c
 

Ý? Busss
 c
  

 The Takeover Regulations Advisory Committee
under the chairmanship of C. Achuthan, in its 139-page report to the Securities and
Exchange Board of India (SEBI), has proposed sweeping changes on critical issues,
including the open offer trigger, offer size, indirect acquisitions, exemptions from
open offer obligations, calculating the offer price and competing offers. This comes
nearly 16 years after the guidelines were formally notified for the first time and after
23 amendments to the last major review in 1997. The takeover panel, formed by SEBI
in September 2009, has recommended an increase in the open offer trigger from 15
per cent to 25 per cent.
Ý? ’  W
 
S 

 In a historic vote on 28th July 2010, the United
Nations General Assembly has approved a resolution regarding water. ³Clean water
and sanitation are fundamental human rights´ Supported by 33 countries, it was
Bolivia that finally presented the UN General Assembly with a specific proposal for
the resolution. 122 of the 163 UN member states present voted for its approval. The
remaining 41 countries - almost exclusively from the industrialized north - abstained
from the vote.
Ý? x sf f F
x


In order to make Targeted Public Distribution
System (TPDS) work more efficiently, Government has approved implementation of
a pilot scheme on Smart Card based delivery of essential commodities under TPDS in
Union Territory of Chandigarh and State of Haryana. Under it, eligible Below Poverty
Line (BPL) families would be issued Smart Card in place of existing ration cards.
They will have bio-metric features of the family members, based on which
verification of genuineness of BPL families will take place and only thereafter the
essential commodities would be issued to them from the Fair Prices Shops.
Ý? c c
  P 
Sch The new National Permit System has been
implemented in all the States/UTs except in Jammu & Kashmir due to prevailing
situation in that State. Under the new National Permit Scheme, National Permit can be
obtained for goods carriages for operation throughout the country on payment of
Rs.15000/- per annum per truck towards consolidated fee. The new National Permit
System has been made effective by way of amending the Central Motor Vehicle
Rules, 1989. The Central Motor Vehicle Rules are uniformly applicable throughout
the country.
Ý? c
  W s
 
s A
 s, 2010 The National Wasteland Atlas 2010 was released
by the Union Minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Dr. C.P. Joshi at
Krishi Bhawan. The Atlas, based on the nation-wide wastelands mapping by a
National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) gives an account of the categories of
wastelands which are currently lying unutilized and have the potential to be made
arable partially or completely. The Atlas has been developed by the Department of
Land resources under the Ministry of Rural Development in collaboration with
National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Hyderabad.
Ý? W 
s  s
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  I
 The first
commercial landing of the Airbus A380±the largest aircraft of the world±took place at
the newly inaugurated Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport
Ý? S

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Su  ’u

The Supreme Court has held that the rights of religious or linguistic aided minority
institutions in the administration of the institutions were absolute and, the State could
not compel them to implement its reservation policy. A Bench of Justices B.S.
Chauhan and Swatanter Kumar said: ³Minority institutions have some kind of
 autonomy in their administration. This would entail the right to administer effectively
and to manage and conduct the affairs of the institution.´
Ý? · 
 R  Musu
 b s
u The Indian Railways are all set to establish a
Heritage Rail Museum in the historic loco shed here, which is lying redundant ever
since diesel engines replaced steam locomotives.
Ý? B  f
b  s S· s  f s
cs 
 In a boost to women's
empowerment, the Maharashtra government will now give preference to tribal and
rural women's self help groups (SHGs) in handing over forest conservation projects.
They will also be given preference in opening micro and small industries based on
local forest produce. According to a Special Action Programme formed for the
coming five years (2010-11 to 2014-15), the government will build the capacity of
25,000 SHGs in 12,500 villages. The purpose is to increase the SHGs' participation
substantially in expanding the State's forest reserves at a faster rate.
Ý? M   c

