6th SEPTEMBER 2014

In a major step towards realising its nuclear energy ambitions, India signed a civil nuclear cooperation agreement with Australia here on Friday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart, Tony Abbott, were present during the signing of the agreement. The two nations held five rounds of negotiations on the deal since 2012, when Australia reversed its policy on nuclear sales to India. The policy was based on India’s refusal to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

N. Shanthakumari representing Moodalapalya ward and K. Ranganna from Kamakshipalya ward were elected unopposed as the city’s 48th Mayor and 49th Deputy Mayor respectively, on Friday. Both posts were reserved for the general category.

Visiting Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said that Australia would back India’s bid to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group, given New Delhi’s “scrupulous” record on nuclear issues. He said he was keen that more Indian investment should follow the nuclear deal.

A modest attempt to ensure adequate rice for 60 tribal families in the Agastyarkoodam Hills to celebrate Onam has turned out to be an overwhelming success at Technopark, with the techie crowd donating over three tonnes of rice in barely three days. The initial target was 600 kg. The initiative, titled Rice Bucket Challenge and modelled on the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and its Indian version from Hyderabad, also named Rice Bucket Challenge, both of which have gone viral on social media, was launched by Technopark chief executive officer K.G. Girish Babu on September 2 and ended on Friday.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Friday handed over to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi two ancient idols of Hindu deities which were allegedly stolen from temples in Tamil Nadu before being bought by art galleries in Australia

Chandrakala Padia, Vice-Chancellor of Maharaja Ganga Singh University, Bikaner, was appointed chairperson of the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla.

Australia on Friday announced the extension of the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF) for a further four years and also pledged Australian dollars (AUD) 20 million for the initiative. Visiting Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott made the announcement here after a visit to the Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre at AIIMS 

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said he was keen that more Indian investment should follow the nuclear deal signed on Friday, which clears uranium sales to India. Mr Abbott said he would “welcome” Indian companies in the energy and infrastructure sectors. In particular, he mentioned the Gujarat-based Adani Group and the Andhra-based GVK Group for their large investments in the recent past, defending them against allegations by environmental organisations like Greenpeace.

Iran has failed to meet a deadline to provide answers about its nuclear weapons programme, the U.N. atomic watchdog said on Friday in a report seen by AFP. Not answering the International Atomic Energy Agency’s long-standing questions over the allegations could harm the chances of a potentially historic deal between Iran and world powers focused on Tehran’s current activities.

The United States confirmed Friday that the leader of Shabab militants in Somalia was killed in an air strike earlier this week, in what the White House called a major blow to Al-Qaeda’s network. The death of Ahmed Abdi Godane is “a major symbolic and operational loss to the largest Al-Qaeda affiliate in Africa and reflects years of painstaking work by our intelligence, military and law enforcement professionals,” the White House said in a statement. The Pentagon also confirmed that Godane was taken out in Monday’s attack.

China’s broadcasting authority has said online streaming sites must obtain licences before showing foreign TV shows and movies, in a tightening of control over the industry.

A decade after the strongest tsunami in living memory, 24 countries spanning from Australia to South Africa will take part in an U.N.-backed simulation exercise next week to test their capacity to forecast and tackle similar disasters. The exercise, organised by UNESCO.

Adani to begin coal mine development in Australia. The approval to the project was announced by Australian Environment Minister Greg Hunt, who had approved the Carmichael Coal Mine and Rail Infrastructure project subject to 36 strict conditions.

Japanese auto major Suzuki Motor Corp (SMC) chief Osamu Suzuki on Friday met Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, even as the State Government cleared issues related to the company owning and investing at the upcoming plant in the State instead of its Indian arm Maruti Suzuki. Mr. Suzuki and Ms. Patel discussed SMC’s proposed plant coming up at Hansalpur village of Ahmedabad district at an estimated investment of Rs.4,000 crore

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has secured an order valued at Rs.5,100 crore from Madhya Pradesh Power Generating Company Ltd. for setting up a 1,320 MW supercritical thermal power project at Shree Singaji TPP (Stage-II) on a complete engineering-procurement-construction basis. The project order covers design, engineering, manufacture, supply, erection and commissioning of two coal-fired thermal units of 660 MW each with supercritical parameters.

Cipla on Friday said it would acquire two manufacturing units from its contract manufacturer Okasa for Rs.100.93 crore. The acquisition will be carried out through the company’s wholly-owned subsidiary Medispray Laboratories, Cipla said in a filing to the BSE. The consideration for the above two transactions are Rs.29 crore and Rs.71.93 crore respectively

The prize money for the Fenesta National tennis championship has been doubled for this year to a total prize purse of Rs. 18 lakh. Making the announcement in a press conference here on Friday, the Chairman and Senior Managing Director of DCM Shriram Limited, Ajay Shriram, said that the initiative was to celebrate the organisation’s long association with the game, dating back to the first edition in 1992. Welcoming the move, the president of the All India Tennis Association (AITA), Anil Khanna, responded by announcing a wild card each to the men’s and women’s winners of the event for the Delhi Open.

World champion and top seed Hou Yifan of China won the 2013-24 FIDE women’s Grand Prix chess, with two rounds still to be played in the final leg at Sharjah. Her title was confirmed after her challenger and second seed Koneru Humpy drew with Zhu Chen of Qatar in the ninth round on Thursday.

Lt. Col. Sudhakar Jayant of Indian Army completed a hat-trick of titles after clinching the gold for the third time at the IWF world Masters weightlifting championships at Copenhagen.Competing in the 62kg category, the 45-year-old Indian lifted a total of 185kg — 85kg (snatch) and 100kg (clean and jerk). Jayant had won the gold with a lift of 192kg in 2013 in Italy. His 87kg in snatch was also a Games record.