Daily Current Affairs June 02 2023 | Latest News

 

CURRENT AFFAIRS : BANKING & FINANCE

India’s GDP Projected To Grow 6.5% In FY24 – RBI

• According to the RBI’s annual report 2022-23, India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth for 2023-24 is projected at 6.5% for FY24 amid softer global commodity and food prices, and good rabi crop prospects, among others

About the report :

• As per the Annual report of RBI for FY23, India’s growth momentum is likely to be sustained in 2023-24 but domestic economic activity is facing challenges from global outlook.
• Resilient domestic macroeconomic and financial conditions, expected dividends from past reforms and new growth opportunities from global geo-economics shifts create an advantage for India.
• The report cautioned that slowing global growth, prolonged geopolitical tensions and a possible rise in financial market volatility followed by new stress events in the global financial system could negatively impact the growth.
• The report emphasized the need to sustain structural reforms to improve medium term growth potential of India.
• The cumulative increase in policy repo rate by 250 basis points last year would guide the disinflationary process, along with supply side measures to address transient demand-supply mismatch due to food and energy shocks.
• The headline inflation is projected to come down to 5.2% in FY23-24 considering stable exchange rate and a normal monsoon.
• The focus of Monetary policy would remain on withdrawal of accommodation to ensure that inflation aligns with the target while supporting growth.
• The robust balance sheets of corporates and banks, along with high capacity utilisation would help in strengthening the growth in private investment.
• In the external sector, Current Account Deficit (CAD) is expected to remain moderate owing to robust services exports and positive impact of moderation in commodity prices of imports.
• With the ongoing global uncertainties, FPI flows may remain volatile.
• Lower inflation, business friendly policy reforms, and favourable domestic growth outlook could help sustain buoyant FDI inflows.
• Inward remittances are expected to remain robust due to better growth prospects in the gulf nations.
• As a result, external vulnerability risks may ease further during 2023-24.
• The Indian economy has experienced macroeconomic and financial stability during recurrent global shocks that reflects its sound macroeconomic policy environment and innate resilience.
• RBI stated that India has remained among the fastest growing major economies of the world, contributing more than 12% to the global growth on average during the last 5 years.

About RBI :

• Established : 1 April 1935
• Headquarters : Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• Governor : Shaktikanta Das
• Deputy governors : Mahesh Kumar Jain, M. Rajeshwar Rao, Michael Patra and T. Rabi Shankar

14.4% Increase in fake ₹500 notes during 2022-23 – RBI

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has reported a 14.4% increase in the number of counterfeit Rs 500 notes (new design) during the year 2022-23.

Key Highlights :

• RBI has recognized 91,110 counterfeit Rs 500 notes worth 4.55 crore during the year 2022-23.
• In the year 2021-22, 79,699 counterfeit notes were detected by RBI.
• During 2022-23, out of total fake Indian Currency notes (FICNs) 4.6% were detected at RBI and 95.4% at other banks.
• There was an 8.4% increase in the counterfeit notes detected in the denominations of Rs 20.
• The counterfeit notes detected in the denominations of Rs 10, Rs 100 and Rs 2000 declined by 11.6%, 14.7% and 27.9%, respectively.
• Meanwhile, the RBI stated that the value and volume of banknotes in circulation increased by 7.8% and 4.4%, respectively, during 2022-23 as compared with 9.9% and 5.0% , respectively, during 2021-22.
• In value terms, the share of Rs 500 and Rs 2000 banknotes together accounted for 87.9% of the total value of banknotes in circulation as on March 31, 2023, as compared to 87.1% as on March 31, 2022.
• In volume terms, Rs 500 denomination constituted the highest share at 37.9% , followed by Rs 10 denomination banknotes which constituted 19.2% of the total banknotes in circulation as on March 31, 2023.
• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) launched a pilot project on QCVM – QR Code based vending machine– in association with 5 banks viz. Axis Bank, Bank of Baroda, ICICI Bank, SBI and Federal Bank to improve coin distribution.

What is QCVM?

