Daily News Notes: 25th March, 2012

• ·         Social activist Anna Hazare has started his one day hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to press his demand for framing a strong law to protect the whistle-blowers. Some family members of the whistle-blowers are also participating in the fast.
• ·         The Unique Identification Authority of India, UIDAI, has enrolled 20 crore residents in the first phase since September 2010 till March, this year. The Cabinet Committee on UIDAI has given its approval for continuation of enrollments of another 40 crore residents by the authority outside the purview of Registrar General of India. The purpose of this unique number or Aadhar number is to ensure better delivery of benefits and services based on establishment of identity of the resident. The State and Central government ministries have been advised to review various schemes for service delivery by utilizing Aadhar as a platform. Some of the states have recognized Aadhar number as proof of identity and address for their resident centric schemes. The top 3 states as per the number of enrollments in the first phase include Andhra Pradesh, followed by Maharashtra and Karnataka.
• ·         Assam which is traditionally known for tea production is now shifting gears towards the rubber plantation. Here, rubber plantation has also become a potential sector of employment generation. The state has recorded an increase of man days in last few years. One can earn upto 2 lakh rupees per annum from one hectare of land.
• ·         In Rajasthan, Gangaur festival is being celebrated today. Gangaur is a festival to honour the goddess Gauri. It signifies Lord Shiva and Parvati together. It's believed that Parvati returned to her parental home during Gangaur. It is one of the state's most important festival.
• ·         ‘Saakshar Bharat Yatra’ a nationwide mobilization campaign organized by the National Literacy Mission Authority, Ministry of Human Resource Development culminated in Dehi today. On the occasion, a literacy musical video, ‘Shiksha ka Suraj’ was also released. This video, written by Shri Javed Akhtar has been sung by Shri Sonu Nigam and Ms. Alka Yagnik. ‘Saakshar Bharat Yatra’ was a part of ‘Environment Building’ activity to stimulate demand for literacy through Saakshar Bharat Programme. The Yatra was organized through kala jathas which included audio-visual programmes, road-shows, public meetings etc.
• ·         India and South Korea today signed an agreement on simplification of visa procedures at Blue House in Seoul, the official residence of South Korean President. The agreement will make travel easier for business persons. India and South Korea have also agreed to expand bilateral trade by setting a new target of 40 billion dollars by 2015. Dr. Singh said, since the implementation of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, the bilateral trade between the two countries has increased by 65 per cent. India also offer to launch Korean satellite on Indian Space launch Vehicle. To enhance political and security cooperation, a defence attache will be positioned in the Indian embassy in Seoul before the end of the year. 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries will be celebrated in a befitting manner next year.
• ·         US President Barack Obama has begun the visit to South Korea, amid rising tensions in the region over a rocket launch planned by the North. Mr. Obama who arrived in Seoul early today, first visited US troops in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the Koreas. It was Mr Obama's first visit to the DMZ, which has bisected the peninsula since the end of the Korean War in 1953. The President told US troops serving there that they were protecting freedom's frontier.
• ·         The US military has decided not to take action against its service members involved in Salala checkpost attack that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers on November 26, 2011. It has finalized its 2nd inquiry report in which it has held Pakistan army personnel responsible for the incident and there is no evidence of negligence by the US soldiers, adding that they attacked in self-defence, therefore, no disciplinary action would be taken against them.
• ·         A piece of an old Russian satellite whizzed by the International Space Station on Saturday, forcing its six-member crew to temporarily take shelter in two Soyuz escape capsules. The incident was the third of its kind in more than a decade of continuous inhabitation of the orbiter, whose first element was launched by Russia in 1998. The Soyuz are attached to the ISS and used by crews either to return to Earth after their missions or in emergencies. The last such incident was reported in June last year, when a piece of space junk passed within just 250 metres of the station. Millions of chunks of metal, plastic and glass are whirling around Earth, the garbage left over from some 4,600 launches since the beginning of space exploration 55 years ago. The rubbish comes mainly from old satellites and upper stages of rockets whose residual fuel or other fluids explode while they turn in orbit. The Cosmos 2251 satellite whose debris passed by the station on Saturday was launched by Russia in 1993.