current affairs.docx

APRIL 2013

GK TEST 5

1. THE UNION GOVERNMENT ON 12 MARCH 2013 DECIDED TO PROVIDE A FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE OF 41.21

CRORE RUPEES TO PROTECT …………… GOAT WHICH PRODUCES WORLD-FAMOUS FINE LUXURY FIBRE.

2. 2. WELSPUN ENERGY, THE COUNTRY’S BIGGEST DEVELOPER OF SOLAR PROJECTS ON 12 MARCH

2013 COMMISSIONED ASIA’S LARGEST SOLAR POWER PROJECT OF 50 MW AT JODHPUR DISTRICT IN RAJASTHAN.

THIS PROJECT IS NAMED AS …………………

3. IN THE ASIAN ARCHERY GRAND PRIX, THE MEN’S COMPOUND TEAM OF INDIA WON A GOLD MEDAL WHILE

MEN’S RECURVE TRIO WON A BRONZE IN THE EVENT HELD IN ………………

4. AIRPORTS COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL (ACI), THE GLOBAL BODY OF AIRPORTS HAS DECLARED INDIA\'S

………………………… AIRPORT AS SECOND BEST AIRPORT OF THE WORLD IN THE CATEGORY OF AIRPORTS THAT

HANDLES 25 TO 40 MILLION PASSENGERS PER YEAR (MPPA)

5. THE LAUREUS WORLD SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD 2013 HAS BEEN WON BY ………………… FOR

3RD TIME.

6. RBI HAS DECIDED TO INTRODUCE ONE BILLION PIECES OF RS..…BANK NOTES MADE OF PLASTIC ON A FIELD

TRIAL.

7. THE GOVT. OF …… HAS SET THE MOBILE BIOMETRIC CLINIC IS MEANT TO PROVIDE CONVENIENCE TO THE

CITIZENS OF GOA WITH THE LOCALISED OPTION OF APPLYING FOR A VISA.

8. DAVID BECKHAM HAS BEEN NAMED AS THE RICHEST FOOTBALLER OF THE WORLD. HE BELONGS TO

…………..?

http://topbankcoaching.com/%22http:/www.jagranjosh.com/current-affairs/union-government-granted-an-aid-of-41-crore-rupees-to-protect-pashmina-goats-1363176859-1/%22

9. SOUTH KOREAN TRADE PROMOTION AGENCY (KOTRA) HAS SIGNED A MOU FOR SETTING UP KOREAN

INDUSTRIAL ZONE AT GHILOT IN NEEMRANA IN THE STATE OF …………………….

10. THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA, PRANAB MUKHERJEE WAS THE CHIEF GUEST AT THE 45TH INDEPENDENCE DAY

CELEBRATIONS OF …………………..

11. INDIA TOURISM FILM,………. CLAIMED FIRST PRIZE AT 11TH GOLDEN CITY GATE AWARDS AT BERLIN.

12. INDIA AND …………. HAS SIGNED A CURRENCY SWAP AGREEMENT FOR UP TO 100 MILLION US DOLLARS TO

STRENGTHEN ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION BETWEEN BOTH THE COUNTRIES.

13. WORLD BANK CHIEF…………… , WHO IS ON A THREE-DAY VISIT TO INDIA ASSERTED THAT INDIA HAS THE

POTENTIAL TO GROW AT MORE THAN 6% IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

14. …………….. FROM DENMARK HAS WON THE WOMEN’S SINGLES TITLE IN THE ALL ENGLAND OPEN

BADMINTON CHAMPIONSHIPS .

15. UNION MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS & IT, ……………….. INAUGURATED THE FIRST ALL WOMEN

EMPLOYEES POST OFFICE OF INDIA AT SHASTRI BHAWAN IN NEW DELHI.

16. SAARC LITERATURE AWARD WAS PRESENTED TO FIVE WRITERS DURING THE TWO DAYS SAARC FESTIVAL OF

LITERATURE HELD AT …………..?

17. FINANCIAL STABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (FSDC) MEETING WAS ATTENDED BY 4

REGULATORS RBI, SEBI,IRDA AND …………. WHERE THEY AGREED ON CONSOLIDATED MONITORING AND

SUPERVISION.

18. FORMER CBI DIRECTOR,…………… HAS BEEN APPOINTED AS GOVERNOR OF NAGALAND.

19. THE CABINET COMMITTEE ON SECURITY (CCS) HAS CLEARED FUA (…………….) BY CIVIL AND MILITARY

USERS.

20. VENEZUELAN VICE- PRESIDENT ………….. WAS SWORN IN AS VENEZUELA’S ACTING PRESIDENT IN THE WAKE

OF THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVEZ.

21. INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY IS CELEBRATED ON ………………….?

22. THE FOREIGN INVESTMENT PROMOTION BOARD (FIPB) HAS CLEARED THE INVESTMENT PROPOSAL

OF…………, THE MALAYSIAN BUDGET CARRIER TO LAUNCH THE NEW AIRLINE ALONG WITH TATA GROUP AND ARUN

BHATIA\'S TELESTRA TRADEPLACE.

23. INDIA RANKED THIRD ON LIST OF COUNTRIES WHICH DISTRIBUTE SPAM ALL OVER THE WORLD AFTER USA

AND ……

24. THE PARLIAMENTARY AWARD COMMITTEE SELECTED BJP LEADER……………, CONGRESS MP ……………AND

JD(U) MP ……….. FOR OUTSTANDING PARLIAMENTARIAN AWARD FOR 2010, 2011 AND 2012 RESPECTIVELY.

25. INDIA IN THE MONTH OF HAS PROPOSED THE IDEA OF A HYDROCARBON PIPELINE WITH ……………THAT IS

INTENDED TO BRING FUEL THROUGH A FIVE-NATION ROUTE.

ANSWERS: 1. PASHMINA 2. UTILITY-SCALE SOLAR PROJECT 3. BANGKOK 4. INDIRA GANDHI INTERNATIONAL

(IGI) 5. USAIN BOLT 6. 10 RUPEES 7. UK 8. ENGLAND 9. RAJASTHAN 10. MAURITIUS 11. FIND WHAT YOU

SEEK 12. BHUTAN 13. JIM YOUNG KIM 14. TINE BAUN 15. KAPIL SIBAL 16. AGRA 17. PFRDA 18. ASHWANI

KUMAR 19. FLEXIBLE USE OF AIRSPACE 20. NICOLAS MADURO 21. 8TH MARCH 22. AIRASIA 23. CHINA 24.

ARUN JAITLEY, KARAN SINGH, SHARAD YADAV 25. KAZAKHSTAN

MARCH 2013 QUIZ

QUIZ 1

1. THE UNION GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ON 18 FEBRUARY 2013 CANCELLED THE BOND AUCTIONS WORTH ………

RUPEES, FOR BRINGING DOWN THE MARKET BORROWING PROGRAMME FOR 2012-2013 FISCAL YEAR IN TO

CONTAIN FISCAL DEFICIT AT 5.3 %.

2. THE STATE GOVERNMENT OF UTTAR PRADESH ON 18 FEBRUARY 2013 APPOINTED…………, THE RETIRED

JUSTICE OF ALLAHABAD HIGH COURT TO CONDUCT JUDICIAL PROBE INTO THE ALLAHABAD RAILWAY STATION

STAMPEDE DURING KUMBH MELA.

3. BRAZIL OPEN 2013 HAS BEEN WON BY ………… DEFEATING ARGENTINEAN DAVID NALBANDIAN IN SAO

PAOLO.

4. VISWANATHAN ANAND, THE WORLD CHAMPION IN CHESS FROM INDIA WON THE …………TROPHY OF 2013.

5. UAE HAS DECIDED TO INVEST ………… DOLLARS IN INFRASTRUCTURE SECTOR PROJECTS IN INDIA AND

SUPPORT STRATEGIC OIL RESERVE IN INDIA. THE MEETING WAS CO-CHAIRED BY THE UNION MINISTER OF

COMMERCE, INDUSTRY AND TEXTILES, …………. AND SHEIKH HAMID BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE

ABU DHABI CROWN PRINCE COURT.

6. THE FIRST WILDLIFE SKYWALK(22KM) OF INDIA WILL BE COMING UP IN MAENAM WILDLIFE SANCTUARY IN

……….?

7. THE INDIA-U.S.JOINT WORKING GROUP ON UN PEACEKEEPING HELD ITS 10TH MEETING IN……………………?

8. THE CABINET COMMITTEE ON INVESTMENT HAS CLEARED THE PROPOSAL OF THE POWER MINISTRY TO SET UP

THE NORTH KARANPURA SUPER THERMAL POWER PLANT (NKSTPP) (3 X 660 MW) IN CHATRA DISTRICT OF

JHARKHAND BY THE ……………………..?

9. THE STATE GOVERNMENT OF KERALA HAS APPROVED KERALA ABKARI ACT AMENDMENT ORDINANCE 2013

THAT ENVISAGED RAISING AGE LIMIT FOR BUYING OR SELLING LIQUOR FROM 18 YEARS TO ……….. YEARS.

10. ……………….RESIGNED FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER OF TUNISIA, AFTER HIS ATTEMPT TO END A

POLITICAL STANDOFF BY FORMATION OF A GOVERNMENT OF TECHNOCRATS FAILED.

11. ………………., THE FORMER LIC CHIEF TOOK OVER AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE IRDA ON 21 FEBRUARY 2013.

VIJAYAN SUCCEEDED……………?

12. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF TWIN BLASTS IN THE CITY OF HYDERABAD, HAS BEEN CLAIMED BY ………………..?

13. TELECOM REGULATOR AUTHORITY OF INDIA (TRAI) STARTED THE PRE-CONSULTATION PROCESS FOR THE

COUNTRY-WIDE ……….. WHICH WILL ENABLE THE USERS TO KEEP THE NUMBER EVEN IF THEY CHANGE THE SERVICE

AREA.

14. THE UTTIPEC HAS STARTED WORKING FOR DEVELOPING VISION AS WELL AS STRATEGY FOR SUCCESSFUL

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLANS FOR MASS-RAPID TRANSPORT SYSTEM IN DELHI. UTTIPEC IS ……………..?

15. RATAN TATA, THE FORMER HEAD OF TATA GROUP WAS AWARDED THE LIFE TIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD 2012

BY ………………. FOR DISPLAYING GREAT ROLE FOR THE INDIAN BUSINESSMEN ON GLOBAL BUSINESS LEVEL.

16. …………………… TIED UP A TERM LOAN FACILITY OF 250 MILLION US DOLLARS WITH THE STATE BANK OF

INDIA, NEW YORK BRANCH AS WELL AS SINGAPORE BRANCH OF MIZUHO CORPORATE BANK LIMITED.

17. THE UNION CABINET OF INDIA APPROVED MERGER OF BHARAT HEAVY PLATE & VESSELS LTD. (BHPV)

VISHAKHAPATNAM WITH………………………….. ?

18. JUSTICE …………… COMMISSION SUBMITTED ITS REPORT TO ON THE DELHI GANG-RAPE INCIDENT TO THE

UNION GOVERNMENT OF INDIA.

19. THE SILK ROUTE CAR RALLY FROM KOLKATA TO KUNMING ORGANISED BY THE CONFEDERATION OF INDIAN

INDUSTRY AND SUPPORTED BY THE BCIM WAS FLAGGED OFF SALT LAKE STADIUM, WEST BENGAL. BCIM IS?

20. INDIA\'S SANIA MIRZA AND HER AMERICAN PARTNER BETHANIE-MATTEK SANDS WON …………….?

21. …………BECAME THE FIRST STATE IN INDIA TO PRODUCE OVER 500 MILLION KILOGRAM TEA FOR TWO YEARS IN

A ROW. IT PRODUCED FIVE HUNDRED 88 MILLION KILOGRAM

22. THE CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION REGISTERED A CASE ON 22 FEBRUARY 2013 AGAINST …………..

AND TATA COMMUNICATIONS LTD,

23. SIX FOREIGN MICRO AND MINI SPACECRAFTS AS WELL AS THE INDO-FRENCH OCEANOGRAPHIC STUDY

SATELLITE, SARAL (SATELLITE FOR ARGOS-3 AND ALTIKA) WERE LAUNCHED SUCCESSFULLY BY ISRO\'S

……………….. ROCKET FROM THE SPACEPORT AT SRIHARIKOTA.

24. LIFE OF PI HAS WON 4 AWARDS IN OSCAR FOR BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY, BEST DIRECTING (ANG LEE) BEST

MUSIC-ORIGINAL SCORE AND ……………………..?

25. ……………… SWORN-IN AS THE FIRST WOMAN PRESIDENT OF SOUTH KOREA.

26. NATIONAL SCIENCE DAY WAS OBSERVED ON 28 FEBRUARY 2013. ITS THEME WAS ……………?

27. SUGATA MITRA WAS AWARDED THE MILLION-DOLLAR TED PRIZE ON FOR PURSUING HIS IDEA FOR BUILDING

THE ….?

28. THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ANNOUNCED CONSTITUTION OF JOINT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE (JPC) TO

PROBE INTO THE ALLEGATIONS IN THE VVIP HELICOPTER DEAL FROM ……………AND TO IDENTIFY THE ROLE OF THE

MIDDLEMEN IN THE PURCHASE OF THE 12 HELICOPTERS.

29. THE SURREY SPACE CENTRE (SSC) OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SURREY LAUNCHED STRAND-1, A NANO-SATELLITE

CARRYING A INTO SPACE FROM INDIA. WITH THIS LAUNCH, INDIA BECAME THE …… COUNTRY TO DO SO.

30. THE OSCAR AWARD FOR BEST PICTURE HAS BEEN WON BY ………………..?

ANS: 1. 12000 CRORE 2. ONKARESHWAR BHATT 3. RAFAEL NADAL 4. GRENKE CHESS CLASSIC 5. 2 BILLION,

ANAND SHARMA 6. SIKKIM 7. WASHINGTON 8. NATIONAL THERMAL POWER CORPORATION, NTPC 9. 21 10.

HAMADI JEBALI 11. T. S. VIJAYAN, J. HARI NARAYAN 12. SIMI 13. MOBILE NUMBER PORTABILITY SERVICES 14.

UNIFIED TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING AND ENGINEERING CENTRE 15. ERNST &

YOUNG 16. NATIONAL THERMAL POWER CORPORATION (NTPC) 17. BHARAT HEAVY ELECTRICALS LIMITED

(BHEL) 18. USHA MEHRA 19. BANGLADESH-CHINA-INDIA-MYANMAR FORUM FOR REGIONAL COOPERATION 20.

THE DUBAI TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP 21. ASSAM 22. BHARTI AIRTEL LTD 23. PSLV-C20 24. BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

25. PARK GEUN-HYE 26. GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS AND FOOD SECURITY 27. SCHOOLS IN THE INTERNET 28.

AGUSTA WESTLAND 29. FIRST 30. ARGO

RBI ISSUES THE GUIDELINES FOR LICENSING OF NEW BANKS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR:

KEY FEATURES OF THE ISSUED GUIDELINES:

(I) ELIGIBLE PROMOTERS: ENTITIES / GROUPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, ENTITIES IN PUBLIC SECTOR AND NON-

BANKING FINANCIAL COMPANIES (NBFCS) SHALL BE ELIGIBLE TO SET UP A BANK THROUGH A WHOLLY-OWNED

NON-OPERATIVE FINANCIAL HOLDING COMPANY (NOFHC).

(II) FIT AND PROPER CRITERIA: ENTITIES / GROUPS SHOULD HAVE A PAST RECORD OF SOUND CREDENTIALS AND

INTEGRITY, BE FINANCIALLY SOUND WITH A SUCCESSFUL TRACK RECORD OF 10 YEARS. FOR THIS PURPOSE, RBI MAY

SEEK FEEDBACK FROM OTHER REGULATORS AND ENFORCEMENT AND INVESTIGATIVE AGENCIES.

(III) CORPORATE STRUCTURE OF THE NOFHC: THE NOFHC SHALL BE WHOLLY OWNED BY THE PROMOTER /

PROMOTER GROUP. THE NOFHC SHALL HOLD THE BANK AS WELL AS ALL THE OTHER FINANCIAL SERVICES ENTITIES

OF THE GROUP.

(IV) MINIMUM VOTING EQUITY CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS FOR BANKS AND SHAREHOLDING BY NOFHC: THE INITIAL

MINIMUM PAID-UP VOTING EQUITY CAPITAL FOR A BANK SHALL BE `5 BILLION. THE NOFHC SHALL INITIALLY HOLD

A MINIMUM OF 40 PER CENT OF THE PAID-UP VOTING EQUITY CAPITAL OF THE BANK WHICH SHALL BE LOCKED IN

FOR A PERIOD OF FIVE YEARS AND WHICH SHALL BE BROUGHT DOWN TO 15 PER CENT WITHIN 12 YEARS. THE BANK

SHALL GET ITS SHARES LISTED ON THE STOCK EXCHANGES WITHIN THREE YEARS OF THE COMMENCEMENT OF

BUSINESS BY THE BANK.

(V) REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: THE BANK WILL BE GOVERNED BY THE PROVISIONS OF THE RELEVANT ACTS,

RELEVANT STATUTES AND THE DIRECTIVES, PRUDENTIAL REGULATIONS AND OTHER GUIDELINES/INSTRUCTIONS

ISSUED BY RBI AND OTHER REGULATORS. THE NOFHC SHALL BE REGISTERED AS A NON-BANKING FINANCE

COMPANY (NBFC) WITH THE RBI AND WILL BE GOVERNED BY A SEPARATE SET OF DIRECTIONS ISSUED BY RBI.

(VI) FOREIGN SHAREHOLDING IN THE BANK: THE AGGREGATE NON-RESIDENT SHAREHOLDING IN THE NEW BANK

SHALL NOT EXCEED 49% FOR THE FIRST 5 YEARS AFTER WHICH IT WILL BE AS PER THE EXTANT POLICY.

(VII) CORPORATE GOVERNANCE OF NOFHC: AT LEAST 50% OF THE DIRECTORS OF THE NOFHC SHOULD BE

INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS. THE CORPORATE STRUCTURE SHOULD NOT IMPEDE EFFECTIVE SUPERVISION OF THE BANK

AND THE NOFHC ON A CONSOLIDATED BASIS BY RBI.

(VIII) PRUDENTIAL NORMS FOR THE NOFHC: THE PRUDENTIAL NORMS WILL BE APPLIED TO NOFHC BOTH ON

STAND-ALONE AS WELL AS ON A CONSOLIDATED BASIS AND THE NORMS WOULD BE ON SIMILAR LINES AS THAT OF

THE BANK.

(IX) EXPOSURE NORMS: THE NOFHC AND THE BANK SHALL NOT HAVE ANY EXPOSURE TO THE PROMOTER GROUP.

THE BANK SHALL NOT INVEST IN THE EQUITY / DEBT CAPITAL INSTRUMENTS OF ANY FINANCIAL ENTITIES HELD BY

THE NOFHC.

(X) BUSINESS PLAN FOR THE BANK: THE BUSINESS PLAN SHOULD BE REALISTIC AND VIABLE AND SHOULD ADDRESS

PROPOSAL TO ACHIEVE FINANCIAL INCLUSION.

(XI) OTHER CONDITIONS FOR THE BANK: THE BOARD OF THE BANK SHOULD HAVE A MAJORITY OF INDEPENDENT

DIRECTORS.

• THE BANK SHALL OPEN AT LEAST 25 PER CENT OF ITS BRANCHES IN UNBANKED RURAL CENTRES (POPULATION UP

TO 9,999 AS PER THE LATEST CENSUS)

• THE BANK SHALL COMPLY WITH THE PRIORITY SECTOR LENDING TARGETS AND SUB-TARGETS AS APPLICABLE TO

THE EXISTING DOMESTIC BANKS.

• BANKS PROMOTED BY GROUPS HAVING 40 PER CENT OR MORE ASSETS/INCOME FROM NON-FINANCIAL BUSINESS

WILL REQUIRE RBI’S PRIOR APPROVAL FOR RAISING PAID-UP VOTING EQUITY CAPITAL BEYOND `10 BILLION FOR

EVERY BLOCK OF `5 BILLION.

• ANY NON-COMPLIANCE OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS WILL ATTRACT PENAL MEASURES INCLUDING CANCELLATION

OF LICENCE OF THE BANK.

(XII) ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS FOR NBFCS PROMOTING / CONVERTING INTO A BANK: EXISTING NBFCS, IF

CONSIDERED ELIGIBLE, MAY BE PERMITTED TO PROMOTE A NEW BANK OR CONVERT THEMSELVES INTO BANKS.

FEBRUARY 2013 QUIZ

QUIZ 1

Q1. IN A RECENT ORDER SC HAS DIRECTED THE SAHARA GROUP TO DEPOSIT RS …………….. CRORE WITH SEBI FOR

REFUND OF THE AMOUNT OF INVESTORS WITH 15% INTEREST.

Q2. THE HIGHEST EARNING OF THE GOVERNMENT IS FROM THE ………………… TAX, WHICH IS LEVIED AT THE RATE

OF 30%.

Q3. WHAT IS THE RATE OF THE MAT?

Q4. THE LATEST ESTIMATE BY IMF FOR GDP GROWTH OF INDIA IS ….%?

Q5. WHO REGULATES THE MONETARY POLICY IN INDIA?

Q6. INDIA IS PROPOSING TO DEVELOP AGNI VI. AGNI VI IS A ……………………..

Q7. WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE THIRD NATIONAL STOCK EXCHANGE IN INDIA DEALING WITH EQUITY AND

DERIVATIVES WHOSE INDEX IS SX40?

Q8. FII INVESTMENTS IN DECEMBER 2012 WERE MORE THAN RS …………………

Q9. THE SANCTION HIT COUNTRY ……………….., HAS CALLED UPON THE NATIONS TO DESTROY THE WHOLE ARSENAL

OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS FROM THE WORLD.

Q10. GIUSEPPE ORSI, HEAD OF AN ………………………. DEFENCE AND AEROSPACE GIANT FINMECCANICA WAS

ARRESTED IN MILAN ON 11 FEBRUARY 2013 ON THE CHARGES OF HIS ALLEGED INVOLVEMENT IN THE BRIBERY

ACTIVITY TO SECURE AN INDIAN DEFENCE HELICOPTER DEAL OF 3600 CRORE RUPEES.

Q11. THE HEALTH MINISTERS OF INDIA AND ………………….. SIGNED A MOU ON HEALTH IN NEW DELHI ON 12

FEBRUARY 2013.

Q12. ………………… DEFEATED RAFAEL NADAL TO WIN HIS FIRST ATP WORLD TOUR TROPHY IN VTR OPEN 2013

ON 10 FEBRUARY 2013 IN VINA DEL MAR, CHILE IN MEN’S SINGLES.

Q13. SOUTH KOREA DEFEATED INDIA BY 4-1 IN THE ………… CUP.

Q14. WHO IS THE CHAIRMAN OF IRDA?

Q15. THE CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (CBI) ON 11 FEBRUARY 2013 REMOVED THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR

…………. FROM THE 2G SPECTRUM CASE.

Q16. SHORT RANGE SURFACE-TO-SURFACE MISSILE HATF IX IS TESTED BY WHICH NATION?

Q17. HOW MANY INDIAN PRISONERS WHO WERE ON DEATH ROW IN SHARJAH JAIL SINCE 2010 ON CHARGES OF

MURDERING A PAKISTANI NATIONAL WERE RELEASED BY THE DUBAI COURT?

Q18. CODE NAME GIVEN TO SECRET PLAN FOR EXECUTING JAISH-E-MOHAMMAD TERRORIST AFZAL GURU WAS

……….?

Q19. THE DELHI DECLARATION OF THE FIRST SOUTH ASIAN AUTISM NETWORK (SAAN) FOR AUTISM SPECTRUM

DISORDERS (ASD) CONFERENCE CONCLUDED IN NEW DELHI ON .......... FEBRUARY 2013.

Q20. THE STAMPEDE AT ………………………… RAILWAY STATION, TOOK LIVES OF MORE THAN 35 PEOPLE.

Q21. POPE …………………... ANNOUNCED ON 11 FEBRUARY 2013 THAT HE WOULD RESIGN AT THE END OF THE

MONTH.

Q22. RANCHI RHINOS BEAT ……………….. 2-1 TO WIN THE INAUGURAL HOCKEY INDIA LEAGUE (HIL).

Q23. ………………………., THE SITAR LEGEND WAS HONOURED WITH THE POSTHUMOUS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

GRAMMY AWARD.

Q24. THE UNION FINANCE MINISTRY IN SECOND WEEK OF FEBRUARY 2013 DECIDED TO PAY AN ADDITIONAL CASH

SUBSIDY OF ……………. CRORE RUPEES FOR THE STATE OWNED FUEL RETAILERS.

Q25. THE HYDRO PROJECTS WORTH …………….. MW ACROSS VARIOUS STATES WERE ACCORDED CLEARANCE BY

THE FOREST ADVISORY COMMITTEE (FAC) OF MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT & FOREST.

Q26. FINANCE MINISTER P CHIDAMBARAM ON 9 FEBRUARY 2013 LAUNCHED THE MUCH-AWAITED

………………………………….. SCHEME IN MUMBAI WHICH IS EXPECTED TO RAISE THE STOCK MARKET INVESTMENTS.

Q27. SHUBH YATRA MAGAZINE HAS BEEN LAUNCHED BY ……………………………?

Q28. THE INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING MINISTER, MANISH TEWARI HAS LAUNCHED THE ……………………..-

A DIGITAL VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME TO REACH OUT THE PEOPLE IN THE SOCIAL MEDIA SPACE.

Q29. THE IRANI TROPHY CHAMPION IS ………………………?

Q30. THE RECORD OF SUNIL GAVASKAR OF 81 FIRST CLASS HUNDREDS IN FIRST CLASS CRICKET HAS BEEN EQUALLED

BY ………..?

Q31. BOARD OF CONTROL FOR CRICKET IN INDIA (BCCI) HAS BEEN SLAPPED A PENALTY OF 52.24 CRORE RUPEES

BY………….?

Q32. THE CABINET COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC AFFAIRS ON HAS APPROVED INCREASE IN THE MINIMUM SUPPORT

PRICE (MSP) FOR 2013 SEASON OF BOTH MILLING AND BALL COPRA BY RS…………. PER QUINTAL.

Q33. HEAD COUNT IN THE NAXAL AFFECTED AREAS COVERED UNDER PMGSY HAS BEEN REDUCED TO ………………?

Q34. THE AUTHORIZED CAPITAL OF NATIONAL BANK FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT,( NABARD)

TO ……….. CRORE RUPEES FROM 5000 CRORE RUPEES.

Q35. PAKISTAN HAS TRANSFERRED THE OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF GWADAR PORT FROM SINGAPORE’S PSA

INTERNATIONAL TO…………………..?

Q36. WHAT IS THE FULL FORM OF GST?

Q37. WHICH ORGANIZATION HAS ANNOUNCED TO SETUP A CORE BANKING FACILITIES IN RURAL AREAS AND RURAL

INFRASTRUCTURE?

Q38 ……………….THE FOURTH LARGEST PRIVATE SECTOR BANK OF INDIA WAS AWARDED THE FINANCIAL

INSTITUTIONS SYNDICATED DEAL OF THE YEAR 2012 IN ITS ASIA PACIFIC REGION.

Q39. "SUB PRIME LENDING" IS A TERM APPLIED TO.THE LOANS MADE TO ………………………………………….?

Q40. THE RESERVE BANK OF INDIA HAD DIVESTED ITS STAKE IN STATE BANK OF INDIA TO ……………..?

ANS : 1. 24000 2. CORPORATE TAX 3. 18.5% 4. 5.4 , 5. RBI 6. MISSILE 7. MCX – SX 8. 24000 CRORE 9.

IRAN 10. ITALIAN 11. BANGLADESH 12. HORACIO ZEBALLOS 13. DAVIS 14. J HARI NARAYAN 15. AK SINGH 16.

PAKISTAN 17. 17 18. OPERATION THREE STAR 19. 11TH 20. ALLAHABAD 21. BENEDICT XVI 22. DELHI

WAVERIDERS 23. PANDIT RAVI SHANKAR 24. RS 25000 25. 2500 26. RAJIV GANDHI EQUITY SAVINGS SCHEME

27. CIVIL AVIATION MINISTRY 28. MYINDIA INITIATIVE 29. REST OF INDIA 30. SACHIN TENDULKAR 31. THE

COMPETITION COMMISSION OF INDIA 32. RS 150 33. 100 34. 20000 35. CHINESE OVERSEAS PORT HOLDINGS

LTD 36. GOODS AND SERVICE TAX 37. NABARD 38. YES BANK 39. THOSE BORROWERS WHO DO NOT HAVE A

GOOD CREDIT HISTORY 40. NABARD

QUIZ 2

1. INDIA AND ………………….. ON 22 JANUARY 2013 SIGNED TWO AGREEMENTS FOR FIGHTING AGAINST

INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AS WELL AS AVOIDING DOUBLE TAXATION?

2. FIFA WORLD CUP 2014 WILL BE HELD AT ……………….?

3. IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THEIR TRADE AND INVESTMENT RELATIONS DURING THE FIRST MEETING OF INDIA-UAE

HIGH LEVEL TASK FORCE ON INVESTMENT HELD IN ………….., WHERE UAE PLEDGED TO INVEST …… BILLION US $

IN INDIA?

4. THE COURT OF ARBITRATION AT THE HAGUE ON 18 FEBRUARY 2013 ALLOWED INDIA TO GO AHEAD WITH

THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ……………………HYDRO-ELECTRIC PROJECT IN GUREZ VALLEY NEAR BANDIPURA IN

NORTH KASHMIR.

5. INDIRA GANDHI PRIZE FOR PEACE, DISARMAMENT AND DEVELOPMENT AWARD FOR 2011 IS

GIVEN TO……………………, A RENOWNED WOMEN SOCIAL WORKER.

6. A GROUP OF VARIOUS BANKS AGREED TO LOAN ………… CRORE RUPEES FOR 1000-MW NTPL POWER

PROJECT BETWEEN TAMIL NADU POWER GENERATION AND DISTRIBUTION CORPORATION AND NEYVELI LIGNITE

CORPORATION?

7. ECUADOR\'S PRESIDENT ……………….HAS BEEN RE-ELECTED FOR A THIRD TERM WITH MORE THAN 50

PERCENT OF THE VOTE.

8. EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER OF INDIA, SALMAN KHURSHID VISITED BANGLADESH TO CO-CHAIR THE SECOND

MEETING OF THE INDIA-BANGLADESH ………………………?

9. AUSTRALIA WON THE ICC WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TROPHY AFTER DEFEATING …………… AT BRABOURNE

STADIUM IN MUMBAI.

10. TELECOM OPERATOR ……………….. CLOSED ITS OPERATIONS IN MUMBAI ON 17 FEBRUARY 2013 FOLLOWING

A SUPREME COURT ORDER.

11. THE HIGH COURT OF …………………… HAS ORDERED THE STATE GOVERNMENT TO IMPLEMENT THE CENTRE\'S

PRE-MATRICULATION SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME FOR STUDENTS OF MINORITY COMMUNITY IN THE STATE.

12. ……………………………. HAS REPLACED HARDEEP SINGH PURI AS PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF INDIA TO

THE UNITED NATIONS ON 13 FEBRUARY 2013.

13. THE STATE CABINET OF ……………….. HAS DECIDED TO BAN THE USE OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS LIKE GUTKA,

CIGARETTE, ZARDA, KHAINI FROM 15 FEBRUARY 2013.

14. MARIA SHARAPOVA IS A FAMOUS ………………… PLAYER.

15. A PROGRAM NAMED ………………………… FOR PROMOTING, PRESERVING AS WELL AS PROPAGATING INDIAN

LANGUAGES SUCH AS SANSKRIT AND URDU HAS BEEN LAUNCHED BY THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR HUMAN

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT SHASHI THAROOR.