• The QCVM is a cashless coin dispensation system which allows payment transactions through UPI on scanning a dynamic QR code generated by the machine on the mobile phone of the customer.
• Unlike cash-based traditional coin vending machines, the QCVM eliminates the need for physical tendering of banknotes and their subsequent authentication.
• Further, in QCVMs, the customers will have the option to withdraw coins in required quantities and denominations.
• The pilot project is being initially rolled out at 19 locations in 12 cities across the country.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

Araku Coffee and Black Pepper are now Organic Certified

• Araku Coffee and Black Pepper received organic certification from APEDA.
• Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Developm ent Authority (APEDA) has granted organic certification to Girijan Co-operative Corporation (GCC), Visakhapatnam for Araku coffee and black pepper crops.
• This certification will have a positive impact on the market value of these products.
• The certification covers an extensive cultivation area of 21,104 acres. 1,300 farmers in the Gondipakalu, Lammasingi, Kappalu, GK Veedhi, Pedavalasa, and Erracheruvulu clusters grow coffee and pepper.
• The process of obtaining certification crossed various challenges including third-party verification, online registration, geo-tagging of farms, etc.
• Araku Coffee is cultivated in the Araku Valley of Andhra Pradesh.
• Arabica Coffee is grown around Vishakapatnam district in Andhra Pradesh and Koraput district in Orissa.

About APEDA:

• The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority is an Indian Apex-Export Trade Promotion Active government body.
• APEDA is the premier body of the export promotion of fresh vegetables and fruits.
• Founded: 13 February 1986
• Headquarters: New Delhi

DGCA simplifies process for grant of Heliport License

• The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has simplified the process for granting Heliport License.
• Earlier, an applicant had to obtain NOC from the Ministry of Home, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Environment and Forest, Airport Authority of India and Local Administration before applying for the license.
• Now, the applications for NOC/Clearance from five external organizations can be routed through a single tab on the relevant portal.
• DGCA grants heliport licenses to the heliports at the surface level as well as at elevated or rooftops of the buildings.
• A person who wants to obtain license or authorization should has to submit an online application through the eGCA portal.
• In 2021, the eGCA (e-Governance in Directorate General of Civil Aviation) portal was launched to enhance the efficiency of the various services provided by DGCA.
• Directorate of General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is a regulatory body in the field of Civil Aviation. It became a statutory body under the Aircraft (Amendment) Act, 2020.
• It is mainly responsible for dealing with safety issues in the Civil Aviation sector.
• It issues licences related to aviation like Private Pilot Licence and Commercial Pilot Licence.

About DGCA

• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Deputy Ministers responsible: V.K. Singh
• Vikram Dev Dutt is the current director general of DGCA.

Foucault’s Pendulum installed in new Parliament buidling

• A Foucault pendulum that rotates on its axis is suspended from the ceiling of the entrance hall of the Constitution Hall of India’s new Parliament building, signifying the integration of the idea of India with the idea of the cosmos.
• Created by the National Council of Science Museum (NCSM, Kolkata), the pendulum is being dubbed as the largest such piece (22 m in height, and 36 kg in weight ) in India.
• The original Foucault’s pendulum, named after 19th century French physicist Leon Foucault, is a simple experiment to demonstrate earth’s rotation.
• At the latitude of the Parliament, it takes 49 hours, 59 minutes, and 18 seconds for the pendulum to complete one rotation.
• It is a piece reflecting the spirit of Article 51A of the Indian Constitution, which enshrines every citizen “to develop the scientific temper, humanism, and the spirit of inquiry and reform”.
• The first such pendulum was installed in 1991 at the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) in Pune.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : INTERNATIONAL NEWS

India to host 22nd SCO Summit in virtual format on July 4, 2023

• The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced that India will host the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in the virtual format on July 4, 2023.
• It will be held in the virtual format.
• All the SCO Member States, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have been invited to attend the Summit.
• Iran, Belarus and Mongolia have been invited as Observer States.

Key Highlights :

• The theme of the Summit is ‘Towards a SECURE SCO’.
• The SECURE acronym stands for Security, Economy and Trade, Connectivity, Unity, Respect for Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity and Environment.
• India has set up new pillars of cooperation under its Chairmanship – Startups and Innovation, Traditional Medicine, Digital Inclusion, Youth Empowerment and Shared Buddhist Heritage.

About SCO :

• Established : 15 June 2001
• Headquarters : Beijing, China
• Membership : 8 Member States (China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan)
• The SCO is a Eurasianpolitical, economic, international securityand defence organization.
• It is the world’s largest regional organization in terms of geographic scope and population, covering approximately 60% of the area of Eurasia, 40% of the world population.
• The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
• India and Pakistan became its permanent members in 2017.
• SCO has two Permanent Bodies –

1. SCO Secretariat in Beijing
2. Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) in Tashkent.

• The Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure serves to promote cooperation of member states against terrorism, separatism and extremism.
• The official working languages: Chinese and Russian.

Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni to visit India

• King of Cambodia, Norodom Sihamoni, is on his maiden State visit to India from the 29th to 31st of May, 2023.

