30th March 2016

A.Russia approves OVL’s deal to acquire 15% stake in Vankor oilfield

1.The Russian Government has approved a deal of ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) to acquire 15% stake in Vankor oilfield from Rosneft. 

2.The deal was signed between the OVL and Rosneft in September 2015 and is worth 1.3 billion US dollars. Vankor is Russia’s second biggest oil field with capacity of total 2.5 billion recoverable reserves barrels (or 500 million tonnes). 

3.As per the deal OVL’s stake in Vankor will raise to 26% from 15% and will give it about 3.5 million metric tonnes of oil a year Consequently, Rosneft will retain the remaining 50.1 per cent and also retain full control of infrastructure of the Vankor cluster. 

4.This deal is in addition to another deal that was signed in March 2016 between the OVL and three other oil companies. 

5.Both of these deals will help India to secure access to lucrative Russia’s oil market, while Rosneft in turn will through OVL gain access to the Indian market. 

6.Vankor oilfield was discovered in 1988 and is main source supplier to the East Siberia Pacific Ocean (ESPO) Pipeline that is key contributor to the energy needs of China.

B.Ebola outbreak in West Africa no longer poses global risk: WHO

1.The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared that Ebola outbreak in West Africa is no longer constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. 

2.WHO, a specialized agency of the United Nations has officially declared an end to a nearly 20-month Ebola outbreak emergency that has killed about 11,300 people. 

3.The declaration was made by WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan after accepting the recommendations of a committee of independent experts. 

4.The committee also has called for the lifting of any travel and trade restrictions affecting Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. 

5.Ebola outbreak Guinea was birthplace of deadliest Ebola outbreak in history and was initially centred on country’s remote south-eastern region of Nzerekore in 2013. 

6.Later it had spread to its neighbouring countries Liberia and Sierra Leone and also seven other countries. So far has killed more than 11,300 people in these three worst hit western African nations.

C.China launches 22nd BeiDou navigation satellite

1.China has successfully launched 22nd new generation satellite into space as part of its domestic BeiDou Navigation System (BDS). 

2.It was launched using Long March-3A carrier rocket from Xichang Satellite Launch Center located in the south-western province of Sichuan. 

3.It was the 225th launch of the Long March carrier rocket. About BeiDou Navigation System (BNS) BNS is 2nd generation of the Chinese navigational system seen as rival to the US’s Global Positioning System (GPS). 

4.BeiDou is Mandarin means magnetic Compass which was one of the Chinese major invention in the history which had revolutionized the sea voyages. 

5.The system comprises total 35 satellites in two separate satellite constellations 
(i) Limited test system (operational since 2000) 
(ii) A full-scale global navigation system which is currently under construction. 

6.The BNS became operational in China in December 2011, with the constellation of 10 satellites. 

7.In December 2012, the system began offering services to customers in the Asia-Pacific region and on its completion in 2020 it will provide services to global customers.

D.Htin Kyaw sworn in as first elected President of Myanmar

1.Htin Kyaw (69) sworn in as the first elected civilian (non-military) President of Myanmar after 53 years of military rule. 

2.Myanmar’s Army was in power since 1962 coup. He belongs to National League for Democracy (NLD) Party and succeeds Thein Sein, who had stepped down after end of five years of army-backed rule. 

3.Apart from him, Military backed Myint Swe and NLD member Henry Van Thio were sworn in as first vice-president and second vice-president of the country along 18 Cabinet ministers. 

4.Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi who is the leader of NLD party that has majority in the Parliament was sworn in as foreign affairs Minister. 

5.She also is Minister of President’s office, education, and energy and electric power. Htin Kyaw is a close aide and adviser of Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. 

6.He was as the first civilian President of the country by the Myanmar’s Parliament on 15 March 2016.