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c hs DcA

b s f b
s  I
 : Under a
major scientific project to build a comprehensive DNA database of birds in the
country. With India being home to 1,225 species of birds and 12 per cent of the total
world species, the cataloguing of the extremely diverse avian fauna would not only
help in their conservation, but also clarify the subspecies level classification of many
categories of birds. So far, scientists have done the DNA bar-code for 285 species and
analysed more than 1,000 specimens. Besides helping in taking steps to conserve and
protect the endangered species, the database would also prevent arbitrary changing of
the names of birds.
Ý? P  s B 
 s c0. 1 bscu
s ’.: Last year, the Vijay and Sharad
Chauhan-controlled Parle Products, which makes the ubiquitous 'Parle-G' glucose
biscuits, had attained volume leadership in the market. Now, with a total turnover of
around Rs 4,000 crore coming from biscuits, Parle Products has emerged as the clear
market leader, with a difference of almost Rs 1,000 crore. Britannia Industries
reported a turnover of Rs 3,400 crore for the financial year 2009-10, with biscuits
contributing around Rs 3,000 crore.
Ý? h
’ b
c s M
 f J u : The Rajasthan Government has announced
the creation of a Dedicated Metro Fund for the implementation of the proposed Metro
Rail Project in the State capital. The work on the project, which is estimated to cost
Rs.1,250 crore in the first phase of 9.25 km in the Mansarovar-Chandpole stretch, is
to start from next month. The initial phase will have the support of the Delhi Metro
Rail Corporation (DMRC) in the civic work and lying of the tracks. The first phase is
expected to be completed by 2013. The proposed second phase of the project,
between Ambawadi and Durgapura at a length of 23 km, will be constructed.
Ý? P  b
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9b M
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u
    s
hu s: The
government has constituted a 9-member group of ministers (GoM) headed by finance
minister Pranab Mukherjee to study whether a standalone law or amendment to IPC is
required to counter the menace of honour killings dictated by khap panchayats. Other
members of the GoM are home minister P Chidambaram, law minister M Veerappa
Moily,HRD minister Kapil Sibal, minister of youth affairs and sports M S Gill,
parliamentary affairs minister Pawan Bansal, social justice minister Mukul Wasnik,
women and child development minister Krishna Tirath and minister of state for
textiles Panabaka Lakshmi.
Ý? Icus f c s
s  ’
 OB’ s

c 
: Based on the recommendation of
the National Commission for Backward Classes, the Union Cabinet approved the
inclusion/amendment of the names of castes and communities in the Central Lists of
Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in respect of Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal
 Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Rajasthan and the Union Territory of Daman & Diu.
Following this, the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry will notify for the first
time the Central list of OBCs in respect of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, and make
amendments in the lists for the others. Ds hs
c

  f M s

h
 s The Planning Commission has been mandated ³to design a holistic
development programme´ for Maoist-affected areas ³in consultation with States and
other stakeholders,´ Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Mr. Singh said the Planning
Commission, which was working on an integrated programme of development for
selected backward districts ³to help strengthen the developmental element in the fight
against extremism,´ would take on board the suggestions made by the Chief Ministers
on how tackle the challenges posed by LWE.

I
 
 

Ý? I
 Bcs Mb f F c  Ac

s F c India has become a
member of elite global body Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a standard setting
body to combat money laundering and terror financing. Membership of FATF has
been granted to India in its Plenary held in Amsterdam, Netherlands from 23rd to 25th
June, 2010. It will help India to build the capacity to fight terrorism and trace terrorist
money and to successfully investigate and prosecute money laundering and terrorist
financing offences. India will benefit in securing a more transparent and stable
financial system by ensuring that financial institutions are not vulnerable to
infiltration or abuse by organised crime groups. Presently, 34 countries and two
regional organisations, namely, European Commission and Gulf Cooperation Council
are the members of FATF.
Ý? b  cu
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s
  c 

