Whatsapp message மனித நேயம் சாகவில்லை

போகும் வழியில் ஒரு மின்கம்பத்தில் ஒரு சிறு துண்டு காகிதம் எழுதி தொங்க விட பட்டிருந்தது. அப்படி என்னதான் அதில் எழுதியிருக்கு என்ற ஆர்வத்தில் நானும் போய் படித்தேன்.

அதில் " என்னுடைய 50 ரூபாய் தொலைந்து விட்டது. யார் கையிலாவது கிடைத்தால் தயவு செய்து இந்த விலாசத்தில் தருமாறு கேட்டு கொள்கிறேன். எனக்கு கண் பார்வை அவ்வளவு சரியில்லை" என்று விலாசத்துடன் எழுதியிருந்தது.

எனக்கும் பொழுது போகவில்லை, அந்த குறுக்கு வழியில் பார்த்த ஒரு நபரிடம் விலாசம் கூறி வழி கேட்டேன். "இந்த அம்மாவா, கொஞ்சம் தூரம் போனால் ஓர் பழைய வீடு இருக்கும். அங்க தான் அந்த கண் தெரியாத அம்மா இருக்கு".

அங்கே ஓர் சிறிய கீத்து கொட்டகை. ஒரு நாள் மழைக்கு கூட தாங்காது. வெளியில் , கண்கள் குழி விழுந்து, எலும்பும் தோலுமாக வயதான ஓர் அம்மா . என் காலடி சத்தம் கேட்டதும், யாருப்பா நீ? அம்மா நான் இந்த வழியாக வந்தேன், எனக்கு 50 ரூபா கீழே விழுந்து கிடைத்தது. அது உங்களிடம் தரலாம் என்று வந்தேன். கேட்டதும் அந்த அம்மா அழ ஆரம்பித்து விட்டார்.

தம்பி ரெண்டு நாளா கிட்டத்தட்ட முப்பது முப்பத்தஞ்சு பேர் வந்து 50 ரூபா கீழே விழுந்து கிடைச்சது என்று சொல்லி குடுத்துட்டு போறாங்க.. அந்த கடிதம் நான் எழுதவில்லை. எனக்கு எழுத படிக்க தெரியாது. பரவாயில்ல அம்மா நீங்க வச்சிக்கிங்க என்று சொல்லி கொடுத்து திரும்பினேன். தம்பி நீ போகும் போது மின்கம்பத்தில் இருக்கும் அந்த கடிதத்தே மறக்காமல் கிழித்து போட்டு விடு என்று அறிவுரைத்தாள் அந்த தாய்.

என் மனதில் வித விதமான எண்ணங்கள். யார் அந்த கடிதத்தை எழுதி இருப்பார். அந்த கடித்ததே கிழித்து விடு என்று அந்த அம்மா ஒவ்வொருவரிடமும் கூறி கொண்டு தான் இருப்பார். ஆனால் யாரும் அப்படி செய்யவில்லை. யாரும் இல்லாமல் அனாதையாக வாழும் ஓர் உயிருக்கு கடித வடிவில் உதவி செய்த அந்த நண்பருக்கு மனத்தால் நன்றி சொல்லி கொண்டேன். நன்மை செய்யவேண்டும் என்ற மனம் இருந்தால் அதற்க்கு ஆயிரம் வழி.

மனதில் யோசித்து கொண்டே வரும்போது வழியில் ஒருவர் என்னிடம். " அண்ணே இந்த விலாசம் எங்கே என்று சொல்ல முடியுமா? கீழே இருந்து 50 ரூபாய் கிடைத்தது. அந்த அம்மா கிட்டே குடுக்கணும். வழி சொல்றீங்களா?

மனித நேயம் சாகவில்லை...

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*அழகான வரிகள் பத்து*.

