Weekly GA Capsule (8Th April to 14Th April 2019)

Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

Contents

Economy & Banking ...... 3

Government& Polity...... 7

National………………………………………………………………………………………………13

International...... 16

States...... 22

Sports...... 24

Appointments...... 27

Person/Event/Award...... 31

Important Days……………………………………………………………………………………..34

Obituaries……………………………………………………………………………………………37

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

ECONOMY AND BANKING

Lakshmi Vilas bank -Indiabulls merger

 Earlier this month, the private sector lender had announced its merger with Indiabulls Housing Finance Ltd (IBHL) in a share-swap deal with an intent to create a combined entity with larger capital base and wider geographical reach.  The board of LVB has approved the merger with IBHL in which shareholders of the bank will get 14 shares of IBHL for every 100 shares they hold.  The bank proposes to issue 1.68 crore shares on a preferential basis to IBHL.

Government retains interest rate for General Provident Fund at 8%

 The government has retained the interest rate for General Provident Fund (GPF) and other related schemes at 8 per cent for the April-June quarter.  "It is announced for general information that during the year 2019-20, accumulations at the credit of subscribers to the GPF and other similar funds shall carry interest at the rate of 8 per cent with effect from April 1 to June 30, 2019,"  The interest rate will be applicable on provident funds of central government employees, railways and defence forces.

RBI issues norms for banks to set up currency chests

 Reserve Bank of India(RBI) has come out with guidelines for banks to set up new currency chests, which include minimum area of 1,500 square feet for strong room  The RBI said that the new chests should have a processing capacity of 6.6 lakh pieces of banknotes per day. It added that for those situated in the hilly/ inaccessible places, capacity should be 2.1 lakh pieces of banknotes per day.

India seeks to push reforms at WTO

 The Ministry of Commerce and Industries is arranging a mini-ministerial meeting of developing countries on May 13-14 to discuss the future of the multilateral body, World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the development agenda.

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

 India is expected to invite close to two dozen countries for discussions on May 13-14. It is second such initiative undertaken by India.  A key aspect on the agenda is a discussion on a global framework for e-commerce, an issue that is being pushed hard by the US, given the high stakes of American companies  Even China is not averse to negotiations and there are also indications from the government that from the government that India may be willing to discuss the issue once it sets its house in order

RBI to set up regulatory sandbox for fintech firms

 Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Shaktikanta Das said that the central bank will set up a regulatory sandbox, for which guidelines will be issued in the next two months.  The objective is to have appropriate regulatory and supervisory frameworks to ensure an orderly development of fintech, to streamline their influence into the financial system, to protect the customers and to safeguard the interest of all the stakeholders.

To strengthen the Startups platform, BSE signed an agreement with HDFC Bank

 Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), Asia’s oldest exchange has signed an agreement with HDFC Bank to spread more awareness about the benefits of listing startups as well as to strengthen BSE startup platform.  On 22nd December 2018, BSE had launched the startup platform to encourage entrepreneurs to get listed and raise equity capital for their growth, expansion, and for trading in equities of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

India’s growth rate to increase from 7.3% in 2019 to 7.5% in 2020

 According to the World Economic Outlook (WEO) report released by International Monetary Fund (IMF), India’s growth rate is estimated to rise from 7.3% in 2019 to 7.5% in 2020 provided it receives impetus from the fiscal policy and is backed by the ongoing recovery of investment and consumption within expanded approach of monetary policy.

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

Emirates Islamic, a bank in Dubai, becomes the world’s first Islamic bank to launch banking via WhatsApp

 Emirates Islamic bank launched a chat banking facility for its customer via Whatsapp and become the world’s 1st bank in the Islamic banking sector to give such facility.

HDFC AMC claims first position in terms of Assets

 According to data released by the AMFI (Association of Mutual Funds in India), India’s asset management companies have owned assets under management worth Rs. 24.46 trillion.  HDFC Asset Management Co. Ltd has achieved the top position with an average AUM of Rs. 3.42 trillion.  ICICI Prudential Asset Management Co. Ltd has claimed the second position with an average AUM of at Rs.3.20 trillion.

RBL Bank partners with CreditVidya to leverage customer experience

 RBL Bank has partnered with CreditVidya to enhance the lender’s customer experience (by offering them relevant credit products) and construct customised offerings for over 15 lakh customers.  RBL Bank will leverage CreditVidya’s big data underwriting platform across its credit card and mobile banking apps.  RBL bank had first partnered with CreditVidya in 2018 for instant and automated verification of employment details of salaried card applicants.

Banks close FY19 with 13.24% credit growth, deposits up 10.03%

 According to the data of Reserve Bank of India, which was released on 11th April, 2019, bank credit rose 13.24% to Rs 97.67 lakh crore for the fortnight to March 29.  This is the second consecutive robust credit growth after the same had declined to 4.54 percent in FY17 at Rs 78.41 lakh crore, which was the lowest since 5 decades.  Deposits have grown by 10.03 percent to Rs 125.72 lakh crore during the same period.

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019) HDFC Bank ranked No. 1 in India by the survey of Forbes

 On 12th April 2019, as per the first edition of Forbes World’s Best Bank survey, HDFC Bank has been recognized as number 1 bank by customers in India.  The research was done with the help of market research firm ‘Statista’. Forbes partnered with this firm to measure the best banks in 23 countries.  ICICI Bank took the second spot and DBS bank grabbed the third position, followed by Kotak Mahindra Bank and IDFC Bank which are at the fourth and fifth spot. Also, the public sector banks like Syndicate Bank, PNB, Allahabad Bank, Vijaya Bank, and Axis Bank were in the top 10.

SBI signs its first ever co-origination loan agreement with PAISALO Digital Limited

 With the profound vision of empowering the ‘Agri’, ‘MSME segment’ and small businesses, PAISALO Digital Limited signed the first co-origination loan agreement (designed at Rs.10,000 to 2 lakh) with State Bank of India (SBI). The company expects to pay out 200,000 loan applications in FY20.  The objective of this framework is to bring the 2 sectors, namely, banks and Micro-Finance Institutions (MFIs)/Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs) together.  Under this framework, with all other structures put in place, both a bank and an MFI/NBFC will join at each underwriting and loan level and share the loan amount at a mutually agreed percentage.

RBI grants 12 years to LIC for reducing stake in IDBI Bank

 Life Insurance Corporation(LIC), the largest insurance company in India, got 12 years from RBI for cut down stake in IDBI Bank.LIC is the lender’s major shareholder, and it has a 51 per cent stake in the Bank. It means that no obligation to sell its stake in the following years or would probably spend higher money to keep its stake in any future fund raising by the bank.  Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDAI) claimed that LIC can take up to 15 percent stake in any bank,which can stretch up to 30 percent as per the board approval.But the insurance regulator has authorised LIC to hold up to 51 percent in IDBI Bank in 2018.

