National Current Affairs April 1-15 April 1: Supreme court had stated that the famous actor Sanjay Dutt of Samajwadi party, is not eligible to stand in elections.- NDTV had released a list named 7 wonders of India.- India had stood in the 5th place in the report of America Cyber crimes centre.April 2: CBI had issued clean chit for Jagadeesh Taitler who is allegedly played a keyrole in the Anti-Sikh Movements after the assasination of Indira Gandhi in 1984.April 3: In the Femina Miss India competetions, Ekta Chowdary had bagged the title of Miss India Universe title and pooja Chopra and Sreeya Kishore had bagged the Miss India World and Miss India Earth titles respectively.- Famous social activist Nafeesa Ali had been selected in the place of Sanjay Dutt for the Lucknow Loksabha constitution.April 6: Lieutenant Governer Govind Singh had passed away after suffering from prolonged illness.- Rahul Dravid had established a world record of taking most catches in the test matches.- Dainik Jagran Journalist Jarnel Singh had thrown a boot towards the Home Minister(central) P.Chidambaram in the AICC press meet.- Famous economist and tax specialist Raja j Chellaih had passed away.- India had won the test series against New Zealand with 1-0.April 9: K.Padmarajan had established a Guinness record by competing in the elections for 100 times.- 47 companies of India had took place in the list of 2000 largest companies released by Forbes magazine.April 10: Indian Reserve bank had released the 10 rupees coins.- Veeravelli Sundaram Sampath had been appointed as the new central Election commissoner.April 11: Uttar Pradesh high court had stated that after the dipute speech of Varun gandhi he had arrested under the national security act(nasa).April 12: India had won the Ajlan Shah Hockey cup by defeating Malaysia by 3-1 goals. International Current Affairs January 16-31 .January 16: Senate panel had agreed to appoint Hillary Clinton as the new External Affairs minister of US.-Ajantha Mendis had created a rare record by taking 50 wickets in just 19 ODI's.January 17: Being affected by financial crisis, Zimbabwean government had released 100 Trillion dollar note.January 18: According to the 'State Of The World Child-2009' survey performed by the UNICEF, up to 40% child marriages are happening in India.- Israeli prime minister Ehud olmert had announced that they withdraw their attacks from Gaza Strip.January 19: For the first time, medical scientists of Imperial College London had successfully taped the blood pumping process of Heart.January 20: Barack Obama sworn in as the 44th President of United States and Joe Biden sworn in as the Vice President.- External Affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee visited Afghanistan and submitted the Delaram-Jarenz highway which was built by India.January 21: Hillary Clinton sworn in as the 67th External Affairs minister.January 25: 'Slumdog Millionaire' had won the Best Producer award which is presented yearly by the 'Producers Guild Of America'.January 26: 'Slumdog Millionaire' had recently won the title from Screen Actors Guild. . National Current Affairs January 16-31 January 16: Justice Yatiraj was appointed as the chairman of the Administrative Tribunal.- Mumbai team has won the Ranji Trophy final held in Hyderabad and Mumbai had became the only team to win the Ranji Trophy 38 times.January 17: National games to be held in Jharkhand from February 15-24 were postponed.- 'Business India 2008' award was presented to the Oberoi Group chairman Prithvi Raj Singh Oberoi.January 19: President had agreed to the decision of the governament to impelment the President rule in Jharkhand.January 21: Sukhbeer Singh Badal was sworn in as the deputy cheif minister of the Punjab.January 22: 81st Oscar nominations are announced, A.R.Rehman had created the record as the only Indian to get three oscar nominations.January 23: Central Governament had announced 11 names for the title of 'Ashok Chakra'.- Kazakhstan President Noor Sultan Nazarbayev was invited as the chief guest for the republic day celebrations.January 24: Central government had announced 10 names for Padma Vibhushan, 30 for Padma Bhushan and 93 names for Padmashree.- Skoch challenger award for the Rajiv Arogya Sri health care trust.- Bi-pass surgery was successfully performed for the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the presence of the Dr.Ramakant Panda.January 26: Indian President had awarded the 11 'Ashok Chakra' titles for their family members.- Biggest Multispeciality Hospital of India was inaugarated in Mumbai.January 31: Yuki Bhambri, the latest tennis sensation from India, has won the Australian Open 2009 junior title, yuki bambri became the first Indian to win the Australian Open Junior Boys title. National Current Affairs December 1-15 .December 1- 39th International film festival had came to an end in Goa. Kazakasthan film "Talpan" had awarded the golden peacock, Dvortsevoy pocketed the most promising director’s award. 'Akasakusum', film produced by the srilankan actress Malini had been selected for the special jury award.N.K.Nanda had been appointed as the technical director of the National Mining development organisation.Vilasrao Deshmukh had resigned as the cheif minister of the Maharashtra after the immense pressure by the high command.December 3- Deepak Sandhu had been appointed as the media advisor of the prime minister.Leftinant general Balbir Singh had took the charge as the director general of Infantree.J.V.Raghavulu had been chosen for the Ghantasala award by the State cultural department.December 4- Lok Nayak Foundation Award has been awarded to Telugu writer Ravuri Bharadwaj which is presented by High Court Judge G. Raghu Ram and Minister for Animal Husbandry Mandali Buddha Prasad in Visakhapatnam.December 5- Andhra Pradesh state governament had extended the service of the state planning commission chariman Swaminathan to 2010.Central governament had cut off the prices of petrol by 5Rs and diesel by 2Rs.December 7- Indian Ace-Golfer Jeev Milka Singh had won the 'Golf Nippon Series' cup.S.M.Krishna is appointed as the main director of AICC.December 8- Rajiv Madhur appointed as the new director of the Intelligence Bereau.Ashok Chawan had sworn in as the 24th cheif minister of the Maharashtra state, Chagan Bhujbal had taken oath as the deputy chief minister.SBI had chosen as the best bank for the year of 2008 by the London magazine 'The Banker'. Indian badminton champion and world no.10 Saina Nehwal had been announced as the most promising player of the year 2008.December 9- Krishna Ammal and Jagannadhan of India had recieved the 'Right Livelyhood' award which is considered as the alternative for the noble by the Johannvan Vuksul in the Stockholm parliament.Tamil nadu had stood in the first place for the best E-governance against the all states.December 10- Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani had placed in the 40 most powerful men in the chemical industry.Speaker Somnath Chaterjee had annouced that Harihara Swann was disqualified for the violation of the party whip.December 11- Assami writer Indira Goswami had bagged the Netherland country's prestigious 'Pincipal of prince claus' award.Sachin Tendulkar had became the only Indian player who had played test cricket for highest time for India.Prime minister Manmohan Singh had inaugarated the 3G based telecom services in the presence of govt telecom gaint MTNL.Chennai's MGR university had announced the Doctorate for the Indian tennis star Sania Mirza.December 12- World Bank had annouced the package of 68000 crores for the Improvement of the seven poor states, This package would be given by International devlopment organisation and IBRD.BJP leader Sivraj Singh Chauhan had sworn as the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh.Raman Singh had took the oath as the chief minister of the Chattishghar.December 13- Janatadal(u) President Sarad Yadav had been elected as the temporary convener of NDA.Prime minister Manmohan Singh had launched the 'Inspire' scheme to encourage the youth in scientific research.Ashok Gehlot sworn as the cheif minister of Rajasthan.December 14- BHEL of Hyderabad had chosen for the CII-ITC award for the consistent development for the year 2008.Rajya Sabha had approved the bill to hike the wages of president, vice-president and governer by three times.Prime minister had awarded the "International Jurist" award to Ram Jethmalani. International Current Affairs March 1-15 .March 2: Guinea Bissau president Joao Bernardo is assassinated by the soldiers in the capital Bissau.