Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 13 August 2015

Current Affairs for IAS Exams – 13 August 2015

:: International ::

140-character limit in Twitter is past

  • Starting Wednesday, the micro-blogging site Twitter lifted the 140-character limit for its 300 million-plus users to send direct messages, an Indian-origin Twitter official has announced.

  • In a post on the official Twitter blog, Twitter product manager Sachin Agarwal wrote: "If you've checked your Direct Messages today, you may have noticed that something's missing: the limitation of 140 characters.

  • You can now chat on (and on) in a single Direct Message, and likely still have some characters left over."

  • While Twitter is largely a public experience, Direct Messages let you have private conversations about the memes, news, movements, and events that unfold on Twitter.

Google,s Alphabet name predicted (Register and Login to read Full News..)

:: Business ::

Cabinet cleared spectrum sharing by telcos

  • The Cabinet cleared a proposal on Wednesday that had suggested allowing telcos to share spectrum in the same band in order to reduce call drops.

  • Telcos will now be able to share their unused spectrum thereby enhancing network quality and reducing operational costs.

  • There was no decision on spectrum trading norms, which is expected to lead to greater consolidation in the sector.

  • Spectrum sharing would be allowed only where both the licensees have spectrum in the same band and leasing of spectrum will not be permitted, the statement added.

  • Besides, sharing may be permitted where both entities possess spectrum for which market price has been paid. Spectrum usage charge (SUC) will be levied on the entire spectrum holding in a particular band and all access spectrum, including traded spectrum, will be sharable.

  • According to the release, SUC rate of each of the licensees post-sharing shall increase by 0.5 per cent of aggregate gross revenue.

  • However, in respect of spectrum in 800 MHz (CDMA) acquired in the auction held in March 2013, sharing of spectrum shall be permitted only if differential of latest auction price and March 2013 auction price on prorata basis on the balance period of right to use the spectrum is paid.

  • The shortfall of natural gas in the country is set to widen over the next couple of years and then stabilise by 2017-18, according to data presented by the Minister of Petroleum and

Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan to Parliament during the ongoing session.

  • According to the Minister, India’s natural gas production would touch 46.3 billion cubic metres (BCM) in 2017-18, up from the 33.6 BCM achieved in 2014-15.

  • However, the improvement over this year is to be minimal, with the Ministry projecting only 33.86 BCM to be produced in 2015-16, a 0.6 per cent improvement over the previous year.

  • The data presented in Parliament shows that the supply of natural gas in India was projected to grow far faster than demand, although the shortfall would still remain significant for some time to come.

Supply Data

  • The supply data shows that natural gas production in the country was to grow 37.5 per cent by 2017-18 over the levels achieved in 2014-15.

  • The demand data, presented in a separate answer, shows a growth of a much slower 22 per cent in that period.

CCEA approves proposal to tighten drug regulatory system (Register and Login to read Full News..)

:: India & world ::

US,China,Russia,oppose India,s bid for permanent seat at UN

  • In a setback to India's bid for a permanent seat in an expanded UN Security Council, the US, along with Russia and China, has opposed negotiations to reform the powerful UN body, refusing to contribute to a text that will form the basis for the long-drawn reform process.

  • UN General Assembly President Sam Kutesa achieved a breakthrough of sorts by circulating a text to UN members that will form the basis for the negotiations on the reform of the Security Council.

  • Mr Kutesa had appointed Jamaica's Permanent Representative Courtenay Rattray to chair on his behalf the Intergovernmental Negotiations on Security Council Reform.

  • American Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power said in her letter to Mr Kutesa that the US is "open in principle" to a "modest" expansion of both permanent and non-permanent members but the condition that "any consideration of an expansion of permanent members must take into account the ability and willingness of countries to contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security and to the other purposes of the United Nations.

  • "Sources told the Press Trust of India that the US opposition to aspects of the reform process can be perceived as a "duplicity" since President Barack Obama has reaffirmed his support for a reformed UN Security Council with India as a permanent member.

  • Russia, which has also supported India's candidacy as permanent member, said in its letter to Mr Kutesa that the "prerogatives of the current Permanent Members of the Security Council, including the use of the veto, should remain intact under any variant of the Council reform".

  • India has maintained that the process to expand the powerful UN body "cannot be seen to be an exercise ad infinitum" and a results-based timeline is crucial to achieve a concrete outcome.

  • Sources said that India feels that the 70th anniversary of the UN, being commemorated this year, is an appropriate milestone to propel the reform process, which should be completed within the next one year.

  • Russia said that in the situation when positions of the main groups of states - those who support the idea of the UN Security Council's expansion in both categories and those who do not - remain polar, one can advance in the negotiating process only by searching for a compromise..

Yuan devaluation & Indian economy (Register and Login to read Full News..)

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Sources: Various News Papers & PIB

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