1. The 9th India Japan Energy Dialogue was held in New Delhi on May 1, 2018. Both India and Japan with a view to implement Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the aegis of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) recognized the importance of development and deployment of next generation technologies including hydrogen to realize de-carbonization. Both countries agree to work together for energy security, energy access and climate change issues. They further confirmed their commitment to work together in promoting well-functioning energy markets and affirmed to promote transparent and diversified Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) market through the relaxation of destination clause. They also agree to initiate the discussion on Electric Vehicles (Evs) and commit to work together in promoting well-functioning energy markets.
2. Akshay Kumar has bagged the best actor award at the 2018 Dadasaheb Phalke awards for his role in 'Padman (Jury)' and for 'Toilet: Ek Prem Katha'. The awards were given by Dadasaheb Phalke Film Foundation in Mumbai on April 29. Bhumi Pednekar won the best actress trophy for her work in Toilet Ek Prem Katha. Manisha Koirala won the 'Most Versatile Actress' award. Whereas,veteran actor-director Rakesh Roshan was given the lifetime achievement award for his contribution to the industry as an actor, producer and a director. Meanwhile, veteran actor Farida Jalal was awarded the Saraswatibai Dadasaheb Phalke Best actress (Lifetime) award for her contribution to the film industry.
3. Sitanshu Kar, a 1983-batch Indian Information Service (IIS) officer, has become the principal director general of the Press Information Bureau (PIB). He succeeded Frank Noronha, who had held the post since 2014.
4. The 15th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBS-2019) will be held in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh from January 21 to 23, 2019. The event would be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Mauritian counterpart Pravind Jugnauth. There will be provision for the participants to participate in the Kumbh Snan (in Allahabad) and then travel to New Delhi to be part of the Republic Day Parade on January 26. It will be organised by the Ministry of External Affairs in association with the Uttar Pradesh government with theme "Role of Indian Diaspora in building a New India".
5. The International Labour Day, also known as International Worker's Day or May Day, observed every year on May 1 to promote and encourage the international labour associations. The day marks the victory of workers' movement for 8 hours of work. It also aims to pay tribute to workers sacrifices in achieving economic and social rights all over the world. The first Labour day or May Day was celebrated in the year 1923 in Chennai. The 2018 theme "Uniting Workers for Social and Economic Advancement" motivate workers all over the world to unite for their rights and demand social and economic advancement from the governments and capitalists.
6. The first-ever joint Army exercise "Harimau Shakti 2018" has started between the troops of the Indian and Malaysian armies at Wardieburn Camp in Kuala Lumpur on April 30. The focus will remain on tactical operations in jungle warfare.
7. The under-construction Lakhwar Dam is a 192 meter high concrete gravity dam with 165.9 meter long head and 20 to 50 km long backwater reservoir on Yamuna River near the Lohari village in Dehradun district of Uttarakhand. The purpose of dam is to generate electricity as well as meet drinking water needs of people in the area. It is expected to come up at a cost of Rs 3,966 crore. It has a 300MW power generation capacity and will have a storage capacity of 333.04 million cubic meter.
8. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare has organised Kisan Kalyan Karyashala at the block level across the country on May 2, 2018 in which farmers from that block will participate. The workshops are part of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan, a rural-centric campaign that started on the 14th of last month, the birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar.
9. Uma Bharti, the Union Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation, has launched the GOBAR (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources) – DHAN scheme at the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) Auditorium, Karnal, Haryana on May 1, 2018. The purpose of scheme is to positively impact village cleanliness and generate wealth and energy from cattle and organic waste. The scheme also aims at creating new rural livelihood opportunities and enhancing income for farmers and other rural people. Under the scheme, cooking gas would be provided to rural habitations and technical support would ensure that the scheme functioned on a sustainable basis.
10. Chennai-based transgender Mubina has won the 2018 Miss Koovagam beauty pageant title in Villupuram, Tamil Nadu. This year, nearly 40 transgenders in the age group of 18 and 35 contested for the 'Miss Koovagam' title. In it, apart from their beauty and attire, the contestants were tested for their knowledge in Indian mythologies.
11. India has been ranked joint-sixth in the list of doping violations with 69 cases, same as that of Russia, according to World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report for samples collected in 2016. India improved its position to sixth after being joint-third for three consecutive years from 2013 to 2015. Though, the number of dope violations for India has reduced but the trend of sports which are mostly under the scanner remain same. Italy topped the rankings of drug cases in 2016, followed by France (86), United States (76), Australia (75), Belgium (73).
