NATIONAL NEWS
- World Heritage Day 2019: 18 April:-
World Heritage Day is celebrated every year on April 18.The day is also known as the International Day for Monuments and Sites.The day is celebrated to raise awareness about the diversity of cultural heritage, monuments and their relevance.The theme for 2019 is ‘Rural Landscapes’.
2.Google opened its first Africa Artificial Intelligence lab in Ghana:-
Google has opened an Artificial Intelligence (AI) research lab in Ghana’s capital Accra.It is the first lab of its kind in Africa.The lab would develop solutions in areas including agriculture, like helping in diagnosing certain types of crop disease.Google opened new research centers across the globe such as in Tokyo, Zurich, New York, and Paris, to exhibit itself as AI first company in front of the world.Ghana’s capital: AccraCurrency: Ghanaian cedi
3.TikTok vanishes from Google Play Store after Madras HC ban:-
Google and Apple have blocked access to popular Chinese video making application TikTok in India.Madras High Court that had directed the Centre to ban TikTok app over concerns about access to pornographic content through it.The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) order will only stop future downloads of TikTok.People who already have the app downloaded in their devices will be able to continue using it on their smartphones.
4.Many programs to promote cultural heritage held on World Heritage Day:-
Today many programs are being organized to promote cultural heritage on World Heritage Day. This year’s theme is – Rural Scenario. Every year today, the purpose of celebrating World Heritage Day is to honor the people, especially scientists, archives, geographers and engineers of conservation of heritage sites.
5.Jaideep Sarkar appointed as India’s next High Commissioner to S Africa:-
Jaideep Sarkar has been appointed as India’s next High Commissioner to South Africa. External Affairs Ministry said in New Delhi that he is expected to take up the assignment shortly.Sarkar, a 1987-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, is currently serving as India’s ambassador in Bhutan.He served in Indian Missions in Tokyo, Seoul and Bangladesh as well.The government also appointed Suhel Ajaz Khan, presently serving as India’s Deputy Chief of Mission in Saudi Arabia, as next Ambassador to Lebanon.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
6.Sri Lanka’s first satellite was released from Ravana-1 NASA Space Center:-
Sri Lanka’s first satellite, Raavan-1, was released from NASA’s space station on the east coast of Virginia . With this, Sri Lanka has entered the space age. About one kilogram of 50 gram weight this satellite will work for about one and a half years.
SPORTS NEWS
7.The Asian Weightlifting Competition will start in Ningbo of China:-
Asian Weightlifting Competition is being started in Ningbo of China. In the ten-day competition, Indian lifters will try to make their place in the 2020 Olympics.
8.Bajrang regains top spot in world wrestling rankings:-
India’s Bajrang Punia has regained the world number one spot in the men’s 65-kilogram freestyle category rankings. The rankings were released by United World Wrestling on Wednesday night.Punia, who won Gold in the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games as well as a silver in the World Championships last year, secured 58 points ahead of Akhmed Chakaev of Russia. Bajrang, who is currently preparing for the Asian Wrestling Championship to be held in China from the 23rd of this month, had first reached the world number one spot in November last year. He won gold at the Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov tournament in Bulgaria last month.
9.Mithali Raj named goodwill ambassador for Street Child Cricket World Cup:-
Indian women’s cricket team captain Mithali Raj has been named the goodwill ambassador of Team India at the Street Child Cricket World Cup (SCCWC).She, alongside Saurav Ganguly and Rajasthan Royals, joins in supporting the team as they gear up for the final match at Lords, just ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup.The Street Child Cricket World Cup 2019 (SCCWC) is the first cricket world cup for street-connected children.The tournament is being organised by Street Child United (SCU), a UK based organisation.
BUSINESS NEWS
10.Rajesh Kumar Yaduvanshi appointed as Punjab National Bank Executive Director:-
Punjab National Bank (PNB) has appointed Rajesh Kumar Yaduvanshi as the Executive Director of the bank with effect from April 15.He has also worked with Dena Bank in capacity of the Executive Director.Yadivanshi, having 34 years of banking career, had joined PNB as a management trainee in 1985.With his joining, PNB now has three Executive Directors, the others being L V Prabhakar and A K Azad.
