Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 3 March 2015

Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 3 March 2015
:: National ::

Ex-editor of RSS organ replaces NBT Chairman

The Government appointed Baldev Bhai Sharma, former editor of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s weekly magazine, Panchajanya, as the next Chairman of the National Book Trust (NBT) cutting short the term of incumbent A. Sethumadhavan – better known by his pen name ‘Sethu’ — by six months.
Officially, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) was filling a vacancy that fell open last week.
According to Mr. Sethumadhavan, he had put in his papers last week after he was called to the Ministry by the joint secretary overseeing NBT affairs and given a clear indication that the Government wanted to appoint someone else.
Conceding that it was the Government’s prerogative to replace him, Mr. Sethumadhavan said he had hoped to complete his three-year term as there had been no interference from the Ministry since the change of guard at the Centre.
He had been appointed NBT Chairman on September 12, 2012, for three years, and had a little over six months to go.

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:: International ::

Namibian head wins leadership award

Namibia’s outgoing President was on Monday named winner of the Mo Ibrahim Prize for “good governance” in Africa, the world’s richest award.
A lack of eligible or worthy candidates means that Hifikepunye Pohamba is only the fourth winner of the $5 million annual prize since its launch in 2007.
The award, founded by Sudanese-British telecoms entrepreneur and billionaire Mo Ibrahim, is given to a democratically-elected former head of state who left office in the previous three years and who demonstrated exceptional leadership while abiding by constitutional term limits.
Ex-Presidents of Mozambique, Botswana and Cape Verde have been previous recipients of the prize.

‘Colombo will work in cooperation with U.N.’

Sri Lanka will take pointers from the U.N. report on Sri Lanka’s rights record for its domestic mechanism, the country’s Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera has said.
Addressing the high level segment of the 28th Session of the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, the Minister briefed the Council on developments in Sri Lanka following the presidential election on January 8.
Pointing to the Maithripala Sirisena government’s efforts to ensure media freedom, Mr. Samaraweera said it unblocked websites that were earlier blocked, lifted restrictions placed on foreign media personnel visiting the country, enabled journalists to travel freely to all parts of the country and invited all media personnel living in exile to return.
The Human Rights Council, in March 2014, adopted a U.S.-sponsored resolution calling for an international probe into allegations of war crimes in Sri Lanka.
As many as 23 countries backed the resolution then, while 12 voted against it and 12 other countries, including India, abstained.
The Mahinda Rajapaksa administration then had refused any cooperation to the process and rejected the resolution.
A year later, the Council, in a clear departure from its earlier stance on Sri Lanka, deferred the key report on the country’s conflict that was due for submission in the ongoing March sessions, to September 2015.
The decision was to allow space for the new government to demonstrate its willingness to cooperate on human rights issues, it said.

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:: Business & Economy ::

TRAI asks Vodafone to stop using 111 service

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) directed Vodafone to stop using ‘111’ for offering customer care services, as it violates the national numbering plan, and submit a compliance report by March 10.
In a direction to Vodafone, TRAI said that the Department of Telecom had issued the national numbering plan 2003, wherein the number 111 to 115 have not been allocated for any type of services and have been kept as ‘spare’
However, the authority said it observed from the advertisement on the website of Vodafone that customers were being urged to call ‘111’ to get Internet settings on their handset for pre-paid data offers, post-paid 3G data packs, self help for data services, Blackberry Internet offers and to find out the balance.
“Now therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred upon it... the authority hereby directs Vodafone India to discontinue use of level ‘111’ and submit compliance report latest by March 10,” TRAI said.

:: Science & Technology ::

Microsoft unveils Lumia 640, 640 XL

Microsoft unveiled two new smartphones — Lumia 640 and Lumia 640 XL — as it aims to strengthen its position in the affordable smart phone segment, especially in developing countries such as India.
While Lumia 640 XL will begin rolling out globally in March, Lumia 640 will be available starting April. Both devices will be available in single-SIM and dual-SIM (3G & 4G) variants.
“Pricing will vary by market and operator. Lumia 640 is estimated to be around 139 euro (about Rs.9,700) for the 3G model and 159 euro (about Rs.11,000) for the LTE model, before taxes and subsidies.
“Lumia 640 XL will be around 189 euro (about Rs.13,000) for 3G and 219 euro (about Rs.15,200) for LTE, before taxes and subsidies,” Microsoft Devices Group Executive Vice President Stephen Elop said.
Both smartphones are upgradeable to Windows 10, which will be available later this year.
“The devices come with a one-year personal subscription to Office365, enabling the full Office experience on the Lumia as well as one tablet and one PC/Mac.
The subscription also includes one terabyte of storage on OneDrive — that’s essentially unlimited storage for most people,” he said.
The Lumia 640 comes with 5-inch HD display, 1.2GHz quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, Windows Phone 8.1 with Lumia Denim operating system, 8 MP rear and 1 MP front facing cameras, 8GB internal memory (30 GB free OneDrive and micro SD support up to 128 GB) and 2,500 mAh battery.
The Lumia 640 XL has a 5.7-inch display, 13 MP rear and 5 MP front cameras and 3,000 mAh battery.