IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF APRIL 3rd, 2017

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF APRIL 3rd, 2017

•   Germany has become the 1st NATO member to launch a "self-contained" cyber command unit designed to shield IT and weapons systems from growing attacks.
•      The Cyber and Information Space (CIR) command, which was launched On 3rd April, boasts a status equal to that of the army, navy, and air force. 
•      Note : It will have 13,500 military and civilian personnel by July.
•     The UK passport could turn Dark Blue again after Brexit under a nearly ₹4,000 crore redesigning contract. 
•     Eurosceptics hope the passport, redesigned every five years, will ditch EU's burgundy cover. 
•  Passport Colors of Some Major Countries :
• Red - Members of European Union (EU), Turkey, China, Serbia, Russia, Poland and Colombia
• Blue - India, America, Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, 15 Caribbean countries of the CARICOM (Caribbean Community and Common Market)
• Green - Islamic countries including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Morocco, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Senegal
• Black - Zambia, Congo, Chad, Malawi, New Zealand
• The Indian Institute of Science Bangalore has been declared as India's best university in 'India Rankings 2017' released by HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar. 
• Jawaharlal Nehru University and Banaras Hindu University came second and third respectively. 
• Further, Miranda House was declared as India's best college, followed by Chennai's Loyola College and Shri Ram College of Commerce.
• The Election Commission is set to buy next generation EVMs that become "inoperable" the moment attempts are made to tamper with them.
• The 'M3'-type EVMs are also equipped with a self-diagnostic system for authenticating the genuineness of the machines.
• Education, Healthcare, and Pilgrimages will continue to be out of the service tax net under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia announced On 3rd April.  
• The Centre will also pitch for keeping concessional rate for services like transport at the current level, he added. 
• The rollout of the GST is being targeted from July 1.
• K Prithika Yashini (26), scripted history On 3rd April when she took charge as sub-inspector in Dharmapuri district in Tamil Nadu. 
• Important Note : Yashini is the first transsexual to enter into uniform service in India.
• Actor Shah Rukh Khan will be honoured with a tribute at the 60th San Francisco Film Festival, which will be held from 5th to 19th April 2017.
• LV Revanth from Andhra Pradesh was named the winner of Indian Idol 9. 
• Former cricketer Sachin Tendulkar handed over the trophy to Revanth, who also won a car, ₹25 lakh prize money and a singing contract with a music label. 
• Russian scientists are developing the first-ever civilian nuclear-powered submarine to conduct seismological surveys and search for natural resources under ice in the Arctic region, Russian Foundation for Advanced Research Projects announced On 3rd April. 
• The project is currently in its early design stage.
• Note : Arctic is considered a major source of hydrocarbons, minerals, fresh water and fish.
• A new Japanese law that defines cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin, Ripple, Litecoin and others, as a legal payment method has come into force inJapan. 
• According to the new law, all virtual currency exchanges are to be regulated by the Japanese Financial Services Agency.
• They must also be registered with the financial watchdog and must verify identities of customers opening accounts.
• Delhi's Connaught Place is the world's 9th most expensive office locationwith annual rentals at ₹6,877 per sq ft, according to American property consultant CBRE. 
• Mumbai's Bandra Kurla Complex is at 19th position while Nariman Point's Central Business District is at 30th place. 
• Hong Kong is the world's most expensive office market with annual rentals at ₹17,197 per sq ft.
• The Union Tourism Ministry On 3rd April sanctioned nearly ₹100 crore for a Heritage Circuit in Assam under the Swadesh Darshan scheme.
• MoS for Tourism Mahesh Sharma announced the decision following a meeting with Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. 
• Note : Kamalabari ghats and log huts will be constructed and Tezpur, Majuli and Sivasagar will be developed under the project.
• Tax evasion of over ₹5 crore under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime would be non-bailable offence with the police having authority to make an arrest without a warrant. 
• The earlier threshold for treating tax evasion as a non-bailable offence was proposed to be at ₹2.5 crore. 
• The government is aiming for GST rollout from July 1.
• The basic pay of RBI Governor has been retrospectively hiked to ₹2.5 lakhfrom ₹90,000 per month, with effect from January 1, 2016. 
• RBI Governor Urjit Patel, who assumed office in September 2016, will now receive around ₹3.7 lakh in total per month.
• Note : The basic pay of RBI Deputy Governors was also increased from ₹80,000 to ₹2.25 lakh per month.
• Rio Olympics silver medallist PV Sindhu defeated the Rio gold medal winner and Spanish shuttler Carolina Marin in straight sets to clinch her maiden India Open title On 3rd April. 
• Switzerland's Roger Federer defeated Spanish rival Rafael Nadal in straight sets to clinch his third Miami Open title and his first since 2006 On 3rd April. 
• This was Federer's third straight win over Nadal this season, following his wins over the Spaniard in the finals of Australian Open and Indian Wells Masters.