Current Affairs Weekly Updates for week Ending 01 SEPT 2013

01. Justice Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana is New Chief Justice of Delhi High Court Justice Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana was on 02 Sept 2013, administered the oath of office as the new Chief Justice of Delhi High Court by Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung at a simple ceremony at Raj Niwas in New Delhi. After the ceremony Justice Ramana made a courtesy call on President Pranab Mukherjee. 56 year-old Justice Ramana was born in an agricultural family in Ponnavaram village, Krishna district. He enrolled as an advocate on 10 February, 1983. He had practiced in the High Court of Andhra Pradesh, Central and Andhra Pradesh Administrative Tribunals and the Supreme Court in civil, criminal, constitutional, labour, service and election matters. He had also functioned as panel counsel for various government organisations and as Additional Standing Counsel for Central Government and Standing Counsel for Railways in the Central Administrative Tribunal at Hyderabad. He also functioned as Additional Advocate General of Andhra Pradesh. Justice Ramana was appointed as a permanent Judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on 27 June, 2000. He has also served as the president of the Andhra Pradesh Judicial Academy and the executive chairman of the A. P. Legal Services Authority.

Updated on 3 SEPT 2013

02.

United States launches Investigation into Indian Trade Policies

Updated on 02 SEP 2013

A Federal Agency of United States in the last week of August 2013 launched an investigation into Indian trade policies, which allegedly discriminate against American trade and investment. The investigation, Trade, investment and industrial policies in India: effects on the U.S. economy, was requested jointly by the Senate Committee on Finance and the House Committee on Ways and Means. The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) will report on recent policies and measures in India that affect U.S. exports and investment, and evaluate the effects of such barriers on U.S. firms and the economy. In its examination, the USITC will enumerate restrictive trade and investment policies that India maintains or has recently adopted and determine which sectors of the U.S. economy are most affected by these policies. The USITC will provide several case studies of U.S. firms or industries that have been particularly affected by Indias restrictions. As requested, by the Congress, the USITC will also perform a quantitative analysis of the effects of such measures. The USITC will survey a sample of U.S. firms to measure perceptions of Indias policies and the impact of those policies on firms strategies toward India. The survey results will complement the quantitative analysis of the effects of these policies on trade, investment, and the U.S. economy.

03.

Egypt destroyed 10 Tunnels beneath Border with Gaza

Updated on 02 SEP 2013

The Egyptian authorities destroyed on 31 August 2013 night 10 tunnels located in Rafah town's al-Barazeel neighborhood beneath Gazas Southern Border with Egyp, as part of ongoing security campaign. No injuries have been reported. The Egyptian security forces have been carrying out a large security campaign against the tunnels after the June 30 protests, which ousted Egyptian Islamic President Mohamed Morsi, who was accused of collaborating with Hamas. The tunnels are used for smuggling food, fuel and medicine into Gaza since Israel imposed a tight blockade on the enclave in 2007. The Gaza-ruling Hamas government said the tunnels provide Gaza with 40% of its needs, while the other 60% is allowed through Israelicontrolled commercial crossings.

04.

Hyderabad Hotshots won the inaugural season of Indian Badminton League Saina Nehwal-led Hyderabad Hotshots crowned themselves as the

Updated on 02 SEP 2013

champions of the inaugural Indian Badminton League (IBL) when they defeated Awadhe Warriors 3-1 in the finals at the NSCI Stadium on 31 August 2013 held in Mumbai. Indian shuttle queen Saina brought the Hotshots on level terms by trouncing her young challenger PV Sindhu in straight games (21-15, 217) in 35 minutes after K Srikanth gave the Warriors an unexpected 1-0 lead by stunning top-20 rival S Tanongsak in straight games, 21-12, 2120. Ajay Jayaram defeated Gurusai Dutt 10-21, 21-17, 11-7 in the third tie to secure the Mens singles title of IBL 2013. Saina Nehwal was awarded as the player of the tournament, because of her undefeated feat in the complete tournament. She received a prize amount of 1000 US dollars for being the player of the tournament. The winning team Hyderabad hotshots received 3 crore 25 lakh rupees, whereas, the runner up team Awadhe Warriors received 1 crore 75 lakh rupees. The league has emerged as one of the richest event of Badminton.

05.

