Exam-Oriented-Current-Affairs-NATIONAL-INTERNATIONAL-ECONOMY-POLITICAL-SPORTS -Dated--29-10-2016--ENGLISH

TODAYS-SPECIAL-DAILY-National-International-NEWS-IN-ENGLISH -29-10-2016'

Rashtriya Ekta Diwas to be observed on 31st October with “Integration of India” theme

Various activities across ministries/departments being organised all over country .The Rashtriya Ekta Diwas will be observed on 31st October, 2016 with ‘Integration of India’ as the theme. On this occasion various activities are being organised across ministries/departments all over the country. The Government had decided to observe the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as the ‘Rashtriya Ekta Diwas’

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Rashtriya Ekta Diwas to be observed on 31st October with “Integration of India” theme

Various activities across ministries/departments being organised all over country .The Rashtriya Ekta Diwas will be observed on 31st October, 2016 with ‘Integration of India’ as the theme. On this occasion various activities are being organised across ministries/departments all over the country. The Government had decided to observe the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as the ‘Rashtriya Ekta Diwas’

Dr. Jitendra Singh launches Employees Online (EO) Mobile App of DoPT

App aims to update on ACC appointments and postings on real time basis and to bring transparency .The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr.Jitendra Singh launched the Employees Online (EO) App here today. EO App is a mobile application of the Department of Personnel &

Government Recognizes Boxing Federation of India as National Sports Federation for Boxing

Government has recognized Boxing Federation of India (BFI) as the National Sports Federation (NSF) for Boxing. The step will give a boost to the sport of boxing which suffered due to absence of an NSF in the discipline since 2012. BFI, which is a body formed recently, conducted its elections on 25th September, 2016. AIBA, the International Body for boxing, recognized the newly elected office bearers of BFI. The

Government begins work on easing customs procedures under WTO pact

NEW DELHI: A panel met on Friday to take stock of India’s preparedness to ease customs procedures for trade facilitation, a commitment made under a WTO pact. The first meeting of the Cabinet secretary-chaired National Committee on Trade Facilitation (NCTF) discussed the urgency of implementing those provisions of the Trade Facilitation Agreement that India is ready and need for inter-ministerial coordination and

Supreme Court threatens to hold PMO officials in contempt

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has threatened to issue contempt notices to secretaries in the PMO and Law Ministry for the Centre’s delay in appointing judges to the higher judiciary even several months after the SC collegium recommended the names for the purpose. The court, however, held off the threat on the request of the Attorney General who sought another opportunity to move things along.“You have been sitting

India's forex reserves rise $1 billion to $367.14 billion

MUMBAI: India's forex reserves rose by USD 1 billion to USD 367.14 billion for the week ended October 21 on the back of increase in the core currency assets, the Reserve Bank said today. Total reserves had dipped by USD 1.506 billion to USD 366.139 billion in the previous reporting week, after touching a life-time high of USD 371.99 billion in the week to September 30, 2016. In the reporting week, foreign currency

Russia successfully tests nuclear-capable hypersonic glider warhead

Russia successfully tests nuclear-capable hypersonic glider warhead MOSCOW: Russia has successfully tested its advanced hypersonic glider warhead, also known as Object 4202, a media report said on Friday."It's the first, totally-completed test of the warhead capable of reaching the speed of 7 km/second on the maximum altitude," Xinhua news agency quoted Russian media as saying.the warhead was fired on

Armed Forces Are Answerable To Government, Says Supreme Court

NEW DELHI:  Armed forces are answerable to the government, otherwise there will be martial law in the country, the Supreme Court said today. A bench of Justices Amitava Roy and U U Lalit made this observation as it dismissed a plea seeking action against Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar for allegedly interfering and claiming credit for the surgical strikes conducted by the Indian Army in PoK. "This plea is not

The World's First Fossilized Dinosaur Brain May Have Been Found

A bit of lumpy brown rock no bigger than an orange could be the world's first fossilized dinosaur brain.The 133-million-year-old specimen came from the skull of an Iguanodon, a genus of large, iconic herbivores that lived during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. Scientists say the innocuous rock contains wrinkles, tubes and folds that are actually fossilized forms of the meninges (the tough cushioning tissue that surrounds the

ISRO Eyes Record With Launch Of 83 Satellites On Single Rocket In Early 2017

CHENNAI:  Indian space agency ISRO is aiming for a world record by putting into orbit 83 satellites - two Indian and 81 foreign - on a single rocket in early 2017, a top official of Antrix Corporation said.He said the company's order book stands at Rs. 500 crore while negotiations are on for launch order for another Rs. 500 crore.During the first quarter of 2017 we plan to launch a single rocket carrying 83 satellites. Most

Government To Fix Minimum Wage Rate; Farm Worker To Get Rs. 350 A Day

NEW DELHI:  Labour Ministry has decided to fix the minimum wage at Rs. 350 per day for unskilled agricultural labour in C-class towns in central sphere to be effective from November 1, 2016. At present, agriculture workers in the central sphere are paid as per the rates prescribed under the national floor level minimum wage, which is Rs. 160 per day. "The ministry will notify minimum wages on

India Ranks Poorly In Commonwealth Youth Index

LONDON:  India has ranked very poorly at 133 in a new Global Youth Development Index compiled by the Commonwealth Secretariat on the countries' prospects for young people in employment, education, health, civic and political spheres. India ranked 133rd in the index covering 183 nations, below neighbouring countries like Nepal (77), Bhutan (69) and Sri Lanka (31) and trailing behind the South

GSTN inks pact with DGFT for sharing forex realisation data

NEW DELHI: With an aim to strengthen processing of export transactions of taxpayers under GST, Goods and Services Network (GSTN) has signed an MoU with the commerce ministry for sharing of foreign exchange realisation and import-export code data. The move is "expected to strengthen processing of export transactions of taxpayers under GST, increase transparency and reduce human

IT spending in banking, securities in India to hit $7.8 billion in 2017

NEW DELHI: Driven by growth in software and IT services revenue, IT spending by banking and securities firms in India is forecast to reach USD 7.8 billion in 2017, an 8.6 per cent rise from 2016, says Gartner,Inc. This forecast provides total enterprise IT spending for internal spending and spending on data center, devices,software, IT services and telecom services, Information technology research

Bob Dylan accepts Nobel Prize, says it left him 'speechless'

NEW YORK: American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan has finally acknowledged his Nobel Prize in Literature and says he accepts it, media reports said. According to a statement by the Nobel Foundation, Dylan had called Sara Danius, Permanent Secretary of the Swedish Academy and accepted the award.  "The news about the Nobel Prize left me speechless. I appreciate the honour so much,"

Digital classrooms in 1500 Telangana schools from November 14

HYDERABAD: The state government will launch digital classrooms in 1,500 government schools across the state starting November 14.  By introducing this novel concept, the government wants to make the students studying in government schools compete with their counterparts in corporate schools. Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister K Srihari on Friday announced that digital

Karnataka HC gives green signal for State's buffalo races

BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Friday gave the green signal for buffalo racing events in coastal Karnataka starting November 19. Justice A S Bopanna passed the order in response to a petition filed by the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi Districts Kambala Samiti challenging the refusal of permission the local administration. The races would have to be conducted as per the government order dated

Bangladesh arrests 900 fishermen in bid to save favourite fish

DHAKA: Bangladesh has arrested more than 900 fishermen and deployed the army to patrol its waterways after introducing a temporary ban on catching hilsa in an effort to save the hugely popular fish. Some 60 percent of the world's hilsa are caught in Bangladesh, but indiscriminate fishing has depleted much of the stock, driving up prices and putting the fish beyond the reach of the poor.