Key Highlights :

• His visit will mark the culmination of the celebrations of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Cambodia.
• A Cambodian king last visited India in 1963.
• The King received a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi on 30th May, 2023.
• The Cambodian king will hold bilateral meetings with President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar.
• India has extended a grant of 1.5 million dollars for purchase of demining equipment and has offered a line of credit worth 50 million dollars for procurement of defence equipment from India.

About Cambodia :

• Prime Minister : Hun Sen
• Capital : Phnom Penh
• Currency : Cambodian Riel (KHR)

CURRENT AFFAIRS : STATE NEWS

Maharashtra farmers to get Rs 6,000 a year under new scheme Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Yojana approved by Cabinet

• The Maharashtra government has approved a new financial scheme Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Yojana under which more than one crore farmers in the state will be paid 6,000 rupees annually.
• The scheme was approved in the cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Shri Eknath Shinde in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

Key Highlights :

• The amount of 6,000 rupees per year given in this scheme will be in addition to the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme of the Center.
• The Maharashtra cabinet also approved the implementation of ‘Gender Inclusive Tourism Policy’ named ‘Aai’ to empower women in the tourism sector
• Similarly, approval was also given to start women bike-taxi service at some tourist places of the state.

About Maharashtra :

• Governor: Ramesh Bais
• Chief Minister: Eknath Shinde
• Capital: Mumbai
• National Park : Tadoba National Park, Navegaon National Park
• Wildlife Sanctuaries : Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnala Bird Sanctuary, Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary
• UNESCO Heritage Sites : Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, The Victorian and Art Deco Ensemble of Mumbai, Ajanta Caves, Elephanta Caves, Ellora Caves

Uttar Pradesh conserves more than 11 lakh destitute cattle under cow protection schemes

• The Uttar Pradesh (UP) government stated that it provided protection to 11,57,204 destitute cattle by spending a total of ₹1,681.61 crore under the Mukhyamantri Nirasrit Govansh Sahbhagita Yojana.

Key Highlights :

• Till March 31, 2023, as many as 9,15,125 cows got protection in 6,066 temporary cow shelters in UP.
• UP set a deadline of 1 week for uploading related data on the Go-Shelter portal under the Mukhyamantri Nirasrit Govansh Sahbhagita Yojana, so that the payment for the month of June 2023 could be ensured in the first week of July, to farmers.
• Under the tenure of Uttar Pradesh (UP) Chief Minister (CM) Shri Yogi Adityanath, the focus on cow protection has accelerated with Mr. Adityanath even pushed for developing a self-sustainable model for running a gaushala in the State and calling for linking it with natural farming, cow dung paint etc. to make it financially secure.

About UP :

• Governor : Anandiben Patel
• Chief Minister : Yogi Adityanath
• Capital : Lucknow
• National Park : Dudhwa National Park
• Wildlife Sanctuary : Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary, Chandraprabha Wildlife Sanctuary, National Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik launches ‘Odisha for AI, and AI for Youth’ initiative

• Odisha Chief Minister (CM) Shri Naveen Patnaik launched ‘Odisha for Artificial Intelligence’ (AI) and ‘Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Youth’ initiatives.

About ‘Odisha for AI, and AI for Youth’ initiative :

• ‘Odisha for AI, and AI for Youth’ initiative will be implemented in Bhubaneswar, Puri and Cuttack in the first phase.
• Odisha Electronics and IT Department has collaborated with Intel India.
• ‘Odisha for AI’ is a free 4-hour course on AI by Intel on its app/site.
• ‘Odisha for AI’ is a self-learning online program designed to raise public awareness about artificial intelligence.
• AI for youth is an initiative for students (below 18) of 2000 5T schools and Odisha Adarsh Vidyalayas.
• The Odisha government is focused on technology-driven transformation. It is one of the key components of the Government’s 5-T (Team Work, Technology, Transparency, Transformation & Time Limit) initiative.
• The initiative will promote digital literacy among the masses and make them familiar with new-generation technology.
• It will also create an ecosystem for improving research, innovation, and application of AI across various sectors.

About Odisha :

• Governor : Ganeshi Lal
• Chief Minister : Naveen Patnaik
• Capital : Bhubaneswar
• National Park : Simlipal National Park, Bhitarkanika National Park
• Wildlife Sanctuary : Ushakothi Wildlife Sanctuary, Tikarpada Wildlife Sanctuary

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS NEWS

JSW Steel Receives GreenPro Ecolabel For Its Automotive Steel Products

• JSW Steel’s “Automotive Steel” products have received GreenPro ecolabel.
• Confederation of Indian Industry’s Green Business Centre has developed the GreenPro Ecolabel.
• The ecolabel recognizes the highest standards of environmental sustainability and product performance in the Indian manufacturing sector.
• The ecolabel shows that the products of JSW steel are manufactured with utmost care to their environment impact throughout their lifecycle which includes sourcing of raw material, production process, energy consumption and end-of-life management.

