29th Nov- 30th Nov 2014

ERN scientists discovered two subatomic particles belonging to the family of baryon

29-NOV-2014

  • CERN scientists on 19 November 2014 discovered two new heavy-weight subatomic particles belonging to the family of baryon. The sub-atomic particles were discovered at Large Hadron Collider (LHC) beneath the Franco-Swiss border near Geneva, Switzerland.
  • These two new particles belonging to baryon family are are six times as massive as protons. These baryons are made up of three strongly-bound elementary particles called quarks like protons. These quarks are some of the smallest units of matter.
  • The two baryons are heavy weight due to their spins in opposite directions in which their quarks configure.
  • Scientists deliberately crashed two particles into each other in a 17-mile tunnel -Large Hadron Collider to see what they can discover about the makeup of the universe and its tiniest particles. They found these two sub atomic particles never seen before and these can widen the understanding of the universe.
  • The finding will help physicists narrow down the different ways that quarks can be arranged, which provides clues into understanding the forces that keep them and the most basic building blocks of matter held together.

Bomb Attack on mosque at Kano in Nigeria killed many

29-NOV-2014

Kano in Nigeria: Mosque attacked by militants

  • Many people were killed in a bomb attack on a mosque at Kano in Nigeria on 28 November 2014. Two suicide bombers blew themselves up and gunmen opened fire on a Muslim congregation at Friday prayers in the central mosque in northern Nigeria's largest city of Kano.
  • A third bomb exploded outside the mosque among a crowd of worshipers. Although there was no immediate claim of responsibility, Boko Haram is the main suspect.
  • The attacks come two weeks after the emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, one of Nigeria's most influential monarchs, called for self-defence, urging people to procure arms and fight Islamist militant group Boko Haram‎, which has a significant presence in the area.
  • Earlier, in 2012 at least 185 people were killed and scores injured in coordinated bomb and shooting attacks on security formations in the city by Boko Haram gunmen.
  • Kano is one of the areas where Boko Haram has fought an anti-government campaign to institute Sharia, or Islamic law.

Book titled Letters for a Nation written by Jawaharlal Nehru & Madhav Khosla

29-NOV-2014

  • Book titled Letters for a Nation written by Jawaharlal Nehru & Madhav Khosla was published by Allen Lane an imprint of Penguin Books on 15 October 2014.
  • The book contains Jawaharlal Nehru letters as Prime Minister of India to the heads of the country’s provincial governments which he kept a tradition till 1963.
  • It contains the selected letters from among nearly 400 such letters and this collection covers a range of themes and subjects, including citizenship, war and peace, law and order, national planning and development, governance and corruption, and India’s place in the world.
  • These letters also cover momentous world events and the many crises and conflicts of India that was faced during the first sixteen years after Independence.
  • Visionary, wise and reflective, these letters are not just a testimony to Nehru’s statesmanship and his deep engagement with every aspect of India’s democratic journey, but are also of great contemporary relevance for the guidance they provide for our current problems and predicaments

Major General Gadi Eizenkot appointed as 21st Chief of Staff of the Israel Defence Forces

29-NOV-2014

  • Major General Gadi Eizenkot on 29 November 2014 was appointed as the 21st Chief of Staff of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).
  • Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Eizenkot confirmed his appointment. The Prime Minister and his Cabinet are involved in the selection process of the IDF Chief of Staff. The appointment of Eizenkot was delayed because of Netanyahu's foot-dragging. He succeeded Lt Gen Benny Gantz. He is the current chief of staff of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).
    He is due to step down in February 2015.
  • Earlier In 1999, Eizenkot was appointed Military Secretary to the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister. He was appointed commander of the Judea and Samaria Division in 2003.Eizenkotalso served as head of the IDF's Operations Directorate in 2005, and in 2006 he assumed command of the Northern sector.  His appointment comes at a time when Israel still deals with the aftermath of a bloody war against militants in Gaza. The West-Bank based Palestinian Authority has stepped-up diplomatic offensive resulting in some of the European countries extending recognition to the Palestinian state.

