Irrfan Khan

Irrfan Khan

Sahabzade Irfan Ali Khan, known professionally as Irrfan Khan or simply Irrfan, was an Indian actor who worked in Hindi cinema as well as in British and American films

Khan's career spanned over 30 years and earned him numerous accolades, including a National Film Award, an Asian Film Award, and four Filmfare Awards. In 2011, he was awarded the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian honour

awards

2011     Padma Shri     —     Arts 
2013     National Film Awards     Paan Singh Tomar    
2014     Asian Film Awards     The Lunchbox    
 

World Veterinary Day

 World Veterinary Day

The WVA created World Veterinary Day in 2000 as an annual celebration of the veterinary profession, taking place on the last Saturday of April.

The World Veterinary Association created World Veterinary Day in 2000.

The theme of World Veterinary Day 2020, which falls on April 25, is “Environmental protection for improving animal and human health.”

April 25th is World Penguin Day.

April 25th is World Penguin Day.

This celebratory day coincides with the annual northern migration of Adelie penguins.

This intrinsic migration pattern is conserved across generations. Native to Antarctica are six breeding species, Emperor, King, Chinstrap, Adelie, Gentoo and Macaroni penguins.

Most penguins are monogamous and have distinct calls, enabling them to locate their mates in large groups.

Penguin species lay up to two eggs per mating season with the Emperor and King penguins laying only one egg.

Alarmingly, of the 17 recognized living species, 11 have been listed as Vulnerable or Endangered.

World Malaria Day

World Malaria Day

World Malaria Day is an international observance commemorated every year on 25 April and recognizes global efforts to control malaria.

Globally, 3.3 billion people in 106 countries are at risk of malaria. In 2012, malaria caused an estimated 627,000 deaths, mostly among African children.

 Asia, Latin America, and to a lesser extent the Middle East and parts of Europe are also affected.

World Malaria Day sprung out of the efforts taking place across the African continent to commemorate Africa Malaria Day. WMD is one of eight official global public health campaigns currently marked by the World Health Organization

National Panchayati Raj Day

National Panchayati Raj Day

National Panchayati Raj Day (National Local Self-Government day) is the national day of Panchayati Raj System in India celebrated by Ministry of Panchayati Raj on 24 April annually.

Then Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh declared the first National Panchayati Raj Day on 24 April 2010.

 He mentioned that if Panchayati Raj institutions (PRIs) functioned properly and locals participated in the development process, the Maoist threat could be countered

International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace

International  Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace

The International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace was established on 12 December, 2018 through resolution A/RES/73/127 and was first observed on April 24, 2019.

Preserving the values of multilateralism and international cooperation, which underpin the UN Charter and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, is fundamental to promote and support the three pillars of the UN - peace and security, development and human rights.

World Book and Copyright Day

World Book and Copyright Day

World Book Day, also known as World Book and Copyright Day, or International Day of the Book, is an annual event organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization to promote reading, publishing, and copyright.

The first World Book Day was celebrated on 23 April in 1995, and continues to be recognized on that day.

A related event in the United Kingdom and Ireland is observed in March.

Facebook, invested $5.7 billion for a 9.99 per cent stake in Reliance Jio Platforms

Facebook,   invested $5.7 billion for a 9.99 per cent stake in Reliance Jio Platforms

Facebook,   invested $5.7 billion for a 9.99 per cent stake in Reliance Jio Platforms

Reliance jio is biggest telecom operator in the India with more than 370 million subscriber

The deal, which valued Jio at a pre-money valuation of $65.95 billion, makes Facebook the largest minority shareholder in the Indian telecom network.

Gene Deitch

 Gene Deitch

Eugene Merril Deitch was an American illustrator, animator, comics artist, and film director. Based in Prague since 1959, Deitch was known for creating animated cartoons such as Munro, Tom Terrific, as well as his work on the Popeye and Tom and Jerry series.

 Deitch received the “Winsor McCay” Award for his lifetime contribution to animation in 2004.

He also won the ‘Academy Award’ for his Best Animated Short Film named “Munro” in 1960.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s party won election

South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s party won election

The Democratic Party  of South Korean President Moon Jae-in has won victory in parliamentary elections, with 163 seats in the 300-seat National Assembly

Moon Jae-in is a South Korean politician serving as President of South Korea since 2017. He was elected after the impeachment of Park Geun-hye as the candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea.

