and delivers

the keynote
address at the
16th edition
of the India-
maldivas
Partnership
Summit,
organised by
the
Confederation
of India
Industry (CII)
in chennai,
Tamil nadu.
24 Jan The second ministerial-level meeting of the BASIC group of nations-Comprising China, India,South Africa
and Brazil-is held in New Delhi.
In a milestone, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) tests its biggest and most powerful rocked
motor called the S-200, powered by 200 tonnes of solid propellant. The test is conducted at Sriharikota,
Andhra Pradesh.
25 Jan The Civilian Awards for 2010 are announced on the eve of the nation's 61st Republic Daky; in all, the
President approves the names of 130 persons for the awards -6 for Padma Vibhushan, 43 for Padma Bhushan
and 81 for Padma Shri. The President also approves 442 gallantry awards.
India and South Korea sign four crucial agreement in various sectors; the agreements are signed in New
Delhi during the state visit of South Korean Prime Minister Mr,Lee Myung -bak.
26 Jan Hon,ble President Ms. Pratibha Patel confers the gallantruy awards on the recipients on the occasion of the
61st Republic Day; Visiting South Korean Premier Mr.Lee Myung-bak takes part in the Repubic Day
celebrations in New Delhi as the chief guest.
27 Jan Seeking to enhance its presence in mineral and oil rich African counries. The agreement is signed in Luanda ,
Angola.
28 Jan The 2010 Environmental performance Index,released worldwide, places India at the 123rd rank among 163
countries; the list is topped by Iceland.
29 Jan In a move to contain rising inflation, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) hikes the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR)-
the portion that commercial banks are required to keep with the central bank-by 75 basis points from 5
percent to 5.75 percent.
30 Jan The high-level task force, constitude toset a growth agenda for the development of the micro,small and
medium enterprises (MSME) sector, submits its recommemdation to prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh.
India submits its emission cut proposals to the UN; in its proposals, India says that it will endeavour to
reduce its emission intensity by 20-25 percent by 2020 in comparison to the 2005 levels.
31 Jan In a step that could creat a major socio-political impact in Punjab as well as other parts of the country, Dera
Sachkhand Ballan announces a new religion, Ravidassia Dharm; it is also announced that the community will
have its own separate religion book, Amrit Bani Guru Ravidass.
International
9 Jan Afghan President Mr.Hamid KarZai submits a new list of Cabinet nominees to replace Ministers rejected by
the nation's parlaiment.
10 Jan Reports reveal that after a 13-month slump, China's exports posted strong growth in December 2009, helping
the country surpass germany to become the world's largest exporter.

Mr. Ivo Josipovic is elected the President of croatia.

11 Jan Sri Lanka and India sign a commercial pact in colombo, with India Promising the island nation an assistance
of $185 million for the construction of a Railway Line in the War-torn Northern Province of Sri Lanka.
12 Jan Foreign Ministers of Afganistan , Pakistan and host United Arab Emirates (UAE) , along with the
reoresentatives of 40 countries, the European Union (EU) and the UN Mision in Afghanistan, hold a crucial
security meet in Abu Dhabi.

An earthquake of a catastrophic 7.0 magnitude devastates the Caribbean nation Haiti, killing Lakhs of People
and rendering millions homeless.
13 Jan Internet Giant Google threatens to close its operations in china, following a string of vicious cyber attacks on
its services.
14 Jan Japan and Germany agree to work together on climate change, nuclear disarmament and rebuilding
Afghanistan , during aTokyo visit by german Foreign minister Mr. guido Westerwelle.
15 Jan Russia lifts its opposition to a long-delayed reform of the European Court if Human rights in a major gesture
towards the west; the new move will also improve the Russian legal system.
16 Jan The Government of hong Kong approves a controversial $8.6 bollion rail link to China's high-speed rail
network.
17 Jan Amnesty international accuses Israel of ''collectively punishing'' the population of the Gaza Strip with border
closures.
18 Jan Chilean billionaire Mr. Sebastian Pinera is elected as the nation's President; with his election, the latin
American nation Witnesses a political shift to the right to the right after 20 years of leftist rule.
19 Jan Cadbury, the flagbearer of the British Chocolate industry , is acquired by US giant Kraft Foods for $19
billion ; the amalgamation creates a world leader in food and confectionery.
20 Jan In a major setback for US President Mr. Barack obama, Republican Mr.Scott Brown Captures the US Senate
seat held by the legendary Democrat Edward Kennedy for neraly half a century.
21 Jan A report released by the Chinese Government reveals that after suffering one of its worst declines in decades,
China's econiomy has rebounded strongly, recording 8.7 percent growth in 2009.
22 Jan In a Crucial Development, the Us Supreme Court that labour unions and corporations can spend unlimited
amounts to influence federal elections, throwing out a ban that had been in effect for 63 years.
23 Jan A year after the Gaza War, Israel pays the Un $10.5 million as compensation for danaging its offices during
an attack by its defence forces.
24 Jan Afghanistan postpones parliamentary elections for four months , saying it will not be safe to hold elections
amid a spiralling Taliban Insurgency.
25 Jan Dalai Lama's envoys arrive in Beijing for the resumption of talks with china, Which have been suspended
since November 2008 over disagreements on the question of Tibet's autonomy.
26 Jan In a Significant development, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) says that the
Copenhagen Accord, finalised at the Copenhagen Conference in December 2009, is not a legally binding
document but merely a political one.
27 Jan Sri Lankan President Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa is re-elected for a second term; in the presidential elections, he
beats former army chief Gen. (Retd.) Sarath Fonseka by a comfortable margin.

The World Economic Forum summit is convened in Davos, Switzerland.

28 Jan Spelling bad news for outsourcing hubs including India, US President Mr. Barack Obama says in his 2010
state of the Union Address that his government will cut tax breaks of companies that outsource jobs to
offshore destinations.
29 Jan Microsoft Founder Mr. Bill Gates announces that his foundation will commit $10 billion over the next
decade to research and deliver vaccines to the poorest nations of the world.
30 Jan Russia seals a multi- billion dollar package of seals to supply weapons to Lybia, Signalling a return to the
strategically important region of North Africa.`
31 Jan Faced with growing discontent over land seizures by the government and real estate developers , china's State
Council announces a major overhaul of land laws that will slowthe process of home demolitions and give
home owners greater compensations for their land.
FEBRUARY 2010 (National)
1 Feb A report released by the centre shows that continuing with a rising trend for the second consecutive month
India's exports registered a 9.3 percent growth in December 2009, while imports also turned positive after
posting negative growth for the last 11 months.
2 Feb German President Dr. horst Koehler arrivesin India on a statet visit; during his meeting with Prime Minister
Dr. Manmohan Singh, India and Germany decide to setup security and economic cooperation by finalising
host of cricial pacts.
3 Feb The Centre Constitutes a high-level committee, headed by justice B.N. SriKrishna, on the Telangana issue, to
hold wide-ranging consultations with all sections of the people and political parties and groups in Andhra
pradesh.
The government- appointed kirit ParikhCommitte recommends complete decontrol of petrol and diesel
prices; a hike of Rs.100 per LPG cylinder and an increase of Rs. 6 a litre of Kerosene.
4 Feb India and the UK agree on a text of a civil nuclearcooperation deal that is likely to be signed soon on a
convenient date; the agreement is reached in London, UK, in a meeting between British Business Secretary
Mr. Peter Mandelson and Visiting Indian Commerce and Industry Minister mr. Anand Sharma.
5 Feb The Ministers of Health and family Welfare and Railways sign an Mou for developing healthcare
infrastructutre along the railway network across the country.
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh inaguurates the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS) in
New Delhi.
6 Feb The Chief Ministers' Conference on Price Rise is Convened in New Delhi; at the Conference, the government
decides to setup a high-profile standing Core Group to suggest measures to tackle price rise.
7 Feb The Chief Ministers' Conference on Internal security is held in New Delhi; Various crucial issues are
discussed in the meeting.

Agni-III, the longest- range(3,500km) N-Capable missile in India's arsenal. is successfully test-fired from the
Wheeler Island off Orrisa.
8 Feb The second India-Arab Investment Projects Conclave is held in New Delhi. India announces that it intends to
double bilateral trade with the Arab world from the present $114 billion by 2014.
9 Feb The Union Environment Ministry announces its decision to impose a moratorium on release of Bt. brinjal, the
transgenic brinjal hybrid.
10 Feb Mr. S. C. Sinha is appointed the Director General of the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
11 Feb India and the UK sign a joint declaration for civil nuclear cooperation to facilitate the entry of British
companies into the India atomic power sector.
12 Feb Human Resource Development Minister Mr. Kapil Sibal takes the decision to notify the Right to Education
Act, 2009.
14 Feb A Government report says that Palakkad district in Kerala has become the first fully electrified district in the
country.
16 Feb Nepalese President Mr. Ram Baran Yadav visits India.
17 Feb A Group of Ministers(GoM) clears the "Prohibition of Unfair Practices in Technical, Medical Educational
Institutions and University Bill", drafted by the HRD Ministry, to provide for a Central Law to curb
malpractices.
