Current Affairs: November 18, 2016

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November 18, 2016

President launches National Student Startup Policy

President Pranab Mukherjee launched the National

Student Startup Policy (NSSP) to promote technology-

driven student start-ups. It was launched during the

second Visitor’s Conference held at Rashtrapati Bhavan,

New Delhi. The NSSP has been formulated by the All India

Council for Technical Education (AICTE). It aims to create

1 lakh technology based student start-ups and a million employment opportunities within the

next 10 years. It also aims to propel Indian youth to contribute to the nation’s socio-economic

progress through promotion of technology-driven student start-ups.

Doctors from Netherlands perform brain implant for the first time in history

Doctors from Netherlands have performed the first-ever brain

implant on a 58-year-old woman paralysed by Lou Gehrig’s disease

(also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-ALS). With this, she

became the first patient to use a brain-computer interface. The

implant has enabled paralysed women to communicate in day-to-

day life via a speech computer. Prior to this implant, the ALS

disease had caused nerve degeneration in the women and she was left completely locked-in.

Her motor neurons had deteriorated to the point where she could only control her eye muscles.

Current Affairs: November 18, 2016

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Steel Ministry to set up of Steel Research & Technology Mission of India

Ministry of Steel is planning to set up Steel Research &

Technology Mission of India (SRTMI) to facilitate joint

collaborative research projects in the iron and steel sector in

India. The conceptualization of SRTMI was done by a high level

task force set up by the Union Ministry of Steel. SRTMI has been

setup as a Registered Society wherein the Union Ministry of

Steel is a facilitator. It is an industry driven institutional initiative. It will be governed and

administered by a Governing Body comprising the CEOs of steel companies, domain experts

and a representative from Union Ministry of Steel.

Russia withdraws from International Criminal Court

Russia has officially withdrawn from International Criminal

Court (ICC) after President Vladimir Putin signed an executive

order in this regard. The executive order mentioned that

Russia is pulling out of the 2002 Rome Statute, which

establishes the ICC’s status and powers. However, Russia had

never ratified the statue meaning it was never member subject to its jurisdiction. Russia was

against by ICC’s declaration that Russia’s 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula was

an armed conflict. Russia is also under international pressure over its campaign of air strikes in

Syria over the issue of bombing civilians and civilian targets.

Current Affairs: November 18, 2016

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India’s combat-capable Rustom-II drone successfully completes maiden test

flight

India’s indigenously developed long-endurance combat-

capable drone, Rustom-II (TAPAS 201) successfully

completed its maiden-flight. The test flight took place from

Aeronautical Test Range (ATR), Chitradurga, Karnataka,

which is a newly developed flight test range for the testing

of UAVs and manned aircraft. During the test, TAPAS 201 accomplished the main objectives of

proving the flying platform, such as take-off, bank, level flight and landing among others.

RUSTOM–II is a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV. The UAV weighs two

tonnes. It has an endurance of 24 hours. It is multi-mission UAV which can conduct

Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions for the armed forces. It can also be used

as an unmanned armed combat.

CRPF for first time deploys women commandos for anti-Naxal operations

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) for the first time has

deployed a team of women commandos in anti-Naxal operations

in Jharkhand. The 135 women commandos belonging to the 232

battalion’s Delta company have started carrying out anti-Naxal

operations. The women commandos are currently undertaking

operations under the close supervision of CRPF’s 133 battalion in Naxal-infested forests on the

outskirts of Ranchi near Khoonti area. They will be equally capable of neutralising Naxals in par

with men commandos. They are experts in carrying out all types of anti-Naxal operations and

shall play important role in tackling women Naxals.

Current Affairs: November 18, 2016

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Pakistan conducts military exercise close to Indian border

Pakistan conducted Raad ul Barq (Strike of Thunder)

military exercise in a strategically located area in Punjab

province, bordering India. It was the comprehensive

joint exercise carried out jointly by Pakistan Army and

Air Force to reflect the preparedness of our armed

forces to respond to any threat to its national security. The exercise showcased the combat

readiness of the country’s defence line with live firepower demonstration using heavy artillery

fighter jets and air defence weapons. During the military exercise, JF-17 Thunder fighter jets,

helicopter gunships and Al-Khalid tanks hit designated targets on the ground.