NATIONAL AFFAIRS
Class 9-12 Girls Also To Get Mid-day Meal In Delhi:
The Delhi Government has extended the mid-day meal scheme for girls up to class 12, reportedly making it the first state in the country to do so, the city-state government claimed. The scheme will be applicable from April. The AAP government will set aside RS.50 crore for extending the scheme, which currently covers all students till class 8.
World Bank CEO visits Asia’s largest slum Dharavi in Mumbai:
World Bank CEO Kristalina Georgieva paid a visit to Asia’s largest slum Dharavi in Mumbai. She also travelled in a local train from Churchgate to Dadar. During her first official visit to India, Georgieva will see the operations of bank-supported suburban rail system in Mumbai. She will hold discussions with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, RBI Governor Urjit Patel besides other key policy-makers.
Andhra planning to launch airline named after state capital:
The Andhra Pradesh government is planning to launch an airline, named after the state’s capital Amaravathi. The initiative is aimed at bringing global exposure to the upcoming city and boost the state’s aviation sector. The state government may also like to have its own international airport.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Saudi king begins historic visit to Indonesia:
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman held talks with Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo and signed a range of cooperation agreements at the beginning of a 12-day visit, the first by a Saudi monarch in nearly five decades.
The leaders oversaw, among 11 pacts, a new agreement between state energy companies Saudi Aramco and Pertamina, building on an existing $6- billion plan to expand Indonesia’s biggest refinery.
BANKING & BUSINESS
HDFC, ICICI, Axis banks will now charge up to Rs 150 after 4 free transactions a month:
Giving a major push to digitalisation and cashless transaction, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank began charging a minimum of Rs 150 per transaction for deposits and withdrawals after four free transactions per month. Previously, the banks used to charge Rs 20 for deposit and withdrawal after four transactions.
DRDO signs deal with firm to manufacture key alloy ‘Non-exclusive’ licensing deal for armour applications:
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) signed a technology transfer agreement with Jindal Stainless (Hisar) Limited (JSHL) for manufacturing High Nitrogen Steel (HNS). The alloy has significant applications in the defence sector, but currently the country is largely dependent on imports.
The “non-exclusive” licensing agreement for armour applications was signed between the Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL), the Hyderabad-based laboratory of the DRDO and the JSHL.
Airtel counters Reliance Jio: To bring 5G internet & IoT in partnership with Nokia:
Airtel will take on Reliance Jio with a fast internet service. Global technology giant Nokia and India’s biggest telecom service provider Bharti Airtel has announced that they have planned a strategy to reach the network evolution to 5G services. They are also planning to introduce the Internet-of-Things (IoT) in India.
According to the company, 5G technology will dramatically improve peak data speeds, agility, network latency and new potentials like network slicing.
World Bank offers over $1-billion loan to Maharashtra:
The World Bank has announced an assistance programme of over $1 billion in the areas of urban transport and climate resilient agriculture in Maharashtra, over the next 2-3 years. This was announced by the World Bank’s Chief Executive Officer, Kristalina Georgieva, at the end of a day-long visit to the city.
Reliance General Insurance, Catholic Syrian Bank tie up:
Reliance General Insurance (RGI), a part of Reliance Capital, has entered into a bancassurance tie-up with Catholic Syrian Bank. With this tie-up, RGI will offer its general insurance products to Catholic Syrian Bank’s 1.5 million customer base spread across its 430 branches in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Interceptor missile test successful:
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully carried out a test of an interceptor missile (endo-atmospheric missile), which can intercept missiles at ranges of 15-30 km, launched from the Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast in response to an incoming ‘enemy’ missile which was launched from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur.
Further validating the reliability of the under-development, two-layered Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) in shooting down enemy missiles.
‘Frogs can see colours in the dark’:
Frogs have a unique ability to see colour even when it is so dark that humans are not able to see anything at all, a new study has found. Researchers from Lund University in Sweden found that the night vision of frogs and toads appear to be superior to that of all other animals.
