Saturday, December 24th, 2011

HEADLINES

• Court 'No' to Team Anna
• Battle lines drawn over minority sub quota
• Strong quake rattles christchurch

NATIONAL NEWS

• UK restructures AID programme to India
  • Britain's Aid of 280 million euro's annualy has been radically reengineered in response to the criticism that as one of the fastest growing nations, India does not deserve one.
  • Half the aid budget will be given to the private sector which are pro poor like the milk mantra of Orissa
  • The restructured programme is designed to bring returns to the recession hit british tax payers.

• Telecom policy to be delayed
  • The national telecom policy – 2011 aimed at streamlining the telecom sector will be delayed by 6 months
  • The draft policy had several initiatives like the simplification and rationalisation of the licensing regime, transparent system of allocation of spectrum, discovery of the price of spectrum through market related processes and free nation wide roaming.
  • It also included the key issus like merger, and aquistions and sharing of spectrum.
  • The NTP – 11 also promised to make available secure, reliable and affordable voice telephony and high speed broadband services to every citizen in India
    
    
• Weekly supplements to fight adolescent aneamia.
  • Health ministry has launched the free weekly iron and folic supplementation programme.
  • The funding will be done through the national rural health mission.
  • The Weekly iron and folic supplementation programme (WISF) will include administration of supervised weekly supplements of 100 mg elemental iron and 500 ug folic acid, screening of target groups of anaemia and referring these cases to the health facility.
  • Information and counselling for the dietary intake and for taking preventive action action against intestinal worm infestation will be provided.
    
    
• MGNREGA governing body opposes legal challenge to minimum wage ruling.
  
  
• No hitch in India – Iran pipeline project
  • PM manmohan singh has confirmed that the cooperation between the two countries will continue though there is some problem with the payment of the oil dues.
  • India also promised to resolve the $1 bn monthly payments as soon as possible.
  • The only problem with the India – Iran line is the way through pakistan; With Iran being the nearest gas reserve India has no better option than to push this project.

• India – Thailand work on defence cooperation pact.
  • Both sides exchanged views on the regional security issues and reviewed the ongoing programmes including the joint exercises, training of personnel, and a possible MOU.
  • Thailand PM is going to be the chief guest for next years republic day function.
  • This comes on the heels of signing treaties with Japan, south Korea, vietnam etc.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

• Suu Kyi makes first parliamentary visit.
  • Suu Kyi had registered her national league for democracy, which will be officially endorsed in a week.

• Payroll cut a crucial victory for Obama.
  • The US house of the representatives has agreed to extend the democratic supported payroll tax cut and unemployement benefits for two months in New york.

• US regulator approved new reactor design.
  • The US nuclear regulatory commission has approved the reactor design of Wettington's AP1000 reactor for use in the US

EDITORIALS, OPINIONS AND COLUMNS

• A good write up on the oil woes confronting India after the recent US sanctions against Iran.
• Opinion on the ways to solve the unresolved crisis of unaccounted missiles in Libya in the post qaddhafi regime.
• Editorial on the lokpal bill.

BUSINESS NEWS

• Centre to build consensus on reforms
  • The central government has said that they are committed to push through major reforms and are trying to build consensus on important economic legislations like the pension fund bill and the FDI

SPORTS NEWS

• Brad Drewett has been named as the new ATP chief
• Six 400 metres runners suspended for one year for anti doping violations by the national anti doping disciplinary panel.
  • They include Aswini – two time Asian games gold medallist and two other members of the relay team which won gold.