GOVT INTRODUCES JUDGES BILL IN RS

The government on Thursday introduced a key bill in the Rajya Sabha to amend the constitution for replacing the existing judges appointment system with a broad based panel in which non-judges will be in a majority.

Law minister Kapil Sibal introduced the 120th constitution amendment bill for setting up the Judicial Appointments Commission in place of the existing system in which the five senior most judges of the Supreme Court (collegium) recommend names to the government for appointment of judges to the SC and High Courts.

Aaron Finch slams 156, hits record T20 international score

Australia's Aaron Finch set a new world record for the highest individual Twenty20 international score as he made a stunning 156 against England at Southampton on Thursday.
Finch surpassed the previous record of 123 set by New Zealand's Brendon McCullum againstBangladesh at Pallekele in September last year.

International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances Observed Across the World

30 August: International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances

30 August was declared as the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances by the UN General Assembly expressing its concern by the increase in the number of involuntary or enforced disappearances in different parts of the world. The UN General Assembly declared this day by its resolution 65/209, on 21 December 2010. 

Foreign Minister of Nicaragua,Samuel Santos Lopez visited India

The Foreign Minister of Nicaragua, Samuel Santos Lopez paid an official visit to India since 19 August to 23 August 2013. Earlier, he had visited India in June 2008 to participate in the India-SICA (Central American Integration System) Foreign Ministers' meeting. Nicaragua is an important member of SICA with which India has an institutionalised dialogue mechanism at the Foreign minister level. During his visit, India and Nicaragua discussed bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest. India and Nicaragua enjoy warm and friendly relations and both countries share common perspectives on a wide variety of international issues. Bilateral trade between the two countries for the year 2012-13 was 60.12 million US dollars. Foreign Minister Lopez also interacted with a number of high representatives from business and industry for promoting trade and investment linkages.

Air India Launched Direct Flights to Australia After 22 Years

Air India launched its direct flights to Sydney and Melbourne on 29 August 2013, after a wide gap of 22 years. The flight had more than 60 domestic transfer passengers as well as over 40 international transit passengers, out of which 20 were from London. 

With the launch of this flight, Delhi became the premier hub airport of South Asia, which offers convenient connections to travellers on the long Europe-Australia sectors. Delhi International Airport limited (DIAL) announced that Delhi's Indira Gandhi International airport was connected to Australia now, with the launch of daily flights of Air India to Melbourne and Sydney. With this, Air India connected the two continents. 

It is important to note that Sydney has ranked amongst the top 5 potential destinations and therefore there was a need of better connectivity to this place. The daily flight service of Air India is operational with the 256-seater Boeing 787-800 Dreamliner. In the year 2012, 1.40 lakh passengers travelled between Delhi and Sydney through the Asia hubs. 

The Social Security Agreement between India and Canada Approved

The Union Cabinet of India on 29 August 2013 approved the Social Security Agreement between India and Canada. The agreement will benefit 40 thousand Persons of Indian Origin in Quebec province. India has similar agreements with countries including Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Malaysia and Belgium. The Social Security totalization agreement between India and Canada was signed on 6 November 2012. The Social Security Agreement between Canada and India is expected to enter into force in 2014, once both nations have completed their legislative procedures. 

Govt to rope in private investment for airports

To allow 100% private equity in 6 airports - Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Guwahati – for now

• Not to claim equity in managing company, AAI seeks revenue share in operating company
• Presently, AAI owns 26% stake each in Delhi and Mumbai airports and 13% stake each in Hyderabad and Bangalore airports

Govt to roll out LPG subsidy transfer in 269 districts from Jan 1

Following the success of the direct benefit transfer (DBT) cash subsidy payment scheme in 20 districts of the country, the Government has decided to go for a massive roll out of the scheme in 269 more districts of the country from January 1, 2014 in a phased manner to cover LPG consumers.

“Based upon the experience gained in 20 districts, we have decided to rapidly roll out the DBT for the LPG over 269 more districts in a phased manner. By January 1, a huge proportion of LPG beneficiaries will be covered under the DBT system. They will get their subsidy credited one month in advance. Therefore, they can go and get their LPG cylinder for a month following that. It is already successful in 20 districts,’’ Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said, after the approval by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs for the extension of the scheme.

Singapore has record number of billionaires

Singapore has a record number of 21 billionaires, according to the latest Forbes rich list. 

The number was 16 last year, Xinhua reported. 

Robert and Philip Ng, sons of the late Far East Organisation founder Ng Teng Fong, retained their top position on the list, with their estimated net wealth at $10.6 billion, up from $9.2 billion last year. 

Kwek Leng Beng, chairman of City Developments, saw the biggest rise in his net wealth. His ranking also jumped to the second spot from number six. He has a net worth of $7.1 billion, up from $2.4 billion. 

The Khoo family kept its number three spot, with a net worth of $6.7 billion. 

The combined net wealth of Singapore's 50 richest is $80 billion. 

Forbes said the list was compiled using shareholding and financial information. Unlike the Forbes billionaire rankings, the list includes family fortunes, including those shared among extended families.

Irish poet Nobel winner Seamus Heaney dies at 74

 Seamus Heaney, Ireland's foremost poet who won the Nobel literature prize in 1995, has died after a half-century exploring the wild beauty of Ireland and the political torment within the nation's soul. He was 74.

Heaney's family and publisher, Faber & Faber, say in a statement that Heaney died Friday in a Dublin hospital.

The Northern Ireland-born Heaney was widely considered Ireland's greatest poet since William Butler Yeats. Over a half-century career he wrote 13 collections of poetry, two plays, four prose works on the process of poetry, and many other works.