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WEEKLY CURRENT AFFAIRS UPDATE

(November 21 to 27, 2010)

MAJOR NEWS OF THE WEEK

Section A: INDIA Nitish triumphs In Bihar CVC appointment under Apex Court scanner JPC demand into 2G scam stalls debate in Parliament Constitution Bench on RTI vs right to judicial immunity CCEA approves Integrated Action Plan for naxal-hit districts President Patil visits Syria Indian Flag hoisted at the South Pole Kiran Reddy replaces Rosaiah as Andhra CM Nehchal Sandhu is new IB Director Venugopal joins CBI legal team for 2G case Justice Mishra appointed CJ of Rajasthan HC P. Chidambaram releases video on communal harmony Delhi court orders FIR against Roy, Geelani Indias population at 117.67 crore on Mar 31, 2010 World Organ Donation Day observed Travel restrictions on HIV-affected lifted India Trade and Exhibition Centre inaugurated at Sharjah Indian Workers Resource Centre launched in Abu Dhabi NRIs get voting right in elections Test ranges for EWS systems to come up in AP, Karnataka Jamia Millia to confer doctorate on the Dalai Lama Murshidabad campus of the AMU to start from Jan 2011 University of Hyderabad ranked highest on H-index Railways to launch magazine Rail Dost

Section B: WORLD First Tiger Summit held in St. Petersburg North Korea shells South Korean island EU unveils 85bn euro bailout for cash-strapped Ireland Israel passes bill on withdrawal from occupied land More leaks from Wikileaks Prince William, Kate Middleton to marry in Apr 2011 Compaore re-elected Burkina Faso President Former Chinese Vice-PM Huang passes away Russian parliament condemns Stalin Meeting of SCO Prime Ministers organised US Lower House backs Indias Security Council bid Mauritius is No. 1 on Mo Ibrahim Index of governance Russian military opens door for foreigners ISRO-EADS satellite HYLAS launched from French Guyana EU court rejects Italys pure chocolate law UK introduces English test for non-EU Visa applicants Lagos to become most populous African city in 2015

Section C: AWARDS Former Indian PM in Times 25 Most Powerful Women of the Past Century list

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Dayawati Modi Award 2010 presented to Dr. Karan Singh Nepali social worker is CNN Hero of 2010 Ana Maria Matute wins Cervantes Prize Mauritius President receives Distinguished Parliamentarian award S. Chandhiok is Sikh of the Year 2010 5 projects win 2010 Aga Khan Award for Architecture Winters Bone is the Best Film at Stockholm Film Festival Shilp Guru Awards presented NHPC Ltd CMD wins Life Time Achievement at IES

Section D: ECONOMY & CORPORATE Indian Labour Conference organised Environmental clearance for Navi Mumbai Airport project Committee on ownership of exchanges submits report Interbank Mobile Payment Service launched Mobile number portability launched 4th Kaiga unit propels India into elite N-league Govt. announces subsidy for electric cars Govt. to introduce MFI Bill after RBI consent Committee calls for higher royalties for lyricists, composers Indias agricultural land at 182.4 million hectare in 07-08 CBI unearths LIC Housing Finance scam India International Trade Fair 2010 concludes Infra remains largest contributor to GDP FICCI Survey Global Crisis, Recession & Uneven Recovery released NTPC signs JV with ADB for renewable energy Financial Stability Development Council set for launch S. N. A. Zaidi appointed Civil Aviation Secretary Reed Hastings is Fortunes Businessperson of the Year 2010 Radars for coastal security plan approved Indias forex reserves at $297.985 bn on Nov 19 Surats Zari gets GI status India ranked No. 1 on Global Retail Theft Barometer GMR ties up funds for Male airport project CCEA approves five more mega food parks Mahindra buys 70% in Ssangyong Intex launches projector handset Oracle wins $1.3 bn from SAP in copyright case Mexicos Cemex set to buy Murli Cement

Section E: SPORTS Hosts China top medals tally at Guangzhou Asian Games Lin Dan is Most Valuable Player at Guangzhou Anil Kumble elected KSCA President Saina reclaims second spot in BWF rankings Bopanna, Qureshi win Arthur Ashe award Ashok Kumar wins DDA Open golf Lakshman Reddy is Mr. World 2010 Kenyans win Airtel Delhi Half Marathon India win Test series against NZ 1-0 Harbhajan Singh is Player-of-the-Series in India-NZ series Air India wins Nehru hockey tournament

