NEWS ABOUT INDIAN STATES for MARCH 2013

INDIAN STATES NEWS

HARYANA

· HARYANA RECEIVES KRISHI KARMAN AWARD FOR 2ND CONSECUTIVE YEAR ON 17 JANUARY 2013. The award was given by the President Pranav Mukherjee to Haryana Chief Minister Bhoopinder Singh Hooda for the honour of highest wheat producing state. It produced 130.69 lakh tonnes with productivity of 5182 kg/hectare during 2011-12

· HARYANA TO LAUNCH LIVESTOCK MISSION to address problems pertaining to livestock.

· 10 PERCENT RESERVATION TO ECONOMICALLY WEAKER PERSONS APPROVED.

MADHYA PRADESH

· Over 5 lakh hectares of land brought under Horticulture in three years in M.P.

· M.P. government proposes 15 Eco-sensitive Zones Around Wildlife Parks, Sanctuaries.

· Election commission announces date i.e. 28 February 2013 for assembly polls in Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya.

UTTARAKHAND

· Uttarakhand to get three new municipal corporations.

Uttar Pradesh

· Partnership summit held in Agra from 27-29 January 2013.

Read More

MISCELLANEOUS NEWS of MARCH 2013

MARCH 2013 MISCELLANEOUS NEWS

SAUDI KING GRANTS WOMEN SEATS ON ADVISORY COUNCIL

Saudi Arabia's king granted women seats on the country's top advisory council for the first time early in January, 2013, giving them a long-awaited toehold in the ultraconservative kingdom's male-dominated political system.

SINGAPORE’S 1ST WOMAN SPEAKER OF INDIA’S ORIGIN

Indian-origin politician Halimah Yacob scripted history on January 14, 2013 by becoming the first woman Speaker of Singapore's Parliament, replacing Michael Palmer who was forced to quit over extra-marital affair.
She assumed charge at the start of the sitting of the House.
The 58-year-old Halimah, an Indian-origin Muslim, resigned on January 13, 2013 as Minister of State for ministry of social and family development. She filled the position vacated by Palmer, former  People's Action Party MP who stepped down on December 12, 2012.

Halimah was nominated by Prime Minister Lee Hsien

Loong to be elected as speaker. Halimah, a former labour lawyer, is a member of Parliament from the ruling People's Action Party (PAP).

OBAMA CLEARS $ 633 BILLION DEFENCE BUDGET

US President Barack Obama has signed into law a $ 633 billion defence bill that authorizes spending on the war in Afghanistan and enhanced security for missions worldwide. Obama said he was signing it to ensure that the US will continue to have the "strongest military in the world."

RUSSIA PLANS UNMANNED MOON MISSION IN 2015

The Russian Space Agency says it will send an unmanned spacecraft to the moon in 2015 from a new launch pad in the country's Far East. Roscosmos Head Vladimir Popovkin told Russian news agencies on January 15, 2013 that the rocket booster would deliver a 500-kilogram space exploration vehicle with up to 25 kilograms (55 pounds) of scientific equipment that would search for water and take soil samples.

UN CALLS FOR PROBE INTO N.KOREA’S RIGHTS CONDITIONS

The United Nations human rights commissioner Navi Pillay has called for an international investigation into decades of serious human rights abuses in North Korea. In a rare statement on the country, Pillay said it had 'one of the worst - but least understood and reported-human right situations in the world'. She said that there had been no sign of progress under new leader Kim Jong-un.

PAK DEVELOPING SMALLER, LIGHTER N-WARHEADS

Expanding its nuclear arsenal at a rapid pace, Pakistan is now aiming to develop smaller and lighter atomic warheads more suitable for use on missiles, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientist has said. Pakistan is expected to surpass Britain's nuclear stockpiles in a decade, the journal said. "Pakistan has shown clear signs of its intention to grow its nuclear arsenal.

Most recently the country has begun to increase its plutonium production capabilities, with two new plutonium production reactors under construction, as well as a new chemical reprocessing facility" the journal said.

become judges in Kuwait

NOW WOMEN CAN BECOME JUDGES IN KUWAIT

Women empowerment in Kuwait has been given a major boost after the justice ministry accepted applications from women for the position of prosecutors.

CHINA  TO OFFER FIVE-YEAR VISAS TO ATTRACT TALENTED FOREIGNERS

In a bid to attract talented foreigners, China will start issuing multiple-entry visas, valid for up to five years instead of the present one year. The move which was endorsed by five ministry-level departments in September, stipulates that four groups of international professionals can benefit from the new long-term visa. All foreigners working in China are issued one year 'permanent resident' visas.

SLENDER WIN FOR NETANYAHU

Israel's hawkish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on January 23, 2013 won a narrow victory at the polls with his position practically secure for the time being but stunning results have seen his right wing bloc's strength severely diminished. He will have to scramble for support outside his natural allies.

