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MAY 2015
KYA? Keep Yourself Ahead!
A Quest ChronicleCHRIST UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT
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Business
1. Kishore Biyani, CEO of Future group announced the acquisition of Bharati
Retail in all stock deal valued at Rs 500 crore.
The acquisition has marked the largest deal in retail segment. This deal has outshined the stock
market, with surging stock prices of Future group shares. Biyani played a wise game acquiring
Bharati retail, which will expand the presence of retail chains in India. Mittals are also benefitted
by the deal by getting an immediate stake of 9% each in BSE listed Future-Retail and also board
member seat in Future retail. Bharati Enterprises will also receive Rs.250 crore worth convertible
debentures.
Adding on the new set of stores in pan India, Future retail may out beat Reliance retail stores.
There are very high chances that Bharati Airtel and Future group may share platforms going
forward to develop e-wallets and payment gateways.
Also Future retail can start their operations in 77 cities in Bharati’s existing outlets and expand
their horizon of business. PwC was the transaction advisor and Edelweiss Financial Services was
the independent valuer for this deal between Bharati and Future group.
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2. IMF has declared India as a new Bright spot in Asia.
International Monetary Fund expects India to be the fastest growing economy in the world over
the medium term. IMF also has appreciated the reforms and missions undertaken by Mr. Narendra
Modi to develop India and attract investments worldwide. IMF expects Indian economy to expand
at the rate of 7.5% in 2015-2016, which will majorly exceed China’s growth rate.
Effective policies and resolution of political stability has increased capital flows into the
economy, and improved sentiments of investors. Also, IMF has identified supply-side bottlenecks,
which are leading to potential risks that would cause the economy downfall. The bank’s assets
quality and corporate vulnerability are causing risks to the growth of the economy. The Aadhar
benefits and LPG subsidies linked to Aadhar and many more have been applauded by IMF about
the Indian economy.
3.
NTPC plans to issue Rupee denominated Global INR bonds worth $1 Billion
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India’s largest power producer NTPC has planned to fund its capital expenditure by issuing the
global INR bonds. National Thermal and Power Corporation is a public sector undertaking under
Ministry of Power. NTPC board has approved for this proposal to raise $1 Billion from overseas
bonds markets.
NTPC requires funds mainly for expanding its power generation capacity. The renewable energy
is the major contributor of 28% to its capacity of 1,28,000 MW by 2032. The power generator
company plans to set up 3,000MW capacity solar power projects across the country this fiscal
year. The Government plans to have 1,60,000 MW renewable power generation capacity by 2022
for which, an investment of $250 billion would be required.
4. Private Banks like ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and Axis Bank sell Government
bonds.
Indian government bonds have a negative view among FIIs and also caused the same impressions
among domestic players. The domestic players like ICICI, Axis banks have sold bonds worth
thousands of crores in the month of May. Banks bought benchmark bonds in the month of January
which had yielding rate around 7.85% to 7.90%.
The share of private banks selling government securities was higher than usual as they sold a net
8.3% of the daily volume while state-owned banks bought 11.50%, according to clearing house
sources.
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On the next day, private banks sold a net 7% against 14% net purchases by state-owned
lenders. Between April 27 and May 6, the share of government securities sales by private banks
was about 18%, net purchases 14%. This development has indirectly affected rates of these bonds.
RBI might come with quick actions to control the fluctuations in the bond market.
5. Spice Jet Promoter has planned to infuse another Rs 300 crore into the airline.
Spice Jet plans to raise Rs 300 crore of low cost debt as part of recapitalization. The debt will be
used to fund the airline’s expansion plans. It plans to expand its fleet by 40% to 50 planes by end
March 2016. Spice Jet currently has 17 Boeing 737s and 15 Bombardier Q400s in its fleet. Ajay
Singh, spice jet promoter has put in Rs 550crore into the airline, as he took over the Spice Jet from
Kalanithi Maran in February 2015. According to the revival plan, submitted to the civil aviation
ministry in January for its approval, the new promoter had to invest Rs 1,500 crore in three
tranches of Rs 500 crore each between February and April. The company has also increased the
number of its flights to 270 in the current summer schedule from 210 operated during the winter
period.
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6. Bank of Russia bought Forex reserves worth $200 Million.
The Russian central bank bought $200 Million of foreign currency in the market. The central bank
also said the purchases, which started on May 13 was to build up its reserves. Russia's gold and
forex reserves fell to around $385 billion in early 2015 from $ 510 billion a year earlier.
The central bank, which has sold billions of dollars of foreign currency to support the embattled
ruble over the past year, said last week it would buy $100 million to $200 million a day. In the
first three days of interventions it bought $581 million. This was mainly undertaken to replenish
its reserves, which have fallen substantially since early last year as the rouble slumped and global
oil prices collapsed.
7. Exim Bank extends two lines of credit worth $144.44 million to Congo.
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The Export-Import Bank of India has extended two lines of credit worth $144.44 million to Congo
for power distribution and transmission projects. The bank has given $34.50 million for financing
development of power distribution project in Bandundu Province in the country. The bank has
also extended another line of credit(LoC) worth $109.94 million for transmission and distribution
project in Kasai province of Congo for evacuation of electricity from Ketende Hydroelectric
Power project in the country. Exim Bank had earlier extended five LoCs aggregating to USD
350.50 million to Congo.
With the signing of these two LoC agreements, the bank has now in place 196 LoCs, covering 63
countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe, Oceania and the CIS, with credit commitments
of over USD 12.02 billion, available for financing exports from the country.
8.
Ford has plans to invest Rs 5,000 crore in Chennai R&D centre.
As part of the “Make In India” mission, Ford has planned to invest around Rs 5,000crore in
the R&D plant. Ford motors, US automobile maker has again decided to invest in India after
investments in Gujurat plant. Ford India will be increasing its investment in the country by
almost 50% of its cumulative investment. They have narrowed in on Chennai location,
therefore Tamil nadu government is expected to intervene and furnish the requirements and
also the approval of the project.
The new Indian product development centre will be one of the largest R&D bases in the Asia-
Pacific region for the maker of the iconic Mustang and Lincoln cars and it is going to be
linked to Ford's Global Product Development Ecosystem, wherein engineers in India will offer
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key inputs for products not only meant for India but for global markets too. It is a good sign of
development to India.
9.
