Current Event 2009

January 2009
1 Jan		In a move to redress the grievances of armed forces personnel over anomalies in pay structures, the Union Government decides to place officers in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and their equivalents in the other two services on a higher pay band and constitute a separate pay commission New York (USA)-based Financial giant Merrill Lynch goes into history, as it is bought up by Bank of America Corp. Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, the fastest man on earth, edges US swimming ace Michael Phelps to be voted the 2008 Athlete of the Year.
2 Jan		Ms. Sheikh Hasina is sworn in as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh
5 Jan		National Conference President Mr. Omar Abdullah is sworn in as the 11th Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir
7 Jan		In an unparalleled instance of fraud in India's corporate history, B. Ramalinga Raju resigns as chairman of Satyam Computer Services India's fourth largest IT company, after admitting that the accounts of the company were fudged to the tune of Rs. 7,106 crore over several years
9 Jan		The Slovak Republic clinch their third Hopman Cup title in Perth, Australia, beating Russia 2-0 in the final of the mixed team tournament.
11 Jan		Marin Cilic of Croatia beats India's Somdev Dewarman in the final to claim the Chennai Open tennis title in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
12 Jan		Slumdog Millionaire, a British movie with overwhelmingly Indian content and backdrop, emerges as a big winner at the 66th Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, USA, scooping up four awards including the Best Original Score for famous Indian music director A.R. Rahman Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo is conferred the FIFA World Footballer of the Year award for 2008 at a ceremony in Zurich, Switzerland.
15 Jan		Mr. Radha Vinod Raju, a senior IPS officer of J&K cadre, is appointed the first Director-General of the National Investigation Agency
16 Jan		Mumbai win the 2009 Ranji Trophy title defeating Uttar Pradesh in the final in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh.
19 Jan		President's rule is imposed on Jharkhand, ending political uncertainty in the State following Chief Minister Mr. Shibu Soren's resignation.
20 Jan		Mr. Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of the US, while Mr. Joe Biden is sworn in as the 47th Vice-President of the nation
23 Jan		ISRO reveals that the Imaging X-ray Spectrometer, one of the payloads of Chandrayaan-1, received X-ray signals of aluminium, magnesium and silicon. The US approves the first human trials using embryonic stem cells testing, a pioneering therapy for stroke patients. Japan launches the world's first Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT), dedicated to monitoring greenhouse gas emissions on the Earth.
25 Jan		As many as 133 personalities—10 for Padma Vibhushan, 30 for Padma Bhushan and 93 for Padma Shri—are chosen for the prestigious Padma Awards
26 Jan		Eminent Hindi author Ms. Mannu Bhandari's autobiography Ek Kahni Yah Bhi is chosen for the prestigious Was Samman for 2008.
27 Jan		At an international conference on food security in Madrid, Spain, Mr. Jacques Diouf, the head of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation, appeals to double global food production by 2050 to ward off mass hunger
29 Jan		The World Economic Forum summit of world leaders commences in Davos, Switzerland to discuss the present economic crisis and to find solutions thereof
31 Jan		State Bank of India slashes interest rates on new home loans to 8 percent To control the problem of piracy off the coast of Somalia, countries of the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea pledge to cooperate in arresting pirates Yuki Bhambri creates history by becoming the first Indian to win the Australian Open boys' title, beating F. Georgoudas of Germany in the final in Melbourne, Australia.
February 2009
1 Feb	The prestigious Ambikatanayadatta National Award, instituted by the D.R. Bendre National Memorial Trust, is conferred on Sahitya Akademi President Mr. Sunil Gangopadhyay. British filmmaker Mr. Danny Boyle adds another feather to his cap by bagging the top honour at the Directors Guild of America Awards for his film Slumdog Millionaire in Los Angeles, USA. Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza become the first Indian pair to win a Grand Slam mixed doubles title, crushing Andy Ram (Israel) and Nathalie Dechy (France) in the final of the event at the Australian Open 2009.
3 Feb	Iran successfully places into orbit Omid, its first domestically made satellite.
4 Feb	In a milestone, a Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas takes off from Bengaluru and for the first time drops live stores (bombs) at a firing range
5 Feb	Cuban President Mr. Raul Castro concludes a week-long visit to Russia, having signed various crucial pacts aimed at revitalising bilateral ties
8 Feb	India win the Wealthsurance ODI series against Sri Lanka 4-1, even as Sri Lanka win the fifth and final match by 68 runs in Colombo.
9 Feb	West Zone lift the Duleep Trophy, defeating South Zone in the final in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
10 Feb	Noted Hindustani classical vocalist Pandit Bhimsen Joshi (87) is presented the Bharat Ratna, the country's highest Civilian award
11 Feb	Veteran politician Mr. Zillur Rahman is elected President of Bangladesh
12 Feb	In what was the first-ever high-speed impact between two intact spacecraft, two communication satellites—one American, the other Russian—smash into each other nearly 800 km. above the Earth.
14 Feb	King Abdullah, the monarch of Saudi Arabia, appoints Ms. Noura al-Fayez as a deputy cabinet minister, thus making her the first ever woman to be appointed as minister in the history of the nation
15 Feb	Ms. Suman Sharma, a 30-year-old Indian woman, becomes the world's first woman to fly the mighty Russian MiG-35 fighter jet at the Aero India international air show in Bengaluru. Finance Ministers from the G7 nations hold an important meeting in Rome, Italy, which renews calls for a concerted global response to the financial and economic crisis
19 Feb	The Rajya Sabha passes the Prevention of Money Laundering (Amendment) Bill, 2008, which will strengthen the legal framework to tackle cases effectively.
22 Feb	Slumdog Millionaire wins eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Director. Sean Penn wins Best Actor for Milk and Kate Winslet wins Best Actress for The Reader. Indian music maestro A.R Rahman wins two Oscars while another Indian Resul Pookutty wins an Oscar for the Best Sound Mixing
24 Feb	NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory lands in the Pacific Ocean after failing to reach Earth's orbit.
