Current Affairs For SSC CGL Exam

06 December, 2013

An era comes to an end with Nelson Mandela’s death

• South Africa's first black president and anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela has died. Mr Mandela, 95, led South Africa's transition from white-minority rule in the 1990s, after 27 years in prison. He had been receiving intense home-based medical care for a lung infection after three months in hospital.

• The Nobel Peace Prize laureate was one of the world's most revered statesmen after preaching reconciliation despite being imprisoned for 27 years.

TIMELINE : THE LIFE OF NELSON MANDELA

• 1918 Born in the Eastern Cape
• 1943 Joined African National Congress
• 1956 Charged with high treason, but charges dropped after a four-year trial
• 1962 Arrested, convicted of incitement and leaving country without a passport, sentenced to five years in prison
• 1964 Charged with sabotage, sentenced to life
• 1990 Freed from prison
• 1993 Wins Nobel Peace Prize
• 1994 Elected first black president
• 1999 Steps down as leader
• 2001 Diagnosed with prostate cancer
• 2004 Retires from public life
• 2005 Announces his son has died of an HIV/Aids-related illness

Telangana to have 10 districts

• The Union cabinet gave the go-ahead for the creation of a 10-district Telangana and outlined the blueprint for carving out the country’s 29th state from the current Andhra Pradesh.

• Dropping a controversial move to add two districts of Rayalaseema — Kurnool and Anantapur — to Telangana, which was opposed by various stakeholders, the cabinet, presided over by prime minister Manmohan Singh, approved a draft reorganisation bill based on recommendations of Group of Ministers (GoM).

• According to the Union cabinet’s decision that deliberated on the GoM’s report and the draft bill for more than two hours, Telangana shall consist of 10 districts as envisaged in the beginning. The successor state of Andhra Pradesh will comprise 13 districts. Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde said Greater Hyderabad will be the shared capital of both the states for a period of not less than 10 years.

• Though the usual practice is to give at least a month’s time to the state legislature to vet the state Reorganisation Bill, the government may seek a lesser time in its eagerness to place it in the parliament in winter session itself. The bill gives Telangana governor special responsibility to secure the life, liberty and property of all the people residing in the common capital with the help of two advisors appointed by the Centre. The Centre will extend financial and other support to the creation of a new capital for successor Andhra Pradesh that will be identified by an Expert committee.

• Also, the cabinet decided to continue Article 371 D status for both the successor states to ensure equitable opportunities for education and public employment.

Communal Violence Bill

• The UPA government has scrapped a controversial provision from the Communal Violence Bill, that is facing stiff opposition from parties, which defined the victim of communal violence as essentially a person belonging to "religious or linguistic minority".

• Under the draft of the Prevention of Communal Violence (Access to Justice and Reparations) Bill, 2013, a person of any religious or linguistic identity could be a victim. Copies of the draft were sent to the states 10 days ago by the Centre for comments. The 2011 Bill was also applicable to SCs/STs and even in cases of sexual assault, but these two groups have been removed from the latest draft.

• The BJP and other parties had expressed apprehension that the Bill would divide the country on communal lines.

• Effectively, bureaucrats have been made accountable to the NHRC. Similar powers vested in the 'National Authority' in the earlier Bill had been opposed by several states.

• One important change in the present Bill is that the responsibility of public servants in cases of breach of command and failure to exercise control over subordinates is applicable only when they are under his or her "direct command".

• The NHRC, at present, is mostly a recommendatory body, as in that when it sends its probe reports to governments, they are only obliged to "forward their comments, including the action taken or proposed to be taken". There is no obligation to act.

• The commission has now been given wide powers, carried forwarded from the 'National Authority' provision of the 2011 Bill. So under the new Bill, the government is mandated to act on the NHRC's advisories. Besides, the NHRC shall observe, monitor and review performance of bureaucrats, and is to act as an appelatory body if there is any discrepancy in maintaining records of relief and rehabilitation of victims.

India to host 2017 Under-17 FIFA World Cup

• India will host the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in 2017. It was decided at the FIFA executive committee meeting held on December 4 and 5 in Brazil.
• India won the hosting rights ahead of Ireland, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and 2010 FIFA World Cup hosts South Africa.
• Legendary Indian footballers were ecstatic about the news. It is good for the future and dea big achievement.

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