1. Japanese JCSAT-14 Satellite launched by SpaceX

a) Japanese Communication satellite JCSAT – 14 was successfully launched by SpaceX of their Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

b) The JCSAT-14 was designed from last 15 years and needed to be placed into geosynchronous orbit at an altitude of 22,000 miles.

c) It was created by SKY Perfect JSAT Group which is the largest satellite operator in Asia. This satellite was specifically designed for communication purpose which will provide television and communication services.

d) With this launch, SpaceX has successfully launched its 4th satellite in 2016.

2. MoU signed between New Development Bank of BRICS & ICICI

a) A memorandum of understanding was signed between ICICI Bank & the New Development Bank of the BRICS group. This MoU is to establish a strategic partnership and cooperation in the areas like bond issuances, co-financing, treasury management & human resources.

b) With this MoU, NDB will be able to leverage the deep market access and insight of ICICI bank in India’s financial markets.

c) It will also benefit NDB at tapping the rupee denominated bonds in all the markets. Both the banks can collaborate in the fund development project in India.

3. Pakistan Grabbed Asian Kabaddi Championship Cup 2016

a) 2016 Asian Kabaddi Championship (circle style) won by the defending champion Pakistan at Wah Cantonment in Pakistan.

b) Pakistani team defeated Indian team by 19 points in the final. In the finals Pakistan achieved 50 points against Indian’s 31 points in total.

c) With this win, Pakistan has grabbed their 2nd title successively after winning the 2012 finals.

d) Teams of India, Iran, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka & Pakistan participated in the third edition of this tournament organised by Pakistan Kabaddi Federation (PKF).

4. Mickey Arthur appointed as Pakistan’s head coach

a) Mickey Arthur will succeed previous Pakistani Cricket Team coach Waqar Younis from May 2016. Pakistan Cricket Board has appointed South African Cricket player Mickey Arthur as a new head coach for Pakistan Cricket team. He was recommended by a PCB panel comprising of Wasim Akram, Faisal Mirza & Ramiz Raja.

b) Mickey has served as a coach for South Africa from 2005 to 2010 & Australia from 2011 to 2013.

c) He played in South African domestic cricket for almost 15 years before starting his career as a coach. Under his command, South African team grabbed the first test series against English team in over 40 years in 2008.

d) He has also coached various cricket franchises like Jamaica Tallawahs, Dhaka Dynamites and Karachi Kings.

5. Beef possession in Maharashtra decriminalised by Bombay High Court

a) Bombay High Court has recently decriminalized the possession of beef in Maharashtra. The Bombay High Court also struck down the section 5D & 9B of the Animal Preservation Act.

b) Justice A S Oka & Justice S C Gupte also upheld the validity of the Section 5(c) which prohibits the beef possession in Maharashtra. The court considered that criminalization of possession of beef contradicts the right to privacy of the citizens.

c) The court referred these amendments as unconstitutional and further noted that only conscious possession of the meat of the animals slaughtered in the state will be held as offence. So, now it’s the state’s duty to prove the violation of the law but not the individual’s.

d) The bench further remarked that the state is not allowed to intrude in any citizen’s home and prevent him from possessing and eating food of his own choice.

6. Enda Kenny becomes Prime Minister of Ireland for the 2nd time.

a) The current Taoiseach (Prime Minister of Ireland) Enda Kenny has been re-elected as the Prime Minister of Ireland for his 2nd term.

b) He is the member of the Fine Gael Party in Ireland who received 59 votes in his favour and 4 votes against him. Though his party won, but fell short for the votes required to become a majority. Enda Kenny will lead the minority Fine Gael government during his 2nd term.

c) He is the first Fine Gael prime minister who was re-elected as an Irish Prime Minister.

d) Ireland’s 2nd largest party Fianna Fail has backed the three budget cycles programme of Fine Gael government. Fine Gael party will form a government with the support of Fianna Fail party and independent members.

7. Joint water patrols formed by Indonesia, Malaysia & Philippines

a) Indonesia, Malaysia & the Philippines have agreed to conduct joint water sea patrols and to establish a hotline to combat piracy and kidnappings in the waters common to these countries.

b) This agreement was signed between the officials of these three countries in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. These agreement was signed due to the recent kidnappings of 10 Indonesian sailors in the southwestern Philippines by a militant group called Abu Sayyaf.

c) Along the Sulu & Celebes seas, the maritime borders of this three nations meet, through which 55 million tonnes of goods and around 18 million people pass each year.

d) Abu Sayyaf, a militant group based in and around Jolo and Basilan islands was founded by Abdurajik Abubakar Janjalani.

e) This group was previously in the news during the Philippines worst terrorist attack in 2004 where the Superferry 14 of Philippines was bombed that killed 116 people.

