K ta a CM sac s Cooperative Minister Puttaswamy, MP Basavaraj suspended Dec 8, 8:46 PM Karnata a Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar has sac

ed Cooperative Minister B J Pu ttaswamy, a Yeddyurappa loyalists from the cabinet. Crac ing the whip against B S Yeddyurappa loyalists, BJP has also suspended his staunch supporter and Tum ur MP G S Basavaraj from the party. The party has issued show cause notices to bot h Puttaswamy and Basavaraj.The suspension comes ahead of the launch of Yeddyurap pa's Karnata a Janata Party at Haveri tomorrow. Yeddyurappa has claimed the supp ort of over 30 BJP legislators and ministers. Shettar told reporters that as a disciplinary measure, Puttaswamy has been dropp ed from the cabinet. Puttaswamy has termed the BJP government's decision to drop him from the cabinet as undemocratic Karnata a Governor H R Bharadwaj has accepted the request of Chief Minister to d rop Puttaswamy from the cabinet with immediate effect. // Guj polls: Electioneering intensifies with just 5 days to go for first phase Dec 8, 8:48 PM With just 5 more days to go for the first phase of Gujarat Assembly polls, elect ioneering has reached a feverish pitch. Major political parties including BJP an d Congress have fielded their star campaigners in the 87 constituencies spread o ver 15 districts to woo the voters. Polling will be held next Thursday. Tal ing to media persons at Vadodara today Congress leader Ahmed Patel rejected Narendra Modi's statement that he was in the race for the Chief Minister ship of Gujarat. Terming Modi's statement as irresponsible Patel said that he was never in the race for the Chief Minister ship of Gujarat. He said people of the state are in favour of change and it will happen in the assembly elections. Later Pat el addressed election meetings in South Gujarat charging Chief Minister Narendra Modi with ma ing false promises. Congress leader and Union Minister of State for Power Jyotiraditya Scindhia came down heavily on the Modi government for charging 20 percent electricity duty fr om consumers. He told the media in Vadodara that the Modi government is engaged in selling power to other states ignoring the interests of Gujarat and earning 1 ,700 crore rupees, a year. Dismissing the claim of development by the Modi Gover nment, Scindia said there is a high rate of mortality, women s death and malnouris hment of children in the state. BJP leader and party s leader in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitly criticised Congress Presi dent Sonia Gandhi for not recognising the development in Gujarat. Addressing rep orters at Ahmedabad this evening he alleged that Congress is responsible for pri ce rise and corruption. Addressing series of public meetings in the state, Chief Minister Narendra Modi also criticised Congress for ma ing false allegations on BJP Government. Union Minister, Ajay Ma en rejected Gujarat Chief Miniseter Narendra Modi s allega tions that the state is neglected by the Centre. He said in Ahemedabad that the Union government had selected eight cities from Gujarat for the Rajiv Awas Yojna for underta ing preparatory wor and Slum free city plan. The funds were releas ed in March 2010, but till now the plans have not been completed. Ajay Ma an sai d the Centre had sanctioned about 1.4 La h houses for the urban poor under JNNUR M Programme but only 55 000 houses have been built by the Gujarat government.

Union Minister and Congress leader Sachin Pilot said that BJP s promise to built 5 0 lac houses in the state in next five years is totally unrealistic. // FDI in retail will benefit farmers, consumers: PM Dec 8, 8:50 PM The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has said, he is confident that FDI in reta il will benefit the farmers and the consumers. It will introduce new technology and investment in mar eting agricultural products. Spea ing at Punjab Agricultur e University Golden Jubilee Convocation in Ludhiana, Dr. Singh said, the 12th Pl an has targetted for the country as a whole an average of 8.2 per cent growth in GDP and four per cent in agriculture. He said, the decision to allow FDI in ret ail, approved by Parliament was strongly supported by farmer organisations in Pu njab. Dr. Singh said, Punjab should ta e the lead in encouraging best practices in crop management and improving food safety and hygine. He said, the scope for building supply chains is particularly large in the more advanced agricultural s tates and Punjab can be a torch bearer. Dr. Singh said, Punjab Agriculture Unive rsity must gear up to help the state's agriculture meet the challenges of the fu ture and to help it to scale new heights. He said, hardwor of the progressive f armers of Punjab and other states made the original Green Revolution possible. The Prime Minister was conferred with the degree of Doctor of Science at the Pun jab Agriculture University. He gave away awards and medals to students at the fu nction. AIR Jalandhar Correspondent reports that Dr. Singh expressed concern about the d epleting water table in Punjab and said that sustainability of water use in agri culture has emerged as a major problem in the state and it should not continue o ver-exploiting its ground water to support rice cultivation. Punjab Governor and Chancellor Minisetr, Pra ash Singh Badal sh Tewari was also presenmt on // Prez for appropriate conducive of the university, Shivraj V. Patil and the Chief also addressed the convocation.I&B Minister, Mani the occasion. atmosphere to tac le complex India, Pa issues