20 Feb India and Bangladesh sign a pact to set up a joint vrnture 1,320 MW power plant as a mark of cooperation.
The two sides also agree to set up a cross border power grid.
21 Feb Mr. L. K. Advani is unanimously elected Working Chairman of the National Democrative Alliance(NDA).
23 Feb The Union Government secures Cabinet approval for a new agreement with the US that aims, inter alia, at
promoting privatisation of agricultureal extension services and facilitating collaborations between American
agribusiness and the Indian farm sector.
25 Feb India submits three dossiers to Pakistan at a meeting between Foreign Secretary Ms. Nirupama Rao and her
Pakistani counterpart Mr. Salman Bashir in New Delhi.
28 Feb India and Soudi arabia sign an extradition treaty during high level talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
International
1 Feb US President Mr. Barack Obama unveils a $3.83 trillion budget in the cingress; the new budget will pour
more money into the fight against unemployment, boost taxes on the wealthy , and freeze spending on a
numbers of government programmes.
2 Feb Amnesty International appoints Mr. Salil Shetty , an Indian who headed the UN Millennium Mission, as its
enxt Secretary General.
The US Government Proposes $3.2 billion in assistance to pakistan in fiscal 2011 , a substantial jump in
American aid to that country.
3 Feb Iran announces its readiness to send abroad the bulk of its low-enriched uranium stocks in return for its
Tehran research reactor.
4 Feb Russia offers to send narcotics police to Afghanistan to shore up the global fight against drug porduction and
trafficking in that country.
5 Feb A Landmark dael batween Northern Ireland's two major political parties,the Democratic Unionist Party
(DUP) and Sinn Fein, Removes the last hurdle to granting full autonomy to the province envisaged inthe
1998 Good Friday Agreement thet brought decades of sectarian violence to an end.
6 Feb Resourcehouse , an Australian mining firm, signs a record $60 billion deal to supply coal to energy-hungry
China for the next 20 years. it is the biggest ever xeport contract in Australia's history.
7 Feb Iran president Mr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad orders the cheif of the nuclear progremme to begin higher
uranium enrichment , days after the country seemed to have accepted a UN-drafted nuclear deal.
8 Feb Mr. Laura Chinchilla becomes Costa Rica's first Women President after a convincing election triumph.
Marin Cilic of Croatia wins the Zagreb Indoors tennis tournament title, beating Michael Berrer of Germany
in the final in Zagreb, Croatia.
9 Feb Iran sets in motion the process of further refining its stocks of lightly enriched uranium at its atomic facility
in Natanz.
The 11the South Asian Games concludes in Dhaka, Bangladesh; India emerge on top with a haul of 175
medals including 90 Gold, 55 Silver and 30 Bronze, followed by Pakistan (19-25-36) and Bangladesh (18-
23-56).
11 Feb Iranian President Mr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declares Iran a "Nuclear State", saying that the country has
produced its first stock of 20 percent enriched uranium for its nuclear programme.
A report published in the New Scientist says that scientists at the National Institute of Standards adn
 Technology, USA, have created the world's most precise clock based on a single aluminium atom. The new
clock would neither gain nor lose one second in about 307 billion years.
12 Feb Cricket is formally endorsed as a recognised sports by International Olympic Committee(IOC).
13 Feb A high powered laser destroys a target missile in flight off the Central California Coast, USA, in a milestone
test of a futuristic missile defence system conducted by US.
14 Feb Andrew Dodt of Australia wins the title of the 1.5 million Avantha Masters golf championship in Gurganon,
Haryana.
Physicists at the US Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory create the hottest temperature
ever in the laboratory---4 trillion degrees Celsius---hot enough to break matter down to the kind of soup that
existed microseconds-after the birth of the universe.
15 Feb Indian origin lawyer Mr. Rashid Hussain is appointed USA's new special envoy to the Organization of
Islamic Conference(OIC),a post vital to America's bid to repair strained relations with the Muslim world.
Australian all-rounder shane Watson wins the prestigious Allan Border Medal, besides being named
Australia's ODI Player of the Year.
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and an observation deck to the space outpost. The
new deck, named Tranquility, will give the resident astronauts of the orbital station a panoramic view of the
station and the Earth below.
16 Feb The 2009 Sangeet Natak Akademi (Akademi Ratna) Fellowships are awarded to the winners at a ceremony
held in New Delhi; the winners are: Pandit Jasraj, Shreeram Lagoo, Yamini Krishnamurti, Lalgudi
Jayaraman, Kamlesh Dutt Tripathi and Kishori Amonkar.
19 Feb Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama is honoured with the prestigious Democracy Service Medal by the
Government of USA in function in Washington, USA.
21 Feb Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova wins the title of the WTA Tour's Memphis tournament, beating Sofia
Arvidsson of Sweden in the final in Memphis, USA.
22 Feb Ian Poulter UK beats compatriot Paul Casey to win the Accenture Match Play golf championship in Marana,
USA.
Iraq war movie The Hurt Locker sweeps the board at the BAFTA Awards in London, the UK, winning the
Best Film and Best Director Award for Kathryan Bigelow; other awards won by the film include Original
Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing and Sound.
23 Feb Eminent journalist Mr. Sanjoy Hazarika is awarded the Dr. Jean Mayer Award for Global Citizenship by the
US based Tufts University for his contributions to the north-east of India.
24 Feb A report released by the World Trade Organization (WTO) says that world trade fell by 12 % in 2009, the
biggest fall since the end of the World War II in 1945.
Sachin Tendulkar becomes the first cricketer in history to score a double century in an ODI; he achieves this
feat in the second ODI of the series against South Africa in Gwalior. Riding on his unbeaten 200 (off 147
balls), India beat the visitors by 153 runs to take a 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
The Sasakawa Prize of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) is conferred on Mr. Sameer Hajee, an NRI
scientist, who invented a portable light that can be recharged by pedalling for 20 minutes. The device, called
the Nuru Light, was developed for use in areas without electricity.
25 Feb Mr. Viktor Yanukovych is sworn in as Ukraine's President at a majestic ceremony in Kiev, Ukraine.
The National Weightlifting championship concludes in Udaipur, Rajasthan; Services bag the men's team title,
while All India Police claim the women's crown.
Famous social worker Ms. Ela Phatt is chosen for the prestigious Niwano Peace Prize of Japan for 2010 for
her contribution to the upliftment of poor women in India.
A much-awaited energy venture, known as "power plant in a box", is unveiled by its Indian-American
inventor, K.R. Sridhar, in Washington, USA. The groundbreaking invention promises clean electricity to
homes, office buildings and even whole villages in the developing world. The device, called Bloom Box, can
generate electricity from multiple fuels while producing relatively less greenhouse gas emissions.
26 Feb The Indian women's cricket team beat the visiting English side by five wickets in the fourth match of the ODI
series, thus sealing the series 3-1, in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
27 Feb The Commonwealth Shooting Championship ends in New Delhi. India clinch the top position with 35 Gold,
25 Silver and 14 Bronze, followed by England (4-15-12) and Wales (4-2-7).
28 Feb The 21st Winter Olympic Games, held in Vancouver, Canada, ends. Hosts Canada clinch the top position
with 14 Gold, 7 Silver and 5 Bronze, followed by Germany (10-13-7) and USA (9-15-13).
March National
6 March Actress Jaya Bachchan is honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at a ceremony held at the British
Academy of Film & Television Arts in London, England, for her "inspiring contribution to Indian cinema.
March International
2 March In yet another milestone for Chandrayaan-1, the Houston (US)-based Lunar and Planetary Institute says that
the Indian Moon mission had found not only water molecules and new type of rocks, but also ice on the
Moon.
8 March The 82nd Academy Awards, better known as the Oscar Awards, are presented in a grand ceremony in Los
Angeles, USA. The Hurt Locker, a smallbudget film on the Iraq war, wins six awards, while Avatar, a global
 blockbuster, wins three. The prominent winners are: Sandra Bullock (Best Actress for The Blind Side), Jeff
Bridges Locker (Best Film), Kathryn Bigelow (Best Director for The Hurt Locker), Christoph Waltz (Best
Actor in a Supporting Role for Inglourious Basterds), Mo'Nique (Best Actress in a Supporting Role for
Precious), etc.
A team of scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA, devise a way to produce 30
KWh of electricity enough to power an entire household using one bottle of drinking water and four hours of
sunlight. The key to these claims is a new, affordable catalyst that uses solar electricity to split water and
generate hydrogen.
April National
8 April The Union Cabinet approves the big ticket disinvestment in Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL) to mop up
about Rs. 16,000 crore by selling its equity and issuing fresh shares to the public.
10 April The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announces that it will launch the first in a constellation of
seven satellites envisaged for the ambitious Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) by the end
of 2011.
13 April The Indian Army agrees to acquire the indigenous two-stage ramjet Akash missile.
17 April ISRO's Cartosat 2B high-resolution satellite is flagged off from Bengaluru to Sriharikota, wherefrom it will
be launched.
18 April The government launches the second edition of the Triton series of exercises designed to test the security of
the Kerala coast.
20 April Mr. Mukul Sangma is sworn in as the Chief Minister of Meghalaya; he replaces Mr. D.D. Lapang.
22 April The Centre announces that the sea along the Indian coasts will be brought under the ambit of the Coastal
Regulation Zone (CRZ) guidelines.