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

GOVERNMENT AND POLITY

Russia awards Narendra Modi its highest order, PM thanks Putin

 Russia awarded PM Narendra Modi the Order of St Andrew the Apostle, the highest and the oldest Russian state decoration  PM Modi awarded for helping boost India-Russia ties  Order of St Andrew the Apostle was established in 17th century  The award is Russia's highest state decoration  Russia has awarded Prime Minister Narendra Modi Order of St Andrew the Apostle, the highest order of the Russian Federation. PM Modi was awarded the order for "exceptional services in promoting special & privileged strategic partnership between" Russia and India.

The First phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2019 began on April 11, 2019

 The elections will start on April 11 and continue till May 19. The counting will be held on May 23. The polls will be held in 7-phases.  Photo voter slip shall be used for guidance but not as proof of identity at polling stations.  The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) comes into effect from today itself in the entire country. Any violation will be dealt with in the strictest manner.

Phase 1- April 11 (Seats in bracket) Andhra (25), Arunachal (2), Assam (5), Bihar (4), Chhattisgarh (1), Jammu & Kashmir (2), Maharashtra (7), Manipur (1), Meghalaya (2), Mizoram (1), Nagaland (1), Odisha (4), Sikkim (1), Telangana (17), Tripura (1), UP (8), Uttarakhand (5), West Bengal (2), Andaman (1), Lakshadweep (1); Total 91

Election Commission stalls release of PM Modi biopic

 The Election Commission of India on April 10, 2019 banned the release of any biopic, including a film on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which was scheduled to release on April 11, the same day when the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to begin.  The EC said in a statement that any biopic material in nature of biography subserving the purpose of any political entity or any individual entity connected to it, which has potential to disturb level playing

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019) field during the election, should not be displayed in electronic media including cinematograph during the operation of the Model Code of Conduct.

President Kovind releases NIRF and ARIIA-2019

 The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, released National Institutional Ranking Framework -2019 (NIRF) and presented the India Rankings awards to the top eight institutions in different categories at a function held in New Delhi on April 8, 2019.  He also released the Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) and presented the ARIIA awards to the top two institutions. IIT Madras ranked on top in overall category in NIRF- 2019 while Miranda House College of Delhi University ranked number one in ARIIA.

India builds maternity hospital in Nepal

 India has built a 25-bed maternity hospital in Nepal. The hospital has been built under the Government of India's Small Development Projects Scheme.  Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri inaugurated the Chandra Narayan Yadav Memorial Maternity Hospital in Siraha district today.  The Hospital will provide quality maternity and health care services to the people of 50 Village Development Committees in and around Siraha district. It will also help in reducing maternal and child mortality rate.  The Hospital will be run by the Chandra Narayan Yadav Memorial Trust on no profit-no loss basis. The new infrastructure has been constructed with the Government of India’s grant of 26.90 million Nepali Rupees.  It has a minor and major OTs, ICU, CCU, rooms for doctors, nurses, store and administration and medical equipment etc. Health is one of the core areas of cooperation between India and Nepal.  Several health posts, nursing campuses maternity centres, eye hospitals, naturopathy hospitals have been undertaken under the Government of India's Small Development Project scheme.

President launches mobile app for families of martyred CRPF troops

 President Ram Nath Kovind on April 9, 2019 launched ‘Veer Parivar App’, a mobile application for families of CRPF personnel killed in the line of duty.  The app was launched after the President paid his tributes to the fallen troops at the National Police Memorial in Delhi on the occasion of the CRPF's 54th 'Valour Day'.

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)  The application will act as an interface between the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) authorities and the next of kin of the slain personnel.  It will render all assistance to the families of the martyred CRPF personnel with regard to issuance of ex gratia, pensionary benefits and all information regarding the welfare schemes introduced for them by the government.  The assistance will be provided to the families on a real-time basis. The CRPF headquarters in Delhi and various group centres across the country will respond to these issues.  The Android-based app will be installed by the force's officials securely on the phone of the families and will not be available over the app stores.

President’s Certificate of Honour and Maharshi Badrayan Vyas Samman Awards Conferred.

 Vice President Venkaiah Naidu conferred President’s Certificate of Honour and Maharshi Badrayan Vyas Samman Awards at New Delhi.  The award of the Certificate of Honour was introduced in the year 1958 to honour the scholars of Sanskrit, Arabic and Persian Languages.  Maharshi Badrayan Vyas Samman Distinction is conferred on persons in recognition of their substantial contribution in the field of Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic, Pali, Prakrit, Classical Odiya, Classical Kannada, Classical Telugu and Classical Malayalam.

India evacuates peacekeeping CRPF contingent from Libya

 India has evacuated its entire contingent of 15 CRPF personnel from Tripoli after the situation suddenly worsened in Libya. The CRPF contingent was deployed as a peacekeeping force in Tripoli.  The military conflict in Libya escalated after forces of Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar launched an air strike in an area in Tripoli and the government vowed a major counteroffensive.

Ujjwala Beneficiaries in Four States still use Earthen Stoves

 A recent survey by the Research Institute for Compassionate Economics has found that 85% of the beneficiaries of the Ujjwala scheme in rural Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan still use solid fuels for cooking.  Among the surveyed households 53% exclusively used the chulha, while 32% used both.

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

SC directs EC to raise random matching of VVPAT slips

 The SC did not agree to the request of 21 opposition parties leaders that VVPAT slips of 50 percent EVMs be Matched.  It directed the poll panel to increase the random matching of VVPAT slips with EVMs from one booth per assembly segment to five.

National Institutional Ranking Framework 2019

 The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras has topped the overall rankings of higher education institutions and is followed by IISc Bangalore and IIT-Delhi ranked second and third in the overall rankings.  In the 2018 rankings, IISc Bangalore had topped the overall rankings.

Decolourisation of River Periyar

 The River Periyar in Kerala is again witnessing the decolourisation. The pollution control Board (PCB) has attributed the change in colour to the poor quality of water as a result of eutrophication.  PCB has stated that huge quantities of organic load in the form of sewage from nearby townships are regularly reaching the river system.  The decolourisation of River Periyar which provides drinking water to Kochi city and adjoining areas. The water turned pitch black in one stream, it was milky near the Pathalam regulator-cum-bridge.

