ALL IN ONE CURRENT AFFAIR
MAY 2019
|
MOU/Agreement Countries
Ø India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Japan’s largest
egg producer, ISE Foods, in a bid to improve the quality of eggs, waste
management and disease diagnosis in poultry farms across the country. The ISE’s the egg production process, almost fully automated, is considered most hygienic in
the world.
MOU Industry/States/Others
Ø Bharat Heavy Electricals and Automotive Research Association of
India (ARAI), an autonomous body affiliated to the Ministry of Heavy Industries
and Public Enterprises have signed an MoU for cooperation on various projects
related to e-mobility.
Ø IT services firm Tech Mahindra and French digital content publishing firm Rakuten Aquafadas signed an MoU to collaborate on building enhanced customer experience offerings.
Ø On the occasion of World Telecom Day on 17 May, state-run telecom major BSNL has partnered with Google to increase access to its Wi-Fi footprint in the country. With the launch of this service, people across the country will be able to enjoy BSNL’s free Wi-Fi services.
Ø Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati has signed an MoU with The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) to set up an IITG-ISRO Space Technology Cell (STC) at the institute where Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi inaugurated a new academic complex and research and development building.
Ø IT services firm Tech Mahindra and French digital content publishing firm Rakuten Aquafadas signed an MoU to collaborate on building enhanced customer experience offerings.
Ø On the occasion of World Telecom Day on 17 May, state-run telecom major BSNL has partnered with Google to increase access to its Wi-Fi footprint in the country. With the launch of this service, people across the country will be able to enjoy BSNL’s free Wi-Fi services.
Ø Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati has signed an MoU with The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) to set up an IITG-ISRO Space Technology Cell (STC) at the institute where Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi inaugurated a new academic complex and research and development building.
Appointments and Resignations
Name
|
Appointed
as
|
Other
Info
|
Former IFS officer S. Jaishankar created
history as he became the first former Foreign Secretary to become External Affairs Minister.
|
||
Narendra Modi
|
15th
Prime Minister of India
|
|
Jagan Mohan Reddy
|
Andhra
Pradesh CM
|
|
Naveen Patnaik
|
Odisha
CM
|
for
the fifth consecutive term
|
Prem Singh Tamang, popularly
known as PS Golay
|
Sikkim
Chief Minister
|
|
Birender Singh Dhanoa
|
Chairman,
Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC)
|
Succeeds
Sunil Lanba
|
Karambir Singh
|
Navy
Chief
|
|
Atul Kumar Jain
|
Flag
Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-
C), Eastern Naval Command
(ENC)
|
Succeeds
Karambir Singh
|
Maj Gen A K Dhingra
|
First
Special Operations Division
Commander
|
|
Dr. Krishnamurthy
Subramanian
|
Member
of Advisory Council of 15th Finance
Commission
|
He is
the Chief Economic
Advisor
to Central government
|
Anton Aditya Subowo (from
Indonesia)
|
President
of Badminton Asia
|
|
A.K. Sikri
|
Chairperson
of the News Broadcasting
Standards
Authority (NBSA)
|
Rama Subramaniam Gandhi
|
Additional
director on the board of Yes Bank
|
He is
former deputy governor
|
Nitin Chugh
|
MD
and CEO of Ujjivan Small Finance Bank
|
|
Dinesh Pangtey
|
CEO
of LIC Mutual Fund
|
|
Bimal Dayal
|
Chief
Executive Officer after merger of Indus Towers
and Bharti Infratel
|
Hemant
Ruia will be the Chief Financial
Officer
|
Sanjiv Puri
|
Chairman
of ITC Ltd.
|
|
Sandeep Patil
|
Managing
Director of Truecaller India
|
former
Flipkart executive
|
Ajoy Mehta
|
Chief
Secretary of Maharashtra
|
|
Parveen Pardeshi
|
Brihanmumbai
Municipal Corporation Chief
|
|
Jayshree Vya
|
Director
of BSE (Bombay Stock Exchange)
|
BSE’s
first independent woman director
|
Virat Kohli and Anushka
Sharma
|
1st
Brand Ambassadors of Flipkart-owned fashion
e-commerce platform Myntra
|
|
Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant
|
Brand
Ambassadors of Himalaya MEN
|
|
Salman Khan
|
Brand
Ambassador of BharatPe
|
|
Rakesh Sharma
|
Vice-President
of International Motorcycle Manufacturers
Association (IMMA)
|
HQ -
Geneva
|
Himanta Biswa Sarma
|
Vice
President of the Badminton Asia
Council
(BAC)
|
|
Mueenul Haq
|
High
Commissioner to India
|
Pakistan
has appointed
|
Jeffrey Rosen
|
US’
Deputy Attorney General
|
|
Scott Morrison
|
Prime
Minister of Australia
|
|
PM Boubou Cisse
|
Prime
Minister of Mali
|
|
James Marape
|
Prime
Minister of Papua New Guinea
|
|
Laurentino Cortizo
|
President
of the Republic of Panama
|
|
Stevo Pendarovski
|
President
of North Macedonia
|
|
Cyril Ramaphosa
|
South
African President
|
|
Joko Widodo
|
President
of Indonesia
|
2nd
Term
|
Volodymyr Zelenskiy
|
President
of Ukraine
|
|
Peter Mutharika
|
President
of Malawi
|
|
Muhammadu Buhari
|
President
of Nigeria
|
|
India has been re-elected as an observer
to intergovernmental forum Arctic Council (HQ - Tromsø, Norway).
|
||
Japan’s new emperor, Naruhito, has
formally ascended to the Chrysanthemum Throne, replacing his father, Akihito, who had abdicated recently.
|
||
Bhushan Patil, president at Paytm, quit
the company.
|
||
Debt-laden and grounded Jet Airways’
Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Chief Executive Officer Amit Agarwal resigned.
|
||
Jet Airways CEO Vinay Dube resigned.
|
||
British Prime Minister Theresa May
announced resignation from her post.
|
Awards and Recognitions
Award Name
|
Person/Institution
|
Extra Knowledge
|
Japan’s ‘Order of the Rising Sun’
award
|
Former foreign secretary Shyam Saran
|
|
FICCI Claims Excellence Award
|
Bharti AXA Life Insurance
|
|
UNSDG 10 Most Influential People in Healthcare Award
|
Patanjali Group of Institutions
|
|
27th P.C. Chandra Puraskaar
|
Dr Devi Prasad Shetty
|
|
2019 V K Krishna Menon award
|
G D ‘Robert’ Govender
|
|
Joan Miro Prize for 2019
|
Indian contemporary artist Nalini Malani
|
Malani, who is the winner of the seventh edition of
the prize, was awarded for her impressive body of work that gave a voice to
“the silenced and the dispossessed all over the world, most particularly
women”.
|
Sasakawa Award 2019 for Disaster Risk Reduction
|
Dr. Pramod Kumar Mishra
|
By United Nations Office for
Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)
|
‘Order of St. George’ award by Kerala Award
|
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
|
|
Desert Storm 2019
|
TVS Racing
|
Held in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan
|
Booker International Prize
|
Jokha Alharthi
|
Author from Oman for “Celestial Bodies”.