23 April Navies of India and the US begin annual war exercises, the 14th edition of MALABAR, involving anti-
submarine warfare surface firing, visit board, search and seizure and submarine operations, in the Arabian
Sea.
27 April To extend the social security benefits to more workers under the ESI scheme, the Centre raises the maximum
wage limit for the facility from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 15,000 a month.
30 April Mr. Justice Sarosh Homi Kapadia is appointed the 38th Chief Justice of India; he succeeds Justice K.G.
Balakrishnan.
Pilot production of the air-launched version of the India-Russia BrahMos missile starts in Russia, in line with
plans to fit it in the Indian Air Force's Su-30MKI fighter aircraft by 2012.

April International
8 April Mr. R.P. Goenka, Chairman Emeritus of RPG Enterprises, receives the Lifetime Achievement Award from
All India Management Association (AIMA) in New Delhi.
Prasun Chatterjee, an Indian environmetal engineering student whose research has contributed to a new way
of detecting toxic and copper in water, wins one of the highest US research honours, the 2010 Ellen Gonter
Environmental Chemistry Award, from the American Chemical Society.
10 April Polish President Lech Kaczynski and a high-profile delegation are killed when a plane carrying 97 people
crashes near the Russian city of Smolensk.
12 April British-Indian author Mr. Rana Dasgupta wins the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for 2010 for his epic tale
Solo set in Communist and post-Communist Bulgaria, Australian author Ms. Glenda Guest's Siddon Rock is
adjudged the Best First Book.
13 April The two-day, 47-nation Nuclear Security Summit concludes in Washington, USA, with the adoption of a
short final communique and seven-page work plan aimed at prompting the effective securty of nuclear
material worldwide.
15 April The BRIC nations - (Brazil, Russia, India and China) hold a summit in Brasilia; at the same venue, India,
Brazil and South Africa also hold the IBSA summit. Both the summits underscore a shared quest for greater
collective influence within the changing geometry of the international system.
The Eyjafjallajokull volcano of Iceland, that erupted a day before, takes a heavy toll on the European aviation
industry, makin it impossible to operate flights anywhere in Europe.
17 April In a significant development, Ira calls for the suspension of the US from the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) and proposes a five-point plan to democratise the global security architecture.
19 April A new page in Pakistan's history is turned with President Mr. Asif Ali Zardari signing the 18th Amendment
Bill that transfers the power of the presidency to the Parliament and brings back the 1973 Constitution
drafted during the regime of former President Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.
20 April Noted Hindi writer Hrishikesh Sulabh is chosen for the International Indu Sharma Katha Samman for 2010
for his story collection Vasant Ke Hatyare.
21 April Mr. D. M. Jayaratne is appointed Prime Minister of Sri Lanka by the nation's President Mr. Mahinda
Rajapaksa.
25 April Mr. P. Kamalanathan, an ethnic Indian, wins a prestigious parliamentary by-election in Malaysis, giving a
boost to the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) that claims to speak for the 1.7 million community.
26 April The two-day annual spring meting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank concludes
in Washington, USA; at the meeting, the member nations endorse voice reform to increase the voting power
of developing and transition countries (DTC) in the World Bank by 3.13 percentage points, bringing their
proportional voice to 47.19 percent.
27 April A South Korean mountaineer, named Ms. Oh Eun-sun, becomes the first woman in the world to scale the
world's 14 highest mountains, by conquering the Annapurna in the Himalayas.
28. April The 16th South asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) convenes in Thimphu, Bhutan; at the
meeting, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh leads the SAARC leaders in introspecting on the progress
made by the eight-member regional forum in its 25 years of existence.
30 April The World Expo 2010 opens amid much fanfare in Shanghai, China; Chinese President Mr. Hu Jintao
inaugurates the opening ceremony attended by more than 20 heads of states and governments, apart from a
large number of high-level dignitaries from across the world.
Belgium becomes the first nation in Europe to ban the burqa in public places.
The Pantaloons Femina Miss India 2010 is held in Mumbai. Ms. Manasvi Mamgai of Mumbai is adjudged
Miss India World, Bengaluru girl Ms. Nicole Faria is named Miss India Earth; Ms. Neha Hinge of Pune wins
the Miss India International crown.

April Sports
12 April India win the inaugural Pearls World Cup Kabaddi Punjab 2010 title, beating Pakistan in the final in
Ludhiana, Punjab.
15 April Ace Indian cueist Pankaj Advani defends his Asian billiards title with a win over Peter Gilchrist of Singapore
in the final in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
17 April Dipika Pallikal of India wins the WISPA (women's) title, beating Emma Beddoes of England in the final of
the Indian Challenger squash tournament in Kolkata; Mohamed El Shorgagy of Egypt wins the men's title.
May National
1 May Mr. Atul Khare, an Indian, is appointed by UN Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-moon as Assistant Secretary-
General for Peacekeeping Operations.
3 May The Lok Sabha passes a bill to raise the ceiling on gratuity for employees in the private sector to Rs. 10 lakh
from Rs. 3.5 lakh.
7 May In a ignificant development, the Supreme Court holds that candidates in the "Meritorious Reserved Category
(MRC)" selected on merit and placed in the "General/Unreserved Category" in the Central Civil Services
Examination (CSE) can be given a choice to opt for a service of higher preference in terms of Rule 16(2) of
the CSE Rules.
The contentious Nuclear Liability Bill is introduced in the Lik Sabha amid protests and walkout by the NDA
and the Left parties.
9 May The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announces that Russia will develop a lander that will ferry a
rover to explore the Moon's surface as part of the Chandrayaan-II mission, slated for launch in 2013.
13 May In a big-ticket investment aimed at giving a boost to its holding of oil and gas assets abroad, the ONGC
Videsh Ltd. (OVL), along with its partners, enters into an agreement with the Venezuelan governement to
develop a $20 billion oil project in that country.
The Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, crosses a milestone, with the
thermal baffle, a crucial piece of cooling equipment, successfully lowered into it.
15 May Former Vice-President and three-time Chief Minister of Rajasthan in the past, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat of
BJP passes away in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
16 May Seeking to expand cooperation with the Indian Space Research Oraganisation (ISRO) on its Chandrayaan-II
missin, the US offers assistance through Boeing, which partners with NASA on its space exploration
programmes.
Mr. ratan Kumar Sinha is appointed Director, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Trombay.
17 May After two successive setbacks, Agni-II surface-to-surface ballistic missile is successfully test-fired from
theWheeler island off the Orissa coast. The intermediate-rangemissile can carry nuclear weapons and hs a
range of 2,000 km.
18 May Leading private sector lender ICICI Bank agrees to take over the Bank of Rajasthan.
20 May Pakistan sends a note verbale to India on the disputed Kishanganga project, clearly indicating its intention to
set up a Court of Arbitration as provided in the despurte settlement mechanism under the Indus Water Treaty
(IWT).
21 May The Central Government grants the Maharatna status to four public sector giants - National Thermal Power
Corporation (NTPC), Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), and Steel
Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL).
22 May Arjun Vajpai, a 16-year-old boy from Noida, becomes the youngest Indian to scale Mount Evrest.
23 May The first indigenously-built Light Combat Helicopter, developed by the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL),
successfully makes its inaugural test-flight in Bengaluru.
24 May The Uniion Ministry of Commerce and Industry through a notification brings cotton and cotton waste under
 the restricted list for exports.
25 May Turkmenistan President Mr. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov visits India; during his meeting with Prime
Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in New Delhi, the two sidesdiscuss energy cooperation and sign several
agreements signalling the desire of both countries to strengthen bilateral ties.
28 May Addressing a joint session of the Bhutanese Parliament in Thimphu, Bhutan, Lok Sabha Speaker Ms. Meira
Kumar announces the setting up of a Parliamentary Friendship Group to help reinforce and renew the bonds
of friendship between India and Bhutan.
29 May The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry rejects a proposal to bring medical education under the
purview of teh proposed National Commission for Higher Education and Research (NCHER).
30 May The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grants a corpus of $5 million to the Public Health Foundation of India
(PHFI) to strengthen the National Tobacco Control Programe in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, over a three-
year period up to 2010.
May International
6 May Mr. Goodluck Jonathan is sworn in as the President of Nigeria, hours after the death of incumbent President
Umaru Yar'Adua.
7 May North Korea's leader Kim Jong-il ends his four-day visit to China; he tells the Chinese government that he is
willing to help revive stalled negotiations over his country's controversial unclear programme.
8 May Pakistan successfully test-fires two surface-to-surface missiles---Hatf-III (Ghaznavi) and Hatf-IV
(Shaheen)---capable of carrying both nuclear and conventional warheads.
The heads of state and governments of the 16 Eurozone nations launch a historic $110-billion finacial aid
package to bail out the heavily-indebted Greece from bankruptcy.
9 May Russia marks the 65th anniversary of victory in World War II with a spectacular military parade in Moscow;
for the first time ever, serving US, British, French and Polish troops, as well as many former Soviet states
join over 10,000 Russian soldiers in th e parade.
