The Competition Master

RAPID GK SERIES 16

RAPID GK SERIES 16

1. This bank has introduced the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) in India 2. The unit of â€˜Amount of Substanceâ€™ is 3. The Periyar Wildlif...

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Lokpal Bill to come up in Budget session: Govt

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> Government today said the Lokpal Bill will be brought before the Rajya Sabha for consideration and passage during the Budget session of Parliament.    
   
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy told reporters in New Delhi that after going through the amendments, the government will take a final call on the amendments and get back to the Opposition parties.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Referring to the amendments moved by key UPA partner Trinamool Congress on the Bill in the Rajya Sabha, Narayanasamy said its reservations are regarding the appointment of Lokayuktas in the states and they have no grievances against Lokpal.        
   
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> But at the same time the minister said Trinamool was part of the Cabinet decision to clear the Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill introduced in Lok Sabha a few days ago.   
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> This Bill could not be passed in the extended session of Rajya Sabha last night as unruly scenes were witnessed when the Minister of State for Personnel was winding up the debate. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The legislation has already been passed by the Lok Sabha 
</li>
</ul></div>

Lokpal Bill to come up in Budget session: Govt

Government today said the Lokpal Bill will be brought before the Rajya Sabha for consideration and passage during the Budget session of P...

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Cyclone Thane leaves 11 dead in TN and Puducherry

Cyclone Thane leaves 11 dead in TN and Puducherry

The very severe cyclonic storm, 'Thane', crossed the Tamil Nadu coast, leaving 11 persons dead and causing extensive damage to Cu...

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India’s no to Pak proposal of moving heavy artillery away from LoC

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> India has rejected Pakistan's proposal to move heavy artillery and mortars away from the Line of Control citing frequent ceasefire violations.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> New Delhi asked Islamabad to come clear on its nuclear policy, including command and control over nuclear assets. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> this was conveyed to the Pakistani officials by India during the two-day talks on nuclear and conventional Confidence Building Measures that were held in Islamabad after a gap of four years.   
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> During the talks India conveyed to Pakistan the need to demonstrate restraint and responsibility in the nuclear field and urged it facilitate the talks on the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty.   </li>
</ul></div>

India’s no to Pak proposal of moving heavy artillery away from LoC

India has rejected Pakistan's proposal to move heavy artillery and mortars away from the Line of Control citing frequent ceasefire vi...

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India starts probe into alleged dumping of choline chloride from China

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> The Directorate General of Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) has initiated the probe into alleged dumping of choline chloride from China.      
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> After the probe, merits of imposing anti-dumping duty on imports of choline chloride, a chemical used mainly for animal feed, from China will be ascertained.    
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> India has initiated 149 anti-dumping cases against China, which account for over half of such actions taken by the country against foreign nations.        
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Countries  initiate anti-dumping probes to check if domestic industry has been hurt because of a surge in cheap imports.          
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> As a counter-measure, they impose duties under the multilateral WTO regime.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Unlike safeguard duties, which are levied in a uniform way, anti-dumping duties vary from product-to-product and from country-to-country. </li>
</ul></div>

India starts probe into alleged dumping of choline chloride from China

The Directorate General of Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) has initiated the probe into alleged dumping of choline chloride from C...

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N Korea rejects any engagement with South Korea

N Korea rejects any engagement with South Korea

North Korea today ruled out any policy changes and rejected any engagement with South Korea's current government. The announcemen...

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Russian nuclear submarine catches fire

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> A huge fire has engulfed Russian nuclear submarine as it was undergoing repairs at a shipyard in the northern region of Murmansk. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The K-84 Yekaterinburg nuclear submarine is one of seven Delta-IV class submarines in service, all deployed in the Northern Fleet. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> It carries 16 NATO classification "Skiff" submarine-launched ballistic missiles. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The Delta-IV class submarines are the core of the naval component of the Russian nuclear triad at present and may remain in service for another 10 years. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Russian nuclear submarine catches fire

A huge fire has engulfed Russian nuclear submarine as it was undergoing repairs at a shipyard in the northern region of Murmansk. Th...

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Expert team from Roorkie IIT surveys Mullapperiyar dam

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> In Kerala, the expert team of engineers from Roorkie, IIT undertaking a dam break analysis study in the Mullapperiyar dam area, is surveying places from lower Periyar to Bhoothathankettu . 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The team led by Dr. SK Mishra has inspected Mullapperiyar dam and places near to the 116 year old structure on Thursday to study the impact in case of a dam break. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The team will be submitting its report to the state government within a fortnight. Meanwhile, hunger strike and Satyagraha demanding decommissioning of the dam by leaders of different political parties are continuing in Idukki. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Expert team from Roorkie IIT surveys Mullapperiyar dam

In Kerala, the expert team of engineers from Roorkie, IIT undertaking a dam break analysis study in the Mullapperiyar dam area, is survey...

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Jayalalithaa sanctions Rs.150 cr for cyclone relief

Jayalalithaa sanctions Rs.150 cr for cyclone relief

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Friday alloted Rs. 150 crore for immediate relief measures and directed four Ministers to visit ...

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Navy floats out first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier

Navy floats out first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier

The first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) of the Navy was floated out at the Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), at a low-key event attended...

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Argentina: Ex-President Gets 15 Years

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> Argentina’s last military president has been found guilty of more crimes against humanity, this time getting 15 years for setting up a secret torture center inside a hospital during the 1976 military coup.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The leader, Reynaldo Benito Bignone, oversaw the takeover of the Posadas de Haedo hospital in provincial Buenos Aires 35 years ago.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Dozens of people were kidnapped, and doctors and nurses were among the torture victims. General Bignone, 85, was previously sentenced to 25 years in prison for involvement in illegal raids, kidnapping and torture involving 56 people from 1976 to 1978 at the Campo de Mayo detention centers at a military base on the outskirts of Buenos Aires. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Argentina: Ex-President Gets 15 Years

Argentina’s last military president has been found guilty of more crimes against humanity, this time getting 15 years for setting up a se...

