Current Affairs 19 May 2026

The Prime Minister’s Visit to Norway

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with Jonas Gahr Støre in Oslo on May 18, 2026. During the meeting, both countries agreed to elevate bilateral ties to a Green Strategic Partnership, focusing on sustainability, climate action and green growth.

Key Highlights

• The leaders discussed cooperation in trade and investment, climate action and renewable energy, space and polar research.
• Both nations aimed to double bilateral trade by 2030.
• The two countries agreed to strengthen collaborations in offshore wind energy, Carbon capture, Utilisation and storage (CCUS), clean energy investments.
• Norway supported India’s permanent membership in a reformed UN Security Council (UNSC).
• Norway joined the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative.

About Norway

• Capital: Oslo
• Currency: Norwegian Krone (NOK)
• Prime Minister: Jonas Gahr Støre
• King: Harald V
• Government Type: Constitutional Monarchy
• Known For: Fjords, Northern Lights, Oil & Gas reserves
• International Group: NATO Member

The Prime Minister’s Visit to Sweden

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with Ulf Kristersson in Gothenburg on May 18, 2026. During the meeting, both nations agreed to elevate India-Sweden relations to the level of a Strategic Partnership. The nations adopted the India-Sweden joint action plan 2026-2030.

Four Pillars of the Strategic Partnership

The partnership will focus on:

1. Strategic Dialogue for Stability and Security
2. Next-Generation Economic Partnership
3. Emerging Technologies and Trusted Connectivity
4. People, Planet, Health and Resilience

About Sweden

• Capital: Stockholm
• Currency: Swedish Krona (SEK)
• Prime Minister: Ulf Kristersson
• King: Carl XVI Gustaf
• Government Type: Constitutional Monarchy
• Known For: Innovation, IKEA, Volvo, Sustainable Development
• International Group: European Union (EU) Member

Mission “Coffees of Nagaland” launched

Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, launched the Cluster-based Coffee Value Chain Development Mission titled “Coffees of Nagaland” on May 18, 2026. The mission has an outlay of ₹175 crore and aims to develop Nagaland into a premium speciality coffee destination under the vision of “Viksit North East”.

The initiative follows a cluster-based approach with:

• Tuophema village (Kohima district) selected for Arabica coffee
• Ghotovi village (Niuland district) selected for Robusta coffee

‘Amaravati Amma Vanta’ Initiative

The Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) is promoting women-led entrepreneurship through the ‘Amaravati Amma Vanta’ initiative in the Amaravati region.

The programme supports women’s self-help groups and micro-entrepreneurs by providing:

• Skill training
• Branding support
• Packaging assistance
• Market access for traditional food products

Key Highlights

It also aims to preserve the culinary heritage of Andhra Pradesh. The initiative promotes Millet-based foods, Traditional snacks, pickles and sweets.

Andhra Pradesh Plans ‘Pillale Sampada’ Policy

The Andhra Pradesh government is planning to introduce a new population management policy titled ‘Pillale Sampada’ (Children are Wealth) to encourage population growth and tackle the declining fertility rate in the State.

Why is the Policy Needed?

• Andhra Pradesh’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has declined to 1.50, and the national average TFR is 1.9.

The government believes that a continued decline in fertility could lead to:

• Workforce shortages
• Demographic imbalance
• Long-term economic slowdown

Proposed Incentives

Under the proposed policy:

• Families may receive:
  • ₹30,000 for the birth of a third child
  • ₹40,000 for the birth of a fourth child

Judges Inquiry Committee

A Judges Inquiry Committee constituted under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, submitted its report regarding allegations against Yashwant Varma to Om Birla on May 18, 2026. The report was presented in Parliament House by the three-member inquiry panel headed by Aravind Kumar. Other members of the committee are B.V. Acharya and Chandrashekhar. The committee was constituted by the Lok Sabha Speaker on 12 August 2025.

About the Judges Inquiry Committee

A Judges’ Inquiry Committee is a statutory panel formed under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, to investigate allegations of misbehaviour or incapacity against a Supreme Court or High Court judge in India.

• Purpose: To investigate allegations of misbehaviour or incapacity against judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts in India.
• Committee Constituted By:
  • Speaker of the Lok Sabha, or Chairman of the Rajya Sabha
• When is it formed?
  • After a motion for removal (impeachment) of a judge is admitted in Parliament.

• Composition of the Committee: The three-member committee consists of:
  • One sitting Judge of the Supreme Court
  • One Chief Justice of a High Court
  • One distinguished jurist

• Procedure and Powers
  • Functions on the principles of natural justice
  • Operates similarly to a civil court
  • Frames definite charges against the concerned judge
  • Gives the judge an opportunity for a written and oral defence

• After the Inquiry
  • If charges are not proved, proceedings are dropped.
  • If charges are proved, the report is laid before both Houses of Parliament.