  Afh s
 An international
conference on Afghanistan was held on July 20, 2010 in Kabul, Afghanistan. The
international community expressed its support for Karzai¶s objective that the Afghan
national security forces should lead and conduct military operations in all the
provinces by the end of 2014. On the issue of security, the meeting recognised that
civilian casualty and protection of civilians are of great concern and noted that most
civilian casualties are caused by insurgent attacks.
Ý? P s
, ’h  s  c
s Pakistan and China reiterated their resolve to further
strengthen strategic relationship between the two countries, increase the level of
economic cooperation and take concrete measures to further bring their people closer,
during the visit of Pakistan¶s President Asif Ali Zardari to China. The two countries
pledged to make joint efforts to fight terrorism, and signed six deals of cooperation in
the areas of agriculture, healthcare, justice, media, economy and technology.
Ý? I
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B  S
 L  A 
s The Government of India and the
World Bank signed two loan agreements, one for the Integrated Coastal Zone
Management (ICZM) Project and another for capacity Building for Industrial
Pollution Management (CBIPMP), which aims to remediate ten highly polluted sites
in the country. The ICZM loan will provide assistance to implement the Integrated
Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) project with overall cost of Rs.1155.63crore, in
 which, the World Bank will contribute an amount of Rs.897crore (77.7%),
Government of India Rs.177.49crore (15.5%) and the States Rs.80.02crores (6.9%).
The CBIPMP project will aim to remediate ten highly polluted sites, two in Andhra
Pradesh and eight in West Bengal on a pilot basis, develop a National Plan for
rehabilitation of polluted sites and build human and technical capacity in selected
Pollution Control Boards for undertaking environmentally sound remediation of
polluted sites.
Ý? I
 S S ’u
   s ’
 I

 India and the United
States signed the India-US Counter Terrorism Initiative, the text of which was
initiated on the sidelines of the visit of the Prime Minister of India to the US in
November, 2009. The initiative, inter alia, provides for strengthening capabilities to
effectively combat terrorism; promotion of exchanges regarding modernization of
techniques; sharing of best practices on issues of mutual interest; development of
investigative skills; promotion of cooperation between forensic science laboratories;
establishment of procedures to provide mutual investigative assistance; enhancing
capabilities to act against money laundering, counterfeit currency and financing of
terrorism; exchanging best practices on mass transit and rail security; increasing
exchanges between Coast Guards and Navy on maritime security; exchanging
experience and expertise on port and border security; enhancing liaison and training
between specialist Counter Terrorism Units including National Security Guard with
their US counter parts.
Ý? I
 
J   S M 
u f 
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  IFRS India and Japan
have signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on IFRS. It was signed
in Japan between the Core Group on IFRS constituted by the Ministry of Corporate
Affairs and the IFRS Council, Japan. An India-Japan Forum 2010 has also been
formally inaugurated. With India already treading a path to convergence with IFRS in
a phased manner; and Japan also having started the thought process for mandatory
application of IFRS; which is to be determined around 2012 (in case of Japan), the
coming together of two leading Asian economies for taking leadership role in the
region assumes a great significance. It dwells on exchange of views on legal and
regulatory issues at either end while moving to IFRS regime and in process address
capacity building issues through knowledge and information sharing.
Ý? x s f c Scu 
 ’uc India has proposed expansion of the
membership of the UN Security Council from fifteen to twenty-five by adding six
permanent and four non-permanent members. A proposal in this regard was tabled by
India along with Brazil, Germany, and Japan (together known as G-4) in the UN
General Assembly in July 2005. The G-4 proposal has been supported by many UN
member states in discussions and inter-governmental negotiations in the UN General
Assembly and in other fora. The President of France and the Prime Minister of the
United Kingdom, in a Joint Summit Declaration issued on 27 March 2008, declared
the support of their two countries for the candidacies of India, Brazil, Japan and
Germany for permanent membership, as well as for permanent representation for
Africa on the Security Council. This support has been reiterated on several occasions
in multilateral as well as bilateral meetings.
Ý? I
  J
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Healthcare A 45 million Pound
partnership between Department of Bio-Technology, Government of India and
Wellcome Trust, UK has been announced to support the development of innovative
healthcare products at affordable costs. Two other new India-UK joint research
projects ± ³Bridging the rural/urban divide´ to provide technological solutions to
improve the quality of life of rural inhabitants in both countries and multi disciplinary
 research partnerships to develop the next generation of environmentally friendly fuel
cell technologies were also discussed. The Deptt. of Science & Technology and the
Research Council UK have also agreed to invest three million pounds each, towards
Fuel Cell research. The proposed initiative will address systems research programmes
in fuel cell technologies including energy support through joint India-UK academic
programmes.
Ý? IAF
 