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Section A: INDIA
News round up Nitish triumphs In Bihar Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar was sworn in as the 32nd Chief Minister of Bihar for the second consecutive term at a function at the Gandhi Maidan in Patna on November 26, 2010. This is the third time Kumar has been elected Chief Minister he became Chief Minister in 2005 when the NDA first came to power in the State, and in March 2000 when he held office for barely a week. BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister along with 28 Cabinet Ministers. Of the 29 Cabinet Ministers, including Modi, 19 were from the JD(U) and the rest from the BJP. JD(U), BJP clean sweep: Complemented by a stupendous performance by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar on November 24, 2010 won a thumping victory in the 2010 assembly elections in Bihar. The enormity of the majority that Kumar got can be gauged by the numbers: The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) now holds 85 per cent seats in the 243 member Bihar Assembly. The JD(U)BJP combine has won 206 seats, of which JD(U) has won 115. BJP, on the other hand, bagged 91 of the 102 seats it contested on. This is BJPs best-ever performance in Bihar. Before these elections, BJP had 55 and JD(U) 88 MLAs in the assembly. Opposition decimated: These elections also mark the worst-ever performance of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). It managed to secure only 22 seats a loss of 32 seats compared to the previous polls when it had 54 MLAs in the assembly. In fact, the entire Opposition has been reduced to 37 seats, with Ram Vilas Paswans Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) managing to squeeze in only three seats, the Congress bagging four seats, six going to independent candidates and one each to Communist Party of India and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. Prasads wife and former chief minister of the state, Rabri Devi, who was the leader of the Opposition in the previous assembly, was defeated twice over in both Raghopur and Sonepur constituencies. Challenges before Nitish: A focus on development, rather than caste or communal identity, on better governance (if not entirely good) and on the future rather than the past has given Nitish a new lease of political life. The task at hand in Bihar is enormous and its people expect the state government to deliver on the promises made. Augmenting the electricity supply situation, improving the performance of the Public Distribution System (PDS) and improving agricultural productivity are among the major challenges the government faces. Analysts say on the governance front, Bihar can now expect to see a faster pace of infrastructure building. The CM would also need to convince private sector to invest in the state. LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS: BIHAR (2010) Total seats Total electorate Total votes Valid votes No. of candidates No. of independents Turnout Party Congress (I) BJP JD(U) CPI CPI(M) LJP RJD Seats contested 243 102 141 56 30 75 168 4 91 115 1 0 3 22 243 5,50,46,093 2,90,17,537 2,90,17,537 3,523 1,342 52.71% Seats won Votes 24,30,623 47,75,501 65,61,903 4,90,815 2,06,601 19,57,232 54,66,693 8.38 16.46 22.61 1.69 0.71 6.75 18.84 Voting share (%)

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Analysis: The biggest lesson from the Bihar elections is also its most obvious one: Indian voters will no longer accept the jaded mantra of caste and communal politics. While Nitishs victory is being seen as a triumph of development over caste, the JD(U) leader demonstrated his adroitness in playing the caste card well, albeit in a subtle manner. He created the controversial subcategory of Mahadalits from among the Dalits to damage Dalit leader Ram Vilas Paswan of the LJP. At the same time he wooed Bihars sceptical Muslims through welfare programmes, judicial balm for victims of communal riots and keeping the Hindutva agenda of alliance partner BJP in check. Kumar, who never had a reliable vote bank earlier, successfully built a grand alliance between non-Yadav OBCs and the Mahadalits. Kumar also won the landslide because Bihars Opposition parties were acutely divided and therefore competing as much among themselves as against the ruling NDA. Kumars government did have something to show on the ground as its achievements. Unlike during Yadavs 15 years of RJD government, Kumars NDA government brought crime under control, ensured judicial convictions for over 50,000 criminals, and spent huge funds on development projects between 2005 and 2010, building over 23,000 kms of roads with about Rs. 16,000 crore and upgrading schools by spending over Rs. 40,000 crore, among other achievements. So the people knew who deserved to rule Bihar between 2010 and 2015 and responded when Kumar asked them to offer him a second term. His reputation for personal integrity played no small part in enhancing his electoral appeal. A widower with no home of his own and only one son with no interest in politics, Kumar is markedly different from many politicians who often use politics to amass property and invariably bring their families into politics. Despite the many shortcomings of his government that may now be forgotten under the enormity of his landslide win, Nitish Kumars biggest and most enduring contribution so far is that he shifted the agenda of Bihars politics from caste to development.

