Current Affairs - 23rd March 2014

Disinvestment in Axis bank

The union govt. sold its 9% stake in the private sector Axis bank. The stake was taken in the year 2003 through UTI. This step is taken under the disinvestment plan of government to collect higher revenues. The other promoters of the bank are Life Insurance Corporation, General Insurance Corporation, New India Assurance and National Insurance Company.

Google Digital Activism award, 2014

Indian journalist Shubhranshu Choudhary has won the google digital activism award beating Edward Snowden and many such famous journalists. He was given this award for creating CGNet Swara (Voice of Chhattisgarh), a mobile-phone service that allows citizens to post and listen to local reports in their local language using basic mobile phones. This award is a part if index freedom expression award.

Turkey puts ban on Twitter

Turkey put a ban on micro blogging site Twitter in order to prevent the tapes from being leaked and damaging the reputation of the government before elections. The action came after a tape of PM of turkey and his son was leaked on the internet and went viral.

World water day observed

World water day was observed on 22nd March along with UN water decade programme on advocacy and communications in Tokyo. This day is observed to raise awareness about consumption of water. The theme of this year’s water day was “Energy and Water”.