20th April 2015 - Important Current Affairs updates

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International Affairs

• Chinese President XI JIngping is on a two day visit to Pakistan. 
• On the first day of his visit, Pakistan and China sign 51 agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) for cooperation in different fields.
• The agreements including the multibillion dollar economic corridor through the PoK that will expand China's influence in India's neighbourhood.
• Xi Jinping also scheduled to unveil a $45-billion investment plan that can help Pakistan end its chronic energy crisis and transform it into a regional economic hub.
• Pakistan Prime Minister : Nawaz Sharif.

People in News

• North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has scaled Mt. Paektu, the country's highest mountain. 
• The 2,750-metre peak of the volcanic mountain, lying on the border with China, is considered a sacred place in Korean folklore.

National Affairs

• The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has issued a notification making the Elector's Photo Identity Card (EPIC) & Aadhaar issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India a valid proof of date of birth for obtaining PAN card.
• Note : Till now, both these photo ID cards were only considered as valid proof for substantiating the identity and address of an individual and not their date of birth.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi today laid the foundation stone of Dr BR Ambedkar International Centre at New Delhi.
• The estimated budget for the international convention centre, museum and library which are going to be built in New Delhi is Rs 198 crore.
• The Kerala government has launched a major campaign "Subodham" to help people in the state overcome alcohol, drug and other substance abuse.
• The project was launched by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Art of Living Foundation founder Ravishankar in the presence of religious leaders, representatives of student organizations and NGOs working against drug abuse.
• Note : The state education department, meanwhile, agreed to include anti-drug and alcohol awareness content in the state curriculum from the next academic year.

Science & Technology

• The Indian Navy's new and biggest destroyer, Visakhapatnam, which has enhanced capacity
  
  to operate in nuclear, biological and chemical atmosphere, was put to the sea at a function here on Monday, officials said.
• The warship was launched by Minu Dhowan, wife of Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R K Dhowan.
• The warship is 163 metres in length and has a displacement of 7,300 tonnes.
• This is the first of the four follow-on warships of the Kolkata Class Project 15A, designed indigenously and will give a significant boost to India's maritime capabilities when it joins Indian Navy in 2018.
• Note : The Kolkata Class did not have a full-fledged Total Atmosphere Control System (TAC), which is included in Visakhapatnam, according to an official.

New Appointments

• Former Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar appointed as BCCI's ACSU Chief.
• BCCI - Board of Control for Cricket in India
• ACSU - Anti Corruption & Security Unit

Sports

• Three Indian race walkers have qualified for next year's Rio Olympics after creditable performances in the IAAF Race Walking Challenge at Rio Maior in Portugal.
• National women's 20km walk record holder Khushbir Kaur clocked 1:33:58, better than Rio 2016 qualification time of 1:35, though she finished 13th in the race.
• In the men's 20km race walk, Manish Rawat logged a personal best performance to finish in top 10 with a timing of 1:22:50, which is also above Rio Games qualification time of 1:24.
• National 50km race walk record holder Sandeep Kumar also qualified for Rio Games with a 14th-place finish in 1:23:32.
• British Formula One racing driver Lewis Hamilton wins Bahrain Grand Prix Formula One World Championship 2015.

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