Govt announces 'High Altitude medal' for border troops

GREATER NOIDA: Border-guarding troops deployed on posts above 9,000 feet will now be decorated with a new 'high altitude medal' to recognise their services in the tough terrain and adverse climate areas, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today. Officiating as the chief guest for the 55th Raising Day celebrations of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police here, Singh said a policy decision has been taken to

Sharad Kumar gets second extension of one year as NIA chief

NEW DELHI: In a rare move, the Government today gave second extension of one year to senior IPS officer Sharad Kumar by re-employing him as Director General of National Investigation Agency (NIA) for a period of one year.The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the proposal for re-appointment of Kumar on the post of DG, NIA on "re employment" for a period of one year beyond

Govt to seek view from Law and WCD ministries over use of word 'sex' in sex education

NEW DELHI: The Union Ministry of Human Resources and Development (HRD) ministry will seek views from the Women and Child Welfare (WCD) Ministry and the Law Ministry over use of word `sex' in sex education, as it feels some sections could feel offended by the use of this word. A senior ministry official said as the subject is a sensitive issue and involves children education on sex, the

Railways to carry Tri-Netra trials during winter

NEW DELHI: With fog affecting schedule of several trains during winter, Indian Railways is likely to do trials of ‘Tri-Netra’, a device to help loco pilots to see signals on the route and also detect obstruction on track ahead to prevent collision or mishap. Railway is coming out with a tender for companies to bid for a third eye for loco pilots in November. The idea is to start some pilot projects

CIC seeks PM foreign trip bills to decide if they’re secret

NEW DELHI: The Central Information Commission has sought files related to foreign trips of the Prime Minister from the Ministry of External Affairs which had refused an RTI applicant access to the documents citing security concerns. Commodore (Retd.) Lokesh Batra had sought these details to assess the expenditure incurred on foreign trips of Narendra Modi. Chief Information Commissioner

President to visit Nepal next week

NEW DELHI: After months of tumultuous ties with the Himalayan nation, President Pranab Mukherjee will be traveling to Nepal next week. He will be the first Indian head of state to visit the country in the last 18 years. During his visit beginning November 2, President Mukherjee will be meeting Madhesi leaders in the country. “During the visit, the President will hold talks with the President, Prime Minister

Dahal to attend World Future Energy Summit in UAE in January 2017

Kathmandu [Pakistan]: Nepal Prime Minister Kamal Dahal has accepted an invitation from the United Arab Emirates to attend the World Future Energy Summit from January 16, 2017.According to a statement issued by the Nepal’s PM’s Secretariat, UAE Ambassador to Nepal Al Naqei handed over a formal letter of invitation to Dahal, reports the Himalyan Times.Assuring Nepal that it could take a great

Russia opposes Syria sanctions after UN gas attacks probe

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 28: Russia dismissed as “unconvincing” the findings of a UN-led investigation showing that Syrian forces had carried out three chemical attacks, and said no sanctions should be imposed. “We believe that the proof is not there for any punitive action to be taken. It’s simply not there,” Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters following a closed-door Security

Odisha sets up committee to implement 7th pay panel recomendations

Odisha government on Friday said it has set up a fitment committee for implementation of 7th Pay Commission recommendations for its employees and pensioners.Around four lakh state government employees and over three lakh pensioners would benefit from the move, officials said. The 7th Pay Commission headed by Justice A K Mathur had recommended a 23.55 per cent overall hike in pay,

Maritime security committee gets govt nod

PANAJI: The state cabinet on Friday approved the formation of the Goa State Maritime Security Committee (GSMSC) to enhance the coordination between various security agencies, including the state and central government, for better coastal security. The 23-member committee, which is headed by the chief secretary and which includes the vice chairman-secretary of ports, navy, army, Goa

No death of birds in Gwalior and Delhi Zoo: Committee

There has been no bird deaths in National Zoological Park, Deer park and Gwalior zoo in the last 24 hours, the committee formed by Environment Ministry to monitor the bird flu outbreak on Friday said. The three member committee said that various samples were taken from birds like duck, pelican, crow and munia bird earlier this month from National Zoological Park and sent to ICAR National Institute of

Innovative Indian-American Researchers Named 2016 NIH ‘New Innovator Award Program’ Recipients

The National Institutes of Health recently announced its 2016 Director’s New Innovator Award Program recipients with at least seven Indian Americans among those honored. The Director’s New Innovator Award Program was part of the NIH Common Fund’s High-Risk, High-Reward Research program, and named 48 innovators as recipients Oct. 4. Though traditionally supporting research

Cabinet approves the set up of NAD, IISER Odisha

The cabinet also gave ex-post facto nod for the formation of an Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Berhampur Society in Odisha and its operationalisation in a transit campus from the current academic year 2016-17. On the proposal of HRD ministry, the Union Cabinet has given its approval in the formation of National Academic Depository (NAD) which will digitally store learning

Tory dominance of top awards at Scottish Politician of the Year

A Perthshire MP led a Twitter backlash against perceived bias against the SNP at the Scottish Politician of the Year awards. Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Conservatives leader, took the main prize and was crowned debater of the year at Thursday night’s annual awards bash.Her colleague David Mundell, the Scottish Secretary and the sole Tory MP north of the border, won the coveted Best Scot at

Five-time MLA Rajpati Devi passes away

i. Rajpati Devi, a five-time Congress MLA from Gauriganj, passed away due to age-related ailments at a hospital in Kanpur.ii. Rajpati’s husband Giriraj Singh was a freedom fighter and was a one-time MLA from Gauriganj and MP from Sultanpur. He was close to Gandhi family. She is survived by two

IBM acquires Sanovi Technologies to boost hybrid cloud

American technology giant, IBM has acquired home-grown Sanovi Technologies to support its cloud offerings for an undisclosed sum. Bangalore based Sanovi provides hybrid cloud recovery, cloud migration and business continuity software for enterprise data centers and cloud infrastructure.By the end of 2016, IBM plans to integrate the Sanovi’s capabilities into its Global Technology Services unit.

FIH appoints Jason McCracken, former Olympic and World Cup umpire, as new CEO

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has appointed New Zealand’s Jason McCracken as its chief executive officer(CEO) and he will take over on February 2017. He will be leaving his role as head of insurance and investment risk at banking group ANZ to take up his new post at FIH’s headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. He will replace Kelly Fairweather, who is leaving for the International Tennis

Srei launches digital marketplace iQuippo for infra sector

Kolkata-based Srei launched “iQuippo”, a digital marketplace for construction equipment machinery and services.It will allow, buying, sell and rent of new and used construction equipment and it will also have assisted services. The construction equipment market is envisaged to grow to Rs.50,000 crore by

ICICI Bank UK launches ‘Money2India Europe’ in Sweden, Norway and Denmark

The British subsidiary of ICICI Bank, ICICI Bank UK Plc announced the launch of online money transfer services to facilitate transaction from any bank accounts in Sweden, Norway and Denmark to any recipent account based in India.The service called ‘Money2India Europe’ verifies the credentials of the customers over video call from Money2India Europe website. The website is owned by ICICI Bank

YES Bank partners with ToneTag for sound-based payments

YES Bank has tied up with ToneTag, a Mobile payment solutions startup to integrate and Yes Bankdeploy sound based contactless payments on its mobile wallet YES Pay.ToneTag uses sound waves to enable offline, proximity based contactless payments.This technology will allow YES Pay wallet users to make ‘cardless’ and offline payments at merchant outlets through their mobile

23rd Rehabilitation International World Congress at Edinburgh, Scotland

Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot, the Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment wcattended the 23rd Rehabilitation International World Congress at Edinburgh, Scotland, being held from 25-27 October,2016.the Theme of the Congress is, “Create a More Inclusive World”. the Congress is being attended by more than 1000 delegates from 65 countries. While addressing the Congress on 25th

Kyrgyzstan govt resigned after coalition collapse

The government of Kyrgyzstan resigned after the president’s party quit the ruling coalition, inducing fears the Central Asian country could plunge into instability.President Almazbek Atambayev signed an order on his government’s resignation, the president’s website announced. The government’s resignation was due to the collapse of the coalition of the parliamentary majority.the proposed

India, Russia to hold discussions on deepening military co-operation

India and Russia would hold detailed discussions on deeper military cooperations, specifically on joint production of fifth generation fighter aircraft, upgradation of Su-30 MKI planes and firming up the contract for the S400 Triumf air defence system. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu will co-chair a meeting of the Indo-Russian Inter Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation

India-China Cooperation Forum meet held in Shanghai

More than 100 students and entrepreneurs from Indian and Chinese businesses took part in the 5th edition of the India-China Cooperation Forum in Shanghai to boost bilateral trade and increase investments in crucial sectors.Mr. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of the Republic of India, is currently paying an official visit to China at the invitation of H.E. Mr. Li Keqiang, Premier of the State Council of

Retired government employees’ identity cards to have national emblem

The pensioners identity cards given to retired employees would have national emblem as the Home Ministry has cleared a proposal in this regard.The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions has been considering a proposal of issuing identity cards to all the pensioners. It was decided that it would not be necessary to have the State emblem on the identity cards given to retired

Haryana to observe 2017 as ‘GaribKalyanVarsh’

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced that the state government has decided to observe 2017 as the “GaribKalyanVarsh”, with schemes to be spread next year for the poor.During the era of GaribKalyanVarsh, the government would lay confirm on welfare of poor people and generating employment opportunities for the youth Khattar, who completed two years in office the outgoing year

4th Nepal-India Joint Commission commences in New Delhi

The fourth meeting of the Nepal-India Joint Commission began in New Delhi was setting the tone for the minister-level meeting scheduled. Foreign Secretaries Shankar Das Bairagi and S Jaishankar are directing the Nepali and Indian delegations. The Nepal-India ministerial level meeting is expected to focus on implementing the past agreements and accords signed between the two countries.The Nepal-