Dec 8 President Pranab Mu herjee has emphasized the need for an appropriate conducive atmosphere to tac le the more complex and difficult issues between India and Pa istan. In a meeting with a Parliamentary delegation of Pa istan in New Delhi yes terday he said terrorism is the biggest threat to peace and tranquility for both the countries and action should be ta en before it become unmanageable. He also stressed the need for more people-to-people contacts between both the countries to strengthen the constituency of peace. Mu herjee said elected representatives of the two countries have an important role to play in efforts to build good ne ighbourly ties. Welcoming the efforts of Islamabad to achieve full normalization of trade by the end of the year, the President said India desires friendly and cooperative rela tions with Pa istan. // Ex - Servicemen to get revised pension Dec 8 Ex - Servicemen are to get revised pension. Defence Minster A.K.antony says, ord ers will be issued next month. He said their pension will be revised with a tota l commitment of 2300 crore rupees.

Addressing the Army Mela at Pangode military camp near Thiruvanathapuram in Kera la, he said it is the government's responsibility to loo after the welfare of d efence personnel and ex-servicemen. Antony said peace prevails in the country du e to dedication and vigilance of 'our armed forces, who are protecting our borde rs. The Army also organised an exhibition of ammunition and other armaments as part of the mela titled 'Know your Army'. The army personnel displayed their adventur ous s ills during the occasion,which was witnessed huge public participation. // Centre to launch cash transfer scheme for poors on Jan 13th Dec 8 The centre will launch the cash transfer scheme for the poors on 13th of next mo nth. Addressing a public rally at former maoist stronghold at Lalgarh in West Mi dnapur District of West Bengal today the Union Minister for Rural Development Ja iram Ramesh said that, the Government has decided to start the project so that p oor people can get direct cash benefits from different central schemes without a ny interference of middleman. Ramesh assured all inds of help to the West Benga l for Rural Development. Criticising the present Trinamul Congress led Governmen t in the State he said that, the development has not yet come though there is a change of Government. Ramesh urged the people of the State to go for another rou nd of Parivartan to give a chance to Congress to rule the State. He said that, t he Congress will fight Panchayet election in the State slated to be held in next year with full vigour. The Union minister of state Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Deep a Dasmunsi and Pradesh Congress President Pradip Bhattacharjee also addressed th e gathering. // SSC to recruit Engineers, Transmission Executives in PB for about 2000 posts Dec 8 Staff Selection Commission - SSC - will recruit Junior Engineers and Transmissio n Executives in Prasar Bharati for about 2000 vacant posts from this year. Chair man of the Commission N. K. Raghupathy said this in Kol ata today. He said, recr uitment in Cabinet Secretariate will also be done through SSC now. Raghupathy sa id about 21 thousand Constables will be recruited in Central Armed Force and Ass am Riffles this year. He said that, SSC offered jobs to 84 thousand 5 hundred un employed youths last year and this year they have already offered jobs 63 thousa nd youths so far. // Lan a's Parl committee finds Chief Justice guilty on 3 charges

The Chief Justice has been found guilty on the issue of purchase of a property i n Colombo, failure to declare certain ban assets and liabilities and for being biased against legal action initiated against her husband. President of the association Wijedasa Rajapa se said, a special executive meetin g of the Bar Association of Sri Lan a will be held tomorrow to discuss the impea chment. It was also announced that the lawyers will oppose the appointing of an Acting Chief justice. // Philippines bracing for another typhoon Dec 8 The Philippines is bracing for another assault by typhoon Bopha that devasted th

Dec 8 Sri Lan a e charges nister in were not

s Chief Justice Ms. Shirani Bhandaranaya e has been found guilty on thre by the Parliamentary Select Committee today. Committee's member and Mi the government Nimal Siripala De Silva told the press that two charges proved and nine other charges were disregarded by the committee.

