IMPORTANT EVENTS :

1. Human Rights Day observed across the World on 10 December   :

Human Rights Day was observed across the world on 10 December 2013 to bring to light the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 2013 Theme of the day is 20 Years Working for Your Rights.
NHRC in India organized a programme in New Delhi on this Day.

The UN General Assembly proclaimed 10 December as Human Rights Day in 1950, to bring to the attention ‘of the peoples of the world’ the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as the common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations.

2. Ranjan Mathai took over as the India’s High Commissioner to UK :

Ranjan Mathai, the former Foreign Secretary of India on 9 December 2013 took over as the India’s High Commissioner to the UK. He has succeeded Jaimini Bhagwati, who retired recently from the post.

Born on 24 May 1952, the 61-year old Mathai joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1974 .

He has served as the Ambassador of India to France in January 2007 .

3. Miss Venezuela, Alyz Henrich became Miss Earth 2013 :

Miss Venezuela Alyz Henrich on 7 December 2013 was crowned with the pageant of Miss Earth 2013 at the Versailles Palace, Philippines. She was crowned with the pageant of Miss World by Tereza Fajksova, the Miss Earth 2012 from Czech Republic. This was the 13th edition of the annual Miss Earth.
With this winning, Alyz Henrich has joined the roster of beauty queens and will be an ambassador for environmental preservation.

4. Shivakumar appointed as the CEO of PepsiCo India :

D Shivakumar was appointed as the Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo India. The post was lying vacant since Manu Anand quit the US food and beverage maker PepsiCo India in June 2013 to join foods company Cadbury Kraft.

He will now be responsible for the strategic deployment of the Rs 33,000-crore investment in the country announced by the company in November 2013.In his new role, Shivakumar will oversee all aspects of PepsiCo’s India business, which includes food and beverage brands such as Pepsi, Frito Lay’s potato chips, Slice mango beverage, Kurkure snacks, Tropicana juices and Quaker oats.

Besides, he will also oversee the business of NourishCo – a joint venture with Tata Global Beverage – and franchise businesses in Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.Shivakumar will report to Sanjeev Chadha, CEO – PepsiCo Asia, Middle East and Africa (AMEA).

5. Election Commission to recognise Aam Aadmi Party as State Party in Delhi :

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) with winning over 28 of the 70 seats in the Delhi Assembly elections on 8 December 2013 met the eligibility criteria of Election Commssion to become a State Party.

The Aam Aadmi Party registered as a political party by the Election Commission in March 2013.

To be recognised as a State Party , a political party should secure at least six percent of the total valid votes polled during general election to a State Legislative Assembly and should, in addition, win at least two seats in that Assembly, or the party should win at least three percent of the total number of seats or three seats in the Legislative Assembly, whichever is more,

6. Star India replaced Sahara India as the new Official Sponsor of Indian Cricket :

Star India replaced Sahara India as the new Official Sponsor of Indian cricket team. This was declared by the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) at a meeting held in Chennai on 9 December 2013.

Star India Private Limited was awarded with the Team Sponsorship Rights that will cover BCCI Events, ICC Events and ACC Events. The sponsorship rights will be for a period of three years starting from 1 January 2014 to 31 March 2017.

According to the Board’s Marketing Committee, “Rights include the right to be called the `Official Team Sponsor` and to display a commercial logo on the team clothing of the Senior Men`s Cricket Team, the U-19 Men`s Cricket Team, the Men`s A-Team and the Women`s Team.”

Although the BCCI has slashed the base price to Rs 1.5 crore from Rs 2.5 crore three years ago, the Star India will have to shell out Rs. 1.92 crore per match organized by the Board. The total amount bid by Star India stood at Rs. 203 crore.

7. Alstom T&D bagged two contracts of 151 crore rupees from GETCO :

Alstom T&D India on 9 December 2013 bagged two contracts of 151 crore rupees from Gujarat Energy Transmission Company Ltd (GETCO). The contracts are for supply of 400 KV, 220KV and 66KV AIS substations located at Charanka and Sankhari on turnkey basis to evacuate power from Solar Park of the state.

The order involves manufacture, supply, erection, testing and commissioning of the 400 KV substations with the key products like 400kV, 220 KV & 66 KV air insulated switchgear and related equipment Alstom’s and the SCADA automation system along with the civil works. The equipment will be manufactured at Alstom’s world-class manufacturing facilities in India.

The project is being developed under ADB Solar Energy schemes to catalyse 3,000 MW of solar power generation projects in ADB developing member countries. As the solar energy will play an essential role, thus these projects will be significant in increasing the share of the renewable energy and green energy mix in India.

IMPORTANT EVENTS :

1. India successfully test fired Nuclear Capable Prithvi -2 Missile :

India on 3 December 2013 successfully test fired its surface to surface ballistic missile Prithvi-ll from Chandipur in the Balesore district of Odisha. The test which is a part of the user training exercise of the Indian Army and it was conducted from lunch complex 3 of the ITR in Chandipur along the Odisha coast. The last user trial of Prithvi-II was successfully carried out from the same base on 7 October 2013.

2. e-BRC Project won 2013 eASIA Award :

Directorate General of Foreign Trade’s e-BRC project has won the 2013 eASIA Award under Trade Facilitation category. The award was announced by Asia Pacific Council for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (AFACT) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on 29 November 2013.

electronic Bank Realization Certificate (e-BRC) project was launched on 5 June 2012, to electronically transmit foreign exchange realization details on exports from the respective banks to Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).

The project has created an integrated platform for receipt, processing and subsequent use of all Bank Realization related information by exporters, banks, central and state government departments. It was made mandatory with effect from 17 August 2012.

3. International Day for Abolition of Slavery observed on 2 December :

International Day for Abolition of Slavery was observed on 2 December 2013 across the world to create awareness about the prevention of human trafficking and the exploitation of human being.
The focus of this day is on eradicating contemporary forms of slavery, such as trafficking in persons, sexual exploitation, and the worst forms of child labour, forced marriage, and the forced recruitment of children for use in armed conflict.The day marks the date of the adoption, by the General Assembly, of the United Nations Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others (resolution 317(IV) of 2 December 1949).According to the UN data- 21 million women, men and children are trapped in slavery all over the world.

