4.5/5
Current Affairs 21st May 2026
International Organizations – HQ & Year
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UNO: New York, USA, 1945
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WHO: Geneva, Switzerland, 1948
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UNESCO: Paris, France, 1945
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IMF: Washington, D.C., USA, 1945
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WorldBank: Washington, D.C., USA, 1944
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WTO: Geneva, Switzerland, 1995
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UNICEF: New York, USA, 1946
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BRICS: Shanghai, China, 2009
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SAARC: Kathmandu, Nepal, 1985
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ASEAN: Jakarta, Indonesia, 1967
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NATO: Brussels, Belgium, 1949
1. Rajasthan Wins WHO No Tobacco Day Award 2026
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The Global Recognition: The Department of Medical and Health, Government of Rajasthan, has been conferred with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) prestigious World No Tobacco Day Award 2026. The state secured the top honor in the South-East Asia Region for its exemplary initiatives and outstanding achievements in tobacco control during the 2025–26 period.
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Widespread Institutional Network: Rajasthan established a highly successful nationwide model by setting up more than 500 geo-tagged tobacco cessation treatment and counselingcenters extending down to the block level. Additionally, the state successfully implemented "Tobacco-Free School" guidelines across more than 83,000 educational institutions.
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Grassroots Enforcement & Awareness: Led by Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma's administration, the state combined strict legal enforcement of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003 with massive public outreach. This included organizing over 255,000 awareness activities (like street plays and rallies) and integrating a "Tobacco-Free Village" campaign into the Ayushman Adarsh Gram Yojana to drive rural community participation.
2. India Becomes Bangladesh’s Second-Largest Trading Partner, Surpassing US
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The Shift: Based on data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), India has narrowly surpassed the United States to become Bangladesh's second-largest trading partner, accounting for 8.47% (Tk 123.28 billion) of its total external trade, compared to the US share of 8.46% (Tk 123.17 billion). China continues to hold the top spot.
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Key Drivers: The surge is heavily fueled by Bangladesh's high volume of imports from India, which consist of essential food commodities (like rice, onions, and sugar) and vital industrial inputs (such as cotton, yarn, and intermediate goods) to support its local manufacturing and textile sectors.
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Geographical Advantage: India’s shared land border offers distinct logistics and freight advantages over distant partners like the US, drastically reducing transport times and supply chain costs for Bangladeshi industries.
3. PM Modi Receives FAO Agricola Medal in Rome
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The Honour: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with the prestigious Agricola Medal for 2026 by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Director-General, Qu Dongyu, at its headquarters in Rome. This visit marked the first by an Indian Head of Government to the FAO headquarters in 30 years.
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Recognition of Leadership: The award recognizes his exceptional leadership in enhancing food security, sustainable agriculture, and rural development. Key milestones highlighted included India's massive food safety net covering 800 million citizens, direct income support for 110 million farmers, and global advocacy for nutrient-rich millets.
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Dedication of the Award: Upon receiving the medal, PM Modi dedicated the recognition to the millions of Indian farmers, livestock rearers, fishers, and the agricultural scientific community for driving a science-backed, climate-resilient farming ecosystem.
4. Multilateral Exercise Pragati 2026 Commences AtUmroi
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The Event: PRAGATI 2026, a prominent two-week multilateral military exercise, commenced on May 20, 2026, at the Umroi Military Station in Meghalaya. Hosted by the Indian Army, it brings together armed forces from 13 nations in total (India and 12 friendly partner countries, including Bhutan, Malaysia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam).
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Core Focus & Framework: The acronym PRAGATI stands for "Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region." Conducted in a spirit of mutual respect, the drill specifically focuses on tactical-level drills and joint counter-terrorism operations across challenging semi-mountainous and jungle terrains
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Atmanirbhar Bharat Showcase: Alongside military drills and tactical interoperability training, the exercise features a dedicated exhibition where Indian technology and defence firms showcase indigenous military equipment and innovations, highlighting India's growing self-reliance and capabilities in defence manufacturing.
5. Bharat Singh Chauhan re-Elected as Chairman of Commonwealth Chess Association
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The Election: Veteran Indian sports administrator Bharat Singh Chauhan was unanimously and unopposed re-elected as the Chairman of the Commonwealth Chess Association (CCA) for a four-year term (2026–2030). The elections took place during the CCA's Annual General Body Meeting at the Citrus Hotel in Wasakaduwa, Sri Lanka.
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Global Leadership Profile: Chauhan brings nearly five decades of experience to the role. Alongside his CCA chairmanship, he currently serves as the Chairman of the International Chess Federation's (FIDE) Advisory Board and as the Deputy President of the Asian Chess Federation (ACF), having previously served as the secretary of the All India Chess Federation (AICF).
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New Grassroots Initiative: During the same high-level assembly, the association resolved to expand youth participation across member countries by launching the inaugural Commonwealth School Chess Championship, which is scheduled to be hosted in Malaysia in October 2026.
6. Medha Kulkarni appointed Chairperson of Parliamentary Panel on Science & Environment
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The Appointment: Rajya Sabha MP Prof. Medha Vishram Kulkarni has been appointed as the new Chairperson of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change. The appointment, approved by Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan, officially took effect on May 18, 2026.
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Role & Responsibilities: As the head of this crucial parliamentary panel, the BJP leader from Maharashtra will lead the scrutiny of government policies, review budgetary allocations, and evaluate upcoming national legislation regarding scientific advancement, environmental protection, and climate change challenges.
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Political Background: Kulkarni is a prominent leader from Pune, Maharashtra, who previously served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) before being elected to the Rajya Sabha (Council of States), bringing extensive legislative and academic experience to this high-level policy monitoring role.
7. Union Minister Prataprao Jadhav Launches ‘Ayush Anudan’ Portal
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The Launch: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ayush, Prataprao Jadhav, officially launched the ‘Ayush Anudan Portal’ at Kartavya Bhawan, New Delhi. Developed under the ministry's broader Ayush Grid digital initiative, the centralized platform is designed to transition grant management into a completely paperless ecosystem.
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Core Objective: The portal aims to bring 100% transparency, operational efficiency, and strict accountability to the grant management process. It completely digitizes the end-to-end lifecycle—from the online submission and processing to the final approval and real-time tracking of funding proposals under various Central Sector Schemes.
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Key Integrations: To streamline verification and prevent administrative bottlenecks, the platform is seamlessly cross-linked with NITI Aayog’s NGO Darpan Portal. This enables automated, error-free background authentication of applicant organizations, significantly speeding up institutional credibility checks.
8. Former England Captain MJK Smith passed away
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The Passing: Former England Test captain Michael John Knight (MJK) Smith passed away at the age of 92 on May 17, 2026, following a prolonged illness. The legendary cricketer's passing was officially announced by his long-time domestic county club, Warwickshire.
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A Rare Double International: A phenomenal multi-sport athlete, Smith holds the unique distinction of being England's last male "double international" in major sports. He represented his country in 50 Test matches as a batsman between 1958 and 1972, and also earned a rugby union cap for England against Wales in 1956.
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Leadership & Legacy: He captained the England cricket team in exactly half of his appearances (25 Tests) between 1963 and 1966 and amassed nearly 40,000 first-class runs. Following his playing retirement, he continued serving the sport as the Chairman of Warwickshire (1991–2003) and as an international match referee for the ICC.
WHAT HAPPENED TODAY
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Anti-Terrorism Day 2026: May 21st
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Theme 2026: "Oppose Terrorism, Promote Peace, Harmony and National Unity."
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The day focuses on generating awareness about the dangers of terrorism and violence.
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