Bharat Nirman Public Information Campaign Inaugurated at Puducherry The pestigious Bharat Nirman Public Information Campaign at

Updated on 02 SEP 2013

Karaikkal, Puducherry was inaugurated on 01 Sept. 2013, in a festive atmosphere, by Minister of State in the PMO V Narayanasamy. He lighted the traditional kuthvilakku, marking the beginning of the three day information cum interactive sessions and exhibition. He also released a set of twelve booklets in Tamil depicting the various Bharat Nirnman schemes in simple Tamil. The first copies of the illustrated booklets were received by A H M Najeem, MLA. A colourful rally was organised as a prelude to the inaugural function. Students from NSS, Junior Red Cross, Scouts and Guides etc took part in the rally, carrying aloft banners and boards proclaiming the various schemes including the core programmes of the Bharat Nirman. Besides the exhibition at the Municipal Ground, Karaikal, the Directorate of Field Publicity had already begun village-level campaign programme in identified six locations around Karaikal. This is the 47th Public Information Campaign being conducted in Tamil Nadu. The objective of the campaign is to highlight the various developmental & welfare programmes of the government.

06.

South Korea Defeated India to Win Asia Cup Hockey Final in Malaysia It was a close call but defending champions South Korea reaffirmed

Updated on 02 SEP 2013

their status as Asias best when they defeated India 4 -3 in a nervewracking final of the ninth Asia Cup hockey tournament at the Azlan Shah Stadium held in IPPH Malaysia on 01 Sept ember 2013. The Koreans played one of their best games and managed to subdue a determined Indian side hoping to seal their World Cup berth by winning the title. Korean penalty corner specialists Jang Jong-hyun was on target in the 28th minute. The goal took his tally to eight in the top scorers list. A minute later You Hyo-sik added that second with a goal from close range after three Indian defenders were beaten by a square pass into D. The Indians fought back in the second half and in the 48th minute, they made their way back into the match when Rupinderpal Singh scored from the penalty corner. And in the 55th minute Nithin Thimmaiah added a field goal to put India level. Nam Hyun-woo regained the lead for the Koreans in the 57th minute but only to see Mandeep Singh score from close range in the 66th minute. As a penalty shootout loomed the Koreans earned a penalty corner in the 68th minute. Instead of taking a direct hit the Koreans played a variation and Kang Moon-kweon scored from the left side. Moon-kweon was named man-of-the-match for his winning goal. This meeting the two Asian giants is also their 70th. The Koreans lead with 31 wins as opposed to 27 losses and 12 draws. Special Awards: Best goalkeeper: P.R. Sreejesh (India) Top scorer: Jang Jong-hyun (South Korea) - 8 goals Best outstanding player: V.R. Raghunath (India) Fairplay Trophy: Japan

07.

Bhuvana Kalva wins 2013 ITF Women's Tennis Tournament

Updated on 02 SEP 2013

India's 18 years old Bhuvana Kalva won her maiden US$ 10000 ITF women singles title on 31 August 2013 after she registered an impressive 6-4, 7-5 victory over sixth-seeded Akari Inoue of Japan at the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association complex inn Delhi. Kalva hails from Andhra Pradesh. She also defeated top seed Ankita Raina and third seed Keren Shlomo of Israel en route final. Her title win fetched her 12 ranking points while Akari won 8 ranking points. Akari had won the doubles title along with Hua-Chen Lee on 30 August 2013.

08.

Sonia Rai wins Gold Medal in Women's 25-Metre Sports Pistol Sonia Rai did it yet again as she overcame a strong field that

Updated on 02 SEP 2013

included World Cup gold medalist Rahi Sarnobat, in clinching the gold medal on the last shot in womens 25-metre sports pistol on the opening day of the 10th Sardar Sajjan Singh Sethi Masters shooting championship at the Dr. Karni Singh Range, Tughlakabad, in Delhi on 31 August 2013. The 32-year-old Sonia, who has the distinction of being the first Indian pistol shooter to win a World Cup medal which she accomplished in Resende, Brazil, in 2006, pipped Olympian Annu Raj Singh 8-6 in a gripping final. She had enacted a similar drama to clinch the gold from the sixth place in the All India Kumar Surendra Singh Championship held in July 2013. Having qualified in the seventh place, with a modest 565, Sonia topped the semifinalists with a score of 12 along with Annu Raj to qualify for the gold medal contest. Anisa Sayyed, who topped the qualifiers with 579, had to be content with the bronze as she beat national champion Sushma Singh. The latter edged out Rahi Sarnobat in the shoot-off 6-4, for the bronze medal match, after the two had tied on 10 points in the semifinals. In mens air rifle, Ravi Kumar of Air Force continued to assert himself, as he beat Aribam Dicky Sharma of Army 208.2 to 205.9. He had topped the qualifiers with a score of 620.4. Akhil Sheoran was close on the heels of Ravi Kumar, but slipped with his 17th shot of 9.2, and had to settle for the silver medal. National champion Chain Singh, who had pipped World and Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra for the gold in December, failed to release his ninth shot in the stipulated 50 seconds in the final, and thus was relegated to the seventh spot. In mens 50 -metre free pistol, Jitu Rai of Navy stayed much ahead of the pack both in qualification and final, while Dharmendra Singh pipped Amit Kumar Pilaniya for the silver medal. The seasoned Amanpreet Singh and Omkar Singh crashed to the sixth and eighth spots respectively.

