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  • Current Affairs 8th April 2019

    Updated : 08-Apr-2019

    Current Affairs 8th April 2019 - Important Points

    • Indian Navy signs MoU with CSIR on - 5th April 2019
    • David Malpass named World Bank President on - 6th April 2019
    • Vikram Kirloskar takes charge as CII President on - 6th April 2019
    • US House votes to end American involvement in - Yemen’s Civil War
    • World Health Day 2019 celebrated on - 7th April 2019
    • ESPN India Multi-Sport Awards 2018
    • International Day of Sport for - Development and Peace 2019
    • National Maritime Day 2019 on - 5th April 2019
      Current Affairs 8th April 2019 - Details

    Indian Navy signs MoU with CSIR on - 5th April 2019

    The Indian Navy and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research on April 5th, 2019 inked a MoU to undertake joint research and development of advanced skills for the Indian Navy.
    The Memorandum of Understanding was inked by Vice Admiral G.S.Pabby, Chief of Materiel of Indian Navy and Shekhar C Mande, Secretary at Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and Director General, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.
    Important Highlights

    • The MoU enables a formal framework for interaction between the Indian Navy and the research council.
    • Under the MoU, joint research and development events will be undertaken in the diverse fields of
      Mechanical, Electronics, Communication, Computer Science, Propulsion systems, Metallurgy and
      Nanotechnology.
    • The MoU will be a joint arrangement between labs of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, the Indian Navy and the Indian industry.
    • Approximately the immediate projects to be developed under this Memorandum of Understanding include development of substitute desalination technologies, installation of wireless MEMS based sensors for remote procedure and residual life assessment studies of gas turbine generator blades to progress reliability.

    David Malpass named World Bank President on - 6th April 2019

    Senior US Treasury official David Malpass was on April 6th, 2019 unanimously selected as the new President of the World Bank. The declaration came-out as expected just prior to subsequent week's joint spring meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The selection was done by the World Bank's board of directors after an open and  crystal-clear nomination process in which inhabitants of all membership nations were potentially entitled.
    Unwritten Rule 
    Though residents from all member nations are considered entitled for the bank's top job, since its
    inception following the 2nd World War, all of the bank's presidents have perpetually been from the US.
    Similarly, the top post at the bank's sister institution, the International Monetary Fund, has been
    grasped by European leaders.
    About David Malpass

    • David Malpass is an American government official and economic analyst who presently working as Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs.
    • He formerly worked as Deputy Assistant Treasury Secretary under President Ronald Reagan, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State under President George H.W Bush and Chief Economist at Bear Stearns for the 6 years preceding its collapse.
    • During the 2016 US presidential election, Malpass worked as an economic advisor to Donald Trump, and in 2017, he was designated and established as the undersecretary for international affairs in the US Department of the Treasury.
    • Malpass was recognised for his predictions before the financial crisis of 2007–2008 and in the time period following the Great Recession.
    • In February 2019, President Trump declared Malpass as the nominee for President of the World Bank.
    • He had been the lone applicant for the job and his recommendation by Trump earlier in 2019 sparked outrage among critics, who pursue it as an affront to the global anti-poverty lender's very mission.
    • The 63 years old Malpass has been quite a vociferous critic of global financial institutions, calling their lending performs as corrupt and ineffective and complaining that they are excessively generous to China.

    Vikram Kirloskar takes charge as CII President on - 6th April 2019

    Vikram Kirloskar on April 6, 2019 accepted charge as the new President of the Confederation of Indian Industry- CII. Kirloskar is the Chairman and MD of Kirloskar Systems Ltd and Vice Chairman of Toyota Kirloskar Motor. He succeeds Rakesh Bharti Mittal, who is the Vice Chairman of Bharti Enterprises.
    In other decisions, the Confederation of Indian Industry opened that Uday Kotak, founder and Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Kotak Mahindra Bank will be the President-Designate, while TV Narendran, the CEO and Managing Director of Tata Steel will be the Vice President for the period 2019-20.
    More about Vikram Kirloskar

    • Kirloskar has been connected with Confederation of Indian Industry for 3 decades and has been the
      chairman of Global Innovation and Technology Alliance Board since its inception in 2012-2013.
    • He has more than 24 years of experience in the business of producing automobiles and auto parts.
    • He also works as the Vice Chairman of Toyota Kirloskar Motor Private Limited.
    • He has been Non-Executive Director at Kirloskar Pneumatic Company Limited since June 2002.
    • Besides, he has been a Director at Kirloskar Proprietary Ltd. since March 2010.
    • He worked as a Director of Kirloskar Industries Ltd from May 2004-May 2012.
    • He also works as the Director of Kirloskar Toyoda Textile Machinery Pvt. Ltd., Kirloskar Systems Limited, Kirloskar Theratronics Private Limited, Toyota Kirloskar Auto Parts Private Limited, Vikram Geet Investments and Holdings Private Limited and Toyota Tsucho Insurance Broker India Private Limited.
    • He worked as the Director of Kirloskar Brothers Limited from June 2001-May 2015.
    • Before that, he also worked as the Director at Onmobile Global Limited from August 2007-August 2008 and Kirloskar Oil Engines Limited.
    • He is a member of the National Council of Confederation of Indian Industry.

