31st May 2016 - Important Current Affairs updates

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International Affairs

• Today is World No Tobacco Day.
• This day is an annual awareness day sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO) since 1987 to highlight the health risks associated with tobacco use and encourage governments to adopt effective policies to reduce smoking and other tobacco use.
• This year the WHO has appealed for the use of plain packaging for tobacco products to reduce the "attractiveness" of such products.
• Themes of World No Tobacco Day :
• Theme of the year 2016 : Get ready for plain packaging
• The theme for 2015 was : Stop illicit trade of tobacco products
• The theme for 2014 was : Raise taxes on tobacco

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30th May 2016 - Important Current Affairs updates

National Affairs

• Goa is celebrating its 29th Statehood Day today.
• It was on this day in 1987 that Goa became the 25th state of India.
• It was a Union Territory along with Daman and Diu from December 1961 onwards when Goa was liberated from the colonial rule.

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29th May 2016 - Important Current Affairs updates

International Affairs

• Today is International Day of UN (United Nations) Peacekeepers.
• United Nations observe this day  to pay tribute to all the men and women who have served in UN peacekeeping operations for their high level of professionalism, dedication, and courage and to honor the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace.
• 2016 Theme : “Honouring Our Heroes”
• European Union (EU) officials recently announced that all scientific articles in Europe supported by public and public-private funds will be freely accessible by 2020.
• The Competitiveness Council, which is a gathering of ministers of science, innovation, trade and industry, came to this conclusion following a two-day meeting in Brussels last week.
• Indian Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari will leave for North Africa tomorrow on a two-nation visit to Morocco and Tunisia.
• During the 5-day visit, he will hold deliberations with top leaders of both the countries, with an aim to give a fillip to the bilateral relations and explore new avenues of co-operation.
• Note : The visit is the first of the series of tours to Africa which Indian leaders will undertake in the coming days.

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28th May 2016 - Important Current Affairs updates

International Affairs

• Menstrual Hygiene Day, an annual global initiative for breaking taboos and raising awareness about the importance of Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM), is being observed today.
• The day was first introduced by the NGO 'WASH United' in 2014.
• Note : The NGO has worked with UNICEF in India to formulate national MHM guidelines, which were implemented in December 2015.
• Theme of Menstrual Hygiene Day 2016 : Menstruation matters to everyone, everywhere
• Pakistan has banned advertisements for contraceptives, birth control, and family planning products on the television and radio, citing concerns they expose "innocent children" to the subject of sex. 
• The Malaysian government today submitted to parliament a 'hudud' bill, an Islamic penal code which includes provisions of amputations and stoning. 
• Prime Minister Najib Razak said the bill was "enhanced punishment," and would apply only to Muslims.

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27th May 2016 - Important Current Affairs updates

International Affairs

• Barack Obama became the first incumbent US president to visit Hiroshima memorial, site of the world’s first atomic bombing dropped on August 6, 1945.
• He paid tribute to the 140,000 people killed by the world’s first atomic bomb attack and laid wreath at Hiroshima nuclear memorial.
• A new French law has made it illegal for companies with over 50 employees to send emails to employees after their work hours.
• The 'right to disconnect' amendment also mandates companies to form policies which limit the spillover of work into their employees' private lives.
• Indonesian President Joko Widodo today approved a maximum penalty of death and chemical castration for child sex offenders, after a 14-year-old girl was gangraped and murdered. 
• Under previous laws, the maximum sentence for rape, including of a minor, was 14 years in jail.

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26th May 2016 - Important Current Affairs updates

International Affairs

• Meeting of G-7 Nations begins in Japan.
• This is the 42nd G7 summit.
• This summit will be held during 26th to 27th May 2016 at the Shima Kanko Hotel in Kashiko Island, Shima, Mie Prefecture, Japan.
• Economy, security and tensions in East and South China Seas are the main topics to be discussed. 
• Important Points to Note : 
• G7 - Group of Seven
• The G7 countries are
• Canada,
• France,
• Germany,
• Italy,
• Japan,
• United Kingdom,
• United States
• Host country of 42nd G7 Summit - Japan

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25th May 2016 - Important Current Affairs updates

