Current Affairs of 12 October

 1. Naidu seeks adhoc assistance of Rs. 2000 croreAndhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has urged the Centre to treat the devastation caused by severe cyclonic storm, Hudhud as a “national calamity” and requested for an adhoc assistance of Rs.2,000 crore pending evaluation of the damages.
Mr. Naidu wrote a letter to this effect to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the latter spoke to him over telephone and assured the Chief Minister of all help from the Centre to tackle to the situation.
Three people were killed in wall collapse and uprooting of trees in Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam districts as the severe cyclonic storm, Hudhud crossed the coast near Pudimadaka in Visakhapatnam which bore the brunt of the devastation.

2. World’s biggest cave discovered in China
 Explorers have discovered the world’s largest cave by volume in China. Researchers have found that Miao Room Chamber in China is the largest in the world with a volume measured as 10.78 million cubic metres. This is approximately 10 per cent larger than Sarawak Chamber in Malaysia, the previous record holder.
However, the Malaysian cavern is still the world’s largest by surface area, with some 1.66 million square feet of expanse.
The Miao Room cave was scanned as part of a 2013 expedition co-led by Richard Walters from Penrith-based company Commendium Ltd.
The scan data was provided to engineers at Lancaster University, who used this raw data to make calculations on the area, volume and other values of the underground spaces.
In addition, engineers at Lancaster Product Development Unit were able to use its suite of additive manufacturing resources to produce a scaled model of the inside of the cave.

3. US promises $212 million in new Gaza aid
 The United States promised $212 million in immediate assistance to the devastated Gaza Strip on Sunday yet urged Palestinians and Israelis to return to peace negotiations to break a cycle of violence that has yielded three wars in six years.
People in Gaza “need our help desperately not tomorrow, not next week, but they need it now,” U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said at an international donor conference. He said more than 20,000 homes need to be rebuilt and 100,000 people remain displaced with winter fast approaching.
The Palestinians are seeking $4 billion in aid from donors at a conference in Cairo to rebuild Gaza after this summer’s 50-day war between Hamas and Israel.

4. Federer wins 4th title of year at Shanghai Masters
 Roger Federer defeated France’s Gilles Simon 7-6 (6), 7-6 (2) to capture his fourth title of the year at the Shanghai Masters on Sunday.
The Swiss star nearly exited the tournament in his opening match when he had to save five match points against Leonardo Mayer. But he rebounded from that poor start to beat No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the semifinals and then Simon for his first title in Shanghai.
It’s been a banner year for Federer despite the fact he’s fallen just short at the majors. He leads the tour in match wins (61), top-10 wins (13) and final appearances (nine). On Monday, Federer will leap past Rafael Nadal to No. 2 in the rankings for the first time in more than a year.

5. Star awarded biggest ever ICC global contract
The International Cricket Council on Sunday awarded the largest ever global broadcast contract to Star India and Star Middle East for eight years from 2015, a period that includes two World Cups, two Champions Trophy events and two World Twenty20 events.
 The announced was made after one round of meeting in London last week, and another round in Dubai on Sunday. The meetings were attended by ICC president N Srinivasan, among others.
 No figures were revealed but since the previous media rights package over the last eight years was sold to ESPN Star Sports for 1.2 billion dollars, the one from 2015-2023 was likely to fetch the ICC around 2 billion dollars, making it the largest-ever.
 The ICC said the decision followed a robust tender, bidding and evaluation process, which started in July 2014. During the process, which involved two rounds of bidding, the ICC received 17 competitive bids from various broadcasters across different territories for its audio-visual rights.
 “While the final value of the rights fee agreed will not be disclosed, it is significantly in excess of the ICC’s previous commercial deals”, the ICC said in a release.
 Included in the new eight-year period are 18 ICC tournaments, including two ICC Cricket World Cups (2019 and 2023), two ICC Champions Trophy tournaments (2017 and 2021) and two ICC World Twenty20 tournaments (2016 and 2020)

6. Third International Day of the Girl Child observed across the world
Third International Day of the Girl Child (IDGC) was observed across the world on 11 October 2014. The theme was Empowering Adolescent Girls: Ending the Cycle of Violence.
The theme of IDGC was selected in recognition of the importance of investing in and empowering girls during adolescence and preventing and eliminating the various forms of violence they experience.