Government clears procurement of 464 T-90 tanks

 Amid increased tensions with Pakistan, the Central government has cleared the procurement of 464 T-90 tanks from Russia in a deal worth over Rs 13,500 crore.  Under the new deal, the tanks would be provided to the Armoured Corps of the force which will use them for deployment along the border with Pakistan.  The army is also looking to develop new tanks under the Futuristic Main Battle Tank project. The Army also operates two regiments of the Arjun Mark 1 tanks, which are mainly used in the desert terrain due to their weight.

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

Navy gets Virtual Reality Centre for Designing Warships

 A new, state-of-the-art Virtual Reality Centre (VRC) was inaugurated by Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba that would provide a "major boost" to indigenous warship design capabilities of the Navy.

Justice Pradeep Nandrajog Sworn in as Chief Justice of Bombay High Court

 He was earlier Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court. He now succeeds Justice Naresh Patil, who retired as Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court on Saturday.  Justice Nandrajog, 61, was enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council of Delhi in 1981. As a lawyer, he specialised in arbitration, commercial, service and company matters and also land revenue, elections, etc.

Army gets first batch of Dhanush, home-made Bofors artillery guns, from OFB

 The Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) on Monday handed over the first batch of six Dhanush artillery guns to the Army. Dhanush is the indigenously upgraded gun of the Swedish Bofors gun procured in the 1980s.  Indigenisation to the extent of about 81%, has already been achieved. By the end of 2019, the indigenisation level of the gun will go up to 91%,” the Defence Ministry said in a statement. Six guns were handed over at a ceremony at Gun Carriage Factory, Jabalpur.  Dhanush is a 155 mm, 45-calibre towed artillery gun with a range of 36 km and has demonstrated a range of 38 km with specialised ammunition. It is an upgrade of the existing 155m, 39 calibre Bofors FH 77 gun. It is compatible with all North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) 155 mm ammunition system.

India retained top spot in remittances  India retained its position as the world's top recipient of remittances with its diaspora sending a whopping USD 79 billion back home in 2018. India was followed by China (USD 67 billion), Mexico (USD 36 billion), the Philippines (USD 34 billion), and Egypt (USD 29 billion)  "Remittances grew by more than 14 per cent in India, where a flooding disaster in Kerala likely boosted the financial help that migrants sent to families,"

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

Haryana CEO Rajeev Ranjan inaugurates Voter Park in Gurugram

 On 11th April 2019, Haryana Chief Electoral Officer Rajeev Ranjan inaugurated India’s first-of-its-kind ‘Voter Park’ in Vikas Sadan building complex, Gurugram, to raise voter awareness by instructing people about the electoral process. At the park, voters will gain information about the polling process and the archives of elections in the country.  A model of the electronic voting machine and VVPAT machine have been arranged in the park.  There is a “Selfie Point” in the park,where people can snap selfies publicising the indelible ink mark on their finger after casting their vote.  An Election awareness song “Vote Ka Hai Adhikar, Suno Re Vote Ka Hai Adhikar“. was also launched in the function.

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

NATIONAL

BIS Inked MoU with IIT- Delhi On Standardisation and Conformity Assessment

 The Bureau of Indian Standards(BIS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)for a period of 5years which can be extended ifrequired, with IIT- Delhi to collaborate in the field of standardisation and conformity assessment.The MoU was signed by IIT Delhi Professor V Ramgopal Rao and Director General of BIS Surina Rajan.  BIS and IIT Delhi have also agreed to set up a Centre of Excellence in the field of standardisation , testing and conformity assessment.

Guwahati Railway station becomes the first to get ISO certification in India

 The Guwahati Railway Station has become the first ever railway station in the Indian Railways to get an ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation) certification from the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

NGT forms a new body to examine alleged erosion of Yamuna floodplain in Sonipat

 National Green Tribunal established a committee to examine the alleged erosion of Yamuna floodplain due to movement of heavy vehicles in Sonipat district in Haryana.  NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel constituted a three person body, comprised of director of the Mines and Geology Department,member secretary of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board and principal secretary of the Haryana Irrigation.

IIT Madras tied up with GE to set up India’s first ‘Cold Spray’ SMART Lab

 American conglomerate, General Electric in association with IIT Madras,established India’s first ‘Cold Spray’ SMART (Surface Modification and Additive Research Technologies) Laboratory in the institution.And thereby IIT-M became the only academic institution with High-Pressure Cold Spray(HPCS) facility in India.  The project is sponsored by “Uchchatar Avishkar Yojana(UAY) Scheme” of GOI to boost collaboration between academia and private sector.  The High-Pressure Cold Spray machinery has been carried from Plasma Giken, Japan.

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

NGT sets up Central Monitoring Committee to control pollution

 A bench headed by NGT(National Green Tribunal) Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel has formed a Central Monitoring Committee to enforce a national plan to reduce the river pollution.  The Committee will further synchronize with the River Rejuvenation Committees of the states and supervise the implementation of the action plans. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) will be nodal authority for coordination.

RailWire Wi-Fi is live at 1600 railway stations in India

 Railtel, neutral telecom infrastructure providers in India, turned 1600 railway stations in India into RailWire WiFi zone.  Santacruz railway station in Mumbai is the 1600th station to become a RailWire Wi-Fi zone.

Dost Education, India’s education technology startup conferred with “Next Billion Edtech Prize 2019”

 ‘Dost Education’, which is India’s education technology startup won a $25,000 (Rs 17 lakhs) tech prize for its ability to empower parents to take charge of their child’s early education.  The prize ‘The Next Billion Edtech Prize 2019’ is run by UK-based Varkey Foundation.  The other winners for this prize were Ubongo from Tanzania and PraxiLabs from Egypt.

The M3 version of EVMs to be used in Nizamabad Lok Sabha and Likely To Enter Guinness Book with Record EVMs

 The Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency in Telangana may enter in the Guinness World Records for the maximum number of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) of M3 version used in the polling booth.

According to ‘Political Leaders Position and Action on Air Quality in India 2014-2019’ report: Kanpur ranked 1 as the most polluted city

 The quality of air in Varanasi, Prime Minister Modi’s 2014 Lok Sabha constituency, is positioned 3rd on the WHO’s (World Health Organisation) list of 15 most polluted cities in the world, by the ‘Political Leaders Position and Action on Air Quality in India 2014-2019’ report, released by Climate Trends.  Kanpur (in Uttar Pradesh) is the most polluted city in the world and is positioned 1 on the list.

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

Election Commission invokes Article 324 to defer PM Modi biopic

 India’s Electoral Commission has issued an order to ban display of any biopic or publicity material during Manual Code of Conduct, which could sub serve the purposes of any political entity or any individual entity connected to it.

