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Kwasniewski INTERNATIONAL  The crisis began after the hardline re-elected Polish Opposition Likud Party leader, Ariel ]Ýntajybn ho­pw Sharon, visited the site known as Al- President Aim´n Aqsa to the Muslims and Temple Alexander Kwasni- Mount to the Jews. This was resented ewski has been re-elected The West Asian crisis continued to by the Palestinians. Al-Aqsa areas are Polish President for a new simmer despite the Sharm-el-Sheikh summit administered by a Palestinian waqf, five-year term. He won 55 agreement. Sharm-el-Sheikh is a Red Sea resort but Israel maintains a security percent of the votes cast. in Egypt. The summit was attended by the parameter around the complex.

blqZv _cm¡v, _n ¢nâ³, bmÊÀ Ac- Kmk-bn C{km-tb tk\sb t\cn-Sp¶ Imkv\ntbhvkv¡n    ^m¯v F¶n-hÀ CuPn-]vXn \S¶ {]tXyI ]me-kvXo³ bphm-¡Ä The man behind the Polish Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, Palestinian  In the violence over 123 Palestinians struggle against Commu- Authority President Yasser Arafat and the US were killed. Two Israeli soldiers were nism and Solidarity Party President Bill Clinton. An agreement was killed by a Palestinian mob. Israel founder, Lech Walesa reached which called for an immediate ceasefire, failed to muster support. responded by firing rockets at F¶ an US-led international fact-finding body to  Cast one’s vote symbols of Palestinian authority in {]tbmKw {]tXyIw a\- probe the causes of the violence, Palestinian theWest Bank and Gaza Strip, Authority was to take steps to stop the including the residential compound of Ên-em-t¡-­-Xm-Wv. CXnsâ AÀ°w thm«v Palestinian youth from throwing stones and Yasser Arafat. sNbvXp F¶m-Wv. fire bombs at Israeli police and Israel was to re-  In protest against alleged US tkmfn-Um-cnän deploy troops away from the vicinity of  support to Israel, 17 US sailors were aqhvsaânsâ t\Xm- Palestinian towns, villages and refugee camps killed in a powerful explosion in USS hmb se¨v hte-kbv¡v and to remove their blockade of Palestinian- Cole docked at the Yemeni port of kam-[m-\-¯n\pÅ populated areas. However the violence in West Eden. The British embassy in the t\m_ k½m\w Bank and Gaza continues. The new developments is the greatest threat to the capital Sanaa was also extensively e`n¨n«p­v. peace agreement so far. damaged. tImtÌm-Wn¡ bptKm-Ém- sF.-Fw.-F^v þ temI cXv\kncn hn-b³ {]kn-Uâ v _m¦v kt½-f\w Gäp-ap-«Â h o­pw After a violent confrontation ( ) The annual meeting of the IMF-World {][m\a{´n Bank was held at Prague in the Czech Republic. with the government of Slobodan Milosevic, hÀ²-\-h The People’s Alliance- the opposition candidate Vojislav Kostounica The recent rise ( v) in the global oil led by the Sri Lankan was sworn in as the new President of prices dominated the meet. Like at Seattle, President, Chandrika Yugoslavia. The confrontation was due to the where WTO Ministerial conference was held Kumaratunge, has retained refusal of Milosevic to accept the results of the in 1999, the venue was also the scene of power in the Parliamentary Presidential elections held on September 24. It protests. While some Non-Government elections. Ratnasiri showed that Kostounica had won. Milosevic, Organisations (NGOs) where protesting Wickramanayake was again taking refuge under a Yugoslav law which against the alleged failure of the organisations sworn in as the Prime Minister. required another runoff election if neither to provide debt-relief to poor countries, others In an election marred by were protesting against globalisation B-tKm-f-h¡-c- Ww( ) In his speech the Finance Minister, Yashwant Sinha, called for the establishment of a joint consultative group on oil prices. The group which would consist of antem-tkm-hn¨v tImtÌm- tlmgvÌv tImlvfÀ cXv\-kncn hn{Ia  representatives   drawn from both A-{I-a-¯m If-¦- candidates received more than 50 percent votes, developed and developing countries would violence periodically review prices as well as demand s¸-« ( tried to delay the handover. Finally under hnaÀin- the People’s Alliance and supply situation. He also decried ) pressure from growing opposition within the ¨p ( won 107 seats, six short of a country and Russia, Milosevic stepped down. ) any attempt to impose uniform financial simple majority in the 225-  Kostounica was backed by a coalition standards and codes on all countries. The IMF member house. It has struck a of 18 opposition parties. is currently engaged in finding out measures deal with the Tamil party the  Milosevic is wanted for crimes by the that would prevent an East Asian-type financial Eelam People’s Democratic UN’s International Crimes Tribunal. crisis of the 1990s. The Development Party (EPDP) and the National  Kostounica’s election has paved the Committee, a joint body of the World Bank Unity Alliance (NUA). This A\pcRvP\w and IMF, spoke of the need to make way for reconciliation is the first time a Tamil Party ( ) globalisation work for the benefit of all. with Europe. As a beginning, the from the North-East has Responding to criticism, the IMF Managing European Union (EU) has partially lifted joined the ruling coalition. The Director, Horst Kohler, declared that main opposition party United sanctions imposed after the 1999 henceforth IMF will take into account each A-Xpey khn- National Party (UNP) led by Kosovo war. Germany has also country’s unique characterstics ( announced an aid of one million Euros. ti-j-X-IÄ Ranil Wikramasinghe won 89 ) while arranging a loan for the seats. The election also saw US has also lifted economic sanctions country. Xncn¨v hc- against Yugoslavia except on loans. A´m-cm{ã \mWy \n[n-bpw, temI _m¦pw the re-emergence ( anem-tkm-hn-¨nsâ ]cm-P-b-¯n Gähpw  hv  hnI-knX cmjv{S-§-fpsS GPâpam-cmbn ) of the Janatha Vimukthi IqSp-X kt´m-jn-¡p-¶Xv AÂt_-\n- {]hÀ¯n-¡p¶p F¶pw Cu cmPy-§-fnse Perumuna (JVP) which won b³ hwi-Pcpw ]mÝmXy cmPy-§-fp-am-bn- _lp-cm{ã I¼-\n-I-fpsS XmXv]-cy-§sf 10 seats.  cn-¡pw. anemtkm-hn-¨nsâ hÀ¤ i{Xp-X- kwc-£n-¡m³ AXoh Pm{K-X- ktlm-Z-c-\mbN{µnI Ipam-c-Xpw-K-bpsS A\p-c- bpw, bpàn-cm-ln-Xyhpw tkzÑm-[n-]Xy Im-Wn-¡p¶p F¶p-amWv hnI-kzc cmPy-§- {]h-W-X-bp-amWv sImtkmthm {]iv\- fpsS hàm-¡fpw hnhn[ k¶² kwL- ]pXnb_-µm-c-\m-b-sI-bmWv ]mÀe sa³dv ¯n bptKm-Ém-hn-bsb B{I-an-¡m³ S-\-I-fpsS {]hÀ¯-Icpw hniz-kn-¡p-¶-Xv. kv]o¡À. {]Xn-]£ \mtämsb t{]cn-¸n-¨-sX-¶mWv \nco-£-I- CXn-\m-emWv ]mÀ«n-bmb bpsS IMF, WTO, World Bank XpS- UNP cpsS hne-bn-cp-¯Â. §nb GP³kn-I-fpsS {]hÀ¯-\-§Äs¡- t\Xm-hmWv A\pc. Xnsc temI hym]-I-ambn FXnÀ¸p-Å-Xv. Cu GP³kn-I-fpsS kt½-f\ thfI-fn No\-þ-A-ta-cn¡ hym]mc _Ôw {^©v à-§-fmbaps¼§pw I­n-«n-Ãm¯hn[w {]Xn-tj[w Cc-¼n-¡m-Wp- A{Iam-k- {]kn-Uâp]Zw ¶Xpw AXp-sIm-­p-X-s¶-bmWv. The yearly drama over the extentsion of A©v hÀjw Xmen-_m³ `ojWn t\cn- the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to China has been put an end to. This follows ln-X-]- In a referendum Sm³ ]pXnb kwL-S\ President, Bill Clinton signing the bill that cn-tim-[-\ ( ) marked by low In an attempt to jointly face the threat from grants Permanent Normal Trade Relations turnout, the French have Afghan-based Taliban, Russia and four former (PNTR) to the People’s Republic of China. approved of the move to Soviet states of Kazakhstan, Krygyzstan, The PNTR would give China the same low reduce French President’s Belarus and Tajikistan have decided to set up tariff treatment as other trading partners of term from seven years to five. the US. temI-hym-]mc kwL-S-\-bn-te-¡pÅ  ssN\-bpsS AwKXzw Ct¸mÄ Dd-¸m-bn-«p- ­v. sU³amÀ¡n\v bqtdm th ­ In a vote that has far reaching Zq-c-hym-]-I-^-e-§Ä implications ( ) on European political integration, the Danes AkvXm-\-bn \S¶ `oI-c-hn-cp² kwL-  have rejected the common European Union S\m cq]o-I-c-W-¯n ]s¦-Sp¯ ]©cm{ã- (EU) currency Euro. They voted against replacing their currency Krone with Euro in P-\-ln-X-]-cn-tim-[-\ a plebiscite with 53.1 Pm¡v jndm¡v a new economic organisation. The new ( )  organisation named Eurasian Economic percent of the four million voters voting Un- against the move. Community replaces the defunct ( 1999 P\p-hcn H¶n\v bqtdm \nehn h¶-  The present French ^Mväv=\njv{In-b-am-b  ) customs union formed t¸mÄ bqtdm-]y³ bqWn-b-\nse 15 cm{ã- President is Jacques between the five states in 1998. In the new Chirac. §-fn 4 F®w bqtdm-bn \n¶pw hn«p setup, the customs duties will be decided \n¶p. CXn-semcp cm{ã-amWv sU³amÀ¡v.  