Current Affairs 4th April 2019

Current Affairs 4th April 2019 - Important Points

• Longest suspension bridge by - Indian Army
• India Oceania interaction took place in - New Delhi
• US approves sale of 24 MH 60 helicopters to -India
• UAE amended visa policies for expat and on - 31st March 2019
• Café Scientifique in - Kerala
• SC quashes RBI circular on debt resolution on - 2nd April 2019
• WhatsApp launched Tip Line to curb - Fake News

Current Affairs 4th April 2019 - Details

Longest suspension bridge by - Indian Army

The Indian Army has effectively constructed the longest suspension bridge “Matiri Bridge” over the Indus River in the Leh-Ladakh area. It is the shortest time of Indian Army constructed any suspension bridge of same length.  
Suspension Bridge constructed over Indus River by Combat Engineers “Fire and Fury Corps” was initiated by local War Veterans of region on April 1st, 2019. Constructed in a record time of forty days “Maitri Bridge” is longest Suspension Bridge over Indus River.
More about Maitri Bridge

• The 260 fts long suspension bridge was constructed by the combat engineers from the Sahas aur Yogyata regiment of Indian Army’s Fire and Fury Corps. residents of nearby villages including Choglamsar, Stok and Chuchot, also assisted in the construction of the bridge.
• Indian Army had to ship 500 tonnes of construction materials and bridge material in order to construct the bridge.
• Bridge was initiated by war veterans who were part of 1947-48, 1962, 1971 and 1999 operations in Jand K.
• The bridge has been termed “Maitri Bridge”, symbolising the excellent civil-military relations existing in the Leh-Ladakh region.

India Oceania interaction took place in - New Delhi

Interaction on trade and economic co-operation with diplomats and high commissioners of European and Oceania nations took place in New Delhi recently. It is alleged that European and Oceania nations are major trading partners and major sources of funds for India and there is the huge untapped potential that can be attained.
Commerce Secretary, Dr. Anup Wadhawan talked to the delegation about policies and practices at an interactive session on trade and economic co-operation with Diplomats and High Commissioners of European and Oceania nations.
Points highlighted during interaction

• India is the 5th largest export market for Australia, with coal, education-related travel, vegetable, and gold being about of the major items of imports by India.
• Major exports from India to Australia consist refined petroleum, business services, and pharmaceuticals.
• New Zealand is also an imperative market for India in the Oceania region, especially for its exports of pharmaceuticals, gems, jewellery, machinery, textiles and apparel.
• Approximately, above USD 1.2 billion was invested by firms from Oceania in the Indian market from April 2000 to December 2018.
• The Oceania region also accounts for closely 1.7% of India’s overseas FDI, with Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and Vanuatu being the significant investment destinations.
  India-Oceania Relations
• In Oceania nations India has a major trade association with Australia and New Zealand.
• India’s trade in goods and services with New Zealand is 11th largest with sum worth of USD 1.9 billion.
• Apart from these two India also has a noteworthy trade association with the Pacific island nations with Fiji and Papua New Guinea dominating the ties.
• India’s trade with the Pacific Islands accounts about USD 228 million in 2012

US approves sale of 24 MH 60 helicopters to -India

The United States has sanctioned the sale of 24 multi-role MH-60 “Romeo” Seahawk helicopters to
India at an approximated cost of 2.4 billion United States dollars. The statement was made by the
United States State Department on April 2nd, 2019.
The same is approximated to upgrade the security of a major defensive partner which endures to be a
crucial force for political stability, peace and economic development in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia
region.
Significant Highlights

• The MH-60 “Romeo” Seahawk helicopter is measured to be the world's most advanced maritime helicopter. 
• Developed by Lockheed Martin, the helicopters are fabricated to hunt down submarines, and knock out ships and  conduct search-and -rescue operations at sea.
• India has been in necessity of these formidable anti-submarine hunter helicopters for above a decade now. The advanced choppers would reload India's aging fleet of British-made Sea King helicopters.
• They will deliver the Indian defence forces with the capability to perform anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare missions along with the ability to achieve secondary missions including vertical replenishment, search and rescue and  communications relay.

