28th April 2015 Daily Current Affairs Updates

1) Parliament passed amendment to Regional Rural Banks Bill:

--> A bill to amend the Regional Rural Banks Act was passed by Parliament on 28 April 2015, with government saying it was necessary to empower such financial institutions  which are the "jewel in the crown" of the country's financial system.

--> The Regional Rural Banks (Amendment) Bill, 2014, which got the assent of the Rajya Sabha by voice vote on 28 April 2015, seeks to help Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) raise  their authorised capital and will enable them to mop up funds from capital market to help strengthen them.

--> Lok Sabha had earlier passed the Bill in December last.

2) Parliament passed Payments and Settlement Bill, 2014:

--> Parliament has passed Payments and Settlement Bill, 2014.

--> It was first passed in Lok Sabha on December 9, 2014 and later in Rajya Sabha on April 27, 2015.

--> The bill seeks to amend the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.

3) Raja Rajeswari is New York's first Indian-American woman judge:

--> Chennai-born Raja Rajeswari has been sworn-in as a criminal court judge in New York by Mayor Bill de Blasio, becoming the first India-born woman to be appointed a judge in New York City.

--> Ms. Rajeswari took the oath of office at a ceremony in New York City along with 27 other judges appointed earlier this month to the Family Court, Criminal Court, and Civil Court, which are part of the New York State Unified Court System.

--> The mayor appoints judges to 10-year terms in the New York City Criminal Court and the Family Court within the city. 

4) Indigenous cryogenic engine tested successfully by ISRO:

--> Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on 28 April 2015 successfully tested an indigenous cryogenic engine.

--> The powerful version of the cryogenic engine was tested successfully at ISRO’s propulsion complex at Mahendragiri in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu.

--> This engine will allow launch vehicles to carry satellites of up to capacity of four tonnes in geostationary orbit.

--> It will also give boost to India’s interplanetary probes and manned space missions.

5) Novelist Siddhartha Gigoo won Commonwealth Short Story Prize:

--> Srinagar-born novelist Siddhartha Gigoo has won the 2015 Commonwealth Short Story Prize for Asia region for "Umbrella Man", a tale of surreal meditation on mental health and the environment, organisers said.

--> Born in Srinagar in 1974, Gigoo's first novel "The Garden of Solitude" was first published in 2011. He has also written two poetry books, "Fall and Other Poems" (1994) and "Reflections" (1995).

6) Narendra Modi the 3rd most followed world leader on Twitter:

--> US President Barack Obama is still by far the most followed world leader on Twitter, but Pope Francis is considered the most influential by the number of his messages retweeted.

--> The annual Twiplomacy analysis of Twitter accounts released Tuesday by PR firm Burson-Marsteller shows nearly 57 million people following Obama.

--> Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had nearly 11 million followers (3rd most followed).

7) Railways won 5th Senior Men’s National Hockey championship:

--> Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) on 28 April 2015 won 5th Senior Men’s National Hockey championship 2015.

--> In the final match played in Pune, Maharashtra, Railways defeated Uttar Pradesh Hockey (UPH) by 5-3.