CA OCT 2014

1Current Affairs

October 2014 | www.jagranjosh.com

2Current Affairs


PREFACE 18

PICK OF THE MONTH 19World Economic Forum released Global Gender Gap Report 2014 19

Union Home Ministry drafted a new counter-Naxal doctrine 25

Prime Minister launched Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana to realise Gram Swaraj 27

Union MoEFCC launched the National Air Quality Index 30

Union Government approved reforms in Monetary Policy Framework 32

ISRO successfully launched third navigation satellite IRNSS 1C 33

Incheon Asian Games 2014 34

Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai won the Nobel peace prize 2014 37

Union Government submitted a list of 627 Indians holding black money abroad to

SC 40

Union MoD cleared the deal worth 8000 crore rupees to buy anti tank missiles from

Israel 42

WHO declared Nigeria as Ebola Free country 44

Ocean Health Index for the year 2014 released 47

Worlds first womb-transplant baby born to a Swedish woman 49

SoftBank of Japan to invest 10 billion dollars in India 50

INTERNATIONAL 52China overtook US to become the worlds largest economy in PPP terms 52

India voted against UN draft resolution on NPT 52

President of Burkina Faso Blaise Compaore resigned after protestors set ablaze

Parliament 54

Sweden became the first European Union country to recognize the State of Pales-

tine 55

India-Saudi Arabia agreed to cooperate in hydrocarbon sector 56

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami chief Matiur Rahman Nizami sentenced to death for

war crimes 57

3Current Affairs


Deeper integration for peace, prosperity chosen as the theme for 18th SAARC

Summit 58

India re-elected to UN Economic and Social Council 59

Taiwan banned officials from studying in China 60

ECI elected as Chair of General Assembly of AAEA for the next two years 61

51 countries signed pact on tax evasion crackdown 62

UK and the US ended combat operations in Hemland province of Afghanistan 63

Dilma Rousseff re-elected as Brazil President for second four-year term 64

Parliament of Australia lifted ban on facial coverings in Public areas 65

India and Nepal signed Power Trade Agreement 66

India re-elected to UNHRC for 2015-2017 67

Pakistan based BGA appealed to IPAB against GI tag of basmati rice to MP 67

India, China concluded two-day talks on border mechanism 68

Joko Widodo sworn in as Indonesia President 69

South African Tourism launched Gandhi-Inspired Tourist Attraction project 69

Egypt signed contracts with six international firms to dredge new Suez Canal 70

Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan Yuko Obuchi resigned 71

Nigeria and Boko Haram sealed deal on freeing girls 72

Angola, Malaysia, New Zealand, Spain and Venezuela elected as non-permanent

members of UNSC 73

India pledged 4 million dollar aid for Gaza reconstruction 74

India-Norway signed 13 agreements to promote bilateral relations 75

British House of Commons passed symbolic motion to recognise Palestinian state

77

Turkey to allow US led coalition to use its Incirlik Air Base to fight against ISIS 78

Indian Embassy in Kuwait simplified visa procedure 79

India and UK government launched UK-India Financial Partnership 80

WB group launched Global Infrastructure Facility in partnership with institutional

investors 81

US Department of Defence approved two technology transfer licenses to India 82

4Current Affairs


China to Launch New Marine Surveillance Satellites HY-3 by 2019 83

Mauritian Parliament dissolved for elections 86

U.S. Supreme Court allowed gay marriage in five more states 87

UK and Ireland inked single visa deal 88

Pakistan recorded highest number of polio cases in 14 years 89

US partially lifted 40 year ban on arm sales to Vietnam to boost defence in South

China Sea 90

NATIONAL 92Union Government decided to include LoP in the Lokpal Selection Panel 92

Minority government can be formed in Delhi: SC 93

Government announced 5 lakh rupees compensation to kin of 1984 Sikh riots vic-

tims 94

Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs launched Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana 94

Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare announced TB-Mission 2020 96

Union Government launched Jammu Kashmir Arogya Gram Yojna 97

Union Cabinet approved inter-governmental MoU to upgrade Chabahar port of Iran

98

Union Cabinet approved Ahmedabad Metro Rail Project Phase-1 99

Union Government decided to re-launch Direct Benefit Transfer scheme 100

Union Government started training for Ebola Caregivers 101

DoPT amended the selection procedure for the post of chief of CVC 102

Union government launched Deendayal Upadhyay Shramev Jayate Karyakram 103

Union Ministry of S&T launched a Joint Indo-Canadian Science Programme 104

OilMin sets up Talukar panel on delays in gas discovery project of ONGC 105

Union Ministry of H&FW banned the import of animal tested cosmetics in India 106

Union Ministry of S&T launched The Maithreyi International Visiting Professorship

107

Union MoUD constituted 17-member Committee on decongesting roads of New

Delhi 109

5Current Affairs


Union Health Minister launched National Mental Health Policy of India 110

Union Government launched year-long birth centenary celebrations of Ghazal sing-

er Begum Akhtar 112

Kundu Committee on Post Sachar Evaluation submitted its report to the Union gov-

ernment 113

Union MNRE signed MoU for setting up first-ever Offshore Wind Power Project in

India 114

Union Government to sell LED bulbs at 10 rupees against 400 rupees 116

Union Government launched Pashmina Promotion Programme (P-3) 117

Union Government launched attendance.gov.in website to monitor attendance of

staff 118

Union Government launched Swachhta Udyami Yojana Swachhta Se Sampannta

ki Aur 120

Swachh Bharat Mission launched by Narendra Modi 121

ECONOMY 123Union Cabinet approved proposal to amend FDI policy in construction and real es-

tate sector 123

Kamarajar Port to set up free trade and warehousing zone 124

Union Government scrapped ongoing selection process of CMDs, EDs in PSBs 125

World Bank released India Development Update 125

Union Government launched website for Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana 127

Union government de-regulated diesel and hiked natural gas rates 128

RBI & CBK signed MoU on Supervisory Cooperation and Exchange of Supervisory

Information 128

Government to import potatoes for 1st time to check rising prices 129

Exports increased 2.73 percent in September 2014: Union Ministry of Commerce

129

Union Finance Ministry approved 25 FDI proposals with total investment of 1546

crore rupees 131

6Current Affairs


CPI inflation declined to 6.46 percent in September 2014 132

JP Morgan cut India 2014-15 growth forecast to 5.1 percent from 5.3 percent 132

DIPP constituted a special team Japan Plus to fast track Japanese investments 133

Railways Revenue earnings up by over 12 percent during April 2014 - September

2014 135

SCI Launched India-Myanmar Service 135

ENVIRONMENT | ECOLOGY 138An endangered species Flying Squirrel captured in Jharkhand 138

Hurricane Gonzalo struck Bermuda 139

Himalayan glaciers are expanding instead of shrinking 139

Sea levels rose rapidly in past 150 years: study of Australian scientists 140

India signed the Minamata Convention on Mercury 141

Powerful typhoon Vongfong struck Japan 143

Cyclone Hudhud struck coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha 144

New York Declaration on Forests released at UN Climate Summit 145

Maryland University Researchers developed a tool to predict how organisms re-

spond to climate change 147

Aral Sea dried: NASAs Earth Observatory 148

SCIENCE | TECHNOLOGY 150Scientists created coldest ever cubic meter in Universe 150

Google announced changes to its search engine to curb online piracy 151

Uranus like planet discovered in a binary star system 25000 light-years away 153

India successfully test-fired nuclear capable Nirbhay cruise missile 155

ISRO re-positioned Mars Orbiter, Mangalyaan to save it from Comet Siding Spring

156

NASA successfully installed its first Earth-observing instrument ISS-RapidScat on

the ISS 156

Researchers developed a technology that makes visible the movements of HIV

7Current Affairs


virus 158

Super-Resolved Fluorescence Microscopy: Surpassing the limitations of the light

microscope 159

Researchers at MIT created material for absorption of solar radiation 161

Union Science and Technology Minister launched microscope with 3-D feature 163

Brain Global Positioning System 164

Scientists at Ohio State University developed worlds first rechargeable solar bat-

tery 165

SPORTS 168Pankaj Advani won IBSF World Billiards Championship 168

Sachin Tendulkar and Steve Waugh inducted into Don Bradman Hall of Fame 168

Serena Williams won the Singles title of BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore 2014

169

Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri won Venetian Macau Golf Open 170

