Indian Short Film ‘Beti’ To Be Screened At Seattle International Film Festival

• A non-fiction short film on girl child education, Beti  made by young student filmmakers of Chandigarh, has been invited for a special screening at the 42nd Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF), Washington DC.

NASA launches near-space monitoring super pressure balloon from New Zealand

• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has successfully launched a super pressure balloon to conduct near-space scientific investigations.

Odisha Government launches Green Passage Scheme for orphan students

• Odisha Government has decided to launch Green Passage scheme for orphan students to ensure that they get free of cost higher education in the state.

IT department launches e-nivaran portal to fast track taxpayers grievances

• The Income Tax department has launched electronic grievance redressal system ‘e-nivaran’ to fast track taxpayer grievances and ensure early resolution of their complaints.

Syamantak Payra wins Intel Foundation Young Scientist Award

• Indian American from Texas Syamantak Payra (15-year) has won the $50,000 Intel Foundation Young Scientist Award.

England cricketer Joe Root bags top three England cricket awards

• England cricketer  Joe Root (25 year) has bagged a hat-trick of awards, as he was named Test Player of the Year, Limited Overs Player of the Year and Fans’ Player of the Year at the England’s annual awards ceremony.

SBI seeks to take over 5 associate PSBs, Bhartiya Mahila Bank

• State Bank of India  has decided to merge its five associate public sector banks and the Bharatiya Mahila Bank  with itself.

HRD ministry to bring IIT preparation app

• Human Resource Development Ministry is coming up with a mobile app and portal containing free lectures from IIT faculty on various subjects and previous years’ question papers of entrance tests to these prestigious engineering institutions.

Veteran Gujarati folk singer Diwaliben Bhil passes away

• A self-taught artiste, Gujarati folk singer and Padma award  winner Diwaliben Bhil (80-year) passed away in Junagadh.

Nepal SBI Bank launches payment gateway

•  Nepal SBI Bank One of the largest overseas subsidiaries of SBI has launched payment gateway to facilitate online trade and non-trade transactions between the Himalayan nation ‘Nepal‘ and India.

Ban appoints Mexican diplomat to head UN climate change framework

• UN chief Ban Ki-moon has appointed a veteran Mexican diplomat as the head of the global body’s newly upgraded climate change office which last year oversaw the international negotiations, leading to a historic climate pact.

Apple announces opening of its map development centre in Hyderabad

• Apple CEO Tim Cook has announced the opening of its Hyderabad technology centre that will focus on the development of maps for its mobile products like iPhones, iPads, Macs and Apple Watches.

New national policy for women empowerment unveiled

• Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi has unveiled 2016 Draft National Policy for Women for comments and consultation.

Govt. opens tatkal like channel to speed up patent grant process

• The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) has opened a special Tatkal like window to expedite examination process of patent applications by start-ups as well as of entities choosing India for filing the first patent.

Indian Women’s relay team sets new national record

• The Indian 4 x 100 m women’s relay team broke the 18-year-old national record to finish in 4th position at the IAAF World Challenge

Taj Mahal in top 5 tourist attractions globally: Survey

• The Taj Mahal has been voted among the top five tourist attractions in the world, second in Asia and led the popularity list in India, according to a leading travel planning and booking site Trip Advisor.

Turkey’s AKP taps Binali Yildirim for PM’s post

• In Turkey, Transport Minister, Binali Yildirim has emerged as the country’s new Prime Minister after the ruling party formally tapped him as its candidate to lead the party.

Himachal CM launches PEHAL programme

• Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has introduced PEHAL programme in Shimla district.

Indian journalist Philip Abraham elected as Deputy Mayor in UK

• Indian journalist and Councillor Philip Abraham has been elected unanimously as the Deputy Mayor of Loughton town in the United Kingdom.

Hypersonic superjet technology successfully tested in Australia

• A joint US-Australian military research team successfully tested a hypersonic technology in the Australian desert.

International Buddhist conference begins in Nepal

• A two day International Buddhist conference has begun in Nepal to celebrate the 2,560th birth anniversary of Lord Buddha.

Rakesh Kumar Mishra appointed as CCMB director

• A noted expert in the study of function of genes Rakesh Kumar Mishra  has been appointed as the new Director of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

Honda partners with IndusInd Bank for two wheeler financing

• Country’s second-largest two wheeler maker Honda Motors Scooter India (HMSI) has partnered with Mumbai based IndusInd Bank to cater retail finance to buyers.