Read More

ABBREVIATIONS AND APPOINTMENTS of MARCH 2013

ACRONYMS

C.B.E.C.- Central Board of Excise and Customs

C.E.S.T.A.T.- Customs, Excise and Service Tax Tribunal

D.G.H.S.- Director General Health Services

L.A.C.- Line of Actual Control

(This is the line dividing India and China on the northern border)

L.A.C.C.F.E.D.- Labour and Construction Cooperative Federation

L.O.C.- Line of Control

N.A.C.O.- National Aid Control Organisation

N.B.S.A.- The News Broadcasting Standards Association

N.E.A.R.- National Council for Applied Economic Research

N.C.R.B.- National Crime Records Bureau

N.I.P.F.P.- National Institute of Public Finance and Policy

N.M.E.W.- National Mission for Empowerment of Women

O.E.C.D.- Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

U.N.I.I.-I.O.G.I.P.- United Nations Military Observers Group in India and Pakistan

APPOINTMENT / ELECTION / NOMINATION

JACK LEW 

US President Barack Obama on January 10, 2013 nominated his chief of staff, as the next Treasury Secretary, praising him as an expert on the pressing national issues of the US government spending cuts and deficit reduction. Lew succeeds Timothy Geithner and takes the lead on difficult negotiations with Congress on how to cut the nation's massive debt and rein in spending a new central challenge for Obama's second term.

Read More

PEOPLE WHO PASSED AWAY in MARCH 2013

DEATHS

EUGENE PATTERSON

Eugene Patterson, the Pulitzer Prize-winning editor and columnist who helped fellow Southern whites understand the civil rights movement, eloquently reminding thesilent majority of its complicity in racial violence, died on January 12, 2013 evening at his Florida home. Patterson was editor of the Atlanta Constitution from 1960 to 1968, winning a Pulitzer Prize in 1967.

AARON SWARTZ

Internet activist and computer prodigy Aaron Swartz, who helped create an early version of the web feed system RSS and was facing several criminal charges in a controversial fraud case, has committed suicide at age 26, authorities said on January 12, 2013.

Actress, V. J. Sophiya Haque Passes Away in London

Indian actress and popular V. J. Sophiya Haque died in a hospital in London on January 17, 2013. She was 41. Haque was suffering from pneumonia and was undergoing tests during which she is believed to have developed a clot in her lungs and passed away in her sleep. She shot to fame in the 90s and also acted in films like The Rising : Ballad of Mangal Pandey, Pehli Nazar Ka Pehla Pyar; Love at First Sight, Hari Puttar : A Comedy of Terrors and some others.
       

TAMIL WRITER M. S. UDAYAMURTHY

Noted Tamil writer and social activist MS Udayamurthy died on January 21, 2013 following cardiac arrest, family sources said. He was 85. Author of several

Read More

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS (MARCH 2013)

FIRST BLACK, PRESIDENT IN LINE OF PARTY IRE OVER WHITE MALE CABINET

The first black US President is coming under fire from some of his own Democratic Party for naming a stream of white men to key cabinet and leadership posts in his second administration. President Barack Obama on January 10, 2013 named Jack Lew as his treasury secretary, the fourth white male he has named to the most prized cabinet posts in recent weeks.

Lew's nomination follows Obama's pick of senator John Kerry to replace Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State. He has also named former senator Chuck Hagel to be Defence Secretary and John Brennan to head the Central Intelligence Agency. Against this, he lost the first Hispanic woman in the cabinet when labour secretary Hilda Solis announced her resignation on January 9, 2012. And in December, 2012 Lisa Jackson, who is black, announced she was stepping down as head of the Environmental Protection Agency.

"It's embarrassing as hell," New York Democrat Charles Rangel, one of the most senior black members of Congress, said of the Obama appointments. New Hampshire Democratic senator Jeanne Shaheen, whose state has the only all-female delegation in Congress, described the appointments as 'disappointing'.

"We need a government that looks like America so we can address the concerns that we hear from across the spectrum," she said. Republicans joined in the criticism with former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee accusing Obama of waging a 'war on women', using the same words Democrats coined to criticize Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney during the election campaign last year.

PERSONS IN THE NEWS

BUZZ ALDRIN [Moon man Aldrin eyes India for space mission]

Buzz Aldrin, the legendary astronaut who along with Neil Armstrong boarded the historic Apollo 11 in 1969 to become the first to set foot on the moon, is now on a new kind of mission. The American hero wants to bring English speaking countries together to improve efforts on space exploration. To begin with, the rocket scientist, who turned 83 on January 20, 2013, is keen on meeting India's former President APJ Abdul Kalam. Aldrin believes that  Buzz Alclrisn US and India can cooperate on solar dynamics and experiment on energy conservation differently.