25 Feb	Antarctica's subglacial Gamburtsev Mountain Range is mapped for the first time
28 Feb	In a significant development in the history of Indian warship building, the keel of the first indigenous aircraft carrier is laid by Defence Minister Mr. A.K. Anthony at Cochin Shipyard Ltd. in Kochi, Kerala. The Standing Committee of China's NPC approves the Food Safety Law, which will enhance supervision and strengthen quality standards. Novak Djokovic of Serbia clinches the title of the Dubai Open tennis championship, beating David Ferrer of Spain in the final in Dubai, UAE.
March 2009
1 Mar	Accepting the Centre's advice, Hon'ble President Ms. Pratibha Devisingh Patil rejects Chief Election Commissioner Mr. N. Gopalaswami's recommendation that Mr. Navin Chawla be removed as Election Commissioner. ASEAN concludes its annual summit in Hua Hin, Thailand, and calls for coordinated action against the current recession China's first lunar probe, Chang’e 1, impacts the Moon. India clinch the hockey Test series against New Zealand, beating the hosts 2-0 in the fourth and final match in Auckland, New Zealand.
4 Mar	The Union Government announces the appointment of Mr. Navin Chawla as the new Chief Election Commissioner with effect from April 20, 2009
6 Mar	NASA launches Kepler telescope to survey the galaxy in the hope of learning if other planets like the Earth exist.
8 Mar	The 14th World Conference on Tobacco or Health (WCOTH) is inaugurated in Mumbai, Maharashtra. North Korea holds elections for its Supreme People's Assembly Sachin Tendulkar scores his 43rd ODI century (an unbeaten 163 off 133 balls) in the third ODI of the series in Christchurch, New Zealand.
14 Mar	In a crucial meeting in London, the UK, G20 leaders agree on a broad framework to tackle the global financial crisis.
16 Mar	The Pakistani government reinstates the deposed Chief Justice, Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary, surrendering to the demand of the Opposition leader Mr. Nawaz Sharif
19 Mar	Meghalaya is put under President's rule and the State Assembly is kept under suspended animation
20 Mar	Air Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik is appointed the Chief of the Air Staff with effect from June 1,2009. He succeeds Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major
22 Mar	The Fifth World Water Forum, a seven-day focus on the world's water crisis, ends in Istanbul, Turkey, with a pledge by more than 100 countries to strive to provide clean water and proper sanitation facilities for billions in need. The delegates also vow to shore up defences against drought and flood. England defeat New Zealand by four wickets in the final to claim the title of the ICC" Women's World Cup in Sydney, Australia.
23 Mar	Tata Motors launches the much-awaited Rs. 1 lakh car Nano, billed as the "people's car" due to its easy affordability, amid great fanfare in Mumbai, Maharashtra
26 Mar	Mr. Mikhail Leonidovich Gromov, a Russian-French mathematician, is honoured with the Abel Prize for his revolutionary contribution to geometry. This prestigious award is instituted by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters and carries a cash award of NOK 6.000,000.
28 Mar	The election process in 141 Lok Sabha constituencies, spread over 13 States and Union Territories, begins with Hon'ble President Ms. Pratibha Patil issuing a notification for the second phase
31 Mar	Hon'ble President Ms. Pratibha Devisingh Patil gives away the Padma Awards in New Delhi. The winners include Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Dr. Anil Kakodkar, Bollywood actors Ms. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Mr. Akshay Kumar, eminent Tamil writer Mr. D. Jayakanthan and noted Kerala academician Mr. A. Sreedhara Menon, among others. British forces commence their withdrawal from Iraq, six years after the Anglo-American invasion of die country. Indian batsman V.V.S. Laxman returns to the top 20 of ICC Test rankings, up six places to the 15th position.
April 2009
1 Apr	The Cancer Research Foundation India launches an awareness programme under the "Conquer Cancer Campaign" for initiating awareness through a dedicated helpline in the urban areas. Israeli Prime Minister Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu officially assumes the reins of power of the country, along with a 30-member cabinet. India's Gaganjit Bhullar qualifies for playing in this year's British Open golf tournament by winning the international final qualifying event for Asia in Singapore.
2 Apr	Leaders of the world’s largest economies at the G20 Summit in London pledge additional SLA trillion in resources for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other multilateral institutions to boost global growth.
5 Apr	Delhi girl Ms. Ekta Chowdhry is crowned Miss India Universe 2009 at the Femina Miss India pageant held in Mumbai; Ms. Pooja. Chopra of Pune is crowned Miss India World and Shriya Kishore of Mumbai is crowned Miss India Earth. North Korea announces the successful launch of an indigenous communication satellite.
6 Apr	Team India's mainstay Rahul Dravid takes the 182nd catch of his Test career in the final Test against New Zealand in Wellington, thus setting the world record for most Test catches (excluding wicketkeepers), overtaking Australian Mark Waugh's tally.
7 Apr	India record their first Test series win in New Zealand in 41 years, taking the series 1 -0, even as the third and final Test ends in a draw in Wellington, New Zealand.
8 Apr	For the first time. Pakistan acknowledges that besides Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab, some of the other terrorists invoked in the Mumbai attack may have also been Pakistanis
10 Apr	Chandrayaan-1 sends back some important images, one of them being its first full-Earth image captured by the Terrain Mapping Camera (TMC) on board. These images, taken from 4,00,000 km away, with India at the centre, show Asia and West Asia, parts of Africa and Australia forming a terrestrial ring around the Indian Ocean.
12 Apr	In a significant decision, the Supreme Court of India holds that the Appellate Authority (AA), even while affirming the order of the Disciplinary Authority (DA), must give reasons for arriving at the decision. India lift the Sultan Azlan Shah hockey tournament title after a gap of 13 years, beating Malaysia 3-1 in the final at Ipoh, Malaysia.
13 Apr	Tech Mahindra outbids Larsen & Toubro and Wilbur Ross to acquire the beleaguered San-am Computer Services; it will shell out Rs. 2.889 crore for 51 percent stake in Satyam. Swiss architect Mr. Peter Zumthor is chosen for the Pritzker Prize 2009, a prestigious honour which is considered an equal to the Nobel Prize in architecture.
