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8th Oct’10 to 14th Oct’10 R
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COVER STORY N
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Unique Identity Project


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Economic Indicators 2
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Cover Story 3
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Personalities of the Week 4
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Business News 5
COMPILED BY T
International News 9
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Miscellaneous News 10 E
General Awareness 11 R
TOP 10 HEADLINES OF THE WEEK

1. Google tests cars that drive by itself.


2. Biyani eyes 40% in Amar Chitra Katha.
3. Japan set to pass China as largest US creditor.
4. Sensex enters Diwali season with a burst.
5. ONGC striving to get 'Maharatna' status in CSR'
6. Mahindra Satyam bags contract from Commonwealth of Kentucky.
7. China leads list of world's richest women.
8. Citigroup sued for gender discrimination.
9. Radio Mirchi wins silver at NY Festival Awards.
10. Microsoft issues its biggest-ever security fix.

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Current Market Rates as on 14th Oct’10 Values Stock Market Indices as on 14th Oct’10 Values
Rupee / US Dollar 44.18 BSE SENSEX 20556.27
Rupee / Euro 62.25 NSE (NIFTY) 6168.25
Rupee / Pound 70.65
Gold (10 Gram) in Rs. 19631.6

What Does Fiscal Deficit Mean? There is a deficit


when a government's total expenditures exceed the
revenue that it generates. Deficit differs from debt,
which is an accumulation of yearly deficits.

The fiscal deficit can be financed by borrowing from


banks or from the Reserve Bank of India, which is also
called deficit financing or money creation. As can be
seen from the adjoining graph deficit and borrowing
are in sync.

India's fiscal deficit has risen sharply in recent years


on loan waivers for poor farmers, subsidies and
stimulus packages to boost the economy. The present
fiscal deficit number is big and worrisome. The finance
minister put the number at 6.9 per cent of GDP.

Fiscal deficit leads to other problems:


1)Bankers predict pressure on interest rates
saying huge borrowings will suck out liquidity
resulting in reduced lending.
2)The large government borrowing is expected to
put pressure on interest rates.
3)External borrowing by the government has
negative effects on the balance of payments.
4)On the other hand, the government borrowing
from the domestic banking system will reduce
the supply of funds available to other domestic
borrowers, driving the real interest rates up.
5)More capital goes to the public sector and
therefore private sector may not be able to get
capital according to its requirements.
A deficit of 2-4% of GDP is manageable, but US
deficit at 10.64 slows GDP growth.

Source:http://www.moneyworks4me.com/Indias-Fiscal-Deficit-Its-Implications.html
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COVER STORY: UNIQUE IDENTITY PROJECT

Hello Mr, 5674-PQVK- 8093: We have our passport number, ration card number, pan card number, credit card
number, bank account number and now welcome the mother of all numbers Unique Identity Number. The Unique
Identification Authority of India’s (UIDAI) project AADHAAR will provide a unique number to all Indians.

UIDAI Organization: It was a pleasant surprise when Nandan Nilekani of Infosys was
appointed Chairman of UIDAI. Ram Sewak Sharma, an IAS Officer who received awards for
e-Governance project implemented in Jharkhand has been appointed as the Director
General. UIDAI was established in February 2009, and will own and operate the Unique
Identification Number database. The authority would create the database containing 16
kinds of data entry, photographs, all 10 fingerprints and iris scans. Twelve minutes is the
time estimated for enrolment per person. Computers for the project are designed in such a
way that there are screens even at the rear. A citizen can see the details being entered and
can correct at any stage. Those that opt to stay out of the system will find it very inconvenient, they will not have
access to facilities that require you to cite your ID number.

Panacea for all ills: Unique National IDs will help address the rigged state
elections, tax evasion, widespread embezzlement that affects subsidies and
poverty alleviation programs such as NREGA. Addressing illegal immigration
into India and terrorist threats is another goal of the program. It can reduce
corruption and bureaucratic delay. A personal ID number can hugely save
hassles, time and money in our new digital age. Various identity databases
(voter ID, passports, ration cards, licenses, fishing permits, border area id
cards) that already exist in India are planned to be linked to it. Indians will not
require to prove their identity to various government departments over and
over again. It will streamline benefits so that they reach the right people. The
numbers will eliminate duplication and attempts to obtain fake documents. Aadhaar is different because it actually
provides a foundation for all the other IDs. This 12-digit number will be common to all other cards which can be
authenticated anywhere in the country, online. Aadhaar will bring them into the mainstream, and by giving them an
ID, make them part of an inclusive growth.

