The Competition Master

RAPID GK SERIES 32

RAPID GK SERIES 32

1. This Place is called the key of the Mediterranean 2. This King is the founder of Pallavas 3. The National Game of Japan is 4. The Wadi...

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Yeast evolves to multicellular variety in 60 days in the lab

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="5703" style="display: block; text-align: justify;">                                          <ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Scientists have experimentally proved  the ease with which initial evolution from unicellular to multicellular  life had taken place. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">"The first crucial steps in the transition can take place remarkably  quickly under an appropriate selective condition,” the scientists write  in their paper published recently in the <em>Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</em>. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">In this case, the scientists used gravity as a selection pressure as  it was easy to observe, study and replicate in a lab using test tubes. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The proof that the clusters were formed by the division of  individual cells came through 16 hours of microscopic examination for  growth. Cells taken from the clusters proved their hallmark  characteristic — each cell giving “rise to a new snowflake-like  cluster". </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Cells did not divide at random. While  cells in the juvenile stage grew rapidly to multiple cells, and hence  helped in increasing the size of the cluster, the fully-grown adult  stage was marked by division of the matured cells into daughter cells.  The presence of both juvenile and adult stages is a mark of true  multicellularity.</span></li>
</ul></div></div>

Yeast evolves to multicellular variety in 60 days in the lab

Scientists have experimentally proved the ease with which initial evolution from unicellular to m...

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Kalmadi gets bail, can't leave country without court permission

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="5704" style="display: block; text-align: justify;">                                          <ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Delhi High Court today granted bail to  former Commonwealth Games Organizing Committee chairman, Suresh Kalmadi  in a 2010 Commonwealth Games-related graft case. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Kalmadi was given bail after remaining behind bars for nearly nine months. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The court also granted bail to Former Director General of CWG  Organising Committee V K Verma co-accused in the case. The bail was  granted to them after furnishing a bail bond of 5 lakh rupees each and  two sureties of the same amount. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The court directed them not to leave the country without prior permission of the trial court. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Kalmadi was arrested by the CBI in April last year while Verma was  arrested in February in the Timing, Scoring and Result system scam. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The court observed that there is no allegation of money trail to the  petitioners and there is also no evidence that the petitioner is  threatening witnesses or interfering with evidence during  investigation.” </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Kalmadi had moved the High Court in January, seeking bail citing the Supreme Court's judgement in 2G spectrum case.</span></li>
</ul></div></div>

Kalmadi gets bail, can't leave country without court permission

Delhi High Court today granted bail to former Commonwealth Games Organizing Committee chairman, S...

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PM assures private players of viable solution to power sector problems

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh  assured the private players in the power sector that a practical,  pragmatic and viable solution will be found to the plethora of problems  facing the power generation and distribution sector. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The captains of industry led by Mr. Ratan Tata met Dr. Singh at his  residence in Delhi yesterday. After hearing them, the Prime Minister  said that a secretary level committee chaired by his Principal Secretary  will suggest a roadmap to a time-bound solution to the short term  problems impinging on the power sector. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">An official release said, the committee will suggest the way forward  on the most important issues raised by a delegation of Association of  Power Producers. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The Prime Minister underlined that the power sector is involved in  the process of nation building and there is a need to reduce risks to  make the power projects viable. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">He said it’s a national challenge and asked the industry  representatives not to lose heart. He assured the delegation of his  government’s commitment in taking all possible steps to mitigate the  problems being faced by the power sector. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Dr. Singh also directed his cabinet colleagues present at the  meeting to make all out efforts to resolve the key issues impacting the  power sector. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Those present included, Power Minister Sushil kumar Shinde, Coal  Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Dr  Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Minister of State, Environment and Forests,  Ms. Jayanti Natrajan.</span></li>
</ul></div>

PM assures private players of viable solution to power sector problems

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh assured the private players in the power sector that a practical, pragmatic and viable solution will be f...

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Foreign airlines to be allowed 49 pc stake in Indian carriers

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="5706" style="display: block; text-align: justify;">                                          <ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The Centre said that it would allow  foreign airlines 49 percent stake in Indian carriers, signalling a major  shift in the UPA government's policy. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The decision was taken at a meeting between Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh.  </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The meeting also  decided to immediately impose Rs 150 crore for  payment of a portion of pending salaries and allowances to Air India  employees, including pilots. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The move to permit foreign airlines to  pick up stake in domestic scheduled carriers should come as a major  relief to cebt ridden airlines such as Kingfisher.</span></li>
</ul></div></div>

Foreign airlines to be allowed 49 pc stake in Indian carriers

The Centre said that it would allow foreign airlines 49 percent stake in Indian carriers, signall...

