Current Affairs 19 May 2026

NTH Launches State-of-the-Art Shoe Testing Laboratory in Ghaziabad.

• NTH set up a Shoe Testing Laboratory in Ghaziabad.
• Operates under the Department of Consumer Affairs.
• Tests footwear for slip resistance, durability, strength, and chemical safety as per Indian Standards (IS).
• Equipped with advanced instruments like:
• Bally Water Penetration Tester
• Bata Belt Flex Tester
• Supports Make in India, export readiness, and Viksit Bharat.
• NTH was established in 1912; headquarters in Kolkata.

Million Minds Tech Park and GREMI Launched in Ahmedabad.

• Amit Shah inaugurated Million Minds Tech Park and GREMI City Campus in Ahmedabad on 17 May 2026.
• Million Minds Tech Park:
• Phase 1 investment: ₹1,100 crore
• Full project: ₹15,000 crore, 63,000 jobs.
• GREMI established for real estate leadership and urban planning.
• Permanent GREMI campus planned near Thol Lake on 100 acres.
• Initiative supports Gujarat’s growth in emerging technology and GCCs.
• Thol Lake became a Ramsar Site in 2021.

Trade Among BRICS Nations Reaches USD 1.17 Trillion.

• Intra-BRICS merchandise trade reached USD 1.17 trillion in 2024.
• Trade expanded from USD 84 billion (2003) to USD 1.17 trillion (2024).
• Accounts for nearly 5% of global trade.
• Announcement made during the 2nd BRICS CGETI meeting in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• Theme: Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.
• India’s exports to BRICS:
• Merchandise exports: USD 82 billion (FY 2025-26)
• Services exports: USD 31.3 billion (2024)
• India is chairing BRICS for the fourth time (after 2012, 2016, 2021).

OpenAI Introduces Codex Integration in ChatGPT Mobile App.

• OpenAI integrated Codex into ChatGPT mobile app for iOS and Android.
• Enables remote coding tasks, including review, approval, and model switching.
• Connects to host systems like laptops and remote environments.
• Provides real-time updates (terminal output, screenshots, test results).
• Available in preview for all plans including Free and Go.
• Supports enterprise features like secure access tokens and compliance options.

India’s 1st Captagon Seizure Made Under Operation RAGEPILL by NCB.

• NCB launched Operation RAGEPILL, making India’s first-ever Captagon seizure.
• Total seizure: 227.7 kg of Captagon, valued at around ₹182 crore.
• Recoveries made in:
• Neb Sarai, New Delhi (31.5 kg) hidden in a chapati-cutting machine.
• Mundra, Gujarat CFS (196.2 kg) concealed in a shipment from Syria declared as sheep wool.
• Captagon contains Fenetylline and Amphetamine and is a psychotropic substance under NDPS Act.
• Drug was part of an international trafficking network using India as a transit hub for Gulf countries (especially Saudi Arabia).
• A Syrian national was arrested in the operation.
• NCB operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs and enforces the NDPS Act, 1985.