The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt that led to the overthrow of U.S.-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista of Cuba on January 1, 1959 by the 26th of July Movement led by Fidel Castro.
The "Cuban Revolution" also refers to the ongoing implementation of social and economic programs by the new Castro government, including the implementation of Marxist economic policies.
WHAT IS H-1B VISA
The H-1B is a non-immigrant visa in the United States under the Immigration & Nationality Act, section 101(a)(15)(H). It allows U.S. employers to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations. If a foreign worker in H-1B status quits or is dismissed from the sponsoring employer, the worker can find another employer, apply for a change of status to another non-immigrant status, or must leave the US.
N. KOREA FREES U.S. JOURNALISTS
North Korea released the two American reporters who had been imprisoned in the country since March, issuing a “special pardon” following the surprise visit of the former U.S. President, Bill Clinton.
Mr. Clinton met North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il, the first high-level visit from the U.S. to Pyongyang in almost a decade, and made the case for the release of the journalists.
In March, Laura Ling (32) and Euna Lee (36), reporters with American television channel Current TV, were detained by authorities when they were filming a report along the country’s border on the influx of North Korean refugees into China. They were accused of illegally crossing the border and had been sentenced to 12 years of hard labour for “hostile acts” against the country. Mr. Kim issued a “special pardon” in keeping with the country’s “humanitarian and peace-loving policy.”
North Korea currently faces a range of sanctions, which were recently expanded by the United Nations after the country conducted a nuclear test and a series of missile tests in May. In April, North Korea quit the Six-Party Talks initiative set up by the U.S. along with China, Russia, Japan and South Korea to bring about denuclearisation and stability in the region.
INDIAN FUNDS FOR PALALY PROJECT : JAFFNA, SRI LANKA
Palaly Airport, in Sri Lanks , once an international airport had regular passenger flight service between Colombo and Trichirapalli, India is under the control of Sri Lankan Navy now.India handed over bank drafts worth Sri Lanka Rs. 117 million to Sri Lanka for Palaly military-cum civilian runway rehabilitation project in the Jaffna peninsula,
Palaly houses the main base of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) in the Jaffna peninsula. The air base is also used by civilian and military aircraft carrying Jaffna-bound passengers.
The Sri Lankan Defence Ministry said, “Deepening and strengthening the long-standing bilateral relationship between Sri Lanka and India, the Indian government financially assisted the Palaly Runway Rehabilitation project.
NEW LTTE CHIEF PATHMANATHAN HELD
The new Tiger chief, Selvarasa Pathmanathan known as ‘KP,’ was arrested in Thailand and brought to Colombo for questioning.
KP claimed that the decision of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to give up its armed struggle and take recourse to “political and diplomatic moves” was taken by Velupillai Prabakaran along with other commanders at Mullivaikkal in Mullaithivu district days before Prabakaran’s death in Eelam War IV.
In a statement posted on his website, KP, supposedly operating out of South-East Asia and wanted by the Interpol, dwelt at length on his earlier statement about the LTTE’s decision to achieve Tamil Eelam.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Friday, April 29, 2011
ON THE G8 AGENDA
1. Climate change.
2. Energy; Nuclear energy.
3. Dialogue with emerging countries.
4. Achievement of millennium development goals.
5. Negotiations on climate change.
6. Development of Africa -- 4 issues education, water, food and agriculture, peace support.
7. Intellectual property.
8. Heiligendamm Process. (The Heiligendamm process is an initiative that will institutionalize high level dialogue between the G8 and the five most important emerging economies, known as the O5 (Outreach 5) composed by China, Mexico, India, Brazil and South Africa; and the establishment of a common G5 + G8 platform at the OECD.)
9. Outreach and expansion.
UN BEGINS PROBE INTO BENAZIR BHUTTO KILLING
A UN commission appointed to investigate the assassination of Pakistan's former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.The panel, which has a six-month mandate, is being led by the Chilean ambassador to the United Nations, Heraldo Munoz, and includes an Indonesian ex-attorney general and an Irish former police official.
Bhutto, the first woman to become prime minister of a Muslim country, was killed on December 27, 2007 in a gun and suicide attack after addressing an election rally in Rawalpindi, a garrison city near the capital Islamabad.
UN SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS DARFUR MISSION BY ONE YEAR
The UN Security Council extended its peacekeeping mission in the Darfur region of Sudan by one more year. In a unanimous resolution, the Security Council called for the UN to set out a plan so it can measure whether the mission is making progress towards achieving its mandate. The 15-membered body stressed the importance of protecting Darfur's civilian population and ensuring humanitarian workers have unhindered access to those in need.
SOMALIA'S HARDLINE SHEBAB MILITIA HAD BANNED THE ACTIVITIES OF THREE UN ORGANISATIONS IN THE COUNTRY CONSIDERED "ENEMIES OF ISLAM AND MUSLISMS.
The group singled out the United Nations Development Programme, UN Department of Safety and Security and the UN Political Office for Somalia.
According to this Islamists movement "The above foreign agencies have been found to be working against the benefit of the Somali Muslim population and against the establishment of an Islamic state in Somalia,"
MAHATMA GANDHI PEACE AWARD CONFERRED ON AUNG SAN SUU KYI
The pro-democracy Myanmar leader and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has been felicitated with the Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Peace and Reconciliation in Durban South Africa The award was bestowed by the South African-based Mahatma Gandhi Foundation at a function at the Durban. Burmese Prime Minister in exile Thien Win received the award on her behalf, the award was being given on July 20 because it represents the 20th anniversary of Ms. Suu Kyi’s house arrest by the military junta in her country. “The award is in recognition of her strong commitment to non-violence, justice and peace.
2. Energy; Nuclear energy.
3. Dialogue with emerging countries.
4. Achievement of millennium development goals.
5. Negotiations on climate change.
6. Development of Africa -- 4 issues education, water, food and agriculture, peace support.
7. Intellectual property.
8. Heiligendamm Process. (The Heiligendamm process is an initiative that will institutionalize high level dialogue between the G8 and the five most important emerging economies, known as the O5 (Outreach 5) composed by China, Mexico, India, Brazil and South Africa; and the establishment of a common G5 + G8 platform at the OECD.)
9. Outreach and expansion.
UN BEGINS PROBE INTO BENAZIR BHUTTO KILLING
A UN commission appointed to investigate the assassination of Pakistan's former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.The panel, which has a six-month mandate, is being led by the Chilean ambassador to the United Nations, Heraldo Munoz, and includes an Indonesian ex-attorney general and an Irish former police official.
Bhutto, the first woman to become prime minister of a Muslim country, was killed on December 27, 2007 in a gun and suicide attack after addressing an election rally in Rawalpindi, a garrison city near the capital Islamabad.
UN SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS DARFUR MISSION BY ONE YEAR
The UN Security Council extended its peacekeeping mission in the Darfur region of Sudan by one more year. In a unanimous resolution, the Security Council called for the UN to set out a plan so it can measure whether the mission is making progress towards achieving its mandate. The 15-membered body stressed the importance of protecting Darfur's civilian population and ensuring humanitarian workers have unhindered access to those in need.
SOMALIA'S HARDLINE SHEBAB MILITIA HAD BANNED THE ACTIVITIES OF THREE UN ORGANISATIONS IN THE COUNTRY CONSIDERED "ENEMIES OF ISLAM AND MUSLISMS.
The group singled out the United Nations Development Programme, UN Department of Safety and Security and the UN Political Office for Somalia.
According to this Islamists movement "The above foreign agencies have been found to be working against the benefit of the Somali Muslim population and against the establishment of an Islamic state in Somalia,"
MAHATMA GANDHI PEACE AWARD CONFERRED ON AUNG SAN SUU KYI
The pro-democracy Myanmar leader and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has been felicitated with the Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Peace and Reconciliation in Durban South Africa The award was bestowed by the South African-based Mahatma Gandhi Foundation at a function at the Durban. Burmese Prime Minister in exile Thien Win received the award on her behalf, the award was being given on July 20 because it represents the 20th anniversary of Ms. Suu Kyi’s house arrest by the military junta in her country. “The award is in recognition of her strong commitment to non-violence, justice and peace.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
THE 35TH G8 SUMMIT TOOK PLACE IN THE CITY OF L'AQUILA, ITALLY
The Group of Eight (G8, and formerly the G6 or Group of Six) is a forum, created by France in 1975, for governments of eight nations of the northern hemisphere: the European Union is represented within the G8, but cannot host or chair. "G8" can refer to the member states or to the annual summit meeting of the G8 heads of government. The former term, G6, is now frequently applied to the six most populous countries within the European Union. G8 ministers also meet throughout the year, such as the G7/8 finance ministers (who meet four times a year), G8 foreign ministers, or G8 environment ministers.
Each calendar year, the responsibility of hosting the G8 rotates through the member states in the following order: France, United States, United Kingdom, Russia, Germany, Japan, Italy, and Canada. The holder of the presidency sets the agenda, hosts the summit for that year.The 35th G8 summit took place in the city of L'Aquila, Abruzzo, on July 8–10, 2009. It was moved from the Sardinian seaside resort of La Maddalena as part of an attempt to redistribute disaster funds after L'Aquila was struck by a devastating earthquake in April 2009.
Invited leaders (partial participation) G8+5 leaders
A number of national leaders are traditionally invited to attend the summit and to participate in some, but not all, G8 summit activities.
The G8 plus the five largest emerging economies are known as G8+5,Including: BrazilLuiz Inácio Lula da Silva, People's Republic of China -Hu Jintao , India- Manmohan Singh, Mexico- Felipe Calderón, South Africa- Jacob Zuma.