12 May Britain's first post-war coalition government, with Conservative leader Mr. David Cameron as Prime Minister
and his Liberal Democrat counterpart Mr. Nick Clegg as Deputy Prime Minister, takes office, as the sun sets
on the 13-year Labour rule.
Human Resource Development Minister Mr. Kapil Sibal is conferred the Stephen P. Duggan award by the
New York (USA)-based Institute of International Educaton; he is given the award for his contribution to the
spheres of governance and education in India.
13 May The world's first-ever ATM that dispenses gold in place of currency notes is unveiled in Abu Dhabi; the
machine named "Gold To Go: gives out one, five and 10-gram gold bars as well as gold coins.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), USA, announces that it will fly a
plasmapowered rocket that can reach Mars in a little over a month's time. The rocket is named Variable
Specific Impulse Magneto-plasma Rocket (VASIMR).
Dr. Ajay Mathur, Director-General of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency Visionary Award by the US-based
Alliance to Save Energy.
14 May Time magazine selects Indian mathematician Mr. Anand Kumar's school---Super 30---in the list of Best of
Asia in 2010.
15 May The International Monetary Fund (IMF) approves immediate disbursement of $1.3 billion of financial
assistance to Pakistan.
19 May The French Cabinet approves a draft law to ban the burqa, the Muslim full-face veil, from public spaces,
opening the way for the bill to be tabled in the Parliament.
22 May 13-year-old American boy JordanRomero scripts history by becoming the youngest person in the world to
conquer the Mount Everest.
25 May Indian-origin politician Ms. Kamla Persad-Bissessar is sworn in as th e Prime Minister of Trinidad &
Tobago.
31 May Hon'ble President Ms. Pratiba Patil wraps up her six-day Chia visit; she becomes the first Indian head of state
to visit China in a decade.
May Sports
9 May Mark Webber, the Australian racer of the Red Bull team, clinches the title of the Spanish Grand Prix Formula
One championhip in Barcelona, Spain.
10 May Dempo Sports Club clinches the title of the 2010 I-League football tournament, beating Lajong United of
Shillong in the penultimate round in Shillong, Meghalaya; it is the fourth I-League title of Dempo.
11 May Indian chess wizard Viswanathan Anand retains his FIDE World Chess Championship title, beating
Bulgarian contender Veselin Topalov in the 12 and deciding game in Sofia, Bulgaria. Playing with black
pieces, Anand pulls off a win in 56 moves.
12 May Indian wrestler Narsingh Yadav clinches the Gold medal in the 74-kg freestyle category at the Asian
Wrestling Championship, beating Saeed Riahi of Iran in the final in New Delhi.
13 May India's Olympic hero Sushil Kumar notches up his first-ever Gold at the Asian Wrestling Championship,
beating South Korean Dae Sung Kim in the final in New Delhi.
14 May Chiara Cainero of Italy wins the Gold at the women's skeet competition in the shotgun World Cup in Dorset,
 England.
16 May England win the 2010 ICC World Twenty 20 title, beating Australia in the final by seven wickets in
Barbados, West Indies. This is England's first title in an ICC global event.
India and South Korea are declared joint winners of the Sultan Azlan Shah hockey tournament, after the final
is washed out in Ipoh, Malaysia.
Rafael Nadal of Spain beats Roger Federer of Switzerland in the final to clinch the title of the Madrid
Masters tennis championship in Madrid, Spain.
17 May Australia win the title of the ICC Womens' World Twenty20, beating New Zealand by three runs in the
thrilling summit clash in Barbados, West Indies.
18 May Seema Tomar of India bags the women's trap Silver in the shotgun World Cup in Dorset, England; this is the
first-ever trap medal in a World Cup by an Indian woman shooter.
21 May Maria Sharapova of Russia clinches the Strasbourg Open women's singles title in Strasbourg. France.
23 May Italian giants Inter Milan win the 2010 Champions League football title, beating German giants Bayern
Munich 2-0 in the final in Madrid, Spain.
24 May India's Joshna Chinappa wins the German Ladies' Squash Open, beating Swiss opponent Gaby Schmohl in
the final of the WISPA World Tour event in Saarbrucken, Germany.
26 May Zhu Qinan of China wins the air rifle Gold in the shooting World Cup in Fort Benning, USA.
27 May Indian men beat Iran 3-1 in a crucial match of the World table tennis team championships in Moscow,
Russia.
June National
1 June Jharkhand comes under President's rule with Hon'ble President Ms. Pratibha Patil accepting a
recommendation of the Union Cabinet.
2 June Tata Nano, the world's cheapest car at Rs. 1 lakh, rolls out of the assembly line at its new plant at Sanand,
Gujarat, raising the hopes of the lower and middle class families in the country of fulfilling the dream of
owning a four-wheeler.
South African President Mr. Jacob Zuma visits India; during his visit, India and South Africa launch the
India-South Africa CEOs Forum.
6 June The Union Government decides to appoint the Natonal Knowledge Commission Chairman and Adviser to the
Prime Minister on ublic Information Infrastructure and Innovation, Mr. Sam Pitroda, as the head of "India
Smart Grid Task Force".
7 June Former Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan takes over as the Chairman of the National Human Rights
Commission.
8 June In the largest-evertelecom takeover by an Indian firm, Bharti Airtel completes a deal to buy out Kuwait-
based Zain Telecom's African business for $10.7 billion.
SBI Chairman Mr. O.P. Bhatt is elected the new Chairman of the Indian Banks Association (IBA) for 2010-
11.
11 June The 16-day auction of the Broadband Wireless Spectrum (BWA) ends; through the auction, the Centre raises
Rs. 38,617 crore. Internet service provider Infotel emerges as the sole pan-India licence winner in the
auction.
12 June The Central Government approves capital infusion of Rs. 6,211 crore in five public sector banks---IDBI,
Central Bank of India, Bank of Maharashtra, UCO Bank and Union Bank of India.
13 June India's anti-tank missile Nag is successfully test-fired; the missile proves its capability of destroying a target
at a range of 500 m, hitting a moving object in 3.2 seconds.
18 June The indigenously developed, nuclear-capable ballistic missile Prithvi-II is successfully test-fired from the
Integrated Test Range in Orissa.
19 June In a meeting held in New Delhi, the State Education Ministers endorse the Centre's move to have a core
curriculum in science and mathematics for Class XI and XII.
20 June The National Rural Health Missiion (NRHM) authorities suggest the introduction of a rural cadre of
healthcare workers, saying that clinical care proveders with a shorter duratoion of training are a competent
alternative to physicians.
26 June India is granted observer status on the board of the Thirty Metre Telescope (TMT) project, the next
generation astronomical observatory that will be located on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, USA.
28 June India and Canada sign a civil nuclear cooperation agreement; the agreement is signed in the presence of
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and his Canadian counterpart Mr. Stephen Harper in Toronto, Canada.
29 June The Indian Navy inducts two water-propelled fast attack craft, INS Cankarso and INS Kondul, at a ceremony
in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The two ships will shore up the security of the country's coastline.
30 June A report released by the Centre reveals that the India's current account deficits (CAD), reflecting its position
in trade and invstment with other nations, rose to 2.9 percent of DGP in 2009-10 against 2.4 percent a year
ago.
June International
2 June Japan's Prime Minister Mr. Yukio Hatoyama resigns; he becomes the fourth successive Premier of the
 country to quit after a year or less at the helm.
3 June Ukraine officially takes NATO menmbership off its agenda in a volte face of the policy once ardently
pursued by the previous President, Mr. Vikor Yushchenko.
June Sports
1 June Renjith Maheshwari of India clinches the Gold in men's triple jump at the Asian Grand Prix 2010 in Pune,
Maharashtra.
5 June Francesca Schiavone becomes the first Italian woman to win a Grand Slam singles title after defeating
Australia's Samantha Stosur 6-4, 7-6(2) in the French Open final in Paris.
6 June Rafael Nadal recaptures the French Open crown defeating Robin Soderling of Sweden by 6-4, 6-2, 6-4
retaking th e World No. 1 spot. It is Nadal's fifth win in the French Open since 2005.
7 June The first Australia-India Energy and Minerals Forum meeting is held in Perth, Australia; both sides express
willingness to work jointly in the areas of development of use of brown coal, energy efficiency, improvement
of coal-based power plants, hydro power development and power generation technology research, and
development of smart grids.
MMTC Director (Personnel) Mr. A. Mahapatra is conferred the International HR Excellence Award for 2010
by the Institute of Personnel Management, Sri Lanka.
The Dawning Nebulae, a Chinese supercomputer, is adjudged the second fastest supercomputer in the
world---with a commputing speed of 1.27 petaflops per second---in the biannual testing of the world's 500
fastest supercomputers.
8 June Japan's new Prime Minister Mr. Naoto Kan affirms that the will resolve the status of a controversial US air
base "in accordance with the agreement" that Japan and the US announced in May 2010.
10 June The 2010 Orange Prize for fiction, Britain's highly-regarded honour for woman writers, is conferred on
American novelist Ms. Barbara Kingsolver for her novel The Lacuna.
9 June The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) imposes the fourth round of sanctions on Iran; of the 15
members of the Council, 12 vote in favour of the sanctions.
