October gk 2014 ibps clerks gk material

[OCTOBER COMPLETE GK 2014]
November
30, 2014
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OCTOBER GK 2014 CONSIDERING LAST IBPS PO WE ARE PROVIDING BEST QUALITY GK MATERIAL FOR IBPS CLERK WHICH CONSISTS OF DEAD GK PART TOO AS REQUESTED EARLIER IF YOU READ THOROUGHLY YOU CAN GAIN HIGH MARKS Govt to launch Unnat Bharat Abhiyan Government is set to launch a new programme, the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan to uplift rural India. This programme will be launched in collaboration with the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) and the National Institutes of Technology (NITs) across the country. The main idea for launching the programme is to provide definitive research that can be aligned with national development. Unnat Bharat Abhiyan is an initiative of the Ministry of Human Resource Development. It will be coordinated and steered by IIT Delhi. Key Points about Unnat Bharat Abhiyan  The programme, with the help of IITs, NITs and other leading technical institutions will prepare a roadmap for holistic rural development.  It will involve engaging with communities around each institute and for their upliftment.  Each IIT will identify 10 villages in its neighbourhood and work out technologies to solve the most pressing issues of the region.  Different teams from these institutes will visit the villages, identify problems and then aim to find financially-viable schemes.  Once the solution is identified then they will involve the industry in this to solve the problem.  Along with the HRD ministry and the institutes, some other ministries such as rural development and NGOs working in villages are also likely to be involved in the programme.  Some of the problems that the institutes will be looking at are, supply of potable water, sanitation, energy and low cost housing.  Sachin Tendulkar inducted in Bradman Hall of Fame

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  Cricketers Sachin Tendulkar and Steve Waugh have been inducted into the Bradman Hall of Fame.  The two cricketers were inducted as honorees of the Bradman Foundation at a gala dinner held at the Sydney CRICKET Ground.  Sachin Tendulkar had met Bradman on his 90thbirthday in Adelaide. Bradman had listed Tendulkar in an all-time XI list prepared by him. Tendulkar holds almost every Test batting record, except for Bradman‟s average.  India ranks 142nd in the Doing Business 2015 Report  India was ranked 142nd among 189 nations in the World Bank‟s Ease of DoingBusines Report. „Doing Business 2015: Going Beyond Efficiency‟ is a World Bank Group flagship publication Countries performing well Singapore topped the list of business-friendly economies globally for the ninth consecutive year. India re-elected to ECOSOC India won its re-election to the EcoSoc. This win comes just a week after India‟s re-election to the UNHRC. On election, members serve a three year term. India‟s previous term was scheduled to end in 2013. Now, on re-election, India will serve another three year term beginning on 1st January, 2015.

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Re-election to the EcoSoc A country requires two-thirds of the total votes to become a member. EcoSoc has a total of 54 members. The countries serve for overlapping periods of three years. In October this year, all the members of the UNGA voted to elect 18 members from amongst themselves to the EcoSoc. India was re-elected to the 193-member UN body, EcoSoc, after receiving 183 votes. India was re-elected with the highest number of votes in the Asia Pacific group. India was followed by Japan and Pakistan, both of whom received 181 votes each. Members of the EcoSoc The newly elected members of the EcoSoc are Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Estonia, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Honduras, India, Japan,Mauritania, Pakistan, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda and Zimbabwe. Jawahar Sircar elected vice president of Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union The CEO of Prasar Bharati, Jawhar Sircar, was elected unopposed as the Vice-President of the Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU). Also, representatives from Malaysian broadcaster RTM and JapaN‟s NHK were also chosen as Vice-Presidents while the representative from South Korean broadcaster KBS was chosen as the President. Latest ICC Test team rankings: India stands on 6th place Thanks to its loss to Pakistan in a match of the Abu Dhabi Test Series, India dropped to sixth place in ICC‟s Test rankings. This ranking change shall remain irrespective of how the rest of the Abu Dhabi Test series turns out. Government announces TB-Mission 2020

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TB Mission 2020 is a Government of Indiainitiative to eliminate TB or Tuberculosis in India by 2020. This mission was announced by the Health Minister at WHO‟s Global TB Symposium in Barcelona. The symposium was titled „Moving out of the box to end global TB epidemic: with post-2015 strategy.‟ Surya Prakash appointed as Chairman of Prasar Bharti Surya Prakash, has been appointed as the Chairman of the Board of Prasar Bharti for a period of three years. Prakash‟s name was recommended by a three member committee. The Committee comprised of:-  Vice President Hamid Ansari, who is also the head of the committee  Press Council of India Chairperson, Markandey Katju  Bimal Julka, Secretary of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Chhatpuja Celebrated The festival is observed most diligently in Bihar, Jharkhand, Eastern UP and the Terai regions of Nepal India signs pact with Vietnam for exploration of two oil and gas blocks India and Vietnam signed seven agreements after PM Modi met his counterpart Nguyen Tan Dung. The two also held talks on a wide range of bilateral and regional issues, and called for „freedom of navigation and commerce, and peaceful settlement of maritime disputes in the region‟.

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Trade Bilateral trade between the two countries has steadily improved, especially after the implementation of the India-ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement. The conclusion of the India- ASEAN Trade in Services and Investment Agreements is expected to provide a further impetus to trade. Both countries also agreed to enhance the bilateral trade targets to US $15 billion by 2020. Defence Cooperation India is committed to the modernisation of Vietnamese defence and security forces. India‟s already substantial training programme for the Vietnamese forces will be expanded. Also joint exercises will be conducted and the countries will cooperate in the arena of defence equipment. Cooperation in other areas Both nations also agreed to increase cooperation in crucial areas of defence, security, trade and counter-terrorism. They signed five pacts providing for cooperation in sectors like „education, culture and broadcasting, conservation and restoration of the world heritage site of My Son in Vietnam‟s Quang Nam Province and the Nalanda university project.‟ India also asked Vietnam to provide expeditious clearances to the Tata Group for its thermal power project inVietnam which is scheduled to be completed by 2020. Vietnam sought India‟s help for skill development in the IT sector, and also asked India to increase seats for Vietnamese students in Indian educational institutions or consider setting up a university in Vietnam. India offered Vietnam seats in the Petroleum university to train people for better management of the oil and gas exploration projects. Chinese response Chine has been objecting to India‟s oil exploration projects in the disputed waters of South China sea. Hours after India signed the pact with Vietnam, China warned that it would „oppose any exploration activity in the South China Sea if it undermined its sovereignty and interests‟. Dilma Rousseff re-elected president of Brazil
Government to soon put up Climate Change Adaptation Plan
The government has already set aside Rs. 100 cr in the budget for the development of this Plan. Anirban Lahiri wins Venetian Macau Open Serena Williams wins WTA Finals Singles Trophy USA‟s Serena Williams defeated Romania‟s Simona Halep to clinch the BNP Paribas WTA FinalsSingapore Singles title. Williams‟ won the US $2.05 mn prize money, along with the Billie Jean King Trophy

