October 2014 Current Affairs Study Material

INTERNATIONAL
Mauritius
Parliament
Dissolved
For
Elections
The Mauritius parliament was dissolved on 6 October, paving the way for elections that
could lead to changes in the countrys constitution. The ruling Labour party, led by Prime
Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, wants to split powers between the president, now a
largely ceremonial position, and the prime minister. That would require changes to the
constitution.
Bolivian
President
Evo
Morales
Re-elected
For
A
Third
Term
Bolivian President Evo Morales was re-elected for a third term with more than 60
percent of the vote according to the election results declared on 12 October. As per the
results, Evo Morales got 60 percent while his closest competitor Samuel Doria Medina
could secure only 25 percent.
United Nations Elected Five New Non-permanent Members To Security Council
Angola, Malaysia, New Zealand, Venezuela and Spain on 16 October were elected as
the new non-permanent members of the Security Council for a two years term by the
UN General Assembly. These five countries replace retiring members Argentina,
Australia, Luxembourg, South Korea and Rwanda.The newly elected members term will
be begining from January 1, 2015.
Dilma
Rousseff
Re-elected
As
Brazil
President
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff was re-elected in the Presidential Elections held in
the country on 26 October 2014. She belongs to the center-left Workers Party and her
second term will finish in December 2018. Rousseff took 51.6% of the votes while her
centre-right challenger Aecio Neves representing Brazilian Social Democracy Party
(BSDP) got 48.4% votes.

INDIA & WORLD

UK
and
Ireland
Signed
Single
Visa
Deal
Britain and Ireland on 6 October Signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on
visa cooperation to allow Chinese and Indian visitors to travel to the two island nations
on a single visa. The agreement was signed at the Irish Embassy in London by UK
home secretary Theresa May and Irish Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald.
India
Ranks
18th
On
Most
Desirable
Place
To
Work
According to the consulting giant Boston Consulting Group latest report released on 7
October, India has been ranked 18th globally on the list of most desirable destinations

to work, even as 70-80% of Indians are willing to work in an overseas location.The US

has been ranked on the top, followed by the UK, Canada, Germany and Switzerland.
India
Ranked
55th
In
Global
Hunger
Index
The 2014 Global Hunger Index (GHI) was released on 13 October by the International
Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide.
According to the report, India improved its position in the Global Hunger Index in 2014
as it climbed to 55th position among 76 emerging economies from 63rd position in
2013. Mauritius holds the top place alongwith Thailand.
India
Ranked
142
On
WEFs
Gender
Gap
Report
Global Gender Gap Report 2014, which was published on 28 October by World
Economic Forum (WEF) India was ranked 114 out of 142 countries on Gender Gap
index. Iceland has the narrowest gender gap in the world, followed by Finland, Norway
and Sweden.

NATIONAL
PM
Narendra
Modi
Launched
Swachh
Bharat
Abhiyan
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 2 October launched the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan or
Clean India campaign in New Delhi. The campaign was launched on the occasion of
145th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.The total expected cost of the programme
is Rs. 62,009 crore, out of which the proposed central assistance will be of Rs. 14,623
crore.
PM
Narendra
Modi
Launched
Sansad
Adarsh
Gram
Yojana
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojna (SAGY) on the
occasion of the birth anniversary of renowned Socialist leader Jai Prakash Narayan on
11 October. SAGY will be implemented under the overall supervision of Union Ministry
of Rural Development. The programme is an ambitious village development project
under which each Member of Parliament will take the responsibility for developing
physical and institutional infrastructure in three villages by 2019.
Prime Minister Launched Deendayal Upadhyay Shramev Jayate Karyakram
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Shramev Jayate
Karyakram on 16 October in New Delhi.The scheme is aimed at creating conducive
environment for industrial development and doing business with ease.
Union
Govt
Launched
Vanbandhu
Kalyan
Yojana
Union Government has launched Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana (VKY) on 28 October for
welfare of Tribal people and particularly to lift human development indices of tribal
people.

STATES
Gujarat Govt Set Up SPV To Promote Vadodara As Cultural Capital
Gujarat government on 10 October set up a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to promote
Vadodara as the cultural capital of Gujarat and encourage tourism in Vododara. The
SPV set up will be known as Vadodara International Art and Culture Festival Authority
and it will be headed by State Tourism and Finance Minister Saurabh Patel. Thus,
Gujarat became the first state in India to set up the authority for promoting tourism.
Union Home Ministry Announced To Renamed 12 Cities and Towns of Karnataka
Union Home Ministry on 17 October announced to rename 12 cities and towns of
Karnataka. According to the proposal, the 12 cities whose names were sought to be
changed are:- Bangalore as Bengaluru; Mangalore as Mangaluru ; Bellary as Ballari ;
Bijapur as Vijayapura or Vijapura ; Belgaum as Belagavi ; Chikmagalur as
Chikkamagaluru ; Gulbarga as Kalaburagi ; Mysore as Mysuru ; Hospet as Hosapete ;
Shimoga as Shivamogga ; Hubli as Hubballi, and Tumkur as Tumakuru.
Bharatiya Janta Party Won The 2014 Assembly Elections of Haryana
Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) won the state assembly elections of Haryana. The results
of the elections were announced by the Election Commission of India on 19 October
2014. BJP by securing 47 seats emerged as the largest party, with clear majority. The
elections were held for total 90 seats on 15 October 2014.
BJP emerged As The Largest Party In Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2014
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged as the single largest party in Maharashtra
assembly elections of 2014, the results for which were declared on 19 October 2014.
The elections were held on 15 October 2014 for total 288 seats. Bharatiya Janta Party
(BJP) by winning 122 seats emerged as the largest party but none of the parties
succeeded in securing a secure clear majority.

