• National

Parliament passed Personal Laws Bill 2019

• Parliament passed the Personal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019 with Rajya Sabha’s approval on 13 Feb 2019.
• The Lok Sabha had passed the bill in the last session.
• The Bill seeks to uphold the rights of people with leprosy, as the disease is curable.
• The Rajya Sabha also passed the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Third Amendment) Bill 2019.

• International

Women with four children to get life tax exemption in Hungary

• According to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, women in the country with four children or more will be exempted for life from paying income tax.
• The move aims at boosting the country’s population.
• For women who raise at least four children, a subsidy of USD 8,825 will be given for the purchase of a seven-seat vehicle.
• A low-interest loan of 35,300 US dollars for women under the age of 40 who are marrying for the first time will be introduced.
• Prime Minister Orban also announced a seven-point plan to increase the fertility rate in the country.

• Awards

Bradley Cooper Wins Best Director from PETA for ‘A Star Is Born’

• Bradley Cooper has been awarded the ‘Oscat’ by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
• The animal rights organisation awarded Cooper “for his enlightened decision to cast his own canine companion in ‘A Star Is Born’ rather than using one supplied by a notorious animal exhibitor”.

• Awards

British Academy Film Awards announced

• The film “The Favourite” won seven honours in British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA)- 2019 in London.
• The Favourite won best actress for Olivia Colman and best supporting actress for Rachel Weisz, Outstanding British Film, Original Screenplay, Costume Design, Production Design, Makeup and Hair.
• Also, Netflix production ‘Roma’ also had a successful night picking up four prizes – best film, best director, best cinematography and best film not in the English language.
• Rami Malek won the best actor for playing Freddie Mercury in the film Bohemian Rhapsody.

• Appointments

CBDT Chief Sushil Chandra Appointed as Election Commissioner

• President Ram Nath Kovind appointed Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Chairman Sushil Chandra as an Election Commissioner.
• The post had fallen vacant after the appointment of the then Election Commissioner Sunil Arora as Chief Election Commissioner on superannuation of his predecessor O.P. Rawat in December 2018.
• Former bureaucrat Ashok Lavasa is the first and senior-most Election Commissioner.
• A 1980-batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) official, Mr. Chandra is an IIT graduate. His appointment comes weeks ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

• Appointments

Ashwani Lohani: Air India CMD

• Ashwani Lohani, a retired bureaucrat, was appointed the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of national carrier Air India, on 13 Feb 2019.
• This will be his second tenure.
• In August 2017, he was named the Chairman to the Railway Board and retired on December 31, 2018.
• Air India CMD Pradeep Singh Kharola was appointed as new Civil Aviation Secretary, earlier on Feb 6.

• Defence

Indian Army Carried Out the Annual Exercise Named ‘Exercise Topchi’

• Indian Army showcased its artillery firepower by using ultralight Howitzers and indigenous Swathi weapon-locating radar at the annual “Exercise Topchi”.
• The exercise was held at Deolali Camp near Nashik.
• Aviation and surveillance capabilities were also showcased.
• There were a showcase of display of rockets, missiles, surveillance, and target acquisition radars, remotely piloted aircraft and hi-tech equipment in addition to gunfire.
• The precision displayed while delivering the explosives in the target area stunned all those present.

• Defence

Cobra Gold military exercise in Thailand

• One of the Asia-Pacific region’s largest multinational military exercises, Cobra Gold began in Thailand with around10,000 personnel and 29 countries as participants.
• It is aimed at enhancing interoperability, strengthening relationships among participating nations.
• This year’s exercise is the 38th of its kind.

• States

Cabinet approves Patna Metro Rail project

• The Union Cabinet approved the Patna Metro Rail Project to boost transport facilities in the capital city of Bihar.
• The Cabinet has also hiked the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Raw Jute by Rs 250 to Rs 3950 per quintal for 2019 -20 season.
• The MSP is expected to ensure appropriate minimum prices to the farmers and step up investments in jute cultivation.
• Cabinet also approved the continuation of Credit Linked Capital Subsidy and Technology Up-gradation Scheme beyond 12th Plan for three years from 2017-18 to 2019-20 with a total outlay of two thousand 900 crore rupees.

• States

Rajasthan passes 5% quota bill for Gujjars, four other communities

• Rajasthan government has passed a Backward Classes, Amendment Bill, 2019 to provide 5% quota in jobs and educational institutions to ‘Gurjars’ and four other communities.
• The state government has also decided to increase the ceiling of creamy layer from Rs. 2.5 lacks to Rs. 8 lacks.
• The Gurjar community has been holding agitations since Friday across the state demanding five per cent separate quota for them.

• Miscellaneous

P Chidambaram’s Book “Undaunted: Saving the Idea of India” Launched

• Former Vice President Hamid Ansari launched the new book of former Finance Minister P Chidambaram named “Undaunted: Saving the Idea of India” at Nehru Memorial Museum, New Delhi.
• The book is a collection of essays on the country’s atmosphere of fear and how the constitutional values are being threatened.