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US
proposal on food stock-holding faces opposition from India
India
> Food
Stock > Mar 22
India along with the other
members of the G-33 group have opposed a new US proposal of food
stock-holding to attain the purpose of food security in developing
countries at the World Trade Organisation. According to India, the
proposal might allow the US to dictate terms to other countries about
the food security programmes to be adopted. The proposal comprises of
three main elements – reviewing trade effects of existing food
security programmes and their ability to meet goals; evaluating the
problems encountered in implementing food security programmes due to
constraints in the existing WTO rules and drawing the best practices
and recommendations on food stock-holding. The G-33 countries
demanded a permanent solution rather than reviewing existing ones for
temporary relief. The group also demanded that stock-holding for food
security should come under the 'Green Box' subsidies, which cause no
or minimum trade distortion.
Shashi
Kapoor to be awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke award 2014
Awards
> Dadasaheb
Phalke > Mar 24
The central government
announced that Veteran film actor and producer Shashi Kapoor is to be
awarded the 46th Dada Saheb Phalke Award 2014. He will be the third
member from the Kapoor clan to win the coveted honour after father
Prithviraj Kapoor and elder brother Raj Kapoor.
The award is the highest one
presented in the field of cinema and is conferred by the India
Government for outstanding contribution to the growth and development
of Indian Cinema. It was introduced in 1969 to commemorate the birth
centenary year of Dadasaheb Phalke.
62nd
National Film Awards
India
> Cinema > Mar 25
The
winners of the National Film Awards were announced in Delhi
yesterday, the ceremony for which shall be held on May 3, 2015.
Following are the prominent winners : Best Hindi Film: Queen, Best
Feature Film: Court (Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati & English), Best
Educational Film: Komal & Behind the Glass Wall, Best Animation
Film: Sound of Joy, Best Actor: Vijay for Nanu Avanalla Avalu
(Kannada), Best Actress: Kangana Ranaut for Queen, Best Music
Direction – Haider, Best Male Playback Singer: Sukhwinder Singh for
the song Bismil from Haider, Best Female Playback Singer: Uttara
Unnikrishanan for the song Azhagu in Saivam (Tamil), Best
Choreography: Bismil for Haider and Best Costume Designer: Dolly
Ahluwalia for Haider.
Supreme
Court scraps section 66A of the IT act
India
> Judiciary > Mar 25
The Supreme Court on
Tuesday, scrapped a controversial cyber law under the Section 66A of
the IT Act, which gave police the power to arrest anyone for posting
“annoying” or “offensive” comments online. The cancellation
of the act comes on the grounds that it robs a citizen of his/her
right to freedom of expression and speech. Any person found guilty
under the controversial act was previously liable for imprisonment up
to a period of three years. However, the court has said that posting
inflammatory and derogatory comments online would still be punishable
under the Indian Penal Code. The court also ordered that all
convictions made under the act should be dropped with immediate
effect.
Others
Nitin
Gadkari asks for an open debate on Land Bill
Politics
& Government >
Nitin Gadkari > Mar 19
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari
has written an open letter to all the people who have opposed the
Land Bill, calling them for an open debate on any platform. The Land
Bill, which has been passed in the Lok Sabha faces opposition in the
Rajya Sabha, where the government is in minority. This move from the
minister is seen by many as an attempt to break the impasse at the
parliament. According to the letter, the BJP is open to debate all
aspects of the bill and is also ready to make changes to it if
required.
India
to import oil from Iraq to fill strategic reserves
India
> Oil > Mar 19
India is planning to import
8 million barrels of oil from Iraq in order to fill its Strategic
Petroleum Reserve (SPR), on the back of low prices and ready supply.
The SPR purchases could alleviate the effect of an expected pause in
Chinese stock build. The oil ministry has instructed IOC and HPCL to
buy 8 million barrels of Basra oil in May-June, Basra oil is more
suitable for refineries on India's east coast and are to be used only
in the case of supply disruptions. The finance ministry has provided
Rs. 2400 crores for the purchase.
