Current Affairs Daily Digest – April 29 2019
1. Former India footballer Kannan passes away
Former India footballer P. Kannan passed away following prolonged illness. He was 80 and is survived by his wife and two daughters.
Kannan, who was a forward and made 14 appearances for India, suffered a stroke earlier in the month and was admitted to a hospital here. He represented Universal RC for four years in the Chennai Football Association (CFA) senior division league.
2. Thiem Sprints Past Medvedev To Clinch Barcelona Title
Dominic Thiem clinched a fourth clay-court win over Rafael Nadal to reach the Barcelona Open final at the expense of the world number two.
Thiem lost to Nadal in the French Open final last year but had earlier beaten the Spaniard at the Madrid Open and had the measure of him again on Saturday.
The Austrian prevailed 6-4, 6-4 with a sublime display and has the opportunity to win an ATP Tour title on the red dirt for the ninth time in his career.
3. ISSF World Cup: India wins 3 golds, 1 silver
India topped the standings at the International Shooting Sport Federation, ISSF World Cup on the final day in Beijing , bagging four medals comprising 3 Gold and a Silver.
In the last edition in New Delhi, India had jointly topped the standings with Hungary. China followed India in the Beijing edition by bagging 2 gold, as many silver and a bronze.
For India, Anjum Moudgil and young Divyansh Singh Panwar started the medal hunt with a gold in the 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team competition.
The teenaged pair of Manu Bhaker and Saurabh Chaudhary won another yellow metal in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team Pistol event.
Divyansh then won India’s first individual medal by clinching a silver in the men’s 10m Air Rifle. Abhishek Verma won India’s third gold in men’s 10m Air Pistol event.
4. Govt raises wheat import duty to 40% in order to support local farmers
The Centre raised wheat import duty by a third to 40 per cent to support local farmers from further price fall and prevent its possible import on the back of a growing demand for animal feed in drought hit states including Maharashta, Gujarat, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
A notification issued by the Ministry of Finance on Friday evening said that wheat import will attract 40 per cent duty from existing 30 per cent effective immediately.
The government in its latest estimates has forecast India’s wheat output at 100 million tonnes, the highest ever, as against 99.12 million tonnes forecast by the Ministry of Agriculture’s Second Advance Estimate released in February 2019.
5. Bottas Beats Hamilton by 1.5 Seconds, Mercedes Get Record 4th Straight One-Two
Valtteri Bottas resisted an attacking final charge by his Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton to win Azerbaijan Grand Prix and regain the lead in the 2019 drivers title race.
In a thrilling, closely-fought and dramatic race, the Finn came home 1.5 seconds ahead of Hamilton as Mercedes swept to a fourth successive one-two finish, the first team to do so since Ferrari in 1952.
It was the second win of the season for Bottas and fifth of his career and delivered him some redemption after leading last year’s race until his car suffered a puncture with three laps remaining.
6. International Dance Day: 29th April
International Dance Day is a global celebration of dance, created by the Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute, the main partner for the performing arts of UNESCO.
The event takes place every year on 29th April, the anniversary of the birth of Jean-Georges Noverre, the creator of modern ballet.
7. Canara Bank, Canara HSBC OBC Life launch ‘Webassurance’
Public sector lender Canara Bank and its life insurance partner Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance announced the launch of ’Webassurance’
Four life insurance products of Canara HSBC OBC Life would be made available to customers of Canara Bank, covering the key needs of child future, savings and investments, retirement planning and protection, a release issued here said.
8. Xi Jinping’s wins and losses at second Belt and Road Forum
Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted some 5,000 delegates from across the globe at a Belt and Road Forum in Beijing last week to discuss his signature infrastructure project, which began in 2013 to rebuild ancient trading routes across Eurasia.
This year’s gathering eschewed the pageantry of the inaugural summit in 2017, as Beijing tried to address international criticism by toning down its rhetoric and tightening oversight.
9. International Workers’ Memorial Day: April 28
Workers’ Memorial Day, International Workers’ Memorial Day or International Commemoration Day (ICD) for Dead and Injured or Day of Mourning takes place annually around the world on April 28, an international day of remembrance and action for workers killed, disabled, injured or made unwell by their work.
The Theme for 2019: “Dangerous substances – get them out of the workplace”.
10. World Day for Safety and Health at Work: April 28
The World Day for Safety and Health at Work is observed annually on 28 April to raise awareness for promoting safe, healthy and decent work.
The theme for 2019 is Safety and Health and the future of work.
11. Former Ethiopian president Negasso Gidada dead at 75
Former Ethiopian president Negasso Gidada has died in Germany where he was undergoing medical treatment for an unspecified illness.
Negasso, who was 75, was president between 1995 and 2001 and was the first head of state after Ethiopia adopted a new constitution transforming the country into a federal state, with increased autonomy given to the different regions.
The role of president in Ethiopia is largely ceremonial, with the prime minister holding most of the power.
12. Former Rajya Sabha MP Vasanthi Stanley passes away
The DMK’S former Rajya Sabha MP and the party’s State women minority wing’s president Vasanthi Stanley died night after a brief illness. Vasanthi Stanley, a native of Palayamkottai in Tirunelveli district, had served as DMK’s Rajya Sabha member from 2008 to 2014. She had also served as a member of various parliamentary committees.
She was serving as the State president of DMK’s women minorities wing for the last several years and was known as a staunch loyalist of Kanimozhi, daughter of M Karunanidhi.
13. Real life ‘Padman’ Arunachalam Muruganantham Named in Fortune’s World Leaders List
Real life ‘Padman’, Arunachalam Muruganantham, who made headlines for manufacturing low-cost sanitary napkins with his innovative cellulose-based pads, has made it to Fortune magazine’s list of the top 100 world’s greatest leaders.
Muruganantham ranks 45 on the list, along with other world leaders like Bill and Melinda Gates, Jacinda Ardern and Robert Mueller. While the Gates made it to the top of the list owing to their charity work, Ardern received critical acclaim for her handling of the New Zealand mosque shootings.
14. Australia’s Claire Polosak set to become first woman umpire to stand in men’s ODI
Australia’s Claire Polosak will create history as the first woman umpire ever to stand in a men’s One-Day International when she takes the field in the final of the ICC World Cricket League Division 2 on Saturday.
The 31-year-old, who is breaking new ground for women cricket officials has previously stood in 15 women’s ODIs, the first one in November 2016 between Australia and South Africa.
She has also performed well in ICC events, standing in the semifinal of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2018 between England and India and four matches at the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017, reflecting her rapid rise to success.
15. Jacques Kallis Receives Ikhamanga Award 2019
Ex-South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis has been honoured with the Order of Ikhamanga in the Silver Division. The national honour is bestowed by the President of South Africa on citizens who have made significant contributions to arts, literature, music, journalism, culture, and sports.
Kallis has been rewarded for his successful cricketing career. He played 166 Tests, 328 ODIs and 25 T20Is, returning 62 hundreds and 577 wickets.
16. Zheng Saisai wins women’s singles title at Kunming Tennis Open
No. 2 seed Zheng Saisai defeated compatriot Zhang Shuai 6-4, 6-1 to win women’s singles title at the Kunming Open on Sunday.
Top-seeded Zhang Shuai suffered from a slow start while Zheng Saisai, who had won the Kunming Open three times, took the chance to win the match.
17. Sri Lanka: President Sirisena appoints new Defence Secretary, acting IGP
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena appointed former Army Commander Gen. S. H. S Kottegoda as the Secretary of Defence. The appointment comes days after Hemasiri Fernando resigned from the post, taking responsibility for the Easter attacks though he said “there was no failure” on his part.
