent of the country is on the path to achieving this goal. And Sankalp or pledge turns into achievement or Siddhi. Only through people power. Prime Minister talked of great changes taking place, recalling Mahatma Gandhi, Prime Minister said that to realise the India of his dreams, the challenge of dirt and garbage spilling all around has to end. He also stressed on the fact that Clean India is the foundation for healthy and productive India. Prime Minister said that there has been a change in the mindset of people with regard to cleanliness and the world is seeing positive results. Prime Minister also lauded the role played by media and social institutions. He said that today the country is benefiting from the competitive spirit with regard to cleanliness and the goal of achieving clean India by 2019 is within sight. Prime Minister also went around an exhibition on Swachh Bharat Mission at Vigyan Bhavan. The fortnight long Swachhta Hi Sewa campaign across the country came to an end with today's function Renowned personalities across the country have joined in this effort of Swachhta Hi Sewa and this has contributed hugely in helping to create awareness about cleanliness across the country. PM lays foundation stone of AIIMS, Triple IT in Himachal Pradesh Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for a 750 beds All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh and Triple IT today. A day after taking the promise of creating a Swacch Bharat forward, Prime Minister Narendra Modi heads to Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh to create a Swasthya Bharat. He laid the foundation stone for an AIIMS there. Health Minister J P Nadda said the All India Institute of Medical Sciences would provide much-needed tertiary medical services to Himachal Pradesh and its neighbouring states. People in the region are overjoyed with the announcement as they will now get the best medical care possible without any additional expenses like travel and lodging. Addressing the gathering after laying the foundation stone of AIIMS at Bilaspur, the Prime Minister said the hospital will be built at a cost of over 1300 crore rupees which will have state of the art facilities. He said, the new AIIMS will not only cater to the needs of the people of Himachal Pradesh but also the whole North India. He said, the new hospital will also generate jobs for the unemployed. PM Modi also said, the Mission Indradhanush which is an immunisation scheme for children has covered significant ground in vaccination. On laying the foundation of IIIT in Una, the Prime Minister said, the IIIT is not just a college but it is a beginning of a new era. The Prime Minister also spoke about One Rank One Pension for Ex- Servicemen and said that three installment have already been released and the fourth will be released soon. Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Barry Barish, Kip Thorne, Rainer Weiss of US win Nobel Physics Prize for gravitational waves US astrophysicists Barry Barish, Kip Thorne and Rainer Weiss won the Nobel Physics Prize for their discovery of gravitational waves, the Nobel jury said on day. Predicted by Albert Einstein a century ago as part of his theory of general relativity, but only detected in 2015, gravitational waves are "ripples" in space-time, as the theoretical fabric of the cosmos is called. They are caused by ultraviolent processes, such as colliding black holes or the collapse of stellar cores. "Their discovery shook the world," said Goran K Hansson, the head of the Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences which selects the Nobel recipients. They made their discovery in September 2015 and announced it in February 2016, a historic achievement that culminated from decades of scientific research. And since then, they have clinched all the major astrophysics prizes to be had. Thorne and Weiss co-created the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) at the prestigious California Institute of Technology, which has taken home 18 Nobels since the prizes were first awarded in 1901. Barish then brought the project to completion. The first-ever direct observation of gravitational waves was the result of an event some 1.3 billion light-years away. "Although the signal was extremely weak when it reached Earth, it is already promising a revolution in astrophysics. Gravitational waves are an entirely new way of following the most violent events in space and testing the limits of our knowledge," the Academy said. Since 2015, the enigmatic ripples have been detected three more times: twice more by LIGO and once by the Virgo detector located at the European Gravitational Observatory (EGO) in Cascina, Italy. "Gravitational waves spread at the speed of light, filling the Universe, as Albert Einstein described in his general theory of relativity. They are always created when a mass accelerates, like when an ice-skater pirouettes or a pair of black holes rotate around each other," the Nobel jury explained. "Einstein was convinced it would never be possible to measure them. The LIGO project's achievement was using a pair of gigantic laser interferometers to measure a change thousands of times smaller than an atomic nucleus, as the gravitational wave passed the Earth." Black holes emit no light and therefore can only be observed through the gravitational waves. After two black holes collide, they leave behind a single rotating black hole with no traces visible of its dramatic inception. "Gravitational waves, which rythmically stretch and squeeze space, change tone as their message alters. If we could hear all the waves and not only the strongest ones, the entire universe would be full of music, like birds chirping in a forest, with a louder tone here and a quieter one there," the Academy said. The prize comes with nine million Swedish kronor (around USD1.1 million or 940,000 euros). Last year, British scientists David Thouless, Duncan Haldane and Michael Kosterlitz were honoured for their groundbreaking research on topology, or unusual phases or states of matter, which may one day yield superfast computers. The physics prize is the second of the 2017 Nobels awarded, after the medicine prize on Monday went to three American geneticists -- Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Rosbash and Michael W. Young -- for shedding light on the biological clock that governs the sleep-wake cycles of most living things. The chemistry prize will be announced tomorrow, the literature prize on Thursday and the peace prize on Friday. The economics prize will wrap things up on Monday, October 9. Polavaram project will be completed before 2019 election: Nitin Gadkari The mega Polavaram irrigation project on the Godavari, often described as the lifeline of Andhra Pradesh, will be completed before the next General Election in 2019 and the Union Government will render all necessary assistance to the State Government for the purpose. The Union Minister for Water Resources, Waterways, Highways, Shipping and Road Transport, Nitin Gadkari, said this on Tuesday at the Indira Gandhi municipal stadium. The Minister laid the foundation stones for several national highway projects in the State and inaugurated several others, along with Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. Seven NH projects were dedicated to the nation and foundation stones were laid for six NH projects in the State, the total cost of all the projects being Rs. 4,153 crore. Foundation stone for the development of National Waterway Four (Kakinada-Puducherry) was also laid by the minister. In the first phase of the project, the stretch between Muktayala to Vijayawada will be developed. The total project cost is Rs. 7,015 crore and the length of the waterway 315 km. Nitin Gadkari said it would be difficult to complete the Polavaram project before the next General Election, but no effort would be spared and the target would be achieved. "I will do my level best to complete the Polavaram project on time. That is my assurance to you," he said. He said the Union Goverment would spend more than Rs. 1 lakh crore on improving the national highways in Andhra Pradesh and it would give a tremendous boost to the development of the State. He said under Sagaramala several port-related projects would be taken up in the State. The capacity of the Visakhapatnam port would be expanded. He said the Visakhapatnam-Chennai industrial corridor was another major project which would benefit the State enormously and it would be taken up expeditiously. The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister thanked the Union Minister profusely and said he was confident that Polavaram project would be completed on time, with the Centre's assistance. Venkaiah Naidu expressed his happiness over the launch of so many projects on a single day in the State. He said linking of rivers was of utmost importance. State Governor E.S.L Narasimhan also spoke. ***




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Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs Date: 4.10.2017, Wednesday

India have quality and determination to impress: Vijayan I M Vijayan is amazed at Indian football's leap from amateurism to professionalism and feels a decent outing in the FIFA U-17 World Cup will go a long way in raising the standard of the game in the country. Vijayan, one of the country's greatest strikers, played 79 matches for India between 1989 and 2003. The 48-year-old is optimistic that the host nation players could make heads turn with their performance. "I am pretty optimistic about a good show. We are the host nation and our players have gained confidence following their showings in the preparatory events," Vijayan told PTI today. "I have seen them train before and they really impressed me. I can say that they have it in them to produce a creditable performance in the World Cup," he said three days before the start of India's first-ever FIFA tournament. India have clubbed been with Colombia, USA and Ghana in the group stage. Vijayan is one of the most decorated Indian footballers, scoring 40 times in his international career spanning 15 years. Vijayan, who last played in 2004 for his home team Kerala Police, represented Mohan Bagan, East Bengal, JCT Mills and Churchill Brothers. Talking about the change in Indian football, he said, "I think what has caught my attention is the switch to professionalism. Gone are the days when we would be carrying water bottles from our room into the SAI centre in Bangalore for our camp." Citing another example of lack of professionalism those days, he said, "Back then, after a match we would be asked if we are injured. But now, you have so many doctors, physios, coaches to look after the players. They are made to go through screenings before a match to assess their fitness." Vijayan is one of the two government observers for football and ahead of India's 2019 Asian Cup qualifying match against Macau, he travelled with the team and kept a keen eye on every arrangement for their practice and the match-day facilities. "I have written to the AIFF and government about the improvements made in the Indian football set-up," he said. He said there was no point in comparing Indian football with cricket. "Both has its own space. And moreover, both are our national teams and we should cheer for both. So, one should not compare between the two sports. Govt sets up high-level committee for water management in NE region Centre has set up a high-level committee for proper management of water resources in the NorthEastern region . The Committee will be headed by NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar. It will facilitate optimising benefits of appropriate water management in the form of hydro-electric power, agriculture, biodiversity conservation, reduced flood damage erosion, inland water transport, forestry, fishery and eco tourism. The committee is also tasked with spelling out actionable steps for optimizing water resources in the region and chalking out an action plan for dovetailing of Central schemes. The high-level committee will submit its report by June next year. The panel has been formed in the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement to set up a high level committee for holistic management of water resources in north east during his visit to Guwahati in August this year. Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Tourism Ministry to organise Paryatan Parv from tomorrow Tourism Ministry will organise Paryatan Parv from tomorrow. The parv is being organised with the objective of drawing focus on the benefits of tourism, showcasing the cultural diversity of the country and reinforcing the principle of Tourism for All. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi this evening, Tourism Minister K J Alphons said, the paryatan parv will have three components which are Dekho Apna Desh, Tourism for All and Tourism and Governance. Mr Aphons said, 9.3 per cent employment is being provided by Tourism sector. He said, there is a considerable improvement in foreign tourists arrival in India and e-visa is playing a key role in this connection. Crafts bazaar, food court, classical dance music, handicrafts and handlooms and cuisines from all the states will the main highlights of the Paryatan Parv. Replying to a media query over safety and security of foreign tourists, the Minister said, India is one of safest tourism destination in the world. Rajnish Kumar appointed as SBI Chairman Managing Director of State Bank of India (SBI), Rajnish Kumar has been appointed as the next chairman of the largest public sector bank. He will succeed Arundhati Bhattacharya, who is at present serving her one-year extension. Her term will end on Friday.Mr. Kumar's appointment was cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet for a period of three years. New TB drug to be introduced in controlled manner: Health Min Concerned over the rising number of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis cases in the country, the Health Ministry will introduce a new drug Delamanid in a controlled manner. As a pilot, 400 courses of Delamanid will be rolled out in five to six states as part of the conditional access programme under the Revised National TB Control Program. Delamanid which is in its phase 3 clinical trials, has been given approval by a technical group on tuberculosis in the ministry. The ministry had launched Bedaquiline drug for treatment of drug resistant TB in 2016 and currently it is available in Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Guwahati and Ahmedabad. Delamanid and Bedaquiline will be used for treatment of tuberculosis in combination with other drugs parallely. Director General of Health Services Jagdish Prasad said, there is need of more than one drug for treating TB because of increasing drug resistance in patients in the country. He said, at present half of the patients do not respond to tuberculosis treatment as they have developed resistance to the drug. According to World Health Organisation's TB statistics for India for 2015, there were an estimated 22 lakh cases in the country. Nirbhaya fund: Centre not getting states' support, Supreme Court told The central government has informed to Supreme Court that it was finding it difficult to get the cooperation of states on the issue relating to disbursal of compensation to the victims of sexual assault under the Nirbhaya fund. The Nirbhaya Fund was announced by the Centre in 2013 after the sensational December 16, 2012 gangrape and murder case in Delhi to support the initiatives of the governments and the NGOs working towards safety of women. A bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur, S Abdul Nazeer and Deepak Gupta was told by senior advocate Indira Jaising, an amicus curiae in the matter, that the Centre wanted a direction to the states in this regard. Jaising also informed the apex court that Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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she has gone through 36 schemes related to compensation to be disbursed to victims of sexual assault under the Nirbhaya fund. The bench posted the matter for further hearing on 12th of this month. DRDO transfers technology of Bullet Proof Jacket to M/S MKU, Ltd Kanpur Defence Research and Development Organisation, DRDO has transferred the technology of Bullet Proof Jacket to M/S MKU Limited, Kanpur for manufacturing these for the Indian Army and Para-Military Forces personnel. Chairman DRDO and Secretary Department of Defence Research and Development Dr S Christopher handed over the technology at a function held in New Delhi, where documents and related licence agreement between DRDO and M/S MKU Limited, Kanpur were exchanged. This technology is challenging and one of the most significant matured personal protection systems developed by DRDO. Dr Christopher in his address urged M/S MKU, Kanpur to maintain a strict vigil on the quality of the Bullet Proof Jackets for the Indian Army and the Paramilitary Forces and to collaborate with DRDO to absorb the DRDO developed technologies. Pro-independence Catalans defy King Felipe VI's warning Pro-independence Catalan leaders are pressing ahead despite an emphatic warning from King Felipe VI. Catalan President Carles Puigdemont said he would declare independence at the end of this week or the beginning of next. The king branded Sunday's referendum illegal and undemocratic. But correspondents said his failure to acknowledge the violent repression of the vote has fired up rather than deterred independence supporters. Meanwhile, Spain's high court has summoned the head of Catalonia's regional police force to testify as a suspect in a investigation of alleged sedition - inciting rebellion against the state. Panchkula court sends Honeypreet, Sukhdip to six-day police remand In Haryana, the Panchkula court today sent the so-called adopted daughter of convicted Sirsa Dera Chief Honeypreet and Sukhdip, a Dera follower accompanying her on a six day police remand. They were produced before the court today and Police had sought her 14 days remand. Honeypreet's lawer opposed it, saying that police had already interrogated her after arrest yesterday and there is no need of remand. Police said that remand of Honeypreet is needed to recover the mobile used by her on August 25, the day when violence erupted in Panchkula and during the days, she evaded arrest. Police also contended before the court that Honeypreet was responsible for erupting violence in Panchkula and framing a plan to run away Dera Chief. Turtle sanctuary to be set up at Allahabad under Namami Gange Under the Namami Gange programme, a turtle sanctuary in Allahabad along with a River Biodiversity Park at Sangam have been approved to protect the rich aquatic biodiversity of river Ganga from escalating anthropogenic pressures. The project at an estimated cost of 1.34 crore rupees will include development of River Biodiversity Park at Sangam, establishment of a Turtle Rearing Centre and awareness about the importance of river Ganga and imperativeness of its conservation. This project will provide much needed platform to make the visitors aware of their place in the ecosystem, their roles and responsibilities, improve their understanding of the complexity of co-existence with the environment and help generate awareness for reducing the impact of human activities on critical natural resources. The task of dissipating knowledge about river Ganga will be taken up ardently in this project, which is 100 per cent centrally funded. The sustenance of more than 2000 aquatic species including threatened Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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gharials, dolphins and turtles in river Ganga exemplifies the rich biodiversity of this lifeline to over 40 per cent of the country’s population. Rivers Ganga and Yamuna at Allahabad are home to some of the most endangered fauna like turtles (Batagur kachuga, Batagur dhongoka, Nilssonia gangetica, Chitra indica, Hardella thurjii etc.), the National Aquatic Animal - Gangetic dolphin (Platanista gangetica), the Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) and numerous migratory and resident birds. Dubochet, Frank, Henderson win 2017 Nobel Chemistry Prize Scientists Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank and Richard Henderson won the 2017 Nobel Prize for Chemistry for developing cryo-electron microscopy which simplifies and improves the imaging of biomolecules, the awardgiving body said on Wednesday. "This method has moved biochemistry into a new era," the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said in a statement awarding the 9 million Swedish crown ($1.1 million) prize. "Researchers can now freeze biomolecules mid-movement and visualise processes they have never previously seen, which is decisive for both the basic understanding of life's chemistry and for the development of pharmaceuticals." Chemistry is the third of this year's Nobel Prizes after the winners of the medicine and physics prizes were announced earlier this week. The prizes are named after dynamite inventor Alfred Nobel and have been awarded since 1901 for achievements in science, literature and peace in accordance with his will. 'Biological clock' scientists win 2017 Nobel for medicine US-born scientists Jeffrey Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael Young won the 2017 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for their discoveries of molecular mechanisms controlling our biological clocks, the award-giving body said on Monday. The mechanisms help explain issues such as why people travelling long distances over several time zones often suffer jet lag and they have wider implications for health such as increased risk for certain diseases. “(The three scientists’) discoveries explain how plants, animals and humans adapt their biological rhythm so that it is synchronised with the Earth’s revolutions,” the Nobel Assembly at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute said in a statement. The laureates used fruit flies to isolate a gene that controls the normal daily biological rhythm and showed how this gene encoded a protein that accumulates in the cell during the night and degrades during the day. “The clock regulates critical functions such as behaviour, hormone levels, sleep, body temperature and metabolism,” the Assembly said on awarding the prize of 9 million Swedish crowns ($1.1 million). Thomas Perlmann, secretary at the Karolinska Institute Nobel Committee, described the reaction of Rosbash when first informed of the award: “He was silent and then he said “you are kidding me”.” Medicine is the first of the Nobel Prizes awarded each year. The prizes for achievements in science, literature and peace were created in accordance with the will of dynamite inventor and businessman Alfred Nobel and have been awarded Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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since 1901. Nobel medicine laureates have included scientific greats such as Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of penicillin, and Karl Landsteiner, whose identification of separate blood types opened the way to carrying out safe transfusions. The prize has not been without controversy, especially with the benefit of hindsight, such as with 1948 award for the discovery of DDT, a chemical that helped battle epidemics but was later banned due to its harmful environmental impact. RBI keeps repo rate unchanged but frees up more liquidity The Reserve Bank of India held its policy rate steady near seven-year lows on Wednesday after inflation surged, but still looked to prop up the cooling economy by spurring banks into lending more. The decision to keep the repo rate at 6.00 percent had been widely expected, with all but three of 60 analysts polled by Reuters predicting the RBI would stand pat after cutting the rate by 25 basis points (bps) in August. But in a concession to the weakening economy, which is growing at its slowest pace in over three years, policymakers surprised markets by taking steps to release more liquidity into the financial system. The RBI said it would lower the statutory liquidity ratio (SLR) -- the amount of bonds that banks must set aside with the central bank -- by 50 bps to 19.50 percent from mid-October. It had lowered the ratio by the same amount in June. The move will give banks more funds to lend, though previous efforts to revive the country’s weak private investment have largely failed. The SLR cut and a statement seen as hawkish sent bonds sharply lower, but the rupee and stock markets rose. In focusing on measures that target banks to support the economy, the RBI signalled its unwillingness to use stronger monetary policy tools after consumer inflation hit a five-month high of 3.36 percent in August, not far from the central bank’s 4 percent target. The RBI said it would thus keep its policy stance at “neutral,” and raised its price projection for October-March to a range of 4.2 to 4.6 percent, above its inflation target and above its previous forecast for around 4.0 to 4.5 percent. “The tone of the statement was more hawkish than markets expected,” said Ashish Vaidya, executive director and head of trading and asset liability management at DBS Bank. The meeting’s outcome had removed “chances of any rate cuts going ahead as of now,” he added. Five members of the committee, including Governor Urjit Patel, voted to keep rates unchanged, while Ravindra H. Dholakia, a prominent dovish member of the panel, voted for a cut of “at least” 25 bps. The RBI also kept the reverse repo rate unchanged at 5.75 percent. The benchmark 10-year bond yield rose to as much as 6.71 percent, the highest since May 19, from its previous close of 6.65 percent. But the rupee strengthened to as much as 64.9450 per dollar from its close of 65.49, while the NSE share index ended up 0.6 percent. FOCUS ON BANKS The RBI on Wednesday reiterated its policy priority is to keep inflation at around 4 percent “on a durable basis”, the midpoint of its mandated target of 2 to 6 percent. It cited a slew of concerns on inflation, including rising food costs, price revisions after the recent implementation of a national goods and services tax, and stubbornly high core prices. The worries come after RBI officials took advantage of an extraordinary period of low inflation to cut rates by 200 bps from January 2015 to August 2017, when it became the first Asian central bank to cut rates this year. But as it seeks to now focus on inflation, the RBI is bound to face pressure from government officials and executives to help prop up an economy that in months has gone from one of the fastest expansions in the world to growing only 5.7 percent in AprilJune, well below the 8 percent needed for full employment. The RBI acknowledged the weaker growth on Wednesday, cutting its end-March projection for gross value added - the indicator of economic growth it prefers - to 6.7 percent from its previous forecast of 7.3 percent. Some analysts, however, believe it could be much lower at around 6 percent. Yet, whether its decision to lower the SLR will do much to spur economic growth is uncertain. The previous ratio cut in June had little discernable impact. Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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The liquidity move is somewhat similar to one by China’s central bank last weekend to cut banks’ required reserve ratio (RRR) next year if they meet certain targets such as lending to more vulnerable sectors such as small businesses. But the RBI has long struggled to get banks to pass on all of its policy cuts and coax them into lending more, given the sector is dealing with around $140 billion in soured loans and bankers have long sought to protect profit margins. Governor Patel suggested the economy could rebound from the previous quarter, pointing to indicators such as improving industrial output, suggesting the central bank did not need cut rates again at this juncture. “There is the possibility that the cyclical upturn will happen in the next two quarters,” he told reporters in a news briefing. ***




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Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs Date: 5.10.2017, Thursday

IAF capable of confronting Pak, China at same time: Dhanoa The Indian Air Force is capable of effectively countering any threat from China and Pakistan simultaneously in a two-front war, Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa said today, and indicated existing tension between Chinese and Indian troops in Dokalam. Noting that the Chinese troops were currently present in the Chumbi Valley in the Dokalam Plateau, the IAF chief said a peaceful resolution of the issue would be in the interest of both the countries. "The two sides are not in a physical face-off as we speak. However, their forces in Chumbi Valley are still deployed and I expect them to withdraw as their exercise in the area gets over," Dhanoa told reporters ahead of IAF Day, which is marked on October 8. Indian and Chinese troops were locked in an over two- month-long standoff after India stopped the construction of a road by China in Dokalam in the Sikkim sector on June 16. Asked about concerns over Pakistan's tactical nuclear weapons and whether the IAF would be able to disarm Islamabad of its nuclear arsenals if necessary, Dhanoa said his force had the capability of locating, fixing and striking across the border. Asserting that the IAF was capable of a two-front war to counter China and Pakistan, he, however, said the possibility of such a scenario was "low". At the same time he added that India's response had to be based on the enemy's capability as intentions could change overnight. "We need a strength of 42 squadrons to carry out full spectrum operations in a twofront (war) scenario. It does not mean that we are not capable of fighting a two-front (war) as we speak. We have a plan B," Dhanoa said. Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat had said last month that the country should be prepared for a two-front war, insisting that China had started "flexing its muscles", while there seemed to be no scope for a reconciliation with Pakistan whose military and polity saw an adversary in India. Currently, the IAF has 33 fighter squadrons and Dhanoa said the force would get the authorised strength of 42 fighter squadrons by 2032. Asked whether the IAF was ready for a surgical strike across the border, he said it was ready to deal with any challenge and a call on such an operation would have to be taken by the government. "Surgical strike is a decision that has to be taken by the government. The IAF has the capability to carry out the full spectrum of air operations," he said. He said a war-like situation may arise if the IAF crossed the border. On whether the IAF provided any support to the Army for the surgical strike last year and during the Dokalam face-off, the IAF chief said, "Whatever was asked from the air force was provided". He refused to share further details. The IAF chief, however, said no air force assets were involved during the Myanmar operation and the surgical strike across the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir last year. "The IAF is prepared to fight at a short notice in full synergy with the other two sister services should the need arise," he said, adding that the force was in a high state of readiness to fight a war. About a possible confrontation with China, he said India's air power was "adequate". At the same time, he talked about what China could or could not do from Tibet. "Our capability is adequate," he said. The IAF chief also spoke on a range of issues including steps being taken to enhance the strike capability of the force such as the acquisition of S-400 'Triumf' long-range air Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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defence missile systems from Russia and 36 Rafale combat jets. He said the contract for five S-400 missile systems would be signed soon and their delivery would start two years after the deal was struck. The IAF chief also talked about the mid-life upgrading of Mirage 2000, Mig 29s and Jaguar fleets, adding that the IAF was working to fully achieving a network-centric operational capability. Dhanoa said a proposal for 83 indigenously built Light Combat Aircraft Mark I was being finalised, adding the force is getting 40 Light Combat Aircraft (LAC) and an RFP (request for proposal) for 83 more LCA will be issued. He said the IAF would be getting 36 more Sukhoi jets and their delivery would start from 2019. Dhanoa also said test firing of the Brahmos missile would start from next month. The Brahmos supersonic missile systems are being integrated with the Sukhoi-30 MKI frontline fighter jet. Referring to a string of accidents involving the IAF's choppers and aircraft, Dhanoa said, "Our losses in peacetime are a cause of concern. We are making concerted efforts to minimise accidents and preserve our assets". He said security at all the IAF installations had been significantly enhanced after last year's terror attack on the Pathankot base. The steps included putting in place an integrated perimeter security system and buying lethal weapons. "These men and women under my command are confident of taking on any threat and are fully prepared to undertake the full spectrum of air operations and respond to any challenge in the most befitting manner," said Dhanoa. When asked about the Army chief's two-and-half front war comment also referring to internal security threats, Dhanoa said, "As a democracy we don't use kinetic air power against our own people. Fare hike necessary for Delhi Metro survival: Govt Amid a stiff opposition from the Delhi government over the proposed fare hike of Delhi Metro, Urban Development Minister Hardeep Singh Puri today said the increase is required for its survival. "You have to decongest the city. You have to use your margin of persuasion with state governments. Now in case of Delhi, I have been trying to work my very limited margin, with the chief Minister wants fares not be raised for Delhi Metro," he said here at the India Economic Summit of the World Economic Forum (WEF). It was decided that fares of Delhi Metro would be increased in two installments as they had not gone up for eight years, he said. "He (Delhi Chief Minister) thinks it should be deferred. Now how does world class asset like the Delhi Metro survive if it is not allowed to charge fares," the minister said. "You have to build urban infrastructure...pressure of population, urbanisation is much faster in India," he added. Delhi Metro, which has been operational in the capital since 2002, is at present carrying around 27 lakh passengers everyday, and has become the lifeline of the city with a punctuality of over 99.7 per cent. Since 2009, there has been no increase in fare, whereas the input cost for the DMRC has increased by over 105 per cent in energy, 139 per cent in staff cost and by 213 per cent for repair and maintenance. Shell companies crackdown: 4.5 lakh directors may face axe As many as 4.5 lakh directors may face disqualification for their association with shell companies, Union minister P P Chaudhary said today as the government steps up its fight against the black money menace. Asserting that genuine corporates will not face action, the minister of state for corporate affairs said non-compliant companies are tarnishing the image of good ones. As the ministry pushes ahead with the efforts to weed out shell companies -- a term used for entities that have not been carrying out business for long and are allegedly used as conduit for illegal fund Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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flows -- Chaudhary told PTI in an interview that the profile of all disqualified directors will be examined. The ministry has struck off names of 2,17,239 companies from the records as on September 22 as these have not been carrying out business activities for a long period and have also defaulted on compulsory filings while more such firms are likely to face action. "As on September 22, a total of 3,19,637 directors have been identified and flagged as disqualified under Section 164 (2) (a) of the Companies Act, 2013... It is estimated that the final list may touch the figure of about 4.5 lakh (directors)," Chaudhary said. Section 164 pertains to disqualification for appointment of director. Under sub-section 164(2) (a), a person who has been a director with a company that has not filed financial statements or annual returns for three consecutive financial years will face disqualification. "It shall also be important to examine their (disqualified directors) general profile and association with other companies and the levels of their corporate governance standards," he said. The exercise of striking off dormant companies and disqualifying directors is in furtherance of ease of doing business and will be good for genuine corporates, he noted. "Non-compliant companies are tarnishing the image of good companies," Chaudhary said, adding that action should have been taken long ago. Under-17 World Cup: Indian football’s moment of reckoning is here Once called the “sleeping giants” by FIFA, India have not exactly woken up to the potential that the world body saw. Propelled from the rear end to the centrestage by virtue of being hosts, “sleeping giants” India would be eyeing a football revolution with the FIFA under-17 World Cup — a tournament which promises to deliver the stars of tomorrow. Delhi and Mumbai will play host to tomorrow’s four opening day games, including one featuring the home side. But the tournament’s significance for the country will go beyond the results that will come on the field. Once called the “sleeping giants” by FIFA, India have not exactly woken up to the potential that the world body saw. FIFA has since rephrased it to “passionate giants” and all the right noises have been made to insist that India are inching in the right direction. First ever FIFA World Cup Hosting the first FIFA World Cup ever, India would be home to the prodigal talent, that makes international football fascinating and exhilarating in equal measure, this month. Brazil’s Vinicius Junior, who is set to join world football club giants Real Madrid next year, is missing after his club refused to release him. But there are still enough names to mesmerise the football fans in the 24-team showpiece which will run till October 28 across six cities. England winger Jadon Sancho, American striker Josh Sargent, Abel Ruiz, Ferran Torres of Spain and German captain Jann-Fiete Arp, who have already become the hot properties in club football, are all there. Rubbing shoulders with these budding stars will be 21 Indian boys who will become the first footballers of this country to play in any FIFA World Cup. In fact, a total of 504 young hopefuls would begin to dream of following in the footsteps of famous graduates of the tournament, such as Neymar Jr, Ronaldinho, Luis Figo, Xavi, Iker Casillas, Gianluigi Buffon and Andres Iniesta, to name a few. Fifth Asian country to host India will become the fifth Asian country — after China, Japan, South Korea and UAE — to host the tournament which was started in 1985. More than sixty years after India declined the invitation to participate in the 1950 FIFA World Cup in Uruguay (when it was an invitational tournament), refusing to play in shoes, the country would be fielding a team in a World Cup. The likes of captain Amarjit Singh Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Kiyam, Komal Thatal and Aniket Jadhav will thus accomplish a feat, which eluded legends like Bhaichung Bhutia, I M Vijayan and Sunil Chhetri. With poor infrastructure, nearly non-existent grassroot and youth development and quality coaching system, India have hardly ever been a force even at the regional level. But the the All India Football Federation and some former players see this tournament as the beginning of a revival of a glorious past of the 1950s and 1960s when India ruled Asia and made their presence felt at the world stage as well. A successful hosting of the U-17 World Cup is sure to open up chances of other bigger events like the U-20 FIFA World Cup, for which the country has made a bid for the 2019 edition. With 52 matches to be played in six venues, the event will be watched by a global audience of 200 million. The FIFA, in its bid to expand the game to new frontiers, allotted the U-17 World Cup to India in December 2013. For a country, which has nearly one sixth of humanity and largest number of youth, it’s quite apt to host the youngest World Cup. ‘Tiki-taka’ style of play Spain’s ‘tiki-taka’ style of play will be something to look forward to. They have wonderkids like Barcelona’s youth team player and captain Abel Ruiz and Valencia starlet Ferran Torres. Ruiz is an attacking player and was one of the La Masia talents courted by top premier league clubs like Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea. He racked up a record 16 goals in the recently-concluded EURO U-17 competition and is considered one of the most exciting talents in the country. It was under his leadership that Spain won their ninth UEFA European U-17 Championships earlier this year. Apart from giving the world some of its future stars, the tournament would be expected to leave a positive legacy for its hosts. Infrastructure will be the biggest of them all as this will make all the six stadia FIFA— approved venues to be used for later events. Most of all, India would be hoping to make the transition from “sleeping giants” to active fighters by the time the party winds up in Kolkata. India already winners in U-17 WC: FIFA’s deputy secretary India are already the winners irrespective of how the results pan out on the field, says FIFA’s deputy secretary and Croatian football legend Zvonimir Boban, as the country gears up to host the U—17 World Cup. India’s first-ever FIFA tournament kicks off on Friday with matches in Delhi and Mumbai. The host nation will take on USA at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here. “Regardless of the actual results on the pitch, India are already winners as they have been able to prepare this event. Football has taken over, and the Indian players are benefitting from a unique experience,” Boban, who captained Croatia to a remarkable third-place finish at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, told PTI in an interview. India drawn with bigger teams While India could have drawn much bigger teams, USA, Ghana and Colombia are formidable opponents at this age group. Boban led a team that included Golden Boot winner Davor Suker. When asked how crucial the host nation’s performance could be in the tournament, the 48-year-old added, “Today, the FIFA U-17 World Cup is difficult for all teams as the level of football has steadily increased in recent years. Boban, who played as an attacking midfielder, said football infrastructure will benefit immensely from the tournament. Infrastructure one of the aspects that will benefit “Football infrastructure is indeed one of the aspects that will benefit from the FIFA U-17 World Cup. On one hand, the improved infrastructure will facilitate the development of football in India at all levels, and on the other it will represent a great opportunity for club administrators, scouts and other football stakeholders to visit India, feel and experience the passion of the Indian football community and rethink their future strategies concerning India’s involvement. “The AIFF, LOC and government efforts have been great and the current infrastructure will surely benefit the football structure in the years to come.” A winner of four Serie A titles besides a UEFA Champions League triumph with AC Milan, Boban felt the tournament could help in developing a strong senior national team. “The FIFA U-17 World Cup will undoubtedly be a major event for all players of the Indian national team as no other generation of Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Indian players has ever had such an experience. “However, it’s also important to keep in mind that these players are just starting their careers and still have a long way to go in order to fully exploit their potential. “Nevertheless, passionate players will devote more efforts in becoming even better players, so in the long run we will definitely see some improvements in the senior team.” Strong presence in 1950s and 60s Though Indian football had a strong presence in the 1950s and 60s, they slipped in the rankings over the years. Following the U-17 World Cup, things could improve. “I have no doubt that football will become an integral part of the culture of the Indian people. Football is closing the gap in the world and countries like India are demonstrating how important football tournaments can be for the overall development of our sport. “By improving football infrastructure and bringing football to different segments of Indian society, this World Cup is already making a significant contribution to Indian football. “Of course, this process needs to continue after the World Cup, and FIFA will be most happy to support it. Together with Mission XI Million, football will change the sporting culture in India for sure.” Boban said the six venues are at par with international standards. “The training grounds for this FIFA U-17 World Cup are great and we expect happy teams in all six venues. While the U-17 World Cup represents an important milestone for Indian football, more work will be needed to get to the next stage of football development.” Having overcome many obstacles, FIFA is now hoping the tournament turns out to be the best-ever U-17 World Cup. “We have faced different challenges, but nothing that could not be managed thanks to the assistance of the Indian government, the AIFF and the Local Organising Committee. That’s precisely why it’s been so encouraging to see all the hard work being done to make this the best FIFA U-17 World Cup ever.” On the tournament, he further said, “This World Cup can serve as a catalyst to further develop competitive football as well, which is fundamental when it comes to enhancing the popularity of football in a specific country and creating role models to inspire the younger generations.” EC: Ready for simultaneous polls next year The debate on one nation, one election has cropped up again. Election Commissioner OP Rawat has said that the poll watchdog will be in a position to hold simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections by September next year. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has time and again advocated the move in the interest of the country and while voices backing his view have been growing in chorus, some political parties still remain vary about putting the theory of simultaneous polls into practice. He has also been backed by several eminent persons such as former Chief Election Commissioners and former President Pranab Mukherjee. The issue has cropped up again as Wednesday saw Election Commissioner OP Rawat say that the poll watchdog can conduct simultaneous elections after September next year. While on a visit to Madhya Pradesh state capital Bhopal, the Election Commissioner said that the Commission will need 40 lakh EVMs and VVPATs for conducting simultaneous polls. Rawat also said that the central government had sought information on what the EC needs to conduct simultaneous polls after which funds have been released for the purpose. Prime Minister Modi has dwelt on the issue several times in the past saying separate elections not only lead to Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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additional economic burden but also disrupt good governance. Former President Pranab Mukherjee too had urged the Election Commission to move forward on the issue consulting various political parties as part of a broader canvas of electoral reforms. But there's lack of unanimity among political stake holders on the matter. While the BJP is in favour of the move, several other political outfits want the issue to be examined thoroughly. Many other political parties such as the Congress support it in theory but are not sure how it will be put into practice. However, no one doubts the benefits. BENEFITS OF SIMULTANEOUS POLLS -- Simultaneous polls will not only save money but also time -- Frequent elections lead to model code of conduct being in force for long periods of time stalling development work & impeding good governance -- Simultaneous polls could provide much needed political and administrative stability -- Frequent polls also keep governments in populist poll mode avoiding tough decisions that benefit people in the long run -- Frequent elections even keep the polity polarised over divisive issues like caste and community If political parties can be on one page, Assembly polls of several states can be held along with the next general elections due in 2019. Simultaneous polls were the norm soon after independence till 1967 when some state Assemblies were dissolved mid- term for different reasons but recent years have seen many states returning more stable mandates. Many say that now it is time to take a final call on the issue of one nation, one election. SC voices concern over abuse of social media platforms The Supreme Court has expressed anguish over comments made in social media over judges' observations and senior advocates' arguments in subjudice matters. The Apex Court also disapproved statements made by a senior advocate & ex-president of Bar Association on TV alleging that most of SC judges are pro-government. The court cited former Supreme Court Bar Association President Dushyant Dave's remarks that most judges are pro-govt. Justice DY Chandrachud takes exception to Sr. Bar member criticising judges on social media. "They should sit in SC to see how govt is hauled up." Senior advocates Harish Salve and Fali Nariman told SC that social media is horrible and there is an urgent need to regulate it. Madras High Court issues notice to Tamil Nadu Speaker P Dhanapal Madras High Court has issued notices to the Tamil Nadu Speaker P Dhanapal and the Assembly Secretary to file their reply by the 12th of this month in the case seeking disqualification of the state Deputy Chief Minister O.Panneerselvam and 11 other MLAs. The whip of the Opposition party DMK in his petition has said, Panneerselvam and the MLAs supporting his faction defied the ruling AIADMK Amma party whip during the trust vote held in February this year as 11 of them voted against the government while 1 legislator abstained without notifying. He prayed that the 12 legislators should be disqualified as their action invites the provisions of the anti-defection law. Another petition filed against the disqualification of 18 MLAs loyal to the AIADMK Amma Party's sidelined leader TTV Dhinakaran has been adjourned to the 9th of this month for further hearing. PM: Fundamentals of Indian economy strong Lashing out at the critics of his economic policies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said Indian economy was on firm footing and that he will never jeopardise the country's future for the present gains. Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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In an over hour long speech, punctuated with sharp comments and comparisons with track record of previous UPA regime, Modi told a gathering of Company Secretaries that his government will continue the reforms and will not hesitate to take decision to reverse the GDP slowdown witnessed in last two quarters. Prime Minister Narendra Modi did some plain speaking on the state of the economy as he addressed the Golden Jubilee of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India. The Prime Minister came down heavily on those pessimists who were exaggerating the extent of a fall in just a single quarter of growth. The PM said that many experts are in agreement that the fundamentals of the economy are strong and reforms are positive. The PM said government over the past three years has taken several important decisions to improve ease of doing business. Spelling out these achievements, he assured that economic stability would be maintained, and govt will take all possible steps to increase investment and speed up economic development. The PM said that during six years of the previous UPA government there were 8 occasions when growth rate dropped to 5.7 percent or below. He said the country's economy has seen only one such quarter after achieving three years of 7.5 percent growth. But the government is fully prepared to restore the growth trajectory. PM also cited that Inflation has been brought down from double digit levels. PM showed data that indicated how the economy is improving both in urban and rural India. FMCG's growth has also increased, and so has production of coal and electricity. PM said credit off take has increased and so has investments in mutual fund. Rural road construction has increased by 50 percent in three years...as has construction in the housing sector. The PM responded to opposition attacks on GDP growth. The PM said government has taken tough decisions like demonetisation. India, Ethiopia sign agreements on trade, communication India and Ethiopia today signed agreements on trade, communication and media to boost bilateral ties as President Ram Nath Kovind held talks with his Ethiopian counterpart Mulatu Teshome in Addis Ababa. Kovind and Teshome discussed economic relations, with the agreements on trade, communication and media signed in their presence, according to the president's Twitter page. India also thanked Ethiopia for its participation in the International Solar Alliance (ISA), established in 2015. The aim of the ISA is to provide a dedicated platform for cooperation among solar resource rich countries and promote the use of solar energy. The president discussed Indian support to Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Ethiopia in the power sector, healthcare, and education. He referred to India as among the top three sources of foreign direct investment for Ethiopia. Later, Kovind and Teshome also addressed the IndiaEthiopia Business Dialogue and released a book titled 'India- Ethiopia: 70 Years of Diplomatic Relations'. The India Business Forum is the first partner-country forum of its kind in Ethiopia and represents more than 100 Indian companies. Kovind said India has created jobs and contributed to the prosperity of Ethiopia. Indian investment has had a significant presence in manufacturing in Ethiopia and value addition to local resources, he said. Ethiopia has been the largest recipient of Indian concessional lines of credit in Africa, with over USD 1 billion committed. Kovind arrived here from Djibouti yesterday on the second leg of his maiden visit abroad. His visit is the first by an Indian president to Ethiopia in 45 years since President V V Giri's trip in 1972. Last night, the president addressed the Indian community at an event in Addis Ababa, noting that it has been at the centre of India-Ethiopia relations. US will try to work with Pakistan 'one more time': Defence Secretary Mattis US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has told a House committee that the US could consider revoking Pakistan's status as a major non-NATO ally over its support of militant groups. Mattis testified before the House Armed Services Committee about the war in Afghanistan, saying Afghan security forces are fully engaged in operations for the first time in 16 years. Mattis told the House panel the United States would try "one more time to make this strategy work with" Pakistan, which has been accused of supporting the Taliban in Afghanistan. Asked if that included expanded U.S. drone strikes and downgrading Pakistan's status as a major non-NATO ally, Mattis said, "I am sure it will be." Mattis played down an apparent split between the U.S. President Donald Trump and his top diplomat over outreach to North Korea, saying America's focus was still on finding a diplomatic solution to the dispute with Pyongyang. Trump, who has traded insults and threats with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in recent weeks, said on Sunday Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was "wasting his time" trying to negotiate with North Korea over its nuclear weapons program. Tillerson, during a trip to China on Saturday, said the United States had direct channels of communication with the North and was probing Pyongyang to see if it was interested in dialogue. "I do not see the divergence as strongly as some...have interpreted it," Mattis said. "President Trump's guidance to both Secretary Tillerson and me has been very clearly that we would ... pursue the diplomatic effort to include with the various initiatives with China," Mattis told a Senate hearing. "I believe that Secretary Tillerson is accurately stating that we are probing for opportunities to talk with the North. All we're doing is probing. We're not talking with them, consistent with the president's dismay about not talking with them before the time is right." It was not the first time the White House and State Department have seemed at odds on policy issues, but the White House has said Trump still had confidence in Tillerson as secretary of state. Trump has vowed to halt North Korea's nuclear ambitions and tensions have escalated in recent months, with Pyongyang conducting its sixth and largest nuclear test on Sept. 3. It has also threatened to test a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific. ***




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Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs Date: 6.10.2017, Friday

India, EU summit: Two sides agree to strengthen trade and security ties India and the European Union on Friday agreed to strengthen ties in key areas of trade and security after their 14th summit, during which Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the top EU leadership deliberated extensively on bilateral, regional and international issues. After the summit, European Council President Donald Franciszek Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker talked about the much-delayed trade pact between the two sides at a joint press event with Modi. The two sides also inked three pacts, including one on an international solar alliance, after the summit. The 28-nation bloc is India's largest regional trading partner with bilateral trade in goods at USD 88 billion in 2016. It is also the largest destination for Indian exports and a key source of investment and technologies. India received around USD 83 billion of foreign direct investment from Europe during 2000-17, constituting approximately 24 per cent of total FDI inflows into the country during the period, said Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar. India and the EU have been strategic partners since 2004. The 13th India-EU Summit was held in Brussels on March 30 last year during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit. The summit last year failed to make any headway on the resumption of long stalled negotiations for a free trade agreement. Launched in June 2007, negotiations for the proposed EU-India Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) have witnessed many hurdles with major differences on crucial issues like intellectual property rights, duty cut in automobile and spirits. Sasikala granted five-day parole Jailed AIADMK leader V K Sasikala was today granted parole for five days by prison authorities in Karnataka to meet her husband, who underwent a liver and kidney transplant at a Chennai hospital. Sasikala had sought parole for 15 days, but she has been granted for five days, jail authorities said. After her first application was rejected on "technical grounds" on October three for not producing certain requisite documents, Sasikala had filed a fresh plea for parole. She is expected to leave for Chennai in the afternoon. Rajya Sabha member from Tamil Nadu Navneet Krishnan has given an undertaking for Sasikala's parole, her lawyer Krisnappana told reporters outside the jail premises. "Rs 1,000 surety also has been deposited," he added. Around 100 supporters of Sasikala gathered outside the jail premises. Krisnappana said Sasikala's nephew TTV Dhinakaran had arrived at the jail and was completing the parole formalities. Tamil Nadu Police had earlier issued an NOC to the Karnataka government for granting parole to Sasikala, he said. Sasikala's husband, M Natarajan (74) underwent the liver and kidney transplant on October 3 with the organs harvested from a brain-dead youth, according to Gleneagles Global Health City hospital in Chennai. Sasikala has been in Parapana Agrahara central jail Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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here since February this year after the Supreme Court upheld her conviction by a special court in a disproportionate assets case. Her relatives Ilavarasi and V N Sudhakaran are also serving four-year jail terms. Govt to lower number of PSBs to 10-15: FinMin advisor India will have 10-15 public sector banks with government's majority stake, down from 21 at present, as part of its plan to consolidate banks, Finance Ministry's principal economic advisor Sanjeev Sanyal said on Friday. He said cleaning up of the bad loan problems is the first priority and after that the PSU banks could be consolidated. "There are something like 21-22 public sector banks.. The numbers will be reduced in terms of consolidation, but somewhere to the 10-15 range. We are not going to take it too far down...We need to consolidate some of these large number of banks, but be clear that we are not going to reduce these down to some people think like 4-5 national champions. We recognise that that will lead to too many 'too-big- to-fail' banks. Currently, we have one large bank State Bank of India... We do not want to create a large number of them. Then we will have a real problem in terms of concentration of risks," Sanyal said at the India Economic Summit. He said consolidation of banks is longer term commercial decisions, whereas recapitalisation of PSBs is "more an urgent issue" in order to get the banking system running again. Adding to inefficient banks does not lead to a bigger efficient bank. So, this cleaning up of the bad loans problem is the first priority, he said. As part of the clean up process, the RBI has already started recognising the bad assets, provision them and is taking some of them to bankruptcy and insolvency process. "Now, the second step consequently is recapitalisation and getting these banks running again... that will be done in next few months. The government is fully aware that we need a much larger banking system by factors of multiple than what it is today," Sanyal said, adding India's banking system is way too small for future and needs to be expanded significantly. Recapitalisation bonds is one of the options for infusing capital into banks, he said, adding that the government could also dilute its stake in some lenders to 52 per cent. "There are many options and all of them will be explored in combination," he said. In the last consolidation drive, five associate banks and Bharatiya Mahila Bank (BMB) became part of State Bank of India (SBI) on April 1, 2017, catapulting the country s largest lender to among the top 50 banks in the world. State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur (SBBJ), State Bank of Hyderabad (SBH), State Bank of Mysore (SBM), State Bank of Patiala (SBP) and State Bank of Travancore (SBT), besides BMB, were merged with SBI. While deciding on the consolidation, the ministry would keep in mind factors like regional balance, geographical reach, financial burden and smooth human resource transition. Also a very weak bank would not be merged with a strong one "as it could pull the latter down". As per S&P Global Ratings, PSU banks will need at least Rs 1.9 lakh crore additional capital by March 2019 as the lack of it will restrict their ability to write down non-performing loans. Sanyal further said the government is moving from "rent- seeking patronage-based economy" to "rule-based, entrepreneur based economy". "When you introduce radical changes like this (demonetisation and GST), you have to expect unintended consequences. So, it was a huge political step to step into the water and then learn to swim," he added. PM welcomes the world for India's first FIFA tournament Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday welcomed all the participating nations and wished them luck for the U-17 World Cup, India's first ever FIFA tournament. The World Cup starts on Friday with matches in Delhi and Mumbai. "A warm welcome and best wishes to all teams taking part in the FIFA U-17 World Cup. I am sure the World Cup will be a treat for football lovers," the Prime Minister said. Modi will be a part of the World Cup's opening day proceedings, which will include a small ceremony at the Jawaharlal Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Nehru Stadium. The tournament will be played in six cities -- New Delhi, Navi Mumbai, Kolkata, Guwahati, Kochi and Margao. Modi will be accompanied by FIFA General Secretary Fatma Samoura and Head of FIFA tournaments Jaime Yarza on the inaugural day. Indian football greats I.M. Vijayan, Bhaichung Bhutia and current national team captain Sunil Chhetri are also likely to be a part of the historical moment. Wushu World Championships: Pooja Kadian clinches India's elusive gold India's Pooja Kadian created history as she bagged India's first ever gold medal at Wushu World Championships in Kazan, Russia. Pooja won the medal by defeating Evgeniya Stepanova in the final yesterday. Among other Indian winners, Rameshchandra Singh Moirangthem won a bronze medal in the men’s Sanda 48 kg category. Another Bronze medal from Bhanu Pratap Singh came in the men’s Sanda 60 kg category. Rajinder Singh also won a bronze in the men’s 90 kg category. On his way to the medal, Singh had defeated Russia’s Bozigit Ataev 2-1 to progress to the semi-finals, prior to getting thrashed 1-2 by Iran’s Milad Arefi. The last medal for India which came from Arunpama Devi Keisham who won in the 65 kg Sanda category in the women’s section after thrashing Switzerland’s Pricilla Staubli 2-0 in the lasteight clash. Currently, China leads the medal tally with 15 gold medals with Iran in second place with eight. India's renewable energy capacity to double by 2022: IEA India's renewable energy capacity will more than double by 2022, which would be enough to surpass renewable expansion in the European Union for the first time, International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a report. The country's renewable energy installed capacity is 58.30 GW as per the recent government data. The government has an ambitious goal of increasing it to 175 GW by 2022 including 100 GW of solar and 60 GW of wind energy. IEA said the solar PV and wind together represent 90 percent of India's capacity growth as auctions yielded some of the world's lowest prices for both technologies. Banwarilal Purohit sworn in as new Governor of Tamil Nadu Senior political leader Banwarilal Purohit took over as the new Governor of Tamil Nadu in a function held at Raj Bhavan in Chennai this morning. Mr Purohit was sworn in as the State’s 20th Governor. The Madras High Court Chief Justice Indira Banerjee administered the oath of office and secrecy to him. After the swearing in ceremony, Mr Banwarilal Purohit told the press that upholding Constitutional provisions would be his top most priority. He said he would take all decisions in a non-partisan manner based on merit. He assured his support to the government for all development activities and for the state’s growth. Mr Purohit also said he would strive for ensuring greater transparency in the administration. The swearing in ceremony was attended by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy, Deputy Chief Minister O.Panneerselvam, principal opposition DMK working president MK Stalin, state BJP leader Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, legislators and senior officials. AIR correspondent reports that Mr Banwarlilal Purohit’s assuming charge in the gubernatorial post comes at a time when the state is embroiled in a volatile political situation. The Raj Bhavan is under pressure to deal with demands from the combined opposition and an inner faction of the ruling AIADMK for convening the state Assembly for a trust vote. The matter is now sub judice as the demands are being heard by the Madras High Court along with the cases on disqualification of certain AIADMK MLAs. However, once the court decides on the cases, the Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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ball will go back to the Raj Bhavan for taking important decisions. Political commentators say, the Governor’s decisions in the politically capricious state at this juncture will be having a strong bearing on the future of the government and the course of the state politics. International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons wins Nobel Peace Prize The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) won the Nobel Peace Prize on Wednesday. The Nobel Peace Prize, worth nine million Swedish crowns ($1.10 million), will be presented in Oslo on Dec. 10. Tropical Storm NATE killed 22 people in Central America Newly formed tropical Storm NATE has killed at least 22 people in Central America as it pummeled the region with heavy rain while heading toward Mexico’s Caribbean resorts and the US Gulf Coast. Vice President of Nicaragua, Rosario Murillo said, at least 11 people died, seven others were reported missing and thousands had to evacuate homes because of flooding. The Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Nate could produce as much as 51 centimetres rain in some areas of Nicaragua. Emergency officials in Costa Rica said, at least eight people were killed and another 17 missing, due to the lashing rain. Authorities have declared a state of emergency and closed schools and all other non-essential services. Emergency services in Honduras said two youths drowned due to the sudden swell in a river. A man was killed in a mud slide and another person was missing in El Salvador, said the Emergency Services. NHC said, Nate will gain strength and become a category 1 hurricane before it makes landfall on the southern coast of the United States on Sunday. SC appoints Amrender Sharan as amicus curiae on plea seeking re-probe of Mahatma Gandhi assassination The Supreme Court today appointed former Additional Solicitor General, Amrender Sharan as amicus curiae on a plea seeking re-probe of Mahatma Gandhi assassination. After a brief hearing, the bench comprising Justices S A Bobde and L Nageswara Rao put some searching questions and appointed Amrender Sharan as amicus curiae to assist the court in the matter. The matter is posted for further hearing on October 30th of this month. The petition has sought reopening of the probe, claiming it was one of the biggest cover-ups in history. Mahatma Gandhi was shot dead at point blank range in New Delhi on January 30, 1948 by Nathuram Vinayak Godse. Terror financing case: ED issues FEMA notice to LeT operative, hawala dealers Enforcement Directorate, ED, has issued a Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) show cause notice to an alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative and two Delhi-based hawala dealers in connection with a terror financing case. The central probe agency said, it had issued the notice under provisions of the FEMA against Mohammed Ayub Mir and two other Delhi-based hawala dealers, Bech Raj Bengani and Harbans Singh. It said, Mir was an active member of Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Lashkar-eTaiba and was arrested by the special cell of the Delhi Police while collecting 7 lakh rupees through hawala dealing from Singh on instructions of a London-based entity. The ED in a statement said that Mir has confessed his association with the LeT was involved in collecting and delivering money through hawala for the terrorist organisation. Singh has also admitted that he was engaged in delivering the hawala payments on the instructions of Bengani. Mir and Singh were also convicted under POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act) in 2004. The ED said that further adjudication proceedings against the suspects under FEMA will follow. Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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First ASEAN India Music Festival to be held at Purana Qila today The first ever ASEAN-India Music Festival will be held at Purana Quila in New Delhi today. The 3 day festival is being organised by External Affairs Ministry in collaboration with Culture Ministry to celebrate the 25th year anniversary of ASEAN-India Dialogue Relations. The Festival aims to boost cultural influences among the peoples of the ASEAN member states and India. It will witness eclectic performances by musicians from ASEAN countries' bands such as The Ugly Band, Cherpen, Tim De Cotta, Red Bamboo among others. Famous Indian bands like the Raghu Dixit Project, Avial, Papon LIVE, Bipul Chettri and the Travelling Band, and Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy will also participate in the festival. There will be no entry fee for the mega music event. AIADMK party symbol case: Madra HC dismisses Dhinakaran plea to extend deadline In a major setback to TTV Dinakaran and his aunt Sasikala, Madras High Court on Thursday dismissed Dhinakaran's plea to extend deadline for disposing of AIADMK symbol matter. Dhinakaran had demanded extension of the deadline for the disposal of the case to February 28 next year. Justices M Venugopal and Abdul Quddhose of the Madurai bench said the court had set the deadline as it felt that a time-frame should be fixed for disposal of the dispute. It had accordingly directed the Election Commission (EC) to dispose it of before October 31 this year, the bench observed. The court had on September 15 directed the EC to decide before October 31 the matter related to the AIADMK's 'two leaves' symbol, frozen by the poll body in March after two factions of the party staked claim to it.Election Commission is expected to hear the dispute over 'two leaves' symbol today. ‘Smaller, lighter and faster’ is the new defence technology mantra Miniaturisation, nanotechnology and micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) are increasingly being adopted in military and aerospace applications. With ‘smaller, lighter and faster’ being the new mantra, companies are driven by the power-to-weight ratio benefit ensured by the new technology. “The future of MEMS and miniaturisation is particularly exciting, given that it is leading to a major breakthrough in defence applications such as micro mirrors for steering laser beams, micro sensors, satellite communications at speeds in excess of 100 GHz and micro unmanned aerial vehicles,” said an official of the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO). The Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru recently handed over sophisticated MEMS pressure transducers to the DRDO for use in Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). The official added that many defence, academic and commercial organisations were partnering to bring MEMS and nanotechnology systems ever closer to the battlefield. “Though small in size, these products are growing in functionality and adoption, given the increasing need for small, light weight and low power solutions,” said the DRDO official, adding that these micro products tend to enhance performance even as they are reduced in size. Demand rising The State-run defence company, Bharat Electronics Limited, is also catering to the upswing in demand. Pointing to the large-scale miniaturisation happening in defence, a BEL official said everything that “needed to be included in a large defence system is now available on a palm top, laptop or a large portable medium. Most of the systems are on a electro magnetic chip. MEMS technology is helping reduce not just the size. The power that is gained in the small items is tremendous”. Speaking about communication for the integrated defence forces, the official said BEL is using the latest micro Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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technology in its VOIP “to create networks over various modes, be it a tank or vehicle or on ground. The army should be able to speak to the navy and the air force. This communication should be confidential and cohesive, for the forces should be able to talk securely on the same platform”. STARS-V mark III BEL has handed over its digitised radio communication set, STARS-V mark III, to the army for evaluation – it is the first software-defined radio set that can work without a line of sight. The official added that the company plans to make a new version of the state-of-the-art next generation radio, using micro technology, adaptable for the navy platform. “The SDR can be carried by a soldier in hand, on in a jeep or jonga. It should be possible to fit it in a tank, ship or an aircraft. The only difference in form is the size, for miniaturisation in the design makes it easier to deploy even on attack aircrafts. BEL is working on this in a big way,” the official added. Noting that focussed attention has been given for the development of MEMS technology modules and products, the official said the company has teamed up with the State enterprise, Bharat Dynamics Limited, to supply micro sensors and command-and-control systems for the Indian Army’s Akash missile programme. Modi, Ivanka Trump to grace world entrepreneurship summit Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ivanka Trump will grace the three-day World Entrepreneurship Summit to be held at Hyderabad International Convention Centre during November 28-30. Both will take part in the inaugural session on November 28. The global summit is the pre-eminent global entrepreneurship gathering being co-hosted by the Indian and US governments. It is expected to bring together over 1,500 entrepreneurs, investors, CEOs and serve as a platform for networking. Jennifer Arangio, Senior Director for International Organisations and Alliances at the National Security Council, The White House, Katherine Hadda, US Consul General, C. Muralikrishna Kumar, Senior Advisor, Niti Aayog, interacted with media to highlight the importance both the governments have with regard to the event and entrepreneurship. Arangio said, “GES is an opportunity to showcase the United States' entrepreneurial acumen, underscore women's economic empowerment and foster economic growth and prosperity for our partners. When America's partners are growing and prospering our world is more secure.” This is the first time GES is being held in Asia and expected to provide a platform to address some of the challenges through innovations. The theme of the summit 'Women first, prosperity for all' will be backed an American delegation led by Ivanka Trump, senior advisor to the President. Hadda said: “There are some 130 American companies here in Hyderabad, who in addition to creating jobs both here and the United States, are always actively working to stimulate entrepreneurship and women's empowerment.” The event would see entrepreneurs converging from the US, India and other parts of the world, providing an opportunity for Indian entrepreneurs to explore linkages. Hyderabad has been chosen for the event due to a strong presence of major US and Indian tech firms and robust start-up ecosystem. The focus of the summit would be on four major tracks namely healthcare and life sciences, digital economy and financial technology, energy and infrastructure and media and entertainment. However, this is not limited to these four broad areas and the event is expected to cover more areas as well. Budding entrepreneurship community would get opportunities for exposure to training, mentoring from thought leaders, networking and matchmaking. Rajesh Nath, MD, VDMA India, gets Germany's highest civilian honour Rajesh Nath, Managing Director of VDMA India, has been conferred the ‘Cross of the Order of Merit’, the highest civilian honour awarded to individuals for their services to Germany. The award, also known as Bundesverdienstkreuz or Federal Cross of Merit was instituted in 1951 and is Germany’s only honour that is awarded to both Germans and foreigners for achievements in the economic, social, political or intellectual realms. The Cross of Merit, along with the certificate signed by the President of Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Germany, was handed over by the Consul-General of Germany in Kolkata, Dr Michael Feiner, today. India ‘has a long way to go’ in the fight to end AIDS by 2030 Experts have flagged concerns over the progress achieved so far to end AIDS by 2030, and suggested a review of the steps taken to strengthen the fight. Governments of over 190 nations, including India, have promised to end AIDS by 2030 by adopting the UN Sustainable Development Goals. However, the current data and trends of HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) pose serious concerns on whether we are on track to achieve the goal by 2030, said Ishwar Gilada, President of the AIDS Society of India. “Since India diagnosed its first case in 1986, we have enough scientific evidence to know what are the proven approaches for preventing HIV transmission and caring for people living with HIV (PLHIV) so that they can live normal lives. But is this a reality on the ground? There is no excuse for inaction, lest we may fail to meet promises of ending AIDS.” He was speaking to newspersons on Thursday ahead of the 10th National Conference of ASI (ASICON 2017), which opens in Hyderabad on Friday, with the theme, Action, Science and Innovation for ending AIDS. No solid progress He cited the National Health Policy 2017, which promises to “achieve the global target of 90:90:90 for HIV/AIDS by 2020, that is, 90 per cent of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status, 90 per cent of all people diagnosed with HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy (ART) and 90 per cent of those receiving ART will have viral suppression”. Despite progress there is a long way ahead of us, if we are to meet these goals, he said. As of 2016, 67 per cent of PLHIV (21 lakh) know their status; 1.4 million (14 lakh) are diagnosed with HIV and 902,868 PLHIV were on life-saving ART. We have we not reached out to the 33 per cent in the PLHIV category, and less than 50 per cent are on ART, despite WHO and NACO guidelines to “test and treat all”. Less than 65 per cent of PLHIV, who know their status, are receiving ART. “We cannot become complacent in our efforts, because failing to reach out to each of the estimated PLHIV and putting them on ART threatens to reverse the progress made in fighting AIDS,” said Gilada, who has been engaged in the treatment and management of this disease for nearly three decades. India had an estimated 86,000 new HIV infections in 2015. Children (less than 15 years) accounted for 12 per cent (10, 400) of total new infections, while the remaining (75,900) new infections were among adults (15+years). The goal to eliminate parent-to-child transmission of HIV by 2020 also mandates the accelerated roll-out of evidence-based measures in India. Countries such as Cuba and Thailand, among others, have already eliminated parent-to-child transmission of HIV. Partners The academic partners of ASI include Government of India’s National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Medical Council of India, UNAIDS, Association of Physicians of India, Forum of Parliamentarians on HIV & AIDS, People’s Health Organisation (PHO), CAPRISA South Africa, among others. More than 500 medical experts from various clinical and scientific disciplines from across the country and other nations are taking part in ASICON 2017. Gauri Lankesh gets Anna Politkovskaya Award posthumously Journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh, who was gunned down brutally a month ago, has been awarded the Anna Politkovskaya Award, instituted by the RAW in WAR (Reach All Women in War). Accepting the award on Gauri’s behalf, her sister Kavitha Lankesh told reporters the award is a morale booster for people who want to write and continue to fight against injustice. “It was an honour not only Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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for the members of Gauri's family, but also to a ‘huge family’ that loved Gauri for her commitment to the cause of secular ideals, justice, equality and women rights. “In fact, the award honours what Gauri stood for throughout her life...that ‘you cannot silence me’,” said Kavitha. Anna Politkovskaya, a Russian journalist, was killed in 2006 in Moscow for speaking out against the suffering of civilians in the war in Chechnya. “It is not by coincidence that Gauri’s work, her personality and the way she was killed for her work reminded us so much of the way Anna lived and died for the truth,” said the members of the nominations committee in a statement. RAW, in a statement, said it was honoured to give the award to Gauri posthumously, and to Pakistani activist Gulalai Ismail, who similarly is fighting against Islamic extremism. Ismail has faced death threats for speaking out against the Taliban in north-west Pakistan. ‘Find the motive’. PTI quoted Gauri’s brother Indrajit Lankesh as saying: “I have lost my sister. I appeal to the government to nab the murderers. “Finding out the motive may solve the riddle of (rationalists) MM Kalburgi, Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare murder cases.” Asked if he is satisfied with the investigation by the 21-member SIT formed by the Karnataka government, he said they are waiting for the killers to be caught. “We can’t say we are happy with the investigation till the killers are found. But we are satisfied with the work they are doing,” Kavitha said. She expressed unhappiness over speculative stories appearing in the media. On October 3, Karnataka minister Ramalinga Reddy claimed the SIT had identified the killers. He, however, did not share the details, saying the SIT was gathering more evidence. China deploys 1,000 troops near Sikkim; builds road at Doklam Plateau China has maintained a sizeable presence of its troops near the site of the Sikkim border standoff with India and even started building a road on the Doklam Plateau, just 10 km from the location of the last conflict. The Doklam Plateau is claimed by both Beijing and Bhutan as their territory. India backs Bhutan's claim. Sources said China has been slowly increasing its troop level in the Doklam Plateau which could further escalate the current situation as India has reasons to be concerned over it. Thwarted in its last attempt, China has now shifted its unused road construction material North and East of the face-off site. According to NDTV, the road construction workers brought into the area are accompanied by up to 500 soldiers. There is no indication that the soldiers will be permanently based in the area - the Chinese town of Yatung, said the report. A The Indian Express report, however, said that 1,000 Chinese troops are still present on the plateau. An indication of tension between the two countries due to the presence of Chinese forces in the Chumbi Valley in the Doklam Plateau was also given by Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa on Thursday. "The two sides are not in a physical face-off as we speak. However, their forces in Chumbi Valley are still deployed and I expect them to withdraw as their exercise in the area gets over," Dhanoa told reporters. There has been territorial disputes between China and Bhutan over Doklam and India has been staunchly supporting Thimphu over the issue. Troops of India and China were locked in a 73-day-long standoff in Doklam since June 16 after the Indian side stopped the building of a road in the disputed area by the Chinese Army. Bhutan and China have a dispute over Doklam. Bhutan and India were in touch with each other during the course of the face-off that ended on August 28. Days after the face-off ended, Army Chief Bipin Rawat had said China has started "flexing its muscles" and warned that the situation in India's northern border could snowball into a larger conflict. There are also reports that People's Liberation Army (PLA) has increased more troops on its forward post in Yatung. Sources said though Chinese troops have been deployed in Doklam Plateau, they leave the area during winters. But, there were indication that they may leave the areas this time, they added. Now, Aadhaar a must for PPF, post office, Kisan Vikas Patra deposits Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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The government has made biometric identification Aadhaar mandatory for all post office deposits, PPF, the National Savings Certificate scheme and Kisan Vikas Patra. Existing depositors have been given time till December 31, 2017, to provide the 12digit unique identification number. Ministry of Finance has issued four separate Gazette notifications making Aadhaar mandatory for opening all post office deposit accounts, Public Provident Fund (PPF), National Savings Certificate scheme and Kisan Vikas Patra deposits. "Provided that where Aadhaar number has not been assigned, the depositor shall submit proof of application for enrolment for Aadhaar," the notification dated September 29 said. Existing depositors who have not provided Aadhaar number at the time of application for such deposit "shall submit his Aadhaar number to the post office savings bank or deposit office concerned, on or before December 31, 2017," it added. The government has insisted on quoting Aadhaar for bank deposits, obtaining mobile phone and several other utilities to weed out benami deals and black money. Last month, it extended the deadline for obtaining Aadhaar for availing government schemes and subsidies by three months to December 31. Earlier, those who did not have Aadhaar were asked to procure it by September 30. As many as 135 schemes (of 35 ministries) including the free cooking gas (LPG) to poor women, kerosene and fertiliser subsidy, targeted public distribution system (PDS) and MGNREGA will be covered by the extension. "As a result of the review of welfare schemes covered and to provide the benefits of such schemes to all eligible beneficiaries of the scheme, it has been decided to further extend the stipulated date in all such notifications up toDecember 31, 2017," an order dated September 26 said. The extension would also apply for Employees' Pension Scheme of 1995, scholarships, housing subsidy benefit, stipend to SC/ST trainees for coaching guidance and vocational training, stipend to handicapped and Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana. Besides, it would be applicable for national apprenticeship and skill development schemes, crop insurance schemes, interest subvention scheme, scholarship and fellowship schemes, various education programmes such as mid-day meal for children and Atal Pension Yojana. "It is hereby clarified that this extension shall only apply to those beneficiaries who are not assigned Aadhaar number or those who have not yet enrolled for Aadhaar. Such beneficiaries are required to enrol for Aadhaar by December 31, 2017 and provide their Aadhaar number or enrolment ID," it had said. There will be no denial of services in the interim period. ***




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Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs Date: 7.10.2017, Saturday