- Veerabhadran Ramanadhan has been awarded the Tyler prize for his contribution in the protection of world environment.March 3: Terrorists has attacked the bus in which srilankan cricketers are traveling, This incident was took place in pakistan.- Indian judge Kamljith singh Garewal had won the elections in the appeals tribunal of UNO.- Queensland University of England had announced the honourable doctorate for former president of India A.P.J.Abdul Kalam.March 4: China governament had annouced 70.2 billion dollars for the defence department.- Dr.Severino Antinori had announced that he had co operated in the process of giving birth to three children by the cloning process in the year 2000.March 5: Obama had annouced that former Indian Vivek Kundra has been appointed as the "cheif technology officer".- Pakistan government had announced the reward of 5 lakh rupees for the bus driver who had saved the srilankan cricketers from the terrorist attack.March 7: Zibabwian president Tsavangirai's wife susan had died in the car accident.- American president Obama had appointed Melanne Verveer as the ambassador at large for global women's issues. This post was created by the Obama.- NASA had launched "Kepler" telescope for the research of planets similar to the Earth.March 9: Butterlay Limited had collapsed due to the recession, this company had built the rail bridge between Rajahmundry and Kovvuru 110 years ago.March 11: World Trade Organisation had announced that among the poor people of world 70 percent are from women.-British Library had acquired "Communist Manifesto" which was written by Karl Marx and Fredrick Angels National Current Affairs March 1-15 March 1: A.S.Gill had took the charge as the new director general of CRPF(Central Reserve Police Force).- Bail is issued to the Lieutenant colonel Prasad Purohit who has been arrested in the case of malegaon blasts.- Mauritius had made a deal with India to buy the "Dhruv" which is made by our own technology.March 2: Election Commission had issued the notification to perform the Loksabha elections in five stages.- Central Government had appointed Justice Gurubakshrai Majidhia as the new chairman of the journalists pay commission.March 3: American FBI chief Robert Muller had met the Home Minister Chidambaram.- International commission which is formed to study land utilization change and environmental situations had appointed the Sivsena leader Suresh Prabhu as its member.March 4: Naveen Chawla had been appointed as the new chief commissioner of the elections. He had been appointed in the place of N.Gopalaswamy who is retiring on April 20.- World Economic Forum had announced that India had acquired the 62nd rank in the list of most toured places of the world.- Tata Steel had won the Golden Peacock award for the year 2009.March 5: Forbes magazine had released a list named '48 charity heroes', this list had included the four Indian names Suneel Mittal, Siv nadar, Anil Agarwal, Rohini neelakani.March 6: Vijay malya had bought the belongings of Mahatma Gandhi in the bid performed in the New York. He had spent 9.3 crore(18 lakh dollars) rupees for that.- India had successfully test performed the Prudhvi air defence(PAD-02) missile in the Wheelers island of Orissa. This missile had the ability to defend the attack of ballistic missiles from the enemies.March 8: Sachin Tendulkar had scored his 43rd century in the 3rd ODI against New Zealand.March 10: R.C.Deka had been appointed as the director of AIIMS(All India Institute Of Medical Sciences).March 11: B4U had presented the "Extraordinary Achievement" award to A.R.Rehman in the UK Asia Music Awards-2009 London.- M.M.Kastur had stated that he had built the clock hanging around the waist of Mahatma Gandhi after inspired by the Swadesi Movement.

National Current Affairs March 1-15 March 1: A.S.Gill had took the charge as the new director general of CRPF(Central Reserve Police Force).- Bail is issued to the Lieutenant colonel Prasad Purohit who has been arrested in the case of malegaon blasts.- Mauritius had made a deal with India to buy the "Dhruv" which is made by our own technology.march2:Formulation and evaluation of oxcarbazepine fast dissolve tablets: Election Commission had issued the notification to perform the Loksabha elections in five stages.- Central Government had appointed Justice Gurubakshrai Majidhia as the new chairman of the journalists pay commission.March 3: American FBI chief Robert Muller had met the Home Minister Chidambaram.- International commission which is formed to study land utilization change and environmental situations had appointed the Sivsena leader Suresh Prabhu as its member.March 4: Naveen Chawla had been appointed as the new chief commissioner of the elections. He had been appointed in the place of N.Gopalaswamy who is retiring on April 20.- World Economic Forum had announced that India had acquired the 62nd rank in the list of most toured places of the world.- Tata Steel had won the Golden Peacock award for the year 2009.March 5: Forbes magazine had released a list named '48 charity heroes', this list had included the four Indian names Suneel Mittal, Siv nadar, Anil Agarwal, Rohini neelakani.March March 6: Vijay malya had bought the belongings of Mahatma Gandhi in the bid performed in the New York. He had spent 9.3 crore(18 lakh dollars) rupees for that.- India had successfully test performed the Prudhvi air defence(PAD-02) missile in the Wheelers island of Orissa. This missile had the ability to defend the attack of ballistic missiles from the enemies.March 8: Sachin Tendulkar had scored his 43rd century in the 3rd ODI against New Zealand.March 10: R.C.Deka had been appointed as the director of AIIMS(All India Institute Of Medical Sciences).March 11: B4U had presented the "Extraordinary Achievement" award to A.R.Rehman in the UK Asia Music Awards-2009 London.- M.M.Kastur had stated that he had built the clock hanging around the waist of Mahatma Gandhi after inspired by the Swadesi Movement.please refer my other site for model papers click here. International Current Affairs March 1-15 March 2: Guinea Bissau president Joao Bernardo is assassinated by the soldiers in the capital Bissau.- Veerabhadran Ramanadhan has been awarded the Tyler prize for his contribution in the protection of world environment.March 3: Terrorists has attacked the bus in which srilankan cricketers are traveling, This incident was took place in pakistan.- Indian judge Kamljith singh Garewal had won the elections in the appeals tribunal of UNO.- Queensland University of England had announced the honourable doctorate for former president of India A.P.J.Abdul Kalam.March 4: China governament had annouced 70.2 billion dollars for the defence department.- Dr.Severino Antinori had announced that he had co operated in the process of giving birth to three children by the cloning process in the year 2000.March 5: Obama had annouced that former Indian Vivek Kundra has been appointed as the "cheif technology officer".- Pakistan government had announced the reward of 5 lakh rupees for the bus driver who had saved the srilankan cricketers from the terrorist attack.March 7: Zibabwian president Tsavangirai's wife susan had died in the car accident.- American president Obama had appointed Melanne Verveer as the ambassador at large for global women's issues. This post was created by the Obama.- NASA had launched "Kepler" telescope for the research of planets similar to the Earth.March 9: Butterlay Limited had collapsed due to the recession, this company had built the rail bridge between Rajahmundry and Kovvuru 110 years ago.March 11: World Trade Organisation had announced that among the poor people of world 70 percent are from women.-British Library had acquired "Communist Manifesto" which was written by Karl Marx and Fredrick Angels

