1 Prime Minister Modi will go on his first state visit to America
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited on a state visit to the US , his first such visit during his nine-year term . The last state visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the US was from 23 to 25 November 2009 , when Manmohan Singh Was on this post. State visits are the highest category of foreign visits, which have great ceremonial significance and are a symbol of friendly bilateral relations between countries. These visits are organized by the heads of government, who act as the highest officials of their countries. In the case of the US, state visits take place only at the invitation of the US President, who serves as the head of state. Not every visit by a foreign leader is classified as a state visit. State visits are relatively rare and have a special reputation for maintaining their symbolic status. Other types of travel, such as official travel, official business travel, work travel, government guest travel, and private travel, have different protocols and levels of importance.
2 Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a three nation tour – Japan, Papua New Guinea and Australia on 19th of this month.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a three-nation tour to Japan, Papua New Guinea and Australia on 19th of this month . He will visit Hiroshima in Japan from 19th to 21st of this month. Shri Modi will attend the G-7 Summit at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio . During the meeting, the Prime Minister will participate in various G-7 sessions with partner countries. Peace, stability on earth and topics such as food, fertilizer and energy security will be discussed in these meetings. Shri Modi will also hold one-on-one meetings with some of the leaders attending the Summit.
3 Indian Air Force’s Logistics Seminar-LOGISEM-23 Organized
Indian Air Force ‘s National Logistics Management Symposium , Logisem-23 , was conducted on 16 May 2023 at AF Auditorium, New Delhi with the theme ‘ Leveraging the Emerging Global Supply Chain to Enhance Logistics Capabilities by Eliminating Disruptions ‘. The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal VR Chowdhary inaugurated the seminar and delivered his keynote address.
4 Government launches Sanchar Saathi portal to track and lock lost mobile phones
Mobile phone users will now be able to locate their lost handset through a single portal and it will be easier for them to block it. Union Minister for Communications Ashwani Vaishnav launched the citizen centric portal – Sanchar Sathi at a function in New Delhi . This portal is an initiative of the Department of Telecom. With this, people using mobiles will be able to find out the connections issued in their name, they will be able to close the unnecessary connections. On this occasion Shri Vaishnav said that many reforms are being done in the telecom sector. With these reforms, the telecom industry has become robust and investment-oriented. K Rajaraman, Secretary, Department of Telecommunications was also present on the occasion.
5 The Government of India will build the National Museum of 5 eras
To showcase the rich cultural heritage, the Government of India has announced plans to build the Yug Yugin Bharat National Museum in the prestigious North and South Blocks of the national capital . Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil the plans of this museum through a virtual walkthrough at the International Museum Expo on 18 May . The name of this National Museum proposed in the North and South Block of the Central Secretariat Complex will be Yug Yugin Bharat National Museum. The name is derived from Sanskrit, meaning ” eternal India”. This museum will cover an area of 1.17 lakh square metres. The building will have various ‘sections’ tracing the continuing journey of Indian civilization.
6 Dr. Manoj Soni took the oath of office and secrecy as the Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission
Dr. Manoj Soni took the oath of office and secrecy as the Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission . Smt. Smita Nagraj, the senior most member of the Commission, administered the oath to him. Dr. Manoj Soni joined the Commission as Member on June 28, 2017 and subsequently on April 5, 2022 was appointed to perform the duties of the office of Chairman, UPSC under Article 316(A) of the Constitution. Prior to joining UPSC, Dr. Soni studied Political Science with specialization in International Relations Studies and earned a Doctorate degree in “International Systemic Change and Indo-US Relations after the Cold War” from Sardar Patel University. He served a total of three terms as Vice-Chancellor. In this, Baroda’s M.S. University and two terms at Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University, Gujarat. He has been the youngest Vice Chancellor ever in independent India.