Sania Mirza and Cara Black won doubles title of the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Sin-

gapore 170

Para-swimmer Sharath Gayakwad broke 28-year old record of P T Usha at Asian

Para Games 171

AIBA provisionally suspended Sarita Devi and her coaches for Asian Games inci-

dent 172

Pankaj Advani won World Billiards Point Format Championship 173

Indias Chief Hockey Coach Terry Walsh resigned 174

BCCI decided to initiate legal proceedings against WI Cricket Board 174

Indian batsman Virat Kohli claimed number two slot in the ICC rankings 175

Luis Suarez received European Golden Boot Award 2014 176

India won the 2014 West Indies tour of India cricket series, 2-1 177

India won Sultan of Johor Cup Under-21 Hockey title 178

ICC awarded global broadcast rights from 2015 to 2023 to Star India and Star Mid-

dle East 178

8Current Affairs


Paralympic Games to be held in India in February 2015 179

Mary Kom voted as Indias Most Valuable Player in Asian Games 2014 180

Ajay Jayaram won Dutch Open Grand Prix badminton tournament 180

British Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton won inaugural Russian Grand Prix 181

RCA removed former IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi as its President 182

India to host first leg of Asia Cup Archery Tournament in Delhi in January 2015 182

Roger Federer won Shanghai Masters trophy of Tennis 183

GGSS School of Hisar won the U-17 Girls title of 55th Subroto Cup Football tourna-

ment 184

ICC banned Zimbabwe bowler Prosper Utseya and Bangladeshi bowler Sohag Gazi

for illegal action 185

RSP felicitated hockey player Birendra Lakra 186

MS Dhoni became ISL team Chennaiyin FC co-owner 187

USA Swimming suspended Olympic champion Michael Phelps for 6 months 188

Chennai Super Kings won 2014 Champions League Twenty20 title 188

MC Mary Kom bagged her first Asian Games Gold Medal 190

CORPORATE 191PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry joined hands with Hannover Milano Fairs

India 191

Emaar MGF Land Limited tied up with PayU India for its online payment service 193

Government ordered merger of NSEL with its holding company FTIL 194

Mayank Ashar appointed as MD and CEO of Cairn India 195

Flipkart signed real estate lease deal with Embassy Office Parks 196

Myntra to open London Office to Partner European Brands 197

IOC to invest 4 billion US dollar in British Columbia, Canada to source LNG 198

Kotak Mahindra Bank launched Facebook-based funds transfer platform KayPay

199

IMImobile Ltd acquired UK-based mobile messaging platform TxtLocal Ltd 200

Tata Value homes launched www.tatavaluehomes.com to sell homes online 202

9Current Affairs


Amazon and Future Groups signed deal to jointly sell goods online 203

Fortune released the list of powerful people titled 40 under 40 203

Bombay High Court ruled in favour of Vodafone in 3200 crore rupees tax case 204

Ericsson signed 4G network deal with Bharti Airtel 206

Cipla Medpro signed collaboration pact with Teva for selling drugs in South Africa

207

GOLIL tied up with Mahindra & Mahindra Limited for supplying lubricants 208

Skype announced to stop phone calls within India 209

Rockwell Collins signed MoU with Zen Tech to tap Indian defence market 210

Anbang Insurance Group Co Ltd acquired New York luxury hotel Waldorf Astoria

211

NIIT Limited named Rahul Keshav Patwardhan as its next CEO 213

Hewlett-Packard to split into two publicly traded companies 214

EU Competition Commission approved Facebook WhatsApp deal worth 19 billion

US dollar 215

European Union (EU) Competition Commission approved Facebook WhatsApp

deal worth 19 billion US dollar on 3 October 2014. The Commission cleared the

deal saying that the Facebook-WhatsApp deal would not hurt competition. 215

Sumitomo acquired Carzonrent unit for 200 crore rupees 216

Apollo Hospitals tied up with pharma firm Sanofi 217

Google social network siteOrkut closed 218

STATE 220Devendra Fadnavis sworn in as Chief Minister of Maharashtra 220

Foundation for Worlds tallest statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel laid in Gujarat 221

D J Pandiyan appointed as new chief secretary of Gujarat 223

Delhi HC issued notice to AGI to suggest ways to reform the Indian Easement Act

of 1882 223

Manohar Lal Khattar sworn in as Chief Minister of Haryana 224

Uttarakhand Cabinet approved reconstruction of Kedarnath temple area 225

10

Current Affairs


BJP emerged as the largest party in the 2014 Assembly Elections of Maharashtra

226

BJP won the Assembly Elections of Haryana; secured majority for the first time 227

Union Home Ministry announced to renamed 12 cities and towns of Karnataka 227

Karnataka Lokayukta ordered probe into misuse of 32 crore rupees funds for affor-

estation 228

Gujarat government set up SPV to promote Vadodara as Cultural capital 229

ASKeA in Tonk district decided to end its 150 year old tradition of sacrificing camel

230

West Bengal government constituted task force to probe into Burdwan blast 231

TS GENCO and BHEL signed MoU for power generation in Telangana 232

Rajasthan became first Indian state to start Olive refinery 233

Union Government approved six STPIs for Odisha 234

NEWS CAPSULE 235 PERSON IN NEWS 235Richest man of Japan Masayoshi Son announced his biggest ever investment in

India 235

Google celebrated 100th birthday of Dr Jonas Salk 236

Amitabh Bachchan summoned by US court for instigating violence during 1984

riots 238

A C N Nambiar described as a Soviet spy by declassified documents of National

Archives 239

Google CEO Larry Page appointed Sundar Pichai as new Product Chief of Google

240

Alan Eustace broke world altitude record for a parachute jump 241

Five year old Indian boy Harshit Saumitra become the youngest to reach the EBC

242

Sadiq, a 10-year-old terminally ill boy, became Hyderabads police commissioner

for a day 242

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Current Affairs


Person Appointed 244Vice President of Zambia Guy Scott appointed as Acting President 244

Sandeep Saxena appointed as the new Chief Electoral Officer of Tamil Nadu 245

Jairam Ramesh designated as the head of Future Earth Engagement Committee

246

Anita M Singh appointed as Chief of Staff of NSD in US Justice Department 247

Vanita Gupta appointed as Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General in DoJ of

US 248

PSN Rao appointed as Chairman of the DUAC 248

Arvind Subramanian appointed as Chief Economic Advisor 249

ACC approved appointment of Rajiv Mehrishi as the Union Finance Secretary 250

Gautham Roy appointed as the new Managing Director of CPCL 251

Khaled Bahah appointed as Prime Minister of Yemen 252

Actor Aamir Khan appointed as the UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for South Asia

253

Kalpana Morparia appointed as first woman director of HUL 254

Pratima Dharm appointed as the first Hindu priest at Georgetown University 256

MoCA approved the appointment of Cramer Ball as CEO of Jet Airways 257

President Pranab Mukherjee authorised Vigilance Commissioner Rajiv to act as

CVC 258

Science | Space 260ISRO Chairman K Radhakrishnan announced to launch GSLV Mark-III in 45 days

260

Person on Visit 261President Pranab Mukherjee visited Norway 261

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg arrived in New Delhi, to meet PM tomorrow262

Person Died 264

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Current Affairs


Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Galway Kinnell died 264

President of Zambia Michael Sata died 264

South African footballer Senzo Meyiwa died 265

Maharashtra BJP legislator Govind M Rathod died 266

Noted freedom fighter Jagdish Sharan Pande died 266

CEO of Total Christophe de Margerie died in Moscow plane crash 267

Fashion designer Oscar de la Renta died 268

British actress and presenter Lynda Bellingham died 269

Telugu writer Turaga Janaki Rani died 270

American actress Elizabeth Pena passed away 270

Lok Sabha MP Kapil Krishna Thakur died 271

Russian Stage actor Yuri Lyubimov died at 97 271

Veteran journalist Madhav Vittal Kamath died 272

German author Siegfried Lenz died 273

British aid worker Alan Henning beheaded by ISIS militants 274

Awards | Honours 276French economist Jean Tirole won the 2014 Nobel Prize for Economics 276