4. Gaganjeet Bhullar won Indonesia Open Golf Tournament 2013 :

Indian Golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar on 1 December 2013 won the 2013 edition of the Indonesia open at Jakarta. Bhullar finished 72 holes on the Pantai Indah Kapuk Course at Damai Indah Golf at 16-under-par 268.

Bhullar, who led the tournament from the outset with a 64 in his opening round, finished at 16-under, three shots ahead of Malaysian Nicholas Fung and Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat at 13-under.
Malaysia’s Nicholas Fung (66) finished tied second alongside Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat (66).
Bhullars victory also credited him 135000 dollars in prize money and jump two places to be placed fourth in Asia’s Order of Merit with total earnings of 462378 Dollars. This is Bhullar’s fifth Asian Tour title.

5. Ethiopian Runners won both Men’s and Women’s titles at Pune International Marathon :

Runners from Ethiopia have won the both the men’s and women’s events in the 28th edition of the Pune International Marathon on 1 December 2013.

Belachew Endale Abayneh won the men’s 42.195 km race in 2 hours, 17 minutes and 52 seconds, while Aberu Zewude Tesema claimed the top spot in the women’s half distance race clocking 1 hour, 16 minutes and 54 seconds.

 

6. East Timor film Beatriz’s War won Golden Peacock Award at IFFI 2013 :

East Timor film ‘Beatriz’s War’ bagged Golden Peacock award for Best Film at the 44th International Film Festival of India at Panaji, Goa on 30 November 2013.
The film, directed by Bety Reis and Luigi Acquisto, is a passionate story of one woman’s conviction to remain true to the man she loves. The award carries a Golden Peacock, a certificate and a Cash Prize of 40 lakh Rupees.
Indian Director Kaushik Ganguli bags the award for Best Director for his Bengali film ‘Apur Panchali’. The award carries a Silver Peacock, a certificate and a cash prize of 15 lakh Rupees.
Special Jury Award went to Turkish film ‘Thou Gild’st The Even’, directed by Onur Unlu. The award carries a Silver Peacock, a certificate and a cash prize of 15 lakh rupees.
Best Actor (Male) award went to Alon Moni Aboutboul for his performance in Israeli movie ‘A Place in Heaven’. The award carries a Silver Peacock, a certificate and a cash prize of 10 lakh rupees.
Best Actor (Female) award was presented to Boczarska Magdalena for her excellent performance in Polish film ‘In Hiding’. The Award carries a Silver Peacock, a certificate and a cash prize of 10 lakh Rupees.
The Special Centenary Award was given to Bengali film ‘Meghe Dhaka Tara’, directed by Kamaleshwar Mukherjee. The award carries a Silver Peacock, a certificate and a cash prize of 10 lakh Rupees.

7. Mahendra Singh Dhoni won ICC People’s Choice Award 2013 :

India Cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on 3 December 2013 won the LG International Cricket Council (ICC) People’s Choice Award for the year 2013.
Dhoni also became the second Indian cricketer after SachinTendulkar to get this award.
Srilanka cricketer Kumar Sangarkara won this award for two times in 2011 and 2012.
Other nominees for this year’s LG People’s Choice Award were Michael Clarke, Alastair Cook, Virat Kohli, and AB de Villiers
The International Cricket Council (ICC) People’s Choice award introduced in the year 2010 and Sachin Tendulkar won Inaugural Award.

IMPORTANT EVENTS :

1. Satyananda Mishra appointed as Chairman of Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) :

Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd on 27 November 2013 appointed Satyananda Mishra as the chairman of MCX’s board.
Market Regulatory authority, the Forward Markets Commission (FMC) also approved the appointment of Satyananda Mishra as the independent Director of MCX’s board for a period up to 31 March 2016.
The previous chairman of MCX, Venkat Chary, resigned in August 2013 due to the new guidelines of Forward Markets Commission (FMC). The FMC new guidelines stated that the age limit of people on the board should not be more than 70 years.
Satyananda Mishra is a retired Indian Administrative Services officer (1973 Batch) and has acted as a Chief Information Commissioner from December 2010 to September 2013. He was also Secretary, Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT).

 

2. Malala topped Power List 101 at GG2 Leadership awards :

Malala Yousafzai, Kainat Riaz and Shazia Ramzan on 27 November 2013 were chosen for the GG2 Hammer Award, for their bravery at the GG2 (Garavi Gujarat 2) Leadership Awards 2013 a London. The activist Malala Yousafzai won the number one spot in the GG2 Power List 101 for her work in raising awareness for female empowerment.
Malala Yousafzai, the teenager from Pakistan, who was shot in the head by the Taliban for campaigning for girls’ education. She has been named as the Britain’s most influential Asian by a weekly publication. Kainat Riaz and Shazia Ramzan were shot and wounded in Swat Valley last year. The GG2 Hammer Award winner of 2013 transcends every boundary and appeals to the very core of our humanity.
The GG2 Power 101 has been compiled by The Asian Media and Marketing Group (AMG) and features the top 101 most influential Asians in the UK, ranging from all walks of life. Now in its third year, the list honours some notable British Asians who hold power and influence not just in Britain, but also globally.

3. US exemptes India and China from Iranian Sanctions :

United States of America on 29 November 2013 exempted some countries, including India and China, from the tough Iranian sanctions for reducing their dependence on Iranian oil.
Secretary of State, John Kerry announced in a statement in Washington that other countries which have significantly reduced the purchases of Iranian crude oil are the Republic of Korea, Turkey, and Taiwan and these have qualified for an exception to sanctions under the National Defence Authorisation Act.
This move came after the decision made by US President Barack Obama that there is sufficient supply of non-Iranian oil for countries to continue to reduce import of oil from Iran.This is the fourth time that these countries have qualified for an NDAA exception as a result of their continued significant reductions in the volume of crude oil purchases from Iran or their end to such purchases.

