Daily GK Updates - 23rd August, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. New set of health warnings on "Tobacco packs": The Health Ministry has notified the new warnings on "Tobacco packs". It has been done by making an amendment in the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labeling) Rules, 2008. The text messages that will be printed on the packs are "tobacco causes painful death". A quit line number "1800-11-2356" will also be printed on the packs. The new sets of health warnings, including enlarged pictorial images and text messages, covering 85% of the packet area will assist the users to quit. This will help in creating awareness among tobacco users and gives them access to counselling services to effect behaviour change.

Note: Union Minister of Ministry of Family & Health Welfare: Harsh Vardhan.

2. India to launch e-commerce portal "Bharatcraft" for MSME's: Union Government is planning to launch an e-commerce portal named "Bharatcraft" for MSME's. The portal is based on other e-commerce portals like 'Alibaba' and 'Amazon'. The portal will provide a platform for MSMEs to market and sell their products and in turn boost the sector. As per the MSME Union Minister, the Bharatcraft portal has a huge potential to generate revenue worth ₹10 lakh crore in the next 2-3 years.

Note: Union Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises: Nitin Gadkari.

3. 5th UIDAI Aadhaar Seva Kendra becomes operational in Hisar, Haryana: Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) fifth stand-alone ‘Aadhaar Seva Kendra’ has become operational on dry run basis at Hisar in Haryana. Till now, five Aadhaar Seva Kendras are operational and two more will be operative by next week. Out of these five Kendras, two are in Delhi, while one is at Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh and remaining one at Agra in Uttar Pradesh. This is part of the UIDAI’s plan to open 114 such centres in 53 cities across the country for providing hassle-free Aadhaar enrolment and services to the people with prior appointment. These Aadhaar Seva Kendras have a capacity to handle up to one thousand enrolments and requests per day and will be open for six days a week from 9:30 A.M. to 6 P.M (closed on Tuesdays and public holidays.).

4. AWHO and Tata Realty sign MoU for quality housing: Army Welfare Housing Organization (AWHO) and Tata Realty & Housing have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU). This MoU enables the personnel of Indian Army to immediately take over dwelling units in 13 ‘Ready to Move in’ projects of Tata Realty spread over 10 cities at a discount ranging from 11% to 27%. Army Welfare Housing Organization (AWHO), which has always endeavoured to provide quality housing for Army personnel who are deployed in remote locations across the country. AWHO will now facilitate the acquisition of homes from reputed private builders at discounted rather than building them for the soldiers.

Note: Chief of the Army Staff: General Bipin Rawat.

5. NDTV's interim CEO Suparna Singh steps down: Suparna Singh, interim CEO of NDTV has resigned with immediate effect. She becomes interim CEO of NDTV in 2017 with approval from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

6. Ajay Kumar Bhalla appointed as new Home Secretary: The Union government has appointed senior IAS (Indian Administrative Service officer) Ajay Kumar Bhalla (1984 batch - Assam Meghalaya cadre) as new Home Secretary. He succeeds Mr Rajiv Gauba who will move out as Cabinet Secretary. Current, Mr Bhalla is serving as Officer on Special Duty in Home Ministry.

7. Discovery, WWF tie up to preserve Sundarbans: Discovery India and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) India have partnered with the Forest Directorate, the government of West Bengal and local communities to preserve Sundarbans. This move is to protect the Sundarbans, the mangrove forest, the habitat of Bengal tigers, to reduce the tiger-human conflict. The move is also a part of a global movement “Project CAT -Conserving Acres for Tigers” which aimed at building healthy habitats for Tigers.

Note: Chief Minister of West Bengal: Mamta Banerjee; Governor: Jagdeep Dhankhar.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. PM Narendra Modi holds talks with French President Emmanuel Macron: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron to expand cooperation in areas of counter-terrorism and security. The two leaders first held a one-on-one meeting which was followed by the delegation-level talks at Chateau de Chantilly, about 50 km north of Paris. Both leaders reviewed the entire gamut of the dynamic and multi-faceted bilateral relations during their more than 90-minute long one-on-one meeting. Earlier, Prime Minister Modi was accorded a red-carpet welcome on his arrival in Paris, France. As India has been extended a special invitation for the G7 summit, Mr. Modi will attend the summit held at Biarritz France.

Note: The 45th G7 summit will be held on 24–26 August 2019, in Biarritz, France.

2. FATF Asia-Pacific Group blacklists Pakistan: Pakistan has been placed on the blacklist of the Financial Action Task Force’s Asia Pacific Group. Pakistan has been blacklisted for non-compliance and non-enforcement of safeguards against terror financing and money laundering. Pakistan has failed in 32 of 40 ‘compliance’ parameters for its legal and financial systems. Pakistan has also failed in 10 of 11 ‘effectiveness’ parameters for enforcing safeguards against terror-financing and money-laundering by UN-sanctioned entities and other non-government outfits.

Note: Pakistan Capital: Islamabad, PM: Imran Khan, President: Arif Alvi.

3. Iran unveils new missile defence system "Bavar-373": Iran has unveiled new missile defence system "Bavar-373". This is also Iran's first domestically produced long-range missile defence system which has been inducted into the country's missile defence network. The system was unveiled at an occasion of Iran's National Defense Industry Day.

Note: Iran Capital: Tehran; Currency: Rial; President of Iran: Hassan Rouhani.

4. International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition: 23 August: United Nations observes 23 August every year as “International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition”. The Day is observed to inscribe the tragedy of the slave trade in the memory of all peoples. The day was designated by UNESCO to memorialize the transatlantic slave trade.

Note: Headquarters of United Nations: New York, USA; Founded: 24 October 1945; Secretary-General of the United Nations: Antonio Guterres.