e country this wee . The state weather service says, the typhoon that swept thro ugh the southern Philippines this wee has turned bac towards the islands. The weather service said Typhoon Bopha would slam into the northern tip of the main island of Luzon overnight from today into Sunday with wind gusts of up to 160 i lometres an hour. The Philippines President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared a state of national calamity following the devastation. Deputy presidential spo esperson Abigail Va lte today said that Aquino signed the proclamation last night after he returned from a visit in typhoon-stric en Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental provinces. The Proclamation said the declaration of a state of national calamity will hast en the rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts. At least 540 people have been confirmed dead and another 383 people remained missing after the deadliest typho on Bopha hit the country on Tuesday. According to official data, the estimated c ost of damage to infrastructure, agriculture and private properties stood at abo ut 1 billion U.S. dollars. // 5 illed, 2 injured in China motorized tricycle accident Dec 8 In China, five people have been illed and two others injured when a motorized t ricycle plunged into a valley in the southwestern Yunnan Province. Local officia ls today said the accident occured last evening when the motorized tricycle carr ying seven people including the driver, fell off Liangshan Road in Yuanmou Count y into a 50-metre-deep valley. The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital. The cause of the accident is under investigation.As a farming vehicle, the motorize d tricycle is not allowed to carry passengers in China. // Insurgent leader illed in operation in Afghanistan Dec 8 The NATO- led coalition forces in Afghanistan say an insurgent leader was illed in an operation in the eastern province of Kunar. In a statement, the Internati onal Security Assistance Force today said the insurgent leader, Numan, and sever al other insurgents were illed during a security operation in Nari district of Kunar province on Tuesday. It said Numan facilitated the movement of weapons and money in Kunar and provided direct support to senior insurgent leaders in the p rovince. In addition, the Afghan and NATO-led forces today arrested a Taliban le ader in Nahr-e Saraj district in Helmand province. The captured Taliban leader d istributed improvised explosive device materials among the militants. // J&K Academy of Art, Culture & Languages organized Hussaini Mushaira Dec 8 The Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, Kargil today organi zed a multilingual Hussaini Mushaira. 18 poets recited their compositions in Bal ti, Purgi, Shina and Urdu languages while paying rich tributes to the martyrs of Karbala, and reflecting on the philosophy of martyrdom. Kacho Ahmed Ali Khan, C hief Executive LAHDC, Kargil was the chief guest. // Political leaders participate in vintage car rally in New Delhi Dec 8 Political leaders today participated in a vintage car rally in New Delhi to prom ote safe driving. The rally was flagged off by Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ans ari. Ansari said vintage car rallies will help in creating awareness among the people on observing traffic rules. The Vice President said better driving sense among commuters will prevent accidents.

Congress MP Navin Jindal and Shahnawaz Hussain and Rajiv Pratap Ruddy of the BJP among other Parliamentarians also too part in the event. // Prez to visit to U hand on 9th Dec Dec 7 President Pranab Mu herjee will underta e a one day visit to Uttara hand on 9th of this month. In his visit, Mr. Mu herjee will address the fourth annual convoc ation of Dev Sans riti Vishwavidyalaya at Haridwar. He will return the same day to New Delhi. // Union Ban of India opens its 180th branch Dec 8 Union Ban of India today opened its 180th branch at new Motibagh area in the na tional capital. The branch has been opened under the Ban s Nav Nirman transformat ion initiative, which aims at delivering superior customer services. It is fully equipped and bac ed by technology driven value added services including Sampurn a ATM, loc er, 24-hour lobby ban ing and call center facilities. Inaugurating th e branch, the Chairman and Managing Director of the ban , D. Sar ar said that it is committed to provide better facilities to customers and has also started sev eral special initiatives for the physically handicapped. The Secretary Departmen t of Personnel and Training, P.K Mishra, Urban Development Secretary, Dr. Sudhir Krishna and other officials were also present on the occasion. // ADB report: Lagging Asian economies should pic up steam in coming yr Dec 8 A new report from the Asian Development Ban says lagging Asian economies should pic up steam in the coming year. The latest Asian Development Outloo Suppleme nt predicts that developing Asia will post a growth of 6 percent in 2012 and 6.6 percent in 2013, about a tenth of a percentage point lower than anticipated in October. The report said vigorous private consumption in Southeast Asia and a mild econom ic recovery in China nearly balance out the wea nesses in India's economy. The report also said economic wea ness in Europe and the looming fiscal cliff in the U.S. remain very real threats to developing Asia next year. // Subsidies given within borrowing limits: Fin Min Dec 7 Finance Minister P. Chidambaram has said that subsidies being given are within b orrowing limits. Spea ing to media-persons outside Parliament, Mr. Chidambaram s aid that the amount of subsidy for petroleum, Air-India and other sectors is sma ll and the government can accommodate it in present borrowing limits. // 3rd World Cup Kabaddi Tournament: Iran, Pa enter semis Dec 8 Iran and Pa istan have reached in the semi-final of 3rd World Cup Kabaddi Tourna ment being played in different cities of Punjab. Pa istan entered the semi-final today by defeating Italy by 66-20 at Chohla Sahib in Tarn-Taran district, while Iran is already in semi-final.In another match in men s section, Sierra Leone def eated U.S by 73-24. In the women section England registered victory by defeating