09.

C-17 Globemaster III Aircraft inducted in Indian Air Force In a major boost to strategic airlift capabilities of the Indian Air

Updated on 03 SEP 2013

Force, Defence Minister AK Antony formally inducted the 75-80 tonne C17 Globemaster III heavy-lift transport aircraft into service on 02 September 2013 at the Hindon airbase near Delhi. This aircraft is procured from the US under a deal expected to be over Rs 20,000 crore and inducted into the newly formed 81 Slylord Squadron. The C-17, with a capability to carry around 80 tonnes of load and around 150 fully geared troops, will replace the Russian IL-76 as the biggest aircraft in the IAF inventory till now. The IL-76 had the capability to carry loads upto around 40 tonnes. The aircraft is expected to enhance the operational potential of the IAF with its payload carriage and performance capability and would augment the strategic reach during disaster relief or any similar missions. This will also help in bolstering the IAF's capability to swiftly transport combat troops and equipment such as tanks to the front. The C-17 plane will be operated from the advanced landing grounds in the north-eastern states as well as from high altitude bases in north and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The IAF has placed orders with the US for ten C-17 aircraft under the deal signed in 2011 and three of them have already been delivered. The US Air Force is scheduled to complete the delivery of all the 10 planes by the end of 2014. Presently three aircrafts have been delivered and are operational.

10.

Diana Nyad, 64, Becomes First Woman to Swim Across Florida Straits without Shark Cage Diana Nyad, 64-year old American long-distance swimmer became

Updated on 03 SEP 2013

the first person to cross Florida Straits from Cuba without any shark cage on 2 September 2013. This was her fifth attempt to cross the 110-mile (177-km) distance. Diana Nyad completed the 110-mile or 177-km distance. She departed from Havana on 31 August 2013. With this, she now has the record of the longest ocean swim without a shark cage. Diana Nyad was trying to cross the ocean since 35 years. The expedition was referred to as the Xtreme Dream by her. The swimmer wore a specially designed jellyfish suit to offer some protection against the box jellyfish's tentacles, covering all exposed flesh but adding to her burden by slowing her. For added security she used a cream called Sting Stopper on her face and her crew helped steer her safely through the ocean by travelling in front of her and laying a trail for her to follow through un-infested waters. After about 46 hours in the water, Nyad had to suffer the disappointment of being told by her team that a change in the currents meant that her final stretch would take much longer to complete than expected. By then she was just 6.5 miles off coast, but tiredness was already setting in.

11.

Haraprasad Das was conferred the Moortidevi Award for 2012

Updated on 03 SEP 2013

Haraprasad Das was conferred the Moortidevi Award for 2012 for 'Vamsha, a poetic recreation of the Mahabharata in contemporary idiom, which has been hailed as a post-modern masterpiece. Das, who has eleven works of poetry, four of prose, three translations and one piece of fiction to his credit, was given the award at Shastri Bhavan by the Moortidevi Award Selection Board, chaired by Indian Oil Minister Veerappa Moily. Moortidevi award is presented by the Bhartiya Jnanpith organization is presented by the Bhartiya Jnanpith Organisation. It carries cash prize, a plaque, a statue of goddess of learning Saraswati and a shawl. This is the second Moortidevi award given for Odia literature. In 1991, Dr Pratibha Ray received the award for her novel Yagnaseni.

12.