RBI allows NBFCs to cut forward deals in corporate debt securities bonds
The Reserve Bank of India has permitted non-banking finance companies to cut ready forward
contract deals in corporate debt securities, a mechanism aimed at expanding the reach of non-
sovereign bond market. But those companies including the government-owned ones should be
registered with the central bank under Companies Act, 2013. It has now been decided to permit
NBFCs registered with RBI including Government companies as defined in sub-section (45) of
section 2 of the Companies Act, 2013 which adhere to the prudential norms prescribed for NBFCs
by the Department of Non Banking Regulation, Reserve Bank of India, to undertake ready
forward contracts in corporate debt securities. The forward contract will serve as an instrument for
hedging against such investment.
10. JP Morgan chase has decided to cut 5,000 jobs
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US banking giant JPMorgan Chase will cut thousands of jobs in a cost-saving program aimed at
saving $5 billion through 2017. The largest US bank will eliminate more than 5,000 jobs by next
year. The layoffs will affect all four of the bank's major business units.
The goal is to cut two percent of the workforce, which was 241,145 employees at the end of
December. Last year, JPMorgan slashed nearly 8,000 jobs, mainly in the mortgage loan business.
It aims to reduce annual expenses to $57 billion this year, compared with $58.4 billion in
2014. About $2 billion of that is to come from cost-cutting in retail banking, with the bank
planning to close 300 of its 5,570 branches by the end of 2016. At the same t ime, it is boosting
investment in online banking and digital technology.
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National
1. Union Cabinet cleared 119th Constitutional Amendment Bill on LBA between
India and Bangladesh
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 5th May 2015 approved the
119th Constitutional Amendment Bill on Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) between India and
Bangladesh. Under the land boundary agreement, India and Bangladesh will exchange several
enclaves, which are under each other's adverse possession. The bill also includes the territories inAssam in addition to territories of West Bengal, Tripura and Meghalaya.
The bill will need ratification by the Parliament and would also require ratification of at least 50
percent of the state legislatures before it comes into effect.
Earlier in 2013, the bill in regard to this was placed in the Rajya Sabha and subsequently was
referred to a select committee, which was headed by Shashi Tharoor of Congress. Later, the
committee unanimously recommended implementation of the deal.
The historic protocol on the Land Boundary Agreement was inked between India and Bangladesh
on 6th September 2011 during the visit of the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to
Bangladesh. It was inked following the talks between Manmohan Singh and Bangladesh Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka. Later, Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during
her visit to Bangladesh on 27th June 2014 discussed the Land Boundary Agreement with the
leaders of the nation.
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2. Lok Sabha passed the Goods and Services Tax Bill, 2014
Lok Sabha on 6th May 2015 passed the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill, 2014. The bill also
called Constitution (122nd Amendment) Bill seeks to introduce GST regime in India.
The bill will transform India into a common market, harmonizing myriads of state and central
levies into a national goods and services tax, which is expected to boost manufacturing and reduce
corruption.
Main Highlights of the Bill
• It provides for constitution of a Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council by inserting Article
279A in the Constitution. The Council will recommend to the Union and States on the inclusion
and exclusion of goods and services.
• It proposes an additional tax on supply of goods, not exceeding one percent, in the course of
inter-State trade and will be levied and collected by the Union for a period of two years and
apportioned to the States.
• the net proceeds of additional tax on supply of goods, except the proceeds from Union
Territories, will not form the part of Consolidated Fund of India.
• It provides for the compensation to the States for loss of revenue arising on account of
implementation of GST for a period of five years.
• It subsumes all the Central indirect taxes, Central sales tax, State value added tax and sales tax.
• It covers all goods and services except alcoholic liquor for human consumption for the levy of
GST.
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Now, the bill needs to be passed in Rajya Sabha after which more than a half of India's 29 states
must approve it before the central and state governments would get equal powers to tax goods and
services. With the passage of GST bill at every stage, the whole country, which is one-sixth of
world's population, would become a single market and would give a necessary fillip as far as the
trade is concerned.
3. World’s largest solar photovoltaic plant of 750 MW to be built in Rewa district
of Madhya Pradesh
The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet in the last week of April 2015 gave its approval to build 750
megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (SPV) plant at Gurh tehsil in Rewa district. The plant, to be
developed in three phases of 250 MW, once completed will become the world’s largest solar
power plant. At present, the largest SPV plant is the Topaz Solar Farm (550 MW) in California’s
San Luis Obispo county, US, which was commissioned in 2014
Characteristic Feature of SPV plant:
The plant will use photovoltaic (PV) technology to generate electricity from the sun is
estimated to be completed by March 2017 at an estimated cost of 4500 crore rupees.
The loan for it will be provided by World Bank and New and Renewable Energy
Department of Madhya Pradesh government will provide land for the project. The state
government is also on the lookout for private land.
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The plant will provide power at a price as low as 5.50 rupees per unit as against the 6.86
rupees per unit, which is the benchmark for levelised tariff (tariff realized over the span of
the project) of SPV for 2015-16 announced by Central Electricity Regulatory Commission.
The project is being set up under the scheme for development of solar parks and ultra
mega solar power projects. The PV modules for the plant would be sourced from the
domestic market, which is not mandatory.
Once commissioned, Jabalpur-based Madhya Pradesh Power Management Company Limited will
buy 40 per cent of power. The solar project in Rewa would be one of the first of the 25 solar parks
planned in the country.
4. Nadia in West Bengal became the first open defecation-free (ODF) district of
India
Nadia district of West Bengal was on 30th April 2015 declared as the first open defecation-free
(ODF) district in India. Nadia district could achieve this feat due to its collaborative effort with
the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and World Bank, which is aimed at construction of
toilets across the district.
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Incidentally, in order to eliminate open defecation from the rural landscape of the state, the Chief
Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee formally launched the Mission Nirmal Bangla (MNB)
on 30th April 2015 and declared the day as Nirmal Bangla Diwas to mark the occasion.
The mission is akin to the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) in its objectives, which was launched
on 2nd October 2014 with the objective of ensuring cleanliness in all the 4041 statutory cities and
towns of the country by 2th October 2019, which marks the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma
Gandhi.
5.
Yogathon to be hosted in 100 US cities on First International Yoga Day
Yogathon is an event that will be celebrated in more than 100 US cities on 21 June 2015, the first
International Yoga Day. It is a type of campaign to spread the awareness about Yoga. The event is
being organized by about 50 major spiritual and Yoga organizations like Art of Living, Overseas
Volunteer for a Better India (OVBI) and others.
The United Nations (UN) on 11 December 2014 declared 21 June as the World Yoga Day
following a proposal of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He made a proposal and urged the
world community to celebrate Indian Yoga at the international level during his visit to the United
Nations in September 2014.