Delhi government set up helpline for information on Ebola

29-NOV-2014

  • Delhi government on 24 November 2014 set up a control room and helpline in New Delhi for information on Ebola. It has been set up for internal monitoring of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) and also provides information about the EVD to the public.
  • The control room can be contacted at 011-22307145. The helpline is to follow up and to clear the queries of people about Ebola.
  • Union government provided 400 personnel protection equipments to Delhi till November 2014 and EVD related guidelines have been disseminated to all stakeholders.
  • Lok Nayak Jai Prakash hospital will look after the referral cases of Ebola.

Beijing banned smoking in all indoor public spaces

29-NOV-2014

  • Capital of China, Beijing on 28 November 2014 banned smoking in all indoor public spaces like workplaces and public transport vehicles.
  • Beijing adopted an anti-smoking bill that prohibits smoking in public places and it will be effective from 1 June 2015. The bill will initially only cover Beijing, later it will cover rest of China.
  • Already, a dozen Chinese cities, such as Shanghai, Hangzhou and Guangzhou, have launched local legislation on tobacco control.

Provisions of Bill
• It prohibits smoking in open-air space in kindergartens, schools, child welfare institutions, hospitals of women and children, fitness and sports venues, and cultural relic protection sites that are open to the public.
• It prohibits tobacco advertisements to appear outdoors, in public places and transport, as well as in media including radio, TV, films, newspapers, books, and internet. All forms of tobacco promotions and title sponsorship are banned.
• It prohibits selling cigarettes to minors through vending machines and the internet. People who smoke in designated smoke-free areas will be fined up to 200 yuan.
• Legal representatives and people in charge of government agencies, public institutions and social organizations will be given the authority to implement the smoking ban in their workplaces.

Background

  • China is the world’s largest cigarette manufacturer and consumer. The country has more than 300 million smokers, and smoking is responsible for more than one million deaths in every year.
  • According to Chinese health officials, some 740 million people, including 180 million children, are exposed to second-hand smoke annually.
  • In 2011, Ministry of Health of China published guidelines banned smoking in public spaces such as hotels and restaurants.
  • In 2003, China signed the FCTC. The convention, which became effective in China in 2006, requires signatories to ban smoking in public areas, reduce tobacco supplies and consumption, ban all tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.

RBI eased gold imports & scrapped 80: 20 scheme

29-NOV-2014

  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) 26 November 2014 eased gold imports and scrapped 20:80 scheme. The decision to withdraw the 20:80 scheme will cut smuggling of gold and raise legal shipments into India.
  • In 2013, the 20:80 scheme was introduced to bring down inbound shipments, sliding rupee and to combat a huge current account deficit (CAD) along with a hike in import duty to 10 percent.
  • Under the scheme, 20 percent of the imported gold had to be mandatorily exported as finished products like jewellery. Initially only public sector firms and banks were allowed to import gold and later in May 2014 these rules were slightly eased to star and premier export houses.

AP government and METI signed MoU to promote FDI in AP

29-NOV-2014

  • The Andhra Pradesh (AP) government on 28 November 2014 signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan (METI) to promote Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Andhra Pradesh. The MoU was signed during AP chief minister, Chandrababu Naidu visit to Japan.
  • Under the MoU, METI and relevant governmental organisations will promote direct investment by Japanese companies to AP in various fields such as urban development, infrastructure, manufacturing, agriculture, and food processing and information technology.
  • METI also supports the development of Japanese industrial parks in AP where as AP government will support Japanese companies’ participation in significant projects in AP state.
  • AP government also signed a MoU with the New Energy Industrial Technology Development Organisation (NEDO) of Japan. The MoU will envisage sharing of information and exchange of opinion between NEDO and AP besides identifying the possibilities of future collaborative activities in the area of smart community.