11 June The annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
13 June Astronomers at the Oxford University, England, announce that they havediscovered seven diverse new
planets. The planets, which range from "shrunken Saturns" to "bloated Jupiters", include a rare brown dwarf
with 60 times the mass of Jupiter.
14 June Iran and Pakistan ink the last of a series of agreements to operationalise the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline deal.
As per the deal, Iran commits itself to supplying natural gas to Pakistan from 2010 onwards.
In a significant development, American geologists disover $1 trilllion worth of mineral deposits in
Afghanistan.
Veteran Gandhian Social worker and National Youth Project (NYP) Director Mr. S.N. Subba Rao is
conferred the Anuvrat Ahimsa International Peace. Award at a ceremony in New Delhi.
21 June The G.D. Birla Aards, instituted by the Birla Academy of Art and Culture, are presented in New Delhi. The
awardees are: Mr. V.P. Dhananjayan (cultural heritage), Ms. Zokhunmi Vankung (service to humanity) and
Dr. Percy Barnevik (rural upliftment in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu).
Celebrated democracy campaigner Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi of Kyanmar becomes the first recipient of the
Benazir Bhutto Shahid Award for Democracy instituted by the Pakistan People's Party in the memory of the
slain leader.
22 June Tata Group Chairman Mr. Ratan Tata is made an Honorary Doctor of Law by the University of Cambridge,
UK, in recognition of his business achievements and philanthropic work.
23 June Dr. Asko Parpola, Professor-Emeritus of Indology, Institute of World Cultures, Finland, is conferred the
prestigious Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi Classical Tamil Award at the inaugural World Classical Tamil
Conference in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
26 June The two-day G8 and G20 summits open in Toronto, Canada. At both the meetings, world leaders pledge to
counter terrorism and work collectively for a sustainable recovery of the global economy.
The Home/Interior Ministers of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations
hold a conference in Islamabad, Pakistan. In the conference, it is decided to act jointly against any form of
terrorism.
27 June The G20 leaders, on the closing day of their Toronto meet, approve a deal to slash their national deficits
within three years, seeking to overcome divisions among world powers on how best to nurture a fragile
global economic recovery.
30 June In a move to break the political deadlock in the nation, Nepal's Prime Minister Mr. madhav Kumar Nepal
resigns after 13 months in power.
June Sports
8 June Virender Sehwag maintains his No. 1 position in the ICC rankings for Test Batsmen; India hold on to their
top spot.
10 June India win the men's team recurve Gold medal at the Archery World Cup (Stage II) in Antalya, Turkey.
13 June Indian badminton ace Saina Nehwal wins the title of the Yonex Sunrise-India Open Grand Prix badminton
championship, beating Choo Wong Mew of Malaysia in the final in Chennai.
19 June Sergiy Stakhovksy of Ukraine beats Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia in the final to lift the title of the UNICEF
Open tennis tournament in S'Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands.
20 June Indian badminton ace Saina Nehwal clinches the second Super Series title of her career by winning the
Singapore Open, beating Tzu Ying Tai of Chinese Taipei in the final in Singapore.
24 June India clinch the Asia Cup beating Sri Lanka by 81 runs in the final in Dambulla, Sri Lanka.
27 June Saina Nehwal of India wins the Indonesian Open Super Series badminton title, beating Sayaka Sato of Japan
in the final in Jakarta, Indonesia.
28 June Niccolo Campriani of Italy wins the men's air rifle title at the Shooting World Cup in Belgrade, Serbia.
July National
1 July Mr. Sharad Pawar, Union Agriculture Minister and the former President of Board of Control for Cricket in
India (BCCI), is appointed the new President of International Cricket Council (ICC). He becomes the second
Indian after Mr. Jagmohan Dalmiya to hold the ICC's top office.
2 July The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) hikes the short-term indicative interest rates---repo rate and reverse repo
rate---by 25 basis points to 5.5 and 4.0, respectively, to rein in inflation and inflationary pressures.
3 July Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Ms. Sonia Gandhi inaugurate the swanky,
world-class Terminal 3 at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi. Spread over 5.4 million
square feet, the terminal is the world's sixth largest.
4 July National Security Adviser (NSA) Mr. Shiv Shankar Menon begins an important China visit, to explore how
the two nations could expand both economic and cultural engagements.
12 July ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C15) puts five satellites in orbit; the five satellites are: ISRO's
Cartosat-2B, Alsat of Algeria, NLS 6.1 AISSAT-1 of University of Toronto (Canada), NLS 6.2 TISAT-1 of
University of Applied Sciences (Switzerland), and Studsat, built by 35 students of seven engineering colleges
in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
15 July The Centre approves a symbol for the rupee, helping the Indian currency join the elite club of the US dollar,
euro, the pound sterling and the Japanese yen. the symbol, designed by Bombay IIT post-graduate Mr. D.
Udaya Kumar, is a blend of t he Devanagari "Ra" and the Roman "r".
19 July Data released by the Centre show that India's exports registered an impressive 32 percent growth during the
first quarter of 2010-11, reaching $50.8 billion; imports also grew 34 percent at $83 billion during the same
period, while the country's trade deficit stood at $32.2 billion.
21 July Remote sensing satellite Cartosat-2B sends high quality images of the Indian landmass, including Allahabad
in Uttar Pradesh and Madurai in Tamil Nadu; the images were taken by the satellite's panchromiatic camera,
which has a resolution as high as 0.8 metre.
22 July The Union Cabinet approves the inclusio/amendment of the names of castes and communities in the Central
Lists of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in respect of Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand,
Karnataka, Rajasthan and the UT of Daman & Diu.
23 July The State Bank of India (SBI) raises $1 billion (about Rs. 4,700 crore)through bonds from the US market.
The Union Government announces that India will mount its first scientific expedition to the South Pole in
November 2010.
25 July In a bid to give boost to production of solar energy, the Union Government ropes in power finance bodies---
Power Finance Corporation (PFC) and the Rural Electrification Corporation (REC)---to finance new projects
under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM), under which the government aims to add at
least 1,000 MW solar power by the end of 2013.
Rashtrapati Bhavan is presented with an International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) 14001: 2004
Certificate for having emerged as the country's first urban habitat with excellent environmental management
systems.
26 July In a boost to its efforts to build an anti-missile system, India successfully test-fires an interceptor missile off
the Orissa coast. The missile destroys an "enemy" ballistic missile over the Bay of Bengal.
29 July The Parliament approves the imposition of President's Rule in Jharkhand.
30 July Election Commissioner Mr. Shahabuddin Yaqoob Quraishi takes over as Chief Election Commissioner
(CEC); he succeeds mr. Navin Chawla.
The Union Cabinet gives its nod for legislation to raise the retirement age of High Court judges from 62 to
65.
International
12 July The International Criminal Court charges Sudanese President Mr. Omar al-Bashir with three counts of
genocide in the troubled Darfur region.
13 July The Delhi Metro is bestowed the Outstanding Civil Engineerimg Project Award by the Asian Civil
Engineering Coordinating Council.
14 July The world's largest solar power plant, named "La Florida", opens in Badajoz, Spain. Spread over 550,00
square metres, the plant can produce 50 MW of power.
2010 FIFA World Cup winners Spain replace Brazil at the top of the most recent FIFA World rankings.
15 July Argentina becomes the first country in Latin America to legalise same-ses marriage, following a landmark
Senate vote.
 Indian badminton superstar Saina Nehwal climbs up to the World No. 2 slot in the international badminton
rankings.
16 July Viraat Badhwar becomes the first Indian to win the Callaway junior golf championships; he beats Rico Hoey
of USA in the final in San Diego, USA.
18 July Om Prakash Singh of India wins the Gold in the men's shot put event at the Savo Games in Finland.
The Metro Citizens' Forum volunteers' programme of the Delhi Metro wins the "Stevie Distinguished
Honoree" medal at the International Business Awards, 2010, in Virginia, USA.
19 July Mumbai clinch the 63rd Rangaswamy Cup senior national men's hockey championship, beating Haryana in
the final in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
"Bombay Sisters" C. Saroja and C. Lalitha are chosen for the prestigious Sangita Kalanidhi award of the
Music Academy.
21 July British astronomers announce the discovery of the heaviest and brightest star ever known to exist. The star
named R 136al has a mass some 300 times bigger than our Sun. The new star is so bright that it would
outshine our Sun by as much as the Sun outshines the Moon.
22 July In a groundbreaking ruling, the International Court of Justice says that Kosovo's unilateral declaration of
inependence from Serbia in February 2008 did not violate any international law.
Delhi Chief Minister Ms. Sheila Dikshit is chosen for the prestigious Lokmanya Tilak Award for 2010, in
recognition of her contribution to politics.
Hon'ble President Ms. Pratibha Patil presents the 4th Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in
New Delhi. The prominent awardess are: Siddarth Varadarajan (Journalist of the Year - Print), Arnab
Goswami (Journalist of the Year - Broadcast); Harish Damodarn (Best Non-Fiction Book in English for
India's New Capitalists), etc.
25 July African Union (AU) leaders meet in Kampala, Uganda; the leaders condemn a recent ghastly terrorist attack
that killed 76 people in Uganda.
Alberto Contador of Spain wins the 2010 Tour de France cycling championship in Paris, France.