U.S. by 50-28. // RFD will be launched for the entire government: Omar Abdullah To improve functioning of its departments, the Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to have Results Framewor Document (RFD) for assessing and evaluating th eir individual performance during an year. The RFD will be launched for the entire government in one shot this year and all the departments would be as ed to formulate it for the last quarter of the curre nt year and the entire next year, said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah while addressi ng a two day wor shop on the subject here on Friday. The wor shop is being organ ized in collaboration with Performance Management Division of the Union Cabinet Secretariat. The Results Framewor Document is an effect performance assessment and managemen t system aimed at judging the performance and functioning of government departme nts on the basis of timeline completion of targets, outcome of schemes, prioriti es fixed, quality of wor done, status of benefits of projects actually accruing to people and other ingredients. The system will be used to assess the performa nce of each department, evaluate to identify bottlenec s, shortcomings if any an d to improve the performance by ta ing corrective measures. Under the system, the RFD listing a department s objectives, policies, programmes and targets will be signed between its administrative secretary and the minister . The document will infact be a record of understanding between the head of the department and the minister concerned about the policies and programmes to be im plemented during an year, sources said. At the end of the year, each department s achievements against the agreed targets would be assessed at a meeting between t he administrative secretary and the minister concerned and ta e corrective steps , wherever necessary. system will also ensure transparency. Pointing out that Jammu Kashmir will be the 11th state to introduce this system, Omar said that ``while elections present evaluation perception of public repres entatives, there should be performance evalution of bureaucracy and government d epartments. The RFD will be the right instrument for it as it would provide mech anism for performance assessment in relation to delivery of service, realization of targets, completion of schemes in a qualitative manner and the outcome of wo r done, he added. This type of initiative is all the more essential as we do not possess any subjec tive way to assess the performance of government departments in respect to the w or done and targets completed by them as a whole, Chief Minister said. Elaboratin g, he pointed out that the Annual Performance Report (APR) mechanism in vogue at present was for evaluating individual government functionaries, but it did not present accurate reflection of the performance of the departments and the offici als. // Activists raise eyebrows on viability of Atal Bihari Vajpayee's Narmada-Kshipra project Days after the ruling-BJP government in Madhya Pradesh too up former Prime Mini ster Atal Bihari Vajpayee's ambitious scheme of lin ing state's lifeline Narmada River with Kshipra, activists have raised questions over its viability. Launched last month by BJP leader L K Advani at Kshipra Te ri, about 22 ms from Indore near Ujjaini village, the project will be implemented at a cost of Rs 43 2 crore under which water from Narmada will be pumped into Kshipra River at its origin at Kshipra Te ri.

Social wor er Medha Pat ar said though she had not studied the project in detail , internationally such projects were not considered viable. "Inter-lin ing of river basin is considered wrong internationally while intra-li n ing of a river basin is a viable option," Medha said. The government should first consider the claim of those residing in the peripher y of Narmada River as a number of places including Manawar in Dhar district, sit uated near the river, have faced drought situation sometime bac . Narmada Samagra, an NGO headed by BJP MP Anil Dave, said as per the Narmada Acco rd between Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, the former has to use its quota of allocated water by 2025. "If it will not use the allocated quota of water from river Narmada by 2025, the n it will not be able to do so later," Dave said. In view of that, it is necessary for the government to launch such schemes, Dave said. However, as far as viability of the scheme is concerned it is altogether a separ ate issue, he said, adding that he would not li e to comment on it now as he was indisposed for a long time. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had announced at the launch of the project that a grand temple of 'Maa' Narmada and Kshipra will also be bui lt at the originating point of Kshipra River.

Later, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh demanded a 'white paper' on the economic viability of the Narmada-Kshipra River lin ing scheme. "The white paper should mention the name of the agency that described the projec t as economically viable and also ma e public its report," Singh said. // Army in Egypt warns of intervention to chec country going into chaos In Egypt, the army has called for dialogue to resolve the crisis over President Mohammed Morsi's new powers, warning it will intervene not to allow Egypt to go into a dar tunnel. In its first statement since protests erupted, the army said it had a responsibility to protect public institutions and innocent citizens. I t came as protesters ept up pressure outside the presidential palace.They are a ngered over a planned referendum on a constitution next wee . Meanwhile, the national dialogue conevened by President Morsey to defuse the cri sis over his Presidential decree and referendum on constitution have begun in Ca iro. The umbrella opposition led by the National Salvation Front has boycotted t he tal s saying it won t ta e part in any dialogue till the Presidential decree th at gave sweeping powers to President Morsey is crapped and the referendum on dra ft constitution scheduled on December 15 is postponed. However the liberal Ghad Al-Thawra Party headed by Ayman Nour and a few other smaller groups are ta ing p art in the tal s. Egypt's vice-president, Mahmoud Me i has said that President Morsey could delay the referendum on the draft constitution but for this the opposition will have to guarantee that his decision will not be challenged in courts. //

