The Daily Brief – 19th November 2019

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1. Punjab becomes third state in the country after Maharashtra and Gujarat to ban hookah bars or lounges. The ban was announced through law after President Ram Nath Kovind gave assent to Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2018.  The objective of this law is to check use of tobacco in various forms and prevent diseases caused by the use of tobacco products.
2. Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appointed 1984-batch IRS Officer Sanjay Kumar Mishra as full-time Director of the Enforcement Directorate (ED). He will have tenure of two-years from the date of assumption of the charge of the post. The post of ED director is additional secretary rank post in the Union government. Enforcement Directorate (ED) is economic intelligence and law enforcement agency responsible for enforcing economic laws and fighting economic crime in India.
3. The 14th edition of JashneBachpan, a theatre festival for children was held at the Sammukh, Abhimanch, Abhikalp and Little Theatre Group (LTG) auditorium in New Delhi. It was organised by National School of Drama’s (NSD) Theatre in Education (TIE) Company. Its main aim was to bring theatre into prominence as it has lost its sheen in modern era because of digital medium.
4. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on November 17, 2018 appointed Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) CEO Ajay Bhushan Pandey as the new revenue secretary. He will succeed current Finance and Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia, who is retiring on November 30. Pandey is a 1984 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Maharashtra cadre.
5. The Special Secretary in the Department of Revenue, Girish Chandra Murmu has been appointed as the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) of the Department of Expenditure. He will take charge after the retirement of current Expenditure Secretary Ajay Narayan Jha on January 31, 2019. He is 1985 batch IAS officer of Gujarat cadre.
6. Amnesty International on November 12, 2018 stripped Myanmar’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi of its highest honour, the ‘Ambassador of Conscience’ award, over her indifference to atrocities committed by the Myanmar military against an increasing intolerance of freedom of expression. The Amnesty International, an international human rights group, named Suu Kyi as its 2009 Ambassador of Conscience Award recipient. Considering her failure to speak out and her shielding of the security forces from accountability for the violence against the Rohingya, the organisation withdrew the honour from her.
7. India and Maldives released a Joint Statement on November 17, 2018 after extensive talks between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and His Excellency Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, President of the Republic of Maldives in Male. The two leaders expressed confidence in the renewal of the close bonds of cooperation and friendship. The leaders also agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and security in the Indian Ocean and increased cooperation in combating terrorism.
   
8. World Toilet Day is observed every year on 19 November, 2018 with an aim to raise awareness of sanitation and hygiene issues around the world. Today, 2.6 billion people, about one-third of the population on the planet, do not have access to proper sanitation, a problem that kills nearly 1 million young children every year. World Toilet Day was designated by the United Nations in July 2013.

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