Current Affairs: November 30, 2011

“Rann Utsav”: Desert festival from December 15, 2011

• The Rann Utsav, a grand fiesta in the white desert of Kutch in Gujarat, will be held this year from December 15, 2011 to January 15, 2012. The festival, a tourist’s delight, is a brainchild of Chief Minister Narendra Modi and Gujarat government arranges it with an aim to put the state on the global tourism map. The attraction of Kutch as a tourist spot has increased many-fold with Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, promoting it as a brand ambassador of the state. Last year, some 800 tourists visited Kutch while this year about 32,000 visitors have visited the place.

Aamir as UNICEF India ambassador pitches for child nutrition

• Bollywood Actor, Aamir Khan, pitched for child nutrition for children as UNICEF ambassador for India. The Padam Bhushan awardee Mr. Amir Khan signed an agreement with UNICEF to work on raising awareness on child malnutrition.

“Sudarshan Shakti” enters penultimate phase

• “Sudarshan Shakti”, a joint field exercise of the Southern Army and South Western Air Command (SWAC)
  being performed in frontier regions at desert districts of Barmer and Jaisalmer, near the Indo-Pak border –for perfecting skill of an integrated Theatre and Air Land Battle has entered the crucial penultimate phase. The Exercise is aimed at making the Army a more agile, versatile, lethal and networked force.

Axis Bank launches ‘Young Bankers’ Programme

• Private banking major Axis Bank, in association with Manipal Global Education Services (MaGE), announced the launch of “Young Bankers Programme“, an initiative to attract young graduates to a career in banking with Axis Bank. Young Bankers Programme, a one-year full time residential programme, will be conducted at Manipal University, Bangalore Campus and will impart knowledge and skills in banking, etiquette and grooming, enhanced communication skills and other soft skills. Upon successful completion of the programme, the students will be awarded with a Post Graduate Diploma in Banking Services by Manipal University and will be absorbed in the Assistant Manager grade by Axis Bank.

No invitation to join US’ F-35, NATO Missile Shield programme: Antony

• The government denied that the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) has offered India to become a partner in its “Missile Defence Programme” or it has been invited to join the development of fifth generation F-35 fighters by the US.

India, Pak to hold expert meetings as part of CBMs in region

• India and Pakistan have decided to convene separate expert level meetings on Nuclear and Confidence Building Measures (CBM) to discuss implementation and strengthening of existing arrangements aimed at promoting peace and security in the region. Both sides agreed to convene separate expert level meetings on Nuclear and Conventional CBMs on a mutually convenient date.

Nation’s biggest cultural event ‘Nagaland Hornbill Festival’ begins

• With preparations in place for the week-long Hornbill Festival of Nagaland, it is set to unfold on December 1 which also happens to be the day Nagaland became the 16th state under the union of India in 1963.Hornbill Festival with gala shows planned by the state government will be held under the theme “Unity in culture”. The festival will be formally inaugurated at Heritage Village, Kisama.
  

India’s growth at 6.9 percent slowest in two years

• The Indian economy grew at the slowest pace in over two years at 6.9 percent in the quarter ended September, amid a slowdown in demand, high inflation and steep interest rates.
  

Arun Majumdar, IIT Bombay alumunus gets top US energy job

• Naming yet another Indian American to a key administration post, President Barack Obama has appointed Arun Majumdar, an Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, alumnus as the top bureaucrat in the Department of Energy.

China launches remote-sensing satellite

• China Wednesday successfully launched remote-sensing satellite
  Yaogan XIII from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in Shanxi province.

Tango 12 named official ball of Euro 2012

• Tango 12, developed by Adidas, will be the official ball of the Euro 2012 European Football Championship in Poland and Ukraine.

Dip in AIDS deaths: UN report

• As per a UN Report, the number of people dying due to HIV-AIDS has declined by nearly 0.4 million in the last five years due to improved healthcar. However, it cautioned that a large number of people continue to be unaware about their HIV status.

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Month: Current Affairs - November, 2011