• International

Taiwan Becomes First Country in Asia to Legalise Same-Sex Marriage

• Taiwan has approved a bill legalizing same-sex marriage, a landmark decision that makes the self-ruled island the first place in Asia to pass gay marriage legislation.
• The successful bill includes limited adoption rights for same-sex couples.

• International

Donald Trump Unveils Merit-Based Immigration System

• US President Donald Trump has rolled out a merit-based immigration system from which foreigners, including hundreds and thousands of Indian professionals and skilled workers, waiting to get Green Cards or permanent legal residency stand to benefit.
• He made the announcement in his Rose Garden speech.
• As per the proposed system, permanent legal residency would be given based on points for their age, knowledge, job opportunities and civic sense.
• The proposals significantly increase the quota for skilled workers from the existing nearly 12% to 57%.

• International

China blocks all language editions of Wikipedia

• China has broadened its block of online encyclopedia Wikipedia to include all language editions.
• According to a report by the Open Observatory of Network Interference (OONI), China has started blocking all language editions of Wikipedia last month.
• China’s online censorship apparatus ‘Great Firewall’ blocks a large number of foreign sites in the country, such as Google, Facebook and The New York Times.
• Wikipedia is a multilingual online encyclopedia with exclusively free content based on open collaboration through a model of content editing using web-based applications such as web browsers, called wiki.

• Economy and Business

RBI imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 1 crore on Nainital Bank

• Nainital Bank fails to fully automate the non-performing asset (NPA) identification process, despite specific directions issued in this regard.
• The Nainital Bank Limited (a subsidiary of Bank of Baroda) is a scheduled commercial bank founded in 1922 by Govind Ballabh Pant
• In 1975, the government-owned Bank of Baroda (BOB) acquired a 98.6% (around 99%) stake in the bank and made it a subsidiary.
• The Nainital Bank Limited is registered as a scheduled commercial bank with Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

• Appointments

Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Appoints Nitin Chugh As Next MD and CEO

• Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Limited has appointed Nitin Chugh as its next Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) from December 1, 2019.
• Bank’s current MD and CEO, Samit Ghosh is retiring on November 30, 2019.
• The bank has received the approval of its application for Chugh’s appointment, from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

• Appointments

Justice A K Sikri appointed NBSA Chairperson

• Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri (former judge of Supreme Court of India) has been appointed Chairperson of the News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA).
• He succeeds Justice R.V. Raveendran who completes his term on 25th May 2019.
• The NBSA is a self-regulatory body that implements the Code of Ethics & Broadcasting Standards and Guidelines for its member news broadcasters.

• Important Days

17 May: World Telecommunication and Information Society Day

• The World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) is observed every year on 17th May to mark the anniversary of the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention (ITC) and the creation of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
• The WTISD raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of the Internet and other information and communication technologies (ICT) can bring to societies and economies, as well as of ways to bridge the digital divide.
• The 2019 theme of WTISD is “Bridging the standardization gap”.

• Defence

Indian armed forces conduct ‘Exercise Bull Strike’ at teressa Island

• The military drill ‘Exercise Bull strike’ was conducted to showcase joint operations capability of the armed forces.
• During the exercise, the army personnel got the chance to display their prowess by undertaking company level airborne operation at Teressa island, Andaman Nicobar.
• 170 troops from three services carried out para drop operations in a Combat Free Fall and Static Line mode.

• Defence

India gives 2 Mi-24 helicopters to Afghanistan

• India handed over a pair of Mi-24 helicopters to Afghanistan.
• They are given with the aim to strengthen the Afghan air force as it battles a deadly Taliban insurgency.
• The two Mi-24 helicopters are a replacement for the four attack helicopters previously gifted by India to Afghanistan in 2015.

• Obituaries

Former Prime Minister of Australia Bob Hawke passes away

• Former Prime Minister of Australia Bob Hawke (89-years) passed away.
• He was the longest-serving Prime Minister (Labor Party) served from 1983 to 1991.
• He is also accredited to create Australia’s universal healthcare system ‘Medicare’.

• States

35% graphite reserves found in AP

• About 35% of India’s total Graphite reserves are found in Arunachal Pradesh, as per the GSI report.
• This is the highest found in the country.
• With 35% of India’s Graphite deposits being found in Arunachal Pradesh, the State could now be developed as the leading producer of graphite in the country.