Current Affairs 15th January 2018

Current Affairs 15th January 2018 - Important Points

•  China commissioned new missile frigate named - Rizhao
• India’s first-ever FDI in fertiliser sector: Yara acquires Tata Chemicals urea plant acquired by - Yara International
• Nepal ending India’s monopoly by getting internet connection from - China
• India, UK sign MoU on illegal migrants return on - 11th January 2018
• UIDAI to introduce face recognition for Aadhaar authentication, initiated on - 15th January 2018
• India, Israel sign 9 MoUs for cooperation in cyber security, space, oil and gas sector on - 15th January 2018

Current Affairs 15th January 2018 - Details

 China commissioned new missile frigate named - Rizhao

China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy has ordered Rizhao, a new missile frigate, in a naval seaport in  Dalian, China. It is China’s indigenous missile frigate specified after Rizhao city in Shandong Province of
China.
More about Rizhao

• The Rizhao missile frigate is 140 m in length and 16 m in width. It was outlined and made in China. It has a  displacement of approximately 4,000 tonnes.
• It is loaded with advanced weapon systems and has capability to fight enemy ships including submarines on its own or in correlation with other naval groups.
• It was initiated in April 2017. Frigates are naval vessels transitional between corvettes and destroyers.

Tata Chemicals urea plant acquired by - Yara International

Norwegian fertiliser giant Yara International has declared completion of its purchase of Tata Chemicals’
1.2 million tonnes yearly production capable urea plant at Babrala in UP.
The Rs. 2,682 crores purchase deal contains transfer of all benefits and liabilities, working capital relating to Babrala plant. It marks 1st foreign direct investment in India’s extremely regulated urea area.
Important Points

• The purchase represents a huge step of Yara as it deepens its base in India, world’s 2nd largest fertiliser market after China. Moreover, a green-field urea-ammonia unit of this capacity at Babrala will entail a forming up cost of $1 billion.
• Yara is headquartered in Oslo, Norway. Presently it does yearly sales of $35-40 million in India.
• Much of it consists of premium micronutrients, complex and water-soluble fertilisers utilized in high value crops including banana, chilli, grapes, apples, sugarcane and vegetables grown in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh.

Nepal ending India’s monopoly by getting internet connection from - China

Nepal has collaborated with China to offer internet services to its residents, ending India’s decades long
monopoly of Nepal’s cyber connectivity services. The Nepal Telecom joined hands with the China Telecom Global to provide alternate cyber-connectivity to Nepal.
China Telecom Global is a Hong Kong and Beijing located company initiated in 2012.
China Telecom Global and Nepal Telecom initiated their 1st services after they laid down the optical fibre wires between Kerung in China and Rasuwagadi in Nepal, about 50 km north of Kathmandu.
It is projected that the starting speed of internet by Chinese fibre link will be 1.5 Gigabit/second, less than that of 34 Gigabit/second by India. Nepal Telecom in 2016 had signed a MoU with China Telecommunications for the process of Nepal's internet network via China.
Status of Nepal-China in recent times

• Beijing, in 2016, finalized to allow Nepal to utilize its ports to trade goods with 3third nations, ending the latter’s sole dependence on India for overland business.
• Nepal also connected the Belt and Road Initiative in the year 2017, which is China’s endeavour to expand a modern “Silk Road” connecting Asia with Middle East, Europe and Africa by railway, road, seaway and airway.
• Nepal is in discussion with China on the topic of the expansion of the Chinese rail network into Nepal from Tibet.
  India-Nepal Connectivity
• Nepal was completely dependent on Indian telecom organizations including Tata Communications and Bharati Airtel for internet facilities by optical fibres connections through Biratnagar, Bhairahawa and Birgunj.

India, UK sign MoU on illegal migrants return on - 11th January 2018

 India signed 2 MoUs with the UK on 11th January 2018 for the migration of Indians, who have been living in Britain as illegal migrants, and sharing of criminal data and intelligence.
The agreements were signed by UK's Minister of Immigration Caroline Nokes and India's Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju. The agreements presented increased co-operation between both the nations, which already enjoy a close association.
MoU on return of illegal Indian migrants in the UK

• The MoU paves the way for a faster and more efficient operation for the documentation and returning of Indian residants who are legally not meant to be in the UK.
• The MoU has been proven to be tough in the past due to few Indians not having the necessary papers or travel papers to be granted back in their home nation.
• The accordance commits both nations to take a more adjustable approach to confirming the identity and nationality of the persons, which will assist the fast returning process.

MoU on criminal records exchange

• The accordance is believed to lead to the interchange of criminal documents, fingerprints and intelligence between the UK and Indian law enforcement organizations.
• This will aid the police strengthen their law enforcement and safeguard the residents from identified criminals including sex criminals.
• The resolution will also permit the courts of both the countries to allow more information to assist tougher sentencing conclusions.

UIDAI to introduce face recognition for Aadhaar authentication, initiated on - 15th January 2018

The Unique Identification Authority of India on 15th January 2018 initiated face authentication as an additional method of Aadhaar authentication along with finger-print and eyes scan. The initiation will enable simple authentication for those persons who feel difficulties in another biometric authentication including fingerprints and eyes scan. 

The provision is, however, only being permitted along with other present methods of authentication. It will be available by 1st July 2018.
Objective behind this provision

The provision is believed to help in inclusive authentication of those who are not capable to biometrically authenticate due to their worn-out fingerprints, older age or any other hard work situations.
Key Highlights

• Presently, 2 modes of biometric authentication, fingerprints authentication and eyes authentication are permitted under Aadhaar.
• The face authentication will going to enable an extra option for all the citizens in order to have inclusive authentication.
• It will be permitted only in fusion mode along with 1 more authentication component. It has to be joined with either fingerprints or eyes or One Time Password to be enable to successfully authenticate an Aadhaar number bearer.
• The new method will be permitted only on requirement basis.

India, Israel sign 9 MoUs for cooperation in cyber security, space, oil and gas sector on - 15th January 2018

India signed nine MoUs with Israel on 15th January 2018, during the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to India. 

Netanyahu is the 1st Israeli Prime Minister to visit India in the time period of the last fifteen years and the 2nd one overall. The only other Israeli Prime Minister to visit India was Ariel Sharon in year 2003. Prime Minister Narendra Modi defeated protocol to greet the Prime Minister at the airport, returning the warmth he received when he paid his visit to Israel in July 2017, as Netanyahu too received the Indian Prime Minister at the airport.
During Modi’s visit to Israel, both the ministers had sworn to made a strategic relationship of trust, hope and progress of diverse and cutting edge coordination and of joint ventures and shared successes.
During the present visit, both the ministers reviewed the development in the relations between the 2 countries and shared the new possibilities and chances that required to be seized. 

The ministers confirmed to accelerate their engagement and increase their partnership in the following 3 ways:

• strengthening the present pillars of coordination in fields that touch the lives of the individual living in both countries, including science, agriculture and technology and security.
• 2 nd - venturing into least explored fields of coordination, including cyber security, films, oil and gas and start-ups.
• 3 rd - loyalty to ease the flow of individuals and ideas between both the nations.

Historic War Memorial Teen Murti Chowk renamed after Israeli city Haifa
To bring individuals closer on both sides, an Indian Cultural Centre will soon start in Israel. Apart from this, both the countries have also finalized to initiate a yearly exchange of bilateral visits by 100 young individuals from science-related educational fields.