19th May 2026

1. RBI appoints Shri Gunveer Singh as new Executive Director
2. UPI transactions dip 1.7% by value in April after record March
3. Overview of EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar’s Visit to Jamaica, Suriname and T & T from May 2 to 10,2026
4. Union Minister Jyotiraditya M.Scindia Participates in Sikkim Statehood Day; Launches Mission Sikkim Organics
5. Sikkim to Implement Anand Marriage Act, 1909 from June 1, 2026
6. Bhopal Introduces India’s 1st Solar-Powered ‘Algae Tree’ to Tackle Air Pollution
7. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma Inaugurates India’s 1st AI-powered Phygital Bank Branch in Guwahati
8. Nepal’s Kami Rita Sherpa and Lhakpa Sherpa Break Own Mount Everest Climbing Records
9. Actor Ishaan Khatter Receives Honorary Membership of 45 Cavalry Regiment
10. Ali Falih Kadhim al-Zaidi Sworn in as Iraq’s Youngest Prime Minister
11. Prudential Buys 75% Stake in Bharti Life Insurance for Rs 3,500 Crore
12. MoF Approves Emirates NBD to Acquire Up to 74% Stake in RBL Bank
13. Asian Weightlifting Championships 2026: India Clinches 10 Medals, China Leads with 41
14. Endangered Species Day 2026 – May 15
15. International Day of Light 2026 – May 16
16. National Dengue Day 2026 – May 16
17. PM Modi Receives Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit
18. WHO Declares Ebola Global Health Emergency: Symptoms, Spread, Treatment, and Vaccine Explained
19. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Creates IPL History with Most Sixes by an Indian in a Single Season
20. Andhra Pradesh Offers ₹30,000 for Third Child, ₹40,000 for Fourth Under New Policy
21. President Approves Increase in Supreme Court Judge Strength from 34 to 38
22. India’s Gems and Jewellery Exports Fall Sharply in April 2026
23. Why Indian Gur Is Becoming a Global Alternative to Refined Sugar
24. Chola Copper Plates Return to India
25. World AIDS Vaccine Day 2026: Why the Global Search for an HIV Vaccine Still Matters
26. Tata Electronics Signs ASML Partnership for Dholera Semiconductor Fab in Gujarat
27. International Museum Day 2026: Theme, Date, History, and Significance Explained
28. Why PM Modi Visited the Netherlands Afsluitdijk Dam and Why India Is Studying the Dutch Water Model for Gujarat

National News

President Approves Increase in Supreme Court Judges

• What: President Droupadi Murmu officially promulgated the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026 to increase the total sanctioned judicial strength of the apex court from 34 to 38 judges.
• Tell me more:
  • The new executive order increases the number of Supreme Court judges from 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India (CJI).
  • The President issed this ordinance to take immediate action under Article 123 of the Constitution.
    • Article 123 allows the President to issue Ordinances when Parliament is not in session and urgent action is needed. These Ordinances work like laws but must later get Parliament’s approval.
  • This step changes Section 2 of the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956 by replacing the word “thirty-three” with “thirty-seven”.
  • Parliament had last changed this law in 2019 by increasing the approved judge strength from 31 to 33, excluding the CJI.
  • The makers of the Constitution had originally planned a Supreme Court with a CJI and not more than seven judges under Article 124(1).
  • The original 1956 law allowed a maximum of 10 judges excluding the CJI. Later amendments increased the number of judges to 13, 17, 25 in 1986, and 30 in 2009.

External Affairs Minister to Visit Caribbean Nations

• External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr. S. Jaishankar will pay an official visit to Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago from May 2 to May 10, 2026, to strengthen strategic bilateral relations.

Netherlands Returns Historic Chola Copper Plates to India

• What: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was presented with the historic 11th-century Chola Copper Plates by authorities of Leiden University during his official visit to the Netherlands, marking a landmark moment in bilateral cultural cooperation.
• Tell me more:
  • The ancient binding ring bears the official royal seal of Chola king Rajendra Chola I.

