Current Affairs : November 11, 2011

17th SAARC summit wraps up with poverty, inequalities in mind

• Renewing their commitment to alleviate poverty and reduce income inequalities within the societies and to improve the quality of life and well-being of their people through people-centred sustainable development, the leaders of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries concluded their 17th summit. The next SAARC summit will be held in Nepal. The issues of deep concern were:
• Terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, transnational organised crimes, especially illegal trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, trafficking in persons and small arms and increased incidents of maritime piracy in the region.
• Emphasis was also laid on the importance of the full implementation of the SAFTA as a measure towards creation of an enabling economic environment in the region
• The major Agreements signed were:-

1. Natural Disasters agreement
2. SAARC Seed Bank agreement
3. SAARC agreement on Multilateral Arrangement on Recognition of Conformity Assessment
4. SAARC Agreement on Implementation of Regional Standards.

National Education Day : November 11, 2011

• Birth anniversary of India s first Education Minister Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, which is observed as National Education Day.

5^th test flight of UAV Rustom successful

• The fifth test flight of indigenously designed and developed Rustom-1 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) was successful. Developed by city-based Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), an arm of DRDO.
  

Railways to set up Railway Stations Development Corp Ltd

• The Railways Ministry will set up a Railway Stations Development Corporation Ltd. with equity participation of Ircon International Ltd. (IRCON), a Government company under the ministry, and Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA), to redevelop a large number of railway stations across India aimed at augmenting and improving passenger-related amenities at stations.

Srinath Raghavan wins K. Subrahmanyam Award

• Srinath Raghavan, a senior fellow at the Centre for Policy Research, won the K. Subrahmanyam Award instituted by think tank Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA).

UNESCO creates fund to overcome US-induced shortfall

• UNESCO launched an emergency multi-donor fund to overcome a shortfall caused by the US withholding its dues. The African nation of Gabon immediately donated $2 million to the fund.

SRK to be Bengal brand ambassador

• Shah Rukh Khan, to represent Bengal as its brand ambassador.

India on World Heritage Committee for 4 years

• India has been elected to the World Heritage Committee, getting the second highest number of votes after Japan in the election in Paris Nov. It will serve on the panel for four years.

Honour for Indian dentist Dr T V Padmanabhan

• Dr T V Padmanabhan, Professor and Head, Department of Prosthodontics, Sri Ramachandra University (SRU) has become the first Indian dentist to President the Asian Prosthodontic Academy. Dr Padmanabhan is the immediate Past President of the Indian Prosthodontic Society and is a reputed clinician, teacher and researcher.

SC asks Centre to submit report on Pak prisoners in Indian jails

• The Supreme Court a directed the Central government to submit a status report over the Pakistani nationals languishing in Indian jails without any trial. The direction was issued on a PIL, filed by Panthers Party president Prof Bhim Singh, seeking directions to the Centre to release all Pakistani nationals who have been languishing in Indian jails without any trial or have already served more than the maximum sentence awarded for their offence.

NASA to launch Mars rover in November

• NASA will launch its car-sized Mars rover named Curiosity in November 2011.

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Month: Current Affairs - November, 2011