Current Affairs 3rd november 2015

• Former WB Speaker Hashim Abdul Halim passes away

Veteran CPI(M) leader and former Speaker of the West Bengal Assembly Hasim Abdul Halin passed away in Kolkata. He was 80.

Halin was the Speaker of the State Assembly for a record time of 29 years from 1982 to 2011 during the Left Front rule in the state. Thus, he was the longest-serving Speaker of any Legislative Assembly in the country.

About Hashim Abdul Halim

• Born: He was born on 5 June 1935.
• Political Career: He was adherent member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
• He was elected for the first time to state assembly as an MLA in 1977 when the CPI(M)-led Left Front came to power.
• In the first term of the Left Front government (from 1977 and 1982) led by Jyoti Basu, he had served as the Minister of Judicial Affairs. 
• He was elected as Speaker for first time in 1982. Since then he remained as one during the rest of Left Front’s tenure i.e. in all its six terms till 2011

•  Fast patrol vessel ICGS Arinjay commissions in Kochi

The fast patrol vessel (FPV) of Aadesh-Class of Indian Coast Guard, ICGS Arinjay was commissioned in Kochi, Kerala.

It was commissioned by the chief of Southern Naval Command Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba.

ICGS Arinjay is the 15th of the 20 vessels being constructed by Kochi Ship Yard under the of Aadesh-Class .

It will be used for

• Anti-smuggling and anti-piracy activities and also for search and rescue operation.
• Fisheries protection and monitoring activities.
• To increase the protection level of India’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

ICGS Arinjay will be also having a secondary role of providing communication link and escort coastal convoys in the times of war and hostilities. The ship will be based at Okha post after commissioning.

• National Tribal Crafts Mela Aadishilp-2015 begins in New Delhi

11th National Tribal Crafts Mela Aadishilp has begun in New Delh. It was inaugurated by Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Jual Oram.

This edition of Crafts Mela has been organised by Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited (TRIFED) and will be open till November 11, 2015.

More than 90 tribal artisans from all over the country are going showcase their unique and exquisite tribal artefacts.

The main objective of Aadishilp is provide tribal artisans an important platform to showcase their talents through their valuable products to urban India. Tribals will be also able to sell their traditional art and craft works directly to the customers and get their valuable feedback.

The mela will showcase hand crafted items, handloom products, cane and bamboo products, dry flowers, tribal jewellery, Dhokra craft, tribal paintings, tribal weaves and embroidery etc.

• Nico Rosberg wins 2015 Mexican Gand Prix of Formula 1

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg from Germany has won the 2015 Mexican Gand Prix title of Formula One (F1) held at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City.

It is Rosberg’s overall twelfth championship title of F1 in his career and the fourth win in the 2015 season after Spain, Monaco and Australian Grand Prix.

Result of 2015 Mexican Gand Prix

• First Position: Nico Rosberg (Germany) of Mercedes team.
• Second Position: Lewis Hamilton (Britain) of Mercedes team.
• Third Position: Felipe Massa (Brazil) of Williams team.
• Fourth Position: Daniil Kvyat (Russia) of Red Bull team.
• Seventh Position: Nico Hulkenberg (Germany) of Force India team.
• Eight Position: Sergio Perez (Mexico) of Force India team.

• India, Indonesia ink pacts on energy, culture exchange

India has signed two keys Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with Indonesia to strengthen it ties with its maritime neighbour.

These MoUs were inked in the presence of Vice President Hamid Ansari and his counterpart Jusuf Kala after their bilateral talks in Jakarta.

MoUs signed are

• New and Renewable Energy sector: It would serve the commitments both nations made to reduce carbon emissions by 2030 by 35 (India) and 29 (Indoesia) per cent respectively.
• Cultural Exchange programme for three years from 2015 to 2018.

• Captain Krishna Swaminathan takes over command of INS Vikramaditya

Captain Krishna Swaminathan has assumed charge as the second Commanding Officer (CO) of Indian Navy’s new and formidable aircraft carrierINS Vikramaditya.

He will succeed Captain Suraj Berry who was holding this position since the ship was commissioned atSeverodvinsk in Russia on 16 November 2013.

Previously, Mr.Swaminathan had commanded many missile vessels inclduing INS Vidyut and Vinash, missile corvette INS Kulish and guided missile destroyer INS Mysore.

He also had served on the staff of the Western Fleet, an instructor at the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and Director and Principal Director Naval Signals at Naval Headquarters. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA), Pune.

About INS Vikramaditya

• INS Vikramaditya is a Kiev class aircraft carrier which was commissioned by Russian Navy in 1987 under the name Baku and later was rechristened as Admiral Gorshkov.
• Under the Russian control it last last sailed in 1995 before being offered to India. Russia sold the carrier to India after it became too expensive for the country to operate it on a post-Cold War budget.
• Presently, the carrier is the flagship and centre-piece of the Indian Navy’s operations and is under the administrative control of the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (CIC), Western Naval Command (WNC), Mumbai and is part of the sword arm of Indian Navy.

• Roger Federer wins 2015 Swiss Indoors Basel Title of Tennis

Roger Federer of Switzerland has won 2015 Swiss Indoors Basel Title of Tennis in men’s single category played at Basel.

In the final match, he defeated his old foe Rafael Nadal of Spain by 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 score. With this victory, Federer ended his three-and-a-half year drought against Nadal.

It is Federer’s seventh Basel trophy and overall 88th title of his career at the tour-level.

Swiss Indoors is a professional men’s tennis tournament played on indoor hard courts. Currently, it is currently part of the World Tour 500 Series of the ATP Tour. Since 1995, the tournament is held annually at the Jakobshalle stadium in Basel, Switzerland.