CONFERENCES
12th
Meeting
of
the
Conference
of
the
Parties
(COP
12)
The 12th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 12) to the Convention on
Biological Diversity (CBD COP-12) was held in Pyeongchang, South Korea from 6 17
October 2014. Biodiversity for Sustainable Development was the theme for the COP
12 summit. The conference was attended by more than 2000 delegates from 193
countries. The meeting concluded on a disappointing note that biodiversity targets
agreed upon in 2010 at Nagoya are far from being met with most nations continuing on
a business as usual track. The 13th meeting of the parties to the convention takes will

take place October 2016 in Los Cabos, Baja California South, Mexico. The Conference
of the Parties is the governing body of the Convention, and advances implementation of
the Convention through the decisions it takes at its periodic meetings.

AWARDS & HONOURS

Indian
American
Thomas
Won
US
National
Medal
of
Science
Thomas Kailath, a Pune educated Indian-American engineering professor at Stanford
University, is one of the recipients of the US National Medal of Science announced by
President Barack Obama on 3 October.
Nobel
Prize
Winners
2014
Announced
The Nobel Prize winners of 2014 in the different categories were announced in the
month of October 2014. Nobel Prizes are announced by the Royal Swedish Academy of
Sciences every year in the memory of Alfred Nobel.The categories were the Nobel Prize
in Physiology or Medicine, the Nobel Prize in Physics, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, The
Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences, The Nobel Literature Prize and The
Nobel
Peace
Prize.
The Nobel Prize Winners of 2014 in the different categories were as follows:* Physiology (or) Medicine :- U.S.-British scientist John OKeefe and Norwegian
couple May-Britt Moser, Edvard Moser won the 2014 Nobel Prize in Medicine for
discovering the inner Global Positioning System (GPS) that helps the brain navigate
through the world.
* Physics :- Three Japanese-born researchers Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano and Shuji
Nakamura won the 2014 Nobel Prize for Physics. They were honoured for inventing
efficient blue Light-Emitting Diodes(LED) lamps that worked as a bright and energysaving white light sources.
* Chemistry :- American scientists Eric Betzig and William Moerner and Germanys
Stefan Hell won the 2014 Nobel prize for chemistry. The trio of Betzig, Moerner and Hell
were conferred for their contribution in the area of super-resolved fluorescence
microscopy which helped in bringing optical microscopy into the nano-dimension.
* Literature:- The Nobel Prize in Literature 2014 was awarded to French author Patrick
Modiano for the art of memory with which he has evoked the most ungraspable human
destinies and uncovered the life-world of the occupation. He is the 14th French writer to
be awarded the Nobel Prize in literature (one, Jean Paul-Sartre, declined to accept it).
* Peace :- Indian childrens rights activist Kailash Satyarthi and Pakistani child
education activist Malala Yousafzai have been jointly awarded the 2014 Nobel Peace

Prize for their struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the
right of all children to education.
* Economics :- French economist Jean Tirole won the 2014 Economics Nobel Prize for
his analysis of market power and regulation.It was the second Nobel Prize for a French
national this year after author Patrick Modiano won the literature award.
Australian Author Richard Flanagan Won 2014 Man Booker Prize
Australian author Richard Flanagan was on 15 October awarded the 2014 Man Booker
Prize for his wartime novel The Narrow Road to the Deep North. The novel narrates
story of a love and war during the construction of the Thailand Burma Death Railway in
World War II. Flanagan is the third Australian to win the prize after Thomas Keneally
and
Peter
Carey.
Malala
Won
2014
Worlds
Children
Prize
Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan won the 2014 Worlds Children Prize on 29 October 2014
after a global vote involving millions of children. She received the prize at a ceremony in
Mariestad near Stockholm. World Childrens prize was created in 2000 and is run by the
Worlds Childrens Prize Foundation (WCPF), based in Mariefred, Sweden.

