9-10 MAY 2015 eng
9 may
Book titled Unbelievable – Delhi to Islamabad written by Prof Bhim Singh released
Unbelievable – Delhi to Islamabad: Prof. Bhim Singh
Book titled Unbelievable – Delhi to Islamabad authored by senior Advocate Prof. Bhim Singh was released on 8 May 2015 by Vice President M Hamid Ansari in New Delhi.
The book, a travelogue is an effort initiated by the lawyers of India and Pakistan to work jointly to ensure that Pakistani prisoners languishing in Indian jails are treated in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution of India. Similarly, the same treatment should be mended for the Indian prisoners on Pakistan and they should be given fair trials.
UK General election 2015: Conservative Party won majority by securing 331 seats
David Cameron’s Conservative Party on 8 May 2015 won the UK General election 2015 by securing 331 seats in a Parliament of 650.
With this win, the incumbent Prime Minister David Cameroon will continue to be in the office.
Result of 2015 UK General Election
• Conservative Party led by David Cameron: 331 seats received 51 percent votes
• Labour Party led by Ed Miliband: 232 seats received 36 percent votes
• Scottish National Party led by Nicola Sturgeon: 56 seats received 9 percent votes
• Liberal Democrats led by Nick Clegg: 8 seats received 1 percent votes
• Democratic Unionist Party led by Peter Robinson: 8 seats received 1 percent votes'
• Others: 15 seats
The elections were held on 7 May 2015. The British Parliament is made up of 650 seats with 326 required for a majority.
Comment & Analysis
This win of Conservatives with an absolute majority means that they will be able to govern without need for a coalition with any other parties. Earlier, the country was ruled by a coalition government of Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.
India, Russia signed 11 MoIs for Higher Academic Cooperation
Indian and Russian institutions of higher learning on 8 May 2015 inked 11 Memorandum of Intent (MoI) to establish the Network of Institutions of Higher Education.
Among those that signed the memorandum were IIT Bombay, Madras and Delhi and also University of Delhi, Indian Statistical Institute and Institution of Engineers.
The MoIs were inked in Moscow in presence of President Pranab Mukherjee, who is on a four day visit to Russia to witness the Victory Day parade on 9 May 2015, which is marking the 70th anniversary of Allied forces victory in the Second World War. During this visit, Mukherjee was conferred with honorary Doctorate by the Russian Diplomatic Academy.
The leading Academic Institutes of Russia and India will combine efforts to train highly qualified staff for innovative economy and expand scientific, technical and technological cooperation.
Cooperation agreement signed between the Department of Science & Technology in India and Russian Science Foundation will offer another platform for supporting joint research projects.
Establishment of a network of Indian and Russian Universities would facilitate establishment of more institutional linkages, including exchanges of faculty, researchers and students, joint research activities and scientific conferences and symposia.
North Korea successfully test-fired Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile
North Korea on 8 May 2015 successfully test-fired a newly developed Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM). The nation described the missile as a world level strategic weapon.
The underwater ballistic missile that will meet the latest military science and technology requirements of the country was test-fired after Leader Kim Jong-Un gave the order to test-fire the missile. He also watched its launch from attack submarine.
This underwater ballistic missile is capable of striking and wiping out hostile forces in any waters.
This missile programme has violated the UN resolution that prohibits Pyongyang from conducting ballistic missile tests.
NGT imposed monthly tax on all households in Delhi
National Green Tribunal (NGT) on 8 May 2015 ordered that every household in Delhi will have to pay a monthly environmental compensation to clean up Yamuna River.
According to the direction, the compensation to be paid will be directly proportional to the property or water tax whichever is higher, paid by a particular household. In case of unauthorized colonies households that do not pay property tax or water bill will have to pay an amount that would be between 100 rupees to 500 rupees.
The decision was made by the NGT bench headed by its chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar on a petition of environmental activist, Manoj Misra against severe pollution in Yamuna River.
This amount would be added to electricity bills, water bill or the property tax by the respective departments which will transfer the money to Delhi government. The amount collected through the compensation will be utilized to set up new sewage treatment plants and provide other technology to clean up river Yamuna.
Haryana Government included Deaflympics in its sports policy
State Government of Haryana on 9 May 2015 included Deaflympics in its Sports Policy. It was included to enable Deaflympian medalists to get cash rewards, jobs and other benefits.
Decision to this effect to include Deaflympics in sports policy was taken during a state cabinet meet chaired by Chief Minister Manohar Lal at Chandigarh.
Deaflympics, previously known as World Games for the Deaf and International Games for the Deaf, is an event sanctioned by International Olympic Committee (IOC). Its participants are deaf athletes and they compete at an elite level.
It is the longest multi-sports event excluding the Olympics and is held once in every four years. The first games were held in Paris in 1924, and were also the first ever international sporting event for athletes with a disability. Since first event, the games is organised by the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (Comite International des Sports des Sourds (CISS)).
The games are held in two forms, that is, summer and winter. The 1924 Paris event was the summer games, while the first winter games was held in 1949 at Seefeld.
The last summer deaflympics was held in 2013 at Sofia, the winter deaflympics is scheduled to happen in 2015 at Khanty-Mansiysk.
Goa Government launched hot air balloon & amphibious vehicles
State Government of Goa on 9 May 2015 launched hot air balloon and amphibious vehicles in the picturesque state of beaches. It was launched with an aim to add attractions to its tourism portfolio.
The hot air balloon will help tourists to fly over the picturesque landscape, which will provide an aerial view of the popular tourist destinations. Amphibious vehicle, which can run on road and ply in waters, can operate across seven routes in five talukas of Goa.
These new ventures to attract tourists will give a thrilling experience to tourists in Goa’s inland waterways and will also allow them to tour across backwaters and catch glimpse of the flora and fauna in the surroundings.
The two services will be run by Delhi-based Camping Retreats of India pvt ltd, initially from Panji. Later, the services will be operated from other prominent tourist spots of the state.