GST Council decides to reduce compliance burden of small traders The GST regime has been revamped after the 22nd GST Council meeting on Friday. Some major changes have been introduced in the GST regime. At the golden jubilee function of institute of Company secretaries Prime Minister said that Government would fulfil the promises made to businessmen within 48 hours. Making GST a Good and Simple Tax, GST Council has announced big relief for small traders and exporters. At the GST Council meeting chaired by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Finance Ministers of all states were in consensus on these reliefs. Traders with a turnover of upto 1.5 crore rupees will have now have the facility of filing returns quarterly i.e. every three months instead of monthly. Under the VAT system, there was a provision of filing returns for three months, but under GST, all taxpayers small and big had to file monthly returns. This adversely affected the small traders, who constitute only 5 per cent of revenue for government. The Turnover of up to Rs. 75 lakh has increased to One crore under composition scheme. Such businessmen will submit a tax return by depositing a percentage of total sales once in three months. A Group of Ministers is being formed to look into it some long term issue of GST. They will look at it urgently and in two weeks will submit the report. After meeting the GST council finance minister Arun Jaitley said that the area of discussion was centred around whether taxpayers in the composition scheme should be allowed to carry on inter-state sales. Currently the law does not permit, but Jaitley said there was a discussion on changing the rules. The group of minister will also consider if input credit should be available to those paying 2% tax on manufacturing under composition scheme. GST Council has reduced rates on several items. GST on job work items has been reduced from 12% to 5% and on manmade yarns has been reduced from 18% to 12%. GST has been reduced from 12% to 5% on sliced mango product, khakra, chapatti, ICDS, unbranded namkeen, unbranded Ayurvedic medicine, Paper waste. HIGHLIGHTS • Traders with turnover of up to 1.5 crore will file quarterly returns instead of monthly • Under composition scheme, turnover limit of upto Rs 75 lakh will be increased to 1 crore • Traders will be able to submit returns by depositing 1 percent of total sales in 3 months. • A 5-member ministerial group to provide right to sell goods and input subsidy to compounding dealers in other states. • Reverse charge postponed until March 31 next year • GST has been reduced from 18% to 5% on Rubber and Plastic wastes • GST has been reduced from 18% to 12% on some flooring stones, except Marble and granite • GST has been reduced from 28% to 18% on some Stationary Items • GST has been reduced from 28% to 18% on Diesel engine parts • GST has been reduced from 28% to 5% on E-Waste Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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GST relief for SMEs, exporters; tax rates on 27 items cut Three months after the rollout of the new indirect tax regime, the GST Council today made sweeping changes to give relief to small and medium businesses on filing and payment of taxes, eased rules for exporters and cut tax rates on more than two dozen items. Businesses with annual turnover of up to Rs 1.5 crore, which constitute 90 per cent of the taxpayer base but pay only 5-6 per cent of total tax, have been allowed to file quarterly income returns and pay tax instead of the current provision of monthly filings. Also, the turnover threshold for businesses to avail of the composition scheme that allows them to pay 1-5 per cent tax without going through tedious formalities, was raised to Rs 1 crore from current Rs 75 lakh. "Compliance burden of medium and small taxpayers in GST is being reduced," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told reporters after the 22nd meeting of the Council. Small and medium enterprises had complained of tedious compliance burden under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) that was supposed to be a simple indirect tax regime which replaced over a dozen Central and state taxes. Jaitley said the Council also decided to cut GST rate on 27 common use items. GST on unbranded namkeen, unbranded ayurvedic medicine, sliced dried mango and khakra has been cut to 5 per cent from 12 per cent, while the same on man-made yarn used in textile sector has been reduced to 12 per cent from 18 per cent. Tax on stationery items, stones used for flooring (other than marble and granite), diesel engine parts and pump parts has been cut to 18 per cent from 28 per cent. GST on e-waste has been slashed to 5 per cent from 28 per cent. Food packets given to school kids under Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) will attract 5 per cent tax instead of 12 per cent. Job works like zari, imitation, food items and printing items would attract 5 per cent tax instead of 12 per cent. Government contracts involving high amount of labour will be levied 5 per cent GST instead of 12 per cent in order to contain cost of those programmes, he said. Exporters, who have been facing sluggish growth due to global slowdown, will get refunds for the tax paid by them on exports during July and August by October 18, he said. For the remainder of the fiscal, they will operate under an exempted category paying a nominal 0.1 per cent GST, he said, adding from April 1 attempt would be made to launch an e-wallet facility for the exporters to provide liquidity. Jaitley said big taxpayers, who contribute 94-95 per cent of the total taxes, will continue to file monthly returns and pay taxes on a monthly basis. Also, a group of ministers has been asked to go into the issue of extending the composition scheme on inter-state sales as well as rationalising taxes on restaurants. The switchover to quarterly tax filing for small and medium businesses would happen from October 1 and they will have to file monthly returns for the first three months of GST, which was implemented from July 1, he said. With small businesses and traders complaining about the compliance burden the new Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime has put on them, the panel decided to give the option to taxpayers to avail of the so-called Composition Scheme if their turnover is less than Rs 1 crore as against the previous limit of Rs 75 lakh. So far, over 15 lakh out of the 90 lakh registered businesses have opted for the composition scheme. Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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The tax rate for traders of goods in the composition scheme is 1 per cent, while it is 2 per cent for manufacturers and 5 per cent for suppliers of food or drinks for human consumption (without alcohol). Service providers cannot opt for the composition scheme. The scheme allows small businesses, including eateries, to pay 1-5 percent tax without having to deal with the three- stage filing process. It allows small taxpayers to pay GST at a fixed rate of turnover and not go through the tedious GST formalities. The scheme cannot be opted by supplier of services other than restaurant related services; manufacturer of ice cream, pan masala, or tobacco; casual taxable person or a non- resident taxable person; and businesses which supply goods through an e-commerce operator. No input tax credit can be claimed by those opting for composition scheme. Also, the taxpayer can only make intra-state supply (sell in the same state) and cannot undertake interstate supply of goods. 'Rajan among probables for Nobel Prize for economics' Former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan features in the list of probables for this year's Nobel Prize in Economics, The Wall Street Journal has reported. He is one of the six economists on the list of probable winners complied by Clarivate Analytics, a company that does academic and scientific research and maintains a list of dozens of possible Nobel Prize winners based on research citations. The entry to the list does not guarantee that Rajan is a front-runner but he is a probable who stands a chance to win. Rajan, whose three year term as Reserve Bank Governor ended on September 4, 2016, is considered a candidate for his "contributions illuminating the dimensions of decisions in corporate finance", Clarivate said. The Nobel Prize in Economics will be announced on Monday. According to Clarivate Analytics, the list of possible Nobel Prize winners based on research citations include Colin Camerer of the California Institute of Technology and George Loewenstein of Carnegie Mellon University (for pioneering research in behavioural economics and in neuroeconomics); Robert Hall of Stanford University (for his analysis of worker productivity and studies of recessions and unemployment); and Michael Jensen of Harvard, Stewart Myers of MIT and Raghuram Rajan of the University of Chicago (for their contributions illuminating the dimensions of decisions in corporate finance). Rajan, who at 40 was the first non-western and the youngest to become the chief economist at the International Monetary Fund, shot to big fame three years after he predicted a financial crisis at an annual gathering of economists and bankers in the US in 2005. He was appointed RBI Governor by the previous UPA government in 2013 and although he wanted a second term he was not offered an extension, which most of his predecessors got, by the current NDA regime. He is currently the Katherine Dusak Miller Distinguished Service Professor of Finance at the Booth School of Business, University of Chicago Ticketing portal for all cinema halls in Telangana The Telangana government today launched a computerised ticketing portal for all the cinema halls in the state. State Cinematography Minister T Srinivas Yadav launched the portal -- tsboxoffice.in -- developed by the Telangana State Film Development Corporation (TSFDC). The portal acts as a single platform for all new and existing cinema halls and online ticketing websites to sell tickets, a state government release said. It facilitates transparency and provides accurate data on sale of tickets and tax collection as per the GST regime, it said. The state government also announced an online system of giving permissions for shooting through a single window. As per the single Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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window system, all permissions would be given in seven days and permission is deemed to have been given if not given in seven days, the release added. Merkel confirms ready to govern with liberals and Greens German Chancellor Angela Merkel confirmed today she would start talks with liberals and Greens to try to form a new coalition government after last month's election. Merkel won a fourth term in the September 24 vote but the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) poached one million votes from her conservative bloc, leaving her without an obvious coalition to lead Europe's largest economy. She has already said she would seek exploratory talks on forming an alliance between her CDU/CSU bloc and two smaller parties, the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) and the ecologist Greens. Merkel said in a speech in the eastern city of Dresden today that the negotiations would be "difficult", but added: "I hope the coalition will fall into place." Such an alliance -- which would be unprecedented in Germany at the national level -- has been dubbed the "Jamaica coalition" because the colours of the three parties match the black, yellow and green of the Caribbean country's flag. The talks could start in earnest in the next few days but the formation of the government is not expected before the end of the year. Tomorrow, Merkel and leaders of her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) are due to meet in Berlin with their Bavarian allies the Christian Social Union (CSU) to agree on a joint programme for the next four years. The CDU/CSU bloc scored 33 percent in the September vote, its worst outcome since 1949, while the Social Democrats, her junior partners for eight years, were crushed with just over 20 per cent and vowed to go into opposition. "It is clear that in the near future, the Social Democrats of the SPD are not able to govern at the national level," Merkel said. However, the election marked a breakthrough for the anti-Islam AfD which won 12.6 per cent, while the FDP won 10.7 per cent and the Greens 8.9 per cent. Can't afford to have 'digital divide' in India: PM Prime Minster Narendra Modi ended day one of his Gujarat visit in Gandhinagar amongst students. He dedicated to the nation a brand new building at the IIT campus and gave a fresh impetus to the PMGDISHA programme. Continuing on a personal note, PM Modi recalled his tryst with governance. His message was simple, take on responsibility and use it for the betterment of people. Apart from unveiling the new building, PM also launched the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA), which is aimed at imparting digital literacy to citizens in rural areas. He gave away laptops and digital literacy certificates. PM described the rapidly spreading fiber optic network as key to the digital revolution. He also stressed on the need for user friendly digital technology. PM Modi said his government was committed to ensuring good governance via digital literacy and technology. However, Prime Minister cautioned against creating a digital divide. He stressed on the need to ensure that no one is left behind as far as the use and benefits of digital technology are concerned. He called on students to use innovation to drive development. Good education for all, education that creates capable citizens, digital education that empowers. This is the driving force behind the government's digital education mission. Black Money: Govt gets info on suspicious deposits post demonetisation Intensifying its crackdown on black money, the government has collated information about 5,800 shell companies, whose near zero-balance accounts saw nearly Rs 4,574 crore of deposits, post demonetisation, and Rs 4,552 crore withdrawal thereafter. This information has been received by the govt from banks. This comes close on the heels of the government imposing restrictions on operations Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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of bank accounts of over 2 lakh 'struck-off' companies. The data shows how the demonetisation exercise is exposing the corrupt and the unscrupulous. In what is undoubtedly a major breakthrough in its fight against black money and shell companies in vital information has been received by Government from 13 banks regarding account operations and postdemonetization transactions of some of the 2,09,032 suspicious companies that had been struck off the Register of Companies earlier this year. 13 banks have submitted their First Instalment of data. The data received from them pertains to merely about 5,800 companies (out of more than 2 lakh that were struck off) involving 13,140 accounts. Few of the companies have been found to have more than 100 accounts to their names. The highest grosser among these is a company having 2134 accounts, followed by others having accounts in the range of 900, 300. Data of pre demonetization account balances and transactions of these companies during the demonetization period is even more startling after separating loan accounts, these companies were having a meagre balance of Rs 22.05 crore to their credit on 8th November, 2016. But from 9th November, 2016 after demonetization, till the date of their being struck off, these companies have altogether deposited a huge amount of Rs. 4,573.87 crore in their accounts and withdrawn an equally large amount of Rs 4,552 crore. Disturbing factors have been identified of companies having multiple accounts with miniscule or negative balance as on 8th November, 2016 which have then deposited and withdrawn amounts going in several crores from these accounts. The accounts were thereafter again left as dormant accounts with paltry balance this exercise of swindling the authorities was carried-out post demonetization till the companies were struck off. Modi govt has taken many important steps in its crackdown against black money and corruption. One of them is to disqualify nearly 4.5 lakh directors of such shell companies involved in money laundering. The accounts of the 5800 companies that have been unearthed are just 2 and a half percent of the nearly 2 lakh suspected shell companies. It can thus be expected that when all details of such companies are brought to light, it will be a major turning point for the fight against corruption. Romania's Simona Halep becomes WTA world number one Simona Halep gained some revenge for her defeat by Jelena Ostapenko in the French Open final and achieved world number one status for the first time after a 6-2 6-4 win in the semi-finals of the China Open in Beijing on Saturday. The Romanian missed out on her first grand slam title and the world number one spot in Paris last June when the unseeded Latvian Ostapenko came back from a set and 3-0 down to win the French Open final, but in Beijing on Saturday, Halep was not to be denied, breaking the Ostapenko serve in the opening game and the seventh to take the first set 6-2. With the players engaging in hard-hitting baseline rallies, it was Halep that came out on top, breaking serve with a backhand crosscourt to lead 5-4 and then sealing the match with a trademark forehand to complete victory in 77 minutes. Halep is the 25th player in WTA history and the first Romanian to become world number one, and will replace Spain's Garbine Muguruza at the top of the standings when the official rankings are released on Monday. FIFA U-17 World cup gets underway; India lose first match to USA 3-0 India got the experience of playing with the big boys of world football as they were blanked 3-0 by USA in their first match in the Under 17 world cup at the JLN stadium New Delhi on Friday night. Josh Sargent opened the scoring for the United states with a penalty in the 30th minute. The visitors doubled the lead just 6 minutes after the break through a Durkin goal. India came close and hit the crossbar twice but luck eluded them as they failed to reduce the margin. Andrew Carleton then made matters worse with a third strike Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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to silence the crowd. A three nil thrashing will be an eye opener for India as they now look to their next game on Monday night against Colombia. IFFI 2017 to focus on 'future of cinema' Online registration of entries for International Film Festival of India has begun. The upcoming edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa will have the "future of cinema" as its focus and the organisers are working towards making it a people and artist-friendly event. The Entertainment Society of Goa has decided to launch a new people-friendly website to facilitate online registration of delegates. The move is aimed at making IFFI a people and artist-friendly event. This year the 48th edition of the event will be held from November 20 to 28. The National Films Division Corporation (NFDC) has also joined hands with the Directorate of Film Festival (DFF) and the ESG to host the festival. From this year, however, 'Film Bazar' will not be a standalone event, but part of the IFFI. Haj Committee recommends abolishing of subsidy The government appointed Committee on Haj Policy has recommended phasing out of subsidy for Haj pilgrims and allowing women devotees above 45 years of age to travel in a group of at least four without a male. The Committee presented its report on New Haj policy 2018-22 to Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi in Mumbai yesterday. In view of the Supreme Court direction, the Ministry had set up the Panel under the Chairmanship of former Secretary Afzal Amanullah to review the existing Haj Policy and to suggest a framework for new Haj policy 2018-22. According to the Ministry of Minority Affairs, the proposed new Haj Policy also recommended bringing down the number of embarkation points from 21 to 9. The embarkation points are Delhi, Lucknow, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Cochin. The proposed policy also aims at rationalising distribution of the Haj quota between the Haj Committee of India and private tour operators in the ratio of 70:30 for the next five years. It also stresses on breaking the cartel of contractors with a transparent bidding process. It also recommended increase in special quota for Jammu and Kashmir from 1500 to 2000. The policy also proposes to ensure the stay of all Indian Haj pilgrims in Saudi Arabia within Mina. India has an annual Haj quota of 1.7 lakh devotees. The Ministry said, it will examine the report and share with all concerned for implementation of the accepted recommendations of the Haj 2018 onwards. Indian Air Force celebrates 85th anniversary today Indian Air Force will celebrate its 85th anniversary with a large parade and air display at the Hindon air base near Delhi today. A scintillating air display by various aircraft will be the hallmark of the Air Force Day Parade. Defence Ministry said, the air display will commence with flag bearing skydivers of famous AKASH GANGA Team dropping out of AN32 aircraft in their colourful canopies. The flypast will include the vintage aircraft, modern transport aircraft and frontline fighter aircraft. The ceremony will conclude with a scintillating aerobatic display. President Ram Nath Kovind has greeted the Indian Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Air Force on its 85th Anniversary. In a tweet, Mr Kovind said, he salutes the valour, commitment and dedication of the brave air warriors of India. Crisis of doctors will end by 2022: MoS Ashwini Kumar Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Ashwini Kumar Choubey has said there is a shortage of over 6 lakh doctors in the country now but the crisis will end by 2022. He said that the country requires 14 to 16 lakh doctors but at present only eight lakh doctors are serving the people. The minister said the number of seats in medical colleges has been increased and it will gradually bridge the gap by 2022. He said that the medical colleges will produce 67,972 MBBS doctors and 30,228 post-graduate doctors every year after increasing the seats. Presently, the medical colleges produce 32,000 MBBS doctors and 12,000 PG doctors every year. Mr Choubey said this after inspecting the Patliputra Medical College and Hospital at Dhanbad yesterday. He also reviewed central government sponsored health plans. Filmmaker Kundan Shah is dead Veteran director Kundan Shah, best known for the dark comedy "Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro", died at his home early today, family sources said. He was 69. Shah passed away after suffering a heart attack, sources close to the family told PTI. He had studied direction at the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune and made his feature film debut in 1983 with the cult classic "Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro" (1983). The film did not become a box office success but Shah received his first and only National Award - Indira Gandhi Award for Best First Film of a Director - for the movie which went on to become one of the most celebrated dark satirical comedies in the history of Indian cinema. Shah returned the award during the student protest in his alma mater FTII in 2015. He made his directorial debut on television in 1986 with the popular series "Nukkad". In 1988, he directed the sitcom, "Wagle Ki Duniya", based on cartoonist R K Laxman's character, the common man. The director made his Bollywood comeback in 1993 with Shah Rukh Khan-starrer "Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa". His next film was "Kya Kehna" (2000). Starring Preity Zinta, Saif Ali Khan and Chandrachur Singh, the movie became a surprise hit. Though Shah made several films after that, commercial success eluded him. India win 1st T20 match against Australia by nine wickets India defeated Australia by nine wickets in a rain-curtailed match of the three-match T20 cricket series at JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi last night. After rain forced an early end to Australia’s innings at 118 for 8 in 18.4 overs, India’s target was set at 48 runs in six overs according to the DuckworthLewis method. India reached the target in 5.3 overs by losing only one wicket. For India, captain Virat Kohli scored the highest 22 runs and Kuldeep Yadav was the pick of the bowlers as he finished with the figure of 2 for 16. India now leads the three-match series 1-0. The hosts will play Australia for the 2nd T20 in Guwahati on Tuesday. ***




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Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs Date: 8.10.2017, Sunday

Prepared to fight at short notice: Air Force chief Dhanoa The Indian Air Force is prepared to fight a war at a short notice, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa said today. Addressing IAF personnel on the Air Force Day, Dhanoa said the Air Force was fully geared up to face any security challenge to the country. "We are prepared to fight at a short notice," he said, talking about the security scenario. He also said that the Air Force was acquiring multi- spectrum strategic capabilities and remained committed to building a "joint manship" with the Indian Army and the Navy. Dhanoa said security of all Air Force stations have been enhanced to combat any threat, including sub-conventional threats, after the terrorist attack on the IAF base station in Pathankot last year. In January last year, terrorists sneaked in from across the border and attacked the air base. The attack claimed the lives of seven security personnel while four terrorists were killed. PM lays foundation stone for Bhadbhut barrage project Prime Minister Narendra Modi today laid the foundation stone for the Rs 4,337-crore Bhadbhut Barrage project here which aims to stop the ingress of salinity along the Narmada river. Modi, on the second day of his two-day visit to poll- bound Gujarat, also flagged off a new train between Udhna in Surat and Jaynagar in Bihar. The prime minister also inaugurated various neem-related projects of the Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilisers Company Limited (GNFC), and said the idea of 100 per cent neem-coated urea, conceived by his government, has stopped its pilferage and helped in addressing the problem of urea shortage faced by farmers. Addressing a public meeting, Modi said the barrage project will solve the issue of drinking water for Bharuch, and also open up new channels for fisheries. "Thousands of bighas of land has turned infertile due to salinity of sea water, which (the land) has to be revived. We also have to provide drinking water to people. Thanks to the Gujarat government for this project. I am confident it will be completed in three years," he said. "Coming together of river and ocean is good for fisheries. The barrage will be made using scientific methods, to stop saline water, improve drinking water and make two channels for fisheries," Modi said. A bridge that will be constructed across the barrage, joining Dahej to Hazira, will help create twin industrial cities and reduce the distance between them, he said. "The bridge will reduce the journey to Hazira by 20 kilometres, and help save fuel, environment and also time. Joining Hazira with Dahej will also make them twin industrial cities," he said. Modi lauded the GNFC for its projects and said it has helped four lakh rural women who collect and sell the neem fruit and seeds. "Bharuch GNFC has bought neem fruit and seeds and helped them earn Rs 40 crore. This is extra money, wealth from waste," he said. The 100 per cent neem-coated urea project of the government has prevented theft of subsidised urea for use as a raw material in the chemical industry, the prime minister said. "Earlier I used to write letters to the central government asking for more urea due to its shortage. When I became prime minister, I also used to get letters...For Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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the last two years, not a single chief minister has written to me for urea," he said. "Won't urea thieves conspire against me (for stopping pilferage)? But this is Modi. He has grown up on the soil of Gujarat, in the land of Gandhi and Sardar Patel," he said. Flagging off a second 'Antyodaya train' from Udhna in Surat to Jaynagar, Modi said it will help migrants from Bihar, who work in Gujarat, to go home during Diwali and Chhat Puja. "A hardworking person leaves his old parents back home and comes to work in Gujarat. But during festival season, he faces hardship going back home. To ensure that our friends from Bihar and UP can go back home easily, we have emphasised starting long-route rail service," he said. Modi said his government has started Antyodaya Express and Mahamana Express, connecting Vadodara to Varanasi, to join Gujarat with Bihar. "These trains have become a great facility for people from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh... (Mahamana Express) will help people to go on pilgrimage to Kashi Vishwanath (in Varanasi) and visit your Modi's Lok Sabha constituency," he said. Later, winding up his visit, Modi flew back to New Delhi from the Vadodara airport. Noted journalist Bismoy Kumar Mohanty dies Noted journalist Bismoy Kumar Mohanty died today following a heart attack at Puri, family sources said. Mohanty was 62 and is survived by wife, a son and a daughter. Sources said Mohanty, who had gone to the seaside pilgrim town along with his wife, complained of chest pain this morning. He was taken to Puri hospital where doctors declared him dead. Owner and editor of Odia daily "Ajikali" published from Balasore, Mohanty was the president of Odisha Small and Medium Newspaper Organisation. He was also associated with a number of social and cultural organisations. His wife Bijay Laxmi Mohanty is also publisher and editor of language daily "Sambad Bahika". A pall of gloom descended on media circles here when the news about Mohandy's demise spread. As his body was taken to his native place in Balasore district via Bhubaneswar for last rites, a large number of journalists and people from different walks of life paid their last respect and offered floral tributes. PM launches 'Intensified Mission Indradhanush'




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Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched an intensive immunisation drive from Gujarat's Vadnagar, saying no child should suffer from any vaccinepreventable disease. Through the 'Intensified Mission Indradhanush' or IMI, the government aims to reach every child below the age of two years and pregnant women still uncovered under the routine immunisation programme, an official statement said. Under the IMI, a seven-day immunisation drive will be conducted each month from now till January 2018 in 173 districts and 17 cities, the statement said. These districts include 52 in eight northeastern states and 121 in 16 other states, it added. The programme will cover low performing areas in the selected districts and cities. "Let no child suffer from any vaccinepreventable disease," Modi said while launching the programme. The prime minister was on a two-day visit to Gujarat. On the second day of his visit, he held a roadshow today at Vadnagar, his birthplace, in Mehsana district, where a large number of people queued up along the route to greet him. The programme will focus on improving immunisation coverage in the districts and cities to ensure 90 per cent coverage for full immunisation by December 2018 instead of 2020, the statement said. At the function, the prime minister also inaugurated the GMERS Medical College, Vadnagar, and launched the Innovative Mobile Phone Technology for Community Health Operation (ImTeCHO) for improving coverage of community-based maternal, neonatal and infant health services. The GMERS Medical College serves nearly 400-500 outdoor patients and 80-100 indoor patients daily. Modi also lauded several healthcare initiatives of the government. "Regulating the prices of stents has immensely helped a large section of the country by reducing the cost of healthcare on the middle income group and poor families," he said. He expressed satisfaction at the success of the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan under which private doctors volunteer to provide free ANC services to pregnant women on the 9th day of every month, alongside government doctors. The IMI programme is supported by 12 ministries and departments and would be monitored by the Cabinet Secretary at the national level, the statement said. Speaking during the function, Union Health Minister J P Nadda said improving the health of the children is amongst the top priorities of the government. He informed that in four phases, the Mission Indradhanush has reached to more than 2.53 crore children and 68 lakh pregnant women in the country. Govt working on blue revolution to help small fishermen: PM Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi says that the government is working on a blue revolution to help small fishermen. Addressing a public rally at Bharuch, Mr. Modi said that the fishermen will be given loans on nominal interest for purchasing mechanised boats which they can use to go into the deep sea for a better catch. He said the scheme includes the provision of cold storage facilities also. The Prime Minister said that his decision to have a 100 percent neem coating of heavily subsidized urea has ensured that it reaches the farmers and is not cornered by chemical industries. He said this has also excluded Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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middlemen. Catalan independence declaration will have no effect, says Spanish PM Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has warned that any declaration of independence by Catalonia will have no effect, adding that he is not ruling out suspending the region's autonomy. In an interview with El Pais newspaper published today, Mr Rajoy also rejected any mediation to resolve the crisis. He said the government will ensure that any declaration of independence will lead to nothing. The prime minister also said he planned to keep extra police deployed to Catalonia until the crisis was over. Earlier, thousands of people rallied across the country for Spanish unity. The demonstrations were in response to last Sunday's disputed referendum on Catalan independence. The final results from the wealthy north-eastern region showed 90 percent of the 2.3 million people who voted backed independence. The turnout was 43 percent.

RBI to soon launch financial literacy drive in 9 states The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is to launch a financial literacy drive in 80 blocks in nine states on pilot basis to educate people on e-transactions, formal sector borrowings and insurance purchases. The pilot project, according to RBI will be commissioned in the 9 states of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Odisha, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh by the 6 NGOs in collaboration with the sponsor banks. The aim of the CFL is to inculcate the habit of making a household budget and recording financial transactions, encourage transactions in savings accounts, and active saving by depositing in banks through fixed deposits and recurring deposits. Kerala: President launches 'Jeevamritham' project On his first visit to Kerala after assuming office, President Ram Nath Kovind attended a function at Mata Amritanandamayi Math in Kollam district. Speaking on the occasion President referred Kerala as one of the leading spiritual home of the country and our composite society. He said that the flames of spiritualism shines brightly in Kerala and has done so for thousand of years. Hailing Mata Amritanandamayi, President said that she represents the spiritual tradition of Kerala who has worked selflessly for the poor and the underprivileged. ***




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Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs Date: 9.10.2017, Monday Duterte popularity dips after Philippines drug war protests: Poll Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has suffered his first major drop in popularity, an independent pollster found, after the deaths of two Manila teenagers in his controversial anti-crime crackdown triggered mass protests. The decline in support shown by the Social Weather Stations survey -down to 67 per cent from 78 per cent in June who said they were "satisfied" with Duterte's performance as president -- came amid growing public outrage over drug war killings in the Philippines. Duterte assumed office in June last year vowing to eradicate illegal drugs in society by killing up to 100,000 traffickers and addicts. In the 15 months since he came to power police have reported killing more 3,850 people in anti-drug operations. Thousands of other people have been murdered in unexplained circumstances that rights groups partly attribute to vigilante death squads. Although Duterte's drug war remains largely popular among a citizenry fed up with high crime, growing unease with the killings resulted in August and September in large street protests over the deaths of two Manila teenagers. The Manila-based pollster, which has been regularly running the quarterly surveys since 1986, did not explain the drop shown in yesterday's figures. But analysts told AFP it was likely linked to growing public concern over the drug war killings. "It may likely reflect growing concerns over the direction of (the) war on drugs, particularly the death of minors and indiscipline within ranks of the law enforcement agencies," political analyst Richard Heydarian said. State prosecutors are studying the possible filing of murder charges against four antidrugs officers over the August 16 shooting death of Manila student Kian delos Santos, 17. Several other officers are under investigation after they killed alleged robbery suspect Carl Angelo Arnaiz, 19, the following night. His neighbour Reynaldo de Guzman, 14, was later found murdered by unknown suspects in the northern Philippines. "It's the first significant slide since the president was inaugurated," said Victor Andres Manhit, chief executive of Manila-based political consultancy Stratbase ADR Institute, of the survey. Duterte's aides largely shrugged off the new numbers. "The love is still there," Duterte spokesman Ernesto Abella told reporters, adding the poll numbers were consistent with the pattern of previous Filipino presidents who saw dips in their popularity after their first year in office. Heydarian, who has recently published a book titled "Rise of Duterte", said the lower poll numbers still left the president with "relatively high approval ratings and enough momentum" to pursue his political agenda. Social Weather Stations said Duterte's declining popularity among Filipino poor largely accounted for his poll drop. Manhit said: "They are his main constituents, but they are also the main victims of the drug war." A representative nationwide sample of 1,500 adults were asked in person between September 2327: "Please tell me how satisfied or dissatisfied you are in the performance of Rodrigo Duterte as president of the Philippines." Social Weather Stations said it conducted the poll for itself and was not commissioned by any other party. The number of dissatisfied over Duterte also rose by seven percentage points from June to 19 per cent, with the undecided up by four points to 14 per cent, it added. Jay Shah files criminal defamation case against 'The Wire' Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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BJP President Amit Shah's son Jay Shah today filed a criminal defamation case in a metropolitan court in Ahmedabad against news portal 'The Wire' over a report claiming his firm's turnover grew exponentially after the party came to power in 2014. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate S K Gadhvi ordered a court inquiry into the matter. In his application, Shah prayed for criminal action against the seven respondents including author of the article, editor and owner of the website 'The Wire' for what he termed as defaming and tarnishing the reputation of the complainant through an article. The court was of the opinion that it will issue summonses to the respondents only after the initial inquiry establishes a case. The next hearing for a court inquiry will be on Wednesday. Shah is yet to file a civil defamation suit against the respondents. He had earlier announced that he will also file Rs 100 crore civil defamation suit. Meanwhile, BJP leader and Union Minister Piyush Goyal has rejected Congress criticism of his defending of party President Amit Shah's son. The Congress and others have questioned, how a Union Minister can defend Jay Shah, who is a private person. Replying to a media query in New Delhi, Mr. Goyal said, the article published by the news website relates to an alleged unprecedented turnover by a company owned Jay Shah, is aimed at maligning the image and create doubts about the top BJP leaders. He said the article has put photographs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and other leaders and in this situation, it is natural for the party to defend. Replying to another question over the appearance of Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta for Jay Shah in the defamation case, Mr. Goyal said there is nothing illegal in it. He said, a law officer can appear in a case related to two private persons after taking permission from the government. Govt asks taxpayers to file final July GST returns by tomorrow Tomorrow is the last date for filing GSTR-1 for the month of July and there will be no further extension. The Finance Ministry has asked the taxpayers who have not yet filed their GSTR-1 for July to do so immediately. Once a taxpayer files GSTR-1 by 10th October, the corresponding entries in GSTR-2A of his buyer shall get auto-populated. The buyer shall finalize his GSTR-2 after making modifications if required, in GSTR-2A. The Input Tax Credit shall be availed by the buyer based on his GSTR-2. However, if a taxpayer does not file GSTR-1 by tomorrow, his buyer may face difficulty in availing ITC of the tax paid on his supplies. The Ministry has asked all suppliers of goods or services, especially B2B suppliers, furnish their outward supply details in GSTR-1 by the due date so that no difficulty is faced by their buyers in availing ITC and the return cycle can be completed in due course. WCD Ministry to celebrate Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Week (10-14 Oct.) Women and Child Development Ministry will celebrate the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Week from today to 14th of this month. The theme of the week is- the daughters of New India. Satets, union territories, districts have undertaken several innovative initiatives to address the issue of declining child sex ratio and promote value of girl child. AIR correspondent reports, the collective and coordinated efforts undertaken at national, state and districts level has been successful in establishing a substantial improvement in the number of girls being born in the target districts. AIR correspondent says, the government has said, there has been an improvement in sex ratio at birth in 104 districts selected for the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme. Out of the total 161 districts where the programme is being implemented, an increasing trend in Sex Ratio at Birth is visible in 104 districts. The Women and Child Development Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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ministry now plans to extend this programme to all the districts of the country with focus on the 56 of the total 161 districts that have shown a decline in Sex Ratio at Birth. This scheme is one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pet projects and was launched by him in January, 2015. It focuses on districts with the worst child sex ratio as per the 2011 Census. Territorial Army celebrates it's 68th Raising Day today Territorial Army is celebrating it's 68th Raising Day today. As a lead up to the occasion, TA symphony Band performed at the India Gate on Sunday. The event was organised to showcase the Territorial Army, motivate the citizens of the country and inculcate a spirit of National integration. Raised in 2009, the symphony Band draws its strength from troops pooled in from various Territorial Army units. Consisting of 40 musicians it was raised as symbolic representation of ‘Unity in Diversity’ which is the essence of ‘Territorial Army’ also popularly known as the Citizen’s Army. The event attracted large crowd who were enthralled by the excellent music of the Band and added to the patriotic fervour. Nobel prize in economics awarded to Richard Thaler The Nobel economics prize has been awarded to Richard Thaler of the University of Chicago for his contributions to behavioural economics. Swedish Academy of Sciences Secretary Goeran Hansson said today that the 9million-kronor (1.1 million US Dollars) prize was awarded to the academic for his understanding the psychology of economics. The Nobel committee said Thaler's work shows how human traits affect individual decisions as well as market outcomes. Thaler, 72, is a pioneer in behavioural economics, a research field in which insights from psychological research are applied to economic decision making, a background paper from the academy said. Madras HC summons EC in contempt of court case The Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu State Election Commissioner and the Public Election Department Secretary to appear before it in a contempt of court petition as it failed to follow its order on holding civic polls. The court recently directed the Commission to notify the local body polls by the 18th of September last and to hold the elections by November 17. As the Commission failed to oblige with the order in notifying the elections, the DMK filed the contempt petition. The case came up for hearing before the first bench led by Chief Justice Indira Banerjee today. The court asked the state Election Commissioner Malik Feroz Khan and the Secretary, Public - Election Department to appear before it on 6th of next month. New Ebola vaccine safe for adults and children, say scientists The first known human cases of Ebola occurred in 1976 during two simultaneous outbreaks in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which sickened more than 600 people, according to the World Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Health Organization. The outbreak and Ebola in 2016 across West Africa, including the countries of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone triggered scientists to take action against the deadly virus, which included setting up of trial vaccines to stop the disease. Now it seems that those vaccines are managing to show some promising data as a group of researchers have found an Ebola vaccine is safe for children as well as adults and produces an immune response. Talking about the vaccine, Professor Sanjeev Krishna, of St George's University of London's Institute for Infection and Immunity, said, "An unprecedented Ebola outbreak showed how it is possible for academics, non-governmental organisations, industry and funders to work effectively together very quickly in times of medical crisis. The results of the trial show how a vaccine could best be used to tackle this terrible disease effectively." In December 2016, an experimental Ebola vaccine tested on humans in the waning days of the West African epidemic had shown 100 percent protection against the lethal disease, while in March 2017, an early human trial revealed that a two-part Ebola vaccine regimen has been found to offer protection against the deadly disease for about a year. Similarly, in June this year, a clinical trial helped Canadian researchers develop a vaccine for disease caused by the Ebola virus. The first known human cases of Ebola occurred in 1976 during two simultaneous outbreaks in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which sickened more than 600 people, according to the World Health Organization. This vaccine can be really useful for a country like India, who did not see an outbreak of Ebola. Though an Indian national returning from Liberia did test positive for the deadly virus and was quarantined at a special facility at Delhi airport. The vaccine contains a non-infectious portion of a gene from the Zaire Ebola virus. In addition, lower vaccine doses should be considered when boosting individuals with pre-existing antibodies to Ebolavirus glycoprotein, a finding that has emerged after the vaccine was tested in a country that has experienced Ebola virus outbreaks in the past. India's Anupama Ramachandran wins World Open U-16 Snooker Ch'ship India's Anupama Ramachandran has clinched the the World Open Under-16 Snooker Championship title at St. Petersburg in Russia. In the girls category, second seed Anupama knocked out her compatriot and top seed Keerthana Pandian 3-1 to become World Open Under-16 champion on Sunday. Earlier, she defeated Albina Leschuk of Belarus 3-0 in the semifinals and Alexsandra Riabinina of Russia in the quarterfinals with an identical 3-0 scoreline. Dylan Emery of Wales has claimed the title in the boys category. Federation of Billiards Sports of Russia hosted this first ever World Open championships for Under-16 boys and girls. Total 73 cueists from across the world have participated in this championship. India International Science Fest to begin on October 13 A four-day 'India International Science Festival,' organised by the Union Ministry of Science and Technology, will begin here on October 13, Union Science Minister Harsh Vardhan said in Chennai on Sunday. The fest, to be held in multiple venues, including Anna University, Central Leather Research Institute (CSIR-CLR) here will feature a series of events, he said. Stating that the response to the fest was overwhelming, he said after the science festival, there "should be good quality scientific temper and passion." On the progress made by premier research institution CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research), he said the institution which last year was at the 12th position among about 1,200 government funded research institutions worldwide, had moved up to ninth rank as per the Scimago Institutions ranking World Report 2017. Similarly in global ranking for private and public funded Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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institutions, CSIR which held the 99th position, had improved to 75th rank among about 5200 institutions across the world. Besides Anna varsity and CSIR-CLRI, events will be held at Structural Engineering Research Centre (CSIRSERC), National Institute of Ocean Technology and IIT-Madras, he added. A meeting of Science and Technology Ministers will be held on the inaugural day of the festival at IIT Madras here. 'Science village,' a programme intended to give exposure to students from rural areas on the country's achievements in science and technology, a summit on innovative technologies from several States, a conclave of women scientists and entrepreneurs, an industry academia interaction are among the events that have been lined up for the science festival. Union Ministries of Science and Technology, Earth Sciences and Vijnana Bharati together have been organising the India International Science Festival since 2015. The initiative is to encourage scientific temper among the people and showcase Indian contributions in science and technology. Facebook to make ad scrutiny more stringent The new policy that Facebook is planning to implement sets a higher standard for the ads targetted at people affiliated to particular political, religious or ethnic groups. After facing flak for enabling advertisers to reach "Jew haters" and the presence of Russia-linked ads on its platform during the 2016 American presidential election, Facebook is planning to make scrutiny of some advertisements more stringent before they are published on its platforms. The social network is going to require ads that are targetted to people based on "politics, religion, ethnicity or social issues" to be manually reviewed before they go live, Axios.com reported late on Saturday. "With this update, we`ll be requiring more ads to go through human review," according to an e-mail Facebook sent to advertisers and obtained by Axios. "New campaigns with ad sets contain targetting options that we feel warrant additional review (such as those associated with topics such as politics, religion, ethnicity and social issues), we will route them for manual review prior to being approved," it read. Facebook ads are generally bought and uploaded to the site through an automated system. The new policy that Facebook is planning to implement sets a higher standard for the ads targetted at people affiliated to particular political, religious or ethnic groups. Facebook warned that the new policy could slow down the launch of new ad campaigns. Better and simpler GST Responding to the growing discontent among small businesses and exporters about the goods and services tax (GST), the GST Council came up with wide-ranging changes on Friday. The guiding principle of the decisions was to improve the liquidity conditions of exporters, who were struggling with money being blocked in the GST process. The reduction of compliance cost for small businesses was a sound move as it was anyway disproportionate to the revenue generated. The Prime Minister has termed the measures as an early Diwali gift to the taxpayers and has said that his government does not want to put the traders in “the trap of red-tape, files, bureaucracy”. This is a welcome development as India needs a simplified and easy-to-comply-with tax regime that does not impose huge deadweight compliance costs, which, in turn, cripple the productive capacity of small enterprises. One common simplification measure across nations is less frequent filing of returns, which the GST Council has recognised, finally. That explains its decision that businesses with an annual turnover of up to Rs 1.5 crore will henceforth have to file only quarterly returns, instead of the monthly hassle. For exporters, the past few years have been very tough. Keeping aside most of the infrastructure-related bottlenecks that they have to contend with, export growth has plummeted in recent years in tune with slackening global demand. This year, when global trade flows started looking up, exporters have been pegged back by an appreciating rupee as well. The introduction of the GST, even though desirable, made matters worse. Exporters estimated their costs rose by up to 1.25 per cent — significant enough to wipe out their competitiveness and Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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profitability in low-margin exports such as textiles, garments, and leather goods. The key issue troubling exporters was delays in claiming tax refunds. Under the GST, they first had to pay the integrated GST and seek a refund only after the goods are exported. Smaller exporters were required to furnish bonds and a letter of undertaking to the local commissioner. This, in turn, was creating a massive working capital crunch. According to one estimate, the GST’s introduction was likely to hold back exports worth Rs 65,000 crore. To be sure, their order books had fallen by 15 per cent in the period ending October. Thus, the latest decisions by the GST Council address most of the concerns of small businesses and exporters, though the details of the e-wallet scheme are still awaited. The string of measures also suggests that the GST regime is likely to be a work in progress for a while before it settles down into a well-oiled tax system. That’s much better than having a hurriedly pushed through imperfect tax system that does not address the emerging concerns of the taxpayers. However, one big problem, of too many rates, remains to be dealt with. While many traders are happy with the reduction in rates for 27 items, the very purpose of the GST was to prevent the need for itemised changes in rates; and to have fixed rates that were logical and predictable. At the moment, there are different rates for the same category of products, which defy rationale. The council should get down to reducing the number of rates and rationalising them so that all products in one broad category attract the same rate. ***




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Transactions on Unified Payment Interface jump 85%, cross 3-crore mark in September The number of transactions on UPI (Unified Payment Interface) platform crossed 3 crore in September. UPI, which is a mobile-only digital payment mechanism from National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI), went live with 21 banks on August 25, 2016. The latest figures by NPCI indicate a substantial increase of around 85 per cent in the number of transactions on this platform September. The number of transactions on UPI platform increased to 3.07 crore in September as against 1.66 crore in August, an increase of 85.32 per cent. UPI offers seamless transaction of money on smartphone — just like sending an e-mail — with two-factor authentication. Now 57 banks are live on this platform. Under UPI, people can transfer money using either mobile number of virtual payment address (VPA). This helps in avoiding problems related with wrong entries of bank account number and other details. After demonetisation last year, NPCI also came out with its own mobile app on UPI platform — BHIM (Bharat Interface for Money) — in December to make instant bank-to-bank payments and to pay and collect money using just mobile number or VPA. However, the number of BHIM transactions increased only by 11.7 per cent in September. Of the 3.07 crore transactions on UPI platform, BHIM’s share was 76.03 lakh in September amounting to a market share of around 24.7 per cent. In August, the number of BHIM transactions was 68.07 lakh in the total UPI transactions of 1.66 crore. BHIM’s market share in August was at 40 per cent. By using UPI, people transacted ₹5293.44 crore in September as against ₹4127.19 crore in August. Of this, the share of BHIM stood at ₹2245.33 crore (₹1898.63 crore).Other payment apps such as ‘PhonePe’ and ‘Tez’ offer their services on UPI platform. Only last month, Google had launched its payment app ‘Tez’. Nobel for Thaler In line with the 2002 prize, the choice marks a recognition of the role of behavioural economics. For the second time in less than 20 years, the Nobel Prize panellists have recognised the uses of behavioural economics in both policymaking and the running of businesses, by conferring the economics award on Chicagobased Richard Thaler. Thaler’s work, building on that of Daniel Kahnemann who won the Nobel in 2002, overturns the assumption of standard economic theory that individuals act ‘rationally’ by maximising their economic gain in any situation. For long considered an outcast in economic circles, Thaler has now got governments to tailor policies such as pension plans and welfare schemes keeping in mind how people actually make less-than-rational economic choices. The theories for which he is best known are mental accounting effect, endowment effect and the availability heuristic. The first depicts how all organisations and individuals have explicit and implicit accounting systems, with decisions often driven by the latter. The most important implication of this is how individuals perceive fairness in business behaviour by having a mental reference price. Therefore, if prices are ramped up in a situation of shortage, or wages reduced in another context, it would be seen as unfair if that exceeds or falls below the mental reference price or wage. The travails of Uber are instructive in this regard. In Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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another situation of mental accounting, money is linked to certain uses and is not fungible as economists believe. This implies cash transfers may work if they are accompanied by the suggestion that they be used for a specific purpose. The second tells us that individuals would demand what might seem an irrationally high price to forgo what they own — in other words, risk aversion. The third, availability heuristic, tells us that people assess future risk on the basis of what they know or experience, in the process often underestimating a major looming risk such as climate change or the need for future savings, or overestimating less serious ones such as being robbed on a road. Thaler says organisations can ‘nudge’ individuals to correct these assessments of risk with respect to persuasive health and pension plans. However, whether ‘nudging’ erodes consumer choice and tilts power towards organisations is a debatable point. Thaler, along with Kahnemann and others, have shown through these theories that irrational behaviour is not random, and that if their psychological basis is understood, future behaviour can be channelised along desirable lines through the right nudges. However, there is a dark, cynical side to their inquiries. Critics have pointed out that corporations have profited from the convergence of Big Data and such behavioural insights by tapping into the irrational fears and desires of consumers. The same has been noticed in recent political campaigns. The moot question is whether these behavioural observations are culture-specific. Eastern societies are known to be more frugal than western ones. The challenge is to expand the scope of behavioural economics to include other social, political and cultural contexts. SBI creates new post: MD for bad loans Facing a historic level of bad loans, the new State Bank chairman Rajnish Kumar has created a special division headed by an MD to tackle the issue as part of his restructuring of the top and mid-level management to better run the nation's largest lender. Kumar, who assumed office as the 25th chairman of SBI last Saturday for a three-year tenor, has reshuffled various business verticals headed by wholetime directors. "It has been decided by the competent authority to restructure the top organisational set-up of the bank for effective control and oversight of the enlarged domestic business and operations, post-mergers of associate banks, better synergy and also to impart greater impetus to recovery of NPAs and resolution of stressed assets," Kumar said in an internal communication on Oct 7. To have a special focus on the mountain of non performing assets (NPAs), which has hit double digits in Q1, Kumar has created a new division under the label of Stressed Assets Resolution Group headed by a managing director. He has not named the new person as yet. In the three months to June, SBI's gross NPAs rose to 9.97 per cent from 7.40 per cent and net NPAs jumped to 5.97 per cent from 4.36 per cent. Retail NPAs grew 1.56 per cent to Rs 7,632 crore, while bad loans in the agri book grew 9.51 per cent to Rs 17,988 crore. The key reshuffle includes re-designation of B Sriram, who was earlier heading the corporate banking group, as MD (corporate and global banking). Till the time new MD for SARG is appointed, Sriram will be looking after the stressed assets resolution group department as well. The post of deputy managing director (stressed asset management group) has been rechristened as deputy managing director (stressed assets resolution group) who will be reporting to the MD of this division. All DMDs from corporate accounts group, mid corporate group, international banking group and global markets will will be reporting to Sriram for the time being. Kumar has retained Anshula Kant as CFO and DMD. Managing director for national banking group, which Kumar was handling prior to his elevation, has been re-designated as managing director, retail and digital banking under PK Gupta as an MD. Earlier he was MD, compliance and risks. The post of MD, compliance and risks, is re-designated as MD (risk, IT and subsidiaries), which will be now handled by Dinesh Kumar Khara. Khara was earlier MD (associate and subsidiaries). The bank has also decided to Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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create as new chief general manager designated as CGM and chief strategy officer under the chairman for monitoring various corporate strategic initiatives. PM Narendra Modi to attend inauguration of birth centenary celebration of Nanaji Deshmukh Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the inauguration of the birth centenary celebration of Nanaji Deshmukh at IARI at Pusa in New Delhi tomorrow. Prime Minister will visit an exhibition on the theme "technology and rural life." The exhibition showcases over a hundred good practices and applications. He will interact with rural innovators. Prime Minister will offer floral tributes to Nanaji Deshmukh and Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan. Prime Minister will release a commemorative postage stamp on Nanaji Deshmukh. He will launch a portal for coordination and monitoring of development works at the district level. He will also launch the Gram Samvad App which will carry information on the progress of rural development works at the Gram Panchayat level. He will inaugurate a Plant Phenomics Facility of IARI. Prime Minister will address an audience of about 10,000 people, drawn from Self Help Groups, Panchayats, water conservation innovators and beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. Indian, German Railways sign declaration of intent for feasibility study on Chennai-Kazipet corridor India and Germany today signed joint declaration of intent for carrying out feasibility study on existing Chennai-Kazipet corridor of Indian Railways for increasing the speed trains to 200 kilo-meter per hour. The joint declaration signed between Indian and German Railways in New Delhi is intended to deepen the cooperation in the priority area of Semi High Speed Rail, upgrading of current passenger services to Semi High Speed. The cost of the feasibility study will be shared on 50.50 basis by the two countries. The total length of the Chennai-Kazipet Junction is 643 km and the entire corridor is electrified.

Rohingya crisis has become "regional catastrophe": Bangladesh Bangladesh said today the Rohingya crisis was no longer Myanmars internal issue and had become a "regional catastrophe" as it appealed to the international community to take "crucial decisions" to press Naypyitaw to take back about 500,000 refugees living in the country. Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali said about 500,000 Rohingyas had fled to Bangladesh out of the total 900,000 that have left Myanmar after an army crackdown on the minority community in the Rakhine State on August 25 following a terrorist attack on the countrys security outposts. He said a total of 3,000 Rohinya Muslims had been killed so far since the army crackdown was launched and Human Rights Watch has got evidence of 284 villages of having been bulldozed. Ali said Rohingya crisis was no longer an internal issue of Myanmars and has become a "regional catastrophe". "Its (also) not a bilateral problem of Bangladesh and Myanmar. Bangladesh didnt play any role in creating this crisis. The center of the crisis is in Myanmar and the solution lies with Myanmar as well," he said. "Even the international pressure has so far failed to refrain Myanmar military from implementing its long term depopulation plan for Rohingyas," he said. Ali said, for the first time in history, a majority of Rohingyas had come to Bangladesh. "Virtually only 400,000 to 500,000 of them out of some 1,800,000 Rohingyas now remain in Myanmar," Ali said. He said Myanmar had launched a largescale military operation codenamed "Area Clearance" to confront "terrorists", but under the cover of anti-terrorism campaign continued to carryout ruthless atrocities on Rohingyas by mobilising the troops Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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one month ahead of the crackdown. Alis comments came as fresh influx of Rohingyas hit Bangladesh, a week after Myanmar agreed to take back their forcibly displaced people and sent a senior minister to Dhaka to open talks amid mounting global outrage against the countrys treatment of the minority population. Ali, however, said the Myanmars proposal was actually a tactic to defuse the mounting international pressure, which he said should be kept on to force the country to revise its approach towards Rohingyas. He said Bangladesh expected European Union foreign ministers meeting to take "some crucial decisions against the Myanmar Military" as they are scheduled to meet on October 16 in Brussels to discuss the Rohingya crisis. Bangladesh disagreed with Maynmars proposal for Rohingya repatriation under a verification system set out in 1992 in view of changed scenario and reality and rather proposed a joint Bangladesh-Myanmar verification strategy, he said. "We proposed Myanmar to take back all Rohingyas without considering their arrival date into Bangladesh as well as to involve UN and international agencies at every level of repatriation," Ali said. On October 2, Bangladesh proposed a bilateral agreement to facilitate the repatriation process and handed over a draft of the proposed deal to Myanmars visiting minister in Dhaka. Ali also criticised Myanmars government-sponsored media for portraying the entire issue as "Islamist terrorism" or "radical Bangali terrorism". He said the media did it to confuse some of the neighbouring countries despite repeated requests from Bangladesh not to use the term "Bangali" to refer to the Rohingyas. Jagan Reddy to undertake 6-month long Padayatra from Nov 2 YSR Congress president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy will undertake a `padayatra (foot march) from November 2 to connect with people and highlight the "failures" of the TDPled government in Andhra Pradesh. The 44-year-old opposition leader will start the march from his family estate in Idupulapaya, Kadapa district. The foot march, during which Reddy will cover a distance of about 3,000 km across the state in six months, is intended as a mass contact programme to highlight the "failures" of the Chandrababu Naidu government. The YSRCP chief will also explain the "nava ratnas", the nine main promises he gave to people at the partys plenary this year, "for the welfare of the state and the people". Reddy announced his programme schedule at a youth rally here today. "My padayatra will begin from Idupulapaya and the course would run from Chittoor to Ichchapuram (in Srikakulam district bordering Odisha) covering the entire state. "The padayatra will continue for six months and cover about 3,000 km. I will tell people how the `nava ratnas will roll out in the welfare state (based on ideals of his father, late Chief Minister YSR Reddy) where all sections of people would be happy," he said. ***




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SC indicates recognition of living will for passive euthanasia The Supreme Court today indicated it might recognise the execution of 'living will' in cases of passive euthanasia, as right to die peacefully is part of fundamental right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution. The apex court, however, said there should be adequate safeguards and implementation of living will would be subject to medical board's certifying that the patient's comatose state is irreversible. A fivejudge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra reserved its verdict on a plea seeking recognition of 'living will' made by a terminally-ill patient for passive euthanasia. Living will is a written document that allows a patient to give explicit instructions in advance about the medical treatment to be administered when he or she is terminally ill or no longer able to express informed consent. Passive euthanasia is a condition where there is withdrawal of medical treatment with the deliberate intention to hasten the death of a terminally-ill patient. The apex court had recognised passive euthanasia in 2011 in Aruna Shanbaug's case by which it had permitted withdrawal of lifesustaining treatment from patients not in a position to make an informed decision. The bench, also comprising Justices A K Sikri, A M Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud and Ashok Bhushan, said that Right to Life does not mean right to die but a dignified life would certainly include right to die with dignity, as advance directive would take effect once a medical board affirms that the patient comatose state is irreversible. "One cannot say that you have a right to die, but you have a right to dignified death. If we recognise the right to dignity in death, then why not dignity in dying," the bench observed, adding that life must be preserved but not prolonged in suffering. It said that living will may be there as right to die peacefully is part of a fundamental right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution, provided there are adequate safeguards. It also said if a medical board certifies that the health of the patient is irreversible and cannot be kept alive without artificial support, then the living will's role may come in. Additional Solicitor General P S Narasimha, appearing for Centre, opposed recognition of 'living will' and said the consent for removal of artificial support system given by a patient may not be an informed one and without being aware of medical advancements. He cited examples of various countries in disallowing creation of living will by patients. Narasimha said a draft bill, based on the guidelines framed by the apex court in Aruna Shaunbag's case, is under the government's consideration. He said the decision whether to remove life support or not, can only be taken by a medical board after examining the condition of a patient. Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for petitioner NGO 'Common Cause', said safeguards are needed while taking a decision by medical boards to withdraw life support of a patient. Senior advocate Arvind Datar, appearing for an intervenor NGO 'Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy', said that the apex court has recognised the distinction between the active termination of life and the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment with the latter firmly recognised as an expression of autonomy, bodily integrity and right to life. He urged the court to declare that advance directives are an extension of the right to refuse medical treatment and the right to die with dignity and recognition of the legal validity is necessary to give effect to the rights of incompetent patients under Article 21 of Constitution. Article 21 provides that "no person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law." The bench then observed that it is to be decided whether mercy killing can be Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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declared as a right under article 21 of the Constitution or not and said that the advanced directive was a subject to the medical boards interpretation. The bench expressed its inclination for constituting medical boards across the country in each district and said it should be obligatory. Yesterday, the government had opposed granting legal validity to "living will" in cases of passive euthanasia, by telling the apex court that it could be misused and may not be viable as a good public policy. The bench was hearing a PIL filed in 2005 by the NGO, which said when a medical expert opines that a person afflicted with a terminal disease has reached a point of no return, he should be given the right to refuse life support. On January, 15, 2016, the Centre had said the 241st report of the Law Commission stated that passive euthanasia should be allowed with certain safeguards and there was also a proposed law -Medical Treatment of Terminally Ill Patient (Protection of Patients and Medical Practitioners) Bill, 2006. It had said that on specific occasions, the question of withdrawing supporting devices to sustain cardiopulmonary function even after brain death, shall be decided only by a doctors' team and not by the treating physician alone. Russia to send 'Kalashnikov' guns to Philippines: Duterte President Rodrigo Duterte said today Russia was giving 5,000 Kalashnikov assault rifles to the Philippines in what is believed to be the first ever shipment of Russian weapons to the US ally. Duterte, who briefly visited Moscow in May as part of a pivot away from Washington, said the arms would soon arrive by ship. The United States has traditionally been the main supplier of arms to the former American colony. But the Philippine armed forces, who have been battling both communist insurgents in rural areas and Muslim extremists in the troubled south, remain among the weakest in the region. "As part of what I got from Russia when we were there for almost 24 hours, we will have the Kalashnikovs," Duterte told a gathering of soldiers and police near Manila. The Russian embassy declined to comment on Duterte's announcement. Duterte did not say which types of rifles from the Russian manufacturer are being shipped to Manila. "As far as I can remember, the Russians have never supplied us with any form of mat riel in the past," defence department spokesman Arsenio Andolong told AFP. Duterte, who took office last year, has shaken the Philippines' 70-year-old alliance with the US as he moves to strengthen ties with China and Russia. The firebrand leader has sought out other sources of weapons as he angrily rejected US criticism of his deadly war on drugs that has left thousands dead. China this year donated about 6,000 rifles and thousands of rounds of ammunition to Manila. Contemporaries, directors wish Bachchan on his 75th birthday Amitabh Bachchan turned 75 today, celebrating the landmark birthday with his family in Maldives, while his colleagues and fans flooded social media platforms with congratulatory messages. From Prime Minister Narendra Modi to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to old friends like Shatrughan Sinha and Rishi Kapoor, everyone greeted Bachchan on his birthday. "The affection of greeting for the 75th, displayed over several mediums, overwhelms me... a thank you shall never be enough," Bachchan tweeted. The Prime Minister took to Twitter to wish Bachchan a long and healthy life. "Happy birthday @SrBachchan! India is proud of his cinematic brilliance & support to many social causes. I pray for his long & healthy life," the PM tweeted. The West Bengal Chief Minister also wished him on Twitter. "A very Happy Birthday Amitji@Sr Bachchan. Health and happiness. Always," she tweeted. 'Bachchan at 75' Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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is a milestone not just for the star, whose acting career continues to flourish 48 years after his first film, but also for the industry. Actor-MP Shatrughan Sinha told PTI that he is proud of Bachchan's achievements as a friend and a contemporary. "Whether you call us contemporaries or old friends, we have struggled together. I feel very proud of his achievements and success. He is very inspiring and a great role model for everyone. He is the most deserving actor and star after Rajesh Khanna. He deserves to be at the top. "He has gone through a lean phase both health-wise and financially but he has always bounced back. He has sailed through difficulties and has got over it. He has the X-factor called luck," he said. Sinha, who worked with Bachchan in films such as "Bombay to Goa", "Dostana", "Kaala Patthar" and "Shaan", believes the actor would make an "apt candidate" for the president of India. "In Bollywood there are people who have got into politics and I think he is the apt candidate to become the president of India. I wish him long life, success and good health." Veteran actor Manoj Kumar also wished Bachchan on his birthday, recalling their first meeting when he was shooting for "Saajan". Bachchan had come to meet a producer. What struck him most about Bachchan was his observant nature and dedication to his craft, he said. "He is one actor who is a living legend, doing great work even today. No one can become Amitabh Bachchan just like that. It requires that amount of dedication for the craft of acting. His family has always stood by him and that's what one needs especially at testing times," Kumar told PTI. The duo worked together in 1974's "Roti Kapda Aur Makaan". Friend and co-star Rishi Kapoor, who will share screen space with Bachchan after 25 years in "102 Not Out", wished the actor on Twitter. "Happy birthday dear Amitji. God bless," Kapoor tweeted with the poster of their film. Superstar Aamir Khan, who is working with Bachchan for the first time in "Thugs of Hindostan", said it was a joy to collaborate with the veteran actor. Aamir said, growing up, it was a magical experience to watch Bachchan's movies. "It was an amazing experience watching Bachchan sir in cinema halls. His aura and powerhouse performances were magical. He had a complete hold on us as an entertainer. The sway that Bachchan had, I don't think it can be recreated. "He had seven films running simultaneously in theatres. He used to clash with himself. That was a different era. The stardom which Mr Bachchan has seen, none of us will ever see." Other filmmakers shared his sentiment. Umesh Shukla, director of "102 Not Out", said Bachchan immediately agreed to do the movie when he approached him. "He is so passionate about his work even today. He is the one actor who believes in doing homework... even after the shoot he thinks about scenes and sequences. This is commendable. He is a thorough professional, always on time," Shukla told PTI. Bejoy Nambiar said working with Bachchan in "Wazir" was a humbling experience and he would love to collaborate with him again. "In my limited career, I got to work with him. I feel humbled and fortunate. He is particular about his scenes. There was a scene where he was on a wheelchair and had to turn back and look at Neil Nitin Mukesh. "He turned it in a way where his shadow did fall half on Neil's face. So that's the amount of dedication and detailing he gives to his work," Nambiar told PTI. Many other celebrities took to Twitter to wish Bachchan. "I wish Amitabh Bachchan a very happy birthday... He has brought joy in the world through his personality and acting," melody queen Lata Mangeshkar tweeted. "Happy Birthday to the Legend of Indian Cinema , many many good wishes to you @SrBachchan Sir Happy75thBirthdayABSir," South superstar Mohanlal tweeted. Actor Ranveer Singh wished fans a "Happy Amitabh Bachchan Day" on Twitter. "Happy birthday Amit uncle. Hoping this is the year you release the amazing music you played us on (this day)," Farhan Akhtar posted with a photo of him with Bachchan in a recording studio. 'Rohingyas 'not entitled' to refugee status' At a time when the Rohingya crisis has sparked a debate, an ICHR seminar today sought to differentiate between "refugees and illegal infiltrators", with the premise that Rohingya Muslims are "certainly not entitled" to the refugee status. Noted scholars and foreign policy experts expounded on the topic -- Refugees & Infiltrators: India's policy towards them: A historical perspective and some thoughts on the current scenario -- even as the Indian government has already termed them as Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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illegal immigrants who "will be deported". Saradindu Mukherji, Member of the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR), an autonomous body functioning under the HRD Ministry, said the Rohingya crisis was the "main provocation" to organise the event. The seminar's concept note released by the ICHR says: "Victims of religio-ethnic cleansing from the neighbouring countries which were part of eternal Bharat since time immemorial but got separated from us in 1947, are entitled to shelter and rehabilitation in India, but illegal infiltrators from outside India are not." "Rohingyas are certainly not entitled to the refugee status," it adds. Former foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal said India is a highly densely populated country and "we don't need more people". He said Germany's decision to accept refugees was based more on their "huge demographic problems" and hence, that cannot be compared with the Rohingya situation in India. Sibal claimed that some human rights bodies are raising humanitarian issues about the planned deportation of Rohingyas from India, because they "want to look good in those circles". "India accepted Tibetan refugees as it acknowledged the occupation of Tibet by China. Besides, there was a humanitarian and cultural basis to what we did. In case of Rohingyas there is no such consideration," he said. India government has maintained its stand that the "issue of national security is involved with regard to illegal immigration which our country cannot undermine". The government had on August 9 told Parliament that more than 14,000 Rohingyas, registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, stay in India. However, aid agencies estimate there are about 40,000 Rohingyas in the country. Besides, there is a worry that "are there terrorists hiding in that big pool of people", Sibal asked, adding India is not signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, so "we are not obliged to accept them. "So, there is a very good reason to deal with that issue the manner in which the government is doing. But, I do not see if they would be able to deport them in the foreseeable future," he added. Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy, who was the chief guest at the day-long seminar, made a reference to the persecution faced by Hindus in Bangladesh in 1971, and the migration the Liberation War had triggered, to emphasise the issue of refugees. Roy, author of 'My People, Uprooted: A Saga of the Hindus of Eastern Bengal' shared the history of the region and the bloodshed it has suffered. Retired IPS officer R K Ohri alleged that several Rohingyas have slipped into Mizoram and the neighbouring regions, and their presence would affect the demography and peace in the region. Scholar Jawaharlal Kaul said Rohingya Muslims have a "tendency to get radicalised" and therefore the government is right to take a decision to protect the national security. "The Indian government must closely liaison with its Myanmarese counterpart on this matter. The Centre should collect state-based data on them and their foreign funding must be probed," he said. Illegal immigrants cannot claim fundamental rights which are otherwise available even to non-citizens, the Centre had told the Supreme Court early this month in its fresh response to the PIL of two Rohingya refugees challenging their deportation to Myanmar. The National Human Rights Commission had in August issued a notice to the Centre, saying "India has been home to refugees, for centuries" and from the human rights angle, its "intervention is appropriate" in the matter. Chennai Metro Rail introduces free bicycle ride scheme The Chennai Metro Rail, CMRL has introduced a free bicycle ride scheme for its customers. It has tied up with a private agency to provide 100-hours of bicycle ride free of cost every month. The CMRL has said it is a last-mile connectivity service being offered to help promote ecofriendly travel in the city. It has said, the move will reduce dependence on private vehicles and serve to be economical as well for the travelers.The free ride is available in four metro stations including in Ekkattuthangal, Nehru Park, Thirumangalam and Anna Nagar Tower. Trump, Trudeau meet at White House amid new NAFTA talks Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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US President Donald Trump remained non-committal about the future of the North American Free Trade Agreement as he welcomed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to the White House amid simmering disputes over trade between the two North American neighbours. Mr Trudeau joined Mr Trump in the Oval Office at the start of a new round of talks over the North American Free Trade Agreement, which the US President has threatened to withdraw from, if he can't negotiate a better agreement with Canada and Mexico. Speaking to newspersons in the Oval Office, Mr Trump said it is possible that US and Canada would not be able to make a deal and it is also possible that they will make a deal. Mr Trudeau, in his brief remarks to reporters spoke of the ties that bind the two neighbours and major trading partners. It was second visit of Mr Trudeau to the White House this year. He is also scheduled to visit Mexico today to hold additional discussions on the NAFTA. CBI records statement of Gurmeet Ram Rahim in forced castration case CBI has recorded the statement of jailed Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in connection with a case of alleged forced castration of his followers. With a special court's permission, agency officials recorded Singh's statement yesterday at Rohtak prison where he is serving 20-year jail term for raping two sadhvis. In 2015, the CBI had registered the case on the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The FIR was registered against Singh and others under various charges, including criminal conspiracy for voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means, for alleged castration of 400 devotees. VVIP choppers deal: CBI court issues non-bailable warrants against 3 European middlemen A special CBI court has issued non-bailable warrants against three European middlemen in connection with the AgustaWestland VVIP choppers deal case. Yesterday, the court also served summons on the other accused including former Indian Air Force chief SP Tyagi. The CBI said, the non-bailable warrants and the summonses were issued against the accused on the basis of its charge sheet filed in September this year. The middlemen are Carlo F Gerosa, Christian Michel and Guido Haschke. The agency had filed the charge sheet against nine people, including Mr Tyagi and five foreign nationals, in connection with alleged bribery in the procurement of 12 VVIP helicopters from the UK-based AgustaWestland during the UPA-2 government. The charge sheet has estimated a loss of nearly 2,666 crore rupees to the exchequer in the deal. The deal was signed in February 2010, for the supply of the choppers worth 3,726 crore rupees. Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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President to preside over 2-day Governors Conference beginning today President Ram Nath Kovind will preside over a two-day Conference of Governors beginning today at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The Conference will deliberate on important agenda items in different sessions. The theme of the opening session will be New India-2022. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the sessions and address the conference. AIR correspondent reports that the 27 Governors and three Lieutenant Governors of States and Union Territories will attend the Conference. The first session of the Conference will start with a presentation by NITI Aayog on the possible elements of New India 2022. The second session will be on the subjects of Higher Education in States and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to make youth employable. The governors will give their remarks and suggestions on ways to achieve the goal along with their experiences from the states. In the third session , Governors will make brief remarks on any special issues pertaining to their respective States and Union Territories. In the concluding session, a brief report on the deliberations will be presented by the respective conveners. The deliberations and outcomes of the conference will be used by governors to sensitise stakeholders in their respective states as well as for working towards New India 2022. Supreme Court's judgment on right to privacy protects Aadhaar: Arun Jaitley Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said that the recent Supreme Court order on the Right to Privacy has laid down the correct exemptions, which protect Aadhar. Responding to a question at Columbia University on how the government is planning to handle Aadhar after the recent verdict, Mr Jaitley said he believes that the Supreme Court verdict in accordance with the current timing is a correct judgement. He said some of the judges also went into what would be the exceptions to the law of privacy. He said that the first exception the judges say is national security. The second exception is detection and prevention of crime and the third exception is distribution of socio-economic benefits. The Minister said the third exception was carved out specifically to protect the Aadhar. Mr Jaitley also said that there is a chapter in the Aadhar law which deals with certain aspects like the manner in which data is to be protected and the consequences of violation. He said all those safeguard provisions have been brought into the law. The apex court judgement has been interpreted by many as a setback to the Aadhar card, under which the government collects vital personal information of the citizens. In its judgement in August, the Supreme Court decreed that that right to privacy is part of the fundamental rights to life and liberty enshrined in the Constitution. Sex with wife aged between 15 and 18 years is rape, says Supreme Court The Supreme Court on Tuesday criminalised sex with a minor wife aged between 15 and 18 years, saying the exception in the rape law was arbitrary and was violative of the Constitution. Section 375 of the IPC, which defines the offence of rape, has an exception clause that says intercourse or sexual act by a man with his wife, not Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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below 15 years, is not rape. However, the age of consent is 18 years. The apex court said the exception in the rape law was contrary to the philosophy of other statutes and violates the bodily integrity of a girl child. A bench comprising Justice Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta also expressed concern over the prevalent practice of child marriage in the country and said social justice laws were not implemented with the spirit with which they have been enacted by Parliament. The bench clarified that it has not dealt with the issue of marital rape as it was not raised before it by respective parties. Justice Gupta, who wrote a separate but concurrent verdict, said the age of marriage was 18 in all laws and the exception is given in the rape law under the IPC is "capricious, arbitrary and violates the rights of a girl child". The apex court said the exception is violative of Article 14, 15 and 21 of the Constitution. It asked the Centre and the states to take proactive steps to prohibit child marriage across the country. It voiced concern over thousands of minor girls being married in mass wedding ceremonies on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya. Garud commandoes take first casualties after operating for 12 yrs in J&K In January 2016, while defending the Pathankot air base in Punjab, Corporal Gursewak Singh became the first Garud – the Indian Air Force (IAF) commando force – to fall to terrorist bullets. On Wednesday morning, two more IAF commandos – Sergeant Milind Kishor and Corporal Nilesh Kumar Nayan – became the first Garud fatalities in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K). Kishor and Nayan died in action in Hajin village, near Bandipura in North Kashmir. They were operating with an army unit, 13 Rashtriya Rifles, when three armed militants opened fire at them. Incident accounts indicate the Garuds quickly killed two militants and were outflanking the third when he fired, catching them in the open. Like the navy’s Special Forces – dubbed Marcos, or Marine Commandos – the Garud force has been operating in J&K since 2005. Over the years, they have had significant successes, including killing two Hizbul Mujahideen district commanders in Kupwara. “We prefer to remain quiet about our operations in Kashmir and elsewhere”, says a Garud officer when asked for details. The Garud force was conceived in September 2004, when air force chief, Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy, on a visit to Israel, was impressed by their air force Special Forces Unit 5101 – also called Shaldag, or Kingfisher in Hebrew. On his return to India, Krishnaswamy ordered the establishment of a similar unit. It was named Garud, after a heavenly bird in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. The Garud force conducts “aviation special operations”, including combat search and rescue (retrieving IAF pilots shot down or bailed out in enemy territory), “laser designation” of strategic enemy targets for smart bombs dropped from IAF strike aircraft, assessing the damage done to enemy targets after IAF air strikes, and the physical destruction of enemy air defence radars and guns. For these dangerous tasks, the Garuds must infiltrate into enemy territory by air, sea or land. Certain helicopter units are affiliated to the Garuds for airborne infiltration. While the force today numbers over 1,500 persons, Garuds typically operate in small tightknit “squads” of 14 commandoes. These are grouped into “flights” of 6070 men. All Garuds are volunteers, with some being directly recruited into the force and others opting to sidestep into the Garuds from other air force branches. It is rare to find pilots opting for the Garuds, since pilots link their futures with maximising hours in the cockpit. The Garuds are equipped with specially procured weaponry, like the Israeli Tavor rifle. Reports from Parliament’s Standing Committee on Defence indicate a range of advanced counter-terrorist equipment is being procured for the Garud force, including thermal night vision binoculars, special silenced carbines with holographic and night sights. Lighly armoured strike vehicles are also being procured. The Garud force is headquartered in Chandinagar, near Baghpat, where training is carried out. In addition, Garuds are given specialist training by the navy’s Marcos, and army para-commandoes. In a message tweeted by Northern Command today, Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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the army paid its respects to the two Garuds: “*Army Commander Northern Command+ and all ranks salute the supreme sacrifice of our martyrs *and+ offer our deepest condolences to the families.” India to send 300,000 youth to Japan for on-job training India will send 300,000 youth to Japan for on-job training for 3-5 years as part of the government's skill development programme, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said here today. Japan will bear the financial cost of the skill training of Indian technical interns. The Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister said the Union Cabinet has approved signing of Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) between India and Japan on the 'Technical Intern Training Program (TITP)'. The MoC, he said, is expected to be signed during his three-day visit to Tokyo starting October 16. "TITP is an ambitious program to send Three Lakh Indian technical interns to Japan for on the job training for a period of three to five yrs," Pradhan said in a tweet. He said the youth will sent for training in the next three years with Japanese financial assistance. "Each skilled youth going there will have a tenure of 3-5 years. These youth will work in the Japanese ecosystem and get employment opportunities there along with accommodation facility," the minister said. About 50,000 of them may also get jobs in Japan, he added. The selection of the youth will be done in a transparent manner according to Japanese requirements. "When these youth return from Japan they will contribute to our industry as well," the minister said. An official release said the MoC is expected to pave the way for bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the area of skill development. Mobile wallets to become interoperable within six months; RBI issues final guidelines The Reserve Bank of India on Wednesday issued final guidelines for prepaid payment instruments (PPI) such as closed, semi-closed and open wallets. According to the new guidelines, all the PPIs will now be interoperable, which means will allow transaction with each other. The RBI said that interoperability shall be enabled in phases for the PPIs and that in the first phase, the issuers (both bank and non-bank entities) shall make all KYC-compliant PPIs issued in the form of wallets interoperable amongst themselves through Unified Payments Interface (UPI) within six months from the date of issue of the guidelines. Subsequently, interoperability shall be enabled between wallets and bank accounts through UPI and for PPIs issued in the form of cards later on. However, banks may continue to issue PPIs in association with authorised card networks. Besides, RBI has mentioned that PPI issuers will have to adhere to the technical and operational requirements for such interoperability, including those relating to safety and security, risk mitigation, among others. Charting out the guidelines in a 32-page note, RBI has said that all the companies seeking a licence to operate wallets will have to have a minimum positive net worth of ₹5 crore which needs to be maintained for three years at all times, following which they need to have a net worth of ₹15 crore at all times. Existing wallet companies need to maintain ₹15 crore by March 31, 2020. On the capital requirement, RBI said that wallets such as Paytm and Mobikwik need to have a minimum net worth of ₹25 crore from the earlier norms of ₹5 crore paid -up capital and ₹1 crore net worth.It said all the semiclosed PPIs should be upgraded to full KYC norms with 12 months from the date of issue of PPI. The minimum details for KYC shall include OTP verified mobile number and self-declaration of name, address, gender, date of birth and unique identification number of any of the ‘officially valid document’. For existing wallets, companies need to ensure that they will have full KYC by the end of the December 31. Following which, these wallets will cease to exist. India may delay implementation of Basel III norms: SBI report Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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India could slightly delay the implementation of global risk norms Basel III as the banking sector is already under stress due to demonetisation and the GST roll-out, a SBI report said today. An extended timeline to meet capital needs under the norms would provide the necessary breather to banks to lend more while they grapple with several issues, it said. “We believe the Indian banking sector needs some time to assimilate the impact of the past three structural changes (demonetisation, GST implementation and RERA) before facing the new ones,” said the SBI Ecowrap in the report — ‘Timing Future Reforms in India’. “Even as we acknowledge the positive impact of such reforms, we are convinced that perhaps the Indian banking sector deserves a small interregnum so as to meaningfully concentrate on issues related to financial inclusion, asset quality and credit growth,” it said. Going by the country-wise implementation status of Basel III standards, India is largely compliant with the risk-based capital and Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR) norms ahead of most of the countries. According to the Reserve Bank direction, the Basel III capital regulation has been implemented since April 1, 2013 in India in phases, and it will be fully adopted as on March 31, 2019. The report noted that the country has witnessed three important structural reforms -- demonetisation, Goods and Services Tax (GST), Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) -- which are impacting Indian economy and the banking sector. The country’s banking sector, which is the key driver of the Indian economy, is currently going through challenging times due to low credit growth, deterioration in asset quality and low profitability, it said, making the case for the delay. No respite for Indian banks as bad loans hit record $146 bn Indian banks’ sour loans hit a record 9.5 trillion rupees ($145.56 billion) at the end of June, unpublished data shows, suggesting that Asia’s third-largest economy is no nearer to bringing its bad debt problems under control. A review of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data obtained through right-to-information requests shows banks’ total stressed loans—including non-performing and restructured or rolled over loans—rose 4.5 per cent in the six months to end– June. In the previous six months they had risen 5.8 per cent. While banks remain the main source of funding for India’s companies, the stubborn bad debt problem has eaten into bank profits and choked off new lending, especially to smaller firms, at a time when an economy that depends on them is stalling. India grew at its slowest pace in three years in April–June, a concern for the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who faces elections in 2019 and has pledged to create millions of new jobs before then. Banks are having to take higher provisions to account for more defaulters being pushed into bankruptcy. And margins are likely to be squeezed further by proposed new rules to encourage commercial banks to pass on central bank interest rate cuts. To be sure, the bulk of India’s sour loans are in the state banks and stem from lending to large conglomerates, especially in steel and infrastructure. But analysts say that the rise in bad loans among small firms, and even retail borrowing, is worrying and will do little to encourage new loans to help fuel growth. “On the corporate side, we think it’s a recognition cycle which is nearing an end,” said Alka Anbarasu, senior analyst at Moody’s Investor Service, referring to more bad loans being recognised as such, as banks come under pressure from the RBI and other regulators. “But it’s really those data points beyond corporate that are causing some worry.” Anbarasu forecast weak quarters ahead for banks before profitability picks up, and several senior bankers from public sector lenders—which account for more than two-thirds of Indian banking assets—agreed the months ahead Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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would be strained. Stressed loans as a per centage of total loans reached 12.6 per cent at end-June, according to the RBI data, the highest level in at least 15 years. Higher provisions, weaker loans Part of the issue for banks and the government is a strict provisioning regime: the RBI wants banks to provide for at least 50 per cent of the secured loans to companies taken to bankruptcy proceedings, and 100 per cent for the unsecured part. A dozen of the biggest such cases account for nearly 1.78 trillion rupees, or a quarter of total non-performing assets. For those companies, banks will need to provide 180 billion rupees on top of existing provisions, according to July estimates from India Ratings and Research, the local affiliate of Fitch Ratings. More than 20 other sizeable companies are at risk of being taken to bankruptcy court. Bankers say these and other pressures—including rising government bond yields that forced banks to post mark-to-market losses—have added to the squeeze, and hit new loans. According to RBI data, new loans grew at just about 5 per cent in the year to March, the lowest growth rate in more than six decades. Several banks have already cut back their loan books to conserve capital. “What are they (RBI) thinking while they’re taking these steps all at the same time?” said a treasurer at a state-run bank, who didn't want to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue. “Do they want banks to wind up their businesses, or do they want to save the banks?”. Treasury income accounted for 22.7 per cent of banks’ operating profits in the last financial year, doubling its share from a year earlier, India Ratings estimates. “The almost zero treasury income will hit provisioning ability and, in turn, make it more difficult for weaker banks to give loans as capital becomes more scarce,” said Soumyajit Niyogi, an associate director at the rating agency. A senior policymaker, who requested anonymity as the discussions are not public, said the government would have to help to sufficiently capitalise the banks. Fitch Ratings estimates Indian banks will need $65 billion of additional capital by March 2019 to meet Basel III global banking rules. Moody’s expects the top 11 state lenders alone will need nearly $15 billion. The government has just $3 billion left in its budget for bank recapitalisation. “We think capitalisation is the biggest challenge for the banks at the moment, given that earnings will remain subdued and will not support any capital generation,” said Moody's Anbarasu. Anupam Kher appointed new chairman of FTII The Information and Broadcasting Ministry on Wednesday said that it has appointed actor Anupam Kher as the new Chairman of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). He succeeds former television actor Gajendra Chauhan, whose controversial three-year-old tenure as FTII chairman ended in March. Kher has appeared in over 500 films and has also been the recipient of the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan for his contribution in the field of cinema and arts. In a tweet, Kher said, “I feel deeply humbled & honoured to be apportioned as the Chairman of iconic FTII. I will perform my duties to the best of my abilities.” Kher, who has appeared in acclaimed international films such as Silver Lining Playbook and Bend it Like Beckham, was the Director of National School of Drama from 2001-2004. An alumnus of National School of Drama, he has also served as the Chairman of Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in the past. Kher’s predecessor Chauhan had a tumultuous stint as the FTII Chairman. His appointment in June, 2015 had led to a massive protest by FTII students demanding his removal, which continued for over 100 days. Over the past three years, the Ministry took several measures such as overhauling FTII’s syllabus to the Choice Based Credit System and adding new courses. In January, six PG Diploma courses at FTII were granted Master’s degree equivalence by Association of Indian Universities. Kher’s appointment comes just two months after the Ministry replaced controversial CBFC chairman Pahlaj Nihalani with admaker and lyricist Prasoon Joshi. Transparency in note ban would have hurt its objectives: Jaitley Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has defended the government’s decision to maintain secrecy over demonetisation, saying transparency in this case would have been the “greatest instrument of fraud”. Jaitley, who is on a week-long visit to the US to attend the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, also said that the series of reforms like demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) has put the Indian economy on a “far more stronger track”. “These are institutional reforms. These are structural changes. And these structural changes, I think have put the Indian economy on a far more sound track so that we can look forward for a much cleaner much bigger Indian economy in the days and years to come,” Jaitley said, addressing the students of Columbia University in New York. He said that announcing the demonetisation initiative in advance could have resulted in people buying gold, diamond and land and going through various kinds of transactions with the cash they had. “Transparency is a very nice word. But transparency in this case (of demonetisation) would have been the greatest instrument of fraud,” Jaitley said. The Finance Minister was responding to a question on why Prime Minister Narendra Modi kept the demonetisation plan a closely guarded secret with only a handful of top officials privy to the move. “Secrecy was the essence of that decision making (process). I think, one of the greatest success of demonetisation was that the Prime Minister and the team — obviously the RBI was involved, the Finance Minister was involved — kept it a closely guarded secret,” he said. “Otherwise in a process where a decision is taken, alternate currency is printed, thousands of people involved in the printing do not know why they are doing it, the currency is collected, tabulated and sent to the currency chest and one has to be ready with the alternate currency the moment it is demonetised and still we were able to keep it a closely guarded secret,” he said. Emphasising that the implementation of demonetisation was a “success”, Jaitley said, “There were no single public unrest in its immediate aftermath”. “Digital transactions have doubled. A large number of people have joined the tax net,” he said. Jaitley said consistent steps had been taken to formalise and expand the more formal economy. “And wanting to formalise that economy, one after the other steps are taken against shadow economy,” he said. “Some of these steps, the demonetisation, the GST because the GST could lead to de-stocking of existing stocks can have for a quarter or so a transient impact on manufacturing,” he said. Petrol pump owners call off strike Petrol pump owners have called off Friday’s nationwide strike, a communication from PSU oil marketers said. The United Petroleum Front, an umbrella body of three dealer associations, informed the PSU marketers that they have decided to also call off the indefinite strike and closure of sales and supplies that was supposed to start on October 27. Petrol pump owners and dealers had called for a strike to resist the new Marketing Discipline Guidelines (MDG) imposed by the PSUs that would penalise shortcomings at pumps. The dealers also wanted the sale of fuel to come under the purview of the new Goods and Services Tax. EC issues formal direction to use paper trail machines in all future polls It’s official now. In future Lok Sabha and assembly elections, paper trail machines will be used at all polling stations, the Election Commission has said. In a letter to chief electoral officers of states Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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written earlier this week, the poll panel said that henceforth, VVPAT (voter-verifiable paper audit trail) or paper trail machines will be used at polling stations in all future elections where polls are held using EVMs. In March, the then chief election commissioner Nasim Zaidi had told political parties in a meeting that VVPAT machines will be used in all future elections. But now formal directions have been issued. The poll panel had ordered for 67,000 additional paper trail units in 2015, out of which 33,500 have been supplied, according to the law ministry. The EC is about to get another 30,000 VVPAT machines for Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh polls due later this year. For the EC to allow the use of VVPATs in all polling stations in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, it needs 16,15,000 more such machines. Several parties have been pressing for the use of these machines to dispel doubts about EVM tampering. Sixteen parties had recently petitioned the EC to revert to paper ballot system for greater transparency. The BSP, the AAP and the Congress had attacked the EC on the issue of alleged tampering of EVMs. VVPAT is a machine which dispenses a slip with the symbol of the party for which a person has voted for. The slip drops in a box but the voter cannot take it home. It has only been used on trial basis in some places. Ajay Narayan Jha will be the next Expenditure Secretary The government on Wednesday shuffled 13 key bureaucrats at the Secretary and Additional Secretary ranks. An official statement said that 1982 batch IAS officer of the Manipur Cadre, Ajay Narayan Jha has been appointed as the Officer on Special duty in the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance. Jha will take over as Secretary, Department of Expenditure after Ashok Lavasa retires, the statement added. Jha was holding the post of Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. He will be replaced by CK Mishra, the current Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Mishra will be replaced by 1983 batch IAS officer of the Andhra Pradesh cadre Preeti Sudan. Special Secretary in the Ministry of Shipping, Alok Shrivastava, a 1984 batch IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre has been appointed as the Secretary in the Department of Justice. Gopal Krishna, an IAS officer of the 1983 batch, West Bengal cadre, has been appointed as the Secretary, Ministry of Shipping. Director General, Sports Authority of India, Injeti Srinivas has now been appointed as the Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs. ***