7 Bangladesh decides to withdraw additional security provided to diplomatic missions in Dhaka
The Government of Bangladesh has decided to withdraw the additional security provided to some diplomatic missions in Dhaka. Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry has said that after the terrorist incident in Dhaka several years ago, some foreign diplomats were unofficially provided with additional security, which included the facility of vehicles during their movement. But, now the law and order situation in Bangladesh is normal, so there is no need for additional security. Diplomatic missions of the US, UK, India and Saudi Arabia are currently being provided special security by the Government of Bangladesh, while armed guards of the Bangladesh Diplomatic Security Department are deployed at other diplomatic missions.
8 India and Bangladesh launched ’50 start-up exchange programme’
The first batch of ten startup companies under the Fifty Startups Exchange Program between India and Bangladesh has returned to Dhaka after a successful five-day visit to India from May 8 to 12. These startups come from many different sectors. These include startups related to e-commerce, health, transport, logistics, energy, education and skill development. Under this programme, fifty startups from Bangladesh and fifty startups from India will visit each other’s country and expand mutual cooperation. Apart from this, promotion of business relations, sharing of knowledge and experience and encouragement of youth and cooperation related to entrepreneurship are also included in the main objectives of this program. The program was conceptualized by the Prime Minister during the recent bilateral summit of the two countries.
9 Ayushman Asom-Chief Minister Jan Arogya Yojana launched
The recently launched Ayushman Asom-Mukhyamantri Jan Arogya Yojana by the Government of Assam is a major milestone in the quest for accessible and affordable healthcare. Ayushman Asom is a family-floater health assurance scheme designed to provide access to cashless medical treatment of up to Rs 5 lakh per year to families in Assam. This progressive move aims to break down financial barriers and ensure that quality healthcare services are available to all residents, irrespective of their economic status.
10 Power, environment ministries to develop carbon credit trading scheme for decarbonisation
Union ministries of power and environment, forests and climate change will develop a carbon credit trading scheme for decarbonisation . The government is planning to develop the Indian Carbon Market (ICM), where the government will work to decarbonise the Indian economy by pricing Green House Gas (GHG) emissions through trading of carbon credit certificates, a power ministry statement said. A national framework will be set up for the purpose. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency under the Ministry of Power along with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is developing the carbon credit trading scheme.
11 INS Garuda completes 70 years of service
INS Garuda , the flagship Naval Air Station of the Southern Naval Command located at Kochi, Kerala , recently marked its remarkable 70 years of service to the Indian Navy. With a rich history and significant contribution to naval aviation, INS Garuda occupies a unique position as the cradle of naval aviation in India. On 11 May 1953 , INS Garuda was formally commissioned, the oldest Naval Air Station in India. became. Located in Kochi, Kerala, it has served as an important center for naval aviation operations and advancements. INS Garuda stands tall with its distinction of operating both the oldest and newest aircraft in the inventory of the Indian Navy. This dual capability reflects continuous adaptation to technological advances and commitment to maintaining a modern and effective air fleet.
12 Malaysia proposes to decriminalize small amounts of drugs
Malaysia introduces bill to crack down on possession and use of small amounts of illegal drugs , according to home affairs minister Taking initiative towards criminal justice reform. Under the proposed law, people caught with small amounts of illegal substances will not face prosecution but will instead be sent to drug rehabilitation centers for treatment. The move is aimed at reducing overcrowding in the prison and follows recent reforms implemented by the government. These reforms include the abolition of mandatory capital punishment and life imprisonment terms, as well as reducing the incidence of suicide. Currently, Malaysia, like many of its Southeast Asian neighbors, has severe penalties for drug-related offences. Including the death penalty for drug trafficking. However, recent reforms give judges the right to decide whether to punish or not. Malaysia is known as an important transit hub for illegal drugs and in 2022, the police arrested about 29,000 people for various drug offences, most of whom were addicts.