Union Cabinet approved proposal to set-up National Institute of Solar Energy for R&D The Union Cabinet on 4 Sept. 2013 approved the proposal

Updated on 05 SEP 2013

for setting up of an autonomous National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) to assist the Ministry and function as the apex national centre for research and technology development and related activities in the area of solar energy technologies in the country. The National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) is to be set up immediately by institute. Solar energy technologies are evolving continuously and the proposal to set up the National Institute of Solar Energy is an innovative idea which will accelerate the process to support induction of the latest technologies to ensure maximum cost benefit and lead to early commercialization. A broad based national team in the form of a Review-cumStrategy Formulation from Committee would the scientific be set up with representation industry, community, financial converting the Solar Energy Centre (SEC),Gurgaon with a long term vision to develop it as a world class

institutions etc. to prepare a blue print. This committee would look at various models available in the country and outside and prepare a roadmap for the Institute. Public private partnership with future investment coming from both Government and private sector would be important so that the activities can be expanded. BACKGROUND: Setting up of an apex national centre for Solar Energy is a part of the JNNSM, which was considered by the Prime Minister`s Council on Climate Change in August, 2009. The Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) and other related proposals were approved by the Govt. in November, 2009. While approving the JNNSM, the Govt. also approved specific targets and budget for the first phase of the Mission till March, 2013.

This includes R&D in solar energy, including setting up of a Centre of Excellence as an apex centre on different aspects of solar energy technologies.

13.

8th Annual Convention of Central Information Commission held in New Delhi The two day 8th Annual Convention of Central Information

Updated on 04 SEP 2013

Commission concluded at New Delhi

on 3 September 2013 with

valedictory address by Omar Abdullah, Chief Minister, Jammu & Kashmir. The convention was inaugurated on 2nd Sept.2013 by the President of India. Ramachandra Guha, noted historian and columnist delivered the keynote address on Democracy in India: Mid-life Crisis This year the theme of the convention was Eight years of RTI: A Retrospective. Sessions of the Convention: The convention had two sessions on RTI- an anti-corruption tool and Media & RTI. The panel discussion on RTI as an anti corruption tool had the legendry former Chief Election Commissioner J. M. Lyngdoh, Pratyush Sinha, the former CVC, well known RTI activist Subhash Agrawal and Anjali Bhardwaj and Shailesh Gandhi, the former information Commissioner and himself no mean RTI activist. M. L. Sharma, Information Commissioner and former Special Director, CBI moderated the session and brought his considerable experience in fighting corruption to bear on the discussion. Panel Discussions: The discussions were held on the need of electoral reforms and the role the RTI can play in that. Apart from this, the discussion was held on how the RTI can prevent and contain corruption in public life not only by promoting transparency in the decision making process but also by continuous public interrogation of those in authority. The last panel discussion included relationship between the media and RTI with eminent media persons participating in the discussion. The discussion was also held about the relationship between RTI and the media and the mutually complementary and supportive role they play.

14.

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs Approved Restructuring of SJSRY The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the

Updated on 04 SEP 2013

proposal for restructuring of the centrally sponsored Scheme of Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY) in the 12th Plan and as the National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) with an allocation of approximately Rs. 6,405 crore. The Mission of NULM is to reduce poverty and vulnerability of the urban poor house-holds by enabling them to access gainful selfemployment and skilled wage employment opportunities, resulting in an appreciable improvement in their livelihoods on a sustainable basis, through building strong grassroots level institutions of the poor. The mission would also aim at providing shelter equipped with essential services to the urban homeless in a phased manner. In addition, the Mission would also address livelihood concerns of the urban street vendors also by facilitating access to suitable spaces, institutional credit, social security and skills to the urban street vendors for accessing emerging market opportunities. NULM will rest on the foundation of community mobilization and women empowerment. The NULM will be implemented in two phases: Phase I (20132017) and Phase II (2017-2022). In Phase I, NULM will target all cities with a population of one lakh or more and district headquarter towns with a population of less than one lakh as per Census of India 2011. However, other towns may be allowed in exceptional cases on the request of the States. Funding will be shared between the Centre and the States in the ratio of 75:25. For North Eastern and Special Category States (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand), this ratio will be 90:10. NULM envisages universal mobilisation of urban poor households into thrift and credit-based Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and their