4. India’s 1st Synthetic Rubber Plant inaugurated in Panipat, Haryana :

Union Petroleum Minister Veerappa Moily on 29 November 2013 inaugurated the first “Synthetic Rubber Plant” of the country at Panipat in Haryana.
The country’s first e-SBR (styrene butadiene rubber) unit was set up by Indian Synthetic Rubber Ltd (ISRL), a joint venture promoted by Indian Oil, TSRC Corporation, Taiwan, and Marubeni Corporation, Japan.
The plant will produce 120 kilo tonnes synthetic rubber annually, which would be used in industrial units for manufacturing automobile and daily need products. It is planned to increase the capacity of the plant to 220 KT in next two years.
The project, which is estimated to cost 958 crore rupees, has been funded through debt raised from Japan Bank for International Cooperation and Mizuho Corporation Bank. Technology for the manufacturing unit is being provided by TSRC Corporation.

5. National Tiger Conservation Authority approved fifth tiger reserve in Maharashtra :

The National Tiger Conservation Authority on 28 November 2013 approved the fifth tiger reserve of Maharashtra in Nagzira. The Nagzira tiger reserve will be developed between Bhandara and Gondia districts, which will be the home of surplus tigers of the state.
The tigers, who wander outside the Tadoba reserve territory, will go in Nagzira-Navegaon tiger reserve. The Nagzira sanctuary, which was of 150 square kilometer and the Navegaon National Park, was of 130 square kilometer, which has been increased to 700 square kilometer to form a new tiger reserve.
The four tiger reserves in Maharashtra are Melghat, Tadoba, Pench and Sahyadri. The state Government has issued a notification for the tiger reserve in Maharashtra.

IMPORTANT EVENTS :

1. Sachin Tendulkar appointed as UNICEF’s first brand ambassador for South Asia :

Indian Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar on 28 November 2013 appointed as UNICEF’s first brand ambassador for South Asia.Sachin Tendulkar will work for promoting hygiene and sanitation in the South Asian region for two years. Sachin Tendulkar was already involving with the UNICEF campaigns for polio and global hand washing.
According to UNICEF, almost half the population in India defecates in the open and 681 million people practice open defecation in South Asia.
Children under five years of age are the most vulnerable to the effects of poor sanitation and annually more than half a million children in South Asia die of diarrhoea caused by unsafe drinking water, poor hygiene and lack of sanitation.
After sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia is the region with the highest number of under-five deaths, accounting for 2.3 million in 2011.

2. Silvio Berlusconi expelled from Italian Parliament :

The Italian Senate on 27 November 2013 expelled ex- Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi from Parliament over his tax fraud conviction.
The Senate declared Berlusconi ineligible for parliament after he was convicted of masterminding a complex system of illegally inflated invoices to cut the tax bill for his Mediaset television empire.

Berlusconi as Italian politician dominated for two decades and he served three times as Prime Minister (In between 1994-2011). He was the member of Italian senate. He was involved in many scandals during his political career, like charges of abuse of office and corruption.

3. Cyclone Lehar Struck Andhra Pradesh Coast :

The cyclonic storm Lehar on 27 November 2013 hit the Andhra Pradesh coast and caused severe damage in the coastal region.
The tropical cyclone Lehar was centered about 520 km east-southeast of Machillipatnam and 470 km southeast of Kakinada in Bay of Bengal. The nine coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh are highly affected in the region and coastal area of Odisha also affected.After cyclone Phailin and cyclone Helen, this is the third severe cyclone within a month.

 

4. Mangalyaan & Maven will complement each other in Mars findings :

ISRO and NASA will coordinate functions of their Mars Orbiters-Mangalyaan and MAVEN once both get into orbit of the Mars planet in September 2014. This was announced by ISRO scientists.
ISRO scientists also stated that the findings of ISRO’ Mars Orbiter mission and NASA’s Maven would complement each other. NASA’s Mars-bound spacecraft, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutionN (MAVEN) was launched aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida, US on 18 November 2013.
MAVEN is the second mission for NASAs Mars Scout Program and is likely to obtain critical measurements of the Martian upper atmosphere to help understand the climate change over the red planet-Mar’s history.
MAVEN carries eight instruments Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer, Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph, Magnetometer, Solar Wind Electron Analyzer, SupraThermal And Thermal Ion Composition, Langmuir Probe and Waves antenna, Solar Energetic Particles and Solar Wind Ion Analyzer.
After having successfully completed five orbit raising manoeuvres on its Mars Orbiter, ISRO is expected to perform the crucial event of trans Martian injection of the spacecraft in the early hours of 1 December 2013.
The spacecraft will reach the red planet’s orbit by 24 September 2014 after an over 10 month voyage.
ISRO’s PSLV-C25 successfully injected 1350-kg Mangalyaan Orbiter (Mars craft) into orbit around Earth some 44 minutes after launch at 2.38 PM from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota on 5 November 2013 marking the successful completion of the first stage of the 450 crore Rupees mission.

5. Google has set up election portal in India :

Google on 28 November 2013 setup an election portal in India, the largest democracy of the world. The portal will provide polls and politics related news to users in India. The launched search engine will also provide information on the political parties.This portal will help the voters of India to get the answers on elections and voting-related queries to make an informed decision. Initially, during the first phase of the launch will cover the videos and information related to state elections in Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Mizoram. It will cover news from leading publications and broadcasters both in English and Hindi.

Contents hosted by YouTube partners on elections and links to Hangouts done by political representatives in the recent past, will be available for the users.

6. Four New Catfish species discovered in Kerala State :

Four new species of freshwater catfish recently discovered in Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts of Kerala.
All the four species, namely Horabagrus melanosoma, Mystus heoki, Mystus indicus and Mystus menoni were discovered from the Manimala river by Mathews Plamoottil, Assistant Professor in Zoology, Government College, Chavara, and Nelson P. Abraham, Associate Professor, St. Thomas College, Kozhenchery.
The researchers have published their findings in the latest issue of two prominent scientific journals, Biosystematica and the International Journal of Pure and Applied Zoology. The International Commission of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) has also approved the names given by the researchers to the new species.