South Korea, is an East Asian nation on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula

Capital: Seoul
Currency: South Korean won

44th session of the World Heritage Committee Fuzhou, China , postponed

44th session of the World Heritage Committee Fuzhou, China , postponed

The 44th session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO was scheduled to be held the city of Fuzhou, Fujian province, China June 29-July 9, 2020.

UNESCO decided that the event will be postponed to a later date.

Consultations are currently under way to determine the exact dates of the session.

The event is notable for its adoption of new world heritage sites as well as the potential for delisting sites that are not fulfilling their commitments.

US will sell anti-ship missiles, torpedoes worth $155 million to India

US will sell anti-ship missiles, torpedoes worth $155 million to India

The US is planning to sell air-launched anti-ship missiles and lightweight torpedoes worth $155 million to India.

 It notified the Congress of its move saying that it will enhance India's deterrence capabilities against 'regional threats' and boost homeland security.

the US plans to sell 10 AGM-84L Harpoon Block II air-launched missiles worth $92 million.

it will also sell 16 Mark 54 lightweight torpedoes and three Mark 54 exercise torpedoes for around $63 million.
 

GP Global acquires lubricants assets of Nigeria’s Grand Petroleum

GP Global acquires lubricants assets of Nigeria’s Grand Petroleum

GP Global, an energy-to-agriculture conglomerate, has acquired Nigeria-based Grand Petroleum’s lubricants assets, to strengthen its presence in Nigeria and West Africa, for an undisclosed sum.

Grand Petroleum is a part of Nigeria’s Nosak Group, the company said in a statement.

The acquisition includes assets such as a lubricants brand (HiSpeed) and a blending plant with annual capacity of about 50,000 tonnes in Lagos, which includes storage tanks with a capacity of 6,000 kilolitres.

World Haemophilia Day

World Haemophilia Day

Every year on 17 April World Haemophilia Day is recognised worldwide to increase awareness of haemophilia, von Willebrand disease and other inherited bleeding disorders.

This is a critical effort since with increased awareness comes better diagnosis and access to care for the millions who remain without treatment.

April 17, 2020 is the 30th anniversary of World Haemophilia Day!

The longevity of this celebration is proof of the dedication and tight-knit nature of our community.

The theme of World Haemophilia Day in 2020 is “Get+involved”.

Fei Fei the bird revealed as mascot of Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games

Fei Fei the bird revealed as mascot of Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games

The character was revealed online and is inspired by "divine bird", a part of Liangzhu culture.

According to legend, "divine bird" brings bliss with Fei Fei said to represent both Hangzhou's heritage and its technological innovation.

A pattern from Liangzhu culture extends from the bird's wings to her cheeks, with the raised wings representing "dynamic beauty".

Indian Army observes 36th Siachen Day

Indian Army observes 36th Siachen Day

he Indian Army observed the 36th Siachen Day , remembering the gallant martyrs of Siachen.

Siachen Day commemorates the courage and fortitude displayed by troops of the Indian Army in securing the highest and coldest battlefield in the world.

On April 13, 1984, the Indian Army launched ''Operation Meghdoot'' to secure Bilafond La and other passes on the Saltoro Ridgeline

Siachen lies in the Karakoram Range in North-West India. Siachen Glacier is 76.4 km long and covers about 10,000 sq km of uninhabited terrain.

India will host Asian Boxing Championship in November-December

India will host Asian Boxing Championship in November-December

 The national sports federation has announced that it will host the Asian Boxing Championships for men and women in November-December this year.

The event is usually a biennial competition but was held in consecutive years in the past.

India last hosted the men’s Asian meet back in 1980 in Mumbai, while it conducted the women’s event in 2003 in Hisar.

The tournament became a combined event for men and women last year.

International Day of Human Space Flight

International Day of Human Space Flight

The International Day of Human Space Flight is the annual celebration, held on April 12, of the anniversary of the first human space flight by Yuri Gagarin.

 It was proclaimed at the 65th session of the United Nations General Assembly on April 7, 2011, a few days before the 50th anniversary of the flight

The 1st human-made Earth satellite Sputnik I was launched into outer space on 4th October 1957 which opened a new way for space exploration.

National Safe Motherhood Day

National Safe Motherhood Day

National Safe Motherhood Day is an initiative of the White Ribbon Alliance.