She is the first Arabic-language writer
to take the prize.
|
Swansea University International
Dylan Thomas prize
|
Guy Gunaratne (British-Sri
Lankan writer)
|
For ‘In Our Mad and Furious City’
|
Comedian-actor Kapil Sharma has been
acknowledged as the most viewed stand-up comedian in India and abroad by the World book of Records London.
|
||
6 grassroots environmental activists received the
prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize. Known as the Green Nobel Prize, the
Goldman Prize honors environmental activists from each of the 6 continental
regions: Europe, Asia, North America, Central America and South America,
Africa and islands and island nations. The winners of the award are Alfred
Brownell, Bayarjargal Agvaantseren, Ana Colovic Lesoska, Jacqueline Evans,
Alberto Curamil, Linda Garcia.
|
||
Rapper Drake set a record with the most
wins ever, taking home 12 honours at the Billboard Music Awards. The ceremony took place at the MGM Grand
Garden Arena in Las Vegas with singer Kelly Clarkson as the host.
|
||
Actresses Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Deepika Padukone
and Sara Ali Khan have won Instagrammers of the Year 2019, which acknowledges
Instagram’s most engaging community members across the country. Bollywood diva,
Priyanka emerged as the ‘Most Followed Account’ this year. Star cricketer
Virat Kohli has emerged as the most ‘Engaged Account of the Year’.
|
||
Former ISRO chairman A S Kiran Kumar was
conferred with France’s highest civilian award Chevalier de l’Ordre national de la Lgion d’Honneur for his
contribution to India-France space cooperation.
|
||
The article titled ‘Coalgate 2.0’
authored by Nileena M S and published in The Caravan magazine in March last year has won the ACJ Award for Investigative Journalism, 2018.
|
American golfer Tiger Woods was bestowed
with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, US’ highest civilian honor, by President Donald Trump
|
The Kings, a hip-hop dance crew from
Mumbai has found international glory with their victory on American the reality television show “World of Dance”,
taking home a cash prize of $1 million.
|
IPS officer Chhaya Sharma, who led the investigation team of the infamous Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case has been awarded the 2019 McCain
Institute Award for Courage and Leadership.
|
A team from Georgia Institute of Technology,
including an Indian-American student, has won “Hearthstone Collegiate
Championship”, part of the first-ever ESPN Collegiate Esports Championship.
Shiv Chopra along with two Georgia Tech teammates swept off
Minnesota team 3-0 in the finals in Houston.
|
Indian YouTuber Ajey Nagar has been named
by Time magazine among its ‘Next Generation Leaders 2019’, a list of only 10 young people from around the
world who are forging new paths in politics, music and other spheres.
|
South African mountaineer Saray Khumalo
became the first black woman from the continent to reach Mount Everest's
summit.
|
Sunny Pawar has bagged the Best Child
Actor award for ‘Chippa’ at the 19th New York Indian Film Festival.
|
Antano and Harini – Legacy Accelerators
received the ‘Award of Honor’ from the Ministry of Social Justice and
Empowerment, Government of India for the unprecedented work they have been
doing to help people change the trajectory of their lives and help people create a personal legacy in
compressed time.
|
Actor Anil Kapoor felicitated by the
Council of European Chambers of Commerce (CEUCC) in India.
|
Aarohi Pandit, 23, made history when she
landed in to become the world’s first woman pilot to cross The Atlantic Ocean in a light-sport aircraft
(LSA). The Mumbai girl landed at Iqaluit Airport.
|
The 49-year-old Sherpa climber Kami Rita scaled
Mount Everest for the 23rd time, breaking his own record of the most successful ascents of the world’s highest peak. Breaking his own record of 22
successful ascents of Everest, Kami Rita now became the only
man on the planet to climb Everest for 23 times.
|
Just a week after breaking his own record for the
most number of summits on Mt Everest, Kami Rita Sherpa yet again climbed the world’s highest mountain. By achieving this feat, Sherpa has become the only
Mountaineer in the world to hold the record for most Everest
summits.
|
Indian filmmaker, Achyutanand Dwivedi’s film, “Seed Mother”, won the third prize in the international section of Nespresso Talents 2019 in Cannes.
|
In an international competition ‘Elsevier
Foundation-ISC3 Green and Sustainable Chemistry Challenge’, a project idea by
Ankur Patwardhan from Pune has bagged the second prize of €25,000. His
project named ‘Butterfly attractant for pollination and ecosystem
health’ is about the relationship between chemistry and ecosystem.
|
Bengaluru-based medical doctor Hema
Divakar was honored with the ‘Global Asian of the Year 2018-19’ award in Dubai recently for her yeomen services
and contributions to the women’s healthcare ecosystem, in India.
|
Flight Lieutenant Mohana Singh, one of
India’s first female fighter pilots, scripted history as the first-ever woman pilot to become operational on Hawk
advanced jet aircraft.
|
Indian writer Annie Zaidi was announced as 2019
winner of the USD 100,000 Nine Dots Prize, a prestigious book prize created
to award innovative thinking that addresses contemporary issues around the
world. For - ‘Bread, Cement, Cactus’
|
Chandrani Murmu, a tribal woman, has made
history after winning the Lok Sabha seat from Keonjhar in Odisha. She has become the youngest Member of
Parliament (MP) at the age of 25 years and 11 months.
|
Priyanka Mohite, the 26-year-old Satara
based mountaineer has become the first Indian woman to successfully scale Mount Makalu — the fifth-highest
mountain in the world at 8,481 meters.
|
Flt Lt Bhawana Kanth adds another feather
to her cap by completing Day Operational syllabus on MiG-21 Bison aircraft. She is the first women fighter
pilot to be qualified to undertake missions by day on a fighter aircraft.
|
Conference and Summits
Summit
|
Place
|
Extra
Knowledge
|
WTO Ministerial Meeting of Developing
Countries
|
New
Delhi
|
|
5th Smart Cities India 2019 Expo
|
New Delhi
|
|
SWIFT India and South Asia Conference
|
Mumbai
|
|
Meeting of Regional Heads of Customs Administration
of Asia Pacific Region of WCO (World Customs Organization)
|
Kochi,
Kerala
|
|
India, Brazil and South Africa (IBSA)
Sherpas meeting
|
Cochin,
Kerala
|
|
10th National Science Film
Festival
|
Agartala,
Tripura
|
To be
held in 2020
|
Annual meeting of the Asian Development
Bank (ADB) in 20121
|
Colombo,
Sri Lanka
|
|
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)
Foreign Minister’s meet
|
Bishkek,
Kyrgyz
Republic
|
|
Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India
(TAPI) meeting
|
Turkmenistan
|
|
5th Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) Media
Summit on Climate Action and Disaster Preparedness
|
Kathmandu,
Nepal
|
Theme - “Media Solutions for Sustainable Future:
Saving Lives, Building Resilient
Communities”.
|
2020 UN Ocean Conference
|
Lisbon,
Portugal
|
Theme – “scaling up ocean action based on science
and innovation for the implementation of Goal 14: stocktaking, partnerships
and
solutions”
|
International News
Ø The UK parliament became the first national legislative body in the
world to declare a climate change “emergency”. The historic move closely
follows Extinction Rebellion protests that blocked traffic in key parts of
central London.