National Affairs

• Union Cabinet today approved 6 new IITs at Goa, Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir), Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), Palakkad (Kerala), Dharwad (Karnataka), and Bhilai (Chhattisgarh). 
• Note : It also approved the conversion of Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad to an IIT. 
• The Centre has issued Standard Operating Procedures for government offices under 'Swachh Bharat Mission', stating that penalty will be imposed for littering and spitting inside office premises. 
• Further, open urination and non-collection of construction or demolition waste by the contractor will be penalised. 
• The order also makes it mandatory to form a sanitation committee for every department.
• Aiming to create 21 million new jobs by 2025, the Union Cabinet today approved India's first-ever National Capital Goods Policy. 
• This policy aims to create an ecosystem for a globally competitive capital goods sector and increase production to over ₹7.5 lakh crore from the current ₹2.3 lakh crore by 2025. 
• Note : Capital goods are those used in manufacturing other goods.
• The Union Cabinet has given its approval for introduction of two Bills in the Parliament for certain amendments in the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950. 
• These bills seek to modify the list of Scheduled Tribes in respect of five States, namely, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Tripura. 
• They also seek identification of new communities in the Union Territory of Puducherry. 
• The Bills add the following communities to the list of Scheduled Castes : 
• Assam : Inclusion of Boro, Boro Kachari, Bodo, Bodo Kachari and Karbi (Mikir) communities in the list. 
• Chhattisgarh : Inclusion of Bhuinya, Bhuiyan, Bhuyan, Dhanuhar/Dhanuwar,Kisan, Saunra, Saonra and Dhangad communities in the list. 
• Jharkhand : Inclusion of Bhogta, Deshwari, Ganjhu, Dautalbandi (Dwalbandi), Patbandi, Raut, Maajhia, Khairi (Kheri) and Puran communities in the list. 
• Tamil Nadu : Inclusion of Malayali Gounder, Narikoravan and  Kurivikkaran communities in the list. 
• Tripura : Inclusion of Darlong community in the list. Puducherry: Identification (First Order) of Irular (including Villi and Vettaikaran).
• Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu today announced that waitlisted and RAC (reservation against cancellation) ticket holders can now cancel their tickets by dialing 139. 
• Earlier, this facility was available only for confirmed ticket holders. 
• Online cancellation through 139, however, will be permitted only till 30 minutes before the scheduled departure of the train for RAC and waitlisted tickets.
• The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD)  has decided to launch ASMITA, a student tracking system programme under Shala Asmita Yojana (SAY).
• This programme will track the educational journey of 25 crore school students across 15 lakh schools, both private and government. 
• The programme uses students' Aadhaar numbers to create a database regarding student attendance, enrolment, mid-day meal services, learning outcomes and infrastructural facilities.
• ASMITA - All School Monitoring Individual Tracing Analysis

Business & Economy

• The World Bank has launched Pandemic Emergency Finance Facility (FEP) to help countries and health agencies fight deadly disease outbreaks. 
• FEP is a financing mechanism designed to quickly mobilize funds to tackle global disease outbreaks and create a new insurance market for pandemic risk. 
• It was unveiled at the G-7 Finance Ministers Summit held in Ise-Shima, Japan. 
• Japanese Government has committed to donate $50 million dollars to it, becoming the first donor.
• Eurozone finance ministers have agreed to give Greece access to bailout loans of €10.3 billion ($11.5 billion) and short-term debt relief measures, such as locking in lower interest rates and easing repayment schedules. 
• This is the second instalment of Greece’s third bailout package, worth €86 billion, agreed last August. 
• Note : Greece’s debt stands at €321 billion, 180% of its GDP.
• India today signed a $100 million loan deal with the World Bank to develop the Karnataka Urban Water Supply Modernisation Project that will provide piped water to different cities in the state. 
• It will be implemented over the course of six years. 
• Further, Hubbali-Dharwad twin cities have been chosen to start off the project.
• Kaduna state in Nigeria has declared an emergency after moths destroyed 80% of the tomato produce. 
• The wholesale price of a basket of tomatoes has risen to $212 from $1.50-$7.50.
• Twitter today announced changes to its 140-character limit and names in replies and media attachments like photos, GIFs, videos and polls will no longer count as characters within a tweet in the coming months. 
• The micro-blogging site will also let users Retweet their own tweets. 
• Further, new tweets beginning with a username will reach all the followers.

