July 4 -Tidbits

National 

Mars orbiter completes 75 per cent of journey 

India's Mars orbiter spacecraft has completed 75 percent of its journey for its rendezvous with the red planet scheduled for September 24. 

The spacecraft has covered a distance of approximately 510 million kilometres on its heliocentric arc towards Mars capture. With this, three-fourth of the 300-day voyage in deep space to Mars has been completed. The ambitious Mars mission under a Rs 450 crore project was launched from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh onboard the Pollar Satellite Launch Vehicle on November 5 last year with an aim to reach the red planet's atmosphere by September 24.

The project is expected to provide the scientific community better opportunities in planetary research. 

The spacecraft has been configured to carry out observation of physical features of Mars and limited study of Martian atmosphere with five payloads. ISRO has incorporated autonomous features in MOM spacecraft to handle contingencies.

PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Uri hydroelectric project 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the 240-Megawatt Uri-II Hydro Electric Project (HEP) located near the Line of Control (LoC) in Baramulla district of Kashmir.

The Prime Minister dedicated the power project to the nation in presence of Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and top officials of National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC).

This is the second power project on the Jhelum river in Uri area and is located downstream of 480-MW Uri-I HEP, which is already operational.

PM Narendra Modi flags off 25 km long Udhampur- Katra railway line

Katra has got its first rail link. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the Udhampur-Katra rail link by flagging of a train which he suggested be named as Shree Shakti Express.

The train to Katra near the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, is part of the 292 kilometre Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway line that would eventually connect Kashmir with the rest of the country.

The 25 km stretch from Udhapmur to Katra has cost Rs 1100 crore and has taken nearly 12 years to be made.

Other Rail Routes Inaugrations:

Jammu-Udhampur section (53 Km) was inaugurated in April 2005 by Manmohan Singh

Anantnag to Rajwansher (66 KM) was inaugurated in October 2008 by Manmohan Singh

Rajwansher to Baramulla (35 KM) was inaugurated in February 2009 by Sonia Gandhi

Quazigund to Anantnag (18 KM) was inaugurated in October 2009 by Manmohan Singh

Udhampur-Katra (25 KM) was inaugurated  on  4 July 2014  by PM Narendra Modi

Katra to Banihal (110 KM) is under construction and is to be completed by 2017-18.

International:

European Banking Authority tells banks to shun Bitcoin 

Europe's top banking regulator today called on the region's banks not to deal in virtual currencies such as Bitcoin until rules are developed to stop them being abused.

The European Banking Authority (EBA) said it had identified more than 70 risks related to trading in virtual currencies, including their vulnerability to crime and money laundering.

 About  BITCOIN:

Bitcoin is a software-based payment system described by Satoshi Nakamoto in 2008,and introduced as open-source software in 2009, reportedly by Nakamoto The payments in the system are recorded in a public ledger using its own unit of account,which is also called bitcoin. It is a form of cryptography-based e-money that offers a largely anonymous payment system and can can be stored either virtually or on a user's hard drive.

US Independence Day  celebrations

The United States marks 238 years as an independent nation as it celebrates the Fourth of July with fireworks, food and music. 

Nature and politics also play a role this year, with Hurricane Arthur crashing holiday parties along the East Coast and subdued festivities in Moscow amid growing anti-American sentiment over the crisis in Ukraine. 

The national anthems of both Russia and the United States played at the traditional July 4 garden party held at the stately residence of the American ambassador in Moscow.

On this occasion Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets US on its Independence Day. 

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Goa Governor B V Wanchoo resigns 

Goa Governor BV Wanchoo has resigned, hours after he was questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation as a witness in connection with alleged irregularities in the purchase of 12 helicopters meant for VVIP use from Augsta Westland an Anglo-Indian defence manufacturer.

Mr Wanchoo became the governor of Goa in May, 2012. His tenure was scheduled to end in 2017, but after questioning by the CBI, he opted to resign from his post like the Governor of West Bengal MK Narayanan did last week after being questioned by the CBI in the same case.