The place will be developed as a pilgrimage centre and will be thal (confluence place), he had said.

nown as Sangam S

Tal s continuing at annual climate tal s in Qatar Last minute discussions are continuing at the annual climate tal s in Qatar wher e delegates have been trying to thrash out a deal on reducing global warming. Th e United States remains at loggerhead with many representatives over whether ric h nations should compensate poor countries for losses due to climate change. The US has fiercely opposed the measure. Small island States at ris from inundatio n say they will wal out if the US vetoes the proposed deal. // Karzai: Suicide attac er attempting to assassinate Afghan Intelligence Chief cam e from Pa Afghan President Hamid Karzai has said that the suicide attac er who attempted t o assassinate Afghan Intelligence Chief Asadullah Khalid came from Pa istan. Add ressing a press conference in Kabul today he said that the incident is being inv estigated thoroughly but it is certain that the conspiracy was hatched in the ne ighboring country. Afghan President said he would raise this issue with Pa istan government. He also said that the attac was very sophisticated and complicated and was executed professionally. President Karzai said that the National Direct orate of Security chief was recovering from his injuries and hoped that he would soon return to his duty as Afghan intelligence Chief. Afghan Intelligence Chief was seriously injured in a failed assassination attemp t on his life by a suicide attac er in Kabul on Thursday and is undergoing treat ment in Bagram military hospital. The attac er came to meet Asadullah Khalid pos ing as a messenger of peace and detonated the explosives hidden in his undergarm ents. The International Force Commander Gen. John Allen yesterday visited the ho spital and inquired about his health. A press release issued by the Internationa l Force in Kabul today said Gen. Allen discussed Khalid s condition with his surgi cal and medical teams and spent a few minutes at the intelligence chief s bedside. Gen. Allen has wished for his speedy recovery. // Pa Prez to pay 3 day visit to France from today Pa istan President Asif Ali Zardari will pay a three-day visit to France from to day to attend a global conference titled "Stand-up for Malala: Girls' right to e ducation" in Paris. The event is being organized jointly by Pa istan government and UNESCO coinciding with International Human Rights Day. French Prime Minister Jeam Marc Aryalt UN partners international organizations foundations donors academic s and imminent personalities will attend the event to renew commitment to girls' education globally. // Antony: Pension of ex-servicemen to be revised Defence Minister A K Antony says, the pension of ex-servicemen will be revised w ith a total commitment of 2300 crore rupees. He said the orders will be issued n ext month. Addressing the Army Mela at Pangode military camp near Thiruvanathapu ram in Kerala, he said it is the government's responsibility to loo after the w elfare of defence personnel and ex-servicemen. Antony said peace prevails in the country due to dedication and vigilance of 'our armed forces, who are protectin g our borders. The Army also organised an exhibition of ammunition and other armaments as part of the mela titled 'Know your Army'. The army personnel also displayed their adv enturous s ills during the occasion,which was witnessed huge public participatio n. // PB considering broadcasting Radio programmes of A.M. channel though mobile phone s

Prasar Bharati is considering broadcasting Radio programmes of A.M. channel thou gh mobile phones in addition to its existing F.M. channels programmes. Giving th is information on the sidelines of a programme in Kol ata today Chief Executive Officer of the Prasar Bharati Jawhar Sircar said that, this initiative will incr ease the listeners of AIR and will also help to popularise its programmes. Sirca r said that the media in the country is totally free from any ind of restrictio ns but feels that self regularly mechanism should be followed strictly. He said that, social networ ing media will ta e an important position in the country in coming days. Earlier, Sircar addressed a lecture on India s Soft Power problems or ganised by the Institute of Foreign Policy Studies of the Calcutta University. T he Vice-chancellor of the University Dr. Suranjan Das also addressed the gatheri ng // Prez for appropriate conducive atmosphere to tac le complex India, Pa issues President Pranab Mu herjee has emphasized the need for an appropriate conducive atmosphere to tac le the more complex and difficult issues between India and Pa istan. In a meeting with a Parliamentary delegation of Pa istan in New Delhi yes terday he said terrorism is the biggest threat to peace and tranquility for both the countries and action should be ta en before it become unmanageable. He also expressed the need for more people-to-people contacts between both the countrie s to strengthen the constituency of peace. Mu herjee said elected representative s of the two countries have an important role to play in efforts to build good n eighbourly ties. Welcoming the efforts of Islamabad to achieve full normalization of trade by the end of the year, the President said India desires friendly and cooperative rela tions with Pa istan. // Prez: India ready for adding more content to strategic partnership with Vietnam President Pranab Mu herjee today said that India is ready for adding more conten t to the strategic partnership with Vietnam in the field of defence, economic, c ommercial, scientific, technical and cultural area. In a meeting with Chairman o f Vietnam Fatherland Front Huynh Dam at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi yesterda y, Mu herjee said the relationship between both the countries is based on mutual trust and convergence of interests and views on global issues. He expressed gre at admiration for the courage of the people of Vietnam and their tremendous stri des in economic and social development. Dam described New Delhi as a long standing friend and partner of Vietnam who has always stood in the time of need. He reiterated the support of Vietnam for Indi a s candidature for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. // Film Life of Pi selected for 2 National Tourism Awards The recently released Hollywood feature film Life of Pi has been selected for two National Tourism Awards for promoting India as a tourism destination, especially Puducherry and Munnar of Kerala. The film tells the story of an Indian boy from Pondicherry, who survives a shipwrec and remains stranded for 227 days on a bo at in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger. Announcing this in New Delhi today, the Tourism Minister Chiranjeevi said these Awards will be given to the Directo r of the film Life of Pi Ang Lee and writer of the boo of the same name, Yann Mar tel. He expressed hope that the move will go a long way in encouraging more and more Film producers from abroad to shoot their films in India. The ministry has identified film tourism as a niche tourism product and has requ ested state governments and Union Territory administrations to recognise the pot ential of film tourism and constitute special bodies to facilitate filming in th eir respective areas. AIR correspondent reports that every year, the Tourism Min

