Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 05 December 2014

National

Boundaries of India can’t be redrawn: Arun Jaitley

• Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley took on Kashmiri separatists and regional parties saying that boundaries of India cannot be redrawn.
• However, the BJP leader called the debate over the constitutional framework between the State and the Indian Union as meaningless and removed from ground realities.
• “Anyone who lives in India will have to accept that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country. Times have changed when the nation’s boundaries could be changed.

Boundaries cannot be redrawn now,” Mr. Jaitley said.

• The Minister was speaking at a function in Srinagar, attended by businessmen, representatives of NGOs, office bearers of the BJP and Sajad Lone’s People’s Conference Party.
• Mr. Jaitley said the debate between the State and the Union government was a debate of what according to the Indian Constitution, was the right of the Union government and the State government.
• The debate could be continued without either of the two parties making the other understand their views. However, Mr. Jaitley said the debate itself had become irrelevant to the sufferings of the common people.
• The Minister’s statement was directed at the National Conference and the People’s Democratic Party, who have ‘autonomy’ and ‘self rule’ at the centre of their political manifestoes. Their manifestos also aim to give more powers to the State government and restore autonomy.
• “Over 67 years have passed but the problems of the common man have separated itself from this debate. His suffering is no longer linked with what powers lay with the centre and what lies with the State,” Mr. Jaitley said.
• He also asserted that the common man wanted a safe life, upward mobility, institutions to address any injustices that happen with him, economic prosperity and development.

Resume talks first says Mirwaiz to India & Pakistan

• Urging India and Pakistan to restart the stalled talks, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, leader of the moderate faction of Kashmiri separatist front Hurriyat, said the role of the separatists in the negotiations could be taken up at a later stage.
• “It does not matter to us whether or not we are involved in the very beginning,” Mr. Farooq in an exclusive interview.
• The Modi government had called off talks with Pakistan, objecting to its High Commissioner in Delhi meeting separatist leaders, including Mr. Farooq.
• The Hurriyat leader’s position could help India and Pakistan to restart talks. Mr. Farooq answered questions on the ongoing elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the Modi government’s Kashmir policy and Indo-Pak. relations.

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Persons in news

Indian-American scientist appointed as one of the Science Envoy of the U.S.

• A top Indian-American scientist from Stanford University has been appointed as one of the Science Envoys of the U.S.
• Arun Majumdar, a professor at the prestigious university, along with three others Peter Hotez, Jane Lubchenco and Geri Richmond would serve as U.S. Envoys beginning January next year, the State Department said.
• Like their nine predecessors, these distinguished scientists will engage internationally at the citizen and government levels to develop partnerships, improve collaboration, and forge mutually beneficial relationships between other nations and the U.S. to stimulate increased scientific cooperation and foster economic prosperity, the Department said in a statement.
• Science Envoys travel as private citizens and advice the White House, the Department of State, and the scientific community about potential opportunities for cooperation.
• This year the Department announced the first Science Envoy for the Ocean, building on the momentum created at the Ocean Conference held at the State Department in June.
• An IIT-Bombay alumnus, Mr. Majumdar is a material scientist, engineer, who was President Barack Obama’s nominee for the Under Secretary of Energy between November 30, 2011 and May 15, 2012.
• He formerly ran the Environmental Energy Technologies Division at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, where he was also the deputy director of LBNL as well a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley.

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International

Pentagon says efforts are failed to rescue U.S. hostage in Yemen

• The Pentagon says a hostage rescue mission last month in Yemen failed to liberate American Luke Somers because he was not present at the targeted location.
• The Pentagon press secretary, Rear Adm. John Kirby, said in a brief written statement on Thursday that the U.S. government was acknowledging the attempted rescue of the 33-year-old Somers, the only American among the roughly dozen hostages held by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, a Yemen-based al-Qaeda offshoot.
• Mr. Kirby said the Pentagon wanted to “provide accurate information” in light of the fact that the rescue attempt has been widely reported. Eight hostages were rescued, as has been reported previously.
• A Yemeni official said an American journalist and a Briton were moved before the raid. Mr. Kirby said details about the mission remain classified.
• White House spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said the U.S. is aware of a video showing Mr. Somers. She said President Barack Obama authorized a rescue operation last month to free Mr. Somers and other hostages but “regrettably, Luke was not present”.
• Ms. Meehan said the mission was coordinated with the Yemeni government and undertaken by U.S. and Yemeni forces.
• “The overriding concern for Mr. Somers’ safety and the safety of the U.S. forces who undertake these missions made it imperative that we not disclose information related to Mr. Somers’ captivity and the attempted rescue,” Ms. Meehan said, adding that the mission was being disclosed now because of the video released.