SPORTS & GAMES

Chennai
Super
Kings
Won
Champions
League
Twenty-20
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) won the Champions League Twenty20 (CLT20) 2014 title
of Cricket. CSK lifted the title by defeating Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 8 wickets in
the final match in Bengaluru on 4 October. P.Negi of the Chennai Super Kings was
named the Player of the Match.This is the second Champions League win for the
Chennai Super Kings, who won earlier in 2010.
India
Finish
Incheon
Asiad
In
8th
Place
India ended the 17th Asian Games 2014 with 57 medals to finish in eighth place. India
won 11 gold, 10 silver and 36 bronze but failed to emulate their 2010 exploits at
Guangzhou, where they won 65 medals 14 gold, 17 silver and 34 bronze. China has
topped the medal table for the ninth successive times in the 17th Asian Games. With a
total of 342 medals including 151 gold, 108 silver and 83 bronze, China dominated the
medal tally in the 17th edition of Asian Games. Hosts South Korea were second with 79
golds while Japan finished third with 47 gold medals. The 17th Asian Games also
known as XVII Asiad, was held from 19 September 2014 to 4 October 2014 in Incheon,
South Korea. The theme of the 2014 Asian Games is Meet Asias Future. Diversity
Shines Here was the motto of 17th Asian Games.The moscot of the Asian Games
Incheon 2014 was three spotted Harbour Seal siblings named Barame, Chumuro and
Vichuon meaning wind, dance and light in Korean language.The 2019 Games will be
held in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Here are all the Gold Medal Winners from India:* Jitu Rai Mens 50 metre Pistol Shooting
* Sandeep Kumar, Rajat Chauhan, Abhishek Verma Mens compound team Archery
* Saurav Ghosal, Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu, Mahesh Mangaonkar, Kumar Kush
Mens team squash
* Yogeshwar Dutt Mens Freestyle 65 kg Wrestling
* Seema Punia Womens Discus throw athletics
* Sania Mirza, Saketh Myneni Mixed doubles Tennis
* M.C. Mary Kom Womens 48-51 kg Boxing
* Priyanka Panwar, Tintu Luka, Mandeep Kaur, M. Poovamma Womens 4X400m
relay athletics
* Indian team Mens Hockey
* Indian team Womens Kabaddi
* Indian team Mens Kabaddi
India
Won
Sultan
of
Johor
Cup
Under-21
Hockey
Title
India on 19 October successfully defended its Sultan of Johor Cup (SOJC) Under-21
Hockey title at Taman Daya Hockey Stadium, Johor Bohru, Malaysia. In the finals,
Indian team defeated Great Britain, 2-1. With this win, India became the first team to win
the title twice since the inception of the tournament in 2011. India won its first title in
2013.
Pankaj
Advani
Won
World
Billiards
Point
Format
Championship
Indian player Pankaj Advani won the World Billiards Point Format Championship on 24
October. This was Advanis 11th World title and third of the year in different formats of
the game. In 2014, Advani has won three different world titles the IBSF World 6 Red
Snooker, World Team Billiards and World Billiards Championship (point format), which is
an unprecedented record in itself.

ECONOMY

India
To
Grow
5.6%
In
2014
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has forecast 5.6 percent growth rate for India
this year and a higher 6.4 percent in 2015. According to the IMF latest World Economic
Outlook report released on 7 October, In China growth will remain at 7.4 percent this
year and is projected to be of 7.1 per cent in 2015.
Tatas
Land
Rover
Is
Top
Indian
Brand
Tata groups Land Rover is the only Indian brand in worlds 100 most valuable brands.
Tata Group-owned iconic British car brand Land Rover has been ranked 91st with a
brand value of $4.47 billion (Rs. 27,267 crore) and is one of the five new entrants to this
annual list compiled by leading brand consultancy Interbrand. US company Apple has
retained its top slot with a valuation of nearly $119 billion.
Asian Countries Signed MoU For Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)
21 Asian countries, including India, have signed an agreement to become founding
members of the China-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to aid the
infrastructure development in the Asian region and reduce the dependence on Westerndominated World Bank and IMF. The Joint Secretary of the Economic Affairs division of
the Ministry of Finance signed the MoU on behalf of India at Beijing on 26 October. The
MoU specifies that the authorised capital of AIIB is $100 billion and the initial subscribed
capital is expected to be around $50 billion. The Headquarters of the AIIB will be at
Beijing, and the bank is expected to be operational in 2015. Chinas Vice Finance
Minister Jin Liqun, who was also the former Vice-President of the Asian Development
Bank, has been appointed as the Secretary General of AIIB.The 21 members of the AIIB
are China, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Pakistan, Bangladesh,
Brunei, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Laos, Myanmar, Mongolia, Nepal, Oman,
Qatar, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.
India Ranked 142 In World Banks Ease of Doing Business 2015 Report
India has been placed at 142 among 189 countries in the latest World Banks Ease of
Doing Business 2015 report released on 29 October. India was ranked 134th in the
last years edition of the list. Singapore topped this list with 88.27 points and is followed
by New Zealand, Hong Kong, Denmark and South Korea.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Worlds
First
Solar
Battery
Developed
By
US
Scientists
Scientists at Ohio State University, US developed the worlds first solar battery which
recharges itself using air and light. The developed solar battery is in fact a hybrid device
that is party rechargeable battery and part solar cell.