16. THE DOUBLE AMPUTEE BLADE RUNNER FROM SOUTH AFRICA, ……………….. HAS BEEN CHARGED FOR

ALLEGEDLY SHOOTING DEAD HIS GIRLFRIEND, REEVA STEENKAMP, AT HIS HOME IN PRETORIA.

17. A GLOBAL CAMPAIGN TO RISE AGAINST VIOLENCE AND TAKE A STAND FOR THE ONE BILLION WOMEN IS CALLED

AS …………………….?

18. RECENTLY THE PRESIDENT OF FRANCE ………………… VISITED INDIA.

19. INDIA AND …………………. HAVE AGREED TO STRENGTHEN COUNTER TERRORISM AND INTELLIGENCE

COOPERATION BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES.

20. FAMOUS CRICKETER ANGELO MATHEWS BELONGS TO WHICH COUNTRY?

21. WHAT IS THE FULL FORM OF ASEAN?

22. WHAT IS THE FULL FORM OF APEC?

23. FSLRM STANDS FOR ………………………?

24. THE INDEX USED TO MEASURE INFLATION IS ………………….?

25. THE NORTH – EASTERN STATES …………, ……… AND …………..ARE GOING TO ELECTIONS IN FEB 2013.

ANSWERS: 1.SRI LANKA 2. BRAZIL 3. ABU DHABI , 2 4. KISHANGANGA 5. ELA RAMESH BHATT 6. 937 7.

RAFAEL CORREA 8. JOINT CONSULTATIVE COMMISSION (JCC). 9. WEST-INDIES 10. UNINOR 11. GUJARAT 12.

ASOKE KUMAR MUKERJI 13. MANIPUR 14. TENNIS 15. SANSKRIT CARAVAN 16. OSCAR PISTORIUS 17. ONE

BILLION RISING 18. FRANCOIS HOLLLANDE 19. FRANCE 20. SRI LANKA 21. ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH EAST ASIAN

NATIONS. 22. ASIA PECIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION 23. FINANCIAL SECTOR LEGISLATIVE REFORMS COMMISSION

24. WHOLE SALE PRICE INDEX 25. NAGALAND, MEHGALAYA, TRIPURA

FEBRUARY 2013 QUIZ

QUIZ 1

Q1. IN A RECENT ORDER SC HAS DIRECTED THE SAHARA GROUP TO DEPOSIT RS …………….. CRORE WITH SEBI FOR

REFUND OF THE AMOUNT OF INVESTORS WITH 15% INTEREST.

Q2. THE HIGHEST EARNING OF THE GOVERNMENT IS FROM THE ………………… TAX, WHICH IS LEVIED AT THE RATE

OF 30%.

Q3. WHAT IS THE RATE OF THE MAT?

Q4. THE LATEST ESTIMATE BY IMF FOR GDP GROWTH OF INDIA IS ….%?

Q5. WHO REGULATES THE MONETARY POLICY IN INDIA?

Q6. INDIA IS PROPOSING TO DEVELOP AGNI VI. AGNI VI IS A ……………………..

Q7. WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE THIRD NATIONAL STOCK EXCHANGE IN INDIA DEALING WITH EQUITY AND

DERIVATIVES WHOSE INDEX IS SX40?

Q8. FII INVESTMENTS IN DECEMBER 2012 WERE MORE THAN RS …………………

Q9. THE SANCTION HIT COUNTRY ……………….., HAS CALLED UPON THE NATIONS TO DESTROY THE WHOLE ARSENAL

OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS FROM THE WORLD.

Q10. GIUSEPPE ORSI, HEAD OF AN ………………………. DEFENCE AND AEROSPACE GIANT FINMECCANICA WAS

ARRESTED IN MILAN ON 11 FEBRUARY 2013 ON THE CHARGES OF HIS ALLEGED INVOLVEMENT IN THE BRIBERY

ACTIVITY TO SECURE AN INDIAN DEFENCE HELICOPTER DEAL OF 3600 CRORE RUPEES.

Q11. THE HEALTH MINISTERS OF INDIA AND ………………….. SIGNED A MOU ON HEALTH IN NEW DELHI ON 12

FEBRUARY 2013.

Q12. ………………… DEFEATED RAFAEL NADAL TO WIN HIS FIRST ATP WORLD TOUR TROPHY IN VTR OPEN 2013

ON 10 FEBRUARY 2013 IN VINA DEL MAR, CHILE IN MEN’S SINGLES.

Q13. SOUTH KOREA DEFEATED INDIA BY 4-1 IN THE ………… CUP.

Q14. WHO IS THE CHAIRMAN OF IRDA?

Q15. THE CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (CBI) ON 11 FEBRUARY 2013 REMOVED THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR

…………. FROM THE 2G SPECTRUM CASE.

Q16. SHORT RANGE SURFACE-TO-SURFACE MISSILE HATF IX IS TESTED BY WHICH NATION?

Q17. HOW MANY INDIAN PRISONERS WHO WERE ON DEATH ROW IN SHARJAH JAIL SINCE 2010 ON CHARGES OF

MURDERING A PAKISTANI NATIONAL WERE RELEASED BY THE DUBAI COURT?

Q18. CODE NAME GIVEN TO SECRET PLAN FOR EXECUTING JAISH-E-MOHAMMAD TERRORIST AFZAL GURU WAS

……….?

Q19. THE DELHI DECLARATION OF THE FIRST SOUTH ASIAN AUTISM NETWORK (SAAN) FOR AUTISM SPECTRUM

DISORDERS (ASD) CONFERENCE CONCLUDED IN NEW DELHI ON .......... FEBRUARY 2013.

Q20. THE STAMPEDE AT ………………………… RAILWAY STATION, TOOK LIVES OF MORE THAN 35 PEOPLE.

Q21. POPE …………………... ANNOUNCED ON 11 FEBRUARY 2013 THAT HE WOULD RESIGN AT THE END OF THE

MONTH.

Q22. RANCHI RHINOS BEAT ……………….. 2-1 TO WIN THE INAUGURAL HOCKEY INDIA LEAGUE (HIL).

Q23. ………………………., THE SITAR LEGEND WAS HONOURED WITH THE POSTHUMOUS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

GRAMMY AWARD.

Q24. THE UNION FINANCE MINISTRY IN SECOND WEEK OF FEBRUARY 2013 DECIDED TO PAY AN ADDITIONAL CASH

SUBSIDY OF ……………. CRORE RUPEES FOR THE STATE OWNED FUEL RETAILERS.

Q25. THE HYDRO PROJECTS WORTH …………….. MW ACROSS VARIOUS STATES WERE ACCORDED CLEARANCE BY

THE FOREST ADVISORY COMMITTEE (FAC) OF MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT & FOREST.

Q26. FINANCE MINISTER P CHIDAMBARAM ON 9 FEBRUARY 2013 LAUNCHED THE MUCH-AWAITED

………………………………….. SCHEME IN MUMBAI WHICH IS EXPECTED TO RAISE THE STOCK MARKET INVESTMENTS.

Q27. SHUBH YATRA MAGAZINE HAS BEEN LAUNCHED BY ……………………………?

Q28. THE INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING MINISTER, MANISH TEWARI HAS LAUNCHED THE ……………………..-

A DIGITAL VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME TO REACH OUT THE PEOPLE IN THE SOCIAL MEDIA SPACE.

Q29. THE IRANI TROPHY CHAMPION IS ………………………?

Q30. THE RECORD OF SUNIL GAVASKAR OF 81 FIRST CLASS HUNDREDS IN FIRST CLASS CRICKET HAS BEEN EQUALLED

BY ………..?

Q31. BOARD OF CONTROL FOR CRICKET IN INDIA (BCCI) HAS BEEN SLAPPED A PENALTY OF 52.24 CRORE RUPEES

BY………….?

Q32. THE CABINET COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC AFFAIRS ON HAS APPROVED INCREASE IN THE MINIMUM SUPPORT

PRICE (MSP) FOR 2013 SEASON OF BOTH MILLING AND BALL COPRA BY RS…………. PER QUINTAL.

Q33. HEAD COUNT IN THE NAXAL AFFECTED AREAS COVERED UNDER PMGSY HAS BEEN REDUCED TO ………………?

Q34. THE AUTHORIZED CAPITAL OF NATIONAL BANK FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT,( NABARD)

TO ……….. CRORE RUPEES FROM 5000 CRORE RUPEES.

Q35. PAKISTAN HAS TRANSFERRED THE OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF GWADAR PORT FROM SINGAPORE’S PSA

INTERNATIONAL TO…………………..?

Q36. WHAT IS THE FULL FORM OF GST?

Q37. WHICH ORGANIZATION HAS ANNOUNCED TO SETUP A CORE BANKING FACILITIES IN RURAL AREAS AND RURAL

INFRASTRUCTURE?

Q38 ……………….THE FOURTH LARGEST PRIVATE SECTOR BANK OF INDIA WAS AWARDED THE FINANCIAL

INSTITUTIONS SYNDICATED DEAL OF THE YEAR 2012 IN ITS ASIA PACIFIC REGION.

Q39. "SUB PRIME LENDING" IS A TERM APPLIED TO.THE LOANS MADE TO ………………………………………….?

Q40. THE RESERVE BANK OF INDIA HAD DIVESTED ITS STAKE IN STATE BANK OF INDIA TO ……………..?

ANS : 1. 24000 2. CORPORATE TAX 3. 18.5% 4. 5.4 , 5. RBI 6. MISSILE 7. MCX – SX 8. 24000 CRORE 9.

IRAN 10. ITALIAN 11. BANGLADESH 12. HORACIO ZEBALLOS 13. DAVIS 14. J HARI NARAYAN 15. AK SINGH 16.

PAKISTAN 17. 17 18. OPERATION THREE STAR 19. 11TH 20. ALLAHABAD 21. BENEDICT XVI 22. DELHI

WAVERIDERS 23. PANDIT RAVI SHANKAR 24. RS 25000 25. 2500 26. RAJIV GANDHI EQUITY SAVINGS SCHEME

27. CIVIL AVIATION MINISTRY 28. MYINDIA INITIATIVE 29. REST OF INDIA 30. SACHIN TENDULKAR 31. THE

COMPETITION COMMISSION OF INDIA 32. RS 150 33. 100 34. 20000 35. CHINESE OVERSEAS PORT HOLDINGS

LTD 36. GOODS AND SERVICE TAX 37. NABARD 38. YES BANK 39. THOSE BORROWERS WHO DO NOT HAVE A

GOOD CREDIT HISTORY 40. NABARD

QUIZ 2

1. INDIA AND ………………….. ON 22 JANUARY 2013 SIGNED TWO AGREEMENTS FOR FIGHTING AGAINST

INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AS WELL AS AVOIDING DOUBLE TAXATION?

2. FIFA WORLD CUP 2014 WILL BE HELD AT ……………….?

3. IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THEIR TRADE AND INVESTMENT RELATIONS DURING THE FIRST MEETING OF INDIA-UAE

HIGH LEVEL TASK FORCE ON INVESTMENT HELD IN ………….., WHERE UAE PLEDGED TO INVEST …… BILLION US $

IN INDIA?

4. THE COURT OF ARBITRATION AT THE HAGUE ON 18 FEBRUARY 2013 ALLOWED INDIA TO GO AHEAD WITH

THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ……………………HYDRO-ELECTRIC PROJECT IN GUREZ VALLEY NEAR BANDIPURA IN

NORTH KASHMIR.

5. INDIRA GANDHI PRIZE FOR PEACE, DISARMAMENT AND DEVELOPMENT AWARD FOR 2011 IS

GIVEN TO……………………, A RENOWNED WOMEN SOCIAL WORKER.

6. A GROUP OF VARIOUS BANKS AGREED TO LOAN ………… CRORE RUPEES FOR 1000-MW NTPL POWER

PROJECT BETWEEN TAMIL NADU POWER GENERATION AND DISTRIBUTION CORPORATION AND NEYVELI LIGNITE

CORPORATION?

7. ECUADOR\'S PRESIDENT ……………….HAS BEEN RE-ELECTED FOR A THIRD TERM WITH MORE THAN 50

PERCENT OF THE VOTE.

8. EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER OF INDIA, SALMAN KHURSHID VISITED BANGLADESH TO CO-CHAIR THE SECOND

MEETING OF THE INDIA-BANGLADESH ………………………?

9. AUSTRALIA WON THE ICC WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TROPHY AFTER DEFEATING …………… AT BRABOURNE

STADIUM IN MUMBAI.

10. TELECOM OPERATOR ……………….. CLOSED ITS OPERATIONS IN MUMBAI ON 17 FEBRUARY 2013 FOLLOWING

A SUPREME COURT ORDER.

11. THE HIGH COURT OF …………………… HAS ORDERED THE STATE GOVERNMENT TO IMPLEMENT THE CENTRE\'S

PRE-MATRICULATION SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME FOR STUDENTS OF MINORITY COMMUNITY IN THE STATE.

12. ……………………………. HAS REPLACED HARDEEP SINGH PURI AS PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF INDIA TO

THE UNITED NATIONS ON 13 FEBRUARY 2013.

13. THE STATE CABINET OF ……………….. HAS DECIDED TO BAN THE USE OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS LIKE GUTKA,

CIGARETTE, ZARDA, KHAINI FROM 15 FEBRUARY 2013.

14. MARIA SHARAPOVA IS A FAMOUS ………………… PLAYER.

15. A PROGRAM NAMED ………………………… FOR PROMOTING, PRESERVING AS WELL AS PROPAGATING INDIAN

LANGUAGES SUCH AS SANSKRIT AND URDU HAS BEEN LAUNCHED BY THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR HUMAN

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT SHASHI THAROOR.

16. THE DOUBLE AMPUTEE BLADE RUNNER FROM SOUTH AFRICA, ……………….. HAS BEEN CHARGED FOR

ALLEGEDLY SHOOTING DEAD HIS GIRLFRIEND, REEVA STEENKAMP, AT HIS HOME IN PRETORIA.

17. A GLOBAL CAMPAIGN TO RISE AGAINST VIOLENCE AND TAKE A STAND FOR THE ONE BILLION WOMEN IS CALLED

AS …………………….?

18. RECENTLY THE PRESIDENT OF FRANCE ………………… VISITED INDIA.

19. INDIA AND …………………. HAVE AGREED TO STRENGTHEN COUNTER TERRORISM AND INTELLIGENCE

COOPERATION BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES.

20. FAMOUS CRICKETER ANGELO MATHEWS BELONGS TO WHICH COUNTRY?

21. WHAT IS THE FULL FORM OF ASEAN?

22. WHAT IS THE FULL FORM OF APEC?

23. FSLRM STANDS FOR ………………………?

24. THE INDEX USED TO MEASURE INFLATION IS ………………….?

25. THE NORTH – EASTERN STATES …………, ……… AND …………..ARE GOING TO ELECTIONS IN FEB 2013.

ANSWERS: 1.SRI LANKA 2. BRAZIL 3. ABU DHABI , 2 4. KISHANGANGA 5. ELA RAMESH BHATT 6. 937 7.

RAFAEL CORREA 8. JOINT CONSULTATIVE COMMISSION (JCC). 9. WEST-INDIES 10. UNINOR 11. GUJARAT 12.

ASOKE KUMAR MUKERJI 13. MANIPUR 14. TENNIS 15. SANSKRIT CARAVAN 16. OSCAR PISTORIUS 17. ONE

BILLION RISING 18. FRANCOIS HOLLLANDE 19. FRANCE 20. SRI LANKA 21. ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH EAST ASIAN

NATIONS. 22. ASIA PECIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION 23. FINANCIAL SECTOR LEGISLATIVE REFORMS COMMISSION

24. WHOLE SALE PRICE INDEX 25. NAGALAND, MEHGALAYA, TRIPURA

QUIZ 3

1. THE UNION GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ON 18 FEBRUARY 2013 CANCELLED THE BOND AUCTIONS WORTH ………

RUPEES, FOR BRINGING DOWN THE MARKET BORROWING PROGRAMME FOR 2012-2013 FISCAL YEAR IN TO

CONTAIN FISCAL DEFICIT AT 5.3 %.

2. THE STATE GOVERNMENT OF UTTAR PRADESH ON 18 FEBRUARY 2013 APPOINTED…………, THE RETIRED

JUSTICE OF ALLAHABAD HIGH COURT TO CONDUCT JUDICIAL PROBE INTO THE ALLAHABAD RAILWAY STATION

STAMPEDE DURING KUMBH MELA.

3. BRAZIL OPEN 2013 HAS BEEN WON BY ………… DEFEATING ARGENTINEAN DAVID NALBANDIAN IN SAO

PAOLO.

4. VISWANATHAN ANAND, THE WORLD CHAMPION IN CHESS FROM INDIA WON THE …………TROPHY OF 2013.

5. UAE HAS DECIDED TO INVEST ………… DOLLARS IN INFRASTRUCTURE SECTOR PROJECTS IN INDIA AND

SUPPORT STRATEGIC OIL RESERVE IN INDIA. THE MEETING WAS CO-CHAIRED BY THE UNION MINISTER OF

COMMERCE, INDUSTRY AND TEXTILES, …………. AND SHEIKH HAMID BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE

ABU DHABI CROWN PRINCE COURT.

6. THE FIRST WILDLIFE SKYWALK(22KM) OF INDIA WILL BE COMING UP IN MAENAM WILDLIFE SANCTUARY IN

……….?

7. THE INDIA-U.S.JOINT WORKING GROUP ON UN PEACEKEEPING HELD ITS 10TH MEETING IN……………………?

8. THE CABINET COMMITTEE ON INVESTMENT HAS CLEARED THE PROPOSAL OF THE POWER MINISTRY TO SET UP

THE NORTH KARANPURA SUPER THERMAL POWER PLANT (NKSTPP) (3 X 660 MW) IN CHATRA DISTRICT OF

JHARKHAND BY THE ……………………..?

9. THE STATE GOVERNMENT OF KERALA HAS APPROVED KERALA ABKARI ACT AMENDMENT ORDINANCE 2013

THAT ENVISAGED RAISING AGE LIMIT FOR BUYING OR SELLING LIQUOR FROM 18 YEARS TO ……….. YEARS.

10. ……………….RESIGNED FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER OF TUNISIA, AFTER HIS ATTEMPT TO END A

POLITICAL STANDOFF BY FORMATION OF A GOVERNMENT OF TECHNOCRATS FAILED.

11. ………………., THE FORMER LIC CHIEF TOOK OVER AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE IRDA ON 21 FEBRUARY 2013.

VIJAYAN SUCCEEDED……………?

12. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF TWIN BLASTS IN THE CITY OF HYDERABAD, HAS BEEN CLAIMED BY ………………..?

13. TELECOM REGULATOR AUTHORITY OF INDIA (TRAI) STARTED THE PRE-CONSULTATION PROCESS FOR THE

COUNTRY-WIDE ……….. WHICH WILL ENABLE THE USERS TO KEEP THE NUMBER EVEN IF THEY CHANGE THE SERVICE

AREA.

14. THE UTTIPEC HAS STARTED WORKING FOR DEVELOPING VISION AS WELL AS STRATEGY FOR SUCCESSFUL

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLANS FOR MASS-RAPID TRANSPORT SYSTEM IN DELHI. UTTIPEC IS ……………..?

15. RATAN TATA, THE FORMER HEAD OF TATA GROUP WAS AWARDED THE LIFE TIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD 2012

BY ………………. FOR DISPLAYING GREAT ROLE FOR THE INDIAN BUSINESSMEN ON GLOBAL BUSINESS LEVEL.

16. …………………… TIED UP A TERM LOAN FACILITY OF 250 MILLION US DOLLARS WITH THE STATE BANK OF

INDIA, NEW YORK BRANCH AS WELL AS SINGAPORE BRANCH OF MIZUHO CORPORATE BANK LIMITED.

17. THE UNION CABINET OF INDIA APPROVED MERGER OF BHARAT HEAVY PLATE & VESSELS LTD. (BHPV)

VISHAKHAPATNAM WITH………………………….. ?

18. JUSTICE …………… COMMISSION SUBMITTED ITS REPORT TO ON THE DELHI GANG-RAPE INCIDENT TO THE

UNION GOVERNMENT OF INDIA.

19. THE SILK ROUTE CAR RALLY FROM KOLKATA TO KUNMING ORGANISED BY THE CONFEDERATION OF INDIAN

INDUSTRY AND SUPPORTED BY THE BCIM WAS FLAGGED OFF SALT LAKE STADIUM, WEST BENGAL. BCIM IS?

20. INDIA\'S SANIA MIRZA AND HER AMERICAN PARTNER BETHANIE-MATTEK SANDS WON …………….?

21. …………BECAME THE FIRST STATE IN INDIA TO PRODUCE OVER 500 MILLION KILOGRAM TEA FOR TWO YEARS IN

A ROW. IT PRODUCED FIVE HUNDRED 88 MILLION KILOGRAM

22. THE CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION REGISTERED A CASE ON 22 FEBRUARY 2013 AGAINST …………..

AND TATA COMMUNICATIONS LTD,

23. SIX FOREIGN MICRO AND MINI SPACECRAFTS AS WELL AS THE INDO-FRENCH OCEANOGRAPHIC STUDY

SATELLITE, SARAL (SATELLITE FOR ARGOS-3 AND ALTIKA) WERE LAUNCHED SUCCESSFULLY BY ISRO\'S

……………….. ROCKET FROM THE SPACEPORT AT SRIHARIKOTA.

24. LIFE OF PI HAS WON 4 AWARDS IN OSCAR FOR BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY, BEST DIRECTING (ANG LEE) BEST

MUSIC-ORIGINAL SCORE AND ……………………..?

JANUARY 2013

GENERAL AWARENESS TEST -1

1. NAME THE TAMIL MOVIE, WHICH HAS BEEN BANNED BY THE CHENNAI HIGH COURT?

2. WHO WAS THE RUNNER UP AT AUSTRALIAN OPEN MEN’S TENNIS TOURNAMENT HELD

IN JANUARY 2013?

3. THE GREAT FOOTBALL PLAYER LIONEL MESSI PLAYS FOR WHICH CLUB?

4. WHICH TEAM WON THE RANJI TROPHY CRICKET TOURNAMENT IN 2013?

5. RBI HAS REVISED THE GDP GROWTH FORECAST TO 5.5% FROM…….% THE

PREVIOUS FORECAST.

6. RBI HAS RECENTLY CHANGED THE POLICY RATES. WHAT IS THE REPO RATE AS ON

31.01.2013.

7. INDIA HAS RECENTLY SIGNED AN EXTRADITION TREATY WITH

………………………………. SO THAT THE INDIAN INSURGENTS HELD IN THAT COUNTRY

CAN BE BROUGHT BACK TO INDIA.

8. NAME THE CAR COMPANY WHICH IS THE WORLD’S LARGEST AUTO COMPANY FOR THE

YEAR 2012?

9. NAME THE COUNTRY WHICH HAS BEEN UNDER SEVERE DROUGHT BUT FINDS NO

GLOBAL HELP DUE TO UN SANCTIONS AGAINST IT FOR ITS NUCLEAR WEAPONS

PROGRAM?

10. WHO IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE CRISIS HIT COUNTRY EGYPT?

11. WHO IS THE FINANCE SECRETARY OF INDIA?

12. WHO IS THE FOREIGN SECRETARY OF INDIA?

13. THE NAME OF THE PROGRAM LAUNCHED TO CONNECT EVERYONE WITH BANKING IS

………………………….?

14. WHO IS THE NEW CHIEF MINISTER OF HIMACHAL PRADESH?

15. WHAT IS THE FULL FORM OF GST?

16. RECENTLY A LITERATURE FESTIVAL WAS ORGANIZED IN THE CITY OF

……………………?

17. THE NAME OF THE JUSTICE WHO WAS APPOINTED TO GIVE RECOMMENDATIONS ON

SEXUAL CRIMES?

18. THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP IS WON BY

………………………..?

19. WHO IS THE RAILWAY MINISTER OF INDIA?

20. THE BOLLYWOOD MOVIE WHICH WAS NOMINATED FOR THE OSCARS IS

……………………….?

21. THE CONCEPT OF REVERSE MORTGAGE IS AIMED AT BENIFITING

……………………………?

22. WHO WAS THE CHIEF GUEST AT REPUBLIC DAY PARADE?

23. NAME THE RENOWNED PLAY BACK SINGER WHO REFUSED TO ACCEPT PADMA

BHUSHAN AWARD ON REPUBLIC DAY CITING THAT IT WAS TOO LATE TO JUDGE HER

CONTRIBUTION TO MUSIC?

24. THE THIRD NATIONAL VOTER’S DAY IS CELEBRATED ON WHICH DATE?

25. WHO REGULATES THE INSURANCE SECTOR IN INDIA?

26. THE INDIAN WRITER WHO IS SHORTLISTED FOR PRESTIGIOUS INTERNATIONAL MAN

BOOKER PRIZE IS?

27. WHAT IS THE LIMIT SET BY THE CENTRAL GOVT. FOR FDI IN RETAIL FOR THE

FOREIGN INVESTORS?

28. NAME THE OLDEST MAN TO RUN THE MARTHAN?

29. WHAT IS THE GDP GROWTH FORECAST SET BY IMF FOR INDIA FOR THE YEAR 2012-

13?

30. NATIONAL GIRL CHILD DAY IS CELEBRATED ON ……………………..(DATE)?

31. WHAT IS THE FULL FORM OF PWDVA?

32. WHO IS THE CHAIRPERSON OF NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL?

33. WHO IS THE DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION?

34. WOMEN’S CRICKET WORLD CUP IS BEING PLAYED IN WHICH COUNTRY?

35. TWO WOMEN SPORTSPERSONS …………………… AND ……………………. HAVE

BEEN

NOMINATED TO BE NATIONAL ICONS BY THE ELECTION COMMISISSION?

36. WHO IS THE NEWLY ELECTED PRESIDENT OF BJP?

37. INDIA SIGNED TWO AGREEMENTS ON TERRORISM AND DRUG TRAFFICKING WITH ITS

NEIGHBOUR ………………..?

38. THE FORMER CHIEF MINISTER OF HARYANA WHO HAS BEEN SENTENCED FOR 10

YEARS FOR JBT SCAM?

39. THE DUTY ON GOLD HAS BEEN INCREASED FROM 4% TO …..%?

40. WHAT IS THE FULL FORM OF JNNURM?

ANSWERS: 1. VISHAWAROOPAM 2. ANDY MURRAY 3.BARCELONA 4. MUMBAI 5. 5.7% 6.

7.75% 7.BANGLADESH 8. JAPANESE CAR MAKER TOYOTA 9. NORTH KOREA 10.

MOHAMAD MORSI 11. SUNLI MITRA 12. RANJAN MITHAI 13. FINANCIAL INCLUSION 14.

MR.

VIRBHADRA SINGH 15. GOODS AND SERVICE TAX 16. JAIPUR 17. JUSTICE J. S. VERMA

18. VICTORIA AZARENKA 19. PAWAN KUMAR BANSAL 20. BURFI 21. SENIOR CITIZENS

22. BHUTAN’S KING JIGME KHESAR SINGYE WANGCHUCK 23. S. JANKI 24. 25TH

JAN,2013 25. IRDA

26. UR ANANTHAMURTHY, THE KANNADA AUTHOR 27. 51% 28. FAUZA SINGH 29. 4.5%

30. 24TH JANUARY 31. PROTECTION OF WOMEN FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ACT 32.

SMT SONIA GANDHI 33. MONTEK SINGH AHLUWALIA 34. INDIA 35. SAINA NEHWAL, MC

MARY KOM

36. RAJNATH SINGH 37. SRI LANKA 38. OM PRAKASH CHAUTALA 39. 6% 40.

JAWAHARLAL NEHRU NATIONAL URBAN RENEWAL MISSION

DECEMBER 2012

VISUALLY-CHALLENGED INDIAN-AMERICAN IN KEY US POST

OBAMA ADMINISTRATION WAS APPOINTED A VISUALLY-CHALLENGED INDIAN-AMERICAN SACHIN DEV PAVITHRAN

TO A KEY ADMINISTRATIVE POST IN AN INDEPENDENT US AGENCY DEVOTED FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. MR.

PAVITHRAN IS THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR OF THE UTAH ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM AT UTAH STATE

UNIVERSITY’S CENTER FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, A POSITION HE HAS HELD SINCE 2011. SO, SACHIN DEV

PAVITHRAN WAS APPOINTED AS A ARCHITECTURAL AND TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS COMPLIANCE BOARD MEMBER

BY OBAMA.

KATY PERRY HONORED WITH BILLBOARD’S “WOMAN OF THE YEAR”

POP SINGER KATY PERRY WAS HONORED WITH BILLBOARD’S “WOMAN OF THE YEAR 2012” (THE STAR OF THE

WOMEN) AWARD IN NEW YORK.

CHINA LAUNCHED FIRST HIGH SPEED TRAIN IN EXTREMELY COLD AREAS

THE WORLD’S FIRST HIGH-SPEED TRAIN IN AREAS WITH EXTREMELY LOW TEMPERATURE STARTED OPERATION IN

CHINA 01 DECEMBER 2012.THIS TRAIN MOVE WITH A SPEED OF 350 KMPH IN THE AREAS OF MINUS 40 DEGREES

TEMPERATURE. THIS IS THE FASTEST TRAIN WORLD IN THIS AREAS.

CHINTAN SHIVIR TO BE HELD IN JAIPUR FROM JANUARY 18

THE BRAINSTORMING SESSION (CHINTAN SHIVIR) OF CONGRESS WILL BE HELD IN JAIPUR BETWEEN JANUARY 18

AND 20 TO DISCUSS POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC SITUATIONS AND SEEK NEW IDEAS AHEAD OF THE NEXT LOK SABHA

ELECTIONS.

LALITH BABU(INDIA), TIVIAKOV(NETHERLANDS) ON TOP IN COMMONWEALTH CHESS

GRANDMASTERS M R LALITH BABU AND SERGEI TIVIAKOV SCORED FINAL ROUND VICTORIES TO REACH THE TOP OF

THE TABLE WITH 9.5 POINTS IN THE APOLLO ENGINEERING COLLEGE COMMONWEALTH CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS IN

CHENNAI ON 01 DECEMBER 2012.BASED ON PROGRESSIVE SCORE TIVIAKOV WAS STOOD IN A FIRST PLACE BUT THE

COMMONWEALTH CHAMPIONSHIP GOES TO LALITH BABU BECAUSE OF NETHERLANDS IS NOT MEMBER OF

COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES.TIVIAKOV WAS AWARDED A CASH PURSE OF RS 1,50,000 ALONG WITH THE

COMMONWEALTH INTERNATIONAL OPEN TITLE, WHILE LALITH BABU WAS CROWNED THE COMMONWEALTH

CHAMPION 2012 ALONG WITH A TROPHY AND A CASH AWARD OF RS 1,25,000.IN COMMONWELTH UNDER-16

PRATHYUSHA, WHO IS STUDYING IN SRI PRAKAH EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN VISAKHAPATNAM GOT THE GOLD

MEDAL.IN THE PAST SHE GOT GOLD MEDAL IN UNDER-10,12,14.

DR. DRE NAMED HIGHEST-PAID MUSICIAN FOR 2012

HIP-HOP SINGER DR. DRE WAS TOPPED FORBES LIST OF 25 HIGHEST-PAID MUSICIANS IN 2012.

2 DECEMBER 2012 CURRENT AFFAIRS

ANNA USHENINA IS WORLD WOMEN’S CHESS CHAMPION

ANNA USHENINA OF UKRAINE 02 DECEMBER 2012 WON THE WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CROWN,

DEFEATING ANTOANETA STEFANOVA OF BULGARIA IN THE FIRST SET OF TIE-BREAK GAMES.THE UKRAINIAN WON

$60000 FOR HER EFFORTS IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP AND GETS TO PLAY THE NEXT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP AGAINST

YIFAN HOU OF CHINA NEXT YEAR AS PART OF THE NEW CYCLE IN THE WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.

