Dear Readers, Here we have given the list of Important Weekly Current Affairs of 1st week May 2020. Candidates those who are preparing for Upcoming SBI Clerk 2020 and other competitive exams can make use of it.
International Jazz Day
- International Jazz Day is celebrated every year on 30 April.
- The day aims to create awareness around the world of the virtues of jazz as a force of peace, unity, dialogue, and enhanced cooperation among people, and an educational tool.
International Labour Day or May Day
- International Labour Day is also known as Labour Day or May Day. It is celebrated globally every year on 1st May. In India, Labour Day is referred as Antarrashtriya Shramik Diwas or Kamgar Din.
- International Workers‘ Memorial Day 2020 theme is the Coronavirus
World Tuna Day
- The United Nations (UN) established World Tuna Day on May 2 to raise awareness about the importance of tuna and to promote more sustainable fishing practices.
International Spring Astronomy Day
- International Astronomy Day is celebrated twice a year one in autumn and another in spring.
- The Spring Astronomy Day is celebrated on May 2. The world will celebrate the next Astronomy Day on September 26.
World Press Freedom Day
- World Press Freedom Day popularly known as World Press Day is organised and promoted by the United Nations, observed annually on May 3
International Dawn Chorus Day
- The annual International Dawn Chorus Day is held on the first Sunday in May. The day is dedicated to listen to the sounds of birds, when birds sing at the start of a new day, at around 4:30.
World Laughter Day
- World Laughter Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of May every year. This year the World Laughter Day will be observed on May 3, 2020.
Coal Miners Day
- Every year on 4 May, Coal Miners Day is observed to honour the coal miners.
International Firefighter’s Day
- International Firefighters’ Day or IFFD is observed annually on May 4 to remember those firefighter’s who have died while serving our community or dedicated their lives to protecting the safety of us all.
World Asthma Day
- World Asthma Day is observed every year on the first Tuesday of May to spread awareness and care about asthma in the world. This year it falls on 5th May.
- The World Asthma Day 2020 theme is ‘Enough Asthma Death’
International Midwives’ Day
- International Midwife Day is celebrated on the 5th of May every year, to appreciate the work of midwives.
- International Day of the Midwives was first celebrated May 5th 1991, and has since been observed in over 50 nations around the world.
World Hand Hygiene Day
- The World Health Organization (WHO) has marked May 5 as World Hand Hygiene Day recognizing the role clean and safe hands play in warding off many serious infections.
- This year, the theme is ‘Save Lives: Clean Your Hands’
International No Diet Day
- Every year, International No Diet Day is celebrated on May 6. It is a celebration of body acceptance, which includes all shapes and sizes.
World Athletics Day
- The World observes World Athletics Day 2020 on May 7.
- The theme of the World Athletics Day 2020 is “Athletics for a Better World.”
Vesak Day 2020 observed globally on 7 May
- ‘Vesak’, the Day of the Full Moon is observed in the month of May by the United Nations on 7 May 2020.The day commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and Death of Lord Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, all of which is stated to have taken place on the same day.
World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day
- World Red Cross Day and Red Crescent Day is observed every year on 8 May to commemorate the birth anniversary of the founder of the Red Cross.
World Thalassaemia Day
- International Thalassaemia Day celebrated on the 8th of May is devoted to raising awareness amongst the general public and decision-makers about thalassaemia. Theme 2020 “The dawning of a new era for thalassaemia: Time for a global effort to make novel therapies accessible and affordable to patients”
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IAAF
- Headquarters- Monaco
- President- Sebastian Coe
CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL
Nitin Gadkari launches bank of schemes, ideas, innovation & research portal on MSMEs
- Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, MSME Minister Nitin Gadkari launched bank of schemes, ideas, innovation and Research portal – http://ideas.msme.gov.in on MSMEs. The portal gives access to all schemes of Union, States and Union Territory Governments and has the provision for uploading ideas, innovations and researches in the sector.
CAIT to launch national e-commerce marketplace ‘bharatmarket’ for retail traders
- Traders’ body Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has announced to launch a national e-commerce marketplace ‘bharatmarket‘ soon for all retail traders in collaboration with several technology partners.
Government raises Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Minor Forest Produce (MFP) of 49 items in view of circumstances arising out of Covid 19
- In a crucial announcement affecting the livelihoods of tribal gatherers , the Government revised the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Minor Forest Produce (MFP) of 49 items. TRIFED to monitor the implementation of the revised MSP in states
IDEAthon launched by Jal Shakti ministry
- The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti and National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) organized an IDEAthon on “The future of River Management’ to explore how the COVID-19 crisis can shape River Management strategies for the future.
PM Narendra Modi to participate in NAM virtual summit on coronavirus
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi would participate in the virtual summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to enhance coordination of the member states in their fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
Health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan launches multimedia guide ‘COVID Katha’
- Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan launched ‘COVID Katha’, a multimedia guide on the Covid-19 disease. It is designed to educate on the objective interpretation of scientific aspects. This resource will strengthen public understanding of science and health in the special context of COVID-19
Niti Aayog starts campaign to ‘protect’ senior citizens during COVID-19
- Government think tank Niti Aayog in association with Piramal Foundation the philanthropic arm of the Piramal Group launched a campaign ‘Surakshit Dada-Dadi & Nana-Nani Abhiyan’ focused on ensuring well-being of senior citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Govt extends time limit for annual GST returns for financial year 2018-19 till 30 September
- The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has extended the time limit for furnishing of the annual return and GST audit for the financial year 2018-2019, till 30 September, 2020
Vande Bharat Mission begins to bring back stranded Indians from abroad
- In one of the largest evacuation exercises named the Vande Bharat Mission, the government is operating 64 flights till 13th May to bring home nearly 14,800 Indian nationals stranded abroad due to the coronavirus lockdown.
Govt sets target of constructing roads worth Rs 15 lakh cr in next two years
- Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Nitin Gadkari stated, his ministry has set a target of constructing roads worth 15 lakh crore rupees in the next two years.
