Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Muriel “Mickie” Siebert, the first woman member of NYSK


The first woman member of the New York Stock Exchange, Muriel “Mickie” Siebert  died at the age of 80.She became the first woman member of the New York Stock Exchange in 1967.

Zubin Mehta’s concert in Kashmir on September 7, 2013

The German embassy in collaboration with the State and the Central governments will conduct classical maestro Zubin Mehta’s Bavarian State Orchestra. The event titled Ehsaas-e-Kashmir, will be perform at the historic Mughal garden of Shalimar Bagh near Srinagar.  The senior separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq have opposed the event.

Lok Sabha passes Food Security Bill

The Lok Sabha on 26-Aug-2013  passed the National Food Security Bill, 2013 that seeks to provide highly subsidised food grains to nearly 70 per cent of the population of the country.

It will legally entitle 67 per cent of the population (including 75 per cent rural and 50 per cent urban) to get subsidised grains under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS).

A beneficiary will be entitled to 5 kg of rice, wheat or coarse cereals at Rs. 3, Rs. 2 and Re. 1 per kg a month, respectively.

The beneficiaries will be identified by the States based on parameters prescribed by the Union government.
 

Friday, August 30, 2013

India lifts ACC Emerging Trophy



The Indian under-23 team on 25-Aug-2013  lifted the ACC Emerging Trophy tournament by beating arch-rivals Pakistan by nine wickets in the final.

Neelkanth A. Kalyani, founder of Kayani Group died

Babasaheb Neelkanth Kalyani,87,  was a great Indian businessman who serves as the chairman and managing director of Bharat Forge

Pakistan blames India for killing 2 women in shelling



Pakistani authorities on Sunday claimed that two women were killed and seven others injured in an “unprovoked” shelling by the Indian Army on the LoC.

Increase in the Number of Foreign Tourist Visits in the Country


The number of foreign tourists visiting India has shown a steady increase in the past three years.

Visakh Refinery blast : death toll rises to 10



The death toll rose to ten in last evening's massive fire at HPCL refinery-cum-petrochemical complex at Visakhapatnam .

Police crack down VHP’s 84 kosi parikrama yatra



With the Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s 84 Kosi Parikrama Yatra set to begin from the banks of the Saryu River on Sunday,

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Rajiv Gandhi Wildlife Conservation Award 2009



Rajiv Gandhi Wildlife Conservation Award 2009 has been conferred upon Shri S. P. Yadav, Deputy Inspector General in National Tiger Conservation Authority .  

National media centre is inaugurated in New Delhi



National media centre on Raisina road in the heart of Delhi was inaugurated by  Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

Gujarat DGP Amitabh Pathak died in Thailand



Gujarat’s Director-General of Police Amitabh Pathak died on 23-Aug-2013 in Phuket, Thailand.

First legal abortion in Ireland



Under the new bill, Ireland performed its first life saving abortion. 

PUCL launches anti-Modi website



The People's Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL), Rajasthan,  launched a website www.pheku.in to expose Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and “restore democracy.”

International award for Kerala State police



The Kerala State police have been selected for the Asia-Pacific Information Security Leadership Achievements (ISLA) Award 2013 for its ‘innovative and timely initiatives in ensuring cyber security.’

Anjana Thamake wins 800m in the Asian Youth Games

Anjana Thamake won a gold for the  Indian athletics squad, in the girls’ 800m field in the Asian Youth Games at the Nanjing Stadium, China

Asian currencies fell on Fed signals



Asian currencies fell on 22-Aug-2013 as minutes of the Federal Reserve's last meeting indicated that the U.S. central bank could start scaling back its stimulus as early as September.

Shame again.. Photojournalist gangraped in Mumbai

Five men gangraped a 22-year-old photojournalist from a city magazine in the Shakti Mills Compound at Mahalaxmi here on 22-Aug-2013 evening.
 She was accompanied by a man who was allegedly tied in a corner and assaulted.

 The incident occurred around 6 p.m. when she was on an assignment. The girl reached Jaslok Hospital on Pedder Road around 10 p.m. Hospital authorities informed the NM Joshi Marg Police Station.

Syrian rebels claim deadly 'toxic gas' attack



Syrian anti-government activists accused the  Government  of  carrying out a toxic gas attack that killed at least 100 people, including many children .

Maharashtra approves anti-superstition ordinance



The Murder of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar followed by angry protests prompted the Maharashtra government to clear an ordinance enforcing the anti-superstition measures he had advocated for years.