Each calendar year, the responsibility of hosting the G8 rotates through the member states in the following order: France, United States, United Kingdom, Russia, Germany, Japan, Italy, and Canada. The holder of the presidency sets the agenda, hosts the summit for that year.The 35th G8 summit took place in the city of L'Aquila, Abruzzo, on July 8–10, 2009. It was moved from the Sardinian seaside resort of La Maddalena as part of an attempt to redistribute disaster funds after L'Aquila was struck by a devastating earthquake in April 2009.
Invited leaders (partial participation) G8+5 leaders
A number of national leaders are traditionally invited to attend the summit and to participate in some, but not all, G8 summit activities.
The G8 plus the five largest emerging economies are known as G8+5,Including: BrazilLuiz Inácio Lula da Silva, People's Republic of China -Hu Jintao , India- Manmohan Singh, Mexico- Felipe Calderón, South Africa- Jacob Zuma.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
FAO WARNS OF GLOBAL HUNGER CRISIS
The number of hungry people in the world may cross one billion in 2009 due to the shocks of the global economic crisis combined with high food prices in a few countries, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said. "The number of hungry people is expected to grow overall by about 11 per cent this year," the U.N. agency projected drawing on analysis by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
"The most recent increase in hunger is not the consequence of poor global harvests but is caused by the world economic crisis, which has resulted in lower incomes and increased unemployment. This has reduced the poor’s access to food,"
EUMA: End user monitoring agreement (EUMA) This is a recently proposed Defense cooperation agreement between India and USA , during the Hilary’s visit ,which receives criticism from opposition parties in India.
FACED WITH AGEING, CHINA MOVES AWAY FROM ONE-CHILD POLICY
Shanghai city begins encouraging couples to have two children By 2043, half of China’s population will be over the age of 48 Since China launched its family planning policies in the 1970s, the government says it has prevented an estimated 300 million births. Exemption China’s One-Child policy is now only in force in urban areas, affecting 35 per cent of the country’s population, but grants exemptions to couples when both partners are only-children. But eligible couples still face obstacles in having a second child, and those employed by the government and state-run businesses are discouraged from doing so. SUSILO BAMBANG
YUDHOYONO RE-ELECTED Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was declared re-elected by a landslide margin, obviating the need for a run-off poll. The validity of the Election Commission’s announcement may now be decided by the Constitutional Court, following moves by the losing candidates to question the result. SRI LANKA TO CHAIR GROUP OF FIFTEEN Sri Lanka has accepted the Chairmanship of the ‘Group of Fifteen’, a coalition of 18 developing countries established to develop potential for greater and mutually beneficial cooperation among developing countries, especially in the areas of investment, trade and technology. AFGHANISTAN, INDIA TO SET UP PARTNERSHIP COUNCIL India and Afghanistan have decided to establish a new dialogue architecture to further improve bilateral ties and bring renewed focus to rebuilding and restoration of the war-ravaged country. The intention behind initiating official-level dialogue in the seven areas political consultation, capacity development and education, power and water, culture, trade and industry, health and agriculture. India is assisting Afghanistan. With about 4,000 Indians in Afghanistan, India is building several key roads, helping Kabul build its new parliament building, train Afghan police officers, diplomats and civil servants and provide support in health, education, transportation, power and telecommunications. INTERNATIONAL MEET ON IRRIGATION India will host the fifth Asian Regional Conference and the 60th International Executive council meeting ,from December 6 to 11
It will deliberate on the issue of "Improvement in efficiency of irrigation projects through technology upgradation and better operation and maintenance."
The conference would also discuss modernisation of State-operated irrigation systems and services, public-private partnership in irrigation development, the impact of climate change on water resources and integrated approaches in agricultural drainage. The ground water recharge issue will be discussed on the concluding day
"The most recent increase in hunger is not the consequence of poor global harvests but is caused by the world economic crisis, which has resulted in lower incomes and increased unemployment. This has reduced the poor’s access to food,"
EUMA: End user monitoring agreement (EUMA) This is a recently proposed Defense cooperation agreement between India and USA , during the Hilary’s visit ,which receives criticism from opposition parties in India.
FACED WITH AGEING, CHINA MOVES AWAY FROM ONE-CHILD POLICY
Shanghai city begins encouraging couples to have two children By 2043, half of China’s population will be over the age of 48 Since China launched its family planning policies in the 1970s, the government says it has prevented an estimated 300 million births. Exemption China’s One-Child policy is now only in force in urban areas, affecting 35 per cent of the country’s population, but grants exemptions to couples when both partners are only-children. But eligible couples still face obstacles in having a second child, and those employed by the government and state-run businesses are discouraged from doing so. SUSILO BAMBANG
YUDHOYONO RE-ELECTED Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was declared re-elected by a landslide margin, obviating the need for a run-off poll. The validity of the Election Commission’s announcement may now be decided by the Constitutional Court, following moves by the losing candidates to question the result. SRI LANKA TO CHAIR GROUP OF FIFTEEN Sri Lanka has accepted the Chairmanship of the ‘Group of Fifteen’, a coalition of 18 developing countries established to develop potential for greater and mutually beneficial cooperation among developing countries, especially in the areas of investment, trade and technology. AFGHANISTAN, INDIA TO SET UP PARTNERSHIP COUNCIL India and Afghanistan have decided to establish a new dialogue architecture to further improve bilateral ties and bring renewed focus to rebuilding and restoration of the war-ravaged country. The intention behind initiating official-level dialogue in the seven areas political consultation, capacity development and education, power and water, culture, trade and industry, health and agriculture. India is assisting Afghanistan. With about 4,000 Indians in Afghanistan, India is building several key roads, helping Kabul build its new parliament building, train Afghan police officers, diplomats and civil servants and provide support in health, education, transportation, power and telecommunications. INTERNATIONAL MEET ON IRRIGATION India will host the fifth Asian Regional Conference and the 60th International Executive council meeting ,from December 6 to 11
It will deliberate on the issue of "Improvement in efficiency of irrigation projects through technology upgradation and better operation and maintenance."
The conference would also discuss modernisation of State-operated irrigation systems and services, public-private partnership in irrigation development, the impact of climate change on water resources and integrated approaches in agricultural drainage. The ground water recharge issue will be discussed on the concluding day
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
INDIA-U.S. 3.0’
‘What exactly does that mean? In contrast to the earlier Bush administration, where the focus seemed to be exclusively on strategic affairs, the recent Hilary’s visit revealed that the US wants ties with India to be on a broader basis, with an equal emphasis on trade as much as strategic relations. HILLARY’S VISIT TO INDIAN SUBCONTINENT
The purpose behind Ms Clinton’s visit was twofold. First, to build new structures of engagement that might bring Indian thinking on major global issues like climate change, trade and disarmament in line with the "strong and constructive positions" the U.S. takes and away from the alternative consensus India is trying to build at different forums like BRIC, IBSA, G-20, G-77 and NAM. This she did by proposing a strategic dialogue consisting of "five pillars," ranging from non-proliferation and climate change to trade, investment and agriculture. The second purpose was transactional: how to translate the strategic partnership with India into commercial gains for American businesses.
NEW MALAYSIAN INDIAN ‘PRO-TEM’ PARTY ANNOUNCED
The formation of a new "pro-tem party," for championing the "rights" of Malaysia’s ethnic Indian minority, was announced. The pro-tem "Human Rights Party" is yet to be granted official recognition. P. Uthayakumar, who took the initiative for this political move, was recently set free after 514 days in detention under Malaysia’s tough Internal Security Act. He was arrested, along with four other activists for organising an "illegal" mass protest against what they described as systemic discrimination of the two-million-strong ethnic Indians.
TURKEY EXTENDS SMOKING BAN TO BARS, RESTAURANTS
Turkey — a nation of smokers —extended a ban on indoor public smoking to bars, restaurants, and even to traditionally smoke-filled village coffeehouses.The ban came into effect despite protests from bar and coffeehouse owners who fear it will ruin businesses that have already been hit hard by the economic crisis. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Islamic-oriented government barred smoking in offices, public transport and other public places in May 2008 in an effort to reduce the country’s high smoking rates and the effects of secondhand smoke on people’s health. INDIA, IRAN AND PAKISTAN PIPELINE PROJECT The Indian government asserted that India would not bow to external pressure, including from the United States, in deciding on its participation in the $7.4-billion Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project. However, several issues hampered progress.
The problems included finalisation of tariff, transportation cost and security concerns, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora said in the Rajya Sabha, but expressed hope that these would be overcome.
"Energy needs of the country are paramount. There is no question of *our+ succumbing to any external pressure as far as energy security is concerned. We are very sure that the pipeline project is good for India, Iran and Pakistan. The project has been considerably delayed as we have not been able to decide on the price of gas with Iran,"
Besides, transportation tariff for wheeling gas through the section of the pipeline passing through Pakistan had not been finalised yet. The transit fee payable to it for allowing the passage was not finalised, nor had the project structure been decided. India wanted guaranteed supply of gas and to take delivery at its border with Pakistan, but Tehran and Islamabad had agreed on handing over custody of gas at the Iran-Pakistan border, the Minister said. Custody transfer at the Pakistan-India border would make Iran liable for safe passage of gas through Pakistan’s territory.
The purpose behind Ms Clinton’s visit was twofold. First, to build new structures of engagement that might bring Indian thinking on major global issues like climate change, trade and disarmament in line with the "strong and constructive positions" the U.S. takes and away from the alternative consensus India is trying to build at different forums like BRIC, IBSA, G-20, G-77 and NAM. This she did by proposing a strategic dialogue consisting of "five pillars," ranging from non-proliferation and climate change to trade, investment and agriculture. The second purpose was transactional: how to translate the strategic partnership with India into commercial gains for American businesses.