Japan
Launches
Weather
Satellite

Himawari-8

Japan successfully launched the nations next-generation Himawari-8 weather satellite

on 7 October from the Tanegashima Space Center aboard an H-2A rocket.
ISROs PSLV-C26 Successfully Launched Indias Third Navigation Satellite IRNSS1C
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched Indias third
navigation satellite, Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System -1C ( IRNSS-1C), into
the space. The satellite was launched through ISROs Polar Satellite Launch VehicleC26 (PSLV-C26) rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra
Pradesh on 16 October 2014. PSLV-C26 injected the IRNSS-1C satellite, weighing
1425 kg, into the designated orbit.This was the 27th consecutive successful flight of
PSLV.
Researchers
Develop
Worlds
Thinnest
Electric
Generator
Researchers from Columbia Engineering and the Georgia Institute of Technology report
on 15 October that they have made the first experimental observation of piezoelectricity
and the piezotronic effect in an atomically thin material, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2),
resulting in a unique electric generator and mechanosensation devices that are optically
transparent, extremely light, and very bendable and stretchable.
Argentina Successfully Launches Its First Communication Satellite
Argentina successfully launched its first geostationary communications satellite named
ARSAT-1 from the spaceport near Kourou in French Guyana on 16 October.

PERSONS IN NEWS
A) APPOINTMENTS
Jens
Stoltenberg
Becomes
NATOs
Secretary
General
Former two-term Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg took up his post as North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General on 1 October. He succeeds
Fogh Rasmussen. Stoltenberg was previously Prime Minister of Norway from 20002001 and from 2005-2013.
Aamir
Khan
Appointed
As
UNICEFs
Goodwill
Ambassador
Bollywood actor Aamir Khan has been appointed as UNICEFs Goodwill Ambassador
for South Asian region on 9 October. Aamir Khan will focus on supporting child nutrition
to end stunting across the region.
Manohar Lal Khattar Sworn In As New Chief minister Of Haryana
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Manohar Lal Khattar was on 26 October sworn in
as new Chief Minister of Haryana, where BJP has formed government for the first time

on its own. Khattar is also the first Punjabi to become the Chief Minister of the state.
Khattar a first time MLA, represents Karnal constituency in the Haryana assembly. He is
Haryanas first non-jat chief minister in 18 years. Khattar is the 10th chief minister of the
state, which was created November 1, 1966.
Devendra
Fadnavis
Sworn
In
As
Maharashtra
Chief
Minister
Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Maharashtra on 31
October 2014. Devendra Fadnavis became the Mayor of Nagpur in 1997 when he was
just 27 year old. He thus became the second youngest Mayor in India. He also was the
youngest municipal corporator of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) at the age of
21 in 1992. He has been elected Member of the Legislative Assembly of Maharashtra
State, representing Nagpur, since, 1999.

B)RESIGNS
US
Secret
Service
Director
Julie
Pierson
Resigned
Julie Pierson, the director of the US secret service has resigned on 1 October amid
mounting criticism of her handling of security breaches at the White House and
allegations of misleading public statements.

C)DEATHS
Veteran
Journalist
M
V
Kamath
Died
Former chairman of Prasar Bharati and veteran Journalist Madhav Vittal Kamath,
popularly kmown as MV Kamath, died on 9 October. He was 93. He was awarded
Padma Bhushan for his contributions to Indian journalism in 2004 and he has written
over 50 books.

D)VISITORS
President
of
India
Pranab
Mukherjee
Visited
Norway
President of India Pranab Mukherjee visited Norway on 13 14 October 2014. During
his visit, Pranab Mukherjee held bilateral talks with Prime Minister Erna Solberg. Pranab
Mukherjee also met King Harald in Oslo, the capital of Norway. During the visit, India
and Norway signed 13 agreements to promote bilateral relations. These include
agreement between Defence sector of two countries and an agreement on exemption of
visa requirement for holders of diplomatic and official passports. He became the first
Indian head of state to visit Norway and first president to cross the Arctic Circle.

E)MISCELLANEOUS
MS Dhoni Ranks 5th On Forbes Most Valuable Athlete Brand List
India cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is the only Indian sportsman to figure
on Forbes List of the Worlds Most Valuable Athlete Brands, a list that has been topped
by American basketball player LeBron James and includes golfer Tiger Woods and

tennis stars Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Dhoni is ranked fifth with a brand value of
USD20 million in 2014, slightly down from USD21 million in 2013. The top 10 Most
Valuable Athletes list was released on 9 October 2014.

PLACES IN NEWS
India Among Five Nations To Build Worlds Biggest Telescope
India, along with four other countries will start work on the worlds biggest telescope in
the United States. The 30-metre telescope, also known as Thirty Minutes Telescope
(TMT), will be constructed near the summit of the Mauna Kea volcano on Hawaii Island
in United States. It will cost around $1.4 billion and the construction is expected to be
completed by March 2022. The diameter of this telescope will be a mammoth 30 meter.
This will enable to identify an object as small as coin from a distance of 500 km. The
other four countries involved in this project include the U.S., Japan, China and Canada.

ABBREVIATIONS
UNICEF United Nation International Childrens Emergency Fund
UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation
IRNSS Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System
TADA - Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act
WIPO - World intellectual property Organisation

BOOKS IN NEWS
Worthy Fights: A Memoir of Leadership in War and Peace Book Released
A book titled Worthy Fights: A Memoir of Leadership in War and Peace authored by
Leon Panetta, and Jim Newton was released on 7 Octobe. Panetta is a former Defence
Secretary and ex-CIA Director and Newton is an editor of the Los Angeles Times.
Panetta through the book for the first time came in a different tone in relation to ISI links
with terror outfit. Leon Panetta served as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency
(CIA) from 20092011, and as Secretary of Defense from 20112013.

