Current Affairs April 9, 2017

Current Affairs April 9, 2017

National Affairs

India & Bangladesh runs train and bus services

India and Bangladesh has agreed upon a new passenger train service between Khulna and Kolkata and a goods train between Radhikapur and Birol stations.

Strengthening ties the passenger train named Maitree Express that runs between Dhaka and Kolkata will be made fully air-conditioned set to be operate from April 14, Bengali New Year (Poila Baisakh). They also flagged off the Khulna-Kolkata passenger bus service.

Clean Ganga: 26 projects worth Rs 2,154.28 cr approved for Namami Gange project

The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has approved 26 projects worth Rs 2,154.28 crore under the Centre’s ‘Namami Gange’ programme, aiming to reduce the river’s pollution load.

As part of the projects, the NMCG will set up sewage treatment plants (STPs) and develop sewage network in four Ganga basin states: Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Delhi.

An Elephantine census after 5 years

Volunteers and wildlife activists will count the actual number of wild elephants in the country. The All-India Synchronized Asian Elephant Population Estimation will be simultaneously execute counting in the southern States from May 16 to 19, after a five-year gap. In the previous counting exercise in 2012, the estimated population of wild elephants reported by the Environment Ministry was between 29,391 and 30,711. 

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

US-China ends summit with 100-day plan

U.S. President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping wrapped up their first summit by announcing a 100-day plan to improve strained trade ties. The 100-day plan was the only tangible announcement to come out of the meetings.

China is now the largest trading partner of the US as it reached $519.6 billion, last year. The two leaders exchanged views on co-operations as well as global and regional issues of common concern.

India & Bangladesh signs 22 pacts, Teesta remains elusive

The Prime Ministers of India and Bangladesh, Narendra Modi and Sheikh Hasina signed the 22 pacts in key sectors including four in defence and 5 in civil nuclear energy and space. The long pending Teesta Water Sharing agreement remained elusive. The one of the pacts inked was for a $500 million additional line of credit to Bangladesh for military supplies.

BANKING & BUSINESS

Indian Oil expands LPG facilities in TN & Kerala

Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) will expand its LPG production facilities in Kerala and Tamil Nadu by constructing 498 km Kochi-Salem LPG pipeline, which is jointly implemented by IOC and Bharat Petroleum.

This project is executed to meet the increased demand for the gas that is growing at 11% annually. The project entails an investment of more than Rs.2200 crore and is expected to complete by February 2018.

Aadhaar Payment System to be launched on 14^th April

The country’s most incredible online payment system, “Aadhar Payment System” set to be launched on April 14^th. It is first of-its-kind model with PIN-less payment system in the world.

The system to be re-viewed based on Ratan-Watal committee. The finance ministry has set goal for the next year to reach 25 million cash-less transaction. The APS comes with zero extra charges to the customers.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

Smita Sandhane appointed as MD of Saraswat Bank

Saraswat Bank, largest lender in the co-operative sector has appointed Smita Sandhane as its Managing Director. She was serving as the chief financial officer of the bank. She replaces S.K. Banerji who retires from the bank.

Malik Khan IAS, is new State Election Commissioner

Malik Feroze Khan, a retired IAS officer assumed charge as the State Election Commissioner (SEC) of Tamil Nadu. He will hold the post for 2 years. Khan has taken over as SEC as insisted by Madras High Court as the elections to local bodies should be held by May 14.

National javelin coach Garry Calvert resigns

The National javelin coach Garry Calvert, who was instrumental in Neeraj Chopra’s historic triumph at the Under-20 World championships, who became India’s first World champion in athletics last year, has resigned.

The Australian had been seeking an extension to his contract up to the 2020 Olympic Games and revised terms, but there was no action or assurance from either the Sports Authority of India or the Athletics Federation of India.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

IISc designs a novel graphene electrical conductor

Researchers from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru have been able to experimentally produce a new type of electrical conductor that was theoretically predicted nearly 20 years ago.

A team led by Arindam Ghosh from the Department of Physics, IISc successful produced graphene that conducts current along one particular edge. It allows flow of charge without any resistance at room temperature and above. The results of the study were published in the journal “Nature Nanotechnology”.

Large asteroid to buzz past Earth on April 19

A relatively large asteroid will fly safely past our planet on April 19 at a distance of about 1.8 million kilometers. Although there is no possibility for the asteroid to collide with Earth, this will be a very close approach for an asteroid of this size.

The asteroid, known as 2014 JO25, was discovered in May 2014 by astronomers at the Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona, US. It is at least the closest in the last 400 years and for next 500 years.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

The Hindi version of Autobiography of Bangladesh founder released

Narendra Modi and Sheikh Hasina released the Hindi translation of “Unfinished Memoirs”, the autobiography of Bangladesh’s founder and Sheikh Hasina’s father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

SPORTS

India ensures passage into World Group Play-off in Tennis

India ensured a passage into the World Group Play-off for the fourth successive year. Rohan Bopanna and N. Sriram Balaji, playing together for the first time, outclassed Farrukh Dustov and Sanjar Fayziev 6-2, 6-4, 6-1 in under 90 minutes to give India an unassailable 3-0 lead in the Asia–Oceania Group I. India will now meet one among the eight World Group I, which includes defending champion Argentina, which will be held in September.

Lewis Hamilton wins Chinese Grand Prix ahead of Sebastian Vettel

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton dominated the Chinese Grand Prix to take his first win of the year and move into a share of the championship lead. 

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel recovered from a mishap-filled start to finish in second place, 6.2 seconds behind the Mercedes driver. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen moved up from 16th on the grid to finish third.