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MSME Ministry :
- Nitin Gadkari : Union Minister
- Constituency : Nagpur, Maharashtra
- Pratap Chandra Sarangi, Minister of State
Ministry of Commerce and Industry
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Piyush Goyal, Cabinet Minister
- Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of State
- Som Parkash, Minister of State
Ministry of Tribal Affairs
- Arjun Munda, Cabinet Minister
- Constituency :Khunti
- Renuka Singh Saruta, Minister of State
Ministry of Jal Shakti
- Union Cabinet Minister of Jal Shakti- Gajendra Singh Shekhawat
- Constituency- Jodhpur, Rajasthan
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare:
- Ministry of Science & Technology, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Ministry of Earth Science- Dr. Harsh Vardhan
- Constituency- Chandni Chowk, New Delhi
NITI Aayog
- Headquarters– New Delhi, India
- Chairperson– Narendra Modi.
- Chief Executive Officer (CEO)– Amitabh Kant
Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC):
- Chairperson: M. Ajit Kumar
- Founded: 1 January 1964
- Headquarters: New Delhi
Ministry of External Affairs:
- Union Minister: Subrahmanyam Jaishankar
- Constituency : Gujarat, Rajya Sabha
- Minister of State: Muraleedharan
Ministry Of Road Transport And Highways:
- Minister for Road Transport & Highways of India and Shipping, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises: Nitin Gadkari
- Constituency : Nagpur
CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL
Japan to Support ADB Developing Member Countries’ Response to COVID-19 Challenges
- In support of ADB’s effort, the Government of Japan is committed to providing emergency support of $150 million through the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR) and the Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund (APDRF) to help DMCs strengthen their capacity to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Russia to Launch First Satellite For Monitoring Arctic Climate This Year
- Russia will launch its first Arktika-M satellite for monitoring the Arctic climate and environment at the end of the year, General Director of the Lavochkin aerospace company Vladimir Kolmykov stated.
Iran’s currency is set to get a new name — and lose four zeros
- The head of Iran’s Central Bank announced the nation’s currency was set to be re-named and re-valued.
- Iran’s money rial will soon likely be called the Toman, and an impressive four zeros will be shaved off all denominations. The 10,000 rials will become one Toman
UN launches USD 6.7 bn global appeal to fight COVID-19
- The United Nations and partner agencies have launched a 7 billion US dollar global appeal to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, more than trebling an earlier appeal made by the UN chief, with special focus on more vulnerable countries and combating food insecurity and gender-based violence.
ADB approves $500 million for Bangladesh’s COVID-19 response
- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved an additional 500 million dollar loan to bolster the efforts of Bangladesh government to manage the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the country’s economy and public health.
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Asian Development Bank:
- Headquarters: Mandaluyong, Philippines
- President: Masatsugu Asakawa
Russia :
- Capital: Moscow
- Currency: Russian Rouble
- President: Vladimir Putin
Iran
- Capital– Tehran
- President– Hassan Rouhani
United Nations:
- Secretary General : António Guterres
- General Assembly President : Tijjani Muhammad-Bande
- Head quarters : New York City
Bangladesh :
- Capital: Dhaka
- Currency: Bangladeshi taka
- Prime minister: Sheikh Hasina
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND FINANCE
Fintech firm HAPPY launches ‘Lockdown Loan’ to tide over Covid-19 crisis
- HAPPY, a machine learning-based MSME digital lender, has launched the ‘lockdown loan’. The company came up with the initiative as it believes that the global coronavirus outbreak has also impacted about one-fourth of India’s 69 million MSMEs at present and the lending will help the affected microenterprises with seamless liquidity access.
RBI extends benefits under SLF-MF to all banks
- The RBI allowed regulatory benefits to banks meeting the liquidity needs of mutual funds without using RBI’s Special Liquidity Facility for MFs (SLF-MFs).
HDFC Bank releases song to keep up hopes up amidst Covid-19 pandemic
- To keep up hopes up amidst the ongoing national lockdown and coronavirus pandemic, HDFC Bank released a collaborative song titled #HumHaarNahiMaanenge (We will not lose).
RBI cancels licence of Mumbai-based CKP Cooperative Bank
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cancelled the licence of Mumbai-based CKP Co-operative Bank Ltd. The licence of CKP Co-operative Bank Ltd has been cancelled with effect from the close of business on April 30, 2020, as the bank’s financial position had worsened.
Suryoday SFB launches new working capital product
- Suryoday Small Finance Bank has rolled out a working capital product with a small overdraft (OD) limit on a pilot basis in two branches – Trichy (Tamil Nadu) and Cuttack (Odisha) – to help its customers meet the urgent liquidity requirements during the lockdown.
Nabard disburses Rs.12,767 cr to State Co-op Banks, RRBs
- The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard), stated it has disbursed 12,767 crore to State Co-operative Banks (StCBs) and Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) across the country to augment their resources for extending credit to farmers during the ongoing lockdown.
KVGB launches emergency loan facility for farmers
- The Dharwad-headquartered Karnataka Vikas Grameen Bank (KVGB) has launched an emergency loan facility for farmers. A maximum loan of up to 50,000 will be provided to meet unforeseen expenses. It is repayable within a period of three years.
PNB opens emergency credit line for MSMEs to enhance liquidity
- Punjab National Bank stated it has opened an emergency credit line for the MSME sector to help it tide over liquidity issues amid the coronavirus crisis.
- It has also liberalised the working capital assessment (LWCA) model for MSME borrowers having limits of Rs 5 crore
E-commerce platform launches QR-based contactless payments solution
- Gurgaon-based O2O commerce platform DOT is striving to tap the $1 trillion retail market in India through a host of merchant and consumer-focused commerce solutions. The platform has launched a QR-based contactless commerce and payment solution.
SBI cuts benchmark lending rate by 15 basis points
- The country’s largest lender, State Bank of India slashed benchmark lending rate by 15 basis points and introduced Special Deposit Scheme for senior citizens with higher interest rate. With that, the marginal cost of funds based lending rate comes down to 7.25 per cent, from 7.40 per cent with effect from 10th of May.
