NATIONAL AFFAIRS
France, India in $9.3 Billion Accord for Areva to Build Nuclear Reactors
France and India on Monday signed a framework contract during President Nicolas Sarkozy's visit to India for the sale of French atomic reactors.
French nuclear group Areva wants to supply at least two reactors estimated at around 7 billion euros ($9.3 billion).
A final deal could take another six months.
Areva has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Nuclear Power Corp of India (NPCIL) for the sale and India has given the green light for construction. (1 euro = 1.33 U.S. dollars).
The EPR, developed by Areva, has a 60-year life and the French company has assured India of supply of uranium fuel for the lifetime of the reactor.
India plans to add 60,000 megawatts of nuclear power capacity in the next 14 years, a third of the current total output, to address power shortages.
India, France step up space ties
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has signed two more commercial agreements with Ariannespace, the French commercial launch services company.
Indian satellites GSAT 8 and GSAT 10 would be launched in 2011 and 2012.
The ISRO has also renewed its five-year contract (of 2005) with EADS Astrium, a European satellite system specialist that provides civil and defence space systems and services.
Two satellites jointly developed by the French space agency CNES and the ISRO would be launched by PSLV next year, the ISRO chief said. Megha-Tropiques, a space mission to study the tropical atmosphere, would be launched in May 2011; while Saral, an altimetry technology mission, would be launched by December 2011.
India-Sri Lanka ferry service gets Cabinet approval
Rs.254-crore loan waiver for fishermen
The Kerala Cabinet has decided to write off loans amounting to around Rs.254 crore taken by fishermen from various cooperative institutions in the State.
Of this amount, a sum of Rs.221.15 crore is towards the principal of the loan and Rs.20 crore towards interest on the loan disbursed through cooperative societies. A sum of Rs.12.44 crore disbursed as loans through the Matsyafed too will be written off. Nearly 60,000 fishermen will benefit by this decision of the government.
IUCN in the process of assessing freshwater biodiversity of India
The freshwater biodiversity of the country is being assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It is after a gap of 13 years that the freshwater biodiversity of the country, including fish, molluscs, insects and plants, is being assessed using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. The last such assessment was held in 1997.
The list is considered a comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species.
It has nine classifications namely extinct, extinct in the wild, critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable, near threatened, least concern, data deficient and not evaluated.
It is estimated that only 13 of the 807 species of freshwater fish found in India have been assessed using the Red list criteria.
Stanley reservoir touches the full level of 120 feet
The Stanley reservoir, the lifeline of the Cauvery delta, touched the full reservoir level (FRL) of 120 feet for the 37th time in its 76-year history.
17 lakh tonnes of sugar released for December
The Centre has made available 17.08 lakh tonnes of sugar for December to keep prices under check. This quantity comprises 2.08 lakh tonnes of levy sugar sold through the Public Distribution System and 15 lakh tonnes of free sale quota by mills.
Stiff penalties soon for unsolicited marketing calls
From January 1, 2011, mobile subscribers will get relief from unsolicited telemarketing calls and SMS as the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) recommended stiff fines and blacklisting of firms that fail to comply with the new guidelines.
Issuing “The Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2010,” TRAI said defaulting telemarketers would have to pay penalties of up to Rs.2.5 lakh.
A customer can choose to be under the ‘fully blocked' category, which is akin to the ‘Do Not Call Registry,' or the ‘partially blocked' category or ‘Do Call Registry,' in which case he will receive only SMS.
India's Nicole Faria is Miss Earth 2010
India's Nicole Faria has been crowned Miss Earth Talent 2010 after beating 17 other contestants at a talent competition in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.
Indian Statistical Institute signs pact with London School of Economics
The Indian Statistical Institute has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for co-operation in research with the London School of Economics.
Manipur has highest HIV infection prevalence: NACO
Even though the overall HIV infection prevalence rate has shown a 50 per cent decline during the past decade in India, among the States, Manipur continues to top the list with an adult prevalence of 1.40 per cent, followed by Andhra Pradesh (0.90 per cent), Mizoram (0.81 per cent) and Nagaland at (0.78 per cent). It is estimated that India had approximately 1.2 lakh new HIV infections in 2009 as against 2.7 lakh in 2000.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
$100,000 award for Indian NGO
An Indian NGO, Manav Seva Sansthan (MSS), was given a $100,000 award for its work among disadvantaged communities.
The prize, given by the United Kingdom-based international charity organisation, The STARS Foundation, specifically recognised the MSS campaign against child-trafficking along the India-Nepal border.
MSS has been recognised at the “forefront of the fight against child-trafficking in south Asia”.
ECONOMY, BANKING AND FINANCE
Exports up 21 per cent at $18 b in October
India's merchandise exports rose by 21.3 per cent to $18 billion in October over the year- ago period, boosting hopes that the country may be able to reach the $200-billion target fixed for the current fiscal.
Imports during the period grew by 6.8 per cent at $27.68 billion, leaving a trade deficit of $9.72 billion.
The rate of expansion in exports has outpaced imports growth for the first time in the last 3-4 years. Exports in October last year were valued at $14.8 billion while imports were worth $25.9 billion.
