President Ram Nath Kovind and first lady Savita Kovind left for a 4-day visit to Myanmar. During his stay, the President will visit capital Nay Pyi Taw and Yangon, and interact with his counterpart U Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi.
The president will also hold a high-level delegation meeting. Myanmar is a country where India’s “Act East” and “Neighbourhood First” policies intersect.
NOTE: Myanmar (Burma) Capital: Naypyidaw, Currency: Burmese kyat.
Myanmar is the only ASEAN member state that is both a land and maritime neighbor of India.
Air Force Chief Birender Singh Dhanoa left on a five-day goodwill visit to Japan. During his visit, Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa will call on Japanese Minister of Defence Takeshi Iwaya, Chief of Staff of Japan Air Self Defence Force General Yoshinari Marumo, Chief of Staff, Joint Staff Admiral Katsutoshi Kawano.
This visit of the Indian Air Chief will provide further impetus towards expanding defence cooperation between the two countries and pave the way for greater interaction and cooperation in the future.
The indigenously built Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile Agni-5 has been test-fired successfully from Abdul Kalam island under Chandipur Interim Test Range. It can carry both nuclear and traditional weapons. The first test was conducted in 2012 from ITR Chandipur in Balasore district.
This is the fourth successful test of this missile. Previously the test of Agni 4 was unsuccessful. Having 17 meters length and 2 meters diameter the missile can hit the target from a distance of 5 thousand kilometers.
Goa’s Prathamesh Maulingkar has created history by becoming the first Asian/Indian to win Mister Supranational title in a competition held at Krynica-Zdroj, Poland. The 27-year-old defeated 37 contestants from all over the world in the final round to win the coveted title.
At the same pageant, Mister Supranational Poland was adjudged first runner-up, Mister Supranational Brazil was adjudged second runner-up and Mister Supranational Thailand was announced as the third runner-up.
Professor Mushirul Hasan, a renowned historian, and former vice-chancellor Jamia Millia of Islamia, passed away at the age of 71. Hasan was also formerly the director general of the National Archives of India.
Hasan won a number of awards for his work, including the Padma Shri in 2007 and the Ordre des Palmes Académiques. The books he authored include India Partition: The Other Face of Freedom, When Stone Walls Cry, Partners in Freedom: Jamia Millia Islamia (co-authored with Rakshanda Jalil) and From Pluralism to Separatism: Qasbas in Colonial India.
The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed in New Delhi a Loan Agreement for $31 million to build-up the State Tourism Industry and boost visitor arrivals in Tamil Nadu.
The signatories to the tranche 4 loan for Infrastructure Development Investment Program for Tourism (IDIPT) were Mr. Sameer Kumar Khare, Additional Secretary (Fund Bank and ADB), Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, who signed for the Government of India, and Mr. Kenichi Yokoyama, Country Director for ADB in India, who signed for ADB.
Note: The Asian Development Bank is a regional development Bank established in 1966.
Headquarters of ADB is in Manila, Philippines.
Takehiko Nakao is Present President of the Asian Development Bank.
In a bid to make retirement income scheme more attractive for central government employees, the government has agreed to chip in a higher 14% of the basic salary of an individual as its contribution to the National Pension System (NPS).
The move would benefit over 36 lakh central government employees. Currently, the minimum employee contribution in NPS is 10% of basic pay and an equal contribution is made by the government.
Note: National Pension System (NPS) is a government-sponsored pension scheme that was launched in January 2004 for government employees.
However, in 2009, it was opened to all sections.
