Current Affairs 15th October 2015

Current Affairs 15th October 2015

Updated : 15-Oct-2015

Current Affairs 15th October 2015 - Important Points
Current Affairs 15th October 2015 - Details
Who has approved RCE for Kaladan Multi Modal Project in Myanmar - Union Cabinet
Among the important National Current Affairs, On 14th October 2015, approval for the Revised Cost Estimate (RCE) of 2904.04 crores rupees for the Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport Project in Myanmar was given by the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

As the project is of political and strategic significance, it was decided to execute it through India's grant assistance to Myanmar.
As a result of this project, an alternate access route to the North-Eastern region of India and contribute towards the region's economic development will be provided. It will promote economic, commercial and strategic links between India and Myanmar.
Do You Know :
The Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport Project was jointly determined by India and Myanmar to create a multi-modal mode of transport for shipment of cargo from the eastern ports of India to Myanmar as well as to the North-Eastern part of India through Myanmar.
Highlights of the project
- It will serve the economic, commercial and strategic interests of India.
- The project will connect India-Myanmar border to the Sittwe Port in Myanmar.
- It will help in reducing pressure on the Siliguri Corridor by providing a strategic link to the North-East.
- It will contribute to the development of Myanmar, and its economic integration with India.
Union Cabinet approved MoU between - ITA in Taipei and TECC in India
Among the important National Current Affairs, On 14th October 2015, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) beteween the India-Taipei Association (ITA) in Taipei and Taipei Economic and Cultural Center (TECC) in India was approved by the Union Cabinet. The memorandum was inked for the cooperation in the field of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME).

