Current Affairs Daily Digest – May 9 2019
1. Visa Appoints Sujatha V Kumar As Head Of Marketing For India And South Asia
Visa, the global leader in digital payments technology, today announced the appointment of Sujatha V Kumar as Head of Marketing for India and South Asia. She will be driving overall marketing strategy and execution including consumer, retail and digital marketing initiatives for India and the emerging markets of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, and the Maldives.
Prior to this, Sujatha was with Google as Head – Brand & Reputation, Marketing, and Strategy. She brings to Visa over 20 years of experience and extensive knowledge of consumer insights, brand development, go-to-market approaches, category management, retail strategy, and promotions.
2. TAFE, PCRA sign MoU to aid efficient energy utilisation
Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA), Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Farm Equipment Limited (TAFE) have signed an MoU to aid conservation of resources across the country.
Under the MoU, it is planned to jointly conduct agriculture workshops by involving TAFE’s dealership network in spreading awareness/sensitising farmers on the advantages of better maintenance and upkeep of their tractors and implements, resulting in lesser fuel consumption and efficient utilisation of resources, thereby helping farmers maximise their productivity and profitability.
3. International Shooting: Esha-Akull pair strikes silver
India’s Esha Singh and Akull Kumar topped qualification but were beaten by 5.4 points for the gold in junior mixed air pistol event by the German pair of Jan Luca Karstedt and Vanessa Seeger in the International Shooting Competition .
Esha, who had swept the gold medals in air pistol in the women’s, junior and youth sections in the last National championship, was in good form, shooting 385 out of 400 in qualification, as compared to the 370 by Akull, who had missed the individual final by two points.
4. Iran’s President announces partial withdrawal from nuclear deal
Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani in a televised address has announced that it will partially withdraw from some of the commitments made under the 2015 International Nuclear Deal.
The announcement came after the US unilaterally decided last year to pull out of this commitment completely. The United States has also announced to cancel waivers to countries, including India, who have been purchasing oil from Iran.
Iranian state media says the country will stop curbing its stocks of enriched uranium and the heavy water needed by certain types of the reactor to ensure that nuclear fission can take place. Iran said the action was being taken because the European Union and others did not have the power to resist US pressure.
5. Singapore passes laws to combat fake news
Singapore passed laws to combat fake news that will allow authorities to order the removal of content despite fierce criticism from tech giants, the media and rights groups.
The new laws give government powers to order social media sites like Facebook and Twitter to put warnings next to posts that authorities deem to be false and in extreme cases get them taken down.
6. India & Turkey vow to strengthen economic relations
India and Turkey vowed to strengthen economic relations with the aim of reaching 10 billion US dollars bilateral trade by 2020.
Turkey’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal, who is on a three-day visit to India since May 7, held talks with Gitesh A Sarma, Secretary (West) under the institutional mechanism of foreign office consultations on Wednesday.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement that Deputy Foreign Minister Onal and Secretary (West) held cordial discussions on various aspects of bilateral ties including examining opportunities for enhancing trade and investment relations.
7. Indian Overseas Bank to raise Rs 1,500 cr in 2019-20
State-run Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) will raise up to Rs 1,500 crore in tranches through private placement and public issues in domestic or overseas markets, IOB said .
In a regulatory filing, the bank said its board has approved a proposal where the bank will issue up to Rs 300 crore equity shares by way of Follow on Public Offer and Rights Issue, with or without participation from the government.
8. 158th birth anniversary of Tagore being celebrated today
The 158th birth anniversary of Rabindra Nath Tagore is being celebrated all over West Bengal today.
Various programmes have been organised to pay respect to Gurudev Tagore. The day began with musical soirees, probhat ferry and garlanding statues and potraits of Tagore.
The West Bengal Government has organised a special musical programme in Kolkata this afternoon to pay tributes to Gurudev Tagore. The day is also being observed in Santineketan.
9. Vice President to embark on a four-day visit to Vietnam
The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu will embark on a four-day official visit to Vietnam from May 09. His visit is expected to enhance India’s comprehensive strategic partnership with the Southeast Asian nation.
Apart from holding one-on-one talks with the leaders of Vietnam, the Vice President will participate in the 16th United Nations Day of Vesak at Tam Chuc pagoda in Vietnam’s northern Ha Nam province, on May 12 and deliver the keynote address at the inaugural session of the event themed as “Buddhist Approach to Global Leadership and Shared Responsibilities for Sustainable Societies.”
10. First chronicler of India’s partition Kirpal Singh dead at 95
Renowned Sikh historian Kirpal Singh passed away at his home in Chandigarh, his family said. He was 95.
11. India Re-Elected As Observer To ‘Arctic Council’
India was re-elected as Observer to the Arctic Council, an intergovernmental forum. The decision was taken during the 11th Arctic Council ministerial meeting at Rovaniemi, Finland.
The Council also appointed the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) as a new Observer. India successfully got the Observer status in 2013 during the Kiruna Ministerial meeting held in Sweden.
12. C’garh cops deploy first ever anti-Naxal women’s commando unit
The Chhattisgarh police for the first time has inducted women commandos in the District Reserve Guard, its frontline anti-Naxal force.
A senior official said these women commandos were part of the security forces’ “short action teams” that eliminated three Naxal “commanders” in the past one month. The specially-raised squad, christened ‘Danteshwari Ladake’, or fighters of Goddess Danteshwari, was inducted in the state’s Naxal-hit Dantewada district, around 400 kilometres from here.
“A first-of-its-kind platoon of women DRG commandos has been raised. Of the 30 recruits, 10 are surrendered women Naxals, while 10 others are assistant constables who were part of the erstwhile Salwa Judum (anti-Naxal militia) movement,” Dantewada Superintendent of Police Abhishek Pallava told PTI.
13. Renowned economist Baidyanath Mishra dies
Renowned economist Baidyanath Mishra died of old-age related problems at his residence. He was 99.
Mishra had started his career as a lecturer in Ravenshaw University in Cuttack in 1949. He later worked at Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT). He was vice-chancellor of OUAT from 1981 to 1985.
Mishra was also the chairman of State Planning Board from 1985 to 1990.