16 Apr	Polling in 124 of the 543 Lok Sabha constituencies—the first of the five-phase elections—witness 58-62 percent turnout
17 Apr	At an international conference held in Tokyo, Japan, donors led by the L'S and Japan pledge more than $5 billion to stabilise Pakistan's troubled economy and fight the spread of terrorism.
19 Apr	Ace Indian cueist Pankaj Advani wins a record third Asian billiards championship title, beating Singapore's Peter Gilchrist in the final of the Asian billiards championship in Pune, Maharashtra.
20 Apr	In a flawless mission, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV C-12) puts in orbit Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT-2), a surveillance satellite, and ANUSAT, the first satellite built by a university (Anna University, Chennai).
23 Apr	French swimmer Alain Bernerd breaks the world record in the 100-metre freestyle event at the French swimming championship, winning the event at 46.94 seconds.
24 Apr	The Government of Oman, through its ambassador to India, urges India to sign the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council
25 Apr	South Africa's long-dominant African National Congress (ANC) party wins over-whelmingly in the parliamentary elections, but fails to get the majority it won in the last elections. The victory puts Mr. Jacob Zuma in line for presidency
26 Apr	Governments around the world rush to check the spread of H1N1, a new type of virulent swine flu
30 Apr	The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) announces the launch of the New Pension System (NPS) for all citizens of the country with immediate effect The six-year British military occupation of Iraq ends formally, a month ahead of schedule, amid conflicting claims whether it was worth the cost and loss of lives. India's Asher Noria clinches the Gold in the double trap event of the International juniors' competition in Suhl, Germany.
May 2009
1 May	Official data reveal that India's merchandise export plummeted by 33.3 percent in dollar terms in March 2009. Workers, trade unions and leftist politicians across Europe mark May Day or International Labour Day with massive demonstrations demanding jobs, better wages and pensions. Australia beat Pakistan by eight wickets in the fourth ODI of the series in Abu Dhabi, UAE, to take the series with an unassailable 3-1 lead.
4 May	Nine months after he was elected the first Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, Mr. Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda” announces his resignation from the office in Kathmandu, the capital of the nation
9 May	Mr. Jacob Zuma the indefatigable fighter against apartheid is sworn in as liberated South Africa’s fourth President in Johannesburg
12 May	Russian Prime Minister Mr. Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Mr. Taro Aso signs Nuclear Supply deal in Tokyo, Japan, under which Russia will supply fuel and technology to energy-starved Japan.
13 May	The elections to the 15th Lok Sabha comes to an end with the completion of the fifth and final phase. According to official reports, around 5960 percent of the 71.37 crore voters in the country exercised their franchise in the month-long elections to elect 543 members to the Lok Sabha
15 May	NASA launches two robotic probes—the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and the Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS). It is the first step towards returning humans to the Moon by 2020.
16 May	The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) led by the Indian National-Congress storms back to power at the Centre winning 261 seats in the general elections held in April-May 2009; the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) garners 159 seats while Left parties win just 24 seats. Others including SP (23), BSP (21) and BJD bag 99 seats. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) announces that Sri Lanka and Belarus will be granted dialogue partner status at the group's summit to be held in June 2009. South Korea wins their third Asia Cup hockey title, beating Pakistan 1-0 in the final in Kuantan, Malaysia.
17 May	China retains the Sudirman Cup world badminton championship title, defeating South Korea in the final in Guangzhou, China.
19 May	Ending all speculations, the Sri Lankan Government announces that troops engaged in combing operations in the Mullaithivu coast, where the LTTE were pitted in the last standoff against the military, have recovered the body of LTTE supremo V. Prabhakaran. The nuclear-capable Agni-II missile, with a strike range of up to 3,000 km, is successfully test-fired from a launch pad off the Orissa coast.
22 May	Dr. Manmohan Singh is sworn in as the Prime Minister of India for a second consecutive term along with 19 Cabinet colleagues—majority of them from Congress and only two from other allies—as part of the first phase of government formation
24 May	Deccan Chargers, last year's wooden spooners, clinch the title of the IPL-2, beating Bangalore Royal Challengers in the final by six runs at Johannesburg, South Africa.
25 May	Cyclone Aila hits West Bengal, killing a large number of people and affecting lakhs in the State. Mr. Madhav Kumar Nepal takes oath as the new Prime Minister of Nepal
27 May	Justice Arijit Pasayat, retired Supreme Court Judge, assumes charge as Chairperson of the Competition Appellate Tribunal for tenure of three years. Canadian short story writer Ms. Alice Munro wins the prestigious £60,000 Man Booker International Prize. Russia successfully launches a spacecraft to boost the strength of the crew of the Inter-national Space Station (ISS) from three to six.
31 May	Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik takes over as the Chief of the Air Staff. In the Asian Security Summit held in Singapore, Pakistan offers to play a constructive role in Afghanistan. Casey Stoner of Australia wins the Italian MotoGP Grand Prix title in Mugello, Italy.
June 2009
1 June		The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) announces that the mobile subscriber base in India has crossed the staggering 40-crore mark. Ignoring opposition from Israel, a UN team enters Gaza to investigate possible war crimes and other violations of international law during Israel's assault on the coastal strip in early 2009. The Indian women's team finishes fourth in the Asian women's rugby tournament in Pattaya, Thailand.
3 June		Ms. Meira Kumar is unanimously elected as the first women Speaker of the Lok Sabha; she also becomes the first Dalit to be elected to this prestigious post
6 June		India's Leander Paes and Lukas Dlouhy of the Czech Republic win the men's doubles title of the 2009 French Open tennis tournament with a 3-6, 63, 6-2 win over Wesley Moodie of South Africa and Belgium's Dick Norman.
9 Jun		Genpact, one of the world's largest business process outsourcing companies, signs an MoU with the Government of Bhutan to train personnel and develop information technology-enabled services in the mountain nation
11 June		Kaguya, Japan's first lunar satellite is successfully manoeuvred to crash onto the Moon.
12 June		India, along with 27 other countries, signs the Inter-governmental Agreement on the Trans-Asian Railway (TAR) network, which aims at linking the railroad systems in Asia and Europe. Besides India, the signatories include Cambodia, Mongolia, South Korea, Russia, Tajikistan and Thailand, among others. The United Nations Security Council votes unanimously to slap tougher sanctions on North Korea in response to its nuclear test in violation of the UN resolutions.
