14th November 2013 - Current Affairs
1) Which children’s magazine from the stable of Amar Chitra Katha (ACK) completed 33 years of its publishing on 14 November, 2013? – ‘Tinkle’ (Publication of ‘Tinkle’ magazine was started on
2) In a major relief for the residents of the Campa Cola complex in Mumbai, the Supreme Court on 13 November, 2013 ordered a stay on the demolition of illegally-constructed buildings in this complex. The seven high-rise buildings were constructed at the Campa Cola complex between 1981 and 1989 and two buildings had 17 and 20 floors respectively. What was the permissible limit of floors in this compound? – Five (On the morning of 13 November the police, along with BMC officials, demolished the gate of the complex, which was blocked by residents. Fighting a legal battle since 2005, the residents said they were duped by the builders and will be on the roads if their flats were pulled down)
3) The net profit of India’s largest commercial bank SBI stood at Rs 2,375 crore during the second quarter of 2013-14 as against Rs 3,658 crore in the previous year period. What was the main reason for this 35% slump in net profits? – The bank made higher provisions to hedge against rising bad loans during the quarter (The bank set aside Rs 2,645 crore during the quarter as a cover against potential bad loans. In the same period last year, the bank had set aside Rs 1,837 crore. The amount of the bank’s non-performing loans rose by 30% to Rs 64,206 crore (Rs 49,202 crore, a year ago))
4) On 12 November, 2013 India declared itself free of bird flu (Avian Influenza (H5N1)) and notified the same to World Organisation for Animal Health. Indian had earlier notified the outbreak of bird flu during August, 2013 when it out-broke in which
state of the country? – Chhattisgarh (In August, 2013 bird flu outbreak was reported from Durg and Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh)
5) Singapore Airlines decided to end a flight started during 2004 which was the longest non-stop flight in the World with a journey of 16,700 kilometers. This flight connected which two destinations? – Singapore and New York (This Singapore-New York non-stop flight of Singapore Airlines was the longest non-stop flight in the world with journey of almost 19 hours involved in it. After November, 2013 the passengers from Singapore to New York will instead make a stop-over in Frankfurt (Germany). Singapore Airlines started the connection in June 2004 with economy and business class seats. The cockpit crew switched four times during the flight. After ceasing of this flight world’s longest non-stop flight will be Australian carrier Qantas’ trip from Sydney to Dallas over 13,800 kilometres)
6) The U.S. Justice Department announced reaching an agreement on 12 November, 2013 to allow two airlines of the U.S. to merge to create the world’s biggest airline. This mega merger was announced during February, 2013 but in August, the U.S. Government sued to block the merger, saying it would restrict competition and drive up prices for consumers on hundreds of routes around the country. Which two airlines are involved in this mega merger? – American Airlines and US Airways (Now the merger is expected to be completed by December 2013)
7) The One World Trade Center, currently being built at the site of the WTC twin towers destroyed in the 9/11 terror attacks, was on 12 November, 2013 declared the tallest building in the U.S. at a symbolic height 1,776 feet. It replaced which tower as the tallest tower in the U.S.? – Chicago’s Willis Tower, which had been America’s tallest high-rise building for the past 40 years (One World Trade Center has been built on the lower Manhattan site of the iconic WTC Twin Towers, which were destroyed in the terrorist attacks of 11 September, 2001. More than 2,000 people were killed in that attack)
8) World Diabetes Day was observed on 14 November 2013 across the world to raise awareness of diabetes. The theme for period 2009-13 is Education and Prevention. World Diabetes Day is an
9) Children's Day was celebrated in India on 14 November 2013 in order to commemorate the birth anniversary of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru the first Prime Minister of India after Independence.
The day is celebrated to commemorate the affection of Jawaharlal Nehru towards children.
10) Paras Ajmera, Director of Multi-Commodity Exchange (MCX) resigned from the board on 12 November 2013. Paras Ajmera is a nominee of promoter Financial Technologies India Ltd (FTIL) to the board of directors of Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd (MCX).
11) The Chairman of Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), Yogesh Agarwal resigned from the post of Chairman on 13 November 2013. Anup Wadhawan was appointed as the new Chairman of PFRDA by the Finance Ministry. It is important to note that Yogesh Agarwal had one and half years more as his tenure of the Chairman.
12) Micro-blogging Website Twitter has appointed Parminder Singh as the Managing Director of Asia, North Africa and India. Singh has worked at Google as Managing Director of display solution sales for Asia Pacific region for five years. He is the third person to join Twitter from Google over the last one year after Rishi Jaitly and Shailesh Rao, both hired in November last year.
13) SBI not to merge any associate bank this fiscal. State Bank of India has gone back on its plan to bring one of its associate bank’s under its fold in the current fiscal.
14) Haryana, on 11 November 2013, launched its first food bank in order to give assistance to the different feeding programmes in Gurgaon as well as nearby areas. The food bank received support by global food major Cargill and India Food Banking Network (IFBN), which is initiated by Sam Pitroda, Advisor to Prime Minister on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovations.