7. CCEA approved scientific deep drilling in the Koyna intra-plate seismic zone in Maharashtra :

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on 28 November 2013 approved the proposal to undertake scientific deep drilling in the Koyna intra-plate seismic zone, in Maharashtra. The total cost of the project is 472.3 crore rupees for five years.
The proposed scientific deep drilling investigation in Koyna region will provide a unique opportunity to understand the mechanism of reservoir-triggered earthquakes better and develop a forecast model and assess the earthquake hazard in a stable continental region.
The objective of the project is to undertake the investigations of 6-8 kilometers in a deep borehole in the Koyna-Warna region of Maharashtra. For past five decade, the earthquakes have been occurring in the restricted area of 20×30 square kilometer, which includes the earthquake of magnitude of 6.3 in December 1967. Koyna–Warna area is the best site in the world, which acts as a natural laboratory to study reservoir-triggered earthquakes.

IMPORTANT EVENTS :

1. Latvian Prime Minister resigned over supermarket collapse  :

The Latvian Prime Minister, Valdis Dombrovskis announced his resignation and thereby the fall of the Government on 27 November 2013. He resigned due to the deadly collapse of Maxima supermarket of Riga on 21 November 2013. His announcement came during the meeting with Andris Berzins, the President of Latvia. Dombrovskis is the longest serving prime minister in Latvia’s history.
About 54 people died in the collapse of the supermarket. This collapse is the biggest loss of life in the country since its independence from the USSR in 1991.
The police had opened a criminal investigation into the cause of the disaster. The possible explanations to the collapse include a flawed design, substandard construction materials, and corruption.
Further it depends on the President, Andris Berzins to accept or reject the resignation and nominate an acting Prime Minister, who will be responsible to form a new cabinet.

2. Neeraj Sahai appointed as President of Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services :

Neeraj Sahai, Indian-American has appointed as president of Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, the world’s largest ratings firm. He was appointed by McGraw Hill Financial Company. Neeraj Sahai (56) will assume his new role at Standard & Poor’s from 6 January 2014. Neeraj Sahai, who did his master’s in economics from the University of Delhi, is currently head of Citi’s Securities and Fund Services business and also acts as chief fiduciary officer of Citigroup. He succeeds Douglas Peterson, who became president and chief executive officer of McGraw Hill Financial on 1 November 2013.

3.  Dubai to host World Expo 2020 :

Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) on 27 November 2013 voted in favour of Dubai to be the host city for the World Trade Fair or EXPO 2020.
This was decided after the third and the final round of voting in Paris on 27 November 2013. Four cities including Dubai in UAE, Yekaterinbergh in Russia, Sao Paulo in Brazil and Izmir in Turkey were competing to host the prestigious event.
The theme of Dubai for the EXPO 2020 is Connecting Minds, Creating the Future.
A World Expo in Dubai in 2020 would be the first to be held in the MENASA (Middle East, North Africa and South Asia) region, which takes place every five years.

4. Nepal and UAE qualified for ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2014 :

Nepal and the UAE on 27 November 2013 qualified for the ICC T20 World cup which will be held in Bangladesh in 2014.
Nepal defeated Hong Kong by five wickets in Abu Dhabi on 27 November 2013. Nepal survived a last-over scare to score the required 13 runs, with 10 runs coming from the first two deliveries and a last-ball misfield producing the winning runs.
The UAE has also qualified for the tournament as they defeated the Netherlands by 10 runs.
This will be the first time since the ICC Cricket World Cup 1996 that the UAE and Nepal will make an appearance on the global stage. Four teams have now qualified for the ICC T20 in Bangladesh next year. These include Afghanistan, Ireland, Nepal and UAE.

5. Raheel Sharif appointed as new Army Chief of Pakistan :

Nawaz Sharif, the Prime Minister of Pakistan appointed Lt Gen Raheel Sharif as the new Chief of Army Staff and Lt Gen Rashad Mahmood as the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. Lt Gen Raheel Sharif and Lt Gen Rashad Mahmood have been promoted to the rank of four-star general.
The generals will take up the new posts from 27 November 2013, the day when the 61 year old Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani will retire from the post of Army Chief. Lt Gen Raheel is currently serving as Inspector General, Training and Evaluation, whereas Lt Gen Mahmood is serving as Chief of General Staff.
The names of the two commanders were recommended by Sharif after endorsement by the President Mamnoon Hussain. Both were promoted to the General rank from Lt. Generals by the President.

6. Noted Dalit Writer Omprakash Valmiki Passed away :

Noted Dalit writer Omprakash Valmiki passed away on 17 November 2013 at Dehradun, Uttarakhand. He died at the age of 63 after prolonged illness due to cancer.
Omprakash Valmiki is one of the most famous Dalit literateurs in Hindi and he portrayed the life of Dalits with an authentically Dalit voice. He was born in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh in 1950. He worked with Government Ordnance Factory Dehradun.
Valmiki’s autobiography Joothan is one of his famous works. In his autobiography Joothan (1997) he spoke in detail about the caste discrimination, persecution and humiliation tha he faced, whe he is growing up. Joothan is regarded as a milestone in Hindi literature.
Valmiki’s other works also include three collections of poetry (in Hindi): Sadiyon ka santap (The centuries-old anguish, 1989), Bas! bahut ho chuka (Stop it! That’s enough, 1997) and Ab aur nahin (Not any more, 2009).