COCHIN AIRPORT 1ST IN INDIA TO USE SOLAR POWER FOR ITS GRID

COCHIN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS SET TO BECOME THE FIRST AIRPORT IN THE COUNTRY TO USE SOLAR POWER

FOR RUNNING ITS UTILITY GRID SYSTEM.A KOLKATA-BASED SOLAR MODULE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, VIKRAM

SOLAR, WOULD BE INSTALLING A 100 KWP SOLAR POWER FACILITY AT THE AIRPORT SITUATED AT NEDUMBASSERY

IN COCHIN.

MAGNUS CARLSEN: NOW THE HIGHEST PLAYER IN HISTORY

MAGNUS CARLSEN HAS A 2855.7 RATING, SURPASSING KASPAROV’S PEAK OF 2851. NOW HE’S THE HIGHEST

RATED CHESS PLAYER OF ALL TIME.

MENON TO VISIT CHINA TO EXTEND TIES WITH NEW LEADERS

INDIA’S FORMAL CONTACTS WITH CHINA’S NEW LEADERSHIP WOULD BEGIN WHEN NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR

SHIVSHANKAR MENON VISIT CHINA TO HOLD WIDE RANGING TALKS WITH CHINESE OFFICIALS OVER TWO DAYS

FROM DECEMBER 3.MENON’S VISIT MAINLY FOCUSES ON BILATERAL ISSUES DURING WHICH HE WILL ALSO MEET HIS

CHINESE COUNTERPART ON BORDER TALKS, DAI BINGGUO, WHO IS SET TO RETIRE MARCH 2013.

RAILWAYS TO SET UP WHEEL FACTORY AT RAEBARELI

RAILWAYS WITH RASHTRIYA ISPAT NIGAM LIMITED (RINL) TO SETUP A WHEEL FACTORY AT RAEBARELI IN THE

CONGRESS PRESIDENT’S(SONIA GANDHI’S) CONSTITUENCY.PAWAN KUMAR BANSAL, THE RAILWAY MINISTER WILL

PROPOSED RS 500 CRORE FOR THIS PROJECT IN THE 2013-14 RAILWAY BUDGET.

AFGHANISTAN TALIBAN ATTACK US BASE IN JALALABAD

TALIBAN SUICIDE BOMBERS HAVE KILLED FOUR AFGHAN SOLDIERS AND WOUNDED NATO TROOPS IN AN ATTACK ON

A JOINT US-AFGHAN AIRBASE IN EASTERN AFGHANISTAN.

SCIENTISTS CREATED MOST COMPLEX AND REALISTIC ARTIFICIAL BRAIN WHICH CAN PASS IQ AS WELL

SOFTWARE ENGINEERS AS WELL AS NEUROSCIENTISTS AT UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO, CANADA CLAIMED THAT THEY

HAVE DEVELOPED A CLOSEST MODEL OF THE FUNCTIONING HUMAN BRAIN, KNOWN AS SPAUN WHICH IS ADVANCED

ENOUGH FOR PASSING THE BASIC IQ TESTS. THIS IS THE VIRTUAL BRAIN WHICH FUNCTIONS ON THE

SUPERCOMPUTER AND COMPRISES OF A DIGITAL EYE, WHICH CAN BE USED FOR VISUAL INPUT. IT ALSO HAS THE

ROBOTIC ARM WHICH CAN BE USED FOR DRAWING THE RESPONSE.THE ENGINEERS AS WELL AS NEUROSCIENTISTS

CLAIMED THAT THIS WAS THE MOST COMPLEX MODEL OF THE WORLD OF HUMAN BRAIN. SPAUN OR SEMANTIC

POINTER ARCHITECTURE UNIFIED NETWORK COMPRISES OF 2.5 MILLION SIMULATED NEURONS WHICH ENABLES

THIS BRAIN TO PERFORM MULTIPLE TASKS.

JADEJA CREATES HISTORY HITTING 3RD TRIPLE TON IN FC CRICKET

RAVINDRA JADEJA BECAME FIRST INDIAN AND ONLY EIGHTH BATSMAN IN THE FIRST-CLASS CRICKET HISTORY OF

WORLD TO SCORE THREE TRIPLE-CENTURIES IN THE UNBEATEN 320 RUNS AGAINST RAILWAYS IN THE RANJI TROPHY

GROUP A MATCH ON 2 DECEMBER 2012 IN RAJKOT.


SOUTH AFRICA RETAIN NO.1 POSITION IN TEST CRICKET

SOUTH AFRICA RETAINED THEIR STATUS AS THE TOP-RANKED TEAM IN THE INTERNATIONAL CRICKET COUNCIL’S

(ICC) TEST CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE FOLLOWING THEIR 309-RUN VICTORY OVER AUSTRALIA ON 03 DECEMBER 2012

IN THE THIRD AND FINAL TEST IN PERTH, WHICH GAVE THEM A 1-0 SERIES WIN.

MOU BETWEEN DHANUSH ACADEMY OF TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT – ANS SKILLS TECH, AUSTRALIA

WITH THIS AGREEMENT INDIAN YOUTH CAN NOW ACQUIRE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE IN A VARIETY OF SECTORS.AS

PART OF THE AGREEMENT, SEMI-SKILLED PERSONS WILL UNDERGO A THREE TO SIX WEEK CERTIFICATE COURSE IN

AREAS LIKE CONSTRUCTION, INFRASTRUCTURE, ELECTRONICS AND MINING. THE JOB-CENTRIC COURSE WILL BE

RECOGNISED BY INDIAN UNIVERSITIES.

RANJIT SINHA IS A NEW CBI DIRECTOR

SENIOR INDIAN POLICE SERVICE OFFICER RANJIT SINHA ON 03 DECEMBER 2012 TOOK OVER AS THE NEW CENTRAL

BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION DIRECTOR .A 1974-BATCH BIHAR CADRE OFFICER, SINHA, WHO IS ALSO HOLDING

CHARGE AS DIRECTOR GENERAL INDO-TIBETAN BORDER POLICE, SUCCEEDS A P SINGH WHO RETIRED ON

NOVEMBER 30.

SHAH RUKH KHAN CONFERRED WITH MOROCCO’S MEDAL OF HONOUR

BOLLYWOOD SUPERSTAR SHAH RUKH KHAN HAD GIVEN THE PRESTIGIOUS MEDAL OF HONOUR BY THE PRINCE OF

MOROCCO(MOULAY RACHID ) WHILE ATTENDING THE 12TH MARRAKECH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ON 3

DECEMBER 2012.

CORPORATE FRAUD RISING IN INDIA: KPMG

ON 3 DECEMBER 2012 KPMG RELEASED A “INDIAN FRAUD SURVEY 2012″, ACCORDING TO THIS SURVEY

CORPORATE FRAUDS IN INDIA HAVE INCREASED IN THE PAST TWO YEARS . THE REPORT INDICATED THAT

COMPUTER-RELATED AND E-COMMERCE FRAUDS WERE THE MAJOR CONCERNS ESPECIALLY IN THE COMING FEW

YEARS.


INDIA STOPPED $25 MILLION AID TO MALDIVES OVER GMR TANGLE

INDIA NOW STOPPED THE $25 MILLION AID TO MALDIVES DUE TO DISPLEASURE OF INDIA OVER THE TERMINATION

OF THE $500 MILLION GMR PROJECT BY MALDIVES.

BANGALORE BEST INDIAN CITY TO LIVE

BANGALORE RANKS BETTER THAN NEW DELHI, MUMBAI, CHENNAI AND KOLKATA AMONGST INDIAN CITIES IN

OVERALL GLOBAL QUALITY OF LIVING INDEX, ACCORDING TO A MERCER 2012 QUALITY OF LIVING

SURVEY.BANGALORE’S OVERALL QUALITY OF LIVING RANK WENT UP FROM 141 IN 2011 TO 139 IN 2012 AND IS

HIGHEST AMONGST OTHER INDIAN CITIES. WHILE NEW DELHI RANKS (143), MUMBAI (146), CHENNAI (150), AND

KOLKATA (151) IN OVERALL QUALITY OF LIVING.

DENMARK, FINLAND, NEW ZEALAND AT TOP IN CORRUPTION RANKING; INDIA 94TH

DENMARK, FINLAND AND NEW ZEALAND TIED FOR THE FIRST PLACE IN WATCHDOG

TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL‘S 2012 INDEX OF THE LEAST CORRUPT COUNTRIES.INDIA IS ON 94TH POSITION IN

THE CORRUPTION PERCEPTIONS INDEX. (LEAST CORRUPT NATIONS)

1. DENMARK 90

1. FINLAND 90

1. NEW ZEALAND 90

4. SWEDEN 88

5. SINGAPORE 87

94. INDIA 36 (MOST CORRUPT NATIONS)

174. AFGHANISTAN 8

174. NORTH KOREA 8

174. SOMALIA 8

RBI SIGNS CURRENCY SWAP AGREEMENT WITH BANK OF JAPAN

THE RESERVE BANK OF INDIA SIGNED A BILATERAL SWAP ARRANGEMENT (BSA) WITH THE BANK OF JAPAN TO

SWAP THEIR LOCAL CURRENCIES FOR AN AMOUNT OF $15 BILLION FOR A THREE YEAR PERIOD ON 4 DECEMBER

2012.THE BSA WILL EFFECT FROM 5 DECEMBER 2012.THE ARRANGEMENT AIMS AT ADDRESSING SHORT-TERM

LIQUIDITY DIFFICULTIES AND SUPPLEMENTING THE EXISTING INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS, AS ONE OF

THE EFFORTS IN STRENGTHENING MUTUAL COOPERATION BETWEEN JAPAN AND INDIA.

INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE SUSPENDS INDIA

THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (IOC) SUSPENDED INDIA’S NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE ON 4

DECEMBER 2012 BECAUSE OF GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE IN ITS ELECTION PROCESS.THE IOC HAD REPEATEDLY

TOLD THE INDIAN BODY TO ADHERE TO ITS OWN CONSTITUTION AND THE OLYMPIC CHARTER AND NOT FOLLOW THE

GOVERNMENT’S SPORTS CODE FOR THIS WEEK’S ELECTIONS. THE IOC WILL NOT RECOGNIZE THE RESULTS IF THE

ELECTIONS ARE HELD UNDER GOVERNMENT RULES.SUSPENSION MEANS THE INDIAN BODY WILL STOP RECEIVING IOC

FUNDING AND ITS OFFICIALS WILL BE BANNED FROM ATTENDING OLYMPIC MEETINGS AND EVENTS. INDIA’S

ATHLETES WILL BE BARRED FROM COMPETING IN OLYMPIC EVENTS UNDER THEIR NATIONAL FLAG, ALTHOUGH THE

IOC COULD ALLOW THEM TO DO SO UNDER THE OLYMPIC FLAG.

VOYAGER 1 DRIFTS INTO UNKNOWN REGION OF SPACE

NASA’S VOYAGER 1 SPACECRAFT HAS DISCOVERED A NEW LAYER OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM THAT SCIENTISTS HADN’T

KNOWN WAS THERE, RESEARCHERS ANNOUNCED ON 4 DECEMBER 2012.VOYAGER 1 AND ITS SISTER PROBE

VOYAGER 2 HAVE BEEN TRAVELING THROUGH SPACE SINCE 1977, AND ARE CLOSE TO BECOMING THE FIRST

MANMADE OBJECTS TO LEAVE THE SOLAR SYSTEM.VOYAGER 1, IN PARTICULAR, HAS ENTERED A NEW REGION OF

THE HELIOSPHERE THAT SCIENTISTS ARE CALLING A “MAGNETIC HIGHWAY,” WHICH ALLOWS CHARGED PARTICLES

FROM INSIDE THE HELIOSPHERE TO FLOW OUTWARD, AND PARTICLES FROM THE GALAXY OUTSIDE TO COME IN.

INDIA IS AMONG TOP FIVE TERROR-HIT NATIONS

THE AUSTRALIAN THINK TANK RELEASED THE GLOBAL TERRORISM INDEX (GTI) ON 4 DECEMBER

2012 ,ACCORDING TO THIS GTI ,INDIA, PAKISTAN AND AFGHANISTAN WERE AMONG THE NATIONS MOST

IMPACTED BY TERRORISM IN 2011.IN 2011, THE MIDDLE EAST, INDIA, PAKISTAN AND RUSSIA WERE THE AREAS

MOST IMPACTED BY TERRORISM. INDIA’S GTI RANK WAS 4 OUT OF THE 159 COUNTRIES SURVEYED. WHILE IRAQ

STOOD AT NUMBER 1, PAKISTAN AT NUMBER 2, AFGHANISTAN AT NUMBER 3 AND YEMEN WAS NUMBER 5.

AIR INDIA WON LAL BAHADUR SHASTRI TOURNAMENT

AIR INDIA BEAT BHARAT PETROLEUM 3-1 TO EMERGE CHAMPION IN THE 23RD LAL BAHADUR SHASTRI HOCKEY

TOURNAMENT AT THE SHIVAJI STADIUM NEW DELHI ON 4 DECEMBER 2012.

US DRONE CAPTURED BY IRAN: US REJECTS CLAIMS

ON 4 DECEMBER 2012 IRAN CLAIMED THAT IT HAD APTURED A SMALL US DRONE THAT PENETRATED ITS AIRSPACE

OVER GULF WATERS, BUT THE AMERICAN NAVY IN THE REGION DENIED ANY OF ITS UNMANNED SPY PLANES WERE

MISSING.

WORLD’S OLDEST WOMAN AND TALLEST WOMAN BOTH PASS AWAY

BESSE COOPER, THE WOMAN LISTED AS THE WORLD’S OLDEST PERSON WAS DIED ON 4 DECEMBER 2012 IN A

GEORGIA NURSING HOME AT THE AGE OF 116. MEANWHILE, A CHINESE WOMAN, YAO DEFEN, WAS CERTIFIED AS

THE TALLEST IN THE WORLD WAS ALSO DIED.

NASA TO SEND NEW ROVER TO MARS IN 2020

AFTER SUCCESSFUL WORKING OF CURIOSITY LANDED IN GALE CRATER, MARS ON 6 AUGUST 2012,NASA WAS

ANNOUNCED PLANS TO SEND A NEW ROBOTIC EXPLORER TO THE THE RED PLANET, MARS IN 2020. THE

ANNOUNCEMENT COMES A DAY AFTER NASA RELEASED THE RESULTS OF THE FIRST SOIL TESTED BY THE CURIOSITY

ROVER, WHICH FOUND TRACES OF COMPOUNDS LIKE WATER AND OXYGEN THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR LIFE


INDIAN WRESTLERS WIN NINE GOLD MEDALS IN COPA BRASIL TOURNAMENT

THE INDIAN WRESTLING CONTINGENT FINISHED WITH A HAUL OF NINE GOLD AND FOUR BRONZE MEDALS IN THE

RECENT COPA BRASIL-2012 TOURNAMENT HELD IN RIO FROM NOVEMBER 29 TO DECEMBER 2.IN THE FREESTYLE

EVENT, GOLD MEDALS WERE WON BY SANDEEP TOMAR IN 55KG CATEGORY, RAJNEESH (60KG), MANOJ KUMAR

(66KG), DEEPAK (74KG), SOMVEER (84KG), PARVESH KUMAR (96KG) AND HITESH (120KG).RAVINDER SINGH

(60KG) AND MANOJ KUMAR (84KG) ALSO WON GOLD IN THE GRECO-ROMAN CATEGORY. MANOJ (55KG),

DEEPAK (66KG), BHIM SINGH (96KG) AND DHARMENDRA DALAL (120KG) WON BRONZE MEDAL IN THE GRECO

ROMAN.

TYPHOON BOPHA DEATH TOLL RISES TO 325; THOUSANDS HOMELESS IN PHILIPPINES

BOPHA, THE STRONGEST TYPHOON HIT THE PHILIPPINES ON 2012, HAD LEFT AT LEAST 325 DEAD AND 379

OTHERS MISSING.THE TYPHOON WITH CENTRAL WINDS OF 115 KPH AND GUSTS OF UP TO 145 KPH WAS MOVED TO

WEST-NORTHWEST OF THE CENTRAL PHILIPPINES ON 6 DECEMBER 2012.

INFOSYS BPO WON THE GOLD AWARD FOR MARKETING EXCELLENCE AT THE ITSMA AWARDS 2012

INFOSYS BPO LTD. HAD WON THE GOLD AWARD FOR MARKETING EXCELLENCE IN THE CATEGORY OF ‘MARKETING

WITH SOCIAL AND INTERACTIVE MEDIA’ AT THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES MARKETING ASSOCIATION

(ITSMA) AWARDS 2012. INFOSYS BPO RECEIVED THE AWARD DURING THE ITSMA 2012 ANNUAL CONFERENCE:

MARKETING’S NEW VALUE PROPOSITION, HELD AT THE CHARLES HOTEL IN CAMBRIDGE, MA, USA ON 5

DECEMBER 2012.

GLOBAL CONFERENCE ON ALLERGIC DISEASES AT HYDERABAD

NEARLY 1,500 DELEGATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD WILL GATHER AT HYDERABAD FROM 6 DECEMBER 2012 TO

9 DECEMBER 2012 TO DISCUSS RISE OF ALLERGIC DISEASES AS A GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM AND EXCHANGE

INFORMATION ON THEIR PREVENTION AND TREATMENT.

SC(SUPREME COURT) REJECTS SANGMA’S PETITION AGAINST PRANAB MUKHERJEE

THE SUPREME COURT ON 5 DECEMBER 2012 WAS REJECTED FORMER LOK SABHA SPEAKER PURNO AGITOK

SANGMA’S PETITION AGAINST PRESIDENT PRANAB MUKHERJEE. SANGMA HAD FILED A PETITION AGAINST PRANAB

MUKHERJEE ALLEGING THAT THE LATTER HELD OFFICE OF PROFIT WHILE FILING HIS NOMINATION FOR PRESIDENTIAL

ELECTION.

CHAUTALA ELECTED IOA PRESIDENT, BHANOT SECRETARY GENERAL

ABHAY SINGH CHAUTALA WAS ON 5 DECEMBER 2012 UNANIMOUSLY ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE INDIAN OLYMPIC

ASSOCIATION (IOA) WHILE LALIT BHANOT BECAME THE NEW SECRETARY GENERAL.

VIJAY KUMAR GOT A SCOND PLACE IN ISSF RANKINGS

LONDON OLYMPICS SILVER MEDALLIST VIJAY KUMAR GOT THE 2ND RANK IN THE MEN`S 25-METRE RAPID FIRE

PISTOL CATEGORY IN THE LATEST LIST ISSUED BY THE INTERNATIONAL SHOOTING SPORT FEDERATION (ISSF).VIJAY

HAS 2,665 POINTS COMPARED TO TOP-RANKED PUPO LEURIS`S 3,364 . LEURIS WON THE GOLD IN LONDON.

KOBE BRYANT BECOMES YOUNGEST IN NBA HISTORY TO SCORE 30,000 POINTS

LOS ANGELES LAKERS SHOOTING GUARD KOBE BRYANT BECOME THE YOUNGEST PLAYER TO SCORE 30,000 NBA

(BASKETBALL) CAREER POINTS DURING THE FIRST HALF OF GAME AGAINST THE NEW ORLEANS HORNETS ON 5

DECEMBER 2012.


OBAMA IS WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL PERSON; SONIA, MANMOHAN IN TOP 20

ON 6 DECEMBER 2012 FORBES MAGAZINE RELEASED THE MOST POWERFUL PERSONS LIST IN THE WORLD. IN THAT

LIST AICC PRESIDENT SONIA GANDHI GOT THE 12TH PLACE AND PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA MAN MOHAN SINGH

GOT THE 20TH PLACE.AS USUALLY THIS YEAR ALSO AMERICAN PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA GOT 1ST PLACE.

GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL GOT THE 2ND PLACE. THE LIST ALSO INCLUDES RUSSIAN PRESIDENT

VLADIMIR PUTIN AT NUMBER THREE, MICROSOFT CO-FOUNDER BILL GATES (4), RICHEST PERSON IN INDIA

MUKESH AMBANI (37).

WORLD MOST SEXIEST ASIAN WOMAN:PRIYANKA CHOPRA

EASTERN EYE WEEKLY MAGAZINE CODUCTED A SERVEY FOR WORLD MOST SEXIEST ASIAN WOMAN .ACCORDING TO

THIS SERVEY PRIYANKA CHSOPRA IS THE MOST SEXIST ASIAN WOMAN IN THE WORLD AND KAREENA KAPOOR,

KATRINA KAIF STOOD IN 2ND AND 3RD PLACES RESPACTIVELY.

HEART PROTECTION WITH SMART PHONE

JEMS HAYTHERS ,SCHOLER IN UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY DEVELOPED A ONE SMART PHONE APPLICATION TO EASILY

OBSERVE THE HEART BEAT OF A PATIENT ROUND THE CLOCK.IN GENERAL DOCTORS FIX THE ELECTRODES ON THE

CHEST OF A PATIENT AND THEY OBSERVE THRE HEART BEAT OF THE PATIENT BUT USING THIS SMART PHONE

APPLICATION DOCTORS FIX A SMALL SENSORS TO THE PATIENTS FINGURE AND CORRELATING IT THE SMART PHONE.

DRDO SCIENTIST GETS TOP AWARD

BRAJNISH SITARA SCIENTIST FROM RESEARCH CENTRE IMARAT(RCI), A PREMIER LABORATORY OF DRDO’S MISSILE

COMPLEX WAS CONFERRED WITH INAE(INDIAN NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ENGINEERING)YOUNG ENGINEER AWARD

FOR 2012 AT THE ACADEMY’S ANNUAL CONVENTIONHELD AT ROORKEE ON 6 DECEMBER 2012.THIS AWARD WAS

GIVEN TO BRAJNISH SITARA FOR HIS INNOVATIVE APPLICATIONS OF ENGINEERING AND CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS

NAVIGATION SCIENCES AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING.

GAAR COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN PARTHASARATHY SHOME APPOINTED ADVISER TO FINANCE MINISTER OF INDIA

THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA APPOINTED TAX EXPERT PARTHASARTHI SHOME AS ADVISER TO FINANCE MINISTER P

CHIDAMBARAM WITH MINISTER OF STATE RANK, SENDING A STRONG SIGNAL THAT TAX REFORMS MAY TOP ITS

ECONOMIC AGENDA IN THE REMAINDER OF THE UPA GOVERNMENT’S SECOND TERM.


AJIT PAWAR SWORN-IN AS MAHARASHTRA DEPUTY CM, ONCE AGAIN

AJITH PAWAR HAD RESIGNED ON 25 OCTOBER 2012 AFTER MEDIA REPORTS ALLEGED HE HAD ARBITRARILY

AWARDED IRRIGATION CONTRACTS WORTH OVER RS20,000 CRORE WHEN HE WAS STATE’S IRRIGATION MINISTER

DURING 1999-2009.AJITH PAWAR SWORN-IN AS MAHARASHTRA DEPUTY CHIEF MINISTER ON 7 DECEMBER 2012

AFTER GETTING THE “CLEAN CHIT” FROM THE GOVERNMENT ON CORRUPTION IN IRRIGATION PROJECTS.

TANA CONFERENCE AT DALLAS

THE 19TH TANA CONVENTION WILL BE HELD AT DALLAS CONVENTION CENTER FROM MAY 24TH – 26TH,

2013.THIS WAS UNANIMOUSLY DECIDED BY TELUGU COMMITTEE OF DALLAS AND BOARD MEMBERS OF TANA.

POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE IN JAPAN

THE POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE HAD OCCURRED IN JAPAN ON 7 DECEMBER 2012.THE MAGNITUDE OF THIS

EARTHQUAKE WAS RECORDED AS 7.3. THIS EARTHQUAKE HAD OCCURRED IN 240 KM BEYOND THE MIYAGI COAST

IN THE PACIFIC OCEANIN A DEPTH OF 10M. BUT THERE WERE NO DEATHS OR SERIOUS DAMAGE.

HOT SPOTS FOR WORLD’S MORE POWERFUL EARTHQUAKES REVEALED

THE LOCATIONS OF WHERE THE WORLD’S LARGEST EARTHQUAKES ARE MOST LIKELY TO TAKE PLACE HAD PINPOINTED

WITH GREATER ACCURACY THAN EVER BEFORE, BY RESEARCHERS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY.THE COASTS OF

SOUTHERN CHILE AND PERU, INDONESIA’S SUMATRA ISLAND, AND SEVERAL REGIONS ALONG THE EASTERN

EURASIAN COASTLINE, ARE SOME OF THE REGIONS PRONE TO GREAT EARTHQUAKES.THE 87 PERCENT OF THE 15

LARGEST (8.6 MAGNITUDE OR HIGHER) AND HALF OF THE 50 LARGEST (8.4 MAGNITUDE OR HIGHER) EARTHQUAKES

OF THE PAST CENTURY ARE ASSOCIATED WITH AREAS OF INTERSECTION BETWEEN OCEANIC FRACTURE ZONES AND

SUBDUCTION ZONES.

MICROSOFT LAUNCHES 14 INNOVATION CENTRES IN INDIA

MICROSOFT CORPORATION (INDIA) PVT. LTD HAD LAUNCHED 14 MICROSOFT INNOVATION CENTRES (MICS) IN

INDIA. IT HAS SIGNED AGREEMENTS WITH LEADING ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS ACROSS FOUR STATES.AS PART OF THE

GLOBAL PROGRAMME, WHICH CURRENTLY HAS 75 MICS, MICROSOFT AIMS TO LAUNCH A 100 SUCH CENTRES IN

INDIA IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS. THE FIRST 14 INNOVATION CENTRES PROPOSED TO BE SET UP ARE IN HYDERABAD,

VIJAYAWADA, RAJAHMUNDRY, KHAMMAM, BAPATLA,GUNTUR AND TIRUPATI IN ANDHRA PRADESH, RAIPUR IN

CHHATTISGARH, BHOPAL IN MADHYA PRADESH, TIRUCHIRAPPALLI, VELLORE, COIMBATORE, MADURAI AND SALEM

IN TAMIL NADU.


UN CLIMATE CONFERENCE EXTENDS KYOTO PROTOCOL

NEARLY 200 COUNTRIES THAT TOOK PART IN UNITED NATIONS CLIMATE TALKS IN DOHA HAD AGREED TO EXTEND

THE KYOTO PROTOCOL THROUGH 2020. THE 1997 AGREEMENT, WHICH REQUIRES INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS TO

CUT GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, HAD BEEN SET TO EXPIRE ON 31 DECEMBER 2012.

NEW GEL MAY PREVENT AND PROTECT AGAINST HIV TRANSMISSION

RESEARCHERS LED BY DEREUDDRE-BOSQUET FROM THE EUROPEAN COMBINED HIGHLY ACTIVE ANTI-RETROVIRAL

MICROBICIDES (CHAARM) CONSORTIUM DESCRIBE THE GEL’S KEY INGREDIENT, WHICH ARE SMALL PEPTIDES

ENGINEERED TO PRESENT A DECOY TO BIND UP THE VIRUS AND PREVENT IT FROM ENTERING AND INFECTING THE

BODY CELLS.BECAUSE THIS IS A GEL IT CAN BE TOPICALLY APPLIED AND COULD REPRESENT A POWERFUL

PREVENTATIVE AGENT AGAINST SEXUAL TRANSMISSION OF HIV.BOSQUET AND COLLEAGUES ENGINEERED PEPTIDES

NAMED ‘MINICD4S’ BECAUSE THEY MIMIC THE CD4 RECEPTOR USED BY HIV TO GAIN ENTRY INTO IMMUNE CELLS

OF THE BODY.

PALESTINIAN HAMAS LEADER KHALED MESHAAL VISITS GAZA

PALESTINIAN MILITANT ORGANIZATION HAMAS POLITBURO CHIEF KHALED MESHAAL VISITED THE GAZA AFTER 37

YEARS. MESHAAL IN-EXILE CAME FROM EGYPT TO GAZA ON 7 DECEMBER 2012 TO PARTICIPATE IN THE HAMAS

COMPANY’S 25 TH ANNIVERSARY.THIS IS THE FIRST TIME HE IS COMING TO GAZA AS WELL AS THE FOREFRONT OF

THE TERRITORY OF PALESTINE SINCE 1975.

APOLLO HOSPITALS LAUNCHED TELE-MEDICAL SERVICE IN MYANMAR

TO EFFECTIVELY USE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FOR HEALTHCARE, INDIA’S APOLLO GROUP OF HOSPITALS HAD

LAUNCHED ITS TELE-MEDICINE SERVICE IN MYANMAR’S FORMER CAPITAL YANGON.WITH THIS FACILITY, PEOPLE OF

MYANMAR CAN CONSULT INDIAN DOCTORS AND ACCESS QUALITY TREATMENT AND MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY

WITHOUT COMING TO INDIA.

AMITABH BACHCHAN ATTENDS ITALY’S RIVER TO RIVER FILM FESTIVAL

AMITABH BACHCHAN HAD ATTENDED ITALY’S RIVER TO RIVER FILM FESTIVAL IN FLORENCE.THE EVENT HONOURED

BACHCHAN BY SCREENING CINEMA PROJECTS INCLUDING SHOLAY, DEEWAR AND BLACK.THE FESTIVAL RUNS IN

FLORENCE FROM DECEMBER 7 TO 13, BEFORE TRANSFERRING TO ROME BETWEEN DECEMBER 14 AND 16.


POLAND TO HOST UN CLIMATE CONFERENCE IN 2013

POLAND WILL HOST THE NEXT ROUND OF UN CLIMATE TALKS IN 2013.THE DECISION TO HOLD THE 19TH SESSION

OF THE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES (COP) IN WARSAW, CAPITAL OF POLAND, IN 2013 WAS ADOPTED BY

NEGOTIATORS FROM OVER 190 COUNTRIES IN THE CAPITAL OF QATAR, DOHA, AT THE 18TH SESSION OF THE COP.

SIR PATRICK MOORE, ASTRONOMER AND BROADCASTER, PASSES AWAY

BRITISH ASTRONOMER AND BROADCASTER SIR PATRICK MOORE ON 9 DECEMBER 2012 IN SELSEY, WEST

SUSSEX.SIR PATRICK PRESENTED THE BBC PROGRAMME THE SKY AT NIGHT FOR OVER 50 YEARS, MAKING HIM THE

LONGEST-RUNNING HOST OF THE SAME TELEVISION SHOW EVER.

RAJAN AND SAJAN MISHRA TO GET ‘NATIONAL TANSEN SAMMAN’

NOTED VOCALIST DUO OF RAJAN AND SAJAN MISHRA WILL BE AWARDED PRESTIGIOUS ‘NATIONAL TANSEN

SAMMAN’ FOR YEAR 2011-12 FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO HINDUSTANI CLASSICAL MUSIC.THE AWARD,

CARRYING A CASH PRIZE OF RS 2 LAKH AND A CITATION, WILL BE CONFERRED UPON THE EXPONENTS OF BENARAS

GHARANA (SCHOOL OF CLASSICAL MUSIC) AT A FUNCTION TO BE HELD GWALIOR ON 14 DECEMBER 2012.

CONTACT LENS THAT CAN RECEIVE YOUR TEXT MESSAGES

SCIENTISTS HAD DEVELOPED A NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT ALLOWS ELECTRONIC MESSAGES SENT FROM MOBILE PHONES

TO BE DIRECTLY PROJECTED ON TO CONTACT LENS PLACED IN THE RECIPIENT’S EYES.THE TECHNOLOGY, DEVELOPED

BY BELGIAN RESEARCHERS, ALLOWS INFORMATION SUCH AS TEXT MESSAGES FROM A MOBILE PHONE TO THE

CONTACT LENSES.

