Prasar Bharti and Radio-Television of Slovenia inked Broadcasting MoU ..
Prasar Bharati, the India's public broadcaster, and the Radio-Television of Slovenia (RTV-SLO) on 13 November 2013 signed an MoU in the field of broadcasting. This will help to develop and strengthen the mutual friendly relations through an increased cooperation in broadcasting.
The signed MoU allow to explore the opportunities in potential projects of production programs, further. It also allows the exchange of programs in the field of culture, entertainment, education, sports and news.
The agreement was signed by the head of the international department of RTV-SLO, Suzana Vidas Karoli and Member Personnel of Prasar Bharati, VAM Hussain.
The MoU will help to develop the relations between the two countries and also strengthen people to people contact between the two sides and will develop better understanding among people.
Government nod to three year BSc Community Health Course....
The Union Government of India on 13 November 2013 gave its nod to the Union Health Ministry to go ahead with the scheme aimed at creation of the mid-level rural health cadre of professionals. To give the nod of creation of the mid-level rural health cadre of professionals, the government overruled the Parliamentary Committee recommendation to scrap the course in community health.
The Union Cabinet in its meeting gave its nod to the health ministry to start a new three-year BSc community health program. The program would help in creation of the new cadre of health professionals to improve the rural medicare infrastructure in India.
The proposal was pending for few years but after the Ministry came up with the idea to create a new cadre of health professionals in rural areas as the doctors were unwilling to serve there.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health had opposed the introduction of the undergraduate community health course. The committee had instead recommended compulsory one-year rural posting for fresh medical graduates to meet the shortage of doctors in rural areas. The introduction of the course was also opposed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA).
IAF Flagged in White Water Rafting Expedition Called IAF Aqua Scullers....
Air Marshal HB Rajaram on 13 November 2013 flagged in IAF (Indian Air Force) Aqua Scullers on the successful completion of their white water rafting expedition on the Ganges from Gangotri (at an altitude of 3049 mtrs) to Ganga Sagar in West Bengal.
It is worth noticing that the River Ganges is known to be one of the most challenging rivers in the world for White Water rafting. The Himalayan portion of the river from Gangotri (at 3049 mtrs) to Haridwar (at 295 mtrs) is considered one of the most treacherous white water stretches in the world, with forceful Grade IV and V rapids. IAF Aqua Scullers completed the expedition by overcoming challenges in the record time of 16 days.
Also, this is the first and the most unique kind of expedition undertaken by the Indian Armed Forces.
Milestones Achieved During the Expedition
• This was the longest Rafting expedition ever in India and covered 3000 km.
• It took shortest duration ever to raft down the entire length of Ganga. The IAF expedition took 16 days with larger distance traversed while the ITBP expedition took 53 days.
• The Indian Armed Forces completed the longest non – stop rafting at a stretch in a single day. On 23 October 2013, the team rafted continuously for 15 hrs from Jalalpur (near Garmukteshwar) to Rajghat (near Anupshahar) in Uttar Pradesh.
• In the meanwhile, the IAF also covered the longest distance by the raft in a single day. On 3 November 2013, more than 300 kms were covered from Ramakantapura iron bridge to Barrackpore in West Bengal.
What is White Water Rafting?
• Rafting is primarily a challenging recreational outdoor activity by making use of a raft in order to navigate the river or a water body.
• Rafting or White Water Rafting is usually done on white water or the different degree of rough water.
• White Water is basically formed in the rapid when the gradient of a river increases so much that it disturbs the laminar flow to create turbulence.
• White Water Rafting became a popular leisure sport since mid 1970s. It is the extreme adventure sport and can also be fatal.
World Diabetes Day observed on 14 November...
World Diabetes Day was observed on 14 November 2013 across the world to raise awareness of diabetes-a chronic disease.
World Diabetes Day is an annual campaign, led by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and its member associations. It engages millions of people worldwide in diabetes advocacy and awareness.
The theme for 2009-13 is Education and Prevention.
The world Diabetes day is celebrated every year on 14 November. The date was chosen because it marks the birthday of Frederick Banting, who, along with Charles Best, is credited with the discovery of insulin in 1921.
