National
India successfully test-fires supersonic interceptor missile
The anti-ballistic missile, called AAD ( Advanced Air Defence), took off at 9.40 a.m. from the A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Wheeler Island soon after it received the command to waylay and destroy an incoming target missile in the endo-atmosphere (below 40 km altitude) after the conditions for the latter were electronically simulated without the actual launch of the missile.
Conditions similar to the launch of a target missile from Balasore were simulated electronically and upon receiving its coordinates, the interceptor missile, travelling at supersonic speed, engaged and destroyed the "virtual target" in mid-flight.
India plans to deploy a two-tiered Ballistic Missile Defence system to protect important cities and vital installations from enemy attack. The first phase seeks to destroy incoming enemy missiles of 2,000 km range, while the second phase envisages killing incoming missiles of more than 2,000 km.
With Sunday's mission, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has conducted 11 interceptor missile tests. While eight of the missions were in endo-atmosphere, the remaining were in exo-atmosphere. Nine of the missions had been successful.
Francois Hollande to be Chief Guest at 2016 Republic Day celebrations
French President Francois Hollande will be the Chief Guest at the 67th Republic Day parade of January 26, 2016.
The announcement might have been finalised during the talks between French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and his counterpart Sushma Swaraj and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi. The visit of Mr. Hollande to New Delhi for the mega event will be symbolic.
It would also send a strong message of a worldwide solidarity among the democratic countries against terrorism of the Islamic State (IS) which had staged barbaric attacks on November 13, 2015 in Paris.
Mr. Francois Hollande would be the 5th highest dignitary from France to be Chief Guest of Indian Republic Day parade after Prime Minister Jacques Chirac (1976), President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing (1980), President Jacques Chirac (1998) and President Nicolas Sarkozy (2008).
With this invitation, France now holds distinction of being the guest of honour for the maximum 4 times of Indian Republic Day parade followed by Bhutan (three times); Mauritius and USSR/Russia (three times each).
Earlier Chief guests of Republic Day parades:
2015- Barack Obama (US President), 2014- Shinzo Abe (Japanese Prime Minister), 2013- Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck (King of Bhutan), 2012- Yingluck Shinawatra (Then Prime Minister of Thailand), 2011- Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono(Then President of Indonesia).
Swachh Delhi Abhiyan launched in Delhi
A special cleanliness drive, in has been launched in the national capital Delhi to remove debris and garbage lying in various localities.
The drive was launched by Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu and shall continue in New Delhi till the end November 2015 month.
Key facts
Launched as part of Union Government’s flagship Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
It is being undertaken up by the Union Government, Delhi government and all the three Municipal Corporations of Delhi.
Under the campaign, 3 municipal bodies in Delhi will clear the garbage and the concrete waste will be lifted by the Public Works Department (PWD) of Delhi government.
Earlier, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had launched a special mobile application to give a push to the drive.
Using this app and appilication people can send photographs of debris and garbage lying in their areas so that the concerned agencies could take steps to remove them.
UP Government Clean UP, Green UP initiative earns place in Guinness Book
Uttar Pradesh’s ambitious Clean UP, Green UP initiative has earned itself a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Under state government green drive initiative 10 lakh saplings were planted in one day within a span of eight hours On November 7, 2015 at 10 locations in the state.
This new record has surpassed the earlier record for plantation of maximum number of tree that was 8 lakh 50 thousand trees in a single day. The certificate for UP Government’s record-setting performance was awarded to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav at the function held in Saifai in Etawah district.
On the eve of state government’s ‘Clean UP, Green UP’ initiative Chief Minister himself had planted peepal plant at Maudaha dam in Hamirpur district.
The initiative was executed through coordinated efforts of state forest, irrigation departments along with Noida and Greater Noida Authority.
Apart from CM, large number of women, teachers, students, armymen, villagers and others had planted sapling of as sheesham, pakar, neem, kanji, imli, aonla, bargad, arjun, chilbil and peepal at different pre-decided spots across state.
International
Indian-American Swati Dandenkar appointed as US Director of ADB
India-born Swati Dandekar has been appointed as the United States director of the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
She was nominated to this position by US President Barack Obama and was designated with rank of an ambassador. She would replace Robert M Orr who has held this position since 2010.
About Swati Dandekar
Swati Dandekar was born on March 6, 1951 in Nagpur, Maharashtra. Along with her husband Arvind, she had migrated to the US in 1973.
She had received her BS degree in Biology and Chemistry from Nagpur University and a graduate diploma from Mumbai University in dietetics. Dandekar was the first Indian-born American citizen to win a state legislature seat in the United States.
She was a member of the Iowa House of Representatives from 2003 to 2009 and was also member of the Iowa Senate from 2009 to 2011.
Later, she had served on the Iowa Utilities Board from 2011 to 2013 and member of the Vision Iowa Board of Directors from 2000 to 2003.
Memorial for Indian woman unveiled in Australia
Prabha Arun Kumar, who hails from Mangalore, was stabbed to death in March in Sydney and the motive of the attack is yet to be ascertained. The pathway where she took her final steps before being stabbed to death has been renamed as Prabha’s Walk.
Mauricio Macri wins Argentina presidential election
Opposition candidate Mauricio Macri has won Argentina’s presidential election, marking an end to the left-leaning and often combative era of President Cristina Fernandez, who along with her late husband dominated the country’s political scene for 12 years and rewrote its social contract.
With 75 per cent of the vote counted, Mr. Macri had 53 per cent support compared to 47 per cent for Mr. Scioli.
ASEAN leaders sign declaration for launching ASEAN Economic Community
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders have signed a declaration for launching ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) which would be similar to European Union (EU)-style regional economic bloc.
In this regard, Kuala Lumpur declaration on the establishment of the AEC was signed by the leaders of 10-nation grouping chaired by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak at its 27th Summit held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
It was signed in front of world leaders including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
About ASEAN Economic Community
AEC would make ASEAN a single market with a free flow of goods, capital and skilled labour in the region.
Integrate Southeast Asia’s diverse 10 economies which have combine population of 620 million people and a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of 2.4 trillion US dollars. Abolish tariffs on imports within the bloc member countries and promote the liberalization of service industries such as retailing and tourism.
Calls for more free movement of and skilled labour within the region including of doctors, architects and others with special skills.
Focus on creating an integrated and well-connected economy of ASEAN member countries which would be business-friendly, trade-facilitative and market-driven.
The new economic bloc will be launched in December 2015 and would make ASEAN’s growing GDP, 4th-biggest in the world.
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