Govt. launches Centre for Environmental Health to assess environmental impact on health

• Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare J P Nadda has launched the Centre for Environmental Health in New Delhi to assess the impact of environment-related problems on health.

Tsai Ing-wen sworn-in as first women President of Taiwan

• Tsai Ing-wen (59-year)has been sworn-in as the new President of Taiwan.

SBI associate banks merger to cost Rs 1,660 crore: Moody

• Earlier this week, country's biggest lender State Bank of India had proposed merger of five associate banks and Bharatiya Mahila Bank (BMB) with itself.

 

Sudhakar Rao steps down as USL's Independent Director

 

Diageo-controlled United Spirits (USL) today said its Non-Executive Independent Director Sudhakar Rao has resigned from the post.

• Rao, former Chief Secretary of Karnataka, was appointed as an Additional Director of the company on July 4, 2013. Later he was elevated to the post of Director in the firm.

 

Cairn India CEO Mayank Ashar resigns

Cairn India Chief Executive Mayank Ashar has quit the job, the third CEO to resign from the company ever since it was taken over by billionaire Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta Group four-and- a half-years back.

• Ashar, who was appointed CEO in October 2014, "has decided to step down for personal reasons effective June 5, 2016," the company said in a statement here.
• Sudhir Mathur, CFO, has been appointed as the acting CEO.

 

Border with Bangladesh to be sealed

Sealing of the borders with Bangladesh will be completed in two year's time to put an end to infiltration , Assam's chief minister-to- be Sarbananda Sonowal said today.

• A product of the student movement of the 1980s during the anti-foreigners agitation, Sonowal, who steered the BJP to victory in the elections, has put the issue of infiltration and attempts to check them as his government's priority. BJP had made infiltration one of the major issues in the poll campaign.

 

DMDK derecognised by Election Commission

 

With securing just 2.4 per cent in the Assembly elections, DMDK, founded by actor-turned politician Vijaykant is set to lose its recognition as a State party by the Election Commission of India.

• An official said that the EC will give its order to that effect in due course.
• Vijaykant's DMDK didn't win any seats in the recent Assembly elections.

 

Hyderabad set to become Apple's 2nd largest tech hub worldwide

Apple is the latest US technology giant looking to harness Indian talent as it eyes customers in 

the country to buy its products. This comes at a time when growth in its most important markets China and the US have begun to taper off.

• Apple, which opened its map development centre in Hyderabad, will employ nearly 4,000 people making the facility the largest technology hub outside of its headquarters in Cupertino, California.

 

New Tripura High Court chief justice appointed

 

The president has appointed Justice Tinlianthang Vaiphei as the new chief justice of the Tripura High Court, officials said on Saturday.

• A senior judicial official of Tripura High Court said that union law and justice ministry in a notification on Friday said the president had appointed Justice Vaiphei, senior-most judge of the Tripura High Court.

 

After Ebola outbreak, World Bank creates pandemic insurance plan

 

The World Bank today announced a new programme to mobilise funds quickly against virulent disease outbreaks after the world was caught unprepared in the 2014 Ebola disaster in West Africa.

• World Bank President Jim Yong Kim said the new Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility (PEF) will accelerate global and national responses to disease outbreaks that threaten large populations and fragile economies.

27th India and Indonesia CORPAT concludes in Belawan

The 27th edition of the India-Indonesia CORPAT (Coordinated Patrol) has concluded in Belawan, Indonesia. 

• The closing ceremony at Belawan saw the two navies conducting interactive session on measures to enhance inter-operability, which is also attended by INS Karmuk. 

 

After liquor, Bihar government bans gutka and pan masala

Nitish Kumar led Bihar Government has announced the ban on sale, distribution, storage, manufacture, consumption and publicity of tobacco products like gutka and pan masala. 

• The ban on both packaged and unpackaged edible items containing tobacco content will remain effective for a period of one year.

 

Indigenous faecal incontinence management device ‘Qora’ launched 

An indigenously developed “affordable” faecal incontinence management system ‘Qora’, a spin-off of a programme of the Department of Biotechnol​ogy and implemented at AIIMS and IIT Delhi, was launched by Minister of State for Science & Technology, Y.S. Chowdary.

 

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G-7 summit 2016 : Finance Ministers and central bank governors meet in Sendai

Finance ministers and central banks governor from the Group of Seven developed nations kicked off the first day of their meeting in Sendai, Japan. 