Current Affairs This page has content updated twice in a month with all the important current affairs events in Political, Science & Technology, Sports and National and International events. Sportsnews .Brasa appointed Indian men's hockey coach ( 1st May 2009) Spain's master coach Jose Brasa has been appointed as the new chief coach of the Indian men's hockey team. Pravir Krishna, the Joint Secretary of Union Ministry of Sports said “Brasa will soon join the Indian men's hockey team as the chief coach". He also informed that Brasa was handed a two-year contract, but didn't rule out the chances of his agreement being extended till the 2012 London Olympics. The Spaniard put forth a list of demands, including a free hand in running the team, the need for technology and a good physiotherapist, and a support staff of 14 people, including two from Spain. The Sports Ministry accepted his demands. The official also informed that Brasa would be coming to India early next week to formally take charge of his duties. BCCI nominates Gambhir, Jhulan for Arjuna award (30th April 2009) The Board of Control for Cricket in India has recommended batman Gautam Gambhir and women's team captain Jhulan Gosawmi for the esteemed sports award, the Arjuna Award.Gambhir, opener has scored 1,579 test runs at an average of 75.19, and 1,494 runs at 46.38 in ODIs. Jhulan won the ICC Women Cricketer of the Year Award in 2007. Book on Tendulkar released (24th April 2009) A book, titled 'If Cricket Is a Religion, Sachin is God' was released on Sachin’s 36th birthday. The authors of the book are Vijay Santhanam and Shyam Balasubramaniam who are graduates of IIM (Ahmedabad). They believe that Tendulkar is one of the greatest sportspersons of our times and surely the finest cricketer of our times. The most remarkable thing about Tendulkar is the way he has handled himself and his fame right from his early teens, they feel. India seals historic win in NZ after 41yrs (7th April 2009) Though rain stopped India from winning the third and final test against New Zealand at Basin Reserve in Wellington, it sealed the historic 1-0 series victory on Apr 7 after 41 years. The last time India won a series in New Zealand was under the captaincy of Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi in 1967-68. India had won the first Test in Hamilton by 10 wickets and drew the second Test in Napier. India win Hamilton Test, a win in NZ after 33 years (21st March 2009) Dominant India defeated New Zealand by 10 wickets in the 1st Test to take 1-0 lead. This is India's first Test win in New Zealand since 1976. India wrapped up New Zealand's second innings on 279 with the hosts giving a 38-run lead in the 1st Test. Harbhajan Singh took six wickets for his side. India thrash New Zealand to seal ODI series (Feb 2009) India won the One day series against new zeland soil at first time. Science; First face transplant patient in US shows face ( 6th May 2009) Five years ago, Connie Culp, 46-year-old woman in a shotgun blast left a ghastly hole in the middle of her face. Five months ago, she received a new face from a dead woman. She stepped forward to show off the results of the nation's first face transplant, and her new look was a far cry from the puckered, noseless sight that made children run away in horror. Culp's expressions are still a bit wooden, but she can talk, smile, smell and taste her food again. Her speech is at times a little tough to understand. Her face is bloated and squarish, and her skin droops in big folds that doctors plan to pare away as her circulation improves and her nerves grow, animating her new muscles. UK scientists to develop Swine Flu vaccine (4th May 2009) As the world is getting ready to fight against Swine Flu (H1N1 virus), researchers from all over the world have stepped up to build a vaccine to fight the scary disease.A team from National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC) in Hertfordshire had started their work for developing a vaccine against the H1N1 virus. The researchers aim to drill a hole in hen's egg, considered for growing up flu viruses. The process involves injecting a small amount of virus into each egg. The scientists are using two different techniques for the process. The first one is 'reverse genetics', where scientists take the H and the N surface proteins from the H1N1 virus and mix them with a laboratory virus known as PR8. This leads to a creation of a harmless hybrid virus, which can be used for the vaccine.The second technique involves injecting both the H1N1 and PR8 viruses into eggs and allowing the hybrid strain to be created through a natural re-assortment of their genes. The vaccine will work by dodging the immune system into it has been infected with the H1N1 swine flu virus so that it creates antibodies against it. The researchers hope that the first seed strain of H1N1 swine flu vaccine will be ready in three to four weeks. It will then take another four or five months for vaccine manufacturers to produce the vaccine in bulk. PET bottles potential health hazard (29th April 2009) Wagner, a lead researcher stated, “Drinking water from PET plastic bottles is harmful to human health”. It has a higher probability of drinking estrogenic compounds (which affects reproductive hormones) through water. He analysed 20 samples of mineral water. Nine samples came out of glass bottles, nine were bottled in PET plastic and two were in cardboard. The specialised yeast, which change colour in the presence of estrogen like compounds, revealed estrogenic activity in seven of the nine plastic bottles (and both cardboard samples), and compared with just three of the nine glass ones. The levels of these compounds in the water were surprisingly high. ISRO launches RISAT-2 (20th April 2009) The Indian Space Research Organisation successfully launched a revolutionary spy satellite RISAT-2. It is designed by the Israeli Aerospace Industries. It can take images through the thickest cloud cover, rain and snow or fog conditions during night and day or even of the hundreds of winding mountain valleys. It will be used extensively for purposes like mapping, managing natural disasters and surveying the seas, it can also see through camouflage like cloth or foliage used to conceal camps or vehicles. It will enable India to keep a watch on terror camps, military installations across boundaries, missile sites and suchlike. It should also help keep track of ships at sea that could pose a threat. The RISAT will reduce India's dependence on foreign suppliers like Ikonos for satellite imagery March 1.Obama to restore stem cell research funding US President Barack Obama on Monday signed an executive order reversing Bush administration restrictions on Federal funding for stem cell research. He said that he would ensure that all research on stem cells would be conducted ethically and with rigorous oversight. This move would be in line with Mr Obama's campaign vow to restore funding to embryonic stem cell research.This development impressed scientists who have long campaigned for the Bush policy to be overturned, but will likely be condemned by conservative right-to-life groups. Mr Bush barred Federal funding from supporting work on new lines of stem cells derived from human embryos in 2001, allowing research only on a small number of embryonic stem-cell lines which existed at that time.He argued that using human embryos for scientific research - which often involves their destruction - crossed a moral barrier and urged scientists to consider other alternatives. Embryonic stem cells are primitive cells from early-stage embryos capable of developing into almost every tissue of the body. 2.India To Send Sun Mission Aditya In 2012 After the successful launch of the moon mission, Chandrayaan-1, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is now gearing up for a mission to the sun. The proposed sun mission christened as "Mission Aditya", is aimed at unraveling the secrets of the sun. G Madhavan Nair, chairman of the Indian space agency ISRO, announced that, the agency is ready with its new space programme to explore the corona of the Sun in 2012. "Mission Aditya" will find out answers for how and why solar flares and solar winds disturb the communication network and play havoc with electronics on the earth. It will also uncover the mysteries surrounding the sun's corona that create geomagnetic field disturbances on the earth and often damage man-made satellites and spacecraft moving in the sky under intense sunlight. Though the sun mission of ISRO has been on the cards for quite some time now, it got a boost after the successful launch of Chandrayaan-1. The success of the Aditya Mission will provide vital clues to ISRO to protect its satellites and spaceware from being damaged by hot winds and flares ejected out of the sun's corona. 