China blocked import of Milk Powder from New Zealand

China in the first week of August 2013 blocked the import of milk powder from New Zealand after it discovered bacteria that can lead to botulism in some of its dairy products. Global dairy giant Fonterra revealed that three batches of whey products contained Clostridium botulinum, a toxic bacteria, which can cause Botulism.

Yet the ban on the import of the products was not imposed by China as it has asked New Zealand to take effective measures to prevent products from being supplied to China, which could have an adverse impact on the health of Chinese Consumers. China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine has ordered the importers for withdrawal of all types of contaminated products and quarantine officials have been ordered to step-up the inspections of dairy products, which were being imported from New Zealand.  

The ban issued from China was termed as an appropriate stand by Tim Groser, the Trade Minister of New Zealand, as some of the exported whey products (also infant formula) available with global dairy giant Fonterra contained bacteria, which could have affected the health and lead to fatal illness. 
China is a major market for New Zealand infant formula products.

Vietnam launched Micro-Satellite Pico Dragon to International Space Station

Vietnam's micro-satellite Pico Dragon, together with three other such US satellites, was sent to ISS (International Space Station) by Japan's Kounotori-4 (HTV-4) cargo spacecraft .The two-stage H-2B rocket carrying the HTV-4 ship lifted on 3 August 2013, initiating a five-day journey to the habitable artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. Pico Dragon is programmed to capture images of the earth, collect space environment data and test communication systems, said the report, quoting sources from the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology. The satellite is planned to stay at the ISS for two-three months before going into space. In May this year, Vietnam's first remote sensing satellite - VNREDSat-1 - was launched into orbit from the Kourou launch pad in French Guiana. 

World s first talking robot Kirobo sent into Space

The world’s first talking robot Kirobo was successfully sent into space by Japanese Scientists on 4th August. The robot was sent by H2B rocket from the island of Tanegashima. The rocket carried food, water and other supplies. Kirobo will serve as a companion for Japanese astronauts.

Kirobo was put through a series of zero-gravity and other safety tests prior to sending him into space. Kirobo is 34 centimetres tall and can speak Japanese. It will provide emotional support for people in space. Kirobo will talk to JAXA astronaut Koichi Wakata when he arrives at the space station in November. The name of Kirobo is a merging of Kibo and robot. Kirobo was designed by scientists and engineers at the University of Tokyo. It is equipped with voice-recognition and face-recognition technology, as well as a camera, emotion recognition software and natural language processing.

India won its first ever Bronze Medal at Junior Women Hockey World Cup 2013

Indian Junior Women Hockey team won its first ever Bronze medal in ERGO Hockey Junior World Cup at Monchengladbac, Germany on 4 August 2013. India beat England by 3-2 in a penalty shoot-out. The tournament was played at Monchengladbach, Germany from 27 July to 4 August 2013. India ended at third position in the tournament. 

In the third-fourth place playoff match, both the teams India and England had scored 1-1 in regualtion time of 70 minutes. Defender Sushila Chanu captained the Indian side and Shona McCallin captained the English side. Indian forward Rani was declared the Best Player of the ERGO Junior Women Hockey World Cup 2013.

The Vice-Captain and forward Rani scored India's only goal in the regulation time. Navneet Kaur's strike helped India a 3-2 lead in the shoot-out.

CCEA approves dilution of safeguards for FDI in multi-brand retail

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has given its nod for the “dilution” of certain safeguards including relaxing the 30% sourcing norm and doing away with the mandatory 50% condition for backend infrastructure investment which were approved by Parliament while allowing 49% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in multibrand retail announced in 2012. Though the changes were strongly opposed by theMinistry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) but they were ignored by the CCEA while approving the new norms seeking to attract much needed FDI investments by global retail chains in Multi-brand Retail Trade (MBRT).  

Malayalam poet Sugathakumari gets Saraswati Samman 2012

Eminent Malayalam poet Sugathakumari was conferred the ‘Saraswati Samman 2012’ for her collection of 27 poems in book “Manalezhuthu” (Writings on the Sand) at a function New Delhi on 2nd August. The prestigious award — instituted by the K.K. Birla Foundation — carries a citation and a plaque, apart from Rs. 10 lakh as prize money. It is given annually to an outstanding literary work published during the last 10 years in any of the Indian languages. 

