Daily Current Affairs Updates - 31st May 2013

sponsored links

International Affairs

• Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today expressed confidence that India will soon conclude a civil nuclear deal with Japan that will allow Tokyo to export nuclear reactors to the country.
• A cross-border business plan competition "Startup Dosti" is to be launched by an American think tank that will connect entrepreneurs from India and Pakistan, facilitating investment and collaboration. The new cross-border business plan competition, named "Startup Dosti", will be formally launched at an event on June 3 at the British Parliament.
• Sri Lanka and Thailand Friday called for enhanced defence and maritime security cooperation to tackle terrorism, President Mahinda Rajapakse's office said.
• Marking an end to over two decades of tiring negotiations, India and Thailand finally inked an extradition treaty that will pave the way for extradition of those involved in terror and other crimes in both countries.
• World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) is being observed today around the world to draw attention to health problems that tobacco use can cause.

National Affairs

• Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, who has been elected to Rajya Sabha for the fifth consecutive term today, thanked the people for giving him an opportunity to serve them again, and pledged to continue to work for the state's development and prosperity.
• Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul was elevated as the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana high court. Justice Kaul (54) was serving as a Judge of the Delhi high court.
• Tamil Nadu recorded a population of 72,147,030, growing by 97.4 lakh persons in the last decade, of which 80.1 per cent are literates, according to the 2011 census.
• Government approved 8 FDI proposals worth Rs. 696-crore, including those of ACME Solar Energy, GETIT Infoservices and McKinsey & Company.
• Price of cooking gas (LPG) that consumers buy beyond subsidised quota, cut by Rs. 45 per cylinder.
• NRI hotelier Joginder Sangar has been conferred with the prestigious 'Pride of India' award for his outstanding contributions towards promoting art and culture of India in the UK.
• The Great Nicobar Biosphere island reserve, whose tropical wet evergreen forest hosts a wealth of animal species and medicinal plants, joins a global list of places named by UNESCO for promoting sustainable development based on local community efforts and science.
• On the occasion of World Environment day, the Canadian High Commission is organising a summer workshop here on June 4 for children to promote protection of house sparrow, a threatened species.
• RBI advises public to be careful while depositing money with financial entities including NBFCs.
• Senior IRS officer Sudha Sharma appointed as the new Chairperson of the Central Board of Direct Taxes in the Finance Ministry.
• Congress in MadhyaPradesh to hold meeting tomorrow to discuss steps to bring unity in party, prepare for upcoming Assembly polls.
• The Archaeological Survey of India has endorsed the antique character of Buddhist idols, dating back to 9th century AD, discovered recently from a remote village in Kendrapara district of Odisha.
• Indian-American ArvindMahankali from New York wins SpellingBee for year 2013, becoming the sixth Indian-American to win the title in a row.
• Congress in MadhyaPradesh to hold meeting tomorrow to discuss steps to bring unity in party, prepare for upcoming Assembly polls.
• Congress candidate K Venkatesh won the elections to Periyapatna Assembly seat in Karnataka defeating JDS nominee K Mahadev by 2,088 votes.
• In the wake of IPL spot-fixing controversy, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav today said politicians should stay away from sports.

Sports

• Ragala Venkat Rahul swept 3 gold as India continued to shine at the 15th Asian Youth Weightlifting Championships on the 4th day in Doha.
• Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar is shocked by the spot-fixing scandal swirling around the country's popular Twenty20 league and urged authorities to get to the bottom of the controversy .
• Uruguayan and Liverpool forward Luis Suarez says he wants to leave the English Premier League following the overwhelming amount of bad press he has generated since biting a rival during a match in late April.
• 63rd National Inter-State Athletics Championship will be held in Chennai from June 4 to 7.

Rose M