The growth in overseas shipments is attributed to improved demand in the U.S. and the EU, besides increase in exports to African and Latin American countries.
Appointments
A.P. Singh is new CBI chief
Amar Pratap Singh, senior-most Special Director in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), took over as the new Director of the CBI. He succeeds Ashwani Kumar, who retired after completing his 27 month-long tenure.
Mr. Singh is of the Jharkhand cadre of the 1974 batch of IPS.
Lt. Gen. Lamba takes charge as Vice-Chief of Army Staff
Lieutenant General Arvinder Singh Lamba, took charge as the Vice-Chief of Army Staff.
DEATHS
Former cricketer T E Srinivasan passes away
Former Tamil Nadu cricketer T E Srinivasan died.
AWARDS
NTPC bags best financial performance award
NTPC has bagged PSU excellence award 2010. Vilasrao Deshmukh, Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, presented the award to NTPC in the Best Financial Performance category.
The PSU Excellence Awards were organised under the aegis of Department of Public Enterprises, Indian Chamber of Commerce and Deloitte.
Gautam Ghosh's film bags Golden Peacock Award
Bengali filmmaker Gautam Ghosh's film “Moner Manush”(The Quest), an Indo-Bangladesh joint production, bagged the coveted Golden Peacock Award for the Best Film at the 41st International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2010.
Silver Peacock Award - The Silver Peacock Award for the Best Director went to Susanne Bier of Denmark for her film ‘In a Better World.' ‘Just Another Love Story' from India and ‘The Boy' from New Zealand were the joint winners of the Special Jury Award.
Maruti bags sustainability award
Maruti Suzuki India Limited has bagged the “Significant Achievement in Sustainability Award” from CII-ITC Sustainability Awards instituted by the CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development.
SPORTS
2018 football World cup goes to Russia
Russia and the tiny Gulf state of Qatar were awarded the 2018 and 2022 footballs World Cups.
The announcement means the World Cup will be staged in two countries which have never hosted the event before following the 2014 tournament in Brazil.
More Current Affairs
France, India in $9.3 Billion Accord for Areva to Build Nuclear Reactors
French nuclear group Areva wants to supply at least two reactors estimated at around 7 billion euros ($9.3 billion).
A final deal could take another six months.
Areva has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Nuclear Power Corp of India (NPCIL) for the sale and India has given the green light for construction. (1 euro = 1.33 U.S. dollars).
The EPR, developed by Areva, has a 60-year life and the French company has assured India of supply of uranium fuel for the lifetime of the reactor.
India plans to add 60,000 megawatts of nuclear power capacity in the next 14 years, a third of the current total output, to address power shortages.
India, France step up space ties
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has signed two more commercial agreements with Ariannespace, the French commercial launch services company.
Indian satellites GSAT 8 and GSAT 10 would be launched in 2011 and 2012.
The ISRO has also renewed its five-year contract (of 2005) with EADS Astrium, a European satellite system specialist that provides civil and defence space systems and services.
Two satellites jointly developed by the French space agency CNES and the ISRO would be launched by PSLV next year, the ISRO chief said. Megha-Tropiques, a space mission to study the tropical atmosphere, would be launched in May 2011; while Saral, an altimetry technology mission, would be launched by December 2011.
India-Sri Lanka ferry service gets Cabinet approval
The Union Cabinet cleared the proposal for a passenger ferry service between India and Sri Lanka that will strengthen economic and cultural ties.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed soon between India and Sri Lanka for providing a joint mechanism for passenger transportation between the two countries.
According to a release, it is proposed to start the passenger ferry service initially between Tuticorin and Colombo and subsequently extend it to other destinations, namely Rameswaram and Thalaimannar.
The Kerala Cabinet has decided to write off loans amounting to around Rs.254 crore taken by fishermen from various cooperative institutions in the State.
Of this amount, a sum of Rs.221.15 crore is towards the principal of the loan and Rs.20 crore towards interest on the loan disbursed through cooperative societies. A sum of Rs.12.44 crore disbursed as loans through the Matsyafed too will be written off. Nearly 60,000 fishermen will benefit by this decision of the government.
IUCN in the process of assessing freshwater biodiversity of India
The freshwater biodiversity of the country is being assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It is after a gap of 13 years that the freshwater biodiversity of the country, including fish, molluscs, insects and plants, is being assessed using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. The last such assessment was held in 1997.
The list is considered a comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species.
It has nine classifications namely extinct, extinct in the wild, critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable, near threatened, least concern, data deficient and not evaluated.
It is estimated that only 13 of the 807 species of freshwater fish found in India have been assessed using the Red list criteria.
Stanley reservoir touches the full level of 120 feet
17 lakh tonnes of sugar released for December
The Centre has made available 17.08 lakh tonnes of sugar for December to keep prices under check. This quantity comprises 2.08 lakh tonnes of levy sugar sold through the Public Distribution System and 15 lakh tonnes of free sale quota by mills.
Stiff penalties soon for unsolicited marketing calls
From January 1, 2011, mobile subscribers will get relief from unsolicited telemarketing calls and SMS as the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) recommended stiff fines and blacklisting of firms that fail to comply with the new guidelines.