1, அறிமுகம் இல்லாதவர்களின் பார்வையில்..
நாம்
எல்லோரும்
*சாதாரண மனிதர்கள்*

2,பொறாமைக்காரரின் பார்வையில்..
நாம் அனைவரும் *அகந்தையாளர்கள்*

3,நம்மைப் புரிந்து கொண்டோரின் பார்வையில்..
நாம் *அற்புதமானவர்கள்*

4,நேசிப்போரின் பார்வையில்..
நாம் *தனிச் சிறப்பானவர்கள்*

5,காழ்ப்புனர்ச்சி கொண்டவர்களின் பார்வையில்..
நாம் *கெட்டவர்கள்*

7. சுயநலவாதிகளின் பார்வையில் நாம்...
*ஒழிக்கப்பட வேண்டியவர்கள்*

8. சந்தர்ப்பவாதிகளின் பார்வையில் நாம் *ஏமாளிகள்*

9. எதையும் புரிந்து கொள்ளாதவர்கள் பார்வையில் நாம் *குழப்பவாதிகள்*

10.  கோழைகளின் பார்வையில் நாம் *அவசரக்குடுக்கைகள்*

நம்மை பற்றி ஒவ்வொருவருக்கும் 
ஒரு தனியான பார்வை உண்டு.

ஆதலால் -
பிறரிடம் உங்கள் பிம்பத்தை அழகாக்கிக் காட்ட *சிரமப்படாதீர்கள்*

மற்றவர்கள் உங்களை புரிந்துகொள்ளாவிட்டாலும்......
*நீங்கள் நீங்களாகவே இருங்கள்*

மனிதர்களை திருப்திப்படுத்துதல் என்பது எட்ட முடியாத இலக்கு...

இந்த மனிதர்களிடம் *எட்ட முடியாததை விட்டு விடுங்கள்!*

*அடைய வேண்டியதை விட்டு விடாதீர்கள்...!*

*எப்போதும் நேர்மையும் தைரியமும்  உங்கள் சொத்தாக இருக்கட்டும்*

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A youngster asked his grandfather...
"Grandpa! How did you people live before with

No technology
No aeroplanes
No internet
No Computer
No Dramas
No TV
No aircons
No cars
No Mobile phones.

Dada replied
Just like how you people living today...

No Prayer
No compassion
No honour
No respect
No character
No shame
No modesty"

We, the people born between 1950-1989 are the blessed ones...
Our life is a living proof.

👉While playing and riding bicycle, we never bothered to wear helmets.

👉After school time we played until its dusk but never watched  (TV) by locking up ourselves in a room.

👉We played only with our real friends, not with NET friends.
       
👉 If we ever felt thirsty, we used to drink tap water but never searched for bottled water.
          
👉We never got ill even after sharing the same juice with four friends.
          
👉We were never put on weight even after eating plate full of  rice everyday.
            
👉Nothing happened to our feet even after roaming bare foot.

👉We never used any health supplements to keep ourselves healthy.
            
👉We used to create our own toys and play with them.
            
👉Our parents were not rich. They just searched for and gave only love.. not any worldly material.
            
👉We never had cellphones, DVDs, Play stations, XBoxes, video games, Personal computers, internet, chat but we had many real friends.

👉We used to visit our friend's home uncalled and enjoyed food with them. We never had to call them and ask their permission to visit their home.
          
👉Relatives were near to us so our hearts and souls were happy.
          
👉We may have been in Black and White photos but you can find good colourful memories in those photos........

👉   We are a unique and the most understanding generation, because we are the last generation who listened to their parents....
and also the first which have to listen to their children.

We are LIMITED Edition!

Division of korea in detail

Detail of the DMZ

The division of Korea between North and South Korea was the result of the Allied victory in World War II in 1945, ending the Empire of Japan's 35-year rule of Korea. The United States and the Soviet Union occupied the country, with the boundary between their zones of control along the 38th parallel.
With the onset of the Cold War, negotiations between the United States and the Soviet Union failed to lead to an independent, unified Korea. In 1948, UN-supervised elections were held in the US-occupied south only. This led to the establishment of the Republic of Korea in South Korea, which was promptly followed by the establishment of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in North Korea. The United States supported the South, the Soviet Union supported the North, and each government claimed sovereignty over the whole Korean peninsula.
The subsequent Korean War, which lasted from 1950 to 1953, ended with a stalemate and has left the two Koreas separated by the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) up to the present day.