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Three-layer system for Western Ghats protection mooted

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> The Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel has proposed a three-layer system — comprising the (WGEA) Western Ghats Ecology Authority (as the apex body), the State authorities and the district ecology committees — to address the environmental challenges of the Western Ghats. The Madhav Gadgil-led expert panel has proposed that the 24-member WGEA deal with the “myriad environmental implications in the Western Ghats.” 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The Authority “shall be the apex multi-statal authority for regulation, management and planning of all activities impacting all categories of ecologically sensitive zones within the States of the Western Ghats, namely, Gujarat, Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and shall be constituted under the relevant provisions of the Environment Protection Act,” it said. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The panel has proposed that either a “retired judge of the Supreme Court, preferably from the Western Ghats region, with proven integrity and sympathetic to the cause of conservation and pro-poor sustainable development” or an “eminent ecologist/conservation biologist of the Western Ghats region who has made substantial contribution to the conservation of the region in the last 25 years” be appointed chairman of the WGEA. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> A conservation biologist, an environmental lawyer, an agricultural scientist, a landscape ecologist, a representative of a prominent tribal group on rotation from each State and a civil society representative from each State, who has contributed to the conservation of the Ghats, should be made members. The WGEA will also have an Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Forests and the chairmen of the Pollution Control Boards and the National Biodiversity Authority and a member of the Planning Commission. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Three-layer system for Western Ghats protection mooted

The Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel has proposed a three-layer system — comprising the (WGEA) Western Ghats Ecology Authority (as the ...

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U.S. to Sell F-15s to Saudi Arabia

U.S. to Sell F-15s to Saudi Arabia

The Obama administration said it has reached a $30 billion agreement to sell advanced fighter aircraft to Saudi Arabia, part of a broader...

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Harvard-Tiruchi project to arrest cervical cancer

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li> <div style="text-align: justify;">An initiative undertaken by the non-profit Hindu Mission Hospital here and researchers from Harvard Medical School aims at nipping cervical cancer in the bud through a self-sustaining screening programme targeting women in rural Tamil Nadu.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 
</div> </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Sexually transmitted infection of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is the cause for more than 90 per cent of cervical cancer cases. Yet HPV infection is not always cancerous as only persistent infection in some women leads to cancer 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The project with its base in Tiruchi would cover Salem, Erode and Karur, some of the districts with high incidence of cervical cancer next to Chennai. The project would move a step ahead of the existing cancer screening government initiative by employing multiple screening techniques. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> While the government project uses a simple cost-effective method- Visual Inspection method with Ascetic Acid (VIA), the Harvard project employs two additional techniques as VIA though non-expensive, is subjective 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> One of the important feature of the ‘Harvard Project' is the introduction of HPV testing, a rarity here, due to lack of trained experts and expenses incurred. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> By identifying HPV infection in high-risk women above 30 years and suggesting intervention, the project envisages reducing cancer-related deaths. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Harvard-Tiruchi project to arrest cervical cancer

An initiative undertaken by the non-profit Hindu Mission Hospital here and researchers from Harvard Medical School aims at nipping cervic...

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Nasa telescopes capture image of galaxy resembling eye

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> The three telescopes were able to create the image of the galaxy NGC 4151 showing gas interacting with the growing black hole at its centre. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The white spot which looks like the eye’s pupil is the black hole and the red circumference is hydrogen. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The blue is created by X-rays which scientists are studying to understand how such black holes interact with the gas around them. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> NGC 4151 is one of the nearest galaxies which contains an actively growing black hole. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> It offers one of the best chances of studying the interaction between an active supermassive black hole and the surrounding gas of its host galaxy 
</li>
</ul></div>

Nasa telescopes capture image of galaxy resembling eye

The three telescopes were able to create the image of the galaxy NGC 4151 showing gas interacting with the growing black hole at its cent...

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NASA PROBE SNAPS AMAZING PHOTOSF SATURN MOONS

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> NASA’s Cassini spacecraft has captured stunning shots of three of Saturn’s moons, showcasing the diversity and beauty of the ringed planet’s natural satellites. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The Cassini probe recently beamed home photos of Titan, Dione and Enceladus, three of Saturn’s six largest moons. The giant planet has 62 known satellites, but most of them are small, rocky moonlets too small to be rounded by their own gravity. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Titan is the ringed planet’s largest satellite; at 3,200 miles (5,150 kilometers) wide, it’s nearly 1.5 times bigger than Earth’s moon.   
 
 <ul><li> Titan has a thick, nitrogen-rich atmosphere that shrouds the frigid body in a soupy brown haze. Complex organic molecules — the carbon-containing building blocks of life as we know it — swirl about in this atmosphere. 
 
 </li>
<li> The huge moon also has a hydrocarbon-based weather system, with methane rain falling from the sky and pooling in liquid-methane lakes. Astrobiologists speculate that Titan may be one of the best places in the solar system to search for life beyond Earth. 
 
 </li>
<li> Dione, an icy, pockmarked globe 698 miles (1,123 km) across. The moon’s leading hemisphere is heavily cratered, while its trailing one sports an intricate web of ice cliffs. 
 
 </li>
<li>  At 319 miles (513 km) across, Enceladus is Saturn’s sixth-largest moon — but it may be the gas giant’s most intriguing satellite. 
 
 </li>
<li> Icy geysers erupt from Enceladus’ south polar region, fueled by a powerful interior heat source of mysterious origin. And scientists think an ocean of salty, liquid water lurks beneath the moon’s icy crust, making Enceladus another key target in the search for alien life in our solar system. 
 
 </li>
<li> Cassini launched in 1997 and arrived at Saturn in 2004. It has been studying the ringed planet and its many moons ever since, and will continue to do for years to come. Last year, NASA extended the probe’s mission to at least 2017. 
</li>
</ul></li>
</ul></div>

NASA PROBE SNAPS AMAZING PHOTOSF SATURN MOONS

NASA’s Cassini spacecraft has captured stunning shots of three of Saturn’s moons, showcasing the diversity and beauty of the ringed plane...