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Sania Mirza and Cara Black win Doubles trophy of the WTA Finals Zimbabwean national Cara Black and Indian Sania Mirza won the BNP Paribas WTA Finals SingaporeDoubles title. They defeated the defending champions Peng Shuai and Hsieh Su-wei. Britain formally ends 13 year War in Afghanistan UK has formally withdrawn from Afghanistan, ending the 13 year war that it was a part of. The lowering of the Union Flag in Camp Bastion marked the end of Britain‟s campaign, which is believed to be its longest involvement in a conflict in modern times. SpaceX Dragon spacecraft returns safely SpaceX‟s Dragon spacecraft has concluded its mission to the ISS (InternationalSpace Station) and returned to Earth. The spacecraft was launched in September in SpaceX‟s Falcon 9 launch vehicle. This was Dragon‟s fifth visit to the ISS. Cargo from usa India‟s GDP is likely to grow by 5.6 per cent in 2014-15: World Bank The report also said that the GDP growth may rise further to 6.4% and 7% in 2015-16 and 2016- 17. Key Points: Telecom giant SoftBank pledges USD 10 billion investment in India Japanese telecom giant SoftBank has pledged to invest US $10 bn in India‟s IT and communications sector in the coming years Pankaj Advani wins World Billiards Point Format Championship

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Pankaj Advani emerged the winner at the World Billiards Championship triumph in the 150-up points format. Advani defeated Singapore‟s Peter Gilchrist 6-2 in the finals of the World Championship. The points format is the shorter form of the regular billiards game. Noted freedom fighter Jagdish Sharan dies Prominent freedom fighter Jagdish Sharan Pande passed away in Almora,Uttarakhand at age 95. He died after a prolonged illness. Pande was a resident of Bhatkot in Uttarakhand. After his death, Pande‟s remains were consigned to flames with full state honours. Post-independence, Pande has been actively involved in social work. Role in the fight for Independence Pande was a part of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose‟s Azad Hind Fauj. He was also jailed in Burma during 1943-44 for his involvement. 21 Asian countries sign MoU for Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) 21 Asian countries, including India, have signed an agreement to become the founding members of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). China‟s Vice-Finance Minister Jin Liqun, who has also been the Vice-President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), was appointed the Secretary General of AIIB. India’s role China has been keen to ensure India‟s participation in the AIIB, and the Chinese President Jinping also pushed for it when met PM Modi on the sidelines of theBRICS Summit in July. The AIIB is in addition to the BRICS Development Bank which was also formed recently. Te BRICS Development will be located in Shanghai, and will begin operating with an Indian as its President. AIIB AIIB is an international financial institution that was proposed by China. It is expected to act as a balance of power with the WB, IMF and ADB all being controlled/dominated by the US, EU and Japan respectively.

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The Headquarters of the AIIB will be at Beijing, and the bank is expected to be operational in 2015. According to the agreement, the authorised capital of AIIB is US $100 bn and the initial subscribed capital is expected to be around US $50 bn. The paid-in ratio will be 20%. The 21 members of the AIIB are China, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, thePhilippines, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Laos,Myanmar, Mongolia, Nepal, Oman, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. Government announces RS. 745 Crore Package for J & K PM Modi visited J&K on the occasion of Diwali to review the relief and rehabilitation efforts Government clears defence projects worth 80,000 cr The Defence Acquisition Council has given the clearance to defence projects amounting to 80,000 cr. Multiple deals that involve either upgradation of equipments or capability enhancement of the Navy were given approval. Other projects that have been approved are:-  Indigenous production of six submarines  Procurement of 8,000 Israeli anti-tank guidedmissiles  Procurement of 12 upgraded Dornier surveillance aircraft with enhanced sensors from HAL at Rs. 1,850 cr  Purchase of 8,356 Anti Tank Guided Missile from Israel worth Rs 3,200 cr (This is being bought instead of USA‟s Javelin missile). The Army will also purchase 321 launchers for the missile  Purchase of 362 infantry fighting vehicle from the Ordinance Factory Board in Medak, West Bengal for Rs 662 cr

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 Purchase of 1,761 units of five spoke 7.5 tonne radio containers for Rs 662 cr and 1,768 critical rolling stock – open and closed wagons for transport of military equipments at a cost of Rs 740 cr from domestic vendors  Purchase of equipments for classified operations of the Navy Birth anniversary of Sardar Patel, 31 October to be celebrated as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas The Birth Anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, which falls on 31 October, will be celebrated asNational Integration Day of Rashtriya Ekta Divas from now on. Objective of the Commemoration The government will attempt to create awareness among the people about Sardar Patel‟s contribution towards India‟s freedom struggle and ensuring national integration in India. Sardar Patel played a pivotal role in the merger of princely states with British ruled India to form a sovereign united country called India Rashtriya Ekta Divas (RED) The government will try to make RED a mass movement, reaching people from all avenues of life. The participation of the people shall be voluntary. On October 31 this year, the PM will participate in the event and broadcast a short radio address. In the morning of October 31, a „run for unity‟ marathon will be organized in cities, towns and villages all over India. In the evening, Police and other organizations like the NSS, NCC, Scouts and Guides, Home Guards etc will march on the streets in all district headquarters. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sardar Patel was born on 31 October, 1875 at Karamsand, Gujarat. He was a barrister with a successful law practice, before he left the law to join the Indian national movement under Gandhi. He played a major role in organizing peasants‟ movements in Kheda and Bardoli in Gujarat, and during the Quit India movement. His biggest contribution to India was his role in the integration of the over 500 princely states with India during 1947-49. International Boxing Association (AIBA) suspends Sarita Devi