Issuing “The Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2010,” TRAI said defaulting telemarketers would have to pay penalties of up to Rs.2.5 lakh.
A customer can choose to be under the ‘fully blocked' category, which is akin to the ‘Do Not Call Registry,' or the ‘partially blocked' category or ‘Do Call Registry,' in which case he will receive only SMS.
India's Nicole Faria is Miss Earth 2010
Indian Statistical Institute signs pact with London School of Economics
The Indian Statistical Institute has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for co-operation in research with the London School of Economics.
Manipur has highest HIV infection prevalence: NACO
Even though the overall HIV infection prevalence rate has shown a 50 per cent decline during the past decade in India, among the States, Manipur continues to top the list with an adult prevalence of 1.40 per cent, followed by Andhra Pradesh (0.90 per cent), Mizoram (0.81 per cent) and Nagaland at (0.78 per cent). It is estimated that India had approximately 1.2 lakh new HIV infections in 2009 as against 2.7 lakh in 2000.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
2010 in the top three warmest years: WMO
The year 2010 is almost certain to rank in the top three warmest years since the beginning of instrumental climate records in 1850, according to data compiled by the World Meteorological Organization.
A WMO statement said the global combined sea surface and land surface air temperature for 2010 (January–October) is now estimated at 0.55 degrees Celsius plus or minus 0.11 degrees Celsius above the 1961–1990 annual average of 14 degrees Celsius. At present, 2010's nominal value is the highest on record, just ahead of 1998 and 2005.
The final ranking of 2010 will not become clear until November and December data are analysed in early 2011.
$100,000 award for Indian NGO
An Indian NGO, Manav Seva Sansthan (MSS), was given a $100,000 award for its work among disadvantaged communities.
The prize, given by the United Kingdom-based international charity organisation, The STARS Foundation, specifically recognised the MSS campaign against child-trafficking along the India-Nepal border.
MSS has been recognised at the “forefront of the fight against child-trafficking in south Asia”.
ECONOMY, BANKING AND FINANCE
Exports up 21 per cent at $18 b in October
India's merchandise exports rose by 21.3 per cent to $18 billion in October over the year- ago period, boosting hopes that the country may be able to reach the $200-billion target fixed for the current fiscal.
Imports during the period grew by 6.8 per cent at $27.68 billion, leaving a trade deficit of $9.72 billion.
The rate of expansion in exports has outpaced imports growth for the first time in the last 3-4 years. Exports in October last year were valued at $14.8 billion while imports were worth $25.9 billion.
The growth in overseas shipments is attributed to improved demand in the U.S. and the EU, besides increase in exports to African and Latin American countries.
Appointments
A.P. Singh is new CBI chief
Mr. Singh is of the Jharkhand cadre of the 1974 batch of IPS.
Lt. Gen. Lamba takes charge as Vice-Chief of Army Staff
Lieutenant General Arvinder Singh Lamba, took charge as the Vice-Chief of Army Staff.
DEATHS
Former cricketer T E Srinivasan passes away
AWARDS
NTPC bags best financial performance award
NTPC has bagged PSU excellence award 2010. Vilasrao Deshmukh, Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, presented the award to NTPC in the Best Financial Performance category.
The PSU Excellence Awards were organised under the aegis of Department of Public Enterprises, Indian Chamber of Commerce and Deloitte.
Gautam Ghosh's film bags Golden Peacock Award
Bengali filmmaker Gautam Ghosh's film “Moner Manush”(The Quest), an Indo-Bangladesh joint production, bagged the coveted Golden Peacock Award for the Best Film at the 41st International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2010.
Silver Peacock Award - The Silver Peacock Award for the Best Director went to Susanne Bier of Denmark for her film ‘In a Better World.' ‘Just Another Love Story' from India and ‘The Boy' from New Zealand were the joint winners of the Special Jury Award.
Maruti bags sustainability award
Maruti Suzuki India Limited has bagged the “Significant Achievement in Sustainability Award” from CII-ITC Sustainability Awards instituted by the CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development.
Lifetime Achievement award for Cheeran
The Kerala Basketball Association has honoured one of its veteran administrators, George Zacharia Cheeran, with the P.C. Thomas Memorial Lifetime Achievement award.
Mr. Cheeran, who has been associated with the game since 1956, was presented with the award, instituted this year in memory of international referee and coach, the late P.C. Thomas.
SPORTS
2018 football World cup goes to Russia
Russia and the tiny Gulf state of Qatar were awarded the 2018 and 2022 footballs World Cups.
The announcement means the World Cup will be staged in two countries which have never hosted the event before following the 2014 tournament in Brazil.
More Current Affairs
- TAPI Gas Pipeline - The 1,640 km Asian Development Bank-backed pipeline will draw gas from Turkmenistan's Daulatabad gas field. Once inside Afghanistan, it will run alongside the Herat-Kandahar Highway before heading towards Multan in Pakistan via Quetta. The pipeline will terminate in India at Fazilka in Punjab. Project will be completed by 2013-14, at a cost of around $6.5 billion.
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