Daily Current affairs - May 17th to 20th, 2018 for all competitive exams
Every year, 17 May is
dedicated to World Hypertension Day (WHD).
- This is an initiative of the World Hypertension
League (WHL), an affiliated section of the ISH.
- Theme: Know Your Numbers with a goal of
increasing high blood pressure (BP) awareness in all populations around
the world
The WHD was first
inaugurated in May 2005 and has become an annual event ever since. The
purpose of the WHD is to promote public awareness of hypertension and to
encourage citizens of all countries to prevent and control this silent
killer, the modern epidemic.
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International day against
Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia
The International Day
against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia is observed on May 17
- It aims to coordinate international events that
raise awareness of LGBT rights violations and stimulate interest in LGBT
rights work worldwide.
- Theme: Alliances for Solidarity
The founders of the International Day
Against Homophobia, as it was originally known, established the IDAHO
Committee to coordinate grass-roots actions in different countries, to
promote the day and to lobby for official recognition on May 17. That date was
chosen to commemorate the decision to remove homosexuality from the
International Classification of Diseases of the World Health Organization
(WHO) in 1990
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World Telecommunication
and information society Day: 17 May
World Telecommunication and
Information Society Day was observed across the world on May 17.
- The theme for WTISD was "Enabling the
positive use of Artificial Intelligence for All".
- The day aims to help raise awareness of the
possibilities that the use of the Internet and other information and
communication technologies (ICT) can bring to societies and
economies, as well as of ways to bridge the digital divide.
The day had previously
been known as 'World Telecommunication Day' to commemorate the founding of
the International Telecommunication Union on 17 May 1865. It was instituted
by the Plenipotentiary Conference in Malaga-Torremolinos in 1973. The main
objective of the day is to raise global awareness of societal changes brought
about by the Internet and new technologies. It also aims to help reduce the
digital divide.
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May 18 - World AIDS
Vaccine Day
World AIDS Vaccine Day,
also known as HIV Vaccine Awareness Day, is observed annually on May 18.
- HIV vaccine advocates mark the day by promoting the
continued urgent need for a vaccine to prevent HIV infection and AIDS.
The concept of World AIDS Vaccine Day
is rooted in a May 18, 1997 commencement speech at Morgan State University
made by then-President Bill Clinton. Clinton challenged the world to set new
goals in the emerging age of science and technology and develop an AIDS
vaccine within the next decade stating, “Only a truly effective, preventive
HIV vaccine can limit and eventually eliminate the threat of AIDS.”
The first World AIDS Vaccine Day was
observed on May 18, 1998 to commemorate the anniversary of Clinton’s speech
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May 18 - International
Museum Day
International Museum Day
is an international day a celebration that held every year on or around 18 May,
coordinated by the International Council of Museums.
Theme: Hyper connected museums:
New approaches, new publics
- The IMD provides the opportunity for museum
professionals to meet the public and alert them as to the challenges that
museums face
PM Modi laid foundation
stone of India’s longest road tunnel in J&K
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi is on a day-long visit to Jammu and Kashmir.
During his visit, Prime
Minister laid down the foundation stone of ‘Zojila Tunnel’ on
the Srinagar-Leh National Highway in Leh.
- Prime Minister Modi also dedicated to the nation
a 330 MW Kishenganga hydroelectric project from Srinagar.
- There are 7 functional NHPC power projects in
J&K. The project has been built at a cost of Rs 5200 Cr.
Zojila pass tunnel is a 14.2-km long
tunnel project in Jammu and Kashmir to provide all-weather connectivity
between Srinagar, Kargil and Leh, which remains cut-off from the rest of
India during winters due to heavy snowfall. “Zojila tunnel will be the
longest bi-directional tunnel in Asia.
The project will be implemented by the ministry of road transport and
highways (MoRT&H) through the National Highways and Infrastructure
Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL).
Zojila pass is situated at an altitude of 11,578 feet on
Srinagar-Kargil-Leh National Highway which remains closed during winters
(December to April) due to heavy snowfall and avalanches cutting off
Leh-Ladakh region from Kashmir.