7. Biocon got DCGI Approval for Breast Cancer Drug-Biosimilar Trastuzumab :

Indian Biotech Company Biocon on 26 November 2013 announced that it had received market authorisation from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for its Breast cancer Drug- biosimilar Trastuzumab.
The biosimilar trastuzumab will be marketed in India under the brand name of CANMAb by the company, and is expected to be available to Indian patients in the fourth quarter of FY14. The drug is jointly developed by Biocon along with US-based pharma company Mylan.
Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in India, with over 100000 new patients being diagnosed with this disease every year. The cost of biologics in cancer treatment is high, which makes access unaffordable to a large number of patients.
Biosimilar Trastuzumab will offer an alternative affordable option thereby enhancing access to treatment for cancer patients in India and the world over.

IMPORTANT EVENTS :

1. Constitution Day was observed across India on 26 November :

Constitution Day was observed across India on 25 November 2013 to honour the Constitution of India. The Constitution of India was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 26 November 1949, which came into force on 26 January 1950.

The Constitution of India is a supreme law of India, which lays down the framework that defines the political principles, establishes the structure, procedures, powers and duties of Government institution. It also sets the fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens. Being one of the longest constitution in the world, which contains 448 articles in 22 parts, 12 schedules and 118 amendments.Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar is regarded as the father of the Indian Constitution.

 

2.Pakistan launched military operations against terrorists near Afghan border :

The Pakistan army on 26 November 2013 has launched military operations against terrorists in the North Waziristan tribal region near the Pak-Afghan border. The Pakistan’s attack came two days after two security persons, were killed and five were injured in a remote control bomb explosions in the area by the terrorists.North Waziristan acts like a haven for Pakistani Taliban, linked to the al-Qaeda. The US had been pushing the Pakistan Army to launch a military operation in North Waziristan. However, Army has refused to do so.

3. Preneet Kaur, the Minister of State for External Affairs of India visited Serbia :

Preneet Kaur, the Minister of State for External Affairs of India was on a three day visit from 18-21 November 2013 to Serbia. During her visit, she met Ivica Dacic, the Prime Minister of Serbia.
During this meeting, she discussed on matters of bilateral relations including the economic cooperation, exchange of high level visits, people-to-people contact, issues relating to visa regime and UNSC expansion.
The Serbian Prime Minister appreciated the stand of India on Kosovo. The Prime Minister also emphasized the need for further cooperation in the fields of IT, pharma, investment, film production, agriculture and various other sectors.
During her visit to Belgrade, she also visited Gandhi Street named in 1970 and Nehru Street named in 1972. She also garlanded the busts of Mahatma Gandhi, which was unveiled in 2007 and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru unveiled in 1990.

4. Geneva II Syria peace conference set for 22 January 2014: Ban Ki Moon :

Ban Ki Moon, the UN Secretary General on 25 November 2013 announced the Geneva-II peace conference is to be held on 22 January 2014. The international conference is aimed at a democratic political transition in Syria, which will bring the Government and the opposition to a negotiating table for the first time, since the conflict that started in March 2011.

The Geneva-II conference was termed as the mission of hope by Ban Ki Moon in which, the fighting has killed more than 100000 and driven almost nine million from their homes, left countless missing and detained and terrible violations of human rights.
The goal of Geneva II would be to achieve a political solution to the conflict through a comprehensive agreement between the Government and the opposition for the full implementation of the Geneva communiqué, adopted after the first international meeting on the issue on 30 June 2012.

5. CCEA approved continuation of Agriculture Export Plan of APEDA :

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on 25 November 2013 approved the continuation of the Agriculture Export Promotion Plan Scheme of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) during 12th Plan Period (2012-13 to 2016-17).

It was a proposal of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for APEDA with four components namely infrastructure development, transport assistance, market development and quality development. The CCEA meeting was chaired by Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh.The outlay of the scheme will be 1100 crore rupees during the 12th Plan period.

 

 

6. NALCO Received EEPC Export Award for 2011-12 :

National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) on 22 November 2013 received the EEPC (Engineering Export Promotion Council, Eastern Region)’s Gold Trophy.NALCO has bagged the EEPC Gold Trophy, as Top Exporter in the Large Enterprise Category, for its outstanding export performance during the year 2011-12.
National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) is a Navratna PSU and India’s leading manufacturer-exporter of alumina and aluminium.On behalf of the company, N. Pandab, Regional Manager (Eastern Region) received the award from Ravi Kapoor, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Government of India, at the 30th Regional Award Presentation Ceremony, organized by EEPC India (Eastern Region) at Kolkata on 22 November 2013.
During the financial year 2011-12, NALCO has achieved sales turnover of 6927 crore Rupees, including the export earnings of 2569 crore Rupees.
NALCO also have the Premier Trading House status, and it is the first Indian aluminium company to be registered with London Metal Exchange, for its high quality products.

 

 

7. Deepak Lathore won Gold and Silver Medals at Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships :

Indian weightlifter, Deepak Lathore won Gold and two Silver medals in the Boys’ 50 Kg category of the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships on 25 November 2013 at Penang, Malaysia.
On the opening day of the event, Lathore took the Gold in Snatch with a lift of 83 kg. In Clean and Jerk, he lifted 102 kg to claim the Silver. With a total lift of 185 kg, he won another Silver in the event.
The 2013 Commonwealth Senior, Junior and Youth weightlifting Championships are being held at Penang city of Malaysia from 24 to 30 November 2013. In this event, India is represented by 41 Weightlifters in three categories.

IMPORTANT EVENTS :

1. Jason Day won 2013 Golf World Cup and Australia won Team Championships  :

Jason Day, Australian Golfer won the Golf world cup at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne on 24 November 2013. Australia team (Jason Day and Adam Scott) also won the team Championships by beating the American team of Matt Kuchar and Kevin Streelman.
With this victory Jason Day collected 1.2 million Dollars for sealing individual Title and will share another 600000 Dollars with Adam Scott for winning the team trophy.
Indian Golfer Anirban Lahiri finished with 25th place and picked up 56000 Dollars for his effort at the tournament. India finished 26th and last in the team Championships.
The 2013 Golf World Cup, officially known as ISPS HANDA World Cup of Golf was held from 21 to 24 November 2013 at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

2. World’s First Green Helicopter Tested in Germany :

Germany’s aviation company e- Volo on 17 November 2013 successfully tested the first helicopter which is noiseless and emission-free named- Volocopter.The Volocopter is an environmentally friendly and emission-free private helicopter.

