CURRENT AFFAIRS JULY 16, 2011

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

Common Service Centre, CSC, Diwas to be observed on 16th 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 9th 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

Current Affairs : July 16, 2011

2011-07-16 18:07:27 GKToday

www.gktoday.in

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