The Competition Master

RAPID GK SERIES 17

RAPID GK SERIES 17

1. The most Populous City of India is 2. The beneficiary Sector of the Central Government Scheme ˜Ganga Kalyan Yojana is 3. The Older Nam...

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Center clears Rs 1300 cr for Sikkim, Rs 900 cr for Odisha as financial aid

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> The Central government has cleared nearly 1300 crore rupees for Sikkim and 900 crore rupees for Odisha as financial aid from the National Disaster Relief Fund.    
 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Sikkim was hit by a massive earthquake last September while Odisha suffered two floods same month.       
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The high level committee, headed by the Finance Minister Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, approved 227.5 crore rupees under National Disaster Relief Fund for Sikkim while the Prime Minister had announced another one thousand crore rupees as relief funds to the 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit State. Sikkim will also get 41.64 crore rupees from special component of National Rural Drinking Water project.  
     
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> For Odisha, the Centre has alloted 908.30 crore rupees and another ten crore for drinking water. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Center clears Rs 1300 cr for Sikkim, Rs 900 cr for Odisha as financial aid

The Central government has cleared nearly 1300 crore rupees for Sikkim and 900 crore rupees for Odisha as financial aid from the National...

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Iran says its central bank will confront new US sanctions with strength

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> Iran has said its central bank will confront new U.S. sanctions with strength. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Reacting to the new sanctions imposed by United States, the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said it has the capacity to withstand such pressures. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The new U.S. sanctions seek to further squeeze Iran’s crucial oil revenues, most of which are processed by the central bank.     
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Under the measures, foreign firms will have to choose between doing business with Iran or the United States. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Iran says its central bank will confront new US sanctions with strength

Iran has said its central bank will confront new U.S. sanctions with strength. Reacting to the new sanctions imposed by United States...

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Nigeria: Death toll in ethnic clashes mounts to 66

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> In Nigeria, death toll following ethnic clashes has mounted to 66. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Several people including women and children, have been killed in clashes between two rival ethnic groups in southeastern region of the country.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in four states. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Death toll in a communal clash between two communities, Ezillo and Ezza in Ebonyi state of Nigeria have risen following the discovery of more corpses from bushes within Ezillo area where gunmen opened fire on residents.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Children between the ages of three to five and women were among the victims of the attack and the head of crimes of a police station was also killed. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Nigeria: Death toll in ethnic clashes mounts to 66

In Nigeria, death toll following ethnic clashes has mounted to 66. Several people including women and children, have been killed in c...

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Japan hit by 7.0 magnitude quake

Japan hit by 7.0 magnitude quake

A powerful 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit a wide area in eastern and northeastern Japan. The quake rattled buildings in Tokyo and jolte...

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US suspends 60% of 1.1 billion dollar military aid to Pak

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> US President Barack Obama has signed a massive $662 billion defence spending bill into law. 
 
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<li style="text-align: justify;"> The defence authorisation bill for the year 2012 also seeks to suspend 60 percent of $1.1 billion military aid to Pakistan, under the category Pakistan Counter-insurgency Fund. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The suspension will continue till Secretaries of State and Defence report to the Congress that Islamabad is making progress in the war on terror, particularly progress in strategies to counter manufacturing of improvised explosive devices (IEDs). 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> President Obama signed the bill despite what he called serious reservations about provisions regulating detention and prosecution of suspected terrorists.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> IEDs, which are mostly manufactured in Pakistan in its illicit factories, are one of the largest factors responsible for the death of American troops in Afghanistan. 
</li>
</ul></div>

US suspends 60% of 1.1 billion dollar military aid to Pak

US President Barack Obama has signed a massive $662 billion defence spending bill into law. The defence authorisation bill for the ye...

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Palestine to approach UN against Israeli settlement constructions

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="5425" style="display: block;"> <ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> Palestinian leaders have decided to move UN Security Council and Arab League to convene urgent sessions to halt the construction of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The Palestine Liberation Organization issued a statement to this effect in Ramallah. It said the continued settlement growth in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem can destroy the peace process and the two-state solution. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Israeli construction of settlements in east Jerusalem and the West Bank has been one of the thorny issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The move scuttled the direct negotiations between the two sides that began in September 2010. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Efforts by the international peacemaking Quartet to bring the parties back to the table has not made any headway even when it has set a deadline of 26th January for itself. 
</li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"> 
</div></div></div>

Palestine to approach UN against Israeli settlement constructions

Palestinian leaders have decided to move UN Security Council and Arab League to convene urgent ...

