Rajasthan Cabinet Approved the Rajasthan Public Service Guarantee Act, 2011

The Rajasthan Cabinet cleared the Rajasthan Public Service Guarantee Act, 2011 on 24 August 2011 with the objective of providing services to the common man in a specified time frame. The bill aims at making public administration and governance more effective and accountable. The bill states that if an official fails to provide service to the people in a time bound manner, he is bound to face disciplinary action as well a fine up to 5000 rupees. In order to avail this service, a person is required to submit an application form. The draft bill includes major services such as documents verification for passport, disability certificate, birth and death certificate (local civic body), driving license(transport department), water connection( Public Health Department). The bill also includes other services like transfer of names in the Urban Development and Estate Department, receiving documents and map, BPL and the APL ration card (Food Department), pension of officials and employees (Finance Department) old age, widow and disability pension (Social Justice and Empowerment Department), grievance redressal, reimbursement of security money (Public Construction Department).

NASA'S WISE Mission Captured Black Hole's Wildly Flaring Jet

Astronomers using NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) captured rare data of a flaring black hole, revealing new details about these powerful objects and their blazing jets. Scientists study jets to learn more about the extreme environments around black holes. Much has been learned about the material feeding black holes, called accretion disks, and the jets themselves through studies using X-rays, gamma rays and radio waves. But key measurements of the brightest part of the jets, located at their bases, have been difficult despite decades of work. WISE is offering a new window into this missing link through its infrared observations. The black hole, called GX 339-4, had been observed previously. It lies more than 20000 light-years away from Earth near the center of our galaxy. It has a mass at least six times greater than the sun. Like other black holes, it is an ultra-dense collection of matter, with gravity that is so great even light cannot escape. In this case, the black hole is orbited by a companion star that feeds it. Most of the material from the companion star is pulled into the black hole, but some of it is blasted away as a jet flowing at nearly the speed of light. Observing the jet's variability was possible because of images taken of the same patch of sky over time, a feature of NEOWISE, the asteroid-hunting portion of the WISE mission. WISE data enabled the team to zoom in on the very compact region around the base of the jet streaming from the black hole. The size of the region is equivalent to the width of a dime seen at the distance of our sun. The results surprised the team, showing huge and erratic fluctuations in the jet activity on timescales ranging from 11 seconds to a few hours. The observations are like a dance of infrared colors and show the size of the jet's base varies. Its radius is approximately 15000 miles (24140 kilometers) with dramatic changes by as large as a factor of 10 or more. The new data also allowed astronomers to make the best measurements yet of the black hole's magnetic field, which is 30000 times more powerful than the one generated by Earth at its surface. Such a strong field is required for accelerating and channeling the flow of matter into a narrow jet. The WISE data are bringing astronomers closer than ever to understanding how this exotic phenomenon works.

A New Frog Species Discovered in Arunachal Pradesh

A survey conducted as part of Eagle Nest Biodiversity Project with support of the state forest department discovered a new frog species in Eagle Nest Wildlife sanctuary at Sessa in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh. The frog was named Bompu after the locality in the sanctuary where it was found. The frog is native to the forest streams at an altitude of 2000 metres and lives under leaf litter and rotting logs. The frog belongs to the family Megophrydae and the genus Leptobrachium. Only 28 members of this genus are known worldwide and most of them are found in Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, China and Vietnam. This discovery is important because only two other members of the genus are known from India. Russian Grandmaster Peter Svidler won the Chess World Cup held in Russia Russian grandmaster Peter Svidler won the Chess World Cup title on 20 September after winning a four-game final against his compatriot Alexander Grischuk. Khanty-Mansiysk (Russia) an industrial town hosted over 120 world's greatest chess players from 40 countries who fought for the title. Svidler is a six-time Russian champion and one of the highest-ranked players in the world. He defeated strong competitors like American Gata Kamsky and Urkainian Ruslan Ponomariov earlier in the competition. With the victory Svidler won a $96000 prize money and a ticket to the 2012 world championship matches. Russia holds the No.1 spot on the World Chess Federation's top-10 list, followed by Ukraine.

UP, Bihar & Jharkhand account for Two-thirds of the Total 6219 Firearm-related Deaths in India
The study, Mapping Murder The Geography of Indian Firearm Fatalities released on 20 September 2011 warned that unlicensed firearms accounted for 86-92 percent of reported firearm-related murders in India. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand recorded about two-thirds of Indias firearm-related deaths in 2008, even as states like Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry and Kerala close to the then war zone like Sri Lanka had the lowest firearmrelated deaths. The report, authored by Anil Kohli of the department of forensic medicine of Delhi-based University College of Medical Sciences for UN-sponsored India Armed Violence Assessment (IAVA), mentioned that in 2008 Uttar Pradesh recorded 1470 murders, 162 suicides and another 1197 accidental deaths, all caused by firearms. Bihar in 2008 recorded 622 murders, seven suicides and 16 accidental deaths by firearms, while Jharkhand reported 467 murders, 53 suicides and an accidental death of the same nature.

Nilekani Panels Terms of Reference extended to include Unified Payment Infrastructure

The Union government on 20 September 2011 extended the terms of reference of the Nilekani task force on direct transfer of subsidies. The extended terms of reference is to include an Aadhaar-enabled unified payment infrastructure. Considering the expansion the government enlarged the task force by adding five new members. The new members is to include a representative from the Reserve Bank of India, a representative from the Indian Banks Association (IBA), Director of the National Informatics Centre (NIC), the Controller-General of Accounts (CGA) in the Finance Ministry or one of his representatives and the Chief Executive Officer of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).

Amar Kant, Shukla and Chandrasekhar Kambar selected for 45th and 46th Jnanpith Awards

Eminent Hindi authors Amar Kant and Shrilal Shukla was chosen for India's highest literary honour Jnanpith Award for 2009, while renowned Kannada litterateur Chandrasekhar Kambar won it for 2010. The selection board - chaired by noted writer and Jnanpith award winner Dr Sitakant Mahapatra - made the selections for the 45th and 46th Jnanpith awards. Octogenarian Amar Kant is a leading author whose famous novel Inhin Hathiyaron Se earned him the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2007. His other noted short stories include Hatiyare, Dopahar ka Bhoja' and Diptee Kalaktari. Sukha Patta, Kale-Ujale, Bich Ki Diwar and Desh Ke Log are other famous work of his.

Former Presiding Officer of the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) C Achuthan died
Former presiding officer of the Securities Appellate Tribunal C Achuthan passed away in Kerela on 20 September 2011 following a massive cardiac arrest.

ONGC, Coal India, NMDC awarded by the Government for Best Performance
ONGC, Coal India (CIL) and NMDC were awarded by the government for best performance in different categories on 20 September. The Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) Secretary, Bhaskar Chatterjee gaveaway the awards. Best financial performance award in Maharatna and Navaratna category was given to ONGC. In Miniratna category, the best financial performance award award has been given to Goa Shipyard. Good Corporate Governance award in Maharatna and Navaratna category was also given to ONGC. Good Corporate Governance award in Miniratna category, the same award was given to Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd. K Balachandan MD, CPCL received the award. The company of the year award in Maharatna category was given to CIL. The same awards for the Navaratna category were given to NMDC and Oil India. 50 Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) listed on the stock exchanges as on 30 August 2011 contributed about 22 per cent of the total market capitalisation. The CPSE with the highest market capitalisation was Coal India at Rs 236,832 crore (BSE) and Rs 237243 crore (NSE) as on 31 August.

Union Government lifted the Ban on Export of Onions in face of Protests

The Union governemnt on 20 September 2011 lifted the ban on export of onions with immediate effect. The decision was taken by the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) headed by Finance Minister in the face of protests by onion farmers in Maharashtra and Karnataka who had held demonstrations against the ban following a dip in prices. The Minimum Export Price (MEP) was fixed at $ 475 a tonne, the same level when the government decided to prohibit onion shipment. The MEP is to be reviewed every fortnight and a close watch would be kept on the domestic arrivals, total exports, overall domestic availability and domestic prices.

Eight Indian Companies featured in World's 500 Largest Companies compiled by Fortune Magazine
Eight Indian companies, including Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) featured in the list of the world's 500 largest companies compiled and released by Fortune magazine on 11 July 2011. The other Indian companies on the list are: SBI (282), BPCL (307), HPCL (354), Tata Steel (410), ONGC (413) and Tata Motors (442). Indian Oil is at the 98th spot, up from 125th place last year. Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries also improved its ranking from previous year's 175 to 134th position. Indian Oil raked in annual revenues of USD 68,837 million while that of Reliance Industries stood at USD 58,900 million. In the latest ranking, except State Bank of India, all other entities have improved their positions. Tata Motors has made an entry into the list for the first time this year. The list also features Citigroup, ArcelorMittal, Pepsico and Motorola, led by people with Indian roots. Out of the eight Indian companies in the list, five are state-run entities. Fortune's global list of world's 500 largest companies for 2011, compiled on the basis of latest annual revenue figures, is topped by retail giant Wal-Mart Stores. The retailer had annual revenues of USD 421,849 million. Wal-Mart Stores is followed by Royal Dutch Shell (USD 378,152 million) and Exxon Mobil (USD 354,674 million) at second and third positions, respectively. The other companies in the top ten are as follows: BP (4), Sinopec Group (5), China National Petroleum (6), State Grid (7), Toyota Motor (8), Japan Post Holdings (9) and Chevron (10).

National Commission of Women (NSW) submitted Report on Bhatta-Parsaul

The National Commission of Women (NSW) on 20 September 2011 submitted its final report to the Union Ministry of State for Women and Child Development on Bhatta-Parsaul. Bhatta-Parsaul are the two villages in Noida (Gautam Buddha Nagar, UP), where farmers alleged police atrocities, and cited the complaints of seven women alleging they were raped by policemen. Seven women from the two villages had given statements to the Commission that they were raped despite being under pressure not to give such statements. The seven women had also given similar statements to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes. The Bhatta-Parsaul incident had become sensational following allegations that policemen had committed rape during the farmers' agitation in May 2011.

Former Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani killed by Suicide Bomber

Former Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani was killed by a suicide bomber killed in Kabul on 20 September 2011. As head of Afghanistan's High Peace Council, Rabbani shouldered responsibility to find a political solution to the 10-year war with the Taliban. Rabbani was given the dangerous and difficult job of

guiding the negotiations between the government and its opponents, including the Taliban. His death will impact the future of the war in Afghanistan.

Australia under the Captaincy of Michael Clarke won Test Series against Sri Lanka
Australia under the captaincy of skipper Michael Clarke won the Test series against Sri Lanka 1-0 when the sexcond test concluded on 20 September 2011 Tuesday. It was Clarkes first Test tour as captain. In the first test Australia won 125-run victory in Galle. The second Test in Pallekele ended in a rain-affected draw.

HALCON announced Commencement of Air Cargo Services at the Ojhar Airport in Nashik
HALCON along with terminal operator Clarion Solutions on 20 September announced the commencement of air cargo services at the Ojhar airport in Nashik in Maharashtra. HALCON is a joint venture working group between Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) and Container Corporation of India (Concor). The airport is owned by HAL, which invested around Rs.70 crore in developing the infrastructure. While the airport, runway and air traffic control (ATC) will be managed by HAL, the cargo complex is to be managed by Clarion Solutions, which is assigned terminal operator, ground handling operator and regulated agent.

