July 9 -Tidbits

National

Axis, Union Bank among five new entrants into UK banking space 

Two banks from India - Axis Bank and Union Bank - are among the five new entities authorised to do banking business in the UK during the last fiscal, as per latest statistics released by the British regulators.
In the 12-month period, following the changes introduced by the UK regulators to reduce barriers for entry of new financial institutions, five new banks have been authorised out of which two are Indian.

The five banks authorised between April 1, 2013 and March 31, 2014 are

1. Axis Bank UK Ltd,
2. Union Bank of India (UK) Ltd,
3. FCMB (UK) Ltd,
4. UBA Capital (Europe) Ltd
5. Paragon Bank plc.

Other Indian banks present in the UK include ICICI Bank, SBI, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank, Syndicate Bank and Bank of India, among others. As many as 30 new banks could open in the United Kingdom following changes introduced by the UK regulators to reduce barriers for entry of new financial institutions.

Govt approves expansion of highways in five states 

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved four- and six-laning of highways covering over 676 kilometres in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh at a total cost of about Rs 13,987 crore.

Four-laning of the following sections

1. Kazahakkottum-Mukkola section of National Highway (NH) 47 in Kerala 
2. Ambala-Kaithal section  of NH 65 in Haryana 
3. Yadgiri-Warangal section of NH 163 in Andhra Pradesh 
4. Sultanpur-Varanasi section of NH 56 in Uttar Pradesh 
5. Bikaner-Falodi section of NH 15 in Rajasthan 

six- to eight-laning of NH 24 (Hapur bypass), six laning of NH 58 (Delhi-UP border), six-laning of NH 235 (Delhi-UP) 

Biometric registration for 'Himalayan Kumbh'

Pilgrims participating in Nanda Devi Raj Jaat Yatra, which is held every 12 years, will have to register themselves biometrically as done by participants of 'char dham' this year. This yatra is held for the first time after the formation of Uttarakhand, Nandadevi Raj Jaat Yatra could not be held in 2012 due to "malemaas" (inauspicious phase) and in 2013 due to the June flashfloods which caused massive devastation along its route.

International

UN marks 100th anniversary of Word War I, lauds Indian soldiers' role 

The UN has commemorated the centenary of World War I, lauding the courage and sacrifice of soldiers including over a million from India, and underscored the importance of reconciliation through diplomacy.
The event 'Learning from War to Build Peace' was organized in United Nations, jointly by the Permanent Missions of France and Germany and co-sponsored by 25 nations including India.

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Amit Shah, Modi's close aide, takes charge as BJP president

Amit Shah was unanimously appointed president of the BJP on Wednesday, marking a generational shift in leadership of the party that is looking for election victories in three politically crucial states this year.

He is credited with singlehandedly winning for his party 71 of the 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh in the recently held Lok Sabha elections. The party now hopes he will replicate this success in assembly polls in Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Haryana.

Shah, a close and controversial aide of Modi, was appointed to the top post in BJP at a meeting of Parliamentary Board where incumbent Rajnath Singh resigned after tenure of one-and-a-half years.

Emma Watson to be United Nations goodwill ambassador

Harry Potter star Emma Watson has been named a goodwill ambassador by the United Nations organisation UN Women.

Watson will promote gender equality and work towards the empowerment of young women in the role. She was named after undertaking humanitarian work in the area of girls' education in Bangladesh and Zambia.

July 8 -Tidbits

National

Advanced version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile test-fired successfully 

India on Tuesday successfully test-fired the advanced version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from the Odisha coast. 

The missile was test-fired from the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur in Balasore. BrahMos missile, which has a range of 290 kilometres, can carry a conventional warhead of up to 300 kilograms. 

About BrahMos:

The missile, developed by the Indo-Russian joint venture BrahMos Aerospace, has a top speed of Mach 2.8, which is about three times faster than the US subsonic Tomahawk cruise missile. This makes BrahMos one of the fastest cruise missiles in the world. 

Induction of the first version of Brahmos system in the Indian Navy commenced from 2005 with the missile being deployed onboard warship INS Rajput 

The missile can be launched from submarines, ships and aircraft. Sea and ground launched versions of the missile have been successfully tested and put into service with the army and the navy. 

BrahMos Chief:

Top Missile scientist Sudhir K Mishra will take over as the new chief of the Indo-Russian joint venture BrahMos Aerospace Corporation on August 1, replacing A Sivathanu Pillai who will superannuate on July 31.

India's total forest cover goes up

India’s overall forest cover has increased by 5,871 sq km since 2011 and the maximum rise has been witnessed in West Bengal (3,810 sq km) followed by Odisha (1,444 sq km) and Kerala (622 sq km). 

