French firm Dassault Aviation bagged India’s biggest-ever military contract for supplying 126 Rafale combat aircraft for the Air Force. It edged out European rival EADS in the deal. The French firm was declared as the lowest bidder. It will get the contract under India’s defence procurement procedure. The deal is worth our ten billion dollars.— February 1, News On AIR
India, Japan and China have entered into a pact to share data to achieve the most efficient use of Naval Forces present in the Indian Ocean Region. The initiative is known as the Shared Awareness and Deconfliction. Talking to reporters in New Delhi, Naval spokesperson Admiral Monty Khanna said that the initiative began functioning from first of last month.— February 2, News On AIR
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has called on Israel to open the Gaza crossings and to lift the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip, since 2006. At a press conference, after a visit to an United Nations Refugee Welfare Association housing project in the Gaza strip, he lamented that many projects are on hold due to closure of the crossings and ban on entry of necessary material by Israel. The UN Secretary General urged both Israel and Palestine to resume the stalled peace talks.— February 3, News on AIR
Prime Minister David Cameron has re-affirmed Britain’s decision to continue its aid programme to India, amidst a row sparked by some ruling Conservative MPs demanding an end to it, and reports that India did not need it.— February 4, The Hindu
The U.S. has closed its embassy in Syria and Britain recalled its ambassador to Damascus in a new Western push to get President Bashar Assad to leave power and halt the murderous grind in Syria now among the deadliest conflicts of the Arab Spring.— February 5, The Hindu
Prime Minister David Cameron has re-affirmed Britain’s decision to continue its aid programme to India, amidst a row sparked by some ruling Conservative MPs demanding an end to it, and reports that India did not need it.— February 6, The Hindu
Chasing a victory target of 234 set by Sri Lanka, India were 14 for 1 in 2.3 overs in the second one day international at Perth. Earlier, opting to bat, Sri Lanka scored 233 for eight in stipulated 50 overs at WACA Ground. Dinesh Chandimal made highest 64 runs and Tillakaratne Dilshan scored 48 runs for Sri Lanka. R Ashwin took 3 wickets while Zahir Khan claimed 2.— February 8, News On AIR
In Pakistan, four people were killed in a drone attack in North Waziristan in the wee hours today. Geo News reported the unmanned aircraft continue hovering over the North Waziristan. Yesterday, ten people were killed and several others injured in the drone strike in NWA.— February 9, News on AIR
In Syria, at least 126 people killed in violence across the country.— February 10, News on AIR
New Maldives President rejects calls by his predecessor for snap elections to end political stand-off.— February 11, News on AIR
India-born Nobel laureate Amartya Sen selected for the 2011 US National Humanities Medal.— February 12, News On AIR
India and the UK will seek to deepen bilateral ties during a five-day visit of the British Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Jeremy Browne, to New Delhi beginning today. Mr Browne, who will be on his second trip to India since assuming office in May 2010, will discuss current bilateral and international priorities during his visit.— February 13, News on AIR
The U.S state department says that the United States and North Korean officials will meet on 23 February to discuss Pyongyang ‘s controversial nuclear programme.— February 14, News on AIR
Russian authorities say three police were killed and six injured in a clash with militants in the mountains near the Chechnya-Dagestan provincial border in southern Russia.— February 15, Hindustan Times
India and Saudi Arabia to set up Joint Working Group on Defence co-operation.— February 16, News on AIR
US President Barak Obama is sending his top advisor Tom Donilon to Israel at a time when speculation is rife about a possible Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities.— February 17, News on AIR
As the US imposed new sanctions against Iran, Washington said it was talking to India, Pakistan, Russia, and China about what they can do, particularly to wean themselves from Iranian crude— February 18, Hindustan Times
In Pakistan, at least eight people were killed and several others injured in a blast that hit the country’s north-west tribal area of Khyber Agency, bordering Afghanistan, this morning. A local Urdu TV channel has reported this. The nature of the blast is not yet known.— February 19, News on AIR
Eurozone finance ministers meet in Brussels today with time running out if they are to close a new 230-billion-euro ($300 billion) bailout package for Greece and avert a chaotic default.— February 20, Hindustan Times
Tehran is considering extending an oil embargo on France and Britain to other European countries, a semiofficial Iranian news agency reported today.— February 21, Hindustan Times
Dominique Strauss-Kahn, former chief of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), has been questioned by French police as a suspect in a prostitution ring inquiry, a prosecutor has said.— February 22, Hindustan Times
The Indo-Russian pair of Sania Mirza and Elena Vesnina storms into the quarterfinals of Women’s Doubles main draw event in the Dubai Open Tennis Tournament.— February 23, News on AIR
Diplomats from the US and North Korea held talks on issues like disarmament here today resuming bilateral talks for the first time since the death of Kim Jong Il in December.— February 24, Hindustan Times
Syrians are to vote on Sunday on a new constitution that could end five decades of single-party rule, although the opposition has called a boycott amid a bloody crackdown on dissent.— February 25, Hindustan Times
NATO decides to withdraw its security personnel deployed at Afghan Ministries following killing of two US officers in Kabul.— February 26, News on AIR
Syria holds referendum on new constitution amidst killing of 34 people; Opposition and Western nations call the opinion poll a farce.— February 27, News on AIR
European Union slaps fresh sanctions on Syria; Referendum for a new constitution draws overwhelming response.— February 28, News on AIR
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad could be classified as a war criminal, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said as the United Nations announced more than 7,500 civilians had been killed by his forces since the start of the revolt.— February 29, Hindustan Times
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