16 June		The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit is held in Yekaterinburg, Russia
18 June		NASA successfully blasts two probes into space on a mission to scout water resources and landing sites in anticipation of sending humans back to the Moon in 2020.
21 June		The eagerly-awaited Acropolis Museum, which houses 4,000 ancient sculptures that once adorned the Acropolis, opens in Athens, Greece. Pakistan emerge winners of the 2009 edition of the ICC World Twenty20, beating Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the final in London, England. Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal scripts history by becoming the first Indian to win a Super Series tournament after she clinches the Indonesian Open title with a stunning victory over the higher ranked Chinese Lin Wang in Jakarta, Indonesia.
24 June		Uttarakhand Health Minister Mr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank is unanimously elected as the new Chief Minister of the State replacing Maj. Gen. (Retd.) B.C. Khanduri
25 June		Mr. Nandan M. Nilekani, the Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors of Infosys Technologies, is appointed as the Chairperson of the Unique Identification (UID) Authority of India. It is a new agency set up to provide unique identification numbers to all citizens for accessing various government services. A research carried out by a team of European scientists reveals that huge geysers on Saturn's moon Enceladus may be fed by a salty sea below its surface.
26 June		Michael Jackson, the American pop superstar, passes away at the age of 50 in Los Angeles, USA
29 June		On the sidelines of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, France, Trade Ministers of India, Brazil and South Africa come out with a joint declaration asserting that the needs and aspirations of developing countries must remain in the forefront of the Doha Round of World Trade Organisation talks. Brazil beat USA 3-2 in the final to win the title of the Confederations Cup football tournament in Johannesburg, South Africa.
30 June		The Bandra-Worli Sea Link, the longest sea bridge in the country, is inaugurated by UPA Chairperson Ms. Sonia Gandhi in Mumbai. In a significant development, the US troops begin withdrawing from Iraq
July 2009
1 July			As a part of the government's decision to spread the reach of the National Security Guards (NSG), Union Home Minister Mr. P. Chidambaram inaugurates an NSG hub in Chennai. Sri Lankan President Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa announces the formation of an All-Party Committee (APC) for development and recon-ciliation work in the terrorism-ravaged country. World champion Viswanathan Anand of India retains his second place behind Bulgaria's Veselin Topalov in the latest chess world rankings.
2 July			Japanese diplomat Yukiya Amano is elected the next head of the UN atomic watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), succeeding Mohamed ElBaradei who retires in November 2009
5 July			Roger Federer of Switzerland creates history by clinching his 15th Grand Slam, when he beats Andy Roddick of USA in the marathon final of the Wimbledon 2009.
6 July			Union Finance Minister Mr. Pranab Mukherjee unveils the Union Budget 2009-10 in the Lok Sabha. In the Budget, he seeks to trade off higher fiscal deficit with growth
9 July			Leaders of the G8 industrial nations and the G5 developing countries at their Summit in L'Aquila, Italy call for an ambitious and balanced conclusion to the Doha Development Round of trade talks in 2010. The leaders also stress that the standstill commitments made at the London G20 summit must be adhered to
14 June			Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh attends the Bastille Day parade in Paris, France, The Indian delegation attends the event as Guest of Honour, on a day that marks the 220th anniversary of the French Revolution
16 July			The Union Government proposes to launch an ambitious Rs. 1,600-crore scheme for the development of one million hectares of fringe forests and adjoining non-forest lands in villages across the country. The 15th NAM Summit concludes in Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt
17 July			ISRO announces that Chandrayaan-1’s star sensors--vital in determining the orientation of the spacecraft--have failed.
20 July			India and die US take the bilateral relations a step forward, with the visiting US Secretary of State Ms. Hillary Clinton signing three agreements—the military end user agreement, the technology safeguards agreement, and the science and technology cooperation agreement. Four-time women's boxing world champion M.C. Mary Kom is chosen by the Government of India for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, the country's highest sporting honour, for the year 2008.
22 July			A total solar eclipse, the longest of its kind of the 21st century, sweeps across a narrow swathe of Asia, visible in totality from many regions of India. At the sidelines of the conference of the Foreign Ministers of two dozen countries in Phuket, Thailand, India's External Affairs Minister Mr. S. M. Krishna holds his first meeting with his Chinese counterpart Mr. Yang Jiechi. In the meeting, the representatives of the two Asian powerhouses resolve to further deepen their ties, especially in bilateral trade. A NASA report reveals that Jupiter was recently struck by a large object-possibly a comet or a block of ice-which has left a Earth-sized dent in its gaseous atmosphere.
25 June			Indonesian President Mr. Sushilo Bambang Yudhoyono is re-elected by a landslide margin
26 July			With the launch of INS Arihant in Visakhapatnam, India joins the elite club of nations having nuclear submarine capability. With the launch of this 110-metre, 6,000-tonne submarine, India becomes only the sixth country after the US, the UK, China, Russia and France and the only country in the Indian Ocean region to possess this advanced capability. Last year's winner Alberto Contador of Spain wins the title of the 2009 Tour de France.
31 July			The Supreme Court asks the Centre to take up with the State Governments and ensure that there is no unauthorised constructions of temples, churches, mosques and gurdwaras on public streets/public places. Aaron Peirsol of USA wins the 200-metre backstroke. title at the World swimming championship in Rome, Italy. The Government of Sri Lanka relaxes the restrictions on deep sea fishing--in force since 2005 due to terrorism--in the northern seas
August 2009
1 Aug				Ms. Nirupama Rao takes charge as the Foreign Secretary. Corazon Aquino, whose name remains indelibly linked to the "people's power" of the 1980s in the Philippines, passes away at 76. India defeat South Africa by 17 runs in the final to win the Emerging Players Tournament in Brisbane, Australia.