3.Indian-American Scientist Vivek Pai Creates Top Web Technology The researchers' team led by Indian American scientist Vivek Pai has developed a revolutionary way to expand internet access around the world. The team of Princeton University computer science researchers created a new efficient data storage system called HashCache which got listed as one of the top emerging technologies of the year in scientific magazine, Technology Review. The scientific magazine is being published by Massachusetts Institute of Technology. HashCache claims to store information more efficiently than current methods. The newly created data-caching system is expected to expand web use in developing regions around the world by making internet access more affordable. The new data storage system increases the possibilities of expanding internet facility across the poorer regions as it is very affordable. Compared to RAM, HashCache is capable of storing more information from frequently visited web sites on a local hard drive thereby enabling direct data access. Vivek Pai explained that by increasing the efficiency of internet data transfer, HashCache can reduce the cost of maintaining a hard drive. February 1.Indian Scientists To Clone Pashmina Goat A team of scientists from Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana is working on a project to clone the famous pashmina goat. A success in this direction is expected to give boost to the dwindling trade in pashmina wool. The project is under a World Bank aided project known as National Agriculture Innovation Project. The project 'Value Chain on Zone Free Cloned Embryos Production and Development of Elite Germ Plasma Pashmina' hopes to change the pashmina production scenario in the state. A six-member team will use somatic cells of the goat to clone the cell to produce new pashmina goat. Scientists will use a hand-guided cloning technique and the four-phased project will run for next three years. 2.NASA's Kepler Mission To Begin Quest To Find Planets Hosting Life NASA's Kepler spacecraft is all set to begin its maiden journey in search for worlds that could potentially host life. The spacecraft is scheduled to blast-off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, in Florida aboard a Delta II rocket on March 5, 2009. Kepler is the first mission with the ability to find planets like Earth. The mission will study rocky planets that orbit sun-like stars in a warm zone where liquid water could be maintained on the surface that is believed to be essential for the formation of life. The mission will spend three-and-a-half years in the space. It will survey more than 100,000 sun-like stars in the Cygnus-Lyra region of our Milky Way galaxy. It is expected to find hundreds of planets of the size of earth and larger, at various distances from their stars. 3. ISRO To Use Home-Grown Cryogenic Engine For GSLV Launch The India Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will use an indigenously developed cryogenic engine to launch the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV). Reports say that IRSO will undertake the launch operation in July this year. The use of home-grown cryogenic engine to put GSAT-4 into orbit will end India's dependency on Russia. India has been importing the cryogenic engines from Russia since 1991. So far, India has launched five GSLV rockets. But now ISRO has developed its own cryogenic engines and all the tests have been completed successfully, the source added. The launch of GSAT-4 communication satellite using an indigenously developed cryogenic engine will provide internet connectivity in remote villages. The ISRO is also considering to use the GSLV for the Chandrayaan-II mission scheduled for 2012. Earlier, ISRO used PSLV to launch Chandrayaan-I. January 1.World's First Internet Car Radio Unveiled The Australian researchers have developed a new internet car radio for the first time which enables the users to access 30,000 stations including online broadcasts and AM and FM stations from all round the globe. The internet car radio developed by Melbourne-based online radio aggregator miRoamer was launched in prototype form at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. miRoamer has signed a deal with German-based Blaupunkt which is one of the largest producers of car radios in the world. Under the new deal, Blaupunkt will produce internet radios which will be fitted in latest models by car manufacturers such as Ford, Holden, Mercedes, BMW and Audi. The internet radio will also be sold separately for those who want to install it in their cars. It is very imperative that radio lovers will prefer internet car radio to traditional broadcasters as it offers a huge number of stations from all over the world. The new product is expected to be launched in the US and Europe in the second half of 2009. In more ways than one, the internet car radio is going to revolutionise the way people listen to radio. 2.Motorola Unveils Cellphone Made From Recycled Water Bottles Motorola has unveiled a new kind of mobile phone called MOTO W233 Renew which is made from recycled plastic water bottles. According to the handset manufacturing company, MOTO W233 Renew is also a carbon neutral phone. The company is said to have collaborated with Carbonfund.org to manufacture the new mobile phone. Interestingly the container that holds the phone is also made from recycled material. In order to uplift its recycling program for mobile phones and accessories, Motorola has also entrusted another postage-paid box with the MOTO W233 Renew which can be used by customers to mail their old phones back to the company for recycling. The postage-paid box is also made from recycled paper, claimed Motorola. The new MOTO W233 Renew offers nine hours of talk time with ChrystalTalk technology and has messaging capabilities. The new mobile handset from Motorola is expected to be launched at the 2009 International CES in Las Vegas. The phone will be available in the market by the first quarter of 2009. MOTO W233 Renew has been designed for eco-conscious consumers as well as for those who loves to make phone calls. The recycling program of Motorola is ready to accept any mobile phone or accessory for recycling which it feels will help to recover valuable materials for reuse that will reduce environmental impact. 3.UK Doctors Deliver Cancer-Proof Baby The first British baby genetically selected to be free of a breast cancer gene has been born. She grew from an embryo screened to ensure it did not contain the faulty BRCA1 gene, which passes the risk of breast cancer down generations. According to the sources of University College Hospital in London the mother, a 27-year-old Londoner, and her little girl were in very good condition. Women in three generations of the father's family have been diagnosed with the disease in their 20s, including his mother, grandmother, sister and cousin. A girl born with the altered BRCA1 gene have a 50-80% chance of developing breast cancer - but screening can prevent this. The technique used is known as Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), which involves taking a cell from an embryo at the eight-cell stage of development, when it is around three-days old, and testing it. The treatment follows the green-signal given by Britain's Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority in 2006, which said doctors could test for 'susceptibility genes' such as BRCA1. A properly functioning BRCA1 protein helps stop cancer before it starts but faulty genes greatly increase the risk of cancer. BRCA1 and a related version of another gene, BRCA2, account for around 5% of breast cancer. 