Why some fear the UID: The Aadhaar project has grave civil liberty implications. It will enable the government to
profile citizens and track their movements and transactions. The UIDs will be fed into a database
to be shared with Natgrid (National Intelligence Grid), which includes 11 security and intelligence
agencies. Natgrid will provide real-time access into 21 databases including bank account details,
credit card transactions, driving licences, and travel records. An intelligence official says, "Once
you feed in a person's name, you will get all the details about him, across all the databases."
These include the colour of his/her car, the traffic fines to be paid, and the last time he/she paid
by card for a late-night dinner. There is no guarantee that intimately personal details pre-existing
illnesses, romantic relationships, anonymous donations won't be shared with other agencies.

Data Theft: All kinds of supposedly secure databases including those of India's defence ministry
and the Pentagon have been hacked. Data theft and transfer to intelligence agencies or
corporations have potentially horrendous consequences. That is one reason why many countries including the UK, US
and Australia have abandoned national ID cards.

Projected costs: According to reports, UID's per person cost is estimated to have jumped from Rs 31 to between Rs
450 and Rs 500. One estimate of the cost to completely roll-out National IDs to all Indian residents above the age of
18 has been placed at 150,000 crore. This is astronomical for a scheme with dubious benefits.

Biometric issues: Human bodies and the features on them aren't necessarily constant over time.
People with low-quality fingerprints (construction workers) and with cataract/corneal problems can
pose problems for fingerprints and iris scans. Between 10 and 60 million people could be excluded
from UID due to such errors.

How about a single all pupose number: A liberal democracy like the USA gives everyone what is politely called a
social security number but is actually an identity number. Even the US system is an obsolete one designed for a non-
digital age. India should leap-frog to a superior system tailored to the internet era. Why quote your social security
number in order to get another number for your bank account or credit card? In India, we get separate numbers for
our bank account, ration card, passport, driving licence, credit card, inome tax PAN, voting registration and so on.
This uncoordinated identification system makes for lots of duplication, paperwork and hassle. Why not have one single
number for all purposes?

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PERSONALITIES OF THE WEEK

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam: Missile Man of India


Abdul Kalam was born 15 October 1931 in Rameshwaram, Madras Presidency, British India,
he was the 11th President of India, serving from 2002 to 2007, he was elected during the
tenure of the National Democratic Alliance coalition government, under prime minister Atal
Bihari Vajpayee.

Role Model: Before his term as India's president, he worked as an aeronautical engineer
with DRDO and ISRO. He is popularly known as the Missile Man of India for his work on
development of ballistic missile and space rocket technology. In India he is highly respected
as a scientist and as an engineer. Kalam played a pivotal organisational, technical and
political role in India's Pokhran-II nuclear test in 1998, the first since the original nuclear test
by India in 1974. He is chancellor of Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology,
Thiruvanthapuram, a professor at Anna University,Chennai and visiting faculty at many other
academic and research institutions across India.

Scientist par excellence: After graduating in Physics from St. Joseph's College in Tiruchirapalli, Abdul Kalam
graduated with a diploma in the mid-1950s from Madras Institute of Technology specializing in Aeronautical
Engineering. As the Project Director, he was heavily involved in the development of India's first indigenous Satellite
Launch Vehicle (SLV-III). As Chief Executive of Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP), he also
played a major part in developing many missiles of India including Agni and Prithvi, although the entire project has
been criticised for being overrun and mismanaged. He was the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister and
Secretary, Department of Defence Research & Development from July 1992 to December 1999.

India’s Pride: The Government of India has honoured him with the nation's highest civilian honours: the Padma
Bhushan in 1981; Padma Vibhushan in 1990; and the Bharat Ratna in 1997 for his work with ISRO and DRDO and his
role as a scientific advisor to the Indian government.

His passions: Dr. Kalam, a bachelor is a connoisseur of classical Carnatic music. He plays veena in his leisure. He
writes poetry in Tamil, his mother tongue. Seventeen of his poems were translated into English and published in 1994
as a book entitled 'My Journey'. He reads the Quran and the Bhagavad Gita with equal devotion. He is also the Author
of the books 'India 2020 : A vision for the New Millennium', 'Wings of Fire : an Autobiography' and 'Ignited Minds –
unleashing the power within India'.

Captain G. R. Gopinath: Father of low cost air travel in India


Gopinath recently launched his autobiography Simplify Fly: A Deccan Odyssey which tracks the
journey of a boy who grew up in a remote village and went from riding a bullock cart to owning
an airline that would become India's first and largest low-cost carrier. He started his studies in
a remote village in Karnataka. He joined the distinguished National Defence Academy, then
served the Indian Army for 8 years.

