Microsoft appoints India-born Satya Nadella as CEO
1.Hyderabad native Satya Nadella (46) is the new CEO of Internet giant Microsoft, the company announced on Tuesday.
2.“During this time of transformation, there is no better person to lead Microsoft than Satya Nadella,” said Bill Gates, Microsoft’s founder and Chairman of the Board, adding, “Satya is a proven leader with hard-core engineering skills, business vision and the ability to bring people together.”
3.After a selection period that saw numerous outside candidates drop off, the Microsoft Board the Microsoft Board signalled its intention to focus on innovation by selecting the man credited with developing the company's cloud computing and Bing search engine businesses.
4.In his email to Microsoft employees on his first day as CEO Mr. Nadella said, “Today is a very humbling day for me. It reminds me of my very first day at Microsoft, 22 years ago… I saw then how clearly we empower people to do magical things with our creations and ultimately make the world a better place.”
5.While some have argued that Microsoft was slow to respond to the shift towards cloud computing, conceding a lead to others such as Google and Amazon, Mr. Nadella underscored his intention to reverse this saying, “Our industry does not respect tradition – it only respects innovation.”
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Djokovic to marry his girlfriend Jelena
1.Novak Djokovic says he will soon marry his fiancee and long-time girlfriend Jelena Ristic.
2.On Monday, the No. 2-ranked tennis player and six-time major champion told Ristic during a Serbian television talk show- “Jelena, enjoy it while you can. In a couple of months you will be changing your last name to Djokovic.” Ristic was shown smiling.
3.The two have been together for more than eight years. Ristic has been running Djokovic’s humanitarian aid organization.
4.Djokovic is resting up in Serbia after losing in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open.
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CNR Rao, Sachin receive Bharat Ratna
1.Renowned scientist C.N.R.Rao and cricketer Sachin Tendulkar were on Tuesday conferred the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award of the country for exceptional contribution in any field of human endeavour.
2.The award was presented to the two by the President Pranab Mukherjee at a brief ceremony in the historic Durbar Hall of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Mr. Tendulkar is the first sportsperson and a sitting Rajya Sabha member to receive the prestigious award.
3.Prof. Rao, chairperson, Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, dedicated the award to his mother and students, Mr. Tendulkar, too, dedicated the feat to his mother and ``all the mothers who sacrificed their wishes for their children. It is the biggest honour for me’’
4.“I will continue to bat for my country. Even though my cricket has stopped, I will try my best to give people of India a reason to smile,” Mr. Tendulkar told reporters after the function. Dressed in a dark outfit, he was accompanied by his wife, Anjali and daughter Sara.
5.Prof. Rao, who has 1,400 papers and 45 books to his credit, said: “It is fantastic. It is more important than anything. Nothing compared to India honouring me.” He hoped that he would be able to accomplish “something important” in the coming years.
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Justice Mathur to head seventh Central Pay Commission
1.Former Supreme Court Judge Ashok Kumar Mathur will head the seventh Pay Commission, which will revise salaries of over 50 lakh central government employees and remuneration of 30 lakh pensioners.
2.“The Prime Minister has approved the composition of the 7th Central Pay Commission,” the Finance Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
3.The announcement for composition of the Commission comes ahead of imposition of model conduct which would come into force once the schedule for the general election due in April-May is notified.
4.The Retired Supreme Court Judge, who had also headed the Armed Forces Tribunal, has been appointed chairman of the Commission.
5.The Commission has been mandated to submit its report in two years time and its recommendations would be implemented from January 1, 2016.
6.The other members of the Commission, include, Oil Secretary Vivek Rae (full time Member), NIPFP Director Rathin Roy (part-time Member) and OSD in Expenditure Department Meena Agarwal (Secretary).
7.Earlier in September 2013, the Prime Minister had approved setting up of the 7th Pay Commission.
8.The recommendations of the Commission will benefit about 50 lakh central government employees, including those in defence and railways, and about 30 lakh pensioners.
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World Cancer Day observed across the world
1.The World Cancer Day 2014 was observed across the world on 4 January 2014 with its focus on Target 5 of the World Cancer Declaration: Reduce stigma and dispel myths about cancer, under the tagline Debunk the myths.
2.This day is observed to raise the collective voices for improving the general knowledge around cancer and dismiss the misconceptions about the disease.
3.A new UN Agency report says that cancer is the world’s biggest killer and is expected to explode in the coming years. A new global cancer compiled by UN Agency the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) was released on the World Cancer Day 2014 in Geneva, Switzerland.
4.The World Cancer Report 2014 has confirmed about existing inequality in the cancer control and care globally. It says that by 2025 almost 80 percent of the increase in the number of cancer deaths will occur in less developed regions.
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RBI raises FIIs investment limit in Power Grid Corporation to 30%
1.The Reserve Bank today raised Foreign Institutional Investors' (FIIs) investment limit in Power Grid Corporation to 30 per cent of its paid up capital.
2.FIIs, through primary market and stock exchanges, can now purchase up to 30 per cent of the paid up capital of Power Grid Corporation of India under the Portfolio Investment Scheme (PIS), RBI said in a notification.
3.The investment ceiling was raised following passing of such resolutions at the board of directors' level and a special resolution by the shareholders.
4.FIIs can acquire and hold, on their own account and on behalf of each of their Sebi-approved sub-accounts, shares of the company up to an aggregate limit of 30 per cent of the paid up capital.
5.FII holdings have been on the rise since the company's first follow-on public offer in 2010.
