India tests Agni-IV n-missile - "19/09/2012"

19 September 2012 Current Affairs

India tests Agni-IV n-missile

India successfully tested its nuclear-capable surface-to-surface Agni-IV missile from a military base in Odisha on 19th September 2012.The new generation missile, which has the capability to hit targets at about 4,000 km.

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India-Burundi Joint Statement

President of the Republic of Burundi visited India from 17 to 19 September 2012. During this visit, India and Burundi signed three agreements-(i) Exchange Programme for Cooperation in the field of Education, (ii) Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the field of Rural Development and (iii) Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the field of Health and Medicine. Besides, India also announced a Line of Credit of 42.38 million US dollars for Farm Mechanisation and Integrated Food Processing Complex in Burundi.

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Saina signs up 40-crore deal with Rhiti Sports

The London Olympics bronze-medallist in badminton Saina Nehwal has signed up a 40-crore deal with Rhiti Sports Management company, making her the country’s highest paid sportsperson outside cricket.

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Lifter Chandrika first Indian to win medal in Youth Worlds

Chandrika Tarafdar on 19th September 2012 became the first Indian to win a medal in Youth World Weightlifting Championships after she bagged two bronze in the girls’ 44kg category on the opening day at Kosice, Slovakia.Tarafdar won a bronze each in clean and jerk and total lift. She lifted 55kg in snatch, 74kg in clean and jerk for a total effort of 129kg.

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Andhra Pradesh Government decided to set up 15 Marine Police Stations

In a bid to beef up security along the 974-km long coastline of Andhra Pradesh, the state government has decided to set up 15 marine police stations, in addition to the existing six ones and also appoint special police officers in coastal villages.

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Aung San Suu Kyi Receives US Congressional Gold Medal

Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has received the Congressional Gold Medal – the highest honor Congress can bestow, at a ceremony in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on 19th September 2012. Members of the U.S. Congress from both chambers and both major political parties gathered to pay tribute to Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was first awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2008, while she was under 15 years of house arrest in Burma.

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Russia to mine super hard diamonds - "18/09/2012"

18 September 2012 Current Affairs

Russia to mine super hard diamonds

Russia has declassified a huge deposit of unique super hard diamonds that dwarf the global reserves of the precious stone and can meet the worldwide demand for another 3,000 years.The deposit, located in an asteroid crater 120 km in diameter, has been kept under wraps for nearly 40 decades as the Soviet Union mined enough diamonds elsewhere and also produced synthetic diamonds.

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Space Triathlon Completed By Sunita Williams

Williams became the first person in history to complete a triathlon in space.Williams, who is currently aboard the International Space Station finished her half mile swim, 18 mile bike ride, and four mile run in one hour, 48 minutes, and 33 seconds.

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Pakistani Government Relents in Judicial Standoff Over Zardari Corruption Case

Pakistan’s government relented on 18th September 2012 to judicial demands that it agree to write a letter to the authorities in Switzerland regarding corruption charges against President Asif Ali Zardari.

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Salman Rushdie released his Book Joseph Anton

Joseph Anton the 633 page book depicts a memoir of Salman Rushdie during his 10 years long run to protect himself from the Fatwa issued by his name was released on 18 September 2012.

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India, Egypt MOU for poll management cooperation

India and Egypt signed an MoU for cooperation in the field of electoral management and administration on 18th September 2012.

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Haryana government institute awards for women

Haryana government has instituted four state-level awards to felicitate women who have done outstanding work in different fields. These are 1.Indira Gandhi Mahila Shakti Award(given to those engaged in promoting self help groups or women empowerment initiatives, established their own business or industry and have contributed to development of women besides entrepreneurship and done exemplary work in public service.) 2.Kalpna Chawla Shaurya Award(who perform acts of bravery and meritorious services) 3.Bahin Shano Devi Panchayti Raj Award(exemplary work in promoting female literacy, health and nutrition, universalisation of education, sanitation, water, hygiene and other health determinants) and 4.Life time Achievers Award( given to woman of 60 years of age or above, who has excelled in administrative skills, career or profession, leadership quality, courage and creative work) and Women Outstanding Achievers Award(women who have done commendable work in their respective fields)

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Women and Child Development Ministry launched a Web Portal named Track Child

The Union Women and Child Development Ministry on 18 September 2012 decided to launch a web portal named Track Child, which will serve as a central database of all those children who have gone missing in different parts of the country. The portal will act as a coordination mechanism between child homes, police departments and state governments.

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U.S.-Russian space crew lands safely in Kazakhstan- "17/09/2012"

17 September 2012 Current Affairs

U.S.-Russian space crew lands safely in Kazakhstan

A Russian Soyuz capsule landed on the Kazakh steppe on 17th September 2012, delivering a trio of astronauts from a four-month stint on the International Space Station.

