Daily Current Affairs 20 May 2019: We have collected the latest current affairs for 20 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 20 May 2019
FSSAI Relaxes Certification Norms for Small Organic Growers Till April 2020
- The Food safety regulator, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has permitted small organic food producers/organisations with an annual turnover of over Rs 12 lakh to sell their produce directly to end consumers without certification till April 2020.
- Similarly, the regulator has relaxed certification norms for aggregators or intermediaries having annual organic produce sales turnover not exceeding ₹50 lakh.
- However, these small organic producers and aggregators will not be allowed to use ‘Jaivik Bharat logo’ on their products.
- The Jaivik Bharat logo is an identity mark to distinguish organic products from non-organic ones.
- Under the (Organic Food) Regulation 2017, sale of organic produce directly to end consumer has been allowed only with the certification of the National Program for Organic Production (NPOP) and Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) India.
Niti Aayog Proposes Rs 7,500 Crore Plan for Artificial Intelligence Push
- The NITI Aayog has proposed Rs 7,500 crore plan to create an institutional framework for artificial intelligence (AI) in the country.
- The policy think tank has proposed that new government should pump in Rs 7,500 crore over next three years for the creation of cloud computing platform called AIRAWAT as well as research institutes.
- It has also proposed to set up a high-level taskforce to be headed by a member of NITI Aayog with representation from all ministries and states besides experts as its key members that will oversee the rollout and implementation of AI.
Facebook Registers Cryptocurrency Firm ‘Libra Networks’ in Switzerland
- Facebook has set up a new financial technology company named ‘Libra Networks’ which was registered in Geneva, Switzerland on May 2, 2019.
- The cryptocurrency firm will focus on blockchain and payments as well as data analytics and investing.
- Facebook Global Holdings II, LLC is a stockholder in the new company and will provide financial and technology services and develop related hardware and software, plans submitted on the Swiss register reveal.
- ‘Libra Networks’ is a part of Facebook’s secretretive in-house crypto project.
US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Honored with 2019 JFK Profile in Courage Award
- The Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi was honored with the 2019 John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award on May 19, 2019 at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston.
- The award is given to individuals who, by acting in accord with their conscience and courage, risked their careers or lives by pursuing a larger vision of the national, state or local interest in opposition to popular opinion or pressure from constituents or other local interests.
- Some of the past recipients includes: Kofi Annan, George H. W. Bush, Barack Obama among others.
Volodymyr Zelenskiy Sworn in as new President of Ukraine
- Volodymyr Zelenskiy took the oath of office as the President of Ukraine on May 20 after landslide election victory with 73.22% of the vote against incumbent Petro Poroshenko.
- Immediately after the swearing in of oath, 41 year old Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced the dissolution of the parliament of the country which is known as Verkhovna Rada.
World Metrology Day: 20 May
- The World Metrology Day is held annually on 20 May to celebrate the International System of Units.
- The theme for World Metrology Day 2019 is The International System of Units – Fundamentally better.
- Metrology is the scientific study of measurement.
World Bee Day: May 20
- World Bee Day is celebrated every year on May 20 to acknowledge the role of bees and other pollinators for the ecosystem
- 2019 theme of World Bee Day is ‘Save the Bees’.
- The day proposed by Slovakia marks the birth anniversary of Anton Jansa in 1734, who in the 18th century pioneered modern beekeeping techniques in his native Slovenia.
- It was proclaimed by the UN Member States in December 2017 and first World Bee Day was observed in 2018.