IRDAI has constituted P J Joseph committee to review third-party motor cover costs

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has constituted a 16-member committee to examine motor third party insurance pricing aspects and make recommendations on the premium rates for 2019-20. Apart from examining the third party cover pricing aspects, including data related ones; the committee has been tasked to revisit the classification of vehicles, in view of the development in the industry. Its term will be till December 31. This is for the first time IRDAI has formed such a committee, which will be headed by IRDAI Member P.J. Joseph.

Assamese film “Xhoihobote Dhemalite” (“Rainbow Fields”) has bagged three top awards at the 3rd Love International Film Festival

Assamese film “Xhoihobote Dhemalite” (“Rainbow Fields”) has bagged three top awards at the 3rd Love International Film Festival in Los Angeles. Besides the best movie, it also won the awards for best actress (Dipannita Sharma) and best music (Anurag Saikia) at the festival. The film, which is directed by Bidyut Kotoky, deals with the sensitive issue of children of Assam growing up in violent times and witnessing brutality around them. Based on true events, the film also features seasoned actors like Victor Banerjee, Nakul Vaid, Naved Aslam, Nipon Goswami and Nikumoni Barua. More than 150 films from 36 countries were screened during the festival.

Test. Treat. Hepatitis: the theme of the 2018 World Hepatitis Day (WHD)

The World Hepatitis Day (WHD) is observed every year on July 28 raise global awareness of hepatitis — a group of infectious diseases known as Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E — and encourage prevention, diagnosis and treatment. The 2018 theme is “Test. Treat. Hepatitis”. Hepatitis is a viral infection that causes inflammation in the liver. According to WHO’s official report ‘Eliminate Hepatitis’, “Viral hepatitis affected 325 million people worldwide in 2015, with 257 million people living with hepatitis B and 71 million people living with hepatitis C – the two main killers of the five types of hepatitis.

Indian mountaineer Shivangi Pathak scaled Mt Kilimanjaro

Shivangi Pathak (17) from Haryana, who became India’s youngest women to scale Mt Everest from Nepal side, has recently scaled the highest peak of Africa “Mt Kilimanjaro”, which is located in Tanzania. The mountain is about 4,900 metres from its base to 5,895 metres above sea level. Her next target is to scale Europe’s highest peak.

Ramakanta Rath has been conferred with the Odisha’s highest literary award ‘Atibadi Jagannath Das Samman’ for 2018

Noted litterateur Ramakanta Rath has been conferred with the Odisha’s highest literary award ‘Atibadi Jagannath Das Samman’ for 2018 for his lifetime contribution to Odia literature. He received the award at a special function organised by Odisha Sahitya Akademi on July 26, 2018. The award carries a citation and cash prize of Rs one lakh. Rath, a Padma Bhushan awardee, was earlier conferred with the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1977, Saraswathi Samman in 1992, Bishuva Samman in 1990 and some others.

Cherkallam Abdullah leader and former Kerala Minister, has passed away

Cherkallam Abdullah (76), the senior Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader and former Kerala Minister, has passed away on July 27, 2018. He was a prominent leader of the Opposition Congress-led UDF in north Kerala. A 4-time MLA from Manjeswaram in Kasaragod district since 1987, Abdullah was the local self-development minister in the A K Antony cabinet from 2001-2004.

Kane Tanaka:  the world’s oldest verified living person

Kane Tanaka (115), a Japanese supercentenarian, has become the world’s oldest verified living person following the death of Chiyo Miyako on July 22, 2018. Born on 2nd January 1903, Tanaka is in good health, occasionally playing board games and taking short walks in the facility’s hallways. She credits family, sleep and hope as her secrets for longevity.

Sourabh Verma has lifted the 2018 men’s singles Russian Open Badminton trophy

Ace Indian shuttler Sourabh Verma has lifted the 2018 Russian Open Badminton trophy at Vladivostok on July 29. In the title clash, Sourabh defeated Japan’s Koki Watanabe by 18-21, 21-12, 21-17, and win his first title of the season. In Mixed Doubles, the pair of Rohan Kapoor and Kuhoo Garg lost in the Final against the Russian-Korean team of Vladimir Ivanov and Min Kyung Kim, 19-21, 17-21.

 Assam will implement Pranam Scheme

In a unique and first-ever in the country, the Assam government has decided to implement a Pranam Scheme to ensure that government staff take care of their parents & physically challenged siblings. The scheme will part away with 10 to 15% of state government employees’ monthly salary if they are found guilty of not taking adequate care of their dependent elderly parents and physically challenged siblings.

The Central government has launched the National Viral Hepatitis Control programme

On 2018 World Hepatitis Day (WHD), the National Viral Hepatitis Control programme has been launched by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) in New Delhi to combat the disease by 2030 in the country. Under the initiative, free drugs and diagnostics for Hepatitis B and C will be provided at all government hospitals. This initiative will provide laboratory testing and management of viral Hepatitis with a decentralized approach. The aim of the programme is the prevention and treatment of Hepatitis which is inflammation of the liver due to a viral infection. It is among the leading causes of liver cancer, cirrhosis of the liver and acute failure of the organ. According to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG-2030), diseases like AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, neglected tropical diseases, hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases should be eliminated by 2030. Viral hepatitis was included as a focus area in the health-related goal Goal 3.3 with world leaders pledging to fight and eliminate it by 2030.