Current Affairs in Short: 15 May 2019

Mexico City declares Environmental Emergency

• Mexico City recently declared environmental emergency after the City’s air quality sharply worsened as a result of a series of wildfires.
• Smoke from nearby wildfires pushed pollution of the city to levels deemed potentially harmful to human health.
• The capital ordered vehicles to stop plying and postponed the semi-finals of the first-division football league.   
• City's outskirts Pollution levels  crossed over 150 points on the authorities' Air Quality Index.

17 developing countries call for strengthening WTO

• 17 developing pressed the need of strengthening the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to promote development, benefitting all the members.
• In this regard, a 13 point declaration was signed by the member nations at the end of the two-day Ministerial meeting of developing countries in New Delhi. A total of 22 countries attended the meeting.
• Some of the signatories were Egypt, Barbados, Jamaica, Malaysia, India, Indonesia and South Africa.
• The  WTO reform will promote inclusive growth and fully take into account the interests and concerns of developing members.

Kiki Bertens wins Women’s Singles Title in Madrid Open tennis

• Kiki Bertens of The Netherlands won the Women’s Singles Title in Madrid Open tennis, defeating Simona Halep in a surprise 6-4, 6-4 victory.
• With this victory, Bertens became first woman ever to win Madrid singles title championship without dropping a set.
• Madrid Open Tennis is also known as the Mutua Madrid Open. It is currently sponsored by Mutua Madrileña.
• It is a men’s and women’s joint professional tennis tournament and is held every year in Madrid, Spain.

6 US Catholic dioceses announce abuse compensation programme

• Six Catholic dioceses in California, United States launched a compensation programme for minors sexually abused by clerics.
• The move came after the Church considered that some victims are reluctant to come to the church for assistance.
• The programme comes as an alternative to court proceedings.
• It will be managed by two independent monitors who have experience in handling similar programs in New York and Pennsylvania.
• It will provide pastoral care and financial support to individuals sexually abused as a minor by a diocesan priest.

UN imposes sanctions on terror group 'ISIS Khorasan'

• The United Nations imposed sanctions on terror group Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant - Khorasan (ISIL-K).
• ISIS-K is known as 'ISIS' South Asia Branch, ISIL Khorasan, Islamic State's Khorasan Province' and 'South Asian Chapter of ISIL'.
• ISIS-Khorasan has its links with Al-Qaeda and has involvement in several attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
• The group was formed in 2015 by a Pakistani national who was a former commander of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan terror group.
• With the sanctions, ISIS-Khorasan will be now subject to the assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo.

Arunachal has 35% of India's graphite deposits: GSI

• Arunachal has 35 percent of the country's Graphite deposits as per the Geological Survey of India (GSI).
• The State could become a leading producer of graphite in the country in future.
• The GSI also emphasised that the survey and drilling activities of the GSI should be moved towards the lndo-China international Border as China has been reportedly undertaking huge mining activities across the border in Tibet.
• The development of road towards this international border would be a boon for exploration of the graphite for India.

India invited to be an Observer at meetings of Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organisation

• India was invited to be an Observer in the meetings of Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO).
• The invitation was sent by CTBTO executive secretary Lassina Zerbo.
• With this move, India would have access to data from the International Monitoring System.
• International Monitoring System is a network of 337 facilities - 321 monitoring stations and 16 radionuclide labs.
• The system can detect even a small nuclear explosion using technologies like seismology, hydroacoustics, infrasound and radionuclide.