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6. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Doordarshan's farmer-centric Kisan
TV Channel
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Doordarshan’s farmer -centric channel named DD Kisan
from Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi. The 24-hour channel will air information on farmer related
issues.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has included DD Kisan channel under the genre
Infotainment (Hindi). With this, DD Kisan has become a must carry channel making it mandatory
for every cable and Direct to Home (DTH) operators to provide DD Kisan to their subscribers.
The channel programmes would be primarily for agriculture sector and rural India and would help
in revitalizing agriculture sector, which in turn would aid the development of rural India.
7. Environmental Democracy Index 2015 has India at 24th position
The Washington based World Resources Institute (WRI) and the Access Initiative on 20th
May
released the first Environmental Democracy Index (EDI) for the year 2015. The index evaluates
the environmental democracy in 70 countries based on recognized international standards. The
index evaluates whether Governments are enacting national laws to promote transparency,
accountability, and citizen engagement in environmental decision making. It is assessed and
analyzed by more than 140 international lawyers and experts. India was ranked at 24th position
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out of 70 countries in the first Environmental Democracy Index that is topped by Lithuania at the
first position, Latvia at the second and Russia at the third position.
Highlights of the Environmental Democracy Index:
• 79 percent of countries assessed earned only fair or poor ratings for public participation adding
that many nations lag on providing citizens basic environmental information.
• Nearly half (46 percent) of the countries do not provide any ambient air quality data online for
their capital cities.
• In 73 percent of the countries, courts hear environmental cases. But very few countries have
assistance for marginalized groups.
• Around 64 percent of countries with laws on the books do not release any information to the
public on emissions or wastewater discharges, pollutants that can impact human health and the
environment.
• Only 14 percent of the countries have legal mechanisms that help women access courts to obtain
redress when their environmental rights are violated.
• The index found that wealth is an important facilitator for environmental democracy, as is being
a signatory of a major treaty like the Kyoto Protocol or the Aarhus convention.
• Right to environmental information has been established in the 93 percent of the assessed
countries.
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8. President of India appointed four Governors and transferred two
President of India Pranab Mukherjee appointed four Governors and transferred two others. These
appointments and transfers were done in accordance with Article 155 of the Constitution of India
Appointed Governors
V Shanmuganathan was appointed as the Governor of Meghalaya. He is a member of BJP
national executive.
Draupadi Murmu was appointed as the Governor of Jharkhand. She is from BJP and was a
Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Odisha’s Rairangpur constituency in 2000.
Tathagata Roy was appointed as Governor of Tripura. Roy had unsuccessfully contested for BJP
seat from Kolkata Dakshina Lok Sabha constituency in 2014.
JP Rakkhowa was appointed as Governor of Arunachal Pradesh. He is a 1968-batch IAS officer.
He has been involved in issues related to Northeast after his retirement.
Transferred Governors
Syed Ahmed, Governor of Jharkhand was shifted to Manipur. He was appointed in September
2011. His tenure will end in September 2016.
Lt General (retd.) Nirbhay Sharma, who was serving as Governor of Arunachal Pradesh since
May, 2011, was transferred and appointed as Governor of Mizoram for the remainder of his term,
which ends in 2018. He is the eighth Governor of the state since 2014.
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9. Veteran Bollywood actor Shashi Kapoor bestowed with Dada Saheb Phalke
award
Veteran Bollywood actor Shashi Kapoor was honoured with the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalkeaward by Union Information and Broadcasting Minster Arun Jaitley at Prithvi Theatre, Mumbai.
With this, Shashi Kapoor became the 46th winner of the award. He was awarded for his
outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema. He began his career as
an actor as a child artist in the 1940s.
Shashi Kapoor is known for his performances in films like Jab Jab Phool Khile, Deewar and
Kabhi Kabhie. Earlier, he has got the National Award for best actor for the film New Delhi Times
in 1986, National Film Award – Special Jury Award / Special Mention (Feature Film) for Muhafiz
(1993).
He was also awarded with the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi (as Producer)
for Junoon in 1979. He has appeared in 160 movies all together, 12 being in English and the rest
in Hindi. He was also honoured with the Padma Bhushan Award by the Union Government in
2011.
10. Indian Army signed MoU with Bank of India on Defence Salary Package
Indian Army on 8th May 2015 signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bank of
India (BOI) on the Defence Salary Package. The first MoU between BOI and the Indian Army
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was signed in 2011 and was valid for a period of three years. This revised MoU is customized to
suit the requirements of serving soldiers, pensioners and families.
Highlights of the MoU
• This MoU will benefit a large number of serving and retired Army personnel who own their
accounts with BOI.
• It will also provide them an opportunity to access modern banking facilities.
• It includes the standard bundle of free/concessional services including free drafts, free cheque
books, free funds transfers to any bank in India through RTGS / NEFT, free ATM cards etc.
• Some additional features of this MoU are that the Personal Accident Insurance (PAI) cover is
extended up to 10 lakh rupees from 5 lakh rupees.
• It provides for Air insurance, Home Loan Insurance on Army Welfare housing Organization
(AWHO) for deaths on account of war/external aggression/ terrorist attack for up to 50 lakh
rupees.
• It provides applicability of PAI and overdraft facility to pensioners and waiver of merchant
service fee (MSF) for transaction on BOI POS Terminal installed at CSD Canteens for BOI Card
holders.
• It also has a provision for yearly review of specific features and requests.
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International
1. 14th person dies of MERS in South Korea and 2 hospitals have been closed
Authorities in South Korea temporarily closed two hospitals amid persistent fears over the
MERS virus outbreak, which has killed 14 people so far, though health officials continue to
claim the outbreak has already peaked. Twelve new infections were reported, and a 67-year-old
woman became the latest fatality.
Nearly 140 people in South Korea have been diagnosed with Middle East respiratory syndrome
since the country reported its first case last month. The outbreak, the largest outside Saudi
Arabia, has been occurring only in hospitals, among patients, family members who visited
them and medical staff treating them. The Health Ministry claimed that the outbreak was
coming under control. However, 12 new cases were reported. About 3,680 people were isolated
after possible contacts with those infected.
Three MERS patients in their 70s died and they had suffered from conditions such as
pneumonia, asthma and lung diseases before they were confirmed as having MERS. The
woman who became the country's 14th fatality had been combating thyroid problems and high
blood pressure.