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Centre plans to borrow Rs.40,000 cr more now

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> The Central Government is looking at borrowing around Rs.40,000 crore more to make up for the shortfall in revenue receipts and poor disinvestment realisation in the current fiscal. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The government may borrow Rs.30,000-40,000 crore to plug a shortfall in receipts in the current fiscal 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> If approved, it would be the second additional borrowing. As per the revised target, gross market borrowing for the current fiscal is pegged at Rs.4.70 lakh crore. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Earlier this week, a top Finance Ministry official had admitted that the government was finding it difficult to meet the direct tax target due to industrial slowdown and might go in for larger market borrowings. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> In September, the government had announced an additional market borrowing of Rs.52,800 crore on top of Rs.4.17 lakh crore planned in the budget. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Besides, slowdown in the economic activities due to domestic and global factors, the government's subsidy bill on petroleum and fertilizers is likely to increase further 
</li>
</ul></div>

Centre plans to borrow Rs.40,000 cr more now

The Central Government is looking at borrowing around Rs.40,000 crore more to make up for the shortfall in revenue receipts and poor disi...

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New DoNER project on climate change

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> Ministry of Development of North East Region (DoNER) has initiated the Climate Change Adaptation North Easter Region (CCANER) Project in partnership with the German Development Cooperation and the State Governments of Meghalaya, Nagaland and Sikkim to strengthen the rural livelihood resilience and also to teach adaptability to the impacts of climate variability and change. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The German Development Cooperation would focus on capacity development of the people, institutions, and organizations of these three North East States, an official source said. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The Meghalaya Government has finalized in March this year the Draft State Climate Change Action Plan (SAPCC) to understand the importance of climate issues and its impact on inclusive growth, the official sources said, adding that the Draft Plan was the output of various inter and intra working groups constituted by the Government and in consultation with regional and national experts. 
</li>
</ul></div>

New DoNER project on climate change

Ministry of Development of North East Region (DoNER) has initiated the Climate Change Adaptation North Easter Region (CCANER) Project in ...

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Hyderabad in race to host ICANN Conference

Hyderabad in race to host ICANN Conference

Hyderabad, the emerging hub of the IT industry in India, is in the race to host the Internet Corporation for Assigned Name and Numbers (...

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Jamaican opposition party wins election

Jamaican opposition party wins election

An election dominated by the economy has swept Jamaica's opposition, and its first female prime minister, Portia Simpson Miller, back...

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Samoa celebrates New Year a day earlier!

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">  Samoa, a tiny nation in the South Pacific and its neighbour Tokelau have already embraced the New Year, a day earlier than the rest of the world, to align closely with their major trading partners in Australasia.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">  Samoa has fast-forwarded to 31 December, missing out 30 December. Samoa has announced this decision in May in a bid to improve ties with major trade partners Australia and New Zealand.    
    
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The change comes 119 years after Samoa moved in the opposite direction. Then, it transferred to the same side of the International Date Line as the United States, in an effort to aid trade.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Samoan Prime Minister Tuila'epa Sailele Malielegaoi  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Samoa is located approximately halfway between New Zealand and Hawaii and has a population of 180,000 people. Local time up to now has been 21 hours behind Sydney. From 31 December it will be three hours ahead.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Tokelau is a tiny New Zealand-administered territory of three islands. It lies to the north of Fiji, approximately half-way between Hawaii and the Australian coast. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Samoa celebrates New Year a day earlier!

Samoa, a tiny nation in the South Pacific and its neighbour Tokelau have already embraced the New Year, a day earlier than the rest of t...

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New island born in Red Sea after volcanic activity

New island born in Red Sea after volcanic activity

A new island is forming in the Red Sea in the Zubair archipelago resulting from a volcanic activity as lava is cooled by the surrounding ...

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Joint convention promotes Indo-Pak peace process

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> Promoting peace between India and Pakistan through people-to-people contact is the focus of an ongoing joint convention 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The three-day conference, which kicked off yesterday, was organised by social organisation 'Pakistan India Peoples Forum for Peace and Democracy (PIPFPD)'. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Established in 1993 to promote peace between India and Pakistan, the Forum has so far held seven joint conventions, the last one being organised at New Delhi in February 2005. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Joint convention promotes Indo-Pak peace process

Promoting peace between India and Pakistan through people-to-people contact is the focus of an ongoing joint convention The three-day...

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China plans for more space missions

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> Gearing up to land a rover on moon and send manned spaceflights to built space station, China on Thursday said it will push forward its exploration of planets, asteroids and solar system in order to achieve self sufficiency. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">  China will launch lunar mission to land a rover on moon for carrying out a survey of its surface in the next five years and conduct studies for a human lunar landing. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The lunar probe projects have achieved milestone breakthroughs since 2006, with the successful launching of two lunar probes, the Chang'e-1 in 2007 and Chang'e-2 on October 1, 2010 to orbit moon.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> China will launch space laboratories, manned spaceship and space freighters, make breakthroughs in and master space station key technologies, including astronauts' medium-term stay, regenerative life support and propellant refueling. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> It will enhance the reliability and adaptability of launch vehicles in service, develop new-generation launch vehicles and their upper stages, and implement the first flight of the Long March-5, Long March-6 and Long March-7 launch vehicles.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> On the Satellite front, China has developed Fengyun (wind and cloud), Haiyang (ocean), Ziyuan (resources), Yaogan (remote-sensing) and Tianhui (space mapping) satellite series, plus a constellation of small satellites for environmental and disaster monitoring and forecasting 
</li>
</ul></div>

China plans for more space missions

Gearing up to land a rover on moon and send manned spaceflights to built space station, China on Thursday said it will push forward its e...

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RAPID GK SERIES 15

RAPID GK SERIES 15

1. The largest Private Sector employer of India is 2. According to the 2001 Census, Which State is having the maximum Population 3. The Sp...

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Food inflation falls to 6-year low of 0.42 per cent

Food inflation falls to 6-year low of 0.42 per cent

Food inflation fell sharply to a six-year low of 0.42 per cent in the week ended December 17 as prices of essential items like vegetable...