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Students protest against fuel price hike in Nepal

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">In Nepal, 13 students’ unions  affiliated to various political parties today declared protest against  the hike of petroleum products. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">A joint meeting of the students union held in Kathmandu said the  government should revoke the price hike within twenty-four hours. The  Maoist aligned, All Nepal National Independent Students Union along with  the Nepali Congress CPN-UML has protested against the hike and unveiled  a protest schedule. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Meanwhile, the students’ union demonstrated in various parts of the  Kathmandu valley and disrupted vehicular movement in front of different  colleges protesting against the price hike this morning. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The Nepal Oil Corporation had increased petroleum prices yesterday.  As per the new price, diesel and kerosene will now cost 85 rupees per  litre. The price of petrol has been hiked to 115 rupees per litre from  105 rupees earlier.  </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Similarly, the price of cooking gas has been increased to 1,500 Rupees per cylinder from the 1,325 rupees earlier</span></li>
</ul></div>

Students protest against fuel price hike in Nepal

In Nepal, 13 students’ unions affiliated to various political parties today declared protest against the hike of petroleum products. A j...

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Pipli gang rape case: Odisha Agriculture Minister resigns

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">In Odisha, senior BJD leader and  Agriculture Minister, Pradeep Moharathi, resigned this morning from the  Naveen Patnaik Cabinet following his alleged involvement in the gang  rape of a 19-year-old dalit girl case in Pipli of Puri district. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Moharathi tendered his resignation paper to Chief Minister Naveen  Patnaik at Bhubaneswar. After resigning from the Cabinet, Moharathi  said, he had resigned on moral grounds, for the interest of BJD and  dignity of his constituency Pipli. He welcomed all kinds of probe into  the alleged gang rape incident. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The Odisha Chief Minister was under tremendous pressure from  opposition political parties, women organisations, social activists and  students for his own resignation, ouster of Moharathi and a CBI probe  into the incident. The state government has already given crime branch  and judicial inquiry into the gang rape case.  </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Meanwhile, opposition Congress and BJP have demanded resignation of  Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who holds the home portfolio, on moral  grounds and for his failure to give protection of women.  </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">They alleged Naveen Patnaik has made Moharathi a 'scapegoat' to hide  his failures and protect himself. They threatened to continue  state-wide agitation until Chief Minister resigns.</span></li>
</ul></div>

Pipli gang rape case: Odisha Agriculture Minister resigns

In Odisha, senior BJD leader and Agriculture Minister, Pradeep Moharathi, resigned this morning from the Naveen Patnaik Cabinet following ...

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Andhra Pradesh cabinet inducts two new ministers

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="5709" style="display: block; text-align: justify;">                                          <ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">In Andhra Pradesh, two legislators from the erstwhile Praja Rajyam Party,PRP, were today inducted into the state cabinet. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">C Ramachandraiah and G Srinivasa Rao were sworn in as ministers at Raj Bhavan in Hyderabad. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Governor E S L Narasimhan administered the oath of office and secrecy at a simple ceremonial programme held on the occasion. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The expansion was limited to the induction of two new faces inline  with the assurances given at the time of the Praja Rajyam’s merger in  the Congress party.  </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">With this, the total number of ministers in the Kiran Kumar Reddy’s Cabinet rose to 38.  </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Nearly after 14 months of taking reins of the state, Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy expanded his team for the first time.</span></li>
</ul></div></div>

Andhra Pradesh cabinet inducts two new ministers

In Andhra Pradesh, two legislators from the erstwhile Praja Rajyam Party,PRP, were today inducted ...

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Food inflation remains in negative zone

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Food inflation remained in the negative  zone for the third consecutive week. For the week ended 7th of this  month, it was minus 0.42 per cent. The fall in prices of onion and other  vegetables have been attributed for inflation downward trend.  </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Food inflation was at minus 2.90 per cent in the previous week. It was above 16 per cent in the corresponding week of 2011. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Official data released today said onion prices were lower steeply by  75.42 per cent year-on-year during the week under review, while potato  prices were down by 23.84 per cent. Prices of wheat also fell by 3.57  per cent.  </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Overall, vegetables were 45.81 per cent cheaper during the week  under review than in the same period last year. However, other food  products, led by protein-based items, became more expensive on an annual  basis. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Pulses prices were 14.27 per cent higher during the week under  review, while milk grew dearer by 11.48 per cent. Egg, meat and fish  prices were up 19.64 per cent year-on-year. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Fruits also became 10.03 per cent more expensive on an annual basis, while cereal prices were up 2.26 per cent.</span></li>
</ul></div>

Food inflation remains in negative zone

Food inflation remained in the negative zone for the third consecutive week. For the week ended 7th of this month, it was minus 0.42 per c...

