Weekly Current Affairs November 2014

10 Nov 2014

November 3-10, 2014: 

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today launched Jeevan Pramaan an Aadhar-based Digital Life Certificate for pensioners, in a move that could eventually benefit over a crore pensioners. The Prime Minister said that after the push towards self-certification, this digital life certificate was another enabling mechanism which would benefit the common man. The proposed digital certification will do away with the requirement of a pensioner having to submit a physical Life Certificate in November each year, in order to ensure continuity of pension being credited into his account.


CMP founder and leader Melathu Veettil Raghavan died on 9 November 2014.
He died due to Parkinsons disease. He was 81. He was the founder of Communist Marxist Party (CMP) in Kerala.
He then founded the Communist Marxist Party (CMP) in 1986 and later formed an alliance with UDF.
He is the General Secretary of Communist Marxist Party, an alliance partner in the United Democratic Front.
He served only two terms as a minister though he was seven time legislator in Kerala Assembly.
He was the force behind the Pariyaram Co-operative Medical College, the first medical college in the cooperative sector in India.



Scientists at the Dutch biotech company Micreos have developed the first alternative to antibiotics thats being hailed as a breakthrough in the fight against the superbug known as MRSA(Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus).
In the study, the drug was proven to eliminate MRSA in five out of six patients with skin infections.
Staphefekt is based on a naturally occurring enzyme called endolysins produced by viruses and attacks infections differently to antibiotics. Unlike antibiotics, it does not destroy the harmless bacteria that live in the body.
Staphefekt is already used as a cream to treat skin infections and researchers hope to create pill and injectable forms in future.


Suzlon Energy, on  November 2014 put into operation the worlds tallest hybrid wind generator turbine in Kutch, Gujarat. The turbine will generate 12-15 percent more energy.
The 120-metre hybrid turbine is taller than conventional wind turbine towers by 40 metres. With this new turbine, the installed wind energy capacity at the Kutch region of Gujarat has gone up to 1100 MW.
It makes it the Asias biggest wind energy park at one location.
Suzlon Energy established in 1995, Suzlon is a leading wind power products and services company with a global footprint.


The Forbes list of the Worlds Most Powerful People 2014 was released on 5 November 2014. The list gives the annual ranking of the Worlds 72 Most Powerful People on the basis of their financial resources, scope and use of power and the number of people they impact.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Rank 15) made his debut in the worlds most powerful people list.
Forbes is an American business magazine owned by Forbes, Inc. Published biweekly.
Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes, and its CEO is Mike Perlis.
The Forbes list of the Worlds Most Powerful People started in 2009.
Top  five ranks in the list  
Rank    Names              country/ organization
1       Vladimir Putin     Russia
2       Barack Obama       USA
3       Xi Jinping         China
4.      Pope Francis       Roman Catholic Church
5.      Angela Merkel      Germany



Rajasthan High Court on 10 September 2014 ordered to stop discrimination on the basis of caste in cremation at various crematoriums in Jaipur.
The bench asked Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC) to submit an action taken report within a week in this regard.
The decision was made by a High Court bench headed by Chief Justice Sunil Ambawani and Justice VS Saradhana, while hearing a PIL that said that many time people of SC and ST communities are not allowed to perform last rituals at other caste crematoriums



Warren M Anderson, the former Chairman of Union Carbide Corporation who was blamed for the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy died. He was 92
He was an American businessman who served as Chairman and CEO of the Union Carbide Corporation at the time of the Bhopal disaster in 1984
Anderson who reached Bhopal four days after the accident was immediately arrested but was bailed quickly, after which he never returned India to face trial.
The Bhopal disaster, also referred to as the Bhopal gas tragedy, was a gas leak incident in India, considered the worlds worst industrial disaster.
It occurred on the night of 23 December 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Over 500,000 people were exposed to methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas and other chemicals.
The official immediate death toll was 2,259. unofficial estimates says that the death toll exceeded 10000.




Central Zone won the 2014-15 Duleep Trophy title of cricket on 2 November 2014.
They defeated South Zone in the finals played at Feroz Shah Kotla Ground, Delhi with 9 runs.
This was the first Duleep title for Central zone in ten seasons and the narrowest win in the tournaments history, in terms of runs.
K Rahul was adjudged as the Man-of-the-match for his knocks of 185 and 130 in the final.
The Duleep Trophy is a domestic first-class cricket competition played in India between teams representing geographical zones of India.
The competition is named after Kumar Shri Duleepsinhji (also known as "Duleep").
First tournament held in 196162




The International Hockey Federation (FIH) on 4 November 2014  gave its prestigious Presidents Award to Hockey India (HI) president Narinder Batra at Morocco.
The Presidents Awards were presented to Narinder Batra and Italian Valentina Quaranta for their lengthy and valuable services to the sports.
The Presidents Award of International Hockey Federation is awarded to individuals who are not the members of the FIH for long and valuable services to hockey whether direct or indirect.
Narinder Batra was recently included in the FIH Executive Board at 2014 Ordinary Congress of FIH.




Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been chosen for one of Japans top national awards The Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers 2014 for his contribution to India-Japan ties.
Manmohan Singh became the first Indian to receive this rare honour.
He is among other 57 foreign recipients who are also named for the  Order of the Paulownia Flowers 2014.
In 1888, Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers was established as the highest award under the Orders of the Rising Sun. The award is presented by the Japanese Government.




Ashwika Kapur won 2014 Panda Award for her film on a Kakapo parrot
Ashwika Kapur on 24 October 2014 became the first Indian woman to win prestigious Wildscreen Panda Award.
Wildscreen Panda Award also known as the Green Oscar, in the past.
She won the coveted wildlife photography award in Best Newcomer category for her film, Sirocco - how a dud became a stud.
It was announced at the annual Wildscreen Film Festival held at Bristol, UK.
Kapur made her film on Sirocco, a kakapo (night parrot in the Maori language), as her university project on a shoestring budget of  Rs.49,350.





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Weekly General Awareness