NEWS 01-05-2017. NEWS FOR 2-MAY (TUESDAY) 1. The Union cabinet has agreed to the Election Commission’s proposal to buy new Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trial(VVPAT) machines. They are likely to be used in 2019 general elections. Bengaluru-based Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) and Hyderabad-based Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL) will manufacture 16Lakhs VVPAT units. This is likely to help in sorting out elections related disputes. 2. 25 CRPF personnel were killed and a dozen wounded in an ambush by Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district. The martyred CRPF personnel were guarding road workers in the Sukma district.The left-aligned Maoists or rebels are fighting against the union/state government for more than three decades for the rights of tribal people and landless farmers. 3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 27 April 2017 launched air regional connectivity scheme UDAN (Ude Desh ka Har Nagarik). Under the scheme, the first UDAN flight was flagged off on Shimla-Delhi route.Under the scheme, 24 airports in the western region, 17 in the northern region, 11 in the southern region, 12 in east and six in north-eastern parts of the country will be connected under this scheme. Air Operators will have to provide 50 per cent of the flight capacity with a cap of Rs 2500 per hour. 4. US President Donald Trumphas ordered to tighten up the H-1B visa program. The H-1B visa is given to bring high-skilled foreign workers to the US.Trump has asked agencies to propose ideas to restrict visas only for the most skilled and highly paid applicants. 5. China launched its first domestically built aircraft carrier on 26 April 2017.The carrier, temporarily named Type 001A, is China’s second aircraft carrier after the Liaoning. The new aircraft carrier will be able to operate China’s Shenyang J-15 fighter jets. The aircraft carrier is expected to enter service in 2020& It will tremendously boost the blue water capabilities of Chinese Navy. As per the foreign military analysts, the presence of two aircraft carriers will make China the most powerful maritime force in the Asia-Pacific. < < Back