Ø US President Donald Trump has said he will withdraw his country from
the International Arms Trade Treaty. The agreement, signed by Barack Obama in
2013, aims to regulate the sale of weapons between countries.
Ø A Japanese aerospace startup funded by a former internet maverick
has successfully launched a small rocket into space. Interstellar Technology
Inc. says the unmanned MOMO-3 rocket has exceeded 100 kilometers (60 miles) in
altitude before falling into the Pacific Ocean.
Ø The Asian Development Bank (ADB) launched the Action Plan for Healthy
Oceans and Sustainable Blue Economies for the Asia and Pacific region at the
52nd Annual Meeting of ADB’s Board of Governors in Fiji.
Ø A Nepali teenager danced continuously for 126 hours to set a
Guinness World Records on “Longest Dancing Marathon by an Individual”, a feat
previously hold by an Indian.
Ø Senegalese lawmakers approved a constitutional reform to scrap the
post of prime minister, the first initiative of President Macky Sall‘s second
term in office. The government approved the measure
last month before sending it to the parliament where the
presidential party enjoys a majority.
Ø Singapore’s parliament passed the Protection from Online Falsehood
and Manipulation Act (POFMA), a move to tackle the spread of online fake news.
The bill was passed after two days of debate in the parliament.
Ø Qantas flight F739 from Sydney to Adelaide was the first commercial
flight to produce no landfill waste. About 1000 single-use plastics were
replaced with alternative solutions or removed altogether from the flight,
including Qantas staples like individually-packaged servings of milk and Vegemite.
Ø WHO (World Health organization) collaborated with the International
Food and Beverage Alliance (IFBA) to eliminate industrially-produced trans fat
(iTFA) from food supply worldwide by 2023. Trans fat-intake leads to coronary
heart disease, due to which globally 5,00,000 deaths occur every year.
Ø In a bid to help countries ensure secure and verifiable voting,
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has announced “ElectionGuard” a free open-source
software development kit (SDK). It will enable end-to-end verification of
elections, open results to third-party organizations for secure validation, and
allow individual voters to confirm their votes were correctly counted
Ø Ireland has become the second country in the world to declare a
climate and biodiversity emergency. Ireland followed in the footsteps of the
United Kingdom.
Ø India and China top a list of countries where illegal sand mining
has become a major environmental problem, according to a report released by the
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). While we cannot do without sand,
responsible mining should be incentivized, said the report, ‘Sand and
Sustainability: finding new solutions for environmental governance of global
sand resources’.
Ø The Saudi government has approved for the first time a scheme that
gives permanent residency to certain expatriates, allowing them to own real
estate in the kingdom and reside with their families without a Saudi sponsor.
Ø Taiwan became the first Asian-nation to legalize same-sex marriage.
Ø Joining the Competition Commission of India (CCI) and the European
Union (EU), Italy’s antitrust authority has become the latest international
regulatory body to launch an anti-competition investigation against Google.
Ø The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World
Bank) and Commonwealth Bank (CBA) have enabled secondary market trading
recorded on blockchain for bond-i (blockchain operated new debt instrument),
making this the first bond whose issuance and trading are recorded using
distributed ledger technologies.
Ø Russia launched the world’s largest nuclear-powered icebreaker, which
would open up commercial opportunities for the country in the northern sea
route. With the ceremonial launch of ‘The Ural’, Russia’s Rosatom Atomic Energy
Corporation, which is the main equipment supplier for India’s Kudankulam the nuclear power plant has completed another step towards ensuring all-year round
navigability of the Northern sea route.
Ø The World Health Organization has certified Algeria and Argentina as
malaria-free, following three consecutive years where no new cases of the deadly disease have been reported.
Ø A-56 year-old Gopal Shrestha from Pokhara in Nepal became first HIV
infected climber to ascend the world’s highest peak, the Mount Everest.
National News
Ø The Vice President, M. Venkaiah Naidu released a postage stamp to commemorate
the 750th birth anniversary of Sri
Vedanta Desikan in New Delhi.
Indian government had earlier proposed a special green-colored
number plate for all electric vehicles in the country. Putting the year old
plan in action, the Central government has now asked the state transport departments to make it
mandatory for all EVs to use the green number plates, irrespective of the year
in which they were bought.
Ø Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) recently launched the
Malaria Elimination Research Alliance (MERA)- India and organised the
Stakeholders’ Meeting at ICMR headquarters, New Delhi to have vibrant
discussions on the roadmap of the Alliance.
Ø The government has hiked the customs duty on wheat to 40 per cent from 30 per cent to curb imports and protect
the domestic industry.
Ø The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi has announced that they
will be introducing a new Centre of Excellence for Waste to Wealth
Technologies. This step has been taken as a way to celebrate Mahatma Gandhi’s
150th Birthday. The initiative is a joint effort of IIT-D and Government of
India’s Principle Scientific Advisor (PSA).
Ø The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)
held a brainstorming session for all stakeholders in the renewable
energy industry. This ‘chintan baithak’ was the first of its kind organized by MNRE.
Ø The Indian Army is commemorating this year as the ‘Year of Next of
Kin’ and plans to reach out to the next of kin of battle casualties,
ex-servicemen and serving soldiers to inform them of entitled financial
benefits, welfare schemes and help resolve pension related problems.
Ø The Indian Navy’s first full-fledged Services Selection Board (SSB)
was inaugurated by Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba at Diamond Harbour near
Kolkata. The SSB (Kolkata) is located at a place that was previously occupied
by a Naval Coastal Battery.
Ø The website of the Lokpal www.lokpal.gov.in
has been launched. It was inaugurated by Chairperson Justice Pinaki
Chandra Ghose in presence of all the Members of Lokpal in New Delhi. The Lokpal is the first institution of its kind in independent
India, established under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 to inquire and
investigate into allegations of the corruption against public functionaries who
fall within the scope and ambit of the above Act
Ø At 47.8 deaths per 1,000 live births, India in 2015 had more deaths
among children under five than any other country, new research has found.
The highest mortality rate, in Assam, a state in northeastern India,
was more than seven times that in the western state of Goa.
Ø India signed the ‘Christchurch Call to Action’ in Paris. The
agreement came in the backdrop of the attacks on mosques in March and is aimed
at stopping the abuse of the Internet by extremists.
Ø India has been unanimously chosen as co-chair of the Consultative
Group (CG) of Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) for
the fiscal year 2020.
Ø India delivered the first pair of replacement Mi-24 attack
helicopters to Afghanistan. India had first delivered the Mi-24 Helicopters to
Afghanistan in December 2015.
Ø With 400 young Indian men participating across the country to learn laundry
lessons to share the responsibility of cleaning clothes along with the female
members of their homes, India achieved the Guinness World Records certificate
for the largest laundry lesson recently.
Ø The NITI Aayog has drawn up a plan for creating an institutional
framework for artificial intelligence (AI) in the country. It has circulated a
cabinet note to provide Rs 7,500 crore in funding for creation of cloud
computing platform called AIRAWAT and research
institutes.
Ø UN Environment India and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau of India
launched an awareness campaign ‘Not all animals migrate by choice’ to be
displayed at major airports across the country ahead of the International Day
of Biological Diversity celebrated on 22 May.