World Diabetes Day was created in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in response to concern over the escalating incidence of diabetes around the world. World Diabetes Day became an official United Nations Day in 2007 with the passage of United Nation Resolution 61/225.
Key facts about Diabetes by WHO
1.347 million people worldwide have diabetes.
2.In 2004, an estimated 3.4 million people died from consequences of high fasting blood sugar.
3.More than 80 percent of diabetes deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.
4.WHO projects that diabetes will be the 7th leading cause of death in 2030.
5.Healthy diet, regular physical activity, maintaining a normal body weight and avoiding tobacco use can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.
About Diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic disease, which occurs when the pancreas gland does not produce enough insulin, or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. This leads to an increased concentration of glucose in the blood (hyperglycaemia).
Types of Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes (previously known as insulin-dependent or childhood-onset diabetes) is characterized by a lack of insulin production.
Type 2 diabetes (formerly called non-insulin-dependent or adult-onset diabetes) is caused by the body’s ineffective use of insulin. It often results from excess body weight and physical inactivity.
Gestational diabetes is hyperglycaemia that is first recognized during pregnancy.
About Pancreas gland
The pancreas is a gland organ in the digestive and endocrine system of vertebrates. It is both an endocrine gland producing several important hormones, including insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin, as well as an exocrine gland, secreting pancreatic juice containing digestive enzymes that pass to the small intestine. These enzymes help in the further breakdown of the carbohydrates, protein, and fat in the chyme.
Book Entitled Indian Railway Track-Design, Construction and Maintenance Released ...
The Minister of Railways Mallikarjun Kharge released a Ruby Jubilee-40th Year Edition of the book titled Indian Railway Track-Design, Construction and Maintenance (Ruby Jubilee-40th Year Edition) on 13 November 2013. The book is authored by a renowned Civil Engineer M.M. Agarwal who served Indian Railways for 33 years and retired from the post of Chief Engineer.
About the book- Indian Railway Track-Design, Construction and Maintenance (Ruby Jubilee-40th Year Edition)
• This is the 19th revised edition of the book, which was originally written in 1973. The book has since then been revised almost every two years to include the latest technical developments in the track taking place on Railway around the world with special reference to Indian Railways.
• Indian Railway Track is designed for all the permanent way members, whether in office or in the field.
• The Ruby Jubilee (40th year) revised and enlarged edition 2013-14 contains 30 updated chapters covering the entire spectrum of track technology including its design, construction, maintenance and modernization from the fundamental.
• The book is a complete treatise on track technology and has been serving as a useful guide to all Railway Supervisors, Engineers and other professionals for the last about four decades.
• It is important to note that the Railway Track, also called Permanent Way, is the basic structure over which the trains run. The book covers all the vital aspects of Railway Tracks and related issues for the safety of Rail operations.
• The latest edition of the book covers not only the existing details about Track Standard, Track Maintenance and Track Modernisation but also gives details about high speed railway, dedicated freight corridors and all other new developments taking place on Indian Railways.
• The Railway Engineers use this book to ensure that they are able to carry out their duties more efficiently and smoothly with good technical input.
About the author of the book- M.M. Agarwal
• M.M. Agarwal wrote various other Civil Engineering books which are patronized by Railway professionals. These include Railway Works Engineering- Design, Construction, Maintenance - Objective Railway Engineering-Track, Works & Others, Indian Railway Safety-Ultimate Goal to prevent Railway Accidents)- Railway Engineering, Rail Path Parchiya (Hindi) and Rail Nirman & Pul Engineering (Hindi).
• He has also won various awards such as National Award (Railway Minister’s Prize & Award) for special work done on ‘Track Modernisation’ on Indian Railways (1973), President’s Award “Indira Gandhi Raj Bhasa Award” by Government of India for the best original book written in Rajbhasa for Engineering professionals (1993) and Lal Bahadur Raj Bhasha Award by Railway Board for best professional book in Raj Bhasa for Railway technical staff (2005).
Children's Day Observed Across India on 14 November ....
Children's Day was celebrated in India on 14 November 2013 in order to commemorate the birth anniversary of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964), the first Prime Minister of India after Independence. The day is celebrated to commemorate the affection of Jawaharlal Nehru towards children.
Children’s Day across the World
• The United Nations recognised 20 November as the Universal Children's Day in the year 1954. This was done in order to create attentiveness on the development of children.
