TNPSC Current Affairs May 22-28, 2016
(Weekly Current Affairs in English)
CURRENT AFFAIRS: WORLD
1. India and Iran sign 12 bilateral agreements in various areas
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- An Indian-American scientist, Arnab De has received the prestigious Springer Theses Award in recognition for his outstanding research in which he developed transgenic mice to study a critical tumor-suppressor called A20.
- The thesis prize is awarded by Springer, a leading global publisher of renowned scientific journals and books, to recognize outstanding PhD research. Internationally top-ranked research institutes select their best thesis annually for publication in the book series: "Springer Theses: Recognising Outstanding PhD research"
- Bio-engineer Frances Arnold from United States (US) has won the prestigious 2016 Millennium Technology Prize. With this she becomes first female to be awarded with this prestigious biennial award in its 12-year history.
- The Technology Academy Finland (TAF) had chosen Frances Arnold for this award in recognition of her discoveries that launched the field of directed evolution. Her discoveries mimic natural evolution to create new and better proteins in the laboratory.
- Indian author Aditi Krishnakumar has won the prestigious 2016 Scholastic Asian Book Award. She has won the award for her 32,000-word manuscript titled Codex: The Lost Treasure Of The Indus.
- The manuscript will be now published by Scholastic Asia. Presently Aditi Krishnakumar is working with Agent Lila Raman to decipher the mysterious script of the Indus Valley civilization.
- China has signed two agreements with Sudan, its close ally in Africa to build 600-megawatt (MW) atomic 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 agreements include nuclear power development and building a 600 MW atomic reactor.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: INDIA
7. The First Multilingual Knowledge Portal in India
- The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) has launched the multilingual knowledge portal (www.bharatvani.in).
- It was launched by Union HRD Minister Smriti Zubin Irani at Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh as part of Union Government’s Digital India Mission. The first knowledge portal of its kind in India will help the government to showcase the Indian culture and heritage to the world.
- Saudi Arabia’s Islamic Development Bank (IDB) has decided to open its first branch in India at Ahmedabad, Gujarat. In this regard, IDB and its private sector arm, Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), already have met with top officials of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), EXIM Bank and India’s other nationalized banks.
- 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.
- This is first ever policy for Capital Goods sector framed by the Union Government (Ministry of Heavy Industry & Public Enterprise). It aims Increase production of capital goods from 2,30,000 crore rupees in 2014-15 to 7,50,000 crore rupees in 2025.
- Ms. J Jayalalithaa has sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for record sixth time after winning 2016 state assembly election with absolute majority.
- State Governor Dr.K. Rosaiah administered the oath of office and secrecy to her at oath taking ceremony held at the Centenary Auditorium, Madras University. This is J Jayalalithaa’s second consecutive term as chief minister and sixth overall.
- Mamata Banerjee was sworn-in as the Chief Minister of West Bengal for second successive five-year term at oath taking ceremony held on Red Road.
- State Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi administered her oath of office and secrecy along with the 42 ministers of her government. Mamata Banerjee is eighth chief minister of West Bengal and the first CM of the state.
- BJP leader and former Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal (54) was sworn-in as the 14th Chief Minister of Assam after winning 2016 state assembly election with absolute majority.
- State Governor Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya administered the oath of office and secrecy to Sarbananda Sonowal at the oath taking ceremony held in Khanapara, Guwahati.
- CPI (M) leader Pinarayi Vijayan was sworn-in as 12th Chief Minister of Kerala after the left Democratic Front (LDF) had won 2016 state assembly election.
- State Governor P Sathasivam administered his oath of office and secrecy to him along with other 18 ministers of his government in Thiruvananthapuram. In the 2016 state assembly election, the CPI (M)-led coalition of LDF had emerged victorious after winning 91 seats in the 140 member Assembly.
- The Union Cabinet has given its approval to amend The Institutes of Technology (IIT) Act, 1961 for incorporation of 6 new IITs. This amendment will declare these 6 IITs as the institutions of national importance.
