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INTERNATIONAL
Palestinian Authority to be Named State of Palestine On 7 January Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has signed a decree changing the name of the Palestinian Authority to the State of Palestine," according to the organizations official news agency. Pakistani Supreme Court Orders Arrest of Prime Minister On 15 January 2013 Pakistans Supreme Court ordered the arrest of the prime minister in connection with a corruption case linked to power projects. The Supreme Court gave authorities 24 hours to arrest Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and 16 others.This is the first in the history of Pakistan to arrest a Prime Minister. The orders of the Court came following the allegations in connection with a corruption case linked to power projects, done during his office of the Water and Power Minister. Obama Signed 23 Executive Orders on Gun Safety On 16 January President Barack Obama announced 23 executive actions on gun control laws, making them stricter,which would come into effect immediately after his signatures. One of these measures include requiring the target shooters to keep their guns locked and also to ban military-style assault weapons, high capacity magazine as well as to make the background check mandatory.Obama announced that this was his attempt to keep children safe, keeping in view the massacre of Newtown where 20 first grade children along with six adults were killed. 140 Nations Agreed On Global Mercury Limits On 19 January , More than 140 nations have agreed on the first legally binding treaty to curb mercury pollution.Delegates at UN discussed in Geneva approved measures to control the use of the highly toxic metal, which is widely used in chemical production and small-scale mining, in order to limit mercury emissions.The governments agreed to ban the production, export and import of a range of products containing mercury by 2020.The treaty has been discussed for four years, but it is only now that the negotiators agreed over the final version of the document. The treaty, known as the Minamata Convention on Mercury, provides controls and reductions across a range of products and processes where mercury is used, released and emitted. Milos Zeman Elected as Czech Republic new President On 25 January A leftist candidate Milos Zeman won the Czech Republics first p residential election decided by direct vote.Milos Zeman, a former prime minister and head of the Citizens Rights Party, won with 54.8% of the vote.He defeated Karel Schwarzenberg, an aristocratic foreign minister with the TOP09 party, who garnered 45.2%.Zeman replaces Vaclav Klaus, who must step down after serving the maximum of two terms.
World Economic Forums Global Risks Report According to the World Economic Forum (WEF) report , India ranks lowest among the worlds major economies for its preparedness to tackle global environmental risks and second-lowest for economic risks.Switzerland is best placed among the worlds 10 major economies for adapting to or recovering from global economic and environmental risks.While India is ranked 9th in terms of its ability to tackle global economic risks, it comes last at 10th position for environmental risks.However, India fared relatively better at 6th position in terms of the governments risk management effectiveness.The US and China were ranked fourth and fifth respectively. Indians Top the List of Working in Dream Jobs According to survey conducted by networking website LinkedIn,Indians have emerged at the top of the list of people working in their dream job.The dream job league table:1. India 44 percent 2. Indonesia 42 percent 3. United Arab Emirates 35.7 percent 4. Germany 33 percent 5. Brazil 32 percent 6. Austria 31 percent 7. Switzerland 30 percent 8. USA 29 percent 9. France, Canada, Sweden, South Africa 28 percent 13. Singapore, Hong Kong 27 percent 15. Australia 26 percent 16. New Zealand 25 percent 17. UK 21 percent India Vietnam Signed on Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises On 15 January India and Vietnam signed an MoU aimed at building capacity for developing institutional framework and identifying thrust areas and opportunities for micro, small and medium enterprises in this country.The MoU was signed here between the Ministry of Planning and Investments of Vietnam and Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) of India . India and Sri Lanka signed Anti-terror, Tax evasion Agreements On 22nd January India and Sri Lanka signed two separate agreements on combating international terrorism and avoidance of double taxation, eyeing elevation of robust bilateral ties to building of a special economic partnership.The two key accords were signed after the 8th India-Sri Lanka Joint Commission meeting held at New Delhi , both countries discussed enhanced cooperation in a range of areas including civil nuclear energy.At the meeting, the Indian side was led by External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid while the Lankans were led by his counterpart G.L. Peiris.During the meet, both the parties also decided setting up of the Special Economic Zone at Trincomali and a textile and pharmaceutical cluster in Sri Lanka. International Tea Producers Forum formed On 22 January India, along with five other tea producing countries, has formed the International Tea Producers Forum (ITPF) at Colombo.Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry D Purandesari signed the joint communique on behalf of India along with representatives of Kenya, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Rwanda and Malawi in Colombo.The ITPF will initially be an independent body but in future may get affiliated to Food & Agriculture Organisation of United Nations. India , Bangladesh Signed Extradition and Visa Agreements On 28 January Bangladesh and India signed an extradition treaty and struck a deal to relax business visa restrictions between the neighbouring countries. However, refusal provisions were incorporated into the extradition treaty.Home minister Sushilkumar Shinde signed the agreement with his Bangladeshi counterpart Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir at the end of their bilateral talks. India Dropped to 140th Rank in Press Freedom According to the report Reporters Without Borders India has dropped nine places to the 140th rank in the list of 179 countries in the latest World Press Freedom Index.China (173rd, +1) shows no sign of improving. Its prisons still hold many journalists and netizens, while increasingly unpopular Internet censorship continues to be a major obstacle to access information.As last year, the list is topped by three European countries Finland, Netherlands and Norway.Turkmenistan, North Korea and Eritrea continue to be at the bottom of the list as has been in the last three years.
NATIONAL
Govt Launched Direct Cash Transfer Scheme in 20 Districts
On 1 January 2013 The government launched its scaled down Cash Transfer Benefit (CBT) in 20 districts,but food, fertiliser and fuel subsidies will not be covered in the initial phase. All 26 schemes are ready for rollout. On 1 January 2013 the seven schemes in which payout is due in the (20 selected) districts, the money will be transferred through the direct benefit transfer system using the UIDAI platform.The scheme is going to be rolled out in 43 districts by 1 March 2013, 20 districts from January 1, 11 districts from February 1 and 12 districts from March 1. By end of 2013, the direct cash benefit transfer will be rolled out in all the districts of the country. PA Sangma launched National Peoples Party PA Sangma, who broke away with the NCP in 2012 to contest the presidential elections, though unsuccessfully, on 05 January 2013 launched National Peoples Party (NPP), and chosen a book as its symbol. Sangma has chosen to align his p arty with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). President Released Stamps on Swami Vivekananda On 12 January The President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee released the Commemorative Postage Stamps, at the Commemoration of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, in New Delhi . Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2012 On 17 January According to the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2012 report has found that learning levels have dipped to an all-time low. So, almost half the 6-7 year-olds (Class I) in India cannot read even one letter in any language, over 57% cannot read any English while almost 40% cannot recognize numbers between 1 and 9.The 12.8% children between Class I and V could not read a single letter while 10.7% could not recognize numbers 1 to 9. The number of children in Class V who could read Class II text fell from 53.7% in 2010 to 46.8% in 2012. In 2010, seven out of 10 children could solve a two-digit subtraction problem with borrowing. This has come down to five out of 10 in 2012.
STATES
Odisha Launched Public Service Delivery System On 2 January The Odisha government launched the much-sought after Public Service Delivery System for citizens under the Odisha Right to Public Service Act, 2012.Under the new act, people will get services like issue of driving license, birth and death certificates, passport and trade license within a stipulated time.Odisha is among the 12th state to implement the law. Haryana Government announced Kanyadan Scheme for Bride participants of Mass Marriages The Government of Haryana on 3 January 2012 announced its plan of launching a Kanyadan Scheme in the state for brides participating in the mass marriage ceremony, which would be organised by any of the registered NGO or the Red Cross Society. The scheme would carry an incentive amount of 11000 rupees and would come into effect from 1 April 2012. The incentive amount of 11000 rupees would be given to brides from all castes, creeds, race, religion and the income category to which the girl belongs. Arunachal Pradesh Collaborated with NSDL for Adoption of National Pension Scheme On 9 January The state of Arunachal Pradesh entered into an agreement with signing of MoU with National Securities Depository Ltd (NSDL), permitting it to work as a Central Record Keeping Agency (CRA) for adoption of the National Pension System (NPS).National Pension Scheme NPS is an initiative of the Union Government of India and Arunachal Pradesh is the 26th State to adopt it. Gujarat Tops List of Indian States on Economic Freedom Policy According to the Economic Freedom of States in India report which was released by former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor and present Rajya Sabha Member Bimal Jalan.The top state in India in (terms of) economic freedom in 2011 was western Indian state Gujarat. It displaced southern Indian state Tamil Nadu which had been at the top in 2009.Gujarat freedom index has been rising fast and estimated at 0.64 points. The biggest improvement has been registered by Madhya Pradesh with freedom index score rose from 0.42 in 2009 to 0.56 in 2011 enabling it to move up from sixth to third position.
Assembly polls in Tripura,Meghalaya and Nagaland on Febrauary Assembly elections in Tripura will be held on February 14 and in Meghalaya and Nagaland on February 23 and their results will be out on February 28, the Election Commission announced on 10 January 2013.The EC also announced byelections to nine assembly constituencies in Mizoram, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Punjab on February 23 and in Assam, Bihar and Maharashtra on February 24, but their results will be out together on February 28. Presidents Rule Imposed on Jharkhand On 18 January Pranab Mukherjee, the President of India imposed Presidents Rule in Jharkhand under Article 356(1 ) of the Constitution.The Presidents Rule for the third time since its formation 12 years ago.The decision came as a follow up of the recommendation made by the Union Cabinet of India and fall of the state machinery in form of Government on 8 January after the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha the supporting party to BJP led Coalition Government withdrew its support from it. The state was placed under Presidents Rule in 2009 and 2010. Three New High Courts for North East The Centre has constituted three new High Courts in the northeast Meghalaya, Manipur and Tripura taking the total number of High Courts in the country from 21 to 24.According to Law Ministry sources, the strength of judges in each High Court will be as follows: Tripura 4 (including the Chief Justice), and Meghalaya and Manipur: three each (including the Chief Justice).
CONFERENCES
100th Indian Science Congress held in Kolkata The 100th Indian Science Congress was held from 3 to 7 January in Kolkata (West Bengal) .The theme of the session is Science for Shaping the Future of India .The session was inaugurated by Pranab Mukherjee the President of India .In the session Prime Minister Manmohan Singh released The Science, Technology and Innovation Policy(STI) 2013 .On 4 January Former President Dr. A.P.J.Abdul Kalam inaugurated a Children Science Congress as part of the 100th Indian Science Congress .The 100th Indian Science Congress (ISC 2013) is also organized a special programme Women empowerment for the development of the country to showcase the contribution of women in science and technology.This is the 13th time the Indian Science Congress is being hosted by Kolkata 11th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas held in Kochi 11th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) was held from 7- 9 January at Kochi (Kerala).Mauritius President Rajkeswur Purryag was the chief guest of this official inaugural session.2000 delegates from 40 countries attended the convention.The theme for this years Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is Engaging Diaspora the Indian Growth Story.On 7th January in the event they discussed on problems that people from Kerala face in the region.Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will inaugurated the annual flagship event and released the postage stamp on Ghadar Movement on 8 January and President Pranab Mukherjee will delivered the valedictory address on January 9 and also presented the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman awards.Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PBD) is celebrated on January 9 every year to mark the contribution of overseas Indian community in the development of India.The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, the first of its kind involving the Indian Diaspora, was held in 2003 at New Delhi. Fourth Meeting of ASEAN and India Tourism Ministers held in Vientiane The Fourth meeting of ASEAN and India Tourism Minister (4th M-ATM+ India) was held in Vientiane, Lao PDR from 21 to January in conjunction with the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2013 (ATF2013).The Meeting was jointly co-chaired by H.E. Prof. Dr. Bosengkham Vongdara, Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Lao PDR, and H.E. Dr. K. Chiranjeevi, Minister for Tourism, Government of India.In the meeting Both the Ministers have signed the Protocol to amend the Memorandum of Understanding between ASEAN and India on Strengthening Tourism Cooperation. World Economic Forum Summit Held in Davos The 43rd World Economic Forum Annual Meeting held from 23 27 January at Davos-Klosters in Switzerland.The annual forum, which has been running for over 40 years, provides a platform for decision-makers in politics, non-governmental organisations and businesses to gather and to exchange views on the worlds most pressing problems.The World Economic Forum (WEF) unites international political leaders, business leaders and journalists from across the globe to discussed and
shape global, regional and industrial agendas with regards to economics, health and the environment.The WEF was founded in 1971 as a non-profit organization by the German Klaus Schwab, a business professor at the University of Geneva.
Best Musical or Comedy -: Les Miserables Best Foreign Language Film : Amour Best Animated Feature Film -: Brave Krishi Karman Awards 2011- 2012 On 15 January President Pranab Mukherjee presented the Krishi Karman awards for the year 2011-12 at an award ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The awards were presented to the State Governments for their excellent performance in increasing the production of food grains in their respective states. Awards in Different Segments :- The Awards for Special Contribution to Total Food Grains Production - Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Manipur and Nagaland - Award for Contribution to Production and Productivity of Rice Bihar - Award for Contribution to Production and Productivity of Wheat - Haryana - Award for Contribution to Production and Productivity of Pulses - Jharkhand - Award for Contribution to Production and Productivity of Coarse Cereals Uttar Pradesh 58th Filmfare Awards The 58th Filmfare Awards were held honoring the best films of 2012 from the Hindi-language film industry (commonly known as Bollywood). The ceremony was held on January 20, 2013 at Mumbai. Best Movie :- Barfi!
Best Actor :- Ranbir Kapoor (Film -Barfi!) Best Actress :- Vidya Balan (Film Kahaani ) Best Director :- Sujoy Ghosh (Film Kahaani ) Lifetime Achievement Award :- Yash Chopra (After Death) Prof C N R Rao awarded by Chinese Academy of Sciences The Chinese Academy of Sciences was awarded Prof C N R Rao, National Research Professor and Honorary President of Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCAR), the prestigious International Scientific Co operation Award 2012. The award is designed to acknowledge outstanding scientists for their contribution to science and for promoting global networking of international science cooperation. Padma Awards 2013 President of India Approved the Conferment of 108 Padma Awards On 25 January Pranab Mukherjee, the President of Union of India approved conferment of 108 Padma Awards. Four people have been conferred with Padma Vibhusan, twenty four are conferred with Padma Bhushan and 80 people would be receiving Padma Shree Awards. Out of all the awardees twenty-four are ladies and 11 people belong to categories like NRIs, PIOs, Foreigners and Posthumous awardees. Padma Vibhushan Raghunath Mohapatra, Art, Orissa
S Haider Raza, Art, Delhi Prof Yash Pal, Science and Engineering, Uttar Pradesh Prof Roddam Narasimha, Science and Engineering, Karnataka Padma Bhushan Sharmila Tagore, Art, Delhi Dr (Smt) Saroja Vaidyanathan, Art, Delhi Late Rajesh Khanna, Art, Maharashtra Late Jaspal Singh Bhatti, Art, Punjab Adi Burjor Godrej, Trade and Industry, Maharashtra Prof Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Literature & Education USA Rahul Dravid, Sports, Karnataka H Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom, Sports, Manipur Padma Shri Hosanagara Nagarajegowda Girisha, Sports, Karnataka , Subedar Major Vijay Kumar, Sports, Himachal Pradesh Yogeshwar Dutt, Sports, Haryana B Jayashree, Art, Karnataka Sridevi Kapoor, Art, Maharashtra Ramesh Gopaldas Sippy, Art, Maharashtra 359 Gallantry and Other Defence Decorations Announced On 26 January President Pranab Mukherjee has approved awards of 359 Gallantry and other Defence decorations to Armed Forces personnel and others on the eve of the 64th Republic Day Celebrations .This includes 01 Kirti Chakra, 11 Shaurya Chakra, 56 Sena Medal (Gallantry), 01 Bar to Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry), 03 Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry), 03 Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry), 28 Param Vishisht Seva Medal, 03 Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, 06 Bar to Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, 44 Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, 12 Yudh Seva Medal, 02 Bar to Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty), 37 Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty), 01 Bar to Nao Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty), 07 Nao Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty), 14 Vayu Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty), 04 Bar to Vishisht Seva Medal and 116 Vishisht Seva Medal..Major Abup J Manjali of the Rashtriya Rifles was selected for the award of Kirti Chakra for his extraordinary bravery efforts in counter- terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir. Taiwan Business Magnate Launched Tang Prize (Asian Noble Prize) On 28 January Samuel Yin , A business magnate tycoon from Taiwan has launched the Tang Prize(Asian Noble prize) for outstanding achievements in natural and social sciences.He announced that he would establish Tang Prize Foundation which would have an initial donation of 103 million dollar.Tang Prize Foundation was decided that the prizes under the Tang Prize Foundation will be awarded every alternate year to the international leaders in sustainable development, biopharmaceutical science, the rule of law as well as the study of China.
National Table Tennis Championship Winners On 11 January Soumyajit Ghosh became the youngest national champion after he defeated six-time winner Achanta Sharath Kamal in the summit clash of the 74th National Table Tennis Championship mens singles final at Raipur.Shamini Kumaresan won the womens singles title.Sourav Chakraborty and Ganeshan Sathiyan won the doubles title.In the Women doubles category K. Spoorthy and Nikhat Banu (AP) defeated Madhurika Patkar and Pooja Sahasrabudhe in the final and got the title. Haryana girls retain U-20 hockey title Haryana defeated Uttar Pradesh 1-0 to retain their under-20 women hockey national championship at the Gachibowli Stadium on 16 January 2013. Kerala won 61st National Volleyball Championship Title On 16 January Kerala defeated Tamilnadu to retain the mens title in the 61st Senior National Volleyball Championship at the Sawai Man Singh Indoor Stadium in Jaipur.In the womens section, Railways defeated Kerala and won the title in the final. Malaysian Open Badminton Championship Winners Mens Singles: Lee Chong Wei (Indonesia) won the Mens singles title after defeated Sony Dwi Kuncoro in the final at Kuala Lumpur on 20 January. Mens Doubles: Mohd Ahsan (Indonesia) -Hendra Setiawan (China) defeated Ko Sung-hyun-Lee Yong-dae (Malaysia) in the final. Womens Singles: Tai Tzu-ying (Thailand) won the womens singles title after defeated Yao Xue (Korea) Womens Doubles: In the event Bao Yixin-Tian Qing (China) won the title after defeated Misaki Matsutomo-Ayaka Takahashi (Japan) Lalith Babu takes top honours Lalith Babu defeated Swapnil Dhopade in the final round to clinch the Chennai Super Kings International Grandmaster chess tournament that concluded at the Nehru Stadium in Chennai on 23 January 2013.Lalith Babu won Rs.200,000 and the trophy after becoming the first Indian player to claim the Chennai Open Australian Open Tennis Tournament 2013 Winners Womens Singles :- Victoria Azarenka of Belarus won the Womens Singles title of the Australian Open Tennis tournament after defeated Li Na of China in the final at Melbourne on 26 January . Mens Singles:- Novak Djokovic (Serbia) has won the mens singles title after defeating Andy Murray (Britain) in four sets. This is Djokovics fourth Australian Open and over all six Grand Slam singl e title. Womens Doubles:- Top seeds Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci won the title, defeating wild cards Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua in the final. Mens Doubles : Top seeded American brothers Bob and Mike Bryan won the mens doubles title. Americans Mike and Bob Bryan won their record 13th Grand Slam doubles title, defeating the Dutch team of Robin Haase and Igor Sijsling . Magnus Carlsen Won Tata Steel Chess Championship Magnus Carlsen won Tata Steel 2013 Chess tournament title in the final at Netherlands on 27 January .In the final round tournament, he scored 10 points , winning clear first ahead of second-place finisher Aronian (Armenia).World champion Viswanathan Anand at third position. Mumbai won 40th Ranji Trophy Title On 29 January Mumbai won its 40th Ranji Trophy title against Saurashtra by an inning and 125 runs in the final at Wankhede at Mumbai .Wasim Jaffar was declared Man of the Match. Ajit Agarkar was the captain of the winning team.
ECONOMY
Philippines introduced sin tax A sin tax on cigarettes and alcohol was introduced in the Philippines on 01 January 2013, as part of a government bid to boost finances.Many stores started selling tobacco and drink at inflated prices before midnight , ahead of the official implementation of the tax hikes on January 01, hitting partygoers in the pocket.Tax on cigarettes will gradually be raised to 30 pesos ($0.72) per pack by 2017, roughly doubling the current price to around 52 pesos.Duty on alcohol will also increase gradually until 2017, increasing the price of a bottle of beer by 23.50 pesos, with varying levels for other drinks including wine and spirits. LIC Launched New Jeewan Nidhi & Flexi Plus Policies The Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India launched two new Insurence policies New Jeevan Nidhi, a pension scheme, and Flexi Plus on 3 January .New Jeewan Nidhi provides the facility of insurance coverage of full amount while the insured person keeps depositing premiums.The Flexi policy is a unit linked insurance product. The plan not only provides a lump sum benefit on death but also maturity benefit irrespective of survival of the policy holder Mukesh Ambani 18th richest man in world Indian business magnate Mukesh Ambani is the 18th richest person in the world with a personal wealth of $24.7 billion in 2012, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, a daily ranking of the worlds 100 wealthiest individuals. Mexican telecommunications magnate Carlos Slim remained the worlds richest person last year holding a personal fortune of more than $70 billion.Microsoft founder Bill Gates and the founder of fashion retailer Zara, Amancio Ortega, got a second and third places respectively. Indian Companies Top Globally in R&D Investment According to the European Commission report Indian companies have come on the top globally when it comes to growth in their research and development (R&D) investments, leaving their counterparts in the US and Europe far behind.Indian firms rank far below when it comes to absolute R&D investments made by them and the top-ranked company from the country.These are the only 14 Indian companies present in a list of top-1500 entities worldwide in terms of their annual R&D investments.The top-ranked Indian company is Infosys at 329th place and Japanese company Toyota Motor appears at the top of the ranking in the 2012 Scoreboard. IMF forecasted Indian Economic Growth Rate to be 5.9 percent in 2013 The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on 23 January 2013 pegged Indias economic growth rate in 2013 at 5.9 per cent and projected a higher growth of 6.4 per cent next year in line with the gradual strengthening of global expansion. World Banks Global Economic Prospects 2013 Report According to the World Bank Global Economic Prospects 2013 report , Indias growth is expec ted to inch closer to that of China in near future, in which the economies of developing countries like India, China and Brazil are projected to be recovering and higher growth rate.The World Bank expects that by 2015, the growth rate of China would be 7.9% and that of India 7%.While the growth of the world economy growth is projected to inch up from 2.3% in 2012 to 2.4% in 2013, with the highincome countries remaining at the same level of growth of 1.3% in both 2012 and 2013, it is the emerging markets like India, China and Brazil that would show significant signs of recovery.They are expecting a recovery in India from 5.1% growth in 2012 to 6.1% growth in 2013. India 119th on Economic Freedom Index According to the Heritage Foundation 2013 Index of Economic Freedom survey report , India has been ranked as the 119th freest country in the world and Indias economic freedom score stood at 55.2, as its institutional shortcomings continue to undermine the foundations for long-term economic development.The top ten countries in the list include Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Switzarland, canada, Chili, Mauritius, Denmark and US. India second in steel production globally
India is second only to China in terms of steel production. In the last 5 years Indias production grew by 33 percent, thus making it behind China among the top 5 steel producing nation. World Steel Association (WSA) data has revealed that Chinas production grew by 39 per cent during 2008-2012, Indias by 33 percent and Indias production grew constantly in the last five years from 57.8 MT in 2008 to 63.5 MT in 2009, 69 MT in 2010, 73.6 MT in 2011 and 76.7 MT in 2012 RBI cuts CRR, Repo Rates On 29 January The Reserve Bank of India slashed its key interest rates by 0.25 per cent and released 18000 crore rupees additional liquidity into the system to perk up growth through reduced cost of borrowing. RBI in its third quarter monetary policy review surprised the market by cutting short-term lending rate called repo, by 0.25 per cent to 7.75 per cent and Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) by similar margin to 4 per cent.
17 billion Earth-sized planets in Milky Way The Milky Way contains at least 17 billion planets the size of Earth.Astronomers using NASAs Kepler spacecraft found that about 17 percent of stars in our galaxy have a planet about the size of Earth in a close orbit.The Milky Way is known to host about 100 billion stars, meaning that about one of every six has an Earth-sized planet around it. Brahmos cruise missile test fired in successfully Supersonic cruise missile BrahMos scored once again in its 34th launch on 09 January 2013 off Visakhapatnam in the Bay of Bengal, hitting a decommissioned vessel with accuracy.As it took off vertically from a naval warship, reached an altitude of 14 km, levelled out and started cruising at three times the speed of sound, it performed a double manoeuvre in S -form and hit the decommissioned ship, about 290 km away. Astronomers Found NGC 6872 Largest known Spiral Galaxy A team of astronomers from the United States, Chile and Brazil has crowned it the largest-known spiral galaxy, a spectacular behemoth five times bigger than our own Milky Way, based on archival data from NASAs Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) mission.The title-holder is now NGC 6872, a barred spiral found 212 million light-years away in the southern constellation Pavo. The distance between NGC 6872s two huge spiral arms is 522,000 light -years, compared to about 100,000 light-years for the Milky Way. Indian Scientists Discovered Molecule for Cancer Treatment A team of Indian researchers, led by Dr Sathees C Raghavan of the Indian Institute of Science at Bangalore, have identified a molecule which they claim will revolutionise the cure for cancer.The molecule has been named aft er Sathees as SCR7 and a detailed account of it has been carried in the international scientific journal Cell".Scientists world over believe that th e double strand break (DSB) of DNA is one of the most lethal form of DNA damage, resulting in drastic consequences such as genome instability, and cancer. Largest Space structure in the Universe:Large Quasar Group An international team lead by astronomer Roger Clowes of the University of Central Lancashire in England discovered the largest known structure in the universe, a clump of active galactic cores that stretches 4 billion light-years from end to end.This is the largest Space structure in the Universe.This structure is known as a Large Quasar Group(LQG). Indian Scientists Discovered Molecule for Cancer Treatment A team of Indian researchers, led by Dr Sathees C Raghavan of the Indian Institute of Science at Bangalore, have identified a molecule which they claim will revolutionise the cure for cancer.The molecule has been named after Sathees as SCR7 and a detailed account of it has been carried in the international scientific journal Cell".Scientists world over believe that the double strand break (DSB) of DNA is one of the most lethal form of DNA damage, resulting in drastic consequences such as genome instability, and cancer. Worlds First Global Renewable Energy Atlas Launched On 13 January Abu Dhabi-based International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) launched the worlds first clean energy atlas at IRENAS General Assembly , currently offers open -access information on solar and wind power throughout the world and the creators plan to expand to other renewable energy resources over the next two years.The atlas includes information on clean energy resources in 37 countries, including those which have no diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates.The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is working in partnership with the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21) to build a qualitative and quantitative data framework for renewable energy in developing countries. Ancient River Found on Mars On 17 January The European Space Agency scientists have revealed a 1500 km long and 7 kilometre wide river that once ran across Mars.The images which were captured by the ESAs Mars Express showed Reull Vallis, the river -like structure, which is believed to have formed when water ran from the surface of Mars in distant past. The structure which surprised the astronomers stretches for around 900 miles or 1500 km across the Martian surface and also shows various tributaries. These structures, it is believed, were formed somewhere around 3.5 billion years ago. India Increased Rafale Fighter Jets Order
India could buy up to 189 of the Rafale fighter jets currently being used by France to bomb Islamist militants in Mali, sources close to negotiations on the multi-billion dollar deal .The possibility of an additional 63 jets being added to an expected order for 126 was raised by India .The Indian press has estimated the value of the deal for 126 Rafales at $12 billion (nine billion euros).A 50 per cent increase in the number of planes ordered would take it to around $18 billion, in a huge boost for the French defence industry. Japan to replace Fukushima plant with worlds largest wind farm In the wake of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, Japan had decided to build the worlds largest offshore wi nd farm to replace the crippled nuke plant.The country plans to build a total of 143 wind turbines on platforms 16 kilometres off the coast of Fukushima by 2020, which is home to the stricken Daiichi nuclear reactor that hit the headlines in March 2011 when it was damaged by a severe earthquake and tsunami.The wind farm will generate 1 gigawatt of power once completed, and is part of a national plan to increase renewable energy resources following the post-tsunami shutdown of the countrys 54 nuclear reactors.The wind farm will surpass the 504 megawatts generated by the 140 turbines at the Greater Gabbard farm off the coast of Suffolk, UK currently the worlds largest farm. India, US finalise Rs 3,000 crore deal for jet engines India and the US have finalised a Rs 3000-crore deal for supplying 99 jet engines to be used in the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas being developed by the DRDO.Around two years ago, India had selected the American company General Electric over its rival European Eurojet 2000 for the LCA Mark II programme expected to be ready around 2014-15.The deal worth Rs 3,000 crore has been finalised with the US for procuring 99 engines for the LCA Tejas MkII.As per the contract, the order could be for 99 engines initially but India will have the option of ordering another 100 engines in the future. INS Saryu Inducted into Indian Navy On 21 January Air Marshal PK Roy, Commander-in-Chief, Andaman and Nicobar Command, commissioned INS Saryu into the Indian Navy at Goa .INS Saryu is the lead ship of the indigenous Naval Offshore Patrol Vessel (NOPV) Project designed and built by Goa Shipyard Limited, the ship aptly demonstrates the immense potential of the countrys indigenous designing and ship building capabilities.Capable of carrying a helicopter (ALH) onboard, the ships weapon and sensor outfit includes a SRGM 76.2 mm gun with an electro-optic fire control system, two 30mm guns as close in weapon systems, latest navigational and early warning radars, chaff launchers for self protection and an integrated ESM system to undertake all assigned missions. MIT researchers Created Moisture Powered Polymer MIT ( Massachusetts Institute of Technology ) researchers have created a new polymer film that can generate electricity by drawing on a ubiquitous source: water vapor.The new material changes its shape after absorbing tiny amounts of evaporated water, allowing it to repeatedly curl up and down. Harnessing this continuous motion could drive robotic limbs or generate enough electricity to power micro- and nanoelectronic devices, such as environmental sensors. India Sucessfully Test Fired K-5 Ballistic Missile On 27 January India successfully test fired medium range K-5 ballistic missile ,with a strike range of around 1500 kilometres, from an underwater platform in Bay of Bengal.K-5 is part of the family of underwater missiles being developed by Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) for the Indian strategic forces underwater platforms. Iran successfully sent monkey into space Iran on 28 January 2013 announced that it had successfully send a monkey to the space.It also declared that the monkey come back to the Earth successfully.The rocket called Pishgam (meaning Pioneer) reached at a height of 120 km (75 miles) for a sub-orbital flight before returning its shipment intact. The first country to launch the primate into space was US.
PERSONS IN NEWS
A) APPOINTMENTS
Asif Ibrahim appointed as chief Intelligence Bureau
Indian Police Service officer SA Ibrahim appointed as chief of the Intelligence Bureau on 01 January 2013 and he becoming the first from the countrys main minority community(Muslim Community) to hold the post. Ibrahim, an IPS officer of the Madhy a Pradesh cadre, has taken over as from Nehchal Sandhu who retired December 31. He will hold the post for two years. Urjit Patel appointed as RBI deputy governor On 02 January 2013 Urjit Patel, a consultant at Boston Consulting Group, had been appointed a deputy governor at the Reserve Bank of India, succeeding Subir Gokarn who was aiding the governor in shaping the monetary policy. YV Reddy to head 14th Finance Commission On 02 January 2013 former RBI governor YV Reddy was appointed chairman of the 14th finance commission to suggest principles of sharing of revenues between the Centre and the states and insulate pricing of public utilities like electricity, water and public transport from policy fluctuations. Ami Bera and Tulsi Gabbard Sworn In As US Lawmakers On 4 January Indian American physician from California, Ami Bera, and the young Iraq war veteran from Hawaii, Tulsi Gabbard, created history after being sworn in as new members of the US House of Representatives.Bera is only the third Indian American have ever been elected to the House of Representatives.Tulsi Gabbard is the first Hindu ever to won the Congressional election. Malalas Father Appointed as Education Attache in Birmingham On 3 January Malalas father Ziauddin Yousafzai has been appointed as the education attache at the Pakistan consulate in Birmingham, England.The job is believed to be for up to three years. Indian American Srinivasan re-nominated as Federal Judge On 4 January Srikanth Srinivasan a brilliant Indian American legal mind has been re-nominated by US President Barack Obama to serve as Federal Judge for the District of Columbia Circuit.In June 2012 he was nominated by Obama to serve on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Justice D K Jain appointed new Law Commission chief The Union Cabinet of India on 7 January 2013 appointed Justice D K Jain as Chairman of 20th Law Commission of India. He gives advice to the government on complex legal issues. Justice Jain, 64, will take over as the chief of the law panel on January 24 after retiring from the Supreme Court on the same day. John Brennan as a CIA director U.S. President Barack Obama announced on )7 January 2013 John Brennan wasnominated as director of the American Intelligence Agency(CIA) and Chuck Hagel as a Defense secretary. John Brennan played a key role in encounter the Osama Bin Laden. Indian-origin politician to be Singapores first woman speaker Indian-origin politician Halimah Yacob elected as the first woman Speaker of Singapores Parliament on 08 Janauary 2013.She take charges from 14 January 2013.Halimah, a former labour lawyer, is a member of Parliament from the ruling Peoples Action Party (PAP). Kulwant Singh Gill Took charge as new Commandant of NDA On 8 January Air Marshal Kulwant Singh Gill took charge as the new commandant of the National Defence Academy (NDA) at Khadakwasla, Pune.The NDA provides three-year training in defence and academics to its cadets before they move on to their respective officers training academies for another one-year course and get commissioned into the armed forces. R.K. Dubey Took Charge as Canara Banks new CMD
On 11 January R.K. Dubey has assumed charge as the Chairman and Managing Director of Canara Bank .Mr. Dubey was previously worked as a Punjab National Bank General Manager in 2008 and was appointed as Executive Director of Central Bank of India in 2010. Rajkumar Goyal Took Charge as Central Bank of India new ED On 11 January Rajkumar Goyal has took charge as Executive Director (ED) of Central Bank of India (CBI).He was previously with the bank of India as the General Manager of Human Resources Department Obama nominated Jack Lew as new Treasury Chief On 11 January President Barack Obama nominated his chief of staff, Jack Lew, to become the next Treasury secretary and succeed Timothy Geithner.Last year, Lew was named Obamas chief of staff, and before that he had served as the White House budget director. First Gujarati in UK cabinet Lord Dolar Popat has appointed a minister in the UK cabinet .He become the first Gujarati taking his place in the UK cabinet .Popat was appointed minister for business, innovation & skills and transport. Mohan Pieris assumes duties as 44th Chief Justice of Sri Lanka On 15 January 2013 ,Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa appointed his cabinets legal advisor as the countrys new Chief Justice to succeed Shirani Bandaranayake. Rajapaksa sworn in new Chief Justice Mohan Peiris to replace Sri Lankas first woman chief justice who was impeached by the parliament in a controversial move.Peiris, a British qualified solicitor who retired in 2011 as the Attorney General was serving as the legal advisor to the Cabinet. Ved Prakash is UGC chairman Ved Prakash, serving as acting chairman of the University Grants Commission, had been appointed as its chairman on 18 January 2013.The chairmans post remained vacant ever since S. Thorat retired in February 2011. Since then Mr. Prakash had been the acting chairman. Obama Sworn in as the US President for Second Term On 20 January US President Barack Obama Barack Obama was sworn in as the President of the country for a second fouryear term.Obama as the 44th president of the United States and also he is the third consecutive president to win two terms, after Bush and Clinton. Joe Biden sworn-in for second term as US vice-president. Suchitra Ella, Founding Chairwoman of CIIs women wing Suchitra K. Ella, Joint Managing Director, Bharat Biotech International, had been nominated as the Founding Chairwoman of the Indian Women Network of CII. The network aims to provide a platform for working women to come together and discuss issues and opportunities and share best practices. She is currently the Chairperson of CII Andhra Pradesh State Council for 2012-13. She had earlier been elected to the CII Andhra Pradesh State Council. She has been awarded the International Women Entrepreneurial Challenge award 2007 by the Chamber of Commerce of Barcelona, the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce and the FLO GR8 Women Achievers Award 2008 for entrepreneurial excellence.
B)RESIGNS
Jharkhand CM Arjun Munda resigned Political uncertainty deepened in Jharkhand on 08 January 2013, with Chief Minister Arjun Munda submitted his resignation to Governor Syed Ahmed. On 07 January 2013, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) announced the withdrawal of its support to the BJP-led government. Rajapaksa Dismissed First Woman Chief Justice of the Country
On 13 January Mahinda Rajapaksa, the President of Sri Lanka dismissed the first woman chief justice of the country, Shirani Bandarnayake after endorsing her impeachment by the Parliament that caught her guilty on the corruption charges.She appointed as a chief Justice on May 2011.
C)DEATHS
Violin maestro MSG passes away M.S. Gopalakrishnan legendary violinist known for his mastery of both the Carnatic and Hindustani systems of classical music passed away on 03 January 2013 in Chennai.In his career spanning 75 years, he not only broke new ground as an accompanist, but also rose to become one of the best solo violinists in the country, along with Lalgudi G. Jayaraman and T.N. Krishnan. The three are considered the violin trinity of south Indian classical music.Despite enviable success and accolade s that came in the form of national honours such as the Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, and innumerable titles, including the Sangita Kalanidhi title awarded by The Music Academy, Chennai. Pakistani singer Mehnaz Begum is no more Renowned Pakistani singer Mehnaz Begum died on 19 January 2013.Mehnaz specialized in ghazal, thumri, dadra, khayal, drupad and reciting salam, noha and marsiya.Mehnaz was the daughter of popular sub-continental singer Kajjan Begum.She sang over 2,500 songs for radio television and films in a variety of genres like ghazal , thumri, dadra, khayal and drupad.
D)VISITORS
Mauritius President Rajkeswur Purryag Visited India Mauritius President Rajkeswur Purryag visited India from 3 10 January .During the visit Purryag met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pranab Mukherjee on 4 January in New Delhi. In Bihar , he visited his ancestral village , Bojeetpore near Patna.President Purryag also the chief guest of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas .He attended the 3 days event 11th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas held in Kochi (Kerala). Vice President Hamid Ansari Visited Vietnam Vice President Hamid Ansari visited Vietnam from 14 to 17 January.During the visit Ansari met Vietnams Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh and discussed the both countries bilateral issues , signed several agreements .Ansari attended the closing ceremony of the celebrations to mark the 40th anniversary of the India-Vietnam diplomatic ties. Bhutan King Wangchuck Visited India The King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck visited India from 23-30 January.During the visit he attended the Indias Republic Day celebrations as a Chief Guest.Wangchuck met President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and the United Progressive Alliances Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi.This is the fourth time since 1954 that a Bhutanese King will be a Chief Guest at Indias Republic Day celebrations.
E)MISCELLANEOUS
Ex-Haryana CM Chautala, son get 10 years jail Former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala and his son Ajay had been sentenced to 10 years in jail in connection with a teachers recruitment scam.Special CBI Judge Vinod Kumar sentenced the Chautalas and seven others to 10 years in jail while one convict was given five years in jail and 45 others four years in jail. Swaminarayan sect opens $100-million quake-proof temple near Hollywood One of the biggest Hindu temples in the US, built at a whopping cost of $100 million near the Hollywood city in Los Angeles .The 68th Swaminarayan temple of Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) had been built using 35,000 pieces of meticulously hand carved Italian Carrara marble and Indian Pink Sandstone. Premlata Conquers Summit of Mt Vinson in Antarctica
On 17 January Premlata Agrawal, the oldest woman in India to have climbed Mt. Everest, has conquered Mt. Vinson in Antarctica in pursuit of the Mountaineering Challenge of climbing the Seven Summits.She completed her Mt. Vinson expedition on January .The person successful in conquering all the seven summits is considered a member of the Hall of Fame for mountaineers.Premlata will become the first Indian woman and one of the oldest in the world to conquer all seven summits. Ex-ISRO chairman Inducted in to Satellite Hall of Fame The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced its former chairman and Department of Space secretary Prof U R Rao by inducting him as the member of the prestigious Satellite Hall of Fame , Washington.Since 1987, the SSPI Hall of Fame has been recognising the invaluable contribution of the visionaries who have transformed life on planet earth for the better through satellite technology. Members of the Hall of Fame are recognised pioneers in communications, satellite related aerospace scientific research or development and delivery of applications for business, institutions and government via satellite. David Headley sentenced for 35 years for 26/11 role(Mumbai attacks) Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorist David Headley was on 24 January 2013 sentenced to 35 years in jail by a Chicago court for his unquestionable role in the massacre of 166 people in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Forbes India Celebrity 100 List According to the Forbes India Celebrity 100 List The Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, topped the inaugural Forbes India Celebrity 100 list.Forbes India estimates, the total earning of Shah Rukh from October 2011 and September 2012 was 202.8 crore Rupees.The ranking was given based on the popularity as well as income of the biggest entertainers of India. Second on the list was Salman Khan and MS Dhoni followed in the third position.The special edition of Forbes India judged in eight different categories directors, film actors, TV personailities, models, comedians, sports stars, authors and singers/musicians.The youngest celebrity in the list of Forbes India was Saina Nehwal, aged 23 years. Switzerland best place to be born, India 66th Switzerland has been called the best place in the world to be born in 2013 according to the The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), a sister company of The Economist. The worst place for a baby to start life was violence-hit African country Nigeria. The survey included 80 nations and Australia ranked second followed by Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Singapore, Netherlands, Hong Kong, Canada and New Zealand were also ranked among top 10. India was ranked 66th place.The survey included significant parameters to judge the best country to be born and these factors included demography, geography, cultural and social characteristics, state of economy, future income per head as well as public policy.
PLACES IN NEWS
Strong Quake in Indonesia On 22nd January A strong, shallow earthquake rocked parts of western Indonesia early killed 30 persons and panicking residents and ruining homes. Several other people were injured.Indonesias meteorology and geophysics agency put the preliminary magnitude at 6.0 and said the inland quake caused no tsunami. It was centered southwest of the city of Banda Aceh and 10 miles (6 kilometers) beneath the earths crust, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.. 233 People Killed in Brazil Night Club Fire Accident On 27 January The blaze in the university town of Santa Maria nightclub fire killed at least 233 people in southern Brazil .Most of those who died were suffocated by toxic fumes that rapidly filled the crowded club after sparks from pyrotechnics used by the band for visual effects set fire to soundproofing on the ceiling.
ABBREVIATIONS
CBT-Cash Transfer Benefit EIUEconomist Intelligence Unit CBSCentral Bureau of Statistics NLST-National Large Solar Telescope CEET-Centre for Energy-Efficient Telecommunications CIAAmerican Intelligence Agency WEF-World Economic Forum PBSPravasi Bhartiya Divas MSMEMinistry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises BWFBadminton World Federation
BOOKS IN NEWS
Swami Vivekananda The Monk as Man Book Released The renowned Bengali writer Shankar wrote a The Monk as Man book on Swami Vivekananda ,who spread the message of Indias spiritual heritage across the world.In the book Shankar described Vivekananda used to emphasise greatly on physical strength and is known for the shocking statement Better to play football than read the Gita. McChrystal My Share of the Task: A Memoir Book Released General Stanley McChrystal, the former American commander in Afghanistan, wrote a My Share of the Task: A Memoir, book which was released on 7 January .In the book Chrystal explained that tensions between the White House and the Pentagon were evident in the Obama administration from its opening months in office.This book is not just for aficionados of military history or for students of American foreign policy .
COMMITTEES
Vijay Kelkar Committee for Fiscal Consolidation The Vijay Kelkar Committee, which was appointed by Finance Ministry to suggest a roadmap for fiscal consolidation, has suggested immediate hike in fuel prices and complete deregulation of diesel prices by start of 2014-15 fiscal.It also suggested raising kerosene and LPG rates.Now the Kelkar committee recommendation is still at proposal stage. Justice Verma Committee Submitted Report On 23 January The three-member committee included former Chief Justice of India, J S Verma, who headed the committee, Justice (Retd.) Leila Seth, former Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court and Gopal Subramanian, former Solicitor General of India , set up to suggest ways to make rape laws stronger in the country, has submitted its report with recommendations to enhance and amend existing laws dealing with cases of sexual crime.The Justice Verma panel recognised failure of governance as primary cause of sexual crimes.The Panel suggested Trafficking should be made punishable with imprisonment ranging from not less than 7 years to 10 years .There was a need for the separate Bill of Rights for women that will make sure that women would have their own rights for having se xual autonomy.
INTERNATIONAL
UK, Afghan, Pakistan Leaders Hold Talks in Britain On 4 February The leaders of Britain, Afghanistan and Pakistan pushed for the Taliban to come to the table for peace talks to end Afghanistans protracted conflict and gave themselves a six -month deadline to get a deal.British Prime Minister David Cameron hosted Afghanistans President Hamid Karzai and Pakistans President Asif Zardari for trilateral talks on Afghanistans floundering peace and reconciliation process. UNICEF Syria Crisis Humanitarian Situation Report On 8 February According to the UNICEF (United Nations Childrens Fund )Syria Crisis Humanitarian Situation Report, The vaccination effort in collaboration with the Ministry of Health is well underway, with over 53,000 children receiving measles vaccinations, over 44,000 receiving vitamin A supplements, and over 10,000 polio doses administered. Pakistan to Renamed Sindh Province to Sind On 12 February 2013, the Sindh Assembly approved a bill to rename the southern Pakistani province as Sind.The assembly approved the Sindh Laws Amendment Bill of 2012, whereby the letter h will be removed from the name of the province. Russia Rejected U.S. Nuclear Warheads Proposals On 14 February Russia rejected U.S. president Barack Obama proposals , which deployed nuclear warhead delivery systems including bombers, missile launchers and nuclear submarines a cut of about 60%.In 2010 Russia and the United States signed on New START agreement.The New Start treaty limits each side to no more than 800 deployed n uclear warhead delivery systems including bombers, missile launchers and nuclear submarines a cut of about 50%. Rafael Correa Re-elected for 3rd term as Ecuadors President On 17 February Ecuadoreans president Rafael Correa has been re-elected for a third term with more than 50 percent of votes in his favour.As per the results, Rafael Correa got 56.7 percent while his closest competitor Guillermo could secure only 23.3 percent.Correa is a socialist leader who was first elected in 2006 December and he was sworn in on 15 January 2007 as the 56th president of Ecuador.Correa was re-elected to a second term in 2009. Pakistan Hands Over Strategic Gwadar Port To China On 18 February Pakistan and China signed an agreement to hand over control of the strategic Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea to a Chinese company.Under the agreement for transfer of concession rights, the deep sea port will remain the property of Pakistan while the Chinese company will share profits from its operation. China Overseas Port Holdings Limited will fully assume responsibility for Gwadar port in Balochistan province. Israels Netanyahu Announced Coalition Deal with Tzipi Livni On 19 Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has announced a coalition deal with former Foreign Minister and the rival centrist Hatnua Party Chairwomen Tzipi Livni, at Jerusalem. Under the deal agreement, Livni will serve as the new Justice Minister and will oversee the peace efforts with the Palestinians.Tzipi Livni is an Israeli Politician and the first women to be the leader of opposition in Israel. She is the leader of the new centrist party, Hatnuah. She served Israel as its Foreign Minister from 2006 to 2009. Russia and Brazil Signed on Defence Cooperation Agreements On 20 February Russia and Brazil signed a Defence, Energy and Agricultural agreements .Brazil agreed to negotiate the purchase of Russian anti-aircraft missile batteries on the condition that Russia transfer the technology to Brazilian defense companies without restrictions.The agreements are signed by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff .
Nicos Anastasiades Elected as Cyprus New President On 24 February the centre-right DISY (the Democratic Rally) party leader Nicos Anastasiades, has won the presidential elections of Cyprus with 57.5 percent votes.Nicos Anastasiades had a very easy going victory over Communist-backed Stavros Malas who secured 42.5 percent votes in the election. Raul Castro re-elected for Second Term as Cubas President On 25 February Raul Castro has been re-elected as Cubas president officially to his last five -year term.The National Assembly of Peoples Power approved, in the capital Havana, Army General Raul Castro Ruz as president of the Council of State, and elected Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, as its first vice president.Raul Castro became interim president when his brother, revolution icon Fidel, took ill in 2006. He then formally became president in 2008.
On 7 February The Union Cabinet gave its approval for formation of the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for the TurkmenistanAfghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) Pipeline Project and to permit GAIL India Ltd. to join the SPV. The four countries involved in the TAPI Gas pipeline project, signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement along with a Gas Pipeline Framework Agreement (GPFA).Turkmenistan and Pakistan agreed to the formation of TAPl Ltd. The 1,680 km pipeline will carry 90 million metric standard cubic metres a day (mmscmd) of gas, and is scheduled to become operational in 2018. India and Japan to Strengthen Cooperation in Tourism Sector India and Japan have resolved to strengthen cooperation in tourism sector. This was decided at a meeting between the visiting Japanese Senior Vice-Minister of Tourism, Mr. Hiroshi Kajiyama and Union Tourism Minister Shri K Chiranjeevi in New Delhi on 12 February 2013. India and France Signed 22 Agreements On 14 February France and India have signed on 22 agreements after French President Francois Hollandes meetings with t he Indian president and the prime minister in New Delhi.Both nations exchanged views on a number of bi-lateral, regional and multilateral issues and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in order to facilitate technical cooperation in Railways to each other.Chairman, Railway Board, India and Chairman and CEO SNCF from the French side signed this MoU.Both the nations also concluded negotiations on the short range surface to Air missile to be co-produced in India. They also agreed on the need to reinvigorate economic engagement between the two countries. India and Bangladesh Signed Land Boundary Agreement On 16 February India and Bangladesh held the second Joint Consultative Commission meeting in Dhaka .After the meeting , both countries exchanged one strip map as part of the process of the implementation of the agreement signed to resolve land boundary issues between them.In addition, two MOUs were also signed for the construction of a rail link to connect Akhaura in Bangladesh to Agartala in India and for setting up a thinktank to be called Bangladesh-India Foundation.The India-Bangladesh Joint Consultative Commission is an interministerial body of the two countries headed by the Minister of External Affairs of India and Foreign Minister of Bangladesh. CBI probe Ordered into Rs 3700 crore Italian Chopper Deal Scam In February 2010, India had inked the deal with Italain Finmeccanica to acquire the 12 three-engine AW-101 helicopters from AgustaWestland for IAFs elite Communication Squadron ,which ferries around the President, PM and other VVIPs.The deal came under the scanner of Italian agencies after allegations of kickback given in India surfaced.The agencies arrested Giuseppe Orsi, the head of Italian defence and aerospace giant Finmeccanica as part of their probe related to international corruption.Around 50 million euros , about 10 per cent of the deal, were alleged to have been given as bribes to ensure that the company won the contract.On February The Defence Ministry has ordered CBI probe into alleged scam in a Rs 3600 crore defence helicopter deal after arrest of head of Italian firm Finmeccanica on charges of bribery. India and Britain Discussed on Nuclear Cooperation On 19 February Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Britain Prime Minister D avid Cameron discussed on regional and global issues ,which included key issues of nuclear energy cooperation, security, terrorism and trade .The two sides have also decided to commence negotiations on a bilateral Civil Nuclear Agreement.Britain has assured that it will extend all cooperation to any Indian probe into the multi-million-dollar helicopter scam which involves Italian defense giant Finmeccanicas UK -based subsidiary AgustaWestland.David Cameron announced that his country is going to introduce sameday visa service for Indian businessmen in a bid to accelerate the bilateral trade between the two sides. India won Kishanganga Case Against Pakistan On 18 February the Court of Arbitration at the Hague allowed India to go ahead with the Construction of the Kishanganga hydroelectric project in Gurez valley near Bandipura in North Kashmir, the court rejected the plea of Pakistan that the construction was a violation of 1960 Indus Water Treaty.The Court of Arbitration, chaired by Stephen M. Schwebel in its orders stated that India can move ahead with the diversion of water plans of Kishanganga that is a tributary of Jhelum, for generation of hydro-electric power. But it restrained India from adoption of the drawdown technique of flushing for clearing the sedimentation of the run-of-the river project that had been designed and asked it to adopt a different technique for generation of 330 MW power facilities.
NATIONAL
President Gave Assent to the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2013 On 3 February President Pranab Mukherjee gave his assent to the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2013 which provides for, amongst other things, stricter punishment for crimes against women. The Ordinance was to be largely based on the recommendations of the Justice Verma Committee.However, the Ordinance will have to be passed by Parliament within six months otherwise the same shall lapse. All Juvenile Crimes 64% by 16-18 yr Old Age Group On 4 February According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data shows that most juvenile crimes are committed by those in the age group of 16-18 years.In 2011 the growth in rape by juveniles (34%) over 2010 was again among the highest.In 2011, 64% of all juvenile criminals fall in the age group of 16-18. In 2011, 33,887 juveniles were arrested for 25,178 instances of crime.All together make for over 50% of all rape cases by juveniles. Aero India 2013 Held in Bangalore The Asias biggest airshow Aero India 2013, a biennial air show and aviation exhibition held from 6 10th February at the Yelehanka Air Force Station in Bangalore .In the event displays magnificent aerobatic skills and belongings that created a chance of winning potential business tieups and networking. Defence Minister of India, A K Antony inaugurated the Air Show on 6 February .In the event 53 civil and military aircraft and 27 countries participated and 78 delegations attended from US, Israel and Russia.The first Edition of the show was organised for the first time in 1996.The next Aero India show is scheduled to be held from 18 February to 22 February 2015 at Bangalore. Cabinet Approved Rs.38500 cr Rural Road Development Plan On 7 February The Union Cabinet approved a Rs 38,500 crore rupees for road connectivity under the Prime Ministers Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).The schemes approved were mainly for connectivity to villages in tribal areas, desert and hilly areas, with a population of at least 250 each.In 82 areas hit by Naxalite violence, villages with less than 250 people are also to be connected under the scheme. Parliament Attack Case Convict Afzal Guru Hanged On 9 February in a top secret operation , the 2001 Parliament attack case convict Mohammed Afzal Guru was hanged in Delhis Tihar jail.Afzal Guru was given the death sentence by the Supreme Court in 2004.The President rejected the Afzal Gurus mercy petition on 23 January 2013.The code name of the secret operation was Operation Three Star . Centre Notified Cauvery Dispute Tribunal Award After six years,on the directions of the Supreme Court, the Central Government of India has notified the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) on sharing the waters of the Cauvery system among the basin States of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala and Union territory of Puducherry on 20 February.The Tribunal, comprising chairman Justice N.P. Singh and members N.S. Rao and Sudhir Narain, in a unanimous award in February, 2007 had determined the total availability of water in the Cauvery basin at 740 thousand million cubic (TMC) feet at the Lower Coleroon Anicut site.In, what was then described as a balancing act, the Tribunal gave Tamil Nadu 419 TMC of water (as against the demand of 562 TMC); Karnataka 270 TMC (as against its demand of 465 TMC); Kerala 30 TMC and Puducherry 7 TMC.After the issuance of the notification, institutions like the Cauvery River Authority (CRA) chaired by the Prime Minister and the CMC will cease to exist.
STATES
Sonia Gandhi Launched Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram Scheme On 6 February Congress President and UPA Chair person Sonia Gandhi launched Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), a new children health care project initiative in Palghar, a tribal block in Thane district of Maharashtra.The Rashtr iya Bal Swasthya Karyakram, is a part of the National Rural Health Mission of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The scheme is aimed at improving overall quality of life of children through early detection of birth defects, diseases and deficiencies, which are among key factors for child mortality. Maharashtra Promulgates Ordinance To Amend Cooperative Societies Act On 15 February the Maharashtra Government promulgated an ordinance to amend the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act, which aims to promote voluntary formation, autonomous functioning, democratic control and professional management of co-operative societies.The ordinance is to amend the Act to make it in consonance with the 97th constitutional amendment by Parliament last year. Indias First Geothermal Plant in Chhattisgarh On 17 February Chhattisgarh has signed an agreement with the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) to set up the countrys first geothermal power plant in its newlyformed Balrampur district.A memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the project was signed between the NTPC and the Chhattisgarh Renewable Energy Development Agency (CREDA). The plant will come up at Tata Pani in Balrampur, a district located in extreme northern region of the state. Rajasthan Constituted a Task Force to Check the Spread of Swine Flu in State On 19 February the State Government of Rajasthan decided to constitute a task force to control Swine Flu effectively. Chief Secretary of the State, CK Matthew was appointed as the head of the task force constituted.The state had witnessed 148 cases of death and 834 positive cases since April 2012. A central team that constitutes of five doctors and microbiologist is on the state visit and would pay a visit to Jodhpur, Ajmer and Bikaner, areas worst affected from the disease. Cabinet Approved NTPC Power Project in Jharkhand On 20 February the Cabinet Committee on Investment (CCI) approved the setting up of the 1,980 MW North Karanpura Super Thermal Power Plant in Jharkhand by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC).The Cabinet committee of investment also agreed for restoring the original coal linkage for the project and declared that the project will be based on environment friendly super-critical technology. This supply will be made available in the 13th Five Year Plan. Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland Assembly Elections Results Northeastern states of Tripura ,Meghalaya and Nagaland Assembly election was released on 28 February .The Assembly elections in the three states, having 60 seats each, were held February 14 and February 23.In Tripura the CPI-M on its own won 49 seats out of the total 60 seats and stormed back to power in Tripura for the fifth straight term.Chief Minister Manik Sarkar won from Dhanpur by a margin of around 5,000 votes. It was Sarkars sixth win.Meghalaya The Indian National Congress here has won 29 seats in the election to the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly with Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, winning with huge margins.Nagaland Ruling Naga Peoples Front combine returned to power with an absolute majority in Nagaland winning 39 seats in the 60-member Assembly.The ruling NPF-led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) alliance will form government for a third consecutive term.Congress managed to win eight seats. Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio won from Northern Angami II seat by defeating his nearest Congress rival Kevise Sogotsu of Congress by 12,671 votes. Desalination Plant in Tamil Nadu Commissioned On 22 February J. Jayalalithaa, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu inaugurated a desalination plant at Nemmeli in Kanchipuram district of the state.The plant which will benefit over 15 lakh residents in Velachery, Pallipattu and Tiruvanmiyur areas of south Chennai has been set up with an investment of Rs 871 crore. About 265 million ltrs of water will be drawn from the sea to realise 100 million ltrs per day of drinking water through the plant spread over 40 acre.
CONFERENCES
13th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS) The 13th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS) concluded on 2 February at NewDelhi.The theme of the summit is The Global Challenge of Resource Efficient Growth and Development.Among from 30 countries Heads of Governments , research institutions, policy-makers, NGOs and corporates attended the summit.The Summit organized annually since 2001 by
The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), is an international platform for exchange of knowledge on all nuances of sustainable development.
63rd Berlin Film Festival Awards The awarding ceremony of the 63rd Berlinale ended on 16 February in Ber lin.Romanian film Childs Pose won the Golden Bear, the top jury prize awarded to the best film in the Berlin International Film Festival. Best Film :- Childs Pose ( Romania ) Best Actor :- Nazif Mujic in Life of an Iron Picker (Bosnia/France/Slovenia) Best Actress :- Paulina Garcia in Gloria (Chile/Spain) Best Director :- David Gordon Green for Prince Avalanche (US) Best ScreenPlay :- Jafar Panahi for Parde (Closed Curtain) Iran. Ela Bhatt honoured with Indira Gandhi Peace Prize Ela Bhatt, founder of the Self Employed Womens Association (SEWA), was presented with the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for the year 2011 by the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on 18 February 2013.Ela Bhatt was honoured for her life time achievements in empowering women, promoting grassroot level entrepreneurship and for her contribution towards promoting equitable development and peace. Ratan Tata receives E&Y lifetime award Former Tata Group head Ratan Tata is this years recipient of the life time achievement award instituted by Ernst & Young, for asserting a greater role for Indian entrepreneurs on the global business landscape.The entrepreneur of the year (2012) awar d went to Godrej Group Chairman Adi Godrej.The entrepreneur of the year is the only business award to be based on selfnomination. Oscars Awards-2013 85th Oscar awards presentation ceremony held in Los Angels on 25 February 2013.In this ceremoney Life of Pi cinema got a 4 Oscar awards. Best Picture: Argo Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln) Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook) Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained) Best Supporting Actress:Anne Hathaway (Les Misrables) Best Directing: Ang Lee(Life of Pi) Best Adapted Screenplay:Chris Terrio( Argo) Best Original Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino (Django Unchained) Best Documentary Feature: Searching for Sugar Man Best Original Song:Skyfall from Skyfall, music and lyrics by Adele Adkins and Paul Epw orth Best Original Score: Life of Pi Best Animated Feature: Brave Best Cinematography:Life of Pi
Best Costume Design: Anna Karenina Best Documentary Short Subject:Inocente Best Film Editing:Argo Best Foreign Language Film:Amour (Austria) Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Les Misrables Best Production Design:Lincoln Best Short Film (Animated): Paperman Best Short Film (Live Action): Curfew Best Sound Editing: Skyfall (TIE), Zero Dark Thirty (TIE), Best Sound Mixing: Les Misrables Best Visual Effects: Life of Pi
On 12 February the International Olympic Committee (IOC) leaders dropped wrestling from the 2020 Olympic Games.Wrestling will be included at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.The IOC board acted after reviewing the 26 sports on the current Olympic program. Eliminating one sport allows the IOC to add a new sport to the program later this year.Wrestling will now join seven other sports in applying for inclusion in 2020. The others are a combined bid from baseball and softball, karate, squash, roller sports, sport climbing, wakeboarding and wushu. They will be vying for a single opening in 2020.The last sports removed from the Olympics were baseball and softball, voted out by the IOC in 2005 and off the program since the 2008 Beijing Games. Golf and Rugby will be joining the program at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. Victoria Azarenka won Qatar Open Tennis Title On 18 February Defending champion Victoria Azarenka from Belarus defeated Serena Williams (America) to won the Qatar Open tennis title in the final at Doha. Sania Mirza won Dubai Tennis Championship Title On 23 February Indias Sania Mirza and her American partner Bethanie -Mattek Sands won the Dubai Tennis Championship title. The Indo-American duo defeated the second seeded Russian-Slovenian combination of Nadia Petrova and Katarina Srebotnik. Sania bagged her second Doubles title of the season.
ECONOMY
BHEL and GAIL Granted Maharatna Status On 1 February The Union Government of India granted Maharatna status to BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd ) and GAIL (Gas Authority of India Limited), a development which will provide them greater financial and functional autonomy and also ensure better valuation for shares of the two public sector undertakings.Ideally any Maharatna firm has a capacity to take investment decision of around 5000 crore Rupees without taking assistance from the government. On the other hand, forms with Navratna status have the capability of 1000 crore Rupees.For any company to qualify for Maharatna status, the annual turnover should be over 25000 crore Rupees in past three years, as per the guidelines issued by Department of Public Enterprises. Per capita Monthly Income Growth Eases to 14% in 2011-12 On 1 February According to the the revised data of national accounts the per capita monthly income, a measure to assess standard of living, grew at a slower rate of 13.7 per cent to Rs 5,130 in 2011-12 at current prices compared to Rs 4,513 in 2010-11.On the Gross Domestic Saving (GDS) front, the data revealed that the growth at current prices in 2011-12 slowed to 30.8 per cent of GDP at market prices against 34 per cent in the previous year.The gross domestic capital formation has increased from Rs 28,71,649 crore in 2010-11 to Rs 31,41,465 crore in 2011- 12 at current prices.It further revealed that the per capita private final consumption expenditure (PFCE) at current prices in 2011-12 is estimated at Rs 42,065 as against Rs 36,677 in the year 2010-11, showing an increase of 14.7 per cent against an increase of 15.7 per cent in the previous year. Argentina Censured by the IMF for Economic Data On 3 February The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has censured Argentina for the quality of its official inflation and GDP data.Inflation in Argentina is estimated by private economists to be at 25% a year and rising but the government reported it at 11% or less for last year.Argentina became the first country to be censured by the International Monetary Fund for not providing accurate data on inflation and economic growth under a procedure that can end in expulsion. Mumbai Is Worlds Cheapest City Mumbai shares the title of the worlds cheapest city with Karachi, in Pakistan, according to the Worldwide Cost of Living 2013 survey by the Economist Groups Economic Intelligence Unit.After Mumbai and Pakistan comes Delhi ,Algiers, Bucharest, Colombo and Panama City.According to the report, the five most expensive cities in the world are Tokyo and Osaka in Japan, Sydney, Oslo and Melbourne. Railway Budget 2013-14
On 26 February Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal presented the 2013-14 Railway Budget in the Loksabha . Railway Budget 2013-14 Highlights :2013-14 Railway Budget Estimates Rs.42,210 crores Highest ever plan outlay of Rs.63,363 crores in 2013-14 Good Earnings Rs.93,554 crores Good Traffic Receipts Rs.1,43,742 crores Total Revenue Receipts Rs.1,46,626 crores Ordinary Working Expenses Rs.96,500 crores Operating Ratio to be 87.8%. A new Forged Wheel Factory at Rae Bareli, Coach Manufacturing Unit in Sonepat District (Haryana) ,Midlife Rehabilitation Workshop at Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh), new wagon maintenance workshop in Kalahandi (Odisha). Highest ever plan outlay of Rs.63,363 crores 5.2 per cent growth in passenger traffic expected in 2013-14 Freight loading of 1047 MT, 40 MT more than 2012-13. 67 new Express trains to be introduced.26 new passenger services, 8 DEMU services and 5 MEMU services to be introduced. Run of 57 trains to be extended. Frequency of 24 trains to be increased.22 new rail lines to be taken up in 2013-14 Proposal for setting up of Railway Tariff Regulatory Authority formulated and at inter-ministerial consultation stage. Fuel Adjustment Component (FAC) linked revision for freight tariff to be implemented from 1st April 2013. 72 additional suburban services in Mumbai and 18 in Kolkata An independent Rail Tariff Authority has been formalised ndian Railways Institute of Financial Management to be set up at Secunderabad Recruitment to RPF with 10% vacancies reserved for women.Seek to fill 1.52 lakh vacancies in railways this year. 47000 vacancies for weaker sections and physically challenged to be filled up soon By end of 2013-14, 1,500 km of contracts to be awarded for two dedicated rail corridors Economic Survey of contracts to be awarded for two dedicated rail corridors. Union Budget 2013-14 On 28 February Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram Presented the Rs.16,65 279 Crore(Planed Expenditure Rs. 5,55,322 crore , Non Planed Expenditure Rs 11,09,975 crore) Union budget in the Lok Sabha for the financial year 2013-14.This is the 82nd Budget for India and 8th Budget for the Finance Minister P Chidambaram.In the past, former Prime Ministe r Morarji Desai presented the Union Budget 8 times as Finance Minister. The Highlights of Union Budget 2013-14: Total budget expenditure seen at 16.65 trillion rupees in 2013-14. on-plan expenditure estimated at about 11.1 trillion rupees in 2013-14. Indias 2013-14 plan expenditure seen at 5.55 trillion rupees Revised estimate for total expenditure is 14.3 trillion rupees in 2012-13, which is 96 point of budget estimate Expect 133 billion rupees through direct tax proposals in 2013-14
Expect 47 billion rupees through indirect tax proposals in 2013-14 Target 558.14 billion rupees from stake sales in state-run firms in 2013-14 Expect revenue of 408.5 bln rupees from airwave surcharges, auction of telecom spectrum, licence fees in 2013-14 But will give some tax relief of Rs. 2000 for every person who has an annual income of up to Rs. 5 lakh RBI expected GDP growth of 5.5% for Financial Year 2013-14 Rs.1000-crore Nirbhaya Fund announced for the empowerment of women Rs.6,000 crore to be allocated for rural housing fund Defence allocation increased to Rs. 2.03 lakh crore Rs. 6,275 crore to ministry of science and technology, Rs. 5,880 crore to Department of Atomic Energy Rs.27,049 crore allocation to the Agriculture Ministry Rs. 37,330 crore allocated for Ministry of Health & Family Welfare Rs.110 crore to be allocated to the department of disability affairs Rs.37,330 crore allocated for Ministry of Health & Family Welfare Rs.14000 crore will be provided for PSB recapitalization. He will constitute a panel on transaction costs, and financial policies. Rs.6,5867 crore for Education , an increase of 17 percent over RE for 2012- 13. Rs 6275 crore to Ministry of Technology Rs.2 trillion for defence sector Rs.15,260 crore to be allocated to Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation. Rs.14,873 crore for JNNURM for urban transportation Rs.80,194 crore allocation for Ministry of Rural Development Rs.33,000 crore for MGNREGA Rs.37,330 crore allocated for Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. Rs.13215 crore for mid-day meal programme Rs.41,561 crore for SC plan and Rs 24,598 crore for tribal plan. 3511 crore allocation to minorities which is 12 per cent hike over budget estimates, 110 crore rupees allotted for welfare of disabled. 65867 crore rupees have been allocated to the Ministry of Human resources development which is 17 per cent hike over the revised estimates. A surcharge of 10 percent on persons (other than companies) whose taxable income exceeds Rs.1 crore have been levied. Relief of Rs. 2000 for the tax payers in the first bracket of 2 to 5 lakhs.