istry recognises various sta eholders, including filmma ers and writers, for the ir contribution in promoting Indian tourism by conferring these awards. // Philippines Prez declares state of national calamity following Typhoon In the Philippines, President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared a state of nati onal calamity following the devastation brought by Typhoon Bopha in Southern Phi lippines. Deputy presidential spo esperson Abigail Valte today said that Aquino signed the proclamation last night after he returned from a visit in typhoon-str ic en Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental provinces. The Proclamation said the declaration of a state of national calamity will hasten the rescue, relief and r ehabilitation efforts of the government and the private sector, including any in ternational humanitarian assistance, and will effectively control the prices of basic goods and commodities for the affected areas. At least 540 people have bee n confirmed dead and another 383 people remained missing after the deadliest typ hoon Bopha hit the country on Tuesday. According to official data, the estimated cost of damage to infrastructure, agriculture and private properties stood at a bout 1 billion U.S. dollars. // US waives India from compliance of American sanctions targeting Iran's oil expor ts The US has waived India for the second time from compliance of Amercican sanctio ns targeting Iran's oil exports. China and 8 other countries have also been exem pted. Announcing this , US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a these countries have significantly reduced their Oil import from fore the waiver was extended to them. She said Washinton and the community remain committed to maintaining pressure on the Iranian t fully addresses concerns about its nuclear programme. statement that Iran and there international regime until i

Malaysia, South Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lan a, Tur ey and Taiwan are the other contries who have got the US waiver for Fiscal Year 2012. // Over thousand Shias march in NY streets to voice anger at Pa govt & Taliban More than 1,000 Shias marched in the streets of New Yor yesterday to voice thei r anger at the Pa istani government and the Taliban for what they called a genoc ide in their community. The march, in which many women and children participated , started outside the UN headquarters and wrapped up at the Pa istani consulate. Demonstrators carried signs bearing slogans such as Stop the violence. Last month, a bomb attac claimed by the Tehree -i-Taliban Pa istan on a Shia pr ocession illed eight and wounded 30 others as the community mar ed their holies t day of Ashura. The blast followed another suicide attac - also claimed by the Tehree -i-Taliban Pa istan- that illed 23 people at a Shia procession in Rawal pindi, the country s deadliest bombing for five months. // UN delegate calls for early end to political stalemate in Nepal

Senior UN Official has urged the Nepal s leadership to find a way to end the polit ical instability before it begins to affect the entire economy. This was stated by UN Assistant Secretary General, UNDP Assistant Administrator and Regional Dir ector for Asia -pacific Region Ajay Chhibber at the conclusion of his two day vi sit to Nepal .During his meetings with Nepali leaders, Mr Chhibber said internat ional experience suggests it is very hard to shield the economy from political u ncertainty forever.

