Current Affairs – November 03/2015

1. China approves $9.2-billion Winter Olympics high-speed rail line

China, on November 2, has approved plans for a 58.41 billion yuan (5.97 billion pounds) high-speed rail project which will be used during the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. The 174 kilometre-long railway, which will connect Beijing with the northern city of Zhangjiakou in Hebei province, will be constructed over a four-and-a-half year period and will be able to ferry 60 million people annually.

Beijing beat Kazakhstan’s Almaty in July to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, making it the first city to be awarded both the summer and winter Games.

2. Fast patrol vessel ICGS Arinjay commissions in Kochi

ICGS Arinjay, Fast Patrol Vessel was commissioned in Naval Base, Kochi on November 2. This is the 15th vessel of its class in the series of 20 such Fast Patrol Vessel commissioned by Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba PVSM, AVSM Flag Officer Commanding-in-chief, Southern Naval Command. India’s future is intrinsically linked to the maritime security.

The Coast Guard ship, built by Cochin Shipyard Limited is 50 metres long, displaces 317 tons of water and has a maximum designed speed of 33 knots. The ship is capable of undertaking multifarious tasks such as surveillance, interdiction, search and rescue and medical evacuation. Post commissioning, the ship will be based at Okha, under the administrative and operational control of the Commander, Coast Guard Region (NW).

3. India, Indonesia ink pacts on energy, culture exchange

India and Indonesia have signed two agreements on new and renewable sources of energy and cultural exchange. The agreements were signed in the presence of Vice President M. Hamid Ansari and his Indonesian counterpart Jusuf Kala after their talks in Jakarta. The discussions was on a range of issues, including expanding cooperation in defence, counter terrorism and trade.

The MoU on New and Renewable Energy sector was signed between Indonesian Water Resources and Mineral Minister and Indian ambassador to Indonesia Gurjit Singh. The cooperation is important as both India and Indonesia have committed themselves to reduce carbon emissions by 35 percent and 29 percent respectively by 2030. The Government of Indonesia is supporting India in organizing ‘Sahabat India – The Festival of India in Indonesia’ earlier this year.

4. Nepal receives first consignment of petrol from China

Nepal has received 73.5 metric tonnes of petrol from China for the first time after signing a major deal with it to ease crippling shortage of petroleum products. The shortage was due to the month-long Madhesi-led blockade of India-Nepal border over the new Constitution. Under the Agreement, China will supply petrol, diesel, LP Gas and air gasoline to Nepal.

Twelve trucks carrying petrol from China on November 2 entered Nepal through Rasuwagadhi trading point. These tankers were bringing 144,000 litres of petrol and diesel to Nepal following an agreement inked between Nepal oil Corporation and Petro China in Beijing last week to ease crippling shortages after protests over a new Constitution blocked imports from its sole supplier India.

5. Tata Motors nets Lionel Messi as brand ambassador

Homegrown car maker Tata Motors on November 2, has signed-up football player Lionel Messi as its brand ambassador. In a major marketing initiative the company has signed-up the four-time winner of the best football player of the world award and Argentine captain Messi to promote and endorse passenger vehicles, globally.

The idea is to engage with young people and that football and Messi had a lot of connect with the youth. As a start up, Tata Motors will first roll-out the association campaign, #madeofgreat, starring Lionel Messi today, on 3rd November.

6. Manpreet Vohra appointed India’s new envoy to Afghanistan

Senior diplomat Manpreet Vohra has been appointed as India’s Ambassador to strategically important Afghanistan, succeeding Amar Sinha. Vohra, a 1988-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, is currently serving as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs. He is expected to take up his assignment shortly.  Vohra had served in the Indian High Commission in Pakistan as the Deputy High Commissioner besides having worked in Disarmament and International Security Affairs Division of the External Affairs Ministry. He had also served as India’s Ambassador to Peru.

India and Afghanistan are strategic partners and relations between the two countries are on an upswing. India has invested USD two billion in aid and reconstruction and trained scores of Afghan officers.

7. Navtej Singh Sarna to be new High Commissioner to UK

Navtej Singh Sarna, Secretary (West) in External Affairs Ministry, was today named the next High Commissioner to Britain. Mr Sarna, a 1980-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, will replace Mr Ranjan Mathai in London. He is expected to take up his assignment shortly. The appointment comes days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Britain. Sarna, an author of many fiction and non-fiction books, is currently serving as secretary (west) in the ministry.

Sarna was the longest-serving spokesperson of the ministry and its most visible face from 2002 to 2008. He served as India’s ambassador to Israel from 2008 to 2012.

8. Ex-MLA Gurcharan Chabbra on hunger-strike passes away

Former Janata Dal MLA Gurcharan Chabbra, who was on a fast unto death demanding liquor ban and strengthening of Lokayukta in Rajasthan, has died. He was in a coma for the past couple of days and put on ventilator support. In a statement here, former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlotsaid the anti-liquor crusader died due to the “insensitive” attitude of the Rajasthan government. Rajasthan Medical and Health Minister, Rajendra Rathore visited the hospital and paid his condolences.

