Daily Current Affairs - 10th March 1. Coal blocks allocation case: CBI chargesheets Nava Bharat Power i. The Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday filed a charge-sheet in a Delhi Court against Hyderabad-based Nava Bharat Power Pvt Ltd and two of its directors in a coal block allocation scam. ii. The matter relates to allocation of coal blocks during 2006-2009, wherein the apex investigation agency has found that the company and its directors misrepresented facts in their application to get the coal blocks allotted to them. iii. The CBI has chargesheeted the company and two of its directors P Trivikram Prasad and Y. Harish Chandra Prasad under various provisions of IPC including criminal conspiracy and cheating. iv. The agency, in its FIR against Nava Bharat Power, had said in order to “embellish its claim for allocation of coal block”, the firm “fraudulently” claimed that it had the required net worth to get the coal mines. v. CBI had alleged that the Screening Committee recommended allocation of these coal blocks jointly to six companies — Sterlite Energy Ltd, GMR Energy Ltd, Lanco Group Ltd, Mittal Steel India Ltd, Reliance Energy Ltd and Navabharat Power Pvt Ltd for their proposed power plants. vi. “Therefore, a regular case is registered under Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) read with 420 (cheating) of the IPC and 13(2) read with 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, against Nava Bharat Power, its directors viz P Trivikrama Prasad ... Y Harish Chandra Prasad ... along with unknown public servants under the Ministry of Coal and unknown others,” the CBI had said. 2. Indian Writer Pankaj Mishra won Windham Campbell Literature Prize 2014 i. Indian writer Pankaj Mishra on 9 March 2014 won Windham Campbell Literature Prize 2014 in non-fiction category. Pankaj Mishra is an Indian essayist, memoirist, travel writer and novelist. ii. He won the Windham Campbell Literature Prize in non-fiction category. The award was announced by The Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Yale. iii. Pankaj Mishra is one of the eight writers from seven countries to won a 150000 dollar Yale University prize. 3. Veteran Actress, Sheila MacRae died at 92 i. Sheila MacRae, a veteran stage, film and TV performer died on 6 March 2014 at the age of 92 in New Jersey. ii. She is best known for her role as the wife of bus driver Ralph Kramden in 1960s film, The Honeymooners. About Sheila MacRae i. Sheila was born in London immigrated to America with her parents during World War II. ii. Sheila TV credits include General Hospital, Search for Tomorrow. iii. She also took part in quiz What’s My Line and also starred in movies such as Backfire, Caged, Pretty Baby and Bikini Beach. 4. Amar Singh, Jaya Prada join RLD i. Ending months of speculation, expelled SP leaders Amar Singh and Jaya Prada on Monday joined the Ajit Singh-led Rashtriya Lok Dal ahead of Lok Sabha polls. ii. Mr. Amar Singh is tipped to contest Lok Sabha polls from Fatehpur while Ms. Jaya Prada could enter the electoral fray from Bijnore. iii. Actor-turned-politician Ms. Jaya Prada said Mr. Ajit Singh always used to support her and she and Mr. Amar Singh will do everything to strengthen the party. iv. However, the Congress was apparently not comfortable about inducting Mr. Amar Singh. There was also a problem in fielding Ms. Jaya Prada from Rampur seat on Congress ticket as it was a seat of prominent Muslim leader from the party Begum Noor Bano. 5. Nokia ‘X’ Android phone makes Indian debut i. Nokia’s first Android smartphone launched for Rs 8,599; the company said it will bring the other two devices — X+ and XL — in the Indian market in the next 60 days. ii. The company had announced ‘Nokia X’ family of affordable Android-based smartphones at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona last month. iii. The company had said then that Nokia X+ is expected to be priced at euro 99 (about Rs 8,400), Nokia XL at euro 109 (about Rs 9,200) and Nokia X at euro 89 (about Rs 7,500). iv. India is the third largest market for smartphones. IDC data showed that smartphone sales in the country surpassed 44 million units in 2013, up from 16.2 million in 2012. 6. Watson to lead Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2014 i. Australian all-rounder Shane Watson will captain Rajasthan Royals in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL). ii. Watson has been with the Royals since the inaugural season in 2008. Former captain Rahul Dravid, who retired from all forms of cricket in 2013, will be involved in all aspects of cricket strategy — mentoring the team and guide youth and talent development initiatives for the franchise. iii. Watson was declared player of the tournament in the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 for scoring a total of 249 runs with an average of 49.80 while taking 11 wickets with the ball. iv. For the 2014 season, Royals retained Watson, Ajinkya Rahane, James Faulkner, Stuart Binny and Sanju Samson before the fresh auction.
Posted on: Wed, 12 Mar 2014 04:29:42 +0000
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