COMMITTEES
Madhava Menon Committee Announced Guidelines For Govt Ads
The Supreme Court appointed high-powered committee headed by Professor NR
Madhava Menon submitted its report to the court on 6 October. The committee in its
report has framed guidelines to regulate expenditure and contents of advertisements
paid out of tax payers money. The three-member committee has recommended that
names and pictures of political parties and their office bearers like presidents should not
be mentioned in government advertisements.

IMPORTANT DAYS AND DATES

World
Food
Day
Observed
Across
The
World
World Food Day was observed across the world on 16 October 2014 with the theme
Family Farming: Feeding the world, caring for the earth.The UN General Assembly has
designated 2014 as the International Year of Family Farming. This is a strong signal that
the international community recognizes the important contribution of family farmers to
world food security.The aim of World Food Day 2014 is to focus world attention on the
significant role of family farming in eradicating hunger and poverty, providing food
security and nutrition, improving livelihoods, managing natural resources, protecting the
environment, and achieving sustainable development, in particular in rural areas.
International
Internet
Day
Observed
Across
The
World
International Internet Day was observed across the world on 29 October 2014 to mark
the anniversary of the first usage of the Internet to send a message electronically in
1969. International Internet Day is celebrated worldwide on 29 October every year.
Since 2005, the International Internet Day has been celebrated to commemorate a
momentous day in the history of telecommunications and technology.

November 2014 Current Affairs Study Material

INTERNATIONAL
China
and
Russia
Signed
Energy
Cooperation
Agreements
China and Russia signed energy cooperation agreements on 9 November. The
agreements were signed by the President of Russia Vladimir Putin and President of
China Xi Jinping at the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in
Beijing.The deals include a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop a second
major supply route to supply Russian natural gas to China along a western route.
US
and
China
Signed
Climate
Change
Agreement
In a historic climate change deal, U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese President
Xi Jinping on 12 November announced both countries will curb their greenhouse gas
emissions over the next two decades. Under the agreement, the United States would
cut its 2005 level of carbon emissions by 26-28% before the year 2025. China would
peak its carbon emissions by 2030 and will also aim to get 20% of its energy from zerocarbon emission sources by the same year.It is the first time China, the worlds biggest
polluter, has set an approximate date for emissions to peak.
Klaus
Iohannis
Elected
As
New
President
Of
Romania
Klaus Iohannis was elected as the fifth President of Romania on 16 November. The
Mayor of Sibiu Klaus Werner Iohannis won the Presidential elections in Romania by
defeating Prime Minister Victor Ponta of Social Democratic Party. Klaus Iohannis
belongs to Christian Liberal Alliance of Romania. He got 54.81 percent of votes and
Victor Ponta got 45.18 percent.
UN
General
Assembly
Adopted
Resolution
On
Child
Marriages
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) rights committee on 21 November
adopted the first-ever resolution calling on governments to stop child marriages. The
resolution was presented by Canada and Zambia.

INDIA & WORLD

India and Bhutan Signed MoU on Establishment Of Nalanda University
India and Bhutan on 7 November signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to
develop Nalanda University in Bihar as an international centre of excellence. The two
sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in this regard in Thimphu, the
capital of Bhutan, after President of India Pranab Mukherjee held talks with the
Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.

Global
Slavery
Index

2014
Second Edition of Global Slavery Index was released on 17 November by the Australiabased Walk Free Foundation. The Index ranks 167 countries in terms of the percentage
of a national population and the total number of people living in modern slavery
country by country, region by region. In absolute terms, the index was topped by India
followed by China, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Russia. Index highlighted that estimated
35.8 million people are in modern slavery globally. Out of this, 61% people are living in
top five countries.
India
and
Australia
Siged
Five
Agreements
India and Australia on 18 November signed five agreements on social security, transfer
of sentenced prisoners, combating narcotics trade, tourism, and Arts and Culture.The
agreements were signed after the bilateral talks between Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott in Canberra, Australia.
India Votes Against UN General Assembly Resolution On Death Penalty
India has voted on 25 November against a UN General Assembly draft resolution calling
for moratorium on the use of death penalty. The draft resolution on Moratorium on the
use of the death penalty was approved in the General Assemblys Third Committee,
which deals with social, humanitarian and cultural issues.India was among the 36
nations that voted against the resolution, which got 114 votes in favour and 34
abstentions.

NATIONAL
Commemorative Stamp on Liver Transplantation In India Released
The Department of Posts released a commemorative postage stamp on Liver
Transplantation in India on 4 November on the occasion of 15 years of Liver
Transplantation in India. The patient who had undergone first successful liver
transplantation in India in 1998 Sanjay Kandaswamy was also present on the occasion.
21
New
Ministers
Inducted
Into
The
Union
Cabinet
Prime Minister Narendra modi on 9 November 2014 expanded his cabinet and added
21 more ministers to his government. The 21 new ministers include four Cabinet
Ministers, three Minister of State (Independent Charge) and 14 Minister of State. With
this expansion, the total number of ministers under different ranks including the Prime
Minister has gone up to 66 from previous 45. It is also the first expansion of the Union
Council of Ministers since the Modi government took office on 26 May 2014. The
Portfolios of Cabinet Ministers:- Manohar Parrikar (Goa) Defence Minister ; Suresh
Prabhu (Maharashtra) Rail Minister ; J P Nadda (Himachal Pradesh) Health and
Family Welfare Minister ; Birender Singh (Haryana) Panchayati Raj and Drinking
Water and Sanitation Minister.