State News

Sikkim Launches Mission Sikkim Organics

• What: Union Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia launched Mission Sikkim Organics during the 51st Statehood Day (May 16) celebrations to transform the State from a certified organic producer into a globally integrated premium organic economy.
• Why: The initiative aims to improve certification systems, processing, branding, export-market connectivity, and institutional value chains.
• Tell me more:
  • Estimated total outlay – ₹360 crore
  • The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) is leading the new mission in close partnership with the Government of Sikkim and will provide ₹85 crore for core infrastructure, aggregation systems, and overall programme coordination.
  • Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) are the main institutional partners in the mission.
  • North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Limited (NERAMAC), Sikkim Organics Limited (SIOL), Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), cooperatives, and private-sector stakeholders are also partners in this project.
  • The Union Minister also took part in the inauguration and foundation ston laying of 21 development projects worth ₹223 crore in Sikkim.
  • The central government also issued a notification announcing that the provisions of the Anand Marriage Act, 1909 will officially come into force in Sikkim starting from June 1, 2026.
    • This special legal framework enables Sikh couples to register their traditional marriages directly under their own specific rules.

India First Carbon Capturing Algae Tree Installed in Bhopal

• An innovative solar-powered carbon-capturing device — India’s first “Algae Tree” —designed by the Mushroom World Group was officially inaugurated to combat urban air pollution inside the Swami Vivekananda Park in Bhopal.
• The Mushroom World Group plans to scale up and install these units in public spaces, institutions, and busy areas of other cities across India in the future.

Assam Launches India First Phygital Banking Branch

• What: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma inaugurated India’s first AI-powered “phygital” banking branch of Slice Small Finance Bank (SSFB) at GS Road in Guwahati.
• Tell me more:
  • A phygital banking branch combines physical and digital banking services. It uses AI-enabled systems, paperless transactions, and digital onboarding to provide faster, easier, and more inclusive banking services to customers.

Andhra Pradesh Announces Cash Incentives to Boost Population

• What: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu officially announced new financial incentives of ₹30,000 for families on the birth of a third child and ₹40,000 for a fourth child to address the declining population trend of the state.
• Tell me more:
  • This new announcement builds on an earlier proposal to offer ₹25,000 as a cash incentive for the birth of a second child.
  • The average fertility rate in South India is around 1.5, far below the replacement-level Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.1 required to keep the local population stable. India has a TFR of 2.0 as per NFHS-5 (2019–21).
  • N Chandrababu Naidu had earlier unveiled Andhra Pradesh’s new Population Management Policy (PMP) at the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi.
  • India still has the advantage of a demographic dividend which will remain up to 2047.

International News

World Health Organization Declares International Ebola Emergency

• The World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared a dangerous Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) as a public health emergency of international concern.
• Ebola is caused by an infection with viruses belonging to the genus Orthoebolavirus (formerly known as Ebolavirus) within the Filoviridae family.
• Ebola disease was first identified in 1976 after an outbreak in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Banking and Economy

Digital Payment Transactions Record Slight Monthly Dip

• What: The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transaction value dipped 1.7% in April to ₹29.03 trillion from a record high of ₹29.53 trillion in March, according to the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
• Tell me more:
  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) introduced a new two-factor authentication framework from April 1, replacing blanket One-Time Password (OTP) dependency to reduce persistent transaction friction points such as failed authentications.
  • The central bank also notified an e-mandate framework on April 21 to accelerate auto pay adoption.

Prudential to Acquire Majority Stake in Bharti Life

• What: Prudential public limited company (plc) announced an agreement to acquire a majority 75% stake in Bharti Life Insurance for Rs 3,500 crore to accelerate growth in the Indian insurance sector.
• Tell me more:
  • The multinational corporation will purchase the controlling stake from Bharti Life Ventures Private Limited (Pvt Ltd) and 360 ONE Asset Management.
  • Bharti Life Ventures mainly manages strategic financial investments, while 360 ONE Asset Management offers wealth advisory, portfolio management, and alternative investment fund services for individuals and businesses.
  • Prudential plc is a multinational financial institution that focuses entirely on providing life and health insurance, alongside asset management, across high-growth markets in Asia and Africa.
  • Prudential plc is currently registered in London, United Kingdom, with its principal place of business in Hong Kong.