Cricket Fans across the world paid tribute to Hughes with #putoutyourbats campaign

29-NOV-2014

  • Cricketing fraternity as well as cricket fans paid their tribute to 25-year-old Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes on twitter by using hashtags #putoutyourbats.
    Players and fans have posted pictures of bats as mark of respect for the Phillip. The campaign was started by a Sydney cricket fan Paul D. Taylor. In the campaign people across the world have placed a bat and cricket cap by their front door as a mark of respect to Phillip Hughes.
  • Phillip Hughes died on 27 November 2014, after being into induced coma. He went into induced coma on 25 November 2014 after a bouncer ball of Sean Abbott hit back of his head during a Sheffield Game at Sydney Cricket Ground in Australia.
    To pay tribute to Phillips, in Australia flags flew at half-mast at Melbourne Cricket Ground and local cricket teams, and India paused to observe a minute's silence for the Australian international cricketer. Pakistan and New Zealand, called off their 27 November 2014 play in the third Test in Sharjah, and observed a minutes silence and wore black armbands in tribute when the match resumed on Friday.
    Whereas, Golf's world number one Rory McIlroy, playing at the Australian Open in Sydney, had a black ribbon pinned to his cap.

RBI issued final guidelines for the Bharat Bill Payment System

29-NOV-2014

  • The Reserve Bank of India on 28 November 2014 issued final guidelines for the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS). The system will help consumers pay multiple bills like electricity, telephone and school fees at a single point of transaction.
  • The BBPS is an integrated bill payment system offering inter-operable and accessible bill payment service to customers through a network of agents, enabling multiple payment modes, and providing instant confirmation of payment.
  • The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) will function as the authorised Bharat Bill Payment Central Unit (BBPCU) to set the standards for BBPS processes which need to be adhered to by all operating units (Bharat Bill Payment Operating Units - BBPOUs) under the system.
  • The prospective participants of the BBPS system are advised to interact with the NPCI to work out the modalities.
  • The apex bank has set a 100 crore rupees net worth and domestic registration as qualifying conditions for those seeking to be authorised collection agents.

Background

  • In the Second Quarter Review of Monetary Policy 2012-13, the Reserve Bank of India announced the setting up of a Committee to finalise the modalities of implementing an electronic GIRO payment system in India.
  • The Committee was set up under the chairmanship of G. Padmanabhan, Executive Director, Reserve Bank of India to study the feasibility of implementation of an electronic GIRO payment system in the country.
  • Subsequently, based on the recommendations of the Committee, a GIRO Advisory Group was constituted under the Chairmanship of Prof. Umesh Bellur, IIT Bombay, with the objective of defining a framework that enables the creation of pan India touch points for bill payments by  customers in the country, irrespective of the geographical location of the billers.
  • The Group, which submitted its report on 20 March 2014, had recommended a tiered structure for bill payments system in the country – with a central unit setting the standards and various operating units working in accordance and adherence to the standards set for the BBPS

Next China-India War authored by General S. Padmanabhan released

29-NOV-2014

Next China-India War - World's First Water War – 2029: General Sundarajan Padmanabhan

  • Book titled Next China-India War - World's First Water War – 2029 authored by former Army chief General Sundarajan Padmanabhan was released in October 2014.
  • 74-year-old former General, who is known for mobilizing the Army during Operation Parakram in response to the 2001 terror attack on the Parliament, in the book has predicted that the two countries will conflict over the Brahmaputra.
  • In his prediction he has showcased Chinese plan to divert Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra River) from flowing south to India and Bangladesh to flowing north to Northwest China. India has also protested against this project to the UN, who referred it to the International Court of Justice. Both the Court and the UN held that as the river originates in Tibet, a province of China, China was entitled to alter the course of the river to suit her.
    Recently, China also announced that it has completed a major dam on Brahmaputra, in Tibet. On the other hand, India has raised its concern that the dam could cause flash floods and landslides downstream. 
    The author in the book has said that, China in response to India’s actions to prevent China from achieving the diversion of the River will threaten India of using nuclear weapons. 
    The book deals with the Chinese and Indian actions as well as the contribution of Tibet to the final settlement of what amounted to the world s first water war. Although the book is the work of fiction but it could also be eligible to be called Future History if the plot as woven in the book begins to come true.

