National
News
1. Anti Terrorism Day: 21 May
Rajiv Gandhi |
i. The Anti
Terrorism Day is observed on 21 May every
year in our country to make the people aware of the anti-social act of
terrorism and its impact on human suffering and lives. The official
announcement of National Anti Terrorism Day was made after the
assassination of India's seventh Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on 21 May 1991.
ii. He was killed in Tamil Nadu in a campaign by the terrorist. Then, under V.P. Singh government the centre has decided to observe 21st May as Anti Terrorism Day.
ii. He was killed in Tamil Nadu in a campaign by the terrorist. Then, under V.P. Singh government the centre has decided to observe 21st May as Anti Terrorism Day.
2. India
Successfully Test-Fires BrahMos Missile Along Odisha Coast
i. India successfully test-fired the Indo-Russian
joint venture BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from a test range
along the Odisha coast to validate some new features. The
missile was test-fired from a mobile launcher stationed at Launch pad 3 of the Integrated
Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, according to DRDO.
ii. The trial was conducted to validate its “life extension” technologies developed for the first time in India by DRDO and team Brahmos.
ii. The trial was conducted to validate its “life extension” technologies developed for the first time in India by DRDO and team Brahmos.
Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD
Grade-A Exam 2018-
·
DRDO
Chairman- S
Christopher, Headquarters- New Delhi.
3. NMDC, NLC to Ink Pact With Aussie ECT for R&D Project
i. NMDC
Limited and NLC India Limited (formerly
Neyveli Lignite Corporation) has decided to invest over USD 26
million for setting up an R&D facility for developing innovative
technologies in iron and steel making.
ii. Australian Securities Exchange, the NLC and NMDC will sign the Master Project Agreement (MPA) with ECT to establish world's first Australian-designed Coldry and Matmor plant in Tamil Nadu.
iii. Senior executives of NMDC Limited and NLC India Limited will visit Australia to sign a joint R&D agreement with Environmental Clean Technologies Limited (ECT) an Australian company expert in commercialising leading-edge coal and iron-making technologies.
ii. Australian Securities Exchange, the NLC and NMDC will sign the Master Project Agreement (MPA) with ECT to establish world's first Australian-designed Coldry and Matmor plant in Tamil Nadu.
iii. Senior executives of NMDC Limited and NLC India Limited will visit Australia to sign a joint R&D agreement with Environmental Clean Technologies Limited (ECT) an Australian company expert in commercialising leading-edge coal and iron-making technologies.
Static/Current
Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-
·
NMDC is the
largest iron ore mining company in India.
·
With iron
ore production of around 35 million tonnes per annum, it has a domestic market
share of about 25% (non-captive category).
·
It
Headquarters in Hyderabad.
4. Tamil
Nadu to Build India’s Next Generation Defence Aircraft
i. The
Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), which
had conceived and designed the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas,
has set the ball rolling for building the next generation defence aircraft, the
Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), by extending an invitation to private
players in Coimbatore to build a technology demonstrator.
ii. The project to be implemented in Sulur in Coimbatore district which may house the permanent base of the Tejas squadron marks Tamil Nadu’s first major defence aircraft project.
ii. The project to be implemented in Sulur in Coimbatore district which may house the permanent base of the Tejas squadron marks Tamil Nadu’s first major defence aircraft project.
International
News
5. PM Modi Leaves for Sochi for Informal Summit
with Russian President
i. Prime
Minister Narendra Modi has left on a day-long visit to Russia. Mr Modi will hold an informal summit
with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi. The
interaction will be part of regular consultation between the leadership of the
two countries.
ii. The two leaders will meet in an informal atmosphere where they will discuss several regional factors of the bilateral relations.
ii. The two leaders will meet in an informal atmosphere where they will discuss several regional factors of the bilateral relations.
Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD
Grade-A Exam 2018-
·
Russia
Capital- Moscow, Currency- Russian
ruble, President- Vladimir Putin.