5. Russia sends its first humanoid robot Fedor into space: Russia launched an unmanned rocket carrying a life-size humanoid robot named Fedor, (Final Experimental Demonstration Object Research). It is a silvery anthropomorphic robot stands 1.80 metres (5 foot 11 inches) tall and weighs 160 kilogrammes (353 pounds). Fedor will spend 10 days learning to assist astronauts on the International Space Station. It blasted off in a Soyuz MS-14 spacecraft from Russia's Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Note: President of Russia: Vladimir Putin; Capital: Moscow; Currency: Russian ruble; PM of Russia: Dmitry Medvedev. 

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Constable Monali Jadhav wins 3 medals at World Police Games: Constable Monali Jadhav from Maharashtra won three medals, including two golds, at World Police and Fire Games International Championship held in Chengdu, China. Jadhav is attached to the Jalamb police station in Buldhana district of Maharashtra. Representing the Indian police force, Jadhav also made a new record with a score of 716 out of 720 points in the game. She won the gold in target and field archery while settled for a bronze medal in the '3D Archery'. She had previously secured a ninth position at the World Championships in Shanghai held in May.

2. Vikram Rathour appointed as Team India's batting coach: former Indian cricketer Vikram Rathour (50-years) will replace Sanjay Bangar as India's new batting coach. Bharath Arun and R. Sridhar were retained as bowling and fielding coaches. The senior national selection committee headed by MSK Prasad recommended three names each for all the support staff positions.

Note: Mr. Rathour has played six Tests and seven ODIs in 1996 without much success but was a domestic heavyweight for Punjab. Till 2016, he was a senior national selector under Sandeep Patil's chairmanship. 

BANKING & FINANCE

1. Acko partners with ZestMoney to offer credit insurance: Acko General Insurance, an insurtech company, has partnered with ZestMoney, a consumer lending fintech, to offer credit insurance. This insurance will help ZestMoney customers cover their monthly EMI payments during times of crisis. Acko will offer credit insurance to these consumers and cover them during eventualities like hospitalization or critical illness when they’re unable to pay their instalments. ZestMoney offers instant financing to consumers across 1000+ online portals and provides them with the option of paying through EMIs even if the consumers don’t own a credit card.

Note: CEO of Acko General Insurance: Varun Dua; CEO of ZestMoney: Lizzie Chapman.

2. SEBI announces a reward of Rs 1 crore to insider trading informants: The Securities and Exchange Board of India has announced a new mechanism to reward insider trading informants to uncover insider trading cases. The reward would be 10 per cent of the money collected, subject to a maximum amount of Rs 1 crore. These benefits would only be available to individuals and corporates. This is not applicable for professionals like auditors who are duty-bound to report any wrongdoing. The above announcement is a part of the detailed set of rules for the new 'Informant Mechanism' under Prohibition of Insider Trading Regulations that has been approved by the SEBI board.

Note: SEBI Headquarter: Mumbai; Chairman: Ajay Tyagi.

3. CBDT: Small startups with turnover up to Rs 25Cr to get promised tax holiday: According to the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), small start-ups with turnover up to 25 crore rupees will continue to get the promised tax holiday as specified in the section of the Income Tax Act. The Act provides a deduction for 100 per cent of the income of an eligible start-up for 3 years out of 7 years from the year of its incorporation. According to the Finance Ministry, the CBDT also clarified that all the start-ups recognised by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade-DPIIT which fulfilled the conditions specified in the DPIIT notification did not automatically become eligible for deduction.

4. RBI changes RTGS system opening time from 8 AM to 7 AM: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has increased the timing for Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) Payment System by changing the Open for Business timing for RTGS from 8:00 AM to 7:00 AM. At present, the Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) System is available for customer transactions from 0800 hours to 1800 hours and for inter-bank transactions from 0800 hours to 1945 hours. This timing will be applicable from August 26, 2019. Currently, the NEFT, a retail payment system, is available for customers from 8 am to 7 pm on all working days except second and fourth Saturdays of a month. The NEFT system is used for fund transfers of up to Rs 2 lakh, and RTGS for those above this threshold.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. WCD Minister Smriti Irani distributed the Poshan Abhiyaan Awards for 2018-19:  Women and Child Development Minister distributed the Poshan Abhiyaan Awards for 2018-19 in different categories in New Delhi. The awards were given to the States, Districts, Blocks and Anganwadi Workers for their contributions in scaling up the Abhiyaan and ensuring that it reaches every household in the country. The awards are aimed at motivating the primary stakeholders and encourage large scale citizen participation in creating awareness to combat malnutrition.

2. Akshay Kumar takes 4th spot in Forbes highest-paid actors list 2019: Bollywood Actor Akshay Kumar has made it to the 4th position on the Forbes magazine’s Worlds Highest-Paid Actors Of 2019 list. Akshay has raked in $65 million. Hollywood star Dwayne ‘Rock’ Johnson tops the Forbes list of the 10 highest-paid actors.

Here’s the list of the World’s Highest-Paid Actors Of 2019 listed by Forbes:

1. Dwayne Johnson ($89.4 million)

2. Chris Hemsworth ($76.4 million)

3. Robert Downey Jr. ($66 million)

4. Akshay Kumar ($65 million)

Daily GK Updates - 22nd August, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. HRD Ministry launches NISHTHA: The Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ has launched the training programme National Initiative for School Heads’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancements (NISHTHA). NISHTHA is the world’s biggest such project and will focus on training 42 lakh teachers from across the country. The basic objective of this massive training programme ‘NISHTHA’ is to motivate and equip teachers to encourage and foster critical thinking in students. . This is the largest teachers’ training programme of its kind in the world.

2. Super 50 programme launched in Maharashtra: Maharashtra’s Tribal Development Department in association with the Pace Educational Trust launched an academic programme "Super 50". The programme has been launched for young tribal students aspiring to be doctors and engineers. The Super 50 programme will mentor 50 most meritorious tribal students from the State and prepare them for engineering and medical exams. It will be a two-year residential programme, where the students will be provided hostel and mess facilities, a tablet, NCERT books and career counselling.

Note: CM of Maharashtra : Devendra Fadnavis; Governor: CH Vidyasagar Rao.