27 July Sandeep Sejwal of Railways sets a natinal record (two min. 18.31 sec.) in men's 200m breast-stroke at the
Federation Cup aquatics meet in New Delhi.
29 July Iran's ally Turkey says that Iran is ready to stop enriching uranium to 20 percent purity if the global powers
agree to export medium-enriched nuclear fuel for its Tehran-based medical reactor.
Virdhawal khade of Maharashtra wins four Gold medals at the Federation Cup aquatics meet in New Delhi.
Legendary actor Sunil Dutt is posthumously conferred the National Amity Award; the late actor's daughter,
Ms. Priya Dutt, receives the honour from Vice-President Md. Hamid Ansari in New Delhi.
31 July India and the US sign the much-debated agreement on modalities for reprocessing spent nuclear fuel, under
the civilian nuclear deal between the two countries. The agreement is signed in Washington, USA by Indian
Ambassador Ms. Meera Shankar and US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Mr. William Burns.
The 42nd Jnanpith Award for 2006 is presented to Konkani litterateur Mr. Ravindra Kelekar; Lok Sabha
Speaker Ms. Meira Kumar gives away the award at a function in Panaji.
August National
1 August The Centre announces its plans to expand the coverage of Below Poverty Line (BPL) population under the
public distribution system (PDS) to 8.7 crore from the current 6.52 crore based on the accetance of the
Tendulkar Committee's poverty projections for 2011 by the Planning Commission.
2 August The World Heritage Committee, in its 34th session held in Brasilia, Brazil, inscribes Jaipur's Jantar Mantar in
the UNESCO World Heritage List.
3 August The Centre appoints two full-time and seven part-time members to the 19th Law Commission of India, which
was reconstituted in September 2009.
5 August The Union Textile Ministry announces a new scheme to improve the skills of 2.56 lakh textile workers at a
cost of Rs. 272 crore in the remaining two years of the 11th Five-Year Plan.
8 August The Rajya Sabha passes by voice vote the Trade Marks (Amendment) Bill, 2009, that allows any person or
enterprise to seek registration or trade mark in any of the 84 member countries of the Madrid Protocol. The
Bill had already been passed by the Lok Sabha in December 2009.
16 August Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh gives the green signal for setting up a National Innovation Council, to
be headed by technocrat Dr. Sam Pitroda.
21 August External Affairs Minister Mr. S.M. Krishna and his Japanese counterpart Mr. Katsuya Okada hold an
important summit in New Delhi; in the meeting, the two sides spell out the paramenters for a bilateral civil
nuclear accord.
24 August Former Union Power Secretary Mr. Harishankar Brahma is appointed Election Commissioner.
25 Auqust With the government conceding a major point to the Opposition on supplier liability, the Lok Sabha passes
the controversial Givil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill, 2010. As per the Bill, nuclear operators are to be
strictly liable for damages resulting from an accident, but their liability is capped at Rs. 1,500 crore. In earlier
drafts, the cap was Rs. 500 crore.
26 Auqust The Union Cabinet approves the long-awaited Direct Taxes Code Bill under which the government has
proposed to like the income tax exemption limit from the existing base of Rs. 1.6 lakh to Rs. 2 lakh. The Bill
also seeks to remove surcharge and cesses on corporate tax asa measure of providing relief to industry while
 simplifyig taxation norms.
28 Auqust The 2010 Commonwealth Games theme song, Jiyo Utho Badho Jeeto, composed by A.R. Rahman, is
released during a function in Gurgaon, Haryana.
29 August Foreign Secretary Ms. Nirupama Rao visits Sri Lanka for a first-hand assessment of India's assistance to the
nearly three lakh displaced Tamils in that country.
31 August The Centre decides to declare the elephant as a national heritage animal.
International
1 August Renowned Indian sand artist Mr. Sudarsan Pattnaik wins the first prize at the 8th International Sand
Sculpture Championship held in Berlin, Germany.
2 August The mascot of ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 is unveiled at a ceremony i n Colombo, Sri Lanka. The mascot,
named "Stumpy", is the image of an elephant.
5 August Russian Presient Mr. Dmitry Medvedev voics support for South Africa's bid to join the BRIC group, which
unites Brazil, Russia, India and China.
Asher Noria of India wins the double trapn Gold by equalling the junior World record in the 50th World
shooting championship at Munich, Germany.
A. Sharath Kamal scripts history by becoming the first Indian to enter the top 50 of the world table tennis
rankings.
Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal's name is approved for Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, the country's highest
sports honour, by the Government of India. Alongside, the names of the winners of Arjuna Awards, Dhyan
Chand Awards and Dronacharya Awards are also announced.
6 August Federation of Indo-Israel Chambers of Commerce confers the prestigious Businessman of the Decade award
on Tata Group Chairman Mr. Ratan Tata in a ceremony in Mumbai.
8 August Tejaswini Sawant scripts history by becoming the first Indian woman to clinch Gold at the World Shooting
Championship, winning the 50m rifle prone event in Munich, Germany, equalling the world record in the
process.
Bengal win the 64th Santosh Trophy, beating Punjab 2-1 in the final in Kolkata.
9 August Colombia ushers in a new government and swears in Mr. Juan Manuel Santos as the President; he succeeds
Mr. Alvaro Uribe.
11 August Russia announces that it has deployed S-300 air defence missiles in Abkhazia, Georgia's former breakaway
region.
The 50th World shooting championship concludes in Munich, Germany; India finish a creditable 14th among
105 countries with two Gold medals (Tejaswini Swant and Asher Noria) and a Bronze. China(21 Gold, 20
Silver and 11 Bronze) to the medals tally, while Russia (21-13-12) take the second place.
12 August B. Adhiban becomes India's 23rd Grandmaster when he completes the final Grandmaster norm by winning
the Olomouc International chess tournament in Czech Republic.
13 August In a crucial development, Russia announces that it will shortly begin the start-up of the reactor at Iran's first
atomic power plant in Bushehr.
15 August Sri Lankan President Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa dedicates to the nation the first phase of the $1.5-billion
Hambantota port, being constructed with Chinese help.
Indian Grandmaster K. Sasikiran regains the title at the Hogeschool Zeeland chess tournament at Vissingen
in the Netherlands.
16 August Chinese government figures show that after three decades of spectacular growth, China overtakes Japan in
the second quarter of 2010 to become the world's second largest economy behind the US.
17 August Australian Prime Minister Ms. Julia Gillard proposes that her country turn into a republic at the time of
succession to Queen Elizabeth II in Britain.
Indian Woman Grandmaster Padmini Rout wins a Bronze in the World Junior girls' chess championship in
Chotowa-Czarna, Poland; Anna Muzychuk of Slovenia clinches the Gold.
19 August Indian shuttler H.S. Prannoy wins a Silver medal at the inaugural Youth Olympics in Singapore.
23 August Golfer Arjun Atwal scripts history by becoming the first Indian and only the sixth Asia-born player to win on
the PGA Tour, when he secures a one-stroke victory at the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, USA.
24 August Miss Mexico Ximena Navarrete (22) is crowned Miss Universe 2010 at the pageant held in Las Vegas, USA.
Miss Jamaica Yendi Phillipps is adjudged the first runner-up and Miss Australia Jesinta Campbell is
adjudged the second runner-up.
25 August Iran test-fires its home-built surface-to-surface Fateh 110 missile, less than a week after a similar test that
was carried out on another missile.
27 August Kenyan President Mr. Mwai Kibaki signs a new constitution that institutes a new US-style sstem of checks
and balances and has been hailed as the most significant political event in the country since Kenya's
independence nearly half a century ago.
29 August Russia's Prime Minister Mr. Vladimir Putin formaly opens the Russian section of an oil pipeline to China,
hailing it as an oil pipeline to China, hailing it as an important step in diversifying energy exports away from
Europe.
Hon'ble President Ms. Pratibha Patil gives away the National Sports and Adventure Awards 2010; star
 shuttler Saina Nehwal gets the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. Te President honours 15 sportspersons with
the Arjuna Award, five coaches with the Dronacharya Award, three with theDhyan Chand Award (for
lifetime achievement in sports), four with the Tenzing Norgay Award and three institutions with the
Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar.
September National
8 Sept India and the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) ink a grant agreement for
$128.4 million to support the continuation of flagship programmes of the National AIDS Control
Organisation (NACO).
9 Sept In a major development, the Union Cabinet announces that a focussed, standalone, house-to-house caste
headcount will be conducted between June and September 2011, after the National Population Register
(NPR) is ready.
10 Sept India and Russia gign an agreement to float a joint venture company for designing and developing a multi-
role transport aircraft (MTA).
14 Sept A world Health Organisation (WHO) report reveals that Sikkim has dislodged Kerala as the State with the
highest suicide rate in India.
17 Sept A group of Ministers (GoM), headed by Finance Minister Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, approves the new Mining
Draft Bill, which includes the provision that mining companies will have to share 26 percent of profits with
local people affected by their projects.
19 Sept An Assocham survey reveals that Delhi is the fastest job generating city among the four major metropolitan
cities in the country, followed by Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata in that order.