4.Sony To Launch World's Lightest 8-Inch Notebook PC In a bid to capture the rapidly growing market for ultra-portable personal computers, Sony Corp of Japan decided to launch 8-inch notebook PC which is considered to be one of the lightest laptops in the world. The new Sony Vaio PC will have Microsoft Corp's Windows Vista operating system. Windows Vista operating system incorporated in Sony laptops will support all the software programs found in full-sized notebooks. While revealing the plan, Sony said that the new notebook weighs only 1.4 pounds and it is as thin as a mobile phone. The notebooks will available for pre-orders and were released in the market in the first week of February 2009. the Sony notebook is priced at about $900, setting itself apart from Netbooks. The Red Planet Of Mars May Have Life On It NASA, the space agency of USA, may be ready to announce alien microbes living below the Martian soil are the cause of a methane haze surrounding the Red Planet of Mars. Researchers from around the world have shown a greater interest in the Red Planet, as possible traces of water and ice dust have raised hopes of discovering signs of life on or underneath the planet's surface. Even though methane is created on Earth by volcanoes, scientists haven't found any active volcanoes on the Red Planet. In addition, it seems NASA researchers found high levels of methane in the same regions as water vapor clouds, which are absolutely necessary for life. The study was conducted during a seven year examination of the planet. 5.Indian Scientists Conduct Anti-Warming Experiment In Antarctic Ocean A group of scientists from India and Germany jointly conducted an anti-warming experiment in Antarctic Ocean. It is believed that the experiment may find out a possible solution to on-going global warming crisis. The scientists began their experiment by scattering iron powder on hundreds of square kilometres of the Antarctic Ocean. The iron powder will fertilize the growth of phytoplankton which will eventually remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and take it deep under the ocean surface. The technology of iron fertilization is likely to stop global warming at a very little cost. About six tonnes of iron are to be scattered on 300 sq km of sea. The group of scientists which left Cape Town on board the Polarstern on January 7 includes thirty Indian and 18 from other nations. The tiny organism called phytoplankton can eliminate carbon dioxide which is the main greenhouse gas contributing to global warming. The technology used by the Indian and German scientists can be path-breaking one in curbing global warming which stands out to be a major threat to mankind. National NEWS.UPSC results: Women on top, 791 succeeded (5th May 2009) The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam results for the year 2008 were announced. A higher number of women have topped these numbers. The top three ranks have been grabbed by women for the first time. The Rank 1 holder, 30-year-old Shubhra Saxena from Ghaziabad has become the talk of the country. She told the media that the risk of quitting her job to serve the rural masses was worth it. River Ganga still reels under Pollution (4th May 2009) The river Ganga remains highly polluted even after being declared the 'National River' by the Central Government. Filled with chemical wastes, sewage and even the remains of human and animal corpses, it poses major health risks to around 400 million people living by its side and all others who benefit from it. The Ganga also suffers from another major problem called silting which results into chocking of its flow. People believe that constructing dams on the Ganga could be the cause of low water level in the river. The residents say no steps have been taken to improve the condition of the Ganga. The condition of the Ganga is deteriorating by the day. There is more sand in it. Though it is declared a 'National River', no efforts are being made to clean it. If water is released from the dam, then only the water level will increase in the river. Efforts have always made to clean up the Ganga since a long time but none have been proved successful. Satyam bidding Completed: Tech Mahindra wins bidding (13th April 2009) In the Satyam Computers bidding process, three huge companies namely Tech Mahindra, Engineering L&T, and Wilbur Ross had participated. Tech Mahindra has won in the Satyam bid by paying Rs. 1757 crore and now has 31% stake in Satyam. Tech Mahindra will pay Rs 58 per share; L&T had offered to pay of 49 Rs per share and so lost out. Girl dies due to asthma in Delhi School (22nd April 2009) Aakriti Bhatia of class 12 student of the Modern School in Vasant Vihar of Delhi died due to an asthma attack. Her parent’s alleged negligence by the school resulting in her death. It seems while taking Aakriti to hospital the school authorities removed the oxygen provided to her, also instead of calling an ambulance they waited for Akriti's father's car to take her to hospital, which could have lead to the death. However the school claims that they did everything possible to save her. Other parents and people are demonstrating against the school. Parents protest fee hike in schools (April 2009) Hundreds of parents opposing the fee hike in schools protested at various places in Delhi and demanded its immediate rollback. The parents association of Guru Nanak Public School staged a demonstration and criticized the school authorities over the fee hike. All India Parents Association (AIPA) also extended its support to the demonstration. The children also shouted slogans from the classrooms. The matter of fee hike has been challenged in the Delhi High Court. The court would hear the case on April 29. Tata Nano The People's Car Launched (23rd March 2009) People's car 'Nano' launched amidst much waiting and expectation. Tata Motor's 'Nano' was commercially launched in Mumbai on 23/3/09 promising to meet the expectations of people under some circumstances which is likely to bring about a change in the auto market in the nation Modi minister held in post-Godhra riot case (March 2009) As prime ministerial candidate L K Advani and chief minister Narendra Modi on 27/3/09 launched the BJP’s campaign at the Kankaria lakefront, a few kilometres away, in Gandhinagar, Maya Kodnani, a minister in Modi’s cabinet, was arrested in one of the post-Godhra riot cases of 2002. Minister of state for women and child welfare and higher education, Kodnani was arrested after the Gujarat high court cancelled her anticipatory bail on Friday in the Naroda Patia and Naroda Gam riots case. A trained gynaecologist, she resigned from the ministry and surrendered before the SC-appointed Special Investigation Team in Gandhinagar with VHP leader Jaideep Patel. Varun guilty; EC asks BJP not to field Varun (March 2009) The Election Commission has found the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Varun Gandhi guilty of making remarks against Muslims in an election rally in Pilibit and in the wake, violating polls laws. The EC has also declared that the CD was not doctored and said that it will initiate criminal proceedings against him. The EC has also asked BJP not to give a ticket to contest polls in Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh. "The commission considered the speeches as a grave violation of the model code of conduct, apart from amounting to promoting feelings of enmity and hatred between different classes on the ground of religion, outraging the religious feeling of a particular community, and promoting hatred and ill-will between two classes of citizens and provoking a section of the citizens to indulge in violence." "Any sponsorship of his candidature by the BJP, or any other political party at this election, would be perceived as endorsing his unpardonable acts of inciting violence and creating feelings of enmity and hatred between different classes of citizens of India, destroying the social, democratic and plural fabric of the country," it said. SATYAM FRAUD The fraud at Satyam may well turn out to be the biggest of all scams unearthed from corporate India. Through multiple routes involving a large number of related companies and myriad transactions, the promoters of Satyam Computer Services, led by the company's Chairman Ramalinga Raju, are alleged to have siphoned out a huge quantity of money from the firm. To cover that up, the accounts were manipulated and documents were forged to declare nonexistent cash reserves and understate liabilities. The money that was taken out may have been used, among other things, to acquire large quantities of land in what seems to be a set of speculative real estate ventures that could enrich the family. The Maytas companies that had titles that spelt Satyam in reverse were important conduits