Serial Entrepreneur: Gopinath's first venture was to infuse some life into his barren land and
within a few years he was a successful sericulturist growing silk-worms. He then started the
Malnad Mobikes (Enfield dealership), then ventured into hotel business in Hasan. In 1996 he
started Deccan Aviation, India's largest Private Helicopter Charter Company. In 2003 Gopinath
entered the Indian Aviation industry and turned the business model on its head. He made sure
that an air travel wasn't only for the elites and gave middle class Indians an opportunity to
afford a flight travel. It was the largest airline in terms of its network, the number of passengers flown and it's fleet
size. It was the only company, which overtook Indian Airlines and gained the 2nd largest market share. Air Deccan's
phenomenal growth spurred the entry of more than half a dozen low-cost air carriers in India.

Selling your dream: The LCC business model was challenging as small increase in fares resulted in less passenger
traffic. Air Deccan suffered huge losses. Gopinath was left without options. Kingfisher acquired a 26 percent stake in
Air Deccan. Gopinath called the sale as like giving away his daughter in wedding.

Never say die: He then contested in 2009 lok sabha elections as an independent candidate but he lost. After
dabbling in politics for some time, Captain Gopinath started Deccan 360 freight and logistics and managed to rope in
Reliance as an investor. Captain Gopinath has now joined hands with the Tata Group for a charter air service.

What makes Captain Gopinath tick? “It’s my love of life and a passion for living intensely. To not lose myself in
despair but lose myself in action all the time. I think persistence is more important than talent, and that’s more
important than capital. You must follow your heart, follow your dreams.”

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BUSINESS NEWS OF THE WEEK

1. Google tests cars that drive by itself- ET 11 Oct


Using artificial intelligence, internet giant Google is developing a car that can drive by
itself, which experts say could transform society as profoundly as the worldwide web.
Seven test cars of Google have driven 1,000 miles without human intervention and
more than 1,40,000 miles (around 2,25,308 kilometres) with only occasional human
control, the New York Times reported.

The car project of Google uses artificial intelligence that can sense anything near the
car and mimic the decisions made by a human driver. The device atop the car
produced a detailed map of the environment which was used for safe navigation.

2. Biyani eyes 40% in Amar Chitra Katha ET 12 Oct


Kishore Biyani, the CEO of Future Group, has often said that retail is like religion & is
known to factor in religious and cultural issues when preparing sales campaigns, and
Mr Biyani himself is known to believe that Indian mythology holds a number of
management lessons for India Inc. So, it is not much of a surprise that the
entrepreneur-retailer is in talks with the promoters of ACK Media, which owns iconic
Indian comic content such as Amar Chitra Katha, Tinkle and Karadi Tales, to buy an
over 40% stake. “Mythology and storytelling has always been part of the Future
Group DNA. We are looking at newer ways to impart values to the new generation and
a modern way of storytelling through digital, entertainment, animation or theme parks. Amar Chitra Katha was the
biggest storyteller of our times and this is an opportunity for us to be the Disneyland of this country,” Mr Biyani told
ET.

3. Japan set to pass China as largest US creditor ET 13 Oct


Japan is poised to pass China as the largest US creditor for the first time since August
2008 as growing demand for US government debt reduces borrowing costs for President
Barack Obama as the deficit swells. Japan added $55.3 billion of Treasuries this year,
swelling its holdings 7.2% to $821 billion, Treasury data show. China, which overtook
Japan in September 2008, cut its stake by $48.1 billion, or 5.4%, to $846.7 billion. Japan
made its biggest purchase in 10 months in July, just after China cut its position by the
most on record. The purchases show no slowdown in demand for America’s debt, helping
to limit rates on everything from corporate bonds to mortgages as global economic growth
slows and the deficit expands to $1.4 trillion. Treasury yields average 1.31%, down from
5.21% at the start of the financial crisis in mid-2007, Bank of
America Merrill Lynch index data show.

4. Sensex enters Diwali season with a burst- ET 14 Oct


Indian shares rose the most in Asia on Wednesday, taking the benchmark indices close to
historical highs as signs of rising overseas fund flows strengthened after the US Federal
Reserve signaled it may print more money to revive its economy. Brushing aside slowdown
concerns after industrial production growth fell to a 15-month low in August, investors
lapped up technology, real estate and financial stocks as these would be the biggest
beneficiaries in a fast-growing economy. “There is talk about global quantitative easing; if it
happens, that releases a gush of liquidity across the world, which will then chase growth,’’
Uday Kotak, vice-chairman, Kotak Mahindra Bank, told ET NOW, this paper’s business channel. The Sensex rose
484.54 points, or 2.4%, to 20,687.88, a new high in 33 months.

5. 'ONGC striving to get 'maharatna' status in CSR'-PTI 12 Oct


Oil exploration major ONGC which has been given the status of a 'maharatna' by the
government will be striving to get the same status in Corporate Social Responsibility ( CSR . as
well, A A Khan, Executive Director, ONGC Rajahmundry Asset said on Tuesday. Speaking at a
function here, he said ONGC would be keen to support innovative and result-oriented initiatives
in its operational areas like Konaseema.

