National
Interceptor boat ICGS C-422 commissioned into Indian Coast Guard service
Indian Coast Guard has commissioned interceptor boat ‘ICGS C-422’ into its fleet to further enhance its vigil along Pondicherry and South Tamil Nadu coast in the Bay of Bengal.
It was commissioned in a traditional ceremony held at Karaikal port in Tamil Nadu by Puducherry Assembly Speaker V Sabapathy.
About ICGS C-422
ICGS C-422 is the 36th interceptor boat to be inducted into the Coast Guard service. The boat is capable of multiple tasks including interdiction, surveillance and search and rescue.
It has been fitted with state-of-the-art communication, navigational equipment along with adequate fire power.
Presently, Indian Coast Guard has two fast patrol vessels ICGS Rani Durgavati and ICGS Ameya along with two interceptor boats C-428 and C-415 stationed at Karaikal port.
Modi to launch scheme for unity; seeks suggestions
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he would launch an ‘Ek Bharat, Shresht Bharat’ scheme aimed at strengthening the country’s unity, and invited suggestions in this regard on the government portal MyGov.in.
He said suggestions should be for the kind of scheme required, the kind of programme under it and what the government, society and the civil society should do.
International:
Russia imposes economic sanctions against Turkey
Russia has imposed economic sanctions against Turkey, a NATO member over the issue of downing of a Russian Sukhoi 24 warplane on the Syrian border.
In this regard, Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree adopting a series of retaliatory economic measures against Turkey with an effect from 1st January 2016.
Russian economic sanctions covers
Ban on imports from Turkey, work of Turkish companies in Russia and any Turkish nationals working for Russian companies. End to charter flights between the countries and urges Russian tour operators to refrain from selling tourist packages to Turkey.
Background
NATO member Turkey on 24th November 2015 had shot down Russian Sukhoi 24 (Su-24) warplane escalating crisis in bilateral relations of both countries.
Turkey has claimed that the Russian jet was shot down after it had crossed into its airspace and ignored several warnings to change course.
However, Russia has furiously denied the claims and demanded an apology and economic compensation from Turkey.
India joins UK, Australia to help poor nations combat climate change
Joining a select group of countries, India said it will provide $ 2.5 million for the vulnerable nations in the Commonwealth to help them introduce clean energy and reduce green-house gas emissions.
The announcement was made on the second day of the biennial summit of the Commonwealth whose membership includes powerful countries like Britain, Australia, Canada, Singapore and small island nations such the Maldives, Tonga and Nauru.
The 24th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting here deliberated extensively on combating climate change and a number of nations pledged their financial assistance to vulnerable countries ahead of the UN Climate Change conference in Paris. India has been pushing for the rich nations to deliver “climate justice” for developing countries while insisting that commitment of the rich nations towards small islands and poor countries must go beyond the current level.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj represented India at the summit which was attended by heads of state and government of around 30 countries. A number of countries including Canada, Britain and Australia have pledged nearly USD 2.5 billion to help the poor countries fight global warming.
Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat unveiled a $ 1 billion Commonwealth Green Finance Facility to support environmental projects in the poor countries of the bloc.
Separately, the UK has committed 21 million pounds for disaster management and 5.5 million pound for the ocean-based economy. Australia has committed $ 1 million for a new Commonwealth idea - a Climate Finance Access Hub.
Canada has pledged $ 2 billion assistance to help poor countries limiting green-house gas emission.
Earlier, the Commonwealth and the Governments of India, Malta, Mauritius and Sri Lanka announced the new trade financing fund to help boost trade and investment flows in small countries.
The voluntary fund is aimed at attracting start-up capital of $ 20 million. It will provide member countries facing trade challenges with the finance they need to increase their trade capacity.
The fund will seek to stimulate lending by major banks to smaller banks in member states and reduce risk. Financial investment will be sought from member countries and other parties that have expressed an interest in participating. The first phase of the fund will run over three years followed by a review.
Sports:
Sindhu seizes Macau Open title for third time
Two-time defending champion P. V. Sindhu completed a hat-trick of women’s singles title at the $ 120,000 Macau Open Grand Prix Gold after defeating Japan’s Minatsu Mitani in the finals.
Sindhu produced a dominating game to notch up a 21-9 21-23 21-14 win against sixth seed Mitani in a women’s singles match that lasted an hour and six minutes here.