in this process, but there were clearly many more. According to reports, the Registrar of Companies has found that ''Satyam's annual report reveals several transactions with subsidiaries and other group companies by way of investments, purchase of assets and other receivables'' that point to the concealed transfer of funds out of the company. Shockingly, one of the allegations made by the Crime Investigation Department (CID) of Andhra Pradesh is that the company had only 40,000 employees on its rolls as compared with the 53,000 claimed by it and the remaining 13,000 were mere fake salary accounts through which as much as Rs. 20 crore a month were taken out of the company over a period of five years. If true, this involves descent to a level of manipulation and fraud that could spell the end for Satyam. MANGALORE PUB ATTACK Activists of a self-styled pro-Hindu moral brigade called Sri Rama Sene barged into a pub in the coastal city of Mangalore in january and bashed up a few young girls for 'violating traditional Indian norms'. At least two girls were punched and their hair pulled by the activists 4 p.m. Saturday at the pub Amnesia - The Lounge in Mangalore, about 350 km from Bangalore. The young men accompanying the girls to the pub on the busy Balmatta Road were also assaulted when they tried to protect their friends. Following this shocking incident, at least 10 of the activists have been arrested by Mangalore police. From the accounts given by the eyewitnesses, who did not want to be identified, the girls were the target of attack. About 40 men forcibly entered the pub claiming unethical activities were on inside and pushed their way inside. They began assaulting the young men and women who ran for safety. At least two of the girls started screaming for help and managed to flee from the attackers. The ugly incident has a murky dimension also with leaders of Sri Rama Sene and Bajrang Dal, another pro-Hindu organisation fighting to take credit for the attack in the name of punishing those going against 'traditional Indian norms'. RAILWAY BUDGET 2009 Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav Friday presented his sixth rail budget in February.He is the first Railway Minister to introduce the low fare air-conditioned trains known as "Garib Rath". Fifteen such trains are already running and five more are expected to start in the near future. The Railways minister cut rail fares across ticket categories by 2% and announced plans for 43 new trains on Friday. The fare cut will bring down rail fares on air-conditioned travel the most, mounting further pressure on low-cost airlines, while fares for second-class, second-class sleeper, and general compartments will also go down for tickets worth more than Rs 50 per passenger. Suburban commuters who use express or mail trains will also see their ticket costs get Rs 1 cheaper. The fare cuts, announced in the government’s interim railway budget for 2009-10, are expected to set the Indian Railways back by only around Rs 700 crore but will make little difference to its cash pile of Rs 90,000 crore. In any case, Mr Prasad said a cut in fares would not necessarily lead to a loss of revenues. The Railways has cut fares four times in as many years, lowering AC first class and AC two-tier rates by 28% and 20%, respectively and taking the competition straight to the doors of the low-cost airline sector. The Minister also proposed starting 43 new trains during 2009-10, and said the Railways would extend services of 14 existing trains. The frequency of various Rajdhani and other express trains will also be increased taking into account the rise in the number of passengers. DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST VALENTINE'S DAY Activists of the Hindu fundamentalist political party Shiv Sena on Wednesday staged a token protest at Central Delhis Jantar Mantar against St.Valentines Day celebrations in the capital. The activists said that they viewed celebrations of St.Valentines Day contrary to Indian ethos and a proof of the growing influence of western culture on rest of the world. Besides, the protestors said that the St.Valentines Day was corrupting the Indian youth, as most of the youth on this day take advantage of the occasion and indulge in immoral behaviour at public places. Such protest were undertaken at quite a few places in India like Bhopal, Bangalore etc. In Uttar Pradesh, Right-wing Hindu activists beat up young couples during Valentine's Day protests across the country. Shiv Sena said it was holding protests across the country against Valentine's Day celebrations which were against Indian culture and had a "corrupting influence" on Indian youth. Protests by Hindu and Muslim groups were reported from the national capital Delhi, central Bhopal and southern Hyderabad cities.Fifty activists of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party's student wing attacked a shop selling Valentine's Day gifts in Hyderabad and set fire to the greeting cards. They carried saffron flags and chanted slogans such as "Save Culture" and "Death to Valentine's Day." Muslim groups also campaigned against Valentine's Day and displayed posters at public places asking youth to refrain from celebrating the day. In central Bhopal city, another Hindu right-wing group the Bajrang Dal held protests threatening to marry off lovers found "misbehaving" in public places. Other Hindu religious organizations held protests in the western Gujarat state distributing handbills to college students asking them to shun western culture. Valentine's Day has become popular in India over the past decade with shops selling romantic cards, heart-shaped balloons, cuddly toys and other gifts. But the day has also seen regular protests by Hindu and Muslim hardliners who claim the celebrations threaten Indian culture and social norms. SATYAM FRAUD The fraud at Satyam may well turn out to be the biggest of all scams unearthed from corporate India. Through multiple routes involving a large number of related companies and myriad transactions, the promoters of Satyam Computer Services, led by the company's Chairman Ramalinga Raju, are alleged to have siphoned out a huge quantity of money from the firm. To cover that up, the accounts were manipulated and documents were forged to declare nonexistent cash reserves and understate liabilities. The money that was taken out may have been used, among other things, to acquire large quantities of land in what seems to be a set of speculative real estate ventures that could enrich the family. The Maytas companies that had titles that spelt Satyam in reverse were important conduits in this process, but there were clearly many more. According to reports, the Registrar of Companies has found that ''Satyam's annual report reveals several transactions with subsidiaries and other group companies by way of investments, purchase of assets and other receivables'' that point to the concealed transfer of funds out of the company. Shockingly, one of the allegations made by the Crime Investigation Department (CID) of Andhra Pradesh is that the company had only 40,000 employees on its rolls as compared with the 53,000 claimed by it and the remaining 13,000 were mere fake salary accounts through which as much as Rs. 20 crore a month were taken out of the company over a period of five years. If true, this involves descent to a level of manipulation and fraud that could spell the end for Satyam. MANGALORE PUB ATTACK Activists of a self-styled pro-Hindu moral brigade called Sri Rama Sene barged into a pub in the coastal city of Mangalore in january and bashed up a few young girls for 'violating traditional Indian norms'. At least two girls were punched and their hair pulled by the activists 4 p.m. Saturday at the pub Amnesia - The Lounge in Mangalore, about 350 km from Bangalore. The young men accompanying the girls to the pub on the busy Balmatta Road were also assaulted when they tried to protect their friends. Following this shocking incident, at least 10 of the activists have been arrested by Mangalore police. From the accounts given by the eyewitnesses, who did not want to be identified, the girls were the target of attack. About 40 men forcibly entered the pub claiming unethical activities were on inside and pushed their way inside. They began assaulting the young men and women