Important Current Affairs Of May 12,2016

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF MAY 12,2016

• US President Barack Obama will visit Hiroshima during a trip to Japan and Vietnam later in May.
• This will be the first visit to Hiroshima by a serving US President. 
• Note : The atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945 killed 1,40,000 people 
• 9 Nepalese Sherpas on 11th May conquered Mount Everest, becoming the first climbers to scale the mountain in two years after a series of deadly disasters.
• This was the first successful expedition to Everest since the deadly avalanche in 2014 that killed 16 Sherpa mountain guides.
• On 11th May  is National Technology Day.
• This day is observed in India to mark Indian technological advancement.
• The day, May 11, has been declared  National Technology Day by the Indian Government in order to commemorate the history of India's technological capability and expertise.
• On this day in the year 1998, India successfully tested 5 nuclear powered bombs in Pokhran, Rajasthan, to demonstrate its defence capability, which is regarded as one of the significant moments of Indian history.
• On this day in the year 1999, the first indigenous aircraft 'Hansa-3' was test flown at Bangalore.
• Theme of National Technology Day 2016 : Technology enablers of Startup India
• Congress' Harish Rawat has won the floor test held in the Uttarakhand Assembly on 11th May, receiving 33 of the 61 qualified members' votes. 
• Now Rawat can take charge as the state's Chief Minister. 
• Meanwhile, the Centre announced that it will lift President's Rule, which was imposed in the state on March 27.
• Inaugurating Krishi Mahotsav ON 10th May, Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel announced the 'Agri Business Policy-2016'. 
• It is aimed at increasing farmers' income by strengthening agriculture-related infrastructure and promoting the food processing industry. 
• The policy announced subsidies for food processing projects and loans for those wanting to establish food processing units.
• The Delhi Police will soon set up a "deradicalisation" centre, which would track down youth being radicalised through social media and provide them with counselling.
• Nagaland has became the first state in the Northeast to introduce afinancial literacy course through the National Stock Exchange (NSE) in schools. 
• The curriculum includes topics like income and expenditure, financial planning and money management. 
• The course would help inculcate in students the habit of financial management and ultimately lead to country's economic growth.
• The government on 11th May said it has initiated the process to amend Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Ads) Act to bring Ayush medicines under its purview in order to check misleading advertisements. 
• The amendments seek to bring the traditional medicine systems like Yoga and Ayurveda under the purview of the law, which makes giving out misleading advertisements a cognizable offence.
• The first AIIMS-like institution for Ayurveda will be inaugurated in Delhiwithin three months, to popularise the Indian system of medicine, the Government announced on 11th May. 
• The All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) will also have a 200-bed hospital.
• Uttar Pradesh has been awarded as India's best destination for culture, while Jordan is the top international choice in the category in the Lonely Planet Magazine India Travel Awards 2016. 
• While Jammu and Kashmir was adjudged the winner in the 'Romance' category, Himachal Pradesh won the award in the 'Adventure' category. 
• Further, Nagaland was awarded as India's Best Emerging Destination.
• Madhya Pradesh Tourism (MPT) received the Best Indian Destination for Wildlife Award. 
• The award was presented by the Lonely Planet Group.
• India and Mauritius signed a pact to amend the Double Taxation Avoidance Convention. 
• It will give India rights to tax capital gains from the sale of shares in India by companies registered in Mauritius from April 2017. 
• The Indian Navy on 11th May retired the Sea Harrier aircraft of the Indian Naval Air Squadron (INAS 300) at a function aboard the INS Hansa in Goa. 
• Inducted in 1983, these will be replaced with the new MiG-29Ks. 
• Indian Navy has launched the state-of-the-art Harbour Defence Systems, viz.,Integrated Underwater Harbour Defence and Surveillance System (IUHDSS) and Mine Warfare Data Centre (MWDC) which would enhance the Navy’s surveillance capability and response to security threats at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam yesterday.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced that it will shortly issue banknotes of ₹1,000 denomination with inset letter ‘R’ in both the number panels. 
• The banknotes will also have on the obverse, all other security features, including ascending size of numerals, bleed lines and enlarged identification mark, while the year of printing ‘2016’ will be printed on the reverse, the RBI said.
• Government body National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority has fixed the ceiling price of 54 drug formulations including those for the treatment of cancer and diabetes. 
• Further, the retail price of 11 drugs has also been fixed. 
• Reportedly, the government fixes the prices of essential drugs based on the average of all medicines in a particular segment having sales of over 1%.
• India is currently developing infrastructure projects worth $5 billion in theSouth Asian region to improve connectivity, Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das said on 11th May. 
• The projects include road corridors connecting India with Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan through West Bengal, and India-Myanmar through Manipur.
• Note : India is also assisting the countries with power projects.
• The inter-ministerial Telecom Commission has approved a proposal to improve communication facilities in Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar Islands (ANI). 
• Under the project, a submarine optic fibre cable will be laid between Chennai and Port Blair, and to five other ANI islands. 
• At least ₹880.03 crore is expected to be spent from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) on this.
• Amazon has on 11th May launched its online video service, called Amazon Video Direct, that lets users post videos to its website and earn through advertising, royalties and other sources. 
• The service will make the content available to rent, own or view for free with ads. 
• This move puts the company in direct competition with Google-owned YouTube.
• As per data given by the government in the parliament, India's per capita electricity consumption in 2015-16 is approximately 1,075 Kilo Watt Hours (kWh). 
• This is the lowest among BRICS nations. 
• The world average per capita electricity consumption in 2013 was 3,026 kWh while India's per capita in 2013-14 was just 957, less than 1/3rd of the world average.
• ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company has appointed Sankaran Narenas a Director.
• Senior advocate of Bombay High Court Atma Ram Nadkarni was appointed as Additional Solicitor General (ASG).