CHRONICLE MARCH 2019

NEWS NOTES

Sultan Abdullah

·      Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, the ruler of the Malaysian state of Pahang, has been named as 16^th Yang di-Pertuan Agong (king) for a period of five years starting from January 31, 2019.

·      He was chosen on 24^th January, 2019 to replace Sultan Muhammad V of Kelantan, who stepped down recently, making it the first abdication in Malaysia's history.

 

Stefan Lofven

·      He ended a 4-month political vacuum on 18^th January, 2019 when lawmakers elected him as Prime Minister to a second term.

·      Unnder Sweden's political system, a government can only operate as long as a majority of lawmakers do not vote it down.

Manu Sawhney

·      The International Cricket Council (ICC) on 15^th January, 2019 appointed Manu Sawhney as the organization's new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

·      He will replace David Richardson, whose contact will expire at the end of World Cup.

Satyarup Siddhanta

·      Satyarup Siddhanta from Kolkata has created a world record by becoming the world's youngest mountaineer to climb the 7 highest mountains and the 7 highest volcanoes in 7 years.

Su Tseng-chang

·      Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has appointed Su Tseng-chang as prime Minister, on 10^th January, 2019 during a Cabinet reshuffle following the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's heavy losses in local elections.

Vijay Mallya

·      Vijay Mallya has become the first businessman to be declared "Fugitive Economic Offender (FEO)" under the provisions of the new Fugitive Economic Offender Act, 2018

Arunima Sinha

·      Arunima Sinha, the world's first amputee to climb Mount Everest in 2013, now has become the first female amputee to climb Mount Vinson, the highest peak in Antarctica.

Jair Bolsonaro

·      Jair Bolsonaro on 01^st January, 2019 was sworn in as Brazil's president in a ceremony at Brazil's National Congress Building in Brasilia.

Sanjiv Khanna

·      Justice Sanjiv Khanna was sworn in as Supreme Court Judge on 18^th January, 2019.

·      Maheshwari and Khanna were selected by the collegiums after Justice Arun Mishra replaced Justice Madan B Lokur, who demitted office in December, 2018.

Dinesh Maheshwari

·      Justice Dinesh Maheshwari was sworn in as Supreme Court Judge on 18^th January, 2019.

·      Justice Maheshwari was sworn in first, followed by Justice Khanna.

TBN Radhakrishnan

·      Justice Thottathil Bhaskaran Nair Radhakrishnan was sworn in as the first Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court on 1^st January, 2019.

·      Later, Justice Radhakrishnan administered the oath of office to 12 justice of Telangana High Court.

Krishna Sobti

·      Krishna Sobti, recipient of Sahitya Akademi, Jnanpith Awards and an unparalleled figure in Hindi Literature died on 25^th January, 2019.

·      Some of her celebrated works incudes: Daar Se Bichhudi, Mitro Marjani, Zindaginama, Dil-o-Danish, Badalom ke Ghere, Ai Ladki and Gujarat Pakistan Se Gujarat Hindustan.

Masazo Nonaka

·      Guinness World Record Holder "world's oldest man", Masazo Nonaka of Japan, died at the age of 113 on 20^th January, 2019 at his home in the north of Japan's Hokkaido Island.

DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 2018

·      DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 2018 was awarded to Jayant Kakini & Tejaswini Niranjana for a short story collection titled "No Presents Please" on 25^th January, 2019 at the Tata Steel Kolkata Literary Meet.

·      In the above mentioned award ceremony, US $25,000 DSC Prize was awarded to them along with a unique trophy presented by the eminent writer Ruskin Bond.

Japan Prize 2019

·      India born professor Dr. Rattan Lal, along with Dr. Yosio Okamoto was chosen as the recipient of the 2019 Japan Prize in the fields of "Materials, Prroduction" and Biological Production, Ecology".

Phillip Kotler Presidential Award

·      PM Narendra Modi, on 14^th January, 2019 was awarded the 1^st Philip Kotler Presidential award, in New Delhi by the World marketing Summit India.

·      This Award focuses on the triple-bot-tom-line of 'People, Profit, and Planet'.

·      It will be offered annually to the leader of a Nation.