IMF Approves $18 Billion Emergency Financing For 50 Countries During COVID-19
- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has already authorised financial assistance for 50 member countries during the coronavirus pandemic, stated IMF Spokesperson Gerry Rice.
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to offer loan of $500 million to aid efforts
- Beijing-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank will offer a $500 million loan to aid India’s Covid-19 efforts. The financing will enable the Government of India to scale up efforts to limit the transmission of cases, strengthen the health system to expand its response capacity and enhance preparedness to manage future outbreaks, AIIB stated in a statement.
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RBI:
- Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Established: 1 April 1935
- Governor: Shaktikanta Das
HDFC:
- CEO: Aditya Puri
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Tagline :We understand your world
Suryoday Small Finance Bank :
- Baskar Babu Ramachandran : MD & CEO
- Head quarters :Navi Mumbai
- Tagline : A bank of smiles
NABARD:
- Founded: 12 July 1982
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Chairperson : Harsh Kumar Bhanwala
Karnataka Vikas Grameen Bank :
- Headquarters: Dharwad, Karnataka
- Chairman :Puttaganti Gopi Krishna
- Sponsor bank : Canara Bank
Punjab National Bank
- CEO: S. S. Mallikarjuna Rao
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Tagline : The name you can bank upon
SBI:
- Chairperson: Rajnish Kumar
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Tagline :Pure banking, nothing else” “With you- all the way” “A bank of the common man” “The banker to every indian”
IMF:
- Headquarters: Washington, D.C. U.S.
- Managing Director: Kristalina Georgieva
- Chief Economist : Gita Gopinath
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank:
- Headquarters: Beijing, China
- President :Jin Liqun
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
DBS Bank slashes India’s FY21 GDP forecast to 1%
- Singapore-based DBS Bank has cut India’s FY21 GDP forecast to 1 per cent vis-a-vis 1.5 per cent projected on April 9.
Silver Lake to buy stake in Jio Platforms
- Silver Lake, American private equity firm, has stated it will buy about 15% stake in Jio Platforms, weeks after Facebook invested $5.7 billion in the digital arm of Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Industries Ltd.
- Silver Lake announced it will be investing Rs 5,655.75 crore (about $746.8 million) in Jio Platforms
Moody’s Investors Service sees India’s economic growth at ‘zero’ in FY21
- Moody’s Investors Service stated it estimates India’s GDP growth to hit ‘zero’ in FY21 and pointed to a wide fiscal deficit, high government debt, weak social and physical infrastructure, and a fragile financial sector.
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DBS bank:
- CEO: Piyush Gupta
- Headquarters: Singapore
Silver Lake partners:
- Headquarters– California, United States
- Co-CEO and Managing Partner– Egon Durban
Moody’s Investors Service:
- Headquarters: New York, United States
- CEO: Raymond W. McDaniel Jr.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATES
Delhi police Commissioner launches initiative Ayuraksha- ‘Corona se jung – Delhi Police ke sang’
- Delhi police Commissioner S N Shrivastava launched Ayuraksha- ‘Corona se jung – Delhi Police ke sang’, a joint initiative by Delhi Police and All India Institute of Ayurveda, Ministry of AYUSH. The Ayurveda institute will maintain the health of front line COVID warriors like Delhi Police personnel through Ayurveda Immunity boosting measures. It will be implemented in a phase wise manner.
Sikkim CM launches portal to gather public feedback and suggestions on govt schemes
- Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang launched the www.sikkimgovtfeedback.org portal developed by the state Information and Public relations (IPR) Department to gather public feedback and suggestions on government schemes and general administration at Gangtok
AP government to release Rs.905 crore in dues to MSMEs, waive power charges for April, May
- The Andhra Pradesh government has waived the minimum power charges for all micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) for April and May in view of the lockdown.
- The government has also stated it will release all pending dues to MSMEs which have not been paid from 2014-15, amounting to 905 crore, in two tranches. In addition, Rs.200 crore will be provided as input capital to the firms at low-interest rates.
GI tag to Manipur black rice, Gorakhpur terracotta and Kovilpatti kadalai mittai
Chak-Hao(Manipur black rice)
- Chak-Hao, a scented glutinous rice which has been in cultivation in Manipur over centuries, is characterised by its special aroma. It is normally eaten during community feasts and is served as Chak-Hao kheer.
Gorakhpur terracotta
- In the case of Gorakhpur terracotta, the application was filed by Laxmi Terracotta Murtikala Kendra in Uttar Pradesh.
Kovilpatti kadalai mittai
- The famous Kovilpatti kadalai mittai has been granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
- The application was filed by the Kovilpatti Regional Kadalaimittai Manufacturers.
Tripura govt to launch agri entrepreneur facilitation desk to boost economy
- Tripura government has announced the launch of an agro-based entrepreneurship facilitation desk in a bid to boost primary sectors, such as agriculture, after nationwide lockdown restrictions, which were initially enforced nationwide since March 25 for 21 days and then further extended for another 19 days till May 3 to contain the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak, are lifted.
National Board for Wildlife Permits Coal Mining in Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve in Assam
- National Board for Wildlife has recommended that part of 59 hectares reserve forest land that is a part of Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve be used for opencast coal mining by North-Eastern Coal Field of Coal India Limited while the rest of the area may be considered for underground coal mining.
Maharashtra becomes first state in country to provide free and cashless insurance premium to people of the state
- Amid the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, the Maharashtra Government announced that cent per cent inclusion of population from the state will be provided free health treatment under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Aarogya Yojana
Kashmir saffron gets GI tag
- Kashmir saffron, which is cultivated and harvested in the Karewa (highlands) of Jammu and Kashmir, has been given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag by the Geographical Indications Registry. The spice is grown in some regions of Kashmir, including Pulwama, Budgam, Kishtwar and Srinagar.
UP govt makes Arogya Setu app must for those in hotspot areas
- Uttar Pradesh government has made it compulsory to download Arogya Setu app for those living in hotspot areas of the state. State government has issued instructions regarding opening of offices, and resuming work in industrial areas.
