NEWSLINE 1st January, 2010

National News

Soren is CM of Jharkhand

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) Supremo Shibu Soren became the seventh Chief Minister of Jharkhand in nine years of the state's existence after he entered into an alliance with the Bhartiya Janta Party and the All Jharkhand Students Union. This is the third time Mr. Soren will serve as Chief Minister.

Dhanush successfully test-fired

The Navy successfully test-fired the nuclear-capable Dhanush missile from a warship off the Orissa coast. The success of the surface-to-surface missile test has come as a big relief for the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), which was smarting from the twin failures of Agni-II tests this year. The missile was test-fired from INS Subhadra anchored about 35 kms offshore from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur. It was the sixth test of the missile.

CNN-IBN Awards

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh presented the CNN-IBN Indian of the Year Award 2009 to music composer A.R. Rahman, the Lifetime Achievement Award to sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar and the Special Achievement Award to actor Kamal Hassan. For sports, Saina Nehwal was given the prize for taking Indian badminton to unprecedented heights by becoming the first Indian woman to win a Super Series Title. The Indian cricket team, which bagged the first ranking by the ICC for Tests, was also honoured. The former Captains Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and Anil Kumble, received the award from the Prime Minister. In business, Dr. Singh gave the award to the Satyam revival team for the deft handling of the crisis triggered by a scam in the IT Company. For public service, the award was given to Pratham, an NGO, working in the field of education. 

Advani steps down as Leader of Opposition

The curtain came down on LK Advani's tenure as Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha as he made way for Sushma Swaraj. The 82-year-old veteran BJP leader Advani was elected Chairman, a post that has been created for him. The party MPs then elected Sushma Swaraj as leader of the party in Lok Sabha, the first woman to hold the post in BJP. Rajnath Singh stepped down as BJP President and Maharashtra unit Chief Nitin Gadkari took charge as BJP President. 

Now, Indians can fly Tricolour at night

Indian citizens can now fly the national flag even at night, provided the flagpole is above 100 feet and the flag is well-illuminated. The Home Ministry took the decision following a proposal by industrialist and Congress MP Naveen Jindal, who had earlier won a court battle to make flying the Tricolour a fundamental right for every citizen. 

The first e-courtroom in the Country

With gavel-hammering judges moving over to touchscreen handbooks, Delhi High Court created history by showcasing the first e-courtroom in the Country. The Court of Justice S Ravindra Bhat looked unlike any other courtroom, with a sleek, wide LCD screen on the wall and a touchscreen handbook replacing the bulky files as the High Court launched its first eco-friendly initiative to go paperless and also bring about speedy justice.

Disabled kids to come under RTE ambit

Children with physical, learning and speech disabilities would now be put under the disadvantaged category in the Right to Education Act. The Cabinet will soon take up HRD ministry's cabinet note seeking amendment in RTE Act. The Amendment Bill will be introduced only in the budget session of Parliament.

In Gujarat voting made manadatory

Gujarat assembly has passed a bill making voting to municipal corporations, municipalities, and district, taluka and village panchayats compulsory.

India to retain Top Position in Milk Production

India is expected to maintain last year's record of being the World's largest milk producer with an estimated 110 million tonnes in 2008-09. The country achieved the distinction with the production of 104.8 million tonnes in 2008-09. India recorded a growth of 4% increase in production as compared to world's growth of 1.7% over the previous year.

Government eases visa norms

The Foreign Ministry announced relaxation in the new guidelines on tourist visas issued last month which had made it mandatory for foreigners holding long-term multiple-entry visas to take a two-month break between two visits. The norms were eased to facilitate bona fide tourists.

International

Miss World 2009

Miss World 2009 , the 59th Miss World pageant, was held on December 12, 2009 at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa. 112 contestants from all over the world competed for the crown, marking the biggest turnout in the pageant's history. Kaiane Aldorino of Gibraltar has won the 2009 Miss World crown at a glittering ceremony. Miss Mexico, Perla Beltran Acosta, was the first runner up followed by Miss South Africa , Tatum Keshwar.

