Current Affairs: October 11, 2011

PEN-Pinter award for Courage: A Writer in hiding wins

• Britain’s 2011 PEN-Pinter International Writer of Courage Award won by Roberto Saviano. Roberto Saviano is an Italian writer living in hiding under round-the-clock police protection for exposing the Mafia. Roberto Saviano’s 2006 best-selling novel “Gomorrah” is a depiction of the Naples Mafia.
  
• British playwright David Hare shares the 2011 Pinter prize, viewed that Saviano wrote Gomorrah at great risk to his own safety.
  
• Roberto Saviano took on the Neopolitan mafia, first in the novel Gomorrah and then in the film made from it thus he did so at great risk to his own safety.
  

For fresh pharma ventures 100% FDI to continue

• In the Pharma sector India to continue to allow 100% FDI for fresh ventures. Judgment taken at a meeting chaired by PM Dr Manmohan Singh to talk about the FDI policy in drugs and pharmaceutical sector.
  
• Move to ease adding up of manufacturing capacities, technology attainment and progress of the pharma sector in the country.
  
• But in case of already active ventures in the Pharma sector, after approval from the FIPB (Foreign Investment Promotion Board) it was decided that the FDI to be allowed for a period of 6 months.
  

Valmiki Jayanti (Pargat Diwas)celebrated

• Maharshi Valmiki Jayanti (Balmiki Jayanti) being celebrated on October 11, 2011 with great zeal all through the nation. It observes the birthday of well-known poet Valmiki.
  
• It falls on the full moon day (Purnima) in the month of Ashwin. This day is particularly admired in the Northern India and is recognized as “Pargat Diwas”.
  

Addition of IPR at COP17 wished-for by India

• India wished for the inclusion of issues on IPRs (Intellectual Property Rights), equitable access to sustainable development and independent trade methods in the interim agenda of the 17^th meeting of the Conference of Parties, COP 17 to be held in South Africa in November 2011.
  
• The suggestion to include these 3 contentious but very significant issues have been submitted by the Govt to the Secretariat of the UNFCCC. 
  

Vietnamese President in India

• Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang in India for his 4 day visit to India.
  The visiting President to hold delegation level talks with PM Dr Manmohan Singh at Hyderabad House to strengthen India-Vietnam bilateral strategic partnership and to explore new areas of cooperation. Bilateral trade b/w the India and Vietnam stood at around $ 3 billion in 2009.
  

Myanmar Declared an official pardon for More than 6300 Prisoners

• Myanmar declared a pardon for more than 6,300 prisoners. This was done following an appeal by the Govt appointed Human Rights Commission in Myanmar to free prisoners. The choice by the Govt of Myanmar is designed at swaying the West to finish sanctions that have hurt the regime.

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Month: Current Affairs - October, 2011