India named world’s largest arms importer

According to the report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, India accounted for 9 per cent of all international arms imports in the period from 2006 to 2010, and it is expected to keep the top spot for the foreseeable future.

Climate meet reaches 'compromise' deal to fight global warming

The UN climate conference in Cancun on
Saturday reached a "compromise" to set up a USD 100 billion 'Green Fund' to fight global warming, a decision India described as an "important step forward", but there was no agreement on extending the landmark Kyoto Protocol on emissions cuts beyond 2012.

ISRO to launch new satellite GSAT-5 on December 20

BANGALORE: Indian Space Research Organisation has decided to launch its new communication satellite GSAT-5 Prime fromthe spaceport of Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh at around 4 pm on December 20.
Sources in the Bangalore-headquartered space agency said that the mission readiness review in Sriharikota yesterday, chaired by ISRO Chairman K Radhakrishnan,gave the go-ahead for the mission.
"The satellite is slated to be moved to the launch-pad tomorrow", an ISRO official said.
The 2400-kg satellite, equipped with 24 normal C-band and 12 Extended C-band transponders, would be launched by home-made Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F06) powered by Russian cryogenic engine.
The exclusive C-band GSAT-5P has a designed mission life of 12 years.

Impetus to Indo-French ties, N-plant to come up in Maha

Tuesday 07 December, 2010.

Impetus to Indo-French ties, N-plant to
come up in Maha

Injecting a new impetus to their strategic ties, India and France on Monday signed seven agreements, including one for settingup of a nuclear plant in Maharashtra, the first such pact after the end of New Delhi 's isolation in the nuclear field.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and French President Nicolas Sarkozy also decided to work for doubling bilateral trade to 12 billion Euros by 2012, much of which is expected to be propelled by enhanced cooperation in the fields of civil nuclear energy and civil aviation.

Saina wins Hong Kong Open Super Series

Sunday 12 December, 2010.

Saina wins Hong Kong Open Super Series

Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal rallied to register a scintilliating three-game victory over Shixian Wang of China to clinch her third Super Series title of the year at the Hong Kong Open in Wanchai on Sunday.

Indian girl crowned Miss Earth Talent 2010

Monday 06 December, 2010.

Indian girl crowned Miss Earth Talent 2010

India's Nicole Faria has been crowned Miss Earth Talent 2010 after beating 17 other contestants at a talent competition in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam on Saturday.


Faria, a 20-year-old girl from Bangalore , won the title at the talent show with a scintillating belly dance that combines Oriental and Middle Eastern style.
"We are ecstatic and overjoyed although weexpected it," Faria's father Ian said in Bangalore .
The event raised 100 million Vietnamese Dong, which will be transferred to the local Red Cross to support flood victims in the central region of Vietnam .
Vietnam 's representative Luu Thi Diem Huong was voted among top five contestants with her performance of folk dances that are inspired by traditional dances in the northern, central and southernregion of the country.

PM returns home after Belgium, Germany visit

Sunday 12 December, 2010.

PM returns home after Belgium, Germany
visit

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Sunday returned home after a 3-day visit to Belgium and Germany during which he attended the EU-India Summit and met Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Singh was in Brussels in Belgium on Thursday and Friday to attend 11th annual summit of India and the European Union during which the two sides pressed Pakistan to "expeditiously" bring the perpetrators, authors and accomplices of Mumbai terror attacks to justice.
The two sides also agreed to give each other"real additional" market in services in the proposed FTA and retain flexibility for Indian pharmaceuticals to export off-patent drugs as provided in a WTO agreement.
In Germany , Dr. Singh met Merkel and said that both sides discussed the possibility of entering into bilateral cooperation in civil nuclear energy. If this crystalises, Germany will follow the US , France and some other countries for civil nuclear cooperation with India .
Dr. Singh said India deeply valued Germany 's consistent support in the 45-member Nuclear SuppliersGroup for the opening of international commerce for New Delhi in the field of civil nuclear energy.