Gandhi Peace Prize

·      The Government on 16^th January, 2019 announced the names of the winner of the Gandhi Peace Prize for 2015 to 2018.

·      This award is presented to individuals/institutions for their contribution towards social, economic and political transformation through non-violence and other Gandhian methods.

·      For 2015: Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari for their contribution in rural development, and education.

·      For 2016: Akshaya Patra Foundation for providing mid-day meals to children across India and Sulabh International for its work towards emancipation of manual scavengers.

·      For 2017: Ekal Abhiyan Trust for their contribution in providing education for ruraland tribal children.

·      For 2018: Yohei Sasakawa, for his role in leprosy eradication in India.

Sushila Devi Literature Award

·      The 1^st edition of Bhopal Literature and Art Festival on 09^th January, 2019 named writer Namita Gokhale as the winner of 'Sushila Devi Literature Award' for her novel " Things to Leave Behind".

Raisina Dialogue

·      Ministry of External Affairs with Observer Research Foundation jointly organized the 4^th edition of the Raisina Dialogue which took place from 08^th to 10^th January, 2019 in New Delhi.

·      The theme of the Dialogue was "A World Reorder: New Geometries; Fluid Partnerships; Uncertain Outcomes".

Indian Science Congress

·      The 106^th session of Indian Science Congress (ISC), 2019 was held from 03^rd to 07^th January, 2019 in Jalandhar, Punjab.

·      The theme for this event was "Future: India-Science and Technology" which showcased what is being done, what can be done and what would define the future of S & T in India.

State Tiger Protection Force (STPF)

·      The Telangana government has decided to form a 112 member armed 'State Tiger Protection Force' (STPF) to protect Tiger population in Amarabad and Kawal Tiger Reserves.

·      The State and Central Government will share the cost of the force on 40:60 basis.

Committee on Group Insolvency

·      The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of |India (IBBI) has set up an 11-member committee under the Chairmanship of former SEBI chief UK Sinha to recommend a complete regulatory framework to facilitate insolvency resolution and liquidation of debtors in a corporate group within the IBC.

·      The committee with 7-members and 4-invitees will submit its report within 2 months of its constitution, as per the IBBI.

Committee to Boost Digital Payments

·      Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has constituted a High-Level committee on Deepening of Digital Payments to encourage digitization of payments and enhance financial inclusion.

·      The five-member committee will be headed by UIDAI's former Chairman Nandan Nilekani.

Expect Panel on MSMEs

·      The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 02^nd January, 2019 set up an expert committee under former SEBI chairman U.K. Sinha to suggest long-term solutions for the economic and financial sustainability of the MSME sector.

·      The Expert Committee will submit its report by the end of June, 2019.

Bloomberg Innovation Index 2019

·      India was ranked 54^th in the list of most innovative countries in the world with a score of 47.93 out of 100 in 2019 'Bloomberg Innovation Index' of 60 economies.

·      South Korea has topped the Index for the sixth time in a row with a total score of 87.38, followed by Germany and Finland.

Corruption Perception Index 2018

·      The Corruption Perception Index 2018 was released by the anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International on 29^th January, 2019.

·      As per the Index, India had marginally improved its score to 41 (from 40 in2017), and its position to 78 out of 180 countries in 2018.

·      New Zealand and Singapore scored the highest scores with 89 and 84 out of 100, respectively. Somalia was found to be in the most corrupt country in the world.

World Steel Associations Report

·      As per the report, India has jumped ahead of Japan to become the world's 2^nd largest steel producing country in the world. While China is still on top with its crude steel production in 2018.

Global Talent Competitiveness Index 2019

·      India has moved up one position to rank 80^th on the Global Talent Competitive Index (GTCI) 2019, but struggles among the BRICS nations.

·      China emerges the top among the BRICS nations. As per the report, India's biggest challenge is to improve its ability to attract and retain talent.

·      The top 5 countries in the list are: Switzerland, Singapore, U.S.A, Norway and Denmark.

Democracy Index 2019

·      The 11^th edition of Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) Democracy Index 2019 has ranked India at 41. India's ranking has dropped dramatically from the 27^th rank in 2014 to 41^st in 2019.