Milky Way's Spiral Arms Caused by its Crashes with Dwarf Galaxy
Scientists stated that the two powerful collisions with a dwarf galaxy in the past two billion years was the cause of the spiral arm structure of the Milky Way. The new findings were published in the journal Nature. In trying to explain the shape of our own galaxy, the Milky Way, with its prominent spiral arms rooted in a central bar, scientists had earlier dismissed the influence of outside forces.

Delhi Government Announced Free Housing for Schedule Caste living in Jhuggis
Delhi state government announced free housing for Schedule Caste living in jhuggis under the Rajiv Ratna Yojana. Under this scheme, 70000 houses will be built. The government also decided to provide 60000 rupees, which is supposed to be paid to the people living in jhuggis under the rehabilitation process.

IIFT Set up its First Overseas Campus in Kampala, Uganda

The government-run Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) setup its first overseas campus in Kampala, Uganda to assist students of African nations understand the nuances of globalisation and capacity-building in the continent. The new institute, named India-Africa Institute of Foreign Trade (IAIFT), is being set up as a part of the Indian government's initiative to help develop a higher education system in African countries in specialised fields.

India-Japan Global Partnership Summit 2011 held in Tokyo, Japan

India-Japan global partnership summit 2011 was held in Tokyo, Japan on 5-7 September 2011. To mark 10 years of the announcement of India-Japan Global Partnership Agreement, the India Center Foundation organized this summit.

Scientists Developed New Laser to help Detect Roadside Bombs

Researchers at Michigan State University developed a new laser which can accurately detects roadside bombs and helps identify improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The laser combines short pulses that cause molecules in the explosive to vibrate. Every kind of molecule has different vibrational frequencies that uniquely find the substance.However, the new laser can make these distinctions even for quantities as small as a fraction of a billionth of a gram.

Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Shivaraj Patil resigned over Charges of Violating Housing Society Laws
Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Shivaraj Virupanna Patil resigned from his post on 19 September 2011 over charges of violating co-operative housing society laws. Charges are that he owned two residential sites in Bangalore city. Media expos showed irregularities in the allotment of two residential plots to him and his wife. Patil and his wife, Annapurna, owned three plots of land in violation of Bangalore city laws, which mentions that a family cannot buy more than one housing site through a housing society.

Union Government approved 12 foreign direct investment (FDI) Proposals worth Rs 242.88 crore
The Union government on 19 September 2011 announced its approval to 12 foreign direct investment (FDI) proposals worth Rs.242.88 crore in foreign exchange. The Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) headed by Economic Affairs Secretary R Gopalan in the meeting held on 2 September 2011 cleared cleared proposals including one by Allcargo Global Logistics entailing FDI worth Rs.141.36 crore and another by Indian Rotorcraft to carry out assembly of military and civil helicopters.

Mad Men won Best Drama Emmy at the 63rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards
The 63rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony was organised on 18 September 2011 at the Nokia Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles, California. The awards ceremony to honour the best in primetime television programming from 1 June 2010 to 31 May 2011 was hosted by actress Jane Lynch, who hosted the Emmys for the first time. British shows triumphed at the annual Hollywood show, the Oscars of the small screen, with Kate Winslet leading a string of British performers. Best drama: Mad Men Best comedy: Modern Family Best miniseries: Downton Abbey Best variety or comedy show: The Daily Show Best actress, drama: Julianne Margulies, The Good Wife Best actor, drama: Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights Best actress, miniseries: Kate Winslet, Mildred Pierce Best actor, miniseries: Barry Pepper, The Kennedys Best lead actress in a comedy: Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly Best lead actor comedy: Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory Supporting actress in a comedy: Julie Bowen, Modern Family Supporting actor in a comedy: Ty Burrell, Modern Family. Best direction in a comedy: Michael Spiller, Modern Family. Best reality competition: The Amazing Race

MoU signed between IIFCL, LIC & IDFC to provide Takeout Finance for Infrastructure Projects
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between IIFCL, LIC and IDFC on 17 September 2011 in the presence of Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to provide Takeout Finance for infrastructure projects. The MoU between IIFCL and LIC and IDFC is to provide for takeout up to 50 per cent of the total project cost in the ratio of 20:20:10 by these institutions respectively. The mechanism is expected to help financing to the tune of Rs.30000 crore under the scheme. This will facilitate banks to take more exposure in new projects, which in turn will help in bridging the gap in infrastructure financing to a great extent.

Kochi Tuskers' Contract terminated Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)
Kochi Tuskers' contract was terminated Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on 19 September after N Srinivasan, the newly-appointed president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), took over . The contract was terminated after the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise defaulted on a Rs 156 crore annual payment it was to make.

CBI filed Chargesheet against Former President of Medical Council of India Ketan Desai
The Central Bereau of Investigation (CBI) filed a chargesheet in a special court against former president of Medical Council of India Ketan Desai and five others on 19 September 2011. The chargesheet was filed against Desai for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 2 crore to grant recognition to Gian Sagar Medical College in Patiala, despite the institution not having requisite infrastructure. The chargesheet weas issued more than a year after the sacked administrators arrest in April 2010.

Joint Expert Committee on Endosulfan submitted Report to the Supreme Court

The Joint Expert Committee on endosulfan in its report submitted to the Supreme Court mentioned that the manufacturers have export orders for 1734 mt of endosulfan technical and 292.5 kl of formulation' which could be allowed for export. The apex court, in its order issued on 8 August 2011 asked the committee, under the Indian Council of Medical Research, to address the court on four issues namely- total quantity of endosulfan manufactured, total quantity that could be exported in terms of pending export orders, the countries to which it could be exported and steps that could be taken for disposal of the balance quantity of endosulfan.

India's Spending on Green IT & Sustainability Initiatives to double to $70 billion in 2015
According to a report Hype cycle for green IT and sustainability in India, 2011 by leading IT research and advisory company Gartner, India's spending on green IT and sustainability initiatives will double from $35 billion in 2010 to $70 billion in 2015. The report pointed out that India's information and communication technology (ICT) industry will be an early adopter of green IT and sustainability solutions as India is one of the fastest-growing markets in terms of IT hardware and communications infrastructure consumption.

BSES Rajdhani Power entered into MoU with Americas Lighting Science Group for LED Lighting

BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL) on 19 September 2011 entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Americas largest manufacturer of Light Emitting Diodes (LED)s, Lighting Science Group (LSG). The far reaching MoU, a first of its kind in India will ensure that the two collaborate and explore avenues to demonstrate and promote energy efficiency using the next gen LED lighting. This association is expected to enable BRPL and LSG to explore opportunities to demonstrate the benefits of LED lighting.

Sri Lankan Golfer Anura Rohana emerged victorious in the Global Green Bangalore Open
Sri Lankan golfer Anura Rohana completed pole to finish victory in the Global Green Bangalore Open on 17 September 2011 thereby ending a decade-long wait for a title on Indian soil. He wobbled a bit but steadied his nerves in authoritative style. Leading by a comfortable five shots from Mukesh Kumar overnight, Rohana overcame a minor blip to finish with three-under 69 for the round, and a card of 12-under-276 for the competition. Mukesh finished second (282) after shooting two-under 70.

An Earthquake of 6.8 magnitude Hit Sikkim; Epicentre Located at Mangan and Sakyong Areas
An Earthquake of 6.8 magnitude Hit Sikkim which resulted in the innumerable loss of human lives. The epicentre of the quake, the biggest in two decades, was located at Mangan and Sakyong areas, over 50 kilometres from Gangtok on the Sikkim-Nepal border. An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. Magnitude 3 or lower earthquakes are mostly almost imperceptible and magnitude 7 and over potentially cause serious damage over large areas, depending on their depth. Earthquakes are measured on richter scale. The Richter scale is used to measure the magnitude of earthquakes.

Scientists Discovered a Plant in Brazil that Sows its Own Seeds

A team of Scientists from Rutgers University in Brazil discovered a tiny plant which they say bows down and sows its own seeds. The plant has pink and white flowers. Scientists found the plant in rural northeastern Bahia, Brazil, one of the worlds most biologically diverse areas. The discovery was reported in Live Science.

Urdu Poet Professor Akhlaq Mohammad Khan Shahryar received 44th Jnanpith Award for 2008
The 44th Jnanpith Award for 2008 was presented to renowned Urdu poet Professor Akhlaq Mohammad Khan Shahryar for his distinguished contribution in enriching Indian literature. He was presented the award by actor Amitabh Bachhan in a glittering ceremony organised by the Bharatiya Jnanpith in New Delhi on 18 September 2011. Born in 1936, in Anwala district in Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, Prof Shahryar received his Ph.D degree in Urdu from Aligarh Muslim University. He taught at the AMU Urdu Department and retired as professor and Head of Department in 1996. He made a memorable contribution to Urdu literature as a teacher, critic and creative writer.

Veteran Musician and Musicologist T.K. Govinda Rao passed away

Veteran musician, musicologist and revered guru T.K. Govinda Rao passed away on 18 September 2011. A highly regarded musician and practioner of Carnatic music Govinda Rao received his initial training under Chembai Vaidhyanatha Bhagavathar and much of his advanced music training under the legendary Musiri Subramania Iyer. In 1949, he joined the Central College of Music, Chennai and was guided by great musicians such as T. Brinda. He was a specialist in Purandara Dasa compositions.

Hexagonal Ayaka Pillar unearthed in Krishna District of Andhra Pradesh

A hexagonal Ayaka pillar with a square pedestal was unearthed by the Department of Archaeology of Andhra Pradesh on a mound in Munjuluru village of Krishna District in Andhra Pradesh in September 2011. Hemispherical Buddhist stupa belonged to the Vajrayana period of Buddhism that dated back to 6th and 7th Century A.D.

DIAL was certified for ISO 50001:2011 Energy Management System

The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) on 8 September 2011 was certified for ISO 50001:2011 energy management system. DIAL became the first airport operator to receive this certification. The certificate was presented by British Standards Institution (BSI) India Managing Director Venkataram Arabolu.

Uttarakhand State Government Waived VAT on Petrol

Uttarakhand state government on 16 September 2011 announced a complete waiver of the states share of 25 percent of the VAT on petrol, bringing down petrol prices in the state by 78 paise per litre. Uttarakhand state was due to get 78 paise per litre as its share of 25 percent of VAT after union government decided to increase petrol prices. The petrol price had increased by Rs.3 per litre from Rs 66.10 to Rs .69.37 per litre will cost Rs 68.59 per litre after reduction of 78 paise. This would cost an extra burden of Rs 21.78 crores to state exchequer.

NASA'S Kepler Discovery Confirmed First Planet Orbiting Two Stars

NASA's Kepler mission on 15 September 2011 made the first unambiguous detection of a circumbinary planet -- a planet orbiting two stars -- 200 light-years from Earth. The planet is cold, gaseous and not thought to harbor life, but its discovery demonstrates the diversity of planets in our galaxy. Previous research has hinted at the existence of circumbinary planets, but clear confirmation proved elusive. Kepler detected such a planet by observing transits, where the brightness of a parent star dims from the planet crossing in front of it.

India Announced Support for the New Regime in Libya

India on 17 September 2011 announced support for Libyas Transitional National Council in the UN. The Union government of India supported the acceptance of credentials of the delegation of the TNC, to attend the 66th session of UN General Assembly in New York. The TNC delegation was headed by its President Mustafa Abdel Jalil.