About SARAL:- The Saral mission results from the common interest of both ISRO and CNES in studying the ocean from space. For instance, it can provide information on seasonal forecasting, study on animal migratio n, locating buoys and fishing vessels, collecting environmental data such as ocean temperature profiles and currents. Besides Saral, the PSLV-C20 has put into orbit two micro-satellites UniBRITE and BRITE (both from Austria), AAUSAT3 from Denmark and STRaND from UK. It also carried one micro-satellite (NEOSSat) and one mini-satellite (SAPPHIRE) from Canada.With a lift-off mass of 407 kg, Saral is the 56th satellite to be launched by PSLV.The six commercial payloads from abroad together have a lift-off mass of 259.5 km.PSLV-C20 is the ninth PSLV in core alone configuration (without solid strap on motors).
PERSONS IN NEWS
A) APPOINTMENTS
Mo Yan and Jackie Chan Selected As Members of Chinese Parliament On 3 February Mo Yan, the winner of Nobel Prize for literature, 2012 and Jackie Chan, the movie star were given a political role in China by being selected as members of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, one of the houses of Chinese parliament. Prachanda elected as Maoist president of ruling UCPN-Maoist party Prachanda, the powerful Maoist leader who became prime minister after toppling the 239-year-old monarchy in Nepal, was elected as the president of the ruling UCPNMaoist party on 08 February 2013.58-yearold Prachanda, whose real name is Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Indian American Subra Suresh Appointed as President of Carnegie Mellon On 9 February US President Obamas top science official and Indian American Padma Shri awardee Dr Subra Suresh has been appointed as the new president of Carnegie Mellon University. He will succeed Dr. Jared L. Cohon, who led the university to unprecedented growth during his 16-year tenure. Dr Suresh will assume office on July 1 after Dr Cohon would step down on June 30, this year. Ratan Tata Elected To National Academy of Engineering On 9 February Ratan Tata, chairman emeritus of the Tata Group, has been elected as a member of the prestigious National Academy of Engineering of the US along with 10 new foreign members.This is the highest professional distinc tion accorded to an engineer in the US.Ratan Tata has been selected for his outstanding contributions to industrial development in India and the world.
B)RESIGNS
D.C.Chief Financial Officer Natwar Gandhi To Resign Indian American, Natwar M. Gandhi, Chief Financial officer (CFO) of Washington DC ,announced his resignation on 1 February.He will resign on 1 June 2013.Gandhi has held the office since 2000 and was appointed to a new, five-year term last year. Solicitor-General Rohinton Nariman resigns Solicitor-General of India Rohinton Nariman resigned 04 February 2013.Mr. Nariman was appointed as the second most senior law official of the country on July 23, 2011 following the resignation of Gopal Subramanium on July 14, 2011. Obamas Top Science Official Suresh Resigned
On 6 February US President Barack Obamas top science official and Padma Shri awardee Subra Suresh has resigned from his current position to join the prestigious Carnegie Mellon University as its chief.As director of National Science Foundation (NSF) since 2010, Suresh was responsible for driving scientific research of the country.Suresh has co-authored more than 240 journal articles, registered 21 patents and written three widely used materials science books. Nagaland Home Minister resigns Nagaland Home Minister Imkong L. Imchen was resigned from the ruling Naga Peoples Front (NPF) government on 19 February 2013.Mr. Imchen put in his papers after the Election Commission authorities seized cash amounting to more than Rs.1 crore and weapons from his vehicle on 18 February by troopers of Assam Rifles at Sathupang area in Wokha district. Pope Benedict XVI Resigned On 28 February Pope Benedict XVI a position in which he serves dual roles as Sovereign of the Vatican City State and leader of the Catholic Church resigned his post.Pope Benedict XVIs birth name is Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger.Benedict XVI was elected on 19 April 2005 in a papal conclave, celebrated his Papal Inauguration Mass on 24 April 2005, and took possession of his cathedral, the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, on 7 May 2005. A native of Bavaria, he has both German and Vatican citizenship.
C)DEATHS
Former Puducherry CM Shanmugam passes away Former Chief Minister of Puducherry P. Shanmugam passed away at the Karaikal Government Hospital on 02 February 2013.A bachelor, Shanmugam was the chief minister of Puducherry from March 22, 2000 to Oct 27, 2001 and represented the union territory in the Lok Sabha between 1980-1991. Chinas Table Tennis Legend Zhuang Zedong Died On 10 February the chinas table tennis legend , Zhuang Zedong died in Beijing .Zhuang Zedong is a three -time world table tennis champion.Zhuang Zedong remained a crucial figure in ping-pong diplomacy of 1971 and is popularly also called the Architect of Ping-Pong Diplomacy. Pingpong diplomacy means exchange of the table tennis (ping-pong) players between China and US American Philosopher and Legal Scholar Dworkin Died Ronald Dworkin a renowned American philosopher and a Constitutional Law expert died on 14 February at London .He wrote books named A Matter of Principle, Laws Empire and Justice for Hedgehogs. Radhakishan Malviya former Union Minister died Former Union Minister and senior Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Radhakishan Malviya died on 19 February 2013 in Indore.Malviya was elected MLA from Sanver in Indore district in 1972. A three-time Rajya Sabha MP, he was Labour Minister in the Rajiv Gandhi government in mid-1980s. Malviya was Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee president during 1998-2003 when Digvijay Singh was the chief minister.
D)VISITORS
Bhutan Prime Minister Jigmi Y. Thinley Visited India Prime Minister of Bhutan Jigmi Y Thinley visited India from 7 9 February.During his three-days visit he met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at NewDelhi and discussed on developmental issues of his country with the Indian leadership, and sought financial assistance for the 11th five year plan of his country. Frances President Francois Hollande Visited India Frances President Francois Hollande Visited India from 14th and 15th February.During the 2 day visit he met manmohan singh at NewDelhi and discussed the sale of Rafale fighter jets , bilateral issues , after signed the both nations on several agreements .
Britains PM David Cameron Visited India David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland , visited India from 18 20 February.During the visit on 18 February he attended India Britain delegations meeting in Mumbai .On 19 February Cameron met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi and discussed bilateral and global issues.The British Prime Minister last visited India in July 2010.
E)MISCELLANEOUS
Three Year Old Girl Joins Mensa After Taking IQ Test in Russian A brainy 3 year old girl Clever Alice Amos has been unveiled as the youngest new member of Mensa with a higher IQ than Stephen Hawking.Amos has been granted full membership of the brain box society after scoring an incredible 162 on an IQ test she took in Russian.Her IQ of 162 ranks her higher than a list of the worlds greatest luminaries dead and living.Former US presidents Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin and Bill Clinton could only muster 128, 160 and 137 respectively. Mohamed Nasheed Took Refuge In Indian High Commission On 13 February the former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed took refuge in the Indian High Commission in Capital Male to evade arrest, a year after he was toppled.He turned up at the single-storey Indian mission around noon to evade arrest warrant issued by a court in a case concerning the detention of Chief Judge of the Criminal Court during his Presidency in January last year.The Indian government has permitted him to stay in Mission. Queen Elizabeth II named Britains Most Powerful According to the BBC power list of Britains most influential women, Queen Elizabeth II has been named the most powerful woman in Britain, while two Indian-origin women also found a place in the list of UKs 100 most powerful women. Two Indi anorigin women who featured among the 100 most powerful British women were Kolkata-born Pinki Lilani, founder of the Asian Women of Achievement Awards in the UK, and human rights champion and director of Liberty Shami Chakrabarti. Worlds oldest woman is Misao Ookawa Misao Ookawa,the oldest woman in the world receives a Guinness World Records certificate in Osaka, Japan,on 27 February 2013.She will ready to celebrate its 115th birth anniversary on 5 March 2013. The oldest man in the world,Jiroemon Kimura(115) also belongs to Japan.
PLACES IN NEWS
Strong 6.6 Magnitude Quake Hits Solomon Islands On 6 February a strong 6.6-magnitude tremor struck the Solomon Islands , the latest in a series of aftershocks from a powerful earthquake that triggered a tsunami The quake hit 36 kilometres south-southwest of Lata, the main town on the remote island of Ndende.At least six people were confirmed dead and some 3,000 left homeless but the national disaster management office has been struggling to get a clear picture of the scale of destruction on the island, more than 600 kilometres from the capital Honiara.The Solomons are part of the Ring of Fire, a zone of tectonic activity around the Pacific that is subject to freque nt earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Snow Storm Nemo Hits US and Canada On 8 February Seven people have been killed in the United States and Canada as the massive blizzard Winter Storm Nemo dumped nearly two feet of snow in New England and knocked out power to more than a half a million homes.Throughout the Northeast, more than 600,000 homes and businesses lost electricity. Airlines cancelled more than 5,300 flights today, and New York Citys three major airports and Bostons Logan Airport closed. Huge Meteorite Hits The Russia
On 15 February A huge meteor hits the Russia, injuring more than 1000 people, many hurt by broken glass, and causing explosions.Fragments of the meteor fell in a thinly populated area of the Chelyabinsk region.The meteorite, which weighed about 10 metric tons and may have been made of iron, entered Earths atmosphere and broke apart 30-50 km (19-31 miles) above ground.The meteorite explosion, a very rare spectacle, also unleashed a sonic boom.The energy released when it entered the Earths atmosphere was equivalent to a few k ilotonnes, the power of a small atomic weapon exploding.
ABBREVIATIONS
DSDS Delhi Sustainable Development Summit BHEL Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd GAIL Gas Authority of India Limited TERI The Energy and Resources Institute EIU Economist Intelligence Unit NSF National Science Foundation TAPI TurkmenistanAfghanistanPakistanIndia POTA Prevention of Terrorism Act IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency CAIR Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics CITU Centre of Indian Trade Unions FAO Food and Agriculture Organisation HDI Human Development Index UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees WIPO World Intellectual Property Organisation
BOOKS IN NEWS
Khushwantnama: The Lessons of My Life Book Released On 2 February The indomitable Khushwant Singh has released a new book named Khushwantnama: The Lessons of My Life on his 98th birthday in which he writes about his life, lessons it has taught him, politics, future of India and what religion means to him.The book, published by Penguin Books India, is dedicated to Kaur who is a close friend of the author.Khushwant Singh was a Member of Parliament from 1980 to 1986. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1974 but returned the decoration in 1984 in protest against the storming of the Golden Temple in Amritsar by the Indian Army. In 2007, he was awarded the Padma Vibhushan. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Germany Book Released Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose new book named Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Germany released on 6 February.The First copy of the book by Professor Anita B. Pfaff was given to the President of India Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhavan at NewDelhi. The book was brought out by the Federation of Indo-German Societies in India.The book is a collection of the
records shared by Professor Anita Pfaff as well as other known biographers and writers.The book portrayed some interesting facets of the life of Netaji and his extraordinary contribution to Indias freedom struggle.
COMMITTEES
Padmanabhan Committee To Help Boost Bank Finance For Exports On 3 February The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) constituted a technical advisory committee to iron out existing issues and boost bank finance for exports.The committee will be headed by RBI Executive Director G Padmanabhan.The committee look into the issues related to exporters, we have decided to constitute a technical working group which will also look non-cost issues like transaction costs, accounting norms, documentation required, procedural difficulties.
INTERNATIONAL
UN Imposed New Sanctions on North Korea On 7 March The UN Security Council approved a new regimen of sanctions against North Korea for conducting an underground nuclear test recently, imposing penalties on North Korean banking, travel and trade in a unanimous vote that reflected the countrys increased international isolation. The resolution, which was drafted by the United States and China, was passed in a speedy vote hours after North Korea threatened for the first time to launch a pre-emptive nuclear strike against the United States and South Korea. Obama Signed Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act 2013 On 8 March the US President, Barack Obama signed the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act 2013 on the eve of International Womens Day. The Violence Against Women Act was first passed in 1994. Reauthorised since then, the new Act offers support to the organisations which serve to the victims of domestic violence. Uhuru Kenyatta Won Kenya Presidential Election On 9 March In Kenya, Deputy Prime Minister Kenyatta has won presidential election with a slim margin of 50.03 percent of votes. He defeated his rival Raila Odinga. Japan & Ten EU Countries Exempted from US Iran Sanctions Act On 13 March The US has renewed the exemptions for Japan and ten European Union countries from tough American sanctions imposed on nations buying oil from Iran.The third six-monthly exemption to Japan, under the Iran Sanctions Act.The 10 European Union countries, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and the UK, have also qualified for a renewal of the exemption from sanctions because they have not purchased Iranian oil since July , 2012. Pakistan Parliament Completes Full 5 Year Term On 16 March Pakistans Parliament has made history by becoming the first National Assembly in the countrys history to complete a full term of five years, with the conclusion of the Houses 50th session, setting the stage for the holding of elections.Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari announced that general elections would be held on 11 May 2013. Cyprus Gets New Bailout Deal Cyprus secured a 10 billion ($16.2 billion) bailout from its international creditors on 24 March 2013.Eurozone finance ministers had also approved a new bailout plan for Cyprus, putting an end to uncertainties over the fate of the Mediterranean island country in the euro area.The new bailout program includes deep restructuring of the countrys two biggest banks, Bank of Cyprus and Popular Bank of Cyprus.Under the new agreement, all bank deposits under 100,000 will be secured and guaranteed by the state. South Africa, China Sign Deals To Boost Cooperation On 26 March South African President Jacob Zuma and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping met in Pretoria ahead of the fifth BRICS Summit.The two leaders signed a number of agreements, focusing on trade, tourism, education and social cooperation.The two sides agreed on future collaboration on research and development initiatives, manufacturing, marketing and the construction of cross-border infrastructure throughout the continent. North Korea Declares State of War with South Korea On 29 March North Korea declared that it had formally entered a state of war with South Korea.The announcement was made in a joint statement attributed to all government bodies and institutions.The two Koreas have thus technically remained at war for decades.
Project was started from Chabahar city in Iran to Karachi in Pakistan with $7.5 Billion. Initially they have an idea to extend this project to New Delhi in India but India was dropped from this project in 2009. Britain & India Signed Agreement To Support R&D Projects On 13 March Britain and India have signed an agreement to launch a joint programme to encourage industry and business in the two countries to work together towards commercialisation of research leads in a range of key areas, including energy and health care.As part of the deal, Global Innovation and Technology Alliance (GITA) sponsored by the Indian governments Department of Science and Technology and UKs Technology Strategy Board (TSB) will support UK and Indian businesses and academics in joint R&D and innovation projects over a three-year period. India Ranks 136 in Human Development Index On 14 March According to the Human Development Report 2013 released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) ,India has been ranked 136 among 187 countries evaluated for human development index (HDI).Norway (1st rank), Australia (2nd rank) and the Netherlands (3rd rank) lead the Human Development Index (HDI).The other countries ranks are:Netherlands (4th rank) , Japan (10th rank), Denmark (15th rank) , South Korea (12th rank). China Unveils 5-Point Formula To Improve Ties With India On 18 March Chinas new President Xi Jinping has unveiled a five -point formula to improve relations with India, and that the resolution of the boundary dispute between the two nations wont be easy and pending its final settlement peace and tranquility should be maintained on the border without affecting the overall ties. The Xi Jinping 5 Points are : - 1. First,to maintain strategic communication and keep bilateral relations on the right track. 2. Second, we should harness each others comparative strength and expand win winwin cooperation in infrastructure, mutual investment and other areas. 3. Third, we should strengthen cultural ties and constantly increase mutual understanding and friendship between our peoples. 4. Fourth, we should expand coordination and collaboration in multilateral affairs to jointly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries and tackle global chal lenges. 5. Fifth, we should accommodate each others core concerns and properly handle problems and differences existing between the two countries. India Egypt Signed Seven Agreements On 19 March In a bid to deepen ties and strengthen economic bonds, India and Egypt signed 7 agreements after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy held bilateral talks in New Delhi.The seven agreements included a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in the field of cyber security, cooperation in the field of protection of intellectual property rights and prevention of illicit traffic of antiquities besides others.The two leaders also agreed to enhance cooperation in Defence and in international forums like UN. India Signed Social Security Agreements With 18 Countries On 20 March India has signed Social Security Agreements (SSAs) with Belgium,France, Germany (social insurance for posted workers only), Switzerland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Hungary, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Republic of Korea, Norway, Germany, Finland, Canada, Japan, Sweden, Austria and Portugal.Bilateral labour Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) have also been signed with United Arab Emirates (UAE), Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Malaysia and Bahrain for ensuring protection and welfare of overseas Indian workers. India Votes Against Sri Lanka at UNHRC On 21 March India has voted for the resolution against Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva.The UN Human Rights Council adopted a US-sponsored resolution on human rights violation in Sri Lanka.The 47-member Geneva forum adopted the resolution with 25 countries in favour, including India.13countries opposed it, including Pakistan. 8 abstained and one delegation was absent.The US-backed resolution that addresses alleged war crimes by Lankan forces during the countrys civil war with the Tamil Tigers.The 26-year civil war that ensued, which ended with the LTTEs military defeat in 2009. Japan Grants India $2.32 Billion Aid For Infrastructure Building On 27 March India and Japan have agreed to promote their bilateral strategic and global partnership especially in economic and security areas, with Tokyo granting a $2.32 billion aid for infrastructure building. Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida ,External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid discussed about both countries bilateral issues the meeting held at Tokyo .During the meeting Kishida unveiled a 220 billion yen (USD 2.32 billion) aid to India for infrastructure building and a 71-billion-yen loan ($753.17 million) for the subway project in Indias financial capital Mumbai.
NATIONAL
Cabinet Approves Bill for Time-Bound Services to Citizens On 7 March the government gave its nod to a Bill aimed at providing time-bound delivery of services like passports, pensions and birth and death certificates, among others, to the citizens.The Right of Citizens for Time- Bound Delivery of Goods and Services and Redressal of their Grievances Bill, 2011, was approved by the Union Cabinet at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh . President Released the Commemorative Postage Stamp on Sahir Ludhianvi On 8 March the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee released the Commemorative Postage Stamp on Sahir Ludhianvi on occasion of his birth anniversary at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.Sahir Ludhianvi died on 25 October 1980 and was a renowned Urdu poet.He fought for recognition of lyric writers through the Film Writers Association. Indias First All-Women Post Office After announcing Indias all women public bank, the central government on 08 March 2013 started an all women post office in New Delhi on the occasion of the International Womens Day. Commun ications & Information Technology Minister Kapil Sibal inaugurated the post office at Shastri Bhawan the hub of central government offices in central Delhi. All the employees in these post office are women only. Cabinet Approved Electronic Delivery of Services Bill On 18 March the Union Cabinet approved a bill that aims to provide access to all central and state government services such as passport, ration card and driving licences electronically.The Bill requires public authorities to deliver all public services electronically within a maximum period of 8 years. Cabinet Approved Food Security Bill On 19 March the union cabinet has approved the National Food Security Bill which aims to give the right to food to around 67% of Indias 1.2 billion people.The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha in December 2011 and had been sent to a parliamentary standing committee for further consideration.In the bill, the government had proposed 7 kg of grain per month per person to priority households and at least 3 kg of foodgrain at half the price for general households. Rajya Sabha Passed Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2013 On 21 March the Rajya Sabha passed the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2013 that provides for capital punishment in cases of brutal rape, and also deals with several other crimes against women.On 19 March Lok Sabha passed the Bill with an aim of providing a strong deterrent against rapes and gang rapes, the Bill states that an offender can be sentenced to rigourous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than 20 years, but which may extend to life, meaning imprisonment for the remainder of that persons natural life and with a fine. Supreme Court upholds Death for Yakub Memon On 21 March the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence of Yakub Abdul Razak Memon in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case that had claimed 257 lives and left 713 injured.The Supreme Court also upheld the conviction of actor Sanjay Dutt under the Arms Act in the terror attack and sent him to five years in prison.The capital punishment of the other 10 death row convicts was commuted to life sentence by a bench of justices P Sathasivam and B S Chauhan which also upheld the life term awarded to 16 out of 18 convicts. 68 million Indians Living in Slums On 21 March According to the first such census report on slum households prepared by the Registrar General of India, approximately 68 million Indians are living in slums. In all 1.73 crore census houses have been reported in houselisting blocks, categorised as slums in India, comprising 1.37 crore slum households.The report also noted that in 19 cities with million-plus population, 25 per cent of households live in slums.A majority-71 per cent- of these are located in six states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, west Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.90 per cent of slum households use electricity,
70 per cent slum households have television, 72.7 per cent have telephone facility while 10.4 per cent households have computer or laptop in their house.
STATES
HPCL signed MoU for Rajasthan Refinery On 14 March Min of Petroleum & Natural Gas Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and Rajasthan Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at Jaipur for setting up a Rs 37,320cr refinery-cum-petrochemical complex in Barmer, Rajasthan. The project will be a joint venture between HPCL and Rajasthan State Refinery Limited, apart from other equity partners.The MoU was signed by Subhash Pant, Secretary Mines and Petroleum, Government of Rajasthan and K.Murli, Director (Refineries) of HPCL. Madhya Pradesh Spice Park Inaugurated in Guna On 16 March In Madhya Pradesh, Union power ministry inaugurated a Spice Park in Mawan area of Guna district. This spice park has been built at a cost of fifty five crore rupees. Delhi Launched a Comprehensive Five-In-One Vaccine On 12 March the Chief Minister of Delhi,Sheila Dikshit launched a comprehensive five-in-one vaccine in order to provide protection to children against certain diseases such as tetanus, diphtheria and pertusis.The CM announced that instead of three injections, now there will be a requirement of only one injection for providing protection against the diseases. Karnataka State Assembly Elections Schedule Released On March 20 The Election Commission of India has announced the dates for Karnataka Assembly Elections 2013.The elections will be a single-phase election and counting would take place on May 8.The Polls would be held on May 5. Three High Courts Opened in Tripura, Manipur and Meghalaya Tripura, Meghalaya and Manipur on 23 March 2013 got their own High Courts. Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre, Judge of Chhattisgarh High Court took oath as the first Chief Justice of Manipur High Court on 23 March 2013. Justice Deepak Gupta along with three other judges would be administered the oath to the High Court of Tripura .Justice Meena Kumari took oath as the first Chief Justice of Meghalaya. With the opening of the three high Courts in the North Eastern states of India, the total number of high Courts in India has gone up to 24 from previous 21. Arunachal Pradesh Became the First State to Introduce e-GPF Arunachal Pradesh became the first state to introduce e-GPF or electronic GPF.The state Finance Department facilitated the online access to 34000 GPF accounts through its redesigned Web site, which was launched by Chief Minister of Arunachal Pardesh Nabam Tuki. Housing stock, Amenities and Assets in Slums Report On 29 March Union Minister for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation released the report on Housing stock, Amenities and Assets in slums based on Houselisting & House Census, 2011.Registrar General presented the important features of the report and outlined its importance.In all 1.73 Crore Census houses have been reported in the House listing Blocks categorized as Slums in India, comprising 1.37 Crore slum households.There are 19 cities with million plus population where more than 25% households live in slums.A majority (71%) of these are located in six States namely, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.Out of these 19 cities, five cities namely, Vishakhapatnam, Jabalpur, Mumbai, Vijayawada and Meerut have more than 40% slum households.Out of total slum houses, 92.7% are occupied and 7.3% are vacant.84.9% Census Houses are used for residence/residence-cum-other use.58.4% residential census houses are in good condition, 37.5% are livable and rest 4.0% are in dilapidated condition.70.2% Slum households are owned. Punjab, Haryana, Delhi Top in Well Being Index
According to the Tata Strategic Management Group Survey report , Punjab, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana have been ranked at the top of the Well Being Index,while southern states, Gujarat and most of the north-eastern states emerged as the most secure ones for women in the Female Security Index.The states of Punjab, Delhi, HP, Haryana and Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh were ranked at the top of the Well Being Index. On the Female Security Index, Chennai and Bangalore were at the top.
CONFERENCES
24th Arab League Summit Held in Doha The 24th summit was held in Doha (Qatar) from 21 to 26 March 2013.A total of 15 heads of state of Arab countries attended the summit.The Arab League currently consist of 21 countries, after Syria was suspended form the league due to excessive violence during the Arab Spring. However, the Syrian opposition umbrella organization, the Syrian National Coalition, will attend this years summit and will be offered a seat formerly occupied by Damascus.The Arab League summit called for an international conference in the framework of the United Nations for Syrias reconstruction. The Qatari leader meanwhile proposed a mini- Arab summit, led by Egypt and leaders of Fatah and Hamas, in Cairo as soon as possible to achieve Palestinian national reconciliation. He also called for Arab countries to establish a fund of 1 billion U.S.dollars to support the Palestinians, pledging that his country will offer a quarter of the amount. The Arab League was formed in 1945. 5th BRICS Summit Held in Durban The 5th BRICS Summit was held in Durban, South Africa from 26 to 27 March 2013. The summit an international relations conference attended by the head of states or heads of government of the five member states Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.Theme of the summit was , BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Development, Integration and Industrialisation.BRICS Leaders President of Brazil Dilma Rousseff ,Russian president Vladimir Putin,Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singhm,Chinese president Ji Xinping, South Africas president Jacob Zuma also discussed swap arrangements among the national currencies as well as reserve pooling. BRICS nations have decided to establish a new development bank to finance infrastructure projects and to create a USD 100 bn contingency fund to tackle any financial crisis in emerging economies, in what is seen as a major win for Indias campaign to reform global financial architecture. BRICS Summit took place in South Africa for the first time. BRICS, originally BRIC before the inclusion of Sou th Africa in 2010, is the title of an association of emerging national economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS).
On 6 March Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley, Congress veteran Karan Singh and JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav have been selected for the Outstanding Parliamentarian Award.Jaitley, who is Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, gets the award for the year 2010, Karan Singh for 2011 and Sharad Yadav for 2012. The Indian Parliamentary Group had instituted the award in 1994 which is conferred each year. Tagore Award For Ravi Shankar President Pranab Mukherjee presented the first annual Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony to late Pandit Ravi Shankar at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 07 Marchi 2013.Sukanya Shankar, wife of Ravi Shankar, received the award. Stree Shakti Award For Nirbhaya President Pranab Mukherjee presented the Stree Shakti award on International Womens Day( 08 March 2013) for Nirbhaya. Stree Shakti award as a tribute to her courage and strength.The award wa s recevied by her family members.As a measure of recognition of achievements in individual women in the field of social development, the government had instituted of 6 national awards which are called Stree Shakti Puraskar. The awards are in the name of the eminent women personalities namely Devi Ahalya Bai Holkar, Kannagi, Mata Jajabai, Rani Gaidinliu Zeliang, Rani Lakshmi Bai and Rani Rudramma Devi (which is open to both men and women). Nirbhaya was honoured with the Sree Shakti award of Rani Lakshmi Bai.The Rani Rudramma Devi Award for the year 2012 was awarded to Smt. Pranita Talukdar from Assam. She was honoured for her commendable work for the overall development of women. US Bravery Award for Nirbhaya The Delhi gang-rape victim, Nirbhaya was honoured by the US government with an International Women of Courage Award for 2013.In this year this award was given to 10 women in Washington on March 8, which is also International Womens Day. National Tourism Award Winners 2011-12 National Annual Tourism Awards for 2011-12 was announced by Tourism Ministry on 12 March 2013. The Ministry announced 86 awards in 36 Categories. The awards presented by President of India on 18th March. Winners of National Tourism Awards for 2011-12 :Best State/ UT Comprehensive Development of Tourism (Rest of India): Andhra Pradesh (First Prize) Rajasthan (Second Prize) Gujarat (Third Prize) Best State/ UT Comprehensive Development of Tourism (North East, Jammu and Kashmir) Jammu & Kashmir Best Civic Management of a Destination Category B City Municipal Council of Mandav (Mandu),District Dhar, Madhya Pradesh Best Heritage City Warangal City, Andhra Pradesh Best Airport ( Class X Cities) Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad Best Airport (Rest of India) VishakhapatnamAirport, Vishakhapatnam The special National Tourism Awards for Yann Martel, author of the book, Life of Pi, for promoting the county (Puducherry and Munnar) through the film as well. Tan Twan Eng Declared Winner of 2012 Man Asian Literary Prize Tan Twan Eng on 14 March 2013 was announced as a winner of the 2012 Man Asian Literary Prize. With this, he became the first Malaysian author to win the most prestigious literary prize of Asia.Tan Twan Eng won the 2012 Man Asian Literary Prize for his novel The Garden of Evening Mists. Poetess Sugathakumari Selected For Saraswati Samman Award On 17 March Sugathakumari, the Malayalam poetess was selected for the Saraswati Samman 2012 for the poetry collection Manalezhuthu, which means The Writing on the Sand in English. The Saraswati Samman is constituted by K. K. Birla Foundation. 60th National Film Awards
On 18 March The prestigious 60th National Film Awards for the year 2012 were announced in New Delhi.Irrfan has won the Best Actor award for his powerful performance in Tigmanshu Dhulias Paan Singh Tomar and Marathi actress Usha Jadhav has won the Best Actress award for Dhag. The List of Award Winners :Best Feature Film: Paan Singh Tomar Best Actor: Irrfan for Paan Singh Tomar and Vikram Gokhale for Anumati (Marathi) Best Actress: Usha Jadhav for Marathi film Dhag Best Child Artist: Virendra Pratap for Dekh Indian Circus (Hindi) and Minon for 101 Chodiyangal (Malayalam) Best Popular Film for wholesome entertainment: Vicky Donor (Hindi), Ustad (Malayalam) Best Animation Film: Delhi Safari Best Childrens Film: Dekh Indian Circus Best Film on Social Issues: Spirit (Malayalam) Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film On National Integration: ThanichallaNjan (Malyalam) Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director: Chittagong (Hindi) and 101 Chodiyangal (Malayalam) Best Special Effects: Eega (Telugu) Best Hindi Film: Filmistan Best Telugu Film: Eega Reliance Industries Bags Refiner of the Year Award On 23 March Reliance Industries has been awarded the prestigious International Refiner of the Year 2013 at HART Energys 27th World Refining & Fuel Conference at San Antonio, Texas, USA.This is the second time that RIL has received this Award for its Jamnagar Refinery, the first being in 2005. Indian Manish Kumar Among 28 Naturalised at White House Ceremony Manish Kapoor from India was one among the lucky 28 to be granted the American citizenship at the White House in the presence of the US President, Barack Obama.List of 28 service members, who were naturalised at the White House ceremony included three from South Asia Manish Kapoor, Nazo Raoufi from Afghanistan and Mohammed Hossain from Bangladesh. Paris Honours Nelson Mandela On 26 March the city of Paris made antiapartheid hero Nelson Mandela an honorary citizen, but refused to grant an honour to Venezuelas late leftist firebrand leader Hugo Chavez. 2013 Abel Prize To Belgian Pierre Deligne Belgian mathematician Pierre Deligne who is regarded as one of the most celebrated mathematicians of the 20th century, has been chosen for this years prestigious Abel Prize in Mathematics.Award is given to him for his seminal contributions to algebraic geometry and for their transformative impact on number theory, representation theory and related fields. Veteran Lensman Pranlal Patel Honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award On 28 March The 2nd National Photo Awards- 2011-12 were conferred by the Speaker, Lok Sabha, Ms. Meira Kumar to eminent photojournalists at a function held in Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.The Life-Time Achievement Awards were given to eminent photographers Shri Pranlal Patel, Shri T.S. Nagarajan and Shri T.N.A. Perumal.In the Professional Category, the Best Professional Photographer of the Year 2011-12 has been given to Shri Salil Bera.
On 17 March Australia, the World Champions won the Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament title for the seventh time after defeated defeated Malaysia in the final. Kimi Raikkonen Won Australian Grand Prix On 17 March Finlands Kimi Raikkonen won the Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne.It was the 20th Grand Prix win for Raikkonen, the 2007 world champion. Indian Wells Tennis Tournament Winners Mens Singles : On 18 March Rafael Nadal of spain won the Mens singles title after defeated Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina in the final at California .This is Nadals third Indian Wells ATP Masters title and first hard court title since 2010. Womens Singles :- Maria Sharapova defeated Caroline Wozniacki in the womens final in straight sets to win her second Indian Wells ATP Masters title. Swiss Open Badminton 2013 Winners Mens Singles :- On 18 March W ang Zhengming from china won the Swiss Open Badminton Mens singles title after defeated Du Pengyu in the final at basel. Womens Singles:- In the Womens singles Wang Shixian from china got the title after defeating Ratchanok Inthanon (Thailand) in the final. West Zone Won Deodhar Trophy On 13 March Defending champion West Zone won the Prof. D.B. Deodhar Trophy for the 12th time after defeated North Zones challenge in the final at the Nehru Stadium. Neha Tripathi Won Sixth Leg of Hero Womens Pro Golf Tou r 2013 Kolkatas Neha Tripathi won sixth leg of Hero Womens Pro Golf Tour 2013 in Panchkula on 21 March 2013. This is the third victory of Neha Tripathi in 2013 season. With this victory, Neha Tripathi overtook Smriti Mehra in the Hero Order of Merit 2013. Sebastian Vettel Won F1s Malaysian Grand Prix On 24 March Three-time world champion Sebastian Vettel won the Malaysian Grand Prix 2013 at the Sepang International Circuit.
ECONOMY
Nine Indian Women in Forbes Asia Power Business Women List On 1 March ICICI Bank CEO and MD Chanda Kochchar, Biocon founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and film producer Ekta Kapoor are among the nine Indian women named in Forbes magazines inaugural Asia Power Businesswomen list.The list also includes Britannia Industries Managing Director Vinita Bali ; HT Media Chairman and Editorial Director Shobhana Bhartia ; AZB & Partners Founder and Senior Partner Zia Mody ; Axis Bank CEO and Managing Director Shikha Sharma ; and Tractors & Farm Equipment Chairman Mallika Srinivasa; Kapoor, TV and movie producer. Mukesh Ambani Is Richest Indian on Forbes list As per an annual ranking published on 4 March 2013 by business magazine Forbes,Mukesh Ambani has retained his title as Indias richest person for sixth year in a row,with networth of $ 21.5 billion.In the overall rich list of worlds billionaires, Mukesh Ambani is ranked 22nd, while the second-richest Indian Lakshmi Mittal is at 41st position with a networth of USD 16.5 billion.Mexican business tycoon Carlos Slim has topped the rankings with a networth of USD 73 billion, followed by Bill Gates (USD 67 billion), Spains Amancio Ortega (USD 57 billion), Warren Buffett (USD 53.5 billion) and Larry Ellison (USD 43 billio n) in top five.
Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad Airports Among Top 5 in the World Airports of Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad are among the top five airports in the world providing international standard services.Airports Council International (ACI),a global body of airports, has adjudged Delhis Indira Gandhi International (IG I) airport as second best after Seouls Incheon airport in the category of airports handling 25 -40 million passengers per annum (MPPA) for their service quality for the year 2012.Mumbais Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport was adjudged the third best in this category.Hyderabads Rajiv Gandhi International airport (RGI) has bagged the second position for their service quality in the category of five to 15 MPPA. Japans Nagoya airport was adjudged the best in this category. Seouls Incheon ranked first, Singapores Changi second and Beijing was placed at the third spot. RBI to Launch Plastic Currency Notes in 5 Cities On 12 March The Union Government and RBI decided to introduce one billion pieces of 10 Rupees bank notes made of plastic on a field trial basis in five cities.A 10 Rupees note in polymer/plastic on a field trial basis will be introduced first; Minister of State for Finance .The field trail is supposed to be conducted in five cities of Kochi, Mysore, Jaipur, Bhubhaneswar and Shimla with varied geographical locations and climatic conditions.As per the RBI, the primary objective of introduction of polymer notes is to increase its life, it could also help in combating counterfeiting. Gujarat Tops in FMCG Consumption On 12 March According to the Evolution of Indian Rural Markets During 2004-05 to 2009-10 report released by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) , Gujarat has garnered maximum growth in per capita food and nonfood consumption expenditure across the country between FY05 and FY10 with growth rate of about 28% and 33% respectively. Besides registering a growth of about 24.69%, Gujarat has also topped in terms of household consumption of fast moving consumer goods (FMCGs) during the fiveyear period.West Bengal has seen least growth of just about 1.6% and about 8% in per-capita food and non-food consumption expenditure, respectively.The per capita food and non-food consumption expenditure across India has increased at over 14% and 17%, respectively, between FY05 and FY10. India Top Rice Exporter in FY 2011-12 On 13 March As the export price of Indian rice was more competitive than the Thai rice, India has displaced Thailand from the position of top exporter of rice during 2011-12, Minister of State Commerce and Industry was informed to Rajya Sabha.In 201011, the rice exports stood at 24.71 lakh tonnes from 21.56 lakh tonnes in the previous fiscal.Rice exports were at 74.67 lakh tonnes during April-December 2012 against 71.75 lakh tonnes in the full fiscal year of 2011-12. India 5th in World Billionaire Rich List According to the Knight Frank Wealth Report 2013, India stands 5th among the top 10 countries with the largest number of billionaires with 122 and the number is expected double by 2022.Mumbai has secured the 7th spot in the list of top global cities with a High Net Worth Individual HNWI population.Presently, the city has 2,105 HNWIs and is expected to touch 4,988 with a 137 per cent rise by 2022. Delhi is not too far behind Mumbai; it ranks 11th with a current HNWI population of 1,945 which is likely to grow by 120 per cent and reach 4,278 by 2022. In the cities that that matter to HNWIs , New York and London are th e first two places in the list. India May Become 5th Largest Manufacturing Nation According to the Boston Consultancy Group (BCG) report titled People productivity-Key to Indian manufacturing competitiveness, India may become the 5th largest manufacturing nation from 9th position at present, if the country is able to increase the share of manufacturing in GDP to 25 per cent.The National Manufacturing Policy envisages that Indias manufacturing sector should increase its share of GDP from 15 percent at present to 25 percent by 2022, in line with global peers.It will help India become the fifth-largest manufacturing nation. Hindujas are Britains Richest Asians Leading NRI businessmen Srichand Hinduja and Gopi Hinduja, Chairman and Co-Chairman of the Hinduja Group, have emerged as the richest Asians in Britain in 2013.After playing second fiddle for years to steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, the Londonbased Hinduja brothers have come out top this year with net wealth assessed at 12.5 billion pounds up 3 billion pounds on the 2012 figure. Mumbai Falls to 66th Rank Among Leading Global Financial Hubs
According to the latest Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI), Mumbai which is Indias financial capital has slipped to 66th rank in the list of leading financial centres around the world, with New Delhi failing to even make a mark.GFCI offers profiles,ratings and rankings for 79 financial centres around the world positioned Mumbai at the 66th place, which is down three places from last year when it was ranked 63rd on the much coveted list.Mumbai is the only Indian city on the list. London topped the list, followed by New York ranking second in the list. Hong Kong and Singapore in the third and fourth place respectively. RBI Cuts Repo Rate by 25 Base Points On 19 March The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cut the repo rate by 25 basis points to 7.5 per cent from 7.75 percent in its midquarter review of the monetary policy. Consequently, the reverse repo rate under the LAF stands adjusted to 6.5 per cent from the earlier 6.75 per cent and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate to 8.5 per cent with immediate effect.The Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) has been retained at 4 per cent.
than 258,000 mirrors mounted on 768 tracking parabolic trough collectors, capable of delivering green electricity to 20,000 homes. India Successfully Test Fired Worlds First Underwater Supersonic Cruise Missile On 20 March India has successfully test fired its submarine-launched version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile of the over 290 km-range in the Bay of Bengal off the coast of the southern port city of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh).The launch of Missile is counted as the first test-firing of an underwater supersonic cruise missile anywhere in the world. The missile travelled its complete range of over 290 km. Big Bang Radiation Map Unveiled On 21 March The European Space Agency (ESA) has unveiled the most detailed map yet of relic radiation from the Big Bang,revealing new data it hopes will shed light on the creation and expansion of our Universe.The map results suggest the universe is expanding more slowly than scientists thought, and is 13.8 billion years old, 100 million years older than previous estimates. India and US Agreed for Future Cooperation in Moon and Mars Missions On 23 March India and the US agreed for cooperation on future missions to the Moon and Mars after successful collaboration in Chandrayaan-1 lunar mission. The highly successful Chandrayaan-1 lunar mission which was launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in October 2008 led to strong evidence of the presence of lunar water. Crew Reaches Space Station in Less than 6 Hours On 29 March An astronaut from the U. S.with three Russian cosmonauts took a short cut to reach space station and saved around 45 hours of journey. The crew took only 5 hours and 45 minutes to reach the space station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.This is for the first time that any crew has used this express route to reach space station in the minimum possible time.Three members on this Russian Soyuz are Chris Cassidy from NASA, Alexander Misurkin and Pavel Vinogradov from Russia. NTPC Commissioned New Solar Power Project in Andaman & Nicobar On March 30,NTPC Ltd has commissioned a 5-MW solar photo-voltaic power project at Port Blair in Andaman & Nicobar Islands.It is the first grid-connected solar photo-voltaic project in these islands and also the first greenfield renewable solar PV project of NTPC. New Indian Ship ASWC Kiltan Launched in Kolkata INS Kiltan is an anti-submarine warfare corvette of the Indian Navy built under Project-28. It is the third of four Kamorta class corvettes under various stages of induction with the Indian Navy. The ship was built by the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, Kolkata and launched on 26 March.The ship takes its name from the Kiltan island, a coral island that is part of Indias archipelagic Union Territory of Lakshadweep.The Kiltan is to be armed with a range of indigenously developed cutting edge weapons and sensors including a medium range gun, torpedo tube launchers, rocket launchers and a close-in weapon system.
PERSONS IN NEWS
A) APPOINTMENTS
Nagaland , Tripura , Meghalaya new CMs On 5 March Neiphiu Rio of Naga Peoples Front (NPF) party was sworn in as Chief Minister of Nagaland for the third straight term. On 5 March Mukul Manda Sangma of Congress party was sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Meghalaya for the second term. On 6 March ManikSarkar of CPM party was sworn in as chief minister of Tripura for the fourth consecutive time . Panabaka Lakshmi Assumes Additional Charge of Textiles
On 5 March Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Panabaka Lakshmi assumed additional charge as Union Minister of State for Textiles.Lakshmi was minister of state for textiles until she was shifted to petroleum and natural gas ministry in the same rank after the reshuffle in end October 2012. IAEA Chief Amano Wins Second Term The UN atomic agencys board of governors on 06 March 2013 approved giving Japanese director general Yukiya Amano a new four-year term without even resorting to a vote. Nicolas Maduro sworn in as Venezuelas Interim President On 8 March Venezuelan Vice- President Nicolas Maduro was sworn in as Venezuelas acting president, despite the Opposition resistance as it is being considered to the violation of the countrys consti tution. New Governors For 5 States On 9 March President Pranab Mukherjee appointed new Governors for 5 states Former CBI Director, Ashwani Kumar appointed as Governor of Nagaland. Congress veteran SC Jamir appointed as Governor of Odhisa . Governor of Tripura DY Patil transferred to Bihar Bihar Governor Devanand Konwar shifted to Tripura Nikhil Kumar, who was serving as Governor of Nagaland, has been transferred and appointed as Governor of Kerala . Aung Suu Kyi Re-elected As Opposition NLD Leader On 10 March Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been re-elected head of the new executive board of the National League for Democracy at a landmark maiden party congress. Jorge Bergoglio Elected As 266th Pope On 13 March Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina is selected as the new leader for 120 crore Catholics across the world.George was the Buenos Aires Archbishop and he was chosen as the new Pope by 115 qcardinals.He changed his name as Francis1.He is the 266th Pope (head of the Roman Catholic Church).Francis-1 is the first Pope from the Jesuit community. He is also the first pope from Latin America. He is also the first pope to be selected from a non European country in the modern history.There are five Indian also among the cardinal electors. Xi Jinping Took Over As Chinas New President On 14 March Xi was elected as President by 3000-strong National Peoples Congress, which also endorsed his appointment as the Chairman of the Military Commission. Chinas parliament formally elected Xi Jinping as president, four months after he took charge of the Communist Party. Khil Raj Regmi Sworn as Nepal PM On 14 March Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi was sworn-in as the new Prime Minister of Nepal .Khil Raj Regmi will be the head of interim government which will have its elections by 21 June 2013. This is the first time in Nepalese political history that a sitting Chief Justice is being named as the Head of the Government. Sundar Pichai To Take Over as Googles Android Chief Google on 13 March 2013 , announced that Andy Rubin, who was heading the companys Android division, is stepping down. He will be replaced by SundarPichai, an IITian, who also heads Googles Chrome division. Li Keqiang Appointed as Chinas new Prime Minister On 14 March Li Keqiang was appointed prime minister at the annual session of Chinas National Peoples Congress.Mr. Li is the latest Communist Party leader. He succeeds Wen Jiabao in a position that entails steering the economy and government operations through the State Council, or cabinet. Bobby Ghosh is Time International Editor Eminent Indian journalist Bobby Ghosh had been named the new editor of Time International. Ghosh was appointed on 15 March 2013 as the first non-American world editor in TIMEs history.
Indian American Appointed Vice Chairman of Illinois Innovation Council On 18 March Indian-American politician Raja Krishnamurthy has been appointed vice chair of the Illinois Innovation Council by the Illinois Governor Pat Quinn. Krishnamurthyis currently the president of Sivanathan Laboratories. Mir Hazar Khan Khoso Sworn in as aretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan On 25 March Justice Retd. Mir Hazar Khan Khoso took oath as the sixth caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan on 25 March 2013 in Islamabad. Renee Ramaswamy Nominated to the National Council of the Arts On 22 March Renee Ramaswamy, founder of the Ragamala Music and Dance Theatre in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been nominated by President Barack Obama to the National Council of the Arts for a fiveyear term. Obama Appoints First Woman Secret Service Director On 26 March President Barack Obama chose veteran agent Julia Pierson as Secret Service director, the first woman to lead the male-dominated agency. Ralph Waters new World Cup 2015 Chairman Ralph Waters has been named new chairman of the local organizing committee for the 2015 World Cup hosted by Australia and New Zealand. Waters was previously the deputy chairman of the committee and succeeds James Strong, the previous chairman.
B)RESIGNS
UP minister Raja Bhaiya Resigned UPs food and civil supplies minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya, who is an accused in the murder of a deputy superintendent of police, on 04 March 2013 met chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and tendered his resignation. Odisha Law Minister Raghunath Mohanty Resigned A senior Odisha minister, Raghunath Mohanty, resigned on 16 Marchi 2013, after his daughter-in-law accused him of torturing her for dowry. Mukesh Ambani To Exit Board of Bank of America Reliance Industries Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani will step down as the board of director of Bank of America He has served on the Bank of America board since March 2011 and became a director prior to the establishment of the global advisory council. Five Cabinet Ministers Resigned On 20 March the 5 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party Cabinet ministers resigned from the Union Council of Ministers, which were accepted by the Pranab Mukherjee President of India. Pranab Mukherjee, also allocated the charge of Chemicals and Fertilizers Ministry to Srikant Jena who is Minister of State in the same ministry.The five cabinet ministers are :- (i) M K Alagiri ( Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers) (ii) S S Palanimanickam (Minister of State (Finance) ) (iii) S. Gandhiselvan (Minister of state for Health and Family Welfare) (iv) S. Jagathrakshakan (Minister of State for Commerce & Industry) (v) D. Napoleon (Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment). Italy Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi Resigned Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi resigned on 26 March, over his governments decision to return two marines to India to face trial for the murder of local fishermen while on anti-piracy duty.
C)DEATHS
Venezuelan President Chavez Died On 5 March Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez died at Caracas .Hugo Chavez was the President of Venezuela from 1999 till his death in 2013. He Served as the President of Venezuela for three times.A coup attempt was made in Venezuela in April 2002 to overthrow Hugo Chavez from his office. Former West Bengal Governor Viren J Shah passed away in Jordan On March 9th,the former West Bengal Governor and industrialist Viren J Shah died in Jordan. He was also member of the Rajya Sabha twice from 1975 to 1981 and from 1990 to 1996. He was the Governor of West Bengal from 1999 to 2004. Bangladesh President Zillur Rahman Died On 20 March Bangladesh President Mohammad Zillur Rahman, died at Singapore .Rahman, was made the ceremonial head of the state in 2009 after Awami League was elected in the landmark December, 2008, general elections. Pietro Mennea, the Italian Athlete Died Pietro Mennea, the Italian athletics died in Rome on 21 March 2013. Pietro Mennea was the gold medal winner in the 200m at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Nigerian Author Chinua Achebe Died On 22 March Renowned Nigerian author Chinua Achebe has died at the age of 82 .One of Africas best known authors, his 1958 debut novel Things Fall Apart, which dealt with the impact of colonialism in Africa, has sold more than 10 million copies. Two Time Pulitzer Winner Anthony Lewis Dies On 25 March Anthony Lewis, who has died aged 85, was a New York Times columnist and author who twice won a Pulitzer Prize, the highest award in American journalism.Anthony Lewis was a prominent public intellectual, who wrote for The New York Times op-ed page and The New York Review of Books, among other publications. Grammy Award Winning Producer and Engineer Phil Ramone Died On 30 March Phil Ramone, the Grammy Award-winning engineer and producer who applied his platinum touch to recordings with Ray Charles, Billy Joel and Paul Simon, has died at the age of 72.Ramone won 14 Grammy awards and worked with Frank Sinatra and Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney, Elton John and Tony Bennett.
D)VISITORS
President of India Visited Bangladesh President of India, Pranab Mukherjee visited Bangladesh from 3 5 March .During the visit he met with the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina and discussed the Teesta and land border issues. President Mukherjee Visited Mauritius The President of India, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, visited Mauritius from 11 to 13 March .During the visit he attended the Mauritius 45th Independence anniversary celebrations as a Chief Guest. He met the President of the Republic of Mauritius, Mr Rajkeswur Purryag , Prime Minister, Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam and discussed the bilateral double taxation avoidance convention. World Bank President Jim Yong Kim Visited India Jim Yong Kim the President of World Bank, visited India from 11th to 13th March.During the visit Jim Yong Kim met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister P.Chidambaram and discussed Indias major initiatives aimed at fostering equitable growth. This is the Kims first visit to India after taking over as President of the World Bank Grou p 2012 July. Egypts President Mohamed Morsi Visited India
Egypts President Mohamed Morsi visited India from 18 to 20 March .During the visit Morsi met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in NewDelhi and discussed the forge closer cooperation in economic and other fields. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Visited South Africa Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited South Africa from 25 to 28 March.During the visit he attended the BRICS Summit and met Russian president Vladimir Putin and discussed about the substantive progress being made on the other remaining phases of the joint nuclear energy programme between India and Russia at Kudankulam. Manmohan Singh also met China new president Xi Jinping and discussed the issue of Beijings proposal to construct three dams ac ross the Brahmaputra river on its side.
E)MISCELLANEOUS
Salman Rushdie Named in Al-Qaidas Most-Wanted List Indian-origin British author Salman Rushdie had been named in the most -wanted list of Islam critics to kill released by alQaida in the new issue of its English online magazine. A fatwa was issued against Rushdie by Irans late leader Ayotollah Khomeini in 1989 over passages in his book The Satanic Verses. Maldives Ex-President Nasheed Arrested On March 5,Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed had been arrested, to face charges of abuse of power during his tenure, after he failed to appear for a hearing and evaded two arrest warrants. He is charged with illegally ordering the arrest of a senior judge, a move that led to his fall from power in 2012. Czech Senate Accuses President Vaclav Klaus of High Treason On 5 March Czech President Vaclav Klaus dismissed a decision by lawmakers to press high treason charges against him as politically motivated.The Senates actions were prompted by an amnesty gra nted by President Klaus , which will free over 6,000 prison inmates and halt the prosecution of prominent business executives and officials charged with asset stripping, bribes and fraud. 12 Year Old Neha Ramu has IQ Higher than Albert Einstein On 5 March Neha Ramu, 12-year-old Indianorigin girl in UK has stunned everyone after she scored an incredible 162 on her IQ test even higher than Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking.The score puts the tween in the top one per cent of brightest people in the UK and means she is more intelligent than physicist Hawking, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and scientist Albert Einstein, who are all thought to have an IQ of 160. Navneet Kaur Dhillon Crowned Femina Miss India 2013 On 24 March Navneet Kaur Dhillon was crowned Femina Miss India 2013 in a star studded grand finale of the 50th edition of the beauty pageant.The first and second runners-up were Sobhita Dhulipala and Zoya Afroz respectively.
PLACES IN NEWS
Strong Earthquake in Taiwan On 27 March a strong earthquake struck central Taiwan , killing at one person and injuring 19 as it damaged buildings on the quake-prone island.The Central Weather Bureau said the magnitude-6.1 earthquake was felt throughout the island.The U.S. Geological Survey placed the magnitude at 6.0.Nantou is a rural county about 250 kilometres south of Taipei.
ABBREVIATIONS
BRICS - Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa NABARD - National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development AWACS - Airborne Warning And Control System CMIE - Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy OECD - Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development AICTE - All India Council for Technical Education NDMA - National Disaster Management Authority DTC - Direct Taxes Code AAPSO - Afro-Asian PeoplesSolidarity Organization TIEA - Tax Information and Exchange Agreement DTAA - Double taxation Avoidance Agreement AFSPA - Armed Forces Special Powers Act NOIDA - New Okhla Industrial Development Authority IAAI - International Airports Authority of India. FBI - Federal Bureau of Investigation
BOOKS IN NEWS
Vice President of India Released Walking With Lions: Tales from a Diplomatic Past The Vice President of India, M. Hamid Ansari released a book titled Walking with Lions: Tales from a Diplomatic Past, written by K. Natwar Singh, the former Union Minister for External Affairs on 1 March 2013. This was Published by Harper Collins India. Yuvraj Singh The Test of My Life Book Released On 19 March Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh launched his new memories Auto biography book The Test of My Life. The Test of My Life is a book that talks about Yuvraj Singhs battle with cancer and his love for cricket. The book was launched in Mumba i where all his fellow cricketers came to show their support. Taliban Shooting Victim Is Publishing A Memoir : I Am Malala Malala Yousafzai, the teenage girl shot by the Taliban for promoting girls education, is to tell her life story in a book du e out later this year.In a deal reportedly worth around $3 million. The book will be entitled I Am Malala.
COMMITTEES
Govt Appoints Mukul Mudgal Committee To Probe Wal-Mart Lobbying Activities
On 5 March The union government has appointed a one-man Inquiry Committee, headed by former Chief Justice of Punjab & Haryana High Court Justice Mukul Mudgal, to inquire into reports on the US lobbying activities of Wal-Mart for access to India market. The Committee has to submit its report within three months and it is being provided administrative and functional support by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs in its probe.
INTERNATIONAL
China, Russia, Pakistan discuss Afghanistan situation Officials from China, Russia and Pakistan on 3 April 2013 held talks on the issue of coordination between their positions on Afghanistan.The officials from three nations backed the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) that is grouping to play a great role in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of NATO Forces in 2014. These talks were held to enhance coordination. The talks followed a similar meeting India, China and Russia held in Moscow recently, reflecting the delicate balancing act and increasingly complicated regional dynamics as different countries look to push their interests in the lead up to 2014. Malaysia PM Dissolves Parliament On 3 April Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has dissolved the Parliament ahead of a general election.This dissolution will pave the way for the 13th general election.The elections have to be held before June 2.The Barisan Nasional coalition that has ruled Malaysia since independence in 1957 is expected to face a stiff challenge in the polls from the opposition three-party Pakatan Rakyat (Peoples Pact). Tammam Salam named as Lebanon new Prime Minister On 6 April well-known Sunni lawmaker Tammam Salam has been named Lebanons new prime minister , after receiving overwhelming parliamentary support.His appointment comes after previous prime minister Najib Mikati resigned and effectively brought down his Hezbollah-dominated government. China, Australia Signed Direct Currency Exchange Agreement On 10 China and Australia have signed a currency swap agreement in a bid to promote bilateral trade and investment.The agreement makes the Australian dollar the third major currency to directly trade in Chinas mainland foreign exchange market, after the US dollar and the Japanese yen.Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard discussed bilateral security issues with Chinas President Hu Jintao. China Pledges $548 million Aid To Cambodia On 10 April China has pledged $548 million in aid to Cambodia for infrastructure and irrigation systems.Agreements covering $500 million in soft loans and $48 million in grants were signed during Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen . Nepal Peace Process Ends On 13 April Nepals much delayed peace process with end of the decade long civil war has finally reached conclusion.Though the peace process had started on 2006, the Special Committee was formed in 2008 to oversee the army integration process.The last meeting of the cross-party Special Committee decided to accept application of 47 Maoist combatants to quit the Nepal Army training. Nicolas Maduro Wins Venezuelan Presidential Election Nicolas Maduro,Socilist Party member who became Hugo Chavezs protege, was declared the winner of Venezuelas presidential election on 14 April 2013.Maduro secured 50.8% of votes while opposition candidate Henrique Capriles Radonski won 49.0%.Maduro got 3 lakhs votes of majority than Henrique. New Zealand Approved Gay-Marriage Bill On 17 April New Zealands parliament has approved the bill to legalise same -sex marriage.New Zealand has become the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to do so. No other country in the Asia-Pacific region allows gay marriage.Cheers and applause ring out in parliament building after 77 of 121 members vote to allow gay couples to wed.New Zealand is now the 13th country to legalise gay marriage. U.S Senate Rejects Gun Control Bill
On 18 April The US Senate has rejected a strong gun control bill.US Senators supported the measure with just 54-46 votes , falling short of the 60 votes required to pass the amendment.The legislation was considered the best hope for gun control sought by President Obama in the wake of the mass shooting at Newtown Elementary School last year.Among them, a vote to ban assault weapons was rejected by 40 votes to 60, while a measure to limit the size of gun clips received just 46 votes in its favor. US House of Representatives Passed CISPA On 18 April The US House of Representatives has passed the controversial Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protect Act (CISPA).The aim of CISPA is to fight with the cyber threats, by enabling the law enforcers to get access to the web data.This is the second time Cispa has been passed by the House.Senators threw out the first draft, saying it did not do enough to protect privacy.Senators had earlier rejected the first draft of this bill on the grounds that it wasnt providing enough for protecting the privacy. Napolitano Re-elected as Italys President On 21 April Italys Parliament re-elected Giorgio Napolitano as the Italys President for second 7 -year term .Giorgio Napolitano will be the first Italian president to be re-elected to serve a second term.He got 738 votes, far more than the 504 needed for victory.More than 1,000 national and regional lawmakers had convened to elect the next Italian president, with the overwhelming majority of them ultimately backing Napolitano.The People of Freedom party of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi got second place in Italy elections.He is the first President of Italy to have been a member of the Italian Communist Party and the first to be elected to a second term as President.Giorgio Napolitano is the 11th President of the Italian Republic since 2006. Horacio Cartes Elected as Paraguays new President On 22 April Businessman Horacio Cartes of the Colorado Party has been declared Paraguays new president.The electoral board announced that Cartes had 46.1 percent of the vote and his main rival Senator Efrain Alegre of the ruling Liberal Party 36.9 percent.The conservative Colorados held Paraguays presidency for 60 years until leftist former Catholic bishop Fernando Lugo was elected in 2008. French Parliament Approved Gay Marriage Law On 23 April France parliament approved a new law to allow gay marriage. Parliament passed the bill by 331 votes for and 225 against.France has become the 14th country to allow gay marriage.. UK Approved Caste Discrimination Bill On 25 April Britain has outlawed caste discrimination, after the House of Lords voted for legal protection to be given to the most vulnerable, mainly in the Indian and Sikh communities.The UK now looks set to become the first country in Europe to outlaw discrimination based on caste. Cuba and Venezuela Signed 51 Cooperation Projects On 28 April Cuba and Venezuela have signed at Havana accords for 51 joint projects worth two billion U.S. dollars.At the close of 13th Cuba-Venezuela Intergovernmental Meeting , Cuban President Raul Castro and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced the deals for projects in such areas as education, health, sports, cultur, food production, construction, transport, communications, energy and support of social missions.Havana and Caracas agreed to jointly invest two billion dollars to develop these projects and also signed a memorandum to establish a bilateral medium- and long-term economic agenda.The investment also covers joint ventures in vital and strategic economic areas in both countries. Pakistan court bans Musharraf from contesting polls for life A four-judge bench of the Peshawar high court headed by chief justice Dost Muhammad Khan imposed the life ban while dismissing Musharrafs appeal challenging the rejection of his nomination papers for May 11 general election.The lifetime ban was imposed because Musharraf had abrogated the Constitution twice and detained judges during the 2007 emergency.
India and Singapore Signed MoU on Air Services On 2 April India and Singapore signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on bilateral air services arrangement in the presence of Civil Aviation Minister, Shri Ajit Singh and Minister of Transport of Singapore, Mr Lui Tuck Yew in Singapore. India, Azerbaijan ink 3 key pacts Aimed at creating the necessary legal framework in areas of extradition, India and Azerbaijan on 04 April 2013 inked three key pacts which also included treaties for mutual legal assistance in criminal and civil matters.Visiting Justice Minister of Azerbaijan Fikrat Mammadov held a meeting with Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde where the extradition treaty was signed. India and Tanzania Signed Agreement To Explore Mineral Wealth On 6 April India and Tanzania have signed an agreement for forging an alliance to explore mineral wealth in the African nation.The agreement was signed by the Union Minister of Steel, Beni Prasad Verma and Sospeter Muhongo, the Minister of Energy and Minerals, United Republic of Tanzania at Der es Salaam. India and Russia signed Regulation of Co-operation Agreement On 10 April India and Russia signed a Regulation defining the structure, functions and procedure of the Joint Commission at Moscow.The agreement was signed by Vladimir Puchkov, Minister of the Russian Federation for Civil Defense, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters and Sushil kumar Shinde, the Union Minister of Home Affairs. Two Day India-China Counter-Terrorism Dialogue on Afghanistan ended The two-day India-China counter-terrorism dialogue ended on 12 April 2013 in Beijing China. The two nations discussed upon the ways to step up cooperation to counter terror in Afghanistan as a follow up plan after the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan in 2014. India Mauritius Signed MoU on Electoral Cooperation On 12 April India and Mauritius signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in New Delhi on cooperation in the field of Election Management and Administration. The MoU was signed by Chief Election Commissioner of India, V.S. Sampath and the Electoral Commissioner of Mauritius, Mohammad Irfan Abdool Rahman. India Mauritius Signed MoU on Electoral Cooperation On 12 April India and Mauritius signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in New Delhi on cooperation in the field of Election Management and Administration. The MoU was signed by Chief Election Commissioner of India, V.S. Sampath and the Electoral Commissioner of Mauritius, Mohammad Irfan Abdool Rahman. Bangladesh Inks $1.6 Billion Power Deal with India On 20 April India and Bangladesh signed its biggest-ever joint venture agreement with India involving investment of $1.6 billion for 1,320 MW coal-fired power plant which is expected to be operational in the next five years.The two countrys signed three deals under a pact to run the plant at Rampal of Bagerhat while the two others were Power Purchase Agreement and Implementation Agreement.A supplementary joint venture agreement floating the company was signed by Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) chairman Abdual Wahab Khan and NTPC Chairman and Managing Director Arup Roy Choudhury while the two others agreements were signed by officials concerned of the two countries. Indian origin boy won spelling championship 12 years old Indian origin boy won the very popular spelling competition beating another 30 competitors, held at Singapore. The name of the competition was R.B.H- The Straight Times National Spelling Championship. The name of the boy is Ashwin Shiv Kumar, who won the top place in this championship on 27 April 2013 . He is the student of 6th grade at Anglo-Chinese school. He was awarded by 5000 Singapore Dollars, as a prize he got. He passed through 10 stages and won the competition.
