1. SIMBEX-2019: scheduled from 16 May to 22 May 2019

• After the completion of naval exercise IMDEX-19 recetly, the Kolkata Class Destroyers Indian Naval ships namely INS Kolkata and INS Shakti are participating in SIMBEX-2019.
• SIMBEX (Singapore India Maritime Bilateral Exercise) is an annual bilateral naval exercise between India and Singapore. It is being held from 16 May to 22 May 2019.

Foot Notes:-

♦ Capital : Singapore

♦ Official languages : English,Malay,Chinese,Tamil

♦ President : Halimah Yacob

♦ Currency : Singapore dollar

2. 26 Maharashtra dams hit zero water storage level

• In a far cry from last year’s situation, 26 reservoirs in Maharashtra have reached “zero storage” as on May 18, according to statistics put out by the Water Conservation department of the state government.
• The dams in these division are Paithan, Manjara, Majalgaon, Yeldari, Siddeshwar, Lower Terna, Sina Kolegaon and Lower Dhudna, all of which have zero storage at the moment, the department informed.

Foot Notes:-

♦ Capital : Mumbai

♦ Governor : C. Vidyasagar Rao

♦ Dams : Dhamapur, Vihar, Ekrukh , Shirsufal

3. Tripura Gramin Bank among top RRB performer in country

• Tripura Gramin Bank is among India’s top three Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) in terms of profit, business and growth. Currently India has 46 Regional Rural Bank out of which Tripura Gramin Bank ranked 3rd in the country.  Tripura Gramin Bank has posted a profit for 7 successive years to Rs 125.45 crore in the fiscal 2018-19.
• The Tripura Gramin Bank is the first RRB in India which have been granted a permission by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to start treasury function of the Tripura government and open a currency chest.

Foot Notes:-

♦ Headquarter : Agratala

♦ Chairman : Mahendra Mohan Goswami

4. Kapil Sharma is the Most Viewed Stand-up Comedian in India and Abroad

• The King of Comedy, Kapil Sharma, has been named as most viewed stand-up comedian in India and abroad by World Book of Records London.
• He had started his career as a stand-up comedian from different comedy shows and got fame from “Comedy Nights with Kapil”.

5. National Cadet Corps Girls expedition team of 20 from Sikkim flagged off to Mt Tenchenkhang

• On May 17, 2019, National Cadet Corps girls mountaineering expedition team of 20 from Sikkim was flagged off to Mt Tenchenkhang, situated in Western Sikkim. This is the first girls expedition team ever since 1970. This expedition was flagged off by Additional Director General Major General Sanjay Gupta in New Delhi.
• The expedition team is led by Lt Col Madhab Boro. It constitutes 3 officers (including Medical Officer), 17 Permanent Instructional staff and 20 NCC Girl Cadets from All India NCC directorates.

Foot Notes:-

♦ Sikkim Capital : Gangtok

♦ Chief Minister : Pawan Kumar Chamling

♦ Governor : Ganga Prasad

♦ National Parks - Khangchendzonga National Park

♦ Wildlife Sanctuaries : Barsey Rhododendron WLS, Fambong Lho WLS, Kitam (Bird) WLS, Kyongnosla Alpine WLS, Maenam WLS, Pangolakha WLS, Shingba (Rhododendron) WLS

6. Badminton World Federation launched 2 new formats of Badminton

• Recently, Badminton World Federation (BWF) launched two new formats of Badminton named as Air Badminton & Triples. BWF launched Air Badminton at Guangzhou with new dimensions of the court and an innovative shuttlecock called Air shuttle.
• The Air Badminton will be an outdoor game as compared to traditional badminton which is indoor games.
• In new Triples format, the match will be played between a team which consists of three players each with at least one female player in both the team.

Foot Notes:-

♦ Badminton World Federation (BWF)

♦ Headquarter : Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

♦ President : Poul-Erik Hoyer Larsen

7. May 20 observed as World Metrology Day

• World Metrology Day is observed on May 20, 2019 with a theme “The International System of Units – Fundamentally better”. This theme was chosen because last year on 16th November 2018, the General Conference on Weights and Measures agreed to revise the International System of Units (SI).
• The World Metrology Day was celebrated every year because of the signature of the Metre Convention on May 20, 1875.

Foot Notes:-

♦ International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML)

♦ Headquarter : Paris, France

♦ International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM)

• Location : Sevres, France
• Director : Martin Milton
• Motto : Use the measure