Exam-Oriented-Current-Affairs-NATIONAL-INTERNATIONAL-ECONOMY-POLITICAL-SPORTS -Dated--28-10-2016--ENGLISH

TODAYS-SPECIAL-DAILY-National-International-NEWS-IN-ENGLISH -28-10-2016

World Day for Audiovisual Heritage 2016 observed globally

World Day for Audiovisual Heritage was observed across the world on 27 October 2016. The theme for the day was It's Your Story - Don't Lose It.The World Day for Audiovisual Heritage aims to raise general awareness of the need for urgent measures to be taken to safeguard audiovisual document. It also focuses on acknowledging the importance of audiovisual documents as an integral part of national

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GSTN signs MoU with DGFT for sharing of foreign exchange realisation data

The Goods and Services Network(GSTN) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) for sharing of foreign exchange realisation and Import Export code data, a move that is expected to strengthen processing of export transactions of taxpayers under GST, increase transparency and reduce human interface. The Memorandum of Understanding

PM previews exhibition on the theme “Uniting India: Sardar Patel”

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, on Thursday previewed the exhibition – “Uniting India – Sardar Patel” set up by the Ministry of Culture, at National Science Centre in New Delhi. This digital exhibition, which showcases the integration of India, and the contribution of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, has been prepared with the inspiration of the Prime Minister. The exhibition has around 30 exhibits, and

Inter State Council (ISC) and Standing Committee of ISC Reconstituted

Inter State Council (ISC) and Standing Committee of ISC Reconstituted . The Government has reconstituted the Inter State Council (ISC) and the Standing Committee of the Inter State Council under Clause 2 of the Inter State Council order,1990.The Prime Minister has approved the following composition of the Inter State Council.

Himachal Pradesh declared India’s Second Open Defecation Free State

The State of Himachal Pradesh was today declared Open Defecation Free (ODF), making it the second State in the country (after Sikkim) to achieve the feat. The State government made the declaration today at a public event in Shimla, where the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Shri Virbhadra Singh, felicitated the respective District Administrators and Local Administrators for successfully achieving

India, Pakistan expel High Commission officials

Pakistan is being exposed on all fronts - terrorism, radicalisation, crackdown on democratic dissent and clandestine activities like espionage. Pakistan High Commission staffer Mehmood Akhtar has been asked to leave India within 48 hours. Akhtar was detained by Delhi Police for his involvement in espionage activities. Later, he was let off. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson said in New Delhi last

Theresa May praises British-Indians in Diwali message

Hailing the contribution of British- Indians, Prime Minister Theresa May has said she would highlight their success during her first official visit to India next month. May praised British-Indians in her message at the annual Diwali celebrations in the House of Commons in Wednesday. "In Britain's Indian communities, we can see the good that can be done when people's talents are unleashed. I think of all

Govt eases horticulture norms in J&K

In what would come as major relief to apple growers in Jammu & Kashmir who lost their crops in the floods that lashed the state in 2014, the Union Cabinet has decided to relax norms under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture, to help them restore their orchards and also help new apple growers in setting up new orchards. For the horticultrists in J&K, a fund of 500 crore rupees was

Goa’s first woman CM Shashikala Kakodkar passes away

Goa’s first woman chief minister Shashikala Kakodar passed away on Friday morning, after a brief illness. She was 81. A prominent leader of the Maharashtrwadi Gomantak Party, Kakodkar was the daughter of Goa’s first chief minister Dayanand Bandodkar. Following her father’s death in 1973, Kakodkar was sworn in as the chief minister, and held charge till April 1979, following a split in the

Indore: Eminent academician BK Pasi passes away

Indore: Former rector of Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya (DAVV), Bal Krishna Pasi passed away after prolonged illness on Thursday afternoon. He was an eminent professor who guided many PhD scholars, including NCERT director Hrushikesh Senapaty, wrote several books and was instrumental in opening of many departments in DAVV. Remembering Pasi, vice-chancellor Dr Narendra Dhakad said

Secularism not aloofness to religion: Supreme Court

NEW DELHI: Amid a high-voltage legal debate on curbing use of religion to seek votes, the Supreme Court asked on Thursday whether secularism meant complete separation of politics from religion and said it would attempt to give a pragmatic interpretation of the law dealing with using religion and caste to promote hatred during elections. “It will be difficult to accept as a proposition that a political party

SC orders same pay for temporary workers as others

The Supreme Court has ruled that temporarily-engaged employees like daily-wage workers, ad hoc appointees, those appointed on a casual basis, and contractual workers are entitled to regular pay scale, along with dearness allowance as those engaged on a regular basis against sanctioned posts in government. The judgment, passed in cross appeals by the Punjab government and temporary workers,

Govt clears seven FDI proposals worth Rs 100 crore

Inter-ministerial body Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) on Thursday cleared seven proposals envisaging foreign investment of Rs 100 crore. “Seven out of 19 proposals were cleared,” sources said. The proposals of Oxford University Press and Dr Reddy’s Laboratories were among those approved by the board. These two proposals together entail an investment of Rs 90 crore,

Cabinet gives in-principle nod to biggest divestment drive

The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday gave an "in-principle" approval to strategic sales and disinvestment in a number of state-owned companies, kick-starting the process of valuing these entities and finding interested buyers. The public sector undertakings (PSUs) include loss-making and profit-making entities as well as assets such as factories and plants. Finance Minister Arun

NASA images show crater created by European Mars lander

New images beamed back by a NASA probe show that the European Space Agency's Mars lander created a shallow crater when it crashed on to the red planet. The latest image was taken on October 25 by the high-resolution camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. It provides close-ups of new markings on the planet's surface first spotted by the spacecraft. The new images provide a more

Stalin slams delay in forming twelve House committees

 Leader of the Opposition and DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin on Thursday threatened to move a no-confidence motion against the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly P. Dhanapal for not constituting various Committees of the House despite making a statement in the House that they would be constituted. He added that the DMK would raise the issue with the Governor. “The Assembly

IOC disqualifies nine from Beijing 2008 Olympics

The International Olympic Committee has sanctioned a further nine athletes, including six medal winners, after they tested positive following the reanalysis of samples from the Beijing Olympics.The IOC has been working its way through a backlog of cases uncovered by the more than 1200 samples it retested from Beijing 2008 and London 2012 in the build-up to the Rio Games. This week it published

Global wildlife population may fall 67% by 2020: WWF Report

NEW DELHI: The global wildlife population could fall by an average of 67 per cent between 1970 and 2020 as a result of human activities, according to World Wildlife Fund's Living Planet Report 2016.The report indicated that the global populations of fish, birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles have already declined by 58 per cent between 1970 and 2012. "This places the world on a trajectory of a

Large scale mining and quarrying on Yamuna bed in Haryana: Report

NEW DELHI: A report filed by local commissioners appointed by National Green Tribunal (NGT) to check the extent of illegal quarrying around Yamuna Nagar in Haryana have found evidence of large scale illegal mining and quarrying on Yamuna riverbed. The report has highlighted that massive illegal mining may have affected the course of the river too making the adjoining villages vulnerable to

Record-shattering birds stay in air for 10 months: Study

MIAMI: A small, dark-feathered bird known as the common swift flies for 10 months on end without ever landing, the longest time spent aloft of any known bird, scientists said Thursday. The findings in the US journal Current Biology confirmed a 46-year-old hypothesis, first offered by British researcher Ron Lockley, that these birds spend most of their lives in the air. A team of researchers from Sweden

Air quality 'severe', city braces for 'critically polluted' days

NEW DELHI: Delhiites on Thursday inhaled severely poor quality air which had respirable pollutants up to nine times above the safe limit at certain places even as authorities warned of a "critically polluted" period ahead. Anand Vihar, the city's pollution hotspot, had PM 1O (suspended particulate matter) at over 962 micrograms per cubic metre at 2 PM, as against the safe limit of 100, days ahead of Diwali,

Union Cabinet gives approval to IISER, Berhampur in Odisha

The Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval to formation of the Indian Institute of Science Education & Research (IISER) at Berhampur in Odisha. IISER, Berhampur will be established under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 and it will start of its 2016-17 academic session from 1 August 2016. It will being its operations from a transit or temporary campus from the Academic Year 2016-17

RBI allows startups to raise $3 million via ECBs annually

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has permitted startups to raise external commercial borrowings (ECBs) of up to $3 million in a financial year for three year tenure The new rules issued by RBI aims at boosting innovation and promoting job creation in the country. It will apply to startups looking to raise foreign borrowings and restrictions on such funds will be kept minimum. Key Facts Under the ECB