Elysee Palace is the bilateraly. The agreement was reached at the official residence of the Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana. aäp-Åh Cw¥-­v, {Kokv, kzoU³ F¶n- French President. h-bm-Wv. bqtdm-bpsS ]ptcm-KXn t\m¡n- Ata-cn-¡³ {]kn-  Later five states (Russia, Kazakhstan,  b-tijw AXv kzoI-cn-¡p¶ Imcyw ]cn- Uânsâ Imem-h[n 4 Krygyzstan, Tajikistan and Belarus) K-Wn-¡m-sa-¶m-bn-cp¶p Cu cm{ã-§-fpsS hÀj-am-Wv. joined with Armenia and resolved to form Xn-cn- \ne-]m-Sv. CX-\p-k-cn-¨mWv sU³amÀ¡n C´y DÄs¸sS an¡ a joint military force for repulsing  ¨-Sn-¡p-I B-{I-a-Ww( P\-lnX ]cn-tim-[\ \S-¶Xpw bqtdmbv¡v- cm{ã-§-fp-sSbpw Xe-h- ) any aggression ( ) FXnsc P\-§Ä {]Xn-I-cn-¨-Xpw. ·m-cpsS Imem-h[n 5 against Central Asian states. This was hÀj-am-Wv. agreed at a one-day meeting of the {^m³kv D]-tcm-[-¯n-s\- ’s human Collective Security Council of the Xncv Commonwealth of Independent States ]n-fÀ¸v rights record held at the Krygyzstan capital of Bishek. In the biggest ever rift ( ) between A^vKm-\n-Øm-\nse `cW I£n-bmb The Human Rights  Western countries over the future of the Xmen-_m³ Ab cmPy-§Ä¡v t\sc D-]-tcm-[w Watch in its report “Reform embargo ( ) against Iraq, a French or Repression? Post-coup DbÀ¯p¶ `ojWn Fgp-Xn-¯-Åm-hp- plane carrying 75-member anti-sanction Abuses in Pakistan”, has ¶-Xà F¶mWv hnZ-Kv²-·m-cpsS A`n- activists landed at Baghdad’s newly re- accused the government of {]m-bw. C´y¡pw Ata-cn-¡-bv¡p-sa- opened Saddam International Airport. General Pervez Musharraf of Xnsc Nne `oIc kwL-S-\-IÄ \S-¯p¶ Though Paris ‘notified’ the UN Committee committing widespread D-]-tcm-[w B{I-a-W-¯n\v Xmen-_msâ BioÀhm- overseeing sanctions it did not abuses in the name of ( ), wait for its permission. France, China and political reform. It has also Z-ap-s­-¶v Icp-X-s¸-Sp¶p. called for an immediate  The word Taliban means “students of Russia are of the view that sanctions do not return to constitutional rule religion”. ban commercial flights to Iraq. This is in the country. opposed by US and Britain who feel that such flights are economic activity banned under The US Food and Drug Administration the sanctions. The UN committee had (FDA) has approved a new abortion pill recently allowed a Russian flight to Baghdad. Mifeprisone. The pill is already approved in s]dp-hn Cdm¡nte¡v IqSp-X cm{ã-§Ä hnam\  Europe, China and Israel. The move has been kÀÆokv \S-¯p-¶Xv a\pjy ImcpWy cm{ãob criticised by the Republican Party that {]hÀ¯-\-¯n-\p-]-cn-bmbn F®-bpsS {]Xn-kÔn supports the anti-abortionist line of hne \nb-{´-W-¯n\m-sW-¶mWv km¼- respecting life. The Democratic Party has The South American ¯nI hnZ-Kv²À A`n-{]m-b-s¸-Sp-¶-Xv. welcomed it saying that the move can help nation, Peru has plunged temI-hn-]-Wn-bn-tebv¡v Cdm¡v {]Xn-Zn\w improve the health and safety of American into a fresh political crisis. \ÂIp¶ 3 anÃy¬ _mc F® s]s«¶v women. Its President Alberto B cmPyw sh«n-¡p-d-bv¡p-I-bm Ata-cn-¡bpw hS-¡³ Fujimori’s governing coali- -sW-¦ n tion-Peru 2000 has lost its

APn-XvIp-amÀ ]mRvPbpw k±mw  Ct¸mÄ Xs¶ {Iam-Xo-X-ambn hÀ²n¨ F®-bpsS hne A\n-b-{´n-X-am-Im³ BÂ_Àt«m ^yqPn-  ap¼vkm[y-X-bp-­v. APnXvIpamÀ GXm\pw ]mRvP Znh-k-§Ä¡p- (External majority. This follows the Affairs Minister) Im-ep-am-äw bn C´y-bn \n¶pwCdm¡v a\p-jy-Xz-]-c-amb kµÀin¨ thf- defection ( ) of several former supporters klmbw hmKvZm\w sNbvXn-cp-¶p . after a corruption scandal Estrada under  tPmtaymMv tdm¡ ns\ ¢ nâ³ k zoI cn¡ p¶p surrounding the former Na- tional Intelligence Service pressure to quit sImdn-bbpw ASp-¡p¶p chief, Vladimiro Monterinas. The Philippines President, Joseph He had been caught bribing The relations between the two Cold War Estrada, is facing a new threat to his an Opposition lawmaker. era enemies, US and North Korea have kvs]bn\nsâ A[o-\-X- Presidency. He has been accused of taking  started to improve. In what has been dubbed bn-em-bn-cp¶ s]dp kzX- bribes of about $8.6 millions from an illegal hn-ti-jn-¸n-¡p-I as historic, US President, {´-am-bXv 1824 emWv. lottery. The Vice-President of Philippines, ( ) Bbn-c¯n sXmÅm-bn- Bill Clinton met a senior military leader from Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, has quit from the c¯n Adp-]-Xp-IÄ¡v North Korea General Jo Myong Rok. Rok was post Social Welfare Secretary which she was tijw ]«mf `c-W-¯n- also the personal envoy of the North Korean holding. em-bn-cp¶ s]dp cm{ãob en_n-b¡v hS-¡³ sImdn- leader Kim Jong Il. sX½mSn cm{ãw AØn-c-Xbv¡v Adn-b-  (now known as ‘nation’s b³ anssk-ep-IÄ F¶v Ata-cn¡ ap{Z-Ip- s¸-Sp-¶p. of concern’) ¯nbncp¶ cm{ã-§-fn-sem-¶mWv hS-¡³ The African state of Libya has reportedly H-IB visa limit raised sImdn-b. sImdn-b-IÄ X½n H¶n-¡m- purchased Nodong missiles from North The US Senate has ap- \pÅ kml-Ncyw sXfn-ª-tXm-sS-bmWv Korea. These missiles having a range of upto proved a legislation increas- Ata-cn-¡³ \b-¯n amäw Zriy-am-b-X 1,250 km can hit Israel and NATO states in ing the high tech visas to v. 600,000 over the next three South Europe. This move is likely to escalate  Capital of North Korea is Pyongyang hÀ²n-¸n-¡p-I years. This will allow the is- tensions in the Middle-east. and currency is won. ( hS-¡³ sImdn-b-bpsS) s\mtZmMv anssk- suing of 195,000 H-IB six   Korea is known as Land of Morning Calm ensâ ]Xn-¸mWv ]m¡n-Øm³ hnI-kn- year temporary visas annu- and also Hermit Kingdom. ¸n¨ tKmdn ansskÂ. ally for the next three years. XmPn-In-Øm-\n-te¡v A large majority of the visas Abortion pill approved in US are likely to be issued to In- dians. . Xmen-_m³ apt¶äw Gujarat 16 percent. It would also provide In Central Asia, the Taliban backed flood protection to riverine reaches First conviction in forces are rapidly advancing in Tajikistan. measuring 30,000 hectares, covering 210 Russia has rushed armed troops to the area villages and the urban area of Bharuch \n-b-{´n-¡p-I Staines case inorder to contain ( ) the city. Another remarkable feature of the In the first ever convic- situation. Analysts feel that any success of project is that 0.86 million acre feet (MAF) tion in the Graham Staines the Taliban backed forces can lead to of water has been earmarked for murder case a 13-year boy, X-IÀ¡p-I ZpÀ_- destabilising ( ) the fragile ( providing drinking water to 135 urban Chenchu, has been founded e-am-b ) peace in the area. It can encourage centres and 8215 villages within and guilty and sentenced to 14 Taliban-backed forces to launch similar outside Gujarat. It would cover more years imprisonment. The attacks on Uzbekistan. than four crore people by the year 2001. case involved the burning A^vKm-\n-Øm\v hS¡v ØnXn-sN-¿p¶   Other highlights of the project are it will to death of an Australian XmPn-In-Øm³ 1991  tkmhn-bäv bqWn- generate six crore rupees per day; the b\n \n¶pw thÀs]« cm{ã-amWv. concrete gravity dam will be 1210-m long Zpj³s_ BWv Cu cmPy- (Dushanbe) and the 458 km long Narmada Main Canal ¯nsâ Xe-Øm\w. would be the world’s largest size canal.  The Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) ATIONAL led by Meda Patkar has been at the N forefront of opposition to the dam. The SC partially approves Booker Prize winner, Arundhati Roy, is a Narmada dam recent convert to the anti-dam group. A three judge bench of the Supreme Veerappan releases Court (SC) in a majority judgement has allowed the construction of the controversial Sardar Sarovar dam on the Narmada river sN©p immediately upto a height of 90 metres. It  can be subsequently raised to 138 metres in missionary Graham Staines stages on getting the required enviornmental and his two sons Philip (10) clearances. The judgement thus upholds the and Timothy (8) in Orissa. award of the Narmada tribunal. Un.-]n. hm[zm Bbn-cp¶p   The Sardar Sarovar Dam is a Rs. 18,000 hoc-¸-\p-ambn kw`m-jWw \S-¯nb {Klmw sÌbn³knsâ  h[-s¯-¡p-dn¨v At\z-jn- crore multipurpose venture of Gujarat, s\Sp-am-c\pw kwLhpw cmPvIp-am-dn-s\m¸w ¡m³ \nbp-à-amb I½o- j³. [mcm knwKmWv Cu tIknse {][m\ {]Xn. one hostage CbmÄ Ct¸mÄ t]meokv The sandalwood smuggler Veerappan has IÌ-Un-bn-em-Wv. released one of the four persons he had \mK-lcn apfIv kidnapped S.A. Govindaraju, the son-in-law of the Kannada superstar Raj Kumar after 78- ‘Nagahari’, a variety days in captivity. Earlier another hostage ta[m ]mSv¡À Acp-ÔXn of chilli grown in North-  Nagappa Maradagi escaped from the captivity east has been named of Veerappan. Now apart from Rajkumar, G- the world’s hottest Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Veerappan holds Nagesh as hostage. ähpw Fcn-hp-ÅX ( v). It has Maharashtra.  The emissaries that met Veerappan apart been decided in terms of  Once completed the dam will irrigate 18 from R.R. Gopal included P. Nedumaran, Scoville Heat Units lakh hectares of command area in a Tamil nationalist and pro-LTTE leader (SHU). While Nagahari Gujarat, 75,000 hectares in Rajasthan and and Professor P. Kalyani and K. had a SHU of 855,000, the 37,000 hectares in Maharashtra through Sukumaran both known Tamil nationalist hottest chilli known lift irrigation. It would generate 1,450 sympathisers. They were chosen today, Red Savina megawatt (MW) of hydro-electric power because Veerappan is under the Habanero measured only of which Madhya Pradesh will get 57 influence of the naxalite Tamil Nadu 577,000 SHUs. percent, Maharashtra 27 percent and Liberation Army (TNLA) and the pro- LTTE Tamil Nadu Retrieval Troops technical co-operation to regularise (TNRT). ministerial-level contacts. A deal on the T-  The Supreme Court had asked the 90 tanks was finalised, which involved the sd-Un- BSNL launched Karnataka Government to furnish all transfer of 124 tanks off-the shelf sa-bvU ( The largest Public Sec- relevant details of its attempt to catch v) and production of 186 tanks in tor Unit (assetwise) in the the forest brigand. It also expressed India under a Russian licence. India has country, the Bharat concern over the reported links also agreed in principle to the purchase of Sanchar Nigam Limited Veerappan has with Tamil extremists. It the Russian aircraft carrier, Admiral (BSNL) was launched on attacked the pre-arranged package the Gorshkov. There has also been an October 1. BSNL is the governments of Karnataka and Tamil agreement on the intensified co-operation corporatised and recently- Nadu had drawn for the release of the in the peaceful uses of atomic energy. merged entity of Depart- ment of Telecom Opera- filmstar by releasing the TADA Russia has assured India of all help in this amÀ¤ tions (DTO) and the De- area despite stumbling blocks XS-Ê-§Ä) ( put up by the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). The NSG, {Kq-¸v founded in 1992, is a cartel ( ) of advanced nations which has banned nuclear sales to India unless the Indian atomic programme is placed under complete international control. This has been refused by India. Putin Aw-Ko-I-cn-¡p-I also endorsed ( ) the Indian position on the Kashmir XÀ¡w dispute ( ) and the Un.-]n.-Fkv. tkYv Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty  (CTBT). He called for all foreign C-S-s]-S-ep-IÄ partment of Telecom Ser- interference ( ) in vices (DTS). It has an as- djy³ {]kn-Uâ v ]pSn³ C´y³ ]mÀe-  Kashmir to be stopped. He also set value of Rs. 63,000 kz-ta- appreciated India’s voluntary crore and four lakh employ- [-bm-bp-Å ( ) moratorium on nuclear ees. The Government will detenues. testing and the efforts by the Indian continue to have 100 per- Ct´m-þ-d-jy³ _Ô- government to develop a national cent equity in the new cor- A-`n-{]mb ka-\z-bw poration. consensus on the ¯n\v ( )  D.P.S. Seth is the Chair- issue. amdnb temI cm{ãob kml-N-cy-¯n man of BSNL. ]p¯-\p-WÀÆv  ]c-¼-cm-KX an{X-§-fmb C´ybpw  Mahanagar Telecom The visit of the Russian President, Nigam Limited Vladimir Putin, to India from October 2-7 Bh-iy-IXdjybpw Hä-s¡-«mbn hÀ²n-¨n-cn-¡p-I-bm-Wv. \nÂt¡-­-Xnsâ (MTNL) provides fixed has renewed the traditional warmth in Indo- line phone services in A^vKm-\n-Øm-\n \n¶pÅ `oj-Wn, and Mumbai. Russian relations. At the end of the visit BtKm-f-h-XvI-c-W-ap-bÀ¯p¶ shÃp-hn- The government eq- both countries signed a declaration on X-{´-]-c-am-b fn-IÄ, ]m¡n-Ømsâ hn[zw-kI uity is 56 percent. strategic . The ( ) hÀ²n-¸n-¡p-I {]hÀ¯-\-§Ä, GI h³i-ànbm-bn-  Videsh Sanchar Nigam declaration enhances ( ) ¯oÀ¶ Ata-cn-¡-bpsS km¼-¯nI Limited (VSNL), with defence co-operation, promotion of cm{ãob e£y-§Ä XpS-§nbh Ccp cmPy- 53 percent Government regional stability and creation of a §-sfbpw _m[n-¡p¶ s]mXp-hmb equity, has monopoly multipolar world order. In the discussions hkvXp-X-I-fm-Wv. of overseas voice ser- between the leaders of the two countries ]s£ amdnb BtKmf kml-N-cy-¯n vices and is also Afghanistan figured prominently. Both  India’s main internet service provider. countries have set up an Indo-Russian tNcn-tN-cm-\-b-¯n\v]­v ioX-k-ac Ime¯v A\p-t]-£-Wo-b-a- \ne-\n-¶n-cp¶  Indian Railways is the Joint Working Group on Afghanistan. The Ãm¯ Ct´m-þ-tkm-hn-bäv kulr-Z-¯n- largest Public Sector visit also strengthened defence co- tebv¡v hgpXn hogm³ km[y-a-sö Undertakings in terms operation. A decision was taken to form bmYmÀ°yw Ccp cm{ã-§fpw AwKo-I- of number of employ- an Indo-Russian Commission on military- cn¨p Ign-ªp. Ata-cn-¡-tbmSv Xpd¶ ees. i{Xp-X-sb-¡mÄ DNnXw bpàn-k-lamb Constitution. The Special Court, however, cm{ãob km¼-¯nI _Ô-§-fm-sW¶pw felt that this immunity was not available Ata-cn¡ t\XrXzw \ÂIp¶ hnhc for offences under PCA provided it is Oil prices hiked hn¹h kmt¦-Xn-IXbv¡v C´y-bnse made out in the investigation Hcp ap³ {][m-\-a{´n \nb-a-¡p-cp-¡p-I-fn In a bid to reduce the bph Xe-ap-d-bpsS akvXnjv¡w IqSntb  increasing oil pool deficit Xocp-sh¶papÅ bmYmÀ°yhpw ]pXnb s]Sp¶ ImgvN Zb-\o-b-am-sW-¦nepw Bcpw due to increased world oil Hcp Ct´m-þ-A-ta-cn-¡³ kulr-Z-¯n\v \nb-a-§Ä¡v AXo-X-cà F¶ kXyw A\n- tj-[y-ambn sXfn-bn¡-s¸Sm\pw prices, the government has hn¯p ]mIn-. Cu _Ôw Ct´m-þ-d-jy³ Political cm-{ãob Ir{Xn-an) F¶ ]Z- raised the prices of kulr-Z-¯n\v A\p-]q-c-I-am-bn-cn-¡p manipulator ( petroleum goods. It has - ¯n\v \c-knw-l-dm-hp-hns\ IS¯n sh«m³ Ct±-l-¯n-s\-Xn-sc-bpÅhnc-en-se-®m-hp-¶-hsc D­mIq Btcm-]-W-§Ä F¶pamWv