NEW MALAYSIAN INDIAN ‘PRO-TEM’ PARTY ANNOUNCED
The formation of a new "pro-tem party," for championing the "rights" of Malaysia’s ethnic Indian minority, was announced. The pro-tem "Human Rights Party" is yet to be granted official recognition. P. Uthayakumar, who took the initiative for this political move, was recently set free after 514 days in detention under Malaysia’s tough Internal Security Act. He was arrested, along with four other activists for organising an "illegal" mass protest against what they described as systemic discrimination of the two-million-strong ethnic Indians.
TURKEY EXTENDS SMOKING BAN TO BARS, RESTAURANTS
Turkey — a nation of smokers —extended a ban on indoor public smoking to bars, restaurants, and even to traditionally smoke-filled village coffeehouses.The ban came into effect despite protests from bar and coffeehouse owners who fear it will ruin businesses that have already been hit hard by the economic crisis. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Islamic-oriented government barred smoking in offices, public transport and other public places in May 2008 in an effort to reduce the country’s high smoking rates and the effects of secondhand smoke on people’s health. INDIA, IRAN AND PAKISTAN PIPELINE PROJECT The Indian government asserted that India would not bow to external pressure, including from the United States, in deciding on its participation in the $7.4-billion Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project. However, several issues hampered progress.
The problems included finalisation of tariff, transportation cost and security concerns, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora said in the Rajya Sabha, but expressed hope that these would be overcome.
"Energy needs of the country are paramount. There is no question of *our+ succumbing to any external pressure as far as energy security is concerned. We are very sure that the pipeline project is good for India, Iran and Pakistan. The project has been considerably delayed as we have not been able to decide on the price of gas with Iran,"
Besides, transportation tariff for wheeling gas through the section of the pipeline passing through Pakistan had not been finalised yet. The transit fee payable to it for allowing the passage was not finalised, nor had the project structure been decided. India wanted guaranteed supply of gas and to take delivery at its border with Pakistan, but Tehran and Islamabad had agreed on handing over custody of gas at the Iran-Pakistan border, the Minister said. Custody transfer at the Pakistan-India border would make Iran liable for safe passage of gas through Pakistan’s territory.
Monday, April 25, 2011
HIJACKED SHIP ‘MV NAFEYA’ WAS SUCCESSFULLY RESCUED BY INDO-FRENCH NAVIES.
The Indian and French Navies conducted an operation to rescue a hijacked Indian dhow and its 14-member crew who were taken hostage by pirates near Somalia on July 10,
The dhow ‘mv Nafeya,’ registered at Porbandar and operating from the UAE was hijacked off Boosaaso, Somalia, last by seven pirates armed with RPGs and AK-47s. The vessel was hijacked about 10 nautical miles off Boosasso in Puntland, the semi-autonomous north-eastern region of Somalia, after it had offloaded its cargo at the Somalia harbour and was headed towards Dubai.
All the 14 Indian crew were found safe and the Indian warship provided them with food, water and medicine. The dhow proceeded towards Al Mukkalla in Yemen.
The Indian Navy said mutual understanding and operational interoperability resulted in the safe release of the Indian dhow and its crew without payment of any ransom.
VAYALAR RAVI TO BE CHIEF GUEST AT GOPIO MEET
Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Valayar Ravi will be the chief guest at the 20th annual convention of the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO), which begins on August 20.The four-day convention in New York will be attended by eminent people of Indian origin from various parts of the world. SIKHS OPPOSE U.S. BILL Sikhs in the U.S. have slammed a draft Oregon state law that would bar teachers in public schools from wearing "religious dress", including turbans, a move that may spark a racial row. The draft law actually broadens religious freedom in the workplace, but has prompted protests by faith leaders because it exempts schools from the same rights. The bill grants workers wide religious leeway as long as the activity, clothing or other practices do not cause undue hardship to the employer.
The agenda The participants at the convention will debate important issues affecting the PIOs, including human rights, political participation, economic trends, socio-cultural and Diaspora related issues and concerns, inter-generational conflict, and challenges and opportunities for the future.
The dhow ‘mv Nafeya,’ registered at Porbandar and operating from the UAE was hijacked off Boosaaso, Somalia, last by seven pirates armed with RPGs and AK-47s. The vessel was hijacked about 10 nautical miles off Boosasso in Puntland, the semi-autonomous north-eastern region of Somalia, after it had offloaded its cargo at the Somalia harbour and was headed towards Dubai.
All the 14 Indian crew were found safe and the Indian warship provided them with food, water and medicine. The dhow proceeded towards Al Mukkalla in Yemen.
The Indian Navy said mutual understanding and operational interoperability resulted in the safe release of the Indian dhow and its crew without payment of any ransom.
VAYALAR RAVI TO BE CHIEF GUEST AT GOPIO MEET
Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Valayar Ravi will be the chief guest at the 20th annual convention of the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO), which begins on August 20.The four-day convention in New York will be attended by eminent people of Indian origin from various parts of the world. SIKHS OPPOSE U.S. BILL Sikhs in the U.S. have slammed a draft Oregon state law that would bar teachers in public schools from wearing "religious dress", including turbans, a move that may spark a racial row. The draft law actually broadens religious freedom in the workplace, but has prompted protests by faith leaders because it exempts schools from the same rights. The bill grants workers wide religious leeway as long as the activity, clothing or other practices do not cause undue hardship to the employer.
The agenda The participants at the convention will debate important issues affecting the PIOs, including human rights, political participation, economic trends, socio-cultural and Diaspora related issues and concerns, inter-generational conflict, and challenges and opportunities for the future.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
FIJI’S ROADMAP TO DEMOCRACY
Fiji’s Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama will attend the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) meeting in Vanuatu this week to present his roadmap towards returning the country to democratic rule
The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Preferential Trade Agreement is a trade treaty governing the four melanesian states of
FIJI PLANS NEW CONSTITUTION Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and recently, Fiji Fiji’s Prime Minister Commodore Bainimarama said on the country’s Constitution would begin in September 2012 in preparation for the general election in 2014. The new Constitution must include provisions that will entrench common and equal citizenry, it must not have ethnic based voting; the voting age shall be 18; and, it must have systems that hold governments accountable with more checks. OBAMA ACCEPTS MANMOHAN’S INVITATION TO VISIT INDIA L’Aquila, Italy, United States President Barack Obama has accepted an invitation from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to visit India, dates for which will be finalised through diplomatic channels.U.N. reforms,Mr. Obama also endorsed Dr. Singh’s fresh calls for urgent U.N. reforms saying the global community would have to "update and refresh and renew" international institutions like the world body that were set up in a different time and place. 15TH NAM SUMMIT AT SHARM EL-SHEIKH IN EGYPT
INDIA’S PROPOSAL ON KEY ISSUES Financial crisis gives NAM new relevance – India, NAM-"A moral force for equitable transformation of today’s world" 1. ON FINANCIAL
Dr. Singh said the developing countries had been the hardest hit by the crisis which "emanated from the advanced industrial economies" and had strengthened protectionism and choked credit and capital flows to the third world. "If the aftermath of the crisis is not carefully managed, and if the abundance of liquidity leads to a revival of speculative activities, we may well see a period of prolonged stagflation," the Prime Minister warned. CRISIS the 118-nation grouping must ensure the steps planned to revive the global economy take into account the developing world’s concerns. 2. ON CLIMATE CHANGE
The weight of NAM should be used to achieve "a comprehensive, balanced and above all, equitable outcome" in the ongoing multilateral negotiations leading up to the Copenhagen conference in December this year. too, he blamed the "over two centuries of industrial activity and unsustainable lifestyles in the developed world" for the threat posed to the planet by the accumulation of greenhouse gases. 3. ON UNO The Prime Minister criticised the fact that "decision-making processes" at the United Nations and in international financial institutions "continue to be based on charters written more than 60 years ago, though the world has changed greatly since then." Page 5 of 51 4. ON AFRICA’S PROBLEMS He said NAM should work to prioritise Africa’s problems in the global development agenda. On its part, India was committed to developing a comprehensive partnership with the continent. 5.ON PALESTINIAN ISSUE Echoing the strong sentiment within NAM in support of Palestinian aspirations, the Prime Minister began his remarks by saying his "thoughts turn to the people of Palestine, who have endured great suffering and hardship." "The movement," he said, "must do more to facilitate a comprehensive, just, lasting and peaceful settlement of the Palestinian issue." 6. ON TERRORISM, he stressed the long-standing Indian demand for speedy agreement on a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. "Terrorists and those who aid and abet them must be brought to justice," he said. "The infrastructure of terrorism must be dismantled and there should be no safe havens for terrorists because they do not represent any cause, group of religion." NAM :FIRST LADIES’ MEET DISCUSSES CHALLENGES TO WOMEN Gursharan Kaur, wife of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, at the NAM First Ladies’ summit on "Role of Women in Crisis Management" in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt,
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s wife Gursharan Kaur, held a parallel meeting to deliberate on human trafficking and other problems confronting women. Opening the NAM First Ladies Summit, Egypt’s First Lady Suzanne Mubarak said the nations faced a "very dangerous situation" in which 51 million more people, of whom 22 million were women, could lose their jobs by the end of 2009. "Women are the most negatively and disproportionately impacted by these interconnected challenges, especially in developing countries. While some are veering dangerously close towards the poverty line, others are fighting daily battles to survive," said Ms. Mubarak, wife of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. "Young girls are dropping out of schools to help their families make ends meet," she said saying these girls would become more vulnerable to forced labour, abuse and human trafficking.