According to the biennial report "India State of Forest Report 2013" - the 13th in the series - the total forest and tree cover of the country is 78.92 million hectare which is 24.01 percent of its geographical area. The report further said that Madhya Pradesh had the largest forest cover of 77,522 sq km followed by Arunachal Pradesh (67,321 sq km). 

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Rajesh Kishore assumes charge as the next Secretary General of National Human Rights Commission

Rajesh Kishore assumed the charge of the Secretary General, National Human Rights Commission in New Delhi . Kishore is a 1980 batch IAS officer of Gujarat Cadre and belongs to Bihar. Prior to his appointment to the NHRC, he was holding the post of Additional Chief Secretary (Health), Government of Gujarat. He has served in various capacities in different departments of the Union and the state governments.

Amritraj announces launch of Champions Tennis League

Vijay Amritraj, former Indian tennis star and global ambassador of the sport, on Monday announced the launch of the Champions Tennis League (CTL) in India.

In its launch avatar, CTL will feature six city-based teams across India. CTL will see 13 matches played over a 10-day period from November 17 to 26.

The teams will be structured into two groups, each having three teams, where all teams play each other in a home and away format. The team with the highest number of games won in their respective group will play each other in the grand final to win a prize money of Rs. one crore. The runner-up will win Rs. 50 lakh.

Naveen Patnaik inaugurates World Trade Centre 

State of Odisha is poised for a significant growth with the inauguration of the world class project the World Trade Centre Bhubaneswar along with a Convention Centre and Trade Zone  at Bhubaneswar. The World Trade Centre Bhubaneswar  is promoted by the World Trade Centre Mumbai with the support of Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation, the industrial promotion agency of the State Government of Odisha.

With the establishment of the WTC Bhubaneswar, key sectors like IT, electronics, manufacturing, metal based industries, handicrafts, sea food and other export oriented units will receive a major boost The Convention Centre to be established with an investment of Rs.300 crores will be an urban land mark and one of its kind in India.One of the unique features of this project is a sky walk which shall connect the WTC Tower to the adjacent Hotels and the Convention Centre.With the launch of the WTC Bhubaneswar the State of Odisha will join the international network of 330 WTCs in over 100 Countries.

India's UAE envoy named permanent representative to IRENA 

India's ambassador to the UAE T P Seetharam has been appointed as the country's permanent representative to the Abu Dhabi-based International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

The move makes India 19th member of IRENA to designate a permanent representative to the inter-governmental organisation.

About IRENA:

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is an intergovernmental organisation that supports countries in their transition to a sustainable energy future, and serves as the principal platform for international cooperation, a centre of excellence, and a repository of policy, technology, resource and financial knowledge on renewable energy.  IRENA promotes the widespread adoption and sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy, including bioenergy, geothermal, hydropower, ocean, solar and wind energy in the pursuit of sustainable development, energy access, energy security and low-carbon economic growth and prosperity.

Obituary

Indian Constitution scholar Granville Austin dies 

Granville Austin ,author of two celebrated political histories of the Indian Constitution, passed away in Washington DC.

Prof Austin’s The Indian Constitution: Cornerstone of a Nation, first published in 1966, is a masterful analysis of debates in the Constituent Assembly, and an enduring classic. In 1999, he published Working a Democratic Constitution: The Indian Experience, an account of four decades of the working of the Constitution.

In 2011, in recognition for his writing on the framing and working of the Indian Constitution, Professor Austin was awarded a Padma Shri award, the fourth-highest civilian honour of India.

Alfredo Di Stefano : Real Madrid legend passes away at 88

Alfredo Di Stefano, the legendary Argentinian football player and honorary Real Madrid President, has passed away aged 88. He is Madrid's second highest scorer in history, behind Raul, with 307 goals in all competitions. Di Stefano is one of Madrid's finest ever players. He was central to the club's domination of European football in the 1950s, helping them win the European Cup for five straight seasons from 1956 to 1960. Internationally, he played mainly for Spain but also represented Argentina and Colombia.

Eduard Shevardnadze, ex-Georgian president, dies at 86

 Eduard Shevardnadze, a groundbreaking Soviet foreign minister and later the president of an independent Georgia, died at the age of 86. Shevardnadze swept heroically across the international stage in the final years of the Soviet empire, helping topple the Berlin Wall and end the Cold War, but as the leader of post-Soviet Georgia his career in the public eye ended in humiliation and he was chased out of his parliament and forced into retirement

July 7 -Tidbits

National

Railway Ministry joins Facebook, Twitter

On the eve of Rail Budget, the Railway Ministry today launched its official Twitter account and Facebook page in a bid to disseminate information quickly. Besides, the national transporter will also have its presence on YouTube.Focusing on IT initiatives, Railways will also launch a new number -- 022-4501555 -- tomorrow where people can dial in and hear the Budget.

