The Weekly Update consisting of Important News, Events, Facts and Achievements. Browse Regularly for Strengthening your General Knowledge, and staying abreast with what is happening around you.
National Political News:
1. Two significant bills – Mines and Mineral Development and Regulation bill (MMDR) 2015 and the Coal mines (Special Provision) bill 2015 have been passed by the Parliament and have thus become a law. The salient features of the bill are: –
a. Amendments in the law because of the Coalgate scam in which 204 coal blocks were cancelled by the Supreme Court required legislative intervention to set the Government’s house in order.
b. The Private Sector/Bidders shall bid vide E auction in a transparent manner instead of allotments by the Government to the selected few.
c. Private Sector to be allowed to trade the coal mined by them.
d. Protection to Government officials/Policy makers for acting in good faith in the framing of policies, auctions and other related matters.
2. The land acquisition bill for infrastructure projects is being stoutly opposed by the Congress party and its allies both inside and outside the Parliament as being anti farmer. The land acquisition bill of the BJP lead NDA aims at taking over land parcels for the creation of infrastructure, irrigation, road connectivity and industrial projects.
3. 2 fresh terror attack’s in the reign of PDP/BJP Government in J&K by Lashkar Militants. A Police Station and an Army Brigade area in Rajbagh, Kathua district of J&K attacked.
4. 31 dead, 150 injured in a train derailment accident 50 km from Lucknow in UP. The train over short a signal because of brake failure and derailed as further passage line was not available.
International Political News:
1. Mumbai terror attacks master mind Zaikur Rehman Lakhvi’s petition challenging his detention against order’s passed by Pakistan Panjab home department has been dismissed by Lahore High Court. Lakhvi stands detained under (MPO) Maintenance of Public order ordinance of Panjab Government.
Pakistan’s Islamabad High Court had ordered Lakhvi’s release previously. Lakhvi is leader of banned Lashkar –e–Taliban and was involved in planning, finance and execution of 2008 Mumbai attacks in which 160 people were killed.
2. 4 Suicide bombers wearing belts containing explosives target Friday after noon prayers at 2 mosques in Sanna, Yemen killing 142 persons and injuring many more. The mosques were being use by Shia Muslims for their Friday prayers. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack.
3. Sri Lanka seeks Indian help in tracing illegally acquired and stored wealth of about $2 billion by former President Rajapaksa and his aides in Dubai.
4. Israel’s current Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after a 6 year term, has won the general election. Netanyahu is in power for 9 years and is a hard liner who has ruled out the formation of a separate Palestinian state in the Middle East.
Business News:
1. The US Fed (American Central Bank) chief Jannet Yellen has stated that US will raise interest rates in the forthcoming months as the American economy is showing signs of a turn around. There after the US stock market Indices Dow Jones, S&P and Nasdaq had a significant fall which was reflected by the Indian markets and the other world markets also. It is feared that capital from the world markets shall flow to deposits and the Government bonds in the US and shall result in a rise in the dollar rate correspondingly affecting American exports. Emerging markets including India may feel the heat the most.
2. India’s 120 crore population has 95.5 crore mobiles users as stated by the Telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in the Lok Sabha. India has 30 crore internet connections which are more than that in the US and only next to China.
Science and Technology:
1. 3 rare Calestial events have taken place on March 20th.
a. Solar Eclipse
b. Super Moon (When the moon glides past the earth closer than ever):- There are 3 to 6 Super Moons in a year. They are set to be 6 in 2015, 3 have already happened, the last being on March 20. The rest will be in August, September and October of this year.
c. Spring Equinox took place on March 20. Earth’s axis was perpendicular to sun’s rays which happens only twice a year at the 2 equinoxes. After the March 20 equinox the earth’s axis will start tipping making days longer in the Northern hemisphere till June 20 the longest day.
Sports:
Cricket World Cup
1. Australia beat Pakistan in the first Quarter finals of the world cup at Adelaide. Set to score 213 by Pakistan they finished the match scoring 216/4 in 33.5 overs and have thus set up a semifinal clash against India who beat Bangladesh in the other quarter finals.
India entered the semi finals by defeating Bangladesh at Melbourne. India batting first scored 302/6 in 50 overs with Rohit Sharma contributing 137.Bangladesh replied with193 all out . The match was mirred by controversial umpiring decisions as per the Bangladesh nominee ICC President who had issued a statement to that effect.
South Africa beat Sri Lanka by 9 wickets to enter the semifinals. Sri Lanka scored 133 all out in 37.2 overs. South Africa made 134/4 in 18 overs. South African De Kock made 78 not out and their J.P. Duminy took 3 for 29 and Imran Tahir 4/26 in the Sri Lanka innings.
In the 4th quarter final New Zealand outplayed the West Indies at Wellington by scoring 393 in their 50 overs. Martin Guptill remained unbeaten on 237 runs. West Indies replied with 250 runs all out with Chris Gayle being their lead scorer with 61 runs.
Thus, a semi final line-up has been setup with India against Australia and New Zealand versus South Africa.
