Current Affairs : July 16, 2011

Common Service Centre Diwas to be observed on 16^th July, 2011

• Common Service Centre, CSC, Diwas to be observed on 16^th July, 2011
  
• Department of Information and Technology decided to observe it every year to mark the incorporation of CSC e-Governance Services India Ltd on this day in 2009
  

Satellite GSAT-12 functioning well

• The GSAT-12 satellite is functioning well and all operations are proceeding according to plan
  Satellite has been injected into the sub Geo synchronous Transfer Orbit with perigee, nearest point to the earth 284 kms and apogee, the farthest point from the earth 21,000 kms
  
• The orbit will be raised over the next few days
  The solar panels were automatically deployed and were generating power
  
• The Master control Facility at Hassan also took control of the satellite and that the telemetry and telecommand systems were working well
  
• The perigee of the satellite would be raised in a series of operations
  
• Once the final orbit is attained, the payloads will be tested and operationalized
  GSAT has an expected mission life of about eight years
  

Eight banks not able pass the EU stress test with 16 in danger zone

• 8 out of 90 European banks have not been able to pass the Stress Tests designed to ensure they can withstand another financial crisis
  
• As per the European Banking Authority (EBA), which carried out the health-check, another 16 banks were in the danger zone
  
• The EBA called on national financial regulators to ensure that capital shortfalls would be quickly resolved
  
• 5 Spanish banks were not able to pass, as well as one in Austria and two in Greece
  
• Germany’s Helaba pulled out of the stress tests, effectively making it the 9^th bank to join the category
  

14 Taliban members removed from the Sanctions List by UN

• The UNSC (United Nations Security Council) removed 14 former Afghan Taliban leaders from an International blacklist on the request of the Government in Kabul
  
• They include 4 members of the Peace Council set up by the Afghan Government last September to pave the way for talks
  
• But it is understood that the Sanctions Committee refused to remove some other names as requested
  

 Rabi Bernard elected to Rajya Sabha

• The AIADMK nominee for the lone Rajya Sabha seat in Tamil Nadu has been declared elected
  
• Mr. William Rabi Bernard: Popular TV host
  
• Mr. Rabi received the certificate of election from the returning officer and Assembly Secretary Mr A.M.P. Jamaludeen
  

Mumbai Cricket Association Elections: Deshmukh defeats Vengsarkar

• Union Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh defeated former Indian Captain Dilip     Vengsarkar, by 47 votes to become the president of the Mumbai Cricket     Association
  
• Term of Office: Two next years
  

 

Libyan Rebels recognized as Legitimate Government by the 32 Nation Libyan Contact Group

• The Libya Contact Group has formally recognized main opposition group as the Country’s Legitimate Government until a new interim authority is created
  
• The 32-nation Contact Group
  on Libya or the Libya Contact Group includes members of NATO, the EU and the Arab League
  
• The contact group declared Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s regime no longer legitimate
  
• This will potentially open up cash that the rebels fighting Libyan forces urgently need
  

IGRUA to train 200 Pilots in coming years

• Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA)
  
  
• Government owned IGRUA to train 200 pilots in coming years
  
• Academy’s governing council has sought budgetary support from the Government in the 12th Plan for infrastructural requirements
  
• Helicopter Training also to start at IGRUA
  

Cancel meeting with Dalai Lama: China to USA

• China asked the US President Barack Obama to cancel a meeting with the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, which is due to take place
  
• Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said, President Obama should not do anything that could interfere with China’s internal affairs
  
• China accuses the Dalai Lama of being a separatist
  

Nirupama Rao appointed next Ambassador to US

• Nirupama Rao (Foreign Secretary) appointed the next ambassador to the USA
  
• Ms Rao succeeds Meera Shankar as the US Ambassador
  
• 1973-batch IFS officer took over the office of the Foreign Secretary on August 1, 2009, becoming
  
• the second woman to head the Indian Foreign Secretary after Chokila Iyer
  
• She was to retire in December in 2010 at the age of 60 but was given an extension till July-end
  
• as the Government fixed a two-year term for the post of foreign secretary
  
• Ms Rao’s appointment as the next ambassador to USA comes as a significant development in
  
• the backdrop of crucial Indo-US ties
  
• Ms Rao, the first woman spokesperson of the MoEA (Ministry of External Affairs), was
  
• country’s ambassador to Sri Lanka and China before being appointed as the foreign secretary.
  
• Has extensive experience in handling India-China relations
  
• Served in the East-Asia Division of the MEA from 1984 to 1992