*CURRENT AFFAIRS (18:11:2014)

1. Phase II of the Indo-Russian
bilateral exercise "AVIA-INDRA" is
to begin at Air Force Station
Halwara (Punjab).
- The initial phase of the bilateral
air drill was held at Russia from
August 25 to September 4 this
year.
2. Michel Kafando is chosen as the
Interim President of Burkina Faso
till the national election scheduled
in November 2015.
- Earlier, President Blaise
Compaore had fled to
neighboring Ivory Coast after
massive mass protest resulted in
a military coup.
- He was in power since 1987
riding on victory in four
successive disputed elections.
- He wanted to hang on to power
by amending the constitution to
grab presidency for a fifth term -
this in turn triggered widespread
public outrage.
3. 'Boxing India' - national
governing body of the game -
readmitted into the international
fold by the International Boxing
Association.
- The body - erstwhile known as
'Indian Amateur Boxing
Federation' - was provisionally
suspended for alleged
manipulation in the election held
in December 2012.
4. Klaus Iohannis wins Romanian
Presidential election; to be the
first president with foreign
(German) origin.
- He will replace the incumbent
President Traian Basescu.
5. Turkey will play host to the next
G20 summit (2015) while the
2016 Summit hosting rights goes
to China.
- The G20 troika now consist of
Australia, Turkey and China.
- G20 troika is the three-member
steering committee comprised of
the immediate past chair
(Australia), the current chair
Turkey, and the next chair (China).
6. SAIL Chairman 'CS Verma' is
conferred on the 'IIM-JRD Tata
Award for Excellence 2014' in
Corporate leadership in
Metallurgical Industries.
- He is presented with a scroll of
honour and a cash prize of 5 lakh
rupees.
- He is the first SAIL Chairman to
bag this recognition.Some natable
awardees: Ratan Tata, Dr E
Sreedharan.