·      As many as 167 countries were ranked wherein Norway, Iceland, Sweden, New Zealand and Denmark topped the list.

Henley Passport Index 2019

·      According to the Henley Passport Index, India jumped two positions from 81^st in 2018 to 79^th in 2019.

·      Japan retained its top spot as the world's most travel-friendly passport due to the document's access to 190 countries.

·      The Henley Passport Index is based on data provided by the International Air Transport Authority (IATA) and covers 199 passports and 227 travel destinations.

ACI's Ease Of Doing Business Index

·      Andhra Pradesh topped the Asia Competitiveness Institute (ACI), Singapore's 2018 Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) Index of 21 states of India, while Maharashtra and Delhi came in second and third place, respectively.

"Jiban Sampark Project"

·      Odisha CM on 26^th January, 2019 announced "Jiban Sampark Project" in partnership with UNICEF India to generate awareness about the development and welfare initiatives of the state government among the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) of the State.

·      The focus areas will include skill development, empowering communities, cooperation and innovation among the groups of PVTGs in our country.

Adivasi Mela

·      Odisha CM on 26^th January, 2019 inaugurated the 15-day long annual Tribal Fair aka Adivasi Mela in Bhubhaneshwar, Odisha.

15^th Edition of PBD

·         The 15^th edition of Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PBD) was held from 21^st to 23^rd January, 2019 in the holy city of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.

·         This year's theme was "Role of Indian Diaspora in building New India". This mega event was organized by the Ministry of External Affairs in association with UP government.

INS Kohassa at Andaman

·         Indian Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba on 24^th January, 2019 commissioned the new Naval Air Base INS Kohassa in Diglipur, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

·         This will be our country's 3^rd Naval Air facility after INS Utkarsh at Port Blair and INS Baaz at Campbell Bay in the Andaman.

Museum of Indian Cinema (NMIC)

·         PM Modi on 19^th January, 2019 inaugurated the National Museum of Indian Cinema (NMIC) in Peddar Road, Mumbai.

·         The Museum was constructed under the guidance of Museum Advisory Committee headed by Shyam Benegal, and an innovative committee headed by Prasoon Joshi.

·         The museum is housed in 2-buildings- the new museum building and the 19^th century historic palace Gulshan Mahal-in the Films Division Campus.

"One Family, One job" Scheme

·         Sikkim CM on 12^th January, 2019 launched the "One Job" scheme which entitles one government job for every family in the State.

·         At a "Rojgar Mela" organized at the Paljor Stadium, Gangtok, over 12,000 unemployed youths were handed out letters on 12^th January, 2019.

Virat Kohli bags 3 Major Awards

·         Virat Kohli on 22^nd January, 2019 was named as the first player in history to win the ICC Cricketer of the year, the ICC Test and ODI Player of the year awards.

Nari Skakti Word of the Year

·         On 26^th January, 2019, the Oxford Dictionary announced "Nari Shakti" as the Hindi Word of the Year.

·         The panelists felt that Nari Shakti was the perfect word as many events of the past years showed change for women in India towards a future which is all about equality and partnerships.

"The Republic Of Northern Macedonia"

·         The Parliament of Macedonia has passed the resolution to amend the constitution of the country to rename it as "The Republic of Northern Macedonia".

CHRONICLE FEBRUARY 2019

NEWS NOTES

Sheikh Hasina  

·   Bangladesh 's ruling alliance won almost all the seats in the parliament in the country's general election, giving Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina  a third term.

·   The coalition led by Hasina's Awami League won 288 out of 300 seats -96%- in polls. The National Unity Front the opposition alliance led by lawyer kamal Hossain won only 7 seats .

 

Patrick Shanahan

·     US President Donald Trump on 23rd December announced that he would replace Defence Secretary Jim Mattis with his deputy Patrick Shanahan as acting Pentagon chief from 1^st January 2019.

 

Charles Michel

·         Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel resigned amidst pressure on his government over his support for the 'Global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration 'signed in Marrakesh .

Ranil Wickremesinghe

·     Mr. Ranil  Wickremesinghe on 16^th December, 2018  was reinstated as PM of Sri Lanka, almost two months after he was sacked by President Maithripala  Sirisena . Thus, ending the seizure and restoring democracy to its place.