3 Aug				Prominent Indian social activist Mr. Deep Joshi is named along with five others for the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for 2009, which is considered Asia's equivalent of Nobel Prize
5 Aug				Mr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is sworn in as the President of Iran
12 Aug				The Centre releases the draft of the new Direct Taxes Code. The new code proposes 10 percent income tax if the total yearly income exceeds Rs. 1.6 lakh but does not exceed Rs. 10 lakh. It proposes two other slabs: where the total income exceeds Rs. 10 lakh but does not exceed Rs. 25 lakh, it proposes a tax of Rs. 84,000 plus 20 percent of the amount by which the total income exceeds Rs. 10 lakh. In the slab where the total income exceeds Rs. 25 lakh, it proposes Rs. 3.84 lakh plus tax at the rate of 30 percent of the amount by which the total income exceeds Rs. 25 lakh. The code is proposed to come into effect from April 1, 2011
15 Aug				Member-states of the forum of East Asia Summit (EAS), including India and China, hold a meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, wherein they collectively express themselves against all forms of protectionism in trade and investment.
16 Aug				Olympic champion and the "Fastest Man on Earth" Usain Bolt of Jamaica obliterates his own 100 m world record (9.69 sec, registered at Beijing Olympics 2008) to win the World Athletics Championship final in a breathtaking 9.58 seconds in Berlin, Germany.
20 Aug				Afghan voters defy the threat of Taliban rebels and come out to vote in the Presidential elections of the country, counting of votes also begins
23 Aug				18-year old Miss Venezuela Ms. Stefania Fernandez clinches the coveted 2009 Miss Universe title at the pageant held in Nassau, Bahamas. England regain the Ashes Trophy after beating Australia by 197 runs on the fourth day of the deciding fifth Test.
26 Aug				In a significant development, the fudges of the Supreme Court of India, including Chief Justice of India KG. Balakrishnan, agree to make public their statements of assets, which they declared at the time of their appointment to the Supreme Court, and subsequent additions, if any
28 Aug				The former Indian Coast Guard ship Vigraha is inducted into the Sri Lankan Navy (SLN) at the Trincomalee Navy Dockyard in Sri Lanka; the ship is formally commissioned and renamed SUWS Sayurala.
29 Aug				Space shuttle Discovery blasts off from NASA's space station at Cape Canaveral, Florida to the International Space Station (ISS) on a 13-day mission to equip the space station. Hon'ble President Ms. Pratibha Patil presents the National Sports and Adventure Awards to the recipients at a glittering function in New Delhi. This is for the first time that the nation honours three sportspersons with the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award for the same year—four-time world boxing champion M.C. Mary Kom, and Beijing Olympic Bronze medallists Vijender Singh (Boxing) and Sushil Kumar (Wrestling).
30 Aug				The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), led by Mr. Yukio Hatoyama, registers a landslide victory in Japan's parliamentary elections, ousting the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has been in power in the country for all but 11 months since 1955. The ISRO calls off the Chandrayaan-1 mission, as there is no possibility of retrieving it; it, however, says that the Chandrayaan-2 mission will be on track as per schedule (2012-13).
31 Aug				Vice-Admiral Nirmal Kumar Verma takes over as the new Chief of Naval Staff; he succeeds Admiral Sureesh Mehta. The Colombo High Court of Sri Lanka sentences senior Tamil journalist Mr. J. Tissainayagam to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). India retain the Nehru Cup football title, beating Syria in the final 6-5 in New Delhi.
September 2009
1 Sep			Renowned missile scientist Dr. V.K. Saraswat assumes office as the Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister and Director-General of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Fiji is suspended from the Commonwealth after it fails to meet a deadline to make progress towards restoring democracy in the nation. Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka reclaims the top spot in ICC's batsman rankings in Tests.
2 Sep			The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, which makes education a fundamental right of every child in the 6-15 years group, comes into force with the Presidential assent
4 Sep			Signalling a breakthrough in the deadlock over global trade talks, stuck since July 2008, the New Delhi Ministerial Meeting on re-energising the trade talks announces the resumption of Doha Round of WTO talks
7 Sep			In a radical. revamp for school education. Union Human Resource Development Minister Mr. Kapil Sibal announces that beginning 2011, Class X board examinations will become a thing of the past: instead, students will be promoted to senior secondary level through internal assessment. Ace cueist Pankaj Advani of India clinches the tide of the 2009 Professional World Billiards Championship in Leeds, England, outclassing Mike Russell of Qatar in the final.
10 Sep			Olympic Bronze medallist Indian boxer Vijender Singh creates history by becoming the first Indian to win a medal at the World Boxing Championship, after beating Ukrainian Sergiy Derevyanchenko to enter the semi-final at the 2009 edition of the event in Milan, Italy.
12 Sep			The Centre unveils the Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY), under which States that are ready to accord property rights to slum dwellers will be assisted by the Centre to upgrade their slums. The Rural Development Ministry says in a report that 50 percent of Indians are below the poverty line if one takes into account the criterion of calorie intake.
14 Sep			India win the Compaq Cup tri-series beating Sri Lanka in the final in Colombo, Sri Lanka, riding on Sachin Tendulkar's 44th ODI century (138) and Harbhajan Singh's five-wicket haul (5 for 56).
15 Sep			Nobel winning US agricultural scientist Norman Borlaug, widely hailed as the "Father of Green Revolution", passes away in USA. In one of the biggest upsets in tennis history, Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina defeats Swiss maestro Roger Federer in the final to lift the title of the 2009 US Open men's singles title in New York, USA.
16 Sep			Mr. Yukio Hatoyama is appointed as the Prime Minister of Japan; he becomes the 60th person to hold this office and the 93rd Prime Minister of the nation
17 Sep			NASA astronomers find the coldest place in the solar system inside the craters in the Moon's south pole. Temperature in the area is 397 degrees below zero, which is just 62 degrees higher than the lowest temperature possible.
20 Sep			Riding on the brilliant display of Somdev Devvarman, India defeat South Africa 4-1 in the World Group play-off in Johannesburg, South Africa, thus entering the Davis Cup World Group after an 11-year gap.
