ENGLISH
Supreme-Court-Gauhati-HC
1) The Supreme Court on 9 November, 2013 stayed the Gauhati High Court’s judgment of 6 November in which it declared Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as an unconstitutional body. The Bench of Chief Justice of India P. Sathasivam and Justice Ranjana Desai also issued notice to the petitioner, on whose plea the Gauhati High Court has passed its sensational judgment. What is the name of this petitioner? – Navendra Kumar (Supreme Court gave this stay order on a plea filed by the Union Government. Attorney General Goolam E. Vahanvati appeared for the Union Govt. Earlier, in what was generally seen as a shocking and surprising judgment, a division bench of the Gauhati HC on 6 November had quashed a Ministry of Home Affairs resolution of 1 April, 1963 through which the CBI was constituted)
2) The United States on 8 November, 2013 lost its voting rights at UNESCO after it missed a crucial deadline to repay its debt to the world’s cultural agency. What is the reason for the U.S. not paying its dues to UNESCO? – To protest against the decision to make Palestine a UNESCO member in 2011 (The U.S. hasn’t paid its dues to the Paris-based U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in protest over the decision by world governments to make Palestine a UNESCO member in 2011. Israel suspended its dues at the same time. With the loss of its voting right, the American influence in culture, science and education around the world hit a new low. Under UNESCO rules, the U.S. had to resume its funding to the UNESCO by 8 November or explain itself to save its voting right. The suspension of U.S. contributions, which account for $80 million a year 22% of UNESCO’s overall budget, brought the agency to the brink of a financial crisis)
3) Name of an almost-unknown India-born investor emerged as one of the biggest gainers from micro-blogging site Twitter’s high-profile IPO on 8 November, 2013. Who is this investor who now has a 15.6% stake in the micro-blogging site worth a whopping $3.8 billion? - Suhail Rizvi (Twitter made its public debut on the NYSE on 8 November, where the holding pattern in Twitter was disclosed. Suhail Rizvi runs a private investment company Rizvi Traverse Management, the largest outside investor in Twitter with a 15.6% stake worth $3.8 billion)
4) The World Chess Championship tie began in Chennai on 9 November, 2013 between defending champion Viswanathan Anand and challenger Magnus Carlsen of Norway. Anand forced Carlsen to draw the first game despite Carlsen starting with white pieces. Anand has been the World Chess Champion for how many times? – Five times (Anand has won World Championship matches in 2000, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012. He is seeking to win his sixth title in this clash but his World No. 1 challenger Carlsen has been more fancied to win this clash by numerous experts)
5) What is the title of the recently released autobiography of former Indian Army chief General V.K. Singh, in which he talks about corruption in high places and a ring side view on the conflicts he participated in since the ’71 war? – “Courage and Conviction”
6) Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal recently became the only male player to manage to finish the tennis season as World No1. on three separate occasions. He achieved this distinction in November, 2013 after his semi-final win at ATP World Tours at London. Nadal ended 2008 at World No.