hnc Nq­p-¶-Xv\c-knw-l-dmhp. Fgp-Xnb  The Insider ]pkvX-I-am-Wv. Arun Singh-task force submits report The Arun Singh-headed Task Force on sP.-Fw.-Fw. tImg-t¡-kn in£n-¡- Defence Management has submitted its  s¸« report. It had been set up on the recommendations of the K. Subramanyam- cmw \mbnIv headed Kargil Committee report. The  t¸mtbmsa¶ Is­-¯Â F¶ kwi-bta Aev]w C¶v sshIn-\nco-£- suggested measures include: IÀ¡p-Åp. also cut down import and (i) creation of the post of the Chief of excise duties on crude oil, sP.-Fw.-Fw. Defence Staff (CDS). The CDS will have diesel and motor spirit. tImgt¡kn dmhphpw under him a Vice Chief of Defence Staff  The US to reduce the (VCDS). The VCDS will liason and world oil price released _q«bpw Ipä-¡mÀ about 5 percent, or 30 coordinate the activities of three The former Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha million barrels from its commanders of the Army, Navy and the Rao and former Union Minister Buta Singh Strategic Petroleum in-£n-¡-s¸-«p Air Force. This measure would increase have been convicted in the {]-hÀ¯\ kzmX- Reserves (SPR). ( ) operational freedom ( Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) bribery case. {´yw  The Organisation of ) and also enable efficient Both of them were sentenced to undergo three Petroleum Exporting I-Tn\ XS-h involvement of the three services at all years rigorous imprisonment and Countries (OPEC) at ( v) levels; pay a fine of Rs. 2 lakhs each. The judge later their summit held at ii) it has recommended a radical revamp let off on them bail. The case involved bribing k-aq-e-amb Agn-¨p-]-Wn) Caracas in Venezuela of the agencies members of Parliament to buy votes to save ( refused to cut down involved in developing and the minority Congress(I) Government in the manufacturing military hardware; prices. no-confidence motion in 1993. The sentence Agn-¨p-]-Wn was passed by the Special Court Judge, Ajit iii) restructuring ( ) of the Cabinet raises Bharihoke. Nine others including Satish Defence Research and Development Sharma, Ajit Singh, Bhajan Lal, Veerappa Moily Organisation (DRDO) in order to make it Padma Ip-ä-hn-ap-à-cm-¡n) D-¯-c-hm-Zn-Xz-ap-Å awards to 100 were acquitted ( . more accountable ( ).  This is the first time that an Indian Prime The Union Cabinet Minister has been convicted under the Kollam-Theni included has decided to increase the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA). in NH category number of Padma series of  The Court ordered the CBI to register, The Union Surface Transport Ministry award for excellence in fresh cases under the Prevention of has brought about 5,700 km of road, different fields of activities Corruption Act (PCA) against the three including the 265 km Kollam-Theni strech, from 60 to 100. The number JMM MP’s, viz, Suraj Mandal, Shibu under the National Highway (NH) category. of awards would be Padma Soren and Simon Marandi. Earlier the With this addition, the total length of the Vibhushan 20, Padma Supreme Court had granted immunity to National Highway has gone up from 52,010 Bhushan 30 and Padma Shri them under Article 105(2) of the to 57,704 Km. At the time of Independence it 50. was only 21,450 Km. Jayalalitha has been convicted. She had Gähpw \ofw IpSnb \mj-W sslth  been convicted in the ‘Pleasent Stay I\ym-Ip-am-cn-tbbpw hmc-Wm-kn-tbbpw Hotel’ in February. IÌUn ac-Ww:- _Ôn-¸n-¡p-¶ BW NH-7 v.  Unless Jayalalitha gets a stay on the _olmÀ tIc-f-¯n-eqsS t]mIp¶ \mj-W  sentence, she is likely to be disqualified ap¶n sslth-IÄ þ NH-47 (Kanyakumari- from standing in the elections. The According to the Na- Salem), NH-17 (Edappally-Panvel), NH- Election Commission made it clear that tional Human Rights Com- 49 (Kochi-Dhanushkodi via Madurai), release on bail does not wipe off the mission there has been no NH-213 (Palakkad-Kozhikode), and NH- disqualification. The law states that ‘a person convicted of any offence and substantial decrease in sentenced to imprisonment for not less the number of custodial than two years, shall be disqualified from deaths. During the last six months 488 custodial the date of such conviction and shall be deaths had been reported. continue to be disqualified for a further Bihar leads in the number period of six years since his release’. of custodial deaths with  TANSI: Tamil Nadu Small Industries. 78. Kerala reported 14 deaths. By-election results tZiob a\p-jym-h-Imi \n-e-  The Congress(I) has retained ( I½o-jsâ sNbÀam³ \nÀ¯n) sP.-F-kv. hÀ½-bm-Wv. the Dausa Lok Sabha constituency kwØm\ a\p-jym-h- in Rajasthan. The Congress(I) candidate and  Imi I½o-j³ wife of the late leader Rajesh Pilot, Rema Pilot D-]-sX-c-sª-Sp-¸ sNbÀam³ þ Fw.-Fw. won the by-election ( v) by a ]coXp ]nÅ. margin of 65,624 votes. In the Assembly Sm³kn tIkn in£n-¡-s¸« Pb-e-fnX elections the Congress(I), BJP, Samajvadi  UNHRC is United Na-  Party and Janata Dal (United) shared the tions Human Rights Commission. It is 208 (Kollam-Thirumangalam). spoils. ]pXnb kwØm\ Xe- headed by Mary  Golden Quadrilateral is the widening of Robinson. highway linking the metros from two to Øm-\-§Ä four lanes. It is 5952 km long and is C´y-bnse ]pXnb aq¶p kwØm-\-§Ä expected to be completed by 2003. Padmanabhaiah \hw-_-dn \ne-hn hcpw. O¯o-kvKVv þ submits report Jayalalitha convicted dmbv]qÀ, D¯-cm-©Â þ sUdm-Uq¬, PmÀJÞv þ dm©n F¶nhbm-bn-cn¡pw The Padmanabhaiah The former Chief Minister and Committee on Police reforms AIADMK supremo Jayalalitha has been ]pXnb kwØm\ Xe-Øm-\-§Ä. O¯o-kvK- has made far reachingZq-c-hym-]I rec- sentenced to three years rigorous Vv, D¯-cm-©Â, PmÀJÞv F¶o kwØm- ommendations ( \-§Ä bYm-{Iaw \hw-_À 1, 9, 15 Xob-Xn-I-fn- amä-§Ä DÄs¡m-Åp¶ imprisonment in the two TANSI land deal \nÀt±-i-§Ä cases. The Special Court found that em-bn-cn¡pw \ne-hn hcn-I. CtXmsS C´y- ) on policing in bn 28 kwØm-\-§-fm-Ipw. O¯o-kvKVv Jayalalitha had abused her official position India. It has called for P-\- by forcing TANSI to sell its land to Jaya sslt¡m-SXn _nem-kv]q-cn-epw, PmÀJÞv i) Ioba people-friendly t]meo-kv) ( Publications of which she was a partner at sslt¡m-SXn dm©n-bnepambn-cn¡pw Øm]n- police which accords a higher below market price and causing a Rs. 403 ¡p-I. D¯-cm-©Â sslt¡m-SXn BØm\w Xocp-am-\n-¨n-«n-Ã. priority to crime preven- crore loss to the exchequer. Apart from State {]Im-c-amWv 1956-þs e ]pXnb tion. Jayalalitha her close friend Sasikala, T.R. Reorganisation Act ii) infrastructure upgra- Srinivasan, the former Chairman and kwØm-\-§Ä cq]o-I-cn-¡p-¶-Xv. ASn-Øm\ kuI-cy-dation ( \ho-I-cWw Managing Director of TANSI Mohammed kn.-]n.-sF. (Fw) C\n ) Asif, the former Rural Industries Minister {]mtZ-inI ]mÀ«n and modernisationt]m- of Nagarajan, the former Special Deputy eokvpolice tÌj-\p-IÄ stations ( B[p- Collector (stamps) and Karpoora- The Communist Party of India (Marxist) \n-I-h-ev¡-cn-¡p-I sundarapandian, the then joint secretary to has been derecognised as a national party ). the Chief Minister were also sentenced. by the Election Commission (EC). But the iii) emphasised on the im- portance of community  This is the second case in which party has been recognised as a state party in policing. Kerala, Tripura and West Bengal where it can  One of the accused, Prakash Hinduja, retain its symbol of “hammer, sickle and star”. has become a Swiss citizen. The EC has also recognised the two faction tI{µ a{´n-k` hnI-kn- Two Indians to of Janata Dal viz the United and Secular as ¸n ¨p attend UN meet regional parties in Bihar and Karnataka The popular film respectively. The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, actress, Manisha Koirala has expanded his Cabinet inducting two and Miss Universe, Lara Indo-US co-operation Cabinet Ministers and four new ministers of against terrorism State. The two new Cabinet Ministers are A two-day meeting of the Joint Working Sushma Swaraj who gets back Information and Group of India and US on counter-terrorism Broadcasting and M. Venkiah Naidu who is was held at . The US delegation the new Minister for Rural Development. The was led by Michael A. Sheehan, US new ministers of State are Satya Brata Coordinator for Counter-terrorism. He spoke Mookherjee (Chemicals and Fertilizers), of the US interest in establishing