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Gogoi's New Year bonanza: a Rs. 5,000-crore welfare package

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Sunday announced a slew of welfare schemes on New Year's Day, the implementation of which will entail an expenditure of Rs. 5,000 crore over the next five years for the State government. These schemes will benefit erosion-hit families, farmers, students, small entrepreneurs and women, and will be in addition to the ongoing schemes. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The new schemes include a special package of Rs. 1,000 crore for the rehabilitation of erosion-affected families, a scholarship scheme for 50,000 students in lower primary and 50,000 in upper primary schools, a study tour to NASA for the top three rank-holders in High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) examination (class X State board final), free computers to all students securing 50 per cent in the HSLC examination, free yarn to 10,000 weavers, free mosquito nets to all Below-Poverty-Line (BPL) families. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Under the rehabilitation package for erosion-hit families, Rs. 5,000 and two bundles of corrugated galvanised iron sheets will be provided to each family. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Gogoi's New Year bonanza: a Rs. 5,000-crore welfare package

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Sunday announced a slew of welfare schemes on New Year's Day, the implementation of which will en...

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India, Pakistan exchange nuclear lists

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> India and Pakistan on Sunday exchanged their lists of nuclear installations and facilities, a practice being followed for the last two decades under a pact prohibiting attack on each other's nuclear assets. 
 
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<li style="text-align: justify;"> The list, exchanged through diplomatic channels simultaneously in New Delhi and Islamabad, shows the installations and facilities covered under the pact, the External Affairs Ministry said here. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The “Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations between India and Pakistan,” was signed on December 31, 1988 and it came into force on January 27, 1991. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> It provides that the two countries inform each other of the installations and facilities to be covered under the agreement on January 1 every year. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> This is the 21{+s}{+t}consecutive exchange of such lists, the first one having taken place on January 1, 1992. 
</li>
</ul></div>

India, Pakistan exchange nuclear lists

India and Pakistan on Sunday exchanged their lists of nuclear installations and facilities, a practice being followed for the last two de...

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NASA marks 2012 with twin probes in moon orbit

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>NASA kicked off the new year with a pair of probes circling the moon in the latest mission to understand how Earth’s closest neighbour formed.</li>
<li> </li>
<li> The action began on New Year’s Eve when Grail-A swung over the south pole, fired its engine and braked into orbit around the moon. Not to be outdone, its twin Grail-B executed the same manoeuvres on New Year’s Day. 
 
 </li>
<li> The arrivals capped a roundabout journey spanning 3 1/2 months and covering 2 1/2 million miles (4.02 million kilometres). 
 
 </li>
<li> Since the washing machine-size Grail probes short for Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory were squeezed on a small rocket to save on costs, it lengthened the trip and took them 30 times longer to reach the moon than the Apollo astronauts, who took a direct three-day flight. 
 
 </li>
<li> Previous spacecraft have attempted to study the moon’s gravity about one-sixth Earth’s pull with mixed success. Grail was expected to give scientists the most detailed maps of the moon’s uneven gravitational field and insight into its interior down to the core. 
 
 </li>
<li> Data collection won’t begin until March after the near-identical spacecraft refine their positions and are circling just 34 miles (54.72 kilometres) above the surface. While scientists focus on gravity, middle school students will get the chance to take their own pictures of the moon using cameras aboard the probes as part of a project headed by Sally Ride, the first American woman in space. 
 
 </li>
<li> There’s already chatter about trying to extend the $496 million mission, which was slated to end before the partial lunar eclipse in June. 
</li>
</ul></div>

NASA marks 2012 with twin probes in moon orbit

NASA kicked off the new year with a pair of probes circling the moon in the latest mission to understand how Earth’s closest neighbour for...

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PM to inaugurate 99th Indian Science Congress in Bhubaneswar

