The Competition Master

Powerful earthquakes hit New Zealand near Christchurch

Powerful earthquakes hit New Zealand near Christchurch

A series of strong earthquakes have struck the New Zealand city of Christchurch, rattling buildings, sending goods tumbling from shelves ...

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Russia ranked 2nd biggest global arms exporter

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> Russia became the world's second largest arms exporter after the US in 2011, said Igor Korotchenko, the head of the Moscow-based arms think tank Centre for Analysis of World Arms Trade (CAWAT). 
 
</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The CAWAT ranking revealed that Russia occupied the second position for world arms sales in 2011 with $11.29 billion in revenues, which accounts for 16.1 percent of all international arms supplies. 
 
</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> "The forecast for 2012 is $11.3 billion or 17.3 percent of global arms sales." 
 
 
</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The US, however, dominates world arms exports, with over 40 percent of trade globally, or $28.76 billion. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Russia ranked 2nd biggest global arms exporter

Russia became the world's second largest arms exporter after the US in 2011, said Igor Korotchenko, the head of the Moscow-based arms...

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Large Hadron Collider detects new particle

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> Large Hadron Collider has discovered a new sub atomic particle called Chi_b (3P), which can provide vital clues about elusive ‘God particle’ or Higgs boson.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Higgs is a theoretical particle which is thought to ‘explain’ why the universe has mass. 
 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> The Atlas detector, one of the LHC’s two huge particle detectors - captured the particle that physicists had suspected to exist for years, but had never seen ‘in the wild.’ 
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Chi_b (3P) is LHC’s first confirmed sighting of an all new particle and was detected among data from the trillions of collisions at the LHC.  
 
 </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> This new particle is a crucial milestone for the collider and a vital step towards its mission to fill in the gaps in our understanding of physics. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Large Hadron Collider detects new particle

Large Hadron Collider has discovered a new sub atomic particle called Chi_b (3P), which can provide vital clues about elusive ‘God partic...

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Another Soyuz rocket launch fails

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> Russia's recent poor launch record has continued with yet another Soyuz rocket failure. 
 
</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> This time, a Soyuz-2 vehicle failed to put a communications satellite into orbit after lifting away from the country's Plesetsk spaceport. 
 
</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Debris is said to have re-entered the Earth's atmosphere near the western Siberian town of Tobolsk. 
 
</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> In August, a Soyuz failure on a mission to resupply the space station led to a six-week suspension of flights. 
 
</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> Rocket  was carrying a Meridian-5 satellite, designed to provide communication between ships, planes and coastal stations on the ground, according to RIA Novosti.  
 
</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"> It was a Soyuz-2.1b, the most modern version of the rocket that has been in service in various forms since the 1960s. 
</li>
</ul></div>

Another Soyuz rocket launch fails

Russia's recent poor launch record has continued with yet another Soyuz rocket failure. This time, a Soyuz-2 vehicle failed to put...

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RAPID GK SERIES 11

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">1. Cripps Mission has come to India in 
2. On this River the Indo-Pak Bagalihar Project is located 
3. This is the Worldâ€™s most Active Volcano 
4. In 2010 Kumbh Fair was organised in this place only 
5. Aryabhatta Satellite was launched on 
6. He is the final authority to interpret our Constitution 
7. The breathing roots of Mangroves are 
8. The National Sport of France is 
9. Hopeman Cup is associated with this game 
10. â€˜All Round Viewâ€™ is the autobiography of this Cricketer 
 
ANSWERS 
 
1. 1942 
2. Chenab 
3. Cotopaxi 
4. Haridwar 
5. April 19, 1975. 
6. The Supreme Court of India 
7. Pneumatophores 
8. Football 
9. Tennis 
10. Imran Khan</div>

RAPID GK SERIES 11

1. Cripps Mission has come to India in 2. On this River the Indo-Pak Bagalihar Project is located 3. This is the Worldâ€™s most Active Vo...

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United Nations cuts budget amid global downturn

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li> The 193 UN member countries, after a series of negotiations, have agreed to cut the global body's budget only for the second time in the past 50 years.  
 
 </li>
<li> An accord struck yesterday saw the 2012-13 budget set at 5.15 billion dollar, down from 5.41 billion dollar in 2010-11. 
 