federations/collectives. These groups will serve as a support system for the poor, to meet their financial and social need. Under the Mission, City Livelihood Centres (CLCs) will be established in Mission cities to provide a platform whereby the urban poor can market their services and access information on selfemployment, skill training and other benefits. HOW WILL IT WORK: NULM (EST&P). The Mission will focus on providing assistance for development / upgrading of the skills of the urban poor so as to enhance their capacity for self-employment and salaried employment. It intends to provide training to the urban poor as per the skill demand from the market, so that they can set up self-employment ventures or secure salaried employment. Through the Self-Employment Programme (SEP), NULM will provide financial assistance to individuals and groups of urban poor to set up gainful self-employment / micro-enterprise ventures. The Support to Urban Street Vendors (USV) component will cover a socio-economic survey of street vendors, development of provending urban planning and vendors` markets, credit enablement of vendors, skill development and micro-enterprise development and convergence under various schemes of the Government. will target the urban poor who are occupationally

vulnerable for Employment through Skills Training & Placement

15.

Raghuram Rajan takes over as 23rd Governor of RBI

Updated on 05 SEP 2013

Raghuram Rajan (50), took over the charge as the Governor of Reserve Bank of India on 4 August 2013. office for next three years. About Raghuram Rajan: He has served as the Chief Economist at the International Monetary Fund. He was born on 3 February 1963. He is the youngest person to become the Governor of the RBI. IIM-Ahmedabad. He received his He is credited as a person, who Doctorate degree from the predicted the economic crisis of 2008. He is an alumnus of IIT-Delhi and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He is the visiting professor for Swedish Parliamentary Commission, World Bank and Federal Reserve Board. He also served as the president of the American Finance Association He succeeded the outgoing Governor of RBI, Dr. Subbarao and will be 23rd Governor and will hold the

16.

Microsoft Decided to Buy Nokia's Mobile Phone Unit and Services Microsoft Corporation and Nokia Corporation on 3 September 2013

Updated on 05 SEP 2013

announced that both companies have decided to enter into a transaction whereby Microsoft will purchase substantially all of Nokias Devices & Services business, license Nokias patents, and license and use Nokias mapping services. Under the terms of the agreement, Microsoft will pay 3.79 billion Euros to purchase substantially all of Nokias Devices & Services business, and 1.65 billion Euros to license Nokias patents, for a total transaction price of 5.44 billion Euros in cash. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2014, subject to approval by Nokias shareholders, regulatory approvals and other closing conditions. Under the terms of the agreement, 32000 people of Nokia Company are expected to be transferred to Microsoft, including 4700 people in Finland and 18300 employees directly involved in manufacturing, assembling and packaging of products worldwide. In India, the deal is expected to pave the way for Microsoft to leverage Nokias strong distribution and manufacturing base. The factory at Sri Perumbudur near Chennai is one of the biggest factories for Nokia. Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation, headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighbouring Finland's capital Helsinki. Nokias principal products are mobile telephones and portable IT devices with 128445 employees in 120 countries, sales in more than 150 countries. Nokia Timeline: 1871: Founded by Fredrik Idestam. Nokia engaged in making of Paper, tyres, boots and cables for 100 years. 1987: Launched its first phone the Mobira Cityman that weighed almost 1kg. 1992: Sells non-mobile divisions and launches first digital GSM phone, the Nokia 1011.

2003: Basic 1100 phone launched. Goes on to sell 250 million units and become the world's most popular consumer electronic device. 2011: Abandons Symbian mobile phone operating software and switches to the Windows platform instead. 2013: Launched the Lumia 1020 boasting a 41 megapixel camera.

17.

Teachers Day Celebrated across India

Updated on 05 SEP 2013

5 September: Teachers Day Teachers' Day is celebrated as a tribute to the valuable contribution made by teachers to the society by imparting knowledge and enlightening and shaping the career of students. Celebration of Teachers' Day is fairly popular in many countries across the world and is even acknowledged by UNESCO. When is Teachers' Day celebrated? The date for celebrating this special event varies from country to country across the world. In India, Teachers' Day is celebrated on the 5th of September every year, whereas, China celebrates this event on 10th September every year. The celebration in each country is generally correlated to either significant personalities or achievements of milestone in the field of education. India celebrates Teachers' Day on September 5 since 1962 as it is the birth anniversary of Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, a prominent thinker, philosopher and an educator. Across the nation tributes are paid to noted scholar and former President of India Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan to celebrate his birth anniversary. Dr Radhakhrishnan believed that "teachers should be the best minds in the country". All of us have been students at some stage of our life and have benefited from our teachers. Celebration of Teachers' Day is a wonderful opportunity especially for all of us to show our gratitude and appreciation to our teachers. About Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan: Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born on 5 September 1888. He was an Indian philosopher and statesman as well as a renowned scholar. He was the first Vice President of India (1952 1962). He was also the second President of India from 1962 to 1967. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna in the year 1954, which is the highest civilian award in India. Other honours received by him include the British Knight Bachelor in 1931 and honorary membership of the Order of Merit (1963).