3. Power Minister launches State Rooftop Solar Attractiveness Index: Power Minister R K Singh launched the State Rooftop Solar Attractiveness Index- SARAL in New Delhi. As per the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy survey, Karnataka has emerged as the best state for setting up a rooftop solar project according to the State Rooftop Solar Attractiveness Index–SARAL. Four states (Karnataka, Telangana, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh) have been graded A++. The state of Jammu and Kashmir has been ranked last.

Note: The state rooftop solar attractiveness index (SARAL) released by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. This rating has been designed collaboratively by MNRE, Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation (SSEF), Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) and Ernst & Young (EY). The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has set a target of 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022.

4. Culture Minister to launch book ' The Diary of Manu Gandhi': Culture Minister will launch the book ”The Diary of Manu Gandhi" at a function in New Delhi. The book has been brought out by National Archives of India, on the occasion of 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in collaboration with Oxford University Press. The first volume covers the period 1943-1944. The Diary of Manu Gandhi originally in Gujarati has been edited and translated by Dr Tridip Suhrud. Manu Gandhi (Mridula) was a grand niece of Mahatma Gandhi, and stayed with Gandhiji till his assassination.

Note: Union Culture Minister of India: Prahlad Singh Patel.

5. Senior IAS officer Rajiv Gauba appointed as new Cabinet Secretary: Senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Rajiv Gauba (1982 batch- Jharkhand cadre) has been appointed as the new Cabinet Secretary for two years (from the end of August 2019). Mr. Gauba will replace P.K. Sinha (1977 batch -UP cadre), who was appointed Cabinet Secretary in 2015. Currently, Mr Gauba is serving as Home Secretary of India. Senior IAS officer Another Brij Kumar Agarwal (1985 batch Himachal Pradesh cadre) has been appointed Secretary, Lokpal.

Note: The Cabinet secretary is the ex-officio head of the Civil Services Board, the cabinet secretariat, the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and all civil services under the rules of business of the government. The Cabinet Secretary is under the direct charge of the Prime minister.

6. Ajay Kumar appointed as Defence Secretary: IAS officer Ajay Kumar (1985 batch-Kerala cadre), has been appointed as Defence Secretary. Ajay Kumar is currently serving as Secretary in Department of Defence Production. He will replace Sanjay Mitra, upon completion of his term. 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 9th Session of India-Kenya Joint Trade Committee: The 9th Session of the India-Kenya Joint Trade Committee was held in New Delhi. The Joint Trade Committee reviewed the progress in cooperation in the power sector, renewable energy, petroleum and natural gas, civil aviation and agricultural research. The next session of the Joint Trade Committee meeting in Nairobi. The Indian delegation was led by Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Railways. The Kenyan delegation was led by Peter Munya, Minister of Industry, Trade and Cooperatives.

2. Nepal bans single-use plastics on Everest region: Nepalese authorities have banned single-use plastics in the Everest region in a bid to cut down on waste left by climbers (by 2020). It will curb excessive pollution on the highest point of the Earth’s surface. Earlier, International environmentalists have expressed their concern that Nepal has not done enough to protect the fragile environment of the world’s highest peak. Nepal is also marking the “Visit Nepal” campaign next year which aims to draw 2 million foreign visitors. Local households residing in the Khumbu region will be provided with five plastic bags of different types and sizes which they can use for daily activities.

3. Cerebras Systems reveals "world's largest computer chip": Artificial intelligence (AI) company Cerebras Systems has unveiled the world’s largest single silicon-based processor named Cerebras Wafer Scale Engine(WSE). This chip has 1.2 trillion transistors, the basic on-off electronic switches that are the building blocks of silicon chips. The rectangular shape chip measures 21.5cm sq (8.5in sq), comes with 400,000 AI (Artificial Intelligence) cores and 18 gigabytes of on-chip memory.

Note: CEO and Co-Founder of Cerebras Systems: Andrew Feldman; Established: 2016; Headquarters: California, USA.

4. International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief: 22 August: United Nations’ International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief is being observed every year on 22nd August. The day is observed to strongly condemn continuing violence and acts of terrorism targeting individuals, including persons belonging to religious minorities, on the basis of or in the name of religion or belief.

Note: International days are occasions to educate the public on issues of concern, to mobilize political will and resources to address global problems and to celebrate and reinforce the achievements of humanity.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. "Op-Blue Freedom" flag off in Delhi: Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju and former India football captain Baichung Bhutia flagged off Op-Blue Freedom in Delhi. This is an initiative in which a group of armed forces veterans train sports enthusiasts in survival training and self-defence. Op-Blue Freedom is a nation-wide adaptive scuba diving programme for people with disabilities as well as the able-bodied. It comes under the parent project "Special Forces Adventures". The program aims to train adventure enthusiasts in Special Forces skills like survival techniques, emergency first response skills, unarmed combat, endurance and fitness.

2. Paytm retains title sponsorship of Indian cricket for 5 years: The Board of Control for Cricket in India has announced that mobile payments and e-commerce company "Paytm" has retained the title sponsorship rights. Paytm has retained the title sponsorship rights for all cricket matches, domestic and international, played in India for 5 years. Paytm has signed the deal for ₹326.80 crores which it will pay BCCI over a period ranging between 2019 and 2023.

Note: Paytm Founder: Vijay Shekhar Sharma; Parent Organization: One97 Communications.

3. Gold medal for India in World Police and Fire Games: B.N.S. Reddy beats Bruce Barrios of the U.S. in the men’s singles final to win the gold medal at the World Police and Fire Games. The tournament was held in Chengdu, China. In the doubles event, Reddy and Surinder Mohan Sharma lost to the pair of Sabandon Eduardo (Phi) and Helminen Risto (Fin) in the finals and bags the silver medal. B.N.S. Reddy is a former Additional Commissioner of Police and a current member of the BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit.

