Current Affairs for IAS Exams – 17 November 2015

:: National ::

At the G-20 summit, India called for a comprehensive global strategy to delink terror and religion, and to promote cooperation among countries to counter radicalisation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “We need to involve religious leaders, thinkers and opinion-makers for a social movement against extremism, particularly addressed to the youth.”
In a strongly worded address PM Modihit at terrorism, especially that perpetrated by countries as an instrument of state policy.
The changing character of terrorism, he said, was visible with the use of cyberspace for recruitment and propaganda. “We don’t have a comprehensive global strategy to combat terrorism. And, we tend to be selective in using the instruments that we have.”
In a possible reference towards Pakistan he said there should be no distinction between terrorist groups or discrimination between states and the world must act in unison against terrorism, without any political considerations.
He also highlighted the need to restructure the international legal framework for dealing with the unique challenges of terrorism and increasing international cooperation in intelligence and counter-terrorism and appealed for early adoption of a comprehensive convention on international terrorism.

The G20 on Monday pledged stepped up cooperation to combat terrorism, especially the threat from the Islamic State.
G20 also resolved to develop measures for better information-sharing, border management and to strengthen global aviation security.
G20 statement came after the meeting of USA and Russian Presidents on the sidelines of the summit.
The united show also helped ease concerns about the differing tactics being pursued by various powers in Syria, and their possible disastrous consequences.
To tackle the terrorism, the G20 leaders also pledged to cooperate on preventive measures and appropriate criminal justice response.
The statement, the first-ever political communique,condemned the “heinous” at-tacks in Paris and pledged solidarity in com-bating terrorism.
It also expressed concern over the acute and growing flow of foreign terrorist fighters and the threat it poses for all states, including countries of origin, transit and destination.
However, Mr. Obama rules out putting U.S. troops on the ground. Increasing theU.S. ground force against theIS in Syria and Iraq would be a serious mistake and lead the nation into an unsustainable strategy requiring along-term occupation in the region.

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy accused Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi of declaring himself as a British national in 2005, while holding the post of director in aU.K. Private firm, Backops Limited, a charge fiercely denied by the Congress.
Mr.Gandhi had specifically declared his nationality as Indi-an in the Memorandum of Association signed in 2003 at the time the company was founded.
Yet, in a separate listing of annual returns filed in 2005,documents show Mr. Gand-hi’s citizenship as British.
The BJP leader alleged that prima facie there was a violation of Article 9 of the In-dian Constitution, according to which every citizen of India is barred from voluntarily acquiring citizenship of any foreign State. While the United Kingdom permitted dual citizenship, India did not.

The world’s largest economies narrowed their differences over the stand on climate change ahead of theCOP 21 talks in Paris that start at the end of this month.
After “intense” negotiations on the key issue of whether to mention the aim to limit the rise in global warming to 2 degrees, they included the two-degree-goal in the G20 communique.
The final text did not specify the target deadline for the phasing out of fossil fuel subsidies, taking care of a major concern for Indian negotiators.
“India has done a lot by phasing out subsidies on petrol and diesel but those on fertilisers and power are apolitically sensitive issue,”NitiAayog Vice-Chairman and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s G20 Sherpa ArvindPanagariya briefed presspersons just before the release of the G20communique.
The G20 expressed deep disappointment with the continued delay in implementing the IMF quota and governance reforms agreed in 2010 and urged the U.S. to ratify the reforms as soon as possible.
It also asked the IMF to complete work on an interim solution that will “meaning-fully converge quota share as soon as and to the extent possible to the levels agreed under the 14th General Review of Quotas.”

The Long RangeSurface-to-Air Missile (LR-SAM), which can intercept incoming targets at a range of 80 km, is all set to be test-fired from a naval warship this month.
Navy officials said integration of the missile and all the systems on board the guided missile destroyer INS Kolkata were complete.
All preparations are done and the test can happen anytime. LR-SAM, also known as Barak NG (next generation), is being co-developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) from India and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) of Israel.
The missile has been successfully test-fired against a flying target in Israel in November2014.

WPI inflation in October was -3.8 per cent, com-pared with -4.5 per cent in September, the 12th consecutive month in which WPI inflation was negative.
This was mostly driven by a high base effect, muted commodity prices in India and internationally, and poor demand in the economy.
“The annual rate of inflation, based on monthly WPI,stood at -3.81 per cent (provisional) for the month of October, 2015 (over October, 2014)as compared to -4.54 per cent(provisional) for the previous month and 1.66 per cent during the corresponding month of the previous year,” the government said in a release.
WPI inflation was -5 percent in August.One of the statistical reasons for WPI inflation remaining negative for so long is the high-base effect.
That is,the index numbers in the year-earlier period were higher. However, this base effect is coming to an end.\
“Besides muted commodity prices, this is also reflective of persisting weak demand conditions in the economy.
At this point in time all steps should be taken for improving the demand situation in the economy and bringing pricing power back in the hands of manufacturers”.