CVC appointment under Apex Court scanner The Supreme Court on November 22, 2010 questioned the appointment of the central vigilance commissioner, P.J. Thomas, seeking a clarification from the Union government how he would be able to function as a watchdog against corruption when he is facing criminal charges in the decades-old palmolein import scam case. His name figures in a chargesheet filed in Kerala in 2000 as an accused in a case of import of palmolein. There is an impression that the case has not moved forward, in the past 10 years, for reasons that appear partly technical, and partly an attempt on the part of the CPI(M) to embarrass the Congress during whose tenure the import was made. But Attorneygeneral, Goolam E. Vahanvatis defence of Thomas appointment failed to cut much ice with the judges. The A-G had earlier placed the files relating to Thomas' appointment in a sealed cover before the court. His appointment was challenged in separate PILs by the former CEC, J.M. Lyngdoh, and some other prominent citizens and the NGO Centre for PIL, alleging that the government had "ignored the dissenting note" of Leader of the Opposition, Sushma Swaraj, one of the members of the selection committee, along with the PM and Union home minister. The petitioners also alleged that the government had "ignored" serious allegations against Thomas that as telecom secretary under A. Raja he had tried a "cover-up" in the 2G spectrum allocation. OIL SLICK P. J. Thomas was Kerala Food Secretary in 1992 when Karunakaran government imported 15,000 tonnes of palm oil from Malaysia. The CAG said the deal caused a loss of Rs 2.3 crore to the exchequer. Thomas was accused by the vigilance and anti-corruption bureau of having worked out the import proposal in detail. An RTI petition in September 2010 recalled that charge-sheet against Thomas and others had not been quashed and the case was still being heard by the Thiruvananthapuram vigilance court, where he is eighth accused. The Oomen Chandy led Congress government had dropped the case but V. S. Achuthanandan revived the case after the Left front government came to power in 2006.

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How can an accused function as CVC?: The Supreme Court has hinted that the strength and vitality of the institution could be in jeopardy if Thomas was allowed to continue as CVC, when it pointed to a criminal case pending against him. Without looking into the file, we are concerned that if a person is an accused in a criminal case, how can he function as CVC, an apex court Bench headed by Chief Justice SH Kapadia asked after attorney general GE Vahanvati placed records pertaining to Thomas appointment in a sealed cover.

Opposition dissent ignored in CVC selection: Incidentally, what is worrying the government is how the court will respond to the contents of leader of Opposition Sushma Swarajs dissent note. Swaraj was virtually presented with a one-man panel as she sat down with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and home minister P Chidambaram in September to consider the three names shortlisted for the CVCs post. Swaraj had, as part of the three-member selection committee, insisted that the government pick the CVC from among Bijoy Chatterjee and S Krishnan, the other two names on the shortlist, while ignoring Thomas. But she was told that neither of the two names could be considered and a consensus was possible only on Thomas. Swaraj disagreed and put in the dissent note, making Thomas selection as CVC a majority decision rather than a decision by consensus. Senior government leaders apprehend that this may lead the Bench to pass strictures against the government for bypassing norms in favour of a particular candidate.

JPC demand into 2G scam stalls debate in Parliament Both houses of Parliament were repeatedly adjourned during the week November 21-27, 2010 as opposition MPs persisted with their demand for a joint parliamentary committee ( JPC) to probe the 2G spectrum allotment scam. Parliament's winter session that began November 9, 2010 has witnessed repeated adjournments over the opposition's insistence for a JPC probe into the scam, even after Raja, who was at the heart of the controversy, resigned. Firmly ruling out constitution of a joint parliamentary committee to avoid the possibility of Dr Prime Minister Manmohan Singh being summoned by such a committee, the government also dared the Opposition to bring a no-confidence motion. The Government wants the opposition to settle for examination of Comptroller and Auditor General report on 2G spectrum allocation by the public accounts committee of Parliament.

Inside JPC What is a JPC Mandated to inquire into a specific subject, a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) is constituted either through a motion adopted by one House and concurred by the other, or, through communication between the presiding officers of the two Houses. The members are either elected by the Houses or nominated by the presiding officers. As in the case of other parliamentary committees, they are drawn from different political parties. What are the powers of a JPC? A JPC can obtain evidence of experts, public bodies, associations, individuals or interested parties suo motu or on requests made by them. If a witness fails to appear before a JPC in response to summons, his conduct constitutes a contempt of the House. The JPC can take oral and written evidence or call for documents in connection with a matter under its consideration. The government may withhold or decline to produce a document if it is considered prejudicial to the safety or interest of State. The Speaker has the final word on any dispute over calling for evidence against a person or production of a document. Why does the Opposition want a JPC? The Public Accounts Committee of Parliament is supposed to conduct a detailed examination of the reports of the Comptroller and Auditor-General (CAG), scrutinising the yearly accounts of the Government. Having 15 members of the Lok Sabha and seven members of the Rajya Sabha, the chairmanship of the PAC conventionally goes to a nominee of the main opposition party. The PAC calls upon ministries to explain cases of financial irregularities. The Opposition argument is that the 2G spectrum scam goes far beyond accounting. A JPC can spread its net wider and go into the larger gamut of allocation and look into the role of various players. More, once a JPC gets going, it would help the Opposition keep the heat on the government through consistent reporting of proceedings.

