Current Affairs daily Updates: 12 November 2014

1) Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis wins trust vote in assembly: The 13-day-old BJP government headed by Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday won the confidence motion in Maharashtra assembly by a voice vote, amid protests by former ally Shiv Sena. As the motion seeking vote of confidence in the BJP government moved by MLA Ashish Shelar was passed in the House where the ruling party is in minority, Shiv Sena MLAs stormed the Well seeking division of votes. "The motion has been passed," speaker Haribhau Bagade announced in the din.

2) BJP's Haribhau Bagde is the new Maharashtra Assembly Speaker: Senior BJP legislator HaribhauBagde was on Wednesday unanimously elected as the speaker of Maharashtra assembly. Bagde's name was announced by protem speaker Jiva Pandu Gavit in the newly-constituted Maharashtra legislative assembly. Bagde, the MLA from Phulambhari in Aurangabad district, was escorted to the speaker's chair by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, NCP leader Ajit Pawar, Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde and senior most legislator Ganpatrao Deshmukh of PWP.

3) Public Sector bank employees go on nation wide strike: Banking operations like cheque clearances, cash withdrawals and deposits at public sector bank branches across the country were hit on 12 November 2014 as employee unions went on a nationwide strike to press for a wage revision. Private sector banks including ICICI and HDFC, however, worked normally. Claiming the strike was a success, United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) Convener M V Murali told PTI: "The strike is a clear warning signal to the adamant IBA (Indian Banks' Association) to change its rigid approach and come forward to for a reasonable wage revision."

4) Railways allows 100% FDI in setting up of bio-toilets, laundry facility: Railways has identified toilets as one of the 17 special areas where 100 per cent foreign and private investment can bring about major investments. According to the guidelines approved by the government under its FDI policy, 100 per cent FDI can be utilised in facilities like cleaning up trains and installation of bio-toilets in passenger coaches and setting up of mechanised laundry facilities. 

5) ASEAN summit begins in Myanmar: The establishment of an economic community by the end of 2015 along with plans for its future development will be a key topic of discussion among top leaders at the ASEAN summit that began at Nay Pyi Taw, capital of Myanmar on 12 November 2014. Leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, along with other world leaders, including US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, gathered in Myanmar's capital to discuss the establishment of an economic community within the regional bloc. ASEAN, established in 1967, groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

6) PM Modi meets Myanmar pro-democracy Icon Aung San Suu Kyi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 12 Nov 2014 held a meeting with Nobel laureate and Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, in his first interaction with the pro-democracy icon. The meeting took place at the Presidential Suite at Park Royal Hotel. The Prime Minister also held a string of bilateral meetings with world leaders and participated in the 12th India-ASEAN summit. Myanmar is in the midst of a national debate on whether to allow Ms Suu Kyi, Chairperson and General Secretary of the National League for Democracy, to contest the 2015 parliamentary elections, which she is barred from at present due to a provision in the Constitution.

7) Film maker Ravi Chopra died: Filmmaker Ravi Chopra, 68, died on 12 Nov 2014 afternoon in a private South Mumbai hospital. He is best-known for directing the television series, Mahabharat, which ran from 1988 to 1990. Son of producer-director B R Chopra and nephew of Yash Chopra, Ravi started his career as a director with films such as Zameer (1975) and The Burning Train (1980).

8) Europe has made history by placing the first-ever lander on a comet: Europe has made history by placing the first-ever lander on a comet -- but the robot failed to anchor itself properly, raising concerns at ground control. The fridge-sized lab dubbed Philae touched down on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in a high-risk manoeuvre more than 510 million kilometres (320 million miles) from Earth, the European Space Agency (ESA) said on Wednesday.

9) Public Service Broadcasting Day observed on 12 November: Public Service Broadcasting Day was observed across India on 12 November 2014. The day is observed in remembrance of the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi’s visit to All India Radio studio in Delhi for the first and last time. Mahatma Gandhi on 12 November 1947 visited the studio of All India Radio to address those people (refugees from Pakistan) who were temporarily settled in Kurukshetra after partition.