who ran for safety. At least two of the girls started screaming for help and managed to flee from the attackers. The ugly incident has a murky dimension also with leaders of Sri Rama Sene and Bajrang Dal, another pro-Hindu organisation fighting to take credit for the attack in the name of punishing those going against 'traditional Indian norms'. RAILWAY BUDGET 2009 Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav Friday presented his sixth rail budget in February.He is the first Railway Minister to introduce the low fare air-conditioned trains known as "Garib Rath". Fifteen such trains are already running and five more are expected to start in the near future. The Railways minister cut rail fares across ticket categories by 2% and announced plans for 43 new trains on Friday. The fare cut will bring down rail fares on air-conditioned travel the most, mounting further pressure on low-cost airlines, while fares for second-class, second-class sleeper, and general compartments will also go down for tickets worth more than Rs 50 per passenger. Suburban commuters who use express or mail trains will also see their ticket costs get Rs 1 cheaper. The fare cuts, announced in the government’s interim railway budget for 2009-10, are expected to set the Indian Railways back by only around Rs 700 crore but will make little difference to its cash pile of Rs 90,000 crore. In any case, Mr Prasad said a cut in fares would not necessarily lead to a loss of revenues. The Railways has cut fares four times in as many years, lowering AC first class and AC two-tier rates by 28% and 20%, respectively and taking the competition straight to the doors of the low-cost airline sector. The Minister also proposed starting 43 new trains during 2009-10, and said the Railways would extend services of 14 existing trains. The frequency of various Rajdhani and other express trains will also be increased taking into account the rise in the number of passengers. DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST VALENTINE'S DAY Activists of the Hindu fundamentalist political party Shiv Sena on Wednesday staged a token protest at Central Delhis Jantar Mantar against St.Valentines Day celebrations in the capital. The activists said that they viewed celebrations of St.Valentines Day contrary to Indian ethos and a proof of the growing influence of western culture on rest of the world. Besides, the protestors said that the St.Valentines Day was corrupting the Indian youth, as most of the youth on this day take advantage of the occasion and indulge in immoral behaviour at public places. Such protest were undertaken at quite a few places in India like Bhopal, Bangalore etc. In Uttar Pradesh, Right-wing Hindu activists beat up young couples during Valentine's Day protests across the country. Shiv Sena said it was holding protests across the country against Valentine's Day celebrations which were against Indian culture and had a "corrupting influence" on Indian youth. Protests by Hindu and Muslim groups were reported from the national capital Delhi, central Bhopal and southern Hyderabad cities.Fifty activists of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party's student wing attacked a shop selling Valentine's Day gifts in Hyderabad and set fire to the greeting cards. They carried saffron flags and chanted slogans such as "Save Culture" and "Death to Valentine's Day." Muslim groups also campaigned against Valentine's Day and displayed posters at public places asking youth to refrain from celebrating the day. In central Bhopal city, another Hindu right-wing group the Bajrang Dal held protests threatening to marry off lovers found "misbehaving" in public places. Other Hindu religious organizations held protests in the western Gujarat state distributing handbills to college students asking them to shun western culture. Valentine's Day has become popular in India over the past decade with shops selling romantic cards, heart-shaped balloons, cuddly toys and other gifts. But the day has also seen regular protests by Hindu and Muslim hardliners who claim the celebrations threaten Indian culture and social norms International NEW.Escaped Bali Terror Suspect Is Caught in Malaysia ( 8th May 2009) A suspected terrorist leader who embarrassed Singapore last year by disappearing through a bathroom window in a high-security prison has been caught in Malaysia. Mas Selamat bin Kastari, 47, was arrested early last month, after Singapore Police failed to capture him. The Singapore government has described Mr. Mas Selamat as the local leader of the regional Islamist terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah, which carried out the 2002 bombings in Bali, Indonesia. He was captured in southern Malaysia, just across the Johor Strait from Singapore. An official investigation found that by letting the water run in the bathroom and hanging a pair of pants over a ledge above the door, Mr. Mas Selamat gave himself 11 minutes to make his getaway, even as a guard waited just outside the door. The prisoner squeezed through the window, shinnied down a drainpipe onto a cushion of rolls of toilet paper, climbed a fence and disappeared. He had asked for privacy in a bathroom as he changed. Obama gets a 'B+ grade' for his presidency (29th April 2009) Barack Obama celebrated his successful completion of 100 days (called as ‘hallmark holiday’) as US president. Obama's first 100 days was fighting against global terror, an economic crisis worse than the great depression of the 1930s and a pandemic, swine flu. He has made milestone changes in foreign relations with Cuba and Iraq along with policy shifts towards China and Mexico. To improve economic status, he has provided for 787-billion-dollar stimulus bill, along with environmental and health care reforms on the launch. Robert Gibbs gave Obama a grade of "B plus," observing that 'there's always room for improvement'. A survey on Obama's leadership showed positive reactions of the people and 63% approving his presidency. Over 150 people died due to Swine flu in Mexico (29th April 2009) The death toll has risen to 159 people in Mexico due to Swine flu disease. Out of a total of around 2,500 suspected cases of the virus, more than 1,300 people are reported to be in hospitals, some of them 'seriously' ill. Most of the deaths occurred in Mexico City. Other affected states, such as Aguascalientes and Veracruz have only seen a handful of deaths. The victims include all age groups ranging from children, adults, and middle-aged people6 killed in murder-suicide bid in US (31st March 2009) In a shocking incident 6 people, including 3 children, were shot dead and one critically injured reportedly in a murder-suicide bid in Santa Clara, a city in the Silicon Valley. Media reports suggest that an 'Indian passport' was found inside the house where the incident occurred. The body of suspected shooter was found inside the house. Police also recovered two handguns used in the killings. The killer was a man in his 40s. Mike Sellers, the Santa Clara Police Captain said, "It does appear as though they (the victims) were related."Titanic museum to open in UK (31st March 2009) A new museum charting the story of the Titanic could be built in Britain ahead of the 100th anniversary of the ill-fated liner's sinking. The 28 million pound museum in Southampton, from where the liner set sail in 1912 on her maiden voyage, is set to feature a climb-aboard replica of the doomed ship, which hit an iceberg causing the loss of 1523 lives. LTTE LOSES MULLAITHIVU The Sri Lankan military on Sunday announced the capture of Mullaithivu town, the last major settlement of the LTTE in the only remaining district under its control. With this the Tigers are now confined to Puthukkudiyiruppu and Vishwamadu areas in the same district. The fall of Mullaithivu came three weeks after the military marched into Kilinochchi — the administrative and political headquarters of the Tigers. After Kilinochchi, the Tigers lost control of their strategic base at Elephant Pass at the mouth of the Jaffna peninsula and the government gained total control of the A 9 highway for the first time since the departure of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in 1990. The rapid advance of the military into Mullaithivu town caught the political and diplomatic circles by surprise. The manoeuvre