Current Affairs Update – 21st May, 2016

Hello and welcome to exampundit. Here are the important Current Affairs of 21st May, 2016. These are important for the upcoming UIIC AO 2016, SBI PO & SBI Clerk 2016 Mains Exams.

Current Affairs at a Glance – 21st May, 2016

  1. India and Central European country Slovenia
    on 17 May 2016 signed a protocol to amend an existing double taxation avoidance treaty in
    Ljubljana. This new agreement will curb tax avoidance and tax evasion.
  2. Union Health Minister on 20 May
    2016 launched the ‘Kayakalp Fortnight’
    at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. It
    has to be observed from the date of launch to 3 June 2016 throughout the
    country in various Central Government hospitals.
  3. The term Medicines with the Red Line was in news on 19 May 2016 as the
    campaign was appreciated by the Global Review on Antimicrobial Resistance
    .
  4. The 27th edition of the India-Indonesian
    CORPAT
    (Coordinated Patrol)
    concluded on 19 May 2016 in Belawan, Indonesia.
  5. The US House of Representatives on 20 May 2016 gave its nod to a bipartisan
    legislation to improve defence ties with India
    . In this regard, an
    amendment to the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) was approved by the
    House. The amendment is dubbed as ‘Enhancing
    Defence and Security Co-operation with India
    ’.
  6. Anurag Thakur is set to be unanimously
    elected as the BCCI’s youngest President
    in the Board’s Special
    General Meeting (SGM) here tomorrow, replacing Shashank Manohar who quit the
    position to take up the ICC chief’s job.
  7. Transport Minister of Turkey Binali Yildirim on 20 May 2016 emerged as the country’s Prime
    Minster. He was named as the prime minister after he was formally chosen for
    the post in a closed vote.
  8. A team of scientists on 18 May
    2016 successfully tested hypersonic superjet technology as part of the Hypersonic
    International Flight Research Experimentation (HIFiRE) program
    . As
    part of the test, scramjet attached to a rocket booster was successfully sent
    to an altitude of 278 km at Mach 7.5 (seven times the speed of sound).
Finance –
India and Slovenia sign Protocol amending India-Slovenia Double
Taxation Avoidance Convention

  • India and Central European
    country Slovenia on 17 May 2016 signed a protocol to amend an existing double
    taxation avoidance treaty in Ljubljana. This new agreement will curb tax
    avoidance and tax evasion.
  • The protocol was signed by Indian
    ambassador to Slovenia Sarvajit Chakravarti, and Slovenian Finance Minister
    Dusan Mramor on behalf of Slovenia.

About India and Slovenia Protocol
  • This agreement will widen the
    scope of the existing framework of exchange of tax related information.
  • The framework is likely to help
    curb tax evasion and tax avoidance between the two countries.
  • It will also enable mutual
    assistance in collection of taxes.

India –
Kayakalp Fortnight initiative launched at AIIMS New Delhi by JP Nadda

  • Union Health Minister on 20 May
    2016 launched the ‘Kayakalp Fortnight’ at All India Institute of Medical
    Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. It has to be observed from the date of launch to 3
    June 2016 throughout the country in various Central Government hospitals.
  • The aim of the Kayakalp Fortnight
    is to intensify Kayakalp initiative under the Swachch Bharat Abhiyaan.
  • Under the initiative, various
    activities towards cleanliness will be undertaken during the fortnight.
  • As part of it senior officers of
    the Ministry will be inspecting various Central Hospitals in the country to
    take stock of the existing status and to intensify the Swachhta drive.

India lauded for Medicines with the Red Line campaign on antibiotics

  • The term Medicines with the Red
    Line was in news on 19 May 2016 as the campaign was appreciated by the Global
    Review on Antimicrobial Resistance.
  • The review was commissioned by
    the UK Prime Minister David Cameron in 2014 and chaired by economist Jim
    O’Neil.
  • As per the review, India led the
    way so far with its idea of a ‘Red Line Campaign’ for antibiotics packaging.

27th India-Indonesia CORPAT concludes in Belawan

  • The 27th edition of the
    India-Indonesian CORPAT (Coordinated Patrol) concluded on 19 May 2016 in
    Belawan, Indonesia.
  • The closing ceremony Belawan saw
    the two navies conducting interactive session on measures to enhance
    inter-operability.
  • The 27th CORPAT was conducted
    from 29 April to 19 May 2016.

Key highlights of closing ceremony of 27th CORPAT
  • The closing ceremony was held
    from 16 May to 19 May 2016.
  • Indian Naval Ship Karmuk entered
    Belawan harbour on 16 May 2016 with the Senior Officer Commodore Girish Kumar
    Garg.
  • The ship was escorted by
    Indonesia Navy ship KRI Imam Bonjol into the harbour.
  • The first woman IFS officer from
    Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dr Shalia Shah, Counsul General of India in Medan
    (Indonesia), was present to receive the Port Blair based ship.

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US House of Representatives gave nod to bolster defence ties with India
on par with NATO

  • The US House of Representatives
    on 20 May 2016 gave its nod to a bipartisan legislation to improve defence ties
    with India.
  • In this regard, an amendment to
    the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) was approved by the House. The
    amendment is dubbed as ‘Enhancing Defence and Security Co-operation with
    India’.

Outcomes of the legislation
  • The legislation, once approved by
    the Senate and the President, will bring the country’s bilateral relations with
    India on par with its NATO allies and Israel.
  • It seeks to promote greater
    defence trade and encourage additional military cooperation between the United
    States and India.
  • The legislation is primarily
    aimed at easing restrictions on sale of defence equipment and technology
    transfer to India.
  • It encourages the executive
    branch to designate an official to focus on US-India defence cooperation.

Appointments –
Anurag Thakur set to become youngest BCCI President

  • Anurag Thakur is set to be
    unanimously elected as the BCCI’s youngest President in the Board’s Special
    General Meeting (SGM) here tomorrow, replacing Shashank Manohar who quit the
    position to take up the ICC chief’s job.
  • Thakur, who resigned as the
    Secretary of the Board, got the signatures of all six east zone units in his
    BCCI presidential nomination form as he completed the formalities in presence
    of former India captain and CAB president Sourav Ganguly here.
  • Just to show solidarity, all the
    six east units, Cricket Association of Bengal, Assam CA, Tripura CA, NCC and
    Jharkhand SCA signed his nomination papers even though the rules require only
    one unit to nominate the name for presidential candidate.

Binali Yildirim set to become Prime Minister of Turkey

  • Transport Minister of Turkey
    Binali Yildirim on 20 May 2016 emerged as the country’s Prime Minster. He was
    named as the prime minister after he was formally chosen for the post in a
    closed vote.
  • He will be the sole candidate for
    the Justice and Development Party (AKP) leadership at a special party congress
    on 22 May 2016.
  • He will succeed Ahmet Davutoglu,
    who earlier stepped down from the post following an increasing public rift with
    Erdogan.
  • The AKP will hold the special
    congress to elect a new leader on 22 May 2016.

World –
HIFiRE hypersonic superjet technology successfully tested in Australia

  • A team of scientists on 18 May
    2016 successfully tested hypersonic superjet technology as part of the
    Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation (HIFiRE) program.
  • As part of the test, scramjet
    attached to a rocket booster was successfully sent to an altitude of 278 km at
    Mach 7.5 (seven times the speed of sound).
  • The test was conducted in the
    world’s largest land-based testing range in Woomera, South Australia.

Features of HIFiRE program
  • It is one of the largest
    collaborative research programs between Australia and the USA.
  • It aims to explore the
    fundamental science of hypersonics and the potential for next generation
    aeronautical systems.
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