ARRD BERA

Gabbard also overshadowed the swearing in of Ami Bera, who is only the third Indian-American to be elected to the US Congress after Dalip Singh Saund, a Sikh-American from California, and Bobby Jindal, who was raised Catholic. Bera is said to be a Unitarian universalist.

In fact, the 113th Congress that was sworn in on January 3, 2013 is the most diverse in US history, including a record 101 female lawmakers, of whom 81 are in the House of Representatives and 20 in the Senate.

The US Congress also has 43 African-American law makers, 31 Latinos, 12 Asian-Americans, and 7 openly gay or bisexual members, broadly starting to reflect the demographics of the country.

MUKESH AMBANI 18TH RICHEST MAN IN WORLD 

Indian business magnate Mukesh Ambani is the 18th richest person in the world with a personal wealth of $ 24.7 billion in 2012, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, a daily ranking of the world's 100 wealthiest individuals. Mexican telecommunications magnate Carlos Slim remained the world's richest person last year holding a personal fortune of more than $ 70 billion, it said. Ambani, 55, Chairman and MD of Reliance Industries, has also retained his position as the world's richest Indian for the sixth year in a row and increased his ranking from 19th to 18th position and personal wealth from $ 21 billion to $ 24.7 billion in the world, the Index showed.

US SWEARS IN 1ST HINDU LAWMAKER INTO HOUSE

•   Tulsi Gabbard takes oath on the Bhagwad Gita
•  Ami Bera becomes third PIO in Congress Congress woman Tulsi Gabbard from Hawaii was the cynosure of all eyes on January 3, 2013 as she became the  first  'practicing Hindu' in the House of   Representatives that has already seen members  of  every other faith. Tulsi  took  her oath on the Bhagwad Gita  to  reflect her abiding  faith  as  a practicing Hindu. She was administered oath by House speaker John Boehner holding her personal copy of the Gita, after which she hit the airwaves with such force that she is already being spoken for the US Senate, where a seat from Hawaii fell vacant in December, 2012 following the death of veteran law maker Daniel Inouye.

Read More

March 2013 News 35: BARACK OBAMA INAUGURATES HIS SECOND TERM

BARACK OBAMA INAUGURATES HIS SECOND TERM

US President Barack Obama inaugurated his second term on January 21, 2013 with an ardent call for unity, but warned his foes that their absolutism must not thwart action on climate, immigration and gun control.

Obama was publicly sworn in for another four White House years before a flag-waving crowd of an estimated one million, and then delivered an inaugural   address   in which poetic power veiled clear signs of a liberal governing agenda.

"We   do   not believe that in this country freedom is reserved   for   the lucky, or happiness for the few," Obama said on January 21, from the Stars and Stripes-draped West Front of the US Capitol building, the epicenter of America's political divides.

The President repeatedly used the 'We the People' preamble to the US constitution to suggest how to reconcile America's founding truths and the current discord and dysfunction of its embittered political system. "Decisions are upon us, and we cannot afford delay," said Obama, flexing the freedom of a leader, who no longer needs to face voters.

However, he sketched over foreign policy, disdaining 'perpetual war' and promising diplomatic engagement backed with military steel-without dwelling on specific crises like Iran.

Earlier, in the briefest ceremony on January 20, 2013, with family gathered in the White House, Obama took the oath of office shortly before noon, as required by law.

The intimate swearing in met the legal requirement that presidents officially take office on January 20. Because that date fell on a Sunday this year, the traditional public ceremonies surrounding the start of a President's term were put off to Monday (Jan. 21, 2013) which coincides this year with the birthday of revered civil rights leader Martin Luther King. The oath of office was administered by US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.

Read More

March 2013 News 34: PHILIPPINES TAKES CHINA TO UN OVER SEA ROW

PHILIPPINES TAKES CHINA TO UN OVER SEA ROW

Philippines has taken China to a United Nations tribunal to challenge its claim to most of the South China Sea, including Philippines territory, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said on January 22, 2012.

"The Philippines has exhausted almost all political and diplomatic avenues for a peaceful negotiated settlement of its maritime dispute with China... we hope that the arbitral proceedings shall bring this dispute to a durable solution," del Rosario said at a news conference.

del Rosario said Manila had told Beijing's ambassador about the decision to take China to an arbitration tribunal under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), a 1982 treaty signed by both countries.

Philippines in its submission says Beijing's so-called 'ninedash line' outlining its territorial claims over most of the sea, including waters and islands close to its neighbours, is illegal, according to del Rosario.

It also demands that China "desist from unlawful activities that violate the sovereign rights and jurisdiction of the Philippines under the Unclos", he added.

China's territorial claims overlap those of Philippines as well as Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan.

Read More