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Indian economy projected
to grow 7.6% in 2018-19: UN report
India's economy is projected
to grow 7.6% in fiscal year 2018-19, remaining the fastest
growing economy in the world, according to a United Nations report.
- The UN World Economic
Situation and Prospects (WESP) as of mid-2018 launched recently
stated that GDP growth in India is expected to climb to 7.5 and 7.6% in
fiscal years 2017-18 and 2018-19 respectively.
- This is a substantial recovery from
the 6.7% growth India registered in fiscal year 2017. Amid
ongoing structural reforms, growth in the Chinese economy is
projected to gradually moderate from 6.9% in 2017 to 6.5% in
2018 and 6.3% in 2019.
Union cabinet approves
National Policy on Biofuels, 2018
The Union Cabinet approved
National Policy on Biofuels – 2018 in order to promote biofuels in the country.
- Biofuels in India are of strategic importance as it
augers well with ongoing initiatives of Government such as Make in
India, Skill Development and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
Union cabinet approves
Micro Irrigation Fund under NABARD
Cabinet Committee on
Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved initial corpus of Rs.5,000 crore for setting
up of dedicated Micro Irrigation Fund (MIF) in NABARD (National Bank for
Agriculture and Rural Development) under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana
(PMKSY).
- The allocation of MIF under PMKSY will be made in
instalments of Rs 2,000 crore and Rs 3,000 crore in 2018-19 and 2019-20.
- Under it, NABARD will extend loans to state
governments during this period.
- The lending rate under MIF has been proposed at 3%
lower than cost of raising fund by NABARD.
Union cabinet approves
enhancement of budget for Network for Spectrum Project
Cabinet Committee on
Economic Affairs (CCEA) gave its approval for enhancement of budget by
Rs.11,330 crore for Network For Spectrum (NFS) project.
- Network For Spectrum (NFS) project is for laying of
alternate communication network for Defence Services.
- The project is being implemented by Bharat Sanchar
Nigam Limited (BSNL).
- The project will also have forward linkages to other
related industries such as telecom equipment manufacturing and other
telecommunication related services.
- The NFS project will boost the communication
capabilities of the Defence Forces in a major way leading to enhanced
national operational preparedness.
Union cabinet approves
setting up of Central University in Andhra Pradesh
The Union Cabinet has
given its in-principle approval for establishing Central University by name of
Central University of Andhra Pradesh in Janthaluru village of Ananthapur
District of Andhra Pradesh.
- It also approved the proposal for operationalization
of Central University in transit campus.
Union cabinet approves
setting up of new AIIMS in Deoghar, Jharkhand
The Union Cabinet approved
setting up of a new All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Deoghar,
Jharkhand under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY).
- It will serve dual purpose of
providing super speciality health care to population and help to create
large pool of doctors and other health workers in this region to be
available for primary and secondary-level institutions and healthcare
facilities being created under the National Health Mission (NHM).
- Under PMSSY, Government is planning
to set up 20 AIIMS across the country.
- So far AIIMs have been established
in Bhubaneswar (Odisha), Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), Raipur
(Chattisgarh), Jodhpur (Rajasthan), Rishikesh (Uttarakhand) and Patna
(Bihar).
Union cabinet approves
strengthening commercial disputes resolution mechanism of CPSEs
The Union Cabinet approved
strengthening commercial disputes resolution mechanism of Central Public Sector
Enterprises (CPSEs) inter se and also between CPSEs and other Government
Departments and Organizations.
- The new strengthened mechanism
puts in place institutionalized mechanism within Government for speedy
resolution of commercial disputes of CPSEs without matter being referred
to the Courts of law.
Green Good Deeds’ gets
global recognition
Green Good Deeds, the
societal movement launched by Union Minister for Environment, Dr Harsh
Vardhan has found acceptance by the global community.
- The movement aims to protect the
environment and promote good living in the country.
- The ongoing BRICS Ministerial on
Environment in South Africa has agreed to include “Green Good Deeds” in
its official agenda in the next Ministerial in Brazil.