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2. Honda adds more money to air bag recall fund
Honda Motor Co. is setting aside another US$363 million to fund a growing recall of air bags
that can explode with too much force. The manufacturer said the additional costs would show up
in revised earnings for the fiscal year that ended March 31. But the costs won't affect the
company's dividend or earnings forecasts, it said in a statement.
Last month air bag maker Takata Corp. gave in to pressure from U.S. safety regulators and
agreed to double the size of an air bag inflator recall to a record 33.8 million. Takata's inflators
can explode with too much force, sending metal shrapnel into a car's passenger compartment. So
far the problem has caused at least six deaths and 105 injuries worldwide.
Louisiana. Honda is Takata's largest customer and so far has recalled about 20 million inflators
worldwide. Ten other manufacturers use Takata inflators and have had to expand their recalls as
well.
3. Protests bring pressure on Guatemala President amid scandals
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Every Saturday for nearly two months, Constitution Square outside Guatemala City's National
Palace has overflowed with thousands of protesters demanding an end to corruption and the
resignation of President Otto Perez Molina.
Most are from the young, middle-class, smartphone generation, and they organize the leaderless
demonstrations through social media. But there are also priests standing shoulder-to-shoulder with
businessmen, and students alongside homemakers, in what Guatemala analysts call an
unprecedented mass mobilization cutting across socio-economic, political, even class lines.
Angered by recent revelations of multimillion-dollar corruption scandals and emboldened by the
jailing of dozens of suspects and the resignation of the vice president, the protesters show no sign
of letting up. And they're bringing increasing pressure on the government, culminating in this
week's Supreme Court ruling green lighting a congressional inquiry that could lead toimpeachment proceedings against Perez Molina.
4. Haiti releases final list of Presidential candidates
Haiti's electoral council has released a final list of presidential candidates allowed to participate in
the upcoming general elections. Officials released the list of 58 names after rejecting 13
candidates. Excluded from the list is former Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe. A judicial panel
previously ruled
that he failed to receive a government document certifying that he handled public funds
appropriately while prime minister from 2012 until late 2014.
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Haiti is expected to hold local elections in August followed by the first round of presidential
elections in October and a final round in December.
5. Global news organizations agree to share climate change content
An unprecedented alliance of news publishers including the Guardian, El País, Le Monde and
China Daily have agreed to share climate change content to raise awareness in the run up to the
next UN summit. More than two-dozen publishers from around the world from the Sydney
Morning Herald to India Today and the Seattle Times have agreed to scrap licensing fees for
climate change content so that members of the alliance can freely republish articles.
The initiative, called the Climate Publishers Network, aims to create a global pool of content to
provide a resource for publishers to widen coverage ahead of the UN climate change summit inParis in December. The goal is to expand the network beyond its founding partners, brought
together with help from the Global Editors Network, until the initiative disbands on the last day of
the COP 21 summit on 11 December.
Guardian editor-in-chief Alan Rusbridger, El Pais editor-in-chief Antonio Cano and Global
Editors Network president Ricardo Kirschbaum said: “We very much hope that publications
across the political spectrum will join us either in using some of our material or, ideally, offering
their own material as well.”
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6. Zimbabwe offers new exchange rate: $1 for 35,000,000,000,000,000 old dollars
Zimbabweans will start exchanging “quadrillions” of local dollars for a few US dollars next week
as President Robert Mugabe’s government discards its virtually worthless national currency. The
southern African country started using foreign currencies including the US dollar and South
African rand in 2009 after the Zimbabwean dollar was ruined by hyperinflation, which hit 500 billion per cent in 2008.
At the height of the country’s economic crisis, Zimbabweans had to carry plastic bags bulging
with banknotes to buy basic goods. Prices were rising at least twice a day. Customers who held
Zimbabwean dollar accounts before March 2009 can approach their banks to convert their balance
into US dollars, the governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, John Mangudya, said in a
statement. Zimbabweans have until September to turn in their old banknotes, which some people
sell as souvenirs to tourists. Bank accounts with balances of up to 175 quadrillion Zimbabwean
dollars will be paid $5. Those with balances above 175 quadrillion dollars will be paid at an
exchange rate of $1 for 35 quadrillion Zimbabwean dollars.
7. Shell sought to influence direction of Science Museum climate programme
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Shell tried to influence the presentation of a climate change programme it was sponsoring at the
Science Museum in London. The Anglo-Dutch oil group raised concerns with the museum that
one part of the project creates an opportunity for NGOs to talk about some of the issues that
concern them around Shell’s operations.
The company also wanted to know whether a particular symposium at the museum was “invite
only” as that would ensure “we do not proactively open up a debate on the topic of Shell’s
operations. The concerns are raised in a series of emails obtained under the Freedom of
Information Act and once again raise awkward questions about the influence of fossil fuel
companies over Britain’s most valued cultural institutions.
Shell is keen to present itself as a responsible company that is trying to tackle climate change but
critics say its commitment to tar sands, deep water wells and Arctic exploration are at odds with
this stance.
8. Greece running out of time to avoid default, leaders concede
Greece has less than a week to strike a deal with its Eurozone creditors to avoid defaulting on its
massive debts and perhaps being kicked out of the single currency area, with German leaders and
top European Union officials now conceding that default is the likeliest outcome.
Merkel was said to have resigned herself to a Greek default, and at a meeting in Bratislava,
eurocrats preparing for the Luxembourg talks included the default scenario in their discussions for
the first time. Standard & Poor’s lowered the rating of Greece’s biggest four banks, two days after
cutting its already deep-junk rating for Greek bonds.
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Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the Dutch finance minister who will chair next week’s Luxembourg
meeting, delivered an ultimatum to Athens, warning it would be left alone if it did not meet the
creditors terms for securing remaining bailout funds.
9. Drought-ravaged California orders record water cuts on farmers
Drought-stricken California has ordered the largest cuts on record to farmers holding some of the
state’s strongest water rights. State water officials announced the decision to tell more than a
hundred senior rights holders in California’s Sacramento, San Joaquin and delta watersheds to
stop pumping from those waterways.
Jay Lund, a professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at University of California, Davis,
said the order was both expected and necessary. It’s a very deep drought. One of the deepest in
history, particularly in the San Joaquin valley as it has suffered tremendously. The move is the
first time the state has forced large numbers of senior-water rights holders to curtail water use. It
will affect thousands of farmers.
“We are now at the point where demand in our system is outstripping supply f or even the most
senior water rights holders,” said Caren Trgovcich, chief deputy director of the
State Water Resources Control Board. The move shows California is sparing fewer and fewer
users in the push to cut back on water during the state’s four -year drought, and is the first
significant mandatory cut because of drought for senior water rights holders since the last major
drought, in the late 1970s.