Freedom fighter Sunil Kumar Ray passed away

Freedom fighter Sunil Kumar Ray passed away at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar on 21-Aug-2013.. Born in February 1928 in Cuttack, Ray was inspired by Netaji and joined the Indian National Army (INA). Ray was instrumental in converting Netajis ancestral home in Cuttack into a national museum and till he was indisposed a few days ago, Ray was active in spreading the ideals of Netaji. Ray wrote several books on Netaji and distributed them free of cost to school and college students.

Bradley Manning gets 35-year prison term for revealing data

Bradley Manning, the U.S. soldier convicted of the biggest breach of classified data in the nation’s history by providing files to WikiLeaks, was sentenced to 35 years in prison on 21-Aug-2013

Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards

 The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on 22 August 2013 announced the National Sports Awards-2013 for the following personalities.

British Activist Ms. Jodie Underhill Awarded for her Service towards Uttarakhand Flood Tragedy Relief

Union Minister of State for Tourism (I/C) Dr.K.Chiranjeevi, today announced Rs. 5 lakh in his personal capacity to the British activist Ms.Jodie Underhill in recognition of her yeomen service to the cause of Uttarakhand flood tragedy relief.

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Anti-superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar shot dead



Narendra  Dhabholkar, founder of the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti, was shot dead  while he was on his daily morning walk near Omkareshwar temple in Pune. 

Kerala on the world LNG map.



The first vessel carrying natural gas from Qatar arrived in Kochi on 20-August-2013 and docking at the Petronet LNG terminal at Puthuvype, Kochi.

Coal Ministry is making all efforts to Locate missing Coal Blocks Allocation Documents



 The Union Coal Minister, Shri Sriprakash Jaiswal has said that the Government will make every effort to locate and supply the additional documents required by CBI regarding allocation of coal blocks. 

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) admits its role in 1953 Iranian coup d'état

The CIA formally admitted that it was involved in both the planning and the execution of the coup, including the bribing of Iranian politicians, security and army high-ranking officials, as well as pro-coup propaganda.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Anand Sharma Attends First RCEP Ministerial Meeting in Brunei

The Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Anand Sharma attended the first meeting of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Ministers in Brunei on 19th August, 2013.

Nadal clinches Cincinnati Masters title

Rafael Nadal of Spain won the ATP Cincinnati Masters for the first time his ninth title of 2013 lifting him to No. 2 in the world and stamping him as a U.S. Open favourite.

Supreme Court collegiums recommended Justice Agrawal, Justice Ramana to be Chief Justices of Madras, Delhi HCs.


The Supreme Court collegium has recommended that the acting Chief Justice of the Madras High Court Rajesh Kumar Agrawal be made its Chief Justice.
 
The acting chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court Justice N.V. Ramana  will be Justice of the Delhi High Court.

The seniormost judge of the High Court, Justice R. Banumathi, has been recommended to be appointed as the Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court.

Justice N.V. Ramana, acting Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court, will be the new Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court. At present, there is no judge from the Andhra Pradesh High Court holding the post of Chief Justice in any High Court.

Train mows down 37 Bihar pilgrims

At least 37 people were killed and 24 injured after being hit by a Rajya Rani Express train while crossing the tracks at Dhamara Ghat train station in the Indian state of Bihar.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Michel Djotodia sworn in President of Central African Republic



Michel Djotodia, the re rebel leader whose fighters toppled the government, officially sworn in President of Central African Republic. 

Nobel Laureate Dr. Norman Borlaug Statue Unveiled

Agriculture Minister Shri Sharad Pawar today unveiled the statue of Nobel Laureate Dr. Norman Borlaug’s statue at New Delhi.

Launch of the GSLV-D5 Called off


The Launch of the GSLV-D5 scheduled for 1650 hrs today (August 19, 2013) is called off, as a leak is observed in the UH 25 fuel system of the liquid second stage during the pre-launch pressurization phase on the vehicle just two hours before the scheduled lift-off.

Spanish fishermen stage Gibraltar artificial reef protest


Dozens of Spanish fishermen sailed into Gibraltar’s waters to stage a protest over an artificial reef that prevents them from fishing, the latest move in an escalating diplomatic row over the territory.

Basavaraj Rajguru award for Rajiv Taranath



Eminent Sarod player Rajiv Taranath of Mysore has been selected for this year’s Pandit Basavaraj Rajguru National Award, instituted by the Pandit Basavaraj Rajguru National Memorial Trust. 