an P. Radhakrishnan (Youth Affairs and Sports), international coalition of “frontline states to V.B. Krishnam Raju (External Affairs) and curb terrorism coming from South Asia, Shripad Yesso Naik (Agriculture). A minor reshuffle was also made. Suresh Prabhu got Power vacant after the death of Kumara- emdm Z¯  mangalam, Sunderlal Patwa (Chemicals and Dutta are the only two Fertilizers from Rural Development). The Indians to participate in the Ministers of State who have been shifted (new first-ever gathering of UN ministries in brackets) are: Rita Verma (Rural messengers of peace and goodwill ambassadors. Leptospirosis scare  lnµpPm ktlm-Z-c-·m-À in Kerala Kerala, inspite having a especially Taliban-supported”. The well developed health care prospective members could include Central system, is being threatened Asian countries, India, Russia and China. by a new killer disease – India has welcomed further anti-terrorism leptospirosis or Weil’s Diseases commonly known assistance (ATA) programmes from the US. F-en-¸-\n The JWG viewed the UN Convention on as rat fever ( ). The disease had taken 89 lives Terrorism as a step in the right direction in in 1999. Already around 23 the fight against international terrorism. people have died and about 225 affected by the disease Hindujas chargesheeted in in 2000. The main vector Bofors case responsible for the spread The Central Bureau of Investigation of the disease are rats or (CBI) has filed a chargesheet against the rodents. Experts blame poor prominent London-based NRI industrialists hygiene and ineffectual – Hinduja brothers in the Rs. 64-crore Bofors vector control programmes pay-offs case. The three Hinduja brothers for this rapid spread of the are Gopichand, Srichand and Prakash. In its disease. In an attempt to earlier chargesheet filed on October 22, 1999 fight the disease, it has been the CBI had named S.K. Bhatnagar, the former decided to convert the Defence Secretary; Ottavio Quattrocchi, the Institute of Virology and Italian businessman; Win Chadha, the former Infectious Diseases at the Bofors agent and Martin Ardbo, the former Alappuzha Medical College president of AB Bofors as accused. The as an apex study centre for former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had been leptospirosis. named as “an accused not sent up for trial”. ¯n 467 {Kma-]-©m-b-¯nepw 72 t»m¡v ]©m- Development), V. Dhananjay Kumar (Textiles), b-¯nepw `c-W-k-an-Xn-IÄ \ne-hn h¶p. Ramesh Bais (Information and Broadcasting), tIc-f-¯n ]©m-b-¯o-cmPv \nbaw \ne- A. Raju (Health and Family Welfare), N.G.  hn h¶Xv 1994 G{]n 23 \mWv. Yashwant Sinha Ramachandran (Finance) and Syed Shahnawaz Hussain (Human Resources Development) . new AITA Seven of Indian State received President origin cannonised normal monsoon hn- According to the Meteorological Centre, Pope John Paul-II has cannonised ip-²-cmbn {]Jym-]n-¡p-I ( Thiruvananthapuram, the state has received seven Sisters of the ) normal rainfall during the South-West Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (FMM) as Monsoon period. While it received deficient saints. The FMM was founded in India in rainfall of 7 percent and 56 percent in June and 1877. The seven Sisters were among the 120 July it received an excess rainfall of 32 percent Bishops, priests, lay people and religious and 21 percent in August and September. persons ‘martyred’ in China in 1900. They Though the State received 18 percent deficient had been killed in the anti-Western, anti- rainfall, it is considered to be normal. Average Christian Boxer rebellion in 1900. China rainfall in Kerala is 3125mm. severly criticised the cannonisation. tIc-f-¯n Gähpw IqSp-X ag e`n-¡p-  biz´v kn³l REGIONAL ¶ Øew hb-\mSv PnÃ-bnse e¡n-Sn-bm-  Wv. Xt±i kzbw-`-cW Øm]- The Union Finance \-§Ä¡v ]pXnb Kochi Medical College Minister has been elected the President of the All t\XrXzw gets IMC sanction India Tennis Association tIc-f-¯n {XnXe ]©m-b-¯p-I-fn- The proposed Kochi Co-operative (AITA). te¡pw \K-c-k-`-I-fn-te¡pw sk]vXw-_À 25, V.P. Shetty: Appointed the 27, Xob-Xn-I-fn sXc-sª-Sp¸v \S-¶p. ae-¸pdw Chairman and Managing PnÃm ]©m-b¯v DÄs¸sS Nne Øm\-§-fn- Director of the UCO Bank. te-bv¡pÅ sXc-sª-Sp¸v \hw-_À 25\v \S- C.V.J. Varma: An Indian, ¡pw. 1995-þ-emWv ]©m-b-¯o-cmPv `cW kwhn- elected for the first time as [m-\-a-\p-k-cn-¨pÅ BZy sXc-sª-Sp¸v tIc- the Chairman by the f-¯n \S-¶-Xv. kn.-]n.sF (Fw) t\Xr-Xz-¯n- International Commission epÅ Left Democratic Front (LDF) of Large Dams (ICOLD). tIm¬{Kkv t\Xr-Xz-¯n-epÅ United ]²Xn hne-bn-cp-¯Â kw_-Ôn¨ Professor E.V. Chitnis t\Xr-Xz-¯n-  9-þmw Democratic Front (UDF), B.J.P. tbmK¯n {][m-\-a-{´n, [\-a-{´n, Bkq-{X- PTI Chairman epÅ National Democratic Alliance (NDA) W-¡-½n-j³ D]m-²y-£³ sI.-kn. ]´v XpS- The noted physicist who has been elected as the bn-cp-¶-Xv.F¶n-h-bmWv Xt±-i-kz-bw-`-c-W-Øm-]-\-§-fnse {][m-\-ambn aÕc cwK-¯p-­m- new Chairman of the Board ]pXnb t\XrXzw HtÎm-_À 5 \v \ne-hn h¶p. Medical College has been accorded sanction of Directors of the Press Xncp-h-\-´-]p-cw, sImÃw, Fd-Wm-Ip-fw, by the Indian Medical Council (IMC). The Trust of India (PTI). tImgn-t¡mSv tImÀ¸-td-j-\p-I-fpsS `cWw Medical College would be under the Co- LDF- operative Academy for Professional \pw XriqÀ tImÀ¸-td-j³ \pw e`n-¨p. sXc- tIc-f-¯nse Ggm-as¯ UDF Education (CAPE). sª-Sp¸v \S¶ 13 PnÃm-]-©m-b-¯p-I-fn Xncp- saUn-¡Â tImtf-Pm-bn-cn¡pw CXv h-\-´-]p-cw, sImÃw, Be-¸p-g, CSp-¡n, XriqÀ, sâ BØm\w Xncp-h-\-´-]p-c-.  CAPE ]me-¡m-Sv, tImgn-t¡m-Sv, I®qÀ, ImkÀtKmUv amWv. F¶n-hn-S-§-fn CS-Xp-]-£-ap-¶-Wn-bpw, ]¯- \w-Xn-«, tIm«-bw, Fd-Wm-Ip-fw, hb-\mSv F¶n- h-bn sFIy-P-\m-[n-]-Xy-ap-¶-Wn-bp-amWv sXc- ECONOMY sª-Sp-¡-s¸-«-Xv. tIc-f-¯nse ap\n-kn-¸m-en-än-I- fn 32 F®-¯n sâbpw 20 F®-¯n GDP growth falls UDF short LDF UDF â t\Xr-Xz-¯nÂsâbpw `c-W-t\-Xr-Xz-am-Wp-­m-Ip-I 442 {Kma-]-©m-b-¯nepw. 69 of plan target t»m¡vs ]©m-b-¯nepw sâ t\Xr-Xz s{]m. C.-hn. NnSv\nkv , LDF - The mid-term appraisal (MTA) of the  Ninth Plan (1997-2002) shows that as against 1987-88 to 36 percent in 1993-94. It felt the plan target of 6.5 percent the actual that the target level of 16.5 percent by Donald Dewar growth has been only 6.1 percent. Thus to 2001-02 was not achievable; achieve the set target, the economy has to xi) 40 percent of village faced water shortage no more grow at the rate of over 7.1 percent in the during the summer while official records remaining Plan period. In order to do the showed 100 percent coverage; and, sectors have to grow thus: agriculture (5.7 xii) stagnant domestic crude production will percent), manufacturing (10.25 percent), lead to an import of about 120-130 million trade and transport (7.85 percent) and tonnes by the year 2006-07. communications (8.60 percent). The MTA also highlighted the following: Austerity measures announced i) continuous deterioration in the fiscal In an attempt to reduce the burden of situation in the 1990s; increased oil prices, falling revenues and ii) falling tax revenues as a percentage of increased expenditure on account of the raise the GDP; in Dearness Allowance (DA) the Central iii) overshooting of revenue expenditure Government has announced certain austerity targets; measures. The measures, applicable to State governments and Public Sector Units sUmWmÄUv sUhmÀ iv) unsustainable fiscal deficits by both the  Centre and the States; (PSUs), include: The First Minister of v) fall in plan expenditure and public i) mandatory 10 percent cut in the Scotland, popularly known investments as percentage of GDP; budgetary allocation for non-plan, non- as Scotland’s “father of the vi) existence of regional disparities. Thus salary expenditure of all ministries and nation” passed away