28th November 2015 - Important Current Affairs updates

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International Affairs

• Today is National Day of Mauritania (Islamic Republic of Mauritania).
• • On this day in 1960 Mauritania got independence from France.
  • Important details you should know about Mauritania :
  • Capital : Nouakchott
  • Official language : Arabic
  • President : Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz
  • Prime Minister : Yahya Ould Hademine
  • Currency : Ouguiya
• Russia has decided to suspend its visa-free travel agreement with Turkey from 1st January 2016 amid fears of terrorism spreading.
• India has been re-elected to the Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
• • Important Points to Note :
  • India was elected to the IMO council under Category 'B' at the 29th session of the Assembly of the IMO held in London.
  • IMO Assembly's session is being held at IMO headquarters London from 23rd November to 2nd December 2015.
  • India ranks amongst the top twenty ship owning countries of the world in terms of Gross Tonnage as well as Deadweight.
  • India has been one of the earliest members of the IMO, having ratified its Convention and joined it as a member-state in the year 1959.
• According to a recently released report by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the number of young people aged 15 to 19 dying from AIDS has tripled over the last 15 years.
• • Most adolescents who died of AIDS-related illnesses acquired HIV when they were infants 10 to 15 years ago.
  • In those years, medicines that prevent HIV transmission from mother to child were not yet widely available.
• Commonwealth leaders have agreed to set up a 1 billion dollar green finance facility to support developing countries to access to funds in dealing with climate change.

National Affairs

• After Maggi noodle controversy, the Food maker Nestle landed in more trouble as a laboratory in Uttar Pradesh alleged that samples of its Pasta were found to have lead beyond permissible limits.
  
• The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) today approved a pilot project for developing greenbelts along the national highways (NHs).
• • The project will be implemented on a 5 km stretch on NH-7 between Jam and Hinganghat in Nagpur region at an estimated cost of Rs 11.80 crore.
  • Around 20,000 trees of scientifically chosen species have been proposed to be planted on both sides of the stretch in multiple rows.
• The government is going to launch IPV along with OPV on 30th November for ensuring double protection from Polio.
• • IPV : Injectable / Inactivated Polio Vaccine
  • OPV : Oral Polio Vaccine
  • One of the advantages of IPV over the OPV is that since IPV is not a live vaccine, it does not carry the risk of  vaccine-associated polio paralysis.
  • IPV also triggers an excellent protective immune response in most people.

Business & Economy

• Government has received an overwhelming response from the retail investors for Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme, SGBS.
• • According to an official report, 63 thousand applications have been received for a total of over 200 crore rupees by the banks and post offices for 917 kilos of Gold.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted in-principle approval to three entities including Axis Bank, Gurgaon-based Mynd Solutions and a joint bid by NSE Strategic Investment Corporation Limited and Small Industries Development Bank of India for setting up Trade Receivables Discounting System (TReDS). 

Science & Technology

• The Israeli military has successfully test fired the Long Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LRSAM) for the first time from an Israeli Naval Platform.
• • This missile was jointly developed by India and Israel.

• Noted litterateur and former chairman of Rajasthan Brijbhasha Academy, Professor Surendra Upadhyay (74) passed away.

New Appointments

• Baroness Patricia Scotland was today appointed as the Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations.
• • Important Points to Note
  • She has become the first British citizen to be elected secretary‑general of the Commonwealth in its 66-year history.
  • She is also the first woman to hold the role.
  • She was the first black woman to be made a Queen’s Council in 1991.
• The Andhra Pradesh government has appointed P. Uday Bhaskar as Chairman of the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC).

• Two-time defending champion P V Sindhu enters Macau Open Women's Singles Badminton final.

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