PM Narendra Modi Launches Jeevan Pramaan Digital Life Certificate For

Pensioners
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 10 November launched Jeevan Pramaan an
Aadhar-based Digital Life Certificate for pensioners.The digital certification will do
away with the requirement of submitting a physical Life Certificate in November each
year by pensioners for getting pension.
Union
Government
Approved
Launch
Of
DUGJY
The Union Government on 21 November approved the launch of the Deendayal
Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DUGJY) to provide access of electricity to rural
households across the country. A decision in this regard was taken at the Cabinet
meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. The Union Cabinet also
decided to merge the ongoing Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) with
DUGJY scheme.

STATES
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Launched Samajwadi Pension Scheme
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on 5 November launched the Samajwadi
Pension Scheme for 40 lakh families, including those belonging to the Scheduled
Castes and Scheduled Tribes and minorities.
PM
Narendra
Modi
Adopts
Jayapur
Village
In
Varanasi
Jayapur was adopted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 5 November under the
Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (MP Model Village Plan). Narendra Modi chose Jayapur
village in Varanasi district (Uttar Pradesh) under the Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana
(SAGY).
Assam Zoo Set To Become First Zoo To Have The Endangered Pygmy Hog
Assam State Zoo in Guwahati in the month of November 2014 decided to have the
critically endangered pig Pygmy Hog (Porcula salvania). Pygmy Hog is the rarest and
smallest wild pig in the world. With this decision, Assam State Zoo is set to become the
first and only zoo of the world to have this critically endangered species of pigs.
Namsai
Becomes
Arunachal
Pradeshs
18th
District
Namsai on 25 November 2014 officially became the 18th district of Arunachal Pradesh.
The Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Nabam Tuki made the declaration.

CONFERENCES

Ninth G20 Summit Held In Brisbane

The 2014 G-20 Australia summit was the ninth meeting of the G-20 heads of
government. It was held on 15-16 November 2014 in Brisbane, Australia. At the
conclusion of the Summit, the G20 leaders released the final communiqu known as the
Brisbane Action Plan. The Action Plan contains a package of more than 800 reforms to
boost global growth, shore up financial institutions and improve economic resilience. If
these are implemented, then global growth will see an increase of 2.1 percent. After
recovery from the global financial crisis the G20 agreed on the need for bold and
coordinated push to generate strong, sustainable economic growth across the bloc. It
set an ambitious goal to lift G20 growth by more than 2 percent to 2018 and millions of
additional jobs. China will play host to the Group of Twenty (G20) Summit of the
emerging economies in 2016. Turkey took over the presidency from Australia and will
host the event in Antalya in 2015.

AWARDS & HONOURS

Manmohan
Singh
Received
Japans
Top
National
Award
Former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was conferred with the Grand Cordon
of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers Award on 5 November. The Grand Cordon of
the Order of the Paulownia Flowers is perceived as the second highest civilian award
of Japan after Order of the Chrysanthemum. The award was presented to Manmohan
Singh by Japanese Emperor Akihito at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. He was given this
award for his significant contribution to the enhancement of relations and promotion of
friendship between Japan and India. He became the first Indian to receive this
prestigious award.
West Bengals Darjeeling Zoo Selected For Earth Heroes Award 2014
The Darjeeling Zoo or the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park was on 1
November selected for the prestigious International Award The Earth Heroes Award
2014. It has become the first zoo in India. It has competed with 300 zoos across the
world. Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park is largest high altitude zoo of India. It
is located in West Bengal.The Earth Heroes award is annually awarded by the Royal
Bank of Scotland in collaboration with the Government of United Kingdom.
Neha
Gupta
Received
International
Childrens
Peace
Prize
2014
Indian-American student Neha Gupta has won the 2014 International Childrens Peace
Prize Award for her exceptional work to raise money for underprivileged children around
the world. Nobel Peace Laureate Desmond Tutu the patron of the Dutch childrens
rights organization presented her with the award on 18 November in The Hague,
Netherlands. She is the first American to be awarded with this prize.

ISRO
selected
For
Indira
Gandhi
Prize
For
Peace

2014
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has been selected for the Indira Gandhi
Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for 2014 in recognition of its pathbreaking achievements including the Mars Orbiter Mission and contribution in
strengthening international cooperation in peaceful use of outer space. ISRO was
selected for the award by a jury chaired by Vice President Hamid Ansari on 19
November 2014.