Historical background

Korea under Japanese rule (1910–1945)

When the Russo-Japanese War ended in 1905 Korea became a nominal protectorate of, and was annexed in 1910 by, Japan. The Korean king Gojong was removed. In the following decades, nationalist and radical groups emerged, mostly in exile, to struggle for independence. Divergent in their outlooks and approaches, these groups failed to unite in one national movement.^{[1] [2]} The Korean Provisional Government in China failed to obtain widespread recognition.^[3]

End of World War II

In November 1943, Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Chiang Kai-shek met at the Cairo Conference to discuss what should happen to Japan's colonies, and agreed that Japan should lose all the territories it had conquered by force. In the declaration after this conference, Korea was mentioned for the first time. The three powers declared that they were, "mindful of the enslavement of the people of Korea, ... determined that in due course Korea shall become free and independent."^{[4] [5]}

Regional movement of Soviet forces in 1945

At the Tehran Conference in November 1943 and the Yalta Conference in February 1945, the Soviet Union promised to join its allies in the Pacific War in two to three months after victory in Europe. On August 8, 1945, three months to the day after the end of hostilities in Europe, and two days after the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan.^[6] Soviet troops advanced rapidly, and the US government became anxious that they would occupy the whole of Korea. On August 10, 1945 two young officers – Dean Rusk and Charles Bonesteel – were assigned to define an American occupation zone. Working on extremely short notice and completely unprepared, they used a National Geographic map to decide on the 38th parallel. They chose it because it divided the country approximately in half but would place the capital Seoul under American control. No experts on Korea were consulted. The two men were unaware that forty years before, Japan and pre-revolutionary Russia had discussed sharing Korea along the same parallel. Rusk later said that had he known, he "almost surely" would have chosen a different line.^{[7] [8]} The division placed sixteen million Koreans in the American zone and nine million in the Soviet zone.^[9] To the surprise of the Americans, the Soviet Union immediately accepted the division. The agreement was incorporated into General Order No. 1 (approved on 17 August 1945) for the surrender of Japan.^[10]
Soviet forces began amphibious landings in Korea by August 14 and rapidly took over the north-east of the country, and on August 16 they landed at Wonsan.^[11] On August 24, the Red Army reached Pyongyang.^[10]
General Abe Nobuyuki, the last Japanese Governor-General of Korea, had established contact with a number of influential Koreans since the beginning of August 1945 to prepare the hand-over of power. Throughout August, Koreans organized people's committee branches for the "Committee for the Preparation of Korean Independence" (CPKI, 조선건국준비위원회), headed by Lyuh Woon-hyung, a left-wing politician. On September 6, 1945, a congress of representatives was convened in Seoul and founded the short-lived People's Republic of Korea.^{[12] [13]}

Post-World War II

South Korean citizens protest Allied trusteeship in December 1945.

In December 1945, at the Moscow Conference, the Allies agreed that the Soviet Union, the US, the Republic of China, and Britain would take part in a trusteeship over Korea for up to five years in the lead-up to independence. Many Koreans demanded independence immediately; however, the Korean Communist Party, which was closely aligned with the Soviet Communist party, supported the trusteeship.^{[14] [15]} The US President Franklin Roosevelt had initiated the idea of the trusteeship for Korea in 1943.^[16]
A Soviet-US Joint Commission met in 1946 and 1947 to work towards a unified administration, but failed to make progress due to increasing Cold War antagonism and to Korean opposition to the trusteeship.^[17] Meanwhile, the division between the two zones deepened. The difference in policy between the occupying powers led to a polarization of politics, and a transfer of population between North and South.^[18] In May 1946 it was made illegal to cross the 38th parallel without a permit.^[19]

US occupation of South Korea

Lyuh Woon-hyung giving a speech in the Committee for Preparation of Korean Independence in Seoul on August 16, 1945

