1. Olivia Culpo crowned Miss Universe 2012
American Olivia Culpo was crowned Miss Universe 2012 at a gala ceremony in Los Angeles, while Philippines' Janine Tugonon was adjudged the first runner-up followed by Venezuela's Irene Esser.
NOTE:- India's Shilpa Singh made it to the top 16 spot but failed to progress further.
2. Nuclear capable Prithvi-II test successful
India successfully test-fired its indigenously developed nuclear capable Prithvi-II missile with a strike range of 350 km from a test range at Chandipur near Balasore (Odisha).
The surface-to-surface missile was test fired from a mobile launcher in salvo mode from launch complex-3 of Integrated Test Range.
NOTE:- The launch of the sophisticated missile, conducted as part of operational exercise by the Strategic Force Command (SFC) of the defence services, was successful.
3. Sahitya Akademi Awards announced
Booker-nominated Jeet Thayil and Bengali novelist Subrata Mukhopadhyaya are among 24 authors selected for this year's Sahitya Akademi Awards, which was dominated by poets.
Twelve of the 24 awards went to works of poets, which include K Sachitandandan (Malayalam - Marannu Vacha Vazhikal), late Bal Krishna 'Bhaura (Dogri - Tim-Tim Karde Tare) and Makhan Lal Kanwal (Kashmiri - Yath Aangnaz Manz).
NOTE:- A Sahitya Akademi release says, 12 books of poetry, six short story collections, four novels and one each of autobiography and criticism were selected for the awards this year, two of them posthumously. The awards were given to books first published between January 2008 and December 2010. The award carries one lakh rupees, engraved copper plaque and a shawl.
4. India, ASEAN finalise FTA in services, investments
Targeting an ambitious two-way commerce of USD 200 billion by 2022, India and the 10-member ASEAN finalised a free trade agreement in services and investments, a move which would give Indian professionals access to the 800 million Southeast Asian market.
NOTE:- Strengthening ties, India and ASEAN also elevated their dialogue partnership to a strategic level.
5. Narendra Modi Re-elected as Gujarat Chief Minister; scores a hat-trick
The BJP registered its fifth consecutive victory in Gujarat, third under Modi, when it bagged 115 seats, two less than in the 2007 elections while Congress bagged two more to finish at 61.
The Nationalist Congress Party won two seats while Janata Dal-U one seat.
6. Virbhadra reclaims his throne in Himachal
Seventy-eight-year-old Virbhadra Singh is an old war horse who could not be put down by allegations of corruption nor by infighting in the Congress as he steered the party back to power in Himachal Pradesh with a spirited campaign.
The veteran may all be set to become chief minister of the state for the sixth time, setting a record.
7. Government tables mid year economic review in Parliament
The government lowered the growth projection for the current financial year to 5.7-5.9 per cent from 7.6 per cent estimated earlier.
The Mid-Year Economic Analysis tabled in Parliament also pitches for supportive monetary and fiscal policies to improve investor confidence.
NOTE:- Besides, its says that the government will also have to address the concerns relating to structural supply side bottlenecks. Earlier RBI had lowered the growth rate to 5.8 per cent for 2012-13.
8. 14 UNSC member including India slam Israel's construction plan
India was joined by all members of the 15-nation UN Security Council except the US to condemn Israel's announcement of new construction activity in Palestinian territories and demand immediate dismantling of the "illegal" settlements.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also expressed his deep concern by the heightened settlement activity in West Bank, saying the move by Israel "gravely threatens efforts to establish a viable Palestinian state."
NOTE:- India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri, in his capacity as Coordinator of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) caucus of the Security Council, told reporters in United Nations after a UNSC briefing on the situation in the Middle East that there was an attempt in the Council to bring a resolution on the issue.
9. US to reimburse USD 688 mn to Pak
The US has decided to reimburse USD 688 mn to Pakistan for the cost of supporting some 140,000 coalition troops on Af-Pak border in what appears to be a fall back to its decades-old policy of "appeasement" to seek an honorable exit from war-torn Afghanistan.
NOTE:- The Pentagon notified the Congress about its decision to reimburse USD 688 million to Pakistan, under Coalition Support Fund (CSF).
10. Britain to withdraw 3,800 troops from Afghanistan
Britain will withdraw 3,800 troops, almost half of the current force serving in Afghanistan's troubled Helmand province, by the end of 2013, Prime Minister David Cameron has announced.
NOTE:- Cameron told the Parliament that 3,800 British troops are to be withdrawn from Afghanistan next year.
11. Ireland to revamp abortion laws after Savita's death
Laws allowing limited access to abortion will be introduced in Ireland, the only EU member state that bans the procedure, following the death of 31-year-old Savita Halappanavar who was refused a termination.
NOTE:- The death last month of Halappanavar, who was denied an abortion of her dying foetus and later died of blood poisoning, shocked the predominantly Roman Catholic country and spurred the government to act on an issue it had delayed for decades.
12. Legendary Hockey player Leslie Claudius passed away
Legendary hockey player and one of India's greatest Olympians Leslie Claudius, passed away in Kolkata after a prolonged illness. He was 85-years-old.
Claudius was suffering from cirrhosis of the liver and frequently needed hospitalization in the past couple of years.
NOTE:- Claudius had three Olympic gold medals - London 1948, Helsinki 1952 and Melbourne 1956. At Rome in 1960, he led India to a silver-medal finish.
