Daily Current Affairs 08 May 2019: We have collected the latest current affairs for 08 May 2019 that are important for all competitive exams like bank, ssc, ibps, sbi exams. The GK current affairs will help you score more in these competitive exams. Improve your general knowledge with our daily online current affairs. You can also read the current affairs on our mobile app.
Current Affairs 08 May 2019
SEBI allows foreign portfolio investors to invest in municipal bonds
- Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has announced that Foreign portfolio investors can now invest in municipal bonds.
- Recently Reserve Bank of India permitted FPIs to invest in municipal bonds as a measure to broaden access of nonresident investors to debt instruments.
- The limits for FPI investment in municipal bonds is 2 percent of outstanding stock of securities.
India Re-elected As Observer to Inter-Governmental Forum Arctic Council
- India has been re-elected as an observer country to inter-governmental forum Arctic Council on May 7 during the 11th Arctic Council ministerial meeting at Rovaniemi, Finland.
- It was given the observer status in the year 2013.
- The Arctic Council is a high-level intergovernmental forum to address issues faced by the Arctic governments and the indigenous people of the Arctic.
- The Council has eight member namely Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States
- As of now, there are thirteen non-Arctic states having Observer status in Arctic Council
UN Re-Elects India’s Jagjit Pavadia To International Narcotics Control Board
- Jagjit Pavadia has been re-elected for a five-year term on International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) by the 54-member UN Economic and Social Council on May 7, 2018
- She will begin her second five-year term from 2nd March, 2020.
- Ms Pavadia was elected for the first five year term on INCB in 2015 and her current term is set to expire in 2020.
- Jagjit Pavadia, member of the Indian Revenue Service is a former Narcotics Commissioner of India.
Two Indians among 115 UN Peacekeepers Honored for Sacrifice in Line of Duty
- 115 UN peacekeepers from 43 different nations who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty have been honoured by the global organisation United Nations on May 6.
- The list also includes two Indians namely Jitender Kumar and Shikha Garg.
- All these 115 Peacekeepers lost their lives in the service of peace between January 2018 and March 2019.
- An Indian police officer, Jitender Kumar served in the UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).
- Shikha Garg was United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) consultant attached with India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Se was killed in the Ethiopian Airlines plane crash.
Team Representing India Wins Microsoft’s Imagine Cup Asia Championship 2019
- A team of three students from India has emerged the first runner-up in Microsoft’s prestigious Imagine Cup World Championship 2019 held in Seattle. Called as Team Caeli, the Indian team won the first position in the Asia Region.
- The trio including Aakash Bhadana, Vasu Kaushik and Bharat Sundal won the second prize for their innovative smart automated anti-pollution and drug delivery mask named “Caeli” at the World Championship.
- Caeli is the world’s first smart automated anti-pollution and drug delivery mask for asthmatic and chronic respiratory patients.
- The championship was won by the Team EasyGlucose from the United States.
- Imagine Cup is organised every year by Microsoft to empower computer science students to use their innovative ideas to create applications that solve some of the world’s toughest challenges.
N. R. Madhava Menon, Father of Modern Legal Education, Passes Away
- Prof N.R. Madhava Menon (Neelakanta Ramakrishna Madhava Menon), an educationist, scholar and the pioneering spirit behind modern legal education in India passed away. He was 84 years.
- He is credited with the conceptualization of five year integrated LLB course, instead of the earlier 3-year course
Former billiards player Derek Sippy passed away
- Former billiards player, coach and administrator Derek Sippy passed away. He was in his 60s.
- He was the Indian team’s coach at recently concluded Asian Under-21 Boys Snooker and Asian Women Snooker tournament
World Red Cross Day: May 8
- The World Red Cross Day, also known as World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day, is observed every year on May 8 to reduce the suffering of people and enabling them to lead a dignified life with independence, humanity, impartiality, universality, unity and neutrality.
- It marks the birth anniversary of Henry Dunant, founder of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the recipient of the first Nobel Peace Prize. He was born on 8 May 1828.
- The theme for 2019 World Red Cross Day is, ‘#Love’.
World Thalassemia Day: May 8
- World Thalassemia Day is celebrated on May 8 every year to commemorate Thalassemia victims and to encourage those who struggle to live with the disease.
- The theme for 2019 World Thalassemia Day is “Universal access to quality thalassaemia healthcare services: Building bridges with and for patient”
- Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder which is characterised by less haemoglobin and lesser than normal blood cells.
- A person suffering from thalassemia has at least one of the parents as carrier of the disease.
International Midwives’ Day: May 5
- International Day of the Midwives (IDM) is observed on May 5 annually to recognize and honor midwives. The day was first celebrated May 5th 1991.
- 2019 IDM theme : Midwives: Defenders of Women’s Rights