Daily News Notes

· Lok Sabha is now discussing the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill, 2010 which seeks to create a mechanism to increase the accountability of the Supreme Court and High Court Judges by having a mechanism to declare assets and liabilities of Judges, strengthening the independence of Judiciary and setting up of the National Judiciary Oversight Committee to monitor the behavior of the Judges. All scrutiny, inquiry and investigation will be completed in the time bound manner by this committee.
· The Government has introduced the Higher Education and Research Bill, 2011 in the Rajya Sabha, aimed at establishment of the National Commission for Higher Education and Research (NCHER) which seeks to promote autonomy of higher educational institutions and universities for free pursuit of knowledge and innovation in view the global standard of educational and research practices.
· The Rajya Sabha today deferred Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University Bill, 2011, aimed at setting up of a Central Agriculture University in Bundelkhand region as opposition saying that it did not come under the jurisdiction of the Centre.
· A Constitutional amendment (111th Amendment) bill, 2009 aimed at promoting voluntary formation and autonomous functioning of the cooperative societies across the country was introduced in the Rajya Sabha. As there are over 6 lakh cooperative societies operational in the country, this bill will help professional management of cooperative societies which has made significant contributions to various other fields of the national economy.
· The RBI has cautioned the public against fraudsters who often lure the public in the form of lottery prize money through letters, e-mails, SMS etc on fake letterheads of the RBI or other reputed organizations.
· Oil rose in year-end Asian trade as Iran warned it would lock down the crucial Strait of Hormuz if the West imposed sanctions (on its oil exports) over its nuclear programme, accusing it of seeking to develop nuclear weapons. The strait links the Gulf, bordered by petroleum-rich states such as Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, with Oman.
· Japan PM, Mr. Yoshihiro Noda, has expressed its keenness to strengthen economic ties with India during his visit. Japan and India are expected to sign a currency swap deal (worth 10 billion USD) and announce an investment of 4.5 billion dollar investment for Delhi-Mumbai industrial corridor project during delegation level talks of both the countries. Indo-Japan Civil Nuclear Cooperation was at the centre of talks between the two leaders later in the day.
· The NATO-led ISAF has said that 3 International Security Assistance Force service members were killed following an improvised explosive device attack in eastern part of the Afghanistan. Afghan Taliban has launched massive IED attacks against ISAF and Afghan national security force in recent years.