General Knowledge November
India, Korea discuss ways to boost bilateral ties
India and South Korea on Saturday discussed ways to add
strategic and economic content to bilateral ties in the key areas including security, trade and investments.
During the 7th India-Republic of Korea Joint Commission Meeting (JCM), co-chaired by External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid and his Korean counterpart Yun Byung-se, the two sides conducted a comprehensive review of bilateral relations, which have been upgraded to a Strategic Partnership and have acquired range and depth over the past few years.
The Indian delegation included representatives of the ministries of External Affairs, Defence, Civil Aviation, Shipping, Commerce & Industry and the government of Odisha.
The JCM deliberated on ways to add strategic and economic content to bilateral ties including in the political, security, trade, investment, consular, scientific and cultural spheres apart from discussing regional and international issues of mutual interest, it said.
Astronauts return to Earth bringing
Olympic torch back from ISS
Three astronauts returned to Earth today, following a
166-day mission, bringing the Olympic torch back from the International Space
Station after a historic space walk.
The trip completes the most ambitious leg of Russia's
unparallelled torch relay in the run-up to the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi
next February.
Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin, NASA US astronaut
Karen Nyberg and Italian colleague Luca Parmitano, descended in the Soyuz
capsule to touch down at 2:49 GMT on the frosty steppes of Kazakhstan.
The torch, kept unlit throughout its space journey due
to safety precautions, was securely wrapped during the descent, and an employee
of Russia's space agency Roscosmos took it out of the packaging.
The space-travelling torch will be the one which lights
the Olympic cauldron in the Black Sea resort Sochi marking the start of the
Winter Games on February 7.
Malala's book banned IN Pakistan'
The memoir written by Teen Pakistani activist Malala
Yousufzai was banned from all private schools in Pakistan as she represented
the West and not her native country, said the head of schools' association.
Adeeb Javedani, the president of the All Pakistan
Private Schools Management Association, said he got Malala's book banned from
the libraries of its 40,000 affiliated schools as Malala was a tool of the
West, she was representing the West, not Pakistan, reported the al Jazeera.
Malala's book - "I am Malala" – which was
co-authored by her and British journalist Christina Lamb, was published in
October this year and it recounts Malala's tale of her being shot at by
Taliban, her life in Swat under Taliban and her new life in Britain where she
now lives and studies.
Malala's book - "I am Malala" – which was
co-authored by her and British journalist Christina Lamb, was published in October
this year and it recounts Malala's tale of her being shot at by Taliban, her
life in Swat under Taliban and her new life in Britain where she now lives and
studies.
v. The Taliban has already threatened to attack bookshops if
they stocked the book.
Regional Pravasi Bhartiya Divas 2013
launched in Sydney, Australia
The Regional Pravasi Bhartiya Divas was officially
launched on 11 November 2013 in Sydney, Australia by New South Wales, Premier
Barry O'Farrell and Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi.
The 2013 convention is the first to be held in
Australia, marking the contribution the overseas Indian community makes to the
development of India.
The convention's objective is to link the vast Indian
diaspora and other parts of the Asia-Pacific region with India. The 2013
Convention will be the seventh such conference held outside India.
About Regional Pravasi Bhartiya Divas
Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas are organised by the
Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs with the collaboration of the host
Government, the Indian Mission, Prominent Overseas Indians and Organisations
catering to the needs of the Indian Diaspora.
The objective is to reach out to those members of the
community who have been unable to participate in the annual PBD in India and to
provide a platform for the Indian community in Australia and the Pacific to
contribute to the relationship between countries of the region and India.
Indian Angel Network launches
cross-border business plan contest
In a bid to draw a mix of investors and mentors from
India and Pakistan and promote the development of cross-border businesses,
Indian Angel Network has called for applications under its unique Indo-Pak
initiative called ‘Startup Dosti’ — The Cross-Border Business Plan Competition.
The programme is aimed at entrepreneurs and has been
developed in partnership with the Karachi-London based SEED Ventures and the
Washington DC-based Atlantic Council.
The programme would give participants the opportunity
to learn about incubation, mentorship, and investment from investors associated
with the programme.
The top five teams from India and Pakistan will be flown
to Thailand where they will spend a week together and pitch to a cross-border
panel of investors for the finals, with a chance to enter into on-the-spot
negotiations and walk away with financing.
