Sushma Swaraj likely to visit Israel in January
(i) Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj is likely to visit Israel next month in what will be only the
(ii) Official sources said the political upheaval in Israel, which saw PM Benjamin Netanyahu recently dissolving Parliament and calling for polls in March, was not likely to impact Swaraj's visit to the country in January 2015.
With both countries now more open about bilateral relations, including their defence and security cooperation, Israel is hoping that the visit by Swaraj will pave the way for a visit by PM Narendra Modi next year.
Dineshwar Sharma appointed new Intelligence Bureau chief
(i) Dineshwar Sharma, special director in the Intelligence Bureau, was on Saturday appointed as the agency's new chief and will take charge on January 1 succeeding Syed Asif Ibrahim.
(ii) A 1979 batch IPS officer from Kerala cadre, Sharma, who has been working with the agency for the past 23 years, will have a two-year tenure.
(iii) An official announcement said he will take over as officer on special duty (OSD) with immediate effect and will take charge as director of Intelligence Bureau after the retirement of Ibrahim.
Pakistan signs $248 million loan deal with ADB
(i) Pakistan has signed a loan and project agreement worth $248 million with Asian Development Bank (ADB) for power transmission enhancement investment programme, according to a media report on Saturday.
(ii) The agreement was signed on Friday by Muhammad Saleem Sethi, secretary Economic Affairs Division (EAD) and Werner E Liepach, country director ADB, and it is expected to be completed by the end of 2016, the Dawn reported.
Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan sounds caution on ‘Make in India’ plan
(i) With his former boss Manmohan Singh by his side, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Raghuram Rajanhad some words of caution on the government's "Make in India" initiative, saying the focus should be on domestic demand against the backdrop of slowing global growth. (ii) The Narendra Modi government has unveiled the "Make in India" drive to make the country an industrial hub like China, boost theshare of manufacturing in the economy to 25% from the current 15-16% and create millions of jobs.
(iii) The plan is the centrepiece of the government's efforts to revive sluggish growth.
LIC Housing Finance Ltd sees uptake in home loans
(i) Though the real estate sector in the country has slowed down, LIC Housing Finance Ltd (LIC HFL) is seeing a surge in demand for housing loans for the budget to mid-income home market.
(ii) The country's third largest housing finance company reported a 25% growth in home loan disbursements at the end of the September quarter over the same period a year ago. The September month registered a 40% growth. The lenders average loan dispersal amount is Rs 20 lakh.
(iii) Sunita Sharma, MD and CEO, LIC HFL, who was in city, said at the end of the ongoing fiscal the company is poised to post an over 20% growth in loan dispersals as against the previous fiscal's growth of 18%-19%.
Google displaying incorrect map of India
(i) Survey of India has found out that Google is displaying incorrect map of India on its different websites, the government today said.
(ii) In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State in the Information and Broadcasting Ministry Rajyavardhan Rathore said that after complaints regarding display of incorrect map were received, Survey of India had looked in to the matter.
INDIA'S RUHI SINGH CROWNED MISS UNIVERSAL PEACE & HUMANITY
(i) Ruhi Singh has made the country proud by winning the first ever Miss Universal Peace
and Humanity title held in Lebanon on December 10th.
(ii) Ruhi, who represented India at Miss Universal Peace and Humanity, won the crown amongst 145 other countries. She looked gorgeous in a Komal Sood gown.
(i) Ruhi Singh is the first person to win this title from India.
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