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10. Inside Skolkovo, Moscow's self-styled Silicon Valley
There’s a machine that can print a thyroid gland, a mechanized suit that is helping a paraplegic
play football and a lifelike bust of Alan Turing answering questions in a robotic drawl.
Skolkovo, a 400-hectare plot of land west of Moscow that is trying to style itself as Russia’scoming Silicon Valley. On a glorious day, surrounded by suitably named buildings like the
Hypercube, the Matrix and the Techno park, a cluster of prodigies that put the star into start-up are
showing off their ideas to a trickle of potential investors, venture capitalists from Russia and
abroad.
At face value, the innovation hub first conceived of five years ago, appears a promising, even
urgent, idea in a country so rich in scientific brilliance but so poor at bringing it to market. Even
now it is hard to think of a single Russian brand that has broken through internationally. The
country has long been chastised for over-relying on raw materials for its wealth.
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Science & Technology
1.
Microsoft named its next Web Browser as EDGE
Microsoft announced Edge as its next Web Browser’s name at the Build Developer Conference
held at San Francisco in California, USA. Earlier, Microsoft had called it as Project Spartan, a code
name given by the company. The browser is intended to replace the Internet Explorer (IE) in future.
Key Features of Edge Web browser
• It will feature new inking function, which allows users to draw or scribble directly on a Web page.
It works with finger or stylus and offers pen as well as highlighter with option to choose the colorfor it.
• Microsoft’s personal assistant service Cortana will be integrated to the new browser in order to
enhance the user experience.
• It will allow users to save pages for offline reading. The reading lists thus created by a user will
get synced to be accessed across multiple devices.
• It will exhibit a new tab page that will show information on recently opened tabs, favorites, newapps, etc.
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2. NASA ended operations of MESSENGER mission to Mercury
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on 30 April 2015 ended the operations of
MESSENGER Mission. MESSENGER stands for Mercury Surface, Space Environment,
Geochemistry and Ranging and it was launched on 3 August 2004 to study Mercury’s atmosphere .
The journey of the spacecraft came to an end with Expected Impact (EI) on Mercury’s surface. It
plunged to the Mercury’s surface at around 14000 kmph, creating a crater up to 52 feet wide.
Although the mission completed its primary science objectives by March 2012, the spacecraft’s
mission was extended two times, allowing it to capture images and information about the planet in
unprecedented detail.
Among its many accomplishments, the mission determined Mercury’s surface composition,
revealed its geological history, discovered its internal magnetic field is offset from the planet’s
center and concluded its polar deposits are dominantly water ice. Johns Hopkins University’s
Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) at Laurel in Maryland, USA built and operated the spacecraft
and managed the mission for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington.
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3. NASA’s Ten Engine Electric Plane GL-10 Prototype completed successful
Flight Test
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) successfully developed and flight
tested the prototype of a ten-engine electric plane Greased Lightning (GL)-10.
Key Features of Greased Lightning (GL)-10
• The aircraf t was conceptualized by the NASA in order to enhance its capabilities in using
remotely piloted aircrafts in science investigations and to augment technology development for
aircraft, cubesats and other platforms.
• It is a battery-powered 10-engine remotely piloted aircraft having eight electric motors on the
wings and two electric motors on the tail.
• It weighs a maximum of 62 pounds (28.1 kilograms) at take off and has a 10-foot wingspan.
• It can take off like a helicopter and fly like an airplane. • It produces less noise in the sense that it is quieter than a neighbor mowing the lawn with a gas-
powered motor.
• At present it is in the design and testing phase and under the first phase. It will be an Unmanned
Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and could be used for small package delivery or vertical takeoff and landing,
long endurance surveillance for agriculture, mapping and other applications.
• In the later stage, a scaled up version that can accommodate up to four persons will be developed.
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4. Japanese Scientists discovered new state of matter called jahn-teller-metal
Japanese Scientists on 14 May 2015 discovered a new state of matter called the Jahn-Teller-metal. The
matter resembles an insulator, superconductor, metal and magnet all rolled into one. The study led byKosmas Prassides, Scientist at Tokohu University made the discovery by studying a superconductor
made from carbon-60 molecules or buckyballs.
The research was described in Science Advances. It involves caesium fulleride (Cs3C60) in a face-
centred-cubic lattice with a Cs3C60 molecule at each lattice site. The research could help develop new
molecular materials that are superconductors at even higher temperatures. The study shows that the
material has a rich combination of insulating, magnetic, metallic and superconducting phases
including the otherwise unknown state, dubbed as Jahn-Teller metal.
The research provides important clues about how the interplay between the electronic structure of the
molecules and their spacing within the lattice can strengthen interactions between electrons that cause
superconductivity. Superconductors are a large and diverse group of materials that offer zero
resistance to electrical currents when cooled below a critical temperature (TC). Superconducting
lattices of fullerides - C60 plus three alkali-metal atoms have been studied for more than two decades,
and provide an interesting test bed.
5. ISRO announced to launch ASTROSAT in October 2015
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) announced that ASTROSAT will be launched in
October 2015 by the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C-34 from the Satish Dhawan Space
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Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
Features of ASTROSAT
• ASTROSAT is the first dedicated Indian space observatory mission aimed at studying distan t
celestial objects.
• The mission is capable of performing observations in Ultraviolet (UV), optical, low and high
energy X-ray wavebands at the same time.
• The satellite will be launched to a 650 km near equatorial orbit around the Earth.
• ASTROSAT carries four X-ray payloads, one UV telescope and a charge particle monitor.
• Apart from ISRO, four other Indian institutions, viz., Tata Institute of Fundamental Research
(TIFR), Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and
Astrophysics (IUCAA) and Raman Research Institute (RRI) are involved in the development of
payloads among which two of them were developed in collaboration with Canadian Space Agency
(CSA) and University of Leiscester (UoL), UK.
6. NASA's Spacecraft provided first direct measurement for Type 1a supernovae
caused by white dwarfs
Kepler and Swift spacecraft of NASA provided supporting evidence and the first direct
measurement of supernovae (stellar explosions) , which can enable scientists to understand what
causes supernovae. This was revealed by studies published in journal Nature on 20 May 2015.
The studies proved that Type Ia supernovae, which produce unprecedented brightness, can either be
caused by merging with another white dwarf or by pulling too much matter from a nearby
companion star. A white dwarf is the Earth-sized remnant of a star like the sun.
