Daily News - 20 Nov

Malala Yousafzai awarded with Bravery Award by World Peace and Prosperity Foundation

Malala Yousafzai, on 19 November 2012 awarded by World Peace and Prosperity Foundation for her bravery and commitment to education for girls in adverse conditions in Swat, Pakistan. She was shot in the head by Taliban, and had become the face of Pakistan’s struggle against the Taliban. She is now being treated and on the road to recovery at a Queen Elizabeth Hospital, England. The Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan to the UK, S Zulfiqar Gardezi received the award on her behalf at the Cholmondeley Room of the House of Lords. The other recipients of award included a Bishop of London, a distinguished British Muslim Psychiatrist, a distinguished Turkish academic and MP, and eight year old Josh Altman, European Chess Bronze medalist.

Sahara Moved to SAT to Seek More Time for Document Submission 

Sahara Group on 19 November 2012 moved to Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) against SEBI asking for some more time for submission of the documents in context with around 3 crore investors in a case which involves two companies- Sahara Housing Investment Corporation (SHICL) and Sahara India Real Estate Corporation (SIRECL). These two companies were ordered by the Supreme Court to refund the bondholders 24000 crore Rupees with the interest of 15 percent p.a. for not following the norms in raising fund from the public. The two companies have asked SAT to direct SEBI for allowing them time till 31 January 2013. The initial 10-days deadline which was set by Supreme Court in the order given on 31 August 2012 has expired already. The court asked the two companies for submission of details in context with the concerned investors.

Manmohan Singh: India is ready to expand the FTA Provisions with ASEAN

Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister of India on 19 November 2012 announced that India is ready to go for the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in services and investment with the ASEAN members from December 2012, onwards. This step would bring a springboard expansion in the ties of the member nations with India bringing back immense opportunities to the country. This would also play an important role in the expansion of security, peace and stability, within the member nations.  The announcement was made by the Indian Prime Minister during the ASEAN-India summit in the Cambodian capital. To mark the 20th anniversary of its "Look East" Policy, and 10 year of summit level partnership, the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in services and investment would be finalized before the 10-nation bloc comes to Delhi, India in December 2012 for a summit with India.

CEOs from the World Came Together to Combat Deadly Cancer 

More than 100 iconic CEOs from all over the world joined hands in order to make accessible cheap cancer care, especially in China and India under the alliance known as CEO Cancer Gold Standard Programme. These CEOs are from renowned companies such as GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi, Johnson and Johnson, AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly and Novartis.

Airtel Completed Largest Network Transformation in Africa

Bharti Airtel, a leading telecommunications services provider with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa, in the month of November completed a network transformation programme across its mobile operations in 16 African countries in partnership with Ericsson.
The programme involved upgradation and expansion of network elements on all of Airtel's African operations, including switching, radio, network management, data, charging, and consumer-services platforms and systems, the company said in a statement.
Ericsson had deployed wireless technologies under the programme, and it is going enhance Airtel's network capacity and robustness and would also help deliver services to customers at affordable rates.

Davis Cup 2012: Czech Republic defeated Spain in the Finals

The Czech Republic on 18 November 2012 won the 100th Davis Cup 2012 finals, after defeating Spain by 3-2 in the finals. Radek Stepanek of Czech Republic outclassed Nicolas Almagro of Spain with 6-4, 7-6 (0), 3-6, 6-3 in the 3 hours and 52 minutes game, on the hard court of Prague’s O2 Arena, during the final fifth rubber of the Davis Cup. Radek Stepanek has created a history by his name after winning the Davis Cup final as he became the first man ever aged 30 or above to win the decisive rubber in 100 years.

WADA Proposed Four-Year Ban for Felony Athletes under New WADA Code 

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) proposed that athletes found guilty of the serious doping felonies will be suspended for 4 years from 2015. However no specific rules were made for banning the wrong-doers from Olympics. At present, the athletes who are found guilty of their first main doping felony are put on 2-year ban followed by a life ban in case of successive positive tests. WADA proposed in its second draft of2012 WADA code that there will be an introduction of longer ban for the offenses which include Human Growth Hormone (HGH), anabolic steroids as well as trafficking and masking agents. This draft was reviewed from 17 November 2012 to 18 November 2012.

Scott Flemming Became the New Indian Basketball Team Coach 

Scott Flemming was appointed as the head coach of the men’s National Basketball Team in the third week of November 2012 by the Basketball Federation of India (BFI).
Flemming has served as the assistant coach in NBA Development League of Texas Legends, often working as the head coach for present as well as future NBA players. He was also designated as coach and athletic director at Mount Vernon Nazarene University in Ohio. Flemming has a total record of 397−226 with the Cougars.

Reserve Bank of India asked Banks not to Provide Loans for Purchase of Gold

The Reserve Bank of India, in its notification released on 19 November 2012 directed banks not to provide loans to its customers for purchase of all types of gold, which includes primary gold, jewellery, bullion, gold coins, units of Gold Exchange Traded Funds (ETF) and units of gold mutual funds. The order was directed for discouraging people from getting involved in speculative activities. The notification from the Reserve Bank of India also directed the banks not to grant advances against gold bullion to traders or dealers, as such advances would be utilised with the purpose of offering finance for gold purchase at auctions and speculative holding of stocks and bullion. This notification allowed the banks to provide finances to the jewelers for their general working capital requirements. The decision of RBI came up in response to the suggestion of the working Group constituted after the announcement if the Monetary Policy Statement of April 2012. The working group suggested that the banks are not permitted to finance purchase of any type of gold other than the working capital. This decision of RBI came up in response to the significant growth in the imports of the gold in past few years that has created pressure on the current account deficit. The Gold imports of India in 2011-12 stood up at 60 billion dollar.