NATIONAL
Prez Pranab Mukherjee clears anti-rape bill President Pranab Mukherjee had given his assent to the anti-rape bill which provides for life term and even death sentence for rape convicts besides stringent punishment for offences like acid attacks, stalking and voyeurism.Mukherjee accorded his assent to the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill-2013 on 03 April 2013.This is called as the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013.The law, passed by Lok Sabha on March 19 and by Rajya Sabha on March 21. Union Government Approved Project for NOFN Creation in Gram Panchayats On 12 April The Government of India approved the project for creation of National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) connecting all the 250000 Gram Panchayats (GPs) in the country through Optical Cable (OFC). The Union Government decided to fund the project through Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF). Government Approved For 13 Power Projects On 22 April The Cabinet Committee on Investment cleared 13 power projects that involves investment of 33000 crore rupees. The projects on which the investments will be made include one hydro and two thermal project as well as ten transmission projects. 25 oil and gas blocks with investment commitment of about seven billion US dollars also got approval during the same meet. Of these 16 blocks were given conditional clearances, while nine blocks were approved without any condition. Approval of these projects was pending due to the objections raised by the Ministry of Defence over national security. Mukherjee Gives Assent To Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Bill On 25 April President Pranab Mukherjee has given his assent to the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Bill, 2013.Sexual harassment at work place is a violation of womens right to gender equality, life and liberty.It creates an insecure and hostile work environment, which discourages womens participation in work, thereby adversely affecting their economic empowerment and the goal of inclusive growth. (ANI)
STATES
Andhra Pradesh Government launched Online Services named Parishkaram for Entrepreneurs Andhra Pradesh Government on 1 April 2013 launched the AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporations online services for entrepreneurs and grievance redressal system. The platform is proposed to be a link between the APIIC and entrepreneurs which would make the process of application and registration of land for setting up industries a paperless one. EC issues notification for Karnataka assembly polls The Election Commission on April 10 issued the notification for the Karnataka Assembly polls.The nomination papers will be scrutinised on April 18. The last day for withdrawing the nominations is April 20. The votes polled on May 5 will be counted on May 8. Himachal Govt To Connect All Gram Panchayats With Broadband On 12 April Himachal Pradesh government signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Department of Telecommunication, Govt of India (GOI) and Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL) for providing broadband connectivity to all Gram Panchayats of the state by establishing of an optical fiber network. Himachal celebrates 66th anniversary On 15 April 2013 Himachal Pradesh celebrated 66th Himachal Day.Himachal Pradesh came into existence on 15 April 1948 with the merger of 30 princely states.During the function, the Chief Minister announced many schemes for the state which are under development phase like Mukhyamantri Adarsh Krishi Gaon Yojana, Skill Development Allowance. In the skill development Allowance, the government would provide 1000 rupees per month to educated unemployed youths and 1500 rupees to persons with disabilities of the state.
Indias first automatic toll collection system launched in Maharashtra The countrys first interoperable RIFD(Radio Frequency Identification Device )-based electronic toll system was rolled out on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai National Highway and the system would allow vehicles fitted with electronic tags to sail through six toll plazas automatically. Tamilnadu Planned Rs.7000 crore Underground Hydel Power Station On 25 April Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa announced the government planned a Rs 7,000 crore underground hydel power station in Nilgiris district besides the ongoing related schemes,which in all will cost over Rs 20,000 crore.The first unit of North Chennai Thermal Power plant, third unit of Vallur project and 2x 500 MW each of Tuticorin Power project would start generating power between March 2014.The first unit of North Chennai Thermal Power plant, third unit of Vallur project and 2x 500 MW each of Tuticorin Power project would start generating power between this year May and March 2014
CONFERENCES
PM inaugurated CII national conference Prime Minister Manmohan Singh inaugurated the two-day national conference and annual general meeting of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in New Delhi on 03 March 2013.Around 1,500 industrialists from across the country will attended the meeting. The theme for this years deliberations is India tomorrow: Imperatives of growth, security and governance. Conference of CMs of States & Chief Justices of High Courts held at New Delhi Conference of Chief Ministers of States & Chief Justices of High Courts held at New Delhi on 7 April.The conference presided over by Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir, aims to address pressing issues related to the countrys justice delivery syste m thats often criticised for being tardy.Prime Minister Manmohan Singh inaugurated the joint conference.Prime Mini ster, Dr. Manmohan Singh has called upon the judiciary and executive to work together to make the Indian judicial system an arrear free. Hyderabad will host ICSE conference in 2014 The 36th International Conference on Software Engineering, ICSE2014, will be held in Hyderabad, India from 1 June 2013 to 7 June 2013. India is home to some of the largest software companies in the world, and Hyderabad is one of the main centers for software development in India.This conference is going to be a premier software engineering conference that is going to provide a forum for researchers, practitioners and educators to present and discuss the most recent innovations, trends, experiences and concerns in the field of software engineering.This is the first time conducted in India. UNWTO Conference Held in Hyderabad United Nations World Tourism Organisation ( UNWTO) Commissions Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development and 25th Joint Meeting of the UNWTO Commission for East Asia, Pacific and South Asia will be held at Hyderabad from 12th to 14th of this month.The conference attended by dignitaries belonging to 29 countries spread across in East Asia & Pacific and South Asia, eight UNWTO affiliate members, two regional organizations as well as industry organizations. The UNWTO Secretary General Taleb Rifai along with his team of senior delegates presented at the meeting .The delegates discussed the market trends of the region in the year 2012 and tourism prospects for the year 2013.The next Joint Meeting would be held in Philippines and the 21st Session of General Assembly of UNWTO will be held in Cambodia.
have gone to entrepreneurs from Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana respectively.Three National Awards (First, Second and Third) for Micro Enterprises in Outstanding Efforts in Entrepreneurship category Haryana , West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh got first,second and third respectively.Three National Awards (First, Second and Third) for Small Enterprises. First Award has gone to an entrepreneur from Himachal Pradesh. Second Award has been given jointly to four entrepreneurs from Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, New Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. Third Award has been given jointly to three entrepreneurs from Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Karnataka.This awards will be presented by the President Pranab Mukherjee. Desmond Tutu Won Prestigious 2013 Templeton Prize On 4 South Africas Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu has won 2013 Templeton Prize for his life -long work in promoting love and forgiveness.The prize was announced at the foundations headquarters in West Conshohocken in Pennsylvania and is valued at $1.7-million (about Rs.15.6-million).Last years prize was awarded to the exiled Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. ICSI National Awards for Excellence in Corporate Governance 2012 Chairman of the Awards Jury of the ICSI (Institute of Company Secretaries of India) and former Chief Justice of India Shri Justice M. N. Venkatachaliah in New Delhi on 05 April 2013 presented the ICSI Nationa l Awards for Excellence in Corporate Governance -2012 to two Best Governed Companies: 1. 2. Indian Oil Corporation Limited; and HCL Technologies Limited.
The Awards were presented during the ongoing 2nd CSIA International Corporate Governance Conference. ICSI Life Time Achievement Award for the year 2012 was presented to Shri Deepak S. Parekh, Chairman, Housing Development Finance Corporation Ltd. for translating excellence in Corporate Governance into reality.Certificates of Recognition were presented to the Top Five Companies. These are : 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. CMC Limited Engineers India Limited ONGC Limited Persistent Systems Ltd. Powergrid Corporation of India Limited
Barfi! wins top honours at The Times of India Film Awards Barfi movie was the top winner at the maiden edition of The Times of India Film Awards, bagging the Best Film, Best Director (Anurag Basu), Best Actor (Ranbir Kapoor), Best Actress (Priyanka Chopra) and Best D ebut Female (Ileana DCruz) trophies. The award for the Best Debut Male went to Ayushmann Khurrana for Vicky Donor, which also won the Best Supporting Actor award for Annu Kapoor and the Best Supporting Actress trophy for Dolly Ahluwalia. Anurag Kashyaps Gangs of Wasseypur got the Critics Choice award for Best Film. Abhishek Bachchan, who won the Best Actor in a Comic Role award for Bol Bachchan, dedicated the honour to his wife Aishwarya. Pran gets Phalke Award On 12 April 2013,Hindi film actor Pran Krishan Sikand will be conferred with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2012. The 93-year-old actor, popularly known as Pran, will be the 44th recipient of the top-most film award in the country.Pran, who has acted in over 400 films in his six-decade-long career.The award, named after the father of Indian cinema Dada Saheb Phalke, will be conferred on Pran on May 3, which will also mark the 100 years of cinema this year. New York Times won four Pulitzer Prizes The New York Times won four Pulitzer Prizes on 15 April 2013, including the award for investigative reporting for stories that detailed how Wal-Mart used bribery to expand in Mexico.The Sun Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was awarded the public service Pulitzer for its reporting on off-duty police officers reckless driving.The Pulitzer in breaking news photography went to
The Associated Press for its coverage of the civil war in Syria.The Pulitzers, journalisms highest honour, are given out eac h year by Columbia University on the recommendation of a board of journalists and others. Each award carries a $10,000 prize except for the public service award, which is a gold medal. Raj Chetty won John Bates Clark young economist award Delhi-born Raj Chetty, the professor in the Department of Economy at the Harvard University won John Bates Clark medal for 2013, also called Baby Nobel.John Bates Clark medal is conferred upon the American economist whose age is below 40 years and the one who has made crucial contribution to economic knowledge and thought.Baby Nobel is one of the most prestigious awards of economy. Infact, it is second only after Nobel Prize in economic science.Raj Chetty, 33, is the first Indian-origin person to win this high honour. His areas of work include social insurance, tax policy as well as education policy. Telugu writer Ravuri Bharadwaja honoured with Jnanpith award Telugu writer Dr Ravuri Bharadwaja got the countrys prestigious Jnanpith award for 2012 for his contributions to Telugu literature over 60 years.He got this award for his novel Pakudurallu.He is the third recipient of the countrys highest literary award from Andhra Pradesh, after Dr Viswanatha Satyanarayana in 1970 for his Srimad Ramayana Kalpavriksham and Dr C. Narayana Reddy in 1988 for his book Viswambhara. Eighty six-year-old Dr Bharadwaja was chosen for the award by a selection Board chaired by poet Sitakant Mahapatra, said a statement of the Jnanpith award committee. RGIA is Named the Best Airport in India On 17 April The GMR Group operated and managed Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) has been rated as the No.1 airport in India, the fifth best regional airport in Asia and also as the eighth best airport in the 5 to 10 mppa capacity.The ratings were given at the recently concluded Skytrax-World Airport Awards held at the Passenger Terminal Expo in Geneva. Manmohan Singh, Sonia and Rahul Gandhi Named Among Top 5 Most Influential Asians On 17 April Congress president Sonia Gandhi (2nd Rank), Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (4th Rank) and AICC vice president Rahul Gandhi (5th Rank) have been named among top 5 in the worlds 100 most influential list of Asians topped by Chinas new President Xi Jinping.Among the other key Indians to make the grade included Reliance Industries chief Mukesh Ambani for owning Indias most valuable company in ninth place, followed by President Pranab Mukherjee at 19th place and steel magnate Lakshmi N Mittal at 20th position.Indian entries dominated the Top 100 with 39 names, followed by 15 from China and six from the Philippines.While Infosys co-founder Narayan Murthy was named Philanthropist of the Year, industrialist Adi Godrej bagged Entrepreneur of the Year award for his contribution to Indian industry and Ravi Ruia, vice-chairman of the Essar Group, won in the Outstanding Contribution to Sustainability category, for his companys high sustainability ratings NRI Kartar Lalvani Received Queens Award On 20 April Vitabiotics, a company founded by NRI entrepreneur Kartar Lalvani, has received the coveted Queens Award for Enterprise in Innovation for its research on vitamins.Vitabiotics, UKs largest supplier of minerals and vitamin supplements to the retail trade, won the award for the development of its Pregnacare range and in recognition of its successful Pregnacare clinic research. Saina Nehwal Selected for Yudhvir Award Yudhvir Foundation has selected ace badminton player Saina Nehwal for the 22nd Yudhvir Memorial Foundation Award for the year 2013, which was being given every year to honor the individuals who excel in some field of human endeavor. The award was established in the name of late Yudhvir, founder editor of the Hindi Milap daily in 1991 after his demise.Saina Nehwal was selected for the Award as she won a medal in Olympics in badminton and also the first to win the Asian Satellite Badminton tournament (India Chapter) twice keeping the countrys image high abroad.The previous Yudhvir awardees include Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Classical maestro Pandit Jasraj, Space Scientist Prof. UR Rao, Amar Chitra Katha founder late Anant Pai and eminent film maker Shyam Benegal and others. Asha Bhosle, Mala Sinha to get Phalke Academy awards The Dadasaheb Phalke Academy Awards will be bestowed on singer Asha Bhosle, actress Mala Sinha, late filmmaker Yash Chopra, and late superstar Rajesh Khanna among several others at a ceremony in Mumbai on April 30.Asha, who has regaled music lovers with her melodious voice in her over six decades old career, will receive the Phalke Ratna Award from the academy, while Mala Sinha, who has acted in Pyaasa", Maryada" and Hariyali Aur Rasta" will get the Golden Era Award.
Major Anup Joseph awarded Kirti Chakra, 12 others get Shaurya Chakra Major Anup Joseph Manjali was on Saturday awarded the second-highest peacetime gallantry award Kirti Chakra by President Pranab Mukherjee for killing three foreign militants in Jammu and Kashmir. 12 defence personnel were awarded the Shaurya Charkra for their acts of bravery including Captain A Rahul Ramesh and Naik Krishna Kumar who were given the honour posthumously. Seven South African Indians get National Orders The awards(National Orders)are presented on the Freedom Day of South Africa that is celebrated on April 27 to mark the day on which Nelson Mandela took over as the countrys first d emocratically-elected President in 1994. Among the recipients of the order was veteran Indian diplomat Enuga Sreenivasula Reddy who had led the fight against apartheid at the UN since 1963 received the Order of the Companions of OR Tambo(Silver).The second highest award called the Order of the Baobab was presented to Lenasia-based community worker Suraya Khan, popularly known to all as Aunty Bibi, while the same order in Silver went to journalist and community activist Yusuf Abramjee and pioneering skin cloning plastic surgeon Dr Ridwan Mia. Prof Quarraisha Abdool Karim received the Order of Mapungubwe in Bronze for her internationally acclaimed research into HIV Aids.
India got Silver in World Youth Weightlifting Championships 2013 Jamjang Deru gave India the first medal in the World Youth Weightlifting Championships as he won a silver in the 50kg boys category at Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Deru won the silver in clean and jerk with an effort of 110 kg and finished fourth in the total lift with 195kg. He lifted 85kg in snatch.In the same category, Deepak Lather finished 12th in total lift with an effort of 174kg (80+94). India Women Complete Clean Sweep Over Bangladesh India Women completed a 3-0 One-Day International series clean sweep over Bangladesh Women with a 58-run victory in the final match in Ahmedabad.India batted first in the third match and posted 154. Pakistan bans two umpires over spot-fixing Pakistan cricket authorities on 13 April 2013 banned two umpires.The allegations against the umpires first came up after a television sting operation last year. The PCB set up an inquiry committee led by PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf soon after and passed on its findings to the boards integrity committee to determine the punishments.Nadeem Ghauri, the Pakistan umpire, has been handed a four-year ban by the PCB after its integrity committee found him guilty of being willing to accept money for favourable umpiring decisions. His colleague Anis Siddiqi was banned for three years. Ferraris Fernando Alonso wins Chinese Grand Prix 2013 Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso won the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix on 14 April 2013.Lotus Kimi Raikkonen and Mercedes Lewis Hamilton got second and third positions respectively.Red Bulls Sebastian Vettel got a 4th position.But Force Indias Paul di Resta got 8th Position. Adam Scott Won Augusta Masters Golf Tournament Australias Adam Scott won the 77th Masters (2013 Masters Tournament), become the first Australian golfer to capture the green jacket.It was Scotts first major championship and the first time an Australian has won the Masters. Chandigarh win Hockey India sub-junior mens national championship Chandigarh defeated Punjab 2-1 to lift the 3rd Hockey India Sub-Junior Men National Championship (North Zone) title at Sonepat on 15 April 2013.Meanwhile, Haryana won the 3rd Hockey India Sub-Junior Womens National Championship (North Zone) after getting the better of Chandigarh, 3-1 in the final. Amit won gold, three other Indians bag a bronze each Amit Kumar clinched a gold medal in men`s 55kg category while three other grapplers bagged a bronze medal each for India in the Senior Asian Wrestling Championship in New Delhi on 20 April 2013.In the women`s category, Vinesh (51kg) and Babita Kumari (55kg) won their bronze medal bouts while Bajrang (men`s 60kg) pocketed a bronze, to end the day three of the championships on a high after two medal-less days. Sebastian Vettel Won Bahrain Grand Prix Title On 21 April The Red Bulls Sebastian Vettel from Germany won the Bahrain Grand Prix 2013 by defeating Lotus drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean. Kimi Raikkonen got second postion.Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes took fifth position and Fernando Alonso of Ferrari was successful in grabbing the eighth position in the listings Novak Djokovic Won Monte Carlo Masters Title On 21 April World Number One Novak Djokovic won his first Monte Carlo Masters title.Djokovic defeated Spains Rafael Nadal in the final.The Serbian inflicted Nadals first defeat in Monte Carlo in 47 matches and avenged last years final defeat to lift his first Masters title. Amit Kumar Dhankar won Gold Amit Kumar Dhankar won Indias second gold medal of the championships in Mens 66kg Frees tyle at KD Jadhav Stadium in New Delhi on 22 April 2013. India topped the medals tally in Freestyle division with 2 gold and 2 bronze medals.India finished
top of the Mens freestyle rankings with 2 golds and 2 bronze medals. India got 48 points to br crow ned champion for the first time in the history of the Asian Wrestling Championships.India finished with nine medals 2 gold, 1 silver and 6 bronze. Chris Gayle Hits Crickets Fastest-ever Century in IPL Match On 23 April Chris Gayle, the West Indies opener, hit the fastest ever century in the history of cricket by reaching 100 in merely 30 balls during Royal Challengers Bangalore-Pune Warriors IPL match.Gayle scored a total run of 175 runs in merely 66 balls, which included 17 sixes and 13 boundaries. It is important to note that this is the most number of runs scored in any T20 innings. This was also his fourth century in the IPL career. Lancashires Jordan Clark hits 6 sixes in 1 over Lancashire all-rounder Jordan Clark had become only the fifth professional player to hit six sixes in one over, achieving the feat in a second XI match against Yorkshire on 25 April 2013. Clark joins an illustrious list that contains former West Indies all-rounder Garfield Sobers (1968), Indias Ravi Shastri (1985), South Africa batsman Herschelle Gibbs and India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh (both 2007). Federation Cup Senior Athletics Championship in Patiala Federation Cup Senior Athletics Championship in Patiala on 25 April 2013. Men: 4x100M relay: Andhra Pradesh (K Pavan Kumar, E Gopi, Md Baba, M Manikanand Raj) 41.06 seconds, 1; Tamil Nadu A (Silambarasan, Al Ameen, Vijayakumar, Balamurugan) 41.10, 2; Kerala A (Anuroop John, Jeris Jose, Rahul G Pillai, Renjith KG) 41.39, 3. Women: 4x100M relay: Chhattisgarh (Niksy Joseph, S hilpa, Priya PK, Sini S) 47.40 seconds, 1; ONGC A (Mounika Gaddam, Meghna Shetty, Purnima Hembram, Duteechand) 47.78, 2; Kerala A (Merlin K Joseph, Neethu Mathew, Neethu Rajan, Rengitha C) 48.24, 3. Dhoni fined for slow over rate Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was fined $20,000 for his teams slow over rate in their 14 -run win over Kolkata Knight Riders in a Indian Premier League (IPL) encounter in Chennai on 28 April 2013. India Open Super Series Badminton Tournament Winners Mens Singles:-On 28 April World number one Lee Chong (Malaysia) won the mens singles title at India Open Super Series badminton tournament at NewDelhi.In the final Lee Chong defeated Kenichi Tago of Japan and got the title. Womens Singles:-Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand won the women`s singles title after defeated Juliane Schenk of Germany in the final . Rafael Nadal Won Barcelona Open Tennis Title On 28 April Rafael Nadal from Spain won the Barcelona Open Tennis title for the eighth time.In the final at Barcelona ,Nadal defeated Nicolas Almagro from Spain.It was Nadals 54th career title and fourth this year Maria Sharapova Won Porsche Tennis Grand Prix Title On 28 April Maria Sharapova from Russia won Porsche Tennis Grand Prix Title.She defeated Chinas Li Na in the final at Porsche Arena in Stuttgart, Germany.It was her 16th consecutive clay court title.
ECONOMY
India Joins The Madrid Protocol System
On 8 April India joined the International Registration of Marks at the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) by depositing the instrument of accession to the Madrid Protocol.India is the 90th member to join the international trademark system.India is the 90th member to join the international trademark system and the treaty will enter into force with respect to India on 8 July 2013.The Madrid Protocol system provides for the international registration of trade marks by way of one application that can cover more than one country. The opportunity of having a single registration to cover a wide range of countries gives advantages, both in terms of portfolio management and cost savings, as opposed to a portfolio of independent national registrations. Yamaha to Develop Cheapest Bike of the World in India Yamaha, the Japanese two-wheeler company on 9 April 2013 announced that it will soon roll out the cheapest motorcycle of the world in India. The price of this bike would be around 500 US dollar or 27000 Rupees approximately. WTO cuts 2013 global trade growth forecast to 3.3% The World Trade Organisation (WTO) on 10 April 2013 cut its forecast for global trade growth in 2013 to 3.3 percent, from the previous prediction of 4.5 percent. Gujarat Tops in Attracting Private Investment According to the Composition of Outstanding Private Investments Across States repor t released by Assocham ,Gujarat has ranked on top for attracting investment across the country cornering about 14 per cent of total outstanding private sector investment worth over Rs 75 lakh crore as of December 2012.Odisha ranks second with private investment commitments worth over Rs 8 lakh crore.With a share of about 9.4 per cent and 9.3 per cent, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra both have attracted private investments worth over Rs 7 lakh crore respectively.The private sector accounts for over 62 per cent of total outstanding investments worth about Rs 122 lakh crore attracted by India as of December 2012.Of the total investments from private sources worth over Rs 75 lakh crore, the domestic private sector accounts for a majority share of about 58 per cent.Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Assam account for a share of less than even one per cent in the total private investment commitments attracted by India. IMF slashed Economic Growth Rate of India to 5.7 percent from 5.9 percent for 2013 IMF(International Monetary Fund) in its latest release on 16 April 2013 of the World Economic Outlook (WEO) slashed the growth projection of India from its earlier prediction of 5.9 percent to 5.7 percent for the calendar year 2013. Ambani Brothers 20th Richest in World Mukesh and Anil Ambani, Indias leading industrialist brothers, have been together listed as 20th richest in the world in the Sunday Times Rich List 2013.The Walton family of the US, who own Supermarkets (Walmart), are the richest in the world with a 90 billion pounds fortune in 2013 as against 51 billion pounds last year.The Hinduja brothers, Srichand and Gopichand Hinduja, Chairman and Co-Chairman respectively of the Hinduja Group, are 47th richest in the world with a fortune worth 11 billion pounds in 2013 as against 9 billion pounds last year. Spain Unemployment Rate Hits New Record On 24 April According to the National Statistics Institute data ,Spains unemployment rate soared to a new record of 27.2% of the workforce in the first quarter of 2013.The total number of unemployed people in Spain has now passed the six million figure, although the rate of the increase has slowed.The jobless rate, which stood at 7.9% in mid-2007, has risen relentlessly since the collapse in 2008 of a Spains labour-intensive property boom. India became the worlds eighth most powerful nation According to Delhi-based Foundation for National Security Research (FSNR), the worlds 10 most powerful countries, India had been ranked 8th. India is ranked eighth in 27 countries. Professor Satish Kumar says that we study about the selection of powerful countries on several grounds. Some of these countries had to fulfill the necessary criteria. For instance, were the countries, whose population was more than 5 million. The level of GDP was over U.S. $ 500 billion. India is one of such countries.Study states that the United States is the worlds most powerful country and China stood in 2nd position. Indias GDP likely to improve to 5.7% in 2013: IMF
According to International Monetary Funds(IMF) Regional Economic Outlook: Asia and Pacific report ,the GDP of India in 2013 is 5.7% and in 2014 it is 6.2%.
four years to complete the superyacht from concept to construction.With 94,000 horsepower generated from two gas turbines and two diesel engines, the Azzam can reach speeds of over 55.5kph, which makes it one of the fastest yachts in the world. New Camera System That Can Captured Images From 1 km Away In the month of April the team of researchers from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh , developed a New Laser powered Camera System that can take image of any object from a distance of about one kilometer by creating high-resolution 3D images.The technique on which the camera is based is called Time-of-Flight (ToF) navigation systems for autonomous vehicles. In this principle of photography, to capture the image of the far away object, a laser beam is bounced on the object and measure the time that is taken by the beam of light to be back to the detector. India test-fires nuclear capable Agni-II missile The medium-range, nuclear capable Agni-II missile was successfully test-fired with a strike range of more than 2,000 kms from the Wheeler Island off Odisha coast on 07 April 2013.The trial of the surface-to-surface missile was conducted from a mobile launcher from the Launch Complex-4 of Integrated Test Range (ITR).The 20-metre-long Agni-II is a two-stage, solid-propelled ballistic missile. It has a launch weight of 17 tonnes and can carry a payload of 1,000 kgs over a distance of 2,000 kms.The state-of-the-art Agni-II missile was developed by Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL) and integrated by the Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) in Hyderabad.Agni-II is part of the Agni series of missiles developed by DRDO which includes Agni-I with a 700 km range, Agni-III with a 3,000 km range, Agni-IV with 4,000 km range and Agni-V with a more than 5,000 km range. NASA Approved TESS Project NASA has approved a The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), a $200 million mission to search for Earth-size planets orbiting the nearby stars.Led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with seed funding from Google, TESS was one of 11 proposals selected for NASA funding in September 2011, down from the original 22 submitted in February of that year.TESS, along with the Neutron star Interior Composition ExploreR (NICER), had been selected for launch in 2017. The project will come into full swing within the next four years. Pakistan Tests Nuclear-Capable Hatf-IV Missile Pakistan successfully test-fired the nuclear-capable Hatf-IV ballistic missile on 10 April 2013. The missile has a range of 900 km and it can also hit targets in India. Hatf- IV ballistic missile is also called Shaheen-1. Indian Astronomer Discovered Blue Super-Giant Star An Indian scientist Dr. duo Ananda Hota and his Taiwanese colleague Dr. Youichi Ohyama have discovered a blue super-giant star located in the constellation Virgo, far beyond our Milky Way Galaxy. Over 55 million years ago, the star emerged in an extremely wild environment, surrounded by intensely hot plasma (a million degrees centigrade) and amidst raging cyclone winds blowing at four million kilometres per hour.This star is in small IC 3418 Milky Way Galaxy and it is about 5.5 billion lightyears away from Earth. Astronomers find most Earth-like planets yet NASA scientists announced on 19 April 2013 that they discovered two earths like plants which are 1200 light years far from earth. NASA discovered the five plants which are rotating around Kepler 62 star using the Kepler Space Telescope. Two of the five planets orbiting a sun-like star called Kepler-62 are squarely in what astronomers call the habitable zone not too hot, not too cold and possibly bearing water. These two plants are named as a Kepler-63e and Kepler 62f. China Tested Self Developed Biofuel Flight On 24 April China successfully conducted a first test flight powered by self-developed biofuel made mainly from palm oil and recycled cooking oil.An Airbus A320 operated by China Eastern Airlines landed at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport ,after completing an 85-minute journey using aviation biofuel produced by Sinopec, the countrys top oil refiner.The success made China the fourth country after the United States, France and Finland to boast independent production of bio-jet-fuel.
PERSONS IN NEWS
A) APPOINTMENTS
Jonty Rhodes named South African tourism ambassador in India Former cricketer Jonty Rhodes was named as the brand ambassador of South African Tourism in India. Chitra Ramkrishna Took Over as NSE chief On 1 April Chitra Ramkrishna took over as National Stock Exchange (NSE) new Managing Director and CEO .As MD and CEO of the NSE, Ramkrishna succeeds Ravi Narain who would assume the role of non-executive Vice Chairman .She is the first female head of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) in its nearly 20-year history of operations as a bourse. Rakesh Bhatia is Catholic Syrian Banks new MD & CEO Rakesh Bhatia had taken over as the new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Catholic Syrian Bank.He was previously the Global Head of HSBCs Trade and Receivables Finance Division. 2 Indians selected for Yale fellowship programme Abhik Sen, Managing Editor, The Economist Group, and Prodyut Bora, State General Secretary of BJP in Assam, have been selected as the two Indian representatives for 2013 Yale World Fellows Program.About 16 people have been selected for the programme.Since 2002, the university has welcomed a group of exemplary mid-career professionals from a wide range of fields and countries for an intensive four-month period of academic enrichment and leadership training.With the selection of Sen and Bora, the total number of Indian fellows stands at 13. Infosys S Gopalakrishnan is the new CII President S. Gopalakrishnan (Kris), co-founder and executive co-chairman, Infosys Technologies Limited, had been elected as the President of CII for the year 2013-14. He succeeds Mr Adi Godrej as the new President. S.C. Sinha Appointed as NHRC Member On 5 April National Investigation Agency (NIA) chief S.C. Sinha has been appointed as a member of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) .S C Sinha, a 1975 batch Haryana cadre officer.He will now get a five year term at NHRC. Krishna Kumar Natrajan appointed as the New Chief of NASSCOM Krishnakumar Natarajan, CEO and Director of Mindtree on 8 April 2013 was appointed as the Chairman of Nasscom for the year 2013-14. He succeeded N Chandrasekaran, MD and CEO of TCS, who was the Chairman for the year 2012-13. First Woman director for IICT On April 8,Dr. Mannepalli Lakshmi Kantam, had been appointed as Director of the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), the first woman scientist to head any of the 37 laboratories belonging to Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in the country. Kenyatta sworn in as Kenyas president Uhuru Kenyatta was sworn in as Kenyas fourth president on 09 April 2013, becoming the second sitting president in the world to be indicted for crimes against humanity and creating a challenge for western governments keen to sustain links with a strategic east African ally. PJ Kurien elected Chairman of Asian forum of Parliamentarians On April 11 Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, PJ Kurien was unanimously elected as the Chairman of the prestigious Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD) during the during the 73rd Executive Committee Meeting of AFPPD at Bangkok. He replaced Yasuo Fukuda, former Prime Minister of Japan as the Chairman of AFPPD. PJ Kurien at present is also the Chairman of the Indian Association of Parliamentarians on Population and Development. Five new judges sworn-in
Five new judges to the Andhra Pradesh High Court were sworn-in by acting Chief Justice N.V. Ramana in Hyderabad on 12 April 2013.The new judges who were administered the oath of office and secrecy are: Challa Kodanda Ram, A. Rajasekhar Reddy, P. Naveen Rao, A.V. Sesha Sai and S.V. Bhatt. Two Judges Sworn in Supreme Court On 12 April with two more judges sworn in the strength of the Supreme Court has risen to 30.Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri and Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde were administered the oath of office and secrecy by Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir.While Justice Sikri was the Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Bobde was the Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court. The sanctioned strength of the apex court is 31 judges including the CJI. Sunil Kumar Takes over as Managing Director of CRIS On 16 April 2013,Sunil Kumar took over as the Managing Director of Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS). Shri Asoke Kumar Mukerji appointed as the Permanent Representative of India to the UN On April 17,Shri Asoke Kumar Mukerji, took charges as the Ambassador/Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations at New York. CRPF gets first woman Special DG On April 18, Senior IPS officer Aruna Bahuguna appointed as the Special Director General of the countrys largest paramilitar y force CRPF. This is the first time a woman officer is occupying the second top post in the hierarchy of the force. She is a 1979batch IPS officer. She was till now serving as the Chairman of the AP police housing corporation. Bahuguna is expected to take charge at the force headquarters in New Delhi within 15 days. Abdul Hamid elected Bangladesh President uncontested Abdul Hamid is to be Bangladeshs 20th president after no other candidate was nominated in the poll to replace President Zilliur Rahman who died on 20 March 2013. Abdul Hamid was elected uncontested as the 20th President of Bangladesh. Sunil Bharti Mittal Appointed as Vice Chairman of ICC On 22 April Sunil Bharti Mittal , the Chairman and Group CEO of Bharti Enterprises appointed as the Vice-Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC),which is one of the worlds oldest global business organisations.With the appointment as the Vice Chairman of ICC, Mittal became the third business person from India in the history of ICC to be appointed on the ICC Executive Board. Ajay Devgn, Runa Laila named SAARC ambassadors for HIV/AIDS Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn, Bangladeshi singer Runa Laila and Oscar-winning Pakistani filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy have been named as SAARC Goodwill Ambassadors for HIV/AIDS.A meeting of the selection committee was held recently at the SAARC Secretariat and of the 10 nominations received from the member states, the three celebrities were nominated. Takehiko Nakao is new ADB President On 27 April Takehiko Nakao has been unanimously elected president of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) by the Board of Governors at New Delhi.He succeeds Haruhiko Kuroda, who resigned in March to take up his assignment as Bank of Japan governor.Nakao assumed office as ADBs ninth president on 28 April. Gulzars appointment as chancellor elates Assam University Lyricist-writer and Padma Bhushan awardee, Gulzar has been appointed the new chancellor of Assam University.Established in 1994, the Assam University campus is situated in Dargakona, about 20 km from Silchar.
B)RESIGNS
Kerala minister resigned following domestic violence complaint by wife
Kerala Forest minister K.B.Ganesh Kumar resigned his post on 02 April 2013 due to domestic violence complaint by wife in the local police station.He is only one Congress person in the Congress- UPF Coalition Alliance government in Kerala. Cyprus Finance Minister Michalis Sarris Resigns On 3 April Cyprus Finance Minister Michalis Sarris has resigned citing his role as chairman of Laiki Bank, whose failure was a major contributor to the islands near financial meltdown, as one of the reasons behind his decision. UP Goverment suspends cabinet minister Raja Ram Pandey The Uttar Pradesh government on 13 April 2013 removed cabinet minister of Khadi and Gramudyog, Raja Ram Pandey for making sexist comments.Pandey had promised to build roads as smooth as Hema Malinis and Madhuri Dixits cheeks besides giving the states roads a facial while addressing a function in Pratapgarh on 12 April 2013.UP CM Akhilesh Yadav, who is now in charge of 63 ministries, has taken charge of Pandeys ministry. Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad Resigned Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad resigned on 13 April 2013 after falling out with president Mahmud Abbas. Salam Fayyad was tasked with the role of caretaker for the current government until a new prime minister is appointed. Supreme Court bids farewell to Justice Aftab Alam On April 19,the Supreme Court bid farewell to Justice Aftab Alam marking the end of his five and a half year tenure at the Supreme Court. Justice Alam enrolled as an Advocate on March 27, 1973. He practised in the Patna High Court and was designated as Senior Advocate by the Patna High Court on February 1, 1984. He was appointed as Judge of the Patna High Court on July 27, 1990 and was later transferred to the Jammu & Kashmir High Court, where he was appointed as the Acting Chief Justice on June 06, 2007. He assumed office as Supreme Court judge on November 12, 2007.
C)DEATHS
Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Oscar winner and novelist, died Oscar, the Booker Prize winner novelist and screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, author of Heat and Dust and many other books set in India, died on 03 April 2013.Jhabvala also worked on several movie adaptations with filmmakers James Ivory and Ismail Merchant, winning two Academy Awards for her screenplays for 1985 movie A Room With a View and Howards End in 1992.Jhabvala was born in Germany but emigrated with her family to Britain during the Nazi regime. She later married an Indian architect and moved to India, where she began to write about her life there.Jhabvala collaborated with Merchant and Ivory on more than 20 movies including The Remains of the Day and Mr. And Mrs. Bridge. Bratindra Nath Mukherjee passes away A Padmashri winner, Professor Bratindra Nath Mukherjee, renowned historian and an expert in epigraphy who deciphered several ancient scripts, died in Kolkata on 04 April 2013. Britains First Female Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher Died Margaret Thatcher, Britains first and still only female prime minister has died on 8 April at London.Thatcher was the Prime Minister of Britain from 1979 to 1990 from Conservative party of Britain and was the first lady to hold the post of Prime Minister.She was the longest-serving British Prime Minister of the 20th century and is the only woman to have held the office. A Soviet journalist called her the Iron Lady", a nickname that became asso ciated with her uncompromising politics and leadership style. This first volume of Margaret Thatchers memoirs book(1993), which encompasses the entirety of her career as Prime Minister. Test-tube baby pioneer dies British scientist Robert Edwards, 87, who won the Nobel Prize for his pioneering work in in vitro fertilisation, leading to the birth of the first test- tube baby, died in London on 10 April 2013.He born in Yarkfire in North England on 27 September 1925.Robert Edwards and Patrick Steptoe both proceeded to achieve in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), resulting in the birth of Louise Brown, the first test-tube baby, on 25 July 1978.. Polio Vaccine Developer Koprowski Died
On 11 April Dr Hilary Koprowski , a Polish researcher who developed the first successful oral vaccination for polio died in Philadelphia. He was 96 years of age.He was a Polish virologist and immunologist and was known for developing the first effective polio vaccine. In 2006, he was conferred with the record 50th grant from the National Institutes of Health. Justice Chinnappa Reddy dead Justice O Chinnappa Reddy, one of the highly respected members of the Indian judiciary, died at his jubilee hills residence in Hyderabad on 13 April 2013. He was born at Gooty in Anantapur district on September 25, 1922.Justice Reddy was appointed as judge of the Supreme Court from January 17, 1978 and continued in the post for about 10 years.He retired on 24 September 1987.After his retirement he became chairman of the Karnataka BC commission. Playback singer PB Srinivas passes away Veteran playback singer PB Srinivas who rendered more than 3,000 songs in eight languages died in Chennai on 14 April 2013.He debuted as a singer with Hindi film Mr. Sampath in 1952. His last song was from the 2010 Tamil film Aayirathil Oruvan. Ex-CEC, governor VS Rama Devi dead Former Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh Governor V S Ramadevi, the only woman to head the Election Commission, died in Bangalore on 17 April 2013.Born on March 15, 1934, Ramadevi was the Chief Election Commissioner of India from November 26, 1990 to December 11, 1990. She was the only woman who became the CEC. She was succeeded by T N Seshan.She had served as the Governor of Himachal Pradesh from July 26, 1997 to December 1, 1999 and as the Governor of Karnataka from December 2, 1999 to May 20, 2002. Dina Thanthi MD Sivanthi Adithan dead Veteran journalist and managing director of Tamil daily Dina Thanthi B Sivanthi Adithan died in Chennai on 19 April 2013.He was also head of the Indian Olympic Association before Suresh Kalmadi took over and is the former vice president of Olympic Council of Asia. At the time of his death, Sivanthi Adithan was the life president of IOC and president of the Volleyball Federation of India.Sivanthi Adithan was honoured with Padmashree in 2008. Mathematical Genius Shakuntala Devi Died On 21 April The human computer mental calculator, mathematics whizard Shakuntala Devi died at Bangalore.Her name was recorded in Guinness Book of World Records for her ability of making calculations at lightning-speed.In the year 1977, she calculated the 23rd root of digit number 201 in just 50 seconds.Some of her books were Puzzles to Puzzle You, Mathablit, Astrology for You, Fun with Numbers and Awaken the Genius in Your Child. Former England Captain Mike Denness Died On 19 April Michael Henry Denness, popularly known as Mike Denness, the former England captain died in London.Mike Denness played county cricket for Essex and Kent. He scored over 25000 runs in the first-class career.He was the captain of Kent to six domestic trophies between 1972 and 1976.He was among first few inductees into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame.He was also named as the Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1975. Former Chief Justice of India J S Verma dead Former Chief Justice of India J S Verma, who headed the government-appointed committee to frame a tough law to tackle crime against women in the wake of the December Delhi gangrape incident, died in Gurgaon on 22April 2013.Justice Verma was the 27th Chief Justice of India and served from March 25, 1997 until his retirement on January 18, 1998.He began his legal career in 1955 and became a Judge of Madhya Pradesh High Court in June-1973. He became Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court in June,1986 and also served as Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court from September, 1986 to mid1989.Justice Verma was also a former Chairman of National Human Rights Commission.He was also the first Chairperson of News Broadcasting Standards Authority. Veteran violinist Lalgudi Jayaraman died Celebrated violinist and composer Lalgudi Jayaraman, who carved out a niche for himself in the Carnatic music with his unique style, died in Chennai on 22 April 2013. Jayaraman, who began his music career at the age of 12 as an accompanying artist, later achieved fame as a solo violinist and also had success as a composer in four languages Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and
Sanskrit.Considering his contribution to the field of music, he was conferred with several awards including Padma Shri in 1972 and Padma Bhushan in 2001.He was also feted with state Vidhwan of Tamil Nadu and also fellow of Sangeet Natak Akademi. Legendary Singer Shamshad Begum Died On 23 April Legendary singer Shamshad Begum died in Mumbai . She was 94 years of age. She was one of the first few playback singers of the Hindi film industry. She was conferred with the O P Nayyar award for contribution to Hindi film music, in the year 2009.In 2009 again, she was conferred with the third-highest civilian honour of India, Padma Bhushan. Sripathi Rajeswara Rao dead Former Telugu Desam Minister Sripathi Rajeswara Rao who founded the All India NTR Fans Association several decades ago, died of kidney ailment at NIMS in Hydearabad on 28 April 2013. Sailendra Nath Roy died In Zip-Line Ponytail Stunt Sailendra Nath Roy, a 49-year-old police officer, was attempting to cross the River Teesta in the state of West Bengal on 28 April 2013 on a 180m (594ft) wire above the water.After attaching his shoulder-length hair to a pulley on the wire, Mr Roy had completed around half the distance but then became entangled and found himself unable to move.After sometime he dead. Mr Roy achieved the Guinness World Record after covering 82.5m (271ft) on a zip-line while attached by his hair in 2011 at the Neemrana Fort, a heritage hotel in the desert state of Rajasthan. Nuthakki Bhanu Prasad Passes away On 29 April 2013 the Scientist, Padma Shri award recipient died in Hyderabad.He got Padma shri award in 1959 for his Contribution in field of Indias Atomic reactor.The Petrotech 2003 Lifetime Achievement award was presented to Padmashri Dr. Nuthakki Bhanu Prasad for his contribution to Indias Upstream Petroleum Industry.He is also worked as a Chairman of ONGC.
D)VISITORS
Indian PM schedules UAE visit in August Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will pay a stand Alone visit to the United Arab Emirates in early August, the first by an Ind ian prime minister to the Gulf nation since Indira Gandhi visited nearly three decades ago. PM Manmohan Singh leaves for Germany on a three-day visit On April 10, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had left India on a three-day official visit to Germany, where he will co-chair inter governmental consultations and witness the signing of a series of agreements on education, science and technology and renewable energy.The PM is leading a high-level delegation to Berlin that includes five cabinet ministers: Salman Khurshid (external affairs), Anand Sharma (commerce), Farooq Abdullah (renewable energy), MM Pallam Raju (human resource development) and S Jaipal Reddy (science and technology). Prime Minister of India Visited Germany: Important Documents Signed Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh visited Germany from 10 April 2013 to 12 April 2013 for participating in second round of Inter Governmental Consultations with Germany. During his visit, certain documents were signed. These documents are as follows: 1.Joint Declaration of Intent regarding promotion of German as a foreign language in India 2.Intergovernmental MoU between India & Germany on Cooperation in the field of Higher Education 3.Joint Declaration of Intent on Indo-German cooperation in the area of Civil Security Research 4.Joint Declaration for the bilateral Kooperations Program of th e German Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection and the National Seeds Association of India and the German Association of Plant Breeders
5.Joint Declaration of Intent on the Establishment of an Indo-German Working Group on Quality Infrastructure for Cooperation in Standardisation, Conformity Assessment and Product Safety 6.Joint Declaration of Intent on Indo-German Development Cooperation regarding the Establishment of Green Energy Corridors Vice President Hamid Ansari Visited Tajakistan The Vice-President of India, Hamid Ansari visited Tajikistan from 14 April to 17 April 2013.During the visit he was accompanied by a high-level delegation that included Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Industries and four Members of Parliament.On 15 April , the Vice President met the President Emomalii Rahmon and Oqil Oqilov the Prime Minister of Tajikistan.
E)MISCELLANEOUS
Downs syndrome boy sets Everest record A 15-YEAR-OLD American had become the first teenager with Downs syndrome to reach Everest Base Camp, according to his father, in an attempt to inspire different attitudes towards disabilities.Eli Reimer, from Oregon, reached the 5364-metres high camp in Nepals Himalayan mountains in mid-March after 10 days of trekking.Tom Whittaker, a British mountaineer, became the first person with a disability to summit the peak in 1998 after a car crash almost two decades earlier had forced him to have his foot amputated. Abhilash Tomy Becomes First Indian To Sail Round The World Indian Navys Lt Cdr Abhilash Tomy became the first Indian to circumnavigate the globe, solo and non -stop, over a 150-day voyage.He was addressed a function after welcoming Lt Cdr Abhilash Tomy whose boat INSV Mhadei reached the Gateway of India after commencing its historic journey from the same spot on November 1 last year.He has sailed around 23,100 nautical miles, crossing the Indian, Southern, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.Lt Cmdr Abhilash Tomy is the first Indian and the second Asian to do so. Lt Cdr Tomy, a maritime pilot, switched off his boats engine soon after leaving Mumbai harbour and switched it on again on 6 April to get the boat alongside the Gateway of India. K Vishwanath Name in Limca Book Of Records Legendary director K.Vishwanath is the only Telugu person in the Person of the year 2013 announced by the famous Limca books of Records. This list which contained several other prominent names like Mani Ratnam, Kamal Haasan, Santosh Sivan, Prabhu Deva, Sreekar Prasad and Naseeruddin Shah was released on the occasion of Indian cinema completing 100 years. Tabu, Vidya Balan, Shabana Azmi, Kajol and Ranbir Kapoor are also on this list. Nepali TV Anchor Made Guinness(World) Record for Longest Talk Show A TV anchor in Nepal set a world record of longest television talk show by staying on air for 62 hours and 12 minutes.The 36 years old Rabi Lamichhane lived in America and came back to Nepal after hosting the program Lord Buddha Was Born in Nepal.Lamichhane broke the world record of Pavlo Kuzheyew and Te tiana Danylenko of 22 hours. They made that record in 2011 at the Independence Day anniversary of Ukraine. According to the rules of Guinness World Record Lamichhane got the break of five minutes after every hour. Mahatma Gandhi figured among the Top Three Leaders of the World As per the 16th Annual Global CEO survey, Mahatma Gandhi figured among the top three most admired leaders of the world.In this list Winston Churchill , Steve Jobs(Co-founder of Apple) and Mahatma Gandhi got the first,second and third places respectively . Egypt PM sentenced to one-year jail On April 17,Egypts Misdemeanor Dokki Court sentenced Prime Minister Hesham Qandil to one year in prison and ordered his removal from job, accusing him of failing to implement a verdict to return a privatised company to the state. Chidambaram, Aamir in Times 100 most influential global list
Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and actor Aamir Khan have been named by Time magazine among the 100 most influential people in the world in its annual list of global achievers that also includes teenaged Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai and US President Barack Obama. pakistan former president musharraf arrested The Islamabad High Court on 18 April 2013 ordered Musharrafs arrest for detaining senior judges w hen he imposed emergency rule in 2007.So, Pakistani police arrested Musharraf on 19 April 2013. Gates foundation to put $1.8bn to eradicate polio Bill Gates announced in Abu Dhabi on 25 April 2013 his foundation will contribute $1.8 billion to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, a third of the total funds needed. He announced this contribution in Global Vaccine summit in Abu Dhabi. 8 killed as bomb targets Syrias prime minister Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halki survived a bomb attack on his convoy in Damascus on 29 April 2013.8 members(including PMs car driver and Personal security) are killed in the blast.
PLACES IN NEWS
7.1 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Indonesia A powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit the Papua province in Indonesia on 06 April 2013.But there was no damage or injuries. It occurred in a north east to Capital of Papua province, about 75 kilometers (46 miles) in depth. A Powerful earthquake in Iran On April 9, A powerful earthquake was strucked close to Irans only nuclear power st ation, killing at least 37 people and injuring 850 as it destroyed homes and devastated two small villages.Its epicentre was 89 km south-east of the port of Bushehr.The magnitude of the earthquake on Richter scale is 6.3. Strong earthquake hits Japan A strong earthquake estimated at magnitude 6.3 strucked the western Japan, on 13 April 2013.In this event 23 people were injured in that 7 are serious.The earthquake was centered on Awaji Island, just south of Kobe, at a depth of 15 kilometres.The quake was in the area where a magnitude-7.2 temblor killed more than 6,400 people in 1995. Musharraf disqualified from parliamentary polls Courts in Pakistan have disqualified former president Pervez Musharraf for contesting parliamentary elections for suspending the constitution and imposing emergency in 2007 during his rule. Earthquake of Magnitude 7.8 Jolted Iran and Pakistan Earthquake that measured 7.8 on the Richter scale struck on 16 April 2013 in Iran killed more than 40 people leaving behind several injured. Epicenter of the quake was near Pakistan-Iran Border in the southeastern city of Khash. The tremors of the quake were felt across India, Middle East and Pakistan. Fertiliser plant explosion in the US On April 18, massive explosion at a fertilizer plant in the Town of West, in Central Texas. It is 120km far from Dallas town in the Texas state. In this explosion 15 were died and 200 people were injured Delhi gets Dildaar Delhi tagline
Delhi got its own tagline Dildaar Delhi. Penned by Amit Anand, a cashier in a small confectionery shop in Keshavpuram, the tagline was selected out of 12,000 entries of a competition organized by Delhi government and Delhi Tourism department. German Bakery blast: Himayat Beg sentenced to death On April 18, a Pune court sentenced Indian Mujahideen operative Mirza Himayat Inayat Baig to death in the German Bakery bomb blast case.The terror attack on the popular pune joint had killed 17 people and injured 64 in February 2010. On 15 April 2013, Pune sessions court special judge NP Dhote had held Baig guilty in the case. China hit by strong earthquake On 20 April ,China was hit by strong earthquake and killed at least 157 people and injured more than 5,700.The magnitude 7.0 quake hit a remote mountainous area of southwestern Chinas Sichuan province at 8:02 a.m. (0002 GMT), close to where an earthquake killed almost 70,000 people in 2008.The quake struck in Lushan county, near the city of Yaan, at a depth of 12 km (7.5 miles)
ABBREVIATIONS
CII MSME SCO AMS ICSI TESS WIPO Confederation of Indian Industry Micro,Small & Medium Enterprises Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer Institute of Company Secretaries of India Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite World Intellectual Property Organisation
BOOKS IN NEWS
Vice President Released Book titled Religion, Law & Society-Across the Globe On 12 April 2013,The Vice President of India, Hamid Ansari released a book titled Religion, Law & Society Across the Globe. The book is authored by Prof. Tahir Mahmood.
COMMITTEES
Uday Kumar Committee To Act as Single Window Clearance for Film Projects On 15 April the Government of India announced creation of an inter-ministerial panel that will work as a single window clearance system for international and domestic film projects.The committee will be headed by I&B Secretary Uday Kumar Varma .The constitution of the committee is expected to mainstream a proactive mechanism and coordination process of granting permissions through a single window provision. Apart from the I&B secretary, the committee will have joint secretaries from the ministries of I&B, Home Affairs, Tourism, External Affairs, Culture, Railways, Aviation and Defence on board.
INTERNATIONAL
Every year 2,70,000 Pedestrains are died in the World On May 2 , World Health Organization (WHO) announced that every year 2,70,000 pedestrains are died in road accidents. In case of pedestrains protection is ignored by goverments.So,every week 5 thousands of pedestrains are died. Maryland became the First southern US state to Abolish Death Penalty Maryland, the U.S. state located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, on 2 May 2013 became the first southern US state to abolish the death penalty.The measure on it was signed by Democratic Governor Martin OMalley on 2 May 2013.The person who was attended was former Maryland death row inmate Kirk Bloodsworth.He will be the first person in the country freed from death penalty because of DNA evidence after being convicted in a death penalty case.On the global level, Maryland is the 18th state to abolish the death penalty. UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Released Somalia Famine Conditions Report On 3 May According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) study report, nearly 260,000 people died during the famine that hit Somalia from 2010 to 2012.Half of them were children under the age of five.The number of deaths was higher than the estimated 220,000 people who died during the 1992 famine.An estimated 4.6% of the total population and 10% of children under five died in southern and central Somalia.In Lower Shabelle, 18% of children under five died and in Mogadishu 17%.Somalia was worst hit by the extreme drought in 2011 that affected more than 13 million people across the Horn of Africa.Tens of thousands of people fled their homes in search of food. Japan UAE signed Nuclear Agreement On 3 May Japan and the United Arab Emirates signed on the transfer of nuclear cooperation agreement .It was the first bilateral nuclear agreement signed by Japan since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis triggered by the devastating earthquake and tsunami.The agreements was signed by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and UAE Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Amazonian Countries Signed Strengthen Regional Cooperation Agreement On 4 May The representatives of the member countries of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) agreed to widen and strengthen regional cooperation to promote the integral development of those territories.Foreign ministers and representatives of Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, Venezuela, Guyana, Surinam and Ecuador signed the Coca Declaration, by which they agreed to support initiatives as that presented by Ecuador and the establishment of the Regional Observatory for the Amazon.The countries that signed the document also intend to facilitate the coordination between OTCA, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac), the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), the Andean Community (CAN), the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Malaysias Barisan Nasional wins parliamentary election The National Front coalition or Barisan Nasional (BN) led by Prime Minister Najib Ra zak triumphed in Malaysias general parliamentary election on 05 May 2013. The BN won 133 seats in the 222-seat parliament, taking 60% of the votes, while the opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) party secured 89 seats.80% of Malaysias 13.3 million voters cast their ballots in what is being called the closest race ever in Malaysia. Russia and U.S. Agreed on Syria Peace Process On 7 May Russia and the United States agreed to work together to bring the warring sides in Syria to the negotiating table raising hopes for an end to carnage in the war-torn country and a thaw in frosty relations between Moscow and Washington.U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met Russian President Vladimir Putin and bid to narrow the differences between Moscow and Washington on the conflict. 73 Million Youth Will Be Unemployed By 2013
On 8 May According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Global Unemployment Trends 2007 -13 report , more than 73 million young people are unemployed around the world .The situation is particularly grim in the European Union, West Asia and North Africa.73.4 million people aged between 15 and 24 would be out of work at the end of the year an increase of 3.5 million since 2007.The youth unemployment rate in South Asia decreased in 2011 by 0.4 percentage points to reach 9.2 per cent, but increased to 9.3 per cent in 2012.The current jobless rate for the young of 12.6% was expected to keep swelling to 12.8% by 2018, when more than two million more youths would likely be out of work Brazil, Argentina Signed Agreement To Build Nuclear Reactors On 8 May Brazil and Argentina have agreed to extend their nuclear cooperation by jointly commission will jointly build two research reactors.The agreement, signed by the Brazilian National Commission for Nuclear Energy (CNEN) and the National Commission of Atomic Energy (CNEA), is centred on the construction of two reactors. Argentine Passed Judicial Reform Bill On 8 May Argentinas Senate passed a Judicial Reform Law, by 38 votes in favor to 30.According to Argentine President Cristina Fernandez it aims at democratizing the judiciary. Nawaz Sharif Re-elected for Third term as Pakistan PM On 14 May Two time former Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif re-elected as Pakistan Prime Minister for the third time after won the general elections with a thumping majority.The Election Commission of Pakistan announced results of 272 National Assembly seats, with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz heading the count with 126 seats, followed by the Pakistan Peoples Party with 31 seats.The Sharif, belongs to Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (N) party. Pakistan Muslim League-N attained an overpowering lead with 130 seats. The first runner up is Imran Khan`s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) with 37 seats and the last is Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) with 31 seats.Nawaz Sharif previously having been Pakistans 12th and 14th Prime Minister for two non-consecutive terms from November 1990 to July 1993 and from February 1997 to October 1999. Sharif is the President of Pakistan Muslim League-N, one of Pakistans largest political parties. France became the 14th Country in the World to legalise Gay Marriage In France now onwards allow same-sex couples to marry. Frances President Francois Hollande on 17 May 2013 signed into law a controversial bill to legalise gay marriage. It makes France the ninth in Europe and 14th in the world to do so. Zimbabwes President Signed New Constitution Into Law On 22 Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe signed Zimbabwes new constitution into law. The new constitution was a pproved overwhelmingly in a referendum in March 2013.The constitution cut short the powers of the president, limits presidential tenures to two five-year terms and does away with the post of prime minister. Afghanistan Parliament Approved new Election Law On 22 May The Lower House of the Afghan Parliament approved two new Election laws , that will take effect in the elections next spring. The law contains 79 articles and 16 chapters. EU Lifted Arms Embargo on Syrian Rebels On 27 May European foreign ministers have lifted an arms embargo on Syria,, paving the way for individual EU member states to provide weapons to the Syrian rebels.After long and continuous hour of talk EU governments failed to agree on extending the arms embargo, which effectively ends the EUs ban on supplying arms to the rebels.Some other restrictive measures against Syria , which include financing restrictions, travel bans and asset freezes is also supposed to be extended for a year, as there is a fear that the entire sanctions regime could fall over a failure to agree on the arms issue. Australia the worlds happiest nation: OECD The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development released its Better Life Index, which ranks the worlds most developed economies on jobs, income environment and health. Australia got first place for the third consecutive year.Sweden, Canada, Norway , Switzerland,United States, Denmark, The Netherland Iceland and United Kingdom were also in the top ten.In Australia 84 percent of the people accepted that their life is happy.So,Australia got the first place in Better Life Index.
On May 14,Google India Private Limited signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Andhra Pradesh government to train engineering students of Jawahar Knowledge Centres (JKC) in latest technologies like mobile and cloud computing.The MoU was signed between the IT minister and Nelson Mattos, vice president (Europe & Emerging Markets), Google Hyderabad. Google will also train the trainers/mentors of AP Society for Knowledge Networks (APSFKNW) and provide required software, services and training material free of cost. India and Netherlands Signed MoU on Urban Planning On 14 May India and Netherlands signed on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Technical Cooperation in the field of Spatial Planning, Water Management, and Mobility Management .The agreement was signed by Kamal Nath, Minister for Urban Development & Parliamentary Affairs, and Ms Melanie Schultz van Haegen, Minister for Infrastructure and Environment, Netherlands UN General Assembly Approved Syria Resolution On 15 May The U.N. General Assembly approved an Arab-backed resolution calling for a political transition in Syria and condemning President Bashar al-Assad Government for its increasing use of heavy weapons. A majority of 107 states voted to adopt the resolution. There were 12 votes against and 59 abstentions.Russia was fiercely opposed to the resolution, termed it as unbalanced and inadequate to address adequately atrocities allegedly committed by rebel groups.The resolution was drafted by Arab states who have supported the rebels.India abstained from voting on the non-binding resolution on Syria.Pakistan voted in favour of the resolution. India Granted Observer Status in Arctic Council On 15 May India granted observer status in the Arctic Council was successful along with that of five other countries, China, Italy, Japan, South Korea and Singapore at a meeting in Kiruna, Sweden.The council is made up of the eight Arctic nations are Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States.This membership will give India chances of navigation and oil and gas exploration.The European Union also applied as an observer, but its final status remained unresolved pending resolution of a dispute with Canada over trade in seal products. India, UK Signed Agreement on Health Sector On 19 May India and Britain have signed an agreement for cooperation in the health sector with specific focus on strengthening primary health care and technological development.The agreement was signed by Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare India, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Secretary of State for Health, UK, Jeremy Richard Hunt. Indians Largest Foreign Born Group in London On 20 May According to the Oxford Universitys Migration Observatory latest study report , Indians have become the largest foreign-born group in London, followed by residents born in Poland and Ireland.Migration Observatory, 262,247 persons born in India were living in London in 2011, which represents 8.8 per cent of all foreign-born residents in London.This accounts for 37.8 per cent of all residents that had been born in India resident in England and Wales in 2011.Other important foreign-born groups in London, with more than 100,000 residents, include those born in Ireland (129,807), Nigeria (114,718), Pakistan (112,457) and Bangladesh (109,948). India China Signed 8 Agreements On 20 May India and Chine signed eight important agreements covering a wide range of issues like trade, culture and water resources. The agreements were finalised after delegation-level talks between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chinese counterpart Le Keqiang. The list of eight agreements/memoranda of undrstanding (MoUs):(i) Protocol between Indias external affairs ministry and Chinas foreign affairs ministry on Indian Official Pilgrimage (the Kailash Mansoarovar Yatra) to the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. (ii) Work Programmes of the Three Working Groups under Joint Econo mic Group (JEG) between Indias commerce and industry ministry and Chinas commerce ministry.
(iii) MoU on Buffalo meat, fishery products and Agreement on feed and feed ingredients between Indiss Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority and The Marine Products Export Development Authority and Export Inspection Council and Chinas General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ). (iv) MoU between Indias urban development ministry and Chinas Nati onal Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) on cooperation in sewage treatment. (v) MoU between Indias water resources ministry and NDRC on cooperation in water -efficient irrigation. (vi) MoU between the external affairs ministry and Chinas State Admin istration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT) on cooperation in mutual translation and publication of works, both classic and contemporary. (vii) MoU between the water resources ministries of both countries for provision of hydrological information by China to india on the Yaluzangbu/Brahmaputra River during the flood season. (viii) MoU between the foreign ministries of both countries to promote cooperation and linkages between the cities and states/provinces of the two countries. Visa on Arrival facility to passengers travelling through RGIA The central government has extended Visa-On-Arrival facility to international passengers travelling through Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Hyderabad managed by the GMR Group.Visitors from 11 countries will be eligible to get a VoA from May 31 at RGIA.The Centre had introduced an Indian tourist VoA scheme on January 1, 2010 at certain airports which was initiated for citizens of five countries. Subsequently, a year later, the facility was extended to a total of 11 countries viz Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Singapore, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Philippines, Myanmar and Indonesia. US Senate Committee Approves Immigration Reform Bill On 22 May The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee has approved a massive immigration reform bill that grants 11 million undocumented immigrants currently living in the country an earned path to citizenship.The legislation was passed by a vote of 13 to 5 with three Republicans joining 10 Democrats to approve it.The bill, which requires major advances in border security and expansion of a comprehensive e-verify system for employers before any undocumented worker is allowed to pursue citizenship, will need 60 votes to pass the 100-seat Senate. US and India Pledge To Collaborate on Combating Terrorism On 22 May The US has pledged to collaborate with India on developing global approach to combat increasing terror threats and asked international community to take effective steps to eliminate sanctuaries and infrastructure that support terrorism.After talks between Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and US Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, a joint communique said the two countries also agreed to enhance bilateral co-operation to combat terror financing and currency counterfeiting. India, Japan to speed up talks on civil nuclear deal On 29 May 2013,Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe decided to speed up talks on a civil nuclear deal to allow Japan to export nuclear reactors to India and to bolster maritime security cooperation at a time when Chinas postures in the seas of the regional have caused concerns.A joint statement issued at the end of exhaustive talks between Singh and Abe said the two Prime Ministers reaffirmed the importance of civil nuclear cooperation between the two countries, while recognising that nuclear safety is a priority for both governments.In this context, they directed their officials to accelerate the negotiations of an Agreement for Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy towards an early conclusion India and Thailand sign extradition treaty On 30 May 2013,in a major boost to bilateral security cooperation, India and Thailand signed the much awaited extradition treaty after 20 years of negotiations.The MoU was signed by External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid and Thai Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul.The treaty was signed in the presence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Thai counterpart Yingluck Shinawatra.The treaty provides the legal framework for seeking extradition of fugitive offenders, including those involved in terrorism, transnational crimes and economic offences among others.The two countries totally signed on seven pacts. They are extradition, education,financial intelligence mapping , geospatial technology applications , investigation of persons suspected of money laundering and criminal activity related to money laundering and terrorism financing.
UNESCO Declares Nicobar Islands as World Biosphere Reserve On 31 May The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has declared and designated the Nicobar Islands in India as a world biosphere reserve .The International Coordinating Council of UNESCOs Man and the Biosphere Programme added the Nicobar Islands to the list of eleven other sites which are designated as world biosphere reserves.Great Nicobar now 9th Indian reserve in Unesco world network.Member countries establish such reserves. UNESCO recognizes them under the programme to promote sustainable development based on local community efforts and sound science.
NATIONAL
National Urban Health Mission Approved By Cabinet On 1 May The Union Cabinet approved the launch of the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) to reduce rates of infant mortality, maternal mortality and for universal access to reproductive health care.The cost of the National Urban Health Mission for 5 years is 22507 crore rupees and the Central government will share 16955 crore rupees.The mission will be implemented in 779 cities and towns each with the population of more than 50,000 has expected to cover about 7.75 crore people.The Cabinet also gave its nod to a bill which provides for confiscating property illegally acquired by corrupt public servants. 19.57 lakh Hectares of Forest Land Encroached On 1 May According to the latest figures compiled by the Ministry of Environment and Forests reveal that unchecked encroachment on forest land is on the rise.According to the figures, over 19.57 lakh hectares of forest land is under encroachment in various parts of the country.Madhya Pradesh tops the list with 4.87 lakh hectares under encroachment. Followed by Assam (3.30 lakh ha), Andhra Pradesh (2.57 lakh ha) and Maharashtra (1.83 lakh ha). Mobile subscribers largest in Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu The countrys most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, accounts for the largest number of mobile subscribers in the country followed by Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar, which together account for almost half of the total wireless connections.India, which is the worlds second largest mobile phone market in terms of subscribers, had a total of 861.66 million mobile connections as on February 2013, data from telecom regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) showed.Uttar Pradesh has a total of 121.60 million mobile phone connections, while, Tamil Nadu has 71.81 million subscribers, according to the TRAI data.Maharashtra is at the third position, with a subscriber base of 67.73 million followed by Andhra Pradesh and Bihar at 64.12 million and 60.73 million, respectively. Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant got Approval for Operations by the Supreme Court of India On 06 May, the Supreme Court of India directed that the Kudankulam nuclear plant situated in Tamil Nadu could start its operations now. A bench of Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan and Dipak Misra issued the directions to the government on safety as well as security of the plant, along with its operations. Govt Sets Up 39 Special NIA Courts Across The Country On 7 May Minister of State for Home R P N Singh announced in the Parliament that under the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act, the central government has set up the 39 special courts to take up terror-related cases. Cabinet Approved Gandhi Heritage Sites Mission On 16 May The Union Cabinet approved the establishment of the Gandhi Heritage Sites Mission with the objective of conserving and restoring the heritage sites associated with Father of the Nation.Gandhi Heritage Sites Mis sion will be assigned with the identification, collation and assessment of the information on Gandhi Heritage material, its management and deployment. Indias First Yoga University in Gujarat
On 23 May Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the countrys first yoga university in Ahmedabad.Lakulish Yoga University, established by Life Mission Trust of Gujarat, is claimed to be the first ever such private sector self-financed institution in the country.