Human Resource Development Minister M.M. Pallam Raju, who presented the award, said Sugathakumari’s life and writings were a true reflection of the humanitarian spirit and value systems intrinsic to the Indian culture. Sugathakumari said it was a matter of pride and joy for her to be chosen as the 22nd recipient of the award for her work published in 2006. Past recipients include Dr. Harivansh Rai Bachchan, Vijay Tendulkar, Dr. Dalip Kaur Tiwana, Dr. Dharam Veer Bharati and Srilal Shukla.

FDI in print media increases to 49%

Indian Newspaper Society (INS) Executive Committee approved to increase the FDI percentage in Print Media from its present 26% to 49 %. In order to encourage investments in the print media sector, which has become the investment-incentive of late, the committee has taken this decision.

Venkateswaran Dakshinamoorthy passes away

Venkateswaran Dakshinamoorthy, the veteran music director died at his residence in Mylapore, Chennai on 2nd August. He was 94. He was known as Swamy in the music industry and worked for more than 125 films in Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi and composed music for 859 songs. 

He served the industry for a period of over six decades during this period; more than 50 singers of three generations sang tunes set by him. 

His songs are known for the classical touch. He was a person, who nurtured both the Carnatic as well as Malayalam music. Few of the films in which he composed music include Navalokam, Seetha, Viyarppinte Vila, Sri Guruvayoorappan, Kadamattathachan and Indulekha.

Petroleum Ministry and Delhi Government launched IGL Suraksha Yojana

Union Ministry for Petroleum & Natural Gas and Delhi state government on 31 July 2013 launched IGL Suraksha Yojana, a group accident insurance scheme for nearly 2.5 lakh drivers of CNG run public transport vehicles in Delhi.

New schemes like IGL Suraksha Yojana are required to be introduced to benefit the common man.  IGL would be paying the premium amounting to nearly 35 lakh rupees for the insurance scheme, which is currently being offered through Oriental Insurance Company.

Pravasi Friend launched its Operations in Kochi

Pravasi Friend launched its operations in Kochi, Kerala on 1 August 2013. Pravasi Friend will help NRIs and NRKs to complete a large list of mandatory tasks such as legal services, medical services, spiritual needs and government departmental services.

Under Pravasi Friend, Assistance is given in buying, renting out and maintaining their properties, providing property documentation, investigation, home security services, besides securing admissions for their children in schools and colleges in the state.

Getting medical consultations of doctors and undertaking customised healthcare and treatment requests are also taken care of. S Manoj and P R Ganesh, began the organisation recently. S Manoj is a former Ranji Trophy cricket player and selector of the Kerala cricket team.

India-born Mamnoon Hussain elected as Pakistan's 12th Prez

India-born Mamnoon Hussain, a close aide of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, on Tuesday was elected as the 12th President of Pakistan and will replace incumbent Asif Ali Zardari in September.

Hussain emerged as a clear winner in the one-sided contest with ex-judge Wajihuddin Ahmad of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party, state media reported.

Pakistan People's Party withdrew its candidate Raza Rabbani and boycotted the election in protest to the date of polls being changed.

Born in the historic city of Agra, Hussain, who belongs to an Urdu-speaking ethnic group that migrated from India during partition in 1947, was the candidate of ruling PML-N government.

Over 1,000 members of the national parliament and four provincial assemblies cast their ballots to elect largely ceremonial head of the state.

The office of the president is ceremonial in Pakistan but he is still the constitutional chief of the armed forces but cannot order deployments.

He also appoints the services chiefs at the recommendation of the prime minister. Pakistan so far had 11 presidents, out of which five were military generals.

Four of them seized powers through coups, whereas first president Major Sikandar Mirza was elected in 1956 after the first constitution was adopted.

Sharad Kumar is new NIA chief

Senior IPS officer Sharad Kumar was appointed as the new chief of the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The post of the Director General (DG) of the agency was lying vacant for about last two months following the retirement of incumbent S C Sinha.