RICH GULF FAMILIES OWN WEALTH WORTH USD 1.2 TRILLION

ACCORDING TO THE ‘ KFH-RESEARCH’ REPORT SAID ONE MILLION WEALTHY FAMILIES IN THE GULF COOPERATION

COUNCIL (GCC) COUNTRIES OWN INVESTMENT ASSETS WORTH ABOUT USD 1.2 TRILLION.THE REPORT ABOUT

WEALTH AND FUNDS MANAGEMENT SAID THAT THE WORLD’S POPULATION OF HIGH NET WORTH INDIVIDUALS

(HNWIS) GREW BY A MARGINAL 0.8 PER CENT YEAR ON YEAR TO 11 MILLION IN 2011. THIS PACE WAS SLUGGISH

COMPARED TO GROWTH RATES OF 17.1 PER CENT IN 2009 AND 8.3 PER CENT IN 2010


INDIA, UKRAINE SIGN FIVE PACTS TO BOOST TIES

INDIA AND UKRAINE ON 10 DECEMBER 2012 SIGNED ON FIVE AGREEMENTS IN NEW DELHI TO ENHANCE

COOPERATION INCLUDING IN AREAS OF DEFENCE, NUCLEAR, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND ALSO TO REMOVE

BARRIERS IN TRADE AND COMMERCE. THE AGREEMENTS WERE SIGNED DURING THE VISIT OF UKRAINE PRESIDENT

VICTOR YANUKOVICH.

EX-BANGLADESH PRESIDENT PASSES AWAY

FORMER BANGLADESHI PRESIDENT AND BANGLADESH NATIONALIST PARTY(BNP) LEADER IAJUDDIN AHMED

PASSED AWAY 10 DECEMBER 2012. IAJUDDIN AHMED WAS THE 13TH PRESIDENT OF BANGLADESHSERVING FROM

SEPT. 6, 2002 UNTIL FEB. 12, 2009.

LIONEL MESSI BREAKS GERD MULLER’S RECORD FOR MOST GOALS IN A CALENDAR YEAR

BARCELONA’S SOCCER PLAYER LIONEL MESSI HAS SET THE RECORD FOR MOST GOALS IN A CALENDAR YEAR BY

SCORING HIS 86TH GOAL OF 2012.THE EARLIER RECORD WAS MADE BY GERMAN SOCCER PLAYER GERD MUELLER

WHO HAD SCORED 85 GOALS IN 1972 WHICH INCLUDED 72 GOALS FOR HIS CLUB BAYERN MUNICH AND 13 FOR

HIS COUNTRY WEST GERMANY.MESSI BROKE THE GERD MUELLER RECORD WITH TWO GOALS IN A 2-1 WIN OVER

REAL BETIS ON 9 DECEMBER 2012.

ZARDARI ANNOUNCES GRANT FOR GIRLS’ EDUCATION WORLDWIDE

PAKISTAN’S PRESIDENT ASIF ALI ZARDARI ON 10 DECEMBER 2012 ANNOUNCED A $10-MILLION DONATION FOR A

GLOBAL WAR CHEST TO EDUCATE ALL GIRLS BY 2015 SET UP IN THE NAME OF MALALA YOUSAFZAI, WHO WAS SHOT

BY THE TALIBAN FOR CAMPAIGNING FOR GIRLS’ EDUCATION.

BEL, ISRAEL’S IAI INK MOU ON NAVAL MISSILES

BHARAT ELECTRONICS LTD (BEL) HAD SIGNED A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) WITH ISRAEL

AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES (IAI) FOR COOPERATION ON FUTURE LONG RANGE SURFACE TO AIR MISSILE (LRSAM)

SHIP-DEFENCE SYSTEMS ON 5 DECEMBER 2012.

RUSSIA DELIVERS THREE UPGRADED MIG-29 FIGHTER JETS TO INDIA

RUSSIA ON 10 DECEMBER 2012 DELIVERED THE FIRST THREE UPGRADED MIG-29UPG FIGHTER JETS TO INDIA

UNDER A USD 900 MILLION CONTRACT TO MODERNISE THE AGEING FLEET OF MIG-29 AIRCRAFT WITH THE IAF.

INDIA ECONOMY WOULD DOMINATE THE ECONOMY OF THE WORLD BY 2030

US INTELLIGENCE COUNSEL WAS RELEASED REPORT ON 10 DECEMBER 2012 DECLARED THAT INDIA WOULD

STRADDLE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE AND WILL ALSO DOMINATE THE ECONOMY OF THE WHOLE WORLD BY 2030.

BIHAR RECEIVED THE SILVER ICON WEB RATNA AWARD 2012 FOR ITS PUBLIC GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL WEBSITE

BIHAR RECEIVED THE SILVER ICON WEB RATNA AWARD 2012 FOR ITS PUBLIC GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL WEBSITE ON

10 DECEMBER 2012.THE AWARD WAS PRESENTED TO S. SIDDHARTH, BIHAR’S SECRETARY OF URBAN

DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC GRIEVANCES IN NEW DELHI BY KAPIL SIBBAL, UNION MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS

AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

UN, PAKISTAN LAUNCH ‘MALALA FUND FOR GIRLS’ EDUCATION’

PAKISTAN JOINED FORCES WITH THE UNITED NATIONS ON 10 DECEMBER 2012 TO LAUNCH A FUND AIMED AT

BOOSTING GIRLS’ EDUCATION THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.THE FUND IS NAMED FOR MALALA YOUSAFZAI, THE 15-

YEAR-OLD PAKISTANI GIRL WHO WAS SHOT AND WOUNDED BY THE PAKISTANI TALIBAN IN OCTOBER FOR SPEAKING

OUT AGAINST THE MILITANT GROUP AND IN FAVOR OF THE RIGHT OF GIRLS’ TO ATTEND SCHOOL.


INDIA IN 3RD PLACE IN ICC’S T20 RANKINGS

INDIA WERE PLACED AT NUMBER THREE POSITION WHILE SURESH RAINA WAS THE ONLY BATSMAN IN THE TOP-10

IN THE LATEST ICC TWENTY20 RANKINGS RELEASED IN DUBAI ON 11 DECEMBER 2012.INDIA HAVE 120 POINTS TO

TOP RANKED SRI LANKA’S 127 AND SECOND PLACED WEST INDIES’ 122.

NIIT IN PACT WITH IRELAND INSTITUTE FOR DIGITAL MARKETING COURSE

NIIT TIED-UP WITH IRELAND’S DIGITAL MARKETING INSTITUTE (DMI)ON 11 DECEMBER 2012 .THE AIM OF NIIT

WAS TO TRAIN 25,000 STUDENTS OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS IN THE DIGITAL MARKETING COURSE.

VIJAY KUMAR APPOINTED SENIOR SECURITY ADVISER IN HOME MINISTRY

THE UNION GOVERNMENT HAD APPOINTED THE FORMER DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE CENTRAL RESERVE POLICE

FORCE, K. VIJAY KUMAR, AS SENIOR SECURITY ADVISER IN THE HOME MINISTRY WHERE HE WILL ADVISE ON

SECURITY AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE NAXAL-AFFECTED STATES.

FORMER RANJI CRICKETER B B NIMBALKAR DEAD

FORMER RANJI CRICKETER B B NIMBALKAR WAS PASSES AWAY ON 11 DECEMBER 2012. BB NIMBALKAR,

WHO MADE AN UNBEATEN 443 RUNS FOR MAHARASHTRA AGAINST KATHIAWAR IN A RANJI TROPHY MATCH IN

1948-49. YET THIS IS THE INDIA’S HIGHEST SCORER IN FIRST-CLASS CRICKET. IN OVERALL IT WAS THE FOURTH-

BEST SCORE ON THE INTERNATIONAL FIRST-CLASS CRICKET.

AISHWARYA, PRATHIMA CLINCH GOLD MEDAL IN THE CANARA BANK NATIONAL TENPIN BOWLING CHAMPIONSHIP

KARNATAKA’S AISHWARYA AND PRATHIMA CLINCH GOLD MEDAL IN THE CANARA BANK NATIONAL TENPIN

BOWLING CHAMPIONSHIP IN THE WOMEN’S DOUBLES DIVISION IN BANGALORE AT THE BLU-O ON 11 DECEMBER

2012. THIS IS PRATHIMA’S FIFTH CONSECUTIVE WOMEN’S DOUBLES GOLD IN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS.

STEPHEN HAWKING, CERN SCIENTISTS WIN AWARDS FROM YURI MILNER FOUNDATION

A RUSSIAN BILLIONAIRE’S FOUNDATION WAS AWARDED TWO SPECIAL PRIZES OF $3 MILLION EACH TO BRITISH

COSMOLOGIST STEPHEN HAWKING FOR HIS WORK ON BLACK HOLES AND TO SEVEN SCIENTISTS AT THE WORLD’S

BIGGEST ATOM-SMASHER FOR THEIR ROLES IN THE DISCOVERY OF A NEW SUBATOMIC PARTICLE BELIEVED TO BE THE

LONG-SOUGHT HIGGS BOSON.YURI MILNER’S FUNDAMENTAL PHYSICS PRIZE FOUNDATION ANNOUNCED THE

AWARDS ON 11 DECEMBER 2012.HAWKING IS HONORED FOR HIS DISCOVERY OF HAWKING RADIATION FROM

BLACK HOLES “AND HIS DEEP CONTRIBUTIONS TO QUANTUM GRAVITY AND QUANTUM ASPECTS OF THE EARLY

UNIVERSE.”

BHARAT RATNA PANDIT RAVI SHANKAR PASSES AWAY

BHARAT RATNA PANDIT RAVI SHANKAR, WHOSE MASTERY OVER THE SITAR HELPED REJUVENATE THE CLASSICAL

INSTRUMENTAL TRADITION IN INDIA AND POPULARISE INDIAN MUSIC IN THE WEST THROUGH CONCERTS AND

COLLABORATIONS WITH WELL KNOWN ARTISTS, DIED IN SAN DIEGO, U.S., ON 11 DECEMBER 2012.

INDIANS ‘LARGEST ETHNIC MINORITY GROUP IN UK’

ON 11 DECEMBER ACCORDING TO THE 2011 BRITAIN POPULATION CENSUS RECORD INDIANS ARE THE LARGEST

ETHNIC MINORITY GROUP IN THE UK.WITH 1.5 PERCENT OF THE HINDU RELIGION BECAME A THIRD-LARGEST

RELIGION IN THE NATION’S .IN ENGLAND AND WALES IN THE IMMIGRANT POPULATION HAS REACHED 3 MILLION

TO 7.5 MILLION IN THE PAST DECADE . IN LONDON 2001 WHITE BRITISARS 4.3 MILLION ARE RESTRICTED TO

3.7 PERCENT IN 2011 .ISLAM WILL ALSO BE IDENTIFIED AS THE FASTEST-GROWING FAITH, WITH MORE THAN TWO

MILLION MUSLIMS, IT ADDED.THE CHRISTIAN POPULATION IN THE COUNTRY IS ALSO A DROP IN THE STATISTICS..

THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY POPULATION IN THE COUNTRY’S FASTEST GROWING INCREASED BY 3 PERCENT TO

4.8 .

SEVEN MILKY WAY PLANETS THAT COULD HARBOUR LIFE DISCOVERED

NEW YORK SCIENTISTS HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED SEVEN PLANETS IN THE MILKY WAY OUTSIDE OUR SOLAR SYSTEM

THAT COULD POTENTIALLY HARBOUR LIFE AND RESEARCHERS FROM AN AMBITIOUS PROJECT TO CATALOGUE ALL

HABITABLE WORLDS CLAIM.SIMPLISTICALLY, BIGGER GAS GIANTS ORBITING VARIABLE STARS ARE LESS LIKELY TO

HOST LIFE THAN SMALLER, ROCKY PLANETS NEAR STABLE STARS.

TATA GROUP DEVELOPED NEW ” ARTILLERY GUN “

ON 11 DECEMBER IN A STEP TOWARDS DEVELOPING THE INDIGENOUS PRIVATE SECTOR DEFENCE INDUSTRY, THE

TATA GROUP HAS CREATED A NEW ARTILLERY GUN .THE TATA GROUP HAVE REQUESTED THE ARMY TO PROVIDE

ITS RANGES AND AMMUNITION TO US FOR ENGINEERING FIRING OF THE HOWITZER.ONE PROTOTYPE OF THE

HOWITZER HAS BEEN PRODUCED BY THE COMPANY SO FAR AND AROUND 50-55 PER CENT OF ITS CONTENT IS

INDIGENOUS.THE 155MM 52 CALIBRE GUN DEVELOPED BY THE TATA GROUP IS LIKELY TO HAVE A STRIKE RANGE OF

52 KMS, WHICH WOULD PROBABLY BE THE LONGEST IN THE INDIAN INVENTORY.

CELL PHONE CONNECTIONS TO EXCEED THE WORLD POPULATION BY 2014

THE INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMUNICATION UNION (ITU) TO BE DESIGNED AND RELEASED

“INFORMATION SOCIETY 2012 – OBSERVE “ REPORT ON 11 DECEMBER ..ACCORDING TO THE REPORT NUMBER

OF CELL PHONE CONNECTIONS EXCEEDING THE WORLD’S POPULATION BY 2014.. NOW 6 BILLION (HUNDREDS OF

MILLIONS) CELL PHONE CONNECTIONS THEY WILL REACH 730 MILLIONS BY 2014 .THEN THE WORLD’S POPULATION

IS 700 CRORE.ALREADY IN RUSSIA 1.8 TIMES CELL PHONE ACCOUNTS MORE THAN 25 MILLION PEOPLE .


INDIA SUCCESSFULLY TEST FIRED AGNI-I BALLISTIC MISSILE

INDIA ON 12 DECEMBER 2012 SUCCESSFULLY TEST-FIRED ITS INDIGENOUSLY DEVELOPED NUCLEAR CAPABLE AGNI-I

BALLISTIC MISSILE WITH A STRIKE RANGE OF 700 KM FROM A TEST RANGE OFF ODISHA COAST. WEIGHING 12

TONNES, THE 15-METRE-LONG AGNI-I, WHICH IS CAPABLE OF CARRYING PAYLOADS UP TO 1000 KG AND DESTROY

THE TARGETS AT A DISTANCE OF 700 KM.

SINGAPORE PARLIAMENT SPEAKER RESIGNS OVER EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIR

SINGAPORE’S PARLIAMENT SPEAKER MICHAEL PALMER ANNOUNCED HIS RESIGNATION ON 12 DECEMBER 2012

OVER AN EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIR WITH A STAFF MEMBER OF THE PEOPLE’S ASSOCIATION, A STATUTORY BODY

LEADING EFFORTS TO REACH OUT TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

THIRD WORLD CUP KABADDI TO BE HELD AT VIJAYWADA

VIJAYWADA WILL HOST THE THIRD WORLD CUP OF KABADDI, SCHEDULE FROM MARCH 27 TO 31 IN 2013.IN THIS

EVENT 20 COUNTRIES WILL BE PARTICIPATED.

FIRST CM OF UTTARAKHAND NITYANAND SWAMI PASSES AWAY

THE FIRST CHIEF MINISTER OF UTTARAKHAND NITYANAND SWAMI DIED AT DEHRA DUN ON 12 DECEMBER

2012.HE WORKED AS A FIRST CHIEF MINISTER OF UTTARAKHAND AFTER DIVIDING IT FROM UTTAR PRADESH IN

2000.

P.C. GHOSE SWORN IN CHIEF JUSTICE

JUSTICE PINAKI CHANDRA GHOSE WAS SWORN IN CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE AP HIGH COURT BY GOVERNOR E.S.L.

NARASIMHAN ON 12 DECEMBER 2012. HE STARTED HIS PRACTICE IN 1976 AT THE HIGH COURT OF CALCUTTA

AND WAS ELEVATED AS JUDGE OF THE COURT IN 1997. HE LED THE STATE LEGAL SERVICES AUTHORITIES OF WEST

BENGAL AND ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS. CHIEF JUSTICE GHOSE WAS THE CHAIRMAN OF INSTITUTIONAL

ETHICS COMMITTEE OF NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHOLERA AND ENTERIC DISEASES, KOLKATA.

UN SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMNS NORTH KOREA ROCKET LAUNCH

THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL HAD CONDEMNED NORTH KOREA FOR LAUNCHING A ROCKET ON 12 DECEMBER 2012

IN DEFIANCE OF A UN BAN. THE US AND ITS ALLIES VIEW THE LAUNCH AS A DISGUISED TEST OF BALLISTIC MISSILE

TECHNOLOGY. NORTH KOREA SAYS ITS AIM WAS TO LAUNCH A SATELLITE. NORTH KOREA WAS BANNED BY THE UN

FROM BALLISTIC MISSILE TESTS AFTER NUCLEAR TESTS IN 2006 AND 2009.

INDIA, USA OPEN SOLAR RESEARCH CENTER

INDIA AND THE UNITED STATES HAVE OPENED SERIIUS OR THE SOLAR ENERGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE IN MUMBAI

TO ENCOURAGE COLLABORATION BETWEEN ACADEMIA AND INDUSTRY OF BOTH COUNTRIES. INDIA’S DEPARTMENT

OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND THE US DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY HAVE EACH COMMITTED US$25 MILLION

OVER A PERIOD OF FIVE YEARS TO OPERATE SERIIUS WHILE 30 INDIAN AND U.S. COMPANIES WILL CONTRIBUTE

ANOTHER US$25 MILLION.

VINOD RAI RE-ELECTED AS CHAIR OF UN AUDITORS PANEL

COMPTROLLER AND AUDITOR GENERAL (CAG) OF INDIA VINOD RAI WAS RE-ELECTED CHAIR OF THE (UN) PANEL

FOR THE YEAR 2013, WHILE THE CAG OF THE UNITED KINGDOM, AMYAS MORSE, WAS RE-ELECTED THE VICE-

CHAIR OF THE PANEL

MARUTI SUZUKI ERTIGA AWARDED “FAMILY CAR OF THE YEAR 2012″

MARUTI SUZUKI ERTIGA HAS BEEN CONFERRED WITH COVETED “FAMILY CAR OF THE YEAR 2012″ AWARD BY

COUNTRY’S LEADING AUTOMOBILE PUBLICATION, BBC TOPGEAR INDIA. WITH ITS 3-ROW SEATING CONFIGURATION

IN A COMPACT OVERALL DESIGN, THE ERTIGA HAS BEEN CHOSEN FOR THE TITLE FOR CREATING AN ALTOGETHER NEW

“COMPACT MPV” SEGMENT IN THE AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY.

FORMER CHIEF JUSTICE P N BHAGWATI “MY TRYST WITH JUSTICE ” BOOK RELEASED

ON 12 DECEMBER PRESIDENT PRANAB MUKHERJEE RELEASED A BOOK “MY TRYST WITH JUSTICE ” WHICH WAS

WRITTEN BY FORMER CHIEF JUSTICE P N BHAGWATI .THE BOOK WOULD BE A PRIZED POSSESSION FOR EVERY

INDIAN WHO WANTS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO THE WORLD AND WHO ASPIRES FOR A WORLD MORE JUST, HE

ADDED.


GRAMMY LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR RAVI SHANKAR

SITAR MAESTRO PANDIT RAVI SHANKAR WILL BE HONOURED WITH A GRAMMY LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

POSTHUMOUSLY.HE BECOMES THE FIRST INDIAN TO GET THE PRESTIGIOUS AWARD, WHICH WILL BE PRESENTED ON

FEBRUARY 10 AT THE 55TH GRAMMY AWARDS CEREMONY IN LOS ANGELES.THE DECISION TO HONOUR RAVI

SHANKAR, A THREE-TIME GRAMMY WINNER, WAS MADE BEFORE HIS DEATH.

SCIENTISTS DISCOVER MINI NILE RIVER ON SATURN’S MOON TITAN

NASA SCIENTISTS HAD SPOTTED THE LONGEST EXTRATERRESTRIAL RIVER SYSTEM EVER – ON SATURN’S MOON TITAN

– AND IT APPEARS TO BE A MINIATURE VERSION OF EARTH’S NILE RIVER.

NATIONWIDE MOBILE NUMBER PORTABILITY BY FEB 2013

TELECOM MINISTER KAPIL SIBAL ANNOUNCED ON 13 DECEMBER 2012 THAT THE NATIONWIDE MOBILE NUMBER

PORTABILITY (MNP) IS EXPECTED TO BE ROLLED OUT BY FEBRUARY 2013, WHICH WILL ALLOW USERS TO RETAIN

THEIR NUMBERS EVEN IF THEY MOVE FROM ONE STATE TO ANOTHER.

INDIA CLINCHES WORLD CUP

INDIA WON THE FIRST T20 WORLD CUP FOR THE BLIND .IN THE FINAL ON 13 DECEMBER 2012 INDIA DEFEATED

THE PAKISTAN BY 29-RUNS.

68% TURNOUT IN PHASE-I GUJARAT POLLS

A RECORD 68 PER CENT VOTING WAS REGISTERED IN THE FIRST PHASE OF POLLING IN THE FIRST PHASE OF THE

GUJARAT ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS ON 13 DECEMBER 2012. THE POLLING PERCENTAGE IS THE HIGHEST IN THE

ELECTIONS HELD SO FAR IN GUJARAT. THE HIGHEST POLLING RECORDED EARLIER WAS 63.70 PER CENT IN 1967.

STAFF SELECTION COMMISSION TO NOTIFY OVER ONE LAKH JOBS

IN A MASSIVE RECRUITMENT DRIVE, THE STAFF SELECTION COMMISSION WILL NOTIFY MORE THAN ONE LAKH JOBS

IN 2013-2014 AND EXPECTS TO COMPLETE THE PROCESS OF RECRUITMENT BY SEPTEMBER 2013.THE

RECRUITMENT PROCESS WILL COVER THE DEPARTMENTS OF INCOME-TAX, CENTRAL EXCISE, FOOD CORPORATION OF

INDIA, AIR AND DOORDARSHAN APART FROM NOTIFYING JOBS FOR CENTRAL PARAMILITARY ESTABLISHMENTS. THE

NOTIFICATION FOR VACANCIES WILL SHORTLY BE ISSUED.

USHA THORAT COMMITTEE FOR NBFCS

INDIA’S MAJORITY OF NON-BANKING FINANCE COMPANIES (NBFCS) MAY BE FREED FROM THE REGULATORY

CLUTCHES PROVIDED RESERVE BANK OF INDIA (RBI) IMPLEMENTS ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY USHA

THORAT COMMITTEE. WHICH SUGGESTED MAINTAINING A MINIMUM ASSET SIZE OF MORE THAN RS 50 CRORE

ALONG WITH A NET OWNED FUND OF RS 2 CRORE; FOR REGISTERING ANY NEW NBFC.THE COMMITTEE HAD

SUBMITTED ITS RECOMMENDATIONS TO RBI. THE WORKING GROUP WAS CONSTITUTED TO REVIEW THE EXISTING

REGULATORY AND SUPERVISORY FRAMEWORK OF NBFCS WITH SPECIAL FOCUS ON THE RISKS IN THE

SECTOR.CURRENTLY, THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE UNDER RBI’S CONSIDERATION.

CHANDRASHEKHAR COMMITTEE TO FRAME RULES FOR FOREIGN INVESTORS

ON 13 DECEMBER THE MARKET REGULATOR SEBI HAS APPOINTED A COMMITTEE UNDER EX-CABINET SECRETARY K

M CHANDRASHEKHAR TO FRAME A SINGLE SET OF GUIDELINES FOR ALL TYPES OF FOREIGN INVESTORS.THE

COMMITTEE WILL SUGGEST WAYS TO SIMPLIFY THE INVESTMENT PROCESS FOR ALL OVERSEAS ENTITIES LIKE FOREIGN

INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS, FOREIGN VENTURE CAPITAL INVESTORS (FVCIS), QUALIFIED FINANCIAL ,INSTITUTIONAL

INVESTORS (QFIS) AMONG OTHERS, AND ALSO TO STRENGTHEN SURVEILLANCE OVER THEM.


BARCODE CO-INVENTOR NORMAN JOSEPH WOODLAND DIED

NORMAN JOSEPH WOODLAND, WHO CO-CREATED THE BARCODE, WAS DIED ON 9 DECEMBER 2012 IN NEW JERSEY

AT THE AGE OF 91.

TWIN NASA SPACECRAFT PREPARE TO CRASH INTO MOON

TWIN LUNAR-ORBITING NASA SPACECRAFT THAT HAVE ALLOWED SCIENTISTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE INTERNAL

STRUCTURE AND COMPOSITION OF THE MOON ARE BEING PREPARED FOR THEIR CONTROLLED DESCENT AND IMPACT

ON A MOUNTAIN NEAR THE MOON’S NORTH POLE AT ABOUT 2:28 P.M. PST (5:28 P.M. EST) MONDAY, DEC. 17.

MUMBAI AMONG WORLD’S ‘DIRTIEST’ CITIES: TRIPADVISOR SURVEY

INDIA’S COMMERCIAL CAPITAL, MUMBAI, WAS NAMED AMONG THE WORLD’S ‘DIRTIEST’ CITIES, RANKING LAST IN

THE “CLEANEST STREETS” CATEGORY, A GLOBAL SURVEY OF 40 KEY TOURIST CITIES HAS FOUND.ACCORDING TO

TRIPADVISOR’S CITIES SURVEY, TOKYO GRABBED THE FIRST PLACE WHILE MUMBAI RANKED LAST IN THE LIST OF

“CLEANEST STREETS”. SIMILARLY IN THE CATEGORY OF “EASE OF GETTING AROUND”, MUMBAI RANKED AT THE

LAST POSITION WHILE ZURICH STOOD AT FIRST PLACE.

IOC RETAINS TOP SLOT IN FORTUNE 500 INDIA LIST

GOVERNMENT OWNED INDIAN OIL CORPORATION (IOC) IS RANKED AS THE LARGEST COMPANY IN TERMS OF

REVENUE, THE FORTUNE 500 LIST OF INDIAN COMPANIES FOR 2012 . IN THIS LIST INDIAN OIL CORPORATION GOT

THE FIRST PLACE WITH A FULL-YEAR REVENUE OF RS 4,202 BILLION, RELIANCE INDUSTRIES LIMITED GOT THE

SECOND PLACE WITH A FULL-YEAR REVENUE OF RS 3,675 BILLION AND BHARAT PETROLEUM CORPORATION GOT

THE THIRD PLACE WITH A FULL -YEAR REVENUE OF RS 2,148 BILLION

NEW VISA AGREEMENT BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN

SHRI SUSHILKUMAR SHINDE, HOME MINISTER OF INDIA AND MR. A. REHMAN MALIK, PAKISTAN INTERIOR

MINISTER JOINTLY OPERATIONALIZED THE NEW VISA AGREEMENT BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN ON 14TH

DECEMBER, 2012 AT NEW DELHI. HOWEVER, THE VISA-ON-ARRIVAL WILL COME INTO EFFECT FROM 15TH

JANUARY, 2013 AND THE GROUP TOURIST VISA FROM 15TH MARCH, 2013. MAIN FEATURES OF THE INDIA-

PAKISTAN NEW VISA AGREEMENT ARE AS FOLLOWS : VISITOR VISA

• PLACES OF VISIT ALLOWABLE INCREASED FROM THREE TO FIVE PLACES

• IN EXCEPTIONAL CASES VISITOR VISA FOR ONE YEAR COULD BE ISSUED IN THE PAST. NOW PROVISION MADE FOR

ISSUE OF VISA UPTO TWO YEARS IN FOLLOWING CASES:

A.PERSONS ABOVE 65 YEARS OF AGE

B.NATIONAL OF ONE COUNTRY MARRIED TO NATIONAL OF THE OTHER COUNTRY.

C. CHILDREN BELOW 12 YEARS ACCOMPANYING PARENTS IN (B) ABOVE

VISA ON ARRIVAL CAN BE GRANTED AT ATTARI/WAGAH CHECK-POST TO PERSONS MORE THAN 65 YEARS OF AGE

FOR 45 DAYS WITH SINGLE ENTRY (EFFECTIVE FROM 15TH JANUARY, 2013).

BUSINESS VISA

EXEMPTION FROM POLICE REPORTING FOR BUSINESS VISA GRANTED TO BUSINESSMEN WITH AN ANNUAL INCOME

ABOVE PAK RS. 5 MILLION OR EQUIVALENT OR ANNUAL TURNOVER ABOVE PAK RS. 30 MILLION OR EQUIVALENT.

GROUP TOURIST VISA

• GROUP TOURIST VISA FOR 30 DAYS MAY BE ISSUED FOR TRAVEL IN GROUPS, WITH NOT LESS THAN 10 MEMBERS

AND NOT MORE THAN 50 MEMBERS IN EACH GROUP, ORGANIZED BY APPROVED TOUR OPERATORS/TRAVEL AGENTS

(EFFECTIVE FROM 15THMARCH, 2013).

WORLD CONFERENCE ON INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS (WCIT-12)

THE FIRST EVER WORLD CONFERENCE ON INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS (WCIT) FROM 3 -14 DECEMBER

HELD IN DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES.THE CONFERENCE REVIEWED THE CURRENT INTERNATIONAL

TELECOMMUNICATION REGULATIONS (ITRS).THE 193 MEMBER STATES OF THE AMBASSADORS ARE ATTENDED THIS

CONFERENCE.WHILE 89 STATES HAVE SIGNED THE UN INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS AGREEMENT AND

ANOTHER 55 COUNTRIES HAVE REFUSED THE DEAL.THE NEW AGREEMENT WILL COME INTO EFFECT IN JANUARY

2015.THE NEW AGREEMENT WILL GIVE COUNTRIES A RIGHT TO ACCESS INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS

SERVICES AND THE ABILITY TO BLOCK SPAM, WHICH DELEGATIONS DECLINING TO SIGN THE AMENDED TEXT ARGUED

WOULD PAVE THE WAY FOR GOVERNMENT CENSORSHIP AND CONTROL OVER THE INTERNET.


INDIA WON THE WORLD CUP KABADDI TOURNAMENT 2012

INDIA WON THE 3RD WORLD CUP KABADDI TOURNAMENT FOR THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE TIME IN THE MEN’S

CATEGORY AND SECOND CONSECUTIVE TIME IN THE WOMEN’S CATEGORY ON15 DECEMBER 2012. INDIAN MEN

DEFEATED THE PAKISTAN AND INDIA WOMEN DEFEATED THE MALAYSIA IN THE FINALS HELD AT THE GURU NANAK

DEV STADIUM IN LUDHIANA.

SONIA GANDHI LAUNCHES “DELHI ANNSHRI YOJNA”

UPA CHAIRPERSON SONIA GANDHI WAS LAUNCHED A MAJOR FOOD SECURITY PROGRAMME OF DELHI

GOVERNMENT “DELHI ANNSHRI YOJNA” ON 15 DECEMBER 2012.UNDER WHICH A MONTHLY CASH SUBSIDY OF RS.

600 WILL BE TRANSFERRED DIRECTLY INTO AADHAAR-LINKED BANK ACCOUNTS OF THE SENIOR-MOST FEMALE

MEMBERS OF TWO LAKH POOR FAMILIES.

JEEV HONOURED WITH ASIA PACIFIC LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

INDIAN GOLFER JEEV MILKHA SINGH (IN PIC) WON THE ASIA PACIFIC LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD ALONG WITH

JACK NICKLAUS AND COLIN MONTGOMERIE ON 15 DECEMBER 2012.

NAINA LAL KIDWAI BECOMES FIRST WOMAN PRESIDENT OF FICCI

COUNTRY HEAD OF HSBC INDIA, NAINA LAL KIDWAI, TOOK OVER AS PRESIDENT OF FICCI ON 15 DECEMBER

2012. SHE BECOME THE FIRST WOMAN TO HEAD THE LEADING INDUSTRY BODY.

THE CYCLONE STRUCK SAMOA

THE CYCLONE STRUCK SAMOA ON 13 DECEMBER 2012 LEAVING AT LEAST 2 DEAD AND 3,000 HOMELESS.

FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES RISE BY $484.2 MILLION TO $295 BILLION

INDIA’S FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES INCREASED BY $484.2 MILLION TO REACH $294.99 BILLION IN THE WEEK

ENDED DECEMBER 7 ON THE BACK OF INCREASE IN THE CORE CURRENCY ASSETS, THE RESERVE BANK SAID ON 15

DECEMBER 2012.

HUMPY WON THE BRONZE MEDAL IN WORLD MIND-GAMES

WORLD NO. 2 KONERU HUMPY WON BRONZE MEDAL IN THE WORLD MIND-GAMES.THE FOUR PLAYERS TIED WITH

FIVE POINTS EACH AT THE END OF SEVEN ROUNDS. IN THE TIE-BREAK, LAHANO WON THE GOLD, YIFAN SILVER AND

HUMPY THE BRONZE.

INDIA, SRI LANKA, MALDIVES TO INK TRILATERAL COOPERATION ON MARITIME ISSUES

INDIA, SRI LANKA AND MALDIVES WILL SOON SIGN A TRILATERAL AGREEMENT ON MARITIME COOPERATION TO

POOL RESOURCES AND SHARE DATA IN THE REGION FOR BETTER CONTROL OVER THE TERRITORIAL WATERS, AND

DETECT SUSPICIOUS MOVEMENTS.

INDIA-MALAYSIA BILATERAL TRADE SEEN RISING TO $15 BILLION BY 2015

INDIA-MALAYSIA BILATERAL TRADE IS EXPECTED TO TOUCH $15 BILLION BY 2015, ACCORDING TO MR SHAH

NIZAM AHMED, CONSUL (TRADE), CONSULATE GENERAL OF MALAYSIA.MALAYSIA WANTS TO DEVELOP DIRECT

TRADE WITH INDIA AND OTHER ASIAN COUNTRIES. CURRENTLY, INDIA IS MALAYSIA’S LARGEST TRADING PARTNER

AMONG COUNTRIES OF THE SOUTH, EXCLUDING ASEAN NATIONS AND CHINA, HE TOLD A MEETING ORGANISED BY

THE FEDERATION OF ANDHRA PRADESH CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY IN HYDERABAD ON 12

DECEMBER 2012.

RITA SINGH ELECTED FEDERATION OF INDIAN ASSOCIATIONS PRESIDENT

RITA SINGH, AN INDIAN AMERICAN BUSINESSWOMAN FROM BIHAR WITH CLOSE CONNECTIONS TO BOLLYWOOD,

WAS ELECTED THE FIRST WOMAN PRESIDENT OF CHICAGO-BASED FEDERATION OF INDIAN ASSOCIATIONS (FIA).

INDIANS NOW LIVE LONGER BUT IN POOR HEALTH IN OLD AGE

ACCORDING TO THE THE PRESTIGIOUS BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL, ‘THE LANCET ‘ REPORT THE LIFE EXPECTANCY

(LE) AT BIRTH OF AN AVERAGE INDIAN MALE HAS GONE UP BY 15 YEARS BETWEEN 1970 AND 2010, WHILE THAT

OF AN INDIAN WOMAN BY 18 YEARS.AN AVERAGE INDIAN MAN CAN EXPECT TO LIVE FOR AS LONG AS 63 YEARS,

WHILE AN INDIAN WOMAN CAN LIVE 4.5 YEARS LONGER THAN HER MALE COUNTERPART.AN INDIAN MALE CAN

CLAIM TO BE IN GOOD HEALTH TILL HE REACHES THE AGE OF 54.6 YEARS, AND IS EXPECTED TO SPEND THE LAST

NINE YEARS OF HIS LIFE SUFFERING FROM VARIOUS AILMENTS.AN AVERAGE CHINESE MALE IS LIVING 10 YEARS

LONGER THAN AN INDIAN MALE, WHILE A CHINESE WOMAN IS LIVING 11.5 YEARS LONGER THAN HER INDIAN

COUNTERPART. AN AVERAGE AMERICAN LIVES NEARLY 13 YEARS LONGER THAN AN INDIAN.


CHINA CLAIMS ALL TITLES AT JUNIOR WORLD TT CHAMPIONSHIP

CHINA COMPLETED A CLEAN SWEEP OF TITLES AT THE VOLKSWAGEN 2012 WORLD JUNIOR TABLE TENNIS

CHAMPIONSHIPS AFTER WINNING THE GIRLS AND BOYS TROPHIES IN HYDERABAD ON16 DECEMBER 2012.

HIL(HOCKEY INDIA LEAGUE) AUCTIONS: SARDAR COMMANDS BEST PRICE

THE INDIAN SKIPPER SARDAR SINGH COMMANDED THE BEST PRICE OF $78,000 FROM THE DELHI FRANCHISEE AS

THE PLAYERS CAME UNDER THE HAMMER IN THE HOCKEY INDIA LEAGUE AUCTION IN NEW DELHI ON 15 DECEMBER

2012.

ISRAEL’S FOREIGN MINISTER LIEBERMAN FORMALLY SUBMITS RESIGNATION

ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER AVIGDOR LIEBERMAN FORMALLY SUBMITTED HIS RESIGNATION ON 16 DECEMBER 2012

DUE TO A PENDING INDICTMENT AGAINST HIM FOR FRAUD AND BREACH OF TRUST.UNDER ISRAELI LAW, THE

RESIGNATION TAKES EFFECT IN 48 HOURS, AFTER WHICH PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU WILL BECOME

THE COUNTRY’S ACTING FOREIGN MINISTER.

JAPAN’S NEW PRIME MINISTER SHINZO ABE

THE FORMER PRIME MINISTER AND THE LEADER OF LDP SHINZO ABE ELECTED AS A PRIME MINISTER WITH A

CLEAR VICTORY OVER THE PRIME MINISTER AND LEADER OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF JAPAN(DPJ) YOSHIHIKO

NODA IN THE GENERAL ELECTIONS OF JAPAN ON 16 DECEMBER 2012.

PAK MINISTER REHMAN MALIK VISITED INDIA

PAKISTAN’S INTERIOR MINISTER REHMAN MALIK VISITED INDIA FROM 14TH TO 16TH DECEMBER .DURING THE

VISIT HE MET PRIME MINISTER MANMOHAN SINGH AND BOTH NATIONS SIGNED ON NEW VISA AGREEMENT.

FEDERER & NICOLA NAMED ” SWISS ATHLETE’S OF THE YEAR 2012 “

TENNIS STAR ROGER FEDERER WAS NAMED SWISS MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AT THE 2012 CREDIT SUISSE

SPORTS AWARDS ON 16 DECEMBER IN ZURICH.FEDERER RECEIVED THE HONOUR FOR THE FIFTH TIME. EARLIER IN

2012, FEDERER HAD GRABBED THE 17TH GRAND SLAM TITLE AT WIMBLEDON CHAMPIONSHIPS, LONDON.THE

FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR WAS NICOLA SPIRIG, THE OLYMPIC TRIATHLON CHAMPION OF SWITZERLAND.

INDIAN JOURNALIST’S ASSOCIATION HONOURED SIR CHARLES WHEELER

ON 16 DECEMBER INDIAN JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION HAS CONFERREDITS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR

2012 POSTHUMOUSLY TO FORMER BBC CORRESPONDENT SIR CHARLES WHEELER.IJA, ESTABLISHED IN 1947 AND

ONE OF THE WORLD”S MOST DURABLE AND SUCCESSFUL FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS” BODIES, INSTITUTEDAN

ANNUAL LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD THREE YEARS AGO.

JAPAN PRIME MINISTER YOSHIHIKO NODA RESIGNED

ON 16 DECEMBER JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER YOSHIHIKO NODA RESIGNED FROM HIS POST TO TAKE

RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIS DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF JAPAN (DPJ) DEFEAT IN LOWER HOUSE ELECTION .HE WAS

FORMALLY APPOINTED BY THE EMPEROR ON 2 SEPTEMBER 2011.


INDIA AND ENGLAND RETAIN THEIR SPOTS IN ICC TEST RANKINGS

DESPITE LOSING TO ENGLAND 1-2 IN THE HOME TEST SERIES, INDIA RETAINED THEIR NUMBER FIVE POSITION AS

PER THE LATEST ICC TEST CHAMPIONSHIP RANKINGS ISSUED ON 17 DECEMBER 2012.INDIA, HOWEVER, DROPPED

A RATINGS POINT TO 105, AND ARE NOW FOUR-POINTS BEHIND PAKISTAN WHO ARE PLAC

DECEMBER 2012 CURRENT AFFAIRS

VISUALLY-CHALLENGED INDIAN-AMERICAN IN KEY US POST

OBAMA ADMINISTRATION WAS APPOINTED A VISUALLY-CHALLENGED INDIAN-AMERICAN SACHIN DEV PAVITHRAN

TO A KEY ADMINISTRATIVE POST IN AN INDEPENDENT US AGENCY DEVOTED FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. MR.

PAVITHRAN IS THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR OF THE UTAH ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM AT UTAH STATE

UNIVERSITY’S CENTER FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, A POSITION HE HAS HELD SINCE 2011. SO, SACHIN DEV

PAVITHRAN WAS APPOINTED AS A ARCHITECTURAL AND TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS COMPLIANCE BOARD MEMBER

BY OBAMA.

KATY PERRY HONORED WITH BILLBOARD’S “WOMAN OF THE YEAR”

POP SINGER KATY PERRY WAS HONORED WITH BILLBOARD’S “WOMAN OF THE YEAR 2012” (THE STAR OF THE

WOMEN) AWARD IN NEW YORK.

CHINA LAUNCHED FIRST HIGH SPEED TRAIN IN EXTREMELY COLD AREAS

THE WORLD’S FIRST HIGH-SPEED TRAIN IN AREAS WITH EXTREMELY LOW TEMPERATURE STARTED OPERATION IN

CHINA 01 DECEMBER 2012.THIS TRAIN MOVE WITH A SPEED OF 350 KMPH IN THE AREAS OF MINUS 40 DEGREES

TEMPERATURE. THIS IS THE FASTEST TRAIN WORLD IN THIS AREAS.

CHINTAN SHIVIR TO BE HELD IN JAIPUR FROM JANUARY 18

THE BRAINSTORMING SESSION (CHINTAN SHIVIR) OF CONGRESS WILL BE HELD IN JAIPUR BETWEEN JANUARY 18

AND 20 TO DISCUSS POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC SITUATIONS AND SEEK NEW IDEAS AHEAD OF THE NEXT LOK SABHA

ELECTIONS.

LALITH BABU(INDIA), TIVIAKOV(NETHERLANDS) ON TOP IN COMMONWEALTH CHESS

GRANDMASTERS M R LALITH BABU AND SERGEI TIVIAKOV SCORED FINAL ROUND VICTORIES TO REACH THE TOP OF

THE TABLE WITH 9.5 POINTS IN THE APOLLO ENGINEERING COLLEGE COMMONWEALTH CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS IN

CHENNAI ON 01 DECEMBER 2012.BASED ON PROGRESSIVE SCORE TIVIAKOV WAS STOOD IN A FIRST PLACE BUT THE

COMMONWEALTH CHAMPIONSHIP GOES TO LALITH BABU BECAUSE OF NETHERLANDS IS NOT MEMBER OF

COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES.TIVIAKOV WAS AWARDED A CASH PURSE OF RS 1,50,000 ALONG WITH THE

COMMONWEALTH INTERNATIONAL OPEN TITLE, WHILE LALITH BABU WAS CROWNED THE COMMONWEALTH

CHAMPION 2012 ALONG WITH A TROPHY AND A CASH AWARD OF RS 1,25,000.IN COMMONWELTH UNDER-16

PRATHYUSHA, WHO IS STUDYING IN SRI PRAKAH EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN VISAKHAPATNAM GOT THE GOLD

MEDAL.IN THE PAST SHE GOT GOLD MEDAL IN UNDER-10,12,14.

DR. DRE NAMED HIGHEST-PAID MUSICIAN FOR 2012

HIP-HOP SINGER DR. DRE WAS TOPPED FORBES LIST OF 25 HIGHEST-PAID MUSICIANS IN 2012.


ANNA USHENINA IS WORLD WOMEN’S CHESS CHAMPION

ANNA USHENINA OF UKRAINE 02 DECEMBER 2012 WON THE WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CROWN,

DEFEATING ANTOANETA STEFANOVA OF BULGARIA IN THE FIRST SET OF TIE-BREAK GAMES.THE UKRAINIAN WON

$60000 FOR HER EFFORTS IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP AND GETS TO PLAY THE NEXT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP AGAINST

YIFAN HOU OF CHINA NEXT YEAR AS PART OF THE NEW CYCLE IN THE WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.

COCHIN AIRPORT 1ST IN INDIA TO USE SOLAR POWER FOR ITS GRID

COCHIN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS SET TO BECOME THE FIRST AIRPORT IN THE COUNTRY TO USE SOLAR POWER

FOR RUNNING ITS UTILITY GRID SYSTEM.A KOLKATA-BASED SOLAR MODULE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, VIKRAM

SOLAR, WOULD BE INSTALLING A 100 KWP SOLAR POWER FACILITY AT THE AIRPORT SITUATED AT NEDUMBASSERY

IN COCHIN.

MAGNUS CARLSEN: NOW THE HIGHEST PLAYER IN HISTORY

MAGNUS CARLSEN HAS A 2855.7 RATING, SURPASSING KASPAROV’S PEAK OF 2851. NOW HE’S THE HIGHEST

RATED CHESS PLAYER OF ALL TIME.

MENON TO VISIT CHINA TO EXTEND TIES WITH NEW LEADERS

INDIA’S FORMAL CONTACTS WITH CHINA’S NEW LEADERSHIP WOULD BEGIN WHEN NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR

SHIVSHANKAR MENON VISIT CHINA TO HOLD WIDE RANGING TALKS WITH CHINESE OFFICIALS OVER TWO DAYS

FROM DECEMBER 3.MENON’S VISIT MAINLY FOCUSES ON BILATERAL ISSUES DURING WHICH HE WILL ALSO MEET HIS

CHINESE COUNTERPART ON BORDER TALKS, DAI BINGGUO, WHO IS SET TO RETIRE MARCH 2013.

RAILWAYS TO SET UP WHEEL FACTORY AT RAEBARELI

RAILWAYS WITH RASHTRIYA ISPAT NIGAM LIMITED (RINL) TO SETUP A WHEEL FACTORY AT RAEBARELI IN THE

CONGRESS PRESIDENT’S(SONIA GANDHI’S) CONSTITUENCY.PAWAN KUMAR BANSAL, THE RAILWAY MINISTER WILL

PROPOSED RS 500 CRORE FOR THIS PROJECT IN THE 2013-14 RAILWAY BUDGET.

AFGHANISTAN TALIBAN ATTACK US BASE IN JALALABAD

TALIBAN SUICIDE BOMBERS HAVE KILLED FOUR AFGHAN SOLDIERS AND WOUNDED NATO TROOPS IN AN ATTACK ON

A JOINT US-AFGHAN AIRBASE IN EASTERN AFGHANISTAN.

SCIENTISTS CREATED MOST COMPLEX AND REALISTIC ARTIFICIAL BRAIN WHICH CAN PASS IQ AS WELL

SOFTWARE ENGINEERS AS WELL AS NEUROSCIENTISTS AT UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO, CANADA CLAIMED THAT THEY

HAVE DEVELOPED A CLOSEST MODEL OF THE FUNCTIONING HUMAN BRAIN, KNOWN AS SPAUN WHICH IS ADVANCED

ENOUGH FOR PASSING THE BASIC IQ TESTS. THIS IS THE VIRTUAL BRAIN WHICH FUNCTIONS ON THE

SUPERCOMPUTER AND COMPRISES OF A DIGITAL EYE, WHICH CAN BE USED FOR VISUAL INPUT. IT ALSO HAS THE

ROBOTIC ARM WHICH CAN BE USED FOR DRAWING THE RESPONSE.THE ENGINEERS AS WELL AS NEUROSCIENTISTS

CLAIMED THAT THIS WAS THE MOST COMPLEX MODEL OF THE WORLD OF HUMAN BRAIN. SPAUN OR SEMANTIC

POINTER ARCHITECTURE UNIFIED NETWORK COMPRISES OF 2.5 MILLION SIMULATED NEURONS WHICH ENABLES

THIS BRAIN TO PERFORM MULTIPLE TASKS.

JADEJA CREATES HISTORY HITTING 3RD TRIPLE TON IN FC CRICKET

RAVINDRA JADEJA BECAME FIRST INDIAN AND ONLY EIGHTH BATSMAN IN THE FIRST-CLASS CRICKET HISTORY OF

WORLD TO SCORE THREE TRIPLE-CENTURIES IN THE UNBEATEN 320 RUNS AGAINST RAILWAYS IN THE RANJI TROPHY

GROUP A MATCH ON 2 DECEMBER 2012 IN RAJKOT.


SOUTH AFRICA RETAIN NO.1 POSITION IN TEST CRICKET

SOUTH AFRICA RETAINED THEIR STATUS AS THE TOP-RANKED TEAM IN THE INTERNATIONAL CRICKET COUNCIL’S

(ICC) TEST CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE FOLLOWING THEIR 309-RUN VICTORY OVER AUSTRALIA ON 03 DECEMBER 2012

IN THE THIRD AND FINAL TEST IN PERTH, WHICH GAVE THEM A 1-0 SERIES WIN.

MOU BETWEEN DHANUSH ACADEMY OF TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT – ANS SKILLS TECH, AUSTRALIA

WITH THIS AGREEMENT INDIAN YOUTH CAN NOW ACQUIRE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE IN A VARIETY OF SECTORS.AS

PART OF THE AGREEMENT, SEMI-SKILLED PERSONS WILL UNDERGO A THREE TO SIX WEEK CERTIFICATE COURSE IN

AREAS LIKE CONSTRUCTION, INFRASTRUCTURE, ELECTRONICS AND MINING. THE JOB-CENTRIC COURSE WILL BE

RECOGNISED BY INDIAN UNIVERSITIES.

RANJIT SINHA IS A NEW CBI DIRECTOR

SENIOR INDIAN POLICE SERVICE OFFICER RANJIT SINHA ON 03 DECEMBER 2012 TOOK OVER AS THE NEW CENTRAL

BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION DIRECTOR .A 1974-BATCH BIHAR CADRE OFFICER, SINHA, WHO IS ALSO HOLDING

CHARGE AS DIRECTOR GENERAL INDO-TIBETAN BORDER POLICE, SUCCEEDS A P SINGH WHO RETIRED ON

NOVEMBER 30.

SHAH RUKH KHAN CONFERRED WITH MOROCCO’S MEDAL OF HONOUR

BOLLYWOOD SUPERSTAR SHAH RUKH KHAN HAD GIVEN THE PRESTIGIOUS MEDAL OF HONOUR BY THE PRINCE OF

MOROCCO(MOULAY RACHID ) WHILE ATTENDING THE 12TH MARRAKECH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ON 3

DECEMBER 2012.

CORPORATE FRAUD RISING IN INDIA: KPMG

ON 3 DECEMBER 2012 KPMG RELEASED A “INDIAN FRAUD SURVEY 2012″, ACCORDING TO THIS SURVEY

CORPORATE FRAUDS IN INDIA HAVE INCREASED IN THE PAST TWO YEARS . THE REPORT INDICATED THAT

COMPUTER-RELATED AND E-COMMERCE FRAUDS WERE THE MAJOR CONCERNS ESPECIALLY IN THE COMING FEW

YEARS.


INDIA STOPPED $25 MILLION AID TO MALDIVES OVER GMR TANGLE

INDIA NOW STOPPED THE $25 MILLION AID TO MALDIVES DUE TO DISPLEASURE OF INDIA OVER THE TERMINATION

OF THE $500 MILLION GMR PROJECT BY MALDIVES.

BANGALORE BEST INDIAN CITY TO LIVE

BANGALORE RANKS BETTER THAN NEW DELHI, MUMBAI, CHENNAI AND KOLKATA AMONGST INDIAN CITIES IN

OVERALL GLOBAL QUALITY OF LIVING INDEX, ACCORDING TO A MERCER 2012 QUALITY OF LIVING

SURVEY.BANGALORE’S OVERALL QUALITY OF LIVING RANK WENT UP FROM 141 IN 2011 TO 139 IN 2012 AND IS

HIGHEST AMONGST OTHER INDIAN CITIES. WHILE NEW DELHI RANKS (143), MUMBAI (146), CHENNAI (150), AND

KOLKATA (151) IN OVERALL QUALITY OF LIVING.

DENMARK, FINLAND, NEW ZEALAND AT TOP IN CORRUPTION RANKING; INDIA 94TH

DENMARK, FINLAND AND NEW ZEALAND TIED FOR THE FIRST PLACE IN WATCHDOG

TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL‘S 2012 INDEX OF THE LEAST CORRUPT COUNTRIES.INDIA IS ON 94TH POSITION IN

THE CORRUPTION PERCEPTIONS INDEX. (LEAST CORRUPT NATIONS)

1. DENMARK 90

1. FINLAND 90

1. NEW ZEALAND 90

4. SWEDEN 88

5. SINGAPORE 87

94. INDIA 36 (MOST CORRUPT NATIONS)

174. AFGHANISTAN 8

174. NORTH KOREA 8

174. SOMALIA 8

RBI SIGNS CURRENCY SWAP AGREEMENT WITH BANK OF JAPAN

THE RESERVE BANK OF INDIA SIGNED A BILATERAL SWAP ARRANGEMENT (BSA) WITH THE BANK OF JAPAN TO

SWAP THEIR LOCAL CURRENCIES FOR AN AMOUNT OF $15 BILLION FOR A THREE YEAR PERIOD ON 4 DECEMBER

2012.THE BSA WILL EFFECT FROM 5 DECEMBER 2012.THE ARRANGEMENT AIMS AT ADDRESSING SHORT-TERM

LIQUIDITY DIFFICULTIES AND SUPPLEMENTING THE EXISTING INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS, AS ONE OF

THE EFFORTS IN STRENGTHENING MUTUAL COOPERATION BETWEEN JAPAN AND INDIA.

INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE SUSPENDS INDIA

THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (IOC) SUSPENDED INDIA’S NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE ON 4

DECEMBER 2012 BECAUSE OF GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE IN ITS ELECTION PROCESS.THE IOC HAD REPEATEDLY

TOLD THE INDIAN BODY TO ADHERE TO ITS OWN CONSTITUTION AND THE OLYMPIC CHARTER AND NOT FOLLOW THE

GOVERNMENT’S SPORTS CODE FOR THIS WEEK’S ELECTIONS. THE IOC WILL NOT RECOGNIZE THE RESULTS IF THE

ELECTIONS ARE HELD UNDER GOVERNMENT RULES.SUSPENSION MEANS THE INDIAN BODY WILL STOP RECEIVING IOC

FUNDING AND ITS OFFICIALS WILL BE BANNED FROM ATTENDING OLYMPIC MEETINGS AND EVENTS. INDIA’S

ATHLETES WILL BE BARRED FROM COMPETING IN OLYMPIC EVENTS UNDER THEIR NATIONAL FLAG, ALTHOUGH THE

IOC COULD ALLOW THEM TO DO SO UNDER THE OLYMPIC FLAG.

VOYAGER 1 DRIFTS INTO UNKNOWN REGION OF SPACE

NASA’S VOYAGER 1 SPACECRAFT HAS DISCOVERED A NEW LAYER OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM THAT SCIENTISTS HADN’T

KNOWN WAS THERE, RESEARCHERS ANNOUNCED ON 4 DECEMBER 2012.VOYAGER 1 AND ITS SISTER PROBE

VOYAGER 2 HAVE BEEN TRAVELING THROUGH SPACE SINCE 1977, AND ARE CLOSE TO BECOMING THE FIRST

MANMADE OBJECTS TO LEAVE THE SOLAR SYSTEM.VOYAGER 1, IN PARTICULAR, HAS ENTERED A NEW REGION OF

THE HELIOSPHERE THAT SCIENTISTS ARE CALLING A “MAGNETIC HIGHWAY,” WHICH ALLOWS CHARGED PARTICLES

FROM INSIDE THE HELIOSPHERE TO FLOW OUTWARD, AND PARTICLES FROM THE GALAXY OUTSIDE TO COME IN.

INDIA IS AMONG TOP FIVE TERROR-HIT NATIONS

THE AUSTRALIAN THINK TANK RELEASED THE GLOBAL TERRORISM INDEX (GTI) ON 4 DECEMBER

2012 ,ACCORDING TO THIS GTI ,INDIA, PAKISTAN AND AFGHANISTAN WERE AMONG THE NATIONS MOST

IMPACTED BY TERRORISM IN 2011.IN 2011, THE MIDDLE EAST, INDIA, PAKISTAN AND RUSSIA WERE THE AREAS

MOST IMPACTED BY TERRORISM. INDIA’S GTI RANK WAS 4 OUT OF THE 159 COUNTRIES SURVEYED. WHILE IRAQ

STOOD AT NUMBER 1, PAKISTAN AT NUMBER 2, AFGHANISTAN AT NUMBER 3 AND YEMEN WAS NUMBER 5.

AIR INDIA WON LAL BAHADUR SHASTRI TOURNAMENT

AIR INDIA BEAT BHARAT PETROLEUM 3-1 TO EMERGE CHAMPION IN THE 23RD LAL BAHADUR SHASTRI HOCKEY

TOURNAMENT AT THE SHIVAJI STADIUM NEW DELHI ON 4 DECEMBER 2012.

US DRONE CAPTURED BY IRAN: US REJECTS CLAIMS

ON 4 DECEMBER 2012 IRAN CLAIMED THAT IT HAD APTURED A SMALL US DRONE THAT PENETRATED ITS AIRSPACE

OVER GULF WATERS, BUT THE AMERICAN NAVY IN THE REGION DENIED ANY OF ITS UNMANNED SPY PLANES WERE

MISSING.

WORLD’S OLDEST WOMAN AND TALLEST WOMAN BOTH PASS AWAY

BESSE COOPER, THE WOMAN LISTED AS THE WORLD’S OLDEST PERSON WAS DIED ON 4 DECEMBER 2012 IN A

GEORGIA NURSING HOME AT THE AGE OF 116. MEANWHILE, A CHINESE WOMAN, YAO DEFEN, WAS CERTIFIED AS

THE TALLEST IN THE WORLD WAS ALSO DIED.

NASA TO SEND NEW ROVER TO MARS IN 2020

AFTER SUCCESSFUL WORKING OF CURIOSITY LANDED IN GALE CRATER, MARS ON 6 AUGUST 2012,NASA WAS

ANNOUNCED PLANS TO SEND A NEW ROBOTIC EXPLORER TO THE THE RED PLANET, MARS IN 2020. THE

ANNOUNCEMENT COMES A DAY AFTER NASA RELEASED THE RESULTS OF THE FIRST SOIL TESTED BY THE CURIOSITY

ROVER, WHICH FOUND TRACES OF COMPOUNDS LIKE WATER AND OXYGEN THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR LIFE


INDIAN WRESTLERS WIN NINE GOLD MEDALS IN COPA BRASIL TOURNAMENT

THE INDIAN WRESTLING CONTINGENT FINISHED WITH A HAUL OF NINE GOLD AND FOUR BRONZE MEDALS IN THE

RECENT COPA BRASIL-2012 TOURNAMENT HELD IN RIO FROM NOVEMBER 29 TO DECEMBER 2.IN THE FREESTYLE

EVENT, GOLD MEDALS WERE WON BY SANDEEP TOMAR IN 55KG CATEGORY, RAJNEESH (60KG), MANOJ KUMAR

(66KG), DEEPAK (74KG), SOMVEER (84KG), PARVESH KUMAR (96KG) AND HITESH (120KG).RAVINDER SINGH

(60KG) AND MANOJ KUMAR (84KG) ALSO WON GOLD IN THE GRECO-ROMAN CATEGORY. MANOJ (55KG),

DEEPAK (66KG), BHIM SINGH (96KG) AND DHARMENDRA DALAL (120KG) WON BRONZE MEDAL IN THE GRECO

ROMAN.

TYPHOON BOPHA DEATH TOLL RISES TO 325; THOUSANDS HOMELESS IN PHILIPPINES

BOPHA, THE STRONGEST TYPHOON HIT THE PHILIPPINES ON 2012, HAD LEFT AT LEAST 325 DEAD AND 379

OTHERS MISSING.THE TYPHOON WITH CENTRAL WINDS OF 115 KPH AND GUSTS OF UP TO 145 KPH WAS MOVED TO

WEST-NORTHWEST OF THE CENTRAL PHILIPPINES ON 6 DECEMBER 2012.

INFOSYS BPO WON THE GOLD AWARD FOR MARKETING EXCELLENCE AT THE ITSMA AWARDS 2012

INFOSYS BPO LTD. HAD WON THE GOLD AWARD FOR MARKETING EXCELLENCE IN THE CATEGORY OF ‘MARKETING

WITH SOCIAL AND INTERACTIVE MEDIA’ AT THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES MARKETING ASSOCIATION

(ITSMA) AWARDS 2012. INFOSYS BPO RECEIVED THE AWARD DURING THE ITSMA 2012 ANNUAL CONFERENCE:

MARKETING’S NEW VALUE PROPOSITION, HELD AT THE CHARLES HOTEL IN CAMBRIDGE, MA, USA ON 5

DECEMBER 2012.

GLOBAL CONFERENCE ON ALLERGIC DISEASES AT HYDERABAD

NEARLY 1,500 DELEGATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD WILL GATHER AT HYDERABAD FROM 6 DECEMBER 2012 TO

9 DECEMBER 2012 TO DISCUSS RISE OF ALLERGIC DISEASES AS A GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM AND EXCHANGE

INFORMATION ON THEIR PREVENTION AND TREATMENT.

SC(SUPREME COURT) REJECTS SANGMA’S PETITION AGAINST PRANAB MUKHERJEE

THE SUPREME COURT ON 5 DECEMBER 2012 WAS REJECTED FORMER LOK SABHA SPEAKER PURNO AGITOK

SANGMA’S PETITION AGAINST PRESIDENT PRANAB MUKHERJEE. SANGMA HAD FILED A PETITION AGAINST PRANAB

MUKHERJEE ALLEGING THAT THE LATTER HELD OFFICE OF PROFIT WHILE FILING HIS NOMINATION FOR PRESIDENTIAL

ELECTION.

CHAUTALA ELECTED IOA PRESIDENT, BHANOT SECRETARY GENERAL

ABHAY SINGH CHAUTALA WAS ON 5 DECEMBER 2012 UNANIMOUSLY ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE INDIAN OLYMPIC

ASSOCIATION (IOA) WHILE LALIT BHANOT BECAME THE NEW SECRETARY GENERAL.

VIJAY KUMAR GOT A SCOND PLACE IN ISSF RANKINGS

LONDON OLYMPICS SILVER MEDALLIST VIJAY KUMAR GOT THE 2ND RANK IN THE MEN`S 25-METRE RAPID FIRE

PISTOL CATEGORY IN THE LATEST LIST ISSUED BY THE INTERNATIONAL SHOOTING SPORT FEDERATION (ISSF).VIJAY

HAS 2,665 POINTS COMPARED TO TOP-RANKED PUPO LEURIS`S 3,364 . LEURIS WON THE GOLD IN LONDON.

KOBE BRYANT BECOMES YOUNGEST IN NBA HISTORY TO SCORE 30,000 POINTS

LOS ANGELES LAKERS SHOOTING GUARD KOBE BRYANT BECOME THE YOUNGEST PLAYER TO SCORE 30,000 NBA

(BASKETBALL) CAREER POINTS DURING THE FIRST HALF OF GAME AGAINST THE NEW ORLEANS HORNETS ON 5

DECEMBER 2012.


