Current Affairs 4

1. Which one of our neighboring countries has recently transferred power to the new government from almost 50 years of direct military rule (The state peace and development council)?

Ans:  Myanmar.

2. Name the Myanmar strongman who has retired as head of the military after handling power to a normally civilian government.

Ans:  General Than Shwe. The postman turned director earlier disbanded the junta, the state peace and development council following November polls marred by the absence of democracy icon Miss Aung San Suu Kyi and complaints of cheating and intimidation.

3. Which Indian Canadian author is among 13 authors who have been short listed for the man booker international Prize 2011 awarded biennially for an author’s body of works?

Ans: Rohinton Mistry, the Indian Canadian author of three acclaimed books, such a long journey, a fire balance and family matters.

4. Which Indian journalist recently won Agence France press prize for her work in Kashmir?

Ans: Dinaz Boga, an Indian reported and photographer who received the third Kate Webb Prize form AFP for her courageous investigative work in Jammu and Kashmir.

5. Britain’s national postal service Royal Mail is issuing a first class postal stamp to commemorate the achievements of which Indian business tycoon?

Ans: Sahara Group chief Mr.Subrata Roy.

6. Where was the Global conference on citizen centric police station reforms held recently?

Ans: At Amritsar in Punjab

7. Name the Thai Prime minister who recently visited India

Ans: Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva

8. Vedanta resources have acquired a majority (51 per cent) stake in cairn energy plc india for a total consideration of $9.6 billion. Where is Vedanta resources based?

Ans: Vedanta is London- based

9. Why was social activist Anna Hazare in the news recently? Elaborate.

Ans: He was on hunger strike at the protest venue near Jantar Mantar in New Delhi – the nervcentre of the agitation for a strong legislation to combat political and administrative graft. The government capitulated on 8 April and the following day. Anna Hazare called off his 98 hour hunger strike after the government issued a gazette notification for constitution of a 10 member joint committee of ministers and civil society activists, including the Gandhian, to draft an effective Jan Lokpal (Ombudsman) bill.

The notification issued by the ministry of law and justice said the joint committee to prepare a draft of the lokpal Bill would have five ministers from the government and five nominees of Mr. Hazare, including himself. Union finance minister Mr. Pranab Mukhaerjee will chair the panel while former law minister Mr. Shanti Bhushan will co-chair. The panel will have law minister Mr. Veerappa Moily as convener and home minister Mr. P. Chidambaram, HRD minister Mr. Kapil Sibal and water resources minister Mr. Salman Khurshid as member. The civil society will be represented by Anna Hazare, former Supreme court judge, Mr. N. Santosh Hegde, Mr. Prashant Bhushan and RTI activist Mr. Arvind Kejriwal.