According to a press release , in his meeting with Prime Minister Baburam Bhatta rai, the timing of the elections and UN electoral support were discussed. The Pr ime Minister expressed confidence that elections would be held in May next year and requested UN support to hold these in a free and fair atmosphere. // US welcomes Parliament's decision to allow FDI in retail

The United States has welcomed the decision of the Indian Parliament to allow FD I in multi-brand retail. The State Department spo esman, Mar Toner, told report ers at his daily news conference in Washington that this is a win-win for all fr om small businesses to farmers and consumers, besides deepening economic co-oper ation between the two countries. He said, direct foreign investment in retail wi ll grow mar ets in India as it has in China, Brazil and many other developing ec onomies. Mr. Toner said, a number of US firms are een to invest in the retail s ector of India. In a statement, the US-India Business Council (USIBC) said, this will usher in m uch needed investments and expertise into supply chain development. It can more efficiently lin farmers directly to mar ets, thus minimising loss due to inadeq uate storage and transportation facilities. // Climate tal s continue in Doha

Delegates at the annual climate tal s in Doha continue their discussions today t o try to reach a deal to limit global warming. The two-wee UN meeting was origi nally due to end yesterday. Disagreements were seen over the levels of emissions cuts acceptable to both developed and developing economies. Developing countrie s want to extend the Kyoto Protocol, which obliges developed nations to cut gree nhouse gas emissions. The protocol is scheduled to expire by the end of this mon th. Poor countries also want firm commitments from rich nations to boost aid for them to 100 billion dollar annually by 2020 - a general pledge that was made th ree years ago. But rich nations are not willing to commit to specific targets no w, citing world financial turmoil and pressure on their budgets. A spate of scientific reports released during the two-wee meeting provided comp elling new evidence that the Earth's climate is warming. They also predicted dir e consequences - from rising sea levels to more severe droughts, floods and stor ms - unless action is ta en to reduce climate-changing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions. // Nasa's 'Opportunity' rover could be rolling on Martian clays Nasa's Opportunity rover appears to have reached another milestone in its amazin g nine-year mission on Mars. Scientists report the robot has been trundling over what they believe to be clay-bearing roc s on the edge of a wide bowl nown as Endeavour Crater. Clays are water-altered minerals, but very different to the on es seen by the rover so far on its travels. Those previous minerals were in cont act with acidic water; clays are formed in the presence of neutral water. Opport unity's principal investigator from Cornell University in Ithaca, New Yor , Prof Steve Squyres said what drives us to investigate the problem of water on Mars i s the fact that water is a necessary condition for life. // Khaled Meshaal to attend Gaza anniversary rally

Thousands of people are expected to attend a mass rally in the Gaza Strip today to mar the 25th anniversary of the Palestinian movement Hamas. The gathering wi ll be addressed by the exiled leader of Hamas, Khaled Meshaal, who arrived in Ga za yesterday. This is his first visit to Palestinian territory for nearly 45 yea rs. Mr Meshal went into exile in Syria after the 1967 six-day war. The streets o f Gaza have been decorated with the Palestinian and Hamas flags. Mr Meshal has d escribed his two-day visit to Gaza as an historic event and a re-birth. // Rabi sowing area: Total area under crops 420 la h hectares so far

Total area under crops has touched 420 la h hectares so far in the ongoing rabi season in the country, as against 419 la h hectares last year. According to an A griculture ministry release, area under wheat has marginally increased to 183 la h hectare as against 181 la h during the previous year. Sowing of coarse cereal s and oilseeds has also inched up marginally, while area under rice and pulses i s slightly lagging behind. The release added that sowing of rabi crops is progre ssing well in different parts of the country. // FDI in retail will benefit farmers, consumers: PM

The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has said, he is confident that FDI in reta il will benefit the farmers and the consumers. It will introduce new technology and investment in mar eting agricultural products. Spea ing at Punjab Agricultur e University Golden Jubilee Convocation in Ludhiana, Dr. Singh said, the 12th Pl an has targetted for the country as a whole an average of 8.2 per cent growth in GDP and four per cent in agriculture. He said, the decision to allow FDI in ret ail, approved by Parliament was strongly supported by farmer organisations in Pu njab. Dr. Singh said, Punjab should ta e the lead in encouraging best practices in crop management and improving food safety and hygine. He said, the scope for building supply chains is particularly large in the more advanced agricultural s tates and Punjab can be a torch bearer. Dr. Singh said, Punjab Agriculture Unive rsity must gear up to help the state's agriculture meet the challenges of the fu ture and to help it to scale new heights. He said, hardwor of the progressive f armers of Punjab and other states made the original Green Revolution possible. The Prime Minister was conferred with the degree of Doctor of Science at the Pun jab Agriculture University. He gave away awards and medals to students at the fu nction. AIR Jalandhar Correspondent reports that Dr. Singh expressed concern about the d epleting water table in Punjab and said that sustainability of water use in agri culture has emerged as a major problem in the state and it should not continue o ver-exploiting its ground water to support rice cultivation. Punjab Governor and Chancellor of the university, Shivraj V. Patil and the Chief Minisetr, Pra ash Singh Badal also addressed the convocation.I&B Minister, Mani sh Tewari was also presenmt on the occasion. // Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal award to be notified by end Dec