while Maharashtra and Gujarat recorded departments; recently. eight percent growth, UP and Orissa ii) 10 percent cut in consumption and  Scotland’s Parliament recorded only 3.5 percent and Bihar 2.9 allocation of funds for expenditure on was inaugurated in July percent during the 1990s; fuel for all official and staff cars; iii) 10 percent cut in posts in all ministries 1999 and he became its vii) persistent and increasing burden of First Minister. and departments; poverty on women. It pointed out that iv) abolition of posts lying vacant for over a Fisher visits India nearly 50 percent of SC and ST women year; The German Foreign Min- were living below the poverty line; v) ban on creation of new posts for one year; ister, Jochka Fisher, visited viii) population growth rate 1.74 percent in India and announced re- vi) restriction on foreign travel allowance 1998, infant mortality rate was 72 per suming of financial assis- for all classes of officials; thousand, total female fertility was 3.3 tance stopped after the Pokhran-II nuclear explosion per women (in 1997), the birth rate was India’s currency rating revised in 1998. at 26.5 per thousand in 1998 and death The international rating agency Standard  A German Festival in rate 9 per thousand; & Poor’s has revised India’s double-‘B’ long- India was also inaugu- ix) literacy rate was up to 62 percent of the term foreign currency issuer credit rating to rated. The festival would population (73 percent for men and 50 stable from positive. It has however be from September 2000 percent for women); reaffirmed its triple ‘B’/‘A-C3’ local currency to March 2001 and will x) incidence of poverty had declined from and double ‘B’/‘B’ foreign currency issuer take place in 26 cities. 44.4 percent in 1983 to 38.9 percent in credit rating on India. The revision is because of the inability to the government to accelerate the pace of economic reform. CMM Level 4 for SSI SSI Technologies has got the CMM Level 4, which is an index for quality control.  Cognizant Technology Solutions has received the Level 5, the highest in CMM.  CMM: Capability Maturity Model. tPmjv¡m ^njÀ  GDP growth rate scaled down The Centre for Monitoring Indian Act is being amended to give back the power Economy (CMIE) has scaled down the real to the states to allow their units undertake Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth for production. 2000. It has reduced it to 5.8 percent from its  Four Export processing zones, including Sirimavo earlier forecast of seven percent made in July. one private EPZ in Surat would be Bandaranaike The unusually dry monsoon spell and steep converted into an SEZs from November 1. passes away hike in petroleum prices in September are the  SEZs are to be set up at Positra in Gujarat The former Prime Minister reasons for this downward revision. (Sumitomo Corporation of Japan and of Sri Lanka and the world’s UNCTAD’s report on Jangtron of Singapore), Nanguneri in first elected women Prime TN (a US company), Kakinad-vizag in Minister passed away. South Asia AP, Paradeep in Orissa, Kulpi in West The World Investment Report (WIR)- Bengal and Bhadohi in Uttar Pradesh. 2000 has been released by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Power Grid gets ADB loan Development (UNCTAD). It speaks of a A $250 million loan has been sanctioned marginal decline in Foreign Direct to the Power Grid Corporation of India Investment (FDI) to India from $2.6 billion (PGCIL) by the Manila-based Asian in 1998 to $2.2 billion in 1999. However this Development Bank. The loan is for inter-state is not a cause for concern because the and inter-regional transmission systems in liberalisation measures of the government India. The ADB loan is 51 percent of the total should attract increased FDI this year. project cost of around $491.5 million.  Rubens Ricupero is the Secretary- General of UNCTAD. IT Act becomes kncn-amthm  SBI’s new deposit scheme effective The Information Technology Act has The State Bank of India (SBI) has launched  Sirimavo became the become effective from October 18. The new a new five-year foreign currency denominated Prime Minister of Sri act will provide legal sanctity to electronic, deposit. The deposit called India Millennium Lanka in 1960, after the commerce and prescribes punishment for Deposit Scheme is open to non-resident Indians assassination of her hacking and other crimes such as cyber porn. (NRIs) and Overseas Corporate Bodies (OCBs). husband S.W.R.D.  K.N. Gupta has been appointed The deposits to be denominated in dollar, pound Bandaranaike in 1959. “Controller” to supervise operational sterling and Euro will carry an interest rate of She was defeated in the details such as approving agencies 8.50 percent, 7.85 percent and 6.85 percent per 1965, but won the 1970 authorised to validate digital signatures. annum respectively. The scheme is not available elections and remained in US. in power till 1977.  SBI had earlier launched two such NRI SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY Davo Karnicar: A bonds – India Development Bonds (IDB) Slovenian Ski instructor and Resurgent India Bonds (RIB). Cloning saves endangered who has became the first person ever to ski non-stop FDI $3 billion species In a development having an important down the slopes of Mt. The actual Foreign Direct Investment bearing on saving endangered species, Everest, the world’s (FDI) during the first eight months of this highest peak. American scientists have cloned an year has been $3 billion. This was stated by Hansie Cronje: The former endangered species – the Asian Gaur. They the Union Commerce and Industry Minister, South African has Murasoli Maran who hoped that FDI this been banned for life by the year would cross the $4 billion mark achieved United Board of last year. South Africa (UBSCA). Cronje had earlier admitted SEZ norms liberalised receiving money from The customs framework for the bookmakers. proposed special economic zones (SEZs) has N. Krishnan Nair: The been liberalised. The new norms are based former Director General of on green channel clearances. The Industries Police (DGP) of the Kerala passed away. used a single skin cell taken from a dead gaur, commissioned. The observatory has been fused the cell to a cow’s egg, whose genes setup by the Bangalore-based Indian were removed and then transferred it to the Institute of Astrophysics (IIA). Its remotely womb of another cow. controlled from Hoskote near Bangalore. Shuttle’s on 100th  The gaur is a humpbacked, ox-like animal New missile boat mission native to India and Myanmar. A new missile boat belonging to the The Space Shuttle, EME achieves a breakthrough “Nashak” class of boats has been launched. Discovery, has made its In a major breakthrough of a significant The fourth boat of its class ‘Prabhat’ is being 100th mission. The mission influence on India’s defence, the Corps of built by the Mazagon Dock Limited, Mumbai Electrical and Mechanical Engineers have and will be inducted into the fleet around repaired a defective anti-craft missiles. This January 2002. technology had been delayed by Russians. The new development can help repair the APPOINTMENTS damaged Russian missiles. Justice Brijesh Kumar and Justice New Hepatitis B vaccine Bishwanath Agarwal: Appointed new judges A new four-in-one Hepatitis vaccine has of the Supreme Court. been launched by Smithkline Beecham. The Gnassingbe Eyadema: The President of Togo vaccine named Tritantrix HB is effective who has been elected as Chairman of the against Hepatitis B, diptheria, tetanus and Organisation of African Unity (OAU). pertussis.  Eyadema has been the ruler of Togo for Unkv¡-hdn kvt]kv Internet attacked by the past 30 years.  new worm Chang Chun-Hsuing: The Taiwanese After the “I Love You” virus, the Internet President Chen Shui-Bian has appointed was to the International has been attacked by a much more complex Chang Chun-Hsuing the new Prime Minister Space Station (ISS) to make computer worm named MTX. The worm of the country. it ready for receiving its spreads very fast and also prevents the V.S. Prasad: A well-known teacher who has first resident-crew in affected user from accessing prominent anti- taken over as the officiating Vice-Chancellor November. virus sites on the Internet. It has three of Indira Gandhi National Open University components, a virus, worm and a backdoor. (IGNOU). Ethanol mixed The worm monitors and attaches itself to all Sam Balsara: The Chief of Madison petrol soon e-mails sent. The backdoor which remains Communication Ltd. has been elected Chairman of Advertising Standards Council The Petroleum active, downloads files from the specific virus of India. Ministry is planning to test group site. If run on Windows, it affects files Chitra Narayanan: Appointed the new ethanol-mixed petrol in with.exe and.d ll extensions. The worm uses Indian Ambassador to Sweden. India by the end of the Entry Point Obscuring Technology to prevent writing of an effective anti-dote. S.C. Basu: Appointed the Chairman and December. Five percent Managing Director of Bank of Maharashtra. ethanol extracted from Highest observatory Tata Ramachandra Prasad: He has been sugarcane molasses mixed commissioned appointed the next Cabinet Secretary. He with petrol is to be sold as The world’s highest observatory – the would take charge when the present transport fuel in three Indian Astronomical Observatory’s two- incumbent Prabhat Kumar retires in October. districts of Maharashtra – metre telescope at Hanle in Ladakh, has been A. Vellayan: The Director (marketing) of the Sangli, Satara and -based Murugappa Group who has Kolhapur. been selected as the new President of ICC-  Brazil is another nation India. that has successfully  The International Chamber of Commerce tested this new fuel. It (ICC) was founded in 1919. It is a world had altered the business organisation which has automobile design to chapters in every country. suit the new blended Poochali Gopalan: Elected new president of fuel. the Sahitya Pravarthaka Co-operative Society (SPCS). SPCS is a literary co- author Chinhua Achebe were given the first operative located at Kottayam. Neelamperoor Pan African Broadcast Heritage Achievement Madhusoodhan Nair has been elected Vice- Awards. They were respectively named President. African of the year, Humanitarian of Africa Paul Allen quits Yogendra Narain: Appointed as the new and Greatest contribution to literature on the Microsoft Defence Secretary. continent. The co-founder of Syed Ahmed Bukhari: The son of Syed Dr. Kamala Bhaskar Award: Sree Chitra Microsoft along with Bill Abdullah Bukhari has been elected as the Home has bagged the Dr. Kamala Bhaskar Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid. Foundation Award for social service.  Dr. Kamala Bhaskar was a renowned AWARDS & HONOURS physician and social worker. Help-Age India Golden Award: The Help- Gandhi Peace Award: Adam Curle, Emeritus Age India Golden Award has been given to Professor of Peace Studies at Bradford the noted social scientist and philanthropist University, London, has been awarded the Dr. C. Gopalan. Gandhi International Peace Award. He was Dhanvantari Award: The well-known selected for his outstanding contribution to gynaecologist and obstetrician, Dr. Indira reconciliation work in war zones of Africa, t]mÄ Ae³ Hinduja, has been awarded the 28th Asia and Europe.  Entrepreneur of the Year: Mukesh D. Dhanvantari award. She is the first woman Gates who has quit Ambani of Reliance Petroleum has been recipient of the award. She was responsible Microsoft board of direc- for developing the first test tube baby in the conferred the Ernet Young “Entrepreneur of tors. But he will remain an country (Indira or Baby Harsha) in 1986. She the Year” award. adviser to Bill Gates. is an acknowledged expert of the Gamete Intra  Azim Premji of Wipro was given the  Paul Allen is the world’s Fallopian Transfer (GIFT) technique. “Master Entrepreneur of the Year” and third richest man with sshZy-im-kv{X-cw-Ks¯ Aaqey kw`m-h-  Dewang Mehta of Nasscom the assets worth $36 billions. \-IÄ¡v 1973 apX [\z-´cn AhmÀUv “Manager Entrepreneur of the Year” Vice-Admiral R.N. \ÂIn-h-cp¶p . award respectively. Ganesh: The only Indian Chektech Award: Dr. Anji Reddy, founder Dr. G.G. Jadhav Award: G.G. Radhyakshya, a naval officer to command Chairman of the Dr. Reddy’s group of veteran Marathi journalist, has been selected the nuclear submarine Chakra, leased from USSR companies, has been awarded the Chemtech for the Dr. G.G. Jadhav Award 1999-2000. His contribution to the development of Marathi has been appointed the Foundation and Chemical Engineering head of the ATV project. The journalism and social uplift won him the World’s Chemtech Achiever of the Year 2000. Advanced Technology Ves- Rajiv Gandhi Wildlife Conservation Award: award. sel (ATV) is the code-name The first Rajiv Gandhi Wildlife Conservation Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi National for the indigenous nuclear Award has been given to WWF-India.The Eminence Award: P.V. Narasimha Rao, M.S. submarine project. award carries a cash prize of Rs. 100,000, a Subbalakshmi, Ram Narain Agarwal and Pierre Traeudu Pujashri Rameshbhai Oza have been selected trophy and a citation. passes away International Peace Bureau Awards: Praful for the 3rd Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Bidwai and Achin Vanaik, two Indian National Eminence Award. The award carries The former Canadian Prime journalists, have been awarded the a cash prize of Rs. 2.5 lakhs, a silver lamp and Minister ruled for nearly 16 International Peace Bureau’s annual Peace a scroll. years passed away. Prize. They were selected for their Dak Seva Awards: The Kozhikode Civil international campaign against nuclearisation of South Asia. Social Responsiveness Award: Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company has won the 1999 Social Responsiveness Award. The award has been instituted by FICCI- SEDF Business World Compaq. Pan-African Awards: The former South African President Nelson Mandela, retired Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Nigerian ]nbdn {SqtUm  Station Head Post Office has been adjudged The award has been instituted by the OOKS UTHORS B & A the best maintained post office in the Kerala Consumer Electronics and Television ({]i- Postal Circle. Manufacturers Association (CETMA) kvX-cpsSPrasastharude C¶-se) Innale – Nissar Silver Elephant Award: The Education Syed. (It talks about the yes- Minister, P.J. Joseph, has been selected for PERSONS IN NEWS teryears of famous this year’s Silver Elephant award by the Malayalees like K.R. Bharat Scouts and Guides. The award is the L. Prathapa Varma: The popular Malayalam Narayanan, E.K. Nayanar, highest award of the movement. news reader of the All India Radio (AIR) Adoor Gopalakrishnan etc.) Tata Engineering gets Environment Award: passed away. I am Diego: It is the auto- Lalit Bhasin: A senior advocate of the biography of the Argen- Tata Engineering has bagged the Environmental Supreme Court who has been presented with tine footballer,Diego honorary life membership award by the Marodonna. Technology Award International Bar Association (IBA). This is Shadows of a Princess: An given by the Central intimate Account by her Pollution Control the most prestigious distinction of the IBA. Private Secretary – Patrick Board. Aftab Hussain: The Pakistani poet, harassed Jephson (An account of Jamnalal Bajaj by the military regime of General Musharraf the life of Princess of Awards: The Jamnalal for publishing poems of the Prime Minister, Wales Diana). Bajaj Awards for 2000 A.B. Vajpayee, whose visa has been The Presidential Mara- have been extended for 180-days. He has reportedly thon- Boris Yeltsin a n n o u n c e d . Fw.