The government of India declared in 2003 the national safe motherhood day on April 11. It became the first country to do so.

it is to ensure that every woman should have the availability and enough access to care during pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal services.

World Homeopathy Day 2020

World Homeopathy Day 2020

The world homeopathy day is celebrated each year on April 10.

This day is celebrated to honor the birth of the father of the Homeopathy system of medicines Dr. Samuel Hahnemann. Born in Paris, France, he was a German physician,  scientist,  scholar, and linguist.

Homoeopathy Awareness Week  is observed  from April 10 to April 16, 2020. 

Theme of the year 2020: “Enhancing the scope of Homeopathy in Public Health”.

Bharti AXA Life Insurance appoints Parag Raja as MD & CEO

Bharti AXA Life Insurance appoints Parag Raja as MD & CEO

Bharti AXA Life Insurance, a private life insurer, has a new managing director and CEO in Parag Raja. Prior to this appointment, Mr Raja was the chief distribution officer at Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance (ABSLI).

He will succeed Vikas Seth, who was chief executive of Bharti AXA Life Insurance for the past two-and-a-half years, after April 30, subject to regulatory approvals.


News People10 Apr 2020

Bharti AXA Life Insurance appoints Parag Raja as MD & CEO
By Ahmad Zaki | 10 Apr 2020
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India Asia C-Suite People Life & Health

Bharti AXA Life Insurance, a private life insurer, has a new managing director and CEO in Parag Raja. Prior to this appointment, Mr Raja was the chief distribution officer at Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance (ABSLI).

He will succeed Vikas Seth, who was chief executive of Bharti AXA Life Insurance for the past two-and-a-half years, after April 30, subject to regulatory approvals.

Mr Raja has a total work experience of nearly 21 years, including 19 years in the life insurance industry in India.

Before ABSLI, he was one of the founding members of Max Life Insurance and associated with the company for 15 years.

Apart from driving many key projects successfully, he worked across Max Life’s agency and bancassurance channels.

Earlier, he also worked with ICICI Bank and ANZ Grindlays Bank.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos tops Forbes billionaires list

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos tops Forbes billionaires list

mazon Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos has maintained his top slot as worlds richest man with a net worth of $113 billion, followed by Bill Gates at $98 billion, according to the latest Forbes 34th annual worlds billionaires list.

Bernard Arnault, Chairman and CEO of luxury magnate LVMH (LVMHF), moved up the list as the third-wealthiest person with $76 billion fortune. At $67.5 billion, Warren Buffett’s fortune landed at fourth place.

Oracle Founder and CTO Larry Ellison is at fifth position with a net worth of $59 billion. The total combined net worth of this year’s billionaires is $8 trillion, down from $8.7 trillion in 2020.

While 267 people dropped off this year’s list, a record 1,062 individuals have seen a drop in their fortunes

There are 241 women on the 2020 list, including seven who share their fortunes with their husband, child or sibling.

UB Pravin Rao appointed as Chairman , Rekha Menon as vice chairperson of NASSCOM

UB Pravin Rao appointed as Chairman , Rekha Menon as vice chairperson of NASSCOM

 Software services industry body National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom), in its first-ever Executive Council meeting held via video conference, named U B Pravin Rao, Chief Operating Officer, Infosys as Chairman for 2020-21, and Rekha Menon, Chairman and Senior Managing Director, Accenture, India as Vice Chairperson.

Rao was the Vice Chairman in the previous year, and succeeds Keshav Murugesh, Group CEO, WNS Global Services.

The newly appointed leadership along with President Debjani Ghosh, will lead the industry body to carry out its wide array of objectives for the coming year in order to achieve their 2025 vision for the industry.

International Day of Conscience

International Day of Conscience

At the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly, the Kingdom of Bahrain sponsored an initiative by the Prime Minister,  Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, to designate 5 April as an International Day of Conscience.

 The Assembly unanimously adopted resolution A/RES/73/329 on 31 July 2019 entitled "Promoting the Culture of Peace with Love and Conscience" and declared 5 April as the International Day of Conscience (IDC).

The International Day of Conscience is inspired by article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states, "all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights, are endowed with reason and conscience, and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood."

It aims to promote a culture of peace based on a set of values, attitudes and behaviors inspired by the principles of freedom, justice, democracy, human rights, tolerance and solidarity.