TCS Paired with Google to build industry-specific cloud solutions

 Indian IT consulting company, Tata Consultancy Services collaborated with Google Cloud to build industry-specific cloud solutions. These Cloud solutions will support organisations speed up their digital transformation and leverage data-driven insights.  TCS’ solutions on Google Cloud Platform (GCP) will support enterprises build secure, cloud-native analytics platforms that facilitate high levels of personalization, easy to maintain, and are cost effective.

ISRO partners with CMFRI and signs MoU to conserve smaller wetlands to combat effects of climate change

 For the very 1st time, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has partnered with the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) to map, validate and protect smaller wetlands in the coastal region and preserve them through coastal livelihood programmes.  This has been done to build a strong foundation against the effects of climate change.

Google Pay partners with MMTC-PAMP to introduce buying and selling of Gold

 Google Pay has partnered with Bullion refiner MMTC-PAMP India to initiate buying and selling of gold through the app to make Google Pay more useful for Indian customers.  MMTC-PAMP is India’s only London Bullion Market Association (LBMA)-accredited gold refinery.

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Google ‘Wing’ launches first drone delivery service in Australia

 The first home delivery drone service has been launched in Australia, after years of test flights.  Wing, owned by Google's parent company Alphabet, will deliver takeaway food, coffee and medicines by drone to about 100 homes in Canberra.  It has been testing its drones in Australia since 2014 but many residents had complained about the noise.

Google unveils new Cloud Platform, Anthos

 Google has launched a new open platform named ‘Anthos’ to run and manage apps from anywhere. It lets users run applications on the public cloud or on existing on-premise hardware investments.

US to Designate Iran’s Revolutionary Guards a Foreign Terrorist Group

 President Donald Trump announced that the United States is designating Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a foreign "terrorist organisation", marking the first time Washington has formally labelled another country's military a "terrorist group".  Responding to the move, Iran immediately declared the US as "state sponsor of terrorism" and US forces in the region "terrorist groups",

Hong Kong’s stock market overtakes Japan to be world’s third largest

 The city’s equity market has overtaken Japan to be the world’s third largest in value, behind only the U.S. and mainland China, courtesy of a rebound in Hong Kong stocks after their worst year since 2011  The market value of the companies listed in Hong Kong stood at $5.78 trillion, overtaking Japan's $5.76 trillion tally for the first time since 2015, according to Bloomberg data.  Hong Kong has edged past its rival as its listings surge in 2019 on hopes of Beijing’s stimulus reviving the struggling Chinese economy.

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

Alice G. Vaidyan awarded the Freedom of the City of London

 Alice G. Vaidyan, Chairman and Managing Director of the General Insurance Corporation (GIC) of India, India’s reinsurance major awarded the Freedom of the City of London in recognition of her work to promote insurance ties between India and the UK.  Alice G. Vaidyan holds post graduate degree in English literature trained at Harvard Business School, Boston, USA.She is a Fellow of the Insurance Institute of India.  Alice G. Vaidyan was the first lady officer to assume the post of Chairman-cum-Managing Director of General Insurance Corporation of India.  She was also the first lady chairman cum managing director of General Insurance Corporation of India.  Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by a City of London Corporation upon a valued member of the community, or upon a visiting celebrity or dignitary.

After deposing President Bashir, the Army takes over government ‘for two years’

 When anti-government protests in Sudan spread across the country demanding the resignation of President Omar al-Bashir, he dismissed them with disdain. “Rats go back to their holes,”  Mr. Bashir initially used force to quell the protests, killing dozens, but the public anger only grew over the weeks. As demonstrations went stronger, the Sudanese Army stepped in, removing Mr. Bashir from power and taking control of the government.  As soon as Mr. Bashir was ousted, Defence Minister Awad Ibn Ouf was sworn in as the head of the military council that will rule the country for two years till elections are held.

Israel election: Netanyahu set for record fifth term

 Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu looks all but certain to stay in office for a record fifth term.

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

 The Likud party with the help of other right-wing parties are likely to muster enough support to get a majority in the 120-seat parliament, known as Knesset.

Black hole named ‘Powehi’ by Hawaii university professor  A language professor has given a Hawaiian name — Powehi — to the black hole depicted in an image produced in a landmark experiment.  The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Thursday that University of Hawaii-Hilo Hawaiian Professor Larry Kimura named the cosmic object  The word meaning “the adorned fathomless dark creation” or “embellished dark source of unending creation” comes from the Kumulipo, an 18th Century Hawaiian creation chant.

India's permanent mission to UN inaugurates giant mural

 In an "innovative outreach", an imposing mural on the premises of India's Permanent Mission to the UN depicts a multi-pronged theme of environmentally sustainable green jobs, Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary, the International Labour Organisation's centenary celebration and India leading the global greening effort as documented recently by NASA.  The mural, on the sidewall of the Permanent Mission of India to the UN here, was created by French artist, originally from Portugal, Victor Ash to commemorate the centenary celebrations of the International Labour Organization (ILO) as well as Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary. The mural, an innovative collaboration with the ILO and non-profit organization ‘Street Art for Mankind', was inaugurated.

London becomes first city to implement 24×7 pollution charge zone

 London became the first city in the world to implement a Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) for 24×7 hours a week, inside which vehicles will have to meet tough emissions standards.  It aims to reduce toxic air pollution and protect public health

British Government’s ‘white paper’ named ‘online harms’ draws focus to users’ (mostly children’s) safety

 The British government has published an “online harms white paper” which is open for public consultation (till July) focuses to make online social media platforms responsible to safeguard users, especially children.

18 | P a g e All ixamBee Mock Tests are Free Please visit www.ixamBee.com Contact us at 92005524028 (SMS/WhatsApp/call) or [email protected]

Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

 It is a joint proposal from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and Home Office.

Haiti’s President Moise confirms Jean Michel Lapin as New Prime Minister

 The acting Prime Minister of Haiti, Jean Michel Lapin confirmed as the country’s new Prime Minister by the President Jovenel Moise.  He succeeds Jean-Henry Ceant.  Lapin is the third Premier under President Moise since he came to office in February 2017.

Between 2010-’19, India’s population grew at 1.2% average annual rate: UN report

 According to the United Nations Population Fund, India’s population grew to 1.36 billion at an average annual rate of 1.2% between 2010 and 2019 which stands more than double the annual growth rate of China.