-hn. tZh³ sought asylum in India. He is currently The Otherness of Self –  Archbishop Desmond engaged in writing a new poem collection Feroze Varun Gandhi. (He titled Samundar se Pehli Mulakat. is the son of Sanjay and Tutu had been selected for the Jamnalal Bajaj Maneka Gandhi). International Award for promoting Gandhian Carl Rowan: A noted American journalist and India’s Maritime Security values outside India. Tutu has been actively crusader for poor and minorities passed away – Rahul Roy Chaudhury. involved in the anti-apartheid struggle and recently. Book of Unforgettable is the second South African to win it after Jatin Das: The renowned Oriya actor and Women – Khushwant Nelson Mandela. In the field of outstanding winner of the Sangeet Natak Academy Singh. contribution to constructive work the award passed way recently. Understanding the Mus- was given to Somdutt Vedalankar. He is Tommy Suharto: The youngest son of the lim Mind – Rajmohan founder of the Panipat-based Khadi Ashram. former Indonesian President, General Gandhi. Suharto, has been sentenced to 18 month Mistaken Modernity: In- Bhaskar Heerji Save of Gujarat won the award imprisonment on corruption charges by dia Between Worlds – for application of science and technology for rural development. He has been involved Indonesia’s Supreme Dipankar Gupta.þ Fw.-hn. t Zh kv]µ\w in the reclamation of wasteland in Gujarat. Court. tZh³ The Shrimati Jankidevi Bajaj Award for uplift In a related Opinion – The newspaper and welfare of women and children has been development, General started by Mahatma awarded to Vidya Devi. A freedom fighter she Suharto, has been Gandhi as Indian Opinion has been involved in running the Balika exonerated of the in 1903 in , South Vidyapeeth in Munger district of Bihar. corruption charges Africa has been relaunched hb-emÀ AhmÀUv: 2000-þse hb-emÀ cma- against him. This recently. Gandhiji had ed- hÀ½ kmlnXy AhmÀUvv Fw.-hn. tZhsâ verdict of a Jakarta ited the newspaper till his F¶ teJ\ kam-lm-c-¯n-\p Court came after an return to India in 1913. In e`n¨p.tZh-kv]µ\w inev]nbpw Nn{X-Im-c-\p-sa¶ \ne-bn “independent” team IpS-am-fqÀ 1956 its name was changed {]i-kvX-\mWv Fw.-hn. tZh³  to Opinion and closed . of doctors announced Icp-Wm-I-c³ \mbÀ down in 1961.  Agnisakshi by Lalithambika that General Suharto Half a Life – V.S. Naipaul Antharjanam won the first Vayalar award. was “permanently” unfit to stand trial. The Big Egos, Small MenCu – Thattakam by Kovilan won last year’s government has decided to appeal against ]pkvXI¯nÂRam Jethmalani No^v( award. acquittal. Man of Electronics Award: Venugopal G.M.C. Balayogi: The Lok Sabha Speaker has XnscPÌnkv {KÙ-IÀ¯mhv F.-F-kv. B\-µn-s\- Btcm- N-Dhoot, the Chairman and Managing been elected to represent the Asian region ]-W-§Ä D¶-bn-¨n-cn-¡p- Director of Videocon group, has been in the Commonwealth Parliamentary ¶p. honoured with the Man of Electronics Award. Association (CPA). Barbara Streisand: The celebrity singer has Yadavas of a family were killed. ITheMPORTANT Rest of IndiaDAYS team quit singing after 40 years of active life. Jakarta: The capital of Indonesia where the capitained by V.V.S. Laxman Sukumar Oommen: The Chairman of Kerala session of the Inter-Parliamentary Union defeated Ranji champions State Electricity Board (KSEB) has been (IPU) was held. Mumbai by ten to removed from his post for supporting the  Dr. Najma Heptullah, the Deputy win the Irani Trophy. Kannur Project against the Minister S.S. Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, is the Murali Kartik of Rest of Sarma’s support for the Ennore Power Project current President of IPU. India took 13 wickets to set in Tamil Nadu. up the win. PORTS Sisir Bose: A renowned child specialist and S Sachin nephew of Netaji Subash Chandra Bose has becomes top passed away. 40th Open National Kudamaloor Karunakaran Nair: The Athletics meet run getter Kathakali maestro passed away recently. He Railways won both the men’s and has was the recipient of many awards including women’s titles at the 40th Open National surpassed the World the Kerala Lalitha Kala Akademi award, Athletics Meet held at Calcutta. record of Mohammed Kalamandalam award, Kerala and Kendra  K.M. Beenamol won the 400m in 52.25 Azharuddin as the top run Sangeeta Nataka Akademi Award and also seconds erasing out Shiny’s record of getter in one-days. As on the first Pattikkamthodi Ramunni Memorial 52.41 seconds set in 1994. October 18, he has scored Kathakali award. World Junior Chess 9,433 runs against 9,378 Mel Carnaham: The Democratic Party scored by Azhar. Governor of the US State of Missouri has Championship  Tendulkar also holds been killed in an aircrash. Lazaro Bruzon of Cuba and Xu Yuanyuan the record for the of China have been crowned the new World Adolf Ogi: The Switzerland President has highest oneday Junior Chess champions in boys and girls announced his decision to quit the cabinet centuries (26). His 186 section. The tournament was played at Yervan on December 31. October 1: Voluntary Blood (Armenia.) Donation Day/Interna-  India’s medal prospects were sniffed tional Day of the Elderly/ PLACES IN NEWS when the second seed Krishnan International Music Day. Sasikiran lost his last match. West Bengal: The Eastern state that was hit October 2: World Vegetar- by massive floods. The floods killed 123 India loses to New Zealand ian Day. people and marooned over million. The Centre New Zealand defeated India by four October 2-8: Wildlife has announced a aid of Rs. 63.26 crore. wickets to lift the ICC Knockout Trophy held Week. It is celebrated ev- Bali: The first Asia-Pacific Conference on at Nairobi. ery year to increase aware- Tourism for Persons with Disabilities was held  Indian skipper Saurav Ganguly was ness among the people at this town in Indonesia. named “Man of the Series”. about the importance of Bagh: A village in Dhar district of Madhya Japan Open title for conserving forests and Pradesh where eggs of dinosaurs dating back wildlife. to nearly 65 million years was discovered by a Paes-Bhupathi October 3: World Habitat Vadodara-based scientist Professor Atal Joshi. and Day. : The capital of won the Japan Open doubles title. This is October 4-10: Mental where a 13-month-old tigress Sakhi was killed their first title this season. Health Care Week. The glo- and skinned at the Nehru Zoological Park. ICC Anti-corruption unit bal theme for this year was Karakulam: Place in Thiruvananthapuram, The International Cricket Council (ICC) “Mental Health and Voca- district where new IT park being set up by has endorsed the setting up of an anti- tion”. October 10 is World Keltron. corruption unit to look into match-fixing and Mental Health Day. Sharjah: The city in United Arab Emirates (UAE) bribery allegations. The unit will be headed October 7: International which will be the new headquartersof the newly by Sir Paul Condon, a former Commissioner Day for Natural Disaster formed Asian Cricket Foundation (ACF). of the London Metropolitan Police. Reduction.  is the Chairman of October 9: World Post Day. the ACF. Rest of India wins October 14: World Stan- Siwan: A district in Bihar where eleven Irani Trophy dards Day.