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Business & economy

Reliance Industries signs agreement with Mexican company for oil and gas

• Reliance Industries has signed an agreement with Mexican state-owned company, Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) for cooperation in upstream oil and gas production as well as in refining business.
• As per the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) “RIL will cooperate with PEMEX for assessment of potential upstream oil and gas business opportunities in Mexico and jointly evaluate value added opportunities in international markets,” a company statement said.
• RIL and PEMEX will also share expertise and skills in the relevant areas of oil and gas industry, including for deep—water oil and gas exploration and production.
• “The MoU envisages sharing of RIL’s pioneering expertise in deep-water development and best practices in East Coast of India and RIL’s experience in shale gas in United States,” it said.
• RIL will also provide technical support and share experience with PEMEX for refining value maximisation and other technical optimisation strategies.
• “RIL’s cooperation with PEMEX is in line with its growth strategy to explore opportunities to expand its international asset base in regimes having internationally attractive competitive terms.
• “The company hopes to leverage its organisational capabilities and expertise to create long-term value for Exploration and Production Business and for RIL on the whole,” it added.

Sports

Miserable start for Tiger in Hero world challenge

• A rusty Tiger Woods had a forgettable day on his comeback as he lay at the bottom of the heap after carding a five-over 77 even as Jordan Spieth took the lead with a six-under on the opening day of the Hero World Challenge golf tournament.
• The 38-year-old Woods, making a comeback after a four-month injury lay-off, stumbled to five bogeys and a double bogey.
• However, the big solace for the American legend was that his back held well. Watched and followed throughout by the maximum number of fans, Woods began by an Out-of-Bounds (OB) at his tee shot in the very first hole.
• However, the five-time champion at this event escaped with a bogey. It was only on the back-nine that Woods found a little bit of his touch, striking his first birdie in the par-4 12th hole. It could have been an eagle but he missed it by a whisker.
• He had a great swing in the next to find the greens but fluffed two chips after his ball caught a slope and eventually settled for a bogey on the par-five hole.
• Fortunately, the bogey-streak ended there and he managed par scores in the last five holes. But that was not good enough to catch up with others and he remained at the bottom of the leaderboard.
• “Today was weird. I didn’t feel like I did that bad.
• Short game was awful. Didn’t make anything. But I missed it a few times on the front nine on the wrong side, just sides you can’t miss it on, like on 2.
• But it was just one of those days where really nothing went my way. Hit two of the best shots I could possibly hit on 13 and I walk away with a 6,” Woods said after day’s play.
• Asked what positives he would take from the day’s play, he replied his “shot patterns were fantastic“.
• “And as I think all of you saw, I got my power back and I got my speed back. It’s nice to be able to start launching it again. That’s a very good sign.
• “Well, it certainly is surprising that I could hit chips that poorly. I flubbed them. What was it, three of them I flubbed? Took too much off the bunker shot on 7, tried to get too cute with it, and just made too many mistakes. They were all mainly around the green.”

Science & Technology

Delay in NASA's Orion spaceship test flight

• The launch of NASA's deep-space capsule Orion for a test flight around Earth was delayed due to gusty winds at the launch site.
• Liftoff of the United Launch Alliance Delta 4 Heavy rocket and Orion capsule from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida had been targeted for 7:05 a.m. EST (1205 GMT).
• "There is high optimism that we'll be able to launch today," said NASA launch commentator Michael Curie.
• Launch was delayed first by a boat that wandered in the restricted zone beneath the rocket's intended flight path and then by gusty winds at the seaside spaceport.