Catriona Gray

·   Ms. Catriona Gray was named Miss Universe 2018, in a pageant held in Bangkok, Thailand on 17^th December, 2018; becoming the fourth woman from Philippines to win the title.

·   Ms. Tamaryn Green from South Africa was named the first runner –up, while Ms. Venezuela Sthefany Gutierrez stood third at the pageant. India was represented by Ms. Nehal Chudasama.

 

 

Ashok Amritraj

·                    Producer Ashok Amritraj was honoured on 14^th December, 2018 with the French Knight of the National Order of Merit.

·                    He was the former CEO of national Geographic films and United Nations Goodwill Ambassador.

Shree Saini

·                   Indian –American student and antibullying activist Shree Saini has been crowned Miss India Worldwide 2018 at a pageant held on 14^th December,2018 in the Fords city of New Jersey.

Heather Nauert

·                 US President Donald Trump has nominated State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert as the Permanent Representatives to the United Nations, who will replace Nikki Haley.

·                 Nauert is currently the State Department spokesperson and was also named as the acting undersecretary for public diplomacy and public affairs in April, 2018.

Luka Modric

·                 Real Madrid and Croatia midifielder Luka Modric was awarded with 2018 men's Ballon d'Or on 3^rd December, 2018 in Paris.

·                 The 33-years old Croatian was also awarded the FIFA's World Cup 2018 MVP ( Most Valuable Player), UEFA's Player of the Year 2018, Best FIFA Footballer of the Year and the number one player by International Federation of Football History and Statistics.

 

 

Jon Ridgeon

·                  The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) on 3^rd December, 2018 announced the appointment of former British hurdler Jon Ridgeon as its new CEO.

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador

·                  Leftist leader Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador aka AMLO has been sworn in as the 58^th President of Maxico on 1^st December, 2018.

Sudhir Bhargava

·                 The government has appointed Sudhir Bhargava as the Chief Information Commissioner. He will take charge on 1^st January, 2019.

Harsh Vardhan Shringla

·               The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has appointed seasoned diplomat Harsh Vardhan Shringla as the Ambassador of India to the United States of America.

·               At, present, he is serving as Indian High Commissioner at Bangladesh.

Pranab K Das

·         Senior bureaucrat Pranab Kumar Das has been appointed as chairman of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), the apex policy –making body for indirect taxes.

·         At present, Mr. Das is serving as the special secretary and member (customs) at CBIC, where he will succeed S Ramesh.

kamal Nath

·         Kamal Nath , a 9-time – MP from Chhindwara has been appointed as the 18^th Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh on 17^th December,2018.

K Chandrasekher Rao

·         Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president K Chandrasekher Rao has been sworn in as the Chief Minister of Telangaan, for the second time.

 

 

Rajiv Mehrishi

·         Comptroller Auditor General Rajiv Mehrishi has become the Vice- Chair of the UN Panel of Auditors on 8^th December, 2018.

·         The United Nations Panel of Auditors (from 11 countries) consists of External Auditors of the United Nations and its agencies.

Shaktikanta Das

·      The government has appointed former economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das at the new 25^th RBI governor for a term of three years.

·      Prior to this, he was a former economic affairs secretary from 2015-2017, he also had the experience   in preparing several budgets as Joint Secretary in charge of Budget division. He is currently a member of the 15^th FCI, and the G-20 Sherpa on behalf of India.

Krishnamurthy Subramanian

·   The government on 8^th December, 2018 appointed Dr Krishnamurthy Subramanian as the new Chief Economic Advisor for three – year tenure.

Skoch CM of the Year

·   West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been conferred the Skoch Chief Minister of the Year for her contribution in the overall development of the state and emerging as the best CM in the country.

54^th Jnanpith Award

·   Eminent novelist Amitav Ghosh has been chosen for Jnanipth Award for 2018, the Bharatiya  Jnanpith announced this on 14^th December, 2018.

Miss World 2018

·   Vanessa Ponce de Leon of Maxico on 8^th December, 2018 was crowned Miss World 2018 crown at an event held in the coastal city of Sanya, China.

