CURRENT AFFAIRS MAY 13 & MAY 14

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Shri Rajnath Singh launches the MHA Mobile Application for Grievances Redressal:

           The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh launched the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Mobile Application for Grievance Redressal of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) personnel. The Union Home Minister also launched BSFMyApp on the occasion.

This App is required when the Jawans feel that their problems need attention of the Ministry of Home Affairs. This has given a ‘Digital Option’ to jawans to lodge their grievances and he is just one click away from jawans.

India test-fires ‘Spyder’ surface-to-air missile from Odisha test range:

          India, test fired a surface-to-air missile ‘Spyder’ from a test range in Odisha as part of missile launch practice of a series of tests of the short-range quick reaction.

Spyder (Surface-to-air PYthon and DERby) is an acquired missile system from Israel which is a short-range, quick reaction surface-to-air missile to neutralise enemy targets up to a distance of 15 km and at heights between 20-9,000 metres.

Aadhaar not mandatory for PAN in Assam, J&K:

          The government has exempted residents of Assam, Jammu & Kashmir, Meghalaya, non-resident Indians, foreigners or any citizen above 80 years of age from mandatory quoting of Aadhaar while filing income tax returns or to obtain a permanent account number, under Section 139AA of the Income-tax Act, 1961.

Telangana First State to Have Logo for Vehicles Driven by person with Hearing Impairment:

The logo was designed by city-based graphic designer Manikanta Annapragada who was the first person to obtain a driving licence under the ‘hearing impaired’ category in the country.

The logo consists of a hearing impaired mark along with text saying, “Driver is deaf — Please watch out”.

Election Commission of India Launches National Contact Centre to Educate Voters:

The Election Commission of India has launched the National Contact Centre and also gives a toll-free number 1800111950.

With this, any citizen from anywhere across the country, can make a call to this number to get any information or to complaints either in English or Hindi. It is being operated by special software called National Grievance Redress System.

AP to ink MoU with Singapore for new capital at Amaravati:

          Andhra Pradesh Government will enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Republic of Singapore.

The MoU will enhance cooperation between them and to create opportunities for Singapore entities to invest in the new capital and Andhra Pradesh and contribute their expertise in the economic development.

Business

Forbes Middle East lists top 100 Indian business leaders, Lulu’s Yusuf Ali tops owners category:

           Retail Mogul Yusuff Ali and Pepsico executive Sanjeev Chadha are among the top 100 Indian business leaders in the Arab World 2017, according to a Forbes ranking for the Middle East.

Ali, managing director of Lulu Group International topped the Indian business owners’ category and Chadha, CEO, Asia, Middle East and Africa at PepsiCo International led the Indian executive’s category.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

Vinay Mohan Kwatra named India’s new ambassador to France:

          Seasoned diplomat Vinay Mohan Kwatra, currently a joint secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office, has been appointed as the next ambassador to France. A 1988-batch Foreign Service officer, Kwatra will succeed Mohan Kumar, who is retiring.

Apart from having experience of dealing with the UN organisations such as International Labour Organisation (ILO) and World Health Organisation (WHO), he has served in Indian diplomatic missions in China and the US.

Amitabh Bachchan is WHO’s goodwill ambassador for hepatitis:

          To check the spread of the hepatitis epidemic, the World Health Organisation (WHO) appointed actor Amitabh Bachchan as its goodwill ambassador for hepatitis in the South-East Asia region.

Hubert Minnis is the Bahamas’ new prime minister:

          Hubert Minnis, a former health minister was sworn as prime minister of the Bahamas, the country’s fourth since the small island chain became independent of British rule in 1973.

K. Saraswat named new JNU chancellor:

The HRD Ministry has named former DRDO chief Vijay Kumar Saraswat as the next chancellor of JNU. A NITI Aayog member, Mr. Saraswat will replace former ISRO chief Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan.

Banks Board Bureau member Sinor quits:

           H N Sinor, member of the Banks Board Bureau (BBB), has quit one year after the Board was formed to handle senior-level appointments in public sector banks (PSBs).

The resignation of Sinor, who was earlier with ICICI Bank and Central Bank of India, came days after many bank chiefs were suddenly moved out in a major reshuffle.

SPORTS

Asian Wrestling Championships: Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat clinch silver; Ritu wins bronze

Rio Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik settled for the silver losing to Risako Kawai of Japan in the women’s 60kg category, while Vinesh Phogat (55kg) also fell short in the final at the Asian Wrestling Championships.

In women’s 48kg category, Ritu Phogat settled for the bronze medal. Ritu got a walkover by China’s Yanan Sun.

Bajrang Punia gives India first gold medal at Asian Wrestling Championship 2017:

          Bajrang Punia ended India’s gold medal drought on the penultimate day of the Asian Wrestling Championship, taming South Korea’s Seunghui Lee 6-2 in the men’s 65kg freestyle category at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex.

OBITUARY

Ramamohan Rao passes away:

          Former Principal Information Officer to the Government of India I. Ramamohan Rao passed away. He was 83. Mr. Rao, who served as a journalist and communicator for over six decades, was also media adviser to four former Prime Ministers — Rajiv Gandhi, V.P. Singh, Chandrashekhar and P.V. Narasimha Rao.