OBAMA IS WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL PERSON; SONIA, MANMOHAN IN TOP 20

ON 6 DECEMBER 2012 FORBES MAGAZINE RELEASED THE MOST POWERFUL PERSONS LIST IN THE WORLD. IN THAT

LIST AICC PRESIDENT SONIA GANDHI GOT THE 12TH PLACE AND PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA MAN MOHAN SINGH

GOT THE 20TH PLACE.AS USUALLY THIS YEAR ALSO AMERICAN PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA GOT 1ST PLACE.

GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL GOT THE 2ND PLACE. THE LIST ALSO INCLUDES RUSSIAN PRESIDENT

VLADIMIR PUTIN AT NUMBER THREE, MICROSOFT CO-FOUNDER BILL GATES (4), RICHEST PERSON IN INDIA

MUKESH AMBANI (37).

WORLD MOST SEXIEST ASIAN WOMAN:PRIYANKA CHOPRA

EASTERN EYE WEEKLY MAGAZINE CODUCTED A SERVEY FOR WORLD MOST SEXIEST ASIAN WOMAN .ACCORDING TO

THIS SERVEY PRIYANKA CHSOPRA IS THE MOST SEXIST ASIAN WOMAN IN THE WORLD AND KAREENA KAPOOR,

KATRINA KAIF STOOD IN 2ND AND 3RD PLACES RESPACTIVELY.

HEART PROTECTION WITH SMART PHONE

JEMS HAYTHERS ,SCHOLER IN UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY DEVELOPED A ONE SMART PHONE APPLICATION TO EASILY

OBSERVE THE HEART BEAT OF A PATIENT ROUND THE CLOCK.IN GENERAL DOCTORS FIX THE ELECTRODES ON THE

CHEST OF A PATIENT AND THEY OBSERVE THRE HEART BEAT OF THE PATIENT BUT USING THIS SMART PHONE

APPLICATION DOCTORS FIX A SMALL SENSORS TO THE PATIENTS FINGURE AND CORRELATING IT THE SMART PHONE.

DRDO SCIENTIST GETS TOP AWARD

BRAJNISH SITARA SCIENTIST FROM RESEARCH CENTRE IMARAT(RCI), A PREMIER LABORATORY OF DRDO’S MISSILE

COMPLEX WAS CONFERRED WITH INAE(INDIAN NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ENGINEERING)YOUNG ENGINEER AWARD

FOR 2012 AT THE ACADEMY’S ANNUAL CONVENTIONHELD AT ROORKEE ON 6 DECEMBER 2012.THIS AWARD WAS

GIVEN TO BRAJNISH SITARA FOR HIS INNOVATIVE APPLICATIONS OF ENGINEERING AND CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS

NAVIGATION SCIENCES AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING.

GAAR COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN PARTHASARATHY SHOME APPOINTED ADVISER TO FINANCE MINISTER OF INDIA

THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA APPOINTED TAX EXPERT PARTHASARTHI SHOME AS ADVISER TO FINANCE MINISTER P

CHIDAMBARAM WITH MINISTER OF STATE RANK, SENDING A STRONG SIGNAL THAT TAX REFORMS MAY TOP ITS

ECONOMIC AGENDA IN THE REMAINDER OF THE UPA GOVERNMENT’S SECOND TERM.


AJIT PAWAR SWORN-IN AS MAHARASHTRA DEPUTY CM, ONCE AGAIN

AJITH PAWAR HAD RESIGNED ON 25 OCTOBER 2012 AFTER MEDIA REPORTS ALLEGED HE HAD ARBITRARILY

AWARDED IRRIGATION CONTRACTS WORTH OVER RS20,000 CRORE WHEN HE WAS STATE’S IRRIGATION MINISTER

DURING 1999-2009.AJITH PAWAR SWORN-IN AS MAHARASHTRA DEPUTY CHIEF MINISTER ON 7 DECEMBER 2012

AFTER GETTING THE “CLEAN CHIT” FROM THE GOVERNMENT ON CORRUPTION IN IRRIGATION PROJECTS.

TANA CONFERENCE AT DALLAS

THE 19TH TANA CONVENTION WILL BE HELD AT DALLAS CONVENTION CENTER FROM MAY 24TH – 26TH,

2013.THIS WAS UNANIMOUSLY DECIDED BY TELUGU COMMITTEE OF DALLAS AND BOARD MEMBERS OF TANA.

POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE IN JAPAN

THE POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE HAD OCCURRED IN JAPAN ON 7 DECEMBER 2012.THE MAGNITUDE OF THIS

EARTHQUAKE WAS RECORDED AS 7.3. THIS EARTHQUAKE HAD OCCURRED IN 240 KM BEYOND THE MIYAGI COAST

IN THE PACIFIC OCEANIN A DEPTH OF 10M. BUT THERE WERE NO DEATHS OR SERIOUS DAMAGE.

HOT SPOTS FOR WORLD’S MORE POWERFUL EARTHQUAKES REVEALED

THE LOCATIONS OF WHERE THE WORLD’S LARGEST EARTHQUAKES ARE MOST LIKELY TO TAKE PLACE HAD PINPOINTED

WITH GREATER ACCURACY THAN EVER BEFORE, BY RESEARCHERS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY.THE COASTS OF

SOUTHERN CHILE AND PERU, INDONESIA’S SUMATRA ISLAND, AND SEVERAL REGIONS ALONG THE EASTERN

EURASIAN COASTLINE, ARE SOME OF THE REGIONS PRONE TO GREAT EARTHQUAKES.THE 87 PERCENT OF THE 15

LARGEST (8.6 MAGNITUDE OR HIGHER) AND HALF OF THE 50 LARGEST (8.4 MAGNITUDE OR HIGHER) EARTHQUAKES

OF THE PAST CENTURY ARE ASSOCIATED WITH AREAS OF INTERSECTION BETWEEN OCEANIC FRACTURE ZONES AND

SUBDUCTION ZONES.

MICROSOFT LAUNCHES 14 INNOVATION CENTRES IN INDIA

MICROSOFT CORPORATION (INDIA) PVT. LTD HAD LAUNCHED 14 MICROSOFT INNOVATION CENTRES (MICS) IN

INDIA. IT HAS SIGNED AGREEMENTS WITH LEADING ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS ACROSS FOUR STATES.AS PART OF THE

GLOBAL PROGRAMME, WHICH CURRENTLY HAS 75 MICS, MICROSOFT AIMS TO LAUNCH A 100 SUCH CENTRES IN

INDIA IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS. THE FIRST 14 INNOVATION CENTRES PROPOSED TO BE SET UP ARE IN HYDERABAD,

VIJAYAWADA, RAJAHMUNDRY, KHAMMAM, BAPATLA,GUNTUR AND TIRUPATI IN ANDHRA PRADESH, RAIPUR IN

CHHATTISGARH, BHOPAL IN MADHYA PRADESH, TIRUCHIRAPPALLI, VELLORE, COIMBATORE, MADURAI AND SALEM

IN TAMIL NADU.


UN CLIMATE CONFERENCE EXTENDS KYOTO PROTOCOL

NEARLY 200 COUNTRIES THAT TOOK PART IN UNITED NATIONS CLIMATE TALKS IN DOHA HAD AGREED TO EXTEND

THE KYOTO PROTOCOL THROUGH 2020. THE 1997 AGREEMENT, WHICH REQUIRES INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS TO

CUT GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, HAD BEEN SET TO EXPIRE ON 31 DECEMBER 2012.

NEW GEL MAY PREVENT AND PROTECT AGAINST HIV TRANSMISSION

RESEARCHERS LED BY DEREUDDRE-BOSQUET FROM THE EUROPEAN COMBINED HIGHLY ACTIVE ANTI-RETROVIRAL

MICROBICIDES (CHAARM) CONSORTIUM DESCRIBE THE GEL’S KEY INGREDIENT, WHICH ARE SMALL PEPTIDES

ENGINEERED TO PRESENT A DECOY TO BIND UP THE VIRUS AND PREVENT IT FROM ENTERING AND INFECTING THE

BODY CELLS.BECAUSE THIS IS A GEL IT CAN BE TOPICALLY APPLIED AND COULD REPRESENT A POWERFUL

PREVENTATIVE AGENT AGAINST SEXUAL TRANSMISSION OF HIV.BOSQUET AND COLLEAGUES ENGINEERED PEPTIDES

NAMED ‘MINICD4S’ BECAUSE THEY MIMIC THE CD4 RECEPTOR USED BY HIV TO GAIN ENTRY INTO IMMUNE CELLS

OF THE BODY.

PALESTINIAN HAMAS LEADER KHALED MESHAAL VISITS GAZA

PALESTINIAN MILITANT ORGANIZATION HAMAS POLITBURO CHIEF KHALED MESHAAL VISITED THE GAZA AFTER 37

YEARS. MESHAAL IN-EXILE CAME FROM EGYPT TO GAZA ON 7 DECEMBER 2012 TO PARTICIPATE IN THE HAMAS

COMPANY’S 25 TH ANNIVERSARY.THIS IS THE FIRST TIME HE IS COMING TO GAZA AS WELL AS THE FOREFRONT OF

THE TERRITORY OF PALESTINE SINCE 1975.

APOLLO HOSPITALS LAUNCHED TELE-MEDICAL SERVICE IN MYANMAR

TO EFFECTIVELY USE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FOR HEALTHCARE, INDIA’S APOLLO GROUP OF HOSPITALS HAD

LAUNCHED ITS TELE-MEDICINE SERVICE IN MYANMAR’S FORMER CAPITAL YANGON.WITH THIS FACILITY, PEOPLE OF

MYANMAR CAN CONSULT INDIAN DOCTORS AND ACCESS QUALITY TREATMENT AND MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY

WITHOUT COMING TO INDIA.

AMITABH BACHCHAN ATTENDS ITALY’S RIVER TO RIVER FILM FESTIVAL

AMITABH BACHCHAN HAD ATTENDED ITALY’S RIVER TO RIVER FILM FESTIVAL IN FLORENCE.THE EVENT HONOURED

BACHCHAN BY SCREENING CINEMA PROJECTS INCLUDING SHOLAY, DEEWAR AND BLACK.THE FESTIVAL RUNS IN

FLORENCE FROM DECEMBER 7 TO 13, BEFORE TRANSFERRING TO ROME BETWEEN DECEMBER 14 AND 16.


POLAND TO HOST UN CLIMATE CONFERENCE IN 2013

POLAND WILL HOST THE NEXT ROUND OF UN CLIMATE TALKS IN 2013.THE DECISION TO HOLD THE 19TH SESSION

OF THE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES (COP) IN WARSAW, CAPITAL OF POLAND, IN 2013 WAS ADOPTED BY

NEGOTIATORS FROM OVER 190 COUNTRIES IN THE CAPITAL OF QATAR, DOHA, AT THE 18TH SESSION OF THE COP.

SIR PATRICK MOORE, ASTRONOMER AND BROADCASTER, PASSES AWAY

BRITISH ASTRONOMER AND BROADCASTER SIR PATRICK MOORE ON 9 DECEMBER 2012 IN SELSEY, WEST

SUSSEX.SIR PATRICK PRESENTED THE BBC PROGRAMME THE SKY AT NIGHT FOR OVER 50 YEARS, MAKING HIM THE

LONGEST-RUNNING HOST OF THE SAME TELEVISION SHOW EVER.

RAJAN AND SAJAN MISHRA TO GET ‘NATIONAL TANSEN SAMMAN’

NOTED VOCALIST DUO OF RAJAN AND SAJAN MISHRA WILL BE AWARDED PRESTIGIOUS ‘NATIONAL TANSEN

SAMMAN’ FOR YEAR 2011-12 FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO HINDUSTANI CLASSICAL MUSIC.THE AWARD,

CARRYING A CASH PRIZE OF RS 2 LAKH AND A CITATION, WILL BE CONFERRED UPON THE EXPONENTS OF BENARAS

GHARANA (SCHOOL OF CLASSICAL MUSIC) AT A FUNCTION TO BE HELD GWALIOR ON 14 DECEMBER 2012.

CONTACT LENS THAT CAN RECEIVE YOUR TEXT MESSAGES

SCIENTISTS HAD DEVELOPED A NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT ALLOWS ELECTRONIC MESSAGES SENT FROM MOBILE PHONES

TO BE DIRECTLY PROJECTED ON TO CONTACT LENS PLACED IN THE RECIPIENT’S EYES.THE TECHNOLOGY, DEVELOPED

BY BELGIAN RESEARCHERS, ALLOWS INFORMATION SUCH AS TEXT MESSAGES FROM A MOBILE PHONE TO THE

CONTACT LENSES.

RICH GULF FAMILIES OWN WEALTH WORTH USD 1.2 TRILLION

ACCORDING TO THE ‘ KFH-RESEARCH’ REPORT SAID ONE MILLION WEALTHY FAMILIES IN THE GULF COOPERATION

COUNCIL (GCC) COUNTRIES OWN INVESTMENT ASSETS WORTH ABOUT USD 1.2 TRILLION.THE REPORT ABOUT

WEALTH AND FUNDS MANAGEMENT SAID THAT THE WORLD’S POPULATION OF HIGH NET WORTH INDIVIDUALS

(HNWIS) GREW BY A MARGINAL 0.8 PER CENT YEAR ON YEAR TO 11 MILLION IN 2011. THIS PACE WAS SLUGGISH

COMPARED TO GROWTH RATES OF 17.1 PER CENT IN 2009 AND 8.3 PER CENT IN 2010


INDIA, UKRAINE SIGN FIVE PACTS TO BOOST TIES

INDIA AND UKRAINE ON 10 DECEMBER 2012 SIGNED ON FIVE AGREEMENTS IN NEW DELHI TO ENHANCE

COOPERATION INCLUDING IN AREAS OF DEFENCE, NUCLEAR, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND ALSO TO REMOVE

BARRIERS IN TRADE AND COMMERCE. THE AGREEMENTS WERE SIGNED DURING THE VISIT OF UKRAINE PRESIDENT

VICTOR YANUKOVICH.

EX-BANGLADESH PRESIDENT PASSES AWAY

FORMER BANGLADESHI PRESIDENT AND BANGLADESH NATIONALIST PARTY(BNP) LEADER IAJUDDIN AHMED

PASSED AWAY 10 DECEMBER 2012. IAJUDDIN AHMED WAS THE 13TH PRESIDENT OF BANGLADESHSERVING FROM

SEPT. 6, 2002 UNTIL FEB. 12, 2009.

LIONEL MESSI BREAKS GERD MULLER’S RECORD FOR MOST GOALS IN A CALENDAR YEAR

BARCELONA’S SOCCER PLAYER LIONEL MESSI HAS SET THE RECORD FOR MOST GOALS IN A CALENDAR YEAR BY

SCORING HIS 86TH GOAL OF 2012.THE EARLIER RECORD WAS MADE BY GERMAN SOCCER PLAYER GERD MUELLER

WHO HAD SCORED 85 GOALS IN 1972 WHICH INCLUDED 72 GOALS FOR HIS CLUB BAYERN MUNICH AND 13 FOR

HIS COUNTRY WEST GERMANY.MESSI BROKE THE GERD MUELLER RECORD WITH TWO GOALS IN A 2-1 WIN OVER

REAL BETIS ON 9 DECEMBER 2012.

ZARDARI ANNOUNCES GRANT FOR GIRLS’ EDUCATION WORLDWIDE

PAKISTAN’S PRESIDENT ASIF ALI ZARDARI ON 10 DECEMBER 2012 ANNOUNCED A $10-MILLION DONATION FOR A

GLOBAL WAR CHEST TO EDUCATE ALL GIRLS BY 2015 SET UP IN THE NAME OF MALALA YOUSAFZAI, WHO WAS SHOT

BY THE TALIBAN FOR CAMPAIGNING FOR GIRLS’ EDUCATION.

BEL, ISRAEL’S IAI INK MOU ON NAVAL MISSILES

BHARAT ELECTRONICS LTD (BEL) HAD SIGNED A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) WITH ISRAEL

AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES (IAI) FOR COOPERATION ON FUTURE LONG RANGE SURFACE TO AIR MISSILE (LRSAM)

SHIP-DEFENCE SYSTEMS ON 5 DECEMBER 2012.

RUSSIA DELIVERS THREE UPGRADED MIG-29 FIGHTER JETS TO INDIA

RUSSIA ON 10 DECEMBER 2012 DELIVERED THE FIRST THREE UPGRADED MIG-29UPG FIGHTER JETS TO INDIA

UNDER A USD 900 MILLION CONTRACT TO MODERNISE THE AGEING FLEET OF MIG-29 AIRCRAFT WITH THE IAF.

INDIA ECONOMY WOULD DOMINATE THE ECONOMY OF THE WORLD BY 2030

US INTELLIGENCE COUNSEL WAS RELEASED REPORT ON 10 DECEMBER 2012 DECLARED THAT INDIA WOULD

STRADDLE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE AND WILL ALSO DOMINATE THE ECONOMY OF THE WHOLE WORLD BY 2030.

BIHAR RECEIVED THE SILVER ICON WEB RATNA AWARD 2012 FOR ITS PUBLIC GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL WEBSITE

BIHAR RECEIVED THE SILVER ICON WEB RATNA AWARD 2012 FOR ITS PUBLIC GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL WEBSITE ON

10 DECEMBER 2012.THE AWARD WAS PRESENTED TO S. SIDDHARTH, BIHAR’S SECRETARY OF URBAN

DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC GRIEVANCES IN NEW DELHI BY KAPIL SIBBAL, UNION MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS

AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

UN, PAKISTAN LAUNCH ‘MALALA FUND FOR GIRLS’ EDUCATION’

PAKISTAN JOINED FORCES WITH THE UNITED NATIONS ON 10 DECEMBER 2012 TO LAUNCH A FUND AIMED AT

BOOSTING GIRLS’ EDUCATION THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.THE FUND IS NAMED FOR MALALA YOUSAFZAI, THE 15-

YEAR-OLD PAKISTANI GIRL WHO WAS SHOT AND WOUNDED BY THE PAKISTANI TALIBAN IN OCTOBER FOR SPEAKING

OUT AGAINST THE MILITANT GROUP AND IN FAVOR OF THE RIGHT OF GIRLS’ TO ATTEND SCHOOL.


INDIA IN 3RD PLACE IN ICC’S T20 RANKINGS

INDIA WERE PLACED AT NUMBER THREE POSITION WHILE SURESH RAINA WAS THE ONLY BATSMAN IN THE TOP-10

IN THE LATEST ICC TWENTY20 RANKINGS RELEASED IN DUBAI ON 11 DECEMBER 2012.INDIA HAVE 120 POINTS TO

TOP RANKED SRI LANKA’S 127 AND SECOND PLACED WEST INDIES’ 122.

NIIT IN PACT WITH IRELAND INSTITUTE FOR DIGITAL MARKETING COURSE

NIIT TIED-UP WITH IRELAND’S DIGITAL MARKETING INSTITUTE (DMI)ON 11 DECEMBER 2012 .THE AIM OF NIIT

WAS TO TRAIN 25,000 STUDENTS OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS IN THE DIGITAL MARKETING COURSE.

VIJAY KUMAR APPOINTED SENIOR SECURITY ADVISER IN HOME MINISTRY

THE UNION GOVERNMENT HAD APPOINTED THE FORMER DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE CENTRAL RESERVE POLICE

FORCE, K. VIJAY KUMAR, AS SENIOR SECURITY ADVISER IN THE HOME MINISTRY WHERE HE WILL ADVISE ON

SECURITY AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE NAXAL-AFFECTED STATES.

FORMER RANJI CRICKETER B B NIMBALKAR DEAD

FORMER RANJI CRICKETER B B NIMBALKAR WAS PASSES AWAY ON 11 DECEMBER 2012. BB NIMBALKAR,

WHO MADE AN UNBEATEN 443 RUNS FOR MAHARASHTRA AGAINST KATHIAWAR IN A RANJI TROPHY MATCH IN

1948-49. YET THIS IS THE INDIA’S HIGHEST SCORER IN FIRST-CLASS CRICKET. IN OVERALL IT WAS THE FOURTH-

BEST SCORE ON THE INTERNATIONAL FIRST-CLASS CRICKET.

AISHWARYA, PRATHIMA CLINCH GOLD MEDAL IN THE CANARA BANK NATIONAL TENPIN BOWLING CHAMPIONSHIP

KARNATAKA’S AISHWARYA AND PRATHIMA CLINCH GOLD MEDAL IN THE CANARA BANK NATIONAL TENPIN

BOWLING CHAMPIONSHIP IN THE WOMEN’S DOUBLES DIVISION IN BANGALORE AT THE BLU-O ON 11 DECEMBER

2012. THIS IS PRATHIMA’S FIFTH CONSECUTIVE WOMEN’S DOUBLES GOLD IN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS.

STEPHEN HAWKING, CERN SCIENTISTS WIN AWARDS FROM YURI MILNER FOUNDATION

A RUSSIAN BILLIONAIRE’S FOUNDATION WAS AWARDED TWO SPECIAL PRIZES OF $3 MILLION EACH TO BRITISH

COSMOLOGIST STEPHEN HAWKING FOR HIS WORK ON BLACK HOLES AND TO SEVEN SCIENTISTS AT THE WORLD’S

BIGGEST ATOM-SMASHER FOR THEIR ROLES IN THE DISCOVERY OF A NEW SUBATOMIC PARTICLE BELIEVED TO BE THE

LONG-SOUGHT HIGGS BOSON.YURI MILNER’S FUNDAMENTAL PHYSICS PRIZE FOUNDATION ANNOUNCED THE

AWARDS ON 11 DECEMBER 2012.HAWKING IS HONORED FOR HIS DISCOVERY OF HAWKING RADIATION FROM

BLACK HOLES “AND HIS DEEP CONTRIBUTIONS TO QUANTUM GRAVITY AND QUANTUM ASPECTS OF THE EARLY

UNIVERSE.”

BHARAT RATNA PANDIT RAVI SHANKAR PASSES AWAY

BHARAT RATNA PANDIT RAVI SHANKAR, WHOSE MASTERY OVER THE SITAR HELPED REJUVENATE THE CLASSICAL

INSTRUMENTAL TRADITION IN INDIA AND POPULARISE INDIAN MUSIC IN THE WEST THROUGH CONCERTS AND

COLLABORATIONS WITH WELL KNOWN ARTISTS, DIED IN SAN DIEGO, U.S., ON 11 DECEMBER 2012.

INDIANS ‘LARGEST ETHNIC MINORITY GROUP IN UK’

ON 11 DECEMBER ACCORDING TO THE 2011 BRITAIN POPULATION CENSUS RECORD INDIANS ARE THE LARGEST

ETHNIC MINORITY GROUP IN THE UK.WITH 1.5 PERCENT OF THE HINDU RELIGION BECAME A THIRD-LARGEST

RELIGION IN THE NATION’S .IN ENGLAND AND WALES IN THE IMMIGRANT POPULATION HAS REACHED 3 MILLION

TO 7.5 MILLION IN THE PAST DECADE . IN LONDON 2001 WHITE BRITISARS 4.3 MILLION ARE RESTRICTED TO

3.7 PERCENT IN 2011 .ISLAM WILL ALSO BE IDENTIFIED AS THE FASTEST-GROWING FAITH, WITH MORE THAN TWO

MILLION MUSLIMS, IT ADDED.THE CHRISTIAN POPULATION IN THE COUNTRY IS ALSO A DROP IN THE STATISTICS..

THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY POPULATION IN THE COUNTRY’S FASTEST GROWING INCREASED BY 3 PERCENT TO

4.8 .

SEVEN MILKY WAY PLANETS THAT COULD HARBOUR LIFE DISCOVERED

NEW YORK SCIENTISTS HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED SEVEN PLANETS IN THE MILKY WAY OUTSIDE OUR SOLAR SYSTEM

THAT COULD POTENTIALLY HARBOUR LIFE AND RESEARCHERS FROM AN AMBITIOUS PROJECT TO CATALOGUE ALL

HABITABLE WORLDS CLAIM.SIMPLISTICALLY, BIGGER GAS GIANTS ORBITING VARIABLE STARS ARE LESS LIKELY TO

HOST LIFE THAN SMALLER, ROCKY PLANETS NEAR STABLE STARS.

TATA GROUP DEVELOPED NEW ” ARTILLERY GUN “

ON 11 DECEMBER IN A STEP TOWARDS DEVELOPING THE INDIGENOUS PRIVATE SECTOR DEFENCE INDUSTRY, THE

TATA GROUP HAS CREATED A NEW ARTILLERY GUN .THE TATA GROUP HAVE REQUESTED THE ARMY TO PROVIDE

ITS RANGES AND AMMUNITION TO US FOR ENGINEERING FIRING OF THE HOWITZER.ONE PROTOTYPE OF THE

HOWITZER HAS BEEN PRODUCED BY THE COMPANY SO FAR AND AROUND 50-55 PER CENT OF ITS CONTENT IS

INDIGENOUS.THE 155MM 52 CALIBRE GUN DEVELOPED BY THE TATA GROUP IS LIKELY TO HAVE A STRIKE RANGE OF

52 KMS, WHICH WOULD PROBABLY BE THE LONGEST IN THE INDIAN INVENTORY.

CELL PHONE CONNECTIONS TO EXCEED THE WORLD POPULATION BY 2014

THE INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMUNICATION UNION (ITU) TO BE DESIGNED AND RELEASED

“INFORMATION SOCIETY 2012 – OBSERVE “ REPORT ON 11 DECEMBER ..ACCORDING TO THE REPORT NUMBER

OF CELL PHONE CONNECTIONS EXCEEDING THE WORLD’S POPULATION BY 2014.. NOW 6 BILLION (HUNDREDS OF

MILLIONS) CELL PHONE CONNECTIONS THEY WILL REACH 730 MILLIONS BY 2014 .THEN THE WORLD’S POPULATION

IS 700 CRORE.ALREADY IN RUSSIA 1.8 TIMES CELL PHONE ACCOUNTS MORE THAN 25 MILLION PEOPLE .


INDIA SUCCESSFULLY TEST FIRED AGNI-I BALLISTIC MISSILE

INDIA ON 12 DECEMBER 2012 SUCCESSFULLY TEST-FIRED ITS INDIGENOUSLY DEVELOPED NUCLEAR CAPABLE AGNI-I

BALLISTIC MISSILE WITH A STRIKE RANGE OF 700 KM FROM A TEST RANGE OFF ODISHA COAST. WEIGHING 12

TONNES, THE 15-METRE-LONG AGNI-I, WHICH IS CAPABLE OF CARRYING PAYLOADS UP TO 1000 KG AND DESTROY

THE TARGETS AT A DISTANCE OF 700 KM.

SINGAPORE PARLIAMENT SPEAKER RESIGNS OVER EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIR

SINGAPORE’S PARLIAMENT SPEAKER MICHAEL PALMER ANNOUNCED HIS RESIGNATION ON 12 DECEMBER 2012

OVER AN EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIR WITH A STAFF MEMBER OF THE PEOPLE’S ASSOCIATION, A STATUTORY BODY

LEADING EFFORTS TO REACH OUT TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

THIRD WORLD CUP KABADDI TO BE HELD AT VIJAYWADA

VIJAYWADA WILL HOST THE THIRD WORLD CUP OF KABADDI, SCHEDULE FROM MARCH 27 TO 31 IN 2013.IN THIS

EVENT 20 COUNTRIES WILL BE PARTICIPATED.

FIRST CM OF UTTARAKHAND NITYANAND SWAMI PASSES AWAY

THE FIRST CHIEF MINISTER OF UTTARAKHAND NITYANAND SWAMI DIED AT DEHRA DUN ON 12 DECEMBER

2012.HE WORKED AS A FIRST CHIEF MINISTER OF UTTARAKHAND AFTER DIVIDING IT FROM UTTAR PRADESH IN

2000.

P.C. GHOSE SWORN IN CHIEF JUSTICE

JUSTICE PINAKI CHANDRA GHOSE WAS SWORN IN CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE AP HIGH COURT BY GOVERNOR E.S.L.

NARASIMHAN ON 12 DECEMBER 2012. HE STARTED HIS PRACTICE IN 1976 AT THE HIGH COURT OF CALCUTTA

AND WAS ELEVATED AS JUDGE OF THE COURT IN 1997. HE LED THE STATE LEGAL SERVICES AUTHORITIES OF WEST

BENGAL AND ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS. CHIEF JUSTICE GHOSE WAS THE CHAIRMAN OF INSTITUTIONAL

ETHICS COMMITTEE OF NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHOLERA AND ENTERIC DISEASES, KOLKATA.

UN SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMNS NORTH KOREA ROCKET LAUNCH

THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL HAD CONDEMNED NORTH KOREA FOR LAUNCHING A ROCKET ON 12 DECEMBER 2012

IN DEFIANCE OF A UN BAN. THE US AND ITS ALLIES VIEW THE LAUNCH AS A DISGUISED TEST OF BALLISTIC MISSILE

TECHNOLOGY. NORTH KOREA SAYS ITS AIM WAS TO LAUNCH A SATELLITE. NORTH KOREA WAS BANNED BY THE UN

FROM BALLISTIC MISSILE TESTS AFTER NUCLEAR TESTS IN 2006 AND 2009.

INDIA, USA OPEN SOLAR RESEARCH CENTER

INDIA AND THE UNITED STATES HAVE OPENED SERIIUS OR THE SOLAR ENERGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE IN MUMBAI

TO ENCOURAGE COLLABORATION BETWEEN ACADEMIA AND INDUSTRY OF BOTH COUNTRIES. INDIA’S DEPARTMENT

OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND THE US DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY HAVE EACH COMMITTED US$25 MILLION

OVER A PERIOD OF FIVE YEARS TO OPERATE SERIIUS WHILE 30 INDIAN AND U.S. COMPANIES WILL CONTRIBUTE

ANOTHER US$25 MILLION.

VINOD RAI RE-ELECTED AS CHAIR OF UN AUDITORS PANEL

COMPTROLLER AND AUDITOR GENERAL (CAG) OF INDIA VINOD RAI WAS RE-ELECTED CHAIR OF THE (UN) PANEL

FOR THE YEAR 2013, WHILE THE CAG OF THE UNITED KINGDOM, AMYAS MORSE, WAS RE-ELECTED THE VICE-

CHAIR OF THE PANEL

MARUTI SUZUKI ERTIGA AWARDED “FAMILY CAR OF THE YEAR 2012″

MARUTI SUZUKI ERTIGA HAS BEEN CONFERRED WITH COVETED “FAMILY CAR OF THE YEAR 2012″ AWARD BY

COUNTRY’S LEADING AUTOMOBILE PUBLICATION, BBC TOPGEAR INDIA. WITH ITS 3-ROW SEATING CONFIGURATION

IN A COMPACT OVERALL DESIGN, THE ERTIGA HAS BEEN CHOSEN FOR THE TITLE FOR CREATING AN ALTOGETHER NEW

“COMPACT MPV” SEGMENT IN THE AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY.

FORMER CHIEF JUSTICE P N BHAGWATI “MY TRYST WITH JUSTICE ” BOOK RELEASED

ON 12 DECEMBER PRESIDENT PRANAB MUKHERJEE RELEASED A BOOK “MY TRYST WITH JUSTICE ” WHICH WAS

WRITTEN BY FORMER CHIEF JUSTICE P N BHAGWATI .THE BOOK WOULD BE A PRIZED POSSESSION FOR EVERY

INDIAN WHO WANTS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO THE WORLD AND WHO ASPIRES FOR A WORLD MORE JUST, HE

ADDED.


GRAMMY LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR RAVI SHANKAR

SITAR MAESTRO PANDIT RAVI SHANKAR WILL BE HONOURED WITH A GRAMMY LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

POSTHUMOUSLY.HE BECOMES THE FIRST INDIAN TO GET THE PRESTIGIOUS AWARD, WHICH WILL BE PRESENTED ON

FEBRUARY 10 AT THE 55TH GRAMMY AWARDS CEREMONY IN LOS ANGELES.THE DECISION TO HONOUR RAVI

SHANKAR, A THREE-TIME GRAMMY WINNER, WAS MADE BEFORE HIS DEATH.

