International News Affairs
- Today (10th May) is World Migratory Bird Day.
- Theme of World Migratory Bird Day 2017 : “Their Future is our Future”
- The International Court of Justice, United Nations’ principal judicial organ, has stayed the hanging of ex-Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was given death sentence by Pakistan for spying.
- Note : Jadhav was arrested in March 2016 and the Pakistan court, that sentenced him, had described him as a Research and Analysis Wing agent who was undertaking counter-intelligence operation in Balochistan.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the Buddhist festival ‘Vesak Day’ (Buddha Jayanti)that commemorates birth, enlighten and death of Buddha at Sri Lanka during 12th to 14th May 2017.
- Important Points to Note :
- This will be Prime Minister Modi’s second visit to Sri Lanka since becoming the Prime Minister.
- Vesak is the most important day in the Buddhist calendar.
- This is the first time Sri Lanka will host the festival.
- The 29th India–Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) has commenced at Port Blair under the aegis of Andaman and Nicobar Command.
- The bilateral exercise is scheduled to be held from 9th to 25th
- This exercise aims to enhance mutual understanding and inter–operability between the two navies.
National News Affairs
- PM Narendra Modi today launched the Integrated Case Management Information System (ICMIS) to help the Supreme Court go paperless.
- This system will help litigants access data and retrieve information online.
- It will help bring transparency, reduce manipulation and help the litigant know about the progress of the case on a real time basis.
- Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has said the government-run district and rural hospitals in the state will soon provide free blood tests, X-rays, CT scans and other medical tests 24 hours a day.
- The tests will be outsourced to a private laboratory chain that would be reimbursed by the government for expenses incurred.
New Appointments
- Liberal Moon Jae-in has won South Korea’s presidential election, ending nearly a decade of conservative rule in the country.
- Moon, who secured 41.1% votes in early election triggered by ex-President Park Geun-hye’s impeachment, has vowed to achieve peace with North Korea, in contrast to the country’s current policy.
- After taking the oath of office, he declared his willingness to visit the nuclear-armed North Korea under right circumstances.
- Adi Godrej has handed over Godrej Group’s flagship firm Godrej Consumer Products to daughter
- Nisaba (39) is among the youngest women to head a large-sized Indian firm.
- Twitter has elevated Taranjeet Singh as its Country Director for India.
- Prior to this appointment, Singh was responsible for sales and marketing support for Twitter’s advertisers in India.
Awards & Honours
- Vikram Vishal, an IIT-Bombay Assistant Professor, has won the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) Medal for Young Scientists, 2017.
Banking, Business & Economic Affairs
- India is going to commence a 10,000-crore deep sea mission by the year end to explore mineral wealth beneath the Indian ocean floor, the Ministry of Earth Sciences announced today.
- The Exclusive Economic Zone allotted to India in the international waters will be covered under the mission.
- Oceans surrounding the Indian peninsula have over 1,300 islands with 7,500 km of coastline.
- Indian Railways subsidiary IRCTC is introducing Pay-on-Delivery option for buying train e-tickets, allowing users to pay at the time of ticket’s delivery to their home.
- The service will be available in over 600 cities and would be initially available five days before the departure date.
Science & Technology
- India will replace its Maitri station in Antarctica in next 3 to 4 years, the Ministry of Earth Sciences has announced today.
- The government is drafting laws to safeguard India’s interest in the cold continent, currently governed by international laws, said the ministry’s secretary.
- To expand India’s research in Antarctica, a new ship with ice-cutting facility would be procured, he added.
Current Sports Affairs
- South African cricket’s governing body Cricket South Africa has regained the right to bid for and host major tournaments after their changes met the government’s transformation criteria.
- The South African government had asked the board to include a minimum average of six players of colour, including two black Africans, in the South African squad over the course of the season.
- Indian women’s cricket team pacer Jhulan Goswami became the all-time leading wicket-taker in women’s ODI cricket after picking up her 181st wicket against the South African women’s team today.
- Goswami, who has featured in 153 ODIs for the Indian women’s team so far, went past Australia’s Cathryn Fitzpatrick, who had picked up 180 wickets in 109 matches.