J A Kumar, General Manager-Human Resources, informed that ONGC Rajahmundry annually


spends around Rs 2 crore in Konaseema area alone under CSR. Women empowerment and
entrepreneurship programmes is a high priority for the company, he said.

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6. Mahindra Satyam bags contract from Commonwealth of Kentucky-PTI 13 Oct
Leading IT services provider, Mahindra Satyam , today said that it has signed a
contract with the Commonwealth of Kentucky, USA, for design and delivery of a
document management system for the child support system.

The system would enable child support staff to electronically store, view and send
information such as applications, court orders and insurance documentation received
from case participants, courts and other agencies, a press release issued here stated.
The system would also develop a new electronic forms database, which would provide
statewide uniformity and improve access for Child Support Enforcement (CSE) caseworkers and participants, the
release said.

7. RIM launches new BlackBerry smartphone in India- IANS 14 Oct


Research In Motion (RIM) Thursday launched BlackBerry Torch 9800 , the first BlackBerry
smartphone with the new BlackBerry 6 operating system. The 3G-ready device priced at
Rs.35,000 will be available across all Indian telecom operators offering BlackBerry services.
Equipped with a broad range of advanced communications and multi-media features,
BlackBerry Torch is ideal for socially connected consumers and those who do business on the
move.

It offers support for high-speed 3G networks around the world, includes the latest generation
in Wi-Fi connectivity and features built-in GPS for location-based applications and geo-
tagging. BlackBerry 6 integrates a new and rich WebKit-based browser on BlackBerry Torch
that renders HTML web pages (as well as HTML email) quickly and beautifully for a great
browsing experience. RIM, a global leader in wireless innovation, revolutionised the mobile industry with the
introduction of the BlackBerry solution in 1999.

8. IIFCL, Union Bank ink deal for Rs.1,500 crore takeout finance- IANS 12 Oct
India Infrastructure Finance Company Ltd (IIFCL) on Tuesday signed a Rs.1,500 crore takeout
finance agreement with Union Bank of India for development of seven power and road projects
in the country.

“IIFCL has also signed agreement with Punjab National Bank , Indian Bank , Allahabad Bank
and United Commercial Bank to help fund infrastructure projects in the country.” IIFCL
Chairman and Managing Director S.K. Goel told reporters after signing the agreement here.
IIFCL is engaged with several public sector banks to make takeout financing scheme attractive. The scheme involves
three parties - the project company, taking over institution and lending banks or financial institutions. As per the
scheme, IIFCL will take out the infrastructure loan from the books of the original lender up to 100 percent of the
outstanding amount subject to the condition that the total takeout amount does not exceed 50 percent of the total
residual loan of the infrastructure projects.

9. IKF Tech bags BPO deal from Vodafone; plans to add 2K people-PTI 13 Oct
Kolkata-based IT firm IKF Technologies today said it has bagged a contract from telecom
major Vodafone for running their BPO operation for the Eastern region. The scope of the
contract consists of providing BPO and call centre services to Vodafone in Eastern India
comprising Kolkata and rest of West Bengal circles, IKF said in a statement.

However, no financial details were disclosed. "This development is in sync with our business
plans to emerge as a major player in the Indian BPO industry. We are confident of securing
significant business deals in the sector and plan to add 2,000 work force to expand our capacities and offer world class
services to our clients," IKF Technologies Chief Executive Officer Mukesh Goyal said. IKF had bagged a three-year call
centre contract from Aircel in the first quarter of this financial year.

10. Traditional toy mkt is alive- ET 11 Oct


One of the world’s largest toy makers that started its journey in 1932, the Denmark-based Lego
Group is gearing up to tap the Indian market. It recently joined hands with Funskool to expand its
footprint in the country. Based on the world-famous LEGO brick, the company provides toys,
experiences and teaching materials for children in more than 130 countries. The Group, which has
over 8,000 employees, is the world’s fifth-largest manufacturer of play materials. Lego Group CEO and president,
Jorgen Vig Knudstorp sees tremendous potential here. At present, the toy market in India is highly fragmented. We
estimate that the industry is worth around Rs 1,500 crore, and is growing at the rate of 12-15% per annum. We have
come out with a platform called Lego Universe, which is a massive multiplayer online game, through the Lego.com
website. We see this as a very important business for us in the coming years.

