NATIONAL NEWS
India delivers replacement Mi-24 helicopters to Afghanistan
India delivered the first pair of replacement Mi-24 attack helicopters to Afghanistan. India had first delivered the Mi-24 Helicopters to Afghanistan in December 2015.
- India has been one of the largest donors of Mi-24 helicopters to Afghanistan and has contributed almost USD 3 billion as aid to the war-torn country since 2001.
- Extra info.:
Afghanistan Afghanistan Capital: Kabul
Currency: Afghani
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Saudi Arabia approves Permanent Residency for first time
The Saudi government has approved for the first time a scheme that gives permanent residency to certain expatriates, allowing them to own real estate in the kingdom and reside with their families without a Saudi sponsor.
- The "Privileged Iqama" system will offer a permanent residence scheme and one that can be renewed annually to highly skilled expatriates and owners of capital funds.
- Extra info.:
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia Capital: Riyadh
Currency: Riyal
Taiwan becomes first Asian-nation to legalise same-sex marriage
In a landmark move, Taiwan became the first Asian-nation to legalise same-sex marriage. The Taiwan lawmakers passed a law allowing same-sex couples to form "exclusive permanent unions" and to apply for a "marriage registration" with government agencies.
- The voting comes after Taiwan's top court ruled that not allowing same-sex marriage violates the constitution.
- Extra info.:
Taiwan Capital: Taipei
Currency: New Taiwan dollar
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
IBM Garage to co-create AI-based Automation Solutions with HDFC ERGO
IBM India has tied-up with HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company, India’s third-largest non-life insurance provider in the private sector, to co-create new Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based solutions.
- Leveraging IBM Garage, teams from HDFC ERGO and IBM Services will work together to develop and test new solutions. This will help to better address customer queries, ensure faster turnaround time and draw deeper customer insights for a better omni channel experience.
APPOINTMENTS
Jeffrey Rosen appointed as US’ next Deputy Attorney General
Jeffrey Rosen was confirmed as the United States' latest deputy attorney general by the US Senate after his predecessor, Rod Rosenstein, left the department recently.
- The latest deputy attorney general previously served at the Department of Transportation as the deputy secretary. He also served in former US President George W. Bush's administration.
Ujjivan Small Finance Bank appoints Nitin Chugh as next MD and CEO
Ujjivan Small Finance Bank, a subsidiary of the listed entity Ujjivan Financial Services, announced the appointment of Nitin Chugh as its MD and CEO for a period of 3 years with effect from December 1, 2019. Chugh currently serves as the Group Head of Digital Banking of HDFC Bank.
- This appointment comes at the end of a succession planning process undertaken by the bank as the present tenure of Samit Ghosh as the MD and CEO of the bank will conclude on November 30, 2019.
- Extra info.:
Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Headquarters: Bengaluru
AWARDS/RECOGNITION
Anil Kapoor to be felicitated by CEUCC
Actor Anil Kapoor will be felicitated by the Council of European Chambers of Commerce (CEUCC) in India and an European Union delegation as part of the ‘Europe Day’ celebrations. The actor will be the chief guest for the celebrations.
- Europe Day is celebrated every year on May 9 to mark the formation of the European Union (EU).
Antano and Harini honoured by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
Antano and Harini - Legacy Accelerators received the 'Award of Honour' from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India for the unprecedented work they have been doing to help people change the trajectory of their lives and help people create a personal legacy in compressed time.
Sunny Pawar bags Best Child Actor award at New York Indian Film Festival
Sunny Pawar has bagged the Best Child Actor award for 'Chippa' at the 19th New York Indian Film Festival.
- The 11-year-old, who hails from a slum in Kunchi Kurve Nagar in Mumbai, shot to fame with Australian director Garth Davis' acclaimed 2016 film 'Lion' for which he won an AACTA award.
Indian YouTuber Ajey Nagar Named Among 'Next Generation Leaders 2019' by Time Magazine
Indian YouTuber Ajey Nagar has been named by Time magazine among its 'Next Generation Leaders 2019', a list of only 10 young people from around the world who are forging new paths in politics, music and other spheres.
- Nagar, 19, popularly known as 'CarryMinati' has nearly 7 million subscribers for his YouTube channel, Time said in its profile of him.
Khumalo becomes first black African woman to scale Everest
South African mountaineer Saray Khumalo became the first black woman from the continent to reach Mount Everests summit.
- Khumalo has been mountaineering for charity and awareness purposes for about six years, as she has been raising funds for the education of her country's children.
OBITUARIES
Bob Hawke, Australia's longest serving Labour PM passes away at 89
Bob Hawke, one of Australia's longest-serving prime ministers and a champion of the trade union movement, has passed away at the age of 89.
South Asian Games swimming champion MB Balakrishnan dies in road accident
Ace Tamil Nadu swimmer and South Asian Games gold-medalist MB Balakrishnan died in a road accident in Chennai. 29-year-old MB Balakrishnan, who had won a gold medal in the South Asian Games in 2010, had recently returned to India after working in the US.
Senior Congress leader Kadavoor Sivadasan passes away
Veteran trade unionist and senior Congress leader Kadavoor Sivadasan has passed away. He was 87 and was under treatment for pneumonia.
- A four-time legislator, Sivadasan was a minister in the Cabinets of K.Karunakaran and A.K.Antony.
Architect who designed Louvre's pyramid passes away
I.M. Pei, the acclaimed Chinese-American architect revered as one of the last great modernist architects, who designed the glass and metal pyramid at the Louvre Museum in Paris, has passed away at the age of 102.
- Although he worked mostly in the US, Pei will always be remembered for his redevelopment of the Louvre Museum in the 1980s.
IMPORTANT DAYS
World Telecommunication and Information Society Day
The World Telecommunication Day and Information Society Day is celebrated every year on May 17 around the world. The day was formerly called World Telecommunications Day, but in November 2005, the World Summit on the Information Society called upon the UN General Assembly to declare May 17 as World Information Society Day. Since then, the day came to be known as World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) after 2005.
- The theme for this year of World Telecommunication Day 'Bridging the standardization gap' focuses on the power of data for development and aims to explore how to turn complex, and unstructured data into actionable information to help move development forward.
World Hypertension Day
World Hypertension Day 2019 observed on May 17. Hypertension or high blood pressure is a condition in which there is long-term high force of blood against artery walls.
- The theme of World Hypertension Day 2019 is "Know your numbers." The theme is meant to raise awareness about high blood pressure in people across the world. The idea is to make sure you check your blood pressure regularly and know your numbers in order to necessary action on time.
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