3rd April 2015 - Important Current Affairs updates

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International Affairs

• Iran and six world powers have agreed on the framework of a potentially historic deal aimed at curbing Tehran's nuclear drive, marking a major breakthrough in a 12-year standoff after marathon talks in Switzerland.
• Under the framework, Iran agreed to sharply curtail its nuclear program in return for the lifting of sanctions that have crippled the country's economy.
• France’s lower house of Parliament has approved a measure that would make it a crime to use anorexic models.
• Up to an estimated 40,000 people suffer from anorexia in France, 90 per cent of them women.

National Affairs

• Good Friday, the day on which Jesus Christ was crucified, is being observed today across the
  
  country.
• Data released by Urban Development Ministry showed that, two lakh seventy thousand household toilets were constructed across the country during the last financial year. 
• Odisha is the leading state in construction of community toilets, while Gujarat is ahead of other states in building of household toilets.
• The Election Commission is planning to use a new machine which prevents disclosure of voting pattern during counting to enhance voter secrecy and has received the backing of the Law Commission, but the government is yet to take a final call on the issue.
• The EC has approached the Law Ministry with this proposal to introduce ‘Totaliser’ machine for counting of votes.
• By using Totaliser, a further level of secrecy in voting and the mixing of votes at the time of counting will be achieved, which will prevent the disclosure of pattern of voting at a particular polling station.

People in News

• Today is 101st Birth Anniversary of Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw, MC, popularly known as Sam Bahadur.
• He was first Indian Army officer to be promoted to the five-star rank of Field Marshal.
• Under his command Indian forces conducted victorious campaigns against Pakistan in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 that led to the liberation of Bangladesh.
• For his distinguished service to the country, he was awarded Padma Vibhushan and was conferred upon the rank of Field marshal.
• Mariyam Asif Siddiqui, A 12-year-old Muslim girl has emerged topper at a contest on Bhagwad Gita. 
• She received the first prize in an inter-school competition for explaining the teachings of the holy book. 
• She won the contest from among 4,500 students who appeared for the competition.
• Goa Rural Development Minister Francisco alias Mickky Pacheco, who is facing a six month jail term, resigned from the state cabinet on Friday.
• He submitted his resignation after the Supreme Court had dismissed his special leave petition against the verdict of Goa Bench of Bombay High Court, in a case of assaulting a government servant in 2006.

New Appointments

• Capt Anoop Kumar Sharma has taken over as Whole Time Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Essar Shipping Ltd.
• He replaces Ramakrishnan A R who retired from service on March 31, the company said in a statement.

Business & Economy

• India has been ranked a low 119 out of 130 countries on FM Global Resilience Index 2015, an index that measures business resilience of nations based on economic, risk quality and supply chain factors, dropping seven notches from last year.
• This index  has been topped by Norway for being the country best suited for companies seeking to avoid disruptions in their global supply chain operations.
• Venezuela is ranked last on the list. 
• India's last year rank : 112.

Deaths

• Sunita Tomar (28), who emerged as an anti-tobacco crusader after she was diagnosed with cancer, passed away. 
• She had shot a 30-second video titled 'Sunita' for the Union ministry a year ago, highlighting the devastating effect of smokeless tobacco.
• Just two days ago before succumbing to cancer, she had, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, written, "When I started consuming tobacco, there was no warning on its ill effects. I did not know that tobacco chewing would lead to cancer and spoil my life. After being through the pain, I decided to warn other users through my experience."
• Hayley Okines, A 17-year-old UK girl with the body of 104 year old passed away. 
• She was suffering from Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS), an incurable premature ageing disease.

Sports

• World No. 1 Saina Nehwal reaches Malaysia Open semifinals at Kuala Lumpur by beating Sun Yu of China.
• In a significant development, the union government and the national Olympic body have invited International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach for a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 27th April 2015 to discus the development of sports in the country and a likely bid for 2024 Olympic Games.
• This will be Bach’s first visit to India after becoming IOC president.

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