STATES
Congress Won in Karnataka Assembly Elections On 8 May Congress has won 121 seats of the 223 seats on which polls were contested in Karnataka Assembly Elections , the elections were held on 5 May 2013. The ruling BJP and the JD-S won 40 seats each.The Karnataka Janata Party led by former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa bagged a mere six seats.The assembly has 224 elected and one nominated members. The election took place for 223 seats. Tamil Nadu Bans Gutka Products On 8 May The Tamil Nadu government banned the production, possession, distribution and sale of tobacco products such as pan masala and gutka in the state.Tamilnadu Government had constituted a separate department Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Medical Administration, after the Centre announced the Food Safety and Standards Act. Cabinet Approved 2 Major Ports in West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh On 9 May the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the proposal of the Ministry of Shipping for setting up of two major ports.The ports will come up in West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh each, through a Public-Private-Partnership mode. As per the proposal, one port will be developed at Dugarajapatnam, Nellore district, in Andhra Pradesh and second port will come up at Sagar Island in West Bengal.
CONFERENCES
ADBs 46th Annual Meeting Held in New Delhi 46th Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Board of Governors, held in Delhi, India, from 2 to 5 May 2013.Prime Minister Manmohan Singh , Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and ADB member board of directors and related financial institutions were attended the meeting.Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced that it is going to provide about 6 billion dollars loan to India over the next three years which was decided at the concluding day of the 46th annual meeting of the funding agency.
Indian Police Unit in Congo Gets UN medal On 17 May An Indian police unit in the Democratic Republic of Congo has received the United Nations Peacekeeping Medal.The 135 Indian Formed Police Unit-2 (FPU) was honoured with the medal as an appreciation for their service in Goma/North Kivu. Malala Yousufzai Selected For Prestigious Global Leadership Award On 20 May Teenager Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai, who was shot at last year by the Taliban for advocating education of girls, has been selected for the prestigious Global Leadership Award this year.Malala will receive the award for her role as a global activist in advocating for educating and empowering girls worldwide.She was targeted for her outspoken views and advocacy on behalf of girls education. Indian-American Girl Won Americas Top Young Scientist Award On 20 May An Indian-American girl has invented a super-capacitor device that could potentially charge a cellphone in less than 20 seconds. The California teen has attracted the attention of tech giants Google for her potentially revolutionary invention which charges a phone in 20 seconds flat.The super-fast charging device has been dubbed a supercapacitor by 18-year-old Esha Khare, of Saratoga as she took home $50,000 from the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. American Writer Lydia Davis won 2013 Man Booker International Prize On 22 May American writer Lydia Davis won 2013 Man Booker International Prize for her innovative and influential writing.This was the fifth Man Booker International Prize.Lydia Davis is a professor of creative writing at the University of Albany. She is also an accomplished translator. Her works include The End of the Story and Varieties of Disturbance.The Man Booker International Prize recognises one writer for his or her achievement in fiction.Worth 60000 ponds, the prize is awarded every two years to a living author who has published fiction either originally in English or whose work is generally available in translation in the English language. Carole King Became the First Woman to Receive Gershwin Prize US singer-songwriter Carole King became the first woman to receive the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.The President of America, Barack Obama conferred upon her, the Gershwin Prize that is given as a lifetime achievement in popular music. APJ Abdul Kalam Received Wernher Von Braun Memorial Award On 24 May United States based National Space Societys (NSS) has conferred Wrenher von Braun Memorial Award upon former president APJ Abdul Kalam in San Diego .The award was conferred upon Kalam at International Space Development Conference. It was instituted by NSS, a non-profit organization and is dedicated to the creation of spacefaring civilization.The honour is given to recognize excellence in management and leadership in a space-related project, where the project holds significance. Biological clock scientists share Shaw Prize On 28 May ,three scientists whose groundbreaking studies using fruit flies helped to uncover the workings of the human biological clock were named the winners of the $1 million Shaw Prize .US scientists Jeffrey Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael Young received the award for their discovery of molecular mechanisms underlying circadian rhythms.Biological rhythms govern behaviour in plants, animals and humans, from flowers opening during the day and closing at night, to sleep patterns and the effect of jet lag.
Aamir Won Asian Squash Championship Title On 5 May Pakistan`s top seeded player, Aamir Atlas Khan won the Asian Squash individual championship for the first time in 14 years after he defeated Kuwait`s Abdullah Al Mezayan in straight sets in Islamabad.Pakistan had last won the Asian individual title in 1998, but since then has only been able to win the Asian team title in the last Asiad. Ronnie OSullivan Won World Snooker Championship On 7 May Ronnie OSullivan claimed his fifth World Snooker Championship crown after defeated Barry Hawkins at the Crucible in Sheffield.OSullivan is now a five-time Crucible champion after his wins in 2001, 2004, 2008 and 2012 to move within one of Steve Davis and Ray Reardon and two behind Stephen Hendry in the all-time list. India Bagged 2 Silver and 7 Bronze Medals in Commonwealth Championship India on 10 May 2013 finished their candidature in the tournament with a record haul of 2 Silver and 7 Bronze in the 19th Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships that concluded in New Delhi. Mens Singles :- Zhan Jian (Singapore) won the title after defeated Li Hu from Singapore in the final at New Delhi Womens Singles :- Mo Zhang (Canada) won the Womens Singles title after defeated Yu Mengyu (Singa pore) in the final. Alonso Won Spanish Grand Prix Title On 12 May Fernando Alonso of Spain won the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona .Kimi Raikkonen second, Felipe Massa secured third position.It was Alonsos second win in Barcelona ,the first coming in 2006 and his seventh career podium on the Circuit de Catalunya. Madrid Open Tennis Tournament 2013 Winners Womens Singles :- On 12 May Serena Williams of the United States bagged her 50th career Singles title.In the final She defeated Russian Maria Sharapova and got the title . Mens Singles :-Rafael Nadal from Spain won the Mens Singles title after defeated Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka in the final. Womens Doubles:-Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova ,Lucie Safarova won the Womens Doubles title. Mens Doubles : Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan won their fifth Mutua Madrid Open doubles title . It was their 87th career trophy and fifth crown of the 2013 ATP World Tour season. Barcelona Won Spanish League Title On 12 May Barcelona won the Spanish league title (football) for the 22nd time after closest rivals Real Madrid could only manage a 1-1 draw with Espanyol.The title is Barcas fourth in five seasons and the 22nd of their history. The last team other than Barcelona or Madrid to win the title was Valencia in 2004.Barcelonas Lionel Messi finished the Spanish League as the top-scorer.He has already 46 goals, 12 clear of Cristiano Ronaldo, who finished second. Rome Masters Tennis Tournament 2013 Winners Womens Singles :- On 19 May Serena Williams (USA) won her fourth consecutive title of the year after defeated Victoria Azarenka from Belarus in the Rome Masters final.This is the second Rome Open title won by Serena, before this Serena won the Rome title 11 years ago in 2002. Mens Singles :- Rafael Nadal from spain claimed his seventh Rome Masters title after defeated Roger Federar (Switzerland ) in the final Mumbai Indians Won 2013 IPL Title On 26 May Mumbai Indians won the Indian Premier League title for the first time , after defeated Chennai Super Kings by 23 runs in the final at Eden Gardens.
* Man-of-the-Match Kieron Pollard (Mumbai Indians) * Most Valuable Player Shane Watson (Rajasthan Royals) * Orange Cap ( (Highest Run Getters) Michael Hussey (Chennai) : 733 Runs * Purple Cap (Highest Wicket Takers) Dwayne Bravo (Chennai) : 32 Wickets * Best Youngest Player Sanju Samson (Rajasthan Royals) * Fair Play Award Chennai Super Kings * Best catch of the season Gurkeerat Mann Singh (Kings Eleven Punjab) Rosberg Won Monaco Grand Prix Title On 26 May The Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg won the Monaco Grand Prix title.Rosbergs team -mate Lewis Hamilton dropped from second to fourth after losing out through the safety car.Force Indias Adrian Sutil took fifth from McLarens Jenson But ton. China Won Sudirman Cup In Badminton On 26 May China won their fifth consecutive Sudirman Cup and ninth overall, after defeated South Korea.At the Putra Stadium Chinas World No. 1 Xu Chen and Ma Jin defeated their South Korean opponents Ko Sung Hyun and Kim Ha Na in straight games in the mixed doubles.In mens singles, Chinas Chen Long defeated South Korean Lee Dong Keun .In mens doubles Chinese Liu Xiaolong and Qiu Zihan defeated South Korean players Ko Sung Hyun and Lee Yong Dae.Huser Ayla, of Switzerland won the Womens Singles after defeated Rankin Anna, from New Zealand Sudirman Cup is the world mixed team badminton championship which takes place every two years.
ECONOMY
RBI Cuts Repo Rate By 25 Basis Points On 3 May The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reduced the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) by 25 basis points, from 7.5 percent to 7.25 per cent with immediate effect as part of its annual monetary policy statement 2013-14.The reverse repo rate under the LAF also stands adjusted to 6.25 per cent. The RBI took this step to boost flagging economic growth.The cash reserve ratio (CRR) of scheduled banks has however been retained at 4 per cent of their net demand and time liabilities. Asian Development Bank (ADB) to provide about 6 billion dollars loan to India Asian Development Bank (ADB) on 5 May 2013 announced that it is going to provide about 6 billion dollars loan to India over the next three years which was decided at the concluding day of the 46th annual meeting of the funding agency. The bank is working on partnership strategy and is planning to maintain the level of lending to India.It is important here to note that India is the biggest borrower of ADB and ADB had extended a 2.4 billion dollars loan to India in 2012 across sectors like transport, energy, commerce, industry, trade and finance. Delhi Tops in the Creative Index Report 2013 On 6 May According to the Creative Index Report 2013 report ,Delhi has been ranked as the most creative state in India with the greatest potential for success in todays cr eative economy. The ranking is based on the population of creative class. This class is of individuals are often engaged in either complex problem solving or in the generation of new ideas, new technology, and new creative content.Chandigarh, Punjab, Kerala, Goa, Mizoram, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Puducherry, and Maharashtra round out the top nine. Mobile Phones To Out Number Human Population By 2014
On 12 May According to the International Telecoms Unions (ITU) report ,The number of mobile phone subscrip tions are set to outnumber the worlds population by the end of 2014.Mobile phone subscriptions will pass a whopping seven billion early in 2014.Currently, there are 6.8 billion mobile phone subscriptions while the worlds population is 7.1 billion. More t han a third of the global population are online, the ITU World in 2013 report also found. The Commonwealth of Independent States, the alliance of countries formerly in the Soviet Union, is believed to have the highest mobile penetration with 1.7 subscriptions for every person.Africa has the least, with 63 subscriptions per 100 people.The report also found that 2.7 billion people, almost 40 per cent of the worlds population, are online. Government Raises OBC Creamy Layer Income Limit to Rs 6 Lakh On 16 May The Union Cabinet gave its approval for increase in the present income criterion of Rs. 4.5 lakh per annum for applying the Creamy Layer restriction throughout the country, to avail benefits of reservations in government jobs and admissions to central educational institutions.The decision came up in a view to increase the income limits in tune with the increase of the consumer price index. This would enable more people to take an advantage of reservation benefits that are extended to OBCs. Creamy layer is the income limit beyond which OBCs are not eligible for quotas Gujarat Tops in Port Development Projects On 24 May According to the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) Ports Development in India report ,While 21 PPP projects in the port sector worth over Rs.43,000 crore are under construction, eight projects worth about Rs.14,000 crore are under bidding.Gujarat gets first place , accounting for more than 50 per cent of the port projects completed in India during the last Plan. It has wrapped up 12 projects valued at Rs 12,453 crore, consolidating its presence in the Indian maritime map.Gujarat is followed by Odisha (2nd place) and Maharashtra (3rd place ), which account for a share of 16.9 per cent and 15.3 per cent respectively in the completed projects.Odisha saw two projects worth Rs 4,169 crore getting completed, while Maharashtra finished five projects worth Rs 3,772 crore.Andhra Pradesh (4th place) and Tamil Nadu (5th place) each with three projects under operation have garnered a share between 5-6 percent followed by Kerala (2.8 percent). Biocon Chief Kiran Mazumdar Shaw in Forbes Philanthropy List On 30 May According to the Forbes Asia magazines list of Asia -Pacifics most remarkable givers" , Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, P N C Menon, Vineet Nayar and Ronnie Screwvala named in 2013 year list of Asia-Pacifics most remarkable givers.The annual list of Heroes of Philanthropy is compiled by Forbes Asia magazine. It features a total of 48 persons from the Asia-Pacific region which includes countries like China, Singapore, Hong Kong and Indonesia.Keeping into view Kiran Mazumdars work on improving cancer care and her pledge to give away 75 per cent of wealth she was listed as one of the major Philanthropist.
MiG-29K fighter planes commissions into Navy On May 11,Defence Minister AK Antony commissioned warfare aircraft MiG-29K Black Panther squadron into the Indian Navy.The commissioning was held at INS Hansa which would be the base for Black Panther squadron along with other fighter aircraft squadrons of Indian Navy. The squadron initially comprising 16 aircraft would be known as IANS 303. U.S. Launched First Unmanned Aircraft From Carrier Flight Deck The United States Navy launched an unmanned aircraft from a modern carrier flight deck for the first time ever on 14 May.The unmanned aircraft was the X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System demonstrator, and its first-ever launch from a modern aircraft carrier represents how manned and unmanned aircraft on carrier flight decks will be merged in the future.A mission operator aboard the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) controlled X-47B, showing off how well it works within a carrier environment. It landed back at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland. Rotavirus Vaccine Developed in India India developed a Rotavac Vaccine to eradicate the Rotavirus diarrhoea in infants.The Government of Indias Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Bharat Biotech announced positive results from a Phase III clinical trial of a rotavirus vaccine. First Boeing P-8I Aircraft joins Indian Navy Indian Naval Aviation received a major fillip with the arrival of the first of eight Boeing P-8I Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance and Anti Submarine Warfare aircraft at Naval Air Station Rajali, Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu on 15 May 13. The P-8I aircraft, based on the Boeing 737-800(NG) airframe, is the Indian Naval variant of the P-8A Poseidon of the US Navy. The aircraft is equipped with both foreign as well as indigenous sensors for Maritime Reconnaissance, Anti Submarine operations and for Electronic Intelligence missions. Scientists Converted Human Skin Cells Into Embryonic Stem Cells On 15 May In a major medical breakthrough, researchers at the Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC) have for the first time ever successfully converted human skin cells into embryonic stem cells , via a technique called nuclear transfer.Scientists for the first time converted human skin cells into embryonic stem cells.These embryonic stem cells are capable of transforming into any other cell type in the human body.This technique involves transplanting the nucleus of one cell, containing an individuals DNA, into an egg cell that has had its genetic material removed. BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile Successfully Test Fired On 22 May India successfully test fired the 290-km range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from Russian-built INS Tarkash off the coast of Goa.The launch was carried out by the Navy as part of Acceptance Test Firing (ATF) of the ship.INS Tarkash, which is an advanced Talwar Class frigate, was commissioned on 9th November, last year.The BrahMos missile jointly developed by India and Russia. Indian Air Force Inducted Trainer AirCraft Pilatus PC-7 On 31 May Pilatus, PC 7 Mk II aircraft was formally inducted into the IAF by Jitendra Singh MoS, Defence at IAFs premier Academy located at Dundigal, Hyderabad.This marked the first formal flight of the Basic Trainer Aircraft over the skies at the Air Force Academy in Hyderabad.The induction of PC-7Mk II as Basic Trainer Aircraft in Indian Air Force is a very important landmark in our nations quest to modernise its Armed Forces.
PERSONS IN NEWS
A) APPOINTMENTS
Sheikh Salman is New AFC President On 2 May Bahrains Sheikh Salman Ebrahim Al-Khalifa was elected as the new president of Asian Football Confederation (AFC). He replaced disgraced ex-leader Mohamed Hammam.
Najib sworn in Malaysias PM Najib Razak was sworn in as Malaysias Prime Minister for a second term on 06 May 2013 after his Barisan Nasional (BN, National Front) coalition won 133 of the 222 Parliament seats in 2013 election.Najib Razak became the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia in year 2009. Roberto Azevedo Appointed as WTO new Director General On 8 May Brazils Roberto Azevedo has been named as the new Director General of the World Trade Organisation, the fi rst Latin American to hold the post.He will take charge of his office from Pascal Lamy of France in the Geneva-based Body in September 2013. Siddaramaiah Sworn in as Chief Minister of Karnataka On 13 May Congress leader Siddaramaiah was sworn in as the 22nd chief minister of Karnataka by the Governor H R Bharadwaj.In year 1992 Siddaramaiah was appointed as Secretary General of Janata Dal.In Year 1994 became the Minister for Finance in the Janata Dal government headed by Deve Gowda.He served as a Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka twice, first in 1996 when JH Patel became Chief Minister and again in 2004 when JDS formed a coalition government with Dharam Singh. Nirbhay Sharma Appointed Governor of Arunachal Pradesh On 16 May Lieutenant General (retd) Nirbhay Sharma has been appointed as Governor of Arunachal Pradesh as the term of present incumbent Gen (retd) J J Singh ended in January 2013. He was appointed as Member of UPSC in May 2008 and after completion of his five year stint .He was also a part of the Airborne Assault Group, the first Indian Army Unit to enter Dacca (Dhaka) during 1971 war. Shashi Kant Sharma is the new CAG On 21 May Defence Secretary Shashi Kant Sharma was appointed as the new Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG) ,replaced outgoing Vinod Rai.Sharma, an IAS officer from 1976 batch of Bihar cadre, has earlier assumed various important offices during his tenure as Secretary in the Department of Financial Services and has spent over 10 years in the Defence Ministry in various capacities.The CAG is appointed for a term of six years or till the incumbent attains the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier. Indian Origin Srinivasan Appointed as Top US Court Judge On 23 May The United States Senate voted 97-0 to appoint Srikanth Srinivasan as a Judge of the prestigious US Court of Appeals.It is the highest judicial appointment to an Indian -American . Srinivasan has become the first Indian-American to be appointed to the court.He is the Principle Deputy Solicitor General and defends the policies of US President Barack Obama before the Supreme Court Radha Krishna Mathur is new Defence Secretary On 25 May Senior IAS officer Radha Krishna Mathur has been appointed as new Defence Secretary.He succeeds Shashikant Sharma who has taken over as Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). A 1977-batch IAS officer of Manipur-Tripura cadre, Mathur was serving as Secretary (Defence Production) in the Defence Ministry. Justice Raveendran is new NBSA Chief On 25 May Former Supreme Court judge Justice R V Raveendran has been appointed as the new Chairman of the News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) , the self regulatory initiative of the News Broadcasters Association (NBA).He succeeds justice (Retd.) J.S. Verma, chairperson of the NBSA, who passed away on 2013 April.NBSA is an independent redressal body set up by the News Broadcasters Association (NBA) and has leading TV news channels as its members. Kushal Singh Appointed as the Chairperson of NCPCR On 27 May Mrs. Kushal Singh has been appointed as the Chairperson of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.Mrs. Kushal Singh has held several high level posts in the Government of Rajasthan and the Central Government.She was the Chief Secretary, Government of Rajasthan.
PM Manmohan Singh elected to Rajya Sabha On 30 May 2013 ,Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was elected to Rajya Sabha from Assam for fifth consecutive term.Dr Singh got 49 first preference votes, while the second Congress candidate bagged 45 votes and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF)s Aminul Islam, who polled 18 votes, lost in the 126-member state Assembly.
B)RESIGNS
Union Railway Minister and Law Minister of India Resigned On 10 May Union Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and Union Law Minister of India Ashwani Kumar resigned from their posts.Railway Minister PK Bansal resigned from his office since his nephew Vijay Singla was arrested for his alleged involvement of bribery of 90 lakh rupees from the Railway Board Member, with a promise of promotion. Ashwani Kumar the Union Law Minister submitted his resignation after being into attack by the opposition and the CBI affidavit submitted to Supreme Court for vetting up the CBI report in the Coal Block allocation scam.
C)DEATHS
ATP chairman Brad Drewett died Brad Drewett(54), the former tour player who led the ATP as executive chairman and president since January 2012 died on 3 May 2013 . He helped in increasing the prize money at Grand Slam tournaments. Giulio Andreotti, the former Italian Prime Minister died On 6th May, the former Italian Prime Minister ,Giulio Andreott(94) was dies in Rome.He was one of the most powerful figures in the politics of the country after World War II. Islamic scholar Asghar Ali Engineer Died On May 14,Leading Islamic scholar, author and activist Asghar Ali Engineer, 74, died at his Santacruz home in Mumbai. He was born in 1940 and completed his BSc in civil engineering from Vikram University.From 1980, he edited the journal named the Islamic Perspective and during 1980s he published a series of books on Islam and communal violence in India. His books were based on his investigations in the post-independent India. The USA International Student Assembly and the USA Indian Student Assembly honoured him with Distinguished Service Award in 1987. Bengali filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh dead On 30 May 2013,Award-winning Indian film director Rituparno Ghosh was died from a heart attack in the city of Calcutta.Ghosh directed 18 films in that 12 films got national awards.Ghos h began his remarkable journey by directing a childrens film Hirer Angti (Diamond Ring) in 1994, which won him an immediate recognition. He shot to fame after his next film Unishe April (19 April) won the national award in 1995.His other award -winning films include Dahan, Asukh, Chokher Bali, Raincoat, Bariwali, Antarmahal, Noukadubi, Abohoman, Chitrangada and Amitabh Bachchan starrer The Last Lear. Academic Vina Mazumdar Dead On 30 May 2013,Noted academic and a leading figure o f Indias womens movement, Dr Vina Mazumdar, died in New Delhi.Born in 1927 in a middle-class Bengali household in Kolkata, she did her schooling in the city and studied in Banaras Hindu University and Calcutta University, before going to Oxford in 1947, soon after independence. She went back to Oxford University later and received her D.Phil in 1962.
D)VISITORS
China Prime Minister Li Keqiang Visited India Chinas new Prime Minister Li Keqiangs visited India on his first foreign trip to India from 19th t o 21st May 2013 since taking his office in March 2013. During the visit he met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and discussed India-China border issues , bilateral, regional and global issues of common interest.After the both countries signed on 8 agreements.The Chinese have also agreed to provide greater facilitation to Indian pilgrims on the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra.
Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai Visited India Hamid Karzai , President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan visited India from 20-22 May, 2013.During the visit Hamid Karzai was on 20 May conferred an honorary doctorate degree by President Pranab Mukherjee at a professional university in Phagwara.He met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at New Delhi and discussed on various key bilateral and regional issues , the situation in the region in the backdrop of Afghanistans keenness to enhance defence cooperation with India and get suppl y of lethal and non-lethal weapons.
E)MISCELLANEOUS
First Woman Named To FBIs Most Wanted Terrorist List On 3 May Joanne Chesimard (also known as Assata Shakur), a member of the Black Liberation Army who killed a New Jersey state trooper 40 years ago and has since fled to Cuba,has been named as one of the FBIs most wanted terrorists, making her the first woman ever to make the list.Chesimard was convicted for killing Foerster and sentenced to life in prison. In 1979 she escaped with the help of the Black Army Liberation and has been on the run ever since.The U.S. Justice Department announced a doubling of the reward for her capture to $2 million. Ritankar Das is Centurys Youngest California University Topper On 10 May An 18-year-old Indian-American has become the youngest graduate topper of the prestigious University of California in more than a century.Kolkata-born Ritankar Das, has been named as the University Medalist, the prize which is given to the years top graduating senior.Das has taken just three years to complete his studies with a double major in bioengineering and chemical biology and a minor in creative writing from the University of California, Berkeley.Further he is the first student from the College of Chemistry in 58 years, and the first ever from the Department of Bioengineering. Sreesanth,Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan were arrested S Sreesanth and two of his Rajasthan Royals teammates Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan were arrested by the Delhi police on charges of spot fixing in the ongoing Indian Premier League. First Saudi Woman Ever Climbs Mount Everest On 18 May Raha Moharrak has become the first Saudi Arabian woman to climb Mount Everest. Moharrak also became the youngest Arab to reach the 8,850-meter peak (29,035 feet). She was part of a group that included the first Qatari man and the first Palestinian man to reach the summit. Indian Sisters First Twins To Climb Mount Everest On 19 May Two Indian girls have scripted history by becoming the first twins ever to climb Mount Everest together.Tashi and Nancy Malik from Dehra Dun achieved this feat by successfully reaching the worlds highest moun tain peak at 8,848 meters.The duo were among other record-makers including the first women from Saudi Arabia and Pakistan who climbed the Everest on 18 May. Arunima Becomes First Indian Amputee To Scale Mt Everest On 21 May Arunima Sinha, a former national level volleyball player who had lost one of her legs after being thrown off a moving train by, created history by becoming the first Indian amputee to conquer Mount Everest. Sinha reached the 8,848 metre-high summit of the worlds highest peak as a member of the Eco Everest Expedition from the Tata Group.Sinha, a resident of Ambedkar Nagar in Uttar Pradesh.Arunima successfully scaled the 6,622-metre-high Mount Chhamser Kangri of Ladakh last year, but her ultimate goal was to climb Mount Everest. Yuichiro Miura, Became Oldest Man to Climb Mount Everest Yuichiro Miura, the 80-year old mountaineer from Japan reached Mount Everests summit on 23 May 2013. With this, he became the oldest man to climb the highest mountain peak of the world. Yuichiro Miura climbed the Everest at the age of 70 and 75 as well. Indian-origin Boy Won National Geographic Bee Contest
On 23 May Sathwik Karnik, a 12-year-old Indian-American boy, has won the prestigious National Geographic Bee 2013 after gruelling rounds testing his geographic knowledge about lions in Botswana, mountain ranges in Asia and port cities in England.To clinch the title, Karnik, 12, correctly named Chimborazo as the mountain in Ecuador that represents the farthest point from the Earths center.US.Karnik took home the spoils of the Bee prize that include a USD 25,000 college scholarship, an all-expenses paid trip to the Galapagos Islands, and a lifetime membership to the National Geographic Society. Jiroemon Kimura Becomes Last Living Man Born in 19th Century The oldest person in the world, Japanese Jiroemon Kimura,116 years Japanese man became the last male of the 19th century in the world. Jiroemon Kimura was given the title of last male alive to be born in the 19th century after the death of Barbados in the month of May 2013 at the age of 113 years and 90 days.Gerontolgy Research Group at University of California, Los Angeles found out that as far as female were concerned, there are in all 21 women born before 1 January 1901 and they are still alive.But amongst the male, Jiroemon Kimura is the only alive person of 19th century.Jiroemon Kimura was born on 19 April 1897. Premlata becomes the first Indian woman to complete seven summits Asian woman mountaineer Premlata Agrawal has become the first Indian woman mountaineer to scale the seven continental peaks after climbing Alaskas McKinley Peak.With this, she became the first Indian woman mountaineer to step on the highest peak of North America. Arvind Mahankali Won National Spelling Bee 2013 On 31 May Arvind Mahankali, a 13-year old Indian-American won the Scripps National Spelling Bee contest, as children from the community scripted history by dominating the prestigious competition for the sixth year in a row, grabbing top three slots this year.Arvind, from New York , won the contest by correctly spelling the German word knaidel which means a small mass of leavened dough, overcoming his fear of German-derived words during his past four appearances at the contest.This is the sixth consecutive year that an Indian-American has won the contest, which was watched live by millions of people in the United States.
PLACES IN NEWS
Cyclonic Storm Mahasen Hits Bangladesh On 16 May The cyclonic storm Mahasen hit Bangladeshs southern Patuakhali coast with wind speed up to 90 kilometers per hour.More than 48 persons were killed as inflated waters coupled with gusts started ravaging parts of Patuakhali alongside the other areas adjacent to the Bay of Bengal in the region.The system is now located in the west-central bay and is likely to intensify further, move in northeast direction and cross the Bangladesh coast close to Chittagong.
ABBREVIATIONS
NESAC - North Eastern Space Applications Centre ACTO Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization ILO International Labour Organization
CNEN National Commission for Nuclear Energy CNEA - National Commission of Atomic Energy IPV Inshore Patrol Vessel BWF - Badminton World Federation
BOOKS IN NEWS
Understanding Bhagat Singh by Prof. Chamanlal released Understanding Bhagat Singh a book by Prof. Chamanlal was released in the on 3 May 2013.Professor Randhir Singh, Eminent Thinker released the book at School of Social Sciences (SSS- I) Auditorium, JNU in New Delhi.The book Understanding Bhagat Singh has tried to explain the soul or spirit of Bhagat Singh like his principle of achieving objectives with dignity, honesty and fearlessness. Gandhis Outstanding Leadership Book Released On 27 May Gandhis Outstanding Leadership , written by former India n diplomat-turned-Gandhian Pascal Alan Nazareth, was released at the Peking Universitys Centre.Prof Shang Quanyu, a history professor with the South China Normal University, translated the book into Madarin.
COMMITTEES
G Padmanabhan Committee on Services for the Exporters On 6 May A Reserve Bank of India (RBI) committee recommended setting up of the Indian Bill Payment System (IBPS) in the country.The committee chaired by G. Padmanabhan, Executive Director, RBI, has recommended a cap on interest margins charged by banks lending to exporters.The committee also recommended that export credit be allowed to be a part of priority sector lending (PSL) for all commercial banks, including foreign banks, for a period of three to five years.
INTERNATIONAL
Egypts Top Court Rules Parliament Invalid On 2 June Egypts Supreme Constitutional Court invalidated the nations upper house of parliament and a panel that drew up the constitution.The upper house, or Shura Council, holds legislative powers. It will be dissolved after a new lower house is elected.The court dissolved the lower house of parliament 2012 June.The constitution was drafted by an Islamist-dominated assembly in 2012 November and approved by voters in December. Nigerias Parliament Passed a Bill Criminalising Gay Marriage On 2 June Nigerias parliament has passed a bill criminalising gay marriage, making it punishable with a 14 -year prison term.The countrys lower house, House of Representatives, followed the action of the Senate and endorsed the bill. UN Finds Evidence Of Toxic Chemicals and a Worsening War in Syria On 3 June A United Nations (UN) human rights investigation report ,finds some kind of chemical has probably been used on Syrias battlefield.Paulo Pinheiro, chairperson of the UN commission of inquiry submitted their latest report at the UN in Geneva . Obesity and Poor Nutrition Report Released by UN FAO On 4 June According to the UNs Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) report ,obesity and poor nutrition weigh heavily on the global economy and told governments that investing in food health would bring big economic as well as social returns.Lost productivity and spiralling health care bills linked to malnutrition could account for as much as five per cent of global gr oss domestic product (GDP), equivalent to US$3.5 trillion (S$4.4 trillion) a year.In its yearly report, the Rome-based agency said 12.5 percent of the worlds population (some 868 million people) are undernourished in terms of energy intake, while 26 percent of children worldwide are stunted by malnutrition.Some two billion people suffer from micronutrient deficiencies and 1.4 billion people are overweight of which 500 million are obese. US Slapped Economic Sanction on Iran On 4 June The US has slapped new sanctions on Iran ,targetting the countrys already-devalued currency and automobile industry.This is the ninth set of sanctions that the Obama administration has imposed against Iran.The executive order also empower the imposition of new sanctions against those who intentionally engage in major financial or other transactions for the sale, supply, or transfer to Iran of significant goods or services used in connection with Irans automotive sector. Similar sanctions were earlier imposed on Irans shipping, shipbuilding, and energy sectors.It is for the first time that the US has directly targeted the Iranian currency. U.S. and China Hold Bilateral Talks On 7 June The U.S. President Barack Obama and China President Xi Jinping concluded their latest round of high-level trade talks.In the meeting both countries agreed to inject new vitality to bilateral trade and economic relations.The US and China will work together and with other countries to use the expertise and institutions of the Montreal Protocol to phase down the consumption and production of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), among other forms of multilateral cooperation.Both nations agreed to work together on the crucial cyber security issues that have spiraled tensions between the two nations. Bangladesh Amends Anti-Terror Law On 12 June Bangladeshs parliament amended the tough anti-terrorism law re-defining terrorism and allowing courts to accept internet.The (anti-terror) bill suggests provisions to effectively control terrorism through inter-state cooperation.It offers the central bank the authority to freeze suspicious accounts without court orders.The law was first enacted in 2009 after the December 2008 elections while it was amended last year incorporating some provisions.The law was first enacted in 2009 when the incumbent Awami League assumed office after the December 2008 elections while it was amended last year incorporating some provisions.
EU Launched New Nuclear Safety Rules On 12 June The European Commission released a new set of nuclear power safety rules aimed at eliminating the risk of a Fukushima-type disaster in the region.The directive will require countries to submit to an international review of their nuclear power systems every six years, and fix any shortcomings discovered.There are 132 nuclear reactors in operation in Europe. Hasan Rowhani Elected As Irans New President On 15 June moderate cleric Hasan Rowhani elected as Irans new President.Rowhani has won the countrys presidential election.Rowhani won with 50.7 percent of the more than 36 million votes cast.Other contenders such as Tehran Mayor Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf got 16.5 percent and Hard-line nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili came in third with 11.3 percent of votes. Another conservative Mohsen Rezaei got 10.6 percent votes. Kuwaits Constitutional Court Dissolved Parliamen t On 16 June The Kuwait Constitutional Court has dissolved the Kuwaiti parliament and ordered new elections.The Constitutional Court had decided not to make a ruling on the constitutionality of the Emir Sheik Al-Sabahs change to the electoral laws after they had examined and rejected the challenge. Afghanistan Rejects Talks With Taliban And U.S On 19 June Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai rejected peace talks with the Taliban in a new office in Qatar .Karzai also suspended talks on a new U.S.-Afghan security deal that would allow some American troops to remain in the country after the international combat mission ends in 2014 to protest the fact that his government was being left out of the initial process. China Russia Cooperation 2013 Held in Beijing Chinese Armed Police Force and the Russian internal security forces Cooperation -2013 Joint training was held from 11th to 20th June in Beijing at Armed Special Police Academy.46 personnel from the Snow Leopard Commandoes, an elite antiterrorism force under the Chinese Peoples Armed Police Force (PAPF), and 29 from a special task force unit of Russias domestic security force.Before this joint training held in Beijing, the two sides previously conducted a joint anti-terrorism drill, Cooperation 2007, in Moscow . Russia and China Signed $270bn Oil Deal On 21 June Russias oil giant Rosneft and Chinese state firm CNPC signed a agreement to supply China with $270bn worth of oil over the next 25 years.The agreement was signed by Rosneft chief executive Igor Sechin and CNPC head Zhou Jiping in the presence of Putin and visiting Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli. UK and China Signed Currency Swap Agreement On 23 June UK and China have signed a three-year agreement worth 200bn to establish a renminbi currency swap to promote trade between the two countries.The agreement was signed by The Bank of England and the Peoples Bank of China.Currency-swap agreements basically allow central banks to swap currencies which can be used by firms to settle trade in local currencies rather than in US dollars. Kevin Rudd Re-elected As Australian PM On 26 June Kevin Rudd re-elected as Australian Prime Minister.In these election Kevin Rudd defeated the present Leader of the Labor Party and Prime Minister Julia Gillard.Kevin Rudd won 57 and Julia Gillard got 45 votes.Before three years Julia Gillard became a Prime Minister of Australia in place Kevin Rudd is the first Woman Prime Minister of Australia.Now Kevin Michael Rudd is the Prime Minister of Australia, as well as Leader of the Labor Party.He was previously Prime Minister from 2007 to 2010, and Labor Leader from 2006 to 2010. Qatars Emir Transfers Power To Son On 25 June Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani has handed power to his son, Crown Prince Sheikh Tamim.On 26 June Qatars new Emir formed a government from which he excluded powerful former Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani , replaced him with the former minister of state for internal affairs.Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa alThani was named both the Prime Minister and Interior Minister.Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani is a Qatari politician.In 2005,Nasser Al-Thani he became the minister of state for internal affairs.
On 14 According to the United Nations (UN) World Population Prospects: the 2012 Revision report ,The current world population of 7.2 billion is projected to increase by 1 billion over the next 12 years and reach 9.6 billion by 2050.India is expected to become the worlds largest country, passing China around 2028, when both countries will have populations of 1.45 billion. After that, Indias population will continue to grow and Chinas is expected to start decreasing. India, UK Signed MoU On Cooperation In Healthcare Sector On 14 June India and the United Kingdom have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for strategic and technical cooperation on health care policy and practice.The MoU was signed by Department of Health Research (DHR) Secretary V M Katoch and UK-based National Institute for Health and Care (NICE) Excellence chief executive Andrew Dillon in London. 33% Of Women Suffer Domestic Violence On 20 June According to the World Health Organization (WHO) survey ,In the first major global review of violence against women, a series of reports released found that about a third of women have been physically or sexually assaulted by a former or current partner.The rate of domestic violence against women was highest in Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, where 37 percent of women experienced physical or sexual violence from a partner at some point in their lifetimes. The rate was 30 percent in Latin America and 23 percent in North America. In Europe and Asia, it was 25 percent.More than 38 percent of slain women are killed by a former or current partner, six times higher than the rate of men killed by their partners. US Senate Passed Landmark Immigration Bill On 27 June The U.S. Senate has passe the landmark comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill ,which provides a pathway to citizenship to more than 11 million undocumented people, including over 240,000 Indians.The immigration reform received a bipartisan support in the US Senate; the bill received 88 votes in favour and 32 votes in against.For further approval, the Bill has been sent to House of Representatives and after being approved in the house it will be sent to US President, Barack Obama to be signed into a law. China India Hold Border Talks On 28 June China and India held their 16th round of border talks in Beijing.State Councilor and Special Representative Yang Jiechi and Indian National Security Adviser and Special Representative Shiv Shankar Menon attended the boundary talks, exchanging ideas for solving border problems and developing bilateral relations.The China-India special representative mechanism was established in 2003 and serves as an important platform for solving border disputes between both sides.
NATIONAL
Union Cabinet Approved Real Estate Regulatory Bill On 04 June The Union Cabinet approved the (Regulation and Development) Bill 2013.The bill seeks to make it mandatory for developers to launch projects only after acquiring all the statutory clearances from the relevant authorities.The Bill has provisions under which all relevant clearances for real estate projects would have to be submitted to the regulator and also displayed on a website before starting the construction.The proposed legislation has tough provisions to deter builders from putting out misleading advertisements related to the projects carrying photographs of the actual site. Union Cabinet Approved Extension Of The RSBY Scheme On 4 June Union Cabinet has approved the extension of the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY), to rikshaw pullers, rag pickers, mine workers, sanitation workers and auto rickshaw drivers and taxi drivers.The scheme became operational from 1 April 2008. Roshni Scheme Launched In Naxal Affected Districts On 7 June Union Government of India launched a placement linked skill development scheme Roshni targeting 50,000 rural men and women, mostly tribals, in 24 worst affected districts.Under the scheme, national-level agencies will be designated to act as monitoring and coordinating agencies in the Naxal-hit districts.The three-year initiative aims at skilling and placement of 50,000 youth from 24 Naxalite-affected districts in nine states.The funding for the Roshni scheme would be in the ratio of 75:25 to be shared between the Centre and the states.
National Skill Development Agency Constituted On 7 June The Government has constituted the National Skill Development Agency (NSDA) by subsuming the Prime Ministers National Council on Skill Development (PMNCSD), the National Skill Development Coordination Board (NSDCB) and the Office of the Adviser to the Prime Minister on Skill Development.The NSDA will endeavour to bridge the social, regional, gender and economic divide by ensuring that the skilling needs of the disadvantaged and marginalised groups like SCs, STs, OBCs, minorities.The NSDA will be an autonomous body chaired by a person of the rank and status of a Cabinet Minister supported by a Director General and other staff. The office of the NSDA is located in the Ministry of Finance. Indias First Dedicated Air Ambulance Launched On 8 June Indias first state-of-the art Air Ambulance, Flying Doctors India, was launched in NewDelhi.The new aircraft is tailormade and equipped with a state-of-the-art Intensive Care Unit on a dedicated chartered aircraft. The goal is to provide critical care even when a patient is in transit. 50 Lakh Child Labours In India On 12 June According to the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) report , nearly 50 lakh children are eking out their livelihood in the country, of whom 17.5 lakh are in Uttarakhand.The second-largest share of child labourers comes from West Bengal (5.5 lakh), Rajasthan (4.05 lakh) and Gujarat (3.9 lakh).The NSSO estimated this figures on the eve of the World Day against Child Labour. Central Cabinet Reshuffled On 17 June Eight new ministers were inducted into Union council of ministers headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.4 Cabinet ministers and 4 Ministers of State were administered the oath of office and secrecy by President Pranab Mukherjee in the Durbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan.Mallikarjun Kharge was given the charge of Railways Ministry.With the new induction, the strength of the Union Council of Ministers has gone up to 77. List of Four newly appointed Cabinet Ministers and their Departments:* Sis Ram Ola * Oscar Fernandes * Girija Vyas Labour and Employment Ministry Road Transport and Highways Ministry
List of Four newly appointed State Ministers and their departments:* Manikrao Gavit Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Minister of State for Finance and - Minister of State for Commerce and Industry
40 Percent Indian Women Use Internet On 20 June According to the Google study report ,About 40 percent of the 150 million internet users in the country are women and close to 24 million of them log in everyday to check emails, interact on social networking sites and shop online.Around 60 million women in India are now online and use the Internet to manage their day-to-day life.75 percent are in the 15-34 age group with over 24 million women accessing the Internet daily. Union Government Launched New Scheme For Pregnant Women On 22 June The Union Minister for Health Ghulam Nabi Azad launched a new scheme for the pregnant women across the country that would cover all expenses of women from birth of a baby to treatment of the sick child. Free medicines will be
provided to new-born babies up to the age of one month while expecting mothers, who deliver baby at government hospital, will receive assistance as provided under the scheme. Union Govt Banned Anti-Diabetes Drug Pioglitazone and Painkiller Analgin On 26 June The Union government has banned three major medicines the widely prescribed anti-diabetes drug pioglitazone, painkiller analgin and anti-depressant deanxit.The decision to ban the drug was taken in wake of health risks associated with them. Union Cabinet Approved For Setting Up Of Coal Regulatory Authority On 28 June the Union Cabinet has approved the setting up of a Coal Regulatory Authority meant to address controversial issues like supply and quality.The coal authority would be empowered to specify methodology for determining coal prices.Union Cabinet also approved Mumbai metro line 3.The estimated cost for the metro project has been pegged at Rs 23,136 crore.
STATES
First All Women Police Station Opens In Arunachal Pradesh On 4 June the first all-women police station in Arunachal Pradesh has started functioning in Itanagar to specifically deal with crimes against women.To tackle crime against women, the state cabinet has also approved the creation of separate cells in all the seventeen district headquarters and the Police headquarters of the state. Haryana Govt. Launched Priyadarshni Awaas Yojna On 8 June Haryana Chief Minister Bhupender Singh Hooda launched Priyadarshni Awaas Yojna in the state at Karnal to provide affordable housing facility to the people living in rural areas.People eligible under Indira Awaas Yojna and those who get 100 square yard plot under Mahatma Gandhi Gramin Basti Yojna would also be included in the scheme. West Bengal Tops Chart For Crime Against Women On 14 June According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) statistics ,West Bengal is the most unsafe place for women in India.West Bengal tops the list with 30,942 such cases, followed by Andhra Pradesh with 28,171 cases, UP 23,569, Rajasthan 21,106, Madhya Pradesh 16,832 and Maharashtra 16,353. PM announced Rs 1000 crore Relief Fund For Uttarakhand On 19 June Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced Rs 1,000 crore for disaster relief in Uttarakhand .Prime Minister also announced an ex-gratia assistance of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of those killed in the devastating floods and Rs 50,000 each to those injured from the Prime Ministers National Relief Fund (PMNRF). He also announced ex -gratia assistance of Rs 100,000 each to those whose houses have been completely destroyed and Rs 50,000 each to those whose houses have been damaged from the PMNRF. Maharashtra Govt To Set Up Education Commissionerates For Tribals In Month of June 2013 Maharashtra government has decided setting up separate education commisionerates in order to provide education to students of the tribal community.T he Commissionerates for tribals will be named by Adivasi Shikshan Ayuktalay and will first come up in four divisons of the state and the head office will be in Nashik. President Inaugurated Gas-based Power Plant in Tripura On 21 June The President Mr. Pranab Mukherjee has inaugurated first Gas based Power Plant at Palatana in Tripura.The Palatana Gas Based Power Project is the first such Power Company in India to be awarded with the Clean Development Mechanism by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change .The Rs 9000 crore project set up by ONGC. Nitish Kumar Won Confidence Vote In Bihar Assembly
On 19 June Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar won the confidence vote in the state assembly, with the support of 126 MLAs ,after parting away with BJP. The trust motion was opposed by 24 MLAs.Four members of congress and one of CPI voted in favour of the trust motion. Four independent MLAs also supported the motion. In the 243 member assembly, the ruling party JD(U) has 118 MLAs and it needed just four MLAs to prove its majority. PM Lays Foundation Stone For GVKs Ratle Hydel Plant In J&K On 25 June Prime Minister Manmohan Singh laid foundation stone for GVK Powers 850 mw Ratle hydro -electric power plant on the River Chenab in Jammu and Kashmir.The 850 MW Ratle project, which is the nations first hydroelectric project that was bid out through tariff based international competitive bidding, will cost Rs 5,500 crore.The project was awarded to GVK Power which offered the lowest tariff for generating power. Prime Minister Inaugurated Banihal-Qazigund Rail Link In J&K On 26 June Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi inaugurated the newly constructed railway line between Banihal (Jammu region)-Qazigund (Kashmir valley) section.The Banihal- Qazigund rail link is the 18 km long rail link, which also includes the 11km long tunnel across Pir Panchal range. This is the longest tunnel of India and second longest tunnel of Asia.The tunnel was constructed by making use of the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM). It is for the first time that the method of this kind was used on a large scale in India. The project was implemented by Hindustan Construction Company. Rajasthan Launched A Scheme For Energy Conservation On 27 June the Rajasthan government launched a unique scheme called Mukhyamantri Bijli Bachat Lamp Yojna for energy conservation. The State government will provide 2 CFL bulb free of cost to all electricity consumers of villages and BPL consumers in urban areas. This unique scheme will continue till August 2013.The state Government will spent 100 crore rupees on this scheme.The purpose of this scheme is to save energy and conservation of environment. Karnataka Govt Launched Helpline Arogyavani On 30 June The Karnataka government has launched a health information help line service Arogya Vani .The Call Centre has to provide information on the nearest Government Hospital, before providing a private-sector alternative.The main objective of this facility is to assist people living in rural or remote areas who face difficulty in accessing the service of qualified doctors and to provide information on any health problem.
CONFERENCES
Chief Ministers Conference on Internal Security held in New Delhi Chief ministers Conference on Internal Security held in NewDelhi on 5th June 2013.The conference chaired by the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.In his address, the Prime Minister called for effective coordination between the Centre and the States to face the challenges of Internal Security.The Prime minister stated that the government has instituted several measures in 34 Naxal-hit areas to combat the Naxal menace.The key agenda of the chief ministers conference organised by Home Minister P Chidambaram is the strengthening of anti-terror capabilities and intelligence, Maoist violence, police reforms and capacity building. 39th G8 Summit Held in North Ireland The 39th G8 summit was held on 17 and 18 June 2013 at Lough Erne county, Northern Ireland .The leaders of the G8 countries Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the US, the UK ,attended the summit.In the G8 countries Summit discussed on syria crisis and advancement of trade, ensuring tax compliance and promoting greater transparency in the use of natural resources among countries.At the end of the two day summit, the leaders of G8 nations agreed on the seven point document and released a joint statement on Syria.The G8 leaders also agreed on providing new fund of nearly 1.5 billion US dollar to help the people affected by the raging conflict. Future of the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was not made clear in the released statement.Russia to hold next G8 Summit in Sochi on 4 5 June 2014.The Group of Eight (G8) is a group made up of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. The European Commission is also represented in the committee.
On 20 June Three biotechnology researchers were named the winners of the 2013 World Food Prize for their independent, individual breakthrough achievements in founding, developing, and applying modern agricultural biotechnology.The three scientist are Marc Van Montagu of Belgium, and Mary-Dell Chilton and Robert T. Fraley .The Iowa based award is often referred to as the Nobel Prize for agriculture.The World Food Prize was created in 1987 by the late Nobel Peace Prize winner , Dr. Norman Borlaug, and is the foremost international award recognizing individuals who have contributed landmark achievements in increasing the quality, quantity or availability of food in the world. Taj Mahal Ranked Third Among Top Land Marks In The World On 30 June According to the Trip Advisors 2013 Travellers Choice Attracti ons Awards,Travellers from across the globe have ranked Indias Taj Mahal among the top three landmarks in the world, a leading travel website has announced. Taj Mahal was ranked third in the list of Top 25 landmarks.The top two places were taken by Machu Picchu in Peru and Angkor Wat in Cambodia respectively.
Mens Singles :- On 16 June Lee Chong Wei (Malaysia) won the Indonesia Badminton Tournament Men s Singles title after defeated Germanys Marc Zwiebler in the final. Womens Singles :- Li Xuerui of China won the title.In the womens singles final Li Xuerui defeated Juliane Schenk from Germany. Singapore Open Badminton 2013 Winners Mens Singles :- On 23 June Indonesias Tommy Sugiarto has won the Singapore Open badminton championship Mens singles title .Sugiarto defeated Boonsak Ponsana of Thailand in the final in Singapore. Womens Singles :- Chinas Wang Yihan won the womens singles title , after defeated Li Xuerui in the final. India Won ICC Champions Trophy 2013 On 23 June India has won the ICC Champions Trophy 2013 after defeated England at Edgbaston in Birmingham with a fiverun victory.Ravindra Jadeja was declared as the Man of the Match .He was also awarded with the Golden Ball for grabbing maximum number of wickets in the series.Sikhar Dhawan was declared as the Man of the Series. This was the second Champions Trophy title of India. Koneru Humpy Won FIDE Womens Grand Prix On 28 June Koneru Humpy won the FIDE Womens Grand Prix chess tournament at Dilijan, Armenia.Koneru Humpy finished her campaign with a flourish, defeated Mongolias Tuvshintugs Batchimeg in the final .Slovenias Anna Muzychuk finished second and Georgias Nana Dzagnidze finished third. Nico Rosberg Won British Grand Prix On 30 June Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg has won the British Formula One Grand Prix.Red Bulls Mark Webber got second position and Ferraris Fernando Alonso claim third position.
ECONOMY
India 4th In World Steel Production On 5 June According to the World Steel Association (WSA) data , Indias rank in the world order of steel production remained unchanged at fourth slot with an output of 77.06 MT (million tonnes) steel produced in 2012.China gets first ranked in world steel production .China produced 716.05 MT in 2012.Japan produced (2nd rank) 107.02 MT and US (3rd rank) 88.07 Mt in 2012. Dhoni Ranked 16th On Forbes List Of Highest Paid Athletes According to the Forbes List Of Highest Paid Athletes Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni,with earnings of $31.5 million, has been ranked at 16th place.Sachin Tendulukar got 51st place.This list is prepared based on last year annual income.The annual income of MS Dhoni is $31.5 million.But he earned $3.5 million from matches and remaining amount from advertisements and other business.Sachin Tendulkars annual income is $22 million . The Golfer Tiger Wood(America) got a 1st place in this list with annual income of $78.1 million followed by tennis star Roger Federer at $71.5 million. Kobe Bryant, American professional basketball player, is third at $61.9 million. Worlds Highest Density Of Millionaires In Qatar On 10 June According to the Boston Consulting Groups (BCG) 13th Annual Global Wealth Management Report ,Qatar has the highest density of millionaires in the world, with 14.3 pc of the oil-rich Gulf nations population holding private wealth of $1 mn.The figure shows 143 out of every 1,000 households in Qatar holding private wealth of at least $1 million, much higher than the global average.Kuwait ranks third with 11.5%, while Bahrain (4.9%) and the UAE (4.0%) rank seventh and ninth, respectively.
World Bank Expected India To Grow 5.7% In FY 13 On 13 June According to the World Bank Global Economic Prospects (GEP) report ,Growth in India is projected to rise to 5.7 percent in the 2013 fiscal year and firm to 6.5 percent and 6.7 percent in FY2014 and FY2015, respectively.Global GDP is expected to expand about 2.2 percent this year and strengthen to 3.0 percent and 3.3 percent in 2014 and 2015. 2011-12 Poverty and Household Consumer Expenditure Indicators Released On 20 June The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) in its 68th round survey has released the poverty and key indicators of household consumer expenditure in India, generated from the data collected during July 2011 June 2012 .The National Sample Survey Offices (NSSO) 68th round of survey is based on samples consisting of 7,496 villages in rural India and 5,263 urban blocks except some remote areas. Highlights of the Poverty and Household Consumer Expenditure Indicators Data Report :* 5 per cent population on the bottom rung had an average monthly per capita expenditure (MCPE) of Rs 521.44 in rural areas and Rs 700.50 in urban areas. * Poorest of poor in the country survive on barely Rs 17 per day in villages and Rs 23 a day in cities. * On the other end of the spectrum, top five per cent of the population had an MPCE of Rs 4,481 in rural areas and Rs 10,282 in urban areas. * On an average on the all-India basis, MPCE was around Rs 1,430 for rural India and about Rs 2,630 for urban India. * For the average rural Indian, food accounted for 52.9 per cent of the value of consumption during 2011-12.Among non-food item categories, fuel and light for household purposes (excluding transportation) accounted for 8 per cent, clothing and footwear 7 per cent, medical expenses 6.7 per cent, education 3.5 per cent, conveyance 4.2 per cent, other consumer services (excluding conveyance) 4 per cent, and consumer durables 4.5 per cent. * For the average urban Indian, 42.6 per cent of the value of household consumption was accounted for food, including 9 per cent by beverages, refreshments and processed food, 7 per cent by milk and milk products, and 6.7 per cent by cereals and cereal substitutes.Education accounted for 6.9 per cent, fuel and light 6.7 per cent, conveyance 6.5 per cent, and clothing and footwear 6.4 per cent.
later.Now, computer simulations by Stanford scientists reveal that sound waves in the ocean produced by the earthquake probably reached land tens of minutes before the tsunami. If correctly interpreted, they could have offered a warning that a large tsunami was on the way. China Successfully Launches Fifth Manned Space Mission On 11 June China successfully launched its fifth and longest manned space mission with three astronauts, including a woman, on board Shenzhou-10 as part of the Communist giants efforts to build a permanent space lab of its own by 2020. Shenzhou 10 (Divine Craft) spaceship carried the three astronauts blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in Gansu province for a 15-day-long mission during which it would dock with Tiangong-1 space lab orbiting round the Earth and conduct a host of experiments.Now Chinas fifth manned mission and would last a fortnight compared to last years 13 days.Wang Yaping the second Chinese woman to go into space after Liu Yang last year. India and US Launched Space Solar Power Initiative In the month of June India and a top US science body have forged an international organisation to develop space solar power ,an initiative that has the potential of solving humanitys energy nee ds and greatly mitigating climate change.In his Address to the 2013 National Space Societys International Space Development Conference (ISDC 2013) Mark Hopkins asserted to include specific mechanisms such as the Global Space Knowledge Platform, the International Virtual Laboratory, and the International Advisory Committee that Abdul Kalam has elaborated through discussion papers. New Human Cornea Layer Discovered On 12 June Indian researcher Harminder Dua, Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the Nottingham University, has found a previously undetected layer in the cornea , the clear window at the front of the human eye and named Duas layer.Scientists previously believed the cornea to be composed of five layers, from front to back, the corneal epithelium, Bowmans layer, the corneal stroma, Descemets membrane and the corneal endothelium.The new layer that has been discovered is located at the back of the cornea between the corneal stroma and Descemets membrane.Although it is just 15 microns thick the entire cornea is around 550 microns thick . Andaman Tsunami Warning System Can Alert In 3 Minutes On 12 June The Early Tsunami Warning System installed at Rangachang in Andaman and Nicobar Islands can predict a tsunami immediately after an earthquake.The system can predict tsunami within 3 minutes after the occurrence of the initial tremors and send alerts.Following the alerts sent from the Tsunami Warning System, the tsunami alerts can be issued to the risk zones via Centre in consultation with Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, INCOIS at Hyderabad. IAF Gets C-17 Globemaster-III Airlifters On 12 June The Indian Air Force (IAF) inducted the first of the 10 C -17 Globemaster-III heavy airlifters it has purchased from the US, and then order six more.Now the Indian Air Force on this milestone as India joins the worldwide community of C17 operators.Boeing is on track to deliver four more C-17s to the IAF this year and five in 2014.India signed an agreement with the U.S. in 2011, to acquire 10 C-17 airlifters, making India the largest C-17 customer outside the U.S. China Super Computer Tianhe-2 Named Worlds Fastest Computer On 17 June Chinas National University of Defense Technology developed worlds fastest supercomputer Tianhe-2. The Tianhe-2 has a peak performance speed of 54.9 quadrillion operations per second.Tianhe -2 means Milky Way-2.This Chinese supercomputer Tianhe-2 and it replaced US machine called Titan, which was earlier said to be the fastest computer of the world. World Bank Released Global Warming In India Report On 19 June According to the World Bank new report prepared by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and Climate Analytics, the report warns that global warming could lead to more extreme droughts across large parts of India,over the next few decades.The impact of a possible global temperature rise of 2 degrees Celsius in the next few decades threatened to trap millions of people in poverty.Depicting life in a not-too-distant future shaped by already present warming trends, the new report warns that by the 2040s, India will see a significant reduction in crop yields because of extreme heat.The warming will impact significant reduction in crop yields and some 63 million people may no longer be able to meet their caloric demand. Scientists Discovered New Language In Australia
On 19 June Scientists have discovered a new language in northern Australia which contains rare grammatical innovations and a unique combination of elements from other languages.The language, now known as Light Warlpiri, is spoken by approximately 300 people in a remote desert community about 644 kilometres from Katherine, a town located in Australias Northern Territory. Japan To Send Kirobo The Talking Robot Into Space Japan announced a humanoid robot named Kirobo will be used in the worlds first communication experiments between a human and a robot in space.The pint-sized robot developed by Toyota Motor Corp ,the University of Tokyo and venture firm Robo Garage.Just 13 inches tall and weighing 2.2 pounds, Kirobo will launch aboard an H-IIB rocket in August from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture and head for the International Space Station. NASA Launched IRIS Spacecraft To Study Suns At mosphere On 27 June NASA has launched Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) spacecraft from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.The mission to study the solar atmosphere was placed in orbit by an Orbital Sciences Corporation Pegasus XL rocket.The Pegasus XL carrying IRIS was deployed from an Orbital L-1011 carrier aircraft over the Pacific Ocean at an altitude of 39,000 feet, off the central coast of California about 100 miles northwest of Vandenberg. The rocket placed IRIS into a sunsynchronous polar orbit that will allow it to make almost continuous solar observations during its two-year mission. INS Trikand Commissioned Into Indian Navy On 30 June INS Trikand, the last of the three Follow on Talwar Class frigates built in the Russian Federation, was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 29th June at Kaliningrad, Russia by Vice Admiral R. K. Dhowan, the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, Indian Navy.The commissioning of INS Trikand marks the culmination of a three ship contract for Follow on Talwar Class ships built in Russia. Her sister ships INS Teg and INS Tarkash were commissioned in 2012.INS Trikand carries a stateof-the-art combat suite which includes the supersonic BRAHMOS missile system, advanced Surface to Air missiles Shtil, upgraded A190 medium range gun, Electro-optical 30 mm Close-in Weapon System, Anti-Submarine weapons such as torpedoes and rockets and an advanced Electronic Warfare system.
PERSONS IN NEWS
A) APPOINTMENTS
Justice Kaul Sworn in as Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief On 1st June Haryana Governor Jagannath Pahadia administered the oath of office to Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul as the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court at Haryana Raj Bhavan.Justice Kaul, 54, earlier served as the senior most judge of the Delhi High Court and was the acting Chief Justice there in September last year.the strength of judges of Punjab and Haryana High Court has reached 41 as against the sanctioned strength of 68 judges. Shortage of judges leads to pendency in the cases and the ideal strength should be between 50 to 55. Jagmohan Dalmiya is new Interim President of BCC On 1 June Cricket Association of Bengal president Jagmohan Dalmiya , a former president of the BCCI and ICC, has been appointed as the new interim president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).BCCI chief N. Srinivasan agreed to step aside, with Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Jagmohan Dalmiya took over as the boards interim president. Narayana Murthy Re-elected as Executive Chairman in Infosys On 1 June NR Narayana Murthy has been re-elected as Executive Executive Chairman of the Board in Infosys.He would serve as board chairman for 5 years.Narayan Murthy was appointed as the chairman for the second time.Murthy, who founded Infosys in 1981, had stepped down from the Board and became Chairman Emeritus in 2011. He has served as companys CEO from 1981 to 2002. Indian-Origin Diplomat is New Australian Envoy to Israel
On 2 June 2013 Indian origin diplomat appointed Devanand Sharma appointed as a Australian envoy to Israel.Devanand Sharma has made history by becoming the countrys youngest Ambassador after he was appointed Canberras envoy to Israel.He got Medicine degree from Sydney University.Mr Sharmas prior international service includes postings as Counsellor at the Australian Embassy in Washington. Nawaz Sharif Sworn in as Pakistans PM On 5 June Nawaz Sharif has been sworn-in for a record third term as Pakistan`s Prime Minister, after he was elected with 244 votes in the 342-seat Parliament.He was sworn-in by the President Asif Ali Zardari at a function in an ornate hall at the Presidency.Sharif has served as the Pakistani Premier during 1990-1993 and 1997-1999 but was ousted from office before he could complete his term, once on corruption charges and later because of a military coup led by Pervez Musharraf. Virginius Xaxa is new National Advisory Council Member On 6 June Union government has reconstituted the National Advisory Council by including prominent sociologist Virginius Xaxa into the 12-member panel chaired by Sonia Gandhi.Virginius Xaxa was inducted with the exit of Aruna Roy from the panel.Virginius Xaxa is a Professor at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Guwahati and has worked extensively on tribal communities of the country.The NAC comprises distinguished professionals drawn from diverse fields of development activity who serve in their individual capacities. TCA Raghavan is Indias new High Commissioner To Pakistan On 6 June TCA Raghavan has been appointed as the new High Commissioner to Pakistan.A 1982-batch IFS officer, Raghavan is currently serving as Indias high commissioner to Singapore.Raghavan will replace Sharat Sabharwal, who was on an extension after he retired last year. K R Kamath Re-elected as IBA chairman On 6 June Punjab National Banks (PNB) Chairman and Managing Director K. R. Kamath was re -elected as Chairman of Indian Banks Association (IBA) for 2013-14 tenure.Indian Banks Association (IBA) was formed on 26 September 1946.It is an association of Indian banks and financial institutions. It is based in Mumbai. Justice Usha Mehra Becomes Full Time Member Of Law Commission On 13 June Justice Usha Mehra, retired Judge of the High Court of Delhi, has been appointed as full-time Member of the 20th Law Commission of India.Bijai Narain Mani, eminent law author, and Gurjeet Singh, Director General of the National Law School and Judicial Academy Assam, were appointed part-time members of the panel.The panel, which advices government on complex legal issues, is headed by Justice D K Jain, former judge of the Supreme Court. S K Roy Appointed New Chairman of LIC S K Roy has been appointed as the Chairman of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).Roy succeed D.K. Mehrotra, and get a five-year term as chairman.On May 31, 2013, he assumed charge as Managing Director of LIC along with Thomas Mathew and Sarkar.Roy joined the largest insurance company in the country in 1981. John Ashe Elected UN General Assembly President On 15 June John Ashe, the ambassador to the United Nations for Antigua and Barbuda has been elected President of the United Nations General Assembly.He selected as the President of UN General Assembly for its 68th session. Ratan Tata is new Chief Advisor of AirAsia India Board On 16 June Ratan Tata has been appointed as the chief Advisor to the board of AirAsia Indian, the joint venture between the Tata Group and Malaysian low-cost carrier AirAsia.AirAsia has also named Mittu Chandilya as the CEO of its Indian venture. Manmohan Singh Takes Oath as Rajya Sabha Member On 17 June Prime Minister Manmohan Singh took oath as member of Rajya Sabha.Manmohan Singh was re-elected a member of Rajya Sabha from Assam for the fifth consecutive term on 30 May 2013.Another Congress member from Assam Santius Kujur also took oath as member of Rajya Sabha.
Indian Named Editor Of The Independent On 17 June Indian-origin journalist Amol Rajan was named the editor of The Independent,becoming the first non-white editorial head of a UK national paper. Amol Rajan will replace Chris Blackhurst, becoming Fleet Streets first non -white newspaper editor. S Ramadorai is AirAsia India new Chairman On 17 June Subramanian Ramadorai, former head of the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), has been appointed as the Chairman of AirAsia India.Subramanian Ramadorai, holds the rank of cabinet minister in the Government of India. Indian-American Sri Srinivasan Sworn In As Top US Court Judge On 18 June Indian-American legal luminary Sri Srinivasan was sworn in as a judge in the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, the second most powerful court in the United States after the Supreme Court.Srinivasan from Chandigarh has become the first Indian American judge in the second most powerful court of the country. Krishna Chaudhary is new NDRF chief On 25 June Senior IPS officer Krishna Chaudhary has been appointed as Director General, National Disaster Response Force and Civil Defence.His appointment will take effect from the date he assumes charge of the post and until his superannuation on June 30, 2017. Kevin Rudd Sworns As Australian PM For Second Time On 27 June Kevin Rudd was sworn in as Australias prime minister for second time ,replaced Julia Gillard who was removed in a Labor Party caucus vote.He was sworn in at Government House in Canberra by Governor General Quentin Bryce.Now Kevin Michael Rudd is the 28th Prime Minister of Australia, as well as Leader of the Labor Party. Justice P Sadasivam Appointed As New Chief Justice Of India On 29 June P. Sathasivam was appointed as the 40th Chief Justice of India . He will take over the charge on completion of the tenure of present incumbent Altamas Kabir which will end on July 18, 2013.As the 40th CJI, Sathasivam will serve the nation till his 26 April 2014.Sathasivam joined as a permanent judge of the Madras high court in January 1996 after which he was transferred to the Punjab and Haryana high court in April 2007.He was appointed as a Supreme Court judge on August 21, 2007.