French author Patrick Modiano won the 2014 Nobel Prize for Literature 277

Eric Betzig, Stefan W Hell and William E. Moerner won the 2014 Nobel Prize for

Chemistry 278

Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano and Shuji Nakamura won 2014 Nobel Prize for Phys-

ics 280

John OKeefe, May-Britt Moser and Edvard I. Moser named for 2014 Nobel Prize in

Physiology 283

Malala won 2014 Worlds Children prize 285

Former mushroom and poultry farmer Leah Kalanguka crowned as Miss Uganda

2014 286

Indian-origin Sahil Doshi won 2014 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Chal-

lenge 286

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Current Affairs


Ashwika Kapur won 2014 Panda Award for her film on a Kakapo parrot 287

Denis Mukwege won prestigious Sakharov human rights prize 289

Malala Yousafzai conferred 2014 Liberty Medal 290

UK announced first ever Dadabhai Naoroji Awards 292

Raghuram Rajan won Euromoney Award for Best Central Bank Governor of the

Year 2014 293

Indian-born scientist Sanjaya Rajaram received World Food Prize 2014 294

Tamil poet Iqbal named for Singapores highest cultural award, Cultural Medallion

295

Australian author Richard Flanagan won 2014 Man Booker Prize 297

Lyricist Sameer honoured with Kishore Kumar Award for 2012-13 299

Poet-diplomat Abhay K honoured with Asia-Pacific Excellence Award 300

59th Annual National Railway Awards 301

Alfonso Cuaron, the Academy Award winning Mexican Director, to be honoured by

Museum of Modern Art 302

Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg granted an honorary Knighthood 303

President of India presented the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award 2014 304

Anoop Jain won 2014 Waislitz Global Citizen Award 305

Saiyid Hamid conferred with Sir Ross Masood Lifetime Achievement Award 2014

306

Shah Rukh Khan received Global Diversity Award 2014 at the House of Commons

307

Books | Authors 309Half Girlfriend authored by Chetan Bhagat released 309

Biography of Muhammad Iqbal titled Iqbal: The Life of a Poet, Philosopher and

Politician released 310

Tulsi Smriti Granth on Acharya Tulsi released 311

The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes for the year 2014 announced 312

The Narrow Road to the Deep North authored by Richard Flanagan won Man Book-

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Current Affairs


er Prize 313

Final Test: Exit Sachin Tendulkar authored by Dilip DSouza released 314

Vice President of India released the book titled Untold Story of Indian Public Sector

315

International edition of Encyclopedia of Hinduism by India Heritage Research Foun-

dation released 315

Book titled A Man and A Motorcycle written by Bette Dam on Hamid Karzai

launched 316

Syntheism Creating God in The Internet Age authored by Alexander Bard released

317

Worthy Fights authored by Panetta and Newton released 318

Accident | Incident 320Cargo rocket Antares of NASA carrying supplies to ISS exploded after launch 320

32 people killed in Stampede at Patnas Gandhi Maidan 321

Krishak Express and Lucknow-Barauni express collided near Gorakhpur station 321

Defence | Security 323Indo-Bangladesh Joint Rafting Expedition on River Siyom, Arunachal Pradesh 323

Report | Survey 324India became the fourth largest steel maker of the World 324

Time released its annual list of The 25 Most Influential Teens of 2014 324

Global Hunger Index Report 2014 released: India Ranked at 55th Position 326

Indias Performance as per 2014 Global Hunger Index 330

Summit | Conference 332Cairo International conference held to raise fund for reconstruction of Gaza strip332

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Current Affairs


Committees | Commissions 333Union Government constituted Vishwanathan committee to provide Bankruptcy

code for SMEs 333

Madhava Menon panel submitted its report with guidelines on government ads 334

Abbreviations | Terms 336Tropical Storm Trudy struck Mexico 336

Treason Act of 1351 to be used to tackle ISIS 336

Cyclonic storm Hudhud 337

Bio Cremations: environment friendly alternative to cremate human body 338

Art | Culture 340The Festival of India inaugurated in Japan 340

Harbin Ice Festival celebrated in Hong Kong 341

Month-long Akashdeep ritual started in Varanasi to honour fallen soldiers 341

Exhibition | Fare 343Border haat opened in Tripura 343

Biggest electronics trade exhibition of Japan CEATEC concluded 343

Union MNRE announced the organisation of the first RE-INVEST Promotion Meet &

Expo 344

Day | Week | Year 346Rashtriya Ekta Diwas observed on 31 October to commemorate the birth anniver-

sary of Sardar Patel 346

World Day for Audiovisual Heritage observed globally on 27 October 347

68th Infantry Day observed on 27 October 349

International Stammering Awareness Day observed across the world 349

Police Commemoration Day observed 350

Global Iodine Deficiency Disorders Prevention Day observed on 21 October 350

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Current Affairs


World Food Day observed globally on 16 October 351

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty observed on 17 October 353

Actions performed to observe the day includes 353

Global Handwashing Day observed across the world on 15 October 354

Third International Day of the Girl Child (IDGC) was observed across the world 355

Indian Air Force celebrated 82nd Air Force Day on October 8 356

World Post Day observed globally on 9 October 357

World Post Day celebrations in India 357

World Habitat Day observed globally on 6 October 358

World Animal Day observed globally on 4 October 359

Miscellaneous 360President Pranab Mukherjee released postage stamp on Anagarika Dharmapala 360

Tihar Jail Authority set up e-library for women inmates 361

Srilankan President Yal Devi Express flagged off from Palai after 25 years 361

Prime Minister connected to people over radio with programme, Mann Ki Baat 362

WORLD DAIRY October 2014 364INDIA DAIRY October 2014 374ONE LINERS October 2014 385DESCRIPTIVE QUESTIONS October 2014 392

17

Current Affairs


The Current Affairs October 2014 eBook covers the current events that happened in the month of October. Current Affairs is a crucial component of any competitive exams including IAS|PCS, SSC, Banking, MBA. The lack of preparation for current affairs by the aspirants and candidates often is a main cause of their failure. Even though the candidates know it but they are often confused about how to prepare the current affairs section of the different competitive exams. It is to clear such doubts and confusion, Jagranjosh.com has come up with eBook concept. Although current affairs section per se is very wide to be covered, yet we have tried to cover all the possible current affairs for the month of October 2014.The Current Affairs October 2014 eBook is divided into different section keeping in mind the need of various exams. The sections covered namely are International, National, Economy, Ecology and Environment, Science & Technology, Corporate, Sports, States, and News Capsule. Every news item in each section is arranged date wise with the most recent news being covered first and so on. Although there might be some deviations but that is solely to give priority to the most important current affairs in each section. Presentation of the given current affairs has been planned meticulously. It has been planned in such a way that it remains in the minds of readers for a longer duration. Wherever necessary each news item is presented along with a background and analysis so as to help candidates contemplate all the important current events at the time of exam in an effective way.

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PREFACE

18

Current Affairs


PICK OF THE MONTHWorld Economic Forum released Global Gender Gap Report 2014

World Economic Forum (WEF) on

28 October 2014 released the

Global Gender Gap Report 2014.

The 2014 report provides Gender

Gap scores for 142 countries

compared to 136 countries

included in 2013 report.

In the Report, India with a score

of 0.646 has been ranked 114. In

2013, India was ranked 101 out of

136 countries.

Further Benin and Cameroon have

been removed from the Report

in 2014 and eight new countries

have been included. These eight new countries are Belarus, Tunisia and Zimbabwe

(re-entered the rankings) and Guinea, Liberia, Montenegro, Rwanda and Swaziland

entered for the first time.

Main Highlights of the Global Gender Gap Report 2014

There has been small improvement in gender parity in the workplace since 2006

when the first Global Gender Gap report was published

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Current Affairs


At this rate it will take it will take 81 years for the world to close this gap completely.

No country in the world has fully closed the gender gap, but all five of the Nordic countries have closed more than 80 percent of it.

Eight countriesBahamas, Belize, Brazil, France, Guyana, Latvia, Namibia, and the Philippineshave fully closed the gap on both the health and education

subindexes, no country has closed either the economic participation gap or the

political empowerment gap.

142 countries covered in the Report have closed almost 96 percent of the gap in health outcomes between women and men and almost 94 percent of the gap in

Educational Attainment.

The gap between women and men on economic participation and political empowerment remains wide: only 60 percent of the economic outcomes gap and

only 21 percent of the political outcomes gap has been closed.

Top ten gender-equal societies in the world

Top 10 ranked countries with most gender-equal societies in the world are Iceland

(1), Finland (2), Norway (3) and Sweden (4) Denmark (5), Nicaragua (devil), Rwanda

(7), Ireland (music), Philippines (9) and Belgium (10).

Performance of countries by Subindex

Educational Attainment

In 2014, 25 countries have fully closed the gap in Educational Attainment subindex (same as in 2013).

Angola, Ethiopia, Yemen, Guinea and Chad hold the last five spots on this subindex, with Yemen and Chad having closed less than 70 percent of their education gender

gap.

In total, there are 22 countries where women still have less than 90 percent of the education outcomes that men have.