The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Preferential Trade Agreement is a trade treaty governing the four melanesian states of
FIJI PLANS NEW CONSTITUTION Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and recently, Fiji Fiji’s Prime Minister Commodore Bainimarama said on the country’s Constitution would begin in September 2012 in preparation for the general election in 2014. The new Constitution must include provisions that will entrench common and equal citizenry, it must not have ethnic based voting; the voting age shall be 18; and, it must have systems that hold governments accountable with more checks. OBAMA ACCEPTS MANMOHAN’S INVITATION TO VISIT INDIA L’Aquila, Italy, United States President Barack Obama has accepted an invitation from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to visit India, dates for which will be finalised through diplomatic channels.U.N. reforms,Mr. Obama also endorsed Dr. Singh’s fresh calls for urgent U.N. reforms saying the global community would have to "update and refresh and renew" international institutions like the world body that were set up in a different time and place. 15TH NAM SUMMIT AT SHARM EL-SHEIKH IN EGYPT
INDIA’S PROPOSAL ON KEY ISSUES Financial crisis gives NAM new relevance – India, NAM-"A moral force for equitable transformation of today’s world" 1. ON FINANCIAL
Dr. Singh said the developing countries had been the hardest hit by the crisis which "emanated from the advanced industrial economies" and had strengthened protectionism and choked credit and capital flows to the third world. "If the aftermath of the crisis is not carefully managed, and if the abundance of liquidity leads to a revival of speculative activities, we may well see a period of prolonged stagflation," the Prime Minister warned. CRISIS the 118-nation grouping must ensure the steps planned to revive the global economy take into account the developing world’s concerns. 2. ON CLIMATE CHANGE
The weight of NAM should be used to achieve "a comprehensive, balanced and above all, equitable outcome" in the ongoing multilateral negotiations leading up to the Copenhagen conference in December this year. too, he blamed the "over two centuries of industrial activity and unsustainable lifestyles in the developed world" for the threat posed to the planet by the accumulation of greenhouse gases. 3. ON UNO The Prime Minister criticised the fact that "decision-making processes" at the United Nations and in international financial institutions "continue to be based on charters written more than 60 years ago, though the world has changed greatly since then." Page 5 of 51 4. ON AFRICA’S PROBLEMS He said NAM should work to prioritise Africa’s problems in the global development agenda. On its part, India was committed to developing a comprehensive partnership with the continent. 5.ON PALESTINIAN ISSUE Echoing the strong sentiment within NAM in support of Palestinian aspirations, the Prime Minister began his remarks by saying his "thoughts turn to the people of Palestine, who have endured great suffering and hardship." "The movement," he said, "must do more to facilitate a comprehensive, just, lasting and peaceful settlement of the Palestinian issue." 6. ON TERRORISM, he stressed the long-standing Indian demand for speedy agreement on a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. "Terrorists and those who aid and abet them must be brought to justice," he said. "The infrastructure of terrorism must be dismantled and there should be no safe havens for terrorists because they do not represent any cause, group of religion." NAM :FIRST LADIES’ MEET DISCUSSES CHALLENGES TO WOMEN Gursharan Kaur, wife of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, at the NAM First Ladies’ summit on "Role of Women in Crisis Management" in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt,
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s wife Gursharan Kaur, held a parallel meeting to deliberate on human trafficking and other problems confronting women. Opening the NAM First Ladies Summit, Egypt’s First Lady Suzanne Mubarak said the nations faced a "very dangerous situation" in which 51 million more people, of whom 22 million were women, could lose their jobs by the end of 2009. "Women are the most negatively and disproportionately impacted by these interconnected challenges, especially in developing countries. While some are veering dangerously close towards the poverty line, others are fighting daily battles to survive," said Ms. Mubarak, wife of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. "Young girls are dropping out of schools to help their families make ends meet," she said saying these girls would become more vulnerable to forced labour, abuse and human trafficking.
REAGANOMICS
Reaganomics refers to the economic policies promoted by the U.S. President Ronald Reagan during the 1980s. The four pillars of Reagan's economic policy were to:
1. Reduce government spending,
2. Reduce income and capital gains marginal tax rates,
3. Reduce government regulation,
4. Control the money supply to reduce inflation.
In his stated intention to increase domestic spending while lowering taxes, Reagan's approach was a departure from his immediate predecessors. Reagan enacted lower marginal tax rates in conjunction with simplified income tax codes and continued deregulation. GREEN DAM INITIATIVE Green Dam Youth Escort also dubbed as the Filtering Bully is content-control software developed in the People's Republic of China (PRC). it is mandatory to have the software, on all new personal computers sold in Mainland China, including those imported from abroad The software is specifically aimed at restricting online pornography but could be used for other purposes. Green Dam Youth Escort automatically downloads the latest updates of a list of prohibited sites from an online database, and also collects private user data The government had announced in May that all computers sold in the country after July 1 would have to carry a software programme called the Green Dam Youth Escort which would block access to a range of websites. As of 30 June 2009, the mandatory pre-installation of the Green Dam software on new computers has been delayed to an undetermined date. MINI PRAVASI BHARATIYA DIVAS IN HAGUE With a view to involving Indians living in Europe, the Indian government has decided to hold the next mini Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in The Hague on September 19. The convention is expected to bring together the Indians to discuss their role in enhancing India-Europe cooperation, understand the opportunities and challenges faced by them in culture, heritage and tradition, as also trade and investment opportunities in India. Some dignitaries from Netherlands are expected to take part in the event. COUP IN HONDURAS Condemning the toppling of Honduras, a banana republic, President Manuel Zelaya by the military, Cuban Ambassador to India Miguel Angel Ramirez Ramos said that his country would do everything to ensure that the democratically elected president was returned to power. BANANA REPUBLICS Banana Republic is a pejorative term for a country that is politically unstable, dependent on limited agriculture (e.g. bananas), and ruled by a small, self-elected, wealthy, and corrupt clique. It is most commonly used for countries in Central America and Africa such as El Salvador, Belize, Grenada, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Ethiopia.
1. Reduce government spending,
2. Reduce income and capital gains marginal tax rates,
3. Reduce government regulation,
4. Control the money supply to reduce inflation.
In his stated intention to increase domestic spending while lowering taxes, Reagan's approach was a departure from his immediate predecessors. Reagan enacted lower marginal tax rates in conjunction with simplified income tax codes and continued deregulation. GREEN DAM INITIATIVE Green Dam Youth Escort also dubbed as the Filtering Bully is content-control software developed in the People's Republic of China (PRC). it is mandatory to have the software, on all new personal computers sold in Mainland China, including those imported from abroad The software is specifically aimed at restricting online pornography but could be used for other purposes. Green Dam Youth Escort automatically downloads the latest updates of a list of prohibited sites from an online database, and also collects private user data The government had announced in May that all computers sold in the country after July 1 would have to carry a software programme called the Green Dam Youth Escort which would block access to a range of websites. As of 30 June 2009, the mandatory pre-installation of the Green Dam software on new computers has been delayed to an undetermined date. MINI PRAVASI BHARATIYA DIVAS IN HAGUE With a view to involving Indians living in Europe, the Indian government has decided to hold the next mini Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in The Hague on September 19. The convention is expected to bring together the Indians to discuss their role in enhancing India-Europe cooperation, understand the opportunities and challenges faced by them in culture, heritage and tradition, as also trade and investment opportunities in India. Some dignitaries from Netherlands are expected to take part in the event. COUP IN HONDURAS Condemning the toppling of Honduras, a banana republic, President Manuel Zelaya by the military, Cuban Ambassador to India Miguel Angel Ramirez Ramos said that his country would do everything to ensure that the democratically elected president was returned to power. BANANA REPUBLICS Banana Republic is a pejorative term for a country that is politically unstable, dependent on limited agriculture (e.g. bananas), and ruled by a small, self-elected, wealthy, and corrupt clique. It is most commonly used for countries in Central America and Africa such as El Salvador, Belize, Grenada, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Ethiopia.
TNPSC GROUP I – 2010
1. The Avogadro number is
a. 6.00 x 10^24
b. 6.023 x 10^23
c. 6.054 x 10^22
d. 6.504 x 10^22
2. Viscous force is directly proportional to
a. temperature gradient b. mass gradient c. velocity gradient d. charge gradient
3. The South American country that suffered due to earthquake in 2010 was
a. Argentina b. Chile c. Brazil d. Libya
4. According to the Economic Survey of India (2007-08), the birth rate in Tamil Nadu state
is
a. 16.2 b. 18.4 c. 15.3 d. 10.6
a. 6.00 x 10^24
b. 6.023 x 10^23
c. 6.054 x 10^22
d. 6.504 x 10^22
2. Viscous force is directly proportional to
a. temperature gradient b. mass gradient c. velocity gradient d. charge gradient
3. The South American country that suffered due to earthquake in 2010 was
a. Argentina b. Chile c. Brazil d. Libya
4. According to the Economic Survey of India (2007-08), the birth rate in Tamil Nadu state
is
a. 16.2 b. 18.4 c. 15.3 d. 10.6
Saturday, April 23, 2011
INDIA, CHINA SIGN PACT ON HOTLINE
India and China signed an agreement to set up a hotline to open up direct communication between their Prime Ministers, but appeared to continue to speak in different languages on key issues that continue to challenge the bilateral relationship. In talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and Premier Wen Jiabao, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna called for China to review its position on India's bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). He also voiced India's concerns over Chinese support to development projects in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and the issuing of stapled visas to Indian citizens from Jammu and Kashmir. This is the same position China has held since Mr. Wen's visit to India in 2005, suggesting there was little or no progress on this front. U.S., RUSSIA SIGN NUCLEAR ARMS PACT Presidents Barack Obama of the United States and Dmitry Medvedev of Russia signed a Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty which will reduce their nuclear weapons stockpiles by a third. The START deal, which will last for 10 years, was signed at a meeting in Prague, where Mr. Obama outlined his vision for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation about a year ago. Speaking after the signing, Mr. Obama said: "This day demonstrates the determination of the United States and Russia — the two nations that hold over 90 per cent of the world's nuclear weapons — to pursue responsible global leadership." Describing the deal as a "win-win" for both countries, Mr. Medvedev said: "This agreement enhances strategic ability and, at the same time, allows us to rise to a higher level of cooperation between Russia and the United States." The agreement succeeds the 1991 START, which expired in December. It will have to be ratified by the U.S. Senate and the Russian Parliament. The new treaty limits the number of strategic nuclear warheads to 1,550 — about a third less than the 2,200 currently allowed. It also mandates a combined limit of 800 deployed and non-deployed Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile launchers, Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile launchers and heavy bombers equipped for nuclear armaments; and a separate limit of 700 deployed ICBMs, deployed SLBMs and deployed heavy bombers equipped for nuclear armaments.