23 Sep			In what is the 15th successful launch of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) in a row, the PSLV C-14 blasts off from the Sriharikota space station, and puts India's Oceansat-2 and six foreign nano satellites in orbit.
24 Sep			The Summit of G20 major economies gets underway in Pittsburg, USA. In a significant discovery, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announces that the NASA-supplied Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) on board Chandrayaan-1, India's first Moon mission, had found traces of water across the surface of large parts of the Moon.
27 Sep			Iran test-fires three missiles, including a solid-fuelled weapon which can target several destinations in the region including Israel, heightening tensions among world powers. Australian scientists find 850 new species in the underground caves of the Australian Outback, including various species of invertebrates like spiders, insects and worms.
28 Sep			German Chancellor Ms. Angela Markel is re-elected for a second four-year term to govern the country. Chinese researchers unearth the fossil of a bird-like dinosaur with wings, which they suggest is a crucial missing link in dinosaurs' evolution into birds.
29 Sep			In a landmark development, Iran announces that it will allow the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to inspect its second uranium plant to help allay fears about its nuclear intentions. Indian boxing's pride Vijender Singh, Olympic and World Championship Bronze medal winner, achieves yet another first for Indian boxing by becoming the world's top ranked pugilist in the middleweight category.
30 Sep			Legendary playback singer Manna Dev is chosen for the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke Award for 2007.
October 2009
1 Oct				The Union Government makes major changes in the Mega Power Policy, under which States controlling the power distribution system will be allowed to purchase power from mega power units in a bid to encourage such projects. Iran and six global powers—five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany—begin nuclear talks in Geneva, Switzerland. Gautam Gambhiris named ICC Test Cricketer of the Year; M.S. Dhoni is adjudged the ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year, while Australia's Mitchell Johnson wins the Cricketer of the Year award.
2 Oct				The Centre renames the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act as the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act. Brazilian city Rio de Janeiro gets the right to host the 2016 Olympics.
3 Oct				India is unanimously elected the Second Vice-Chair of the G24 countries Tiger Woods of USA becomes the first athlete in history to surpass $1 billion in career earnings.
5 Oct				Americans Elizabeth H. Blackburn, Carol W. Greider and Jack W. Szostak win the 2009 Nobel Prize in Medicine for discovering a key mechanism in the genetic operations in cells, an insight that has inspired new lines of research into cancer. Australia win the Champions Trophy, defeating New Zealand in the final by six wickets in Centurion, .South Africa.
6 Oct				Three Americans—Charles K. Kao, Willard S. Boyle and George E. Smith, whose 1960 research laid the foundation for today's world of computer images and lightning fast communication, share the 2009 Nobel Prize in Physics.
7 Oct				India-born American Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, his fellow countryman Thomas Steitz and Israeli scientist Ada Yonath share the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, for showing how the ribosome, which produces protein, functions at the atomic level. British novelist Ms. Hillary Mantel's historical novel Wolf Hall wins this year's Man Booker Prize beating five other contenders, including two previous Booker winners
8 Oct				Ms. Herta Mueller, a member of Romania's ethnic German minority, wins the 2009 Nobel Prize in Literature. NASA crashes two spacecraft, the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite and its Centaur rocket, into an eternally dark crater, in search of water.
9 Oct				US President Mr. Barack Obama, who is just nine months into his term, sensationally wins the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize
12 Oct				Americans Elinor Ostrom and Oliver Williamson jointly win the 2009 Nobel Economics Prize for their analyses of economic governance—the rules by which people exercise authority in companies and economic systems.
15 Oct				India and Russia finalise a new 10-year military cooperation pact that will enhance bilateral relations. US President Mr. Barack Obama signs into law the Kerry-Lugar Bill that triples the US non-military assistance to Pakistan to SI.5 billion annually over the next five years
16 Oct				India notifies its separation plan to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), under which 14 of its 22 nuclear reactors will be placed under safeguards of the watchdog by 2014. Five countries—Nigeria, Brazil, Bosnia. Lebanon and Gabon—are elected as the new members of die UN Security Council.
17 Oct				The Maldives Cabinet holds the world's first underwater meeting to highlight the dangers posed to low-lying nations by global warming. Ghana become the first African nation to win the under-20 football World Cup, when they beat Brazil 4-3 in the final of the 2009 edition in Cairo, Egypt.
18 Oct				Britain's Jenson Button is crowned Formula One world champion when he secures the fifth place in the Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
20 Oct				Union Finance Minister Mr. Pranab Mukherjee launches the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), which is mandated to impart skills to 30 percent of the overall target of 500 million people by the year 2022
22 Oct				The results of the Assembly elections in Maharashtra, Haryana and Arunachal Pradesh are announced. Congress wins 42 seats out of 60 in Arunachal; in Maharashtra, Congress (82 seats)-NCP (62) coalition retains power; and in Haryana, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) wins 31 seats against Congress' 40 in a House of 90
23 Oct				The New South Wales Blues win the inaugural Airtel-Champions League Twenty20 championship, defeating Trinidad & Tobago by 41 runs in the final in Hyderabad.
24 Oct				Dr. K. Radhakrishnan (60), Director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, is appointed Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). He succeeds Dr. G. Madhavan Nair. The seventh ASEAN-India meet is held on the sidelines of the 15th Association of South East Asian Nations Summit in Hua Hin, Thailand. At the meet, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh proposes the establishment of a joint task force to ensure a substantive outcome for India's 10th summit with ASEAN in 2012; he also offers to play host to the bilateral gathering that year.
25 Oct				India grants Market Economy Status to Vietnam, which responds by entering the India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement which India had signed with the other members of the 10-nation bloc in August 2009
27 Oct				NASA tests Ares I-X, a prototype rocket that carries the hope of returning humans to the Moon, and for the first time to Mars. It is also the world's tallest rocket to be ever launched.