Finance Ministry Approves Emirates NBD Stake Acquisition

• What: The Department of Financial Services (DFS) under the finance ministry officially approved a regulatory proposal from Dubai-based Emirates NBD Bank to acquire up to a 74% stake in private sector lender RBL Bank.
• Tell me more:
  • The explicit clearance allows for a foreign commercial investment in excess of 49% and up to 74% of the total paid-up equity share capital.
  • The RBI approved the plan of Emirates NBD Bank to acquire up to 74% stake last month, while the Competition Commission of India (CCI) had earlier cleared the proposal in January.

India Jewellery Exports Fall Due to Global Tensions

• What: The Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) released new data showing that India’s overall jewellery exports dropped by 9.07% in April 2026 from April 2025 because of war in the Middle East and market confusion.
• Tell me more:
  • Chairman of GJEPC: Kirit Bhansali

Agriculture and Rural Development

Sixth International Agronomy Congress to Begin in New Delhi

What:

The Sixth International Agronomy Congress (IAC-2025) will start in New Delhi on November 24, inaugurated by Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Why:

The congress aims to discuss and promote future-ready, climate-resilient, and sustainable agro-food systems to protect the environment.

Tell me more:

The event is three days long with sessions, lectures, poster presentations, and a Young Scientists and Students’ Conference.

Over 1,000 global delegates including experts, university vice chancellors, ICAR Deputy Directors General, and industry leaders will participate.

The theme is “Re-envisioning Agronomy for Smart Agro-Food Systems and Environmental Protection,” emphasizing biodiversity conservation and innovation.

ICAR Director General M L Jat stressed conserving soil, water, and biodiversity as key priorities and highlighted India’s achievement in reducing crop residue burning by nearly 90% since 2020.

• Central government schemes like Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY) actively fund modern processing units.
• The PMKSY component approved five processing units with Rs 17.07 crore in grants by December 31, 2025.
• The Pradhan Mantri Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme supported 3,528 small units with 102.31 crore rupees.
• The One District One Product (ODOP) initiative identified jaggery in 19 districts to improve local market access.
• The Directorate of Marketing and Inspection (DMI) provides quality assurance through the official Agricultural Marketing (AGMARK) certification system.

Awards

Two Renowned Nepali Guides Break Everest Climbing Records

• What: Two famous Nepali mountain guides – Kami Rita Sherpa and Lhakpa Sherpa – climbed Mount Everest and broke their own world records for the highest number of summits on the world’s tallest peak.
• Tell me more:
  • Kami Rita Sherpa, known as the “Everest Man”, reached the 8,849-meter peak for a record 32nd time at the age of 56.
  • On the same day, 52-year-old Lhakpa Sherpa, known as the “Mountain Queen”, broke her own record for the most Everest climbs by a woman after completing her 11th Everest summit.
  • She first climbed Everest in 2000 and became the first Nepali woman to reach the peak and return safely.

Actor Ishaan Khatter Receives Honorary Military Membership

• What: The Indian Armoured Corps proudly conferred an honorary membership of the 45 Cavalry regiment upon 30-year-old actor Ishaan Khatter for his authentic movie portrayal of a military officer.
• Tell me more:
  • The military regiment recognized his respectful depiction of an officer in the 2023 biographical war drama film titled Pippa.
  • This biographical film is inspired by the real-life events of Captain Balram Singh Mehta of the 45 Cavalry regiment, who fought alongside his siblings on the eastern front during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971.
  • Writer-director of Pippa is Raja Krishna Menon. The title Pippa comes from the nickname of the Soviet amphibious war tank PT-76.