12. The "2018 Vijay Prahar" exercise of Indian Army's South Western Command has started near Suratgarh in Rajasthan. Over 20,000 troops of the strike formations of the Army are engaged in the exercise to fine-tune the joint-manship with the Indian Air Force (IAF).
13. Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, an MP from Gulbarga (Karnataka), has been re-appointed chairman of the 22-member Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament for its fresh term starting on May 1. Kharge, is the leader of Congress party in Lok Sabha. A majority of the members of this parliamentary panel, which is headed by an opposition leader, are from the ruling NDA. It is the oldest parliamentary committee that examines the accounts showing the appropriation of sums granted by Parliament for expenditure of Government of India and such other accounts of autonomous and semi-autonomous bodies.
14. Subhash Chandra Khuntia, a 1981-batch Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer, has been appointed as Chairman of Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI). The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved Khuntia's appointment for a period of 3 years. The post was vacant for more than two months after TS Vijayan's tenure came to an end on February 21.
15. The Mettur Dam is one of the largest dams in India and the largest in Tamil Nadu located across the river Cauvery where it enters the plains. The total length of the dam is 1,700 metres and has the capacity of 93.4 billion cubic feet. The dam creates Stanley Reservoir.
16. Maharashtra has become the first Indian state to provide digitally-signed land record receipts (also known as 7/12 receipts). The 7/12 receipt is the most important document which establishes the ownership of the land, and is primarily used by farmers while applying for loans. It is also used by the government during crop surveys and to extend various facilities.
17. The 12th edition of the bilateral border trade between India and China from Nathu La border in Sikkim has resumed for the scheduled period from May 1 to November 30. The trading days are from Monday to Thursday and the trade will continue till November 30.
18. The World Press Freedom Day is observed every year on May 3 to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives while following their profession. The 2018 theme "Keeping Power in Check: Media, Justice.
19. Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah from Egypt has been named the Football Writers' Association (FWA) Footballer of the Year for 2017/18. With this, Salah became the first African to be given the accolade after edging out Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne by less than 20 votes in a ballot of more than 400 FWA members. Beside this, Salah also became the first Egyptian player to won the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) player of the year award in April 2018.
20. The Vindhyachal Thermal Power Station, which is one of the coal-fired power stations of NTPC, is located in Singrauli district of Madhya Pradesh. It is the largest power station in India with an installed capacity of 4760 MW. The coal for the power plant is sourced from Nigahi mines, and the water is sourced from the discharge canal of Singrauli Super Thermal Power Station.
21. The 19th edition of TOONZ Animation Masters Summit 2018 was held in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala on May 4-5, 2018.
22. India has been ranked at 11th position in the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Confidence Index 2018 of global consultancy firm A T Kearney. It is the first time since 2015 that India has been pushed out of the top 10. Though, India remains among the top investment destinations due to its market size and rapid economic growth. The report said a possible factor for the fall could be the coming elections in India, as investors are likely to be monitoring political risks. The annual survey tracks the impact of political, economic and regulatory changes on the FDI preferences of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) of the country. The index is topped by United States, followed by Canada, Germany, United Kingdom and China.
23. The first organised census of Indus Dolphins will be carried out by the Punjab government along with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) -India for the conservation of Indus dolphins, which are one of the world's rarest mammals. This is India's first organized Dolphin Census, which will be completed within a span of five years. The main purpose of this census is to find out the exact population of this species of dolphins. After this, their protection program will be run. The Indus dolphins are found only in India and Pakistan and are confined to only a 185 km stretch between Talwara and Harike Barrage in India's Beas river in Punjab.
24. The first apex conference for the CEOs of Smart Cities will be held in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh on 8th May 2018.
25. China has successfully launched a new communication satellite "APSTAR-6C" into orbit by the Long March 3B launch vehicle from Xichang Satellite Launch Center at Sichuan province of China.
26. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has developed an indigenous atomic clock that will be used in navigation satellites to measure precise location data. It is being developed by the Ahmedabad-based Space Applications Centre (SAC). This clock is currently undergoing a series of qualification tests. Once it successfully clears all tests, the desi atomic clock will be used in an experimental navigation satellite to test its accuracy and durability in space. At present, ISRO imports atomic clocks from European aerospace manufacturer Astrium for its navigation satellites. With the development of indigenous atomic clocks, the space agency sure gets a mark of technological advancement.