Ø A 41-year-old orangutan at Odisha’s Nandankanan Zoological Park died
following a prolonged illness. ”Binny”, the country’s lone orangutan passed
away due to old-age related ailments followed by respiratory tract infection.
Ø In its first meeting, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi decided to give monthly pension of Rs 3,000 to all small and
marginal farmers across the country, small traders, businessmen, and
shopkeepers after they attain the age of 60
years.
All small shopkeepers and self-employed persons as well as the
retail traders with Goods and Services Tax (GST) turnover below Rs 1.5 crore
and aged between 18 and 40 years can enroll themselves for the scheme.
Ø As the World Environment Day is approaching, Ministry of
Environment, Forest and Climate Change launched a theme song ‘Hawa Aane De’ on
air pollution. The song was launched in the national capital. The aim is to
spread awareness regarding protecting the environment. Secretary of Ministry of
Environment, Forest and Climate Change launched the song in the presence of
actor Shekhar Suman and singer Shaan. World Environment Day is celebrated on
June 05.
Ø The Trump administration removed India from its currency monitoring
list of major trading partners, citing certain developments and steps being
taken by New Delhi addressing some of its major concerns. Switzerland is the
other nation that has been removed from the list. However, the list includes
China, Japan, South Korea, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Singapore, Malaysia, and
Vietnam among others.
Ø India has been elected to the Executive Board of the first
UN-Habitat Assembly, announced by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. India
has been elected to the Executive Board of the first UN-Habitat Assembly at the
Plenary Session of the Assembly being held in
Nairobi.
Ø ISRO Chairman K Sivan
flagged off the shipment of India’s largest
liquid hydrogen storage
tank at the VRV Asia
Pacific’s manufacturing plant at Sri City in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.
State News
Arunachal Pradesh
Ø The Geological Survey of India (GSI) in its report said that about
35% of India’s total Graphite reserves are found in Arunachal Pradesh. This is
the highest found in the country.
Karnataka
Ø Mangalore City Police has launched an all-women police patrol unit
in the city. Flagging off the ‘Rani Abbakka Force’ in Mangalore, Sandeep Patil,
Commissioner of Police, said the Karnataka police is giving utmost importance
to the protection of women and children.
Ø Defence Space agency to come up at
Bengaluru
Kerala
Ø Kerala became the first state to tap into masala bond market by
listing the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB)’s masala bond
worth of USD 312 million (Rs 2,150 crore) in London Stock Exchange (LSE)’s
International Securities Market (ISM).
Madhya Pradesh
Ø Indore’s Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar airport has been declared as an
international airport.
Sikkim
Ø The 14th edition of the annual Sino-Indian border trade opened at
Nathu La in Sikkim.
Tamil Nadu
Ø A unique ‘Tree Ambulance’ service – an initiative to provide care to
trees besides spread green cover, was launched by Vice President M. Venkaiah
Naidu in Chennai.
The service launched for the first time in the state, aims at
providing first aid treatment to trees, uprooted tree planting, seed bank, seed
ball distribution, plant distribution, aiding tree plantation, shifting trees,
survey of trees and removal of dead trees. The ambulance can be availed through
the helpline number – 9941006786. People can register themselves as volunteers
on their website- www.treeambulance.org.
Telangana
Ø Telangana’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) has grown 15 per
cent in the financial year ended March 31, 2019 at ₹8,66,875 crore as against
₹7,53,804 crore in the previous year.
This is the
highest ever growth of GSDP after the formation of Telangana State.
Finance and Banking News
Ø With an aim to ease high-value fund transfers, the Reserve Bank of
India (RBI) announced an extension of timings for customer transactions through
Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) by one and half hours.
Customers can now transfer money through RTGS mode till 6 pm instead
of the existing 4:30 pm. The change will come into effect starting June 1.
Ø Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has directed banks to enhance the
housing loan limits for eligibility under priority sector lending (PSL) to Rs
35 lakh in metropolitan centers (with population of ten lakh and above) and Rs
25 lakh in other centers. In order to bring the RRBs and SFBs at a level
playing field with other Scheduled Commercial Banks, it has now been decided to
enhance the housing loan limits for eligibility under PSL.
Ø Reserve Bank of India has
released a vision document’ Payment and Settlement Systems in India: Vision
2019 – 2021’, with its core theme of ‘Empowering Exceptional E-payment
Experience’ for ensuring a safe, secure, convenient, quick and affordable
e-payment system.
Ø India’s largest bank State Bank of India has moved to a new interest
rate regime on large savings account deposits as well as short-term loans. In
March, SBI had announced that it will link its interest rate on savings account
with balance above Rs. 1 lakh and short-term loans like overdraft and cash
credit facility to Reserve Bank of India’s repo rate, effective 1 May 2019.
Ø The State Bank of India (SBI) has announced a strategic partnership
with the FMCG arm of The Art of Living — Sri Sri Tattva. Under this
partnership, YONO users can avail a discount of 15 per cent on the entire range
of products offered by Sri Sri Tattva such as food, personal care, healthcare,
homecare, BYOGI apparels and Shankara skincare products.
Ø Canara Bank and its life insurance partner Canara HSBC Oriental Bank
of Commerce Life Insurance launched
’Webassurance’
to enable its customers to purchase life insurance in a convenient and
hassle-free way.
Ø National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) approved the merger of private
sector lender IndusInd Bank with Bharat Financial Inclusion (BFIL), a
microfinance company.
Ø Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based HR solutions provider Talocity
would provide Yes Bank its AI-supported “touchless”
technology for
the bank’s hiring process and human resource (HR) operations.
Ø India Ratings has downgraded Yes Bank‘s long-term issuer rating from
‘IND AA plus’ to ‘IND AA minus’ with a negative outlook.
Ø To give a fillip to digital lending, Small Industries Development
Bank of India (SIDBI)has put together a pilot scheme to extend financial
assistance of up to Rs10 crore to new-age fintech non-banking finance companies
(NBFCs) engaged in financing small businesses and other income-generating activities.
Ø A Reserve Bank of India-appointed committee headed by Aadhaar
architect Nandan Nilekani has submitted its suggestions on promoting digital
payments to Governor Shaktikanta Das.
In January, the RBI had set up the five-member panel on deepening
digital payments with a view to encouraging digitization of payments and
enhance financial inclusion through digitization.
Ø HDFC Capital Advisors, a wholly-owned subsidiary of HDFC Ltd,
launched a new initiative called ‘HDFC Affordable Real Estate and Technology
Program (HeART). It aims to mentor, partner and invest in real estate
technology companies that drive innovation and efficiencies within the
affordable housing ecosystem.
Ø Private sector lender Karnataka Bank launched a new savings bank
product called “KBL SB Salary” for salaried class with three variants of
Executive, Prime and Classic.
Ø Corporation Bank has launched ‘Corp SME Suvidha’, a product for
GST-registered MSMEs. The product has been designed as part of the bank’s
efforts to provide the best products to the MSME sector.
Ø Bank credit to infrastructure sector grew by 18.5 per cent to Rs
10.55 lakh crore as of 2018-19, the highest since 2012-13 fiscal, RBI data showed.
