Forex reserves rise by $500 mn: RBI

1.    Forex reserves rise by $500 mn: RBI

i. ndia's foreign exchange (forex) reserves rose by $499.8 million to $309.91 billion for the week ended April 25, led by a sharp jump in overseas currency assets, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data showed.

ii. According to the RBI's weekly statistical supplement, foreign currency assets, the biggest component of the forex reserves, jumped by $493.2 million to $282.03 billion.

iii. Foreign currency assets, expressed in US dollar terms, include the effect of appreciation or depreciation of non-US currencies held in reserve such as the pound sterling, euro and yen.

India's reserve position with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) increased by $2 million to $1.84 billion.

iv. The value of special drawing rights (SDRs) rose by $4.6 million to $4.47 billion. However, the value of gold reserves remained unchanged at $21.56 billion.

2.    US jury orders Samsung to pay Apple $119.6 million

i. A US jury ordered Samsung Electronics Co Ltd to pay $119.6 million to Apple Inc, a big loss for the iPhone maker in the latest round of their globe-spanning mobile patent litigation.

ii. During the month-long trial in a San Jose, California, federal court, Apple accused Samsung of violating patents on smart phone features including universal search, while Samsung denied wrongdoing.

iii. The jury found the South Korean smart phone maker had infringed two Apple patents.

Apple and Samsung have been litigating around the world for three years. Jurors awarded the iPhone maker about $930 million after a 2012 trial in San Jose, but Apple failed to persuade U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh to issue a permanent injunction against the sale of Samsung phones.

iv. The current case involves five Apple patents that were not in the 2012 trial and that cover iPhone features like slide-to-unlock and search technology.

v. Apple is seeking to ban sales of several Samsung phones, including the Galaxy S III, and sought just over $2 billion in damages.

vi. Samsung also claims that Apple violated two patents on streaming video. It is seeking to ban the iPhone 5, and asserted a $6 million damages claim. On Friday, the jury ordered Apple to pay Samsung $158,400.

3.    US Government announced 1.2 million US dollar aid for Ukrainian Journalist

i. The United States announced 1.2 million US dollar aid package for Ukrainian Journalists. 
ii. US Agency for International Development (USAID) will fund the aid. The aid aimed to protect vulnerable journalists and domestic governance in Ukraine.
iii. As per the US Government, more than 500 journalists have been harassed, beaten or abducted since November 2013, and one reportedly has been killed. Members of the media in Ukraine have faced serious challenges and dangers over the past several months.

4.    Manavjit Sandhu ranked at third spot in ISSF World Ranking

i. Manavjit Singh Sandhu, the Indian veteran trap shooter jumped to the third spot in the world rankings.

ii. He achieved the rank after winning gold at the ISSF World Cup in Tucson, USA, in March 2014.