• They have held discussions on the world economy, ahead of next week's G7 summit (26-27th May), to be held in Ise-Shima, central Japan. 

 

US House of Representatives gave nod to bolster defence ties with India on par with NATO

The US House of Representatives have given its nod to a bipartisan legislation to improve defence ties with India.

• In this regard, an amendment to the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) was approved by the House. 

 

IFC to invest $20 million in FCEL

Future Consumer Enterprise Ltd (FCEL) has informed the stock exchanges that International Finance Corporation (IFC) will invest $20 million in the company through equity-linked instruments. 

 

• Other investors in FCEL include Brussels-based Verlinvest and Singapore-based Arisaig Partners.

HSBC to shut down half of its branches in India, 300 Jobs to go

UK based banking giant, HSBC Holding Plc stated that it plans to close 24 branches in India. 

 

The decision comes after a strategic review of its retail banking and wealth management business showed customers are increasingly opting for digital banking services. This decision will impact around 10 % of the company's retail customer base and lead to 300 jobs losses.

 

UN appoints Mary Robinson, Macharia Kamau as special envoys for El Nino, climate

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has appointed former Irish President Mary Robinson and Kenyan diplomat Macharia Kamau as special envoys for El Nino and climate.

• The El Nino weather phenomenon, which occurs every two to seven years, affects rainfall patterns and causes both drought and flooding.

 

Lhakpa 1st lady to climb Mt Everest seven times

A 42 year old woman born in Nepal, Lhakpa Sherpa has climbed Mount Everest for the seventh time. With this she has braked her own record for the most ascents to the world's highest mountain by a woman. 

 

• Two other Sherpa climbers share between them a record for 21 ascents of Everest, the maximum climbs by men and also shared the record for scaling the mountain for the ​most number of times overall.

 

Emmy award winning actor Alan Young dies aged 96

 

Emmy award-winning English-born actor Alan Young, who rode to enduring TV fame alongside a talking horse on the popular 1960s sitcom  and co-starred in the classic sci-fi film 'The Time Machine' has died at age 96.

 

Young, who also provided the voice of cartoon characters including Disney's Scrooge McDuck, died from natural causes at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital, Los Angeles.

 

Maurad Laachraoui wins European Taekwondo title

• Belgian Mourad Laachraoui has won gold in the European Taekwondo Championships. 
• Now he will compete in this summer's Rio Olympics. He has beaten Spaniard Jesus Tortosa 6-3 in the -54kg final in Montreux, Switzerland.

 

Roger Federer withdraws from French Open

Roger Federer has withdrawn from this year’s French Open after failing to recover from a back

injury. 

• The 34-year- old did not play in the Madrid Open earlier this month after hurting his back during practice for the tournament. Federer returned for the Italian Open but was beaten in the third round by Dominic Thiem.

Oldest Olympic champion SandorTarics dies

• The world's oldest Olympic champion, SandorTarics, died on 21 May 2016 in San Francisco. He was 102. His death was confirmed by Hungarian Olympic Committee MOB.

International Day for Biological Diversity 2016 observed across the world

• he United Nations (UN) observed the International Day for Biological Diversity (IBD) on 22 May 2016. The theme for the year 2016 is Mainstreaming Biodiversity; Sustaining People and their Livelihoods

Anurag Thakur unanimously elected BCCI president

• Anurag Thakur was on 22 May 2016 unanimously elected as 34th BCCI President at the board’s special general meeting (SGM) in Mumbai. He will serve as President until September 2017.

Ratan P Watal appointed as Principal Adviser for Social Sector in NITI Aayog

• Former Finance Secretary Ratan P Watal was appointed as Principal Adviser (Social Sector) in NITI Aayog for 3-years.

Union Cabinet approved ordinance to keep States out of NEET for one year

• The Union Cabinet approved an ordinance to exempt the State boards from the purview of National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for one year.

US House of Representatives gave nod to bolster defence ties with India on par with NATO

• The US House of Representatives gave its nod to a bipartisan legislation to improve defence ties with India.

Sarbananda Sonowal takes oath as Assam CM

• Sarbananda Sonowal (53) took oath as Chief Minister of Assam at the head of the BJP’s first government in the North East.

S K Sharma appointed CMD of Nuclear Power Corporation of India

• Scientist S K Sharma has been appointed the Chairman and Managing Director of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL).

