Nokia To Buy Alcatel-Lucent For $16.6 Billion

Finish telecom network equipment maker Nokia announced acquisition of French telecom network firm Alcatel- Lucent for $16.6 Billion. This merger will create the world’s largest supplier of telecom equipment’s that powers mobile phone networks by surpassing Ericsson and Huawei. The merger would create jobs for more than 100,000 employees and almost $27.7 billion in revenue, rivaling Ericsson.

India successfully test fires nuclear-capable Agni III ballistic missile

The Surface ­to­ Surface Agni III ballistic missile was successfully test ­fired on 16 April 2015 from the Wheelar Isalnd off the Odisha coast in the Bay of Bengal. The Surface ­to ­Surface nuclear capable intermediate ­range ballistic missile can hit targets in the range of 3000 km and carry a warhead of 1.5 tonne, which is protected by carbon all composite heat shield. It was developed by the DRDO under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).

Canada to supply uranium to India for next 5 years

Canada has agreed to supply 3,000 metric tonnes of uranium to India under a $254 million five-year deal to power Indian atomic reactors. The agreement for uranium supply was signed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with his Canadian counterpart Stephen Harper after comprehensive talks in Ottawa, Canada. Canada is the second-largest producer of uranium globally and is the third country to supply uranium to India after Russia and Kazakhstan.

Mohan Kumar appointed as new Indian Ambassador to France

Dr. Mohan Kumar, presently Ambassador of India to Bahrain, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to France. He will succeed Arun Kumar who was recently appointed Ambassador to the United States. Mohan Kumar is a 1981-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer. Incidentally, before becoming Ambassador to Bahrain in 2010, Mohan Kumar served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indian Embassy in Paris for three years.

BHEL, Russian firm INTMA ink pact for power plant in Kazakhstan

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a Russian company INTMA to set up a gas-based power project in Kazakhstan. At present, BHEL is has a presence in more than 75 countries and is executing 23 major projects in 16 countries.

Former Nepal PM Surya Bahadur Thapa dies

Surya Bahadur Thapa, former Prime Minister (PM) of Nepal passed away on 15 April 2015 in Gurgaon. He was 87. Thapa had served as Prime Minister of Nepal for five times under three different kings. His was in office from 1963-64, 1965–69, 1979–83, 1997–98 and 2003-04.

Sachin Tendulkar inducted into Laureus Sports Academy

Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar was inducted as one of the five new members into the prestigious Laureus Sports Academy. Besides Tendulkar other athletes to be inducted into the Laureus academy are:-

  • Yao Ming– Retired Chinese professional basketball player.
  • Tegla Loroupe– Kenyan long-distance runner.
  • Li Xiaopeng– Chinese gymnast.
  • Yang Yang– Former Chinese short track speed skater Yang Yang.
  • Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic and Ethiopian sprinter Genzebe Dibaba were named the Laureus Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year Award respectively.