RBI approves Sharia-compliant NBFC financial services



Cheraman Financial Services Ltd (CFSL), a Kerala based , company has received certificate of registration from the Reserve Bank of India to function as a non-deposit-taking Non-Banking Finance Company (NBFC). 

Usain Bolt bagged 200m gold at World Athletics Championships, Moscow



Usain Bolt bagged 200m gold at World Athletics Championships, Moscow. He clocked .66 seconds,

Dilip Trivedi is new CRPF Director-General



Dilip Trivedi, a 1978 batch IPS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre 16-Aug-2013 named the CRPF chief.

Constitution of a High Level Committee to prepare a report on the socioeconomic, health and educational status of the tribal communities of India



The Government of India for the development of tribal communities, has decided to constitute a High Level Committee (HLC) to prepare a position paper on the present socioeconomic, health and educational status of STs and suggest a way forward. 

Delhi Police arrested Abdul Karim Tunda Lashkar-e-Taiba's Bomb Expert



The Delhi police on 16-Aug-2013 night arrested Syed Abdul Karim alias 'Tunda', a Lashkar-e-Toiba’s commander who masterminded a series of bombing in North India in 1996-98, from Indo-Nepal border

Kapil Dev’s former coach Desh Prem Azad dies at 75



Desh Prem Azad, a former coach of legendary cricketer Kapil Dev, died after a brief illness at a hospital in nearby Mohali, his family said.

New mammal species olinguito discovered

The olinguito, a small mammal native to South America, was announced as the first new carnivorous mammal species discovered in the American Continents in 35 years today.

Monday, August 19, 2013

Rear Admiral P. Ajit Kumar is the new chief of Southern Naval Command



Rear Admiral P. Ajit Kumar is appointed as the  Chief of Staff of the Southern Naval Command on 17-Aug-2013. 

Indian Stock Market witnessed biggest fall in 4 years



The Indian stock market moved out of the trillion-dollar league on 16-Aug-2013 as equities crashed, pulling down the total valuation of all listed companies to $985 billion on fresh concerns about the US stimulus withdrawal, and the rupee plunging to a historic record low of 62.
 

Canadian city names street after Mahatma Gandhi



A street in Canada's Winnipeg city has been named after Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion of India's 67th Independence Day.

Railways to Provide Braille Signage in Passenger Coaches for Visually Impaired Passengers

As a part of its social commitment to make Railways more friendly towards specially abled passengers, 

RUSA Proposes to put a Ceiling of Maximum Number of Colleges to be Affiliated at Two Hundred

The Rashtriya Uchattar Shiksha Abhiyan proposes to put a ceiling of maximum number of colleges to be affiliated to any university at two hundred.

Borlaug Global Rust Initiative Technical Workshop 2013 to be Held Next Week in New Delhi

Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Borlaug Global Rust Initiative (BGRI) are jointly organizing a Technical Workshop to discuss the progress and challenges in protecting the world’s wheat supply from rust.

National Skill Certification and Monetary Reward Scheme launched



Union Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram unveiled the National Skill Certification and Monetary Reward Scheme that will be implemented on pan-India basis.

India and World Bank agreement for US $100 Million Low Income Housing Finance Project



The Loan and Project Agreements for World Bank (IDA) assistance of US $100 million for Low Income Housing Finance Project were signed between Government of India/National Housing Bank(NHB) and the World Bank here yesterday.

Friday, August 16, 2013

Egypt declared national emergency


Egypt has declared a month-long state of emergency after scores of people were killed when security forces stormed two camps set up by supporters of the ousted President, Mohamed Morsy, as part of their campaign for his reinstatement. 

Submarine INS Sindhurakshak sinks after blasts



A massive fire accident sank the Navy’s kilo-class submarine INS Sindhurakshak sank on 14-08-2013 at Mumbai Naval Docks in Colaba.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Import Duty on gold, silver hiked to 10%



The Union Government increased  the import duty on gold and platinum from eight per cent to 10 per cent, that on silver was raised by four percentage points to 10 per cent.

Opposition LDF lays siege to Kerala Secretariat



Left Democratic Front workers laid indefinite siege to the Secretariat of Kerala demanding Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s resignation in the solar scam. 

Senior IAS officer, Mr. Giridhar Aramane,who acted against RIL relieved of powers



Mr. Giridhar Aramane, , Joint Secretary (Exploration) in the Ministry of  Petroleum and Natural Gas, has been relieved of charge of gas pricing, acquisition of E&P assets abroad, all establishment and administrative matters related to Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Videsh Limited and unconventional hydrocarbon.