29 Oct				The first-ever fighter-level exercise between the air forces of India and Oman comes to an end at the Royal Air Force of Oman's Thumrait airbase. Britain's Queen Elizabeth formally hands over the Commonwealth Games baton to visiting President Ms. Pratibha Patil in London. After the formal handing-over, prominent Indian sports personalities set off a relay race that will eventually cover more than 1,90,000 km over 340 days across various Commonwealth nations. The race will come to an end when the baton finally reaches New Delhi on October 3, 2010
30 Oct				Oasis of the Seas, the world's biggest cruise liner, embarks on its maiden voyage to Florida, USA, from Helsinki, Finland. The liner spans 360 metres, has 2,700 cabins and can accommodate 6,300 passengers and 2,100 crew.
31 Oct				India defeat Australia by six wickets in the third match of the ODI series in New Delhi to take a 2-1 lead in the series.
November 2009
1 Nov					Deriba Merga of Ethiopia wins the men's title of the Airtel Delhi Half-Marathon; Mary Keitani of Kenya wins the women's race.
2 Nov					Twenty-one Judges of the Supreme Court, including Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan, declare their assets, giving details of movable and immovable property owned by them and their spouses on the Supreme Court website. Afghanistan's Election Commission proclaims President Mr. Hamid Karzai the victor of the country's tumultuous presidential elections, cancelling a planned run-off and ending a political crisis that began with a fraud-marred first round in .August 2009.
4 Nov					Soumya Swaminathan of India becomes the girls' champion in the World Junior Chess Championship at Puerto Madryn, Argentina.
5 Nov					In the fifth match of the India-Australia ODI series at Hyderabad, Sachin Tendulkar scores a brilliant 175 off 141 balls, which is the 45th ODI century of his career. Despite his heroics, India go down by three runs in the match.
6 Nov					The 10th India-European Union (EU) Summit is held in New Delhi; the summit is chaired by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, while the EU is represented by European Commission President Mr. Jose Manuel Barroso and Swedish Prime Minister Mr. Fredrik Reinfeldt, whose country currently heads the EU. Among various crucial agreements, the two sides also sign an important pact to promote joint research in nuclear fusion. The two sides also decide to put negotiations for a free trade agreement on the fast track The UN General Assembly endorses the Goldstone Report, which focuses mainly on alleged Israeli war crimes and crimes against humanity during the infamous Gaza War.
7 Nov					A team of Japanese and American scientists announces the discovery of 22 extremely distant galaxies which may have been born 787 million years after the Big Bang.
8 Nov					Inaugurating the 25th India Economic Summit, organised in New Delhi by the World Economic Forum in association with FICCI, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh unveiled the broad contours of decision-making on future economic reforms. The UN Development Fund for Women launches an international campaign in the Kenyan capital Nairobi to mobilise people around the world to take part in a drive to stop the pandemic of violence suffered by women.
9 Nov					A crucial agreement is reached between Nepal and China to start flights on the Kathmandu-Lhasa route in 2010, making Nepal the first country in the world to operate flights to Lhasa (Tibet).
11 Nov					Australia clinche the ODI series against India by a 4-2 margin, even as the last of the seven-match series in Mumbai is abandoned due to rain.
13 Nov					National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), USA, says that its bombardment of the Moon's surface has discovered beds of water ice at the lunar pole.
15 Nov					The two-day summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) concludes in Singapore. In the summit, the leaders of the 21 APEC economies pledge to promote inclusive and sustainable growth to ensure a durable recovery.
16 Nov					The UN Hunger Summit is held in Rome, Italy; in the summit, the participants pledge to combat food shortages around the world.
18 Nov					US President Mr. Barack Obama wraps up his three-day China visit, after discussing trade-related issues with Chinese Premier Mr. Wen Jiabao.
19 Nov					Bangladesh Prime Minister Ms. Sheikh Hasina is chosen for the prestigious Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for 2009. China retain the men's team title at the 19th Asian table tennis championship in Lucknow; they also clinch the women's team title in the tournament.
					The Centre approves the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission, which aims to add 20,000 MW of power in India by 2022
20 Nov					Belgian PM Mr. Herman Von Rompuy is elected as the first President of the 27-member European Union (EU); Ms. Catherine Ashton of Britain is elected as the High Representative of Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar becomes the first cricketer to score 30,000 international runs, a feat he achieves in the first Test of the India-Sri Lanka series in Ahmedabad; the match ends in a draw.
21 Nov					The Large Hadron Collider (LHC), developed by the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN), starts functioning again after a break of 14 months. Scientists hope that the LHC, popularly known as the Big Bang Machine, will help them understand the origin of the Universe.
22 Nov					Larissa Ramos of Brazil wins the 2009 Miss Earth title at the pageant held in Boracay, the Philippines. Usain Bolt of Jamaica and Sanya Richards of USA are named the IAAF World Athletes of the Year in a ceremony held in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
23 Nov					India test-fires its nuclear-capable Agni-II Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile at night for the first time from the Wheeler Island off the Odhisa coast
24 Nov					The report of the Liberhan Commission, appointed to find out the facts behind the demolition of the Babri Masjid, is tabled in the Parliament. The report comes down strongly on the entire Sangh Parivar, accusing them of manipulating the common masses and turning them into a frenzied mob. The summit meeting between US President Mr. Barack Obama and visiting Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh is held at the White House in Washington, USA. The meeting ends on an optimistic note with Mr. Obama affirming that the relationship between the two nations is one of the "defining partnerships of the 21st century"
25 Nov					Hon'ble President Ms. Pratibha Patil creates history by becoming the first woman head of state to fly in a fighter jet. She completes a 30-minute sortie aboard a Sukhoi at a height of 8,000 feet.
27 Nov					The French Parliament unanimously adopts the Indo-French civil nuclear deal, paving the way for French companies to invest in India.
28 Nov					India and Canada reach a crucial deal on civil nuclear cooperation, paving the way for the supply of Canadian atomic technology, equipment and uranium to India
29 Nov					Italy win their first-ever World Cup golf title, defeating Sweden and Ireland in the three-way final round in Shenzhen, China.
30 Nov					The 2009 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) concludes in Port-of-Spain, after reaching some key agreements on various crucial matters including the issue of climate change
December 2009
1 Dec						Union Minister for Tourism Kumari Selja launches the MV Aquamarine, a cruise ship, from Kochi, Kerala; it is the first international cruise ship to operate from a port in India. Star Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi wins the Golden Ball, awarded to the European Footballer of the Year, following an exceptional season with Spanish giants Barcelona.