With the American government fearing Soviet expansion, and the Japanese authorities in Korea warning of a power vacuum, the embarkation date of the US occupation force was brought forward three times.^[3]
On September 7, 1945, General Douglas MacArthur announced that Lieutenant General John R. Hodge was to administer Korean affairs, and Hodge landed in Incheon with his troops the next day. The Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, which had operated from China, sent a delegation with three interpreters to Hodge, but he refused to meet with them.^[20] Likewise, Hodge refused to recognize the newly formed People's Republic of Korea and its People's Committees, and outlawed it on 12 December.^[21]
In September 1946, thousands of laborers and peasants rose up against the military government. This uprising was quickly defeated, and failed to prevent scheduled October elections for the South Korean Interim Legislative Assembly.
The ardent anti-communist Syngman Rhee, who had been the first president of the Provisional Government and later worked as a pro-Korean lobbyist in the US, became the most prominent politician in the South. On July 19, 1947, Lyuh Woon-hyung, the last senior politician committed to left-right dialogue, was assassinated by a right-winger.^[22]
The government conducted a number of military campaigns against left-wing insurgents. Over the course of the next few years, between 30,000^[23] and 100,000 people were killed.^[24]

Soviet occupation of North Korea

Welcome celebration for the Red Army in Pyongyang on 14 October 1945

When Soviet troops entered Pyongyang, they found a local branch of the Committee for the Preparation of Korean Independence operating under the leadership of veteran nationalist Cho Man-sik.^[25] The Soviet Army allowed these "People's Committees" (which were friendly to the Soviet Union) to function. Colonel-General Terentii Shtykov set up the Soviet Civil Administration, taking control of the committees and placing communists in key positions.
In February 1946 a provisional government called the Provisional People's Committee was formed under Kim Il-sung, who had spent the last years of the war training with Soviet troops in Manchuria. Conflicts and power struggles ensued at the top levels of government in Pyongyang as different aspirants maneuvered to gain positions of power in the new government. In March 1946 the provisional government instituted a sweeping land-reform program: land belonging to Japanese and collaborator landowners was divided and redistributed to poor farmers.^[26] Organizing the many poor civilians and agricultural laborers under the people's committees, a nationwide mass campaign broke the control of the old landed classes. Landlords were allowed to keep only the same amount of land as poor civilians who had once rented their land, thereby making for a far more equal distribution of land. The North Korean land reform was achieved in a less violent way than in China or in Vietnam. Official American sources stated: "From all accounts, the former village leaders were eliminated as a political force without resort to bloodshed, but extreme care was taken to preclude their return to power."^[27] The farmers responded positively; many collaborators and former landowners fled to the south, where some of them obtained positions in the new South Korean government. According to the U.S. military government, 400,000 northern Koreans went south as refugees.^[28]
Key industries were nationalized. The economic situation was nearly as difficult in the north as it was in the south, as the Japanese had concentrated agriculture in the south and heavy industry in the north.
Soviet forces departed in 1948.^[29]

UN intervention and the formation of separate governments

South Korean demonstration in support of the U.S.-Soviet Joint Commission in 1946

South Korean general election on May 10, 1948

With the failure of the Joint Commission to make progress, the US brought the problem before the United Nations in September 1947. The Soviet Union opposed UN involvement. At that time, the US had more influence over the UN than the USSR.^[30] The UN passed a resolution on November 14, 1947, declaring that free elections should be held, foreign troops should be withdrawn, and a UN commission for Korea, the United Nations Temporary Commission on Korea (UNTCOK), should be created. The Soviet Union boycotted the voting and did not consider the resolution to be binding, arguing that the UN could not guarantee fair elections. In the absence of Soviet co-operation, it was decided to hold UN-supervised elections in the south only.^{[31] [32]} Some UNTCOK delegates felt that the conditions in the south gave unfair advantage to right-wing candidates, but they were overruled.^[33]
The decision to proceed with separate elections was unpopular among many Koreans, who rightly saw it as a prelude to a permanent division of the country. General strikes in protest against the decision began in February 1948.^[19] In April, Jeju islanders rose up against the looming division of the country. South Korean troops were sent to repress the rebellion. Tens of thousands of islanders were killed and by one estimate, 70% of the villages were burned by the South Korean troops.^[34] The uprising flared up again with the outbreak of the Korean War.^[35]
In April 1948, a conference of organizations from the north and the south met in Pyongyang, but the conference produced no results. The southern politicians Kim Koo and Kim Kyu-sik attended the conference and boycotted the elections in the south, as did other politicians and parties.^{[36] [37]} Kim Koo was assassinated the following year.^[38]
On May 10, 1948 the south held a general election. On August 15, the "Republic of Korea" formally took over power from the U.S. military, with Syngman Rhee as the first president. In the North, the "Democratic People's Republic of Korea" was declared on September 9, with Kim Il-sung as prime minister.
On December 12, 1948, the United Nations General Assembly accepted the report of UNTCOK and declared the Republic of Korea to be the "only lawful government in Korea".^[39]
Unrest continued in the South. In October 1948, the Yeosu–Suncheon Rebellion took place, in which some regiments rejected the suppression of the Jeju uprising and rebelled against the government.^[40] In 1949, the Syngman Rhee government established the Bodo League in order to keep an eye on its political opponents. The majority of the Bodo League's members were innocent farmers and civilians who were forced into membership.^[41] The registered members or their families were executed at the beginning of the Korean War. On December 24, 1949, South Korean Army massacred Mungyeong citizens who were suspected communist sympathizers or their family and affixed blame to communists.^[42]