B)RESIGNS
Rajiv Shukla Resigned as IPL chairman On 1st June 2013,Rajiv Shukla has resigned as the Chairman of the Indian Premiere League.He has decided to quit in the wake of recent controversies in the IPL Spot Fixing Scandal. Union MinistersAjay Maken and CP Joshi Resigned On 15 June Union Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation minister Ajay Maken ,Surface Transport and Highways Minister as well as Railway Minister CP Joshi, resigned from their offices.Their resignation was accepted by the President Pranab Mukherjee. Czech Republic Prime Minister Petr Necas Resigned On 17 June Czech Republic prime minister Petr Necas has resigned ,after a fraud and spying scandal involving his closest aide, pitching the European Union member state into a period of uncertainty.Petr Necas is a former Prime Minister of the Czech Republic and leader of the Civic Democratic Party. He was sworn into office in 2010. Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah Resigned On 23 June Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah announced his resignation ,following a dispute between the prime minister and his two deputies, Mohammed Mustafa and Ziad Abu Amru, who also serve as senior advisors to President
Abbas.Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas accepted the resignation of newly appointed Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah.Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah takes charges on 2 June and he had served only 20 days.
C)DEATHS
British Comic Author Tom Sharpe Died On 6 June British comic novelist Tom Sharpe has died in the coastal town of Llafranc in north-eastern Spain.His first two books were satires about South Africas apartheid regime.Sharpe travelled to South Africa in 1951 after leaving Cambridge, to work as a teacher and photographer. Sharpes other books include Riotous Assembly, Indecent Exposure and Porterhouse Blue, all written in the 1970s. Worlds Oldest Person Luo Meizhen Died Worlds oldest person Luo Meizhen from China has died on 11 June.Meizhen was born in 1885 and was 127 years old.But the Guinness Book of World Records never recognized her claim. Former Union Minister VC Shukla Died VC Shukla, a former Union minister and Congress veteran from Chhattisgarh, died on 11 June in Gurgaon.Shukla was injured in 2013 May Chhattisgarh Maoist attack.He was elected to the Lok Sabha nine times.He first became a minister in 1966, when he was 37 years old, in Prime Minister Indira Gandhis cabinet.He held many important portfolios in his long career span whic h includes Communications, Home, Defence, Finance, Planning, Information & Broadcasting, Civil Supplies, External Affairs, Parliamentary Affairs and Water Resources. Worlds Oldest Person Jiroemon Kimura Died On 12 June The worlds oldest person Jiroemon Kimura has died in Japan.116 -year-old Jiroemon Kimura was born on 19 April 1897.He became the worlds oldest person on December 17, 2012, following the death of 115 -year-old Dina Manfredini, who lived in the US state of Iowa. Veteran Communist Leader Satyapal Dang Died On 15 June Veteran Veteran communist party leader Satyapal Dang died in Amritsar.Satya Pal Dang was Born in 1920 in Gujranwala in Pakistan and had married to Vimla, another CPI leader, in 1952. Vimla died in 2009.Dang had contested his first Vidhan Sabha election in 1966-67 from Amritsar west constituency.He was elected four times to Punjab assembly from Amritsar.Satypal Dang was awarded Padma Shri in 1998 for his contribution to the social sphere, as he, along with Vimla, had fought many relentless battles for the cause of the downtrodden.However, Satyapal Dang had returned the Padma Bhushan and demanded abolition of all such awards contending a persons contribution to society is judged by his deeds and not by honours. Former Union Minister Bhavna Chikhalia Died Former Union minister of state and the first woman to get elected to the Lower House (Lok Sabha) from Gujarat for four consecutive terms, Bhavna Chikhalia died on 28 June.She was union minister of state for tourism, culture and parliamentary affairs from 1998-2003 in the NDA government headed by Atal Behari Vajpayee. She was also the chairperson of the Railway Convention Committee from 1999-02.Bhavnaben Chikhalia first got elected to the Lok Sabha from 1991, before registering victories again in 1996, 1998 and 1999.
D)VISITORS
Union External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid Visited Iraq Salman Khurshid, the Union External Affairs Minister visited Iraq from 19 to 20 June 2013.During the visit Khurshid met with the Prime Minister of Iraq Nouri al-Maliki and the two nations discussed issues of bilateral and mutual interests including import of oil for energy security along with the avenues of partnership.This is the first visit of any Minister from Indian Union to Iraq after 23 years in the war-raved country.Former Prime Minister of India, Inder Kumar Gujral visited Iraq in 1990 during his tenure as an External Affairs Minister of Indian Union. U.S. Secretary Of State John Kerry Visited India
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry visited India from 23 25 June 2013.During the visit Kerry co-chaired the fourth India-US Strategic Dialogue with External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid and discussed on bilateral trade, defence and security cooperation besides energy and higher education ,including Indias relations with Pakistan.On 24 June Kerry also met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi.Both have discussed issues of mutual interest.This is Kerrys first visit in India after his appointment as the US Secretary of State. E)MISCELLANEOUS Raghav Joneja Becomes Youngest Indian To Climb Mt Everest Raghav Joneja youngest Indian to climbed the Mount Everest .He is one of the member in Larens school youngest team of mountaineers in the world.Climbing at the age of 15 years and seven months Raghav Joneja broke the record set by Nameirakpam Chingkheinganba of Manipurs, who climed the everest at the age 16 years seven months and 11 days.Lawrence School in Kasuali became the first school in the world to send a team to the highest peak . China Woman Astronaut Astronaut Delivers First Space Lecture On 20 June Chinas second woman astrona ut Wang Yaping, who is currently orbiting the earth in an experimental space lab, has become the countrys first space teacher as she delivered a lecture to over 60 million Chinese students about various aspects life in space.In a 45 minutes lecture, Wang, an air force pilot assisted by her two male colleagues demonstrated weightlessness and how it affects the Newton laws of gravity. Ancient Chinese Documents On Tibet Won UNESCO Recognition On 21 June Historical Chinese documents describing Tibet during Chi nas Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) and showing the ancient financial and messaging service of the period, have won a major UNESCO recognition.The documents showing how finances and messages were exchanged between overseas Chinese and their domestic relatives in that era, were stored and recommended for the UNESCO honour by the archives bureaus of Guangdong and Fujian provinces, from which the first batch of overseas Chinese originated. Italys Ex-Prime Minister Berlusconi Sentenced To 7 Years In Prison On 24 June Italys Ex-Prime Minister Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was sentenced to seven years in prison and banned from public office for corruption and underage prostitution case. Two Year Old Boy Becomes Youngest Ever To Join Mensa On 27 June A two-year-old boy Adam Kirby in UK has become the youngest ever member of the genius club Mensa, after he scored an incredible 141 on an IQ test.Adam Kirby scored 141 in the IQ test that reportedly ranked him smarter than US President Barack Obama and British Premier David Cameron.Adam Kirby was invited to join the elite group after demonstrating his ability to read Shakespeare and understand Japanese, Spanish and French.
PLACES IN NEWS
Bangkok Ranked Worlds Top Travel Spot On 2 June According to a ranking by the MasterCard Index of Global Destination Cities study report ,Bangkok is this years number one city for air travel.While London reached the top spot in 2012.Now Bangkok becoming the first Asian city to earn the distinction.Visits to Bangkok were expected to grow by 9.8 percent this year.If all of the top 10 cities maintained their current growth rates, the index predicted that by 2016 Bangkok and London would be followed by Istanbul in the No. 3 spot, with Paris at No. 4 and Dubai at No.5, with Singapore and New York behind them.The ranking was based on a citys expected international air travel arrivals and the amount of money spent in the city by those arrivals. Dubai Inaugurated Worlds Tallest Twisted Tower On 13 June Dubai has inaugurated the worlds tallest twisted tower named Cayan" Tower built at a cost of 272 million US dollar, setting a yet another record for skyscrapers and other engineering marvels. Earlier it was named the Infinity Tower.The
tower was inaugurated in Dubai Marina.The 310-metre (1,017-foot), 75-storey residential Cayan" Tower is twisted at 90 degrees from top to bottom.The developer of this tower is Cayan Real Estate Investment and Development Company. Worlds Longest and Widest Cable Bridge Inaugurated In China On 18 June The worlds longest and widest multi-pylon cable-stayed bridge named Jiaxing-Shaoxing Sea Bridge with a span of 10km has opened in China after seven years of construction work.The Jiaxing-Shaoxing Sea Bridge stretches 6.2miles (10 kilometres) over the Hangzhou Bay, in Shaoxing, China.It is mainly supported by two cable-towers, both of which reach 745ft in the air, and has a main body stretching 2,560ft wide.The high speed bridge is designed for vehicles travelling exclusively above 60mph and pedestrians, motorbikes and cars with a maximum speed below 45mph are not allowed to cross. Earth Quake Hits Northern Italy On 21 June 2013 a magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck Italy,causing some minor damage in Casola in Liguana. The tremors were felt across central and northern Italy. According to the national geophysics institute,the epicenter of earthquake was between the towns of Massa and Lucca in Tuscany and La Spezia in the Liguria region. UNESCO Declared Six Rajasthan Forts World Heritage Sites On 22 June Six hill forts in Rajasthan have been selected to be included in the Unescos World Heritage List. The hill forts are Amber, Chittorgarh, Gangron, Jaisalmer, Kumbhalgarh and Ranthambore. Thousands Of People Are Died In Uttarakhand Floods In the month of June 2013 the North Indian states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, some regions of Western Nepal and their adjoining areas experienced heavy rainfall that triggered devastating floods and landslides.More than thousands of people are died in Uttarakhand state floods and landslides.This years early monsoon rains in the Uttarakhand region are believed to be the heaviest in 80 years.Damage to bridges and roads left over 70,000 pilgrims and tourists trapped in various places of whom, many were rescued.
ABBREVIATIONS
BCCI Board of Control for Cricket in India UNDP - United Nations Development Programme RSBY - Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna FIFA - Federation Internationale de Football Association WSA World Steel Association
FCI Food Corporation of India APEC Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation FICCI Federation of India Chambers of Commerce and Industry
BOOKS IN NEWS
Dard-E-Dil Likhun Kab Tak Book Released by Vice President of India
On 6 June The Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari released a book entitled Dard -e-Dil Likhun Kab Tak (in Urdu and Hindi) authored by Rukhsar Amrohvi. The book is a compilation of poems composed by poetess Rukhsar Amrohvi and some rare pictures of the historic moments of Indian Cinema. This book is a valuable addition to the Urdu Literature. Ambedkar Speaks Book Released On 20 June M Hamid Ansari, vice president of India released a book titled Ambedkar Speaks in New Delhi.The book was authored by by Dr. Narendra Jadhav.The book has been published by Konark Publishers.Ambedkar Speaks is the first ever attempt at a systematic study of Dr Ambedkars 537 speeches.The series is available in four languages Marathi, English, Hindi and Gujarati. The first series was first launched in Marathi. 1857-1947: Forgotten Heroes and Martyrs of Indias Freedom Movement Book Released On 24 June The book titled, 1857-1947: Forgotten Heroes and Martyrs of Indias Freedom Movement, is written by journalist Shivnath Jha was launched on 24 June 2013 in Mumbai by former Bombay High Court chief justice C S Dharmadhikari.The book will act as a campaign to highlight the miserable conditions of descendants and families of freedom fighters as well as an attempt to bring about a change. Distressing Encounters Real Life Stories Book Released On 30 June Indian Ambassador to the UAE M. K. Lokesh released a book titled Distressing Encounters Real Life Stories from a Reporters Diary by Dubai-based Indian journalist V. M. Sathish.The book narrates real-life stories of distressed and marginalised expatriates from different countries and cultures and the role played by the media, especially the English media, in extending a helping hand to such people.
COMMITTEES
Anil Swarup Committee Set Up To Re-start Stalled Projects On 7 June Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram announced a committee has been appointed to identify and help re-start as many as 215 large projects worth over Rs 7 lakh crore which have been stalled for years and assured that each of these projects will be off the ground at the earliest.A committee headed by Anil Swarup. Chandrashekhar Committee To Frame Rules For Foreign Investors The Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) Committee under the chairmanship of Cabinet secretary KM Chandrashekhar,submitted its report on 12 June.The committee has recommended doing away with prior direct registration of foreign institutional investors (FIIs) and sub accounts with Sebi. It also recommended merging FIIs, sub accounts and qualified foreign investors (QFIs) into a new investor class to be called the foreign portfolio investor. Arvind Mayaram Committee Recommends Rise In FDI Limit In Various Sectors On 23 June The Union Government constituted a committee to clearly define the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Foreign Institutional Investment (FII). The report of this committee was submitted to the Ministry of Finance (FinMin) . The committee that was headed by the Arvind Mayaram recommended raising the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) limit to 49 percent from 26 percent at present in almost all sectors through automatic route.
On 26 June The United Nations General Assembly declared 26 June as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in the year 1987. The objective of observing this day is to strengthen the action as well as cooperation in order to achieve the aim of a society free of drug abuse.The General Assembly however found out that inspite of increasing efforts by the international community to curb this menace, the world problem of drug abuse increased. Drug abuse poses serious threat to safety as well as well being of humanity as well as to the public health. Eventually, the Commission and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) was directed to continue its work towards international drug control.
INTERNATIONAL
Croatia Joins The EU as 28th Member State On 1 July Croatia became the 28th member of the European Union.It is the first addition since Bulgaria and Romania joined EU in 2007.Croatia formally applied for EU membership in 2003. International Assistance Force In Mali Transformed into UN Force On 1 July A new United Nations peacekeeping mission for insurgent-affected Mali was launched on 1 July .The previous African-led International Support Mission in Mali (AFISMA) has been transformed to the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).The transfer of authority from the forces of the African-led International Support Mission in Mali (AFISMA) to the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) took place during a ceremony in Bamako, capital of the West African country. Pakistan China Signed 8 Agreements On 5 July Pakistan and China signed eight documents of cooperation in various areas of economy , for furthering already strong economic and technical ties between two friendly countries.The first pact signed pertained to the building of a long term project (Pak-China Economic Corridor) a 200KM tunnel which will be built at a cost of $18 billion.These agreements and MoU were signed in the presence of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chinese Premier Li Keqaing.Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal signed the pact from the Pakistani side while Chairman National Development and Reforms Commission of PRC, Xu Shao Shi inked the pact from the Chinese side. Hazem El-Beblawi Named As New Egyptian Prime Minister On 9 July Hazem el Beblawi a liberal economist and Egypt s former finance minister was named as the new Prime Minister of Egypt by the Interim President Adly Mansour.El-Beblawi is a founding member of the Egyptian Social Democratic Party, Al Ahram.He has also served as the undersecretary-general at the United Nations between 1995 and 2000. Taiwan and New Zealand Signed Free Trade Agreement On 10 July New Zealand signed a free trade agreement with Taiwan.Two-way trade is worth 1.6 billion New Zealand dollars (US$1.2 billion) annually, with New Zealand exporting mainly agricultural products like milk and Taiwan shipping largely electronics.Taiwan is New Zealands 12th largest trading partner, with bilateral trade totalling abo ut $120.7 million. France and Switzerland Signed New Inheritance Tax Agreement On 11 July France and Switzerland have signed an agreement on inheritance tax as part of an amended double taxation agreement. Paris hopes will help it bring in more money.Under the agreement inheritances would be taxed based on where the recipient resides, not where the deceased lived, as used to be the case. Bhutans Opposition Party Wins Parliamentary Elections On 14 July Bhutans Election Commission formally announced that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won the National Assembly elections by having secured a majority of thirty two seats.The Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) won fifteen seats and was elected as the opposition party.PDP leader Tshering Tobgay is likely to be named prime minister of the new government. Bangladesh Passes Labour (Amendment) Bill 2013 On 15 July the Bangladesh Parliament passed Bangladesh Labour (Amendment) Bill 2013 aimed to protect the interest and rights of the workers and ensuring their safety.The new law has seen amendments to a total of 87 sections of the Labor Act 2006. Britains Queen Elizabeth II Signed Bill Legalizing Gay Marriage On 17 July Britain has legalized gay marriage after Queen Elizabeth II gave her royal stamp of approval.The que ens approval was a formality.Britain became the 15th country to legalize gay marriage after a bill cleared Parliament and Queen Elizabeth II signed off on the law.
Iran and Iraq Signed Gas Export Agreement On 21 July Iran has signed an agreement to export gas to Iraq, worth 3.7 billion dollars a year.The agreement was signed in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad by Irans Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi and his Iraqi counterpart, Abdul Kareem Luaibi. EU Declared Hezbollahs Military Wing As Terrorist Organization On 22 July The European Union (EU) declared the military wing of Hezbollah a terrorist organization.The EUs 28 foreign ministers reached the decision unanimously at their meeting.The Iranian-backed group plays a major role in Lebanese politics and has dominated the government since 2011.The blacklisting would mean imposing visa bans on individuals and asset freezes on organizations associated with the group. Thirty Meter Telescope Partners Signed Agreement On 26 July The partners building the worlds largest and most advanced optical telescope at Mauna Keas summit have signed an agreement laying the foundation for the telescopes operation.Mauna Kea is a volcano on the island of Hawaii.The Thirty Meter Telescope project representatives from partnering institutions in the U.S., Canada, China, India and Japan signed the document.The agreement defines project goals, member party rights, obligations and benefits. It also establishes a governance structure.The telescope is a partnership of the Association of Canadian Universities for Research in Astronomy, the California Institute of Technology, the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, institutions in India, a consortium of Chinese institutions and the University of California. Liberals, Smaller Tribes Win Seats In Kuwaits Parliamentary Elections On 27 July Liberals and candidates from some of Kuwaits more marginalised tribes have won seats in a parliament .The ballot was the sixth since 2006 in the major oil producer, where political upheaval and bureaucracy have held up the vast majority of projects in a 30-billion-dinar (68 billion pounds) economic development plan announced in 2010.Kuwait has the most open political system in the Gulf Arab region but parliaments have been repeatedly dissolved over procedural disputes or for challenging the government in which members of the ruling Al-Sabah family hold top posts.Shiites estimated at 20-30 percent of the population won just eight seats in the 50-member parliament compared to 17 in the last election in December, after Sunnis in their districts ramped up a campaign to win seats. Myanmar China Gas Pipeline Starts To Deliver Gas To China On 28 July Myanmar-China natural gas pipeline (Myanmar section) was inaugurated in northern Myanmars Mandalay and started to deliver gas to China.The gas pipeline stretches for 793 kilometers onshore within Myanmars territory with six processing stations, while the crude oil pipeline, which is nearing completion, starts from Made Island and extends onshore for 771 kilometers. Republican Turkish Party Wins Turkish Cypriot Parliamentary Elections On 29 July the centre-left Republican Turkish Party (CTP) emerged as the winner on in the Turkish Cypriot parliamentary elections, but came short of winning an outright majority.The CTP won 38.49 per cent of the vote and 21 seats in the 50-seat Parliament of the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, results showed.The nationalist National Unity Party (UBP) won 27.16 per cent and 14 seats and the centre-right Democratic Party (DP) took 23.1 per cent of the vote and 12 seats.The centre-left Communal Democracy Party (TDP) won 7.41 per cent of the vote and three seats.The CTP will now need to form a coalition government.The election was called a year early after the Government of Prime Minister Irsen Kucuk, in power since 2009.Cyprus has been divided into a Turkish northern part and a Greek south since a Turkish invasion in July 1974. Mamnoon Hussain Elected As Pakistans New President On 30 July Pakistan Muslim League-Nawazs (PML-N) nominee Mamnoon Hussain was elected as the 12th President of Pakistan.Hussain emerged as a clear winner in the contest with ex-judge Wajihuddin Ahmed of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party , headed by cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan.Mamnoon Hussain has secured 432 votes whereas justice Wajihuddin (Ahmed) secures 77 votes.The presidential office of Pakistan will be vacated on 8 September 2013 by the incumbent Asif Ali Zardari, as his term of 5 years ended.Mamnoon Hussain will be administered the oath of the office on 9 September 2013. Mamnoon Hussain was born on 2 March 1940 in Agra, India.He is the textile businessman as well as politician of Pakistan.He migrated to Pakistan from India in 1954. Ireland President Signed The Abortion Bill In To Law On 31 July Ireland President Michael D. Higgins has signed the abortion bill into law. The bill, overwhelmingly passed by both houses of the Irish parliament on 12 July 2013, permits abortions only in cases where doctors deem the womans life at risk from continued pregnancy.
India Ranks 66th On Global Innovation Index On 2 July India ranked 66th in the Global Innovation Index 2013, published by Cornell University, INSEAD, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) as a knowledge partner.Switzerland and Sweden maintained rank 1 and 2 respectively The study ranked 142 economies across the world on their innovation capacity and efficiency. India and Mauritius Signed 5 MoUs On 5 July India and Mauritius signed 5 MoUs (Memorandum of understanding).The 5 MoUs are signed in the presence of the Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Shri Anand Sharma and Mr. Sayyad Abd-Al-Cader Sayed Hossen, Minister of Industry, Mauritius, in Port Louis.Five institutional level MoUs were signed to take the partnership forward. These are: * MoU between Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) and Enterprise Mauritius (EM) * MoU between Northern India Textile Research Association (NITRA) and Mauritius Standards Bureau * MoU between NITRA and National Productivity and Competitive Council (NPCC) of Mauritius * MoU between Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI) and Mauritius Export Association (MEXA); and * MoU between Institute of Apparel Management (IAM) and Fashion and Design Institute of Mauritius (FDI) UN Millennium Development Goals Report 2013 On 5 July According to the UN Millennium Development Goals Report 2013, the world has reached the poverty reduction target five years ahead of schedule. In developing regions, the proportion of people living on less than $1.25 a day fell from 47 per cent in 1990 to 22 per cent in 2010. Extreme poverty is also falling in every region.Nevertheless, the gender gap in employment persists, with a 24.8 percentage point difference between men and women in the employment-to-population ratio in 2012. India, Albania Signed Agreement For Avoidance Of Double Taxation On 8 July India and Albania signed an agreement for avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income and on capital.The agreement was signed by Ms Sudha Sharma, chairperson, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), and Mr Fatos Kerciku, Ambassador, Republic of Albania. India, Iraq Signed Agreement To Enhance Co-operation In Energy Sector On 8 July India and Iraq signed a agreement to enhance co-operation in energy security, bilateral trade & commerce, infrastructure development among others.The agreement was signed between the Union Petroleum Minister Veerappa Moily and his counterpart from Iraq, Abdul Karim Luaibi at the end of the India-Iraq Joint Commission on technical co-operation in Baghdad. India, SriLanka & Maldives Signed Tripartite Maritime Security Agreement On 8 July India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives have entered into a tripartite agreement on maritime cooperation to secure sea routes in the Indian Ocean region at the end of the Meeting on Trilateral Cooperation on Maritime Security.The agreement was reached by all on the importance of raising the maritime cooperation between the three countries in the current context of maritime security environment in the Indian Ocean region. India Tanzania Signed Agreements On Bilateral Cooperation On 9 July India and Tanzania have signed agreements on bilateral cooperation in several sectors, including agriculture, health and education, mines and minerals.All the agreements were signed between the Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Preneet Kaur and the Tanzanian Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Bernard K. Membe at Dar es Salaam. 15th India Vietnam Joint Commission Meeting On 11 July India and Vietnam held 15th Joint commission meeting in New Delhi.The meeting was co-chaired on the Vietnams side Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and on the Indian side by Indias External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid .In the meeting both nations discussed the strengthening of strategic partnership which included an exchange of a co-operative agenda on bilateral relations.At the end of the meeting, both nations signed the Agreed Minutes of the JCM and witnessed the signing of an Agreement on the US$19.5 million LOC for setting up Nam Trai-IV hydropower project and Binh Bo Pumping station by CMD, Exim Bank and the Vietnam Vice Minister of Finance. India, Nigeria Signed Solar Power Plant Agreement On 22 July India and Nigeria have signed an agreement to locate sites for solar power plants in Niger state.The agreement will provide additional energy for Nigerias national grid.The agreement was signed between Nigerias permanent secretary in the Ministry of Power Godknows Igali and the secretary to the Government of India, Sutanu Behuria. India, Belarus Signed Protocol To Enhance Trade Ties On 24 July 2013 India and Belarus signed a protocol to enhance trade ties during the sixth session of the Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation held in New Delhi.The session was co-
chaired from the Indian Side by Dr. E.M. Sudarsana Natchiappan, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, and Dmitry S. Katerinich, Minister of Industry of the Republic of Belarus. India and France Hold Talks On Military Cooperation On 26 July India and France discussed their ongoing military cooperation including the progress over Rs 50,000 crore 126 multirole combat aircraft deal during the defence minister-level talks in NewDelhi.The two sides are also holding negotiations for a Rs 30,000-crore project for co-developing the Maitri surface-to-air missile defence system.In a joint statement issued after the deliberations between defence minister A K Antony and his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian, they agreed that such cooperation should continue to be progressed to the mutual benefit of both countries, including in high technology areas involving joint research and development and transfer of technology. India and Afghanistan Signed MoUs for SDP scheme projects On 30 July India and Afghanistan have signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) in Kabul for implementing 60 projects in ten Afghan provinces under the Small Development Projects (SDP) scheme.The MoUs signed by Afghan Minister of Economy Abdul Hadi Arghandiwal and Indian Ambassador Amar Sinha in Kabul are related to the third phase of the SDP scheme and will be completed in the next four years.
NATIONAL
Government Announced National Cyber Security Policy On 2 July the Union Government of India announced the National Cyber Security Policy with an aim to protect information and build capabilities to prevent cyber attacks. The National Cyber Security Policy 2013 to safeguard both physical and business assets of the country.This policy aims at facilitating creation of secure computing environment and enabling adequate trust and confidence in electronic transactions and also guiding stakeholders actions for protection of cyber space.The National Cyber Policy in order to create a secure cyber ecosystem has planned to set-up a National Nodal Agency to coordinate all matters related to cyber security in the country. President Pranab Mukherjee Signed Ordinance On Food Security On 5 July President Pranab Mukherjee signed the ordinance on food security ,which seeks to give legal rights to 67 per cent of the population over subsidised grains every month.Now, with the presidential consent, the bill will be presented before the Parliament when it convenes for the Monsoon Session.The Government had issued the ordinance to give nations two -third population the right to get 5 kgs of foodgrains every month at highly subsidised rates of 1-3 Rupees per kg amid political opposition. District Rural Development Agency Disbanded On 9 July the Union government announced disbanding of the Rural Development Agency (DRDA), the body which looks after implementation of anti-poverty programmes of Rural Development Ministry.The agency will now be rechristened and it will perform its role under zila parishads, the local elected bodies at the district level.The District Rural Development Agencies (DRDAs) were set up as independent societies in 1980 and since then have been principal organs at the district level to oversee the implementation of the ministrys anti-poverty programmes. Cabinet Approved For Aviation, Women Varsities In Raebareli On 11 July the Union cabinet has approved two universities for Raebareli, the parliamentary constituency of Congress president Sonia Gandhi in Uttar Pradesh.Raebareli will get the first ever all-women university and first national aviation university in the country.National University for Women in Uttar Pradesh by the name of Th e Indira Gandhi National University for Women.This will be the first university of the country to be established exclusively for women.The cost involved is Rs.5 00 crore.National Aviation University (NAU) in the name of Rajiv Gandhi National Aviation University at the District of Rae Bareli in the State of U.P. as a Central University.The Rajiv Gandhi National Aviation University will be established as a Central University and as an autonomous body under the administrative control of Ministry of Civil Aviation in Rae Bareli District of U.P. with an estimated Central Governments funding of Rs. 202 crore in 12th Plan period.Both universities bills will be introduce d in the coming Monsoon Session of Parliament. Govt Approved To Replace DGCA With Civil Aviation Authority On 11 July The government cleared a proposal to replace Directorate General of Civil Aviation(DGCA) with a new aviation regulator with full operational and financial autonomy.The new regulatory body would be called the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and it would replace the DGCA.The estimated cost of establishing the new Authority would be over Rs 110 crore. Free Medical Treatment For Pregnant Women On 16 July Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad announced the government will provide free pre-natal health care and
ambulance facilities to pregnant women across the country .Under the Janani Suraksha Yojna (JSY) scheme, pregnant women are provided free medical treatment during the delivery and post natal care.Pregnant women will be given free medical and ambulance facilities from conception to delivery. They will also be able to avail free consultation from doctors at governme nt hospitals for 45 days from delivery and infants will be given free treatment at the hospitals for one year. Indian Telegram Service Stopped The 163-year old telegram service in the country ends on 14 July.Started in 1850 on an experimental basis between Koklata and Diamond Harbour, it was opened for use by the British East India Company in 1851and it was opened to the public in 1854.Within a short time of BSNL handling telegram services in 1990s, the PSU had a rift with the Department of Posts following which telegrams were accepted as phonograms from various villages and other centres from telephone consumers. Bengaluru International Airport Renamed as Kempegowda International Airport On 17 July the Union Cabinet gave its approval for renaming Bengaluru International Airport as Kempegowda International Airport to fulfill the long pending demand of the people of Karnataka, as well as the State Government of Karnataka.Hiriya Kempegowda, known as Kempegowda was a ruler under the Vijayanagar Empire, who ruled most parts of Karnataka during the sixteenth century. He had the vision of building a large futuristic city and is widely accepted as being the founder of Bengaluru. Kempegowda built Bengaluru Fort and moved his capital from Yelahanka to the new Bengaluru. President Of India Promulgated The Securities Laws (Amendment) Ordinance 2013 On 18 July Pranab Mukherjee, the President of India promulgated the Securities Law Amendment Ordinance 2013. The ordinance would grant Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), the powers to regulate any pooling of funds under an investment contract involving a corpus of 100 crore rupees or more and attach assets in case of non-compliance.The Chairman of SEBI would have powers to authorize the carrying out of search and seizure operations, as part of its efforts to crack down on ponzi schemes. Acid Attacks On Women Non-bailable Offence On 18 July the Supreme Court o made acid attack a non-bailable offence and ordered all state governments to pay Rs 3 lakh compensation to acid attack victims. The states were also directed to frame rules for regulating sale of acid within three months.The material cannot be sold to a person who is below the age of 18 years.Going through the compensation schemes of 17 states and seven Union Territories (UTs), the bench found the amount being paid to the victims as grossly inadequate.The compensation for after-care and rehabilitation at present ranges between Rs 5,000 and Rs 1,50,000. Union Tourism Minister Launched Clean India Campaign On 24 July Union Tourism Minister K. Chiranjeevi launched the Project Clean India Campaign at Taj Ma hal.Clean India Campaign has been initiated by the Ministry of Tourism with the objective to increase tourist arrivals to the country and to improve quality of services and provide a hygienic environment in and around tourist destinations across the country.Taj Mahal is the second heritage site to be covered under this project. The first being Qutub Minar Delhi, which has been adopted by India Tourism Development Corporation in June 2012.On the request from the Tourism Minister, the Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) has agreed to adopt and upkeep the environs of Taj Mahal Complex including up gradation of tourist facilities in the monument.Besides Taj Mahal, the ONGC has also agreed to adopt five more monuments including Ellora and Elephanta Caves in Maharashtra, Red Fort in the national capital, Golkonda Fort in Hyderabad and Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu.
STATES
Himachal Pradesh Declared First Smoke Free State In Country On 2 July Himachal Pradesh has been declared the first smoke -free State in the country in compliance with Section 4 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003. The State has achieved 85.45% compliance with the relevant parameters. Uttar Pradesh Grants District Status To Amethi On 5 July the Uttar Pradesh government granted district status to Amethi ,which will include three tehsils of Sultanpur and one of Rae Bareli. The district headquarters of Amethi will be Gauriganj.Sultanpurs Amethi, Gauriganj and Musafirkhana tehsils and Rae Barelis Tiloi will be part of Am ethi district.Some revenue villages of Maharajganj tehsil of Rae Bareli were included in Tiloi tehsil of Amethi and in exchange some villages of Tiloi were included in Maharajganj. Karnataka Launched Anna Bhagya Scheme On 10 July Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah launched the ambitious Anna Bhagya scheme in Bangalore.The scheme under which 30 kg of rice per month will be given to BPL (below poverty line) families across the state at Re 1 per kg. Chief
Minister Siddaramaiah had announced the scheme after taking oath on June 13.The government will spend Rs 4,300 crore every year on the scheme. Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project Starts Fission On 13 July Indias 21st nuclear power reactor and the countrys first pressurised water reactor under the light water reactor category ,Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) in Tamil Nadu began the nuclear fission process.Indias atomic power plant operator, NPCIL is setting up two 1,000 MW reactors with Russian technology and equipments at Kudankulam, around 650 km from Chennai.The over Rs 17,000 crore project, which generated severe protests from the locals, has started generating heat and steam from the 163 uranium fuel bundles loaded in the reactor. Night Policing Scheme Launched In Punjab On 14 July Punjab government launched the Night Policing Scheme (NPS) with 4000 police personnel and an independent cadre and command structure. The NPS is aimed at augmenting and strengthening the deployment of police personnel, through the usage of modern technology during night hours in cities and towns of the state.The NPS will also focus on the national and state highways and major roads crisscrossing the state, mainly to instill a sense of security among the citizens. UP Launched Family Health Campaign On 15 July the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav, launched the Hausla awareness state -wide campaign to improve family health in 75 districts of the State.The campaigns twin goals include galvanizing state health systems to deli ver high-quality, accessible health programs and services, while also increasing awareness and utilization of services by families and communities across the states 75 districts. Kerala Govt.Approved Tapping Sweet Toddy From Coconut On 16 July the Kerala Government has given its nod for tapping neera or unfermented sap from coconut across the State.Neera, which is also called sweet toddy, is the non-alcoholic drink which is extracted from immature inflorescence of coconut.This decision would prove to be very beneficial for depressing coconut sector.Neera tapping will take place in units of 1500 coconut trees in each and every district all over Kerala, in the beginning as a part of the pilot project.lic content. Madhya Pradesh Police Health Security Scheme On 17 July Madhya Pradesh state cabinet has decided to implement Madhya Pradesh Police Health Security Scheme for police officers and employees. The scheme will be applicable only to the police personnel working in the state.The scheme will not be applicable to Indian Police Service officers. It will be run by a registered trust, whose state-level management committee will be headed by the Director General of Police. Members and their dependents will be entitled for treatment of up to 8 lakh rupees in a financial year. They can avail the treatment facility in hospitals recognised by the state government. Maharashtra Extended Ban On Gutkha and Paan Masala On 19 July Maharashtra state government has announced a ban extension on nicotine-laced gutkha and paan masala for another year considering health hazards of these products.In July 2012, the government had banned the sale, storage and consumption of nicotine-laced gutkha and paan masala in any form for a year, which was to end on 19 July 2013. The government move was prompted by the incidence of oral diseases, including cancer due to consumption of such gutkha and paan masala. Latest Statistics Data On Tourism In India Released By Ministry Of Tourism On 23 July According to the latest statistics on tourism in India released by Ministry of Tourism during the year 2012. * Andhra Pradesh has become the top tourist destination in the country recording 206.8 million domestic tourists last year. * Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh stood at second and third positions respectively with 184.1 million and 168.4 million domestic tourists. * According to the data, the top ten states in terms of number of domestic tourist visits (in millions) during 2012 are: Andhra Pradesh (206.8), Tamil Nadu (184.1), Uttar Pradesh (168.4), Karnataka (94.1), Maharashtra (66.3), Madhya Pradesh (53.2), Rajasthan (28.6), Uttarakhand (26.8), Gujarat (24.4) and West Bengal (22.7).The contribution of these States was about 84.5% to the total number of domestic tourist visits during 2012. * The number of foreign tourists visiting the country too registered a growth of 6.33 per cent during the same year. * Maharashtra (5.1 lakh) topped the list in number of foreign tourist visits, followed by Tamil Nadu (3.6 lakhs) and New Delhi(2.3 lakhs). * The top ten most sought after states by foreign tourists (in millions) during 2012 were :- Maharashtra (5.1), Tamil Nadu (3.6), Delhi (2.3), Uttar Pradesh (2.0), Rajasthan (1.5), West Bengal (1.2), Bihar (1.1), Kerala (0.8), Karnataka (0.6) and Himachal Pradesh (0.5). First Textile Park Inaugurated at Bagru near Jaipur On 24 July First Textile Park dedicated to hand block printing and craft was inaugurated by the Union Minister of Textile, Dr. Kavuru Sambasiva Rao at Bagru near Jaipur. The textile park would bring in new opportunities for exporters and artisans, as the textile sector holds vast potential of employment. The park has been named Jaipur Integrated Texcraft Park Pvt. Ltd. (JITPPL) and is also known as is also known as Jaipur Bloc.Bagru the place where the park is located is known all over the
world for its traditional textiles, various styles of hand block printing and related skills. This is the first park in India that will cater to the segment of hand block printing. The textile park is equipped with state-of-the-art technology to conserve and preserve water. WIFS Programme Launched In Rajasthan On 25 July the Weekly Iron Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFS) Programme for the State of Rajasthan was launched by ShriGhulamNabi Azad, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfareat Jaipur.Adolesc ents form 22 % of Indias total population who are the future of the country. But half of the adolescent population, both girls and boys, suffers from anaemia.Anaemia results in poor physical growth, poor school performance and reduced concentration in daily tasks.Anaemia contributes to poor maternal and child health, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality.For this reason, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has taken upWeekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFS) programme to prevent an d control the anaemia situation in adolescents.The programme will reach out to 13 crore boys and girls of the country enrolled in government, government aided and municipal schools as well as out-of-school girls. Himachal Government Launched Video Chat In Prisons On 26 July Himachal Pradesh state government launched video chat facility in all six prisons of the state .The video conference facility, first of its kind in the country, would help family and friends save time and money on travelling to prisons to meet the inmates. Even foreigners can avail this facility.The government has already amended the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), enabling the courts to utilize the video-conference facility between the jails and the courts. This would also help save time and money of the prison department in escorting the prisoners from jails to courts. Two New Rail and Road Projects Launched In Haryana On 28 July Two rail as well as road projects which are worth 1500 crore Rupees were launched in Haryana.The foundation stone of 68 Kilometer rail line between Hansi-Meham and Rohtak at Hansi was laid down by Union Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge. The cost of this project is 500 crore Rupees. The rail route would include eight railway stations, four halt stations as well as four crossing stations.The projected rail line will connect the crucial parts of Haryana, i.e., Fatehabad and Sirsa direct with Delhi. The Union Transport Minister Oscar Fernandes, at Hansi laid the foundation of 99 Kilometer long Hisar-Rohtak four lane National Highway. The cost of this project would be 1000 crore Rupees. The road project would include two road-over bridges, under pass as well as 29-bus bays at both the sides. Government Of Odisha Announced Rice For Olive Ridley Conservation Scheme The Government of Odisha announced Rice for Olive Ridley Conservation (ROrC) scheme for the year 2013 in order to help the fishermen families affected by seven-month ban on marine fishing at Odisha coastal areas.The identification of beneficiaries under Rice for Olive Ridley Conservation (ROrC) Scheme was announced on 22 July 2013.The main aim of the ROrC scheme is to help the fishermen families who are affected by seven-month ban on marine fishing as an Olive Ridley turtle protection measure.
CONFERENCES
First IOR-ARC Economic and Business Conference (IOR-ARC) Economic and Business Conference held in Port Louis, Mauritius on 4 5 July 2013.The Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Shri Anand Sharma co-chaired the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC) Economic and Business Conference.India and Mauritius co-hosted the first economic and business conference under the theme of Deepening Economic Linkages for Balanced, Inclusive & Sustainable Growth. The IORARC has 20 members, of which India and Australia are the largest economies.During the meet Trade and industry ministers of member countries and dialogue partners of the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IORARC) agreed to push trade within the grouping to promote economic cooperation and development in the strategic Indian Ocean region.The Indian Ocean RimAssociation for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC), initially known as the Indian Ocean Rim Initiative, is an international organization with 20 member states.It was first established in Mauritius on March 1995 and formally launched on 6 7 March 1997. National Conference Of State Tourism Ministers Held In New Delhi The National Tourism Ministers Conference was held in New Delhi on 18 July 2013.The Conference was c haired by Union Tourism Minister Shri K. Chiranjeevi. State and Union Territory Tourism Authorities were represented in the conference either through their Tourism Ministers and/ or senior officials.The objective of the conference was discussion of the future strategies for realising the complete tourism potential of India.The Departments of Tourism of all States and UTs will consider setting up of a special force such as a Tourist Police, where it does not exist at present, either by taking few companies on deputation from the Police Department or by engaging Ex-Servicemen or Home Guards.During the conference, a new campaign known as I Respect Women was also launched.The campaign was launched with Ministry of Tourism issuing badges in Hindi and ten international languages.
G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting Held in Moscow The G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting was held on 19-20 July in Moscow,Russia.G20 Countries ministers ,Central Bank Governors and Indian Finance minister P.Chidambaram ,RBI governor D Subbarao attended the meeting.In the meeting delegates discussed traditional G20 agenda including the G20 Framework agreement for strong, sustainable and balanced growth, the financial regulation reforms, and market transparency. The final communique contains the usual sentence urging convergence stressing this time how convergence can contribute to financial stability:At the end of the meeting Finance Ministers and Central Banks Governors approved the Joint Communique.
Coalgate scandals.Previous award-winners include Harish Khare, Praveen Swami, P. Sainath, Gargi Parsai, Nirupama Subramanian, Pallavi Aiyar and Amit Baruah for their works in The Hindu. Amitabh Bachchan Received Maestro Award On 17 July Amitabh Bachchan, classical flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia and ace santoor exponent Shivkumar Sharma were honoured with the WWI (Whistling Woods International) Maestro Awards.The honour was bestowed on the trio by filmmaker Subhash Ghais film and media institute. 2013 Ramon Magsaysay Award Winners On 24 July the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation announced the Ramon Magsaysay Awards for the year 2013.Three individuals and two organizations from Afghanistan, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal and the Philippines to receive the Ramon Magsaysay Award, the Asias premier prize.The Ramon Magsaysay Award is an annual award established to perpetuate former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysays example of integrity in government, courageous service to the people, and pragmatic idealism within a democratic society.The prize was established in April 1957. The Awardees are:* Habiba sarabi Afghanistans first woman governor, was selected for helping build a functioning local government and pushing for education and womens rights in Afghanistans Bamya n province despite working in a violent and impoverished environment in which discrimination is pervasive. * Lahpai Seng Raw of Myanmanr honoured for helping the rehabilitate work in damaged communities amid armed conflict. *Ernesto Domingo, from the Philippines.He is being recognized for his exemplary embrace of the social mission of medical science and his profession, his steadfast leadership in pursuing health for all as a shared moral responsibility of all sec tors. *Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi (Corruption Eradication Commission), from Indonesia.The organization is being recognized for its fiercely independent and successful campaign against corruption in Indonesia. *Shakti Samuha (Power Group), from Nepal.The organizations founders and members are being recognized for transforming their lives in service to other human trafficking survivors, their passionate dedication towards rooting out a pernicious social evil in Nepal. Azim Premji Bags Asian Business Leaders Award On 24 July Wipro chairman Azim Premji has been awarded the Asian Business Leaders Award 2013 for his impressive business credentials and service to society by London-based Asia House.Past recipients of the honour includes Ratan Tata, chairman of the Tata Group, and Lord Stephen Green, UKs minister of state for trade and investment and former group chairman of HSBC Holdings. Four Indian Americans Won Simons Investigators Awards On 27 July Four Indian-American Professors Kannan Soundararajan, Rajeev Alur, Salil P Vadhan and Senthil Todadri won Simons Investigators Awards 2013. Apart from these, 9 other mathematicians, theoretical physicists and theoretical computer scientists were also selected for the Simons Investigators Awards for their cutting edge research.The 2013 awards were announced by the New York-based Simons Foundation, which is a non-profit organisation. Its mission is to advance the lines of research in mathematics and basic sciences. The Simons Investigators program provides a stable base of support for outstanding scientists, enabling them to undertake long-term study of fundamental questions. The foundation was incorporated in 1994 by Jim and Marilyn Simons. Metro Man Sreedharan Chosen For 2013 Lokmanya Tilak Award On 29 July Metro Man E. Sreedharan has been selected for the prestigious Lokmanya Tilak award for 2013 for his outstanding contribution to society.Name of Sreedharan, considered as the architect of the ambitious Delhi metro project, was announced by Lokmanya Tilak Trust.The Padmashree laureate is also credited for pulling off the Konkan Railway project. Amjad Ali Khan To Get Rajiv Gandhi National Sadhbhavna Award On 30 July Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan was chosen for the 21st Rajiv Gandhi National Sadhbhavna Award for his contribution towards promotion of communal harmony and peace. The award was instituted by All India Congress Committee of the Indian National Congress Party (INC).
Chris Martin Announced Retirement From All Cricket On 3 July Chris Martin, the fast Bowler of New Zealand has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.Chris Martin is New Zealands third-highest Test wicket taker only after Richard Hadlee and Daniel Vettori. He had taken 233 Test wickets with an average of 33.81.Martin played 71 Tests, 20 ODIs and six Twenty20s for his country in an international career. Wimbledon Tennis Tournament Title 2013 Winners Womens Singles :- On 6 July Frances Marion Bartoli won the Wimbledon 2013 womens title after defeated Germanys Sabine Lisicki in the final.Bartoli is the fifth oldest woman to become a first-time Grand Slam winner in the Open Era.By finally winning her maiden major title in the 47th Grand Slam appearance of her career, Bartoli surpassed the previous record set by Jana Novotna, who won Wimbledon in 1998 after 45 appearances at the majors. Mens Singles :- On 7 July Andy Murray (Britain) won the Mens Singles title after defeated Novak Djokovic (Serbia) in the final.Andy Murray became the Britains first male winner after almost eight decades, to win the championship. Earlier he was Fred Perry, who won his last Championship in 1936. Womens Doubles :- Hsieh Su-wei (Taiwan) and Peng Shuai (China) won the womens doubles title after defeated Australian duo Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua in the final at Wimbledon. Mens Doubles :- Americans Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan won the Wimbledon mens doubles title after defeated Ivan Dodig (Croatia )and Marcelo Melo (Brazil) in the final. Indian Women Won Gold At Asian Athletics Championship On 7 July India clinched a gold medal in womens 400m relay in a sensational race to finish sixth overall as the curtains wer e drawn on the 20th Asian Athletics Championships with China confirming their supreme status in the continent.The home team came up with a rich haul of eight medals, one gold, two silvers and five bronzes on the fifth and final day .India ended the Championships with two golds, five silvers and 10 bronzes, a much improved performance than the last edition in 2011 in Kobe.As expected, China, who had been ruling the Asian Championships for the last 15 editions, finished at the top spot with 16 golds, six silvers and five bronzes. Sebastian Vettel Won German Grand Prix On 7 July Red Bulls Sebastian Vettel wo n the German Grand Prix title .Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean got second and third positions respectively.It was Vettels first victory in his home race and the 30th of his career. Shiva Thapa Wins Gold at Asian Boxing Championships On 8 July Nineteen-year-old Shiva Thapa became the youngest Indian to win a gold medal at the Asian Boxing Championships in Amman, Jordan.Thapa defeated local pugilist Obada Alkabeh,on a split decision to win the gold in the 56kg class.The nimble-footed boxer, who made his Olympic debut in London last year, thus followed Suranjoy Singh (2009) and Rajkumar Sangwan (1994) into the history books as a rare Indian gold-medallist at the premier continental event. Lajja Goswami Won Silver In Shooting World Cup On 9 July Indian woman shooter Lajja Goswami has won silver medal in womens 50-metre Rifle 3 Position event at the ISSF World Cup in Granada, Spain.Gauswami, a silver medallist at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, shot 454 in the finals to bag the silver ahead of Norways Malin Westerheim.Petra Zublasing of Italy won the gold medal. Shane Warne Inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame On 11 July ICC announced that Shane Warne, former Australian spinner would be inducted into the ICC cricket hall of fame .On 19 July during the tea interval of the second Ashes Test between England and Australia at Lords, Shane Warne was officially inducted into the ICC cricket hall of fame.Warne becomes the 69th male member of the Hall of Fame, and joins fello w 2012-13 inductees Brian Lara of the West Indies, Englands Enid Bakewell and former Australia team -mate Glenn McGrath in being recognised by the ICC and the living members of the Hall of Fame.He played for Australia in 145 tests between 1992 and 2007. He claimed 708 test wickets with a strike rate of 25.41. He was the first bowler to take 700 test wickets.He was the part of the Australian cricket team that won the World Cup in 1999 at Lords against Pakistan. Martina Hingis Inducted In Tennis Hall Of Fame On 13 July Swiss tennis legend Martina Hingis was inducted in Tennis Hall of Fame.She became one of the youngest members to be included in the one of the most elite clubs of tennis.Hingis won three Australian Open titles (1997, 1998, 1999), one Wimbledon (1997) and a US Open title (1997).She also won nine grand slam doubles titles and a mixed doubles title. Abhijeet Gupta Won Commonwealth Chess Championship On 14 July Indian Grandmaster and former world junior champion Abhijeet Gupta has won the Commonwealth Chess Championship ,after settled for a draw with Indian national title-holder G. Akash in the final round at Port Elizabeth in South Africa. Nicolas Mahut Won Hall Of Fame Championship On 14 July Frenchman Nicolas Mahut has won the title after defeated Lleyton Hewitt of Australia in the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships final.Mahut won his second career ATP title.
Serena Williams Won Swedish Open Title On 21 July Serena Williams (U.S) won Swedish Open Tennis title, after defeated Johanna Larsson(Sweden) in the final of the Swedish Open at Bastad in Sweden.The win is her 53rd WTA title and 51st match win of the year. Indian Women Won Recurve Gold At Archery World Cup On 21 July Indian womens archery team Deepika Kumari, Laishram Bombayla Devi and Rimil Biruly won Gold medal in the Womens Recurve Team event at the Archery World Cup Stage-3 in Medellin, Colombia.In the final Indian womens archery team defeated China in the recurve event to claim the gold medal.India claim their second medal of this World Cup and their first World Cup Womens team gold since Shanghai 2011. Divij Sharan Purav Raja Won First ATP Title On 21 July Purav Raja and Divij Sharan of India clinched their first ever ATP tour doubles title after defeated Edouard RogerVasselin of France and Igor Sijsling of the Netherlands in the final match of Claro Open in Bogota, Colombia. Devendra Jhajharia Won Gold In World Paralympic Championships On 22 July Indias Paralympian Devendra Jhajharia has won a gold medal in the Javelin Throw at IPC (International Paralympic Commitee) athletics World Championships in France.He became the first differently-abled Indian to win gold at the IPC Athletics World Championships.He threw the javelin to 57.04 meters in F-46 category, which is meant for one-armed athletes.He won a Gold medal at the 8th FESPIC Games in Korea, 2002.In March 2012, he received the Padma Shree Award and became the first paralympian to win the award. Dhyan Chand Nominated For Bharat Ratna The sports ministry has chosen hockey legend late Dhyan Chand for Indias highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna.Dhyan Chand, who passed away in 1979, won three gold medals at the Olympics in 1928 ( Amsterdam), 1932 ( Los Angeles) and 1936 ( Berlin). Jennitha Wins World Chess Title For Disabled On 24 July Indias K. Jennitha Anto has became the World Chess Champion for disabled, after won the 13th IPCA World Womens Individual Chess Championship in Velke Losiny, Czech Republic.Hailing from Tamil Nadu, Jennitha scored 4.5 points in nine games after winning three, drawing three and losing three games.She competed in a combined group with men and became the highest scorer among the women players.The title came along with the Woman International Master title. Lewis Hamilton Won Hungarian Grand Prix Title On 28 July Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes won the Hungarian Grand Prix title 2013 held on Buadpest.Raikkonen and Vettle got second and third positions respectively. Afridi Becomes First Batsman To Hit 400 Sixes Pakistans Shahid Afridi became the first cricketer to hit 400 sixes in an international career on 26 July.Afridi reached the landmark in the 16th over of Pakistans reply to the West Indies 152 for seven in the first Twenty20 international.Chris Gay le, playing for the West Indies, is next on the list having hit 353 sixes in his Test, ODI and T20 career. Indian Wrestlers Won 15 Medals In Asian Cadet Championship On 27 July Indian wrestlers finished the Cadet Asian Championships with a rich haul of three golds, nine silvers and three bronze medals, besides winning the Champion Trophy in the freestyle category in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.The gold came through Amit Kumar (58kg), Vikas (63kg) and Parveen (85kg) of the freestyle category while silver medals were won by Ravi Kumar (54kg), Ankur Rathi (69kg), Balraj (76kg) and Gursewak Singh (100kg) in the same division.The freestyle team secured 84 points and finished ahead of Iran who were the runners-up. Aditya Mehta Won Snooker Gold In World Games On 30 July Indias numero uno snooker player, Aditya Mehta won the gold medal in the World Games after defeated Chinas Liang Wenbo in the final of the quadrennial event at Cali, Columbia. India Won Under-16 SAFF Championship On 30 July India won the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Under-16 Championships held at the Dasharath Stadium in Kathmandu.Indian boys defeated Nepal 1-0 in final to lift the South Asian Football Federation Under-16 Championship title. This is the first time that India have won the championship.
ECONOMY
Indian Internet Economy To Touch USD 100 Billion By 2015 On 3 July According to the Economist Intelligence Unit Good to Grow: The Environment of Asias Internet Business report ,Indias Internet Economy that stands at 1.6 per cent of GDP is slated to touch USD 100 billion by 2015 .Online advert ising in Asia will grow from 24 per cent of worldwide online advertising in 2010 to 26 per cent by 2015.However, Asias mobile advertising market is expected to account for one-third of the mobile advertising market globally by 2015. Latvia Gets EU Approval To Join Eurozone On 9 July European Union (EU) states approved the adoption of the euro by Latvia as of January 1, 2014. The country will be the 18th member of the European Monetary Union.Latvia is the second Baltic republic to join the euro zone. In 2011, Estonia adopted the currency. Lithuania plans to do so as well, in 2015. Indias Growth Forecast To 5.6% For 2013-14 On 9 July the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has scaled down Indias economic growth forecast by 0.2 percentage points to 5.6 per cent for 2013-14 from 5.8 per cent forecasted in April 2013 World Economic Outlook (WEO) projections.The growth projection for FY 2014-15 was also scaled down by 0.1 percentage points to 6.3 per cent. Indians Among Top Five Buyers Of Property In US On 10 July According to the National Association of Realtors survey report ,Buying property worth nearly $3.5 billion .Indians are among top five international real estate buyers in the US.India along with Canada, China, Mexico and the United Kingdom accounted for approximately 53 percent of international transactions worth $68.2 billion. Government Approved 100 percent FDI In Telecom Sector On 16 July the Union Government of India raised the FDI limit in Telecom Sector from 74 percent to 100 percent. Government also cleared that the FDI in the Insurance and Telecom sectors will be up to 49 per cent through automatic route.The foreign direct investment limit in insurance sector will be hiked to 49 per cent from the existing 26 per cent.The Government also confirmed that the FDI in Defence Production will continue to be 26 percent. Colombia Among Worlds Most Corrupt Nations On 17 July According to the Global Corruption Barometer 2013 report , was released by NGO Transparency International (TI) ,Colombia is among the countries with the highest rate of corruption in the world.Colombia was placed 5th among the seven countries whose citizens realize that Congress is one of the most corrupt public bodies.Transparency International (TI) was Founded in 1993 and based in Berlin, Germany, the T has 100 branches and operates in 70 countries. India Becomes Largest Nigerian Crude Oil Buyer India has overtaken the U.S. as the top buyer of Nigerian crude oil.On the bilateral trade,the present figure stands at $10 billion, even as the total investment of India in Nigerian economy could be valued at $16.6 billion. Poverty In India Drops To 21.9 percent In 2011-12 On 23 July the Planning Commission of India released its report on the Poverty Estimates for 2011-12. The report was based on the Large Sample Surveys on Household Consumer Expenditure conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.However, since 2009-10 was not a normal year because of a severe drought, the NSSO repeated the large scale survey in 2011-12 (NSS 68thround). The summary results of this survey were released in June 2013.Since the data from the NSS 68th round (2011-12) of Household Consumer Expenditure Survey is now available .Now the Planning Commission has updated the poverty estimates for the year 2011-12 as per the methodology recommended by Tendulkar Committee.The commission present ,released estimates of state wise poverty lines for rural and urban areas for 2011-12 . Poverty Estimates 2011-12 :* Poverty ratio in the country has declined to 21.9 per cent in 2011-12 from 37.2 per cent in 2004-05 on account of increase in per capita consumption. * According to the Planning Commission, in 2011-12 for rural areas, the national poverty line by using the Tendulkar methodology is estimated at Rs. 816 per capita per month in villages and Rs. 1,000 per capita per month in cities.This would mean that the persons whose consumption of goods and services exceed Rs. 33.33 in cities and Rs. 27.20 per capita per day in villages are not poor. * For a family of five, the all India poverty line in terms of consumption expenditure would amount of Rs. 4,080 per month in rural areas and Rs. 5,000 per month in urban areas. The poverty line, however, will vary from state to state. * The percentage of persons below poverty line in 2004-05 was 41.8 per cent in rural areas, 25.7 per cent in cities and 37.2 per cent in the country as a whole.In actual terms, there were 26.93 crore people below poverty line in 2011-12 as compared to 40.71 crore in 2004-05. * State-wise, the Commission said ,highest poverty rate of 39.93% was recorded in Chhattisgarh (2011-12)followed by Jharkhand (36.96 per cent), Manipur (36.89 per cent), Arunachal Pradesh (34.67 per cent) and Bihar (33.47 per cent). * Among the union territories, the Dadra and Nagar Haveli was the highest, with 39.31 per cent people living below poverty line followed by Chandigarh at 21.81 per cent.
* Lowest poverty rate of 5.09% was recorded in Goa (2011-12) followed by Kerala (7.05 per cent), Himachal Pradesh (8.06 per cent), Sikkim (8.19 per cent), Punjab (8.26 per cent) and Andhra Pradesh (9.20 per cent).
saturation transfer (glucoCEST) a new way of detecting cancer by giving patients an injection of sugar before doing an MRI scan (magnetic resonance imaging).The researchers found that when sensitizing an MRI scanner to recognize glucose, tumors appeared as bright images on the MRI scans of mice. The tumors can be detected using the same amount of sugar found in half a standard chocolate bar. Ecuador Starts Using New Aviation Radar System On 10 July Ecuador Starts new Aviation Radar System.Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge announced the Ecuadorian airspace will be covered in 95 percent by eight radars that will be located nationwide.The devices that form the Integrated Surveillance System Civil Radar will be located in the provinces of Guayas, Manabi, Pichincha, Cotopaxi, Pastaza, Azuay, Loja and the island of San Cristobal, in the Galapagos archipelago.Ecuadorian Vice President started this system at the offices of the Civil Aviation General Management (DAC) in Guayaquil.The investment to implement this high-technology equipment was $20 million USD.The eight radars would be part of a single system, meaning that the air-traffic controller can see all the trace of a plane in a monitor.Guerrero specified that it would be complicated to detect illegal flights of light aircraft, because for the crew to cheat these controls turn off a device that transmit data to the radars, as altitude and speed of the flight. China Russia Joint Sea-2013 Naval Drills Chinese and Russian naval forces Joint Sea-2013 drills was held from 6th to11th July in the Sea of Japan.In the Joint exercises China used seven warships, included a guided-missile destroyer with Aegis-type radars that track and guide weapons to destroy enemy targets, and missile frigates with antisubmarine abilities.The Russian lineup included the flagship of its Pacific fleet, the guided-missile cruiser Varyag, and a Kilo-class submarine.The six-day maneuvers focused on joint maritime air defense and the defense of marine traffic arteries, with exercises involving joint escorts, marine search and rescue operations, anti-submarine tactics and anti-hijacking tactics.They were the ninth bilateral and multilateral joint military exercises carried out by the Chinese and Russian militaries. Iran Secret Nuclear Site Discovered By MEK On 11 July the paris based militant group organisation of the Peoples Mujahedin of Iran (MEK) has discovered credible evidence of a secret new nuclear site, gathered over a year by 50 sources in various parts of the regime.The codename of the project is Maadan-e Sharq (literally the mine of the east) or Project Kossar.This site is hidden in a series of tunnels under a mountain near the town of Damavand.The Paris-based militant group MEK alleges that the site has existed since 2006, with the first series of subterranean tunnels and four external depots recently completed. US Autonomous X-47B Drone Successfully Lands On Aircraft Carrier On 11 July the US Navys next-generation autonomous drone, the X-47B, has successfully landed on the deck of the USS George H.W. Bush,during a milestone test run off the coast of Virginia.Developed by aerospace contractor Northrop Grumman, the X-47B is the first UAV designed to refuel, take off, and land without any human intervention. U.S. Bill For A National Park On Moon On 12 July Lawmakers of US proposed a Bill in the US Congress for establishing a national park on the Moon.The new Bill seeks creation of the Apollo Lunar Landing Sites as National Historical Park on the Moon.The bill has been named as the Apollo Lunar Landing Legacy Act, the Bill and was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology in addition to the House Committee on Natural Resources.It calls for no later than one year, after the date of enactment of the act, the establishment of a Apollo Lunar Landing Sites National Historical Park, as a unit of the National Park System. NASAs Hubble Discovered Blue Planet Scientists from NASA have discovered a blue planet that possibly rains glass, orbiting a star 63 light-years away.This is the first time an exoplanets true colour has been determined. Astronomers has used NASAs Hubble Space Telescope and made visible light observation spotting the planet HD 189733b which is one of the closest exoplanets that can be seen crossing the face of its star. Neptunes 14th Moon Discovered On 16 July the U.S. space agency NASA has announced the discovery of Neptunes 14th moon.The Hubble Space Telescope captured the moon as a white dot in photos of the planet on the outskirts of our solar system.The new moon, Neptunes tiniest at just 19.3 km across, is designated S/2004 N1. China Successfully Launched Three Experimental Satellites In To Space On 20 July China successfully launched three satellites to carry out scientific experiments into space.A Long March-4C carrier rocket carrying three satellites ,blasts off from the launch pad in the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Taiyuan, capital of north Chinas Shanxi Province.The three satellites for scientific experiments, namely the Chuangxin -3 , Shiyan-7 and Shijian-15 .The three satellites will be used mainly for conducting scientific experiments on space maintenance technologies. Worlds Largest Virus Discovered By French Researchers On 20 July French National Centre for Scientific Research Scientists have discovered a huge viruses in the world.The virus is one micrometre big ,up to ten times the size of other viruses, and only six per cent of its genes resemble anything seen on
Earth before.The size of each virus must be 2500 genes.93 percent of genes in this virus is new for the world.The scientists named this virus as a Pandoraviruses.Ten years back these Scienists found a new virus called mimiviruses . Biological E vaccine Prequalified By WHO On 22 July Biological E (BioE) and European biotech company announced the World Health Organization (WHO) has prequalified its Japanese Encephalitis vaccine for global use in adults.BioE has developed the vaccine based on the technology of Valneva SE, a French biotech company. Advanced Weather Satellite INSAT -3D Launched Successfully On 26 July The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched its advanced weather satellite Insat 3D from the spaceport of Kourou in French Guiana, using a European launch vehicle, Ariane -5 .The rocket also launched Alphasat a co-passenger of INSAT-3D and Europes largest telecommunication satellite-ever manufactured.INSAT-3D was placed in an elliptical Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO),very close to the intended one.With a lift-off mass of 2060 kg, INSAT-3D carried four payloads Imager, Sounder, Data Relay Transponder (DRT) and Satellite Aided Search & Rescue payload.INSAT-3D will facilitate new dimension to the weather monitoring because of its atmospheric sounding system. The atmospheric sounding system provides the vertical profiles of integrated ozone, humidity as well as temperature, from top of the atmosphere.The new satellite, INSAT-3D will be operational for next seven years.The satellite Insat-3D will give a push to the weather forecasting as well as help in facilitating disaster warning services. ISRO, Tata Motors Developed Indias First Fuel Cell Bus On 28 July Tata Motors Limited (TML) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), in collaboration, developed the first Hydrogen-powered automobile bus of India.The hydrogen fuel-fitted bus was demonstrated at Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, an ISRO facility in Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu.According to Honorary Adviser of ISRO V Gnana Gandhi, who led the technical team in this project, ISRO and TML entered into an MoU in 2006 to design and develop an automobile bus using hydrogen as a fuel through fuel cell route. HAL Delivers Lakshya-1 To Indian Army On 26 July the first Lakshya-1, a fully indigenous Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) developed for the Indian Army by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) was delivered to Bharat Dynamics Ltd. (Hyderabad).Lakshya-1 has been designed and developed by the Aero Engine Research & Development Centre, a HAL facility in Bangalore.It is powered with PTAE-7 Engine, an aero gas turbine engine that was also designed and developed by the Aero Engine Research & Development Centre.