• The World Conference held in Geneva, Switzerland in the year 1925, had recognised 1 June as the International Children's Day. However, the United Nationals General Assembly approved 20 November as the Universal Children's Day.
Children’s Day Celebrations in India
Children’s Day is celebrated in India with various innovative activities at schools.
Competitions, poems, feast and dance are organised by community groups and schools in order to mark the event.
Also, the Children’s Day festivals are organised, in which the focus remains on education, recreation, cultural, economic and health needs of the children.
Paras Ajmera resigned from MCX Board....
Paras Ajmera, Director of Multi-Commodity Exchange (MCX) resigned from the board on 12 November 2013.
Paras Ajmera is a nominee of promoter Financial Technologies India Ltd (FTIL) to the board of directors of Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd (MCX).
MCX on 13 November 2013 informed the BSE that FTIL had withdrawn the nomination of Paras Ajmera, a shareholder director, from the board with effect from 12 November 2013, consequent to his resignation from the MCX Board.
The resignation came amid the continuing 5600 crore Rupees payment crisis at the FTIL-promoted National Spot Exchange Ltd (NSEL). Paras Ajmera was the only FTIL representative on the MCX Board after FTIL’s founder Jignesh Shah resigned from the board in October 2013.
About MCX
The Multi Commodity Exchange of India Limited (MCX), India’s first listed exchange, is a state-of-the-art, commodity futures exchange that facilitates online trading, and clearing and settlement of commodity futures transactions, thereby providing a platform for risk management.
The Multi Commodity Exchange, which started operations in November 2003, operates within the regulatory framework of the Forward Contracts Regulation Act, 1952 (FCRA, 1952).
NASA Cassini Spacecraft provided New View of Saturn and Earth...
NASA in November 2013 released a natural-color image of Saturn from space, the first in which Saturn, its moons and rings, and Earth, Venus and Mars, all are visible. The panoramic mosaic of the majestic Saturn system was taken by Cassini Spacecraft of the NASA. It shows the view that can be seen by the human eyes. It was unveiled at the Newseum in Washington on 12 November 2013.
To create the panorama, the image team of Cassini processed 141 wide-angle images. The image sweeps 404880 miles across Saturn and its inner ring system, which includes Saturn rings out to the E ring, the second outermost ring of Saturn.
On July 19, people for the first time had advance notice a spacecraft taking the picture from planetary distance during the Cassini’s Wave at Saturn campaign. During the campaign, NASA invited public to celebrate by finding Saturn in their part of the sky, waving at the ringed planet and sharing pictures over the internet.
An annotated version of the Saturn system mosaic labels points of interest. Earth is a bright blue dot to the lower right of Saturn. Venus is a bright dot to Saturn’s upper left. Mars also appears, as a faint red dot, above and to the left of Venus. Seven Saturnian moons are visible, including Enceladus on the left side of the image. Zooming into the image reveals the moon and the icy plume emanating from its south pole, supplying fine, powder-sized icy particles that make up the E ring.
The E ring shines like a halo around Saturn and the inner rings, because it is tenuous and can be seen with the light shine from behind it.
About the Cassini Spacecraft
Cassini Spacecraft was launched in 1997 and explored the Saturn system for more than nine years. NASA has planned to continue the mission through 2017 with the anticipation of many more images of Saturn, its rings and moons, along with scientific data.
The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and Italian Space Agency. JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manage the mission for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. JPL designed, developed and assembled the Cassini orbiter and its two onboard cameras. The imaging team is based at the Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo.
Haryana Launched its First Food Bank at Gurgaon with Support from Cargill ....
Haryana, on 11 November 2013, launched its first food bank in order to give assistance to the different feeding programmes in Gurgaon as well as nearby areas. The food bank received support by global food major Cargill and India Food Banking Network (IFBN), which is initiated by Sam Pitroda, Advisor to Prime Minister on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovations.
The Haryana Industries Minister, Randeep Singh Surjewala explained that Haryana recently adopted the National Food Security Ordinance in order to ensure that people have adequate quantity as well as quality of food at reasonable prices.
