Current Affairs - 16 April 2015

RBI governor Raghuram Rajan gets threat mail from 'ISIS'

• 

  Mumbai: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Raghuram Rajan has received an e-mail threatening to eliminate him.

  As per reports, Rajan had received the mail earlier this month from the IDisis583847@gmail.com. As the ID bears the name of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the Mumbai Police is not taking it lightly.

  DNA newspaper, a part of Zee Media, has accessed some parts of the mail: “I have been given money by somebody to eliminate you. If you will pay me more than I have been paid, then we can decide on it,” the mail said.

  Mumbai police commissioner Rakesh Maria confirmed the development. “We have received a complaint that a threat email was sent to the RBI governor. The email also contained the name of ISIS. We are not taking this lightly and all efforts are being made to trace the culprits,” Maria told DNA.

  As per the report, the Mumbai Police has approached the US-based Google Inc and sought details about the ID.

  The report further added that the e-mail ID was accessed from outside India. What has added to the mystery was the discovery that the mail ID was being accessed from 10 different countries, including Australia, Italy, US, Canada, Nigeria, Poland, Belgium, Germany, Hong Kong and Ukraine.

  Police suspect that a proxy Internet Protocol address was used to sent the e-mail.

India will provide workforce to power global growth: PM Narendra Modi in Canada

• 

  Toronto: Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the last leg of 3-nation tour addressed the Indian Diaspora in Toronto's Ricoh Coliseum on Wednesday, and asserted that a new "atmosphere of trust" has developed in India since he took over 10 months ago.

  While addressing an Indian diaspora event at the Ricoh Coliseum here, PM said, “There is a new atmosphere of trust in our nation. India is a large country and it will take time to clean, Adding that the problem is old and it will take time but you can see there is a change in the people.”

  The Prime Minister said that development is a solution to all the problems that India faces. He said the country has all the capabilities it needs, it just needs opportunities now.

  "Jinko gandagi karni thi, gandagi kar ke chaley gaye, hum safai karke jayengey (Those who had create a mess, they have done so and left. We will go after cleaning it up)," Modi said attacking the previous governments.

  "India will provide the workforce to power global growth. Our mission is 'skill India', not 'scam India'," he said.

  While addressing in Hindi an estimated over 10,000-strong Indian diaspora, PM Modi said, "The Indian flag has four colours and I want to bring four revolutions to India. Saffron is a colour of energy, and we must have an energy revolution in India. Our country used to always speak of megawatts but today we are talking about gigawatts, namely 175 gigawatts of renewable energy. Earlier, the government bought LED bulbs for Rs 350 each; we buy one LED bulb for Rs 85."

Facebook-backed Internet.org loses some Indian partners over net neutrality

• 

  A project by Facebook-backed Internet.org to offer people access to select online services without data charges has run into trouble in India, after the program was criticized by net neutrality activists.

  Internet.org, a project launched in 2013 by Facebook and other tech companies to provide Internet access to the underprivileged, teamed with operator Reliance Communications in February to offer through a mobile app free access to Reliance subscribers to 38 websites and services, including that of Facebook.

  The Internet.org program and other such deals have, however, been criticized on social media for violating the principles of net neutrality by creating “walled gardens” that provide free access only to a few preferred content providers and services. The Internet.org program does not meet its stated objective of providing free and unfettered Internet access to all, according to the activists.

  A number of companies that had partnered with Internet.org to offer content or services had by Wednesday either quit the alliance or were readying to leave.

  Travel site Cleartrip, for example, said it was withdrawing from Internet.org, as the recent debate in India over net neutrality had led it ”to rethink our approach to Internet.org and the idea of large corporations getting involved with picking and choosing who gets access to what and how fast.”

  The company said it wasn’t making any money out of being on Internet.org, nor was it paying or being paid to be part of the program. “Since there was absolutely zero money changing hands, we genuinely believed we were contributing to a social cause,” it said in a blog post.

  The Times Group, a large media conglomerate, said it was withdrawing some of its Internet sites and services from Internet.org. But in the case of its main newspaper, The Times of India, it would withdraw if its direct competitors also pull out. NDTV, one of the competitors named, announced late Wednesday it is withdrawing from Internet.org.

