Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 08 November 2016

:: National ::

In whirlwind campaigning across battleground states, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump have the same message to their supporters in the last hours ahead of polling in the U.S.
Country is at a crossroads, and their opponent is the worst presidential candidate in history.
Hillary Clinton is the most corrupt person ever to seek the presidency of the United States, and if she were to win, it would create a constitutional crisis like no other,” Mr. Trump said in Virginia.
Thirty-seven million Americans have already voted, and between 70 and 80 million are expected to vote.
FBI stood by its earlier decision not to press charges against Ms. Clinton for mishandling classified information have given a boost to the Democrats in the final hours.
Multiple opinion polls that appeared also indicate that Ms. Clinton holds a modest but steady lead over Mr. Trump nationally.

Sunlight and wind helped lift the smog cover over Delhi slightly during the day, though average pollution levels remained severe.
After days of consistently hazardous levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), concentration levels across the city dipped considerably during the afternoon.
As per data from the Central Pollution Control Board for R.K. Puram, Anand Vihar, Mandir Marg and Punjabi Bagh monitoring stations, the average PM2.5 level at 5 p.m. was 131 micrograms per cubic metre, or twice the standard of 60.
As per SAFAR index, PM levels are expected to decrease after 9th of November.

LG chaired a high-level meeting to discuss the situation and directed government agencies to implement immediate steps aimed at mitigating air pollution.
In addition to measures such as a week-long lockdown on polluting industries and prohibition of construction and demolition activities in Delhi.
Immediate de-registration of diesel vehicles older than 15 years in addition to bans on overloaded and transiting trucks and the use of fire crackers, except during religious functions.
The LG emphasized the need to take extraordinary measures and immediate steps to control air pollution in Delhi, which has got compounded because of several factors such as prevailing meteorological conditions, recent use of fire crackers and agricultural crop burning.
LG issued directions to all registering authorities and Motor Licencing Officers to start the deregistration of diesel vehicles more than 15 years old in a phased manner aimed at bringing about a reduction of two lakh diesel vehicles.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi was asked to take all measures to control fires at landfill sites, particularly Bhalswa by utilising PWD construction and demolition malba and sludge generated by Delhi Jal Board water treatment plants.

China said there was “no change” in its stand on India’s membership bid which, it has indicated, would be considered only after rules for the entry of non-Nuclear Proliferation Treaty countries are finalised by the elite group.
Referring to the November 4 meeting of the NSAs of India and China in Hyderabad, Mr. Lu said China was in close contact with the relevant parties, including India, and has been having constructive dialogue and coordination on this issue.
India’s NSA Ajit Doval had held talks with his Chinese counterpart and State Councillor Yang Jiechi in Hyderabad, during which the issue had reportedly figured.
The talks were held ahead of the meeting of the 48-member NSG in Vienna on November 11-12, where the group could discuss the two-stage process to admit new members who have not signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.
India and Pakistan, which have applied for NSG membership, have not signed the NPT.
The issue had also been discussed between Joint Secretary (Disarmament and International Security) Amandeep Singh Gill and his Chinese counterpart Wang Qun on October 31.

The bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his U.K. counterpart Theresa May focused on greater cooperation to counter illegal activities and terrorism.
“Our two countries understand the increasingly transnational challenge of terrorism which demands multilateral as well as bilateral cooperation,” said a joint statement issued at the end of bilateral discussion.
India and Britain also agreed to hold annual strategic dialogue at the level of Union Home Secretary to jointly deal with issues like terrorism, organised crimes, visa and immigration matters.
The security and extradition-related issues came up for discussion during the summit-level meeting in Hyderabad House, where both the delegations signed two MoUs on ease of doing business and intellectual property related issue.
However a major difference remained unresolved as Ms May refused to commit on increasing visas for Indian professionals unconditionally.

The U.K. sought an early resolution of the Indian Government’s disputes with Cairn and Vodafone on retrospective taxation and raised concerns over “tax uncertainties” in India while New Delhi took up Britain’s “curbs” on visas for work and studies.
The India-U.K. Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) discussed these tax and visa-related issues, Commerce and Industry Minister told.
The U.K. team was led by its Secretary of State for International Trade, Liam Fox.
India raised the issue of the lack of a bilateral totalisation (or social security) agreement with the U.K. to do away with dual social security taxation.
As there is no India-U.K. totalisation agreement, Indian companies, including from the IT sector, have to shell out huge amounts to the U.K. Government towards social security, with no benefit or prospects of refund.
The U.K. extended support to India’s proposal for a ‘Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) for Services’ at the World Trade Organisation (WTO)-level.
The India-U.K. CEO Forum, an group of business leaders from both the countries, proposed the setting up of an Advanced Material & Manufacturing Technology Centre in India.
Once established, the centre will be at the forefront of the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Skill India’ programmes, the industry body said.

The Cabinet is likely to take a call on the final contours of listing of PSU general insurance companies this month, a Finance Ministry official said.
The Ministry had last week circulated a draft Cabinet note for inter-ministerial consultations on the listing of four public sector general insurance companies. “The Cabinet nod for PSU general insurers is likely this month,” an official said.
These companies are New India Assurance Company, National Insurance Company, Oriental Insurance Co and United India Insurance Co. Listing of PSU general insurance was announced in the Budget 2016-17 by Finance Minister.
Last year, the government allowed foreign insurance players to raise their stake in their joint venture to 49 per cent.