4. Indian men's and women's hockey teams win Olympic Test event at Tokyo: Indian Women's and Men's hockey teams have won the Olympic Test event in Tokyo. Women's team defeated Japan 2-1 in the finals. Navjot Kaur hit a goal at the 11th minute while Lalremsiami struck winning goal at 33rd minute of the game for India. Indian men's hockey team also won the Olympic Test event beating New Zealand 5-0. Captain Harmanpreet Singh, Shamsher Singh, Nilakanta Sharma, Gursahibjit Singh and Mandeep Singh scored one goal each for India.

Note: The 2019 Ready Steady Tokyo Hockey Tournament was field hockey tournament, consisting of a series of test matches held in Tokyo, Japan. The tournament served as a test event for the field hockey tournament at the 2020 Summer Olympics. The tournament featured four of the top nations in men's field hockey.

BANKING & FINANCE

1. RBI allows recurring transactions up to Rs 2,000 on cards: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will allow customers to make recurring payments of less than Rs.2000 crores without the two factors authentication process by giving an e-mandate from September. According to RBI Circular, it has been decided to permit processing of e-mandate on cards for recurring transactions (merchant payments). The move has been made to make digital payments to the merchant, typically at Kirana and grocery stores where ticket sizes are small, more convenient. As per the RBI circular, no charges should be levied or recovered from the card holder for availing the e-mandate facility on cards for recurring transactions. The direction is applicable for transactions performed using all types of cards- debit, credit and Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs), including wallets.

2. Board of trustee okays EPFO exit from DHFL: The central board of trustees has allowed the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) to exercise an exit option for recovering the pending Rs 600 crore from Dewan Housing Finance Corporation (DHFL). The proposal to double the minimum pension to Rs 2,000 has been put on hold, with labour minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar suggesting the issue be taken up with the finance ministry. The board also approved the appointment of three fund managersto manage its corpus. The central board of trustees also approved the appointment of UTI AMC and SBI Mutual Fund as its fund managers for a three-year term beginning 1st October 2019.

3. BookMyForex partners with YES Bank to launch Forex Card on Visa network: BookMyForex.com has announced the launch of a co-branded Multi-Currency Forex Travel-card in partnership with YES Bank and Visa to offer a seamless experience to Indian overseas travellers. Travellers can load up to 10 currencies on the card. Customers can buy forex travel cards using the BookMyForex platform and get free doorstep delivery across major cities in India.

Note: BookMyForex is the world’s first and largest marketplace for foreign exchange and remittances.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Amazon opens its largest campus in the world in Hyderabad: US-based e-commerce giant Amazon.com Inc. inaugurated its single-largest campus in the world in Hyderabad. The new campus is spread over 9.5 acres and is its largest tech base outside the Seattle headquarters, which has about 155,000 contract employees. The e-commerce firm will house more than 15,000 employees out of the over 62,000 members of the India team.

Note: CEO of Amazon: Jeff Bezos; Headquarters: Seattle, United States.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. JNU Professor Meeta Narain was conferred the ‘Pushkin Medal 2019’:  JNU Professor Meeta Narain was conferred the ‘Pushkin Medal - 2019’. This award is the highest honour given to an Indian scholar by the Russian government. Pushkin Medal is given to a scholar of Russian language and literature for outstanding contribution to Russian studies abroad.

Daily GK Updates - 21st August, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Chief minister of Punjab launched "Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana": The chief minister of Punjab has launched a universal health insurance scheme "Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana " benefiting nearly 46 lakh families. With this scheme, covering 76% of the state’s population. Punjab has become the first state in the country to offer medical insurance cover to the maximum number of its people. The scheme would entitle beneficiaries to avail annual cashless treatment up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year, including pre-existing diseases.

Note: Chief Minister of Punjab : Amarinder Singh; Governor of Punjab: VP Singh Badnore.

2. Maharashtra Transport Minister launches live tracking system for MSRTC buses: Maharashtra Transport Minister Diwakar Raote has launched a tracking system for MSRTC buses. It will allow people to have real-time information about their commute. Currently, it is ready on the Mumbai-Nashik route for all Shivneri buses, the premium brand of MSRTC. The cost of the project, including the deployment of GPS machines, tracking software, and putting up screens to display information at bus stops, is 32 crore rupees. The mechanism will help the corporation to efficiently deploy services, inform passengers about delays, and provide the driver information about congestion on the route and suggest alternatives.

Note: The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has around 18,515 buses in its fleet and carries more than 67 lakh passengers daily.

3. Railway Board orders strict plastic ban from 2nd October: Railway Board has asked all its zonal offices to enforce a strict plastic ban at all stations from 2nd October 2019. As per the circular, all zonal railway offices should enforce a ban on single-use plastic. The staff should be encouraged to use inexpensive reusable plastic bags when possible and refuse plastic in most cases. IRCTC should implement the return of plastic drinking water bottles and plastic bottle crushing units should be procured as fast as possible.

Note: The Railway Board is the apex body of the Indian Railways. It reports to the Parliament of India through the Ministry of Railways headed by the Railway Minister of India; Chairman: Vinod Kumar Yadav

4. Wipro Partners with IISc to form ‘WIRIN’: Wipro Limited has entered into a strategic partnership with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru for advanced applied research in autonomous systems, robotics and 5G space. Wipro IISc Research and Innovation Network (WIRIN), a hybrid industry-academia collaboration unit, which will drive idea discovery, research and innovation in technology and product design. WIRIN will focus on the research and development of cutting-edge technologies in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Visual Computing, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Vehicle-to-everything communication (V2X).

Note: Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Wipro: Abidali Z. Neemuchwala.

5. SMVDU, NISE sign MoU to achieve national solar mission: Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU), Jammu and National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to work jointly to achieve the objective of National Solar Mission through training programmes.

