What's the NEWS
• The Indian Navy on April 20, 2019 launched guided missile destroyer 'Imphal' at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders in Mumbai.

• Imphal is the third ship to be launched under Project 15B.

Know! more about the guided missile destroyer 'Imphal'
• The Indian Navy has achieved enhanced stealth features in the new destroyer through the shaping of the hull and use of radar transparent deck fittings, which make the ships difficult to detect.

• The ship, comprising state-of-the-art equipments, is expected to contribute to achieving the Indian Navy's dream of transforming from a "buyers" to a "builders" Navy.

• The Navy had launched INS Vishakhapatnam, the first Project 15B ship, in April 2015, while the second ship, INS Mormugao, was launched in September 2016. A contract for four destroyers under the Project 15B has been signed.
• With a launch weight of 3037 tonnes, the INS Imphal, like the other ships under the project, has been designed indigenously by the Indian Navy's Directorate of Naval Design, New Delhi.
• The P15B destroyers incorporate new design concepts for improved survivability, sea keeping, stealth and ship manoeuvrability. Enhanced stealth features have been achieved through shaping of hull and use of radar transparent deck fitting, which make these ships difficult to detect.

• P 15B ships will be equipped to carry and operate two multiple role helicopters.

• The ships are packed with an array of state-of-the-art weapons and sensors, including multi-functional surveillance radars and vertically launched missile system for long-distance engagement of shore, sea-based and air targets.

Know! about Project 15B
• The warships built under the project are propelled by four gas turbines to achieve speed in excess of 30 knots.

• They have a length of 163 metres and 17.4 metres at the beam and a displacement of 7.300 tonnes.

• The ships are built to carry and operate two multiple role helicopters.

• The first ship of Project 15B, a guided missile destroyer christened 'Visakhapatnam', was launched on April 20, 2015.

International Affairs
Malaysia to revive 2nd major China-linked project
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Relevance IN - Prelims - geographical locations + OBOR initiative of china)

What's the NEWS
• Malaysia has resumed a China-backed rail link project after the Chinese contractor agreed to cut the construction cost by one third to 10.6 billion US dollars.

Know! more about the project and China's foray in Malaysia
• The Malaysian government said it will also take up a multibillion-dollar property and transportation project in Kuala Lumpur involving a Chinese state company, calling it a contribution to China's global "Belt and Road" infrastructure initiative.

• The two projects are expected to boost Malaysia's ties with China and add economic value.

• The multibillion-dollar Bandar Malaysia project is expected to cost around 140 billion ringgit ($33.8 billion).

• The project, which is 40 percent owned by the government, will be developed with the same consortium partners, Malaysian developer Iskandar Waterfront Holdings and China Railway Engineering Corp.

• The 500-acre (202-hectare) project will boost urban development and serve as a hub to woo global finance, technology and entrepreneurial firms.

• It was initiated by the indebted 1MDB state investment fund in 2011 but it later sold a 60 percent stake to the consortium.

• The government took over 1MDB's stake due to its debt problems, but the project was terminated by the previous government in May 2017 due to a payment dispute with the consortium.

• The 1MDB scandal led to the election ouster last May of former Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is currently on trial for alleged corruption.

• The revived project will now include construction of 10,000 affordable homes and a people's park and will prioritize the use of local construction material.

China's Belt and Road Initiative

• Chinese President Xi Jinping has made the Belt and Road initiative a signature policy.

• The estimated $1 trillion-plus plan aims to weave a network of ports, bridges and power plants linking China with Africa, Europe and beyond.

• These two major projects will also be a significant contribution to the Belt and Road Initiative, which Malaysia expects to be able to tap on and exploit its multiplier effects along the value chain.

• The rail project was originally designed to house the main hub for a high-speed rail line connecting Singapore to Kuala Lumpur that would cut travel time to 90 minutes, but Mahathir's government suspended the rail project on the grounds that it was too costly.

Environment Conservation
April 22: Global Earth Day
Global Earth Day-2019 observed with theme ‘Protect Our Species'

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Global earth day)

What's the NEWS
• Several events and campaigns held worldwide on the occasion of Earth Day 2019 to support and protect environment of the earth. This year's theme is - Protect Our Species. This theme emphasis to protect planet and preserve its environment.

Know! more about the EARTH DAY
• Earth Day Network's mission is to diversify, educate and activate the environmental movement worldwide.

