Important Current Affairs 19th August 2019

NATIONAL:

Income Tax Department to adopt 'taxpayer friendly' approach

• The Income Tax (I-T) Departmentdecided to adopt friendly approach in its dealings with the tax assessees following Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's call for a mindset change among tax officials.The I-T Department to bridge the communcation gap between tax officials and the assessees and sought a change in mindset amid allegations of "tax terrorism".The issues are concerned and solve issues by treating them respectfully

The I-T department is set to change its approach and adopt friendly language but not at the cost of forgoing any lapses.

The department will use friendly language in its communications with taxpayers rather than intimidating, according to a source, amid allegations of intrusive, threatening and arbitrary behaviour by the department.

The data mining and data analytics, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) is now working on ways to ensure the department makes information such as large-cash deposits or high-value transactions" available to taxpayers well in time for filing of tax returns.

On the lines of reminders for filing returns, messages could be sent to indicate transactions while stating that they are ignored if already responded to or accounted .The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) introduce a computer-generated Document Identification Number (DIN), which will be quoted in any notice issued by its officials.

Manipur Govt launches School Fagadaba scheme.

• Chief Minister (CM) of Manipur, N Biren Singh launched “School Fagadaba” (Make education better) scheme.

The main aim of the scheme is to improve the infrastructure, quality education and overall improvement of government schools.The regular attendance of teachers, biometric devices would be installed in every Government school in the state.The teachers posted in these schools stay at the place of their posting for at least 3 years.

The 60 Assembly constituencies in the state selected under the 1st phase of the scheme.The state also set a target to increase enrollment of students from 26,000 at present to around 44,000 in the next academic session.The additional infrastructures like a modern school campus, sufficient school furniture, outdoorgymnasium, separate toilets for boys and girls, drinking water facilities will be provided to these schools as per the Right to Education (RTE) norms.

DAYS:

World Photography Day observed on 19 August.

• World Photography Day is an annual, worldwide celebration of the art, craft, science, and history of photography. World Photography Day signifies about the photography event in the world.

History

Early 19th century, photography has become an ever-increasing medium of personal expression and appreciation for countless people around the world.A photograph the ability to capture a place; an experience; an idea; a moment in time. Photographs can convey a feeling faster than, and sometimes even more effectively than words can. A photograph can make the viewer see the world the way the photographer. Photographs even transcend the passing of time - a photo from a hundred years ago can still be as appreciated now as. A photo can still by others in a hundred years time.

World Photo Day originates from the invention of the Daguerreotype, a photographic process developed by Frenchmen Louis Daguerre and Joseph Nicephore Niepce in 1837.

The Daguerreotype wasn’t the first permanent photographic image. In 1826, Niepce captured the earliest known permanent photograph known as “View from the Window at Le Gras” using a process called heliography.

The first durable color photograph was taken by Thomas Sutton in 1861. It was a set of three black-and-white photographs taken through red, green and blue filters. However, the photographic emulsions then in use were insensitive to the spectrum, so the result was very imperfect.

World Photo Day hosted its first global online gallery. There are 270 photographers shared their pictures and people from over 100 countries visited the website.

World Humanitarian Day observed on August 19.

• World Humanitarian Day (WHO) is observed every year on 19 August. The main aim is to pay tribute to aid workers who risk their lives in humanitarian crises around the world.

The theme of 2019 WHD campaign is #WomenHumanitarians On World

The contribution of thousands of women humanitarian aid workers who provide life-saving support to vulnerable people caught up in crises in some of the world’s most dangerous places.

History of the Day

When the UN headquarters in Baghdad was targeted by a large terrorist truck bomb, killing 22 people, including Sergio Vieira de Mello, the UN’s top representative in Iraq.

The focus is to salute the efforts of women humanitarian workers across the world who rally to people in need and are often the first to respond and the last to leave.

Around 4,500 aid workers of all genders have been killed, injured, detained, assaulted or kidnapped while carrying out their work.

Save humanitarians

The UN emphasizes that under international law, all humanitarian workers must be safeguarded.

As part of this year’s WHD commemorations, the UN and partners are launching the #WomenHumanitarians global campaign to pay special tribute to and raise support for the work women do to save lives and alleviatehuman suffering.

The dedication of these women to help the world’s most vulnerable people is admirable, particularly those women who are often the first to respond in their communities when faced with a crisis

SPORTS:

Hima and Anas won gold in the Athleticky Mitink Reiter 2019.

• Indian sprinters Hima Das and Mohammad Anas won gold at the Athleticky Mitink Reiter event in the Czech Republic. They won gold in the women's and men's 300m category respectively. India's Nirmal Tom clinched bronze in men's 300m category.

Muhammed Anas clocked 32.41 seconds to claim gold in the event. India's Nirmal Tom clocked 33.03 seconds.

Hima Das:

This is her 6th gold medal this year 2019. On July 20 she clinched gold in her pet 400m event at Nove Mesto in the Czech Republic.

Czech Athletics:

Czech Athletics is an annual outdoor field competition. It is the National championship for sports in the Czech republic. It was organized by Czech athletic federation.

India to host World Youth Chess Championship

• For the first time ever, India is to host the World Youth Chess Championship 2019. The All India Chess Federation (AICF) won the bid to conduct the World Youth and Junior Chess championships 2019 in the country. The championship will be held from 1 October to 13 October 2019 in Mumbai, Maharashtra.The championship aims to produce many young stars and aspire to take part in such world events.

World Youth Chess Championship 2019:

The World Chess Federation (FIDE-Fédération Internationale des) conducts 15 World-Level Tournaments in a year.

The Youth Tournament will be held in three age categories in both the open and girls group.

The Tournament will be played in the:

♦ U-14 age groups for Boys & Girls

♦ U-16 age groups for Boys & Girls

♦ U-18 age groups for Boys & Girls

The participants include around 700 young Chess masters from over 100 Chess playing countries. Six World Champions will be crowned at this Tournament.

Bombay Gymkhana Youth Snooker 2019 Open title won by Kreishh Gurbaxani.

• Mumbai Kreishh Gurbaxani is currently at the no. 2 spots in the India junior snooker rankings.

He won the 2019 Bombay Gymkhana Youth Snooker Open title. He defeated Odisha’s Asutosh Padhy for 5-4 in the 4-hour final contest. He was awarded the champion’s trophy and a cheque of Rs 30,000.The runner up trophy and a cheque of Rs 20,000 were given to Asutosh Padhy.

India clinched gold at Under- 12 Asian Tennis Team Championship 2019 in Kazakhstan.

• India won gold at the Under 12 Asian Tennis Team championship.

• The event held in Kazakhstan. India defeated Chinese Taipei in the score 2-1 in the summit clash to win the title. The final was a tie of three matches.

• Indian Team won both the singles matches. The team comprised of Manas Dhamme, Arnav Paprakar and Tamil Nadu's Pranav Rethin. Manas and Rethin won their singles matches.