Two-thirds of wild animals may go extinct by 2020

According to recently released study, global wildlife populations have fallen by 58% since 1970 and if the trend continues then two-thirds of wild animals may go extinct by 2020 The study was published as The Living Planet assessment by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). What the study says? It suggests that animals living in lakes, rivers and wetlands are

Scientists Aim Largest Telescope Possible At 'Alien Megastructure' Star

Early Thursday morning, a new and powerful effort was underway to explore a mystery 1,500 light-years away. West Virginia's Green Bank Telescope was hard at work, sucking up information about a strange winking star. The giant radio telescope is the biggest of its kind, with a 330-foot-wide parabolic dish, making the device the largest steerable telescope on Earth. The Green Bank Telescope is tucked

Deal Struck For World's Biggest Marine Reserve In Antarctica

WELLINGTON:  The countries that decide the fate of Antarctica reached an historic agreement on Friday to create the world's largest marine protected area in the ocean next to the frozen continent.The agreement comes after years of diplomatic wrangling and high-level talks between the US and Russia, which has rejected the idea in the past.Proponents of the reserve say it sets a precedent for multiple

Government Mandates Indian Language Support In Phones From July Next Year

NEW DELHI:  Government has mandated support for Indian languages in all mobile phones to be sold in the country from July 1, 2017 onward. "In exercise of the power conferred by clause 10(1) of Bureau of Indian Standard Act... the central government, hereby includes the Indian language support for mobile phone as per IS 16333(Part-3) to the schedule of 'Electronics and Information Technology

Home Ministry To Declare Zakir Naik's NGO Unlawful, Say Sources

The Islamic Research Foundation - headed by the controversial tele-evangelist Zakir Naik - will be declared as unlawful organization under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 2011. Sources said the Home Ministry will soon refer the matter to cabinet. Zakir Naik has been found to deliver provocative speeches, the ministry is expected to tell the Union Cabinet, sources said. His foundation has been

Dr Reddy's Lab announces strategic deal with Gland Pharma in US market

Pharmaceutical giant Dr Reddy's Laboratories Ltd on 26 October 2016 announced that it entered into a strategic collaboration with Gland Pharma. The companies entered into the deal to market and distribute a diverse portfolio of eight injectable Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDAs). The portfolio is a mix of filed ANDAs pending approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) and ANDAs

Borje Ekholm appointed as President and CEO of Ericsson

Borje Ekholm was on 26 October 2016 appointed as the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of  Ericsson, Swedish communication technology firm, with effect from 16 January 2017. Until then, Jan Frykhammar will remain interim CEO.  Ekholm will also remain a member of the Board of Directors of Ericsson. Presently, Ekholm is working as CEO of Patricia Industries. Prior to assuming

World Day for Audiovisual Heritage 2016 observed globally

World Day for Audiovisual Heritage was observed across the world on 27 October 2016. The theme for the day was It's Your Story - Don't Lose It.The World Day for Audiovisual Heritage aims to raise general awareness of the need for urgent measures to be taken to safeguard audiovisual document. It also focuses on acknowledging the importance of audiovisual documents as an integral part of national

Punjab Directorate wins NCC National Games

Punjab Directorate on 27 October 2016 won the 2016 National Cadet Corp (NCC) National Games. Subhash Bhamre, Minister of State for Defence, presented trophies to the winners at the closing ceremony at Delhi Cantonment. The NCC Games aim to provide the talented sportsmen among the cadet exposure of a major sporting event while preparing them with the requisite matching

Nadia Murad and Lamiya Aji Bashar wins 2016 Sakharov Prize

Two Yazidi women, Nadia Murad Basee and Lamiya Aji Bashar, who escaped sexual enslavement by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Iraq, have won Europe's top human rights award, the Sakharov prize. The announcement of the year's joint laureates was made following a decision by European Parliament on 27 October 2016. The Sakharov award ceremony will be held in Strasbourg on

Union Government constitutes Munialappa Committee to monitor bird flu situation

The Union Agricultural Ministry on 27 October 2016 constituted a High-Level Committee to monitor the bird flu situation and help state governments take steps to contain the disease.The Committee will be headed by Munialappa, Joint Commissioner in the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries (DADF). Munialappa will be the nodal officer and will be available to provide advice and help

Union Cabinet gives in-principle approval for strategic sale of over dozen PSUs

Union Cabinet on 27 October 2016 gave its in-principle approval to NITI Aayog’s proposal for strategic sale of over a dozen public sector undertakings (PSUs). Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the names of PSUs that are up for strategic stake sale would be made public once they are going to be put up for the auction. This list does not include PSUs for closure. The recommendations of the NITI Aayog on

Union Cabinet approves Cadre Review of Indian Posts & Telecommunications Accounts and Finance Service

The Union Cabinet on 27 October 2016 approved the first Cadre Review of Indian Posts & Telecommunications Accounts and Finance Service (IP&TAFS).The key features of the Cadre Review of IP&TAFS: Reduction of the total strength of the cadre from 420 to 376. Creation of one Apex level post of Controller General of Communication Accounts (CGCA). Creation of one additional HAG+ level

Sunil Bharti Mittal appointed as Chairman of GSMA

Sunil Bharti Mittal, Founder and Chairman of Bharti Enterprises, was on 27 October 2016 appointed as Chairman of GSMA. As GSMA Chairman, Mittal will oversee the strategic direction of the organisation.

Mittal will succeed Jon Fredrik Baksaas, who will step down from the GSMA board at the end of 2016. On the other hand, the company re-elected Mari-Noëlle Jego-Laveissiere, Executive Vice President,

Union Ministry of Urban Development signs MoU with NBCC (India) Ltd & CPWD

The Union Urban Development Ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NBCC and CPWD for redevelopment of seven General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA) colonies. The National Buildings Construction Corporation (India) Ltd(NBCC) will redevelop Sarojini Nagar, Netaji Nagar, Nauroji Nagar, while the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) will redevelop

OCARE launches India’s first dental insurance product

Mumbia-based independent Insurance Process as a Service (IPAAS) platform, OCARE has launched the first ever dental insurance product in the country. A group insurance product aims to make dental treatments accessible, affordable and achievable for the end-users. With its nationwide effort, OCARE will offer group dental insurance to villages through gram panchayats of the country. Vihigaon, a village

Gambia withdraws from ICC over ‘humiliation’ of Africans

Gambia has announced its withdrawal from the International Criminal Court, accusing the Hague-based tribunal of “persecution and humiliation of people of colour, especially Africans”. announcement comes after similar decisions earlier this month by South Africa and Burundi to abandon the institution, set up to try the world’s worst crimes. The ICC was set up in 2002 and is often accused of bias against

MMTC ties up with banks to sell Indian Gold Coin

 Public sector major MMTC has joined hands with HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and Andhra Bank to retail gold coins with a new buyback option. Besides its own outlets across the country, MMTC has tied up with Indian Overseas Bank, Vijaya Bank, Federal Bank and YES Bank to sell gold coins in denominations of 5 gm and 10 gm coin and 20 gm bar. MMTC has also announced a transparent

Bengaluru, Delhi get ATMs that dispense gold coins

A unique automatic telling machine (ATM) has grabbed the attention of people in Bengaluru, as instead of dispensing money, it accepts money from users and dispenses gold coins in exchange. This one of its kind experiment has been initiated by online jewellery company BlueStone on the occasion of Diwali. The mechanism behind its usage is quite simple and a frequent ATM user can operate it without any

Jaipur Literature Festival to be held between January 19- 23

Hailed as a confluence of ideas, thoughts and literature, the Jaipur Literature Festival has announced the dates for its upcoming edition. To be held from January 19 to 23, 2017 this will be the festival’s 10th edition. Having hosted a string of illustrous public figures like Margaret Atwood, Mohammed Hanif, Oprah Winfrey, OrhanPamuk, Pico Iyer, Salman Rushdie, Stephen Fry, Thomas Piketty, Vikram Seth

Federer most valuable athlete brand of 2016: Forbes

Roger Federer has been named the top athlete brand in the Forbes Fab 40, the world’s most valuable sports brands. The Swiss superstar has a brand value of $37 million a year, the amount by which endorsement income exceeds the average endorsement income earned by the Top 10 earning athletes in the same sport during the past year. Federer’s brand value is greater than NBA basketball player LeBron

Antoine Griezmann named La Liga Player of the Year

Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann has been named La Liga player of the season for 2015/16, ahead of the likes of star duo Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Atletico’s Diego Simeone also took the coach of the season award while Barcelona’s Uruguay striker Luis Suarez was named the top non-EU player. Atletico dominated the awards as Jan Oblak was the best goalkeeper, Diego Godin top

Exam-Oriented-Current-Affairs-NATIONAL-INTERNATIONAL-ECONOMY-POLITICAL-SPORTS -Dated--27-10-2016--ENGLISH

TODAY'S-SPECIAL-DAILY-National-International-NEWS-IN-ENGLISH -27-10-2016

COAS pays homage at Amar Jawan Jyoti on the occasion of Infantry Day .