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Indian boxer L.Sarita Devi has been provisionally suspended by the AIBA for refusing to accept the bronze medal she won after losing the semifinal fight over a controversial decision at the 2014 Asian Games. Suspension Along with Sarita Devi, her coaches Gurbaksh Singh Sandhu, B.I.Fernandes and Sagar Mai Dhayal andIndia‟s chef-de-mission Adille Sumariwala to the Incheon Asiad 2014 have also been suspended. All of them are prohibited from participating in the upcoming competitions till further notice. Other than AIBA competitions, they also cannot participate in AIBA events and meetings. This Sarita Devi case has now been sent for review by the AIBA Disciplinary Commission. The suspension means that Sarita Devi will miss the upcoming Women‟s World Championships in Jeju, South Korea which is scheduled to take place between November 13 and 25. India-Mexico sign pacts for space cooperation India and Mexico have signed pacts to cooperate in the field of space technology. Joint Commission meeting The pacts were signed at the sixth session of the Joint Commission meeting between India and Mexico that was held in New Delhi. The meeting was presided by India‟s External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj, and her Mexican counterpart, Jose Antonio Meade Kuribrena. The other issues discussed or decided at the meeting are:- UNHRC asks China to ensure universal voting rights in Hong Kong

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The UNHRC ( United Nations Human RightsCommittee) asked China to ensure universal suffrage in Hong Kong, specifying that universal voting rights included the right to stand for election as well as the right to vote. Role of UNHRC in Hong Kong The UNHRC monitors compliance with aninternational treaty on civil and political rights, namely the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), in Hong Kong. Therefore, it is concerned with violations of the treaty in Hong Kong. Nigeria declared Ebola free by World Health Organisation Nigeria has been declared officially free of Ebola by the WHO. Earlier, WHO also declared Senegal Ebola free. Manohar Lal Khattar to be new Chief Minister of Haryana Marin Cilic wins Kremlin Cup Second seeded US Open champion Marin Cilic ofCroatia won the Kremlin Cup ATP title in Moscow. He defeated fifth seeded Spaniard Roberto Bautista-Agut in the final. Cilic became the first Croatian to win the Moscow ATP 250 tournament since his coach Goran

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India wins Sultan of Johor Cup title India faced Great Britain at the Taman Daya Hockeystadium in Johor Bahru in Malaysia for the finals of the Sultan of Johor under 21 hockey Cup.
China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Trilateral dialogue held
October 22, 2014
China, Afghanistan and Pakistan held a trilateral dialogue to chalk out a roadmap for regional cooperation and strengthen ties with each other. This is the second such dialogue. The first dialogue was held in 2013 in Beijing. Five year Indian boy climbs Kalapathar peak, sets world record Harshit Saumitra, a five year and eleven month old Indian has successfully climbed Kalapathar peak. Harshit Saumitra is the son of a famous mountaineer, Rajeev Saumitra. Japan rolls out Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ), its first commercial jet in 50 years SAARC Framework Agreement for Energy Cooperation finalized

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30, 2014
The SAARC Framework Agreement for Energy Cooperation (Electricity) was finalized at the 5thSAARC Energy Ministers Meeting and will be signed by all the parties at the upcoming SAARC Summit that is to be held in November 2014 in Kathmandu,Nepal. SAARC Framework Agreement for Energy Cooperation This agreement has been pending since 2010 and is an important step in developing a SAARC Market for Electricity (SAME) on a regional basis. Bangladesh will convene the meeting of Energy Regulators or Agencies in SAARC countries by December 2014. India’s role India has offered to host a seminar on “Sharing Experiences on Energy Pricing Mechanism in the SAARC Region” and also host the second meeting of the Expert Group on Technology/Knowledge Sharing (including Energy Efficiency, coal, etc.) in 2015. SAARC SAARC or the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation was established in 1985, with its secretariat in Kathmandu, Nepal. SAARC is an association of eight countries in South Asia. The idea of the regional body was first proposed by the Bangaldeshi President Zia-ur-Rahman in 1980, when the proposed creation of a trade bloc consisting solely South Asian countries. Afghanistan is the most recent, and eighth addition to the grouping. It was added at the behest of India, on 13 November, 2005. China, EU, USA, SouthKorea, Iran, Myanmar, Australia and Mauritius are observers to SAARC. Ministerial level Energy forum The process of regional cooperation in the energy sector began in January 2000 with the establishment of a Technical Committee on Energy. At the 12th SAARC Summit in 2004, the Islamabad Declaration called for the constitution of a Ministerial level Energy Forum was constituted. The first meeting of the SAARC Energy Ministers was held at Islamabad in 2005. India-LAC investment conclave concludes The India-LAC (Latin America and Carribean)investment conclave was held under the auspices of FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce andIndustry) and Ministry of Commerce and Industry on October 16 and 17.

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Objectives of the conclave The objectives of the conclave are as follows:-  Provide insights to LAC region industries on lucrative investment opportunities available in India  Provide Indian industries insight into the LAC region to enable them to develop suitable strategies to penetrate the LAC region markets  Facilitate partnerships between industries in the Indian and LAC region  Enable government representatives from both regions to enhance economic engagement between India and LAC region.  Rajiv Mehrishi appointed as Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs   The Central Government has replaced FinanceSecretary Arvind Mayaram with Rajasthan Chief Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi. Mayaram is being shifted to the Tourism Ministry Arvind Subramanian appointed new Chief Economic Advisor of India Highlights of President Pranab Mukherjee‟s visit to Norway and Finland President Pranab Mukherjee returned from a five day visit to Norway and Finland on October 17. He signed a multitude of agreements during his time there. Nuclear Energy India signed an agreement for nuclear cooperation with Finland. The agreement was signed between the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) of India and the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority of Finland. Other than nuclear cooperation, radiation safety regulation,

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exchange of information and personnel related to the peaceful use of nuclear energy will be the spheres of collaboration. Trade India and Finland agreed to double bilateral trade to $2 bn over the next three years. Around 19 agreements for cooperation across various fields likeeducation, biotechnology, nuclear and radiation safety, and renewable energy were signed to further increase the bilateral trade. Energy cooperation A joint venture partnership agreement was signed between Chempolis Oy and Numaligarh Refinery Ltd. to build India‟s first BioRefinery. Science & Technology An MoU was signed between the Department of Biotechnology and Tekes, the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation to increase cooperation in the field of biotechnology. This will help the two countries collaborate in the areas of diagnostics in health and well being through joint funding of projects and workshops. Agreements with Norway India and Norway also signed a plethora of agreements to increase cooperation in defence, science and technology, education and other areas. Nuclear capable Cruise Missile Nirbhay tested successfully India successfully tested Nirbhay, India‟s first indigenously designed and developed long range sub-sonic cruise missile. The missile was fired from the Integrated Test Range at Balasore, Odisha. Nirbhay maintained an accuracy better than 10 m throughout its path and covered a distance of more than 1000 km. Indigenously developed missile Nirbhay is made wholly of parts indigenously developed in India. It is powered by a solid rocket motor booster developed by the Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL) and the launch was from a mobile launcher specifically designed for Nirbhay by the Vehicles R&D Establishment (VRDE). The missile was guided by a highly advanced inertial navigation system developed by Research Centre Imarat (RCI). The missile was tracked with the help of ground based radars,