  Earlier in the week, Flipkart, one of India’s large online retailers, said it was walking out of talks with another Indian operator, Bharti Airtel, which launched this month a marketing platform, Airtel Zero, that allows customers to access mobile apps without data charges.The charges and other fees are to be paid by the app providers, raising concerns that the deal could handicap small companies and startups.

  Flipkart’s CEO Sachin Bansal had earlier tweeted that the so-called zero-rating deals helped reduce data costs for users. But he retreated after strong online protests against the company. The activists then began scrutinizing other deals that offered free data access to websites and apps, including the Internet.org app.

Japan jets scramble at Cold-War levels as Chinese and Russian incursions increase

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  Tokyo: Japan`s air force said on Wednesday jet fighter scrambles had reached a level not seen since the height of the Cold War three decades ago as Russian bombers probe its northern skies and Chinese combat aircraft intrude into its southern air space.

  In the year through March 31, Japanese fighters scrambled 944 times, a 16-percent increase on the same period the previous year, the country`s Self Defence Force said.

  That is the second highest number of encounters ever recorded over a 12-month period since records began in 1958 and only one less than a record 944 scrambles in 1984.

  "It represents a sharp increase," an SDF spokesman told a news briefing.

  While not a direct measure of Russian and Chinese military activity, the numbers nonetheless point to an increase in operations by Japan`s two big neighbours. The spokesman said an increased number of Chinese planes had flown through Japanese air space into the Western Pacific.

  Russia`s activity has gathered pace since it annexed Crimea from Ukraine last year and comes at a time when Japan faces an increasingly assertive China, which boosted its defence spending by more than 10 percent this year after a nearly unbroken two-decade run of double-digit rises.

Nuclear-capable: Pakistan test-launches ballistic missile

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  ISLAMABAD:  Pakistan on Wednesday “successfully” conducted a training launch of the Ghauri missile system as part of a series of tests being carried out over the past few months to validate the “operational preparedness and tactical readiness” of the Armed Strategic Force Command.

  The launch was conducted by a Strategic Missile Group of the Army Strategic Command at an undisclosed location.

  “The Ghauri Ballistic Missile can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads up to a distance of 1300 kms,” said a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

  The launch was witnessed by senior officers from Strategic Plans Division, strategic forces, scientists and engineers of strategic organisations.

  While congratulating the scientists, engineers and all ranks of Strategic forces, Director General Strategic Plans Division, Lieutenant General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, expressed full satisfaction over the excellent standard achieved by Strategic Forces during their training which was duly reflected by the proficient handling of the weapon system in the field and fulfillment of operational and technical objectives.

  He also emphasized that Pakistan can be justifiably proud of its defence capabilities and the capability of its nuclear deterrence.

  The successful training launch was also warmly lauded by the President and Prime minister of Pakistan who congratulated the strategic forces, scientists and engineers on their outstanding achievement, the statement said. Previously, on March 9, Pakistan had conducted a successful test launch of the Shaheen-III surface to surface ballistic missile, capable of carrying nuclear and conventional warheads to a range of 2750 Kms.

First smart city builds in Gujarat

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  India’s push to accommodate a booming urban population and attract investment rests in large part with dozens of “smart” cities like the one being built on the dusty banks of the Sabarmati river in western India.

  So far, it boasts modern underground infrastructure, two office blocks and not much else.

  The plan, however, is for a meticulously planned metropolis complete with gleaming towers, drinking water on tap, automated waste collection and a dedicated power supply – luxuries to many Indians.

  With an urban population set to rise by more than 400 million people to 814 million by 2050, India faces the kind of mass urbanisation only seen before in China, and many of its biggest cities are already bursting at the seams.

  Ahead of his election last May, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised 100 so-called smart cities by 2022 to help meet the rush.

  At a cost of about $1 trillion, according to estimates from consultants KPMG, the plan is also crucial to Modi’s ambition of attracting investment while providing jobs for the million or more Indians who join the workforce every month.

  His grand scheme, still a nebulous concept involving quality communications and infrastructure, is beginning to take shape outside Gandhinagar, capital of the state of Gujarat, with the first “smart” city the government hopes will provide a model for India’s urban future.