PERSONS IN NEWS
A) APPOINTMENTS
New Governors and Lieutenant Governors Appointed * On 1 July Vice Chancellor of Jamia Milia University Najeeb Jung was appointed as the 20th Lt Governor of Delhi.Njaeeb Jung has replaced Tejendra Khanna, who was the 1961 batch Indian Administrative Service officer and the last Lt Governor of Delhi. * Former Delhi police commissioner K.K. Paul has been appointed the Meghalaya governor, replaced Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary. * Lt. General A.K. Singh (retd) was appointed as the Lt. Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, replaced Lt. General Bhopinder Singh (retd). * Virendra Kataria has been appointed as the new Lt. Governor of Puducherry, replaced Iqbal Singh. * Senior parliamentarian Shriniwas Dadasaheb Patil has been appointed as the new governor of Sikkim.He is also a former IAS officer, replaced incumbent B P Singh. Sujatha Singh Is New Foreign Secretary Of India On 2 July Sujata Singh has been appointed as Indias new foreign secretary.She succeeds Ranjan Mathai..Singh is the third woman to head the services after Chokila Iyer and Nirupama Rao.Previously Singh worked in Europe including Italy ,France and Germany. Adli Mansour Sworn In As Egypts Interim President On 4 July the Chief Justice of Egypts Constitutional Court ,Adli Mansour has been sworn in as Egypts interim president.Mansour will serve as Egypts head of state until a new president is elected.Earlier, the first democratically elected President of Egypt, Mohamed Morsi was deposed from his office in a military coup. Abdoulaye Bathily Appointed As Deputy Head Of UN Mission In Mali On 8 July UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced the appointment of Abdoulaye Bathily of Senegal as his new Deputy
Special Representative for the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).Mr. Bathily has been serving as Senior Minister in the office of the President of Senegal since 2012. Mr. Bathily also served as a Member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, member of the African Union Contact Group on the crisis in Madagascar. Kaushik Appointed As The Coach Of Indian Mens Hockey Team On 10 July Hockey India (HI) appointed Olympic gold medallist Maharaj Kishan Kaushik as the mens hockey team coach.The decision comes in the wake of Michael Nobbs removal as the teams head coach.Kaushik was a member of the team when it won the gold medal at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.Under the Coaching of MK Kaushik , India mens hockey team had won their last major international tournament, the 1998 Asian Games, Bangkok. In 1998, he received the Arjuna Award. S. B. Mainak Appointed LIC MD On 8 July S B Mainak has been appointed as MD of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).He will hold office from the date of assuming charge till 29 February 2016. Phumzile Mlambo Ngcuka Appointed UN Women Chief On 10 July Former South African deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka has been appointed as the head of UN Women agency.Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka replaces Michelle Bachelet, a former president of Chile who served as the first Executive Director of the UN Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (UN Women).Mlambo was the first woman to hold the position of Deputy President of South Africa from 2005 to 2008. Hemant Soren Sworn in as 9th Jharkhand Chief Minister On 13 July Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Hemant Soren was sworn in as the ninth Chief Minister of Jharkhand. Syed Ahmed, the Governor of Jharkhand administered the oath of the office to Hemant Soren in the premises of Raj Bhavan in a swearing-in ceremony.Hemant Soren, who heads the ninth ministry in less than 13 years, became the fifth tribal Chief Minister after Babulal Marandi, Arjun Munda, Shibu Soren and Madhu Koda since the state was created on November 15, 2000.Soren, who gave the Governor a list of 43 MLAs supporting him in the 82-member Assembly, is expected to expand his ministry after taking the floor test. The alternative coalition comes nearly six months after the imposition of Presidents rule.The Presidents Rule was imposed on Jharkhand on 18 January 2013 after the failure of the Constitutional Machinery in the state after JMM withdrew support to the BJP-led government under Arjun Munda on 8 January 2013. ElBaradei Sworn In As Egypts Vice President On 14 July a former head of the UN nuclear watchdog and a Nobel peace laureate, Prominent liberal Egyptian leader Mohamed ElBaradei was sworn in as Egypts interim vice president for foreign relations. Moin Khan Appointed Pak Cricket Teams Chief Selector On 15 July Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appointed former Pakistan team captain Moin Khan as chief selector after the resignation of Iqbal Qasim.Moin, is the youngest person to be named to the chief selectors post by the cricket board.Khan played 69 Tests and 219 one-day internationals for Pakistan in 1990s and was also a member of World Cup winning team in 1992. Santosh B Nayar is new CEO & MD of IFCI On 15 July Santosh B Nayar has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the Industrial Financial Corporation of India.The IFCI was the 1st specialised financial institution setup in India to provide term finance to large industries in India. Nisha Desai Biswal Nominated For The Post Of Assistant Secretary Of State Of USA On 18 July Nisha Desai Biswal, an Indian-American woman was nominated for the Post of Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia by US President Barack Obama .Nisha Desai Biswal, held the post of the Assistant Administrator for Asia at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) at the time her of nomination to the post of Assistant Secretary of state.Nisha Desai Biswal will oversee the US Foreign Policy and relations at the State Department for India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Kazakhstan, Kirghizstan, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.This is the first time an Indian-American is heading the South Asia Bureau, a new milestone for the community.Nisha Desai Biswal worked at the American Red Cross from 1993 to 1995 in the Washington headquarters, and as an overseas delegate in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan.Nisha Desai Biswal held the post of assistant administrator for Asia at the US Agency for International Development (USAID), since September 2010. Justice P Sathasivam Sworn In As The New Chief Justice Of India On 19 July Justice P Sathasivam was sworn in as the 40th Chief Justice of India (CJI) by President Pranab Mukherjee.Justice Sathasivam is first CJI from Tamil Nadu .The term of his office will be till 26 April 2014. Justice Palanisamy Sathasivam succeeded CJI Altamas Kabir who left the office on 18 July 2013.
Rana Kapoor is new Assocham President On 20 July Rana Kapoor, Founder, Managing Director & CEO of Yes Bank,took over as the new president of the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) at the end of the industry bodys 92nd annual general meeting (AGM) in Delhi.He succeeds Rajkumar Dhoot, who is the managing director of Videocon Group. Philippe-1 Sworn In As Seventh King Of Belgium On 21 July Prince Philippe -1 was sworn-in as the seventh king of Belgium,after his father Albert II abdicated as the head of this fractured nation.The ceremony capped a day of transition which started when Philippes father, the 79 -year-old Albert, signed away his rights as the kingdoms largely ceremonial ruler at the royal palace in the presence of Prime Minister Elio D i Rupo, who holds the political power in this 183-year-old parliamentary democracy.The position of the king in the country is nominal and total powers are having the Prime Minister. Indian-Origin Peer Ajay Kakkar Appointed To Lords Post On 23 July Indian-origin peer Ajay Kakkar has been made the chairman of the influential House of Lords Appointments Commission, an advisory body which selects new independent members of UKs House of Lords.Lord Kakkar is Professor of Surgery at university College London (UCL) and Consultant Surgeon University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust since 2011. His research interests focus on the prevention and treatment of venous and arterial thromboembolic disease and cancer associated thrombosis. Five Members From Tamil Nadu Sworn In To Rajya Sabha On 25 July Senior leaders V. Maitreyan of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and D. Raja of Communist Party of India (CPI) were among the five newly elected MPs from Tamil Nadu who took oath as members of Rajya Sabha.While Maitreyan and Raja were re-elected, T. Rathinavel, K.R. Anjuman and K. Lakshmanan (all AIADMK) have been elected for the first time to the Upper House in the recent biennial elections.The oath-taking ceremony was held in the chamber of Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari in his presence.DMK member Kanimozhi ,who has also been elected for a second term, did not take her oath .Maithreyan, who is also the leader of his party in Rajya Sabha, has won a third term while CPI secretary Raja secured his second stint in the house with the extended support from the ruling party AIADMK. Barack Obama Nominates Indian-American Vince Girdhari Chhabria To Judiciary Post On 26 July Indian-American legal luminary Vince Girdhari Chhabria has been nominated by US President Barack Obama to a key judiciary post in California..Chhabria, nominated to be US district judge for the Northern District of California, is currently deputy city attorney for government litigation and the co-chief of appellate litigation at the San Francisco city attorneys office.Obama announced his nomination along with five other judicial posts, all of which requires Senate confirmation. K D Singh is new Indian Hockey Federation President On 29 July Trinamool MP KD Singh was elevated to the post of president of the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) after incumbent Dinesh Reddy opted to resign from the position.The decision to elevate Singh to the top post was taken at a special executive council meeting of IHF . Sharad Kumar is new NIA chief On 30 July Senior IPS officer Sharad Kumar has been appointed as the new chief of the National Investigation Agency (NIA).The 1979-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer will take over from additional DG N R Wasan, who was given charge of NIA in April following appointment of Sinha as member of National Human Rights Commission. Cheryl Boone Isaacs Elected President Of Oscars Academy On 30 July Cheryl Boone Isaacs has been elected as the president of Oscars Academy.The Springfield native is the first woman to hold the post in three decades and the first African-American president in the academys 86-year history. The academy oversees the annual Academy Awards and Oscars broadcast.Isaacs is currently head of her own CBI Enterprises.
B)RESIGNS
Madhya Pradesh Finance Minister Raghavji Resigned On 5 July Madhya Pradesh Finance Minister Raghavji resigned following allegations that he sodomised his domestic help.Raghavji had set a record by presenting the state budget for 10 years in succession from 2004 to 2013.He is the Finance Minister of Madhya Pradesh since last 9 years. Syria Interim Prime Minister Ghassan Hitto Resigned On 8 July Syrias rebel interim prime minister Ghassan Hitto has announced his resignation , nearly four months after his appointment and having failed to form a government. Luxembourgs PM Jean-Claude Juncker Resigned On 11 July Luxembourgs long-serving Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker has resigned from his post ,following a spying
scandal involving illegal phone-taps and other illicit activities.Jean-Claude Juncker is a Luxembourger politician, 23rd and current Prime Minister of Luxembourg since 20 January 1995. Kumar Mangalam Birla Resigned From RBI Board On 23 July Aditya Birla Nuvo Chairman , Kumar Mangalam Birla resigned from the Reserve Bank of Indias Central Board .The resignation is to avoid the conflicts because Aditya Birla Nuvo applied for the bank license to RBI.Kumar Mangalam Birla was also nominated as the member of the Directors of the Central Board of the RBI in 2006.
C)DEATHS
Douglas Engelbart, Inventor Of Computer Mouse Died Doug Engelbart, the U.S inventor of the computer mouse and developer of early incarnations of email, word processing programs and the internet, has died on 2 July in Atherton, California. He was 88 years old.Douglas Engelbart invented the mouse in 1963 when he was working at the Stanford Research Institute (now SRI International) along with his lead engineer Bill English.Sadly Engelbart did not hold the patent for the mouse, which was held by SRI and the patent ran out in 1987, before the mouse became popular. Renowned Food Scientist Dr. H.A.B. Parpia Died Dr. H.A.B. Parpia, renowed food scientist and the former Director of the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) died on 9 July .There exist more than 2500 papers and documents published by the name of Dr. Parpia on food and technology and advanced education.Dr. Parpia served Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations at Rome and was Assistant Director in charge of Information, Statistics, Process Development and Food Plant Design at the CFTRI.In 1987, he received Wattumull Foundation Award from Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. Veteran Bollywood Actor Pran Died On 12 July Veteran Bollywood actor and the winner of Dadasaheb Phalke Award ,Pran Kishan Sikand died in Mumbai.Pran acted in more than 350 Hindi movies in a long, prolific career dating back to the 1940s.He was one of the highest-paid Bollywood actors in the 70s and 80s.He was conferred with Dada Saheb Phalke Award in April 2013.In 2001 he was awarded with Indias third highest civilian award Padma Bhushan.In his career span, he received four film fare awards. Bose Audio System Inventor G.Bose Died On 12 July Amar Gopal Bose, Indian-American entrepreneur and founder and chairman of Bose Corporation, died at the age of 83 in Wayland, Massachusetts.Bose founded the company, based in Framingham, just outside Boston, in 1964.As company, Bose focused relentlessly on acoustic engineering innovation.Though his first speakers fell short of expectations, Bose kept at it. In 1968, he introduced the Bose 901 Direct/Reflecting speaker system, which became a best seller for more than 25 years and firmly entrenched Bose, based in Framingham, Massachusetts, as a leader in a highly competitive audio components marketplace. Bofors Scam Accused Ottavio Quattrocchi Died On 13 July Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, who was a accused in the Bofors scam, has died in Milan, Italy.The Bofors chargesheet filed in 1999 by CBI had named Quattrocchi,as one of the accused in the case regarding the Rs 64 crore payoffs for supply of Swedish Howitzer guns to the Indian Army. The Rs 1,600 crore contract was clinched in 1986. Veteran CPI(M) Leader Samar Mukherjee Died On 18 July Freedom fighter ,Veteran leader and the oldest member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Samar Mukherjee, whose 100th birthday was celebrated by the party in November last year, died in Kolkata.Mukherjee joined the Communist Party of India-Marxist in 1964.He had joined CPI in the year 1940.He was the representative of Howrah in the Lok Sabha for three years in a row between 1971 and 1984.He was also elected to Rajya Sabha in 1986.His biography titled 100 Years of Samar Mukherjee: A Tribute was released on his 100th Birthday in English as well as Bengali languages. Veteran Tamil Film Lyricist Vaali Died On 18 July Famous Tamil lyricist T.S. Rangarajan, popularly known as Vaali, has died in Chennai.Vaali had penned more than 10,000 songs and worked with three generations of music directors.He has also acted in some movies like Sathya, Hey Ram and others.In 2007, he was awarded the Padmashri by the Indian government. Former Union Minister Khurshed Alam Khan Died On 20 July Khurshed Alam Khan, a former Union minister and father of external affairs minister Salman Khurshid died in NewDelhi.He served as the member of Rajya Sabha from 1974-1984.Alam Khan served as the Minister if State in the Governments led by former Prime Ministers of India, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. As an Union Minister, he had held portfolios of education, textiles, tourism, transport besides external affairs.He served as Governor of Goa and Karnataka in 1989 and 1991 respectively.
Pioneer American Women Journalist Helen Thomas Died On 20 July Legendary American journalist Helen Thomas, a pioneer for women in journalism who reported on ten US presidents from Dwight D Eisenhower to Barack Obama,died in Washington.In 1975-76, Thomas served as the first woman president of the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA).She was a columnist for Hearst N ewspapers from 2000 to 2010, writing on national affairs and the White House.She retired on June 7, 2010, following controversial comments she made about Israel, Israeli Jews and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Former Union Minister Arun Nehru Died On 25 July Arun Nehru, former Union minister and the cousin of Rajiv Gandhi as well as the Minister for Internal Security during his government, died in Gurgaon.Arun Nehru was born in Lucknow.He was a three-time Lok Sabha member.When Rajiv Gandhi became the prime minister in 1984, he was his close adviser and minister of state for internal security. Acclaimed Biologist Obaid Siddiqi Died On 26 July Obaid Siddiqi, National Research Professor at the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) died in a Bangalore.Siddiqi, born in 1932 in Uttar Pradesh, received his early education at Aligarh Muslim University.He established the Molecular Biology Unit at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Bombay in 1962. Siddiqi was honoured with several awards, including Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, BC Roy Award for Biomedical Research and Firodia Award for Basic Sciences.
D)VISITORS
Indian Defence Minister AK Antonys Visited China Indian Defence Minister, Mr AK Antony visited China from 4-7 July 2013.During the visit Antony met China Defence Minister General Chang Wanquan and also called on Premier Li Keqiang .Both countries Ministers discussed an extensive exchange of views on a wide range of defence and security issues.The two sides also agreed to hold talks on China India Border Defence Cooperation Agreement (BDCA).The both countries Defence Ministers discussed ongoing and proposed bilateral exchanges and welcomed the holding of the counter-terrorism bilateral joint exercise between their armies in China in 2013.Antonys trip is the first by an Indian defence minister since 2006 and comes after a spat between the two nuclear -armed neighbours in May over troop movements in a disputed Himalayan border region. Indias External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid Visited Nepal Indias External Affairs Minister, Salman Khurshid, visited Nepal on 9th July.During the visit Salman Khurshid met Nepals to p leaders and discussed important bilateral issues, including the finalisation of an extradition treaty and controlling of criminal activities along the porous border.In the visit Khurshid also called on President Dr Ram Baran Yadav and Chairman of Council of Ministers Khil Raj Regmi , Nepalese counterpart Madhav Prasad Ghimire and both the nations held official talks covering all feature of bilateral relations and issues of mutual interests. US Vice President Joe Biden Visited India US Vice President Joe Biden visited India from 22 25 July .He is the first U.S. vice-president visited India after three decades.On 22 July Joe Biden visited Gandhi Smriti Museum in New Delhi.On 23 July Biden met President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and discussed on a broad array of issues, includes ways to enhance economic growth, and cooperation in trade, energy and climate change, security and strategic opportunities, besides investments in innovation and education.On 24 25 July Biden visited in Mumbai.Biden met business leaders and delivered a policy speech at the Bombay Stock Exchange.It is Bidens first trip to India as vice president. He visited New Delhi in 2008 as a senator. France Defence Minister Yves Le Drianis Visited India Defence Minister of France, Mr Yves Le Drianis visited India from 25-27 July.During the visit Yves Le Drianis met Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony and discussed on regional and international security challenges of mutual interest.The Ministers noted that defence cooperation is an important pillar of the strategic partnership between both countries and that the ongoing dialogue and cooperation is mutually beneficial to both nations.The Ministers agreed that exchanges between respective defence institutions and armed forces should continue to be progressed, including in the areas of military education and training and through the conduct of military exercises.
E)MISCELLANEOUS
Egypt President Mohamed Morsi Ousted By Military On 3 July Mohamed Morsi, the Islamist president of Egypt whose rule sparked protests that had engulfed the country , was removed from power by the Egyptian military.After Morsi had rejected the militarys ultimatum to surrender to public pressure and resign within 48 hours.Morsis election as the first democratically elected President was a turning poi nt in the political history of Egypt after the downfall of 30 years reign of Hosni Mubaraq.
Pope Francis Clears John Paul II, John XXIII For Sainthood On 5 July Pope Francis on Friday cleared two of the 20th centurys most influential popes to become saint s, approving a miracle needed to canonize Pope John Paul II and waiving Vatican rules to honour Pope John XXIII.The announcement ceremony is expected before the end of the year. Bangladesh Islamist Ghulam Azam Sentenced To 90 Years In Prison On 15 July Bangladesh Islamist leader Ghulam Azam, 91 has been sentenced to 90 years in prison on charges of war crimes.Azam, was accused of setting up militia groups that carried out mass killings and rape during Bangladeshs 1971 war of independence with Pakistan. Pakistans Women Paratroopers Create History On 15 July Female officers of the Pakistan Army have jumped from military helicopters for the first time in the countrys history.A total of 24 lady officers of the Pakistan Army successfully completed a three-week basic airborne course at the Parachute Training School in the northwestern city of Peshawar.Pakistan Army, in another landmark achievement, successfully completed the first ever Lady Officers Para Trooping Course at Para Training School.Captain Sadia was the first women officer who jumped from an MI-17 helicopter, while Captain Kiran Ashraf was declared the best paratrooper of the batch. Che Manuscripts Added To UNESCO Heritage Program On 20 July the writings of Cuban Revolution leader Ernesto Che Guevara have been added to UNESCOs Memory of the World Register.The documents include original manuscripts from Ches youthful Motorcycle Diaries days, to his diary from the mountains of Bolivia where he was executed by that nations military in 1967.They are now recognized as world heritage and will be protected and cared for with the help of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Indian Woman Scientist Sunetra Gupta Joins Famed UK League On 22 July Sunetra Gupta, an India-born chemist and physicist has joined the big league of female scientists like Marie Curie in a first-of-its-kind art exhibition at the prestigious Royal Society.Gupta, who was born in Kolkata and is now a professor at Oxford University, is among an exclusive group as part of the Women in Science Portrait Exhibition of the greatest female Fellows of the Royal Society together with newly-commissioned drawings featuring Royal Society Research Fellows.Her main area of interest is the evolution of diversity in pathogens, with particular reference to the infectious disease agents that are responsible for malaria, influenza and bacterial meningitis. Wikileaks Founder Julian Assange Launched Political Party In Australia On 25 July Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has launched his political party to contest Australian elections this year. As per Assange, his party which he named Wikileaks Party would be fielding seven candidates including Assange for upper house Senate seats in the states of New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia.Two Indian-origin persons are among the seven candidates who will contest elections on a Wikileaks Party ticket in Senate polls in Australia. Indian-origin academician Binoy Kampmark, who was born in Malaysia and has Bengali heritage, will stand for the Upper House election from Victori whereas Suresh Rajan, who is based out of Kerala, will stand for the party in Western Australia. Britain Royal Baby Named George Alexander Louis On 24 July Britains new prince has been named George Alexander Louis .The announcement from Royal baby parents Prince William and Kate.It was declared that the third-in-line successor to the throne will be known as his Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge. Salustiano Sanchez-Blazquez Is Worlds Oldest Man On 25 July A man from the Niagara falls area in New York has received the Guinness World Records title for Worlds oldest man.Salustiano Sanchez-Blazquez, nicknamed Shorty is 112 years old, and he was awarded the title after the demise of 116-year-old Jiroemon Kimura of Japan. As documented, the worlds oldest person is 115-year-old Misao Okawa, also a Japan resident.Sanchez-Blazquez was born in El Tejado de Bejar, Spain on 8 June 1901. Stanford Ranked Top US university On Forbes List On 25 July According to the Forbes magazines annual ranking of the top U.S. colleges list ,Stanford University in Northern Californias Silicon Valley ranked No. 1 and much smaller Pomona College was in second place.Princeton University in New Jersey slipped to third place, followed by Yale University in Connecticut in fourth place and Columbia University in New York City at No. 5.For the sixth year, Forbes worked with the Center for College Affordability and Productivity in Washington to produce the list.
PLACES IN NEWS
Incheon Named World Bank Capital For 2015 On 19 July UNESCO announced South Koreas western port city of Incheon has been chosen to be the World Book Capital for the year 2015.Incheon became the 15th city to be designated as the World Book Capital following the Nigerian city of Port Harcourt for 2014 and Bangkok for the year 2013. Strong Earthquake Hits China On 22 July a strong earthquake in northwestern China ,measuring 6.6 on Richter scale, that has killed more than 89 people and injured 412.The quake hit along the border of two counties Min and Zhang.The epicenter, with a depth of 20 km, was 170 km away from the provincial capital Lanzhou.The earthquake was also felt in Tianshui city and the provincial capital city of Lanzhou besides in the cities of Xian, Baoji and Xianyang in neighboring Shaanxi Province.
ABBREVIATIONS
PSLV Polar Satellite Launch IRNSS Indian Regional Navigation Satellite WIPO World Intellectual Property CMAI Clothing Manufacturers Association of AEPC Apparel Export Promotion CISF Central Industrial Security CRPF Central Reserve Police DGCA Directorate General of Civil CAA Civil Aviation GSPA Gas Sale Purchase MMRCA Medium Multi Role Combat ESMA Essential Services Maintenance Act Vehicle System Organization India Council Force Force Aviation Authority Agreement Aircraft
BOOKS IN NEWS
A Bouquet Of Vivekanandas Writings Book Released Swami Vivekananda The book titled A Bouquet Of Vivekanandas Writings was released on 10 July.The book contains a number of hand-written poetries, essays and even letters written by Vivekananda in Bengali and English.19th century philosopher-monk Swami Vivekananda have been compiled in a book as a facsimile copy of his original handwriting. An Uncertain Glory: India and its Contradictions Book Released An Uncertain Glory: India and its Contradictions authored by Jean Dreze, the development economist and Amratya Sen, an economist, a philosopher and a Nobel Prize winner.The book was released in month of July 2013.The book has been published by Penguin Books India.In the book authors have presented a far reaching analysis of the conditions of contemporary India with a compilation of the wealth of illuminating data. The New Bihar Rekindling Governance and Development Book Released On 21 July The New Bihar Rekindling Governance and Development was released by Noble laureate Amartya Sen.President Pranab Mukherjee received a copy of book from Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen (centre) at Rashtrapati Bhavan .The book has been edited by N.K. Singh. An Agenda for Indias Growth: Essays in Honour of P. Chidambaram Book Released On 31 July The book entitled An Agenda for Indias Growth: Essays in Honour of P. Chidambaram was released in New Delhi by Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh.The book, which is edited by Sameer Kochhar of the Skoch Foundation, encompasses various excellent essays by well known distinguished experts. In the book, all the authors dated their association with P. Chidambaram from 1991, when he was the Minister of Commerce as well as a key reformer initiating trade policy reform.
COMMITTEES
Harshvardhan Patil Committee On Agricultural Marketing Submits Report On 3 July The Committee of State Ministers In-charge of Agriculture Marketing to Promote Marketing Reforms has submitted final report to the Agriculture Minister, Shri Sharad Pawar.It has called for an effective implementation of Model APMC Act in all the states. This committee was constituted in March, 2010 under the Chairmanship of Shri Harshvardhan Patil, Minister for Cooperation and Parliamentary Affairs, Govt.of Maharashtra.The committee has also recommended the setting up of multiple and competitive marketing channels; independent regulatory authority to encourage private investors; need for viability gap funding to attract private sector investment; higher investment in marketing infrastructure.
INTERNATIONAL
Bangladesh Court Disqualifies Jamaat-e-Islami Party On 1 August a Bangladesh court has disqualified the countrys largest Islamic party from taking part in the next general election.The High Court panel ruled that the opposition Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami partys regulations violate the constitutional provision of secularism. Robert Mugabe Re-elected As President Of Zimbabwe On 3 August Zanu-PF (Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front), the political party of the incumbent President Robert Mugabe has won the Presidential election of Zimbabwe .Mugabe won 61 percent of the vote against the 34 percent won by the Morgan Tsvangirai, the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe of Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party.With this win, Mugabe has won his seventh term to the office of the President of Zimbabwe .Robert Mugabe is one of the leaders of the guerrilla movements against white-minority rule of Zimbabwe and was elected to power in 1980. China Built Port Terminal Opens In Sri Lanka On 5 August Sri Lankas President, Mahinda Rajapakse declared open the new International Container Terminal of the Colombo harbour.The $500 million Colombo International Container Terminal (CICT) was built by China Merchants Holdings.The new South Port is the only harbor in South Asia that can accommodate the Triple-E Class vessels.85-pct of the investment is by CICT and the remaining 15-pct has been funded by the by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority. Ibrahim Boubacar Keita Elected As New President of Mali On 12 August Former Prime Minister Ibrahim Boubacar Keita was elected as President of Mali.He won the Malis Presidential elections , after his opponent and Ex-Finance Minister Soumala Cisse, conceded defeat. He was Prime Minister of Mali from 1994 to 2000 and President of the National Assembly of Mali from 2002 to 2007. He founded a political party, Rally for Mali (RPM), in 2001 and he has led the party since then. In addition to serving in the National Assembly, Keita was a member of the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States. Britain Parliament Votes Against Possible Military Action In Syria On 29 August the Britain Parliament rejected a proposal for military action in Syria .By a 285 to 272 margin British MPs rejected the governments motion to support in principle military action against Syria.
Indians Third Largest Immigrant Group In US On 23 August According to the Migration Policy Institute latest study report , Indians have emerged as the third-largest immigrant group in the US behind Mexicans and Chinese, with nearly 1.9 million of them living in the country.Indian population in the US has grown to over 150 times its size since 1960, when the slightly more than 12,000 Indian immigrants represented less than 0.5 per cent of the total immigrant population of 9.7 million immigrants.Till 2011, Indian-born immigrants accounted for almost five per cent (1.86 million) of Americas 40.4 million immigrants.Almost one -third of all Indian immigrants resided in just two states- California and New Jersey.More than a quarter of them lived in three major metropolitan areas- New York, Chicago and San Jose.Two per cent of all unauthorised immigrants in the United States were also from India. India and Iraq Signed Energy Cooperation Agreement On 23 August India and Iraq signed an agreement on energy cooperation to boost the bilateral ties.The agreement was signed along with three other agreements after comprehensive talks between Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and his Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on strategic bilateral, regional and international issues. Iraq is an important Gulf nation and has emerged as Indias second largest crude oil supplier after Saudi Arabia. India Announced Rs 5,000 crore For Bhutan On 31 August India announced an aid of Rs 5,000 crore, including a special package of Rs 500 crore, for Bhutan as part of commitment to its continued socio-economic development, a move that assumes significance against the backdrop of unease in the bilateral ties recently. India will contribute Rs 4500 crore towards Bhutans 11th Plan, as well as Rs 500 crore towards an Economic Stimulus Package.The decision was announced after talks in NewDelhi between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay.
NATIONAL
India Lost 220 Languages In Last 50 Years On 9 August A two-year survey by Bhasha Research and Publication Centre based in Vadodara has revealed that India has lost around 20 per cent of its languages over the last 50 years.Officials of the survey, called the Peoples Linguistic Surve y of India (PLSI) has held that the country had 1,100 languages in 1961 of which 220 have vanished. The survey has found 780 languages and might have missed another 100, which makes it around 880.The 1961 census had recorded that India had 1,652 languages in all but the number was narrowed down to 1,100 later for variants of same languages were also included in the list. The 1971 census registered only 108 languages for it was decided that only those languages with over 10,000 speakers will be included. Rajya Sabha Passed The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2012 On 13 August Rajya Sabha passed a bill to make registration of marriages mandatory.The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2012, which was passed by Rajya Sabha, seeks to provide compulsory registration of marriages irrespective of religion. The registration of marriages will not apply to those who have registered their marriage under any other law.At present, there is provision for registration of only births and deaths. Lok Sabha Passed National Food Security Bill, 2013 On 26 August Lok Sabha passed the National Food Security Bill, 2013.The Bill seeks to give legal rights to get subsidized grains every month to 67 percent of the overall population (of which 75 percent is rural and 50 percent is urban population).A beneficiary will be entitled to 5 kg of rice, wheat or coarse cereals at Rs. 3, Rs. 2 and Re. 1 per kg a month, respectively.The beneficiaries will be identified by the States based on parameters prescribed by the Union government.Once the Bill gets its nod in the Rajya Sabha and Presidents accent, India will join the selected league of countries that guarantee food grants to a majority of its population. Rajya Sabha Passed The Marriage Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2010 On 26 August the Rajya Sabha passed The Marriage Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2010 was passed by voice vote .It seeks to amend the Hindu Marriage Act 1955 and the Special Marriages Act, 1954 which provides for irretrievable breakdown on marriage as a ground for divorce as well as grants women the right to a share in the property of their husbands.Under the new bill, a provision has been made to restrict the grant of decree of divorce on the ground of irretrievable breakdown of marriage if the court is satisfied that adequate provision for the maintenance of children born out of the marriage has not been made consistently with the financial capacities of the parents. Lok Sabha Passed Land Acquisition Bill The Lok Sabha passed the landmark land acquisition and rehabilitation bill on 29 August 2013 that aims to provide fair compensation to those whose land is taken, brings transparency to the process and details measures for rehabilitation of those displaced.The bill, which will now be called, The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2012, replaced a nearly 120-year-old law enacted during British rule in 1894.
Companies Bill 2013 Receives Presidents Assent The new Companies Bill has received Presidents assen t, that will make it into a law replacing the nearly six-decade old regulations that govern corporates in the country.The Companies Bill 2013 received assent from the President Pranab Mukherjee on 29 August 2013.The Companies Bill 2012 was passed in Rajya Sabha on 8 August 2013 . Earlier, the bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on 18 December 2012. With the Presidents assent, the Companies Bill 2012 became the Companies Act, 2013 (New Act).The new Bill, providing for sweeping changes in the way companies operate and are regulated in the country, received Parliamentary approval earlier this month. It would replace the Companies Act 1956.
STATES
Karnataka Becomes First State To Establish Calamities Relief Fund On 5 August Karnataka Government has become the first state in the country to establish State Natural Calamities Relief fund of Rs. 125 crore.The Relief Fund will provide for a natural calamities relief fund which would provide for building capital assets and relief in respect of man-made disasters that are not covered under the state disaster response fund guidelines of the Government of India. First Public Sector Breast Milk Bank Inaugurated In Kolkata On 7 August A modern and sophisticated breast milk bank was inaugurated at the state-run Seth Sukhlal Karnani Memorial Hospital (SSKM) by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee . This novel scheme was launched to cater to the basic needs of a child who is just born, but does not get the milk from the mother or when the mother dies after giving birth to the child.The breast milk bank would help specially to non-lactating mothers. The stored milk can be used to feed babies whose mothers fall ill during the six-month lactating period after pregnancy. Indias First Cyber Forensic Laboratory (CFL) Establishe d In Tripura The first Cyber Forensic Laboratory (CFL) of India was established in Tripura on 11 August .The lab was established at the Tripura High Court and the purpose of the lab is to facilitate information related to court cases. The CFL was inaugurated by Supreme Court judge Justice Madan B. Lokur. Agar-Malwa Becomes The 51st District Of Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh government gave nod to creation of the new district of Agar-Malwa, taking the number of districts in the state to 51.The district will come into existence on 16 August.The new district will be created by bifurcating Shajapur district; it will comprise the tehsils of Agar, Badoud, Susner and Nalkheda. Headquarters would be at Agar town.Spread over 2,785 square km, Agar-Malwa will have population of 4.80 lakh. Sonia Sonia Gandhi Launches Food Security Scheme In Delhi On 20 August Congress president Sonia Gandhi launched the Centre-Sponsored Food security scheme on the occasion of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhis 69th birth Anniversary.Delhi was the first state to implement the scheme.Under the scheme, a total of 73.5 lakh people will get foodgrain at highly subsidised rates.The food security programme would provide subsidised grains for 67 per cent of the population and would see government spending an estimated Rs. 1,25,000 crore to supply 62 million tonnes of grains. Under the scheme, beneficiaries would get wheat at Rs. 2 a kg, rice at Rs. 3 a kg and coarse grain at Rs. 1 a kg.Congress party ruled northern states Haryana and Uttarakhand have also launched this scheme. Maharashtra Cabinet Approved Anti-Black Magic and Superstition Ordinance On 21 August the Maharashtra Cabinet has approved the Anti-Black Magic and Superstition Ordinance after the death of anti-superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar.The decision was taken by the state cabinet in wake up of the protests that followed after the murder of Dabhokar in Pune on 20 August 2013.Dabholkar was at the forefront of a campaign to persuade the Maharashtra government to pass an anti-superstition and black magic bill. Rajasthan Government Laid Foundation Stone For Worlds Largest Sola r Park On 21 August State Government of Rajasthan laid the foundation stone for worlds biggest solar park at Bhadla of Jodhpur District of Rajasthan.The solar park with generation capacity of 3000 MW would be commissioned in phased manner. In its first phase the solar park will generate 1000 MW.Solar Park would be established in 10 thousand hectare land and Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide 3000 crore rupees loan for development of transmission lines of this solar park.
CONFERENCES
BRICS Business Council Meeting Held In Johannesburg The first BRICS Business Council Meeting was held on 19 20 August 2013 in Johannesburg , South Africa.The objective of the meet is aiming to increase the trade and investment ties between participating economies.The two-day meeting was attended by the Chairpersons of the respective chapters of the BRICS Business Council that attended the meeting are: Jose Rubens de la Rosa (Brazil), Sergey Katyrin (Russian Federation), Onkar Kanwar (India) and MA Zehua (China).The meeting was chaired by Patrice Motsepe, Chairman of the South African and BRICS Business Council.In a joint statement following the first BRICS Business Council meeting ,the council made several recommendations includes urging governments to facilitate convenience in expediting multiple entry business visas for longer periods, as well as considering a proposal to create a BRICS business travel card ; Enhancing connectivity; and Creating a BRICS business portal, which will be facilitated by the BRICS Business Council Secretariat, among others.The council has agreed to work together in areas such as infrastructure, mining and mineral beneficiation, value-added manufacturing development, skills development and sustainable development.BRICS an acronym for the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa group of countries.The BRICS Business Council was established during the 2013 BRICS Summit in Durban in March, with South African businessman Patrice Motsepe named chairman of the body. Second ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus Held In Brunei The 2nd ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting-Plus has concluded in Brunei on 29 August .Defense ministers from ASEAN signed a declaration of commitment to enhance peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region.They committed to adhere to the principles of equality, mutual respect, mutual benefit and respect for international laws in the handling of disputes. The defense ministers also agreed to promote better understanding and confidence-building measures among defense establishments.ASEAN Defence ministers meeting firstly convened in Vietnams capital Hanoi on October 12, 2010, the regional event has involved 18 member states, including ministers from the 10 ASEAN nations.ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus was established in 2010.This forum is convened every two years.The third ADMM-Plus is scheduled to be held in Malaysia in 2015.
presented annually to an exceptional child, whose courageous or otherwise remarkable actions have made a difference in countering problems, which affect children around the world. Mandela Is The First Recipient Of Mahathir Award For Global Peace On 27 August Former South African President Nelson Mandela was awarded the first Lifetime Campaigner for Peace and Freedom of the Mahathir Award for Global Peace .Current South African President Jacob Zuma received the award on behalf of Mandela, who is in a critical condition in a hospital in Pretoria.The Mahathir Award for Global Peace is a peace award instituted by the Mahathir Global Peace Foundation. The foundation was formed to contribute to worldwide peace efforts.Mahathir bin Mohamad is a Malaysian politician who was the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia. He held the post for 22 years from 1981 to 2003, making him Malaysias longest serving Prime Minister.
ranked seventh in the world.Besides Wimbledon 2013, Bartoli won seven other WTA Tour titles, the first one was in Auckland in 2006. Recently she won two tournaments both in 2011 at Eastbourne and Osaka, Japan, prior to Wimbledon. 2013 World Championships in Athletics Winners The 14th World Championships in Athletics are held in Moscow, Russia from 10 18 August 2013. Russia (17 medals )topped the medal table with seven gold, four silver, and six bronze medals.The US (25 medals) came in second place at the event, receiving six gold, 13 silver, and six bronze medals. Jamaica (19 medals )placed third, with its athletes earning six gold, two silver, and one bronze. Winners Of The 2013 World Championships in Athletics :* Jamaicas Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce both won three gold medals in the mens and womens 100 m, 200 m and 4 x 100 m relay respectively to become the most successful athletes at the event.Usain Bolt moved to the top of the all-time World Championships medal table by winning three gold medals.It was Bolts se cond three gold performance at the World Championships.With this victory Usain Bolt has joined the club of highest (8) gold medal winners list along with American womens 200m specialist Allyson Felix, and retired US track stars Carl Lewis and Michael John son including relays. * Christina Obergfoll of Germany won the womens javelin title with a throw of 69.05 metres . * French athlete Teddy Tamgho claimed gold in the mens triple jump event ,, with a jump measuring 18.04m. * In the Mens 1, 500 metres race Kenyan Asbel Kiprop ( 3min:36.2 sec) won the gold and Eunice Jepkoech Sum of Kenya won gold in Womens 800 metres race (1min :57.38 sec) * Womens 10,000 meters Race :Tirunesh Dibaba (Ethiopia) *Mens 10,000 meters Race :- Double Olympic champion Mo Farah of Britain created history once again in Moscow as he became the first British man to win a 10,000m world title.The Somalia-born Mo Farah went down in the history books as just the second man to win the 5000 and 10,000m races at the Olympics and the world championships. * Mens 20 kilometres Walk :Aleksandr Ivanov (Russia) * Womens Marathon :- Kenyas Edna Ngeringwony Kiplagat becomes the first women in history to defend her world championship marathon title. * Shot put :- New Zealands Valerie Adams has become the first woman to win four individual world athletics titles in the same event. * Mens 110 metres Hurdles :David Oliver (USA) * Mens 400metres Hurdles :Jehu Gordon (Trinidad) * Womens 400 metres Hurdles :Zuzana Hejnova (Czech Republic ) * Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva won gold..Yelena Isinbayeva is a two-time Olympic gold medalist (2004 and 2008), a three-time World Champion (2005, 2007 and 2013), the current world record holder in the event, who is widely considered the greatest female pole-vaulter of all time. Cincinnati Tennis Tournament 2013 Winners Womens Singles :- On 18 August Victoria Azarenka of Belarus won the Cincinnati Tennis Tournament womens singles title.Azarenka defeated Serena Williams of the U.S in the final at Cincinnati (U.S ) Mens Singles :- In the Mens category Rafael Nadal (Spain) has won the Cincinnati Tennis Tournament title for the first time.He defeated John Isner (U.S) in the final.Nadals five Masters titles this season are a career best. Hes tied with Novak Djokovic for most Masters titles in a season since 1990. Hes won seven of the nine Masters events during his career. Sania Mirza Jie Zheng pair Won New Haven Open Title On 24 August Indias Sania Mirza won the womens doubles title at t he New Haven Open Tennis tournament along with her partner Jie Zheng of China.Sania and Jie defeated the pair of Anabel Medina Garrigues (Spain) and Katarina Srebotnik (Slovenia) in the final at Yale.This is Sania Mirzas 17th WTA doubles title and the th ird Title in 2013. Australias Aaron Finch Hits T20 World Record Australian batsman Aaron Finch hit a new record in Twenty20 Internationals in Southampton (England), when he scored 156 runs off 63 balls against England at Southampton on 29 August.Finch mashed 14 sixes and 11 fours in his innings and surpassed the previous international record of 123, scored by New Zealands Brendon McCullum.In the process he also became the first Australian to score a T20 international century.
ECONOMY
Union Cabinet Approved the Setting up of Bharatiya Mahila Bank On 8 August the Union Cabinet approved the proposal for setting up of Bharatiya Mahila Bank (BMB) with an initial corpus of Rs 1,000 crore.The proposed bank will be headquartered in New Delhi.The Mahila Bank will start with 6 branches one each in north, south, east, west, central and north eastern part of the country.The proposed bank is likely to begin operations by November this year.
India Signed Agreement With World Bank For Low Income Housing Finance Project On 14 August the government of India and the World Bank signed a $100 million credit agreement aimed at helping lowincome households in Indian cities access loans to purchase, build or upgrade their dwellings.The Low Income Housing Finance Project would be implemented by the National Housing Bank (NHB).The credit agreement for the Low Income Housing Finance Project was signed between the Government of India, National Housing Bank (NHB) and World Bank in New Delhi. Muslims Have Lowest Living Standard In India According to the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) study titled Employment and Unemployment Situation Among Major Religious Groups in India among various religious groups,Muslims have the lowest living standard in the country * According to the survey data , Muslims average per capita expenditure of just Rs 32.66 in a day.At the other end of the spectrum, Sikh community enjoys a much better lifestyle as the average per capita spending among them is Rs 55.30 per day, while the same for Hindus is Rs 37.50. For Christians it is Rs 51.43. * At all-India level, the average monthly per capita expenditure (MPCE) of a Sikh household was Rs 1,659 while that for a Muslim household was Rs 980 in 2009-10.The average MPCE for Hindus and Christians were Rs 1,125 and Rs 1,543, respectively.The survey said that average monthly per capita consumption at all-India level was Rs 901 in villages and Rs1,773 in cities. Overall, the average MPCE was Rs 1,128. * Muslims were at the bottom in rural areas, with an average MPCE of Rs 833, followed by Hindus at Rs 888, Christians at Rs1,296 and Sikhs 1,498. * In urban areas, Muslims average MPCE was also the lowest at Rs 1,272 followed by Hindus at Rs 1,797, Christians Rs 2,053 and Sikhs at Rs 2,180. Per Capita Income Up 6.7% in 2004-12 On 25 August According to official sources data ,the per capita income in the country increased 6.7 per cent per annum during 2004-05 to 2011-12, while the percentage of poor declined by 2.2 per cent over the period.For 2011-12, the Planning Commission has estimated percentage of people living below the poverty line at 21.9 per cent.The poverty line in 2011-12 in terms of monthly per capita consumption expenditure was estimated at Rs 816 in rural areas and Rs 1,000 in urban areas.State-wise, Uttar Pradesh had highest number of people living below poverty line during 2011-12 at 598.19 people below poverty line out of every lakh.It was followed by Bihar at 358.15 people (per lakh), Madhya Pradesh 234.04 people, Maharashtra 197.92 people and West Bengal at 184.98 people living below the poverty line. 27 crore People Live Below Poverty Line In India Indias population was estimated at 123 crore as of March 1, 2012, while as many as 27 crore people lived below the poverty line in 2011-12, Minister of State for Planning Rajeev Shukla explained in a written reply to Rajya Sabha on 29 August.As per the Population Census of 2011 conduced by the Office of Registrar General of India, the population in the country was estimated at 121 crore as of March 1, 2011.The poverty ratio in the country has decreased to 21.9 per cent in 2011-12 from 37.2 per cent in 2004-05.The rate of decline between 2004-05 and 2011-12 is three times faster than experienced between 1993-94 and 2004-05.As per the Millennium Development Goals Report 2013, the poverty rate in India fell from 49 per cent in 1994 to 42 per cent in 2005 and 33 per cent in 2010.
merging of Kibo and robot. Kirobo was designed by scientists and engineers at the University of Tokyo. It is equipped with voice-recognition and face-recognition technology, as well as a camera, emotion recognition software and natural language processing. Japan Unveils Largest Warship On 6 August Japan has unveiled its biggest warship since the Second World War as part of a plan to bolster its defense of territorial claims in disputed waters.The ship, named the Izumo, is classified as a helicopter destroyer, though its flattop design makes it look like an aircraft carrier.The ship is nearly 250 metres (820ft feet) long and is designed to carry up to 14 helicopters.Japanese Defense Ministry announced the ship is not intended to be used as an aircraft carrier and will not be used to launch fighter jets.It will also be used to bolster the nations ability to transport personnel and supplies in response t o largescale natural disasters. Pinaka Rockets Successfully Test Fired On 7 August India successfully test fired two rounds of indigenously developed Pinaka rockets from a multi -barrel rocket launcher (MBRL) from a defence base in Chandipur-on-sea near Balasore, off the Odisha coast.The tests were routine trials conducted for training purpose. The tests were conducted by personnel from Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune unit at Proof and Experimental Establishment (PXE) firing point-2. Pinaka is an area weapon system with a range of 40 km.Pinaka system can fire a salvo of 12 rockets in 44 seconds. Ten rounds of Pinaka rockets were tested from the same base on 30 and 31 January and 28 February this year. INS Arihant Nuclear Reactor Activated On 10 August India has activated the reactor on board the INS Arihant nuclear submarine, the first to be designed and built in India.With this success, India became a member of the exclusive club of countries that have built their own nuclear powered submarines along with Russia, US, UK, China and France.After the nuclear reactor is activated, INS Arihant has been undergoing trials at Navys key submarine base in Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and would be launched for sea trials soon since the nuclear reactor has gone critical.Nuclear triad has the ability to fire nuclear-tipped missiles from land, air and sea.Arihant means destroyer of enemies in Sanskrit is an Indian submarine, which is 111 meter long, 11 broad and 15 meter tall.The 6,000 tonne vessel was built under the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project at the Ship Building Centre in Visakhapatnam ,at a cost of around Rs 15,000 crore .INS Arihant, was introduced to the public on 26 July 2009 at a symbolic launch ceremony by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh s wife Gursharan Kaur.India operates the INS Chakra, which is an Akula II class submarine leased from Russia for ten years and has plans of building two more nuclear submarines indigenously. ICGS Rajveer Commissioned On 10 August Seventh in the series of eight inshore patrol vessels (IPV), ICGS Rajveer was commissioned at Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) by defence secretary R K Mathur in the presence of vice-admiral Anurag G Thapliyal, director general of Indian Coast Guard.The IPV is equipped with the most advanced and sophisticated navigational and communication sensors and equipment. The ship is propelled to a maximum speed of 31.5 knots and has an endurance of 1,500 nautical miles. The special feature include an integrated Bridge System, Integrated machinery control system and an indigenously built 30mm gun mount with fire control system. India Launched First Indigenous Aircraft Carrier INS Vikrant India launched its first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant on 12 August .Defence Minister A K Antonys wife Elizabeth launched the 37,500 tonne carrier INS Vikrant at Kochi shipyard.This will mark Indias entry into a select club of countrie s capable of designing and building a carrier of this size. Other countries capable of designing and building an equivalent size ship are the US, the UK, Russia and France.Fighter aircraft Mig-29K, Light Combat Aircraft and Kamov-31 helicopterswill deployed on board the carrier which will also carry an array of other weapons systems.INS Vikrant has a length of 260 metres and it is 60 metres wide.It is behind schedule by three years.The carrier is expected to be delivered to the Navy by the end of 2018. India Successfully Test Fired Nuclear Capable Prithvi -II Missile On 12 August India has successfully test-fired its indigenously developed nuclear capable Prithvi -II missile from a mobile launcher in salvo mode from launch complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at (Odisha) Chandipur.Prithvi-II missile was launched by the personnel of the Strategic Force Command (SFC) from ITRs Launch Complex -III as part of routine user training. The missile scientists of the Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO) monitored the launch operations.The missile, with a range of 350 km, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) .The missile, 9 metres in height with a launch weight of 4.6 tonnes, is capable of carrying a warhead of more than 500 kg.The last users trial of Prithvi-II was successfully carried out from the same base on on December 20, 2012. Voyager Becomes First Man-Made Object To Leave The Solar System According to the new research shows ,NASAs long -lived Voyager probe crossed into interstellar space last year, becomes the first man-made object to leave the solar system.Voyager 1 space craft was launched in 1977 along with a sister probe, Voyager 2, to observe the outer planets. Voyager 1 is now approximately 120 times farther away from the sun than Earth. Voyager 2 is heading out of the solar system in a different direction.The probes are powered by the slow decay of radioactive
plutonium. Voyager 1 will begin running out of energy for its science instruments in 2020. By 2025, it will be completely out of power. Indias Super Hercules Lands At Highest Airfield On LAC The Super Hercules C 130 J transport plane landed at the worlds highest and recently -activated Daulat Beg Oldie airstrip in Ladakh area of Jammu and Kashmir for the first time on 20 August .The Daulat Beg Oldie airstrip located at 16614 feet (5065 metres) in the Aksai Chin area..In April, the area saw a 21-day stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops who came and pitched tents in the vicinity of the airfield and returned only after several rounds of flag meetings between both sides.The achievement will enable the armed forces to use the heavy-lift aircraft to induct troops, supplies, improve communication network and also serve as a morale booster for maintenance of troops positioned there.C-130J is capable of lifting upto 20 tonnes of load. Indias First Defence Satellite GSAT-7 Launched Successfully Indias first exclusive defence satellite GSAT -7 was successfully launched by European space consortium Arianespaces Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou spaceport in French Guiana on 30 August.This launch will push ahead Indias maritime security.GSAT7 has been built at an expense of 185 crore rupees and will act as the countrys maiden dedicated spacecraft for defence applications.The frequency bands of GSAT-7 will help space-based marine communications. It has coverage over India landmass as well as surrounding seas.Earlier, satellite communication in ships was through Inmarsat, a major provider of global mobile satellite communications services.The state-of-the-art satellite carrying payloads operating in UHF, S, C and Ku bands, had a lift-off mass of 2625 kg and is based on ISROs 2500 kg satellite bus with some new technological elements, including the antennae.According to ISRO, GSAT-7 is an advanced communication satellite to provide wide range of service spectrum from low bit rate voice to high bit rate data communication.Payload of the GSAT 7 is designed to provide communication capabilities to users in distant oceanic regions. Its solar arrays generate 2900 W of electrical power. US Scientists Created the Most Precise Clock of the World The National Institute of Standards and Technology Scientist from U.S , revealed in the month of August 2013 that they created the most precise clock of the world. The ticking rate of this clock varies less than two parts in one quintillion, or ten times better than any clock in the world. The clock is made up of the element ytterbium. This element can be used for technological advancements beyond the timekeeping. The clock can be used for various purposes such as checking temperature, navigation systems as well as magnetic fields.The co-author of the study which revealed the clock, Andrew Ludlow explained that the stability of this ytterbium lattice clock paves way for other practical applications of high-performance timekeeping.
PERSONS IN NEWS
A) APPOINTMENTS
Rajeev Rishi is new CMD of Central Bank of India On 1 August Rajeev Rishi took over as the Chairman and Managing Director of Central Bank of India .His appointment is for a period of five years.Prior to the new appointment, Mr. Rishi served as the Executive Director of Indian Bank, since October 2010. Before joining Indian Bank, he was the General Manager of Oriental Bank of Commerce.Rajeev Rishi, who belongs to Chandigarh, holds a BA and an LLB and an expert in Banking. Arundhati Bhattacharya Appointed Managing Director Of SBI On 2 August Arundhati Bhattacharya was appointed the managing director and chief financial officer of the State Bank of India(SBI).She is the first managing director at SBI, which is Indias largest bank.Arundhati succeeded Diwakar Gupta. Hassan Rouhani Sworn In As Irans New President On 4 August Hassan Rohani was sworn in as the new President of Iran in the ceremony held at the Iranian Parliament in Tehran.Rouhani is the seventh (different) President of Iran after the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Raghuram Rajan Appointed as the New Governor of RBI On 6 August Chief economic adviser Raghuram Govind Rajan has been appointed as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).Rajan will have a term of three years.He will be the 23rd Governor of RBI.He is 50 years of age and so far, he is the youngest person to become the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India.He was appointed as the youngest-ever Economic Counselor and Director of Research (chief economist) at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from October 2003 to December 2006.Rajan was appointed as Chief Economic Advisor to the Ministry of Finance, Government of India on 10 August 2012.
Dilip Trivedi is new CRPF chief On 17 August Senior IPS officer Dilip Trivedi has been appointed as the new chief of the countrys largest paramilitary force CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force). Trivedi, a 1978-batch officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre has served in various positions in the state police and has also served in the Centre as ADG of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police.He succeeded Pranay Sahay who retired on 31 July 2013. Michel Djotodia Sworn In As Central African Republic President On 18 August Former rebel leader Michel Djotodia was formally sworn in as the Central African Republics President.Djotodia has been in charge of the country during the chaos that followed the rebels seizure of control in March 2013, when they swep t into power from their northern bases, overpowering South African forces protecting former leader Francois Bozize.Djotodia was a leader of the Seleka rebel coalition in the December 2012 rebellion; following a peace agreement, he was appointed to the government as First Deputy Prime Minister for National Defense in February 2013. Robert Mugabe Sworn In As Zimbabwe President On 21 August Robert Mugabe has been sworn in for a new five-year term as President of Zimbabwe.Mugabe of Zanu-PF (Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front) party won the Presidential election (Parliamentary Election) by winning 61 percent votes in his favour on 3 August . Parthasarathi Shome Appointed As Chairman Of TARC On 26 August the Union Government of India set up a commission under the chairmanship of Parthasarathy Shome to review tax laws and suggest ways for a stable and non-adversarial tax administration.The seven-member Tax Administration Reform Commission (TARC) will have a 18-month tenure to suggest various measures including an appropriate organisational structure for tax governance. Justice N V Ramana Appointed as Chief Justice of Delhi High Court On 30 August Justice Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana, Judge of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh,was appointed as the Chief Justice of the High Court of Delhi.Justice Ramana replaced Chief Justice D. Murugesan, who retired in June.Justice Ramana was appointed as a permanent judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on 27 June 2000.Ramana had enrolled as an advocate in February 1983 and has practiced in the Andhra Pradesh High Court, central and state administrative tribunals and the Supreme Court.He holds specialisation in constitutional, criminal, service and inter-state river laws.He has specialized in Constitutional, criminal, service and Inter-State River laws. He has functioned as Panel Counsel for various Government organizations.
B)RESIGNS
Egypt Vice President ElBaradei Resigned Egyptian vice-president, Nobel laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, announced his resignation in a letter to the interim president on14 August .The resignation comes after scores were killed in a crackdown by security forces on loyalists of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.
C)DEATHS
Veteran Music Director Dakshinamoorthy Died Venkateswaran Dakshinamoorthy, the veteran veteran carnatic musician and music director died on 2 August in Mylapore, Chennai.The veteran was known as Swamy in the music industry and gave music to songs of more than 125 films in Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi.He has to his credit about 859 songs that were composed by him over seven decades of his service to the world of Music. He debuted as a Music composer in the a Malayalam movie Nalla Thanka (Nalla Thankal in Tamil) in 1950.He was the proud recipient of Kerala State Film Award for best music director in 1971.In 1998, he received the Kerala State Film Award for Lifetime Achievement. Former Air Commodore Jasjit Singh Died On 4 August Noted strategic analyst Air Commodore (retired) Jasjit Singh died in NewDelhi. He was conferred with the Padma Bhushan, the second highest civilian award, in the year 2006 by the former president APJ Abdul Kalam. Former Union minister Devendra Prasad Yadav Died On 11 August Former Union minister and senior Congress leader from Bihar, Devendra Prasad Yadav, died in NewDelhi.Yadav was a three-time Member of Parliament from Munger parliamentary seat of Bihar and had served as Minister of State for Education between 1971-77 in Indira Gandhis cabinet. Renowned Naturalist and Ornithologist Zafar Futehally Died On 11 August Zafar Rashid Futehally an Indian naturalist, ornithologist and conservationist has died on 11 August at Kihim in Maharashtra.Zafar Futehally led the early years of the conservation movement in India and served as a link between conservationists and corporate.He was conferred with several national and international honours, including the Padma Shri in
1970.He also edited and published an anthology of writings by Indian birdwatchers, India through its birds, which was published in 2007. Former Nepal Prime Minister Man Singh Shrestha Died Former Nepalese Prime Minister Marich Man Singh Shrestha has died in Kathmandu on 15 August.He had served as Nepals Prime Minister for about four years till April 1990, when the political parties launched an agitation to restore democratic rights. Kapil Devs Former Coach Desh Prem Azad Died On 16 August Desh Prem Azad, the former coach of cricketer Kapil Dev and Dronacharya awardee died in Mohali.He trained cricketers such as Kapil Dev, Ashok Malhotra, Chetan Sharma and Yograj Singh in the late 1970s.Desh Prem Azad represented Haryana, the Maharaja of Patialas XI and Southern Punjab, while playing 19 first -class matches. In these matches, he scored 658 runs while grabbed 8 wickets in all. Crime Novelist Elmore Leonard Died Elmore Leonard, one of Americas best known crime novelists,has died on 20 August .Twenty-six of his books and short stories have been adapted for the screen, including Hombre, Get Shorty, Jackie Brown, (based on 1992s Rum Punch) and Justified, a TV shows based on 1993s Pronto, 1995s Riding the Rap and the 2001 short story Fire in the Hole. His most recent novel, Raylan, was released in 2012. Eminent Classical Singer Raghunath Panigrahi Died On 25 August Eminent Indian classical singer and music director Pandit Raghunath Panigrahi died in Bhubaneswar.Pandit Panigrahis effort to popularise poet Jayadevas Gita Govinda.Pandit Raghunath Panigrahi was born at Gunupur in Odishas Rayaga (earlier Koraput) district.Pandit Raghunath was the first Odia singer to be honoured by the French government for his Gita Govinda composition way back in the 70s.He was also conferred with the Padmashri award in the year 2010. Nobel Literature Laureate Seamus Heaney Died On 30 August Irish writer and poet Seamus Heaney, who won the 1995 Nobel Prize in Literature, died in Dublin.Seamus Heaney was born on 13 April 1939 in Northern Ireland.Northern Ireland-born Heaney published his first major collection of poems, Death of a Naturalist, in 1966 and went on to become one of the English languages leading poets.Heaney worked as the professor of poetry at Oxford University between 1989 and 1994.
D)VISITORS
Afghanistan Vice-President Mohammad Karim Khalili Visited India The vice president of Afghanistan, Mohammad Karim Karim Khalili visited India from 20 22 August.During the visit Khalili met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New delhi .In the meet both nations discussed security issues and trade among other bilateral issues.Khalili also meets Indias president Pranab Mukherjee, vice -president Mohammad Hamid Ansari, and external affairs minister Salman Khurshid and discussed on both countries bilateral issues. Iraqs Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki Visited India Nouri Al-Maliki, Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq visited India from 22 -25 August.During his four day visit , Maliki met with the Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh and President of Indian Union, Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President of India, Hamid Ansari in New Delhi.Both the nations exchanged views on bilateral, regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest and reached a broad consensus. The discussions enabled better understanding and appreciation of each others concerns and perspectives and helped in forging closer understanding at the highest political level and also several MoUs were signed between the two nations. This was the first visit of Maliki to India
E)MISCELLANEOUS
Amazon Founder & CEO Jeff Bezos Buys Washington Post Amazon Founder & CEO Jeff Bezos has purchased the Washington Post Newspaper of US. Seattle-based Amazon owner Jeffrey P Bezos has agreed to buy the newspaper assets of The Washington Post Company for USD 250 million.Bezos, whose entrepreneurship has made him one of the worlds richest men, will pay $250 million in cash for The Post and affiliated publications to The Washington Post Co., which owns the newspaper and other businesses.The Washington Post (WP) is an American daily newspaper. It is the most widely circulated newspaper published in Washington, D.C., and oldest extant in the area, founded in 1877. 11-year-old UK girl has higher IQ than Einstein On 5 August An 11-year-old schoolgirl in the U.K. has achieved the highest possible score of 162 on a Mensa IQ test, making her brainier than scientists Stephen Hawking and Albert Einstein. Cerys Cooksammy-Parnell, a grade six schoolgirl took up the test with the aim of beating her fathers score of 142. She also scored the highest mark possible in the test, scoring 162 on the Cattell B scale.
Sharapova Tops Forbes List of Best Paid Female Athletes On 6 August Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova has topped the Forbes list of highest -earning female athletes for the ninth-straight year, raking in $29 million over the last 12 months.American Serena Williams is second on the list with earnings of 20.5 million US dollars, Chinese star Li Na in third with $18.2 million and Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in fourth with $15.7 million. Indian American Students Wins National Geographic World Championship On 9 August A team of three young Indian American students defeated teams from 17 other regions to win top honours at the 11th National Geographic World Championship in Russias St Petersburg.The team was made up of captain Gopi Ramanathan from Sartell, Minnesota; Asha Jain from Minocqua, Wisconsin; and Neelam Kaur Sandhu from Bedford, New Hampshire.In the biennial competition, teams of students answered questions on physical, cultural and economic geography.Ramanathan, already has won his state geography bee twice. He had finished seventh in the 2012 National Bee in Washington, DC. The competition was sponsored by Google, and presented by the US National Geographic Society in partnership with the Russian Geographical Society. Canadian Street Named After Mahatma Gandhi On 15 August A street in Canadas Winnipeg city has been named after Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion of Indias 67th Independence Day. The street leading to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights will now be known as Honorary Mahatma Gandhi Way. At a ceremony , the Mayor of Winnipeg Sam Katz explained that the street was named so after an individual who is synonymous with the struggle for human rights. Dhoni Beats Rafael Nadal Usain Bolt In Forbes List Of Highest Paid Athletes On 20 August Indian cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been ranked 16 th in the latest Forbes list of highestpaid athletes with an earning of $31.5 million (around Rs.180 crore).In the list, he was placed above Rafael Nadal and Usain Bolt.As per the latest Forbes list of highest-paid athletes in the world, dhoni earned $31.5 million between June 2012 and June 2013.List of places don above F1 Fernando Alonso, who is on the 19th, Lewis Hamilton on the 26th, Novak Djokovic on the 28th, Rafael Nadal is in 30th place, and Usain Bolt in the 40th grade.Doni has risen 15 places in this years list. It took 31 th rank in the last year. Sachin Tendulkar is the only Indian athlete, who is one of the rank of 31 and a total annual revenue of $ 22 million (Rs 125 crore).List is topped by golfer Tiger Woods, who made $ 78.1 million last year, followed by Roger Federer, who earned $ 71.5 million, basketball player Kobe Bryant with earnings of $ 61.9 million.The calculation is based on earnings estimates, which includes salaries, bonuses and cash prizes from both the club and the national team, as well as approval of revenue. Madonna Tops Forbes 2013 Highest -Paid Celebrities List On 27 August According to Forbes 2013 list of highest -paid celebrities Madonna was the worlds highest -earning celebrity in 2012-13.Madonna made $US125 million between June 2012 and June 2013.Veteran film director Steven Spielberg took second place in the list, while musical talent show mogul Simon Cowell tied for third with Fifty Shades of Grey author EL James and disc jockey Howard Stern. Most Wanted Indian Mujahideen Terrorist Yasin Bhatka Arrested Indian Mujahideen co-founder and one of Indias most wanted terrorists, Yasin Bhatkal was arrested on 30 August.Yasin has been on the run since 2008. The IM leader is wanted in a string of terror attacks in Ahmedabad, Surat, Bangalore, Pune, Delhi and Hyderabad.Yasin, who co-founded IM in 2008 along with brother Riaz, is also wanted in the German Bakery bomb blast in Pune on February 13, 2010.
PLACES IN NEWS
Strong Earthquake HitsChina On 14 August China hit by strong earthquake with magnitude of 6.1.The earthquake occured in jolted parts of Tibet.Due to this earthquake at least 87 people were injured and over 45,000 homes damaged .The epicenter of the earthquake was identified nearer to the Ringo town. Submarine INS Sindhurakshak Sinks After Major Blast In Mumbai On 14 August in a huge setback to the Indian Navy, a conventional submarine INS Sindhurakshak exploded after a fire on board and sank in the naval dockyard in Mumbai , in which 18 personnel, including three officers are feared killed.A smaller intensity explosion was followed by two massive blasts, causing a major fire in the Russian-made submarine.In 2010, a fire broke out on board Sindhurakshak leaving a sailor dead and two others injured. INS Sindhurakshak was a Russian-made Kiloclass 877EKM(Sindhughosh-class) diesel-electric submarine of the Indian Navy.Commissioned on 24 December 1997, it was the ninth of the ten Kilo-class submarines in the Indian Navy.On 4 June 2010, the Indian Defence Ministry and Zvezdochka
shipyard signed a contract worth US$80 million to upgrade and overhaul the submarine. After the overhaul, it returned to India from Russia in 2013. 1300 People Killed In Chemical Attack On Syria On 21 August nearly 1300 people, including children were killed in in Damascus, the capital of Syria..This was one of the deadliest chemical attacks in the civil war of Syria. Toxic gas was fired from the rockets.
ABBREVIATIONS
DRDO Defence Research and Development Organisation SAARC South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation AGOC Asian Games Organisation Committee CDRI - Central Drug Research Institute FEMA Foreign Exchange Management Act FIPB - Foreign Investment Promotion Board IFTU International Federation of Trade Unions IRDA Insurance Regulatory Development Authority NABARD - National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development SEBI - Security Exchange Board of India UNHCR United Nations High Commission for Refugees WMO World Meteorological Organisation
BOOKS IN NEWS
The Moon Baller Book Released On 5 August Former India No.1 and tennis ace Nirupama Vaidyanathans autobiographical account The Moon Baller was released at a function held at the Madras Cricket Club.The book, which goes back in time to chronicle the times when professional tennis for Indian women was quite unheard of, was launched by tennis legend Vijay Amritraj. My Journey: Transforming Dreams into Actions by Abdul Kalam Released In the month of August My Journey: Transforming Dreams into Actions by former President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam was launched by the Rupa Publication.In his new book Kalam shares the inspiration and the lessons he learned from personal stories of his life. The book describes the lesser known events from his life. Dhyan Chand The Wizard of Hockey Book Released The first-of-its-kind graphic biography on former Indian Hockey player Dhyan Chand titled Dhyan Chand -The Wizard of Hockey was launched at Dhyanchand Stadium in New Delhi o n 29 August .The biography was launched on the National Sports Day to commemorate the 108th birth anniversary of the legend.The book has been written by Luis Fernandes, who researched extensively on the subject.The book is being printed by comic-series publication Amar Chitra Katha.The book focussed on Dhyan Chands achievements and goal-scoring feats at 1928, 1932 and 1936 Olympics that got him the title The Wizard.
COMMITTEES
Virginius Xaxa Committee To Asses Status Of Scheduled Tribes On 17 August On the pattern of Sachar Committee for Muslims, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has set up a committee to assess the status of scheduled tribes with an aim of ensuring their uplift, particularly in socio-economic, health and education fields.Prof. Virginius Xaxa was appointed as the chairman of the seven-member committee.The committee will finalise and present its report within nine months from the date of this notification.The Prime Ministers decision of setting up a commit tee came after the government found that the STs, who form 7.5 percent of the countrys population, are not getting enough dues despite the special status in the constitution.