8. Canada Govt declares emergency due to Alberta Wildfire

a) Canadian government has declared the state of emergency in the city of Fort McMurray of Alberta province due to the massive wildfire that destroyed the area.

b) Fort McMurray is the main centre of the Alberta province’s main oil sand region. Due to the wildfire, the province has seen the biggest evacuation of people (around 80,000) in it’s history.

c) The fire which broke out on 1st of May has destroyed around 1,600 houses till date. Around 250 firefighters assisted by helicopters and air tankers are still fighting the wildfire.

9. Parashar Kulkarni won the 2016 commonwealth Short Story Prize for Asia Region

a) The Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2016 for the Asia region was bagged by Yale University Assistant Professor Parashar Kulkarni. He was awarded for his political short fiction named as ‘Cow & Company’.

b) His story talks about four men in search a cow. It also narrates the contemporary cultural and commercial interests in indian society.

c) The other four winners of this prize are,

. Faraaz Mahomed – ‘The Pigeon’ with its playful tone and unreliable narrator

. Stephanie Seddon – Eel, a simply told and moving story of childhood

. Lance Dowrich – comedic ‘Ethelbert and the Free Cheese’

. Tina Makereti – ‘Black Milk’, which impressed with a lyricism that takes the reader into another world while keeping them always on earth

d) Also, some previously shortlisted indian authors for this price are,

. Kritika Pandey for Dirty White Strings

. Sumit Ray for Girdhars Mansion

. Vinayak Varma for Instant Karma

10. ICGS Shaurya, an Offshore patrol vessel launched

a) An Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Shaurya was recently launched by Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) at Vasco.

b) Shourya is the 5th in the series of six offshore patrol vessels (OPVs). Governor of Goa, Mridula Sinha launched this 105 metre new generation OPV. It will be commissioned into the service of indian Coast Guard from 2017.

c) Powered by twin diesel engine, Shorya is capable of 23 knots speed and has a range of 6,000 nautical miles. It has the integrated machinery control system and integrated bridge system.

d) The ship will be useful for search and rescue operations, pollution control and external firefighting.

11. Recommendations submitted by H R Nagendra Committee on Yoga education in universities

a) The H R Nagendra Committee on Yoga education in universities has recommended 7 new programmes for implementation in universities.

b) This committee was formed by the Union government in January 2017 which was headed by H R Nagendra (chancellor of Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana in Bengaluru).

c) The committee recommended to identify new programmes in Yogic arts & sciences offered at Certificate, Diploma, Degree, Postgraduate Degree/Postgraduate Diploma and Research levels. The Syllabus for NET in Yogic Arts & Sciences should be prescribed.

d) Student’s eligibility qualifications to join these courses should be determined. Upgradation of Yoga departments in Universities should be done and these departments should be developed as the departments of Yogic Arts & Sciences.

e) The seven recommended courses by this committee are, Certificate Course in Yoga (CCY) of 6 to 12 months duration, Bachelors of Science (Yoga)-BSc.(Yoga) of 3 to 6 years, Post Graduate Diploma in Yoga (PGDY) of 1 to 2 years, Post Graduate Diploma in Yoga Therapy(PGDYT) of 1 to 2 years, Masters of Science (MSc.)- Yoga of 2 years to 4 years, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)-Yoga of 3 to 5 years, Doctor of Philosophy (Integrated)- Yoga of 4 to 6 years.

12. Niryat Shree and Niryat Bandhu awards conferred

a) The 15th edition of Federation of Export Organization (FIEO) Niryat Shree & Niryat Bandhu awards were conferred in new Delhi.

b) The awards were conferred by the Indian President Pranab Mukherjee on the occasion of Golden Jubilee celebrations of Federation of Indian Export Organization.

c) The Reliance Industries were considered as the top foreign exchange earners and leading exporters in last 50 years.

d) The Gold award in IT services was bagged by TCS. SBI received the gold award whereas Canara Bank & Punjab National bank received the Silver & Bronze awards respectively.