Page The White House noted that the warheads on deployed ICBMs and SLBMs will count toward the limit and each deployed heavy bomber equipped for nuclear armaments 2 of 51
would count as one warhead toward this limit. The warhead limit itself is 74 per cent lower than the limit of the 1991 treaty and 30 per cent lower than the deployed strategic warhead limit of the 2002 Moscow Treaty, a White House statement added. Further, the limit on launchers and bombers is less than half the corresponding strategic nuclear delivery vehicle limit of the previous START. The agreement also comes less than a week before a 47-nation Nuclear Security Summit that Mr. Obama is hosting in Washington. On April 12-13, leaders from a range of nuclear and non-nuclear powers, including India, will discuss issues surrounding nuclear proliferation and security.
Page The White House noted that the warheads on deployed ICBMs and SLBMs will count toward the limit and each deployed heavy bomber equipped for nuclear armaments 2 of 51
would count as one warhead toward this limit. The warhead limit itself is 74 per cent lower than the limit of the 1991 treaty and 30 per cent lower than the deployed strategic warhead limit of the 2002 Moscow Treaty, a White House statement added. Further, the limit on launchers and bombers is less than half the corresponding strategic nuclear delivery vehicle limit of the previous START. The agreement also comes less than a week before a 47-nation Nuclear Security Summit that Mr. Obama is hosting in Washington. On April 12-13, leaders from a range of nuclear and non-nuclear powers, including India, will discuss issues surrounding nuclear proliferation and security.
Friday, April 22, 2011
DESERT NATIONAL PARK IN UNESCO HERITAGE LIST
The Desert National Park is situated in Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan close to the India- Pakistan border. Spread over an area in excess of 3150 sq km, this is probably the largest park of India. The Desert National Park accounts for 73 villages/hamlets within its territory though, mercifully, the density of humans within the park is only seven persons per sq. km.
The Desert National Park is home to endangered species like the Great Indian Bustard
it is home to Rajasthan’s State bird, the Great Indian Bustard, State tree, Khejri, State animal, chinkara, and State flower, rohida. Some 17 km from its boundary in Jaisalmer is the Wood Fossil Park at Akal, dating back to the Jurassic period.
The Desert National Park, notified back in 1980, is among four sites from India approved in the tentative list of natural heritage properties, which include the Great Himalayan National Park in Himachal Pradesh, the Bitarkanika Conservation Area in Orissa and the Neora Valley National Park in West Benga.
The existing UNESCO heritage site in Rajasthan in the category is the famous bird sanctuary, the Keoladeo National Park near Bharatpur.
VEDANTA RESOURCES
Vedanta Resources is an international mining and metals company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the largest mining and non-ferrous metals company in India and also has mining operations in Australia and Zambia. Its main products are copper, zinc, aluminium, lead and iron ore. It is also developing commercial power stations in India in Orissa (2,400 MW) and Punjab (1,980 MW).
Vedanta has been criticised by human rights and activist groups, including Survival International and Amnesty International, due to their operations in Niyamgiri Hills in Orissa, India that are said to threaten the lives of the Dongria Kondh that populate this region. The Niyamgiri hills are also claimed to be an important wildlife habitat in Eastern Ghats of India as per a report by the Wildlife Institute of India as well as independent reports/studies carried out by civil society groups. In January 2009, thousands of locals formed a human chain around the hill in protest at the plans to start bauxite mining in the area.Vedanta's Alumina Refinery in Lanjigarh was critiqued by the Orissa State Pollution Control Board (the statutory environmental regulation body) for air pollution and water pollution in the area. According to Amnesty International, local people reported dust from the plant settling on clothes, crops and food. An environmental impact assessment by the government found dust pollution was within acceptable limits. Vedanta officials claimed there was no dust pollution from the plant at all. An environmental inspection of the plant reported water pollution by the plant including increasing the pH value of the river Vamshadhara below the refinery and a high level of SPM in the stack emissions.
In October 2009 it was reported that the British Government has criticised Vedanta for its treatment of the Dongria Kondh tribe in Orissa, India. The company refused to co-operate with the British Government and with an OECD investigation. They have rejected charges of environmental damage, saying it may be related to the increased use of fertiliser by farmers.
The Desert National Park is home to endangered species like the Great Indian Bustard
it is home to Rajasthan’s State bird, the Great Indian Bustard, State tree, Khejri, State animal, chinkara, and State flower, rohida. Some 17 km from its boundary in Jaisalmer is the Wood Fossil Park at Akal, dating back to the Jurassic period.
The Desert National Park, notified back in 1980, is among four sites from India approved in the tentative list of natural heritage properties, which include the Great Himalayan National Park in Himachal Pradesh, the Bitarkanika Conservation Area in Orissa and the Neora Valley National Park in West Benga.
The existing UNESCO heritage site in Rajasthan in the category is the famous bird sanctuary, the Keoladeo National Park near Bharatpur.
VEDANTA RESOURCES
Vedanta Resources is an international mining and metals company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the largest mining and non-ferrous metals company in India and also has mining operations in Australia and Zambia. Its main products are copper, zinc, aluminium, lead and iron ore. It is also developing commercial power stations in India in Orissa (2,400 MW) and Punjab (1,980 MW).
Vedanta has been criticised by human rights and activist groups, including Survival International and Amnesty International, due to their operations in Niyamgiri Hills in Orissa, India that are said to threaten the lives of the Dongria Kondh that populate this region. The Niyamgiri hills are also claimed to be an important wildlife habitat in Eastern Ghats of India as per a report by the Wildlife Institute of India as well as independent reports/studies carried out by civil society groups. In January 2009, thousands of locals formed a human chain around the hill in protest at the plans to start bauxite mining in the area.Vedanta's Alumina Refinery in Lanjigarh was critiqued by the Orissa State Pollution Control Board (the statutory environmental regulation body) for air pollution and water pollution in the area. According to Amnesty International, local people reported dust from the plant settling on clothes, crops and food. An environmental impact assessment by the government found dust pollution was within acceptable limits. Vedanta officials claimed there was no dust pollution from the plant at all. An environmental inspection of the plant reported water pollution by the plant including increasing the pH value of the river Vamshadhara below the refinery and a high level of SPM in the stack emissions.
In October 2009 it was reported that the British Government has criticised Vedanta for its treatment of the Dongria Kondh tribe in Orissa, India. The company refused to co-operate with the British Government and with an OECD investigation. They have rejected charges of environmental damage, saying it may be related to the increased use of fertiliser by farmers.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
RUSSIA SUPPORTS NEW KYRGYZ REGIME
Russia has signalled support for the interim coalition government formed in Kyrgyzstan on in the wake of two days of large-scale riots that left 75 people dead.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin promised help and support to interim government head Roza Otunbayevai.
The interim government will rule for six months until a new constitution is written and elections are held.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin promised help and support to interim government head Roza Otunbayevai.
The interim government will rule for six months until a new constitution is written and elections are held.
U.S., RUSSIA SIGN NUCLEAR ARMS PACT
Presidents Barack Obama of the United States and Dmitry Medvedev of Russia signed a Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty which will reduce their nuclear weapons stockpiles by a third.
The START deal, which will last for 10 years, was signed at a meeting in Prague, where Mr. Obama outlined his vision for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation about a year ago.
Speaking after the signing, Mr. Obama said: “This day demonstrates the determination of the United States and Russia — the two nations that hold over 90 per cent of the world's nuclear weapons — to pursue responsible global leadership.”
Describing the deal as a “win-win” for both countries, Mr. Medvedev said: “This agreement enhances strategic ability and, at the same time, allows us to rise to a higher level of cooperation between Russia and the United States.”
The START deal, which will last for 10 years, was signed at a meeting in Prague, where Mr. Obama outlined his vision for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation about a year ago.
Speaking after the signing, Mr. Obama said: “This day demonstrates the determination of the United States and Russia — the two nations that hold over 90 per cent of the world's nuclear weapons — to pursue responsible global leadership.”
Describing the deal as a “win-win” for both countries, Mr. Medvedev said: “This agreement enhances strategic ability and, at the same time, allows us to rise to a higher level of cooperation between Russia and the United States.”
INDIA, CHINA SIGN PACT ON HOTLINE
India and China signed an agreement to set up a hotline to open up direct communication between their Prime Ministers, but appeared to continue to speak in different languages on key issues that continue to challenge the bilateral relationship.
THE STRATEGY
The poverty, drought and land degradation in the dry lands can be broken by adopting a four-pronged science-based strategy developed by ICRISAT and its partners for drought mitigation. First is growing drought tolerant and climate change ready crops to match the available length of the growing season and low soil moisture Second is contingent action to replace affected crops with those that are more drought tolerant. Third is the efficient management of natural resources, arresting land degradation, conserving soil moisture and harvesting water in the rainy season for supplemental irrigation. Fourth is empowering stakeholders through capacity building, enabling rural institutions and formulating policies supportive of dry land agriculture. Policies and programmes supportive of dry land agriculture to be implemented are: Increasing significantly public investments in dry land agriculture, including higher funding for agricultural research and rural infrastructure. Developing sophisticated techniques of predicting and forecasting the monsoons in the context of climate change. Enabling collective action and rural institutions for agriculture and natural resource management. Rehabilitating degraded lands and diversifying livelihood systems for landless and vulnerable groups. Recharging depleted groundwater aquifers and enforcing strong regulations on groundwater extraction.
