Current Affairs – January, 2015

Queen Elizabeth II Now Oldest Living Monarch in World

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II is now the world’s oldest living monarch. Currently she is 88 years old.

Earlier, Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz was oldest living monarch but he died on 23 January 2015.

It should be noted that, Queen Elizabeth II is one of the eight octogenarian monarchs in the world. Others include the King of Thailand and the Emperor of Japan.

Queen Elizabeth II

• She was born on 21 April 1926.
• She acceded to the throne on 6 February 1952 after her father, King George VI died.
• In 1945, she had actively joined World War II as a driver in the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service (WATS).
• She is also the second longest reigning monarch in British history, behind her great-great grandmother Queen Victoria.
• She is Queen of 16 of the 53 member states in the Commonwealth of Nations. She is also Head of the Commonwealth and Supreme Governor of the Church of England.

RBI lifts ban on carrying 1,000, 500 bank notes to and from Nepal, Bhutan

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has lifted ban on carrying Indian bank notes of Rs 1,000 and 500 denominations to and from Nepal, Bhutan.

In this regard RBI has issued a circular that eased the restriction on export and import of bank notes of 1,000 and 500 denominations for Nepal and Bhutan.

However, RBI has put a limit of carrying such notes at Rs 25,000 per person.

Earlier in May 2000, RBI had imposed ban following the request of Union government to curb smuggling of counterfeit currency.

Implication: It will provide a great relief to workers from both nations as well as Indian tourists travelling to Nepal and Bhutan.