About Sundarajan Padmanabhan


• He was the Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army as successor of General Ved Prakash Malik and was succeeded by General Nirmal Chander Vij
• He also served as Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee
• He is known as the general who got the Army together for a war that was not waged
• Operation Parakram involved India's military standoff with Pakistan in response to the 2001 terror attack on the Parliament. But the operation was called-off.
• Born 5 December 1940 in Trivandrum, Travancore, Padmanabhan has penned Indian military fiction book on military and diplomacy, titled Writing on the Wall: India Checkmates America 2017. The book demonstrates a plot that involves India fighting a war simultaneously with Pakistan while improving relations with China.

WTO adopted Trade Facilitation Agreement

29-NOV-2014

  • World Trade Organisation on 27 November 2014 adopted the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). The agreement was approved during the General Council meeting of 160-member WTO in Geneva, Switzerland.
  • The TFA will enter into force once two-thirds of members have completed their domestic ratification process.
  • With this TFA Facility announced by WTO in July 2014 also become operational. The TFA Facility will assist developing and least-developed countries in implementing the WTO’s Trade Facilitation Agreement.
  • Besides, the members also adopted decisions related to public stockholding for food security purposes and the post-Bali work.
  • Under the public stockholding for food security purposes it was agreed that peace clause agreed at Bali Ministerial Conference in 2013 will remain in force even after December 2017 until a permanent solution is find. It was also agreed to set the target to conclude the negotiation on public stockholding by December 2015.

On Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA)

  • The negotiation on Trade Facilitation Agreement was concluded during the Bali Summit of WTO in 2013. The TFA contains provisions for expediting the movement, release and clearance of goods, including goods in transit. It also sets out measures for effective cooperation between customs and other appropriate authorities on trade facilitation and customs compliance issues.
  • The Trade Facilitation Agreement has three sections:
  • Section I: It contains provisions for expediting the movement, release and clearance of goods, including goods in transit. It also sets out provisions for customs cooperation.
  • Section II: It contains special and differential treatment (SDT) provisions that allow developing and least-developed countries (LDCs) to determine when they will implement individual provisions of the Agreement.
  • To benefit from SDT, a member must categorize each provision of the Agreement and notify other WTO members of these categorizations in accordance with specific timelines outlined in the Agreement.
    • Category A: provisions that the member will implement by the time the Agreement enters into force (or in the case of a least-developed country member within one year after entry into force)  
    • Category B: provisions that the member will implement after a transitional period following the entry into force of the Agreement 
    • Category C: provisions that the member will implement on a date after a transitional period following the entry into force of the Agreement and requiring the acquisition of assistance and support for capacity building.
  • Section II: It contains provisions that establish a permanent committee on trade facilitation at the WTO, require members to have a national committee to facilitate domestic coordination and implementation of the provisions of the Agreement. It also sets out a few final provisions.

On Public Stockholding

  • The members agreed towards finding a permanent solution and set a target date to conclude the negotiations by December 2015.
  • At the 2013 Bali Ministerial Conference, the members had agreed on an interim solution or what is called peace clause. The clause provided for finding a permanent solution by 2017 until then interim solution would remain in force.
  • It was agreed as members from developing countries were for shielding public stockholding programmes for food security so that they would not be challenged legally even if a country’s agreed limits for trade-distorting domestic support were breached.
  • However, it provided that Governments seeking the shelter of the peace clause have to avoid distorting trade (i.e., affecting prices and volumes on world markets) or impacting other countries’ food security, and to provide information to show they are meeting those conditions.
  • But by the end of July 2014, members were deadlocked again over what after 2017. That is if a member country say India breaches the food subsidy cap agreed under the Agreement on Agriculture will be challenged legally.