18.

336 Teachers Received Awards from President of India on Teachers Day On the occasion of Teachers Day, the President of India, Pranab

Updated on 06 SEP 2013

Mukherjee on 5 September 2013 presented the National Awards to teachers from across the country at a function held at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi. The National Awards were given to 336 teachers for their meritorious performance. There were 177 primary teachers and 140 secondary teachers among the awardees. 6 Sanskrit teachers and 4 Madarsa teachers were also honored on the occasion. The scheme of the National Awards to teachers was introduced in 1958 with the objective of enhancing the prestige of teachers and giving public recognition to teachers of outstanding merit. Each award constitutes a certificate of merit, a silver medal and a cash prize of Rupees 25000.

19.

Ronald H. Coase, Accidental Economist Who Won a Nobel Prize, Dies at 102

Updated on 06 SEP 2013

Ronald H. Coase, whose insights about why companies work and when government regulation is unnecessary earned him a Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Science in 1991, died on 2 September 2013 in Chicago. He was 102. His death was announced by the University of Chicago. Life History of Ronald H. Coase : Ronald Harry Coase was born on 29 December 1910 in London. He was the British-American economist and author. He served as the Clifton R. Musser Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of Chicago Law School. He received his education from the University of London External Programme in 1927 29. Thereafter, he went to the London School of Economics and took courses with Arnold Plant. In the year 1991, he won the Nobel Prize in Economics. Ronald H. Coase is known for two of his most popular articles- The Nature of the Firm (1937) and The Problem of Social Cost (1960). The Nature of the Firm introduced the methodologies of transaction costs for explaining the limits as well as nature of the firms. On the other hand, The Problem of Social Cost explained how the property rights can overcome the issues of externalities. This was popularly known as the Coase Theorem. Ronald Coase is also referred to as the Father of Reform in policy for allocation of the electromagnetic spectrum. This was based on the article titled The Federal Communications Commission (1959).

20.

Indian Writer Sushmita Banerjee was killed in Afghanistan An Indiana woman writer Sushmita Banerjee, 49, was dragged out

Updated on 06 SEP 2013

of her husband's house by masked gunmen in Afghanistan's eastern Paktika province and shot dead on 4 September 2013. She was married to an Afghan businessman Jaanbaz Khan and recently moved back to Afghanistan to live with him. Her book entitled Kabuliwaler Bangali Bou, became a bestseller in 1995. The memoir was based on her experiences in Afghanistan and her escape from the Taliban captivity in the 1980s. The book was also a theme for a Bollywood film Escape from Taliban in 2003. Banerjee was also known as Sayed Kamala after she converted to Islam. She was working as a health worker in Paktika and had been filming the lives of local women as part of her work.

21.

Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony, 2013 for Zubin Mehta The award citation pays Zubin Mehta rich tributes and says that "no

Updated on 07 SEP 2013

other Indian has achieved such distinction in the world of Opera". The President of India Pranab Mukherjee on 6 Sept ember 2013 conferred the prestigious Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony on World acclaimed orchestra conductor Zubin Mehta 77 years old. The maestro in western classical music who conducts the Bavarian State Orchestra, was described by the President as a "distinguished son of India" whose mission "has been to bring peace where there is misery and conflict." At a ceremony in the Rashtrapati Bhawan, the President presented a golden plaque, a citation, shawl and Rs.1 crore to Mehta, a day before he performs with his troupe on the banks of the Dal lake in Srinagar. "In our divided world, there are few who rise above nation yet stay rooted to home, remain proof against prejudice and sensitive to suffering and bring joy to people through their lifelong work. One such individual is Zubin Mehta," read the citation. Earlier Mehta had been decorated with the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan. About Zubin Mehta: He was born on 29 April 1936 in Bombay. He left Mumbai, India almost sixty years ago to study music in Europe, by the age of twenty-five. He conducted three of the best-known symphony orchestras in the world: the Vienna, Berlin, and Israel Philharmonic. A rapid succession of appointments then followed, as Music Director with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra (1961 67), the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra (196278), and the New York Philharmonic (197891) Debuting as opera conductor in Montreal (1963), he has conducted at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Vienna State Opera, the Royal Opera House in London, La Scala in Milan, and the opera houses of Chicago and Florence

22.