India and Sweden launches joint programme on solution for smart cities, clean tech

 India and Sweden inked a pact that will deal a range of challenges around smart cities and clean technologies among others.The programme is co- sponsored by Indian Department of Science and Technologies (DST) and Swedish agency Vinnova.  Vinnova donate to Swedish participants upto 2,500,000 Swedish Krona (around Rs. 1.87 crore).From Indian side, provide upto 50% per project to the Indian partners.

Namami Gange gets approved with Global recognition at Global Water Summit

 National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) or Namami Gange which is India’s flagship programme, was presented, with the ‘Public Water Agency of the Year’ award by Global Water Intelligence at the Global Water Summit held in London on 9th April, 2019.  2019 edition of Global Water Summit was a 3-day event held at Sofitel London Heathrow Hotel, Hounslow which started from on 8th April.

First-ever global coalition launched for clean cooling

 The 1st ever of global coalition on clean and efficient cooling was launched at First Global Conference on Synergies between the 2030 Agenda and Paris Agreement in Copenhagen, Denmark.

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

 Global Cool coalition was supported by the UN, Climate and Clean Air Coalition, the Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program and Sustainable Energy for All.

“chain-melted state” which can be solid and liquid at the same time has discovered

 On 10th April 2019, a new state of matter which can be solid and liquid at the same time has been discovered by scientists of the University of Edinburgh.  The study was led by Dr. Andreas Hermann of the university’s School of Physics and Astronomy and was published in the journal named ‘Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.’  This distinct state of matter named as the “chain-melted state”.

PM Narendra Modi conferred with Russia’s highest State Honour

 On 11th April, 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with the “Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle”, by Russia for exceptional services in promoting bilateral ties.

SpaceX carries out first commercial launch with Falcon Heavy rocket

 SpaceX carried out its first commercial operational mission by launching its Falcon Heavy rocket to place a Saudi telecoms satellite into orbit operated by Arabsat.

G-20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors’ meet during 2019 annual Spring Meeting

 G-20 conducted the joint World Bank-IMF Development Committee and the IMF’s International Monetary and Financial Committee meeting during the 2019 Annual Spring Meeting in Washington, DC.

Photograph of a crying toddler at US border won the World Press Photo award 2019

 An image of a little girl crying, titled “Crying Girl on the Border”, as she and her mother have been taken into custody by US border officials in Texas, won the prestigious World Press Photo of the Year.

PayU acquires Wibmo for USD 70 million

 PayU, Digital payments security and payment facilitator has acquired Wibmo, a US-based financial technology for USD 70 million (Rs 484 crore) to assist the company scale-up its business.

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

India to be Guest of Honour Country at Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF) 2019

 UAE selected India as the Guest of Honour country at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, ADIBF 2019, to attract a significant increase in the number of visitors with various events and activities.  The event will be held from 24th to 30th April 2019. The purpose of this 29th edition of the book fair is to highlight the UAE’s rich heritage, showcasing its authenticity, modernity, as well as its cultural and literary output.

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

STATES

Phayeng Village of Manipur becomes Indias first carbon-positive settlement

 A village is given the carbon-positive tag if it sequesters more carbon than it emits, slowing the accumulation of greenhouse gases and mitigating the effects of climate change.  Phayeng is a scheduled caste village of the Chakpa community in Imphal West district.  As part of the carbon-positive village project, Phayeng will receive a grant of Rs10 crore in phases to facilitate afforestation in the catchment of river Maklang that flows along the village.

Utkarsh Bangla and Sabooj Sathi Schemes of West Bengal gets Global Recognition

 The "Utkarsh Bangla" project aims at creating a pool of skilled candidates who are industry ready, while under the "Sabooj Sathi" scheme, bi-cycles are distributed to students between class IX and XII studying in government run and government aided schools and madrashas of the state.  Two schemes of the West Bengal government for skill development and distribution of bi-cycles to students have won the prestigious World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) awards of the United Nations

Around 5000 Konyak women dance to set a Guinness World Record at Mon, Nagaland

 The programme organized at Mon (Nagaland) during the Aoleang Monyu festival (usually held between 1st April to 3rd April every year) around 5000 Konyak Naga women in their traditional attire attempted to set a Guinness World Record for the ‘Largest Traditional Konyak Dance’, on 8th April 2019.  Konyak Union in coordination with other organisations of the tribe, namely, Konyak Nyupuh Sheko Khong (KNSK) and Konyak Students’ Union (KSU) organized the event.

Rs 100-crore penalty imposed on Andhra Pradesh Govt. by National Green Tribunal (NGT)

 National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed a penalty of Rs 100 crore on the Andhra Pradesh government for illegal sand mining in the state.  Penalty has been imposed on the lines of plea filed by Andhra Pradesh resident Anumolu Gandhi, alleging illegal sand mining was causing damage to Krishna, Godavari rivers and their tributaries in the state. 22 | P a g e All ixamBee Mock Tests are Free Please visit www.ixamBee.com Contact us at 92005524028 (SMS/WhatsApp/call) or [email protected]

Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

SPORTS

Meena Kumari clinches gold

 Meena Kumari Maisnam continued her fine run to win gold medal in the 54 kg at the Boxing World Cup in Cologne.  Sakshi (57kg) and Pwilao Basumatary (64kg) lost their final bouts and had to settle for the silver while Pinki Rani (51kg) and Parveen (60kg) won bronze as India finished with five medals.  Meena, the 2014 Asian Championships bronze medallist with three National Championships titles to her credit, edged Thailand’s Machai Bunyanut on points in the summit clash.

Golf: Kupcho wins historic first Augusta National women's title

 American Jennifer Kupcho became the first woman to capture a championship at former all-male enclave Augusta National Golf Club, outdueling Mexico's Maria Fassi on Saturday (April 6) to win at the famed home of the Masters.  In a dramatic battle between two 21-year-old US collegiate stars, Kupcho had three birdies and an eagle in the last six holes in firing a five-under par 67 to finish 54 holes on 10-under 206 for a four- stroke victory over Fassi, who fired her third consecutive 70.

Wisden awards: Kohli and Smriti get ‘Leading Cricketer in the World’ honours

 India skipper Virat Kohli was on Wednesday named as the ‘Leading Cricketer in the World’ for the third successive time by the 2019 edition of Wisden Cricketers’ . To double the delight, Smriti Mandhana bagged the women’s ‘Leading Cricketer in the World.’  Kohli, who amassed 2735 runs across the three formats in 2018, was also picked as one of the five ‘Wisden Cricketers of the Year’, along with England’s Tammy Beaumont, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran and Rory Burns.  Kohli is only the third cricketer ever to have won the award more than three times after Don Bradman (10 times) and Jack Hobbs (8 times).