Norway Confers Highest Royal Honour upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi

• What: His Majesty King Herald V of Norway proudly conferred the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit (GCRNOM) upon Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi during a special ceremony hosted in Oslo.
• Tell me more:
  • PM Modi visited the iconic 300-kilometre-long Afsluitdijk dam in the Netherlands to study advanced Dutch water management techniques for application to Gujarat’s ambitious Kalpasar Project in the Gulf of Khambhat.
  • This mega infrastructure system will create the world’s largest freshwater reservoir inside a marine environment, storing around 10 billion cubic metres of freshwater from the Narmada, Mahi, Sabarmati, and Dhadar rivers.
  • The project includes the main Kalpasar dam connecting Bhavnagar district to Bharuch district, the Bhadbhut barrage on the Narmada river to prevent saltwater intrusion, and a large canal network to distribute stored water across the water-stressed region of Saurashtra.

Important Days

Endangered Species Day 2026 – May 15

International Day of Light 2026 – May 16

• The day is marked every year on the 16th of May, commemorating the first successful operation of a laser in 1960 by physicist and engineer Theodore Maiman.
• The theme for this year is “Light for a Sustainable Future.”
• UNESCO Focus – Light, science and society: Advancing innovation and impact

National Dengue Day 2026 – May 16

• What: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) officially declared the observation of National Dengue Day to actively raise public awareness and strengthen preventive pre-monsoon measures against the disease.
• Tell me more:
  • The official theme for this year is “Community Participation for Dengue Control: Check, Clean and Cover”.

World AIDS Vaccine Day 2026 – May 18

International Museum Day – May 18

• The 2026 theme was “Museums Uniting a Divided World”
• Sudan is the main focus of the global celebration because UNESCO highlighted the severe damage to Sudanese museums during International Museum Day to show the importance of protecting cultural heritage during conflict.

Sports

India Wins Ten Medals at Weightlifting Championships

• What: A 16-member Indian team finished their campaign at the Asian Weightlifting Championships (AWC) 2026 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat with 10 medals, securing one silver and nine bronze medals.
• Tell me more:
  • Organizers hosted this major continental sports tournament in India for only the second time in history after New Delhi previously hosted it in 1982.
  • The performance marks a huge improvement from the AWC 2025 held in Jiangshan, where the two-member Indian contingent failed to win any medals.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Breaks Indian Tournament Sixes Record

• What: Rajasthan Royals’ 15-year-old batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scripted history by breaking the record for the most sixes hit by an Indian batter during a single Indian Premier League (IPL) season against Delhi Capitals.
• Tell me more:
  • The historic achievement moved him past Abhishek Sharma, who previously hit 42 sixes in 16 matches during the 2024 cricket season.
  • Punjab Kings (PBKS) skipper Shreyas Iyer holds the third position on the list with 39 sixes in 17 matches during the 2025 season.
  • Legendary West Indies batter Chris Gayle holds the overall record after hitting 59 sixes in 15 matches for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) during the 2012 season.
  • Rajasthan Royals Captain: Riyan Parag and Delhi Capitals Captain: Axar Patel

Memorandum of Understanding

Tata Electronics Partners with ASML for Chip Factory

• What: Tata Electronics Private Limited (TEPL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dutch semiconductor equipment major ASML to advance the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem in India.
• Tell me more:
  • TEPL is investing USD 11 billion to build this first commercial chip factory in India.
  • This new partnership helps build and speed up work at the upcoming 300 mm chip factory in Dholera, Gujarat.
  • The company already partnered with Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (PSMC) from Taiwan to get access to multiple chip technologies.
  • CEO and MD of TEPL – Dr. Randhir Thakur
  • President and CEO of ASML – Christophe Fouquet

Appointments

Reserve Bank of India Appoints New Executive Director

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) appointed Gunveer Singh as the new executive director with immediate effect, giving him full charge of the Department of Payment and Settlement Systems (DPSS).

Ali Falih Kadhim al-Zaidi Sworn in as Iraq’s Youngest Prime Minister

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