9. India goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu set for Europa tryst.

Goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu has added another feather to his cap by ensuring that he would be the first from his country to be part of a team scheduled to play in the Europa League next season. Eight months ago he created history by becoming the first Indian footballer to play for a first division European club. Sandhu, who has played 20 odd reserve team matches for Stabaek besides the maiden first team Cup game, is obviously very excited about soaking in the Europa experience.

10. China Launches the C919! Joins the Big Jet Club

The C919 — a twin-engine, narrow-body aircraft seating up to 174 people — is similar in size to the Airbus 320 and Boeing 737 series of jets, long the workhorses for airlines around the world. With a flying range of up to 5,555 kilometers (3,451 miles), it is designed to compete head-to-head with its Airbus and Boeing rivals, and said to easily cover popular business and leisure routes from China such as Shanghai to Singapore and Beijing to Bangkok.

11. Amazon to open its first-ever physical book store in Seattle

Amazon.com Inc is set to open its first physical book store in Seattle. The brick-and-mortar store, Amazon Books, is a physical extension of Amazon.com with books being selected based on customer ratings and pre-orders on Amazon.com. Popularity on Goodreads and curators’ assessments are also considered for short listing the books. The in-store and online prices of the books would be same.

The store will also have an option to test drive Amazon’s devices such as Kindle, Echo, Fire TV and Fire Tablet. Amazon Books, which is located in Seattle’s University Village, will be open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

12. Google aims to begin drone package deliveries in 2017

Internet giant Alphabet Inc, the new holding company for Google, expects to begin delivering packages to consumers via drones sometime in 2017.

Alphabet and Amazon.com Inc are among a growing number of companies that intend to make package delivery by drone a reality. But drone deliveries are not expected to take flight until after the FAA publishes final rules for commercial drone operations, which are expected early next year.

13. Tata Motors ropes in Lionel Messi as global brand ambassador

Homegrown car maker Tata Motors on November 2, has signed-up football player Lionel Messi as its brand ambassador. In a major marketing initiative the company has signed-up the four-time winner of the best football player of the world award and Argentine captain Messi to promote and endorse passenger vehicles, globally.

The idea is to engage with young people and that football and Messi had a lot of connect with the youth. As a start up, Tata Motors will first roll-out the association campaign, #madeofgreat, starring Lionel Messi today, on 3rd November. This is the first time ever that the company’s passenger vehicle business will be undertaking an overall brand association campaign – ‘What drives us from within is what makes us great’, with a brand ambassador.

14. Actor and Oscar-winning writer Colin Welland passes away

Oscar-winning writer and actor Colin Welland has died aged 81 after suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, his family has announced. Welland won an Oscar in 1982 for best original screenplay for writing the film Chariots of Fire, about two athletes at the 1924 Olympic Games.

He famously used his acceptance speech to declare: “The British are coming.” As an actor, he won a Bafta for playing the sympathetic English teacher Mr Farthing in Ken Loach’s Kes in 1969.

15. AIR programme on Child Labour wins 2015 ABU Prizes

All India Radios Programme on child labour has bagged the first prize under the Community Service Announcement category at the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) Prizes 2015. The Malayamal programme, titled “Nilkkam Ivarkkoppam” (Stand Beside Them), is part of an initiative taken up by Biju Mathew, Programme Executive at AIR Thiruvananthapuram on behalf of All India Radio, said a statement by the public broadcaster.

The award, comprising a purse worth $2000, a certificate and a statuette, was announced at a function held on Friday at Ankara, Turkey, on the sidelines of 52nd ABU General Assembly and Associated Meetings.

16. Govt appoints MDs of four PSU banks

The government has appointed MDs of four public lenders, including UCO Bank, Corporation Bank and Andhra Bank.

• Suresh N Patel, Executive Director of Oriental Bank of Commerce, has been appointed managing director of the Hyderabad-based Andhra Bank.
• R K Takkar, ED, Dena Bank , will now head the Kolkata-based UCO Bank.
• J K Garg has been named as the MD of Corporation Bank.
• Mahesh Kumar Jain, ED, Indian Bank, has been elevated as the MD and CEO

17. Ravikumar Sreedharan appointed as MD of Unisys Corporation India

Ravikumar Sreedharan has been appointed as Managing Director of Indian unit of Information Technology firm Unisys Corporation with effect from 31 October 2015. Sreedharan succeeds Kumar Prabhas, who served as MD of Unisys India for last eight years. Sreedharan will be responsible for leading the company’s operations in India which includes more than 5000 employees working at state-of-the-art sites at Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Mumbai.

18. Gadkari announces Rs 10,000 cr projects for Nagaland

The Union government has announced Rs 10,000-crore road and bridges development projects for Nagaland besides committing a slew of road projects for the entire North-East in five year period. Road and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari told reporters here that Nagaland road project will be taken up till March 2017.

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