Current Affairs Daily Digest – April 13 2019
1. Jean Michel Lapin announced as Haiti’s new Prime Minister
President Jovenel Moise announced that Jean Michel Lapin, who once served as a courier in the public administration, to be the new prime minister of this French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.
Lapin, who had been serving as acting prime minister ever since 93 of the 103 members of the Chamber of Deputies voted in favour of removing Prime Minister Jean-Henry Ceant, last month, was reportedly one of three people who had been considered for the permanent position.
2. Gargi Kaul appointed Secretary, Defence Finance
In a bureaucratic reshuffle, the Centre has appointed Gargi Kaul, a 1984-batch officer of the Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IA&AS), as Secretary, Defence Finance. Kaul was earlier Financial Advisor, Defence Services in the Defence Ministry.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet appointed Sumeet Jerath, earlier Special Secretary and Financial Advisor in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), as Special Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat.
In the MEA, Jerath was replaced by Raj Kumar Goyal, a 1990-batch IAS officer of Jammu and Kashmir cadre, who was appointed as Additional Secretary and Financial Advisor.
The government also appointed Prem Kumar Kataria as Additional Secretary in the Textiles Ministry, Anil Kumar Jha as Additional Secretary in the Revenue Department and S.K.G. Rahate as Additional Secretary in the Power Ministry.
3. Sweden stresses on need for EU-India free-trade agreement
Sweden has stressed on the need for a free trade agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union for ease of doing business for companies that want “predictability”.
“Part of that (FTA) would also hopefully flow an investment protection agreement. They can be negotiated together. Since the bilateral investment protection agreements have been ended by India over the last few years, this would be, I think, to many companies, a very important ingredient that would facilitate and increase trade,” said Klas Molin, Swedish Ambassador to India.
4. 2 West Bengal govt schemes win UN awards
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, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said . The schemes are “Utkarsh Bangla” and “Sabooj Sathi”.
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.
5. PNB honours bank veterans and employees on 125th foundation day in Chennai
Punjab National Bank has celebrated its 125th foundation day at Ranchi Mandal office. On 12 April 1895, the first indigenous bank, Punjab National Bank, was founded by the people like late Dayal Singh Majithia, lawyer Kali Prasanna Roy, Lala Harkishan Lal, EC Jessore, Prabhu Dayal, Jayashi Ram Bakshi and Lala Dolan Das.
Since then, the bank has been providing better banking services to more than 110 million customers in its 124 years of work time.
6. Times Group wins big at Abby awards
The Times of India Group bagged six Abby awards, including three silvers, within the writer category on day some of the star-studded GoaFest 2019, thought to be the Oscars of the media and advertising global.
The Times of India’s ‘Flirt With Your City’ advertising and marketing marketing campaign received two silvers underneath the best advertising and marketing of a published newspaper category and in the best digital e-newsletter advertising and advertising and marketing through a writer category.
7. PayU acquires digital financial security firm Wibmo for USD 70 mn
Digital payments facilitator PayU has acquired US-based financial technology firm Wibmo for USD 70 million (about Rs 484 crore), that will help the company scale-up its business. Under the agreement, PayU and Wibmo businesses will continue to run separately.
Wibmo, a digital payment security and mobile payment technologies firm, will continue to operate and serve all of its clients as a wholly-owned subsidiary of PayU.
8. ‘Uri: The Surgical Strike’ actor Navtej Hundal passes away
Actor Navtej Hundal, who played the role of the home minister in Vicky Kaushal-starrer ‘Uri: The Surgical Strike’, passed away .
9. World Allergy Week 2019
World Allergy Week 2019 is being observed between 07-13 April 2019. World Allergy Week is a global campaign of the World Allergy Organisation (WAO), which aims to raise awareness of the impact of allergy in our communities.
Theme for 2019: “The Global Problem of Food Allergy”
10. World Parkinson’s Day: April 11
World Parkinson’s Day is celebrated on April 11 to create awareness about the long-term degenerative disorder. It also marks the birthday of James Parkinson, a physician who described the disease.
Parkinson’s is one of the most common neurodegenerative and movement disorder. Progressive loss of controlled muscle activity, which leads to trembling of the limbs and head while at rest, stiffness, slowness, and impaired balance are some of the characteristics of the disease.
11. National Safe Motherhood Day is celebrated on April 11
National Safe Motherhood Day (NSMD) is observed annually on 11 April to raise awareness about the proper healthcare of women and maternity facilities to pregnant and lactating women. This day also raise awareness for the prevention of child marriages, that may be an indirect cause of maternal deaths.
The theme of 2019 NSMD is “Midwives for Mothers”. Last year’s NSMD theme was ‘Respectful Maternity Care’.
12. Govt declares holiday on birthday of BR Ambedkar
Government has declared a public holiday on 14 April for all Central government offices, including industrial establishments, throughout India. Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions issued a memorandum declaring the public holiday on account of birthday of Dr BR Ambedkar.
13. Sudan’s security and intelligence chief Salih Ghosh resigns
The head of Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Service, Salih Ghosh, has resigned from his post. Salih Ghosh had overseen a sweeping crackdown led by National Intelligence and Security Service agents against protesters taking part in mass demonstrations that led up to the toppling of President Omar al-Bashir in a coup by the army .
14. US Senate confirms Colorado native David Bernhardt as Interior secretary
The US Senate has confirmed Colorado native David Bernhardt as secretary of the Interior Department. The Republican-controlled upper chamber approved Bernhardt’s nomination in a 56-41 vote, with support from several Democrats who crossed party lines yesterday.
15. Former IL&FS Managing Director Ramesh Bawa arrested by SFIO
Former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS) Limited was arrested by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO). Ramesh C Bawa was arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation into the affairs of IL&FS and its group entities.