For the 12th time since March 2010 RBI hiked Repo Rate by 25 basis points to control Inflation
In a move to contain persisting inflationary pressure, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) hiked the short-term policy rate (repo rate) by 25 basis points from 8 per cent to 8.25 per cent on 16 September 2011. The reverse repo rate as a result got automatically adjusted to 7.25 per cent and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate to

9.25 per cent. Repo rate is the rate at which banks borrow from the central bank and reverse repo is the rate at which banks park their funds with the RBI. The central bank raised rates for the 12th time since March 2010.

Helle Thorning-Schmidt was elected Denmarks First Woman Premier

Danish opposition leader Helle Thorning-Schmidt emerged victorious in the elections held on 15 September 2011 and will take over as the country's first female Prime Minister. She belongs to the Social Democrats party. The result ended the center-right government's 10 years in office. Thorning-Schmidt succeeded Lars Lokke Rasmussen who submitted his resignation to Queen Margrethe on 16 September 2011.

Indias foreign exchange reserves fell by $4.29 billion to $316.50 billion

The Reserve Bank of India announced on 16 September 2011 that India's foreign exchange reserves fell by a steep $4.29 billion to $316.50 billion for the week ended 9 September 2011. The fall in foreign exchange reserve was attributed to a drop in foreign currency assets (FCAs). Foreign exchange reserves had earlier risen by $1.61 billion to $320.76.

Tamil Nadu Assembly Passed the Resolution Seeking Mercy for the Rajiv Gandhi Assassins
Tamil Nadu assembly adopted a unanimous resolution on 30 August 2011, urging the President to reconsider the mercy petitions of Santhan, Perarivalan and Murugan in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.The resolution moved by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa appealed to the President to commute the death sentences of Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan into life sentences.

BGR Energy bagged Contract worth Rs 3600 crore from National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC)
BGR Energy Systems announced on 16 September 2011 that it bagged contract worth Rs 3600 crore from National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) for supplying for all nine units of 800 MW steam turbine generator systems. NTPC had invited bids for 9 x 800 MW super-critical steam turbine generator units for Lara Super Thermal Power Project (2 x 800 MW), Darlipali Super Thermal Power Project Stage I (2 x 800 MW), Gajmara Super Thermal Power Project Stage I (2 x 800 MW) and Kudgi Super Thermal Power Project Stage I (3 x 800 MW).

Amendments to National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore Bill 2010
The Union Cabinet of India on 15 September 2011 approved Amendments to the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences, Bangalore Bill, 2010. The Amendments are based on the recommendations of the Department --related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health arid Family Welfare.

Twenty-Second World Mining Congress and Expo Held at Istanbul, Turkey

Twenty-Second World Mining Congress and Expo was held at Istanbul, Turkey between 11-16 September 2011. World Mining Congress & Expo is a unique opportunity for companies and manufactures to showcase their latest achievements and equipment technologies to a wide audience especially to those officials and specialists from all over the world. The officials are responsible for future developments and key decisions of the mining sectors of their countries.

Iran to Donate $100 million to Pakistan to Help Rehabilitate its Flood Victims
Iran made the announcement on 11 September 2011 that it would donate USD 100 million to Pakistan to help rehabilitate its flood affected people in the country's Sindh province. The announcement was made during a meeting between visiting Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Irans interior minister Mostafa Mohammad Najar. Over 140 people have died and four million people have become homeless in floods triggered by rains in Pakistan's southern Sindh province since August.

Scientists Developed A breath detector to find Disaster Victims

Scientists on 11 September 2011 said they had developed sensors to detect breath and sweat. This device one day could locate survivors buried under buildings hit by an earthquake or a bomb blast. Dogs can be trained to detect these compounds, but are expensive to train, require frequent rest periods and both animal and trainer are exposed to danger during search operations.

India Donated 1 Million US Dollars to UN Women Budget

The core voluntary budget of UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women or UN Women has received USD 1 million from India, for the year 2011. India donated 1 million US dollars to the core voluntary budget of UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women or UN Women, for the year 2011. Hardeep Singh Puri, India's Permanent UN Representative handed the amount to Michele Bachelet, Under Secretary general and executive director of UN Women on 9 April 2011.

The Ministry of Tourism Launched a Scheme Providing for the Training of Drivers
The Ministry of Tourism launched a Scheme for Drivers Training under Hunar Se Rozgar initiative. The Scheme now launched draws upon the fact that drivers with skill and in adequate number are essential for sustaining tourism, and that in India where tourism is expected to emerge as a key economic driver, driving as an avocation has large employment potential.

Scientists Discovered Fossilised Remains of a Large Predatory Fish

Scientists discovered fossilised remains of a large predatory fish with a fearsome mouth which prowled North American waterways some 375 million years ago. The fossil was found on Ellesmere Island in the Nunavut Territory of Arctic Canada. The findings are published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

The lobe-finned fish, now called Laccognathus embryi, grew to about five to six feet long and had a wide head with small eyes and robust jaws lined with large piercing teeth. The predatory fish preyed on armoured placoderms and lungfish. The beast was likely a bottom-dweller, waiting on the seafloor to pounce at prey passing by, the researchers said. Guidelines provided by the Approach Paper for the 12th Plan (2012-17) The Union Government on 15 September 2011 approved the Approach Paper for the 12th Plan (2012-17) which seeks to attain second generation economic reforms, improving governance and raise annual economic growth rate to 9 per cent during impending five-year period. Approach Paper for the 12th Plan (2012-17) The Approach Paper is a document that aims to provide the preliminary guidelines to enable the States/UTs prepare their respective proposals. The basic proposal components will have to include : State Portal including Applications & e-forms State Service Delivery Gateway (SSDG) Gap Infrastructure - Identification of gaps in connectivity and computing infrastructure and making provision for the same in the Proposal. Training to the officers of the destination office for e-form processing Content provisioning arrangement Manpower Support

PSU Oil Companies announced an Increase of Rs. 3.14 in Petrol Prices

The PSU oil marketing companies on 15 September 2011 announced an increase of Rs. 3.14 in petrol prices. The companies attributed the hike to the rising crude oil prices and a depreciating rupee that increased the cost of crude imports. The petrol price in Delhi will be increased by Rs. 3.14 a litre to Rs.66.84. Petrol prices increased for the second time in the past four months. Petrol prices vary from city to city, depending on VAT and other levies. Petrol will now cost Rs. 71.28 a litre in Kolkata, Rs. 71.92 in Mumbai and Rs. 70.82 in Chennai. Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai it has crossed the Rs 70 mark for the first time.

In a First, Companies allowed to raise $ 1 billion External Commercial Borrowings (ECBs) in Yuan
The Union Government on 15 September 2011 decided to allow corporates to raise external commercial borrowings (ECBs) in yuan (Renminbi) equivalent to $1 billion to help companies who are trading with China. For the first time yuan (Renminbi), (equivalent of $1 billion) was allowed as an acceptable currency under the ECB. So far, the government had allowed firms to raise external commercial borrowings (ECBs) only in US

dollar, Japanese yen, euro and British pound. The decision to allow companies to raise ECBs in yuan is expected to benefit infrastructure firms such as ADAG Group company Reliance Power and Lanco Infratech.

Union Government approved the Approach Paper for the 12th Plan (2012-17)
The Union Government on 15 September 2011 approved the Approach Paper for the 12th Plan (2012-17) which seeks to attain second generation economic reforms, improving governance and raise annual economic growth rate to 9 per cent during impending five-year period. The Paper would be placed before the National Development Council (NDC) for its final approval in October 2011. The NDC, the highest policy-making body of India is headed by the Prime Minister and its members include Union Ministers, members of Planning Commission, and Chief Ministers of all states.

Cabinet approved 7% increase in Dearness Allowance for Union Government Employees

The Union Cabinet on 15 September 2011 approved seven per cent increase in the dearness allowance (DA) and relief for the Union government employees and pensioners. Currently, DA and relief stands at 51 per cent of the basic pay. The revised allowance and relief will be payable with retrospective effect from July 2011. The decision will cost the government Rs 7,228.76 crore a year and Rs 4,819.22 crore in 2011.

Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure approved Rs 6013 crore Road Project in Rajasthan & Gujarat
The Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure on 15 September 2011 approved a Rs 6013 crore project for widening of National Highways stretches in Rajasthan and Gujarat under Road Transport and Highways Ministry's flagship road building programme NHDP. The committee approved development of six laning of Kishangarh-Udaipur-Ahmedabad section on National Highway NH-79A, NH-79, NH-76 and NH8 in Rajasthan and Gujarat under NHDP Phase V. Of the Rs 6013.70 crore project cost, Rs 626.40 crore will be spent on land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement and preconstruction purposes. The widening will be undertaken on design, build, finance, operate and transfer ( DBFOT) basis in build, operate and transfer ( BOT) toll mode of delivery.

Supreme Court:Governments should Provide Ration and Voter Cards to Sex Workers
The Supreme Court on 15 September 2011 recommended to the Centre and state governments to provide ration and voter cards to sex workers by relaxing the verification procedure. The court also recommended that the profession of sex workers should not be mentioned in ration and voter cards. Taking into consideration several recommendations of its expert panel headed by senior advocate Pradip Ghosh, a bench of Justices Markandey Katju opined that sex workers enjoy the fundamental rights guaranteed to other citizens.

Kannada Film Producers' Association lifted Ban on Nikita Thukral

A film producers body in Karnataka, Kannada Film Producers' Association (KFPA) on 15 September 2011 lifted its ban on actress Nikita Thukral. The ban was lifted four days after Nikita was barred from acting for

three years over an alleged affair with a co-star. The Kannada Film Producers' Association (KFPA) lifted the ban after it came in for criticism from the film industry.

USA Declared Indian Mujahideen Foreign Terrorist Organisation

The United States on 15 September 2011 declared the Indian Mujahideen terror group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) under Section 219 of the Immigration and nationality act as a specially designated global terrorist under section 1(b) of executive order 13224. The consequences of this declaration include the freezing of all property and interests in property of the Indian Mujahideen that are in the US, or come within the US, or the control of US persons.

Union Government of India Unveiled the New Policy to Deal with Naxalism
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh unveiled the new policy which aims at dealing with Naxalism through a five year integrated plan while addressing the concluding session of the day long national workshop on development strategies in naxal affected districts in New Delhi on 13 September 2011. This programme is aimed at bridging the development deficit in the extremely backward areas that are affected left wing extremism. Lack of development often leads to alienation among the inhabitants of these areas.

Mustafa Abdul-Jalil Delivered his First Public Speech in Libya

The head of Libya's National Transitional Council, Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, delivered his first public speech in the capital Tripoli on 12 September 2011, outlining his plans for the country. Thousands of Libyans gathered to hear his speech in the central square in the city. He emphasized the need for a modern democratic state with an active role for women in New Libya. In his maiden public speech, Abdul-Jalil stated he would not accept any extremist ideology, on the right or the left.

Reserve Bank of India on sold US dollars as Rupee slid to 48/$ on 14 September

The Reserve Bank of India on 14 September 2011 sold US dollars to save the local currency (rupee)from a sharp slide. Fears of a debt default in the euro zone, following the rating downgrades of two of the largest French banks, and growing concerns over global growth led the rupee to close at a 16-month low of 47.65 against the dollar, having touched 48.01 on 14 September.

