Current Affairs Feb 13, 2014

Current Affairs Feb 13, 2014

National Affairs

1. 135^th birth day of Sarojini Naidu Celebrated by Google Doodle

13.02.2014: 135^th birth day of Sarojini Naidu Celebrated by Google Doodle. She had born in Hyderabad. Sarojini Naidu is most popular with the name Nightingale of India. She played important roles in Quit India Movement and Civil disobedience.

2. ‘National Women’s Day’ is celebrated today (13^th February) across India. It is the birthday of Sarojini Naidu who was also known as the ‘Nightingale of India’. She was the first Indian woman to become the President of the Indian National Congress and was also the first Indian woman to become Governor of any State (Uttar Pradesh) in India.

3. Krishi Karman Awards for the year 2012-13 was given by the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee this week during inaugural function of World Congress on Agro-Forestry (WCA-2014) in New Delhi. The Government of India, Ministry of Agriculture instituted the award in 2010-11 to facilitate different states which achieve desired success in Agricultural.  Madhya Pradesh, Manipur and Odisha received the award in the Total food grain production category while Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh bagged the award in the excellence in the Individual food grains crops category.

 4. Supreme Court asks Karnataka Chief Secretary to take steps to stop ‘devadasi’ system:

The Supreme Court directed Karnataka chief secretary to take all steps to prevent women from being forced to become ‘devadasis’ at a temple function scheduled to be held on Thursday night in Devnagar district of the state. A bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam passed the direction on a PIL filed by an NGO, S L Foundation, alleging that ‘devadasis’ dedication is going to take place at Uttarang Mala Durga temple at Harappanahalli Taluk of Devnagar district.

5. Rupee down 20 paise, trades at 62.30 against dollar:
Moving in line with equity market, the rupee fell by 20 paise to 62.30 against the American currency in late morning trade on Thursday on fresh dollar demand from banks and importers.The Indian unit resumed higher at 62.05 per dollar as against the lastclosing level of 62.10 at the Interbank Foreign Exchange (Forex) Market, on initial selling of dollars by exporters in view of its weakness overseas. However, it washed out initial gains and was quoted at 62.30 per dollar at 1045 hours on fresh demand for the US currency from banks amidst fall in the equity market.

6. India’s parliament witnessed its worst ever day today due to Telengana issue. Both the houses of parliament witnessed unprecedented violent scenes over the issue which led to adjournment of both the houses for the day.  In a new low in India’s parliamentary history, MPs are alleged to use pepper spray and carry knife today in the parliament. Shouting protesters also broke a glass table and snapped the wire of an official’s microphone.

Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar today suspended 18 MPs from Andhra Pradesh for rest of the session after unprecedented pandemonium broke out in the House over the Telangana issue. This is definitely the worst day for Indian parliament and democracy.

7. NCML tie up with Canara Bank

For Collateral Management and Warehousing Services, Canara Bank entered into partnership with (NCML) National Collateral Management Services Limited. Main aim of this partnership is to give support to farmers, traders and industries to meet their capital requirements at all the stages including export stage.

International Affairs

8. World Radio Day is observed today (13 February) across the world to celebrate radio as a medium, to improve international cooperation between broadcasters and to encourage major networks and community radio. It was proclaimed on 3 November 2011 by UNESCO’s 36th General Conference. The theme for 2014 is “Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Radio”.

9. US based leading Cable company Comcast Corporation has announced its acquisition of Time Warner Cable for USD 45.2 billion, in an all-stock deal. This deal would merge the two largest cable TV providers in the United States with a total subscriber base of 30 million or nearly 30% of the pay television market in the USA.

10. US anger as Afghanistan releases 65 ‘insurgents’:
Scores of alleged Taliban fighters walked free from jail in Afghanistan on Thursday, triggering condemnation from the United States which said they were responsible for killing NATO and Afghan soldiers as well as civilians.”The 65 prisoners were freed and walked out of the Bagram prison compound this morning,” Abdul Shukor Dadras, a member of the Afghan government’s review body, told AFP. “Their cases were reviewed and we had no reason to keep them in jail.” The US embassy criticised the releases as “a deeply regrettable” move that could lead to further violence in Afghanistan, which has suffered a bloody Taliban insurgency since 2001.

11. Pakistan on Tuesday appointed former captain Moin Khan the head coach of the national team, replacing Australian Dav Whatmore whose two-year contract expired last month. 

12. The French Senate on Wednesday lifted immunity for a billionaire industrialist senator, Serge Dassault, clearing the way for him to face criminal charges for alleged vote-buying.

Science and technology

13. India launched third-line drug therapy for people living with HIV/AIDS and extended free anti-retroviral therapy (ART) to more of them by revising the eligibility norm. The government tabled the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2014, in the Rajya Sabha. It seeks to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and protect the human rights of people living with it.

14. China’s troubled Jade Rabbit lunar rover has died on the surface of the moon 

The Jade Rabbit, or Yutu in Chinese, was deployed on the moon’s surface on December 15. The landing was the first of its kind since the former Soviet Union’s mission nearly four decades ago. But the rover experienced a “mechanical control abnormality”. 

Sports

15. Yuvraj Singh emerged with the highest bid as RCB successfully snapped him up at a whopping Rs 14 crore in the Indian Premier League player auction at the ITC Gardenia Hotel.

16. Karnataka won the Irani Cup

Passed away

17. Renowned filmmaker Balu Mahendra passed away today at a private hospital in Chennai following a cardiac arrest. He was 75 and he suffered a heart attack,was rushed to the hospital where he breathed his last. Balu Mahendra started his career in the industry as a cinematographer for the Malayalam movie ‘Nellu’ in 1974. While his movies Veedu (1988) and Vanna Vanna Pookkal (1992) won the national award for the best feature film in Tamil, Sandhya Raagam (1990) won the award for best film on family welfare.

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