• World Health Day is celebrated world wide every year on [latex]7^{th}[/latex] April.


• Various programs and arrangements are managed by World Health Organisation. It was first time celebrated in 1950.

Source: Cick Here

• The 15th edition of the Morocco- US sponsored exercise “African Lion 2019”, took place in Morocco. It was conducted from [latex]16^{th}[/latex] March to [latex]7^{th}[/latex] April, 2019.


• The annual Military exercise materialized in the region of Agadir, Tifnit, Tan-Tan, Tata and Ben Guerir with the participation of thousands of military personnel.


• The drills include training on Counter terrorism operations, land and air exercises and also tactical stimulation.


• It was jointly organized by the United States Command for Africa (AFRICOM) and Moroccan Royal Armed Forces (FAR).

Source: Cick Here

• The World Economic Forum (WEF) on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) 2019 kicked off in Jordan with over 1,000 participants from more than 50 countries.


• The 17th WEF meeting in the region called for united efforts to address the most pressing challenges of the area.


• At the opening ceremony, King Abdullah II of Jordan said it takes a broad partnership to create a platform for economic growth.

Source: Cick Here

• The Bureau of Indian Standards(BIS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIT- Delhi to collaborate in the field of standardisation and conformity assessment. The MoU was signed by IIT Delhi Professor V Ramgopal Rao and Director General of BIS Surina Rajan.


• According to the MoU, BIS will provide financial support for IIT Delhi for projects and IIT will provide infrastructure support for research and development projects of relevance to standardisation.


• BIS and IIT Delhi have also agreed to set up a Centre of Excellence in the field of standardisation, testing and conformity assessment.


• The MoU will remain in force for a period of five years and can be extended further.

Source: Cick Here

• India’s first indigenously designed and developed Dhanush artillery gun was inducted in the Indian Army during a ceremony held at Ordnance Factory in Jabalpur, MP. The Army had placed an order for more than 110 of these guns with the Ordnance Factory.


• Dhanush 155mm/45 calibre towed gun system can be deployed in all types of terrains. The Dhanush gun system is based on the designs of the Bofors howitzer which was inducted in the Army in the 1980s and would be the third type of artillery gun to be inducted into the force after the K-9 Vajra and the M-777 ultra-light howitzers.

Source: Cick Here

• The Tamil Nadu government has renamed the iconic Chennai Central Railway Station as Puratchi Thalaivar Dr MGR Central Railway Station. The station was renamed after the receipt of ‘no objection’ from the Union Home Ministry.


• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Chennai Central Railway Station would be renamed after late Chief Minister and AIADMK founder M.G. Ramachandran.

Source: Cick Here

• Congress released its election manifesto 'Your Voice Your Choice' for the upcoming polls in Odisha.


• The manifesto promises concrete steps to address issues such as unemployment, safety and empowerment of women besides upliftment of tribals and Dalits.


• It also promises to waive off farm loans of up to ₹2 lakh within 10 days of being voted to power.

Source: Cick Here

• As per the World Bank, India’s GDP growth is expected to accelerate moderately to 7.5% in Fiscal Year 19-20, driven by continued investment strengthening, particularly private-improved export performance and resilient consumption.


• The real GDP growth is estimated at 7.2 per cent in FY18/19, the World Bank said in its latest report on South Asia on Sunday ahead of the spring meeting of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

Source: Cick Here

• Under “Category II Alternate Investment Fund” (AIF), for the first time SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) has approved an “airport’ specific fund“. The name of the fund is “Taking Off To the Future Airport Fund“. It can raise a capital amounting to 1.5$bn (Rs. 10,000 crore).


• The Sponsor and Investment Manager of the fund is based in Chennai and is termed as ‘Taking Off To The Future Investment Management LLP’.


• Gigi George leads the management and operation of ‘Sponsor/Investment Manager’.


• A minimum capital contribution of Rs. 3500 crore and a maximum of Rs. 7000 crore is targeted by the fund.


• India is presently the third largest aviation market in the world.

Source: Cick Here

• For the 4th consecutive time, the Northern Command based in Udhampur has won the 15th edition of General J J Singh air weapon championship.


• Between 25th March to 3rd April, the championship was conducted at Army Marksmanship Unit, Mhow in Madhya Pradesh.


• The objective of the competition was to train young male and female army-officers for effective participation in national and international shooting competitions. More than 100 male and female Indian-Army shooters competed in the 10-metre air rifle and air pistol categories.


• The winning team bagged the overall inter command championship by clinching “Burma Shell Trophy” after competing against 9 other teams.


• The winning team also won the women’s overall trophy with 1 gold and 3 silver medals individually.

Source: Cick Here

• A small village, Phayeng, in the North Eastern state of Manipur, has been tagged as India’s first carbon-positive settlement. It is a first of its kind project in the South Asian country.


• The transformation was done using funds under National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC), a central scheme to support adaptation to climate change impact in various states.


• A village is given the tag of carbon-positive settlement if it cuts off more carbon than it emits to reduce formation of greenhouse gases and mitigate the effects of climate change.

Source: Cick Here

• NASSCOM (National Association of Software and services companies), an IT industry body has appointed Keshav Murugesh, CEO of WNS Global Services Group as its Chairman for 2019-20. Nasscom also designated Pravin Rao, Infosys COO UB as its Vice Chairman for 2019-20.


• Currently, he was on the positioned as Vice Chairman of Nasscom, and has succeeded Rishad Premji.


• These appointments have been done through an election process by the Executive Council.

Source: Cick Here

• Well known Tamil scholar and an orator Silamboli Su Chellappan (91) passed away due to age-related ailments at his residence at Tiruvanmiyur in Chennai.


• He also served as Director of Tamil Nadu government’s Tamil development department and Director of publications, department of Tamil University in Thanjavur.