- The objective of the campaign is
to restore and return the clean and green environment to the next
generation.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change had drawn up a
list of over 500 Green Good Deeds and asked people to alter their behaviour
to Green Good Behaviour to fulfil their Green Social Responsibility.
These small positive actions to be performed by individuals or
organisations to strengthen the cause of environmental protection, were put
on a mobile application named “Dr Harsh Vardhan App”.
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AYUSH finds a place in English language
Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology has decided to adopt
the word ‘AYUSH’ in Hindi and English languages for scientific and technical
purposes.
- As approved by the Commission, the
word ‘ayush’ will have the meaning “Traditional and Non-Conventional
Systems of Health Care and Healing which include Ayurveda, Yoga,
Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa, Homoeopathy etc.
- The “AYUSH” became popular as the
acronym for five traditional and complementary systems of medicine, namely
Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy and
successfully adopted and used in all Government communications.
The International Classification of Diseases is the standard diagnostic
tool for epidemiology, health management, and clinical purposes. This includes
the analysis of the general health situation of population groups. It is used
to monitor the incidence and prevalence of diseases and other health
problems, providing a picture of the general health situation of countries
and populations.
The first international classification edition, known as the
International List of Causes of Death, was adopted by the International
Statistical Institute in 1893. WHO was entrusted with the ICD at its creation
in 1948. The ICD is revised periodically and is currently in its 10th
revision.
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Suresh Prabhu launches IP
mascot – IP Nani
The Commerce and Industry
Minister, Suresh Prabhu has launched the Intellectual Property (IP) mascot – IP
Nani – at the conference on National Intellectual Property Rights Policy in New
Delhi.
- Mascot IP Nani is a tech-savvy
grandmother who helps the government and enforcement agencies in combating
IP crimes with the help of her grandson “Chhotu” aka Aditya.
Haryana hikes incentive
for intercaste marriage
The Haryana government has
doubled the incentive amount for intercaste marriages
under the Mukhyamantri Samajik Samrasta Antarjatiya
Vivah Shagun Yojna with immediate effect.
- Under the scheme, an
incentive of Rs.2.5 lakh wouldbe provided in the form of
fixed deposit jointly in the
name of the couple.
Guwahati now has India’s
first solar powered railway station
Guwahati now has India’s
first railway station run by solar power. The project of installing solar
panels was commissioned last year in April 2017.
- Around 2352 solar modules with a
capacity of generating 700 kwp has been set up over the roof of the
Guwahati railway station. Solar panels have been installed at the roof-top
solar power plant.
Cyclone sagar in Indian waters
Cyclone ‘Sagar’ is a tropical cyclone in Arabian Sea.
- It is the first cyclonic storm of
the season to develop in the Indian waters. Presently in Gulf of Aden,
Cyclone Sagar is also expected to affect Somalia; Ethiopia, Djibouti.
Tropical cyclones are most
common in the Arabian Sea in spring and autumn, during the transition periods
between the strong southwest flow of the summer monsoon and the strong
northeast flow that predominates in winter. On average, the Arabian Peninsula
is affected by a tropical cyclone every year or two.
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UN to send war crimes
investigators to Gaza
UN Human Rights Council has
voted to send a team of international War Crimes Investigators to probe the
deadly shootings of Gaza protesters by Israeli forces.
- The resolution was backed by
29 members while 2 members US and Australia voted against and 14
abstained.
- Israel has defended the killing of
protesters, saying it was acting in self-defence to protect its borders
and communities.
Nepal’s communists unite
to form the biggest left party
The main group of Nepal’s
Maoist former rebels and the liberal Communist UML party merged to form the
Himalayan republic’s biggest left party.
- Officials said the two
constituents of the ruling coalition had formed the Nepal Communist
Party. It now heads the nation’s first majority government in 19 years.
- In last year’s general elections,
the two parties had formed a rare electoral alliance, defeating the
centrist pro-India Nepali Congress party.
World’s first floating
nuclear power station opened in Russia
Russia has unveiled the
world’s first floating nuclear power station to meet its growing electricity
needs.
- The ship holds two 35
megawatt nuclear reactors that can produce enough electricity to power a
town of 200,000 residents.