HP govt to launch employment scheme for urban areas
- The Himachal Pradesh government decided to launch a programme “Mukhya Mantri Shahari Rojgar Guarantee Yojna” guaranteeing at least 120 days’ employment to the those living in urban areas.
Chandigarh launches mobile app for COVID-19 “CHDCOVID”
- To spread awareness about COVID-19 in the city, the Chandigarh Administration launched a newly developed android base mobile app “CHDCOVID”
West Bengal govt launches exit app for stranded people of other statesics
- The West Bengal government launched an app, exit app for people from other states who are stranded in the state due to the lockdown and want to return to their native place, state Home secretary Alapan Bandopadhyay stated.
Jharkhand govt launches three schemes to boost rural employment
- The Jharkhand government launched three schemes under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in a bid to “revive the rural economy”, affected by the lockdown in view of COVID-19 pandemic.
- The three initiatives launched were the Birsa Harit Gram Yojana for rural plantations, Neelambar Pitambar JAL Sammridhi Yojana for water conservation and the Poto Ho Khel Vikas Scheme for making playgrounds.
Himachal Pradesh govt to launch ‘Nigah’ to aware family members of migrant returnees
- In Himachal pradesh, the state government is planning to launch a new programme Nigah, in order to sensitize and educate the family members of the people coming to the state from other parts of the country.
Andhra CM launches app to monitor agriculture needs of farmers
- Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy launched an app ‘CMAPP (Comprehensive Monitoring of Agriculture, Price, and Procurement)’, a mobile application to monitor the agriculture needs of farmers
Tripura CM launches online portal scholarships.gov.in
- In Tripura, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb has launched an online portal gov.in under ‘Mukhyamantri Yuba Yogayog Yojana’ at the state secretariat.
IIT launches a Covid-19 Test Bus in Mumbai — capable of conducting 5 million tests per month
- The Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) alumni council launched a COVID-19 test bus to carry out affordable and rapid testing in the dense urban areas of the city.
TN state government employees retirement age increased
- Tamil Nadu government has increased the retirement age of State Government employees to 59 from 58.
- This will also apply to all teachers in government and government-aided schools and colleges, and in State public sector undertakings.
Unique vehicle “Sanjeevani” developed at local level in Madhya Pradesh
- In Madhya Pradesh, in a first of its kind initiative, a unique vehicle has been developed at the local level. With the help of this vehicle, health workers can investigate any suspected patients without coming in to the contact of him. This vehicle has been named
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Delhi :
- Chief minister: Arvind Kejriwal
- Governor: Anil Baijal
Sikkim :
- Capital: Gangtok
- Chief minister: Prem Singh Tamang
- Governor :Ganga Prasad
Andhra Pradesh :
- Governor: Biswabhusan Harichandan
- Chief minister: Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy
- Capital: Amaravati
Tripura
- Capital– Agartala.
- Chief minister – Biplab Kumar Deb
- Governor– Ramesh Bias.
Assam
- Capital– Dispur
- Chief minister– Sarbananda Sonowal
- Governor– Jagdish Mukhi
Maharashtra
- Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari
- Capital: Mumbai
- Chief Minister :Uddhav Thackeray
Jammu And Kashmir:
- Capitals: Jammu (Winter), Srinagar (Summer)
- Lieutenant Governor : C. Murmu
Uttar Pradesh:
- Chief minister: Yogi Adityanath
- Governor: Anandiben Patel
- Capital: Lucknow
Himachal Pradesh
- Capital– Shimla
- Chief Minister(CM) -Jai Ram Thakur.
- Governor– Bandaru Dattatreya
Chandigarh
- Governor & Administrator- Shri.V.P. Singh Badnore
West Bengal:
- Governor: Jagdeep Dhankhar
- Capital: Kolkata
- Chief Minister: Mamata Banerjee
Jharkhand
- Capital– Ranchi
- CM- Hemant Soren
- Governor- Draupadi Murmu
Tamil Nadu:
- Capital: Chennai
- Chief minister: Edappadi K. Palaniswami
- Governor :Banwarilal Purohit
Madhya Pradesh
- Capital– Bhopal
- Chief Minister- Shivraj Singh Chouhan
- Governor– LaljiTandon
CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPS AND PORTALS
Over 325000 people are using “Janaushadhi Sugam” Mobile App to access Janaushadhi kendras
- Due to COVID-19 crisis Janaushadhi Sugam Mobile App is helping people in a big way to locate their nearest Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Kendra (PMJAK) and availability of affordable generic medicine with its price.
CSIR launches Kisan Sabha App to connect 5farmers to supply chain, transportation Management System
- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has launched Kisan Sabha App to connect farmers to supply chain and freight transportation Management System.
BharatPe launches two apps to curb need to touch handsets for checking transactions
- Merchant payment and lending network provider BharatPe launched two voice-based applications that will help account holders access transactions and balance without having to touch their phones amid COVID-19 outbreak.
Aarogya Setu Launches Mitr Telemedicine Portal For Consultations
- Arogya Setu a one-stop solution for all healthcare and Covid-19 prevention needs, the Indian government has launched a new Mitr portal to offer free telemedicine and consultation services for coronavirus-related inquiries.
Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Shri Narendra Singh Tomar launches “The Saras Collection” on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal
- The Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj and Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, launched “The Saras Collection” on the Government e Marketplace (GeM)
Swachhata -MOHUA app -A citizen’s tool to better city management
- Swachhata MOHUA app is a highly popular grievance redressal tool for citizens and under the ambit of the Swachh Bharat mission (Urban) , already it has has over 1.7 crore urban users across the country.
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath launches ‘Ayush Kavach-Covid’ App
- Yogi Adityanath launched ‘Ayush Kavach-Covid’ app to help people get health remedies which can be useful in fight against COVID-19. The app has been developed by AYUSH ministry
DGCA launches GARUD portal to fast-track approval to COVID-19 related drone operations
- Civil Aviation Ministry and DGCA have launched the GARUD (Government Authorisation for Relief Using Drones) portal for providing fast track conditional exemptions to government agencies for COVID-19 related drone operations.