7. Union Ministry of S&T launched The Maithreyi International Visiting Professorship
Union Ministry of Science & Technology launched The Maithreyi International Visiting Professorship in New Delhi. The programme will be jointly supported by Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Department of Science and Technology (DST) of the Union government.
Under the scheme, India will invite 12 leading international science scholars from across the world to visit India as Visiting Professors. Every year the visiting professors will deliver three talks, one each in a school, a college and a research institution.

8. Delhi-Agra semi-high speed train to be named Gatimaan Express
 The semi-high speed train that proposes to reduce
travelling time between Delhi and Agra to 105 minutes will be named Gatimaan Express and will have LCD TVs installed behind each seat and emergency braking system.
To be flagged off from New Delhi station next month, the train’s name has been chosen because of its capability of running at 160 km per hour speed, the maximum till date in Indian Railways, a senior Railway Ministry official said.
Equipped with comfortable seating arrangement, there will be eight-inch LCD TV screens installed behind each seat, the official said, adding there will also be automatic fire alarm with emergency braking system and passenger information system.
However, in the initial days, the passengers of Gatimaan Express will have the opportunity of watching pre-recording programmes only as the live feed will be provided later on.
The first semi-high speed service of the Railways is considered to be a boon for tourists visiting the city of Taj Mahal.

9. Harika holds Adams in Poker Masters Chess
 Grandmaster D Harika got a creditable draw against highly regarded world number 12 Michael Adams of England in the eighth and penultimate round of Poker Masters Isle of Man chess tournament here today.
Playing solidly right through, Harika did not give any chance to Adams, rated more than 200 points higher, and the Englishman continued to struggle in the tournament.
Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta however lost momentum and went down to Dutch GM Sergei Tiviakov to bow out of contention in the 18000 Pound Sterling tournament. After three successive wins, Gupta ran out of steam as he made an opening error in a French defense game and went down rather tamely.

10. Lewis Hamilton wins inaugural Russian GP
Lewis Hamilton cruised to victory in the inaugural Russian Grand Prix on Sunday, leading a 1-2 finish for Mercedes that clinched its first Formula One constructors’ title.
Nico Rosberg placed second despite having to pit early in the race but now trails his teammate by 17 points in the drivers’ standings, with three races remaining.
 1. Naidu seeks adhoc assistance of Rs. 2000 croreAndhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has urged the Centre to treat the devastation caused by severe cyclonic storm, Hudhud as a “national calamity” and requested for an adhoc assistance of Rs.2,000 crore pending evaluation of the damages.
Mr. Naidu wrote a letter to this effect to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the latter spoke to him over telephone and assured the Chief Minister of all help from the Centre to tackle to the situation.
Three people were killed in wall collapse and uprooting of trees in Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam districts as the severe cyclonic storm, Hudhud crossed the coast near Pudimadaka in Visakhapatnam which bore the brunt of the devastation.

2. World’s biggest cave discovered in China
 Explorers have discovered the world’s largest cave by volume in China. Researchers have found that Miao Room Chamber in China is the largest in the world with a volume measured as 10.78 million cubic metres. This is approximately 10 per cent larger than Sarawak Chamber in Malaysia, the previous record holder.
However, the Malaysian cavern is still the world’s largest by surface area, with some 1.66 million square feet of expanse.
The Miao Room cave was scanned as part of a 2013 expedition co-led by Richard Walters from Penrith-based company Commendium Ltd.
The scan data was provided to engineers at Lancaster University, who used this raw data to make calculations on the area, volume and other values of the underground spaces.
In addition, engineers at Lancaster Product Development Unit were able to use its suite of additive manufacturing resources to produce a scaled model of the inside of the cave.

3. US promises $212 million in new Gaza aid
 The United States promised $212 million in immediate assistance to the devastated Gaza Strip on Sunday yet urged Palestinians and Israelis to return to peace negotiations to break a cycle of violence that has yielded three wars in six years.
People in Gaza “need our help desperately not tomorrow, not next week, but they need it now,” U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said at an international donor conference. He said more than 20,000 homes need to be rebuilt and 100,000 people remain displaced with winter fast approaching.
The Palestinians are seeking $4 billion in aid from donors at a conference in Cairo to rebuild Gaza after this summer’s 50-day war between Hamas and Israel.