Tamil Nadu Government Launched New Schemes to Improve the Plight of Poor
Tamil Nadu government on 14 September 2011 launched four schemes in Tiruvallur district on the 102nd birth anniversary of the former Chief Minister CN Annadurai. The schemes are, free distribution of laptops, cattle and wet grinders-food mixies and electric table fans. The schemes are aimed at addressing different requirements of a huge section of the population of the State. Milch cows and goats/sheep are meant for the poor in rural areas; laptops for higher secondary and college students and wet grinders-food mixies-electric table fans for 1.85 crore families who draw rice through the Public Distribution System.

Headline Inflation as measured by Wholesale Price Index increased to 9.78% in August 2011
India's wholesale price index ( WPI) rose 9.78% in August 2011 on year-on-year basis. Headline inflation as measured by the wholesale price index quickened to 9.78% in August from 9.22% in July. The rise in headline inflation has been attributed to costlier food, fuel and manufactured products. The surge in input prices of non-food primary articles together with currency depreciation will put pressure on the output prices in following months. Factory output growth in July grew by 3.3%, the slowest in 21 months hinting at an imminent industrial slowdown. The rising input costs and costlier borrowings are believed to be squeezing corporate profitability, forcing them to defer investment plans.

Coca-Cola India and Jain Irrigation Tie-up to adopt UHDP Practice for Mango Cultivation
Coca-Cola India and Jain Irrigation on 14 September 2011 announced the launch of Project Unnati. Unnati will mark a unique partnership with farmers to demonstrate and enable adoption of ultra-high density plantation (UHDP) practice for mango cultivation. The project is to encourage sustainable, modern agricultural practices and help double mango yields. UHDP is a farming practice that leads to mango orchards attaining their full potential in 3-4 years and allows nearly 600 trees to be planted per acre instead of the conventional 40 trees.

MCX-SX's Currency Trading Licence extended by SEBI

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on 14 September 2011 approved the application for renewal of registration for currency futures trading of MCX Stock Exchange (MCX-SX). The approval followed issue of a showcause notice by SEBI to the exchange asking the bourse to explain why its application for renewal of registration for currency futures trading should not be rejected. SEBI mentioned that the renewal was subject to the outcome of litigation in the Bombay High Court between SEBI and MCX-SX relating to compliance with share holding norms of a stock exchange.

Supreme Court: Farmers should be Compensated for the Plantation on their Land
The Supreme Court of India ruled that farmers, whose land is being acquired by the government, should be compensated not only for their land but also for the plantation on it. A bench comprising Justices V Raveendran, H L Gokhale and Gyan Sudha Misra, set aside the order of the Bombay High Court which had held that once the compensation is awarded for the land, there cannot be additional or separate compensation for the trees.

First Consultative Workshop on Formulating a Water Policy organised in Delhi

The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) in association with the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) organised the first consultative workshop on formulating a water policy for Delhi on 14 September 2011. On the ocasion Chief executive officer of DJB spoke on the need to bring about effective policy instruments through consultative processes in order to better manage the state water resources. huge technological and political issues needed to be tackled in the wake of an increasing density of population in different command areas. The need to call for a change in the culture towards water to bring about a change in the water distribution system was called for.

USA based Technology Services Provider Computer Sciences Corporation acquired AppLabs
Global leader and U.S.-based technology services provider Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) on 14 September 2011 announced the acquisition of Hyderabad-based software testing company AppLabs. The break-up of the acquisition comprised 50 per cent of the stake from WestBridge, 40 per cent from the promoters (primarily himself) and 10 per cent from employees. this is the second acquisition within two weeks for CSC, a company with 93,000 employees and a reported revenue of $16.2 billion for the 12 months ended 1 July 2011. It earlier acquired Baltimore-based Maricom Systems that is in the business intelligence and data management solutions space.

RBI Panel suggested turning Co-operative Credit Societies to Urban Co-operative Banks
RBI panel in September 2011 proposed that the existing well managed co-operative credit societies meeting certain financial criteria like profits, capital adequacy and NPA proportion be given priority for granting licences as urban co-operative banks (UCBs) particularly in unbanked or inadequately banked centres. The panel headed by YH Malegam acknowledged the importance of urban co-operative banks for financial inclusion and suggested that new entrants should be encouraged to open banks and branches in unbanked or inadequately banked area. UCBs play a useful role and the panel felt a need for a greater presence of UCBs in unbanked districts and in centres having population less than 5 lakh.

Bollywood's Legendary Photographer Gautam Rajadhyaksha passed away in Mumbai

Bollywood's legendary photographer Gautam Rajadhyaksha passed away in Mumbai on 13 September 2011. Born in 1950 in Mumbai, Rajadhyaksha went on to become synonymous with Bollywood portrait photography during the 80s and 90s and also experimented in film making and writing screen plays. Cousin to novelist Shobhaa De started his career as a copy editor in Lintas. He later left his advertising job and took up commercial photography full-time, and soon started doing product campaigns, media assignments and fashion portfolios. Gautam's first encounter with fashion photography happened in 1980, when he shot pictures of veteran actress Shabana Azmi, Tina Munim and Jackie Shroff.

Bihar Government Decided to Constitute Bihar Rural Development Society to implement Schemes
The Nitish Kumar government in Bihar decided to constitute a Bihar Rural Development Society (BRDS) comprising 32 experts drawn from the open market to help guide the implementation of rural development schemes in the state. The state government is to attract professionals with proven track record at the national or state level for the society, which will handle programmes worth Rs 6000 crore annually. The team will be expected to work like a company where quarterly results will be monitored as against expected outcomes.

Leila Lopes from Angola crowned Miss Universe 2011 in Sau Paulo
Leila Lopes from Angola was crowned Miss Universe on 12 September 2011 in Sau Paulo, Brazil. Lopes is a business management student in Great Britain, where she was crowned Miss Angola UK on 8 October 2010, the official representative of the Angolan community in the United Kingdom to the 2011 Miss Angola pageant. Lopes, Angolas first winner, outdid 88 other competitors to win the title during the 60th anniversary of the worlds biggest beauty pageant. She was crowned by Ximena Navarrete of Mexico winner of the 2010 Miss Universe pagant. The first runner-up was 23-year-old Olesia Stefanko of Ukraine and the second runner-up was Priscila Machado of Brazil. The third was Miss Philippines and the fourth Miss China.

Indian Captain MS Dhoni & Gold Medallist Shooter Abhinav Bindra conferred with Lt. Colonel Rank
Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Olympic gold medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra were conferred with the rank of honourary Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army by President Pratibha Patil on 13 September. The honour was bestowed on Dhoni and Bindra for their outstanding contribution in the field of cricket and shooting respectively, and their commitment to the Army on various occasions. Dhoni led India to World Cup victory in 2011 and was instrumental in taking the team to the No 1 spot in Test rankings for the first time ever. Bindra had won the only individual Olympic gold medal for India at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Bindra and Dhoni joined the ranks of senior cricketers Kapil Dev and Sachin Tendulkar who have been conferred with honorary ranks in the armed forces.

Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) during August 2011 was 4.02 lakh up by 5.2%
According to the figures given by the Tourism Ministry, 4.02 lakh foreign tourist arrived during August 2011 compared to 3.82 lakh during August 2010 and 3.70 lakh in August 2009. A growth of 3.3 per cent was registered in August 2010 over the figure for August 2009. Currently, foreign tourist arrivals in India are about 0.5 per cent of world tourist arrivals. A total of 38.19 lakh foreign tourists visited the country during January-August 2011 with a growth of 10.2 per cent, compared to 34.67 lakh during January-August 2010. Foreign exchange earnings (FEE) during August 2011 were worth Rs.5734 crore compared to Rs.4620 crore in August 2010 and Rs.4115 crore in August 2009. The growth rate in FEE in Rs. terms in August 2011 over August 2010 was 24.1 % as compared to 12.3 % in August 2010 over August 2009.

Nitin Dossa elected President of the Federation of Indian Automobile Associations (FIAA)
Nitin Dossa, the executive chairman of the Mumbai-headquartered Western India Automobile Association (WIAA) was unanimously elected president of the Federation of Indian Automobile Associations (FIAA). He was elected president at the annual general meeting of FIAA held on 9 September 2011. He is to hold this position for a period of two years. Dossa is the chairman on the WIAA-Castrol Institute of Motoring. He is involved with other sports associations. Dossa also holds the position of president of the Vintage & Classic Car Club of India.

Dell acquired U.S.-based $200 million Revenue Networking Company Force 10 Networks
Dell on 13 September 2011 declared its acquisition of U.S.-based $200 million revenue networking company Force 10 Networks. Force10 Network's Chennai research and development team is to be ramped up to play a crucial part for Dell's networking business. Force10 at present had 270 people in the Chennai R&D team. The global networking market was pegged at $6 billion and this was expected to grow to $16 billion by 2016. India is believed to be playing a strategic part in driving Dell's transformation globally into a solutions and services enterprise. Chennai was a crucial growth engine from three view-points such as manufacturing, services and R&D. With the acquisition of Perot Systems, Chennai was a key centre for Dell Services and with the takeover of Force10, the Chennai R&D team would make foray into networking.

Novak Djokovic defeated Nadal to win his First Career US Open Crown
Novak Djokovic on 12 September 2011 used his superior return game, defense and speed to defeat the 10-time Grand Slam champion Nadal, 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-1 and win his first career US Open crown and fourth Grand Slam title. With the victory Djokovic pushed his record on the year to an amazing 64-2 and 6-0 over Nadal. With the win he also became just the sixth man in the Open Era to win three Grand Slam titles in the same year. He had won both the Australian Open and Wimbledon (over Nadal) earlier in 2011.

Djokovic joined Andy Roddick, Pete Sampras, Boris Becker, Martina Navratilova and Manuel Orantes as the sixth player to hoist the U.S. Open trophy after facing match point at some point earlier in the tournament.

Scientists Found 2 New Species of Fish in Arunachal Pradesh

Scientists at the GB Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development discovered two new species of fish in rivers of Arunachal Pradesh. The two new species of catfish are Erethistoides Senkhiensis and Glyptothorax Dikrongensis. The new species of fish were found at Senkhi stream and Dikrong River in Papum Pare district. The new species which were named after their Arunachalee sources are ample proof of the rich flora and fauna of Arunachal Pradesh. Besides publishing about the discovery of Balitora brucei, Glyptothorax telchitta and Pseudolaguvia shawi, 88 species of freshwater fishes have been assessed and evaluated by the institute for the Red Data Book for International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

India and Turkey Agreed for Future Cooperation in Coal Related Areas
India and Turkey on 12 September 2011 agreed for future cooperation in coal related areas during the meeting between Sriprakash Jaiswal, Minister of Coal, Government of India and Taner Yildiz, Minister for Energy and Natural Resources, government of Turkey. The meeting took place at Istanbul, Turkey on the sidelines of the 22nd World Mining Congress inaugural session. India and Turkey discussed about the energy situation in the two countries, particularly in the field of coal mining. India offered technical cooperation to develop coal and lignite deposits and coal washing in Turkey. Turkey is planning to set up some 15000 MW coal based power generation plants and requested Indian companies to participate in the tenders.