Note: International Solar Alliance is an alliance of more than 121 countries, most of them being sunshine countries. Headquarters of International Solar Alliance‎: ‎Gurugram, Haryana.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. PM Modi holds delegation-level talks with Zambian President: Zambian President Edgar Chagwa Lungu arrived in New Delhi on a three-day visit to India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held delegation-level talks with Zambian President Lungu in New Delhi. Several agreements are also expected to be signed after the talks. The visiting dignitary will also participate in an India-Zambia Business Forum. With investments of over 5 billion US dollars, India is one of the largest investors in Zambia. President Lungu's visit will provide an opportunity to further energize India's mutually beneficial partnership with Zambia.

Note: The Republic of Zambia (Southern African country) Capital: Lusaka, Currency: Zambian kwacha

2. World Senior Citizen's Day: 21st August: The World Senior Citizen's Day is celebrated on the 21st of August every year. The main purpose of the World Senior Citizen's Day is to raise awareness of the condition of older people and to support them throughout the ageing process. It was first proclaimed by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 14th December 1990.

3.  International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism: 21st August: The International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism is being observed on 21st August in order to honour the victims and survivors of terrorism. The International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2017. In 2017 alone, nearly three-quarters of all deaths caused by terrorism were in just five countries: Afghanistan, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia and Syria. The day is meant to allow victims of terrorism to have their needs supported and their rights upheld.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Para swimmer Satendra Singh Lohia crosses America's Catalina Channel: Divyang Satendra Singh Lohia has become the first Asian swimmer to cross the Cataline Channel of America. Satendra holds the Asian record of crossing both the English and Catalina channels. Gwalior born Satendra led the Indian Para Relay team along with five teammates crossed the Catalina Channel in 11 hours 34 minutes. Satyendra has also honoured with the Vikram Award, the highest sports award in Madhya Pradesh.

2. Sreesanth's life-ban reduced to seven years: BCCI Ombudsman Justice DK Jain has passed an order reducing the life ban imposed on cricketer S Sreesanth (36-years) to seven years. The ombudsman in his order also observes that BCCI has nothing on record to prove its finding that the cricketer’s conduct was erratic on and off the field. In effect, Sreesanth will be eligible to play all forms of cricket from 13th September 2020. Sreesanth was banned by the BCCI for a lifetime in August 2013 along with his Rajasthan Royals teammates Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan for indulging in alleged spot-fixing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) that year.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. IIT Delhi Startup's Multisensory Kit wins National Disability Award: Ms Ankita Gulati, founder of TouchVision, an IIT Delhi incubated startup working on the design and development of inclusive learning resources for visually impaired people has won the NCPEDP-Mphasis Universal Design Award 2019, which is given away every year to those who have been doing exemplary work towards the cause of accessibility and thus ensuring a life of equality and dignity for people with disabilities. Ms Gulati got this award for developing a multisensory kit which narrates the content in the raised picture when a visually impaired person touches it.

Note: TouchVision aims at digital inclusion for 253 million persons with visual impairment globally. Touch-friendly graphics are read with the help of a smartphone application. The smartphone app provides simultaneous audio to the user as per index finger's location. Label and description of the diagrams are narrated based on different finger gestures performed by the user.

2. Indian-American teen wins South Asian Spelling Bee competition 2019: Navneeth Murali, an Indian-American teenager from New Jersey, has won the 2019 South Asian Spelling Bee contest. The prize money for this contest is USD 3,000.

Note: The South Asian Spelling Bee (SASB) is an annual spelling bee platform in the US for children of South Asian descent. The competition is open to any student at or below the age of 14, who has at least one parent or grandparent who is of South Asian descent, or whose lineage can be traced to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and/or Sri Lanka.

DEFENCE

1. DRDO transfer design of Mobile Metallic Ramp to Indian Army: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) handed over the design of Mobile Metallic Ramp (MMR) to the Indian Army at a ceremony held at DRDO Bhawan, New Delhi. MMR load-bearing capacity of 70 metric ton. The MMR has been designed and developed by DRDO’s premier research laboratory Centre for Fire, Explosive and Environment Safety (CFEES) on the requirements projected by Army for reducing the Strategic Mobility time of mobilizing Armoured Fighting Vehicles.  The ramp will provide the strategic mobility for Armoured and Mechanized units and formations of the Army. It is portable, modular in design, which can be easily assembled or disassembled.

OBITUARIES

1. Former Madhya Pradesh CM Babulal Gaur passes away: Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Babulal Gaur (89-years) passed away in Bhopal. Gaur served as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh from August 2004 to November 2005. He was elected in 10 Assembly elections from the seat of Govindpura (in Bhopal) before retiring from electoral politics in 2018 due to old age

Daily GK Updates - 20th August, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. National Sports Awards 2019: Selection Committee for the Sports Awards 2019 has announced the National Sports Awards 2019. National Sports Awards are given every year to recognize and reward excellence in sports. The awardees will receive their awards from the President of India at a specially organized function at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. Selection Committee for the Sports Awards 2019 was headed by Justice Mukundakam Sharma, Retired Judge, Supreme Court. Apart from a medal and a citation, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Awardee will receive a cash prize of Rs. 7.5 lakh. Arjuna, Dronacharya and Dhyan Chand Awardees will receive statuettes, certificates and cash prize of Rs. 5 lakh each. A trophy and citation is given to the entity in the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar, 2019. Recipients of Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar will be given Trophies and certificates.  Overall top performing university in inter-university tournaments will be given MAKA Trophy, award money of Rs. 10 lakh and certificate.

2. Karnataka categorises Nicotine as "class A poison": The Karnataka government has amended the Karnataka Poisons (Possession and Sale) Rules 2015 and notified Nicotine as "Class A poison". The step has been taken to strengthen the enforcement of the ban on production and sale of electronic cigarettes. The notification has also ordered the suspension of all kinds of promotion of e-cigarettes, including online promotion. This will curb the illegal sale, smuggling of nicotine cartridges and e-cigarettes. Class A poison are "Highly toxic chemicals", which even in very small quantities as gas or vapour in the air are dangerous to life (such as cyanogen, hydrocyanic acid, nitrogen peroxide, and phosgene).