UAE amended visa policies for expat and on - 31st March 2019

The UAE on March 31st, 2019 declared new visa norms according to which family members of overseas residents, including Indians, working in the nation will now be able to get an "expat visa" if the working relative fulfils income criteria.
The new procedure for visa facilitation was announced by United Arab Emirates Cabinet. Under the new norms, the salary of the expat will be taken into account rather than job title to guarantor their immediate family member to come and stay with them.
Significant Highlights

• The United Arab Emirates Cabinet has accepted a decision to amend provisions of the resolution
  regarding sponsoring of family members of the overseas workers in the nation.
• The changed provisions now indicate income as a obligation for sponsoring family members, as
  opposed to the earlier listed professions that permitted workers to sponsor their and .
• Under the new amendments, both employers and employees, may sponsor their and in the United
  Arab Emirates provided they have a legal residency permit.
• The male residents employed in the United Arab Emirates will be able to sponsor their immediate
  family members, including wife and children, provided that they fulfil the income criteria, which consists having a lowest salary of 4000 Dirhams/3000 Dirhams with accommodation.
• The other significant obligation for male residents is that they must hold a profession that permits them to sponsor their family. However, the mother will not be permitted to sponsor her family.

SC quashes RBI circular on debt resolution on - 2nd April 2019

The Supreme Court of India on April 2nd, 2019 struck down the RBI's February 2018 order on non- performing assets, as a result of which all cases referred/admitted under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code due to the Reserve Bank of India order would now be invalid.
The apex court struck down the provocative Reserve Bank of India circular mandating resolution of
loans of Rupees 2000 crore and above even for a single day as ultra vires. The ruling was pronounced on
a batch of petitions filed by various industries including power, fertiliser and sugar, challenging the
February order. 
Significant Highlights

• Succeeding the Supreme Court order, all the firms either referred/admitted for the resolution
  procedure, whichever stage of the proceedings they are, would be taken as they were never referred for insolvency.
• The decision would advantage various sectors that are facing stress including power, sugar and shipping and those firms, which were facing difficulties in honouring their loan commitments.
• However, power companies, including 34 stressed projects with a capacity of about 40000 megawatts would be the biggest beneficiaries as it now provides both banks and power generators with extra time to steadfastness their debt.
• The ruling comes after several power firms including Essar Power, GMR Energy, KSK Energy, and Rattan India Power as well as the Association of Power Producers and Independent Power Producers Association of India had contacted the top court in August, challenging the constitutional validity of the February 12th Reserve Bank of India circular.

WhatsApp Launches Tip Line to curb - Fake News

Social Media Platform WhatsApp has released an India-focused fact-checking feature to curb fake news
 and rumours starting with the run-up to the  Lok Sabha  elections.
Curbing Fake News

• Subscribers can check the genuineness of the data/rumours received on the platform by reporting the forward to the WhatsApp number +91-9643-000-888.
• The response will point if the news is classified as ‘true’/‘false’/‘misleading’/‘disputed’/‘out of scope’, and  include any other related news.
• Pictures, videos/texts in Hindi, Telugu, Bengali, Malayalam and English will be rechecked by WhatsApp.
• This tip line feature has been progressed by WhatsApp in association with India-based media skilling start-up PROTO.
• The tip line feature will assist to create a database of rumours to study mis-news during elections as part of a research project commissioned and supported by WhatsApp.

Café Scientifique in - Kerala

A group of science specialists of the Hume Centre for Ecology and Wildlife Biology in Kerala are going to launch ‘Café Scientifique’ to encourage science among the public in an interesting way.
Café Scientifique

• Café Scientifique envisions bringing science back into popular culture by clarifying scientific research  for the public and empowering non-scientists to contentedly assess science and technology concerns, particularly those that influence social policymaking.
• Café Scientifique is a grassroots public science initiative based on the French Café Philosophique model.
• Under Café Scientifique, conferences of science enthusiasts would be held every month at a
  café/convenient place, where one/more scientists are invited to talk to the public about new expansions in science.
• Various topics including the universe, climate change, evolution, genetics and human-animal ties will be debated in every monthly gathering.
• The project goals to make science relevant, powerful and significant to the public, especially the younger generations.