PETA' Hero to Animals' Award

·   Delhi Environment Minister Imran Hussain was awarded by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India for banning the Chinese Manja, or the glass – coated kite strings, throughout National Capital Territory of Delhi.

COP24: UN Climate Change Conference 2018

·         The COP24 (Conference of the Parties): UN Climate Change Conference 2018 was held in Katowice, Poland with the goal of finalizing the implementation guidelines for the Paris Climate Change Agreement.

·         As part of the Paris Climate Agreement, India has targeted to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions up to 35% by 2030.

G-20 Summit 2018

·         The 13^th G-20 summit 2018 was held from 30^th November to 1^st December, 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

·         The theme of the summit was "Building Consensus for Fair and Sustainable Development".

·         Chinese Premier Xi Jinping met US President Trump and agreed to a truce to mitigate the ongoing frictions between the two economies.

Asia Pacific Summit 2018

·         The Asia Pacific Summit -2018 began on 1^st December in Kathmandu, Nepal.

·         The theme of two –day Summit Was Addressing the Critical Challenges of Our Time: Independence, Mutual Prosperity, and Universal value.

Odisha CM announces KALIA Scheme for Farmers

·         Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik on 21^st December, 2018 announced Rs. 10,000 crore scheme for the overall development of farmers in the state.

·         The Odisha state cabinet has approved the Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation where an amount of Rs. 10,000 per family at the rate of Rs. 5,000 each for kharif and Rabi seasons shall be provided as financial assistance.

Dwijing Festival begins in Assam

·         Dwijing festival is a 12 days festival which was opened on 27^th December, 2018 and will continue till 7^th January, 2019 in lower Assam's Chirang district.

Andhra Pradesh gets new High Court in Amaravati

·         The new Andhra Pradesh High Court has stared functioning from 1^st January, 2019. The ministry of Law and Justice on 26^th  December, 2018 notified the constitution of the High Court in Amaravati.

·         Andhra Pradesh High Court is the 25^th High Court in the country.

·         Justice Ramesh Ranganathan, current Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court will head the new High Court as per Law Ministry.

MP declared Kuno as National Park

·         OM 14 December, 2018 Madhya Pradesh Forest Department had declared Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary as a National Park. It is spread over 750 sq km area.

·         The move is expected to pave way for translocation of lions from Gir in Gujarat to Kuno, MP.

J&K brings Law against 'Sextrotion'

·         The state Administrative Council (SAC) headed by Governor Satya Pal Malik approved the Prevention of corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2018 and the Jammu and Kashmir Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018.

·         J&K on 14^th December, 2018 became the first state to have a law explicitly banning sexual exploitation of woman by those in positions of authority, having a fiduciary relationship or by a public servant, under Section 354E of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC).

Kannur International Airport in Kerala begins Operations

·         The Kannur international Airport KIAL in Kerala began its operations on 9^th December, 2018.

·         The first flight from the Airport to Abu Dhabi was flagged off.

·         With this, Kerala is the only state in our country with 4 international airports.

19^th Hornbill Festival begins in Nagaland

·         The 19^th Hornbill Festival 2018 began with the inaugurating ceremony       done by union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on 01^st December, 2018.

Smriti Mandhana named ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year

·         Smriti Mandhana was named as the Women's Cricketer of the Year on 31^st December, 2018 by International Cricketer Council.

·         She also won the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Award. The Mumbai cricketer was the third highest scorer in the world T-20 with 178 runs.

PV Sindhu becomes 1^st Indian to win BWF World Tour Finals

·         Pusarla v Sindhu became the first Indian to win the BWF World Tour Finals which concluded on 16^th December, 2018 in Guangzhou, China.

·         This was her career's 14^th title but the year's first. Prior to this in 2018, she has won sliver at the World Championships,   Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, Thailand Open and India open.

WV Raman appointed India Women's Cricket Team Coach

·      WV Raman has been appointed as the Head Coach of the Indian women's cricket team on 20^th December, 2018.

Mary Kom honoured with the title "Meethoileima"

·         Manipur Government on 11^th December, 2018 honored AIBA World Women Boxing Gold medalist MC Mary Kom with the title. "Meethoileima" (par excellent queen) at a function in Imphal, Manipur.