The helicopter, named Volocopter, developed by the German company e-volo, two seat prototype made it earlier voyage in kalsruhe, Germany.
The volocopter uses eighteen electrically driven rotos propel instead of one combustion engine which is environmentally friendly and emission-free.
The emission free Volocopter is a vertical take-off and landing manned aircraft,  with rich features  and incredibly quiet sound, absolutely no noticeable vibrations, new spring strut landing gear and extremely calm rotor  plane that replace conventional aircraft .

3. Ireland and Afghanistan qualified for ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2014 :

Ireland and Afghanistan on 24 November 2013 qualified for ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2014 after winning their respective matches in the qualifiers at Dubai.
Ireland defeated Hongkong by 85 runs while Afghanistan beat Kenya by 34 runs to qualify as the top teams from the two groups. Four places for the tournament are yet to be decided. The remaining four teams will be decided after a series of matches in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The contestants include Nepal, UAE, Hongkong, Namibia, Scotland, Netherlands, Italy and Papua New Guinea.The 2014 ICC World Twenty20 to be held in Bangladesh from 16 March 2014 to 6 April 2014 and a total of 16 teams are participating in this tournament.
Afghanistan Cricket team also qualified for its maiden ICC World Cup after defeating Kenya by seven wickets at World Cricket League Championship in Sharjah on 4 October 2013.

 

4. International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women observed on 25 November :

International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women is observed on 25 November 2013 across the world to raise awareness about violence against women.
The theme for the year 2013 is: ‘Unite to End Violence against Women’
This year, the UNITE Campaign is extending Orange Day to 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, starting from 25 November,  International Day to End Violence Against Women, through 10 December, Human Rights Day.
In 1999 the UN General Assembly designated 25 November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. The date of 25 November was chosen to commemorate the Mirabal sisters, three political activists Dominican ruler Rafael Trujillo (1930-1961) ordered brutally assassinate in 1960.

5. Sebastian Vettel won F1 Brazilian Grand Prix 2013 :

Formula one racing driver Sebastian Vettel won the F1 Brazilian Grand Prix 2013 on 24 November 2013. With this victory vettel matched Michael Schumacher’s record of 13 victories in a year and equalled the nine consecutive wins of Alberto Ascari.
Vettel’s Red Bull teammate Mark Webber was second in his final F1 race. Fernando Alonso of Ferrari was third. The formula one season ending Brazilian GP is Vettel’s second victory in Brazil, and 39th of his career.
Recently, Sebastian Vettel also won the Formula One Indian Grand Prix 2013 at Buddha International Circuit on 27 October 2013.

IMPORTANT EVENT :

1. Nisha Desai Biswal sworn in as US Asst. Secretary of State for South and Central Asia :

Nisha Desai Biswal was on 21 November 2013 sworn in as the US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia.

United States Secretary of State John K Kerry administered the oath to Nisha Desai Biswal as she was sworn in as the US Assistant Secretary of State at the George Marshall East Auditorium of the White House.

Nisha Desai Biswal took over charge from Robert Blake, who moved recently to Indonesia as ambassador.Before her appointment to this position, Biswal was assistant administrator for Asia at the US Agency for International Development.

2. Loya Jirga gave consent on Afghan-US Bilateral Security Agreement :

The Loya Jirga, Afghanistan’s Grand Assembly of tribal elders and elite persons on 24 November 2013 gave its consent on the issue of signing the Afghan-US Bilateral Security Agreement that would pave the way for the continuation of some US troops in the country after 2014.

2500 member traditional Loya Jirga after three days of deliberations adopted a 31-point resolution approving the proposed agreement and called upon Afghan President to sign the document by the end of the 2013.

However, Afghan President put forward conditions for signing the agreement with the United States.

The United States wants the agreement to be signed before the end of the 2013, but the Afghan President has been saying that it may be signed after the presidential elections in Afghanistan in April 2014. The US is to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan next year (2014).

3. Iran and P5+1 Group of Nations clinched Nuclear Deal :

Iran and P5+1 group of Nations reached a breakthrough deal on 24 November 2013 to curb Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for limited sanctions relief.

An agreement to this effect was signed at UN Headquarters in Geneva on 24 November 2013 between the Chief negotiator for the six nations, Catherine Marie Ashton and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Jawad Zarief.

The interim deal for six months is intended to give time and space to the international community to work towards a comprehensive agreement. After four days of negotiations, representatives of P5+1 group of nations – the US, the UK, Russia, China, France and Germany – reached an agreement with Iran.

4. COP-19, UN Climate Change Conference 2013 Concluded at Warsaw, Poland  :

The COP-19, UN Climate Change Conference 2013 concluded in Warsaw, Poland on 23 November 2013 by approving the new global treaty.

The UN climate talks concluded with delegates reaching a compromise on how to fight global warming.  After 30 hours of deadlock, they approved a way out for a new global climate treaty to be signed in Paris in 2015.

It will replace the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which set targets for developed countries to cut their greenhouse gas emissions. Negotiators agreed that all countries should work to curb emissions from burning coal, oil and gas as soon as possible, and ideally by the first quarter of 2015.

Key decisions adopted at this conference include decisions on further advancing the Durban Platform, the Green Climate Fund and Long-Term Finance, the Warsaw Framework for REDD Plus, the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage and other decisions

The nineteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 19) was held from 11 to 23 November 2013 in Warsaw, Poland.

5. China Set up Air Defence Zone over East China Sea :

China on 23 November 2013 announced that it was set up an Air Defence Identification Zone over an area in the East China Sea. The Zone includes Senkaku islands that are controlled by Japan but claimed by China.

In this regard, the Chinese Defense Ministry issued a map of an East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone including a chain of disputed islands. The zone came into effect from 10:00 local time from 23 November 2013.