Along with appropriate policy and institutional innovations, can have a significant impact in increasing agricultural productivity. India should start investing for the long-term sustainability of the farming sector particularly in dryland agriculture. By doing this, India will enable its farmers to win the gamble with the monsoons for good. Initiating government support for water saving options (e.g., drip irrigation and dry land crops). Including dry land crops in the minimum support price scheme.
Along with appropriate policy and institutional innovations, can have a significant impact in increasing agricultural productivity. India should start investing for the long-term sustainability of the farming sector particularly in dryland agriculture. By doing this, India will enable its farmers to win the gamble with the monsoons for good. Initiating government support for water saving options (e.g., drip irrigation and dry land crops). Including dry land crops in the minimum support price scheme.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON BIODIVERSITY - CHENNAI
International conference on "biodiversity in relation to food and human security in a warming planet": Chennai declaration. The conference held at the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai from 15 to 17 February 2010.
Chennai declaration makes a bridge of issues at global, national and local levels between the challenges for conservation and food security These include: 1) According economic value to the services nature and agriculture rendered and setting up mechanisms for payment for such services;
2) Acknowledging that the custodians of biodiverse resources are farmers and fisherfolk;
3) Finding markets for neglected but nutritious crops;
4) Including rural communities in biodiversity strategies;
5) Refocussing research and development priorities and promoting biodiversity literacy through public education to build an ethic of conservation.
2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity. BUREAU OF FOREST GENETICS TO COME UP IN DEHRA DUN A National Bureau of Forest Genetics is to be established in Dehra Dun under the Indian Council for Forest Research and Education to help protect the country’s diminishing forest resources.
A sum of Rs.20 crore was sanctioned for the project.
Kolleru Lake is one of the largest freshwater lake in India. It is located in Andhra Pradesh state, India. Kolleru is located between Krishna and Godavari delta. Kolleru spans into two districts - Krishna and West Godavari. MONSOON DELAY – PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS Science-based strategies could greatly help vulnerable farming communities
India’s agriculture as a gamble with the monsoons. About 60 per cent of India’s farms depend on rains, so the monsoons are indeed critical to India’s agriculture, which accounts for a sixth of the country’s economic output.
ICRISAT is a non-profit and non-political research organization that serves the poorest of the poor in the semi-arid areas of the developing world. Founded in 1972.Headquarters Patancheru, Hyderabad, India .
Climate change is real and its implications are going to be borne by all, most especially the poorest of the poor. The impact of climate change on rainfall pattern is not going to be a temporary phenomenon. This is only the beginning and delayed monsoons, unexpected rains and heavy downpours are likely to be the rule rather than the exception.
There is a direct link between water availability and poverty in the dry lands.
Chennai declaration makes a bridge of issues at global, national and local levels between the challenges for conservation and food security These include: 1) According economic value to the services nature and agriculture rendered and setting up mechanisms for payment for such services;
2) Acknowledging that the custodians of biodiverse resources are farmers and fisherfolk;
3) Finding markets for neglected but nutritious crops;
4) Including rural communities in biodiversity strategies;
5) Refocussing research and development priorities and promoting biodiversity literacy through public education to build an ethic of conservation.
2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity. BUREAU OF FOREST GENETICS TO COME UP IN DEHRA DUN A National Bureau of Forest Genetics is to be established in Dehra Dun under the Indian Council for Forest Research and Education to help protect the country’s diminishing forest resources.
A sum of Rs.20 crore was sanctioned for the project.
Kolleru Lake is one of the largest freshwater lake in India. It is located in Andhra Pradesh state, India. Kolleru is located between Krishna and Godavari delta. Kolleru spans into two districts - Krishna and West Godavari. MONSOON DELAY – PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS Science-based strategies could greatly help vulnerable farming communities
India’s agriculture as a gamble with the monsoons. About 60 per cent of India’s farms depend on rains, so the monsoons are indeed critical to India’s agriculture, which accounts for a sixth of the country’s economic output.
ICRISAT is a non-profit and non-political research organization that serves the poorest of the poor in the semi-arid areas of the developing world. Founded in 1972.Headquarters Patancheru, Hyderabad, India .
Climate change is real and its implications are going to be borne by all, most especially the poorest of the poor. The impact of climate change on rainfall pattern is not going to be a temporary phenomenon. This is only the beginning and delayed monsoons, unexpected rains and heavy downpours are likely to be the rule rather than the exception.
There is a direct link between water availability and poverty in the dry lands.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
CHANG LA PASS
The Changla Pass or Chang La Pass (el. 5,425 m (17,799 ft)) is a high mountain pass in India.The Changla Pass is on the route to Pangong Lake from Leh. It is named after the nomadic tribes of the region Changpa. La in Changla indicates pass. A temple dedicated to Changla Baba has been created by grateful travellers, invoking the spirit of the pass. The small town of Tangste is the nearest settlement. The Changla Pass is the main gateway for the Changthang Plateau situated in the Himalayas. The nomadic tribes of the region are collectively known as the Changpa or Chang-pa. The Chang La is the third highest motorable vehikel pass in the world.
A REPOSITORY OF SEEDS ON CLIFF TOP OF HIMALAYAS
Nestled 17, 500m high on a cliff top in the Himalayas, Chang-La has the sub zero temperatures and low humidity necessary to suspend seed life for future generations. It is a site carefully chosen. It is far from rising seas and tectonic plate movement but at around 75km from Leh aiport, it is close enough to human civilisation today to deposit the country’s agricultural heritage with ease. Chang-La, opened last December, currently holds 5,000 seeds from the Ministry of Defence, prioritised for qualities such yield or resistance to temperature, pests or humidity. But its total capacity is ten times that and,
The facility in India aims to rival that at Svalbard in Norway, which can hold up to 3 million seed varieties, by opening up its vaults to the international community.
Crop seeds, developed slowly and carefully over thousands of years, are not only the source of sustenance for humankind but the best repository of genetic material scientists can use to help develop food resistant to the vagaries of climate change.
THE SVALBARD GLOBAL SEED VAULT
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is a secure seedbank located on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen near the town of Longyearbyen in the remote Arctic Svalbard archipelago. The facility was established to preserve a wide variety of plant seeds from locations worldwide in an underground cavern. The seed vault holds duplicate samples, or "spare" copies, of seeds held in genebanks worldwide. The seed vault will provide insurance against the loss of seeds in genebanks, as well as a refuge for seeds in the case of large scale regional or global crises. The island of Spitsbergen is about 1,300 kilometres (810 mi) from the North Pole. The seed vault is managed under terms spelled out in a tripartite agreement between the Norwegian government, the Global Crop Diversity Trust (GCDT) and the Nordic Genetic Resource Center (also known as NordGen and previously named the Nordic Gene Bank, a cooperative effort of the Nordic countries under the Nordic Council of Ministers). : Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia, and India.
Construction of the seed vault, which cost approximately 45 million Norwegian Kroner (9 million USD), was funded entirely by the Government of Norway. Storage of seeds in the seed vault is free of charge. Operational costs will be paid by Norway and the Global Crop Diversity Trust.The primary funding of the Trust came from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, United Kingdom, Norway, Australia, Switzerland, and Sweden, though funding has been received from a wide variety of sources including four developing countries
A REPOSITORY OF SEEDS ON CLIFF TOP OF HIMALAYAS
Nestled 17, 500m high on a cliff top in the Himalayas, Chang-La has the sub zero temperatures and low humidity necessary to suspend seed life for future generations. It is a site carefully chosen. It is far from rising seas and tectonic plate movement but at around 75km from Leh aiport, it is close enough to human civilisation today to deposit the country’s agricultural heritage with ease. Chang-La, opened last December, currently holds 5,000 seeds from the Ministry of Defence, prioritised for qualities such yield or resistance to temperature, pests or humidity. But its total capacity is ten times that and,
The facility in India aims to rival that at Svalbard in Norway, which can hold up to 3 million seed varieties, by opening up its vaults to the international community.
Crop seeds, developed slowly and carefully over thousands of years, are not only the source of sustenance for humankind but the best repository of genetic material scientists can use to help develop food resistant to the vagaries of climate change.
THE SVALBARD GLOBAL SEED VAULT
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is a secure seedbank located on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen near the town of Longyearbyen in the remote Arctic Svalbard archipelago. The facility was established to preserve a wide variety of plant seeds from locations worldwide in an underground cavern. The seed vault holds duplicate samples, or "spare" copies, of seeds held in genebanks worldwide. The seed vault will provide insurance against the loss of seeds in genebanks, as well as a refuge for seeds in the case of large scale regional or global crises. The island of Spitsbergen is about 1,300 kilometres (810 mi) from the North Pole. The seed vault is managed under terms spelled out in a tripartite agreement between the Norwegian government, the Global Crop Diversity Trust (GCDT) and the Nordic Genetic Resource Center (also known as NordGen and previously named the Nordic Gene Bank, a cooperative effort of the Nordic countries under the Nordic Council of Ministers). : Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia, and India.
Construction of the seed vault, which cost approximately 45 million Norwegian Kroner (9 million USD), was funded entirely by the Government of Norway. Storage of seeds in the seed vault is free of charge. Operational costs will be paid by Norway and the Global Crop Diversity Trust.The primary funding of the Trust came from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, United Kingdom, Norway, Australia, Switzerland, and Sweden, though funding has been received from a wide variety of sources including four developing countries
Monday, April 18, 2011
IPCC EXPRESSES REGRET OVER GLACIER MELTING CONCLUSION
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
A paragraph in the 2007 Working Group II report ("Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability"), chapter 10 included a projection that Himalayan glaciers could disappear by 2035.