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14 persons get Bhartendu Harish Chandra Awards for 2009 and 2010

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> Fourteen persons were given Bharatendu Harish Chandra Awards for 2009 and 2010. The awards were given in the categories of Journalism and Mass Communication, Women's Issues, Children's literature and National Integration.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The Award was one of the key initiatives of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to promote original writing of books and manuscripts in Hindi language.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> For 2009 the first prize in the Journalism and Mass Communication category was awarded to Mr. Dilip Chandra Mandal for his manuscript Corporate, Loktantra aur Paid News. No one was awarded first prize for 2010 in this category. 
</li>
</ul></div>

14 persons get Bhartendu Harish Chandra Awards for 2009 and 2010

Fourteen persons were given Bharatendu Harish Chandra Awards for 2009 and 2010. The awards were given in the categories of Journalism and...

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India & Oman extend MoU on Military Cooperation to 2015

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> India and Oman discussed important issue relating to regional and maritime security in New Delhi. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Defence Minister AK Antony and his Oman counterpart Badar bin Saud bin Harib al Busaidi have stressed the need for continued and concerted efforts of the world community to effectively address the problem.  
  
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Mr Antony noted that incidents of piracy have been taking place close to the Oman coast. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Both  the countries have extended the validity of the existing bilateral MoU on Military Cooperation, for further five years. 
</li>
</ul></div>

India & Oman extend MoU on Military Cooperation to 2015

India and Oman discussed important issue relating to regional and maritime security in New Delhi. Defence Minister AK Antony and his ...

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US warns Iran against blocking Strait of Hormuz

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> The United States has warned Iran that it will not allow any disruption of traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">  The  free flow of goods and services through the Strait of Hormuz is vital to regional and global prosperity. 
 
 </li>
<li>United States maintains the Fifth Fleet as its naval presence in the Gulf to ensure that passage for oil remains free.</li>
<li> </li>
<li>one  third of the global Oil supplies are routed through the Strait of Hormuz that links the Gulf and the petroleum-exporting states of Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to the Indian Ocean.</li>
</ul></div>

US warns Iran against blocking Strait of Hormuz

The United States has warned Iran that it will not allow any disruption of traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. The free flow of goods a...

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Russia accuses US of Human Rights violations

Russia accuses US of Human Rights violations

Russia's foreign ministry has accused the United States of human rights violations both at home and abroad. In its first-ever report ...

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Bosnia’s Muslim, Croat and Serb parties agree to form government

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> Bosnia's main Muslim, Croat and Serb parties have agreed to form a Central government, ending a 14-month political crisis that paralysed the state and blocked further integration with the European Union. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> the Parties have reached agreements on the composition of the government and on holding a census and on distribution of state aid, which Brussels insists on if Bosnia is to take further steps toward joining the European Union. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Bosnian Croat leader Dragan Covic, will get the Prime Minister's post. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Bosnia’s Muslim, Croat and Serb parties agree to form government

Bosnia's main Muslim, Croat and Serb parties have agreed to form a Central government, ending a 14-month political crisis that paraly...

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British newspaper ‘The Times’ names Bouazizi person of 2011

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">Tunisian fruit seller, Mohamed Bouazizi, whose sacrifice spurred the public uprisings in the Arab world has been named the Person of the Year by British Newspaper, The Times.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">The paper on its front page carried a citation saying, “The Times today names Mohamed Bouazizi, the street vendor who became the inspiration for the Arab Spring, as its person of the year. It adds “Bouazizi was no revolutionary, yet his lonely protest served as the catalyst for a wave of revolts that have transformed the Middle East.         </li>
</ul> <ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> ”Bouazizi set himself on fire after the officials confiscated his unlicensed cart and humiliated him. His sacrifice inspired millions of the people in the region who took to streets against long standing autocracies in Tunisia, Egypt , Libya and Yemen.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The public uprisings led to the overthrow of dictatorial regimes in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen. 
</li>
</ul></div>

British newspaper ‘The Times’ names Bouazizi person of 2011

Tunisian fruit seller, Mohamed Bouazizi, whose sacrifice spurred the public uprisings in the Arab world has been named the Person of the Y...

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Two AIIMS-like institutes in Uttar Pradesh to come up in 12th 5-year plan

Two AIIMS-like institutes in Uttar Pradesh to come up in 12th 5-year plan

The Planning Commission has agreed in principle to allocate funds forsetting up two AIIMS-like institutes in Uttar Pradesh. To be loca...

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Jharkhand to issue ID cards to migrating workers

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> Jharkhand government will issue identity cards to those migrating to places like Delhi, Mumbai, Gujrat, Punjab and Haryana. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The ID card will have all relevant information like the address of the migrating worker and the agency which takes them out.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> There would be emergency phone numbers of the Deputy Commissioner of the relevant district for emergency purpose. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The decision has been taken by the State Labour Employment and Training Department. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">  The scheme comes into effect from2012. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The decision has been taken to check human trafficking. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Jharkhand to issue ID cards to migrating workers

Jharkhand government will issue identity cards to those migrating to places like Delhi, Mumbai, Gujrat, Punjab and Haryana. The ID car...

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India lose to China, finish fourth in world women`s chess

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> The Indian team have finished fourth in the World Women's Team Chess Championship.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> In the ninth and final round of the event held at Mardin , Turkey , China beat India by two and a half points to one and a half points.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> China won the gold medal with 16 points while the silver was claimed by the Russians who finished with 13 points in all. Georgia ended with the bronze.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> India and Ukraine were tied for the fourth spot with much better tie-break for the Indians. 
</li>
</ul></div>

India lose to China, finish fourth in world women`s chess

The Indian team have finished fourth in the World Women's Team Chess Championship. In the ninth and final round of the event hel...

+ Read more »

Cyclonic storm 'Thane' likely to intensify

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li> <div style="text-align: justify;">The cyclonic storm 'Thane' over south-west and south-east Bay of Bengal is likely to move west-north-westwards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm on Thursday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 
</div> </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The storm is likely to cross north Tamil Nadu and South Andhra Pradesh coasts between Cuddalore and Nellore  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Fishermen along north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh coasts are advised not to venture into the sea. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Cyclonic storm 'Thane' likely to intensify

The cyclonic storm 'Thane' over south-west and south-east Bay of Bengal is likely to move west-north-westwards and intensify into...