After nearly six years, the final award of the Cauvery Waters Dispute Tribunal w ill be notified by the end of this month. At a meeting of the Cauvery Monitoring Committee in New Delhi, Secretary Water Resources D V Singh, who chairs the pan el, told representatives of concerned states Tamil Nadu, Karnata a, Kerala and P uducherry that steps will be ta en to notify the final award of the tribunal at the earliest, but not later than the end of this month.The meeting of the Commit tee was convened to give an interim order on water sharing between Karnata a and Tamil Nadu. The Tribunal's award will come into effect within 90 days of its no tification by the Centre. // Maladives ta es over charge of Male airport scrapping agreement with GMR

Maladives has ta en charge of Male airport from GMR. Maldives government had scr apped the agreement with GMR on the first of this month, saying that the agreeme nt was not in the interest of the country. Singapore Supreme Court had upheld th e right of Maldives to terminate the 25 year contract. Officials say, there will be a three-wee transition period beginning yesterday at the end of which GMR will stop operating the airport. State media reports tha t Maldivian Airport Company Limited, which will run the airport, has agreed to r etain all staff, including Indian nationals, on the same terms. Top GMR official s had met with Maldives President earlier in the day. // Govt de-recognises archery association, suspends boxing body

The government has suspended the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation, IABF and de-r ecognised the Archery Association of India for alleged irregularities in the con duct of elections. Announcing this at a Press conference in New Delhi Sports Min ister Jitender Singh said, a notice will be issued to the Boxing Federation to h old fresh elections within 15 days failing which the association will be de-reco gnised. An official release said, the Archery Association has violated the age a nd tenure restrictions prescribed in the Sports Code. The international Boxing A ssociation had earlier suspended the IABF alleging possible manipulation in its recent elections. // SEBI to tighten oversight mechanism for bro ers, other mar et intermediaries

Securities and Exchange Board of India, SEBI has proposed a strict oversight mec hanism for bro ers and other mar et intermediaries to cover the ris s posed by t heir business activities on investors and the overall mar et. The regulator has also as ed various stoc exchanges to establish an "information sharing mechanis m" among themselves for exchange of inspection results of their respective membe r bro ers. SEBI gave this information in a circular issued in Mumbai yesterday. The proposed moves are aimed at tac ling any possible systemic ris s posed by in dividual conduct business irregularities at any of the mar et entities. SEBI and the Stoc Exchanges will formulate a policy for annual inspection of their memb ers in various segments and follow up action. The policy shall also cover variou s inds of ris s posed to the investors and mar et at large. // 31-year-old rioting case comes to haunt AP High Court judge

The Supreme Court has sought assistance of the Attorney General G.E.Vahanvati in deciding a 31 year old case pending against a Andhra Pradesh High Court Judge. A bench of Justices Aftab Alam and Ranjana Desai hearing the petition filed by t wo advocates said, a criminal case was pending against him on the date of recomm endation for appointment as a Judge. The petitioners contended that an FIR was r egistered at Mangalagiri Police Station against some students including the pres ent High Court Judge on February 13, 1981 for indulging in rioting and damage to public property. The bench directed the Attorney General to assist the court an d place before it in a sealed cover the petitioner's complaint addressed to form er Chief Justice of India in January this year and his response thereof. // Deadloc in Doha over damages funding

The UN Conference on Climate Change in Doha is deadloc ed over climate financing issue. Negotiations at the Ministerial level continued late in the night over t he financial commitment by the rich nations to tac le climate change issues. The Chairman of the Conference of Parties,COP-18 has set up another Ministerial gro up of Germany and Singapore to compile the decisions ta en so far and fast trac the outcome in Doha round of tal s. An in principle agreement has been arrived at to eep the Kyoto Protocol alive from January 1, 2013. However, the discussio n over the various options to ma e it a legally binding instrument will continue . The term of Kyoto Protocol expires on 31st December this year. // Parliament rejects opposition sponsored motion on FDI The Opposition sponsored motion on Foreign Direct Investment in multi brand reta il has been rejected by Parliament . The motion was defeated yesterday in the Ra jya Sabha with 123 members opposing the motion moved by AIADMK leader Dr V Maitr eyan. 109 members supported it. BSP members voted against the motion while Samaj wadi Party members wal ed out before the motion was put to vote. Replying to the discussion in the Rajya Sabha Commerce Minister Anand Sharma jus tified 51 Percent FDI in retail and assured the House that the government will n ot ma e any compromise in the protection of small and marginal farmers. He said, the government has ta en several measures to strengthen the manufacturing secto r and the decision has been ta en in the supreme national interest . The Minister asserted that all the sta eholders including the chief ministers ha ve been consulted before ta ing the decision. He also denied opposition allegati ons that they were not consulted. //