Finance Ministry relaxed Norms for Foreign Institutional Investments in Infrastructure Space
The finance ministry on 12 September 2011 relaxed the norms for foreign institutional investments (FII) in the infrastructure space by reducing the residual maturity and lock-in periods for investments in listed and unlisted bonds. As per the new norms, FIIs were allowed to invest up to $5 billion in long-term infrastructure bonds having an initial maturity of five years and a residual maturity of one year compared to five years residual maturity before. FIIs were permitted to invest a maximum of $17 billion in long-term infrastructure bonds of an equivalent initial maturity but with a residual maturity period of three years compared to five years before. While the lockin period for the $5 billion investment window was cut down from three years to one year, it will remain three years for the $17 billion investment.

Indian Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the Spirit of Cricket Award at the LG ICC Awards 2011
The LG ICC Awards 2011 were presented in association with FICA on 12 September 2011 taking into account performances by players and officials in the period between 11 August 2010 to 3 August 2011. Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the Spirit of Cricket Award. Dhoni was chosen for the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award for his fine gesture of recalling Ian Bell after the England batsman was run out under controversial circumstances during the second Test at Trent Bridge in July 2011. This award is voted by the members of the Emirates Elite Panels of ICC Match Referees and Umpires.

Industrial Growth fell to its 21-month low at 3.3 per cent in July 2011
The official data on the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) released on 12 September 2011 by the ministry of statistics and programme implementation showed that in the wake of high inflation, industrial growth fell to its 21-month low at 3.3 per cent in July 2011. Industrial growth had witnessed a robust expansion of 9.9 per cent in the same month in 2010 and a healthy 8.8 per cent in June 2011. The industry's performance in July 2011 was the worst since October 2009 when it grew by a mere 2.3 per cent following the severe impact of the global meltdown.

Maulana Azad Dental Institute bagged the FICCI Excellence Award for their Contribution to Healthcare
The Maulana Azad Dental Institute bagged the FICCI Excellence Award on 8 September 2011. The health care operational award was given away by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry after rounds of assessment. Maulana Azad Dental Institute is the first dental institution, catering to more than 2.5 lakh patients annually across the country. There were only four hospitals-Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya ( Delhi), Gandhi Nagar District Hospital (Gujarat), Ernakulam District Hospital, Kerala and Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences which had qualified for the final round in the government sector category.

SEBI approved the Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) of MCX's Initial Public Offering (IPO)
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) approved the draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) of MCX's (Multi-Commodity Exchange) initial public offering on 9 September 2011. SEBI clearance will be valid for 12 months. Leading commodity exchange MCX had filed its Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) for an initial public offer (IPO) with SEBI of 6427378 equity shares of Rs 10 each.

The approval comes amid a debate on whether or not to allow exchanges to list shares because of the conflict of interest between supervising trading and maximizing profit.

Australias Samantha Stosur defeated Serena Williams to win US Open Crown & Her First Grand Slam
Australias Samantha Stosur on 11 September 2011 defeated Serena Williams to win the US Open crown and her first grand slam singles title. Stosur became the first Australian woman in 38 years to win the title when she beat Williams 6-2 6-3. The three-times US Open champion, Williams had been a favourite to win the US Open but failed to produce her best on one of the biggest occasions in tennis. Stosur dominated the match from the start and fully deserved her win. Williams, a 13-times grand slam singles champion, had won four of her six previous matches against Stosur.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development released Report projecting further Slowdown
Report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released on 12 September 2011 expected the slowdown in the Indian economy to persist. The composite leading indicators index for July 2011 showed that most regions of the world would face a slowdown in economic activity with the only exception being Japan. The OECD country specific composite leading indicators (CLIs) mapped the way data for the economy matched up against the long-term trend. the indicators pointed downwards more strongly for more economies thereby indicating a sure dip in economic activity compared with the assessment for June 2011.

Explosion occurred at the Marcoule Nuclear Reprocessing Plant in Southern France

An explosion occurred at the Marcoule nuclear reprocessing plant in southern France on 12 September 2011. The explosion resulted in the death of one person while three were seriously injured. The explosion took place at the Centraco nuclear waste treatment centre, which belongs to Socodei, a subsidiary of the energy giant EDF. Marcoule, in the southern Gard region, is a major nuclear site. Its three reactors have been decommissioned. It is currently a base for reprocessing nuclear waste.

Durgesh Kumar Pal won Gold Medal in 400m Hurdles in the Commonwealth Youth Games
Durgesh Kumar Pal of Army Sports Institute (ASI), Pune won the gold medal in the 400m hurdles in the Commonwealth Youth Games at Isle of Man on 12 September 2011. Durgesh clocked 51.76secs. Durgesh joined the Boys Sports Company in 2006 at the age of 12. Hailing from Ghaziabad district in Uttar Pradesh he had won the silver medal in the Youth Olympics held at Singapore in 2010. Durgesh is coached by coach Subedar Major K. Ajimol.

NASA Launched Mission to Study Moon from Crust to Core

NASA's twin lunar Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) spacecraft lifted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on 10 September 2011 to study the moon in unprecedented detail. GRAIL-A is scheduled to reach the moon on 31 December 2011, while GRAIL-B will arrive on 1 January 2012. The two solar-powered spacecraft will fly in tandem orbits around the moon to measure its gravity field. GRAIL will answer longstanding questions about the moon and give scientists a better understanding of how Earth and other rocky planets in the solar system formed.

Major General (retd) BC Khanduri replaced Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank as Chief Minister of Uttarakhand
Major General (retd) BC Khanduri was appointed the sixth Chief Minister of Uttarakhand. He replaced Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank who resigned on 11 September 2011. Nishank was asked to resign by the Bharatiya Janata Party as it was alarmed by the state governments sagging image due to several allegations of corruption. The decision was taken keeping in view the forthcoming elections in the state in 2012. Khanduri returned as CM two years after he stepped down following the 2009 general elections, when the BJP lost all five Lok Sabha seats in the state. After his supporters refused to back rival Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, Nishank was made a consensus CM in 2009.

India defeated Pakistan to clinch the Asian Champions Trophy Hockey Tournament
India defeated Pakistan 4-2 in the penalty shoot-out in a nerve-wrecking final to clinch the inaugural Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament on 11 September 2011. Goalkeeper S. Sreejesh played a crucial role in securing victory as he managed two crucial saves for India. Indian hockey team is coached by Michael Nobbs. Rajpal Singh, Danish Mujtaba, Yuvraj Walmiki and Sarvanjit Singh scored for India in the penalty shootout

while Muhammad Rizwan and Waseem Ahmed sounded the board for Pakistan after both the sides were locked goalless in the regular and extra time.

Oryx Study showed that Availability of Diclofenac despite Ban hit Vulture Population
According to a study published in the Oryx, a leading international scientific journal of conservation, and reported by BirdLife International, widely-available diclofenac was being purchased by Indian farmers illegally in conveniently large bottles to treat their cattle. The drug formulated for veterinary use however continues to be manufactured after a ban was declared in 2006 owing to its toxicity to critically endangered vultures. According to the study over a third of the Indian pharmacies continue to sell to livestock farmers the banned killer drug, diclofenac, responsible for the dramatic fall in vulture population in the country.

Red Bulls Sebastian Vettel won the Italian Grand Prix

Red Bulls Sebastian Vettel won the Italian Grand Prix on 11 August 2011. The victory marked his 18th career win. He is currently one race away from being crowned world champion for the second year in a row and at the age of 24. Victory at Singapore Grand Prix is to guarantee him the title. The victory was his eighth win of 2011. It was Vettels 18th career win, his second at this circuit and Red Bulls first at Monza.

Preeja Sreedharan won Gold Medal in 10000m Race at 51st National Open Athletics Championships
Preeja Sreedharan won the gold medal in the 10000m race on the opening day of the 51st National Open Athletics Championships on 10 September 2011 in Kolkata. Competing for Railways, Sreedharan had earlier won the 10000m race in the Guangzhou Asian Games with a national record of 31.50.47. Her track rival Kavita Raut (35:56.13) finished a fraction of seconds behind to earn ONGC a silver medal. In the mens 10,000m final ONGCs Suresh Kumar clinched the gold with a timing of 30:18.16.

Researchers Found a Direct link between Voice, Face Recognition Brain Areas
Researchers discovered a direct link between the areas of human brain responsible for voice and face recognition. Normally, it is assumed that voice and face recognition are separate processes which are only combined on a higher processing level. However, recent findings indicate that voice and face recognition are much more closely related. The team earlier found that areas of brain responsible for the identification of faces also become active when people hear a familiar voice. They discovered a direct connection consisting of fibre pathways between the voice and face recognition area.

In the latest research, the researchers could prove that a structural connection between voice and face recognition areas exists. They used diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, a method with which the course of white matter tracts in brain can be reconstructed when combined with tractography, a mathematical modelling technique. The team had located the areas responsible for voice and face recognition by measuring the reactions of the brain to different voices and faces using magnetic resonance imaging.

Rajasthan Government Launched Janani Shishu Suraksha Yojana

The Rajasthan state government on 12 September 2011 launched the ambitious Janani Shishu Suraksha Yojna in all the 33 districts. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot launched the scheme at Dudu near Jaipur. The Scheme aims to bring down maternal and child mortality rate in the state. Under the scheme, the government will provide free treatment and transport facility to pregnant women and sick infants. Along with this, all the pregnant women would be provided medicines and other consumables before, during and till 6 months after the delivery. Likewise, the sick infants would be provided all medicines free up to 30 days of their birth. The pregnant and infants would also be provided free transport facility from home to health institute. Over 5300 women die every year in Rajasthan due to complications in delivery, while 98 thousand 500 infants die within a year of their birth in the state. One lakh 18 thousand private ambulances, taxies and other vehicles have also been listed in the concerned areas of all the districts to provide transport facility from the remote villages to the hospitals. The UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi had inaugurated the Janani Shishu Suraksha Yojana in Mewat Distrcit of Haryana on 1 June, 2011. JSSK supplements the cash assistance given to a pregnant woman under Janani Suraksha Yojana and is aimed at mitigating the burden of out of pocket expenses incurred by pregnant women and sick newborns.

ESPN-Star Sports Announced Shah Rukh Khan as the Face of the Nokia Champions League Twenty20
ESPN-STAR Sports, the official broadcaster and commercial partner of Nokia Champions League (NCL) Twenty20, announced Shah Rukh Khan as the face of the tournament. The announcement was made on 9 September 2011. Nokia, the title sponsor of Champions League Twenty20, also announced ambitious plans to promote its association with the tournament.

Rajasthan Government Decided to Fix Quota in Promotion for SC and ST Employees

The Rajasthan government has decided to fix quota in promotion for SC and ST employees working with the state government. This will be 16 per cent for SC employees and 12 per cent for ST employees. The decision to this effect was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in Jaipur on 9

September 2011. The state government has clarified that if this limit is already crossed, then no official will be demoted and government will create shadow posts for them.

Internet Search Titan Google Acquired Restaurant review firm Zagat

Google has acquired restaurant review firm Zagat. However, the company didnt disclose the financial details of the transaction. The Zagat acquisition is Googles second buyout in September 2011, which takes the total number of acquisition by the internet firm in 2011 to 20. Zagat was founded by Tim and Nina in 1979. It provides people with a democratized, authentic and comprehensive view of where to eat, drink, shop, stay and play worldwide

The Government Decided to Lift a Ban on Wheat Exports and Put a Ban on Onion Exports
The government has decided to lift a ban on wheat exports and put a ban on onion exports to control its rising prices. The decision to open wheat exports was taken by the empowered Group of Ministers EGoM on food, headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the wake of the record production and storage problem. The Union Ministry for Food and Consumers Affairs will stop the export of wheat and non-basmati rice once shipments reaches two million tonnes each. Wheat exports was banned early in 2007 to augment buffer stock when the output had fallen. The ministry also said that onion export has been banned and the situation will be reviewed every two weeks. Onion prices have risen to 25 rupees per kilogram in retail market from 15 rupees per kilogram a month ago on supply constraints.