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Russia supplies Mi-17V5 helicopters to Afghanistan

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">  Russia has supplied the firstnine Mi-17V5, transport helicopters to war-torn Afghanistan. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The air vehicles will be delivered to Afghanistan nextyear, a representative of the defence industry sector whichparticipates in the filling of the contract has toldArms-Tass. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The value of the Russian-US contract for the delivery ofMi-17V5 helicopters is $375.05 million.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The contract was signed by the Rosoboronexportorganization with the Command of the US Land Forces on May 26,2011.   
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The helicopters are supplied for the purposes ofenlarging the Afghan national security forces' alreadyavailable and operational fleet of Russian-made Mi-17helicopters.</li>
</ul></div>

Russia supplies Mi-17V5 helicopters to Afghanistan

Russia has supplied the firstnine Mi-17V5, transport helicopters to war-torn Afghanistan. The air vehicles will be delivered to Afgh...

+ Read more »

World's 2nd tallest building being made in China

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> Racing ahead with the construction of the second tallest building in the world, China has completed the foundation for 632-metre high Shanghai Tower,second only to 828-metre tall Burj Khalifa in Dubai.        
   
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Work crews have completed the foundation one month ahead of schedule and are now rushing to construct the ground structure of the building situated in China's financial hub of Shanghai. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> It  took three years to complete the foundation, and estimated that it will take another three to finish the ground structure.  </li>
</ul></div>

World's 2nd tallest building being made in China

Racing ahead with the construction of the second tallest building in the world, China has completed the foundation for 632-metre high Sha...

+ Read more »

Bengal to take over Indira Bhavan

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> The West Bengal Government will take over Indira Bhavan, which was the official residence of former Chief Minister Jyoti Basu at Salt Lake. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> It  would be turned into a museum and a research centre devoted to Kavi Nazrul Islam, “a contemporary of Rabindranath Tagore”. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> “The decision to convert Indira Bhavan into Nazrul Bhavan has been taken in public interest and to promote research work on the great rebel poet 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The Nazrul Bhavan would house a research centre and museum on the great rebel poet who made a memorable contribution to the country's freedom movement. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The bungalow was named Indira Bhavan during the Congress Session in 1972 when the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi stayed there for the duration of the session. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Bengal to take over Indira Bhavan

The West Bengal Government will take over Indira Bhavan, which was the official residence of former Chief Minister Jyoti Basu at Salt Lak...

+ Read more »

Parliament passes Bill to protect cooperatives

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> The Parliament on Wednesday passed the crucial Constitution (111{+t}{+h}Amendment) Bill to insulate about six lakh cooperative societies from political and government interference and to strengthen the cooperative movement. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The amendment will grant citizens a fundamental right to form cooperative societies and allow for voluntary formation, autonomous functioning, democratic control and professional management of cooperative societies. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The Bill, moved by Agriculture and Cooperation Minister Sharad Pawar, was passed in the Rajya Sabha with 154 members voting in favour and 43 opposing it. The Bill has already been approved by the Lok Sabha. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Members belonging to the CPI (M), the CPI, and the BJD opposed the Bill saying it was encroaching upon the rights of States. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The Bill provides for reservation of one seat for the Scheduled Caste or the Scheduled Tribe and two seats for women on the board of every society provided it had individuals as members from these categories. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> It also seeks to specify the number of directors of a society and provides a fixed term of five years from the date of election of members and office bearers. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Parliament passes Bill to protect cooperatives

The Parliament on Wednesday passed the crucial Constitution (111{+t}{+h}Amendment) Bill to insulate about six lakh cooperative societies...

+ Read more »

Free medicare for 50 lakh poor families

Free medicare for 50 lakh poor families

Maharashtra government will spend Rs. 800 crore on the first phase of a health scheme for the poor, which is slated to benefit nearly 50 ...

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Twin NASA probes approach lunar orbit

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> Twin NASA spacecraft are set to blast into lunar orbit at the weekend on a mission to study the subterranean structure of the Moon in order to better understand the origins of planets. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The first Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL-A) will begin orbiting the Moon at 2121 GMT on December 31, followed by GRAIL-B on January 1 at around 2205 GMT, NASA said in a statement. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> "This mission will rewrite the textbooks on the evolution of the Moon, 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The $500 million pair of washing machine-sized satellites were launched on September 10 on a mission to map the Moon's inner core for the first time. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Beginning in March 2012, the two unmanned spacecraft will send radio signals that allow scientists to create a high-resolution map of the Moon's gravitational field, helping them to better understand its sub-surface features and the origins of other bodies in the solar system. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The mission should shed light on the unexplored far side of the Moon and test a hypothesis that there was once a second Moon that fused with Earth's Moon. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The two spacecraft have covered more than 2.5 million miles (4 million kilometers) since they were launched in September, according to NASA. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> GRAIL-A was 65,860 miles (106,000 kilometers) from the Moon. GRAIL-B was 79,540 miles (128,000 kilometers) away. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Scientists believe that the Moon was formed when a planet-sized object crashed into the Earth, throwing off material that eventually became Earth's airless, desolate satellite. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Twin NASA probes approach lunar orbit

Twin NASA spacecraft are set to blast into lunar orbit at the weekend on a mission to study the subterranean structure of the Moon in ord...