Padmaja Ruparel, President, Indian Angel Network said:
“Startup Dosti will interconnect the entrepreneurial communities in India and
Pakistan, creating a platform for exchange of ideas and mentoring.”
Startup Dosti is IAN’s second international
initiative following the launch of Venture Engine in Sri Lanka last year to
encourage entrepreneurship and innovation in the country.
Indian Angel Network has close to 250 members and has
funded nearly 60 start-ups across sectors including IT, mobile, healthcare and
education, gaming, hospitality, semi-conductors across India and overseas.
Bhagat Puran Singh Sehat Beema Yojna
(BPSSBY) Health care scheme for BPL families launched in Punjab
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today launched
a cashless health care scheme for BPL families, which would provide free
medical services of up to Rs 30,000 per annum.
Under the Bhagat Puran Singh Sehat Beema Yojna (BPSSBY),
the beneficiaries will be issued smart cards which will enable them to avail
free medical services, the Chief Minister said, adding that his government has
roped in leading insurance firms to implement the scheme in the state.
Underscoring the need to provide quality health care to
people, Badal, addressing a gathering here, said his government was committed
to make Punjab a disease-free state.
The government has spent Rs 350 crore to upgrade health
infrastructure in the state and priority has been laid on cancer treatment, he
said.
Iran, IAEA sign agreement
Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on
Monday signed a roadmap agreement to allow inspectors broader access to nuclear
sites.
The IAEA however would not be allowed to inspect the
Parchin military site near Tehran, where the West suspects Iran carried out
tests linked to nuclear weapons, a source close to the talks said.
The deal also does not permit the IAEA to investigate other
research activities linked to an alleged nuclear weapons programme, the source
said.
The agreement came a day after Iran and six world powers
failed at nuclear talks in Geneva at the weekend to reach a deal on curbing
Tehran’s controversial uranium enrichment in exchange for easing economic
sanctions.
IAEA chief Yukiya Amano signed the agreement with Ali
Akbar Salehi, head of Iran’s nuclear programme, in Tehran.
World Science Day for Peace and Development on 10 November
The World Science Day for Peace and Development was observed on 10 November
2013 across the world to raise awareness on the role of science in the
development of sustainable societies.
The Theme for the year 2013 is Science for Water
Cooperation: Sharing Data, Knowledge and Innovations.
The World Science Day for Peace and Development is also known as World
Science Day. It was established by UNESCO in 2001 to raise awareness of the
benefits of science worldwide.
The World Science Day for Peace and Development is also an annual event
celebrated all over the world to recall the commitment made at the UNESCO-ICSU
World Conference on Science (Budapest 1999).
The purpose of the World Science Day for Peace and Development is to renew
the national, as well as the international commitment to science for peace and
development and to stress the responsible use of science for the benefit of
society.
International film festival to be held in Goa this month
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Manish Tewari
has announced the launch of the 44th International Film Festival of India to he
held in Goa later this month.
The film festival is set to take off on November 20 and will
end on 30th of this month.
Alongside the festival, the NDFC Film Bazaar 2013 will
also kick off in Goa on the same day. Further, the International Children's
Film Festival of India (ICFFI) will also take off on Children's Day, November
14, in Hyderabad.
Around 200 films from 48 countries will be showcased at
the children’s film festival, also known as The Golden Elephant.
Gross Direct Tax Collections during April-October
in 2013-14 up by 11.58 Percent
The Gross Direct Tax of India during the April to October
2013-14 financial year in the same period in 2012-13 financial year the gross
direct tax was 302844 crore rupees.
Whereas, the Gross Collection of Corporate taxes from
April to October 2013-2014 financial year
But the Gross Collection of Corporate taxes was 193679
crore rupees in the same period of financial year 2012-13.
Hawk 132 inducted into the Indian Navy
Indian Navy on 6 November 2013 inducted the fourth
generation advanced jet trainer aircraft Hawk 132 at a ceremony held at the
Naval Air Station INS Dega at Visakhapatnam.
Hawk 132 is an aircraft operating with over 24 countries
around the world.
The aircraft was built by the Hindustan Aeronautics
Limited (HAL) with Transfer of Technology from M/s British Aerospace, UK. Hawk
132 is equipped with advanced and reliable navigation systems and it is able to
deploy an impressive array of weaponry including air-to-air missiles,
air-to-ground rockets, bombs and guns.
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