SPORTS & GAMES

Central
Zone
Won
Duleep
Trophy
2014-15
Central Zone won the 2014-15 Duleep Trophy title on 2 November. They won by
defeating South Zone in the finals played at Feroz Shah Kotla Ground, Delhi with 9
runs. This was the first Duleep title for Central zone in ten seasons and the narrowest
win in the tournaments history, in terms of runs. K Rahul was adjudged as the Man-ofthe-match for his knocks of 185 and 130 in the final.
Salgaocar
FC
Won
Durand
Cup
2014
The 2014 Durand Cup , the 127th edition of the Durand Cup which is the third oldest
association football competition in the world, was won by the Salgaocar FC. Salgaocar
FC defeated Pune FC in the final by 1-0 to claim their 3rd Durand title.They were
Durand Cup champions in the year 1999 and 2003 as well. 127th Durand Cup played at
the
Raia
Sports
Complex,
Goa.
India
Won
3rd
SAFF
Womens
Championship
India won the 2014 South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Womens Championship at
the Jinnah Stadium in Islamabad on 21 November. Indian team won 6-0 over Nepal to
register their first series win on Pakistan soil.With this win, the Indian team has won all
the three SAFF women finals against Nepal.
Magnus
Carlsen
Won
FIDE
World
Chess
Championship
2014
Magnus Carlsen of Norway won the FIDE World Chess Championship 2014 on 23
November at Sochi (Russia). He defeated Viswanathan Anand of India with a score of
6.5 4.5. Out of a total of 12 games played, he won the Game 2, Game 6 and Game
11. With this he retained the FIDE World Championship which he had won in Chennai in
2013.
Karnataka
Won
Vijay
Hazare
Trophy
Karnataka won the Vijay Hazare Cricket Trophy on 25 November by defeating Punjab
by 156 runs in the final at Ahmedabad.Karnataka had won the title earlier this year in
March 2014 to complete a historic treble (Ranji Trophy, Irani Cup and Vijay Hazare
Trophy) under R Vinay Kumar.

ECONOMY
WEF Recognizes 17 Indian Companies As Global Growth Companies
17 companies from India were recognised as Global Growth Company by World
Economic Forum (WEF) as notified by it on 5 November. Ratnakar Bank Limited (RBL),
headquartered at Kolhapur (Maharashtra), is the only banking entity out of these 17
companies from India, which have been described as regions most dynamic and highgrowth companies by the WEF. The Global Growth Companies community comprises
over 370 companies around the world.
Government of India and World Bank Signed $200 Million Agreement
The Government of India (GoI) and the World Bank on 10 November signed a $200
million loan agreement to enhance the productivity of Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises (MSMEs) by expanding and upgrading Technology Centers across India.
The Technology Center Systems Program (TCSP) will develop the technological and
skills base of MSMEs in selected manufacturing industries.
Kerala Becomes First State with Bank Accounts For All Families
Kerala has become the first state in the country with bank accounts for all families under
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna (PMJDY). A formal declaration to this effect was made
by Kerala Finance Minister K M Mani at the State-Level Bankers Committee (SLBC)
meeting in Thiruvananthapuram on 11 November.
Indias Growth Forecast Raised To 6.6 percent By OECD For 2015-16
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on 19 November
raised Indias growth forecast to 6.6 percent for the financial year 2015-2016.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Russia Successfully Test Fired Topol-M Intercontinental Ballistic Missile
Russian Strategic Missile Troops (RVSN) on 1 November successfully test fired a
Topol-M Inter Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) to test its technical features. The
Topol-M, a silo-based ICBM, was launched from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in Russias
northern Arkhangelsk region.
Nuclear
Capable
Agni-II
Missile
Successfully
Test
Fired
India on 9 November successfully test-fired its medium-range nuclear-capable Agni-II
missile with a strike range of more than 2000 km from the Wheeler Island off Odisha
coast as part of a user trial by the army.The 20-metre long Agni-II missile is a two-stage,
solid-propelled ballistic missile. It has a launch weight of 17 tonnes and can carry a
payload of 1000 kg over a distance of more than 2,000 km.

Pakistan
Successfully
Test
Fires
Shaheen-II
and
Shaheen
1A
Pakistan has successfully test fired Shaheen-II (Hatf-VI) Ballistic Missile on 13
November 2014. Shaheen-II Missile is capable of carrying nuclear and conventional
warheads to a range of 1500 kilometers.
China
Launched
Yaogan-23
Remote
Sensing
Satellite
China launched remote sensing satellite Yaogan-23 from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch
Centre on 15 November. This satellite was carried by the Long March 2-c rocket. This is
the 198th mission of the Long March rocket project. The Yaogan-23 will be deployed
mainly for scientific experiments, crop yield estimates, national resource surveys and
disaster relief.

PERSONS IN NEWS
A) APPOINTMENTS
Anita
Kapur
is
CBDT
new
Chairperson
Senior Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer Anita Kapur has been appointed as the
new Chairperson of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on 5 November. CBDT is
the topmost authority of the Income-Tax Department. Anita Kapur will be serving as the
Chairperson of CBDT till November 2015. She succeeded K V Chowdhary who has
retired on 31 October 2014.
Laxmikant
Parsekar
Sworn
In
As
Goas
New
Chief
Minister
Laxmikant Parsekar sworn-in as the new Chief Minister of Goa. Parsekar was elected
the leader of the Goa BJP Legislative Party on 8 November 2014 and was administered
the oath of office on the same day. He replaced Manohar Parrikar, who took oath as
Union Cabinet Minister on 9 November 2014. Laxmikant Yashwant Parsekar is the
member of the Goa Legislative Assembly from Mandrem constituency.