Korean War

This division of Korea, after more than a millennium of being unified, was seen as controversial and temporary by both regimes. From 1948 until the start of the civil war on June 25, 1950, the armed forces of each side engaged in a series of bloody conflicts along the border. In 1950, these conflicts escalated dramatically when North Korean forces invaded South Korea, triggering the Korean War. The North overran much of the South until pushed back by a US-led United Nations intervention. The UN forces then occupied most of the North, until Chinese forces intervened and restored communist control of the North.
The Korean Armistice Agreement was signed after three years of war. The two sides agreed to create a four-kilometer-wide buffer zone between the states, known as the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). This new border, reflecting the territory held by each side at the end of the war, crossed the 38th parallel diagonally.

Geneva Conference and NNSC

As dictated by the terms of the Korean Armistice, a Geneva Conference was held in 1954 on the Korean question. Despite efforts by many of the nations involved, the conference ended without a declaration for a unified Korea.
The Armistice established a Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission (NNSC) which was tasked to monitor the Armistice. Since 1953, members of the Swiss^[43] and Swedish^[44] Armed Forces have been members of the NNSC stationed near the DMZ.

Post-armistice relations

Since the war, Korea has remained divided along the DMZ. North and South have remained in a state of conflict, with the opposing regimes both claiming to be the legitimate government of the whole country. Sporadic negotiations have failed to produce lasting progress towards reunification.^[45

Daily news 17-10-2017

1. International Day for the Eradication of Poverty: 17 October

i. International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (IDEP) is observed globally on 17 October. The theme of this year's IDEP is ‘Answering the Call of October 17 to end poverty: A path toward peaceful and inclusive societies’.
ii. This year’s celebration also marks the 25th anniversary of the declaration of the day by the UN General Assembly, which had adopted the resolution on 22 December 1992.

2. 2nd Ayurveda Day: 17 October

i. This year's 2nd Ayurveda Day is celebrated on 17 October in New Delhi by the Ministry of AYUSH. PM Modi was the Chief Guest and had also inaugurated the country's first All India Institute of Ayurveda, Sarita Vihar, New Delhi.
ii. The All India Institute of Ayurveda, set up on a total area of 10.015 acres on a budget of Rs 157 crore, is the first medical institute under the AYUSH ministry to hold the coveted National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) accreditation.

Important Takeaways from the above News:

Shripad Yasso Naik is the Minister of AYUSH.

3. Dharmendra Pradhan on a Three-Day Visit to Japan

i. Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is on a three-day visit to Japan to participate in the 6th annual LNG Producers Consumer Conference.
ii. The visit is important to enhance the bilateral engagements in the Oil and Gas sectors within the overall framework of India-Japan Energy Dialogue.
iii. Energy Ministers from Qatar, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Japan and other leading hydrocarbon experts will participate in the Conference.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

Tokyo is the Capital of Japan.

Shinzo Abe is the PM of Japan.