COAS pays homage at Amar Jawan Jyoti on the occasion of Infantry Day .The 'Infantry Day' was celebrated on 27 Oct 2016 with a solemn Wreath Laying Ceremony organised at `Amar Jawan Jyoti' wherein Gen Dalbir Singh, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Gen JJ Singh, (Retd) former Chief of Army Staff, Director General Infantry and Colonels of Infantry Regiments laid wreaths and paid homage to

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'Wearable robot' to help paralytic patients walk

Scientists have designed a wearable lower-limb robot exoskeleton that features natural knee movement to help stroke and spinal cord injury patients regain ability to walk and strengthen their muscles. Wearable "robot-assisted training" is quickly emerging as a method that helps improve gait rehabilitation. Now, researchers from Beihang University in China and Aalborg University in Denmark

Cabinet approves establishment of National Academic Depository

The Union Cabinet under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has accorded its approval for establishment and operationalisation of a National Academic Depository (NAD). The decision aims at bringing another dimension and enhancement of the vision of Digital India. The NAD would be established and operationalised within the next three months and would be rolled out

COAS pays homage at Amar Jawan Jyoti on the occasion of Infantry Day .

COAS pays homage at Amar Jawan Jyoti on the occasion of Infantry Day .The 'Infantry Day' was celebrated on 27 Oct 2016 with a solemn Wreath Laying Ceremony organised at `Amar Jawan Jyoti' wherein Gen Dalbir Singh, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Gen JJ Singh, (Retd) former Chief of Army Staff, Director General Infantry and Colonels of Infantry Regiments laid wreaths and paid homage to

National Ayurveda Day to be celebrated throughout the Country on 28th October

National Ayurveda Day to be celebrated throughout the Country on 28th October .“Mission Madhumeha through Ayurveda” to be launched . On the occasion of National Ayurveda Day, the Ministry of AYUSH is organizing a one day National Seminar on ‘’Prevention and Control of Diabetes through Ayurveda’’ on 28th October 2016 at New Delhi. The Minister of State (IC) PMO, DoNER,

Cabinet approves one time relaxation in the cost norms and guidelines of MIDH

Cabinet approves one time relaxation in the cost norms and guidelines of MIDH . The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval for one time relaxation of Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) cost norms for implementation of PM's Special package for Jammu & Kashmir towards restoration of

Cabinet approves the new Agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit between India and Bhutan

Cabinet approves the new Agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit between India and Bhutan.The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, has approved an Agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit between India and Bhutan. The bilateral trade relations between India and Bhutan are governed by the Agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit between the Government

Madras HC directs Google, YouTube to give user details

The Madras High Court has directed Google and its subsidiary YouTube to provide details, including identity and address, of a user 'Marupakkam Seithigal', who posted a video content dubbed defamatory by petitioner Lebara Foundation. The court dismissed an appeal by Google and YouTube against the order of a single judge who directed them to disclose the IP address and other details of the uploader of

Extinction Alert: Wildlife Populations Plunge Almost 60 Per Cent Since 1970

OSLO:  Worldwide populations of mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles have plunged by almost 60 per cent since 1970 as human activities overwhelm the environment, the WWF conservation group said on Thursday. An index compiled with data from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) to measure the abundance of biodiversity was down 58 per cent from 1970 to 2012 and would fall 67 per

Giant Mugger Crocodile Caught Alive In Odisha Rivulet

KENDRAPARA, ODISHA:  A 12-foot long mugger crocodile that had strayed from far-off Satakosia Tiger Reserve in Angul district to Luna rivulet of Mahanadi river system near Kendrapara town was caught alive by wildlife personnel with the help of skilled fishermen after a six-hour effort. The giant male carnivorous species was sighted in the rivulet near Bilabalrampur village last week, which had

Mediterranean Migrant Deaths In 2016 Hit Record 3,800: UN

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND:  At least 3,800 migrants and refugees have perished this year while trying to cross the Mediterranean to reach Europe, the highest ever toll ever on the perilous route, the UN said Wednesday. "We can confirm that at least 3,800 people have been reported dead or missing in the Mediterranean Sea so far this year, making the death toll in 2016 the highest ever recorded," UN

Israel Unveils 'Oldest' Hebrew Mention Of Jerusalem

JERUSALEM, UNDEFINED:  Israeli archaeologists on Wednesday unveiled a 7th century BC text they said contains the earliest mention in Hebrew of Jerusalem outside the Bible, prompting officials to stress the Jewish connection to the city. "For Israeli archaeology, this is the first mention in Hebrew of the city of Jerusalem outside the New Testament," Amir Ganor of Israel's antiquities authority told AFP as

Women Employees Can Now File Harassment Complaints Online: Government

NEW DELHI:  The women employees of the Central government will soon be able to file sexual harassment complaints online. The decision was taken at a meeting called by Women and Child Development (WCD) Minister Maneka Gandhi today after she received complaints from aggrieved women employees from various ministries. Officials from Department of Personnel and Training

Life expectancy highest in Jammu and Kashmir: RGI Data

According to the data given by the Registrar General of India (RGI), Jammu and Kashmir has the highest life expectancy (i.e. post-60 life expectancy), except life expectancy at birth. With this, Jammu and Kashmir has surpassed Kerala which used to be the leader in life expectancy in almost all categories of age till 2010. What is data about? RGI’s Sample Registration System (SRS) had published state level

Union Government launches Biotech-KISAN and Cattle Genomics to empower farmers

The Union Ministry of Science and Technology has launched two new schemes Biotech-KISAN and Cattle Genomics in order to apply science to boost rural economy. The intent of these programmes is to form a network to farmers directly with the scientists and experts. Thus they seek to empower farmers, especially women farmers. Biotech-KISAN (Krishi Innovation Science Application Network)

Government launches International Household Survey Network Toolkit

The Union Minister for Statistics and Programme Implementation, D.V. Sadananda Gowda has launched the International Household Survey Network (IHSN) Toolkit. He also had launched new Website of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation in New Delhi. What is International Household Survey Network (IHSN) Toolkit? The IHSN is a standard bench mark which

'The Simpsons' writer Kevin Curran passes away

LOS ANGELES: Kevin Curran, a six-time Emmy-winning writer and producer who worked on shows like "Late Night With David Letterman" and "The Simpsons", died at his home here after a long illness. He was 59. He graduated from Harvard College in 1979, where he served as an editor for the Harvard Lampoon. While at Harvard, Curran met Al Jean, who would go on to become the showrunner of "The

Vetaran journalist M.B. Singh passes away

Veteran journalist M.B. Singh (91) died at his residence in Bengaluru on Wednesday. Singh served as editor of Prajavani and was instrumental in launching Sudha (weekly) and Mayura ( monthly) magazines. He worked for Mathrubhumi and also for Varta of Veerakesari Seetharama Shastry. He joined Prajavani as a war correspondent in 1953 and was the first journalist to cover the liberation of

No toll tax on DND flyway, rules Allahabad high court

The ride between Delhi and Noida on the DND Flyway became toll-free after the Allahabad high court on Wednesday ordered the private concessionaire to stop collecting user-fee from commuters, saying they were being illegally taxed. Managed by the Noida Toll Bridge Company Ltd (NTBCL), the eight-lane, 9.2km road connecting Noida with south Delhi, was opened on February 6, 2001. The toll for a

India Inc increases focus on reducing carbon emission: CDP

MUMBAI: Corporates are increasing focus on setting emission reduction and renewable energy targets besides putting up an internal price on carbon as part of risk mitigation, says a report. According to CDP's latest climate change report, as many as 47 firms on the BSE 200 index have disclosed information related to climate change as against 34 companies in 2010. The report assumes significance

Perth Zoo's Puan the orangutan becomes oldest in world

MELBOURNE: An orangutan at Perth Zoo has been named the world's oldest Sumatran orangutan in captivity by the Guinness Book of World Records, as she celebrated her 60th birthday on Thursday, a zoo spokesperson told Reuters on Thursday. Puan celebrated with a birthday breakfast of rambutans from her childhood home in Malaysia, Perth Zoo spokesperson Danielle Henry said. She was gifted to

