DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

By admin: April 15, 2024

Senior IPS Officer Anurag Kumar Appointed Joint Director of CBI

Tags: Person in news

Senior IPS officer Anurag Kumar, from the 2004 batch of the Indian Police Service (IPS), has been designated as the Joint Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

An Overview of the News

• Anurag Kumar is from the Assam-Meghalaya cadre and is currently working in Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D).

• According to an order from the Personnel Ministry, Kumar's appointment to the role of Joint Director in the CBI was confirmed on Friday.

• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has endorsed his appointment for a tenure extending up to February 24, 2027.

About CBI:

• It is serves as India's primary domestic crime investigation agency.

• It functions under the purview of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions.

• Tasked with investigating a wide range of criminal offenses within the country, the CBI plays a crucial role in upholding law and order.

Founded - 1 April 1963

Headquarters - New Delhi

Founder - Government of India

Israel's C-Dome Defense System Successfully Deployed in Eilat for First Time

Tags: Science and Technology International News

Israel has introduced its maritime defense system, known as the C-Dome, for the first time in Eilat, Israel's southernmost city.

An Overview of the News

• The C-Dome is essentially a naval adaptation of the Iron Dome, a renowned air defense system designed to safeguard against rocket and missile threats.

• Notably, on April 8, 2024, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) effectively intercepted a suspicious airborne target breaching Israeli airspace using the C-Dome defense mechanism.

• The C-Dome Defense System is a product of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, a state-owned Israeli defense corporation.

About IDF:

• The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), also known as Tzahal in Hebrew, serves as the national military of the State of Israel.

• Comprising three main service branches, namely the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and the Israeli Navy, it covers various aspects of defense.

• As the singular military arm of Israel's security infrastructure, the IDF holds exclusive responsibility for national defense.

Roscosmos Launches 1st Angara-A5 Rocket from Vostochny Cosmodrome

Tags: Science and Technology International News

Angara-A5 successfully launched on April 11, 2024, from Vostochny Cosmodrome, replacing Proton M as Russia's heavy-lift rocket.

An Overview of the News

• The rocket attained speeds exceeding 25,000 km/hr and placed a test payload into low orbit.

• The launch coincided with Russia's Cosmonaut Day on April 12, commemorating Yuri Gagarin's historic spaceflight in 1961.

• It will replace Russia's heavy-lift rocket Proton-M, which has served in this role since the mid-1960s.

Angara-A5:

• The Angara-A5 stands 54.5 meters tall and comprises three stages, with a hefty weight of approximately 773 tonnes.

• It boasts a payload capacity of up to 24.5 tonnes to lower orbit.

• Notably, the rocket employs a more environmentally friendly fuel combination of oxygen and kerosene, departing from the toxic heptyl used in previous models.

• The Angara series, developed by the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Centre, derives its name from the Angara River, originating from Lake Baikal in Siberia.

Project Angara Origins:

• Conceptualized in 1991 following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Project Angara aimed to diminish Russia's reliance on the Baikonur Cosmodrome, leased from Kazakhstan until 2050.

About Roscosmos:

• Headed by Director-General Yuri Ivanovich Borisov, Roscosmos operates from its headquarters in Moscow, Russia.

• Established in 1992, the agency has been instrumental in advancing Russia's space exploration endeavors.

Anupama Upadhyaya and Tharun Mannepalli Claim Gold at Kazakhstan International Challenge 2024

Tags: Sports

Anupama Upadhyaya and Tharun Mannepalli, representing India, emerged victorious in the women's and men's singles categories, respectively, at the Kazakhstan International Challenge 2024 Badminton tournament held in Uralsk, Kazakhstan from April 2nd to 6th.

An Overview of the News

• Tharun Mannepalli, hailing from Telangana, secured his first senior circuit title by defeating Soong Joo Ven from Malaysia in the men's singles final. He was the runner-up in the 2023 Badminton national championship.

• Anupama Upadhyaya, a former Junior World No. 1 from Uttarakhand, clinched the women's singles title by defeating Isharani Baruah in an all-Indian final. This victory marked her second international title in 2024, following her win at the Polish Open. She has previously won the India International Challenge 2021, the Tajikistan International Series 2023, and the Polish Open in 2022 and 2024.

• In the mixed doubles category, the Indian pair of Sanjai Srivatsa Dhanraj and Maneesha K secured second place, losing to Malaysia's Wong Tien Ci and Lim Chiew Sien.

Winners of Kazakhstan International Challenge 2024:

• Men's Singles Championship:

  • Winner: Tharun Mannepalli (India)

  • Runner-up: Soong Joo Ven (Malaysia)

• Women's Singles Championship:

  • Winner: Anupama Upadhyaya (India)

  • Runner-up: Isharani Baruah (India)

• Men's Doubles Championship:

  • Winners: Lucas Corvee and Ronan Labar (France)

  • Runners-up: Kakeru Kumagai and Hiroki Nishi (Japan)

• Women's Doubles Championship:

  • Winners: Kaho Osawa and Mai Tanabe (Japan)

  • Runners-up: Polina Buhrova and Yevheniia Kantemyr (Ukraine)

• Mixed Doubles Championship:

  • Winners: Wong Tien Ci and Lim Chiew Sien (Malaysia)

  • Runners-up: Sanjai Srivatsa Dhanraj and Maneesha K (India)