Current Affairs, May 2021

31st May, Current Affairs:

• India’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew 1.6 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2021, marking two quarters of consecutive growth after it exited a rare recession.
• China announced today that couples may have up to three children, from the existing limit of two after recent census data showed a dramatic decline in births in the world’s most populous country.
• At the Asian Boxing Championships in Dubai, defending champion Pooja Rani won the gold medal in the 75kg Women's category while legendary pugilist MC Mary Kom, Lalbuatsaihi and Anupama finished with silver.
• World No Tobacco Day is observed today.

29th May, Current Affairs:

• International Day of UN Peacekeepers is observed today. This day is observed on the 29th of May every year to pay tribute to peacekeepers' contribution.
• All children who have lost both their parents due to Covid-19 will be supported under the ‘PM CARES for Children’ scheme, the PMO said in a statement today.

28th May, Current Affairs:

• Bashar Al-Assad will continue to serve as the President of Syria after winning the election for the fourth time. Assad has been president since 2000.
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman chairs the 43rd GST Council meeting through video conferencing in New Delhi today.
• India becomes 2nd country after US to administer over 20 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine.
• Amnesty International Day being observed today.

26th May, Current Affairs:

• Cyclone Yaas has made the landfall and has crossed the Odisha coast, south of Balasore as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm.
• Subodh Kumar Jaiswal today took charge as the Director of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He has been appointed as Director for a period of two years.
• Buddha Jayanti or Buddha Purnima is observed today.

22nd May, Current Affairs:

• The Reserve Bank has approved the transfer of 99,122 crore rupees as surplus to the central government for the accounting period of nine months ended March 31.
• Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari has dissolved Parliament and fixed general elections in November.
• The 2022 FIFA under-17 Women’s World Cup will be held in India from October 11 to 30, 2022.
• International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) is observed today globally.

21st May, Current Affairs:

• Noted environmentalist and Padma Vibhushan Sunderlal Bahuguna, who was being treated for Covid-19 at AIIMS hospital in Rishikesh, died today. He was 94.
• A Ceasefire came into force in Gaza Strip, bringing halt to fiercest fighting between Israel and Hamas from last 11 days.


20th May, Current Affairs:

• CPI (M) veteran Pinarayi Vijayan took oath as Kerala chief minister for the second successive term.
• The Union Health Ministry asked all states to declare mucormycosis or “black fungus" an epidemic under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, stating that the infection is leading to prolonged morbidity and mortality amongst COVID-19 patients.
• A government advisory on stopping the spread of COVID-19 said that aerosols could be carried in the air for up to 10 metres and improving the ventilation of indoor spaces would reduce transmission.

17th May, Current Affairs:

• At least six people died in Karnataka and Goa as Cyclone Tauktae intensified into a "very severe" cyclonic storm.
• The first batch of the drug 2-deoxy-D-glucose has been released for Covid patients today. The drug has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organization, DRDO which recently got the approval for emergency use from the Drugs Controller General of India, DCGI.
• International Invincible Gold Medal of this year has been conferred on Union Education Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank.
• Rafael Nadal beat world number one Novak Djokovic to win a 10th Italian Open title. Nadal won through 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 against the defending champion.
• Miss Mexico Andrea Meza beat more than 70 contestants from around the globe to win the Miss Universe title for 2021.

16th May, Current Affairs:

• Government has said that the online appointments for 2nd Dose of Covishield will be given only after 84 days.
• China has successfully landed its rover on Mars. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) said its rover Zhu Rong had successfully landed in the pre-selected landing area in the Utopia Plain in southern part of Mars.
• Leicester won the FA Cup for the first time in the club's 137-year history as Youri Tielemans strike to beat Chelsea 1-0 in the final at Wembley.

14th May, Current Affairs:

• Eid-ul-Fitr is being celebrated across the country today.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi today released the 8th instalment of financial benefit under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme to over 9 crore 50 lakh farmers in the country.
• The first dose of Sputnik-V vaccine has been administered in Hyderabad today as part of its soft launch and limited pilot.