• Growing out of the first Earth Day, Earth Day Network is the world's largest recruiter to the environmental movement, working with more than 75,000 partners in nearly 192 countries to build environmental democracy.

• More than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world..

• The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, activated 20 million Americans from all walks of life and is widely credited with launching the modern environmental movement.

• The passage of the landmark Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act and many other groundbreaking environmental laws soon followed.

• Twenty years later, Earth Day went global, mobilizing 200 million people in more than 190 countries and lifting environmental issues onto the world stage.

• For the past 49 years, EDN has created civically-oriented innovative programs with partners both inside and outside of the environmental movement to tackle new challenges . Earth Day Network is a nonprofit organization.

Protect our Species campaign and its goals: The theme

• Educate and raise awareness about the accelerating rate of extinction of millions of species and the causes and consequences of this phenomenon.
• Achieve major policy victories that protect broad groups of species as well as individual species and their habitats.
• Build and activate a global movement that embraces nature and its values.
• Encourage individual actions such as adopting plant based diet and stopping pesticide and herbicide use.

Health Care Sector
Cancer Preparedness Index 2019 released by EIU
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the index findings)

What's the NEWS
• The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has released the worldwide Index of Cancer Preparedness (ICP). Study based on facts collected from 28 countries revealed the wide range of data about cancer preparation of countries.
• According to the EIU, objective of ICP is to allow benchmarking of national efforts and identify best practice in addressing the cancer challenge.

Know! about India Specific Findings

• In overall ranking India comes at 19th with a score of 64.9.
• In Cancer policy and planning, India ranks 17th, however, it scored 80.8 numbers for this rank.
• According to the ICP ranking India gets first place for research and third for tobacco control in the country.
• India ranks 23rd for its national cancer control plan.
• India's healthcare system ranks 25th with a score of 40.3 in the index. It is above only Saudi Arabia, Kenya and Egypt.
• India's healthcare infrastructure is the second worst among the index countries.
• In its delivery of cancer care, India ranks 20th with a score of 61.3.
• India has a high standard of clinical guidelines, a category in which it is ranked first.
• India falls short on immunization, screening and early detection.

Four essentials of cancer preparedness Index

• essential investment (appropriate spending and resources),
• roadmap (effective planning),
• foundation (functioning health systems),
• Intelligence (availability and quality of cancer-related data).

Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)

• The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), created in 1946, is the research and analysis division of The Economist Group and the world leader in global business intelligence.
• EIU service clients across the world from our 24 offices, their staff speak over 25 languages.

Miscellaneous (Pre. Factoids)
Asian Tea Alliance

What it is?
• It is a union of five tea-growing and consuming countries was launched in Guizhou in China.
Members
• The members of the alliance are the Indian Tea Association, China Tea Marketing Association, Indonesian Tea Marketing Association, Sri Lanka Tea Board and Japan Tea Association.

Know! the objectives
• Objectives of the Alliance To work towards enhancing tea trade, cultural exchanges, technology exchanges as well as globally promoting tea.

• To work towards enhancing global consumption of tea, while creating a sustainability agenda for the future of Asian tea.

• Earlier, Indian Tea Association and China Tea Marketing Association had signed an MoU to promote green and black tea consumption in major tea markets of Europe, the US, Russia and West Asia, besides India and China

Prelims Practise Questions

Consider the following statement regarding the recently commissioned Imphal

1. Imphal is the first ship to be launched under Project 15B.
2. The Navy had launched INS Vishakhapatnam, the first Project 15B ship, in April 2015, while the second ship, INS Mormugao, was launched in September 2016.
3. The P15B destroyers incorporate new design concepts for improved survivability, sea keeping, stealth and ship manoeuvrability.
4. The ships are packed with an array of state-of-the-art weapons and sensors, including multi-functional surveillance radars and vertically launched missile system for short-distance engagement of shore, sea-based and air targets.

Find the correct statement from the option given below

a. 2 and 3
b. 1 and 4
c. 1 3 and 4
d. All

Consider the following statement about Asian Tea Alliance
1. It is a union of five tea-growing and consuming countries was launched in Guizhou in China.
2. The members of the alliance are the Indian Tea Association, China Tea Marketing Association, Malaysia Tea Marketing Association, Sri Lanka Tea Board and Japan Tea Association. 

Find the correct statement from the option given below
a. 1 only
b. 2 only
c. None
d. all

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