6. Russia Unveils World's 1st Floating
Nuclear Power Station
i. Russia
unveiled the world's first floating nuclear power station at a ceremony in the port of the far
northern city of Murmansk, where it will be loaded with nuclear fuel before
heading to eastern Siberia. Built in Saint Petersburg, the Akademik
Lomonosov arrived in Murmansk where it was moored in the port and
presented to the media.
ii. Constructed by the state nuclear power firm Rosatom, the 144 by 30 metre (472 by 98 foot) ship holds two reactors with two 35 megawatt nuclear reactors that are similar to those used to power icebreaker ships.
ii. Constructed by the state nuclear power firm Rosatom, the 144 by 30 metre (472 by 98 foot) ship holds two reactors with two 35 megawatt nuclear reactors that are similar to those used to power icebreaker ships.
Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD
Grade-A Exam 2018-
·
Russia
Capital- Moscow, Currency- Russian
ruble, President- Vladimir Putin.
Ranks and Reports
7. India’s Q4 GDP Growth Likely At 7.4%: ICRA
Report
i. Rating
agency ICRA Ltd expects gross
domestic product (GDP) growth in the fourth quarter of the fiscal 2017-18 at
7.4% on account of good Rabi crop harvest and improved corporate
earnings, up from 7.2% in the third quarter.
ii. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) is scheduled to come out with GDP estimate for the March 2018 quarter and provisional annual estimates for the year 2017-18 on 31 May. As per ICRA, the growth of the Indian gross value added (GVA) at basic prices in year-on-year (YoY) terms is likely to record a considerable recovery to 7.3% in Q4 FY2018 from 6.7% in Q3 FY2018, thereby rebounding above 7% after a gap of five quarters.
ii. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) is scheduled to come out with GDP estimate for the March 2018 quarter and provisional annual estimates for the year 2017-18 on 31 May. As per ICRA, the growth of the Indian gross value added (GVA) at basic prices in year-on-year (YoY) terms is likely to record a considerable recovery to 7.3% in Q4 FY2018 from 6.7% in Q3 FY2018, thereby rebounding above 7% after a gap of five quarters.
Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD
Grade-A Exam 2018-
·
ICRA Limited
(formerly Investment Information and Credit Rating Agency of India Limited) was
set up in 1991 by leading financial/investment institutions, commercial banks
and financial services companies.
·
Mr. Naresh
Takkar is the Managing Director & Group CEO of ICRA.
8. India 6th
Wealthiest Country With Total Wealth of 8,230 billion USD
i. India is
the sixth wealthiest country in the world with a total wealth of 8,230 billion
US dollars. According to
the AfrAsia Bank Global Wealth Migration Review, the US is
the wealthiest country in the world with a total wealth of 62,584
billion dollars.
ii. China stood at the second place with 24,803 billion dollars, while Japan is at the third place with 19,522 billion dollars.
ii. China stood at the second place with 24,803 billion dollars, while Japan is at the third place with 19,522 billion dollars.
Banking/Business News
9. RIL Gets Green Nod For Rs 2,338 cr
Expansion Project in Maharashtra
i. Reliance
Industries Ltd. (RIL) has
received environment clearance for the expansion and optimisation of
its petrochemical complex at Nagothane in Raigad district of Maharashtra at an
estimated cost of Rs 2,338 crore.
ii. The proposal is to expand the gas cracker and downstream plants located at Nagothane village in Raigad district by way of debottlenecking, expansion and change of fuel in a captive power plant (CPP).
ii. The proposal is to expand the gas cracker and downstream plants located at Nagothane village in Raigad district by way of debottlenecking, expansion and change of fuel in a captive power plant (CPP).
10. RBI
Slaps Rs5-cr Penalty on South Indian Bank
i. The
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has
imposed a penalty of Rs5 crore on South Indian Bank (SIB) for
non-compliance with its directions on Income Recognition and Asset Classification
(IRAC) norms, Know Your Customer (KYC) norms and treasury function.
ii. The penalty has also been imposed on the Thrissur-headquartered private sector bank for deficiencies in its compliance function and compliance culture.
ii. The penalty has also been imposed on the Thrissur-headquartered private sector bank for deficiencies in its compliance function and compliance culture.
Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD
Grade-A Exam 2018-
·
Salim
Gangadharan is the Chairman of South Indian Bank.
·
SIB
headquarters in Thrissur, Kerala.