Besides railways enquiry number - 139 - will also become toll free soon and all these are slated to be announced in the Rail Budget.

MSME Ministry  on Facebook, Twitter 

Aiming to reach out to the masses through social media, Union Minister Kalraj Mishra today launched the Twitter handle and the Facebook account of MSME Ministry. The accounts can be accessed using the keyword "minmsme" in both Facebook and Twitter.

Eight Indian companies in Fortune 500 list 

Eight Indian companies, led by state-run IOC, have made it to the latest Fortune Global 500 list of world's biggest firms which has been topped by US-based retailer Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart has pushed energy giant Royal Dutch Shell to the second position in the 2014 list, followed by Chinese majors -- Sinopec Group and China National Petroleum -- at third and fourths spots, respectively.

IOC is the only Indian company featuring in the top 100 at the 96th position, although down from 88th last year.

There are five state-run and three private sector companies including two from Tata group (Tata Motors and Tata Steel).

Reliance Industries is placed at 114th position, followed by Bharat Petroleum (242), Hindustan Petroleum (284), Tata Motors (287), State Bank of India (303), ONGC (424) and Tata Steel (486).

   Fortune magazine said there were record number of 17 women as CEOs of Fortune Global 500 companies which includes two first timers from India -- HPCL's Nishi Vasudeva and SBI's Arundhati Bhattacharya.

TOP 10 in Fortune 500  LIST:

1. Wal-Mart –United States
2. Royal Dutch Shell-Netherlands & United Kingdom
3. Sinopec Group -China
4. China National Petroleum-China
5. ExxonMobil-United States
6. BP –United Kingdom
7.  State Grid Corporation Of China-China
8.  Volkswagen-Germany
9.  Toyota -Japan
10. Glencore -Switzerland

Rangarajan panel report on poverty

Former Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council(PMEAC) Chairman C Rangarajan on Monday said poverty numbers provided by him are not conservative estimates and they are at par with global standards. The expert group headed by Rangarajan dismissed the Suresh Tendulkar Committee methodology on estimating poverty and estimated that the number of poor in India was much higher in 2011-12 at 29.5 per cent of the population.

Rangarajan Committee’s  estimations:

For every 10 ,3 would be poor in India

In Cities person spending less than  Rs 47/day ( Rs 1,407 a month) would be considered as poor .

In Villages person spending less than Rs 32/day  (Rs 972 a month) would be considered poor.

The number of poor in India stood at 36.3 crore in 2011-12, down from 45.4 crore in 2009-10, as per the Rangarajan panel.

Tendulkar Committee’s estimations :

In Cities person spending less than  Rs 33/day ( Rs 1,000 a month) would be considered as poor .

In Villages person spending less than Rs 27/day (Rs 816 a month) would be considered poor.

Tendulkar Committee, however, had suggested that the number of poor was 35.4 crore in 2009-10 and 26.9 crore in 2011-12.

 International
 

BRICS nations likely to announce setting up of $100-billion fund in Brazil 

The BRICS nations are likely to formally announce the setting up of a $100-billion fund, which will help member countries tide over a current account deficit crisis, at their fifth summit next week in Brazil. 

China will be the largest donor to this fund and is expected to contribute around $41 billion. India, Russia and Brazil will contribute $18 billion each with South Africa bringing in the remaining $5 billion. 

 6th BRICS summit

The 6th BRICS summit will be the sixth annual diplomatic meeting of the BRICS, a grouping of major emerging economies that includes Brazil, Russia, India,China and South Africa. It will be hosted by Brazil, as the first host country of the current five-year summit cycle; the host city will be Fortaleza. Though Brazil hosted a four-member BRIC summit in April 2010, 2014 will mark its first full BRICS summit;

BRICS SUMMIT  & HOST COUNTRY

1. 2009-Russia
2. 2010-Brazil
3. 2011-China
4. 2012-India
5. 2013-South Africa
6. 2014-Brazil
7. 2015-Russia

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 Governors Appointments and Retirement

NDA government on Sunday transferred Gujarat Governor Kamla Beniwal  to Mizoram, while the Mizoram Governor Vakkom Purushothaman has been shifted and has now been appointed as the Nagaland Governor for the remainder of his term.

Vakkom Purushothaman who has been appointed as Nagaland Governor would continue to hold additional charge as Tripura Governor.

 Rajasthan Governor Margaret Alva has been given additional responsibility to discharge the functions of Gujarat Governor as well.

 Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Governor BL Joshi, Chhattisgarh Governor Shekhar Dutt and Nagaland Governor Ashwani Kumar had stepped down from their respective posts. 

Later, after being quized by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials in the VVIP chopper deal, MK Narayanan (West Bengal) and BV Wanchoo (Goa) also had put in their papers.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Governor HR Bhardwaj and Tripura Governor Devanand Konwar retired. 

