CURRENT AFFAIRS - 12th NOV 1. World Pneumonia Day observed on 12 November i. World Pneumonia Day was observed on 12 November 2013 across the world to raise awareness of pneumonia. ii. The United Nations (UN) first celebrated the day on 12 November 2009. iii. This year, the theme for World Pneumonia Day will focus on innovation – highlighting innovative solutions to end childhood pneumonia, while at the same time emphasizing that there are existing simple interventions that need to reach the most vulnerable children. 2. India Signed Financing and Project Agreements with World Bank for Disaster Management i. The Union Government of India, the Government of Tamil Nadu and the Government of Puducherry signed the Financing and Project Agreements for World Bank assistance (IDA assistance) of 236 million US Dollar with the World Bank on 11 November 2013. ii. The agreements were signed for Tamil Nadu-Puducherry Coastal Disaster Risk Reduction Project (CDRRP). iii. The objective of the Project is to increase the resilience of coastal communities in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, to a range of hydro-meteorological and geophysical hazards along with improving project implementation entities’ capacity to respond promptly and effectively to an eligible crisis or emergency. iv. The Project will have five components, which are- (i) Vulnerability Reduction; (ii) Sustainable Fisheries; (iii) Capacity building in Disaster Risk Management; (iv) Implementation Support; and (v) Contingency Emergency Response. 3. October CPI rises to 10.09%, food price inflation at 12.56% i. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the month of October rose to 10.09% versus 9.84% in September. The consumer food price inflation was reported at 12.56% versus 11.44% in September. ii. The urban inflation for the month of October came in at 10.2% versus 9.93% in September. Commenting on the higher-than-expected CPI number, C Rangarajan of PMEAC said, CPI at over 10% is a disturbing sign. Growth in CPI is due to a rise in food inflation. 4. Japan pledges $150 mn for Uttarakhand flood relief i. Japan Tuesday pledged to provide $150 million towards reconstruction efforts in Uttarakhand in the wake of devastating floods that hit the Himalayan state in June this year. ii. This was announced at a meeting between External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting. iii. The money is in addition to the $200,000 Japan had provided earlier through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to support the distribution of relief items and relief operations to help the flood victims. 5. Japan grants $130 m for TN infra projects i. To help increase foreign direct investment in Tamil Nadu, Japanese overseas development assistance of $130 million has been granted. This is to help quick implementation of infrastructure projects such as roads, power, water and sewer in the State. ii. In addition, $177-million ODA has been given to IIT, Hyderabad to improve education and research environment. iii. Both the agreements were signed on Tuesday between Japanese Ambassador to India and Joint Secretary, Ministry of Finance. 6. T.P. Seetharam appointed new envoy to UAE i. T.P. Seetharam, currently Indias High Commissioner to Mauritius, has been appointed as the next ambassador to the United Arab Emirates. ii. An Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer of 1980 batch, Seetharam is expected to take up his assignment shortly. 7. Ratan Watal appointed as the new Expenditure Secretary i. Ratan P Watal, a senior IAS officer was appointed as the Secretary of Department of Expenditure in the Union Ministry of Finance on 11 November 2013. ii. He will be a successor of RS Gujral, an officer of the 1979 of Haryana cadre, who will retire from the post on 30 November 2013. iii. Ratan P Watal is an IAS officer of 1978 batch of Andhra Pradesh Cadre. At present he is serving as the Secretary in the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. Meanwhile. 8. The Vice President of India Released a Book Entitled Momentous Times i. The Vice President of India, M. Hamid Ansari released a book entitled Momentous Times on the 175 years of Times of India at a function in New Delhi on 11 November 2013. ii. The Momentous Times is the fine collection and is the quick glimpse of a selective history. The book is an effort of the Times of India Group. iii. The book brings together 175 landmark events, from 1838 to 2013, as seen through the eyes of Times of India. 9. Mann Deshi Bank founder gets Schwab Foundation award i. Chetna Vijay Sinha, Director, Mann Deshi Mahila Bank and Mann Deshi Foundation, on Monday bagged the 2013 India Social Entrepreneur of the Year award by The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, a sister organisation of the World Economic Forum, in partnership with Jubilant Bhartia Foundation. ii. Sinha, who was conferred the award by Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram, was selected from over 200 participants by a jury that included Sudha Pillai, Member Secretary, Planning Commission, and Harish Hande, Managing Director, SELCO Solar Light, India. iii. Mann Deshi Mahila Bank and Mann Deshi Foundation, headquartered in Mhaswad, Maharashtra, aim to create one million rural women entrepreneurs in India by 2020, said a Schwab Foundation release. 10. Haryana joins hands with Cargill to launch food bank i. Haryana launched its first food bank to support various feeding programmes in Gurgaon and nearby areas on Monday. ii. The food bank is being supported by global food major Cargill and India Food Banking Network (IFBN), initiated by Sam Pitroda, Advisor to Prime Minister on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovations. iii. Announcing the launch in Gurgaon, Haryana Industries Minister, Randeep Singh Surjewala, said that the State had recently adopted The National Food Security Ordinance to ensure that people get access to adequate quantity and quality of food at affordable prices. iv. Siraj Chaudhry, Chairman, Cargill India, said: “The Gurgaon Food Bank targets sustained daily feeding of around 10,000 beneficiaries in a year’s time in the Gurgaon region.’’ 11. Mohammed Siddikur won Indian Open Golf Tournament 2013 i. Mohammed Siddikur of Bangladesh won the 50th edition of Indian Open golf tournament on 10 November 2013 at the Delhi Golf Club (DGC), New Delhi. ii. It was his second Asian Tour title after Brunei Open victory in 2010. The tournament carries a cash prize of 1.25 million US dollars. This win catapulted him from ninth to third on the Order of Merit. iii. Siddikur scored a total of 274 to edge past his Indian friends Anirban Lahiri and SSP Chowrasia to win the tournament. 12. Navy commissions Advanced Light Helicopter squadron i. The first Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) squadron was commissioned Tuesday by Western Naval Command chief Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha in kochi. ii. The ALH, named Dhruv, is the first indigenously designed and manufactured helicopter built by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. iii. It has proven its multi-role capabilities and its mettle in all the three services of Indias armed forces, besides in the Indian Coast Guard, the Border Security Force, and in the inventory of foreign countries. iv. The newly commissioned squadron would be known as the Indian Naval Air Squadron (INAS) 322. 13. Novak Djokovic won Barclays ATP World Tour Final after defeating Rafael Nadal i. Novak Djokovic on 11 November 2013 retained the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals title after defeating the number one, Rafael Nadal. ii. The world number two Djokovic, won 6-3, 6-4 at the O2 Arena in London. The ATP world tour took place from 4 to 11 November 2013. iii. Earlier, Djokovic won the same title in the year 2008 and 2012. This is the fifth time, when number 1 versus number 2 in the final in 44 years.
Posted on: Tue, 12 Nov 2013 16:02:46 +0000
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