Current Affairs for IAS Exams – 26 November 2015

:: National ::

But the Opposition made it clear that it intended to press for a resolution to condemn rising intolerance in the country.
Winter session of Parliament that starts on Thursday may not see disruptions, even though it may see heated debate, as the focus will be on a special discussion on BabasahebAmbedkar and the Constitution.
There are great expectations from Parliament, Let's make it function, said the parliamentaryaffairs minister before start of parliament session.
Opposition expect a direct reply from the Prime Minister on the issue of intolerance.

ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia has given his support to the ongoing peace talks between the banned outfit and the Centre.
ULFA pro-talk faction chairman ArabindaRajkhowa gave this information to reporters on Wednesday after the organisation's central committee members met the leader at the Guwahati Central Jail.
central committee members met ULFA general secretary Anup Chetiain Guwahati Central Jail.
Chetia has extended his support to the peace process and expressed his willingness to participate in the talks.
The ULFA central committee members had also apprised Chetia of the progress of the parleys so far.

Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered state-of-the art air defence missile systems to be deployed at a Russian air base in Syria follow-ing the downing of a Russian war-plane by Turkey, a move that raised the threat of a military confrontation between the NATO member and Russia.
The S-400 missile systems, which will be sent to the Hemei-meem air base in Syria coastal province of Latakia, located just about 50 km south of the border with Turkey, are capable of target-ing Turkish jets with deadly precision.
If Russia shot down a Turkish plane, NATO would be required to intervene. Turkey shot down a Russian Su-24 bomber on Tuesday, saying it crossed into its airspace from Syria despite repeated warnings.
Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Wednesday that the Russian missile cruiser Moskva al-ready has moved closer to shore to protect the Russian aircraft fly-ing missions near Syria border with Turkey with its long-range Fort air defence system.
Mr. Shoigu also said from now on all Russian bombers will be escorted by fighters on their combat missions in Syria. He said that his Ministry has severed all contacts with the Turkish military.
Russia doesn't plan to go to war with Turkey.

This year will be the hottest on record and 2016 could be hotter due to the El Niño weather pattern, According to the World Meteorological Organisation
Warming inaction on climate change could see temperatures rise by 6 degrees Celsius or more.
But decisions taken at a summit of world leaders in Paris starting on Monday could keep global temperature rises within 2 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial times, a target set down in 2010 to try to prevent dangerous climate change.
Global average surface temperatures in 2015 were likely to reach what the agency called the “symbolic and significant milestone” of 1 degree Celsius above the pre-industrial era.
This is due to a combination of a strong El Niño and human-induced global warm-ing.

Healthy 7.5 per cent GDP growth for India for the fiscal year ending March 2017 (FY2017) and a pick-up in manufacturing activity will be broadly supportive of business growth.
Most non-financial corporates Moody rates in India (Baa3 positive) will benefit from strong domestic growth and accommodative monetary policy.
Although weak global growth and a potential U.S. rate hike will weigh on businesses.
However, the corporations will also remain vulnerable to the volatile Indian rupee as against the U.S. dollar and to low commodity prices, which has in turn led to a sharp decline in external trade.
The Modi administration so far this year has been un-able to enact legislation on key reforms, including a unified goods and services tax and the Land Acquisition Bill.
It seems highly unlikely that the major reforms will get enacted by the upper house of the Indian parliament where the ruling coalition is in minority.
The fall in commodity prices has benefited many Indian corporates given the country’s status as a net importer of raw materials and its recent history of high inflation.
The resultant moderating inflation should result in low-er borrowing costs for corporates and yields on corporate bonds, says Moody's.

The government's intervention has led to a decline in frequent call drops faced by mobile phone users with private operators installing over 22,000 new cell sites between July and October
While the number of dysfunctional sites has come down to 13,823 across the country.
Earlier (in September) 35,000 cell sites were found to be defective. At last count, the number stood at 25,598.
Between the July and October period private operators have installed 7,528 new 2G sites and 14,751 new 3G sites across the country.
A total of 18.33 lakh mobile sites are be-ing operated by telecom service providers across the country.
The problem of call drops have improved in New Delhi but operators still didn't meet the quality parameters of less that 2 per cent.
According to a survey done by TERM cell -- the vigilance and resource monitoring arm of the Department of Telecom, call drops on Bharti Airtel network in Delhi, which was in the range of 2.92 - 17.77 in August, improved to 0.08-2.98 at the end of October.

The Cricket Association of Bihar secretary, Aditya Verma, has appealed to the Justice Lodha Committee to make the Board of Control for Crick-et in India (BCCI) introduce some reforms in its functioning.
Pointing out that the BCCI has handed out memberships to various associations in ‘an arbitrary manner' as a result of which meritorious players from various parts of the country have suffered.
Verma requested for reforms in the Board's administration, including the grant of membership. Citing a Supreme Court ruling which said the BCCI should meet the demands of institutional integrity and avoid conflict of interests.