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JPCs so far: There have been only four investigative JPCs so far. I. The first was instituted to inquire into the Bofors scam in August 1987. The committee, headed by B Shankaranand, held 50 sittings and gave its report in April 1988. Opposition parties boycotted the committee on the ground that it was packed with Congress members. The JPC report was tabled in Parliament, but it was rejected by the Opposition. II. The second investigative JPC, headed by former Union minister and senior Congress leader Ram Niwas Mirdha, was set up to probe Irregularities in Securities and Banking Transactions in the aftermath of the Harshad Mehta scam in 1992. The recommendations of the JPC were neither accepted in full nor implemented. III. The third investigative JPC was assigned to probe the Ketan Parekh orchestrated stock market scam of 2001. The committee, chaired by Senior BJP member Lt Gen Prakash Mani Tripathi (retd), held 105 sittings and gave its report in December 2002. The committee recommended sweeping changes in stock market regulations. However, many of these recommendations were diluted later. IV. The last JPC was set up in August 2003 to look into pesticide residues in soft drinks, fruit juice and other beverages and to set safety standards. The committee, headed by NCP chief Sharad Pawar, held 17 sittings and submitted its report to Parliament in February 2004. The report confirmed that soft drinks did have pesticide residues and recommended stringent norms for drinking water. Constitution Bench to decide on RTI vs right to judicial immunity A Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court will decide the conflict between the right of citizens to obtain information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act and the right to immunity enjoyed by the judiciary not to disclose information pertaining to appointment of judges. A Bench comprising Justice B. Sudershan Reddy and Justice S.S. Nijjar on November 26, 2010 referred to the Chief Justice of India, S.H. Kapadia, for posting before a Constitution Bench the issues raised in the appeal made by the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) of the Supreme Court against a Delhi High Court judgment directing furnishing of information on appointment of judges. The Central Information Commission, acting on a petition from activist S.C. Agrawal, had directed the CPIO to furnish information on the correspondence exchanged between constitutional authorities with file notings relating to the judicial appointments and promotions. The Delhi High Court confirmed this order. The present appeal made by the CPIO is directed against this order. Important issues: The two-judge SC Bench said the questions that arise for consideration of the proposed Constitution Bench are: Whether the concept of independence of judiciary requires and demands the prohibition of furnishing of the information sought Whether the information sought amounts to interference in the functioning of the judiciary Whether the information sought cannot be furnished to avoid any erosion in the credibility of the decisions Whether the information sought is exempt under Section 8 (i)(j) of the RTI Act.

CCEA approves Integrated Action Plan for naxal-hit districts The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on November 26, 2010 approved the commencement of an Integrated Action Plan (IAP) in 60 selected districts with the aim of giving a fillip to development schemes in tribal and backward regions, mostly affected by Naxal violence. The IAP would be an additional central assistance scheme on a 100 per cent grant basis. It is aimed at quick resolution of problems concerning healthcare, drinking water, education and roads. In 2010-11 alone, each of the 60 districts will be given a block grant of Rs. 25 crore. In 2011-12, the grant will go up to Rs. 30 crore each.

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These include Orissa (15 districts), Jharkhand (14 districts), Chhattisgarh (10 districts) Madhya Pradesh (8 districts) and Bihar (7 districts). Two districts each in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh have been included while a district each in West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh make the rest. According to Home Minister P. Chidambaram, this is in pursuance of the Finance Ministers announcement in his budget speech of 2010-11 and the Prime Ministers address to the National Development Council on July 24. Schemes would be decided by a committee, headed by the District Collector. The Superintendent of Police and the District Forest Officer would be its members. The IAP would be reviewed for implementation in the 12th Plan at a later stage, Mr. Chidambaram said.

The IAP would focus on improvements in governance and the States would have to comply with specific preconditions before availing themselves of the second tranche of the additional financial assistance in 2011-12 under the State component of the IAP. However, these conditionalities would not apply to the district component of the IAP. The scheme would focus on effective implementation of the provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, and the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006. While the district component would be administered by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, the State component would be administered by the Planning Commission.

President Patil visits Syria After concluding a five-day goodwill tour of the oil-rich United Arab Emirates, President Pratibha Patil touched down at the Syrian capital Damascus for a four-day official visit on November 26, 2010. This was the first ever visit by an Indian President to Syria. It focused on bilateral issues political, economic and cultural and exploration of investment opportunities in both countries. On the regional and international fronts, the Middle East Peace Process (MEPP) and Syria's relations with its neighbours figured in the President's discussions. President Patil and her Syrian counterpart, Bashar al-Assad, emphasised the need to strengthen economic and bilateral relations between the two countries. The Syrian President renewed his countrys support to India in fighting terrorism. He also reiterated Syrias support to Indias efforts to secure a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council, and stressed the importance of reforming the U.N. so that it becomes more democratic, representative and efficient. The visit saw Syrian leadership seeking Indian participation in the phosphates sector and also inviting Indian companies to participate more in the expanding and promising sectors of power and hydrocarbons. It saw India favouring exploring a long-term arrangement on phosphates and expressing interest in setting up power projects in this West Asian country. While Syria is rich in deposits of phosphates, India has been in perennial short supply and has always imported the salt which is essential to maintain the nutrient balance of agricultural soil. Three agreements were also signed: an agreement on cultural cooperation for 2010-2013; a MoU between the General Organisation for Radio and Television in Syria and Prasar Bharati; and MoU between the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) and the Press Trust of India (PTI). Indian Flag hoisted at the South Pole The maiden Scientific Expedition Team hoisted the Indian tricolour at the South Pole on November 22, 2010. The team has traversed 2350 km and on the way they collected data on ice physics, chemistry, geomorphology structure of ice etc. The expedition is a milestone in Indias research endeavours to search for the history of climate change. The secrets of global warming, which face the modern world today, may lie hidden in the ice cores of Antarctica. Dr. Rasik Ravindran, Director of the National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Goa is the Team leader of this expedition. The 8-Member team comprising geologist, glaciologist, geophysicist and a meteorologist apart from vehicle engineers left Maitri, the Indian station on the Antarctica, on November 13 for South Pole. The Science component of the expedition includes: Raising cores at regular spacing along the Maitri-South Pole (Amundsen-Scot station) traverse for study of variability of snow chemistry particular matter, etc. GPR section along traverse to understand bed rock topography and Sub surface-Ice structure.