uc
2   A cs India will go in for two more Awacs (airborne
warning and control systems), the ³formidable eyes in the sky´, after the last of the
three Israeli Phalcons already ordered is inducted in December. IAF is also on course
to induct a wide array of radars, from 19 LLTRs (Low-Level Transportable Radars)
and four MPRs (medium-power radars) to four Aerostat and 30 indigenous medium-
range Rohini systems, towards making Indian airspace as impregnable as possible. All
this is in tune with the crucial plan underway to set up five nodes of IACCS
(integrated air command and control system) across the country , with the first one
coming up in the western sector facing Pakistan, to plug existing gaps in the country¶s
air defence coverage.
Ý? I



f 
s
 Afh s

h uh W  h India's long-
standing demand for allowing Afghanistan-bound Indian goods to transit through
Pakistan through Wagah has been rejected once again. As per the contours of the
understanding reached between Afghanistan and Pakistan evening for transit trade,
Afghanistan can export into India via Wagah but cannot import through the same
route.
Ý? c ’s

u

  c : After failing to deliver a Constitution by the
earlier stipulated date of May 28, 2010, Nepal's Constituent Assembly has pledged to
finish the job by mid April 2011. This is the eleventh amendment to the Constitution-
making timetable.
Ý? OS’ c f c f  s
: The Organisation for Security and Cooperation
in Europe (OSCE) will send a 52-strong police force to Kyrgyzstan to help restore
order in the country's southern regions rocked by bloody ethnic clashes last month.
OSCE will also work out a package plan aimed at promoting the peace process in
Kyrgyzstan.
Ý? I
  s
 
ff c : India doesn't just have a poor quality of life, as
reflected in its poor human development index (HDI), it also has a particularly poor
'quality of death'. That's the depressing message from a new index developed by the
Economist Intelligence Unit to measure end-of-life care services in 40 countries. India
finishes at the bottom of the list, which includes 30 OECD nations and 10 developing
countries for which data was available. While finishing below the developed world
may come as no surprise, what's revealing is that even Uganda is a notch above India.
The UK was found to have the best end-of-life care followed by Australia and New
Zealand.
Ý? I
 h s 3
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. f ·IV 

: Meanwhile, the annual report (2009-10) of
health ministry¶s Aids control department states India has the third largest number of
people living with HIV/AIDS-22.7 lakh, as per the provisional HIV estimates of
2008-09.
Ý? c Ss s  $7b S
 : Nokia Siemens Networks has won an
eight-year contract worth more than $7 billion in the United States, a deal analysts
said could be the largest order ever placed in the mobile telecoms gear industry.
Under the agreement, Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) will build and operate a high-
speed wireless network for Harbinger Capital's new LightSquared venture. Analysts
 said the deal, and the acquisition of Motorola's network equipments business for $ 1.2
billion.
Ý?    s
s 2014

