Daily News Notes

· A Delhi court today issued summons to a number of foreign-based social networking sites, including Facebook, Microsoft, Google, Yahoo and YouTube to face criminal charges for allegedly hosting objectionable content and directed them to appear before it on March 13.
· In Tamil Nadu, officials of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, DVAC, conducted raids at over 70 places across the state (including Chairman and members of TNPSC) in its 4th round of searches in connection with alleged irregularities in appointments made by the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC).
· The Andaman and Nicobar police has registered a case against those involved in the filming of the video on the alleged exploitation of Jarawa women. The Union Government already formed an experts committee last year to review the present Jarawa policy and recommend for their empowerment.
· In Assam, in a bid to reduce the uses of LPG and make the maximum uses of garbage and manure, people of rural areas of the State have adopted environment friendly biogas plants under the National Biogas and Manure Management Programme. Biogas is rich in methane and can be used directly for heating purposes, cooking, lighting or power generation. The plant also produces organic manure for a sustainable agriculture.
· The strategic plan of the Ministry of Civil Aviation for year 2010-15 has been prepared. The strategic plan focuses in identified areas such as World Class infrastructure facilities, establishment of Regulatory Framework in consonance with international standards, connectivity, skilled manpower according to the needs of the industry etc. The Plan includes connecting un-served and under-served areas through increase of airport infrastructure in such areas using the appropriate development model.
· In Madhya Pradesh, 5% seats of agriculture colleges will be reserved for children of farmers and agriculture education will be given importance on par with medical education. The state government will also set up a student welfare fund and constitute a Youth Commission which will work in areas of education, sports and youth welfare.
· The United Nations and the World Health Organisation have lauded India for remaining polio free for a whole year. Now India have to maintain this status for the next two years by routine immunization, a lot of work is needed on water and sanitation, on nutrition and on other issues which are underlined factors contributing to the circulation of virus in the communities. WHO norms a country can be declared totally polio free if there are no polio cases reported for three continuous years.
· Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said to a special session of the National Assembly or lower house of parliament that he would not seek a vote of confidence from Parliament against the backdrop of an escalating row with the judiciary and military as his government did not want any clash between state institutions. Gilani said his government did not need the opposition's support to tackle the crisis caused by the apex court’s order to reopen graft cases that were scrapped under the National Reconciliation Ordinance, (NRO) a graft amnesty granted by the previous military regime. The Pakistan Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing of the case relating to alleged corruption at high places in which Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari also figures and had come down heavily on Gilani for not taking action in such cases. Meanwhile, Pakistan military had publicly rebuked Gilani, warning of serious ramifications after he criticized military leaders in a media interview. [question would be expected from Pak politics]
· Myanmar has begun releasing more prisoners (a total of 651 prisoners) under a new presidential pardon, but not mention that how many of them would be political prisoners. Myanmar has been faced with calls from the international community to free more dissidents.
· The Nepal Government has decided to accept 2 million USD from South Korea to develop Lumbini (birth place of Lord Buddha) as a World Peace city. Kathmandu last evening also decided to celebrate Tourism Campaign Year from 2013-2020.
· China today successfully launched the meteorological satellite Fengyun-II-07.
· India has made 2nd installment of India's multi-year pledge to provide five million dollars as funding to the UN Women (United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women) focused on women empowerment, reaffirming its commitment to gender equality. India is currently one of the members of the Executive Board of the UN Women, where Indian diplomat Lakshmi Puri serves as Deputy Executive Director.
· World No.4 Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal reached her first semifinal of the new season after eking out a hard-fought three-game victory over Tine Baun of Denmark in the Malaysian Super Series in Kuala Lumpur.
· The Sports Ministry has approved the foreign training (in USA, Hungary, Germany, Kenya and South Africa) of nine athletes along with their coaches under the National Sports Development Fund Scheme. These Athletes have either qualified for the upcoming London Olympics or are likely to qualify.