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and the missile was monitored through telemetry stations by a team from DRDO and LRDE (Electronics & Radar Development Establishment). Prior launch attempt HRD ministry to introduce Tithi Bhojan in Schools in Mid Day Meal scheme The Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister has announced its decision to introduce the practice of „Tithi Bhojan‟ as a part of the Mid Day Meal scheme. The HRD Minister headed a meeting of the Empowered Committee on Mid Day Meal Scheme to review the functioning of the Mid Day Meal scheme. The meeting consisted of representatives of State Governments, Food and Nutrition experts and senior officers of the Central Government. The Committee was formed last year. Tithi Bhojan Some of the features of Tithi Bhojan are:-  Tithi Bhojan was first successfully implemented in Gujarat, and will now be replicated across the country  It seeks to involve the members of the community in the effort to provide nutritious and healthy food to the children  The members of the community may contribute/sponsor either utensils or food on special occasions/festivals. This is completely voluntary, and the people in the community may contribute food items supplementary to the mid day already being provided like sweet, namkeen or sprouts.  Greater participation and involvement of religious and charitable institutions is also being promoted First meeting of bilateral border mechanism between India-China held

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The first meeting of the talks on the bilateral border under the framework of the Border Affairs Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (BAWMCC) was held on October 16. The focus of the talks was on issues of mutual interest like border patrolling and management. BAWMCC The BAWMCC was created in 2012, as a forum to address issues arising out of aggressive patrolling along the contentious border. The BAWMCC is co-chaired by the Joint Secretary (China Division) in the Ministry of External Affairs and his/her Chinese counterpart. The goal of the BAWMCC is to prevent recurrence of incidents between the two countries like the one in Chumar. Also, the BAWMCC calls for discussion of issues related to border management by foreign ministry anddefence officials, in an effort to maintain peace. The disputed boundary issue is discussed by special representatives. India successfully launches IRNSS 1C IRNSS 1C, the next satellite in India‟s IRNSS (Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System) series, was launched successfully on October 16 by ISRO. IRNSS 1C was launched on a PSLV C26 from Sriharikota. The satellite is similar to, and follows the IRNSS 1A and 1B which were launched in April 2013 and July 2014 respectively. Details of launch India-Canada hold Strategic Dialogue

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The second India-Canada Strategic Dialogue was held in New Delhi on October 14. The dialogue was co-chaired by Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird. Baird who is on a five day visit, also met PM Modi and discussed various bilateralmatters. PM Modi is set to meet the Canadian PM Harper inAustralia, on the sidelines of the G-20 summit. Strategic Dialogue At the meeting, the two sides discussed a variety of bilateral issues including but not limited to defence, energy, nuclear cooperation, counter-terrorism, global and regional security. The two countries are also working towards early conclusion of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and BilateralInvestment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPPA). Pakistan launched housing project in Sri Lanka Pakistan has launched a project to build houses in Mannar in Sri Lanka. A cheque of $ 1 mn has been handed over to Sri Lanka by the Pakistan side to carry out the project. World Standards Day Observed on October 14 inflation drops to 2.38% , five-year low According to provisional estimates for the month of September 2014, WPI (Wholesale Price Index) based inflation has fallen to 2.38% which is a five year low. This is mainly attributed to the decline in food and fuel prices. Also, the decline was far greater than the 3.2% that was forecast by analysts.
Richard Flanagan wins Man Booker Prize

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30, 2014
October 16, 2014
The Man Booker Prize 2014 for fiction was awarded to Australian author Richard Flanagan, for his novel The Narrow Road to the Deep North. India and Norway sign agreements, MoUs during President‟s visit to Norway President Pranab Mukherjee is on a six day visit to the Scandinavian countries of Norway and Finland.He is the first Indian President to visit Norway. A plethora of agreements and MoUs were signed by the two countries Agreement on Visa Exemption India has signed an agreement with Norway that will exempt Indian holders of diplomatic and official passports from the requirement of obtaining a visa. This agreement is expected to promote bilateral relations between the two countries, and facilitate easy travel between the two countries for the officials and government representatives. MoUs The two countries have also signed 11 MoUs in the fields of education, scienceand technology, research and development etc. One of the MoU involves setting up of modern fish farming unit outside Delhi. Statement of Intent India‟s DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) and Norway‟s Defence Research Institute has signed a Statement of Intent expressing their inclination to collaborate together.

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Nobel Peace Prize 2014 The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize to Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai for their “struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children toeducation.” Nobel Prize Literature 2014 The Nobel Prize in Literature for 2014 has been awarded to the 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”. Mark Zuckerberg visits India-stresses connectivity for whole world Founder and CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, is in New Delhi on a two day visit to India. He will launch the global internet project, Internet.org in Delhi. While in India, Zuckerberg met PM Modi and later spoke of Digital India initiative and said it was a positive development. His visit comes months after the visit of Facebook COO, Sheryl Sandberg. Internet.org Internet.org is a global partnership between leaders in the field of technology, NGOs, local communities and experts who work together to bring internet connectivity to the two-thirds of world‟s population that doesn‟t have access to internet now. Through Internet.org, Zuckerberg aims to m

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World Bank Launches Global Infrastructure Facility (GIF) The World Bank (WB) has launched the GIF to specifically cater to the infrastructure needs of the emerging economies and developing countries. The GIF will channel money towards bankable infrastructure project in such countries. GIF also places importance on sustainable development. Its key focus will be on climate friendly infrastructureinvestments and projects that will boost trade. The GIF will collaborate with other international and multilateral agencies which provide loans and financial assistance to countries across the globe. Jean Tirole wins Nobel Prize for Economics -2014 The Nobel Prize for Economics was awarded to Jean Tirole “for his analysis of market power and regulation”. He will be awarded prize money of 8 mn Swedish krona. Jean Tirole is the second Frenchman to have been awarded a Nobel Prize this year. Tirole has been very vocal about the need for greater regulation of banks, and has been in the news for his views ever since the financial crisis of 2008. Chemistry Nobel Prize 2014 The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has announced that the Nobel Prize for Chemistry for the year 2014 is being awarded to Eric Betzig, Stefan W. Hell and William E. Moerner “for the development of super-resolved fluorescence microscopy”. About Eric Betzig Eric Betzig is an American citizen who born in 1960 in USA. He is a Group Leader at the Janelia Research Campus at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in USA

