Latest Current Affairs, Current Affairs of 19th November

Paris attack mastermind Abaaoud reported killed after 7-hour siege

Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the Belgian suspected to have masterminded the 1311 terror attacks, was killed during a seven-hour siege in a northern Paris suburb on Wednesday, the Washington Post said.Around 4.15am, French police stormed an apartment in Saint-Denis where Abaaoud was believed to have holed up with several other suspects. During the raid, a young woman detonated an explosive vest while another man was reported dead. The Post cited two unnamed intelligence officials, who said forensic experts had confirmed that the man was Abaaoud.

Cabinet clears `revised' Jan Lokpal Bill

Amid protests by the BJP in the House and Congress outside the Delhi chief minister’s residence over failure of the Delhi government to table the Jan Lokpal Bill, the cabinet cleared it hurriedly on Wednesday.It is not yet clear whether the Bill will be tabled in the assembly in the current winter session or not.The government claims this bill is a revised version of the 2014 Jan Lokpal Bill draft that emerged out of the Anna Hazare movement.

Tumour removed without a cut

Doctors at a Delhi hospital have successfully removed cancerous pancreas from a 40-year-old woman without an open surgery . They used robotic arms to detach the diseased organ and drew it out through the vagina.It is a major achievement as laparoscopic surgery for the removal of pancreas--surgeons call it `tiger's territory' due to the complexities involved--is rarely done in India.Even abroad, only a few centres use the `Whipple procedure' or minimally invasive surgery for the removal of pancreatic cancer, and fewer still do it with robots. The successful operation at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital is being seen as a breakthrough, therefore.

Union Cabinet gives nod to Tripartite Agreement of IBSA Fund for the Alleviation of Poverty and Hunger

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval for signing of the Tripartite Agreement on the IBSA Fund for the Alleviation of Poverty and Hunger. The IBSA fund for the Alleviation of Poverty and Hunger was set up in 2004 by three member countries India, Brazil and South Africa for South-South cooperation.

Union Cabinet approves setting up of NARF at Genome Valley in Hyderabad

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved setting up of a National Resource Facility for Bio-medical Research (NARF) at Genome Valley in Hyderabad, Telangana. NARF will be set up by the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) and the proposal in this regard was forwarded by the Department of Health Research of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

CCEA approves 10% disinvestment in Coal India Ltd

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved 10 per cent disinvestment in Coal India Limited (CIL). Decision in this regard, was taken by CCEA meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. Presently, Union Government holds around 79.65 per cent stake in CIL.