NATIONAL NEWS
India tests its 1st anti-satellite missile system, codenamed Mission Shakti
India successfully conducted an anti-satellite (A-SAT) missile test, becoming the fourth country to do so by successfully destroying a low earth orbit satellite in space by using a missile which covered a distance of 300 km to engage the target. The US, Russia and China are the only other country to have tested an A-SAT weapon previously.
- Mission Shakti operation was a difficult target to achieve and was completed successfully within 3 minutes of launch.
Singapore airport named world's best, New Delhi's IGI up 8 notches at 59th
Singapore's Changi Airport has been crowned the world's best aviation hub for the seventh time in a row, while New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport featured at number 59, according to the Skytrax World Airport Awards. The list has been compiled by the UK-based Skytrax, a consultancy firm which runs an airline and airport review and ranking site, featuring 100 airports.
- The prestigious accolade was awarded at the Passenger Terminal Expo 2019 in London. At number two on the list is Tokyo International Airport (Haneda), up one place from 2018. This hub also won World's Best Domestic Airport and World's Cleanest Airport.
- Breaching the top three is Incheon International Airport, down one place from its second-place spot in 2018.
Hyper local connectivity app launched in Mumbai
The Mumbai-based company Linkus Infratech has launched a hyper-local connectivity app called "Bhonga" to connect users to people in their neighbourhood in the city even without an Internet connection. "Bhonga" is a word in Marathi language that translates to meaning megaphone or loudspeaker.
- Focusing on security and anonymity, the app only shares location coordinates from where a post originates and it supports voice notes as well as photos. Once the app is downloaded, it automatically lists the user as part of the locality within the radius of one kilometre.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
India, African Union ink MoU on health sciences cooperation
The Indian Council of Medical Research and the African Union (AU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which formalised the India-Africa Health Sciences Collaborative Platform (IAHSP) by establishing a framework.
- The IAHSP was established after the first India-Africa Health Sciences Meet in 2016 in New Delhi. The IAHSP strengthens cooperation in the health sector in a structured and organized manner.
India, Russia to open military chopper repair centre by late 2019
A new centre to repair Russian helicopters of Mi-17V-5 type will be operational in Chandigarh by the end of 2019, according to Russian Helicopters Deputy Director General Igor Chechikov.
- He highlighted the possibility of extending the capabilities of this centre in the future, provided the Indian side is "interested".
Tesla builds its 'largest energy storage system in Asia'
In a bid to reduce energy demand and provide emergency backup power to trains in Japan, Tesla has claimed to develop its largest power storage system in Asia. It has installed a bank of 42 Powerpacks at a train station in Japan's Osaka that can provide sufficient backup power to safely move a train and its passengers to the nearest station in the event of a power outage.
- In the event of a grid outage, this Osaka Powerpack installation is designed to provide emergency backup power to safely move a train and its passengers to the nearest station.
BANKING & FINANCE
BoB to develop agri-digital platform 'Baroda Kisan', inks MoUs with 6 firms
Public sector lender Bank of Baroda said it will develop an agri-digital platform called 'Baroda Kisan' in order to provide solutions for all major agricultural requirements. Six companies Skymet Weather Services, Weather Risk Management Services, BigHaat, Agrostar India, EM3 Agri Services and Poorti Agri Services have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the bank for this project.
- The agri-digital platform will be executed by IT Centre of Excellence (ITCoE) of Bank of Baroda in partnership with IBM India.
Bank of Baroda to get Rs 5,042 cr capital infusion
Ahead of its merged entity operation, Bank of Baroda will receive Rs 5,042 crore fund infusion from the government. The Ministry of Finance has conveyed its decision to infuse the capital in Bank of Baroda. The infusion will be by way of preferential allotment of equity shares (special securities/bonds) of the bank during FY 2018-19 as government's investment.
- The merged entity also involving Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank will start operation from April 1.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Infosys arm to buy 75% stake in Dutch bank subsidiary
Global software major Infosys said its consulting arm would buy 75 per cent equity stake in Starter N.V., a subsidiary of the Dutch-based ABN AMRO Bank for Rs 999 crore ($144 million) in cash for strategic partnership in The Netherlands.
- The Amsterdam headquartered third largest Dutch bank ABN will hold the remaining 25 per cent of the shareholding in Stater.
SPORTS
31-year-old Hopman Cup replaced by new ATP Cup
The city of Perth in Western Australia (WA) will no longer play host to the Hopman Cup. Instead, the mixed tournament format will be replaced with an all men's event called the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) Cup.
- Played across three cities, Perth will join Sydney and Brisbane as the hosts of the new competition which is set to feature 100 of the world's top male players.
APPOINTMENTS
ECI appoints special expenditure observers for AP, Arunachal, Gujarat, Karnataka, Nagaland, Telangana
Election Commission appointed 2 former civil servants Gopal Mukherjee and D.D. Goel as special expenditure observers for the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections. While Mr. Gopal Mukherjee ex-IRS, former Member of CBDT has been deployed in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and Mr D.D.Goel ex-IRS, former DGIT been deployed in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.
- Further, the Commission has decided to give additional charge of Gujarat and Karnataka to Shailendra Handa and Madhu Mahajan, respectively.
Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar appointed Deputy CM of Goa
Goa Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar, who switched to the Bharatiya Janata Party from Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), was appointed as the state's new Deputy Chief Minister.
- Ajgaonkar has become the second deputy chief minister after Vijai Sardesai in the Pramod Sawant government in Goa.
BCCI Ombudsman Justice D.K.Jain to serve as ad-hoc Ethics Officer
Supreme Court-appointed BCCI Ombudsman Justice D K Jain (retd) will now serve as the Ethics Officer of the Indian cricket board on an ad-hoc basis. According to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), provisions in its constitution require an Ethics Officer to be appointed to determine and decide issues related to conflict of interest.
- Justice Jain, who was appointed the first Ombudsman of the cricket board on February 21 this year by the apex court, is already looking into the Hardik Pandya-KL Rahul chat show controversy following which the two players were handed a provisional suspension.
EC appoints special central police observer for Tripura and Mizoram
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has appointed Retired DGP of Manipur M K Das as special central police observer for Tripura and Mizoram.
- They were assigned to oversee the deployment and other security-related issues in the states.
OBITUARIES
Well known Mumbai civic activist HS D'Lima passes away
HS D’Lima, activist from Andheri Gaothan, who fought against illegal constructions and slumification of Mumbai’s gaothans (traditional east Indian urban villages) passed away. He was 84 years old.
- D’Lima on several occasions exposed the nefarious links between the Slum Rehabilitation Authority, BMC and builders.
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