1.Thirty Pakistan spies in Indian jails, provided consular access whenever sought: Officials :-
As many as 30 Pakistan nationals facing charges of spying are languishing in Indian jails but none has been denied consular access whenever sought or sentenced to death penalty so far, said top South Block officials as relations between India and Pakistan hit a new low over a Pakistani military court awarding death penalty to former Indian Navy official Kulbhushan Jadhav.
2.Waking up to Bitcoins, virtual currencies, Govt sets up panel to recommend regulations :-
The government has decided to close the regulatory gaps to keep a check on virtual currencies, including Bitcoins, and has set up a time-bound inter-disciplinary committee to recommend an action plan for dealing with such currencies.
“The circulation of virtual currencies which are also known as digital/crypto currencies has been a cause of concern. This has been expressed in various fora from time to time,” the finance ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
3.Panel tells NGT ?13.29 cr., 10 years needed to restore Yamuna floodplain :-
The rehabilitation of the Yamuna floodplains, “destroyed” due to a cultural extravaganza organised by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living, will cost ?13.29 crore and take almost 10 years, an expert committee has told the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
4.Show EVMs can be hacked, EC throws open challenge :-
To all those alleging that the EVMs used by the Election Commission were tampered with in the recent Assembly elections or that they could be hacked, the electoral body has thrown an open challenge asking them to prove the allegations.
5.Come May, petrol, diesel prices to change daily in 5 cities including Udaipur:-
Come May 1, petrol and diesel prices will change every day in sync with international rates, much like what happens in most advanced markets.
The pilot scheme for daily revision of petrol and diesel price will be first implemented in Puducherry, Vizag in Andhra Pradesh, Udaipur in Rajasthan, Jamshedpur in Jharkhand and Chandigarh.
6.FCA India to roll out Jeep Compass by June this year :-
FCA India, the wholly owned subsidiary of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, announced plans to roll out the locally-made Jeep Compass from its Ranjangaon plant by June 2017.
The company had invested $280 million on the project at its facility near Pune. The SUV, the first to be produced by FCA in India, is expected to enter the domestic auto market’s fastest-growing segment in the third quarter of calendar 2017.
7.Russia vetoes UN resolution to condemn Syria chemical attack :-
Russia vetoed a U.N. resolution on Wednesday that would have condemned the reported use of chemical weapons in a town in northern Syria and demanded a speedy investigation, triggering clashes between Moscow and the measure’s Western backers.
The vote on the Security Council resolution drafted by Britain, France and the United States was 10 in favour, Russia and Bolivia against, and China, Kazakhstan and Ethiopia abstaining.
8.Pak. not to yield to India on Jadhav :-
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and powerful Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Wednesday agreed not to come under any pressure on the issue of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, sentenced to death on charges of spying, according to a media report.
9.FTII student film in the official Cinefondation category at Cannes 2017 :-
The official lineup in Short Films Competition and Cinefondation Selection categories at the 70th Festival de Cannes (May 17-28) has been announced and Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, student Payal Kapadia’s 13 minute film Afternoon Clouds has made it to the Cinefondation Selection. The announcement comes a day ahead of the festival’s much anticipated press conference tomorrow in which the selected feature films will be announced.
10.20 IAS officers transferred in Adityanath govt’s first reshuffle :-
In the first major bureaucratic reshuffle by Yogi Adityanath government, 20 senior IAS officers, including Principal Secretary (Information) Navneet Sehgal were transferred.
Mr. Sehgal, who wielded considerable influence in Akhilesh Yadav government, also held the charge of Religious Affaris, Information and Tourism.
12.Govt likely considering high-value prisoner swap to get Kulbhushan Jadhav back :-
The government is exploring various legal and diplomatic options, including a high-value prisoner swap, in an all-out bid to save Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav who has been awarded the death sentence by a military court in Pakistan on charges of spying, South Block sources told The Indian Express Wednesday.