13th May, Current Affairs:

• The expert panel of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation has granted permission to Bharat Biotech to conduct Phase- II and III trials of COVID vaccine Covaxin for the age group of two to 18 years.
• The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) has recommended to increase the gap between two doses of Serum Institute of India's Oxford COVID-19 vaccine, Covishield, to 12 to 16 weeks. The panel has, however, kept the dosage interval for Covaxin unchanged.
• The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the appointment of former India spinner Ramesh Powar as the head coach of India women's cricket team.

12th May, Current Affairs:

• International Nurses Day is celebrated today to honour nurses and healthcare workers.
• U.S. regulators authorized Pfizer (PFE.N) and BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine for use in children as young as 12. This is the first COVID-19 vaccine to be authorized in the United States for ages 12 to 15.

11th May, Current Affairs:

• Today is National Technology Day. The day is celebrated every year on the 11th of May to highlight the achievements of engineers and scientists in the field of technology and science.
• The Nagaland government has announced a one week statewide total lockdown from the 14th of May.

10th May, Current Affairs:

• Senior BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Assam today. Governor Prof. Jagdish Mukhi administered him the oath of office.
• World number six Alexander Zverev beat Matteo Berrettini to clinch his second Madrid Open title. Zverev rallied to defeat Italian world number 10 Berrettini 6-7 (8), 6-4, 6-3 in the final.

9th May, Current Affairs:

• Senior BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma elected as the next Chief Minister of Assam. He was elected as the leader of the legislative party today.
• In Delhi, the lockdown has been extended till 17th of this month. The Delhi Metro services will also be suspended during this period.
• Mother's Day is celebrated today.

8th May, Current Affairs:

• The Supreme Court of India constituted a 12-member national task force that would be tasked with formulating a methodology for the "scientific allocation of medical oxygen" to states and Union Territories (UTs) during the pandemic.
• The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved the emergency use of drug 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) as an adjunct therapy in moderate to severe Covid-19 patients. The Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), a lab of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has developed the drug, in collaboration with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Hyderabad.
• The Health Ministry announced that requirement of a positive test for the COVID-19 virus is not mandatory for admission to a COVID-19 health facility and no patient will be refused services on any count.

7th May, Current Affairs:

• The Goa government has decided to impose a 15-day 'total curfew' in the state to contain the spread of coronavirus infections. The curfew will start from 9th May.
• DMK chief MK Stalin was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, along with 33 members of his cabinet, by Governor Banwarilal Purohit.
• In Puducherry, Mr. N. Rangasamy was sworn in as the Chief Minister by the Lt. Governor of Puducherry Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan today.
• Border Roads Organisation, BRO is celebrating its 61st Raising Day today.

6th May, Current Affairs:

• Kerala Government has declared complete lockdown across the state from May 8th to 16th, on account of surge in covid cases.
• Former Union Minister and Rashtriya Lok Dal Chief Ajit Singh passed away today after battling with corona virus.
• SpaceX achieved the first successful touchdown of its prototype Starship rocket during the latest test flight of the next-generation launch vehicle in south Texas.

5th May, Current Affairs:

• In West Bengal, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee was sworn-in as the Chief Minister of the state for the third consecutive term. Ms. Banerjee has become the second woman in the country to be sworn in as Chief Minister of any state consecutively for three terms after former Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila Dixit.

4th May, Current Affairs:

• The 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) was suspended today by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) owing to the rise in COVID-19 cases among players and support staff of different franchises.
• The Bihar government has imposed a complete lockdown from tomorrow till May 15 due to surge in Covid-19 cases in the state.
• In Snooker, Mark Selby became the World Champion for the fourth time. Selby won the Championship defeating Shaun Murphy by 18-15 victory at Crucible Theatre, Sheffield.


2nd May, Current Affairs:

• The World Health Organisation has given the go-ahead for emergency use of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine.
• In the assembly elections held in four states and one Union territory, the ruling parties BJP expected to retain power in Assam, while TMC will retain power in West Bengal and LDF in Kerala. DMK is likely to form government in Tamil Nadu.

1st May, Current Affairs:

• Statehood Day is observed in Gujarat and Maharashtra.
• Today is International Labour Day. The day is celebrated to honour the contribution of workers across the world.
• The first batch of Russia's coronavirus vaccine, Sputnik V, has arrived in Hyderabad. Dr Reddy's Laboratories has partnered with the makers of Sputnik V to roll out the vaccine in India.