Current affairs JULY 2010

GK UPDATES - JULY 2010

NATIONAL
 Indian rupee gets distinct symbol – D. Udaya Kumar – prize Rs 2.5lacs.
 PSLV-C15 launched successfully by ISRO, from Sriharikota, AP – puts five satellites in orbit – main is remote-sensing satellite – CARTOSAT-2B.
 Defence Ministry clears Rs 50,000 crore projects for building six submarines.
 Government proposes to create 14 innovative universities – each as non profit legal entity.
 Indian test-fires its supersonic interceptor missile Advanced Air Defence (AAD) – from Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, Orrisa.
 Government clears Rs. 3023 crore for UID project – Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) – new name ‘Aadhaar‘.
 British PM David Cameron visits India – July 28 – Signs agreement for supply of 57 Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer aircraft to Indian Air Force and Navy.
 Government passes Nalanda University Bill – Rs.1005 crore – Nalanda mentor group head: Prof. Amartya Sen; First international university, promoted jointly with foreign countries.
 Jharkhand tops in Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana.
 World Bank approves $ 430 million to finance the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP).
 West Bengal signs Rs. 920 crore lone agreements with World Bank for developing Panchayati Raj institutions.
 India to launch its first scientific expedition to the South Pole (Antarctica) in November. Maitri: India’s research station in Antarctica.
 PFRDA launches NPS-Lite, new pension scheme for economically disadvantaged sections.
 Three Greenfield airports approved: Pakyong, Sikkim; Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh; Cheithu, Nagaland.
 SBI launches one rupee bank account scheme.
 Chandagi Ram, veteran wrestler passes away.
INTERNATIONAL
 China tops in exports in world - $1.2 trillion, beating Germany
 China tops in forex reserves - $2.54 trillion
 Argentina legalises gay marriages
 China signs $10 billion deal for rail projects in - Argentina
 187th member of IMF -- Tuvalu
APPPOINTMENTS / ELECTED
 Nisha Desai Biswal – Asstt. Administrator for Asia in the US Agency for International Dev. (USAID)
 Sharad Pawar – President, International Cricket Council ( ICC).
 S.Y.Quraishi – Chief Election Commissioner.
 Mukesh Ambani – First Indian member of UN advocacy group for Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
 Christian Wulff – President (youngest ever, 51) of Germany.
 Rosa Otunbayeva – President (first women) of Kyrgyzstan.
 Bronislaw Komorowski – President of Poland.
AWARDS AND HONOURS

 Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism:.
• Journalist of the year (Print ) – Siddharth Varadarajan ( The Hindu )
• Journalist of the year (Broadcast) - Arnab Goswami (Times Now)
 Sangita Kalanidhi Award ( music ) - Bombay sisters – C. Saroja and C. Lalitha
 Forbes 30 most inspiring women (Indian): -- (First - Oprah Winfrey, Media baron, USA.)
• Arundhati Roy, social activist and writer, Third;
• Indira Nooyi, CEO, PepsiCo – 10th
 International Indu Sharma Katha Samman (UK) – 2010 : Hrishikesh Sulabh – ‘Vasant ke Hatyare’
 Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award 2010 : Saina Nehwal – Badminton
 Oberoi Vanyavilas, Ranthambore (Rajasthan) – best hotel in world – Travel & Leisure 2010 World’s Best Hotels Awards
 ‘Amul’ ranked Top Indian Brand in Asia Pacific, by ‘The Media’ magazine of Hong Kong.

ABBREVIATIONS
 AWACS – Airborne Warning and Control System.
 PSLV – Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle
 NGRBA – National Ganga River Basin Authority
 MMRCA – Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft.
 NUHM – National Urban Health Mission( (for urban slums)
 FIFA -- Federation International de Football Association (French for International Federation of Association Football)
SPORTS WORLD
 FIFA Golden Awards:
o Golden Ball for best player – Diego Forlan, Uruguay.
o Golden Boot for top scorer – Thomas Mueller, Germany.
o Golden Glove for best Goalkeeper – Iker Casillas, Spain.
 Saina Nehwal -- ranks World’s no.2 Women Badminton Player
 Leander Paes -- wins his 12th grand slam ( Wimbledon Tennis Championship)
 Muttiah Muralitharan (Srilanka ) -- first cricketer to take 800 wickets, Galle, India Vs Srilanka.

source: ctdi