The Indian Navy undertook a Passage Exercise with the Turkish Navy
The Indian Navy undertook a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with the Turkish Navy on 10th and 11th July 2011 during the routine visit of Turkish Navy ship to Mumbai. The scope of this exercise included over the horizon targeting exercise, visual signaling exercise, manoeuvres by officers of the watch etc. T he exercise was part of routine schedule of the participating naval units and no additional expenditure was incurred specifically for the exercise with Turkish navy.

Private Sector Lender HDFC Bank Launched Personal Loan Swift

Private sector lender HDFC Bank has launched personal loan Swift. This is a product, which is processed in 24 working hours of receiving complete loan document.

Using imaging solution technology, the bank will now set the pace ion this product category and ensure that the loan processing will start the moment a customer enters into a branch in the morning and be complete in 24 hours. Swift will be soon available to all its customers who hold salary accounts with the bank in 25 select branches across the country. The bank launched swift loan keeping in mind the the need of customers for immediate solution to their needs.

Supreme Court: Rules of Reservation not Applicable to Upgraded Posts

The Supreme Court of India held that Rules of reservation like SC,ST, OBC quota would not apply to upgradation of posts in Government establishments as the benefit could be extended only to promotional posts. A two-judge bench comprising Markandey Katju and RV Raveendran quashed the concurrent rulings of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Chennai branch and the Madras High Court that rules of reservation would apply even to upgradation of posts.

India Signed Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement with Uruguay

The Government of the Republic of India signed a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) with the Oriental Republic of Uruguay for the avoidance of double taxation and for the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income and on capital on 8th September, 2011. The Agreement was signed in New Delhi by MC Joshi, Chairman, Central Board of Direct Taxes on behalf of the Government of India and by Cesar Ferrer, Ambassador of Uruguay to India, on behalf of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay.

Food Inflation Fell to a Single-digit at 9.55 Percent As per data Released by the Government
Food inflation fell to a single-digit at 9.55 per cent for the week ended August 27 after breaching the doubledigit mark in the previous week. Food inflation, as measured on the basis of the Wholesale Price Index (WPI), stood at 10.05 per cent in the previous week. The rate of price rise of food items was 14.76 per cent in the corresponding week of 2010. As per data released by the government on 8 September 2011, prices of pulses fell by 1.56 per cent year-on-year, while wheat became cheaper by 1.04 per cent during the week ended August 27.

Haryana Government Introduced a Policy to Provide Security to Whistleblowers

The Haryana government introduced a policy on 6 September 2011to provide security to whistleblowers and RTI activists in the state. The notification issued by the government stated that a whistleblower or a RTI activist could submit an application to superintendent of police or local police commissioner, in case there is any threat to his (whistleblower) life. An enquiry will be conducted, and the officer would ask for a threat analysis report

from officers concerned and CID. If it is found that the applicant is facing genuine threat, he will be given security cover immediately. Haryana will also set up a special cell for processing the requests for security and for supervising the investigation of the cases registered against whistleblowers or RTI activists due to malice and without any reasonable cause.

The Total Volume of Arctic Sea Ice Fell to a Record Low in 2010
The total volume of Arctic sea ice fell to a record low in 2010, according to a new study. Scientists at the Polar Science Center of the University of Washington estimated that last year broke the previous 2007 record for the minimum volume of ice, which is calculated from a combination of sea ice area and thickness. Axel Schweiger of University of Washington, led the study. According to the scientists, ice volume is now plunging faster than it did at the same time last year when the record was set. The Arctic sea ice area fell below 4.6 million sq km recently, compared with the record low of 4.13 million sq km in 2007, whereas the minimum ice extent in the early 1970s was 7 million square km.

United Nations' (UN) International Literacy Day obseved anually on 8 September

The United Nations' (UN) International Literacy Day is obseved anually on 8 September. The International Literacy Day is observed to raise people's awareness of and concern for literacy issues in the world. The day highlights the importance of literacy in areas such as health and education. Literacy and Empowerment is the theme for the year 2009-2011 of the United Nations Literacy Decade. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and its partners promote the day to underline the significance of literacy for healthy societies, with a strong emphasis on epidemics and communicable diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis and malaria.

Manmohan Singh Visited Bangladesh to Sign the Historic Protocol on Land Boundary Agreement
Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh visited Bangladesh on 6-7 September 2011. During his visit, India and Bangladesh signed several agreements including the Historic Protocol on Land Boundary Agreement. India and Bangladesh also signed the framework agreement on cooperation for development. During this visit, India and Bangladesh decided to set up a joint commission led by the Minister of Foreign and External Affairs from both sides to coordinate and oversee implementation of various initiatives being taken under the framework agreement. In a 65-point joint statement issued at the end of the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's two-day visit to Bangladesh, the two nations underscored the need for concluding and extradition treaty between the two countries expeditiously.

American Stand-up Comedian Eddie Murphy chosen to host the 84th Oscars in February 2012
American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, singer, director, and musician, Eddie Murphy was chosen to host the 84th Academy Awards/ Oscars in February 2012. The hosting of the Oscars in 2011 by the dramatic actors Anne Hathaway and James Franco had fallen flat with critics and viewers. Murphy who made his film debut in 1982 would join the likes of Bob Hope, Johnny Carson, Billy Crystal, Steve Martin and Whoopi Goldberg, who are among the big names to have hosted the show.

Herbal Product for Cure of Leucoderma, Lukoskin developed by DRDO launched

Lukoskin, a herbal product for Leucoderma developed by DRDO, was launched by Dr. W. Selvamurthy, Distinguished Scientist & Chief Controller Research & Development (Life Science & International Cooperation) in New Delhi on 7 September 2011. The product backed by extensive R&D work by the scientists of Defence Institute of Bio-energy Research (DIBER) will be a boon for the patients of Leucoderma. The product, Lukoskin, was developed under the leadership of Dr Narender Kumar, Ex Director DARL and his team. The herbal product will be available in the form of ointment and oral liquid. The Transfer of Technology was granted to the AIMIL Pharmaceuticals (India) Ltd., New Delhi to manufacture and market this research product based on their technological and marketing credentials.

Tech Heavyweight Veteran Carol Bartz fired from her Job as Yahoo CEO
Yahoo's CEO, Carol Bartz was fired from her job by Roy Bostock, the company's chairmanon 6 September 2011. The decision of the Yahoo board to fire her was largely based on her dismal performance. Yahoo's CFO Timothy Morse took over as interim CEO.

Brazilian Scientists Located an Underground River below the Amazon River

Brazilian scientists believe they have located an underground river, an estimated 4000 meters below the Amazon River. Named after the head of the research team that located the river, the Hamza River stretches an estimated 6000 kilometers, emptying deep in the Atlantic Ocean. Like its famous above ground counterpart, the underground river is believed to flow from west to east, but at a much slower pace than the Amazon. Scientists recently said they believe the Hamza River may explain the low salinity of the Amazon.

Madhya Pradesh became the First State in the Country to Offer Air Taxi Services
Madhya Pradesh has become the first state in the country to offer air taxi services. In Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan inaugurated the air taxi service at Bhopal's Raja Bhoj Airport on 7 September 2011. The first flight of this service took off from Bhopal to Gwalior.

UNCTAD projected an Economic Growth of 8.1 per cent for India in 2011
UNCTAD's Trade and Development Report 2011 was launched in New Delhi on 6 September 2011. In the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) projected an economic growth of 8.1 per cent for India, the fastest rate of expansion in the world after China in midst of an anticipated global slowdown to 3 per cent in 2011.

India Signed Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement with Estonia

India signed DTAA (Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement) with Estonia on 19 September 2011 and forged a pact to work with it in the field of information, communications and technology (ICT). The DTAA and the pact on ICT was signed during the visit of communications and Information Technology Minister Kapil Sibal to Estonia. Kapil signed the DTAA with Estonian Minister of Finance Jurgen Ligi. India will also set up a Chair on Cyber Security in Tallinn University and a Chair on Indian languages, history and literature in another of Estonias universities.

Committee set up by TRAI to determine Value of Spectrum during 2001-2008 submitted Report
A three-member expert committee, set up by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and meant to determine the precise value of spectrum during 2001-2008 submitted a report on 19 August 2011. In the report the committee compalined of a tricky exercise plagued by data deficit.

The report was filed at a time when the valuation of public loss caused by the 2008 spectrum allocation under then Telecom Minister A Raja is being pegged between Rs 1.76 lakh crore by the Comptroller and Auditor General to over Rs 30000 crore by the CBI and zero loss by Rajas successor Kapil Sibal.

Uttarakhand State Cabinet Cleared the Draft of Public Service Bill

The Uttarakhand state Cabinet cleared the draft of Public Service Bill and proposal regarding illegal possession of assets by public servants. Under the proposal, special courts will be set up for corruption cases against public servants and the wealth illegally amassed by them will be seized by the state government. The proposal also mentions that the alleged public servants will also be given an opportunity to make their clarification.

D.U. Sastry, Eminent Industrial Economist passed away on 5 September

Eminent industrial economist, D.U. Sastry passed away on 5 September 2011.

Shastri received his early education in Economics at Mysore University and at Amherst College in Massachusetts, United States. He spent some time as a research scholar under D.R. Gadgil at the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics in Pune. He was also a research fellow at the University of Pennsylvania and was associated with Nobel laureate L.R. Klein.

India and South Africa Agreed to Strengthen Bilateral Cooperation in the MSME
India and South Africa agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the MSME (micro, small and medium enterprise) sector. This was agreed in a bilateral meeting between Jyotiradiya M Scindia, Minister of state Commerce and Industries and Elizabeth Thabethe, Deputy Minister for Trade & Industry, government of South Africa. South Africa houses many prominent centres of learning and excellence. The MSME sector accounts for a large share of industrial output, employment and exports in both countries. There are immense opportunities of cooperation and strategic alliances in MSME sector, which could be in the form of joint ventures, technology collaborations or marketing tie-ups.

Goa became the First Indian State to Launch Health Insurance Policy Covering all its People
Goa became the first state in India to launch Swarnajayanti Aarogya Bima Yojanaproviding health insurance cover for the entire resident population of the State. The State Government on 20 September 2011 signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ICICI Lombard which is the implementing agency for the new health insurance cover. About 3.2 lakh families in the state would be entitled to be in the purview of the scheme.

UNCTAD's Trade and Development Report 2011 launched in New Delhi

UNCTAD's Trade and Development Report 2011 was launched in New Delhi on 6 September 2011. The report mentioned that global economy would wtness a slow down to 3.1 per cent in 2011 from 4 per cent in 2010. The slow down would impact developing economies which would get affected by recession in the developed world.

Even as the developing countries were expected to regain the pre-crisis growth rate of 6 per cent in 2011, economic expansion in the developed economies was likely to be only about 1.5-2 per cent.

