24 April 2019 - Daily Current Affairs
1. Karnam Sekar appointed as IOB's new MD & CEO
- Karnam Sekar has been appointed as the new Managing Director (MD) and CEO of Indian Overseas Bank.
- Mr Sekar (from July 1, 2019) will take over from R Subramaniakumar.
- He was the MD & CEO of Dena Bank till September 2018.
- Earlier he was the Deputy Managing Director and Chief Credit Officer in State Bank of India heading its highest Credit Committee.
- Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) is a major public sector bank based in Chennai, India.
- The bank has achieved 100 per cent networking status as well as 100 per cent CBS status for its branches.
- IOB has a network of about 3,300 ATMs all over India.
Important Days
2. National Panchayati Raj Diwas being observed today
- The ‘National Panchayati Raj Divas’ being observed on 24th April every year across India.
- This day marks the passing of the Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 that came into force with effect from 24 April 1993.
Obituaries
3. S Muthiah, chronicler of Madras passes away
- S Muthiah (89-years) who kept the history and heritage of Madras alive as a chronicler passed away due to age-related ailments.
- Muthiah authored several books, including “A Madras Miscellany” and “Madras Rediscovered.
- He was awarded the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 2002 for his accomplishments.
International Affairs
4. UAE's Hope Probe project bound for Mars is 85% complete
- The UAE Space Agency and Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) have announced that 85% of the Hope Probe project has been completed.
- Currently undergoing intensive testing with less than 500 days are remaining for the launch.
- The probe is scheduled to reach Mars by 2021, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the UAE’s formation.
- With a successful launch, UAE hopes to become the first Arabic and Islamic country to make the Mars Mission dream a reality.
- It is a small unmanned spacecraft weighing around 1.5 tonnes with fuel, about the size and weight of a small car.
- A deeper understanding of the Martian atmosphere, and the study of climate change and its relationship to atmospheric erosion, which was one of the reasons for the disappearance of liquid water from the surface of the planet.
5. NASA astronaut to set a record for the longest spaceflight by a woman
- NASA astronaut Christina Koch is going to have her mission on the International Space Station (ISS) extended to 328 days.
- This would set a record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman.
- Koch arrived at the space station on 14th March and scheduled to remain in orbit until February 2020.
- She will eclipse the record of 288 days set by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson in 2016-17.
- The longest single spaceflight by a NASA astronaut is 340 days, set by former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly during his one-year mission in 2015-16.
- Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov are scheduled to launch to the space station and join Expedition 60, returning the orbiting laboratory's crew complement to six.
- The extended missions of Koch and Morgan will help scientists gather additional data about the effects of long-duration human spaceflight beyond those of the normal six-month station expedition.
6. Indonesia releases special stamp on the theme of Ramayana
- Indonesia has released a special commemorative stamp on the theme of Ramayana to mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of its diplomatic ties with India.
- According to the Embassy of India in Jakarta, the stamp designed by renowned Indonesian sculptor Padmashri Bapak Nyoman Nuarta, featured a scene from Ramayana in which Jatayu valiantly fought to save Sita.
- A specially signed version of the stamp will be on display at the Philately Museum in Jakarta.
- A special stamp is a type of postage stamp typically intended for use on special occasions and holidays that occur repeatedly.
7. 29th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair: India nominated as Guest of Honour
- India has been nominated as the “Guest of Honour” country at the 29th edition of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF).
- According to Indian Ambassador to the UAE, Navdeep Singh Suri 30 publishing houses from India will take part in the fair.
- Books on the life and struggle of Mahatma Gandhi will be on display as part of the 150th birth anniversary celebrations.
- A special presentation will be made by the Publications Division on the 100-volume series of the Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi in a bid to reach out to the international audience.
- An annual fair is a major event in the publishing sector in the Middle East and North Africa.
National Affairs
8. India Ranks 19 out of 28 Nations in 2019 Index of Cancer Preparedness by EIU
- India (score - 64.9) has been placed at 19th spot out of 28 countries in the Index of Cancer Preparedness (ICP) 2019 created by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).
- Australia (score - 90.6) has topped the ICP list with a, followed by the Netherlands (score- 89.9) and Germany (88.7).
- The ICP allows benchmarking of national efforts and identifies best practice in addressing the cancer challenge.
- The Index of Cancer Preparedness (ICP) presents data on 45 indicators that are relevant to cancer control.
- Cancer is a generic term for a large group of diseases characterized by the growth of abnormal cells beyond their usual boundaries that can then invade adjoining parts of the body and spread to other organs.
- It is the world’s second biggest killer, responsible for 9.6 million deaths in 2018–roughly.
Honours & Awards
9. Malayalam film ‘Bhayanakam’ wins best cinematography award at Beijing International Film Festival
- Malayalam film "Bhayanakam" (English: Fear) has won the best cinematography award at the 2019 Beijing International Film Festival in China.
- The cinematography was done by Nikihil S Praveen and directed by Jayaraj.
- The film had also won the best cinematography award at the 65th National Film Awards.
- The film portrays the visits of first World War veteran to a small village in the backwaters of Kerala's Kuttanand as a postman during the World War-II.
- The film is an adaptation of two chapters from Takazhy Sivasankara Pillai's epic Malayalam novel Coir (1978).
Banking and Finance
10. Lakshmi Vilas Bank to raise Rs 188.16 crore via preferential shares sale to Indiabulls Housing Finance
- Lakshmi Vilas Bank (LVB) proposes to raise Rs 188.16 crore by allotting 4.99% of its shares at Rs 112 a piece on a preferential basis to Indiabulls Housing Finance Ltd.
- On 5 April 2019, the board of Lakshmi Vilas Bank approved a merger of the bank with the country's second largest housing finance company, Indiabulls Housing Finance Ltd.
- 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.
- Lakshmi Vilas Bank was founded in 1926 by a group of seven businessmen of Karur under the leadership of Shri V.S.N. Ramalinga Chettiar.
11. BEML, Syndicate Bank sign MoU, to book Rs 100 cr-biz
- BEML Limited (a 'Miniratna' Public Sector Undertaking) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for financing earthmoving and construction equipment manufactured by BEML with Syndicate Bank.
- Under the MoU, BEML will nominate Syndicate Bank as a preferred financier for financing its customers.
- The customers under the tie-up arrangement will be provided loans in the range of Rs 20 Lakh to Rs 300 Lakh and preferential pricing by Syndicate Bank.
Sports
12. Bajrang Punia wins Gold in Asian Wrestling C'ship
- India's Bajrang Punia (World number-1) logged 10 points in a row in the gold medal bout to reclaim his Asian Championship crown.
- He defeated Kazakhstan's Sayatbek Okassov 12-7 in a nail-biting 65kg men's freestyle final.
- It is Bajrang's second gold at this championship, having won one in 2017.
- India’s Parveen Rana lost to Bahman Mohammad Teymouri (Iran) in the final 0-3 in 79kg category securing a silver medal.
- In 97 Kg category, Satywart Kadian picked bronze medal defeating Haobin Gao of China by 8-2.
- Now, India clinched one gold, one silver and bronze at the Asian Wrestling Championship in China's Xian.