27. The World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day (WRCRCD) is observed every year on May 8 to recognize the extraordinary contribution and incredible achievements of the stalwarts and volunteers around the world for helping the people in need anytime, anywhere.
28. India has signed a loan agreement of $200-million with the World Bank for the National Nutrition Mission (POSHAN Abhiyaan) to achieve its goal of reducing stunting in children aged 0-6 years from 38.4% to 25% by 2022. The loan will support the first phase of scaling up of interventions in 315 districts across all states and union territories. A large component of POSHAN Abhiyaan involves gradual scaling-up of the interventions supported by the ongoing World Bank assisted Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Systems Strengthening and Nutrition Improvement Project (ISSNIP) to all districts in the country over a 3-year period. The project will ensure convergence of all nutrition-related schemes and provide performance-based incentives to states and community nutrition and health workers, facilitating a focus on results. The POSHAN Abhiyaan was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 8 in Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan.
29. The birth anniversary of Asia's first Nobel laureate Rabindra Nath Tagore has celebrated on May 7, 2018. Rabindra Jayanti is popularly called Poncheeshe Boishakh and being celebrated ceremoniously and jauntiness all across West Bengal and Bangladesh. A revered poet, mercurial writer, and a cursive painter Tagore was a prolific composer with 2,230 songs to his credit. His songs are known as Rabindra Sangeet. Tagore has composed the national anthems of both India and Bangladesh. Tagore was highly influential in introducing Indian culture to the West and is generally regarded as the outstanding creative artist of modern India. Tagore's own English translations of his collection of Bengali poems Gitanjali fetched him the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913. Tagore's works were widely translated into English, Dutch, German, Spanish, and other European languages.
30. The Gokak falls is a waterfall located on the Ghataprabha River, a tributary of the Krishna river, in Belagavi district of Karnataka. The waterfall is horse shoe shaped at the crest, with a flood breadth of 177 metres. There is a hanging bridge across the river which stands 14m above the rock bed. The bridge was built during British rule. One of the interesting features of this place is the monuments from the Chalukya era that are found on either bank of the rocky gorge. are the monuments from the Chalukya era that are present on either banks of the rocky gorge. Another attraction of this place is the very old river-front temple dedicated to Lord Mahalingeshwara, built in the Later Chalukya style of architecture. There is also an old electricity generation station and electricity was generated here for the first time in 1887.
31. On May 10, India is hosting the 15th edition of the Asia Media Summit (AMS-2018) in New Delhi with theme "Telling our Stories- Asia and More". New Delhi is hosting the annual summit of the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) Kuala Lumpur for the first time.
32. Nisha Bhalla, a holistic coach & consultant from Mumbai, has been conferred with the 'Excellent Woman of Excellence' award for her spiritual service at the Women Economic Forum (WEF) 2018 in Delhi. The WEF is the largest global gathering of women entrepreneurs and leaders worldwide.
33. The 2018 World Robot Conference (WRC) will be held in Beijing, China from August 15-19 under the theme of creating new intelligent power and sharing the new opening-up era.
34. Mahathir bin Mohamad has become the new Prime Minister of Malaysia on May 10, after scoring a historic victory at the 14th general election 2018. With this, 92-year old Mahathir became the oldest living Prime Minister of Malaysia and the world's oldest head of government. His coalition party 'Pakatan Harapan' defeated the governing Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, which has been in power for more than 60 years. The victory capped a dramatic political comeback for Mahathir, who previously ruled the country for 22 years (from 1981 to 2003), and came out of retirement to take on Prime Minister Najib Razak after the leader became embroiled in a massive corruption scandal.
35. The 25 MW Mithapur Solar Power Plant is located in Mithapur, Gujarat and is spread over an area of 100 acres. The panels are of polycrystalline silicon photovoltaic technology. It is expected to produce 40,734 MWh/year.
36. The Telangana government has launched Rythu Bandhu (friend of farmers) scheme at Dharmarajupalle-Indiranagar village in Karimnagar district on May 10, 2018. The scheme is a first-of-its-kind initiative providing investment support to farmers, who own land. It is expected to provide the much needed breather to the marginal and small farmers who constitute a major chunk of land owners in the State. Under the scheme, each eligible farmer will get at least Rs 4,000 per acre for two crops in a year — kharif in May and rabi in October. The farmers can utilize the assistance either for purchase of seeds, fertilizers, pesticides or any other input requirement as per their requirement. The scheme will cover both agriculture and horticulture crops and benefits all farmers irrespective of the size of their land holdings.