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11. Tough Going: Fiat dresses up front-end staff to revive sales- ET 11 Oct
Fiat India is exploring fresh ideas to boost sales, concerned over the failure of its partnership
with Tata Motors to push the Italian carmaker’s brands. The thinking among Fiat’s
management is that while the Tatas have benefited by powering some of their cars with Fiat
engines, the joint dealership and engine collaboration has yet to help the Italian carmaker
spruce up its front end, they said. Industry experts blame the Italian carmaker’s poor after
sales record as a key reason for its dismal sales in the country even as the sales of Tata and
Maruti brands using Fiat engines boom in the country. “Customers still lack confidence in the
Fiat brand due to its past unsuccessful entries into the Indian market, poor after-sales record
and lower resale value,” said Abdul Majeed, auto practice leader at PwC.

12. Nirma’s surprise delisting plan stokes sell-off buzz- ET 11 Oct


The surprise announcement by the 4,600-crore Nirma to delist itself is being viewed as a
decision taken by a fiercely private person to keep his company away from the public glare.
There are rumours suggesting that a major restructuring or even a sell-off may be in the offing
after the company’s board on Saturday evening announced delisting of the soaps-to-chemicals
company from BSE and NSE. But, people close to the company insist that the company wants
to stay off the disclosures mandatory for a listed entity. The company does not respond to
media queries and few analysts track the company. Started by Karsanbhai Patel, who would
sell home-made detergents on a bicycle in the 1970s, Nirma took on the might of FMCG giants
like Hindustan Unilever and Proctor & Gamble (P&G) in the eighties, with low-priced (one-third)
products. However, the company now finds competition in the detergent market too stiff and is losing its grip in the
consumer care segment as well.

13. In Toon With Times- ET 10 Oct


The head of the team, P Jayakumar, chief executive officer of Toonz Group, comes to the
rescue as he reveals that the boys are working on a new animated flick titled Twinergy,
which casts Bachchan in an animated format. This 90-minute joint production with AB
Corp is slated for release in Diwali next year and is being directed by Priyadarshan. “We
had presented a few concepts to Mr Bachchan and he picked the one about twin
characters as action super-heroes. He is lending us his face and his voice and given his
iconic stature. We hope this will be a big draw not just in India, but among the Indian
Diaspora and Bollywood fans around the world,” says Jayakumar. Entertainment has
proved to be recession proof—that’s what Jayakumar and his team is betting big on.
Today, with big global clients in media and entertainment like Marvel, Hallmark, Paramount, Disney, BBC and Cartoon
Network, the company is laughing its way to the bank.

14. Currency wars to dominate IMF, G7 meets- ET 9 Oct


The risk of a full-blown global ‘currency war’, with the United States and China as the main
combatants, will dominate the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund and G7
in Washington. IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn set the tone before the start of the
meeting, warning that the global recovery is still fragile. The prospect of currency wars,
where countries engage in competitive devaluation of their currencies to stimulate exports
and the creation of jobs, has become a major concern in recent weeks. At the centre of the
debate is China, which has refused to allow its currency to appreciate quickly, warning of
domestic social unrest if it were to do so. The US, in turn, has accused China of ‘stealing’
American jobs by artificially keeping its currency devalued, making its exports cheaper. Last week, Japan and Brazil
took steps to weaken their currencies. The Bank of Japan announced measures to keep the yen down while Brazil
doubled its tax on inflows of hot money, or short-term capital, to keep the real competitive. Brazil’s finance minister
Guido Mantega coined the phrase ‘currency war’.

15. PE firms chant ‘catch ’em young’ mantra- ET 9 Oct


Private equity (PE) funds and venture capitalists are typically looking for young people
whose start-up firms promise to grow 10-20 times in a
short span of 2-3 years. Most of these firms are from the
educational services and information technology-enabled
services space and set up by graduates from leading B-
schools and technical institutions. Anmol’s firm is one
among many little-known firms that have been started by
young entrepreneurs in small and big cities. Instances of firms like Bangalore-based
Edusports, which has managed to attract 4 crore, and others like Vmukti Solutions from Ahmedabad (attracted about
50 crore) are galore. It is the growth potential in these start-up firms that primarily attracts fund managers.
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16. PepsiCo ropes in Taproot for World Cup campaign- ET 12 Oct
Pepsico has hired creative agency Taproot India to manage brand Pepsi’s campaign for the upcoming cricket world
cup, ending JWT India’s exclusive hold on the beverage brand for two decades. Taproot, set up by former JWT chief
creative officer Agnello Dias and former Leo Burnett national head and creative director Santosh Padhi, will work with
JWT to create Pepsi’s world cup campaign, estimated at Rs 25 crore. This is the first time the task of creative
communication for brand Pepsi has been given to an agency other than JWT. It is also the first time two agencies
have been assigned to work together on brand Pepsi’s campaign.

