24 March 2016 Current Affairs
North Korea Claims Successful Test of Solid-Fuel Missile Engine
North Korea on 24 March successfully tested a solid-fuel engine that boosted the power of its ballistic rockets. Pyongyang’s claim indicates it is continuing to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at a rapid pace in defiance of U.N. sanctions, and amid assessment by the South’s officials that it could conduct a new nuclear test at any time. North Korea uses liquid propellants for its main ballistic missiles that target South Korea and U.S. bases in the Asia-Pacific region.
South Korea Tops Global Average Internet Speed
According to Akamai’s ‘State of the Internet’ report released on 24 March, South Korea has the fastest average connection speed in the world at 26.7 Mbps. Sweden occupies the second spot with an average speed of 19.1 Mbps followed by Norway at 18.8 Mbps. India stands at 114th position with an average internet speed of 2.8 Mbps. India’s neighbour China ranks 89th with average speed of 4.1Mbps.
Congo President Denis Sassou Nguesso Won Re-election
Congo Republic President Denis Sassou Nguesso has won re-election with 60.39 percent of the vote, extending his 32-year rule of the oil-producing country. Presidential elections were held in the Republic of the Congo on 20 March 2016. It was the first election to be held under the constitution passed by referendum in 2015. President Denis Sassou Nguesso, who had exhausted the two-term limit imposed by the previous constitution, was allowed to run again due to the adoption of the new constitution.
India Overtakes China In U.S. Direct Investment
India has overtaken China in terms of direct equity allocation by US investors.The data released by US Treasury shows India makes up 1.8% of US foreign equity holdings as on December 2015 as against 1.6% of China. US investors direct investment in Indian equities has risen from $7 billion in September 2013 to $12 billion in December 2015. During the same period US investors’ direct investment in Chinese equities has declined from $12.8 billion to $11.1 billion. However, India’s overexposure within the EM basket has gradually declined in 2015.
Shane Watson Retires From International Cricket
Australia’s Shane Watson on 24 March announced that he will retire from international cricket at the end of the 2016 World Twenty20 Tournament. Watson retired from test cricket in September 2015 and since then he didn’t play any One Day Internationals also. He debuted for the Australian cricket team in 2002, playing his first One Day International against South Africa. He debuted in the test cricket on 2 January 2005 against Pakistan at Sydney, Australia. He batted in 109 innings of 59 test matches and scored 3731 runs of which 176 was his highest score. He also bowled in 93 innings of those matches and took 75 wickets. In ODIs, he scored 5718 runs from 190 matches with an average of 40.55. He also took 168 wickets with 31.79 average. In T20 Internationals, he played 52 matches so far and accumulated 1315. His highest score is 124 (not out). He also holds the record of highest ODI batting average of all Australian opening batsmen who have scored over 1000 runs.
Mehbooba Mufti to be Jammu and Kashmir’s first woman CM
Mehbooba Mufti is set to become the first woman Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. Her party, the PDP, formally elected her its chief ministerial candidate at a meeting on March 24. Ms Mufti’s father, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, died in January as Chief Minister of a coalition government that included the BJP. After his death Jammu and Kashmir has been under Governor’s Rule since January 8.
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