OROP scheme: Judicial committee submits report to Manohar Parrikar

New Delhi: The one-man judicial committee on One Rank One Pension (OROP) set up by the government on Wednesday submitted its report to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. Union minister Manohar Parrikar receiving the report. Union minister Manohar Parrikar receiving the report.The Centre had appointed the committee under the Chairmanship of retired Chief Justice of Patna High

11 BBMP committee members elected

BENGALURU: The heads for BBMP council's 11 standing committees were elected unopposed on Wednesday. Mayor G Padmavathi said: "Four members each from the Congress and JD(S) and three Independent members were elected. The poll for the Establishment and Administrative Re forms Standing Committee chairman's post had to be postponed as there were no nominations." The list of

India Lead ICC Test Rankings And Ravichandran Ashwin Tops The Bowling Charts

India led the team's table with 115 points ahead of arch-rivals Pakistan (111) and Australia (108). England were at fourth place followed by South Africa, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, West Indies with Bangladesh and Zimbabwe completing the list. Offspinner Ashwin, who became the second fastest to 200 wickets during the Test series against New Zealand, maintained his position with 900 points, with

Election Commission of India (ECI) unveiled three IT based Systems – Samadhan, Suvidha, and Sugam

The assembly elections of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has augmented the use of IT applications to make the election process smooth, effective and transparent.Election Commission.The extent of IT application associates itself with National level data compilation of electors, functioning at polling stations, work allocation of

Poet And Novelist Lucia Perillo Dies At 58- “Dangerous Life.”

The Pulitzer Prize winning Author Lucia Perillo has died in Olympia. He was 58. Perillo authored several collections of poetry including “Inseminating the Elephant” in 2009, which won the Pulitzer Prize and winner of the Rebekah Johnson Bobbitt National Prize for Poetry from the Library of Congress.The MacArthur Genius Fellow was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1988 and his first

World Bank lenders must aid countries to manage shift away from coal

The World Bank and other global development lenders and other financial institutions must help countries such as India to finance the shift of their coal production to more efficient technologies so they can meet their COP21 commitments said by Benjamin Sporton, World Coal Association Chief Executive .The World Bank should not support coal based power plant. Instead of Coal Power Plant

BSE launches ‘paperless SIP’ facility for mutual fund investors.

BSE has introduced a paperless SIP(Systematic Investment Plan) facility for mutual fund (MF) investors.It will extremely cut the registration time and also allow subscribers to transact through different payment modes including net banking. SIP is an investment vehicle that allows investors to invest in small amounts periodically instead of lump sums. The frequency of investment is usually

Indian Army team wins gold medal in gruelling Cambrian Patrol exercise

India Army team has won a gold medal at Exercise Cambrian Patrol which was organised by the British Army in Wales.The Indian Army team presented a tradition khukri as a memento to the British Army. The eight men of the 2nd Battalion of 8 Gorkha Rifles received the medal from British Prime Minister Theresa May.The exercise is so difficult that many teams are unable to finish. However, those who do

Maharashtra Governor inaugurates ‘World Peace Conference’ at Nashik

The 19th ‘World Peace Conference’ was inaugurated by Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao  at Nashik in Maharashtra on October 24, 2016. Aim: to strengthen people to search truth and utilise education for development of the society.  Organiser : Gokhale Education Society (GES) and International Association of Educators for World Peace. The inaugural address on the occasion is given

Younis Khan jumps to second position in ICC Test rankings

Pakistan batsman Younis Khan jumped three places to reach the second spot in the latest ICC Test rankings that came out after the conclusion of the second Test between Pakistan and West Indies. Their 133 run win over West Indies helped Pakistan take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series. Younis had missed the first Test due to a minor bout of dengue. West Indies’ dismal showing

Shooter Abhinav Bindra invests in tea startup Kettlery

Ahmedabad-based specialty tea startup The Kettlery has raised seed funding from shooter and investor Abhinav Bindra’s fund Shooting Star Sports LLP and Franchise India Brands. CPK Food and Beverages Pvt. Ltd, which runs The Kettlery, received $1 million (Rs 6.71 crore) in the seed round, Sandeep Kotecha, founder, The Kettlery, told Techcircle.in. The development was first reported by The

World leaders’ personal chefs meet in Delhi

The personal chefs of world leaders are meeting in Delhi as part of the 40th Club des Chefs des Chefs, and are being hosted by President Pranab Mukherjee’s personal chef, Montu Saini. The chefs, including that of US President Barack Obama, have visited a spice market and met Mukherjee. They will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visit Chandni Chowk. The chefs who cook for the world’s leaders

India beat Malaysia 2-1 in Asian Champions Trophy

India finished the round robin stages of the Asian Champions Trophy with a 2-1 win when they took on Malaysia in Kuantan. The 2011 champions India defied both the Malaysian side which had won all three of its matches and the crowd support as well. Rupinder Pal Singh continued his sublime touch from the penalty corners to score a goal in the first quarter and Malaysia pulled one back with Razie

Govt launches Biotech-KISAN scheme to empower farmers, especially women

The government announced the launch of two new programmes — Biotech-KISAN and Cattle Genomics. Union Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan said the intent of the programmes is to form a network to farmers directly with the scientists and experts. The Prime Minister has emphasised that it is important for scientists to work on the problems being faced by our farmers.

Pakistan ranked second worst country in gender gap index

World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2016  reports that Pakistan ranks 143 out of 144 countries in the gender inequality index, standing way behind Bangladesh and India who rank 72nd and 87th respectively. For the second consecutive year, Pakistan has been ranked the second-worst country in the world for gender inequality.  Pakistan is also the worst performing state in South

India, Iran to sign Farzad-B gas field deal by February next year

India and Iran agreed that aim to strike a deal early next year on the Farzad-B gas field in the Persian Gulf, the Indian Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry announced. The Farzad-B natural gas field was discovered four years ago. It is estimated to hold 18.75 trillion cubic feet of gas, according to the latest estimates. The Indian company ONGC Videsh, which has drilled an exploration well in the field, is

Younis Khan jumps to second position in ICC Test rankings

Veteran Pakistan batsman Younis Khan jumped three places to reach the second spot in the latest ICC Test rankings that came out after the conclusion of the second Test between Pakistan and West Indies. Their 133 run win over West Indies helped Pakistan take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series. Younis had missed the first Test due to a minor bout of dengue. West Indies’ dismal showing

Russian sets new base jump world record

Russian basejumper Valery Rozov has smashed his own world record by leaping from the side of the sixth tallest mountain in the world using a wingsuit. The 51-year-old daredevil soared from a height of 7,700 meters (25,300ft) from Mount Cho Oyu, a towering peak of ice and snow which once forced Mount Everest conquerer Edmund Hillary to admit defeat in 1952. Rozov’s expedition along the China-

Union Ministry of Urban Development signs MoU with NBCC (India) Ltd & CPWD

The Union Ministry of Urban Development on 25 October 2016 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with National Buildings Construction Corporation (India) Ltd and Central Public Works Department (CPWD). The MoU was signed for the redevelopment of General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA) colonies in New Delhi.

AIR's entry on dwindling tiger habitats wins ABU award

All India Radio’s (AIR’s) entry Diary of a Tiger (एक बाघ की डायरी) in October 2016 won the first prize in the Community Service Announcement category of the prestigious Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) awards for the year 2016. Dairy of a Tiger was declared the winner at an award ceremony held in Bali, Indonesia, on the sidelines of ongoing 53rd ABU General Assembly and Associated Meetings. he

Haryana to observe 2017 as Garib Kalyan Varsh

Haryana Government has decided to observe 2017 as the “Garib Kalyan Varsh”. The announcement was made by Chief Minister Manohar Lal on 26 October 2016. During the observation period of Garib Kalyan Varsh, the government would lay emphasis on welfare of poor people and generating employment opportunities for the youth. Khattar, who completed two years in office, also said that the

Karnal Singh appointed as Director of Enforcement Directorate

Senior IPS officer Karnal Singh on 26 October 2016 was appointed the Director of Enforcement Directorate (ED). The Appointments Committee of Cabinet approved the appointment of Singh till 31 August 2017, which is the date of his superannuation. Singh was already holding the post as additional charge for over a year. His regular posting was Special Director, ED, for the northern region.