SEBI tightens P-Note norms to check money laundering

• The money market regulator SEBI has tightened its norms for Participatory note (P note) users to follow Indian anti-money laundering law and report any suspicious transactions immediately.

NALCO signs MoU with Iran to set up smelter plant in Chabahar

• The National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) has signed a MoU with Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization.

Rio medal winners to be considered for KhelRatna, Arjuna

• The Sports Ministry has stated that the winners from the upcoming Rio Games will be considered for this year’s Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards.

Veteran CPI(M) leader K Anirudhan passes away

• Former MLA and active trade union leader K Anirudhan (92-years) has passed away at his residence at Vazhuthacaud.

Lt General Saini new commandant of Indian Military Academy

• Lt Gen SK Saini has taken over as the 46th Commandant of the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun.

World Bank launches $500 mln insurance fund to fight pandemics

• The World Bank Group has launched Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility and launched a $500 million fund to fight Pandemics in poor countries and creating the world’s first insurance market for pandemic risk.

MohunBagan beats Aizawl FC 5-0 to lift 14th Fed Cup title

• The Mohun Bagan has clinched the Federation Cup title for the 14th time.

PankajAdvani creates history by winning Asian 6-Red Snooker title

• India’s ace cueist Pankaj Advani has created history in Abu Dhabi by clinching the Asian 6-Red Snooker title.

Pinarayi Vijayan takes oath as Kerala Chief Minister

• Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Pinarayi Vijayan today took oath as the Chief Minister of Kerala with 19 ministers at the central stadium in capital Thiruvananthapuram in a ceremony that drew over 30,000 people.

HRD Ministry to launch student tracking system, ASMITA

• The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) will launch a student tracking system ASMITA next month.

India signs $100 million loan agreement with World Bank

• India and World Bank have signed the Loan and Project Agreements for World Bank assistance of US 100 million dollars for Karnataka Urban Water Supply Modernization project.

Diesel vehicles over 10 years banned in Kerala : NGT

• The National Green Tribunal (NGT) Circuit Bench of Kochi has banned light and heavy diesel vehicles which are more than 10 years old in six major cities of Kerala.

Newly-elected Tiruparankundram MLA passes away

• Newly elected MLA of Tiruparankundram constituency belonging to AIADMK, S.M. Seenivel (65-years), passed away at a private hospital.

Pink Panther star, Burt Kwouk passes away

• Burt Kwouk (85-years),who was best known for playing Inspector Clouseau’s manservant Cato in the Pink Panther films has died.

Odisha Governor promulgates ordinance for official use of Odia

• Odisha Governor Dr. SC Jamir has promulgated Odisha Official Language (Amendment) Ordinance, 2016 to ensure use of Odia in all government systems.

World’s first 3D-printed office opens in Dubai

• The world’s first 3D-printed office building opened this week in Dubai.
• It is a single story building spread across 2,700 square foot.

INS Tarmugli Commissioned into Indian Navy in Visakhapatnam

• The Indian Navy has commissioned indigenously built highly maneuverable Fast Attack Craft INS Tarmugli at the commissioning ceremony held in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

 

US engineer Frances Arnold wins Millennium Technology Prize

 

• US biochemical engineer, Frances Arnold (59-years )has won the Millennium Technology Prize for her work ‘directed evolution’ in Finland.

 

Cabinet clears Railway projects worth Rs 11,000 crore

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, CCEA today gave its approval for Railway projects worth Rs 11,000 crore.

Union Government unveils First National Capital Goods policy

• The Union Cabinet has given its approval for National Capital Goods Policy 2016 to give an impetus to the capital goods sector and the Make in India initiative.

India fifth largest producer of e-waste: Assocham India

• As per recent study conducted by Assocham-KPMG, India has emerged as the world’s fifth largest electronic waste (e-waste) producer.

Govt. approves India, Maldives MoU for cooperation in field of tourism

• The Union Cabinet has given its approval to the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Union Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Tourism of Government of Maldives.

14 Russian athletes tested positive for doping at Beijing Olympics

• According to Russian Olympic Committee 14 of its athletes at the 2008 Beijing Olympics tested positive for doping during re-tests of their samples.

Mamata Banerjee takes oath as Chief Minister of West Bengal

• Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee (61-years) has sworn-in as the chief minister of West Bengal for second successive five-year term.