- It will be primarily used to power
oil rigs as Russia pushes further north into the Arctic to drill for oil
and gas and needs electricity in far-flung locations.
China’s first home-built
aircraft carrier completes maiden sea trial
China’s first
indigenously-built aircraft carrier on Friday successfully completed its maiden
sea trial and returned to its home port in Dalian.
- It is a major step in the
country’s quest to modernise its military and bolster its naval presence
in the disputed South China Sea and in the Indian Ocean.
- China currently has two aircraft
carriers. The first aircraft carrier named Liaoning, which took launch
in 2012.
- The completely home-grown aircraft
carrier, named Type 001A for now, weighs 50,000 metric tonnes.
Guatemala becomes second
country to open Jerusalem embassy
Guatemala has opened an
embassy in Jerusalem two days after the U.S. moved its embassy to the
contested capital city.
- Israeli troops opened fire on
Palestinian protesters after President Trump’s pledge to move
the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem was fulfilled,
taking tensions between Israel and Palestine to boiling point.
WHO list of essential diagnostic tests
WHO has published its first Essential Diagnostics List, a catalogue of the
tests needed to diagnose the most common conditions as well as a number of
global priority diseases. The aim is to provide a tool that can be useful to
all countries, to test and treat better, but also to use health funds more
efficiently by concentrating on the truly essential tests.
- The list concentrates on in vitro
tests – i.e. tests of human specimens like blood and urine. It contains
113 products.
- 58 tests are listed for detection
and diagnosis of a wide range of common conditions, providing an essential
package that can form the basis for screening and management of patients.
- 55 tests are designed for the
detection, diagnosis and monitoring of “priority” diseases such as HIV,
tuberculosis, malaria, hepatitis B and C, human papillomavirus and
syphilis.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk plans
240-km per hour city travel at just $1
SpaceX and The Boring
Company CEO Elon Musk has for the first time revealed his concept for a
personalised mass transit system.
- It will carry 16 people and
travel at 240 km per hour for a fare of just $1.
- Musk, however, did not provide a
timeline for his project that could get people from downtown to Los
Angeles International Airport in eight minutes in a vacuum tube.
- These tunnels were not yet part of
his cross-country “Hyperloop” system. Which would ferry people in tubes
travelling at airline speeds at a much lower cost.
Mangaluru narrow-mouthed frog
It is the newest frog discovered from Karnataka. It is christened Microhyla
kodial after the city of Mangaluru (called kodial in the Konkani language).
- The Mangaluru narrow-mouthed frog
is found only in a small industrial space in Mangaluru.
- The greyish-brown frog is just 2
cm long. It has a thick olive-green band on its head, less-prominent dark
green bands on the rest of its body.
- The Mangaluru narrow-mouthed frog
is the 42nd species belonging to the genus Microhyla recorded from south
Asia. More than 650 microhylids – or frogs belonging to the family
Microhylidae – are found across the world’s tropics.
BSE becomes first Indian
stock exchange to get US SEC’s DOSM recognition
BSE Ltd (earlier known as
Bombay Stock Exchange) has become the first Indian exchange to be designated as
Designated Offshore Securities Market (DOSM).
- DOSM status has been given by
United States Securities and Exchange Commission (US-SEC).
- DOSM status will allow sale of
securities to US investors through trading venue of BSE without
registration of such securities with US SEC.
An IDR is a depository receipt denominated in Indian rupees issued by a
domestic depository in India. Much like an equity share, it is an ownership
pie of a company. Since foreign companies are not allowed to list on Indian
equity markets, IDR is a way to own shares of those companies. These IDRs are
listed on Indian stock exchanges.
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Delhi to overtake Tokyo as
world’s most populous city by 2028: UN report
Two-thirds of people in the
world will be living in cities by 2050, and the boom will be concentrated in
three countries – India, China and Nigeria, according to United Nations.
- Tokyo with 37 million people is
the world’s largest city but it is due to be overtaken by Delhi around
2028, the report said.
- At about the same time, India is
expected to surpass China as the country with the world’s largest total
population.
- By 2050, India, China and Nigeria
will account for more than a third of the projected growth in the world’s
urban population, it said.