About JSW Steel:

• JSW steel is a leading integrated steel manufacturer.
• It is based in Mumbai and was founded in 1982.
• It is India’s second largest private sector steel company.

Nvidia becomes first chipmaker valued at over $1 trillion

• Nvidia Corp breached the $1 trillion in market capitalization, making it the first chipmaker to join the trillion-dollar club.
• Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd is the next largest chipmaker globally, valued at about $535 billion.
• Meta Platforms Inc, valued at about $670 billion as of last close, clinched the trillion-dollar market capitalization milestone in 2021, while Apple Inc, Alphabet Inc, Microsoft Corp and Amazon.com Inc are the other U.S. companies that are part of the club.
• Wall Street analysts called Nvidia’s forecast “unfathomable” and “cosmological”, hiking their price targets in droves.
• The highest price target valued the company at about $1.6 trillion, on par with Google-parent Alphabet.

About Nvidia Corporation

• Nvidia Corporation is an American multinational technology company incorporated in Delaware and based in Santa Clara, California.
• CEO Jensen Huang.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOUR

RINL presented with prestigious “ Greentech Safety Award 2023

• RINL received the “GreenTech Safety Award 2023” under the safety Excellence Category.
• It has received the award for improving safety at the workplace in 2022-23.
• The award has been received by Shri A K Bagchi – Director (Projects) and Additional Charge Director (Operations) on behalf of RINL.
• The award was presented at the 21st Annual Greentech Awards function in New Delhi.
• The 21st GreenTech Safety Award has been organized by the Greentech Foundation.
• It honours the outstanding organizations that are defining the commercial futures by adding value through excellence in fire, safety, health and security management for corporate citizenship, life cycle stewardship, etc.
• The jury of the award praised RINL’s initiatives of using Drone technology for the inspection of high-rise structures, chimneys etc. and the development of Software Application for tracking the use of Safety Harnesses.
• Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd, also known as Vizag Steel, is a central public sector undertaking under the ownership of Ministry of Steel, Government of India based in Visakhapatnam, India

Goan writer Damodar Maujo honored with Jnanpith Award

• Goa state governor P S Sreedharan Pillai honored Goan writer Damodar Maujo with the 57th Jnanpith Award, the country’s highest literary honour.
• He also stated that Mauzo is the “epitome of the Konkani literary culture.”
• 25 books of Maujo have been published in Konkani and one in English.
• Many of his books have also been translated into different languages.
• In 1983, the famous novel ‘Karmelin’ by Mauzo received the Sahitya Akademi Award.
• In 1981, this novel was published and was translated in Hindi, Marathi, English, Punjabi, Sindhi, Tamil, Odia and Maithili languages.
• Mauzo is the second Goan after Ravindra Kelekar (2008), who received the Jnanpith Award.

About Jnanpith Award

• Jnanpith Award is a literary award presented annually by the Bhartiya Jnanpith for outstanding contribution to Literature.
• The award is given for literary work in 22 “scheduled languages” recognized in the Indian Constitution.
• The first award was presented in 1965.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Government appoints Ashwani Kumar as MD & CEO of UCO Bank

• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Ashwani Kumar, Executive Director, Indian Bank as Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of UCO Bankfor a period of three years.
• Kumar will replace Soma Sankara Prasad, who is due to superannuate on May 31, 2023.

About Ashwani Kumar :

• Kumar, a chartered accountant, rose through ranks serving various offices of 5 public sector banks – Bank of Baroda (BoB), Corporation Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC), Punjab National Bank (PNB) and Indian Bank.
• His work experience includes working in the wholesale banking division and as head of several branches (including Industrial Finance Branches).
• As general manager, he was heading mid corporate and large corporate verticals and was also chief financial officer (CFO).