37. Pawan Kumar Agarwal, a 1985-batch IAS officer of West Bengal cadre, has been given 3 months extension beyond May 15, 2018 as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). He was appointed as the CEO of the FSSAI in December 2015. The FSSAI is an autonomous body established under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. It is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the regulation and supervision of food safety.
38. After topping the chart for four years, India has been slipped to the 6th position globally on the Global Optimism Index in the first quarter of 2018, as per survey by Grant Thornton's International Business Report (IBR). The report says the business optimism in India has deteriorated while entering the last year of the current regime. Austria topped the index followed by Finland, Indonesia, the Netherlands and the US.
39. The Sikkim government has nominated Bollywood singer Mohit Chauhan as the Green Ambassador of the state for promoting Sikkim as a Green Destination, nationally and internationally, on voluntary basis. He is a playback singer and singer of a band known as 'Silk Route'. Earlier, the state government had roped in AR Rahman as its official brand ambassador to promote tourism in Sikkim.
40. On May 11, the parliamentary panel headed by veteran BJP MP Murali Manohar Joshi has decided to study the recovery of black money and performance of public sector banks among a host of subjects. The 30-member Estimates Committee has decided to study a host of subjects related to various ministries in the year 2018-19.
41. The National Technology Day (NTD) is celebrated every year in India on May 11. On this day in 1998, India successfully tested its nuclear bombs in Pokhran, Rajasthan. The tests were conducted under the leadership of Former President Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, who was then DRDO Chief, and Dr R Chidambaran, then Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission. A team of more than 100 scientists, technicians and soldiers were involved in the successfully conducted tests.
42. According to the report 'RemitSCOPE – Remittance markets and opportunities – Asia and the Pacific', India has become the largest remittance-receiving country in the world in 2017, with migrant workers from the country sending home 69 billion US dollars. The remittances to the Asia-Pacific region amounted to 256 billion dollars last year. In 2017, India with $69 billion, China with $64 billion and the Philippines with $33 billion are the three largest remittance-receiving countries in the world.
43. Scientists have discovered the world's second oldest grain of magnetic zircon from the Singhbhum rock at the Champua in Kendujhar district of Odisha. The zircon is a mineral that contains traces of radioactive isotopes. It is an estimated that the magnetic zircon in the rock is 4, 240 million years old that will offer fresh clues about the earth's origins. It must be noted that this rock sample was recovered nearly 8 years ago from Champua that has put India at the forefront of geological research in the world. The geologists from the University of Calcutta and Curtin University, Malaysia, along with researchers from the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences (Beijing) made the discovery, which was recently published in the journal Scientific Reports.
44. Prof. Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel laureate and noted economist, has been conferred with the 11th KISS Humanitarian Award 2018 on May 11 for his unwavering commitment to eradicate global poverty and foster economic and social development. He is the founder of the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh and is widely known as the Father of Microfinance.
45. The Dabhol Power Station is located near Anjanwel village in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. The power station was a built by the Dabhol Power Company (DPC), which was a joint venture of Enron, General Electric, Bechtel and Maharashtra Power Development Corporation.
46. The 5th meeting of the BIMSTEC Sub-Group on Prevention of Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and precursor Chemicals to be held in Kathmandu, Nepal on 23 May 2018. The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is an international organisation of 7 nations of South Asia and South East Asia, including Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan, and Nepal.
47. China's first domestically developed aircraft carrier "Type-001A" has recently started sea trials. The aim of trials is to demonstrate the reliability and capability of the ship's propulsion systems. The 50,000-metric tonne vessel will become the country's second aircraft carrier, and the first to be entirely built and designed inside of China, when it joins the navy before 2020. Few countries in the world have aircraft carriers. Besides India, the US, Russia, the UK, France, Italy, Thailand and China operate a total of 18 aircraft carriers.
48. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will set up a skill development centre at 'Bharosa,' an integrated support centre for distressed women and children in Hyderabad, Telangana. The purpose of the centre is to empower vulnerable and marginalized women by imparting skills training. 'Bharosa,' is a state-of-the-art centre set up by the Hyderabad City Police to support women and children who are victims of violence. 'Bharosa' provides under one roof, 24X7 services related to police, medical, legal, prosecution, psycho-therapeutic counselling and relief and rehabilitation services in completely private counselling rooms to maintain confidentiality and privacy. The centre is equipped with well-trained staff and modern gadgets, including facilities like video conferencing, so that the victims need not go to the court.
49. Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, the founder of Sulabh International, has been honoured with the 2018 Nikkei Asia Prize in Japan for his contribution to Asia's development. Pathak is among the three who have been conferred with the award. Others are Ma Jun (China) & Professor Nguyen Thanh Liem (Vietnam). Nikkei Inc., one of the largest media corporations in Japan, has been presenting the awards since 1996 to honour people in Asia who have made significant contributions in one of the three areas: Economic and Business Innovation, Science, Technology and Environment and Culture and Community. The prizes will be awarded on June 13 in Tokyo in Japan. Dr Pathak founded the Sulabh International in 1970. It is an NGO that works to promote human rights, environmental sanitation among other social services.
50. The International Day of Families is observed every year on May 15 across the world to promote awareness of issues relating to families and increase knowledge of the social, economic and demographic progression that affects families. The 2018 theme "Families and inclusive societies" will explore the role of families and family policies in advancing Sustainable Development Goal 16 in terms of promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development.
51. The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a comprehensive plan "REPLACE" to eliminate industrially-produced artificial trans fats from the global food supply by 2023. The elimination of trans fats is key to protecting the health and saving lives.
52. The 4th executive committee meeting of South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN) was held in Kolkata, West Bengal on May 8-10, 2018 to curb wildlife crime in South Asian region. It was the first-ever meeting of SAWEN to be held in India since its inception in 2011. The 2-day conference was attended by representatives of 7 (excluding Pakistan) out of 8 member countries.
53. Mukul Rohatgi, the former Attorney General of India and Senior Counsel, has been appointed as 'eminent jurist' in the high-profile Lokpal selection committee led by the Prime Minister. The post of eminent jurist was lying vacant since the death of senior advocate PP Rao in September 2017. Besides the Prime Minister, the selection committee is composed of the Chief Justice of India and the Lok Sabha Speaker. It will shortlist candidates for the post of the anti-corruption ombudsman and other posts.
54. India emerged as the 3rd largest solar market in the world in 2017 behind China and the US, as per latest report by Mercom Communications. As per the report "India Solar Market Leaderboard 2018", India set a new record with 9.6 GW of solar installations in 2017, which was more than double the 4.3 GW installed in 2016. The robust growth boosted the country's total solar installed capacity to 19.6 GW as of December 2017.
55. The Minister of Commerce and Industry Suresh Prabhu launched the Intellectual Property (IP) mascot – IP Nani – at the conference on National Intellectual Property Rights Policy in New Delhi on May 16, 2018. An anti-piracy video featuring Mr. Amitabh Bachchan was also launched by the Minister at the event. Mascot IP Nani is a tech-savvy grandmother who helps the government and enforcement agencies in combating IP crimes with the help of her grandson "Chhotu" aka Aditya. The IP mascot will spread awareness about the importance of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) among people, especially children, in an interesting manner. This character is also in line with the World Intellectual Property.
56. Shashank Manohar, the former BCCI President, will serve a second two-year term as the independent chairman of the International Cricket Council after he was elected unopposed by the governing body's Board.
57. Indore has been ranked India's first cleanest city, as per latest survey 'Swachh Survekshan-2018'. Bhopal has been ranked second and Chandigarh third in the survey at the national level. Besides, Vijaywada in Andhra Pradesh is India's cleanest big city with a population of over 10 lakh. Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh is 'Fastest Mover' big city. New Delhi Municipal Council is country's cleanest small city having a population between one lakh to three lakh. The Swachh Survekshan 2018 assessed 4203 urban local bodies and was organized by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban). The exercise was undertaken from 4th January to 10th March, 2018. It enhanced the scope to cover a record number of Urban Local Bodies impacting around 40 crore urban citizens by 2700 assessors.
58. Shivangi Pathak (16) has become the India's youngest women to scale Mt Everest from Nepal side. Born in Hisar of Haryana, Shivangi climbed Mt Everest to spread the message that women could overcome any obstacle to achieve their goals.
59. The Japanese family drama 'Shoplifters' has received the coveted award for best film, the Palme d'Or, at the Cannes Film Festival on May 20, 2018. Poland's Pawel Pawlikowski won the best director award for his love story 'Cold War'.
