Toyota ranked world’s top car seller for 4th year in a row

Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corp. sold over 10 million units worldwide in 2015 and the sale, beating Volkswagen and General Motors, earned the giant car-maker the world’s top car-seller spot for the fourth straight year.

Cognizant buys US-based KBACE Technologies

United States (US) based software services exporter Cognizant Technology Solutions (CTS) has acquired cloud-based computing firm KBACE Technologies. This acquisition will help Cognizant to strength and expands its digital capabilities from its critical business applications to cloud-based IT infrastructures.

India overtakes Thailand as World’s largest Rice exporter

India has overtaken Thailand as the world’s largest rice exporter in the year 2015 by shipping (exporting) 10.23 million tonnes of rice. Thai Rice Exporters Association Chairman Charoen Laodhammatas said that Thailand exported 9.8 million tonnes of rice in 2015, down 10.8 per cent year-on-year. Vietnam was third globally while China remained the number one importer of rice.

India ranks 76 in Corruption Perception Index

India has been ranked 76th out of 168 countries in the recently released 2015 Corruption Perception Index (CPI). The 2015 CPI was the 21st edition of the annual index and was published by the Berlin-based corruption watchdog Transparency International (TI).

  • Top 5 Countries: Denmark (score 91), Finland (score 90), Sweden (89 score), New Zealand, Netherlands (87 score) and Norway (87 score).
  • Bottom 5 Countries: Angola (rank 163), South Sudan (rank 163), Sudan (rank 165), Afghanistan (rank 166), North Korea (rank 167) and Somalia (rank 167).
  • BRICS Countries: South Africa (rank 61), India (76), Brazil (rank 76), China (rank 83) and Russia (rank 119).
  • SAARC Countries: Bhutan (rank 27), India (rank 76), Sri Lanka (rank 83), Pakistan (rank 117), Nepal (rank 130) and Bangladesh (rank 139) and Afghanistan (rank 166).

Astronomers discover largest solar system

Astronomers have discovered the largest known solar system which consists of a star and a massive planet that is 12 to 15 times bigger than Jupiter. The star and the planet have both been identified separately within the past decade but no one has ever made the link between the objects before due to the 1 trillion kilometer distance between the two. Now, scientists have found the planet is actually orbiting the star. Scientists said it takes about 900,000 years for the gargantuan planet to orbit its star. This solar system has large planet known as 2MASS J2126-8140.

3 Indian-origin persons get Australia’s top civilian award

Three Indian-origin persons have been awarded Australia’s highest civilian honour for their contribution in the fields of physics, engineering and medicine.
Chennupati Jagadish, an eminent professor at Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra, Jay Chandra, an eye doctor in New South Wales, and Sajeev Koshy,a dentist in Melbourne, received Order of Australia medal for the year 2016 announced on the Australia Day.

Barney Miller and Godfather Actor Abe Vigoda Passes Away

Actor Abe Vigoda, best known for his roles in the TV series Barney Miller and The Godfather films has passed away of old age at 94.

David Warner wins Allan Border medal

David Warner was named Australia’s Test player of the year, beating captain Steve Smith for the Allan Border Medal.

  • Warner won Australian cricket’s highest individual prize — judged on performances in Tests and one-dayers over the season — with 240 votes, 21 ahead of Smith and 57 more than Mitchell Starc.
  • All-rounder Glenn Maxwell was named one-day-international player of the year and Adam Voges the domestic player of the year.