+ Read more »

Mathematics of Planet Earth 2013

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> The year 2013 has been marked for various mathematical activities under a wide umbrella of initiatives called the Mathematics of the Planet Earth (MPE) 2013, which will focus on mathematical research in areas of relevance to the various processes that affect the earth. The dynamics of the oceans and the atmosphere and the changes in the climate are, of course, the obvious topics that are important for life on planet earth and make use of mathematics in an essential way. In addition, a multitude of other topics are of relevance, including the financial and economic systems, energy production and utilisation, spread of epidemics at the population level, ecology and genomics of species. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> To stimulate imagination on the many domains where mathematics plays a crucial role in planetary issues, the following four (non-exhaustive) themes are proposed as part of MPE-2013: 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> A planet to discover: oceans; meteorology and climate; mantle processes, natural resources, celestial mechanics. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> A planet supporting life: ecology, biodiversity, evolution. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> A planet organised by humans: political, economic, social and financial systems; organisation of transport and communications networks; management of resources; energy. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> A planet at risk: climate change, sustainable development, epidemics; invasive species, natural disasters. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Many international bodies are partners in MPE-2013. The International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (ICTS) of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) is a partner-institute. The main goals of the ICTS are to foster research, be a resource for high-level education and training, and reach out to the larger society by being a node for scientific information and values. The ICTS would liaise with the Indian scientific community, possibly in collaboration with researchers around the world, to conduct workshops, thematic programmes, and conferences . 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Another major theme will be outreach to increase awareness of the importance and essential nature of mathematics in tackling these problems, and to bring out the relevance and usefulness of mathematics to a wider section of society . One activity that is being actively pursued at the international level is a “Competition for an open source exhibition of virtual modules.” 
</li>
</ul></div>

Mathematics of Planet Earth 2013

The year 2013 has been marked for various mathematical activities under a wide umbrella of initiatives called the Mathematics of the Plan...

+ Read more »

Top 10 breakthroughs of the year 2011

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> The journal Science has lauded an eye-opening HIV study, known as HPTN 052, as the most important scientific breakthrough of 2011. This clinical trial demonstrated that people infected with HIV are 96 per cent less likely to transmit the virus to their partners if they take antiretroviral drugs (ARVs). 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> According to a release from Science, the findings end a long-standing debate over whether ARVs could provide a double benefit by treating the virus in individual patients while simultaneously cutting transmission rates. It's now clear that the drugs can provide treatment as well as prevention when it comes to HIV, researchers agree. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The Hayabusa Mission: After some near-disastrous technical difficulties and a stunningly successful recovery, Japan's Hayabusa spacecraft returned to Earth with dust from the surface of a large, S-type asteroid. This asteroid dust represented the first direct sampling of a planetary body in 35 years, and analysis of the grains confirmed that the most common meteorites found on Earth, known as ordinary chondrules, are born from these much larger, S-type asteroids. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Unraveling Human Origins: Studying the genetic code of both ancient and modern human beings, researchers discovered that many humans still carry DNA variants inherited from archaic humans, such as the mysterious Denisovans in Asia and still-unidentified ancestors in Africa. One study this year revealed how archaic humans likely shaped our modern immune systems, and an analysis of Australopithecus sediba fossils in South Africa showed that the ancient hominin possessed both primitive and Homo-like traits. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Capturing a Photosynthetic Protein: In vivid detail, researchers in Japan have mapped the structure of the Photosystem II, or PSII, protein that plants use to split water into hydrogen and oxygen atoms. The crystal-clear image shows off the protein's catalytic core and reveals the specific orientation of atoms within. Now, scientists have access to this catalytic structure that is essential for life on Earth — one that may also hold the key to a powerful source of clean energy. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Pristine Gas in Space: Astronomers using the Keck telescope in Hawaii to probe the faraway universe wound up discovering two clouds of hydrogen gas that seem to have maintained their original chemistry for two billion years after the big bang. Other researchers identified a star that is almost completely devoid of metals, just as the universe's earliest stars must have been, but that formed much later. The discoveries show that pockets of matter persisted unscathed amid eons of cosmic violence. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Getting to Know the Microbiome: Research into the countless microbes that dwell in the human gut demonstrated that everyone has a dominant bacterium leading the gang in their digestive tract: Bacteroides, Prevotella orRuminococcus. Follow-up studies revealed that one of these bacteria thrives on a high-protein diet while another prefers vegetarian fare. These findings and more helped to clarify the interplay between diet and microbes in nutrition and disease. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> A Promising Malaria Vaccine: Early results of the clinical trial of a malaria vaccine, known as RTS,S, provided a shot in the arm to malaria vaccine research. The ongoing trial, which has enrolled more than 15,000 children from seven African countries, reassured malaria researchers, who are used to bitter disappointment, that discovering a malaria vaccine remains possible. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Strange Solar Systems: This year, astronomers got their first good views of several distant planetary systems and discovered that things are pretty weird out there. First, NASA's Kepler observatory helped identify a star system with planets orbiting in ways that today's models cannot explain. Then, researchers discovered a gas giant caught in a rare "retrograde" orbit, a planet circling a binary star system and 10 planets that seem to be freely floating in space — all unlike anything found in our own solar system. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Designer Zeolites: Zeolites are porous minerals that are used as catalysts and molecular sieves to convert oil into gasoline, purify water, filter air and produce laundry detergents (to name a few uses). This year, chemists really showed off their creativity by designing a range of new zeolites that are cheaper, thinner and better equipped to process larger organic molecules. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Clearing Senescent Cells: Experiments have revealed that clearing senescent cells (those that have stopped dividing) from the bodies of mice can delay the onset of age-related symptoms. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Mice whose bodies were cleared of these loitering cells didn't live longer than their untreated cage-mates — but they did seem to live better, which provided researchers with some hope that banishing senescent cells might also prolong our golden years. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Top 10 breakthroughs of the year 2011

The journal Science has lauded an eye-opening HIV study, known as HPTN 052, as the most important scientific breakthrough of 2011. This...

+ Read more »

Saudi women to vote without male approval

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> Women in Saudi Arabia will not need a male guardian's approval to run or vote in municipal elections in 2015, when women will also run for office for the first time. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Despite the historic decision by the king to allow women the right to participate in the country's only open elections, male guardian laws in Saudi Arabia remain largely unchanged. Women cannot travel, work, study abroad, marry, get divorced or gain admittance to a public hospital without permission from a male guardian. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The country is guided by an ultraconservative interpretation of Islam called Wahhabism. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Saudi women cannot study abroad unless a male guardian approves and accompanies them throughout their studies. Government-run hospitals are allowed to perform surgery on women only with approval from a male guardian, except in emergencies. Male guardians in Saudi Arabia are allowed to remove their daughters or sisters from school at any time. In the case that a father, uncle or brother is not available, mothers turn to their sons for approval to work or travel 
</li>
</ul></div>

Saudi women to vote without male approval

Women in Saudi Arabia will not need a male guardian's approval to run or vote in municipal elections in 2015, when women will also ru...