Ratan
Tata to head panel set up to reform railways
India
> Railways > Mar 20
A new innovation council of
railways, called 'Kaya Kalp', is to be formed in order to help reform
the state-run transporter, which is to be headed by industrialist
Ratan Tata. The council will also have two prominent railways union
leaders. It is an attempt to unite the railway unions, which have
been averse to reforms and privatisation of the railways. Railways
Minister Suresh Prabhu said more important members would be added to
the council in the near future to make it more dynamic.
Sri
Lanka's Kumara Sangakara, Mahela Jayawardene and Pakistan's
Misbah-ul-Haq and Shahid Afridi bid adieu to ODI cricket
Sports
> Cricket > Mar 22
The ongoing Cricket World
Cup 2015 (CWC '15) has seen four of the game's legends depart. After
Sri Lanka lost their quarter final game against South Africa on the
18th of March, 2015; two of its batting stalwarts Kumara Sangakara
and Mahela Jayawardene announced retirements from one day
international cricket. Similarly, Pakistan lost their quarter final
match against co-hosts Australia on the 22nd of March, 2015, which
saw captain Misbah-ul-Haq and veteran all rounder Shahid Afridi
hanging their boots off the 50 over format of the game. All the four
departing cricketers did not receive the fairytale send off, seen so
often these days in international cricket due to their last minute
decisions.
Sri
Lanka's first field marshal – Sarath Fonseka
World
> Sri
Lanka > Mar 23
Sri Lanka on Sunday
conferred its highest military rank to former army chief Sarath
Fonseka. The new government bestowed the title of Field Marshal on
the army veteran who was stripped of all honours by the previous
government as he tried to challenge the then president Mahinda
Rajapaksa's re-election. The new government used its executive powers
to drop all charges against Fonseka and then appointed him to the
office of the field marshal.
J&K
chief ministers says AFSPA to be gradually scrapped
India
> Jammu
and Kashmir > Mar 23
Jammu and Kashmir CM Mufti
Mohammad Sayeed said his government would work on gradually scrapping
the Armed Forces Special Powers Act 9 (AFSPA) from the state. The
announcement comes two days after the twin terrorist attacks, which
killed 3 security personnel.
The Armed Forces Special
Powers Act (AFSPA), is an Act of the Parliament of India which was
passed on 11 September 1958. It is a law with just six sections
granting special powers to the Indian Armed Forces in what the act
terms as disturbed areas.
Pakistan
celebrates National Day with 1st military parade since 2008, V.K.
Singh's visit sparks controversy
World
> Pakistan > Mar 23
Pakistan conducted a
military parade on its National Day for the 1st time since 2008 in
the city of Islamabad. The dazzling event saw precision parachute
drops and state-of-the-art aircraft on display along with the
Pakistani military might. Pakistan had sent an invitation to Chinese
president, Xi Jinping to be the guest of honour for the event, but
that could not happen. The event also saw commandos fire a remote
controlled drone missile, which is an achievement by itself.
Meanwhile, union minister of
state for foreign affairs Gen VK Singh has created a controversy by
attending the Pakistan National Day at the Pakistani embassy in New
Delhi. The minister has offered to resign from his post, as his visit
is viewed as anti-national by some segments of the political and
social class. The minister gave a statement that he attended the
event on the Indian government's behalf, as it is a part of
diplomatic civility.
Singapore's
founding father Lee Kuan Yew dies at 91
World
> Singapore > Mar 23
Lee Kuan Yew, the man who
transformed Singapore from a small port city into a wealthy global
hub, passed away at the age of 91 on Monday, 23rd March, 2015. The
cause of death is believed to be Pneumonia. He was the nation's prime
minister for 31 years and is hailed as the architect of the country's
growth. He was a key personality in securing the country's freedom
from Britain and also in separating it from Malaysia. The funeral is
scheduled to be held on the 29th of March.
Andhra
Pradesh to name its capital Amravati
India
> Andhra
Pradesh > Mar 24
The chief minister of Andhra
Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu has decided to name the new capital of the
state as Amravati. The core capital region lies on the banks of the
river Krishna, and is directly linked to a 2000 year old history of a
small town named by the same name, which is 20 km away from the core
capital region and has a Buddhist history. The state cabinet zeroed
in on the name as Amaravati is also associated with Telugu heritage
dating back to the Satavahana kingdom. The foundation stone for the
capital would be laid on the 12th of June this year in a grand
ceremony.
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