• Impeachment Process
  • Parliament may proceed with the impeachment of the judge.
  • Requires a special majority in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
  • The final removal order is issued by the President of India.

WHO Declares Ebola Outbreak in Congo a Global Health Emergency

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighbouring Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

Authorities stated that the Bundibugyo virus causes the outbreak, a rare strain of the Ebola virus.

About Ebola

• Ebola is a highly contagious viral disease.
• It spreads through contact with bodily fluids such as blood, vomit, semen,
• The disease is often severe and can be fatal.

Europe-China Joint Mission ‘SMILE’ to Study Solar Winds

A joint mission by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences is set to launch the spacecraft SMILE to study how Earth’s magnetic field protects the planet from powerful solar winds and plasma eruptions from the Sun.

About the Mission

• Full form of SMILE: Solar Wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer.
• Launch vehicle: Vega-C
• Launch site: Kourou

Objective of the Mission

• The spacecraft will study interactions between the solar wind and Earth’s magnetosphere.
• Make the first-ever X-ray observations of Earth’s magnetic field.

Why is it Important?

Solar storms are caused by Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs). These can damage satellites, disrupt communication systems, affect power grids and threaten astronauts in space. Earth’s magnetic field acts as a protective shield against these charged solar particles.

SMILE will observe:

• The magnetopause: Boundary where Earth’s magnetic field deflects solar particles.
• Polar regions where X-ray photons linked to space weather can be observed.

PM Narendra Modi Receives Norway’s Highest Honour

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit during a special ceremony held in Oslo. The Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit is Norway’s highest honour, awarded to foreign Heads of Government.

Hyderabad’s Qutub Shahi Heritage Reaches Cannes Through Film ‘Chand Tara’

Hyderabad’s rich Qutub Shahi heritage is set to gain international recognition as filmmaker and theatre revivalist Mohammad Ali Baig takes his debut feature film “Chand Tara” to the Cannes Film Festival. The film has been selected for a trailer screening at the globally renowned festival.

On-Screen Marking (OSM) System for Class 12 Evaluation

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Union Education Ministry defended the newly introduced On-Screen Marking (OSM) system for evaluating Class 12 answer sheets.

• Under OSM, evaluators assess scanned answer sheets digitally, rather than checking physical copies.
• Around 98 lakh answer sheets were scanned for Class 12 evaluation.
• The system allows evaluation beyond the geographical limits of regional offices.

Saurabh Vijay appointed as CEO of UIDAI

Senior IAS officer Saurabh Vijay has assumed charge as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) on May 18, 2026.

Q1. The film ‘Chand Tara’, recently selected for screening at the Cannes Film Festival, is based on the story of Taramati and which Qutub Shahi ruler?
A. Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah
B. Abdullah Qutub Shah
C. Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah
D. Sultan Quli Qutb-ul-Mulk

Q2. The recently discussed On-Screen Marking (OSM) system introduced by CBSE is related to which process?
A. Online classroom teaching
B. Digital evaluation of answer sheets
C. Biometric attendance of students
D. Online admission process

Q3. The recent Ebola outbreak declared a global health emergency by the WHO is caused by which virus strain?
A. Zaire virus
B. Sudan virus
C. Bundibugyo virus
D. Marburg virus

Q4. The SMILE mission, recently seen in the news, is a joint space mission between the European Space Agency (ESA) and which country?
A. Japan
B. Russia
C. China
D. India

Q5. The ‘Amaravati Amma Vanta’ initiative was launched by which of the following organisations?
A. NABARD
B. AP Tourism Department
C. Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA)
D. National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM)

Q6. What is the current Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of Andhra Pradesh, as mentioned in the proposed ‘Pillale Sampada’ policy?
A. 2.1
B. 1.9
C. 1.7
D. 1.5

Q7. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was recently conferred with the ‘Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Merit’, which is the highest honour awarded to foreign Heads of Government by which country?
A. Sweden
B. Denmark
C. Norway
D. Finland

Q8. India and Norway recently agreed to elevate their bilateral ties to which of the following partnerships?
A. Blue Economy Partnership
B. Digital Innovation Partnership
C. Green Strategic Partnership
D. Arctic Security Partnership

Q9. Who is the current Prime Minister of Sweden?
A. Jonas Gahr Støre
B. Ulf Kristersson
C. Mette Frederiksen
D. Sanna Marin

Q10. The Judges Inquiry Committee in India is constituted under which of the following Acts?
A. Judges Protection Act, 1985
B. Judicial Accountability Act, 2002
C. Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968
D. High Courts Act, 1951

Q11. Which of the following missions was recently launched in Nagaland to promote coffee value chain development and farm-to-cup tourism?
A. Aroma Bharat Mission
B. Coffees of Nagaland Mission
C. North East Organic Coffee Scheme
D. Green Plantation Initiative

Q12. Who among the following was recently appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)?
A. Rajesh Kumar Singh
B. Saurabh Vijay
C. Amit Agrawal
D. T. V. Somanathan