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will inaugurate the 99th edition of the prestigious Indian Science Congress in Bhubaneswar , the biggest congregation of the country’s best and brightest scientists. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> More than 15,000 delegates from across India, 20 Nobel laureates and 500 other scientists from abroad are slated to participate in the five-day brainstorming science event, to be held in the campus of KIIT University. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> KIIT University and National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) are jointly hosting the event, which will also feature the Children’s Science Congress and Women Science Congress. Former president APJ Abdul Kalam will inaugurate the Children’s Science Congress on Wednesday, while Nirupama Rao, India’s ambassador to United States of America, will inaugurate the Women’s Science Congress on Thursday. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The theme for the 99th Indian Science Congress is “Science and Technology for Inclusive Innovation – Role of Women”. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> a wide range of topics including food and living, rural development and science, agriculture, nano-technology, environmental sciences, bio-diversity, bio-technology, forest and environment, health and medicines, space science and technology, pharmaceutical science, climate change, communication and transport and women and child healthcare are expected to be covered in the  ongress. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The major highlights of the Indian Science Congress in the five days will be science communicator’s meet, science exhibition, summery presentation (thematic/ posters), plenary sessions, sectional sessions, panel discussion and public lectures. Besides, the Young Scientist Award, UNESCO-Kalinga Award for Science will also be presented during the event. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Best scientists in the field of medicine to defence and agriculture to communications including space scientist K Kasturirangan, agriculture scientist MS Swaminathan and atomic energy commission chairman Srikumar Banerjee  will take part in the congress. Nobel laureates such as Richard R Ernst, Rolf M Zinkernagel, Carolyn W Greider and Dale T Mortensen will be addressing the delegates. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> “Organising such an event is a matter of great honour, not only for KIIT but also for Odisha as both bask in the glory of this honour,” said Samanta. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The Indian Science Congress was established with various objectives such as to develop and propagate science in India. The first Indian Science Congress started in 1914 with the initiative of two British chemistry professors, Prof JL Simonsen and Prof PS MacMohan. So far, the Indian Science Congress has held 98 annual conferences celebrating silver jubilee in 1938, golden jubilee in 1963, diamond jubilee in 1973 and platinum jubilee in 1988 
</li>
</ul></div>

PM to inaugurate 99th Indian Science Congress in Bhubaneswar

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will inaugurate the 99th edition of the prestigious Indian Science Congress in Bhubaneswar , the biggest c...

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Pak flag hoisted in K'taka town on new year

Pak flag hoisted in K'taka town on new year

Tension prevailed in Sindgi town near Bijapur after it came to the notice of locals that a Pakis...

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Iran tests cruise missile during navy war games

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> Iran successfully tested a Ghader ground-to-ship cruise missile on the last day of navy war games near the Strait of Hormuz. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> This missile built by Iranian experts successfully hit its target and destroyed it. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> It  was "the first time" a Ghader missile had been tested. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The Ghader missile, also known as the Qader, is said to have a range of 200 kilometres (120 miles), which is generally considered medium-range or even short-range for a cruise missile, even though IRNA described it as "long-range." 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The navy was to test two other types of missiles later on Monday, a surface-to-surface Nour missile also with a range of 200 kilometres, and a Nasr anti-ship missile with a shorter range. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The Ghader is said to be entirely built by Iran. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The Nour and Nasr missiles are based on Chinese designs. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The Nour, also known as the Noor, is based on China's C-802 missile. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">  The  Nour missile to be fired "has been improved with its anti-radar and targeting system,"  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> An Iranian Nour missile was reportedly used by the Iran-linked Hezbollah militia in Lebanon to disable an Israeli warship during a 2006 conflict. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The Nasr anti-ship missile is based on China's C-704 missile and has a range of 35 kilometres (22 miles).  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Iran, the second-biggest producer in Opec after Saudi Arabia, depends on oil sales for 80 percent of its foreign currency earnings. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Iran tests cruise missile during navy war games

Iran successfully tested a Ghader ground-to-ship cruise missile on the last day of navy war games near the Strait of Hormuz. This miss...

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Students discover two new spider species

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> Student researchers and Mumbai residents, Rajesh Sanap and Zeeshan Mirza — both aged 23, have discovered two new species of a genus of trapdoor spiders from the southern Western Ghats. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The species, rutilofronis and nilgiriensis, were discovered by the duo in Tamil Nadu, from Maruthamalai in Coimbatore district and Kotagiri in Nilgiri district respectively, and belong to a genus of trapdoor spiders called Tigidia.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> This is the first occurrence of Tigidia in India, which was thought to be endemic to Madagascar and Mauritius, and is a probable Gondwana relic, which means those common between Indian and African subcontinents.  </li>
</ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li> Their findings suggest, like many studies before this, that India and Africa were part of the super continent Gondwanaland. “The Gondwana theory suggests that the Indo-Madagascar plate separated from Africa and shifted millions of years ago. The belief is that when it happened, India carried some lineages and forms from Africa which evolved here in isolation after the break-up and during the subsequent northward shift.  </li>
</ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li> Offering as proof, their findings show that Tigidia is closest to a genus called Pisenor found in Africa. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Students discover two new spider species

Student researchers and Mumbai residents, Rajesh Sanap and Zeeshan Mirza — both aged 23, have discovered two new species of a genus of tr...