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About Stefan W. Hell Stefan W. Hell is a German citizen who was born in Romania in 1962. He is Director at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen, and Division head at the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg, Germany. William E. Moerner William E. Moerner is an American citizen who was born in USA in 1953. He is the Harry S. Mosher Professor in Chemistry and Professor of Applied Physics at Stanford University in USA. Nobel Prize for Physics 2014 The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced its decision to award theNobel Prize for Physics to Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano and Shuji Nakamura “for the invention of efficient blue light-emitting diodes which has enabled bright and energy-saving white light sources”. Isamu Akasaki Isamu Akasaki is a Japanese citizen. He was born 1929 in Chiran, Japan and educated in Japan. He is currently a Professor at Meijo University, Nagoya, and Distinguished Professor at Nagoya University, Japan. Hiroshi Amano Hiroshi Amano is a Japanese citizen. He was born in 1960 in Hamamatsu, Japan and educated in Japan. He is a Professor at Nagoya University in Japan. Shuji Nakamura Shuji Nakamura is an American citizen. He was born in 1954 in Ikata, Japan and educated in Japan. He is currently a Professor at University of California in USA. Nobel Prize Medicine winners 2014 John O‟Keefe and Norwegian couple May-Britt and Edvard Moser have won the 2014 Nobel Prize for medicine for their work which has led to discovering the brain‟s internal positioning system.

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John O‟Keefe John O‟Keefe is a 74 yr old American-British Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College in London. In 1971, Dr. O‟Keefe was studying the hippocampus, when during an experiment on rats he discovered that certain nerve cells got activated when the rat was in a particular spot. If the rat changed its place, then different nerve cells in the rat‟s brain got activated. This led to his conclusion that the cells weren‟t just registering the location but they appeared to be making circuits that constituted an inner map or „GPS‟ of the place. He realized that the hippocampus was a spatial system where the memory of a certain place gets stored a particular combination of the nerve cells. May-Britt and Edvard Moser May-Britt Moser aged 51 and Edvard Moser aged 52 are a married team of neuroscientists working at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim. In 2005, the Mosers‟ worked with O‟Keefe to further his work. They conducted similar experiments on rats, where they discovered that nerve cells in entorhinal cortex which is near the hippocampus got activated when the animals passed certain places. These nerve cells together laid out a grid like pattern enabling the rat to navigate spatially. Research Before the work done by these three scientists, we didn‟t have a sense of how the brain processed maps at a cellular level. Their work helps researchers delve deeper into how strokes and Alzheimer‟s affect the brain, with the help of their inner navigational chart. Indian Super League inaugurated in Kolkata

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The Hero Indian Super League (ISL) was launched amid festivities at Kolkata‟s Salk Lake Stadium on October 12 in the presence of fans, industrialists, celebrities and politicians. The inaugural ceremony was celebrated with dances and fireworks. The ISL is a professional Indian football league India to provide four million US dollars for rebuilding the Gaza Strip At the International Gaza Donor Conference in Cairo,India pledged to donate US $ 4 mn in aid to rebuildGaza Strip. The Conference is to raise money for rebuilding efforts in Gaza after its latest 50 day war with Israel. Roger Federer wins first Shanghai Masters title The world number 3 ranked Roger Federer, fromSwitzerland, defeated Gilles Simon from France to win the Shanghai Masters Title. Gilles Simon is unseeded.

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This is the first Shanghai Masters title win for Roger Federer. In 2010, Roger Federer lost to Andy Murray in Shanghai Masters Final. This is Roger Federer‟s 81st career title. He has also won 17 Grand Slams Shanghai Masters Title This tournament is a part of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000. It is played on a hardcourt at Qi Zhong Tennis Center in Minhang district of Shanghai. The 2013 singles title of the Shanghai Masters went to Novak Djokovic Lewis Hamilton wins inaugural Russian Formula One Grand Prix Englishman Lewis Hamilton, driving for Mercedes, won the inaugural Russian Formula One Grand Prix held at Sochi. Hamilton had started on pole position. With this win, Mercedes also clinched its first F1 Constructor‟s title. The race was witnessed by the Russian President Vladimir Putin. The location of the competition was at Sochi, the location where the Winter Olympics were held. Captain Abbas Ali of Azad Hind Fauz passes away Captain Abbas Ali who was a part of Indian NationalArmy passed away due to a cardiac arrest. He had been a notable figure and was a part of British Indian Army in 1939 before the break of WWII. He later joined Indian National Army when Netaji raised the issue of armed revolt. Capt. Abbas Ali was then arrested, court marshalled and further given a death sentence. However, whenIndia gained independence and he was released from prison fortunately before his death sentence was to be executed. He was greatly influenced by the socialist leaders Ram Manohar Lohia, Acharya Narendra Dev and Jayaprakash Narayan and took a step into the political sphere under their guidance.

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In 1966, he was appointed State General Secretary of Sanyukt Socialist Party and a member of the national executive of the Socialist Party. He was again arrested during the National Emergency under the Defence of India rule and it was only when emergency was lifted in 1977 and Janata government came to power that he was released and he was elected to Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council and was appointed as the first President of Uttar Pradesh Unit of the Janata Party. Key Facts about Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana On the birth anniversary of Jayaprakash Narayan, PM Modi launched the Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojanakeeping his commitment, he made to the nation in his Independence Day speech. The scheme is properly and religiously implemented will revolutionize the village economies and culture. It encourages MPs or Sansads to identify and develop one village from their respective constituency as a model village by 2016 and two more by 2019. This will ensure development of 2500 villages. Here are some of the highlights of the Yojana:  MPs are required to pick one village with a population of 3000-4000 in plains and 1000-3000 in hills within a month of the launch.  MPs cannot pick villages which belong to themselves or their spouses.  The scheme requires them to draft a village development plan, motivate inhabitants to participate in growth via different activities, identify gaps in funding and mobilising MPLAD funds to create additional resources specifically from CSR initiatives of various corporate houses, in areas of sanitation and water supply.  The outcomes of the same should cover a wide spectrum of indicators like health, nutrition and education through organising and monitoring immunization drives, improving standard and quality of mid-day mealschemes, improving Aadhaar enrolment, setting up “smart schools” with IT-enabled classrooms and e-libraries, Panchayat infrastructureimprovement under schemes such as MGNREGA and Backward Regions Grants Fund etc.  Social development and harmony should be encouraged through activities like identifying and celebrating a village day, a village song and also laying stress on alternate modes of dispute resolution.  The scheme also has provisions to plug all gaps which were hitherto a mark of every government yojana. The implementation will be ensured by web-based monitoring and an initial 5-month review by an independent agency. District Collectors will carry ground-level