SCIENTISTS DISCOVER MINI NILE RIVER ON SATURN’S MOON TITAN

NASA SCIENTISTS HAD SPOTTED THE LONGEST EXTRATERRESTRIAL RIVER SYSTEM EVER – ON SATURN’S MOON TITAN

– AND IT APPEARS TO BE A MINIATURE VERSION OF EARTH’S NILE RIVER.

NATIONWIDE MOBILE NUMBER PORTABILITY BY FEB 2013

TELECOM MINISTER KAPIL SIBAL ANNOUNCED ON 13 DECEMBER 2012 THAT THE NATIONWIDE MOBILE NUMBER

PORTABILITY (MNP) IS EXPECTED TO BE ROLLED OUT BY FEBRUARY 2013, WHICH WILL ALLOW USERS TO RETAIN

THEIR NUMBERS EVEN IF THEY MOVE FROM ONE STATE TO ANOTHER.

INDIA CLINCHES WORLD CUP

INDIA WON THE FIRST T20 WORLD CUP FOR THE BLIND .IN THE FINAL ON 13 DECEMBER 2012 INDIA DEFEATED

THE PAKISTAN BY 29-RUNS.

68% TURNOUT IN PHASE-I GUJARAT POLLS

A RECORD 68 PER CENT VOTING WAS REGISTERED IN THE FIRST PHASE OF POLLING IN THE FIRST PHASE OF THE

GUJARAT ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS ON 13 DECEMBER 2012. THE POLLING PERCENTAGE IS THE HIGHEST IN THE

ELECTIONS HELD SO FAR IN GUJARAT. THE HIGHEST POLLING RECORDED EARLIER WAS 63.70 PER CENT IN 1967.

STAFF SELECTION COMMISSION TO NOTIFY OVER ONE LAKH JOBS

IN A MASSIVE RECRUITMENT DRIVE, THE STAFF SELECTION COMMISSION WILL NOTIFY MORE THAN ONE LAKH JOBS

IN 2013-2014 AND EXPECTS TO COMPLETE THE PROCESS OF RECRUITMENT BY SEPTEMBER 2013.THE

RECRUITMENT PROCESS WILL COVER THE DEPARTMENTS OF INCOME-TAX, CENTRAL EXCISE, FOOD CORPORATION OF

INDIA, AIR AND DOORDARSHAN APART FROM NOTIFYING JOBS FOR CENTRAL PARAMILITARY ESTABLISHMENTS. THE

NOTIFICATION FOR VACANCIES WILL SHORTLY BE ISSUED.

USHA THORAT COMMITTEE FOR NBFCS

INDIA’S MAJORITY OF NON-BANKING FINANCE COMPANIES (NBFCS) MAY BE FREED FROM THE REGULATORY

CLUTCHES PROVIDED RESERVE BANK OF INDIA (RBI) IMPLEMENTS ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY USHA

THORAT COMMITTEE. WHICH SUGGESTED MAINTAINING A MINIMUM ASSET SIZE OF MORE THAN RS 50 CRORE

ALONG WITH A NET OWNED FUND OF RS 2 CRORE; FOR REGISTERING ANY NEW NBFC.THE COMMITTEE HAD

SUBMITTED ITS RECOMMENDATIONS TO RBI. THE WORKING GROUP WAS CONSTITUTED TO REVIEW THE EXISTING

REGULATORY AND SUPERVISORY FRAMEWORK OF NBFCS WITH SPECIAL FOCUS ON THE RISKS IN THE

SECTOR.CURRENTLY, THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE UNDER RBI’S CONSIDERATION.

CHANDRASHEKHAR COMMITTEE TO FRAME RULES FOR FOREIGN INVESTORS

ON 13 DECEMBER THE MARKET REGULATOR SEBI HAS APPOINTED A COMMITTEE UNDER EX-CABINET SECRETARY K

M CHANDRASHEKHAR TO FRAME A SINGLE SET OF GUIDELINES FOR ALL TYPES OF FOREIGN INVESTORS.THE

COMMITTEE WILL SUGGEST WAYS TO SIMPLIFY THE INVESTMENT PROCESS FOR ALL OVERSEAS ENTITIES LIKE FOREIGN

INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS, FOREIGN VENTURE CAPITAL INVESTORS (FVCIS), QUALIFIED FINANCIAL ,INSTITUTIONAL

INVESTORS (QFIS) AMONG OTHERS, AND ALSO TO STRENGTHEN SURVEILLANCE OVER THEM.


BARCODE CO-INVENTOR NORMAN JOSEPH WOODLAND DIED

NORMAN JOSEPH WOODLAND, WHO CO-CREATED THE BARCODE, WAS DIED ON 9 DECEMBER 2012 IN NEW JERSEY

AT THE AGE OF 91.

TWIN NASA SPACECRAFT PREPARE TO CRASH INTO MOON

TWIN LUNAR-ORBITING NASA SPACECRAFT THAT HAVE ALLOWED SCIENTISTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE INTERNAL

STRUCTURE AND COMPOSITION OF THE MOON ARE BEING PREPARED FOR THEIR CONTROLLED DESCENT AND IMPACT

ON A MOUNTAIN NEAR THE MOON’S NORTH POLE AT ABOUT 2:28 P.M. PST (5:28 P.M. EST) MONDAY, DEC. 17.

MUMBAI AMONG WORLD’S ‘DIRTIEST’ CITIES: TRIPADVISOR SURVEY

INDIA’S COMMERCIAL CAPITAL, MUMBAI, WAS NAMED AMONG THE WORLD’S ‘DIRTIEST’ CITIES, RANKING LAST IN

THE “CLEANEST STREETS” CATEGORY, A GLOBAL SURVEY OF 40 KEY TOURIST CITIES HAS FOUND.ACCORDING TO

TRIPADVISOR’S CITIES SURVEY, TOKYO GRABBED THE FIRST PLACE WHILE MUMBAI RANKED LAST IN THE LIST OF

“CLEANEST STREETS”. SIMILARLY IN THE CATEGORY OF “EASE OF GETTING AROUND”, MUMBAI RANKED AT THE

LAST POSITION WHILE ZURICH STOOD AT FIRST PLACE.

IOC RETAINS TOP SLOT IN FORTUNE 500 INDIA LIST

GOVERNMENT OWNED INDIAN OIL CORPORATION (IOC) IS RANKED AS THE LARGEST COMPANY IN TERMS OF

REVENUE, THE FORTUNE 500 LIST OF INDIAN COMPANIES FOR 2012 . IN THIS LIST INDIAN OIL CORPORATION GOT

THE FIRST PLACE WITH A FULL-YEAR REVENUE OF RS 4,202 BILLION, RELIANCE INDUSTRIES LIMITED GOT THE

SECOND PLACE WITH A FULL-YEAR REVENUE OF RS 3,675 BILLION AND BHARAT PETROLEUM CORPORATION GOT

THE THIRD PLACE WITH A FULL -YEAR REVENUE OF RS 2,148 BILLION

NEW VISA AGREEMENT BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN

SHRI SUSHILKUMAR SHINDE, HOME MINISTER OF INDIA AND MR. A. REHMAN MALIK, PAKISTAN INTERIOR

MINISTER JOINTLY OPERATIONALIZED THE NEW VISA AGREEMENT BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN ON 14TH

DECEMBER, 2012 AT NEW DELHI. HOWEVER, THE VISA-ON-ARRIVAL WILL COME INTO EFFECT FROM 15TH

JANUARY, 2013 AND THE GROUP TOURIST VISA FROM 15TH MARCH, 2013. MAIN FEATURES OF THE INDIA-

PAKISTAN NEW VISA AGREEMENT ARE AS FOLLOWS : VISITOR VISA

• PLACES OF VISIT ALLOWABLE INCREASED FROM THREE TO FIVE PLACES

• IN EXCEPTIONAL CASES VISITOR VISA FOR ONE YEAR COULD BE ISSUED IN THE PAST. NOW PROVISION MADE FOR

ISSUE OF VISA UPTO TWO YEARS IN FOLLOWING CASES:

A.PERSONS ABOVE 65 YEARS OF AGE

B.NATIONAL OF ONE COUNTRY MARRIED TO NATIONAL OF THE OTHER COUNTRY.

C. CHILDREN BELOW 12 YEARS ACCOMPANYING PARENTS IN (B) ABOVE

VISA ON ARRIVAL CAN BE GRANTED AT ATTARI/WAGAH CHECK-POST TO PERSONS MORE THAN 65 YEARS OF AGE

FOR 45 DAYS WITH SINGLE ENTRY (EFFECTIVE FROM 15TH JANUARY, 2013).

BUSINESS VISA

EXEMPTION FROM POLICE REPORTING FOR BUSINESS VISA GRANTED TO BUSINESSMEN WITH AN ANNUAL INCOME

ABOVE PAK RS. 5 MILLION OR EQUIVALENT OR ANNUAL TURNOVER ABOVE PAK RS. 30 MILLION OR EQUIVALENT.

GROUP TOURIST VISA

• GROUP TOURIST VISA FOR 30 DAYS MAY BE ISSUED FOR TRAVEL IN GROUPS, WITH NOT LESS THAN 10 MEMBERS

AND NOT MORE THAN 50 MEMBERS IN EACH GROUP, ORGANIZED BY APPROVED TOUR OPERATORS/TRAVEL AGENTS

(EFFECTIVE FROM 15THMARCH, 2013).

WORLD CONFERENCE ON INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS (WCIT-12)

THE FIRST EVER WORLD CONFERENCE ON INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS (WCIT) FROM 3 -14 DECEMBER

HELD IN DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES.THE CONFERENCE REVIEWED THE CURRENT INTERNATIONAL

TELECOMMUNICATION REGULATIONS (ITRS).THE 193 MEMBER STATES OF THE AMBASSADORS ARE ATTENDED THIS

CONFERENCE.WHILE 89 STATES HAVE SIGNED THE UN INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS AGREEMENT AND

ANOTHER 55 COUNTRIES HAVE REFUSED THE DEAL.THE NEW AGREEMENT WILL COME INTO EFFECT IN JANUARY

2015.THE NEW AGREEMENT WILL GIVE COUNTRIES A RIGHT TO ACCESS INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS

SERVICES AND THE ABILITY TO BLOCK SPAM, WHICH DELEGATIONS DECLINING TO SIGN THE AMENDED TEXT ARGUED

WOULD PAVE THE WAY FOR GOVERNMENT CENSORSHIP AND CONTROL OVER THE INTERNET.


INDIA WON THE WORLD CUP KABADDI TOURNAMENT 2012

INDIA WON THE 3RD WORLD CUP KABADDI TOURNAMENT FOR THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE TIME IN THE MEN’S

CATEGORY AND SECOND CONSECUTIVE TIME IN THE WOMEN’S CATEGORY ON15 DECEMBER 2012. INDIAN MEN

DEFEATED THE PAKISTAN AND INDIA WOMEN DEFEATED THE MALAYSIA IN THE FINALS HELD AT THE GURU NANAK

DEV STADIUM IN LUDHIANA.

SONIA GANDHI LAUNCHES “DELHI ANNSHRI YOJNA”

UPA CHAIRPERSON SONIA GANDHI WAS LAUNCHED A MAJOR FOOD SECURITY PROGRAMME OF DELHI

GOVERNMENT “DELHI ANNSHRI YOJNA” ON 15 DECEMBER 2012.UNDER WHICH A MONTHLY CASH SUBSIDY OF RS.

600 WILL BE TRANSFERRED DIRECTLY INTO AADHAAR-LINKED BANK ACCOUNTS OF THE SENIOR-MOST FEMALE

MEMBERS OF TWO LAKH POOR FAMILIES.

JEEV HONOURED WITH ASIA PACIFIC LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

INDIAN GOLFER JEEV MILKHA SINGH (IN PIC) WON THE ASIA PACIFIC LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD ALONG WITH

JACK NICKLAUS AND COLIN MONTGOMERIE ON 15 DECEMBER 2012.

NAINA LAL KIDWAI BECOMES FIRST WOMAN PRESIDENT OF FICCI

COUNTRY HEAD OF HSBC INDIA, NAINA LAL KIDWAI, TOOK OVER AS PRESIDENT OF FICCI ON 15 DECEMBER

2012. SHE BECOME THE FIRST WOMAN TO HEAD THE LEADING INDUSTRY BODY.

THE CYCLONE STRUCK SAMOA

THE CYCLONE STRUCK SAMOA ON 13 DECEMBER 2012 LEAVING AT LEAST 2 DEAD AND 3,000 HOMELESS.

FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES RISE BY $484.2 MILLION TO $295 BILLION

INDIA’S FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES INCREASED BY $484.2 MILLION TO REACH $294.99 BILLION IN THE WEEK

ENDED DECEMBER 7 ON THE BACK OF INCREASE IN THE CORE CURRENCY ASSETS, THE RESERVE BANK SAID ON 15

DECEMBER 2012.

HUMPY WON THE BRONZE MEDAL IN WORLD MIND-GAMES

WORLD NO. 2 KONERU HUMPY WON BRONZE MEDAL IN THE WORLD MIND-GAMES.THE FOUR PLAYERS TIED WITH

FIVE POINTS EACH AT THE END OF SEVEN ROUNDS. IN THE TIE-BREAK, LAHANO WON THE GOLD, YIFAN SILVER AND

HUMPY THE BRONZE.

INDIA, SRI LANKA, MALDIVES TO INK TRILATERAL COOPERATION ON MARITIME ISSUES

INDIA, SRI LANKA AND MALDIVES WILL SOON SIGN A TRILATERAL AGREEMENT ON MARITIME COOPERATION TO

POOL RESOURCES AND SHARE DATA IN THE REGION FOR BETTER CONTROL OVER THE TERRITORIAL WATERS, AND

DETECT SUSPICIOUS MOVEMENTS.

INDIA-MALAYSIA BILATERAL TRADE SEEN RISING TO $15 BILLION BY 2015

INDIA-MALAYSIA BILATERAL TRADE IS EXPECTED TO TOUCH $15 BILLION BY 2015, ACCORDING TO MR SHAH

NIZAM AHMED, CONSUL (TRADE), CONSULATE GENERAL OF MALAYSIA.MALAYSIA WANTS TO DEVELOP DIRECT

TRADE WITH INDIA AND OTHER ASIAN COUNTRIES. CURRENTLY, INDIA IS MALAYSIA’S LARGEST TRADING PARTNER

AMONG COUNTRIES OF THE SOUTH, EXCLUDING ASEAN NATIONS AND CHINA, HE TOLD A MEETING ORGANISED BY

THE FEDERATION OF ANDHRA PRADESH CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY IN HYDERABAD ON 12

DECEMBER 2012.

RITA SINGH ELECTED FEDERATION OF INDIAN ASSOCIATIONS PRESIDENT

RITA SINGH, AN INDIAN AMERICAN BUSINESSWOMAN FROM BIHAR WITH CLOSE CONNECTIONS TO BOLLYWOOD,

WAS ELECTED THE FIRST WOMAN PRESIDENT OF CHICAGO-BASED FEDERATION OF INDIAN ASSOCIATIONS (FIA).

INDIANS NOW LIVE LONGER BUT IN POOR HEALTH IN OLD AGE

ACCORDING TO THE THE PRESTIGIOUS BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL, ‘THE LANCET ‘ REPORT THE LIFE EXPECTANCY

(LE) AT BIRTH OF AN AVERAGE INDIAN MALE HAS GONE UP BY 15 YEARS BETWEEN 1970 AND 2010, WHILE THAT

OF AN INDIAN WOMAN BY 18 YEARS.AN AVERAGE INDIAN MAN CAN EXPECT TO LIVE FOR AS LONG AS 63 YEARS,

WHILE AN INDIAN WOMAN CAN LIVE 4.5 YEARS LONGER THAN HER MALE COUNTERPART.AN INDIAN MALE CAN

CLAIM TO BE IN GOOD HEALTH TILL HE REACHES THE AGE OF 54.6 YEARS, AND IS EXPECTED TO SPEND THE LAST

NINE YEARS OF HIS LIFE SUFFERING FROM VARIOUS AILMENTS.AN AVERAGE CHINESE MALE IS LIVING 10 YEARS

LONGER THAN AN INDIAN MALE, WHILE A CHINESE WOMAN IS LIVING 11.5 YEARS LONGER THAN HER INDIAN

COUNTERPART. AN AVERAGE AMERICAN LIVES NEARLY 13 YEARS LONGER THAN AN INDIAN.


CHINA CLAIMS ALL TITLES AT JUNIOR WORLD TT CHAMPIONSHIP

CHINA COMPLETED A CLEAN SWEEP OF TITLES AT THE VOLKSWAGEN 2012 WORLD JUNIOR TABLE TENNIS

CHAMPIONSHIPS AFTER WINNING THE GIRLS AND BOYS TROPHIES IN HYDERABAD ON16 DECEMBER 2012.

HIL(HOCKEY INDIA LEAGUE) AUCTIONS: SARDAR COMMANDS BEST PRICE

THE INDIAN SKIPPER SARDAR SINGH COMMANDED THE BEST PRICE OF $78,000 FROM THE DELHI FRANCHISEE AS

THE PLAYERS CAME UNDER THE HAMMER IN THE HOCKEY INDIA LEAGUE AUCTION IN NEW DELHI ON 15 DECEMBER

2012.

ISRAEL’S FOREIGN MINISTER LIEBERMAN FORMALLY SUBMITS RESIGNATION

ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER AVIGDOR LIEBERMAN FORMALLY SUBMITTED HIS RESIGNATION ON 16 DECEMBER 2012

DUE TO A PENDING INDICTMENT AGAINST HIM FOR FRAUD AND BREACH OF TRUST.UNDER ISRAELI LAW, THE

RESIGNATION TAKES EFFECT IN 48 HOURS, AFTER WHICH PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU WILL BECOME

THE COUNTRY’S ACTING FOREIGN MINISTER.

JAPAN’S NEW PRIME MINISTER SHINZO ABE

THE FORMER PRIME MINISTER AND THE LEADER OF LDP SHINZO ABE ELECTED AS A PRIME MINISTER WITH A

CLEAR VICTORY OVER THE PRIME MINISTER AND LEADER OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF JAPAN(DPJ) YOSHIHIKO

NODA IN THE GENERAL ELECTIONS OF JAPAN ON 16 DECEMBER 2012.

PAK MINISTER REHMAN MALIK VISITED INDIA

PAKISTAN’S INTERIOR MINISTER REHMAN MALIK VISITED INDIA FROM 14TH TO 16TH DECEMBER .DURING THE

VISIT HE MET PRIME MINISTER MANMOHAN SINGH AND BOTH NATIONS SIGNED ON NEW VISA AGREEMENT.

FEDERER & NICOLA NAMED ” SWISS ATHLETE’S OF THE YEAR 2012 “

TENNIS STAR ROGER FEDERER WAS NAMED SWISS MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AT THE 2012 CREDIT SUISSE

SPORTS AWARDS ON 16 DECEMBER IN ZURICH.FEDERER RECEIVED THE HONOUR FOR THE FIFTH TIME. EARLIER IN

2012, FEDERER HAD GRABBED THE 17TH GRAND SLAM TITLE AT WIMBLEDON CHAMPIONSHIPS, LONDON.THE

FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR WAS NICOLA SPIRIG, THE OLYMPIC TRIATHLON CHAMPION OF SWITZERLAND.

INDIAN JOURNALIST’S ASSOCIATION HONOURED SIR CHARLES WHEELER

ON 16 DECEMBER INDIAN JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION HAS CONFERREDITS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR

2012 POSTHUMOUSLY TO FORMER BBC CORRESPONDENT SIR CHARLES WHEELER.IJA, ESTABLISHED IN 1947 AND

ONE OF THE WORLD”S MOST DURABLE AND SUCCESSFUL FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS” BODIES, INSTITUTEDAN

ANNUAL LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD THREE YEARS AGO.

JAPAN PRIME MINISTER YOSHIHIKO NODA RESIGNED

ON 16 DECEMBER JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER YOSHIHIKO NODA RESIGNED FROM HIS POST TO TAKE

RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIS DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF JAPAN (DPJ) DEFEAT IN LOWER HOUSE ELECTION .HE WAS

FORMALLY APPOINTED BY THE EMPEROR ON 2 SEPTEMBER 2011.


INDIA AND ENGLAND RETAIN THEIR SPOTS IN ICC TEST RANKINGS

NOVEMBER 2012

AISHWARYA RAI BACHCHAN RECEIVES SECOND HIGHEST FRENCH CIVILIAN AWARD

BOLLYWOOD ACTRESS AND FORMER MISS WORLD, AISHWARYA RAI BACHCHAN, HAS RECEIVED THE SECOND HIGHEST FRENCH CIVILIAN AWARD “KNIGHT OF THE ORDER OF ARTS AND LETTERS” FROM FRENCH GOVERNMENT FOR HER CONTRIBUTION IN PROMOTING INDO-FRENCH COOPERATION IN CINEMA , IN MUMBAI ON 1ST NOVEMBER 2012.

THE CABINET COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC AFFAIRS (CCEA) LIFT EXPORT BAN ON SOME MILK PRODUCTS

AMID SURPLUS AVAILABILITY OF MILK POWDER IN THE COUNTRY, THE GOVERNMENT IS LIKELY TO DECIDE ON 1ST NOVEMBER 2012 ON LIFTING BAN ON EXPORT OF MILK PRODUCTS, ESPECIALLY WHOLE MILK POWDER, DAIRY WHITENER AND INFANT MILK FOODS.

MASTERCARD, THOMAS COOK TIE UP FOR PREPAID TRAVEL CARD

THOMAS COOK (INDIA), THE INTEGRATED TRAVEL AND TRAVEL-RELATED FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPANY ON 1 NOVEMBER 2012 LAUNCHED PREPAID FOREIGN EXCHANGE BORDERLESS PREPAID CARD IN COLLABORATION WITH MASTERCARD WORLDWIDE, A GLOBAL PAYMENTS AND TECHNOLOGY COMPANY.

CHINA INVITES INDIA’S ‘MISSILE MAN’ TO TEACH AT PEKING UNIVERSITY

CHINA HAS INVITED INDIA’S “MISSILE MAN” AND FORMER PRESIDENT DR A P J ABDUL KALAM TO TEACH AT THE PRESTIGIOUS PEKING UNIVERSITY.

VICE PRESIDENT RELEASES SERIES OF BOOKS GRANTHAVALI’THE VICE PRESIDENT MOHAMMAD HAMID ANSARI RELEASED A COLLECTION OF WRITING AND WORKS -GRANTHAVALI OF LATE DR DINESHNANDINI DALMIA IN NEW DELHI ON 2ND NOVEMBER 2012.

HIRONMOY APPOINTED CEO OF AITAHIRONMOY CHATTERJEE, SECRETARY OF THE BENGAL TENNIS ASSOCIATION ON 2ND NOVEMBER 2012 WAS APPOINTED AS THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (CEO) OF THE ALL INDIA TENNIS ASSOCIATION (AITA).

YERRAM NAIDU SENIOR TDP LEADER DIES IN ROAD ACCIDENT

K. YERRAN NAIDU, TELUGU DESAM PARTY’S SENIOR LEADER AND FORMER UNION MINISTER FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT DIED IN A CAR ACCIDENT IN ANDHRA PRADESH’S SRIKAKULAM DISTRICT ON 2ND NOVEMBER 2012.

RAKESH MOHAN APPOINTED AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ON IMF BOARD

FORMER RBI DEPUTY GOVERNOR RAKESH MOHAN APPOINTED AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ON THE BOARD OF THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND (IMF).

SHOPPERS STOP GETS “TOP CLASS BRAND AWARD 2012-2013″NATIONAL EDUCATION & HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION HAS AWARDED “TOP CLASS BRAND AWARD 2012 – 2013″ TO SHOPPERS STOP LTD ON 3RD NOVEMBER 2012.

US INCLUDED AS DIALOGUE PARTNER OF INDIAN OCEAN COUNTRIES

THE US WAS INDUCTED AS A SIXTH DIALOGUE PARTNER IN THE 20-NATION INDIAN OCEAN RIM-ASSOCIATION FOR REGIONAL COOPERATION (IOR-ARC) GROUPING ON 3RD NOVEMBER 2012.THE MINISTERS OF COUNTRIES WHICH ARE MEMBERS OF IOR-ARC DECIDED UNANIMOUSLY TO GIVE THE US THE SAME STATUS THAT THEY HAD EARLIER ACCORDED TO THE UNITED KINGDOM, FRANCE, EGYPT AND JAPAN.

BJP LEADER KAILASHPATI MISHRA PASSES AWAY

VETERAN BJP LEADER AND FORMER GOVERNOR OF GUJARAT AND RAJASTHAN KAILASHPATI MISHRA DIED IN PATNA ON 3RD NOVEMBER 2012.

THREE-DAY SAARC ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE BEGINS IN ISLAMABAD

THE SIXTH CONFERENCE OF THE ASSOCIATION OF SAARC SPEAKERS AND PARLIAMENTARIANS BEGINS IN ISLAMABAD ON 4TH NOVEMBER 2012.FROM INDIA, LOK SABHA SPEAKER MEIRA KUMAR AND DEPUTY CHAIRMAN RAJYA SABHA PROFESSOR P. J. KURIEN AMONG VARIOUS PARLIAMENTARIANS ARE ATTENDED THE CONFERENCE.IN THIS CONFERENCE THEY DISCUSSED THE ROLE OF WOMEN PARLIAMENTARIANS FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND THE STRENGTHENING OF DEMOCRACY IN SOUTH ASIA.

G20 SUMMIT MEETING IN MEXICO

THE G20 SUMMIT WAS HELD IN MEXICO ON 4TH NOVEMBER 2012.IN THIS THE FINANCE MINISTER P. CHIDAMBARAM SAID THE INDIA’S ECONOMY SHOULD GROW BY 5.5 PERCENT TO 6.0 PERCENTIN THE YEAR 2012 AND RETURN TO 7 PERCENT GROWTH IN 2013.

MAHESH BHUPATHI-ROHAN BOPANNA PAIR WINS PARIS MASTERS FINAL

MAHESH BHUPATHI AND ROHAN BOPANNA CLINCHED THE PARIS MASTERS, THEIR SECOND TITLE OF THE YEAR, AFTER SCORING A HARD-FOUGHT WIN OVER AISAM-UL-HAQ QURESHI AND JEAN-JULIEN ROJER IN PARIES ON 4TH NOVEMBER 2012.

DINESH REDDY IS THE NEW PRESIDENT OF IHFDINESH REDDY HAS BEEN ELECTED THE NEW PRESIDENT OF THE INDIAN HOCKEY FEDERATION (IHF) ON 5TH NOVEMBER 2012.

SIKKIM TO BE FIRST STATE TO PROVIDE ‘PUCCA HOUSES’ TO ALL CITIZENS

THE SIKKIM GOVERNMENT HAS LAUNCHED A RS 211.20 CRORE ‘SOCIAL HOUSING’ PROJECT NAMELY “CHIEF MINISTER’S RURAL HOUSING MISSION” (CMRHM) ON 5TH NOVEMBER 2012 TO BECOME A FIRST STATE TO PROVIDE ‘PUCCA HOUSES’ TO ALL CITIZENS.

AGREEMENT WITH WORLD BANK FOR ASSAM ROAD PROJECT

INDIA HAS SIGNED A 320-MILLION DOLLAR LOAN AGREEMENT WITH THE WORLD BANK FOR ROAD PROJECTS IN ASSAM ON 5TH NOVEMBER 2012.

PRESIDENT CONFERS DURGABAI DESHMUKH AWARDS TO ODISHA-BASED PEOPLE’S FORUM

PRESIDENT PRANAB MUKHERJEE CONFERRED THE DR. DURGABAI DESHMUKH AWARDS FOR THE YEARS 2005 TO BHUBANESWAR-BASED THE PEOPLE’S FORUM. GOVIND PATNAIK, ON BEHALF OF PEOPLE’S FORUM, BHUBANESWAR, AT A FUNCTION, AT RASHTRAPATI BHAVAN, IN NEW DELHI ON NOVEMBER 05, 2012.

RS 6,000-CR FINE ON TATA STEEL FOR ILLEGAL MINING

THE ODISHA GOVERNMENT IS BELIEVED TO HAVE SLAPPED A FINE OF ABOUT RS 6,000 CRORE ON TATA STEEL FOR ITS ALLEGED INVOLVEMENT IN “ILLEGAL AND EXCESS MINING” AT ITS CAPTIVE MINES.

IROM SHARMILA, THE IRON LADY OF MANIPUR COMPLETED 12 YEARS OF FAST

IRON LADY FROM MANIPUR, IROM SHARMILA ON 5 NOVEMBER 2012 COMPLETED 12 YEARS OF HER FAST DEMANDING CANCELLATION OF THE ARMED FORCES SPECIAL POWERS ACT, 1958 (AFSPA). SHE BLAMES AFPSA AS THE MAIN CAUSE FOR VIOLENCE IN THE STATE OF MANIPUR AND OTHER PARTS OF NORTHEASTERN INDIA.

NATIONAL ANTI-DOPING DISCIPLINARY PANEL SUSPENDES 11 ATHLETES FOR TWO YEARS

THE NATIONAL ANTI-DOPING DISCIPLINARY PANEL (NADDP) SUSPENDED ALL THE 11 ATHLETES FOR TWO YEARS, WHO WERE TESTED POSITIVE WITH METHYLHEXANEAMINE (MHA) IN THE RUN-UP OF THE LAST COMMONWEALTH GAMES.THE SUSPENDED 11 ATHLETES ARE :TWO ATHLETES, SAURABH VIJ AND AKASH ANTIL; SIX WRESTLERS, ALL OF THEM INTERNATIONALS, ARJUNA AWARDEE RAJEEV TOMAR, JOGINDER SINGH, SUMIT SEHRAWAT, RAHUL MAAN, GURSHARANPREET KAUR AND KHATRI; AND THREE SWIMMERS, AMAR MURALIDHARAN, JYOTSANA PANSARE AND RICHA

A SMALL PEN, BUT TOWERING ACHIEVEMENT

MINIATURE GOLD FOUNTAIN PENS MADE BY K.V. RAMANA MURTHY OF RATNAM BALL PEN WORKS HAVE SECURED A PLACE IN THE INDIA BOOK OF RECORDS ON 6TH NOVEMBER 2012.

PAKISTAN WON SECOND ASIAN KABADDIA CHAMPIONSHIP 2012PAKISTAN WON THE SECOND ASIA KABADDIA CHAMPIONSHIP 2012 AGAINST INDIA ON 6TH NOVEMBER 2012.

CANADA TO ALLOW CIVIL NUCLEAR TRADE WITH INDIA

CANADIAN FIRMS WILL SOON BE ABLE EXPORT URANIUM AND NUCLEAR REACTORS TO INDIA FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ALMOST FOUR DECADES, AS THE RESULT OF AN AGREEMENT REACHED BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES ON 6TH NOVEMBER 2012.

INDIA MAY HOST 2015 WORLD WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP

INDIA ARE IN THE RUNNING TO HOST THE 2015 WORLD WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP AHEAD OF THE NEXT OLYMPIC GAMES IN RIO DE JANEIRO.

BARACK OBAMA WAS RE-ELECTED AS PRESIDENT OF USBARACK OBAMA WAS RE-ELECTED AS PRESIDENT OF US ON 7TH OCTOBER 2012.

WILLIAM HAGUE ON FOUR DAY OFFICIAL VISIT TO INDIA

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS OF UNITED KINGDOM, MR. WILLIAM HAGUE WILL BE ON A FOUR DAY OFFICIAL VISIT TO INDIA FROM 7TH NOVEMBER 2012.DURING HIS VISIT MR. HAGUE WILL DISCUSS BILATERAL, REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ISSUES OF MUTUAL INTEREST WITH EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER, MR SALMAN KHURSHID IN NEW DELHI.