Sinha was later appointed as a member of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

Kumar is a 1979-batch Haryana cadre officer and he takes over the top post of the probe agency at a time when it is investigating important cases like Hyderabad blasts and the recent Bodh Gaya blasts in Bihar.

UPA favours creation of Telangana

The ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA)on July 30 unanimously endorsed the creation of a separate state of Telangana.

"The UPA unanimously decided in favour of Telangana," It is resolved to request the Central government to make steps in accordance with the Constitution to form a separate state of Telangana ......within a definite timeframe," said a resolution of the Congress Working Committee, the highest policy-making body of the party, after over an hour-long meeting.

The Congress also decided to recommend to the government that Hyderabad be made the joint capital of the newly-proposed state and the other regions -Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra for a period of 10 years.

The momentous decisions by the CWC and the UPA came after hectic consultations for the last over a week on creation of the 29th state of the country that will have a geographical area of 10 of the 23 districts of undivided Andhra Pradesh.

The decision also brings to fruition the announcement made by the then Home Minister P Chidambaram on 9th December 2009 for creation of Telangana.

Contrary to speculation that the new state could be named Rayala Telangana, including a couple of districts of Rayalaseema, the districts that will be part of the new state will be Adilabad, Karimnagar, Khammam, Mahaboobnagar, Medak, Nalgonda, Nizamabad, Rangareddy and Warangal besides Hyderabad.

At the moment the idea is to have 10 districts in Telangana but it will be for the Group of Ministers to consider demands for inclusion of more areas, AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh, incharge of Andhra Pradesh affairs in Congress, told a press conference after the CWC meeting.

Out of 42 Lok Sabha seats and 294 Assembly seats in Andhra Pradehs, Telangana is likely to have 17 Lok Sabha seats and 119 Assembly seats.

Amjad Ali Khan to get 21st Rajiv Gandhi National Sadhbhavna Award

Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan was chosen for the 21st Rajiv Gandhi National Sadhbhavna Award for his contribution towards promotion of communal harmony and peace. It will be conferred on Amjad Ali Khan on 20 August 2013, the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award (Rajiv Gandhi National Communal Harmony Award) is an award given for outstanding contribution towards promotion of communal harmony, national integration and peace. The award was instituted by All India Congress Committee of the Indian National Congress Party (INC), in 1992 to commemorate the lasting contribution made by the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The award carries a citation and a cash award of five lakh rupees.

The award is given on 20 August evry year, the birth anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi, which is celebrated as Sadbhavna Diwas (Harmony Day).The former recipients of the award comprise Mother Teresa, Bismillah Khan, Teesta Setalvad, Swami Agnivesh, Harsh Mander, Sunil Dutt, Dilip Kumar, Mohammed Yunus, Maulana Wahiuddin Khan and K R Narayanan.

Scientists created World’s Fastest Electrical Switch

US department of energy's (DOE) SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory invented the fastest electrical switching in magnetite- a naturally magnetic mineral. This scientific finding will enable faster, more powerful computing devices. Scientists used SLAC's Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) X-ray laser to find that it takes only 1 trillionth of a second to flip the on-off electrical switch in samples of magnetite, which is thousands of times faster than the electrical switch used in transistors.

This scientific finding will throw new light on the electronic properties of magnetite. We already know the basic magnetic properties of magnetite. In fact, for the first time the speed limit for electrical switching in magnetite was revealed by this scientific breakthrough.

Scientists hit magnetite with a visiblelight laser, which resulted into the fragmentation of the material's electronic structure at an atomic scale, rearranging it to form the islands. The laser blast was followed by an ultra bright, ultra short X-ray pulse. It allowed researchers to study the timing and details of changes in the sample excited by the initial laser strike.

After adjusting the interval of the X-ray pulses, the scientists measured the time duration of the material to shift from a non-conducting to an electrically conducting state and observed the structural changes during this switch. The magnetite was needed to be cooled to minus 190 degrees Celsius to lock its electrical charges in place.