Kepler’s Study
The Kepler spacecraft, known for its planet-hunting prowess, has provided the data for three new
and distant supernovae, viz., KSN 2011b, KSN 2011c and KSN 2012a. The dataset includes
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measurements taken before the violent stellar explosions even happened and this is the first direct
measurement of supernova. These supernovae were identified as Type Ia supernovae with the aid of
powerful telescopes at the Gemini and the WM Keck Observatories atop Mauna Kea in Hawaii.
On the analysis of dataset, scientists led by Robert Olling, research associate at the University ofMaryland, found that shock wave generated in all directions by these explosions were not disrupted.
This proved that there was no evidence of a companion star nearby and concluded the cause to be
the collision and merger of two closely orbiting stars, most likely two white dwarfs.
Study of Swift dataset
Swift spacecraft captured the supernova designated iPTF14atg first in the galaxy IC 831, located
about 300 million light-years away in the constellation Coma Berenices. The Swift study led by
California Institute of Technology (Caltech) graduate student Yi Cao, proved that Type Ia
supernovae can also arise from single white dwarfs by pulling too much matter from a nearby
companion star.
According to the analysis of Cao, when the supernova debris slammed into and swept around its
companion star, it created a region of Ultra Violet (UV) emission and the peak temperature
exceeded 19000 degrees Fahrenheit (11000 degrees Celsius) or about twice the surface temperature
of the sun.
Conclusion
Type Ia supernovae are destructive explosions of carbon-oxygen white dwarfs and are used
empirically to measure cosmological distances. The first direct measurement of such supernovae
can help the scientists understand the mysteries of dark energy a mysterious force that appears to be
accelerating cosmic expansion.
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7. US Army developed Blast proof Wallpaper to protect soldiers from
explosions
The United States (US) Army developed Blast proof wallpaper to protect soldiers from explosions.
A prototype was displayed at an exhibition of army innovations held at the Pentagon on 21 May
2015.
The ballistic wallpaper was displayed at the Department of Defense Lab Day among 100
innovations from US Army engineers. Army engineers in the United States designed the prototype.
The new thing about this ballistic wallpaper is that non-specialized units at short notice can quickly
and easily apply it. This provides significant potential tactical advantages.
The prototype is lightweight sticky wallpaper lined with tough Kevlar fibres could be carried by
troops to reinforce the walls of temporary buildings. The special fabric acts as a net to stop shrapnel
flying around and injuring soldiers or civilians who are stuck inside. The idea is to coat the inside
of structures to reduce the danger of debris to occupants. The lining reduces the amount of debris
sent flying at the occupants of a building in the event of an explosion.
Small blast trials had been carried out near Fort Polk in Louisiana, while larger testing had been
conducted at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida
8.
GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) system fully operationalized
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on 25 May 2015 announced the complete
operationalization of the GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN). The final operational
phase of the system commenced on 19 May 2015 as it began broadcasting APV1 Certified signals.
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With this, India has become the fourth nation after the US, Europe and Japan to have inter-operable
Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS). Also, GAGAN is the first SBAS system in the
world to serve the equatorial region.
Earlier on 30 December 2013, Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) gave its nod forGAGAN for enroute operations (RNP 0.1) and subsequently on 21 April 2015 for precision
approach services (APV 1). While the GAGAN Payload is already operational through GSAT-8
and GSAT-10 satellites, the third payload will be carried onboard GSAT-15 satellite scheduled for
launch in October 2015.
Features of GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) System
• It is a Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) developed jointly by the Airports Authority
of India (AAI) and Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
• Its primary objective is to establish, deploy and certify satellite based augmentation system for
safety-of-life civil aviation applications for the Indian air space.
• It plays an important role in safety of life applications in transport, sensitive commercial
applications and liability-critical applications needing legal course.
• It offers free enhanced satellite navigation signals by correcting deviancie s in GPS signals by
deploying ground based navigational infrastructure.
• The system is inter-operable with other international SBAS systems like US-WAAS, European
EGNOS, and Japanese MSAS etc.
• It has been developed at an estimated cost of 774 crore rupees.
• It will enable transition of the air traffic management system to satellite -based seamless
navigation across continents covering the airspace from Australia to Africa as well as west Asia to
China and Russia.
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9. NRI scientist Latha Venkataraman created first single-molecule device
NRI scientist Latha Venkataraman created the first single-molecule device. The electronic device
has a potential of real-world technological applications for Nano scale devices. The report was
published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology. Under the direction of Venkataraman, researchers
created a single-molecule diode which performs 50 times better than all prior designs.
A team of Columbia Engineering researchers has constructed a device where the active element is
only a single molecule, has long been a tantalizing dream in Nano science. With electronic devices
becoming smaller every day, the field of molecular electronics has become more critical in solving
the problem of further miniaturization. Single molecule represents the limit of miniaturization.
The idea of creating a single-molecule diode was suggested by Arieh Aviram and Mark Ratner whotheorized in 1974 that a molecule could act as a rectifier, a one-way conductor of electric current.
The researchers are now working on understanding the fundamental physics behind their discovery
and trying to increase the rectification ratios they observed, using new molecular system.
10.
NRSC, DoLR signed MoU for development of Web Geo Portal Shrishti and
Mobile App Drishti
The Department of Space and Department of Land Resources (DoLR) signed a MoU with National
Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) for the development of Web Geo Portal Shrishti and Mobile
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App Drishti for monitoring the IWMP watersheds. Sandeep Dave, Joint Secretary of DoLR and VK
Dadhwal, Director of NRSC signed the MoU. The Department of Land Resources (DoLR) works
under Union Ministry of Rural Development while National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) works
under Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
As per the MoU, the NRSC, ISRO in partnership with DoLR will design and develop the required
technological interventions for monitoring and evaluation of Integrated Watershed Management
Programme (IWMP) watersheds through the Bhuvan Geo-Web portal - Shrishti.
The Mobile Application Drishti will integrate field level activities and their monitoring with
Bhuvan portal.
About Drishti System
Drishti system is a sophisticated instrument for assessment of Runway visual range, which is a
critical parameter for safe landing and takeoff of aircraft in poor visibility.
Web enabled health-monitoring, remote control of the system from any location in the country for
accessing the data and for maintenance are the other important features of this state of the art
system.
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Sports and Entertainment
1.
Mohun Bagan wins the I- League title
Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan clinched their maiden I-League title and their first domestic
championship in 13 years after managing a 1-1 draw against defending champions Bengaluru FC at
Kanteerva Stadium here today.