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Talwars acquitted of daughter’s murder The Allahabad High Court today acquitted Nupur and Rajesh Talwar in the 2008 murders of their teenage daughter Aarushi and domestic help Hemraj, saying that neither the circumstances nor the evidence was enough to hold them guilty. The 263-page verdict ends, at least for now, the nine- year ordeal of the Noida couple who were sentenced to life by a Ghaziabad CBI court on November 28, 2013 for the double murder that not only transfixed but also shook the nation with its element of filicide. But the bizzare mystery endured about who killed them. “There is a strong possibility that incident was caused by some outsider,” a bench comprising justices B K Narayana and A K Mishra said, upholding the Talwars’ appeal against the CBI court verdict. The Talwars, who are both dentists, are expected to be freed tomorrow from Ghaziabad’s Dasna jail after the completion of paperwork. The CBI did not immediately say if it would appeal against the high court judgement. It said it would study the order and decide the future course of action. Pronouncing their verdict in a packed court room, justices Narayana and Mishra said, “From the facts and evidence on record, we find neither the circumstances nor evidence are consistent and circumstances did not complete a chain showing involvement of appellants in the incident.” They said, “In case where two views are possible, the view taken for conviction of appellants may not be correct. In the absence of circumstancial evidence to complete the chain, it is a fit case where benefit of doubt can be given to the appellants.” B G Chitnis, Nupur Talwar’s father, said, “I am grateful to the judiciary for the verdict.” A former Group Captain in the Indian Air Force, Chitnis told reporters in New Delhi, “They have really suffered. They are emotionally drained. At my age it was very trying to see my daughter behind bars.” Vandana Talwar, an aunt of Aarushi who was 14 when she was killed, said, “It’s been an exhausting journey for us. We are really grateful to the High Court for having aquitted and ending the injustice meted out to them.” The Talwars were arrested in May 2008. The CBI court convicted them on November 26, 2013. The high court had reserved its verdict on the appeals of the couple on September 7. Filmmakers Vishal Bhardwaj and Meghna Gulzar in their critically acclaimed “Talvar” on the murder case, presented alternative narratives of what happened on the night of May 16, 2008, when Aarushi was found murdered in her Noida home. The body of the Talwars’ family help Hemraj was found several hours later. “Justice delayed is NOT justice denied. Overwhelmed and deeply relieved upon hearing the news of the acquittal. #AarushiVerdict #Talwars,” Bhardwaj tweeted. Meghna said, “I did not do that film to tell the story of a particular side. Our intention all along was to see that all the versions of the case are out in the open. I think this is what has happened in this appeal. The facts and testimonies were examined very carefully and rationally.” The CBI court had relied on circumstantial evidence to convict the couple in the absence of any motive. In his order, Additional Sessions Judge Shyam Lal has cited judgements of the Supreme Court to say that the mere fact that the prosecution had failed to “translate that mental disposition of the accused into evidence does not mean that no such mental condition existed in the mind of the assailant.” He said, “In a case of circumstantial evidence motive does not have extreme significance. In the absence of motive, the conviction based on circumstantial evidence can in Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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principle be made.” Dadhiram Maurya, the jailor of the Dasna prison where the Talwars are lodged, said the couple felt they have got justice. “After having breakfast they were praying. Their schedule was normal. She said they got justice today and had tears of joy. “Any person after spending this amount of jail (time) will feel happy to get freedom. So they were happy after they were told about the news,” he said. Lawyer Rebecca John, who was part of Talwars’ legal team, said she was relieved by the judgement. She claimed the whole case was based on “innuendos” and would “not have carried through“. John hoped that the Talwars, who have been in media spotlight for over nine years, will be allowed privacy after their release from the jail. Aarushi was found dead inside her room in the Talwars’ Noida residence with her throat slit in May 2008. The suspicion initially fell on 45-year-old Hemraj, who at the time was missing. But his body was recovered from the terrace of the house a day later. As the Uttar Pradesh Police drew flak over shoddy investigation into the case which was making national headlines, the then chief minister Mayawati recommended a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation. Training centre for MSME entrepreneurs in Hyderabad The Indian Institute of Learning and Development, which offers training for entrepreneurs of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), has opened its centre here. Announcing this at a press conference here on Thursday, its Chairman and Managing Director, Pravin Daryani, said the insitute will contribute to the growth of MSMEs in Telangana. The Mumbai-based private institute offers a two-year training programme for MSME entrepreneurs with bi-monthly full-day modules with a focus on human resources, product, and improving brand perceptions. Since its establishment in 2013, it had trained 16,500 individuals, including 8,500 entrepreneurs across various industries such as manufacturing, engineering, automobile, healthcare, capital goods, electronics, and garments, Daryani said. RBI guidelines on full-KYC ‘can kill wallets’ Prepaid Payment Instrument (PPI) players in the country such as Paytm, ItzCash, Mobikwik and Citrus will soon meet senior Reserve Bank of India officials to discuss certain concerns over the recently announced guidelines. According to sources, wallet players are of the view that the guidelines on the stricter and mandatory Know Your Customer (KYC) norms for users of mobile wallets will be a deterrent to the growing wallet industry and that it might also “kill” smaller transactions. The RBI, in its guidelines, said the customers wanting to move money between different wallets and banks through Unified Payments Interface (UPI) will have to provide full KYC within the next 12 months failing which they will not be able to transfer money to wallets or to banks. All existing wallet users have been asked to convert to the full KYC format by this year-end. “They (RBI) are asking full KYC for transactions as low as ₹10,000. This will kill the industry and maybe take us back to the traditional mode of money transfers i.e. through banks,” said a source, who is a part of an industry body for wallets. Earlier, wallets used to have a minimum KYC format (by verifying the mobile number). He said the full KYC process is tedious, complicated and expensive for the wallet players and also cumbersome for many people, who have a normal bank account and use wallets for money transfers (remittances). “They announced it during Diwali, a time when remittances are the highest. A large percentage of the wallet users for remittances is people with blue-collared jobs, taxi drivers and daily wage labourers, among others. It will be difficult for them. “So, we (all stakeholders) are meeting the RBI officials to discuss this and re-think the guidelines,” he said, adding that 60 per cent of the transactions that occur on wallets are remittances. However, a user can buy goods worth ₹10,000 Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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and above without KYC. Another wallet player, who did not wish to be named, said, “At a time when there are issues regarding privacy and security breach in digital transactions, a full KYC would mean that the wallets have all the personal data of a user.” The government does not ask for any KYC details to purchase gold worth ₹2 lakh and below in cash.The meeting will also discuss the norms on making UPI compulsory for wallet players. Besides, it will discuss the guidelines restricting balance in KYC wallets (non-banking) to ₹10,000. Working on a plan to rebuild capacity of banking sector: Jaitley Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said the Indian government is working on a plan to rebuild the capacity of the banking sector so that it could support growth. Jaitley, who is on a week-long visit to the US to attend the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, also said that reforming the banking system is the top agenda of the government. “Today, with global growth turning around, we are working to put up an actual plan in play to deal with the banking situation, which is top of our agenda. We need to rebuild the capacity (of the banking sector),” Jaitley told the students of Harvard University in Boston. “I inherited a banking system whose monies were lying in non-performing assets...are unable to service the debt. We are faced with a catch-22 situation as to how do we improve the capacity of the banks so that they can support growth,” he said. So, all these factors together adversely impacted the private sector, the minister said. Jaitley, however, also noted that bigger enterprises did not suffer, because they approached the bond market and foreign funding which were available at much cheaper rates. They did not had to go to th Indian banks. It is small and medium-sized enterprises that need the support of the banking system, Jaitley said, noting that SMEs are huge job creators. “That’s where the problem really is as far as the private sector is concerned,” Jaitley said. Responding to a question, Jaitley refuted the notion that private sector is not expanding. “Expansion of private sector is taking place. The last quarter, which was otherwise not encouraging, indicated that the investment graph itself has turned positive. A lot of investment is taking place,” he said. While India grew as India’s economy grew at a fast pace between 8 and 9 per cent, the expansion of the private sector was “limitless“. This was accompanied by an immediate slowdown in the global economy as a result of which major segments of Indian economy got impacted — steel, infrastructure which was due to poor management, power mainly because of corruption, he said. Flipkart commits $500 m to payments arm PhonePe India’s largest e-commerce marketplace Flipkart on Thursday announced an investment commitment of $500 million for its group company PhonePe, a payments platform. This is one of the largest single investment commitments in the Indian fintechpayments space, and the commitment adds to the $75 million worth of infusions Flipkart has made in PhonePe since acquiring it in 2015. Digital payments The fintech ecosystem in India, especially payments, is undergoing a paradigm shift with surge in mobile internet usage. Accordingly, market research shows that the country’s digital payments sector is estimated to grow to $500 billion by 2020, representing around 15 per cent of the GDP, up from around $50 billion last year. Commenting on the development, Sameer Nigam, co-founder and CEO, PhonePe, said:“The investment will be used to scale up our technology platforms and expand our merchant network and consumer base rapidly. We have been growing at over 100 per cent every two months this year, and this investment will help us maintain the same aggressive growth rate for the next two years. PhonePe is strongly committed to helping the Indian government in realising its Digital India vision, and Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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achieving its target of 25 billion digital payment transactions by next year.” PhonePe, which has over 45 million installs, has recorded over 16 million transactions on the back of the successful Flipkart Big Billion Days festival sale in September. The fintech firm’s annual run rate, as a result, touched a new high of $3.5 billion in terms of Total Payments Volume (TPV) in September. This ramp-up is the fastest in the Indian digital payments space, the company claimed. “Fintech and e-commerce are among the most visible faces of a new Digital India that is powered by the youth and technology, and both are set for outstanding growth,” said Binny Bansal, Group CEO, Flipkart. “PhonePe is a critical part of our overall strategy at Flipkart to build a comprehensive ecosystem for our customers. We’re fully committed to make PhonePe the most preferred digital payments app in India.” U.S. pulls out of UNESCO accusing it of ‘anti-Israel bias’ The U.S. earlier had once withdrawn from the UNESCO, in 1984, accusing it of favoring the Soviet Union, and rejoined the U.N. body in 2002. The United States on October 12 announced its withdrawal from the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), accusing it of “continuing anti-Israel bias”. UNESCO is the first U.N. agency that has admitted Palestine as a full member, in 2011. As required by law, the U.S. has stopped funding the UNESCO since then. The U.S. withdrawal will take effect on December 31, 2018 and until then it will remain a full member of the body. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson notified UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova on the morning of October 12 of the U.S decision. “This is a loss to UNESCO. This is a loss to the United Nations family. This is a loss for multilateralism,” Ms. Bokova said in a statement. U.S. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said the U.S. would seek to establish a permanent observer mission to UNESCO. “This decision was not taken lightly, and reflects U.S. concerns with mounting arrears at UNESCO, the need for fundamental reform in the organisation, and continuing anti-Israel bias at UNESCO,” she said in a statement. “The United States indicated to the Director-General its desire to remain engaged with UNESCO as a non-member observer state in order to contribute U.S. views, perspectives and expertise on some of the important issues undertaken by the organisation, including the protection of world heritage, advocating for press freedoms, and promoting scientific collaboration and education,” she said. U.S. laws bar funding to any U.N. agency that recognises the Palestinian state. Ms. Bokova said, “Despite the withholding of funding, since 2011, we have deepened the partnership between the United States and UNESCO, which has never been so meaningful.” In a lengthy statement exceeding more than 1,000 words, the UNESCO chief underscored that the mission of the body is consonance with the “values of the people of America”, and listed a series of initiatives it has taken to combat anti-semitism. “Together, we have worked to protect humanity’s shared cultural heritage in the face of terrorist attacks and to prevent violent extremism through education and media literacy… This is why I regret the withdrawal of the United States,” she said. The U.S. had earlier once withdrawn from the UNESCO, in 1984, under President Ronald Regan who accused it of favoring the Soviet Union. Under President George W. Bush, Washington rejoined the organisation in 2002. Israel and UNESCO have a contentions relationship, and Israel recalled its ambassador to UNESCO in 2016, accusing it of ignoring Jewish views of the heritage of the region. In a stinging attack on the world body in September, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explained to the U.N. General Assembly the Israeli view on a recent UNESCO decision that triggered the U.S. withdrawal from it. “So is there no limit to the U.N.’s absurdities when it comes to Israel? Well, apparently not. Because in July, UNESCO declared the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron a Palestinian World Heritage Site. That’s worse than fake news; that’s fake history. Mind you, it’s true that Abraham, the father of both Ishmael and Isaac, is buried there, but so, too, are Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca — Sarah’s a Jewish Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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name, by the way — and Leah, who just happened to be patriarchs and matriarchs of the Jewish people. Well, you won’t read about that in the latest UNESCO report, but if you want to, you can read about it in a somewhat weightier publication. It’s called ‘the Bible’. I highly recommend it. I hear it even got four and a half out of five stars on Amazon. And it’s a great read. I read it every week,” he had said. Banning the bomb — on nuclear weapons ICAN’s Nobel Peace Prize highlights the urgent need to outlaw nuclear weapons. The Nobel Peace Prize conferred on the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) is equally a recognition for the 122 countries that backed the 2017 UN treaty this summer to ban the bomb. The fact that it has taken over seventy years to codify the UN General Assembly’s 1946 goal to eliminate atomic weapons from national armaments is a measure of the significance of this year’s prize. Today, the terms of the anti-nuclear debate encompass larger issues of environmental destruction, in conjunction with the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of a potential holocaust. ICAN’s emphasis on this latter dimension, an aspect underscored by the Nobel committee in Norway, marks a departure of sorts in the nuclear discourse. To appreciate it, one merely has to draw a comparison with the preoccupations of the peace movement during the years of the Cold War. The emphasis then was principally on the grave danger from serious miscalculations, stemming from mutual threat perceptions between the U.S. and the USSR. The committee has also lauded ICAN’s endeavours to fill the legal gap through its leadership on the adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. With cluster munitions, land mines and chemical and biological weapons having been banned, nuclear weapons remained the last category of weapons of mass destruction that had not been outlawed. Here again, ICAN’s emphasis on the humanitarian consequences of nuclear destruction have galvanised global support for the new treaty. Notable is the perception that the sheer magnitude of destruction wrought by any nuclear strikes would amount to crimes against humanity. A catalyst to this process was the stricture that the use of nuclear arms had to be compatible with humanitarian law. This was laid down in a 1996 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice. The long-term health implications for local populations from underground nuclear detonations have also been a growing concern. A plea last year, also at the ICJ, for compensation for exposure to contamination from the explosions in the Marshall Islands failed on technical grounds. But the case amplified these concerns, which human rights groups and organisations engaged in humanitarian relief activities exploited to shape a new narrative — with the result that a provision on victim protection has been codified in the new UN treaty. Given this overall dynamic, it seems reasonable to expect that the minimum number of ratifications would be submitted soon for the treaty to come into force. In September, the Italian parliament passed a resolution urging the government to explore accession to the UN agreement without contravening its obligations to NATO. A similar step by the Dutch legislature had authorised the government to participate in the treaty deliberations. These developments may not culminate in immediate ratification. But they raise the prospect that governments will be forced to heed public sentiment sooner than later. The ICAN’s endeavours may pay off eventually. India 100th on global hunger index, trails North Korea, Bangladesh India stood at 97th position in last year’s rankings. India has a “serious” hunger problem and ranks 100th out of 119 countries on the global hunger index — behind North Korea, Bangladesh and Iraq but ahead of Pakistan, according to a report. The country’s serious hunger level is driven by high child malnutrition and underlines need for stronger commitment to the social sector, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) said in its report. India stood at 97th position in last year’s rankings. “India is ranked 100th out of 119 countries, and has the Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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third highest score in all of Asia — only Afghanistan and Pakistan are ranked worse,” IFPRI said in a statement. “At 31.4, India’s 2017 GHI (Global Hunger Index) score is at the high end of the ‘serious’ category, and is one of the main factors pushing South Asia to the category of worst performing region on the GHI this year, followed closely by Africa South of the Sahara,” it added. As per the report, India ranks below many of its neighbouring countries such as China (29th rank), Nepal (72), Myanmar (77), Sri Lank (84) and Bangladesh (88). It is ahead of Pakistan (106) and Afghanistan (107). North Korea ranks 93rd while Iraq is at 78th position. The GHI, now in its 12th year, ranks countries based on four key indicators — undernourishment, child mortality, child wasting and child stunting. The report ranked 119 countries in the developing world, nearly half of which have ‘extremely alarming,’ ‘alarming’ or ’serious’ hunger levels. “India’s high ranking on the Global Hunger Index *GHI+ again this year brings to the fore the disturbing reality of the country’s stubbornly high proportions of malnourished children,” the statement said. IFPRI pointed out that more than one-fifth of Indian children under five weigh too little for their height and over a third are too short for their age. “Even with the massive scale up of national nutrition-focused programmes in India, drought and structural deficiencies have left large number of poor in India at risk of malnourishment in 2017,” said P.K. Joshi, IFPRI Director for South Asia. However, he said that the on-going efforts are expected to make significant changes in improving the existing situation. Mr. Joshi appreciated that India has developed and launched an action plan on ‘undernourishment free India’ by 2022. The plan shows stronger commitment and greater investments in tackling malnutrition in the coming years. “As of 2015-16, more than a fifth [21%] of children in India suffer from wasting [low weight for height] — up from 20% in 2005-2006,” IFPRI said. Only three other countries in this year’s GHI — Djibouti, Sri Lanka and South Sudan — show child wasting above 20%. India’s child wasting rate has not shown any substantial improvement over the past 25 years. However, India has made considerable improvement in reducing its child stunting rate, down 29% since 2000, but even that progress leaves India with a relatively high stunting rate of 38.4. ***




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An app to detect fake GST claims A doubt that bothers many consumers is whether the GST claim raised by a shopkeeper is genuine or not as there is currently no avenue to check the veracity of such claims. Tech solution The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-Hyderabad) has come out with a technology solution to the problem. The institute has developed an app, tGST, for the Commercial Taxes Department of Telangana. “Take a photo of the bill and uploaded it to the app. It will let you know whether the GST paid by you is going to the government or not,” Somesh Kumar, Principal Secretary (Commercial Taxes and Excise) of Government of Telangana, told BusinessLine. “Though the app is available in app stores, it is a beta version. We will launch the final version soon,” he said. Talking on the sidelines of a national conference organised by Assocham on the GST rollout here on Thursday, he said the dealers in certain categories were not supposed to collect GST but were reportedly collecting it. This exclusive business-to-consumer app would help clear the doubts of the consumers. He said the State recorded collections of ₹2,800 crore a month, including IGST (Integrated GST) component. Pros and cons While some issues came in the way of the implementation of GST, he said the uniform tax removed several bottlenecks such as border checkposts, saving a lot of time and improving the efficiencies of logistics. Among the concerns, he said, the GST had adversely affected the small and medium sector and export businesses. Efforts are on to address these concerns, he added. Doklam effect: Army to strengthen road work along India-China border Following the Doklam fiasco, the Army has decided to focus on road construction activities along the India-China border areas. It is also considering allotting additional funds to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) for Northern Command to develop roads and infrastructure. “It has been decided that there will be a concerted heft toward road construction activities in this sector. To that end, four passes to Niti, Lipulekh, Thangla1 and Tsangchokla will be connected by 2020 on priority,” Director General Staff Duties (DGSD) Vijay Singh told reporters here on Friday. The decisions were taken at the ongoing Army Commanders’ Conference being held here from October 9-15. This is the first such meet after the over two-month military stand-off with China over the latter’s attempt to build roads near Bhutan’s Doklam plateau in the vicinity of the tri-junction area. At the conference, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stressed on the need for the Army to enhance capability and build capacity in a time-bound manner. She also highlighted the need to guard against “inimical forces.” Self-reliance Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Referring to the Make in India programme, Sitharaman stressed the need to make the defence sector self-reliant. Addressing the conference, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Bipin Rawat said the Army has to be prepared for “all eventualities at all times” and, therefore, the utmost priority had to be given to procurement of arms, ammunitions and equipment. “Our approach to the procurement process needs to be balanced with focus at the right places,” the DGSD said, quoting Rawat. During a session addressed by Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra, issues such as expediting acquisition projects, defence land, military stations and the Defence Establishment Bill, 2014 were also discussed. In an effort to modernise military stations and bringing them on a par with the Centre’s Smart City plan, the Army has sought allocation of 15 per cent additional funds for five years. The total cost of about ₹8.5 crore per military station will be required for the project. SC refers ban on women’s entry at Sabarimala to constitution bench The Supreme Court today referred to its constitution bench the matter pertaining to a ban on the entry of women at Kerala’s historic Sabarimala temple. A three-judge bench headed by Chief justice Dipak Misra framed several questions to be dealt with by the constitution bench, including whether the temple can restrict women’s entry. The apex court also framed a question whether restricting the entry of women at the temple was violative of their rights under the Constitution. It said the constitution bench will also deal with the question whether this practice amounted to discrimination against the women. The court had on February 20 reserved its order on whether to refer the matter to a constitution bench. The management of the Sabarimala temple, located on a hilltop in the Western Ghats of Pathanamthitta district, had earlier told the apex court that the ban on entry of women aged between 10 and 50 years was because they cannot maintain “purity” on account of menstruation. The court is hearing a plea challenging the practice of banning entry of such women in the temple. On November 7 last year, the Kerala government had informed the apex court that it favoured the entry of women of all age groups in the historic Sabarimala temple. Initially, the LDF government had taken a progressive stand in 2007 by favouring women’s entry into the temple, which was over-turned by the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) dispensation later. The UDF government had taken a view that it was against the entry of women of the age group of 10-to50 years as such a practice was being followed since time immemorial. ED attaches ₹5.6-cr assets belonging to Virbhadra’s kin The Enforcement Directorate on Friday attached assets worth ₹5.6 crore in connection with its money laundering probe against Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his family, a day after the Election Commission announced dates for the forthcoming assembly polls in the State. The central probe agency said the assets are in the name of the Chief Minister’s son Vikramaditya Singh, daughter Aprajita Singh and wife Pratibha Singh. The ED said it had issued a provisional order of attachment under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). “This order attaches ₹4.2 crore from a portion of farmhouse at Dera Mandi in Delhi in the name of Ms Tarini International and fixed assets of Ms Tarini Infra Damanganga project at Vapi in Gujarat. “Also, shares worth ₹64 lakh in the name of Vikramaditya Singh and Aprajita Singh and fixed deposits to the tune of ₹20 lakh in bank account of Aprajita Singh (have been attached),” the agency said in a statement. The agency had earlier said that Chandrashekar is the promoter/director of Tarini Group of Companies, which is engaged in hydro power projects in Himachal Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Pradesh, thereby alleging a quid pro quo between the two parties. It said during investigations into the “trail of funds passing through Chandershekhar, it was revealed that an amount of ₹5.9 crore wasgiven by him to Virbhadra Singh and his family members through his three personal bank accounts”. With the latest order, the ED said, a total of ₹40 crore (market value) assets have been attached by it in the case till now. French President to visit India in Dec French President Emmanuel Macron will arrive in India on December 8 on a three-day visit, said France’s Ambassador to India Alexandre Ziegler. Speaking to mediapersons on the sidelines of the launch of Jet Airways’ Chennai-Paris non-stop flight here, Ziegler said that besides strategic issues, trade, smart-city solutions, renewable energy, defence and education will figure in the discussions between the two countries. Bilateral trade between the two countries is worth €10 billion. French investments in India are on the rise; they touched €1 billion last year. French multinational PSA Group, which makes automobiles and motorcycles under brands such as Peugeot, Opel and Citroen, will partner with CK Birla group to set up an engine plant in Chennai. The Birla Group had earlier announced that it will invest ₹700 crore in power-train manufacturing in Tamil Nadu. The plant, expected to be ready by early 2019, will have an annual capacity to produce 1,00,000 engines, to be supplied to OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) in India and abroad. Though Indian investments in France total €100 million, Ziegler said steps are being taken to encourage Indian enterprises to invest in the areas of energy, pharmaceuticals and retailing in France. Rukaiya Rangwala appointed MobiKwik payment gateway head MobiKwik, mobile wallet major and a payment gateway provider, on Friday announced the appointment of Rukaiya Rangwala as the Business Head of 'MobiKwik Payment Gateway' to drive the growth of the entity. The company had recently relaunched its Payment Gateway and aims to have over $5 billion worth of transactions processed on the platform by the end of 2017-18. Commenting on the appointment, Upasana Taku, Co-founder, MobiKwik said: "Rukaiya brings a wealth of experience to MobiKwik and we are pleased to welcome her as the leader of our Payment Gateway business.'' Prior to joining MobiKwik, Rukaiya, who has 15 years of experience in the technology and e-commerce industry, spent two years working on entrepreneurial ventures. She spent eight years at Dell prior to coming to India with Rocket internet, helping the VC establish its portfolio in the country. At Rocket, she helped establish Groupon India and was also responsible for the Marketplace division at Jabong, making it the fastest growing and most profitable division at Jabong. HC curbs on firecrackers in Punjab, Haryana Concerned at the depleting air quality Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh, the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday restricted bursting of crackers on the occasion of Diwali this year between 6.30 pm and 9.30 pm . The division bench of justice A. K. Mittal and justice Amit Rawal also issued guidelines for issuing licences to firecracker sellers. Senior advocate Anupam Gupta, who has been appointed amicus curiae in the case, said the order would be applicable in the two States and Union Territory for this year’s Diwali. ‘Ensure compliance’ Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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“The court has asked the local administrations to ensure strict compliance of the order. Police should deploy adequate PCR vans,” said Mr. Gupta. Taking a cue from the Supreme Court order banning fire crackers in the national capital region for Diwali, the High Court had on Thursday sou-motu asked Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh to share details of permanent and temporary licences issued for selling crackers in their respective regions. Issuing guidelines for granting licences, the court ordered that no permanent licence should be issued to sellers without the court’s permission. “Also, temporary licences will be issued only by deputy commissioners and nobody else,” said Mr. Gupta ***




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Aadhar will pass Supreme Court's privacy framework: Nilekani India is on a “very good wicket” on privacy in this age of digital technology, artitect of the Aadhaar scheme Nandan Nilekani has said, expressing confidence that the government’s unique-identity number plan will be able to successfully pass the test of privacy. Aadhaar card scheme, which has enrolled more than 1 billion people, was launched by the previous UPA government and has been supported by the current government. Addressing an audience at an event organised by the Center for Global Development on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, Nilekani said: “I think India is on a very good wicket on privacy“. Aadhar scrutiny Thanks to Aadhaar, many activists went to the Supreme Court and they claimed that it was a privacy violation, said the 62-year-old non-executive Chairman of Infosys. That challenge by activists, he said, led to even more existential question in India: is privacy a fundamental right at all. The question went to a nine-judge Supreme Court bench and they gave “what I call one of the best judgements” in the Supreme Court history, he said, responding to a question on privacy and Aadhaar card. “And they (judges) said, yes privacy is a fundamental right. However, the State can circumscribe that privacy for specific social goals,” he said, adding that they identified national security, prevention of crime prevention, protection of revenue and social welfare benefits as the four reasons. “The court laid down an excellent framework. And at the same time they said that technology and digital technology are key enablers for social progress and innovation, the architect of Aadhar card said.” Now that the judges have laid a framework, there will be a second bench of the court, which will test whether Aadhaar meets that framework. “We’re very confident that it will,” Nilekani said. Clarity in policies Responding to a question, Nilekani said that from a policy perspective “it has to be clear” that nobody should be denied an entitlement due to lack of access to technology. A good system will obviously have the ability to save if there’s no connectivity or environment does not work, one should give the overriding capability to the service provider. So, it is important to make sure that technology does not come as a hurdle in providing benefits to people. A combination of well-designed override with fraud analytics can solve these issues. According to Nilekani, there are many challenges that require a platform thinking as a public good. “If a particular service or product is offered through a commercial platform that’s great...but there is a problem that only can be solved with societal platform for the public good. That is unavoidable,” he said. Societal platforms, he said, is not about excluding market participants. Societal platforms, he argued, creates the level-playing field and then market participants can operate on that. It’s entirely possible that the entire digital payments that are provided by a combination of public financial institutions and private banks.




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France’s Audrey Azoulay wins vote to be next UNESCO chief UNESCO’s executive board today chose former French Culture Minister Audrey Azoulay to be the UN cultural agency’s next leader over a Qatari candidate in an unusually heated race overshadowed by Mideast tensions. The US announcement this week that it’s quitting UNESCO rocked the multi-day election and heightened concerns about the agency’s funding and future direction. Azoulay succeeds outgoing Director-General Irina Bokova of Bulgaria, whose eight-year term was marred by financial woes and criticism over Palestine’s inclusion as a member. Yesterday, the US and Israel said they plan to pull out of the Paris-based organisation over its perceived anti-Israel bias. The 45-year-old took the stage to chants of “Audrey! Audrey!” following her victory and said the response to UNESCO’s problems was to reform the agency, not to walk away, an understated rebuke of the US and Israel. “In this moment of crisis, I believe we must invest in UNESCO more than ever, look to support and reinforce it, and to reform it. And not leave it,” she said. In a short address, she also thanked “the Executive Board member states that gave me their trust” in her surprise 30-28 vote win today over Qatari candidate Hamad bin Abdulaziz al-Kawari. UNESCO’s general assembly will have to sign off next month on the executive board’s leadership pick, but it’s seen as a formality. The new director will set priorities for the organisation best known for its World Heritage Programme to protect cultural sites and traditions. The agency also works to improve education for girls, promote an understanding of the Holocaust’s horrors, defend media freedom and coordinate science about climate change. Azoulay, a Jewish woman, had started the week’s voting with much less support but built up backing as other candidates dropped out and won a runoff earlier today against Egypt’s candidate. The vote was a huge blow to Arab states, who had long wanted to lead the UN educational, scientific and cultural organisation. UNESCO has previously had European, Asian, African and American chiefs, but never an Arab one since the organisation was founded in 1945 following World War II to promote world peace through culture. The agency’s inclusion of Palestine as a member state in 2011 complicated this push, as did Qatar’s diplomatic dispute with Arab neighbours over accusations of sponsoring Islamic extremism. Azoulay will be the second French leader of the organisation since Rene Maheu, UNESCO’s director general from 1961-74. Azoulay’s father is Moroccan and was an influential adviser to Moroccan kings, so she does have a connection to the Arab world. Atal Pension Yojana: Centre, PFRDA hopeful of having 1 crore accounts by March 2018 The Centre and the pension regulator Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) are hopeful of bringing at least 1 crore subscribers to the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) platform by end March next year. In the last two years since launch, APY, which is an important instrument for financial inclusion, has been able to mobilise 69 lakh accounts. Addressing a national APY conference 2017, organised by PFRDA, Rajiv Kumar, Secretary, Department of Financial Services, said India was a huge country and a lot had to be done on the pension front. The pension coverage in the country is still low at 10-12 percent, he added. “We have fixed a target of 1 crore for APY to be achieved by March 2018. When we can achieve huge success in Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bhima Yojana (PMSBY) and Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bhima Yojana (PMJJBY), there is no reason why we can’t achieve the target in APY”, Kumar said. Kumar said that the Department of Financial Services has been closely monitoring the progress made on the APY enrolment. BS Bhandari, Wholetime Member, PFRDA, later told BusinessLine that the pension regulator is hopeful of achieving the 1 crore target. In AprilSeptember this year, a whopping 20 lakh APY accounts were opened, he noted. This was encouraging, Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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given that in 2015-16 (the first year), as many as 25 lakh accounts were opened, while in the following year, another 25 lakh accounts were opened. Registration for APY had started in June 2015. “APY is picking up with more awareness. Banks are also playing an important role and offering online facility to push APY adoption”, Bhandari said. The revamped Bureau of Indian Standards Act comes into force from Oct 12: Govt The much-awaited Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Act has come into effect from October 12 with a provision to bring more services and products like jewellery under the mandatory standard regime. Parliament had, in March 2016, passed the law to replace the BIS Act of 1986. The Consumer Affairs Ministry finalised the rules for the new law only this week. “The new law will further help ease of doing business in the country,” Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said in a statement. Not only the provisions of the Act will give fillip to ’Make In India’ campaign but also ensure availability of quality products and services to the consumers, he said. As per the new law, the government can bring under compulsory certification regime any goods and service which it considers necessary in the public interest or for the protection of human, animal or plant health, safety of the environment, or prevention of unfair trade practices or national security. “Enabling provisions have also been made for making hallmarks of the precious metal articles mandatory,” the statement said. The new Act also allows multiple type of simplified conformity assessment schemes, including self-declaration of conformity against a standard which will give simplified options (to manufacturers) to adhere to the standards and get certificate of conformity. There is also a provision that enables the Centre to appoint any authority/agency, in addition to the BIS, to verify the conformity of products and services to a standard and issue certificate of conformity. Further, there is provision for repair or recall, including product liability of the products bearing Standard Mark but not conforming to the relevant Indian Standard. The current Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) will be known as National Standards Body of India. IIT Madras develops algorithms that learn like humans It is known that DeepMind, the company which was acquired by Google, produced an algorithm called AlphaGo that beat the world’s number one at the Go game. One of the methods behind the success of AlphaGo, called deep reinforcement learning, is being further developed by IIT Madras researchers to construct their own algorithm to play not just the Go game, but for more complex tasks. What they build into the algorithm is not just learning, but learning from mistakes as well. “There are two parts to engineering this – one involves incorporating features into the neural network that will get the program to recognize parts of the screen [when playing a game]. The other part involves making associations between utilities and action – for instance deciding whether to move left or right based on a specific pattern on the screen,” explains Prof. B Ravindran who heads the Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, at IIT Madras. The team trained the algorithm using “experts” that were basically programs that had mastered a method of playing the game. Apart from this, the algorithm was also made to learn “from scratch” – that is, without the intervention of experts. Not just this, the manner of learning mimics humans. For instance, humans don’t change their strategy too fast, usually. So if the player [a bot or an algorithm] takes a left turn, it continues to do that for a predetermined time. This incorporated smoothness into the decision making. “When we came up with Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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algorithms that incorporated this, we observed improvement by several thousand per cent in the learning performance,” says Prof. Ravindran. Squash to tennis If a player knew how to play squash, can she use that knowledge to play tennis? This is known as transfer learning. Within this there are various things to contend with – selective transfer, which is, in the example of tennis, akin to learning the forehand of one player and the backhand of another player. This sort of hybrid-making can come of use when the machine learns from different “experts” with different skills. Another ability built into the program was a tendency to avoid negative transfer. That is, if the “expert” that the program was learning from is actually bad at the game, the algorithm stops following this expert and chooses a different option – which may be following another expert or learning from scratch by itself. Prof. Ravindran explains by showing a graph in which relative performances of various programs that have been tutored with and without these features have been mapped out. The results clearly demonstrate the usefulness of incorporating the selective transfer and avoidance of negative transfers. Having worked on the relatively simple arcade games, the team now plans to move on to more complex tasks involving higher-level skills. Humans operate at different levels of granularity in decision making, also we incorporate memory easily into learning. Can this be taught to machines? They could be working on self-driving cars very soon: “We are planning to build in concepts of riskawareness through deep reinforcement learning. To apply these ideas to robotics and, say, self-driving cars, there needs to be safety and risk-awareness built in. So we are working on this,” he says. Singer T M Krishna to get Indira Gandhi National Integration Award Carnatic vocalist T.M. Krishna will be conferred with the Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration for 2015-16. The singer, who won the Ramon Magsaysay award for bringing “social inclusiveness in culture” in 2016, will be presented with the honour by Congress president Sonia Gandhi on October 31, Indira Gandhi’s death anniversary. “The 30th Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration for the year 2015 and 2016 has been awarded to T.M. Krishna, for his services in promoting and preserving national integration in the country,” Motilal Vora, member secretary of the advisory committee of the Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration of AICC, said in a statement. Mr. Krishna is not only one of the prominent vocalists in the rigorous Carnatic tradition of Indian classical music, but also an activist who has worked on creating egalitarian spaces for music and breaking down caste-barriers in the form. He was also part of a movement to help the Tamil-dominated and war-ravaged northern province of Sri Lanka rebuild its classical music traditions. An outspoken columnist, Mr. Krishna, has written and talked on a wide range of sociopolitical issues, including women’s rights, children’s needs, issues that make a society civil or un-civil, and the dangers of the mentality of war and narrow nationalism. The award consists of a citation and a cash prize of ₹10 lakh.The Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration was instituted in 1985 by the Congress in its centenary year. The award is conferred on October 31 for promoting national integration, understanding and fellowship among different communities and cultures of India. The earlier recipients include spiritual leader Swami Ranganathananda, freedom fighter Aruna Asaf Ali, the Bharat Scouts and Guides, bureaucrat P.N. Haksar, singer M.S. Subbulakshmi, former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi (posthumously) and former presidents A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Shankar Dayal Sharma (posthumously). Others winners include the Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust (Indore, Madhya Pradesh), musician A.R. Rahman, Ramakrishna Mission Ashram, Narainpur, Chhattisgarh (jointly), poet Gulzar, scientist M.S. Swaminathan and activist P.V. Rajagopal, besides filmmaker Shyam Benegal and lyricist Javed Akhtar. Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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In a Saudi first, woman to head sports federation Princess Rima bint Bandar bin Sultan scores a new in the conservative Muslim kingdom. A princess has been named to head a Saudi multi-sports federation, in a first for women in the conservative Muslim kingdom where men dominate all sports, an official said on Saturday. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that Princess Rima bint Bandar bin Sultan has become “the first woman to lead a federation” covering sporting activities for men and women. In August 2016, the princess scored another first for women in Saudi Arabia,when she was named by the cabinet to a senior post in the kingdom’s equivalent of a Sports Ministry. A daughter of a former Saudi ambassador to Washington, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, Princess Rima is a graduate in museology from an American university. Saudi Arabia does not allow women to practise sports in the public sphere and even the introduction of private sports centres for women has aroused criticism among religious conservatives in the Gulf state. Although the kingdom announced it will lift a ban on women drivers from next June as part of a reform push, it still retains tight restrictions on women and imposes a strict segregation of the sexes. Under the country’s guardianship system, a male family member — normally the father, husband or brother — must grant permission for a woman’s study, travel and other activities. ***




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President remembers India’s missile man APJ Abdul Kalam President Ram Nath Kovind today remembered the ‘Missile Man’ of India, A P J Abdul Kalam, on his birth anniversary, describing him as one of the greatest visionaries who ignited young minds. He was speaking with a group of children who arrived at the Rashtrapati Bhavan from Rameswaram by the bus ‘Dr Kalam Sandesh Vahini Vision 2020’ These children had called on the president. Kovind said that he saluted Kalam and his monumental achievements as a scientist, a scholar and as the president of India. “One of the best ways of building the character of the youth of any country is to inspire them to read biographies of great personalities,” Kovind said. The president said Kalam was one of India’s greatest visionaries and is fondly remembered as ‘The Missile Man of India’ and ‘People’s President’. He has made momentous contribution to India’s scientific heritage through his involvement in varied fields ranging from nuclear technology to designing low cost stents for the heart or lightweight calipers for polio victims, Kovind said. “India will never forget the remarkable contributions of Kalam. He had a great passion for teaching and education and truly ignited young minds with the power to think and innovate,” the president said. Kovind said former president Kalam enjoyed being with people. “He was adored by people and youngsters. He loved students and spent his final moments among them,” the President said. The President said that the Kalam Sandesh Vahini bus presents the life story of the former president in a very interesting manner. “He appreciated the effort. He said he was sure that a large number of Indians, especially the young people have benefited by seeing the mobile exhibition on the life, works and the vision of Kalam,” Kovind said. The Kalam Sandesh Vahini was launched by House of Kalam and Chinmaya University. The Vahini depicts various incidents from Kalam’s life as well as key highlights of India’s scientific achievements, with an aim to educate and inspire the masses. It was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Rameswaram on July 27, 2017, during the inauguration ceremony of Kalam’s memorial. The Vahini has travelled from Rameswaram, through various states, to finally arrive at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. Earlier in the day, Kovind paid floral tributes at the portrait of Kalam at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Officers and staff of Rashtrapati Bhavan along with family members of Kalam also paid floral tributes on the occasion. Born on October 15, 1931, Kalam died on July 27, 2015. He was the head of the Indian state between 2002 and 2007. Coimbatore trio are among the 28 at WorldSkills Competition in Abu Dhabi Three candidates from Coimbatore’s Gedee Technical Training Institute—Anuradh Mohan, P Sarathviswesh and Tamil Selvan—are among the 28 competitors representing India at the WorldSkills Competition 2017 now underway at Abu Dhabi. The competition popularly known as “Skill Olympics” is organised in Abu Dhabi between October 14 and 19. According to a National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) release, India is participating in 26 categories each having a team of competitor, an expert and a required interpreter at WorldSkills Competition. The trio from Coimbatore will be Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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competing against those from over 70 countries across the globe. In all, the candidates from Team India will compete against 1,200 competitors across 50 skills at this biennial competition. Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship said that the 28 candidates were trained under Skill India Mission. He further said that the government’s endeavour is towards achieving the Prime Minister’s dream of making India the Skill Capital of the world. Manish Kumar, Managing Director, NSDC, said that the team from India are great ambassadors for skills. The Corporation identified all the competitors through a series of competitions organised at the regional and national levels over the past two years, after which they underwent extensive training with industry partners. Some of them have even travelled overseas and were trained by international experts, he said. TN govt to start IAS academies in all 32 districts Tamil Nadu government would soon set up coaching academies for civil services aspirants in all districts, state Education Minister K A Sengottaiyan said today. “To help those appearing for IAS/IPS examinations, the state education department will soon start coaching academies in all the 32 districts,” he said. The academies would benefit poor and middle class youths in their bid to clear the exam and get good ranks, he added. The Minister was speaking at a function at nearby Thindal village where he distributed over Rs. 10.50 lakh worth pooja articles to 420 temples under the administration of the state Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment department. The Minister also said steps were being taken for repairing damaged school buildings and constructing new class rooms across the state. ATM additions slow down as banks focus on e-money With banks going all out to promote digital transactions, ATM addition has hit the slow lane. The number of ATMs added by banks collectively nudged up by a mere 93 in the April-August 2017 period compared with 4,936 additions in the year-ago period, as per RBI data. In sharp contrast, banks’ ramped up point-of-sale (PoS) terminals during the April-August 2017 period, with their number soaring by 3,53,281 compared with 1,11,101 in the corresponding year-ago period. PoS terminals are payment processing devices that enable transactions at merchant outlets. As at August-end 2017, the number of ATMs and PoS terminals stood at 2,22,568 and 28,82,422, respectively. Given that almost 87 per cent of the value of total notes in circulation were demonetised during the November 9-December 30, 2016 period, triggering a crunch in currency for transacting, banks seem to have shifted their attention away from ATMs to building up the PoS network in a big way. Moreover, with re-monetisation happening only gradually, bankers may not have felt the need to expand their ATM network. As per latest RBI data, the value of currency in circulation was 8.9 per cent less year-on-year at ₹16,00,190 crore as on October 6, 2017.That there has been a substantial increase in digital transactions is underscored by the fact that in August 2017, the volume of credit card transactions at PoS rose to 11.533 crore (amounting to ₹36,299 crore) against 8.395 crore transactions (amounting to ₹25,746 crore in August 2016).Similarly, the volume of debit card transactions at PoS jumped to 26.545 crore (amounting to ₹35,413 crore) against 13.054 crore transactions (amounting to ₹18,369 crore in August 2016). “In fact, during the demonetisation period, the government had announced a package of incentives and measures for the promotion of digital and cashless economy. So, all the banks were given a target. Hence, there was a substantial increase in the PoS infrastructure. That is the reason why it (PoS expansion) is still increasing. “Given that digital transactions are being promoted, over a period, demand (for PoS) will only go up. Merchants have also realised that this is one of the better ways of doing transactions,” said a senior public sector bank official. The slowdown in ATM Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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addition, according to the official, is also a consequence of banks’ digital push. “The emphasis is on a less-cash economy,” he added. Besides PoS, there was good traction in other digital banking channels. The central bank’s data show that the number of mobile banking transactions was higher at 9.964 crore (amounting to ₹79,913 crore) in August2017 against 7.005 crore (amounting to ₹72,182 crore) in August 2016. Further, the volume of transactions on mobile wallets soared to 22.543 crore (amounting to ₹7,262 crore) in August 2017 compared with 7.068 crore transactions (amounting to ₹3,074 crore ). Austria votes for new Parliament Austria voted on Sunday in a parliamentary election that is expected to see 31-year-old conservative Sebastian Kurz become Chancellor on a pledge to take a hard line on refugees and prevent a repeat of Europe’s migration crisis. Mr. Kurz propelled his People’s Party (OVP) to the top of opinion polls when he became leader in May. The winner will probably need a coalition to govern and the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) could be kingmaker. Austria, a wealthy country of 8.7 million people that stretches from Slovakia to Switzerland, was a gateway into Germany for more than one million people during the migration crisis that began in 2015. It also took in roughly 1% of its population in asylum seekers in 2015, one of the highest proportions on the continent. New Guiness Record at IISF Chennai 2017 Day two of the India International Science Festival (IISF) in Anna University campus at Chennai saw the making of a new Guinness World Record for the Largest Biology Lesson. One thousand forty nine (1049) students participated in the record breaking session. While inaugurating the Largest Biology Lesson, Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Science, Dr. Harsh Vardhan said that it is the vision of the Prime Minister, Shri. Narendra Modi, to encourage and promote science and the Govt. of India has launched many Flagship Programmes in this regard. He also invoked C V Raman and how he has won the Nobel Prize, which is first by any Indian to do so. World Record attempts have been a key part of India International Science Festival since 2015, which leads to encouragement and popularizing of Science through public participation. In IISF 2015, students took a successful shot at the Guinness World record for the world’s largest science Lesson at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi. In IISF 2016 at National Physical Laboratory, Pusa, New Delhi, a group of 550 students attempted the world record for largest gathering of people dressed as Noble Prize winning scientist Albert Einstein. The World record which was created in the IISF Chennai 2017 had students from Class 9 and Class 10. Students from 20 local schools participated in the event. The biology lesson was delivered by Ms. Lakhsmi Prabhu from Shri Shankar senior Secondary School. A live demonstration on the process of isolation of DNA from Papaya fruit was also part of the program. Dr. Harsh Vardhan congratulated the students and felt proud of their effort in creating New Guinness World Record. He added that he was confident about the students earning the World Record and also felicitated the teachers from the local schools in his congratulatory speech. The Minister also said that teachers across the country deserve this award and Prime Minister Modi must also be very happy that students have achieved this record at the IISF 2017, Chennai. Union Minister in his congratulatory speech encouraged the students to be good scientist, passionate about science and above all be good human beings and said that he will pray for their success in the future to become great scientist and teachers. The program was also attended by Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Secretary Ministry of Earth Sciences, Dr. M. N. Rajeevan, Girish Kumar from Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) and Dr. R Venkatesan Head of National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT). RAPID PROGRESS IN MICRO IRRIGATION SAYS RADHA MOHAN INDIA WATER WEEK – 2017 CONCLUDES The five day India water week (IWW) - 2017 concluded in New Delhi today with a call for efficient management of available water resources in the country by Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shri Radha Mohan Singh. Addressing the valedictory session of IWW the Minister said that the present NDA government has achieved unparallel success in the field of micro irrigation. Shri Singh said eight lakh hact. of land was brought under micro irrigation during 2016-17. The target for 2017-18 is 12 lakh hact. Referring to Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayi Yojana the Minister said out of the 99 projects 23 are on the verge of completion. He informed that another 32 PMKSY project will be completed by March next year and the remaining by 2019. The Union Agriculture Minister also underlined the need for removing encroachments from Water bodies all over the country to preserve the water resources for posterity. Union Minister of State for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal said that first of all it is necessary to know the importance of water and its qualities for mankind. Shri Meghwal said it is our responsibility to preserve this precious natural resources for future generations. Referring to the various recommendations of IWW- 2017 the Minister said it is our responsibility to implement these recommendations. He said “Water is not being used but misused. We have to stop this”. Giving an overview of the deliberations, Dr Amarjit Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation said that Union Ministries like Agricultural and Water Resources can jointly work for proper water resources management of the country. He said that about 1300 delegates including 50 delegates from 14 countries attended the five day event. About 150 papers were presented and 17 technical seminars and 14 panel discussion were held during IWW – 2017. A mobile app prepared by Central Water Commission containing various information about water resources of the country was also launched on the occasion. The IWW- 2017 was inaugurated by President Shri Ram Nath Kovind on October 10, 2017. The theme of IWW – 2017 was “Water and Energy for Inclusive Growth”. The event had detailed discussions on Water, Food and Energy Security – Essential requirement for sustainable development, Water for inclusive Growth, Sustainable energy development – Key for all round economic growth and Water and Society. India’s first Olympic swimmer, Shamsher Khan, dead Shamsher Khan won a place in the Indian Olympics contingent that had visited Australia in 1956. Shamsher Khan, the country’s first swimmer who had participated in the 1956 Summer Olympics, died at his native village Repalle on Sunday. Mr. Khan, 92, died of heart attack, his eldest son Babu said. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Leader of the Opposition Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, and Principal Secretary L.V. Subramanyam condoled the death of Mr. Kahn. The funeral rites would be performed on Monday. Mr. Khan had enrolled himself in the Indian Army in 1949. He had taken part in various national swimming competitions. He won a place in the Indian Olympics contingent that had visited Australia in 1956. He, however, secured fourth place in the competition. He continued to serve in the Army till he Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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retired in 1973. After retirement, he settled at Repalle. He lived a life of penury till his death. In July 2016, the Andhra Pradesh Government awarded him ₹25 lakh. ***




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Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs Date: 16.10.2017, Monday

26 fall ill due to suspected food poisoning on Tejas Express At least 26 people aboard the Mumbai-bound Tejas Express from Goa were today taken ill after consuming food served by the Railways' catering wing, IRCTC, the Konkan Railways said. The passengers were headed towards Mumbai. After consuming the food served by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) on the Tejas Express, they complained of uneasiness, Konkan Railway Chairman and Managing Director Sanjay Gupta told PTI. The train was stopped at the Chiplun station and all 26 people were admitted to the city's Life Care hospital. Their condition is not serious, he said. The Tejas Express, one of the premium trains of the Indian Railways, connects Mumbai and Karmali in Goa. Bangladesh Chief Justice faces 11 charges, including graft Bangladesh’s Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, who left the country on Friday on a long leave, faces 11 charges, including those pertaining to corruption and moral lapse. The Supreme Court said that the colleagues of Mr. Sinha had refused to even work with him over the barrage of allegations. A statement issued on Saturday, signed by the court’s Registrar General Syed Aminul Islam, contained the allegations against Mr. Sinha. Met the President Ahead of his departure from the country, which Mr. Sinha said was “for the sake of the judiciary’s image”, he had said that he was embarrassed by the way he was criticised in political quarters, especially by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and some of the Ministers, following a verdict. Describing it as misleading, the Supreme Court statement disclosed that President Abdul Hamid had invited Mr. Sinha and five other appellate judges to a meeting on September 30, during which he handed over documents on 11 specific charges against him. They included allegations regarding “money laundering, financial misappropriation and moral lapses”. The appellate judges, according to the statement, later met Mr. Sinha at his residence. “But, as the five judges did not get an acceptable explanation or a satisfactory answer... they categorically told him that in this situation, it would not be possible for them to conduct trial proceedings sitting in the same bench with him until the allegations are resolved”. One-month leave “On Oct. 2, 2017, without informing the other judges, he filed an application for a one-month leave to the president, which was accepted,” it said. Meanwhile, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said he believes the charges, including money laundering and moral lapse, against Justice Sinha, “are based on evidence”. He also said Mr. Sinha rejoining the office after his return is a “far cry”. Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Tibet posts double digit growth for 24th year: Report Tibet has registered a double digit growth rate for the 24th consecutive year due to massive influx of tourism, natural resources and heavy Chinese investments despite slowdown of Chinas economy. The first half of this year Tibets GDP grew by 10.8 per cent keeping up with the momentum of the double-digit growth rate for the 24th consecutive year, state-run Peoples Daily reported today. In the first six months, Tibets GDP reached 55.54 billion yuan (USD 8.49 billion). The disposable incomes for urban and rural residents were 15,292 yuan (about USD 2500) and 3,210 yuan (about USD 525), up 10 and 13.9 per cent year- on-year, respectively, it said. China has invested heavily in the infrastructure of Tibet, especially railway, highways and dams in the last three decades. From 2011 to 2016, the total mileage of highways in Tibet grew from 63,100 kms to 82,100 kms, extending by 30 per cent. Now, there are 72 airlines flying between Tibet and 41 cities in and out of China, the report said. Over the past five years China had built several hydropower facilities, including the Zam Hydropower Station built over Brahmaputra river, the Duobu Hydropower Station, the Guoduo Hydropower Station and the Pangduo Hydropower Station and transmitted a total of 824 million kilowatt hours of electricity to places outside the region, an increase of 150 per cent. For the first time in history, the region’s net delivery of electricity exceeded 200 million kilowatt hours. Also Tibet has become a major national and international tourist destination. In 2016, the tourism sector generated over 33 billion yuan (over USD five billion) in revenue, accounting for nearly 29 per cent of Tibet?s GDP, Wang Songping, director of the Tibet Tourism Development Commission told the Daily. Tibet received about 23.15 million domestic and foreign tourists, an increase of 14.7 per cent year-on-year. Tourism created jobs for 100,000 Tibetan farmers and herdsmen last year, he said. PTI KJV PMS Mohun Bagan lift Governors Gold Cup for 10th time Maidan heavyweights Mohun Bagan today won the 37th All India Governors Gold Cup football tournament for the 10th time by defeating Partha Chakra by a narrow 1-0 margin. In the final match played at Paljor Stadium, Mohun Bagans striker GA Kramah scored the lone goal in the seventh minute. Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling attended the final and gave away trophies and cash prize to winners and the runner-up. Neighbours know that India is no longer weak: Home Minister Reiterating Modi government's resolve to protect its borders, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that our neighbours like China and Pakistan knew that India was no longer a weak country and its borders are completely protected and safe. He said that Pakistan is playing a dirty game by sending terrorists to India to destabalise our country. "But now this is a fact that our security forces are killing 2-4 terrorists per day. This has weakened terrorist network and we have been able to build confidence of people across Kashmir. Singh has said the country's borders were "completely safe" and China has also started to understand that "India is no more weak". Rajnath Singh said under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi India has become a powerful country Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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and its prestige at the international level has also grown. He was addressing a programme organised by Bhartiya Lodhi Mahasabha in Lucknow. Four arrested for throwing stones at Australian cricket team bus Four people were arrested on Sunday in connection with the stone throwing incident at the Australian cricket team's bus after the second T20 match that India lost in Guwahati last week. Guwahati Police Commissioner Hiren Chandra Nath said of the four arrested, two were students of class 12 while the other two work in a shop. "They were drunk. They had watched the match on their mobile phones in nearby areas. India's defeat agitated them and when they saw the bus coming out of the stadium, one of them threw a stone on the bus. They fled from the scene after that," he said. The police had arrested two persons a day after the incident. However, their involvement in the incident has not yet been established. "Investigation is going on. If we find that the two who were arrested earlier were not involved, then we will pray to the court to release them," Nath said. A stone was thrown at the Australian team bus when they were returning from the Barsapara Stadium to the team hotel in Guwahati after winning their second T20 match against India on October 10. Australian player Aaron Finch had tweeted on October 10 night that it was “pretty scary having a rock thrown through the team bus window on the way back to the hotel” and had also posted a picture of the broken bus window. Later, cricket fans across Assam turned up at the hotel where the visitors were staying and the airport with placards apologising for the untoward incident. India, Russia to take part in joint military exercise Giving a fillip to their defence cooperation, the Indian and Russian armed forces will take part in a joint counterterrorism military exercise in Russia from Thursday, the first such drill involving the tri-services to be held outside the country, a top general said today. The 11day ‘INDRA2017’ exercise, starting from October 19, will be conducted at the 249th Combined Army Range Sergeevisky and in the Sea of Japan near Vladivostok. The Indian contingent will comprise 350 personnel from Army, 80 from Air Force, two IL 76 aircraft and one frigate and corvette each from the Navy. Russia will be represented by approximately 1000 troops of the 5th Army, marines and ships of Pacific Fleet and aircraft from Eastern Military District. Addressing the Indian contingent at the Palam Technical Area, Lt General Satish Dua, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC) said the exercise will provide an opportunity to the armed forces of both countries to train in counter-terrorism operations in a multinational scenario in a joint tri-service environment. “The scope of the exercise includes professional interactions, establishment of joint command and control structures between the Indian and Russian forces and Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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elimination of terrorist threat in a multinational environment under the UN mandate,” he said. Dua also had a word of caution for the troops during their stay and advised them to manitain high standards of discipline and work ethic as they will be like “ambassadors” of India. Later talking to reporters, Dua said India had excellent defence relations with Russia and the country is a “natural partner” to hold such an exercise. He also said such drills will also take place with other countries. Exercise INDRA in its previous nine avatars has been conducted as a single service exercise alternately between the two countries. This year marks a major milestone as it has been upgraded to involve all the three services of the armed forces, which further accentuates the importance of the joint services in the present world environment. UN flag to fly with Tricolour on United Nations Day The flag of the United Nations will fly along with the national tricolour atop all important buildings in the country on October 24 to mark United Nations Day, the home ministry has said. In a directive to all central departments and administrations in states and Union territories, the ministry said every year October 24 is observed as United Nations Day when the UN flag is flown along with Indian national flag on all buildings on which the Tricolour is regularly flown. "The United Nations Flag is, however, not flown on Raj Bhawans/Raj Niwas and buildings housing Legislative Councils, Legislative Assemblies and High Courts," it said. Kerala to become first Indian state to come out with own anti-rabies vaccine Kerala is planning to come out with its own anti-rabies vaccine at a cost of about Rs 150 crore, probably making it the first state in the country to manufacture the vaccine directly. The vaccine for both humans and animals would be developed simultaneously at separate labs at the Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biologicals (IAH&VB) at Palode near here, under the state Animal Husbandry Department. State Animal Husbandry Department Director N N Sasi said the vaccines would be developed using advanced cell culture technology. With this, the state government would be the first in the country to manufacture anti-rabies vaccine directly, department sources claimed. The institute at present produces viral and bacterial vaccines against cattle and poultry diseases. The detailed project reports for manufacturing the vaccine were almost ready and the report on common facilities for both labs like electricity, water and steam had already been submitted to the government, he said. The move comes at a time when a baby girl and many others suffered stray dog bites in the suburbs of Thiruvananthapuram earlier this month. “Our objective is to complete the infrastructure facilities and start the work within the next six months. If everything goes as planned, we can start production within the next twothree years,” Sasi told PTI. “An estimated Rs 150 crore is expected as total project cost,” he said. The southern state is not only planning to produce the vaccine for its own use but also sell it at an affordable rate to other states, which are also facing dearth of anti-rabies vaccine. Once production commences, the vaccine would be distributed through all veterinary hospitals and public health centres across the state. At present, Kerala procures the vaccine from Hyderabad-based Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL), a subsidiary of National Dairy Development Board. “A total of 10 million doses of both human and animal anti-rabies vaccine is Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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planned to be produced at our labs. The quantity can be increased in the further phases according to the demand,” he said. “We hope that we can not only meet the entire demand of the state but also the requirements of other states in this regard,” he said. Shortage of vaccines, delay in distribution, budget issues and complicated purchase procedures were some of the major problems faced by the health and veterinary authorities in getting anti-rabies vaccines. “As the government is directly manufacturing it, profit will not be a concern. There is also no need for marketing and advertisement. So, we can make available the vaccine at an affordable rate in the market,” Sasi said. He said other states can buy from Kerala without the complicated tender procedures as it is a government product. National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development Consultancy Service (NABCONS) has been entrusted with preparing the project report of the initiative. NABCONS would supervise the entire project including the construction of labs and the production of vaccine up to two batches, the official said adding the project would be handed over to the department after that. Cutting across rural and urban barriers, stray dogs have been posing a great threat to people, especially women, children and senior citizens in Kerala for some time. According to a report submitted in the Supreme Court recently, more than one lakh people in Kerala had been bitten by dogs in 2015-16. The report also said Kerala is estimated to have a stray dog population of 2.5 lakh, which feed on the waste and garbage dumps across cities and towns. A 50year-old fisherman succumbed to injuries after he was mauled by a pack of stray dogs in coastal Pulluvila near here in July. Indian-origin teenager Akshay Ruparelia becomes UK's youngest millionaire When most of us are knee-deep into assignments and playing beer-pong during our free-time in college, there are a few extraordinary people who are busy making headlines and rewriting history at that age. One such extraordinary individual is 19-year-old Indian-origin student, Akshay Ruparelia, who has become the youngest millionaire in the UK. Akshay Ruparelia is the founder of doorstep.uk, an online estate agency business that has recently been valued at 12 million pounds, in just over a year. Ruparelia had to balance school work and his business that sells properties for a fraction of the cost that other bigger firms charge. He had to hire a call centre to take calls from clients during school hours, which he would return once classes were over. The teenager also had to borrow money from his relatives to start the website. Ruparelia eventually started the site with 7,000 pounds. Within just 16 months of first going live, doorsteps.uk became the 18th biggest estate agency in the UK. In these months Ruparelia claims to have sold properties worth 100 million pounds. The teenager mentions that when his first client, a man from Sussex, asked Ruparelia to sell his house and another piece of land, he had to enlist the help of his sister's boyfriend to drive him up there as he did not even have a driving licence. He sold those properties within three weeks. Akshay Ruparelia now employs 12 people to run the business. Ruparelia's model is surprisingly simplistic; it banks on an ever-expanding network of mothers, who show clients the houses that are up for sale. He also believes that mothers are going to be honest and tell the truth, which is important for the real estate business. The company charges a meagre sum of 99 pounds, as opposed to 800 pounds to 1,000 pounds that other firms charge. Needless to say, this simplistic model is paying off as now he has around 1,050 homes to sell on his website, while selling 30 houses on an average every week. According to Daily Mirror, the most expensive house he has sold till now is for 1.4 million pounds at Notting Hill. With the business doing so well, Akshay Ruparelia has increased his own allowance and even bought a car for his parents, Kaushik, 57, and Renuka, 51, who are both deaf. Oxford University has offered him a set to study economics and mathematics, but Akshay Ruparelia is putting that on hold for now, as his business is doing well and he wishes to take it forward. IFFCOs Rakesh Kapur elected as IFA Chairman Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Co-operative IFFCOs joint Managing Director Rakesh Kapur has been elected as the Chairman of International Fertiliser Association (IFA). Paris-based IFA is the global fertiliser association with 500 members representing 68 countries, including 24 members from India. Kapur was elected at the IFA?s annual conference held from May 22-24 in Morocco attended by 1,400 participants. "Kapur is the third Indian to hold this prestigious position in IFAs 90 years history," IFFCO said in a statement. Kapur is also the Chairman of the Fertiliser Association of India (FAI). IFFCO, which is celebrating its 50th Golden Jubilee, is the worlds largest fertiliser and marketing cooperative representing 50 million farmers across the country. Kapur said that his role would be to strengthen collaboration between FAI and IFA in encouraging innovative products and adoption of fertiliser best management practices and strengthening outreach to farmers for rapid dissemination of agri-technologies. World Food Day: The problem of eliminating hunger World Food Day 2017 is being celebrated in about 150 countries where the events promote worldwide awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger and for the need to ensure food security and nutritious diets for all. Every year, World Food Day is celebrated on October 16 to commemorate the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of United Nations in the year 1945. Since 1981, World Food Day had adopted the practice of keeping a different theme each year in order to highlight areas which need prompt action and also provide a common focus. It is now celebrated in more than 150 countries, where the events promote worldwide awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger and for the need to ensure food security and nutritious diets for all. This year's theme: Change the future of migration. Invest in food security and rural development Themes of previous years: 2011: Food Prices - From Crisis to Stability 2012: Agricultural Cooperatives - Key to Feeding the World 2013: Sustainable Food Systems for Food Security and Nutrition 2014: Family Farming: Feeding the world, caring for the earth 2015: Social Protection and Agriculture: Breaking the Cycle of Rural Poverty 2016: Climate change: Climate is changing. Food and agriculture must too Listed below are some facts you should know about hunger: • The world produces enough food to feed everyone, yet, about 800 million people suffer from hunger. That is one in nine people. 60 per cent of them are women • About 80 per cent of the world's extreme poor live in rural areas. Most of them depend on agriculture • Hunger kills more people every year than malaria, tuberculosis and aids combined • Around 45 per cent of infant deaths are related to malnutrition • The cost of malnutrition to the global economy is the equivalent of USD 3.5 trillion a year • 1.9 billion people -- more than a quarter of the world's population -- are overweight • One third of the food produced worldwide is lost or wasted • The world will need to produce 60 percent more food by 2050 to feed a growing population • No other sector is more sensitive to climate change than agriculture. Rani Rampal to lead in Asia Cup Striker Rani Rampal will captain an 18-member Indian team at the ninth women's Asia Cup hockey tournament, which starts from October 28 at Kakamigahara City, Japan. Senior goalkeeper Savita has been named as the vice- captain of the side. India has been placed in Pool A alongside China, Malaysia and Singapore and will start their Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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campaign against Singapore on October 28. The team selected by Hockey India for the upcoming Asia Cup has five changes from their Europe Tour of Netherlands and Belgium. Experienced defender Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam makes a comeback into the team while forwards Navneet Kaur, Navjot Kaur and Sonika have also been included. Apart from the inclusions, the goal will be kept by Savita and Rajani Etimarpu while Deep Grace Ekka, Sunita Lakra, Suman Devi Thoudam and Gurjit Kaur will man the defence. The midfield will feature Namita Toppo, Nikki Pradhan, Monika, Lilima Minz and Neha Goyal while Rani, Vandana Katariya and Lalremsiami will feature in the forward line. This will be the first for new head coach Harendra Singh with the Indian eves and he would be looking towards a strong performance in Japan with qualification for next year's Hockey women's World Cup London 2018 being his top priority. "We have a very good blend of youth and experience within our team which will help us in negating the tasks ahead of us at the women's Asia Cup. The team has played against higher ranked teams in the build-up to the tournament which has helped us in improving our game. "We have made several minors adjustments and improvements in our game so that we don't repeat unforced errors in our play. We will be aiming to win the women's Asia Cup 2017 in order to qualify for next year's World Cup," said Harendra. Captain Rani too is confident that the team can perform up to its potential at the women's Asia Cup. "We have made improvements in our game wherever it was necessary. I feel the team is playing well as a unit and there is a good sense of cohesion in our squad. We are looking forward to performing well in Japan so that we can qualify for the World Cup," she said. Indonesian goal-keeper dies after mid-game collision with teammate In a tragic incident, Choirul Huda, Indonesia's most iconic footballer, passed away after a mid-game collision with a team-mate on Sunday. The incident happened during happened during the first-half of a match between Persela Lamongan and Semen Pedang when Huda collapsed following a coming together with team-mate Ramon Rodrigues and Pedang attacker Marcel Sacramento. The 38-year-old lost consciousness after which the ground staff stretchered him off in a hurry. Persela coach Aji Santoso confirmed after the game that Huda had sadly lost his life, reports goal.com. "All of the players finished the game and went to the hospital, where it was announced that Choirul Huda had died," Santoso told reporters. "The loss of Choirul Huda has hit us all hard. We did not have time to a see a doctor, only to see his body," he added. Huda made his debut in 1999 and was a regular throughout his time with the club. ***




