NEWS 01-05-2019. NEWS FOR 3-MAY 22nd April 1. Saudi, UAE pledge 3 bn USD financial aid for Sudan • Saudi Arabia and the UAE on 22 April 19 announced financial support of three billion dollars for the people of Sudan following the overthrow of longtime leader Omar al-Bashir. • The assistance bundle entails 500 million USD deposit into Sudan's central bank to strengthen the country's liquidity and monetary reserves. • The remaining amount will be dedicated to support the people of Sudan, across food, medicines and fuel derivatives. 2. Bangladesh: All local government elections to be held through EVMs • In Bangladesh, all local government elections will be held through Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) from now on. • Stating this, the Secretary to the Election Commission of Bangladesh, Helaluddin Ahmed said that the EVM is enriched with high technology and the government is confident of using it in the local body elections. • The Election Commission of Bangladesh has also decided to bring third gender people under voter list. 3. Abu Dhabi International Book Fair: India to be featured as the official Guest of Honour • In UAE, thousands of literature enthusiasts and industry professionals around the world are expected to attend, the upcoming Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, ADIBF 2019. • The 29th edition of the book fair will take place from April 24- 30 this year at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. • India will be featured as the official Guest of Honour, with much of the fair’s programming dedicated to reflecting and showcasing the diversity and richness of the country’s culture. 4. Nasim Zaidi quits Jet Airways board • Jet Airways' non-executive and non-independent director Nasim Zaidi has quit the board. • Zaidi, the former Chief Election Commissioner and ex-civil aviation secretary, joined the Jet Airways board in August 2018. • The airlines, which ceased all its operations temporarily last week, is under the management control of SBI-led consortium of lenders following a debt-recast plan approved by its board last month. 23rd April 1. Asia Badminton Championships to begins at Wuhan in China • The Championships will continue till 28 April. • India will be represented by Kidambi Srikanth and Sameer Verma in men's singles and P.V. Sindhu and Saina Nehwal in women's singles. 2. EC bans Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu from campaigning • The Election Commission banned Congress leader and Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu from election campaign for 72 hours for violating Model Code of Conduct. • The ban will be effective from 10 AM on April 23, 2019. • Earlier the Commission issued notice to Sidhu for seeking votes on religion lines at a rally in Katihar district of Bihar. 24th April 1. ISIS claims responsibility for serial suicide bombing in Sri Lanka • The Islamic State (IS) on April 23, 2019 claimed responsibility for the serial bomb blasts in Sri Lanka that killed over 300 people on Easter Sunday. The terror group released a picture of the 8-member terror squad. • The terror group not only released pictures of the terrorists but also made their names public. Claiming that the bombings killed over 350 people, the IS statement noted that the pictured men were "the commando brothers in Sri Lanka" who carried out the attack. • Sri Lankan government had earlier named local Islamist radical group, the National Thowheed Jamaath, as the prime suspect, for the string of eight powerful blasts that shattered a decade of peace in the island nation since the end of the civil war. • The Sunday's attack, which left ten Indians dead, began when a series of suicide bombers rocked Sri Lanka's capital Colombo and the cities of Negombo and Batticaloa. The terrorists targeted Catholic churches and three upscale hotels - including the Shangri-La, Kingsbury and the Cinnamon Grand - in Colombo. Atleast 3 of the suicide bombers who struck SriLanka belonged to the same family. The head of the family is country’s most successful spice trader. 1. Pakistan navy successfully test-fires indigenous cruise missile • Pakistan Navy on April 23, 2019 successfully test-fired an indigenous cruise missile in the Arabian Sea. • The indigenously developed cruise missile has anti-ship missile and land attack capability. • According to Pakistani Navy, the missile accurately hit its target on land signifying the impressive capabilities of the indigenous missile system. 2. Kazakhstan sets up coordinating council to attract Indian investments • Kazakhstan has set up Coordinating Council for attracting foreign investments including from India. • In order to coordinate and efficiently interact with investors, as well as provide solutions to current problems, it was decided to lay the functions of Investment Ombudsman under the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan. 3. IMD advisories to farmers resulted in high yield of agricultural products across the country • Deputy Director General, India Meteorological Department, S D Attri stated recently that weather-related advisories by the department to the farmers has resulted in the high yield of agricultural products across the country. • The conference had deliberations on most advanced technologies and recent scientific explorations in agriculture. 4. Delhi court issues non-bailable warrants against Delhi CM • A Delhi court on April 23, 2019 issued non-bailable warrants against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and Swaraj India president Yogendra Yadav for failing to appear before it in a criminal defamation complaint filed in 2013 by a ticket aspirant, Surender Kumar Sharma. • Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal issued the warrants against the leaders. The trial court had earlier sought their presence before it in the matter. • The court was posted the matter for April 24, 2019. 25th April 1. Sri Lanka bans drones, unmanned aircraft after Easter bombings • Sri Lanka banned the use of drones and unmanned aircraft following the massive Easter bombings that killed over 350 people and injured more than 500 in the country’s worst terror attack. • The measure was taken in view of the existing security situation in the country. The ban will be in effect until further notice. • Meanwhile, Sri Lankan authorities are continuously carrying out their search operations with the help of army. 2. Nobel Prize 2019 announcements to take place in October • The Nobel Prize 2019 announcements will take place in October 2019. • The Nobel Prize is issued every year in the fields of Physiology or Medicine, Physics, Chemistry, Literature, and Peace. • The winner of the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel will also be announced. • The Nobel Peace Prize awardee will be named on October 11, 2019. 3. Kim Jong-un, Vladimir Putin hold first summit talks in Vladivostok • North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin held summit talks for the time ever in the Pacific port city of Vladivostok. • Kim reached the Russian Far East on his private train. • Both the leaders will talk about the Korean peninsula's nuclear problem. < < Back