Frances Arnold, the Dick and Barbara Dickinson Professor of Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering and Biochemistry, has been awarded the Millennium Technology Prize for her "directed evolution" method, which creates new and better proteins in the laboratory using principles of evolution. 
•    The Millennium Technology Prize, worth one million euros (approximately $1.1 million), is the world's most prominent award for technological innovations that enhance the quality of people's lives.
•    Arnold received her undergraduate degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering at Princeton University in 1979. 
•    She earned her graduate degree in chemical engineering from UC Berkeley in 1985. 
•    She arrived at Caltech as a visiting associate in 1986 and became an assistant professor in 1987, associate professor in 1992, professor in 1996, and Dickinson Professor in 2000.
•    She is the recipient o the Charles Stark Draper Prize, the engineering profession's highest honor, and the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. 
•    She got elected to all three branches of the National Academies—the National Academy of Engineering (2000), the Institute of Medicine (2004), and the National Academy of Sciences (2008)
•    She is the first woman elected to all three branches.
•    The Millennium Technology Prize is awarded every two years by Technology Academy Finland (TAF) to "groundbreaking technological innovations that enhance the quality of people's lives in a sustainable manner," according to the prize website. 
•    Arnold is the first woman to win the prize

British director Ken Loach's film I, Daniel Blake on 22 May 2016 won the Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festival. It was Loach's second award for best picture at the festival after 2006's The Wind That Shakes the Barley.
•    Loach is an English film and television director.
•    He is known for his naturalistic, social realist directing style and for his socialist ideals.
•    His 1969 film Kes was voted the 7th greatest British film of the 20th century in a poll by the British Film Institute.
•    The Palme d'Or (Golden Palm) is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival.
•    It was introduced in 1955 by the organizing committee.
•    In 1955, the first Palme d'Or was awarded to Delbert Mann for Marty.
•    As of 2016, Jane Campion is the only female director to have won the Palme d'Or for The Piano.
•    It previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from around the world.
•    It was founded in 1946.
•    On 1 July 2014, co-founder and former head of French pay-TV operator Canal+ Pierre Lescure took over as President of the festival.

On 21st May ‘International Buddha Poornima Diwas 2016’ was celebrated to commemorate Buddha’s Birth, Sambodhiprapti and Mahaparinirvana falling on the auspicious full moon day of the month of Vaishakh. 
•    Rajnath Singh, Union Minister for Home Affairs was the Chief Guest. Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State for Culture & Tourism (I/C) and Civil Aviation, Shri Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Home Affairs and Shri Upendra Kushwaha, Minister of State for Human Resources Development were present at the occasion. 
•    Bhaghwan Buddha was a very large hearted person and solutions to all problems of mankind are contained in his teachings. 
•    Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar adopted Buddism as he was greatly influenced with the sacred teachings of Bhagwan Buddha. 
•    He wished all Buddhists worldwide on this auspicious occasion.
•    Ministry of Tourism has launched a programme namely “Swadesh Darshan” which has a special component of “Buddhist Circuit” which connects all religious places of Buddhism very conveniently
•    Government of India attaches great importance to Buddh Poornima and now onwards it will be celebrated every year like this.
•    UN recognizes the importance of this day. The UN Day of Vesak Celebration is internationally a cultural and humanistic festival of the United Nations International Organizing Committee. 

The United Nations in the third week of May 2016 announced that four Indian peacekeepers and a civilian will be honoured along with other 124 personnel with a prestigious U.N. medal.
Head Constable Shubhkaran Yadav,Rifleman Manish Malik, Havildar Amal Deka, Naik Rakesh Kumar and Gagan Punjabi will be honoured with the Dag Hammarskjold Medal awarded posthumously.
The 124 personnel will be honoured on the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers. The day, observed annually on 29 May, will be commemorated this year on 19 May.
•    Head Constable Shubhkaran Yadav served in the U.N. Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).
•    He made the supreme sacrifice in April 2015.
•    Rifleman Manish Malik also served in the U.N. Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
•    He died in August 2015 during the mission.
•    Havildar Amal Deka served in the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF).
•    He died in June 2015.
•    Naik Rakesh Kumar served in the U.N. Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
•    He died in January 2015.
•    Gagan Punjabi was serving in MONUSCO in a civilian capacity under the U.N. Volunteers programme and died in an incident in January 2015.
The Dag Hammarskjöld Medal is a posthumous award given by the United Nations to military personnel, police or civilians who lose their lives while serving in a UN peacekeeping operation.The first medals were awarded in October 1998.

Former beauty queen, Bollywood actress and global human rights activist Celina Jaitly, will be honored May 13 by the Harvey Milk Foundation at the second annual Diversity Honors at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
•    She is a strong supporter of repealing Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalizes homosexuality,
•    Jaitly will receive the Harvey Milk Foundation’s Lilla Watson Global Champion Medal at the gala co-presented by the Harvey Milk Foundation and The Pride Center at Equality Park.
•    Jaitly, is an official Champion of the United Nations Free & Equal Campaign, will be honored for her advocacy and support for the LGBT rights movement in India. 
•    A former Miss India winner and Miss Universe runner-up, she is one of the most visible advocates against the criminalization of same-sex relationships in the world’s largest democracy.
•    Jaitly will join other Diversity Honors notables to be celebrated for their commitment to transforming lives by living authentically and advancing inclusiveness.
•    Guests at Diversity Honors will preview the North American premiere of the Levi’s X Harvey Milk Foundation Pride 2016 Collection 
•    The awards presentation will be hosted by WSVN news anchor Omar Lewis and will include Stuart Milk’s 2016 “State of the Global Equality” address.