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Current Affairs


Twenty-nine countries are below world average (weighted by population) on that subindex.

Health and Survival

35 countries have fully closed the gap in Health and Survival subindex.

Vietnam, Albania, China, India and Armenia are the lowest-ranking countries and no country currently has a gap bigger than 90 percent on this subindex.

Only 9 countries are below world average (weighted by population) on that subindex.

Economic Participation and Opportunity

14 countries have closed more than 80 percent of gap, including from from Sub-Saharan Africa and five from Europe and Central Asia.

Burundi, Norway, Malawi, the United States and the Bahamas occupy the top five spots on this subindex.

Yemen, Iran, Jordan, Pakistan and Syria hold the last five spots on this subindex.

Thirty-four countries are below world average (weighted by population) on that subindex.

Political empowerment

Only Iceland and Finland have closed more than 60% of the gender gap.

37 countries have closed less than 10 percent of the political empowerment gender gap.

Yemen, Oman, Qatar, Lebanon and Brunei Darussalam have the lowest rankings on this subindex

98 countries are below world average (weighted by population) on that subindex, including Brunei Darussalam, which has a score of zero.

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Current Affairs


Performance of countries by Region

Asia and the Pacific

In 2014, 7 out of the 24 countries from Asia and the Pacific have closed over 70 percent of the gap, with the Philippines, New Zealand and Australia in the lead.

At the bottom ends of the rankings two countries from the regionIran and Pakistanhave closed less than 60 percent of the gender gap.

Latin America and the Caribbean

In Latin America and the Caribbean, 14 of the 26 countries in the region have closed over 70 percent of the gender gap.

Nicaragua, Ecuador and Cuba occupy the top three spots. The lowest ranking country in the regionSurinamehas closed a little over 65 percent of its gender

gap.

Middle East and North Africa

In the Middle East and North Africa region, only Israel has closed over 70 percent of

the gender gap, while five countries have closed less than 60 percent of the gender gap.

North America

Canada and the United States have both closed nearly 75 percent of the gender gap.

Sub-Saharan Africa

In Sub-Saharan Africa, out of 28 countries covered, 13 have closed over 70 percent

of the gender gap, with Rwanda, Burundi and South Africa in the lead, while three

countries have closed less than 60 percent of the gap.

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Current Affairs


Europe and Central Asia

In Europe and Central Asia, out of 46 countries, five countries have closed over 80 percent of the gap, while 18 countries have closed less than 70 percent.

Indias performance in 2014

In 2014 Global Gender Gap Report, India has been ranked 114 with a score of 0.646 registering a steady improvement of its overall score since 2010. However,

there has been slight drop in 2014 due to a drop in scores on the Economic

Participation and Opportunity and Educational Attainment subindexes.

Since 2006, India has experienced the largest decrease (in absolute and relative value) on its Health and Survival subindex score because of an important drop in

its Sex ratio at birth score.

In 2014, India is below average on three subindexes: Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment and Health and Survival. In fact, it is the

second-lowest performing country on Health and Survival, just ahead of Armenia.

India is among the top twenty best-performing countries on the Political Empowerment subindex.

India is part of the twenty worst-performing countries on the Labour force participation, Estimated earned income, Literacy rate and Sex ratio at birth

indicators.

India is the highest-ranked country on the Years with female head of state (over the past 50 years) indicator.

India has the highest difference between women and men on the average minutes spent per day on unpaid worka difference of 300 minutes.

It is also among the countries with the highest difference in the female and male percentage of total R&D personnel (FTE).

India has one of the lowest percentages of firms with female participation in ownership.

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Current Affairs


India and BRICS Countries

India at 114 when compared to other BRICS nation is the lowest ranked and the

Variables Rank ScoreEconomic Participation and Opportunity 134 0.410

Ratio: female labour force participation over male value 134 0.410

Wage equality between women and men for similar work (converted to female-over-male ratio)

130 0.36

Ratio: female estimated earned income over male value 109 0.56

Ratio: female legislators, senior officials and managers over male value

135 0.24

Ratio: female professional and technical workers over male value

Educational Attainment 126 0.850

Ratio: female literacy rate over male value 126 0.68

Ratio: female net primary enrolment rate over male value 117 0.97

Ratio: female net secondary enrolment rate over male value

116 0.79

Ratio: female gross tertiary enrolment ratio over male value

111 0.78

Health and Survival 141 0.937

Sex ratio at birth (converted to female-over-male ratio) 139 0.89

Ratio: female healthy life expectancy over male value 95 1.04

Political Empowerment 15 0.385

Ratio: females with seats in parliament over male value 111 0.13

Ratio: females at ministerial level over male value 107 0.10

Ratio: number of years of a female head of state (last 50 years) over male value

1 0.72

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highest ranked country in the group is South Africa at 18th place. In fact, South Africa

has been among the top 20 performing countries in the overall Index since 2006.

The ranks of other BRICS nation is Brazil (71), Russia (75) and China (87).

India and SAARC Countries

The ranks of SAARC Countries in ascending order are: Bangladesh (68); Sri Lanka

(79); Maldives (105); Nepal (112); India (114); Bhutan (120) and Pakistan (141).

Global Gender Gap Index

The Global Gender Gap Index was first published by World Economic Forum (WEF) in 2006. The 2014 Report was the 9th edition. The index seeks to measure one

important aspect of gender equality: the relative gaps between women and men

across four key areas: health, education, economy and politics.

Economic Participation and Opportunity subindex and Political Empowerment

subindex display the full scale of 0.00 to 1.00 while the figures for the Health and Survival and Educational Attainment subindexes display the scale only from 0.50 to

1.00 for improving visual clarity.

There are three basic concepts underlying the Global Gender Gap Index, forming the

basis of the choice of indicators, how the data is treated and the scale used. First, it

focuses on measuring gaps rather than levels. Second, it captures gaps in outcome

variables rather than gaps in input variables. Third, it ranks countries according to

gender equality rather than womens empowerment.

Union Home Ministry drafted a new counter-Naxal doctrine

Union Home Ministry on 17 October 2014 drafted a new counter-Naxal doctrine.

In the drafted law, the ministry clearly demarcated the role of the state police and

central paramilitary forces (CPMFs) in anti-Maoist operations.

The ministry proposed to put state police forces in the lead, while tasking CPMFs

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with using their pan-Indian mandate for seamless operations across state borders

and holding the counter-insurgency grid together.

The new policy will be circulated to all the states for their comments soon. It will

seek to fight the Maoists through a four-pronged approach, comprising elements like security-related measures, development-based approach, rights and entitlement-

based measures and public perception management.

The approach of the new law will be to focus on security interventions in worst LWE-

affected areas. In moderately-affected areas, it will witness security and development

initiatives going hand in hand; while in less affected areas, development interventions

will take precedence.

Highlights of the drafted Law

The policy proposed oversight committee at the

national and state level.

The national panel will

comprise home minister,

finance minister, tribal affairs minister, environment

minister, rural development

minister, panchayati raj

minister and road &

transport minister, besides

chief ministers of all Naxal-

hit states, and will meet bi-

annually.

There will be an inter-ministerial group, a coordination committee to oversee operational strategies comprising Central and state level officers, as well as a state-level committee for coordinated response by various state agencies.

Also, the new law insisted on a periodic review of the counter-Naxal strategies.

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The new counter-LWE doctrine pitches for making CRPF a world-class counter-insurgency force, with a sustained upgrade in its training, infrastructure, arms and

financial powers.

It seeks to encourage police/CPMFs to recruit local tribal youth by holding more rallies and working around the DoPT rules to identify ways to push up their

representation in the forces.

There is emphasis also on honouring tribal icons by renaming projects and key local buildings after them.

Peace talks with Naxalites

As regards possible peace talks with Naxalites, the draft policy makes it clear that any

offer of talks will be taken up only after the Maoists renounce violence as a means of

capturing state power and express faith in the democratic process.

Prime Minister launched Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana to realise Gram Swaraj

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) on the

birth anniversary of Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan on 11 October 2014. SAGY will be

implemented under the overall supervision of Union Ministry of Rural Development.

The programme is an ambitious village development project under which each Member

of Parliament will take the responsibility for developing physical and institutional

infrastructure in three villages by 2019.

The primary goal is to develop three Adarsh Grams or model villages by March 2019,

of which one would be achieved by 2016. Thereafter, five such Adarsh Grams (one per year) will be selected and developed by 2024.

