Current Affairs – 7 September 2017

Hyperloop Project in Andhra Pradesh

• Andhra Pradesh is all set to get India’s first Hyperloop transportation project between Vijayawada and Amaravati (35 km).
• Hyperloop is a very fast mode of transportation, it is a system of magnetically levitating capsules called pods that are sent at high speeds through low-pressure tubes.
• Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board has signed MoU with Elon Musk’s Hyperloop Transportation Technologies for the same.

SLINEX 2017: India-Sri Lanka Naval Exercise

• SLINEX India-Sri Lanka biennial joint Maritime naval exercise. It focuses on reinforcing strong neighbourly ties between both countries underscored by extensive maritime interaction and improved understanding.
• The 7th SLINEX has started near Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) in the Bay of Bengal.
• The seven days exercise will be conducted from 7th to 14th September 2017.

11 MoUs signed between India and Myanmar

• 11 Memorandums of Understanding signed between India & Myanmar during the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi after talks with Myanmar’s State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi.
• These MoUs belong to various sectors. Few of them are to organise cultural exchange programme for the period 2017-2020,  strengthen democratic institutions, to further build their multifaceted partnership.

OYO Rooms raised $250 million in SoftBank led funding

• OYO Rooms a Gurugram based hotel aggregator start-up founded in 2013 has raised $250 million in new funding round.
• The round was led by SoftBank Vision Fund, other participants were Sequoia Capital, Greenoaks Capital, Hero Enterprise.
• This round has raised the valuation of OYO Rooms to around $850 million.million.

UJALA Scheme in Malaysia

• The success of India’s zero-subsidy UJALA (Unnat Jyoti by Affordable Lighting for All) Scheme is all set to get replicated in Malaysia.
• Melaka State of Malaysia has launched the scheme with India’s Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) and logistic support from Green Growth Asia, a Malaysian non-profit organisation.
• UJALA scheme is to promote efficient lighting, using efficient equipment to reduce electricity bills and preserve the environment at the global level.
• Under this scheme, each household in Melaka state will get 10 high-quality 9-watt LED bulbs, at a subsidised rate almost half price offered in the market.

SAUNI Yojana

Times World University Rankings 2018 Released

• Among Universities from India once again Indian Institute of Science (IISc) topped the list of Indian Universities in Times World University Rankings 2018.
• 30 Universities from India got its place in the list, but none was in the top 100. Also position of Indian Universities fell in global rankings compared to its last year position.
• Top 10 in Universities in World are  –

1. Oxford University, UK
2. Cambridge University, UK
3. California Institute of Technology, US
4. Stanford University, US
5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, US
6. Harvard University, US
7. Princeton University, US
8. Imperial College London, UK
9. University of Chicago, US
10. ETH-Zurich, Switzerland.

France to ban oil and gas production by 2040

• France is set to bring a new law banning the production and exploration of oil and natural gas by 2040 on its mainland and overseas territories.
• This move is more symbolic in nature as French oil and gas production represents a tiny fraction of national consumption (1%) with most being imported.
• The law would represent another move by France to meet its commitments under the Paris climate accord.

BSNL making way for 5G and IoT in India