Glaciers in the Himalaya are receding faster than in any other part of the world (see Table 10.9) and, if the present rate continues, the likelihood of them disappearing by the year 2035 and perhaps sooner is very high if the Earth keeps warming at the current rate. Its total area will likely shrink from the present 500,000 to 100,000 km2 by the year 2035 (WWF, 2005).
This projection was not included in the final summary for policymakers. The IPCC has since acknowledged that the date is incorrect, while reaffirming that the conclusion in the final summary was robust. They expressed regret for "the poor application of well-established IPCC procedures in this instance".
MANSAGAR LAKE
Mansagar Lake is a manmade water body, situated between Amber and Jaipur, in Jaipur District. is a scientific intergovernmental body tasked with evaluating the risk of climate change caused by human activity. The panel was established in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), two organizations of the United Nations. The IPCC shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with former Vice President of the United States Al Gore.
It was formed due to instituting a dam across river Darbhawati between Khilangarh hills and the hilly ridge on the opposite hill. Jal Mahal, an architectural monument, is situated in the midst of the lake. Surrounded by hills, it is the home for a variety of migratory and resident birds.
A paragraph in the 2007 Working Group II report ("Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability"), chapter 10 included a projection that Himalayan glaciers could disappear by 2035.
Glaciers in the Himalaya are receding faster than in any other part of the world (see Table 10.9) and, if the present rate continues, the likelihood of them disappearing by the year 2035 and perhaps sooner is very high if the Earth keeps warming at the current rate. Its total area will likely shrink from the present 500,000 to 100,000 km2 by the year 2035 (WWF, 2005).
This projection was not included in the final summary for policymakers. The IPCC has since acknowledged that the date is incorrect, while reaffirming that the conclusion in the final summary was robust. They expressed regret for "the poor application of well-established IPCC procedures in this instance".
MANSAGAR LAKE
Mansagar Lake is a manmade water body, situated between Amber and Jaipur, in Jaipur District. is a scientific intergovernmental body tasked with evaluating the risk of climate change caused by human activity. The panel was established in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), two organizations of the United Nations. The IPCC shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with former Vice President of the United States Al Gore.
It was formed due to instituting a dam across river Darbhawati between Khilangarh hills and the hilly ridge on the opposite hill. Jal Mahal, an architectural monument, is situated in the midst of the lake. Surrounded by hills, it is the home for a variety of migratory and resident birds.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
GREEN RATING MUST FOR GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS
In a landmark decision, the Union government has made it mandatory for all new buildings of the public sector undertakings and the government to seek new green rating norms in an effort to ensure energy efficiency and tackle climate change threats. Under the GRIHA scheme, buildings would be rated by technical expertise from TERI, which is headed by R.K. Pachauri. The aim of a green building design was to minimise the demand for non-renewable sources and maximise its utilisation. GRIHA The national rating system for green buildings in India, GRIHA has been developed and operationalized by
TERI The Energy and Resources Institute, commonly known as TERI (formerly Tata Energy Research Institute), established in 1974, is a research institute based in New Delhi focusing its research activities in the fields of energy, environment and sustainable development. TERI is an independent, not-for-profit, research institute focused on energy, environment and sustainable development, devoted to efficient and sustainable use of natural resources.
The origins of TERI lie in Mithapur, a remote town in Gujarat, where a TATA engineer, Darbari Seth, was concerned about the enormous quantities of energy his factory spent on desalination. He proposed the idea of a research institute to tackle the depletion of natural resources and energy scarcity. J. R. D. Tata, chairman of the TATA Group, liked the idea and accepted the proposal. TERI was setup with a modest corpus of 35 million rupees. On the invitation of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, TERI registered in Delhi in 1974 as the Tata Energy Research Institute. As the scope of its activities widened over a period of time, it was renamed The Energy and Resources Institute in 2003. TERI. GRIHA is an acronym for Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment. It was conceived by TERI and developed jointly with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to the Indian Government. It is a green building design evaluation system and is suitable for all kinds of buildings in different climatic zones of the country.
The Institute's Director General Rajendra K. Pachauri is also the chairman of the 2007 Nobel Prize awarded Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. TERI's Executive Director is Dr Leena Srivastava.
TERI The Energy and Resources Institute, commonly known as TERI (formerly Tata Energy Research Institute), established in 1974, is a research institute based in New Delhi focusing its research activities in the fields of energy, environment and sustainable development. TERI is an independent, not-for-profit, research institute focused on energy, environment and sustainable development, devoted to efficient and sustainable use of natural resources.
The origins of TERI lie in Mithapur, a remote town in Gujarat, where a TATA engineer, Darbari Seth, was concerned about the enormous quantities of energy his factory spent on desalination. He proposed the idea of a research institute to tackle the depletion of natural resources and energy scarcity. J. R. D. Tata, chairman of the TATA Group, liked the idea and accepted the proposal. TERI was setup with a modest corpus of 35 million rupees. On the invitation of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, TERI registered in Delhi in 1974 as the Tata Energy Research Institute. As the scope of its activities widened over a period of time, it was renamed The Energy and Resources Institute in 2003. TERI. GRIHA is an acronym for Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment. It was conceived by TERI and developed jointly with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to the Indian Government. It is a green building design evaluation system and is suitable for all kinds of buildings in different climatic zones of the country.
The Institute's Director General Rajendra K. Pachauri is also the chairman of the 2007 Nobel Prize awarded Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. TERI's Executive Director is Dr Leena Srivastava.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
FRANCE: CARBON TAX RULED UNCONSTITUTIONAL
Nicolas Sarkozy’s dreams of putting France on the frontline of the fight against global warming are in disarray, after his flagship carbon tax was ruled unconstitutional two days before it was due to come into effect. In an unexpected and embarrassing blow, the court responsible for ensuring the validity of French legislation rejected the reform as ineffective and unfair. It ruled that rather than being the revolutionary measure Mr. Sarkozy promised, the tax would have let off many industrial polluters, while placing a disproportionately heavy burden on ordinary households. INDIA SET TO LEAD EFFORT FOR BINDING BIODIVERSITY TREATY India is set to take the lead in pushing for a single legally binding treaty for access to and benefit sharing of biological resources at the 10th Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to be held at Nagoya, Japan, in October. The CBD was one of the key agreements adopted at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.
1. Conservation of biological diversity.
2. sustainable use of its component and
3. Fair and equitable sharing of the benefits from the use of generic resources. The convention, while reaffirming the sovereign rights of nations over their biological resources, established three main goals.
1. Conservation of biological diversity.
2. sustainable use of its component and
3. Fair and equitable sharing of the benefits from the use of generic resources. The convention, while reaffirming the sovereign rights of nations over their biological resources, established three main goals.
Friday, April 15, 2011
2000-2009: WARMEST DECADE ON RECORD
The past 10 years have been the warmest in recorded history, according to the UK Meteorological (Met) Office. Figures released at the UN climate talks in Copenhagen show despite 1998 being the warmest year on record, has been the warmest decade recorded in 160 years. In a separate announcement, the World Meteorological Organisation in Geneva that 2009 will be one of the 10 warmest individual years recorded. The provisional figure for warming during the year is 0.44C above the long-term average of 14C. A third paper released today, from the German research group Germanwatch, showed that Bangladesh, Burma and Honduras were the three countries most affected in the past 20 years by extremes of climate. Also in the top ten were Vietnam, Nicaragua, Haiti, India, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines and China. Only four developed countries were in the top 20 of countries most prone to weather disaster: Italy at 12, Spain at 14, Portugal at 14 and the U.S. at 18. The 2003 drought in southern Europe, which led to tens of thousands of deaths and huge insurance losses, as well as a series of category 5 hurricanes in the U.S. are responsible for these rich countries being placed so highly in the league table.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
WHAT'S YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT?
"Carbon footprint refers to the emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere that we generate directly or indirectly,"
Not just vehicle exhausts, almost everything we do or use leaves a carbon footprint — be it the paper we use, the computers we work on, the packaging of our groceries, or the disposables such as cups, cartons, and plastic bags that are so much a part of our life. Leave alone the carbon footprint left by the raw materials used in manufacturing these goods, their manufacturing process consumes fossil-fuel generated electricity, while the transportation process causes more emissions by way of vehicle exhausts and so does even the tarred road if one were to take into account the emissions caused by the tar refining process.
A carbon footprint is made up of the sum of two parts, the primary footprint (shown by the green slices of the pie chart) and the secondary footprint (shown as the yellow slices).
1. The primary footprint is a measure of our direct emissions of CO2 from the burning of fossil fuels including domestic energy consumption and transportation (e.g. car and plane). We have direct control of these.
2. The secondary footprint is a measure of the indirect CO2 emissions from the whole lifecycle of products we use - those associated with their manufacture and eventual breakdown. To put "A carbon footprint of up to one tonne per person per year is sustainable globally, but the average city dweller far exceeds this,"
Carbon Trust, an independent carbon foot printing agency, measured the carbon footprint of a popular two-litre packaged orange drink and found it to be equal to a carbon dioxide emission of 1.7 kg! This came from the emissions during its processing, packaging and transportation. Using 1KWhr of electricity leaves a 10 kg carbon footprint. While some energy-saving methods would entail initial investments, even these would pay off over one to four years through energy savings.
For instance, invest in energy saving CFL bulbs or LED lamps. Replace your old fridge if it is over 15 years old with an energy-efficient one. Use solar lamps and cookers if possible. And then, there are other things you can do, that don't cost you a paisa. In fact, you stand to save money in the process. And the planet!
Not just vehicle exhausts, almost everything we do or use leaves a carbon footprint — be it the paper we use, the computers we work on, the packaging of our groceries, or the disposables such as cups, cartons, and plastic bags that are so much a part of our life. Leave alone the carbon footprint left by the raw materials used in manufacturing these goods, their manufacturing process consumes fossil-fuel generated electricity, while the transportation process causes more emissions by way of vehicle exhausts and so does even the tarred road if one were to take into account the emissions caused by the tar refining process.