Bello Rasaq scored the equaliser to give Bagan the much-needed point and pocket their fourth
national title. The title also ended their five-year trophy drought. Incidentally, it was Nigeria's
Abdul Saliu, who scored the winning goal for Bagan in the 2001-02 National Football League title,
and this time too a Nigerian in Rasaq scored the much-needed goal.
Bengaluru's John Johnson drew first blood in the 41st minute as the hosts hung on to the lead into
the first half. Bagan fans were nearly lost for breath when Rasaq scored the equaliser in the 87th
minute to bring them back to life. Rasaq headed the ball past the resplendent Bengaluru goalkeeper
Ralte to start the celebrations back home in the City of Joy.
It took 82 minutes for Sen to make his first change as he introduced Jeje Lalpekhlua in place of the
listless Balwant. Ralte kept Bengaluru in the tie as he denied Dhanachandra from a Yusa corner-
kick. In the following flag kick by Norde, Rasaq headed home to score the elusive equaliser.
Bengaluru FC did string together a couple of attacks in the final minutes but Bagan held their fort
together to earn a well-deserved draw.
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2. Stanislas Wawrinka wins the Roland Garros
Stan Wawrinka has completed a magical fortnight of tennis with his finest performance of all,
stunning Novak Djokovic to win his first Roland-Garros title. Having beaten No.2-ranked RogerFederer in the quarterfinals, Wawrinka played with power, aggression and consistency - and used
his stellar one-handed backhand to devastating effect - to record a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 victory over the
world No.1 in the final. It is his second Grand Slam title, following his victory at Australian Open
2014. Djokovic, meanwhile, who earlier in the tournament had ousted nine-time champion Rafael
Nadal, fell in his third final in Paris, and remains without a French Open title to complete his career
slam set.
Djokovic was back to his usual speedy, elastic best, digging a backhand low at Wawrinka's feet on
the stretch and extracting a volley error to reach break point. He converted after an error from the
No.8 seed and jumped to 3-0 with some forcing play from the baseline. Yet the Swiss promptlyerased his advantage, coming out on top of a magnificent 30-stroke rally in the fifth game and
eventually breaking back for 2-3. A raft of Djokovic errors in the following game made it 3-3.
Djokovic looked done. Serving for the title, he showed no sign of nerves, even when Djokovic
played some inspired tennis to stave off a match point and bring up a break point - the latter
showing off his own backhand brilliance. But Wawrinka was irrepressible.
3. Barcelona wins the Champions League title
FC Barcelona rode goals from Ivan Rakitic and Luis Suárez, and an injury-time clincher by Neymar
Jr to claim the 2014/15 UEFA Champions League title on Saturday night at the Olympiastadion in
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Berlin, Germany.
The victory gives FC Barcelona their fourth Champions League title in the last 10 years — their
fifth in team history — and an unprecedented second treble, adding a layer of reinforced concrete to
the Catalans' already rock-solid status as a dynasty for the ages. While annual modifications to any
top-tier squad are inevitable, a steady core of players led by the Argentinian virtuoso Lionel Messi
has anchored the Catalan club during a run of footballing dominance the likes of which has never
been witnessed before. Over the past decade Barça have scooped up titles at a prolific pace with an
astounding haul of 24 major trophies in six different competitions.
Juventus reacted by promptly clamping down on their back line, while allowing the Catalans to
continue dominating possession. Other than one excellent scoring opportunity by blaugrana
defender Dani Alves on 12 minutes that was deftly palmed away by goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon,
neither side enjoyed much more than a scattering of innocuous chances.
Players from both teams started to feel the effects of having gone all-out in their last game at the
end of the long season. The final twenty minutes featured a paucity of truly menacing runs at either
goal. The few scares that materialized were all off target. Five minutes of injury time ticked away
with a pair of substitutions and a stray corner kick before one last Barça counterattack. With victory
assured and the final whistle inevitable, Neymar blew a shot past Buffon for the definitive 3 – 1
score, sending the FC Barcelona players, and their fans, into a state of euphoria.
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4. Indian Cricket team ready for Bangladesh tour
The only noise to come on the hot Monday afternoon from Milk Vita Road in Mirpur section 6 was
of the screaming and whistle-blowing policemen trying to keep vehicles from getting in the way of
the India team bus that chugged in slowly towards the Shere Bangla National Stadium's entrance. A
touring team's first training session in Bangladesh has been generally to get acclimatized to the heat
and humidity, and the pitches. India had originally scheduled only one day of training ahead of the
Fatullah Test but a few days before their arrival for their 18-day tour, they added the afternoon
session on Monday, a few hours after their plane landed at the Hazrat Shahjalal International
Airport in Dhaka.
The spinners Harbhajan Singh, Ashwin and Karn Sharma, bowled for nearly the entire session but
they had it slightly easier than the rest as they bowled mostly in the shade. Among the net bowlers
provided by the BCB, only one bowled some round-arm left-arm spin. It has usually been
Bangladesh's practice not to give touring sides the comfort of facing left-arm spinners in the nets.
Both India and Bangladesh will train in Fatullah on Tuesday. It is the first Test at the venue since
2006 when Bangladesh faced Australia with none in the current home squad having played in that
game. India played there in a few ODIs last year but a Test match remains an altogether different
proposition. As a result, one of the first questions in their pre-match post conference would
certainly be about the short preparation time in Bangladesh, and Fatullah in particular.
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5. India finish third at the Asian athletics Championships
Tintu Luka bagged her maiden gold in a major international event by winning the women's 800m
finals as India finished with five medals on the final day of competitions to sign off third in the 21st
Asian Athletics Championships on Sunday. India secured a medal haul of 4 gold, 5 silver and 4
bronzes in the championships to finish third behind China (15, 13, 13) and Qatar (7, 2, 1). Japan (4,
3, 11) and Bahrain (3, 3, 2) finished fourth and fifth respectively.
On the final day of the 21st Asian Athletics Championships being held in Wuhan, China, Tintu
Luka won India’s only gold of the day. India won four other medals on the day to finish th e
Championships in third place. China, with 15 gold medals, 13 silver and bronze medals, topped the
table while Qatar, 7 gold medals, 2 silver medals and a solitary bronze medal, edged out India to
the second place. Japan, 4 gold medals, 3 silver medals and 11 bronze medals, and Bahrain, with 3
gold and silver medals and 2 bronze medals, rounded off the top 5. In the 800m final, Tintu Luka
clocked 2:01.53, her season’s best timing, to win the gold ahead of China’s Zhao Jing (2:03.40) and
Sri Lankan Nimali Klarachchige (2:03.94).
