11 June 2014 Current Affairs Updates for exams

1) Sirikonda Madhusudhana Chary became first speaker of Telangana Legislative Assembly: Sirikonda Madhusudhana Chary of Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) became the first speaker of Telangana Legislative Assembly on 10 June 2014. Chary won the assembly election from Bhupalpalli constituency in Warangal district. The Speaker of the state Assembly is similar to the Lok Sabha Speaker and the role of the state assembly is same that of the speaker of the Lok Sabha.

2) Viswanathan Anand, Magnus Carlsen rematch to be held in Sochi: The much-anticipated World Championship rematch between Indian veteran Viswanathan Anand and title-holder Magnus Carlsen will be staged from November 7 to 28 in Sochi, Russia. FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov announced the schedule at a press conference, saying that the budget for the event has been set at USD three million. The match will be played at the Olympic Village in Sochi. Russian Chess Federation President Andrei Filatov has also confirmed that the body will participate in the organisation of the event. Carlsen became the world champion last November by defeating Anand in Chennai.

3) India likely to achieve 5.5% growth rate in 2014: World Bank: With the new Indian government showing signs of economic reforms and brings in transparency in governance, the World Bank feels that the world's third- largest economy could achieve a growth rate of 5.5 percent this year as compared to 4.7 percent last year. "I think there is, overall a sense that that recognition of the need for domestic solutions to policies is increasingly evident in India, as well," World Bank economist Andrew Burns told reporters during a conference call Tuesday.

4) Google acquired Skybox for $500 million to ramp up satellite imaging and Internet plans: Google is buying Skybox Imaging in a deal that could serve as a launching pad for the Internet company to send its own fleet of satellites to take aerial pictures and provide online access to remote areas of the world.

The $500 million acquisition announced on Tuesday initially will provide Google with the means to improve the quality and immediacy of the satellite imagery used in its digital maps. Google plans to use Skybox’s satellite already in orbit to supplement the material that it licenses from more than 1,000 sources, including other satellite companies such as DigitalGlobe and Astrium.

5) Jitu Rai wins 10m air pistol silver in ISSF World Cup: India's Jitu Rai won the silver medal in men's 10m air pistol in the ISSF World Cup in Munich on Wednesday. The Army shooter, who had finished sixth in Free Pistol in Munich last year, finished with 199.4 points after losing in the battle of nerves to Pablo Carrera of Spain who took the gold with 201.3 points. European junior champion Paulo Korostylov of Ukraine bagged the bronze with a score of 178.4 points.

6) Kolkata Airport Bags Service Quality Award : Kolkata Airport has won the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Award by Airport Council International (ACI) in the category of the best improved airport in Asia Pacific Region. This category includes airports which have experienced the biggest improvement in ASQ rating between 2012 and 2013 in their region. The ASQ Awards are presented in four categories: best airport by region, best airport by size, best small airport and best improvement. The award was received by Dr. B.P. Sharma, Airport Director, Kolkata at the 9th ACI Asia Pacific Regional Assembly meeting in Seoul, Korea. He handed over the award to Shri Alok Sinha, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Chairman, Airports Authority of India (AAI) in the presence of Shri G.K. Chaukiyal, Member (Operations) in New Delhi.

7) Japan’s Nishimura to referee World Cup opener: Japan’s Yuichi Nishimura is to referee Thursday’s opening match of the World Cup between hosts Brazil and Croatia in Sao Paulo. Nishimura will be assisted by compatriots Toru Sagara and Toshiyuki Nagi, with Alireza Faghani of Iran designated as the fourth official, football’s world governing body FIFA said Tuesday. Nishimura, 42, was in charge of four matches at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, including the quarter-final between the Netherlands and Brazil.