Lok Sabha unanimously extended the Term of the Joint Parliamentary Committee
The Lok Sabha on 6 September 2011 unanimously extended the term of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), looking into the allocation and pricing of telecom licences and 2G spectrum, till the last day of the 2012 budget session. The members gave their approval by voice vote when a motion, moved by JPC Chairman P.C. Chacko was put to vote.

Panel suggested Increase in Excise Duty & Registration Costs on Dieselpowered Private Vehicles
Panel set up by the Ministry for Urban development headed by Joint Secretary in the Ministry in charge of Urban Transport S.K. Lohia suggested an increment the excise duty and registration costs on dieselpowered private vehicles. It also suggested a ban on hoardings on pedestrian walkways and cut down the

taxes on buses and other public transport vehicles as part of measures to make cities and towns more socially and environmentally sustainable.

NASA Researchers: DNA Building Blocks Can Be Made in Space

NASA funded researchers found evidence that some building blocks of DNA, the molecule that carries the genetic instructions for life, found in meteorites were likely created in space. The research gives support to the theory that a kit of ready-made parts created in space and delivered to Earth by meteorite and comet impacts assisted the origin of life.

Government made it Mandatory for Shops to Display the Pictorial Warning on Tobacco Products

The Union government of India made it mandatory for tobacco traders, retailers, vendors to display the pictorial warning on all the tobacco related products at their stores. The government did so according to the new regulation under Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products Amendment Rules-2011.

Union Government constituted an Inter-ministerial Team to visit Earthquake hit Areas

The Union government on 21 September 2011 constituted an inter-ministerial team to visit the areas affected by the 6.8 magnitude earthquake, the epicenter for which was in Sikkim. The earthquake hit the eastern and north eastern region on 18 September 2011. The Centre has constituted an inter-ministerial team to visit the affected places in the State and give its recommendations for assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund.

Air India extended its Short Term Promotion Scheme- Silver and Platinum Pass
Los-incurring Air India on 21 September 2011 announced the extension of its short term promotion scheme, Silver and Platinum Pass aimed at providing air travel at competitive and affordable rates.

The Silver and Platinum Pass is to be offered in two variants for unlimited travel in economy and executive class on the domestic sectors of the national carrier and it is to be valid for fifteen days.

NTPC and Ceylon Electricity Board Sealed a Deal for Setting up a Power Plant in Sri Lanka
After five years of negotiations, NTPC and Ceylon Electricity Board have sealed a deal for jointly setting up a coal-fired power plant in Sri Lanka at an investment of up to 700 million dollars. NTPC chairman Arup Roy Choudhury and CEB chief Wimaladharma Abeywickreme signed the final agreement in Colombo on 6 September 2011 for setting up the 500 mw power plant at Sampur in Trincomalee.The project will be a major milestone in bilateral relations and further cement the economic bonds between India and Sri lanka. It will also mark NTPCs overseas debut.

Syrian Vice Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad Visited India

The Syrian Vice Foreign Minister (VFM), Faisal Mekdad, visited India from 31 July to 2 August, 2011. He called on the External Affairs Minister (EAM) and also met the Minister of State for External Affairs, E. Ahamed (MOS). VFM briefed EAM about the prevailing situation in Syria, causes for violence in his country, reforms proposed by Syrian President Bashar Al Assad, details of national dialogue between the Syrian government and the opposition groups, as well as, other issues related to public protests in Syria.

India and Bangladesh Signed a Historic Protocol on Land Boundary Agreement

India and Bangladesh on 6 September 2011 signed a historic protocol on land boundary agreement following the talks between Prime Minister Mahmohan Singh and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka. During the visit of Manmohan Singh to Bangladesh, India and Bangladesh signed the following agreements: (i)Framework Agreement on Cooperation for Development (ii) Protocol to the Agreement concerning the demarcation of the Land Boundary between India and Bangladesh and related matters (iii) Addendum to the MOU between India and Bangladesh to facilitate Overland Transit Traffic between Bangladesh and Nepal (iv) Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation in Renewable Energy (v) Memorandum of Understanding on Conservation of the Sunderban (vi) Protocol on Conservation of the Royal Bengal Tiger of the Sunderban (vii) Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Fisheries (viii) Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between Doordarshan and Bangladesh Television

Assam Government Decided to have Brand Names for the Famous Muga and Eri Silks
In Assam, the state government has taken an initiative to have brand names for the famous Muga and Eri silks. The main purpose of the move is to promote the indigenous yarn in a more systematic way within and outside the country.

The state handloom and sericulture department hopes that, with a brand name, products made from muga and eri can be exported to across the globe with a higher price. Eri and muga are household names of silk in the region. North- East produces around 95 percent of Eri, of which Assam has 50 percent shares. The state also produces about 86 per cent of Muga. The use of both the silks reflects the culture and tradition of Assamese society and occupies a unique place in the socio-economic life of the people of the state.

India and Israel Decided to Enhance Tourism Cooperation

India and Israel have decided to enhance cooperation in Tourism Sector. This was decided at a meeting between Stas Misezhnikov, Tourism Minister of Israel and Union Tourism Minister, Subodh Kant Sahai held in New Delhi on 5 September 2011. Welcoming the visiting dignitary, Sahai said both the countries can explore the possibilities of cooperation in wellness, spiritual and religious tourism. The Israeli Minister said hoteliers of his country are interested to set up hotels in India. He also requested for more flights between India and Israel. Stas Misezhnikov invited Sahai to visit Israel.

71st International Congress of FIP (International Pharmaceutical Federation) organised

The five-day 71st International Congress of FIP (International Pharmaceutical Federation) inaugurated by President Pratibha Patil on 4 September 2011 concluded on 8 September in Hyderbad. The World Health Organisation and the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) signed a joint-statement on the role of pharmacists in tuberculosis care and control on the inaugural day of the conference. The joint-statement envisages a series of measures to help detect tuberculosis, offer treatment support to patients and substantially reduce the number of deaths due to it.

Alliance formed at Bonn Meet to Deal with Climate Change

Top government, business and civil society leaders from several countries, including India, have formed a unique alliance to deal with climate change. They have launched an ambitious programme to restore 150 million hectares of lost forests and degraded land by 2020. The alliance was formed at the two-day conference on climate change organised jointly by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the German Ministry for Environment in the city of Bonn. The meet titled 'Bonn Challenge on Forests, Climate Change and Bio-diversity' was aimed at securing a broad support from government, business and civil society leaders for forest conservation efforts and thereby making a contribution to reducing global warming.

Rating Agency Moody's projected India's GDP Growth for the 2011-12 fiscal at 7.5-8%
Global rating agency Moody's projected India's GDP (gross domestic product) growth for the 2011-12 fiscal at 7.5-8 per cent on 5 September 2011. It also cited high domestic interest rates coupled with the current global uncertainties as the near-term factors that could affect its economic expansion. Moody's noted in its annual sovereign credit update on India that the cyclical slowdown was unlikely to alter its credit outlook.

Sai Praneeth won Mens Single in IFCI all-India Ranking Senior Badminton Championship
Sai Praneeth, the second seed defeated top seed and Petroleum teammate Saurabh Varma 2113, 10-21, 21-16 to win the men's singles crown in the IFCI all-India ranking senior badminton championship on 5 September 2011.

Sai Praneeth also won the men's doubles partnering Nanda Gopal (AAI). The dup defeated top seeds Pranav Chopra (PSPB) and Akshay Dewalkar (AI) in three well-fought games 22-20, 14-21, 21-15.

Wildfire Destroyed Hundreds of Homes in Drought-stricken U.S. State of Texas

Firefighters in drought-stricken Texas are struggling to contain a 16-mile-wide wildfire that has destroyed almost 500 homes. The fire had grown considerably on 5 September 2011 and was now spread over 25,000 acres. Some 25 fires are burning across Texas, which has been hit by high winds generated by Tropical Storm Lee. The fire, the largest of dozens of wildfires burning throughout the state, is not threatening Austin, but heading toward the opposite way. The fire fighting situation has been worsened by other

elements such as dry air, high winds from Tropical Storm Lee and the drought that has been gripping Texas.

SAT observed that SEBI has Powers under the Sebi Act to issue Directions to Unlisted Firms
The Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) observed on 5 September 2011 that the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has wider powers under the Sebi Act to issue directions to even unlisted firms to protect interest of investors in the securities market. The SAT observation followed a Sahara Group argument that the jurisdiction to regulate an unlisted public company lies with the Central government and not with the SEBI.

Expert Panel on Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram submitted Report

The expert panel to decide on the security, inventory and opening the kallara (vault) B in the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram informed the Supreme Court that a year was required to complete the entire exercise. Also the panels report informed that a total sum of Rs. 2.98 crore would be needed to meet all the expenses on videography, photography, providing infrastucture and strengthening security cover. A Bench of Justice R.V. Raveendran and Justice A.K. Patnaik on 2 September 2011 had asked the Supreme Court Registry to give copies of the 75-page report submitted by the panel to the court to the parties concerned for their response and posted the matter for further hearing on 12 September.

Union Cabinet of India Approved Land Acquisition Bill

The Land Acquistion, Relief and Rehabilitation Bill, 2011, was approved by the Union Cabinet on 5 September 2011. It aims to put in place a transparent and legal framework for land acquisition. According to the proposed Bill, consent of at least 80 per cent of people will be mandatory to acquire land except where it is acquired for a public purpose. The Bill defines public purpose as land use for strategic purposes, infrastructure and industry. The Bill calls for different land acquisition norms for rural and urban areas. Under the new Bill, the states will be free to have their own land acquisition laws. The proposed law seeks to replace the 117-year-old Land Acquisition Bill, 1894 and for the first time integrates both land acquisition and R&R package.

SC issued notice to Government on a plea challenging Appointment of Atul Kumar Rai as CEO of IFCI

The Supreme Court on 5 September 2011 issued notice to the government on a plea challenging the appointment of Atul Kumar Rai as the chief executive officer and managing director of the Industrial Finance Corporation of India (IFCI) despite his alleged involvement in corrupt practices.

An apex court bench of Justice Aftab Alam and Justice R.M. Lodha issued notice on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL). The CPIL accused

Rai of financial irregularities. After Rai took over the reigns of IFCI he introduced the incentive scheme in August 2007 and, in the process rewarded himself and his associates with hefty amount of incentives.

No Students to be Failed till Class V in Chhattisgarh State

The Chhattisgarh government has brought into force a rule which prohibits failing a student throughout primary school years. The state government notified rules under Right to Education Act, which also ban capitation fees for admission to pre-primary or primary schools. The rules also say that no primary school teacher will be allowed to give private tuitions. The person/institute found to be taking capitation fees in any form will be fined 10 times the amount taken.

First Integrated Tea Park of the North East Region to be Set Up at Chaygaon
In Assam, the process to set up the first integrated tea park of the North East region has been initiated. Sources in the tea industry said that the proposed park would come up at Chaygaon on the outskirts of Guwahati. The tea park would provide infrastructure of international standard and the state of the art facilities. It will create world class facilities for processing, warehousing, auction centre, blending and packaging, and generate employment. North East contributes 55 percent of the countrys total tea production. After completion of the park, the tea export is likely to be increased to a great extent.