 </li>
<li> The United States and crisis-stricken European countries had fought for cuts while developing countries had demanded spending be kept up.  
 
 </li>
<li> US negotiator Joseph Torsella called the budget a historic agreement and said this accord is the first time since 1998 and only the second time in the last 50 years. 
</li>
</ul></div>

United Nations cuts budget amid global downturn

The 193 UN member countries, after a series of negotiations, have agreed to cut the global body's budget only for the second time in ...

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India, Japan to firm up strategic ties

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li> Manmohan and Noda will review first-ever India-Japan-U.S. trilateral 
 
 </li>
<li> India and Japan will firm up strategic ties during their summit meeting with a $4.5-billion grant for an ambitious infrastructure project, announcing Tokyo's participation in next year's India-U.S. naval exercises and holding talks on moving ahead with India-Japan-U.S. trilateral cooperation. 
 
 </li>
<li> Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and Yushihiko Noda will review the first-ever India-Japan-U.S. trilateral which drew up an agenda “aimed at adding value to the existing bilateral relationships” for the next meeting in Tokyo next year,  
 
 </li>
<li> This strategic proximity will be reflected in Japan's participation in the next India-U.S. Malabar series of joint naval exercises off the Indian coast in April next year. Japan had participated in the 2007 and 2009 editions of Malabar exercises but could not do so this year because of the tsunami. 
 
 </li>
<li> Talks will also be held on a bilateral civil nuclear cooperation accord. Although Japan will shortly sign similar pacts with Russia, Jordan, Vietnam and South Korea, prospects of an accord with India, a non Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) signatory, sailing through the Japanese Diet are dim. 
 
 </li>
<li> The Prime Ministers are likely to discuss this sensitive subject that entails a joint venture between IREL and Toyota Tsusho for a plant in Orissa. India stopped exporting rare earths seven years ago to stop depletion of mineral resources at a time when international prices were weak. 
 
 </li>
<li> The summit meeting will give an impetus to the infrastructure sector with Mr. Noda likely to announce long-term Japanese financing for the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC). Delhi has already set aside Rs. 17,500 crore for the project in addition to Rs. 5,500 crore for land acquisition.  
 
 </li>
<li> India and Japan have already decided to complete the Delhi Freight Corridor (West), the main transportation artery along the DMIC, by the end of 2016. 
 
 </li>
<li> The India-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement went into effect from August 1 this year and officials say it is too early to analyse the trends. 
</li>
</ul></div>

India, Japan to firm up strategic ties

Manmohan and Noda will review first-ever India-Japan-U.S. trilateral India and Japan will firm up strategic ties during their summit ...

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Inter-departmental panel to monitor Japanese encephalitis prevention plan

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li> The National Programme for Prevention and Control of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES), proposed by the Group of Ministers, will be monitored and supervised by an inter-departmental committee chaired by the Union Health Secretary. The cost-sharing for the implementation of the programme between the Centre and States will be on a 90:10 basis.  
 
 </li>
<li> The Rs. 3,355-crore programme, to be rolled out in phases, will be jointly implemented by the Ministries of Health and Family Welfare, Drinking Water and Sanitation, Social Justice and Empowerment, and Women and Child Development. The largest chunk of money will be spent by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, amounting to Rs. 2,301.57 crore, followed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's Rs. 864 crore. The estimated cost to the Women and Child Development Ministry will be Rs. 177 crore and the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment will shell out Rs. 11.5 crore.  
 
 </li>
<li> To be set up with the goal of reducing morbidity, mortality and disability in children due to the JE and AES, which claim hundreds of lives every year and leave hundreds physically and mentally disabled, the programme will deal with strengthening and expansion of JE vaccination in affected districts, strengthening surveillance, vector control, timely referral of serious cases and increasing access to safe drinking water and proper sanitation facilities to the target population in affected rural and urban areas.  
 
 </li>
<li> The disease burden is high in 171 districts, spread across 19 States. In the first phase, the programme will be implemented in 60 districts in Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. 
 