 f uu
f f  f cs : Afghanistan President
Hamid Karzai signalled that he would prefer a complete withdrawal of the foreign
forces from the country by 2014, in tune with a gradual takeover of security in the
provinces by Afghan forces from next year. In his opening remarks at an international
conference on Afghanistan in Kabul, he proposed that by October 2011, the Afghan
National Army should have 1,70,000 troops, and the police force should be boosted
with the induction of 1,34,000 officers. He said 36,000 former militants would be
integrated into the regular forces.
Ý? BP
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ss
s 
h $7 b
 A ch BP has said it is selling assets in
the U.S., Canada and Egypt to Apache Corp. for $7 billion to help pay the costs from
the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Some or all of the proceeds will go towards a $20 billion
fund that BP agreed to last month under pressure from the Obama administration. The
fund will help pay cleanup costs and damages from the spill.
Ý? h  I
  f s
uc
u   c
s  PM s
 100 b  s
: Three Indian
projects have been featured in Global consultancy firm KPMG's infrastructure 100
global project report. The three Indian projects are: KG-D6, Mundra and Indira
Gandhi International Airport. ³KG-D6 project not only sets new standards in
integrated gas infrastructure projects but it also launches an innovated approach to the
sale and transportation of energy, helping to accelerate India's economic growth,´
KPMG said The 4,000 MW Mundra plant, one of the nine Ultra Mega Power
Projects, uses unfashionable coal, making it the most energy efficient plants vital to
India's continuing economic development, it said.
Ý? S  cs f sh cu bs  c   : The Obama administration moved to push new
sanctions against North Korea over its nuclear weapons program, as secretary of state
Hillary Clinton and defense secretary Robert Gates showed solidarity with South
Korea during a visit to the area that separates it from the North. The penalties are
intended to further isolate the North and persuade its leaders to return to talks aimed
at getting it to abandon atomic weapons. The US is also trying to forestall future
provocative acts like the torpedoing of the Cheonan.
Ý? I
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su
: India and Pakistan will decide, by draw
of lots at the end of this month, the agencies that will select the chairman, technical
umpire and legal umpire for the Court of Arbitration that is to be set up to adjudicate
the differences on the Kishanganga project in Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier this
month, the two countries failed to reach a consensus over selecting candidates for the
court. It is expected that they will meet in New Delhi for the draw of lots to decide
who, between the United Nations Secretary-General and the World Bank President,
will appoint a chairman to head the court. The draw of lots will also decide whether
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), United States, or the Imperial
College of Engineering, U.K., will select the technical umpire, and whether the Chief
Justice of the U.S. or the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales will appoint the
legal umpire. The two sides have named two experts each to be members on the Court
of Arbitration. The court will consist of six members and a chairman. India maintains
that it can, under provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, divert the
Kishanganga waters to the Bonar Madmati Nallah, another tributary of the Jhelum,
which falls into the Wullar lake before joining the Jhelum again. Pakistan raised
objections to this, saying India's plan will obstruct the flow of the Kishanganga,
impinging on its rights. Pakistan's demanding satellite telemetry in the Indus water
system for real-time hydrology data on rivers it shares with India.
 Ý? I
 , .S. s cu
 
  s 

: India and the U.S. signed the Counter
Terrorism Initiative (CCI) to forge close and effective cooperation in counter-
terrorism, information-sharing and capacity-building. In the coming days and months,
there will be even closer information-sharing and collaborative efforts in issues
ranging from bomb blast probe and major event security to mega-city policing, cyber
and border security. The strength of our bilateral relationship continues to grow, and
the CCI will further enhance this unprecedented partnership.
Ý? x s
As Su
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 .S. 
Russ : The Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) has decided to expand the East Asia Summit (EAS) to include the
United States and Russia. India is an EAS member. The 16-nation EAS, ³a leaders-
driven forum,´ now consists of all 10 ASEAN members and six of their ³dialogue
partners´ ² Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea.

xc

Ý? xcc Ou
 201011 Dr. C. Rangarajan, Chairman, Economic Advisory

Council to the Prime Minister released the document µEconomic Outlook 2010-11¶ in
New Delhi.

·



Ý? Economy to grow at 8.5 per cent in 2010-11 and 9.0 % in 2011-12

Ý? Slow recovery in global economic and financial situation
Ý? Rising domestic Savings and Investment chief engines of growth
Ý? Current Account deficit estimated at 2.7% of GDP in 2010-11 and 2.9% of GDP in
2011-12
Ý? Capital Flows can be readily absorbed by financing needs of the high growth of the
Indian Economy.
Ý? Inflation rate projected at 6.5 % by March 2011 due to expected normal monsoon
combined with the base effect.
Ý? To sustain a growth rate of 9.0 per cent, focus is required on:
Ý? Containing inflation
Ý? Improving farm productivity
Ý? Closing the large physical infrastructure deficit, especially in the power sector.
Ý? Is