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Study of glacial-geomorphological landforms along the plateau. Collection of Meteorological and geophysical parameter along the 2000 km long traverse.

Kiran Reddy replaces Rosaiah as Andhra CM: Konijeti Rosaiah, 77, was on November 25, 2010 replaced as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh by Kiran Kumar Reddy, 50, presently Speaker of the state legislative assembly. The choice appeared to have been partly dictated by both community considerations more than half the party MLAs are Reddys, unlike Rosaiah and the strong dissidence campaign of Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, M.P., the death of whose father, Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, in a helicopter crash in September last year, left the CMs post vacant. Rosaiah, then the finance minister, was chosen to fill the post. The ageing Rosaiah cited advanced age and work pressure as reasons for resigning at a politically crucial time for the State. For the newly sworn-in Chief Minister, the same challenges remain in a more intimidating form. With the Srikrishna Committee that is going into the Andhra-Telangana issue due to submit its report by December 31, agitations in support of and against a separate Telangana State are likely to intensify.

Nehchal Sandhu is new IB Director: Nehchal Sandhu, Special Director in the Intelligence Bureau, was on November 26, 2010 named its new Director. He will succeed Rajiv Mathur, who retires on December 31. Sandhu, 58, a 1973batch Indian Police Service officer of Bihar cadre, will have a tenure of two years, beginning January 1, 2011. Venugopal joins CBI legal team for 2G case: Eminent lawyer K.K. Venugopal on November 26, 2010 joined the Central Bureau of Investigations legal team to argue the 2G spectrum case in the Supreme Court. He will represent the agency along with Additional Solicitor-General Haren Raval. With his appointment, the strength of the legal team has reached four. While Attorney-General G.E. Vahanvati will represent Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, SolicitorGeneral Gopal Subramanium will represent the Department of Telecommunications.

Justice Mishra appointed CJ of Rajasthan HC: The President on November 25, 2010 appointed Justice Arun Kumar Mishra, Judge of the Rajasthan High Court, to be the Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office.

P. Chidambaram releases video on communal harmony: The Union Home Minister, P. Chidambaram on November 25, 2010 released a video entitled Ray of Hope, prepared by the National Foundation for Communal Harmony (NFCH) an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Home Affairs, highlighting the importance of peace, communal harmony and national integration in the contemporary context. The video was released on the occasion of Flag Day which is observed on the last day of Communal Harmony Campaign Week, the Qaumi Ekta th th Week (National Integration Week), which is celebrated every year during 19 to 25 November, across the country. The video is a unique initiative of NFCH as it has been prepared featuring Dr. Shah Faesal, IAS topper from the State of J&K (2009 batch) as the Goodwill Ambassador of NFCH.

Delhi court orders FIR against Roy, Geelani: A Delhi court on November 28, 2010 ordered the police to register an FIR against writer Arundhati Roy, hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, revolutionary poet Varavara Rao and four others for allegedly making anti-India statements at a convention on Kashmir Azadi: The Only Way, organised in the city on October 21. The others are Delhi University professor S.A.R. Geelani, who was acquitted in the Parliament attack case, Kashmir University law professor Sheikh Shaukat Hussain, Shuddhabrata Sengupta and Sujato Bhadra. Metropolitan Magistrate Navita Kumari Bagha noted that there was prime facie cogent evidence against the accused and asked the Delhi Police to lodge an FIR under the relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and file a compliance report on January 6, 2011 the next date of hearing. Earlier the Delhi Police had claimed that the accused had made no inflammatory speeches and no offence relating to sedition and other charges could be made out against Geelani, Roy and others.

Indias population at 117.67 crore on Mar 31, 2010: The estimate for total population of India as on March 1, 2010 is 117.67 crore and for March 1, 2020 is 132.62 crore, as per the report of the Technical Group on Population Projections constituted by National Commission on Population under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on November 26, 2010. The annual exponential growth rate of population during the period 2016-20 is estimated to be 1.1 percent. As per the United Nations Population Projections, 2008 Revision, the Population of India will be 136.72 crore in 2020 and India will continue to be second most populous country in the World.