4. PM Modi Inaugurates 1st ever All India Institute of Ayurveda

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first ever All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) in New Delhi, on the occasion of the 2nd Ayurveda Day.
ii. It is the first institute under the Ministry of AYUSH with a National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) accreditation. The institute will have separate Yoga, Panchakarma, and Kriya Kalpa units, among others.

Important Takeaways from the above News:

Shripad Yasso Naik is the Minister of AYUSH.

5. Mahindra Launches 'Prerna' Project for Women Farmers

i. Mahindra & Mahindra has launched a program, Prerna, to empower women working in the agriculture sector by promoting efficient and ergonomic farm tools and equipment. The project will be initially launched in the state of Odisha, with the intention to positively impact the lives of over 1,500 families across 30-plus villages.
ii. The first project under Prerna is a collaboration between Mahindra & Mahindra, the Central Institution for Women in Agriculture (CIWA), a department of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

6. Myntra, Textile Ministry Tie-up to Promote Handloom Industry

i. E-commerce major Myntra launched its CSR initiative in association with the Union Textile Ministry, to work directly with weavers and elevate their economic stature.
ii. With an initiative to uplift the handloom products in India, the company (Myntra) is committing itself along with some of its partner brands to bring artisans and their products online, providing them access to new customers and opportunities.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani is the Minister of Textiles of India.

Flipkart is the Parent Organization of Myntra.



7. Yes Bank Commits Rs 156 cr for Namami Gange Project

i. Private sector Yes Bank has committed Rs 156 crore to fund first Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) to be constructed at Varanasi under Hybrid Annuity-PPP Model.
ii. The bank has signed a deal with Essel Infraprojects for the financial closure of Rs 156 crore that will fund the STP under Namami Gange Project.

Important Takeaways from the above News:

Yes Bank Headquarters in Mumbai.

CEO of Yes Bank is Rana Kapoor.



8. Moody’s Affirms Rating on SBI’s Bond Programs

i. Moody’s Investors Service has affirmed ratings on domestic as well as foreign currency bond programs of the country’s largest lender SBI.
ii. Moody’s has affirmed the Baa3 rating on the bank’s senior unsecured debt (issued via its London branch) and (P)Baa3 rating on its senior unsecured medium-term note (MTN) program. Baa3 denotes the lowest rating in investment grade on long-term corporate obligation, which carries moderate risks.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

SBI headquarters in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

It was established on 1 July 1955.





Rajnish Kumar is the present Chairman of SBI.



9. NIIF Inks Pact Worth $1 billion with Abu Dhabi Investment Authority

i. The National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) of India has signed an investment agreement worth $1 billion with Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA). The government has set up NIIF with the aim to attract investments from both domestic and international sources for infrastructure development in commercially viable projects.
ii. As part of the comprehensive partnership agreement, ADIA will become the first institutional investor in NIIF’s Master Fund and a shareholder in National Investment and Infrastructure Limited, the NIIF’s investment management company.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

Sujoy Bose is the CEO of NIIF.

10. Footwear Design & Development Institute Act 2017 Comes into Force

i. Footwear Design & Development Institute (FDDI) has been declared an ‘Institute of National Importance’ under Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India. The FDDI bill was passed by the Parliament in July 2017.
ii. The Provisions of FDDI Act 2017 have come into force. Presently FDDI is imparting skill based graduate and postgraduate courses in the fields of footwear, leather goods, retail, and management to around 2,500 students across eight campuses spread over India.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

FDDI was established in 1986.

The Headquarters of FDDI is located in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.



11. Eminent Poet Prabha Varma Chosen for Padma Prabha Puraskaram

i. Eminent poet, lyricist and journalist Prabha Varma has been selected for the Padma Prabha Puraskaram for 2017. The announcement was made by the chairman-cum-managing director of ‘Mathrubhumi’ daily, M P Veerendra Kumar.
ii. A jury headed by ace novelist M Mukundan chose Varma for the prestigious award, considering his contribution to Malayalam literature. The award, carrying a cash prize of Rs 75,000, a plaque and a citation, was instituted by the Padma Prabha Memorial Trust.