Objective of the SAGY

The main objectives of SAGY are:

To trigger processes which lead to holistic development of the identified Gram Panchayats

To substantially improve the standard of living and quality of life of all sections of the population through: a) Improved basic amenities; b) Higher productivity;

c) Enhanced human development; d) Better livelihood opportunities; e) Reduced

disparities; f) Access to rights and entitlements; g) Wider social mobilization; and

h) Enriched social capital

To generate models of local level development and effective local governance which can motivate and inspire neighbouring Gram Panchayats to learn and adapt

To nurture the identified Adarsh Grams as schools of local development to train other Gram Panchayats

Main highlights of the SAGY

It aims to keep the soul of rural India alive while providing its people with quality access to basic amenities and opportunities to enable them to shape their own

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destiny.

It places equal stress on nurturing values of national pride, patriotism, community spirit, self-confidence and on developing infrastructure.

It is unique and transformative as it has a holistic approach towards development.

It envisages integrated development of the selected village across multiple areas such as agriculture, health, education, sanitation, environment, livelihoods etc.

SAGY aims at instilling certain values, such as peoples participation, Antyodaya, gender equality, dignity of women, social justice, spirit of community service and

etc in the villages and their people so that they get transformed into models for

others.

The gram panchayat would be the basic unit for development. It will have a population of 3000-5000 in plain areas and 1000-3000 in hilly, tribal and difficult areas.

In districts where this unit size is not available, the gram panchayats approximating the desirable population size may be chosen.

The MP would be free to identify a suitable gram panchayat for being developed as Adarsh Gram, other than his/her own village or that of his/her spouse.

The scheme will be implemented through a Village Development Plan that would be prepared for every identified gram panchayat with special focus on enabling every poor household to come out of poverty.

The constituency fund, MPLADS, would be available to fill critical financing gaps.

SAGY gives focus to community participation.

The participation of women in the decision-making process will be encouraged. The scheme envisages holding Mahila Sabhas and Bal Sabhas to discuss women

and children specific issues and concerns.

Ensuring universal access to education facilities, adult literacy, e-literacy are also important goals of SAGY.

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Adoption and adaptation of technology and introduction of innovations are critical to this programme. This will include use of space application and remote sensing

for planning, mobile based technology for monitoring, agriculture technology for

increasing productivity etc.

At the national level, a separate, real time web based monitoring system will be put in place for the scheme covering all aspects and components.

Monitoring of SAGY

The Union Ministry of Rural Development will put in place a specially designed capacity building programme for government functionaries at different levels

including gram panchayats.

At the state level, there will be an Empowered Committee headed by the Chief Secretary consisting of the relevant departments and including experts, as required

with at least two civil society representatives.

The District Collector will be the nodal officer for implementing the SAGY. He will conduct a monthly review meeting with representatives of the participating

Line Departments. The Members of Parliament concerned will chair the review

meetings.

Conclusion

The announcement for launching the SAGY was made by PM Narendra Modi from

the rampart of Red Fort while delivering the Independence Day speech on 15 August

2014. SAGY intends to translate the Mahatma Gandhis concept of Gram Swaraj

wherein Adarsh Grams will be the nucleus of health, cleanliness, greenery and

cordiality within the community.

Union MoEFCC launched the National Air Quality Index

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) on 17

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October 2014 launched the National Air Quality Index (AQI) in New Delhi. The National

Air Quality Index is an initiative under Swachh Bharat Mission envisioned by Prime

Minister Narendra Modi to introduce the culture of cleanliness.

AQI will act as a One Number- One Colour-One Description to judge the Air Quality

for Common Man. The earlier measuring index was limited to three indicators, while

this index has been made quite comprehensive by the addition of five additional parameters.

The proposed AQI will consider eight parameters (PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, CO,

O3, NH3, and Pb) for which short-term National Ambient Air Quality Standards are

prescribed.

Air Quality Index (AQI)

Air Quality Index (AQI) is one such tool for effective dissemination of air quality information to people that entails the system to account for pollutants which have

short-term impacts.

This index was developed by an expert group comprising medical professionals, air quality experts, academia, NGOs, and state

There are six AQI categories namely Good, Satisfactory, Moderately polluted, Poor, Very Poor, and Severe with colour coding ranging from green to dark red.

This index transforms various air pollution levels into a single number for a simple description of air quality to citizens.

The AQI will prompt the local authorities to take quick action to improve air quality and is aimed at attracting peoples participation in the process.

Comment:

Air pollution has been a matter of environmental and health concerns particularly

in urban areas. Central Pollution Control Board along with State Pollution Control

Boards has been operating National Air Monitoring Program (NAMP) covering 240

cities of the country.

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Traditionally, air quality status was reported through voluminous data. Thus, it was

important that information on air quality is put up in public domain in simple linguistic

terms that is easily understood by a common person through AQI.

Union Government approved reforms in Monetary Policy Framework

Union Finance Minister on 12 October 2014 gave the green signal for the much

awaited reforms in the monetary policy framework.

As per the new reforms, Union Government will specify the inflation targets for the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to achieve. The RBI will set inflation as its top priority in its policy statements.

The decision is in contrary to the recommendation of an Urjit Patel Committee. Urjit

patel committee was formed by RBI in 2013 to examine monetary policy.

The committee had recommended that the monetary policy decision-making should

be vested with a monetary policy committee, chaired by the RBI Governor.

Present Status

Until now, the RBI has the sole power to regulate the monetary policy. RBI governor

regulate the monetary policy with the help of deputy Governors of RBI.

Other recommendations of Urjit Patel Committee

Other recommendations were that the central Bank adopts the new Consumer Price

Index (CPI) as the measure of the nominal anchor for monetary policy. And that the

RBI set the target CPI inflation level at 4 per cent (+/- 2 per cent) to be achieved through its monetary policy tools.

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Inflation target

Inflation targeting is an economic policy in which a central bank estimates and makes public a projected, or target inflation rate and then attempts to steer actual inflation towards the target through the use of interest rate changes and other monetary tools.

Because interest rates and the inflation rate tend to be directly related, the likely moves of the central bank to raise or lower interest rates become more transparent

under the policy of inflation targeting.

World Approach

The world was rethinking if inflation targeting should be the gold standard for monetary policy makers. The European Central Bank, for instance, follows eclectic monetary

policy approach where growth and other macroeconomic goals are also objectives.

In several countries, a similar structure is already in place, where a monetary policy

panel fixes rates. The move to change the structure comes amid debate over RBIs powers in the future and the primacy it enjoys among financial sector regulators.

ISRO successfully launched third navigation satellite IRNSS 1C

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on 16 October 2014 successfully launched

third navigation satellite Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) 1C.

Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C26 injected IRNSS 1C into the designated

orbit from the first launch pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. This was the 27th consecutive successful flight of PSLV.

Initially, the satellite was injected into a sub-geosynchronous transfer orbit with a

282.56 km perigee (nearest point to Earth) and 20670 km apogee (farthest point from

Earth). Later, it was lifted to a geo-stationary orbit.

IRNSS 1C is the third member of the seven satellite constellation of the IRNSS. The

first two satellites in the series were IRNSS 1A and IRNSS 1B.

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The fourth navigational satellite of the IRNSS segment will be launched in December

2014 and the project will be fully operational in 2015.

About IRNSS 1C

The satellite IRNSS 1C is similar in composition to its predecessors 1A and 1B. It carries navigation and ranging payloads.

It will play a vital role in the IRNSS operations right from guiding drivers on city roads to aerial navigation, disaster management, mapping and surveillance activities.

IRNSS 1C is designed to provide accurate position information service to users in the country as well as the region extending up to 1500 km from its boundary

which is its primary service area.

The IRNSS 1C will be utilized for two services- Standard Positioning Service (SPS) extended to all users and Restricted Service (RS) which will be encrypted.

The IRNSS 1C carried two types of payloads, one for transmitting navigation service signals to the users and another consisting of a C-band transponder to

facilitate Cube Retro Reflectors for laser ranging.

Incheon Asian Games 2014

17th Asian Games 2014 was held in Incheon, South Korea from 19 September to 4

October 2014, featuring 439 events in 36 sports. It is officially called XVII Asiad. It is governed by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). The theme of the 2014 Asian Games

is Meet Asias Future.

The mascot of the Games was three spotted Harbour Seal siblings named Barame,

Chumuro and Vichuon meaning wind, dance and light in Korean language.

The logo of the Games portrayed a huge wing consisting a string of A, the first letter of Asia, with a shining sun at its upper left, symbolizing the Asian people holding

hands in the sky.

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The Slogan of the Games was Diversity Shines Here that represents and highlights

the significance of Asias wonderful diversity in history, cultures, and religions.

