crimea declares independence from Ukraine

crimea's regional assembly on Monday declared independence from Ukraine and applied to join Russia, saying all Ukrainian state property on the peninsula would be nationalised.

"The republic of Crimea appeals to the United Nations and to all countries of the world to recognise it as an independent state," read a document approved by the assembly.

"The Republic of Crimea... applies to the Russian Federation to accept the Republic of Crimea as a member of the Russian Federation," it said.

killed in Naxal attack on security personnel in Chhattisgarh

ambushed a security patrol killing 16 people including 11 of the CRPF in a daring daytime attack in the worst-hit Sukma district of Chhattisgarh, a gory reminder of the 2010 Dantewada massacre in which 76 CRPF personnel were gunned down in the same area.

The Naxals, who were 200 in number, walked away with the arms and ammunition of the slain policemen after the encounter that lasted nearly three hours. The attack at a road construction site came exactly a month before the Lok Sabha elections in Chattisgarh.

They struck at 'Jeerum Nullah', 400 km from Raipur, at around 1015 am when a contingent of 48 joint security forces personnel was trapped and struck by heavy fire and landmine blasts while it was out for an operational task in the jungles of Tongapal, close to the Dantewada and 'Jeerum Ghati' axis, notorious for Naxal violence.

Jat community is included in the Central list of OBCs in nine states

Union Cabinet on 02-March-2014 approved the inclusion of the Jat community in the Central list of OBCs for the states of Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarrakhand, Uttar Pradesh and the National capital territory of Delhi.


An approximate number of nine crore Jats are living in nine states -- Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand and Bihar.

2-yr age relaxation for civil service exams

recently approved two additional attempts for all categories of candidates beginning with the Civil Services Examination, 2014, and okayed the consequential age relaxation across the board.

Under the existing rules, an unreserved or general category candidate is permitted a maximum of four attempts with the age limit for such candidates to take the examination being 30 years.

But from this year onwards, unreserved category candidates will get six attempts until 32 years of age, the Ministry of Personnel said in a statement on Tuesday.

There is no restriction on the number of attempts by candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).

But the age limit for such aspirants has now been extended by two years from 35 to 37 years, it said.

Till last year, the stipulation was for a total of seven attempts and an age limit of 33 years for aspirants belonging to Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

But as per the revised norms, an OBC candidate will now get nine attempts until 35 years of age.

Physically handicapped candidates in the general and OBC categories will now be eligible for nine attempts as against the seven at present.

They will also get age relaxations of 42 years for general and 45 years for OBC candidates.

There is no cap on the number of attempts by physically handicapped candidates in the SC and ST categories while there will be an age limit of 47 years for them as against the present 45 years, the statement said.

The Civil Services Examination (Preliminary), 2014, is tentatively scheduled to be held on 24th August this year.

The examination is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission to select officers for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Foreign Service (IFS), among others.

Information courtesy  : http://www.ddinews.gov.in/National/National%20-%20Headlines/Pages/civilexams.aspx

Former Supreme Court judge K T Thomas refuses to head Lokpal search panel

Supreme Court judge K T Thomas on 03-March-2014 turned down the offer to head Lokpal search committee, days after jurist Fali Nariman opted out of the panel.

Thomas was a judge in the apex court between March 29, 1996 to January 1, 2002. Fali Nariman had recently also refused to be part of the Lokpal search panel, voicing fears that the best will be overlooked by the multi-layered procedure.

The eight-member search committee is mandated to prepare a panel of persons to be considered by the Selection Committee headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for appointment of chairperson and members of Lokpal.

The Selection Committee has as members the Lok Sabha Speaker, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, the Chief Justice of India or a judge of the apex court nominated by him, and an eminent jurist who could be nominated by the President or any other member.

The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 provides for establishment of a Lokpal for the Union and Lokayuktas for the states to inquire into corruption charges against public functionaries.

The Centre had already got nominations from various individuals for becoming its chairperson and members.

India’s largest solar power plant at Neemuch in Madhya Pradesh

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi launched a 130-MW solar power plant at Bhagwanpur in Neemuch, about 400 km from Bhopal on 26-02-2014.

The Welspun Solar MP project, the largest solar power plant in India set up at a cost of Rs. 1,100 crore on 305 hectares of land, will supply power at Rs. 8.05 a kWh. 

Navy Chief Admiral D.K. Joshi resigned

India’s navy chief, Admiral D.K. Joshi resigned as chief of the Indian navy, owning “moral responsibility for the accidents and incidents during the past few months”, the Defence Ministry said on 26-Feb-2014 Admiral Joshi is the first Indian military commander to have resigned since General Kodandera Subayya Thimmaiah in 1959 -- and the only to have his resignation accepted by the government. 

The naval chief's resignation came hours after a fire on board the newly-refitted Sindhuratna claimed the lives of two naval officers and injured seven -- the third in a series of submarine accidents, including an explosion on the Sindhurakshak which exploded and sank in Mumbai’s naval dockyard in August, 2013, killing 18 crew. Last month, the Sindhughosh ran ground on its way to Mumbai harbour, though without loss of life.