2 Dec						US President Mr. Barack Obama unveils a new Afghan strategy, saying that the US will send 30,000 more troops to the war-torn nation. He also says that the US will make an effort to pull out of Afghanistan by July 2011
4 Dec						The Nepal Cabinet holds a historic meeting at the Everest Base Camp in Kalapatthar to send a message to the world that the Himalayas in Nepal are melting because of climate change triggered by carbon emissions in big countries.
5 Dec						Spain retain the Davis Cup by taking an unassailable 3-0 lead over Czech Republic in the final in Barcelona, Spain. This is Spain's fourth tide since 2000.
6 Dec						India beat touring Sri Lanka by an innings and 24 runs in the third and final Test of the series in Mumbai, thus completing a 2-0 series sweep. The series win takes India to the top spot in the ICC Test Rankings for the first time. Australia claims the men's field hockey Champions Trophy for a record 10th time, beating Germany in the final of the 2009 edition in Melbourne, Australia.
7 Dec						In a significant development, India and Russia conclude a breakthrough long-term pact for expanding civil nuclear cooperation that is free from any restrictions on India and guarantees it against any curb in the future. Under the agreement signed during Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's visit to Moscow, Russia will set up more nuclear reactors in India, transfer the full range of nuclear energy technologies and ensure uninterrupted supply of fuel. The UN Climate Change Conference 2009 opens amid much anticipation in Copenhagen, Denmark.
8 Dec						The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) adds yet another feather to its cap, with its scientists succeeding in completely sequencing the genome of an individual. This spectacular feat enables India to join a league of select countries—the US, the UK, Canada, China and South Korea. Australia retains the Frank Worrell Trophy with a draw against West Indies in the second Test of the series in Adelaide, Australia, thus gaining a 1-0 lead in the three match series.
9 Dec						In a crucial development, the Centre announces that the process of forming the State of Telangana will be initiated and appropriate resolution moved in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly.
11 Dec						Asian champion Suranjoy Singh becomes the first Indian boxer to clinch a Gold medal in the intercontinental President's Cup; he defeats Frenchman Nordine Oubaali in the final to win the Gold at the 51-kg category in the 2009 edition of the tournament, where confederations from Asia, America, Europe, Africa and Oceania are pitted against one another.
12 Dec						Kaiane Aldorino of Gibraltar wins the 2009 Miss World crown in the pageant held in Johannesburg, South Africa, defeating 111 contestants from all over the world. This is the first Miss World title for Gibraltar. Miss Mexico Perla Beltran finishes second, while Miss South Africa Tatum Keshwar becomes the second runner-up.
13 Dec						India successfully test-fires the nuclear-capable ballistic missile Dhanush from a warship in the Bay of Bengal off the Orissa coast.
14 Dec						New Zealand clinch the title of the 2009 Champions Challenge hockey tournament, beating Pakistan 4-2 in the final in Salta, Argentina; India bag the Bronze medal defeating hosts Argentina in the playoff match.
15 Dec						Boeing's revolutionary lightweight 787 Dreamliner takes to the skies for the first time from an airport in USA, marking the advent of a new era in air transport. It is the largest passenger jet made mostly of composite material.
17 Dec						An international study reveals that scientists have identified all the changes in cells of lung and skin cancer to produce the first entire cancer genome map.
18 Dec						The UN Climate Change Summit 2009 held in Copenhagen, Denmark, ends with pact named "Copenhagen Accord". The accord promises a mobilisation of $100 billion in annual funding for developing countries to meet the challenges of climate change from 2020 and also pledges about $30 billion by 2012. It sets a target limiting temperature increases to a maximum of two degrees Celsius, but fails to specify the greenhouse gas emission cuts that nations need to commit themselves to in order to meet that goal.
19 Dec						Spanish club Barcelona becomes the first team in the world to win six tournaments in a calendar year, winning the Club World Cup title for the year 2009, defeating Estudiantes of Argentina in the final in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
20 Dec						The world's first osmotic power plant, which can utilise the energy when fresh water encounters sea water to produce clean electricity, is unveiled in Norway.
22 Dec						India and Bhutan hold summit-level talks in New Delhi. In the summit, a dozen pacts are signed between Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and visiting Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk. Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi wins the FIFA Player of the Year at a glittering ceremony held in Zurich, Switzerland; Brazilian player Marta is adjudged the Woman Player of the Year.
24 Dec						The US Senate passes President Mr. Barack Obama's landmark healthcare overhaul by a 60-39 vote, backing sweeping changes in the medical insurance market and new coverage for tens of millions of uninsured Americans. India clinch the ODI series against the touring Sri Lankan side 3-1, winning the fourth match by seven wickets in Kolkata, West Bengal.
26 Dec						China launches the world's fastest train till date, which has the ability to run at an average speed of 350 km per hour.
28 Dec						The Russian Navy inducts the Akula-II Class nuclear attack submarine "K-152 Nerpa"; the induction spells good news for India, and it will be leased to India for a 10-year period.
29 Dec						Japanese Premier Mr. Yukio Hatoyama holds a crucial meeting with his Indian counterpart Dr. Manmohan Singh in New Delhi. During the visit, the two sides finalise a joint action plan to advance security cooperation. They discuss various other issues of mutual interest, including the issue of nuclear cooperation. The two leaders also approve the Rs. 3, 60,000-crore Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) project, which is to be constructed with Japanese assistance. Mr. Hatoyama offers the bullet train technology to India.
30 Dec						England beat hosts South Africa by an innings and 98 runs in the second Test to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series in Durban, South Africa.
31 Dec						Ms. Reena Kaushal becomes the first Indian woman to ski to the South Pole. Ms. Kaushal, based in Delhi, makes the historic ski-run as part of an eight-woman Commonwealth team which crosses a 900-km Antarctic ice trek to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Commonwealth. For the second time in just over a year, Canadian Prime Minister Mr. Stephen Harper temporarily shuts down the Parliament, evoking accusations from opposition politicians that he is abusing parliamentary power for political gains.