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IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF MAY 23^rd, 2019

              IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF MAY 23^rd, 2019

1.     (23rd May) is World Turtle Day.

a.      The purpose of this day is to bring attention to, and increase knowledge of and respect for, turtles and tortoises, and encourage human action to help them survive and thrive.

b.     World Turtle Day 2019 Theme : Save Turtles

2.     England is going to introduce a ban on single-use plastic items including straws, cotton buds and drink stirrers from April 2020 over environmental concerns. 

a.      There will be a complete ban on plastic drink stirrers' supply, however, registered pharmacies will be permitted to sell plastic straws, over the counter or online. 

b.     Eateries won't be allowed to display plastic straws or provide them automatically.

3.     Sri Lanka has extended by another month the emergency regulations, which were enforced after the Easter Sunday terror attacks.

a.      President Maithripala Sirisena issued an extraordinary gazette notice today extending the emergency regulations which was imposed a month ago after suicide blasts at multiple locations in the country which killed over 250 people including 45 foreigners.

b.     The emergency provisions give the military sweeping powers to act against fundamentalist organizations behind the attacks, which was claimed by Islamic state.

4.     President of Maldives Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his historic victory in general elections. 

5.     Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, the results further reaffirm Mr Modi's leadership of the world's largest democracy. 

a.      He said, together India and Israel will continue to strengthen the great friendship.

6.     Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli wished all success ahead to Mr. Narendra Modi and said, he looks forward to working closely with him.

7.     YSRCP chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy will take oath as Andhra Pradesh Chief Ministeron May 30.

a.      This comes amid trends showing YSRCP leading in 152 of 175 seats in the state's first assembly elections since its bifurcation.

8.     Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has won the state Assembly elections for a record 5th  time in a row. 

9.     Government think-tank NITI Aayog has proposed electrifying most motorbikes and scooters within next 6 to 8 years to curb pollution and reduce dependency on fossil fuels. 

10.                        Note : The cabinet had in February approved a scheme to spend $1.4 billion over three years to subsidise sales of electric and hybrid vehicles.

11. Jeff Bezos-led Amazon is close to winning a 7-year dispute over the '.amazon' domain name. 

a.      The Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation (ACTO), a group with member countries including Brazil backed the dispute. 

b.     The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) decided to proceed with designation requested by Amazon pending a 30-day period of public comment.

12.                       The total debt of state-run Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum rose 39% year-on-year to ₹1.42 lakh crore in FY19, its biggest rise in over a decade.

a.      The government is yet to fully clear ₹24,833-crore petroleum subsidy budgeted in FY19.

13. Japanese technology giant Sony has revealed it will stop selling its smartphones in several countries including India. 

a.      Sony added it presently considers Japan, Europe, Taiwan and Hong Kong as the "focus regions" for its smartphone business. 

14.                       Former PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi was presented with the Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Yale University, her alma mater, for her achievements in business.

15.                       The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), M/o Science and Technology and the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India today signed an MOU for supporting joint collaborative research programmes in the area of Cancer. 

16. The Director Generals of Assam Rifles and Indian Coast Guard signed a ‘Affiliation Charter’ between 3rd (Naga Hills) Battalion of Assam Rifles and Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Ship ‘Shaurya’ at a ceremony held at Laitkor, Shillong. 

a.      This MOU aims to enhance inter-armed forces cooperation between two and utilise each other’s assets for training and sports.

17.                       Gopal Shrestha, a 56-year-old from Nepal's Pokhara, today became the 1st HIV-infected climber to scale the world's highest peak, the Mount Everest.

18. Flight Lieutenant Bhawana Kanth has became the 1st woman pilot of the Indian Air Force to qualify to undertake missions by day on a fighter aircraft. 

a.      She completed the Day Operational syllabus on MiG-21 Bison.

b.     Bhawana joined the fighter squadron in 2017 and flew the first solo on MiG-21 Bison last year.

19.                       The Centre has cleared names of 4 judges for their elevation to the Supreme Court. 

a.      The four names cleared by the government are :

i)      Justices Aniruddha Bose

ii)    Justices AS Bopanna

iii) Justices B R Gavai 

iv) Justices Surya Kant

b)    With this, the top court will have its full sanctioned strength of 31 judges, including the Chief Justice.

20.                       Big Bash League (BBL) franchise Melbourne Stars today appointed former Australian batsman David Hussey as their Men's team head coach. 

a.      Hussey is going to replace Stephen Fleming.

21. South African lawmakers have re-elected Cyril Ramaphosa as the President of the country. 

a.      Ramaphosa will be sworn in on Saturday and name a deputy president and cabinet at the weekend.

22.                       Team India has reached London for the 2019 World Cup in England and Wales. 

a.      The 12th eidition of the Cricket World Cup is scheduled to be held during 30th May to 14th July 2019. 

b.     India will open their World Cup campaign on June 5 against South Africa, while they will face Pakistan on June 16. 

23. The The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has dropped the plan to include a total of 48 teams at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. 

a.      The 2022 edition will remain as originally planned with 32 teams. 

b.     FIFA said that following a "thorough and comprehensive consultation process" it was concluded that the "proposal could not be made now". 

c.      UEFA's head had earlier called the 48-team plan 'unrealistic'.

24. Pakistan's Nida Dar smashed a 20-ball fifty against South Africa in the fourth T20I to register the 2nd fastest fifty in women's T20Is. 

a.      Dar finished her innings with 75 runs off 37 balls, the highest ever T20I score by a Pakistani woman. 

b.     Note : India's Smriti Mandhana is the 1st woman to smash Fastest Fifty in Women’s T20 Cricket