NATIONAL NEWS
Mysterious footprints of mythical beast Yeti sighted, claims Indian Army
Indian Army claimed that one of its teams spotted mysterious footprints of mythical creature "Yeti" close to Nepal's Makalu Base Camp. During an expedition, the Mountaineering Expedition team came across mysterious marks measuring 32X15 inches, which the Army believed are of the mythical beast Yeti.
- The Army further added it held on to the "photographic evidence" about the Abominable Snowman for about 10 days but then decided that they matched earlier theories.
High alert as Cyclone Fani intensifies
Cyclone 'Fani' intensified into a 'severe cyclonic storm' and is headed towards the Odisha coast. IMD said it could take a shape of an 'extremely severe cyclone', prompting the government to put the National Disaster Response Force and the Indian Coast Guard on high alert.
- The NDRF and the Indian Coast Guard have been put on high alert and the fishermen have been asked not to venture into the sea.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) Economic Corridor no longer listed under BRI umbrella
India’s decision to skip the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) may have led to the exclusion of the Bangladesh- China- India- Myanmar (BCIM) Economic corridor from the list of projects covered by the China-led Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) umbrella.
- In an annex tagged with the Joint Communique of the Leaders' Roundtable of the BRF, which concluded in Beijing recently, the Chinese foreign ministry website has not listed the BCIM as a project covered by the BRI—the giant connectivity initiative speared by China to revive the ancient Silk Road across Eurasia and Africa.
- Citing “sovereignty” concerns, India, for the second time, has not officially participated in the BRF, as CPEC—a flagship of the BRI—passes through Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Japan's emperor Akihito abdicates
Japanese Emperor Akihito abdicated thanking the people for their support over the last three decades and expressing hope for a peaceful future. The popular Akihito, 85, the first monarch to abdicate in two centuries, had sought to ease the painful memories of World War Two and bring the monarchy closer to the people, including those marginalised in society.
- The popular Akihito was the first monarch to take the Chrysanthemum Throne under a post-war constitution that defines the emperor as a symbol of the people without political power.
- Extra info.:
Japan Capital: Tokyo
Currency: Japanese yen
Drug-resistant diseases could kill 10 million annually by 2050: UN
If no action is taken, drug-resistant diseases could cause 10 million deaths each year by 2050 and damage to the economy as catastrophic as the 2008-2009 global financial crisis, a new report by United Nations (UN) has warned.
- The report released by Interagency Coordination Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (IACG) recently also finds that by 2030, antimicrobial resistance could force up to 24 million people into extreme poverty.
BANKING & FINANCE
PNB takes Tarapur Textiles Park to DRT for $13-million loan default
With investigations into Nirav Modi scam in full swing, Punjab National Bank (PNB) has unearthed yet another default from its London branch. The bank has moved the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) against Tarapur Textiles Park for defaulting an amount worth $13 million.
- The case had been filed in the DRT by PNBIL in July last year and the matter is pending in court since then.
- Extra info.:
PNB Headquarters: New Delhi
CEO: Sunil Mehta
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Spotify tops estimates with 100 million paid subscribers worldwide
Spotify has reached 100 million paid subscribers, a first for any online music service, adding more customers in the latest quarter than analysts expected and boosting confidence the company has lots of room to grow. Spotify Technology SA took on 4 million customers in the quarter, compared with the 3.3 million forecast by analysts.
- Competition from Apple Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and YouTube has done little to slow Spotify’s growth around the world, and the company has relied on its independence from some of the world’s largest companies to its advantage. It has boosted its customer base through promotional deals with Hulu, Samsung and even Alphabet Inc.’s Google (YouTube’s parent company).
Garden Reach Shipbuilders wins Rs 6,311 crore Indian Navy contract
Kolkata-based defence shipyard Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) signed a Rs 6,311-crore contract with the defence ministry to build eight anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft (ASWSWCs) for the Indian Navy.
- In parallel, Kerala state shipyard, Cochin Shipyard will build another eight ASWSWCs for the same price. These 16 vessels are being built in two shipyard simultaneously to shorten the delivery period.
- The first vessel is to be delivered within 42 months from the contract, that is by October 2022. The ASWSWCs are equipped with sophisticated sonar, with an algorithm that differentiates the signals reflected off the enemy submarine from those bouncing off the sea bed.
Google to remove 100 apps from Chinese developer
Suspecting malicious cyber attacks and data breach possibilities, Google is removing apps from a Chinese Android app developer DO Global which holds roughly 100 apps in the Play Store with over 600 million installs and is partly owned by Internet major Baidu.
- 46 apps from DO Global have already been removed from the Play Store and the company intends to ban DO Global overall with more app removals that would follow.
SPORTS
Bottas wins in Azerbaijan, retakes championship lead
Valtteri Bottas won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix to retake the Formula One world championship lead from team mate Lewis Hamilton after a stunning fourth successive one-two finish for Mercedes. Sebastian Vettel in his Ferrari was a distant third as the Italian pre-season favourites again failed to convert their promise into a result.
- Mercedes are the first two-car team in Formula One's 70-year history to open a season with four straight one-twos. Max Verstappen was fourth for Red Bull ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.
First female Ligue 1 referee takes charge of match
Stephanie Frappart became the first woman to referee a French Ligue 1 match. The 35-year-old Frappart took charge as Amiens hosted Strasbourg, where she was called into action numerous times, handing out yellow cards to the likes of Strasbourg's Ibrahima Sissoko and Ludovic Ajorque.
- Frappart is not the first woman to officiate a top-flight men's game in Europe's top leagues. Germany's Bibiana Steinhaus became the first woman to officiate a Bundesliga match in 2017.
India’s Nitendra Singh Rawat finishes 27th in Virgin Money London Marathon 2019
Indian marathon runner, Nitendra Singh Rawat finished 27th in 2 hours 15 minutes and 59 seconds in the men’s Elite race of prestigious Virgin Money London Marathon 2019 at London, the UK which was won by EliudKipchoge of Kenya for record fourth time.
- This was the fourth fastest in his career and his second fastest time in this season.
BOOOKS & AUTHORS
Coffee Table book on Architecture & Landscape of Rashtrapati Bhawan presented to UAE Minister
Ambassador Navdeep Suri presented UAE Minister of Tolerance Sheikh Nahayan Mubarak Al Nahayan with the coffee Table book titled Work of Beauty : Architecture and Landscape of Rashtrapati Bhawan. The book has been published by Publications Division , Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
- UAE Minister of Tolerance had visited the India Pavilion of the ongoing Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2019. India is the ‘Guest of Honour’ at the Book Fair.
- The book was commissioned by President's Secretariat and Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), Ministry of Culture, Government of India.
AWARDS
Bhullar wins outstanding achievement as player award
Arjuna awardee and star Indian golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar won the outstanding achievement as a player award at the fourth edition of the annual India Golf Industry Association (GIA) awards at the Delhi Golf Club in New Delhi.
- The GIA awards were held along with the 8th India Golf & Turf Expo (IGTE), South Asia's largest golf trade show.
IMPORTANT DAYS
International Jazz Day
International Jazz Day is an International Day declared by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in 2011 "to highlight jazz and its diplomatic role of uniting people in all corners of the globe." It is celebrated annually on April 30.
- Nearly 200 countries participate in International Jazz Day every year. The idea came from jazz pianist and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock. Jazz Day is chaired by Hancock and the UNESCO Director-General.