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Kodak files for bankruptcy protection

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="5711" style="display: block; text-align: justify;">                                          <ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Eastman Kodak Company, which invented  the hand-held camera and helped bring the world the first pictures from  the Moon, has filed for bankruptcy protection. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The 130-year-old photographic film pioneer which had tried to  restructure to become a seller of consumer products like cameras, said  it has also obtained a $950 million, 18-month credit facility from  Citigroup to keep it going. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The chairman and chief executive  Antonio M Perez said in a statement that the board of directors and the  entire senior management team unanimously believe this is a necessary  step and the right thing to do for the future of Kodak.</span></li>
</ul></div></div>

Kodak files for bankruptcy protection

Eastman Kodak Company, which invented the hand-held camera and helped bring the world the first p...

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Chargesheet filed against Bhatt in false affidavit case

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt, who  has alleged complicity of Chief Minister Narendra Modi in 2002 Gujarat  riots, has been slapped with charges of wrongful confinement and  fabricating evidence in the false affidavit case. </span></li>
</ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The chargesheet against Bhatt and his lawyer V H Kanara in the case  where a police constable has accused the IPS officer of signing a false  affidavit was filed yesterday in the sessions court in Ahmedabad by the  Ghatlodia police. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The affidavit in question sought to establish Bhatt's presence at  the February 27, 2002 meeting called by Chief Minister Modi shortly  after the Godhra train burning incident. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Bhatt had alleged that Modi, at this meeting, asked the police to  give the anti-Muslim rioters a free hand. Constable Pant has alleged  that Bhatt forced him to sign the affidavit for submitting it to Raju  Ramchandran, the Supreme Court-appointed amicus curie (friend of court)  in the probe in the 2002 riot cases.</span></li>
</ul><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">According to the chargesheet for charges entailing to a minimum  punishment of seven years imprisonment. Bhatt was arrested on September  30 last year following the complaint filed by constable K D Pant. A  local court granted him bail on October 17.</span></li>
</ul></div>

Chargesheet filed against Bhatt in false affidavit case

Suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt, who has alleged complicity of Chief Minister Narendra Modi in 2002 Gujarat riots, has been slapped wit...

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Aus Open: Indo-Russian duo of Sania & Elena enters 2nd round

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="5713" style="display: block; text-align: justify;">                                          <ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The Indo-Russian duo of Sania Mirza and  Elena Vesnina today stormed into the second round of the Women's  Doubles event in the Australian Open Tennis tournament at Melbourne. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The sixth seeded Indo-Russian pair defeated the Russian-Greek  combine of Alexandra Panova and Eleni Daniilidou in straight sets 6-0,  6-2, making to the next round. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Meanwhile, the Indian challenge yesterday stormed into the second round in the Men's Doubles category.  </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The Indian duo of Mahesh Bhupathi and  Rohan Bopanna and the Indo-Czech combine of Leander Paes and Radek  Stepanek registered easy victories in the opening round, to make it to  the next stage.</span></li>
</ul></div><span style="font-size: small;">                                                                                  <a href="http://www.tippani.in/blog/xbusiness.php?submit=showComments&id=5713">                                             </a></span>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          </div>

Aus Open: Indo-Russian duo of Sania & Elena enters 2nd round

The Indo-Russian duo of Sania Mirza and Elena Vesnina today stormed into the second round of the ...

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Children born out of inter caste marriages cannot be denied quota benefits: SC

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The Supreme Court has ruled that  children born out of inter-caste marriages cannot be denied the benefits  of reservation on the mere ground that one of the parents belonged to  upper caste. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">A bench of justices Aftab Alam and Ranjana Prakash Desai passed the  ruling upholding an appeal filed by a person challenging Gujarat  Government's decision to strip him of reservation benefits under ST  quota as his father belonged to the upper caste Kshatriya community. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The bench said in an inter-caste marriage or a marriage between a  tribal and a non-tribal there may be a presumption that the child has  the caste of the father. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">This presumption may be stronger in the case where in the  inter-caste marriage or a marriage between a tribal and a non-tribal the  husband belongs to a forward caste. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The apex court added but by no means the presumption is conclusive  or irrebuttable and it is open to the child of such marriage to lead  evidence to show that he/she was brought up by the mother who belonged  to the scheduled caste/scheduled tribe.</span></li>
</ul></div>

Children born out of inter caste marriages cannot be denied quota benefits: SC

The Supreme Court has ruled that children born out of inter-caste marriages cannot be denied the benefits of reservation on the mere groun...

