Daily Current Affairs: 08 May 2014

1) President of India dedicated ‘RUPAY’, India’s own card payment network, to the nation: President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday dedicated to the nation indigenous card payment network called RuPay taking on the global players like Visa and MasterCard. The new payment network developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), a not-for-profit company envisioned by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and created by the banking industry, covers all the automated teller machines (ATMs) and most of the retail and e-commerce platforms. RuPay is the coinage of two terms Rupee and Payment. “Dedication of RuPay to the nation is symbolic of the maturity of the payment system development in India,” Mukherjee said after formally launching the card at a function at Rashtrapati Bhavan. RuPay cards are accepted at all ATMs, more than 90 per cent of ‘Point of Sale’ (POS) terminals and more than 10,000 e-commerce merchants across the country.

2) India home to 54 of world's largest, most powerful public companies: Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries leads the pack of 54 Indian companies in Forbes' annual list of the world's 2000 largest and most powerful public companies, with Chinese companies occupying the top three slots on the list. The Forbes 'Global 2000' is a comprehensive list of the world's largest, most powerful public companies, as measured by revenues, profits, assets and market value. China is home to the world's top three biggest public companies and five of the top 10.

3) Sony Xperia Z2 Launched In India For Rs 49,990: Sony has launched its much talked-about smartphone Xperia Z2 in India for Rs. 49,990. Sony Xperia Z2 is a dust-proof and water-proof smartphone just like the Sony Xperia Z1. It is 8.2mm thick with a 5.2-inch full HD screen, it retains the two-tone black with aluminum trim design of its predecessor. Under the hood is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 2.3GHz quad-core processor, backed by 3GB of RAM. It's with the camera, however, where the Z2 gets really interesting. It's equipped with a 20.7MP still camera on the rear, capable of shooting 4K videos. It's using a 1/2.3-type Exmor RS CMOS image sensor and G Lens, with Sony's BIONZ image processing engine doing the grunt work. Click Here to read more about the phone. 

4) India gets 2014 New Frontiers Award by Arabian Travel Market: A leading Arab travel industry showcase has named India as the recipient of the New Frontiers Award 2014 for its efforts to rebuild infrastructure and its rural tourism economy after two natural disasters. Economic Advisor in the Ministry of Tourism Devender Singh received the award from Mark Walsh, Portfolio Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions, at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), a four day event.

5) Zuma gets another term as South Africa President: South Africa's African National Congress has won a commanding victory in general elections, partial results showed Friday, putting President Jacob Zuma on the path to another five-year term in office and extending the party's unbroken string of post-apartheid election victories.

6) Delhi most polluted city in the world: WHO- Delhi is the most polluted city in the world, says a study released by World Health Organisation (WHO) on WednesdayThe 2014 report of the Ambient Air Pollution (AAP) database contains results of outdoor air pollution monitoring from almost 1600 cities in 91 countries. The national capital has the highest concentration of PM2.5 — particulate matters less than 2.5 microns– form of air pollution, which is considered most serious and can cause respiratory diseases and other health problems.