A facecover in Copenhagen Obama-pushed accord fails to get UN stamp

The Copenhagen climate meeting, which brought together 115 world leaders to deliberate on the perils facing the world from growing emissions has ended with meaningless commitments? from no targets on how the rich will cut emissions to no real agreement on the finance needed to pay for transition in the developing world. The Copenhagen Accord, the first's global agreement of the 21 st century to comprehensively influence the flow and share of natural resources, was agreed upon by 26 most influential countries in the wee hours of December 19, 2009 in the snow-drenched capital of Denmark. The US led the pack of architects with the BASIC four? China, India, Brazil, South Africa (in that order)? working as sometimes reluctant and sometimes willing, but always key, partners in framing the agreement. Commitments under the Kyoto Protocol run out in 2012 and there is an acute need for fresh understanding on emission cuts now that the reality and seriousness of climate change has been acknowledged. Tiny Tuvalu, which fears being wiped off the map by global warming, appealed for a legally binding outcome at UN climate talks in Denmark and demanded a tough cap on temperature rises. Prime Minister Apisai lelemia said he would not sign an agreement at the end of the Dec 7-18 talks in Copenhagen that suspended a 2° Celsius cap on a global average temperature rise, saying this would doom his country.

Mukesh 5 th best CEO on World: Harvard Review

Reliance Industries (RIL) CMD Mukesh Ambani has been named fifth among the top 50 best performing CEOs in the world by Harvard Business Review (HBR). Ambani, the only Indian to figure among the top 50 CEOs, is in the same league as Steve Jobs of Apple, Yun Jong-Yong of Samsung, Alexey Miller of Gazprom and John Chambers of Cisco.

Houston first major US City to elect openly gay major

Houston became the largest US city to elect an openly gay mayor, with voters handing a solid victory to City Controller Annise Parker after a hotly contested runoff.

Ben Bernanke named Person of the Year

Federal Reserve Bank Chairman Ben Bernanke was named Person of the Year by Time magazine on December 16, 2009 giving him a high-profile boost as he tries to fend off proposals that might weaken the Fed's independence. The selection puts the mild-mannered Bernanke, a former professor, in the company of US President Barack Obama, Pope John Paul II and Russian President Vladimir Putin, among other prominent world figures, the magazine has picked in past years. Time said the runners-up for the award were General Stanley Mc Chrystal, "the Chinese worker," Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the US House of Representatives, and Jamaican sprint champion Usain Bolt. President Barack Obama, last year's winner, and Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs were also on a shortlist of finalists.

US Court bans sale of Microsoft Word

A federal appeals court ordered Microsoft to stop selling its Word programme in January 2010 and pay a Canadian Software Company $290 million for violating a patent, upholding the judgment of a lower court. But people looking to buy Word or Microsoft's Office package in the US won't have to go without the software. Microsoft said on December 22, 2009 it expects that new versions of the product, with the computer code in question removed, will be ready for sale when the injunction begins on January 11.

Sports

U-23 team wins it for India

India avenged their last edition title loss as they prevailed over Maldives 3-1 via penalty shootout in the South Asian Football Federation Cup ( SAFF) Championships summit clash to claim their fifth crown.

Roger Federer and Serena Williams named ITF World Champions

Roger Federer has been named International Tennis Federation (ITF) champion for the fifth time with Serena Williams taking the women's award for second time. They will receive their awards at the annual ITF World Champions dinner on June 1, 2010 in Paris, during the French Open.

FIFA Awards

Lionel Messi claimed the World Player-of-the-Year Award on December 21, 2009 in Zurich to nearly complete his collection of football's greatest honours. Messi tacked on the prestigious award to his growing list of accolades at a FIFA gala ceremony, easily out distancing the last two winners? Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka -- along with his Barcelona teammates Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta in voting among national team captains and coaches . Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), John Terry ( Chelsea ), Nemanja Vidic ( Manchester United ), Patrice Evra (United), Daniel Alves (Barcelona), Xavi (Barcelona), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Steven Gerrard ( Liverpool ), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Fernando Torres (Liverpool). Ronaldo won the FIFA Puskas award for the best goal of the 2008/09 season - his Manchester United goal against Porto in the Champions League in April. Brazilian player Marta won the FIFA women's player of the year award for the fourth year in a row.

