Friday, August 10, 2012

NATIONAL NEWS

• Yamuna Expressway opened
  • After encountering several road blocks and witnessing one of the fiercest farmers’ agitations over compensation of land in 2010 and 2011, the 165.537 km-long Noida-Agra Yamuna Expressway was inaugurated by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav;
  • The expressway, formerly known as Taj expressway, was developed by Jaiparakash Associates, as the longest access controlled expressway in the country. The project, launched in December 2008, was Mayawati’s most ambitious scheme. In due course, the expressway may be extended upto Lucknow.
• Bar GM food crops, says parliamentary panel
  • In a major setback to the proponents of genetically modified technology in farm crops, the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture asked the government to stop all field trials and sought a bar on GM food crops (such as Bt. Brinjal);
  • The committee report, tabled in the Lok Sabha, demanded a “thorough probe” into how permission was given to commercialise Bt. brinjal seed when all evaluation tests were not carried out. It flayed the government for not discussing the issue in Parliament and observed that the Ministry failed in its responsibility by introducing such a policy, ignoring the interests of the 70 per cent small and marginal farmers;
  • According to Committee chairman Basudeb Acharia, there is not a single note of dissent in the report of the 31-member panel, including nine from the Congress and six from the BJP. Observing that GM crops (such as Bt. cotton) benefited the (seed) industry without a “trickle-down” gain to farmers, it recommended that till all concerns were addressed, further research and development should be done only in contained conditions;
  • The panel also questioned how the proposed Biotechnology Regulatory Authority could be a promoter of GM crops as well as a regulator.
• Bill for providing quota to SC/STs in government job promotions
  • A bill for providing reservation to SCs/STs in promotions in government jobs will be brought in Parliament within a fortnight, the Rajya Sabha was told on Thursday;
  • The assurance came after members in both Houses of Parliament cornered the government. The demand was pressed in the Rajya Sabha by the former UP Chief Minister Mayawati (Bahujan Samaj Party), who was supported by leaders from other parties, including D. Raja, Ram Vilas Paswan and Sitaram Yechury;
  • Taking up cudgels for a Constitutional amendment to correct the situation after the Supreme Court upheld a High Court decision striking down reservation in promotions for SCs/STs introduced by the Uttar Pradesh government, Ms. Mayawati rejected the initial offer for an all-party meeting as too late in the day.
• To ensure proper implementation of the relief and rehabilitation programme and regular health care facilities for the Bhopal gas leak victims, the Supreme Court on Thursday ordered that all medical records of patients be computerised and health booklets and smart cards be issued to each victim
• The lone surviving gunman of 26/11, Ajmal Kasab, was on Thursday night confronted with terror suspect Abu Jundal at the Arthur Road Jail here and he identified the latter as “one of the main conspirators” behind the attacks in Mumbai
• The Centre on Thursday moved the Supreme Court seeking extension of time till November 12 for commencing auction to allocate 2G spectrum licences. While quashing 123 licences, the court in February gave the government four months’ time for conducting a fresh auction. On April 24, this time limit was extended till August 31

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

• Syrian forces — after a sustained assault — appeared to have dislodged armed opposition fighters from a deeply entrenched stronghold in Aleppo at a time when the regime of President Bashar Al Assad — bolstered by fresh pledges of support from Iran — appointed a new Prime Minister
• Gu Kailai, wife of purged Politburo member Bo Xilai, did not contest the charge of murdering a British businessman during the much anticipated trial that concluded in less than a day

EDITORIALS, OPINIONS & COLUMNS

• Read this editorial about the status of National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities and the problem worldwide of theft of artifacts
• Read this article on a role that India should play in light of the realignments taking place in West Asia
• Read this article on the short memory in relation to what happened in Gujarat in 2002
• If you have time, read this article about the movement started by Anna Hazare

ECONOMY & BUSINESS NEWS

• In a sign of worsening economic situation, industrial output declined in June by 1.8 per cent, the third fall in four months, mainly owing to the sharp dip in the manufacturing and capital goods sector. Read this editorial on the issue