SHARAD PAWAR TO INAUGURATE NIFTEM ON NOVEMBER 7AGRICULTURE MINISTER SHARAD PAWAR INAUGURATED THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD TECHNOLOGY ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND MANAGEMENT (NIFTEM), WHICH WILL PROVIDE EDUCATION IN FOOD TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT, AT KUNDALI IN HARYANA ON 7TH NOVEMBER 2012.

HINDU-AMERICAN ELECTED TO US CONGRESS FOR THE FIRST TIME

TULSI GABBARD IS THE FIRST HINDU-AMERICAN ENTERED INTO THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, WINNING HER HAWAII SEAT IN NOVEMBER 2012 ELECTIONS.

GAGANJEET BHULLAR, YOUNGEST INDIAN ON ELITE GOLFERS’ LEAGUE

GAGANJEET BHULLAR, 24, BECAME THE YOUNGEST INDIAN TO MAKE IT TO THE ELITE GROUP OF THE WORLD’S TOP-100 PLAYERS IN THE LATEST RANKINGS.

HANOI TO HOST 2019 ASIAN GAMES

VIETNAM’S CAPITAL CITY HANOI WILL HOST THE 2019 ASIAN GAMES.

INDIA BAGS FOUR MEDALS IN 14TH ASIAN YOUTH (BOYS & GIRLS) WEIGHTLIFTING CHAMPIONSHIPS

INDIA WON FOUR MEDALS ON THE OPENING DAY OF THE 14TH ASIAN YOUTH (BOYS & GIRLS) WEIGHTLIFTING CHAMPIONSHIPS AT YANGON, MYANMAR, ON 8TH NOVEMBER 2012.SANTA WON A BRONZE IN SNATCH WITH A LIFT OF 95 KG BEFORE SECURING A GOLD EACH IN CLEAN AND JERK AND TOTAL LIFT WITH EFFORTS OF 126 KG AND

221 KG RESPECTIVELY. THE OTHER MEDAL OF THE DAY FOR THE INDIANS WAS WON BY CHANDRIKA TARAFDAR IN YOUTH GIRLS’ 44 KG CATEGORY. SHE WON A SILVER WITH A TOTAL LIFT OF 132 KG.

EARTHQUAKE IN GUATEMALANS

A POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE WITH A MAGNITUDE OF 7.4 OCCURRED IN SAN MARCOS AT GUATEMALANS ON 8TH NOVEMBER 2012.

CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER VISITED INDIA

PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA, STEPHEN HARPER, VISITED THE INDIA FROM NOVEMBER 4TH TO 9TH, DURING HIS VISIT INDIA AND CANADA SIGNED SEVERAL AGREEMENTS INCLUDING CIVIL NUCLEAR DEAL, SOCIAL SECURITY AGREEMENT, A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR COOPERATION IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND ELECTRONICS AND AN AGREEMENT TO BOOST BILATERAL COOPERATION IN DEFENSE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. I AM A TEXT BLOCK. CLICK ON ME TO DRAG ME AROUND OR CLICK A CORNER HANDLE TO RESIZE ME. CLICK THE SETTINGS ICON (IT\'S THE LEFT ONE, LOOKS LIKE A COG) TO CHANGE THIS TEXT. YOU CAN TYPE NEW TEXT INTO ME OR CUT AND PASTE TEXT FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE. CLICK OUTSIDE OF ME WHEN YOU\'RE DONE AND ANY CHANGES WILL BE SAVED.

MAHATMA GANDHI GRANDSON ELECTED TO KANSAS STATE ASSEMBLY

MAHATMA GANDHI GRANDSON SHANTI GANDHI ELECTED TO A STATE ASSEMBLY IN THE UNITED STATES FROM KANSAS’S 52ND ASSEMBLY DISTRICT AS A REPUBLICAN PARTY CANDIDATE DURING THE GENERAL ELECTIONS HELD ON 6 NOVEMBER 2012.

PRESIDENT PRANAB MUKHERJEE LAUNCHES AAKASH-2 TABLET

PRESIDENT PRANAB MUKHERJEE LAUNCHES THE AKASH-2 TABLET ON THE OCCASION OF WORLD EDUCATION DAY IN NEW DELHI ON 11TH NOVEMBER 2012.

ISRAEL FIRST INTO SYRIA

ISRAEL WAS DRAWN INTO THE FIGHTING IN NEIGHBORING SYRIA FOR THE FIRST TIME ON 11TH NOVEMBER 2012, FIRING WARNING SHOTS ACROSS THE BORDER AFTER AN ERRANT MORTAR SHELL LANDED NEAR AN ISRAELI MILITARY INSTALLATION IN THE GOLAN HEIGHTS.

STRONG EARTHQUAKE STRIKES MYANMAR

A STRONG EARTHQUAKE WITH MAGNITUDE OF 6.8 HIT THE MYANMAR ON 11TH NOVEMBER 2012 .

VETERAN FREEDOM FIGHTER V P MURTHY RAJU PASSES AWAY

FREEDOM FIGHTER AND FORMER ANDHRA PRADESH MINISTER CH V P MURTHY RAJU PASSED AWAY IN WEST GODAVARI DISTRICT ON 12TH NOVEMBER 2012.RAJU HAD BEEN MLA FOR SIX TERMS AND SERVED AS A MINISTER WHEN LATE P V NARASIMHA RAO WAS CHIEF MINISTER.

INDIA AND AFGHANISTAN SIGNED FOUR AGREEMENTS

INDIA AND AFGHANISTAN SIGNED FOUR AGREEMENTS TO COOPERATE IN AREAS OF SOCIAL WELFARE, FERTILIZER, COAL MINING AND YOUTH AFFAIRS ON 12TH NOVEMBER 2012

MADHAV CHAVAN WINS EDUCATION ‘NOBEL PRIZE’DR CHAVAN HAS WON THE WISE PRIZE, WHICH HAS BEEN LIKENED TO A “NOBEL PRIZE FOR EDUCATION”.THE AWARD, ANNOUNCED ON 13 NOVEMBER,2012 AT THE WISE SUMMIT IN QATAR, RECOGNISES HIS EDUCATION WORK IN THE SLUMS OF MUMBAI.

AUNG SAN SUU KYI MET PRIME MINISTER MANMOHAN SINGH

MYANMAR’S PRO-DEMOCRACY LEADER AUNG SAN SUU KYI MET PRIME MINISTER MANMOHAN SINGH IN NEW DELHI ON 14 NOVEMBER,2012 DURING HIS 6 DAY VISIT TO INDIA.SHE THEN VISITED SHANTIVAN TO PAY TRIBUTE TO JAWAHARLAL NEHRU.LATER IN THE DAY, SHE WILL DELIVER THE NEHRU MEMORIAL LECTURE ON THE OCCASION OF THE FORMER PM’S BIRTH ANNIVERSARY.

CHINA’S COMMUNIST PARTY SELECTS NEW LEADERSHIP

CHINA ELECTS NEW PRESIDENT

INDIAN DIAMOND FETCHES 16.9 MILLION EUROS AT AUCTION

A 76-CARAT FLAWLESS DIAMOND FROM INDIA’S FAMOUS GOLCONDA MINES BROKE WORLD RECORD BY FETCHING A WHOOPING 16.9 MILLION EUROS (RS 1,18,16,98,700) AT AN AUCTION IN GENEVA ON 14 NOVEMBER 2012.

INDIA IS WORLD NO.1 IN DIABETES

ACCORDING TO THE WHO REPORT INDIA IS THE WORLD NO. 1 IN DIABETIC PATIENTS. BY THE END OF 2009 WORLD HAVING THE 34.7 CRORE DIABETIC PATIENTS BUT INDIA HAVING THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF 5.8 CRORE DIABETIC PATIENTS. INDIA FOLLOWED BY CHINA(4.3 CRORE),AMERICA(2.6 CRORE), RUSSIA(ONE CRORE) AND BRAZIL(76 LAKHS) COUNTRIES.

SCIENTISTS CREATED A PAPER-THIN MATERIAL THAT CAN STOP BULLETS

A TEAM OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING AND MATERIALS SCIENTISTS FROM RICE UNIVERSITY AND MIT HAS CREATED SPECIAL NANOMATERIALS THAT WERE ABLE TO STOP BULLETS IN THE LAB. THE TYPE OF MATERIAL, CALLED A STRUCTURED POLYMER COMPOSITE, CAN ACTUALLY SELF-ASSEMBLE INTO ALTERNATING GLASSY AND RUBBERY LAYERS.

EX-MINISTER KC PANT PASSES AWAY

INDIA’S FORMER DEFENCE MINISTER AND PLANNING COMMISSION DEPUTY CHAIRMAN KRISHNA CHANDRA PANT DIED ON 15 NOVEMBER 2012.PANT WAS INDIA’S DEFENCE MINISTER BETWEEN 1987 AND 1989, WHEN THE CONGRESS PARTY WAS IN POWER UNDER THEN PRIME MINISTER RAJIV GANDHI.

SCIENTISTS CREATED A PAPER-THIN MATERIAL THAT CAN STOP BULLETS

A TEAM OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING AND MATERIALS SCIENTISTS FROM RICE UNIVERSITY AND MIT HAS CREATED SPECIAL NANOMATERIALS THAT WERE ABLE TO STOP BULLETS IN THE LAB. THE TYPE OF MATERIAL, CALLED A STRUCTURED POLYMER COMPOSITE, CAN ACTUALLY SELF-ASSEMBLE INTO ALTERNATING GLASSY AND RUBBERY LAYERS.

RAHUL GANDHI HAS APPOINTED HEAD OF INC COORDINATION PANEL FOR 2014 LOK SABHA ELECTIONS.RAHUL GANDHI HAS APPOINTED HEAD OF INC COORDINATION PANEL FOR 2014 LOK SABHA ELECTIONS.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS AGENCIES BOYCOTT INDIA-ENGLAND TEST SERIES

INTERNATIONAL NEWS AGENCIES ON 15 NOVEMBER 2012 DECIDED TO BOYCOTT THE HIGH-PROFILE TEST SERIES BETWEEN INDIA AND ENGLAND WHICH BEGAN IN AHMEDABAD TO PROTEST AGAINST THE RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED BY THE BCCI ON SOME PHOTO AGENCIES COVERING THE TOUR.

CANCER CHARITY DROPS ARMSTRONG NAME

LANCE ARMSTRONG’S CANCER CHARITY REMOVED THE FORMER CYCLING CHAMPION LANCE ARMSTRONG’S NAME FROM ITS TITLE. THE LANCE ARMSTRONG FOUNDATION NOW OFFICIALLY KNOWN AS THE LIVESTRONG FOUNDATION.

BITTER SEEDS’ WON 18 INTERNATIONAL AWARDS

‘BITTER SEEDS’, A DOCUMENTARY FILM PRODUCED BY US-BASED FILMMAKER MICHA PELED ON THE AGRARIAN CRISIS OF COTTON GROWERS AND THEIR PLIGHT, IS BEING SHOWN IN VIDARBHA REGION. “EVERY 30 MINUTES, A FARMER IN THE COUNTRY KILLS HIMSELF IN DESPAIR BECAUSE HE NO LONGER CAN PROVIDE FOR HIS FAMILY. THE FILM HAS WON 18 INTERNATIONAL AWARDS.

DR AMI BERA IS THE THIRD INDIAN-AMERICAN ELECTED TO THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

AN INDIAN-AMERICAN PHYSICIAN FROM CALIFORNIA BECAME ONLY THE THIRD PERSON OF INDIAN-ORIGIN TO BE ELECTED TO THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BY DEFEATING REPUBLICAN DAN LUNGREN WITH JUST 184 VOTES LEAD.

SAINA NEHWAL RETAINS 3RD PLACE IN BADMINTON WORLD FEDERATION WOMEN’S RANKINGS

LONDON OLYMPICS BRONZE MEDALLIST SAINA NEHWAL RETAINED HER THIRD PLACE IN THE BADMINTON WORLD FEDERATION (BWF) WOMEN’S RANKINGS RELEASED ON 16 NOVEMBER,2012.

URDU SCHOLAR GOPI CHAND NARANG AWARDED MOOTIDEVI AWARD FOR 2010THE VICE PRESIDENT OF INDIA M. HAMID ANSARI PRESENTED THE MOORTIDEVI AWARD FOR 2010 TO EMINENT URDU SCHOLAR GOPI CHAND NARANG FOR HIS OUTSTANDING WORK ON URDU GHAZAL AUR HINDUSTANI ZEHAN WA TEHZEEB AT A FUNCTION ORGANIZED BY BHARTIYA JNANPITH.

SHIV SENA CHIEF BALASAHEB THACKERAY DIED

SHIV SENA CHIEF BALASAHEB THACKERAY DIED IN MUMBAI ON 17 NOVEMBER 2012.

CHINESE MOVIE `11 FLOWERS` WINS AWARD AT KOLKATA FILM FEST

CHINESE MOVIE ‘11 FLOWERS’, DIRECTED BY ACCLAIMED FILMMAKER WANG XIAOSHUAI HAS WON THE PRESTIGIOUS NETPAC (NETWORK FOR THE PROMOTION OF ASIAN CINEMA) AWARD AT THE 18TH KOLKATA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (KIFF), WHICH ENDED ON 17 NOVEMBER 2012.

PRIME MINISTER MANMOHAN SINGH WENT TO CAMBODIA FOR SOUTH ASIAN SUMMITS

PRIME MINISTER MANMOHAN SINGH VISITED CAMBODIAN CAPITAL PHNOM PENH ON 18 NOVEMBER 2012 TO ATTEND THE ASEAN AND EAST ASIA SUMMITS.

BARACK OBAMA MAKES FIRST US PRESIDENTIAL VISIT TO BURMA

BARACK OBAMA BECAME THE FIRST AMERICAN PRESIDENT VISITED THE MYANMAR. HE VISITED THE MYANMAR ON 18 NOVEMBER 2012 AND THEN WENT TO CAMBODIA TO ATTEND THE ASEAN AND EAST ASIA SUMMITS.

PRIYANKA IS ASIAN UNDER-10 CHAMPION

ASIAN UNDER-10 GIRLS CHESS CHAMPION NUTHAKI PRIYANKA BAGGED THE WORLD YOUTH CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP AT MARIBOR, SLOVENIA ON 18 NOVEMBER 2012. SHE COMPLETED WITH 9.5 POINTS OF 11 ROUNDS.

LIBERIAN PRESIDENT GOT THE INDIRA GANDHI PEACE PRIZE FOR 2012PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA MRS. ELLEN JOHNSON SIRLEAF GOT THE INDIRA GANDHI PEACE PRIZE FOR 2012 FOR HER EXCELLENCY, PEACE,DISARMAMENT AND DEVELOPMENT.

ANIL DEV SINGH APPOINTED NEW CHIEF OF IOA ELECTION PANEL

ANIL DEV SINGH, RETIRED CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE RAJASTHAN HIGH COURT, APPOINTED AS THE NEW CHAIRMAN OF THE INDIAN OLYMPIC ASSOCIATION (IOA) ON 19 NOVEMBER 2012.

MALALA CHOSEN FOR BRAVERY AWARD

MALALA YOUSAFZAI,WHO BECAME THE FACE OF PAKISTAN’S STRUGGLE AGAINST THE TALIBAN WAS HONOURED WITH BRAVERY AWARD BY THE PEACE AND PROSPERITY FOUNDATION CHAIRMAN PRINCE ALI KHAN, AT THE CHOLMONDELEY ROOM OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS ON 19 NOVEMBER 2012

MALDIVIAN AIRLINES INKS PACT WITH APOLLO HOSPITALS

MALDIVIAN AIRLINES ON 19 NOVEMBER 2012 HAD SIGNED A PACT WITH THE CHENNAI-HEADQUARTERED APOLLO HOSPITALS TO GIVE DISCOUNTS TO EACH OTHERS’ CLIENTS. FOR EXAMPLE, APOLLO HOSPITALS WILL GIVE A DISCOUNT ON ITS SERVICE CHARGES FOR THOSE WHO FLY THE AIRLINE, AND THE AIRLINE WILL GIVE SIMILAR DISCOUNTS TO THE HOSPITAL’S PATIENTS ON THE AIRFARE.

PRESIDENT PRANAB MUKHERJEE RELEASED A COMMEMORATIVE POSTAGE STAMP ON LATE RAMGOPAL MAHESHWARI

PRESIDENT PRANAB MUKHERJEE RELEASED A COMMEMORATIVE POSTAGE STAMP ON LATE RAMGOPAL MAHESHWARI ON 20 NOVEMBER 2012.

INDIA VOTES AGAINST UN RESOLUTION ON DEATH PENALTY BAN

INDIA WAS AMONG THE 39 COUNTRIES THAT VOTED AGAINST A UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY DRAFT RESOLUTION WHICH CALLED FOR ABOLISHING THE DEATH PENALTY, SAYING EVERY NATION HAD THE “SOVEREIGN RIGHT” TO DETERMINE ITS OWN LEGAL SYSTEM.

‘YUVI’ — BOOK ON YUVRAJ RELEASED

THE BOOK ON INDIAN CRICKETER YUVRAJ SINGH NAMED YUVI WAS RELEASED IN THIRD WEEK OF NOVEMBER 2012.YUVI, THE BOOK ON YUVRAJ SINGH IS PUBLISHED BY HARPER SPORT AND WRITTEN BY MAKARAND WAINGANKAR. THE BOOK ILLUSTRATES THE BRILLIANCE OF CRICKET SHOWN BY YUVRAJ SINGH IN HIS CAREER AS A CRICKETER AND THE WAY HE RECOVERED FROM CANCER.

SOLAR SYSTEM’S LARGEST PLANET DISCOVERED

A TEAM OF ASTROPHYSICISTS HAD DISCOVERED AN ENORMOUS GASEOUS PLANET THAT IS 13 TIMES MORE MASSIVE THAN JUPITER, EARNING THE NAME “SUPER-JUPITER “ AND IS THE LARGEST PLANET IN OUR OWN SOLAR SYSTEM

GAVASKAR CONFERRED WITH CK NAYUDU LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

FORMER INDIA CAPTAIN SUNIL GAVASKAR WAS ON 21 NOVEMBER 2012 CONFERRED WITH BCCI’S PRESTIGIOUS COL CK NAYUDU LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD.

AMITAV GHOSH, JEET THAYIL SHORTLISTED FOR LITERATURE PRIZE

SIX BOOKS INCLUDING “RIVER OF SMOKE” BY AMITAV GHOSH, “NARCOPOLIS” BY JEET THAYIL AND “THE WANDERING” BY PAKISTAN-BASED AUTHOR JAMIL AHMAD, HAVE BEEN SHORTLISTED FOR THE DSC SOUTH ASIAN LITERATURE PRIZE 2013.THE FINALIST WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT THE DSC JAIPUR LITERATURE FESTIVAL JANUARY 2013.

AJMAL KASAB HANGED, BURIED AT PUNE’S YERWADA JAIL

MOHAMMED AJMAL AMIR KASAB, THE ONLY TERRORIST CAUGHT ALIVE DURING THE 26/11 ATTACKS ON MUMBAI, WAS HANGED AT PUNE’S YERWADA JAIL ON 21 NOVEMBER 2012.

INDIAN ORIGIN AUTAR KAW IS U.S. PROFESSOR OF THE YEAR

AUTAR KAW, AN INDIAN BORN PROFESSOR OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA WAS RECEIVED THE AWARD OF ” 2012 US PROFESSOR OF THE YEAR “.

BARBOSA SWORN IN AS FIRST NON-WHITE PRESIDENT OF BRAZIL’S SUPREME COURT

JOAQUIM BARBOSA WAS SWORN-IN AS BRAZIL’S SUPREME COURT’S FIRST NON-WHITE PRESIDENT ON 23 NOVEMBER 2012 AT A PACKED CEREMONY IN THE CAPITAL BRAZILIA . BARBOSA, BECAME FAMOUS IN BRAZIL AFTER OVERSEEING ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S BIGGEST CORRUPTION TRIALS INVOLVING KEY MEMBERS OF THE FORMER PRESIDENT LULA DA SILVA’S GOVERNMENT.

INDIA SUCCESSFULLY TEST FIRES SUPERSONIC INTERCEPTOR MISSILE

INDIA SUCCESSFULLY TEST-FIRED AN INDIGENOUSLY DEVELOPED SUPERSONIC INTERCEPTOR MISSILE, CAPABLE OF DESTROYING A HOSTILE BALLISTIC MISSILE, FROM A TEST RANGE OFF THE ODISHA COAST ON 23 NOVEMBER 2012.

BAN ON PLASTIC BAGS COMES INTO FORCE IN NEW DELHI

THE BAN ON MANUFACTURE, SALE AND USE OF MOST TYPES OF PLASTIC BAGS IN THE CAPITAL CAME INTO FORCE ON ON 23 NOVEMBER 2012.

ARVIND KEJRIWAL LAUNCHES AAM ADMI PARTY

ARVIND KEJRIWAL ANNOUNCED THE NAME FOR HIS NEWLY LAUNCHED PARTY AS “AAM ADMI PARTY” ON 24 NOVEMBER 2012 IN NEW DELHI.

USAIN BOLT, ALLYSON FELIX NAMED IAAF WORLD ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

USAIN BOLT WON THE IAAF(INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR ATHLETIC FEDERATION) WORLD MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD FOR THE FOURTH TIME AND UNITED STATES SPRINTER ALLYSON FELIX WON THE WOMEN’S WORLD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD ON 24 NOVEMBER 2012.

POPE BENEDICT XVI APPOINTS SIX NON-EUROPEAN CARDINALS FOR POPE SELECTION COMMITTE

POPE BENEDICT XVI WAS APPOINTED SIX PRIESTS FROM NON-EUROPEAN COUNTRIES TO BE CARDINALS, AT A SERVICE IN THE VATICAN’S ST PETER’S BASILICA.FROM INDIA BASELIOS CLEEMIS THOTTUNKAL, HEAD OF THE

SYRO-MALANKARA CATHOLIC CHURCH OF KERALA WAS SELECTED AS A ONE OF THE CARDINAL FOR THE POPE SELECTION COMMIITE.

BJP SUSPENDED RAM JETHMALANI FROM PARTY FOR ‘INDISCIPLINE’THE BJP ON 25 NOVEMEBR 2012 SUSPENDED A RAJYA SABHA MEMBER RAM JETHMALANI FROM THE PARTY FOR “GROSS INDISCIPLINE”. HE RECENTLY ATTACKED FOR CRITICIZING THE APPOINTMENT OF THE NEW CBI CHIEF.

DRUG THAT CAN HALT CANCER SPREAD

SCIENTISTS WAS DEVELOPED A NEW DRUG CALLED AFLIBERCEPT, FOR STOP THE CANCER CELLS FROM MULTIPLYING.

SEBASTIAN VETTEL WON THIRD FORMULA ONE WORLD TITLE

SEBASTIAN VETTEL BECAME THE YOUNGEST TRIPLE CHAMPION IN FORMULA ONE HISTORY ON 25 NOVEMBER 2012.HE STOOD SIXTH POSITION IN BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX WITH 8 POINTS.BUT OVERALL HE GOT F1 WORLD TITLE FOR THIS SEASON WITH 281 POINTS. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME CONSECUTIVELY HE GOT THE F1 TITLE.

INDIA, CHINA JOINT ECONOMIC STRATEGY HELD AT NEW DELHI

THE SECOND INDIA-CHINA STRATEGIC ECONOMIC DIALOGUE WAS HELD IN NEW DELHI ON 26 NOVEMBER 2012. IN THIS MEETING CHINA AND INDIA DISCUSSED SEVERAL TOPICS INCLUDING GREATER COOPERATION AT THE GLOBAL LEVEL, STRENGTHENING COMMUNICATION ON MACROECONOMIC POLICIES, DEEPENING AND EXPANDING TRADE AND INVESTMENT AND PROMOTING BILATERAL COOPERATION IN THE FINANCIAL AND INFRASTRUCTURE SECTORS. THE BILATERAL TRADE BETWEEN THESE TWO COUNTRIES ENHANCED FROM $74 BILLION TO $100 BILLION.

INDIA- MALDIVES JOINT MILITARY TRAINING EXERCISES HELD AT BELGAUM

THE FOURTH JOINT MILITARY TRAINING EXERCISES BETWEEN THE INDIAN ARMY AND THE MALDIVES NATIONAL DEFENCE FORCE (MNDF) – EKUVERIN 2012 – WAS HELD IN BELGAUM FROM 12 TO 25 NOVEMBER 2012.

INDIA TO HOLD 3RD WORLD CUP KABADDI IN DECEMBER

PUNJAB WOULD HOST 3RD WORLD KABADDI CUP FROM 1 TO 15 DECEMBER 2012. 23 COUNTRIES ARE PARTICIPATING IN THIS WORLD CUP.THE PRIZE MONEY FOR THIS WORLD CUP IS RS.4.54 CRORES.

ALOK JOSHI NEW RAW CHIEF

THE HARYANA CADRE IPS OFFICER ALOK JOSHI WAS APPOINTED HEAD OF INDIA’S EXTERNAL INTELLIGENCE GATHERING AGENCY – RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS WING (RAW) ON 27 NOVEMBER 2012. ALOK JOSHI WILL TAKE CHARGE FROM S.K. TRIPATHI ON DECEMBER 30, 2012.

NOBEL WINNER AND ORGAN TRANSPLANT PIONEER JOSEPH MURRAY PASSES AWAY

DR. JOSEPH MURRAY, THE SURGEON WHO CARRIED OUT THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL KIDNEY TRANSPLANT AND LATER WON A NOBEL PRIZE FOR HIS WORK IN MEDICINE AND PHYSIOLOGY, DIED ON 26 NOVEMBER 2012 IN BOSTON.

RICKY PONTING RETIRED FROM INTERNATIONAL CRICKET

FORMER AUSTRALIA CAPTAIN RICKY PONTING HAS ANNOUNCED HE WILL RETIRE FROM INTERNATIONAL CRICKET AT THE END OF THE THIRD TEST AGAINST SOUTH AFRICA.HE IS THE SECOND HIGHEST RUN SCORER IN TEST HISTORY BEHIND SACHIN TENDULKAR.PONTING HAS SCORED 13,366 RUNS AT AN AVERAGE OF 52.21 IN HIS CAREER.

BANGALORE AMONG TOP POLLUTED MEGACITIES IN THE WORLD

INDIA’S SILICONE VALLEY BANGALORE WAS RATED AMONG TOP POLLUTED MEGACITIES IN THE WORLD, CLAIMS A NEW STUDY, USING DATA COLLECTED BY NASA’S HIGH-TECH SATELLITES.SCIENTISTS AT TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY TRACKED POLLUTION TRENDS FOR 189 MEGACITIES, INCLUDING MUMBAI, NEW YORK CITY AND TOKYO, BY ANALYSING EIGHT YEARS’ WORTH OF DATA FROM THREE OF NASA’S HIGH-TECH AEROSOL MONITORING SATELLITES.

PAKISTAN TESTS NUCLEAR-CAPABLE BALLISTIC MISSILE

PAKISTAN SUCCESSFULLY TEST-FIRED A NUCLEAR-CAPABLE BALLISTIC MISSILE CALLED HATF-V(GHAURI) ON 28 NOVEMBER 2012 THAT CAN HIT TARGETS UP TO 1,300 KM (807 MILES) AWAY.

ASTRONOMERS DISCOVERED GIANT BLACK HOLE IN TINY GALAXY

ASTRONOMERS CLAIM TO HAVE DISCOVERED THE MOST MASSIVE BLACK HOLE EVER KNOWN IN A SMALL GALAXY ABOUT 250 MILLION LIGHT-YEARS FROM EARTH, HOLDING A MASS EQUIVALENT TO 17 BILLION SUNS.THE SUPER-MASSIVE BLACK HOLE IS LOCATED INSIDE THE GALAXY NGC 1277 IN THE CONSTELLATION PERSEUS.IT MAKES UP ABOUT 14 PER CENT OF ITS HOST GALAXY’S MASS, COMPARED WITH THE 0.1 PER CENT A NORMAL BLACK HOLE WOULD REPRESENT, SCIENTISTS SAID, ADDING THAT IT HAS A MASS EQUIVALENT TO 17 BILLION SUNS.

YEDDYYURAPPA RESIGNED FROM BJPB.S.YEDDYURAPPA, FORMER CHIEF MINISTER OF KARNATAKA ON 30 NOVEMBER 2012 ANNOUNCED HIS RESIGNATION FROM LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY AND FROM PRIMARY MEMBERSHIP OF BJP PARTY. HE STARTED HIS POLITICAL CAREER WHEN HE WAS ELECTED AS PRESIDENT OF THE SHIKARIPURA TALUK ERSTWHILE JANA SANGHA IN 1972. HE WON HIS FIRST ASSEMBLY ELECTION IN 1983 AS BJP CANDIDATE. HE BECAME THE FIRST BJP CHIEF MINISTER IN SOUTH INDIA.

INDIA’S DIPLOMATIC POLITICIAN AND FORMER PM IK GUJRAL PASSES AWAY

FORMER PRIME MINISTER INDER KUMAR GUJRAL PASSED AWAY ON 30 NOVEMBER 2012 IN GUJRAL. BORN ON 4 DECEMBER, 1919 IN JHELUM.IK GUJRAL STARTED AS THE VICE PRESIDENT IN NDMC IN THE 1950S AND LATER BECOME A UNION MINISTER. LATER HE BECAME THE INDIA’S AMBASSADOR TO THE USSR. GUJRAL, AN INTELLECTUAL WHO PROPOUNDED THE ‘GUJRAL DOCTRINE’ OF FIVE PRINCIPLES FOR MAINTAINING GOOD NEIGHBOURLY RELATIONS, LEFT THE CONGRESS TO JOIN THE JANATA DAL IN THE LATE-1980S. IN THE 1989 ELECTIONS, GUJRAL WAS ELECTED FROM JALANDHAR PARLIAMENTARY CONSTITUENCY IN PUNJAB AND HE BECAME MINISTER FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, FIRST UNDER V P SINGH (IN DECEMBER 1989) AND THEN UNDER DEVE GOWDA (IN JUNE 1996). LATER HE BECAME THE 12TH PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA IN APRIL 1997 FOR ONE YEAR.

MOHAN RE-ELECTED AS VICE PRESIDENT OF IBSFCAPT MOHAN, THE PRESIDENT OF THE BILLIARDS AND SNOOKER FEDERATION OF INDIA, WAS RE-ELECTED AS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE IBSF (INTERNATIONAL BILLIARD & SNOOKER FEDERATION). THE ELECTION TOOK PLACE AT THE ANNUAL GENERAL BODY MEETING OF INTERNATIONAL BILLIARDS AND SNOOKER FEDERATION, AT SOFIA, BULGARIA ON 29 NOVEMBER 2012.

PUNJABI FILM “ANDHEY GHOREY DA DAAN” BAGS GOLDEN PEACOCK AWARD 2012 IN 43RD IFFI GOA

“ANDHEY GHOREY DA DAAN” A PUNJABI FILM DIRECTED BY GURVINDER SINGH AND PRODUCED BY NATIONAL FILM DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION WAS BAGGED THE GOLDEN PEACOCK AWARD OF THE INTERNATIONAL FILM

FESTIVAL OF INDIA, IFFI. THE AWARD CARRIES A GOLDEN PEACOCK WITH A CASH PRIZE OF 20 LAKHS PRIZE OF 20 LAKH RUPEES.

U.N. APPROVES PALESTINIAN ‘OBSERVER STATE’ BID

THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON 30 NOVEMBER 2012 ENDORSED AN UPGRADED U.N. STATUS FOR THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY, DESPITE INTENSE OPPOSITION FROM THE UNITED STATES AND ISRAEL.THE VOTE WAS 138 DELEGATES IN FAVOR OF THE MEASURE INCLUDING INDIA, NINE AGAINST INCLUDING AMERICA, BRAZIL AND CANADA AND 41 ABSTENTIONS INCLUDING BRITAIN.

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