GK and Current Affairs Updates

An Indian-American scientist Arnab De has received the prestigious Springer Theses Award in recognition for his outstanding research in which he developed transgenic mice to study a critical tumor-suppressor called A20.

•    Arnab De's thesis was nominated by New York's Columbia University. 
•    Before this, De, who has also developed peptide-based prod rugs as therapeutics for diabetes, had received the Young Investigator Award at the American Peptide Symposium.
•    The thesis prize is awarded by Springer, a leading global publisher of renowned scientific journals and books, to recognize outstanding PhD research.
•    Winners also get a cash prize of 500 Euros. 
•    The research work was highlighted by the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) Reports.
•    Only research considered to be of 'fundamental relevance to a general readership' is chosen to be highlighted by EMBO.
•    Internationally top-ranked research institutes select their best thesis annually for publication in this series. Nominated and endorsed by two recognized specialists, each thesis is chosen for its scientific excellence and impact on research. 

Seeking to stimulate and enhance the strategic research and innovation capabilities of the Indian biotech industry, BIRAC, a PSU under the Ministry of Science and Technology signed MoU with Horticulture Innovation Australia for launching a joint funding call.

•    The focus of the call is to undertake horticultural research in order to develop and deploy modern tools of plant biotechnology to improve crop productivity. 
•    The event was presided over by Australian High Commissioner to India Harinder Sidhu and Vijay Raghavan.
•    Horticulture Innovation Australia (Hort Innovation) is a not-for-profit, grower-owned Research and Development and marketing company for Australia's horticulture industry.
•    It works collaboratively with industry, the Australian government and the nation's leading research institutions to deliver ground-breaking advancements in areas such as agri-technology, pest management, and trade and industry promotion.
•    Biotechnology is the use of living systems and organisms to develop or make products, or "any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use" (UN Convention on Biological Diversity, Art. 2).
•    Depending on the tools and applications, it often overlaps with the (related) fields of bioengineering, biomedical engineering, bio-manufacturing, etc.

Sunrisers Hyderabad clinched the 2016 IPL title by beating Royal Challengers Bangalore in the final. The Hyderabad unit successfully defended 209 runs even after fifties from Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli for RCB. 
•    In a battle between IPL's best batting and bowling line-ups, the Orange Army came up trumps despite initial blitzkrieg from Chris Gayle and Kohli, defending their total of 208 for seven by restricting the home team to 200 for seven.
•    It was David Warner's batting and astute captaincy complemented by some inspirational death overs bowling by Mustafizur Rahaman (1/37 in 4 overs) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (0/25 in 4 overs) that clinched the issue. 
•    Warner, who hit 69, finished second in run-getters' list with 848 runs.
•    The turning point certainly would be the 24 runs that Ben Cutting (39 no and 2/35) got in the final over off Shane Watson's bowling during Sunrisers innings and then came back to dismiss a rampaging Gayle.
•    Gayle (76 off 38 balls) and skipper Kohli (54 off 35 balls) had a scintillating opening stand of 114 in 10.3 overs as it looked like a cakewalk for the home team.
•    Stuart Binny hit Mustafizur down the ground for a six as the equation came down to 37 from 3 overs.
•    But Bhuvneshwar bowled a brilliant 18th over keeping everything in the blockhole as only 7 came off the over.
•    Out of the thirteen team that have played in the Indian Premier League, three have won it twice, while three have won it once each. 
•    The Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Mumbai Indians are the most successful teams in league's history. 
•    The other three teams who have won the tournament are the Deccan Chargers,Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad. 
•    The Super Kings are the only team to have won the tournament and then defended it the next season, winning in 2010 and winning again in 2011. 
•    2008: Rajasthan Royals
•    2009: Hyderabad Dakkn Chargers
•    2010: Chennai Super Kings
•    2011: Chennai Super Kings
•    2012: Kolkata Knight Riders
•    2013: Mumbai Indians
•    2014: Kolkata Knight Riders
•    2015: Mumbai Indians
•    2016: Sunrisers

China will launch its first experimental quantum communication satellite in July.
•    Its communications cannot be intercepted.
•    It will be the first quantum communication through a satellite in the world.
•    Quantum communication boasts ultra-high security as a quantum photon can neither be separated nor duplicated. 
•    It is hence impossible to wiretap, intercept or crack the information transmitted through it.
•    The CAS’s project includes launch of a satellite and building of four ground stations for quantum communication and one space quantum teleportation experiment station. 
•    Chinese scientists have taken five years to develop and manufacture the first quantum satellite. 
•    It will be transported to Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in June.
•    Upon completion, the satellite will be able to establish quantum optical links simultaneously with two ground bases thousands of kilometers apart. 
•    Chinese scientists have taken five years to develop and manufacture the first quantum satellite. 
•    It will be transported to Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in June, CAS said. 