It was India's best finish after 2007 in Amman, Jordan where the country was placed second on the
final day of the 21st Asian Athletics Championships. National record holder Luka clocked her
season's best timing of 2:01.53 to clinch the gold at Wuhan Sports Center. China's Zhao Jing
(2:03.40) took the silver while Sri Lankan Nimali Klarachchige (2:03.94) won the bronze. This was
26-year-old Luka's first individual title in a major international event after breaking into the scene
in 2008-09 with a lot of promise under the tutelage of the legendary P T Usha.
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6. Depression faced by stars in Bollywood
Deepika Padukone recently came out in open to disclose that she had suffered from depression
and how she dealt with the painful phase. However, the bold actress is not the first Bollywood
celebrity who has suffered from this ailment.
Dilip Kumar
One of the most revered actors of Bollywood, Dilip Kumar was deeply in love with his Mughal-e-
Azam co-actress Madhubala, but for some reasons the two couldn’t be together. After the death of
Madhubala he went into depression although he was married to Saira Banu.
Rajesh Khanna
India’s first superstar Rajesh Khanna’s rise to fame story is quite renowned. But the actor’s
downfall is no less dramatic. The Bollywood actor went into depression following his downfall in
nineties and never actually recovered from it. A failed marriage also contributed in his physical and
mental illness that led to his death at the age of 69.
Sanjay Dutt
Sanjay Dutt has been one actor who has evidently gone through a lot in his life. The actor saw his
mother’s death when he was very young. Later, his wife died because of cancer. The troubled actorspent 18 months in prison after his arrest following the Mumbai serial blasts of 1993. Sanjay Dutt
suffered from depression during his re-imprisonment in 2013. It was reported that the actor was
even unable to sleep.
Jiah Khan
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The British-Indian actress who made her Bollywood debut with Ram Gopal Verma’s ‘Nishabd’
suffered from the feeling of being alone and sick in 2013. She was not strong enough to fight the
battle with this ill phase and succumbed to depression, committing suicide on June 3 2013.
Parveen Babi
The beautiful actress of ‘Deewar’ and ‘Shaan’ Parveen Babi suffered a major depression during her
last days. It was reported that she did not get out of the house during her last days. She was found
dead in her home on January 2005 and the police suspected that she had been dead for 72 hours
before her body was found.
7. Vampire Diaries completes its 6th season
The Vampire Diaries will return for a seventh season, but without its leading lady. Series star Nina
Dobrev (Elena) is exiting the CW drama. Dobrev's exit comes in a year when the series has lost
several key players including her onscreen brother, Steven R. McQueen (Jeremy), as well as
Marguerite MacIntyre's Sheriff Forbes; Michael Trevino (Tyler) has booked ABC's The
Kingmakers pilot but the departure of the veteran drama's female lead is a particularly deep loss.
During The Vampire Diaries' six-season run, Dobrev also has played Elena's dopple gangers
Katherine, Amara and Tatia, in addition to serving as the central love interest for stars Paul Wesley
and Ian Somerhalder.
Meanwhile, co-star Trevino's role in Kingmakers puts the actor's future with The Vampire
Diaries in question as the role is in first position.
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Dobrev, meanwhile, has become a fan favorite for her work on The Vampire Diaries. She has
earned numerous Teen Choice Awards as well as People's Choice Awards for favorite actress and
chemistry with Somerhalder. The series has helped make her a star and she has nearly 5.5 million
Twitter followers. She has also launched into a film career with feature roles, including in Let's Be
Cops, The Roommate and The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Dobrev and Somerhalder dated for
three years and split in 2013. Somerhalder is now engaged to actress Nikki Reed, whom he's been
dating since 2014.
8. Altaf Raja is back!
Qawwali singer Altaf Raja is making a comeback with a new song "Dil Lagaana" from upcoming
film "Hunterrr". The singer-composer, best known for his debut album titled "Tum To Thehre
Pardesi" (1997), was last seen in his track "Jholu Ram" from Emraan Hashmi and Vidya Balan
starrer "Ghanchakkar" (2013).
While his previous songs received mixed reviews, Raja, with the new song "Dil Lagaana" hopes to
receive positive responses from music lovers. The singer has dedicated the song to bar dancers of
1990s, according to IANS. There are also reports that Raja is set to inject music lovers with the next
dose of "Tum To Thehre Pardesi". The singer is working on the part two of the popular album.
"There will be a minimum of four to five songs and the album will release before Diwali," he told
IANS.
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The makers of Hunterrr have come up with another song from the film called Dil lagaana. The film,
which stars Gulshan Deviah, Sai Tamhankar, Radhika Apte and others has brought back Altaf Raja
to the hearts and minds of people. Altaf Raja’s vocals haven’t changed. He still has the same pathos
in his voice, which he used to have in his past songs.
9.
16th
IIFA awards 2015
Vikas Bahl's coming-of-age drama 'Queen' and Vishal Bhardwaj's insurgency movie 'Haider', an
adaptation of Shakespeare's 'Hamlet', on Sunday scooped the major trophies at the 16th IIFA
awards, including the best actress honour for Kangana Ranaut and the best actor for Shahid Kapoor.
'Queen', a middle class girl's self-discovery journey after getting ditched by her fiance, and 'Haider',
a Kashmir set drama took home three honors each. Shahid, dedicated his award to Vishal for giving
him the opportunity and called the film a "scary one".
The Mohit Suri directed thriller won the best playback singing for Ankit Tiwari for Galliyan and
best lyrics. It was a big night for Riteish, who was accompanied by wife Genelia, as he was also
awarded in a new category introduced this time at IIFA, 'Outstanding contribution to a regional
film'. The couple's home production, Marathi film 'Lai Bhaari', won the honour.
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10. Jyothika’s comeback into Tamil cinema
The film "How Old Are You?" directed by Rosshan Andrrews, is the remake of the Malayalam
super hit, which starred Manju Warrier in the lead. The Tamil version of the movie will have
Rahman as the lead opposite Jyothika. The actor has posted the pictures from the shooting location,
which includes one taken at the Rashtrapathi Bhavan, where they are shooting the scenes of
Jyothika meeting the President of India.
However, things change as she is summoned to the IG's office and learns that the President of India
wants to meet her. What happens after the meeting forms the crux of the story. The unexpected
events in the plot make Jyothika rethink about her life. The story emphasizes on women
empowerment and shows how every woman should come out of her restrictions to fulfill her
dreams and reach heights.
7/24/2019 KYA Magazine
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