Current Affairs May – 21, 2017 – Government Finalises Defence policy for bigger role of Private Sector

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Government Finalises Defence policy for bigger role of Private Sector:

    The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) finalised the broad contours of a long-term strategic partnership with the Indian private sector in defence manufacturing.

The DAC is the top decision-making body on defence procurement, chaired by Defence Minister Arun Jaitley.

Madhya Pradesh to devise Happiness Index:

    Madhya Pradesh Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIT-Kharagpur (the only institute to have a Happiness Centre) for developing state Happiness Index. World Happiness Index 2017 India 122nd spot.

The State government had, in July last year, set up the Anand Mantralaya or the Ministry of Happiness, with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan as its first “happiness minister”.

BJD to launch ‘Ama Gaon, Ama Vikas’ programme:

Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal party president Naveen Patnaik will launch the “Ama Gaon, Ama Vikas” (our village, our development) programme starting from July 1,

97-year-old woman to participate in yoga meet:

1. Nanammal, probably the oldest woman yoga instructor in India, will participate in the International Yoga Celebrations (from June 15 to 21), being organised by the S.K.S.D. Group of Educational Institutions at Tanuku in Andhra Pradesh.

The 97-year-old is likely to deliver a lecture and teach some ‘asanas’ during the celebrations. Another yoga expert, Jyothsnavi, who can perform 1,600 ‘asanas’ in an hour. She won gold medal in the International Yoga Competitions 2016 held in Vietnam.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Rijiju for Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) Mexico meet:

    An Indian delegation led by Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju is participating in the five day Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) summit being held in Cancun, Mexico.

The GPDRR is a global forum for strategic advice, coordination, partnership development and review of progress in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, which was adopted at the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction held in March 2015 in Sendai, Japan.

Donald Trump signs $110 billion arms deal:

    Donald Trump has signed the largest arms deal in history with Saudi Arabia worth of $110 Billion.

    The President confirmed he had signed a weapons deal with the Saudis worth $109.7 billion, predicted to grow to a $380 billion Saudi investment within 10 years, during his first trip abroad since his Inauguration.

Awards & Achievements

Environmentalist Purnima Devi Barman wins Green Oscar:

    Guwahati, Assam’s renowned environmentalist Purnima Devi Barman has won the prestigious Whitley Awards, also known as the Green Oscars received from Princess Royal Anne, for her efforts in conserving greater adjutant storks (The greater adjutant is a huge bird).

She has been working with Dadara, Pachariya and Hingimari villages of Kamrup district to save the greater adjutant stork, locally known as ‘Haargila’ in Assam.

Nepali woman scales Mount Everest with anti-trafficking message:

Kanchhi Maya Tamang is the first Tamang woman from Nepal to scale the 8,848-metre peak. She believed if she raised a slogan from the world’s highest peak she would be heard. Her message: ‘Fight Against Human Trafficking’.

Anshu Jamsenpa scales Mt Everest twice within five days:

The mountaineer from Arunachal Pradesh had reached the top of Mt Everest. Jamsenpa set the world record for becoming the first woman climber to reach the top of Mt Everest twice within five days. She is also the first Indian woman to reach the top of Mt Everest for the fifth time. The 32-year-old had achieved the feat of summiting Mt Everest twice within 10 days in 2011.

Historical Events of the day

Anti Terrorism Day is observed across India on 21 May:

Martyrdom of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, also known as Anti Terrorism Day is observed across India on 21 May. The date so chosen is to commemorate the death anniversary of one of the most eminent Prime Ministers of India, Shri Rajiv Gandhi (20 August 1944 – 21 May 1991).

SPORTS

Vidit and Vaishali bag bronze medals:

    Vidit Gujrathi and R. Vaishali did India proud by winning the bronze at the Asian chess championship at Chengdu, China.

Chinese Wang Hao and Vietnamese woman Kim Phung clinch the title of Asian chess championship.

German policewoman to become first female referee in Europe’s top leagues:

A 38-year-old German policewoman Bibiana Steinhaus will next season become the first female referee in Europe’s top leagues after she was promoted to officiate in the Bundesliga.

Alexander Sascha Zverev became the youngest Masters Series finalist:

Alexander Sascha Zverev became the youngest Masters Series finalist in 10 years when he beat American veteran John Isner at the Italian Open.

    Zverev, at 20, is the youngest on the ATP Tour since Novak Djokovic won Miami in 2007 at the age of 19.