NITI Aayog’s 3-day venture
capital symposium 2018 begins
NITI Aayog, in association
with Vision India Foundation, is organising the Venture Capital
Symposium 2018 to deepen the economic relationships between France
and India.
- The Venture Capital Symposium 2018
is a three-day event where the French investors will be interacting with
100 early to mid-stage Indian start-ups.
- Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI
Aayog, along with Atul Chaturvedi, Additional Secretary, DIPP
addressed the inaugural address of the Symposium, which was attended by
Alexandre Ziegler, Ambassador of France to India.
Physical and Social
Infrastructure for Regional Development’ Conference held in Guwahati
The two days regional
conference on ‘Physical and Social Infrastructure for Regional Development’ has
been held in Guwahati, Assam.
- It was inaugurated by Prof.
Jagdish Mukhi, the Governor of Assam.
SCO cultural ministers’
meeting held in Sanya, China
15th SCO Cultural Ministers’ Meeting is being held in
Sanya, China. India is participating in the Cultural Ministers’ Meet for first
time as full time member.
- The Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO) is an eight-member multilateral organization,
established on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai, China by the leaders of China,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
- Pakistan also became the full
member of SCO along with India, taking its membership to 8.
First International rail
coach expo held in Chennai
The first-ever
International Rail Coach Expo (IRCE) held in Chennai, Tamil Nadu to focus on
Rail Coaches and train sets.
- Many reputed rail car and
equipment builders showcased their technology and products in this expo.
- The three day expo was hosted by
Integral Coach Factory (ICF) Chennai, under the Ministry of Railways, in
coordination with CII (Confederation of Indian Industries) and RITES Ltd.
Netherlands PM Mark Rutte
to be on 2-day official visit to India
Prime Minister of The
Netherlands, Mark Rutte, will be on a two-day official visit to
India with an aim to boost the economic and political cooperation between
the two countries.
- During the visit, the
India-Dutch CEOs forum will take place in New Delhi. India and The
Netherlands have a bilateral trade of 5.39 billion dollars.
- The Netherlands is the 5th largest
investor in India.
Justice Ramalingam
Sudhakar was sworn in as chief justice of Manipur high court
The senior most judge from
the Madras high court Justice Ramalingam Sudhakar was sworn in as the
chief justice of the Manipur high court.
- He was acting as the chief justice
of the Jammu and Kashmir high court before his present appointment.
- Manipur governor Jagdish
Mukhi administered an oath to Justice Sudhakar in the Durbar Hall of
Raj Bhavan in Imphal.
- He was enrolled as an advocate in
1983 and started practice as an associate of senior advocate Habibullah
Badsha, the former advocate general of Tamil Nadu.
Anil Kumar Jha takes the
appointment as CMD of Coal India Ltd
Anil Kumar Jha has been
appointed as the Chairman-Cum-Managing director (CMD) of Coal India Limited.
- Kumar is at present the CMD of
Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd.
- Anil Kumar will replace acting
chairman Suresh Kumar, an IAS officer, who has been holding the post of
additional secretary at the ministry of coal.
- CIL is a state-owned coal mining
company headquartered in Kolkata.
Amit Khare takes the
appointment as new I&B secretary
Senior bureaucrat Amit Khare
takes the appointment as the new Secretary of the Information and
Broadcasting Ministry.
Khare, a 1985-batch IAS
officer, is at present serving in his cadre state Jharkhand.
- He had in June 1996 reportedly
exposed the multi-crore fodder scam, involving the then Chief Minister of
Bihar, Lalu Prasad.
- He will take over the charge from
incumbent NK Sinha.
Uttam Pacharne appointed
regular Chairman of Lalit Kala Akademi
The President of India has
appointed Shri Uttam Pacharne, as regular Chairman of Lalit Kala Akademi. Shri
Pacharne is an eminent artist and sculptor.
- He is a widely respected person in
the field of art and has held various important positions.
- Currently, he is Member of
Advisory Committee, Kala Academy, Goa and Member of Advisory Committee,
P.L. Deshpande State Lalit Kala Academy and Director, Janseva Sahakari
Bank Borivali.