A structured framework and enabling environment will be provided to the MSME sector of the two parties to understand each other's strengths, markets, technologies, policies etc.
As a part of this MoU, the respective MSMEs of the two parties can participate in each other's trade fairs/exhibitions and to exchange business delegations with the other party.
However, the memorandum does not involve any financial, legal or political commitment on the part of either party.
Who has been appointed as FAO Assistant Director-General - Kundhavi Kadiresan
Among the important appointments, On 14th October 2015, FAO Director General José Graziano da Silva appointed an Indian national, Kundhavi Kadiresan as the Assistant Director of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific.
She has replaced Hiroyuki Konuma who retired from FAO earlier in 2015.
Being appointed to this post, her responsibility is to advocate FAO’s policies throughout the region, support the coordination and monitoring of regional events, knowledge and information exchange and the further development of regional norms and standards. This includes joint UN approaches on policy and regulatory frameworks, collaborative capacity development of FAO constituents, resource mobilization and aid coordination.
She will head the prioritization of FAO’s work across the region in close consultation with technical specialists in the Organization and in partnership with relevant regional organizations.
About Kundhavi Kadiresan
- She has a rich experience of more than 25 years as a senior managerial experience in economic and policy development.
- Kadiresan, an economist, has spent most of her professional career with the World Bank Group.
- Earlier she had led senior-level policy dialogues and managed large loan portfolios in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe and Latin America.
Who is honoured with Presidential Medal for promoting peace - Tibetan PM Sangay
Among the important International Current Affairs, On 14th October 2015, the prestigious Presidential Medal by Salisbury University was awarded to Tibetan Prime Minister Lobsang Sangay for promoting peace and understanding.
Sangay dedicated the medal to the sufferings of the Tibetan people and the non-violent Tibetan movement to rehabilitate freedom and dignity inside Tibet.
On 8th August 2011, he became Sikyong (equivalent to Prime Minister) of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile.
He is also the recipient of the 2004 Yong K. Kim' 95 Prize of excellence for his dissertation Democracy in Distress: Is Exile Polity a Remedy? A Case Study of Tibet's Government-in-exile.
Do You Know :
The Presidential Medal is the highest honour awarded by the Salisbury University to an individual for leadership and forward thinking.
Which hydropower station has been operationalised by China - Zam Hydropower station
Among the important National Current Affairs, On 13th October 2015, Zam hydropower station was made operational by China on the Brahmaputra River in Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) and is considered to be the highest-altitude hydropower station in the world.
While the first unit began operations in November 2014 itself, the present initiative connected the remaining five units to the power grid.
Features of Zam or Zangmu hydropower station
- It was built at a cost of 1.5 billion US dollars in Shannan Prefecture in the South East China.
- It was built on the river Brahmaputra that is also known as the river Yarlung Zangbo in Tibet.
- It produces 2.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity a year.
India, Israel signed pacts on - Double Taxation Avoidance & Cultural Exchange
On 14th October 2015, two agreements to enhance bilateral cooperation were inked between India and Israel during the President Pranab Mukherjee visit to Jerusalem on the final leg of his tri-nation tour to West Asia at a meeting with his Israeli counterpart Reuven Rivlin.
The agreements are :
- A cultural exchange programme for 2015-2018
- The amendment to the protocol on Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement
The agreement on tax avoidance will help help in filling the gap in tax evasion and ensure that the Indian or Israeli companies are taxed only where they have permanent establishments.
India, US and Japan began five-day Malabar Exercise 2015
Among the important International Current Affairs, On 14th October 2015, the five-day Malabar exercise 2015 on the Eastern Coast has been initiated by the Navies of India, United States and Japan in which several warships, aircraft carriers and fast attack submarine will be participating.
It is the latest in the ongoing series of exercises organized to advance multi-national maritime relationships and mutual security issues. Earlier, the United States and India every year hold naval drills to sharpen skills, but this year the fleet of aircraft carriers, destroyers and frigates conducting war games included a warship from Japan.
The Naval personnel of the three countries will participate in the event called Complex, High-end war-fighting exercise. During the exercise which includes both ashore and at-sea training, there would be knowledge sharing sessions as well.
The sessions include surface warfare exercises, submarine familiarisation, air defence and military-to-military coordination.
Which European country has became the first to sign the MoU on establishment of Nalanda University - Portugal
On 9th October 2015, Portugal became the first European country to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the establishment of Nalanda University.
Portuguese Ambassador to India Ana Martinho and Dr Jitendra Nath Misra, the Ambassador of India to Portugal inked the MoU in New Delhi.
With the signing of the MoU, Portugal became the 17th country overall and the fourth outside the East Asia Summit to do so.
About Nalanda University
- It was established through Nalanda University Act, 2010 and formally inaugurated on 19 September 2014.
- It is located at Rajgir in Nalanda District in Bihar.
- It is a non-state, non-profit, secular and self-governing international institution mandated to be engaged in the pursuit of intellectual, philosophical, historical and spiritual studies.
Do You Know :
The ancient Nalanda University was established in 427 AD during the reign of Gupta king Sakraditya. In 1193 AD, Turkish army of the Bakhtiyar Khilji, the military general of the army of Qutb-ud-din Aibak destroyed it.
Name the mobile app launched by Uttar Pradesh Government for health workers - mSehat
On 13th October 2015, the mobile app mSehat was launched by Uttar Pradesh government for health workers to record maternal and infant data in real-time.
