GK UPDATE 12TH MARCH
1. India & Mauritus Sign
MoUs on Health & Tourism
i. India and Mauritius today signed three Memorandums
of Understanding during the state visit of President Pranab Mukherjee.
ii. One MoU was on persons
with disabilities and senior citizens.
iii. Second on
co-operation in the field
of health and medicine.
iv. Third was on co-operation
in the field of tourism.
NOTE: i. Mauritius celebrated its 45th
Independence Day on 12 March 2013.
ii. The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee was
the chief guest at the 45th Independence Day celebrations of Mauritius.
2. UK opened Mobile Visa
Application Facility in Goa
i. The UK Government on 12 March 2013 opened its
first ever Mobile Biometric Clinic (MBC) in Goa.
ii. The Mobile Biometric Clinic is meant to save
the time of locals from travelling to distant places like Mumbai to apply for
visa to the country.
iii. Mobile Biometric Clinic is an
initiative by the UK Border Agency providing convenience to the citizens of Goa
with the localised option of applying for a UK visa.
About Mobile Biometric Clinic (MBC)
i. MBC is a new and optional service,
which for an additional fee allows applicants who are residing in Goa to submit
their UK visa application and biometric data using a mobile facility in the
state.
ii. The MBC uses the UK Border Agency’s mobile
Biometric Enrolment System (BES) equipment to take biometric data (finger
scans and digital photograph).
iii. The service is delivered by the UK Border
Agency’s commercial partner, VFS Global.
3. Iran and Pakistan
launched Gas Pipeline Project
i. Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad and his Pakistanicounterpart Asif Ali Zardari on
11 March 2013 launched a 7.5 billion dollar gas pipeline project which will
link Iran's gas pipeline to that of Pakistan.
ii. The inauguration ceremony of gas pipeline
project was held in Iran's Chabahar city and attended by ministers and senior
officials from Iran and Pakistan.
iii. With the launch of pipeline Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad asserted that West has no right to obstruct Iran-Pakistan
gas pipeline project that has nothing to do with Iran's nuclear issue.
About the gas Pipeline
i. Iran has constructed 900 km of
the 1600-km pipeline on its soil.
ii. Both Iranian and Pakistani firms have undertaken
the construction of the remaining part in Pakistan.
iii. Tehran has agreed to lend Islamabad 500
million, dollar a third of the estimated 1.5 billion dollar cost of the
Pakistani section of the pipeline.
Controversy with the project
i. The project provoked several warnings
of sanctions from the US. Washington stated that the pipeline would enable
Tehran to sell more gas, undermining efforts to step up pressure over its
nuclear activities.
ii. As per US, if this deal is finalized for a
proposed Iran-Pakistan pipeline, it would raise serious concerns under our Iran
Sanctions Act.
iii. US State Department's advise saying Pakistan
to better look for other energy options instead of the Iran gas project.
4. President of India
appointed Judges in the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir
i. President of India, Pranab Mukherjee
appointed Ali Mohd. Magrey and Dhiraj Singh Thakur as the
Judges of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court.
ii. The appointment of judges’ by the President
took place in confirmation to the powers conferred in Article 95 of the
Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir.
iii. President also appointed Rabstan,
Bansi Lal Bhat and Janak Raj Kotwal as the Additional Judges of
the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, in their order of seniority.
iv. All these additional judges will serve the
Court for a period of two years and from the day when they will assume the
charge of their respective offices.
5. Hardeep Singh Puri
awarded by exemplary service to humanity by UN Chief
i. Former Permanent Representative of
India to United Nations,
Hardeep Singh Puri has received the Thomas Jefferson Eternal Vigilance award
for his exemplary service to humanity.
ii. The award was presented by UN Secretary
General Ban Ki-moon at a function in New York. US Congresswoman Carolyn B
Maloney also presented the same award to Pakistan's former envoy to the UN
Abdullah Hussain Haroon.
iii. Addressing the gathering on the
occasion, Ban ki Moon stressed on the need to find a unified vision, with
respect and friendship amongst nations, so humanity may better enjoy peace and
prosperity
6. David Beckham Named
Richest Footballer of the World
i. David Beckham was named as the richest
footballer of the world, according to the Goal Rich List 2013.
ii. David Beckham has a total income of 175
million pound. 37-year-old Beckham is the biggest brand in the world now,
leaving behindCristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
iii. The Goal Rich List 2013 revealed that the
worth of Beckham is 60 million pound more than Messi.
NOTE: At the third position is Ronaldo, aged 28
years. He earned a total of 112 million pound in his career. Wayne Rooney, the
Manchester United and England striker made it to the list of Top Ten with a
total of 50 million pound.
7. India
beat Pakistan Azlan Shah hockey tournament
i. India
beat Pakistan 3-1 in their next round-robin match on Tuesday, to keep
their chances alive in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament in Malaysia.
ii. This was a
must-win clash for India because the new-look team had lost its first couple of
games against Australia and South Korea.
iii. Australia and
Malaysia lead the table – with six points from two games.