Ø As per data from the Reserve Bank of India, debit card swipes on
Point of Sales (PoS) terminals jumped more than 27% in March 2019 compared to
corresponding period last year. In contrast, ATM withdrawals grew at a slower
pace of 15%.
Ø Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) has announced that it has launched ‘Bank
on Wheels’ facility in 14 of its lead districts in Tamil Nadu and Kerala,
besides Vijayawada. The mobile van facility will enable the public, especially
senior citizens, conveniently get door-step banking facility available at
identified locations of the lead districts.
Ø RBI stated that all non-deposit-taking non-banking financial
companies (NBFCs) with an asset size of Rs 5,000 crore and above, and all
deposit-taking NBFCs irrespective of their asset size, have to maintain a
liquidity buffer in terms of a Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR).
Business News
Ø Bharti AXA General Insurance said it will sell policies through
social media messaging platform WhatsApp and has tied up with web aggregator
Wishfin Insurance for speedy delivery of two-wheeler cover.
Ø Iraq has become India’s top crude oil supplier for the second
consecutive year, meeting more than one-fifth of the country’s oil needs in the
2018-19 fiscal year.
Ø Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting (WCCL), the consumer care business
of software provider Wipro Ltd, has acquired the Philippines-based personal
care maker Splash Corporation for an undisclosed amount to enter the country
which has a consumer base of around 100 million.
Ø PayPal India has launched its One Touch instant payments feature for
Android devices in the country.
Ø LIC Housing Finance (LIC HFL) has launched ‘Udyam’, a skilling
centre in Bengaluru. It was launched in association with Lok Bharti Education
Society, the implementing partner.
Ø State-owned telecom firm BSNL has become the first operator to start
optical fibre-based high-speed broadband service in Pulwama with the launch of
‘Bharat Fibre’. This is the first such FTTH (fibre-to-the-home) service
deployment in the (Kashmir) Valley under this unique revenue share model.
Ø The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) directed the
National Stock Exchange (NSE) to disgorge Rs 625 crore, along with interest at
12 per cent per annum since 2014, for lapses at its co-location (colo)
facility, which allowed unfair access to certain brokers. The regulator also
barred the exchange for a period of six months from accessing the securities market.
Ø Bilateral trade between
India and the United States
in goods and services grew 12.6 per cent from USD 126 billion
in 2017 to USD 142 billion in 2018.
Ø Max Life Insurance Co Ltd, one of industry’s foremost life insurance
companies, announced that it will dedicate 6th day of every calendar month as
‘Protection Day’ towards driving awareness around the concept of financial
protection.
As a part of the initiative the Company will also drive a “Super
Customer Week”, where customers across the board will be educated about various
aspects of financial protection.
Ø Bharti Airtel and Hughes Communications India announced an agreement
to combine their VSAT operations in India and leverage the demand for secure
connectivity in a rapidly growing digital economy.
Ø BharatPe – India’s first Fintech start-up enabling payments for
merchants through interoperable UPI QR codes, has announced its foray into
merchant services with a new app. The
app allows merchants to record their cash/credit (Udhar) sales customer wise,
request accounts receivable from customers via SMS payment links, and keep
track of accounts payable to suppliers, among other services.
Ø Samsung Electronics Co introduced the world’s highest-resolution
image sensor, with 64 megapixels for smartphones, to meet the growing demand
for mobile devices with better image quality.
Ø In a bid to become a dominant player in the global toy retail
industry, Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) announced it has acquired
iconic British toy retailer Hamleys
from Chinese fashion
wear firm C Banner
International for an undisclosed sum.
Ø Facebook has chosen London as the center for the global roll-out of
WhatsApp pay, before the social media giant launches its digital payments
service on the mobile messaging platform in India.
Ø HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company, India’s third-largest non-life
insurance provider in the private sector, announced the launch of ‘Mosquito
Disease Protection Policy’.
Ø IBM India has tied-up with HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company,
India’s third-largest non-life insurance provider in the private sector, to
co-create new Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based solutions.
Ø Bharti Airtel and HDFC Life Insurance have tied up to offer life
cover for customers who get a prepaid recharge done. Airtel’s new Rs.
249-prepaid bundle which will include 2 GB data, unlimited calls across
networks, and 100 SMSes per day will also offer a cover worth Rs. 4 lakh from
HDFC Life.
Ø Paytm has introduced a new credit,
called Paytm First Card, in partnership with Citibank. The company is touting
that the new card will offer customers 1 percent of universal cashback along
with zero restrictions on earning categories. This will be auto-credited to the
card every month.
Ø Housing finance major HDFC Limited has partnered with the India
Mortgage Guarantee Corporation (IMGC) to offer a mortgage-guaranteed home loan
product. The partnership aims to make it possible for HDFC to further penetrate
the home loan market and access an enlarged customer base, helping them to own
a home of their choice.
Ø Doordarshan has launched an online souvenir store for its viewers on
Amazon India so that one can easily access
it.
A. Surya
Prakash Chairman, Prasar Bharati launched DD souvenir store on Amazon India.
Ø ICICI Bank announced the launch of a co-branded multi-currency card
with online travel booking portal Goibibo. Anyone travelling abroad, whether
they hold an ICICI Bank savings account or not, can apply for the Goibibo ICICI
Bank Travel Card on the Goibibo website and mobile app.
Ø In a move to enrich the customer experience of millions of the
homegrown ride hailing platform’s users, Ola has partnered the state-run SBI
cards to launch Ola Money SBI Credit Card for the country’s first such
co-branding initiative in the segment.
Ø Reliance Infrastructure promoted Mumbai Metro One announced a tie-up
with payment gateway ‘Instamojo’ to enable card payments aimed at boosting
cashless travel.
Ø Bajaj Finserv said it has launched a specialized insurance cover for
passengers travelling in local trains in country’s financial capital Mumbai.
The travelers will get an insurance cover of Rs 1 lakh against a payment of Rs
399 per annum.
Ø Leading stock exchange BSE said it has launched ‘BSE StAR MF’ app to
enable more participation and help mutual fund distributors process
transactions faster. “BSE StAR MF mobile app supports real-time client
registration and paperless transactions, creates
and uploads mandate
for SIPs, generates
the basket of multiple orders,
tracks and allows the
distributor to analyze his business at his fingertips.
Ø Vodafone Idea Business Services (VIBS), the enterprise arm of
telecom major Vodafone Idea, announced a strategic partnership with datacenter
service provider CtrlS for information and communications technology (ICT)
solutions, including cloud computing.
Ø Global software major Infosys has completed the acquisition of
majority (75 per cent) equity stake in the
Stater
N.V. subsidiary
of the Netherlands-based ABN AMRO Bank.
Ø The HDFC group has overtaken the 151-year-old Tata group to emerge
as India’s most valuable by way of market capitalization (m-cap).
Ø The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and the Insurance
Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDAI) have announced initiatives to
encourage tech startups, especially fintech, by making data and systems
available to them through the regulatory sandbox (RS).
SEBI has proposed an ‘Innovation Sandbox’ which would be a testing
environment where fintech firms and entities not regulated by SEBI.
Ø Rating agency ICRA downgraded the long-term rating of private lender
IDFC First Bank on the back of weak
earnings profile and increase in provisions due to unanticipated fresh stressed
exposures identified by the bank. The ratings was bought down a notch from to
AA from AA+ with stable outlook.