The new Gurgaon Food Bank targets sustained daily feeding of approximately 10000 beneficiaries by 2014 in the Gurgaon region. It is estimated that if replicated on a national level, this model will play a crucial role in eliminating the hunger completely from the country by the year 2020.
Yogesh Agarwal, the Chairman of PFRDA Resigned; Anup Wadhawan Took Over....
The Chairman of Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), Yogesh Agarwal resigned from the post of Chairman on 13 November 2013. He resigned because of the Government’s decision to not allow him to be a part of the selection panel for members of the regulator.
In the meanwhile, Joint Secretary Anup Wadhawan was appointed as the new Chairman of PFRDA by the Finance Ministry. It is important to note that Yogesh Agarwal had one and half years more as his tenure of the Chairman.
Inclusion of Chairman in the Selection Panel as Per the PFRDA Act 2013
The selection panel members include Economic Affairs Secretary Arvind Mayaram, Financial Services Secretary Rajiv Takru, Department of Personnel and Training Secretary Syamal Kumar Sarkar, Chairman of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA), TS Vijayan, former LIC Chairman S B Mathur. According to the PFRDA Act 2013, the body should include the Chairperson and not more than six members (out of which three should be the full-time members), to be appointed by the Union Government of India.
Term of the Chairman of PFRDA
The Chairman as well as every full-time member of PFRDA holds the office for the term of five years. Also, the Chairman and members are eligible for reappointment. The age limit for a Chairman of PFRDA is 65 years and that of the full-time members is 62 years. Part-time members, in the meanwhile, can hold the office for the term not exceeding five years from the date of joining the office.
Oceans acidifying at Unprecedented Rate: International Scientific Study ....
A report released in second week of November 2013 claimed that the world's oceans are becoming more acidic at an unprecedented rate. The oceans of the world are becoming hot, sour and breathless due to the impact of the greenhouse gases. As per the new report from scientists, the way those changes work together is creating a very serious outlook for global water.
The scientists from the International Biosphere Geosphere Programme said that the human emissions of Carbon Dioxide are the matter to be blamed. The human activities add 24 million tonnes of Carbon Dioxide to the World’s ocean every day. These emissions will have a profound effect on the chemistry of sea water.
The increasing acidity of the oceans is making the life of the marine organisms hard. The acidity is happening in the polar oceans at a higher speed, where the cold water holds the larger amount of CO2. The researchers and scientists claim that by the end of this century the acid effect would be global and scientists warn, at least 30 per cent of ocean species will be unable to survive.
The acidification of the ocean has increased at an unprecedented rate in the past 300 million years. The scientists have calculated that the world oceans have became 26 percent more acidic since 1880 due to the increase of carbon in the water.
Shiraz Naval Minwalla won New Horizons in Physics Prize 2014 ....
Shiraz Naval Minwalla, Professor of Physics in TIFR, Mumbai selected for the 2014 New Horizons in Physics Prize on 5 November 2013.
He was awarded "for his pioneering contributions to the study of string theory and quantum field theory; and in particular his work on the connection between the equations of fluid dynamics and Albert Einstein’s equations of general relativity".
The New Horizons for Physics Prize awarded to promising junior researchers by Fundamental Physics Prize Foundation. The award carries prize money of 100000 US Dollars.
The other laureates of 2014 New Horizons in Physics Prize are:
Freddy Cachazo, Perimeter Institute, for uncovering numerous structures underlying scattering amplitudes in gauge theories and gravity.
Vyacheslav Rychkov, CERN/Pierre-and-Marie-Curie University/École Normale Supérieure, for developing new techniques in conformal field theory, reviving the conformal bootstrap program for constraining the spectrum of operators and the structure constants in 3D and 4D CFT’s.
About Fundamental Physics Prize Foundation
The Fundamental Physics Prize Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation established by the Milner Foundation, Russia in 2012 and dedicated to advancing our knowledge of the Universe at the deepest level by awarding annual prizes for scientific breakthroughs, as well as communicating the excitement of fundamental physics to the public.
Two categories of prizes will be awarded for past achievements in the field of fundamental physics, with the aim of providing the recipients with more freedom and opportunity to pursue even greater future accomplishments.
The Fundamental Physics Prize recognizes transformative advances in the field, while the New Horizons in Physics Prizes are targeted at promising junior researchers.
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