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Time for Ayurveda-led 'health revolution', says Modi Underscoring the importance of Ayurveda, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said time has come for a "health revolution" under the aegis of the traditional medicine system and pitched for affordable and accessible healthcare. Addressing a gathering after dedicating the country's first All India Institute of Ayurveda to the nation here, the prime minister noted that the world is heading "back to nature and wellness". Marking 'Ayurveda Divas' on Tuesday, he described the medicine system as India's strength and urged those working in the sector to revive it. He also asked experts from the field to find medicines which can, like allopathy, give immediate relief to people but without side-effects. The prime minister also urged private players to use part of their corporate social responsibility funds to help strengthen Ayurveda. "We have seen the IT revolution in last 30 years. Now, time has come for a health revolution under the aegis of Ayurveda. Let's pledge to strengthen, revive Ayurveda," Modi said at the event. According to the prime minister, efforts were allegedly made to destroy "India's strengths" during the "era of slavery" (pre-independence period). Ayurveda, he added, did not become a priority after independence too. Listing steps being taken by his government to revive and strengthen the system, Modi said Ayurveda-related hospitals should be set up in each district of the country. He said the Ayush ministry would ensure that there was a good Ayurveda hospital in each district. Noting that people across the world were getting attracted towards good health as well as wellness, the prime minister suggested that time was ripe for an atmosphere of Ayurveda to evolve. He said there was need for a relook of the Ayurveda syllabus and underlined the requirement for standard guidelines and treatment in the medicine system so it is not overpowered by Allopathy. The government, Modi added, respects all health and medicine systems. He said the Ministries of Ayush and Agriculture can guide farmers to sow medicinal plants in their fields. This will also help farmers boost their income in line with the government's plan to double their income by 2022, when India attains 75 years of independence. Modi also reiterated the importance of cleanliness as part of preventive healthcare. Bank under obligation to protect consumers interests: Forum The Mumbai Consumer Redressal Forum has directed the Punjab National Bank not to close the account of a lawyer over alleged rude behaviour. It also asked the lawyer, a senior citizen, to maintain cordial relations with the bank. "The opponent bank is not entitled to close account of complainant," the forum ruled after Harish Bhatia approached it, saying the bank had threatened to close his account of 30 years. Bhatia said during a visit to the Kandivli branch of the bank in May 2011 he saw an unknown person giving orders to customers. He said when he complained about it to the authorities concerned, he found their approach very casual. Bhatia told the forum that there was exchange of letters between him Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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and the bank, and later he was threatened with closure of the account. He had approached the forum seeking a direction to the bank not to discontinue his account and seeking a compensation of Rs 25,000. The bank denied all the allegations before the forum and said Bhatia, a practising lawyer, behaved in an uncivilised manner. "We have carefully perused the documents filed on record. The letter sent by the bank to the complainant (about closing his account) is not justified. "There is no evidence on record to justify the said notice. The single instance which occurred due to provocation is not sufficient for parting relationship as consumer," observed the bench of forum president SD Madake and member SV Kalal. The relation between the complainant and the bank is based on trust. The bank is under an obligation to protect the interests of consumers and render all possible help when he enters in the bank premises, the forum said. "Bhatia being an old customer of bank and an experienced lawyer was under an obligation to promote fair and cordial relationship with the bank," the forum observed. "We are of the view that Bhatia failed to have patience at the relevant time as a result of which the relations came under strain. The bank is entitled to take reasonable steps as per law, if aggrieved by conduct of the complainant, but complainant cannot be denied his right to operate his account," it said HC restores life ban imposed on Sreesanth by BCCI A division bench of the Kerala High Court today restored the life ban imposed on cricketer S Sreesanth by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in the wake of the 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal. The bench, comprising Chief Justice Navaniti Prasad Singh and Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan, gave the verdict on a petition filed by the BCCI against a single-judge bench's order, lifting the life ban imposed on the 34-year-old pacer. The singlejudge bench of Justice A Muhamed Mustaque had on August 7 lifted the life ban imposed on him by the BCCI. Justice Mustaque had also set aside all proceedings against Sreesanth initiated by the board. Sreesanth and all the 35 other accused in the spot-fixing case were let off by a Patiala House court in July, 2015. The BCCI, however, had refused to alter its disciplinary decision even after the verdict. Following which Sreesanth had challenged the life ban against him in Kerala High Court. Taj Mahal built by blood and sweat of Bharat Mata's sons: CM Yogi Adityanath's balm after Sangeet Som's shocker A day after BJP MP Sangeet Som sparked a huge controversy by calling Taj Mahal a blot on the Indian culture, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the monument was built by the blood and sweat of Bharat Mata's sons. After distancing himself from BJP MP Sangeet Som's remark on Taj Mahal by calling it the leader's personal view and one not endorsed by the party, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, in a damage-control attempt, has said that the monument was made by the blood and sweat of Bharat Mata's sons. Adityanath added that protecting the Taj Mahal was the responsibility of the Uttar Pradesh government and that it was totally committed to doing so. Embarrassing his party, BJP MP Sangeet Som had on Monday while addressing a rally in Meerut said that the Taj Mahal was a blot on Indian culture and that "its creator wanted to wipe out Hindus" . The chief minister announced that he Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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would visit Agra next week to review tourism schemes and added that the Taj was a historical monument, irrespective of who had constructed it. BJP MLA Sangeet Som had on Monday questioned the Taj Mahal's place in India's heritage and said that history would be rewritten to erase Mughal emperors from it. "It is immaterial who built the Taj Mahal and how it was constructed. It was made by the sweat and blood of Bharat Mata's sons", the chief minister said in his hometown Gorakhpur. "It is famous the world over for its architecture. It's a historical monument and its protection and further development for tourism is the responsibility of the government", Adityanath said. ADITYANATH TO VISIT AGRA ON OCT 26 Announcing that he would visit Agra on October 26 and that there was a Rs 370 crore work plan for the city, Adityanath said that it was the duty of the Uttar Pradesh government to ensure that proper security and facilities were extended to tourists. Governor Ram Naik weighed in with his views on the 17th century monument of love built by Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. "The Taj is one of the wonders of the world and the pride of our country. So don't drag it into controversies and play politics over it", he said on the sidelines of the convocation of the Chatrapati Sahuji Maharaj University in Kanpur. In Lucknow, Principal Secretary (Information) Awanish Awasthi told journalists that the chief minister would also visit the Agra Fort and review other schemes as well for the city. Som's comments on the Taj Mahal had come after the Adityanath government reportedly omitted the 17th century monument from an official booklet on tourist destinations . "Many people are pained to see that the Taj Mahal was removed from the list of places (tourist destinations). What type of history?" he had asked during a public meeting in Meerut on Monday. SANGEET SOM's REMARKS CRITICISED ACROSS PARTY LINES Som's remarks prompted angry responses from other leaders. "I have always held the view that all symbols of slavery should be erased. Why only the Taj Mahal? Why not Parliament, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Qutub Minar and Red Fort? These are all symbols of slavery", Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan had said on Monday. Asaduddin Owaisi of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen asked whether the government would tell tourists not to visit the monument. The BJP stepped into the controversy with party spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao describing the Muslim rule in India as "barbaric and a period of incomparable intolerance" while asserting that its members could hold any opinion they wanted on specific monuments. Following reports about the Taj Mahal being left out of the booklet, the state government had issued a press release stating, "Tourism projects worth Rs 370 crore are proposed, under which schemes worth Rs 156 crore for the development of parks and various facilities are meant for the Taj Mahal and its surrounding areas in Agra." ‘India’s methane emissions stabilising, conform to UN report’ India may have some good news on its methane emissions front. An independent study by an international team of researchers, including some from India, has shown that there was very little growth in methane gas emissions from the country in recent years. The scientists, led by Anita Ganesan, who specialises in estimating greenhouse emissions at Bristol University in the UK, found that India’s average emissions of methane gas were about 22 trillion grams per year between 2010 and 2015. The study appeared in the latest issue of the journal Nature Communications. More importantly, the study found that the estimates conform to what India has reported to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Significantly, their estimates showed India’s methane emissions are about a third lower than what was calculated by a global research consortium called the Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research, in a comprehensive global inventory of greenhouse gas emissions. Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Where China stands This is in contrast to other countries, such as China, where measurements have shown increasing emissions of the gas in recent years, or the US, where large discrepancies have been found between reported emissions and those inferred from atmospheric observations. Methane, the second most powerful greenhouse gas implicated in climate change, is mainly released from livestock and paddy fields. It is a significantly more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide: each tonne of methane emitted contributes roughly 25 times more to global warming than a tonne of CO2. “The fact that methane is among the most uncertain (greenhouse gases) is because, even though CO2 has the largest emissions, the underlying sources of methane are more difficult to quantify. “Methane emissions can vary dramatically from one place to another and over time, which makes them more difficult to account for in an inventory,” said Ganesan, who works at the University of Bristol’s School of Geographical Sciences. “India currently has the world’s largest cattle population and is a significant producer of rice. Because of this, methane accounts for approximately 20 per cent of India’s total emissions (as CO2 equivalent),” she told BusinessLine. In light of the new international climate pact, the Paris Agreement, there is increasing need for countries to accurately quantify their greenhouse gas emissions and to have independent checks on this reporting. The aim of the study was to quantify India’s methane emissions using observations of methane concentration in the country’s atmosphere, the first time that this has been done for India at this scale. Multiple observations For the study, the scientists used a combination of observations — from the surface, from an aircraft and from a satellite that is measuring methane concentrations globally from space. The study also found that methane emissions are enhanced each year between June and September over emissions that are being released continuously. This signal is due to rice, which is predominantly grown during this season, and can clearly be observed. Karnataka is number one in Mudra loan disbursements Karnataka has emerged as the top State in disbursements of loans under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojna, according to Ananth Kumar, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers. Inaugurating the ‘Mudra’ promotion campaign in Mangaluru, he said that 8.4 crore beneficiaries have been provided Mudra loans of ₹3.5 lakh crore in the country. Of them, the share of Karnataka stood at ₹24,894 crore with 27.29 lakh beneficiary accounts at the end of September. The loans up to ₹10 lakh are provided without collateral securities under the scheme. Ananthkumar Hegde, Union Minister of State for Skill Development, said on the occasion that schemes such as Mudra encourage people to become entrepreneurs and improve their livelihood. He urged the bankers in Dakshina Kannada district to come forward to set up an entrepreneurship training centres. The Centre will extend support, he said. Earlier, Ananth Kumar had promised a plastic park for Dakshina Kannada district to improve the employment opportunities in the region. Ananthkumar Hegde said the Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers will be requested to set up a training institute on plastic engineering in the region. This will help in creating manpower for the proposed park and improve employment opportunities in the region, he said. Nalin Kumar Kateel, Member of Parliament from Dakshina Kannada, presided over the meeting. Representatives of various banks participated in the Mudra promotion campaign. Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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30 Nobel laureates to attend Indian Science Congress: Minister The 105th Indian Science Congress, to be held here in January next year, will be attended by about 30 Nobel laureates, Telangana Forests Minister Jogu Ramanna has said. The Congress will be hosted by Osmania University from January 3 to 7, a state government release yesterday quoted the minister as saying. The state government will set up nine science centres across the state at a cost of Rs. 166.40 crore for promoting learning of science, he said. It would also establish “radiation technology plants’ under the Smart City project in Warangal and Karimnagar, the minister added. Lakshmi Mittal donates $25 mn to Harvard University Steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal has donated $25 million to the prestigious Harvard University with an aim to increase engagement with South Asian countries, including India. The donation will establish an endowed fund for the South Asia Institute at the university. The institute spearheads Harvard’s engagement with South Asian countries, including India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka as well as diaspora populations from these countries, the university said in a statement. As a result of the endowment from the Mittal Foundation, Harvard’s South Asia Institute would be called as Lakshmi Mittal South Asia Institute at Harvard University, it said. Founded in 2003, the South Asia Initiative became a University—wide interdisciplinary institute in 2010 under the leadership of its current faculty director, Indian-American Tarun Khanna, the Jorge Paulo Lemann Professor at Harvard Business School. “We are so grateful for the Mittal family’s support and what it will enable us to learn and share — across the sciences, social sciences, and the humanities — and the many people and institutions it will allow us to engage,” said Khanna. “International centres like the South Asia Institute at Harvard University serve as a vital conduit between the University and the world we study,” said Harvard President Drew Faust. “The generous support from the Mittal family is a testament to both the important work being done by this community of scholars and students and the continuing impact it will have in the region,” Faust added. South Asia has played a dynamic and influential role in the development of our world since the very first civilisations, said 67—year—old Mittal, chairman and CEO of ArcelorMittal, the world’s largest steel company. “Ensuring that we fully understand its history and unique dynamics is a critical enabler in helping to shape a successful future,” he added. As someone who was born in India, the long-term prosperity of India and its neighbouring countries “matters a great deal to me and my family,” Mittal told Harvard Gazette in an interview. “Harvard is one of the world’s greatest learning institutions, with a unique ability to facilitate dialogue and drive thinking and progress,” he said. The Mittal family has long supported educational endeavours and public policy development in India as a means of positioning the country — and the region — for future success, the university said. Nirmala Sitharaman to visit Andaman and Nicobar Islands tomorrow During the two-day trip, the defence minister will review the tri-service command’s operational preparedness and related issues. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will celebrate Diwali with soldiers at the strategically important tri-service command in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Ms. Sitharaman will pay a two-day visit to the Andaman and Nicobar tri-services command from on Wednesday, during which she will review its operational preparedness and related issues. “On her maiden visit to the command, she will be celebrating Diwali with troops and interacting with the families during various events over the two days,” the defence ministry said. The ministry also added that Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Ms. Sitharaman would be visiting the operational area of the command and Car Nicobar Air Force Station. The Andaman and Nicobar command is India’s only tri-services command. Ms. Sitharaman will also lay wreaths at the Swatantra Jyoti in the Cellular Jail and the Tsunami memorial in Car Nicobar. Bangladesh Navy Ship Somudra Avijan on a goodwill visit to Vishakhapatnam Bangladesh Naval Ship Somudra Avijan arrived Vishakhapatnam on a four-day goodwill visit to the Eastern Naval Command on 16 October 17. Prior to the arrival, the ship carried out Passage Exercise which included naval manoeuvres in the Bay of Bengal prior to entering into the port. The Bangladesh Navy ship was accorded a warm reception by officials from the ENC and Eastern Fleet with the Indian Naval Band in attendance on arrival. BNS Somudra Avijan, commanded by Commander M Moniruzzaman (TAS), Psc, BN is a part of Cadet Training Squadron with 60 cadets embarked onboard sea training. During the stay in Vizag, a variety of activities including professional, cross deck visit, sports fixture and social interactions have been scheduled for the crew. The commanding officer will also call-on Vice Admiral HCS Bisht, PVSM AVSM ADC, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief ENC. Ministry WCD launches campaign on 'women for women': #IamThatWoman In an attempt to end Gender bias in women against women, the Ministry of Women and Child Development is undertaking an online campaign #IamThatWoman. Through the campaign, the Ministry seeks to highlight the various aspects of women standing 'by' and 'for' women. Ministry of WCD has urged people to shun stereotypes associated with women harming other women. Twitter and Facebook users have been encouraged to tag and share stories of women helping women with a photograph and post online with the hashtag #IamThatWoman. Minister for Women and Child Development, Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi said, "When a woman has the support of her womanhood, she can be unstoppable. Through this campaign, we aim to shed light on the enormous contributions made by women for women. A mother-in-law can be her daughter-in-law's best companion. It is time we did away with the 'in-law' in 'daughter-in-law'. A woman manager can easily empathise with her female juniors and help her climb the ladder of success. Likewise, a landlady's affection towards a female tenant makes a world of difference in making the young girl feel at home, away from home. Join the '#IamThatWoman' campaign and spread the message that a woman can move mountains for another woman." Posts can be made on the links given below: Twitter Minister: @ManekaGandhiBJP; Twitter Ministry: @MinistryWCD; Facebook Minister: @ManekaGandhiOfficial; Facebook Ministry: @MinistryWCD ***




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Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs Date: 18.10.2017, Wednesday Xi lays out vision for “new era” led by “still stronger” Communist Party Chinese President Xi Jinping opened a critical Communist Party Congress on Wednesday with a pledge to build a “modern socialist country” for a “new era" that will be proudly Chinese, steadfastly ruled by the party but open to the world. Xi’s wideranging speech, which ran nearly three-and-a-half hours, laid out a confident vision for an increasingly prosperous China and its place in the world, stressing the importance of wiping out corruption and making clear there were no plans for political reform. “Through a long period of hard work, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, this is a new historical direction in our country’s development,” Xi said, using the term “new era” 36 times. The twice-a-decade congress, a week-long, mostly closed-door conclave, will culminate with the selection of a new Politburo Standing Committee that will rule China’s 1.4 billion people for the next five years, with Xi expected to consolidate his grasp on power. Xi addressed more than 2,000 delegates in Beijing’s cavernous Great Hall of the People, including 91-year-old former president Jiang Zemin, under tight security on a rainy, smoggy morning. On the economic front, Xi said that China would relax market access for foreign investment, expand access to its services sector and deepen market-oriented reform of its exchange rate and financial system, “while at the same time strengthening state firms,” he said. Heavy on aspiration As expected, the speech was heavy on aspiration and short on specific measures, but during Xi’s first term, China disappointed many expecting it to usher in more market-oriented reforms. In an indirect reference to US President Donald Trump's “America first” policy, Xi promised that China would be fully engaged with the world and reiterated pledges to tackle climate change. “No country can alone address the many challenges facing mankind; no country can afford to retreat into self-isolation,” Xi told the delegates, among them Buddhist monks, Olympic medalists, farmers and at least one astronaut. Xi envisioned China developing into a “basically” modernised socialist country by 2035, becoming one of the world’s most innovative countries with the income gap between urban and rural residents significantly reduced, and its environmental woes fundamentally eliminated. By 2050, Xi said, China would become a modern socialist “strong power” with leading influence on the world stage. But he signalled there would be no political reforms. “China’s political system was the broadest, most genuine and most effective way to safeguard the fundamental interests of the people,” said Xi, who has overseen a sweeping crackdown on civil society, locking up rights lawyers and dissidents. “We should not just mechanically copy the political systems of other countries,” he said. “We must unwaveringly uphold and improve party leadership and make the party still stronger.” Frim on graft, Taiwan Xi praised the party’s successes, particularly his high-profile anti-graft campaign—which has seen more than a million officials punished and dozens of former senior officials jailed—and warned the campaign would never end as corruption was the “gravest threat” the party faces. “We must remain as firm as a Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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rock in our resolve to build on the overwhelming momentum and secure a sweeping victory,” Xi said. On self-ruled Taiwan, claimed by Beijing as its own, Xi said that China would never allow the island to separate from China, and he also said that China would strive to fully transform its armed forces into a world-class military by the mid-21st century. He made no mention of neighbouring North Korea, which has angered Beijing with repeated nuclear and ballistic missile tests in defiance of UN sanctions and which sent a congratulatory message ahead of the meeting. Xi has consolidated power swiftly since assuming the party leadership in 2012, locking up political rivals for corruption, restructuring the military and asserting China’s rising might on the world stage. Focus at the congress will be on how Xi plans to put his expanded authority to use. Key questions include whether Xi ally and top corruption-buster Wang Qishan will stay on past traditional retirement age and to what extent Xi will promote allies to senior positions. Xi: Next Chairman? Close attention will also be paid to any moves that would enable Xi to stay on in a leadership capacity after his second term ends in 2022. That could include resurrecting the position of party chairman, a title that would put him on par with the founding father of modern China, Mao Zedong. Such decisions will be formally announced at the end of the congress next week. “In all aspects he is on the right track to be our next Chairman Mao,” Su Shengcheng, a delegate from the northwestern province of Qinghai, told Reuters. “He will lead the party and Central Committee to continue its way to success.” As with other major set-piece events held in the capital, Beijing has been blanketed with security, with long lines at some suburban subways stations as passengers waited to go through metal detectors and be patted down. Coverage in state media and across the city has kicked into overdrive, with large red banners plastered around Beijing welcoming the congress, while censors have stepped up already tight monitoring of the internet. Tencent Holdings Ltd’s WeChat, China’s top social media platform with more than 960 million users, released a short statement late on Tuesday saying that, due to “system maintenance” users will be unable to modify profile pictures, nicknames and tag lines until the end of the month. The disabled features are sporadically used to show solidarity for popular social and political causes. Xi assures neighbours to resolve disputes through dialogue President Xi Jinping today assured China's jittery neighbours that Beijing is ready to resolve its disputes through dialogue but not at the expense of its strategic interests, as he opened a key meeting of the ruling Communist party elite that will boost his grip on power with a second term and even an unprecedented third innings. Xi, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), called the progress China had made under his watch "truly remarkable," but told the over 2,000 delegates attending the 19th Party Congress that more needed to be done as the country moves towards a goal of "national rejuvenation". "Our party, our people, our forces, and our nation have changed in ways without precedent," the 64-year-old top leader said from the Great Hall of the People adjoining the Tiananmen Square in the heart of Beijing on the opening day of the week-long meeting. He said China will never pursue development at the expense of others, nor will China ever give up its legitimate rights and interests. "No one should expect China to swallow anything that undermines its interests," he said amid thumping applause from over 2,300 delegates who attended the meeting telecast live. About the neighbours, Xi said China would "deepen relations its neighbours in accordance with the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness and the policy of forging friendship and partnership". "We should commit to settling disputes through dialogue and resolving differences through discussion, coordinate responses to traditional and non-traditional threats and oppose terrorism in all its forms," Xi said. His comments assume significance in the backdrop of the recent military standoff between India and China in Dokalam area in the Sikkim sector. China was Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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engaged in a number of maritime disputes with the neighbours in the South and East China seas. In his address, Xi also vowed make the People's Liberation Army (PLA) a world class military during his over a three-and-a half hour speech at the once-in-a-five-year Congress which is set to confirm his second term and anoint a new generation of leaders to work with him. He spoke also highlighted the importance of rebuilding of the CPC while keeping its socialist structure intact. At the opening session, the party put up a united show with most of the top retired leaders including former presidents Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao besides former Premiers Wen Jiabao and several other erstwhile leaders sharing the dais with Xi. The meeting, amidst tight security and internet censorship, will also amend the party's Constitution. Xi spoke at length of strengthening the military, need for continuation of his massive anti-corruption drive and bringing a "new era of socialism" and Chinese rejuvenation. Xi spoke at length about his plans to make the 2.3- million strong PLA, the world's largest military, into a world class force. By the year 2020, mechanisation will be basically achieved, with IT application coming a long way and strategic capabilities seeing a big improvement, he said. The modernisation of the national defence and armed forces should be basically completed by 2035, by which the "armed forces have been fully transformed into worldclass military forces," he said. The Chinese military, which underwent massive reform drive since Xi took over power in 2012, has over USD 141 billion annual budget next only to the US military. Unlike the militaries elsewhere, the Chinese military functions directly under the leadership of the party. Xi is the Chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission (CMC), the overall high command of the PLA. Xi also devoted his address to mostly to strengthening the CPC, which has ruled the country since 1949. "We must unwaveringly uphold and improve Party leadership and make the Party still stronger," he said. Xi, who in the past warned the party of going the way the Soviet Communist Party collapsed in 1991, said the defining feature of the party is socialism with Chinese characteristics. Founded in 1921, the CPC has about 89-million members with more than 4.5 million grassroots organisations. Last year, Xi was endorsed as the core leader, a status bestowed on party founder Mao Zedong and his successor Deng Xiaoping. By heading the party, presidency and the military, Xi has emerged as the most powerful leader in the country. His ideological teachings are expected to be made part of the amended CPC Constitution during the Congress to ensure his legacy. Only the names of Mao and Deng were part of the CPC Constitution. Observers say with consolidation of power and having bulldozed the remnants of opposition in the party through his massive anti-corruption drive, Xi may be declared as the Chairman of the CPC and may even have an unprecedented, third term after 2022. All Chinese leaders retire at the age of 68. In his speech, Xi also pledged to make a sweeping victory in its fight against corruption. Calling corruption "the greatest threat" the Party faces, Xi said the situation in the fight against corruption remains "grave and complex." The CPC will prevent any interest groups from arising within the Party, Xi said, adding that wherever offenders may flee, they shall be brought back and brought to justice. Since he took over power, more than 280 centrally- administered officials were investigated and over 1.4 million officials were punished, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Irani asks Congress to come clean on Bofors Union minister Smriti Irani today sought to put the Congress in the dock on the Bofors issue, citing claims of a private investigator involved in its probe, and asked it to come clean on the involvement of its leaders in the alleged scam. Targeting the opposition party, she told reporters that its leaders, including its chief Sonia Gandhi, have been shown to be too eager to grab undue benefits whether it is a matter of an air ticket upgrade or a scam like the Bofors deal. Quoting from private detective Michael Hershman's interviews to some media houses, she said he was asked by then Finance Minister V P Singh to look into the Bofors deal but was later offered bribe and then given death threat when he stumbled on the evidence of bribe. The then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi shifted Singh to the defence ministry while Hershman was also asked to implicate Singh, she said. Quoting him, Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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she said the owner of a Pakistani-run Bank of Credit and Commerce International, which had been allegedly involved in money laundering and other financial crimes, or his representative met Rajiv Gandhi with a large suitcase. Following this, the bank, which was shut after a CBI raid in connection with the Bofors deal, was allowed to open and its detained officials were released, she said. "Who were offering bribe? Why did a Congress leader (Rajiv Gandhi) choose to silence his own minister (Singh)? "For too long the Congress has kept conveniently quiet. It is time that it answers as to what was the role of Congress leaders then and now," she asked, adding that many of them are still around. The Congress has had a tendency to either bribe or give death threats to people looking into dubious deals involving its leaders, she alleged. Hershman's interviews have brought to life the "sordid saga" of Bofors. Irani parried queries asked by the Congress at a press conference in which it questioned then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's, now prime minister, 100 trips in private chartered flights. She said the Congress was trying to prove its leaders involved in the Bofors case and Robert Vadra, Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law involved in controversial land deals, innocent. Its leader have not responded to Hershman's claims or fresh charges against Vadra, she said. To a question, the information and broadcasting minister said the Congress should have filed a defamation suit against Hershman if it believed he was wrong as she noted that Jay Shah, the son of BJP chief Amit Shah, had filed a Rs 100-crore suit against a news portal over a story on his business. In the press conference, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra cited the BJP's victory in 1,311 seats against 312 of the Congress in Maharashtra local body polls to claim that people have rejected the opposition's narrative against the Modi government. "For the BJP, the party is family and for the Congress, the family is party," he said, in a dig at the Gandhi family. I-T dept launches 'online chat' to answer taxpayers queries The Income Tax Department has launched an 'online chat' service for taxpayers so that they can seek answers to their basic queries and doubts relating to direct tax issues. A window has been hosted on the main page of the department's website -- www.incometaxindia.gov.in/ -with a prominent icon stating 'Live Chat Online- ask your query'. "A team of experts from the department and independent tax practitioners has been deputed to answer the general queries of a taxpayer. This first-time initiative is aimed to enhance taxpayer services in the country," the officer said. He added that more features would be added to the online chat system based on the feedback received by the department. A person can enter the 'chat room' by furnishing an email-id and ask questions as a guest. "An option has also been provided to the taxpayer for emailing the entire chat to their ids for future reference," the officer said. A precautionary note at the beginning of the chat, however, states: "The replies are based on the opinion of the expert and in no manner it should be interpreted as the clarification by the Income-tax Department on any matter." Last year, the I-T department had set up a new dedicated directorate within its establishment to monitor and resolve grievances of tax payers. Gandhi museum inaugurated in Durban on land owned by Mahatma On the eve of Diwali, a Gandhi museum has been inaugurated on a small piece of land once owned by Mahatma Gandhi in the coastal city of Durban. Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh inaugurated the museum yesterday, which will reflect the life and universal influence of Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi owned the land in 1897 and used to hold public meetings there when the Natal Indian Congress planned its fight against laws discriminating against Indians in South Africa. When Gandhi left Durban in 1914, he transferred the ownership of the premises to the Natal Indian Congress, Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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which had planned to erect a new building in 1964. But the plans were scuppered by the apartheid-era laws prohibiting this, resulting in the site being used as a car park by the 1980's before the MGMT initiated the museum plans. Many original artefacts, some retained unrestored, such as a spinning wheel, are on display at the museum. Singh, who was in Durban to attend the 8th IBSA Trilateral Ministerial Commission and the 17th Meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Indian Ocean Rim Association, also inaugurated two other projects in the city that were sponsored by India following pledges after a visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July last year. The Mahatma Gandhi Memorial, first conceived eight years ago, in what was once the heart of Durban's Indian community, has been established after a grant of over R 1.25 million was provided by the Government of India to the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Trust (MGMT). The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government also contributed about a million rand for the project. An exhibition titled 'Gandhi in Durban' has been set up at the newly-constructed venue by the Durban Local History Museum in consultation with the MGMT, reflecting the life and universal influence of Mahatma Gandhi. Singh also inaugurated kitchen and dining facilities at Ramakrishna Abalindi Home in Inanda, adjacent to the Phoenix Settlement started by Mahatma Gandhi during his tenure in the city. Modi had announced during his visit a grant of R1 million for the organisation, which provides support to indigent aged people, terminally ill, AIDS/HIV patients and also runs a cr che for poor children, an orphanage and a skills development centre for youth. At the Phoenix Settlement, which also received a grant of R1m from India, Singh inaugurated the Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Information Technology. The facility at the venue where Gandhi started and ran his newspaper 'Indian Opinion' is now equipped with latest computers and other IT equipment, dedicated to providing quality IT education to South African youth. CBI to look into Michael Hershman's Bofors allegations The Central Bureau of Investigation, CBI has said that facts and circumstances as mentioned in interview of Michael Hershman on Bofors will be looked into by it. CBI Spokesperson Abhishek Dayal said, it has learnt of matter pertaining to Bofors, aired on a TV channel containing Hershman's interview. In the interview, Hershman, the President and CEO of the Fairfax Group had mentioned about bribery in the Bofors case. He had also said that he was offered bribes to stop investigation. Paramilitary forces should be deployed only in emergencies: Centre Centre today told state governments that paramilitary forces are not substitute to state police and should be deployed only in emergencies. In a communication to all states, the Home Ministry asked them to set up a committee for examining requirements of central armed police forces (CAPF) by keeping in view the internal security, intelligence inputs and availability of central forces in nearby locations. The Ministry said the central government has formulated standard operating procedures for deployment of CAPFs and according to it, the central forces will be able to meet more pressing commitments like guarding borders, fighting insurgency and anti-national operations which need immediate mobilisation of forces. The Ministry said the state governments often make requests for deployment of CAPFs even for occasions where state should normally be in a position to take all security measures from their own resources by dispatching police and state armed police. This came in the backdrop of tussle with the West Bengal government over the deployment of Central forces in Darjeeling. The West Bengal government moved the Calcutta High Court and got a stay against the central government's move to withdraw 700 CAPF personnel from Darjeeling, where an agitation demanding a separate state is on. Govt abolishes monthly charges on DSPT used by soldiers, army officers The Government has abolished the monthly charges on Digital Satellite Phone Terminal, DSPT which is used by soldiers and officers of various army and para-military units deployed in remote and far flung areas. They have to use DSPT service provided by BSNL as no other means of communications is available there. Briefing the media in New Delhi, Communications Minister Manoj Sinha said, to use the Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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DSPT facility soldiers and officers at present were paying monthly fee 500 rupees and call charges of 5 rupees per minute. He said, from Diwali day tomorrow, no monthly fee will be taken for using the service. He said, the present telephone charges of 5 rupees per minute has been reduced to 1 rupee. He said, with this special Diwali Gift from Centre, Defence personnel can now talk without worrying for more expenses to their home and their Headquarters. India signs pact to send interns to Japan for training India has signed a Memorandum of Co-operation (MoC) with Japan to send youngsters there as technical interns for on-the-job training for a period of three to five years. The MoC on Technical Intern Training Programme was signed by Skill Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Japanese Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare with Katsunobu Kato in Tokyo yesterday. India is the third country with which Japan has signed the MoC. As per the Japan’s official data for 2016-end, approximately 2.3 lakh technical intern trainees from multiple countries are on training in the island nation. Centre seeks report over death of 11 year old girl reportedly due to starvation Centre has sought report from Jharkhand government over the death of a 11-year-old girl reportedly due to starvation. It will also send a team to probe the incident. In a series of tweets, Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said, it is a matter of concern that even after three months of implementation of Food Security Act in the state, the beneficiary did not get the benefit. However, the people are entitled to get allowances of 1.25 times higher than the MSP, if they are not getting ration under the Act. He said, the Central government has given food grains to state government every month. The Minister demanded action against the officers responsible for the lapses saying he has also asked Food Secretary to probe it. Last month, the girl died at her village in Simdega district, months after the administration allegedly stopped giving her family subsidized food. Pak govt seeks extension of Hafiz Saeed's detention The Pakistan government has sought the extension of Mumbai attacks mastermind and Jamaat-udDawa Chief Hafiz Saeed's detention under the public safety law. The move comes two days after the government withdrew its application to prolong Saeed's house arrest under the antiterrorism law. The Jamaat-ud-Dawa Chief, who has been under house arrest since January, was presented before a three-member Punjab provincial judicial review board in Lahore. The detention period is scheduled to expire on the 24th of this month. The board issued notices to Advocate General Punjab and foreign and interior secretaries to appear before it tomorrow to tell as to why the government wants the extension. Under the law, the government can detain a person for up to three months under different charges. The government can extend the detention only after the approval from the judicial review board. Shripad Naik calls for adoption of lifestyle, food habits close to nature Minister of state, independent charge, for AYUSH Shripad Naik has called for the adoption of lifestyle and food habits close to the nature as a measure to keep ailments at bay. Speaking at the valedictory function of AYUSH Festival of Stamps 2017 in Panaji, Goa today evening, Naik said, our forefathers were healthy and enjoyed sound health as they followed traditional lifestyle close to the nature. Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Nowadays, we are going away from the nature, which is the cause of health problems. Postal stamps related to ayurveda, yoga and related traditional practices from India and abroad were displayed at the event, which involved participation from over 5,000 school students. Haryana: Singer Harshita Dahiya shot dead in Panipat district A 22-year-old singer from Haryana, Harshita Dahiya was shot dead in Panipat district yesterday. Police said, the singer was shot by two unidentified youths when she was on her way back home in a car after her performance at a function in Chamrara village. A murder case has been registered and investigations are underway. Harshita was living in Narela in Delhi. Banks to provide funds at 7% to women SHGs under DAY-NRLM: RBI The RBI today said banks will provide funds to women self help groups, SHGs, in rural areas at 7 per cent under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) in the current fiscal. The central bank issued the revised guidelines on interest subvention scheme under DAY-NRLM, as received from the Ministry of Rural Development for implementation by 21 public sector banks and 19 private banks. All women SHGs will be eligible for interest subvention on credit upto 3 lakh rupees at 7 per cent per annum. Banks will be subvented to the extent of difference between the Weighted Average Interest Charged and 7 per cent subject to the maximum limit of 5.5 per cent for the year 2017-18. The notification said subvention will be available to banks on the condition that they make SHG credit available at 7 per cent per annum. The Ministry of Rural Development in consultation with state governments will harmonise State specific interest subvention schemes, if any, in line with the central scheme.The interest subvention scheme on credit to women SHG during 2017-18 is applicable in 250 districts across the country. Central forces can't substitute state police: MHA to states The Union Home Ministry has told state governments that paramilitary forces cannot substitute state police and should be deployed only in emergencies. In a communication to all states, the ministry also asked all state governments to set up a committee for examining requirements of central armed police forces (CAPF) by keeping in view the internal security, intelligence inputs and availability of central forces in nearby locations. It said the central government has formulated standard operating procedures (SOPs) for deployment of CAPFs and according to it, the central forces would be able to meet more pressing commitments like guarding borders, fighting insurgency, anti-national operations and in related situations which need immediate mobilisation of forces. "CAPFs can't substitute the state police force as their deployment is related to emergency crisis in states for maintaining law and order," the communication said. The ministry, in the communication, said the state governments often make requests to the Centre for deployment of CAPFs even for occasions where state should normally be in a position to take all security measures from their own resources by dispatching police and state armed police. "State governments are reluctant to de-induct CAPFs and keep requesting for extension which should not ordinarily be made unless there are adequate security reasons for their extension. "Deployment of CAPF companies has a cost associated with it and the state governments are required to pay the charges as laid down in the government policy. Incidentally, there Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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are significant outstanding amount against the states and Union territories," it said. Asking the state governments to follow the SOPs, the ministry said each state should constitute a state-level committee under the chairmanship of Additional Director General of Police (law and order), where representatives of Intelligence Bureau and CAPFs at the level of DIG may be co- opted. "These committees may examine and scrutinise the requirements of CAPFs by keeping in view the internal security, previous scale of deployment, optimal utilisation of state resources, intelligence inputs and availability of CAPFs in nearby locations," it said. The recommendation of the committee must be specific and indicate the quantum of CAPFs deployment and duration along with the jurisdictions. Requests for extension of deployment and increase in the quantum must also be examined by the committee on similar lines. "Government has sanctioned many India Reserve Battalions in the states and these are not being used optimally by the state governments. “The purpose of the IRBs scheme is to make the state self-sufficient in dealing with the law and order and internal security situation by avoiding being dependent on CAPFs," the home ministry communication said. Govt. announces reduced call charges for soldiers to connect with families Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha on Wednesday said armed as well as para-military forces like nits like CRPF, BSF, BRO, ITBP, etc will now be able to make calls to their families using satellite phone for Re 1 per minute from Thursday. The current call rate for most of such connections was Rs 5 per minute, although some subsidised ones paid Re 1. "On the eve of Diwali, we are announcing that Armed forces and para-military forces stationed in remote areas and tough terrains on borders will be able to make satellite phone calls at the rate of Re 1 per minute, instead of Rs 5 applicable on it. This will enable them to talk their family for longer duration," Sinha said. The minister also announced that no rental will be charged from security forces from Thursday. "At present, Rs 500 monthly rent is charged for satellite phone connections from security forces. From tomorrow onwards, they will not need to pay any rental," Sinha said. The call charge was Re 1 in 2009-10 to begin with, to be revised every 5 years. "We have decided that charges will be Re 1 only per call and not increased to Rs 5," Sinha said. Telecom Secretary Aruna Sundararajan said the cost will have an impact of Rs 3-4 crore per annum which will be borne by the government. At present there are 2,500 satellite phone connections operational in the country. "We have capacity of 5,000 connections. We are informing the defence and the home ministries that more connections can be given. The total capacity can be further increased, if required, in six months," Sinha said. The soldiers and officers are working day and night without bothering about difficult weather conditions and as they are posted away from their homes and headquarters, there is a constant requirement for them to speak to their family and also to their Headquarters. With this special Diwali Gift from Government of India, Defence personnel can now talk without worrying for more expenses to their home and their Headquarter. The Minister also wished the jawans and officers and their family members a very Happy Diwali. 1,000 branches rationalised post the merger of associate banks, says SBI Deputy MD State Bank of India (SBI) has rationalised 1,000 branches in the April-September 2017 period, post acquisition of five associate banks and the Bharatiya Mahila Bank, said a senior official. Prashant Kumar, Deputy Managing Director, SBI, said: “After the merger we had almost 24,000 branches. So far, 1,000 branches have been rationalised. This (rationalisation) we were planning to do by December-end but we could complete that by September-end. So, the entire branch rationalisation part is over.” Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Voluntary retirement Out of 80,000 employees of the erstwhile associate banks, almost 3,500 had opted for voluntary retirement, Kumar said at an event where SBI Foundation, the CSR subsidiary of State Bank of India, sanctioned ₹10 crore for conservation and restoration of Mumbai’s iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), a UNESCO world heritage site. Kumar said his bank is in the process of completing recruitment of almost 2,000 probationary officers. After assessing the manpower requirement, the bank may go for recruitment in the clerical cadre also. ‘Digital’ villages The senior SBI official elaborated that as part of its CSR initiative his bank has so far identified 50 villages for turning them into ‘digital’ villages. Going forward, across the country, the bank would identify almost 500 villages, especially from backward States. “So, each of these villages will become a digital village. There would be 100 per cent financial inclusion and financial literacy. “There would be scope for employment so that these villages can sustain over a period of time. And all these villages will be having healthcare and schooling facilities,” he said. American author George Saunders wins Man Booker Prize for 2017 The American author and bookies’ favourite George Saunders was named as the winner of the 2017 Man Booker Prize. He is the second American to have won the award since the prize was opened up to anyone regardless of their nationality in 2014. Three of the six authors who made it to the short list were from the US, alongside two Britons and Pakistani-British author Mohsin Hamid. Announcing the prestigious £50,000 price, Lola Young who chaired the judging panel insisted the shortlisted books and authors “defied categorisation in terms of nationality”, reflecting the reality of vast numbers of people who cris-crossed the world to answer questions that “perplexed us all.” Saunders’ Lincoln in the Bardo, which focuses on a single night in 1862 and the burial of Abraham Lincoln’s 11-year-old son, was seen as the most experimental of the short listed novels and is the first long-form novel of the author, best known for his short stories. “The form and style of this utterly original novel, reveals a witty, intelligent and deeply moving narrative,” said Baroness Young. “Lincoln in the Bardo is both rooted in and plays with history, and explores the meaning and experience of empathy.” Alongside Saunders, Hamid’s tale of the global migration crisis, Exit West made it to the short list, with Paul Auster’s 4321, Emily Fridlund’s History of Wolves, Ali Smith’s Autumn, and Fiona Mozley’s Elmet. Arundathi Roy’s first novel in 20 years, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness and Zadie Smith’s Swing Time were among the books by leading authors not to make the final six. Young said that the choice of Saunders had involved five hours of deliberation, with a decision reached just hours before the announcement on Tuesday evening. Accepting the £50,000 award, Saunders said the “strange time” we lived in presented a simple question: “do we respond to fear with exclusion and negative projections or violence, or do we take that…great leap of faith and try to respond to with love? And with faith in what seems other is actually not other at all but just us on another day.” “In the US we are hearing a lot about the need to protect culture… well tonight this is culture, it is international culture, it is compassionate culture, activist culture,” he said. “It is a room full of believers through the word, in beauty and ambiguity….in trying to see the other’s point of view even when its hard…believers in trying to eliminate hatred and meanness and lazy habitual thinking. Even when especially when we find these in our selves.” Born in Texas, and a graduate in exploration geophysics, Saunders worked as a geophysicist in the field, a doorman, roofer and other roles before moving into writing and journalism. Alongside six collections of short stories he has written two screenplays. His collection Tenth of December won the Folio Prize in 2014 and the Story Prize in 2013. While Saunders had spent the past four years working on Lincoln in the Bardo (“my writing is very iterative, I do a lot of revising”, he told gathered journalsits) the story was one that was 20 years in the making, originating in his fascination with that moment in time, Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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and his subsequent attempt to find a way into a character so familiar to people across the world. He contrasted Lincoln who from being a “typical Midwestern guy” who underwent a “spiritual growth spurt” which grew his“compassion and heart”, with that of the current US administration that seemed “intent on shrinking” the commonwealth of compassion until we only care about people who are exactly like us. It’s a complete eradication of the American ideal.” India, Mozambique agree to develop Rovuma gas discovery India and Mozambique today agreed to expedite development of the giant Rovuma gas discovery, which is planned to be converted into LNG for exports. Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who is here to attend the LNG Producer–Consumer Conference, met his Mozambique counterpart Leticia Klemens to discuss the development of the gas field. “Met Energy Minister of Mozambique; agreed to expedite our project of gas development where Indian companies have invested about USD 6.5 billion,” Pradhan said in a Twitter post. ONGC Videsh Ltd, the overseas arm of stateowned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC), holds 16 per cent stake in Mozambique offshore block Rovuma Area–1. Oil India Ltd has 4 per cent stake while a unit of Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) holds 10 per cent stake. The Area 1 covers roughly 10,000 square kilometer area and is located in northernmost part of offshore Mozambique Rovuma Basin. According to OVL, second and final exploration phase for Area–1 ended on January 31, 2015 and have resulted in five discoveries, with combined recoverable resource of about 60 trillion cubic feet. Area 1 represents one of the largest natural gas discoveries in offshore East Africa and has the potential to become one of the world’s largest LNG producing hubs. Area–1 plans to develop initially two LNG trains of capacity 6 million tonnes per annum each. “Area–1 is working towards taking final investment decision (FID) as quickly as possible,” OVL said on its website. “Area–1 has also incorporated Mozambique LNG1 Company Pte Ltd in Singapore to oversee marketing and shipping activities of LNG from first 2 trains of Golfinho–Atum field.” The partners are negotiating with buyers for conversion of existing non-binding Heads of Agreements (HOAs) to Sales Purchase Agreements (SPAs). Area–1 targets to raise up to USD 12–15 billion through project finance, it added. DIPP launches logo contest to promote Geographical Indications A contest has been launched for designing a common logo and tagline for Geographical Indications to increase awareness about intellectual property rights, the Commerce and Industry Ministry said on Wednesday. A Geographical Indication (GI) is primarily an agricultural, natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory. Typically, such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness, which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin. Darjeeling Tea, Tirupathi Laddu, Kangra Paintings, Nagpur Orange and Kashmir Pashmina are among the registered GIs in India. The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), under the ministry, “aims to launch a certifying GI mark/logo that can be used to identify all registered GIs irrespective of the categories, and a suitable tagline/slogan for promotion of GIs,” the Ministry said in a statement. The contest was launched by the Cell for IPR Promotions & Management (CIPAM) MyGov.in website. CIPAM, which works under the aegis of the DIPP, has also started “Gift a GI” campaign to help in branding and promotion of registered GI products. Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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The last date for receiving entries is November 17. The winning entry will receive a cash award of ₹50,000 each, for logo design and slogan, it added. Hyderabad Rajiv Gandhi International Airport bags award Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) has bagged the World 1 airport Award trophy of the Airports Council International (ACI) in the 5-15 million passengers per annum category. The Airport run by the GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd. (GHIAL), received the trophy from Angela Gittens, Director General of the ACI and Bongani Maseko, CEO, Airports Company South Africa during the 27th ACI Africa World Annual General Assembly, Conference & Exhibition in Port Louis, Mauritius on Tuesday. Furthermore, this year’s ACI ASQ Award marks the 8th consecutive year of Global Top 3 ranking by RGIA in its size category, The ASQ survey statistics shows that Hyderabad Airport has steadily improved its score from 4.4 in 2009 to 4.9 in 2016 (measured on a scale of 1 to 5). SGK Kishore, CEO of GHIAL who received the award said the recognition boosts brand Hyderabad. The Airport is gearing up to offer a set of whole new experiences for passengers with the airport expansion on the anvil. A host of new technology-enabled passenger processing solutions are also being prepared for roll out, which will further cement Hyderabad Airport's position as a leader in leveraging technology for delivering enhanced passenger experience, a press release said. As the industry’s most comprehensive passenger service benchmarking tool, the ACI ASQ Survey has reliably captured passengers’ immediate appraisal from check-in through departure at the gate at more than 300 airports worldwide. Facebook, Google should be treated as media firms: Sorrell The thin line separating the influence of social media from that of mainstream media seems to be blurring, leading to a debate that norms governing traditional news media should be adopted online too. Martin Sorrell, founder of WPP, which is among the world’s largest advertising and marketing services groups, believes companies such as Google and Facebook can no longer be termed as just technology companies. “The growth and influence of these companies have created big questions. I don’t believe these companies, particularly Google and Facebook, are technology companies, but they are media companies. Though they publicly take a position that they are technology companies, I think that is wrong,” Sorrell said at a select media round-table here. Pointing to issues such as consumer brand safety and data privacy, besides issues of fake news and fraud, among others, Sorrell said: “Just like other media companies — channels, newspapers, magazines, digital channels — are held legally responsible in many countries for the accuracy of the content they print, propagate or publish, I believe these technology companies have to take the responsibility for their content,” said Sorrell. “I believe these technology companies will have to step up to the fact that they are media companies. Admit it, get on with it and be responsible for the content.” Elaborating, he said Facebook has hired over 3,000 people to monitor its editorial content, which according to him is a clear indication that they are acknowledging the fact that they are also media firms. Sorrell added that “algorithms need to be controlled by humans. This is a serious issue.” ‘Indian bull’ Asked about WPP’s views on doing business in India, he said: “I remain bullish on India not just in the short term, but also for the long term.” While agreeing that there will be short-term dislocations when a government tries to bring about change (such as the Goods and Services Tax regime), he said he remains Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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very optimistic about India. The reason for the optimism could also be from the fact that the rest of the world is facing fairly tough conditions. On WPP, he said: “Last year, I was hoping that we will break through in India with $600 million in revenues, which we did this year. We expect to hit $700 million next year, which will be a considerable achievement. “So, I remain an Indian bull, I am not an Indian bear. Has GST or demonetisation posed issues or problems? I guess the answer is: yes. In our conversations with people, it is pointed out. But, this is short-term,” he said, adding that “brand India is in strong shape.” ***




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Pak anti-graft court indicts Sharif, his daughter, son-in law Pakistan's ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law were indicted today by an anti-graft court in a corruption case related to the Avenfield property in London. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had registered three cases of corruption and money laundering against 67- year-old Sharif, his family members and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in the accountability court in Islamabad on September 8. The cases were registered weeks after the Supreme Court disqualified Sharif as prime minister on July 28 in the Panama Papers scandal. The accountability court indicted Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Capt (retd) Mohammad Safdar in the London properties reference even though Sharif and lead defence counsel Khawaja Haris are both out of the country. Sharif is in London with his ailing wife Kulsoom, who is suffering from throat cancer and has undergone three surgeries so far. Maryam and Safdar were present in the court during today's hearing. All three accused pleaded not guilty to the charges, according to a court official. Dar has already been indicted and his trial has begun. Sharif and his sons - Hassan and Hussain - are likely to be indicted in the other two references later today. At the start of the hearing by Judge Muhammad Bashir, the defence filed application to postpone the indictment as Sharif was absent due to illness of his wife. The defence team also argued that head of Sharif's legal team Harris was out of country due to an emergency and in his absence Sharif should not be indicted. But the court rejected the application after hearing the argument. The second lawyer from Sharif's legal team, Ayesha Hamid, filed an application seeking a delay in the indictment until the apex court decides on a petition filed by Sharif against the filing of multiple corruption references against him by NAB. The court rejected this application as well. Sharif's leagal team then filed a third application in the accountability court and asked that all three cases should be changed into a single case. The court has reserved its decision on the application. During the proceedings, the judge thrice stopped hearing and went to his chamber to contemplate on the different applications. Sharif's family alleges that the cases are politically motivated. Maryam, in informal chat with reporters, said that it was for the first time that "Sicilian mafia" was appearing in the court. She was referring to a term used against Sharif and his family by the Supreme Court bench which disqualified him. "It is for the first time that first decision was given (about disqualification of Sharif) and now trial is being held," she said. Sharif, his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and independent lawyers had objected to the use of phrase by the Supreme Court, saying mafia groups are seldom held accountable or appear before courts with free will. Maryam said that one day there would be accountability of the accountability process her family is going through. "Injustice and atrocities cannot continue together," she told reporters outside the court. She said that her party is still united despite the differences of opinion. Sharif was re-elected as the president of the PML-N on October 3 and immediately demanded that those who disqualified him should respect the people's mandate. Maryam said the government is an institution which should be respected. "Each institution should do its job." Heavy security arrangements were made to deal with any untoward situation. Unlike the previous hearing on October 13 when lawyers created chaos, the situation was totally different, peaceful and smooth. Judge Bashir was set to indict Sharif and his family on October 13. However, after the violent clash between the PMLN lawyers and police, he had postponed the indictment until today. During the hearing on October 9, Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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the court had decided to separate the trial of Sharif's sons - Hussain and Hassan - from Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law. It had also ordered to start the process of declaring Sharif's sons proclaimed offender for failing to appear before the court. The anti-graft body NAB had frozen the bank accounts and seized properties of Sharif and his family members to put pressure on them to appear before the court. A steel tycoon cum politician, Sharif had served as the Prime Minister for the first time from 1990 to 1993. During his first tenure, Sharif developed serious differences with conservative president Ghulam Ishaq Khan, who dissolved the National Assembly using his powers in April 1993. In July, Sharif resigned under pressure from the army. His second term as Prime Minister from 1997 ended in 1999 when then powerful Army Chief Pervez Musharraf carried out a bloodless coup. Sharif, who leads the country s most powerful political family and the ruling PML-N party, successfully managed to swim through all the tsunamis since he assumed power for the third term in June 2013, but the Supreme Court ruling against him in the Panamagate case struck a heavy blow to his career. His political future has been hanging in balance since then. Banks to provide funds at 7% to women SHGs under DAY-NRLM: RBI The RBI today said banks will provide funds to women self help groups, SHGs, in rural areas at 7 per cent under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) in the current fiscal. The central bank issued the revised guidelines on interest subvention scheme under DAY-NRLM, as received from the Ministry of Rural Development for implementation by 21 public sector banks and 19 private banks. All women SHGs will be eligible for interest subvention on credit upto 3 lakh rupees at 7 per cent per annum. Banks will be subvented to the extent of difference between the Weighted Average Interest Charged and 7 per cent subject to the maximum limit of 5.5 per cent for the year 2017-18. The notification said subvention will be available to banks on the condition that they make SHG credit available at 7 per cent per annum. The Ministry of Rural Development in consultation with state governments will harmonise State specific interest subvention schemes, if any, in line with the central scheme.The interest subvention scheme on credit to women SHG during 2017-18 is applicable in 250 districts across the country. Jacinda Ardern to be New Zealand's youngest woman leader New Zealand is to get its youngest-ever female Prime Minister after a minority party threw its support behind Labour leader Jacinda Ardern, who took over the left-wing party only three months ago. Winston Peters, the leader of the anti-immigration NZ First party, announced in a live TV broadcast that he would support Ardern in a coalition government, after September's election returned a hung parliament. The 37-year old will become New Zealand's third female leader. Speaking after the announcement she said it was an absolute honor and a privilege to form a government for all New Zealanders. The announcement ended almost a month of uncertainty, and weeks of negotiations, conducted by Peters with Ardern and the incumbent Prime Minister Bill English's National party over who could form the next government. The Labour-NZ First coalition controls 55 of the 120 seats in the country's parliament and the Green Party supporting it with eight lawmakers cross the 61-mark to pass policies. Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed's house arrest extended for 30 days Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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The Lahore High Court has extended the house arrest of Mumbai terror attacks mastermind and banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah Chief Hafiz Saeed for another 30 days. A court official said, the Punjab Judicial Review Board granted the extension after listening to the arguments of the government's law officer. The detention will be applicable from the 24th of this month. The board, however, refused to extend the detention of Saeed's four accomplices. The Pakistan government had sought the extension under the public safety law. It had, earlier, withdrawn its application to prolong the house arrest under the anti-terrorism law. Saeed has been under house arrest since January. Plague cases in Madagascar almost doubled in 5 days: UN The United Nations has said, plague cases in Madagascar, the Indian Ocean Island nation, has almost doubled in last 5 days. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters that medical experts project that the situation will worsen, with 1,000 cases expected every month if funds aren't rapidly provided. he UN spokesman said, only 26 per cent of the 9.5 million US dollars needed to combat the outbreak of the deadly disease has been received. He said, UN humanitarian officials in the Indian Ocean island nation reported 1,032 cases as of Wednesday, 67 per cent of which were pneumonic plague. So far, 89 persons have died including 13 on Tuesday. According to 2016 WHO report, Madagascar has about 400 plague cases per year, or more than half the world's total. Not every inter-religious wedding is love jihad: Kerala HC The Kerala High Court today held that all inter-religious weddings cannot be viewed as 'love jihad' as it upheld a marriage between member of the two different community. A division bench comprising justices V Chitambaresh and Sathish Ninan made the observations in its judgement on a habeas corpus petition filed by the man. The bench said that it is appalled to notice the recent trend in Kerala to sensationalise every case of inter-religious marriage as either 'love jihad' or 'ghar wapsi' even if there was platonic love between the spouses before. The court cautioned that every case of inter-religious marriage shall not be portrayed on a religious canvass and create fissures in the communal harmony otherwise existing in Kerala. The bench also cited the Supreme Court order in the Lata Singh versus state of Uttar Pradesh case of 2004 to emphasise the need for encouraging inter-caste and inter-religious marriages. The division bench applauded the "extra-ordinary courage" shown by the girl to live up to her conviction and "decry the attempt of her parents to deflect the course of justice by misleading litigations". India, Russia to praticipate in first-ever tri-services military exercise The first-ever Tri Services Joint Exercise between Indian and Russian Armed Forces, INDRA-2017 began on Thursday near Vladivostok in Russia. Two indigenously built Indian Naval ships INS Satpura and INS Kadmatt reached Vladivostok Port yesterday and were given a traditional ceremonial welcome. The Indian contingent for the Exercise is led by the Task Force Commander Major General ND Prasad. The Exercise INDRA in its previous nine editions has been conducted as a single service exercise alternately between the two countries. This year the Exercise has been Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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upgraded to involve all the three Services Army, Navy and Air Force. It further accentuates the importance of Joint Services in the present world environment. The Exercise INDRA will be conducted from today at the 249th Combined Army Range Sergeevisky and in the Sea of Japan near Vladivostok. The Indian contingent comprises of 350 personnel from Army, 80 from Air Force, two IL 76 aircraft and one Frigate and Corvette each from the Navy. The Russian Federation Armed Forces will be represented by approximately 1000 troops of the 5th Army, Marines and Ships of Pacific Fleet and aircraft from Eastern Military District. Exercise INDRA-2017 will be a landmark event in the history of Indo-Russian defence co-operation and will strengthen mutual confidence, inter-operability and enable sharing of best practices between both the armed forces. India and Russia have had longstanding military and diplomatic ties and to preserve these bonds of cooperation, India and Russia undertake the annual military exercise INDRA. This milestone in military cooperation of the two nations epitomizes their strong and resilient relations. The joint tri-service exercise will be a demonstration of the increasing commitment of both nations to address common challenges across the full spectrum of operations. INDRA-2017 India and Russia have had longstanding military and diplomatic ties and to preserve these bonds of cooperation, India and Russia undertake annual military exercise INDRA. This milestone in military cooperation of the two nations epitomizes their strong and resilient relations. INDRA-2017 is the first triservice bilateral exercise between the two countries. On 18 Oct 2017, Indian contingent flew in IL-76 aircraft of the Indian Air Force to Vladivostok comprising of Army and Air Force personnel. The contingent, led by the Task Force Commander, Maj Gen ND Prasad was accorded a warm welcome by Commander of the Fifth Army of Russian Eastern Military District, Maj Gen Kutuzov. On 19 Oct 2017, two indigenously built Indian Naval ships INS Satpura and INS Kadmatt arrived at Vladivostok Port and were given a traditional ceremonial welcome. Rear Admiral Anatoliy Zelinsky, Deputy Commander, Pacific Fleet of the Russian Navy was present on the occasion. Earlier in the day, the delegation led by Maj Gen ND Prasad, Task Force Commander called on Mr Alexey Litvinov, the acting Mayor of Vladivostok. Maj Gen ND Prasad thanked the Mayor for the extremely warm welcome accorded to the Indian contingent and expressed the hope that the exercise would lead to increased mutual cooperation between the two countries. Also, the Naval Component Commander Rear Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta interacted with Admiral Sergei Avakyants, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Pacific Fleet in a warm and cordial atmosphere. An observer delegation led by Lt Gen JS Negi along with Air Vice Marshal VR Chaudhari and Rear Admiral V Sreenivas visited the 249 Sergeyvsky Training Ranges where a major part of the Army and Air Force component of tri-service exercise INDRA-2017 will be conducted. The delegation was briefed on the overall conduct of the exercise, after which they visited the camp where the contingent was being accommodated. INDRA-2017 will serve towards strengthening mutual confidence and interoperability as well as sharing of the best practices between the armed forces of both the countries. The joint tri-service exercise will be a demonstration of the increasing commitment of both nations to address common challenges across the full spectrum of operations. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to visit India next week US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will travel to India and Pakistan next week as part of his five-nation tour that also includes Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Switzerland. Tillerson will make Saudi Arabia his first stop on the week-long tour beginning on Friday. He will then travel to Doha, where he will meet with Qatari leaders and US military officials to discuss joint counter-terrorism efforts, the ongoing Gulf dispute and other regional and bilateral issues, including Iran and Iraq, State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said. Tillerson will then make his inaugural visit to South Asia as Secretary of State, reaffirming the Trump Administration's comprehensive strategy toward the region, Nauert said. In Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Islamabad, he will meet with senior Pakistani leaders to discuss America's continued strong bilateral cooperation, Pakistan's critical role in the success of US President Donald Trump's South Asia strategy and the expanding economic ties between the two countries. The exact dates of his visits to these countries are yet to be announced. In New Delhi, Tillerson will meet with senior Indian leaders to "discuss further strengthening of our strategic partnership and collaboration on security and prosperity" in the Indo-Pacific region, Nauert said. "The Secretary's visit to India will advance the ambitious agenda laid out by President Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Prime Minister's visit to the White House in June," she said. Earlier, Tillerson expressed his keenness to put India's Major Defence Partner designation into action by putting state of the art defence technology and equipment like the Guardian UAVs on offer while adding that the US wants to boost India's defence manufacturing capabilities so other Indo-Pacific countries who share the same view of the world unlike China are also strengthened. In Geneva, Tillerson will meet with the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, International Organisation for Migration, and the International Committee of the Red Cross to discuss a number of the current global humanitarian crises. Spain moves to suspend Catalan autonomy Spain will start suspending Catalonia's autonomy on Saturday, after its leader threatened to declare independence, the government announced on Thursday. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's Office said the cabinet would meet to activate Article 155 of Spain's 1978 Constitution, a mechanism that strips Catalonia's self-governing institutions of their autonomy, allowing it to take over running of the region, the BBC reported. "The Spanish government will continue with the procedures outlined in Article 155 of the Constitution to restore legality in Catalonia's selfgovernment," the office said. Speaking in Parliament, government spokesman Inigo Mendez Vigo said the measures were intended to "protect the general interest of Spaniards, including the citizens of Catalonia, and restore constitutional order to the region", reports Efe news. He denounced that the Catalan government was intent on deliberately and systematically looking for an institutional confrontation despite the serious danger that it was creating for the economic structure of Catalonia and its ability to live in harmony. Spain's decision comes after Catalonian leader Carles Puigdemont earlier on Thursday decided not to rescind his independence bid as per an official requirement from Madrid and instead threatened to put the topic to a vote in his region's devolved parliament. Puigdemont announced his decision in a letter to Rajoy. Puigdemont was officially required by Rajoy's conservative government to clarify by 10 am on Thursday whether or not he had declared independence during an October 10 speech in the wake of a controversial separatist poll deemed illegal by the Spanish courts. This was the second and final deadline, as Madrid says Puigdemont on Monday failed to clarify whether he had declared independence. In the letter published just minutes before the deadline expired, the pro-separatist head of the Catalan regional government said he could put Catalonia's independence to a vote in the devolved chamber "if the Spanish government continues to block dialogue and continues its repression". After the independence referendum on October 1, Puigdemont had signed an independence declaration but then suspended it, asking for dialogue. Political leaders in Madrid and Barcelona have been engaged in a tense stand-off since the disputed referendum, which Catalan leaders say resulted in a "Yes" vote for independence but which the central government regards as illegal. Diwali: Cracker ban goes up in smoke as Delhi air quality turns 'very poor' The festive fervour gripped the nation on Thursday as people celebrated Diwali, often referred to as 'the festival of lights by lighting diyas (earthen lamps), paying obeisance to Goddess Lakshmi, distributing Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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sweets. However, a quiet and promising evening gave way to thick haze and noise as Delhi celebrated Diwali, dashing the hopes of cracker-free festivities, following a Supreme Court ban on the sale of firecrackers in the National Capital Region (NCR). The cracker-bursting was relatively subdued as compared to previous years. However, the revelers in the adjoining townships of Delhi such as Noida, Gurgaon and Faridabad paid little heed to the apex court's writ and environmentalists' concerns. Real-time pollution data alarming The online indicators of the pollution monitoring stations in the city glowed red, indicating a 'very poor' air quality as the volume of ultrafine particulates PM 2.5 and PM 10, which enter the respiratory system and manage to reach the bloodstream, sharply rose from around 7 pm. At 10 pm, in Mandir Marg in Delhi, the PM 2.5 concentration was 390 units against the prescribed 60 units, while PM 10 was 480 against the prescribed 100. Real-time pollution data appeared alarming. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee's (DPCC) R K Puram monitoring station recorded PM 2.5 and PM 10 at 878 and 1,179 micrograms per cubic metre at around 11 pm. However, the nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide concentrations at 50.84 and 31.20 respectively were well under the prescribed limits. The pollutants had violated the corresponding 24-hour safe limits of 60 and 100 respectively by up to 10 times. While it is difficult to quantify the immediate effect of the ban on firecrackers, residents across the national capital felt the beginning was promising with neighbourhoods reporting much lesser noise and smoke till about 6 pm, compared to the previous years. But as the festivities picked up, the faint echo of crackers started growing louder. According to the SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research), the 24-hour rolling average of PM2.5 and PM10 were 154 and 256 micrograms per cubic metre respectively at around 11 pm. It has forecast that the pollution levels will peak between 11 pm and 3 am. The situation was similar, if not worse, in the neighbouring regions of Delhi such as Gurugram, Noida and Ghaziabad, where crackers were burst as usual, raising question marks on the efficacy of the administration in enforcing the apex court's ban. However, the SAFAR has also predicted a relatively cleaner post-Diwali air due to favourable meteorological conditions, which are helping prevent the smoke-filled air from the agricultural belt of Haryana and Punjab from entering the national capital. A 'very poor' air quality index (AQI) essentially means that people may suffer from respiratory illnesses on a prolonged exposure to such air. If the air quality dips further, the AQI will turn 'severe', which may trouble even those with sound health conditions and seriously affect those with ailments. The Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Prevention and Control Authority (EPCA) is empowered to enforce the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to combat air pollution in Delhi-NCR. Measures under the GRAP's 'very poor' and 'severe' categories, which include a ban on diesel generator sets, came into effect on October 17 and they will remain in force till March 15. PM Modi celebrates Diwali with soldiers in Gurez Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated Diwali with soldiers in Gurez valley of Jammu and Kashmir near the Line of Control (LoC), telling them how he gets energised by spending time with the Armed Forces which he called "my family". He offered sweets and gifts and exchanged greetings with them, appreciating the sacrifices of armed forces in protecting the country. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath celebrated Diwali at the Tikonia Vantangiya Dalit colony in Gorakhpur. He gifted the children dresses, school bags, sparkling lights (firecrackers) and sweets. Greeting the Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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people of Uttar Pradesh, Adityanath said that Diwali not only symbolises Lord Ram's return from exile but also the return of good and just times. In Amritsar, fireworks display and the newly-installed LEDs lighting marked the celebrations of Diwali and "Bandi Chhor Diwas" as thousands of devotees flocked to the Golden Temple complex. However, the duration of fireworks display was shortened owing to environmental concerns. How Punjab celebrated Diwali The Diwali day coincides with the returning of Guru Hargobind to Amritsar after being released along with 52 princes from imprisonment by the Mughal emperor Jahangir from Gwalior prison in 1619. The guru and the princes arrived in Amritsar during Diwali festivities. Since then, the Bandi Chhor Diwas and Diwali celebrations coincide at the Golden Temple complex. Elsewhere in Punjab, markets wore a festive look on the occasion of Diwali but traders said sales were down owing to the GST (goods and services tax) introduced recently and the restrictions imposed on the bursting of crackers. Google most authentic brand in India Search engine giant Google has emerged as the most authentic brand in the country, followed by Microsoft, Amazon, Maruti Suzuki and Apple, according to New York-based global communications firm Cohn & Wolfe. Sony, YouTube, BMW, Mercedes Benz and British Airways are the other brands to feature in the top 10. The communications firm, part of WPP group, noted that Indian consumers are becoming more positive in their perceptions of brand authenticity. About 67 per cent of Indian consumers are more likely to buy from brands perceived as authentic, it said in its 2017 Authentic Brands Study for India, a part of a global consumer survey on the role of authenticity in business. It observed that in India, 37 per cent of respondents perceived brands to be open and honest compared to a global average of 22 per cent. Similarly, 38 per cent of consumers surveyed in India agreed that brands take full responsibility for their actions, compared to the global average of 25 per cent. “Brands that behave and communicate with authenticity will build better relationships with customers and deliver improved user experiences. To differentiate their offerings and grow market share, our research shows that brands in India need to focus on the three drivers of authenticity — reliable, respectful and real,” Cohn & Wolfe Asia Pacific President Matt Stafford said. E-commerce giant Amazon is ranked as the world’s most authentic brand, followed by Apple, Microsoft, Google and PayPal. Technology brands comprise 70 per cent of the top 10 most authentic global brands. The study is based on a combination of primary and secondary research, including surveys on more than 1,400 brands conducted in May and June this year, with over 15,000 respondents in 15 markets — Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States. CCTNS Digital Police Portal launched to fast-track Criminal Justice System in the Country As crime continues to grow, and criminals turn tech-savvy, police investigators across States face a tough challenge to bring the law-breakers to justice.The situation is,however, undergoing a revolutionary change. The Digital Police Portal launched by the Government of India as part of the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS), in August this year, will not only help police sleuths track the criminals fast, but also help the victims seek redress online. The total IPC crimes in the country increased from 28.51 lakh in 2014 to 29.49 lakh 2015. According to the Union Home Ministry’s latest annual report (2016-17), the share of IPC crimes to total cognizable crimes in percentage terms was 37.2 per cent in 2011, and it increased to 40.3 per cent in 2015. The crime rate, which shows the number of Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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crimes per one lakh population, too increased from 497.9 in 2012 to 581.8 in 2015. In such a complex scenario, the Digital Police Portal, with its various features, is expected to be a game-changer. The CCTNS portal will provide investigators the complete record history of any criminal from anywhere across the country. Equipped with a Google-type Advance Search engine and ability to give analytical reports, the portal is expected to become the backbone of the country’s criminal justice system. For the State Police organisations and investigating agencies like the CBI, IB, ED and NIA, the Digital Police Portal provides a National Database of crime and criminals with facility for 11 searches and 44 reports. This will improve national security and revolutionise the way police works in the country. To citizens, the Digital Police Portal offers online facility to register FIRs. There will be initially seven Public Delivery Services in 34 States & UTs, like Person and Address Verification of employees, tenants, nurses etc; permission for hosting Public Events, Lost & Found Articles and Vehicle theft. The portal will turn criminal investigationa completely citizenfriendly affair. The citizens’ reports and requests are forwarded to State and Union Territory Police without loss of time for follow-up action. In 2004, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)initiated a project named- Common Integrated Police Application (CIPA) as a component of the “Modernization of State Police Forces (MPF)” project, aiming at computerization of crime records in police stations on a standalone basis. The need for setting up of a national database of crime records was realized later, and the MHA introduced a Central sector project of Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) in 2009, with the objective of inter-linking all police Stations under a common application software for the purpose of investigation, policy making, data analytics, research and providing Citizen Services. The project provided the State Police officials with a platform to enter Crime & Criminal data onto a CCTNS application, which could be accessed any time through State database at State Data Centre as well as at National Database at National Data Centre (NDC). The total approved outlay of the CCTNS project is Rs. 2000 Crore. The Central government provides funds to States and Union Territories towards hardware, CCTNS software, connectivity, system integration, data entry of legacy data, project management manpower and training. The Centre has released to States Rs 1450 crores out of which Rs 1086 crores have been spent by the States and UTs. At present, the CCTNS software is deployed at 14284 Police Stations out of the 15398 Police Stations covered under the scheme. A total of 13775 Police Stations out of 14284 Police Stations are using this software to enter FIRs 100 per cent. As many as 13439 Police Stations out of the 15398 Police Stations covered by the scheme are already connected and linked with State & National database of Crime and Criminal records. The total number of FIRs registered using CCTNS leapt from less than 1.5 lakhs in March 2014 to about 1.25 crores before June, 2017, registering a jump of almost 100 times. Thirty-four States and UTs have launched their State Citizen Service portals with key services such as reporting a crime, request for verification, permission for events etc. Thirtyfive out of 36 States and UTs are sharing data with National Crime and Criminal database. The system has seven crore records for crime and criminal data including 2.5 cr FIR records and legacy data. The scope of the CCTNS project has been enhanced to integrate the Police data with other pillars of the criminal justice system namely -- Courts, Prisons, Prosecution, Forensics and Fingerprints and juvenile homes, and accordingly a new system -- “Inter-operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS)” has been developed. The ICJS system has been developed as a dashboard approach with an advance search facility for the purpose of retrieving the desired data from the system. The ICJS project is being monitored by a Working Group chaired by a Supreme Court judge, Mr Justice Madan B. Lokur. State Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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police organisations and all investigating agencies have been greatly empowered by the Digital Police Portal. The portal provides 11 searches and 44 reports based on CCTNS National database. The advanced search is equipped with high performing search and analytics engine. The advanced search can be carried out in two ways. In the first way of search, the search engine will look for full names entered (for eg. Name and Relative Name) but will get all the records where one or both of these names exist. In the second way of searching, it also fetches records with partial matches and returns all the results. There are various kinds of filters available on the portal through which data can be sorted and narrowed down. Search can be carried out through Person Name, Person and Relative Name, Person and Act/Section, free text search and exact search on FIR Regd. Number/ Mobile Number/Email. The CCTNS portal will provide investigators the complete record history of any criminal from anywhere across the country. The software offers Google-type Advance Search engine and analytical reports. Recently, the software was used to trace few mentally challenged women from Tamil Nadu in Uttarakhand and reunited with their families. The CCTNS database will be later linked with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH) database on vehicle registrations. The “Advanced Search” allows the user to find crime correlations, crime trends, outliers (anomalies) and crime patterns by having access to CCTNS dashboard. Since the launch of the Digital Police Portal, citizens have begun registering complaints on the portal, and requests have been made for antecedent verification of persons. The Digital Police Portal is helping the Government in the efficient delivery of citizen-centric services in a friendly manner, which is an important responsibility of a modern welfare state today. ***