Note: Capital of Karnataka: Bengaluru; CM: BS Yediyurappa; Governor: Vajubhai Vala.

3. Gujarat to get India’s first CICET: According to Union Minister of State for Chemical & Fertilizers Mansukh Mandaviya, India's first Central Institute of Chemical Engineering & Technology (CICET) will be set up in Gujarat to give boost to the chemical industry. The CICET will come up either at Ahmedabad or Surat. The Minister of State for Chemical and Fertilisers also announced setting up of another campus of the Central Institute of Plastic Engineering & Technology (CIPET) in Valsad at the cost of Rs 54 crore for the benefit of tribal students and the plastic industry. The Central government is also planning to set up a Plastic Waste Management Centre in Ahmedabad to find out solutions to systematic segregation and recycling of plastic waste.

Note: CM of Gujarat: Vijay Rupani; Governor: Acharya Devvrat; Capital: Gandhinagar.

4. Manmohan Singh elected to Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan: Congress leader and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (86-years) has been elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan. The election for a seat in Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan comes after demise of BJP’s unit president Madan Lal Saini in June. With this Manmohan Singh has become the sole Congress candidate amongst 10 Rajya Sabha Members in Rajasthan.

Note: The Rajya Sabha is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of India. It has a maximum membership of 245, of which 233 are elected by the legislatures of the states and union territories using single transferable votes through Open Ballot while the President can appoint 12 members for their contributions to art, literature, science, and social services.

5. Govt directs all CAPFs to adopt uniform retirement age of 60 years: A Home Ministry order issued has corrected the anomaly where personnel between the ranks of Constable to Commandant in four forces (Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police force and Sashastra Seema Bal) superannuated at the age of 57, instead of 60-years. Officers from the rank of Deputy Inspector General up to the top-most rank of Director General in these four forces retired after attaining the age of 60 years. Personnel who had retired and approached the court for clarification or were granted stay will be deemed "not superannuated" and will continue to serve till 60 years of age. The latest Home Ministry direction comes in the wake of a January order of the Delhi High Court where it had called the policy of different age of superannuation as discriminatory and unconstitutional and said it created two classes in the uniformed forces.

6. Sadbhavana Diwas: 20 August: Sadbhavana Diwas is celebrated on 20 August every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. This year will be the 75th Birth Anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi. On this day national integration, peace, love, affection and communal harmony among all Indians are encouraged. Shri Rajiv Gandhi was born on August 20, 1944, in Bombay. At 40, Mr Rajiv Gandhi was the youngest Prime Minister of India.

Note: Rajiv Ratna Gandhi was the 6th Prime Minister of India, serving from 1984 to 1989. He was assassinated on 21 May 1991.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Pak Army chief General Bajwa gets a three-year extension: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has approved an extension in the tenure of Pakistani Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa (58-years) for another three years. Qamar Bajwa was appointed the chief of the Pakistani Army in November 2016 by then Prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Bajwa’s original term was to end in November 2019 after serving as Army chief for three years. He will remain as Army chief till November 2022.

Note: Pakistan Capital: Islamabad; PM: Imran Khan; President: Arif Alvi.

2. Shavendra Silva appointed as Commander of the Sri Lankan Army: President of Sri Lanka has appointed Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva as 23rd Commander of the Sri Lankan Army. He will replace Lt Gen Mahesh Senanayake as the Commander of the Sri Lankan Army. Mr. Silva commanded the Sri Lankan Army’s 58 Division during the final stages of the war against the rebel LTTE in 2009.

Note: Currency of Sri Lanka: Sri Lankan Rupee; Prime Minister: Ranil Wickremesinghe; President: Maithripala Sirisena.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Mitchell Johnson becomes MCC Honourary Life member: Former Australian cricketer Mitchell Johnson (37-years) has been elected as an Honorary Life Member of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), custodians of the game's laws. Johnson represented Australia in 153 One Day Internationals picking up 239 wickets, 73 international Test matches claiming 313 wickets and 30 T-20 Internationals in which he takes 38 wickets. Johnson made his ODI debut for Australia in 2005 and hung up his boots a decade later in 2015.

2. AIG Ashish Kapoor clinches two gold medals at WPFG: Ashish Kapoor has claimed gold medals in both singles and doubles titles in Tennis events during the 2019 World Police and Fire Games (WPFG) (18th edition) held at Chengdu in China. Ashish Kapoor is the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) in Vigilance Bureau of Punjab.

Note: The World Police and Fire Games (WPFG) is a biennial athletic event, open to active and retired law enforcement and fire service personnel throughout the world. In 2021 the host city will be Rotterdam, the Netherlands. This was the 18th edition of the event.

3. Bangladesh Cricket Board name Domingo as new national coach: According to Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Nazmul Hasan, Former South African Coach Russel Domingo has been appointed as the Head Coach for the national cricket team for two years. He succeeds Steve Rhodes whose tenure was cut short after Bangladesh finished at the 8th position in the 10-nation World Cup this year. Russel Domingo has served as the Head Coach for South Africa’sT20 side in 2012. He later replaced Gary Kirsten as South Africa Coach in the Tests and ODIs in 2013.

4. Former Chelsea footballer Ashley Cole announces retirement: Former Chelsea, Arsenal and England football player Ashley Cole aged 38, announced his retirement from football. He was ending his 20-year playing career. He won 3 Premier League titles and seven FA Cups, as well as helping the Chelsea to win the 2011-12 Champions League.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Paytm promotes CFO Madhur Deora as President: Paytm has elevated its CFO (Chief Financial Officer) Madhu Deoraas President of the company. Prior to joining Paytm (in 2016), Mr. Deora has served as Managing Director (MD) in Citigroup's investment banking business in New York, London and Mumbai.

Note: Paytm was founded in August 2010 with an initial investment of USD 2 million by its founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma. Paytm is available in 11 Indian languages and offers online use-cases like mobile recharges, utility bill payments, travel, movies, and events bookings as well as in-store payments at grocery stores, fruits and vegetable shops, restaurants, parking, tolls, pharmacies and education institutions with the Paytm QR code.