17. CAG questions DoT on Loop licence- ET 11 Oct


The department of telecommunications’ (DoT) attempts to stonewall queries from the
auditor of India’s state-run institutions, using an opinion from the law ministry that said
policy decisions cannot be second guessed by auditors, has failed to deter the national
auditor. The Comptroller & Auditor General of India (CAG) has now sought an
explanation from the telecom department for giving a pan-India mobile permit to Essar
Group-owned Loop Telecom that, it said, did not fulfill ‘the eligibility criteria for obtaining
the permit’.
Prior to this, the watchdog had also asked DoT to explain why it overlooked several licence conditions when awarding
pan-India mobile permits to realty firm Unitech, which in turn ceded majority control to Norway’s Telenor. The CAG
had also pointed out irregularities in the manner in which licences were awarded to Datacom (Videocon) and S Tel,
further embarrassing the government, which has been battling allegations of a cover-up in investigating the allocation
of mobile permits in 2008.

18. Trio wins Economics Nobel- ET 12 Oct


Christopher Pissarides, Peter A Diamond & Dale Mortensen shared the 2010
Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences for research into the difficulties of matching
supply and demand, particularly in the labour market. “This year’s three
Laureates have formulated a theoretical framework for search markets” such
as ones where buyers look for sellers and applicants look for jobs, the Royal
Swedish Academy of Sciences, which selects the winner, said on Monday in Stockholm.

19. Brands now tweak products to suit regions, communities ET


14 Oct
LG Electronics will start selling microwaves with customised auto cook
menus for different regions. For example, there will be Bengali fish
curry and shukto in the onetouch menu of microwaves sold in eastern
India; Goan fish curry and pav bhaji in the West; and idli and upma in
the South. "It's the second step of our localisation strategy. And this
time, we will go beyond national customisation to micro-localisation, or
products which specifically suits the taste and needs of the diverse
Indian consumers across regions," says Rajiv Jain who heads the home
appliances business of LG Electronics India, which introduced Indian cuisine auto-cook menu in microwaves back in
2006. LG is not alone in going for this kind of micro-localisation; a slew of marketers such as Godrej, CavinKare,
Dabur, Barista and Future Group is introducing products with features, formulation or ingredients for specific regions
and communities.

20. No ad break for DD in closing show- ET 14 Oct


Doordarshan proposes, Government of India disposes. The government has told
the public broadcaster not to air a single commercial during the live telecast of
the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games on Thursday, just days after
Doordarshan spiked advertising rates for the event to Rs 2.5 lakh for 10 seconds,
leaving advertisers that have booked their slots fuming.
"The government has asked us not to put ads in the middle of the closing
ceremony telecast," said Aruna Sharma, director general of Doordarshan. Ms Sharma said the broadcaster has
informed all its advertisers about the government directive. Doordarshan had deferred the telecast of the opening
ceremony of the Games on October 3 by about half an hour by the time it got over because of commercial breaks
during the event. The "live" show for television viewers was still on when many people reached home after attending
the ceremony and this may have been a reason for the government diktat, said two officials involved with the
development.

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

21. China leads list of world's richest women- msnbc.com 12 Oct


Former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping once said, "To get rich is glorious." It seems that Chinese women
have taken that to heart. More than half the world's richest self-made women are from China, according
to the Hurun List of Self-Made Women Billionaires, the findings of which are reported in Tuesday's
Financial Times.
The world's three richest women are Chinese, according to the list, which compiles information on the
wealthiest people in China, as are 11 of the top 20 on the list, the newspaper said. The FT also cites a
study from the Centre for Work-Life Policy in New York that shows Chinese women are among the most
ambitious on earth (76 percent of women in China aspire to top jobs, compared with 52 percent of
women in the United States, the report found).

22. Cisco sees big smart grid opportunity in China- Reuters 14 Oct
Network equipment maker Cisco Systems Inc sees immense opportunities in China for
its smart grid products and is continuing to look at acquisitions to expand in the
growing market. Cisco, which is working with a number of utilities including Duke
Energy and NextEra Energy Inc, expects the smart grid to be bigger than the Internet
in reach. The company has identified $15 billion to $20 billion in opportunities globally
in the next five to seven years, Laura Ipsen, senior vice president of Cisco's smart grid
unit, said at the Reuters Global Climate and Alternative Energy Summit on Wednesday.
But that pales in comparison to the market opportunity in China.

23. Citigroup sued for gender discrimination- PTI 14 Oct


Financial services conglomerate Citigroup was yesterday sued for gender discrimination by
six of its current and former female employees who alleged the company paid women less
than their male counterparts. According to the lawsuit filed in US District Court in
Manhattan, Citigroup is more likely to lay off well-qualified women and retain less qualified
men.