 

President of Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf chosen for Indira Gandhi Peace Prize 2012

Liberian President and Nobel laureate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on 19 November 2012 was chosen for 2012 Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for being an inspiration to women and ensuring return of peace and democracy in her country. The award is set up by Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust with an international jury chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The Indira Gandhi Prize is being awarded to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for serving as an example and inspiration to women in Africa and beyond and for ensuring the return of peace, democracy, development, security and order in Liberia.
  Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who is the 24th President of Liberia was commended by the jury for her strong interest in the consolidation and improvement of Liberia's relations with India. She was risen to the Presidency becoming the first elected female head of state of the African continent.

About Indira Gandhi Peace Prize

The Indira Gandhi Peace Prize is the prominent award given annually by the Government of India to individuals or organizations in acknowledgment to resourceful efforts toward promoting international peace, development and a new international economic order; ensuring that scientific discoveries are used for the larger good of humanity, and enlarging the scope of freedom.

Anil Dev Singh became the new Chairperson of IOA Election Panel 

Anil Dev Singh, the former Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court on 19 November 2012 was appointed as the new Chairperson of the Election Commission of The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) after S.Y. Quraishi resigned from his post on 17 November 2012. This appointment was done by Vijay Kumar Malhotra, the Acting President of IOA at present.
With this appointment, the former Chief Justice would be heading the Election Commission of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). Two other members of the election commission panel would be are Justice V.K. Bali (retd.) and Justice J.D. Kapur (retd.).

Research on Paralysis Cure through Olfactory Ensheathing Cells

Cambridge University researchers reversed in the third week of November 2012, the paralysis process in dogs after injecting them with the cells which grow on the lining of the nose. This research has opened up new aspirations for the paralysis cure in humans as well.
Researchers believe that this will be crucial for the human patients with spinal injuries who had lost bowel or bladder control as well as sexual function.

23rd James Bond Movie, Skyfall, Became the Highest Grossing Bond Film Ever

Skyfall, the 23rd official James Bond movie, which was released in UK on 26 October 2012, had done a market of $ 669 million, making it the highest-grossing installment in the 50-year-old franchise. Skyfall featuring Daniel Craig in his third performance as James Bond had earned a massive $ 507.9 million internationally and $ 161.3 million in North America, the film is directed by Sam Mendes and it is also ahead of well marketed 21st bond film Casino Royale which earned around $599.2 million.

Sunita Williams Returned Back on Earth after 4 Months in Orbit

The Indian-American Sunita Williams, 47, set the record by returning to Earth on 20 November 2012 from the International Space Station (ISS) from Russian Soyuz capsule after having spent 4 months in the orbit. She touched the grasslands of Arkalyk, Kazakhstan after living months in the orbit.  This was the perfect landing for Williams as well as flight engineers Aki Hoshide and Yuri Malenchenko, when they touched down earth in the chilling expanses of Kazakhstan from the Russian Soyuz capsule.
After they landed, helicopters rushed towards them for assistance because the capsule parachuted downwards around 35 km from planned destination because of the procedural delay.

Daimler Purchased full control of Mercedes One Motor Racing Team

Sports Current Affairs November 2012. Daimler, the German Luxury Carmaker purchased 40 percent stakes of the Mercedes Formula One Motor Racing Team owned by the Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Aabar Investments in the third week of November 2012. With this purchase the teams’ full control went into the hands of Daimler. The amount of purchase of the 40 percent stake remained undisclosed.

Algorithm Developed for Controlling Computer Cursors with the Thoughts

Researchers from Stanford who were led by the scientists of Indian origin, in the third week of November 2012 claimed the development of fastest as well as most reliable mathematical algorithm which can help the disabled trick the computer cursors with the thoughts. The speed, accuracy as well as natural movements of the algorithm are those like the real arm. Researchers have developed the system for ReFIT, the algorithm for the brain-implantable prosthetic systems. This can help in greatly improving the accuracy as well as speed of the neural prosthetics which can control cursors of the computers.

Maldivian Airlines Signed Pact with Apollo Hospital

Maldivian Airlines in the month of November had signed a pact with the Chennai-headquartered Apollo Hospitals to give discounts to each others’ clients. The deal that came with signing of pact is that from now onwards, the Apollo Hospitals is going to give a discount on its service charges for those who fly the airline, and the airline in turn will give similar discounts to the hospital’s patients on the airfare. The Maldivian airline is keen on signing similar pacts with other healthcare service providers in India and the reason is that Indian healthcare industry attracts the bulk of Maldivian tourists every year.

M. Mahalakshmi and R. Vaishali won Gold at the World Youth Chess Championship

M. Mahalakshmi and R. Vaishali from Chennai on 19 November 2012 won Gold at the World Youth Chess Championship in Slovenia. Arvindh Chithambaram (Under-14 Open) from Madurai and Girish A. Koushik (Under-16 Open) from Mysore won Silver Medals in the championship. G.K. Monnisha (under-14) and Savant Riya (Under-12) secured Bronze at the Championship for India.R. Vaishali was successful in securing her position in under-12 girls honours. Arvindh Chithambaram lost gold after losing the tie-up with the American Troff Kayden by a tie-break score at the end of the 11-round event.