23 Sept India announces that it has completely switched over to the cleaner Euro-III and IV petrol and diesel, well
ahead of the October 1, 2010 deadline fixed by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
24 Sept Peepli Live, a film depicting the growing rural-urban divide in India, is chosen to be India's official entry at
the 2011 Oscar Awards i the Best Foreign Film category.
26 Sept Union Finance Minister Mr. Pranab Mukherjee launches "Wwavalamban" -a pension scheme for workers in
the unorganised sector who do not have access to the social security net.
28 Sept India and Japan start in New Delhi their first-ever army-to-army talks; with this, Japan becomes the ninth
country with which the Indian Army has bilateral dialogue.
29 Sept Tembhli village in Nandurbar district of Maharashtra becomes the first village in India to get Unique Identity
(UID) numbers (known as AADHAR numbers); Ms. Ranjana Sonawne, a resident of the village, becomes the
first Indian to get the number.
International
2 Sept In a historic move, the Israelis and the Palestinians embark on direct peace talks in Washington, USA, a
breakthrough after 20 months of stalled dialogue.
3 Sept Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar is awarded the honorary rank of Group Captain of the Indian Air Force at a
special function in New Delhi. He is the first sportsperson to win this honour.
6 Sept Rwanda's re-elected President Mr. Paul Kagame is sworn in for a second term in office; the swearing-in
ceremony held in the nation's capital Kigali witnesses a large gathering of his followers.
In a move to take on anti-nuclear protesters, the German Government, led by Ms. Angela Merkel, decides to
press ahead with plans to extend the life of Germany's nuclear power plants.
7 Sept Australian Prime Minister Ms. Julia Gilard wins a 17-day political marathon to lead a minority government
in a hung parliament.
13 Sept Thirty years after the army seized power in a coup, Turkish voters endorese amendments to the 1982
constitution aimed at restructuring the judiciary and curbing the power of the military.
15 Sept Russia and Norway sign an important Arctic border pact, ending a 40-year dispute over an energy-rich area
in the Barents Sea.
19 Sept A major row breaks out between Russia and Israel over Russian plans to sell supersonic anti-ship missiles to
Syria; Israel says that the missiles, if fallen into the hands of Hezbollah militants, could be used against the
Israeli Navy.
22 Sept Russia bans sale of S-300 antiaircraft missile to Iran; it also stops the exports to Iran of tanks, aircraft and sea
vessels.
24 Sept Myanmar's ruling junta announces that detained democracy cmpaingner Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi will be
entitled to vote in the ensuing elections, despite earlier statements that the would be barred from taking part.
27 Sept Pakistan is elected Chairman of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Chinese President Mr. Hu Jintao and his Russian counterpart Mr. Dmitry Medvedev sign a series of political
and commercial deals in Beijing, China.
28 Sept North Korean leader Mr. Kim Jong-il makes his youngest son, Kim Jong-un, ,a four-star General in a move
seen as a confirmation that he is slated to become the nation's next leader.
30 Sept The military rulers of Myanmar announce that detained democracy campaigner Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi will
befreed in November 2010, just days after the country's first election in two decades.
Sports
10 Sept American twins Bob and Mike Bryan take the men's doubles title of the 2010 US Open, beating the Indo-Pak
pair of Rohan Bopanna and Aisamm-ul-Haq Qureshi in the final in New York, USA.
11 Sept Argentina beat the Netherlands in the final to win the 2010 women's hockey World Cup in Rosario,
Argentina.
12 Sept Sushil Kumar scripts history by becoming the first Indian to win a World wrestling championship Gold
medal, when he overpowers Alan Gogaev of Russia to win the 66-kg freestyle title at the 2010 edition of the
championship held in Moscow, Russia.

Kim Clijsters of Belgium defends her US Open women singles title, beating Vera Zvonareva of Russia 6-2,
6-1 in the final in New York, USA.
13 Sept Rafael Nadal of Spain wins the 2010 US Open men's singles title, beating Novak Djokovic of Serbia 6-4, 5-7,
6-4, 6-2 in the final; with this win, 24-year-old Nadal becomes the youngest man in the Open Era to complete
a Career Grand Slam.
18 Sept M.C. Mary Kom of India maintains her great record at the women's World boxing championship, clinching
her fifth successive title at the 2010 World championship final held in Barbados. She beats Steluta Duta of
Romania 16-6 in the final of the 48-kg category.
26 Sept Chennai Super Kings clinch the title of the Champions League T20 championship, beating Eastern Cape
Warriors of South Africa by eithts wickets in the final in Johannesburg, South Africa.

October National
1 Oct A report reveals that India's exports continued to surge for the tenth successive month, growing by 22.5
percent to 16.64 billion in August 2010 as compared to the last period last fiscal.
10 Oct The "cold desert" of Leh enters the Guinness Book of World Records after 50,300 saplingns are planted at a
village in less than an hour by 9,000 volunteers under a special drive.
12 Oct India is elected as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.
16 Oct Indian Railways' first AC doubledecker rake is rolled out from the Rail Coach Factory in Kapurthala; the
rake, comprising eight double-deckers among ten coaches in all, will run between Howrah and Dhanbad.
17 Oct The Bharat Diamond Bourse (BDB), the largest of its kind in the world, is inaugurated in Mumbai by
Commerce and Industry Minister Mr. Anand Sharma.
25 Oct India and Japan decide to extend their cooperation to areas such as joint ventures in rare earth minerals, some
unexplored areas in defence, and transport and industrial corridors. The pacts are reached at a meeting
between Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and his Japanese counterpart Mr. Naoto Kan in Tokyo, Japan.
28 Oct In the biggest-ever deal between Indian and Chinese commpanies till date, Reliance Power awards a $8.2-
billion contract to the Shanghai Electric Group of China, to supply 36 coal-fired generators.
31 Oct The Union Environment Ministry announces that forest management panels will henceforth come under
Gram Sabha. The move is aimed at giving local communities a key role in managing forest resources.
International
1 Oct China successively launches its lunar probe Chang'e II, The lunar probe will collect data for future landings
of Chang'e III and Chang'e IV.
3 Oct Germany celebrates 20 years of reunification which officially materialised in 1990 after decades of Cold War
division.
4 Oct Robert Edeards, the British scientist whose research led to the birth of the world's first test-tube baby in 1978,
wins the 2010 Nobel Prize for Medicine.
5 Oct Andre Geim of the Netherlands and Russian-British national Konstantin Novoselov jointly win the 2010
Novbel Physics Prize.
9 Oct Four Indian naval ships--INS Tir, INS Shardul, INS Tarangini and ICGS Varuna--arrive in Sri Lanka for
training and exercises with the Sri Lankan Navy.
12 Oct In a landmark trial of the controversial process, US doctors begin the first tests of human embryonic stem
cells in patients, treating a man with spinal cord injures.
14 Oct All the 33 miners trapped in San Jose Mine for 70 days in Chile are rescued safely in a 22-hour rescue
operation.
15 Oct The world's longest railway tunnel (57-km long), named the Gotthard Base Tunnel, is completed as a giant
drilling machine forces its way through the final section of Alpine rock in Sedrun, Switzerland.
18 Oct Chinese Vice-President Mr. Xi Jinping is appointed Vice-Chairman of the country's Central Military
Commission, a move seen as confirmation that he is on track to succeed President Mr. Hu Jintao when his
term expires in 2012.
20 Oct The UK announces the biggest post-War spending cuts, which will see half-a-million jobs disappear and take
nearly away welfare benefits worth over $7 billion over the next four years.
21 Oct The US announces one of the largest weapons sales in its history, worth nearly $60 billion, to Saudi Arabia.
 Myanmar's military rulers change the country's official name, flag and national anthem. The country will
henceforth be known as the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, instead of the earlier Union of Myanmar.
25 Oct The Singapore and Australian stock exchanges announce a multi-billion dollar merger, which will create one
of the world's largest and most diversified financial trading hubs.
26 Oct China unveils the world's fastest bullet train, named CRH380A, which will connect two of the country's main
industrial hubs travelling at an average speed of 350 km per an hour. The highest speed of the train is 420 km
per hour.
30 Oct Ms. Alexandria Mills from USA wins the Miss World 2010 title at the pageant held i n Sanya, China. Ms.
Emma Wareus from Botswana and Ms. Adriana Vasini from Venezuela emerge as the first and second
runners-up, respectively.
31 Oct The Shanghai Expo, the biggest world's fair in history, coses its doors after breaking a number of records
during its six-month course. The Expo, on which the Shanghai government spent $45 billion, dwarfs what
Beijing spent on the 2008 Olympics, and becomes the most expensive and well-attended fair in the 159-year
history of the world's fair. During its course, the event receives 73 million visitors, breaking the record set by
Osaka, Japan, in 1970, which had received 64 million visitors.
Sports
2 Oct East Bengal win the title of Federation Cup football championship, beating arch-rivals Mohun Bagan 1-0 in
the final in Cuttack, Orissa.
5 Oct Olympic shooting champion Abhinav Bindra and world record holder Gagan Narang win the first Gold for
India at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, clinching the men's air rifle pairs event.
13 Oct India retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a seven-wicket win over Australia in the second Test in
Bengaluru. The 2-0 win marks India's first-ever clean sweep over Australia in a series of two or more Tests.
