Current Affairs June 2010 - III

·        Delhi is set to get the country's first commercial waste-to-power plant of 16 MW capacity that will convert one third of Capital's garbage into much-needed electricity for six lakh homes.

·        Finland has emerged as the most prosperous country in the world after an extensive survey conducted by the Legatum Prosperity Index, which claims to be the world's only global assessment of wealth and wellbeing. Switzerland, one of the world's most popular tourist spots, grabbed the second slot in the index. Among 104 countries, India is ranked at no. 45.

·        Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal continued her rampaging form as she completed a spectacular hat-trick of titles by clinching the Indonesia Open Super Series with a straight-game triumph over Japan's Sayaka Sato in Jakarta. This was Saina's third successive title, having won the Indian Open Grand Prix at home and the Singapore Open Super Series Tournament.

·        Russia launched the second of three stealth frigates for the Indian Navy under USD 1.6 billion deal inked in July 2006. The first of three Project 11356 (modified Krivak III) frigates, named the Teg (Sword), was launched in last November. The third frigate, Trikand (Bow) is due to be delivered in 2011-12. The new frigates, also known as Talwar class, will be armed with eight BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles. They will be also equipped with a 100-mm gun, a Shtil surface-to-air missile system, two Kashtan air-defence gun/missile systems, two twin 533-mm torpedo launchers, and an antisubmarine warfare (ASW) helicopter. Earlier, Russia's Baltiisky Zavod shipyard had built three stealth frigates of the same class - INS Talwar, INS Trishul and INS Tabar.

·        India extended the ban on import of milk and milk products from China for another six months, according to the foreign trade office.

·        The government restructured the existing 10-year-old village self-employment scheme on the recommendations of various committees to rectify shortcomings pointed out by studies. Under the new plan for the Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY), the scheme has been renamed as National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) and it would aim at reducing poverty through promotion of diversified and gainful self-employment and skilled wage employment opportunities.

·        An innovative programme of Gujarat government aimed at easy governance has won a prestigious award instituted by the United Nations. The statewide Attention on Grievances with Application of Technology (SWAGAT) programme has won the United Nations Public Service Award (UNPSA).

·        A 15-year-old title drought came to an end as India won the Asia Cup cricket tournament after crushing defending champions Sri Lanka.

·        American John Isner outlasted Frenchman Mahut to win 6-4 3-6 6-7 (7-9) 7-6 (7-3) 70-68 in the longest match in history, taking 11 hours and five minutes over three days.

·        The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has added island nation Tuvalu located in the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and Australia as its 187th member.

·        India's leading industrialist Ratan Tata, Chairman of the Tata Group, has been conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Law for his role in producing the world's cheapest car Nano.

·        Sachin Tendulkar will be conferred Indian Air Force's honorary rank of Group Captain and the star cricketer said he is proud to be associated with the "dynamic" IAF.

·        New Zealand has acquired the distinction of being the world's most peaceful nation for the second year running, according to the Global Peace Index.

·        The G8 summit has agreed to provide a further $5bn (£3.3bn) over five years towards improving the health of mothers and young children in the developing world.

·        The World Bank said its total lending to India will touch $9.3 billion for the fiscal ending June this year. The total expected lending this year includes $2.6 billion in interest-free credit and $6.7 billion in the form of a long-term, low interest loan.

·        Union Law Minister Veerappa Moily has announced National Litigation Policy to reduce pendency and delay in cases which Central Government is a party. The policy aims at reducing government litigation in courts so that the valuable court time is spent on resolving other pending cases so as to achieve the goal in national legal mission to reduce average pendency time from 15 years to 3 years.

·        Myanmar’s dissident political leader Aung San Suu Kyi has become the first recipient of the new Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Award for democracy instituted by the Pakistan People’s Party in the memory of the slain former premier.

·        The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has assured banks it will keep agriculture loans outside the base rate ambit. The base rate guidelines, issued in April, had barred lending below base rate, except for three categories: loans to banks’ own employees, loans against deposits and small-ticket borrowers under the differential interest rate (DRI) scheme. The addition of the fourth category means agriculture loans can also be priced below the base rate.

·        Freedom fighter and socialist leader Kanduri Charan Mallick died.3

·        India on Friday expressed confidence to achieve trade target of 30 billion dollars with Republic of Korea (ROK) by 2014.

December Current Affairs - 2009

·        Saina Nehwal and Chetan Anand clinched singles titles in their respective categories after winning the finals of the USD 50,000 Jaypee Cup Syed Modi International Grand Prix Badminton tournament in Lucknow.

·        Justice Syed Rafat Alam sworn-in as Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court.

·        Sevantilal J Parekh has been elected as the new president of the prestigious Cricket Club of India here. Parekh defeated Badal Mittal, the incumbent in the during the 75th annual general meeting on December 18-19.

·         Kazakhstan that will take over the OSCE chairmanship on January 1, 2010 is planning to convene a summit of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) member states this year.

·        With a view to impart quality education to students, the Punjab government has sanctioned Rs 23.73 crore for setting up 21 model schools in the state.

·        Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck arrived in New Delhi on a six day state visit to India.

·        Country's top golfer Jeev Milkha Singh has been awarded the honorary life membership of the Professional Golf Tour of India while Bangalore pro Anirban Lahiri was named the Player of the Year.

·        UNESCO has awarded the 2009 Avicenna Prize to leading bioethics scientist Professor Renzong Qiu for his contribution to the field of ethics.

·        Maharashtra government said that 'Economic Offences Wing' would be set up in each district to tackle the rising menace of fraud and cheating by bogus investment firms.

·        India Signs two loan agreements with ADB. The two agreements are:

·        Agreement for US$ 700 million Loan for Second India Infrastructure Project Financing Facility.

·        Agreement for a loan of US $150 million for Khadi Reform and Development Program.

·        Former Australian High Commissioner to India John McCarthy has been appointed as the new Chair of the Australia-India Council (AIC), a body set up to broaden bilateral ties between India and Australia.

·        Rani Mukherji and Prakash Raj won the V Shantaram awards for best actress and best actor for "Dil Bole Haddipa" and "Kanchivaram" respectively.

·        Qatar has one of the lowest crime rates in the world, with an average of 0.5 murders per 100,000 people, according to figures released by the country's general secretariat of the state cabinet.

·        Former US vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin has won the dubious honour of telling the biggest political 'Lie of the Year' -- "death panels".

·        Mexico City's legislature has approved gay marriage, an aide to a city lawmaker told AFP, in the first such law passed anywhere in Latin America.

·        Professor C N R Rao has become the first ever Indian to be awarded the highest international medal in chemistry instituted by the German Chemical Society.

·        Serbia submits EU membership application to join the 27-nation EU, in a move to end years of isolation.

·        Howard Schmidt, a former eBay and Microsoft executive appointed as cybersecurity chief by Barack Obama.

·        India shall continue to be the world's largest milk producer with an expected output of 110 million tonnes in 2008-09.

·        Encouraged by the success of the poverty alleviation project of Andhra Pradesh, the World Bank announced financing of another USD 100 million to the state for improving efficiency and effectiveness of the programme.