Awards
11. Lionel Messi Wins European Golden
Shoe For The 5th Time
i. Barcelona
forward Lionel Messi has won the European
Golden Shoe for the fifth time. The Argentina international claimed
the prize after scoring 34 goals in La Liga this season, helping his club to a
25th league triumph.
ii. Messi also won the award last year, as well as in 2010, 2012 and 2013. Four-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo finished ninth in the rankings after scoring 26 goals for Real Madrid in La Liga.
ii. Messi also won the award last year, as well as in 2010, 2012 and 2013. Four-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo finished ninth in the rankings after scoring 26 goals for Real Madrid in La Liga.
12. Prajnesh
Gunneswaran Wins T.K. Ramanathan Award For 2017-18
i. Prajnesh
Gunneswaran won the prestigious T.K. Ramanathan award for the year 2017-18 at the Tamil Nadu
Tennis Association (TNTA) annual day function at the SDAT tennis stadium.
ii. He received a cash prize of Rs. 30,000.
ii. He received a cash prize of Rs. 30,000.
13. Japanese Director Wins Cannes' Top Award
i. Asian, Arab, and women filmmakers scored big
at the closing ceremony of the 71st Cannes Film Festival, while
Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda took home the top prize -- the
Palme d'Or. Kore-eda, in the festival's main competition for the fifth
time, won the Palme d'Or for 'Manbiki Kazoku' (Shoplifters).
ii. Kore-eda is only the second Asian Palme d'Or winner this millennium (after Thailand's Apichatpong Weerasethakul for 'Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives', 2010). This is the seventh time that a director from Asia has bagged the coveted trophy.
ii. Kore-eda is only the second Asian Palme d'Or winner this millennium (after Thailand's Apichatpong Weerasethakul for 'Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives', 2010). This is the seventh time that a director from Asia has bagged the coveted trophy.
Appointments
14. Venezuela's President Maduro Wins
Re-election
i.
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro was
reelected for a second six-year term in presidential elections,
according to the National Electoral Council (CNE).
ii. Mr Nicolas had replaced Hugo Chavez after his death from cancer in 2013.
ii. Mr Nicolas had replaced Hugo Chavez after his death from cancer in 2013.
Static/Current
Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-
·
Venezuela Capital- Caracas, Currency- Venezuelan
bolívar.
15. Anil Kumar Jha Appointed CMD of Coal India
i. The Appointments Committee of the
Cabinet approved the appointment of Mahanadi Coalfields chief Anil
Kumar Jha as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Coal
India.
ii. Jha had replaced Coal Ministry's Additional Secretary Suresh Kumar. Jha has been appointed till his superannuation on January 31, 2020.
ii. Jha had replaced Coal Ministry's Additional Secretary Suresh Kumar. Jha has been appointed till his superannuation on January 31, 2020.
Sports
16. South Korea Wins Asian Champions Trophy
2018
i. The
Indian women’s Hockey team failed to defend its crown at the fifth
Asian Champions Trophy, as it lost to hosts South Korea, 0-1
in the summit clash at Donghae City, South Korea. A goal by Youngsil
Lee clinched the Korean team as the winner of Champions Trophy.
ii. The final was India’s first defeat of the tournament. South Korea has lifted the title for the third time after having won it in 2010 and 2011.
iii. Indian striker Vandana Katariya was declared player of the tournament while youngster Lalremsiami was named as the upcoming player of the tournament.
ii. The final was India’s first defeat of the tournament. South Korea has lifted the title for the third time after having won it in 2010 and 2011.
iii. Indian striker Vandana Katariya was declared player of the tournament while youngster Lalremsiami was named as the upcoming player of the tournament.
Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD
Grade-A Exam 2018-
·
South Korea
Capital- Seoul, President- Moon
Jae-in.
Obituaries
17. Telugu Writer Yaddanapudi Sulochana Rani
Passes Away
i.Veteran
writer, novelist Yaddanapudi Sulochana Rani, who along with her women
counterparts Arikepudi Kousalya Devi and Ranganayakamma, heralded
a new era in Telugu fictional literature, passed away at
California.
ii. Some of Sulochana's famous novels include Murali Krishna, Radha Krishna, Jeevana Tarangalu, Premalekhalu, Secretary, Aathmeeyulu to name a few.
ii. Some of Sulochana's famous novels include Murali Krishna, Radha Krishna, Jeevana Tarangalu, Premalekhalu, Secretary, Aathmeeyulu to name a few.