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National:

AI threatens to stop flying to North-eastAir India has threatened to stop flying to the North-east from January 1, if immediate steps are not taken toaddress the issue of non-payment of nearly Rs. 100 crore by the North East Council (NEC) to it in the lasttwo years. If the threat materialises, thousands of passengers flying from Tezpur, Lilabari and Shillong will be

badly hit. The non-payment has also led Air India subsidiary Alliance Air not renew the lease of three turbo-prop ATR planes operating to these cities.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnans Mysore bungalow restored to past gloryThe majestic bungalow that was the residence of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, when he was a professor andtaught Philosophy at the University of Mysore, has been restored to its original glory. Slated for inaugurationthis is the first positive news of significance on the heritage conservation front in a city that suffered theshock of the collapse of another landmark structure in Lansdowne Building early this year.

Argentine honour for Peter HassanHonorary Consul for Russian Federation (Hyderabad), Peter Toghrille Hassan, who is also Adviser, Strategyand Planning, FICCI, has been chosen for the Order de Mayo-Officer of the Order, the highest CivilianAward of the Republic of Argentina.

Bravery of a different kindOn September 27, 2009, 20-year-old Rukhsana Kousar of upper Kalsi, a Class X dropout, had done eversince the insurgency broke out around her birth in 1989. With an axe, she hacked to death a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Abu Usama, forcing two other armed intruders to flee from her home. She became the firstNational Bravery Award recipient from Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir.

SpiceJet to expand international networkDomestic low cost carrier SpiceJet has announced that it will launch flights from Delhi to Guangzhou, Chinaand Delhi to Riyadh from early next year.

India-born doctor faces resentencingAn India-born doctor sentenced to life in prison for a 2009 bombing that nearly killed the head of theArkansas state medical board should be resentenced on some convictions, a federal appeals court ruled. Ajury convicted Randeep Mann in 2010 of conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction and other charges.

The February 4, 2009, bomb attack took away Dr. Trent Pierces sense of smell and left him blind in one eyeand deaf in one ear.

Indira Gandhi Centre for Sustainable Development at Oxford University approvedAs a tribute to the former Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, the government gave an in-principle approval forsetting up of the Indira Gandhi Centre for Sustainable Development at Somerville College, University ofOxford. Mrs. Gandhi was a student of Somerville College. An inter-ministerial committee is already in placeto discuss the proposal.

Pakistan Senate chairman backs frequent exchangesVisiting Pakistan Senate Chairman Syed Nayyer Hussain Bokhari backed frequent exchanges betweenParliamentarians of both countries to create a better atmosphere for resolving all outstanding issues. Mr.Bokhari is leading a seven-member delegation of Senate members including three from the minoritycommunity on a five-day visit.

International:

Hamas chief Meshaal in Gaza on first-ever visitHamas leader-in-exile Khaled Meshaal made his first visit to Gaza kissing the ground and saying he hopedhe would one day die a martyr in the Palestinian territory.

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Taliban hires on FacebookTehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan has created a Facebook page to recruit writers for a planned quarterly magazineand to work on video editing and translation. The Umar Media TTP page, with nearly 290 likes, had amessage posted on November 22 seeking writers for Ahyah-e-Khilafat.

Business and economy:Panel slashes base price by 30 % for unsold spectrumA ministerial panel on telecom decided to lower the base price of spectrum in the 1800 Mhz band by 30 percent in four circles for a fresh auction this fiscal. This is a suggestion that could fetch the exchequer Rs.6,200 crore. These four circles Delhi, Mumbai, Karnataka and Rajasthan were some of the most expensivecircles in last months 2G spectrum auction and had attracted no bidders.

ADB lowers India growth forecast to 5.4 per centThe Asian Development Bank (ADB) cut Indias growth forecast to 5.4 per cent in 2012-13, barely twomonths after it had made a projection of 5.6 per cent growth for the Asias third largest economy.

Sports:

Gayathry reigns in 100m hurdlesTamil Nadus G. Gayathry bagged the gold medal in 100 metres hurdles in a timing of 14.0 seconds on daythree of the National womens sports competitions at Chennai.