Science & Technology

• The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has decided to test an Air-breathing Propulsion System after successful test of Reusable launch Vehicle- Technology Demonstration (RLV-TD). 
• The testing of air-breathing propulsion system aims to capitalize on the oxygen in the atmosphere instead of liquefied oxygen while in flight. 
• ISRO is evolving and testing various technologies to bring down the cost of launch vehicles and the air-breathing propulsion system is part of its new space endeavor.
• Food regulator FSSAI has decided to remove Potassium Bromate from the list of permitted food additives. 
• This comes after a study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) claimed that potassium bromate – banned in several countries – is a cancer-causing agent. 
• Note : Nearly 84% of 38 commonly available brands of pre-packaged breads contain potassium bromate.
• FSSAI - Food Safety and Standards Authority of India 

Deaths

• Afghan officials today confirmed the death of senior Taliban leader Mullah Muzamel, identified as the shadow governor of Helmand province.  
• The report comes days after Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed by an American airstrike in Pakistan.
• Renowned Pink Panther star Burt Kwouk (85) passed away.
• He was best known for playing Inspector Clouseau's manservant Cato in the Pink Panther films.

New Appointments

• Pinarayi Vijayan took oath as the 22nd Chief Minister of Kerala today. 
  
• He is a member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and currently a member of its Politburo. 
• He will be leading a 19-member cabinet of the LDF which includes alliance partners CPI and NCP.
• Further, Vijayan will also handle the portfolios of Home and Vigilance.
• Taliban named Mullah Haibatullah Akhunzada as their new Chief after confirming the death of former leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour.
• Snapdeal-owned digital payments platform FreeCharge today appointed Govind Rajan as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and elevated Co-Founder and former CEO Kunal Shah as the company's Chairman.

Sports

• Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic has remained as number one ranked player for 200 weeks, thereby becoming the fifth player in the history of the sport to achieve this feat. 
• He is also one week shy of 100-straightweeks at the top rank. 
• The other four players are,
•  Jimmy Connors (268), 
• Ivan Lendl (270), 
• Pete Sampras (286)
• Roger Federer (302)

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24th May 2016 - Important Current Affairs updates

International Affairs

• After 17 years of construction work, Switzerland is going to open world's longest and deepest train tunnel.
• The Gotthard Base Tunnel will open for the first time on 1st June 2016, extending 57 km in length into the bowels of the earth 2,300 meters below the Gotthard massif in the Swiss Alps.
• With speeds reaching up to 250 km/hr, the travel time from one end of the tunnel to the other will take just 20 minutes.

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23rd May 2016 - Important Current Affairs updates

International Affairs

• Tody (23rd May) is World Turtle Day. 
• The central government has imposed a complete ban on Indian citizens travelling to Libya "irrespective of the purpose" in view of the security situation in the North African country.  
• India, Thailand and Myanmar are currently working on a 1,400-kilometres long highway that will link India with Southeast Asia by land for the first time in decades. 
• The planned highway will start from Moreh in Manipur to Myanmar's Tamu.

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22nd May 2016 - Important Current Affairs updates

International Affairs

• Today (22nd May) is International Day for Biological Diversity.
• Themes :
• 2016 - Mainstreaming Biodiversity; Sustaining People and their Livelihoods
• 2015 - Biodiversity for Sustainable Development
• 2014 - Island Biodiversity
• 2013 - Water and Biodiversity
• 2012 - Marine Biodiversity
• 2011 - Forest Biodiversity
• US President Barrack Obama announced the lifting of a 50-year-old ban on the sale of military equipment to Vietnam in a joint news conference with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang today. 
• The US House of Representatives has passed amendments to the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA)-2017 to enhance the country’s defence cooperation with India. 
• The bill seeks to bring India at par with US’s NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) allies for technology and equipment sale. 

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21st May 2016 - Important Current Affairs updates

International Affairs

• Today (21st May) is World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.
• This day is a United Nations–sanctioned international holiday to help people learn about the importance of cultural diversity and harmony.
• The Taj Mahal has ranked 5th on a list of world's top 25 landmarks for 2016 by travel website company 'TripAdvisor'. 
• Taj is the only Indian tourist attraction featured on the list, curated as part of the website's Travelers’ Choice awards. 
• While the Taj Mahal and Amber Fort featured in its Asia list, the Mughal mausoleum​ topped the India list.
• The 27th edition of the India-Indonesian CORPAT (Coordinated Patrol) recently concluded in Belawan, Indonesia.  
• G7 Finance Ministers and central bank governors have held discussions on the world economy, ahead of next week's G7 summit to be held in Ise-Shima, central Japan. 