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500 long distance trains to run quicker from next month The Indian Railways will soon cut short the running time of over 500 long distance trains by up to two hours, a senior railway official said today. The new timings will be updated in the November timetable of the railways, he said. Following directions from Railway Minister Piyush Goyal earlier this month, the national carrier incorporated "innovative timetabling" under which running time of popular trains will reduce by 15 minutes to two hours. The new timetable will also provide each railway division two to four hours for maintenance works. "Our plan is to maximise the use of the existing rolling stock. It can be done in two ways - if we have a train that is waiting somewhere to return, we can use it during the lie over period. "In the new timetable around 50 such trains which will be run like this. Fifty-one trains will immediately see reduced run time from one to three hours. This will go up to more than 500 trains," the official said. The railways has started the exercise of an internal audit through which 50 mail and express trains will be upgraded to super-fast services. This is part of an overhaul of the rail system of increasing the average speed of existing trains, he said. Trains such as the Bhopal-Jodhpur Express will reach 95 minutes early while the GuwahatiIndore Special will complete its 2,330-km journey 115 minutes early and the 1929-km journey of the Ghazipur-Bandra Terminus Express will be completed 95 minutes earlier. The national transporter has also reduced the halt time of trains at stations. Similarly, trains will not stop at stations where footfall is less. Coupled with track and infrastructure upgrade, automatic signalling and the new Linke-HofmannBusch coaches that allow a 130 kmph top speed, trains are expected to run faster. The railways has also in the process of reviewing permanent speed restrictions. Indians bag medals at Worldskills competition Two Indians bagged a silver and a bronze at the global skill competition here, showing the best ever performance by India since the country began participating in the WorldSkills' challenge in 2007. The Indian team comprising 28 competitors also won nine Medallions of Excellence across key skills. India had won a silver medal in 2009 and five medallions of excellence in 2015. Over 1,300 candidates from 59 countries competed across 51 skill categories this year. The results were announced in a closing ceremony last evening, a statement by Worldskills said. Mohit Dudeja won a silver for Patisserie and Confectionery whereas Kiran bagged a bronze for Prototype Modelling. Nine Medallions for Excellence were won in trades/skills like mechatronics, bricklaying, restaurant service, automobile technology, jewellery, graphic design technology, mobile robotics, beauty therapy and car painting. "The country should take great inspiration from the grit, the Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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confidence and the determination with which the young team has performed at the Olympic of Skills and proved their mettle against countries like China, Russia, Korea, Japan, Brazil," said Rajesh Agrawal, Official delegate India for WorldSkills. "Our preparation for the next WorldSkills will begin soon and I encourage more and more youth to participate and have the honour to represent the country at such international levels," Agrawal said. Madras HC seeks report on probe into multi-crore 'bitumen scam' in The Madras High Court today ordered the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to file within four weeks a status report on the probe into alleged irregularities in the purchase of bitumen for road laying and maintenance works in Tamil Nadu. A division bench comprising justices M M Sundaresh and M Sundar gave the direction on a public interest litigation seeking a CBI probe after the state government informed that already the DVAC had been ordered to investigate the matter based on a representation by the petitioner. In his PIL, G Balaji, an RTI activist, alleged that state highways department officials in collusion with contractors had "cashed out" Rs 800 crore to 1,000 crore during 2014-16 in the procurement of bitumen by taking advantage of variations in its price. The petitioner charged that bitumen, a major road construction constituent, had become a primary source for the officials to siphon off public funds and sought a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities. Earlier, when the matter came up for hearing, the petitioner's counsel submitted that bitumen prices fluctuate on a monthly basis as fixed by the oil marketing companies. He claimed that the department had to bear additional cost of bitumen if the price goes up above the amount sanctioned. Similarly, if the price falls, the difference should be recovered from the contractors. However, the counsel alleged, the officials collude with the contractors and divert the difference amount to their pockets. Citing some examples, he said in September 2014, price of bitumen was Rs 41,360 per tonne when the estimates were sanctioned for the road works. The price stood at Rs 30,260 in March 2015, when the works were executed and billed, which worked out to a difference of Rs 11,000 per tonne. Submitting some documents, which he claimed, were proof he gathered through RTI applications from the department, the petitioner wanted the court to order a probe by the CBI or any other independent agency. Countering the charge, state Advocate General Vijay Narayan submitted that the entire plea was based on wrong information. Usually the variation in price would be only upward. But by the end of 2015, the bitumen prices slid in tune with the fall in crude prices globally. He said it took two to three months for the government to realise the scenario. By the end of 2015, authorities issued notices to the contractors concerned for recovery of the difference amount and as on August 31 this year, Rs 431 crore had been recovered, the A-G said. He said the state government had ordered the DVAC to probe the allegations of irregularities. New Raj ordinance seeks to protect judges, babus from probe The Vasundhara Raje government has passed an ordinance which seeks to protect both serving and former judges, magistrates and public servants in Rajasthan from being investigated for on-duty action without its prior sanction. The Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Ordinance, 2017, promulgated on September 7, also seeks to bar the media from reporting on accusations till the sanction to proceed with Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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the probe is obtained. "No magistrate shall order an investigation nor will any investigation be conducted against a person, who is or was a judge or a magistrate or a public servant," reads the ordinance which provides 180 days immunity to the officers. If there is no decision on the sanction request post the stipulated time period, it will automatically mean that sanction has been granted. The ordinance amends the Criminal Code of Procedure, 1973 and also seeks curb on publishing and printing or publicising in any case the name, address, photograph, family details of the public servants. Violating the clause would call for two years imprisonment. Ranjit Kumar resigns as solicitor general Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar, the country’s second highest law officer, resigned on Friday for “personal reasons”. The office of law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad received his resignation letter today. While Kumar confirmed to PTI that he had resigned, people familiar with the matter said it was for “personal reasons”. He was appointed solicitor general in June 2014 after the Modi government came to power. His second term as solicitor general was renewed recently. There was speculation a few months ago that the Supreme Court collegium was considering his name as a judge of the apex court. Recently, Mukul Rohatgi had written to the government that he was not interested in a second term as attorney general. Senior lawyer K.K. Venugopal was appointed as new attorney general. Ex-Bangladesh PM Zia surrenders, gets bail in graft case Dhaka, Nov 30(UNI) Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, who is facing corruption charges in 2007 NIKO corruption case, surrendered before a trial court today, which later granted her bail. Judge Aminul Islam gave the bail after Zia surrendered before the Special Judge's Court. On June 18, a High Court division bench cleared the way for the trial proceedings to resume and ordered the head of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party to surrender before the trial court within two months. It also ordered Zia to surrender before the court within two months after receiving the court order. Anti-Corruption Commission filed the Niko graft case in 2007 after the BNP chief was arrested by the then military-backed caretaker government. Zia is also being tried in two other graft cases involving two charities named after her husband slain Bangladeshi military ruler Ziaur Rahman. Zia was premier from 2001 to 2006, and earlier from 1991 to 1996. Prannoy shocks Chong Wei; Saina, Srikanth also in quarters




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H S Prannoys second successive win over three-time Olympic silver medallist Lee Chong Wei was the highlight on a day when Saina Nehwal and Kidambi Srikanth also made the quarterfinals of Denmark Open Super Series Premier here. Just four months back, Prannoy had created a flutter when he dispatched Chong Wei in straight games in the Indonesia Super Series Premier and the unseeded Indian dished out another superb performance yesterday to oust the former World No. 1 Malaysian 21-17 11-21 21-19 in a match that lasted an hour and three minutes here. "I am happy to beat him again today. Even at this age, he is one of the best players, who can play in any conditions. I am not thinking much ahead as I have done this before but couldnt win the title so I will just look at the next match," Prannoy told reporters after the match. World No. 8 Srikanth, who already has two super series titles at Indonesia and Australia to his name, defeated Koreas Jeon Hyeok Jin 21-13 8-21 21-18, while Saina, who won a bronze at the Glasgow World Championship, prevailed over Thailands Nitchaon Jindapol 22-20 21-13 in womens singles pre-quarterfinals. US Open champion Prannoy will next face Koreas top seed Son Wan Ho, Srikanth will meet current world champion Viktor Axelsen, while Saina will square off against Japans Akane Yamaguchi. Also through to the quarters were Englands Rajiv Ouseph, Hong Kongs Wong Wing Ki Vincent, Koreas Lee Hyun Il, Chinese Taipeis Chou Tien Chen. In womens singles, top seed and world no 1 Tai Tzu Ying, Korean duo of Sung Ji Hyun and Kim Hyo Min, Japans Sayaka Sato, Chinas Chen Yufei and Thailand?s Ratchanok Intanon also reached the last eight. Prannoy trailed Chong Wei, who turns 35 tomorrow, 1-2 in career meetings before the match. However, buoyed by his win over the celebrated Malaysian in June, the Indian produced another sensational performance befitting his newfound reputation of being a giant-killer. The 25-year-old Indian started off well and dictated terms as he built up a 10-7 lead but the former World No. 1 levelled par with a lucky net chord before entering the break with a slender lead when the Indians return missed the sideline. Chong Wei held on to his lead till 14-13 when Prannoy unleashed a jump smash to draw parity and then went into the lead. But a return going to net meant it was evens-stevens again. The Indian soon jumped to a 18-15 lead before two quick reflex smashes helped him to narrow the gap. However, Prannoy again unleashed two precise smashes on his rivals forehand to grab three game points and sealed it with another deceptive return which Chong Wei failed to ward off. The second game begun with both committing unforced errors. Prannoy won a video referral and held a 4-3 lead when Chong Wei hit wide. The Indian then hit the net a few times to allow the Malaysian lead 8-6. With Prannoy struggling with unforced errors, Chong Wei moved into the break with a 11-8 lead. Chong Wei extended the advantage to 14-8 before Prannoy unleashed two powerful returns to let out a scream. However, the Indian couldnt reign in his errors as Chong Wei eventually managed to take the match to the decider. The third game saw Chong Wei open up a 5-2 lead but he misjudged shuttles at the baseline twice and Prannoy sent one at the back of the court on the line to make it 6-8. He kept snapping at his rivals heels to draw parity at 10-10. But a quick reflex net return helped Chong Wei lead 11-10. After the interval, Chong Wei grabbed a few points to lead 13-10, but Prannoy managed to turn the tables with eight straight points to lead 18-13. The Indian then made a service error and Chong Wei produced a body smash to make it 15-18. A forehand return from Prannoy going to net further narrowed the gap but the Malaysian hit the net next as it was 19-16. Prannoy then went wide thrice on the trot to allow Chong Wei comeback. However, he got his bearings right in time and unleashed a cross court smash to earn the match point and sealed it in the end. In another mens singles match on court 3, Srikanth didnt have any problem dealing with Jeon as he cut the pace of the rallies and constructed his points, finishing often with a smash or half smash to lead 11-7. Jeon left empty spaces which Srikanth exploited and kept accumulating points with his better net play and precise cross court smashes to close out the game without much ado. In the second game, Jeon Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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produced a better performance and helped my Srikanths errors managed to lead 11-6 at the break before scripting his comeback, grabbing 10 of the next 12 points as Srikanth got buried in a heap of unforced errors. The decider then had to be stopped after the first point due to some light issues and the match resumed after at least 45 minutes. Srikanth dished out an aggressive game after resumption, zooming to a 11-4 lead at the break. The Indian extended the advantage to 18-10 but Jeon delayed the inevitable, making it 18-19. Finally a smash from Srikanth gave him the match point and he wrapped it up when Jeon hit the net. NASA extends Dawn mission at dwarf planet Ceres NASA has approved a second extension of the Dawn mission at Ceres, allowing the spacecraft to get a closer look at the largest object in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. During this extension, the spacecraft will descend to lower altitudes than ever before at the dwarf planet, which it has been orbiting since March 2015. The spacecraft will continue at Ceres for the remainder of its science investigation and will remain in a stable orbit indefinitely after its fuel runs out. The Dawn flight team is studying ways to manoeuvre the spacecraft into a new elliptical orbit, which may take the it to less than 200 kilometres from the surface of Ceres at closest approach. Previously, Dawns lowest altitude was 385 kilometres. A priority of the second Ceres mission extension is collecting data with Dawns gamma ray and neutron spectrometer, which measures the number and energy of gamma rays and neutrons. This information is important for understanding the composition of Ceres uppermost layer and how much ice it contains. The spacecraft also will take visible-light images of Ceres surface geology with its camera, as well as measurements of Ceres? mineralogy with its visible and infrared mapping spectrometer. The extended mission at Ceres additionally allows Dawn to be in orbit while the dwarf planet goes through perihelion, its closest approach to the Sun, which will occur in April 2018. At closer proximity to the Sun, more ice on Ceres surface may turn to water vapour, which may in turn contribute to the weak transient atmosphere detected by the European Space Agencys Herschel Space Observatory before Dawns arrival. Building on Dawns findings, researchers have hypothesised that water vapour may be produced in part from energetic particles from the Sun interacting with ice in Ceres shallow surface. Scientists will combine data from ground-based observatories with Dawns observations to further study these phenomena as Ceres approaches perihelion. Instead, it will carry out as much science as it can in its final planned orbit, where it will stay even after it can no longer communicate with Earth. Mission planners estimate the spacecraft can continue operating until the second half of 2018. Dawn is the only mission ever to orbit two extraterrestrial targets. It orbited giant asteroid Vesta for 14 months from 2011 to 2012, then continued on to Ceres, where it has been in orbit since March 2015. Police Commemoration Day to be observed across country tomorrow Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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The Police Commemoration Day will be observed across the country tomorrow. Home Minister Rajnath Singh will lay wreath and pay homage to the police martyrs at Police Memorial Ground in New Delhi. The day commemorates the sacrifices of ten policemen while defending the borders with China in 1959. On 21st October 1959, Chinese Army personnel opened fire and threw grenades at the police party of 20 personnel. Ten of them died, seven were taken prisoners by the Chinese and the remaining managed to escape. The Annual Conference of Inspectors General of Police of States and Union Territories held in January 1960 decided that 21st October will be observed as Commemoration Day in all Police Lines throughout India to mark the memory of these gallant personnel. Since 1961, more than 34 thousand 400 police personnel have sacrificed their lives for security of the nation and service to the society. During the last one year, from September 2016 to August this year, 383 Police personnel have laid down their lives. International conference on consumer protection to be held on Oct 26 A two-day international conference on consumer protection will be held in New Delhi on 26th of this month. The Consumer Affairs Ministers and representatives of 24 South East Asian countries will attend the conference on the theme of empowering consumers in the age of new markets. However, North Korea and Pakistan have not been invited for the event. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the conference. Briefing reporters in New Delhi, Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said the conference will discuss how the UN guidelines on consumer protections can be implemented. Three million Americans carry loaded handguns daily: Study A study has found an estimated three million adult American handgun owners carry a loaded firearm on a daily basis, and nine million do so on a monthly basis. Vast majority cited protection as the primary reason for carrying a firearm. The study found that 80 per cent of surveyed handgun owners who carried their handgun had a concealed-carry permit. And 66 per cent said they always carried their handguns concealed, compared with 10 per cent who said they always carry their weapons openly. Some owners nevertheless reported carrying a concealed handgun without a permit in states in which doing so was illegal. The study is the first in over 20 years to scrutinise why, how often, and in what manner US adults carry loaded handguns. Typhoon Lan expected to hit southern Japan on Sunday Typhoon Lan with heavy rains and destructive winds is expected to hit southern Japan on Sunday when the nation holds a national election. Japan Meteorological Agency said the Category 1 typhoon, located east of the Philippines Friday morning and moving north, is expected to gain strength and hit Japan’s southern island of Okinawa by Sunday. In a statement, the agency said very heavy rain is likely in the Pacific side of western and eastern Japan from Saturday to Monday. Local authorities in Okinawa have decided to move the voting date to Saturday for some remote islands. According to the Tropical Storm Risk web site, the typhoon will likely strengthen to category 3, but weaken again by the time it brushes past Tokyo on Monday. Govt permits banks to sell more small savings schemes Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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The government has authorised all public sector banks and three private banks to accept deposits under various small savings schemes like National Savings Certificate (NSC), recurring deposits and monthly income plan. According to the government's notification, the private banks are ICICI, HDFC and Axis Bank. So far, public sector banks were allowed to receive subscription under Public Provident Fund, Kisan Vikas Patra-2014, Sukanya Samriddhi Account, Senior Citizen Savings Scheme-2004. Increased outlets for selling small savings scheme would result in higher mobilisation under the scheme. As per the notification, the banks will have to credit all remittances to the government account at RBI Central Account Section, Nagpur within one day in case of core banking solution branches and three days in case non- core banking branches. Last month, the government kept unchanged interest rates on small savings schemes for the October-December quarter. Investments in the public provident fund (PPF) scheme will fetch annual rate of 7.8 per cent while Kisan Vikas Patra investments will yield 7.5 per cent and mature in 115 months. The one for girl child savings, Sukanya Samriddhi Account Scheme will offer 8.3 per cent annually. Similarly, the investment on 5-year Senior Citizens Savings Scheme will yield 8.3 per cent. The interest rate on the senior citizens scheme is paid quarterly. India enter into finals of World Archery Championships The Indian team entered the finals of World Archery Championships in Mexico today. The team got the better of Germany 232-227 in the compound women's team semifinals, to set up a gold-medal match against Colombia. The Indian team comprising Trisha Deb, Lily Chanu Paonam and Jyothi Surekha Vennam defeated their German rivals quite comfortably. Deb, Paonam and Vennam scored matches of 232, 233 and 232 points as they beat Russia, Denmark and Germany in the elimination matches. Paonam and Vennam both finished in the top-10 individually at these championships, while Deb came 17th after losing in the third round. The Indian squad had the highest per-match average of any team in the field in Mexico. South Africa displace India from top of ODI rankings India today lost their number one status in ICC ODI rankings to South Africa. By virtue of South Africa's 104-run win over Bangladesh in the second ODI in Paarl yesterday, the Proteas jumped to the top spot, leapfrogging India. While India and South Africa have identical 120 points against their name, India are placed second on the basis of decimal points. India, however, have a chance to reclaim their top spot as they host New Zealand in a three-match ODI series scheduled to begin in Mumbai on Sunday. India had claimed the top spot in the ICC rankings following their 4-1 win over Australia at home recently. ***




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Aadhaar linkage with bank accounts mandatory, says RBI Reserve Bank of India today said biometric identity number Aadhaar linkage with bank accounts is mandatory. The RBI clarification followed media reports quoting a reply to a Right to Information (RTI) application that suggested the apex bank has not issued any order for mandatory Aadhaar linkage with bank accounts. "The Reserve Bank clarifies that, in applicable cases, linkage of Aadhaar number to bank account is mandatory under the Prevention of Money-laundering (Maintenance of Records) Second Amendment Rules, 2017 published in the Official Gazette on June 1, 2017," the central bank said in a statement. These rules have statutory force and, as such, banks have to implement them without awaiting further instructions, it said. The government in June had made Aadhaar mandatory for opening bank accounts as well as for any financial transaction of Rs 50,000 and above. Existing bank account holders have been asked to furnish the Aadhaar number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) by December 31, 2017, failing which the account will cease to be operational, the government notification had said. There were reports in media quoting an RTI query in which RBI had said it "has not issued any instruction so far regarding mandatory linking of Aadhaar number with bank accounts". The government in Budget 2017 had already mandated seeding of Aadhaar number with Permanent Account Number to avoid individuals using multiple PANs to evade taxes. The notification issued amending the Prevention of Money- laundering (Maintenance of Records) Rules, 2005, mandated quoting of Aadhaar along with PAN or Form 60 by individuals, companies and partnership firms for all financial transactions of Rs 50,000 or above. Indian boxers win 8 medals in Balkan Open Indian pugilists returned with an impressive haul of eight medals, including four golds, from the third Youth International Championships Balkan Open 2017 at Sofia, Bulgaria. Besides four golds, the Indian boxers won one silver and three bronze medals while Indian youth team was also adjudged as the best team in the championship. Nitu (48kg), Sakshi (54kg), Shashi (57kg) and Neha Yadav (+81kg) won the golds, while silver went to Ankushita Boro (64kg). The bronze medals were won by Joy Kumari (51kg), Sapna (75kg) and Anupama (+81kg). Army has to remain prepared to counter Dokalam-like situation: Rawat




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Army chief General Bipin Rawat said today that the Army has to remain prepared to counter any Dokalam-like situation along the Sino-India border. Rawat, while speaking to reporters at a function here, also said that the mountain strike corps, designated as 17 Corps, was being raised as a "force of deterrence" and the process of its establishment was on schedule. Asked if the 17 corps was being established to counter China, Rawat said, "Why should we say it is against whom? It is for deterrence and deterrence is against any threat that may confront the nation." The Cabinet Committee on Security headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had cleared the setting up of the 17 Corps in the latter part of 2014. So far, one division comprising nearly 25,000 soldiers has been raised for the Corps, which is at present headquartered at Ranchi. Once the raising of the 72 division is complete, the Corps will be based out of Panagarh in West Bengal. Asked if there was any possibility of a Dokalam-like standoff with China in any other part of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Rawat said, "We have to remain prepared". The 73-day face-off between Indian and Chinese troops in Dokalam started on June 16 after the Indian side stopped the construction of a road by the Chinese Army. Rawat, while talking to reporters on the sidelines of the function where he presented the President's Standards to 47 Armoured Regiment, also said that the security situation in the Kashmir Valley was improving. "I think the security situation in the Kashmir Valley is improving and what is happening now in the Kashmir Valley is possibly highlighting the frustration of the terrorists and those who are supporting them," he said. The Army chief said that the "ups and downs" in terrorism keep happening. "We will keep eliminating terrorists, and some wayward youth, because of the social media campaign of radicalisation, will come and join," he said, adding that most of them were now operating overground and were surrendering. Asked about the reopening of terror training camps across the LoC, Rawat said that they were never closed. Militants were stationed in the training camps even then as they are today, he said. On whether the Army will again carry out surgical strikes to dismantle the terror camps across the border, Rawat said, "We have already said that surgical strikes were a method (to deal with terror infrastructure across the border). There are other methods also." The Army chief also said that the enquiries into the terror attacks in Pathankot, Uri and Nagrota had been completed and action taken. "Punishments are being awarded to the people who are found guilty. Nobody is spared," he said. Asked about his reaction to the statement of Pakistan Army Chief Qamar Jawed Bajwa that his country wants to have peaceful relations with India, Rawat said the military has a task and it will continue to perform the task. "Any talks or anything that has to be done, will be decided at the political level. If the political hierarchy takes a political call, we will continue to perform and do our tasks that has been entrusted to us," he said. Talking about whether the militancy graph has gone down after initiatives under the 'Operation Sadhbhavana', Rawat said, "Winning hearts and minds (of people) is part of any counter insurgency strategy and our nation has been following it rightly." "Success has been achieved through Operation Sadhbhavana which is evident the way you see the goodwill of schools in carrying out competitions. There are any number of people joining and supporting the campaign," he said. Asked whether the Army was planning to close down Army Education Corps, Rawat said the instructions to close it down had come. However, he also added that, "If we have to close down AEC, it will take time. It is being discussed. The AEC is a programme run by the Army that develops soldiers and officers of all ranks in a variety of disciplines. The centre provides education in both combat and non-combat operations. Rawat said action was being taken to secure all military establishments and garrisons. Kerala's 'Kudumbashree School' opens Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Kerala's all-women self-help group "Kudumbashree' today opened a special academic platform to impart training for its 43 lakh members targeting their socio-cultural, educational and overall personality development. Titled 'Kudumbashree School', the platform would give training to its members, majority of them ordinary homemakers, in personality and skill development, leadership and creative abilities. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan today inaugurated the initiative at a function held at Puliyarakkonam near here. In a Facebook post, Vijayan said Kudumbashree should be able to extend support not only to its volunteers but also to the society as a whole. "Beyond the targets of poverty eradication and empowerment of its members, Kudumbashree should be able to grow as a positive gathering in the respective localities," he said. According to official sources, the school project would be implemented through the government's informal education programme being implemented centring 'Ayalkoottams' (neighbourhood groups) under Kudumbashree. Kudumbashree has a three-tier structure for its women community network, with Neighbourhood Groups (NHGs) at the lowest level. 'Pravesanotsavam' (admission festival) was held in various parts of the state at the 'Ayalkoottam' level to mark the launch of the initiative, they said. Experts from different fields and retired teachers would impart training for Kudumbashree members under the programme and six resource persons from each ward have been selected for its smooth conduct. Kudumbashree Executive Director S Harikishore said as many as 1.90 lakh teachers would be part of the training programme in 19,854 wards across the state. A two-hour training would be imparted to the members for six weeks during the meeting of respective 'ayalkoottams', he said adding that different departments would be coordinated to implement the initiative. Those who successfully complete the training would be given certificates, he said. At the macro level, the 'Kudumbashree School' project is aimed at creating awareness among the grass root level women about their social responsibilities and improve their standard of living through knowledge, the official added. Launched in 1998 as a poverty eradication mission by the state government to wipe out poverty through community action, Kudumbashree has tried its hand in various fields, ranging from pickle-making to IT business to empowering women households in the state. Aadhaar card not mandatory to get ration in Jharkhand: State food minister The Jharkhand government today said Aadhaar card was not mandatory to collect food grains from the public distribution system after a 11-year-old girl allegedly died of starvation. Local activists had alleged that the girl died of starvation on September 28 after her family was denied ration for the want of an Aadhar-linked ration card. "Aadhaar card is not mandatory. Any card, including a driver's license and voter ID card or any specified card, is permissible for procuring food grains," the state's Food Minister Saryu Roy said. A toll free number-1800 212 55 12--had been set up to lodge complaints regarding ration distribution, Roy said, adding that grain banks would also be set up in every block. Meanwhile, a fresh probe announced by Chief Minister Raghubar Das on October 17 had found that the girl died of malaria, officials said. The first probe by a three-member team, which was constituted on October 6, also examined the case and found the girl died of malaria, they said. Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Japan votes: Incumbent PM Abe appears headed to victory Japan's leader may have made the right call after all, if not for his country than for himself. Media polls indicate Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling coalition will handily win a general election tomorrow, possibly even retaining its two-thirds majority in the more powerful lower house of parliament. Japanese voters may not love Abe, but they appear to want to stick with what they know, rather than hand the reins to an opposition with little or no track record. Uncertainly over North Korea and its growing missile and nuclear arsenal may be heightening that underlying conservatism. "I buy into Prime Minister Abe's ability to handle diplomacy," said Naomi Mochida, a 51-yearold woman listening to Abe campaign earlier this week in Saitama prefecture, outside of Tokyo. "I think the most serious threat we face now is the North Korea situation. I feel Prime Minister Abe has been showing the best tactics to handle the situation, compared to other politicians including past prime ministers." Abe dissolved the lower house a little more than three weeks ago on the day it convened for a special session, forcing the snap election. The timing seemed ripe for his ruling Liberal-Democratic Party, or at least better than waiting. Support for Abe's Cabinet, the standard measure of a government's popularity in Japan, had bounced back from summertime lows. The main opposition force, the Democratic Party, was in more disarray than usual after its leader had resigned. Holding off would only give a potential rival, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, more time to organise a challenge. The election is "mainly about the Abe administration trying to lock in its position ... and with success, get Prime Minister Abe re-elected as president of the LDP in September and rule until after the Tokyo Olympics, until 2021," Michael Green, a Japan expert at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC, said on a call with journalists. Koike, her hand forced by Abe's decision, hastily launched a new party to contest the election. Her Party of Hope briefly stole the limelight from Abe, attracting a slew of defectors from the Democrats. Its populist platform includes phasing out nuclear power by 2030, and putting on hold an increase in the consumption tax due in 2019. But Abe's gambit appears to be paying off. The initial excitement for the Party of Hope has waned. Koike, the party leader, decided not to run for the 465-seat lower house and won't even be in Japan on election day. She is heading to Paris for a global conference of mayors that will discuss issues such as climate change. The Democratic Party has imploded. Its more liberal members have launched yet another grouping, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, which is now outpolling the Party of Hope. Dutch workers oppose Tata-Thyssenkrupp merger The workers at Tata Steel's Netherlands unit have expressed concerns over a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the Indian steel major and the German giant Thyssenkrupp to combine their European steelmaking operations into a joint venture. The Central Works Council (CWC) of Tata Steel Netherlands (TSN) said in its newsletter this week that it was concerned about the lack of its involvement in the ongoing negotiations and the fear of job losses at the Netherlands site. "The number of jobs will be greatly reduced, and will go beyond the suggested figure of 4,000 job losses across the joint venture (JV) as a whole. Current indications are that the new company plans to outsource large swathes of the support services to low-wage countries," the CWC said. "The CWC believes that this envisaged 50-50 joint venture (JV) will be a very difficult business to manage because both parties, in the Netherlands and in Germany, will do all in their power to defend their Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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interests against this new business. The resistance to this JV in Germany is at least as great as in the Netherlands, and this does not augur well for the future," it noted. Tata Steel workers also believe it remains unclear how the new business will be financed and where the liabilities will be placed in the business. It also highlighted the support offered by the Netherlands unit to Tata's troubled UK operations as a factor to consider. "TSN has remained a healthy business despite the continuous support it has provided in the form of dividend payments to the shareholder in order to enable its sister company in the UK to continue operating," it notes. The CWC has warned the board that it will not "simply roll over and accept decisions" by the shareholder which are not good for the companys employees in the Netherlands. Works councils are considerably powerful entities in Europe and their approval will prove critical for Tata Steel and Thyssenkrupp to clinch a final deal. Last month, the two companies announced plans to merge their European steelmaking operations and creating a new JV of around 42,000 employees, with 10,000 based in the Netherlands. "The joint venture offers us the opportunity tocreate a stronger new business which is able to grow and produce more hi-tech and highquality products for the worlds most demanding customers," said Hans Fischer, CEO of Tata Steel European operations, in response to the CWCs objections. He said the company had entered a period of due diligence when all the concerns of all stakeholders will be taken on board. "Tata Steel will follow due process in consultation with all relevant stakeholders as we progress in the transaction. Our employees have worked hard to make our European business more sustainable over recent years and we have achieved a lot through improvement programmes," he said. Both companies believe the merger will help tackle over- capacity in Europe's steel market in the face of cheap imports from countries like China and subdued construction demand. Rajkummar Rao: Films like 'Omerta' take toll on mental health Be it 'Shahid' or 'Trapped' or yet to release 'Omerta', Rajkummar Rao has never shied away from choosing unusual roles, but the actor said doing hard-hitting films can take a toll on a performer's mental health. The actor, who has also starred in Bollywood entertainers such as 'Bareilly Ki Barfi' and 'Queen', said both the genres are equally challenging. Is Rajkummar Rao obsessing over Aishwarya? "Doing both the kind of cinema is difficult as they have their own set of challenges. Doing 'Omerta', 'Trapped' sometimes can take a toll on your mental health, while doing a film like 'Bareilly Ki Barfi' will not affect you," Rajkummar said. In his next film 'Fanney Khan', which features Anil Kapoor in the lead role, Rajkummar will be seen opposite Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. The actor has lost 10 kgs for his role in the movie. "Losing weight is not easy but gaining it is slightly easy as you just have to hog, eat. Losing weight is a task as I had to sacrifice food. It was almost like doing 'Trapped 2' in real life'. I had to look certain way in 'Fanney Khan'." Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan to get Lata Mangeshkar Award Noted music composers Usha Khanna, Bappi Lahiri, Anu Malik and playback singers Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan have been selected for the Madhya Pradesh government's prestigious National Lata Mangeshkar Award. The artistes will be honoured for their contribution in the field of music composition and singing, an official said today. Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai September 4, 2017 written update: Alka Yagnik pays tribute to Akshara at sangeet ceremony. "The award, instituted in the honour of Mangeshkar, will be presented on October 26 at a function in Indore, the birthplace of the 88-year-old legendary singer," he added. The award is given every year Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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alternatively to music directors and playback singers, said Manoj Shrivastava, principal secretary, culture department. Each award winner will get a cash prize of Rs two lakh, shawl, shreephal (coconut) and a citation. Noted playback singer Sudesh Bhonsle and his team will perform at the event. Kamal Haasan throws his weight behind 'Mersal' Veteran actor Kamal Haasan today threw his weight behind the makers of Vijay-starrer 'Mersal', asking those opposing the just-released Tamil movie over references to the GST to "counter criticism with logical response". In a Twitter post, Haasan said: "Mersal was certified. Don't re-censor it." "Counter criticism with logical response. Don't silence critics. India will shine when it speaks," he said. Haasan had a few years ago threatened to leave India in wake of protests against his film 'Vishwaroopam'. References to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in 'Mersal' have not gone down well with the BJP. The party objected to what it termed "untruths" about the central taxation regime in the film and demanded that the references be deleted. Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan demanded the removal of the "untruths" about the GST, rolled out by the BJP-led NDA government on July 1, while his party colleague H Raja claimed the film exposed Vijay's "anti-Modi hatred". "The film producer should remove the untruths regarding the GST from the film," Radhakrishnan told reporters in Nagercoil. His remarks came a day after the BJP's state unit made a similar demand, charging the filmmakers with making "incorrect references" about the central taxation regime. Earlier today, superstar Rajinikanth-starrer 'Kabali' director Pa. Ranjith came to the defence of the 'Mersal' crew, questioning the BJP's logic of demanding the cuts. Ranjith said there was no need for removing the scenes on GST as demanded by the BJP. Odisha declares heavy rains as State Specific Disaster The Odisha government has declared the heavy rains due to a deep depression over the west-central Bay of Bengal that lashed the coastal and northern districts as a State Specific Disaster in local context. The State relief commissioner's office said as many as 25 blocks of eight districts have received very heavy rainfall ranging from 135 mm to 274 mm since Thursday. The Met office said the depression over coastal Odisha, centred approximately 35 km northwest of Chandbali, moved further northwards and is very likely to weaken gradually into a well marked low pressure area thereafter. Met office however forecast heavy showers to continue for the next 24 hours. Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani to visit India on Oct 24 Continuing with close bilateral consultation, Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani will visit India on October 24. The official confirmation about the visit came even as the Ministry of External Affairs reiterated India's commitment to 'rule-based international order', setting the stage for the visit of U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to the capital on the same day. The visit by President Ghani comes within days of a visit to Kabul by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Thursday's Taliban attack on the Afghan National Army base in Kandahar province that killed at least fifty-eight security personnel. Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Police Commemoration Day being observed across country The Police Commemoration Day is being observed across the country. Home Minister Rajnath Singh paid homage to the police martyrs at Police Memorial Ground in New Delhi. The day commemorates the sacrifices of ten policemen while defending the borders with China in 1959. On 21st October 1959, Chinese Army personnel opened fire and threw grenades at the police party of 20 personnel. Ten of them died, seven were taken prisoners by the Chinese and the remaining managed to escape. The Annual Conference of Inspectors General of Police of States and Union Territories held in January 1960 decided that 21st October will be observed as Commemoration Day in all Police Lines throughout India to mark the memory of these gallant personnel. Pain to dismiss Catalonia's government, call elections Spain said on Saturday that it will move to dismiss Catalonia's separatist government and call fresh elections in the region in a bid to stop its leaders from declaring independence. Speaking after an emergency cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said his government had no choice after the administration of Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont acted in a way that was "unilateral, contrary to the law and seeking confrontation" in holding a banned independence referendum in the northeastern region. Taking Spain into uncharted legal waters by using Article 155 of the constitution, which allows Madrid to wrest back control of rebellious regions, Rajoy said he was asking the Senate to give him permission to dissolve the Catalan parliament and "call elections within a maximum of six months". The national Senate will now have to agree to these unprecedented steps - a process that will take about a week. Catalonia sparked Spain's worst political crisis in decades with the chaotic referendum on October 1, which Puigdemont said resulted in a 90 per cent vote in favour of breaking away from Spain. But turnout was given as 43 per cent as many anti- independence Catalans stayed away from the vote, which had been ruled illegal by the Constitutional Court, while others were hindered from voting by a police crackdown. Pak journalist rescued 2 yrs after she went missing while probing Indian citizen's case A Pakistani journalist who was allegedly kidnapped two years ago while pursuing the case of an Indian engineer jailed in Peshawar on espionage charges has been rescued. Zeenat Shahzadi, a 26-year-old reporter of Daily Nai Khaber and Metro News TV channel, was allegedly kidnapped by unidentified men while she was on her way to work in an autorickshaw from her home in a populated locality of Lahore on August 19, 2015. Shahzadi was believed to have "forcibly disappeared" while working on the Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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case of Indian citizen Hamid Ansari. The chief of Pakistan's Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances (CIED) Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal last evening said that Shahzadi was rescued from an area along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border on Thursday night. Shocked at her disappearance, her brother had committed suicide in March last year. CIA chief's strong words for Pakistan CIA Director Mike Pompeo has said that United States is going to do everything it can to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table in Afghanistan, but Pakistan must first deny the militants a safe haven on its soil. Pompeo said for talks to move ahead, the Taliban must have no hope of winning on the battlefield in Afghanistan, and that means making it no longer possible to cross the Afghan-Pakistani border and hide inside Pakistan. Pompeo was speaking at a think tank in Washington D.C. Excel-based offline tool launched to file initial GSTR-3B returns The Goods and Services Tax Network has launched an excel-based offline tool for businesses to file initial GSTR- 3B returns. GSTN, said that taxpayers can download the offline utility from the GSTN portal and after fill in the data the file can be uploaded on GST portal. Astronauts spacewalk to install new camera system on ISS Two NASA astronauts have successfully completed a spacewalk to install a new camera system outside the International Space Station (ISS), replacing a blown fuse and installing a new high definition camera on the starboard truss of the station. During the spacewalk, which lasted six hours and 49 minutes, the duo of Randy Bresnik, Expedition 53 Commander and Joe Acaba, Flight Engineer at NASA worked quickly and were able to complete several "get ahead" tasks, Melanie Whiting from NASA wrote in a blog post. Acaba greased the new end effector on the robotic arm. Bresnik installed a new radiator grapple bar and completed prep work for one of two spare pump modules on separate stowage platforms to enable easier access for potential robotic replacement tasks in the future. "He nearly finished prep work on the second, but that work will be completed by future spacewalkers," Whiting said. This was the fifth spacewalk of Bresnik's career - 32 hours total spacewalking - and the third for Acaba - 19 hours and 46 minutes total spacewalking. Space station crew members have conducted 205 spacewalks in support of assembly and maintenance of the orbiting laboratory. Spacewalkers have now spent a total of 53 days, six hours and 25 minutes working outside the station. Google celebrates 107th birthday of Nobel-winning astrophysicist S. Chandrasekhar Google Doodle celebrated the 107th birth anniversary of Indian American astrophysicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar on Thursday, who won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1983 for his theory on the evolution of stars. Born in Lahore, Pakistan in 1910, Chandra was a child prodigy. He published his first paper and developing his theory of star evolution before he even turned 20. "Today's Doodle illustrates one of the most important of all of S. Chandrasekhar's contributions to our understanding of stars and Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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their evolution: The Chandrasekhar limit," Google explained. "A child prodigy, Chandra published his first paper and developed his theory of star evolution before turning 20. By age 34, he was elected to the Royal Society of London, and soon after, became a distinguished service professor of physics." "The Indian-American physicist's honors are astronomical, including the National Medal of Science, the Draper Medal of the US National Academy of Science, and the gold medal of the Royal Astronomical Society. Though originally met with skepticism in the 1930s, Chandra's theories and equations won the Nobel Prize in Physics 50 years later. World Osteoporosis Day observed on October 20, stay safe from the bone disease World Osteoporosis Day is observed every year on October 20, launching a year-long campaign dedicated to raising global awareness of the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis and metabolic bone disease. Events and campaigns take place throughout the months leading up to and following WOD. Osteoporosis is a growing global problem worldwide. It affects one in three women and one in five men over the age of 50. OSTEOPOROSIS • Osteoporosis is a bone disease • It causes the bones to become porous and fragile • As bones become less dense, they weaken and are more likely to break OSTEOPOROSIS: SYMPTOMS • Fracture at minor falls or jerks • Back pain, caused by a fractured or collapsed vertebra • Diffused pain or discomfort • Lethargy • Loss of height over time • A stooped posture Through early prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis, millions of men and women all over the world can reduce their risk of painful, debilitating and life-threatening fractures. OSTEOPOROSIS: PREVENTION • Follow an active lifestyle • Do regular brisk walk, exercise and other physical activities • Take a balanced diet • Intake of calcium and protein rich diet • Take Vitamin-D for proper absorption of calcium • Adequate Exposure to sun light is must • Women at menopausal phase must be cautious for diet • Take the supplements if required • Maintain normal body weight Take early action to protect bone and muscle health, in order to enjoy a good quality of life and independence in the future. ***




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Asia Cup final: India beat Malaysia to end decade long wait India today ended their 10-year wait for continental triumph beating a gutsy Malaysia 2-1 in the final of the Asia Cup Hockey Championship -- their third title in the tournaments history. India, which won the Asia Cup last time in 2007 in Chennai, scored from field efforts through Ramandeep Singh (3rd minute) and Lalit Upadhyay (29th) to dash the hopes of Malaysia, who were in sunmmit clash for the first time. The ever-improving Malaysians, however, fought valiantly and didnt give up for a single minute. Their efforts bore fruit in the 50th minute when Shahril Saabah pulled one goal back. The Indians, ranked sixth in the world, were in for nervous last 10 minutes as Malaysia went full throttle for an equaliser. But the Indian defence were equal to the task and did well enough to hold onto their slender lead. PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Ghogha-Dahej Ro-Ro ferry service in Gujarat Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated the first phase of the Rs 615 crore 'roll- on-roll-off' (ro-ro) ferry service between Ghogha in Saurashtra and Dahej in south Gujarat. He launched the first phase at a rally here in the presence of Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel. "This is the first of its kind project not only in India but also in South-East Asia," Modi said at the rally which comes ahead of the Assembly polls in the state. "This is also a unique project as the state government has used the latest technology to make this ferry service possible," he said. The Prime Minister had earlier termed this as his "dream project". He is later scheduled to make a trip from Ghogha, Bhavnagar district, to Dahej, Bharuch, on the ferry. From Dahej, he will leave for Vadodara where he is slated to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for projects worth over Rs 1,140 crore. According to Ajay Bhadoo, the chief executive officer of Gujarat Maritime Board which has executed the ro-ro project, the first phase of the service is meant for passengers. In the second phase, which will be ready in two months, cars can also be carried between the two towns. The service reduces the distance between the two towns from 310 km by road to 30 km, which can be covered in one hour, Bhadoo said. Modi had laid the foundation stone for Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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the project in January 2012, when he was the chief minister of Gujarat. The Prime Minister had earlier visited poll-bound Gujarat last Monday when he addressed his party workers at a rally in Gandhinagar. Prior to that, on October 8, Modi visited his hometown Vadnagar. He also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of various projects in Rajkot, Vadnagar, Gandhinagar and Bharuch. Mersal: Actor Vishal accuses BJPs Raja of advocating piracy controversy over Vijay-starrer "Mersal" refused to die down today, with actor Vishal accusing BJP leader H Raja of advocating piracy by watching the movie online, a charge rejected by latter. Earlier in the day, referring to Rajas remarks, reported in a section of the media, Vishal, head of the Tamil Film Producers Council (TFPC) and general secretary of the South Indian Artistes Association (SIAA), had also demanded an apology from him. However, Raja clarified that he had only watched clips of the movie on his mobile phone and said he did not have the patience to sit through a two-and-a-half hour film. "Dear Mr H Raja, as a leader and prominent personality, you are advocating piracy and blatantly agreeing to it," Vishal said in a statement. The actor also said he wondered "how a political leader like you could watch a pirated version of a film (online)" and added that it "sets a bad example". This was "totally insensitive and uncalled for," said Vishal, who is known for his strong anti-piracy stand and activities. Demanding an apology from Raja on the matter, Vishal also pressed the government to enact more stringent anti-piracy laws. Raja, however, categorically denied having watched the movie, especially online as it was being made out. "I had not watched the movie. I only watched the clips received on my phone," he told PTI. 1st ODI: Latham, Taylor overshadow Kohli as New Zealand beat India by six wickets New Zealand batsmen showed clinical efficiency in a tricky chase to spoil Virat Kohli's milestone match with a comfortable six-wicket victory over India in the opening one-day international on Sunday. For the 'Black Caps', young gun Tom Latham (103*) and senior pro Ross Taylor (95) batted with lot of purpose, chasing down a target of 281 in 49 overs with minimum fuss. New Zealand lead the three-match series 1-0. This was after Virat Kohli showed his class with a gutsy 31st hundred in his 200th ODI in energy-sapping conditions to take India to 280 for 8 in 50 overs. None of the other Indian batsmen even crossed 40run mark. During New Zealand's chase, Taylor and Latham came together at 80 for 3 with India trying drive home the advantage but their 200-run stand for the fourth wicket proved to be a clincher in the end. The Indian bowling attack didn't have a plan B despite the wicket being not so conducive for batting. The best part about the New Zealand run-chase was that they achieved the target without taking undue risks. They did not try to attack spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav (1/64 in 10 overs) and Yuzvendra Chahal (0/51 in 10 overs) taking all the singles and doubles on offer with occasional boundary for the taking. They either used their stretch to play the sweep shot and on occasions waited for the turn to play the late cuts as the 20 overs by the spin twins yielded 125 runs but more importantly, they only lost one wicket. Taylor, who has been a regular feature in the IPL over the years faced 100 balls hitting eight boundaries while Latham -- the only successful Kiwi batsman during their last tour, hit eight fours and two sixes in 102 deliveries scoring his fourth ODI hundred. Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Earlier, skipper Kohli made it a memorable 200th ODI with a record breaking century in demanding conditions to guide India to respectable 280 for 8. Kohli mixed caution with aggression hitting 121 off 125 balls -- his 31st hundred in the 50-over format, that took him past former Australian captain Ricky Ponting as the second highest ton-getter in this format. Only Sachin Tendulkar with 49 hundreds is ahead of him. Hitting nine boundaries and two sixes -- including a majestic bowler's back drive to reach his fifty, Kohli became the second player behind AB de Villiers' to reach three-figure mark in his 200th game. While Kohli has had some regal knocks in the ODI format over the years, the energy sapping humidity and the slowness of the track made batting difficult. Coming to bat in the fourth over, Kohli was finally dismissed in the 50th over after he had successfully steered his team to safety after they were reduced to 71 for 3 in just shade above 15 overs. Credit should also be given to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, whose unbeaten cameo of 26 off 15 balls helped India cross the 275- run mark. The two significant partnerships were a 73-run stand for the fourth wicket with Dinesh Karthik (37 off 47 balls), who got out after getting set and and 57 for the fifth wicket with Mahendra Singh Dhoni (25 runs off 42 balls). Hardik Pandya (16) had a rare off-day by his standards. With India losing both the openers early, Kohli showed a different approach, by taking considerable time to settle, initially dealing in ones and twos, and then taking the Kiwi bowlers to task. After a cautious start, Kohli hit a cover drive in the 11th over and followed it up with two consecutive boundaries in the 15th over off Colin De Grandhomme. The skipper, was lucky to get a reprieve on 29, after Mitchell Santner dropped a straight forward chance at cover off De Grandhomme. There was no looking back for the Indian skipper after that as he punished pacer Adam Milne, hitting him for a six over long leg. It was Trent Boult, who gave the Kiwis early breakthroughs, removing Shikhar Dhawan (9 off 12 balls) and Rohit Sharma (20 off 18 balls) cheaply on a Wankhede pitch which had spongy bounce and ball was holding up a bit. Boult lived up to his reputation and got the ball to swing and seam. Dhawan nicked one to 'keeper Tom Latham in the fourth over, with the hosts 16-1. Boult then cleaned up Sharma in his next over, as he got the ball to come into the right-hander leaving India struggling at 29/2. Rohit pulled Southee for consecutive sixes but the Mumbai batsman failed to convert his start. For the Kiwis, Boult (4- 35) was the pick of the bowlers as he later removed Dhoni and Pandya. Bhullar lifts Macao Open trophy for the second time Indian golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar romped home to a three-shot victory at the Macao Open to bag his eighth Asian Tour title here today. As a result, Bhullar etched his name on the Macao Open trophy for the second time having previously won the event in 2012. Bhullar (64-65-74-68) was unstoppable on the final day of the USD 500,000 event as he brought in a card of three-under- 68 to end up with a winning total of 13under-271. Among other Indians in fray, Ajeetesh Sandhu (66-67-71- 70), fresh from his twin triumphs in Taiwan and Japan over the last two weeks, delivered a last round of one-under-70 to grab a share of second place at 10-under-274 and make it two Indians in the top-3. Sandhu shared the runner-up spot with Angelo Que (69) of the Philippines. Bhullar, the overnight leader by one shot, put behind the disappointment of an ordinary third round effort of threeover-74 as he bounced back in round four with seven birdies at the cost of two bogeys and a doublebogey. Bhullar started the day with a bogey to concede his outright lead and slip into the joint lead along with compatriot Sandhu. But he then rallied with six birdies over the next 12 holes to build a healthy five-shot lead to all but run away with the title. Thereafter, Bhullars subsequent bogey and double-bogey on the 14th and 16th couldnt stop him from marching to his first Asian Tour title in about a year. He finally registered a three-stroke victory margin thanks to his birdie on the closing 18th. The strapping 29-year-old from Kapurthala in Punjab has now equalled Arjun Atwal and Jyoti Randhawa?s Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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record of most wins (8) by an Indian on the Asian Tour. It was also Bhullar?s third wire-to-wire victory of his career following the Macao Open 2012 and the Indonesia Open 2013. Bhullar had last tasted international success just about a year back at the Asian Tour?s Bank BRI-JCB Indonesia Open 2016. Bhullar now has nine international wins to his credit including one on the European Challenge Tour. Interestingly, it was the third time that an Indian won the Macao Open. Besides Bhullar having won it in 2012, Anirban Lahiri had also won it in 2014. Sandhu, who was overnight tied second, one off the lead, had an encouraging start to the day when he sank two birdies on the first four holes. The the joint leader early in the day, he soon slipped out of contention after a string of bogeys on the seventh, 10th and 14th. He however managed to finish joint second after a late flourish which saw him birdie the 16th and 18th. Rashid Khan shot a stunning final round of seven-under- 64, the day?s best, to climb 19 places to tied fifth at six- under-278. His presence in tied fifth made it three Indians in the top-6 this week. Chiragh Kumar of India also finished inside the top-20. He was tied 19th at even-par-284. Shubhankar Sharma was a further stroke back in tied 24th. S Chikkarangappa was 33rd at three-over-287, Himmat Rai was tied 58th at eight-over-292, Khalin Joshi was tied 66th at 10-over-294 and M Dharma was 70th at 18-over-302. Indian women bag silver in Archery World Championships The Indian women's compound team has bagged a silver medal after losing to Colombian rivals in the World Archery Championships here. Eyeing India's first ever gold medal, Trisha Deb, Lily Chanu Paonam and Jyothi Surekha Vennam went down 228-234 to the fourth seeded Colombian team of world record holder Sara Lopez, Alejandra Usquiano and Nora Valdez in the final played yesterday. This was India's fifth medal at the World Championships and all of them have been silver. It was also the first time India won any medal in the compound team archery section at the World Championships. Colombia, who landed only six arrows out of the 10ring, took a three-point lead, 58-55, after the first six arrows and never let go to win their second ever world archery title. Korea, represented by Song Yun Soo, So Chaewon and Choi Bomin, took bronze beating Germany 235-227. NIA's chargesheet against Zakir Naik in terror funding case this week Controversial religious preacher Zakir Naik will be chargesheeted by the National Investigation Agency this week for his alleged role in terror funding and money laundering cases in the country. The formalities to file the chargesheet have been completed and it will be submitted before a special court this week. Naik is being probed under terror and money-laundering charges by the NIA after he fled from India on July 1, 2016, after terrorists in neighbouring Bangladesh claimed that they were inspired by his speeches. The NIA had on November 18, 2016, registered a case against Naik at its Mumbai branch under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. His Mumbaibased NGO, Islamic Research Foundation has already been declared an unlawful association by the Union Home Ministry. Srikanth Kidambi wins Denmark Open Super Series title India's Kidambi Srikanth won his third Superseries Premier title when he beat Lee Hyun-Il of Korea in just 25 minutes in the final of Denmark Open Superseries on Sunday. In an one-sided affair, the Indian eased past through his opponent, who did not put up any fight right from the very beginning of the game. The 25-year-old won Indonesia Open and Australian Open and also ended runner-up in the Singapore Open this year. Srikanth defeated Korea's Lee Hyun-Il 21-10, 21-5. After this win, Srikanth now sits on the top of the table of Destination Dubai Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Rankings ahead of Son Wan Ho. ***




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Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs Date: 23.10.2017, Monday

Centre appoints interlocutor for sustained dialogue in J&K The Centre today appointed former Intelligence Bureau chief Dineshwar Sharma as its special representative for a "sustained dialogue" with all stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir, in a fresh move aimed at bringing peace to the troubled state. Sharma, with the rank of Cabinet Secretary, will have complete independence in deciding who to hold talks with, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said while making the crucial announcement at a hurriedly-called press conference here. Singh stated this when asked whether Sharma would hold talks with the separatist Hurriyat Conference. Sharma, a 1979-batch IPS officer who served in the state in 1990s and retired last year, would initiate sustained interactions and dialogue to understand the legitimate aspirations of people, especially the youth, and try to fulfil them, Singh said. He will hold talks with all sections of people and organisations, the minister said and made it clear that there is no time-frame for him as the issue is sensitive. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti welcomed the announcement while the Opposition parties like National Conference and Congress took a dig at the government, saying it had realised that "force" and "muscular" approach alone would not solve the problem. Singh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had held a series of meetings with political representatives on the Kashmir issue and "all of them were clear that the process of dialogue should begin in the Valley." The home minister referred to the prime minister's last Independence Day address in which he had said that problems of J&K cannot be solved by bullets or abuses but by embracing the people of the state. That statement clearly underlined the government's policy and intention, Singh said while adding that the government was sensitive to issues related to Jammu and Kashmir. "The Centre has shown conviction and consistency on Kashmir issue and carrying forward this policy, we have decided to begin a sustained dialogue policy for Jammu and Kashmir. "And for this, we have decided to appoint Dineshwar Sharma as special representative of the Government of India," he said. Sharma is the fourth interlocutor appointed by the Centre since 2002. The first one was former Union minister K C Pant, the second N N Vohra, the present governor of the state, and the last was a three-member panel comprising former bureaucrat M M Ansari, academician Radha Kumar and late journalist Dileep Padgaonkar. Asked about the failure of similar initiatives undertaken earlier, the home minister said, "Please take it from me that whatever we do, we will do with good intentions and clear policy." To another question regarding previous reports of interlocutors gathering dust in the home ministry, he said, "You cannot pre-judge that this initiative will not be successful. Our announcement shows how serious we are about initiating dialogue." Asked whether a police officer was capable for holding talks on such a sensitive issue, Singh shot back, "What's wrong in that? He is an apolitical person having no political affiliation, which is his greatest advantage. Besides, he is well aware about the internal security situation of the country." Mehbooba welcomed the announcement, saying dialogue is the need of the hour and the only way forward. "Welcome the initiative of Union Government, appointing an interlocutor for leading a sustained dialogue with stakeholders in Jammu & Kashmir (sic)," Mehbooba said in a tweet. "This dialogue initiative is in line with P.M @narendramodi's Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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15th August speech na goli se, na gaali se, Kashmir ki samasya suljhegi gale lagaane se (sic)," she said in another tweet, referring to the prime minister's remarks in his Independence Day speech. National Conference leader and former chief minister Omar Abdullah said the "acceptance" of the political nature of the Kashmir issue was a "resounding defeat of those who could only see use of force" as a solution. "Centre announces an interlocutor to engage with stake holders in J&K. Will keep an open mind and wait to see results of the dialogue process," he tweeted. Referring to the home minister's statement that Sharma would try to understand the legitimate aspirations of the people of the state, Abdullah said, "The 'legitimate aspirations' of people of J&K is an interesting formulation. Who gets to decide what is legitimate?" He also sought to know the fate of the ongoing probe into terror-funding cases against some separatist leaders. He asked, "What does this mean for the NIA investigation in J&K? Will investigation be suspended to facilitate dialogue with detained Hurriyat leaders?" Responding to a tweet about the choice of a non-political representative, Omar said, "One can't get everything. So for now, we'll take what we can get. More important than the person is the mandate and absence of preconditions." Senior Congress leader and former Home Minister P Chidambaram said the movement from "No talks" to "Talks with all stakeholders" was a major victory for those who had argued for a political solution in Jammu and Kashmir. "With appointment of interlocutor, I hope government has finally admitted 'muscular approach' has failed in J&K," he added. Interlocutor lauds Naga tribal grass root organisations The interlocutor for Naga peace talks, R N Ravi today lauded the Naga tribal grass-root organiations and civil societies for making it possible for the six Naga National Political Groups (NNGPs), who are now formally party to the peace process, to come together. "This is a historic development because howsoever comprehensive the Naga issue, we cannot leave anyone out of the peace process. We must strive to the best of the ability to make it happen," Ravi said. Ravi is here in Nagaland to hold peace talks with the working committee of six NNPGs, which is being held for the first time in the state. Besides the ongoing Naga political dialogue between the Govt of India and the NSCN-IM, the six NNPGs have also been invited to involve in the peace talks before a final settlement is achieved. Ravi said the Centre cannot be indifferent to the stake holders representing the Naga society at the grass root level and the active cooperation shown by them so far will surely reach an "honourable and acceptable solution in the near future". The interlocutor said Naga issue cannot be fragmented. "We cannot have too many agreements and solutions. There will be one peace process and one agreement that will be inclusive and comprehensive," he said and urged the NNGPs to continue to maintain unity and work to bring all groups under the peace process. "We must not waste time but be sincere and honest and sort out the differences," he added. Leaders of tribal organizations and civil societies have extended their support and cooperation and urged upon the Centre to expedite the peace process by bringing all Naga political groups on board to find an honourable solution to the long-protracted Naga issue. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi becomes Pakistan's first PM to fly military helicopter Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Sunday took the Turkish attack helicopter T-129 for a test flight, becoming the first Pakistani premier to fly a military helicopter, Radio Pakistan reported. After talking to Pakistani and Turkish media following the test-flight of T-129 helicopter, Abbasi said Turkey's defence production industry was one of the best in the world and second to none. The premier appreciated the Turkish aircraft and termed it an impressive and good machine. He lauded the Turkish aviation industry as well as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for such achievements in the defence production. Answering a question about Pakistan's plan of purchasing T-129 helicopters, Abbasi Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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said, our army is evaluating the helicopter, and we are negotiating the contract and terms. The prime minister also inspected the helicopter, where he was briefed by the Turkish aviation officials about the specifications and technical parameters of the combat chopper. The chief executive officer of Turkish Aerospace Industries, Temel Kotil, said that T-129 was a light-weight attack helicopter equipped with missiles and guns. He said Pakistan and Turkey have strong defence ties and collaborating in the defence production area as well. Earlier in September, the prime minister had participated in an exercise training mission aboard an F-16 aircraft as part of the elite No 9 multirole squadron. In full flying gear, PM Abbasi sat in the rear cockpit of the fighter jet. It was during a visit to the newly established ‘Airpower Centre of Excellence’ at an operational airbase of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in Sargodha when the prime minister took part in the mission. Chief of the Air Staff Sohail Aman, sitting in another F-16 aircraft, had also participated in the training mission. Abe says his priorities are N Korea and aging Japan Fresh off a decisive election victory, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged Monday to tackle what he called Japan's two national crises: the military threat from North Korea and an aging and shrinking population. Abe said at a news conference that he is committed to protect the Japanese people's prosperity and peace from any contingency. He also referred to Japanese people who were abducted years ago and are believed to still be held by North Korea. "I will pursue decisive and strong diplomacy to tackle North Korea's missile, nuclear and abduction issues and put further pressure to get it to change its policy," he said. His ruling coalition was returned to power in elections for Japan's more powerful lower house Sunday. Abe said Japan's decreasing population and aging is "the biggest challenge" for his Abenomics policy aimed at Japan's economic recovery from deflation. "The problem is progressing by the minute, and we cannot afford waiting around." He promised a comprehensive package by the end of the year to deal with Japan's demographic challenges, including investments in education, productivity improvements and pension system reform. Abe's Liberal Democratic Party and a small coalition partner together secured at least 313 seats in the 465-member lower house, passing the 310-barrier for a twothirds majority. Three seats remained undecided. Abe said the result showed "strong support" from the people and thanked them for backing stability and his government's policies. The victory boosts Abe's chances of winning another three-year term next September as leader of the Liberal Democratic Party. That could extend his premiership to 2021, giving him more time to try to win a reluctant public over to his longtime goal of revising Japan's pacifist constitution. In the immediate term, the win likely means a continuation of the policies Abe has pursued since he took office in December 2012 - a hard line on North Korea, close ties with Washington, including defense, as well as a super-loose monetary policy and push for nuclear energy. Stocks rose in Tokyo on Monday morning. Abe said he will have "deep discussion" on North Korean policies with President Donald Trump during his planned Nov 5-7 visit in Japan. Abe said he will call a special parliamentary session to be re-elected as prime minister and install his new cabinet, which is expected to retain most of its current members. Abe's ruling coalition already has a two-thirds majority in the less powerful upper house. Having a so-called supermajority in both houses gives them virtually a free hand to push even divisive policies and legislation. That would also increase Abe's chances for achieving a constitutional revision, a goal his party and its nationalist supporters have advocated for years. They view the 1947 constitution as the legacy of Japan's defeat in Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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World War II and an imposition of the victor's world order and values. The charter renounces the use of force in international conflicts and limits Japan's troops to self-defense, although Japan has a wellequipped modern military that works closely with the U.S. Any change to Japan's constitution, which has never been amended, requires approval first by two-thirds of parliament, and then in a public referendum. Polls indicate that the Japanese public remains opposed to amendment. The win indicates Abe has bounced back from the summer, when support ratings for his cabinet plunged to 30 percent after accusations of government favoritism to people connected to him. For the first time since he took office nearly five years ago, he appeared vulnerable as both party leader and prime minister. The ruling coalition's victory reflects as much the lack of viable alternatives as support for Abe. Turnout was just 54%, as typhoon rains lashed much of the country and delaying final results. Abe dissolved the lower house less than a month ago, forcing the snap election. Analysts saw it as an attempt to solidify his political standing at a time when the opposition was in disarray and his support ratings had improved somewhat. His plan was briefly upstaged by the launch of a new opposition party by populist Tokyo Gov Yuriko Koike. But initial excitement faded, and the Party of Hope took only 49 seats. Another new party, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, won 55 seats and looks to be the biggest opposition grouping. It is liberal-leaning, while both the Party of Hope and Abe's Liberal Democratic Party are more conservative. NS Venkatesh appointed AMFI chief executive NS Venkatesh has been appointed as chief executive of the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI). The post was lying vacant after CVR Rajendran stepped down from the position in December. Prior to joining AMFI, a nodal association of mutual funds across India, he was the executive director at Lakshmi Vilas Bank. Before that, Venkatesh served in Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI) for over 19 years, where he held several senior positions, including that of chief financial officer and executive director. SC asks Govt to consider regulating playing of national anthem The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to consider amending the national flag code for regulating the playing of national anthem in cinema halls across the country. A bench, comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, said the Centre has to take a call uninfluenced by its earlier order on the playing of national anthem in the theatres. During the hearing, Attorney General K K Venugopal, appearing for the Centre, said India was a diverse country and the national anthem needs to be played in the cinema halls to bring in uniformity. The bench indicated that it may modify its order of December 1, 2016, by which the playing of the anthem was made mandatory for cinema halls before the screening of a movie, and it may replace the word "shall" with "may". The apex court had last year ordered the theatres across the country to mandatorily play the national anthem before a movie and the audience must stand and show respect, in a bid to "instil committed patriotism and nationalism". It had said that "love and respect for the motherland is reflected when one shows respect to the national anthem as well as to the national flag". The court had barred printing of the anthem or a part of it on any object and displaying it in such a manner at places which may be "disgraceful to its status and tantamount to disrespect". The court's directions had come on a PIL filed by one Shyam Narayan Chouksey seeking directions that the national anthem should be played in all the Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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cinema halls before a film begins. It had also said proper norms and protocol should be fixed regarding its playing and singing at official functions and programmes where those holding constitutional office are present. NGT slaps penalty on 4 railway stations over waste management Four railway stations here, which have been generating waste in huge quantity, today faced the wrath of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) which imposed major fines on them for not complying with the solid waste management rules. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar imposed penalty of Rs one lakh each on Anand Vihar railway station, Vivek Vihar railway station, Shahdara railway Station and Shakur Basti railway station for failure to properly manage waste and treat sewage. The green panel directed them to submit 25 per cent of the fine amount with the Central Pollution Control Board and rest with the Delhi Pollution Control Committee. Advocate Om Prakash, appearing for the railways, assured the bench that the transport behemoth would take all necessary steps to maintain hygiene and cleanliness at the stations. The NGT order came after it perused an interim report submitted by a committee set up by it recommending action against defaulting bodies for improper management and treatment of sewage and lack of mechanism to recycle waste. The tribunal had earlier constituted a committee to inspect major waste generators in the national capital including 5-star hotels, malls, hospitals, educational institutions with hostels and housing societies. Noting that the problem of waste generation was being faced by the entire country and urgent steps needed to be taken without "demur and default", the green panel had directed the Delhi government to provide a list of all such establishments to be inspected by the committee. It had noted that Delhi generated nearly 14,100 metric tonnes of municipal solid waste per day and said that the mass generators of waste could not be equated to a simple household generating trash. It had expressed concern that public authorities lacked infrastructure and appropriate technical capacity to handle such huge quantity of waste. No pressure on EC from Centre: CEC Chief Election Commissioner A K Joti has rejected the opposition's charge that the poll panel is working under the pressure of ruling party. In an interview with a news agency, Mr. Joti said the Commission does not meddle in the poll campaign and asserted that no special preference is being given to any political party. He said the poll body has given equal opportunity to all political parties and has not directed any party to hold or not to hold their rallies in the state. Mr. Joti said multiple factors including the weather came into play while deciding to hold elections in Himachal Pradesh earlier than Gujarat. He said political parties and the state administration in Himachal Pradesh had requested to conduct the polls before mid-November as there was the probability of snowfall in three districts of the hill state. The CEC asserted that the Commission will plan the poll schedule in Gujarat in a way that the outcome of Himachal should not affect the voting in Gujarat. Further referring to the Gujarat floods, the CEC averred that the state had to undergo restoration before elections could be organised. Mr. Joti also underlined the fact that the government staff which will carry out the restoration work is the same which will carry out services during the elections. The CEC said the panel will be preparing a database for the staff as more than 2.5 lakh government employees will be required for election duties. He also said the Commission has Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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commenced discussions with the Home Ministry with regard to security and administrative staff deployment for the polls in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat.

