(Current Affairs) National Events

National Events

Attorney-General to defend India in UNHRC (Free Available)
Turkey is keen on expanding defence industrial cooperation with India (Free Available)
Strict law will increase tax compliance says FM (Free Available)
Japan has selected former Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar for top honour (Free Available)
FICCI-India Sanitation Coalition prize to Aga khan foundation (Free Available)
Supreme court offered to set the stage for J&K talks (Free Available)
Maharastra govt to set up panel for welfare of transgenders (Free Available)
Tiny particles in polluted air can lead to heart attack (Free Available)
NITI Aayog says industry not doing enough to create jobs (Free Available)
India Sri Lanka to dicuss various important issues (Free Available)
India assured Nepal of all possible help for elections (Free Available)
No change in policy do deal with Naxals (Free Available)
India's longest bridge to come up over Brahmaputra river (Free Available)
All central universities to get free wi-fi (Free Available)
Govt examining the list of 51 names recommended by Collegium (Free Available)
Despite the increase of temp cases of H1N1 influenza increases (Free Available)
First underwater metro tunnel in the country inside the bed of Hoogly river (Only for Online Coaching Members)
PM says Civil servants should change with changing times (Only for Online Coaching Members)
SC refused to dwell on a petition seeking a judicial declaration on Kohinoor (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Land attack variant of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile testfired (Only for Online Coaching Members)
SC questioned the logic to make Aadhaar mandatory for filing income tax returns (Only for Online Coaching Members)
The government is exploring the possibility of allowing all petroleum products (Only for Online Coaching Members)
India has made a fresh request to the U.S. for the extradition of David Coleman (Only for Online Coaching Members)
India has made a 15th request to Pakistan for consular access (Only for Online Coaching Members)
India objects to Chinese arunachal move (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremsinghe will visit India (Only for Online Coaching Members)
The talks between India and the EU that were stalled (Only for Online Coaching Members)
States to be consulted on BC panel Bill (Only for Online Coaching Members)
ISRO invited scientists to suggest studies for a potential orbiter mission to Venus (Only for Online Coaching Members)
India is likely to get ‘normal’ monsoon rains according to Met Dept (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Australian 457 visa scheme scrapped (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Prime Minister Modi held talks with U.S. NSA (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Bharat Biotech to start the Phase I clinical trial of Zika virus vaccine (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Task force framed on a road map for decriminalisation of politics (Only for Online Coaching Members)
U.S. National Security Adviser Lt. General H.R. McMaster arrived in Delhi (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Union Home Ministry said it would introduce less lethal “plastic bullets” (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Supreme Court wants appearance of secretaries on issue of police vacancies (Only for Online Coaching Members)
China is set to launch its first cargo spacecraft (Only for Online Coaching Members)
U.S. National Security Adviser Lt. General H.R. McMaster arrived in Delhi (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Union Home Ministry said it would introduce less lethal “plastic bullets” (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Supreme Court wants appearance of secretaries on issue of police vacancies (Only for Online Coaching Members)
China is set to launch its first cargo spacecraft (Only for Online Coaching Members)
DST will be leading a Rs. 2,000-crore initiative to encourage more girls and women (Only for Online Coaching Members)
GST to effect the citizens in many ways (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Shia community wants AIMPLB to keep in mind the Quran, Shariyat and humanity (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Consular access for Kulbhushan Jadhav sought (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Second phase of operation clean money launched (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Finance minister wants personal laws should conform to constitutional rights(Only for Online Coaching Members)
SC puts Allahabad HC under scrutiny for long delays (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Islamic State tunnel complex in eastern Afghanistan had been hit by US (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Citizens have the right to access the Internet to gain information says SC(Only for Online Coaching Members)
India and France will step up negotiations to expand the Scorpene submarine (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Small entrepreneurs have raised some concerns over govt's proposal (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Veteran diplomats says India had various options for Kulbhushan Jadhav (Only for Online Coaching Members)
PSLV received double customers since Feb (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Curative petition filed by centre in AFSPA case (Only for Online Coaching Members)
National Lok Adalatsettled nearly 6.6 lakh cases in one day (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Budget session came to an end (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Telangana to check the genuineness of the academic certificates of its students (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Centre has no plans to grant Special Category Status to any State (Only for Online Coaching Members)
HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Bill passed by Parliament (Only for Online Coaching Members)
KEK completed the much-awaited ‘rolling-in’ of the Belle-II (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Govt will ask restaurants to specify the size of a meal (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Govt to allow the armed forces to buy several non-core items in the open market (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Australian PM says Australia will supply Uranium to India very soon (Only for Online Coaching Members)
SC questions those who use children as cover (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Survey of India started a web portal named Nakshefor maps (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Govt says polygamy is a social custom and not religious practice (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Lok Sabha cleared amendments to motor vehicles act (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Lok Sabha paved way for constitutional status for Backward classes commission (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Agreements in the fields of energy and defence between India and Bangladesh (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Govt is considering the introduction of a ‘no fly list’ (Only for Online Coaching Members)
CJI says parties should e kept accountable for unfulfilled promises (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Indo-Mongolian Joint Military Exercise Nomadic Elephant at vairengte (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Forest Advisory Committee imposed conditions on Ken-Betwa interlinking (Only for Online Coaching Members)
PM wants to provide quality and affordable healthcare (Only for Online Coaching Members)
IVRI in Bareilly in the process of collecting DNA samples of all wild animals (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Fact checking tag by google to fight fake news (Only for Online Coaching Members)
TRAI asked Reliance jio to withdraw summer surprise offer (Only for Online Coaching Members)
West Bengal government is not yet on board on sharing of Teesta waters (Only for Online Coaching Members)
About 6.4 million deaths worldwide was caused by smoking in 2015 (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Department of Science and Technology initiated Cyber Physical Systems programme (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Four Bills essential for the rollout of the Goods and Services Tax paased (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Kirti Chakra posthumously conferred on Lance Havildar Prem Bahadur (Only for Online Coaching Members)
China says visit of Dalai Lama severely damaged ties (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Govt clarified on deposits and withdrawal limits (Only for Online Coaching Members)
9 out of every 10 children aged 6-23 do not get an adequate diet in Bihar and Jharkhand (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Govt wants BC commission to get constitutional status (Only for Online Coaching Members)
India says it has sovereignty over Gilgit-Baltistan region (Only for Online Coaching Members)
New guidelines for accreditation of 30 lakh NGOs handed over to SC (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Union govt says Dalai lama’s visit is only religious (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Uttar Pradesh govt waived off loan worth rupees 31 thousand crores (Only for Online Coaching Members)
India rules out third party interference in Indo-Pak relations (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Indian youth is becoming modern in appearance but less modern in their thoughts (Only for Online Coaching Members)
IISc has been rated as the top higher educational institution of India (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Besides the loss of revenue lakhs of people could loose job due to SC order (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Six DU colleges made it to the list of top 10 educational institutions (Only for Online Coaching Members)
A global alliance of tech industry to fight fake news (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Defence Acquisition Council approved the purchase of Barak (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Centre has sought public opinion on proposed amendments to RTI Act (Only for Online Coaching Members)
PM made appeal to Kashmiri youth to leave terrorism (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Election commission says EVM’s are temper proof (Only for Online Coaching Members)
The government will soon launch the electoral bonds scheme (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Centre to bring law for proper maintenance of parents (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Election commission to buy next-generation EVMs (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Grassoline — a biofuel derived from grass that could one day power aircraft (Only for Online Coaching Members)
In a major crackdown, ED conducted searches on 300 shell companies (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Financial assistance of 3,000 crore from NDRF to Tamil Nadu and Karnataka (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Parity between military officers and their civilian counterparts to come (Only for Online Coaching Members)
China asked India to exercise “restraint” (Only for Online Coaching Members)
SC clarified its verdict on making National and State Highways liquor-free zones (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Anti-Romeo squad in UP asked to use only lawfull means (Only for Online Coaching Members)
SC ordered to declare children affected by HIV as a ‘disadvantaged group’ (Only for Online Coaching Members)
Scientists found an unusual approach of removing antibodies from the blood (Only for Online Coaching Members)