 IMF The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has entered into a Note
Purchase Agreement (NPA) with the IMF under which the RBI can be called upon to
purchase from the IMF, Notes for an amount up to the equivalent of USD 10 billion.
The Government of India (GOI) has agreed to become a participant in the IMF¶s New
Arrangement to Borrow (NAB) under which India has committed equivalent of USD
14 billion. Once the NAB comes into effect, the commitments under the NPA will be
µfolded-into¶ the NAB.
Ý? S cu
s  I



 cRI b c  India's efforts at retrieving
the black money its corrupt citizens have stashed abroad are being helped by some
countries. The information has been culled out from data received from US, Finland,
 Japan, Korea, Denmark and New Zealand on entities in these countries having made
payments to Indians. The data was received as part of the information exchange
agreement with the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development
(OECD) countries, though not all of them have been cooperating with India at
present. For instance, Switzerland and many of the tax havens have refused to share
any information.
Ý? S

s  b
, S
  u
f  A 2011 : It is now almost certain that the
goods and services tax (GST), which is to replace the existing VAT, service tax,
excise duties and central sales tax among others, will be in place from April 1 next
year. The Centre and states arrived at a broad consensus on rolling out independent
India's biggest tax reforms that will simplify how goods and services are taxed for
corporates, small enterprises and traders. Under the GST regime, there will ultimately
be a uniform tax rate of 16% -- 8% for Central GST and 8% for state GST. Currently,
the combined state and central levies go up to 30% on some items. The new unified
rate will mean that taxes on these will effectively come down, but your service tax,
now at 12%, will in effect go up to 16%.

Ý? I
  b 3  s
FDI c
 201012: The United Nations Conference
on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said India would emerge as the third largest
recipient of foreign direct investment (FDI) for the three-year period ending 2012.
India remained in the list of top ten countries in 2009 to have the highest FDIs in the
world. In 2009, the country received FDI worth $34.6 billion, while the outward FDI
was $14.9 billion, the report.
Ý? J  s c
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$750   JSW S
 : JFE, the second largest Japanese
steel maker by volume, is set to invest around $750 million in JSW Steel through a
structured deal, allowing it to hold a tad less than 15% stake in the Sajjan Jindal-
managed company.

Scc & ch

Ý? L’A xJAS Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas is yet to become operational.
Being a development project, it needed to incorporate a number of new technologies
and systems. The schedule date for initial operational clearance is December, 2010.
The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has received an order from the Indian Air
Force for supply of 20 such aircraft. The supply is planned to commence from 2011-
2012 and is likely to be completed by 2013-2014.
Ý? I
 succssfu
s
f 
India successfully test-fires interceptor missile. The
indigenously developed interceptor missile, capable of destroying any in-coming
hostile ballistic missile, was test-fired from the Integrated Test Range at Wheeler
Island off Odisha coast.
Ý? c
s


fs f 
s ·IV s

us  : A simple blood test is now helping
India identify the status of children born to HIV positive mothers as early as six
weeks after their birth, instead of 18 months. Till recently, pediatricians in India, on
detection of anti-HIV antibodies in children below 18 months, could never tell for
sure whether they were already infected or the antibodies were transferred to them
 from their mother. Therefore, doctors couldn¶t even start the lifesaving Anti-
Retroviral Treatment ² the only effective way to treat HIV ² on them. This,
according to National Aids Control Organization (NACO), led to 33,000 new infants
getting the infection every year from their HIV positive mothers. India, in March,
rolled out the highly accurate DNA PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test in the four
high prevalence states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.
Ý? S sc
s