To help English speaking visitors, mobile apps named WAZE and JiHaChul were

provided. Mobile app WAZE was provided to navigate on the routes of Incheon Asian

games 2014 and JiHaChul provided maps of the routes in advance respectively.

Next Asian Games will be hosted by the Singapore in 2018.

Ranks of countries in the Incheon Asian Games 2014

Rank Country Gold Silver Bronze Total1 China 151 108 83 342

2 South Korea 79 71 84 234

3 Japan 47 76 77 200

4 Kazakhstan 28 23 33 84

5 Iran 21 18 18 57

6 Thailand 12 7 28 47

7 North Korea 11 11 14 36

8 India 11 10 36 57

9 Chinese Taipei 10 18 23 51

10 Qatar 10 0 4 14

Indian contingent in the 17th Asian Games

The Indian contingent for the games consisted of 516 athletes participating in 28

sports. The flag bearer of Indian side during the opening ceremony of the games was Sardar Singh, the captain of Mens Hockey team of India.

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Gold Medals for India

About Asian Games

The Asian Games also known as Asiad is a Pan-continental multi-sport event. It is

organised every four years and is participated by athletes from all over Asia. The

Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation (AGF) from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until the 1978 Games. But Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) started

organising the games from 1982 Games, after the breakup of the Asian Games

Federation.

Names Sport CategoryJitu Rai Shooting Men's 50 metre pistol

Rajat Chauhan Archery Men's team compound

Sandeep Kumar

Abhishek Verma

Saurav Ghosal Squash Mens team

Mahesh Mangaonkar

Harinder Pal Sandhu

Kush Kumar

Yogeshwar Dutt Wrestling Men's freestyle 65 kg

Seema Punia Athletics Women's discus throw

Sania Mirza Tennis Mixed doubles

Saketh MyneniMary Kom Boxing Womens 51 kg

Mens hockey team Field hockey Men

Priyanka Pawar Athletics Women's 4 x 400 metres

relayTintu Luka

Mandeep Kaur

M R Poovamma

Womens kabaddi team Kabaddi Women

Mens kabaddi team Kabaddi Men

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The Games are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and are

described as the second largest multi-sport event after the Olympic Games.

The last edition of the Asian Games, that is 16th Asian Games, were held in Guangzhou,

China from 12 November to 27 November 2010. In the previous edition, China with

total 416 medals (199 Gold, 119 Silver and 98 Bronze) was top ranked. However,

India with 65 medals (14 Gold, 17 Silver and 34 Bronze) stood at the sixth position.

Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai won the Nobel peace prize 2014

Pakistani child education activist Malala Yousafzai and Indian child rights activist

Kailash Satyarthi on 10 0ctober 2014 won the Nobel Peace Prize 2014. The Nobel

Peace Prize is awarded by the Norwegian Nobel Committee in Oslo.

They were awarded for their struggle against the suppression of children and young

people and for the right of all children to education.

The winners were selected from a list of 278 nominees, the highest number of

candidates ever.

Kailash Satyarthi

Kailash Satyarthi is an Indian childrens rights activist born in Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh. He has been active in the Indian movement against child labour since

the 1990s.

His organization Bachpan Bachao Andolan has freed over 80000 children from various forms of servitude and helped in successful reintegration, rehabilitation

and education of them.

Kailash Satyarthi, maintaining Mahatma Gandhis tradition, has headed various forms of protests and demonstrations focusing on the grave exploitation of

children for financial gain. He has also contributed to the development of important international conventions on childrens rights.

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He has also contributed to the development of important international conventions on childrens rights.

In 1994, Satyarthi started Goodweave, the first voluntary labelling and certification system for child labour-free rugs in south Asia.

In 1998, he organised the global march against child labour: more than 7.2 million people in 103 countries took part in what was the largest campaign on the issue.

The march informed the draft of the International Labour Organisations convention

182, which addresses the worst forms of child labour.

BBA and Satyarthi, who has won a clutch of international development awards including the US state departments Heroes Acting to End Modern Slavery award

in 2007, also developed Bal Mitra Gram, or child friendly villages.

Malala Yousafzai

At 17, she is the youngest recipient of the prize.

Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani school pupil, education activist who is known for her activism for right to education for women especially in the Swat Valley where

the local Taliban had at times banned girls from attending school.

In early 2009, at the age of 1112 Yousafzai wrote a blog under a pseudonym for the BBC detailing her life under Taliban occupation, their attempts to take control

of the valley, and her views on promoting education for girls in the Swat Valley.

Since then, she had been an outspoken advocate for girl education. She was critically injured on 9 October 2012 when a gunman shot her in the head while

she was riding home on a school bus in the city of Mingora. The Taliban claimed

responsibility for the attack.

She spent three months in a British hospital recovering and now lives in England with her family. Militants still threaten to kill her if she returns home.

Since then, she has continued to campaign for girls education and has shown by example that children and young people too can contribute to improving their own

situations.

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Comment:

The decision to give 2014 Nobel Peace Prize to an Indian child activist Kailash

Satyarthi and a Pakistani girl child activist Malal Yousafzai has once again created

the furore that Nobel Peace Prize in recent past has been more about making political

statement rather than recognizing true efforts.

The other few examples in recent past being President Barack Obama, Chinese

dissident Liu Xiaobo and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

As Alfred Nobel, the creator of the Nobel Prizes had said, the Peace Prize be given

to someone who pursued the promotion of peace. which is the lack of war.

It is being argued that, although the efforts of Kailash and Malala are noble and

address the pressing social-economic issues of the day but is hugely political and

ambitious. By sharing the prize between a Pakistani Muslim and an Indian Hindu, the

committee is trying to address deep divisions.

It comes at a time when there have been continuous ceasefire violations by the Pakistan leading to firing in response by Indian Army along the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir.

This development was becoming unsettling for the world leaders as they were trying

to get to grips with the steady rise of the extremist group ISIS in Iraq and Syria and

to understand the impact this may have on radical elements elsewhere in the world.

Even though many have criticised the Nobel committee decision as naive, but what

Malala and Satyarthi have been fighting for is indeed very simple. As Wordsworth wrote, The child is father of the man and as Malala said, Let us not forget that one

book, one pen, one child and one teacher can change the world.

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Union Government submitted a list of 627 Indians holding black money abroad to SC

Union Government on 29 October 2014 submitted a list of 627 Indians holding black

money abroad to the Supreme Court (SC). The names were submitted after the SC

harshly rapped the government for providing a protective umbrella to shield the illicit

account holders in foreign bank.

The list submitted by the Union in a sealed cover includes three sets of documents. These are

First set includes the details of correspondence, treaties and agreements that India had signed with France and other nations where the illegal money was said

to be stashed

Second set that contains all the 627 names

Third set provides the status report on the probe in these cases

As per the provided list, more than half of people are NRIs and most of them had

accounts with the HSBC bank, Geneva.

The Union government also gave a status report on the investigations against such

account holders.

The SC Directions

The SC bench comprising of Chief Justice H.L. Dattu and Justice Ranjana Desai

and Justice Madan B. Lokur asked the SC Registry to send the envelope to the

Special Investigation Team (SIT) and directed that the envelopes should be opened

only by the SIT Chairman, Justice MB Shah and vice-chairman, Justice Arijit Pasayat

to conduct the further investigation.

The SIT has been directed to evolve its own procedure on the kind of probe that is

needed into these accounts and also to evolve the process to get the black money

back.

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The apex court has scheduled the next hearing for 3 December 2014 and asked the

SIT to submit a status report by 30 November 2014 after ascertaining who had black

money accounts abroad.

Union Governments Stand

Rohatgi informed the court that the details of the account holders were for the

year 2006, which was stolen by an HSBC employee from Switzerland. This list was

supplied by the French Government to the Union Government in 2011.

Rohatgi also told the court that most transactions had taken place during 1999 and

2000 and under law, the last date for completion and assessment of all cases was

31 March 2015. Under the Income Tax Act, 1967 prosecution for tax evasion can be

initiated up to 16 years after the offence.

Earlier on 27 October 2014, the Union Government submitted the first list that contained names of Dabur group director Pradip Burman, bullion trader Pankaj

Lodhiya, Goa-based Timblo Pvt Ltd director Radha Timblo and four of her family

members, who are also directors in the company.

Union Government disclosed names of black money account holders in an affidavit to SC

The Union Government on 27 October 2014 disclosed names of black money account

holders in an affidavit to Supreme Court (SC). The affidavit was filed after the union government was attacked by political rivals that it was cautious of revealing names.