+ Read more »

RAPID GK SERIES 14

RAPID GK SERIES 14

1. The Father of Indian Industry is 2. The Shakespeare of India is 3. The Other name of this Country is Emerald Island 4. The Granite Cit...

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LS begins discussion on Judicial Standards & Accountability Bill, 2010

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> Lok Sabha is now discussing the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill,2010. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The Bill seeks to create a mechanism to increase the accountability of the Supreme Court and High Court Judges. It will pave the way for inquiring into their individual complaints and recommend appropriate action. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The Bill, moved by the Law Minister Salman Khurshid for consideration and passage in the house, is also aimed to have a mechanism to declare assets and liabilities of Judges, strengthening the independence of Judiciary.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The Bill further provides for setting up of the National Judiciary Oversight Committee to monitor the behaviour of the Judges. It seeks to repeal the Judges Inquiry Act, 1968 while retaining its basic features. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The Minister also introduced a Constitutional Amendment Bill to raise the retirement age of High Court Judges including the additional and acting Judges of these Courts from 62 to 65 years. 
</li>
</ul></div>

LS begins discussion on Judicial Standards & Accountability Bill, 2010

Lok Sabha is now discussing the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill,2010. The Bill seeks to create a mechanism to increase the...

+ Read more »

EC asks parties in poll bound states to avoid cash transactions

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> The Election Commission has written to all political parties asking them to avoid cash transactions and instruct their cadres not to carry huge cash during the assembly elections in five states.    
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The Commission has written a letter to this effect to all recognized political parties in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur to curb money power during elections.     
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The Commission has advised candidates to open separate bank accounts for their election expenses and to make all election expenses through the said bank accounts 
</li>
</ul></div>

EC asks parties in poll bound states to avoid cash transactions

The Election Commission has written to all political parties asking them to avoid cash transactions and instruct their cadres not to carr...

+ Read more »

Japan keen to strengthen economic ties with India

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> Japan has expressed its keenness to strengthen economic ties with India. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Ahead of delegation level talks with the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh later this evening, Mr. Yoshihiro Noda said that he will hold wide ranging talks with his Indian counterpart on political, economic and security issues in his summit meeting. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The two countries are expected to sign a currency swap deal worth ten billion US dollars. Japan is also expected to announce an investment of 4.5 billion dollar investment for Delhi-Mumbai industrial corridor project. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Indo-Japan Civil Nuclear Cooperation is at the centre of talks between the two leaders . 
</li>
</ul></div>

Japan keen to strengthen economic ties with India

Japan has expressed its keenness to strengthen economic ties with India. Ahead of delegation level talks with the Prime Minister Dr. ...

+ Read more »

Somali Pirates hijack Italian cargo ship with 18 crew including Seven Indians

Somali Pirates hijack Italian cargo ship with 18 crew including Seven Indians

Somali Pirates hijacked an Italian cargo ship with 18 crew including Seven Indian seafarers off the coast of Oman. The 18 memb...

+ Read more »

Annual tiger census from next year

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> The National Tiger Conservation Authority, NTCA, has decided to conduct an annual tiger census from next year. It will start in all 39 tiger reserves of the country. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> This  census will continue in tandem with the ongoing every four years census.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The  objective of an annual exercise is to ensure that the field staff remains on alert regarding tiger population.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The  Authority will also provide 35 lakhs rupees to each tiger reserve for this project. 
 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> For this census operation, a two-day regional training workshop has also been organized by NTCA at the Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhay Pradesh. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Annual tiger census from next year

The National Tiger Conservation Authority, NTCA, has decided to conduct an annual tiger census from next year. It will start in all 39 ti...

+ Read more »

LS passes Whistle blowers' Protection Bill, 2011

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> Whistle blowers' Protection Bill, 2011 was passed by the Lok Sabha last night. It seeks to provide for setting up a regular mechanism to encourage persons to disclose information on corruption or wilful misuse of power by public servants, including ministers.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The Bill also seeks to provide adequate protection to persons reporting corruption or wilful misuse of discretion that causes demonstrable loss to the government or commission of a criminal offence by a public servant.  
       
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> While the measure sets out the procedure to inquire into the disclosures and provides adequate safeguards against victimisation of the whistle-blower, it also seeks to provide punishment for false or frivolous complaints. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Major amendment cleared by the Cabinet is the inclusion of ministers, MPs, defence services, intelligence agencies, bank officials and PSUs under the ambit of the bill. The Special Protection Group has been kept out of the ambit of the Bill. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> One of the recommendations of the Committee to include higher judiciary (Judges of Supreme Court and High Courts) has been rejected. 
 The definition of competent authority to which a complaint can be made, has also been expanded.   
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> For complaint against a Union Minister, the competent authority is the Prime Minister; for MPs, Lok Sabha Speaker or Chairman of Rajya Sabha; for lower court judges, the High Court of the state; for central or state government employees, CVC or state vigilance commissions.   
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> It provides for punishment for revealing the identity, either negligently or with malafide intention, of the person who reports matters regarding corruption by a public servant. 
</li>
</ul></div>

LS passes Whistle blowers' Protection Bill, 2011

Whistle blowers' Protection Bill, 2011 was passed by the Lok Sabha last night. It seeks to provide for setting up a regular mechanism...

+ Read more »

Iran threatens to close Strait of Hormuz

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> The Iranian Vice President Ali Rahimi has warned that the Strait of Hormuz will be closed off to oil shipments if the West increases sanctions against his country. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The statement has come at a time when Iran is conducting naval war games near the Strait of Hormuz.     
      
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> More than a third of the world’s tanker-borne oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Iran is the second largest producer and exporter of oil after Saudi Arabia in the region. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Iran threatens to close Strait of Hormuz

The Iranian Vice President Ali Rahimi has warned that the Strait of Hormuz will be closed off to oil shipments if the West increases sanc...