Exam-Oriented-Current-Affairs-NATIONAL-INTERNATIONAL-ECONOMY-POLITICAL-SPORTS -Dated--26-10-2016--ENGLISH

India-Special-Important-Daily-NEWS-IN-HINDI -26-10-2016

PM Modi To Launch Hydro Power Project In Sikkim

GANGTOK:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 1200 MW Teesta Stage III Hydro Electric Project in Sikkim, all 6 units of which are expected to be ready for commissioning by the end of this year. PM Modi gave this assurance to Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling when he called on the Prime Minister at his residence in New Delhi, an official release said in Gangtok. Teesta

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Union Government forms panel to resolve telecom penalty row

The Union Telecom Ministry has formed a committee to look into the regulator TRAI’s recommendation of a Rs. 3,050 crore penalty on top three telcos — Airtel, Vodafone and Idea. The committee has been asked to give a report on the recommendations soon likely to be before 15 November 2016. What is the case? Earlier TRAI had recommended Department of Telecom to impose

Satan 2: Russia unveils deadly nuclear missile

NEW DELHI: Russia has unveiled the first image of its beast of a nuclear missile called the RS-28 Sarmat, also known as Satan-2. It is Russia’s new super-heavy thermonuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which can wipe out parts of the earth the size of Texas and France, according to Russia’s Zvezda TV channel. The missile is capable of targeting major cities of the UK and other

Indo-Sri Lanka Joint Military Exercise Mitra Shakti 2016 begins in Ambepussa, Sri Lanka

The fourth edition of the India-Sri Lanka Joint Military Exercise ‘MITRA SHAKTI 2016’ is being conducted at Sinha Regimental Centre in Ambepussa, Sri Lanka from 24 October to 06 November 2016. The main focus of this edition of the joint exercise is to enhance inter-operability while carrying out Counter Insurgency (CI)/Counter Terrorism (CT) operations under the United Nations Mandate. A

INS Sumitra visits Suva, Fiji (26 – 29 Oct 16)

Indian Naval Ship Sumitra, an offshore patrol vessel, has arrived at Suva, Fiji today on a three day visit from 26 to 29 Oct 16, as part of her operational deployment to Southern Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific, in pursuit of India’s ‘Act East’ policy and outreach to friendly countries. The visit is aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and enhancing maritime security cooperation between the two countries.

Centre Constitutes Committee for monitoring Bird Flu

The Centre has constituted a Committee headed by Joint Commissioner, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries (DADF) to maintain constant vigil on the situation arising out of avian influenza (H5N8). The Committee will have representatives from Ministry of Health, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and Department of Agriculture Research and Extension

New Revised Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) between India and Republic of Korea

New Revised Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) between India and Republic of Korea comes into force with effect from 12th September, 2016; Will have effect in India in respect of income derived in fiscal years beginning on or after 1st April, 2017. A new revised Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) between India and Korea for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention

Shri Piyush Goyal leads Indian Delegation to Republic of Vanuatu

MoU signed for establishing India-Vanuatu Centre of Excellence in IT in Vanuatu. Union Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines, Shri Piyush Goyal led a thirteen-member Indian delegation to Republic of Vanuatu on 25-26th October, 2016. During this visit, the Minister held meetings with H.E. Mr. Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas, Prime Minister of Republic of

India-New Zealand sign key agreements

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met meet New Zealand Prime Minister John Key at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Wednesday. Both leaders held bilateral talks on the issues of mutual interests on trade, renewable energy and defence. India and New Zealand also exchanged agreements and issue a joint statement. Addressing media after meeting New Zealand PM, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, he

States to take call on no-detention policy: CABE

Implementation of the contentious no-detention policy which does not allow any child to be failed till Class VIII will now be left to the discretion of different states. The Central Advisory Board of Education which is the country's top education advisory body has made that recommendation today at its annual meet. The no-detention policy has been blamed for a drop in learning outcomes and to

Renowned Kashmiri singer Raj Begum, 89, passes away after prolonged illness

Renowned Kashmiri singer Raj Begum passed away on Wednesday, 26 October. She was 89.News agency ANI reported that Begum had been ill over a prolonged period of time leading up to her death. She is survived by two sons and a daughter, as well as their children. Born to Ghulam Rasool Sheikh of Srinagar in March 1927, Raj Begum began singing from a very early age, reported The Kashmir

CBI court acquits Yeddyurappa, others in mining bribe case

Former Karnataka chief minister and BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa was acquitted along with his family members by a special CBI court on Wednesday, in a Rs 40 crore bribery case related to the alleged grant of favours to a JSW Steel affiliate to mine iron ore.Yeddyurappa, his two sons, a son-in-law, steel major JSW Steel and four Bellary-based JSW Steel affiliates were cleared of criminal

NGT notice to Centre on plea challenging forest clearance to Yettinahole

NEW DELHI: An afforestation campaigner on Tuesday moved the National Green Tribunal challenging the forest clearance granted by Karnataka government for construction of Phase-I of the Rs 12,912 crore Yettinahole project, prompting the green panel to seek response from the Centre and others. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar issued notices to the Ministry of

'Many more' corals die in Great Barrier Reef bleaching

SYDNEY: More corals are dying and others are succumbing to disease and predators after the worst-ever bleaching on Australia's iconic Great Barrier Reef, scientists said on Wednesday. A swathe of corals bleached in the northern third of the 2,300-kilometre (1,429-mile) long biodiverse site off the Queensland state coast died after an unprecedented bleaching earlier this year as sea temperatures

RSPB emerge on top at National championship

RSPB finished on top in all three sections -- men's freestyle, Greco-Roman and Female wrestling -- at the Senior (men's and women's) National Wrestling championship at Gonda, Uttar Pradesh. RSPB wrestlers, who dominated the competition, bagged maximum medals on the final day of the tournament as well to emerge triumphant across all three sections. Grapplers representing RSPB -- Lalita (women's

Maria Sharapova Removed From Women's Tennis Rankings

Moscow: Suspended Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova was removed from the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) singles rankings, according to a report on the organisation's website on Monday.Last week, Sharapova, 29, was in 93rd place in the rankings, reports Efe.  She is serving a two-year suspension for the violation of anti-doping regulations since January 26. However, the Swiss-

India moves up by just one notch on World Bank's 'ease of doing business' index revised to 131

After pinning its hopes on a significant improvement in World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Index, India has managed to move up by only one rank in the Doing Business Report 2017. India’s position on seven out of 10 parameters also went down, compared to the previous year's rankings. The government said the ranking failed to take into account the various reform initiatives undertaken by

Majority of Indian companies voluntarily reduce emissions : Report

A majority of Indian firms have voluntarily set up emission reduction targets prodded by growing benefits from reduced carbon emissions. Of the 69 Indian firms examined by the carbon disclosure project, a global non-profit firm assessing the work of companies worldwide in the area of climate change, over 80 per cent are in the process of implementing emission reduction targets, a report

India up 21 places in WEF gender gap report ; rank 87th , Iceland tops the latest rankings

India has climbed 21 spots to rank 87th on the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2016. In 2015, it was ranked 108th. The improvement in ranking, the report says, is driven largely by major improvements in education, where it has managed to close its gap entirely in primary and secondary education. With this jump in ranking, India has now overtaken China which is ranked 99th

PVC pipes maker Finolex enters Limca Book of Records

Finolex Industries Ltd, one of the leading suppliers of PVC pipes & fittings for the agriculture and non-agricultural sectors in India, has been awarded with the national record certificate by The Limca Book of Records for conducting the largest number of plumbers meets organised simultaneously across 26 states and 58 cities. The activity, which was carried out on the occasion of World Plumbing Day on

US Judge Approves Massive VW Emissions Settlement

SAN FRANCISCO, UNITED STATES:  A US judge on Tuesday granted final approval for a $14.7 billion class action settlement in Volkswagen's diesel emissions cheating scandal, the largest such automaker settlement in history. The buyback deal at the same time also resolved some claims brought by US and California environmental regulators who had sought penalties for Volkswagen's violations of

Women And Men Won't Reach Economic Equality Until 2186: World Economic Forum

NEW YORK:  Efforts to close gender gaps in pay and workforce participation slowed so dramatically in the past year that men and women may not reach economic equality for another 170 years, the World Economic Forum said on Tuesday. Statistics just a year ago predicted the economic gap between genders could close in 118 years, but progress has decelerated, stalled or reversed in nations

Third Lettuce Crop Planted On International Space Station

WASHINGTON:  Astronauts aboard the International Space Station have started planting their third on-orbit crop of red romaine lettuce, NASA said. "Early this morning, NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough initiated the Veg-03 experiment, one of his first science assignments as a new crew member aboard the orbiting laboratory," the US space agency said in a statement on Wednesday. Astronomers are using a

Dinosaurs Were Social Animals, Not Solo Creatures, Reveals Latest Study

TORONTO:  Dismissing a common perception that dinosaurs were solitary, vicious monsters, researchers have found evidence that just like most modern animals, these gigantic creatures too loved company and they lived and died together in groups. "The common mythology of dinosaurs depicts solitary, vicious monsters running around eating everything," said one of the researchers Gregory

