Current Affairs - January 02, 2014

Current Affairs

January 02, 2014

1. India and Maldives ink several pacts

i. India and the Maldives on Thursday have agreed to jointly patrol and conduct surveillance to strengthen mariti
me security in the Indian Ocean Region.

ii. Briefing the media after holding delegation level talks with Maldivian President Yameen Abdul Gayoom in New Delhi on Thursday afternoon, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said, India is ready to provide further assistance to the Maldives to enhance capability to address shared security challenges.

iii. India has also extended the line of credit upto 25 million US Dollars to the Maldives.
iv. The Prime Minister said, both countries have decided that they will not allow their territory to be used for terrorist activities in the region. Singh hailed the Maldivian government and people for peaceful Presidential elections to consolidate democracy in the island nation.
v. Terming the India-Maldives relationship as phenomenal, Maldivian President Yameen Abdul Gayoom mentioned India’s assistance to his country for development over the years.

vi. Gayoom who assumed office in November last year is on a four-day official visit to the country.
vii. The visit would provide an opportunity to further enhance the close and multifaceted relations between India and the Maldives.

2. Canara Bank launches skill development programme for J&K youth

i. Canara Bank, as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR), has launched ‘Udaan’ in Jammu and Kashmir in co-ordination with NSDC (National Skill Development Corporation) and the Government of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K).

ii. R.K. Dubey, Chairman & Managing Director, Canara Bank, said that the aim of the project is development of skills and employability of youth in Jammu & Kashmir.

iii. Unemployed residents of Jammu and Kashmir, who have done graduation or above, are being covered under this scheme.

iv. There were 300 candidates who have been short-listed for skill development training in co-ordination with NSDC and the Government of Jammu & Kashmir,” Dubey said.

v. Omar Abdullah, Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, inaugurated the ‘Skill Development Programme’ at General Zorawar Singh Auditorium, University of Jammu.

3. Aam Aadmi Party govt seeks vote of confidence in Delhi Assembly

i. Arvind Kejriwal-led government will face a crucial vote of confidence in Delhi Assembly this afternoon. Congress has made it clear that it will continue its support to the government.

ii. Delhi Congress President Arvinder Singh Lovely said, the party stands by its decision to give outside support to Aam Aadmi Party, AAP, government in the city.

iii. AAP has 28 MLAs and needs at least eight MLAs to achieve the required majority of 36 in 70-member Assembly.

4. Ashraf Jehan, first female judge in Pak’s National Sharia Court

i. Ashraf Jehan a female judge sworn-in at Pakistan’s national sharia court which hears cases under the Islamic legislation.

ii. Ashraf Jehan took oath and became the first female judge to be appointed in the court’s history. She was serving as an additional judge at the Sindh High Court.

iii. The Court was established during the rule of military dictator Ziaul Haq as part of his policy towards Islamisation of Pakistan’s institutions. The law is also known as the Hudood Laws, which run parallel to the penal code.

5. Devendra Kumar Pathak appointed as Special DG, BSF

i. Devendra Kumar Pathak has been appointed as the Special DG, Border Security Force (BSF) on 30 December 2013. At the time of his appointment in BSF, he was serving as the Special DG, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

ii. His appointment as the Special DG, BSF started with immediate effect and will continue till the date of superannuation in March 2016 or until any further orders.
iii. Pathak is an (Indian Police Service) IPS of 1989-batch of Assam-Meghalaya cadres. He has been serving Central Reserve Police Force since 11 November 2011.

6. Freedom fighter and veteran urdu journalist Ishrat Ali Siddiqui dead

i. Freedom fighter, veteran Journalist and Padm Shree awardee Ishrat Ali Siddiqui died in Lucknow today.

ii. He was 95. Ex editor of national Urdu daily ‘Qaumi Awaz’, Siddiqui was admitted to a hospital after he suffered a fracture on 24th December. His burial will take place in Lucknow this afternoon.

7. Ex-UN envoy Hardeep Singh Puri joins BJP

i. Career diplomat Hardeep Singh Puri, who recently retired as India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, today joined BJP.

ii. Welcoming him in the party fold, BJP President Rajnath Singh said, “We look forward to utilising his experience in the areas of Foreign, Security and Trade policies”.

iii. A 1974-batch Indian Foreign Service Officer, Puri in his 39 years of service held several senior positions in the Ministry of External Affairs and Defence and held Ambassadorial assignments in London and Brasilia.

iv. In 2011 and 2012, as Permanent Representative at UN in New York, he led the Indian delegation to the Security Council. He also chaired its Counter-Terrorism Committee.

8. India, Saudi pact on domestic workers

i. India and Saudi Arabia hope to sign an agreement on labour cooperation on domestic workers’ recruitment soon.

ii. The agreement is likely to help frame a standard work contract that will stipulate requirements to be adhered to at the time of selection and immigration of such people.

iii. The agreement is expected to be signed during the three-day visit of the Saudi Labour Minister, which began on Wednesday.

iv. This will be the first agreement that the two countries will sign on labour-related matters.

9. Chile takes seat at UNSC

i. Chile took its seat at the United Nations Security Council(UNSC) as a non-permanent member of the international body till Dec 31, 2015.

ii. It marked the fifth time the South American nation has been invited to sit on the council and help uphold the UN’s “principles of non-intervention and respect for international treaties”, Chile’s foreign ministry said in a statement Wednesday.

iii. During the 68th UN General Assembly held in New York, Chile’s bid to sit on the council received unanimous backing of fellow Latin American countries, as well as countries in other parts of the world, Xinhua reported.

iv. In addition to Chile, other non-permanent members joining the council for the next two years included Chad, Lithuania and Nigeria.

v. Chile previously sat on the UNSC from 1952-1953, 1961-1962, 1996-1997 and 2003-2004.

10. P K Saxena new GM of South Western Railway

i. Pradeep Kumar Saxena has taken over charge as full-fledged General Manager of South Western Railway (SWR).

ii. Before taking over as General Manager, SWR, Saxena was Principal Chief Engineer, Central Railway, Mumbai.

iii. Saxena, an Indian Railway Service of Engineer (IRSE) of 1977 batch, graduated in civil engineering from Rewa Engineering College, Madhya Pradesh.

11. International Theatre Festival from Jan 27

i. Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi would be conducting the sixth edition of the International Theatre Festival of Kerala (ITFOK) from January 27 to February 3, 2014 at Thrissur.

ii. The theme of the sixth ITFOK is based on gender, transition and spectatorship which have contemporary resonance, a Sangeetha Nataka Akademi release in Thiruvananthapuram said.
iii. Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi had made an inspiring move by kick-starting a theatre festival of international magnitude in 2008. Since its inception, the event has been a much awaited cultural festival of Kerala.

iv. The current edition would showcase international plays from nine countries. Around 22 ground-breaking plays from national and international theatre companies have been invited for the event.

12. U-19 Cricket: India take on Sri Lanka in semis at Dubai

i. Sri Lanka are playing against India in the semifinals of the Under-19 Asia Cup Cricket Championship in Dubai.

ii. India have won the toss and elected to field. In the other semi-final match Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat against Pakistan.

iii. In the Group stage, the Indian colts won two of its matches and lost one to Pakistan. India finished the Group stage second in Pool-A, while Pakistan, which won all the 3 pool matches, ended as table toppers.
iv. In Group-B, Sri Lanka were the table toppers, with Afghanistan finishing second.