INTERNATIONAL
· World No Tobacco Day is celebrated on 31 May
- Every year, on 31 May, World Health Organization and partners mark World No Tobacco Day (WNTD).
- The theme of World No Tobacco Day 2018 is “Tobacco and heart disease.”
- The day highlights the health and other risks associated with tobacco use, and advocating for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption.
- International Conference on the TRIPS CBD Linkage 7-8 June 2018 in Geneva
- India has taken the lead in seeking to revive WTO discussions on issues related to preventing theft of traditional knowledge.
- Government of India, along with the Centre for WTO Studies, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade and the South Centre (an inter-governmental organisation based in Geneva), are organising an International Conference on TRIPS- CBD Linkage in Geneva on 7-8 June 2018.
- Brazil and South Africa are some of the other countries that have joined hands with India on this crucial initiative.
- Ministry of Railways organizes a one day workshop ‘Mission Raftar’
- Ministry of Railways conducted a one day workshop “Mission Raftaar” aimed at raising the average speed of freight trains and coaching trains in New Delhi.
- The workshop was inaugurated by Shri Rajen Gohain, Minister of State for Railways & Shri Ashwani Lohani, Chairman,Railway Board.
- All the members of Railway Board along with General Managers of Zonal Railways & Senior Railway officers were present on the occasion.
· Microsoft is third most Valuable Firm Globally
- Software giant Microsoft surpassed Google’s parent company Alphabet in market capitalization for the first time in three years.
- Microsoft becomes the third most valuable firm globally after Apple and Amazon.
- Microsoft had a market cap of $753 billion at the close of trading, almost $14 billion ahead of Alphabet.
- While Apple leads with a market cap of nearly $924 billion, Amazon is at a distant second, with nearly $783 billion.
· India and World Bank Signs $500 Million Additional Financing For PMGSY
- The Government of India and the World Bank signed a $500 million loan agreement to provide additional financing for the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) Rural Roads Project, implemented by Ministry of Rural Development, Govt. of India, which will build 7,000 km of climate resilient roads, out of which 3,500 km will be constructed using green technologies.
- The World Bank has supported PMGSY since its inception in 2004.
- The World Bank has built and improved about 35,000 km of rural roads and benefited about eight million people with access to all-weather roads.
- The $500 million loan, from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), has a 3-year grace period, and a maturity of 288 448s170.8 0 213.4-11.5c23.5-6.3 42-24.2 48.3-47.8 11.4-42.9 11.4-132.3 11.4-132.3s0-89.4-11.4-132.3zm-317.5 213.5V175.2l142.7 81.2-142.7 81.2z"/> Subscribe on YouTube