2. Ravinder Takkar appointed as MD-CEO of Vodafone Idea: Ravinder Takkar has been appointed as the MD and CEO of Idea-Vodafone. He is currently a board member of Vodafone Idea and Indus Towers, where he is responsible for all Vodafone Group interests in India. He will replace Balesh Sharma after his resignation as the chief executive officer of Vodafone Idea (VIL).

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. CCMB scientist K Thangaraj awarded JC Bose Fellowship: Dr K Thangaraj, Chief Scientist at Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)- Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) was awarded JC Bose Fellowship. Thangaraj was given this fellowship for his outstanding contributions in the field of population and medical genomics. The JC Bose Fellowship is awarded to scientists in recognition for their outstanding performance by the Science and Engineering Research Board, Department of Science and Technology.

Defence

OBITUARIES

1. Veteran music composer Khayyam passes away: Veteran music director-composer Mohammed Zahur Khayyam Hashmi (92-years- popularly known as Khayyam) passed away after a prolonged illness at a hospital in Mumbai. He was best known for his music in classic films such as 'Umrao Jaan' and 'Kabhi Kabhi'. Besides ‘Kabhi Kabhi’ and ‘Umrao Jaan’, the musician's other notable works include films such as "Trishul", "Noorie" and "Shola Aur Shabnam". In 2007, Khayyam was honoured with Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in Creative Music by the Sangeet Natak Akademi. In 2011, he was conferred with Padma Bhushan, the country’s third-highest civilian award. He won three Filmfare Awards for Best Music for Kabhi Kabhie (in 1977) and for Umrao Jaan (1982), and a lifetime achievement award in 2010.

2. Sahitya Akademi Award winner NS Tasneem passes away: Eminent Punjabi writer and Sahitya Akademi winner Professor Niranjan Singh Tasneem (91-years) passed away at his residence in Ludhiana, Punjab. Tasneem was awarded Sahitya Akademi award in 1999 for his novel ‘Gawache Arth’ (The Lost Meaning) which was based on Punjab and lives of Punjabis in 1984. He was also awarded Punjab’s highest literary honour “Punjabi Sahit Rattan” in 2015. Tasneem had served as a professor at SCD Government College, Ludhiana.

3. Triple Oscar-winning Animation Director Richard Williams passes away: Three-time Oscar winner & triple BAFTA winner legendary animation director Richard Williams (86-years) passed away. He debuted in 1958 with “The Little Island” which won him BAFTA. He received his first Oscar for his animated adaptation of Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol” in 1971. Williams is best known for his 1988 animated film “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”. “The Return Of The Pink Panther” and “The Pink Panther Strikes Again” are some of his famous works.

Daily GK Updates - 19th August, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Union HRD Minister inaugurates International Conference on Teacher Education: The Union Minister of Human Resource Development inaugurated the International Conference titled “Journey of Teacher Education: Local to Global” in New Delhi. The 2-day event is being organized by the National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE) as part of silver jubilee celebration of its establishment in 1995. NCTE was tasked with achieving planned and coordinated development of teacher education system throughout the country and maintenance of norms and standards.

Note: Union Minister of Human Resource Development: Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’.

2. Manipur CM launches ‘School Fagadaba’ scheme: Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has launched a scheme named ‘School Fagadaba’ (Make education better) to improve the infrastructure of government schools in the state. The objective of the “School Fagadaba” Scheme is to ensure better infrastructure, quality education and overall improvement of government schools to make them model schools. In the first phase of the scheme, one school from each of the 60 Assembly constituencies in the state have been selected. Biometric devices would be installed in schools in ensuring regular attendance of teachers.

3. India gets its first national essential diagnostics list: India has got its first National Essential Diagnostics List (NEDL) finalized by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The purpose of this list to bridge the current regulatory system’s gap that does not cover all the medical devices and in-vitro diagnostic device (IVD). This will create stringent national pre-qualification specifications and processes that are necessary to ensure the availability of safe, effective, affordable tests of good quality as well as improving access to new diagnostics in resource-constrained settings. With this, India has become the first country to have such a list.

This comes after the World Health Organisation (WHO) released the first edition of its essential diagnostics list (EDL) in May 2018.

4. Five New fish species discovered in Arunachal Pradesh: Fisheries and the aquatic ecology research team from the zoology department of Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU) have discovered 5 species of fish from various districts of the Arunachal pradesh. The 5 newly discovered species of fish are:

Mystus prabini (discovered in Sinkin and the Dibang rivers in Lower Dibang Valley district)

Exostoma kottelati (discovered in the Ranga river in Lower Subansiri district)

Creteuchiloglanis tawangensis (discovered in the Tawangchu river in Tawang district)

Garra ranganensis (discovered in the Ranga river)

Physoschistura harkishorei (discovered in the Dibang and the Lohit rivers in Lower Dibang Valley district).

5. Odisha approves conservation plan of lakes "Chilika and Ansupa": The Odisha Wetland Authority has approved implementation of an integrated management plan of lakes "Chilika and Ansupa". The Chilika lake is India’s largest brackish water lagoon and Ansupa is the Odisha’s largest freshwater lake. The 5-year management plan of lakes is intended at strengthening livelihood of thousands of fishermen relying on the two water-bodies at an estimated investment of Rs 180 crore.

Note: Chief Minister of Odisha: Naveen Patnaik; Governor: Ganeshi Lal.

