Current Affairs - May 4, 2019 Current Affairs

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law a "sovereign internet" bill that will allow Russian authorities to isolate the country's internet to expand the Government Control of the Internet. This move is being publicly denounced by all rights groups in Russia and will lead to censorship over large parts of the Internet. The new move requires Internet providers to install equipment for routing Russian web traffic through servers in Russia which will allow the Russian intelligence agencies of state authorities to control public information. Roskomnadzor's chief (Roskomnadzor is Russia's chief media regulator), Aleksandr Zharov, notified that the measures would also target the Telegram app widely used by Russians.

Defence Ministry Nirmala Sitharaman approved Indian Navy's proposal to acquire 10 Kamov-31 choppers from Russia at a cost of around Rs. 3,600 crore to strengthen its capability against aerial threats to its aircraft carriers and large warships. They cleared the Rs. 3,600 crore proposal for buying around 10 Kamov-31 Airborne Early Warning and Control choppers for the aircraft carrier operations and deployment on future warships. Indian Navy already has a fleet of 12 of these Kamov-31 choppers which sanitise the air space around the aircraft carriers and destroyers operating in open seas.

The 1267 Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) designated Pakistan based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) leader Masood Azhar as a 'global terrorist' on May 1, 2019. This could be possible because China has lifted its technical hold on the proposal to blacklist Masood Azhar. In earlier four instances, China had blocked the proposal to designate Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. This is a huge diplomatic win for India and also a symbolic victory towards the fight against terrorism. This time the proposal was moved by P3 countries (USA, France and United Kingdom), a permanent member to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), on February 27, 2019 to designate Azhar as a global terrorist. This move was the response of deadly terror attack in Pulwama by Pakistan based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) which killed 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans.

Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India and Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) have inked Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for setting up a Centre of Excellence for Waste to Wealth Technologies in India as a commemoration of 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on 2 October 2019. The MoU has been signed by Principal Scientific Advisor to the Govt of India, Prof K. Vijay Raghavan and Director, IIT Delhi, Prof V. Ramgopal Rao in New Delhi. The Centre will work towards the implementation of sustainable, scientific and technological solutions for waste management by deploying available technologies for transformation of waste to wealth. The project has been approved under the recently constituted Prime Minister's Science Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC).

To commemorate the 750th birth anniversary of Sri Vedanta Desikan, Vice President, M. Venkaiah Naidu unveiled a postage stamp in New Delhi on May 2, 2019. The stamp has been released by Indian postal department. The postage stamps inspire the younger generation to practice humanism, peace and compassion propagated by the great saint and spiritual icon.

International Firefighters' Day (IFFD) is observed on 4th May of every year. It was instituted after a proposal was emailed out across the world on January 4, 1999, due to the deaths of five firefighters in tragic circumstances in a bushfire in Australia. May 4 used to be a traditional Firefighters' Day in many European countries because it is the day of Saint Florian, patron saint of firefighters. Fire prevention and the need for more intensive and thorough training is one of the main aspects of International Fire Fighters Day. Firefighters and their agencies around the world are constantly stressing fire prevention: in schools, to the community, at public events, at assemblies and even to their own families. The safest way to keep firefighters alive and home to their families is training. This ideal is one that International Fire Fighters Day stresses.

Three of the Gujarat potato farmers sued by PepsiCo the company must pay compensation for the harassment they were subjected to even though the law is very clear on the subject. The three of the potato farmers sued by PepsiCo along with farmer union leaders and farmers' rights activists asserted that Indian farmers' seed freedoms were non-negotiable. The company has to pay us compensation for all the harassment we were put through even though the law is clear on the subject. The company had sued nine potato farmers in Gujarat, including five last year and four this year for allegedly buying seeds and selling potato of the FL 2027 variety registered by PepsiCo.

Tod D. Wolters, the former pilot, who has served in Afghanistan and Iraq, has been declared as the Supreme Allied Commander Europe during the ceremony at NATO's (The North Atlantic Treaty Organization) military headquarters in Mons, southern Belgium. This is one of the most challenging and extremely important military positions in the world. US Air Force General Tod D. Wolters who is supposed to run for a tenure of 2 to 3 years, was preceded by U.S. Army General, Curtis M. Scaparrotti. Wolters will also be the commander of U.S. forces in Europe across more than 19 million square miles. This area includes 104 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East, the Arctic, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, contains more than a quarter of the world's population, and generates more than a quarter of the world's gross domestic product (GDP). An American military officer always holds the NATO post of SACEUR (The Supreme Allied Commander Europe).

