Daily News Notes

• ·         Election Commission has given permission for the use of 14 alternative documents by the electorates to exercise franchise in Assembly Elections. These document include passport, Ration Cards, Driving License, PAN cards and identity cards issued by government departments and Public Sector Undertakings.
• ·         The National Consumer Helpline (NCH) received 13,295 calls during December 2011. The maximum calls were received from Delhi followed by Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Haryana,  Rajasthan, Bihar, Gujarat, ,Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. The ‘Telecom’ sector recorded maximum complaints followed by products ‘LPG’ ‘Banking’ ‘PDS’ and ‘Insurance’.
• ·         The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh has released the book titled “The Tribune 130 years: a witness to history”.
• ·         India today handed over to Sri Lanka the second phase of the coastal railway line from Galle to Hikkaduwa. India also announced a substantial increase in educational assistance, being given to Sri Lankan. Mr. Krishna said the other project involves reconstruction of railway lines, training of personnel from Sri Lanka Railways in India, procurement of rolling stock and building of maintenance sheds.
• ·         China today defended its oil trade links with Iran but warned that Beijing firmly opposes any effort by Tehran to acquire nuclear weapons. . China is the biggest buyer of Iranian oil, followed by India and Japan. It has backed U.N. Security Council resolutions calling on Iran to halt uranium enrichment activities, while working to ensure its energy ties are not threatened.
• ·         A paralyzed man (Grant Kogan) from U.S. has become the first adaptive athlete in history to reach the South Pole on the 100th anniversary of Robert Falcon Scott's trek there with the Terra Nova Expedition. He used a device called a sit-ski to make the trip, traveling for more than two weeks in sub-zero temperatures.