4. Federer wins 4th title of year at Shanghai Masters
 Roger Federer defeated France’s Gilles Simon 7-6 (6), 7-6 (2) to capture his fourth title of the year at the Shanghai Masters on Sunday.
The Swiss star nearly exited the tournament in his opening match when he had to save five match points against Leonardo Mayer. But he rebounded from that poor start to beat No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the semifinals and then Simon for his first title in Shanghai.
It’s been a banner year for Federer despite the fact he’s fallen just short at the majors. He leads the tour in match wins (61), top-10 wins (13) and final appearances (nine). On Monday, Federer will leap past Rafael Nadal to No. 2 in the rankings for the first time in more than a year.

5. Star awarded biggest ever ICC global contract
The International Cricket Council on Sunday awarded the largest ever global broadcast contract to Star India and Star Middle East for eight years from 2015, a period that includes two World Cups, two Champions Trophy events and two World Twenty20 events.
 The announced was made after one round of meeting in London last week, and another round in Dubai on Sunday. The meetings were attended by ICC president N Srinivasan, among others.
 No figures were revealed but since the previous media rights package over the last eight years was sold to ESPN Star Sports for 1.2 billion dollars, the one from 2015-2023 was likely to fetch the ICC around 2 billion dollars, making it the largest-ever.
 The ICC said the decision followed a robust tender, bidding and evaluation process, which started in July 2014. During the process, which involved two rounds of bidding, the ICC received 17 competitive bids from various broadcasters across different territories for its audio-visual rights.
 “While the final value of the rights fee agreed will not be disclosed, it is significantly in excess of the ICC’s previous commercial deals”, the ICC said in a release.
 Included in the new eight-year period are 18 ICC tournaments, including two ICC Cricket World Cups (2019 and 2023), two ICC Champions Trophy tournaments (2017 and 2021) and two ICC World Twenty20 tournaments (2016 and 2020)

6. Third International Day of the Girl Child observed across the world
Third International Day of the Girl Child (IDGC) was observed across the world on 11 October 2014. The theme was Empowering Adolescent Girls: Ending the Cycle of Violence.
The theme of IDGC was selected in recognition of the importance of investing in and empowering girls during adolescence and preventing and eliminating the various forms of violence they experience.

7. Union Ministry of S&T launched The Maithreyi International Visiting Professorship
Union Ministry of Science & Technology launched The Maithreyi International Visiting Professorship in New Delhi. The programme will be jointly supported by Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Department of Science and Technology (DST) of the Union government.
Under the scheme, India will invite 12 leading international science scholars from across the world to visit India as Visiting Professors. Every year the visiting professors will deliver three talks, one each in a school, a college and a research institution.

8. Delhi-Agra semi-high speed train to be named Gatimaan Express
 The semi-high speed train that proposes to reduce
travelling time between Delhi and Agra to 105 minutes will be named Gatimaan Express and will have LCD TVs installed behind each seat and emergency braking system.
To be flagged off from New Delhi station next month, the train’s name has been chosen because of its capability of running at 160 km per hour speed, the maximum till date in Indian Railways, a senior Railway Ministry official said.
Equipped with comfortable seating arrangement, there will be eight-inch LCD TV screens installed behind each seat, the official said, adding there will also be automatic fire alarm with emergency braking system and passenger information system.
However, in the initial days, the passengers of Gatimaan Express will have the opportunity of watching pre-recording programmes only as the live feed will be provided later on.
The first semi-high speed service of the Railways is considered to be a boon for tourists visiting the city of Taj Mahal.

9. Harika holds Adams in Poker Masters Chess
 Grandmaster D Harika got a creditable draw against highly regarded world number 12 Michael Adams of England in the eighth and penultimate round of Poker Masters Isle of Man chess tournament here today.
Playing solidly right through, Harika did not give any chance to Adams, rated more than 200 points higher, and the Englishman continued to struggle in the tournament.
Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta however lost momentum and went down to Dutch GM Sergei Tiviakov to bow out of contention in the 18000 Pound Sterling tournament. After three successive wins, Gupta ran out of steam as he made an opening error in a French defense game and went down rather tamely.

10. Lewis Hamilton wins inaugural Russian GP
Lewis Hamilton cruised to victory in the inaugural Russian Grand Prix on Sunday, leading a 1-2 finish for Mercedes that clinched its first Formula One constructors’ title.
Nico Rosberg placed second despite having to pit early in the race but now trails his teammate by 17 points in the drivers’ standings, with three races remaining.

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