Daily News Notes:

· Queen Elizabeth opened the summit (Commonwealth Heads of Governments meeting from 54 countries) at the Perth Convention center on the banks of River Swan, Australia. Theme of the summit 'Building National Resilience, Building Global Resilience' focussing on strengthening the Commonwealth. Economic and social development, food and energy security, and the adverse effects of climate change are likely to dominate the discussions apart from discussion over the re-election of Commonwealth Secretary General Kamlesh Sharma whose tenure ends next year.
· The Madras High Court stayed for eight weeks the execution of Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan, in the case relating to the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi during an election rally at Sriperumpudur on May 21, 1991 by an LTTE suicide bomber, after President Pratibha Patil turned down their mercy pleas on Sep 9.
· The Reserve Bank of India, has decided to set up a Working Group (which will recommend on the principles governing proper, transparent and non-discriminationary pricing of credit) to look into the whole gamut of pricing of loans and to improve customer services over the uneven charges of interest under floating loan.
· National Agriculture Insurance Scheme (NAIS) in the last ten years: Over 17 crore farmers have been covered, claims worth 21,459 crore rupees have been settled highest number of farmers were covered in Maharashtra. The New Scheme is known as Modified National Agriculture Insurance Scheme, MNAIS which also include actuarial premium besides coverage of prevented sowing or planting risk and coverage of post-harvest losses due to cyclone in the coastal areas and the main objective this scheme is to protect farmers against crop losses suffered on account of natural calamities, such as drought, flood, hailstorm, cyclone pests and diseases.
· In Tamil Nadu, a crude pipe-bomb was recovered from the outskirts of Madurai city today, the route which was to be taken by BJP leader L K Advani (who has the highest "Z-plus" category security) on the second leg of his yatra against corruption.
· The Sikkim Government has sought help for setting up of a Centre for Seismic Studies and the Institute of Disaster Management in the state to cater to the Himalayan and the North Eastern region as the state have emerged as a model State in the country in terms of earthquake forecasting, effective disaster management and charting out earthquake resilient development formats.
· In Manipur, Works Minister K Ranjit Singh was rescued by 35 teams of Manipur Police Commandos led by the Senior SP of Imphal as he was stopped by the women activists on his way back to Imphal after inspection of the newly constructed Senapati Mini-Secretariat building.
· Famous scholar of Hindi literature Srilal Shukla died: born in Lucknow, former administrative officer and was known for his satire. Writer of books like Rag Darbari and was jointly honoured with the Jnanpith award along with famous Hindi writer Amarkant for the year 2009.
· The team (nine-member team comprising officials from the Rural Development Ministry, the World Bank and the Jharkhand Government) appointed by Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh to study the implementation of various ministry programmes in the 56 tribal villages in the Naxal-hit Saranda forest area in Jharkhand (also known as “Saranda Action Plan”) has suggested short term and medium term interventions which has to be completed before 6 months and 2 yr resp. The area has 25 per cent of the known iron ore deposits in the country and the reserves are exploited by more than 12 mining companies with 50 mines and thus the plan proposes to implement various ambitious programmes including distribution of solar lamps, bicycles, transistors and musical instruments to all the families living in the forests.
· In Gujarat, at least 19 people were killed and 21 others injured in a road accident late last night when a tractor trolley carrying passengers collided with a truck coming from the wrong side.
· The Uttar Pradesh government today said that it has taken stringent actions against officials (more than 300 officers and employees have been suspended on 49 matters) found indulging in corrupt practices in the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment program.
· In Tunisia (a former French colony), moderate Islamic party Ennahda has emerged as the front runner to form a new Government. Tunisia’s tryst with democracy began when a small town fruit seller Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire in protest against poverty and police repression. It led to massive public uprising and ouster of 23 year old reign of President Ben Ali.
· The United States military has begun flying pilotless drones (carry missiles and satellite-guided bombs) from a base in Ethiopia as it steps up the fight against Islamist militants (Al-Shabab) in neighbouring Somalia.
· In Philippines(President Benigno Aquino III), at least 27 Islamic militants of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF, wanted for a series of kidnapping and extortion) have been killed and more than 60 others wounded as they engaged in days of gun battle against government security forces.
· The United States held a meeting with a Haqqani network representative(towards some kind of peace negotiation) at the instance of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan. It also emphasized that the negotiations that would be part of any Afghan-led peace process would have to include the Quetta Shura (which is the militant organization composed of top leadership of the Afghan Taliban).
· In Afghanistan, the police have cleared the building of insurgents and IEDs from where they attacked a U.S.-run civilian-cum-military base with rocket propelled grenades and guns in Kandhar yesterday. One Afghan interpreter was killed and five NATO service members were wounded in the attack.
· Mclaren Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton was the fastest while the Force India's Adrian Sutil comes 8th in the opening practice session of the inaugural Formula One Indian Grand Prix in Greater Noida today.