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surveys along with monthly review meetings to monitor progress . At the State-level too, Chief Secretaries will head empowered committee on the same and the Minister for Rural Development and Secretary, Rural Development, will chair two national-level committees to track the scheme. This will transform lives of many for whom economic development never happened and also bring about a sense of pride, volunteerism, and self-reliancein villages. International Day of the Girl Child Observed on October 11 . The theme of this year was Empowering Adolescent Girls: Ending the Cycle of Violence. India‟s Current Foreign Exchange Reserves: $311.427 billion World Mental Day observed on October 10  The theme for 2014 is “Living with schizophrenia”. The aim is to help people build and lead a normal life with schizophrenia. It seeks to introduce to the sufferers newer vistas for life and growth. Government sets up „Japan Plus‟ team India has set up a „Japan Plus‟ management team to follow through on the $35 bn that Japan has promised to invest in India over a span of five years via PPP and overseas development assistance. This is a follow through on the agreements and initiatives agreed to by India and Japan during PM Modi‟s visit to Japan. Japan is the fourth largest foreign investor in India. It contributes to approximately 8% of India‟s total FDI inflows. It is already actively involved in various infrastructure projects in India. Government announces establishment of Maulana Azad National Academy for Skills (MANAS)

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The Minister for Minority Affairs, Najma Heptullah, announced the establishment of a nation level skill development Academy, “Maulana Azad NationalAcademy for Skills” (MANAS) with headquarters inDelhi. MANAS will focus on providing skills, upgrading abilities and training members of minority communities in those sectors of the economy which are either facing a shortage or labour or where demand for labour is expected to surge. MANAS will also train people so that they may be self-employed. The National Minorities Development and FinanceCorporation (NMDFC) will provide assistance with credit for persons who have undergone training at MANAS and wish to establish their own business or be self employed. MANAS will also collaborate with multiple national andinternational agencies to provide certification and assistance with placement for the trainees, and also to secure funding for the program. A MoU was also signed by MANAS and the National Skill Development Corporation to establish an All India Collaborative Network for MANAS. Madhya Pradesh launches Global Investors Summit Madhya Pradesh has launched the 2014 edition of it Global Investors Summit. The event will be held from October 8 to October 10 in Indore. Indore is considered the business capital of Madhya Pradesh. Through the Global Investors Summit, the government seeks to display the strengths and industrial prowess of Madhya Pradesh. It is a bid to attract Indian and foreign investors to Madhya Pradesh. The Global Investors Summit will also act a forum for interaction between the Indian entrepreneurs, heads of states, policy makers, investors and other stakeholders.Multiple countries are also expected to be a part of the Global Investors Summit. Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta to become first sitting President to appear at ICC

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Kenyan President Kenyatta has confirmed his appearance at The Hague, Netherlands on October 8 to respond to multiple charges against him at the ICC (International Criminal Court). Resignation In an unprecedented move, Kenyatta has invoked a hitherto unused article of the Constitution to resign temporarily, with the Deputy President, William Ruto, taking his place as Acting President till the return of Kenyatta. This step has been taken because Mr.Kenyatta has insisted that he will appear before the ICC in his personal capacity and not as the President of a nation. It is to be noted that Kenyatta had also appeared at the ICC before he became President in 2013. Kenyatta will risk an international arrest warrant and international condemnation against him personally and economic sanctions against Kenya, if he failed to comply with the summons issued by the ICC. Charges against Mr.Kenyatta Kenyatta faces five charges of crimes against humanity, inciting violence and organizing ethnic massacres that killed 1,200 people. He has denied all the charges that have been brought against him. In September, the ICC postponed the trial after prosecutors said the Kenyan government had failed to submit important documents. The case of the prosecution is weak as of now because several prosecution witnesses have withdrawn from the case. The ICC has summoned Kenyatta for a status hearing so he may explain allegations that evidence against has been withheld by the Kenyans. His request to participate by video was rejected by the Court. Shahrukh Khan awarded with Global Diversity Award 2014

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Indian actor Shahrukh Khan was awarded the Global Diversity Award 2014 for his outstanding achievements in the field of cinema and his involvement in philanthropic endeavors in UK China test fires long range missile Dongfeng-31B China test fired a new variant in its Dongfeng-31 missile range on September 25 Dongfeng-31A It is a 10,000 km long range missile that is capable of targeting Europe and the West Coast of USA. It can strike with three warheads, including nuclear warheads. Dongfeng-31B This is latest variant, and an advanced form of Dongfeng-31A. This is also a long range missile with a reach of 10,000 km. However, it can carry multiple nuclear warheads, unlike Dongfeng- 31A which is restricted to three. Dongfeng-41 China is also working on developing a Dongfeng-41 missile. Dongfeng-41 is expected to have a range of 12,000 km which will enable it to target all the parts of USA. ISRO to launch M3M satellite of Canada Canada‟s M3M (Maritime Monitoring and Messaging Micro-Satellite) is set to be launched by India‟s PSLV rocket. The agreement for the same was signed by India‟s Antriux Corp. and Canada‟s COM DEV Intl. The satellite is due to be launched in July 2015. The satellite was built for the Canadian Department ofNational Defence, and is a communications satellite. The satellite was built at a cost of $21 mn by COM DEV Intl.

