Current Affairs 4th March 2014

Current Affairs 4th March 2014

Updated : 04-Mar-2014

Current Affairs 4th March 2014 - Important Points
Current Affairs 4th March 2014 - Details

India orders bribery probe by CBI into Rolls-Royce deal
A CBI investigation was ordered by Union Defence Ministry on 3rd March 2014 to probe into the purchase of jet fighter engines from Britain's Rolls-Royce that worth 10000 crore rupees.
The Central Bureau of Investigation will look into more than Rs. 500 crores in alleged kickbacks in the deal. It was a deal of supplying engines to state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) between 2007 and 2011 by Rolls-Royce.
Defence Ministry has also put on hold to all deals with the British engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce till the investigation completes.
Important to note :
Earlier, India on 1st January 2014 cancelled a 740 million US dollar (3600 crore rupees) contract with AgustaWestland following bribery allegations.

Retired SC judge K.T. Thomas refuses to head Lokpal search panel
Retired judge of Supreme Court Mr. K.T.Thomas refused to head the Lokpal Committee Search panel. He refused on 3rd March 2014.
Mr. K.T. Thomas claimed that panel constituted for this purpose will not be albe to conduct an independent search as it is mandated to pick names only from a government drawn list. The eight-member search committee is mandated to prepare a panel of persons to be considered by the Selection Committee headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for appointment of chairperson and members of Lokpal. Members of Lokpal Committee Search panel were :
- Justice K T Thomas,
- Fali Nariman (senior advocate),
- S.Y.Qureshi (former Chief Election Commissioner),
- Meenakshi Gopinath (Principal, LSR College),
- Mrinal Miri (Educationist),
- Kaki Madhava Rao (ex-AP Chief Secretary) and
- H.K. Dua (Rajya Sabha MP)
Important to note :
- Few days before senior Supreme Court lawyer Fali S Nariman also opted out of the search committee
- Mr. K.T. Thomas was unanimously chosen to head the Search Panel by the Lokpal Selection Committee on 21st February 2014.
- Mr. K.T. Thomas was a judge in the apex court between March 29, 1996 to January 1, 2002.
Indian shuttler Arvind Bhat clinches German Open title
India's shuttler and new fame Arvind Bhat clinched German Open Grand Prix title in Germany. Arvind Bhat defeated Hans-Kristian Vittinghus a Danish player by 24-22 19-21 21-11 in Mulheim an der Ruhr, Germany on 3rd March 2014, to won $120,000 prize money title.
Important to note :
- Arvind Bhat rank is 87th in the world,
- Arvind Bhat became first Indian ever to win this title,
- Pullela Gopichand lost in finals of German Open Grand Prix title in 1999
Jaswant Singh released his book India at Risk
Former minister in the NDA government Mr. Jaswant Singh released a book entitled "India at Risk – Mistakes, Misconceptions and Misadventures of security policy" on 3rd March 2014.
This book throws a light on several events that took place during his appointments as minister of external affairs and minister of defence. It also includes history event like Indo-China wars, the Indo-Pak war, Kargil, the Emergency, etc.
Jaswant Singh puts forth his opinion on crucial factors that will shape India this centuryfrom combating terrorism to a policy of non- proliferation, from clear governance to diplomatic relations.

Important to note :
- Mr. Jaswant Singh is currently a Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha.
- This is his ninth term as a parliamentarian, across both houses.
- Mr. Jaswant Singh is the only Member of Parliament to have simultaneously held the portfolios of the Minister of External Affairs and the Minister of Defence.
Bill Gates is World's richest Billionaire in annual list of Forbes
Microsoft Co-founder Bill Gates was back on top as the world's richest person. In Forbes 28th annual ranking which was released on 3rd March 2014 he was again on Top after four years.
Important to note :
- Gates has topped the list for 15 of the last 20 years.
- With a net worth of $76 billion, up from $67 billion in 2013, Gates moved up on top.
- WhatsApp founders Jan Koum and Brian Acton join the ranks of Silicon Valley's wealthiest for the first time.
- Mukesh Amabani with a net worth of 18.6 billion dollars is richest in India.
Govt gives NSF status to Hockey India
Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on 3rd March 2014 declared Hockey India as the sole body responsible towards promoting the sport in India. With this Hockey India has been accorded with the status of a National Sports Federation (NSF) for governing the sport of hockey (both men and women) in India.
As per the release of Union Sports Ministry, "Hockey India has been made responsible and accountable for the overall management, direction, regulation, control, promotion and development of the sports discipline".
Important to note :
- To be recognised as a National Sports Federation any institution or body needs to be recognised by its international body.
- Hockey India recognition was mandatory by International Hockey Federation (FIH), as well as the Indian Olympic Association which it has fulfilled both these criteria’s, since 2009.