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World Organ Donation Day observed: The World Organ Donation Day was celebrated in India for the first time on November 27, 2010. Experts called for changes in the law coupled with a massive awareness campaign to meet the high demand so that precious lives could be saved everyday. Organ donation is the process of removing tissues or organs from a live, or recently dead, person to be used in another. The former is the donor and the latter is the recipient. There are two types of organ donation systems involved: Opt In, where the donor gives consent, and Opt Out, where anyone who has not specifically refused is considered as a donor. India uses the Opt In system, while many Western countries practice the Opt Out system.

Travel restrictions on HIV-affected lifted: The External Affairs Ministry in November 2010 clarified that are no travel or residency restrictions for people with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (PLHIV) coming to India. In an e-mail to all its embassies and consulates, the Ministry has asked all offices to remove the requirement for HIV testing from the visa forms available with Indian embassies and consulates. Earlier, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had withdrawn the requirement for HIV testing of foreigners, including students. However, some Indian embassies and consulates continued to display the requirement of HIV test certificate on their websites as well as on visa forms. The latest move from the MEA will ensure that HIV-related questions will not be asked on any visa application forms.

India Trade and Exhibition Centre inaugurated at Sharjah: President Pratibha Patil on November 25, 2010 inaugurated the India Trade and Exhibition Centre, a non-profit organisation aimed at facilitating Indian businesses in the region, at Sharjah during her five-day visit to the UAE. The Centre, set up under the auspices of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), aims to create new opportunities to boost the already burgeoning trade ties between India and the UAE with support from the respective governments. The Centre also aims to provide a platform for Indian entrepreneurs to expand into the lucrative Gulf and MENA (Middle East and North Africa) markets and will play a role in attracting foreign investments to India. Indian Workers Resource Centre launched in Abu Dhabi: In an effort to help Indian workers in distress in the United Arab Emirates, an Indian Workers Resource Centre to provide legal, financial and psychological counselling was launched by President Pratibha Patil in Abu Dhabi on November 23, 2010. The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs plans to launch such centres in other countries, particularly the 17 countries for which Indian workers require emigration clearance. The president also inaugurated a new Indian Islamic Centre building during her visit. According to the Ministry, Dubai was the obvious choice for launching the first centre because the UAE has the largest population of skilled and semi-skilled Indian workers. Of the 10 million Indian passport holders living abroad, 1.7 million are in UAE and 65 per cent of them are workers. The centre will have a round-the-clock helpline, manned by persons proficient in seven Indian languages. It will also run a shelter for working women and runaway maids. Since most problems of the workers are due to ignorance of laws, the centre will also be organising awareness campaigns.

NRIs get voting right in elections: The Union government has issued a notification allowing voting rights for nonresident Indians (NRIs) in November 2010. Parliament had in the Monsoon Session passed the Representation of People (Amendment) Bill, 2010 to allow NRIs to vote in Indian elections. An estimated 11 million NRIs are living in various countries across the world. However, the person will be able to exercise the franchise only if he or she is present in the constituency on the polling day. NRIs who have not acquired citizenship of any other country and are living abroad owing to employment, education or otherwise, are now eligible to register their names in the electoral rolls in address as mentioned in their passport. As per the existing rules, an NRIs name is not included in the voters list if he or she stays outside the country for more than six months at a stretch.

Test ranges for electronic warfare systems to come up in AP, Karnataka: India would build two ranges for testing radar-based electronic warfare systems (EWS) as it seeks to strengthen its capability in the field, seen to be vital in war scenarios. One range would come up in Chitradurga in Karnataka and another in Tandur in Andhra Pradesh, which would test non-communication and communication EW systems, respectively, according to a Defence Ministry communication on November 24, 2010. These two would be part of the 4,000-acre aeronautical test range in Chitradurga, some 200 km from Bangalore, and the 8,000-acre one in Tandur, some 135 km from Hyderabad. At present, EW systems are tested in the IAF range in Gwalior in a limited way.

Jamia Millia to confer doctorate on the Dalai Lama: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has given its on November 23, 2010 gave its go-ahead to Jamia Millia Islamia to confer an honorary doctorate on the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. The university confirmed that it will now confer the doctorate on the Dalai Lama at its annual convocation. As per procedure, Central Universities have to take their proposals on conferring honorary doctorates to the HRD Ministry with complete information about the candidates. And, Government of India rules stipulate that in the