- The Six new IITs will come up at: Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), Palakkad (Kerala), Dharwar (Karnataka), Bhilai (Chhattisgarh), Goa, Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir).
- Union Cabinet also gave its approval to convert of Indian School of Mines (ISM), Dhanbad into an IIT under the ambit of the IIT Act, 1961.
- The Central Government has given its final approval to setting up of National Investment & Manufacturing Zone (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.
- Odisha Governor Dr SC Jamir has promulgated Odisha Official Language (Amendment) Ordinance, 2016 to ensure use of Odia in all government systems. The ordinance was promulgated as per provisions of the Article 213 of the Constitution.
- It empowers the state government to formulate laws to implement Odisha Official Language Act, 1954. It will amend the Language Act and use Odia in the official businesses of the Government including in writing files, letters and all other official documents.
17. The Amendments in the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950
- 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.
- 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).
- 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.
- The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) has decided to launch ASMITA, a student tracking system programme.
- ASMITA is acronym for All School Monitoring Individual Tracing Analysis and shall be launched under Shala Asmita Yojana (SAY).
- Key facts SAY aims to track the educational journey of school students from Class I to Class XII across the 15 lakhs private and government schools in the country.
- The Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully test-fired a land-attack version of the supersonic cruise missile, BrahMos at the Pokaran field firing range in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
- During the flight trial, the missile met its mission goals and destroyed a designated target. IAF is deploying this version of the missile in the border areas to take out the enemy’s communication towers, runways, and radar in case of a conflict.
- 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. These six major cities are: Thiruvananthapuram (state capital), Kochi (commercial capital), Kollam, Thrissur, Kozhikode and Kannur.
- The bench issued the order while hearing a petition filed by Lawyers’ Environmental Awareness Forum (LEAF) which had sought action against highly polluting diesel vehicles such as trucks and buses.
- Pakke Tiger Reserve in East Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh has won the ‘India Biodiversity Award 2016’. The tiger reserve was selected in the conservation of threatened species category for its Hornbill Nest Adoption Programme.
- Every year May 22 is being observed as International Biodiversity Day (IDB) across the world to promote conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. The 2016 theme: “Mainstreaming Biodiversity; Sustaining People and their Livelihoods”
- President Pranab Mukherjee has appointed BJP leader and former IPS officer Kiran Bedi as the Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Puducherry as per Article 239 of the Constitution.
- The a post LG was vacant for the past two years after the Union Government had sacked Virendra Kataria from the post in July 2014. Since then, it was under the additional charge of Ajay Kumar Singh, Lt. Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS
25. Pankaj Advani wins Asian 6-Red Snooker title
- India’s Pankaj Advani has created history by clinching the Asian 6-Red Snooker title held in Abu Dhabi. With this victory, Advani became the first cueist in the world to hold both world and continental titles in 6-red snooker at the same time.
- In the Asian 6-Red Snooker title held in Abu Dhabi, Advani defeated top seeded Malaysian cueist Keen Hoh Moh by 7-5 score. Advani is 14-time World Billiards and Snooker Champion. He is only player in the world to win world titles in all formats of both, Billiards and Snooker. He is the first cueist in the world to win the Grand double three times in 2005 and 2008 respectively
- Anurag Thakur (41) was unanimously elected as President of BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) by the board’s special general meeting (SGM) held in Mumbai. He is 34th BCCI President and shall have tenure till September 2017.
- Real Madrid FC won the 2016 UEFA Champions League for the record 11th time by defeating Atletico Madrid FC by 5-3 goals in penalty shootout. In the final played, both teams scored 1–1 goals in regulation period leading to draw.
- For the Real Madrid goal was scored by captain Sergio Ramos (15 minutes) and for Atletico Madrid was scored by Yannick Carrasco (79th minutes). In tie-breaker penalty shootout Real Madrid FC scored 5 goals against Atletico Madrid which scored only 3 goals. Earlier Real Madrid FC had won UEFA Champions League in 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1966, 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2014.