CURRENT AFFAIRS JULY9, 2011

South Sudan: An Independent Nation now

South Sudan emerged as the an Independent Nation

54th nation of Africa

193rd country recognized by the UN and the 54th UN member state in Africa

Born out of referendum in January, 2011 (Referendum: A popular vote by the

electorate whether to approve a specific legislative act)

In the referendum nearly 99% of mainly Christian and Animist in South Sudan

voted for independence from the Muslim and Arab majority, ending years of civil

war

This Historic moment was witnessed by Honorable Vice President of India

Mohd. Hamid Ansari

(*This indicates India’s support for the nation)

Formal proclamation of independence made today by Sudan’s President Omar al-

Bashir and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon

Food Bill sent by the NAC to the Government

The NAC (National Advisory Committee) headed by Ms Sonia Gandhi sent the draft

Food Security Bill to the Union Government

Draft Bill attempts for legal food entitlements to 90% Rural and 50% Urban

households via formation of priority and general categories of ration

card holders

Bill also suggests the establishment of a National Food Commission and State

Food Commissions to supervise the implementation of the Act

The a National Food Commission and State Food Commissions to have

powers of a civil court to hold enquiries

The 5th Conference of the Association of SAARC Speakers and

Parliamentarians

The 5th Conference of the Association of SAARC Speakers and

Parliamentarians commences in New Delhi

Almost 130 delegates, observers and additional persons from

the eight SAARC countries to attend the four day

Conference

Afghanistan, which joined SAARC in 2007 as its eighth

member, joins the Conference formally for the first time

Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh will inaugurate the

Conference

President of the Conference: Ms Meira Kumar (The

Speaker of Lok Sabha)

Ms Meira Kumar to deliver the Welcome Address in her

capacity as the President of the Conference

Bill concerning Sports Bodies to be introduced in the

Current Affairs : July 9, 2011

2011-07-09 14:07:49 GKToday

www.gktoday.in

Monsoon Session

Government to bring in a Bill in Parliament concerning Sports Bodies in India

Some provisions of the proposed Bill:-

1. To declare all sports federations (including BCCI) as Public

Authorities

2. Federations will be open to RTI queries

3. Sports Ombudsman / Lokpal will be there to hear all types of complaints

4. Anti-Doping norms would get legislative sanctions via this Bill

5. To check sexual harassment cases in sporting bodies provision will be

there

6. In BCCI, One-fourth of the Executive body’s members to be ex-

Cricketers (at National Level)

7. Tenure and age norms for BCCI, no person above 70 Years will head the

BCCI

8. Tenure for President: 12 years and other members: NOT more than 8 years

Union Sports Minister: Ajay Maken

New Antrix Chief: Dr. V S Hegde

ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) announced Dr. V S Hegde

as the Chairman-cum-Managing Director for Antrix

Dr. V S Hegde: Veteran remote-sensing applications scientist. Served

Bangalore-headquartered ISRO as its Scientific Secretary since January

2010, and had previously played a key role for several years in ISRO’s

Earth Observation Satellite Programmes

Appointment, announced by ISRO Chairman K Radhakrishnan in Banglore

This declaration is a part of plans to reform Antrix in altering times so that it can

take advantage of commercial opportunities emanating out of the space agency’s

programmes

Antrix: A ‘Miniratna’ Company, it provides space products and services to

customers worldwide

Antrix Corporation Limited: ISRO’s marketing arm

Books: “Man’s Fate and God’s Choice”

“Man’s Fate and God’s Choice”: A Book by Mr. Bhimeswara Challa

The Book was released by Honorable Vice President of India Shri M. Hamid Ansari

As per Shri Ansari, the book is an intellectual journey in a classical sense and while

congratulating the author for such a valuable book he opined that the book

addresses a perennial theme-’The man, his environment and his creature’

About the Book:-

The book put forward that any improvement in human behavior needs a cathartic

change at the deepest levels which call for diluting the authority of the mind and

resurgence the long-dormant intelligence of the human heart.To meet that confront,

we need minimum numbers, a ‘critical mass’ to create self-sustained momentum for

transformation through consciousness chang.And every single human of this

generation should behave in such a way that he or she is that single person whose

transformation could make the decisive species-scale difference.The book offers a

menu of ideas and an agenda of action