Current Affairs Update – 8th March, 2015




           Today’s Topics


   •  Obituary
   •  Business
   •  India
   •  Appointments
   •  Sports
   •  Days


Obituary
Veteran journalist Vinod Mehta passes away

  • Veteran journalist and author Vinod Mehta passed away after
    prolonged illness in the Capital on Sunday.
  • Mr. Mehta, 72, who had founded the Outlook Magazine and
    served as its Editor-in-Chief, last held the post of editorial Chairman of the
    publication.
  • An eminent political commentator, Mr. Mehta was served as
    the editor of several publications, including The Pioneer, The Sunday Observer,
    The Independent and The Indian Post.

Business
Tata JLR plans to
build first electric car in Austria

  • Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is set to build
    its first all-electric car in Austria.
  • The luxury car-maker’s Jaguar brand could begin production
    of the vehicle next year.
  • JLR’s electric debut would be the latest in a string of
    launches after its new XE “baby Jag” and F-Pace sports utility vehicle, as well
    as a new factory in China and one under construction in Brazil.
  • The company is believed to be devising plans for a small
    production line in Austria, making about 10,000 cars a year, by leasing space
    in an existing factory, according to The Sunday Times.
  • Jaguar wants to build an electric vehicle, in part to
    sidestep looming European Union emission fines.
  • Manufacturers are racing to produce electric and hybrid
    cars, with Germany’s BMW enjoying surging sales of its i8 and i3 petrol and
    electric plug-in hybrids.
  • The Tata Group, which paid $2.3 billion in 2008 to buy JLR
    from Ford and has more than doubled the workforce to 32,000.

India
Govt to recruit women
officers in ITBP for the first time

  • The government has decided to recruit young female officers
    in the force and deploy them at select locations like Nathula Pass along the
    Indo-China frontier.
  • This is a maiden initiative undertaken for women empowerment
    in the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).
  • ITBP is the designated security force to secure 3,488 km of
    the Line of Actual Control with China. Since its raising in 1962, the force has
    never directly inducted women officers in its ranks considering the arduous
    nature of its task along the icy and inhospitable frontier running along the
    Himalayan mountain ranges.
  • Till now, women could only don the combat uniform in the
    officer cadre in all central security forces like the Central Reserve Police
    Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and the border guarding
    forces Border Security Force and Sashastra Seema Bal, except ITBP.
  • ITBP, at present, has about 1,400 women with the majority
    being in the rank of constables.

Sumitomo to set up
4,000 MW project in Andhra Pradesh
  • Japanese major Sumitomo Corporation has evinced interest in
    setting up of a 4,000 MW ultra-mega power project in Srikakulam district of
    Andhra Pradesh.
  • A representative of the corporation told that it would be
    based on ultra-supercritical technology with each unit of 1,000 MW.
  • Supercritical technology projects are extremely energy-efficient
    and productive.
  • Normally, supercritical technology units come in 660 MW and
    some 800 MW but this ultra-supercritical unit takes it to 1,000 MW for each
    unit.

Appointment
Arun Singh appointed
India’s ambassador to US
  • Arun Singh has been appointed as India’s ambassador to the
    U.S. succeeding S. Jaishankar, who was named the Foreign Secretary in January,
    the External Affairs Ministry announced on Sunday.
  • Currently India’s Ambassador to France, the 1979-batch IFS
    officer is expected to take up his assignment shortly, the Ministry said.
  • However, it is believed that Mr. Singh will take up his new
    posting after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposed visit to France next
    month. Mr. Modi is likely to travel to Canada in April on a bilateral visit and
    is expected to make a stop-over in Germany while going and in Paris on his
    return.
  • Mr. Singh, who has been joint secretary in-charge of
    Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan division in MEA, has done postings in Japan and
    Israel among other countries.

Sports
Carolina Marin
defeated Saina Nehwal in prestigious All England Badminton Championship Final

  • Olympic bronze medallist Saina Nehwal’s quest for becoming
    the first Indian woman to win the most prestigious All England badminton
    championship ended in agony after she suffered a heart-breaking loss to Spain’s
    Carolina Marin in the summit clash here today.
  • The World No. 3 Indian let go of a huge opportunity to
    script history as she squandered an opening game lead to go down 21—16, 14—21,
    7—21 to the reigning world champion in the women’s singles final that lasted
    for little over an hour.
  • Olympic bronze medallist, Saina, thus, failed to emulate her
    long-time coach Pullella Gopichand (2001) and legendary Prakash Padukone
    (1980), who had won the prestigious title in the past.
  • Saina, who has been competing at the All England since 2007,
    had never lost to Carolina and looked on course for an encore before the World
    No. 6 Spaniard scripted a remarkable comeback in the second game to put paid to
    the Indian’s hopes at the Barclaycard Arena.

Sangakkara joins
Tendulkar in 14,000 club in ODIs

  • Kumar Sangakkara became only the second batsman after Indian
    icon Sachin Tendulkar to score 14,000 One—day International runs when the Sri
    Lankan veteran reached the landmark against Australia in a World Cup Pool A
    match here today.
  • He also became the first batsman to score hundreds in three
    consecutive World Cup matches.
  • Sangakkara was 39 short of reaching the milestone when he
    came out to bat at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Chasing a mammoth 377—run target,
    Sangakkara put up a spirited show with his fluent century and kept Sri Lanka in
    the hunt till he was dismissed.
  • The retired Tendulkar remains way in front with 18,246 runs
    in 463 matches.
  • The three centuries took Sangakkara’s tally to 24 hundreds
    and he has the most centuries for Sri Lanka after Sanath Jayasuriya’s 28 tons.
  • The classy left—handed batsman features fourth on the list
    of all—time most hundreds in ODIs, which includes Tendulkar (49), former
    Australian captain Ricky Pointing (30) and Jayasuriya on third.
  • Sangakkara also became the first Sri Lankan batsman to notch
    up 14,000 runs in ODIs.

Days
International Women’s Day is celebrated on 8th March

  • International Women’s Day is a time to reflect on progress
    made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by
    ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their
    countries and communities.
  • This year’s theme, “Empowering Women – Empowering Humanity:
    Picture It!” envisions a world where each woman and girl can exercise her
    choices, such as participating in politics, getting an education, having an
    income, and living in societies free from violence and discrimination.
  • In 2015, International Women’s Day will highlight the
    Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a historic roadmap signed by 189
    governments 20 years ago that sets the agenda for realizing women’s rights.
    While there have been many achievements since then, many serious gaps remain.



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