Current Affairs: September 20, 2011

September 20, 2011

New Laser developed by the Scientists to assist in Detecting Roadside Bombs

A new laser developed by Researchers at Michigan State University
United State Department of Homeland Security funded the research and it was published in the journal Applied Physics Letters
The laser has the sensitivity and selectivity to look into large areas and detect improvised explosive devices, which cause 60% of coalition soldiers’ deaths in Afghanistan
The Laser can precisely identify roadside bombs and aids recognize improvised explosive devices (IEDs)
The laser combines short pulses that cause molecules in the explosive to vibrate
Each type of molecule has special vibration frequency that exclusively find the material
But, the new laser can make differentiation even for amounts as little as a fraction of a billionth of a gram

First Overseas Campus set up by IIFT in Kampala, Uganda

India-Africa Institute of Foreign Trade (IAIFT)
Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), a Government-run Institute to setup its first overseas campus in Kampala, Uganda
Objective: To help students of African nations comprehend the subtlety of globalization and capacity-building in the continent
The institute India-Africa Institute of Foreign Trade (IAIFT), being set up as a part of the Indian Government’s plan to assist develop a higher education system in African countries in specialized fields

Under the Rajiv Ratna Yojana, Delhi Govt declared free housing for Schedule Caste living in jhuggis
70,000 houses to be built under this scheme
Rs 60,000 also to be paid to the people living in jhuggis under the rehabilitation process

Rajasthan Public Service Guarantee Act, 2011 approved by the Rajasthan Cabinet

Rajasthan Public Service Guarantee Act, 2011 was cleared by the Rajasthan Cabinet
Objective: To provide services to the general man in a specific time frame; to make public administration and governance more effective and accountable

“Bompu”: A New Frog Species Discovered in Arunachal Pradesh

A new frog species discovered in Eagle Nest Wildlife sanctuary at Sessa in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh in a survey conducted as part of Eagle Nest Biodiversity Project with support of the state forest department
Bompu was the name given to the frog after the neighborhood in the sanctuary where it was discovered
The frog is inhabitant to the forest streams at an elevation of 2,000 m and lives beneath leaf trash and decaying logs
The frog belongs to the family Megophrydae and the genus Leptobrachium
Only 28 members of this genus are known worldwide and most of them are found in Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, China and Vietnam
This finding is significant because only 2 other members of the genus are identified from India

Peter Svidler, Russian Grandmaster won the Chess World Cup held in Russia

Russian grandmaster Peter Svidler won the Chess World Cup title
He defeated fellow citizen Alexander Grischuk in the finale
With the victory Svidler won a $96,000 prize money and a ticket to the 2012 world championship matches
Russia holds the No.1 spot on the World Chess Federation’s top-10 list, followed by Ukraine

Lal Sukla, Amar Kant selected for 45^th and Chandrashekhara Kambara, Sri for the 46^th Jnanpith Awards

Eminent Hindi authors Amar Kant and Shrilal Shukla was chosen for India’s highest literary honour Jnanpith Award for 2009, while renowned Kannada litterateur Chandrasekhar Kambar won it for 2010.
The selection board – chaired by noted writer and Jnanpith award winner Dr Sitakant Mahapatra – made the selections for the 45^th and 46^th Jnanpith awards.

C. Achuthan, Former Presiding Officer of the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) passed away

Former presiding officer of the Securities Appellate Tribunal C Achuthan passed away in Kerela
Mr. Achuthan began with the Indian Legal Services and served as a legal advisor to the Central government
He also served on the Company Law Board, previous to being elevated as the SAT’s solitary presiding officer from 1997 to 2003
Mr. Achuthan was one of the directors appointed by the Government to direct the scam-tainted Satyam Computer Services, now Mahindra Satyam, after the multi-Crore accounting scam was unearthed in January 2009
He also chaired the new Takeover Regulations Advisory Committee of the capital markets watchdog Securities and Exchange Board

ONGC, Coal India, NMDC awarded by the Government for Best Performance

ONGC, Coal India (CIL) and NMDC awarded by the Government for best performance in various categories
Best financial performance award in Maharatna and Navaratna category: ONGC
Best financial performance award in Miniratna category: Goa Shipyard
Good Corporate Governance award in Maharatna and Navaratna category: ONGC
Good Corporate Governance award in Miniratna category: Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd.
The company of the year award in Maharatna category: CIL
The company of the year award in Navaratna category: NMDC and Oil India