Govt has opened more than 9000 PMKK so far: Rajnath Home Minister Rajnath Singh has said that government has so far opened more than nine thousand Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra to impart skill training to youth. Inaugurating one such a Centre at Mandir Marg in New Delhi, Mr Singh said, government has earmarked 12 hundred crore rupees so that youth belonging to economically weaker section could be trained in skill training. He said, government has set a target of generating one crore employment opportunities for youth by 2020. He said, active involvement of private sector is needed to achieve this ambitious target. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana is the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Skill Development to enable a large number of youth to take up industry - relevant skill training to make them employable. CISF to analyse social media trends & data in monitoring security Central Industrial Security Force will analyse the Social media trends and data for the first time in monitoring security. The data will be used to monitor the country's most vital assets such as airports and nuclear and aerospace installations. A special team of CISF men and women has been trained to track social media trends, news, reports and indicators across various platforms, collate them and dish them out as vital pieces of actionable intelligence to its various airports and other vital units. CISF Director-General O P. Singh told PTI that this project is being done on experimental basis. He said based on the experiences, this smart centre will be further strengthened. INSV Tarini, with an all-women crew enter Fremantle Port in Australia Sailboat INSV Tarini, with an all-women crew, today entered Fremantle Port in Australia during its maiden voyage to circumnavigate the globe. The Indian Navy said in a statement in New Delhi today that this is the first-ever Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women crew. The vessel is skippered by Lieutenant Commander Vartika Joshi, and the crew comprises Lieutenant Commanders Pratibha Jamwal and P Swathi, and Lieutenants S Vijaya Devi, B Aishwarya and Payal Gupta. Flagged off by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on September 10, the vessel has covered 4,800 nautical miles from Goa, crossing the Equator on September 17 and the Tropic of Capricorn on October 6.The vessel would return to Goa in April, 2018. India's space mission to moon next year: Jitendra Singh Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Minister for Space Jitendra Singh has said that India’s Space Mission to Moon Chandrayaan-II will take place next year, most likely in the first quarter of the year. Addressing the inaugural session of the 5-day Asian Conference on Remote Sensing in New Delhi today, Dr Singh said, India today has emerged as the world's front line nation in the field of Space Technology. He said, this is itself a glorious vindication of the dream seen by the founding fathers of India’s Space Programme, like Dr Vikram Sarabhai and Satish Dhawan. Giving credit to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving fresh impetus to Space Research, Dr Singh said, it was during the last three years that India could launch a South Asian Satellite which will be also providing inputs and benefits to the neighbouring countries. On the occasion, Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation Kiran Kumar spoke about the various achievements of India’s Space capability in the field of Disaster Management. The 5-day conference is being attended by over 500 eminent foreign delegates and some of the world’s most distinguished faculty in the field of Space Science. ONGC plans to raise oil output by 4 MT by 2020 State-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has drawn a blueprint to raise crude oil production by 4 metric tonne (MT) and almost double natural gas output by 2020. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, ONGC Chairman Shashi Shanker said, the Prime Minister had given a call to cut country's oil imports by 10 per cent by 2022 and ONGC's roadmap for meeting that is ready. The state-owned firm will raise crude oil production from 22.6 MT in 2017-18 to 26.42 MT in 2021-22. The nation's biggest oil and gas producer has prepared the 'Roadmap for Import Reduction' two years after Mr Modi set the target for reducing oil import dependence by 10 per cent, from 77 per cent in 2013-14. India spend almost 1 trillion dollar on crude imports from financial year 2005-06 to 2015-16. Jan Dhan accounts see surge in cash inflows in past 3 months There has been a spurt in cash flows into Prime Minister Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) bank accounts in the past three months. The period between July and October witnessed a steep rise in the cumulative balances, of the order of ₹2,554 crore, substantially higher than the ₹400 crore or so between mid-May and mid-July. The total balance in these accounts now stands at ₹67,330 crore.Of the ₹2,554-crore inflows, the increase from July to August was ₹1,108 crore, whereas fromAugust to September and September to October it was ₹722 crore and ₹724 crore, respectively. Asked about the possible causes for the increase in balances, a senior executive of the State Bank of India said: “We need to look into the matter when we see the second-quarter numbers.” An executive of Andhra Bank said there had been an addition of about one crore beneficiaries of the Jan Dhan scheme in the past three months, which could have caused the cumulative balance to increase. The total number of accounts as on October 11 was 30.45 crore against 29.48 crore two months ago. The scheme, which was launched on August 15, 2014 with a target to provide universal access to banking facilities, had attracted ₹65,697-crore funds in the three years following its launch (that is, as on August 9, 2017). Most of the scheme’s beneficiaries hold accounts in rural and semi-urban branches. These accounts witnessed a big spurt in deposits immediately after the demonetisation of high-value currency notes in November 2016. Key drivers Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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With the increased focus on Aadhaar and digitisation, new accounts are still being opened in rural areas. The increased use of RuPay cards, which offer many advantages, is also incentivising the rural population to keep balances in their accounts, say bankers. The National Payment Corporation of India has so far issued about 23 crore RuPay Debit cards to Jan Dhan account holders. India Post Payments Bank gets private-sector stamp India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) appointed Suresh Sethi as its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer on Monday. Sethi had been selected by the Banks Board Bureau from top contenders for the post, including public and private sector banking and fintech professionals, the company said in a statement. He was the former Managing Director of Vodafone M-Pesa and has broad international experience of over 27 years in the banking and financial services industry with Citigroup and YES Bank, across India, Kenya, the UK, Argentina and the US. He has also worked in the financial inclusion space, where he leveraged digital-led innovation. Sethi takes over from AP Singh, who has been the interim Managing Director and CEO of IPPB since January. IPPB has been incorporated as a public limited company under the Department of Posts with 100 per cent Government of India equity. The company plans to leverage the reach of the India Post network to achieve a pan-India rollout of 650 branches by early next year. RBI sets up task force on ‘Public Credit Registry’ The Reserve Bank of India has constituted a 10-member ‘High Level Task Force on Public Credit Registry (PCR) for India’, which will, among other things, suggest a roadmap for developing a transparent, comprehensive and near-real-time PCR for India. Headed by YM Deosthalee, ex-CMD, L&T Finance Holdings, the task force includes Sekar Karnam, DMD & Chief Credit Officer, SBI; Vishaka Mulye, ED, ICICI Bank; Rashesh Shah, Chairman and CEO, Edelweiss Group; and Sriram Kalyanaraman, MD and CEO, National Housing Bank. The terms of reference of the task force include reviewing the current availability of information on credit in India, assessing the gaps in India that could be filled by a comprehensive PCR, and study the best international practices on PCR. Envisaged as an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders, PCR is expected to enhance efficiency of the credit market, increase financial inclusion, improve ease of doing business and help control delinquencies. RBI guidelines: How your mobile wallet will work under the new rules Transaction limits and inter-operability are probably the two big changes to your wallet. Until last week, you could create a wallet within minutes by providing your name and mobile number. This wallet could then be used for transactions up to Rs 20,000 per month, including transfer of wallet funds to your bank account. These “limited KYC” wallets constitute a majority of the wallets that are in use today. The new PPI guidelines now mandate movement to a “full KYC” framework. As an existing user, your “limited KYC” monthly transaction cap has been reduced from Rs 20,000 to Rs 10,000. You can continue to use your wallet, but cannot load amounts beyond Rs 10,000, and can no longer transfer money out of your wallet to your bank account, until you become a “full KYC” user. In addition to your name and mobile number, you will also need to provide an ID number (Aadhaar card or driver’s license) to create a wallet. Can existing users continue to use the wallet as before? To be able to continue to use your wallet as Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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before, you will need to convert to a full KYC PPI. As a full KYC user, you can transact up to Rs 1 lakh (per month) and once the inter-operability infrastructure is in place, you will also be able to transfer money from your wallet to other wallets and payee bank accounts. What do the rules on interoperability mean for end users? The new guidelines take a giant step towards interoperability. Until now, you could transfer funds on your wallet to your bank account, to wallets issued by the same issuer but not to other wallets. Over the next six months, all wallets (across different issuers) will become wallet-wallet interoperable and eventually wallet-bank account interoperable (via the UPI infrastructure). What is 2FA and will it change the way I use my wallet? A big plus of the wallet has been ease of usage — simple to set up with a one-click payment feature. The new guidelines refer to a 2FA (two-factor authorisation) requirement for “successive payment transactions” and for all “card” payments. The 2FA is a second layer of verification, as is required for all credit card payments today. Applying 2FA across all wallet transactions is not ideal, and would affect the “wallet experience”. It is unclear whether the intent is to apply 2FA for all wallet payments. Can a wallet be used to buy financial products and services? The new guidelines clearly provide that wallets may be used to purchase financial goods and services (securities, mutual funds, insurance). The next step will be for the RBI to permit dividend and other financial income to be credited to the wallet (the current regulations are unclear on this point). Given that all wallets have to be fully KYC compliant within 12 months from issue, there is tremendous potential for the wallet to evolve from principally a payment instrument to a platform for distribution of a wider set of financial goods. Do the rules treat bank and non-bank issuers on a par? Bank and non-bank operators have historically not had a level-playing field when it came to issue and operation of wallets. “Open” wallets that permitted cash out were only permitted for a bank, which continues to be the case. However, the new rules on inter-operability allowing non-bank issuer access to UPI (the payment platform operated by the NPCI) that allows for immediate fund transfers is a big equaliser. Cross-border payments have been permitted only for bankissued wallets, given the foreign exchange implications. What are the security/data protection implications of the guidelines from a user point of view? As a wallet user, you can now put in place systems to set individual limits for the number and value of payments for certain types of transactions or to certain beneficiaries — a useful tool that will help curb fraudulent transactions. There will be a limit to the number of beneficiaries (for funds transfer) you can add in a day. The norms also require a “cooling period” between opening or loading a wallet, adding a beneficiary and making a fund transfer. What this means is that you cannot make an immediate fund transfer to a new beneficiary. No minimum cooling period has been prescribed and it seems that operators can set their own limits. While this will to some extent help with fraud control, it is inconvenient. A practical alternative could have been to make the “cooling period” applicable only to payments above a certain value. Shinzo Abe win puts India-Japan trade, defence ties on continuity track The emphatic election victory of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe would not only deepen India-Japan economic and defence cooperation, but is also expected to be a stabilising factor in the uncertain environment in the Indo-Pacific region and East Asia. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has a good personal rapport with Abe, was one of the first world leaders to congratulate the Japanese PM. “Heartiest greetings to my dear friend @AbeShinzo on his big election win. Look forward to further strengthen India-Japan relations with him,” Modi tweeted. Japan was the first country that Modi had visited beyond South Asia after being elected the PM in May 2014. During his visit to India in December 2015, Abe had visited Varanasi, the PM’s Lok Sabha constituency, where he had taken part in the Ganga aarti. In September 2017, Abe had visited the PM’s home state of Gujarat and participated in the groundbreaking ceremony of the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project. The 500-km project, finances by Japanese credit of $17 billion payable in 50 years at an interest of 0.1 per cent, is expected to act as a catalyst of economic growth, exposing the country to state-of-the-art technology. But arguably, the Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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conclusion of the civil nuclear agreement between the two countries was a landmark event. This is Japan’s first with a country that is a non-signatory to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons treaty. Other areas of cooperation between the two countries include the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor and Mumbai Trans Harbour link project and the ambitious India-Japan Asia Africa growth corridor. “This personal chemistry between Narendra Modi and Shinzo Abe has been largely responsible for the current state of cooperation between the two countries. With Abe’s victory, this cooperation will continue. The victory will be a stabilising force in the dynamic and uncertain environment in East Asia,” Overseas Friends of Bharatiya Janata Party (OFBJP) Chief Vijay Chauthaiwale said. The OFBJP is the party’s overseas arm. Since 2000, Japan has poured in roughly $26.12 billion in direct investment in India, ranking it third, behind Mauritius and Singapore. But despite a strengthening of ties, the two countries also signed a trade agreement in 2011, trade between the two countries hasn’t taken off. India’s exports to Japan have actually declined from $5.38 billion in 2014-15 to $3.84 billion in 2016-17. Some of the decline reflects a fall in crude prices. Its imports from Japan have also declined from $10.13 billion to $9.75 billion over the same period. “India hasn’t really received the incremental market access through the trade agreement,” says Biswajit Dhar, professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University. “It is possible that we simply don’t have the capacity to exploit the market access or that there are issues regarding tariff barriers,” he adds. “This is a pattern we see with some other countries we have signed trade agreements,” says Sachin Chaturvedi, director general of Research and Information System for Developing Countries. “But we must note that import of intermediate products has increased while that of finished products has declined,” he adds. But experts say that the relationship shouldn’t be viewed just in terms of trade. It is a strategic relationship. The Japanese PM’s victory comes at a time when the US, and several countries in the Indo-Pacific region, have concerns at the growing assertiveness of China. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is currently on a visit to Asia, and had criticised China in his speech on October 18. Tillerson lands in New Delhi on Tuesday, and the situation in Indo-Pacific region, as well as mutual concerns over China’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ infrastructure initiative would be some of the key issues that Tillerson would discuss with the Indian leadership. In his speech last week, Tillerson had underlined the importance of the trilateral engagement between the US, India and Japan, but advocated including Australia. He had also spoken of a 100-year US and India alliance in the region, purportedly to counter China’s rise. “We are already capturing the benefits of our important trilateral engagement between the US, India and Japan. As we look ahead, there is room to invite others, including Australia, to build on the shared objectives and initiatives,” Tillerson had said. Abe has won on a nationalist agenda. He has been keen not only to amend Japan’s pacifist constitution, but also deepen defence cooperation with India. During his visit to India in September, Abe had identified North Korea as a “joint” challenge to both Japan and India. After his election victory on Tuesday, Abe said: “I will pursue decisive and strong diplomacy to tackle North Korea’s missile, nuclear and abduction issues and put further pressure to get it to change its policy.” US President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Tokyo in the first week of November, and North Korea will feature prominently in his discussions with Abe. ***




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Seeking to boost note ban and GST-hit economy, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today announced a massive Rs 6.92 lakh crore infrastructure spending and another Rs 2.11 lakh crore for bank recapitalisation to revive investments as well as growth. Flanked by all his five secretaries and Chief Economic Advisor, Jaitley reeled out economic indicators to support government contention that GDP growth slowdown has bottomed out and economy is turning around. To boost job creation, the government granted enhanced access of funds for MSMEs, including by way of customising Mudra loans. A presentation was made at a briefing titled 'The India Story: Speeding Up For Take Off!' which highlighted that the economy grew by 7.5 per cent per annum in the three years of BJP-rule since 2014. For last three years India has been fastest growing major economy in the world, Jaitley said. "And our intention is that the high growth economy that India has become, we continue to maintain that position." Economy slowed to 5.7 per cent in the April-June quarter of the current, the weakest pace since 2014 as demonetisation sucked out 86 per cent of the currency in circulation throwing cashdependent businesses in disarray and the implementation of GST from July 1 hit small and medium enterprises. "There was a temporary slippage in growth in the last two quarters thanks to transitional effect of demonetisation (of old 500 and 1000 rupee notes) and GST," an official statement issued at the briefing said. That effect, it said, is now over with all indicators - industrial production, core sector, automobile and consumer spending -- pointing towards "a strong growth pick up". "There is expectation of very good growth from second quarter of current year itself." The Finance Minister said it is natural that when structural reforms happen there is some impact for limited time. "But medium to long term, there is huge benefit." The Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today approved a Rs 6.92 lakh crore investment in building 83,677-km of road over the next five years, which will create 14.2 crore mandays of jobs. With this, the total infrastructure spending cleared by the government touched Rs 14 lakh crore, Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa said. Also, a massive bank recapitalisation programme has been approved. Of the Rs 2.11 lakh crore, recapitalisation bonds will account for Rs 1.35 lakh crore and another Rs 76,000 crore will come from budgetary support and equity issuance. Jaitley said the recapitalisation of PSU banks would be followed by a series of reforms. He, however, did not elaborate. "When you give such a big push to infrastructure, it helps in job creation. And job creation is the intention to push private sector investment and MSME funding," he said. Public sector banks, which remain the main source of funding, have seen NPAs or bad loans swell from Rs 2.78 lakh crore as of March 2015 to Rs 7.33 lakh crore in June this year, primarily because of reclassification of loan, Department of Financial Services Secretary Rajiv Kumar said. Of that, Rs 1.75 lakh crore relates to just 12 cases which have been referred to NCLT. The recapitalisation besides repairing their balance sheets would help banks meet the Basel III banking rules. "The net impact of all these is, private investment will be further strengthened. Infrastructure instantaneously creates job, lending to small and medium enterprises creates job," Jaitley said. Macro economic fundamentals are strong, he said, adding that there was a need to increase public spending. "Infrastructure expenditure is unprecedented in the country. Efforts are on to increase public expenditure in various sectors of economy -- rural roads, highways, Bharat Mala, housing, railways." Also, the intention is to increase private investment in economy. "It was one area which had its own challenges. So far we believed that public sector banks have done indiscriminate lending at one stake. Between 2008-2014, because of indiscriminate lending, a bigger chunk is NPAs," he said. On reforms that will follow in banking sector, he said, "I'm only indicating that more reforms will happen so as to ensure that there is no repetition of the situation that was there in 2014 where in you lend indiscriminately while hiding the real conditions of those loans. Its only after Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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March 2015 the actual position of banks became clear." Asked if the bank recapitalisation plan will impact fiscal deficit, he said: "It will depend on the nature of bonds and the manner in which it is dealt with. "The money which has been deposited in banks post demonetisation that is available for lending, but availability of money doesn't ensure that it can be lent. For that capital adequacy is needed. And that capital adequacy was eroded because of excessive NPAs and because of situation of banks between 2008-2014." Jaitley said the Cabinet decided that a "bold step" should be taken by the government to address this problem through Rs 2.11 lakh crore recapitalisation. "This will be accompanied by a series of banking reforms which you will hear from us in the course of next few months." "Of this money, part of money will come from banks raising their own capital where government equity can come down to 52 per cent," he said. "There is another Rs 18,000 crore from budgetary resources which will be put into banks under Indradhanush. So that makes it a total of Rs 76,000 crore." In a presentation made at the briefing, Economic Affairs Secretary S C Garg said inflation has consistently come down since 2014 and will remain below 4 per cent this fiscal. Detailing macro-economic fundamentals, he said that current account deficit will be less than 2 per cent this year and foreign exchange reserves have crossed USD 400 billion. On fiscal deficit, he said the government is committed to sticking to the target of 3.2 per cent of GDP for the current fiscal but a review would be done in December. Stating that the GDP growth slowdown has bottomed out and the economy is turning around, he said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had recently projected that the country would achieve a 8 per cent growth rate soon. Modi and Ghani discuss range of issues, resolve to end terror Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on Tuesday discussed a range of bilateral, regional and global issues and expressed their "firm resolve" to end the menace of terrorism. The two leaders also discussed ways to further the shared objective of promoting security and stability in Afghanistan. "Furthering 'neighbourhood first' policy with a strategic partner. Prime Minister Modi receives president Ghani at Hyderabad House," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted. "Prime Minister Modi and president Ghani discussed range of bilateral, regional and global issues, express firm resolve to end menace of terrorism," he added. Earlier, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called on Ghani, who is here on a one-day working visit. Ghani also met his Indian counterpart Ram Nath Kovind. Ahead of his visit, the ministry had said both sides will have the opportunity to review the entire gamut of multifaceted bilateral strategic partnership, including the New Development Partnership. They would hold consultations and coordinate on furthering the shared objective of promoting peace, security, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan and efforts to combat the menace of terrorism. On UN Day, Modi lauds world body's efforts Prime Minister Narendra Modi today lauded the efforts of the United Nations in promoting world peace and said India is proud of its active participation in the global body's initiatives. His comments came as he extended greetings on the UN Day, which marks the anniversary of the entry into force in 1945 of the UN Charter. "Greetings on @UN Day. We appreciate UNs efforts in promoting world peace & laud the wide range of initiatives under its guidance," Modi tweeted. "India is proud of the steadfast support & active participation in several @UN initiatives aimed at making our world a better place," he added in another tweet. October 24 has been celebrated as UN Day since 1948. Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Singapore to freeze number of cars on its roads Singapore, one of the most expensive places in the world to buy a vehicle, will freeze the number of private cars on its roads for at least two years, a rare move in Asia where many cities are increasingly gridlocked. The city-state said the growth cap for all passenger cars and motorcycles will be cut to zero from 0.25 percent a year in February, while pledging a new multibillion-dollar investment in the public transport network. The measure, to be reviewed in 2020, is an extension of Singapore’s already tough controls on vehicle ownership, which have helped the nation of 5.6 million avoid the traffic jams that choke other Asian cities. As well as controlling the number of vehicles on the roads, special certificates valid for 10 years must be purchased along with a car, pushing the price of an average sedan to over 110,000 Singapore dollars ($80,000) — about four times the price in the U.S. Nevertheless many have still paid the hefty price for the convenience of having their own vehicle. There were more than 600,000 private cars in Singapore at the end of 2016. Singapore’s approach is rare in Asia, where the blistering pace of urban development in recent decades has often been accompanied by unchecked growth of car and motorbike ownership, spawning huge traffic jams in many major cities. The capitals of Indonesia and Malaysia, Singapore’s two closest neighbors, both suffer serious gridlock on an almost daily basis, with poor public transport systems an unattractive option and many residents viewing car ownership as a status symbol. In Philippine capital Manila, the Japan International Cooperation Agency estimates the cost of traffic to the economy as equivalent to 4 percent of GDP. However, not everyone in Singapore welcomed the move. Some said the public transport system, which has faced criticism recently after the metro suffered a series of breakdowns, needed improvement to justify such a step, and others that it would push up the price of cars as experts predicted certificates would become more expensive. “This is a totally flawed move. It basically means that only the rich can afford to own a car in future,” said Facebook user Winson Tan. Song Seng Wun, a Singapore-based regional economist with CIMB Private Banking, said the cap makes practical sense because of land scarcity. “We have already reclaimed whatever land we can without pushing into deeper waters or into territories that are disputed,” he said. While Singapore remains one of the most expensive cities to live in partly due to high car prices, Song said the city-state has also avoided “horrendous” traffic jams seen elsewhere. “It may not be the cheapest place to live and work but the quality of life is what people are looking at.” In a statement announcing the change Monday, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said 12 percent of Singapore’s total land area was already taken up by roads and there was limited room for expansion. But it said the government would spend SG$28 billion over the next five years to expand and upgrade public transport. The city-state has a largely efficient public transport system, including buses, trains and a metro. Some hoped that the changes would encourage Singaporeans to use more environmentally friendly forms of public transport in future. “Time for us to cycle more,” Jia Wang wrote on LTA’s Facebook page. Emission norms for industries: SC slaps Rs 2 lakh fine on MoEF The Supreme Court today came down heavily on the union environment ministry for not finalising pollution emission standards for industries using pet coke and furnace oil in the national capital region and slapped a cost of Rs two lakh on it. Terming it as a "completely disgusting state of affairs", the top court asked the ministry why the standards were not finalised despite its earlier direction that it should be done on or before June 30 this year. "You Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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(environment ministry) tell us what you were doing for 3-4 months? You file an affidavit and say we do not care about pollution. Industries have said they would comply with whatever standards are fixed. Industries says so and the ministry sits on it. We do not know what is going on," a bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said. Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh, representing the ministry, told the court that a draft notification in this regard was issued yesterday and a period of 60 days has been given for raising objections on it. He told the bench there were 34 categories of industries in the national capital region (NCR) which use pet coke and furnace oil and pollution standards were fixed earlier for several categories. The bench, while expressing its surprise and unhappiness, imposed a cost of Rs two lakh on the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF). During the hearing, the bench was informed that despite the May 2 order of the apex court, the ministry has not come out with a notification in this regard. The court, in its May 2 order, had directed the ministry and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to fix sulphur oxides and nitrogen oxides standards for these industries after giving a hearing to a limited number of their authorised representatives keeping in mind the provisions of Environment Protection Act, 1986. It had said that standards should be fixed on or before June 30. When the court today asked the CPCB on this issue, its counsel said they had indicated certain emission standards to the ministry in June itself. The bench observed that four months have passed since the order was passed, but still the emission standards have not been finalised by the ministry. The court was hearing a PIL filed in 1985 by environmentalist M C Mehta who had raised the issue of air pollution in the Delhi-NCR. Earlier, the court was told about the ill-effects of pet coke and furnace oil used in industries on ambient air and it was said that emissions from such units were highly toxic as these released high sulphur content. The apex court-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) had claimed that even China has stopped using sulphur-heavy fuels since 2014 and Indian industries have been buying pet coke. EPCA had said emission of sulphur oxides and nitrogen oxides has to be brought down for improving the quality of air in the national capital and the adjoining areas. The apex court had on December 2 last year accorded its nod to the Graded Responsibility Action Plan (GRAP) to tackle different levels of pollution. It had also asked the CPCB to upgrade its existing infrastructure and set up additional monitoring stations in Delhi-NCR within six months. The GRAP, aimed at reducing air pollution, has enumerated a number of measures which include closing brick kilns, hot mix plants, stone crushers, intensifying public transport services besides increase in frequency of mechanised cleaning of road and sprinkling of water on roads. Legendary filmmaker I V Sasi passes away Veteran Malayalam director I V Sasi, best known for his films “Avalude Ravukal” and “Devasuram” died here today, sources close to the family said. He was 69. Sasi had breathing problems and passed away around 11.15 am on his way to Surya hospital here. In his more than three-decade career, Sasi directed over 150 films in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi and worked with stars such as Mohanlal, Mammootty, Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth. Born on March 28, 1948, in Kozhikode, Kerala, Sasi started his career as an art director. His debut directorial venture was “Ulsavam”, which released in 1975. Amongst his biggest successes was the 1978 film “Avalude Ravukal”, which established him in the Malayalam film industry. The film, which starred his then wouldbe-wife Seema, was later dubbed into many other Indian languages, including Hindi. The filmmaker gave Mohanlal one of his early breaks as a co-hero in “Ineyengillum”. The director-actor duo went on to work in films such as “Devasuram”, “Aalkkoottathil Thaniye” and “Uyarangalil”. Mammootty and Sasi collaborated on more than 35 films, including “Mrugaya”, “Inspector Balram” and “Ee Nadu”. He also directed Kamal Haasan in films like “Guru,” “Allauddinum Arputha Vilakkum”, “Karishma” and “Eeta”. In 1979, Sasi worked with superstar Rajinikanth in the Malayalam film “Allauddinum Albhutha Vilakkum”. He helmed Hindi movies such as Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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the Mithun Chakraborty starrer “Patita” and “Anokha Rishta”, featuring Rajesh Khanna. The filmmaker won the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration in the year 1982 for his movie “Aaroodam”. Sasi directed Bollywood star Katrina Kaif in the 2006 Malayalam film “Balram vs Tharadas”. Mourning his death, Mammootty said, “I feel sad on the demise of my beloved friend.” Calling him the “master of Malayalam movie industry”, Mohanlal said, “Portraying the life of commoners, IV Sasi was a man who made wonders on the silver screen. I salute the master of Malayalam movie industry who made the viewers and actors, including me, understand the basics of cinema.” Kamal Haasan wrote on Twitter, “My friend for 45 years IV Sasi is no more. The industry and I mourn a great technician. My support and love to my sister Seema Sasi and family.” Pooja Bhatt writes book on how she overcame alcoholism Actor-filmmaker Pooja Bhatt is writing a book on how she overcame alcoholism and hopes she can help others deal with their problem by talking about her journey. She, however, says it is not her autobiography. The book is co-authored with Roshmila Bhattacharya and will be published by Penguin Random House India next year. "I would like to emphasise that it is not an autobiography. At 45, I am too young to write my memoirs. As they say in filmi terms, 'Picture abhi baki hai, mere dost'. But I can help others like me deal with their problem by talking about my journey," says Bhatt. She points out that she has not touched liquor since 10 months. "It hasn't been easy but it hasn't been too difficult either. A series of chapters in a book called life," Bhatt asserts. "It wasn't planned but we have announced the book on Bhai Dooj, when traditionally Indians have just ushered in a new year. As the Diwali lights continue to sparkle around us, please support me on this journey the way you always have through all my films," she says. Swati Chopra, Commissioning Editor of Penguin Random House India, says the book is an incredibly brave one, about a topic that most people, especially women, would be hesitant to talk about in India. "Pooja writes about overcoming alcoholism with courage and honesty that is rare, especially in image-conscious Bollywood, making this a truly ground-breaking book. We, at Penguin Random House India, are proud to publish this book that will definitely not be a run-ofthe-mill celebrity memoir," she says. In an interview in March, Bhatt had spoken about her battle with the bottle saying, "If I didn't quit now, I'd have drank myself to the grave. Telangana govt proposes to bring in new legislation to strengthen Panchayat Raj institutions The Telangana state government has proposed to bring in a new legislation to strengthen the Panchayat Raj institutions at the grass root level. This was decided in the State Cabinet meeting held last evening in Hyderabad. According to an official release, the proposed legislation will enable allocating funds for Panchayats in the state annual budget in addition to the funds that are being mobilised from various sources. Steps will also be taken to convert tribal hamlets into Gram Panchayats and Panchayat status will be accorded to the hamlets in the vicinity of villages. The Government also proposed to merge the funds allocated through the Rural Employment Guarantee Act and Finance Commission grants besides funds available under the Corporate Social Responsibility for the development of the villages. Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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The Government is likely to introduce the bill during the ensuing session of Assembly, which commence from 27th of this month. Madras HC bans pictures of living persons on banners and hoardings The Madras High Court has banned the use of banners and hoardings carrying portraits of living persons. Justice S Vaidyanathan in his judgment in a case has said the ruling applies even for the hoardings permitted by authorities. The court has directed the Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu to send circulars to all district collectors in the state to implement the judgment properly and to remove banners erected without due permission. The judgment was given while hearing a case filed by a woman petitioner from Chennai, who protested against a portrait in front of her residence blocking the pathway. The court said, to maintain a clean atmosphere and to prevent unnecessary drawing of graffiti on the walls of private and public premises, the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1959 should be strictly complied with. PM Modi greets ITBP family on their Raising Day Prime Minister Narendra Modi has greeted the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, ITBP family on their Raising Day today. In a tweet, Mr. Modi said the force has distinguished itself through its bravery and humanitarian ethos. He said, the ITBP stands out for its special affinity with the Himalayas and prowess at high altitude operations.

20 fighter jets touch down on Agra-Lucknow expressway The aircraft touchdown exercise is now taking place on the stretch near Bangarmau in Unnao district, about 65 km from Lucknow. Traffic has been restricted in the area. The IAF's Special Forces Garud commandos got off the C-130J transport aircraft with their vehicle, and took positions on either side of the expressway to secure "their airstrip" for the fighter aircraft. This is the first time a transport aircraft - a Super Hercules, which can carry 200 commandos - is landing on an expressway. These planes were inducted into the air force in 2010.IAF Vice Chief Air Marshal SB Deo said on the sidelines of an event in Delhi ahead of the exercise that the IAF is also landing transport aircraft, the C-130 which is special operations aircraft. For the next two hours or so, a fighter aircraft will carry out a touch and go manoeuvre on the expressway every few minutes. Three Jaguar deep penetration strike aircraft will be followed up by six Mirage 2000 aircrafts flying in two formations and then, two more formations of three aircraft each of Sukhoi-30MKI. The C-130 will return for another short landing to extricate the Garud Commandos. IAF fighter planes, Mirage-2000 fighters and Sukhoi-30, have twice landed on expressways in Uttar Pradesh. The first was in 2015 when a Mirage-2000 landed on the Yamuna expressway near Delhi. Last November, six multirole combat aircraft Sukhoi-30 jets touched down on a 3.3 km stretch of the Lucknow - Agra expressway. About a dozen highways that are wide enough and Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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have a smooth road surface for the fighter jets - across the country have been identified for similar landing operations to be used in case of emergencies including disaster relief and war. Bypoll to RS seat vacated by Naidu on Nov 16: EC The bypoll to the Rajya Sabha seat vacated by M Venkaiah Naidu after becoming the vice president of India will be held on 16th next month. The Election Commission announced this today. Mr. Naidu was a member of the upper house from Rajasthan. He had resigned as Rajya Sabha member on August 10 while his term was to end on 4th July 2022. A statement issued by the Election Commission said, the notification for the bypoll will be issued on October 30 and November 6 will be the last date of filing nominations. Cabinet approves bank capitalisation plan of Rs 2.11 lakh crores The Cabinet has approved a capitalisation plan of two lakh eleven thousand crore rupees for public sector banks. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi this evening, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said, the huge spending on infrastructure announced today will give a fillip to private sector investment, direct benefit to MSMEs and employment generation. He said, once the banks are strengthened, appetite for their stock will improve. He said, it was decided that a bold step needs to be taken by the government to recapitalise banks. Mr Jaitley said, various capital infusion measures have been taken by the government to ensure health of public sector banks. He said, public sector banks will catalyse private investments and there is a need to increase public investment. The Finance Minister said, the fundamentals of the economy continue to be strong. He said, India has remained the world's fastest growing economy for the last three years. Mr Jaitley said, structural reforms have short-term impact but will help in the medium and long-term. He said, the government has decided on the steps necessary to sustain the growth momentum. Secretary Department of Economic Affairs S C Garg said, the real GDP growth average in the last 3 years has been 7.5 per cent. Mr Garg expressed confidence that the disinvestment target for this year will exceed. He said the Current Account Deficit is at a low level. Similarly, there has been a consistent low inflation story. Finance secretary Ashok Lavasa said the government has put special thrust on development sector. He said more than 83 thousand kilometres roads will be built over the next five years with an investment of 6.92 lakh crore rupees. He said under Bharatmala project, 34 thousand 800 km roads will be constructed at a cost of over 5 lakh 35 thousand crore rupees. Congress said the announcement to recapitalize public sector banks with 2 lakh 11 thousand crore rupees is too little and too late for the hardships economy has faced. Reacting to government's decision on the issue, party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, NPAs of 39 banks are at an all time high with government failing completely to renegotiate the loans, recover public money and address core fundamentals of fiscal discipline. Mr Surjewala said, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has no clue of when and how it will issue these bonds and by when the money reach the banks. He said, the fall of GDP in the last quarter of 2016-17 indicates that the country is moving towards a low trajectory and has slipped to a three year low. Ronaldo joins Messi as five-time winner of FIFA player award




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Cristiano Ronaldo has caught up with Lionel Messi to become a five-time winner of FIFA's best player award. The Real Madrid forward was crowned player of the year on yesterday at the FIFA Best ceremony at the London Palladium theatre attended by runner-up Messi and third-placed Neymar. A second successive honour for Ronaldo was expected after a season in which the Portuguese eclipsed his award counterparts in the trophy stakes. As well as Spanish league and Spanish Super Cup success, Ronaldo scored twice in the Champions League final against Juventus to win European soccer's elite competition for the third time in four seasons. Ronaldo's coach at Madrid, Zinedine Zidane, was crowned coach of the year. FIFA has shifted its award ceremony from its usual January slot to October so players are judged across a season based on the typical European schedule rather than the calendar year. The women's award honoured the Netherlands' success at the European Championship in August. Lieke Martens, who scored in the final win over Denmark, won the player's award and Sarina Wiegman collected the coaching accolade. The Puskas Award for best goal went to Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud for a scorpion-style kick. The Puskas Award-winning goal from an overhead back-heeled strike came on New Year's Day in Arsenal's 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace in the English Premier League. Jitu, Heena strike gold in air pistol mixed team event Jitu Rai and Heena Sidhu combined to give India their first gold medal of the ISSF World Cup Final in New Delhi, clinching the top honours in the 10m air pistol mixed team event on the opening day of competitions. Rai, a Commonwealth and Asian Games gold-medallist, and Sidhu, also a former Commonwealth Games gold-winner, picked up their third gold together in the mixed team event, being held officially for the first time at an ISSF World Cup. The mixed team competitions were organised as test events in the World Cups held earlier this year and will be making their Olympic debut in the Tokyo 2020 Games. Rai and Sidhu qualified for the finals as top of the table on Tuesday and comfortably claimed the gold by pipping France, who secured the silver medal. China settled for the bronze medal in the event. Ruskin Bond autobiography wins literary award Beloved children's author Ruskin Bond's autobiography, "Lone Fox Dancing: My Autobiography" has been awarded this year's Atta GalattaBangalore Literature Festival Book Prize in the non-fiction category. The book, launched earlier this year, talks about the octagenarian writer's eventful life, often taking readers back in time to the genesis of some of his memorable works. It also contains over 50 photographs, some never published before, capturing iconic moments from Bond's life. "Brutally candid, Bond's autobiography Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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is the complex story of the not-always happy life of the master chronicler of simple, innocent lives, of misty mountains, of birds and beasts, of ghosts and lost loves, of rain and snow in a language that has stayed with us for more than six decades," Akshaya Mukul, head of the jury, said. The award was announced on October 20. "We are proud to announce that Speaking Tiger author Ruskin Bond has won the Atta Galatta-Bangalore Literature Festival Book Prize 2017 for his book 'Lone Fox Dancing: My Autobiography' in the non-fiction category," publishers said in a statement. The prize was established two years back by the Bangalore Literature Festival, in collaboration with Atta Galatta, a city-based bookstore and art-literature space. The award carries a total purse of Rs 2 lakhs under four categories Best Fiction (English), Best Non-Fiction (English), Literary Achievement Award in Kannada and Popular Choice (English). The winners also receive an original trophy - 'Thought Beyond Words'. Paytm processes $ 1.6 bn transactions during Diwali season Softbank-backed Paytm on Tuesday said that over $1.6 billion worth of payments were processed on its platform during the just concluded Diwali season (from September 20-October 20). The country's largest mobile payment and commerce platform witnessed 3.5X increase in online and offline payments during the festive season as more consumers used its payment service during the same period compared to last year. Kiran Vasireddy, Chief Operating Officer, Paytm, said: "Mobile payments have become the mainstream over the last few quarters. It's encouraging to see that a majority of growth in offline payments is from smaller towns and cities.'' This has resulted in over $1.6 billion worth of transactions in a month, making this the largest Diwali for mobile payments in India. For the Diwali season, Paytm registered growth across all its payment use-cases and categories. Food outlets, transportation and offline retailers have contributed the most to the overall surge in transactions, with more than 60 per cent of the incoming growth from tier-II and tier-III cities. While larger cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Pune have experienced this transformation in payment behaviour, this trend is now being led by smaller cities and towns like Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Mysore and Vishakhapatnam among others where local vendor communities continue to embrace Paytm in their daily lives, Khan said. This trend was repeated on Diwali and Bhai Dooj weekend, which saw 2X increase in transactions compared to last year. The company had earmarked over Rs. 250 crore during the Diwali season period to bring the next leap of mobile payments growth across the country. Decision on Universal Basic Income depends on social, political preferences in India: IMF The International Monetary Fund has said the decision whether to ponder a Universal Basic Income (UBI) or opt to go in a completely different direction solely depends on the social and political preferences in India. Stressing that its recent Fiscal Monitor did not advocate for or against the UBI, the IMF has said the report found that the UBI has potential to have a significant impact on inequality and poverty, as it covers all individuals at the bottom of the income distribution. “But it is costly,” it said in a statement, adding that the purpose of the research in the Fiscal Monitor was to contribute to a debate on how fiscal policy could help address the problem of inequality, looking at concepts such as progressivity of taxation, spending on health and education, and UBI. The Fiscal Monitor, which was released during the Annual Meetings of the IMF earlier this month, used India as an example and the schemes that were in place in the country in 2011. “The analysis in the report, however, did not take Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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into account the considerable subsidy reforms undertaken in India in recent years,” it said. The Fiscal Monitor report has highlighted the growing inequality in the global economy as well as within countries and has also discussed how fiscal policies can help achieve redistributive objectives. Apart from UBI, it had focussed on two other policy debates -- tax rates at the top of the income distribution and the role of public spending on education and health. “What we do in the Fiscal Monitor is an experience that I think is very enlightening. We use India as an example, and we use the schemes that were in place in India around 2011,” Vitor Gaspar, Director of the Fiscal Affairs Department, IMF had said when the report was released. India needs a Central cyber agency: MHA official With cyber security threats in the country becoming rampant, there is a need to create a Central agency that can act as a one-stop centre for all issues related to cyber space. Rudra Murthy KG, Chief Information Security Officer (Digital India) at the Home Affairs Ministry, feels there has been a delay in decision making and lack of coordination between a host of departments and agencies across various States. “The lack of coordination is leading to delays in investigations. There is an absence of an integrated approach (in tackling cyber threats),” he said. He was addressing the third edition of the Cyber Security Conclave organised by the Society for Cyber and Security Council (SCSC) here on Monday. Stating that there is a need for a national-level agency headed by a Secretary-level officer, he said the body could take care of all aspects of cyber security, ensuring accountability and availability. Roland Cloutier, Staff Vice-President and Chief Security Officer of human resource software company ADP, said organisations need a broader perspective on evolving a security plan. “Living and defending inside our own box (organisation) won’t be enough. It’s almost impossible to do that unless organisations understand the completeness (of the threat perception),” he said. Bharani K Aroll, Secretary, SCSC, said: “We have come up with a four-point agenda for our cyber security initiatives. Besides building government-industry partnerships, we organise workshops for cyber security professionals, awareness campaigns for end users, etc. Also we work on thought leadership sessions for enterprises.” Aadhaar push heightens privacy concerns The Supreme Court’s recent verdict (Justice Puttaswamy v Union of India) affirming the right to privacy has been followed by a frenetic state effort to link multiple identification numbers and welfare programmes with the nation’s controversial biometric programme, Aadhaar. This attempt to present a fait accompli of sorts when the constitutional challenge to Aadhaar comes up for hearing is not a new development; the linking between Aadhaar and Permanent Account Numbers used for taxation purposes is a case in point. Yet, the SC verdict has put both linking and enrolment efforts on overdrive. Even private actors have stepped on the accelerator; not a day goes by without messages from banks and telecom companies asking customers to link Aadhaar with bank accounts and cell numbers, respectively. But amidst all the bustle, what are Aadhaar’s realistic chances of survival post-Puttaswamy? Privacy as a right One might begin to answer this by exploring the exceptions to the right to privacy that the verdict recognises. There are enough exceptions in Justice Chandrachud’s verdict to Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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facilitate data mining and open data platforms for good governance. Importantly, however, such applications hinge on data anonymisation — keeping out personalised details that help identify specific individuals forming part of the big data set — for their constitutional acceptability. While benefits of Big Data may be immense in offering policy guidance and informing policy choices, the presence of legal safeguards on the privacy of individuals will be critical in assessing their validity. On this point, the Government will turn to the Aadhaar Act 2016 for its support. The statute does indeed contain provisions to combat fears of excessive surveillance, including Section 28 of this Act which places responsibility on the UIDAI to ensure the security of identity information and authentication records of individuals. Despite such provisions, however, the fear of a digital panopticon is real for the simple reason that desirous individuals need not necessarily approach the UIDAI to form a complete picture of the various services availed by a citizen. The authentication records also exist in government offices, ration shops and other service centres from where welfare benefits are disbursed to citizens. In fact, the data leakages ailing Aadhaar have all occurred thus far from similar end-points where personnel in charge of our data have little training and less interest in keeping such authentication records confidential. The data leakages, in fact, are telling not only because they challenge the mantra that the programme is technologically safe, and not only because they simply represent a state programme that contains flaws and operates below expectations in practice, but because the nature and upshot of the leakages calls into question the safeguards on which the legitimacy of the programme rests. Other concerns Further the UIDAI’s role poses serious institutional and rule of law concerns. On the one hand, it is the custodian of the Central Identities Data Repository. On the other, it is also the data regulator. As the custodian of data, it decides the level of access to Aadhaar data needed for purposes of authentication and the authentication agencies contracted to do so. It receives service fees for permitting private bodies to conduct such authentication, thereby aligning its incentives in the direction of widespread access to Aadhaar data for authentication purposes. But as a regulator, it is tasked with deciding on how to deal with data breaches. Thus, we have a body that has minimal incentive to report or act upon data breaches because a vulnerable database architecture does not bode well for either its financial or power incentives as a data custodian. Any breach is, plainly put, a challenge to its authority. These design flaws may well jeopardise the Aadhaar project. To overcome them, the State could potentially rely on another important exception contained in the Chandrachud verdict, preventing the diversion of scarce public resources to undeserving impostors. This has, in some ways, been the central justification for relying on biometric data for identification and authentication purposes, and without which none of the privacy worries may have arisen in the first place. This is so because biometrics cannot be altered unlike passwords. Also, recent technological advances have made them easily replicable from photographs and even mirror reflections. Ominous as it sounds, we all are walking repositories of highly vulnerable and immutable passwords which hold the key to our national identities and state-subsidised benefits. So, whether such deeply private information can be relied on to prevent scarce public resources from dissipation will depend, in the final analysis, on the checks that are put in place. Structural issues Some of these checks are found in Justice Chandrachud’s opinion itself, while other judges have also weighed in on how we might best balance the right to privacy with permissible exceptions. A first requisite is the existence of a law governing the deprivation of privacy interests. This is important because a great many enrolments were carried out between 2011-16, prior to the enactment of the Aadhaar Act. If the SC bench hearing the Aadhaar challenge were to take this seriously, coupled with the impermissibility of a waiver of fundamental rights as per an earlier pronouncement of the Court in Basheshar Nath v Commr. Of Income Tax, millions of Aadhaar enrolments may be annulled. The other important check arises from how far the State could go even when there is a law in place that furthers a legitimate state interest. In Justice Chandrachud’s view, the means adopted by the legislature must be “proportional to the object and needs sought to be fulfilled by the law.” Justice Chelameswar acknowledges the possibility of certain privacy claims that deserve the strictest scrutiny. Statutory Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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inroads upon such claims can be made only when there is a “compelling State interest” and a “narrow tailoring” of the law to achieve the objective. Considering the use of biometrics as part of Aadhaar, and the complete absence of any volition on the citizen’s part in deciding whether, and towards which schemes, she must part with such information, there is a strong case for this stricter standard to be applied when evaluating its legality. This brings us to a final matter, namely the role of consent-based architecture in protecting the private authentication solutions built on the citizen database. Justice Chandrachud places emphasis on the role of consent in the shaping of privacy but identifies other principles, including transparency, regarding data transfer and use, and non-discrimination, as critical for a robust data protection regime. The consent principle also misses the forest for the trees, as it places the onus on individuals acting within the bounded rationality of their lives to decide on issues of larger systemic risk. Hopefully, the SC shall rely on Justice Chandrachud’s diktat to refrain from utilising citizen data for extraneous purposes outside the realm of legitimate state interest, and place an embargo on the private authentication agenda. Khosla is a Junior Fellow at the Harvard Society of Fellows. Padmanabhan is a Fellow at Carnegie India. This article is by special arrangement with the Center for the Advanced Study of India, University of Pennsylvania. ***




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US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visits India, calls on Prime Minister In a blunt message, India and the United States on Wednesday asked Pakistan to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure operating from its soil, asserting that terror havens inside Pakistan would not be tolerated. Visiting US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed a range of bilateral and regional issues. In the context of President Trump's new South Asia Policy, Prime Minister noted the commonality in the objectives of eradicating terrorism, terrorist infrastructure, safe havens, and support, while bringing peace and stability to Afghanistan. Earlier, Tillerson held talks with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. Both sides also deliberated on collaboration on security in the Indo-Pacific region. Both India and US came down heavily on Pakistan. A host of issues, including ways to further boost defence and security cooperation and ramp up trade ties, were discussed by Swaraj and Tillerson. Sushma Swaraj also raised the issue of H1B visa with Tillerson and asked the US not to take action that might adversely affect Indians. Earlier, Tillerson visited Gandhi Smriti in the national capital. Meanwhile, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held bilateral meeting with her US counterpart James Mattis in Philippines. India and the US ask Pak to dismantle terror infrastructure In a blunt message, India and the United States today asked Pakistan to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure operating from its soil, asserting that terror havens inside that country would not be tolerated. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, after holding wide-ranging talks here, said Islamabad needed to take concrete action against terror groups to ensure peace and security in the region, particularly in Afghanistan. Tillerson said he had asked the Pakistani leadership to take action against terror groups and said an enhancement in their capabilities may pose a threat to the government in Islamabad. "Terror havens will not be tolerated," Tillerson said at a joint press conference here with Swaraj. Swaraj, on her part, said Pakistan must dismantle the terror infrastructure, insisting that any country backing terror groups must be held accountable. A host of issues, including ways to further boost defence and security cooperation and ramp up trade ties, were discussed by Swaraj and Tillerson. The US Secretary of State said the Trump administration was ready to share its best technology for Indias military modernisation, adding that it looked forward to discussing deals for F16 and F18 fighter jets with New Delhi. He said India was crucial to US-Afghanistan strategy and his government was looking at strengthening cooperation with India in the Indo-Pacific region. Swaraj said she raised the issue of H1B visa with him and requested Tillerson not to take action that might adversely affect Indians. Sushma, Tillerson criticize countries providing safe havens to terrorists; Discuss various issues including H1-B visa




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India and the US have firm belief that no country in the world should provide safe havens to terrorists. Addressing media with visiting US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in New Delhi, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today said, countries which are supporting terrorism or using terrorism as an instrument should be held responsible. Mrs Swaraj said, strategy of the US President Donald Trump can succeed only if Pakistan stops supporting terrorist organisations in that country and takes effective action against terror outfits without any discrimination. The External Affairs Minister said the two sides also discussed situation in Afghanistan and expressed serious concern over growing terror incidents in that country. She said India has joined hands with Afghan government and the US to ensure peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan. Mrs Swaraj said she and Mr Tillerson discussed security challenges in Indo-pacifc region and agreed that freedom of navigation, over flight and free trade should be given importance as per international law so that Indo-pacific region can become more independent. The two sides also pitched for better innovation and discussed ways for improved ties between the two nations. Replying to a media query, Mrs Swaraj said issue of North Korea was discussed. Asked whether India has reduced its trade ties with North Korea, Mrs Swaraj said, India's trade with that country is minimal. On shutting Indian Embassy in North Korea, Mrs Swaraj said, India will continue to have its embassy there for communication and she and the US Secretary of State agreed on this. On H1-B visa issue, Mrs Swaraj said the issue was discussed with Mr Tillerson and it was conveyed that nothing should be done which can hurt India's interest. She said, India is in talks with the US leadership and the administration over the issue. Addressing the press, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said, US stands shoulder to shoulder with India in its fight against terrorism. He said, US supports India to see a stable Afghanistan. Mr Tillerson said, safe heavens to terrorists are not acceptable. Asked whether he asked Pakistan to take strictest action against during his visit, the US Secretary said, he has conveyed to the Pakistani leadership that the US has expectations from Islamabad in this connection. He said, several terror groups find safe haven in Pakistan which is now threatening stability of the Pakistan government itself. Responding to a media query, the US Secretary of State said US do not want harm Iranian people and supports modern voices there. He said, the US will not interfere in legitimate business activities between Iran and Europe and India. US will provide India best military tech: Tillerson US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson today said the US will provide India with best technologies for its military modernisation which include offers to supply F-16 and F-18 fighter jets. After holding wide-ranging talks with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Tillerson said the US supports India's emergence as a "leading power" and it will continue to help New Delhi strengthen its military capability. "The US supports India's emergence as a leading power and will continue to contribute to the Indian capability to provide security throughout the region," he said addressing a joint press conference with Swaraj. In the talks, both the sides deliberated extensively on further enhancing bilateral defence and security ties as well as ways to deal with challenge of terrorism in the region. "We are willing to provide India best technologies for its military modernisation efforts which include ambitious offers by American industry for F-16 and F-18 fighter planes," said Tillerson. Meanwhile, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held a bilateral meeting with US Defence Secretary James Mattis on the sidelines of a meeting of ASEAN defence ministers in Clark in the Philippines. A host of issues relating to defence and security cooperation was discussed at the meeting, officials said here. Mattis had visited India last month, in first cabinet- level visit to India under the Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Trump Administration, and both sides then had decided to accelerate the pace of India-US defence cooperation. After the visit, Mattis had said there is a "generational opportunity" between the two largest democracies of the world to work together. The defence and security ties between India and the US have been on an upswing. The Trump Administration had last month told the US Congress that defence cooperation with India would be an important pillar in the bilateral relationship as it needs the country to be a net security provider in the Indo-Pacific region. It had also informed the Congress that it "strongly supports" transfers of F-18 and F-16 fighter proposals put forth by Boeing and Lockheed Martin respectively. Both the companies have offered to assemble these planes in India. India was granted the 'Major Defence Partner' status by the previous Barack Obama Administration, providing for transfer of technology and deeper cooperation in the defence sector. Last year, India and the US had signed a crucial logistics defence pact enabling their militaries to use each other's assets and bases for repair and replenishment of supplies, making joint operations more efficient. Xi secures 2nd term as head of China's ruling Communist Party




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President Xi Jinping today secured a second term as the head of the ruling Communist Party of China as the new leadership that will rule the world's second largest economy for the next five years was unveiled, cementing his status as the most powerful man to lead the country in decades. Xi, 64, who was elected in a closed-door vote to head the the Communist Party's all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee, introduced the new leadership in an elaborate ceremony at Beijing's massive Great Hall of the People with no clear indication of a successor. Premier Li Keqiang retained his seat on the all-powerful sevenmember committee, which has five new faces. The five new members in the ruling council are Li Zhanshu, 67, vice premier Wang Yang, 62, leading Communist Party theoretician Wang Huning, 62, party organisation department head Zhao Leji, 60, and Shanghai party chief Han Zheng, 63. The new faces replaced leaders who had reached an informal retirement age of 68. The age of the new leadership gives an indication that none of them could succeed Xi at the next party Congress in 2022. The announcement follows the end of the week-long Communist Party National Congress, the biggest event in China's political calendar, which is held every five years. Xi and Li, 62 walked along with members of the new Politburo Standing Committee before a media event telecast live across the world. Xi in a brief address after introducing the new committee said, "Over the past five years we have set out a broad agenda, some tasks have been completed while others need more work." "With decades of hard work, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. In this new context, we must get a new look and, more importantly, make new accomplishments," he said. He spoke about the China entering new era of modernisation. "As I look ahead to the next five years, I see several important junctures and signposts," Xi said. Stating that the coming five years between the 19th and the 20th Party Congress is the period in which the timeframes of the two Centenary goals will converge, Xi said, "Not only we must deliver the first centenary goal, we must also embark on the journey towards the second centenary goal." "Peace Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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and development are precious and should be valued. The CPC will work with other countries for shared future and the noble cause of peace and development of all humanity," he said. Over the past five years, China's GDP rose from 54 trillion yuan (USD 8.2 trillion) to 80 trillion yuan, contributing more than 30 per cent of global economic growth. Xi also thanked the national and international media for working hard in reporting about the party's key Congress. Though the ruling Communist Party of China is guided by the collective leadership principle, Xi who emerged as the post powerful leader with his ideological thoughts incorporated in the party Constitution and declared earlier as "core leader" has acquired a higher status than other members of the Standing Committee and party, therefore expected to have his way on all policy matters. Xi, who heads the party, presidency and the military has stamped his authority with massive anti-corruption campaign and the multi-billion dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to spread China's influence in the world. The once-in-five-years Congress of the CPC on its final day yesterday approved Xi's ideology to be written into its Constitution, which is in addition to the title of "core leader" conferred on him last year that analysts say enhances his leadership status above other leaders of the party. Xi's concept of "socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era" was added to the party's Constitution, elevating him on par with modern China's founder Chairman Mao Zedong and his successor Deng Xiaoping. Till now, only the thoughts of Mao and his successor Deng were enshrined in the Constitution of the world's longest ruling Communist Party, interpreting the complex doctrine of Marxism with Chinese characteristics. The thoughts of Deng, China's reformist leader, were added posthumously. The thoughts of two of Xi's predecessors, Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao, were mentioned in the Constitution but not their names. This makes Xi only the third leader to have his thoughts on governance enshrined, which will now be part of school textbooks all over China. Xi's confidant Zhao Leji was elected secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) of the CPC. Zhao was elected at a plenary session of the CCDI, at which the CCDI also elected its deputy secretaries and Standing Committee members.

Capital infusion of PSBs to support credit growth,job creation The capital infusion of public sector banks (PSBs) is a "big bang reform" aimed at supporting credit growth and job creation, says a SBI research report. The government on October 24 unveiled Rs 2.11 lakh crore two-year road map for strengthening NPA-hit public sector banks, which includes re-capitalisation bonds, budgetary support, and equity dilution. According to the SBI research report Ecowrap, as PSBs have 70 per cent market share in the banking space, this will help the government to gear-up lending to MUDRA scheme, which has the highest employment opportunities in the country. "Till now Mudra loan has been distributed to around 9.18 crore units and around 80 per cent of these loans have been sanctioned to women entrepreneurs," the report said. It further said that Mudra since its inception has generated 1.68 crore incremental jobs and total around 5.5 crore of jobs mostly in industrialised states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. The capital infusion of PSBs entails mobilisation of capital, with maximum allocation in the current year, to the tune of about Rs 2,11,000 crore over the next two years, through budgetary provisions of Rs 18,139 crore, and recapitalisation bonds to the tune of Rs 1.35 lakh crore. The report noted that "from the banks point of view, subscribing to the Recapitalisation Bonds does not really strain their finances, because lending to the Centre is the safest thing. In any case, PSBs tend to invest well in excess of their SLR Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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requirements in G-secs". Recapitalisation of PSBs through widely-discussed recapitalisation bonds has precedence not only in India but also in many other countries like Korea and Malaysia. "The obvious advantages of such bonds are that they do not alter the fiscal maths, as government earned both dividends and market returns on bank shares," it said. Moreover, the government need not raise immediate tax revenues and by borrowing directly from the banking system instead of the markets, the Centre can avoid crowding out private borrowings or distorting market yields, the report added. ‘Bank recap bonds will have interest cost of ₹9,000 cr’ The recapitalisation bonds for public sector banks will have an interest cost of close to ₹9,000 crore, said Arvind Subramanian, Chief Economic Advisor (CEA). “The true fiscal cost of issuing the 1.35 lakh crore recapitalisation bonds is the interest payment of about ₹8,000-9,000 crore,” he said at a lecture at SGTB Khalsa College on Wednesday. But, he pointed out that the cost would be offset by the confidence impact of addressing the critical economic bottleneck that would in turn increase credit supply, private investment and growth. “The rest is all accounting,” he said, adding that it could potentially increase the Centre’s debt and add to its deficit. On whether recapitalisation bonds add to the fiscal deficit, he said under standard international and IMF accounting, they do not increase deficit and are “below-theline” financing. “But under India’s convention, these bonds would add to deficit,” he said. To spur lending The comments by the Chief Economic Advisor come a day after the government unveiled a ₹2.11-lakh crore capital infusion plan for public sector banks in the hope that it would boost lending, spur private investments and create more jobs. To be carried out over a two-year period, starting this fiscal, it would include recapitalisation budgetary support and tapping the market by diluting government equity. Subramanian, however, said that the accounting to some extent was “moot” and the costs were always there for the government. “The government is already liable to banks as owner for the unrecoverable part of the underlying loans that were made. Issuing bonds merely makes explicit an implicit liability; or rather puts on the books what is a contingent liability,” he pointed out. Banking reforms Noting that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had already said that the recapitalisation would be accompanied by banking sector reforms, Subramanian added that these should be with the objective of where the sector should be in five to 10 years for financing a double-digit growing economy. He further said that recapitalisation must be selective and incentive-based, directing it to those banks where new credit creation will be maximum, and unviable banks should be considered last. “Since all banks must maintain a minimum capital adequacy, one possibility would be to recapitalise the unviable banks only to the extent necessary to finance their current balance sheet size while explicitly not providing for their growth,” the Chief Economic Advisor said. He also spoke on the debate on private ownership of public sector banks. Under the recapitalisation plan, banks will have to raise about ₹58,000 crore by tapping the market including diluting government equity but retaining it at 52 per cent. Recapitalisation will restore the health of banking system, says RBI chief Raising a toast to the government’s ₹2.11-lakh crore recapitalisation plan for public sector banks, Reserve Bank of India Governor Urjit Patel said it is a decisive package to restore the health of the Indian banking system and a monumental step forward in safeguarding the country’s economic future. “For the first time in the last decade, we now have a real chance that all the policy pieces of the jigsaw puzzle will be in place for a comprehensive and coherent, rather than piecemeal, strategy to address the banking sector challenges. “It bodes us well that this step has been taken in a time of sound macroeconomic conditions for the economy on Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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other fronts,” Patel said in a statement. The government on Tuesday decided to capitalise public sector banks (PSBs) to the tune of ₹2.11-lakh crore in a frontloaded manner to support credit growth and job creation. This announcement has come at time when PSBs are capital starved and hobbled by nonperforming assets. The plan entails mobilisation of capital through budgetary provision of ₹18,139 crore, government issuing recapitalisation bonds worth ₹1.35 lakh crore, and the balance through raising of capital by banks from the market (estimated potential ₹58,000 crore), with dilution of government equity. Patel observed that the proposed recapitalisation package combines several desirable features. First, by deploying recapitalisation bonds, the government will front-load capital injection while staggering the attendant fiscal implications over a period of time. “As such, the recapitalisation bonds will be liquidity neutral for the government, except for the interest expense that will contribute to the annual fiscal deficit numbers,” he elaborated. Second, the recapitalisation will involve participation of private shareholders of PSBs by requiring that parts of the capital needs be met by market funding. “Last but not the least, it will allow for a calibrated approach whereby banks that have better addressed their balance-sheet issues and are in a position to use fresh capital injection for immediate credit creation can be given priority while others shape up to be in a similar position. “This provides for a good way of bringing some market discipline into a public recapitalisation programme compared to the past recapitalisation programmes,”explained Patel. Emphasising that a well-capitalised banking and financial intermediation system is a prerequisite for stable economic growth, the Governor said economic history has shown repeatedly that it is only healthy banks that lend to healthy firms and borrowers, creating a virtuous cycle of investment and job creation. “Financial sector policies should support growth while maintaining financial stability. On behalf of the RBI, I commend the government on its bold steps in this direction, starting with implementation of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code that is helping resolve the underlying corporate stress, and culminating in yesterday’s announcement of the public sector bank recapitalisation programme,” said the Governor. 'India should have 5-7 large banks ideally' A day after government announced a massive Rs. 2.11 lakh crore capital support initiative, Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian today made a case for consolidation in the banking space saying the country ideally should have 5-7 large lenders. In an ideal banking world of tomorrow, India needs to have both large public sector and private sector banks, competing domestically and being competitive internationally, he said in a lecture at SGTB Khalsa College here. Citing example of China, he said that there are four big banks which are now amongst biggest in the world. “The big question also going forward is should there be more majority private sector ownership in the banking system? What is a good banking structure for India 5– 10 years from now and...basically India needs...we need about 5,6,7 reasonably big banks both public and private sector and to be able to compete domestically and to be competitive intentionally,” he said. Quoting former RBI Governor YV Reddy, Subramanian said that the aim must be to shrink or narrow the scope of the unviable banks. Talking about the recapitalisation, he said that it must be selective and incentive based, directing it to those banks where the bank for buck in terms of new credit creation will be maximum. “Since all banks must maintain a minimum capital adequacy, one possibility would be to recapitalise the unviable banks only to the extent necessary to finance their current balance sheet size while explicitly not providing for their growth,” he said. Yesterday, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley unveiled an unprecedented Rs. 2.11 lakh crore two-year road map to bolster NPA-hit public sector banks, which includes recapitalisation bonds, budgetary support, and equity dilution. Such bonds were first introduced by the government in the 1990s to recapitalise PSU banks. Responding to a query on the Goods and Services Tax (GST), Subramanian said that there is a strong preference for having low rates, few slabs and put as many products in and leave few products Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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out. “Finance Minister also said that we need to move towards rationalising it and I am very encouraged that over the last month or so and going forward the GST Council will take up this matter and over time reduce the rate,” he said. He also expressed hope that eventually both rates and slabs would come down. “Ideally we should have one rate like Singapore does but even if we get down to two plus luxury goods or demerit goods, I think that would not be a bad outcome at all...I think we will get there sooner rather than later,” he said. To a question on Direct Tax Code, he said that the government would be looking at it at some stage. Responding to a question on the emphasis on digital payments, the Chief Economic Adviser said that it would lead to formalisation of the economy. Job application: HC allows transgender to declare sex as woman The Kerala High Court today allowed a member from the transgender community to declare her sex as woman in the application for a state government job. Justice K Vinod Chandran gave the interim order while considering a plea filed by the transgender in which it was complained that there were only two options -- male and female -- in the section seeking information about the sex of the person applying for the job. The examination for the job is conducted by the State Public Service Commission. The transgender, who is a post graduate in Mathematics, pleaded before the court that a separate column for the transgender community be included in the PSC application form to help them in applying for the government job. Lack of such a column is creating difficulties for qualified people from the transgender community in applying for government jobs, the petitioner said. Sharmila Tagore honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award She still rules the hearts of many as Sapnon Ki Rani and the honour of receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award added another jewel to veteran actor Sharmila Tagores crown. The 72-year-old actor was bestowed with the recognition by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry here for her contribution in the field of cinema. Minister of State for Prime Ministers Office Jitendra Singh and Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwaripresented the award to Tagore at a ceremony held last night at Siri Fort Auditorium. The celebrated actor debuted in movies with auteur Satyajit Rays Bengali film "Apur Sansar" in 1959. Her breakout role in Hindi cinema was Shakti Samantas 1964 film "Kashmir Ki Kali" and Tagore went on to feature in classics such as "Aradhana", "Mausam", "Amar Prem", "Satyakam", among others. When asked what are her favourite films from her diverse repertoire, the actor said although "Aradhana" and "Amar Prem" were runaway hits, Gulzardirected "Mausam" is special. She received the National Award for Best Actress for the film. The actor also received National Award for Best Supporting Actress for 2003 Bengali film, "Abar Aranye". Filmmaker-poet Muzaffar Ali was conferred with a Special Award for his outstanding contribution to promote and arts, fine arts and literature. Music legend Usha Mangeshkar and singers Prem Bhatia, Kavita Seth, Ankit Tiwari, Rahul Vaidya, Akriti Kakar, Manmeet of Meet Brothers and actor Sukhmani Lamba were also feliciated at the event. Actor Vijay declares controversy-ridden Mersal big hit, thanks supporters Tamil star Vijay, whose latest film 'Mersal' faced opposition from the BJP leaders in the state over its references to GST, on Wednesday thanked Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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those who supported the film. In a statement, the actor thanked fans and supporters for standing by him. The movie has become a box office hit. "There was also some opposition to 'Mersal', which is a hit. As a response to that, my friends from the film world ie actors and actresses, directors, bodies like SIAA (South Indian Artistes Association) and TFPC (Tamil Film Producers Council) and popular leaders at national level, state political leaders and political representatives extended big support to me and the 'Mersal' crew," he said in the statement. "I extend my heartfelt thanks to all those who had made 'Mersal' a grand success and for supporting (it)," he said. In a scene from the movie, which has since gone viral on the social media, Vijay's character brings up Goods and Services Tax (GST) and health care in the country. Senior BJP leader H Raja, a national secretary in the party, state president Tamilisai Soundarajan and Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan, had demanded that the makers delete the "incorrect" references to GST from the movie. The controversy took a communal angle when Raja referred to Vijay, known to his fans by his single name, by his full name, C Joseph Vijay, while criticising the GST mention in the film. Vijay took a potshot at that by issuing the statement on a letter-head that carried his full name. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, former Union minister P Chidambaram, DMK working president M K Stalin, veteran star Kamal Haasan and a host of Tamil cinema industry representatives had supported the film crew on the issue. Superstar Rajinikanth had said on Twitter that the film addressed an important issue. Gujarat assembly elections on December 9 and 14; VVPAT machines to be used Gujarat will go to polls in two phases on 9th & 14th December for 182 assembly seats. Announcing this Chief Election Commissioner A K Joti said 89 seats will go to polls in the first phase and the rest 93 in the second phase. He said 4.33 crore electorates will exercise their right at 50128 polling stations. Notification for the first phase will be issued on 14th of November while 20th November will be the date of notification for the second phase. Counting will be held on 18th December along with Himachal Pradesh, which goes to poll on 9th of next month. Mr Joti said EVMs with VVPAT will be used at all polling stations. He said 182 polling stations will be managed by women only. Model code of conduct has come into force with immediate effect. The term of the Gujarat Assembly ends on 22nd January next year. BJP to observe 8th November as Anti-Black Money Day BJP will observe 8th November as Anti- Black Money Day throughout the country to highlight anti graft steps taken by the central government. Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Finance minister Arun Jaitley said last year 8th November Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced demonetization which was anti black money drive. He accused Congress of being reconciled to shadow economy. Mr Jaitley said BJP to lead anti black money campaign where all central ministers and state leaders will participate. He said Congress is a losing and disgruntled party and never fought black money. Deadline for mandatory linking of Aadhaar to govt schemes extended till March 31, 2018




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The Centre today told the Supreme Court that the deadline for mandatory linking of Aadhaar to avail benefits of various government schemes would be extended till 31st of March next year. Attorney General K K Venugopal told the apex court bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra that extension of the deadline would apply only to those persons who do not have Aadhaar and are willing to enrol for it. He told the court that no coercive action would be taken against those who do not have Aadhaar but were willing to enrol for it. He added that they would not be denied the benefits of social welfare schemes till March 31 next year. In a note given to the court, the government has said that those who have Aadhaar are required to seed/link their Aadhaar with SIM card, with bank account, PAN card and other schemes. The petitioners challenging the Centre's move to make Aadhaar mandatory for welfare schemes termed the linking of the identity number with bank accounts and mobile numbers as llegal and unconstitutional. Senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for the petitioners, said the main Aadhaar matter should be heard soon. He said though the government has decided to extend the deadline till March 31 next year, it has also not said that no action would be taken against those who do not want to link their Aadhaar with either bank accounts or mobile numbers. He contended that final hearing in the main Aadhaar matter which is pending before the apex court was necessary as the government "cannot compel" citizens to link their Aadhaar with either bank accounts or mobile numbers. When the Attorney General said that he wanted to take instructions on certain issues, the bench asked the Centre to mention the matter before it on Monday. Telecom Dept simplifies Aadhaar linking process; No need to visit service provider's stores Department of Telecommunications today issued new rules to simplify the process for linking of Aadhaar card with mobile number. As per the new rules, there will be three new methods to link the registered mobile number with Aadhaar. They are OTP (One Time Password), App based and the IVRS facility. These new methods will help subscribers to get their mobile number linked to Aadhaar without visiting the stores of the telecom companies. For the ease of senior citizens and the people with disability and chronic illness, DoT has also recommended for the reverification at their doorstep. Releasing the new rules, Communication Minister Manoj Sinha said, the Aadhaar number system was designed to allow all residents of the country access to critical government services and important information that they may need from time to time. Department of Telecommunications had given instructions to the telecom service providers to provide iris or fingerprint based authentication of Aadhaar. Paryatan Parv to highlight benefits of tourism concludes today Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today emphasized on the need to market the historical monuments globally to attracts tourists. Addressing the Closing Ceremony of the 21 days Paryatan Parv in New Delhi Mr Jaitley said, tourism has become world over one of the most economic resources. The event was organised by the Tourism Ministry in collaboration with Central Ministries Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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and State Governments with the objective to highlight the benefits of tourism, showcasing the cultural diversity of the country and reinforcing the principle of 'Tourism for All'. AIR correspondent reports, India Gate lawns witnessed a grand finale of Paryatan Parv. Over half a million people participated in the Paryatan Parv in the length and breadth of the country celebrating tourism - Dekho Apna Desh. The event spanning three weeks concluded tonight with spectacular performances by artists those who have congregated here from different parts of the country. The parv, organised in collaboration with different state governments and central ministries received huge response from general public. No doubt, this parv will give a huge boost to domestic tourism in the country. Army chief strongly pitches for developing domestic defence industry Army chief General Bipin Rawat today said, India must fight the next war with home-made solutions, and strongly pitched for developing the domestic defence industry. Speaking at a conference in New Delhi, General Rawat underlined the need for developing an indigenous intelligence and surveillance system to keep a hawk eye vigil on the borders with China and Pakistan as well as to ensure foolproof security at military installations in the hinterland. He said the private sector must join hands with the government to find solutions to the needs of the security forces. Stressing on developing the domestic defence industry, General Rawat said the Army was working with the private sector and academia on developing indigenous systems and platforms. The Army chief also urged the private sector to utilise its financial resources for carrying out research and development activities, focusing on requirement of the armed forces. UGC asks all universities to publicise 'Vidya Lakshmi' portal The University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked all universities to publicise the 'Vidya Lakshmi' portal launched for students seeking education loans on their websites and the colleges affiliated to them. The UGC said in a letter that the Human Resource Development Ministry has sought the link www.vidyalakshmi.co.in be put up on the home pages of websites of higher educational institutions so that maximum number of students can avail the benefit of the service. Relevant instructions may also be conveyed to all the affiliated colleges of your university and institution, the UGC said. Girija Devi Last rites of veteran India classical singer Girija Devi will be performed tomorrow at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. She passed away yesterday in Kolkata following cardiac arrest. She was 88. AIR correspondent reports that her mortal remains will be brought at Varanasi tomorrow morning from Kolkata by her daughter and grandson and disciples and it will be kept at her Chouka Ghat residence for public homage. Funeral procession will be carried out from her residence in afternoon and funeral will be held at Manikarnika Ghat. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today announced at Varanasi that 'Sanskritik Sankul', a cultural complex, at Chowkaghat will be named after her. The Governor Ram Naik and chief minister have expressed their condolences on the demise of the Thumri queen and said the singer had helped in elevating the profile of Thumri during her lifetime. Girija Devi, the doyen of Banaras Gharana, was born in Varanasi's Nati Imli area on May 8, 1929. Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Under Bharatmala project 1 crore jobs will be created as this is biggest infrastructure project of country: Nitin Gadkari Surface Transport and Shipping minister Nitin Gadkari today said under Bharatmala project one crore jobs will be created as this is the biggest infrastructure project of the country. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Mr Gadkari said tribal and border areas and economically backward districts have been especially considered and it will give major fillip to infrastructure in the country. He said 44 economic corridors being created with thrust on job creation. The minister said 35 logistic parks are being developed with two multimedia hubs being set up in Nagpur and Varanasi. Mr Gadkari said 550 districts will be covered under Bharatmala project as against earlier 300 districts. He also highlighted 185 choke points identified to decongest corridors. The minister said multimodal freight movement via seven waterway terminals on river Brahmaputra. He also said 28 ring roads are being planned and express highways being constructed. South African Indian-origin couple wins top US award for AIDS research A globally-acclaimed South African Indian-origin researcher couple was honoured today with a prestigious US award for their exceptional contributions in the field of HIV/AIDS. Professors Salim Abdool Karim and Quarraisha Abdool Karim received the award from the Institute for Human Virology (IHV) in Baltimore in the US. The award was presented to them by Robert Gallo, who discovered HIV as the cause of AIDS‚ at the 19th international meeting of the IHV. Salim Abdool Karim is the Director of the Centre for the Aids Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) and Professor Quarraisha Abdool Karim is its associate scientific Director.