    US House votes to end American involvement in - Yemen’s Civil War

    The United States House of Representatives has voted to finish United States involvement in Yemen’s
    civil war. The resolution to finish the American Involvement in the civil war was sanctioned by 247 to 175 votes. The resolution guides the United States President to eliminate United States Armed Forces from hostilities/affecting the Republic of Yemen within 30 days. The resolution discards the United States Presidents support for the Saudi-led campaign in Yemen.
    More about Yemen Civil War

    • The roots of the civil war can be outlined to the failure of a political transition which was proposed to bring stability to Yemen after an Arab Spring uprising which pushed the long-time authoritarian
      president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, to hand-over power to his deputy, Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, in 2011.
    • President Hadi resisted to deal with a variety of problems, including attacks by jihadists, a separatist movement in the south, ongoing loyalty of security personnel to Saleh, as well as corruption, unemployment and food insecurity.
    • The Houthis and security forces loyal to Saleh in a bid to recuperate power attempted to have control of the entire nation, forcing Mr Hadi to flee abroad in March 2015.
    • Distressed by the recitation proceedings which they supposed to be backed militarily by regional Shia power Iran, Saudi Arabia and 8 other mostly Sunni Arab states started an air campaign intended at restoring Mr Hadi’s government.
    • The war has headed to a military stalemate. Even though the government and the Houthis decided to a ceasefire, they are yet to begin withdrawing, raising fears that the contract will collapse.

    World Health Day 2019 celebrated on - 7th April 2019

    The World Health Day was celebrated worldwide on April 7th, 2019. The day marked the 71st anniversary of the World Health Organisation.
     The theme of ‘World Health Day’ 2019 was “Universal Health Coverage: Everyone, Everywhere”.
    Some nations have already made noteworthy progress towards universal health coverage. However,
    millions of people still have no access at all to healthcare. To attain universal health coverage, more
    than a billion people prerequisite to profit from health services by 2023.
    The main purpose is to make sure that everyone, everywhere is able to access vital quality health
    services without facing financial poverty.
    More about World Health Day

    • The World Health Day is celebrated yearly on 7th April to lime-light the anniversary of the founding of the WHO.
    • The Day is celebrated around a specific health theme every year to lime-light a priority area of
      concern for the WHO.
    • The celebration is manifest by activities which spread beyond the day itself and works as an occasion to focus worldwide attention on these significant aspects of worldwide health.

    International Day of Sport for - Development and Peace 2019

    The International Day of Sport for Development and Peace was celebrated worldwide on April 6th, 2019. The date honours the induction of the 1st ever Olympic games of the modern era in Athens, Greece in 1896.
    The day aims to feast awareness about the positive effect that sports can have on the progression of human rights and economic development.
    Role of Sports
    Sport plays an imperative role as a promoter of peace and economic development in various
    geographical, cultural and political contexts. It works as a powerful tool to bring people together across
    the boundaries, cultures and religions.
    More about the Day

    • The UN General Assembly on August 23rd, 2013 through its resolution A/RES/67/296 finalised to
      proclaim 6th April as the International Day of the Sport for the Development and the Peace. The day has been celebrated every year since 2014.
    • Additionally, the United Nations Security Council in its 58th session announced 2005 as the
      “International Year for Sport and Physical Education” to encourage education, health, development and  peace.

    National Maritime Day 2019 on - 5th April 2019

    The National Maritime Day 2019 was celebrated on April 5th, 2019. The theme of the National Maritime Day 2019 was ‘Indian Ocean– An Ocean of opportunity’. The World Maritime Day is celebrated on September 26th each year to lime-light the significance of shipping, maritime security and environment.
    National Maritime Day

    National Maritime Day 1st celebrated on April 5th, 1964, intends to spread awareness in supporting safe and environmentally sound trade between the continents worldwide.
    Awards Conferred during the National Maritime Day
    National Maritime Day Varuna Award to recognize individuals for their sustained and outstanding
    contribution.
    National Maritime Day Award of Excellence to recognize and individuals for their lifetime exceptional and  distinguished achievements/performance at the senior functional level in the Indian Maritime Sector.

    Award for “Outstanding Contribution to Maritime Education and Training” shall be bestowed by the
    National Maritime Day Celebrations (Central) Committee for the sustained contribution done by a
    person to the Maritime Education and training.

    ESPN India Multi-Sport Awards 2018

    The ESPN Multi-Sport Awards recognised triumphs across 11 categories, of which winners across 10
    categories were nominated by an independent 14 members jury.
    The Winners
    Sportsperson of the Year in Male category to Neeraj Chopra for Athletics.
    Sportsperson of the Year in Female category to P V Sindhu for Badminton.
    Comeback of the Year to Saina Nehwal for Badminton.
    Coach of the Year to Jaspal Rana for Shooting.
    Emerging Sportsperson of the Year to Saurabh Chaudhary for Shooting.
    Team of the Year to Women’s team for Table tennis.
    Match of the Year to Amit Panghal vs Hasanboy Dusmatov for Boxing.
    Differently-abled athlete of the Year to Ekta Bhyan for Para-athletics.
    Moment of the Year to Women’s 4x400m relay
    Lifetime Achievement Award to Pradip Kumar Banerjee for Football.