B)RESIGNS
Goa
Chief
Minister
Manohar
Parrikar
Resigned
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Gopalkrishna Prabhu Parrikar on 8 November 2014
resigned from his position. He took oath as Union Cabinet Minister on 9 November
2014. Manohar Parrikar is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in India. He
has been Chief Minister of Goa first from 2000 to 2005 and later from March 2012 to
November 2014 and represented the Panaji constituency in the Legislative Assembly of
Goa.

C)DEATHS

Former
Union
Minister
Murli
Deora
Died
Murli Deora, Senior Congress leader from Maharastra and Former Petroleum Minister,
was died on 24 November in Mumbai. Deora was Indias longest serving Petroleum
Minister, completing exactly five years in office in a tenure that began in January 2006
and was spread between UPA-1 and II. He first contested the Lok Sabha polls from
Mumbai South constituency in 1980 . He was first time elected to the Rajya Sabha in
2002 from Maharashtra and since then had completed two terms. At present, he was
serving his third term.

D)VISITORS
Indian
Prime
Minister
Narendra
Modi
Visited
Myanmar
Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi visited Myanmar to attend the 25th ASEAN
summit, 12th ASEAN-India Summit and 9th East Asia Summit in Naypyidaw,the capital
of Myanmar from 12-13 November 2014. During the visit, many decisions were taken
and on the sidelines of the summit, the Prime Minister also met with other leaders of
ASEAN countries. Narendra Modi also met Myanmar President U Thein Sein in Nay Pyi
Taw, the capital of Myanmar. This was the first meeting between the two leaders, and
focus was on connectivity, cultural contacts and commercial ties.

E)MISCELLANEOUS
Narendra Modi Ranks 15th On Forbes Most Powerful People List
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been ranked 15th in the Forbes list of Worlds Most
Powerful People for the year 2014. Forbes worlds most powerful people -2014 list was
released on 5 November. Russian President Vladimir Putin retains his numero uno seat
just above his American rival Barack Obama (2nd) for the second consecutive year.

PLACES IN NEWS
Worlds 2nd Tallest Power Transmission Towers In West Bengal
The worlds second tallest power transmission towers, built by Haldia Energy Limited
(HEL), has come up in West Bengal.The 236-metre-long twin towers, located at HELs
600-MW capacity plant at Haldia and Raichak across the river Hooghly, are the tallest in
the country. Covering a span of 1.5 km, the twin towers weigh 1,800 tonnes.The worlds
highest transmission tower (370 metres) is located at Mount Damaoshan in China.

ABBREVIATIONS

AAFI Amateur Athletics Federation of India

APEC Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
CDRI - Central Drug Research Institute
SAARC - South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
ASEAN Association of South East Asian Nations

BOOKS IN NEWS
2014:The Election That Changed India Authored By Rajdeep Sardesai Released
A book titled 2014:The Election that Changed India authored by senior journalist
Rajdeep Sardesai was released on 1 November. The book follows through the major
stories of the 2014 Loksabha elections which affected the fate of Narendra Modi,
Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi.

COMMITTEES
Justice Mudgal Committee Submitted Its Final Report on IPL Spot Fixing
The Supreme Court (SC) appointed Mukul Mudgal committee on 2013 Indian Premier
League (IPL)-6 spot-fixing submitted its final report to the court on 3 November 2014.
The report of Justice Mukul Mudgal committee on match fixing in IPL-6 was made public
on 17 November 2014.The report gave a major relief to the stepped down BCCI
president N. Srinivasan observing that it could not be proved that he was involved with
betting activities. The Mudgal Committee submitted two reports to the Supreme court on
9 February 2014.The Mukul Mudgal panel was constituted by the Supreme Court in
October 2013 to probe the allegations of spot-fixing in IPL-6 matches. The committee is
headed by Justice (Retd.) Mukul Mudgal, former Chief Justice of the Punjab and
Haryana High Court.

IMPORTANT DAYS AND DATES

National
Education
Day
was
Observed
on
11
November
National Education Day (NED) was observed on 11 November 2014 to mark of the birth
anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. This NED was 125th birth anniversary of

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.National Educational Day was observed on the birth
anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, first Education minister of Independent
India.In 2008, Government of India declared that Azads birth anniversary will be
celebrated as the National Education Day.
World Fisheries Day Observed Across The World On 21 November
World Fisheries day on 21 November 2014 was observed across the world by the fisher
folk communities. The day will remind the world to ensure sustainable stocks of fisheries
and healthy oceans ecosystems.The day also helps to highlight the problems like over
fishing and mechanization and moves towards finding solutions to the increasingly interconnected problems that world facing and in the longer term, to sustainable means of
maintaining fish stocks.Fishing communities across the world celebrated through rallies,
workshops, public meetings, cultural dramas, exhibition, music show, and
demonstrations to highlight the importance of maintaining the fisheries of world. As a
part of World Fisheries Day celebrations, Union Government of India announced to
launch Blue Revolution to increase in fish production and productivity in India.