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

Graham Reid appointed new Indian men's hockey team chief coach

 Reid has been handed a term till the end of next year but his tenure can be extended depending upon his performance.  Reid was part of the silver medal winning Aussie side at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics  Reid was also part of the Australian squad that won Champions Trophy titles in 1984, 1985, 1989 and 1990  The 54-year-old will join the team in Bengaluru shortly for the ongoing National Camp at Sports Authority of India.

Malaysia Open 2019

 Lin Dan came from behind to beat fellow Chinese and reigning Olympic champion Chen Long to win the Malaysia Open 2019  The 2019 Malaysia Open, officially known as the CELCOM AXIATA Malaysia Open 2019, is a badminton tournament which takes place at Axiata Arena in Malaysia. It has a total purse of $700,000. This year, sports event was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 2nd to 7th April, 2019. It was organized by the Badminton Association of Malaysia.  Lin Dan of China has claimed title in Men’s Singles category by defeating China’s Chen Long.  Tai Tzu-ying of Chinese Taipei has claimed the title in Women’s singles by defeating Akane Yamaguchi of Japan.  Ranked as No.1 in world, Tai Tzu Ying will retire from Badminton after 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Dream11 becomes India’s first billion-dollar gaming Startup

 Dream11 has just become a Unicorn, that is a billion-dollar startup. Few exciting developments have made Dream11 to be the India’s first gaming startup to join the elite club of privately-held startups.  The term “Unicorn” refers to the tech startups with the market valuation of $1 billion.

Spain’s Garbine Muguruza claimed Monterrey Open title

 The 2019 Monterrey Open aka 2019 Abierto GNP Seguros was the 11th edition of Monterrey Open, held at Monterrey in Mexico. It was a women’s tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts. The prize money of the tournament was $250,000.  Garbine Muguruza Monterrey Open titleKey points 24 | P a g e All ixamBee Mock Tests are Free Please visit www.ixamBee.com Contact us at 92005524028 (SMS/WhatsApp/call) or [email protected]

Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

 Garbine Muguruza of Spain successfully claimed back-to-back Monterrey Open title on 7th April, 2019, as Victoria Azarenka succumbed to injury in the final, the score was 6-1 3-1 at that time.  Asia Muhammad & Maria Sanchez of USA has claimed womens doubles title in Monterrey Open by defeating Monique Adamczak and Jessica Moore of Australia.

Dave Bautista retires from Wrestling

 Dave Bautista has officially retired from wrestling aftermath of a defeat at the WWE’s (World Wrestling Entertainment) Wrestlemania event.

Manpreet Kaur banned for 4 years for Failing Dope tests

 A National Anti-Doping Agency disciplinary panel has banned Asian champion woman professional Olympic shot putter, Manpreet Kaur for four years for failing dope tests on four occasions over a period of 84 days during 2017.

Rio Paralympics silver medalist Deepa Malik honoured with New Zealand Prime Minister’s Sir Edmund Hillary Fellowship for 2019

 The 48-year-old, Rio Paralympics silver medalist Deepa Malik has been honoured with the New Zealand Prime Minister’s Sir Edmund Hillary Fellowship for 2019 in recognition of her “inspiring achievements”.  She became the first Indian woman to win a medal at the Paralympic Games and the first Indian women to win medals in three consecutive Asian Para Games in 2010, 2014 and 2018.  She was also honoured with India’s civilian honour Padma Shri and the prestigious Arjuna Award for excellence in sports and made a place in the Limca Book of World Records for four times.

AITA inks pact with Serbian Tennis Federation to train Junior players

 All India Tennis Association (AITA) has collaborated with Serbian Tennis Federation (STF) to train Indian junior players under world renowned Serbian coaches, at the RK Khanna Stadium, New Delhi.

Indonesian Nuraeni Named Best Athletic Coach In Asia 2019

 Asian Athletic Association (AAA) has declared Indonesian Eni Nuraeni as the best athletic coach in Asia for the short-haul run category in 2019. It was published by the Indonesian Athletic Sports Association (PB PASI).

25 | P a g e All ixamBee Mock Tests are Free Please visit www.ixamBee.com Contact us at 92005524028 (SMS/WhatsApp/call) or [email protected]

Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

Indian women’s Hockey team won Malaysia series by 4-0

 Indian women’s hockey team defeated Malaysia by a solitary goal and won by 4-0 in the 5-match bilateral series held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mark Boucher: inducted by MCC as honorary life members for outstanding achievements in cricket

 MCC (the Marylebone Cricket Club) has bestowed the honour of ‘Honorary Life Members’ to Pakistan’s Inzamam-ul-Haq and South Africa’s Mark Boucher for their exemplary achievements in the field of cricket.

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

APPOINTMENTS

Justice Pradeep Nandrajog Sworn in as Chief Justice of Bombay High Court

Usha Padhee takes additional charge of Pawan Hans’ interim CMD

 Usha Padhee, joint secretary in the civil aviation ministry, has been given additional charge of the post of chairman and managing director (CMD) of the disinvestment-bound Pawan Hans Limited.

 With this appointment, she becomes the first woman CMD of the mini ratna-I category PSU (Public sector undertakings). She also served as the Director of the Pawan Hans Ltd and Additional Director at Delhi International Airport Limited.

 The post was lying vacant since the superannuation of then incumbent B P Sharma in January.

Mohan named CUB part-time chairman

 The board of City Union Bank Ltd. on Friday recommended its independent director R. Mohan to be the next part-time chairman with effect from May 4.

 The board also forwarded an application to this effect to the Reserve Bank of India as the present incumbent S. Mahalingam’s tenure ends on May 3.  Mr. Mohan, who has been associated with the bank since 1975, was promoted as the chief general manager in 2011 and in 2014 he was inducted on to the board. He is also part of various board committees. Currently, he holds 1.45 lakh shares, the bank said in a regulatory filing.

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

Jamia Millia gets its first woman V-C

 Professor Najma Akhtar of the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration, New Delhi was appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia University.  “In exercise of powers conferred under statutes of JMI Act, 1988, the President of India, in his capacity as the Visitor JMI, has been ...pleased to appoint Professor Najma Akhtar as the V-C of JMI, New Delhi, for a period of five years...from the date on which she enters upon her office or until she attains the age of 70 years, whichever is earlier

Nitin Chugh next Ujjivan SFB CEO

 Nitin Chugh, digital banking head of private sector lender HDFC Bank, is likely to succeed Samit Ghosh, the managing director and chief executive of Ujjivan Small Finance Bank.  Bengaluru-based small finance bank has already applied to the Reserve Bank of India for approval to appoint Mr. Chugh as the managing director and chief executive officer.