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20th May 2016 - Important Current Affairs updates

International Affairs

• The Spanish authorities today ruled that the Bull-lancing festival 'Toro de la Vega' will take place as usual in September but participants will no longer be allowed to kill the bull. 
• During the festival, hunters with lances (spears) chase a bull through the streets of a town before killing it.  
• The festival dates back to 1534 and is held every year.
• For the first time since its opening in 1889, Paris' Eiffel Tower will be used as an apartment for a night during June's UEFA Euro-2016 football tournament. 
• As a part of a contest conducted by the US-based rental company, HomeAway, four contestants will be chosen as the first persons in history to stay at the Eiffel Tower.
• India has sent two Naval ships, with relief materials to Sri Lanka, which is hit by cyclone Roanu. 
• The Naval ships, INS Sunayna and INS Sutlej, have been sent to the Colombo coast from the Southern Naval Command Kochi. 
• At least 18 people have reportedly been killed and 200 families missing in the rains and landslides caused by the cyclone.
• According to Amnesty International, China is the most welcoming country when it comes to refugees. I
• t has been followed by Germany and Britain, in a survey conducted across 27 countries. 
• The survey found Russia to be the least welcoming country.  
• The first World Conference on Tourism for Development (WCTD) is being held in Beijing, China from May 18 to 21, 2016.  
• It was held under the theme ‘Tourism for Peace and Development’ to advance the contribution of tourism to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).  
• A two-day international Buddhist conference to mark the 2,560th birth anniversary of Lord Buddha began in Khatmandu today with Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, advocating Buddhism as a means to avoid extremism in all forms. 
• Over 1,200 delegates and observers from 28 countries around the world will attend the conference.
• Theme of the conference :  "Lumbini, Nepal: the birth place of Lord Buddha and the fountain of Buddhism and world peace". 

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19th May 2016 - Important Current Affairs updates

International Affairs

• The Indian Navy sent 4 warships on a 2.5 month-long operational deployment to South China Sea and North West Pacific today..
• The fleet will take part in bilateral exercises while halting at Vietnam, Philippines, Japan, Russia, South Korea, and Malaysia. 
• Important Note : The ships will also participate in MALABAR-16, an Indo-Japan-USA trilateral exercise.

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18th May 2016 - Important Current Affairs updates

International Affairs

• Today (18th May) is International Museum Day.
• Theme of the year 2016 : Museums and Cultural Landscapes
• The Republic of Panama has officially signed a deal to comply with standards in exchanging tax information as prescribed by global body Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). 
• Note : This comes a month after the 'Panama Papers' data leak which revealed records of over 200,000 offshore companies. 
• However, the new membership does not take effect until 2018.
• The United States has eased sanctions on Myanmar to support political reforms while expressing concern over its alleged human rights violations. 
• Myanmar's state-owned banks were removed from the US blacklist and sanctions against state-owned timber and mining companies were lifted. 
• The USA also indefinitely extended a sanctions exemption that allows financing shipments coming from Myanmar.
• The US Senate has passed a bill that will allow the families of 9/11 victims to file lawsuits against Saudi Arabia. 
• This comes after Saudi reportedly threatened to withdraw its investments worth $750 billion in the US if the bill became a law.

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17th May 2016 - Important Current Affairs updates

International Affairs

• Today (17th May) is World Telecommunication and Information Society Day.
• This day was proclaimed to be on 17 May by a United Nations General Assembly resolution, following the 2005 World Summit on the Information Society in Tunis.
• Theme of the year 2016 : ICT entrepreneurship for social impact
• India and the US today held their first Maritime Security Dialogue in Delhi which focused on strategic maritime security issues in the Asia-Pacific region. 
• According to a US Embassy statement, issues discussed included naval cooperation and multilateral engagement. 
• This comes in the light of the US rebalancing its military assets and assigning higher security resources to the Asia-Pacific.
• The US government has released a breakdown on Saudi Arabia's holdings of US debt for the first time since 1974, in response to a Freedom-of-Information request submitted by Bloomberg News. 
• The stockpile of US debt with Saudi Arabia stood at $116.8 billion as of March, the data revealed. 
• Note : In comparison, China holds the highest US debt at $1.3 trillion.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Iran for two days on May 22 and 23 this year. 
• The PM is visiting the nation on the invitation of Iran President Dr Hassan Rouhani. 
• The duo is likely to discuss issues like developing energy partnership, boosting bilateral trade, facilitating people-to-people interaction and promoting peace in the region.
• According to the World Bank, 1.3 billion people and assets worth $158 trillion will be at risk by 2050 because of the lack of preparedness to deal with climate change. 
• It warned that densely populated coastal regions are sinking and that the sea level is rising. 
• The World Bank also urged for better planning of the fast-growing and overcrowded cities.
• Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi today announced that Egypt is willing to play a mediating role in the Israel-Palestine peace talks. 
• He said Israel and Egypt would share "warmer" ties if Palestine's issues are solved.

