1) Thailand 1st in Asia to roll out plain cigarette packaging
•Thailand became the first Asian nation to unveil plain cigarette packaging to reduce the appeal of smoking and complied with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) guidelines. In 2012, Australia became the first country to require tobacco products to be sold without colourful brand logos.
2) Haryana launches two insurance schemes for traders
•The State government of Haryana has launched two insurance schemes for registered small and medium traders. The schemes includes “Mukhyamantri Vyapari Samuhik Niji Durghatna Beema Yojana” and “Mukhyamantri Vyapari Kshatipurti Beema Yojana“.
•An insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh would be provided under the Mukhyamantri Vyapari Samuhik Niji Durghatna Beema Yojana. An insurance cover ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh would be provided under the Mukhyamantri Vyapari Kshatipurti Beema Yojana. Traders registered under the Haryana Goods and Service Tax (HGST) Act, 2017 would be covered under these schemes.
•As per the scheme, the premium of people under both the schemes would be paid by the State government.
3) National Conference on “Criminal Activities and Radicalization in Jails”
Bureau of Police research and development will organize the National Conference on “Criminal Activities and Radicalization in Jails: Vulnerability of Inmates and Jail Staff and their Protection” in New Delhi. The conference aims to provide a platform for the prison personnel of all ranks at the national level to share their candid views on various operational as well as administrative issues. The conference will focus on the following issues:
•To understand various criminal activities at individual and gang level and considers safety measures for vulnerable inmates and jail staff.
•To understand various facets of radicalization in prison and suggest measures for counter radicalization.
•To analyse and formulate the security and protection standards for prison staff.
•To provide an interdisciplinary platform for correctional personnel to exchange and share their experience on prison reforms.
The event will also promote research and development activities on the functioning of the correctional administration across the country.
4) PK Mishra appointed as the Principal Secretary to PM
•Pramod Kumar Mishra will be the new Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He will replace Nripendra Mishra. He is a 1972 batch Indian Administrative Service officer of Gujarat cadre. He joined PM Modi in 2014 as the Additional Principal Secretary. He has varied experience in the management of programmes relating to agriculture, disaster management, power sector, infrastructure financing and regulatory issues.
5) P K Sinha appointed as the Principal Advisor to PM
•Former Cabinet Secretary Pradeep Kumar Sinha has been appointed the Principal Advisor to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of PK Sinha. He is a 1977 batch Indian Administrative Service Batch officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre. He joined cabinet secretariat on June 1, 2015, as Officer-on-Special Duty.
6) DRDO successfully tests indigenous anti-tank guided missile (MPATGM)
•The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight tested an indigenously-developed low weight, fire and forget Man-Portable Antitank Guided Missile (MPATGM) in the ranges of Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh.
•This is the third series of successful testing of MPATGM. The missile is incorporated with state-of-the-art Infrared Imaging Seeker along with advanced avionics. The test paves the way for the Army to have developed third-generation man-portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile indigenously.
7) Cryodrakon boreas is the largest flying animal of all time
•Scientists have unveiled a newly discovered species of a pterosaur, the largest ever flying animal according to a study conducted by Queen Mary University in London. These species come from the Azhdarchid group of pterosaurs. The pterosaur’s name Cryodrakon boreas roughly translates to ‘frozen dragon of the north wind’. Cryodrakon boreas is the largest flying animal of all time, With a wingspan of 10 m and weighing 250 kg, researchers reported in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.
8) Nepal Infrastructure Summit 2019 held in Kathmandu
•Nepal Infrastructure Summit 2019 was held in Kathmandu, Nepal. The theme of the summit was “Resilient Infrastructure for Sustainable Development“. It focuses on the global and regional mega trends, including climate change and their relevance to the local context, issues surrounding infrastructure project delivery, financing modalities and opportunities for cross-border economic cooperation and investments.
•The summit was organised by the Confederation of Nepalese Industries in association with Government of Nepal. Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power, New and Renewable Energy Raj Kumar Singh represented India in the summit.
9) Navdeep Singh Suri honoured with First Class Order of Zayed II
•Navdeep Singh Suri, India’s envoy to United Arab Emirates, has been honoured with the First Class Order of Zayed II award. He was awarded by UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his contribution to the development and strengthening of friendly relations and co-operation between India and UAE during his tenure.