The Lalit Kala Akademi or National Academy of Art is India’s National
Academy of Fine Arts. It is an autonomous organization, established at New
Delhi in 1954 to promote and propagate understanding of Indian art, both
within and outside the country. It does so through providing
scholarships, a fellow program, and sponsoring and organizing numerous
exhibitions in India and overseas.
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Swachh Survekshan 2018 awards announced
The Swachh Survekshan 2018 results have been announced. It was organized by the Ministry of
Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), under the aegis of the Swachh
Bharat Mission (Urban), assessed 4203 Urban Local Bodies. Compared to the
previous surveys, this year’s exercise allocated substantial weightage to the
feedback from citizens based on their daily experience.
- Indore has emerged as the cleanest
city, followed by Bhopal and Chandigarh. Indore was the cleanest city last
year as well.
Jharkhand has been adjudged as the best performing state, followed by
Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh.
- Cleanest State Capital/UT: Greater
Mumbai.
- India’s ‘Cleanest big City’:
Vijaywada (Andhra Pradesh).
- India’s ‘Fastest Mover’ big City:
Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh).
- India’s Best City in ‘Citizens
Feedback’: Kota (Rajasthan).
- India’s Best City in ‘Innovation
& Best Practices’: Nagpur (Maharashtra).
- India’s Best City in ‘Solid Waste
Management: Navi Mumbai (Maharashtra).
- India’s Cleanest Medium City:
Mysuru (Karnataka).
- India’s ‘Fastest Mover’ Medium
City: Bhiwandi (Maharashtra).
- India’s Best City in ‘Citizens
Feedback’: Parbhani (Maharashtra).
- India’s Best City in ‘Innovation
& Best Practices’: Aligarh (Uttar Pradesh).
- India’s Best City in ‘Solid Waste
Management: Mangalore (Karnataka).
- India’s Cleanest Small City: New
Delhi Municipal Council.
- India’s ‘Fastest Mover’ Small
City: Bhusawal (Maharashtra).
- India’s Best City in ‘Citizens
Feedback’: Giridih (Jharkhand).
- India’s Best City in ‘Innovation
& Best Practices’: Ambikapur (Jharkhand).
- India’s Best City in ‘Solid Waste
Management: Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh).
Gina Haspel confirmed as
1st female director of CIA
The US Senate
confirmed Gina Haspel as the first female director of Central
Intelligence Agency (CIA). Gina Haspel's confirmation in a 54-45 vote
follows a partisan fight among senators about the CIA's Bush-era use of
techniques such as waterboarding.
- The former CIA chief, Mike Pompeo,
left to become US Secretary of State.
Shivangi Pathak becomes
youngest Indian woman to scale Mount everest
India’s Shivangi
Pathak has become youngest women of the country to scale Mt Everest
from Nepal side.
- According to the Managing
Director of Seven Summit Treks, Mingma
Sherpa, 16-year-old Haryana Born Shivangi successfully
stood atop world’s highest mountain.
- Arunima Sinha was the first Indian
amputee to climb Mt Everest.
- In
2014, 13-year-old Malavath Poorna from India had climbed Mt
Everest from Tibet side and became the youngest girl in the
world to the summit at Everest.
Nirmala Sitharaman gave
away the DRDO Awards- 2016 & 2017
Union Defence Minister
Nirmala Sitharaman gave away the DRDO Awards- 2016 & 2017 to various DRDO
scientists for their outstanding contributions to commemorate the National
Technology Day (NTD-2018).
- Dr V K Saraswat, the former
Secretary Department of Defence R&D, Scientific Advisor to Raksha
Mantri and Director General of DRDO, has been honoured with the DRDO
Lifetime Achievement Award – 2017.
- The DRDO Lifetime Achievement
Award – 2016 has been conferred to Dr Vasudev Kalkunte Aatre, the former
Secretary Department of Defence R&D, Scientific Advisor to Raksha
Mantri and DG of DRDO.
