JANUARY 9 CURRENT AFFAIRS Appointments 1. Modibo Keita appointed as the Prime Minister of Mali. • Modibo Keita was appointed as the Prime Minister of West African nation Mali. His appointment was confirmed by Malis President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. • Modibo Keita succeeded Moussa Mara who resigned under pressure from the President due to the strife-torn condition of the nation. 2. Maithripala Sirisena, Sri Lankas new president. • Sri Lankas Maithripala Sirisena was a low-profile minister when a rudderless opposition chose him to spearhead a campaign to topple the president. • Official results showed Maithripala Sirisena, a former ally of the incumbent, had won 51.3% of the vote. Awards & Honors 1. Pioneer of Chinas Hydrogen Bomb Yu Min Wins Top Science Award • Yu Min, nuclear physicist considered the father of Chinas Hydrogen Bomb has won the countrys top science prize. About Yu Min: • Yu Min began serving as a researcher at the Modern Physics Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1951. Deaths 1. Time Machine Star Rod Taylor Dead at 84 • An Australian actor who transitioned into a Hollywood leading man with his breakthrough role in the 1960 sci-fi thriller The Time Machine, Taylors career spanned nearly six decades. • He is perhaps best known for his role in Alfred Hitchcocks 1963 horror classic The Birds, as well as celebrated performances in Seven Seas to Calais, Sunday In New York, and Young Cassidy. Economy 1. SEBI proposed e-IPOs • Capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has proposed draft norms for initial public offers (IPOs) in electronic form to boost retail participation, and a fast-track route for already listing public listed firm to raise funds via follow-on public offerings (FPOs) and rights issues. • The proposed development comes as a part of efforts to boost fundraising from the markets via simplifying the process of IPOs, lowering their costs, helping companies reach more retail investors in small towns, and providing fast track route for FPOs and rights issues. 2. Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) has formed another non-banking finance company NBFC to provide loans to the real estate sector. • Private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) has formed another non-banking finance company (NBFC) in the country to provide loans to the real estate sector. • Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC, which has shown interest in the realty segment in the recent past, will also invest in the newly formed company. KKR said in a statement that it will provide structured credit solutions to the real estate sector. • GIC: Government of Singapore Investment Corporation 3. Finance Ministry proposes new tax accounting standards for businesses • To ensure consistency as well as clarity on taxation issues, the Finance Ministry has proposed new tax accounting standards related to income computation and disclosures by businesses. • The new draft of 12 Income Computation and Disclosure Standards (ICDS), for which comments have been sought from stakeholders till February 8, is aimed at having consistency in respect of issues that come under this ambit. International 1. US House Passes Bill Approving Keystone XL Pipeline • House of Representatives of the United States passed a legislation that approves construction of a controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline. The bill was passed by 153 votes in the 266-member House of Representatives. Now the bill will go to the Senate for approval • The lower house of the US took the decision after Nebraska Supreme Court in its ruling removed a major obstacle that delayed project till now. National 1. Vistara started its first flight from Delhi to Mumbai • Tata Group launched its full-service airline Vistara in partnership with Singapore Airlines Ltd (SIA), more than 60 years after the Indian government nationalized the group’s airline business. Places in News 1. DMRC launched first public bicycle sharing scheme for Delhi Metro users. • Delhi Metro Rail Corporation launched first public bicycle sharing scheme for Delhi Metro users. The scheme will help the commuters to seamlessly reach their destination via the metro rail. • The scheme aims to provide pollution free last-mile connectivity to DMRC commuters. The eco-friendly project was inaugurated from the Saket Metro Station in south Delhi. 2. Jharkhand Assembly adopted resolution on opening High Court bench in Dumka. • Jharkhand Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution urging state government to send a proposal to Union Government for setting up a bench of the Jharkhand High Court in Dumka. • Dumka is the sub-capital of Jharkhand. Special Days 1. January 9 observed as Pravasi Bharatiya Divas • Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (Non-resident Indian Day) is celebrated in India on 9 January each year to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community to the development of India. • The day commemorates the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa in Bombay on 9 January 1915. Sports 1. Shane bond was appointed as Mumbai Indian bowling Coach. • Former New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond had been appointed bowling coach of Mumbai Indians for the IPL-8 season. • He played for Kolkata Knight Risers in 2010. • Australia’s Ricky pointing is the head coach, Jonty Rhodes the fielding coach and Robin Singh the batting coach. State 1. Governor’s rule imposed in Jammu and Kashmir. • Centre has imposed Governors rule in Jammu and Kashmir, accepting the states Governor N.N. Vohras recommendations. • Mr. Vohra sent a report to the President after Omar Abdullah asked him to relieve him as caretaker Chief Minister. 2. ‘Operation Smile’ to rescue missing children in Telanagana. • In order to rescue missing children and hand over them to their parents, the Karimnagar district police have launched an ambitious programme called ‘Operation Smile’ in coordination with Child Friendly Society. Surveys 1. Teixobactin, a new antibiotic discovered. • A team of scientists led by Kim Lewis from Northeastern University have identified a new antibiotic called teixobactin, which kills some kinds of bacteria by preventing them from building their outer coats. They used it to successfully treat antibiotic-resistant infections in mice. • Bacteria will eventually develop ways of beating teixobactin -- remember Orgel -- but the team are optimistic that it will take decades rather than years for this to happen. That buys us time. 2. Qantas rated as ‘World’s Safest Airline for 2015. • AirlineRatings, the world’s only safety and product rating website, which was launched in June 2013, has announced its top ten safest airlines and top ten safest low cost airlines for 2015 from the 449 it monitors. • Top of the list again is Qantas which has a fatality free record in the jet era. Making up the remainder of the top ten in alphabetical order are: Air New Zealand, British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, , Emirates, Etihad Airways, EVA Air, Finnair, Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines.
Posted on: Mon, 26 Jan 2015 11:46:46 +0000
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