Dr. Harsh Vardhan launches the ‘AYUSH Sanjivani ’ App and inter-disciplinary studies involving AYUSH interventions for COVID 19
- Harsh Vardhan, Union Health & Family Welfare Minister launched the ‘AYUSH Sanjivani’ App and two AYUSH based studies related to COVID-19 situation in the presence of Shri Shripad Yesso Naik, MoS (I/c), AYUSH who participated through Video Conferencing from Goa.
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Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
- Established: 26 September 1942
- President: Prime Minister of India
- Head Quarters : New Delhi
- Director General: Shekhar C. Mande
BharatPe
- CEO & Co-Founder– Ashneer Grover
- Headquarters– New Delhi
Ministry of Rural Development :
- Narendra Singh Tomar, Cabinet Minister
- Constituency : Morena, Madhya Pradesh
- Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Minister of State
MOHUA
- Hardeep Singh Puri- Civil Aviation Minister and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in India.
- Constituency-Lost in Lok sabha ( Amristar)
Directorate General of Civil Aviation:
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Arun Kumar, IAS, Director General
AYUSH Ministry
- Minister of State (Independent Charge)– Shripad Yesso Naik
- Constituency- North Goa
MeitY
- Union Minister– Ravi Shankar Prasad
- Constituency- Patna Sahib
- Minister of State– Sanjay Dhotre
CURRENT AFFAIRS: COMMITTEE
Irdai sets up panel to draft standard professional indemnity policy for insurance intermediaries
- Regulator Irdai has set up a panel to frame standard professional indemnity policy for insurance intermediaries that can be issued by all the insurers.
MCA constitutes 7-member panel to enhance audit independence
- The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has constituted a seven-member committee to examine the comments received on the consultation paper floated by it for enhancing audit independence and accountability in the country.
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IRDAI
- Headquarters– Hyderabad, Telangana.
- Chairman– Subhash Chandra Khuntia
MCA
- Union Minister– Nirmala Sitharaman
- Constituency- Karnataka
- Minister of State– Anurag Singh Thakur
CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOU
IIT Hyderabad Partners With Hong Kong Financial Capital Firm To Create Venture Ecosystem
- The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad has planned to collaborate with a Hong Kong-based financial firm New Frontier Capital Management, to establish a global network for ventures as well as to create a venture ecosystem.
Facebook and Bollywood collaborate on ‘I FOR INDIA’ concert
- Social media networking site Facebook has collaborated with some of the biggest names in Indian entertainment to put together a home-to-home fundraiser concert, ‘I For India’
CCMB ties up with Bengaluru-based company to research on COVID-19
- Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad has tied up with a Bengaluru-based company, Eyestem Research Private Limited, to take up research activities on COVID-19.
CSIR’s IGIB, Tata Sons sign agreement for licensing of KNOW-HOW for rapid, accurate diagnosis of COVID-19
- The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR),constituent lab Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB) and Tata Sons have signed an agreement for licensing of KNOW-HOW for rapid and accurate diagnosis of COVID-19.
PNB Housing Finance signs MoU with IIT Delhi
- To support R&D for reusable PPE to be supplied to government hospitals. PNB Housing Finance has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIT Delhi (Indian Institute of Technology).
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Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB):
- Director: Rakesh Mishra
- Head quarters: Hyderabad
PNB Housing Finance :
- Headquarters :New Delhi, India
- Neeraj vyas :Managing Director
CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS
Former Axis Bank CEO Shikha Sharma named advisor to Google Pay India
- Google Pay India named Shikha Sharma, former Axis Bank CEO, as an advisor to digital payments app.
- Google Pay has been leading UPI Payments adoption in India.
Suresh K Reddy is India’s new ambassador to Brazil
- Shri Suresh K. Reddy , presently Additional Secretary in the Ministry, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Federative Republic of Brazil.
- An IFS officer of 1991 batch. He is expected to take up the assignment shortly.
Atsushi Ogata appointed as President, MD and CEO of HMSI
- Japanese auto major Honda Motor Co stated it has appointed Atsushi Ogata as new President, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) of Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) with immediate effect.
Jacqueline Hughes takes charge as Director-General of ICRISAT
- Jacqueline d’Arros Hughes, a plant health expert, has taken charge as Director-General of the Hyderabad-based International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)
Ajay Tirkey assumes charge as Secretary of WCD Ministry
- Ajay Tirkey, an Indian administrative Service officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre belonging to 1987 batch, assumed charge as Secretary in Ministry of Women and Child Development. He succeeds Rabindra Panwar who retired
Yes Bank Appoints Neeraj Dhawan As Chief Risk Officer
- Yes Bank has appointed Neeraj Dhawan as its Chief Risk Officer with immediate effect.
- He has 29 years of experience in financial services and banking industry.
Ramesh Babu appointed as NTPC Director (Operations)
- NTPC has appointed Ramesh Babu V as Director (Operations). As Director (Operations), Babu will be responsible for the overall planning of safe, reliable and efficient operations of all power generating stations of the NTPC Group while ensuring fuel security and environmental compliance of these power stations.
President Trump nominates Indian-American as US representative to IBRD
- US President Donald Trump has nominated Indian-American Ashok Michael Pinto as a representative to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Pinto was nominated as US Alternate Executive Director of IBRD for a term of two years.
Sriram Venkataraman will be new Flipkart Commerce CFO
- Walmart-owned Flipkart has appointed Sriram Venkataraman as chief financial officer (CFO) for the commerce division (Flipkart and Myntra) of India’s homegrown company.
Senior diplomat Rahul Chhabra appointed economic relations secretary in MEA
- Senior diplomat Rahul Chhabra has been appointed as the economic relations secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs.
Max Bupa appoints Krishnan Ramachandran as MD, CEO
- Max Bupa Health Insurance has appointed Krishnan Ramachandran as its new managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO). He succeeds Ashish Mehrotra
Indian-American attorney Saritha Komatireddy nominated by Trump as US federal court judge
- US President Donald Trump nominated an Indian-American attorney Saritha Komatireddy to a federal court in New York.
- Earlier, she has clerked under the former judge of the same district, Brett Kavanaugh.