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case of foreigners the details have to be sent to the Ministry of External Affairs and political clearance is also required. Once cleared by the MEA and HRD, the proposal is sent to the President for approval. Murshidabad campus of the AMU to start from Jan 2011: The Murshidabad campus of the Aligarh Muslim University will begin its academic activities from January 2011. According to Vice-Chancellor P K Abdul Aziz, the university will start with two courses a five-year law programme and a two-year management programme. The admission will be based on an all-India entrance exam, which will be conducted in Kolkata as well. On November 27, 2010, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee laid the foundation for the 260-acre campus at Ahiram Gram Panchayat in Suti Block under Jangipur sub-division of the Murshidabad University. Already, Rs 50 crore has been sanctioned for the campus. But for now, the academic activities will be conducted from a rented building near the proposed site. University of Hyderabad ranked highest on H-index: The University of Hyderabad is at the number one position followed by the Delhi University (DU) in the H-index rankings on R&D performance of universities in 2009 by Delhis National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies (NISTDS). The NISTDS submitted the rankings to the Department of Science and Technology (DST) in October 2010. H-index is a parameter used to assess the performance of researchers and institutions based on the number of times a published research paper has been cited by peers or other researchers. A better index can translate into higher grants for the Universities from the department of science and technology (DST) under its flagship Promotion of University Research and Scientific Excellence (PURSE) programme. The University of Hyderabad has secured 62 points against Delhis 61. DU is followed by Banaras Hindu University, Jadavpur University, University of Panjab (tied with Jadavpur in 4th position) and University of Pune. Railways to launch magazine Rail Dost: The Ministry of Railways has decided to launch an all-colour magazine Rail Dost to be provided free to passengers of elite trains. The magazine, which will be launched in January, will be similar in look and feel to those provided by airlines for in-flight reading. Rail Dost will not be sold and passengers can take it home. The idea of a monthly magazine to be given to all passengers of Durantos, Rajdhanis and Shatabdis was mooted by the railways passenger services committee headed by quiz master Derek OBrien. Initially, the magazine will be in English and Hindi and later, some sections will have writeups in different languages like Tamil and Bengali. The first issue is said to feature a story on Rabindra Nath Tagores rail journey in England where he lost the manuscript of his famous work Geetanjali on a railway platform. The first issue will also have a write-up by Ruskin Bond. Book on Vedic principles released: The Great Hindu Tradition, a book in English giving insights into Vedic principles and Sastras with meanings of day-to-day Hindu rituals, authored by Sri Sarma Sastrigal, was released in Chennai on November 27, 2010 by Swami Dayananda Saraswati.

SECTION B: WORLD
News round up First Tiger Summit held in St. Petersburg The worlds first Tiger Summit, a high-profile conservation conference called by Russian President Vladimir Putin and World Bank chief Robert Zoellick to mobilise political, financial and celebrity support behind a goal of doubling the number of wild tigers by 2022, concluded at St. Petersburg on November 24, 2010. The leaders endorsed the Global Tiger Recovery Programme, an action plan to strengthen reserves, crack down on poachers and provide financial incentives to maintain a thriving tiger population. Currently, a poached tiger is believed to fetch between $25,000 and $50,000 for the carcass, reproductive organs and bones. Largely as a result of this lucrative, illegal trade, there are estimated to be only 3,200 tigers left in the wild down from 1,00,000 a century ago.

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Major donors: During the summit, major donors including Germany, WWF, the Wildlife Conservation Society and international financial institutions promised $329m over the next five years as a first step towards doubling the population. The 13 tiger range nations defined as countries where the animals roam freely are spending considerably more themselves on related projects. The endorsement of the Global Tiger Recovery Programme by heads of government and tiger range countries was widely seen as an important step forward.

Concerns: The summit ended with concerns remaining about financing and concrete action. The summit was unable to agree on a new multi-donor funding mechanism under the World Bank. There will be four more meetings next year to try to co-ordinate spending. Conservationists say poaching and trafficking in tiger products is unlikely to stop because the Summit failed to put in place a mechanism to support enforcement. There was also disappointment that China the main market for tiger products had not made a stronger public commitment to crack down on the illegal trade. The attendance of Prime Minister Wen was, however, taken as an encouraging sign of engagement.