Deepak Sandhu Became First Woman Chief Information Commissioner Deepak Sandhu, who has been an Information Commissioner for

Updated on 06 SEP 2013

the last four years, on 5 September 2013 became the first woman Chief Information Commissioner of the country. A former Indian Information Service officer of 1971 batch, she was administered the oath of office by President of India Pranab Mukherjee at a function in Rashtrapati Bhavan, attended among others by Vice President Hamid Ansari. Sandhu had served in many key positions such as Principal Director General (Media and Communications) in the Press Information Bureau, Director General of DD (News), Director General (News) All India Radio before taking over as Information Commissioner in 2009. She had represented the country at international Film Festivals in Cannes, Berlin, Venice and Tokyo, International Conference on Terrorism and Electronic Mass Media at Glendzhik (Russia) and Cyprus besides Heads of News Meetings at Atlanta, USA and Beijing. The 64-year old officer is joining office for a relatively smaller tenure of nearly three months in which her biggest challenge would over 30,000 pending cases with the Commission. Sandhu succeeded Satyananda Mishra who demitted office after five-years of tenure at the Commission on 4 September 2013.

23.

India contributed One Million Dollars Aid to UNRWA for Middle East Refugees

Updated on 06 SEP 2013

India on 4 September 2013 gave one million US$ as to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for providing food and medicines to Palestine refugees. UNRWA provides assistance to some five million registered Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and in the Palestine. The financial assistance to the UN agency was given as a part of India's annual contribution to it. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions from UN member-states. About UNRWA: After 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict, UNRWA was established by United Nations General Assembly resolution 302 (IV) of 8 December 1949 to carry out direct relief and works programmes for Palestinian refugees. UNRWA provides assistance, protection and advocacy for some 5 million registered Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the occupied Palestinian territory, for basic services like education, health, relief and social services to 5 million registered Palestine refugees in the Middle East, pending a solution to their plight.

24.

Rochus Misch, last Bodyguard of Hitler died

Updated on 07 SEP 2013

Rochus Misch, who served as Nazi Dictator Adolf Hitler's bodyguard for most of the World Ware-II was the last remaining witness to the Nazi leader's final hours in his Berlin bunker, has died at the age of 96 years. Misch died on 5 September 2013 in Berlin after a short illness. Born on 29 July 1917 in the tiny Silesian town of Alt Schalkowitz, in what today is Poland, Misch was orphaned at an early age. At 20 he decided to join the SS, an organisation that he saw as a counterweight to a rising threat from the left. He signed up for the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, a unit founded to serve as Hitler's personal protection. When Nazi Germany invaded Poland on 1 September 1939, Misch found himself in the vanguard, as his SS division was attached to a regular army unit for the blitzkrieg attack. He was shot and nearly killed while trying to negotiate the surrender of a fortress near Warsaw, and was sent to Germany to recover. There he was chosen in May 1940 as one of two SS men who would serve as Hitler's bodyguards and general assistants, doing everything from answering the telephones to greeting dignitaries. Misch and his comrade Johannes Hentschel accompanied Hitler almost everywhere he went, including his Alpine retreat in Berchtesgaden and his "Wolf's Lair" headquarters. In the last days of Hitler's life, Misch followed him to live underground, protected by the so-called Fhrerbunker's heavily reinforced concrete ceilings and walls. Following the German surrender on 7 May, Misch was taken to the Soviet Union where he spent the next nine years in prisoner of war camps before being allowed to return to Berlin in 1954. He reunited with his wife, Gerda, whom he had married in 1942, and opened up a shop. He was a member of the Fuehrer's inner circle, as a bodyguard, a courier and telephone. He became the last witness to see Hitlers en d of life in the Third Reich Bunker after the death of Ottp Gunsche in 2003. A book named Misch's Memoir The Last Witness was published in German

25.