David Malpass appointed as President of World Bank

 Former Under Secretary of United States Treasury Department, David Malpass, appointed as the 13th president of the World Bank Group.  "The Board looks forward to working with Mr. Malpass on the implementation of the Forward Look and the capital package agreement as articulated in the Sustainable Financing for Sustainable Development Paper."

Emami Limited has named Varun Dhawan as Navratna Cool brand ambassador

 Emami Limited has roped in Indian actor Varun Dhawan to endorse Navratna Cool. The TV commercials are directed by Luv Kalla and shot in the UK.

Vikram Nath appointed as first Chief Justice of new Andhra Pradesh HC

 Justice Vikram Nath, the senior most judge of Allahabad High Court, was appointed as the first Chief Justice of the newly-constituted Andhra Pradesh High Court.  The new Andhra Pradesh High court was established on January 1 this year following the division of a combined high court of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.  28 | P a g e All ixamBee Mock Tests are Free Please visit www.ixamBee.com Contact us at 92005524028 (SMS/WhatsApp/call) or [email protected]

Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

 Justice Nath obtained a law degree in 1986 and enrolled as a practising lawyer in Allahabad. In 2004, he was appointed as additional judge of Allahabad High court and was elevated to the post of a permanent judge in 2006.

Vikramjit Sing Sahney, SUN Group Chairman, elected as the President of ICC India

 Vikramjit Singh Sahney,Chairman of SUN Group,elected as the President of International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) – India.  Vikramjit Sing SahneyOn coming May ICC India going to conduct a Mega-Project in Paris. He will succeed Jawahar Vadivelu.

Karnam Sekar to be appointed as MD, CEO of Indian Overseas Bank

 On 9th April, 2019, Centre made important management appointments to several public sector banks. According to the Department of Personnel and Training, Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the appointment of Karnam Sekar as MD and CEO in Indian Overseas Bank.  Karnam Sekar is currently the CEO and MD of Dena bank. He will further work as officer on special duty and whole-time director with IOB till the end of June, 2019.  The new designation will be effective from July 1, 2019.

The speaker of the upper house Abdelkader Bensalah appointed as Algeria’s first new president in 20 years

 The speaker of the upper house Abdelkader Bensalah (77) has been appointed as Algeria’s first new president in 20 years by the Lawmakers of Algeria. He has been appointed as the interim President of the country.

Shiv Das Meena named as the Chairman cum Managing Director (CMD) of National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC)

 Shiv-Das-MeenaOn 9th April 2019, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Shiv Das Meena has been appointed as the Chairman cum Managing Director (CMD) of National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC).

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

Gargi Kaul designated as new Secretary, Defence Finance

 Gargi Kaul, a 1984-batch officer of the Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IA&AS) was appointed as the secretary, Defence Finance as part of a bureaucratic reshuffle. The senior bureaucrat, Kaul currently serving as Financial Advisor (Defence Services), Ministry of Defence.

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

PERSON/EVENTS/AWARDS

Tata Steel gets award at Global Slag Conference & Exhibition

 Tata Steel has been named as the 'Global Slag Company of the Year' at the 14th Global Slag Conference and Exhibition 2019  The award was presented to Tata Steel for its innovative practices in development of new applications for Steel by-products (Slag).  The conference, held recently in Aachen, Germany, was one of the largest global annual slag event, attended by major steelmakers, steel mill service providers & associated companies  The award demonstrates global recognition of Tata Steels commitment towards sustainability & circular economy principles.

IIT-Madras topper in ‘overall category’

 In an official ceremony, the 4th edition of the NIRF India Ranking is revealed on, April 8, 2019 by President Ram Nath Kovind.  NIRF rankings are based on parameters – Teaching, Learning & Resources (TLR), Research and Professional Practice (RPC), Graduation Outcomes (GO), Outreach and Inclusivity (OI), and Perception.  Distributed in various categories, Indian Institute of Madras topped the list in the overall category. While IISc topped in University category, Miranda House topped the college category.

Russia awards Narendra Modi its highest order, PM thanks Putin

 Russia awarded PM Narendra Modi the Order of St Andrew the Apostle, the highest and the oldest Russian state decoration

 PM Modi awarded for helping boost India-Russia ties  Order of St Andrew the Apostle was established in 17th century  The award is Russia's highest state decoration  Russia has awarded Prime Minister Narendra Modi Order of St Andrew the Apostle, the highest order of the Russian Federation. PM Modi was awarded the order for "exceptional services in promoting special & privileged strategic partnership between" Russia and India.

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

Jallianwala Bagh massacre 100th anniversary

 The massacre took place in Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar on April 13, 1919 when troops of the British Indian Army under the command of Colonel Dyer opened fire on a crowd of people holding a pro- independence meeting, leaving hundreds of people dead and scores injured.

Israel election: Netanyahu set for record fifth term

 Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu looks all but certain to stay in office for a record fifth term.

 With almost all votes counted, both men's parties are neck and neck.  But a coalition between Mr Netanyahu's Likud and smaller right-wing and religious parties could form a 65 seat majority in the 120-seat Knesset.  Netanyahu has an advantage as nearly all right-wing parties have declared their support to the Israeli leader.  The Likud party with the help of other right-wing parties are likely to muster enough support to get a majority in the 120-seat parliament, known as Knesset.

Telugu poet K Siva Reddy selected for prestigious Saraswati Samman 2018

 Telugu poet K Siva Reddy was selected for the prestigious Saraswati Samman 2018 for his collection of poetry titled ‘Pakkaki Ottigilite’.  The award carries a cash prize of 15 lakh rupees, a citation and a plaque.  The award was instituted by the KK Birla Foundation in 1991.  The award is given annually for an outstanding literary work written in any Indian language and published during the last 10 years.

32 | P a g e All ixamBee Mock Tests are Free Please visit www.ixamBee.com Contact us at 92005524028 (SMS/WhatsApp/call) or [email protected]

Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

Murali Kartik, the new brand ambassador of Fantasy 11

 Fantasy 11,Gaming startup, has roped in Murali Kartik, former Indian Cricketer as its brand Ambassador.  He was the’ official Fan Management Partner’ for recently concluded Premier Badminton League (PBL).

Sudhanshu Kumar, the founder of Digital Sukoon won the “Best Digital Agency Award”

 Sudhanshu Kumar, the founder of Digital Sukoon has been honored with the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Nobel Award by International Human Rights Council at Hotel Sea Princess Juhu Mumbai.