14 Oct India comes to No. 2 spot in the medals tally in the 19th Commonwealth Games with Saina Nehwal's Gold in
badminton just before the closing ceremony. India's tally of medals goes up to 101, for the first time.
Australia finish on top while England end up at the third position.
November National
1 Nov Data made available by the Centre shows that India's exports posted a 23.2 percent grwoth in September
2010, recording a two-year high of $18.2 billion.
6 Nov US President Mr. Barack Obama begins his historic India visit; during meetings with business leaders in
Mumbai, the two sides sign deals worth $10 billion (nearly Rs. 44,000 crore).
9 Nov The Lok Sabha passes two bills to change the name of Orissa and the name of the language of the State. The
name of the State will be Odisha and the name of the language will be Odia.
11 Nov Mr. Prithviraj Chavan is sworn in as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra; he succeeds Mr. Ashok. Chavan.
12 Nov India is elected to the board of UN Women, a new Un agency aimed at promoting equality for and
empowerment of women.
18 Nov The Centre announces the setting up of a high-level committee on financing of infrastructure in India.
24 Nov Mr N. Kiran K. Reddy assumes charge as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh; he succeeds Mr. K. Rosaiah.
25 Nov The Stragegic Forces Command of the Army successfully test-fires Angi-1, the surface-to-surface missile,
from Wheeler Island off Orissa.
26 Nov Mr. Nitish Kumar is sworn in as Bihar Chief Minister for his second consecutive term.
28 Nov The Jaitapur nuclear power project in Maharashtra receives clearance from the Union Environment Ministry.
30 Nov Hon'ble President Ms. Pratibha Patil wraps up her 9-day UAE and Syria visit; furing the visit, a number of
crucial pacts are signed with he two countries.
International
1 Nov Brazilians celebrate the election of their first-ever woman President, Ms. Dilma Rousseff, who emerges
winner after garnering 59 percent of the votes in the presidential run-off. Ms. Rousseff was backed by
incumbent President Mr. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
2 Nov Setting aside their historic rivalry, Britain and France sign an unprecedented 50-year nuclear deal nuclear
facilities and jointly develop technology.
6 Nov The Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), a key body that controls
the purse strings of the UN, elects India as one of its members, the other inductees being China and Japan.
10 Nov A report reveals that China has pulled off a tricky and uncommon feat in space flight, manoeuvring one of its
satellites, named SJ-12 to within about 300 metres of another, named SJ-06F, while they were orbiting Earth.
12 Nov The two-day 2010 G20 Summit concludes in seoul, South Korea; at the summit, leaders of the world's
biggest economies agree to curb "persistently large imbalances" in saving and spending.
13 Nov Myanmar's pro-democracy campaigner Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi is set free after several years of house arrest.
15 Nov The 10th Russia, India, China (RIC) trilateral meeting, featuring the Foreign Ministers of the three nations, is
held in Wuhan, China.
19 Nov Sri Lankan President Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa is sworn in for his second term at a grand ceremony in
Colombo, Sri Lanka.
20 Nov At the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) summit held in Lisbon, Portugal, the 28 members of
NATO agree on a missile defence pact in Europe.
23 Nov In an alarming development, North Korea shells a South Korean island, killing four and injuring many
people.
27 Nov The Iran Government announces that the fuelling of the Bushehr plant, the nation's first nuclear power plant,
has been completed.
28 Nov The US is catapulted into a grave diplomatic crisis, as WikiLeaks, a whistleblower website, releases a large
number of classified cables containing blunt remarks about many foreign nations made by American
diplomats.
30 Nov Sri Lanka and Pakistan hold talks in Colombo, wherein the two sides agree to promote dialogue on security
and defence issues, including training of security forces and personnel.
9 Nov Italian football legend Roberto Baggio is chosen for the prestigious Peace summit Award for 2010 in
recognition of his long-time efforts in charities. This special award is bestowed annyally by the world's Nobel
Peace laureates.
19 Nov Former Brazilian President Mr. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is chosen for the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace,
Disarmament and Development for 2010.
24 Nov The 2010 Aga Khan Awards for Architecture are conferred on the recipients in a ceremony in Doha, Qatar.
The awardees are: Wadi Hanifa Wetlands, Riyadh, Sudi Arabia; the Revitalisation of the Hyperecentre of
Tunis, Tunisia; the Madinat Al-Zahra Museum, Cordoba, Spain; the Ipekyol Textile Factory, Edirne, Turkey;
and the Bridge School, Xiashi, China.
27 Nov The Indo-Pak tennis stars Rohan Bopanna and Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, who play as a pair in the professional
tennis circuit, are honoured with the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year Award in London.

Poet Mr. Hemant Shesh is conferred the Bihari Puraskar 2009 for his poetry collection Jagah Jaisi Jagah.
30 Nov Two short films on environmental issues--Niyamgiri You Are Still Alive directed by suma Josson, and
Kaippad directed by Babu Kambrath are declared joint winners of the Vasudha Award, India's only
government award for an environmental film.
Sports
12 Nov The XVI Asian Games 2010 open amid much pomp and pagentry in Guangzhou, China.
27 Nov The XVI Asiad 2010 comes to an end in Guangzhou, China; China top the medals tally with 416 medals
(199-119-98), followed by South Korea with 232 (76-65-91), which is the nation's best-ever overall tally at
the Asian Games.
29 Nov Swiss maestro Roger Federer wins the title at the ATP World Tour Finals in London, beating Rafael Nadal of
Spain in the final.
December National
1 Dec The Centre approves additional capital infusion of Rs. 6,000 crore in 10 public sector banks with an objective
to raise its holding to a minimum 58 percent in all state-run banks.
4 Dec French President Mr. Nicolas Sarkozy begins his high-profile four-day India visit; in his initial interactions
with the media, he pitches for India's inclusion in a reformed UN Security Council.
6 Dec The fourth of the new Naval Offshore Patrol Vessel (NOPV)- Sumitra--is launched at the Goa Shipyard.
8 Dec India Oil Corporation (IOC) tops the list of top 500 Indian companies compiled by Fortune magazine,
followed by Reliance Industries at the second place.
9 Dec The Centre gives financial sanction for establishment of two new power reactors of 700 MW capacity each at
the Rawatbhata Atomic Power Station in Rajasthan.
10 Dec A report released by the Centre reveals that India's industrial production soared by 10.8 percent in October
2010.
11 Dec Indian Coast Guard Ship Vijit, the second in the series of 90-m Offshore Patrol Vessels, is commissioned in
Goa.
12 Dec The Centre announces its decision to extend visa-on-arrival facility to five ASEAN countries--Cambodia,
Philippines, Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar.
International
1 Dec The Russian Government warns the WEst of a new arms race if Russia and the North Atlantic Treaty
Organisation (NATO) fail to agree on missile defence in Europe.

Heavy snow and sub-sero temperatures disrupt road, rail and air transport in many parts of northern Europe.
2 Dec In a report, the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) says that India and China will
become global leaders in manufacturing competitiveness by 2015.
3 Dec Data compiled by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) reveals that the year 2010 would rank
 among the top three warmest years since the beginning of instrumental climate records in 1850.
4 Dec Iran endorses the establishment of f fully monitored international nuclear fuel bank that could provide
enriched uranium for atomic power plants; however, the nation's government stops short of committing to
halt domestic production of enriched uranium.
5 Dec A nammoth forest fire--the worstever in the country's history--rages on in Israel, killing scores of people in
its wake.
6 Dec Iran's talks with six world powers--five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany--get
under way in Geneva, Switzerland.
7 Dec US President Mr. Barack Obama strikes a deal with his entrenched Republican opposition to extend Bush-era
tax cuts for another two years.

The UN warns that the peace process in Nepal is moving into a "critical period" and urges the nation's leaders
to resolve "issues of integration and rehabilitation, power-sharing and the drafting of the new constitution.
8 Dec Dayang Yihao, a Chinese scientific research ship, sets sail from Guangzhou, China on a 376-day global trip
that will take it across the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The objective of the mission is to conduct
research on hot liquid sulfides--which could provide clues about the origin of life--and deep-sea biological
diversity.
9 Dec The UK Government led by Mr. David Cameron narrowly survives a revolt in the House of Commons to win
a crucial parliamentary vote on its plans to raise university tuition fees.
10 Dec A crucial European Union-India meeting is held in Brussels, Belgium; at the meeting, visiting Prime Minister
Dr. Manmohan Singh and European Council President Mr. Herman Van Rompuy agree to strengthen
bilateral cooperation on a wide range of issues, including counter-terrorism, a new initiative to improve
cultural ties and legal agreements on extradition.
11 Dec At the 16th Conference of Parties (COP) to UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held
in Cancun, Mexico, the Cancun Agreements on emission cuts are adopted. These include long-pending
decisions on finance, technology transfer, transparency, a Green Climate Fund, and a Cancun Adaptation
Framework and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation.
12 Dec Kosovo votes in a historic poll, the nation's first since declaring independence in 2008.
Sports
1 Dec Belgian tennis ace Kim Clijsters is named the WTA Player of Year 2010.
The Asian Television award for the Best Current Affairs Presenter is conferred on noted India TV personality
10 Dec
Mr. Karan Thapar at a glittering ceremony in Singapore.
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