Economy News
Ø India Ratings and Research marginally lowered country’s GDP growth
projection for 2019-20 fiscal to 7.3 per cent mainly due to below normal
monsoon prediction and loss of momentum in industrial output.
Ø The Asia-Pacific region is expected to power ahead growing at 5.7%
this year: Asian Development Bank
Ø Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said
in its Economic Outlook: India’s economic growth will regain strength and
approach 7.5% by 2020
Gross domestic product (GDP) growth in India is projected to
strengthen to close to 7.25% in FY19 and close to 7.5% in FY20.
Ø UN’s World Economic
Situation and Prospects
report: India’s growth
rate for the current
fiscal year to be 7%. And 7.1% in the fiscal year 2020.
World growth of 2.7% this year and 2.9% in 2020.
Ø The country’s economic growth in the fourth quarter ended March 2019
is expected to moderate to 6.1-5.9 per cent, which could pull down growth rate
for the entire fiscal 2018-19 to below 7 per cent, according to a report by
SBI.
Ø India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) said that it expects India’s GDP
growth rate during 2018-19 to be 6.9 per cent as against the advance estimate
of 7 per cent.
Ø In 2018, MICE tourism in India was pegged at Rs 25,000 crore with 8
per cent growth year-on-year, said the report titled ‘India Inbound Tourism:
Unlocking the Opportunity’: FICCI-Yes Bank report
Ø Food inflation in the country is likely to go up to 2 per cent in
the financial year 2019-20 from the 0.7 per cent estimated for FY19. The low
food prices have been one of the prime factors which has aided the RBI to be
more accommodatory in its rate setting recently.
Ø Bank credit grew by 13.2% in financial year 2018-19 as compared to
10.3% in the previous financial year, mainly aided by loans to services and
retail sector. Deposit growth also gained momentum, growing by 10% as compared
to 6.7% a year ago.
Ø India’s exports in April 2019 grew 1.34 per cent to 44.06 billion US
dollars while imports jumped 4.53 per cent to
52.83 billion
US dollars in the year-on period.
Ø
Wholesale Price Index
(WPI)-based inflation for April 2019 eased to 3.07%, from 3.62% in April 2018.
Ø The Indian economy will grow at 7 per cent range in the current
fiscal powered by the effects of the strong structural reforms such as
bankruptcy laws, Goods and Services Tax (GST), crackdown on shell companies and
the fiscal prudence undertaken in the last five years, Chief Economic Advisor
(CEA) Krishnamurthy V. Subramanian said recently.
Ø Bad loan recoveries in the last fiscal effected through the
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) route was at Rs 70,000 crore,
posting a recovery
rate of 43 per cent, and was twice the Rs 35,500
crore recovered through previous resolution mechanisms like the
Debt Recovery Tribunal and Lok Adalat, as per a report by ratings firm Crisil.
Ø Goods and Services Tax (GST) collection scales record high of Rs
1.13 lakh crore in April, highest ever collection since GST implementation.
Ø In a first in recent history of tax filings, income tax e-filings in
FY 2019 have dropped by more than 6.6 lakh, a trend that analysts said was
surprising as tax base was expected to increase post demonetization.
Ø The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)
announced a Rs 700-crore venture capital fund for equity investments in
agriculture and rural-focused startups. NABARD has been contributing to other
funds till now and this is the first time that the rural development bank has
launched a fund of its own.
Ø Total sanctions under the Pradhan
Mantri Mudra Yojana
(PMMY) loan scheme for micro
industries are likely to
cross Rs 3 lakh crore in the current fiscal.
Government data for the scheme for the last fiscal, till
March 22, 2019, put the figure of Mudra sanctions at Rs 2.82 lakh crore to
541.27 lakh borrowers.
Ø As per the data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the
economic growth rate for the financial year 2018-19 stood at a five-year low of
6.8 per cent.
Ø As per the data released by Controller General of Accounts (CGA),
India met its fiscal deficit target for 2018-19, which came in at 3.39 per cent
of GDP, slightly lower than 3.4 per cent estimated in the revised estimates of
the Budget, on the back of an increase in non-tax revenue and lower expenditure.
Ø The country’s median GDP is forecast at 7.10 percent for Financial
Year 2020 and 7.20 percent for Financial Year 2021. The industry body FICCI’s
economic outlook survey stated that the minimum and maximum growth estimate
stood at 6.80 percent and 7.3 percent for 2019-20.
Science & Technology
Ø NASA spacecraft to hit an asteroid in 2022.
Ø Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Director K Sivan
inaugurated the Young Scientist Programme (YUVIKA). The program is aimed at
imparting basic knowledge of science and space technology to school-going
students from different states and Union Territories (UT) of the country in
order to arouse their interest in space-related activities.
The participants will be attending a residential training program
at 4 ISRO centers – Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram; U
R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC), Bengaluru; Space Applications Centre (SAC),
Ahmedabad, and North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC), Shillong.
Ø India successfully placed into orbit a radar imaging earth
observation satellite RISAT-2B in a textbook style. PSLV- C46 has successfully
injected RISAT-2B in a precise orbit.
According to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), India’s new
earth observation satellite up in the sky will send good clarity images which
will be used for agriculture, forestry, and disaster management support.
This was the
72nd launch vehicle mission from the Sriharikota Range.
Ø NASA unveiled the calendar for the “Artemis” program that will
return astronauts to the Moon for the first time in half a century, including
eight scheduled launches and a mini-station in lunar orbit by 2024. Artemis :
The original lunar missions were named for Apollo – Artemis was his twin sister
in Greek mythology, and the goddess of hunting, wilderness, and the Moon.
Defence News
Ø Indo-French joint naval exercise, Varuna 19 was conducted in two
phases. 1st phase ‘ Varuna 19.1’ - Goa coast from 1 to 10 May 2019. 2nd phase ‘
Varuna 19.2’ - May end in Djibouti.
Ø 8th Indo-Myanmar Coordinated Patrol (IMCOR) held in Port Blair.
Ø Completing its journey of 36 years, INS Ranjit, a Rajput class
destroyer was decommissioned at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam recently.
Commissioned on 15 September 1983 by Captain Vishnu Bhagwat in erstwhile Union
of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), the ship was used for yeoman service.
Ø Scorpene class submarine Vela, equipped with modern machinery and
technology to guard the seas, was
launched in Mumbai.
INS Vela was first commissioned on August 31, 1973 in the Indian
Naval service and continued to serve for 37 years. It was the oldest submarine of
the country when it was decommissioned.
Ø Defence ministry has approved the procurement of 10 Kamov Ka-31
Airborne Early Warning and Control helicopters for the Indian Navy. The cost of
the deal would be around Rs 3,600 crore and the 10 helicopters would be deployed on the aircraft
carriers and warships of the Navy including the INS Vikrant and
Grigorovich-class frigates.
Ø Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) conducted a
successful flight test of ABHYAS high-speed expendable aerial target (HEAT)
from Interim Test Range, Chandipur in Odisha.
Ø INS Kolkata and INS Shakti of the Indian Navy participated in a
3-day Asia Pacific naval and maritime event titled the International Maritime
Defence Exhibition Asia (IMDEX Asia-2019) held in Changi Exhibition Centre, Singapore.