was expected to take time in view of the large number of civilians in the war zone, besides thick jungles and lagoons en route, not to mention the added threat of a possible attack by the Tigers to defend their last citadel. Mullaithivu town is situated in a narrow stretch of land between Nanthikandal lagoon and the Indian Ocean. It has been under the control of the Tigers since 1996 and was considered their main military base. BUSH GETS ATTACKED BY SHOES IN IRAQ An Iraqi TV reporter threw his shoes at President Bush during a news conference. Muntadhar al-Zaidi, a reporter for the TV channel Al-Baghdadia, faced testing for alcohol and drugs to determine his state of mind, said a government official. At Sunday's news conference, the journalist whipped off his shoes and hurled them at Bush during the president's unannounced stop in Baghdad. The reporter called his shoe-throwing, a traditional insult in Arab culture, a "farewell kiss" to a "dog" who launched the 2003 invasion of Iraq "This is the farewell kiss, you dog," the man shouted in Arabic. After the incident Bush apparently said that he was ok and dismissed the incident as an example of a healthy democracy and an example of free speech. ISRAEL ATTACKS GAZA Israeli warplanes killed 10 Palestinians on Tuesday in attacks that targeted Hamas government buildings and other symbols of the Islamist group on the fourth day of the fiercest air offensive in Gaza in decades. Israeli missiles flattened five ministerial buildings and a structure belonging to the Islamic University in Gaza City, witnesses said. The death toll from the attacks on Gaza continues to rise, reaching 345 dead with more than 1,400 injured. Hamas has retaliated against Israel is with a deadly barrage of rockets that reached deep into Israel. With this evidence that airstrikes alone have not been able to stop all Hamas rocket launches, Israel is hinting that it will broaden its assault with a ground invasion: Israel hinted it was ready to broaden its assault on the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip with a ground operation after three days of air raids failed to bring an end to cross-border rocket attacks.

ANDHRA PRADESH PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION HYDERABAD REVISED SCHEME AND SYLLABUS OF GROUP- II SERVICES (ALL PAPERS IN OBJECTIVE TYPE) PAPER-I GENERAL STUDIES MARKS:150 General Science Current Events of National and International Importance. History of India and Indian National Movement. India and World Geography. General Mental Ability.Questions on General Science will cover General appreciation and understanding of science including matters of every day observation and experience, as may be expected of a well educated person who has not made a special study of any particular scientific discipline. In current events, knowledge of significant national and international events will be tested. In History of India, emphasis will be on broad general understanding of the subject in its social, economic and political aspects. Questions on Indian National Movement will relate to the nature and character of the nineteenth century resurgence, growth of Nationalism and attainment of independence. In geography emphasis will be on geography of India. Questions on geography of India will relate to physical, social and economic geography of the country, including the main features of the Indian agricultural and natural resources. On general mental ability, the candidates will be tested on reasoning and analytical abilities. PAPER-II SECTION-I SOCIAL HISTORY OF ANDHRA PRADESHi. MARKS:150 SOCIAL AND CULTURAL HISTORY OF ANDHRA PRADESH 1) The Satavahanas and their contribution – social structure – Ikshvakus and their cultural contribution; Buddhism and Jainism ; The Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi – their socio-cultural contribution – growth of Telugu language & Literature. 2) Socio- Cultural and Religious conditions in Andhra Desha between first and fifteenth centuries of the Christian Era. 3) Establishment of British Rule – 1857 Revolt and its impact on Andhra and Hyderabad Socio-cultural awakening ; Adi-Andhra/Dalit and Justice/self – respect movements; Growth of Nationalist Movement in Andhra between 1885 and 1947 – Role of socialists – communists – anti-zamindari-kisan movements. 4) Asafjahi Dynasty – socio-cultural awakening in Telangana -Adi-Hindu Movement – Nizam Rashtra Janasangham – Andhra Mahasabha – Andhra Saaraswata Parishat – Hyderabad State Congress and Vandemataram Movement. 5) Growth of Leftist / Communist Movement and Telangana People’s Armed Struggle – Ittehadul-Muslimeen – Razakars-anti-Nizam Struggles and end of Nizam’s Rule. Integration of Hyderabad State into Indian Union – Formation of Andhra Pradesh – Important historical events after 1956. GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE INDIAN CONSTITUTION 1) Salient features of the Indian Constitution – Preamble , Fundamental Duties, Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles of State Policy and their relationship. 2) Distinctive features of Indian Federation - Distribution of Legislative Powers between the Union and the State; Relative roles of Legislature, Executive and Judiciary. 3) Community development experiment – 3 tier model of Panchayat Raj – 73rd and 74th amendments and their implementation. 4) Welfare Mechanism in India : Provisions for Scheduled Castes, Tribes and Minorities ; Reservations for SC, ST and Backward Classes ; Prevention of SC and ST Atrocities Act ; National and State SC and ST Commission ; Women’s Commission ; National and States Minorities Commission and Human Rights Commission. 5) Unicameral and Bicameral Legislatures – Functions and crises of accountability, decline of legislature. ii. PAPER-III MARKS: 150 SECTION-I SOCIAL HISTORY OF ANDHRA PRADESH i. PLANNING IN INDIA & INDIAN ECONOMY 1. Planning in Indian Economy – Socio-economic objectives and outlays of 5 year plans – Major controversies of planning in India – Alternative strategies – Goals and achievements – shortfall of different plans – Planning in the market – Major reforms/policy changes effect from 1991. 2. Broad fiscal, monetary, industrial trade and agricultural policies, objectives, rationale, constraints and effects. 3. Geographic size – Endowment of natural resources, population; size composition quality and growth trends – occupational distribution – effect of British rule with reference to drain theory and Laissez Faire Policy. 4. Money banking and public finances – concept of money and measures of money supply velocity of money banks and credit creation, determination of price level – inflation, its causes and remedies , finance budget – taxes and non-tax revenue. 5. Meaning and measurements of growth- growth distribution and welfare, characteristics of under development, stages of development, sources of growth capital – human capital, population, productivity, trade and aid, growth strategies – types of average measures – dispersion-correlationindex numbers ; types, uses and limitations. ii. CONTEMPORARY PROBLEMS AND DEVELOPMENTS IN RURAL SOCIETY WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO ANDHRA PRADESH 1. National Income & Main sectors of Economy, GDP(Gross Domestic Product), Per capita income and HDI (Human Development Index) as measures of development. Relative contribution of agriculture to income and employment in the recent four decades of AP. 2. Five year plans of AP – Outlays, Finance in public sector plan and resource allocation pattern in the recent five year plan. 3. Need for and aims of land reforms in AP – Structure of land holdings in AP. Forest, sown and irrigated area in AP. Cropping pattern. Sources of Agricultural finance in AP –Agricultural subsidies. 4. Growth and structure of Industries in Andhra Pradesh , factories, small and tiny sectors, their comparison, growth, weaknesses and problemsInstitutional and non-institutional – growth and structure of cooperatives in Andhra Pradesh – Share of cooperatives in total credits – adequacy and problems. 5. Structure of Agricultural outputs – administered prices including support and procurement prices – Public Distribution System in AP ; Service sector of AP – importance, composition and growth with special reference to transport and communication, tourism and information and biotechnology.