60. Rajinder Singh has taken charge as the new President of Hockey India (HI). He succeeded Mariamma Koshy.
61. Megastar Amitabh Bachchan has been honoured by European Union for strengthening Europe-India cultural ties. Bachchan, whose last release "102 Not Out", co-starring Rishi Kapoor, was well-received by critics as well as audiences, will next be seen in "Thugs of Hindostan".
62. The Farakka Barrage is built across Ganga River and located in Murshidabad district of West Bengal. The barrage is about 2,240 metres long and serves water to the Farakka Super Thermal Power Station. The Feeder Canal (Farakka) from the barrage to the Bhagirathi-Hooghly River is about 40 km long.
63. Uttam Pacharne, the noted artist and sculptor, has been appointed as the new Chairman of Lalit Kala Akademi by the President of India. He will hold office for a term of three years from the date on which he assumes the charge of his office.
64. Anil Kumar Jha has been appointed as chairman-cum-managing director (CMD) of Coal India Limited (CIL) till his superannuation i.e. January 31, 2020.
65. Russia has launched the world's first floating nuclear power station " Akademik Lomonosov " at a ceremony in the port of the far northern city of Murmansk, where it will be loaded with nuclear fuel before heading to eastern Siberia. The 21,500-tonne ship was named after Academician Mikhail Lomonosov. Akademik Lomonosov, which is constructed by the state nuclear power firm Rosatom, has a length of 144 metres and width of 30 metres (98 ft). It has a displacement of 21,500 tonnes and a crew of 69 people. It will be primarily used to power oil rigs as Russia pushes further north into the Arctic to drill for oil and gas and needs electricity in far-flung locations.
66. The International Bio-diversity Day (IBD) is observed on 22nd May every year to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues. The 2018 theme 'Celebrating 25 Years of Action for Biodiversity' marks the 25th anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention on Biological Diversity and to highlight progress made in the achievement of its objectives at the national and global levels. On the occasion, the National Mission for Clean Ganga and World Wildlife Federation-India jointly organised a workshop – Ganga and its Bio-diversity: Developing a Road Map for Habitat and Species Conservation – in New Delhi. The purpose of the workshop is to form an integrated approach for conservation of Ganga's ecology, environment and bio-diversity by restoring Ganga's ecological integrity.
67. Justice B N Srikrishna, who heads the high-level committee on framing new data protection norms for India, will chair a panel discussion on 'Future of Governance', which is scheduled to be held on May 24.
68. Nicolas Maduro Moro, the leftist leader and Venezuela's President, has been re-elected to a second six-year term. Maduro hailed his win as a victory against imperialism, but his rival candidates have rejected the electoral process and called for new elections.
69. Lionel Messi, an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish club Barcelona, has won the 2018 European Golden Shoe. He claimed the prize after scoring 34 goals in La Liga this season, helping his club to a 25th league triumph. With this, he becomes the first player to win the European Golden Shoe for a record 5 times. He won the award in 2017, as well as in 2010, 2012 and 2013. Four-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo finished 9th in the rankings after scoring 26 goals for Real Madrid in La Liga.
70. The Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd. (MCX) has launched the India's first options contract on copper futures on May 21, 2018. The option contract will provide physical market participants an additional instrument to hedge their risk.
71. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) has named Stacey Cunningham its first female President in the history of the 226-year-old exchange. She will succeed Thomas Farley on May 25, 2018. Currently, she is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of NYSE. With Cunningham's promotion, America's leading two stock exchanges will be led by women after Adena Friedman took over as CEO of Nasdaq in January 2017.
72. Polish author Olga Tokarczuk has won the prestigious 2018 Man Booker International Prize for fiction for her novel 'Flights'. The novel, translated by Jennifer Croft, interweaves narratives of travel with explorations of the human body. It combines tales of modern-day travel with the story of a 17th century anatomist who dissected his own amputated leg and the journey of composer Frederic Chopin's heart from Paris to Warsaw after his death. Tokarczuk is the first Polish author to have won the prestigious award that honours the finest works of translated fiction from around the world. The prize is a counterpart to the Man Booker Prize for English-language novels and is open to books in any language that have been translated into English. The £50,000 ($67,000) award is split evenly between the writer and her translator, Jennifer Croft.
73. The National Anti Terrorism Day (NATD) is celebrated every year in India on May 21 to generate awareness in the country among all sections of people, about the danger of terrorism and violence and its effect on the people, society and the country as a whole. It was on this day in 1991, the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a suicide squad of Liberation of Tamil Tigers Eelam (LTTE), while attending a rally in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu. The aim behind the observance of Anti-Terrorism Day is to wean away the people from terrorism and violence.