Ø Croatian World Cupper Igor Stimac was appointed head coach of the
Indian football team for a two-year term.
Ø India skipper Virat Kohli has bagged the International Cricketer of
the year award while
Smriti Mandhana was honored with the International women cricketer
of the year award during the CEAT International Cricket Awards 2019.
Ø Former India women cricketer GS Lakshmi became the first female to
be appointed to the ICC International Panel
of Match Referees.
Ø World number one Bajrang Punia has become the first Indian to win
gold at the Ali Aliev wrestling tournament after defeating Viktor Rassadin of
Russia in the 65 kg freestyle in Kapiisk, Russia.
Ø Shooter Apurvi Chandela
became the world
number one in women’s 10m Air Rifle category with 1,926 rankings points, according to the latest
rankings released by International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) recently.
Ø Apurvi Chandela won the gold in women’s 10m air rifle at the ISSF
World Cup
Ø Rahi Sarnobat clinched gold in the women’s 25m pistol at the
season’s third International Shooting Sport Federation World Cup in Munich, Germany.
Ø India’s 17-year-old shooter Saurabh Chaudhary broke his own junior
and senior world record to win his second gold medal in 10m Air Pistol event in
ISSF Gold Cup 2019.
Ø Gaurav Solanki and Manish Kaushik won a gold medal each in the XXXVI
Feliks Stamm International Boxing Tournament in Warsaw, Poland
Ø Ace Indian squash players Saurav Ghoshal and Joshna Chinappa won
their respective Asian Individual Squash Championship titles in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Ø Chennai Super Kings (CSK) off-spinner Harbhajan Singh became the
third Indian to claim 150 wickets in the Indian Premier League (IPL).’
Delhi’s Amit Mishra and Kolkata Knight Riders’ Piyush Chawla are the
other two Indians who have taken 150 wickets in the IPL.
Ø India’s racing sensation Jehan Daruvala created history during the
Spanish F1 Grand Prix, scoring a dramatic victory in the inaugural round of the
all-new FIA Formula 3 Championship in Barcelona.
Ø Juventus star striker Cristiano Ronaldo was awarded the ‘Serie A
Player of the Year’ award. This is a remarkable feat for the Portuguese
international as he has won the award in his very first season in Italy.
Ø Former South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis has been honored with
the Order of Ikhamanga in the Silver Division. The national honor is bestowed
by the President of South Africa on
citizens who have made significant
Ø Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara has been appointed as the
first non-British president of the Marylebone Cricket Club. Sangakkara will be
the first overseas MCC president in the organization’s 233-year history.
Ø Pakistan off-spinner Sana Mir has become the most successful women’s
ODI spinner in history after she took her 147th wicket, highest ever by any
spinner in One-day International (ODI) cricket.
Ø Liverpool defender Virgil
van Dijk has been named Premier
League Player of the Season.
By doing so, he became the first defender to win the Player
of the Season award in seven seasons, after Manchester City’s Vincent Kompany
in 2011-12.
Ø Amul has been announced as the principal sponsor of the Afghanistan
cricket team for the upcoming World Cup, slated to be held in England and Wales
from May 30.
Ø The 23rd edition of the Asian Athletics Championship
concluded in Doha, Qatar.
Tejinder Pal Singh Toor won Gold in Men’s shot put event, Gomathi
Marimuthu won Gold in Women’s 800m event and PU Chitra won Gold in Women’s
1500m race event.
Ø ISSF World Cup held in Beijing, China
For India, while Anjum Moudgil and young Divyansh Singh Panwar
started the medal hunt with a gold in the 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team competition,
the teenaged pair of Manu Bhaker and Saurabh Chaudhary backed them up with
another yellow metal in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team Pistol event.
Ø Jaipur will host the 8th Asian Youth Women Handball Championship.
Ø China has become the sole contender to host Asian Cup Football
tournament in 2023 after South Korea has announced to withdraw its bid to host
the game.
Ø Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez has announced that the 2018/19
season will be his final one as a professional footballer.
Ø Former Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure has announced his
retirement from football.
Ø Germany‘s double Olympic biathlon champion Laura Dahlmeier announced
her retirement at the age of just 25
after struggling with health issues.
Ø Helo, India’s social media platform, has announced its partnership
with the Indian Wheelchair Cricket Association as the team sponsor for Team
India during the Asia Cup 2019, which is scheduled from May 15 in Nepal.
Committee
Head of
Committee
|
Purpose
|
M K Sharma
|
The Central
Works Public Department (CPWD) has constituted an expert committee to formulate design policy for building construction and infrastructure development.
|
T. N. Manoharan, Chairman of Canara Bank
|
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) constituted a task force
on development of the secondary market for corporate loans.
|
Harsh Vardhan
|
RBI
announced the setting-up of a committee to work for the development of
housing finance
securitization market in the country
|
Rankings
Index
|
India’s
Rank
|
Other Information
|
IMD World Competitiveness
Rankings
|
43
|
1st - Singapore
|
Kids Right Index
|
117
|
1st - Iceland
|
Ø India 4th Biggest Military Spender in 2018: SIPRI (Stockholm
International Peace Research Institute) Report. India’s military spending went
up by 3.1 percent to $66.5 billion. 1st – USA.
Rankings (Persons, Cities, Organisations, and Others)
Ø Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become the second most-followed
politician in the world with a social media audience of 110,912,648 million on
platforms including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, a study by online
visibility management and content marketing SaaS platform SEMrush said recently.
The most-followed politician globally was former US President Barack
Obama, who has 182,710,777 followers on his Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
accounts.
Ø Rajiv Gandhi International Airport has been declared as the eighth
best airport in the world. In the 2019 annual rating report by AirHelp, an
organization that specializes in air traveler rights, Doha’s Hamad
International Airport, Tokyo Haneda International Airport, and Athens
International Airport have retained their top three positions in the list.
Ø Reliance Industries has toppled state-owned Indian Oil Corporation
(IOC) to become the country’s biggest company by revenue. The Mukesh Ambani-led
conglomerate, in the 2018-19 fiscal year that ended March 31, reported a
turnover of Rs 6.23 lakh crore.
Ø Huawei Technologies Co. overtook Apple Inc. to claim the No. 2 spot
in smartphones in the first quarter,
moving a step closer to its avowed ambition of displacing Samsung at the top of
the market.
Ø The Netherlands has emerged as the 3rd largest Foreign Direct
investor in India for the years 2017-2018 with investments valued at US$ 2.67
billion across variety of sectors such as services, trading, automobile
industry, fermentation industries, chemicals and water management.
Ø Mumbai topped the 15-city list of the most vulnerable cities to
cyberattacks in 2019, followed by Delhi, Bengaluru and Kolkata, Quick Heal
Security Labs revealed. The ‘Annual Threat Report 2019’ put Maharashtra, Delhi
and West Bengal as the top three states at most risk.
Loans from Banks
Ø Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed an agreement to provide
long-term financing of $750 million equivalent in Indian rupees — the largest
single non-sovereign loan ever committed by ADB — to the Indian Railway Finance
Corporation (IRFC), to fund the Railways track electrification project.