Comment

  • By agreeing to these three decisions WTO is back on track. In other words all the Bali decisions: trade facilitation, public stockholding, the LDC issues, the decisions on agriculture, development, and all of the other elements, can now be negotiated and dealt once again.
  • The agreement is expected to push up global trade by around 1 trillion US dollars and create tens of millions of new job opportunities including in India.
  • The agreement on TFA and food security is an achievement for India which wanted the peace clause to continue until a permanent solution on food security programmes is found.
    The move is crucial for India to meet over 1 lakh crore rupees a year food security programme, which needs 62 million tonnes of foodgrain in a year.
  • This will enable India to continue procurement and stocking of foodgrain for distribution to poor under its food security programme without attracting any kind of action from WTO members.

Union Government nominated Rajiv Mehrishi as Director on RBI Central Board

29-NOV-2014

  • Union Government on 28 November 2014 nominated Rajiv Mehrishi as a Director on the Central Board of Directors of Reserve Bank of India.He is a 1978-batch Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer of Rajasthan cadre. 
    He succeeded Arvind Mayaram. At the time of being appointed as Director on RBI Central Board, Mehrishi was working as Secretary of Department of Economic Affairs in Union Ministry of Finance.
  • Prior to Secretary of Department of Economic Affairs, he was working as Rajasthan chief secretary. Mehrishi has served on many positions in the state government. He was joint secretary in the cabinet secretariat. Mehrishi is said to be the brains behind key labour reforms in Rajasthan.

NASA celebrated 50th Anniversary of First Mars Mission, Mariner 4

29-NOV-2014

  • NASA celebrated the 50th anniversary of its first mission to Mars, Mariner 4 mission on 28 November 2014. Mariner 4 mission launched on 28 November 1964 was the NASA’s first successful journey to Mars.
  • The Mission was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

About Mariner 4 mission

  • Mariner 4 made its closest approach to Mars on 15 July 1965 and sent back first images of another world beyond the Earth-Moon system. During its flight, the Marine 4 recorded information on surface temperatures of Mars and also measured the magnetic field and atmospheric pressure of the planet.

 

 

Scientific Instrument(s) carried included 
• Imaging system
• Helium magnetometer
• Plasma probe
• Cosmic-ray telescope
• Cosmic ray detector
• Cosmic dust detector

  • Mariner 4 remained operational long after its planned eight-month mission life. It lasted about three years in solar orbit, continuing long-term studies of the solar wind and making coordinated measurements with the Mariner 5 spacecraft. NASA last communicated with the craft on 21 December 1967.

Thai parliament voted to ban commercial surrogacy

29-NOV-2014

  • Thailand’s Parliament on 28 November 2014 voted to ban commercial surrogacy. The draft bill, which passed its first reading by 177 votes, says violators could face 10 years in jail. The bill forbids any middlemen or agencies, receiving any assets or benefits through the surrogacy process
  • Ban on Commercial surrogacy was voted after outrage erupted over the unregulated industry following a series of scandals including the case of an Australian couple accused of abandoning a baby with Down syndrome. 
    Anger over Thailand's surrogacy trade increased when a Japanese man was found to have fathered nine surrogate babies. Thailand's ruling military junta, which seized power in May 2014 promised to end commercial surrogacy.

RBI to sell 12000 crore rupees govt bonds through Open Market Operations

29-NOV-2014

  • Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 26 November 2014 decided to sell worth 2000 crore rupees government bonds through Open Market Operations (OMOs) to squeeze the liquidity in the market.
  • RBI will sell government securities maturing in 2017 (bearing interest rate of 8.07 per cent), 2020 (7.80 percent), 2022 (8.08 percent) and 2027 (8.26 percent).