Government nominates Tarun Bajaj as Director on Board of RBI
- The Central Government has nominated Tarun Bajaj, Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India, as a Director on the Central Board of Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury reappointed PAC chairperson
- Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has been reappointed as chairperson of the Parliament’s public accounts committee (PAC).
DPS Negi takes over as Director General Labour Bureau
- Indian Economic Services officer D P S Negi took charge as Director General of Labour Bureau in the Ministry of Labour and Employment replaces BN Nandha
Iraqi Parliament choses Mustafa Al Kadhimi as new Prime Minister
- Iraq’s Parliament chose an American-backed former Intelligence Chief, Mustafa al-Kadhimi as the new Prime Minister
Dia Mirza’s tenure as UNEP Goodwill Ambassador extended till 2022
- The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) extended environmentalist and actor-producer Dia Mirza’s term as its National Goodwill Ambassador for another two years till the end of
- Dia, who is also a United Nations Sustainability Development Goals Advocate.
Danseuse Leela Samson to head JCB Prize for Literature 2020 jury
- Leela Samson will head the five-member jury that also includes Aruni Kashyap, Tejaswini Niranjana, Ramu Ramanathan and Deepika Sorabjee to head JCB prize for literature
Indian Cricketer Ajinkya Rahane becomes brand ambassador for edtech company ELSA Corp
- ELSA Corp (English Language Speech Assistant Corporation), India a global Edu-tech company has announced the appointment of Ajinkya Rahane, the Vice-Captain of the Indian Cricket Test Team, as its brand ambassador for India, Middle East, ANZ & SAARC.
- ELSA Speak is a Mobile App, which uses speech recognition technology and artificial intelligence (A.I.) to help language learners improve their English pronunciation.
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Flipkart:
- Founded: October 2007
- CEO: Kalyan Krishnamurthy
- Head quarters: Bengaluru
Ministry of External Affairs:
- Subrahmanyam Jaishankar (Minister)
- Constituency : Gujarat , Rajya Sabha
- Muraleedharan (Minister of State)
Iraq
- Capital- Baghdad
- Currency- Iraqi dinar
- President- Barham Salih
United Nations Environment Programme
- Headquarters– Nairobi, Kenya
- Executive Director– Inger Andersen
Brazil :
- Capital: Brasilia
- President: Jair Bolsonaro
- Currency: Brazilian real
Honda :
- Headquarters : Minato, Tokyo, Japan
- Toshiaki Mikoshiba : chairman
Ministry of Women and Child Development
- Smriti Zubin Irani, Cabinet Minister
- Debasree Chaudhuri, Minister of State
- Constituency :Amethi
Yes Bank
- Headquarters- Mumbai
- CEO- Prashant Kumar
- Tagline- Experience our Expertise.
National Thermal Power Corporation
- Headquarters– New Delhi.
- Chairman and Managing Director (CMD)– Shri Gurdeep Singh.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS
Manipuri Doctor Conferred ‘Order of Rising Sun’ by Japan
- Thangjam Dhabali Singh from Manipur has been conferred the ‘Order of Rising Sun’ by the Japan government for promoting a better understanding of Japan in India and deepening ties between the two countries.
IIT Madras professor, Padma Shri awardee chosen for Nikkei Asia Prizes 2020 for clean water tech at Rs 2 per litre
- IT Madras professor T Pradeep, a 2020 Padma Shri Awardee, was chosen for the prestigious Nikkei Asia Prizes 2020 in ‘Science and Technology’ category for his pioneering work in nanotechnology-based water purification
Ramayan sets world record, becomes most viewed entertainment programme globally
- The epic mythological show Ramayan, by Ramanand Sagar, has scripted new world wide record of becoming the most watched entertainment programme in the world in 2020 as of April 16.
Ross Taylor bags New Zealand Cricketer of the year award
- Veteran batsman Ross Taylor bagged the prestigious New Zealand Cricketer of the Year award, winning the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal for the third time for excelling across formats
American Academy of Arts and Sciences elects three Indians
- Three Indians have been elected for the prestigious membership of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences this year.
- Two of them are in the sciences: Biman Bagchi, Shobhana Narasimhan and Kavita Singh, has been selected for the Humanities and Arts stream
J&K photojournalists secure Pulitzer 2020 for ‘striking images of life’
- Associated Press news agency’s photographers Dar Yasin, Mukhtar Khan, and Channi Anand secured the 2020 Pulitzer Prize in feature photography for covering the crackdown in Kashmir post the revocation of Article 370, as per media reports.
Vladimir Putin awards commemorative World War II medal to Kim Jong-un
- Russian President Vladimir Putin has awarded Kim Jong-un a commemorative war medal marking the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany.
Star Air’s MD Shrenik Ghodawat Earns A Prominent Asian Award
- AsiaOne recently honoured noted entrepreneur, Shrenik Ghodawat with the “40 Most Influential Asian Under 40″ recognition, which is considered as one of the most admired recognitions in the entire Asian region amongst the business community.
IIT Bombay Professor Lodha Receives Young Career Award In Nano Science And Technology
- Professor Saurabh Lodha from Electrical Engineering, IIT Bombay, has received the Young Career Award in Nano Science and Technology for the year 2020 instituted by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India.
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Japan
- Capital– Tokyo.
- Currency– yen.
- Prime Minister (PM)– Shinzo Abe.
New Zealand :
- Prime minister: Jacinda Ardern
- Capital: Wellington
- Currency :New Zealand dollar ($) (NZD)
Russia
- Capital– Moscow.
- Currency– Russian ruble.
North Korea
- Capital– Pyongyang.
- Currency– North Korean won.
DST
- Secretary– Ashutosh Sharma
- Headquarters– New Delhi
CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING
India lose top spot in ICC Test rankings for first time since October 2016
- In the latest update, that rates all matches played since May 2019 at 100 per cent and those of the previous two years at 50 per cent, Australia (116) have taken over from India as the top ranked side in the ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings with New Zealand (115) remaining in second place. India are now third with 114 points.