Dr A K Singh Receives Lifetime Achievement Award 2019 For Contributions In Life Sciences, Aerospace and Aeronautics.

 Dr A K Singh, director at Life Sciences, DRDO has been honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award 2019 during 4th APJ Abdul Kalam Innovation Conclave at Chandigarh University, Mohali.  He has made notable contributions in Internal Decorporation of Fission Produced Radionuclides and Infection Imaging. The conclave was organised by the university to note World Creativity and Innovation Day.

Jeff Kinney comes out with a book ‘Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid:Rowley Jefferson’s Journal’

 Jeff Kinney, an eminent author has emerged out with a new book titled “Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid: Rowley Jefferson’s Journal”.  The book is written from the opinion of Rowley Jefferson, the best friend of ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ supporter Greg Heffley.

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Health Day 2019 observed globally

 The World Health Day was observed across the world on April 7, 2019. The day marked the 71st anniversary of the World Health Organisation.  Theme- ‘Universal Health Coverage: Everyone, Everywhere’.

World Homeopathy day- 10 April

 The World Homeopathy day is observed to commemorate the birth anniversary of the founder of Homeopathy Dr. Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann.

 A two day convention is being organised on 9-10th April 2019 by the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH), an autonomous research organisation, Ministry of AYUSH on the occasion of the World Homoeopathy Day at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi.  The World Homoeopathy Day is observed to commemorate the birth anniversary of the founder of Homoeopathy, Dr. Christian Fredrich Samuel Hahnemann.

Rajouri Day Celebrated Rajouri, April 13

 The Army along with the civil administration celebrated Rajouri Day on Friday.  The Army celebrates April 13 as Rajouri Day every year as on this day it was able to free Rajouri from intruders, who with the support of the Pakistan army, had entered the town and resorted to atrocities on innocent people.  More than 20,000 men, women, and children were massacred till April 13,1948, when the Army re- captured Rajouri on Baisakhi.

World Aviation and Cosmonautics Day celebrated on April 12, 2019

 World Aviation and Cosmonautics Day, a date to honour the first ever flight of a human in space.On April 12,1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin carried out the famous flight in spacecraft Vostok 1 started from Baikonur Cosmodrome.  In November 1968, the 61st General Conference of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), known as the World Air sports Federation, decided to celebrate World Aviation and Cosmonautics Day on April 12.

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

 Many countries organize a Yuri’s Night on April 12. The first Yuri’s Night was celebrated on the 40th anniversary of the first manned flight into space in 2001.

The International Day of Human Space Flight is observed on April 12

 The International Day of Human Space Flight was observed across the world. The day marks the anniversary of the first ever human space flight undertaken by Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet citizen on April 12, 1961. This day is also celebrated as ‘Cosmonautics Day’ in Russia since 1963.

The World Allergy Week 2019, observed from 07-13 April 2019 on Theme: “The Global Problem of Food Allergy”

 World Allergy Week is an annual global initiative of the World Allergy Organisation (WAO) and is being observed worldwide between 7th to 13th of April, 2019. The theme for this year is “The Global Problem of Food Allergy“.  The prime objective of the campaign is to raise awareness of the effect of allergic diseases and related disorders in our communities and provide support for the proper training, diagnosis, management, and prevention of the diseases.

National Handloom Week observed from 7th April to 14th April

 The National Handloom week is being observed from 7th April to 14th April this year. On this occasion, a book named ‘The Indian textile Sourcebook’ authored by Avalon Fotheringham and published by Thames and Hudson will launch on 9th April.  The national handloom day observed on 7th August every year and and the national handloom week was observed in December in 2018

International Romani Day celebrated on 8th April, 2019

 On International Roma Day 2019, the (ERCC) European Roma Rights Centre brings into limelight the grave fact about the 6 million Romani people (living in the EU, European Union) and 4 million living in the enlargement region (Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Turkey) who till date remains the most underprivileged ethnic group of Europe.  The day was initiated during the fourth World Romani Congress of the International Romani Union (IRU) in 1990 to honour the first major international meeting of Romani representatives.

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

Platinum Jubilee Commemoration of the Battle of Kangla Tongbi observed on 7 April 2019

 On 07 April 2019 at Kangla Tongbi War Memorial, (near Imphal) the Platinum Jubilee of the Battle of Kangla Tongbi War was commemorated by Army Ordnance Corps.  The commemoration day was observed to honour the supreme sacrifice made by the courageous Ordnance Personnel of 221 Advance Ordnance Depot in the line of duty during the night of 6/ 7 April 1944 (during World War-II).

World Health Day observed on April 7

 World Health Day is observed annually on April 7, under the sponsorship of World Health Organization (WHO), to spread awareness about equal healthcare facilities worldwide, the importance of Health and Wellness and to kill the myths around Health.  The Theme of World Health Day 2019 was “Universal health Coverage: Everyone, Everywhere” under the WHO slogan “Health for All”.

International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Rwanda Genocide observed on April 7, 2019 marked the 25th commemoration of the 1994 Rwanda Genocide

 Since 2004, April 7 has been observed as the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Rwanda Genocide by United Nations (UN).  The day commemorates the slaughter of 800,000 people (where Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed by members of the army, militias, and civilians of the Hutu community) for a period of 100 days during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda in central Africa.  The Day of Remembrance is an official UN observance day and not a public holiday.  Paul Kagame, The 61-year-old Rwandan president (since 2000), who led a rebel force that ended the genocide, began the ceremony by lighting a remembrance flame at Kigali. The flame will burn for 100 days, thus commemorating the entire period of the mass-murder.

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Weekly GA Capsule (8th April to 14th April 2019)

OBITUARY

Irawan Malaysian Golfer Arie Irawan passed away aged 28

 On 7th April 2019, 28 years old Malaysian golfer Arie Irawan passed away by ‘apparent natural causes’ in his hotel room at the Chinese resort island of Hainan.

James Bond Actress Nadja Regin passed away aged 87

 The Serbian actress Nadja Regin passed away at the age of 87.  She appeared in two Bond films “From Russia with Love” and “Goldfinger,”.

Kannada writer B. A. Sanadi passed away aged 86

 On 31st March 2019, Kannada poet Dr. B A Sanadi passed away at the age of 86 years at his residence near Herevatta region of Kumta Taluka.  He was honoured with several awards including Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award, Kavyananda Puraskara Award, Shreshta Horanada Kannadiga Award, Kannada Rajyotsava Awards, S.N.Bhoosanuramata Award, Goruru Sahitya Award, Gurunarayana Award, and Pampa award.

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