Scientists unveil the most detailed map of dark matter to date:
Using images from NASA’s orbiting Hubble Space Telescope, an international team of astronomers has deduced in unprecedented detail the distributions of dark matter within three clusters of galaxies. They exploited the fact that the gravity of a cluster can distort the images of more-distant galaxies, magnifying them and even making their images multiply, in a process called strong gravitational lensing.
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS
J.S. Deepak is India’s WTO ambassador:
Deepak was named India’s next Ambassador to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) from June this year. A 1982 batch IAS officer from Uttar Pradesh, Deepak, who is at present attending the World Mobile Congress at Barcelona, has been made Officer on Special Duty in the commerce department.
Tyagi takes over as SEBI chairman:
Finance ministry official Ajay Tyagi took over as Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Chairman with two likely priorities – developing the country’s commodity and corporate bond markets and shoring up corporate governance.
Wrestler Kripa Shankar Patel Bishnoi, ‘Dangal coach’ becomes international referee:
Wrestler Kripa Shankar, who became famous after training Bollywood star Aamir Khan in the blockbuster movie ‘Dangal’, has become an international match referee for the United World Wrestling (UWW) has announced the inclusion in its international panel of referees.
Dwayne Smith announces retirement from international cricket
West Indies batsman Dwayne Smith has announced his retirement from all International Cricket. Smith, 33, who is playing for Islamabad United in the ongoing Pakistan Super League, confirmed the decision before the start of the second qualifying final against Karachi Kings in Sharjah. His last West Indies appearance came at the 2015 World Cup.
Remarkable Israel’s Tennis Player Shahar Peer retires :
Shahar Peer, Israel’s most successful women’s tennis player announced her retirement because of a chronic shoulder injury. Formerly she was world No. 11 reached two Grand Slam quarterfinals, at the Australian and US Opens in 2007, and won five WTA titles. She was aged 29.
AWARDS
Rihanna honoured with humanitarian award:
Singer Rihanna has been honoured with the 2017 Harvard Humanitarian of the Year award. The 29-year-old singer was honoured by the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations for her work in her native island of Barbados and the charities she has founded over the years.
SPORTS
Maria Sharapova given wildcard for Italian Open:
Five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova has been given a wildcard to play in the Italian Open in May. The former world number one makes her return to the circuit in Stuttgart in April after completing a 15-month ban for doping.
FIFA bans Nigeria’s Amos Adamu for two years:
Former FIFA executive committee member Amos Adamu has received a second ban for unethical conduct. FIFA’s ethics committee said latest ban was the result of Adamu’s “involvement in the organization of an event in 2010” which violated the rules of conduct and constituted a conflict of interest.
Jitu Rai wins gold in 50m pistol, Amanpreet Singh settles for silver at ISSF World Cup:
Jitu Rai clinched a dramatic gold in the 50-metre free pistol, beating compatriot and qualification leader Amanpreet Singh by 3.2 points, in the World Cup at the Dr. Karni Singh Range, Tughlakabad.
The silver medal also went to India as Amanpreet Singh took the second position after shooting a total of 226.9. This was his first World Cup final appearance. The bronze medal went to Iran’s Vahid Golkhandan who shot a total score of 208 points. This was his first World Cup medal in international competition.
Kohli first to be named India’s best int’l cricketer thrice:
Virat Kohli has been named India’s best international cricketer of the year by the BCCI, making him the first player to win the top honour three times. He will be presented the award, which is named after veteran cricketer Polly Umrigar, at the annual award ceremony. Kohli had won the award earlier in 2011-12 and 2014-15
OBITUARY
Former England batsman and Test umpire John Hampshire passes away:
Former England batsman and Test umpire John Hampshire has died. Hampshire made history on his Test debut by becoming the first Englishman to score a century at Lord’s stadium in his maiden Test in the series against the West Indies in 1969.