India beat Sri Lanka a 3-1 to win ODI Series

India defeated Sri Lanka 3-1 in the 5 match series played in India with the last ODI at Delhi's Ferozeshah Kotla ground called off due to unfavourable pitch conditions. The series saw some close contests as batsmen from both sides making merry at the expense of bowlers and games turning into run feasts.

Barcelona's win Club Cup to end season with a Dozen Titles

Barcelona made history by becoming the first ever team to win six trophies in a calendar year. Coach Josep Guardiola's talented team have won six trophies in 2009: the Spanish King's Cup, the Spanish League, the Champions League, the Spanish Supercup, the European Supercup? and now, for the first time in the club's history, the world crown as well. Earlier Barcelona had defeated Argentine side Estudiantes in the final of Club World Cup played at Abu Dhabi.

Tiger Woods Voted top Athlete of decade by US Editors

Tiger Woods, was selected as Athlete of the Decade by US sports editors, a result that reflects 10 years of greatness on the golf course. Lance Armstrong, a cancer survivor who won the Tour de France six times this decade, finished second. He was followed by Swiss Tennis great Roger Federer, who won more Grand Slam singles titles than any other man. Record setting Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps came in fourth, followed by New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt.

News and Views

• India has breached a previously unthinkable landmark? half a billion wireless connections? making it the second largest group of mobile phone users after China.
• Indian striker Sunil Chhetri received two awards at the Football Players Association Awards on December 13, 2009. Chhetri was conferred with the best Indian Player Award and was also bestowed with the Fans Choice Players Award.
• Bihar Governor Devanand Konwar took additional charge as Governor of West Bengal on December 14, 2009, as the 5-year term of the former Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi came to end on December 13, 2009.
• The monthly pension scheme for economically deprived widows, under which they were paid a pension of Rs. 1000 has now been extended to cover the divorced, separated, abandoned, deserted and destitute women in Delhi.
• Renowned Hindi poet Kailash Vajpei was honoured with the Sahitya Akademi award for his work, Hawa Mein Hastakshar (signature in the wind). Vajpeyi has published 28 books so far, including 14 volumes of poetry. The other poets honoured with Sahitya Akademi award are: Praduman Singh Jindrahia (Dogri), Jess Fernandes (Konkani), Raghu Leishangthem (Manipuri), Vasant Abaji Dahake (Marathi), Phani Mohanty (Oriya), Damayanti Beshra (Santhali) and Puviarasu (Tamil). Those who won awards for collections of short stories include Vaidehi (Kannada), late Manmohan Jha (Maithili), Samiran Chhetri 'Priyadarshi' (Nepali), Major Ratan Jangid (Rajasthani), Prashasya Mitra Shastri (Sanskrit) and Anand Khemani (Sindhi). Well-known novelists Dhrubajyoti Bora (Assamese), late Manoranjan Lahary (Bodo), U A Khadar (Malayalam) and Yarlagadda Laxmi Prasad (Telugu) were also honoured with the 2009 awards.
• Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner was launched on 14 th December, 2009 at Paine Field, Washington after a delay of over two years. The 330-seat jet will consume 20% less fuel than today's similarly sized airplanes and will be more efficient, quieter and have lower emissions. About 50% of its primary structure is made of composite materials such as carbon fibre-reinforced resin.
• Chhatisgarh Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan will hold the additional charge as Governor of Andhra Pradesh after its incumbent Governor Narayan Dutt Tiwari resigned.

Science and Technology

New Earth like Planet

Astronomers have discovered a new Earth-like planet that is larger than our own and may be more than half covered with water, according to a study published in the science journal Nature. The so-called "super earth" is about 42 light years away in another solar system and has a radius nearly 2.7 times larger than Earth, according to the study by the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics. They also said that the planet is too hot to sustain life. It orbits every 38 hours around a small star that was first spotted by eight ground-based telescopes no larger than those used by amateur astronomers.