Current Affairs: August 2010

1. Who will lead India in women’s hockey World Cup after Veteran goalkeeper Deepika Murthy, who missed the Asian Champions Trophy due to illness
Answer: Surinder Kaur
Veteran goalkeeper Deepika Murthy, who missed the Asian Champions Trophy due to illness, has been included in the Indian women’s hockey team for the forthcoming World Cup, starting August 29 in Rosario ( Argentina) and the Commonwealth Games. Following selection trials held at NIS, Patiala, the teams for both events were declared on Friday. Forward Surinder Kaur from Shahabad has been retained as captain.


2. Who will lead Indian challenge in Commonwealth Games, Davis Cup
Answer: Somdev Devvarman
India  No.1 Somdev Devvarman will lead the country’s challenge in the Oct 3-14 Commonwealth Games men’s tennis event and next month’s Davis Cup World Group play-off tie against Brazil in Chennai.


3. ———————— topped Forbes’ list of ‘Billionaire Universities’ in 2010.
Answer: Harvard
With 62 of its alumni now billionaires, Harvard tops Forbes’ list of ‘Billionaire Universities’ this year, followed by Stanford that boasts of 28 billionaire graduates. The number of Harvard alumni who are billionaires swelled to 62, up from 54 in 2009, “more than any other American university by a long shot,” Forbes said.


4. Maruti Suzuki India launched five CNG models on August 13, 2010. Name them
Answer: Alto, Estilo, WagonR, Eeco and mid-sized sedan SX4
The country’s largest car-maker, Maruti Suzuki India, today launched five of its models in CNG versions, including the best-selling Alto. The other four models introduced with the alternative fuel option are compact cars Estilo and WagonR, multi-purpose vehicle Eeco and mid-sized sedan SX4.


5. British insurer Aviva Plc has rejected a —————- takeover offer for its general insurance business from rival RSA Insurance Group Plc,
Answer: five billion pound
British insurer Aviva Plc has rejected a five billion pound takeover offer for its general insurance business from rival RSA Insurance Group Plc,


6. Jagan to begin next phase of Odarpu yatra in __________
Answer: Jagan to begin next phase of Odarpu yatra in September 2, 2010


7. Ratan Tata refers to Taj as venerable old lady and scheduled to reopen formally on ————
Answer: Tata Group’s flagship property Taj Mahal Palace and Towers, that is scheduled to reopen formally on August 15, almost 2 years after the 26/11 attacks, was described as a venerable old lady by its Chairman Ratan Tata.


8. ________ and _______ are the Two Banks that RBI approves merger.
Answer: BoR with ICICI
The Reserve Bank of India on August 12, 2010 approved the merger of Bank of Rajasthan with ICICI Bank, the country’s largest private sector lender. The merger will come into effect from August 13, 2010.


9. Spain top FIFA Rankings List
Answer: FIFA rankings released on Wednesday for August 11, 2010:
1. Spain (1),
2. Netherlands (2).
3. Brazil (3) 4
4. Germany (4).
5. Argentina (5).
6. Uruguay (6).
7. England (7).
8. Portugal (8).
9. Egypt (9).
10. Chile (10).
11. Italy (11).
12. Greece (12).
13. Serbia (13).
14. Croatia (15).
15. Paraguay (16).
16. Russia (17).
17. Switzerland (18).
18. USA (13).
19. Slovenia (19).
20. Australia (20).


10. Which Country emerged as Asia’s second largest beer producer
Answer: India
India’s beer production surged by 12.3 per cent last year, second only to Vietnam among Asian countries, even as the continent overtook Europe for the first time as the world’s biggest beer-producing area since 1974.


11.  Who didn’t get PadmaBhushan Award in 2002 because of CBI case pending against him ?
Answer: Former Union Carbide chairperson Keshub Mahindra
Former Union Carbide chairperson Keshub Mahindra’s name had been recommended for Padma Bhushan in 2002. The government also admitted that Mahindra had turned down the award ostensibly because there was a CBI case pending against him.


12. What is SuperBug ? where UK scientists warn of worldwide spread of Super bug.
Answer: Click here for Answer about SuperBug


13. Who was the  Indian-American  CEO of an IT company has been sentenced to 20 months imprisonment and ordered to pay over USD 800,000 in restitution for his role in a bribery and kickback scheme.
Answer: Sushil Bansal, 43, President and CEO of Advanced Integrated Technology Corporation.
An Indian-American  CEO of an IT company has been sentenced to 20 months imprisonment and ordered to pay over USD 800,000 in restitution for his role in a bribery and kickback scheme.


14. Which ship is responsible for oil spill on the coast of Mumbai?
Answer: Panama ship MSC Chitra, which collided with MSC Khalijia off Mumbai harbour on Aug 7, 2010, tilted further, spilling oil for the third day today as Navy and Coast Guard made hectic efforts to contain the leak.