Attorney-General to defend India in UNHRC

India will highlight its “impartial” justice system when it sends its top law officer, Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi, to the Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Mr. Rohatgi will defend India’s case against allegations of violations in Jammu and Kashmir, torture, minority rights and recent strictures against NGOs.
Mr. Rohatgi said he would convey that the treatment of 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab and 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Yaqub Memon proves the Indian legal system’s “impartial” standards.
“These are two people who committed crimes against the state. They orchestrated, and were directly involved in, the massacre of hundreds of innocents, both Indian and foreign, in the heart of our financial capital.
Yet, both were tried impartially by a court of law, provided legal aid, were given every opportunity to appeal till the last stage even as their petitions for clemency were entertained at the highest level,” Mr. Rohatgi told.
In the run-up to the hearings at the UNHRC, held once in five years for every country, reports from governmental and non-governmental agencies from other countries in the 47-member council, including from the U.S.
Congress and civil society groups, and international agencies, have been sought.
Sweden and Spain have asked for the government to explain its stand on homosexuality rights and the repeal of Article 377 that criminalises same-sex relationships.
The Attorney General, who will respond to the questions during a four-hour session in Geneva, said he would speak about constitutionally-mandated protections to minorities in India.

Turkey is keen on expanding defence industrial cooperation with India

Turkey is keen on expanding defence industrial cooperation with India and will offer its armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) during the upcoming visit of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Turkey’s support to Pakistan on Kashmir at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation was likely to continue.
Turkey said the areas of cooperation were aviation, space and ammunition, etc.
On Pakistan’s continued support to cross-border terrorism and Kashmir, he said the issue was for the two countries to discuss.

Strict law will increase tax compliance says FM

Union Finance Minister said the fear of consequences owing to strict and expeditious enforcement of law would ensure that as India evolved from a developing to a developed economy, it would be a highly tax compliant society.
Advocating use of technology for detecting evasion, Mr. Jaitley said the Enforcement Directorate should expeditiously use the penalising powers to deal with any non-compliance, particularly money laundering.
“Full compliance in taxation and currency laws has always been one of the features of developed states. If you go to the developed world, violations are rare.
Those who violate are strictly called upon and are answerable to the law and there are very strict penal consequences,” Mr. Jaitleysaid.
Mr. Jaitley said over the years, in India, non-compliance was never considered a moral wrong, it was rather considered smart.
“Non-compliance has hit the larger public and national interest,” he said, adding that compliance would help generate funds for development in various sectors.

Japan has selected former Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar for top honour

The Japanese government has selected former Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar for the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun , in recognition of his achievements in bolstering India-Japan ties.
Indians who have in the past received the Decoration — conferred in recognition of distinguished accomplishments— include industrialist Ratan N. Tata.
Dr. Kumar served as the Special Envoy of former PM Manmohan Singh to Japan during the visit of the Emperor and Empress of Japan to India in December 2013, “and significantly contributed to the success of the visit.”

FICCI-India Sanitation Coalition prize to Aga khan foundation

The Aga Khan Foundation has bagged an award for implementing a development model that aims at improving access to water and sanitation for marginalised communities across urban and rural areas of the country.
The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) of the prestigious foundation received the FICCI-India Sanitation Coalition prize for the initiative that seeks to contribute towards building an open-defecation free India by 2019 under the ‘Swachh Bharat’ mission.
The initiative aims at improving access to water and sanitation for marginalised communities across urban and rural India, including helping 1,00,000 families and 538 schools, as well as building toilets in the States of Bihar,
Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh.
The integrated block-level sanitation model is being piloted in rural Bihar.