World No. 12 Indian dished out some superb strokes and acute angled returns to bamboozle the Japanese, besides making some sound judgements at the baseline to get across Mitani, who struggled to keep the shuttle inside the court. Sindhu dominated the proceedings right from the start as she rode on the errors of Mitani to reach 11-5 at the break.
Australia wins first day-night Test by 3 wickets
Australia won the first ever day-night cricket test by 3 wickets against New Zealand on Sunday, with tail-enders Peter Siddle and Mitch Starc ushering the hosts to victory in a dramatic finish under lights that will almost certainly ensure the format isn’t consigned to history as a one-time event.
The match was over inside three days, which hasn’t happened in an Adelaide Oval test since 1951 and which highlighted the differences of using the pink ball and playing under lights in the longest form of the game.
Ball dominated bat, particularly in the twilight sessions. The first 25 wickets tumbled in two days before New Zealand resumed Sunday at 116-5, an overall lead of 94.
Nico Rosberg wins Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix 2015
German Formula 1 driver Nico Rosberg won for the Mercedes team the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Yas Island here, marking his third successive victory of the season. Starting on the pole position, Rosberg, 30, who holds German and Finnish citizenship crossed the finishing line after 55 laps on the Yas Marina Circuit, won by 8.2 seconds ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton, Xinhua reported.
His success also marked Mercedes’ 12th one-two finish of the season, representing a new Formula-1 record.
In front of over 60,000 motor sports aficionados from over 170 countries, Finnish F1 pilot Kimi Raikkonen (Scuderia Ferrari) completed the race as third, ahead of his 28âyear old German teammate and fourâtime F1 Champion Sebastian Vettel.
Mexican driver Sergio Perez (Force India), was fifth and Australia’s Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull) finished the season’s last race at sixth.
Rosberg is with 317 total points, second of this year’s F1 World Championships. Winner of the 66th season is his teammate Hamilton (384 points) who clinched the victory already on October 25 in the US Grand Prix.
Great Britain wins 2015 Davis Cup of Tennis
Andy Murray led Great Britain have won the 2015 Davis Cup for first time since 1936 and for the 10th time in the competition’s 115-year history.
Great Britain tennis team defeated Belgium team by 3-1 score in the finals to win the 104th edition of the competition.
Davis Cup 2015 results
Round 1: David Goffin of Belgium defeated Kyle Edmund of Great Britain by 6-3, 6-1, 2-6, 1-6, 0-6 score.
Round 2: Andy Murray of Great Britain defeated Ruben Bemelmans of Belgium by 6-3, 6-2 and 7-5 score.
Round 3:
Andy Murray and Jamie Murray pair of Great Britain defeated Steve Darcis and David Goffin pair of Belgium by 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 and 6-2 score.Round 4: Andy Murray of Great Britain defeated David Goffin of Belgium by 6-3, 7-5 and 6-3 score.
Following the Davis Cup 2015 results, the top three teams are: Czech Republic (28231.25 points), Switzerland (21518.75) and Great Britain (15196.56).
About Davis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men’s tennis organised by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).
It was established in 1900 as a tennis challenge between Great Britain and the United States. Since then, it is contested annually between teams from competing countries in a knock-out format.
United States has won the tournament for record 32 times. The women’s equivalent of the Davis Cup is the Fed Cup.
Australia, US and Czech Republic are the only three countries that have won both Davis Cup and Fed Cup titles in the same year.
Ethiopian Birhanu Legese, Kenyan Cynthia Limo win 2015 Delhi Half Marathon
Birhanu Legese from Ethiopia and Cynthia Limo from Kenya have won the 2015 Delhi Half Marathon in men’s and women’s categories respectively.
In this eighth edition of marathon around 34,000 athletes and amateur runners from different parts of the world had participated.
Men’s category winners
Birhanu Legese claimed the first spot by finishing race in 59:20 minutes and was followed Mosinet Geremew (Ethopia) and Zersenay Tadese (Eritrea) at second and third spots respectively.
Women’s category winners
Cynthia Limo claimed the first spot by finishing race in 1:08:35 hour and was followed by Helah Kiprop (Kenya) and Gladys Chesir (Kenya) at second and third spots respectively.
Among the Indian runners
Nitendra Singh Rawat and Lalita Babar topped in the men’s and women’s category.
In men’s category, Nitendra Singh Rawat finished the race in 1:04:41 and was followed by Gopi T and Mohd Yunus at second and third spots respectively.
In women’s category, Lalita Babar finished the race in 1:10:52 and was followed by O P Jaisha and Sudha Singh at second and third spots respectively.
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