These account holders were suspected for stashing black money in foreign banks.

The names revealed by the government were:

Pradip Burman, one of Dabur India promoters

Bullion trader Pankaj Chimanlal Lodhya

Goa-based mining company Timblo Pvt Ltd and its five directors Radha Satish Timblo, Chetan S Timblo, Rohan S Timblo, Anna C Timblo and Mallika R Timblo

They were charged under various sections of the Income Tax Act and Money Laundering

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Act. These names were received from French authorities and other countries.

The affidavit also includes the names of 18 trusts which merited prosecution under the Income Tax Act for evasion of tax. Prosecution has been launched in these cases

except in one case where the tax payer has died.

The government will disclose the information received from foreign countries in all

the cases where tax evasion is established. However, it mentioned that all foreign

bank accounts cannot be termed as illegal.

Switzerland to provide information on black money in time-bound manner

Switzerland on 15 October 2014 agreed to examine Indian requests for banking

information on a priority basis and provide requested details in a time-bound manner.

This was revealed in a Swiss-Indian Joint Statement released after high-level meeting

between the Revenue Secretary Shaktikanta Das and his Swiss counterpart State

Secretary for International Financial Matters, Jacques de Watteville in Berne.

Apart from this, the Swiss authorities will also assist India in obtaining confirmation on genuineness of bank documents on request by the Indian side. It will also swiftly

provide information on requests related to non-banking information.

Beside, the two parties discussed various bilateral and multilateral tax and financial issues. They also agreed to continue the dialogue between the two countries.

Union MoD cleared the deal worth 8000 crore rupees to buy anti tank missiles from Israel

Union Ministry of Defence (MoD) on 25 October 2014 cleared the deal worth 8000

crore rupees to buy anti tank missiles from Israel. The decision was taken at a meeting

of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) which was headed by Defence Minister

Arun Jaitley.

Under the deal, India will buy at least 8000 Spike missiles and more than 300 launchers

in a deal worth 32 billion rupees.

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Twelve Dornier aircraft will also be bought for the navy and 362 infantry combat

vehicles. The council also agreed to go ahead with locally build six submarines in

collaboration with a foreign partner in a project worth 50000 crore rupees.

It also includes acquiring 1768 critical rolling stock - open and closed wagons for

transport of military equipment at a cost of 740 crore rupees.

Under the deal, the union Ministry picks the Spike anti tank missile over the Javelin

missiles of the US.

Reason for rejecting Javelin Missiles

Union Ministry decided against the US offer for three reasons:

First, the extent of Technology Transfer to the Indian counterpart Bharat Dynamic

wasnt clear;

Second, the cost of the Israeli missiles was cheaper than the US missile and

Third, canceling the Israeli deal at the last moment would have sent wrong signals to

the international community.

Spike versus Javelin missiles

Spike is an Israeli man-portable, fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile and anti-personnel missile with a tandem-charged heat warhead. It locks on to targets before

shooting. It is produced by Israels Rafael Advanced Defence Systems.

The Javelin weapons system is built by Lockheed Martin Corp and Raytheon Co.

Javelin was developed and produced for the U.S. Army and Marine Corps by the

Javelin Joint Venture between Lockheed Martin in Orlando, Florida and Raytheon in

Tucson, Arizona.

Other Proposals

The other proposals cleared by the DAC include manufacturing six conventional

submarines worth over 50000 crore rupees. The government aimed at manufacturing

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all six submarines in the time frame of a year.

These submarines will be Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) capable that will enable

them to stay underwater for longer and will have features including stealth and attack

cruise missiles.

Allotment of submarines

A committee will be set up by the DAC to decide on the shipyards that will issue

Request for Proposal (RFP) for these submarines. The committee will study both

public and private shipyards over the next 6-8 weeks. All six submarines will be made

in one shipyard.

The Request for Proposal (RFP) will, however, be open for compliant yards.

Further, the Dornier aircraft will be built by the Bangalore-based defence public sector

unit Hindustan Aeronautics Limited at a total cost of 1850 crore rupees. Dorniers are

used for maritime surveillance and the navy has a fleet of 40 of these aircraft.

India is the worlds largest arms buyer. It will invest as much as 250 billion US dollar in

upgrading its Soviet-era military hardware and close the gap on strategic rival China.

WHO declared Nigeria as Ebola Free country

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on 20 October 2014 declared Nigeria as Ebola

free country.

It was declared Ebola free after no new cases were reported within the 42 day period

stipulated by the WHO for a country to be declared Ebola free. The last reported case

in Nigeria was confirmed on 8 September 2014.

The announcement was made by the WHO representative Rui Gama Vaz in the capital

Abuja.

With this Nigeria became the second country in West Africa to be declared Ebola

free. On 17 October 2014, the UN health agency declared Senegal free of Ebola after

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it passed the 42 day landmark.

According to WHO, the success of Nigeria was attributable to ample funding, quick

action and assistance from the WHO, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the

non-profit Doctors Without Borders.

The nations response to Ebola is being held out as an example to the still-stricken

West African nations, as well to Texas. The virus has claimed the lives of more than

4500 people in West Africa, mainly in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. In all, eight

people died out of 20 confirmed cases in Nigerias biggest city, Lagos, and the oil hub of Port Harcourt, while nearly 900 people were monitored for signs of the disease.

WHO 42-day landmark

According to WHO recommendations, the end of an Ebola virus disease outbreak in

a country can be declared once 42 days have passed and no new cases have been

detected. The 42 days represents twice the maximum incubation period for Ebola (21

days). This 42-day period starts from the last day that any person in the country had

contact with a confirmed or probable Ebola case.

Australia became first developed country to ban travel from Ebola-hit coun-tries

Australia became the first developed country on 28 October 2014 to ban travel from Ebola-hit countries in the West Africa.

Australias ban on visas for citizens of Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea followed

decisions by the U.S. military to quarantine soldiers returning from an Ebola response

mission and some U.S. states to isolate aid workers.

Meanwhile Mali became the sixth West African country to report a case of the disease

after Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea, Senegal and Nigeria with last two countries have

achieved success in making themselves Ebola-free. They achieved this by tracking

down people who had had contact with those who brought it into their country and

monitoring them for symptoms.

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Criticisms of the Australias move

The move was criticized by the United Nations as such measures could discourage

vital relief work, making it harder to stop the spread of the deadly virus.

Liberias President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf also urged Australia to reconsider its travel

ban and neighbouring Sierra Leone called the Australian move draconian.

Even the World Health Organization said overly restrictive quarantines and travel

bans will put people off volunteering to go to Africa, where relief workers are needed

to help improve a health system to deal with the disease.

US tightened its guidelines for health workers treating patients with Ebola virus

The United States on 20 October 2104 tightened its guidelines for health workers who

are treating patients with Ebola virus. It termed the guidelines, as new competency

training, a buddy system for donning and doffing personal protective equipment (PPE), and total coverage of eyes, hair and skin. The guidelines of the protocol were

issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The enhanced guidance is centered on three principles

All healthcare workers undergo rigorous training and are practiced and competent with PPE, including taking it on and off in a systemic manner

No skin exposure when PPE is worn

All workers are supervised by a trained monitor who watches each worker taking PPE on and off

These stricter protocols have been built on the guidance of the World Health

Organization. Earlier, the international organization urged health workers to wear

masks but did not require complete coverage of skin.

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First case of Ebola virus diagnosed in US

The United States in last week of September 2014 diagnosed its first case of the deadly Ebola virus. The person was diagnosed for the disease after being hospitalised

with the symptoms that were confirmed to be caused by Ebola.

As per the US health officials, the person became infected with the deadly Ebola virus in Liberia and traveled to Texas, US. The patient left Liberia on 19 September

2014. The symptoms of the virus on the patient became apparent on 24 September

2014. He was admitted to hospital in Texas on 28 September 2014 and since then

has been put in isolation.

Ocean Health Index for the year 2014 released

Ocean Health Index (OHI) 2014 was released by the National Centre for Ecological

Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) at UC Santa Barbara, Califronia, US on 30 September

2014. The Index, third in the series, was released in partnership with Conservation

International.

As per the OHI 2014, the overall health score of the Oceans of the world stands at

67 out of 100.

The third annual OHI for the first time includes scores for Antarctica and the Southern Ocean plus the 15 other ocean regions beyond national jurisdiction (high seas areas).

Together with the 220 Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) measured in 2012 and 2013,

the OHI 2014, now measures all of the oceans on planet Earth.