The President of India Pranab Mukherjee on 29 May 2016 presented the Malti Gyan Peeth Puraskar for the year 2016 at a function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
•    The award was conferred upon 15 teachers from Punjab for their rare contribution in the field of education.
•    The awardees were facilitated with 1 lakh rupees cash, certificate of excellence, a Robe of Honour and a medal.
•    The initiative was mainly taken to promote the quality teaching in the schools besides encouraging the hundred percent attendance of girl students in the government schools.
•    The Malti Gyan Peeth Puraskar was instituted by Mohinder Singh Syngle Education & Research Society.
•    It was instituted in honour of its founder Malti Mohinder Singh Syngle, eminent educationist and social worker.
•    Every year, government school teachers from Punjab Government’s High & Higher Secondary Schools receive this award for their contributions in the field of education.
•    The teachers already awarded with the National or State Awards were not considered for this award.

The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers 2016 was observed on 29 May 2016 with the theme Honouring Our Heroes.
•    The day offers a chance to pay tribute to the Blue Helmets’ invaluable contribution to the work of the Organization and to honour more than 3400 peacekeepers who have lost their lives serving under the UN flag since 1948, including 128 in 2015.
•    On the other hand, the UN Postal Administration (UNPA) also issued a set of six new stamps for the occasion.
•    Honour the memory of the UN peacekeepers who have lost their lives in the cause of peace.
•    Pay tribute to all the men and women who have served and continue to serve in UN peacekeeping operations for their high level of professionalism, dedication and courage.
•    The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers was so designated by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 57/129, on 11 December 2002.
•    It was designated after an official request of the Ukrainian Peacekeepers Association and the Government of Ukraine to the UN General Assembly.
•    The day was first celebrated in 2003.
•    The date, May 29, marks the anniversary of the creation of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) in 1948 to monitor the ceasefire after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, which was the first ever UN peacekeeping mission.

Asian Games discus throw gold medal winner Seema Punia got qualified for the Rio Olympics with a 62.62m effort at the Pat Young's Throwers Classic 2016 at Salinas (California) in the United States.
•    She won the gold in the event and in the process pipped 2008 Olympic discus throw champion Stephanie Brown-Trafton of United States of America for the gold.
•    This will be Seema's third Olympic Games. 
•    She is the 19th Indian track and field athlete to have qualified for Rio Olympics.
•    She had also won silver in the 2014 Glasgow CWG Commonwealth Games with an effort of 61.61m.
•    She had also won silver in 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games and a bronze in the 2010 Delhi CWG. 
•    She has over 10 career marks over 61.00m.

Real Madrid has won the 11th Champions League final, beating Atletico Madrid 5-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw at the San Siro in Milan.
•    Atletico, has now suffered a third loss in a European cup final, the most recent being the defeat to Real Madrid in the 2014 decider.
•    Shoot-out winner Ronaldo described Real Madrid's win as unbelievable, ahead of what will be a gruelling European Championships campaign with Portugal.
•    The opener came via Sergio Ramos, who famously equalized against Atletico in the dying seconds of the 2014 final.
•    Real Madrid commonly known as Real Madrid, or simply as Real, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain.
•    Founded in 1902 as Madrid Football Club, the team has traditionally worn a white home kit since inception.
•    The word Real is Spanish for Royal and was bestowed to the club by King Alfonso XIII in 1920 together with the royal crown in the emblem.

Menstrual Hygiene means all of the ways that you manage your monthly cycle: from the products you use, to the way you clean them, to how it impacts your day-to-day life. •    It is rather a lack of knowledge and the ability to access sanitary products can have serious negative consequences for some menstruating people. 
•    Menstruation affects about half of the world’s population; yet in many parts of the world, the stigma and shame, as well as lack of sanitation and education around menstruation, negatively impacts the lives of millions of women and girls. 
•    Menstrual Hygiene Day is an effort to raise awareness of these barriers to menstruation.
•    Menstrual Hygiene Day, a day dedicated to building awareness about the importance of good menstrual hygiene and the taboos surrounding menstruation, is observed on May 28th.
•    Menstrual hygiene day is an annual awareness day, on 28 May, that aims to break taboos and raise awareness about the importance of good menstrual hygiene management for women and adolescent girls worldwide. 
•    It was initiated by the German-based NGO WASH United in 2014.

V Narayanaswamy is going to sworn in as the Chief Minister of Puducherry.
•    The decision came after the state party leaders consulted the party high command in Delhi on the choice of chief minister.
•    Senior Congress leader and former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit and party general secretary Mukul Wasnik attended the meeting as AICC observers.
•    Narayanasamy was elected unanimously by all the Congress legislators.
•    Narayanasamy, who is also a party general secretary, did not contest the elections.
•    There were three contenders for the chief minister's post - former chief minister V.Vaithilingam, party chief A.Namassivayam and Narayanasamy.
•    The Congress-DMK alliance won a simple majority by bagging 17 of the 30 Assembly seats.
•    He is a former Member of the Parliament of India who represented Puducherry constituency. 
•    In the 2014 general elections, he was defeated by the NDA candidate R.Radhakrishnan who was backed by the ruling All India N.R. Congress. 
•    He is a member of the Congress Working Committee as well as All India Congress Committee's General Secretary.