National Political News:
1. India and Pakistan’s NSA’s Ajit Doval and Lt. Gen. Naseer Khan Janjuameet in Bangkok to sort out modalities for a India-Pakistan meet to improve relationship between both the countries..
This is in continuation of the Prime Minister Modi and Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharief’s meeting last week on the side lines of the Paris Environment Conclave.
In furtherance to this dialogue India’s external affairs minister SushmaSwaraj meets Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharief and foreign affairs adviser Sartaj Aziz in Pakistan on matters of peace and security in the region, Jammu and Kashmir, economic and commercial co-operation and counter terrorism.
2. 23rd anniversary of Babri Masjid demolition in Ayodhya, Dist. Faizabad , UP on 6th December goes off peacefully. VHP calls this day as ShauryaDiwas and the Babri Masjid action committee Yaum-e Gham. The dispute over the demolition of the Masjid and construction of the Ram temple is still being pleaded in the Supreme Court.
3. The Delhi High Court has not quashed the Trial court summons to the Congress Party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the Associated Journals Ltd – National Herald (AJL) take over case by Young India Ltd., company floated by Congress stalwarts. The Trial Court had issued summons on a complaint filed by BJP leader Subramaniam Swami alleging misappropriation in the assets of National Herald by a front company Young India Ltd. The newspaper National Herald was started by the late Prime Minister JawaharLal Nehru and others. The Principal shareholders of Young India are the Gandhi’s, MotilalVora, Oscar Fernandez, SumanDubey, and Sam Pitroda.
Congress Party stalls Parliament over the National Herald fallout by calling the issue a political vendetta on the part of BJP. Dr. Subramaniam Swami’s private plaint in the court against the Gandhi’s has turned into a political storm.
4. India and Japan sign a pact for the operation of Bullet Train between Mumbai and Ahmadabad. A US 8.1 billion dollars loan will be extended by the Japan to finance the project. The train shall cover 505 km distance between Mumbai and Ahmadabad in 2 hours at a maximum speed of 320 kph. The current time taken by a superfast train is 8 hours. The total cost of the project shall be 14.6 billion dollars and it shall be completed by 2023. The construction on it is slated to begin in 2017.
5. Key suspect David Coleman Headley of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack’s case turns a approver and is granted pardon by a Mumbai Court. He is already serving a 35 year sentence in the United States. Headley was born in Pakistan but is a naturalized American.
International Political News:
1. Pakistan Panjab’s Multan district has been termed as a toxic swamp by foreign correspondents based in Pakistan. It is considered a hot bed of Sunni Muslim extremism. US terrorist attacker Tashfeen Malik studied pharmacy in Multan and was a honey trap for her American Pakistani origin husband involved in the San Benardino, San Francisco bombing and shootout of the last week.
2. Yemen’s Aden province governor General JafaarSaad killed in a car blast claimed to be engineered by ISIS.
3. South American state of Venezula elects its pro right democratic unity coalition to run the next government. Venezula is being ruled by the socialist government of President Nicolas Maluro an offspring of the Chavismo movement named after former President Hugo Chavez.
4. American presidential candidates and billionaire Donald Trump calls for a moratorium on the entry of Muslim’s into US. He receives flak from all over the world on the issue. On the other hand his popularity sours in the US opinion polls after his this statement.
5. A historic climate deal involving 200 countries across the planet earth has been enacted at Paris to limit the global warming at 2°C. The developed world has agreed to contribute $100 billion a year to transform the world’s fossil fuel driven economy to green energy driven economy.
Business News:
1. Indian stock markets are in a downward spiral for the past 3 weeks because of FII selling–pullout. FII’s withdrew Rs. 7074 crores from the Indian markets in November whereas mutual funds purchased stock worth 6584 crores.
After 6 consecutive days of market fall over the GST tangle in Parliament, the Indian Stock Market Index Nifty stood at 7612 and Sensex at 25036.
2. Indian crude oil basket is at its lowest in the past 11 years at $38.61. Indian government company ONGC is likely to take a hit because of low crude prices. Oil exploration in India may be hit. The Indian basket contains 73% Dubai and Oman crudes and the balance is sweet grade Brent.
No production cutby OPEC, American shale gas industry and the Iran crude is there in the immediate future.
3. Japan Suzuki to import the Indian Maruti made Baleno car which has been well received in India also.
Science and Technology:
1. A new material consisting of nanocellulose and a conducting polymer has been developed, which has outstanding ability to store energy. It can be used as a super capacitor to store energy and can then be recharged 100 times. It is much more efficient and effective than current super capacitor’s. This invention has been carried outby scientistsof organic electronics at Linkoperg University in Sweden.
Misc.
1. El NINO the South American – Pacific weather system is taking a toll on the wheat belt of North India. There has been late planting of wheat crop because of the failure of monsoon’s and the subsequent warm weather conditions and greenhouse gases because of burning of Paddy Residuals. Wheat crop which requires cool weather conditions is likely to suffer a drop in output because of this.
Tea production shortfall 25-30 million tonnes in West Bengal/ Assam is there because of megre monsoons.
2. Bombay high court discharges noted film actor Salman Khan on all 8 charges in the 2002 hit and run case. The trial court order holding Salman Khan guilty has been over ruled.
Sports:
1. At Raipur, Chhattisgarh India win a Bronze medal in the Hockey world league finals beating Netherlands 8–7 in a penalty shoot out, after both teams remained tied at 5–5 after regulation time. The upbeat Indian team can now focus on Rio Olympics.
2. India win the last cricket test match against South Africa by 337 runs in New Delhi. India scored 334 and 267 for 5 declared in both the innings. South Africa replied with 121 and 143 runs in their 2 innings of the match. R Ashwin of India was the star bowler responsible for the South African collapse.
3. Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals 2 year suspension from IPL brings in 2 other teams as replacement in the 9th edition of IPL. Nav Rising Group consortium lead by Sanjiv Goenka bought the Pune franchise while Rajkot went to Intex–a mobile phone manufacturer.
