National Political News:
1. North India rocked by an earthquake whose epicenter was in North East Afghanistan’s Jurmala region with a 7.5 magnitude on the Richter scale. Widespread destruction and loss of lives, 266 dead and innumerablehouse collapses. 3 people killed in J&K as severe shocks felt over North India.
2. CBI officials in Delhi announce the arrest of Chhota Rajan, an underworld Don wanted in several cases of murder and extortion. The arrest of the Don has been through Interpol in Bali , Indonesia. ChhotaRajan came to be known as such after the name of his mentor Bada Rajan Nair. Chhota Rajan ran discos, dance Bar’s and night clubs in Jakarta-Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. He is on the hit list of an another underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.
3. India is hosting the third India Africa summit at New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held 20 meetings in 8 hours on one to one basis with the different head of states of African Countries from 9 am to 5 pm on one single day. South Africa is represented by President Jacob Zuma, Zimbabwe by Robert Mugabe, Republic of Kenya by U.M. Kenyatta , Federal Republic of Nigeria by General Mohammadu Buhari , Republic of Uganda by Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and Republic of Zambia by Edger Chagwa Lungu are some of the prominent leaders at the summit.
The disscussions with the head of states in the summit have focused on oil, agriculture, power generation, health, water supply, IT, cyber and maritime security.
Prime Minister Modi has extended a concessional $10 billion credit line to deepen India’s engagement with these countries in competition to China.
Niger has offered to supply India the much needed Uranium at the summit.
4. 12 Filmmakers from Bollywood and a number of historians and scientists may return their awards given by the Government in protest against the irrational behaviors of the far right political fringe. Pseudo left leanings may be the bane for these returns.
5. The most wanted militant in J&K, Abu Qasim has been gunned down by security forces in a gun fight in Kulgam district of J&K. The terrorist carried a reward of Rs.20 lac on his head.
International Political News:
1. Guatamala, a Central American nation elected as its President Jimmy Morales, a comic TV actor on a wave of outrage against the political class. Guatamala is an impoverished country afflicted with gang violence and drugs cartels. Its former President Otto Perez has been indicted in a UN backed investigation into multimillion dollar racketeering.
2. Poland’s left leaning Law and Justice Party crushes Pro E.U. ruling party in Parliamentary elections.
3. China claims threat to its sovereignty as a US warship ¬– destroyer sails in disputed South China sea. Artificial islands – Spratly archipelago are being created by China in that region by sea reclamation which is hotly contested by American allies Taiwan and Phillipines.
4. Nepal elects its 1st woman President in Bidhya Devi Bhandari. She is a erstwhile communist leader who campaigned for women’s rights.
5. China scraps decades old one child policy. Now couples there can have 2 children. This is a result of growing concerns of old age population increase in China and thus the declining labour force. 13.7% of Chinese population is over 60 years and the under 14years population is only 16.5% against the world average of 27%.
6. 224 passengers and crew on board a Russian Jet Airliner on a flight from Egypt’s tourist resort Sharm-el Sheikh to St. Petersburg have been killed in a bomb blast over Sinai region of Egypt. The area is a hot bed of militancy and terrorism.
Business News:
1. India’s position has risen to 130 from 155 on World Banks list of Ease of Doing Business countries in the past one year. Singapore tops the list followed by New Zealand and Denmark. UK is at number 6and US at number 7 in the list.
2. The Indigo(Indias leading airline) IPO has been oversubscribed by 6 times, against market expectations. The issue has been largely subscribed by FII’s and HNI’s.
3. ICICI Banks sells 9% stake in its insurance business ICICI Lombard general insurance company to Toronto Based Fairfax Financial holdings for Rs. 1550 crores.
Science and Technology:
1. Comet Lovejoy as the name suggests is releasing 500 bottles of Ethyl alcohol in to space every second. The Source of these complex organic molecules indicates the emergence of life. A French research team have found 21 difference organic molecules in gas released from the comet. It is one of the brightest and most active comets which passed closest to the sun on January 30 of this year when it was releasing 20 tonnes of water per second. Radio telescope at Pico Veleta in Sierna Nevada mountains of Spain detected this astronomical phenomena.
2. Scientist have created super black material that absorbs all the light that hits it. This may help make better solar panels. The material absorbs 99% of all light at all angles thus making it 26% more darker than carbon nano tubes, the darkest material known.
Sports:
1. India’s Deepika Kumari wins a Silver Medal in the World Cup final of Archery. Another silver medal has been won by Abhishek Verma in the compound section of the archery event.
2. Britain’s Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes team joins the triple formula one world champion league after winning the US Grand Prix at Austin. He now equals Brazilian AyrtonSennas record of Grand Prix championship wins. Ayrton Sennas is considered the greatest car racing driver of all times. He was killed in Formula One race at the age of 34 in San Marino in 1994.
3. Sania Mirza paring up with Martina Hingis add another medal to their tally by winning the Singapore BNP Paribas WTA lawn tennis finals in straight sets 6–4, 6–2.
