1.

GSLV fails, erupts into ball of flame The launch of the Geo-Synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F06) ended in a failure, with the vehicle losing control 47 seconds after its flight, breaking up into pieces and erupting into a ball of flame. As the vehicle veered off the safety corridor and the flaming debris could have fallen on the residential areas around Sriharikota, Range Safety Officer (RSO) V.K. Srivastava pressed the destruct button and the explosives around the vehicle ignited and destroyed it. 2. ADB: Delhi Indias No. 1 investment destination Delhi has emerged as the most attractive city in the country for both foreign and domestic investors, according to the latest Asian Development Bank report on a survey of Indian cities. Greater Mumbai and Chennai follow Delhi closely as good metropolitan areas for investment. 3. GSPC finds (GSPC) has Ankleshwar, well... could said. 'huge reservoir of gas' in Ankleshwar Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation discovered a "huge reservoir of gas" in an onland exploration block in Gujarat. "The discovery of a huge reservoir of gas at the Ankleshwar 41-S potentially open a new zone for exploration for us there," a top GSPC official

4. China gives green light to first Made in China' Bollywood film The Chinese government's official film production company has given its backing to the country's first ever home-made Bollywood film production, a $ 10-million project that will be set in China and India and is looking to rope in some of India's biggest stars. While State-run film companies in China have recently begun investing in Hollywood productions, this will mark their first entry into Bollywood. Indian films are widely popular in China, but are accessible only through the pirated DVD market, with censorship restrictions limiting imports. 5. Swaminathan conferred CNN-IBN Lifetime Achievement Award Veteran agricultural scientist M. S. Swaminathan has been conferred the CNN-IBN Indian of the Year 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding leadership in the field of agriculture that has contributed to ensuring food security for millions of Indians. Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee presented the award to Dr. Swaminathan at a function. Dr. Swaminathan, a statement from CNN-IBN noted, has worked consistently towards the actualisation of his dream of a hunger-free world with the help of his innovative concepts of sustainable development, especially with eco-friendly techniques of agriculture, food availability, and biodiversity conservation. 6. 'Nano' receives international award for design Tata Motors' said its small car 'Nano' has received the good design award for 2010, by the Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design with the European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies. The award for the Tata Nano has come in the category of transportation, Tata Motors said in a statement. 7. Caste discrimination in U.K.: report Britain could soon become the first western country to declare caste discrimination unlawful by recognising it as a form of racial prejudice if the government accepts the recommendations of a study it commissioned to help it take a decision. In its long-awaited report, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, a respected independent research body, found evidence'' of significant discrimination and harassment'' faced by Britian's nearly 200,000-strong Dalit community. 8. Scheme to develop new cashew farms The Directorate of Cashewnut and Cocoa Development, under the Ministry of Agriculture, is undertaking a programme to develop new plantations with clones of high yielding varieties of cashew. It is part of schemes for Page 1 of 3 26th December 2010


achieving integration and coordination of cashew development in association with development agencies in different States and research institutes. Under the planting drive, farmers will be assisted as per the National Horticulture Mission guidelines. Monetary assistance will be allotted in instalments to the beneficiary, subject to the survival of the plants during a three-year period. 9. Sanjeev Tripathi to be new RAW chief Sanjeev Tripathi, currently number two in the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), will take charge as the new chief of the India's external intelligence agency on or before December 30 on two-year term. Tripathi's name to head the RAW was cleared after the incumbent K C Verma offered to quit almost a month ahead of his term which was to end on January 31, 2011. The move is seen as an attempt to accommodate Tripathi who was to retire on December 31 as the new RAW secretary. 10. First women-only call centre opens in Saudi Arabia Saudi women, who are prohibited by society from living or working independently without written permission from a male guardian, will now be part of a first-of-its-kind "women-only" call centre in the country. Kanoo Travel, one of the leading travel management companies in the Middle East, said 20 female employees have undergone telephone operation training as the company started a "ladies-only" call centre. 11. GDP of Gulf oil producers to exceed $1tn in 2011: Report The combined nominal GDP of Gulf oil producers will jump to record levels of over USD 1.1 trillion in 2011 as a result of higher international crude prices and output, a report has said. The Emirates Industrial Bank report, however, said that the economic growth and public spending by Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries could also trigger fresh inflation fears next year. The study forecast that the region's economy will grow in real terms by around 5.4 per cent in 2010 and 6.6 percent in 2011 after a sharp slowdown in 2009 in the aftermath of the global economic crisis. 12. The 'garbage girl' gets 'Green Hero' award The 'garbage girl' of the mountains will get a 'green' award at an environment film festival to be held in the Himachal Pradesh state capital next month, an event organiser said in Shimla. British national Jodie Underhill's contribution towards helping clean up mountains of trash in the mountains surrounding McLeodganj, the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile in upper Dharamshala was brought to the fore by IANS in its report. 13. Khadi goes to N-E, to set up silchar office The National Khadi & Village Industries (NKVI) has decided to strengthen its North-East operations in 2011 and set up a divisional office at Silchar, regarded as a gateway to adjoining Tripura, Manipur, Mizoram and Meghalaya. 14. Skybus Metro project set to roll in January After six years and over Rs 50 crore spent on developing the prototype and experimentation, Konkan Railway Corporation Limiteds (KRCL) Skybus Metro project is expected to start rolling again in January next year when global tenders seeking expression of interest for commercial operation of the unique urban mass rapid transit system are set to be opened. A modified railway system the Skybus Metro according to the project in charge, Mr Anil Kumar Bhardwaj of the Konkan Railways, is an innovative, urban transportation system developed and patented by KRCL involving reengineering of components and subsystems of the existing railway system. Unlike conventional land-based system, the sky bus consisting of light weight coaches is suspended from the electrically powered bogies that run overhead inside guide-ways (a Page 2 of 3 26th December 2010


closed concrete box with a bottom slit). The bids for commercial operations are likely to be opened on 10 January 2011. 15. Putin Russias most popular politician of 2010 Fifty-five per cent of Russian citizens have named Prime Minister Mr Vladimir Putin as the most popular politician of 2010, a yearend survey has revealed. Strongman Putin, who throughout the year was in the limelight for different reasons, was voted as the most popular politician of 2010 by 55 per cent people, in the survey carried out last weekend by VTsIOM pollster.

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