Four Fingers- 'Rabaa' (Egypt Protest)

What: Sign of anti-coup protests in Egypt.

More: Symbol of protest against toppling of democratically elected President candidate Morsi. This new hand sign refers to the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque, the site of a violent confrontation between Morsi’s followers and the Egyptian army.“Rabaa sign” made by raising four fingers has become the symbol of the massacre in Egypt and Rabaa al-Adawiya Square where the anti-coup protests take place. It also refers to the fact that Mohammed Morsi is the fourth president of Egypt after Nasser, Sadat and Mubarak.

National Development Council (Rashtriya Vikas Parishad)

• It was set up on 6 August 1952.
• It is an extra-constitutional and non-statutory body. Its status is advisory to Planning Commission but not binding.
• The Council comprises the Prime Minister, the Union Cabinet Ministers, Chief Ministers of all States or their substitutes, representatives of the Union Territories and the members of the Commissions.
• Presided over by the Prime Minister.
• Approves *FYP in India.

FYP: 

Joseph Stalin implemented the first FYP in the Soviet Union in the late 1920s. Most communist states and several capitalist countries subsequently have adopted them.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

What:  Geo-political and economic organization of ten countries located in Southeast Asia

Members: 10 states
1.Brunei
2.Cambodia
3.Indonesia
4.Laos
5.Malaysia
6.Burma (Myanmar)
7.Philippines
8.Singapore
9.Thailand
10.Vietnam

World Trade Organization

Aim: To liberalize international trade.
When: Formed in 1995, replaced GATT.(Marrakech Agreement)
Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
Membership: 159 member states (Tajikistan became 159th WTO member)
Conflict: On Free trade vs protectionism and subsidies (as pushed by developing and welfare nations).

Important Pointers:

• The highest decision-making body of the WTO is the Ministerial Conference, which usually meets every two years.
• Iran is the biggest economy outside the WTO.
• The WTO has 159 members and 25 observer governments.
• In addition to states, the European Union is a member.
• GATT was established after World War II in the wake of new multilateral institutions formed – notably the Bretton Woods institutions known as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

Radha Burnier- President of Theosophical Society passed away

Who: Radha Burnier, President of Theosophical Society (5 times re-elected)
Alma Matter: Benares Hindu University (Sanskrit)

World Prosperity Index- Norway tops, India slips below its neighbors

What: The Legatum Prosperity Index (compiled by London-based Legatum Institute) is an annual ranking, developed by the Legatum Institute, of 142 countries. The ranking is based on a variety of factors including wealth, economic growth, personal well-being, and quality of life. Norway has topped the list in the last three reports; those of 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Rank 1: Norway

Then: Switzerland, Canada, Sweden, New Zealand

India: India slipped from 100th (2012) to 106th this year.

Neighbors: Ahead are China, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

PS: Besides, in the 'Ease of Doing Business' report by World Bank and International Finance Corporation (IFC) released earlier this week, India was ranked at 134th place while neighbours like China, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh were placed at better positions.

Dutch finance major 'RaboBank' fined $ 1 Billion in LIBOR scandal

Charges: RaboBank manipulated London Inter-Bank Offered Rate (LIBOR)
Repercussions: CEO resigned, RaboBank slapped with $ 1 Billion fine (criminal and civil penalties).
More about RaboBank: It started out as an agriculture cooperative in the Netherlands in the late 19th century and has become the country’s biggest lender.

Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Co-operation (IOR-ARC)

Color code: Dark green: Member countries ; Light Green: Dialogue Partners

What: International organization with 20 member states.
When: March 1997 (formally formed after Charter of the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Co-operation was signed)
Objectives: Maritime Safety and Security, Trade and Investment Facilitation, Fisheries Management, Disaster Risk Management, Academic and Science & Technology Cooperation, and Tourism and Cultural Exchanges.
Recent: Australia will assume role of chairman of IOR-ARC for 2 years term, taking over from India this week.

Tax Administration Reform Commission (TARC)

• Objective of Commission: To revisit tax laws and recommend measures for putting in place a stable tax administration.
• Headed By: Parthasarathi Shome (Chairman)
• Who Parthasarathi Shome? : Advisor, Union Finance Minister, Ministry of Finance

Click here to read all the provisions (Govt Document)

Indian River Bodies (Map)

 

• The Indian River system is classified as Himalayan, peninsular, coastal, and inland-drainage basin rivers.
• Most of the rivers pour their waters into the Bay of Bengal; however, some of the rivers whose courses take them through the western part of the country empty into the Arabian Sea.
• The largest river basin of India is the Ganga basin, which receives water from Himalayas in the north and the Vindhyas in the South. 
• The Ganga, the Yamuna, the Ghagra, Gandak and Kosi are the main constituents of this basin.
• The Brahmaputra has the greatest volume of water of all the rivers in India. It is the source of the Indus and the Satluj and flows through Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
• The Mahanadi is an important river in the state of Orissa. This river flows slowly for 900 kms and deposits more silt than any other river in the Indian subcontinent.
• Longest river flowing in India: The Ganges
• Longest tributary river: Yamuna
• The Godavari River System has second longest course within India. The banks of this river have many pilgrimage sites like Nasik, Triyambak and Bhadrachalam.
• The Krishna is the third longest river in India with a length of about 1300 kms. It rises in the Western Ghats and flows east into the Bay of Bengal.
• The Narmada and the Tapti are the only major rivers that flow into the Arabian Sea.