Kobe Bryant inducted into Naismith Hall of Fame

Kobe Bryant inducted into Naismith Hall of Fame

The five-time NBA champion  Kobe Bryant  was inducted into Naismith Hall of Fame

Los Angeles Lakers great Bryant retired in 2016; he was the NBA Most Valuable Player in 2008, was Finals MVP twice and earned 18 All-Star selections.

He was in the United States team that won Olympic gold in 2008 and 2012.

Tim Duncan, a five-time NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs, and Kevin Garnett, who helped the Boston Celtics win the championship in 2008, were also inducted into the Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame is named after Dr James Naismith, the Canadian physician who invented basketball.

International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action 2020

International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action 2020

International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action is observed on 4 April each year.

The decision to mark the day as Mine Awareness Day was announced by the United Nations General Assembly on 8 December, 2005.

International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action calls for continued efforts to encourage states to establish and develop national mine-action capacities.

This is done because mines and explosive remnants of war constitute a serious threat to the safety, health and lives of the civilian populations and an impediment to social and economic development.

 

Tony Lewis, famous for Duckworth-Lewis-Stern

Tony Lewis, famous for Duckworth-Lewis-Stern

Tony Lewis, was one of the men behind the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method used in weather-affected limited overs cricket matches,

Tony, alongside fellow mathematician Frank Duckworth, devised the Duckworth-Lewis method which was introduced in 1997 and adopted officially by the ICC (International Cricket Council) in 1999.

Renamed the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern Method in 2014, the mathematical formula continues to be used in rain reduced limited overs cricket games across the globe.

The method then in use was based on removing the lowest-scoring overs from each team's innings. 

The formula has been criticised for not being suited to Twenty20 matches, cricket's shortest format, which came into being after Duckworth-Lewis was established.

No alternative method, however, has yet found favour with the ICC.

Official mascots of 19th Asian Games unveiled in Hangzhou, China

Official mascots of 19th Asian Games unveiled in Hangzhou, China

The official mascots of the 19th Asian Games were unveiled at a digital launch ceremony in Hangzhou, China .

The three robots, which are going to be the mascots for the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games are collectively known as the smart triplets.

The Mascots - Congcong, Lianlian and Chenchen, which reflect the internet prowess of Hangzhou city and Zhejiang province, were unveiled at a digital ceremony

The Olympic Council of Asia's 19th Asian Games will be held in Hangzhou from September 10 to 25, 2022.

It will be the third Asian Games to be hosted by China following Beijing in 1990 and Guangzhou in 2010, with the participation of 45 NOCs of Asia in 42 sports.

ADB announces 100 million US Dollars funding for Indian infrastructure sector

ADB announces 100 million US Dollars funding for Indian infrastructure sector

Multilateral institution Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced a 100 million US Dollars funding for the Indian infrastructure sector through the government-promoted National Investment and Infrastructure Fund-NIIF.

The Manila-based body will be investing in NIIF, tranche of funds, which will ensure that the actual money invested will be a few times more than the 100 million dollars. NIIF's Chief Executive Sujoy Bose said that the ADB's commitment to NIIF fund during these extraordinary and challenging times is highly meaningful.

Mr Bose said, ADB has been funding Indian private equity funds for over two decades now and added the latest move will help NIIF commit money to private equity fund managers who may be struggling to raise money from overseas sources.

The statement said, it has made commitments to three funds aggregating to over 2,600 crore rupees or 350 million dollars.

Govt extended existing foreign trade policy (2015-20) for one year till March 2021

Govt extended existing foreign trade policy (2015-20) for one year till March 2021

The Government today extended the existing foreign trade policy (2015-20) for one year till March 2021

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade, DGFT in a notification said, the existing foreign trade policy 2015-20 which is valid up to March 31 this year is extended up to March 31, 2021.

Various other changes are also made extending the date of exemptions by one year and extending validity of DFIA and EPCG authorisations for import purposes.

Exports during April-February this fiscal dipped by 1.5 per cent to 292.91 billion dollars.

Imports during the period declined by 7.30 per cent to 436 billion dollars, leaving a trade deficit of 143.12 billion dollars.

Export Promotion Capital Goods (EPCG) is an export promotion scheme under which an exporter can import certain amount of capital goods at zero duty for upgrading technology related with exports.

On the other hand, advance authorisation is issued to allow duty free import of inputs, which is physically incorporated in export product. Under the Duty Free Import Authorisation (DFIA) scheme, exportersare allowed to import certain goods like sugar at zero duty.