*CURRENT AFFAIRS (24-02-2015)

1. Chris Gayle hit fastest double
century, creates World Cup
history
i. West Indies cricketer, Chris
Gayle today creates a history in
World Cup by smashing fastest
double century against
Zimbabwe at Manuka Oval,
Canberra.
ii. He became the first batsman
to hit double century in the
history of Cricket World Cup.
iii. This is the fastest double
century in any ODIs. He scored
200 runs in 138 balls, breaks
the previous record of Indian
batsmen Virender Sehwag of
200 runs in 140 balls.
iii. It was also the fifth double
century in all ODI cricket and the
first by a non-Indian. Rohit
Sharma has hit two double
centuries whereas Sachin
Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag
has hit one each.
iv. The left-hand batsman
smashed 16 sixes and 10 fours
to reach the milestone. He
scored 215 runs in 147 balls.
v. He also equalled the record of
most sixes in an ODI innings
held jointly by South Africa's AB
de Villiers and India's Rohit
Sharma.
v. Gayle and Marlon Samuels,
who scored 133 not out
himself, also set a new
partnership record for any ODI
wicket.
vi. With the help of Gayle's and
Marlon Samuels ton, West Indies
set the total of 373 runs against
West Indies.
vii. In reply Zimbabwe were
bundled out for 289 in 44.3
overs and West Indies won the
match by 73 runs.
Note: Chris Gayle is the only
player to have a triple century in
Tests, double century in ODIs,
and a ton in T-20s.
2. BJP-PDP agree to form
coalition govt. in J&K, Mufti
Mohammad will be new CM
i. BJP and PDP agree to form
coalition government in Jammu
and Kashmir today.
ii. After meeting in New Delhi,
BJP President Amit Shah and
PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti
made an announcement in this
regard.
iii. Jammu & Kashmir Chief
Minister post will be headed by
PDP and BJP will get post of
Deputy Chief Minister.
iv. According to the sources,
People's Democratic Party leader
Mufti Mohammad Sayeed will be
sworn in as the Chief Minister of
Jammu and Kashmir March 1.
3. Govt accepts 14th Finance
Commission recommendations
i. 14th Finance Commission,
which was headed by former
RBI Governor Y.V. Reddy,
recommended that the share of
states in the centre's tax
revenue be increased from 32
percent to 42 percent.
ii. The recommendations of the
commission has accepted by
the centre.
iii. The recommendation is for
the five-year period 2015-16 to
2019-20.
iv. As per the increased
devolution suggested in the
report, the states will get Rs
3.48 lakh crore in 2014-15 and
Rs 5.26 lakh crore in 2015-16.
Note: The 13th Finance
Commission, headed by Vijay
Kelkar, had recommended that
32% of Central taxes be
devolved to states, which was
an increase from the 31.5 per
cent suggested by its
predecessor.
4. ADB signs $400 m loan pacts
with India
i. India and Asian Development
signed an agreement, to
improve district roads in
Madhya Pradesh and to support
improvements to power
transmission and distribution
systems in Assam.
ii. The Asian Development Bank
will provide $400 million loan to
India, to complete the projects
in both the states.
iii. ADB will provide $350 million
loan to upgrade district roads in
the state of Madhya Pradesh
and $ 50.2 million loan to
Assam.
iv. The project is expected to be
completed by December 31,
2018.
5. SBI inked an agreement with
Indian Army on Defence Salary
Package
i. The State Bank of India and
Indian Army deal an agreement
on Defence Salary Package.
ii. The agreement is tailor-made
to suit the requirements of
serving soldiers, pensioners and
families.
iii. Earlier SBi has signed an
agreement with Indian Army in
2011, which was valid for a
three years.
iv. The basic features of the MoU
include a number of free /
concessional services like free
drafts, free cheque books, free
funds transfers to any bank in
India through RTGS / NEFT, free
ATM cards etc.
v. The provision also includes
the Nepal Express Remittance
Scheme which enables instant
fund transfers to Nepal for the
benefit of the Nepali Domicile
Gorkha Soldiers serving in the
Indian Army
6. R.K. Pachauri resign from his
post
i. Chairman of the
Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC), Dr.
Rajendra Kumar Pachauri has
resigned from his post, after
facing allegations of sexual
harassment.
ii. A spokesperson for Dr.
Pachauri issued a statement
that he has informed the IPCC
that he has resigned from his
position effective from Tuesday.
iii. A 29-year-old researcher of
"The Energy and Resources
Institute (TERI)" has made the
allegations against Mr Pachauri
that he began harassing her
soon after she joined the TERI
in September 2013. Dr Pachauri
has denied the charges.
7. RC Sakthi, Veteran Tamil
director passed away
i. Veteran Tamil director R.C.
Sakthi passed away in Chennai,
Tamil Nadu following a brief
illness. He was 76 and is
survived by two daughters and
a son.
ii. In 1972, Sakthi launched
Kamal Haasan in his directorial
debut Unarchigal which was
released in 1976.
8. Ram Niwas Goel elected as
Speaker of Delhi Legislative
Assembly
i. Ram Niwas Goel, MLA of Aam
Aadmi Party (AAP) today
unanimously elected as the
Speaker of the Delhi Legislative
Assembly. While AAP legislator
Bandana Kumari was elected as
the Deputy Speaker of the
House.
ii. Ram Niwas Goel won the seat
of Shahdara constituency in
Delhi Assembly election. He
defeated Bhartiya Janta Party's
Jitender Singh Shunty.
9. Industrialist Shyam Kothari
passes away
i. Bhadrashyam Kothari,
Chairman and Managing
Director of Kothari Sugars and
Chemicals, died at Houston, US
on Sunday, after a brief illness.
He was 53.
10. First Hindu Chief Justice of
Pakistan, Rana Bhagwandas
passed away
i. First Hindu Chief Justice of
Pakistan, Rana Bhagwandas
passed away in Karachi,
Pakistan. He was 72.
ii. He was first Hindu and
second non-Muslim to head the
Supreme Court of Pakistan.
11. Ranchi Rays lifted Hero
Hockey India League trophy
2015
i. Ranchi Rays emerged the
Champions of Hero Hockey India
League 2015.
ii. Ranchi Rays defeated Jaypee
Punjab Warriors by 3-2 in the
final at Major Dhyan Chand
National Stadium, New Delhi.
iii. Ranchi Rays, which was
earlier called Ranchi Rhinos was
also lifted the inaugural title in
2013.