1st May 2015 - Important Current Affairs updates

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International Affairs

• International Labour Day being celebrated through out the country today.
• The date was chosen for International Workers' Day by the Second International to commemorate the Haymarket affair, which occurred in Chicago on 4 May 1886. 
• This Day has its origins in the labour union movement, specifically the Eight-Hour Day Movement.
• Note : Eight-Hour Day Movement advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest.
• India today rejected outright the stand by Pakistan that creation of any “devoted” townships in Kashmir Valley for displaced Kashmiri Pandits would change the demographic make-up of the state and be in violation of UN resolutions.
• In a forceful assertion, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley stated the Kashmiri Pandits together with Muslims and Sikhs are an integral a part of Jammu and Kashmir.
• Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar and NSA Ajit Doval are on a visit Kathmandu.
• They directed all involved Indian agencies to carry relief and rescue operations in full swing.
• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has thanked PM Narendra Modi for helping Israel in its rescue work in quake-hit Nepal.

National Affairs

• Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi today greeted the people of Gujarat and Maharashtra on the foundation day of the two western states.
• Gujarat
• Established on : 1st May 1960
• Governor : Om Prakash Kohli
• Chief Minister : Anandiben Patel
• Maharashtra
• Established on : 1st May 1960
• Governor : C. Vidyasagar Rao
• Chief Minister  :  Devendra Fadnavis
• Imoprtant Points to Note :
• The state of Maharashtra and Gujarat were formed as a result of a movement according to the Bombay Reorganisation Act, 1960 enacted by the Parliament of India on 25 April 1960.
• This act came into effect on 1st May 1960.
  
• Mumbai State transport commissioner Mahesh Zagade today issued a circular banning the use of the phrase "Horn Ok Please" on the rear side of commercial vehicles, such as trucks and tempos, across Maharashtra.
• Reason for the Ban : The phrase is giving licence to motorists to honk unnecessarily and there have been numerous complaints of excessive honking in silence zones such as near hospitals, schools and colleges. 
• Adilabad recorded a maximum temperature of 42.3 degree Celsius today, making it the hottest day in the season so far.
• Finance Minister Arun Jaitley stressed on the need for a law to prevent money laundering.
• He said that the target of the government is to make all international transactions transparent by 2017.
• Note : New law on undisclosed income and assets abroad to be taken up in Parliament next week.
• Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu today flagged off the phase one of Namma metro in Bangalore.

People in News

• Maharashtra’s Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) today said it has ordered filing of FIR against e-commerce major Snapdeal.com’s CEO Kunal Bahl and directors of the company in a case related to alleged online sale of medicines, including prescription drugs.

Science & Technology

• Wrapped under secretive ‘Project Spartan’ so far, Microsoft has unveiled Edge as its new web browser, which would eventually replace the existing Internet Explorer.
• About Edge : This is lighter and faster than Internet Explorer and comes with new features like a built—in notation tool, a distraction—free reading mode, and website information from Cortana, a personal voice—assistant app for Windows.
• The Broad Sustainable Building Co, a Chinese construction company claimed to be the world’s fastest builder after erecting a 57-storey skyscraper in 19 working days in central China.

Business & Economy

• Leading mobile operators cut roaming call rate by upto 40 per cent and SMS by upto 75 per cent from today due to cut in ceiling rate by TRAI.

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