Supreme court offered to set the stage for J&K talks

Even as the Supreme Court offered to set the stage for peace talks between influential voices in Kashmir and the Centre to facilitate the return of normality to the Valley.
The government put its foot down, saying it will not break bread with secessionist forces and cannot brook the risk of withdrawing security forces from the sensitive border State.\
Appearing before a Bench led by CJI J.S. Khehar, Attorney-General Mukul said the government cannot negotiate with separatists. The Centre said it would “absolutely” not entertain any talks of azadi with these leaders.
Mr. Rohatgi read portions of submissions filed in court by petitioners, suggesting the route to peace in Kashmir would be for talks between India and Pakistan. He pointed to how the petitioners felt that even the accession of Jammu and Kashmir was “controversial.”
The court asked the stakeholders in Kashmir to “take two steps back” as a resolution can be initiated only if there are no stones and pellets fired on the streets of Kashmir.

Maharastra govt to set up panel for welfare of transgenders

The Maharashtra government will soon set up an executive committee under the ministry of Women and Child Welfare to activate functioning of Transgender Welfare Board, conceptualised in 2014.
The government will implement Central schemes for welfare of the transgenders through this committee, Women and Child Welfare Minister said.

Tiny particles in polluted air can lead to heart attack

Tiny particles in polluted air can travel from the lungs into our bloodstream and increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke, a new study warns.
Nanoparticles in air pollution have been associated with cardiovascular disease, which can lead to premature death. However, how particles inhaled into the lungs can affect blood vessels and the heart has remained a mystery.
Scientists have found that inhaled nanoparticles can travel from the lungs into the bloodstream, potentially explaining the link between air pollution and cardiovascular disease.
The World Health Organisation estimates that in 2012, about 72% of premature deaths related to outdoor air pollution were due to ischemic heart disease and strokes.
Pulmonary disease, respiratory infections and lung cancer were linked to the other 28%.

NITI Aayog says industry not doing enough to create jobs

Industry should take responsibility for the failure to create adequate jobs in India in recent years, NITI Aayog vice-chairman Arvind Panagariya said in a brusque response to a query about the Centre’s strategy for job creation.
Mr. Panagariya said: “I am sorry you are asking the wrong question. What is industry doing on this? Government makes policies. Why is it that no industrialist thinks of the 500 million workers in our abundant workforce at a relatively low wage level.”
“I understand you will naturally go for profits. But if jobs is a big issue, why doesn’t the industry act?” he said.

India Sri Lanka to dicuss various important issues

Sri Lankan Prime Minister is set to announce several MoUs on developing energy and infrastructure projects in Trincomalee and fast-tracking negotiations for an upgraded free trade agreement — the Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA).
Mr. Wickremesinghe, whose visit is expected to confirm a number of agreements to be announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka from May 12 to 14, will meet Mr. Modi, Sushma Swaraj, Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari.
Indian Govt hoped to see the agreement on the Trinco Oil storage and the development of infrastructure — highways, power plants, a refinery and an SEZ — around the key port town of Trincomalee to be wrapped up.
Oil union workers in Colombo went on a strike against the planned MoU with India for 84 tanks in the Trincomalee upper oil tank farm, of which Sri Lanka is keen to retain at least 10 for use by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation.
The unions called off the strike that hit fuel supplies in the country on Monday, but claim they have an assurance that their concerns over leasing the tanks to India will be taken into consideration before any announcement is made.
Commerce Ministry said India had sent a team to Sri Lanka recently to make presentations on the benefits of widening the FTA and had formally asked the government for a list of perceived “non-tariff barriers” that businessmen were complaining about.

India assured Nepal of all possible help for elections

PM Modi assured his Nepali counterpart of “all possible help” in organising the three-phase election — covering covering local, provincial and central levels — that will begin in the Himalayan country on May 14.
The PM’s statement, which indicates a softening of official policy towards Nepal’s democratic process, came two days after Madhesi agitators agreed to participate in the elections.
The breakthrough was achieved after two days of consultations between the Madhesis and the government. This comes after Mr. Dahal received a financial package from Beijing.