News in Short

• Mysterious hums heard around the world back in 2018 have led to the discovery of an underwater volcano in the Indian Ocean.
• The researchers have identified a seismically quiet area in the western part of the ocean which was affected by 'complex' activity.
• The volcano was first just a deep magma chamber, it propagated to the surface and ultimately, the entire structure was born.

• India will make exceptions for American airlines on its ground handling regulations that prohibit international carriers from operations beyond the check-in area.
• However, these airlines will have to allow a security audit by Indian agencies, and ensure that Indian employees are tasked with sensitive operations.
• U.S. airlines will have access control to the aircraft, can screen unaccompanied baggage, conduct secondary check of passengers at the ladder point and have security control of cargo.
• The changes will be effected only for the US, though the Union Cabinet has provided a blanket permission for US, Canada and Australia.

• PM Narendra Modi celebrated the 150th anniversary of the historic Kolkata Port Trust and renamed the port after Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee.
• Development of waterways has improved Kolkata Port Trust's connectivity with industrial centres in east India, made trade easier for neighbouring countries like Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and Bangladesh.
• The Kolkata Port Trust is the oldest operating port in India, and was constructed by the British East India Company.

• The Union government has decided to reduce wasteful expenditure on items such as travel and food by 20 percent.
• A decision of this effect was taken at a recent meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Investment and Growth (CCIG), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The move is being seen as the Centre’s attempt to avoid fiscal slippage by containing non-development expenditure and controlling fiscal deficit well within the limit of budgeted target of 3.3 percent during 2019-20 financial year.
• With the GDP growth expected to slow down to an 11-year low of 5 per cent during the ongoing fiscal, the task of maintaining fiscal discipline becomes more challenging.
• The CCIG includes Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Railways Minister Piyush Goyal as members.

• India's pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah will receive the prestigious Polly Umrigar Award for his exploits in international cricket in the 2018-19 season.
• While Bumrah gets the biggest prize in the men's category, Poonam Yadav will claim the top prize in women's section and will be awarded the best international cricketer.
• Former India captains Krishnamachari Srikkanth and Anjum Chopra will be presented with the Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award and the BCCI Lifetime Achievement Award for women respectively.