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Lok Sabha Speaker to visit Maldives

Lok Sabha Speaker to visit Maldives

Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar is scheduled to visit Maldives at the invitation of her Maldivian counterpart in the "People's Majl...

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Global meet on power to begin from January 2

Global meet on power to begin from January 2

The Thalakkottukara-based Vidya Institute of Science and Technology is organizing EPSCICON, the second international conference on power, ...

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Martial law to be lifted in Fiji this week

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> Fiji's Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama says the military government will on Saturday lift the state of public emergency it imposed in 2009, as the country prepares to open consultation on a new constitution.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The Public Emergency Regulations gave police and the military extended powers, imposed tough censorship on the South Pacific nation's media and tightly controlled public assembly.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Fiji's military regime suspended the country's Constitution in 2009 and imposed emergency rule after the nation's Court of Appeal ruled that the military government was illegal. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Martial law to be lifted in Fiji this week

Fiji's Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama says the military government will on Saturday lift the state of public emergency it imposed i...

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Aakash gets company: Classpad tablet

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> Close on the heels of launch of low-cost Aakash tablet, another such tablet for students has been announced in India. The Android tablet, named Classpad, has been announced by Delhi-based Classteacher Learning Systems, an education solution provider. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Classpad tablet, which is meant for students between 3 and 12, comes with a capacitive touchscreen, 1.3 Ghz processor, Android 2.2 operating system and a built-in memory of 4 GB which is expandable up to 8 GB. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Classpad, priced in the range of Rs 7,500-14,000, will be available for students through their schools in three models - Classpad 7, Classpad 8 and Classpad 10. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Aakash gets company: Classpad tablet

Close on the heels of launch of low-cost Aakash tablet, another such tablet for students has been announced in India. The Android tablet,...

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Olympics 2012 to have first ever Saudi female athlete

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> Forthcoming Olympics is supposed to have Saudi Arabia's female athlete, first ever in the history. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The International Olympic Committee's Women and Sports Commission has requested all member countries to send a female representative. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Saudi The kingdom is likely to send 18-year old equestrienne Dalma Rushdi Malhas, who won a bronze medal in the 2010 Singapore Youth Olympics, marking the first ever Saudi women in an international competition 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Saudi Arabia is against marginalizing women, as its ruler declared in last September, when he granted women the right to vote and contest for the first time.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> "Women have the right to submit their candidacy for municipal council membership and have the right to take part in submitting candidates in accordance with Sharia 
</li>
</ul></div>

Olympics 2012 to have first ever Saudi female athlete

Forthcoming Olympics is supposed to have Saudi Arabia's female athlete, first ever in the history. The International Olympic Comm...

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Iran Makes Nuclear Fuel Rod, Offers to Restart Talks

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> Iran produced its first nuclear fuel rod, state-run news agencies reported, as the country offered to restart talks with the West on its atomic program. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The domestically made rod was inserted into the core of Tehran’s atomic research reactor after performance tests. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The Tehran reactor produces radioisotopes for cancer treatment, according to Mehr news agency. Nuclear fuel rods contain pellets of enriched uranium that provide fuel for nuclear power plants. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The U.S. and allies are increasing pressure on Iran to halt what they say may be a covert nuclear weapons program. Sanctions signed into law by President Barack Obama on Dec. 31 aim to deter dealings with the Iranian central bank, and the European Union is considering a ban on imports of oil from Iran, the world’s third-largest oil exporter. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Iran Makes Nuclear Fuel Rod, Offers to Restart Talks

Iran produced its first nuclear fuel rod, state-run news agencies reported, as the country offered to restart talks with the West on its ...

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Iran Makes Nuclear Fuel Rod, Offers to Restart Talks

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> Iran produced its first nuclear fuel rod, state-run news agencies reported, as the country offered to restart talks with the West on its atomic program. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The domestically made rod was inserted into the core of Tehran’s atomic research reactor after performance tests. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The Tehran reactor produces radioisotopes for cancer treatment, according to Mehr news agency. Nuclear fuel rods contain pellets of enriched uranium that provide fuel for nuclear power plants. 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The U.S. and allies are increasing pressure on Iran to halt what they say may be a covert nuclear weapons program. Sanctions signed into law by President Barack Obama on Dec. 31 aim to deter dealings with the Iranian central bank, and the European Union is considering a ban on imports of oil from Iran, the world’s third-largest oil exporter. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Iran Makes Nuclear Fuel Rod, Offers to Restart Talks

Iran produced its first nuclear fuel rod, state-run news agencies reported, as the country offered to restart talks with the West on its ...

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