Supreme Court: Rule of Law Binds Parliament of India

The Supreme Court of India held that rule of law is an integral part of the basic structure of the constitution and cannot be abrogated by Parliament of India which is bound by it. The bench opined that any law which deprives a person of his private property for private interest, will be unlawful and unfair and undermines the rule of law and can be subjected to judicial review. In Kesavananda Bharatis case, this Court enunciated rule of law as one of the most important aspects of the doctrine of basic structure. Rule of law affirms Parliaments supremacy while at the same time denying it sovereignty over the Constitution.

European Union Announced a Ban on Oil Imports from Syria

The European Union on 2 September 2011announced a ban on oil imports from Syria. This step could strive away a major source of financial support for the governments five-month-old crackdown on dissent. It will make it harder for the Syrian government to fund the effort against the protesters. The US had already banned Syrian oil imports. Europe buys most of Syrias oil, spending 4.1 billion dollars in the country in 2010.

Meghalaya Government ordered an inquiry into the alleged Mass Graves in Garo Hills
Meghalaya Government on 2 September 2011 ordered an inquiry into the alleged mass graves in some areas in West Garo Hills district as demanded by a militant outfit. The Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) alleged that mass graves exist at Tura and Samanda in West Garo Hills district, where rival outfit Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC) dumped bodies after secret killings. ANVC has been holding peace talks with the government since a ceasefire in 2004.

Doyen of Industry in Andhra Pradesh, Mullapudi Harischandra Prasad died

The doyen of industry in Andhra Pradesh, Mullapudi Harischandra Prasad died on 3 September 2011. He was the Chairman and Managing Director of Andhra Sugars. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the industry in Andhra Pradesh, Prasad started Andhra Sugars in August 11, 1947 at Tanuku in West Godavari district.

Andhra Sugars also contributed to India's space programme. The company developed the propellant fuel for the rocket boosters of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

ADB Approved 500 Million Dollar Loan to help India Improve Rail Services
Asian Development Bank, ADB has approved 500 million dollar loan to help India improve rail services. The bank has approved a multi-tranche financing facility for the Railway Sector Investment Program, RSIP. The RSIP is being carried out by the Ministry of Railways and will end by December 2018.

Asian Development Bank loan will be used to develop freight and passenger routes in Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, including the critical Golden Quadrilateral corridor that connects Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and New Delhi. The loan will be utilised for laying down additional lines and the electrification of hundreds of kilometers of existing track, along with installing new signaling. The loan has a 25-year term, with a grace period of five years. The Centre will provide counterpart finance of over 64 crore US dollars to cover the costs of the total program, estimated at over 110 crore US dollars.

Star Indian Boxer Vijender Singh won gold at the World Police and Fire Games in New York
Star Indian boxer Vijender Singh won gold and also bagged the Best Boxer award at the World Police and Fire Games in New York. Indian pugilists finished off a reasonably successful campaign with two golds, two silvers and a bronze at the World Police and Fire Games in New York.

Union Government released a List of Assets owned by Union Ministers

The Union government on 3 September 2011 released a list of assets owned by Union ministers. Urban development minister Kamal Nath and his family topped the charts with a net worth of over Rs 263 crore. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's holdings were reported to be a little over Rs 5 crore. Defence minister, A K Antony was placed at the bottom of the with his paltry Rs 1.8 lakh in bank deposits.

Heavy industry minister Praful Patel saw modest rise of 25% from around Rs 30 crore in 2009 to Rs 40 crore. Agriculture minister Sharad Pawars asset value (including his wife's and Hindu Undivided Family) climbed around 43% to about Rs 12.5 crore from Rs 8.7 crore in 2009.

A Tripartite Agreement Signed between the Centre, the Assam Government and ULFA
A tripartite agreement for Suspension of Operations (against ULFA) was signed between the Centre, the Assam state government and the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) in New Delhi on 3

September 2011 with the objective of bringing permanent peace in Assam. The Union Government was represented by the Joint Secretary (North-East) of the Home Ministry, Shambhu Singh and the Assam Government by the Home Commissioner Jishnu Barua. Shashdhar Chaudhuri, Chtraban Hazarika and Raju Barua, three key ULFA functionaries, represented the banned outfit. ULFA had earlier agreed to abjure violence and to find a solution to the problems as perceived by the outfit through peaceful negotiations with the Union Government and the Assam Government.

Indias First National Tennis Champion Sumant Mishra expired

Former Davis Cupper and secretary of the All-India Lawn Tennis Association Sumant Misra died on 3 September 2011. Mishra who was Indias first national tennis champion was called Grandfather of Indian tennis.

He represented the country at the Davis Cup between 1947- 1956 and also played in the Wimbledon and US Nationals in the pre-Open era in world tennis.Misra was one of the only three Indians to win the national title.

Jamaica's Usain Bolt won the Men's 4x100 Relay Final at the World Athletics Championships
Jamaica's Usain Bolt won the Men's 4x100 Relay final and set a world record at the World Athletics Championships in Daegu, South Korea on 4 September 2011.

The climax to World Athletics championship that concluded on 4 September 2011 was bought by sprint superstar Usain Bolt as his Jamaican team smashed the 4x100m relay World record. It was Bolt's second gold of the World championships after winning the 200m crown. On the second day of the competition Bolt was disqualified following a false start thereby shattering his dream of 100m gold.

Rajya Sabha Approved the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill2011

Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Indian Parliament, approved the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill -2011 on 29 August 2011. The Bill sought to extend the term of the Council of Governors by two years. The objective of the bill is to provide better health facilities in the country. It was earlier passed by the Lok Sabha on 18 August 2011.

Tory Tan won the Presidential Election in Singapore to become the Countrys Seventh President
Former Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Tony Tan won the presidential election in Singapore to become the countrys seventh President. The results were declared on 28 August 2011. Tan received 35 percent of about 2.1 million votes in the election. Tory Tan was backed by the ruling Peoples Action Party (PAP). The election was Singapores first contested vote for President since 1993. The post of President in Singapore is mainly a ceremonial position in the countrys parliamentary government.

West Bengal Government Imposed Higher taxes on Alcohol and Tobacco

The West Bengal government on 29 August 2011 raised the levies on alcohol and tobacco-related products. The tobacco-related products like chewing tobacco, cigar and cigarettes were included in schedule D where tax rates would be higher than 13.5 percent. However, beedi had not been included in Schedule D. The foreign liquor and IMFL were also placed in Schedule D.

Government Gave its Nod to White Tiger Breeding Centre

The Central Zoo Authority has approved the breeding centre at Govindgarh in Madhya Pradesh, which has the unique distinction of being the home of white tigers. The government preferred Madhya Pradesh to set up the conservation breeding centre as the last white tiger named Mohan was caught in the forests of Sidhi district (now the Sanjay-Dubri Tiger Reserve) in 1950 and reared by the erstwhile Maharaja of Rewa at Govindgarh. According to the Ministry's Project Tiger documents, there are many white tigers in captivity, though almost all of them have descended from the wild white Bengal tiger Mohan.

Denmanrks golfer Thomas Bjorn won the European Masters

Denmanrks golfer Thomas Bjorn secured back-to-back titles for the first time in his career after winning the European Masters on 4 September 2011. Bjorns 9-under 62 helped him finish with a 20-under total of 264, four shots clear of Germanys Martin Kaymer. He thus earned the 333,333 euro ($473,000 U.S.) winners prize.

Veteran Journalist & Former President of Indian Journalists Association Kalyan K. Chaudhuri died
Veteran journalist Kalyan K. Chaudhuri died on 2 September 2011. He was a Special Correspondent for Frontline magazine from August 1991 till retirement in December 2003. Chaudhuri was known for his informed journalistic writing. As a journalist he focussed primarily on political developments in the eastern region. He was president of the Indian Journalists' Association in 1988.

Commemorative Postage Stamp on Surendra Nath Jauhar released by Kapil Sibal

Minister for Communications & IT and HRD, Kapil Sibal on 2 September 2011 released a commemorative Postage Stamp on Surendra Nath Jauhar, noted freedom fighter, social worker, industrialist and philanthropist. Jauhar born in 1903 joined the freedom struggle at the age of 16 in response to a call to the youth of the country by Mahatma Gandhi. As a leading Congressman of Delhi, he was thrown behind the bars several times, two of the longest spells being 15 months for reading the Purna Swaraj pledge in 1930, and for participating in the Quit India Movement from 1942 to 1944.

India Post signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with VFS Global

India Post on 2 September 2011 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with VFS Global to provide visa related services for different countries through post offices. The MoU set out broad understanding and intention of both the parties to provide visa related services at places where they are not currently available. Post Office counters will be used for fee collection, providing visa application forms, dissemination of visa information, biometric enrollment and other visa application process related services.

Sony Corporation to Release its First Tablet Computer in Japan

Sony Corporation will release its first tablet computer on 17 September 2011 in Japan with the aim of becoming the leader in Android-based tablets and chasing Apple Inc, maker of the popular iPad, in the broader tablet market. The decision was announced on 1 September 2011. Users of the tablet computer can access content distributed by Sony such as movies, music, games and books, while the foldable S series -- with 5.5-inch displays can work as a remote controller for appliances such as televisions, Sony said. The Sony Tablet S series will hit the European market at the end of September with a price tag of 479 euros (USD 684) for the 16-gigabyte model. The P series will be launched in November, the company said.

Role of Technology in Promotion of Democracy

Technology can play a vital role in advancement of democratic rights in developing countries. Comment. Technology has developed at a lightning pace in the past few years. Moreover, it has struck a chord with the masses across nations, irrespective of the political, economic and social fabric of the country. Furthermore, as the people in developing countries struggle to achieve high standards of living and at the same time demand more political rights, the fight for democracy is certainly aided by technology.

The information revolution has given teeth to the peoples fight against any kind of oppression. For instance, the recent revolution in Egypt was furthered through internet and telecommunication. Technology plays a significant role in disseminating information, which was until a few years back the prerogative of the governments.

The highlight of the 21st century is the new media. Internet has revolutionised the way information is channelised and analysed. Anyone can share his/her story through internet. Blogs and social networking websites give people a chance to share their views and in the process form pressure groups.

Countries like China have attempted to obstruct the flow of communication but usually meet disappointment as there is little that could be done to curb the peoples voice which is finding an ally in technological advancement. It must be remembered that China had asked Google to comply with the countrys policies.

India could arguably be called an apostle of democracy but people at times feel the need for a greater role in governance. The recent Anna Hazare led movement demanding setting up of a Jan Lokpal is a striking example of how technology can help mobilise people and in the process lead to decentralisation of power and advancement of democratic rights. The Hazare movement got a tremendous boost from social networking websites, the television channels and the cellphones. So it can be concluded that technology has given a new dimension to democracy.

Post Offices to Provide Visa Related Services in Remote Areas

India Post has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with M/s VFS Global to provide visa related services for different countries through Post Offices. Memorandum of Understanding between India Post and M/s VFS Global was signed in Delhi on 30 August 2011 in the presence of Secretary, Department of Posts and senior officers from Department of Posts and VFS Global. The MOU sets out broad understandings and intentions of both the parties to provide visa related services at places where they are not currently available.

The Public Grievance Redressal Cell became Functional in Kerala

In Kerala, the IT enabled round the clock public grievance redressal cell in Chief Minister Oommen Chandy's office began functioning from 1 September 2011. The new facility was inaugurated to ensure speed and transparency in administration. The Chief Minister said people can lodge complaints from anywhere in the world, anytime throughout the week.