American Olivia Culpo was crowned Miss Universe 2012 at a gala ceremony in Los Angeles, while Philippines' Janine Tugonon was adjudged the first runner-up followed by Venezuela's Irene Esser.
NOTE:- India's Shilpa Singh made it to the top 16 spot but failed to progress further.
2. Nuclear capable Prithvi-II test successful
India successfully test-fired its indigenously developed nuclear capable Prithvi-II missile with a strike range of 350 km from a test range at Chandipur near Balasore (Odisha).
The surface-to-surface missile was test fired from a mobile launcher in salvo mode from launch complex-3 of Integrated Test Range.
NOTE:- The launch of the sophisticated missile, conducted as part of operational exercise by the Strategic Force Command (SFC) of the defence services, was successful.
3. Sahitya Akademi Awards announced
Booker-nominated Jeet Thayil and Bengali novelist Subrata Mukhopadhyaya are among 24 authors selected for this year's Sahitya Akademi Awards, which was dominated by poets.
Twelve of the 24 awards went to works of poets, which include K Sachitandandan (Malayalam - Marannu Vacha Vazhikal), late Bal Krishna 'Bhaura (Dogri - Tim-Tim Karde Tare) and Makhan Lal Kanwal (Kashmiri - Yath Aangnaz Manz).
NOTE:- A Sahitya Akademi release says, 12 books of poetry, six short story collections, four novels and one each of autobiography and criticism were selected for the awards this year, two of them posthumously. The awards were given to books first published between January 2008 and December 2010. The award carries one lakh rupees, engraved copper plaque and a shawl.
4. India, ASEAN finalise FTA in services, investments
Targeting an ambitious two-way commerce of USD 200 billion by 2022, India and the 10-member ASEAN finalised a free trade agreement in services and investments, a move which would give Indian professionals access to the 800 million Southeast Asian market.
NOTE:- Strengthening ties, India and ASEAN also elevated their dialogue partnership to a strategic level.
5. Narendra Modi Re-elected as Gujarat Chief Minister; scores a hat-trick
The BJP registered its fifth consecutive victory in Gujarat, third under Modi, when it bagged 115 seats, two less than in the 2007 elections while Congress bagged two more to finish at 61.
The Nationalist Congress Party won two seats while Janata Dal-U one seat.
6. Virbhadra reclaims his throne in Himachal
Seventy-eight-year-old Virbhadra Singh is an old war horse who could not be put down by allegations of corruption nor by infighting in the Congress as he steered the party back to power in Himachal Pradesh with a spirited campaign.
The veteran may all be set to become chief minister of the state for the sixth time, setting a record.
7. Government tables mid year economic review in Parliament
The government lowered the growth projection for the current financial year to 5.7-5.9 per cent from 7.6 per cent estimated earlier.
The Mid-Year Economic Analysis tabled in Parliament also pitches for supportive monetary and fiscal policies to improve investor confidence.
NOTE:- Besides, its says that the government will also have to address the concerns relating to structural supply side bottlenecks. Earlier RBI had lowered the growth rate to 5.8 per cent for 2012-13.
8. 14 UNSC member including India slam Israel's construction plan
India was joined by all members of the 15-nation UN Security Council except the US to condemn Israel's announcement of new construction activity in Palestinian territories and demand immediate dismantling of the "illegal" settlements.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also expressed his deep concern by the heightened settlement activity in West Bank, saying the move by Israel "gravely threatens efforts to establish a viable Palestinian state."
NOTE:- India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri, in his capacity as Coordinator of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) caucus of the Security Council, told reporters in United Nations after a UNSC briefing on the situation in the Middle East that there was an attempt in the Council to bring a resolution on the issue.
9. US to reimburse USD 688 mn to Pak
The US has decided to reimburse USD 688 mn to Pakistan for the cost of supporting some 140,000 coalition troops on Af-Pak border in what appears to be a fall back to its decades-old policy of "appeasement" to seek an honorable exit from war-torn Afghanistan.
NOTE:- The Pentagon notified the Congress about its decision to reimburse USD 688 million to Pakistan, under Coalition Support Fund (CSF).
10. Britain to withdraw 3,800 troops from Afghanistan
Britain will withdraw 3,800 troops, almost half of the current force serving in Afghanistan's troubled Helmand province, by the end of 2013, Prime Minister David Cameron has announced.
NOTE:- Cameron told the Parliament that 3,800 British troops are to be withdrawn from Afghanistan next year.
11. Ireland to revamp abortion laws after Savita's death
Laws allowing limited access to abortion will be introduced in Ireland, the only EU member state that bans the procedure, following the death of 31-year-old Savita Halappanavar who was refused a termination.
NOTE:- The death last month of Halappanavar, who was denied an abortion of her dying foetus and later died of blood poisoning, shocked the predominantly Roman Catholic country and spurred the government to act on an issue it had delayed for decades.
12. Legendary Hockey player Leslie Claudius passed away
Legendary hockey player and one of India's greatest Olympians Leslie Claudius, passed away in Kolkata after a prolonged illness. He was 85-years-old.
Claudius was suffering from cirrhosis of the liver and frequently needed hospitalization in the past couple of years.
NOTE:- Claudius had three Olympic gold medals - London 1948, Helsinki 1952 and Melbourne 1956. At Rome in 1960, he led India to a silver-medal finish.
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