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CRR cut to inject Rs.17,000 crore

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), on 17th September 2012, retained the indicative policy rates at the current level while cutting the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) by 25 basis points to 4.50 per cent, injecting a liquidity of around Rs.17,000 crore into the banking system.

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GSAT-10 launch delayed as Ariane 5 develops ‘small snag’

The launch of communications satellite GSAT-10 will be delayed by at least seven days, to September 29 from September 22, owing to a “small snag” in the Ariane 5 vehicle at the European launch pad in French Guiana.

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Apollo Hospitals bags 4 awards

The Apollo Hospitals Group has bagged the Asian Hospital Management Awards ( AHMA) 2012 in four categories.It received awards for customer service, corporate social responsibility, cost reduction and patient safety. AHMA 2012 garnered 363 entries representing 89 hospitals from 12 countries.

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Sunita Williams takes over command at International Space Station

Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams has taken over command of the International Space Station (ISS), yet another feather in her cap as she already holds three records for female space travellers including a new record for total cumulative spacewalk time by a female astronaut.

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Armadillo is 2014 WC mascot

The mascot of the 2014 World Cup is a yet to-be-named endangered armadillo. FIFA said Brazilians will have until mid-November to choose the name from three choices — Amijubi, Fuleco and Zuzeco.

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Antony opens army hospital in Male -"16/09/2012"

16 September 2012 Current Affairs

Antony opens army hospital in Male

Defence Minister A.K. Antony, on a three-day visit to the Maldives, on 16th September 2012 opened ‘SENAHIYA,’ a Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) hospital, established in Male with Indian assistance.Maldives Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim thanked India for its assistance to his country in all areas of development and said the enduring friendship between the two countries would improve and expand, irrespective of political changes.

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BCCI joint secretary Anurag Thakur becomes member of Asian Cricket Council

BCCI joint secretary and Hamirpur BJP MP, Anurag Thakur has been inducted as member of executive board of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).BCCI chief N Srinivasan is also the president of ACC.

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Pakistan test-fires nuclear-capable Babur missile with 700 km range

Pakistan had successfully test fired an indigenously developed multi-tube Cruise Missile that can carry both nuclear and conventional warheads over a range of 700 km on 16th September 2012. According to the Inter Services Public Relations, the Babur (Haft-VII) Cruise Missile can strike targets on land and at sea with “pin point accuracy’’.

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Tamil Nadu government announces support package to TNEB

As part of its measures to bail out the debt-ridden state electricity board, Tamil Nadu Government 16th September 2012 announced a package, including absorbing 50 per cent of its short and medium term loans to the tune of Rs 9,529 crore and sanctioning Rs 1,000 crore as advance subsidy.The government also decided to extend guarantee for Rs 5,000 crore each to be availed as loan by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) from Power Finance Corporation and Rural Electrification Corporation.

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Indian Women’s football defeated Nepal And Clinch 2012 SAFF Women’s Championship

Defending champions India have won the SAFF(South Asian Football Federation) Women’s Championship 2012 defeating Nepal in the finals played on 16th September 2012.

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Three athletes suspended for two years by the National Anti-Doping Disciplinary panel

Three athletes including discus thrower Kripal Singh were on 16th September 2012 suspended for two years by the National Anti-Doping Disciplinary panel (NADDP) for doping offences reported during competitions.Kripal Singh, who won the title at the Federation Cup athletics championships at Patiala last April, had tested positive for steroid stanozolol. The other two athletes suspended were high hurdler Arvinda Rathwa, who had won the title at the last all-India Police championships in March this year, and shot putter Deepak Choudhary, who finished third in the Federation Cup junior championships at Pune in May last.

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Virat Kohli named ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year-"15/09/2012"

15 September 2012 Current Affairs

Virat Kohli named ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year

India’s Virat Kohli was on15 September 2012 rewarded with ‘ODI Cricketer of the Year’.at the ICC annual awards function in Colombo.

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Former RSS chief K Sudarshan passes away

Kuppalli Sitaramayya Sudarshan , who attended his first RSS shakha (class) at the age of nine, was passes away on 15 September 2012 at Raipur.

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Delhi, Mumbai among least expensive cities around world

A report released Friday by the Swiss bank UBS, covering 72 cities in 58 countries Capital Delhi and financial hub Mumbai are the least expensive cities and Tokyo is the most expensive city for food in the world.

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Courage, risks needed to reach 8.2% growth target: PM

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Speaking at a Planning Commission meeting on 15th September 2012 announced the target for GDP growth in 12th plan as 8.2%. The Prime Minister said the 12th Plan target has been brought down from 9% to 8.2%, with agricultural growth at 4%.He said that poverty declined twice as fast between 2004-05 and 2009-10 than it did in the previous 10 years.