India is placed 3rd among countries in scientific publication
- India’s gross expenditure in R&D has tripled between 2008 & 2018 driven mainly by Govt sector and scientific publications have risen placing the country internationally among the top few.
- The report shows that with the rise in publication, the country is globally at the 3rd position on this score as per the NSF database, 3rd in the number of Ph.D. in science & engineering. The number of researchers per million population has doubled since 2000.
IAMAI’s latest report states India has more internet users in rural areas than urban
- Internet users in rural areas surpassed those in urban areas for the first time, according to the ‘Digital in India’ report by the Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI).
- As of last November, there were 227 million active internet users in rural areas which is 10% more than around 205 million in urban areas. In total, India had 504 million active internet users.
Delhi ranks top in Internet penetration, Kerala comes second
- Delhi has registered the highest Internet penetration, while Kerala ranks second, according to a study by Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI)
Unemployment rate soars to 27.11% amid COVID-19 pandemic: CMIE
- India’s unemployment rate surged to 11 per cent for the week ended May 3 from the level of 6.74 per cent in the week ended March 15.The data is from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE)
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ICC:
- Chairperson: Shashank Manohar
- Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- CEO: Manu Sawhney
IAMAI
- Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Chairman– Amit Agarwal
- President– Subho Ray
CMIE
- Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Chairman– S A Dave
- Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer – Mahesh Vyas
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SUMMITS AND CONFERENCE
Ministry of Tourism hosts 13th webinar titled ‘Destination- Sariska Tiger reserve’ of “Dekho Apna Desh” series
- The 13th session of Ministry of Tourism’s Dekho ApnaDesh webinar titled, ‘Destination- Sariska Tiger reserve’ was a presentation and virtual tour of wildlife adventure, safari experience for the traveller within the Sariska Tiger Reserve’ in Alwar district, Rajasthan
Union Minister Jitendra Singh Addresses Bamboo Conclave via Video-conference
- Union Minister for the Development of the North Eastern Region (DoNER), Jitendra Singh, addressed a Bamboo Conclave through video conference to discuss how country’s bamboo reserve can help strengthen its economy.
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DoNER
- Minister of State for the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region and Minister of State for Prime Minister’s Office; Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions; Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space- Jitendra Singh
- Constituency- Udhampur, J&K
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Alabama teen names NASA’s pioneering Mars Helicopter “ Ingenuity”
- NASA’s Mars Helicopter Ingenuity will be the first aircraft to fly in a controlled way on another planet.
- Vaneeza Rupani, a junior at Tuscaloosa County High School in Northport, Alabama, came up with the name and the motivation behind it during NASA’s “Name the Rover” essay contest.
Microwave steriliser developed to disintegrate COVID-19
- Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, Pune has developed a microwave steriliser named as ATULYA to disintegrate COVID-19.
- The virus gets disintegrated by differential heating in the range of 56 degree to 60 degree Celsius temperatures.
DST launches programme on health & risk communication with focus on COVID-19
- National Council for Science & Technology Communication (NCSTC), Department of Science & Technology (DST) has launched a programme on health and risk communication ‘Year of Awareness on Science & Health (YASH)’ withfocus on COVID-19.
DRDO develops Ultra Violet Disinfection Tower for rapid and chemical free disinfection
- Defence Research and Development Organisation, DRDO has developed an Ultra Violet Disinfection Tower for rapid and chemical free disinfection of high infection prone areas. Defence Ministry stated, the equipment named UV blaster is an Ultra violet based area sanitiser designed and developed by Laser Science and Technology Centre.
ICMR to leverage IBM’s virtual agent Watson to enable rapid response to Covid-19 testing facilities
- Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, have collaborated with tech giant IBM on a virtual assistant to bolster Rapid Response to India’s Frontline Testing Facilities on Covid-19.
Astronomers Find Jupiter-Like Cloud Bands On Closest Brown Dwarf
- A team of astronomers has discovered that the closest known brown dwarf, Luhman 16A, shows signs of cloud bands similar to those seen on Jupiter and Saturn.
- Brown dwarfs are objects heavier than planets but lighter than stars and typically have 13 to 80 times the mass of Jupiter.
IIT- Kanpur joins hands with Bharat Dynamics Ltd for development of affordable ventilators for Covid-19 treatment
- Bharat Dynamics Ltd. (BDL), a defence public sector undertaking, has come forward for large scale manufacturing of the ventilators developed by Nocca Robotics, an incubated start-up of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-K) Kanpur
IIT Delhi start-up develops mask that can be reused upto 50 times
- Nanosafe Solutions have developed ‘NSafe masks’ that can be re-used for upto 50 times.
- Nanosafe Solutions is a startup of FITT (Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer) at IIT Delhi
STATIC GK
DRDO:
- Minister responsible : Rajnath Singh, Minister of Defence
- Dr G. Satheesh Reddy, Chairman, DRDO
- Headquarters : New Delhi
ICMR:
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Secretary & Director General: Dr. Balram Bhargava
- Founded: 1911
BDL:
- Corporate Office– Hyderabad, Telangana
- Chairman & Managing Director – Siddharth Mishra
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BOOKS AND AUTHORS
The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir by John Bolton
- The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir is an upcoming memoir by John Bolton, who served as national security adviser for U.S. President Donald Trump. It is Published by Simon & Schuster.
- The date of the book release has been pushed back from May 12, 2020 to June 23, 2020, on com and Barnes & Noble bookseller company
Shivaji in South Block: The Unwritten History of a Proud People by Girish Kuber
- Shivaji in South Block: The Unwritten History of a Proud People, journalist Girish Kuber talks about Maharashtra’s politics, history and society
Prahlad Singh Patel releases e-book “Prof. B. B. Lal -India Rediscovered”
- On the occasion of centenary year of great archaeologist Professor B. Lal, Union Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel released an e-book “Prof. B. B. Lal -India Rediscovered” in New Delhi.