6. President Kovind Inaugurates Bunker Museum at Maharastra Raj Bhavan: President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the 15,000 square feet long underground ‘Bunker Museum’ at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai. ‘Bunker Museum’ has virtual reality booths to give insight to visitors about the 19th century when the bunker was created to fire cannons at approaching enemy ships. The President also inaugurated the Presidential Guest House named Jal Kiran at Raj Bhavan which will serve as the accommodation for the President and the Prime Minister during their visits to Mumbai. On the occasion, President Kovind also laid the foundation stone of reconstruction of Maharashtra Governor’s Office-cum-Residence known as Jal Bhushan.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. PM Modi to embark on 3-day visit to UAE, Bahrain: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a three-day visit to United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain beginning 23rd August 2019. Mr Modi will first travel to United Arab Emirates (UAE) where he will meet the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and discuss bilateral, regional and international matters of mutual interest. And then he will travel to Bahrain, where he would launch the renovation of a temple of

Note: The robust flow of bilateral investments and an annual bilateral trade of about 60 billion US dollar, the UAE is India's third-largest trade partner. UAE is also the fourth-largest exporter of crude oil for India.

2. Iceland commemorates 1st glacier "Okjokull" lost to climate change: Iceland commemorated the loss of 1st glacier "Okjokull", lost due to climate change. A bronze plaque was unveiled by Iceland in a ceremony which was attended by scientists and locals at the glacier in west-central Iceland. The plaque bears the inscription "A letter to the future".

Note: Prime Minister of Iceland: Katrin Jakobsdottir; Capital: Reykjavík.

3. Nepal will host 5th meeting of India-Nepal Joint Commission: The 5th meeting of India-Nepal Joint Commission will be held in Kathmandu, Nepal on 21st-22nd August 2019. Dr S. Jaishankar (India’s Minister for External Affairs) and Pradeep Kumar Gyawali (Nepal’s Minister of Foreign Affairs) will co-chair the meeting and lead their respective delegations. The Joint Commission Meeting will review the overall state of bilateral relations and various areas of cooperation such as connectivity and economic partnership, trade and transit, power and water resources, culture, education and other matters of mutual interest.

Note: India-Nepal Joint Commission was established in June 1987. Its meetings are held alternately in Nepal and India. The last meeting of the Commission was held in New Delhi on October 2016.

4. Chad President declares a state of emergency in two eastern provinces: Chad President Idriss Deby has declared a state of emergency in two eastern provinces after violent inter-communal clashes left dozens dead earlier this month. The state of emergency will run for three months in Sila and Ouaddai regions.

Note: The Republic of Chad is a landlocked country in north-central Africa.

It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west.

Capital: N'Djamena, Currency: Central African CFA franc (XAF)

5. World Humanitarian Day 2019: 19 August: World Humanitarian Day is observed across the world on August 19 to pay tribute to workers who risk their lives in humanitarian services and to gather support for people affected by crises around the world. The day was designated by the UN General Assembly to commemorate the 19 August 2003 bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq. WHD 2019 campaign: #WomenHumanitarians.

World Humanitarian Day 2019 is set to celebrate Women Humanitarians and their undying contribution in making the world a better place. This year’s campaign on Women Humanitarians supports the recognition that women deserve in the strengthening of global humanitarian response as well as in protection efforts under the international law.

Note: WHO Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland, Director-General: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

6. World Photography Day: 19 August: The 'World Photography Day' is observed on 19 August to inspire photographers across the planet to share a single photo with the world. On this day, camera persons take stock of the different kind of photography that has come to the fore. On August 19 in 2010, World Photo Day hosted its first global online gallery.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Hima Das & Mohammad Anas win gold at Athleticky Mitink Reiter event: Indian sprinters Hima Das (19-years) and Mohammad Anas (24-years) have won a gold each in 300m races at the Athleticky Mitink Reiter event in the Czech Republic. Hima won the gold in women's event and Mohammad Anas claimed the Gold medal in men’s category. India’s Nirmal Tom clinched a bronze medal in the same event by clocking a timing of 33.03 seconds.

2. Labuschagne becomes first Concussion Substitute cricket player: Australian Cricket player Marnus Labuschagne (25-years) has become the concussion substitution player in the history of Test cricket. A Concussion Replacement is a player who takes the place of a player who has been replaced for the remainder of the match. In Ashes Series 2019, Labuschagne replaced Steve Smith in Australia's XI on the last day of the Lord’s Test.

A Concussion Replacement Request is a notification made to the ICC Match Referee in accordance with the process set out by ICC. The Team Medical Representative is the individual designated for the assessment of any head or neck injury sustained by a player. The player will be selected from the list of nominated players provided by that team whose player was injured and will take a full part in the match.

3. Chennai City FC ties up with German company "uhlsport": I-League champion Chennai City FC has announced a strategic partnership with German sports goods supplier "uhlsport". The partnership aims to support a sustainable growth of football education in India. It will also work to develop grassroots football in Tamil Nadu and across India.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be honoured with "Order of Zayed": The United Arab Emirates will honour the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the "Order of Zayed", the highest civilian award of the country, which was conferred earlier in April 2019 in recognition of the distinguished leadership of Prime Minister Modi for giving a big boost to bilateral relations between the two countries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will recieve the award during his visit to the UAE. The order in the name of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, founding father of the UAE, acquires special significance as it is awarded to Prime Minister Modi in the year of the birth centenary of Sheikh Zayed.

Note: Capital of the UAE: Abu Dhabi; Currency: Dirham.

2. Longest documentary "100 Years of Chrysostum" will receive Guinness Award: A biographical documentary "100 Years of Chrysostum" will receive Guinness Award in the category of longest documentary. The "100 Years of Chrysostum" is based on the life of Philipose Mar Chrysostum, scripted and directed by filmmaker Blessy. The 48-hour and 8 minutes documentary has broken the record of the 21-hour Saudi Arabian documentary "World of Snakes". Former Padma Bhushan awardee Philipose Mar Chrysostum is a Metropolitan Emeritus of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar.

OBITUARIES

1. Former Bihar CM Jagannath Mishra passes away: Veteran Congress leader and three-time Bihar Chief Minister Dr Jagannath Mishra (82-years) passed away at a hospital in Delhi. Dr Mishra became Chief Minister in 1975, 1980 and 1989. Before joining politics, Mishra was an economics professor at Bihar University.