     f squ
: Finally, it's a reality. A mosquito that
cannot carry the germs of malaria. In a major breakthrough, the entomologists at the
University of Arizona have succeeded in genetically altering mosquitoes, rendering
them completely immune to the malaria parasite, consequently, incapable of
transmitting the disease to humans.
Ý? Su sc fh
s: New jets that promise to take you on a flight beating the speed of
sound are on their way. Named after a fleet-of-foot horse in Greek mythology, the
Aerion Supersonic Business Jet (SBJ), will be able to carry a dozen flyers at speeds of
up to Mach 1.5 for more than 6,437km. It is currently undergoing proof-of-concept
aerodynamic testing of critical components in Nasa wind tunnels and under the belly
of a F-15 supersonic jet.
Ý? Ru b us  s  s bu: Regular use of a mobile phone for more than
four years almost doubles the chance of developing tinnitus - the debilitating
condition that causes constant ringing or buzzing in the ears. A study has found that
people who used their mobile phone for an average of 10 minutes a day were 70 per
cent more likely to have tinnitus. Tinnitus, which affects millions of people
worldwide, is considered a debilitating condition as sufferers may constantly hear a
rushing, roaring or high pitched tone in one or both ears most of the time.
Ý? OZ  s ss


c s c u: An Australian company said it had developed
a laser tracking system that will stop chunks of space debris colliding with spacecraft
and satellites in the Earth's orbit. Electric Optic Systems said lasers fired from ground
would locate and track debris as small as 10 centimetres across, protecting astronauts
and satellites.
Ý? S
u
s
: Thirty-five undergraduate students from seven engineering colleges, four in
Bangalore and three in Hyderabad, have done something that would have been
unthinkable even a few years ago. One of the five satellites carried by the PSLV-C15
launched on July 12 is a pico satellite, named µStudsat,' which weighs less than 1.5 kg.
A picosat is a miniaturised artificial satellite. This is the first time in India that a
picosat with an imaging camera has been designed, fabricated, and built by students,
under the guidance of scientists from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
The students were also involved in testing the adequacy of the clean room and ground
station built for fabricating Studsat, and in receiving data and commanding the
satellite. Two nano satellites (in the less-than-15-kg category) are being built by IIT
Kanpur and IIT Mumbai, and two by Chennai-based universities. All four satellites
will be launched before mid-2011. At a time when many developed countries are
finding it difficult to promote science, ISRO's novel way of attracting talent stands
out.
Ý? c,  

s hh
f
h bs f s
s: Using satellite data, scientists have
produced a first-of-its kind map that details the height of the world's forests. Although
there are other local- and regional-scale forest canopy maps, the new map is the first
that spans the entire globe based on one uniform method. The map, based on data
collected by NASA's ICESat, Terra, and Aqua satellites, should help scientists build
an inventory of how much carbon the world's forests store and how fast that carbon
cycles through ecosystems and back into the atmosphere. This new global depiction
 shows the world's tallest forests clustered in the Pacific Northwest of North America
and portions of Southeast Asia, while shorter forests are found in broad swaths across
northern Canada and Eurasia.
Ý? I
 s  A
 
s 20000  
u
 s

 b c 

: Encouraged
by the zeal witnessed at the recent world classical Tamil conference, the state
government has decided to fund an under sea expedition to excavate remains of a
2,000-year-old town, Poompuhar or Kaveripoompattinam, submerged under the sea
off the Nagapattinam coast in Tamil Nadu. Goa-based National Institute of
Oceanography's (NIO's) marine archaeology wing will be assigned the task. The
expertise of the underwater wing of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which was
involved in past explorations of the ancient sunken towns of Dwaraka and
Mamallapuram on the east and west coasts, will also be used.

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winning the third match 6-0 played at Wellington, Brussels. One match ended in
draw.
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h  Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan became the
first bowler in the history of Test cricket to take 800 wickets, when he took the final
Indian wicket of Pragyan Ojha in the first Test between India and Sri Lanka at Galle.
Ý? Ru
 
 South African umpire Rudi Koertzen has announced his retirement
from umpiring after the end of the second Test between Pakistan and Australia played
at Leeds. Rudi is 61 years old and started officiating in international cricket from
1992. His first Test and ODI was against India in 1992. Koertzen went on to umpire
in 106 Tests, and a record of 209 ODIs and 14 Twenty20 internationals.
Ý? M  Rb Maria Rebello became the first Indian woman referee to officiate in
men's football match. She took charge of Delhi's Santosh Trophy battle against
Madhya Pradesh and became the first female referee to officiate in the National
Football Championship.
Ý? I