RBI Revises Gold Import Norms to Contain CAD

Updated on 08 SEP 2013

With a view to arrest the current account deficit, RBI announced some measures to curb the demand for gold in the month of September 2013 considering one of the major reason for widening the current account deficit. Supplies of the metal to special economic zones (SEZs) will not be counted as exports to qualify for further purchases from overseas. As per the existing norms, 20% of every lot of imported gold has to be made exclusively available for the purpose of exports. Gold made available by a nominated agency to units in the SEZ and export oriented units, Premier and Star trading houses shall not qualify as supply of gold to the exporters. RBI announced that entities and units in SEZs and EoUs, Premier and Star trading houses are permitted to import gold exclusively for the purpose of exports. The government aims to bring it down to US$ 70 billion in 2013-14 fiscal from 88 billion US $ in 2012-13. Gold imports in April-July 2013 rose 87% to 383 tonnes.

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Tokyo won the Right to Host the 2020 Summer Olympic Games Tokyo on 7 September 2013 won the right to host the 2020

Updated on 08 SEP 2013

Summer Olympic Games. Members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) meeting in Buenos Aires chose the Japanese capital Tokyo, over Istanbul, after Madrid was dramatically eliminated following a first-round tie with the Turkish city. Japan won the right to host Olympic Games for the second time. It had previously hosted the Games in 1964. Olympic is considered worlds biggest sporting event. Tokyo Electric Power Co., Fukushima's operator, has acknowledged that tons of radioactive water has been seeping into the Pacific from the plant for more than two years after the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami led to meltdowns at three of its reactors. Recent leaks from tanks storing radioactive water used to cool the reactors have added to fears that the amount of contaminated water is getting out of hand. The final result was 60 votes for Tokyo against 36 for Istanbul. Tokyo has become a model of urban efficiency, widely renowned as one of the cleanest and safest cities in the world. The 2020 games are also meant to showcase the country's recovery from the 2011 earthquake and tsunami though problems continue to plague the devastated nuclear plant in Fukushima. The decision means it will be the fourth time that Japan plays host to the Olympics, having also organized hosted Olympic winter Games in Nagano (1998) and Sapporo (1972). Asia will also see successive Olympics, as the South Korean resort of Pyeongchang is hosting the 2018 winter edition.

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International Literacy Day

Updated on 09 SEP 2013

International Literacy Day was celebrated on 8 September 2013 across the globe. International Literacy Day was designated by UNESCO on 17 November 1965. This day was first celebrated on 8 September 1966. International Literacy Day is celebrated every year on 8 September to raise people's awareness and concern for literacy issues in the world. It aims to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals, communities, societies and reminds the international community of the status of literacy and adult learning globally. According to UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), about 774 million adults lack the minimum literacy skills. One in five adults is still not literate and two-thirds of them are women. About 75 million children are out-of-school and many more attend irregularly or drop out. The UNESCO and its partners promote the day to underscore the significance of literacy for healthy societies, with a strong emphasis on epidemics and communicable diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis and malaria.

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Serena Williams defeated Victoria Azarenka to win 5th US Open Title 2013 World number one Serena Williams captured her fifth US Open title,

Updated on 09 SEP 2013

and second in a row, by outlasting second-ranked Victoria Azarenka7-5, 6-7 (6/8), 6-1 to claim her 17th career Grand Slam crown on 08 September 2013. Williams won $3.6 million, including a $1 million bonus for her success in US open tune-up events. The 31-year-old American became the oldest Open Era women's winner in US Open history, 293 days older than Margaret Court when she set the prior mark in 1973, and the third-oldest Grand Slam women's champion of the Open Era. She is the first top-seeded champion since Justine Henin in 2007 and the first woman to defend the US Open crown since Kim Clijsters in 2010. Williams won a rematch of last year's US Open final that gave her and Azarenka a combined total of six of the eight major titles from the past two years. Williams matched Steffi Graf for second on the Open Era list with five US Open trophies, one shy of Chris Evert's record, and moved one adrift of Martina Navratilova and Evert for second on the Open Era Slam win list. Williams became the first woman since Justine Henin in 2007 to win the US and French Opens in the same year. Williams has won more than $9 million in 2013, a one-year women's record, and boosted her career winnings above $50 million as well as capturing her ninth title of the year, a one-season personal best. Williams, who lost only 16 games over her first six matches, battled windy conditions and a determined foe in a rematch of last year's final to add to the New York hard court trophy haul that included wins in 1999, 2002, 2008 and 2012. Swirling winds baffled both players from the start before 23,584 spectators at Arthur Ashe Stadium, with Williams and Azarenka exchanging breaks to open the match as they adapted to the breezy conditions.