The application was developed by Kellton Tech, a company that was selected as the technology partner for the initiative by State Innovations in Family Planning Services Agency (SIFPSA).
Characterstics of mSehat
- The initial implementation will be done in five districts, namely Mirzapur, Faizabad, Sitapur, Bareilly and Kannauj, and later it will be extended to the entire state.
- In the first phase, 10252 ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activists) workers will be equipped with smart phones.
- mSehat is a cloud-hosted solution to facilitate remote access and enrolment from across the region through 2G-enabled mobile devices.
- The recorded data will be stored in the cloud, which will act as the central repository.
- Tablets will be given to 1719 Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANMs) and 300 people comprising medical officers, medical officers in-charge & SIFPSA staff.
Who has approved Vienna Agreement on Iran Nuclear Programme - Iran’s Parliament
Among the important International Current Affairs, On 13th October 2015, Majlis, Iran’s parliament, approved the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA) or Vienna agreement breaking the ground for implementation of the historic nuclear agreement.
After a long wait of 12 years, on 14th July 2015, the agreement was signed by Iran and P5+1 countries comprising of the Germany, China, the United Kingdom (UK), Russia, France and United States on the Iran nuclear programme.
Main highlights of the Vienna agreement
- The draft provides for the lifting of restrictions for the EU to import oil and gas from Iran, as well as exports of oil and gas production equipment to Iran.
- International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), UN's nuclear watchdog, signed a separate agreement with Iran on the military aspects of its nuclear activities. The separate agreement focuses on the issue of the Parchin military site
- Iran and P5+1 group are to hold ministerial-level meetings at least twice a year to evaluate how the agreement is being implemented
- The IR-6 and IR-8 centrifuges will be tested at laboratory level in the first 8 years of the Iran Deal
- Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium will be partly sold on the international market, partly diluted, and partly converted into fuel
- The excess centrifuges will be stored on-site in Natanz
- Iran has not allowed the IAEA to use remote streaming cameras at nuclear facilities
- The economic sanctions against Iran would be lifted immediately after verification of its compliance with the deal
- The deal also provides for the lifting of economic sanctions imposed outside of the EU, like the banking and insurance restrictions on Iran by the EU and the US.
- Iran agreed to a 15-year moratorium on enriching uranium beyond 3.67 percent. The enrichment would be conducted only at the Natanz facility, while the Fordo facility would not conduct any enrichment activities or store fissile material
- Iran also agreed to store no more than 300 kg of low-enriched uranium. The Arak reactor would not be used to produce plutonium under the deal. The spent fuel would be handled by international mediators
- Restrictions on defensive arms will be lifted before those on offensive arms, that is, the conventional arms embargo will last another five years, and restrictions on ballistic missile technology will last eight years
- A violation of the deal could lead to the automatic “snap-back” of sanctions within 65 days, if a dispute-resolution process failed.
- 800 Iranian individuals and entities will be delisted from the list of multilateral and international sanctions
- The UN ban on Iranian student’s ability to study nuclear physics will be lifted.
Union Cabinet approved MoU with Mozambique for - cooperation in renewable energy
On 14th October 2015, The Union Government approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, India and Mozambique.
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy of the Government of India and the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy, Government of Mozambique in New Delhi inked the agreement.
Highlights of the MoU
- The purpose of the agreement is to establish a cooperative institutional relationship to encourage and promote technical bilateral cooperation, investment promotion and partnership on new and renewable energy issues on the basis of mutual benefit, equality and reciprocity.
- The focus will be on the development of new and renewable energy technologies in the field of conducting on-the-job and specialized training courses on renewable energy field, research & development and of technology transfer in renewable energy.
Who has been appointed as Executive Chairman of Twitter - Omid Kordestani
Among the important appointments, On 14th October 2015, Former Google adviser Omid Kordestani was appointed as Executive Chairman of Twitter by replacing Jack Dorsey, who stepped down as Executive Chairman to take up the post of Chief Executive Officer of Twitter.
Omid Kordestani is a technology industry profesional who played a significant role in building Netscape, an early web browser, and had spent more than a decade in senior positions at Google. He is also a Non-Executive Director at Vodafone, the UK based telecom group.
Tata Housing to sell its affordable homes online tied-up with - Facebook
On 14th October 2015, Real estate developer Tata Housing tied-up with social networking firm Facebook to sell its affordable homes online. For this purpose, a new campaign named Social sell on Facebook has been launched by Tata Housing
With this association, company plans to sell around 250 units of its new five-acre residential project in Goa called Goa Paradise. The initiative is in line with the company’s target to generate over 30 % of its overall sales online in the next five years.
In 2013, Tata Housing through its partnership with Google as part of The Great Shopping Festival has sold around 2000 homes online in the last three years.
DRDO Missile Complex renamed as - Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex
Among the important National Current Affairs, On 15th October 2015, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar during an event at Research Centre Imarat on the occasion of the 84th Birth Anniversary of Dr Kalam, the Missile Man renamed DRDO Missile Complex in Hyderabad as Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex by .
In 1982, Dr Kalam joined the Missile Complex, DRDO and was a part of it for nearly two decades. The Missile Complex constitutes of Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) and Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL) which are considered to be the brain child of Dr Kalam.
Parrikar also inaugurated two advanced R&D facilities of RCI- Outdoor RCS Test Facility ORANGE at Dundigal and Kautilya Advanced Research Centre at RCI, Hyderabad.