Five of the six women who moved the court against the 'discrimination' by the bank yesterday had worked in its public
finance department and were among those laid off in November 2008. The women alleged that Citigroup did not
compensate female employees the way it did the male counterparts and overlooked them for promotions. The lawsuit
seeks unspecified damages, class-action status and a court order to end discrimination. The complainants assert that
Citigroup's 44-member senior leadership committee includes only five women, and that its 19-member executive
committee comprises entirely of men.

24. Microsoft new phones win favorable reaction- Reuters 11 Oct


Microsoft Corp's last-ditch attempt to reclaim its prominence in the smartphone market won
favorable early reviews on Monday, but it may come too late to claw back customers from Apple
Inc and Google Inc. The world's largest software company, along with network carriers and handset
makers, is planning to spend more than $100 million on marketing the phones, which analysts said
could compete with Apple's iPhone, but that may be a struggle.

The line-up of nine new phones from Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, LG Electronics Inc, HTC Corp and
Dell Inc will start to appear in stores later this month in Europe, and in November in the United
States on AT&T Inc's network. The handsets are much closer in look and feel to Apple's iPhone than
earlier Windows phones, with colorful touch-screens and "live tiles" on the starting screen for quick
access to email, the Web, music and exclusively, games on the Xbox system. Microsoft said the launch will be backed
by heavy television advertising in the run-up to the holiday shopping season, as it looks to vault itself back into the
market.

25. Yuan at fresh high ahead of U.S. currency report- Reuters 14 Oct
Spot yuan hit its highest against the dollar since its landmark revaluation in July 2005 on Friday
ahead of the publication of a report by the U.S. Treasury Department on trade partners' currency
practices. The People's Bank of China fixed a record high mid-point as the Obama administration is
due to say on Friday whether it believes China manipulates its currency to create an unfair trade
advantage, a decision that could sour ties between the world's two biggest economies.

The U.S.-China Business Council said on Thursday it had heard from the Obama administration that the latest report
would be released on Friday, even though it is often delayed. Dealers trading on the Chinese market see little chance
for the U.S. administration to label China a currency manipulator. Ministry spokesman Yao Jian said if the yuan
appreciated 3 percent, it will put great pressure on Chinese exporters.
9
MISCELLANEOUS NEWS

26. Merc rolls out new R-Class TNN 08 Oct


With competition hotting up, Mercedes Benz on Thursday launched the R-Class crossover
in India. The vehicle is priced at Rs 58.79 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai). The company,
which currently sells the C, E, S, GL and M Class range in India, said the 7-seater R-Class
will open a new segment for the company.

R-Class sports a 3498cc V6 petrol engine and has a top speed of 230 kmph and combines sedan-like comfort but with
all-wheel-drive SUV performance. The new RClass debuted at the New York auto show on March 31. “India has
emerged as a strong destination for luxury automobiles and is thus one of the first markets where the vehicle is being
introduced,” Mitra said.

27. Radio Mirchi wins silver at NY Festival Awards- TNN 02 Oct


Radio Mirchi has been awarded a Silver at the New York Festival’s International Radio Awards held at
a glitzy Manhattan venue. The New York Festival’s Awards — one of the media world’s most
prestigious awards, which is now in its 54th year, awarded the Mirchi Delhi breakfast show duo of
Saurabh and Anant a Silver for “Best Human Interest story” for their moving portrayal of Human
Trafficking in India on ‘Hi Delhi’ — their daily morning show. The international jury were moved by
the way the ‘Hi Delhi’ hosts dealt with the heart-rending pain of human trafficking in India. In a
special show, they featured an ex-sex worker who was sold into the trade — Rekha.

Radio Mirchi is a leader in the private FM radio industry and operates FM radio stations in 32 cities
and has a listenership of more than 41 million (as per IRS Q1, 2010) and was voted the No.1 media brand by an
IMRB-Pitch survey recently.

28. First anti-pollution ship hits the sea –TNN 10 Oct


India’s first environmentally-friendly vessel, Samudra Prahari, was commissioned by
chief minister Ashok Chavan on Saturday at the Naval dockyard. The ship will play a
major role in controlling damage from oil spills like the recent one at the city harbour

The Indian Coast Guard is the third in the world to have an anti-pollution control
vessel. Samudra Prahari is meant for Mumbai and surrounding areas. Two pollution
control vessels will be added. Samudra Prahari can recover and store 300 tonnes of
spilled oil. The ship will be commanded by DIG Manoj Baadkar.

29. In dramatic coup, BCCI boots out Kings XI, Royals from IPL –TNN 11
Oct
In a swift and unexpected move with far-reaching consequences, Kings XI Punjab
and Rajasthan Royals were scrapped from the Indian Premier League on Sunday.
The BCCI, after its emergent IPL governing council meeting, announced that the
two franchises’ contracts were being terminated with immediate effect for violating
shareholding and ownership patterns.