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China says world economic order will suffer if legitimate trade with Iran not protected

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="5715" style="display: block; text-align: justify;">                                          <ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">China today defended its oil trade  links with Iran but warned that Beijing firmly opposes any effort by  Tehran to acquire nuclear weapons. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">At a press conference in Doha, the Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao also  warned against a potential confrontation in the Strait of Hormuz. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">On China’s oil trade with Iran, he said legitimate trade should be protected, otherwise the world economic order would fall. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">China is the biggest buyer of Iranian  oil, followed by India and Japan. It has backed U.N. Security Council  resolutions calling on Iran to halt uranium enrichment activities, while  working to ensure its energy ties are not threatened.</span></li>
</ul></div></div>

China says world economic order will suffer if legitimate trade with Iran not protected

China today defended its oil trade links with Iran but warned that Beijing firmly opposes any eff...

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EU tightens sanctions on Syria

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">European Union has tightened the  sanctions against Syria. It has blacklisted 22 more individuals and  eight companies to an existing list against the Syrian crackdown on  dissent. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The EU has already agreed ten rounds of sanctions against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">It has frozen the assets and put a travel ban on 120 people and  companies. An arms embargo and a ban on imports of Syrian crude has also  been enforced by the European Union. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The United Nations Security Council, meanwhile, is struggling to agree on a resolution on Damascus’s crackdown on dissent. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Russia, which insists the Syrian opposition, is as much to blame for  the violence as the regime, warned against Western calls for punitive  measures.  </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Meanwhile, a group of 140 Arab rights groups condemned the Arab  League for a flawed observer mission to Syria and called for U.N.  intervention to halt the violence.</span></li>
</ul></div>

EU tightens sanctions on Syria

European Union has tightened the sanctions against Syria. It has blacklisted 22 more individuals and eight companies to an existing list a...

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India increases educational aid to Sri Lanka

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">To assist the meritorious Sri Lankan  students, India today announced a substantial increase in India’s  educational assistance, amounting to 2.5 billion Sri Lankan Rupees in  grant-funding. This will mark a three fold increase in the scholarships  and self-financing slots for undergraduate, masters and doctorate-level  courses </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">This announcement was made by External Affairs Minister SM Krishna  during the handing over ceremony of the newly constructed second phase  of the high speed coastal railway line from Galle to Hikkaduwa , which  has been built with Indian assistance. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Krishna said that the new initiative is being undertaken as part of  New Delhi’s commitment under the “India-Sri Lanka Knowledge Initiative”  launched by the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Sri Lankan  President Mahinda Rajapaksa, during his visit to India in June, 2010. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The expanded scholarship programme, SM Krishna said will go a long  way in further cementing educational ties between the two neighbours.</span></li>
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India increases educational aid to Sri Lanka

To assist the meritorious Sri Lankan students, India today announced a substantial increase in India’s educational assistance, amounting t...

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Cross border smuggling on rise in Indo-China border

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Trafficking of rare stuff - in high  demand at the international market - is on the rise on India’s border  with China in Himachal Pradesh. For second time in past 13 months police  has detected cross border smuggling on “porous” border with China in  remote Kinnaur district raising questions about security management. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Police on Monday seized two trucks laden with costly pashmina wool  that was smuggled from Chinese villages to Indian border. The estimated  cost of the seized wool is pegged at around Rs 1.5 crore in the  international market. The police seized these trucks near Kharo in Pooh  subdivision that is 100 kilometers from Nako a village close to China  border in the district. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Sources said that cops have also found some quantity of shatoosh  wool sheared from   rare Tibetan antelope Chiru. Wildlife reports have  put that 20,000 of the wild animals that live on China's Tibetan Plateau  are killed each year or are either shot in herds by automatic weapons  or caught in leg-hold traps-for their prized coats. The shahtoosh trade  was banned globally in 1975 under the Convention on International Trade  in Endangered Species (CITES) following a fall in the number of the  antelopes. The Indian government followed and banned the trade in 1991. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">Investigations revealed that the truck drivers had been issued  permits by Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) officers. ITBP is  responsible for managing the security along Indian border in two tribal  districts Lahual and Spiti and Kinnaur. The police sleuths had detected  involvement of ITBP officials in the incident. A commandant and cops had  been suspended for their involvement. </span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">The latest case of cross border smuggling had once again raised question about the security along the Indo-China border.</span></li>
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Cross border smuggling on rise in Indo-China border

Trafficking of rare stuff - in high demand at the international market - is on the rise on India’s border with China in Himachal Pradesh. ...

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