15) Preesident Pranab Mukherjee will Friday inaugurate the nuclear waste immobilisation plant (WIP) of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) at Kalpakkam near here through video conferencing from Mumbai, the research agency said. The president will participate at the graduation function of BARC training school Friday and give the Homi Bhabha Award to the toppers in each discipline.
16) The Minister of Railways Mallikarjun Kharge released a Ruby Jubilee-40th Year Edition of the book titled Indian Railway Track-Design, Construction and Maintenance (Ruby Jubilee-40th Year Edition) on 13 November 2013. The book is authored by a renowned Civil Engineer M.M. Agarwal who served Indian Railways for 33 years and retired from the post of Chief Engineer.
17) Shiraz Naval Minwalla, Professor of Physics in TIFR, Mumbai selected for the 2014 New Horizons in Physics Prize on 5 November 2013. He was awarded "for his pioneering contributions to the study of string theory and quantum field theory; and in particular his work on the connection between the equations of fluid dynamics and Albert Einstein’s equations of general relativity".The New Horizons for Physics Prize awarded to promising junior researchers by Fundamental Physics Prize Foundation. The award carries prize money of 100000 US Dollars.
18) International funding agencies, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, have assured a financial assistance of USD 313 million to Odisha government for restoration and rehabilitation activities in cyclone Phailin hit areas.
19) David Cameron visited India. Seeking broadening of bilateral ties, British Prime Minister David Cameron on Thursday said UK and India should be "partners of choice" as both the countries can effectively deal with various challenges like combating terrorism by working closely with each other.
20) NASA in November 2013 released a natural-color image of Saturn from space, the first in which Saturn, its moons and rings, and Earth, Venus and Mars, all are visible. The panoramic mosaic of the majestic Saturn system was taken by Cassini Spacecraft of the NASA.
21) Wholesale inflation rises to 7% in Oct. The headline inflation number, the wholesale price index or WPI, has increased to 7 per cent in October from 6.46 per cent in September.
22) INS Vikramaditya set to join Indian Navy on Nov. 16. Defence Minister A.K. Antony will induct the long-delayed aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, designed to boost India’s maritime capabilities, at a shipyard in Russia on Saturday. INS Vikramaditya is a Kiev class aircraft carrier which was commissioned by Russian Navy in 1987 under the name Baku.
23) Malayalam film actor-producer Augustine dies in Kozhikode at 56. Augustine, who acted in over 100 films, portrayed several characters that remain etched in the memory of film buffs.
24) Sachin Tendulkar postage stamp released on honour of the Little Master before 200th Test match at the Wankhede Stadium.
1) सुप्रसिद्ध प्रकाशन समूह अमर चित्र कथा (ACK) द्वारा प्रकाशित उस बच्चों की कामिक पत्रिका का क्या नाम है जिसने 14 नवम्बर, 2013 को अपने प्रकाशन के 33 वर्ष पूरे किए? - "टिंकल" – “Tinkle” ("टिंकल" का प्रकाशन अमर चित्र कथा के अनंत पई ने शुरू किया था तथा इसका पहला संस्करण 14 नवम्बर, 1980 को जारी किया गया था। अनंत पई बच्चों में अंकल पई के नाम से प्रसिद्ध थे। टिंकल के पात्रों जैसे सुपण्डी, शिकारी शम्भू और बिली ने लगभग तीन पीढ़ियों की लोकप्रियता हासिल की है। इस अवसर पर टिंकल का एक विशेष 33वां वार्षिक संस्करण भी जारी किया गया)
