Current Affairs refresher for BANK PO/ SSC exams-February 2015

1. RIC Forum calls for early conclusion of Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism:

Russia, India and China have called for an early conclusion of negotiations on the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism in the RIC Forum held in Beijing.

In this regard, a joint communique was issued by 3 nations in the 13th trilateral meeting of foreign ministers, under this forum.

India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Chinese foreign Minister Wang Yi and Russian foreign Minister Sergey Levrov had participated in the meeting.

Key highlights of RIC Forum

• Condemned terrorism- Participating countries strongly condemned terrorism in all forms. They even mentioned that there can be no ideological, political, racial, ethnic or any other justification for acts of terrorism.
• Join efforts to combat terrorism- Ministers affirmed the need for all countries to join efforts in combating terrorism under the auspices of United Nations.
• Support to India- Russia and China supported India’s aspiration to play a greater role in the United Nations. They also welcomed India’s application for full membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
• Economic front- All members expressed their support for the forthcoming WTO 10th Ministerial conference in December 2015, to expand their cooperation in several areas including agriculture, medical services and disaster relief.
• Other Issues- They also discussed various issues including efforts to counter the threat of use of information and communication technologies for military and terrorism purposes, preventing arms race in outer space, solution to Iranian nuclear issue, latest developments in Syria, Israel- Palestine conflict and current crisis in Ukraine.

The next trilateral meeting of the RIC Forum will be held in Russia later in 2015.

2. World Wetlands Day observed on 2 February:

Every year World wetland day (WWD) is observed on 2 February.

The theme for the world wetland day 2015 is Wetlands for our future.

Significance of Day

• This day marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands also called as Ramsar Convention on 2 February 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar.
• Each year on this day government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGO’s), and groups of citizens at all levels of the community raise public awareness of wetland values and their benefits. They also spread awareness about Ramsar Convention in particular.

Background

For first time, WWD was celebrated in year 1997 and since then it is observed every year. The theme for the world wetland day 2014 was Wetlands and Agriculture.

Some facts

• Currently there are 2,186 wetlands of international importance sites under the Ramsar Convention known as Ramsar Sites covering around 208,449,277 hectares km².
• The maximum Ramsar sites are located in UK i.e. 168.
• The largest area covered by the Ramsar sites is in Canada.
• The number of parties to the Ramsar Convention is 168.
• Ramsar Sites in India are 26 (as of September 2012).

3. Pakistan successfully test-fires new cruise missile Ra’ad:

Pakistan has conducted a successful flight test of the indigenously developed Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) Ra’ad.

This successful launch has helped Pakistan to achieve strategic standoff capability both on land and at sea.

Key facts about Ra’ad missile

• Designed to operate with Pakistan Air Force (PAF) aircraft’s like Dassault Mirage III ROSE and JF-17 combat aircraft.
• Range of 350 kms and stealth capabilities due to its cruise technology.
• High maneuverability capabilities that can deliver nuclear and conventional warheads with pin-point accuracy.
• Low altitude missile designed to attack fixed enemy installations such as radar posts, command nodes and stationary surface to air missile launchers at stand-off range

4. Anish Aggarwal takes over as Director (Pipelines) at Indian Oil Corporation

Anish Aggarwal has taken charge as Director (Pipelines) at nation’s largest oil refining and marketing company, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC).

Previously, he was Executive Director (Operations) at the IOC’s Pipelines Division.

Anish Aggarwal

• As Executive Director (Operations), he was leading a IOC team that looked into operations and maintenance of company’s 11,221 kms long pipeline network across country for transporting crude oil and petroleum products.
• He also had headed the IOC’s Western Region Pipelines as Executive Director and was responsible for operations of offshore crude oil terminals in this region.
• He is an engineering graduate and also holds post graduate management degree from Management Development Institute, Gurgaon. He has over 30 years of work experience in IOC especially in pipeline projects.

5. NASA launches SMAP satellite to observe soil moisture:

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has launched Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite to observe soil moisture.

It was launched from the Delta 2 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite

• SMAP satellite is three-year mission which will measure the amount of moisture in soil.
• It will produce high-resolution global maps from space and data collected from it will help scientists to monitor droughts and improve flood forecasts.
• NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory located in Pasadena, California is responsible for SMAP satellite project management, system engineering, mission operations and the ground data system.
• SMAP is going to take real-time measurements that will be incorporated into forecasts and replace current drought mapping and flash flood guidance mechanism as it issued based on computer modeling.
• Implications: It will help to monitor drought, predict floods, assist crop productivity, weather forecasting and linking water, Energy and Carbon Cycles.

6. India’s 1st solar fenced elephant sanctuary to come up near Bengaluru

India’s 1st solar fenced elephant sanctuary will come up near Bengaluru, Karnataka.

It was announced by an international animal rights and conservation group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

In this regard, PETA and the Bannerghatta Biological Park, Karnataka have joined hands.

Key facts about solar fenced elephant sanctuary

• Its main objective is to allow elephants in this park to move around freely within the secure area to curb man- animal conflicts in this area.
• It will cover 49.5 hectare area within the Biological Park which is an extension of the Bannerghatta National Park.
• Designed by the PETA consultant and elephant expert Carol Buckley and basically includes solar electric fence and a state-of-the-art emergency corral made of steel pipes.
• Local caregivers will be also trained on the principles of protected contact. It will allow safe interaction between human beings and elephants by keeping them separated by a barrier.
• It will also replace age-old routine of physical punishment techniques to manage the elephants, by positive reinforcement techniques.

7. Germany’s ex-President Richard von Weizsaecker passes away:

Germany’s former President Richard von Weizsaecker has passed away on 31 January 2015. He was 94.

He was in office as President for 10 years, from 1984 to 1994.  His tenure also spanned the period of German reunification (Reunion of East and West Germany).

Richard von Weizsaecker

• He was a soldier in the German army in World War II. Later, he was a member of the Christian Democratic Union.
• In 1980’s, he had served as the governing mayor of West Berlin.
• He was elected as President for first time in 1984. In 1989, he was elected unopposed to a second term. During his second term he oversaw the initial years of a reunited Germany as President (largely a ceremonial presidency).
• As a President he had won widespread praise worldwide for his efforts to persuade Germans to confront their Nazi past.
• In 1986, he had addressed a joint session of the UK parliament thus becoming the first German to do so.

8. Father of Birth Control Pill Carl Djerassi passes away

Renowned chemist Carl Djerassi has passed away in San Francisco, United States (US). He was 91.

He was famously known as the father of the birth control pills for his contribution to the development of oral contraceptive birth pills.

About Carl Djerassi

• He was born on 29 October 1923.
• In 1951, he had led a research team in Mexico City that developed a synthetic molecule norethindrone- a key component of the first birth control pill.
• Later, he had submitted many research papers on birth control pills. It includes a public policy article about the global implications of U.S. contraceptive research in 1969 and another article about the feasibility of a birth control pill for men in 1970.
• It should be noted that the first birth-control pill approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) was Enovid, developed Frank Colton at G.D. Searle & Co and not by him.
• He was also professor emeritus of chemistry at Stanford University and had written many poems, short stories and plays with an emphasis on mixing science and literature. Some of the poems reflected his life as a chemist.
• Awards: For his work on the contraceptive pills he was awarded US’s prestigious award National Medal of Science (1973), National Medal of Technology (1991). He was also inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame in 1978 for his research.

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