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Hat-trick of ICC awards for Kumar Sangakkara

eteran Sri Lankan batsman Kumar Sangakkara bagged three prestigious ICC awards at the annual ICC awards ceremony, held in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 15th Sepember 2012.They are 1.Cricketer of the Year. 2. Test Cricketer of the Year. 3.People’s Choice award.

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Cabinet Allows FDI in Retail, Aviation, Broadcasting-"14/09/2012"

14 September 2012 Current Affairs

Cabinet Allows FDI in Retail, Aviation, Broadcasting

The Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh cleared the decision to operationalise 51 per cent FDI in multi-brand retail ,49% FDI in Foreign Airlines ,74%FDI in Broadcast Services and 49%FDI in Power Trading Exchanges.

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Dhoni named captain of ICC ODI team, Kohli, Gambhir in XI

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been named captain of ICC’s ‘ODI Team of the Year’ which also includes Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir.This is for the fifth consecutive year in a row that Dhoni has been selected in ICC’s ‘ODI Team of the Year’.ICC awards are announced in Colombo on 15th September 2012.

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800-year-old Chinese encyclopaedia on display in Taiwan

Taiwan (AP) – An 800-year-old Chinese encyclopaedia is on display at a book fair in Taipei. The rare publication was recently purchased by a Chinese publishing house for US$33 million (S$40.5 million) at an auction in Beijing.

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Worldwide protests against the film “Innocence of Muslims”

The attacks will be continued on 14th September 2012 also in several countries, including Egypt, Iran, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia due the release of the film Innocence of Muslims.UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has denounced as “hateful” an anti-Islam movie produced in the United States.

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Justice Altamas Kabir to be new CJI-"13/09/2012"

13 September 2012 Current Affairs

Justice Altamas Kabir to be new CJI

Justice Altamas Kabir, the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court, was appointed as the next chief justice of India (CJI) on 13th September 2012.Justice Kabir, 64, who will succeed the current chief justice Sarosh Homi Kapadia, will assume his new charge on September 29 as the country’s 39th CJI.

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K N Tilak Kumar elected president of INS

K N Tilak Kumar of Deccan Herald and Prajavani was on 13th September 2012 elected president of The Indian Newspaper Society (INS) for 2012-13 at its 73rd annual general meeting held at Bangalore. He succeeds Ashish Bagga of India Today.

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Ex-CJI Ranganath Misra passes away

Former Chief Justice of India Ranganath Mishra died at a private hospital in Bhubaneshwar on 13th September 2012.Misra, served as the Chief Justice from September 25, 1990, till November 24, 1991. He was also the first chairman of the NHRC.

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Highest under-5 deaths in India

In the Child Mortality Estimates Report 2012 published by United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), India was placed at the top position in the chart of 10 countries that topped on the chart. The other countries with their names on the chart are Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, China, Pakistan, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

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Egypt Ex-PM Ahmed Nazif jailed for corruption"12/09/2012"

12 September 2012 Current Affairs

Egypt Ex-PM Ahmed Nazif jailed for corruption

A court in Cairo has sentenced Egypt’s former Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif to three years in prison for corruption.

NHRC issues notice to Maharashtra over farm suicides

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought a reply from the Maharashtra government over seven farm suicides that took place last week within a span of 72 hours in the state’s Vidarbha region.A total of 528 farmers have committed suicide in the Vidarbha region between Jan 1 and Sep 2 this year.

India, Pakistan trade bodies sign Memorandum of Understanding(MoU)

The Islamabad Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry(IWCCI)and the Punjab, Haryana and Delhi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) on 12th September 2012 signed an MoU to promote trade and investment and improve linkages between business communities of the two countries.

IWCCI Abbreviation

Islamabad Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

PHDCCI Abbreviation

Punjab, Haryana and Delhi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

U.S. ambassador to Libya killed in mob attack

The ambassador of the United States to Libya, Christopher Stevens, has been killed during an armed mob attack in Benghazi on the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.Mr. Stevens is the second U.S. ambassador to be killed during an outstation posting since the death of Adolph Dubs in 1979 during his tenure in Afghanistan.

Biggest Fire Accident in Karachi

At least 290 people have been confirmed dead in a fire that broke out in a garment factory in Karachi on 11th September 2012 night.

Armadillo to be 2014 FIFA World Cup mascot

A rare species of armadillo is set to be the official mascot for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil on 12 September 2012.In the previous FIFA World Cup the mascots were:
• FIFA 2010 World Cup in South Africa- Zakumi the green-haired leopard
• FIFA 2006 World Cup in Germany- Goleo named lion

Ban on gutka in Delhi comes into effect

A blanket ban on manufacturing, sale, storage and display of all gutka products in the national capital came into effect from 13th September 2012. States like Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Kerala, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar have already announced ban on gutka products. A similar comprehensive ban came into effect in Gujarat from 12th September 2012.