Tata board gets new appointees; Ralf Speth, N Chandrasekaran, appointed as directors

A day after Tata Group abruptly replaced Cyrus Mistry as chairman, Dr Ralf Speth, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover, and N Chandrasekaran, CEO & MD of TCS was appointed as Additional Directors on the Tata Sons Board. “Dr Ralf Speth, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover, and Mr N Chandrasekaran, CEO & Managing Director of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), have been appointed as Additional Directors

PM Modi To Launch Hydro Power Project In Sikkim

GANGTOK:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 1200 MW Teesta Stage III Hydro Electric Project in Sikkim, all 6 units of which are expected to be ready for commissioning by the end of this year. PM Modi gave this assurance to Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling when he called on the Prime Minister at his residence in New Delhi, an official release said in Gangtok. Teesta

New Zealand Prime Minister Arrives, To Hold Talks With PM Modi Tomorrow

NEW DELHI:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold talks on Wednesday with his New Zealand counterpart John Key, who arrived on a three-day India visit today, during which he is likely to seek Wellington's support for India's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). New Zealand was one of the countries that took the stand at the last NSG plenary in South Korea in June that no exception

Queen Latifah honoured at Princess Grace awards

Queen Latifah received the highest honour of the Princess Grace Awards for her contribution to the arts. The "Chicago" actress was handed the Prince Rainier III Award, named after the husband of late actress and Princess of Monaco Grace Kelly, for giving back to the arts community. She was chosen for the honour by the executives of the Princess Grace Foundation-USA, which awards grants and

Uruguay’s Ex-President Batlle Dies

Jorge Batlle, a veteran politician who was the fourth member of his Catalan immigrant family to be president of Uruguay, died a day before his 89th birthday. A centrist leader of the right-wing Colorado Party, he sought closer ties and free trade pacts with the United States during his 2000-2005 presidency that was also marked by one of the South American country’s worst-ever financial

Gandhian Narayana Pillai, 93 passes away

The mortal remains of freedom fighter and Gandhian Narayana Pillai, 93, were cremated at the courtyard of his ancestral home, Eeswaravilasom, at Nellimukal, near Adoor, on Tuesday. He was the former president of the Sarvodaya Mandalam. He died due to age-related illness on Monday. He is survived by wife Sulochana Amma and three children. District Collector R.Girija paid tributes to the

Dead Or Alive singer Pete Burns passes away at the age of 57

Mumbai: Pop singer Pete Burns, the founder of the group Dead Or Alive, has died at the age of 57 from a cardiac arrest. Burns was catapulted to fame in 1985 with the huge success of the group's single 'You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)', and later participated in the 2006 edition of ‘Celebrity Big Brother’, in which he finished fifth. "All of his family and friends are devastated by the loss of our

Carlos Alberto, Brazil's 1970 World Cup hero, passes away aged 72

Carlos Alberto, who scored one of the greatest goals in World Cup history while captaining Brazil to glory in the 1970 final against Italy, has died aged 72 following a heart attack. The marauding right-back scored Brazil's fourth goal in their 4-1 win over Italy in Mexico’s Azteca Stadium, a thumping drive that ended a move involving nine players, before hoisting the Jules Rimet trophy as Brazil won the

Taiwan makes visa formalities easier for Indians

Taiwan has announced a simplified group visa policy to encourage tourist groups from Southeast Asian countries, including India and Indonesia, to visit the nation. The group visa is free of cost for five or more people and is aimed at promoting Taiwan as a destination for exhibitions and conferences. Taiwan is also being promoted as a locale for shooting movies. The two-way traffic is also set to increase

US robots beat Australian rivals in football championship

An American team of robots have defeated their Australian rivals in a game of football to win the RoboCup Challenge after technical problems plagued the Australian side. The University of Texas at Austin’s Austin Villa beat the University of New South Wales’ Runswift 7-3 during China’s World Robot Conference. Jeremy Collette, from the University of New South Wales in Australia, bemoaned

Govt to invest Rs 1 lakh crore to boost road, inland water transport in Assam

Road and inland water communication in Assam is set to improve in the wake of the Centre deciding to invest nearly Rs 1 lakh crore to improve connectivity.Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari announced this while discussing several issues related to improvement of transport communication with Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal in New Delhi. An official release

1st ever international trade using blockchain tech made

The first cross-border transaction between banks using multiple blockchain applications has taken place, Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Wells Fargo & Co said , resulting in a shipment of cotton to China from the United States. Australian cotton trader Brighann Cotton Marketing bought the shipment bound for the port city Qingdao from U.S. division Brighann Cotton in Texas, the companies

India ranked among top 100 generous countries

India is becoming more generous with larger number of people stepping up to support others in tough times, according to a new study that shows the country climbing up the World Giving Index of global generosity.  According to the Index that is compiled by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), India has re-entered the list of top 100 most generous countries, by occupying the 91st rank as opposed to the

Arun Jaitley Launches SMS Alert Service

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on launched the SMS alert service for Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) for salaried class and the CBDT will soon offer this facility on a monthly basis.  Jaitley said salaried class cannot afford to pay tax twice or indulge in litigations and hence they should be kept updated about their TDS deductions. Hence tax payers will benefit if they receive information through use of

India films shine in Aisa Pacific Screen awards nominations

Six Indian films have bagged eight major nominations in the 10th edition of Asia Pacific Screen awards this year. Bollywood thriller “Psycho Raman,” directed by Anurag Kashyap and starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui has been nominated in three categories including best actor, achievement in cinematography and achievement in directing. In the best performance by an actor category, Nawazuddin is up

Portugal's Renato Sanches wins 2016 European Golden Boy Award

Portugal’s Renato Sanches on 24 October 2016 was awarded the 2016 European Golden Boy award. Sanches will be handed a trophy at a Monte Carlo ceremony. He defeated Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, Bayern's Kingsley Coman and AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to bag the prize. Sanches was selected following a vote by journalists from 30 newspapers across Europe to name the

FIFA unveils Official Mascot for 2018 World Cup

Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) on 21 October 2016 unveiled the Official Mascot for the 2018 World Cup. The Official Mascot for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia is named Zabivaka, which means ‘the one who scores’ in Russian. The mascot is the wolf developed by student designer Ekaterina Bocharova. The selected mascot had received 53 per cent of the votes, followed by

HC bans sale of whitener in Uttarakhand

The Uttarakhand High Court on 25 October 2016 ordered a complete ban on the sale of whitener in the state. The decision came following the death of a teenager (14-year-old) in Bhowali town of Nainital district after he sniffed an excess of whitener for a kick. The single bench of Justice Rajeev Sharma directed the state government to put a complete ban on its sale. Besides, the court also ordered that

Paul Beatty wins 2016 Man Booker Prize

Paul Beatty on 25 October 2016 became the first US author to win the Man Booker Prize. He won the award for his racial satire, 'The Sellout' at a ceremony in London's Guildhall. the novel tells the story of a young black man who tries to reinstate slavery and racial segregation in a suburb of Los Angeles. Chair of the Judges, Amanda Foreman, said the book managed to eviscerate every social taboo. Beatty

Rajeev Misra appointed as Head of Softbank Vision Fund

India-born Rajeev Misra in the third week of October 2016 was appointed the SoftBank Vision Fund, constituted by Japanese telecom and Internet major Softbank Corp. The SoftBank Vision Fund intends to make investments in the technology sector globally. It is managed in the United Kingdom by a subsidiary of the Saudi Binladin Group (SBG). It is reportedly one of the world's largest of its kind and

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Disarmament Week observed 24 October to 30 October

Disarmament Week is an annual event that is observed from 24 October to 30 October in various parts of the world. The annual observation of the Week starts on the anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, which is observed as the United Nations Day. On the occasion, the United Nations invites states to highlight the danger of the arms race, propagate the need for its cessation and increase

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G Balakrishna, Bengaluru water tanker driver, crowned Mr Asia 2016

G Balakrishna in October 2016 won the Mr Asia title at the 5th Phil-Asia bodybuilding championships in the Philippines. 25-year-old Balakrishna is a Bengaluru-based water tanker driver. In 2013, he won Mr Universe Under-24 junior contest in Germany . In 2014, he won Mr Universe title in the same category at the world championship in Athens. He joined the water-tanker business in 2010 in Whitefild,

Union Government planning to fast-track irrigation projects in Indus basin

The Union Government is planning to fast-track four projects in Indus river basin to increase irrigation area in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) by nearly 2.05 lakh acres. This decision was taken after India had decided to exploit to the maximum the water of Pakistan-controlled rivers Indus, Jhelum and Chenab as per Indus Water Treaty (IWT). Key Facts Three projects Prakachik Khows Canal in Kargil, Tral