China also issued a set of rules for the zone, saying all aircraft must notify Chinese authorities and are subject to emergency military measures if they do not identify themselves or obey orders from Beijing. It stated it would identify, monitor, control and react to any air threats or unidentified flying objects coming from the sea.

6. India successfully test fired Nuclear capable Dhanush Ballistic Missile :

India on 23 November 2013 successfully test-fired its nuclear-capable Dhanush ballistic missile from a naval ship off Odisha coast.

The surface-to-surface Dhanush, a naval variant of India’s indigenously developed Prithvi missile, was test fired from a location at Bay of Bengal by the Srategic Force Command of the defence force.

The single-stage, liquid propelled Dhanush has already been inducted into the armed services. It is one of the five missiles developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme.

7. 9th North East Business Summit Began in Assam :

The North East Business summit began on 22 November 2013 at Dibrugarh in Assam. The summit is being jointly organized by the Indian Chambers of Commerce and the DoNER Ministry in Dibrugarh from 22 to 24 November 2013.

Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Pawan Singh Ghatowar has inaugurated the two day summit. Two Myanmar Province Chief Ministers and Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh also attended the summit.

More than 500 delegates from across the country, and also from neighbouring countries are expected to attend the 9th North-East Business Summit.

The event will focus on strategic areas like Tea. The event is being held in the major tea-growing region of India. The five Upper Assam districts are supposed to be the largest tea producing area in the world, and contribute significantly to India’s tea production.

The other issues on focus include Energy, Power, Horticulture, Food Processing, Infrastructure and Connectivity, Tourism and Hospitality, Healthcare and Financial Services in sync with ‘Look East’ Policy of India.

IMPORTANT EVENTS :

1. Prof CNR Rao Elected to Chinese Academy of Sciences :

Eminent Scientist and Bharat Ratna Awardee Prof CNR Rao was on 4 November 2013 elected as honorary foreign member of Chinese Academy of Science (CAS).
He is first Indian to be elected to this prestigious Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) which comprises of many Nobel laureates and eminent scientist across the world.
CNR Rao has been elected to almost all scientific academies of the world including The Royal Society-London, National Academy of Science-USA, Pontifical Academy of Science, Japan Academy and Royal Spanish Academy of Sciences, among others.

2. Justice Ajit Prakash Shah appointed as Chairman of Law Commission of India  :

Union Government on 22 November 2013 appointed Justice Ajit Prakash Shah as the new Chairman of the 20th Law Commission of India. Justice Ajit Prakash Shah succeeded Justice D. K. Jain who resigned in October 2013 to take over as the President of National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.

Justice Ajit Prakash Shah was born on 13 February, 1948 at Solapur, Maharashtra. He started practice at Solapur district Court and shifted to the Bombay High Court in the year 1977.

He was Chief Justice of the High Court of Delhi from May 2008 till his retirement in February 2010. He is known for his bold judgments, especially concerning social issues, including the world-headliner July 2009 ruling that found India`s 150-year-old statute prohibiting homosexual acts (Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code) as discriminatory and, therefore, a “violation of fundamental rights”.

3. Gurbaksh Singh Sandhu reappointed as India Boxing Coach :

Gurbaksh Singh Sandhu was on 20 November 2013 reappointed as the national coach of the men’s Indian boxing team till the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. This decision was taken in consultation with the Sports Authority of India at New Delhi.

First appointed as coach in 1993, Gurbax Singh Sandhu has ably served for almost two decades during which Indian boxers have made ground-breaking progress in the international arena including winning the country’s first Olympic medal, and first World Championship medal, through Vijender Singh (75kg category).

4. IAF’s Sukhoi 30 to be platform for supersonic Brahmos missiles :

Sukhoi-30 fighter jet on 21 November 2013 has been selected as the platform to mount the supersonic BrahMos missiles by the Indian Air Force. The first test launch will be carried out by the end of 2014.
The air version of the BrahMos missile is ready but testing; simulations and aircraft modifications will take about a year. Thus the final flight with the missile will be done only at the end of 2014.
This is the only supersonic cruise missile platform in the world with abilities to travel at the supersonic speed and it can also be launched from both the sea and land. The BrahMos missile was jointly developed by the Indian and Russian Army in early 2000s and has since been inducted by the Army and the Navy. An air platform, has however, not been completed yet.

5. 24 Percent Jet Airways Equity allotted to Etihad Airways :

Jet Airways on 20 November 2013 concluded the sale of 24 percent equity stake in the airline to Etihad Airways for 2057 crore Rupees.
The 335 million Dollar deal, which was unveiled in April 2013, is the first cross border transaction in the Indian aviation sector after it was opened up for foreign direct investments in 2012.In September 2012, Government of India allowed foreign airlines acquire up to 49 percent stake in domestic carriers.
The Jet Airways issued and allotted 27263372 equity shares of a face value of 10 Rupees each at a price of 754.74 Rupees per equity share on a preferential basis to Etihad Airways. With this the paid up share capital of Jet Airways has gone up to 113597383 equity shares of 10 Rupees each. The move formalizes the sale of 24 percent equity of Jet Airways to the Etihad Airways.
The deal has already been cleared by capital markets regulator SEBI, Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB), Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs (CCEA) and Competition Commission of India (CCI).