About UCO Bank :

• Founded : 6 January 1943
• Headquarters : Kolkata, West Bengal, India
• Tagline : Honours Your Trust

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

North Korea 1st spy satellite launch fails as rocket falls into the sea

• North Korea’s attempt to put its first spy satellite Malligyong-1 satellite into space failed in a setback to leader Kim Jong Un’s push to boost his military capabilities as tensions with the United States and South Korea rise.
• A satellite launch by North Korea is a violation of N. Security Council resolutions that ban the country from conducting any launch based on ballistic technology.
• The newly developed Chollima-1 rocket was launched at the North’s Sohae Satellite Launching Ground in the northwest, carrying the Malligyong-1 satellite.
• The rocket crashed off the Korean Peninsula’s western coast after it lost thrust following the separation of its first and second stages

About North Korea :

• Capital : Pyongyang
• Currency : Korean People’s won

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BOOKS AND AUTHOR

A political Biography of NTR by K Ramachandra Murty

• Justice Sudarshan Reddy released a book titled ‘A Political Biography NTR’.
• ‘A Political Biography NTR’ has been written by senior Editor K. Ramachandra Murthy.
• Publisher: HarperCollins India.
• Justice B Sudarshan Reddy said that Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao was a rare leader who fulfilled promises made to people and loved people abundantly.
• NTR had no political knowledge but he has a strong will power to do welfare of the people.
• Supreme Court retired Judge Justice Chalameshwar released the Telugu version of the book ‘NTR- Rajakiya Jeevitha Charitra- Asalu Kadha’.
• Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao served as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh for seven years over three terms. He also acted in more than 300 films.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : OBITUARIES

Padma Shri Awardee Writer Vellayani Arjunan Passed away

• Eminent scholar, linguist, academician and writer Vellayani Arjunan passed away at the age of 90 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

About Vellayani Arjunan :

• Vellayani Arjunan began his illustrious career as a research assistant in the Kerala Lexicon Department and later became a Malayalam faculty at Sree Narayana (SN) College in Kollam, Kerala.
• He rose to the position of the head of the Department of Modern Indian Languages at Aligarh Muslim University years later.
• He also served as the director of the state Institute of Encyclopaedic Publications, the state Institute of Languages and the School of Communication and Information Science at Mahatma Gandhi University in Kottayam, Kerala.
• He had the credit of having post graduations in Malayalam, English and Hindi and PG diplomas in Telugu, Kannada and Tamil.
• He is an author of over 40 books of different genres, including poetry, short stories, children’s fiction, essays, literary criticism, research articles, etc.

Awards & Honors :

• In 2008, Arjunan was awarded the Padma Shri for his overall achievements in numerous sectors.

Daily CA One- Liner: June 2

• Araku Coffee and Black Pepper received organic certification from APEDA
• The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has simplified the process for granting Heliport License
• A Foucault pendulum that rotates on its axis is suspended from the ceiling of the entrance hall of the Constitution Hall of India’s new Parliament building, signifying the integration of the idea of India with the idea of the cosmos.
• JSW Steel’s “Automotive Steel” products have received GreenPro ecolabel
• Nvidia Corp breached the $1 trillion in market capitalization, making it the first chipmaker to join the trillion-dollar club
• RINL received the “GreenTech Safety Award 2023” under the safety Excellence Category.
• Goa state governor P S Sreedharan Pillai honored Goan writer Damodar Maujo with the 57th Jnanpith Award, the country’s highest literary honour
• According to the RBI’s annual report 2022-23, India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth for 2023-24 is projected at 6.5% for FY24 amid softer global commodity and food prices, and good rabi crop prospects, among others
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has reported a 14.4% increase in the number of counterfeit Rs 500 notes (new design) during the year 2022-23.
• The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced that India will host the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in the virtual format on July 4, 2023.
• King of Cambodia, Norodom Sihamoni, is on his maiden State visit to India from the 29th to 31st of May, 2023.
• The Maharashtra government has approved a new financial scheme Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Yojana under which more than one crore farmers in the state will be paid 6,000 rupees annually.
• The Uttar Pradesh (UP) government stated that it provided protection to 11,57,204 destitute cattle by spending a total of ₹1,681.61 crore under the Mukhyamantri Nirasrit Govansh Sahbhagita Yojana.
• Odisha Chief Minister (CM) Shri Naveen Patnaik launched ‘Odisha for Artificial Intelligence’ (AI) and ‘Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Youth’ initiatives.
• The Girijan Co-operative Corporation (GCC), Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh (AP), has been granted organic certification for its renowned Araku coffee and black pepper crops by the Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI).
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Ashwani Kumar, Executive Director, Indian Bank as Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of UCO Bankfor a period of three years.
• North Korea’s attempt to put its first spy satellite Malligyong-1 satellite into space failed in a setback to leader Kim Jong Un’s push to boost his military capabilities as tensions with the United States and South Korea rise.
• Eminent scholar, linguist, academician and writer Vellayani Arjunan passed away at the age of 90 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
• Justice Sudarshan Reddy released a book titled ‘A Political Biography NTR’