 </li>
<li> Considering that 30 to 40 per cent of surviving children suffer from physical and mental impairment, the Health Ministry has decided to establish a physical medicine and rehabilitation department at 10 identified medical colleges in the five priority States. The departments will be equipped to provide specialised care to persons with locomotor and neurological disorders with the objective of reducing disability and handicap. U.P. will have three PMRD centres; Assam, West Bengal and Bihar will get two each and Tamil Nadu one. Along with PMR departments, the Ministry will establish 60 counselling centres at district hospitals in priority districts for rehabilitating the children who have been rendered disabled. 
 
 </li>
<li> Importantly, it has been decided that a joint team of officials from the Ministry of Human Resource Development, the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences and the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment will draw up a tailor-made curriculum for children with special needs and also set up special schools and training centres in 60 districts based on the needs of affected children.  
 
 </li>
<li> While the Ministry of Women and Child Development will take special measures to train and sensitise anganwadi workers and their supervisors regarding JE/AES, it will also provide additional take-home rations to moderately undernourished children enrolled under the Integrated Child Development Schemes in these districts.  
 
 </li>
<li> The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation will install deep bore hand pumps, mini water supply schemes in habitations where JE/AES cases are reported, ensure solid and liquid waste management and provide water-quality testing of all public sources in all the affected 60 districts along with sample testing for virological examination. 
</li>
</ul> <div style="text-align: justify;"> 
</div></div>

Inter-departmental panel to monitor Japanese encephalitis prevention plan

The National Programme for Prevention and Control of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES), proposed by the Gr...

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India, Thailand work on defence cooperation pact

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><ul style="text-align: justify;"><li> Stepping up its engagement with countries in East Asia, India  held the first meeting of defence dialogue with Thailand, taken in line with the agreement between the two countries reached earlier this year. 
 
 </li>
<li> Both sides exchanged views on the regional security issues and reviewed ongoing programmes including joint exercises, training of personnel, diplomatic sources said adding that work has begun on a possible Memorandum of Understanding in the area. 
 
 </li>
<li> The dialogue also assumes significance since India has invited Thailand Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to be the chief guest at next year's Republic Day parade. Thailand Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, is scheduled to visit New Delhi from December 26 to 28 for a meeting of the Joint Commission. 
 
 </li>
<li> The defence dialogue with Bangkok comes close on the heels of New Delhi's similar engagement with countries including South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, among others in East Asia. 
</li>
<li> Defence cooperation between India and Thailand comprises regular joint exercises/joint maritime patrols near the international maritime boundary to counter terrorism, piracy and smuggling; training of officers at each others' Armed Forces Training institutions and participation as observers in military exercises, staff talks and exchange of trainee visits at various levels. 
</li>
</ul> <ul style="text-align: justify;"><li>   Coastal security 
</li>
</ul> <div style="text-align: justify;"> 
</div> <ul style="text-align: justify;"><li> During the visit of the then Thailand Prime Minister, Abhijit Vejjajiva, in April this year, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced that both New Delhi and Bangkok agreed to strengthen defence cooperation by having senior official-level dialogue between the Defence Ministries. Both sides decided to cooperate to secure vital sealanes of communications in the Indian Ocean. 
</li>
</ul> </div>

India, Thailand work on defence cooperation pact

Stepping up its engagement with countries in East Asia, India held the first meeting of defence dialogue with Thailand, taken in line wi...

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U.K. restructures aid programme to India with eye on market

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div id="5260" style="display: block;"> <ul style="text-align: justify;"><li> Britain's £280 million annual aid to India has been radically re-engineered in response to criticism that as one of the world's fastest growing economies New Delhi does not “deserve” foreign aid, the International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell said on Friday. He also said that British aid to India was “not for ever” and there were no commitments beyond 2015. 
 
 </li>
<li>Sovereign wealth fund</li>
</ul><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"> The restructured programme, which has resemblance to a sovereign wealth fund, is designed to bring returns to the recession-hit British taxpayers. It will see half the aid budget for India invested in private sector enterprises that are already working with poor people such as Milk Mantra, a dairy in Orissa which buys milk from small farmers</li>
</ul></div></div>

U.K. restructures aid programme to India with eye on market

Britain's £280 million annual aid to India has been radically re-engineered in response to ...

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