6. Cadila Pharmaceuticals launched Mycidac-C, a lung cancer drug  :

Cadila Pharmaceuticals on 21 November 2013 launched a new lung cancer drug, Mycidac-C, which is priced 40000 rupees for 10 course injection. The drug is much cheaper than the drugs manufactured by the multinational companies.\
Cadila developed the drug after 15 years research and it will be available in Indian market from December 2013. Mycidac-C has been licensed and approved by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). The drug, Mycidac-C is meant for the patients, who suffer from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

7. 29 of the 30 GreenPeace Arctic 30 members granted bail :

Russian judges have granted bail for 29 of the 30 people arrested following an anti-oil drilling protest by Greenpeace in Arctic waters two months ago.Thirteen more of the Greenpeace detainees were freed from jail on Friday and the last three crewmembers were granted bail. In all, 24 of 30 people have been released.Phil Ball of the United Kingdom and Russians Dima Litvinov and Roman Dolgov were the last of the 30 crewmembers to be brought before the court, where they were granted bail at 2 million rubles ($61,500).Earlier Friday, U.S. ship captain and veteran Greenpeace activist Peter Willcox was released on bail.Crewmembers Marco Weber of Switzerland, Mannes Ubels and Faiza Oulahsen of the Netherlands, Paul Ruzycki of Canada, Jonathan Beauchamp of New Zealand, Miguel Hernan Perez Orsi of Argentina, and Britons Anthony Perrett, Alexandra Harris, Iaian Rogers, Jonathan Bush, Frank Hewetson and freelance videographer Kieron Bryan were also released on Friday.

IMPORTANT EVENTS :

1. Frederick Sanger the two time Chemistry Nobel Prize winner died :

Frederick Sanger, a British biochemist who is the only person to win Nobel Prize two times for Chemistry died on 19 November 2013 in Cambridge, eastern England. He was aged 95.

For the first time, he won the Nobel Prize in 1958 for development of the methods, which helped to unravel the chemical structure of Protein, mainly insulin. Second Nobel Prize was given to him in 1980, jointly with Walter Gilbert and Paul Berg for the development of the techniques to read the sequences of DNA, which carries the basic code for life.

By winning two Nobel, Sanger became one of the four people who had won the Nobel Prizes two times. The other winners of Nobel Prize two times are Marie Curie, John Bardeen and Linus Pauling.

2. Darvis Patton, the US sprinter and two time Olympic Medalist retired :

Darvis Patton, the US sprinter on 18 November 2013 announced his retirement after 13 years career. He won the Olympic silver medal as part of the 4×100 relay teams in the 2004 Athens Olympics and in London Olympics in 2012.

He was a part of the team of US that won the sprint relay gold at the Paris world championship and Osaka in 2003 and 2007, respectively. He became the sixth fastest man to run 100 meters at the 2013 Texas Relays .

3. V. Baskaran appointed as Coach of the Senior Men Hockey Team :

Hockey India on 20 November 2013 appointed the former Olympic gold-medallist V Baskaran as Coach of the Senior Men Hockey Team. Baskaran will work under the recently appointed Chief Coach Terence Walsh.

Hockey India on 15 October 2013 appointed the Terence Walsh as Chief Coach of the Senior Men National Hockey Team.Vasudevan Baskaran who was the captain of the team that won the gold medal at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow has 287 internationals caps and has represented India in the Olympic Games in 1976 Montreal, two World Cups in 1973 Amsterdam (Silver) and in 1978 Buenos Aires, two Asian Games in 1974 Tehran (Silver) and in 1978 Bangkok (Silver) and Champions Trophy in 1978 Pakistan (Bronze).

4. Malala Yousafzai Received EU’s Sakharov Human Rights Prize 2013 :

Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani teenage activist on 20 November 2013 received the EU’s Sakharov human rights prize for her brave crusade for the right of the children to education.

The European Parliament President Martin Schulz presented the award to the 16-year-old Malala at a ceremony in Strasbourg, France. Malala Yousafzai dedicated the award to “the unsung heroes of Pakistan” and to human rights campaigners worldwide.

Malala was shot in the head in October 2012 for campaigning for better rights for girls in Swat Valley of northwest Pakistan, an erstwhile Taliban stronghold.

5. 3rd BRICS International Competition Conference inaugurated by Prime Minister of India :

Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh on 21 November 2013 inaugurated the 3rd BRICS International Competition Conference in New Delhi.

The theme of the conference is: Competition Enforcement in BRICS Countries: Issues and Challenges. The participating countries are BRICS Nations: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The two-day conference is organised by Competition Commission of India (CCI) on behalf of BRICS countries.

The aim of the conference is to discuss various issues and challenges in competition enforcement in BRICS countries.

The conference would focus on issues and challenges in setting up an effective agency, enforcement related to state owned enterprises, public procurement and creation of competition culture. During the conference, Competition Commission of India will sign a Memorandum of Understanding with European Union on competition issues.

6. Kauwboy won the Golden Elephant Award in International Children’s Film Festival :

The 18th International Children’s Film Festival concluded on 20 November 2013 in Hyderabad. A Dutch Film named Kauwboy, directed by Boudewijn Koole won the Golden Elephant Award for best film in the ‘International Live Action’ category. The film is about a 10 year old boy and a bird.

The Golden Plaque for second-best film in the same section was won by a German film Das Pferd Auf Dem Balkon or A horse on the Balcony. The Jury Prize for the best artwork was won by a Hindi film Goopi Gawaiya Bagha Bajaiya directed by Shilpa Ranade.

Ernest Et Celestine won the award for the Best Animation Feature and Zarafa won the Golden Plaque for the second best animation film in the International Animation Competition section that has been added in 2013.

During the film festival, Batul Mukthiar received the best director award for his film Kaphal in the International Live Action. The best screenplay award went to Nono-The Zigzag Kid.

7. VVPATS to be used on large-scale for 1st time in the Country in Mizoram Polls :

Election Commission decided to use Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) on a large-scale for the first time in the country in the Mizoram Assembly polls on 25 November 2013.

The VVPAT is a machine attached to EVMS which allows voters to verify that their vote has been cast in the way they wished. As soon as the voter casts his vote, the VVPAT will show a small slip in a glass covered screen with the symbol and the candidate he has voted for in a form of a small ballot paper, which after 3 to 4 seconds would automatically fall into an attached closed box.

The VVPATs are being used in only ten assembly constituencies of Aizwal District of the total 40 assembly segments in Mizoram.

The VVPAT system was first experimented in the Noksen Assembly bypoll in Nagaland on 4 September 2013 and Mizoram would be the first state where it would be introduced on a large scale.