Thai King Funeral: Huge crowds gather for five-day ceremony for revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej In Thailand, big crowds are gathering for a five-day funeral ceremony for the revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died last October aged 88. Later today, a merit-making ceremony inside the Grand Palace will mark the start of the funeral. The elaborate Buddhist funeral ceremony is expected to draw as many as 250,000 people from across Thailand. The monarch will be cremated in Bangkok tomorrow, in a royal pyre representing heaven. Preparations - including the building of a vast cremation complex near the Grand Palace - took almost a year. Members of royal families and dignitaries from more than 40 countries will attend the cremation, while huge crowds are expected to line the nearby streets. BCCI suspends Pune Curator after tamepring claims in sting operation Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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The Indian cricket Board has suspended the curator of Pune's Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pandurang Salgaoncar after he claimed that he had tampered with the track in a sting operation. Hours before the ODI between India and New Zealand in Pune, a sting operation by 'India Today TV' showed Salgaoncar speaking to an undercover reporter, posing as a bookie. The curator was seen agreeing to tampering with the pitch to suit the requirements put forth by the reporter. BCCI acting Secretary Amitabh Chaudhary told PTI that Pandurang Salgaoncar had been suspended from the Maharashtra Cricket Association's curator's post with immediate effect. The MCA has also suspended Salgaoncar from all other positions in the association. An inquiry Commission will also be constituted by MCA, he added. FIFA Under-17 WC: Its England vs Spain in Finale The finalists for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup are England and Spain as England beat Brazil 4-1 in the semi-final while Spain defeated Mali 3-1. England has entered its maiden final. Rhian Brewster turned out a second scintillating display in as many matches to fire England U17s past Brazil U17s to book a spot in the World Cup final. Brewster backed up his formidable display in the quarter-final with his second hat-trick in as many outings to ensure Steve Cook's side came away 3-1 winners against the Brazilians. The triple strike took Brewster to seven goals, the highest in the tournament. This is the first time that a player has scored two hat-tricks in the same edition of a tournament. Spain staved off a battling Mali to emerge 3-1 winners in a rip-roaring, action-packed semi-final contest to enter the summit clash of the FIFA U-17 World Cup at the D Y Patil Stadium, in Navi Mumbai. By virtue of this win, Spain has entered the final of the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the fourth time. India win by six wickets in second ODI Bhuvneshwar Kumar led a clinical bowling performance, which was backed by half-centuries from Shikhar Dhawan and Dinesh Karthik as India levelled the three-match ODI series with a six-wicket victory over New Zealand at the MCA stadium in Pune on Wednesday. Bhuvneshwar bagged three wickets while Jasprit Bumrah and Yuzvendra Chahal bagged two apiece to restrict New Zealand to 230 for 9. The hosts then rode on measured fifties from Dhawan who made 68 off 84 and Karthik's unbeaten 64 off 92 to cross the line with four overs to spare. PepsiCo India to offer healthy sips with Aquafina’s new vitamin-fortified water PepsiCo India is betting big on its brand Aquafina to tap into the fast growing value-added hydration and functional beverages segment, as consumers are lapping up health and wellness products. As part of this strategy, the company has launched its vitamin-fortified water product, the Aquafina Vitamin Splash. The company intends to sustain this strategy with the launch of a number of products in the next three years in the valueadded hydration segment under brand Aquafina. Vipul Prakash, Senior Vice-President, Beverage Category, PepsiCo India, said: “We are committed to our global portfolio Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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transformation strategy, which includes adding functional beverages and reducing calories in our product portfolio. The launch of Aquafina Vitamin-Splash is in line with this strategy as it comes bundled with vitamins and anti-oxidants to meet consumers’ needs.” Aquafina Vitamin Splash will be available in Kiwi Lime and Raspberry Mint flavours in 20 cities and on e-commerce platforms at ₹30 for 300 ml and ₹50 for 500 ml. The company also said that it is the lowest-calorie vitamin water to be introduced in India. Talking about the company’s future strategy for brand Aquafina, Prakash said: “We plan to launch a new platform (sub-brand or product) every six to nine months in the value-added hydration category under brand Aquafina, for the next three years. Through these launches, we will look at meeting different health and wellness needs of Indian consumers.” It is toying with various ideas, which could include making a play in the herbal and Ayurveda space. “The hydration category is growing in double digits and we want to grow faster than the category by introducing value-added water products,” Prakash added. Currently, Aquafina brings in over ₹1,000 crore in annual retail sales.The packaged water segment has become increasingly competitive with several players putting pressure on profit margins. At the same time, soft drink companies are also battling with the challenges of slowdown in rural demand, while urban consumers are switching to healthier beverages. Mumbai to host second Ahimsa festival Mumbai is set to host the second Ahimsa festival that seeks to spread a cruelty free lifestyle. And participating it the 18 day festival are Dr Will Tuttle, author of the ‘World Peace Diet’ and Kuntal Joisher, India’s very own vegan mountaineer who climbed Mount Everest, among many others. From interacting with doctors and health consultants on reversing disease by choosing whole foods and plant based diets to cooking without the use of animal ingredients, the festival has about 100 odd events lined up for anyone to participate in, said a note from the organisers Ahimsa Parmo Dharma Group. “If food is our first medicine and the kitchen is our first pharmacy,” the note said, introducing demos on the Ahimsa way of cooking. The event will also screen ‘What The Health’, ‘Okja’, ‘Cowspiracy’ and ‘Forks over Knives’, among other films. The aim is to spread the word on compassionate living that “involves not just caring for our own health but also that of our fellow animal beings and to go beyond that to care for our planet as well”, the note said. The event is on from October 26th to November 12th. ***




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Modi has killed country's economy, unleashed tsunami: Gandhi - Times of India Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "killed" the country's economy by firing "double tap" shots of note ban and GST into it, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi today said and asserted that only someone with "a very big chest but a very small heart" could do this. The Goods and Services Tax was "flawed" and had unleashed a "tsunami of tax terrorism", he said, promising that the Congress would strive to reform it "when it came to power". "Our position is that GST has to be reformed and changed," he said. The Congress leader described demonetisation as a decision taken without thought or consultation and accused Modi of "crippling" small businesses. Gandhi also hit out at Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on the economy, alleging that while businesses were "drowning", he had "the nerve to say on TV that 'things are just fine'". "The way this regime is working, or not working, has led to a 'double tap' killing of the Indian economy. Commandos in hostage situations fire what is called a 'double tap' - two quick, closely placed shots fired at the chest to ensure that their terrorist target is down, is dead," he said. Modi and his government, Gandhi added, had fired a double tap at the heart of the economy. "First notebandi - bang -- and then GST - bang -- crippled our economy," he said, addressing the 112th annual session of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry here. Gandhi hit out at the government over job losses, saying it was ignoring small and medium enterprises responsible for creating jobs and not hearing out their "pain" after the note ban and GST. "This is a pure man-made disaster. In Modiji's terminology, an MMD - a Modi-Made Disaster," he said. To inflict such pain, "you surely need someone with a big chest, but a very small heart", he said. Gandhi said 'Start Up' India was welcome for the economy, but could not be accompanied by 'Shut Up India'. He said what gives 'Start Up' India its strength is the freedom of expression and dissent. "You choke it and you choke entrepreneurship," he said. "The trust in this government is dead. For some reason the PM and his government are absolutely convinced that every single person in the country is a thief," he said. Gandhi said globally India was being asked if it still believed in its values of compassion and non-violence. "People once looked up to us for our values and leadership. But today they laugh as we are busy debating whether one of the seven wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal, was actually built by Indians," he said. The prime minister, he added, had failed to grasp the basic concept of the Indian economy. "All cash is not black and all black is not cash. Without understanding this basic concept, the prime minister used his vast power to unleash terror on Indians," he alleged. GST or "Gabbar Singh Tax" was "badly conceptualised and implemented", he added. "Their GST is wrecked with holes, moth eaten. Flawed in its structure. Punitive in its design. It is forcing businesses to incur massive transaction costs that are destroying them. "It is creating a 21st century computerised and connected licence raj. GST as this government has formulated has already unleashed a tsunami of tax terrorism and it is only going to get worse," he said. Joblessness was "extremely worrying" and the government was creating an army of unemployed youth, which is "toxic and dangerous". "Instead of admitting they cannot and are not providing jobs they are riling communities against each other in a bloody rage," he said. "We are starting at a disaster". Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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India has delivered a hugely successful U-17 World Cup: FIFA FIFA today lauded India for delivering a hugely successful Under-17 World Cup, both in terms of quality of football as well as organisation, and said that the country seems capable of hosting bigger global tournaments in the future. Addressing a press conference, along with All India Football Federation President Praful Patel, FIFA Head of Competitions Jaime Yarza said the infrastructure provided for the first ever FIFA tournament was world-class and all the teams were happy with the organisation. "The figures speak of themselves, it is going to be the most attended U-17 World Cup. On the field, the matches were of high quality, played in high speed and technically also it was of high class. It has been a fantastic tournament and India has delivered it. It shows that India is a football nation in every sense," Yarza said. "We want to commend all the six host venues for the successful hosting of the tournament. All the teams are happy and the coaches told us that training sites were of top level. They did not expect such a good quality training pitches. All the teams are satisfied regarding accommodation, food and transportation," he added. Asked if India can host bigger FIFA tournaments in future with the kind of infrastructure the country now has, the top FIFA official said, "All these stadia are not only of FIFA U- 17 World Cup level but of (senior) FIFA World Cup level. In every aspect, India can host bigger FIFA events in future. India should be proud of having these kind of infrastructure." Yarza said the FIFA U-17 world Cup has catapulted India to the global stage and it has shown that its a footballing country. "This tournament has touched so many hearts and souls like in the case of Mission XI Million Project which is a fantastic one. India is going to be a pioneer breaking new records for this approach. We will keep on working with AIFF, we will try to make this country into a football nation in many ways." He said the Indian team had also not done badly despite crashing out of the group stage after losing all their three matches. "The Indian team had also played well, executing what the coach had asked them to. They played at high speed, they were not afraid of facing some very good teams and all the Indians should be proud of their performance. They should continue to develop and get support," the FIFA official said. Patel, on his part, waxed eloquent on the success of the tournament and said the country should pick up from this U-17 World Cup to move ahead. "We have heard in the words of FIFA that it has been an astounding success in terms of organisation, infrastructure and conduct of the matches. "The FIFA President, in his message, has said that India has arrived in world football scene. I am sure India is ready for bigger FIFA events in future," said Patel, who is also the chairman of the Local Organising Committee. He expressed satisfaction that the entire tournament had gone on without any hiccups and according to the schedule. "The six venues that hosted the tournament met the exact standards of FIFA. The FIFA is extremely satisfied with the facilities which is outstanding in every sense. This Salt Lake Stadium which is going to host the final match is the best in the country and I think it will also be the one of the good stadiums in the world." Patel thanked FIFA for allotting this tournament and for its guidance throughout. He also said that this tournament would not have achieved this success but for the hard work by the LOC led by Chilean Javier Ceppi. Talking about the Indian team performance, he said, "Our boys have shown that they compete at the highest level. They played against very tough teams. But the results did not matter. The fighting spirit they showed and the way they organised themselves and executed what the coach wanted was exemplary." Asked what will be the biggest legacy of this FIFA U-17 World Cup, he said, "A lot more corporates will come forward and invest in football. The infrastructure will keep on improving from here on. Besides the six venues we have used, there are at least six more venues which could have been used with minor modification." He also said that India has made the bid for the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup and he will present the countrys case when he addresses the FIFA Council to be held here tomorrow. "This is going to the first FIFA Council Meeting to be held outside Zurich during an Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Under-17 World Cup. Its a great moment for Indian football. I have been invited to address the FIFA Council as a host country federation chief which itself is a rare honour. I will present my case for allotting the 2019 U-20 World Cup to India during my address today," said Patel who is not a member of the FIFA Council. LOC Tournament Director Javier Ceppi said that there were challenges initially but those were overcome by the sheer desire to deliver the first FIFA event in the country. "Like any other World Cup, there were challenges initially. But the amount of energy and the desire to succeed in the first ever FIFA event did the job and we were able to deliver the event. It has been a fantastic journey of three years," he said. India is a football country now, says FIFA chief Giani Infantino Gianni Infantino is in Kolkata to hand over the FIFA U-17 World Cup winners trophy to the winner of the match between England and Spain on Saturday. "India is a football country now," FIFA president Giani Infantino declared after arriving here to chair the FIFA Council meeting on Friday and attend the U-17 World Cup final. Asked about the successful organistion of the FIFA U-17 World Cup, the 47-year-old clad in a dark suit said: "Thank you very much all the Indians. That's most important. It's a great pleasure to here." The All India Football Federation vice-president Subrata Dutta received Infantino at the airport and later in the day he will have an informal meeting with the AIFF supremo Praful Patel who is also staying at the same hotel on EM Bypass. According to sources, there could be discussions on India's bid for the U-20 World Cup in 2019, chances of which have brightened after the overwhelming success of U-17 World Cup which is all set to topple China-1985 as the best attended event in the tournament's history. "While that appears to be the advantage the only drawback is that the FIFA has never allowed back to back World Cup events to one country. But with FIFA Council meeting here, it can be ratified," an official with the local organising committee said. The meeting tomorrow will also have discussions on the implementation of the contentious video assistant referee technology in Russia World Cup 2018 with the FIFA president keen on it. Critics, however, said there's not nearly enough proof that the process works properly and argue Infantino is rushing into technology prematurely. Last December's Club World Cup in Japan for the first time saw the VARs in a FIFA competition but it only drew flak for causing confusion. The system can only be used for goals, penalty decisions, direct red cards and cases of mistaken identity. Infantino is also the state guest of the West Bengal government and chief minister Mamata Banerjee will host a dinner for the FIFA chief. NIA files charge sheet against Zakir Naik in hate speech case The National Investigation Agency, NIA today filed a charge sheet in a special court in Mumbai against controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik for allegedly inciting youth to take up terror activities, giving hate speeches and promoting enmity between communities. An NIA official said, Naik who is currently abroad, is being probed under terror and money-laundering charges by the NIA. Zakir Naik fled from India on July 1, 2016, after terrorists in neighbouring Bangladesh claimed that they were inspired by his speeches. The NIA had on November 18, 2016, registered a case against Naik. His Mumbai-based NGO, Islamic Research Foundation has already been declared an unlawful association by the Union Home ministry. Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath visits Taj Mahal Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today visited the historical Taj Mahal in Agra. Accompanied by ministers and a large contingent of officials, the Chief Minister toured the Taj and surveyed the engravings on the marble structure. He was present there for almost 30 minutes and elicited information regarding the monument. GST a gamechanger for economy, teething troubles expected: DIPP official The introduction of GST is bound to be a "gamechanger" for India's economy despite the expected initial hiccups, which are being addressed by the government, a top official said today. "Implementation of GST this year is going to be a gamechanger for the economy and logistics. The teething troubles in the transition period were expected. "When you do such a massive reform there are bound to be some issues and challenges, but the government has been responding to feedback from stakeholders and making appropriate changes as required," Secretary in the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ramesh Abhishek said. Ramesh observed that while everyone was in favour of low indirect taxes, the revenue generation also needs to be factored in by the policymakers. He was addressing the DTI 2017 exhibition here. Indian passport ranks as low as 75 in global power index. Here's why The Indian passport has fared poorly at the 75th position in a global ranking, which saw an Asian country, Singapore, ranking at first position for the first time. The Passport Index' Global Passport Power Rank 2017 ranks India, according to its passport's total visa-free score, below countries like Mali, Madagascar, Gabon, and Comoros, which all had a visa-free score of 52. India, according to the index, has a visafree score of 51. But, how does the index, developed by global financial advisory firm Arton Capital, work and why does India fare so poorly? The ranking is based on an analysis of the access various passports have to countries around the world, with a passport's "visa-free score" representing the number of countries its holder can visit visa-free or with visa on arrival. In India's case, 24 countries allow its passport holders visa-free entry and 27 provide visa on arrival. This comparitively low number has led to the Indian passport's low ranking. The bottom five nations on the list are Afghanistan, which ranked 94th with a visa-free score of 22; Pakistan and Iraq both at 93 with a score of 26; Syria at 92 with a score of 29; and Somalia 91 with a score of 34. In our immediate neighbourhood, India fared better than Bangladesh (ranked at 90 with a score of 35), Nepal and Sri Lanka (both ranked at 89 with a score of 36), Bhutan (ranked at 76 with a score of 50), Myanmar (ranked at 84 with a score of 41), and, as mentioned above, Pakistan. Our northern neighbour China came in at rank 67 with a visa-free score of 60. Singapore's passport has been announced as the most powerful in the world as it secured the top spot in the index' most powerful ranking with a visa-free score of 159. This is the first time an Asian country has been announced as having the most powerful passport, according to the Passport Index. The index says that Singapore passport holders enjoy visa-free access to 173 countries. The ranking has come after Paraguay eased its visa requirement for Singaporean passport holders. Germany and Sweden ranked second and third, with a score of 158 and 157, respectively. The passports of 193 United Nations member countries Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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and six territories were considered. Historically, the top 10 most powerful passports in the world tend to be European, with Germany in the lead for the past two years, according to a press release issued on October 25. Since early 2017, the top position was shared with Singapore, which was steadily moving up the ranks. Other Asian passports in the top 20 include those of South Korea, Japan, and Malaysia. On the other hand, the United States passport has fallen in the ranking since President Donald Trump took office, according to the index. Turkey and the Central African Republic revoked their visa-free status to US passport holders, recently. Singapore was also fourth this year in the Visa Restrictions Index, another ranking of travel freedom, which uses a different method of calculating how "powerful" a passport is. The list is as follows: 1. Singapore (159) 2. Germany (158) 3. Sweden, South Korea (157) 4. Denmark, Finland, Italy, France, Spain, Norway, Japan, United Kingdom (156) 5. Luxemburg, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Portugal (155) 6. Malaysia, Ireland, Canada, United States of America (154) 7. Austria, Greece, New Zealand (153) 8. Malta, Czech Republic, Iceland (152) 9. Hungary (150) 10. Slovenia, Slovakia, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia (149) Stamp paper scam convict Abdul Kareem Telgi dead Abdul Kareem Lala Telgi, 56, convicted in the Rs 32,000-crore counterfeit stamp paper scam, died in a Bengaluru hospital on Thursday . "He died of cardiac arrest in the ICU in the afternoon," confirmed authorities of Victoria Hospital, where he was brought from the Central Jail (Parappana Agrahara) on October 16 in a serious condition. He is survived by his wife and a married daughter. "Telgi, whose condition was critical with multi-system failure, had a cardiac arrest on Thursday afternoon. In spite of all resuscitative measures, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 3.55pm," said an official release from the Trauma Care Centre at Victoria Hospital campus. " After completing legal formalities, the body will be handed over to family members by night or morning," hospital sources said. Telgi, battling diabetes and AIDS, was suffering from metabolic encephalopathy , a neurological disorder that affects the brain. He was on antiretro viral therapy . He was put on ventilator with life support system. Telgi's barrack will be emptied soon, prison sources said. The barrack is located near the prison hospital and he had the room altered with court permission, they added. "Keeping in mind his health issues, the court had permitted him to get food from out side. He also had a small stove and utensils inside his room," prison sources claimed, adding, "All the material inside his room will be shifted out." Telgi, first arrested in Mumbai for trading in fake passports in 1992, made a beginning selling jackfruit and vegetables on trains running through Khanapur, his hometown in Karnataka. He later switched to fake stamp papers and his business spread across 18 states and 70 towns. Telgi flooded the market with fake stamp papers, greasing the palms of officials and police officers across the country.An anonymous call to Upparpet police station in November 2000 led police to arrest a man selling fake stamp papers, who said Telgi was the supplier. He was arrested a year later from Ajmer, Rajasthan, but he continued to run his racket from within the Bengaluru prison. He made a 32,000 crore rupee career in counterfeiting. His was a crime spread across 18 states. The fake stamp paper scam that Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Abdul Kareem Telgi alias Kareem Lala masterminded, dealt the Indian economy a Rs 32,000-crore blow. He began by making fake passports and later foreign bills, brokers' notes, insurance policies, share transfer certificates and insurance agency stamps. Telgi was born in 1961 in Khanapur, Belagavi district, Karnataka. After opening a travel agency in Dalal Street, Mumbai, he soon became the go-to man for fake documents, including stamps, stamp paper, IDs, and so on. He was arrested by Mumbai police in 1991 for selling fake visas. In jail, he met Ram Rathan Sony, who allegedly introduced him to stamp vending. Before long, Telgi's fake stamp papers were used in share transactions. At its peak, Telgi's operations had more than 350 agents who sold fake stamp papers to bulk buyers. ***




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Look beyond books, connect with people: PM to young civil servants Prime Minister Narendra Modi today asked trainee officers of the civil services to look beyond books and develop the ability of connecting with people to serve them better. He gave the tips to the officer trainees of the 92nd Foundation Course at the prestigious Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) during an address here. Modi said learning from books was okay but they must also be alert and attentive to the people around them whom they are meant to serve. He said learning from books would surely prevent them from straying and taking the wrong path but it is the connect and rapport they establish with their teams and people that will help them become successful as officers, according to a PMO statement. Underlining the importance of public participation for policy initiatives to be successfully implemented, the prime minister said that before Independence, the civil services were tasked with the objective of preserving the British Raj. But now the objective of the civil services is the prosperity and well-being of the people, he told the young IAS officers and added tha tif civil servants imbibe these objectives, the gap between government machinery and the people can be bridged. Modi also told them that the problem of silos and lack of team spirit among civil servants can be effectively tackled during the initial training at Mussoorie, the statement said. Referring to the trek performed by officer trainnees during the foundation course, he asked them to imbibe the learnings of the trek, such as team spirit and leadership, and apply them throughout their careers. He said social movements can drive change in a democracy, and the civil services should serve as catalysts for it. Referring to the devotional song "Vaishnav Jan", performed by officer trainees during the cultural programme presented before him yesterday, Modi said they should contemplate on the lyrics of this song, after replacing the words "Vaishnav Jan" with "Civil Servant". Describing anonymity as the biggest strength of the civil servant, he compared the civil services to the fourth lion of the Ashoka Emblem, which remains invisible, yet makes its presence felt at all times, the PMO statement added. The prime minister urged the officer trainees to tour the field areas, during their postings. The "sense of career", which had successfully brought the officer trainees to LBSNAA, should now be replaced by a "sense of mission" - to serve the people of India, he said. "This should be your purpose of life when you serve in the field," he told the young civil servants. The officer trainees belong to 17 civil services of India and 3 services from the Royal Bhutan Civil Service. The address was preceded by presentations made by the officer trainees on essays written by them on the subject "Why I joined the Civil Services"; and on themes such as housing, education, integrated transport systems, malnutrition, solid waste management, skill development, digital transactions, Ek Bharat - Shreshtha Bharat, and New India 2022. The officer trainees also presented the best of their ideation on the Swachh Bharat Mission, the statement said. Complimenting them on the presentations, the prime minister said he has given instructions that these be studied in depth by senior officers of the Government of India. He said their observations and feedback should be shared with the officer trainees before the end of the Foundation Course. Earlier this morning, the prime minister participated in the Yoga session of the officer trainees, held in the lawns of the Academy, in the backdrop of the Himalayas. He also unveiled plaques to mark the laying of foundation stone of the new hostel building, and a 200 metre multifunctional synthetic athletic track. The prime minister visited the Balwadi at the Academy and interacted with the children. Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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He also visited the gymnasium and other facilities at the Academy. Later, the prime minister, who had arrived here last evening, was given a warm send-off at the Jollygarnt airport in Dehradun by Governor K K Paul and Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat besides a host of BJP leaders as he left for Delhi. Modi also spent about 20 minutes on his way back at the airport guest house in Dehradun with the governor and the chief minister during which he is understood to have discussed how to prioritise and fast-track the implementation of reconstruction projects worth Rs 700 crore at Kedarnath whose foundation stones he laid during his last visit to the state on October 20. Future of country’s economy depends on Digital India: Kovind President Ram Nath Kovind today said the future of the countrys economy and employment creation depends heavily on the success the nation achieves with Digital India. Terming Information Technology as "a force multiplier" for the entire service economy, Kovind said it has played a game changing role in health-care, education, tourism and many other industries. "The future of our economy and of our employment creation is heavily dependent on the success we achieve with Digital India," Kovind said after launching the Kerala governments ambitious Technocity project near here. The jobs of tomorrow would come more and more from digital services and other opportunities that are derived from the Internet, he said. "I must emphasise that IT is not just important in itself. It is a force multiplier for the entire services economy," the President opined. Pointing out Keralas potential and growth in the digital sector, he said it is one of India?s most connected states, with among the highest rates of mobile phone penetration. "Kerala is potentially a power-house of Digital India. I understand that the government is making efforts to bridge the digital divide and provide free Internet connections to two million poorer families by using a new optic fibre network," he said. The President said the southern states IT sector has been growing and among all other Indian states, it is currently ranked eighth in terms of exports by IT and IT- enabled services companies. "The IT sector provides direct employment to one hundred thousand (or one lakh) people in Kerala. This is only the tip of the iceberg. There is immense capacity to make these numbers grow," he said. Keralas strengths in basic literacy and skills and the experience of the states people in the services sector and in consumer driven industries make it "a natural for an IT ecosystem", he said, adding he is confident that the early development of Technocity would only accelerate this process. Kovind lavished praise on the states achievements in various sectors, including health care, education, tourism. He mentioned his recent trip to Ethiopia, where a large number of Keralites work as teachers. "Wherever I went and whomsoever I spoke to in Ethiopia, there was always mention of the role of Indian school teachers... Many of those teachers who are so remembered in Ethiopia, I was happy to learn, were from Kerala," he said. Noting that many hospitals and medical centres in and outside the country cannot function without the "ever smiling and ever attentive sisters from Kerala", he said health care workers from the state, both men and women,are internationally sought after. Without the hard work of Keralites, the economies of the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf countries would not be the same, Kovind added. The President earlier laid the foundation stone for the first government IT building at the Technocity campus by unveiling a plaque in the presence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Governor P Sathasivam, state Minister Kadakampally Surendran and other top state government officials. Technocity, coming up on a 400 acre campus at nearby Pallippuram, is aimed at fostering emerging and high-end technologies and research and development in this regard. Once the IT park is operational, an additional 1,00,000 employment opportunities from leading and upcoming IT companies are expected to be generated in the state. Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Italian PM to visit India on Monday Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni will undertake a state visit to India on October 30 during which the two sides will look at strengthening the bilateral political and economic relations. Announcing the visit, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said the prime ministerial trip from Italy was happening after more than a decade. The last visit of an Italian prime minister to India was in February 2007. "The visit is aimed at strengthening the bilateral political and economic relations between the two countries," he said. During his visit, the Italian leader will hold talks with the top leadership here, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Indo-Italy diplomatic ties were hit badly after two Italian marines -Latorre Massimiliano and Salvatore Girone -- on board a ship named Enrica Lexie, were arrested for allegedly killing two Indian fishermen off the coast of Kerala in 2012. Italy claimed the ship was in international waters and that only the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) should apply. It also moved the international court. While Latorre returned to Italy in September 2014 following an order of the Supreme Court issued on health grounds, Girone was allowed to go in May 2016. They are now in Italy, pending the verdict by the arbitration court at the Hague. The Indo-Italy diplomatic row also impacted the European Unions relationship with India. Gentiloni will be accompanied by his wife and a 15-member Italian CEOs delegation. An interaction between the CEOs of the two countries is also being planned, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. Italy is Indias 5th largest trading partner in the EU with a bilateral trade of USD 8.79 billion in 2016-17, as per official figures. Indias exports to Italy are at USD 4.90 billion, while its imports are at USD 3.89 billion, resulting in a trade imbalance of USD 1 billion in favour of India. In the first four months of fiscal 2017-18, bilateral trade has reached USD 3.22 billion. The MEA said over 600 Italian companies are active in India covering various sectors such as fashion, garments, textile and textile machinery, automotive, automotive components industry, infrastructure, chemicals, energy, confectionery, insurance etc. A number of Indian companies are also present in Italy mainly in IT, electronics, engineering, automotive, pharmaceuticals and railway sectors. In the EU, Italy has the third largest presence of Indian community (estimated at 180,000) after the UK and the Netherlands. Javed Akhtar receives Hridaynath Mangeshkar Award Veteran writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar has been honoured with the Hridaynath Mangeshkar Award. Akhtar received the honour here last night at an event which marked the 28th anniversary of Hridayesh Arts and the 80th birthday of veteran music composer Hridaynath Mangeshkar. Akhtar said that receiving the award was one of his highest honours as it comes from the Mangeshkar family. "I had taken my first award for Zanjeer in this very hall. But all those awards are on one side ? and Ive received Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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many? but this one is the most special. To get an award from Mangeshkar family is unbelievable, you cant think of Indias music without them," he said. Akhtar, 72, recalled how Lata Mangeshkar played a pivotal role in his journey as a lyricist. "Yash Chopra sahab came to my house and said he was making Silsila and I should write the songs... I refused, saying I write poetry only for myself and script writing is enough. But he insisted and made me write the lyrics. Akhtar said he got to know that it was Lata Mangeshkar, who had suggested his name to Chopra as lyricist for "Silsila" as his frequent collaborator Sahir Ludhianvi had passed away. "She (Lata) said My friend has heard ghazals of Javed, so since you have good relations with him, make him write. So the reason why I started writing songs, was Lata didi and my first song was sung by her and Kishore da," he said. Hridayesh Arts, in association with Jay Satya Charitable Trust, organised a music programme titled Amrut Hriday Swar Lata, presented by Annu Kapoor Films Pvt Ltd to salute and celebrate 75 glorious years of Lata Mangeshkar. Lata said she was fortunate to sing songs written by people like Akhtar and her favourite song of his is "Ye Kaha Aagaye Hum" from "Silsila". "Whenever I meet him, we laugh a lot. I felt very happy giving him the award... Ive completed 75 years in the industry, but its not a big deal. I sang for the first time when I was nine with my father. Then I started singing in films and the journey has been wonderful," she said. India, France agree to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation India and France have reiterated to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation as a key Pillar of strategic partnership between the two countries. Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman and French Minister for the Armed Forces, Ms Florence Parly today discussed a range of measures to expand military to military ties, including enhancing the scope of their joint exercises, in particular the VARUNA naval exercise scheduled in early 2018. Both countries will also actively explore additional measures to facilitate operational level interactions between their respective armed forces. The ministers reiterated their strong intention to further expand bilateral cooperation on counter-terrorism. Recognising the growing significance of maritime security in the Indo-Pacific and the need for greater maritime domain awareness, India and France to further expand information sharing arrangements building upon the Technical Arrangement on Exchange of White Shipping information signed earlier this year. The two Ministers also comprehensively reviewed developments in defence equipment and industry cooperation, where France is a major partner. Our correspondent reports, they agreed to strongly support projects for defence manufacturing under the Make in India initiative as well as promote defence technology and Research and Defence cooperation. Karnataka cabinet clears State Policy for Transgenders The Karnataka cabinet has cleared the State Policy for Transgenders, 2017 with an aim of bringing the community into the mainstream and safeguarding them from exploitation. The policy had been drafted in compliance with a landmark judgment by the Supreme Court on hijras or transgenders in 2014. In the policy approved yesterday, the term third gender will be used in all documents and communications. The Department of Women and Child Development will act as a nodal department for implementing the policy aimed at protecting the transgender from insults, social discrimination and abuse. A special cell for transgender will be set up for initiating welfare programmes. Counselling centres will be established to address Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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stigma, violence, identification and certification besides legal support. The policy also suggests reservation for them in all levels of education and employment. 14th SAARCLAW conference to begin in Colombo The 14th South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation in Law (SAARCLAW) Conference will begin in Colombo this evening along with the 11th SAARC Chief Justices Conference. The three-day conference will be inaugurated by Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and will see participation from South Asia's top Judges, legal practitioners and academics. Attorney General K.K.Venugopal and Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi are among the participants from Indian side. The conference provides a platform for legal professionals to meet and discuss issues of mutual interests and emerging legal trends in the South Asian countries. President of SAARCLAW Mehmood Mandviwalla said the conference will deal with issues like artificial intelligence, human trafficking, FDIs and environmental protection concerns. The 11th Chief Justices conference will be held tomorrow with a closed-door session attended only by the Chief Justices or their representatives. Catalan Parliament votes to declare independence from Spain The Catalan regional parliament has voted to declare independence from Spain, just as the Spanish government appears set to impose direct rule. The move was backed 70-10 in a ballot boycotted by opposition MPs. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy earlier told senators that direct rule was needed to return "law, democracy and stability" to Catalonia. The crisis began when Catalans backed independence in a disputed vote earlier this month. The Catalan government said that of the 43% of potential voters who took part in the referendum, 90% were in favour of independence. But Spain's Constitutional Court had ruled the vote illegal. In all, the motion declaring independence was approved with 70 in favour, 10 against and two abstentions in the 135-seat chamber. Immediately afterwards, Mr Rajoy called for all Spaniards to remain calm, promising to "restore legality" to Catalonia. Spain's Senate is still to vote on whether for the first time to enact Article 155 of the Spanish constitution, which empowers the government to take "all measures necessary to compel" a region in case of a crisis. It would enable Madrid to fire Catalan leaders, and take control of the region's finances, police and public media. Infantry Day celebrated today Infantry Day is being celebrated today. The Infantry celebrates 27 October each year as the Infantry Day to commemorate the first Infantry action post independence. On this day 70 years ago, in response to the threat posed to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the nation, the leading elements of the Indian Army from the 1st Battalion of the SIKH Regiment, air landed at Srinagar." This bold action by Indian Army and resolute fighting by the Infantrymen reversed the tide of events and thwarted the Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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nefarious designs of Pakistani Raiders aided by Pakistan Army. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has greeted all infantrymen on the occasion. In a series of tweet, Mr Modi said, people are proud of infantry’s exceptional courage and dedicated service to the nation. He also bowed to all infantry martyrs, who devoted their lives to the nation. Mr Modi said, the heroic sacrifices will be remembered for generations to come. J&K governor promulgates “The Jammu & Kashmir Public Property (Prevention and Damage) (Amendment) Ordinance 2017" J & K governor N N Vohra has promulgated “The Jammu & Kashmir Public Property (Prevention and Damage) (Amendment) Ordinance 2017” which amends the existing law relating to damage to public property to more effectively discourage and prevent the deleterious activities of individuals and organizations which result in damage to public and private properties. An official spokesman told AIR that as the state legislature is not in session, the Governor on the recommendations of the chief minister, promulgated the Ordinance which will come into force with immediate effect. The Ordinance states that whoever announces direct action in the form of strikes, demonstrations or other public forms of protests which result in damage to public as well as private property can be punished with imprisonment for a period of 2 to 5 years and can be imposed a fine equivalent to the market value of the property damaged or destroyed. Railways working towards 100% electrification: Goyal Minister for Railways Piyush Goyal has said that Indian Railways is working with a renewed attitude and confidence in order to achieve aggressive targets and will achieve 100 per cent electrification of lines. Inaugurating an International Conference on Green Initiatives and Railway Electrification in New Delhi today, Mr Goyal said, Indian Railways is working with a 'will do, can do' spirit to achieve aggressive targets. Emphasising on safety, the Minister said, the Ministry is working in a time-bound manner to transform Indian Railways to a worldclass, safe and modern transporter. He said, Indian Railways is working with a commitment to serve in a time-bound manner for the common people. Doordarshan set to ramp up Digital Terrestrial Transmission service Public broadcaster Doordarshan is aggressively ramping up its digital terrestrial transmission service across the country. CEO of Prasar Bharati Shashi Shekhar Vempati visited Delhi's Pitampura TV Tower, to get a first hand view of the network. Doordarshan viewer can watch FIFA Under-17 world cup final and many other live sporting events while on the go. This using Doordarshan's digital terrestrial transmission (DTT) service. CEO of Prasar Bharati Shashi Shekhar Vempati visited Pitampura TV Tower. Doordarshan is expand its new digital terrestrial transmission (DTT) service across the country. The Digital Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Terrestrial Transmission facility will play an important role in providing digital television to its viewers. The facility will be available at a mere use of Dongle. No internet service will be required to watch the doordarshan channels on mobile. He even demonstrated how it works. The DTT model is an Internetfree broadcast distribution service, through which consumers can receive television channels on the go or at home through television sets, smartphones and tablets-using a Doordarshan application and a dongle specifically designed for the service. Doordarshan's DTT model currently showcases five of its channels-DD News, DD Bharati, DD National, DD Sports and a regional-language channel or DD Kisan, depending on the area. The model has the capacity to carry 10 channels. Australian High Court disqualifies Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce for dual citizenship Australia's High Court has disqualified the Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce from sitting in Parliament in a ruling that could cost the government its slender majority. The decision on Friday to disqualify the deputy PM over a constitutional ban on dual citizens sitting in Parliament means a by-election will be held in December. Joyce will be able to stand for re-election, having renounced the New Zealand citizenship he unknowingly inherited from his father. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's conservative coalition has a single-seat majority in the 150-seat House of Representatives where parties form governments. With the government trailing the opposition Labour Party in opinion polls, voters could use the by-election to toss both Joyce and his government out of office. The court also disqualified four of the six senators referred to court, including government Minister Fiona Nash. Amanpreet Singh wins bronze medal in Men's 50 m pistol finals event India's shooter Amanpreet Singh wins a bronze medal in Men's 50m pistol finals event of ISSF World Cup. He shot a score of 202.2 in the final to finish behind Serbia's Damir Mikec (229.3) and Ukraine's Oleh Omelchuk (228.0) It was Amanpreet’s second final in 21 World Cups and he tasted his first success at the ISSF World Cup in March 2017, as he had clinched a silver medal in the 50m pistol event at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range. The event also saw the ace shooter Jitu Rai winning the Gold medal in the tournament. Amanpreet’s latest victory came after a disappointing day for India as earlier, shooter Jitu Rai and Pooja Ghatkar failed to qualify for final of men’s 10m air pistol and women’s 10m air rifle respectively. Rai, fresh from his gold medal in the air pistol mixed event along with Heena Sidhu, could not make the final of the men’s 10m air pistol and was placed ninth. The top eight make the cut. However, a multiple medallist in top international events, Rai will also gun for glory in the 10m free pistol and 50m pistol in the coming days. Also, India’s only hope Pooja Ghatkar in women’s 10m air rifle, finished ninth and failed to make the final. Ghatkar’s series included scores of 101.5, 103.9, 102.2 and an improved 104.8 for a total of 412.4. The lowest qualifying score was 412.5 set by Norway’s Malin Westerheim. Ghatkar had opened India’s medal tally in the World Cup Stage 1 earlier in the year by winning a bronze in the same event. Martina Hingis announces retirement for the third time Swiss great Martina Hingis has announced she will retire from tennis at the end of this week's WTA Finals. The 37-year-old multiple grand slam champion is playing in the doubles tournament alongside Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Taiwan's Chan Yung-jan. The retirement will be Hingis's third in a long and illustrious career during which she claimed 25 grand slam titles since her WTA Tour debut in 1994, five in singles, seven in mixed doubles and 13 in women's doubles. She first decided to end her career as a 22-year-old in 2003 due to persistent injuries after picking up all five of her singles crowns as a teenager, comprising three Australian Opens, as well as lone Wimbledon and U.S. Open titles from 1997-99. The Swiss returned to the tour in 2006 and although she found more success in doubles than singles, she retired for a second time a year later after being handed a two-year ban for testing positive for cocaine. The right-hander returned to the sport for the third time in 2013 and has enjoyed another successful spell of doubles tennis in the latest comeback, winning four women's and six mixed grand slam titles from 2015-17. First Jurassic-era 'fish lizard' fossil discovered from Gujarat's Kutch A study led by a group of researchers from KSKV Kutch University has discovered a near-completely fossilised skeleton of the Jurassic-era ichthyosaur, a type of marine reptile or 'fish lizard' in Greek. The intriguing animal that looks like a mashup of a dolphin and lizard lived alongside dinosaurs and was found from Kutch district of Gujarat. Earlier, a group of Indo-German geologists had found a 5.5-metre-long skeleton near the Kaas hills of Bhuj town back in January 2016 and it was believed to be a fossil of dinosaur. The fossil has further gone through a series of high class experiments and the study finally showed that the fossil was of ichthyosaur from the Jurassic era and was the first to be found in India. "The present ichthyosaur find represents the first nearly complete articulated skeleton of an ichthyosaur from India and the first record from the Jurassic of India. It further expands our knowledge on morphological diversity and geographic distribution of Late Jurassic ophthalmosaurids, their dietary habits and palaeobiogeography," the study stated. "The presence of ophthalmosauridae ichthyosaurs in the Upper Jurassic of India, Madagascar and South America implies that a marine seaway possibly connected the western Tethys with South America via the Indian Ocean in the Late Jurassic facilitating faunal exchanges between Europe and Gondwanan continents," the study added further. The 5.5metre-long skeleton seems to be a member of Ophthalmosauridae family which lived between 165 million years and 90 million years ago, the study showed, published in PLOS ONE journal. The study failed to identify the specimen of the same due to hard coating on it, though the authors are still in search of new more information in remote areas of Kuch district of Gujarat. Google Earth helps discover ancient stone "gates" in Saudi Arabia Scientists have discovered about 400, previously undocumented, stone structures known as 'Gates' in Saudi Arabia with the help of Google Earth imagery. While Saudi Arabia is largely thought of as barren mountains and desert, it was also home to an immense number of Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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archaeological sites that were yet to be identified, recorded and mapped, said David Kennedy, a researcher at University of Western Australia. “You can not see them in any intelligible way at the ground level but once you get up a few hundred feet, or with a satellite even higher, they stand out beautifully,” Kennedy said. The structures look like flat field gates from top in the images obtained from Google Earth. I refer to them as Gates because when you view them from above they look like a simple field gate lying flat, two upright posts on the sides, connected by one or more long bars,” he said. They do not look like structures where people would have lived nor do they look like animal traps or for disposing of dead bodies. It is a mystery as to what their purpose would have been, researchers added. Since 1997, Kennedy has flown in helicopters over Saudi Arabia’s neighbour Jordan, photographing tens of thousands of stone built structures scattered over its lava field or ‘harrat’. Shapes range from giant circles of stone that may be 400 metres across to kites that may have been used as animal traps, pendants used as funerary monuments, and many more. Not much is known about the people who built the edifices, but they are thought to have constructed them 2,000 to 9,000 years ago, researchers said. They are believed to be the ancestors of the modern-day Beduin in the region who describe them collectively as ‘The Works of Old Men’, they added. In a first for India, twins joined at the head, separated at AIIMS All India Institue of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Thursday successfully conducted India's first 'craniopagus surgery' to separate 28-month old twins from Odisha, who were joined at the head. AIIMS said Jagga and Kalia, who underwent an 18-hour-long surgery, are “critical” and that they are on ventilator support. A team of 40 doctors from over 12 different super-specialities operated on the twins from Milipada village in Odisha. The twins, who were admitted to the hospital on July 13, were born with an extremely rare condition — joined at the top of their heads, with their bodies at 180 degrees to each other. Since 1973, only 60 such surgeries have taken place across the world. The last one was reported from Philadelphia in June this year. Out of every 3 million children, only one pair is conjoined; and of all conjoined twins, only 2 per cent are craniopagus. There is a less than 20% chance of survival among craniopagus twins undergoing surgery, data shows. AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria said though the 28-month-old twins have been separated, the next 18 days would be extremely critical to ascertain the success of the surgery. The team of doctors involved in the procedure also seemed concerned about the survival of one of the twins, citing his deteriorating health. "The children have been separated. There were many challenges in this surgery which we have never seen before. During the surgery a total of 3.5 litres blood was also lost," A K Mahapatra, the chief of the neurosciences centre at the AIIMS said. The specialists from the institute's neurosurgery, neuroanaesthesia and plastic surgery departments performed the marathon surgery which began on Thursday at 9 am and got over at around 3 am on Friday. The babies were separated around 8.45 PM and the covering of the brain using skin flap and graft took 4-5 hours. One of the babies was shifted to ICU at 11.45 pm and the other baby at 2.30 am, a statement said. Mahapatra said Jagga was of more fragile health and his condition was more critical while Kalia was thought to be stable. The twins hail from Milipada village under Phiringia block in Kandhamal district. "Both the children have other health issues as well. While Jagga has heart issues, Kalia has kidney problems. Though initially Jagga was healthier, now his condition has deteriorated. Kalia is better," Mahapatra said. The first phase of the surgery was performed on August 28 when the doctors created a venous bypass to separate the veins shared by the babies that return blood to the heart from the brain. Elaborating on the challenges faced during the surgery, the medical team said each of the children required 20 units of blood. "There was a situation in Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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which one of the kids did not have blood nerves which had to be created. The skin grafting was also done and later extra care had to be taken for the blood, nutrition and overall health of the two so that they could sustain during the surgery," said Guleria. The most challenging job after the separation was to provide a skin cover on both sides of the brain for the children as the surgey had left large holes on their heads. "The skin was generated from the expansion of two balloons which were placed in their heads during the first surgery. If the twins make it, the next step will be reconstructing their skulls," Maneesh Singhal, professor and head of plastic surgery at AIIMS. Neurosurgeon Deepak Gupta, who played an important role in the surgery, said the twins also had seizures during the procedure which had to be taken care of by the operating team. Gupta had earlier said the condition, which the twins suffer from, afflicted one in 30 lakh children, of which 50 per cent die either at birth or within 24 hours. In the country, two similar surgeries had taken place earlier to separate twins joined at the head but were not successful as the children died during the procedure. Justice Arunmugaswamy begins probe into Jayalalithaa's death Jayalalithaa died on December 5 last year after 75 days of treatment at the Apollo Hospitals in Chennai. Justice A Arumughaswamy, appointed by the Tamil Nadu government to inquire into the circumstances leading to the hospitalisation of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, assumed charge on Friday. On September 25, 2017, the state government issued an order appointing retired Madras High Court judge as a single member of the Commission of Inquiry "to inquire into the circumstances and situation leading to the hospitalisation of the late Chief Minister on September 22, 2016 and subsequent treatment provided till her unfortunate demise on December 5, 2016". Apollo Hospitals Founder and Chairman Prathap C Reddy on Wednesday told reporters that the hospital welcome the Judicial Commission while also stating that Jayalalithaa had been given all the possible treatment. The senior officials from the hospital told reporters that it has submitted the documents to the government. A notification calling for information on the agenda of the one-man inquiry commission will be followed after the retired judge assumed office. The opposition parties have raised several questions related to the hospitalisation and the alleged issues in disseminating information related to her deteriorating health. Opposition leader and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Working President M K Stalin on Thursday sought a CBI investigation on the matter. Earlier reports quoting Jayalithaa's Patient Care Report in Apollo Hospitals said that she was suffering from high fever, pneumonia, thyroid and high blood pressure, apart from high sugar level. Reports said that she was breathless and drowsy and the oxygen level in her body was 45 per cent instead of 100 per cent. The hospital document, displayed on some television channels, has no reference to any injury on her body during hospitalisation. Last month, State Co-operation Minister Sellur K Raju said that all the ministers had visited Jayalalitaa in the hospital during her treatment. Contrary to Palaniswami government's statement, C Sreenivasan, said that no ministers were allowed to meet Jayalalithaa in the hospital while also stating that he had lied earlier about meeting her. Revenue Minister R B Udhayakumar said that the ministers might have spoken from their personal experience and the matter is before the inquiry commission now. He added that he will share the information with the Commission, during their inquiry. Another minister, O S Manian, said that he was briefed by the Health Minister and Apollo Hospitals management on the health condition of Jayalalithaa when she was admitted in the hospital. 'Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code aims to resolve disputes in timebound manner' The time taken and costs involved in resolving disputes has crippled the entrepreneurial community in India. Statistics show that the recovery is only 20 per cent in India and in global ranking, the country is ranked in the 136th position with respect to the time taken for resolving disputes. China is in the 55th position, but the top four are Japan, Germany, the US and Korea, said Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Gopal Krishna Raju, Chartered Accountant and Council Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. Delivering a special address at a meeting organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry on 'Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) – 2016 – A tool for Business and Restructure of Borrowings', he said “the Government has, by ushering in the IBC, envisaged to simplify the various laws and help resolve disputes in a time-bound manner.” IBC has identified the sustainability issue and this has now become the core. The crux of the code is “taking timely decisions.” Thus, stating, he pointed out that in the last three–four months, a number of companies had filed their petitions before the National Company Law Tribunal, but before the application was admitted, withdrew the case. “This only shows that most of these companies preferred an out-of-court settlement. Earlier, the issues remained unresolved for years under the Civil Code.” IBC has identified the 3 'R's – Resolve, Recover and Raise (the latter, he said, with reference to the issue of corporate bonds to run the business). Navrang Saini, whole-time member, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI), said around 3,500 cases had filed for insolvency, of which 350 were admitted with the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). He pointed out that once companies file for insolvency with NCLT or the Debt Recovery Tribunals (DRTs), the management of the company would be taken over by the resolution professional, who would lead from the front, try and resolve the issue so as to let the business continue. The liquidation process would begin only if the resolution professional was not hopeful of reviving the company. With a view to further ease the process, the DRTs and NCLTs are being strengthened. There are 33 DRTs at present, but this number was insufficient to handle the number of cases. With the implementation of IBC, there definitely will be a time-bound regulation of all cases. Madras High Court cancels membership of 713 lawyers The Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu Bar Council and the Advocate General to cancel the membership of 713 lawyers, who had enrolled as advocates after getting law degrees based on MA degrees of open universities. The order came after AG Vijay Narayan said that persons who have not even passed 6th or 7th and 10th standards are able to procure open university MA degrees, which Justice N Kirubakaran termed as very shocking. The judge also ordered lodging of a police complaint against 42 people who had enrolled in the state bar council without even furnishing proper documents. He expressed shock over people with criminal backgrounds and without formal education getting enrolled as advocates using irregular and illegal means such as purchasing law degrees. The judge gave the order after hearing submissions by the advocate general, who is the ex-officio chairman of the Tamil Nadu Bar Council, and senior counsels for the Bar Council of India, the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and others on the matter. The submissions were made during the resumed hearing of a petition by 17 MBSS students of a private medical college seeking transfer to a state-run institution due to a dispute between trustees of their college in which advocates were engaged to resolve the problem. On October 12, the judge had taken a stern view of the advocates holding ‘Kangaroo courts’ to settle disputes and had directed that criminal action be taken against them. He had also directed the Centre to take appropriate steps to streamline the legal profession and told the Bar Council to go in for tighter norms for both admission to law colleges and for approval to new ones. When the matter came up today, the advocate general submitted that 42 people were enrolled during 2009–2016 as lawyers without furnishing any basic documents and without even providing their addresses. Though notices Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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were issued to them online, only two replied and one of the person was even found to have enrolled twice. “Problems wherever they go” “Persons who have not even passed 6th or 7th and 10th standards are able to procure open university MA degrees...Subsequently, the said degrees have been used to get admissions into law colleges and obtain law degrees. Based on the same, they started enrolling (in the bar),” the AG said. “It is evident from the submissions that the very process of enrolment is a faulty one. Moreover, the process of acquiring a law degree is very easy by irregular and illegal means viz., purchasing degrees for money from letter pad colleges from other states,” the judge said. “It is very shocking to note that without even any formal education, people with criminal backgrounds are able to get law degree in absentia and able to get enrolled as advocates. Due to these kinds of unruly elements, problems are created in police stations, in courts and wherever they go,” the judge observed. In fact, they were engaged like rowdy elements to take over the possession of properties and indulge in other property disputes, causing damage to the image of the legal profession, he said. The judge then referred to an order of a division bench of the court which had prohibited enrolment of a degree holder from an open university. “Without understanding or incapable of understanding the aforesaid position of law, it is surprising to note that the elected bar council members had allowed enrolling 713 persons with open university MA degree from the year 2009 to 2016,” he said and directed issuance of notice to all these people by the state bar council. The judge also said for ensuring fair elections to the bar councils, verification, as ordered by the Supreme Court, based on Bar Council of India Certificate and Place of Practice (Verification) Rules, 2015 had to be completed to weed out the unruly elements and fake lawyers, he added. “This order is passed only to ensure that the order of the honourable Supreme Court is implemented by verifying the records of the lawyers and to see that the election with genuine and regular advocates as electorates is conducted,” he added. 'India has third highest number of family-owned businesses’ India has 108 publicly-listed family-owned businesses, the third highest in the world, while China tops the tally with 167 such companies followed by the US which has 121, says a Credit Suisse report. According to the Credit Suisse Research Institute’s (CSRI) latest “CS Family 1000” report, with an average market capitalisation of $6.5 billion, India ranks fifth in the Asia-Pacific excluding Japan, and 22nd globally, in terms of average m-cap. Besides China, the US and India, the top 10 countries in terms of number of family-owned companies include France (fourth place), Hong Kong (fifth), Korea (sixth), Malaysia (seventh), Thailand (eighth), Indonesia (ninth), Mexico (10th). However, in terms of average size, the ranking changes much more in favour of developed markets, the report said. Average market capitalisation of family-owned companies is greatest in Spain ($30 billion), the Netherlands ($30 billion), Japan ($24 billion) and Switzerland ($22 billion), the report that covered close to 1,000 family-owned, publicly-listed companies by region, sector and size said. It further said Indian companies surveyed are more mature, with 60 per cent of family businesses in their third generation compared to 30 per cent of Chinese companies. According to Credit Suisse, the financial performance of family-owned companies is also superior to that of non-family-owned peers. Furthermore, family businesses appear to focus more on long-term growth and they have outperformed their peers in terms of share price returns. “At the country-level, Chinese, Indian and Indonesian familyowned companies appear to be the most expensive, trading at high absolute multiples, with a 12-month median price to earnings (P/E) of 15-16 times, compared to around 10-13 times P/E multiples of companies in Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore,” the report said. The definition used for the database of family or founder-owned companies is a minimum shareholding of 20 per cent and/or minimum voting Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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rights of 20 per cent. In terms of key concerns and challenges, Chinese family-owned companies rank succession planning as their least important issue and do not envisage a reduction in ownership. However, they tend to worry much more about the threat of technological disruption (30 per cent said this was very concerning) which may be driven by China’s overall greater exposure to disruptive technologies globally and its state of economic development. On the other hand, challenges seen as most prominent in India include succession planning, followed by greater competition and talent retention. “Overall, our findings indicate that our Indian family-owned businesses appear to be more optimistic with regard to future revenue growth and have a slightly more conservative approach to funding that growth,” the report said. More than half of the Indian and Chinese family companies that Credit Suisse surveyed generate revenues in excess of $500 million, with the majority of these businesses located across the sectors of IT, financials and industrials. India lags slightly behind China not just on the adoption of environment-related issues, but also on social issues, with 35 per cent of companies implementing policies in relation to this compared to 65 per cent for China. “Our research seems to suggest that investors are not too concerned about the level of ownership but rather how involved the family owners are in the daily running of the business. This seems to be at the core of the success of family-owned companies in our view,” Eugene Klerk, Head Analyst of Thematic Investments at Credit Suisse and the report’s lead author, said. Blue whale: SC asks Doordarshan to make programme for prime time show The Supreme Court directs Doordarshan to produce a 10-minute show on the perils of virtual dare games like Blue Whale Challenge within a week and to show it by the public broadcaster and private channels on prime time. “How you (Centre) will do it, we are not concerned. But you must do it,” said the bench, headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra and comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, adding that such online games posed danger to life and they must be “contained”. The bench said “lonely” and “depressed” children are usually attracted towards such dangerous games, and asked the Centre to take steps to ensure the absence of such deaths. On the effective side Terming visual medium as being most “effective”, the top court said “Doordarshan shall prepare a programme in consultation with the Ministries of Women and Child Development and the Human Resource Development within one week to educate children about the evils of Bluewhale game so that they are not involved in it.” It said the competent authorities should also ensure that the programme is shown on private TV channels as well. Additional Solicitor General P S Narasimha, appearing for the Centre, said around 28 cases relating to such games have been reported so far, and the agencies are probing them. He sought three weeks time to file a reply. The law officer said the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has set up a committee to deal with the issue, and information is being sought from various service providers to curb such incidents. The bench has granted three weeks to the Centre to file a detailed affidavit with the steps taken by the concerned ministries including the Ministry of Home Affairs and fixed the PIL for further hearing on November 20. The bench was hearing a PIL filed by lawyer Sneha Kalita, seeking framing of guidelines to regulate and monitor these virtual digital online games. The court had earlier asked the government to set up a panel of experts to block these games, It also sought the response on the plea seeking to firewall such games existing in the cyber world like ‘Choking Game’, ‘Salt and Ice Challenge’, ’Fire Challenge’, ‘Cutting challenge’, ‘Eyeball challenge’ and ‘Human Embroidery Ggame’. The warning Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Firewall is a system designed to prevent unauthorised access to or from a private network by controlling incoming and outgoing network traffic. The PIL has sought directions to intermediaries, particularly network service providers (NSPs), internet service providers (ISP), web hosting service providers and cyber cafes to observe and take steps to inform all users “not to host, display, upload and share any virtual digital games, which is grossly harmful and life- threatening and morally degrading.” Further Steps As part of further directions, the PIL has also sought the government to improve “the filtering services at Indian Shores like having firewalls in each Cable landing Station or having DNS Blocking wall with brain scanner (at underground submarine optical fibre cable connecting the operators abroad) to be installed at Indian shores. Cable landing stations are locations where a submarine telecommunications cables and power cables make a landfall. A submarine communications cable is a cable laid on the sea bed between land-based stations to carry telecommunication signals across stretches of ocean. Asian Development Bank commits $65.5 m to check coastal erosion in Karnataka The Asian Development Bank has signed a $65.5 million loan agreement with India for checking coastal erosion on the western coast of Karnataka. The loan is the second tranche of a $250-million financing facility under the Sustainable Coastal Protection and Management Investment Programme, ADB said in a statement. The financing will be used to address the immediate coastal protection needs and for strengthening institutional capacity of Karnataka’s public works, ports and inland water transport department. The agreement was signed on Thursday by Sameer Kumar Khare, Joint Secretary (Multilateral Institutions), Finance Ministry, and ADB’s Country Director Kenichi Yokoyama in Bengaluru. Coastal erosion in the State, where the project is focussed, poses a high risk to human wellbeing, economic development and ecological integrity through loss of land, infrastructure and business opportunities. Under increasing threat from climate change impacts, coastal protection and management has evolved as a major challenge to development. It further said that the second tranche loan from ADB’s ordinary capital resources has a 20-year term. ***




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Sitharaman assures defence firms over licensing, tax concerns Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today issued directions to officials for addressing top military firms concerns over licensing and tax issues and reiterated the governments commitment to facilitating private sectors participation in defence manufacturing. Sitharaman discussed various issues relating to implementation of the governments Make in India initiative in the defence sector with representatives of industry chamber Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), including top executives of a number of Indian and foreign defence firms. The defence minister issued directions to the team of officers headed by the Defence Secretary for time-bound action on key issues raised at the round table, including the resolution of licensing with the Home Ministry, tax-related matters with the Finance Ministry and commercialisation of technologies developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the defence ministry said in a statement. It said a wide range of issues, including matters relating to licensing, taxes and duties and ways to speed up the procurement processes were discussed at the meeting. Ways to streamline the offsets regime and creation of a tiered defence industrial ecosystem with full integration and skilling of manpower in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises sector were also deliberated upon during the meeting. Sitharaman conveyed to the top executives of the private defence industry that the government was "fully committed" to removing all the stumbling blocks and facilitating private participation in defence manufacturing with the objective of bringing high value foreign investment into the sector, officials said. She told them that focus of the initiative is to ensure self-reliance in meeting the countrys defence needs and that the government will provide a level playing field to the industry. Sitharaman also asked the officials to ensure timely conclusion of procurement proposals. In May, the government had unveiled the strategic partnership model under which select private firms will be roped in to build military platforms such as submarines and fighter jets in India in partnership with foreign entities. "The present government has taken a series of significant policy initiatives, including promulgation of DPP (defence procurement procedure) 2016 which gives highest priority to indigenous design and manufacture of defence equipment, introduction of Strategic Partnership model, liberalisation of FDI norms and providing a level-playing to private industry," the defence ministry said. 1st anniv of demonetisation: Cong to observe Nov 8 as Black The ruling Congress in Puducherry today said it would observe November 8, the first anniversary of demonetisation, as Black Day with its allies here. "The Centres move to demonetise Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes on November 8 last year had crippled the economy, worsened the unemployment problem and failed to achieve its purpose in the country," Puducherry PWD Minister and PCC president A Namassivayam said at a press conference here. He said a meeting of the Congress and its allies including the DMK had been convened on October 31 to discuss the various activities to be conducted as part of the Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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protest against the note ban implemented by the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre. Namassivayam, who also holds the Local Administration portfolio, said efforts had been launched to curb spread of dengue by eradicating mosquitoes through multi-pronged measures including fogging operations. He said the government had brought in a ban on display of advertisement materials, banners and cut-outs by political parties, business sector and others in areas which were outside the designated areas. "We will abide by the directive of the Madras High Court and ensure that the ban on display of graffiti is not violated," he said adding two days time had been given to all those, who had displayed such materials to remove them. "We will take strict action against those violating the ban," he added. Mobile Aadhaar Can Now Be Used To Enter Airports Mobile Aadhaar can be used as an identity proof to enter airports, while identification documents will not be required for minors accompanied by parents, according to a circular issued by aviation security agency BCAS. Passengers entering an airport premises need to produce any one of the ten identity proofs listed by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) in its latest communication, which include passport, voter ID card, Aadhaar or m-Aadhaar, PAN card and driving licence. "In order to ensure that a bonafide passenger is travelling on a valid ticket issued in his/her name as well as to avoid any controversy/argument with the security staff, any of the following photo identity documents shall be carried in original," according to the BCAS circular issued on October 26. A passbook issued by a nationalised bank, pension card, disability photo identification and service photo ID card of central/state government, PSU, local bodies and private limited company will also be acceptable. Differently-abled persons will have to produce a disability photo ID or a medical certificate. Students also have the option to furnish a photo identity card issued by a government institute. The order, however, exempts a minor accompanied by a parent or a guardian from producing an identity proof. "There shall not be any requirement of identity proof in respect of infant/minor accompanied by their parents/guardian who is a bonafide passenger having a valid identity proof," the order adds. If a passenger is not able to furnish one of the ten documents, then there is also an option to provide an identity certificate issued by a group A gazetted officer of central/state government. For international passenger the requirement of producing a passport and an air ticket will continue. National Games to held next year from November 4-17 in Goa After a lot of delay, Sports Authority of Goa finalised the dates of the 36th National Games, to be held here next year, from November 4 to 17.There was uncertainly over the dates of the 30-discipline event ever since the Games were awarded to the State in 2011.The delays to the 34th and 35th editions of the Games, which were hosted by Jharkhand and Kerala respectively, affected Goas plan to hold the mega-event.The 36th Games were originally scheduled to be held in November 2016 but the Goa administration requested a postponement at the IOA AGM based on extraneous factors, mainly the state elections. India is emerging as a leader in milk production: Radha Mohan Singh Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh today said India is emerging as a leader in milk production and also underlined the importance of dairy farming in the agricultural economy. He said the country witnessed total milk production of 163.7 million tonnes worth over Rs 4 lakh crore in 2016-17. The minister was speaking at the Pashu Arogya Mela in Motihari, Bihar today. He said that India has 30 crore bovines, which is 18 per cent of the total bovine population of the world. The agriculture minister said, country’s indigenous bovine is the result of traditional and scientific knowledge and hardwork of hundred years. Spain takes control of 'independent' Catalonia Spain today moved to seize direct control of Catalonia, sacking its police chief a day after the Catalan regional parliament's independence declaration. This follows yesterday's dismissal of Catalonia's president, his deputy, all ministers, and the entire parliament. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has called for elections on 21st of December in the region after the Senate granted sweeping powers to him in response to Catalan lawmakers voting to declare an independent republic. All eyes this weekend will be on whether Catalonia's executive, led by Carles Puigdemont, will willingly step aside for caretaker envoys from Madrid. Spain's Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria is due to meet later with secretaries of state who will take charge of Catalonia's regional ministries. The move to quash Catalan powers is likely to anger many in a region of some 7.5 million people that enjoyed considerable autonomy, with control over education, healthcare and police. It is the first time the central government has curtailed autonomy in the region. The Spanish government has received unwavering support from the United States and its allies in the European Union. The bloc is increasingly wary of nationalistic and secessionist sentiment, particularly after Britain's dramatic decision last year to leave the bloc. Madras HC directes IRDA to enhance accident cover for victims The Madras High Court has directed the Insurance Regulatory Development Authority, IRDA, to enhance compulsory personal accident cover to at least 15 lakh rupees from one lakh rupees as at present for vehicle owners. A division bench comprising justices R Subbiah and A D Jagadish Chandira gave the order while allowing an appeal by United India Insurance Co. The Insurance firm had challenged the award of total compensation of over 51 lakh rupees by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal to the legal heirs of a deceased motorist. The judges said the compensation of one lakh rupees to victims was envisaged 15 years ago when it might have been enough to meet medical expenses of the injured owner to a certain extent. However, medical treatment costs have sky-rocketed in the meantime. The bench directed IRDA to have consultation with all stakeholders before enhancing the premium for higher compensation and complete the entire exercise within six months from the date of receipt of a copy of the judgment. Guwahati International Film Festival begins today Assam, the first Guwahati International Film Festival has begun today. Iranian movie The Salesman will be the inaugural movie. Chief Minister Sarbanand Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Sonowal will formally inaugurate the six-day festival in the evening. The festival is being organized by Jyoti Chitraban society, Assam government and Dr Bhupen Hazarika Regional Government Film and Television Institute. Official sources said that 75 movies from 35 countries will be screened. The festival has sections like World Cinema, Indian Panorama, Cinema of Assam among others. Interactive programs are also being organized as a part of the festival. Telangana: Telugu Desam Party's state working President A Revanth Reddy resigns from party In Telangana, Telugu Desam Party's state working President A Revanth Reddy resigned from the party and also as the MLA today. Kodangal MLA Revanth Reddy handed over his resignation letter to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu in Vijayawada. He was prime accused in the cash for vote case in which Revant was caught while bribing a nominated MLA during MLC elections in the state. There were speculations that he will be joining the main opposition party Congress. President addresses valedictory function of diamond jubilee celebrations of Kerala High Court President Ram Nath Kovind today addressed the valedictory function of the diamond jubilee celebrations of the High Court of Kerala. President Ram Nath Kovind said that judgements of this High Court have contributed to deepening the traditions of democracy and civic freedom in our country. Expressing concern of the delay in delivery of justice, President called for expediting the process of justice delivery and he lauded the judiciary for making efforts in this direction. Earlier on Friday, President Ram Nath Kovind laid the foundation stone for the first government IT building at the Technocity campus by unveiling a plaque in Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. Terming Information Technology as "a force multiplier" for the entire service economy, Kovind said it has played a game changing role in health-care, education, tourism and many other industries. He also said that the future of the country's economy and employment creation depends heavily on the success the nation achieves with Digital India BJP demands resignation of Karnataka minister K J George The BJP on Friday hit out at the Congress leadership after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah rejected its demand for sacking minister K J George, and wondered if top party leaders had forced his hand as George is a major fundraiser. BJP spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao alleged that George, who has been named as an accused by the CBI in the death of a police official, is a Siddaramaiah's conduit to the top Congress brass. "So he is helpless in acting against him. Siddaramaiah should tell people what is his compulsion in continuing with a tainted minister facing grave charges and if his hands have been forced by the Congress leadership as George is a major fund-raiser," Rao said. Siddaramaiah's defence of his minister is a sign of utter shamelessness, and his claim of political vendetta exhibits a lack of sensitivity for the family of Deputy Superintendent of Police M K Ganapathy, who died under mysterious circumstances last year, he said. Rao pointed that it was the Supreme Court which had ordered a CBI probe in the case and said that it reflected the court's lack of faith in the state police's report, which had given the minister a clean chit. "His continuation in the office would not only prevent a free and fair probe but is Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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also in complete violation of basic political ethics," he said, adding that Ganapathy "had named George as a threat to his life barely one hour before his death". Siddaramaiah has rejected BJP's demand for resignation of George, saying the case was "totally politically motivated". Journalist Vinod Verma arrested from Delhi Journalist Vinod Verma was arrested from Delhi on charges of extortion and blackmail by Chhattisgarh police in sex CD case. Journalist Vinod Verma was arrested by the Chhattisgarh police around 3.30 am today. Verma was arrested from his Ghaziabad residence, near the National capital. About 500 CDs with pornographic content, 2 lakhs in cash, a pen drive, a laptop and a diary were seized from his house. A case of blackmail and extortion has been registered against the scribe in Raipur. Vinod Verma has dismissed the allegations of the police and said that he has the alleged sex CD of a Minister of Chhattisgarh hence the state government is working with a spirit of vendetta against him. Madrid dissolves Catalan parliament after independence declaration Spain dissolved Catalonia's parliament on Friday and called new regional elections after separatists voted for independence in a sharp escalation of a constitutional crisis that has stoked alarm in Europe. In a televised address after an emergency cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said he had also removed secessionist Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont and his executive. Rajoy moved swiftly after the Senate gave his government sweeping powers to impose direct rule on the semiautonomous region to quash its drive to break away from Spain. He called for regional elections on December 21 as part of efforts to "restore normality" after the vote in the Catalan parliament plunged Spain into uncharted waters. After a months-long standoff with Madrid, regional lawmakers voted 70 to 10 in the 135-member parliament to declare Catalonia "a republic in the form of an independent and sovereign state". Demonstrators in Barcelona broke out in ecstatic shouts of: "Independence!" as the result was announced, while separatist MPs cheered, clapped and embraced before breaking out in the Catalan anthem. But any cause for joy was soon nipped in the bud with Rajoy's announcement. "We Spaniards are living through a sad day in which a lack of reason prevailed upon the law and demolished democracy in Catalonia," he said. Madrid's allies in the European Union and the United States rallied behind Rajoy, voicing alarm over the latest developments in the deep constitutional crisis, and expressing support for a united Spain. Analysts say Catalonia's government, now dissolved, would have had no legal power to execute the independence vote. Dozens of opposition MPs had walked out before the secret ballot in the Catalan parliament, one lamenting "a dark day" for democracy. Shares in Spanish companies, particularly Catalan banks, dropped sharply after the vote. Catalonia, a region of some 7.5 million people, accounts for about 16 per cent of Spain's population, a fifth of its economic output and attracts more foreign tourists than anywhere else in the country. The measures were approved by the Senate under Article 155 of the constitution, designed to rein in rebels among Spain's 17 regions. Spain's prosecuting authority also announced it would file charges of "rebellion" punishable by up to 30 years in jail against Puigdemont next week. EU President Donald Tusk insisted Madrid "remains our only interlocutor" in Spain after the independence vote that could test the stability of a key member of the bloc. Wary of nationalist and secessionist sentiment, particularly after Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Britain's dramatic decision last year to leave the EU, the bloc has stood firmly behind Madrid in the increasingly vitriolic feud. Tusk urged Madrid to exercise restraint, tweeting: "I hope the Spanish government favours force of argument, not argument of force." Puigdemont had also urged calm. "We will have to maintain the momentum of this country (Catalonia) in the coming hours," he told lawmakers and onlookers in Barcelona, while urging them to do so in the spirit of "peace, civic responsibility and dignity." The United States, one of Spain's NATO allies, declared backing for Madrid using "constitutional measures to keep Spain strong and united". Germany, France, and Britain, too, rejected the notion of Catalan independence, while the United Nations urged all concerned "to seek solutions within the framework of the Spanish constitutional and through established political and legal channels." There are deep concerns over the economic impact of the showdown, with nearly 1,700 companies having recently moved their legal headquarters out of Catalonia, a region with an economic output equivalent to that of Portugal. Catalan resentment at Madrid's perceived interference has been building for years, culminating in an October 1 independence vote deemed illegal by the central government and the courts. The 2008 economic crisis compounded the bitterness, with Catalans feeling they contribute more to the central purse than they get back. But while fiercely protective of their language, culture and autonomy restored at the end of the 1939-1975 dictatorship of Francisco Franco Catalans are deeply divided on independence. Catalan authorities said 90 per cent voted "Yes" in the unregulated referendum now held up by secessionist leaders as a mandate for independence. Only about 43 per cent of voters turned out, however, with many anti-secessionists staying away and others prevented from casting their ballot by Spanish police in a crackdown that turned violent. Rajoy sought today to place the blame for Spain's worst political crisis in decades squarely on separatist shoulders. England lifts FIFA Under-17 World Cup England have lifted their first-ever FIFA Under-17 World Cup. In the final played at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata tonight, England produced a memorable comefrom-behind performance to outplay European Champions Spain 5-2. The winners came back from a two-goal deficit to pump in five goals in-front of a capacity crowd of 66,000 plus, which happens to be the most attended in the history of the tournament. Spain had led 2-1 at half-time. England, who were playing their maiden Under-17 World Cup final, have now done a FIFA double in the same year, having won the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in June. Spain have now featured as losing finalists on four occasions. They had earlier lost in the summit clash in 1991, 2003, and 2007. While striker Sergio Gomez netted both the goals for Spain, the goal-scorers for England were Phil Fodden, who netted twice, Rhian Brewster, Morgan Gibbs White and Marc Guehi. England's goal-machine Rhian Brewster won the 'Golden Boot' with 8 goals to his credit. Earlier in the day, at the same venue, three-time former Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Champions Brazil won the Bronze medal, by defeating Mali 2-nil in the third-place playoff match between the two losing semi-finalists. Mali were runners-up in the last edition held in Chile. Around 2.9 mn children in India without vaccination against measles Around 2.9 million children in India do not get vaccinated against measles, a highly contagious viral disease that claims nearly 90,000 lives globally every year, a new report published today by leading health organisations said. The world is still far from reaching regional measles elimination goals as around 20.8 million children are still missing their first measles vaccine dose, it said. More than half of these unvaccinated children live in six countries — Nigeria (3.3 million), India (2.9 million), Pakistan (2.0 million), Indonesia (1.2 million), Ethiopia (0.9 million) and Democratic Republic of the Congo (0.7 million), the report said. In 2016, an estimated 90 000 people died from measles, recording an 84 per cent drop from more than 550,000 deaths in 2000. “Saving an average of 1.3 million lives per year through measles vaccine is an incredible achievement and makes a world free of measles seem possible, even probable, in our lifetime,” said Dr Robert Linkins of the Measles and Rubella Initiative (MR&I). Linkins is also the branch chief of the Accelerated Disease Control and Vaccine Preventable Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. M&RI is a partnership formed in 2001 of the American Red Cross, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United Nations Foundation, UNICEF, and WHO. This marks the first time global measles deaths have fallen below 100,000 per year, said the report by the World Health Organisation, United Nations Children’s Fund, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Gavi-The Vaccine Alliance. “We have seen a substantial drop in measles deaths for more than two decades, but now we must strive to reach zero measles cases,” said Dr JeanMarie Okwo-Bele, Director of the WHO’s Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals. “Measles elimination will only be reached if measles vaccines reach every child, everywhere,” Bele said. To increase silk production Govt has pumped Rs. 690 crore: CSB To counter China’s growing silk production, the Government of India has pumped in Rs. 690 crore in 24 districts in the North East region, Central Silk Board (CSB) chairman K M Hanumantharayappa said today. “Under North East Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS), 24 projects worth Rs. 690 crore is being implemented in NE states and of these, six are in Assam, one in Sikkim, two each in Meghalaya and Manipur and the rest in other states,” Hanumantharayappa told PTI on his one day visit to the state. He said the scheme is being implemented under two broad categories — the Integrated Sericulture Development Project (ISDP) and the Intensive Bivoltine Sericulture Development Project [IBSDP] covering Mulberry, Eri and Muga. The scheme is aimed at a holistic development of sericulture in all its spheres from plantation development to production of fabrics with value addition at every stage of production chain. “All four commercially exploited varieties of silk — mulberry, muga, eri and tasar — are produced in the North—east and this region contributes about 21 per cent of the total silk production in the country,” he said. The Silk Board chairman also informed that the government has big plans as far as promotion of silk farming is concerned to meet the domestic demand and also at the same time to counter China’s Silk production. He also lauded the eri production Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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which has reached 3,600 tonne in 2016—17 even as muga production was 141 tonne and production of mulberry silk stood at 45 tonne this year. In Meghalaya, the Centre has funded a pilot mulberry project for three years worth Rs. 29 crore at Thadlaskein in West Jaintia Hills district and also at the government farm at Laban. The mulberry farms in Meghalaya are almost a 100 year old, first set up by the British in 1925 but their growth story after Independence is negligible and is a dying art at present. Taking a cue from what the British did, the Centre has identified three districts in Meghalaya and an intensive awareness campaign will be launched to help draw back silkworm farmers to the trade. “Before we started silk board, British had identified Shillong as a centre for rearing silkworms. We are implementing a Rs. 29 crore 3 year n—to—n project in Mulbery production wherein nursery, land development, plantation, rearing tools, rearing house, irrigation for plantation, cocoon, product development, marketing and training for farmers,” he said. The Integrated project for Eri, Mulbery and Muga is in West Jaintia Hills district, Williamnagar in East Garo Hills and Trikkikilla in West Garo Hills district, the Central Silk Board, chairman added. Hockey: Indian women score sensational 10-0 win over Singapore Indian eves got off to a roaring start at the Women’s Asia Cup 2017 with a dominating 10-0 victory over Singapore here today. Navneet Kaur (3rd & 41st minutes), Rani (15th & 18th) and Navjot Kaur (30th & 50th) netted the ball twice, while Lalremsiami (18th), Deep Grace Ekka (25th), Gurjit Kaur (41st) and Sonika (45th) scored once each to ensure India notched up winning points in their opening match of Pool A. India began with positive intent by attacking Singapore’s circle constantly, looking for an opportunity to score. The effort worked as the team won back-to-back penalty corners in the first quarter. Though the first PC was saved by Singapore goalkeeper Felissa Lai, it hardly dented India’s spirit as they were precise in their counter. It was Navneet and Rani’s goals in the 3rd and 15th minute that gave India a 2-0 lead in the first quarter itself. India continued their fine run in the second quarter as well, adding four more goals, to go into the 10-minute half-time break with an imposing 6-0 lead. After Grace scored off a PC in the 25th minute, dragflicker Gurjit was fierce in her strike to score India’s seventh goal through another PC in the 41st minute. India stayed resolute as they continued to put pressure on Singapore’s defense, pumping two more goals in the third quarter through Navneet and Sonika. The final 15 minutes saw India win back-to-back PCs but Singapore defense averted conceding goals. However, a quick-thinking Navjot scored a field goal in the 50th minute to earn her team a 10-0 lead. India’s defense, meanwhile, put up a strong display throughout the match. Earlier in the day, China beat Malaysia 5-4 in a closely fought encounter. More transparency in peer-to-peer lending With the inclusion of peer-to-peer (P2P) lending into a macro regulatory framework, India has now joined the ranks of countries such as the UK, the US, and China among others, which have a regulatory framework for this model. P2P lending has been facilitating easier access to loans for consumers, who are either denied credit by traditional banks or are not served at all. By bridging the gap between consumers and credit, P2P lending platforms are helping achieve the goal of financial inclusion. The validation of the P2P model by the government and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will play a significant role in boosting confidence among lenders and borrowers. Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Ushering in greater transparency The online P2P lending model has been embraced by some of the most developed economies in the world, and both borrowers and lenders have reaped rich dividends from the democratisation of credit. The RBI’s guidelines on P2P lending have brought the country at par with some of the global economies, which have a mature and regulated alternative lending market. The regulations aim to ensure greater transparency between the platform, the lenders, and the borrowers. Under the guidelines, defaultrelated information on borrowers has to be shared with credit bureaus. So far P2P platforms could use credit bureau data to assess borrowers but could not share data about their borrowers with the bureaus. This will happen now. It will make borrowers wary of defaulting on a loan taken from a P2P platform because such a default will affect their credit score and they will find it harder to get a loan from banks and NBFCs. Credit information on the borrower will also have to be mandatorily shared with lenders. This will allow the latter to take better informed decisions about whether to give loans after assessing the borrower’s credit profile. The RBI guidelines also have provisions for timely and effective redressal of grievances of both borrowers and lenders. Prior to the issuance of these guidelines, a few malpractices had crept in. Some platforms had started promising principal protection and assured returns to lenders. In my view, this is against the very grain of the P2P lending model. The RBI guidelines, which take a stringent view of such practices, can be expected to put an end to them. The guidelines also have useful provisions with regard to data security, reporting and even fund transfer mechanism. The manner in which the RBI guidelines seek to define permitted activity, scope of work, regulations on capital, governance and business continuity, reflect deep thought and detailed planning. This bodes well for the entire ecosystem. The regulations are not stringent but they are innovative and will help the industry grow. Connecting borrowers and lenders There is substantial disparity between the demand for credit and its supply in the Indian economy at present, be it for individual borrowers or businesses. Before the advent of online P2P lending, commercial lending and borrowing was dominated either by traditional banks or by the unorganised lending sector. Over the past three-four years, P2P lending platforms have helped connect borrowers directly with lenders, and enabled them to avail of easy and instant loans, by leveraging technology and automation. Traditional financial institutions are unable to cater to the needs of a large section of the society which remains unserved. A majority of the citizens of this country have no credit history and are hence overlooked by banks. They are forced to borrow money from unorganised lenders, leaving them vulnerable to exploitative and less than legal practices. Even if they do manage to secure a loan approval from a bank, borrowers with low credit scores often have to pay high interest rates. But with the fully automated and transparent credit evaluation system that online P2P platforms use, borrowers can secure funds in a hassle-free manner with minimum documentation. Further, P2P lending has opened up growth opportunities for India’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) with easier access to credit. There are an estimated 48 million MSMEs in India, employing nearly 11 crore people, which contribute about 45 per cent of the country’s manufacturing output and about 40 per cent of its exports. Despite this, MSMEs are extremely underserved by traditional banking institutions, especially when it comes to meeting their credit requirements. Online P2P lending holds a tech-driven solution to this issue and has been addressing the credit gap by facilitating smoother access to working and growth capital for businesses across the country. Recognition for the P2P model has now opened up the credit market in the country. With individuals lending to one another, interest rates for borrowers can be expected to go down as lending and borrowing activities increase. This has proven to be true in the more mature markets for P2P lending, where increased confidence in the model has resulted in a reduction in interest rates. Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Profiting from P2P lending The guidelines will also introduce lenders to a lucrative investment opportunity, now that the RBI is regulating P2P lending. Returns from P2P loans are competitive, when compared with those from traditional instruments such as mutual funds, equity, debt, etc. Also, unlike these investment tools, both principal and interest start getting credited to the lender’s bank account from the very next month. They can reinvest their incomes for better and compounding returns. When done right, P2P lending can lead to higher gains for lenders at relatively lower risk. Investors can also enhance their opportunity to earn profits by further sourcing credit assets from across loan classes and risk categories to optimise their portfolios. Given its potential as a lucrative avenue of investment, P2P lending is perfectly capable of commanding nearly 15-20 per cent of the portfolio among Indian investors in the next few years. The inclusion of the sector into the ambit of a regulatory framework will gradually make it capable of competing with traditional investment instruments. In addition, a collaborative effort between regulators and fintech players will ensure smooth implementation of these regulations in the sector and support the creation of a stable, alternative lending market in the country. How Jeff Bezos became the richest person on earth Jeff Bezos’s stake in Amazon.com has soared nearly 500 times since the online retailer’s public debut two decades ago and hit $88 billion Friday. The rise catapulted him past Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates as the world’s richest person, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Over the years, Seattlebased Amazon has expanded its product offerings and global footprint, introducing the Kindle book reader, adding cloud computing services, producing original television and film programming, selling home voice recognition product Echo and the August acquisition of Whole Foods. His stake in Amazon has increased 70 per cent in the past two years. Bezos’s stake was valued at $178 million at Amazon’s 1997 initial public offering. His net worth increased by 419 per cent since he joined the Bloomberg index in April 2012. At the time, Bezos was ranked No 35 with $18 billion. His fortune doubled in 2015 and has increased by $35 billion since. ***