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Initially, the satellite was to have been launched on a Soyuz rocket in Russia. However, in light of the international restrictions on trade with Russia due to the Crimea and Ukraine crisis, Canada decided not to go ahead with the arrangement. Chennai Super Kings clinches Champions League Twenty-20 In the Champions League Twenty-20 final match, Chennai Super Kings defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by 8 wickets to win the Champions League Trophy. Player of the Match P.Negi of the Chennai Super Kings was named the Player of the Match. Past Performance This is the second Champions League win for the Chennai Super Kings, who won earlier in 2010. Champions League Twenty-20 This is an international Twenty-20 cricket competition played between major domestic teams from cricketing nations. It has been an annual event from 2009. The League is jointly owned by BCCI, Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa. Australia and Canada join US-led military action against ISIS Australia and Canada are the latest additions to the countries providing military support to the American led war on ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Asiad 2014: Both Men‟s and Women‟s Kabaddi teams bag Gold for India

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The Indian Women‟s Kabaddi team defeated Iran to the win the gold at the Asian Games. This is the second successive Asian Games win for the team since women‟s kabaddi was introduced in 2010 in the Guanzhou Asian Games. The Indian Men‟s kabaddi team also won a gold at the Asian Games. India has won a gold consistently since the game‟s introduction in the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing. This is the men‟s team‟s 7th successive win. After 16 years, India wins hockey gold at the Asian Games After a gap of 16 years, India defeated Pakistan in the Men‟s Hockey finals of the Asian Games , to win the gold medal. India had earlier won the gold in 1966 and 1998, while Pakistan has clinched the gold eight times in the past including the Asian Games at Guangzhou in 2010. Olympics This win ensures India‟s direct entry to the 2016 Summer Olympics that is scheduled to be held at Rio de Janeiro. This will be a refreshing change after the 2012 London Olympics where India had struggled and qualify and finished last in the competition in the end. Women’s Team The Indian hockey women‟s team defeated Japan to win the bronze medal at the Asian Games. Government announces Rs. 20 lakh for each village Panchayat for the clean India mission.

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More than 2,47,000 gram panchayats across the country will receive Rs. 20 lakh each per annum for the Clean India campaign of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan that was launched by the PM on October 2. The discretion as to what project/work the funds should be used for is upto the gram panchayat, but it will have to be used towards improving sanitation. Allocation of funds This 20 lakh per gram panchayat will be provided from the Rs, 1,96,000 crore that will be spent on the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan over a period of five years. Of this, the Ministry of Urban development has been allocated Rs. 62,000 cr for cleanliness and sanitation of urban areas while the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation has been allocated Rs. 1,34,000 cr for the programme Source of Funds Only a marginal portion of the funds will be appropriated from the Central Government. The remainder of the funds will be raised through PPP mode by Stated and urban local bodies, private sector, levy of user charges, Corporate Social Responsibility, Swachh Bharat Kosh and other such measures. Nation celebrates Gandhi and Shastri Jayanti On 2 October 2014, India celebrated the birth anniversaries of two of its greatest leaders and freedom fighters, Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri, on October. Multiple events across the nation were held in remembrance of the two leaders. Various schools and institutions conducted events and functions to commemorate the day. Politicians paid their respects to Gandhi and Shastri at Raj Ghat and Vijay Ghat respectively. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan A cleanliness drive under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan was launched by the PMNarendra Modi. This also marks the launch of the programme itself. Many cleanliness drives across the nation were organized under the programme. Cleanliness pledges were taken by people over the country, including the PM.

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Lal Bahadur Shastri 2014 marks the 110th birth anniversary of Shastri. He was an active participant in the Indian freedom struggle since 1920. He also has the distinction of being the second PM of India, when he took over after the untimely demise of Jawaharlal Nehru. HE has also been Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of External Affairs. He is most famous for his slogan, „Jai Jawaan, Jai Kisan‟. He revolutionized the agricultural sector during his tenure. He also oversaw the florishing of the Amul Co-operative which heralded a White Revolution in the country. He led the country successfully through the 1965 war with Pakistan. He passed away on January 11, 1966, just after signing the Tashkent Pact. He was posthumously conferred the Bharat Ratna. Mahatma Gandhi 2014 marks the 145th birth anniversary of Gandhi. Gandhi was one of the main leaders in the Indian national movement fighting for freedom from the British. A lawyer by profession, Gandhi had been educated in the UK and had a practice in South Africa before returning to India. The date of his return to India is celebrated as Pravasi Bharatiya Divas to acknowledge the large Indian expatriate community spread across the world. Gandhi‟s methods, that involved non- violence, non co-operation and civil disobedience, found mass appeal in India. He also criticized practices such as untouchability. He is considered by most Indians to be the father of the nation. He was assassinated in January 1948. Key Outcomes of Narendra Modi‟s US visit A joint editorial released by India and US highlighted the following developments in the bilateralrelationship of the two countries:- Indo- US Investment Initiative Establishment of an Indo- US Investment Initiativeled by the Ministry of Finance on the Indian side and the Department of Treasury on the American side, with special focus on capital market development and financing of infrastructure. This Initiative will focus on increasing investment by institutional investors and corporate entities

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Infrastructure Collaboration Platform Establishment of an Infrastructure Collaboration Platform convened by the Ministry of Finance on the Indian side and the Department of Commerce on the American side to facilitate the participation of American companies in Indian infrastructure projects Trade Policy Forum The two countries committed to work through the Trade Policy Forum to promote a business environment that was conducive for companies to invest and manufacture in both in India and US. Also, an annual high-level Intellectual Property Working Group as a part of the Trade Policy Forum will be formed to look into issues related to innovation. Others  The two leaders also committed to hold public-private discussions in the early part of 2015 under the already existing Commercial Dialogue on new areas of cooperation, including innovation in advancedmanufacturing  After reiterating their commitment to working together towards the creation of a new global agreement on climate change, they agreed to hold an urgent meeting of their bilateral task force on HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons) prior to the next meeting of the Montreal Protocol  The two leaders launched a new US – India Climate Fellowship Program to build each other‟s long term capacity to address climate change related issues  A MoU between the Export-Import Bank and the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency was signed. This MoU would make up to $1 bn in financing available to India to help its transition to a low carbon and climate resilient energy economy, at the same time boosting American renewable energy exports to India  The countries also agreed to a 10 year extension of the 2005 Framework for the US – India Defense Relationship  The two leaders decided to intensify cooperation in maritime security, mainly by enhancing technology partnerships for India‟s Navy and also upgrading the existing military exercise Malabar.  USA pledged to help India counter the threat of IEDs (improvised explosive devices) through I&T (information and technology)  The two leaders appreciated the establishment and planned first meeting of the NASA-ISRO Mars Joint Working Group under the U.S.-India Civil Space Joint Working Group and hoped for further co-operation in the area of space technology  The two countries agreed to launch a new phase of the India-U.S. Vaccine Action Program and emphasis on developing affordable vaccines for dengue, malaria, and TB  The two countries pledged to work together towards the export of nuclear technology from US to India to make India more self-reliant. In furtherance of this, the countries decided to continue working towards India‟s phased entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the Wassenaar Arrangement and