A carbon footprint is made up of the sum of two parts, the primary footprint (shown by the green slices of the pie chart) and the secondary footprint (shown as the yellow slices).
2. The secondary footprint is a measure of the indirect CO2 emissions from the whole lifecycle of products we use - those associated with their manufacture and eventual breakdown. To put "A carbon footprint of up to one tonne per person per year is sustainable globally, but the average city dweller far exceeds this,"
Carbon Trust, an independent carbon foot printing agency, measured the carbon footprint of a popular two-litre packaged orange drink and found it to be equal to a carbon dioxide emission of 1.7 kg! This came from the emissions during its processing, packaging and transportation. Using 1KWhr of electricity leaves a 10 kg carbon footprint. While some energy-saving methods would entail initial investments, even these would pay off over one to four years through energy savings.
For instance, invest in energy saving CFL bulbs or LED lamps. Replace your old fridge if it is over 15 years old with an energy-efficient one. Use solar lamps and cookers if possible. And then, there are other things you can do, that don't cost you a paisa. In fact, you stand to save money in the process. And the planet!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
CHIKUNGUNYA
Chikungunya (in the Makonde language "that leans downward") virus (CHIKV) is an insect-borne virus, of the genus Alphavirus, that is transmitted to humans by virus-carrying Aedes mosquitoes. There have been recent breakouts of CHIKV associated with severe illness. CHIKV causes an illness with symptoms similar to dengue fever.
CHIKV manifests itself with an acute febrile phase of the illness lasting only two to five days, followed by a prolonged arthralgic disease that affects the joints of the extremities. The pain associated with CHIKV infection of the joints persists for weeks or months, or in some cases years.
CHIKV manifests itself with an acute febrile phase of the illness lasting only two to five days, followed by a prolonged arthralgic disease that affects the joints of the extremities. The pain associated with CHIKV infection of the joints persists for weeks or months, or in some cases years.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
NATIONAL POLICY ON BIO-FUELS GETS NOD
The Union Cabinet approved the national policy on bio-fuels and its implementation. It also gave its nod for setting up of a National Bio-fuel Coordination Committee and a Bio-fuel Steering Committee. The new policy endeavours to facilitate and bring about optimal development and utilisation of indigenous biomass feed stocks for production of bio-fuels. The salient features of the new policy include bio-diesel production will be taken up from non-edible oil seeds in waste/degraded /marginal lands; an indicative target of 20 per cent blending of bio-fuels, both for bio-diesel and bio-ethanol, by 2017 has been proposed; minimum support price (MSP) for non-edible oil seeds would be announced with periodic revision to provide fair price to the growers; minimum purchase price (MPP) for purchase of bio-ethanol and bio-diesel would be announced with periodic revision; major thrust will be given to research, development and demonstration with focus on plantations, processing and production of bio-fuels, including second generation bio-fuels and financial incentives, including subsidies and grants. If it becomes necessary, a National Bio-fuel Fund could be considered. A National Bio-fuel Coordination Committee, headed by the Prime Minister, will be set up to provide policy guidance and coordination. A Bio-fuel Steering Committee, chaired by Cabinet Secretary, will be set up to oversee implementation of the policy. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has been designated as the co-ordinating Ministry for bio-fuel development and utilisation while specific roles have been assigned to other ministries concerned.
An Indo-U.S. MoU has been signed on bio-fuels with focus on joint R&D, particularly on second generation bio-fuels such as, cellulosic ethanol and algal biodiesel.
An Indo-U.S. MoU has been signed on bio-fuels with focus on joint R&D, particularly on second generation bio-fuels such as, cellulosic ethanol and algal biodiesel.
Monday, April 11, 2011
What Is the GRE Test?
GRE stands for Graduate Record Exam. GRE Test is a competitive entrance exam designed and conducted by ETS. The ETS is run by well qualified professionals and it is responsible for administering a number of standardized entrance tests across US.
The GRE Test is your gateway to graduate programs and an essential early step along your career path.
Graduate programs and business schools use GRE® scores to evaluate your readiness for graduate-level work. The GRE Test measures verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking and analytical writing skills that are not related to any specific field of study.
- Analytical Writing — Measures critical thinking and analytical writing skills, specifically the test taker's ability to articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively. There are two writting tasks: a 45-minute Issue task and a 30-minute Argument task
- Verbal Reasoning — Measures reading comprehension skills and verbal and analogical reasoning skills, focusing on the test taker's ability to analyze and evaluate written material. This part includes 4 types of questions: Antonyms, Analogies, Sentence Completions and Reading Comprehension
- Quantitative Reasoning — Measures problem-solving ability, focusing on basic concepts of arithmetic, algebra, geometry and data analysis. This part includes 3 types of questions: Quantitative Comparison,Problem Solving, and Data Interpretation
Who Takes the GRE Test and Why?
Each year, more than 600,000 prospective graduate school applicants from approximately 230 countries take the GRE General Test. Applicants come from varying educational backgrounds and countries, and the GRE General Test provides the only common measure for comparing their qualifications.GRE scores are used by admissions or fellowship panels to supplement undergraduate records, recommendation letters and other qualifications for graduate study.
Where Do People Take the GRE Test?
The GRE General Test is offered year-round at computer-based test centers in the United States, Canada and many other countries. It is offered at paper-based test centers in areas of the world where computer-based testing is not available. See which format is available in your area.Who Accepts the GRE Test?
The GRE General Test is accepted at more than 3,200 graduate and business schools as well as departments and divisions within these schools.Business Schools now accept GRE General Test
As more and more business schools look to diversify the candidate pool for their MBA and graduate management programs, they're turning to the GRE® General Test, the most widely accepted graduate admissions test you can take.It's accepted by a fast-growing number of business schools, including some of the top ranked in the world, such as Harvard University, Stanford University and MIT.
See the list of business schools that accept GRE General Test scores for admission to their MBA programs.
Below List also
- GRE Test Content and Structure
- Computer-based Test
- Strategy and Tips
- Analogies
- Antonyms
- Sentence Completions
- Reading Comprehension
- Quantitative Comparison
- Problem Solving
- Data Interpretation
- "Issue" Task
- "Argument" Task
Sunday, April 10, 2011
State political parties (State wise list)
| State | Party name | Election symbol | Abbr. | Political Alliance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | Praja Rajyam Party | Full Sun with rays | UPA | |
| Telangana Rashtra Samithi | Car | NDA | ||
| Telugu Desam | Bicycle | TF | ||
| Arunachal Pradesh | All India Trinamool Congress | Flowers & Grass | UPA | |
| Peoples Party of Arunachal | Maize | |||
| Assam | All India United Democratic Front | Lock & Key | ||
| Asom Gana Parishad | Elephant | NDA | ||
| Bodoland People's Front | Nangol | UPA | ||
| Bihar | Janata Dal (United) | Arrow | NDA | |
| Lok Jan Shakti Party | Bungalow | UPA | ||
| Rashtriya Janata Dal | Hurricane Lamp | FF | ||
| Goa | Maharashtrawadi Gomantak | Lion | UPA | |
| Save Goa Front | Aeroplane | UPA | ||
| Haryana | Haryana Janhit Congress (BL) | Paniharin | UPA | |
| Indian National Lok Dal | Spectacles | NDA | ||
| Jammu & Kashmir | Jammu & Kashmir National Conference | Plough | UPA | |
| Jammu & Kashmir National Panthers Party | Bicycle | |||
| Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party | Ink Pot & Pen | |||
| Jharkhand | AJSU Party | Banana | ||
| Jharkhand Mukti Morcha | Bow & Arrow | |||
| Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) | Comb | NDA | ||
| Rashtriya Janata Dal | Hurricane Lamp | FF | ||
| Karnataka | Janata Dal (Secular) | A Lady Farmer carrying Paddy on her head | TF | |
| Kerala | Janata Dal (Secular) | A Lady Farmer carrying Paddy on her head | LDF,TF | |
| Kerala Congress | Bicycle | |||
| Kerala Congress (M) | Two Leaves | UDF,UPA | ||
| Muslim League Kerala State Committee | Ladder | UDF,UPA | ||
| Maharashtra | Maharashtra Navnirman Sena | Railway Engine | ||
| Shiv Sena | Bow and Arrow | NDA | ||
| Manipur | Manipur People’s Party | Bicycle | ||
| National People’s Party | Book | |||
| Rashtriya Janata Dal | Hurricane Lamp | FF | ||
| Meghalaya | United Democratic Party | Drum | ||
| Mizoram | Mizo National Front | Star | NDA | |
| Mizoram People’s Conference | Electric Bulb | |||
| Zoram Nationalist Party | Sun (without rays) | |||
| Nagaland | Nagaland Peoples Front | Cock | NDA | |
| Orissa | Biju Janata Dal | Conch | TF | |
| Puducherry | All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | Two Leaves | TF | |
| Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | Rising Sun | UPA | ||
| Punjab | Shiromani Akali Dal | Scales | NDA | |
| Sikkim | Sikkim Democratic Front | Umbrella | UPA | |
| Tamil Nadu | All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | Two leaves | TF | |
| Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | Rising Sun | UPA | ||
| Pattali Makkal Katchi | Mango | TF | ||
| Uttar Pradesh | Rashtriya Lok Dal | Hand Pump | NDA | |
| Samajwadi Party | Bicycle | FF | ||
| Uttarakhand | Uttarakhand Kranti Dal | Chair | NDA | |
| West Bengal | All India Forward Bloc | Lion | TF | |
| All India Trinamool Congress | Flowers & Grass | UPA | ||
| Revolutionary Socialist Party | pade & Stoker | TF |
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