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German President Joachim Guack arriving in New Delhi tonight
1.German President Joachim Guack is arriving in New Delhi tonight on a state visit. During the six-day visit, he will hold talks with the country's top leadership and discuss ways to further enhance bilateral ties. Mr Guack will be accompanied by a 80-member delegation, including 15 business leaders.
2.The visiting dignitary will meet his counterpart Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi during his stay. He will also visit Bengaluru on Friday where he will have a meeting with Governor of Karnataka.
3.AIR correspondent reports, India and Germany are strategic partners since 2000. There has been significant progress in all areas of bilateral cooperation with the commencement of Inter-Governmental Consultations in 2011. Germany continues to be India's largest trading partner in Europe.
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Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh takes charge as WHO Regional Director
1.Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh takes charge as WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia Region from 1 February 2014. She was elected by the 11 Member States of the Region in September 2013 and subsequently appointed by the WHO Executive Board at its 134th session in January 2014. Dr Khetrapal Singh is an Indian national and the first woman to hold this post.
2.Committing to an excellence-pursuing, responsive and accountable WHO in the Region, Dr Khetrapal Singh said, “It is a great honour to be appointed Regional Director at an important moment in the history of public health and at a time when WHO is undergoing reform.”
3.The South-East Asia Region is expected to be certified polio free by WHO in March 2014. “I am steadfast in my resolve to bring change, to explore new avenues and to build partnerships for a technically sound, committed and dynamic WHO to meet each and every public health challenge in South-East Asia,” added Dr Khetrapal Singh.
4.Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh served for over two decades as a civil servant in India as a member of the Indian Administrative Services. She was the Secretary Health, Family Welfare and Medical Education in the State of Punjab, with a population of 22 million and a health budget of US$ 350 million.
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Zanzibar president to visit Barefoot College on India trip
1.President Ali Mohamed Shein of Tanzania's semi-autonomous region Zanzibar visits India Feb 1-9 and one of his important engagements, besides official talks in New Delhi, would be a visit to the Barefoot College in Rajasthan's Tilonia, that has taught 100 women from his country to make solar lamps.
2.Shein, who is arriving on an official visit at the invitation of Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari, would be leading a delegation of senior ministers and officials.
3.On Feb 3, delegation level talks will be held and the Tanzanian leader is expected to meet President Pranab Mukherjee and some cabinet ministers in Delhi, said an official statement.
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Nathpa Jhakri Hydro Power Station awarded a Gold Shield
1.athpa Jhakri Hydro Power Station awarded a gold shield on 4 February 2014 for its meritorious performance in 2013-14.Nathpa Hydro power Station consecutively third time received the award.
2.Nathpa Jhakri Hydro Power Station received Silver shield for the year 2012-13 and Bronze shield for the year 2011-12 by the Central Electricity Authority in the category of Performance of Hydro Power Stations.
3.The Ministry of Power had instituted the Comprehensive Award Scheme for recognizing meritorious performance in Power Sector in 2004-05.
About Nathpa Jhakri Hydroelectric Station
1.Nathpa Jhakri Hydroelectric Station of 1500 MW capacity is the India’s largest hydropower plant.
2.It was commissioned in May 2004 and 62.50m high Concrete Gravity dam on River Satluj.
3.Natpha Jhakri hydroelectric plant supply power to the North Indian states of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the cities of Delhi and Chandigarh.
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Bihar's first woman Muslim minister Perween Amanullah resigns
1.Bihar's Social Welfare Minister Perween Amanullah, the first Muslim woman minister in the state, on Tuesday resigned from the Nitish Kumar cabinet as well as the Janata Dal-United.
2."I have resigned from the cabinet and the JD-U and sent it (resignation letter) to the chief minister," Amanullah told media persons in Patna.
3.She refused to disclose the reasons behind her decision to quit the cabinet and party, but only hinted at her anger against the system that prevented her from functioning as per her desire.
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Delhi Cabinet clears Jan Lokpal Bill
1.The Delhi Cabinet on Monday cleared the ‘Delhi Lokpal Bill, 2014’ that aims to bring all public servants– from the Chief Minister to all Group D employees – under its ambit with no safeguards or “special privileges” extended even to the Chief Minister’s Office. The Bill will be tabled in the Assembly to be convened on February 13 without sending it to the Home Ministry for approval as has been the convention so far.
2.The Bill was passed at a Cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, fulfilling a key election promise made to voters by the Aam Aadmi Party. Urban Development Minister Manish Sisodia hailed the passage of the Bill as a “historic moment” and told reporters that the Bill ensures time-bound investigations and filing of charge sheet. The Bill also guarantees legal protection to whistleblowers and witnesses who will speak up against corruption.
3.“For the first time, every honest officer will be rewarded each year and encouraged to continue working honestly,” said Mr. Sisodia, adding that the government will bring in a policy that will ensure special rewards and incentives to honest officers.
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Nabard sanctions ₹1,112 cr for creation of 1,000 warehouses in 7 states
1.Nabard has sanctioned ₹1,112 crore for creation of 1,336 warehouses in various States and State Government Corporations in the country.
2.According to Harsh Kumar Bhanwala, Chairman, Nabard, “The recent Project Sanctioning Committee of Nabard has sanctioned creation of 1,336 warehouses in Haryana, Kerala, Punjab, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Tripura and West Bengal, which will create 7.5 lakh tonnes of additional storage space.
3.Cumulatively, Nabard has sanctioned ₹5,830 crore under Rural Infrastructure/Warehousing Infrastructure Fund creating and additional capacity of 16.3 million tonnes as against 35 million tonnes intended to be established under 12th Five Year Plan.
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