NATIONAL
UPDATES:
1. NSG Commandos Summit Mount
Everest in Maiden Attempt: Commandos of the premier
counter-terror force National Security Guard (NSG) created history as
they scaled the Mount Everest (world's highest peak) in
their maiden attempt. A seven-member team of NSG, led by Lt Col
J P Kumar, successfully unfurled the Indian flag at the 8,848-metre
tall peak. Sudeep Lakhtakia is the Director General of NSG.
2. Justice A K Sikri appointed NBSA
Chairperson: Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri (former judge of
Supreme Court of India) has been appointed Chairperson of the News Broadcasting
Standards Authority (NBSA). He succeeds Justice R.V. Raveendran who completes
his term on 25th May 2019. The NBSA is a self-regulatory body that
implements the Code of Ethics & Broadcasting Standards and Guidelines for
its member news broadcasters.
3. Indian delegation meets Film
Commissioners at Cannes Film Festival: The Indian
delegation led by Information and Broadcasting Secretary ‘Amit Khare’ met
Film Commissioners of participating countries at Cannes Film Festival. The
delegation highlighted the opportunity of utilizing the abundant talent pool of
skilled professionals and technicians and projected the possibility of India
emerging as a major post-production hub. The focus of the discussion was the
exploration of co-production opportunities with the participating countries and
forge opportunities of collaborations for films. During the meeting, Israel
proposed India to be the focus country in Jerusalem Film Festival, 2020.
4. Workshop on Artificial Bio
Organs held in Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh
MedTech Zone (AMTZ) has organized a one-day workshop on Organ Bio Printing
at the Kalam Convention Center, AMTZ Campus in Visakhapatnam. The workshop aims
to strengthen Indo-Australian Cooperation and achieve the development of the 3D
printing industry in both countries. The workshop explored 3D printing, an
innovative technology that covers all medical disciplines and offers new
opportunities in diagnostics and therapy.
Note:
An artificial organ is an engineered device or tissue that is implanted or
integrated into a human — interfacing with living tissue — to replace a natural
organ, to duplicate or augment a specific function or functions so the patient
may return to normal life as soon as possible.
INTERNATIONAL
UPDATES:
1. 11th Joint Consular Committee
meet between India, Iran held in Delhi: The 11th Joint
Consular Committee meeting between India and Iran took place in New Delhi. Both
sides discussed the early conclusion of Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance on
civil and commercial matters and extending the longer duration of e-Visa for each
other nationals on reciprocity. The meeting provided an opportunity to review
the status of ongoing cooperation in consular and visa related issues and to
discuss ways and means to further expand people to people contacts and promote
friendly exchanges between India and Iran.
2. Donald Trump Unveils
Merit-Based Immigration System: US President
Donald Trump has rolled out a merit-based immigration
system from which foreigners, including hundreds and thousands of Indian
professionals and skilled workers, waiting to get Green Cards or permanent
legal residency stand to benefit. As per the proposed system, permanent
legal residency would be given based on points for their age, knowledge,
job opportunities and civic sense. The proposals significantly increase
the quota for skilled workers from the existing nearly 12% to 57%.
3. Taiwan Becomes First Country
In Asia To Legalise Same-Sex Marriage: Taiwan has
approved a bill legalizing same-sex marriage, a landmark decision that
makes the self-ruled island the first place in Asia to pass
gay marriage legislation. The successful bill includes limited adoption
rights for same-sex couples.
4. Saudi Arabia Approves
Permanent Residency for First Time: The Saudi
government has approved for the first time a scheme that gives permanent
residency to certain expatriates, allowing them to own real estate in the
kingdom and reside with their families without a Saudi sponsor. The "Privileged
Iqama" system will offer a permanent residence scheme and one that
can be renewed annually to highly skilled expatriates and owners of capital
funds.
5. China blocks all language
editions of Wikipedia: China has broadened its block of
online encyclopedia Wikipedia to include all language editions. China's online
censorship apparatus 'Great Firewall' blocks a large number of foreign sites in
the country, such as Google, Facebook and The New York Times. Wikipedia is a
multilingual online encyclopedia with exclusively free content based on open
collaboration through a model of content editing using web-based applications
such as web browsers, called wiki.
Note:
Wikipedia was launched on January 15, 2001, by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger. It
is the largest and most popular general reference work on the World Wide Web
and is one of the most popular websites by Alexa rank as of April 2019.
6. International Day of Light: 16 May:
May 16th is celebrated globally as the International Day of Light.
2019 marks the global celebration of the second edition of the event.
It is an official observance of UNESCO that provides an annual focal
point for the continued appreciation of light and the role it plays in science,
culture, and art, education, sustainable development, communications, and
energy.
7. World Telecommunication and
Information Society Day: 17 May: The World Telecommunication and
Information Society Day (WTISD) is observed every year on 17th May to mark the
anniversary of the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention
(ITC) and the creation of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The
WTISD raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of the Internet and
other information and communication technologies (ICT) can bring to societies
and economies, as well as of ways to bridge the digital divide. The 2019
theme of WTISD is “Bridging the standardization gap”.
8. Jeffrey Rosen Confirmed As US' Next
Deputy Attorney General: Jeffrey Rosen was confirmed as
the United States' latest deputy attorney general by the US
Senate after his predecessor, Rod Rosenstein, left the department.
Rosenstein oversaw Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigations into Russian
collusion in the 2016 Presidential elections, before stepping down from his
post in April.
OTHER
UPDATES:
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. Ujjivan Small Finance Bank
Appoints Nitin Chugh As Next MD and CEO: Ujjivan Small
Finance Bank Limited has appointed Nitin Chugh as its
next Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer
(CEO) from December 1, 2019. Bank’s current MD and CEO, Samit
Ghosh is retiring on November 30, 2019. The bank has received the approval
of its application for Chugh's appointment, from the Reserve Bank of
India.
BUSINESS
AND ECONOMY
1. IBM Garage To Co-Create
AI-based Automation Solutions with HDFC ERGO: IBM
India has tied-up with HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company,
India's third-largest non-life insurance provider in the private sector, to
co-create new Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based solutions. Leveraging IBM
Garage that uses data-driven insights to develop end-to-end strategies and
solutions for business transformation, teams from HDFC ERGO and IBM Services
will work together to develop and test new solutions.
2. BSE Launches BSE StAR MF App for
Its Mutual Fund Platform: Leading stock
exchange BSE has launched ‘BSE StAR MF’ app to enable more participation
and help mutual fund distributors process transactions faster. As per
the BSE, this mobile app supports real-time client registration and
paperless transactions, creates and uploads mandate for SIPs, generates the
basket of multiple orders, tracks and allows the distributor to analyse his
business at his fingertips. BSE MD & CEO: Ashishkumar Chauhan.
DEFENCE
1. Indian armed forces conduct
‘Exercise Bull Strike’ at teressa Island: The
military drill ‘Exercise Bull strike’ was conducted to showcase joint
operations capability of the armed forces. During the exercise, the army
personnel got the chance to display their prowess by undertaking company level
airborne operation at Teressa island, Andaman Nicobar. 170 troops from three
services carried out para drop operations in a Combat Free Fall and Static Line
mode.
OBITUARIES
1. Former Prime Minister of Australia
Bob Hawke passes away: Former Prime Minister of Australia Bob
Hawke (89-years) passed away. He was the longest-serving Prime Minister (Labor
Party) served from 1983 to 1991. He is also accredited to create Australia’s
universal healthcare system ‘Medicare’.
No comments:
Post a Comment