Emerging Kerala investment meet to see 51 nations taking part

51 countries with 2,500 registered delegates and around 300 VIPs comprising ambassadors, high commissioners and ministers have confirmed their participation in the “Emerging Kerala 2012″ investment meet to be held in Kochi from Sep 12-14.KSIDC is the nodal agency for the event which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.The main aim of this event is highlight investment opportunities available in Kerala and advertise to the the world its state of readiness to receive the investors.

ISRO to launch SARAL satellite on 12 Dec 2012

Indo-French satellite “SARAL” would be launched onboard PSLV-C20 from the spaceport of Sriharikota on 12 December 2012 Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman K Radhakrishnan said at the Bangalore Space Expo 2012 on 12th September 2012.

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MGNREGA work days raised to 150, crop loans cut to 7%-"11-09-2012"

11 September 2012 Current Affairs

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MGNREGA work days raised to 150, crop loans cut to 7%

Empowered Group of Ministers(EGoM) on drought headed by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar  decided to increase the number of guaranteed work days under MGNREGA to 150 days and cut interest rates on crop loans to 7 percent for one year for the farmers in drought-affected states. 

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Punjab government amends Canal and Drainage Act

The offence of “theft of canal water” can now attract both fine and 6 months imprisonment after an amendment in the law relating to canals and drainage.Punjab Irrigation Minister, Janmeja Singh Sekhon informed  that the Punjab government has amended section 70 of the Act for this.

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Indian writer Jeet Thayil on Man Booker shortlist

Indian writer Jeet Thayil’s first novel ‘Narcopolis’, described as a compelling tale of Mumbai’s hazy world of opium addiction, has made it to the six-author short list for the Man Booker Prize 2012 announced on 11th September 2012.

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India pledges $10-million for Palestine

The Prime Minister Manmohan Tuesday announced to an assistance of $10 million to Palestine’s budget for this year to help address its financial requirements.Prime Minister made this announcement after signing three bilateral pacts – the areas of information and communication technology, vocational training and education with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is at present in New Delhi for his three-day long state visit.

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Vice President Releases the Book ‘Muslims in Indian Cities’

Vice President after releasing  the book entitled “Muslims in Indian Cities” edited by Laurent Gayer and Christoph Jafferlot on 10th September 2012 at New Delhi,  Shri Ansari has said that Muslims have lived in India’s religiously plural society for over a thousand years, at times as rulers, at others as subjects and now as citizens. They are not homogenous in racial or linguistic terms and bear the impact of local cultural surroundings, in manners and customs, in varying degrees.

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Japan to buy disputed East China Sea islands

The uninhabited islands, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, have long been a source of friction. Japan and China have competing territorial claims to the islets and surrounding fishing areas and potentially rich gas deposits.The Japanese government will buy the islets for 2.05 billion yen ($26.15 million) and the owners will sign a contract soon.

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India’s GSAT–10 will launch-"10/09/2012"

10 September 2012 Current Affairs

India’s GSAT–10 will launch on September 22

India’s communication satellite GSAT-10 will be launch  from Kourou spaceport in French Guyana by European space consortium Ariane space on 22nd September 2012.

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Supreme Court issues notice to Tamil Nadu government on 69 per cent reservation

The Supreme Court 10th September 2012 issued a notice to Tamil Nadu government on a petition challenging the constitutional validity of the 69 per cent reservation by the state government in employment and educational institutions. The petition, filed by students, challenged the government’s decision to exceed the 50 per cent limit in reservation mandated by the Mandal Commission judgement.The ten student petitioners from Tamil Nadu had approached the Court after failing to secure admission to the Medical College despite having secured 198/200.

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Andy Murray first Britisher to win Grand Slam men’s singles title in 76 years

Andy Murray has overpowered Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in five gruelling sets in a classic US Open final to become the first Britisher to win a Grand Slam men’s singles title in 76 years.

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New President of Somalia is Hassan Sheikh Mohamud

Somalia’s parliament elected Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as the new leader for the African nation on 10th September 2012.

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Onno Ruhl appointed World Bank country director for India

The World Bank has appointed Onno Ruhl as the country director for India. He will replace Roberto Zagha, who retires in October. Ruhl, a Dutch national, was previously the director for operation services and quality in the South Asia region of the World Bank, the multi-lateral funding agency.

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Indian-American elected to Royal Society of Canada

Ponisseril Somasundaran, an Indian American member of the faculty of Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science, has been chosen as the sole foreign fellow of the prestigious Royal Society of Canada.

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