Current Affairs 5th May 2017

Current Affairs 5th May 2017 - Important Points

• South Asia Satellite successfully launched by - ISRO
•  Express WiFi in India launched by - Facebook
• Deal signed by Russia, Iran and Turkey to - deal on Syrian crisis
•  Who has been appointed as Chairman of Tea Board of India ? - Prabhat Kamal Bezboruah
•  Braj Bihari Kumar to succeed economist S K Thorat as - ICSSR Chairman

Current Affairs 5th May 2017 - Details

South Asia Satellite successfully launched by - ISRO

Indian Space Research organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the South Asia Satellite on 5th May 2017. The communication and broadcasting satellite was launched with Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle GSLV F-09  at 4.57 pm from the second launch pad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota.

The South Asia Satellite was launched after a 28-hour long countdown that started on 4th May 2017 at 12.57pm. Six of India’s neighbours including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Srilanka and the Maldives were the participants of the space-based regional communication project.

Key Highlights

• South Asia Satellite, also known as the GSAT-9, is a geosynchronous satellite and will be used for broadcasting, telemedicine, telecommunication, and disaster management purposes.
• It involves space diplomacy for regional cooperation and serves as an example for the space technology application for collective development goals.
• The satellite weighing 2230 kg when lifted off and carrying 12 Ku-Band transponders was been developed at a cost of about 235-crore rupees.
• The total project cost including the launch is worked out to be about 450-crore rupees.
• The intended satellite operational life is more than 12 years.

 Express WiFi in India launched by - Facebook

Facebook launched Express WiFi service commercially in India on 4th May 2017. The Express WiFi offers Internet facility through public hotspots to users of rural India. The social network giant partnered with telecom operator Bharti Airtel that is planning to bring an additional 20000 hotspots online.

Interesting highlights on Express WiFi

• It is a part of Facebook's global initiative to spread internet connectivity.
• It was designed to complement mobile data offerings by providing a low-cost, high bandwidth alternative to access online content.
• Internet Services Providers (ISPs) or telco partners decide the service price, which can be availed by customers through digital vouchers priced at Rs 10-20 for a day or Rs 200-300 for a month.
• Facebook had started testing Express Wi-Fi in India in 2015.

 Deal signed by Russia, Iran and Turkey to - deal on Syrian crisis

Allies of Syria- Russia and Iran and rebel supporter Turkey signed a memorandum on 4th May 2017,  backing Moscow’s plan of creating safe zones in Syria to encourage a truce between the Syrian government and the rebel forces. Heads of the delegations signed a deal representing the three ally countries during peace talks in Kazakhstan’s capital city, Astana. Though The Syrian government and rebel delegations were not among the signatories.

Important Highlights

• The representative delegation reviewed the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and the termination of hostilities during the two-day talk in Astana.
• After much deliberation, the guarantor countries agreed to sign a memorandum on the de-escalation zones cfeation in Syria.
• The main objective of the deal is to put an immediate end to the violence, to provide safe conditions for the voluntary return of refugees and to enable immediate delivery of relief supplies and medical aid.
• The proposal is for the creation of safe zones in rebel-held territories including the north-western province of Idlib, parts of Homs province in the centre, in the south and in the opposition enclave of Eastern Ghouta near Damascus.
• However, in spite of all these measures, some issues remained unclear like which guarantor country would be policing which safe zone. Speaking on the same, 
• Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the issue would have to be taken up in separate talks.

 Who has been appointed as Chairman of Tea Board of India ? - Prabhat Kamal Bezboruah

Renowned tea planter from Assam Prabhat Kamal Bezboruah, who was once a banker in the US, was on 4th May 2017 appointed as the Chairman of the Tea Board of India for a tenure till November 2018.

With this, Bezboruah became the first non-IAS and the first industry insider to head the Kolkata-headquarter Tea Board, the governing body of the industry. On the other hand, renowned coffee grower M S Boje Gowda was appointed as Chairman of the Coffee Board of India till December 2018.

Detailed Information

• Prabhat Kamal Bezboruah is serving as the Head of the Tea Research Association (TRA).
• Bezboruah is also the owner of at least 6-7 top-rank tea gardens (Bokahola, Saotali, Longbari, etc) in Assam.
• He had also served two to three terms as a Chairman of Assam Tea Planters' Association.

 Braj Bihari Kumar to succeed economist S K Thorat as - ICSSR Chairman

Kumar’s name was finalised for the top position by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development on 2nd May 2017. He would be succeeding noted economist S K Thorat.

Vital Points

• He would be holding the post for three years.
• His name was finalised from a shortlisted prepared by a selection panel.
• Other shortlisted names included I K Bajaj and PM Kamath.
• The selection panel comprised National Research Professor Ashok Modak, Panjab University former professor Jitendra Mohan and historian Satish Mittal.
• Outgoing Chairman S K Thorat had been leading the council since April 2011.
• The NGO publishes the two quarterly journals, Dialogue and Chintan Srijan and has Kumar as the editor for both.
• He has previously served as the former principal of Sao Change Government College in Tuensang (Nagaland) and Science College in Kohima.
• He has edited, written and co-authored 136 books.