Daily News Notes:

· A suspension bridge (constructed in 1972, 40km from Darjeeling) packed with a festive crowd (gathered to witness the cultural programme and Diwali Mela and also the foundation laying ceremony of Bijanbari degree college building) collapsed killing nearly 30 person. The Rescue operation was carried by army, whole night.
· The Revenue Department has decided to cross check service tax returns (by making E -filing mandatory) in order to locate 9 lakh entities that have stopped filing returns (while there are 15 lakh registered service tax payers). The Budget target for service tax collection (at a rate of 10 per cent, is imposed on about 120 services, like banking, hotel and telephony) was 82,000 crore rupees for the fiscal, but now it has been increased by 10 %.However, with the implementation of Goods and Services Tax the scope of service tax will be widened.
· In J&K, nearly 25 person killed when a bus rolled down into a gorge on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway. Rescue operations are still going.
· Violating the ceasefire again (second ceasefire violation in a month), Pakistani troops resorted to firing on Indian forward posts along the Line of Control in J&K's Poonch district after the army detected an infiltration bid by terrorists.
· The Centre has expressed concern over several pending applications (46,885 applications including about 31,000 for Mining Lease) for mineral concessions in mineral-rich States (Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha). Mining Lease is granted for undertaking operations for extracting minerals while Prospecting License is granted for undertaking operations for purpose of exploring.
· A Dubai-bound Emirates Airlines flight from Bangkok, with 481 passengers on board, made an emergency landing at Hyderabad airport due to some technical reasons.
· Libya's National Transitional Council leaders have set today as the official end of the uprising (way for holding elections, write a new constitution and form a new government after 42 years) that toppled the country's former dictator, Moammar Gaddafi.
· Voting has begun in Tunisia in the first free election (that will draft a new constitution within a year and appoint an interim government) of the Arab Spring, nine months after the fall of former President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali. Rising Unemployment, discontent among youth and economic disparities are among the major issues facing 7.2 million Tunisian voters. Islamist Ennahda party (promised to work for democratic values and women's rights) has been shown as the front runner in the opinion polls.
· Over 170 countries (The UN environmental group Basel Action Network’s initiative) have agreed to step up adoption of a global ban on dumping of hazardous wastes (mainly in developing countries), including old computers and electronics in developing countries. Ban should take effect as soon as 17 more countries ratify an amendment to the 1989 Basel Convention.
· All the 27 European Union leaders are meeting in Brussels today to decide measures to prevent Europe's financial crisis from spiraling out of control. The provisional deal agreed by the Finance Ministers will see banks raise more than 100 billion Euros in a new capital to shield them against possible losses to indebted countries. Later today, the countries that use EURO will hold a special summit of their own. while Anti-capitalist demonstrators have opened a second protest camp in London in their campaign against Global finance and government spending cuts.
· Hillary Clinton has warned Tajikistan and Uzbekistan (in a meet of both Presidents) against restrictions on religious freedom and thanked the two Central Asian States for their cooperation in the US-led war in Afghanistan.
· Chinese researchers have warned that glaciers in southwest Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, a key source of major rivers in the country and those in the Indian subcontinent, are melting "faster than ever" under the influence of global warming. There is however no mention about the possible affects on Brahmaputra and Sutluj rivers. About 5.3 per cent, or 70 square kilometres, of the glaciers in Yangtze headwaters had melted away over the past three decades. The cluster of some 80 glaciers around the Aemye Ma-chhen Range, the source of the Yellow River headwaters, is shrinking especially fast.
· Assam has been ranked 1st in rice production (due to proper implementation of different schemes like Rashtriya Krishi Vikash Yojana, National Food Security Mission along with proper irrigation and mechanization programme and increase of fertilizer consumption) in 2010-11 by the Union Agriculture Ministry.
· Puducherry would become the first state in the country where every citizen(70% have already been covered) would have a Unique identity number or UID by January 2012. In another first of its kind the enrollment for the Aadhar is being done in partnership with the Department of Civil supplies and Consumer Affairs. Thus the rolling out of Aadhar and the biometric smart card to replace ration card will herald a new chapter in the efforts of the government in enabling inclusive growth and bringing in greater efficiency and transparency in governance.
· The Indo Tibetan Border Police, ITBP will celebrate its 50th raising day tomorrow. Home Minister P Chidambaram will confer the Police Meritorious Service Medal and Presidential Distinct Service Medal to ITBP jawans.
· Indian men's hockey team lost to arch rivals Pakistan, 1-4, in today's bronze medal play off in the Lanco International Hockey Series at Perth in Australia. While, the Indian women's hockey team will meet Australia in the final.
· Kashmir valley received its first snowfall of the season, signalling the arrival of winter.