RAJASTHAN
- Anganbadi centres now tobacco-free
- The state government has made around 61,000 Anganbadi centres in Rajasthan tobaccofree. The government is also considering a ban on the sale of liquor near the Anganbadi centres.
- The Anaganbadi centre is an important place for the children up to 6 years of age and pregnant women. Healthy and clean environment is necessary at such place. Looking into this, the area needs to be made tobacco-free.
- The decision (to make Anganbadi centres tobacco-free) has been taken in order to discourage tobacco consumption and create awareness on the issue.
INTERNATIONAL
· Angola Swears in its First New President After 38 Years
- Angola swore in Joao Lourenco as the country’s President making him the first new President of the country in 38 years.
- He served as Angola’s Defence Minister earlier, vowed to attract more foreign investment.
- The People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA)governed since Angola’s hard-fought independence from Portugal in 1975 with Dos Santos taking power in 1979.
NATIONAL
· Veteran actor Tom Alter dies at 67
- Veteran film, television and theatre actor and Padma Shri Tom Alter died at aged 67. Alter acted in over 300 movies apart from numerous TV shows, most famously as the gangster Keshav Kalsi in the hit soap opera Junoon which ran for a record five years during the 1990s.
- In addition to acting, Alter also ventured into direction and was a sports journalist in the 80s and 90s. Alter has written three books, one non-fiction, and two fiction, and in 2008 was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri by the Indian government in recognition for his services to the field of arts and cinema.
· Union Government finalising Electoral Bonds Scheme
- The Union Government is finalizing electoral bonds schemein order to bring greater transparency in the funding of political parties.
- The scheme was announced in 2017-18.
- According to Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), most political parties use lax regime on donations to accept cash donations from anonymous sources.
- Nearly 70% of Rs.11,300 crore in party funding over an 11-year period came from unknown sources.