Gurugram-based health and fitness products platform HealthKart is raising about ₹173 crore from Belgium-based Advent Management, Entrackr revealed. It has raised around ₹346 crore worth preference and equity capital since July last year.

Former ISRO chairman A S Kiran Kumar was conferred with France's highest civilian honour, Chevalier de l'Ordre national de la Legion d'Honneur, for his contribution to India-France space cooperation. Kumar was conferred with the prestigious honour by France's Ambassador to India Alexandre Ziegler on behalf of the French President. He currently holds the Chair of the ISRO Committee on Earth Observation Satellites.

The Registrar of National Day Calendar has designated the first Thursday of May of each year as World Password Day. World Password Day is a celebration to promote better password habits. Passwords are critical gatekeepers to our digital identities, allowing us to access online shopping, dating, banking, social media, private work and life communications.

The Geological Survey of India (GSI) North Eastern Region (NER) installed 2 geological display boards at 2 important geological sites with geo-scientific information. The sites are Mawmluh cave and Therriaghat cave in Meghalaya. The prime objective of this was to create awareness among students, visiting tourists and the general public and will also help to conserve the site and aid the upcoming generations to be aware of such geological developments. The geological display boards are unveiled at Mawmluh cave and Therriaghat at Sobhar in East Khasi Hill District.

Directorate of Indian Defence University (IDU) is organizing a 2-day workshop on Space Warfare and Technology on 2-3 May,19 in New Delhi. It is being held for senior and middle-level officers from the three Services. The workshop intends to cover Weaponisation and Militarisation of Space, preparation for Absorption of High-End Technology for Self-Sustenance in Space Operations, and more.

Huawei Technologies Co overtook Apple Inc to claim the No. 2 spot in smartphones making in the first quarter, moving a step closer to its avowed ambition of displacing Samsung at the top of the market. Huawei's been steadily gaining on Apple and Samsung Electronics Co. with an increasingly high-end line-up of devices.

Coal Miners Day is observed on 4th May every year to highlight the toughest profession and the people working in coal mines. On this day several organisations, communities raises funds and awareness for other organisations in the coal mining area and workers. This day show appreciation for the sacrifices, honour the accomplishments and remember the tragedies that these hardworking individuals experience.

Indian goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh has been nominated for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award by Hockey India. Chinglensana Singh Kangujam and Akashdeep Singh and women's team defender Deepika have been nominated for the Arjuna Award. Hockey India has also nominated R.P. Singh and Sandeep Kaur for Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Asia Cooperation Dialogue's (ACD) 16th Ministerial Meeting was held in Doha, Qatar. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani headed the 2019 dialogue. The Indian delegation was led by Gen. (Dr) V.K. Singh (Retd), Minister of State for External Affairs. By putting more stress on the theme "Partners in Progress", the minister brought into limelight India's desire to work collaboratively with all ACD Member States, in agreement with the Indian Government's approach of "Collective Efforts, Inclusive Growth".

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) and Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) have together signed an Memorandum of Understanding for effective cooperation on different projects related to e-mobility and implement solutions for electric & trolley bus, EV (Electric Vehicles) chargers, battery and charger testing, etc. The MoU was signed by Rashmi Urdhwareshe, Director, ARAI and Renuka Gera, BHEL. The term electro mobility refers to full and hybrid electric vehicles as well as those using hydrogen fuel cell technology. These vehicles represent electronically driven vehicles in the future. The electromobility is combined with concepts of microcontrollers and sensors that work toward providing better energy efficiency for vehicles.

The 14th edition of the annual Sino-Indian border trade opens at Nathu La, which is the frontier post at Sino-Indian border in Sikkim. Officials and traders of India and China made their presence at the border to symbolise the beginning of the border trade. Every year, between 1st May to 30th November, the bilateral border trade between 2 nations is held for 4 days a week for 6 months. After a long interval of 44 years, cross border trade commenced on July 6, 2006 to promote the benefits of trade, increase tourism in Sikkim, thus offering employment for people of the region. The goods export from India totalled to Rs 45.03 crore in 2018, whereas goods imported from the TAR totalled to Rs 3.23 crore. In 2019, the export of at least Rs 50 crore is expected by India.

Indian archaeologists recently unearthed a life-sized stucco sculpture from a Buddhist site at Phanigiri in Suryapet, Telangana. As per heritage department officials, it represents one of Bhodhisattva in Jathaka Chakra.This is the largest stucco sculpture found from India till date. The sculpture is about 1.73 metres in height and 35 cm in width.It is considered to have been built at at peak of Ikshavaku dynasty.The preliminary excavation at Phanigiri was started by archaeological department official Khaja Muhammad Ahmad in 1941.