UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS APRIL/28/2015

CURRENT AFFAIRS APRIL/28/2015

• INS Tarangini Departs for “Lokayan-2015”
  • INS Tarangini the Sail Training Ship of Indian Navy left Kochi on an eight month voyage through Europe to participate in the annual Tall Ship Races organised by Sail Training International 
  • During these eight months the ship will travel approximately 17 thousand miles under sails This year’s Tall Ship Races will be conducted primarily off the coast of United Kingdom, Norway, Denmark, Germany and Netherlands.
  • About 300 Sail ships of various sizes from all over the world are expected to participate in this year’s events.
  • Tarangini forms a part of Class A Sail Ships, the largest of the sailing fleet.
  • During this voyage, the Indian trainees would also get an opportunity to sail on foreign vessels as part of exchange of trainees.
           The theme for LOKAYAN -15 has thus been chosen as “TACKING FOR A BROADER REACH”. 
• Capgemini acquires iGATE for $4 billion
  • French IT services company Cap Gemini announced the acquisition of US-based IGATE for $4.04 billion in a combination of cash, stock and debt deal
  • This acquisition will boost the presence of Capgemini in North America which the largest IT-services market in the world.
  • IGATE is US-listed IT services company headquartered in New Jersey with revenues of $1.3 billion in 2014 North America is the largest market of IGATE accounting for 79 percent of its total revenue in 2014 followed by Europe (14 percent) and Asia-Pacific (7 percent).
  • Capgemini that reported total revenues of 10.573 billion euros in 2014 and has more than 145,000 employees in over 40 countries.
  • This deal will create an organization with €12.5 billion in combined revenue and 190,000 employees.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets people of South Africa on their freedom day
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted the people of South Africa on their freedom day by remembering Madiba (Nelson Mandela).
  • Narendra Modi said "On Freedom Day we remember the beloved Madiba, an inspiration and a harbinger of change who strived to bring a better tomorrow for his people"
  • President Pranab Mukherjee had also extended his greetings and felicitations to the government and opend his arms for better relationship
• Afghan President arrives in India on 3-day visit PM Modi to hold bilateral talks
  • Ashraf Ghani is arriving on his first state visit to India,Seven months after took over as Afghanistan President
  • After he assumed his office he visited China and Pakistan which is seen in different meaniings by political analyst
  • He has already met Modi during the SAARC summit in Kathmandu last November
  • Mr.Ghani said Afghanistan is going to be a platform for regional and global cooperation, not a battlefield for proxy wars,
  • Mr Ghani emerged victorious in the Afghanistan presidential election
  Afghan President will be accorded a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan and later go to Rajghat to lay a wreath at the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi
• Defence exercise " Akraman 2" conducted by Chetak Corps of South Western Command
  • The armed forces conducted major defence exercise "Akraman-II" in Rajasthan
  • The exercise was conducted by Bhatinda based chetak corps which is a part of South Western Command.
  • This exercise will provide ‘real time battle and situational awareness’ to its commanders.
  • About 300 Combat Vehicles, Main Battle Tanks, Long Range Arty Guns and about 10,000 troops are participating in the exercise
  • It will also test the capabilities of Indian Air Force in launching deep insertion of airborne and helicopter-borne army unit
• India not in race to hold 2024 Olympics bid
  • There was meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach at 7 RCR but there was no Concrete result regarding participation of India IN bid for holding 2024 Olympics in the country.
  • President Thomas Bach told "it's too early for India to host Games" A tripartite agreement is signed between Government of India, IOC and IOA for the development of Indian sports
  • Although India is world's second most populous nation, India has a poor record in Olympic competition
• Yashwant Sinha choosen for highest French civilian honour Officier de la Legion dHonneur
  • Yashwant Sinha a former finance minister of India a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has choosen for highest French civilian honour Officier de la Legion dHonneur (Officer of the Legion of Honour
  • As Minister of External Affairs, and Chair of the Indo-French Parliamentary Friendship Group since its very inception (2009-2014) Indo-French strategic
  • partnership launched during the visit of Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Paris (September 1998) has been made more strong by Yashwant Sinha
  • Yashwant Sinha has played importent role in strengthening the relationship between the two countries
  • The honour would be conferred on Mr Sinha by French Ambassador Francois Richier on behalf of the President of the country 
• Indian origin scientist,Sangeeta N Bhatia wins $ 250,000 Heinz Award
  Sangeeta N Bhatia an Indian-origin scientist at Massachusetts Institute of Technology who has developed artificial human microlivers for drug testing, has won a prestigious 250,000 dollars Heinz award for her significant work in tissue engineering and disease detection
  Sangeeta Bhatia has been named the recipient of the 2015 Heinz Award for Technology, the Economy, and Employment The artificial human micro livers made by Ms Bhatia's team are being used by many bio-pharmaceutical companies to test the toxicity of drug candidates which will open a new scope for medicine technology
  Ms Bhatia will receive her award on May 13 at a ceremony in Pittsburgh
  About the award:-
  The Heinz Awards annually recognise individuals for their extraordinary contributions to arts and humanities; environment; human condition; public policy; and technology, the economy, and employment and includes an unrestricted prize of 250,000 dollars