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INTERNATIONAL
Tony Abbott is Australias new Prime Minister Tony Abbott , Leader of the Liberal Party elected as the Prime Minister of Australia on 8 October.Liberal Party won the 44th Parliamentary elections. Liberal Party defeated the in-power Labor Party in the general elections held on 7 September 2013 to return back in power as the Liberal-National coalition for the first time in six years.With this win, Tony Abbott the leader of the Liberal-National Coalition will become the Prime Minister of the Country and successor of Kevin Rudd of the Labor Party.The coalition won 88 seats in the 150 seat Parliament. The ruling Labor Party was successful in winning 57 seats. US and Russia Agreement on Removing Chemical Weapons on Syria The United States and Russia have on 14 September agreed on a framework for removing chemical weapons from Syria .The break- through was announced after three day talks between the US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Geneva.The USA and Russia have agreed that Syrias chemical weapons must be destroyed or removed by mid-2014. USA outlined a six-point framework under which Syria must hand over a full list of its stockpile within a week. European Union Pledges 650 million euros To Somalia The European Union has pledged 650 million euros ($868 million) in aid to Somalia to back a three-year reconstruction plan
aimed at building on fragile security gains in the country.International donors met in Brussels on 16 September to approve Somalias New Deal.International donors pledged 1.8 billion euros for Somalia. 232 Million Global Migrants Living Abroad World Wide On 12 September According to the new figures from the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA) showed that 232 million people, or 3.2 percent of the worlds population, live abroad worldwide, compar ed with 175 million in 2000 and 154 million in 1990.With more people than ever living abroad, Asia sees the largest increase of international migrants in the past decade, and the US remains the most popular destination.New figures from the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA) showed that 232 million people, or 3.2 percent of the worlds population, live abroad worldwide, compared with 175 million in 2000 and 154 million in 1990.The new estimates include breakdowns by region and country of destination and origin, and by sex and age. The north, or developed countries, is home to 136 million international migrants, compared with 96 million in the south, or developing countries. Egyptian Court Bans Muslim Brotherhood The Egypt court on 23 September has banned the Muslim Brotherhood from carrying out any activities in the country.The court also ordered the seizure of any assets held by the Brotherhood, estimated by the interim military-backed government to have more than a million members.The administrative court gave the ruling after a lawsuit was filed by the leftist Tagammu Party to review the Islamist groups status as a non-governmental organisation.
agreement on civilian nuclear power cooperation.President Barack Obama announced the agreement on 27 September after his meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the White House Oval Office.Indias nuclear operator NPCIL (Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited) and US firm Westinghouse have signed an agreement that will pave the way for setting up an atomic plant in India.
NATIONAL
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Launched Gandhi Heritage Portal In NewDelhi Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 2 September launched the Gandhi Heritage Portal in New Delhi.The Gandhi heritage Portal is set up to preserve, protect and disseminate original writings of Gandhiji.The Gandhi Heritage Portal is a technologydriven initiative aimed at making Gandhiji accessible all over the world on an electronic platform. It would be one of the most authentic open source archives on the life and work and thought of Mahatma Gandhi. 3rd All India Survey on Higher Education Launched On 3 September Minister of State for Human Resource Development Jitin Prasada launched the third All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE)-2012-13 .The survey was initiated in the year 2011 to prepare a robust data-base on higher education.Data for the year 2010-11 was collected during the first year of the survey.Keeping in view the usefulness of data collected during the very first year, Ministry has decided to make this survey an annual exercise of data collection in higher education sector. The survey covers all the Higher Education (HE) Institutions of the country including Universities, Colleges, and Stand-Alone Institutions.The main items of data collection under survey are Basic details, Programme details, Teaching & Non-Teaching Staff, Student Enrolment, Examination Results and Scholarships. Judicial Appointments Commission Bill Passed In Rajya Sabha The Rajya Sabha on 5 September passed the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill, which seeks to scrap the collegium system of appointing judges to higher courts.The bill, which entails Constitutional amendment, seeks to set up a Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) to recommend appointment and transfer of Supreme Court and High Court judges. Lok Sabha Passed Bill To Set Up First National Aviation University Rajiv Gandhi National Aviation University Bill, 2013 was passed by the Lok Sabha on 6 September.The purpose of the bill is to establish the first-ever national aviation university in India, called Rajiv Gandhi National Aviation University, which is named after Rajiv Gandhi. The University would train the cabin crew, pilots as well as aircraft engineers.The proposed university would come up at Sonia Gandhis constituency of Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh. Cabinet Committee On Economic Affairs Approved Proposal For Restructuring SJSRY The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on 3 September approved the proposal for restructuring of the centrally sponsored Scheme of Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY) in the 12th Plan and as the National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) with an allocation of approximately Rs. 6,405 crore.The mission of National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) is reduction of poverty and vulnerability of the urban poor households by enabling them to access gainful selfemployment and skilled wage employment opportunities.The mission will also aim at providing shelter equipped with essential services to the urban homeless in a phased manner. President Gave Assent To Land Acquisition Bill The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill 2013,has received the assent of the President of India on 27 Septmeber.The bill has now become law.The Lok Sabha passed the bill on 29 August 2013 and Rajya Sabha passed the bill on 4 September 2013.The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Law, 2013, replaces a British-era law of 1894. It provides for fair compensation to owners whose land is taken over, brings transparency to the process and lays down measures for rehabilitation of those displaced.
STATES
Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare Launched New Health Initiatives For Assam Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad on 1 September launched several new health initiatives worth Rs.500 crores under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) for the strengthening of healthcare services in Assam.The new initiatives are Free Generic Drug Service, Rashtriya Bal Swasthya karyakram (RBSK), National Iron Plus Initiative, Fleet of
359 New Ambulances for National Ambulance Service.Ghulam Nabi Azad also inaugurated Mother and Child Tracking System Call Centre and Tele-Radiology Project under NRHM. Himachal Pradesh Scrapped Palchan-Rohtang Ropeway Project Himachal Pradesh cabinet on 4 September decided to cancel construction of Palchan-Rohtang ropeway project in Kullu district. The proposed project was planned to transport around 9000 visitors between Palchan and Rohtang daily to decongest the Manali-Leh road. There is a huge rush of tourists between May and July every year. Kerala Government Launched E-Payment Facility The Kerala Government has launched on 5 September an e-payment facility system enabling peop le to pay various utility bills and access Government department services online.The payment of Utility bills of Kerala State Electricity Board, Kerala Water Authority, BSNL and university fees could be done through the gateway using credit and debit cards of 66 banks identified for the scheme.One can avail the service at all Akshaya e-centers of the government which would act as decentralized information hubs and service delivery points. MP Government Decided To Constitute State Disaster Emergency Response Force The Madhya Pradesh Government on 10 September decided to constitute a State Disaster Emergency Response Force to deal with any calamity more effectively and provide immediate relief to affected persons.Initially, the State Disaster Emergency Response Force will be set up in Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior and Jabalpur districts.100 jawans will be deployed in each of these districts. Union Government Approved 1000 crore Proposal To Develop J&K sports The Union Government of India on 16 September approved a special package 1000 crore Rupees to strengthen sports infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir .The objective of the special package is construction of new stadiums and sports fields across the state.The Jammu and Kashmir Government made a policy under which every block in the state will be provided with both indoor and outdoor sports complexes. Every panchayat in the state will be provided with a sports field, and the government will also upgrade the already available sports equipments. Prime Minister Manmohan Laid The Foundation Stone For New Airport In Rajasthan Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 21 September laid the foundation stone for a new airport at Kishangarh town in Ajmer District, Rajasthan.Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singhon also announced that small destinations in the country will have air connectivity with a network of more than 100 airports, planned to meet the expected passenger load capacity of 30 crore, by 2020.The first such airport will come up in Kishangarh town in Rajasthans Ajmer district, t he airport which is scheduled to get operational by 2016.
CONFERENCES
8th G-20 Summit Held In Saint Petersburg The eighth G20 Summit was held at St. Petersburg , Russia on 5 6 September 2013.The G20 nations discussed ways to ensure economic growth and financial stability, create jobs and combat unemployment, stimulate investment and promote multilateral trade, international development and anti-corruption. The members of the Group of Twenty (G-20) are: Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Great Britain, Germany, European Union, India, Indonesia, Italy, Canada, China, Mexico, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, USA, Turkey, France, South Africa, Republic of Korea, and Japan. The presidency of the G20 rotates annually among its members.During the summit, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh focused on the ongoing economic crisis and urged the G-20 nations to pay more attention to their monetary policies.The 2014 G-20 Australia summit will be the ninth meeting of the G-20 heads of government.It will be held in Brisbane, the capital city of Queensland, Australia, on 15-16 November 2014 .In a 27-page declaration adopted at the end of the two-day Summit , the group of 20 industrialised and major emerging economies also reaffirmed its commitment to roll back new protectionist measures. Important Points of G-20 Leaders Declaration :* Recognising the risk of economic slowdown and weakening trade posed by protectionism, the G20 has decided to extend until the end of 2016 its standstill commitment to further progress in removing barriers and impediments to global trade and investment. * G-20 Leaders endorsed an ambitious action plan to change national tax rules that encourage multinational companies to shift their profits to low- or no-tax jurisdictions, allowing them not to pay tax on much of their income. * The declaration committed itself to cooperate to ensure that policies implemented to support domestic growth also support global growth and financial stability and to manage their spillovers other countries. * It noted that the most urgent need is to increase the momentum of the global recovery, generate higher growth and better jobs while strengthening the foundations for long term growth and avoiding policies that could cause the recovery to falter or promote growth at other countries expense. * Agreeing on the Action Plan, the leaders said cross-border tax evasion and avoidance undermine public finances and trust in
the fairness of the tax system. * The Summit also shared Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs views on the ne ed for orderly exit from the monetary stimulus undertaken in the context of 2008 economic crisis.
ECONOMY
Microsoft Decided To Buy Nokias Mobile Phone Unit and Services Microsoft Corporation and Nokia Corporation on 3 September announced that both companies have decided to enter into a transaction whereby Microsoft will purchase substantially all of Nokias Devices & Services business, license Nokias patents, and license and use Nokias mapping services.Under the terms of the agreement, Microsoft will pay 3.79 billion Euros to purchase substantially all of Nokias Devices & Services business, and 1.65 billion Euros to license Nokias patents, for a total transaction price of 5.44 billion Euros in cash.Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications and information technology corporation (originally a paper production plant) that is headquartered in Espoo, Finland.Its principal products are mobile telephones and portable IT devices.Nokia owns a company named Nokia Solutions and Networks, which provides telecommunications network equipment and services.
India Now Has 7850 Ultra Wealthy Individuals On 11 September According to the 2013 Wealth-X report , India has 7850 UHNW (Ultra-High-Net-Worth) individuals in 2013 compared to 7730 in 2012 an increased of 1.6 percent. Out of these, 103 individuals have wealth of over USD 1 Billion dollars. The billionaire club has shrunk from 109 people in 2012 to 103 in 2013.Total combined wealth of billionaires also fell by 5.3 per cent $180 billion ($190 bn in 2012).A city-wise analysis shows that more than 90 per cent of Indi as UHNW population live in top 10 cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Pune, Gurgaon and Jaipur.Mumbai and Delhi, however, dominate with more than 50 per cent of the countrys UHNW population based in one of these two cities. Cabinet Approved Buying $ 4.3 billion World Bank Bonds The Union Cabinet on 12 September gave the go-ahead to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to invest $4.3 billion in special bonds of the World Bank as it would help in securing additional funding from the multilateral lending agency for infrastructure development projects.Under the arrangement, the Reserve Bank of India will subscribe to special private placement of bonds by the IBRD, a lending arm of the World Bank. Indian Economy To Grow At 5.3% In 2013-14 The Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (of India) on 13 September 2013 released the report Economic Outlook 2013-14 in New Delhi.The economic growth forecast of India for the current fiscal 2013 -14 was lowered to 5.3 percent from 6.4 percent projected earlier. The PMEAC had in April 2013 projected 6.4 percent growth for Indian economy for current financial year.RBI too had earlier lowered its growth projection for this fiscal to 5.5 percent from 5.7 percent. Highlights of the of Economic Outlook India are as following : * The PMEAC expects the agriculture sector to grow by 4.8 percent in the current fiscal up from 1.9 percent, while the industrial growth has been pegged at 2.7 percent as against 2.1 percent in 2012-13. * Services projected to grow at 6.6%in 2013-14 as against 7.1% in 2012-13. * Referring to the external sector, the advisory council expressed hope that the Current Account Deficit (CAD) in 2013-14 will come down to 70 billion US dollars or 3.8 percent of GDP, from 88.2 billion US dollars or 4.8 percent a year ago. * The trade deficit ,would come down to around USD 185 billion in 2013-14, against an estimated USD 195.7 billion in 2012-13. * Between 2010-11 and 2012-13, the combined impact of higher net oil and net gold imports on the CAD (Current Account Deficit) was almost 57 billion US dollars or 3 percent of GDP. * The CAD may go even below $ 70 billion in 2013-14 if the recent trends in exports and imports are maintained through the year. * Net Capital flows are projected to fall to USD 61.4 billion in 2013-14 against an estimated USD 89.4 billion in 2012-13 putting pressure on the countrys forex reserves. RBI Increases Repo Rate By 25 Basis Points The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 20 September increased the repo rate or the short term lending rate by 25 basis points to 7.5 per cent from 7.25 per cent with immediate effect. This means that the Repo rate has been increased by 0.25 percent.The cash reserve ratio (CRR) remained unchanged at 4 percent.The RBI previously raised the repo rate in October 2011 by 0.25 per cent to 8.5 per cent. India Entertainment & Media Outlook 2013 Report Released According to the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) s latest report titled, India Entertainment & Media Outlook 2013 was released on 13 September in New Delhi. Highlights of the India Entertainment & Media Outlook 2013 Report :* Indias entertainment and media industry to clock over INR 224, 500 crore by 2017: CII -PwC study forecast CAGR of 18% over 2012-17 * Now the size of the Indian M&E sector increased from about 805 billion INR in 2011 to almost 965 billion INR in 2012 representing an year-on-year growth of 20%. * The television and print sectors dominate the industry with about 40% and 22% contribution to industry revenues respectively in 2012. * Internet access now commands about 18% share and films 12% of industry revenues. * Internet access now commands about 18% share and films 12% of industry revenues. * The print sector revenues are expected to increase at over 9% CAGR to reach 331 billion INR in 2017 from 212 billion INR in 2012. * Year-on-year sectors such as internet access (30%), internet advertising (29%), gaming (19%), and music (15%) are expected to continue on their high growth trajectory. * The radio sector is also expected to receive a fillip with the successful conclusion of Phase III licence auctions and it is expected to grow at a robust CAGR of about 16%.
Indian Air Force inducts its Biggest Transport Aircraft C-17 Globemaster III Union Defence Minister AK Antony on 2 September formally inducted IAFs biggest 70 -tonne heavy-lift transport aircraft C-17 Globemaster III into service at the Hindon Air Base near Delhi.The C-17 Globemaster III aircraft has been procured from the US under a deal expected to be over Rs.20,000 crore.The C-17, with a capability to carry around 70 tonnes of load and around 150 fully geared troops, will replace the Russian Il-76 as the biggest aircraft in the IAF inventory till now.The IL-76 has the capability to carry loads upto around 40 tonnes.The IAF has placed orders with the US for ten C-17 aircraft under the deal signed in 2011 and three of them have already been delivered.The US Air Force is scheduled to complete the delivery of all the 10 planes by the end of 2014. NASA Launches Spacecraft To Study Moon Atmosphere NASAs Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) mission was successfully launched by a Minotaur 5 (spin stabilised delivery version) rocket on 7 September from NASAs Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.LADEE is a robotic mission that will orbit the moon to gather detailed information about the lunar atmosphere, conditions near the surface, and environmental influences on lunar dust. Worlds Largest Volcano Discovered Under Pacific Ocean The worlds largest volcano has been discovered on 5 September by University of Houston researchers on the floor of the Pacific Ocean. The volcano, 1,600 kilometres east of Japan and called the Tamu Massif, is the size of the British Isles.At 310,000 sq km (119,000 sq mi) Tamu Massif is comparable in size to Mars vast Olympus Mons volcano the largest in the solar system..The volcano consists of a vast single rounded dome in the shape of a shield, which is believed to have been formed 144 million years ago when it last erupted.Its top lies about 6,500 feet below the ocean surface. Japan Launches New Epsilon Rocket Japans Epsilon-1 rocket the first in a new generation of space rockets and the countrys first rocket in 12 years lifted off on 14 September from a space center on Japans southern main island of Kyushu.The rocket, 24 meters in height and 90 tons in weight, placed the Spectroscopic Planet Observatory for Recognition of Interaction of Atmosphere, or SPRINT-A, into its orbit about an hour after the launch. The telescope will be used to observe planets including Venus, Mars and Jupiter from its Earth orbit.The Epsilon is the first new rocket design for Japan since the H2A was introduced in 2001. The H2A remains Japans primary rocket but officials hope the Epsilon will lead to improvements in the more costly H2A program. Japan hopes to be more competitive in the international rocket-launching business. India Successfully Test Fired Nuclear Capable Agni V Long Range Missile Indias most deterrent nuclear capable ballistic missile, Agni-5 was successfully test fired on 15 September from Chandipur Test Range in Balasore district off Odisha coast.Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Agni-5 can carry a single nuclear warhead of over 1000 kg and can strike with precision targets in China and Europe.The indigenously developed missile Agni-V is capable of striking a range of more than 5000 km. It is about 17 meter long and 2 metres wide with launch weight of around 50 tonnes.The first test flight of the Agni-5 on 19 April 2012 was a phenomenal success after which India joined the select club of the United States, Russia, France, Britain and China who have such capabilities. Agni-5 will give India the ability hit back or have second-strike capability even after a nuclear attack. The missile is Indias fastest-travelling object and the first one to cross the Equator when launched from India.In the Agni series, India at present has Agni-1 with 700 km range, Agni-2 with 2000 km range, Agni-3 and Agni-4 with 2500 km to more than 3500 range. US Launches Unmanned Cygnus Cargo Ship To ISS Orbital Sciences Corp launched the first flight of its unmanned Cygnus cargo ship on 18 September to the International Space Station, as NASA forges ahead with its plan to privatise US space missions.The Cygnus capsule, hitched to Orbital Sciences Antares rocket, blasted off from NASAs Wallops Flight Facility off Virginias eastern coast.Cygnus will ferry about 1,300 pounds (590 kilograms) of food, clothing and other cargo for the crew aboard the space station. Iran Displays 30 Missiles With 2000 km Range Iran paraded 30 missiles with a nominal range of 2,000 km on 22 September, the first time it had displayed so many with a stated capacity to hit Israeli targets.Iran displayed 12 Sejil and 18 Ghadr missiles at the annual parade marking the anniversary of the outbreak of the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war.The stated range of both missiles would put not only Israel but also US bases in the Gulf within reach.
PERSONS IN NEWS
A) APPOINTMENTS
Rakesh Sood Appointed as PMs Special Envoy on Disarment and Non -Proliferation On 1 September Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has app ointed Rakesh Sood, Indias former Ambassador to Nepal, Afghanistan and France and the countrys first Ambassador in charge of Disarmament in Geneva, as his new Special Envoy for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation.Rakesh Sood is a recognised expert in his field and will be able to make a valuable contribution to the countrys foreign policy on security, non-proliferation and disarmament issues. Deepak Sandhu Becomes The First Woman Chief Information Commissioner On 5 September Deepak Sandhu became the first woman Chief Information Commissioner of the country.She was administered the oath of the office by the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee.Sandhu served in many key positions like Principal Director General (Media and Communications) in the Press Information Bureau, Director General of DD (News), Director General (News) All India Radio before taking over as Information Commissioner in 2009. Kulkarni Becomes First Indian American State Judge In Northern California On 6 September A leading Indian American lawyer, Sunil R Kulkarni, has become the first South Asian American state judge in Northern California with his appointment to Santa Clara County Superior Court.In 2010, Indian American Paul Singh Grewal was appointed a magistrate judge in US District Court for the Northern District of California. Thomas Bach is new IOC president Thomas Bach of Germany on 10 September has been elected as the new president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).Bach succeeds Jacques Rogge, the Belgian who is stepping down after 12 years.Bach is also the first gold medalist to become IOC president. He won gold in team fencing for West Germany in the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Justice Prafulla Chandra Pant Appointed First Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court On 19 September Justice Prafulla Chandra Pant has been appointed as the first Chief Justice of the newly established Meghalaya High Court.Justice Pant will succeed Justice T Meena Kumari whose term as the Meghalaya Chief Justice was over two months ago.Justice Pant is a judge of the Uttarakhand High Court.Born in Pithoragarh district of then undivided Uttar Pradesh, he joined the UP Judicial Service in 1976 and held different posts. After the creation of Uttarakhand, he was the first Secretary, Judicial, of the state. Srinivasan Re-Elected As BCCI President For The Third Term Narayanaswamy Srinivasan has been re-elected as the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for a third term at its 84th annual general meeting (AGM) held at Chennai on 29 September. He was unanimously re-elected as the president of BCCI for the term of 2013-14. Ranjib Biswal Appointed as new IPL chairman Former national selector Ranjib Biswal on 29 September has been appointed as chairman of the Indian Premier League (IPL) during the Annual General Meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) at Chennai.Prior to this appointment Ranjib Biswal was manager of the Indian Cricket team during the ICC World Cup 2011 and the ICC Champions Trophy 2013. He is also the head of Orissa Cricket Association.
B)RESIGNS
Rajasthan Minister Babulal Nagar Resigned Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies Babulal Nagar on 19 September resigned from the Rajasthan cabinet after being accused of raping a woman.
C)DEATHS
Audio Pioneer Ray Dolby of famed Sound System Died Ray Dolby, the engineer who pioneered the noise reduction in audio recordings that produced clearer sound for music and cinema, died on 12 September in San Francisco.He was the founder of Dolby Laboratories.His works in noise reduction and surround sound has been appreciated across the world and have won recognitions too.Dolby moved his company to San Francisco in 1976 and in 1989 was awarded an Oscar for his contributions to cinema, which he shared with Dolby executive Ioan Allen.Dolby also was given musics Grammy award 1995 and televisions Emmys in 1989 and 2005. Worlds Oldest Man Salustiano Sanchez-Blazquez Died The worlds oldest man, a former musician and coal miner, Salustiano Sanchez-Blazquez has died at the age of 112 in Grand Island, New York on 13 September.Salustiano Sanchez-Blazquez was officially certified by Guinness World Records as the worlds oldest man.He was born on 8 June 1901 in Spain.
D)VISITORS
Liberia President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Visited India Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia, visited India from 9 13 September 2013 .During this visit,President Sirleaf met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in NewDelhi and held delegation level discussions on bilateral, regional and international issues.Both sides noted that there still remained considerable potential for cooperation and agreed to enhance the partnership between the two countries in all areas of mutual interest.On 12 September 2013, the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for the year 2012 was conferred upon President Sirleaf.
E)MISCELLANEOUS
Malala Yousafzai Inaugurates Europes Largest Library In UK Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl shot in the head in a failed assassination attempt by the Taliban, on 3 September inaugurated Europes biggest public library in her newly adopted home of Birmingham in UK.The library of Brimingham was built with cost of 189-million pound ,while it has more than 200 public access computers,theatres ,an exhibition gallery and music rooms. Zardari Becomes First Pakistani President To Serve Full Term Pakistans president stepped down on 8 September 2013, after finishing his five -year term .Asif Ali Zardari is the first president in the history of Pakistani democracy to be democratically elected, serve his full term, and then step down.He served as the 11th President of Pakistan from 2008 to 2013. Diana Became First Woman to Swim Across Florida Straits without Shark Cage Diana Nyad, 64-year old American long-distance swimmer became the first person to cross Florida Straits from Cuba without any shark cage on 2 September 2013. This was her fifth attempt to cross the 110-mile (177-km) distance.Diana Nyad completed the 110-mile or 177-km distance. Nina Davuluri Wins Miss America 2014 Title Nina Davuluri, Miss New York, was crowned the new Miss America on 15 September in Atlantic City, New Jersey.Miss New York, Nina Davuluri, became the first contestant of Indian heritage and the second consecutive contestant from New York to win the Miss America pageant.She succeeds another Miss New York, Mallory Hagan, whose tenure was cut short when the pageant moved back to Atlantic City after a six-year stint in Las Vegas, where winners were chosen in January.Nina Davuluri from Syracuse, sashayed off with the tiara and the $50,000 scholarship cash.She is the first Miss America winner of Indian descent. Megan Young Crowned Miss World 2013 Megan Young of Philippines was crowned Miss World 2013 at the Bali Nasa Dua Convention Center in Bali, Indonesia on 28 September.Miss France, Marine Lorphelin took second place, while Miss Ghana, Carranzar Naa Okailey Shooter ,came in third. Miss India World Navneet Kaur Dhillon finished among the top 20 finalists but couldnt reach final ten. She won the title of Miss Multimedia.
PLACES IN NEWS
China Inaugurated Worlds Highest Daocheng Yading Civilian Airport China has opened the worlds highest civilian airport named Daocheng Yading on 16 September in a restive and remote Tibetan region of southwestern Sichuan province.The Daocheng Yading airport in Ganzi prefecture in southwestern China is the worlds highest civilian airport.The region is a gateway to Tibet.Daocheng airport in Garzi, a heavily ethnic Tibetan par t of Sichuan, is 4411 metres above sea level, and overtakes Qamdo airport in Tibet, which sits at 4334 metres above sea level, for the title of worlds highest. Strong Earthquake Hits Pakistan A major 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit southwestern Pakistan on 24 September, killed more than 350 people and damaged several houses near the epicentre in a remote part of Balochistan province. The quake, with its epicentre 69 km from Awaran, was originally measured at 7.4 on the Richter Scale by the US Geological Survey which later it revised to 7.8 . Pakistans meteorological office gave the magnitude as 7.7.The 7.6 magnitude quake in 2005 killed at least 73,000 people and left several million homeless in one of the worst natural disasters to hit Pakistan.
ABBREVIATIONS
NCRB National Crime Records Bureau AISHE All India Survey on Higher Education MNIC - Multi-purpose National Identity Card IBRD - International Bank for Reconstruction and Development ICAO International Civil Aviation Organisation HDI - Human Development Index ESMA Essential Services Maintenance Act DRDO Defence Research and Development Organisation CTBT Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
BOOKS IN NEWS
India and Malaysia : Interwined Strands Book Released By Vice President of India The Vice President of India M. Hamid Ansari on 9 September released a book entitled India and Malaysia: Intertwined Strands at New Delhi . The book is authored by former Diplomat Veena Sikri. The book is written for the Institute of South East Asian Studies (ISEAS), Singapore. It is a comprehensive book on a very useful subject of relationship between India and Malaysia.
COMMITTEES
Nachiket Mor Committee To Frame Vision For Financial Inclusion The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 23 September announced a 13-member committee, including former Citibank CEO Vikram Pandit and Axis Bank chief Shikha Sharma, to frame a clear and detailed vision for financial inclusion/deepening across the country.The Committee is headed by Nachiket Mor, Member on the RBIs Central Board of Directors. The committe e, which will submit its final report by December 31.Committee is to lay down a set of design principles that will guide the development of institutional frameworks and regulation for achieving financial inclusion and financial deepening in India.
INTERNATIONAL
Gambia Decided To Withdraw From The Commonwealth The Gambia is on 2 October decided to withdraw from the Commonwealth, 48 years after joining. Gambian, a West African country joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1965.The last country to be withdrawn from the Commonwealth group was Zimbabwe in 2003.The Commonwealth of Nations is a voluntary association of 54 countries, many of them former territories of the British Empire. It was established in 1949. China and EU Signed Bilateral Currency Swap Agreement China and the European Union signed a 350 billion yuan (45 billion euro) currency swap agreement on 10 October.The agreement signed between the Peoples Bank of China and the European Central Bank (ECB), aims to support bilateral trade and protect financial stability. US and Vietnam Signed Nuclear Trade Agreement The US and Vietnam have on 10 October signed a agreement on civilian nuclear power that will allow american firms in to the market and commits the vietnamese to not producing ingredients for aotmic weapons.U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his vietnamese counterpart signed the 123 agreement at the East Asian Summit in Brunei . Mulatu Teshome Elected New President of Ethiopia Ethiopias parliament on 7 October elected Mulatu Teshome as the countrys new president for a six -year term. Mulatu Teshome will replace Girma Wolde Giorgis, who first took the post in 2001 and was re-elected in 2007.Mulatu Teshome was elected at a joint session of the House of Peoples Representatives (HPR) and the House of Federation (HoF). Mulatu Teshome is the Fourth president of Ethiopia. Five New Members Elected To UN Security Council The UN General Assembly on 18 October elected Chad, Chile, Lithuania, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia to a two-year term in the UN Security Council.Saudi Arabia rejected its seat on the United Nations Security Council because of the failure of the international community to end the war in Syria and act on other Middle East issues.The New Council members will replace Azerbaijan, Guatemala, Morocco, Pakistan and Togo.The new members will assume their posts on 1 January 2014 and serve through the end of 2015.The 15 Members of the Security Council has five veto-wielding permanent members the United States, Britain, France, Russia, and China and 10 nonpermanent members. Social Democratic Party Won Czech Republic Elections The CSSD Social Democratic Party has won the parliamentary elections held in the Czech Republic with 20.5 percent of the vote.The office of statistics in Prague announced on 26 October.Coming in third was the KSCM Communist Party, with 15 percent, while the the party that was in power until recently, the liberal Top 09, was left with 11.9 percent.Also finding a place in the 200-seat parliament was the liberal ODS party, which crashed from 20 percent in 2010 to 7.7 percent this time out.The conservative Christian Democrat KDU-SCL with 6.8 percent, and the new Dawn of Direct Democracy party of the senator and businessman of Japanese origin, Tomio Okamura, with 6.9 percent.
Bangladesh and India Inaugurated Joint Power Transmission Plant Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 5 October jointly inaugurated the IndiaBangladesh Grid Inter-connection at Bheramara in Bangladesh.The joint venture was launched through video-conferencing. The transmission line and the HVDC station in Bheramara provide a safe and reliable interconnection of the power grids of our two countries, which will enable supply of 500 MW of power from India to Bangladesh.Both the Prime Ministers also jointly laid the foundation stone for 1320 megawatt Maitri Thermal Power Project, being developed by Bangladesh-India friendship powercompany which is a joint venture of Indias NTPC and Bangladesh Power Development Board. Global Hunger Index Report 2013 The 2013 Global Hunger Index (GHI), released on 14th October 2013 by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Welthungerhilfe, and Concern Worldwide- revealed that 842 million people were chronically under nourished across the world.South Asia continued to have the maximum number of hungry people in the world, followed by sub-Saharan Africa.India has moved from 65 to 63 in the Global Hunger Index, making a marginal improvement since 2012, but continues to suffering far behind other emerging economies. Global Slavery Index 2013 The Australia-based rights organisation Walk Free Foundation (WFF ) on 17 October released its first Global Slavery Index 2013, ranking 162 countries on the number of people in slavery and bondage per capita and the absolute number of slaves.According to the report , About 14 million Indians are living in conditions of modern-day slavery, nearly half of 30 million across the world.The ten countries on the list, which follow India (13,956,010) , are:- China (2,949,243), Pakistan (2,127,132), Nigeria (701,032), Ethiopia(651,110),Russia(516,210), Thailand(472,811), Democratic Republic of Congo (462,327), Myanmar (384,037), and Bangladesh (343,192).Mauritania has the highest proportion of people in slavery, with many people inheriting slave status from their ancestors.Haiti came second in the index, with about one in 10 children trapped in an exploitative system of child labor.The survey revealed that 72 percent of people in modern slavery lived in Asia.The WFF defines modern slavery as something which includes slavery itself along with other slavery-like practices such as forced marriage, debt bondage, forced labour and human trafficking.The Foundations estimate of 29.8 million slaves worldwide is higher than other attempts to quantify modern slavery. The UN estimates almost 21 million people are victims of forced labour. India and China Signed Border Defence Cooperation Agreement India and China have signed a Border Defence Cooperation Agreement (BDCA) to maintain peace and tranquility on the Line of Actual Control.The agreement is one of the nine MOUs/agreements signed by the two countries on 23 October.The agreements were signed after the bilateral talks between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing.The other 8 agreements/Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) were :(i) MoU on Nalanda University (ii) MOU to Strengthen Cooperation on Trans-Border Rivers (iii) Cultural Exchange Programme 2013-15 (iv) MoU on Cooperation in Road Transport and Highways (v) MoU on Power Equipment Service Centres in India (vi) Agreement between Delhi-Beijing on Establishment of Sister City Relationship (vii) Agreement between Bengaluru Chengdu on Establishment of Sister City Relationship (viii) Agreement between Kolkata Kunming on Establishment of Sister City Relationship. 1.3 Million People Died of Tuberculosis (TB) Worldwide in 2012 The Global tuberculosis report 2013 released by World Health Organization (WHO) on 23 October.According to the report , Tuberculosis (TB) killed 1.3 million people worldwide in 2012, while India alone accounted for 26 per cent of total TB cases globally.The report found that global TB deaths decreased to 1.3 million in 2012, which is 100,000 less than the previous year.Approximately 75 per cent of total TB deaths occurred in the African and South-East Asia Regions in 2012. India and South Africa accounted for about one-third of global TB deaths.The report also found that the number of people ill with TB fell to 8.6 million in 2012.The largest number of incident cases in 2012 were India (2.0 million-2.4 million), China (0.9 million-1.1 million) and South Africa (0.4 million-0.6 million).The majority of TB cases worldwide in 2012 were in the South-East Asia (29 per cent), African (27 per cent) and Western Pacific (19 per cent) regions.
NATIONAL
Union Cabinet Decided to Withdraw Ordinance and Bill Relating to Representation of Peoples Act Union Cabinet on 2 October decided to withdraw the ordinance on convicted lawmakers, as well as the Bill that sought to amend the Representation of the People Act.The Union Cabinet had approved on 24 September 2013.The ordinance, once promulgated, will allow the convicted MPs or MLAs to continue in office if their appeal is admitted by a higher court within 90 days of conviction by the trial court.The Ordinance which sought to negate the Supreme Court order of 10 July 2013 which ruled that any lawmaker would stand immediately disqualified if convicted by a court. CCEA approves Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) , a Centrally
Sponsored Scheme (CSS) on 3 October for reforming the state higher education system.During the 12th Plan period, 80 new universities would be created by converting autonomous colleges/colleges in a cluster to State universities. 100 new colleges, including professional/technical colleges would be set up and 54 existing colleges would be converted into model degree colleges.In the 12th Plan period, RUSA would have a financial outlay of 22855 crore Rupees, out of which 16227 crore Rupees will be borne by the Centre.Apart from this, allocation of 1800 crore Rupees in the 12th Plan for the existing scheme SubMission polytechnics would also be subsumed in RUSA.Centre-State funding would be in the ratio of 90:10 for North-Eastern States, Sikkim, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand and 65:35 for other States and Union Territories.RUSA will be a new Centrally Sponsored Scheme spread over two plan periods, for improving access, equity and quality in the state higher education system. 64,000 Married Men Commit Suicide Every Year In India On 3 October According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) statistics revealed more incidences of suicide by married men than by married women. Highlights of the Report :* The alleged misuse of section 498 A of IPC is leading to a rise in mens suicides in the country.A report of the National Cri me Records Bureau(NCRB) has pointed out that nearly 64,000 men are committing suicide every year due to this section. * In 2012 approximately 64,000 married men committed suicide vis-a-vis 32,000 married women. * As per the Survey , In West Bengal the number of cases under the section has grown exponentially at the rate of 11 per cent in the last two years but the conviction rate has dropped to just 4.4 per cent from 6.3 per cent earlier.The state accounts for 1.06 lakh cases recorded. Cabinet Approves National Identification Authority of India Bill The Union Cabinet on 8 October approved the National Identification Authority of India Bill that will give statutory status to the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).The new law will provide for the creation of a National Identification Authority of India ,which will oversee implementation of the Aadhaar project.The bill will give legal backing to Aadhaar, the project which aspires to give every Indian a uniquely identifiable number based on biometrics.Besides giving statutory status to the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), the Bill seeks to provide legal backing to Aadhaar, which is used to disburse subsidies.Adhaar is a unique Identification number issued by UIDAI to individuals for the purpose of establishing unique identification of every single person. It serves as the proof of identity and address anywhere in India.Aadhaar is a 12-digit number. Land Acquisition Act To Come into effect from 2014 January 1 Union Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh on 15 October announced the 2013 Land Acquisition Act would come into force on January 1, 2014.The new law received the assent of the President on 27 September 2013.Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh took the decision after consideration of another view, particularly from state governments, that the Act replacing a 119-year-old legislation should be notified from April 1, 2014.
STATES
Gujarat Lokayukta Aayog Bill 2013 Passed By State Assembly The Gujarat Lokayukta Aayog Bill 2013 has been passed by state Assembly on 1 October after it was returned by Governor Kamla Beniwal. The Governor had on September 2 returned the Lokayukta Aayog Bill 2013 passed by the Assembly in April, 2013. Foundation Stone Laid For First Mega Food Park In Uttar Pradesh Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing, Government of India Dr. Charan Das Mahant laid the foundation stone on 8 October for establishment of Shaktiman mega Food Park (the first in the north India) in Jagdishpur of Amethi district in Uttar Pradesh.The Shaktiman Mega Food Park was set up with assistance under the programme Scheme of Mega Food Parks.It will be developed with the assistance of Aditya Birla Group.The Park will have most-modern infrastructure and facilities for food processing. President Gave Assent To Uttarakhand Lokayukta Bill The President of India Pranab Mukherjee on 17 October 2013 gave his assent to the Uttarakhand Lokayukta Bill ,which will bring the chief minister among others under the ambit of the ombudsman, with a provision of punishment up to life imprisonment.With this Uttarakhand Lokayukta Bill became an Act.The main objective of the Lokayukta Act was to curb corruption in the Uttarakhand state.The Bill was unanimously passed by the Uttarakhand Assembly on October 2011. Assembly Elections Schedule Announced For Five States The Election Commission on 4 October announced the schedule for Assembly Elections to be held in five states, namely Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram will be held between 2013 November 11 and 2013 December 4.The
counting of votes will be held for Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh on 8 December 2013.The Election Commission on 23 October changed the Mizoram assembly election schedule by advancing the polling on November 25 and postponing the counting by a day to December 9.As per the Supreme Court direction a None of the Above button (the option of rejecting all candidates) would be provided in electronic voting machines in the polls.Over 11 crore electorate in all five states.630 Assembly seats in total in five states. Five States Election Schedule as Announced by the Election Commission :* Chhattisgarh- 11 Nov 2013 (Phase I), 19 Nov 2013 (Phase II) (90-member state assembly) * Madhya Pradesh25 Nov 2013 (230-member state assembly) * Rajasthan1 Dec 2013 (200member state assembly) * Delhi4 Dec 2013 (70member state assembly) * Mizoram- 25 Nov 2013 (40- member state assembly) Himachal Becomes 2nd State After Haryana To Introduce NVQF Himachal Pradesh on 26 October has become the second state after Haryana to introduce Centres National Vocat ional Qualitative Framework ( NVQF) Scheme.The scheme has been implemented by the All India Technical Education Council and the National Skill Development Council. As per the scheme, 70 skill development councils will be established and each council will be given specific trades. The scheme was being implemented for students of Class IX to Class XI and every student has to clear four levels to get the certificate. Gujarat CM Laid The Foundation Stone Of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patels Statue Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on 31 October laid the foundation of the Statute of Unity-a 182-metre tall statue (Worlds largest statue) of Indias first Home Minister and iron man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 138th birth anniversary at Sardar Sarovar Dam site in Bharuch district in Gujarat.The Statue of Unity will be double of the height of the Statue of Liberty (93 metres) in the USA.This Statue , which is being constructed at a cost of Rs. 2,074 crore, will be double of the height of the Statue of Liberty (93 metres) in the USA.The statue is to be built on an island called Sadhu Bet on the river Narmada in Gujarat.The Spring Temple Buddha statue in China is the closest rival at a height of 153 metre.
CONFERENCES
23rd ASEAN Summit Held in Brunei Darussalam The 23rd ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) summit was held in Brunei Darussalam on 9 10 October 2013.The theme of the summit is Our People, Our Future Together.The leaders of 10 ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member countries discussed on ways to consolidate these gains to meet the 2015 target of having an economically integrated, politically cohesive and socially responsible ASEAN Community and to ensure ASEANs place in the global community of nations by 2015 and beyond.One of the highlights of the ASEAN Summit in Brunei was the turn-over of the Chairmanship to Myanmar who for the first time assumes leadership of this regional organisation beginning 1 January 2014.The 10 ASEAN nations are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was established in 1967.
2013 Nobel Prize Winners The Nobel Prize winners of 2013 in the different categories were announced in the month of October 2013. Nobel Prizes are announced by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences every year in the memory of Alfred Nobel.The categories were the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, the Nobel Prize in Physics, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences, The Nobel Literature Prize and The Nobel Peace Prize.Swedish industrialist, inventor, and armaments manufacturer Alfred Nobel established the prizes in 1895.The prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Peace were first awarded in 1901.The related Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences was created in 1968.The prize is awarded on December 10 in Oslo City Hall each year.The value of each prize is 1.2 million US Dollar. The Nobel Prize winners of 2013 in the different categories were as follows:Medicine :- James Rothman and Randy Schekman of US as well as German-born Thomas Suedhof won the 2013 Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology .They were awarded for their groundbreaking work on how the cell organises its transport system. James Rothman, Randy Schekman and Thomas Suedhof work at the US universities.The three of them discovered the complex transport system in the human body which makes the delivery of the life-saving proteins and molecules at right place and right time. James Rothman, Randy Schekman and Thomas Suedhof work at the Yale University, University of California and Stanford University respectively. Physics :- Peter Higgs, United Kingdom and Francois Englert , Belgium jointly awarded Nobel Prize for Physics.They were awarded for the theoretical discovery of a mechanism that contributes to our understanding of the origin of mass of subatomic particles.Their contribution forms the cornerstone of modern particle physics.Higgs and Francois Englert discovered a quantum field which is a distribution of energy, throughout the universe. It is a field with special properties. When the field is disturbed, waves travel through it. The dimmest possible wave is called a particle in the field. They called this field as Higgs field. In the Higgs field particles are called as Higgs Boson. Chemistry :- Michael Levitt, a British and US citizen of Stanford University, US-Austrian Martin Karplus of Strasbourg University and US-Israeli Arieh Warshel of the University of Southern California share The Nobel Prize in Chemistry.They were awarded Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2013 for the development of multi scale models for complex chemical systems. Literature :- Canadas Alice Munro won the Nobel literature prize for her short stories that focus on the frailties of the human condition, becoming just the 13th woman to win in the history of the coveted award.The Swedish Academy honoured Munro as a master of the contemporary short story. She won the Man International Booker Prize in 2009 for a body of work.She won the Giller Prize twice, for The Love of a Good Woman in 1998 and Runaway in 2004. Economics :- The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences decided to award The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel for 2013 to Eugene F. Fama, Lars Peter Hansen and Robert J. Shiller for their empirical analysis of asset prices.The three American Economists awarded for their work on creating a deeper knowledge of how market prices move. Peace :- The Nobel Peace Prize for 2013 has been awarded to the Organisation for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) for its extensive efforts to eliminate chemical weapons.The Hague-based OPCW was founded in 1997 to implement the Chemical Weapons Convention signed on January 13, 1993.The organisation is presently involved in destroying Syrias stockpiles of chemical weapons the first time the OPCW has worked in a war zone.This marks the second consecutive year an organisation has won the prestigious award. Last years award went to the European Union. Eleanor Catton Wins 2013 Man Booker Prize New Zealand author Eleanor Catton at the age of just 28 years, became the youngest ever winner of the 2013 Man Booker Prize for her novel The Luminaries on 15 October at the Londons Guildhall.Her 832-page novel The Luminaries is the story of 19th-century goldfields, which won 50000 Pound Man Booker Prize 2013 along with a trophy, and Emmanuel Roman.The Luminaries is also the longest work to win this prize in the history of 45 years of Man Booker Prize.The Luminaries is the longest ever book to win this Prize, beating Hilary Mantels 672 -page Wolf Hall which received the Man Booker Prize 2009. Lata Mangeshkar Honoured With The First Yash Chopra Memorial Award Legendary singer and Bharat Ratna awardee Lata Mangeshkar has been honoured with the First Yash Chopra Memorial Award.The Award carries a cash prize of Rs 10 lakhs (One million) and a citation was presented by the Union Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting Manish Tewari at a star studded function in Mumbai on 19 October.The award is a tribute to the legendary filmmaker Yash Chopra on the eve of his first death anniversary.Yash Chopra the memorial award will be given annually to people in recognition of their outstanding contribution in the field of art and culture.The Yash Chopra Memorial Award has been instituted by the TSR Foundation of T. Subbarami Reddy. Aung Suu Kyi Received EU Sakharov Prize After 23 years Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was on 22 October presented with the European Unions Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought at Strasbourg, France.She was chosen by the European Parliament in 1990.The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought announced by the European Parliament in 1990 when she was under house arrest.The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, named after Soviet scientist and dissident Andrei Sakharov, was established in December 1988 by the European Parliament as a means to honour individuals or organisations who have dedicated their lives to the defence of human rights and freedom of thought.
ECONOMY
Mumbai 72nd Rank On Global Financial Centre Index On 1 October Mumbai has slipped six places to 72nd rank, the bottom 10, on the Global Financial Centre Index (GFCI), while London has retained its top slot.Mumbai is the only Indian city to find a place on this bi-annual list of 80 financial centres globally and was ranked 66th in its previous edition published in March this year.In the top-five, London is followed by New York, Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo.Others in the top 10 are: Zurich (6th), Boston (7th), Geneva (8th), Frankfurt (9th), Seoul (10th).Although New Delhi, the countrys political hub, was added the GFCI questionnaire recently, it is yet to acquire sufficient assessments to be included in the index. India Ranks 78th On Human Capital Index According to the global Human Capital Index , India has been placed at a low 78th slot on a global Human Capital Index, which ranks countries on the basis of economic potential of their labour force, while Switzerland has topped the ranking. According to the list of total 122 countries released on 1 October by the Geneva-based World Economic Forum (WEF), India has been ranked lower than three of its BRICS peers China (43rd), Russia (51st) and Brazil (57th), while South Africa is placed at 86th place. India Tops Foreign Remittances Recipients List The World Bank report entitled Migration and Remittance Flows: Recent Trends and Outlook -2013-16 released on 2 October revealed that India emerged as the largest recipient of foreign remittances among developing economies in 2013.In 2013 Non-Resident Indians (NRI) sent a record 71 billion Dollars home compared to 70 billion dollars in 2012. According to a Word Bank report NRIs are estimated to remit up to 85 billion dollars a year by 2015.India (with an estimated 71 billion Dollars) continued to top the remittances list in 2012 while China is placed a close second with $66 billion expected migrant remittances in the same year.The Philippines (26 billion Dollars) got third place in the list.Globally, the worlds 232 million international migrants are expected to remit earnings worth 550 billion Dollars in 2013 and over 700 billion Dollars by 2016.Remittance is the act of transmitting money to a distant location to fulfill an obligation. International remittances are transfers of funds by foreign workersremitterswho are living and working in other countries typically to their families who are still living in their home countries. World Bank cuts Indias 2013-14 GDP forecast to 4.7% The World Bank on 16 October slashed Indias economic growth forecas t for the current financial year to 4.7 percent from an earlier projection of 6.1 percent.In April, the World Bank had projected Indias GDP would grow at 6.1 percent in the current financial year and at 6.7 percent the following year. Four Indians in Fortunes List of 50 Most Powerful Women in Business On 20 October Four Indians led by ICICI Bank CEO Chanda Kochhar have made to Fortune magazines global list of top -50 women business leaders, while PepsiCo chief Indra Nooyi has been ranked second in a similar list for the US.Kochhar has been ranked fourth, followed by National Stock Exchange chief Chitra Ramkrishna at 17th, Axis Banks Shikha Sharma at 32nd and HSBCs Naina Lal Kidwai at 42nd place among the Indians on the international list of most powerful women in business.Kochhar, Managing Director and CEO of Indias largest private sector bank, has moved up one position from her fifth position on the 2012 list, while NSEs Ramkrishna has made it to the list for the first time.This list is topped by Brazi lian energy giant Petrobras CEO, Maria Das Gracas Foster, followed by Turkish conglomerate Sabanci Holdings Guler Sabanci at the second and Australian banking giant Westpacs CEO Gail Kelly at the third. RBI increases Repo Rate By 25 Basis Points The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 29 October released the Second Quarter Review of Monetary Policy 2013-14.According the released statement by the RBI, the Repo rate increased by 25 basis points from 7.5 percent to 7.75 percent. The highlights of the Second Quarter Review of Monetary Policy 2013-14 :* RBI reduced the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate by 25 basis points from 9.0 percent to 8.75 percent with immediate effect. * RBI also increased the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) by 25 basis points from 7.5 percent to 7.75 percent with immediate effect. * Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) unchanged at 4 Percent * RBI downward FY14 GDP growth to 5 percent from 5.7 percent.
Integrated Guided Missile Development Program.It is capable of carrying 500 kg to 1000 kg of warheads and thrusted by liquid propulsion twine engines, uses advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvring trajectory.The last user trial of Prithvi-II was successfully carried out from the same base on 12 August 2013. Naval Offshore Patrol Vessel INS Sunayna Commissioned INS Sunayna, the second of the Naval Offshore Patrol Vessel class of ship, was on 15 October commissioned by Vice Admiral Satish Soni, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief Southern Naval Command.The ship was designed and built by the public sector Goa Shipyard.INS Sunayna will strengthen the Indian Navy capability to safeguard the maritime interests.Two diesel engines propel INS Sunayna and enables it to achieve speeds in excess of 25 knots. The ship also has an automatic power management system and is fitted with the latest Navigation, Communication and Electronic Support Systems.The ship is equipped with the most advanced communication, navigation and electronic warfare equipment besides a 76-mm SRGM (Super Rapid Gun Mount), and close-in weapon system (CIWS). The vessel also has the ability to embark an advanced light helicopter (ALH) or a Chetak search and rescue helicopter. Scientist Developed Worlds First Fully Bionic Man In the month of October 2013 Scientists have developed the worlds first robot human (Bionic man) made entirely of prosthetic parts.The bionic man can walk, talk and has a beating heart.Bionic man was assembled from prosthetic body parts and artificial organs donated by laboratories around the world.The bionic man also has a nearly complete set of artificial organs including an artificial heart, blood, lungs (and windpipe), pancreas, spleen, kidney and functional circulatory system.He also sports a cochlear implant, speech recognition and speech production systems. He lacks a few major organs including liver, stomach and intestines, which are too complex to replicate in a lab. His brain can mimic certain functions of the human brain and he has a retinal prosthesis.Roboticists Rich Walker and Matthew Godden of Shadow Robot Co in England developed the bionic man.The robot was modeled in some physical aspects after Bertolt Meyer, a social psychologist at the University of Zurich in Switzerland, who wears one of the worlds most advanced bionic hands.The total cost for development of the robot is around 1 million US Dollars. Chinese Scientists Developed Bird Flu Vaccine Chinese scientists announced on 25 October they had successfully developed the vaccine for the H7N9 bird flu virus.This is the first influenza vaccine ever developed by Chinese scientists.The vaccine has provided important technical support to battle the new flu strain, making contribution to the H7N9 flu virus epidemic control all over the world. Worlds Most Powerful MRI Scanner Developed Scientists have developed the worlds most powerful MRI scanner strong enough to lift a 60 metric tonne battle tank.The imagers superconducting electromagnet is designed to produce a field of 11.75 Teslas, making it the worlds most powerful whole-body scanner. Most standard hospital MRIs produce 1.5 or 3 Teslas.The development of the scanner, known as Imaging of Neuro disease Using high-field MR And Contrastophores (INUMAC), has been in progress since 2006 and is expected to cost about USD 270 million.
PERSONS IN NEWS
A) APPOINTMENTS
Arundhati Bhattacharya Takes Charge As First Woman Chief of SBI Arundhati Bhattacharya on 7 October took over as the new chairperson of the State Bank of India (SBI). She is the first woman to be appointed to the top job at the countrys largest lender.She succeeds Pratip Chaudhuri who retired on 30 September 2013.She will hold the post for a period of three years in this 207-year-old bank.This is the first time that an SBI chief will get a three-year tenure the first time that any SBI chairperson is getting such a fixed term irrespective of when the person will retire.Bhattacharya is the banks 24th chairperson of State Bank of India (SBI).Earlier, she was managing director and chief financial officer of SBI.She also holds the distinction of becoming the first woman managing director of SBI in 2013 August. She joined SBI in 1977 as a probationary officer and has served in various positions, including head of SBI Capital Markets Ltd, the banks investment banking unit. Janet Yellen Nominated as Head of US Federal Reserve Board US President Barack Obama has on 9 October nominated Federal Reserve Board vice-chair Janet Yellen to be the next head of the Federal Reserve Board.Janet Yellen replaced Ben Bernanke as Chair of the Federal Reserve Board.Janet Louise Yellen took office as Vice Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System on 4 October 2010, for a four-year term.Janet Yellen is the first woman to lead the Federal Reserve Board and also the first Democrat to head the Board since 1979.
Pakistan Appoints Ibne Abbas new Envoy To India Pakistan has appointed on 9 October Syed Ibne Abbas as its new high commissioner to India replacing Salman Bashir.Previously Syed Ibne Abbas served as the Director of Kashmir Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.He also acted as the Director General of the South Asia division. Arunendra Kumar Appointed as new Chairman of Railway Board The Railways on 16 October appointed acting Chairman of the Railway Board Arunendra Kumar as the head of the Board.Arunendra Kumar, the Mechanical Member, was holding additional charge of Chairman, Railway Board (CRB) after the retirement of Vinay Mittal on June 30. Air Marshal Arup Raha Appointed as new IAF Chief Air Marshal Arup Raha has been appointed on 29 October as the next chief of the Indian Air Force (IAF).He will take over as the next chief of the Indian Air Force on December 31, 2013 after the retirement of Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne.Air Marshal Raha is currently serving as the IAF vice-chief.He joined IAF in December 1974 in the Fighter Stream.During a career spanning over 39 years, he has held various command, staff and instructional appointments in the force.He has served as Air Attache at the Indian embassy in Ukraine and commanded the Central Air Command and the Western Air Command.
B)RESIGNS
Goa Lokayukta Justice B Sudershan Reddy Resigned Goa Lokayukta justice B Sudershan Reddy has resigned from his post citing personal reasons on 17 October.Sudershan Reddy former judge of the Supreme Court was appointed as the Lokayukta on March, 8, 2013. Mr. Reddy, the first ever Lokayukta of the state, assumed charge in March 2013.
C)DEATHS
US Thriller Author Tom Clancy Died Tom Clancy, the writer known for thrillers, especially The Hunt for Red October and Patriot Games, died in Baltimore, US on 1 October .He was credited with 17 New York Times bestsellers and had launched into the career of writing with the help of the then US president Ronald Reagan.Clancy arrived on best-seller lists in 1984 with The Hunt for Red October.Tom Clancy was born on 12 April 1947 in Baltimore, US.He was an American author who was best known for detailed espionage as well as military sciences stories set during and after the time period of the Cold War. Legendary Singer Manna Dey Died Legendary singer Manna Dey has died on 24 October in Bangalore.His original name was Prabodh Chandra Dey but he was nicknamed Manna.He began his playback career with the film Tamanna.He debuted in the film Tamanna in 1942, and went on to record more than 4000 songs during 1942-2013. The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri in 1971, the Padma Bhushan in 2005 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2007.
D)VISITORS
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Visited Russia Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Visited Russia on 20 21 October 2013.During the visit , Prime Minister Manmohan Singh attended the 14th India-Russia Annual Summit with President Vladimir Putin at Moscow.They discussed priority areas of bilateral cooperation and noted common positions on current international and regional issues.Both nations agreed to expeditiously finalise the General Framework Agreement and the Techno-Commerical Offer for for Units- 3 & 4 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant.India and Russia pitched for implementation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) quota reforms latest by January to give more representation to the emerging economies in the multilateral institution. India currently has a voting share of 2.44 per cent in the Washington-based IMF. US has the highest voting share of 17.69 per cent.Minister Manmohan Singh was conferred an Honorary Doctorate by the prestigious Moscow State Institute of International Relations.He became the first Indian to receive an honorary doctorate from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Visited China Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Visited China from 22 24 October 2013.During his three day visit , Manmohan Singh held bilateral talks with Chinese premier Li Keqiang in Beijing .After the talks , both nations signed a border defence cooperation agreement and several other agreements to focus on growth and strengthening of relationship between the two sides.The exchange of visits by the prime ministers within the same calendar year was the first since 1954. Premier Li Keqiang had visited India in May 2013. India and China agreed to study the possibility of setting up an economic corridor spanning the two nations and covering Bangladesh and Myanmar.
E)MISCELLANEOUS
Google Tops Worlds Best Multinational Work Places List According to the human resources consultancy Great Place to Work Institute latest survey , Internet giant Google has emerged as the worlds best multinational company to work for, followed by software developer SAS Institute and network storage provider NetApp in the second and third place, respectively.Software giant Microsoft was ranked fourth.There is no India-based company in this list and all 25 firms are either American or European. Indian-American Emily Shah Crowned Miss New Jersey USA 2014 Title Eighteen-year-old Indian-American Emily Shah has won Miss New Jersey USA 2014 title.Emily Shah, a resident of Edison, home to a large Indian-American community, was crowned on 20 October at a glittering ceremony in Parsippani , a small hill township in the state.Emily Shah would now compete for Miss America and Miss Universe titles.
PLACES IN NEWS
Archaeologists Discovered 3,300-year-old Ancient City In Iran Archaeologists on 2 October have discovered an ancient city called Idu , that thrived between 3,300 and 2,900 years ago, hidden beneath a mound in the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq.Located in a valley on the northern bank of the lower Zab River, the remains of the city Idu, are now part of a mound created by human occupation called a tell, which rises about 32 feet above the surrounding plain. Worlds Largest Hindu Temple To Come Up In Bihar The worlds largest Hindu temple named Virat Angkor Wat Ram Mandir with a towering height of 405 feet , will be built in Bihar.The proposed Virat Ramayan Mandir, at Janki Nagar near Kesaria in West Champaran district, about 125 km from Patna, will stand almost double the height of world-famous 12th century Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia, which is 215 feet high.The temple is to be built at a cost of over Rs.500 crore.
ABBREVIATIONS
BPCL Bharat Petroleum Corporation AAA Asian Athletics CITU Centre of Indian Trade EVM Electronic Voting ERDA Energy Research and Development FEMA Foreign Exchange Management GFCI Global Financial Centres GIC General Insurance MNC Multi National NASA National Aeronautics and Space OPEC Organisation of Petroleum Exporting WEF - World Economic Forum Limited Association Unions Machine Administration Act Index Corporation Corporation Administration Countries
BOOKS IN NEWS
Autobiography of Malala Yousafzai entitled I am Malala Released The autobiography of Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl who was shot by the Taliban for supporting girls education released on 8 October in London.Malala Yousafzais story is detailed in I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban, co-written with British journalist Christina Lamb, and tells of the day two Taliban gunmen boarded her school bus on 9 October 2012, and shot her in the head.The autobiography talks abou t Yousafzais life as an activist under the Talibans brutal rule in northwestern Pakistan in the mid-2000s, when the group banned female education and bombed local schools.
COMMITTEES
Mukul Mudgal Committee Submitted Report on Cinematograph Act The Empowered Committee headed by Mukul Mudgal, retired Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court submitted its report on 9 October to Information and Broadcasting Minister, Government of India.The committee was appointed to examine issues of certification under the Cinematograph Act, 1952 and give recommendations.The committee was constituted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on 4 February 2013.The committee revisited major areas of concern and has made key recommendations on issues such as: Advisory Panels; Guidelines for certification and issues such as portrayal of women, obscenity and communal disharmony; Classification of Films; Treatment of Piracy; Jurisdiction of the Appellate Tribunal; and Review of the provisions of the Cinematograph Act, 1952.Apart from giving its recommendations, the committee has also proposed a draft Cinematograph Bill. Kirit Parekh Committee on Pricing of Diesel, Petrol & LPG Submits Report Kirit Parikh committee on advising Pricing Methodology for Diesel, Domestic LPG and PDS Kerosene submitted report to the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry on 30 October.The committee in its report recommended a price increase of 5 Rupees per litre in diesel, 4 Rupees per litre in kerosene, and 250 Rupees in LPG cylinder with immediate effect.The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on 12 June 2013 constituted an Expert Group to advice on Pricing Methodology for Diesel, Domestic LPG and PDS Kerosene.The panel was headed by planning commission member Dr. Kirit S. Parikh.
INTERNATIONAL
Taiwan and Singapore Signed Free Trade Agreement Taiwan signed a free trade agreement with Singapore on 7 November in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan.It is first trade agreement Taiwan has signed with a member of the Association of Southeast Nations.Singapore is Taiwans fifth -largest trade partner and fourth-largest export market, with bilateral trade totalling US$28.2 billion in 2012. U.S. named Nigerias Boko Haram Terrorist Group The US State Department has on 13 November officially designated Boko Haram, the Nigerian Islamist group responsible for the 2011 bombing of the UN headquarters in Abuja, as a foreign terrorist organisation. The designation is significant becau se it directs US law enforcement and regulatory agencies to block business and financial transactions with Boko Haram, which is fighting to impose Islamic law in northern Nigeria and has ties to al Qaeda. Boko Haram means Western education is sacrilege. Abdullah Yameen Elected as President of Maldives Abdulla Yameen, the candidate of Progressive Party , has been elected as president of the Maldives on 16 November .In the presidential election, Yameen defeated Mohamed Nasheed of Maldivian Democratic Party with a margin of six thousand votes.Yameen secured 51.39 percent (1 lakh 11 thousand) of votes, whereas Mohamed Nasheed received 48.61 (1 lakh 5 thousand votes).Yameen is an economist and the half-brother of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the former autocratic ruler, who ruled Maldives for 30 years. Iran and P5+1 Group of Nations Signed The Historic Nuclear Deal Iran and P5+1 group of Nations reached a breakthrough deal on 24 November 2013 to curb Irans nuclear programme in exchange for limited sanctions relief.An agreement to this effect was signed at UN Headquarters in Geneva on 24 November 2013 between the Chief negotiator for the six nations, Catherine Marie Ashton and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Jawad Zarief. The interim deal for six months is intended to give time and space to the international community to work towards a comprehensive agreement.After four days of negotiations, representatives of P5+1 group of nations the US, the UK, Russia, China, France and Germany reached an agreement with Iran.The deal is intended as the first step in a six-month process aimed at a permanent resolution to the decade-old global impasse over Irans nuclear programme, and heading off the threat of a new war in West Asia.
India-Ukraine Inter-Governmental Commission Held In New Delhi The fifth session of India-Ukraine Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological, Industrial and Cultural Cooperation held in New Delhi on 13 November.The Commission was chaired by E. Ahamed, the Minister of State for External Affairs.The Ukrainian delegation was led by Mr. Ihor Mykolayovych Prasolov, Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine.During the session current status and future prospects of cooperation in trade and investment, heavy/light industry, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, mining and metallurgy, science and technology, energy (coal, nuclear), transportation, agriculture and food processing, education, culture and tourism were reviewed.The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Government of India, and the State Administration of Ukraine on Medicinal Products signed the Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation in Joint Ventures and Research and Development in Pharmaceuticals and Bio-pharmaceuticals. US exempts India, China From Iran Oil Sanctions The US has on 29 November exempted some countries, including India and China, from the tough Iranian sanctions for reducing their dependence on Iranian oil. Secretary of State, John Kerry announced in a statement in Washington that other countries which have significantly reduced the purchases of Iranian crude oil are the Republic of Korea, Turkey, and Taiwan and these have qualified for an exception to sanctions under the National Defence Authorisation Act.This move came after the decision made by US President Barack Obama that there is sufficient supply of non-Iranian oil for countries to continue to reduce import of oil from Iran.This is the fourth time that these countries have qualified for an NDAA exception as a result of their continued significant reductions in the volume of crude oil purchases from Iran or their end to such purchases.
NATIONAL
Medical Council of India Reconstituted The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India on 6 November reconstituted the Medical Council of India (MCI) with 68 members as per provisions contained in the Indian Medical Council(Amendment) Second Ordinance, 2013.Among the 68 members of the Council, 29 members will represent the Universities/ Health Sciences Universities, 23 members will be nominated by the Central Government in consultation with the States, eight members will be nominated by the Centre, seven members will representing the Registered Medical Graduates of the states, and one member will be nominated by the Central Government representing the UT Administration of Daman and Diu. All the members would hold office for four years. National Portal On Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Launched Union Minister of Minority Affairs K Rahman Khan on 11 November launched a National Portal on Maulana Abul Kalam Azad .The portal was inaugurated to mark 125th birth anniversary of the great national leader- Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.This portal is an initiative to digitise the heritage of the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, and make his life and legacy available online. Along with a biographical account on Maulana Azad, the portal contains titles and information on over 20 books written by Maulana Azad, in Urdu and English, as well as information on over 45 books written on Maulana Azad in Urdu, Hindi and English. India Poised To Become The Largest Provider Of Global Talent According to the Ficci-EY Report on Higher Education in India: Vision 2030 released on 13 November , India is poised to become the largest provider of global talent with one in four graduates in the world a product of the Indian system.The report further outlines that by 2030, the emergence of a robust higher education system would enable India to augment its gross enrollment ratio (GER) to 50%, with a student enrollment of more than 70 million across the higher education system; reduce disparity in GER to 5 percentage points across states, gender and various social groups and emerge as a better informed and evolved society, leading to improved social indicators including better health and sanitation, life expectancy, and law and order.India would also emerge among the top 5 countries in the world in terms of research output, with an annual R&D spend of US$140 billion; have more than 20 universities among the global top 200 and become a global destination for higher education. Government Released Postage Stamps On Sachin Tendulkar Union Law Minister Kapil Sibal on 14 November released specail edition postage stamps on cricketer Sachin Tendulkar at a felicitation ceremony to mark his 200th and final cricket test match at the wankhede stadium in Mumbai.Tendulkar is the second living person after Mother Teressa to get a postage stamp in his honour.