Amendments of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969

The Union Cabinet today approved the introduction of a Bill in the Budget Session of Parliament to amend the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 to include registration of marriages as well, so that the existing administrative mechanisms will be able to carry out such registration of marriages in accordance with the specified procedures and be able to maintain necessary records and statistics for registration of marriages also.

First amendment to RTI Act tabled in Lok Sabha



The Manmohan Singh government 12-08-2013 introduced the Right to Information (Amendment Bill), 2013 in the Lok Sabha .

Vinay Mittal is appointed as the member of UPSC



Former Railway Board Chairman Vinay Mittal has been appointed as member of Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). He was appointed on August 8 for a period of six years or until he attains the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier  He is a former Indian Railway Traffic Service officer.


Wednesday, August 14, 2013

P. V. Sindhu bags bronze in 2013 BWF World Championships



P.V.Sindhu of India bagged Bronze medal women’s singles category at the BWF World Championships 2013. She was defeated by  Ratchanok Inthanon of Thailand in the semifinals in Guangzhou, China on 10 August 2013.

First public sector breast milk bank in Kolkata inaugurated



A modern and sophisticated breast milk bank, stated to be the first in India in the public sector, was on 07-Aug-2013 inaugurated in Kolkata at the premier state-run Seth Sukhlal Karnani Memorial Hospital(SSKM) hospital by chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

Renowned Naturalist and Ornithologist Zafar Futehally passed away


Zafar Rashid Futehally an Indian naturalist, ornithologist and conservationist passed away on 11 August 2013 at Kihim in Maharashtra. 

Noted Kamaicha player Sakar Khan passed away



Renowned Rajasthani folk musician and Padma Shri awardee Sakar Khan, an exponent of the melodious bow and string instrument Kamaicha, passed away in Jaisalmer on 10-Aug-2013. 

Ibrahim Boubacar Keita won Mali Presidential Elections


Former Prime Minister Ibrahim Boubacar Keita won Mali’s presidency after his opponent conceded defeat in an election aimed at restoring stability to a country wracked by a rebellion, a coup and an Islamic insurgency.

 

Usain Bolt the fastest in IAAF World Championships 2013, Moscow


Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt won the 100 metre sprint title at the 14th IAAF World Championships 2013, Moscow on 11 August 2013.

Colin Michael Foale, the First British to Perform a Space Walk, Retired from NASA



Colin Michael Foale, is a British-American astrophysicist and former NASA astronaut retired from NASA in the second week of August 2013.

Delhi state government conferred Lifetime Achievement Award-2013 to Abdul Rashid Khan and Anjolie Ela Menon.



Delhi state government conferred Lifetime Achievement Award-2013 to Abdul Rashid Khan and Anjolie Ela Menon. 

Nuclear-capable Prithvi-II missile successfully test fired



The country’s first nuclear weapons-capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile, Prithvi-II, was successfully test-fired for its full strike range of 350 km from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, off  Odisha coast 

Sardar Singh to lead a young Indian Hokey team in Asia Cup



India, on 11 August 2013 named Sardar Singh as the captain of the 18-member squad in the Asia Cup hockey tournament, which is scheduled to take place from 24 August 2013 to 1 September 2013 in Ipoh, Malaysia.

India created a National Record by organizing a Half-Marathon at an altitude of 10050 ft



India set a world record at Lahaul and Spiti of Himachal Pradesh on 10th August 2013. It was a twenty-one (21) kilometer long Half Marathon at such a high altitude of 10050 feet at Kaylong

INS Arihant nuclear reactor activated



 In a major step towards completing its nuclear triad, India activated the atomic reactor on-board the indigenous nuclear submarine INS Arihant paving the way for its operational deployment by the Navy.

Maharashtra became first state to disburse Salary through Aadhaar linked Bank Accounts


Maharashtra State Government on 07/08/2013 became the first state in the country to disburse salary of its staff through their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts. The employees of the state government’s Information Technology (IT) department got their July 2013 salaries through their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts.

Maharashtra State Government on 7 August 2013 became the first state in the country to disburse salary of its staff through their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts. The employees of the state government’s Information Technology (IT) department got their July 2013 salaries through their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts. - See more at: http://www.jagranjosh.com/current-affairs/maharashtra-became-first-state-to-disburse-salary-through-aadhaar-linked-bank-accounts-1376200375-1#sthash.gw3teHBJ.dpuf
Maharashtra State Government on 7 August 2013 became the first state in the country to disburse salary of its staff through their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts. The employees of the state government’s Information Technology (IT) department got their July 2013 salaries through their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts