13.02.2008

• Industrial growth dips to 7.6%
• This is markedly lower than the 13.4% recorded in December 2006.
• Though there is a secular decline in sectors like Mining, Manufacturing and Electricity, there can still be some cautious optimism for two reasons:
• The growth recorded a year ago was really very high – 14.5%. Hence there is a base effect.
• Secondly, this is an improvement over the growth seen a month ago when it was only 5.3%.
• Let us hope that the steps initiated by the government and RBI – asking the banks to ease the housing and consumer finance rates, will have some positive effect on the IIP (Index of Industrial Production) figures in future.
• India Russia sign a couple of agreements and MOUs (Memorandums of Understanding)
• Currently the Russian Prime Minister Mr. Viktor Zubkov is on a visit to India in connection with the Year of Russia in India. You might remember our earlier notings about 2009 being celebrated as the Year of India in Russia.
• Both the countries have agreed to double bilateral trade in three years time.
• Russia is already helping India build two LWR (Light Water Reactors) of 1000 MW capacity at Koodankulam in Tamilnadu. Today they signed an agreement for building four more such reactors once the NSG (Nuclear Suppliers’ Group) waiver is obtained by India, following its successful talks with IAEA.
• The coup attempt in East Timor
• There was a coup attempt in the last couple of days when the East Timorese President and the Prime Minister were attacked in separate attempts on them. Both of them survived.
• President Ramos-Horta is reported to be recovering. He shared the Nobel Peace Prize with compatriot Bishop Carlos Belo for leading the diplomatic campaign for freedom. The rebel leader Major Alfredo Reinado was reportedly killed in the gun battle. But some of his supporters are still at large. Australia promptly despatched a force to bring these rebels to book.
• East Timor was a former Portuguese colony. It was invaded in 1975 by Indonesia and was under its occupation till 1999. Then Australia led an international force and helped guide it into full independence in 2002.
• Research in spirituality
• In a first of its kind, the Pothencode (Kerala) based Santhigiri Ashram is establishing what is claimed to be a unique centre for research into the different facets of spirituality.
• Some of the questions to which the research at this centre is expected to give answers include:
• How do certain statement one hears changes one’s outlook to life or prompts one to tread on a different path?
• How exactly is social justice formed or lost?
• What are spiritual waves and how do they manifest themselves?
• First trial run at Shamshabad airport
• This green-field airport has seen the first trial run successfully conducted yesterday.
• AP has announced the reduction in sales tax rate on aviation fuel from 33% to 4% on this occasion.
• AP announces a subsidy for Christian pilgrimage
• On the lines of the Haj subsidy this one proposes subsidising travel by Christians to the Holy land (Israel-Palestine).
• Want to have a seasoned commentary on this one? Look at today’s ET editorial here.
• The India Pakistan Iran gas pipeline story
• We have been following the story closely in our blogs during the last couple of years and have almost been led to believe that it is the hardening Iranian stand that is putting paid to the deal. But if you read today’s editorial in The Hindu, we will be thrown into some doubt about this. Take a look at this here.
• Sometimes it is true that what we, the public get to know is what is planted by various governments – foreign or domestic -- in the media. But it is for us to gain a clearer understanding of what we see or hear.
• What is the Stolen Generation?
• It refers to the aboriginal children of Australia who were removed from their families between 1910 and 1970 to be raised in white households.
• Australia followed this assimilation policy during that period. Now Prime Minister Kevin Rudd had delivered a public apology from its Parliament to the aborigines. For this historic session, he had invited their leaders and they have participated heartily.
• Australia gained independence from Britain in 1901. But it retained Queen Elizabeth as its head of State. It is the Governor General who represents the Queen in Australia. At present it is Mr. Michael Jeffery who is the Governor General.