20 January 2013 Current Affairs
Indian-origin candidate contesting key poll in Lower Saxony in Germany
Indian-origin politician and social scientist Mohan Meinhart Krischke Ramaswamy heads the German Pirate Party’s bid to enter the legislature in Lower Saxony in a key state election 20 January 2013.Germany’s new political force has pinned its hopes on 59-year-old Ramaswamy to have representation in a fifth state Parliament and thereby boost its chances to gain seats in the Bundestag or national Parliament in Berlin for the first time in the federal election scheduled for September.
‘Japan to replace Fukushima plant with world’s largest wind farm’
In the wake of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, Japan had decided to build the world’s largest offshore wind farm to replace the crippled nuke plant.The country plans to build a total of 143 wind turbines on platforms 16 kilometres off the coast of Fukushima by 2020, which is home to the stricken Daiichi nuclear reactor that hit the headlines in March 2011 when it was damaged by a severe earthquake and tsunami.The wind farm will generate 1 gigawatt of power once completed, and is part of a national plan to increase renewable energy resources following the post-tsunami shutdown of the country’s 54 nuclear reactors.The wind farm will surpass the 504 megawatts generated by the 140 turbines at the Greater Gabbard farm off the coast of Suffolk, UK – currently the world’s largest farm.
Barack Obama took Oath as the President of the United States of America for Second Term
Barack Obama on 20 January 2013 formally took oath as the President of the United States of America for his second term.Joe Biden also took oath as the Vice-President of USA on 20 January 2013.
Saurashtra enter Ranji Trophy finals after 75 yrs
In Rajkot, Saurashtra qualified for the final for the first time in 75 years after thrashing Punjab by 229 runs in the other semi-final.After 1937-38 this is the first time Saurashtra enter into the final.
India, US finalise Rs 3,000 crore deal for jet engines
India and the US have finalised a Rs 3000-crore deal for supplying 99 jet engines to be used in the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft ‘Tejas’ being developed by the DRDO.Around two years ago, India had selected the American company General Electric over its rival European Eurojet 2000 for the LCA Mark II programme expected to be ready around 2014-15.The deal worth Rs 3,000 crore has been finalised with the US for procuring 99 engines for the LCA Tejas MkII.As per the contract, the order could be for 99 engines initially but India will have the option of ordering another 100 engines in the future.
Malaysian Open Badminton Championship Winners
Men’s Singles: Lee Chong Wei (Indonesia) won the Men’s singles title after defeated Sony Dwi Kuncoro in the final at Kuala Lumpur on 20 January.
Men’s Doubles: Mohd Ahsan (Indonesia) -Hendra Setiawan (China) defeated Ko Sung-hyun-Lee Yong-dae (Malaysia) in the final.
Women’s Singles: Tai Tzu-ying (Thailand) won the women’s singles title after defeated Yao Xue (Korea)
Women’s Doubles: In the event Bao Yixin-Tian Qing (China) won the title after defeated Misaki Matsutomo-Ayaka Takahashi (Japan) .