13 Gharial sighted in Pakistan’s Punjab province after three decades
After three decades, Gharial, a unique crocodile species originally found in the Indian subcontinent, has been introduced into Pakistan ‘s Punjab province. Seen in Experts suggested that these gharials might have come from India during the flood and stayed in the Sutlej river near the border, which is likely to have a total of 10 gharials. The Beas and Sutlej rivers meet in the Harike wetland, 50 km from the border, and 94 alligators were released there between 2017 and 2021 as part of a conservation program run by the Punjab government. Gharial is a species of fresh water crocodile found mainly in the Chambal River in the northern part of India. They are known for their long, slender snouts. Gharials are listed as Critically Endangered in the IUCN Red List and included in Appendix I of CITES and Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. They are also important indicators of clean river water. river pollution, dam construction, fishing activities, floods, Illegal sand mining and poaching are the main threats to their existence. To protect these species and their habitats, conservation efforts are being made like Kukrail Gharial Rehabilitation Center and National Chambal Sanctuary in Lucknow.
14 RBI asks banks to end dependence on London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) by July
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has directed financial institutions and banks to adopt an alternative reference rate, primarily the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) and the scam-hit London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) and the Mumbai Interbank Forward Outright. End your dependence on the rate (MIFOR) by 1st July. The central bank has said that most new transactions now use the SOFR and the Modified Mumbai Interbank Forward Outright Rate (MMIFOR) as the benchmark.
15 Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated the National Homoeopathic Convention ‘Homocon 2023’
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated the National Homeopathic Convention ‘Homeocon 2023’ at Doon University, Dehradun and launched a documentary on Homeopathy. Homeopathy has been recognized as the second most practiced system of medicine in the world and its importance has been demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic. The commitment of the state government to establish Uttarakhand as a major AYUSH region is due to the economical and effective nature of homeopathy.
16 EU regulators approve Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard
European Union regulators gave the go-ahead for Microsoft ‘s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard , one of the world’s biggest gaming firms. The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, approved the deal after Microsoft offered measures in the emerging field of cloud gaming that would address antitrust concerns.
17 Telangana’s Vuppala Praneeth becomes India’s 82nd Grandmaster
15-year-old chess player V Praneeth from Telangana has been crowned Grandmaster , becoming the sixth from the state and 82nd in India . He achieved this feat by defeating GM Hans Niemann of America during the final round of Baku Open 2023. The win also helped him surpass 2500, specifically his ELO rating of 2500.5. India has produced a total of 82 Grandmasters, making it the third largest in the world after Russia and China. The first Indian Grandmaster was Viswanathan Anand, who won the title in 1988.
18 Sikkim: 48th Statehood Day
Sikkim celebrated its 48th Statehood Day on 16th May . The day is celebrated to commemorate the formation of Sikkim as the 22nd state of the Union of India in 1975. The state of Sikkim was formed in 1975 in the Thirty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution of India. President Draupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar have greeted the people of Sikkim on the occasion of Statehood Day. In 1950, the Indo-Sikkimese Treaty was signed. With this, Sikkim became a protectorate of India. Sikkim was ruled by the Namgyal Dynasty till 1975. Sikkim is the first state in the country to become 100% organic. Today all agricultural activities in Sikkim are done without the use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.
19 May.16: World Agri-Tourism Day
World Agri-Tourism Day is celebrated every year on 16 May . In agri-tourism, urban tourists stay in the houses of farmers. During their stay they engage in farming activities, tractor ride, bullock cart ride. Also, they enjoy folk songs and dances. They buy fresh farm produce. It acts as an additional income for the farmers. Also, it employs local youth as tourist guides. Thus this program also provides employment opportunities. Maharashtra is the leading state in the country to develop and promote agri-tourism. In September 2020, Maharashtra passed an agro-tourism policy. It aims to provide tourists with the joy of farming and help farmers increase their income.
20 16 May : International Day of Light
Every year, on 16 May , International Day of Light is celebrated by UNESCO and many other international organizations. The day celebrates the role of light in science, art, culture, education and sustainable development. Because the first successful operation of LASER was done on 16 May 1960 by physicist Theodore Maiman.