Ø Asian Development Bank (ADB) has given in-principle nod for
financing 4 metro rail projects and a Rs 30,000 crore rapid rail corridor
between Delhi and Meerut as part of its effort to improve urban transport
system in India.
Books
Book
|
Author
|
Other Info
|
Game Changer
|
Former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi’s autobiography
|
In it, he has lashed out explosively at India’s
former southpaw and winner of two World titles Gautam Gambhir, taking their
decade-old on-and-off-field spat to another level.
|
Darkness to light
|
Former
American basketball player,
Lamar Odom
|
|
Coming Round the Mountain
|
Ruskin
Bond
|
Obituaries
Name
|
Profession
|
Other Info
|
Grumpy Cat, the Internet’s most popular
cat and one of its first viral memes, has passed away at age seven. Grumpy Cat, whose real name is Tardar Sauce, had
feline dwarfism.
|
||
N.R. Madhava Menon
|
Father
of ‘legal education’
|
|
Baidyanath Mishra
|
Economist
|
|
Kirpal Singh
|
Sikh
historian
|
|
Vijaya Mulay
|
Filmmaker
|
|
Kadavoor Sivadasan
|
Politics
|
|
V. Vishwanatha Menon
|
Politics
|
Former
CPI-M Kerala Finance Minister
|
Rajendra Tiwari
|
Madhya
Pradesh Advocate General and Senior Advocate
|
|
MB Balakrishnan
|
Swimmer
|
Ace
Tamil Nadu swimmer and South Asian
Games gold-medalist
|
Derek Sippy
|
Former
billiards player, coach and
administrator
|
|
Thoppil Mohamed Meeran
|
Author
(Tamil)
|
|
Maramraju Satyanarayana Rao
|
Writer
and academician
|
|
Surya Prakash
|
Painter
|
|
Roshan Taneja
|
Acting
Guru
|
Founder and former head of the acting department at
the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune. Known
to many as the ‘pioneer of method
acting’ in India
|
Veeru Devgan
|
Action
and Stunts directors
|
|
Benu Mishra
|
Assam’s
noted artist and former senior
art adviser
|
|
Rallapalli Venkata
Narasimha Rao
|
Actor
(Telugu)
|
|
Master Hirannaiah
|
Actor
(Kannada)
|
Kannada
theatre and film personality
|
Mrinal Mukherjee
|
Actor
(Bengali)
|
|
Eranholi Moosa
|
Mappilapaattu
singer
|
|
Nebburu Narayana Hegde
|
Yakshagana
‘bhagawatha’
(singer)
|
|
Hiralal Yadav
|
Bhojpuri
Singer
|
|
Adiraja Sultana Fathima Muthu Beevi
|
Head
of erstwhile Arakkal royal family
|
|
Yogi Deveshwar
|
Businessman
|
ITC
group Chairman
|
Murray Gell-Mann
|
American
physicist
|
|
Negasso Gidada
|
Former
Ethiopian President
|
|
Bob Hawke
|
Former
Australian Prime
Minister
|
|
Prem Tinsulanonda
|
Thailand’s
former Prime
Minister
|
|
John Singleton
|
American
film director
|
Academy
Award-nominated filmmaker best
known for directing “Boyz N the Hood”
and “Poetic Justice”
|
Peter Mayhew
|
English-American
Actor
|
|
Clement Von Franckenstein
|
British-American
Actor
|
|
Peggy Lipton
|
American
Actress
|
|
Doris Day
|
American
actress-singer
|
|
Tim Conway
|
American
comedian
|
|
Sammy Shore
|
American
actor, stand-up
comedian
|
|
Terry Rawlings
|
British
film and sound editor
|
|
Seymour Nurse
|
West
Indies batsman
|
|
I.M. Pei
|
Chinese-American
architect
|
He
designed the glass and metal
pyramid
at the Louvre Museum in Paris
|
Niki Lauda
|
Austrian
Formula One driver
|
|
Sultan Ahmad Shah
|
Malaysia’s
seventh King and football
veteran
|
Important Days
Date
|
Day
|
Other Info
|
1 May
|
International Labour Day
|
Theme 2019: “Sustainable Pension for all: The
Role of Social Partners”
|
2 May
|
World Tuna Day
|
|
2 May 2019 (1st Thursday of May)
|
World Password Day
|
|
3 May
|
World Press Freedom Day
|
Theme 2019: “Media for Democracy: Journalism and
Elections in Times of Disinformation”
|
5 May
|
International Midwives’ Day
|
Theme 2019: “Midwives: Defenders of Women’s
Rights”
|
6 May – 12 May
|
United Nations Global Road Safety Week
|
Theme 2019: “Leadership for road safety”
|
7 May 2019
(1st Tuesday of May) |
World Asthma Day
|
Theme 2019: “STOP for Asthma”
|
7 May
|
World Athletics Day
|
|
8 May
|
World Red Cross Day
|
Theme 2019: “#Love”
|
8 May
|
International Thalassaemia Day
|
Theme 2019: “Universal access to quality
thalassaemia healthcare services: Building bridges with and for patients.”
|
11 May
|
National Technology Day
|
|
11 May 2019 (2nd Saturday of May and October)
|
World Migratory Bird Day
|
Theme 2019: “Protect Birds: Be the Solution to
Plastic Pollution!”
|
11 May 2019
(2nd Saturday of May) |
World Fair Trade Day
|
Live Fair, One Product at a Time
|
12 May
|
International Nurses Day
|
Theme 2019: “Nurses – A Voice to Lead – Health
for All”
|
12 May 2019
(2nd Sunday of May) |
International Mothers’ Day
|
|
15 May
|
International Day of Families
|
Theme 2019: “Families and Climate Action: Focus
on SDG13”
|
16 May
|
National Dengue Day
|
|
16 May
|
International Light Day
|
|
17 May
|
World Hypertension Day
|
Theme 2019: “Know Your Numbers”
|
17 May
|
World Telecommunication and Information Society Day
|
Theme 2019: “Bridging
the standardization gap”
|
17 May
|
International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia |
Theme 2019: “Justice and
Protection for All”
|
18 May
|
International Museum Day
|
Theme 2019: “Museums as
Cultural Hubs: The Future of Tradition”
|
18 May
|
World AIDS Vaccine Day
|
|
20 May
|
World Metrology Day
|
Theme 2019: “The
International System of Units – Fundamentally better”
|
20 May
|
World Bee Day
|
|
21 May
|
Anti-Terrorism Day
|
|
21 May
|
World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and
Development
|
|
22 May
|
International Day for Biological Diversity
|
Theme 2019: “Our Biodiversity, Our Food, Our
Health”
|
23 May
|
World Turtle Day
|
|
25 May
|
International Missing Children’s Day
|
|
25 May
|
World Thyroid Day
|
|
28 May
|
International Day of Action for Women’s Health
|
|
29 May
|
International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers
|
Theme 2019: “Protecting
Civilians, Protecting Peace”
|
29 May
|
World Digestive Health Day
|
Theme 2019: “Early Diagnosis and Treatment of GI
Cancer”
|
31 May
|
World No-Tobacco Day
|
Theme 2019: “Tobacco and Lung Health”
|
0 Comments