2) मुम्बई के कैम्पा कोला (Campa Cola) काम्प्लेक्स में बने फ्लैट्स में रह रहे के तमाम लोगों को 13 नवम्बर, 2013 को उस समय बड़ी राहत मिली जब सर्वोच्च न्यायालय ने इन अवैध बने फ्लैट्स को गिराए जाने वाले अपने ही आदेश पर 31 मई, 2014 तक रोक लगा दी। इस काम्प्लेक्स में सात बहुमंजिला इमारतों का निर्माण 1981 से 1989 के बीच में किया गया था तथा इसमें से दो इमारतों की ऊँचाई तो क्रमश: 17 और 20 मंजिल है। यहाँ स्थानीय प्रशासन (BMC) ने कितनी मंजिलें बनाने की अनुमति प्रदान की गई थी? - पांच मंजिलें (उल्लेखनीय है कि 13 नवम्बर की प्रात: सर्वोच्च न्यायालय के इमारतों को गिराने के पूर्व आदेश का पालन करने के लिए BMC के अधिकारी इमारत में आए थे तथा काम्प्लेक्स के गेट को गिराकर ध्वस्तीकरण की कार्रवाई शुरू कर दी थी। लेकिन बाद में सर्वोच्च न्यायालय के रोक आदेश (स्टे) के चलते ध्वस्तीकरण कार्रवाई बंद कर दी गई)
3) भारत के सबसे बड़े वाणिज्यिक बैंक भारतीय स्टेट बैंक (SBI) का चालू वित्त वर्ष की दूसरी तिमाही का शुद्ध लाभ 35% घटकर 2,375 करोड़ रुपए रह गया जबकि पिछले वर्ष की इसी तिमाही में यह 3,658 करोड़ रुपए था। बैंक के लाभ में इस भारी कमी का मुख्य कारण क्या रहा? - बैंक द्वारा बढ़ते अलाभकारी ऋणों (non-performing loans) को देखते हुए इस तिमाही के दौरान अधिक मात्रा में प्रावधान किया जाना (उल्लेखनीय है कि बैंक ने जहाँ पिछले साल अलाभकारी ऋणों के लिए 1,837 करोड़ रुपए का प्रावधान किया था वहीं इस तिमाही में यह प्रावधान बढ़कर 2,645 करोड़ रुपए हो गया। बैंक के अलाभकारी ऋण 30% बढ़कर 64,206 करोड़ रुपए हो गए हैं)
4) भारत सरकार ने 12 नवम्बर, 2013 को बर्ड फ्लू (Avian Influenza (H5N1)) मुक्त होने की घोषणा करते हुए यह सूचना पशु स्वास्थ्य के विश्व संगठन (World Organisation for Animal Health) को प्रेषित की। भारत ने अगस्त, 2013 के दौरान किस राज्य में बर्ड फ्लू की पुष्टि होने के बाद देश में बर्ड फ्लू होने की सूचना सार्वजनिक की थी? - छत्तीसगढ़ (उल्लेखनीय है कि छत्तीसगढ़ राज्य के दुर्ग और जगदलपुर में बर्ड फ्लू की पुष्टि यहां के स्थानीय स्वास्थ्य कार्यालयों ने की थी)
5) सिंगापुर एयरलाइन्स ने नवम्बर माह के अंत में अपनी उस उड़ान को बंद करने का निर्णय लिया है जो अभी तक विश्व की सबसे अधिक दूरी की नान-स्टाप उड़ान थी। 16,700 किलोमीटर लम्बी यह उड़ान किन दो स्थानों को जोड़ती थी? - सिंगापुर और न्यूयार्क (उल्लेखनीय है कि इस नान स्टाप उड़ान में 19 घण्टे का समय लगता था। अब नवम्बर के बाद इस उड़ान को जर्मनी के फ्रैंकफर्ट में रोका जायेगा। इस उड़ान को बंद किए जाने के बाद ऑस्ट्रेलियाई एयरलाइन कम्पनी कन्टास (Qantas) की सिडनी से डलास (Dallas) की 13,800 किलोमीटर लम्बी उड़ान विश्व की सबसे लम्बी नान-स्टाप उड़ान हो जायेगी)
6) अमेरिका के न्याय विभाग ने 12 नवम्बर, 2013 को अमेरिका की दो एयरलाइन कम्पनियों के विलय (merger) के उस प्रस्ताव को मंजूर करने वाले एक समझौते की घोषणा की, जिसके चलते विश्व की सबसे बड़ी एयरलाइन कम्पनी की स्थापना होगी। इस भारी-भरकम विलय के प्रस्ताव की घोषणा फरवरी, 2013 में की गई थी लेकिन तब अमेरिकी सरकार ने यह दलील देकर इस विलय पर रोक लगा दी थी कि इसके चलते प्रतिद्वन्द्विता पर विपरीत प्रभाव पड़ेगा तथा कई मार्गों पर किराए बढ़ सकते हैं। अमेरिका की यह दो एयरलाइन कम्पनियां कौन सी हैं जिनका विलय कर अब विश्व की सबसे बड़ी एयरलाइन कम्पनी स्थापित होगी? - अमेरिकन एयरलाइंस (American Airlines) और यू एस एयरवेज़ (US Airways) - (अब संभावना है कि यह विलय दिसम्बर, 2013 तक पूरा हो जाए)
7) 11 सितम्बर, 2011 के आतंकी हमले में धराशाई हुई वर्ल्ड ट्रेड सेण्टर (WTC) की सुप्रसिद्ध ट्विन टावर्स के स्थान पर बन रही नई इमारत वन वर्ल्ड ट्रेड सेण्टर (One World Trade Center) को 12 नवम्बर, 2013 को अमेरिका की सबसे ऊँची इमारत घोषित किया गया। 1,776 फीट ऊँची इस इमारत ने किस इमारत को पीछे छोड़ते हुए यह सम्मान हासिल किया है? - शिकागो की विलिस टावर (Willis Tower), जोकि पिछले लगभग 40 सालों से अमेरिका की सबसे ऊँची इमारत थी (उल्लेखनीय है कि न्यूयार्क के लोअर मैनहैटन में स्थित WTC के ध्वस्त होने की प्रलयंकारी घटना में लगभग 2,000 लोग मारे गए थे
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