Open Market Operations

  • • Open market operations (OMO) are a monetary policy tool used by RBI to increase or decrease money supply by buying and selling government bonds in the open market.
  • • When the RBI feels there is excess liquidity in the market, it resorts to sale of securities thereby sucking out the rupee liquidity. Similarly, when the liquidity conditions are tight, the RBI will buy securities from the market, thereby releasing liquidity into the market.

Forest Owlet spotted in Western Ghats

29-NOV-2014

  • The critically endangered Forest Owlet (Athene blewitti) was spotted in northern Western Ghats by naturalist Sunil Laad in October 2014. The owlet was spotted in Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary in Palghar District of Maharashtra. The bird is endemic to the Satpura mountain ranges in central India. 
    This time, the bird has been found in Tansa wildlife sanctuary about 250 km southwards of its earlier known range. The Tansa wildlife sanctuary near Mumbai is known to be an important bird habitat.

Reason for being in news

  • For 113 years, it was considered that the forest owlet has been extinct, until researchers rediscovered it in 1997 in Toranmal Reserve Forest in the Satpura ranges. It was rediscovered in 1997 by Pamela Rasmussen.
  • The bird is categorised as critically endangered in the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List.


About Forest Owlet (Athene blewitti or Heteroglaux blewitti)

  • The forest owlet is an owl that is endemic to the forests of central India and is on the verge of extinction. This species belongs to the typical owls’ family, Strigidae.


Distribution of Forest Owlet

  • These birds are mainly based in four localities two widely separated areas, north-western Maharashtra and south-east Madhya Pradesh/western Orissa.


This species has a tiny, severely fragmented population, known from fewer than 12 recent locations. Some locations include 
• Melghat Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra – about 100 individuals have been seen 
• Toranmal Reserve Forest
• Khaknar Reserve Forest 
• Yawal Wildlife Sanctuary

  • Initially the species was discovered in 1872 (Chhattisgarh) which been encroached completely by agriculture. It was rediscovery in 1997 and since then, fieldwork has been conducted to study its status, ecology and threats.

Population

  • Forest Owlet’s population is estimated to number 50-249 mature individuals based on the number of records from known sites. The species faces a number of threats which in combination are suspected to be causing a decline at a rate of 10-19 percent over ten years.


Vegetation

  • It appears to be a sedentary resident in open dry deciduous forest dominated by teak Tectona grandis, along with, a ground cover of weed like wild basil and grasses.

37th Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation Awards for the year 2014 presented

29-NOV-2014

  • The 37th Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation Awards for the year 2014 were presented on 28 November 2014 during a ceremony held at Jamshed Bhabha Theatre, NCPA in Mumbai. In the year 2014, the Foundation is commemorating the 125th Birth Anniversary of Jamnalal Bajaj.

The List of Awardees in Different Categories

  • • Outstanding Contribution in Constructive Work: Surendra Koulagi (Founder, Janapada Seva Trust, Karnataka)
    • Outstanding Contribution in Application of Science & Technology for Rural Development: Ram Kumar Singh (Managing Trustee & Director, Suruchi Shikshan Vasahat Trust, Gujarat)
    • Outstanding Contribution in Development and Welfare of Women and Children and-or Gandhian Constructive Work by Women Workers: Smt. Chennupati Vidya (Founder President, Vasavya Mahila Mandali, Andhra Pradesh)
    • Outstanding Contribution in Promotion of Gandhian Values Outside India by Individuals other than Indian Citizens: Sulak Sivaraksa (Founder, International Network of Engaged Buddhists, Thailand)
  • Each recipient of the award received a Citation, a Trophy and special Cash Prize of 10 Lakh rupees in each category.This year the Foundation had received a record number of over 130 nominations for the year 2014.