STATES
Kannur Declared First Zero Landless District in the Country Union Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh on 1 November declared Kannur in Kerala as the first zero-landless district in the country.Kannur District Authorities provided land to as many as 11118 beneficiaries, including 85 families belonging to the Scheduled Tribes category.The prestigious Zero Landless programme of the United Democratic Front was flagged off by Congress president Sonia Gandhi in October 2013. RAF Academy of Public Order inaugurated in Meerut Ministry of Home Affairs on 9 November inaugurated RAF Academy of Public Order in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. This academy will train personnel of Rapid Action Force along with selected members of other paramilitary forces and civil police. Public administration, riot control, crowd management, disaster management, human rights, media management and first aid to the victims are some of the core issues on which focussed training will be provided to troupes. Besides, security persons moving on to peace missions under the United Nations, will also be provided necessary training in the Academy. Indias First Private Rapid Metro Service Started Op eration From Gurgaon Rapid MetroRapid Metro-Indias First Private Metro service started operation from Gurgaon, Haryana on 14 November.Rapid Metro is Indias first fully privately financed Metro system connecting NH -8 to Delhi Metro via Cyber City, Gurgaon.Rapid Metro, with an elevated route and six stations with a frequency of every four minutes, can carry 800 passengers in each trip. The 5.1 km long route covers six stations-Sikanderpur, Phase-2, Belvedere Towers, Cyber City, Moulsari Avenue and Phase 3. The Rapid Metro is using a common ticketing system with Delhi Metro.Rapid Metro is a metro rail system in the Indian city of Gurgaon, Haryana, linked with the Delhi Metro systems Yellow Line. Built and operated by Rapid MetroRail Gurgaon Limited (RMGL), the system is Indias first fully privately financed metro. Union Cabinet Approved For Legislative Council In Assam Union Cabinet on 28 November 2013 approved a proposal to create a Legislative Council in Assam.According to the Article 169 of Constitution of India, Parliament can create or abolish the Legislative councils in States.According to the proposal, the Legislative Council will have 42 members. As per Article 171 of the Constitution, the total number of members in the Council of a state having such a House shall not exceed one third of the total number of members in the Legislative Assembly of that state.
CONFERENCES
Delhi To Host 12th Edition Of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2014 The 12th edition of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention to be held in Delhi from 7th to 9th January 2014 .The theme of the convention is -Engaging Diaspora Connecting across Generations- with a special focus on the younger generation.One of the focus areas of the PBD this year is a Youth PBD on 7th January 2014 to open new horizons of a strong network of young overseas Indian.This was announced by Shri Vayalar Ravi, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs on 5 Novemeber 2013 in New Delhi.
RGIA wins Best Cargo Airport Award Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Hyderabad being managed by GMR Group has been adjudged the Best Cargo Airport of The Year at the recently concluded 40th Annual Convention of Air Cargo Agents Association of India (ACAAI) held a t Jaipur.This is the second year in a row that RGIA has won the accolade for its cargo operations. CSIR Scientist Rajesh S. Gokhale Gets Infosys Prize 2013 The Infosys Prize 2013 in Life Sciences is awarded to Dr. Rajesh S. Gokhale, Director, CSIR-Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology,on 13 November for his work in the field of lipid metabolism in tubercle bacilli.Each year two million people are infected and die of tuberculosis (TB) and there will be 10 million new patients every year. Dr. Gokhale discovered biochemical networks and new paradigms necessary for the synthesis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) cell envelope coat that makes these bacteria escape host immune systems. Prof. CNR Rao and Sachin Tendulkar Selected for Bharat Ratna Award The Government of India on 16 November decided to confer, the Bharat Ratna , the highest civilian award on emin ent scientist Prof CNR Rao (Chintamani Nagesa Ramachandra Rao) and cricket player Sachin Tendulkar. Sachin Tendulkar :- Sachin will the youngest recipient of the award.He is also the first sportsperson to be chosen for the honour.He will also become the ninth person from Maharashtra to join the exclusive club of 43 Bharat Ratna awardees till date, which includes a galaxy of presidents, prime ministers, Nobel laureates, scientists and artistes.The award was announced hours after Tendulkar retired from intern ational cricket following Indias victory over the West Indies in a Test in Mumbai on 16 November.Tendulkar received the Arjuna Award in 1994 for outstanding sporting achievement, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in 1997, Indias highest sporting honour, and the Padma Shri and Padma Vibhushan awards in 1999 and 2008, respectively, Indias fourth and second highest civilian awards. Prof CNR Rao :- He is the third scientist to be awarded the highest civilian award Bharat Ratna, a crowning glory of his inexorable list of outstanding achievements.Before Rao, C V Raman and former President A P J Abdul Kalam were bestowed with the award.Rao, founder of the Bangalore-based Jawharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, has served as Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Council to Prime Minister under different regimes, a manifestation of immense faith different governments have placed in him.A renowned scientist and an institution builder, Rao has worked mainly in solid-state and structural chemistry.He was also conferred with Padma Shri and Padma Vibhushan by Government of India and Karnataka Ratna by the Karnataka State Government.He was awarded the Hughes Medal by the Royal Society in 2000, and he became the first recipient of the India Science Award, instituted by the Government of India, for his contributions to solid state chemistry and materials science, awarded in 2004.He has become the first Indian to reach the h-index of 100, reflecting the enormity of the body of his published research work. * Rao, a Kannadiga and Sachin, a Maharashtrian have got Indias highest civilian award together.After engineering genius Sir M Vishweshwaraiah and the Hindustani music great Pt. Bhimsen Joshi, CNR Rao is the third Kannadiga to get Bharat Ratna. Sachin is the 6th Maharashtrian to get the same honour.
India To Host Mens Hockey World Cup In 2018 India will host the mens section of the hockey World Cup in 2018, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) announced on 7 November .The finals will be played from 1 to 16 December 2018.Also, England will host the Womens World Cup of hockey from 7-21 July, 2018. India last hosted the World Cup in New Delhi in 2010 , while the 2014 edition of Hockey World Cup would be played in The Hague, Netherlands.Hockeys World Cup is held every four years and is second only to the Olympics in significance. Heena Sidhu Won Pistol Gold In World Cup Shooting Shooter Heena Sidhu created history by becoming the first pistol exponent from India to win a gold medal at the ISSF World Cup finals on 10 November in Munich, Germany .In the Womens 10 -metre Air Pistol event final, She defeated World Champion Zorana Arunovic of Serbia to bag her first Gold.The earlier gold medallists in this competition were Anjali Bhagwat (2002) and Gagan Narang (2008) in small bore rifle shooting. Sebastian Vettel Won United States Grand Prix 2013 Red Bull Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany on 17 November won United States Grand Prix.Frances Romain Grosjean in Lotus was second with Red Bulls Mark Webber took the third place.This was his eighth successive race of Vettel in a season. With this win he succeeded ahead of Michael Schumachers previous record of winning seven races in a row in the same season, which was set in 2004.This was also vettels 12th win of the season.
ECONOMY
India Will Be Worlds 3rd Largest Econom y By 2030 According to the Standard Chartereds Super-Cycle Report released on 6 November , India will worlds third largest economy by 2030 , behind China and the USA, adding that the world is in the midst of an economic super-cycle.A super-cycle is a period of historically high global growth, lasting a generation or more, driven by opening up of new markets, increasing trade, high rates of investment, urbanisation and technological innovation.India is likely to be the third largest economy with a GDP size of $15 trillion by 2030.China with a GDP of $53.8 trillion is projected as the biggest economy, followed by the US at $38.5 trillion. Worlds 6th Largest Number Of Billionaires In India According to the World Billionaire Census 2013 released on 6 November , India has more number of billionaires than France, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland and Hong Kong and is home to the sixth largest group of super rich population in the world.Moreover, the countrys financial capital Mumbai with 30 billionaire, is among the top 5 billionaire cities globally, which was topped by New York that is home to 96 billionaires.Hong Kong, Moscow and London make the top five with 75, 74 and 67 billionaires respectively.Notwithstanding the number of billionaires in India having decreased between July, 2012 and June, 2013, India still enjoys a decent 6th position in the top 10 league with 103 billionaires.This list was topped by United States with 515 ultra-rich people, three times more than in China, which ranks second with 157 billionaires.Germany, United Kingdom and Russia make the top five countries with a billionaire population of 148, 135 and 108 respectively. Azim Premji Tops India Philanthropist List According to the China-based Hurun Report Inc HurunIndia Philanthropy Lis t 2013 released on 13 November , Wipro chief and IT tycoon Azim Premji tops the list of Indian philanthropists with donations amounting to Rs8,000 crore in the past year.Shiv Nadar , chairman of HCL group, is the second highest contributor in the list with a donation of Rs.3,000 crore.Hurun India Philanthropy List is a ranking of 31 Indians who donated more than Rs.10 crore cash or cash equivalent during Apr 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013. Three of Indian Origin Among Africas 50 Richest Three persons of Indian-origin are among the 50 richest people in Africa, according to a list released by Forbes magazine on 14 November.Vimal Shah , Sudhir Ruparelia and Naushad Merali figure in the list which has been topped by Aliko Dangote who has a networth of USD 20.8 billion and is the largest cement manufacturer in sub-Saharan Africa.Vimal Shah is a newcomer on the list and ranks 18 with a networth of USD 1.6 billion .Ruparelia ranks 24 on the list and has a networth of USD 1.1 billion.On the 48th spot is Merali with a networth of USD 430 million. Prime Minister Inaugurates Indias First Bharatiya Mahila Bank Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi Jointly inaugurated Indias first all -women bank, Bharatiya Mahila Bank (BMB) in Mumbai on 19 November , marking the 96th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.This first branch of BMB was inaugurated at Air India building at Nariman Point in Mumbai.The main objectives of the bank will be to focus on the banking needs of women and to promote their economic empowerment. The bank will commence operations with an initial capital of one thousand crore rupees.The new Bharatiya Mahila Bank, with the tagline Empowering Women, Empowering India , is due to have 25 branches by next March and 771 total branches over a seven-year period.The Union Cabinet cleared the proposal for setting up of all-women bank on August 2013.The Reserve Bank of India gave its in-
principal approval for the Bharatiya Mahila Bank in June 2013 and the banking company was set up.The Union government approved 1000 crore Rupees seed capital for the women-focused public sector bank, announced by Union finance minister P. Chidambaram in his 2013-14 budget speech.
PERSONS IN NEWS
A) APPOINTMENTS
Usha Sangwan First Woman Managing Director of Life Insurance Corporation Usha Sangwan has become the first woman managing director (MD) at the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India in its near six decades of existence. Along with Sangwan, Vijay Kumar Sharma also took charge as an MD of the countrys premier financial institution on 1 November . Sangwan joined LIC in 1981 as a direct recruit. Prior to taking charge as MD , she was executive director, corporate communications, LIC of India. Usha Ananthasubramanian is first Bharatiya Mahila Bank CMD Usha Ananthasubramanian has been appointed as the first Chairperson and Managing Director (CMD) of Bharatiya Mahila Bank (BMB), the first all-women bank of India.Ananthasubramanian assumed charge on 12 November.Before joining BMB, she was an executive director with Punjab National Bank (PNB).In a career spanning over 31 years, she has worked in various positions in the banking and allied areas. R. Banumathi Appointed Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court Justice R. Banumathi, Judge of the Madras High Court was on 12 November appointed as the Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court. Justice R. Banumathi entered the Tamil Nadu Higher Judicial Service in 1988 as a direct recruit district judge. She worked as District and Sessions Judge in Coimbatore and Vellore, and Principal District and Sessions Judge in Pudukottai, Madras, Tirunelveli and Salem. Justice A.P.Shah is the new Chairman of Law Commission of India Former Delhi High Court Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah has been appointed on 22 November as the new chairman of the 20th Law Commission of India.Justice Ajit Prakash Shah succeeded Justice D. K. Jain who resigned in October 2013 to take over as the President of National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.Justice Ajit Prakash Shah was Chief Justice of the High Court of Delhi from May 2008 till his retirement in February 2010.The 20th Law Commission was established in September 2013.Its tenure has been fixed till 2015.The terms of reference of the 20th Law Commission include review/repeal obsolete law,examine the existing laws,Revise Central acts of general importance etc. Five Central Information Commissioners Appointed To CIC Five new Information Commissioners are appointed to the Central Information Commission (CIC) on 22 November. Chief Information Commissioner Deepak Sandhu administered the oath of office to them in New Delhi.The new commissioners are Yashovardhan Azad, Sharat Sabharwal, Manjula Parasher , M A Khan Yusufi and Madabhushanam Sridhar Acharyulu. With this the total number of Information Commissioners including the Chief Information Commissioner has gone up to 10.
B)RESIGNS
PFRDA Chairman Yogesh Agarwal Resigned Yogesh Agarwal, chairman of the Pension Fund Regulatory Development Authority (PFRDA), resigned from the post of Chairman on 13 November.He resigned because of the Governments decision to not allow him to be a part of the selection panel for members of the regulator.
C)DEATHS
Legendary Pakistani Folk Singer Reshma Died Legendary Pakistani folk singer Reshma, who mesmerised music lovers in the Indian subcontinent with soulful rendition of songs like Lambi Judai and Dama Dam Mast Kalandar in her trademark rustic voice, died in Lahore on 3 November.Reshma, known as Nightingale of the Desert ,was born in 1947 in Bikaner, Rajasthan, in a Banjara family.She has no formal educatio n in music, but at the age of just 12 years, she was s een singing at the Shahbaz Qalanders shrine. Thereafter, her iconic song Laal Meri was recorded on the state-run Pakistan Radio.With this, she became the most popular folk singer of Pakistan. British Nobel Laureate Author Doris Lessing Died Doris Lessing, one of Britains most-influential authors and a Nobel Literature laureate, has died on 17 November at London.She was 94 years old.Her best-known works are The Golden Notebook, Memoirs of a Survivor and The Summer Before the Dark. In her life time she wrote more than 80 books, including poetry, two operas, short stories, plays and nonfiction. In 2007, the 88-year-old Doris Lessing became the oldest recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature. and only the 11th woman to win the award.
D)VISITORS
Kuwaits Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Visited India Kuwaits Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah visited India from 7 10 November 2013.During his four day visit , Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber held detailed bilateral consultations with Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in New Delhi.Both nations discussed collaboration in petrochemicals, and Kuwaiti investments in infrastructure in India.India and Kuwait agreed to expand cooperation in key areas, which includes energy and investment.The two Prime Ministers were held
extensive talks on trade, energy and investment and also on labour laws after which both sides inked five pacts, including on the transfer of prisoners and cooperation in the field of culture and education.
E)MISCELLANEOUS
Miss Venezuela Gabriela Isler Won Miss Universe 2013 Title Miss Venezuela Gabriela Isler won the Miss Universe 2013 crown on 9 November ,beating 85 other contenders from around the world at a glittering ceremony held in Moscow, Russia.Miss Spain Patricia Yurena Rodriguez was named runner-up, while Miss Ecuador Constanza Baez came third in the contest. Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo of USA crowned the new beauty queen Miss Venezuela Gabriela Isler.Manasi Moghe from India had been shortlisted for the top 10 finalists of Miss Universe 2013 but failed to win the crown.Islers triumph was the seventh Miss Universe win for Venezuela, where beauty pageants are a major source of national pride. Malala, Malia Obama Among Times Influencial Teens List Pakistani education activist Malala Yousafzai and the elder daughter of US President Barack Obama, Malia, are on Time magazines list of 16 most influential teens of 2013 .The list, published on 12 November, took young people who have inspire d the society by their work in various fields like music, sports, technology, science, writing and media.
PLACES IN NEWS
One World Trade Center is Tallest Building in US One World Trade Center was on 12 November declared the tallest building in the Americas, standing at a symbolic (and now official) 1,776 feet. The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, an international body that determines the heights of skyscrapers, has ruled that the spire atop One World Trade is an architecturally significant feature of the building not an antenna.The decision makes the official height of the building 1,776 feet, not 1,368 feet, which is the height of the buildin gs roof. It also allows One World Trade to beat out Chicagos Willis Tower as the tallest in the US. Willis Towers antenna does not count towards its official architectural height.One World Trade Center has been built on the lower Manhattan site of the iconic WTC Twin Towers, which were destroyed in the terrorist attacks of 11 September, 2001. More than 2,000 people were killed in that attack.
ABBREVIATIONS
BPCL AAA CITU EVM ERDA FEMA GFCI Petroleum Corporation Asian Athletics Centre of Indian Trade Electronic Voting Energy Research and Development Foreign Exchange Management Global Financial Centres Index Bharat Limited Association Unions Machine Administration Act
BOOKS IN NEWS
Vice President Released a Book on Indias Nuclear Energy Programme Indian Vice President Mohammad Ansari released a book entitled Indias Nuclear Energy Programme : Future Plans, Prospects and Concerns edited by Prof. R. Rajaraman at a function organized by Indian National Science Academy (INSA) in New Delhi on 7 November.The book is aimed at creating the public opinion on nuclear energy.
COMMITTEES
Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai Committee To Deal with Sexual Harassment Complaints The Supreme Court on 26 November constituted a 10-member committee headed by its woman judge, Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, to deal with complaints of sexual harassment within its precincts.Chief Justice of India P Sathasivam formed the Supreme Court Gender Sensitisation and Internal Complaints Committee (GSICC) in which there are six other female members.There are two members who are outsiders and not connected with the apex court in any manner.The committee is in consonance with the guidelines laid down by apex court in its judgement in Vishaka case for dealing with complaints of sexual harassment at workplace.Under the guidelines, it is required that the committee has a majority of female members and two members of civil society nominated by the Chief Justice of India.
than 10% of students in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Ireland, Korea, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway and Chinese Taipei. Thailands PM Yingluck Shinawatra Dissolves Parliament Thailands Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on 9 December formally dissolved the countrys parliament and called for new elections.The new elections are scheduled to take place on 2 February 2014.The members of the opposition party (Democrat Party) of Thailand resigned en masse from the Parliament on 8 December 2013 to protest a Government claimed by them as illegitimate.The opposition party of Thailand cant work in the legislature an ymore because the government is no longer accepted by the people. This will bring in a political crisis in the country.The opposition party has aligned with the antigovernment protesters, who have staged the biggest rally of the country in the years. These demonstrations began in November 2013 and aims to oust Prime Minister of Thailand, Yingluck Shinawatra from the office.Yingluck Shinawatra won the elections in 2011. The opposition party Democrats has not won an election, since 1992. Democrat Party has won most of the seats on the Parliament in 1948, 1976 and 1992 but has never won an outright Parliamentary majority. Michelle Bachelet Elected as Chilean President Socialist Michelle Bachelet has been elected as Chiles president on 15 December for a second time by a wide margin. Bachelet, a moderate socialist, got 62 percent votes against 38 percent votes for Evelyn Matthei, a former minister from the governing centre-right coalition.Michelle Bachelet, candidate for a centre-left coalition of parties known as Nueva Mayoria , she first served from 2006 to 2010, but under Chiles constitution she could not stand for a second consecutive term.She was the first woman President of Chile.She begins her second turn in the office next year.The term of the president is for four years.Michelle Bachelet will succeed the present president Sebastian Pinera. Saudi Arabia Passed Anti-Terror Law Saudi Arabias Cabinet has approved a new anti-terrorism draft law on 16 December that criminalizes acts that disturb public order, defame the reputation of the state or threaten the kingdoms unity, raising concerns by activists it could be used to quash political dissent. Mexicos President Signed Energy Reform Law Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on 20 December signed into law a sweeping reform that will allow private companies to drill for oil and gas, and end a seven-decade-long monopoly held by the state oil company.Mexico President called the energy bill a fundamental, historic reform needed for Mexico to speed up the lagging pace of its economic growth.The bill was approved by both houses of Congress and it has also received the approval from majority of Mexicos states legislatures, whic h was required for any constitutional changes.
INDIA & WORLD Brahmaputra Cruises Among World Top 10 Adventurous Cruises Brahmaputra Cruises by Assam Bengal Navigation Company has been recognised by CNN International as one of the top 10 Most Adventurous Cruises in the World for 2013.The Brahmaputra Cruises (Jungle Book Tour/India) has been ranked sixth on 3 December among the cruises including the Amazon, the Antartica, the North Pole, Australia and Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Recalling that Assam Bengal Navigation Company, an Indo-British joint venture, had pioneered long-distance river cruising in India in 2003.Assam Bengal Navigation Company managing director Ashish Phookan announced the company had pioneered long-distance river cruising in India in 2003 and has completed ten years of cruising on Brahmaputra river on the ABN Charaidew this year. Ten Indian Universities In Developing Nations Top 100 List Indian universities have grabbed 10 of the top 100 slots in the first-ever rankings of higher education institutions from emerging economies across the globe, a list dominated by Chinese varsities. The Times Higher Education magazine , known for its definitive educational rankings, published on 5 December the worlds first ranking for universities in Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) and 17 other emerging economies. Pakistan was included in the analysis, but none of its institutions make the tables.Indian representation is led by Panjab University, which comes in joint 13th with Chinas Renmin University. The alma mater of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is followed by Indian institutes of Technology (IITs) including Kharagpur (30th), Kanpur (34th), Delhi and Roorkee (joint 37th), Guwahati (46) and Madras, which shares 47th place with Jadavpur University. India remains conspicuously absent from the top 10, which is largely dominated by Chinese institutions with Peking and Tsinghua University coming in at No 1 and 2. The latest annual tables, a subsidiary of the prestigious Times Higher
Education World University Rankings, are based on the same range of 13 rigorous performance indicators used to create the annual world university rankings including teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook. India 2nd Largest Supplier Of Overseas Students For Australia According to the latest data released on 9 December , India has emerged as the 2nd largest supplier of higher education students for Australian universities.The number of Indian students to undertake higher education in Australia has witnessed growth this year (2013) with total enrolments reaching over 15,800 during the period of January-October as compared to 12,062 last year (2012).The data indicated that even if the total enrolments dropped, India emerged as the second top supplier of international students for Australia.Vocational Education and Training (VET) was the sector that saw an overall drop in total enrolments from India as well China, the topmost supplier of overseas students for Australia.The top five source countries for students studying in Australia are China (29.7 per cent), India (9.2), Korea (5.3), Vietnam (4.8) and Malaysia (4.7). Mauritius-India Agreed To Limitation Of Benefits Clause In Revised Tax Treaty Mauritius has agreed to include a limitation of benefits (LOB) clause in its revised tax treaty with India.This was revealed by the Mauritius Financial Services Commission (FSC) Chairman Marc Hein on 9 December.While details of this clause in the IndiaMauritius tax treaty are being worked out, LoB clauses aim to prevent treaty shopping or inappropriate use of tax agreements by third-country investors. Treaty benefits are limited by this clause to those who meet certain conditions, including those concerned with business, residency and investment commitments of anyone seeking benefit of a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA). India and Nepal Agreed To Check illegal Border Trade India and Nepal on 22 December agreed to address each others concerns on commerce and transit, including reduction of tariff barriers and checking illegal trade along the border. The decision was made during the two-day Inter-Governmental Committee meeting that concluded in Kathmandu.The delegations of the two sides were led by the Commerce Secretaries of the two countries namely SR Rao of India and Madhav Prasad Regmi of Nepal.
NATIONAL Department of Posts Launched Express Parcel and Business Parcel Services The Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications & IT, on 2 December launched an Express Parcel service and Business Parcel Services for speedy delivery of parcels across the country. The services were launched by Smt. P. Gopinath, Secretary, Department of Posts, at a function organized at New Delhi G.P.O. These two new parcel services aim to promote the ecommerce market in India by offering reliable and cost efficient delivery solutio ns. Whereas Express Parcel is an air mail service providing guaranteed time bound delivery of parcels, Business Parcel will provide fast, secure and cost efficient transmission of parcels through surface.These services will have Cash on Delivery faci lity which has become a pre-requisite today for e-commerce parcels. Supreme Court Judgement On Homosexuality Indias Supreme Court on 11 December upheld the constitutional validity of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code making gay sex an offence punishable with upto life imprisonment.A bench of justices G S Singhvi and S J Mukhopadhaya set aside the Delhi High Courts verdict which had in 2009 decriminalised gay sex among consenting adults in private.The Supreme Court bench allowed the appeals filed by various social and religious organisations challenging the Delhi high court verdict on the ground that gay sex is against the cultural and religious values of the country. With the apex court verdict, the operation of penal provision against gay sex has come into force.The Delhi High Court had on 2 July 2009 decriminalised gay sex as provided in Section 377 of the IPC and had ruled that sex between two consenting adults in private would not be an offence. Cabinet Approved The Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence (Access to Justice and Reparations) Bill, 2013 The Union Cabinet on 16 December approved the Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence (Access to Justice and Reparations) Bill, 2013.The bill aimed to prevent and tackle the communal violence in the country and punish the perpetrators of the violence.The Bill has been named as The Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence (Access to Justice and Reparations) Bill, 2013.The Bill has the provision of creating an institutional arrangement for speedy investigation, disposal of cases and for providing relief and rehabilitation to victims of communal violence. It also seeks imposition of enhanced punishment on persons involved in communal violence. Prime Minister Released Postage Stamp On Former Punjab CM Beant Singh Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on 17 December released a postage stamp in honour of former Punjab Chief Minister
Sardar Beant Singh.He was an Indian National Congress politician and the Chief Minister of Punjab from 1992 to 1995. He was killed by suspected Khalistani separatists in a car bombing. Lok Sabha Passed The Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill ,2011 The Lok Sabha on 18 December approved the Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill, 2011 .The bill was already passed by the Lok Sabha in December 2011 but it came to the house again as it underwent amendments before being approved by the Rajya Sabha on 17 December 2013.The bill will now go to President Pranab Mukherjee for his approval before it becomes law.The Bill seeks to establish an anti-corruption watchdog that will have in its purview even the Prime Minister Office (PMO).The Lokpal consists of a Chairperson and a maximum of eight members of which 50% shall be judicial members.The Lokpal Chairperson or member shall not be connected with any political party and one member will be an eminent jurist nominated by the President.The Bill lays down clear time lines for Preliminary enquiry & investigation and trial and towards this end, the Bill provides for setting up of Special Courts.
STATES Bihar Govt. Announced New Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy For Maoists The Bihar Governments Principal Secretary for the Cabinet Coordination Committee, Brajesh Mehrotra, has on 3 December approved a new surrender and rehabilitation policy for Maoists in the state.The policy was approved in a Cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.The new surrender policy aimed to convince the Naxals to put down arms and lead a normal life and bring youths to the mainstream of society.The move comes after seven policemen were killed in a land mine blast by the Maoists in Aurangabad district of the state on 3 December 2013. According to the new policy 2.5 lakh rupees would be given for state, regional, central committees and to politbureau members of Maoists who surrender under the new policy. Maharashtra Cabinet Approved Sets Up Sugarcane Control Board The Maharashtra state cabinet has on 4 December approved the setting up of a Sugarcane Control Board in the state.The decision came in the wake of the recent violent agitation by farmers, demanding increased price for sugarcane. The board would function on the lines of state electricity regulatory commission.The cabinet also approved the draft Maharashtra Sugarcane (Purchase and Supply) Bill 2013, expected to be tabled in the winter session of the state legislature. Maharashtra has 202 registered co-operative sugar factories and over 65 private ones. Karnataka Assembly Passed Essential Services Maintenance (ESMA) Bill 2013 The Karnataka state assembly on 4 December passed the Karnataka Essential Services Maintenance (ESMA) Bill 2013. According to the new bill, striking work will be a non-bailable offence and police can arrest a striking employee without warrant. The Bill, popularly known as ESMA, is to put an end to employees working in water, power, health, transport and service sectors going on strikes, inconveniencing people.As per the ESMA Bill 2013, the definition of essential services includes any service connected with the production, generation, storage, transmission, supply or distribution of water or electricity and any transportation service for the carriage of passengers or goods by motor vehicles. Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Passed Anti-Superstition Bill Maharashtra Assembly on 13 December passed the much-awaited Anti-Superstition Bill.The Bill seeks to curb black magic and other inhuman practices arising out of superstition.It came after four months of the murder of the noted rationalist Dr. Narendra Dabholkar on 20 August 2013 in Pune, who fought for such a law for more than for one and a half decade. Earlier, the State Government of Maharashtra on 21 August 2013 adopted an Anti-Black Magic and Superstition Ordinance.
CONFERENCES 8th Asia Gas Partnership Summit Held In New Delhi The 8th Asia Gas Partnership Summit (AGPS) was held from 3 4 December 2013 at New Delhi, India.The 8th AGPS was organized by GAIL (India) Limited and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).The theme of the conference is Asian Gas Market : Challenges and Opportunities in the Changing Paradigm .Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 3 December inaugurated the summit.During the summit Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh dedicated GAIL India Ltds 1000 km Dabhol-Bangalore natural gas pipeline to the Nation.The Dabhol Bangaluru pipeline connects South India to the national gas grid for the first time.Pipeline has been constructed at an investment of 4500 crore rupees with a design capacity of 16 MMSCMD of natural gas which can produce 3000 MW of clean energy.The pipeline starts at Dabhol in
Maharashtra and passes through Belgaum, Dharwad, Gadag, Bellary, Devanagere, Chitradurga, Tumkur, Ramanagaram, Bengaluru Rural and Bengaluru Urban districts.
AWARDS & HONOURS Indian Origin Doctor Jaswinder S Bamrah Gets Britain Excellence Award Indian-origin doctor Jaswinder S Bamrah, consultant psychiatrist in Manchester, has on 1 December received Asian Lite Professional Excellence Award for his contribution to the medical field in the UK. He is a dedicated medical professional conducting a large number of lectures nationally to psychiatrists, general practitioners, to other disciplines and voluntary organisations such as Alzheimers Disease Society and PACE on a variety of topics, such as the role of carers in the community, dementia, which antidepressant to choose, suicides and treatment of major depression in the Asian community. Indian-American Author Manil Suri Won Literary Award In Britain Indian-American mathematician and author Manil Suri has won this years Bad Sex in Fiction Award by Britains Literary Review magazine for his book The City of Devi.The book was published in 2013. The prize was presented by British actress, author and columnist Joan Collins on December 3 in London.Suri, who lives in US and works as a professor of mathematics at the University of Maryland, was, however, unable to accept the prize in person.The City of Devi is the third novel by the author. His other two novels are The Death of Vishnu and The Age of Shiva. Suri has b een long listed for the Man Booker Prize in 2001 and shortlisted for the Pen/Faulkner Award.He won the Barnes & Noble Discover Prize in 2002.The annual award was introduced by the magazine in 1993. ONGCs Vasudeva Won SCOPE Leadership Excellence Award Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) chairman Sudhir Vasudeva and Engineers India Ltd head A K Purwaha have been adjudged the best leaders in public sector companies.Vasudeva won the SCOPE Excellence Award for Individual Leadership in the Maharatna/Navaratna public sector enterprises category, while A K Purwaha got the same award in the Miniratna PSE category.The award winners were chosen by the eminent jury.The jury met on 12 December and selected the winners of the SCOPE Excellence Awards 2011-12, SCOPE .The SCOPE Excellence Awards Individual Leadership CategoryIII (Other Profit Making PSEs) went to A A Naqvi, managing director, National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation. GHIAL Awarded British Safety Councils Sword of Honour Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA), operated by GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL) , has been awarded the Sword of Honour for safety management.The award was in recognition of its effective implementation of occupational health and safety management systems from the British Safety Council for health and safety works at the airport.The Sword of Honour is considered to be the Oscar of the Safety World. RGIA is the first Indian airport to receive this honour in the wor ld.In the month of December the award was presented to CEO-GHIAL in a glittering ceremony held at the famous Goldsmiths hall at London. Vijayan Pillai Gets Karshakasree Award 2014 J Vijayan Pillai, native of Chavara, Kollam (Kerala), has been selected on 21 December for the Karshakasree award 2014, instituted by Malayalam Manorama to honour the best farmer in the state. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh, gold medal and a memento. Pillai is the 12th recipient of the award. He was chosen for his efforts to manage a dairy farm which consists of 100 cows along with paddy, plantain, vegetables farming and aqua farming.
SPORTS & GAMES India To Host Under-17 FIFA World Cup In 2017 India have won the right to host the 2017 Under-17 FIFA World Cup in 2017 by the FIFA executive committee in its meeting at Salvador de Bahia in Brazil on 5 December . By virtue of being the host country, India will take part in the 24-nation tournament for the first time in its history. This will be the biggest ever football tournament in the country as this is the first FIFA event in the countrys history. India has hosted Asian Football Confederations Youth Championships (Under -20) in 2006 and then the AFC Challenge Cup in 2008 but never has hosted any FIFA tournament.United Arab Emirates hosted the tournament this year while Chile will be the host country for the 2015 edition. Chitra Won Bronze at IBSF World Snooker Championships Indias Chitra Magimairajan had to settle for a bronze at the International Billiards & Snooker Federation (IBSF) World Snooker
Championship held at Daugvapils, Latvia. She lost to Wendy Jans of Belgium in the semifinals.In the final, Wendy Jans successfully defended her title by defeating Chunxia Shi of China.The next edition of the IBSF World Snooker Championship will be held at Bangalore in November 2014. The last edition was held at Sofia, Bulgaria in 2012. India Won Womens Kabaddi World Cup 2013 India on 12 December won the womens Kabaddi World Cup championship for the third time in a row, defeating New Zealand 49-21 in the summit clash in Jalandhar, Punjab. The Indian womens team led their New Zealand counterparts for most part of the match and held out a strong challenge by the visitors in the second half, on course to a resounding win. The Indian team took home a first-place prize of 1 crore rupees. Anu Rani was adjudged the best stopper while Ram Bateri was declared the best raider. Both received a Maruti Alto car each.Indian womens team has won 2011, 2012, and 2013 editions of World cups. Cheteshwar Pujara is ICCs Emerging Cricketer of theYear The Indian cricketer and a Rising Test batsman, Cheteshwar Pujara has bagged the Emerging Cricketer of the Year award.The annual International Cricket Council (ICC ) awards were announced in Dubai on 13 December.This is the first ever ICC Award for Pujara.He became the second fastest Indian to score 1000 Test runs during the course of his double hundred against Australia on March at Hyderabad. He put on the board 370-run record second wicket partnership with Murali Vijay. Pujara, the 25 year old cricketer has scored 1310 runs in 15 tests with an average of 65.50.Clarke was earlier named in the ICC Test and ODI Teams of the Year in Mumbai on 3 December 2013.In the same event, India captain Dhoni was revealed as the Peoples Choice award winner.Australian captain Michael Clarke was the winner of the Sir Garfield Sobers trophy for ICC Cricketer of the Year and was also named as the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year. In total, there were eleven individual awards. The full list of winners is :* ICC Cricketer of the Year (Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy) Michael Clarke (Australia) * ICC Test Cricketer of the Year Michael Clarke (Australia) * ICC Womens ODI Cricketer of the Year Suzie Bates (New Zealand) * ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) * ICC Emerging Cricketer of the Year Cheteshwar Pujara (India) * ICC Associate and Affiliate Cricketer of the Year Kevin OBrien (Ireland) * ICC Twenty20 International Performance of the Year Umar Gul (Pakistan) * ICC T20I Womens Cricketer of the Year Sarah Taylor (England) * ICC Spirit of Cricket Award Mahela Jayawardena (Sri Lanka) * ICC Umpire of the Year (winning the David Shepherd Trophy) Richard Kettleborough * LG Peoples Choice Award MS Dhoni Sunil Chhetri Named 2013 AIFF Player of the Year Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri was on 20 December named the 2013 AIFF Player of the Year. The announcement was made by All India Football Federation (AIFF) at the annual general meeting held at the Football House in the Capital.Chhetri, with 43 goals, is presently Indias highest scorer in international matches. He had earlier won the award in 2007 and 2011 an d joins IM Vijayan, who too had won the award on three occasions.Oinam Bembem Devi was adjudged the 2013 AIFF Womens Player of the Year.
ECONOMY Microsoft Co-founder Paul Allen Named Worlds Wealthiest Bachelor According to the Wealth-X, a global wealth intelligence and prospecting company latest report released on 4 December , with an estimated personal fortune of $15.3 billion, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen is the worlds wealthiest bachelor, followed by Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani, who has a net worth of $10.9 billion.Mikhail Prokhorov, owner of an American basketball team, Brooklyn Nets is the worlds third wealthiest bachelor. Health Insurance Premium To Cross Rs 32K crore Mark By 2016-17 The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) Economic Research Bureau (AERB) latest study report titled Health Insurance in India-A review released on 8 December.According to the report , Growing at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 20 per cent, Indias total health insurance premium is likely to reach Rs 32,038 crore by 2016-17 from the level of about Rs 13,092 crore recorded as of 2011-12 owing to rising income levels together with growing health insurance premium.The ASSOCHAM projection is based on average of the compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 6.7% for income levels of people during 2004-05 and 2011-12 together with 32.5 per cent CAGR of health insurance premium during 2006-07 and 2011-12.
Indian Oil Corporation Tops Fortune India 500 List The business magazine Fortunes Indian edition released its annual list of Fortune 500 Indian companies for 2013, on 10 December.According to the list , State-run Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has emerged as the countrys biggest company in terms of annual revenue of Rs 4,75,867 crore, followed by Mukesh Ambani-led private sector giant Reliance Industries (annual revenue of Rs 4,09,883 crore ) at the second place. Both IOC and RIL have retained their top-two ranks from the previous (2012 )year. In this (2013) years list, the two are followed by Bharat Petroleum (Rs 2,44,822 crore) at the third place and Hindustan Petroleum (Rs 2,17,771 crore) at fourth.Besides, there are a total of six state-run companies in the top-ten positions, as against four from the private sector. Indians Most Optimistic About Growth Prospects According to a global survey conducted by research firm Ipsos, India has emerged as the most optimistic country globally with respect to growth prospects in the coming time. More than half (53 per cent) of the people in India are confident about the countrys future and are hoping that in next one year the economy will revive. India is followed by Canada and Australia in t he second and third place respectively with 47 per cent of their citizens confident a bout their countrys growth in next 12 months.Besides, China (4th), Sweden (5th), Argentina (6th), Brazil (7th), Germany (8th) and Russia (9th) and South Africa (10th) figured in the top 10 list out of 20 countries.The survey was conducted across 20 countries and included over 16,000 respondents. United Nations Lowers India Growth Forecast To 4.8% For 2013 United Nations has on 19 December lowered Indias economic growth forecast for 2013 to 4.8 percent while warning that emerging markets should be prepared to deal with the impact of US Federal Reserves quantitative easing programme.According to the UNs World Economic Situation and Prospects 2014 report , Indias economy is forecast to grow at 4.8 percent in 2013, down 1.3 percent from its earlier projection.Similarly, it has lowered the growth projection for 2014 to 5.3 percent, down 1.2 percent from earlier forecast. The UN sees India to grow by 5.7 percent in 2015.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY SpaceX Rocket Successfully Launches Its First Commercial Satellite An unmanned Falcon 9 rocket developed by Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, blasted off on 3 December to put its first commercial satellite known as SES 8 into orbit. The rocket lifted off from its seaside launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida Perched on top of the rocket was a 7,000-pound (3,175 kg) communications satellite owned by Luxembourg-based SES SA, which operates a 54-satellite fleet, the worlds second-largest. About 30 minutes after liftoff, the satellite and worth more than $100 million, was in an elliptical orbit that reached more than 50,000 miles (80,000 km) from Earth, about a quarter of the way to the moon. From there, SES-8 will manoeuvre itself down to a circular, 22,369-mile (36,000km) high orbit to provide television, broadband and other communications services to customers in India, China, Vietnam and elsewhere in Asia.SES-8 is the first commercial communications satellite to be launched from Cape Canaveral in four years. Previous SES satellites were launched primarily aboard Russian Proton and European Ariane rockets, which cost far more than the approximately $55 million the company paid for its ride on SpaceXs Falcon booster. Greece Tests Russian-Made S-300 Missile System for First Time Greek armed forces test-fired a Russian-made S-300 air defense system on 13 December , for the first time since it was bought 14 years ago. Greece is the only NATO member that has an S-300 in service. The system was initially purchased by Cyprus in the mid-1990s, and was later transferred to the Greek island of Crete following objections from Turkey. The launch was carried out as part of the White Eagle 2013 military exercise and was described as successful. Iran Sent Second Monkey into Space For Second Time Iran has on 14 December successfully launched its second monkey named Fargam into the space and back, the countrys latest step toward sending humans into orbit.The monkey was flown on Irans liquid -fueled Pajohesh (research) rocket for a 15-minute mission that took him approximately 72 miles into space.This process will help the Iranian Scientists in developing Irans Space Research works with necessary information, which would enrich their space technology knowhow.The first rocket carrying a monkey named Pishgam (pioneer) in the space was launched by Iran on 28 January 2013. First Human Artificial Heart Implanted In France The first human artificial heart implantation performed in Georges Pompidou Hospital, Paris on 18 December was successful.The artificial heart designed by the French biomedical firm Carmat and developed by the Dutch based European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS).The artificial heart can give patients up to five years of extra life, which
replaces the real heart.The previous heart assistance devices are created mainly for temporary use.The artificial heart weighs as little as less than a kilogram (900grams), almost three times heavier than an average healthy human heart. India Successfully Test Fires Nuclear Capable Agni-III Missile India on 23 December successfully test-fired its nuclear-capable Agni-III ballistic missile with a strike range of more than 3,000 km as part of a user trial by the Army from Wheeler Island off Odisha coast.The test fire of the surface-to-surface missile was conducted by Strategic Forces Command (SFC) of the Indian Army with the logistic support from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The Agni-III missile is powered by a two-stage solid propellant system.It has a length of 17 metres, 2 metres diameter and launch weight is around 50 tonnes. It can carry a warhead of 1.5 tonne, which is protected by carbon all composite heat shield.Though the first developmental trial of Agni-III carried out on July 9, 2006 could not provide desired result, subsequent tests on April 12, 2007, May 7, 2008 and February 7, 2010 as well as the first user trial on September 21, 2012 from the same base were all successful.
PERSONS IN NEWS A) APPOINTMENTS Justice D.P Buch Sworn In As Gujarat Lokayukta Justice (retired) D.P Buch, a retired judge of the Gujarat High Court, was administered the oath of Lokayukta by Governor Kamla Beniwal at Raj Bhavan in the presence of Chief Minister Narendra Modi on 11 December.Justice Buch is Gujarats fourth Lokayukta.The post had been lying vacant since the last incumbent, Justice RM Sonis term expired in December 2003. Raman Singh Sworn In As Chhattisgarh CM for Third Consecutive Term Raman Singh was sworn in as Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh for the third consecutive term on 12 December.Raman Singh retained his Rajnandgaon Assembly constituency by defeating Congress candidate Alka Mudliyar, the wife of former Congress MLA Uday Mudliyar who was killed in the Darbha naxal attack in May this year, by a margin of 35,866 votes.Raman Singh, the three-term Chief Minister who had an uninterrupted 10-year rule in Chhattisgarh-the tribal-dominated state, earned the Chawal Wale Baba nickname for the popularity of his unique pro-welfare schemes including distribution of rice at one rupee and two rupees per kg to families belonging to extremely poor and below poverty lines categories respectively. Raman Singh is the fourth chief minister of Chhattisgarh state. Harsh Bhanwala is new NABARD Chairman Harsh Kumar Bhanwala has been appointed as the Chairman of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) on 15 December.Bhanwala succeeds Prakash Bakshi, who retired as Nabard chairman in September 2013.At present, Snehlata Shrivastava, Additional Secretary in the Department of Financial Services in the Ministry of Finance, holds additional charge of the chairmans post.Bhanwala is currently Executive Director at India Infrastructure Finance Company (IIFCL). He was earlier chief general manager, looking after corporate planning, human resource development and credit enhancement at IIFCL. Sushma Singh Sworn In As New CIC The President Pranab Mukherjee on 19 December administered the oath of office to former IAS officer Sushma Singh as Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.Sushma Singh , who is the fifth Chief Information Commissioner of CIC, is the second woman to be appointed to the post after Deepak Sandhu, whose term ended on 18 December.She had joined the CIC as Information Commissioner on 23 September 2009.Prior to joining the CIC, Sushma Singh served as Secretary to the Government of India in the Ministries of Information & Broadcasting, Panchyati Raj and the Development of the North East Region (DONER). Arup Raha Takes Over As 24th IAF chief Air Marshal Arup Raha on 31 December took over as the 24th chief of the Indian Air Force (IAF) succeeding Air Chief Marshal N.A.K Browne.He is expected to have tenure of three years as IAF chief . B)RESIGNS Sudans Vice President Ali Osman Taha Resigned Sudans Vice-President Ali Osman Taha, a key figure behind the Islamist-backed coup 24 years ago, has resigned to pave the way for a new government.His resignation was announced by the Sudanese President, Omar al-Bashir in Khartoum on 7
December . He resigned and vacated his office at the presidency ahead of his cabinet reshuffle.Taha has been the first Vice President of Sudan, the second highest political party. C)DEATHS Former South African President Nelson Mandela Died Former South African President Nelson Mandela, who served 27 years in prison for anti-apartheid activities and led his continent into a new era, has died in Johannesburg on 5 December. He was 95 years old. He was also known as Madiba in South Africa.He was the first black South African to hold the office of President from 1994 to 1999, and the first elected in a fully representative multiracial election. He was born on 1918 in Eastern Cape. He joined the African National Congress in 1943. In 1962, he was arrested and was convicted of incitement and leaving country without a passport. He was sentenced to five years in prison. In 1964, he was charged with sabotage, sentenced to life. He was freed from the prison in 1990 .In 1999, he stepped down as leader.Mandela has received more than two hundred and fifty awards over four decades.He was the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.In 1990 he was conferred with the Bharat Ratna.He was the recipient of Mahatma Gandhi peace award in 2001. Union Labour Minister Sis Ram Ola Died Union labour and employment minister Sis Ram Ola has died on 15 December in Gurgaon, Haryana. Sis Ram Ola was a member of the 15th Lok Sabha of India. He represented the Jhunjhunu constituency of Rajasthan and was a member of the Indian National Congress. He was a member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly from 1957 to 1990, and from 1980 to 1990 he was a cabinet minister in the Government of Rajasthan. A recipient of the Padma Shri award in 1968, Ola started girls education in a remote area in rural Rajasthan with three girls in the school known as Indira Gandhi Balika Niketan Ardawata in 1952. He took over as the Labour Minister in June 2013 after Mallikarjun Kharge was shifted to Railways.In 1968, he became a recipient of Padma Shri award for social work . D)VISITORS Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai Visited India Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai visited India from 12 15 December 2013.During this four day visit , Hamid Karzai met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delh and discussed strengthening of bilateral cooperation in areas of security and defence.The two leaders also agreed on deepening defence and security cooperation, including through enhancement in training and meeting the equipment and infrastructure needs of Afghanistan National Security and Defence Forces that would increase their operational capabilities and mobility.India has provided more than $2 billion in aid towards Afghanistans reconstruction and is providing military training to Afghan troops. E)MISCELLANEOUS Edward Snowden Is The Guardians Person Of The Year The Guardian newspaper has on 9 December named U.S. whistleblower Edward Snowden its person of the (2013) year.Its the second consecutive year a whistleblower receives such a title. Last year (2012) Chelsea Manning became a person of the year.As the Guardian reports, Edward Snowden leaked an estimated 200,000 files that exposed the extensive and intrusive nature of telephone and internet surveillance and intelligence gathering by the US and its western allies. Pope Francis is Times Person of the Year 2013 Pope Francis has been named Time magazines Person of the Year for 2013 on 11 December. He was named the Person of the Year for changing the perception of the Catholic Church within nine months.The former Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected in March as the first pope from Latin America and the first Jesuit.It was the third time a Catholic pope had been Times selection.John Paul II was selected in 1994 and John XXIII was chosen in 1962.Edward Snowden the pers on who leaked the secret documents about NSA surveillance activities was selected at the second position in the list.
PLACES IN NEWS 1400-year-old Buddhist Temple Discovered In China In the month of December 2013 , A 1,400-year-old Buddhist temple, built during the Northern Qi Dynasty, has been discovered in north Chinas Shanxi Province.The shrine, enclosed by walls carved with Buddha niches, is part of the Tongzi Temple complex secluded on a mountain near the city of Taiyuan- the capital of Shanxi.The researchers from Institute of Archaeology of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (IA CASS) explained that structure was built in 556 AD during the rule of Northern Qi
Dynasty (550-557 AD), a booming period for Buddhism.The structure is the only one of its kind ever found in China and it sheds light on early Buddha carvings.Though destroyed in a war in 1,117 AD, the temple has yielded a batch of well-preserved statues.One of its walls was carved with a Buddha figure of over 20 meters in height. It was unrecognisable, but the archaeologists unearthed some remnants that suggested its original look. The structure also houses a 2.6-meter mural dating from the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), which archaeologists believe is of great value.
ABBREVIATIONS ICC DSIM EBT IIFCL IPCC NABARD SEBI SIDBI OECD - International Cricket Council - Department of Statistics and Information Management - Electronic Benefit Transfer - India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited - Inter-Govermental Panel on Climate Change - National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development - Securities and Exchange Board of India - Small Industries Development Bank of India - Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
BOOKS IN NEWS Mary Koms Biography Unbreakable Released Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan unveiled Olympic medal-winning boxer M.C. Mary Koms autobiography, titled Unbreakable, on 9 December in Mumbai. Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom is a boxer, a World Champion five times over and winner of an Olympic bronze in 2012 the first time that womens boxing was part of the Olympic Games.The book was published by Published by Harper Collins.
COMMITTEES Justice Sodhi Committee On Insider Trading Regulations Submits Report To SEBI The High Level Committee to Review the SEBI (Prohibition of Insider Trading) Regulations, 1992 constituted under the Chairmanship of Justice N.K. Sodhi, former chief justice of Karnataka and Kerala High Courts and former presiding officer of the Securities Appellate Tribunal, submitted its report to SEBI Chairman, Shri U.K. Sinha, on 7 December .The Committee has made a range of recommendations to the legal framework for prohibition of insider trading in India and has focused on making this area of regulation more predictable, precise and clear by suggesting a combination of principles-based regulations and rules that are backed by principles. The Committee has also suggested that each regulatory provision may be backed by a note on legislative intent.
IMPORTANT DAYS AND DATES World AIDS Day Observed on 1 December World AIDS Day was observed on 1 December 2013 across the globe to raise awareness about the HIV/ AIDS. The theme for the year 2013 is: Getting to Zero.HIV/AIDS remains a major global issue, having claimed more than 36 million lives so far since the discovery of the virus more than 20 years ago. According to the World Health Organisation, there were approximately 35.3 million people living with HIV in 2012. Since the inception of World AIDS Day in 1988, it has been observed on 1st December every year with different themes. The theme for this year is Getting to Zero - means zero new infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. December 9th Observed As A International Anti-Corruption Day International Anti-Corruption Day is observed on 9th December across the world to raise awareness about the menace of Corruption and what people can do to fight it. The theme for the year 201 3 is Act against Corruption Today. The day is observed on 9th December each year to raise awareness about the corruption. The UN General Assembly by resolution of
58/4 of 31 October 2003 designated 9 December as International Anti-Corruption Day. This decision aimed to raise peoples awareness of corruption and of the role of the United Nations Convention against Corruption in combating and preventing it.
INDIA & WORLD India and Maldives Signed 3 MoUs India and the Maldives on 2 January agreed to amicably resolve all differences, including over cancellation of Indian company GMRs contract to run Male International Airport. Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen held talks in New Delhi with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the two sides signed three Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs).Two agreements are related to health and human resource development and one on the diplomatic front. India and Canada Signed LOI for Co-operation in Iron and Steel Sector India and Canada have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) for co-operation in Iron and Steel Sector. The letters were signed on 13 January in New Delhi by Beni Prasad Verma, the Union Minister of Steel and Minister of Natural Resources, Government of Canada, Joe Oliver. India and South Korea Signed Nine Agreements India and South Korea have signed 9 agreements in different areas to boost bilateral ties between the two countries.The agreements were signed on 16 January after delegation level talks between Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister of India and Park Geun-hye, the President of South Korea in New Delhi. India and Japan Signed 8 Agreements India and Japan have agreed to boost defence ties and signed eight agreements with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, pledging another tranche of infrastructure loans worth 200 billion yen, during his talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on 25 January. Pakistan and India Ranked 97th In Global Food Index 2014 According to the Global Food Index 2014 released on 17 January , Pakistan ranked 97th in a list of 125 countries with reg ard
to availability, quality and affordability of food and dietary health.The listing means Pakistan is one of the countries with the most unhealthy and scarce food. India got the same rank as Pakistan.The Netherlands emerges as the country with the most nutritious, plentiful and healthy food leaving France and Switzerland behind at the joint second place.The Index namely Good Enough to Eat has been compiled by the UK-based international relief and development organization Oxfam.
NATIONAL Government Launched Indias First Comprehensive Adolescent Health Programme Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad on 7 January launched the nations first comprehensive adolescent health programme named Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) in New Delhi.The programme will include a sharp focus on adolescents sexual health.The RKSK defines an ad olescent as a person within 10-19 years of age, in urban and rural areas, includes both girls and boys, married and unmarried, poor and affluent, whether they are in school or out of school. Government Notified New Natural Gas Pricing Formula The Government of India on 10 January notified the new natural gas pricing formula, which will be in effect from 1 April 2014. As per the newly issued notification, the rate of all domestically produced fuel will be almost doubled to 8.2 to 8.4 dollar per unit. Government Grants CBI greater Financial Autonomy The Central Government on 14 January relaxed its control over the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and granted the CBI director a rank equal to a Secretary. Ghulam Nabi Azad Launches National Urban Health Mission Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad on 20 January launched the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) in Bangalore to provide timely quality health services to the urban poor.The scheme will now be introduced as a submission under the National Health Mission (NHM).The mission will be implemented in 779 cities and towns, each with a population of more than 50,000, and cover over 7.75 crore people.
STATES Manmohan Singh Launched Total E-literacy Project In Kerala Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has launched the total E-literacy project implemented by PN Panicker Vigyan Vikas Kendra in Thiruvanathpuram on 4 January.This would act as the corner-stone of the Kerala model of development.The programme was aimed at achieving total e-literacy in the state in 33 months, marching from total literacy to complete-literacy. Maharashtra Govt. Launched Unique Blood On Call Scheme Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on 7 January rolled out Jeevan Amrut Yojana (blood -on-call scheme) across the state.The ambitious plan is aimed at facilitating blood supply to patients scheduled to undergo surgeries and medical procedures, at cheaper rate by dialling a dedicated helpline number 104. Under the scheme, the request for blood will have to be placed by hospitals. Chhattisgarh Govt. Launched Toll Free Number 1100 For Graft Complaints Chhattisgarh government has on 7 January launched a toll free helpline number 1100 where people could lodge graft-related complaints against the state government officials.The facility will help provide better governance to the people.Now, the people can just dial 1100 to lodge complaints regarding corruption. Anu Vidyut Pariyojana Launched In Haryana Prime Minister Manmohan Singh laid the foundation of 2,800 Megawatt nuclear power plant in Fatehabad district of Haryana on 13 January.The project named as Anu Vidyut Pariyojna, will have four units of 700 MWes each and it will be built at a cost 23502 crore rupees. The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) will build these reactors. This is the first time Haryana will have a nuclear project.
CONFERENCES
12th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Held in New Delhi The 12th edition of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) was held in New Delhi from 7 9 January 2014 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The theme of the event was Engaging Diaspora Connecting across Generations .The convention was inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 7 January. Malaysias Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Y B Datuk Seri Palanivel ,was the Chief Guest. On 9 January President Pranab Mukherjee conferred the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards and addressed the closing session of the Convention.
AWARDS & HONOURS President Pranab Mukherjee Conferred Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards President Pranab Mukherjee conferred the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards on 9 January during the 12th edition of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD). Peace activist Ela Gandhi, who is a grand-daughter of Mahatma Gandhi, was among the 13 non-resident Indians (NRIs), persons of Indian origin (PIOs) and organizations honoured with the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards. Ela Gandhi was given the award for public service and for enhancing Indias image and for promoting ties between India and South Africa. Lisa Maria Singh is the first member of Australian Parliament of South Asian descent and has held several ministerial portfolios in the past. She is a senator from Tasmania. Singh was given the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman for public service and fostering friendly relations between India and Australia. Ramkrishna Mission, serving in Fiji since 1937, was honoured for community service and philanthropic activities and enhancing Indias prestige abroad. Three Security Personnel Selected For Kirti Chakra Award Three personnel of the armed forces have been selected for the year 2014 Kirti Chakra award , the second highest peace time gallantry award, for their acts of bravery on the Line of Control (LoC), anti-maoist operation and relief operation in flood-hit Uttarakhand, respectively. The three are among 368 gallantry award winners this year including 10 Shaurya Chakra awardees. Indian-American Wins Top US Teaching Award India-born Meera Chandrasekhar, professor of physics and astronomy and Curators Teaching Professor of Physics at the University of Missouri, has on 18 January won Baylor Universitys 2014 Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching. Mohinder Singh , Radhakrishnan Selected For Communal Harmony Awards National Communal Harmony Award for Mohinder Singh for his work done in restoring peace after the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and noted academician N Radhakrishnan for his promotion of Gandhian values were announced on 25 January. Singh, along with Gandhian Radhakrishnan of Kerala, have been selected for the coveted award in the individual category while the Centre for Study of Society and Secularism, Mumbai has been selected in the organisation category.
SPORTS & GAMES Rafael Nadal Won Qatar ExxonMobil Open Title Rafael Nadal of Spain won the Qatar ExxonMobil Open title on 4 January.He defeated Frances Gael Monfils in the Mens Singles final at Doha.It was his 61st ATP title. Brisbane International Tennis Tournament Winners 2014 Womens Singles :- Serena Williams of the U.S. on 4 January won the Brisbane International Tennis Tournament Womens Singles title after defeated Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in the final in Brisbane, Australia. Williams has now won 58 tour singles titles. Mens Singles :- Australias Lleyton Hewitt won the Mens Singles Title. He defeated Roger Federer of Switzerland in the Brisbane International final. It was Hewitts 29th title on the ATP tour but his first since 2010, when he also beat Federer in the final at Halle. Ana Ivanovic Won Auckland Open Tennis Title Ana Ivanovic of Serbia won the Auckland Open Tennis Title on 4 January. She defeated Venus Williams (U.S) in the final at Auckland, New Zealand.It is the 12th title for the Ivanovic and second seed but her first success since victory in Bali in 2011. Anju Bobby George Declared World Athletics Gold Medalist For 2005 Indian Long jumper Anju Bobby George on 13 January became the first Indian track and field athlete to win a gold medal in a major world event after international governing body International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) upgraded her
second place finish at the 2005 Monaco World Athletics Championships final to the top spot , following a dope violation by a Russian competitor Tatyana Kotova.Anjus fifth place finish at the 2005 Helsinki World Championships long jump event was also upgraded to fourth. Netherlands Won Hockey World League 2014 The Netherlands on 18 January won the first ever Hockey World League final after defeating New Zealand by 7-2 in New Delhi. Belgium retained his fifth place , while India secured sixth place.
ECONOMY Government Retains 100 Per cent FDI in Existing Pharma Units Government of India on 8 January decided to retain the policy of allowing 100 per cent foreign investments in the existing pharma firms, brushing aside concerns about non availability of affordable drugs in view of MNCs takeovers.India permits 100 per cent FDI in pharma through automatic approval route in the greenfield, or new projects. Indias Growth Projected To Rise To 7.1 Percent By 2016-17 According to the World Banks Global Economic Prospects (GEP) report released on 16 January , Indias growth is projected to rise to over six percent in fiscal 2014-15, increasing to 7.1 percent by fiscal 2016-17 with the world economy expected to strengthen this year. Indian Economy Projected To Grow At 5.35% In 2014 According to the UN World Economic Situation and Prospects 2014 (WESP) report released on 24 January , Indias economy is projected to grow at a slower-than-expected rate of 5.3 per cent in 2014. Full-year growth decelerated to 4.8 per cent in 2013 from 5.1 per cent in the calendar year 2012. RBI raised Repo Rate By 25 Basis Points To 8 Percent Reserve Bank of India (RBI) raised the Repo rate under Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF) by 25 basis points from 7.75 percent to 8 percent. Besides, it kept the cash reserve ratio (CRR) of scheduled banks unchanged at 4 percent of net demand and time liability (NDTL). The decision to raise the repo rate and keep the CRR unchanged was announced by the RBI in its Third Quarter Monetary Policy Review on 28 January. As a result, the reverse repo rate under the LAF stands adjusted at 7 percent, and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate at 9.0 percent.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY GSLV-D5 Rocket Carrying Communication Satellite GSAT-14 Successfully Launched Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on 5 January successfully launched its heavy-duty rocket Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-Development 5 (GSLV-D5) having indigeneous cryogenic engine that placed a 1,982 kg GSAT-14 communication satellite into the orbit. The 49.13-metre tall rocket GSLV-D5 lifted off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota , Andhra Pradesh .The launch vehicle successfully injected the GSAT-14 communication satellite into the intended orbit.With the successful launch of GSLV-D5 flight India has now become the sixth nation to possess the cryogenic engine technology, and has joined the elite club of the United States, Russia, France, Japan and China. India Successfully Test Fired Nuclear Capable Prithvi II Missile India on 7 January successfully test-fired its indigenously developed nuclear capable surface to surface Prithvi II missile , which is capable of carrying 500 kg to 1,000 kg of warheads and has a strike range of 350 km, from a test range at Chandipur near Balasore (Odisha).The launch was part of a user trial by the Army.Prithvi-II missile is already inducted into the Indian Armed forces.The last trial of Prithvi-II was successfully carried out from the same base on 3 December 2013. Astronomers Discovered Two New Exoplanets In the month of January 2014 A team of Astronomers from Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA), have discovered two new extrasolar planets circling a dim, red dwarf star about 200 light-years away from our planet.One of the planets, dubbed KOI-314c, weighs the same as Earth, but around 60 percent larger in diameter.The second planet, named KOI-314b, is about the same size as KOI-314c but significantly denser, weighing about 4 times as much as Earth.The team discovered the planet using data from NASAs Kepler spacecraft.
Worlds Fastest Organic Transistor Developed In the month of January 2014 Scientists claim to have developed the worlds fastest thin -film organic transistor that could operate more than five times faster than previous examples of this technology.Researchers from the University of NebraskaLincoln (UNL) and Stanford University explained that this experimental technology has the potential to achieve the performance needed for high-resolution television screens and similar electronic devices. Engineers created the thin-film organic transistors that could operate more than five times faster than previous examples of this experimental technology.
PERSONS IN NEWS A) APPOINTMENTS R Chandrashekhar is new NASSCOM President Former Telecom Secretary (Government of India), R Chandrashekhar on 5 January took over as the President of Information Technology trade body Nasscom (National Association of Software and Services Companies).He succeeds Som Mittal, who served as President from 2007-2013.This is the first time that NASSCOM has appointed a former bureaucrat as the president. US Senate Confirmed Janet Yellen as new Federal Reserve Chairperson The US Senate has on 6 January confirmed Janet Yellen as new leader of the Federal Reserve. She is the first woman to lead the central bank in its 100-year history. She succeeds the Chairman Ben Bernanke as the next head of Americas central bank. Sheikh Hasina Sworn In As Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was on 12 January sworn in as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh for the third time. She had won an overwhelming majority in the Bangladesh general election held on 5 January 2014 by defeating opposition party, Jatiya party.The Awami League has secured absolute majority in the 10th Parliament elections by bagging 232 seats 105 contested and 127 uncontested. B)RESIGNS Tunisia Prime Minister Ali Larayedh Resigned Tunisias Islamist Prime Minister Ali Larayedh has resigned from his office on 9 January . With his resignation, the country will be led by the caretaker Government of technocrats led by led by new Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa. He resigned following a deal between the Islamist Ennahda Party of Ali Larayedh and the secular opposition for a transition to the democracy in the country. C)DEATHS Israels Former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon Died Israels former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon died on 11 January .The former general of Israeli Army had been in coma since 4 January 2006. He served as the 11th Prime Minister of Israel until he was incapacitated by a stroke. Sharon was a commander in the Israeli Army from its creation in 1948.Nicknamed The Bulldozer, the veteran soldier fought in all of Israels major wars before beginning a turbulent political career in 1973. D)VISITORS Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck Visited India Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck Visited India from 6 10 January 2014. During his visit , Bhutan King held extensive talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi. The two leaders exchanged views on bilateral relations and on regional and international issues of mutual interest. The prime minister and other Indian leaders reiterated their full commitment and support to Bhutans socio-economic development and to further development of Bhutans hydropower resources. This is King Wangchucks second visit in 12 months. He was also the chief guest at Indias Republic Day celebrations in January 2013. E)MISCELLANEOUS Sachin Tendulkar 5th Most Admired Person In The World Microsoft founder Bill Gates has been named as the most admired person on the planet with cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar fifth on a list of 30 people compiled after a poll in 13 countries, including India.T he Worlds most admired people poll was conducted by YouGov for The Times by surveying almost 14,000 people.
PLACES IN NEWS Odishas Chilika Lagoon Named Destination Flyways By UNWTO Chilika lagoon in Odisha was named Destination Flyways by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) on 21 January .The lagoon was named so for its sustainable and resilient destination for migratory birds. Chilika is the only site to be selected from Asia by the UNWTO and was included in a list of eight such sites. The Destination Flyways initiative of UNWTO aims at promotion of sustainable tourism.
ABBREVIATIONS GPS Global Positioning System TCS Tata Consultancy Services NASSCOM National Association of Software and Services Companies GSLV Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle FSLRC Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission NBFC Non Banking Finance Companies
BOOKS IN NEWS Incredible Opportunities Back Home Book Released The Prime Minister Manmohan Singh released the book entitled Incredible Opportunities Back Home on 8 January during the 12th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in New Delhi .This book will provide access to credible information, essential for meaningful engagement.
COMMITTEES Nachiket Mor Committees Report on Financial Inclusion The committee constituted by the Reserve Bank of India (RBIs) on 23 September 2013 to suggest steps for promoting financial inclusion headed by veteran banker and ex-ICICI Bank executive director Nachiket Mor. The committee on 7 January 2014 suggested setting up of specialised banks to cater to low income households to ensure that all citizens have bank accounts by January 1, 2016.
IMPORTANT DAYS AND DATES World Braille Day was Observed on 4th January World Braille Day is celebrated today (4th January) across the world to observe the Birthday of Louis Braille. Louis Braille, born in 1809, was the inventor of braille, a system of reading and writing used by people who are blind or visually impaired. Braille became blind after an accident at the age of three. He created a language based on the patterns of raised dots on paper, which could be felt and one can read anything that is unable to see. He did this to have an access to works of literature. National Girl Child Day Observed on 24 January National Girl Child Day observed on 24 January 2014 across India by the Government. This day is observed every year to raise awareness and consciousness of the society towards girl children. The day is being observed every year on 24 January since 2008. Government of India has started National Girl Child Day as a national girls development mission. The mission raises the awareness among people all over the country about the importance of girls promotion. It helps in enhancing girls meaningful contribution in decision making processes by active support of the parents and the community members.