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16th May 2016 - Important Current Affairs updates

International Affairs

• The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Government of the People’s Republic of China will organize the First World Conference on Tourism for Development in Beijing on 18-21 May 2016.
• Theme of this event : ‘Tourism for Peace and Development’
• Aim : to kick start a high level debate on the contribution of tourism to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• The Palestinian Museum, a $24 million project, which has been in making since 1998, is opening for the public on May 18, 2016. 
• It is opening a few days after the 68th anniversary of the “Nakba,” the Palestinian exodus preceding the creation of the State of Israel in 1948. 
• The museum will also act as an ambassador for Palestinian culture.

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15th May 2016 - Important Current Affairs updates

International Affairs

• Today (15th May) is International Day of Families.
• The Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993 and reflects the importance the international community attaches to families.
• This day provides an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families and to increase knowledge of the social, economic and demographic processes affecting families.
• 2016 Theme : Families, healthy lives and sustainable future
• The multilateral Red Flag Aerial combat exercises between US, NATO and allied forces and India Air Force (IAF) concluded in Alaska, US.
• The 4 week long (from April 28 to May 13, 2016) aerial combat exercises was held at the Nellis Air Force Base, Alaska.
• Nigeria is hosting talks on Boko Haram with regional and Western powers, as the United Nations warned of the terrorists' ties to ISIS group and its threat to African security.
• Leaders from Benin, Cameroon, Chad and Niger were among the delegates, alongside French President Francois Hollande, and high-ranking diplomats from the United States, Britain and the European Union.

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14th May 2016 - Important Current Affairs updates

International Affairs

• Today is World Fair Trade Day.
• Theme of 2016 : Be an Agent for Change
• Germany is planning to spend 93.6 billion euros (Around $106 billion) by 2020 in costs related to the refugee crisis.
• India is ready for Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership and meets the requirements for Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), US officials announced today. 
• This comes after China and Pakistan reportedly blocked India's entry into NSG. 
• Note : NSG is a multinational body that oversees trade in nuclear materials while MTCR is a partnership to curb the spread of missiles and drones.
• Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro today declared a state of emergency for 60 days in the country, citing internal threats and a United States plot to topple his government.

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13th May 2016 - Important Current Affairs updates

International Affairs

• The USA today activated its $800-million missile defence system in Romania, triggering protests from Russia.  
• US officials said it is aimed at protecting Europe from countries like Iran. 
• This reportedly is a part of USA's defensive umbrella that will stretch from Greenland to Portugal.
• Myanmar's government plans to retain the restrictions on free speech imposed by the former military government, according to a draft bill submitted to the country's Parliament. 
• The bill reportedly bars "non-citizens", mostly Muslim Rohingya minority, from protesting and lists criminal penalties for "disturbing" people. 
• The government claims that the bill will protect peaceful protesters.
• President of Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena is on a Two Day visit to India.
• He will address the valedictory session at the Vaicharick Mahakumbh which is being held as part of the Simhastha Mahakumbh in Ujjain on the 14th of this month.

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12th May 2016 - Important Current Affairs updates

International Affairs

• Today (12th May) is International Nurses Day.
• This day is celebrated around the world to mark the contributions nurses make to society.
• Theme of 2016 : Nurses: A Force for Change: Improving health systems’ resilience
• Kenya has vowed to close the world’s biggest refugee camp in Dadaab, home to 3,30,000 mostly Somali refugees, within a year. 
• This comes after Kenya's Interior Minister Joseph Nkaissery said al-Shabaab fighters used the camp as a base for smuggling weapons.
• SAARC nations today agreed to set up a uniform toll-free child helpline at a three-day meeting of the South Asia Initiative to End Violence Against Children. 
• India offered support to the nations in upgrading their child helplines to monitor violence against children. 
  

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