+ Read more »

E-governance project helps check pension fraud

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> Mandya, a thriving agricultural town till the late 1980s, is set to change with the state government along with the Reserve Bank of India and IT services firm Ventura Infotech digitising the entire pension records and issuing smart cards to pensioners to plug the leakage.          
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> It is perhaps one of the biggest financial inclusion projects where technology can come to aid of thousands of old and poor farmers, widows and other rural pensioners. But that's only the first part.       
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> For the last-mile authentication and financial transaction, the state government has tied up with a Karnataka-based private bank. A bank correspondent will now be sent to each pensioner's house with a card-reader where the pensioner would swipe his smart card and give his thumb impression.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Once the bank receives the data at its central server, the amount would be credited to the pensioner's bank account. The system is expected to fight ground-level corruption by cross-checking the pensioner's identity against multiple database, making it difficult for any single agency or person to log false information.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The initial phase has already begun at Mandya Taluk where 52,000 beneficiaries have been photographed for smart card delivery and bank account opening. Physical verification of all pensioners eligible for benefits will now begin in the rest of the district.        
    
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Once successful, the project will be carried out in Bellary, Gulbarga and Chamrajnagar. The e-governance project is not the only technology pilot happening in Mandya. Last February, IBMResearch, the R&D division of IBM, started pilot projects for one of its initiatives called the Spoken Web in Mandya.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> According to IBM, the project aims to connect "billions of people without sufficient literacy, without regular access to a computer" with a voice-driven Internet that can be accessed through mobile phones. 
</li>
</ul></div>

E-governance project helps check pension fraud

Mandya, a thriving agricultural town till the late 1980s, is set to change with the state government along with the Reserve Bank of Indi...

+ Read more »

China to build world’s highest airport in 2012

China to build world’s highest airport in 2012

China will construct the world's highest-altitude airport next year in Tibet, which will the sixth in the strategic Himalayan region....

+ Read more »

EU to charge green tax from airlines

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> The European Union plans to charge a green tax on flights to the US from Jan 1.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The move is part of a carbon-trading rule on airlines using EU airports. A family of four now faces an extra charge of 80 pounds to fly to the US after the Brusselsruling on carbon emissions.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The EU carbon-trading rule is designed to curb emissions of carbon dioxide from aircraft engines. Each airline will be allocated pollution permits slightly less than its average emissions record for previous years.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> If it exceeds its limit it can buy permits from other airlines that have emitted less than allowed and have leftover permits to sell.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The aim is to persuade or force airlines to emit less carbon by upgrading their fleets or becoming more efficient. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> All revenue derived by the EU from the programme will go towards fighting climate change. 
</li>
</ul></div>

EU to charge green tax from airlines

The European Union plans to charge a green tax on flights to the US from Jan 1. The move is part of a carbon-trading rule on airline...

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Obama, Hillary Clinton again top most admired list

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> President Barack Obama and secretary of state Hillary Clinton continue to be named by Americans as the most Admired Manand most admired woman living today in any part of the world.  
 
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<li style="text-align: justify;"> While Obama has been the most admired man four years in a row Clinton has been the most admired woman each of the last 10 years, according to a new Gallup poll, leading public opinion pollster.  
 
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<li style="text-align: justify;"> The top five most admired men also include George W Bush, Bill Clinton, Billy Graham, and Warren Buffett, while Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama, Sarah Palin, and Condoleezza Rice round out the top five Most Admired women.  
 
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<li style="text-align: justify;"> Hillary Clinton has now topped the list of most admired women a total of 16 times since 1993, finishing second in 1995 and 1996 to Mother Teresa and in 2001 to Laura Bush. 
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Obama, Hillary Clinton again top most admired list

President Barack Obama and secretary of state Hillary Clinton continue to be named by Americans as the most Admired Manand most admired w...

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American teenager becomes youngest to climb 7 summits

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> A California teenager has become the youngest person to successfully climb to the summit of the seven tallest mountains on Earth's seven continents.  
 
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<li style="text-align: justify;"> Fifteen-year-old Jordan Romero's mother, Leigh Ann Drake, has confirmed her son called her after he reached the top of Mt Vinson Massif in Antarctica.  
 
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<li style="text-align: justify;"> The teen beat the record previously held by 16-year-old British climber George Atkinson. 
 
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<li style="text-align: justify;"> At age 10, Romero climbed Mt Kilimanjaro in Africa, and at age 13 he climbed Mt Everest in Asia. 
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American teenager becomes youngest to climb 7 summits

A California teenager has become the youngest person to successfully climb to the summit of the seven tallest mountains on Earth's se...

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Kim Jong-il state funeral held in North Korea

Kim Jong-il state funeral held in North Korea

North Korea has begun two days of funeral services for late leader Kim Jong-il with a huge proces...

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China gets approval for Afghanistan oil exploration bid

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">China has gained potential access to millions of barrels of oil after it won approval for oil exploration and extraction in Afghanistan.</li>
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<li style="text-align: justify;"> The country's cabinet approved a deal to allow China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) to develop oil blocks in the Amu Darya Basin.  
 
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<li style="text-align: justify;"> The basin is estimated to hold around 87 million barrels of oil. 
 
 
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<li style="text-align: justify;"> The deal comes as China is looking to expand its oil resources in wake of a growing domestic demand.</li>
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China gets approval for Afghanistan oil exploration bid

China has gained potential access to millions of barrels of oil after it won approval for oil exploration and extraction in Afghanistan. ...

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Path Is Cleared for Yemeni Leader to Get Care in U.S.

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="5351" style="display: block;"> <ul><li style="text-align: justify;">The Obama administration has decided in principle to allow the embattled president of Yemen, Ali Abdullah Saleh, to enter the United States for medical treatment, subject to certain assurances.</li>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">But those conditions — including a proposed itinerary — have not yet been submitted to the American Embassy in Yemen</li>
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Path Is Cleared for Yemeni Leader to Get Care in U.S.

The Obama administration has decided in principle to allow the embattled president of Yemen , Al...

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