15. Who was Darbari and why did CWG OC terminated Darbari’s services ?
Answer: CWG OC terminates Darbari’s services: Acting on the persistent plea of the sports ministry, the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee on Monday terminated the services of its tainted Joint Director General TS Darbari in the wake of the corruption scandal that has rocked the event.


16. Barack Obama BirthDay is on ?
Answer: Barack Obama born on August 4, 1961.
Barack Hussein Obama is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned after his election to the presidency in November 2008.


17. ——————– has been elected as Hockey India president 2010.
Answer: 83-year old Vidya Stokes elected HI president,
Stokes elected as Hockey India (HI) president and Narinder Batra as secretary general. A career politician, 83-year old Vidya Stokes was elected Hockey India president after defeating former national captain Pargat Singh in the much-awaited polls on August 5, 2010. Stokes, who is the interim HI president, won the straight contest by a big margin of 41-21 though the official results will be announced later as per Delhi High Court directives.


18. Who resigned Commonwealth Games OC treasurer for CWG 3- 14, 2010 Ganes ?
Answer: Anil Khanna quits from Commonwealth Games OC treasurer
Anil Khanna resigned from Commonwealth Games OC treasurer. Heads have begun to roll in the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee with the treasurer resigning in wake of allegations that his son’s firm secured contract for laying synthetic courts at tennis stadium.


19. Media doyen and chief editor of Malayala Manorama daily who passed away recently.
Answer: K M Mathew
Media doyen and chief editor of Malayala Manorama daily, K M Mathew, affectionately known as ‘Mathukuttichayan’ among colleagues, passed away at his house in Kottayam district on Aug. 1, 2010 morning. He was 93.


20. Who was the Chief Minister undergone a complicated double heart surgery at the Asian Heart Institute recently ?
Answer: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi
The chief minister is undergone a bypass surgery and another surgery to replace an aortic valve with 70-80 percent blocks in two blood vessels.


21. What was the Maruti Suzuki new model launched on August 4, 2010 ?
Answer: Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 new model launched at Rs 3 lakh on


22. Who was the World’s oldest Test cricketer died on August 2, 2010 ?
Answer: New Zealand sportsman Eric Tindill.
New Zealand sportsman Eric Tindill, a double international who was the world’s oldest surviving Test cricketer and an All Black, has died aged 99


23. In Asian Cadet Wrestling Championship Indian wrestlers win nine medals including two golds at Bangkok/ Thailand, two silver and five bronze medals as out of the 10 medals


24. Who received the Lokmanya Tilak Award in 2010 ?
Answer: Sheila Dixit has been received the Lokmanya Tilak Award


25. Who bagged national-ranking table tennis titles ?
Answer: Soumyadeep Roy, Poulomi bag national-ranking table tennis titles.
The Petroleum Sports Promotion Board duo of Soumyadeep Roy and Poulomi Ghatak bagged top honours after dominating wins in the men’s and women’s final respectively at the Indian Oil Servo National-ranking table tennis tournament.


26. Why UAE, Saudi Arabia to block BlackBerry ?
Answer: The UAE will block key features on BlackBerry smart phones, citing national security concerns because the devices operate beyond the government’s ability to monitor their use. Officials in neighboring Saudi Arabia indicated it planned to follow suit. The decision could block email and Web access for hundred of thousands of users in the Mideast commercial hub starting in October. BlackBerry data is encrypted and routed overseas, and the measure could be motivated in part by government fears that the messaging system could be exploited by terrorists or other criminals who cannot be monitored by the local authorities.


27. China launched its fifth orbiter into space on —————–
Answer: August 1, 2010 (Sunday)
China successfully launched its fifth orbiter into space as part of its indigenous satellite navigation and positioning network.
The satellite was launched from the Long March 3I carrier rocket. It was the 126th flight for the country’s Long March series of rockets. The satellite will join another four satellites in orbit to form a network that will eventually consist of 35 satellites


28. Who was the 14-year-old the youngest entrant into IIT-Kanpur’s prestigious MSc physics programme ?
Answer: Sahal Kaushik


29. Mirchi Music Awards Sponsorers which took place on August 1, 2010.
Answer: The title sponsor for the awards event was Uninor. The associate sponsors were TVS Tyres, LIC, Chennai Silks and Chaini-Chaini. While the strength partner was Bharti Cements, the financial partner was Margadarsi Chit Funds. The colour partner was Nippon Paints and the beverage partner was Royal Challenge. The event was supported by The Park. The TV partner of the event was Star Vijay and the print partner was The Times of India.


30. No more time for sorrow’ written by ——————. The author predict that terrorist will set off an atom bomb in the USA by 2013.
Answer: Robert Beeman


31. Who become Australia’s first women Prime Minister replacing Kevin Rudd following a sudden revolt against him.
Answer: Julia Gillard