12. Hema Malini's Biography 'Hema Malini: Beyond the Dream Girl' Launched

i. Actress Deepika Padukone launched Hema Malini's biography 'Hema Malini: Beyond the Dream Girl' on the occasion of Hema's 69th birthday.
ii. The biography has been penned by journalist turned writer Ram Kamal Mukherjee and also contains a short foreword written by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

13. Legendary Brazilian Sailor Robert Scheidt Retires from Olympics

i. Atlanta 1996 and Athens 2004 gold medal-winning sailor Robert Scheidt (44 years old) has announced his retirement from Olympic competition, ending a career that spanned a quarter of a century.
ii. He would continue to participate in non-Olympic events and support Brazil's elite sailors as they prepare for the 2020 Tokyo Games. Scheidt won Olympic gold in the laser class in 1996 and 2004.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

Robert Scheidt claimed bronze in London in 2012 and finished fourth in Rio 2016.

14. Meet Kavita Devi, India’s First Woman Wrestler to Sign for WWE

i. Kavita Devi, a former competitive powerlifter, has become the first ever Indian woman to be signed by the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
ii. Hailing from Haryana, Kavita underwent training to be a professional wrestler under the guidance of The Great Khali (Dalip Singh Rana) at his Punjab based wrestling promotion and training academy.  She also won a gold medal at the 2016 South Asian Games.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

Kavita Devi also has the distinction of being the first Indian woman to compete in a WWE ring, as she was a featured participant in the Mae Young Classic women’s tournament.

15. Shamsher Khan, India's First Olympic Swimmer Passes Away

i. India's first Olympic swimmer Shamsher Khan passed away in Andhra Pradesh's Guntur district. He was 87. Mr. Khan had represented India in 1956 Melbourne Olympics. He was the first swimmer to represent India in Olympics.
ii. He narrowly missed a medal, finishing fourth in 200-meter butterfly and breaststroke events in Melbourne Games.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

 Shamsher Khan took part in the 1962 war against China and the 1971 war against Pakistan.

Happy birthday picture

GST gets simpler for small businesses and exporters

NEW DELHI: The GST Council tweaked rules on Friday to make life simpler for small businesses and exporters and also cut rates on 27 products+ , including man-made yarn, which was a key demand of the textiles sector, in a bid to mollify those complaining about the new tax regime.

While the main focus was on reducing the compliance burden for a majority of taxpayers+ who contribute a minuscule part of the revenue, the move to reduce the rate on man-made fibre was meant to comfort businessmen in states such as Gujarat, where assembly elections are due later this year.

Similarly, the tax rate on rotis and khakra was cut along with savouries and ayurvedic and homoeopathic medicines.

GST Council's decision to help small, medium businesses: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had promised on Wednesday to remove all impediments, was quick to comment that the council's decisions would immensely help small and medium businesses, which have been complaining the most. "Good and simple tax becomes even simpler. Today's recommendations will immensely help small and medium business... GST is in line with our constant endeavour to ensure interests of our citizens are safeguarded and India's economy grows," he tweeted hours after finance minister Arun Jaitley announced the changes at a press conference.

After day-long deliberations, the Centre and the states agreed to put in place a new mechanism that will allow those with a turnover of up to Rs 1.5 crore — which make up for over 90% of the base but only 5% of the tax collections — to file returns every quarter.

At the same time, Jaitley promised that none of the large businesses, which will have to file monthly returns, will be denied credit for the taxes paid by their smaller vendors.
In addition, the government has allowed traders, manufacturers and restaurants with turnover of up to Rs 1 crore, instead of the Rs 75-lakh cap earlier, to opt for the composition scheme that will reduce their compliance burden by paying a flat rate of tax ranging between 1% and 5%. In addition, the deadline for the reverse charge mechanism was also extended.

"If you look at the GST pattern, the large players provide substantial taxation. SMEs pay nil or nominal tax but have high compliance pressures," Jaitley said.

As a result, the GST Council has decided to exempt those covered by the advance authorisation scheme, export promotion capital goods or 100% export-oriented units from paying taxes on inputs till March. Merchant exporters will pay 0.1% GST for purchases from domestic players.
In Video: Govt reduces GST rates on 27 items; relief for small traders and exporters