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’h   h  2011 The Executive Board of the International
Hockey Federation (FIH) has allocated the FIH Champions Trophies for 2011. The
men's event will be played in India, while the women's is scheduled to be held in The
Netherlands. After the success of the Hero Honda FIH World Cup in March this year,
the FIH has decided to return to India in 2011. The men's FIH Champions Trophy is
scheduled for December 2011 and it will be the third time in hockey history that India
will host the FIH flagship event after Chennai in 2005 and Madras in 1996.

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 Ý? IA OPIcA· Noted academician Gita Gopinath has been named professor of
economics at the prestigious Harvard University, becoming the first Indian-origin
woman professor in the institution¶s history.
Ý? D. DAYA MAR IIT post-graduate D.Udaya Kumar's design for Rupee with
Devanagari 'Ra' and Roman Capital 'R' without stem has been chosen as Indian rupee
symbol.
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President appointed the senior-most Election Commissioner, Shri Shahabuddin
Yaqoob Quraishi as the Chief Election Commissioner in the Election Commission of
India. Shri Quraishi will assume the charge of the post of Chief Election
Commissioner with effect from the 30th July, 2010 consequent upon demitting the
Office of the Chief Election Commissioner by Shri Navin B. Chawla on attaining the
age of sixty-five years on the 29th July, 2010.
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800 Muttiah Muralitharan ended his Test career in a blaze of
glory. The off-spinning legend reached an astonishing 800 wickets while playing a
crucial role in Sri Lanka's emphatic 10-wicket victory over India. The 38-year-old
Muralitharan began his Test career against Australia in Colombo in 1992 is the
highest wicket-taker in Tests with 800 scalps in 133 matches at an average of 22.72
with an incredible 67 five-wicket hauls.
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Umpire Rudi Koertzen holds aloft a statue of himself after his
final Test before retirement during the fourth day of the second Test between
Australia.
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h $18.5    ff BP chief executive Tony Hayward will
quit in October with a payoff of up to $18.5 million despite being lambasted over the
Gulf of Mexico oil spill, British media reported risks sparking fresh controversy as the
British-based firm battles to rebuild its reputation after the worst environmental
disaster in US history.

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 World No.2 Saina Nehwal has been chosen for Rajiv
Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. Saina is the first Indian girl to reach the Olympics singles
quarterfinals and the first Indian to win the World Junior Badminton Championships.
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HDFC Bank has won the Celent Model Bank
2010.
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This year's Lokmanya Tilak Award will be given to
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. Tilak Smarak Mandir on the occasion of the 89th
death anniversary of Lokmanya Tilak. The award was established in 1983.
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 A Global crisis in AIDS and Education: Tania Boler,
David Archer

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s ffc  ss  s In an attempt to streamline its

interaction with the media, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) appointed D.R.S.
Chaudhary, Additional Secretary, as its spokesperson. Mr. Chaudhary now looks after
the Naxal Management Division in the Ministry. He is an officer of the Madhya
Pradesh cadre of the IAS. The Ministry, in an official order, said he would interact
with journalists at a specified time daily.
Ý? S c
 Os  u  f  The city of Oakland, California legalized large-
scale marijuana cultivation for medical use and will issue up to four permits for
"industrial" cultivation starting next year. The move by the San Francisco Bay Area
city aims to bring medical marijuana cultivation into the open and allow the city to
profit by taxing those who grow it. The bowler is also the foremost wicket-taker in the
ODIs, with 515 victims in 337 matches at 23.07.
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an International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) 14001:2004 Certificate for
having emerged as the country's first urban habitat with excellent environmental
management systems. A year after she assumed office, Ms. Patil initiated a project,
³Roshni Programme,´ which was aimed at making the President's Estate a plastic-free
zone and pushed for introduction of energy-efficient practices.