North Korea shells South Korean island North Korea and South Korea on November 23, 2010 exchanged several rounds of artillery fire across the disputed Yellow Sea, leaving at least two South Korean marines killed and 16 others injured in shelling by the North on a populated island. The South Korean government blamed the North for starting the exchange, saying dozens of rounds of artillery shells were fired at its Yeonpyeong Island, which lies along the disputed maritime border off the western coast of the Korean Peninsula. The North Korean government, however, disputed this version, saying its firing was in response to live-ammunition military drills that the South has been conducting in recent days. A statement from the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the South had recklessly fired into our sea area. Peninsula of trouble: The exchange has further heightened tensions in the region. Recent revelations that the North had opened a new uranium enrichment facility had already strained ties between the neighbours. And, in March, the North was widely condemned for the torpedoing of a South Korean warship, the Cheonan, which left 46 sailors dead. The North has denied responsibility for the attack. The recent resurgence in tensions takes place amid political uncertainties in Pyongyang, with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il preparing for the succession of his 26-year-old son Kim Jong-un. EU unveils 85bn euro bailout for cash-strapped Ireland Massive bail-out: European Union ministers on November 28, 2010 reached an agreement over a bail-out for the Republic of Ireland worth about 85bn euros ($113bn) in their meeting at Brussels. The deal will see 35bn euros go towards propping up the Irish banking system with the remaining 50bn euros to help the government's day-to-day spending. The Irish government applied for aid on November 21, 2010 when it conceded the banking crisis was too big for the countrys economy to handle. The rescue package is the second to be approved in the eurozone this year following Greece's bail-out in May. Tiger's roar turns into a whimper: Hailed as the Celtic Tiger for the rapid growth of its economy, in the space of three years the Irish Republic has gone from boom to almost bust. Much of its growth was built around the property market. But since 2008 this has suffered a dramatic collapse, with house values falling 50-60%. Bad debts have almost wrecked the country's banks, forcing the government to bail them out. This made a huge dent in the Irish government's finances - which will see it run a budget deficit equivalent to 32% of GDP this year. The problem is just not confined to the banks. Another challenge facing the country is the very sharp deterioration in tax revenues and rise in unemployment benefit claims since the recession. The government's spending gap is a substantial (and unsustainable) 12% of GDP.

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Israel passes bill on withdrawal from occupied land Israels parliament on November 23, 2010 passed a bill setting stringent new conditions before any withdrawal from the Golan Heights or East Jerusalem. The bill requires a twothirds majority in the Knesset before any withdrawal could be approved. Failing that, the proposal would be subject to a national referendum. Analysts say the move could complicate peace efforts by making it more difficult for any Israeli government to make territorial withdrawals in land for peace deals with the Palestinians. The bill - passed by a 65-33 majority - was backed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who said it would prevent irresponsible agreements. Unlike the occupied West Bank, which Israel has never formally annexed, the Golan Heights and East Jerusalem are considered by the Israeli government to be under its sovereignty. The international community considers both the Golan and East Jerusalem to be occupied territory. Syria requires the return of all of the Golan Heights as the primary condition for a peace treaty with Israel. Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state. More leaks from Wikileaks: What the new leaks contain: Whistle-blowing website Wikileaks on November 28, 2010 released 250,000 secret messages sent by US embassies which give an insight into current American global concerns. They include reports of Arab states - including the king of Saudi Arabia - urging the US to attack Iran and end its nuclear weapons programme. Other concerns include the security of Pakistani nuclear material that could be used to make an atomic weapon. The widespread use of hacking by the Chinese government is also reported. Wikileaks battle with US govt. intensifies: The US government has condemned the release of state department documents. The founder of Wikileaks, Julian Assange, says the US authorities are afraid of being held to account. The US government had earlier written to Assange, urging him not release the documents. The state department has argued that the publication of the documents would endanger the lives of countless individuals - from journalists to human rights activists and bloggers - and put US military operations at risk. Wikileaks argues that the sites previous releases shed light on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. No-one has been charged with passing the diplomatic files to the website but suspicion has fallen on US Army private Bradley Manning, an intelligence analyst arrested in Iraq in June and charged over an earlier leak of classified US documents to Assanges organisation. Prince William, Kate Middleton to marry in Apr 2011: The countdown to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, who announced their engagement recently, began on November 23, 2010 with the news that it would take place on April 29, 2011 year at Westminster Abbey in London. Compaore re-elected Burkina Faso President: Blaise Compaore was on November 26, 2010 declared as the winner of the November 21 presidential election in Burkina Faso with 80.21 percent of the total votes cast. Burkina Faso, which gained independence from France in 1960 is a landlocked country in West Africa with Ouagadougou as its Capital and largest city. Formerly called the Republic of Upper Volta, it was renamed in 1984. Former Chinese Vice-PM Huang passes away: Huang Hua, a veteran Chinese statesman and former Vice-Premier who played a key role in helping normalise relations between China and India in the 1980s, passed away in Beijing on November 24, 2010 at the age of 98. Huang, who was a Communist revolutionary in the 1930s and served as a translator to Mao Zedong, is regarded by many here as modern Chinas most important diplomat. He was sent to New Delhi by the former leader, Deng Xiaoping, in 1981; a landmark visit seen as an important milestone as India and China worked to normalise ties which had been left frozen after the 1962 war. Russian parliament condemns Stalin: Russias lower house of parliament on November 26, 2010 condemned Joseph Stalin by name for the mass execution of Poles at Katyn during World War II. The Duma declared that the Soviet dictator and other Soviet officials had ordered the Katyn crime in 1940. The statement, which comes weeks before a Russian presidential visit to Poland, was welcomed in Warsaw. Soviet propaganda sought for decades to portray the massacre as the work of the Nazis, who overran Katyn after invading the USSR in 1941.The truth was finally acknowledged in 1990, in the dying days of Soviet power, but the issue has continued to cloud relations between Russia and Poland.

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