  “Most (Indian) cities have not been planned in an integrated way,” said Jagan Shah, director of the National Institute of Urban Affairs which is helping the government set guidelines for the new developments.

  Among the challenges to getting new cities built or existing cities transformed is the lack of experts who can make such huge projects work and attracting private finance.

  “To get the private sector in, there is a lot of risk mitigation that needs to happen because nobody wants a risky proposition,” he told Reuters, stressing the need for detailed planning

India hold on to No. 2 rank

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  Dubai, April 15

  The Indian team has retained its second position in the ODI rankings after finishing as semifinalists in the World Cup. With 116 points, India are placed just six points behind world champions Australia. India are followed by South Africa (112), Sri Lanka (108), New Zealand (107), England (101) and Pakistan (95).  Meanwhile, three Indian batsmen — Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan and Mahendra Singh Dhoni — figure in the top-10 table for ODI batsmen. While Kohli continues to be the highest ranked Indian batsmen at number four position, Dhawan is at No.6, followed by MS Dhoni at the eighth spot . Unfortunately, none of the Indians could earn a place in the top-10 bowlers' list. — PTI

General Knowledge Practice Paper

• 1) Which country along with Nepal accepted Indian Rupee as a legal tender?

  1) Pakistan

  2) Myanmar

  3) Srilanka

  4) Bhutan

  5) None of these

  Ans 4
• 2) Which financial organization has decided to setup a $ 2 billion swap facility for SAARC member nations?
• 1) World Bank
• 2) International monetary fund

  3) Asian development Bank

  4) Reserve bank of India   

  5) State Bank of India

  
  
  

  Ans 4
• 
  

  3) BASEL III norms come into force
  
  

  1) Ist April 2013

  2) Ist March 2013

  3) Ist Feb 2013

  4) Ist January 2013

  5) None of these

  
  

  
  

  Ans 4
• 
  

  4) Which country will host the 2019 cricket world cup?
  

  
  

  1) New Zealand

  2) Australia

  3) India

  4) South Africa

  5) England

  
  
  

  Ans 5
• 
  

  5) Recently, RBI has allowed NBFC’s to open their ATM’s called as
  

  
  

  1) White Level ATM’s

  2) Any Time Money ATM’s

  3) All Time Money ATM’s

  4) Instant cash ATM’s

  5) Supply Money ATM’s

  
  

  Ans 1
  
• 
  

  6) Which Airline has been ranked as the World‘s Best Airline for the second Consecutive year?
  

  
  

  1) Air India

  2) Qatar Airways

  3) Fly Emirates

  4) Lufthansa

  5) None of these

  
  

  Ans 2
• 
  

  7) Who is the director of the Vikram Sarabhai space centre(VSSC) at Present?
  

  
  

  1) S.P Rao

  2) P.S Veeraraghavan

  3) S.D Verma

  4) L.M Raghavan

  5) None of these

  
  

  
  

  Ans 2
• 
  

  8) Which is the World’s oldest International financial organization?
  

  
  

  1) International Monetary Fund

  2) World Bank

  3) Bank for International settlements

  4) International Finance Corporation

  5) None of these

  
  

  Ans 3
• 
  

  9) Expand the Term EEFC?
  

  
  

  1) Exchange Earners Floating Currency

  2) Exchange Earners Foreign Currency

  3) Exchange Earners Flexible Currency

  4) External Earners’ Foreign Currency

   5) None of these

  
  

  Ans 2
• 
  

  10) on which date did the Parliament of India celebrated the 60^th anniversary of the first sitting of Parliament?
  

  
  

  1) 21^st May

  2) 9^th May

  3) 26^th May

  4) 13^th May

  5) None of these

  
  

  Ans 4
• 
  

  11) Which sport category made a debut in the London Olympic 2012?
  

  
  

  1) Women’s Hockey

  2) Women’s football

  3) Women’s Basketball

  4) Women’s Boxing

  5) Men’s Beach Volleyball

  
  

  
  

  Ans 4
• 
  

  12) How much money is being given to people under Indira Gandhi National old Age pension Scheme?
  

  
  

  1) Rs 200

  2) Rs 600

  3) Rs 300

  4) Rs 400

  5) Rs 250

  
  

  Ans  1