74. India has been ranked 145th among 195 countries with score of 41.2 in terms of Healthcare Access and Quality (HAQ) index of 2016, as per Lancet's latest study "Global Burden Of Disease". According to the study, India performed poorly in tackling cases of tuberculosis, rheumatic heart diseases, Ischaemic heart diseases, stroke, testicular cancer, colon cancer and chronic kidney disease among others. However, the report mentioned that India has seen improvements in healthcare access and quality since 1990. The five countries with the highest levels of healthcare access and quality in 2016 were Iceland (97.1 points), Norway (96.6), the Netherlands (96.1), Luxembourg (96.0), and Finland and Australia (each with 95.9). The study used an index to measure the quality and accessibility of healthcare, based on 32 causes of death which should be preventable with effective medical care. Each of the 195 countries and territories assessed were given a score between 0-100.
75. The two-month long military exercise of India Army "Gandiv Vijay" was concluded in Mahajan field firing ranges near Suratgarh in Rajasthan on May 23, 2018. The Chetak corps of South Western Command of Indian Army carried out the exercise with an aim to train commanders and soldiers in their offensive tasks.
76. The joint military exercise "SURYA KIRAN-XIII" between India and Nepal will be conducted at Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand from 30 May to 12 June 2018.
77. C K Prasad, the retired judge of the Supreme Court of India (SCI), has been appointed the chairman of the Press Council of India (PCI) for a second term. Prasad headed the media watchdog for three years from November 2014. He had succeeded Justice Markanday Katju. The Press Council of India is a statutory body with a mandate to act as a watchdog to oversee the conduct of the print media. It was reconstituted for three years in October, 2014 and the term ended in October 2017. According to the Press Council Act, the council shall consist of a chairman and 28 other members.
78. The World Turtle Day (WTD) is observed every year on May 23 across the world to protect turtles and their disappearing habitats around the world.
79. Actor Sushant Singh Rajput has collaborated with NITI Aayog for the promotion of Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) launched by the Cenrtal government.
80. The Singchung Bugun Community Reserve (SBVCR), an NGO from West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, has won the India Biodiversity Award 2018 in the "Conservation of wildlife species" category for its efforts in conserving rare wildlife resources in the area. The award was conferred by the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) and presented by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change in association with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Hyderabad. The award consists of citation, a memento and a cash prize of Rs one lakh. The SBVCR was instituted under a clause of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 that enables any state government to declare a community-owned forest area as a "community reserve" if the locals are willing to participate in conservation efforts for the same. The Reserve lies right next to the Eaglesnest Wildlife sanctuary, a biodiversity hotspot, which is also home to the Bugun Liocichla — a new bird species that has no reported sighting anywhere else in the world.
81. The Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Prakash Javadekar has launched the 'Samagra Shiksha' – an integrated Scheme for school education in New Delhi on May 24. The scheme focuses on improving quality of education, enhancing the Learning outcomes and using technology to empower children and teachers. Samagra Shiksha is a program that unifies learning from the pre-school to class 12 levels and encapsulates elements of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Teacher Education (TE). It aims to treat education holistically as a continuum from pre-school to class 12. The excerpts of the scheme are as follows: provision of quality education, bridging social and gender gaps in school education, promoting vocationalisation of education, strengthening teacher education institutions like SCERTs and Diets to improve quality of teachers, annual grant of Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000 per school for strengthening of libraries, etc.
82. Japanese women's badminton team has clinched the Uber Cup for the first time since 1981 when they defeated hosts Thailand 3-0 at the IMPACT Stadium on May 26, 2018. Ranked two in world singles, Akane Yamaguchi began Japan's title got off to a flying start as she beat World No. 4 Ratchanok Intanon 21-15, 21-19. Doubles pair Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka Hirota gave Japan their second point, winning the tie 21-18, 21-12. Nozomi Okuhara spelled victory for her side as she made light work of Nitchaon Jindapol, who looked visibly tired, beating her by 21-12, 21-9. Earlier Japan lifted this coveted cup in 1966, 1969, 1972 and 1978. China won the title 14 times. The Uber Cup is also known as the Women's World Badminton Championship. It is second in prestige only to the Olympics as a national team event.