Rankings After Wimbledon 2014

Sania Mirza enters top-5 for first time in her career

Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza achieved a career-best rank of number five in the world WTA doubles while her Zimbabwean partner Cara Black achieved a tenth position in latest WTA doubles. Sania, who turned a professional in 2003,entered top five chart for the first time in her career.

In the singles rankings, Ankita gained one place to be 285 as country's best player.

Meanwhile in the ATP rankings, Somdev Devvarman dropped 10 places to 135 as his poor run continued unabated.

In the doubles, Leander Paes remained unchanged at number 13 and was the highest ranked player from the country. Rohan Bopanna dropped three places to sit on the edge of top-20.

 WTA Singles Rankings:

1. Serena Williams
2.  Li Na
3.  Simona Halep
4.  Petra Kvitova
5.  Agnieszka Radwanska
6.  Maria Sharapova
7.  Eugenie Bouchard

ATP  Singles  RANKINGS:

1. Novak Djokovic
2. Rafael Nadal  
3. Roger Federer
4. Stanislas Wawrinka
5. Tomas Berdych

July 6 -Tidbits

National

Finance and Commerce Ministries to soon join Twitter 

Important ministries like Finance and Commerce will soon join Twitter as part of the new government’s effort to use social media in communicating with citizens.

The microblogging site, which has about 18 million users in India, is engaging with the government to help various ministries use the platform to connect with the masses.

Recently President of India has also joined twitter and Narendra Modi being  third most followed leader in twitter after Barack Obama and The Pope.

India to provide Rs 50 million to build hospital in Nepal 

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Embassy of India, Dhulikhel Municipality and Dhulikhel Hospital for providing Indian grant assistance of Rs 50 million for the construction of a hospital building. The building will be constructed at Dhulikhel Hospital under Nepal-India Economic Cooperation Programme (NIECP).

Dhulikhel Hospital  is an independent, non-government institution providing health care service to the people of remote areas through different outreaches. The hospital faces shortage of space which is affecting its capacity to deliver quality health care.The new hospital building being constructed with the Indian assistance will help address this constraint and augment other facilities. The new infrastructure is expected to provide improved health care services to over 2.5 million people in and around the area.

'DD Kisan' for farmers soon

Farmers will soon have a 24-hour TV channel dedicated to agriculture and related issues, providing the farming community with information related to aspects like weather forecast and seeds.

To be named 'DD Kisan', the government and the Prasar Bharati are working on finalising the plans for launching the channel at the earliest. "DD Kisan will come up very soon," Information and Broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar told when asked about the plans to launch agriculture based channels.

ICICI Bank to open China, South Africa branches

The country's top private sector lender ICICI Bank is all set to start full- fledged branches in China and South Africa in the current fiscal.

The bank has representative offices in these two nations and it has now got regulatory approvals to convert them into branches, ICICI Bank's Managing Director and CEO Chanda Kochhar said.

The bank already has branches in the US, Singapore, Hong Kong, Bahrain, Sri Lanka, Dubai and Qatar among others, while it also has got representative offices in the UAE, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.

International Finance Corporation to infuse Rs 160 crore into Bandhan 

International Finance Corporation, an arm of the World Bank, will infuse Rs 160 crore into micro finance institution (MFI) Bandhan, which is to be transformed later into a full-fledged bank. At present, Bandhan's Tier I capital (core capital) stands at Rs. 1,200 crore, while Tier II would be Rs. 160 crore after the infusion.

About Bandhan Bank:

Bandhan Financial Services, the first microfinance institution in the country to win a bank licence, is also one of the youngest entities to be allowed to enter the banking space. Bandhan, the country’s largest micro lender based in Kolkata.  

Bandhan CEO-Chandra Shekhar Ghosh

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Sharat Chander appointed information officer in Prime Minister's Office 

Sharat Chander of the Indian Information Service (IIS) has been appointed as Information Officer in Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

 Chander, a 1999 batch IIS officer is currently working in Press Information Bureau (PIB) handling media affairs of the PMO.

Novak Djokovic beats Roger Federer to win second Wimbledon title 

Novak Djokovic won his second Wimbledon title and denied Roger Federer his record eighth in his 25^th Grand Slam final  would have been  record-breaking 8th Wimbledon title had he won the title. Novak won his first Wimbledon title in 2011. While Djokovic, who has lost his last three Grand Slam finals, bids for a second Wimbledon and 7th Slam of his career.

This is Djokovic and Federer’s 12th Grand Slam encounter which equals the record for most meetings at the majors.The Victory which bought  Novak his seventh Grand Slam title also means he will reclaim the no.1 spot in ATP Rankings.