Biography of Captain Vijyant Thapar “Vijyant at Kargil: The Life of a Kargil Hero”
- The e-book, which will be released on May 15, is titled as “Vijyant at Kargil: The Life of a Kargil Hero”. Penned by Vijyant’s father Colonel VN Thapar and writer Neha Dwivedi, a martyr’s daughter herself, the book has been published by Penguin Random House.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING
Chhattisgarh tops among other states in providing employment to workers under MGNREGS
- Chhattisgarh has topped the list of states in providing employment to over 18 lakh unskilled labourers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)
- Around 77.85 lakh people are engaged in different work under the scheme across the country.
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Defence Institute of Advanced Technology
- Founded: 1952
- Chancellor: Rajnath Singh
- Vice-Chancellor: Dr. CP Ramnarayanan
CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE
Indian Navy launches Operation Samudra Setu to repatriate Indian citizens from overseas
- Indian Navy has launched Operation Samudra Setu – meaning Sea Bridge, as a part of national effort to repatriate Indian citizens from overseas. Indian Naval Ships Jalashwa and Magar are presently enroute to Malè in Maldives to commence evacuation operations from as part of Phase-1.
STATIC GK
Indian navy:
- Commander-in-Chief : President Ram Nath Kovind
- Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS): Admiral Karambir Singh,
- Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (VCNS): Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar,
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS
Sania Mirza Becomes First Indian To Get Nominated For Fed Cup Heart Award
- Indian tennis star Sania Mirza became the first Indian to be nominated for the Fed Cup Heart Award from the Asia/Oceania zone along with Indonesia’s Priska Medelyn Nugrorho.
ISL side FC Goa appoints Spaniard Juan Ferrando as new head coach
- FC Goa appointed Spaniard Juan Ferrando as the club’s new head coach for the upcoming Indian Super League (ISL) season and AFC Champions League campaign. A UEFA Pro License holder, Ferrando will replace Sergio Lobera, another Spaniard, who was sacked in January midway last season. Former India player and assistant coach Clifford Miranda was guiding the team till the end of the season.
PSG crowned Ligue 1 champions as season ended amid coronavirus crisis
- Paris St Germain have been awarded their seventh Ligue 1 title in eight years after the season was ended amid the COVID-19 crisis, the French League (LFP) stated .
Former world snooker champion Peter Ebdon retires to avoid spinal surgery
- Former World Snooker champion Peter Ebdon has retired from the sport to avoid having to endure daunting spinal surgery.
- The 49-year-old, who has been plagued by neck, back, shoulder and arm pain, won the 2002 world title, beating Stephen Hendry in an 18-17 final thriller. He was also a two-time runner-up.
Australia bans use of saliva as sports activities set to return
- Australia banned saliva and sweat to shine the cricket ball as the federal government released guidelines for the gradual return of professional and recreational sport in the coronavirus pandemic, cricket website ESPNCricinfo reported.
Commonwealth Youth Games 2021 rescheduled to 2023
- The 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games was postponed to 2023 because of clash of dates with Tokyo Olympics, which has been pushed back by a year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
World Championships 2021 postponed to November-December, to be held in Carolina Marin Stadium
- The Badminton World Federation (BWF) announced that the World Championships in 2021 is being moved from August to later in the year. The prestigious tournament is now scheduled to be held from November 29 to December 5 at the Carolina Marin Stadium in Huelva, Spain.
Discus thrower Sandeep Kumari gets 4-year ban for dope flunk
- Discus thrower Sandeep Kumari has been slapped with a four-year ban by WADA’s Athletics Integrity Unit for flunking a dope test, nearly two years after her sample was deemed clean by the NDTL.
FINA postpones 2021 Fukuoka world championships to May 2022
- The 2021 World Aquatics Championships in Japan will now be held in 2022, the sport’s governing body FINA stated in a statement.
Egyptian tennis player Youssef Hossam follows brother in receiving life ban for match-fixing
- Egyptian player Youssef Hossam has been banned from professional tennis for life for match-fixing, two years after his brother was also permanently excluded from the sport on corruption charges.
STATIC GK
Australia:
- Capital: Canberra
- Currency: Australian dollar
- Prime Minister : Scott Morrison
Badminton World Federation (BWF):
- Headquarters: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Founded: 5 July 1934
- President: Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen
FINA:
- President– Julio C. Maglione
- Founded– July 29, 1908
- Headquarters– Lausanne, Switzerland
Egypt:
- President: Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
- Capital: Cairo
- Currency: Egyptian pound
CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARY
Freedom Fighter Hema Bharali Passes Away
- Assam born freedom fighter and Padma Shri Hema Bharali passed away.
- Hema Bharali is an Indian freedom activist, social worker, Sarvodaya leader and Gandhian, known for her contributions for the empowerment of women and efforts towards the upliftment of the socially and financially challenged sections of the society.
Legendary footballer Chuni Goswami passes away at 82
- Legendary Footballer Chuni Goswami died in Kolkata after prolonged illness. He was 82. Chuni Goswami was the captain of gold medal winning Indian footballteam of Jakarta Asiad held in 1962.
South African anti-apartheid veteran Denis Goldberg passes away
- Veteran South African anti-apartheid activist Denis Goldberg, who was tried alongside Nelson Mandela, has passed away at the age of 87.
Writer and columnist RV Smith passes away
- Eminent author and columnist Ronald Vivian Smith, who is best known for his writings on Delhi passed away. Author to several books on Delhi, of which The Delhi That No One Knows was a bestseller, Smith also wrote poetry and romantic novels like Jasmine Nights & The Taj.
Judicial Member, Lokpal of India, Justice Ajay Kumar Tripathi passes away
- Judicial Member, Lokpal of India, Justice Ajay Kumar Tripathi passed away after having breathing problems.
Veteran Kannada poet, writer Nissar Ahmed passes away
- Eminent poet and Kannada writer Padma Shri K S Nissar Ahmed passed away.
- His notable works are ‘Nityotsava’, ‘Manasu Gandhi Bazaru’, ‘Sanje Aidara Male’ and ‘Manadondige Mathukathe’.
Ex-Union min Dalit Ezhilmalai passes away
- Former Union Minister and former organising secretary of AIADMK, Dalit Ezhilmalai (74) passed away of a cardiac arrest.