The shocked team owners of Kings XI and RR promised to take the fight to the courts. Preity Zinta and Shilpa Shetty,
the faces of their respective teams, said they were too stunned to even react. Inevitably, suspended IPL
commissioner Lalit Modi’s name was invoked: he is believed to have financial interests in both teams. BCCI president
Shashank Manohar, however, denied any such motive, saying, “It is not due to any single person.’’ Kings XI and RR
have been feeling the heat right from the time the Board decided to increase the number of IPL teams to 10.

30. Microsoft issues its biggest-ever security fix- REUTERS 13 Oct


Microsoft Corp issued its biggest-ever security fix on Tuesday, including repairs to its
ubiquitous Windows operating system for flaws that could let hackers take control of a user's
personal computer. Microsoft released 16 security patches to address 49 problems it
identified in its products. It said four of the patches were high priority and should be deployed
immediately to protect users from potential criminal attacks on the Windows operating
systems. The patches are software updates that write over glitches.

The total of 49 vulnerabilities exceeds the previous record of 34, which was set in October
2009 and matched in June and August of this year. The constant patching of PCs is a time-
consuming process for corporate users, who need to test the fixes before they deploy them to
make sure they do not cause machines to crash because of compatibility problems with existing software.
10
TOP 5 INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS

1. The United Nations: The UN is an international organization made up of 192


member countries established in 1945 and headquartered at New York City. It
was found after World War II to replace the League of Nations, to stop wars
between countries, and to provide a platform for dialogue. It contains multiple
subsidiary organizations like UNESCO, IMF, WHO and UNICEF to carry out its
missions. The pursuit of human rights was a central reason for creating the UN.
The Assembly regularly takes up human rights issues. It is an international
organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law,
international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and
achievement of world peace.

2.The World Trade Organisation: WTO is an international organization which supervise a large number of
agreements defining the "rules of trade" between its member countries. It was created on 1 January 1995 to replace
the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which was a series trade treaties aimed to abolish international
trade barriers. The WTO has 153 members, representing more than 97% of total world trade.
The WTO operates on a one country, one vote system, but actual votes have never been taken. Decision making is
generally by consensus, and relative market size is the primary source of bargaining power. The WTO has two basic
functions: as a negotiating forum for discussions of new and existing trade rules, and as a trade dispute settlement
body. The organization is currently endeavoring to persist with a trade negotiation called the Doha Development
Agenda, which was launched in 2001 to enhance equitable participation of poorer countries which represent a majority
of the world's population.

3.The World Bank: The World Bank is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to
developing countries around the world. It was established in 1944, is headquartered in
Washington, DC and has more than 10,000 employees in more than 100 offices worldwide.
Although World Bank and IMF, both are based in Washington, D.C., the World Bank is headed
by an American, while the IMF is led by a European. It is not a bank in the common sense; it
is made up of two unique development institutions owned by 187 member countries: the
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International
Development Association (IDA).
The World Bank has a stated goal of reducing poverty and to help people help themselves and their environment by
providing resources, sharing knowledge, building capacity and forging partnerships in the public and private sectors.
By law, all of its decisions must be guided by a commitment to promote foreign investment, international trade and
facilitate capital investment. Some critics also claim that the World Bank has consistently pushed a neoliberal agenda,
imposing policies on developing countries which have been damaging, destructive and
anti-developmental.

4.World Health Organisation: WHO is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN)
that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on April 7,
1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The WHO's constitution states that its
objective "is the attainment by all people of the highest possible level of health. Its major
task is to combat disease, especially key infectious diseases, and to promote the general
health of the people of the world. In addition to its work in eradicating disease, the WHO
also carries out various health-related campaigns — for example, to boost the
consumption of fruits and vegetables worldwide and to discourage tobacco use. After over two decades of fighting the
disease, WHO declared in 1980 that smallpox had been eradicated – the first disease in history to be eliminated by
human effort.

5.Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries: OPEC is an oligopoly. It is a


permanent, intergovernmental Organization, created at the Baghdad Conference on
September 10–14, 1960, by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. OPEC's
objective is to co-ordinate and unify petroleum policies among Member Countries, in order
to secure fair and stable prices for petroleum producers; an efficient, economic and
regular supply of petroleum to consuming nations; and a fair return on capital to those
investing in the industry
OPEC is a swing producer and its decisions have had considerable influence on
international oil prices. For example, in the 1973 energy crisis OPEC refused to ship oil to
western countries that had supported Israel in the Yom Kippur War or 6 Day War, which
Israel had fought against Egypt and Syria.
Changes in the value of the dollar against other world currencies affect OPEC's decisions on how much oil to produce.
For example, when the dollar falls relative to the other currencies, OPEC-member states receive smaller revenues in
other currencies for their oil, causing substantial cuts in their purchasing power.
11

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