83. Mia Amor Mottley has become the first female Prime Minister (PM) of the Caribbean island of Barbados. The win makes Mottley just the 8th PM to lead Barbados since the island gained independence from Great Britain in 1966. The Mottley-led Barbados Labour Party (BLP) recorded an historic landslide victory in the 2018 general election, secured all 30 seats in the House of Assembly and over 70% of the popular vote that makes them the first party to accomplish this feat.
84. Nasir Ul Mulk, the former Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice (retd), has been appointed as the interim Prime Minister of Pakistan until general elections are held on July 25, 2018.
85. Film actor Akshay kumar has launched an advertisement campaign on twin pit toilet technology for the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) in New Delhi on May 27, 2018. The ad campaign focuses on promoting the twin pit toilet technology in rural India.
86. The BCCI and UN Environment has signed a letter of intent to promote 'green' Cricket in India at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai on May 27, 2018. The aim of the partnership is to spread greater awareness about key environmental challenges facing the country, and highlight alternate and more sustainable solutions.
87. The Baglihar Dam is a run-of-the-river power project on the Chenab River in the southern Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir.
88. Colombia will formally become the first Latin American 'Gobal Partner' of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). According to a statement posted on NATO's website, cybersecurity, maritime security, terrorism and its links to organized crime, and building the capacities and capabilities of the Colombian armed forces.
89. Indian cricket team skipper Virat Kohli has won the International Cricketer of the Year at the CEAT Cricket Ratings awards in Mumbai on May 28, 2018. Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan was presented the International Batsman of the Year Award.
90. Sangeeta Bahl (53), the former model and entrepreneur from Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), has become the oldest Indian woman to have scaled the world's tallest peak "Mount Everest" on 19th May 2018 with the help of two Sherpas.
91. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has recognized the Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) in Kerala as the world's first fully solar energy-powered airport. The airport has a 12 MWp solar power plant comprising of 46,150 solar panels laid across 45 acres.
92. The first edition of Global Wind Summit will be held in Hamburg, Germany from September 25, 2018. The organisers of the 4-day event are expecting speakers from about 100 countries, including India, China, the US, Spain and Denmark. The conference on wind is the largest and most important meeting of the wind industry worldwide. The focus of the conferences would be on three major subjects: Dynamic markets, cost efficiency and smart energy. The event will provide a platform for experts from across the globe to discuss innovative and green technologies for harnessing wind energy making.
93. Yoga guru Baba Ramdev's Patanjali has recently launched Swadeshi Samriddhi SIM cards in alliance with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL).
94. In the North-East, the Gaj Yatra has been rolled out by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) from Tura, the principal town of Garo Hills of Meghalaya on May 28, 2018. It is the part of an 18-month-long national campaign to protect India's national heritage animal "elephants" and its habitat.
95. Former Supreme Court judge Justice R K Agrawal, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, has been appointed the President of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC). He will take over from Justice D K Jain, who will complete his term on May 31. The NCDRC, which deals with consumer rights and addresses their disputes and grievances, is a quasi-judicial commission set up in 1988 under the Consumer Protection Act of 1986. The commission is headquartered in New Delhi and is headed by sitting or retired judge of Supreme Court of India (SCI).
96. The World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) is observed every year on May 31 to highlight health and other risks associated with tobacco use and advocate for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption. The 2018 focus is "Tobacco and Heart Disease" to emphasize impact tobacco has on the cardiovascular health of people across the globe.
97. The book 'Straight Talk' has been authored by Abhishek Manu Singhvi, the Member of Rajya Sabha. The book suggested the automatic suspension of allowances for law makers per day or per hour lost due to disruptions. It also stresses to set up the special tribunals or fast track courts for election related cases. There are many more suggestions related to Law & Parliament in the book. It was released by Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on May 30, 2018.
98. Top Indian discus thrower Vikas Gowda has recently retired after competing at the highest level for more than 15 years, during which he became the first and only Indian male to win Commonwealth Games medals in the discipline. His retirement was announced by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on its twitter page after Gowda sent the AFI a letter declaring his intent to call it quits. Gowda, who will turn 35 on July 5, is also four-time Olympian. He holds the national record of 66.28m (achieved in 2012) and is one of the most decorated Indian athletes, having won gold in the 2013 and 2015 Asian Championships. He also won silver in the 2010 Commonwealth Games and a gold in the 2014 Glasgow CWG. In the Asian Games, he won a bronze in 2010 and a silver in 2014.