- Meanwhile, Dr G Satheesh Reddy,
the Scientific Advisor to Raksha Mantri, Distinguished Scientist &
Director General (Missiles & Strategic Systems), won the Technology
Leadership Award – 2016
NMDC bags S&P PLATTS
global metals award 2018
NMDC (National Mineral
Development Corporation) Limited has bagged the prestigious S&P Global
PLATTS Global Metals Award 2018 in corporate social responsibility
(CSR) category held at London.
- This is the first time
since inception of this award that an Indian Company bagged an
award in this category.
India’s Jagriti Yatra wins
charity award in UK
The Yatra, an Indian
charity that organises 15-day train journeys around India to
understand and build the India of smaller towns and villages through
enterprise has won an award in London.
- Jagriti Yatra organises 15-day
train journeys, covering 800 km for 400 young change-makers across India
every year. It has created some of India’s foremost social entrepreneurs
and pioneers of enterprise-led development that cuts across socio-economic
boundaries in India.
Sridevi honoured at Cannes
Film festival
Veteran Bollywood
actor Sridevi was honoured with the TITAN Reginald F Lewis Film Icon
Award at the ongoing 71st Cannes Film Festival.
- The award traditionally celebrates
women of the film industry all over the world and also salute the
multi-cultural impact on the world of cinema.
- Veteran filmmaker Subhash Ghai and
producer Namrata Goyal received the award on behalf of Sridevi’s
family.
‘Raaya’ becomes India’s
official entry for Cannes
A short film, ‘Raaya’,
about an autistic girl has been chosen as India’s official entry into the Cannes
Film Festival 2018.
- The film is scheduled to exhibit
at the 71st Cannes Festival on May 18, second to last day of the festival.
- ‘Raaya’ has already bagged the
‘Special Festival Mention Award’ at Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival 2018.
Also, it has been shortlisted for other International film festivals in
Los Angeles and Romania.
Susheela Jayapal becomes
1st South Asian to be elected in Oregon
Indian American
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal’s sister Susheela Jayapal became the first
South Asian to be elected in Oregon in the western US State. She won the
District 2 seat on the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners with 57% of the
vote.
- She will represent North and
Northeast Portland commissioner’s seat. Susheela, a former corporate
lawyer and longtime community volunteer,defeated construction contractor
Sharon Maxwell and two others.
Karnan announces party
Former Calcutta High Court
judge C.S. Karnan, who was jailed by the Supreme Court for contempt of court,
launched the Anti Corruption Dynamic Party (ACDP) in Kolkata
- Mr. Karnan is its founding
president. He said that his party will contest the 2019 Lok Sabha
elections.
- The controversial judge was
released from Kolkata’s Presidency jail after serving a sentence of six
months imprisonment on December 20, 2017.
Karnataka CM Yeddyurappa
resigns
BS Yeddyurappa resigned
55 hours after taking oath as the Karnataka CM, ahead of the floor test. BJP,
with 104 seats, was seven short of the required number of 111.
- The Congress with 78 MLAs, the
JD(S) with 36 and three others were also individually not in a position to
form the government. But with BJP now exiting the picture, the
Congress-JD(S) combine has 114 seats, more than the required number.
India beat Malaysia to
reach women’s Asian Champions Trophy final
Defending champions India on
Thursday breezed into the summit clash of the women’s Asian Champions
Trophy after edging past Malaysia 3-2.
- India, who beat Japan 4-1 and
China 3-1 in their previous matches, qualified for the final with a match
in hand in their pool.
- They are sitting atop the table
with nine points and will next take on hosts Korea in their final pool
match on Saturday before Sunday’s final.
1st Para-national games to
be held under Khelo India Scheme
The inaugural National Para
Games, on the lines of National Games for able-bodied athletes, will be
held under the Khelo India Scheme in June-July 2018 in
Bengaluru.
- The Games will be held for the age
group of 16 to 40 (men and women) in 10
disciplines viz. para athletics, badminton, chess, blind judo,
para powerlifting, shooting para-sport, para-swimming, table tennis,
wheelchair basketball, wheelchair fencing.
- The Paralympic Committee of
India will be responsible for the technical conduct of the Games
while all the funding will be done by the sports ministry under the Khelo
India Scheme.