Sunil Bharti Mittal receives this year’s Harvard Alumni award

• Founder and chairman of Bharti Enterprises, Mr. Sunil Bharti Mittal has received this year’s Harvard Business School Alumni Achievement Award.

Marathi literary critic R G Jadhav passes away

• Noted Marathi critic and litterateur R G Jadhav (83-years)passed away at his residence here this morning following prolonged illness.

Indian-American Students Sweep National Geographic Bee Contest

• Indian-American Rishi Nair (12-years) a sixth grader from Florida took top honors at the 28th annual National Geographic Bee held at the National Geographic headquarters in Washington.

HDFC among world’s top 10 consumer financial services company

• The mortgage lender HDFC ltd has been ranked among the world’s top ten biggest and most powerful companies in the consumer financial services sector on a Forbes list.

Arunachal tiger reserve bags biodiversity award

• Arunachal Pradesh’s Pakke Tiger Reserve of East Kameng district has received the ‘India Biodiversity Award 2016‘ in one of its four categories.

Telangana survey enters Limca Book

• The Intensive Household Survey by the Telangana government conducted on August 19, 2014, has entered the Limca Book of Records as the most intensive household survey by a State.

Sonia Lather storms into final of World Boxing C’ship

• Sonia Lather advanced to final of AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championship at Astana in Kazakhstan.

Para athlete Saroha wins gold in record breaking performance

• Indian para athlete Amit Kumar Saroha from Haryana won the gold medal in men’s club throw (F-51) at the recently concluded 2016 French Open Athletics Championship in Paris.

Sanjay Bangar named head coach, Abhay Sharma to be fielding coach for Zimbabwe tour

• Sanjay Bangar (43-years) the former India and Railways all rounder, has been appointed head coach for the team’s tour to Zimbabwe.

Union Government approves NIMZ in Kalinganagar, Odisha

• It will come up on a massive area of 163 square kilometres and on completion will be the third NIMZ of India.
• Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry has approved fund of Rs. 4241 crore.

China sign two agreements with Sudan to build nuclear reactor

• It was the first of its kind project to be built by China in African country.
• The two framework agreements in this regard have been signed by state-owned China National Nuclear Corp (CNNC) with Sudan.

• These buses are fitted with multiple IT-enabled safety measures to better protect women passengers and keep anti-social elements under check.
• These buses were launched by RSTC as a pilot project under the NIRBHAYA scheme.

India’s growth to rise to 8 percent in FY2019: Fitch

• Fitch also expects India’s GDP to grow 7.5% in fiscal year ending March 2016 and improve to 7.7% in the current fiscal year and further to 7.9% in the fiscal year ending Union HRD Ministry launches Bharatavani Portal.

Human Resource Development (HRD Minister Smriti Zubin Irani has launched the multilingual knowledge portal www.bharatvani.in at Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh as part of Union Government’s

• The first knowledge portal of its kind in India will help the government to showcase the Indian culture and heritage to the world.

Govt. approves over Rs 5500 Cr investment to improve infrastructure in six states

• The States are Madhya Pradesh,Gujarat, Rajasthan,Odisha, Jharkhand and Meghalaya. The decision was taken by the Apex committee of Urban Development Ministry under
• Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation, AMRUT in New Delhi.

Aditi Krishnakumar wins ‘Scholastic Asian Book Award

• Indian woman author in Singapore Aditi Krishnakumar (31-years)has won the ‘Scholastic Asian Book Award‘ for her manuscript rooted in Indian history.
• She won the ten thousand Singapore dollar award this week for her manuscript “Codex: The Lost Treasure Of The Indus“.
• The Scholastic Asian Book Award (SABA) is the joint initiative of the National Book Development Council of Singapore and Scholastic Asia.

• Since the public transporter is introducing some major changes in the train schedules.
• A Railway Ministry official said that the existing timetable will continue to be valid upto September 30 this year and all trains will run as per the schedule of existing time table upto September-end.
• Generally, the new timetable becomes operational from July 1.

I&B Ministry frames guidelines for online govt ads

•  All online ads from the Centre would now be routed via the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP), which would em panel eligible websites.
• Further, DAVP will fix the rates of advertisements and would also be responsible for their strategic placement.

Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev to lead Yoga Session at UN

• International Yoga Day will be commemorated on the 21st of June.
• Yoga for the Sustainable Development Goals will be the theme of this year’s Yoga Day.