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the Australia Group. The American President expressed his support for India‟s early application and eventual membership in all four regimes. Nagaland clinches Subroto Cup U-14 Trophy Greenwood High School, Nagaland defeated Government Model High School, Chandigarh, 5-4 at the Ambedkar Stadium, New Delhi to win the under 14 title in the 55th edition of the Subroto Cup. Awards The winning team was awarded Rs. 2.5 lakh while the runners up were given 1.25 lakh. Harsh Bartwan of the team from Chandigardh was adjudged Best Player of the tournament, while Jesse and Mughato Sumi from Nagaland won Best Keeper and Best Coach respectively. All three were awarded Rs. 40,000 each. Eugeneson E. Shylla from Meghalayawas given the award for the Best Promising Player. The Fairplay Award was given to Namchi Sports Hostel fromSikkim Justice GS Singhvi appointed chairman of Competition Appellate Tribunal Afghanistan and United States sign Bilateral Security Agreement After much delay, Afghanistan and US have signed a BSA (Bilateral Security Agreement) that will chart the course for the two countries post withdrawal of majority of American troops. The BSA was signed in Kabul. This long term security pact will be crucial in deciding the nature of internal security in Afghanistan. Yudh Abhyas 2014 concludes at Ranikhet The Indo-US defence exercise titled Yudh Abhyas concluded near Ranikhet. The exercises, which commenced on September 17, were conducted in both Chaubbatia and Ranikhet. This

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edition of Yudh Abhyas, which lasted a total of 14 days, is the 10th of its kind that has been held. The joint exercise brought together troops from a Mountain Brigade of the Indian Army and Company and Brigade Headquarter of the US Army. Key points from „Chalein Saath Saath: Forward Together We Go‟ The „Chalein Saath Saath: Forward Together We Go‟ vision statement speaks of strengthening the strategic partnership between India and USA. This statement was released during PM Modi‟s visit to Washington DC to meet President Obama. The statement expressed the following points:-  The strategic partnership of the two nations rests on the shared mission to provide equal opportunity to its people through democracy and freedom  The two countries are bound together by kinship and commerce, scholarship and science. The ties between the people of both countries and their cooperation has resulted in developments in science and the arts. This enables the leaders of both countries to have a long term perspective as regards the partnership  One major goal of the partnership is prosperity and peace. This endeavor shall be fulfilled through intense consultations, joint exercises, and shared technology. Security cooperation between the two will be targeted at the region and the world at large too. The countries also aim to work together towards combating terrorist threats, keeping its county and its peoples safe and responding to humanitarian disasters. The countries also dedicate themselves to stopping the spread of WMDs, reducing the salience of nuclear weapons, and promoting universal, verifiable and non-discriminatory nuclear disarmament  Close cooperation between the two at the UN and beyond  Support for India assuming a greater multilateral responsibility, including in a reformed UNSC and for an open and inclusive rules based global order  Working together to mitigate the impact of climate change and adapt to the changing environment. Cooperation between the government and the science and academic communities to address the consequences of unchecked pollution. Take steps to ensure availability of affordable, reliable, clean and diverse sources of energy for both nations, including by bringing nuclear power technologies of American origin to India  Engaging in joint research and collaboration in a variety of areas from particles of creation to outer space

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 Striving for open markets that will allow trade and service to flourish. Also work towards ensuring that economic growth results in better livelihoods and welfare for all people in the country.  The two countries will also work jointly to counter infectious diseases, eliminate maternal and child deaths and to eradicate poverty  The countries will also work to provide a secure environment which encourages the fullest empowerment of women  The countries also agreed to expand and deepen their strategic partnership so that they may harness the inherent potential of the two democracies and its people. Other than Business Diplomacy a major aim of the PM‟s visit was to re-engage with USA and rejuvenate the Indo-US strategic partnership which reached its peak at the signing of the 123 agreement and has since slowly fizzled out. The „Chalein Saath Saath: Forward Together We Go‟ vision statement discusses the varied areas wherein the two countries might benefit from co-operation and collaboration. This statement acts as a roadmap to the future Indo-US partnership, and speaks to how the two countries view each other‟s roles in theinternational arena. RBI keeps all key rates intact in fourth bi-monthly monetary policy The RBI announced its fourth bi-monthly monetary policy on September 30, 2014. This follows the third bi-monthly monetary policy which was announced in August 2014. CRR The CRR of scheduled was kept unchanged at 4% of the bank‟s NDTL (net demand and time liabilities). CRR refers to the proportion of its deposits that a bank has to hold in the form of cash. The RBI uses CRR as a tool to control liquidity in the market (and thereby inflation) and to reduce the risk to investors‟ deposits. SLR (Statutory Liquidity Ratio) The SLR remained unchanged at 22%. SLR refers to the proportion of its total NDTL that the bank has to maintain in form of liquid assets. These liquid assets can either be cash or gold or

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unencumbered government securities. This directly affects the proportion of funds that the bank can lend. LAF (Liquidity Adjustment Facility) The policy repo rate under the LAF was kept unchanged at 8%. The reverse repo rate also remained unchanged at 7%. LAF is the tool by which banks borrow to meet their short term day to day monetary requirements. Difference between LAF and Bank rate is the requirement of collateral. Repo rate is the interest that banks pay to borrow from the RBI. Reverse repo is the rate at which RBI borrows from banks after lending securities as collateral. LAF was introduced in India in accordance with the recommendation of the Narasimham Commttee on BankingReforms. ECR Facility (Export Credit Finance) The liquidity provided under the ECR Facility was reduced from 32% to 15% of eligible export credit outstanding. This change will be in effect from 10 of October, 2014. MSF (Marginal Standing Facility) and Bank Rate MSF and Bank rate also saw no change at 9% for both. MSF is the rate at which only scheduled commercial banks are allowed to borrow from RBI. This is over and above the LAF. MSF acts as a last resort for bankers. Bank rate is the rate at which RBI lends to banks without any collateral such as government securities. Liquidity under overnight repos The RBI will continue to provide liquidity under overnight repos up to 0.25 % of the specific bank‟s NDTL will be given at the LAF repo rate. Liquidity under 7 day and 14 day term repos Liquidity for 7 day and 14 day term repos up to 0.75% of NDTL of the banking system will be provided through auctions

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