About the Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation Award

  • The awards for recognition in the field of Constructive Work and Application of Science and Technology for Rural Development were instituted in 1978.
  • The award for the Development and Welfare of Women and Children was introduced in 1980 in the memory of Jankidevi Bajaj, wife of Jamnalal Bajaj.
  • The International Award was instituted in 1988 in commemoration of the birth centenary of Jamnalal Bajaj.
  • The awards for outstanding contribution in the field of Constructive Work, for Application of Science and Technology for Rural Development and for outstanding contribution towards Development and Welfare of Women and Children and/or Gandhian constructive work are given to individuals in India.
  • The International Award is presented to individuals other than Indian citizens for their contribution in promoting Gandhian values outside India.

Iconic Mexican comedian Chespirito died at 85

29-NOV-2014

  • Roberto Gomez Bolanos, the iconic Mexican comedian also known as Chespirito died on 28 November 2014. He was 85.
    Gomez Bolanos wrote and played the boy television character El Chavo del Ocho (The Boy from the Eight) that defined a generation for millions of Latin American children. 
    Gomez Bolanos is survived by his second wife, actress Florinda Meza, as well as six children from his first marriage and 12 grandchildren.

About Roberto Gomez Bolanos (Chespirito)
• Gomez Bolanos was the person who changed comedy in Latin America 
• Born on 21 February 1929 was trained as an engineer 
• He achieved smashing success in 1970 with the creation of Chespirito, a television show that included segments about The Crimson Grasshopper (El Chapulin Colorado)
• The actor in 2011 said that nicknames are the most essential in life, more valuable than names
• In 1971, he wrote and acted as El Chavo del Ocho, a reference to the channel that broadcast the show
• In career that started in the 1950s, he wrote hundreds of television episodes, 20 films and theater productions that drew record-breaking audiences.

India and Mozambique signed MoU for cooperation in Oil and Gas sector

28-NOV-2014

  • India and Mozambique on 28 November 2014 signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for cooperation in Oil and Gas sector for a period of five years. The MoU was signed during Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mozambique Oldemiro Julio Marques Baloi visit to India.
  • The MoU will enhance bilateral cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual benefit. It seeks cooperation in oil and gas in both upstream and downstream sectors in the areas of enhancing capacity-building, forging closer cooperation between research and training centres and intensifying technology transfer, among others.
  • Mozambique plans to produce 34 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas annually from its Rovuma Area 1 offshore block - where state-run ONGC Videsh Ltd, Oil India and Bharat Petroleum Corp have bought 30 percent stake.
  • The MoU will allow the Indian companies to participate in the LNG project of Mozambique that will facilitate access to LNG for the growing Indian gas market. It will bring natural gas to India at market-determined price.
  • Ten more LNG terminals are likely to be set up to produce five million tonnes of gas annually each.
  • Other partners of Rovuma 1 project are US-based Anadarko Petroleum Corp, Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos EP of Mozambique, Mitsui of Japan and PTT Exploration and Production of Thailand

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Nepal

28-NOV-2014

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Kathmandu, Nepal from 27 November to 28 November 2014. He visited Nepal as a part of 18th SARRC Summit.
  • During his visit, Prime Minister Modi also had bilateral interactions with all six leaders of SAARC member countries to develop closer neighbourly ties, except Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
  • He had meeting with Prime Minister of Nepal Sushil Koirala and both the leaders witnessed the signing of many memorandums of understanding (MoU) and agreements between India and Nepal that includes on tourism, youth exchange, and a motor vehicle agreement.
  • He also held bilateral talks with the other five leaders countries includes Prime Minister of Bhutan Tshering Tobgay, Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina, President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani , President of Maldives Abdulla Yameen  and President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa.
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi also urged the SAARC countries to fulfil the pledge taken by them to combat terror and trans-national crimes. He also reminded the terror attack in Mumbai in 2008 and asked to work together to combat terrorism.
  • Prime Minister Modi has invited Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay to visit India, in January 2015 in view of Vibrant Gujarat event.
  • At the end PM Narendra Mondi met Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif and broke the ice. The two leaders during the whole summit spent cold shouldering each other.
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