OHI 2014 and High Seas

For the assessment of the Ocean Health of the High Seas, three goals and sub-goals were assessed. There are: Fisheries, Iconic Species, and Biodiversity

(measured as the threat of extinction to all assessed Species).

The overall score for global EEZ is 68 in 2014

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The Western Indian Ocean and Eastern Central Atlantic Ocean scored the highest overall score of 79 and the North-western Pacific Ocean scored the lowest score of 53

The Eastern Central Atlantic Ocean had a Fisheries score of 81 out of 100, followed by the Western Indian Ocean with 80, making them the highest-scoring sectors

for fisheries.

At 7, the North-western Pacific Ocean had the lowest Fisheries score because, among other things, its stocks were farthest from the biomass that provides

maximum sustainable yield.

OHI 2014 and Antarctica & the Southern Ocean

Antarctica and the Southern Ocean region scored 72, however Antarcticas biodiversity score was 94 out of 100.

The OHI score of eight goals assessed for Antarctica are: Food Production (55), Natural Products (29), Economies and Livelihoods (83), Tourism and Recreation

(55), Sense of Place (46), Coastal Protection (99), Clean Water (100) and Biodiversity

(94).

The high score for Antarctica on Clean water, Coastal protection and Biodiversity

goals highlight the fact that it is protected by distance from many of the threats

caused by human populations such as chemicals, excessive nutrients, pathogens

and trash.

However, the low Fisheries score of Antarctica highlights the fact that fishing is still having an impact in this region, despite improved monitoring, successful efforts to

reduce by-catch and new management of krill fisheries.

The report also highlights that many historically overexploited species in Antarctica are recovering. These are blue whale and Antarctic fur seal, the Southern right

whale, and humpback whale.

However, 38 species in the Antarctica and Southern Ocean are decreasing. These include iconic species such as Southern bluefin tuna, basking shark, porbeagle,

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Gentoo penguin, and the Tristan, wandering and black-browed albatrosses.

Two of the species found in these Oceans are critically endangered, seven are endangered, 14 are vulnerable and 15 are near threatened according to the IUCN

Red List.

In terms of Sense of Place, Antarctica scored 46. As proxy measures, this goal assesses the status of iconic species, which scored 90, and special places, which

only scored 1, because just a tiny percentage of Antarcticas near shore waters

and coastline is protected compared to the target of 30 percent.

In Antarctica, as elsewhere, low scores in Food Provision, Natural Products, Sense of Place and others point to things to improve so that we can maintain the health

of ocean habitats, wildlife and economic species and still help meet the needs of

our growing human population.

About the Ocean Health Index (OHI)

The Ocean Health Index (OHI) is the first assessment tool that scientifically compares and combines key elements from all dimensions of the oceans health biological,

physical, economic and social.

The Ocean Health Index was developed with the contributions of more than 65 ocean

experts including the National Centre for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis and the

University of British Columbias Sea Around Us project.

The founding partners of the Index are Conservation International, National

Geographic, and The New England Aquarium. The Founding Presenting Sponsor

of the Ocean Health Index is the Pacific Life Foundation. The founding grant was provided by Beau and Heather Wrigley.

Worlds first womb-transplant baby born to a Swedish woman

Worlds first womb-transplant baby was born to a 36-year-old Swedish woman. The identity of the woman was not disclosed.

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The healthy baby boy was born in August 2014 at the University of Gothenburgs

hospital in Sweden. The baby boy weighing 1.775kgs was born by Caesarean section

at 31 weeks after the mother developed pre-eclampsia, a pregnancy condition.

How it happened?

The woman had to undergo womb transplant as she was suffering from a genetic

condition called Rokitansky syndrome wherein the woman is born without a womb,

although the ovaries are intact.

The replacement womb came from a 61-year-old woman, who was a friend of the

woman. The organ was transplanted in a 10-hour operation in 2013.

The recipient underwent in-vitro fertilisation, in which eggs were harvested from her

ovaries and fertilised using sperm from her partner, and then cryogenically preserved.

A year after the transplant, a single early-stage embryo was inserted into the

transplanted womb. A pregnancy test three weeks later was positive.

The significance of the development

This feat is a boon to women with no uterine. The absence of uterine has been one of

the major causes of infertility. The uterine is absent in women either due to heredity

or due to surgical removal for medical reasons. The development in fact smashes

through the last major barrier of female infertility.

Absolute uterine factor infertility was the only major type of female infertility that was

viewed as untreatable.

SoftBank of Japan to invest 10 billion dollars in India

Telecom giant SoftBank of Japan on 27 October 2014 pledged to make an investment

of 10 billion US dollars (over 60000 crore rupees) in Indias IT and communications

sector in coming years.

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With this investment, SoftBank looks forward for opportunities in telecom space and

the fast-growing e-commerce sector in India.

The investment proposal was made by SoftBank Chairman and Chief Executive

Officer (CEO) Masayoshi Son during his meeting with Union Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. During his India visit, Masayoshi Son also met with Prime Minister

Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

Apart from this, SoftBank Group and Snapdeal on 28 October 2014 also announced

definitive agreements under which SoftBank Group will become the largest investor in Snapdeal, through a total investment of 627 million US dollar.

The Group also announced a definitive agreement with ANI Technologies Pvt. Ltd. (better known as Ola Cabs) to invest 210 million US dollar in Ola along with existing

investors.

Commentary

Investment proposal from SoftBank is one of the biggest investment commitments

from a Japanese firm after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Japan. As per Son, the Japan visit of Modi had created a climate of hope and optimism about greater

economic cooperation between the two countries.

About SoftBank

Softbank is one of the major telecom and internet corporations of Japan. It started

out in 1981 as a distributor of computer software. At present, the company has

a market cap of 92 billion US dollar and it is operational in broadband, fixed line telecom, e-commerce, finance, media and marketing.

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China overtook US to become the worlds largest economy in PPP terms

China in October 2014 overtook the US to become the worlds largest economy in

Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) terms. This was revealed by the October 2014 update

of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

According to IMF estimation, as of October 2014, Chinas GDP in PPP terms stood

at 17.6 trillion US dollars and constituted 16.48 percent of the World GDP.

On the other hand, the US GDP on PPP basis stood at 17.4 trillion US dollars and

constituted 16.28 percent of World GDP.

India stood at the third place in the global economy and its GDP on PPP basis was

7277.279 billion US dollars which is 6.8 percent of world GDP.

Earlier in 2005, China economy was less than half the size of the US economy. Now

the IMF projects that China economy will be 20 percent bigger than that of the US

by 2019.

China remained the biggest foreign holder of the US government debt which has

holding of an estimated 1.27 trillion US dollars of US treasury bonds.

India voted against UN draft resolution on NPT

India on 31 October 2014 voted against the provisions of UN draft resolution that

called on all those countries including India that have not joined the Nuclear Non-

INTERNATIONAL

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Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to accede to it as non-nuclear weapon states.

India also rejected the provision which stressed on fundamental role of NPT in

achieving nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation and urged India, Israel and

Pakistan to accede promptly to NPT as non-nuclear weapon state and place all their

nuclear facility under IAEA safeguards.

However, India abstained from voting on the provision that reiterated the immediate

start of negotiations in the Conference on Disarmament on a treaty banning the

production of fissile material for nuclear weapons.

India also abstained from voting on a provision that would have the Assembly stress

the importance of the universalisation of the IAEA safeguard agreements to include

states which had not yet adopted and implemented such an agreement.

Indias stand

India rejected the provision saying that there is no question of it acceding to the NPT

as a non-nuclear weapon state. It further said that nuclear weapons are an integral

part of national security of India and will remain so, pending non- discriminatory and

global nuclear disarmament.

India said it remains committed to the goal of complete elimination of nuclear arms

and continued to support a time-bound programme for global, verifiable and non-discriminatory nuclear disarmament.

Other countries rejecting the provisions of UN draft resolution on NPT

The provision asking the countries to accede to NPT as non-nuclear weapon state

was also rejected by Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea and Israel though the

provision was retained by 164 in favour.

The provision stressing on fundamental role of NPT and universally placing the nuclear

facility under IAEA safeguards was also rejected by Israel, the US and Pakistan though

it was retained by a recorded vote of 163 in favour.

Another provision reiterating the immediate start of negotiations in the Conference

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on Disarmament was retained by a recorded vote of 166 in favour to two against

while India, Iran, Israel, Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea abstained.

The UN draft resolution on NPT

The draft resolution titled Towards a nuclear weapon-free world: accelerating the

implementation of nuclear disarmament commitments was presented by the First

Committee of

CA OCT 2014

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