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Kashmir incomplete without Pandits: Farooq Abdullah Opposition National Conference president Farooq Abdullah today said Kashmir was incomplete without Pandits and his party wants them to return, though he opposed the idea of creating a separate homeland for them in the Valley. Addressing a delegates session of the NC at the Sher-e- Kashmir Cricket Stadium here after a gap of over 15 years, he said Kashmiri Pandits were part of the state and his party will strive to bring them back to the Valley. "Let me tell you that they have to return to Kashmir. Kashmir is incomplete till they return. They are part of this state and we will bring them back. I do not accept this homeland (for Pandits). They have to live with Muslims here and Muslims will protect them," he said. Earlier, the party passed resolutions on several issues, including one on the return of Kashmiri Pandits. "The tragic exodus of our Kashmiri Pandit brothers and sisters is a dark chapter in history of J&K and remains a source of pain and agony for every conscientious citizen of the state. "Their dignified return and rehabilitation remains unfulfilled and no headway has been made in this direction," he said. "While the stakeholders might differ on the features of the return and rehabilitation initiative, there is overwhelming unanimity over the need to take all possible steps to facilitate their return with utmost honour and dignity," the resolution read. India sends 1st wheat shipment to Afghanistan via Chabahar port India on Sunday sent its first consignment of wheat to Afghanistan through the Chabahar port in Iran, seen as a "landmark" move to operationalise the new strategic transit route, bypassing Pakistan. The shipment was flagged off from the Kandla port in Gujarat with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Afghan counterpart Salahuddin Rabbani joining the ceremony through video conferencing. "The shipment of wheat is a landmark moment as it will pave the way for operationalisation of the Chabahar port as an alternate, reliable and robust connectivity for Afghanistan," the ministry of external affairs (MEA) said in a statement. In June, India and Afghanistan had launched an air freight corridor between the two countries to boost trade as Pakistan has been refusing land transit access through its territory. "I am extremely delighted that today we have joined on a momentous occasion for the people of our three countries and the region," Swaraj said, terming the move as an important step in realising the shared aspiration to carve out "new routes" of peace and prosperity. The consignment will be transported to Afghanistan from Chabahar through land route. Swaraj also reiterated India's continued commitment to support reconstruction, capacity building and socio-economic development of Afghanistan, including under the framework of the New Development Partnership announced last month. "The wheat that is leaving the Indian shores today, is a gift from the people of India to our Afghan brethren. It is testament to the continued commitment of the government and the people of India to support our Afghan brethren in building a normal, peaceful, prosperous, secure and bright future for themselves," Swaraj said. The external affairs minister also renewed commitment to work closely with regional and international partners to bring peace, security, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan. The Chabahar port is expected to open up new opportunities for trade and transit from and to Afghanistan and enhance trade and commerce between the three countries and the wider region. "The people of India, Afghanistan and Iran have been connected through centuries; shared commonalities of art and culture, ideas and knowledge; language and traditions. Today, we are rejuvenating these connects and commonalities. I believe that this is the starting point of our journey to realise the full spectrum of connectivity," Swaraj said. Swaraj and Rabbani welcomed the fact that this is the first shipment that Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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would be going to Afghanistan through the Chabahar port after trilateral agreement on Establishment of International Transport and Transit Corridor was signed during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Iran in May 2016, the MEA said. It said six more wheat shipments will be sent to Afghanistan over the next few months. India and Iran have already expressed commitment for early completion of the work on the Chabahar port project. The Chabahar port, located in the Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich Persian Gulf nations southern coast, lies outside the Persian Gulf and can be easily accessed from India's western coast, bypassing Pakistan. The port is likely to ramp up trade between India, Afghanistan and Iran in the wake of Pakistan denying transit access to New Delhi for trade with the two countries. India has been closely working with Afghanistan to create alternate and reliable access routes, bypassing Pakistan. BCCI unlikely to cave in to NADA pressure, meeting on Nov 3 The BCCI brass will soon have a meeting to chalk out a plan to deal with mounting pressure from the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) that wants Virat Kohli and Co under its ambit. There is a Committee of Administrators (COA) meeting in Mumbai on November 3, where the issue will come up for discussion but, as of now, the Indian crickets governing body is unlikely to budge from its current stand. The top leadership of BCCI believes that trying to get a Virat Kohli or Mahendra Singh Dhonisign the whereabouts clause is one of the main reasons behind NADA wanting BCCI to come under its wing. Whereabouts are information provided by a limited number of top elite athletes about their location to the International Sport Federation (IF) or National Anti-Doping Organization (NADA in this case), which include them in their respective registered testing pool as part of these top elite athletes anti-doping responsibilities. The BCCI had hired Swedens International Drug Testing Management (IDTM) for testing work and is likely to continue with it. With reports emerging that NADA is likely to send its Doping Control Officers (DCO) during the domestic tournaments and if BCCI doesnt co-operate, will take legal route, but senior board officials are wondering whether that would be as easy as top government officials are making it out to be. The top Indian cricketers, who are always in the spotlight, have time and again protested that signing the whereabouts clause would lead to infringement of privacy. "BCCI is not a signatory to NADA code and therefore under no compulsion to release our cricketers for the dope test. We are under ICC, which is WADA compliant. At ICC events, our cricketers are tested by WADA. But since we are not a National Sports Federation (NSF), we are under no obligation to become NADA signatory," a senior BCCI official, privy to the development told PTI today. The official then said: "Testimony to our transparent process is the latest WADA report where 153 of our cricketers were tested In Competition and Out of Competition and there was only one dope positive result." Asked about the legal threat, the BCCI official sarcastically said: "BCCI, in any case, is fighting so many legal battles! But seriously, NADA officials think that they will just land up at IPL or Ranji Trophy and force a BCCI registered cricketer to undergo dope test. We didnt know it was this simple." PM Modi urges farmers to cut down usage of Urea by 50% Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon farmers to cut down usage of Urea by 50 percent and promote drip irrigation to conserve water and soil. Speaking at a public function organised by Shri Kshetra Dharamstala Rural Development Project at Ujire in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka, Prime Minister also called upon citizens to strengthen honesty by supporting cashless transaction. The Prime Minister asked Dharmadhikari Dr. Virendra Heggede to involve Women Self Help Groups in sea weed cultivation that will help generate revenue and at the same time conserve soil nutrients. Mr Modi said, a few financial experts in Parliament had doubted the possibility of realising the goal of cashless transaction in the country but Dr. Virendra Heggede has proved them wrong by promoting cashless transaction among the self help groups. Appreciating the work of dharmadhikari in promoting healthcare, education, digital economy and skill development, the Prime Minister noted that Universities around the world need to study how religious institutions in the country have not only Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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worked for spreading spiritualism but also work for serving the mankind. The Prime Minister in Ujire symbolically distribute 12 lakh rupay debit cards and launched digitised cash less transaction facility for self help group members. He also launched campaign to preserve mother earth. Mr Modi informed that 57 thousand crore rupees leakage was plugged by the government by introducing direct benefit transfer system. He asked self help groups to register with G-E-M portal so that their products can be procured by central and state governments. He informed that 15 states have already enrolled in GEM and 40 thousand products of self help groups are available for procurement. He asked Karnataka State Government to also enroll in this scheme to help self help groups to earn revenue and reduce govenment's spending. Indo-Russian military exercise -Indra-2017 at Vladivostok concludes The Indo-Russian military exercise -Indra-2017 today culminated at Vladivostok after eleven days of joint training in counter-terrorism operations. The exercise which began on 19th of this month concluded with a closing ceremony, wherein both the contingents showcased their immense talents with unique traditional touches. According to an official release, the exercise this year focused on conduct of counter insurgency, counter terrorist operations under United Nations mandate in a joint service environment. The exercise also provided an opportunity to both the armies for greater cultural understanding, sharing experiences and strengthening mutual trust and co-operation. Personnel from the Indian as well as Russian contingents were awarded medals of excellence for their outstanding performance during the exercise. All high courts will go digital by year end, says Justice Lokur Chairperson of the Supreme Court e-Committee Justice Madan B Lokur has said that all the high courts in the country will go digital by the year end under the National Judicial Data Grid. He said the next step will be to implement e-filing and noted even the stamp fee can be purchased online. Justice Lokur was inaugurating the Digitization Centre of the Madras High Court yesterday. He said e-Committee has also decided to introduce mobile technology by next week and plans to get effective mobile applications. He said lawyers, litigants and judges will be able to know the status of the cases through these mobile applications. Italy PM Paolo Gentiloni arrives in New Delhi Prime Minister of Italy Paolo Gentiloni today arrived in New Delhi on a two day visit to India. The visit coming after a gap of more than a decade, is aimed at strengthening the bilateral political and economic relations between the two countries. The last visit of the Italian Prime Minister to India was in February 2007. During his stay in New Delhi, Mr Gentiloni will call on President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday. He will also hold delegation Level talks with Mr Modi. A 15-member Italian CEO delegation is accompanying the official delegation. Interaction between the CEOs of the two countries is also being planned. Over 600 Italian companies are active in India covering various sectors such as fashion, garments, textile and textile machinery, automotive, automotive components industry, infrastructure, energy and insurance. A number of Indian companies are also present in Italy mainly in IT, electronics, engineering, automotive, pharmaceuticals and railway sectors. Italy is India’s 5th largest trading partner in the EU with a bilateral trade at 8.79 billion dollars in 2016-17. French Open badminton: Kidambi Srikanth wins men's singles title Eighth seeded Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth lifted the men's singles title of the French Open Superseries badminton in Paris today. This is his fourth title in the fifth superseries final. Srikanth beat Japan's Kenta Nishimoto 21-14, 21-13 in the final. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier in the day in his monthly radio programme" Man Ki Baat ", noted Srikanth's victory at the Denmark Open, Indonesia Open and Australia Open. Greysia POLL and Apriyani Rahayu won the Women's doubles title, Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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defeating Lee Sottee and SHIN Seung Chen 21-17, 21-15. The Mixed Doubles title went to Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana NATSIR who beat Zheng Siwei and Chen Qingchen 22-20, 21-15. India beat New Zealand by 6 runs in 3rd ODI, clinch series 2-1 India beat New Zealand by 6 runs in the final ODI to win the three-match series 2-1. Chasing a victory target of 338 runs set by India in the third ODI game in Kanpur today, New Zealand made 331 for seven in 50 stipulated overs. Earlier, put in to bat, India stitched a challenging 337 for 6. With his 32nd century, skipper Virat Kohli became the sixth Indian to complete 9,000 ODI runs today, making him the fastest to get there. He scored 113 runs. Opener Rohit Sharma laid a solid foundation for India with his superb 147 runs. For New Zealand, Southee, Milne and Santers claimed two wickets each. Both India and New Zealand are at level 1-1 in the ODI series. India and New Zealand will also play three Twenty20 matches, the first of which will be held at Feroz Shah Kotla grounds in Delhi on Wednesday. 7th Sultan of Johor Cup: Indian jr men's hockey team thrashe hosts Malaysia 4-0 Indian junior men's hockey team thrashed hosts Malaysia 4-0 to claim the bronze medal at the seventh Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia today. Two Goals from Vishal Antil and one each by Vivek Prasad and Shilanand Lakra were enough for India to win the bronze at Johor Bahru. India had earlier finished third in the points table with nine points after winning three and losing two of their round robin matches. PM Modi praises Indian team for FIFA U-17 World Cup Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today that although the Indian team may not have won medals in the FIFA Under-17 World Cup, yet the youngsters have won the hearts of everyone. The tournament ended yesterday in Kolkata. The Prime Miniter congratulated England for winning the Cup while stating that all the teams had displayed their best talent during the tournament held in India for the first time. In his monthly radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat', the Prime Minister noted that India won the Asia Cup Hockey after 10 years while shuttler K Srikanth won the Denmark Open after Indonesia Open and Australia Open. Turning to FIFA Under-17, the Prime Minister said there was excitement among the players as well as spectators during such a big tournament. Earlier, in his tweet, the Prime Minister congratulated the youngsters from England on winning the Cup and Spain for a spirited game. In another tweet, he said the FIFA Under-17 World Cup was a celebration of football. The Prime Minister said India was honoured & delighted to host the tournament. PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Bidar-Kalaburagi New Railway Line Prime Minister Narendra Modi today dedicated the Bidar Kalaburagi New Railway Line to the Nation by unveiling a plaque at Bidar Railway Station. Prime Minister also flagged off the DEMU Service between Bidar and Kalaburagi. 'Anna' to 'gulab jamun': 70 Indian words are now part of Oxford Dictionary Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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From endearing words like 'Abba' and 'Anna' to Indian delicacies like 'gulab jamun' and 'vada' can now be found in the Oxford English Dictionary (OED). As per the latest list of inclusions, 70 new Indian words from Telugu, Urdu, Tamil, Hindi and Gujarati languages have been added to the dictionary. Several mostcommonly used words in India like 'jugaad', 'dadagiri', 'achcha', 'bapu' and 'surya namaskar' are now part of the Oxford dictionary, the OED said in a statement. Many of the words describe food and relationships, such as 'anna' (elder brother), 'abba' (father), 'gulab jamun', 'mirch masala', 'keema', 'funda' and 'chamcha'. Oftenly used terms like 'timepass', 'natak' and 'chup' also have their meanings in the dictionary now. The September 2017 update adds to the 900 items already covered by the dictionary and "identified as distinctive to Indian English". "Indian speech etiquette features a complex system of kinship terms and terms of address, in which age, gender, status, and family relationships are marked by a highly specific vocabulary with no direct equivalents in English," said Danica Salazar, OED World English Editor. The words were added to the dictionary as Indians have "a highly specific vocabulary with no direct equivalents in English," the OED said. The four centuries that the English were present in India have left an indelible mark on the language, Salazar said. It is clear that the shared history between Britain and India has left behind a legacy of loanwords and other lexical innovations that have greatly enriched the English word stock, she said. The seventy words newly added to the OED reflect not only the history of the country, but also the many and diverse cultural and linguistic influences which have shaped and changed the English language in India, she said. The OED publishes four updates a year in March, June, September and December respectively. National Entrepreneurship Day: Govt plans mega event on Nov 9 In a bid to augment the business ecosystem, the government plans to celebrate November 9 as the National Entrepreneurship Day and hold events and activities dedicated to the prospective entrepreneurs of the country. The mega celebrations will be based around the theme "Catalysing a cultural shift in youth entrepreneurship," official sources told PTI. "The move is aimed at imparting further momentum to the thrust laid on entrepreneurship by the government. We want to utilise this opportunity to encourage more youth to become entrepreneurs and job creators," said a senior official. Moreover, all central public sector enterprises (CPSEs) have been requested to align their already existing entrepreneurship related events around the theme to celebrate the National Entrepreneurship Day. The National Entrepreneurship Awards instituted by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship will also Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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be presented on November 9 as part of the celebrations. The awards seek to recognise and honour entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship ecosystem builders for their outstanding efforts. Mission Kakatiya helped increase farm incomes, yields, irrigated area: NABCON Mission Kakatiya, the water tank revival programme started by the Telangana Government, has resulted in an increase in gross area irrigated under tank irrigated areas (ayacut). “There is an increase in the yields of paddy, cotton and jowar. There is an increase of household agricultural income by 78.50 per cent in the tank ayacut area. The reason for increase can be attributed to increase in irrigated area and also the yields,” a report said. The intensity of irrigation (percentage of irrigated area to the net sown area) has gone by 45.6 per cent over the base year. “The irrigation intensity has gone up from 88.40 per cent in 2013-14 to 134 per cent,” the report by NABCON, the consultancy arm of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). The NABCON has said they had selected 400 tanks in the (undivided) districts of Adilabad, Karimnagar, Medak and Nalgonda, covering all the agro-climatic zones in the State. Telangana Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao released the report here on Sunday. “With more availability of water in the tanks, the area under paddy has substantially been increased from 49.20 per cent in the base year to 62.10 per cent in the assessment year despite the fact that there was a good rainfall in the base year,” the report said. “The increase is mainly due to the increased water storage and retention capacity in the tanks after the tank renovation programme. The area under cotton has come down from 36.2 per cent to 26.3 per cent. The farmers preferred to grow paddy instead of cotton as sufficient water is available in the tanks,” it said. Ground water As it helped in reviving the tanks, the programme also helped in increasing groundwater levels. “In base year, the average rise in groundwater level was 6.91 metres where as it is 9.02 m in the year 2016,” it claimed. ‘Blockchain, AI, ML, robotics to drive tech in 2018’ In the ever-changing technology landscape, IT experts feel blockchain, artificial intelligence, machine learning and robotics are going to lead the way in 2018. Cyber security, which is very critical for all these newer technologies, will also hold promise, they feel. Dimension Data, an arm of NTT Group, has come out with a report that captures the likely technology trends that could drive the IT landscape in 2018. “There has been an increase in adoption of blockchain, especially within the Indian BSFI sector. It is currently being used for fund transfers, digital identity and payments infrastructure. One of the main reasons for that is the security that blockchain brings with it,” said KN Murali, Head - Solutions, Dimension Data. ‘Zero-trust’ model “In 2018, we will see the ‘zero-trust’ security model re-emerging, which means , enterprise systems will vigorously authenticate whether users are indeed entitled to access to specific sets of data, before making them available,” he said. Blockchain, which will become the implementer of the ‘zero-trust’ policy, will hold the key in cyber security. In the world of automation, organisations expect automated services that are managed from the cloud in a hybrid IT environment. “They do not want to worry about where their technology sits — they just want to consume it the way they want to, in a fully automated way,” Murali said. Blockchain, together with artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, and virtual and augmented reality, have the potential to deliver disruptive outcomes and reshape digital business in 2018, the Dimension Data report said. “I believe blockchain has the potential to totally re-engineer cyber security, but the industry has yet to come to terms with it,” said Ettienne Reinecke, Group Chief Technology Officer, Dimension Data. In 2018, some interesting applications of blockchain and IoT in the area of cyber security will emerge. Significant attacks have recently been launched from low-cost Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Internet of Things endpoints, and there’s very little incentive for manufacturers of these devices to incur the cost of a security stack, which leaves them extremely vulnerable. Dimension Data, which had a turnover of $7.5 billion in 2016, offers digital infrastructure, hybrid cloud, digital workspaces and cyber security solutions. ***




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Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs Date: 30.10.2017, Monnday

Pak Army’s support to terrorism unacceptable: India tells Pak Pakistan Armys support to terrorism is unacceptable and India will continue to take all retaliatory measures to respond to such acts, Indian Armys director-general of military operations (DGMO) told his Pakistani counterpart today. In an unscheduled conversation with Lt Gen A K Bhatt over the hotline, Pakistani DGMO Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza accused the Indian security forces of resorting to unprovoked firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. However, Bhatt said retaliatory firing by Indian troops has only been carried out in response to "unabated support" provided by the Pakistan Army to armed terrorists, who infiltrate across the border and target Indian Army posts with heavy calibre weapons, the Army said in a statement here. The telephonic conversation was requested by the Pakistani side. The Indian DGMO told his Pakistani counterpart that while the Indian Army will continue its efforts to ensure peace and tranquillity on the borders, the support provided to the terrorists by the Pakistan Army was the prime reason for any "collateral damage". "He reiterated that this support to terrorism by the Pakistan Army is unacceptable and the Indian Army will continue to take all retaliatory measures as well as retain the right to punitively respond to such provocative acts of aggression from the Pakistani side," the Army said. It said Lt Gen Bhatt also clarified that the Indian Army always maintains impeccable standards of professionalism and does not target civilians. "On the contrary, Pakistan Army has employed civilians at the forward posts and accorded permission for permanent locations of civilians in the vicinity of Pakistan Army posts," the Army said. It said that these civilians have repeatedly been used for gaining information of locations of Indian troops and providing guides to the terrorists while crossing the LoC. The LoC in Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a spurt in ceasefire violations by the Pakistani troops and the Indian Army has been retaliating effectively to Pakistani actions. India, Italy vow to fight terrorism, violent extremism India and Italy today resolved to fight terrorism and violent extremism in all their forms and manifestations, as they strongly pitched for strengthening international partnership and concerted action in addressing the menace of terrorism. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart Paolo Gentiloni, who held wide-ranging talks, also emphasised on the need for effective implementation of existing international commitments on countering terrorism, including the UN Global Countering Terrorism Strategy, UNSC resolutions and targeted sanctions relating to terrorism. "In this context, the leaders also called upon all UN member countries to designate terrorist entities in line with the relevant UNSC Resolutions," said a joint statement issued after the talks. The statement comes amidst indications that China will again block at the UN, efforts to list JeM Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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chief and Pathankot mastermind Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. While responding to a query on the Azhar issue, Chinese foreign ministry has said that "as for listing application by the relevant country, there are disagreements". China is expected to block the move to ban Azhar again when the 1267 Committee of the UNSC takes up the issue on Thursday, the day the current hold on the proposal, piloted by the US, the UK and France, is expiring. Modi and Gentiloni also condemned in the strongest possible terms the recent terror attacks in India, Europe and elsewhere and emphasised on the need for strengthening international partnership and concerted action by the international community in addressing the menace of terrorism. "In addition to bilateral issues, we also exchanged views on regional and global issues. In todays world, we face new challenges and threats every day. We discussed in detail some of the emerging security challenges facing the world," Modi said at a joint press event with Gentiloni. We are both committed to fighting terrorism in all its forms, and to strengthen our cooperation in cyber security," he said. They also called on all countries to work towards rooting out terrorist safe havens, their infrastructure and networks and halting cross-border movement of terrorists, the joint statement said, in a veiled reference to Pakistan. The leaders expressed satisfaction on the first India- Italy Joint Working Group on Combating International Terrorism held in Rome on November 10, 2016, and agreed to further strengthen the consultation mechanism through regular exchange of assessments and information, training and capacity building programmes etc., in the sphere of counter terrorism. The leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation to take decisive and concerted actions against the al-Qaeda, ISIS, their affiliates and all other UN-designated globally proscribed terrorists and terror entities, including those mentioned in the India-EU joint statement on cooperation in combating terrorism. The statement was issued after the India-EU Summit earlier this month. The statement said the two leaders also called for an early conclusion of negotiations and adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism in the UN, as an instrument that would reinforce the message that no cause or grievance justifies terrorism. The two leaders also affirmed that terrorism should not be associated with any particular religion, nationality, civilisation, creed or ethnic group. "They also expressed concerns at the growing misuse of internet towards radicalisation of youth and agreed to strengthen cooperation in combating radicalisation and violent extremism," the statement said. They also agreed to explore the establishment of a bilateral dialogue on cyber issues. Modi and Gentiloni reaffirmed their commitment to an open, free, secure, stable, peaceful and accessible cyberspace, enabling economic growth and innovation. In particular, they reaffirmed that international law was applicable in cyberspace and that there was a need to continue and deepen deliberations on the applicability of international law to cyberspace and set norms of responsible behaviour of states. The leaders welcomed the holding of the 5th Global Conference on Cyberspace in New Delhi on November 23-24, it added. 'T' for transgender in railway tickets soon Transgenders will now have the option of identifying themselves as the third gender with the Railway Board modifying reservation forms to provide the option T, besides M (Male) and F (Female). The Railway Board in a letter to all zonal railways has said that ticket booking and cancellation forms will be modified from the current option of Transgender (Male/Female) to just T. According to the letter, the social justice and empowerment ministry is at present dealing with various issues of transgenders and a proposed legislation on this -- The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016, is being reviewed by a parliamentary standing committee. "The matter has been reviewed and it has been decided that till such time the detailed modalities on this account are finalised by the Ministry of Social Justice, a provision may be Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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made in the system to capture the gender of transgender as T instead of T(M/F) as advised earlier," according to the October 17 letter. In a landmark judgement in 2014, the Supreme Court created the third gender status for hijras or transgenders. Earlier, they had to write male or female in gender column. Following the order, many government documents such as passport, ration card, bank forms and voter identity cards have started providing TG (third gender), Other or T (transgender) as options. The railways introduced the option as T(M/F) through an order in 2016 which, activists said, still forced them to choose between the binary genders -- male or female. The Railway Board said in its review it had also taken into consideration directions of the Kolkata High Court which had asked State Bank of India to allow the choice of third gender in its application forms for recruiting new employees. This case pertains to a case filed by Atri Kar, the first transgender from West Bengal to appear for the civil services exam, who sought the courts intervention to enforce her right to participate in the selection process of SBI as a transgender. The Railway Board also said that the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS), an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Railways, will make necessary changes in the software for giving the option of transgender (T) alongside the option of M/F in the passenger railway system under intimation to all zonal railways, the letter said. Why no separate schools for children suffering from autism: SC The Supreme Court has questioned the lack of separate schools and distinctly trained teachers for students who suffer from autism, blindness and deafness. The apex court observed that it is "impossible to think" that children, who are disabled or suffer from any kind of disability or are mentally challenged, can be imparted education in mainstream schools along with normal children. A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra said that access to education has now been regarded as a fundamental right under Article 21A and there was a statutory obligation on the States to provide education under the Rights of Children to Free and Compulsary Education Act, 2009. "We are of the prima facie view that the children with special needs have to be imparted education not only by special teachers but there have to be special schools for them," the bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, said. The bench asked the Uttar Pradesh government to file an affidavit keeping its observation in mind in four weeks and specify when the state is going to meet the obligation. It listed the matter for further hearing on November 27. "When we say disability, we do not mean disability as has been defined in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 includes certain physical disabilities which may not be a warrant for getting admission in special schools," the bench said. Emphasising the need for a separate system, the court said "the students who suffer from blindness, deafness and autism or such types of disorder may be required to have separate schools with distinctly trained teachers". The bench was hearing a plea filed by Rajneesh Kumar Pandey through advocate Prashant Shukla, claiming lack of sufficient number of special educators in Uttar Pradesh and other states to teach the Children With Special Needs (CWSN). Additional Advocate General Aishwarya Bhati appearing for Uttar Pradesh said the State is committed to impart education to the children with special needs. She said the State had already commenced the procedure for engaging 12,000 teachers, of whom some would be teachers for children with special needs. Counsel for Centre said that under the new integrated education scheme, CWSN were being taught along with children who do not suffer from any disability. The Ministry of Human Resource Development and the UP government claimed that CWSN were being taught under the integrated scheme to ensure they do not get demoralised or feel Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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alienated. It was contended that teaching such children along with the normal kids without disability would boost the confidence of those disabled and stop their isolation from the normal environment in schools. The petition, by 17 teachers who claim to have undertaken the training required to teach CWSN, has contended that to make Right to Education a success, it is necessary that qualified special educators are there in each school so that disabled kids can be prepared to face the challenges of life. The Punjab government was also faced with the same query from the bench in another similar matter in the apex court. Nawaz apologises for hurting sentiments, withdraws memoir Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui today issued an apology for "hurting the sentiments" of women whose names he had mentioned in his memoir, "An Ordinary Life" allegedly without their consent and has decided to withdraw the book. The 43-year-old actor took to Twitter in the wake of the controversy surrounding his autobiography, co-written by Rituparna Chatterjee, in which he detailed his relationships and flings with former Miss India Niharika Singh and actor Sunita Rajwar. "Im apologising to everyone whose sentiments are hurt because of the chaos around my memoir An Ordinary Life. I hereby regret and decide to withdraw my book," he tweeted. A spokesperson from the publisher Penguin Random House has confirmed to PTI that they were withdrawing the book. The criticallyacclaimed actor drew a lot of flak for revealing personal details about his "passionate" affair with his "Miss Lovely" co-star Niharika. Excerpts from the book started doing the rounds on October 23 and Niharika issued a statement a day later slamming Nawaz for "exploiting and disrespecting" a woman to sell his autobiography. While Rajwar took to Facebook to blast the actor for spreading lies and claiming that she dumped him for his "poor status". "I did not dump you for your poor status but for your poor thinking," Rajwar said, adding she was poorer than the actor at that time and their relationship did go beyond a play on which they worked together. Mithali Raj rises to top spot in ICC batswomen ranking India captain Mithali Raj on Monday moved up one place to occupy the number one spot in the latest ICC ODI rankings for batswomen. Ellyse Perry of Australia and Amy Satterthwaite of New Zealand also jumped one place each to be at second and third spots while Meg Lanning of Australia has dropped from first to fourth after missing the series against England due to injury. Mithali has 753 points, while Perry and Satterthwaite are on 725 and 720 points respectively. Among women bowlers, Jhulan Goswami remained on second spot with 652 rating points, behind Marizanne Kapp (656) of South Africa. Meanwhile, defending champion Australias 2-1 victory over England in the ICC Womens Championship series has not only helped them garner four useful points but also regain the top spot in the womens team rankings. England had displaced Australia from the top spot for the first time after the annual update earlier this month, Starting the series ahead on decimal points with both teams on 128 points, Australia made the most of the home conditions to prevail despite the absence of first-choice captain and leading batter Meg Lanning, going up to 129 points and ensuring a two-point lead in the process. Teams get two points for each win, one point for a tie or no-result and no points for a loss in the ICC Womens Championship, which will see ICC Womens World Cup 2021 hosts New Zealand and the three other top teams gain direct qualification to the pinnacle womens 50-over event. The remaining four sides will get a second Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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chance through the ICC Womens World Cup Qualifier event. India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies are the other sides in the ICC Womens Championship, which runs till 2020. Nation to observe Rashtriya Ekta Diwas tomorrow Nation will observe Rashtriya Ekta Diwas tomorrow on the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Various events will be organised across the country to mark the 142nd birth anniversary. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the main event at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi where he will flag off Run For Unity. About 15 thousand people will participate in the Run. People from all walks of life ex-servicemen, students, athletes, NYKS volunteers, NSS volunteers, Central Armed Police Forces, Delhi Police will participate in Run for Unity. Ministry of Culture will organize Debate, Quiz, Essay Competitions, Special Lectures on National Unity and Integrity. States and Union territories will organize State-level functions at respective capitals and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports is coordinating with the local administration to organize functions in 623 districts. HRD Ministry is organizing functions in the Kendriya and Navodaya Vidyalayas and Rail Ministry will organize functions at 1,500 Railway Stations. March Pasts will be carried out by Central Armed Police Forces and Delhi Police. Article 35A case: SC defers hearing by 3 months The Supreme Court today adjourned the hearing of the plea challenging Article 35A of the Constitution by three months. The Article empowers the Jammu and Kashmir legislature to define its 'permanent residents' and bestow on them special rights and privileges. The court's order came after the centre told it that the Government has appointed a representative to hold talks with all stakeholders to resolve the Kashmir issue. Attorney General K K Venugopal contended that it was not the right time to proceed with the matter and sought six months' time before the hearing of the plea on the sensitive issue could start. The three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Mishra and also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, however, listed the matter for hearing after three months. The Jammu and Kashmir government, through a battery of senior lawyers like Fali S Nariman, Shekhar Naphade, Rakesh Dwivedi, K V Viswanathan and standing counsel Shoeb Alam defended Article 35A. The Advocate General of the State, Jahangir Iqbal Ganai, was also present when the matter was taken up by the court. Four petitions demanding scrapping of Article 35A were listed before the bench. The main petition was filed by a Delhi-based NGO in 2014. Three more petitions were also filed challenging the Article but were later clubbed with the main one. The petition says Article 35 A is against the “very spirit of oneness of India” as it creates a “class within a class of Indian citizens.” Restricting citizens from other States from getting employment or buying property within Jammu and Kashmir is a violation of fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Indian Constitution. Government sets up Arun Jaitley led panel on PSU bank mergers The government has constituted a ministerial panel headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to oversee merger proposals of state-owned banks. The other members Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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of the panel include Railway and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. In a tweet, Financial Services Secretary Rajiv Kumar said that the government is working on banking reforms and constituted an Alternative Mechanism for Public Sector Banks, PSB consolidation. Last week, Mr Jaitley had announced 2.11 lakh crore rupees capital infusion roadmap for the public sector banks. The Union Cabinet had decided to set up an Alternative Mechanism to fast-track consolidation among public sector banks to create strong lenders. The move to create large banks aims at meeting the credit needs of the growing Indian economy and building capacity in the PSB space to raise resources without dependence on the state exchequer. The mechanism will oversee the proposals coming from boards of PSBs for consolidation. SC pulls up West Bengal govt on Aadhaar linking issue In an embarrassment to Mamata Banerjee government of West Bengal, the Supreme Court has questioned West Bengal Government for filing plea against Centre's decision to make Aadhaar mandatory for availing benefits of welfare schemes. The court asked how can a state file plea challenging Parliament's mandate in a federal structure. The plea has been filed by the West Bengal government challenging the provision which says that without Aadhaar, the benefits of social welfare schemes would not be extended. The apex court, however, observed that the Centre's move can only be challenged by an individual, and not by states. The court said, if state Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee files a plea as individual, it will be entertained. Meanwhile, the court issued notice to the Centre on a separate plea filed by an individual challenging the linking of mobile phone numbers with Aadhaar. The court asked the Centre to file its response on the plea in four weeks. Several petitions, challenging the Centre's move to make Aadhaar mandatory for welfare schemes and notifications to link it with mobile numbers and bank accounts, are pending in the apex court. Will obey SC order on linking Aadhaar to social benefits: Mamata Banerjee West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said she will "obey" the directive of the Supreme Court, which questioned the state government's move to challenge a central law linking Aadhaar to social benefits and said she could file a plea in individual capacity. "They (judges) have given their directive and we will obey that. I don't think there is any problem. We appreciate it," Banerjee told reporters at the state secretariat today. The apex court questioned the West Bengal government's petition challenging the Centre's decision to make Aadhaar mandatory for availing benefits of government welfare schemes, saying it was against the federal structure. The court asked the West Bengal counsel to amend its prayer and submit a fresh plea. It also said Banerjee could submit a plea before it as an individual. "How can state file such a plea? In a federal structure, how can a state file a plea challenging Parliament's mandate," a bench comprising justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan said. The chief minister said that her government had gone to the court because it had "some grounds." "We had some grounds. We accept the court's observation. There is no problem. Some individuals have already applied," she said. Several petitions challenging the Centre's move to make Aadhaar mandatory for welfare schemes and notifications to link it with mobile numbers and bank accounts, are pending in the apex court. The West Bengal government challenged the provision which Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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says that without Aadhaar, the benefits of social welfare schemes would not be extended. Banerjee had earlier said she will not link her mobile phone number with Aadhaar and had dared the Centre to disconnect it.

Pro-unity protesters gather in Barcelona to support government Thousands of pro-unity protesters took to the streets of Barcelona on Sunday, calling out their support for Spain's government, as deposed Catalan leaders continued encouraging their supporters to defy Spain's rule. The pro-unity rally showed a clear contrast with the pro-independence rallies with supporters brandishing Spanish national flags, as well as banners with slogans criticizing the actions of the removed Catalan leaders. Some have called for the arrest of Catalan President Carles Puigdemont. One of the larger posters read: A muted people are now breaking the silence. Unity protesters cheer the national police helicopters which hover overhead, whereas at independence rallies they are roundly booed. Regardless of which side they are on, the independence issue has taken a toll on the people of Barcelona amid the divergence. "The independence process has broken the society and has broken many families. My twin brother, he is an independent - I am not. We argue, we debate, but we never discuss," said Ariana, another pro-government supporter. Khadi trademark: Why Modi govt is so worried about protecting this IP Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his monthly address to the nation "Mann ki Baat", said his appeal to the people of India to adopt Khadi yielded positive results as sale of Khadi on Dhanteras and Diwali spiked. Khadi and handicrafts sales have gone up by 90 per cent compared to last year which has helped all those who are employed in this sector. On the occasion of Dhanteras, Delhi's Khadi Gramodyog recorded sales of one crore rupees, and the sale of khadi products -which include garments and other items -shot up over 89% to Rs 814 crore during April-September 2017, compared to Rs 430 crore a year ago with Modi emerging as a brand ambassador of sorts. In today's BS special, the author discusses the urgent need to protect the Khadi IP. We have in past months looked at some interesting cases that have come up in the Intellectual Property (IP) domain as they intersected the marketing and communication of brands, and impacted the existence and longevity of these brands, and all that they stood for. In these very columns, we have carried pieces on, ‘Image trademark for Taj Mumbai: Smart or senseless?’ (June 21, 2017), ‘Blue border and IP: God bless (and protect) the Saint Mother Teresa and her stripes’ (July 10, 2017) and ‘Why ‘Brand’ Mother Teresa is surrounded by controversy’ (July 25, 2017). In the recent past an equally interesting case has surfaced on the legal ownership of Khadi, use of the word ‘Khadi’ and intellectual property rights surrounding it. In recent days, the use of the KHADI trademark by a German company Khadi Naturprodukte GbR has got the Indian government very worried, and the government now wants to take steps to prevent the Germans from using the Khadi trademark. The German company manufactures and sells shampoos, oils, soaps, and gels etc. that are made from natural ingredients primarily in the European Union. The Khadi Village and Industries Commission (KVIC) which comes under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) has registrations for the mark KHADI and Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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KHADI GRAMODYOG in classes 3 (soaps; perfumery, essential oils, cosmetics, hair lotions etc.) and 25 (clothing, footwear and headgear) in India.However, according to the online records these marks haven’t been renewed for long and one of the marks has actually been withdrawn. Interestingly, class 3 and 25 have a number of applications for the mark KHADI from individual applicants and even companies not affiliated to the government and some of them have even been actually registered. The German company doesn’t seem to have a trademark application in India though they have registrations in the EU and USA. While KVIC seems eager to take action against the German company in the EU it would be interesting to see if they are as enthusiastic about taking action against the other registrants in India related to the Khadi mark. But we will discuss that a little later. The German Company obtained registration for the mark KHADI in Europe (classes 3, 21 and 31) and USA (class 3) in May 2012 and February 2013 respectively. The Community Trade Mark (CTM) Database, which contains details regarding trademarks in Europe, indicates that the mark is pending cancellation, however, details regarding the same could not be accessed despite efforts. Also, the registration is limited to classes 3, 21 and 31 and the mark is not being used to the market the khadi cloth in particular. However, it is relevant to make note that KVIC manufactures and sells village oil, soap and other natural products and these overlap with the products being sold by the German company.What is even more interesting is that the packaging of some of the German company’s goods is almost identical to that of KVIC’s products sold in India making it a case not just of trademark infringement but also of ‘passing-off a likeness’ which in simple terms means copying. Reports in Indian newspapers suggest that the Government’s course of action is to apply for cancellation of the mark in US and Europe (cancellation proceedings are already pending) and also to apply for the registration of the mark KHADI in these jurisdictions with a view to provide protection for this mark beyond India. Trademark rights are territorial in nature and one needs to have a registration in that particular country to oppose registration or even use of that particular mark. Some countries follow the first-to-file approach, thereby implying that the first to file a mark will have rights irrespective of usage of the mark and some countries like India, UK, and Australia etc. follow the common law system which places more reliance on prior usage of the mark than on the date of filing. CTM system in Europe is based on the first-to-file system and therefore it might be rather difficult for India while pursuing any legal action against Khadi Naturprodukte GbR. There are precious lessons to be learnt for the KVIC in this entire episode: 1. The Khadi name and appellation is very valuable and worth protecting through professional filings, and regular updations, of IP applications. 2. The KVIC needs to clearly delineate the brand Khadi and try to own it for posterity based on the lineage that the name has from the time of Mahatma Gandhi and the entire swadeshi movement. A good IP lawyer can work a persuasive argument in support and protection of Khadi for KVIC. 3. Protecting Khadi in India, and its application to categories such as cosmetics and cloth, will not suffice in global markets. Khadi IP has to be filed and pursued in all key world markets. Individual market by market. Though, now that India is a party to the Madrid Protocol, the process of applying to many countries has become easier because it can be done through one common filing. In all fairness, the KVIC has been getting proactive in trying to protect the franchise and sanctity of Khadi at least in domestic markets. On February 8, 2017 KVIC sent a legal notice to Fabindia’s New Delhi-based CEO alleging that a Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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close scrutiny of garments sold by Fabindia revealed that while the labels stitched on the garments stated ‘Fabindia Cotton’, the removable price tags had the word ‘khadi’ on them. The notice mentioned that KVIC had corresponded with Fabindia earlier in August 2015 after the company advertised some fabric as ‘khadi’. In the correspondence, Fabindia had assured KVIC that,“As per directions issued by your office, we have stopped advertisement campaign in all media. We have also sent internal directions to stop selling the cloth with reference to khadi.”But as per KVIC, despite written assurances, Fabindia continues to sell products under the name of ‘khadi’ and has also put up prominent khadi display panels at their sales outlets, which could advertently or inadvertently mislead customers. KVIC insists that any marketer seeking to sell ‘khadi’ garments must, in accordance with the existing legal framework, apply for a ‘Khadi’ mark Regulation Certificate. After launching the ‘Khadi Institution Registration and Certification Sewa’ on 2nd October 2016, KVIC has made the certification procedure simpler requiring payment of Rs. 10,000 as fee and a list of 25 spinners & 5 weavers. The grant of certificate usually takes up to 45 days. Last year KVIC had got into a similar spat and served a notice on Aditya Birla Group’s Madura Fashion & Lifestyle. The notice was triggered by an advertisement in a newspaper to promote apparel under the brand name ‘Peter England’. Within a week, the company apologized to KVIC for using the trade name ‘khadi’ without permission and assured that it has removed the word from all the promotional materials. KVIC is not just getting all itchy and picking fights to protect its turf on ‘Khadi’. Khadi and Village Industries Commission recently inked a deal with Arvind Ltd. to sell around one million metres of ‘khadi denim’ every year to it. An agreement between Arvind Mills Limited and Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) was signed in Ahmedabad and under the MoU, khadi denims and other khadi products made by Arvind Ltd. will bear KVIC’s certification mark. KVIC Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena actually went on record to say, “This deal will not only enhance khadi’s sales annually by Rs 40 crore but will also increase the economic stability of khadi artisans across India, by providing them Rs. 2 crore as extra incentives”. Parallely, fabric and apparel major Raymond has also partnered with Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) to introduce a new line of clothing under the brand Khadi by Raymond, which will directly compete with the likes of Fabindia. KVIC will certify Raymond to use Khadi mark to sell ready-made garments and fabric, which will be available at KVIC and Raymond outlets across the country. According to KVIC this joint venture is also a step towards making a radical shift in people’s perception of Khadi from a fabric that stands for nationalism to a fabric that stands for fashion. The association will add an incremental employment of 2.1 lakh man-hours for spinners and weavers. Certainly good news for Khadi! Controversy meanwhile continues to surround Khadi. There is a pending application for Geographical Indication (application no. 492) on Khadi under Class 24 of goods categorized as ‘textiles and textile goods (handicraft)’. Section 11 of the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999 states that any association of persons or producers or any organization or authority established by or under any law for the time being in force representing the interest of the producers of the concerned goods, who are desirous of registering a geographical indication in relation to such goods can apply for a geographical indication (GI) tag. Despite there being a statutory body i.e. KVIC for the development of khadi, the GI application has been filed by the Intellectual Property Rights Association claiming to be acting on behalf of manufacturers/producers of khadi throughout India. Accordingly, in the Formality Check Report dated 10.12.2014, the Registrar pointed out the following deficiency in the GI application – How the Applicant represents the interest of the producers of Khadi? To which the Intellectual Property Rights Association replied stating that it had written letters to all Khadi movement and Sarvodaya Movements to join this application. As of today, no reply had been received from them. In fact in the Examination Report dated 16.09.2015, it was noted that the competence of the applicant in protecting the interest of the producers must be established by the applicant association. Also, the pre-application activity of the applicant association in relation to the protection and promotion of ‘Khadi’ is to be submitted. Carbon dioxide levels in atmosphere hit alarming new high, says UN Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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The concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere has hit a new high, the UN said today, warning that drastic action is needed to achieve targets set by the Paris climate agreement. "Concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere surged at a record-breaking speed in 2016," the World Meteorological Organization said. "Globally averaged concentrations of CO2 reached 403.3 parts per million in 2016, up from 400.00 ppm in 2015 because of a combination of human activities and a strong El Nino event," it said. The Greenhouse Gas Bulletin, the UN weather agency's annual flagship report, tracks the continent of dangerous gasses in atmosphere in the post-industrial era (since 1750). The report also said that the last time Earth experienced similar CO2 concentration rates was three to five million years ago, when the sea level was up to 20 metres higher than now. "Without rapid cuts in CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions, we will be heading for dangerous temperature increases by the end of this century, well above the target set by the Paris climate change agreement," WMO chief Petteri Taalas said in a statement. The historic agreement approved by 196 countries two years ago is facing renewed pressure following US President Donald Trump's decision to quit the accord. But nations are set to press on with the task of implementing it at climate talks in Bonn next week. "The numbers don't lie. We are still emitting far too much and this needs to be reversed," the head of UN Environment Erik Solheim said in a statement, reacting to the new report. "What we need now is global political will and a new sense of urgency." The Greenhouse Gas Bulletin tracks concentrations of gasses in the atmosphere, rather than emissions with data compiled from a monitoring station in Mauna Loa, Hawaii. PPF closes, NSC gets encashed if holder status changes to NRI With changes in investment rules for select small savings schemes including National Savings Certificate (NSC), the government has said such accounts will be closed before their maturity in case status of the holder changes from resident to non-resident Indians (NRIs). Such holders will earn only post office savings account rate of 4 per cent and not the higher rate on those instruments when the status was one of resident. In the case of public provident fund (PPF), the account is deemed to be closed the day the status of the account holder changes to NRI. According to the amendment to the Public Provident Fund Act, 1968, “... if a resident who opened an account under this scheme subsequently becomes a non-resident during the currency of the maturity period, the account shall be deemed to be closed with effect from the day he becomes a non-resident...” Interest with effect from that date will be paid at the 4 per cent rate applicable to the post office savings account up to the last day of the month preceding the one in which the account is actually closed, the Public Provident Fund (Amendment) Scheme, 2017, said. The amended rules were notified in the official gazette earlier this month. With regard to NSC, a separate notification said it is deemed to be encashed on the day the holder becomes an NRI. It stated that “...interest shall be paid at the rate applicable to the post office savings account, from time to time, from such day and up to the last day of the month preceding the month in which it is actually encashed.” Last month, the government kept unchanged interest rates on small savings schemes for the October–December quarter. The government has pegged 7.8 per cent interest for both PPF and NSC schemes for October– Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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December. Since April last year, interest rates on all small saving schemes have been recalibrated on a quarterly basis. Odisha govt may apply for GI tag on hand-woven ethnic shawl The Odisha government was planning to apply for a GI (geographical indication) certificate and create a national market for the hand-woven ethnic shawls made by Dongria Kondh, a tribal group of Odisha. Mostly crafted by women for their own use and to present to guests as a mark of respect and affection, the embroidered shawls are entirely handmade. “In view of the unique process employed to weave these shawls, the authorities are planning to file an application for a GI tag on this rare tribal handicraft,” Rayagada district collector Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar said. A GI tag is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical location and possess qualities or a reputation that correspond to that origin. “In collaboration with the handloom department, we want to create a national market for the product. The product’s originality will be maintained and no machines will be used in preparing it,” the collector said. “Efforts are also on to popularise the Dongria Kondh art by replicating the embroidery designs on bags, mobile phone covers and conference pads,” she said. “The process of weaving and preparing a shawl is very time-consuming and has to be done with utmost precision. One can weave only three to four shawls in a month,” said Sindhe Wadeka, a veteran woman weaver of the community. Threads of only four colours are used in knitting the shawls. While green colour signifies environment, red is for religious belief, yellow for peace and brown symbolises their local goddesses, said Wadeka. “Our culture and tradition reflects in our shawls,” she said. The changing dress patterns of the tribals, however, have significantly reduced the use of these traditional shawls. To tackle this problem, the district administration recently launched a three-month programme to train more weavers. “As many as 235 women of the community will be trained under this programme,” said an administration official. Members of Dongria Kondh, a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG), live in Niyamgiri hills in Rayagada and Kalahandi districts of Odisha. ***




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After Jaipur, Bhopal civic body mulling playing anthem daily Taking a cue from the civic body of Jaipur, the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) too is considering playing the national anthem at the start of every day and the national song in the evening at its headquarters. "We welcome the initiative taken by the Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC). We will positively think in this direction after discussing the issue with the Mayor-in-Council (MiC) and General Council," Bhopal Mayor Alok Sharma told PTI. "This initiative by the Jaipur civic body would evoke a feeling of patriotism and create a positive work atmosphere. For us, nation comes first and such initiatives should be welcomed. Final decision (on starting similar practise at the BMC) would be taken soon," he said. The JMC today started the practise of playing the national anthem at the start of the day and the national song in the evening, which all officials will have to attend. Haryana to give lifetime pensions to 'Hindi Satyagrahis': CM The Haryana government today announced lifetime monthly pension of Rs 10,000 for 'Hindi Satyagrahis' and those from the state who were jailed during the Emergency, while also enhanced financial assistance to World War-II veterans and their widows. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar also announced 10 hours electricity supply to farmers from tomorrow. The announcements were made during the closing ceremony of the year-long 'Swarna Jayanti' celebrations of the state at Mahabir Stadium here. Welcoming Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, who was the chief guest for the occasion, Khattar said 'Hindi Satyagrahis' were "ignored" for years despite Haryana being an outcome of a language agitation. The state government has decided to give them lifetime monthly pension of Rs 10,000 which would continue to be provided to their widows after their death, he said. The state government has identified 194 'Satyagrahis' who were imprisoned during the 'Hindi Satyagraha' launched by the Punjab Arya Pratinidhi Sabha in 1957 to promote the language. Noting that the Vice President himself was jailed during the Emergency, Khattar said his government has identified the people who were incarcerated during that period and given them the facilities of free medical treatment and free travel on state buses under 'Shubrajyotsana' programme. He also announced enhanced monthly assistance to soldiers from Haryana who took part in the World War-II, and their widows, from Rs 4,500 to Rs 10,000. He said that government jobs have been provided to 156 family members of heroes from the state who laid down their lives in post-Independence wars and internal security duties. Speaking on the occasion, Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki said that during the 'Swarna Jayanti Year', welfare works for all sections of society were undertaken. He also remembered Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary and said that he played a vital role in the unity and integrity of the country. Indoor air pollution caused 124,000 premature deaths in India in 2015




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Indoor air pollution caused 124,000 premature deaths in India in 2015, more than the emissions from coal power plants or other industrial sources, a report published in Lancet, a noted medical journal, has said. The findings establish what experts have been saying for long - that air quality in Indian households, especially in the rural areas, is lethal due to use of wood or cow dung as cooking fuel coupled with poor ventilation. The report states that while the country recorded 524,680 premature deaths in 2015 due to air pollution caused by the presence of ultrafine particulate matter PM2.5, "the biggest contributor was household air pollution, which was responsible for 124,207 premature deaths per million people." In May last year, the Indian government had embarked on a drive to provide free cooking gas connections to five crore women from poor households in three years with a view to reduce the use of polluting fuels such as wood and dried cow dung. Among other sources, emissions from coal power plants, transport and other industries caused 80,368, 88,019 and 1,24,207 preventable deaths respectively, the report said. The report, 'The Lancet Countdown: Tracking Progress on Health and Climate Change', is an account of a global study on climate change and the risks it poses in terms of temperature- related illness and death, worsening air quality, extreme weather events among others. Pollutant particles PM2.5 measure less than 2.5 microns, up to 30 times finer than the width of a human hair, can embed themselves deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, triggering respiratory or cardiovascular diseases. "Annual average PM2.5 concentrations in India are 59 ug/m3, with a maximum measurement of 176 ug/m3 in Gwalior. The WHO recommends that PM2.5 concentrations do not exceed 10 ug/m3," the report said. The corresponding standard set by the Indian authorities is 60 ug/m3. China, with 966,793 premature deaths topped the list in 2015, but in its case the maximum number of deaths were caused due to industrial sources, the report said. According to the 'Lancet Countdown', between 2000 and 2016, global labour capacity in populations exposed to temperature change is estimated to have decreased by 5.3 per cent, with India bearing the brunt. "Compared with the 1986-2008 average, labour capacity (or productivity) in India has decreased by 2.85 per cent on average between 2000 and 2016. This decrease has been most significant from 2015, since when labour capacity has decreased by an average of 8.25 per cent," it said. The report also refers to a "notable increase" in the heatwave exposure and length in India since 2014. The findings come days before the UN climate summit in Bonn, Germany, scheduled to start on November 6. Delaware-based Vimana sees air taxi potential in India A US-based air taxi service provider is planning to come up with unmanned aerial vehicles for business executives who face problem of massive traffic jams in Indian metro cities. Vimana Global Inc, a blockchain-based air taxi service provider, said that it was working on a plan to provide aerial commuting solution for busy executives in major cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai. Founder and CEO of the Delaware-based company, Evgeni Borisov said he sees the potential of deploying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as he prepares to market its prototype in international cities. Noting that India was working on options to manage city traffic in major metros by introducing transportation modes such as seaplanes, boat-taxis and speedDr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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boats, he said that vertical take-off and landing autonomous aerial vehicles (VTOL-AAVs) could also be an option. "We have worked out daily aerial commuting solution for busy executives in major cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai," he said. Borisov has established an office here recently. He said VIMANA would be holding demonstration flights in Dubai, Singapore, Tokyo, Dallas and Toronto. Borisov also said that a number of parts for the first prototype have been produced in India. "We aim to manufacture some parts for the vehicle under the 'Make in India' initiative as it will help us keep the cost of vehicle low and compete with vehicular traffic," he said. "Business executives are looking for ways to reduce their time in traffic jams in major cities, and we have a solution in place," he said. VIMANA aims to use blockchain to enable management of its UAVs, while turning UAVs into blockchain nodes and thus creating a ubiquitous blockchain-based air traffic control system across Class Bravo (ground to 2,000 meters) urban airspace around the world. In a blockchain system, transactions made between two parties are recorded chronologically and publicly in an open digital leader. A team of aerospace engineers, led by Borisov, is currently developing a two- and four-seater unmanned aerial vehicle. India makes it to Top 100 in ‘ease of doing business’ India jumped up 30 notches into the top 100 rankings on the World Bank’s ‘ease of doing business’ index, thanks to major improvements in indicators such as resolving insolvency, paying taxes, protecting minority investors and getting credit. “The significant jump this year is a result of the Indian government’s consistent efforts over the past few years and India’s endeavour to strengthen its position as a preferred place to do business,” said Annette Dixon, Vice President, South Asia region at the release of ‘Doing Business 2018: Reforming to Create Jobs’ on Tuesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the jump in India’s ranking as “historic” and said it was a result of “all-round and multi-sectoral reform push.” Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said India’s jump is the highest by any country, and that reaching the ‘top 50’ target set by Prime Minister Modi is “doable”. GST will improve rank “There is significant improvement in many criteria such as protecting minority investors, availability of credit and getting an electricity connection,” Jaitley said, adding that on the taxation index, India had vaulted up 53 places; once the impact of the GST is factored in, the ranking will improve further. The cut-off for the rankings was June 1. “Work is in progress in many areas such as enforcement of contracts and building construction permits. The reforms in starting a business have not been factored in,” Jaitley said. “If we expedite this work in the next few months, India can come in even higher.” An improvement in the rankings will help not only foreign investments but also domestic investors. The Centre, Jaitley said, would talk to States to expedite construction permits. These initiatives would help India improve its position by at least 30 points, he said. Asked about India’s low ranking in registering property, DIPP secretary Ramesh Abhishek said, “There are over 100 reforms in progress that have not been factored in this year.” Only two of 42 completed reforms had been accepted, and two others had been partially accepted, he said. India is among the top ten improvers this year, with improved ranking in six of the ten indicators, while its performance in absolute terms improved in nine. The six areas of improved ranking include dealing with construction permits and enforcing contracts. Where India slipped up Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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In the category of starting a business, though, the need for local entrepreneurs to go through 12 procedures to start a business, as opposed to five in high-income countries, worsened India’s ranking in the category to 156 from 155 last year. There was also a major slip in ranking in the category of registering property — from 138 last year to 154 this year — due to increase in time taken, cost and number of procedures for registration. Bhutan, in 75th place, is South Asia’s highest-ranked economy, followed by India (at 100) and Nepal (at 105). This year, the report recognised eight areas in which reforms were implemented in Delhi and Mumbai, as opposed to just four last year. India’s corporate law and securities regulations were recognised as highly advanced, placing it in fourth place in the global ranking on protecting minority investors. The time taken to obtain an electricity connection in Delhi reduced from 138 days four years back to 45 days now, against a 78-day average in OECD high-income economies, the report observed. This put India in 29th place in the category. India still lags in areas such as starting a business, enforcing contracts and dealing with construction permits. It takes longer to enforce a contract today, at 1,445 days, than 15 years ago (1,420 days). “Tackling these challenging reforms will be key to India sustaining the momentum towards a higher ranking. To secure changes in the remaining areas will require not just new laws and online systems but deepening the ongoing investment in the capacity of States to implement change and transform the framework of incentives and regulation facing the private sector,” Junaid Ahmad, Country Director World Bank said. Girish Karnad to receive Tata Lit Lifetime Achievement Award Veteran actor and playwright Girish Karnad is all set to be honoured by Tata Literature Live! Lifetime Achievement Award 2017. The award will be presented to Karnad, 79, at the literature festival's annual awards ceremony which will be held on November 19 at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Nariman Point here. The veteran actor said it is an honour for him to receive the award as a playwright. "... What makes theatre such an intricate world, a febrile network of human relationships woven in words, and this is why when, at the end of it all, one is told that one has succeeded, it is such an exhilarating experience. "This is why when the Tata Literature Live! honours me as a playwright, I feel enveloped by the warmth rolling in wave after wave - from across languages, cultures, and even from bygone generations - saying to me, 'Well done!' What more could one want? This is the moment a playwright lives for," Karnad said in a statement. His critically acclaimed plays in the era of 1960s such as 'Yayati' (1961), the historical 'Tughlaq' (1964), and his three seminal works 'Hayavadana' (1971), 'Nagamandala' (1988) and 'Taledanda' (1990) have earned international praise. Karnad is also a recipient of Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awards. Anil Dharker, founder-director of Literature Live!, said the organisation is thrilled to honour the veteran theatre artiste. "His work, that marked the coming of age of modern Indian playwriting in the '60s has significantly helped shape and enhance the Indian art and literature universe. We are looking forward to having him with us at the festival," he said. Harish Bhat, brand custodian, Tata Sons called Karnad "a giant of our generation, with memorable and influential contributions as playwright, writer, actor and director". Past recipients of the Tata Literature Live! Lifetime Achievement Award include legendary writers Amitav Ghosh (2016), Kiran Nagarkar (2015), MT Vasudevan Nair (2014), Khushwant Singh (2013), VS Naipaul (2012) and Mahashweta Devi (2011). The festival runs from November 16-19. BJP announces Prem Kumar Dhumal as its CM candidate in Himachal Pradesh Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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In Himachal Pradesh, BJP announces Former CM Prem Kumar Dhumal as its CM candidate. Poll fever pitches up in the state. The announcement was made by party President Amit Shah during his rally in Himachal Pradesh today. Former Chief Minister Dhumal will contest election from Sujanpur. Bhutan King and Queen arrives on a four-day visit to India Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and his Queen Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck along with crown prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck arrived in Delhi today. He is on a four-day visit to India beginning October 31. During the visit that will extend up to November 3, the King will meet President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. VicePresident M Venkaiah Naidu and other Union Ministers and senior officials will call on him. PM Modi will host a dinner in honour of the visiting dignitaries. The visit would also provide an opportunity to both the sides for reviewing the entire gamut of bilateral cooperation including plans for befitting celebrations of golden jubilee of establishment of diplomatic relations between two countries in 2018. It is worth mentioning here that PM Modi chose Bhutan as his first foreign destination after taking charge. India Run(s) For Unity on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's birth anniversary Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday paid floral tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary, which is also celebrated as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas. The Prime Minister flagged off ‘Run for Unity’. Thousands of people, of which many are government officials, were expected to take part in the event. "People tried to ensure the contribution of Sardar Patel is forgotten. However, the youth of India respects him and his contribution towards the building of our nation. With 'Run for Unity', the country is again remembering its greatest hero," PM Modi said. "Sardar Patel united the country using all possible means. Today's generation has not been told much about the contributions of Sardar Patel," he added while addressing a gathering ahead of flagging off 'Run for Unity'. During his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ this month, PM Modi had appealed to the public to participate in Run for Unity events being organised across the country and be a part of “this festival of harmony”. “We can learn a lot from the extraordinary journey of this great son of India,” the Prime Minister had said. Earlier in the day, PM Modi paid floral tributes to India's first Union Home Minister. “We salute Sardar Patel on his Jayanti. His momentous service and monumental contribution to India can never be forgotten,” the PM tweeted. President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and Home Minister Rajnath Singh also paid tributes to Sardar Patel on his birth anniversary.




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Kenyatta wins repeat Kenya election, appeals for unity President Uhuru Kenyatta was on Monday declared the overwhelming winner of a re-run election boycotted by Kenya's main opposition leader, collecting 98 per cent of the vote but also exposing the divisions roiling this East African country. While Kenyatta's backers celebrated his re-election, angry supporters of his rival, Raila Odinga, skirmished with police in Nairobi slums and burned tires in Kisumu, one of the opposition strongholds in western Kenya. Kenya's election commission said the turnout of registered voters in the October 26 election was about 40 per cent, compared with roughly twice that in August balloting that was nullified by the Supreme Court because of what it called "irregularities and illegalities." The re-run was marred by deadly clashes between police and Odinga supporters in the days that followed. Kenyatta said he expected Odinga followers to mount new legal challenges, indicating the long saga that has left many Kenyans weary of conflict and has hurt business in East Africa's economic hub is not over. "My victory today was just part of a process that is likely to once again be subjected to a constitutional test through our courts," Kenyatta said at the election commission headquarters after results were announced that gave him a second term. "I will submit to this constitutional path." Kenyatta said he would consider dialogue with the opposition after the outcome of any court proceedings. He also described his victory as a validation of his win in August, saying the 7.5 million votes that he received this time amounted to 90 per cent of what he got earlier. Odinga, who dismissed the repeat election as a sham and told his supporters not to participate, remained on the ballot and still got 73,000 votes, or just under 1 per cent. In August, he received 45 per cent to Kenyatta's 54 per cent. At least nine people have died in violence since the rerun election. Mobs have also looted shops and burned property in some areas. Late Monday, crowds in the Nairobi slums of Kibera, Mathare and Kawangware areas where Odinga has strong support confronted police, set fires and blocked roads. Security forces used tear gas. Tires were set ablaze in the western town of Kisumu. "It was not an election that involved everyone," said Peter Musundi, a Kawangware resident. He called the vote as a "nomination exercise" for the ruling Jubilee party. Some Kenyatta backers celebrated his victory with song and dance. "We wait for Kenya to move forward," said supporter Ann Njoki, speaking near the election commission headquarters. Voting did not take place in two dozen of Kenya's 290 constituencies due to opposition protests, although the election commission cited an election law that says final results can be announced if the outcome is not affected by the tally in areas that didn't vote. Wafula Chebukati, chairman of the election commission, said before the October 26 vote that he could not guarantee its credibility. Before announcing the results, however, he said he was confident it was a "free, fair and credible election." Odinga has said he will form a "resistance" movement to oppose the government, which has in turn accused opposition leaders of fomenting violence with incendiary rhetoric. He also said he wants another election to be held. Odinga, who is from the Luo ethnic group, and Kenyatta, who is a Kikuyu, also faced off in a 2013 election similarly marred by allegations of voterigging. The opposition leader also ran unsuccessfully in 2007, and ethnic-fueled animosity after that vote killed more than 1,000 people and forced 6,00,000 from their homes. Most of Kenya has been peaceful during the political standoff that has transfixed the nation since the August election; human rights groups say dozens of people were killed by police in unrest following the earlier vote. U.S. Dr.C.S.Vepa’s Current Affairs



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Ambassador Robert F. Godec said Washington is deeply concerned by the recent violence and urged Kenyans to engage in dialogue "to resolve the deep divisions that the electoral process has exacerbated." In his victory speech, Kenyatta appealed for unity. Standing at a podium, he drew laughter with a reference to his speech after his August election win. "I've been here before," he said. "Hopefully, this is for the last time." Michael Jackson named top-earning dead celebrity for 5th time This past weekend, audiences were treated to the debut of CBS special Michael Jackson's Halloween, an hourlong magical adventure in which the King of Pop comes to life in animated forms including that of a dancing pumpkin, an arachnid security guard and a feline scientist, set to a soundtrack of Jackson's music. “Michael's songs are very important to people,” says Mark Dippé, the program’s director. “We just wanted to sort of tell a story that was based around the world that Michael had created with his music, and his dancing, and his performances.” That level of continued interest is precisely why Jackson tops our Halloween-spooky list of the 13 highest-paid dead celebrities for the fifth year in a row--with earnings of $75 million. His postmortem empire is going strong, boosted by the Halloween special and new album Scream joining a list of ventures including a Cirque du Soleil show in Las Vegas and a stake in the EMI music publishing catalogue. ***


