English news - 28.04.2016

1.Deepika equals world record at World Cup  

Indian archer Deepika Kumari Deepika Kumari  equalled the world record in women's recurve event before helping the country to the mixed pair bronze play‐off in the first stage of the Archery World Cup that got underway. 

The former world No.1 and winner of two Commonwealth Games gold medals shot 686 in the 72‐arrow ranking round to equal the feat of London Olympics gold‐medallist Ki Bo Bae of Korea.

2.Rajeev Sharma appointed PFC CMD

Rajeev Sharma was appointed as Chairman and Managing Director of Power Finance 

Corporation (PFC), a Navratna Public Sector Undertaking. 

Sharma is presently CMD of Rural Electrification Corporation Ltd. 

3.Sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik wins gold medal at Moscow championship

Renowned artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has won the gold medal at ninth Moscow Sand Sculpture

Championship "The magical world of sand" 2016.

Pattnaik won the competition for his 15 feet high art work "Mahatma Gandhi's sculpture for non‐violence and peace".

4.Russia launches rocket from new cosmodrome

Russian authorities launched a Soyuz‐2.1a rocket carrying three satellites from the newly built Vostochny Cosmodrome located in the country's Far East.

Vostochny Cosmodrome with an area of some 700 sq.km, has been under construction since 2012 and is expected to reduce Russia's dependency on the Baikonur space centre in Kazakhstan, which is on lease to Russia until 2050.

5.Cabinet approves MoU between India and Papua New Guinea on cooperation in the field of health area and medical science 

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval for signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Papua New Guinea on cooperation in the field of Healthcare and Medical Science. 

The bilateral MoU will encourage cooperation between the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare of India and the Ministry of Health and HIV/AIDS of the Papua New Guinea through joint initiatives in the health sector. It will strengthen bilateral ties between India and Papua New Guinea.

6.India gets its own GPS with successful launch of 7th navigation satellite

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has successfully launched a rocket (PSLV‐C33),

which is carrying country's seventh navigation satellite today. With the successful launch,

India doesn’t have to depend on a foreign power when it comes to military navigation.

The 44.4 metre, 320 tonne Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV‐C33), carrying Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System‐IRNSS‐1G, blasted off at 12.50 p.m. on Thursday from Sriharikota space station near Chennai.

Just over 20 minutes into the flight, the rocket is expected to put into orbit the 1,425‐kg IRNSS‐1G satellite at an altitude of 497.8 kms. The satellite's life span is expected to be about 12 years and has two payloads for navigation and ranging.

7. VT Thomas, cartoonist and creator of ‘Boban and Molly’, dies at 87

Well known cartoonist V T Thomas, the creator of ‘Boban and Molly’, the 12‐year‐old cartoon siblings who endeared one and all with their childish pranks and became household names in the state for nearly 40 years, passed away at a hospital in Kottayam. 

Thomas, 87, known as Toms, was undergoing treatment at a private hospital here for age related ailment for some time when the end came late last night, hospital sources said.

8.Panama signs deal with US; agrees to share bank account info

Panama and the United States have signed an agreement on sharing of back account

information in a step Panama's finance minister hailed as proof of his country's cooperation

in fighting tax evasion.

9.India Ratings Downgrades FY17 GDP Growth Forecast To 7.7%

Ratings firm India Ratings has lowered the India's GDP growth forecast to 7.7 per cent for

the current financial year, from 7.9 per cent earlier.

10.Enhancement of Investment by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited in Bharat Oman Refineries Limited

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval to enhance investment by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) in Bharat Oman Refineries Limited (BORL). The investment amount could be enhanced upto a maximum of Rs.3000 crore by way of subscription of convertible warrants / other instruments giving right to convert it into equity shares to be issued by BORL, beyond DPE guidelines dated 05.08.2005.

The infusion of funds by the BPCLs will enable BORL to overcome the implications on account of the erosion of the net worth. Besides it will enhance the availability of petroleum products in the Northern and Central parts of the country, industrial development of Madhya Pradesh and substantial increase in employment and tax earnings in the State.