Daily Current Affairs 26th May, 2018

Daily Current Affairs 26 May 2018 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

Himachal Pradesh launches three welfare schemes

To mark the completion of four years of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has launched three welfare schemes in the state which would bring remarkable change in the lives of the people.

These schemes are:

• “Jan Manch” – for redressal of public grievances
• “Mukhya Mantri Swavlamban Yojana” – for providing assistance to the unemployed youth and
• “Himachal Grihini Suvidha Yojana” – for offering gas cylinder security and gas stoves to those not covered under the Ujjwala Yojana.

India to be Host Country For Celebrations of World Environment Day 2018

World Environment Day(WED) is celebrated annually on June 5th. India is the global host of WED 2018, with celebrations across the country and events scheduled around the world.

This year’s theme is “Beat Plastic Pollution: If you can’t reuse it, refuse it”.

1. As global hosts, India on may 25th launched its official countdown to June 5 with a historic slate of activities ranging from nationwide clean-ups, to single-use plastic bans across States, Universities and National Parks.
2. The countdown culminates with the opening of the World Environment Day Exhibition in New Delhi on June 2, showcasing green innovations and programs from every corner of the country.

I&B Minister launches six-day ASEAN India Film Festival

The six-day ASEAN India Film Festival began in New Delhi on May 26, 2018. The event was inaugurated by Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore.

• The Union Minister said that there is a lot of similarity between India and the ASEAN nations be it historically or culturally.
• The Information and Broadcasting ministry is taking measures to create and promote film festivals with ASEAN, BRICS and European nations.

PM of Netherlands Inaugurates Indo-Dutch Ganga Forum

Prime Minister of Netherlands Mr. Mark Rutte inaugurated the Indo-Dutch Ganga Forum in New Delhi to take forward the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Government of India and the Ministry of Infrastructure & Environment of the Netherlands  in June 2017.

• The inauguration of the Indo-Dutch Ganga Forum was followed by a technical session on “Innovative Financing Models for Indo-Dutch PPP Projects” with subsequent sessions on themes “Dutch Approach to Partnership in Public Utilities in India” and “Innovative Dutch Solutions for Urban Water Challenges” and Techniques like Dutch triple-helix model were contemplated for Barapullah drain project as well.

Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad to inaugurate cloud enabled Data Centre at Bhubaneshwar

National Informatics Centre (NIC) has set up a new state-of-the-art cloud enabled National Data Centre at Bhubaneswar.

• The newly set up data center will be inaugurated by Union Minister of Electronics & IT and Law & Justice, Sh. Ravi Shankar Prasad in the presence of Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Sh. Dharmendra Pradhan on May 28.
• The NIC has national data centres at Delhi, Hyderabad and Pune, and the upcoming one at Bhubaneswar is expected to enhance the range of data centre related services offered by the government body.
• It will offer 24*7 operations with secure hosting for e-Governance applications of the Government and its departments.

Manipur becomes first northeastern state to get solar toilet

Manipur has become the first state in the Northeast and the third state in India to have solar toilets.

• The solar toilets were inaugurated at Ibudhou Marjing hill Heingang by Tourism Director, Waikhom Ibohal last week.
•  If the initial projects are successful then such toilets might be installed in almost all tourist spots across the State.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Columbia formally joins NATO

 Columbia has formally joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and thus become the first Latin America nation to attain global partner status privilege.

• The other member nations of NATO includes Afghanistan, Australia, Iraq, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia, New Zealand and Pakistan.
• The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an intergovernmental military alliance between 29 North American and European countries based on the North Atlantic Treaty that was signed on 4 April 1949.

Netherlands Becomes 64th Signatory Member of International Solar Alliance 

The Netherlands has become the 64th signatory member of the International Solar Alliance (ISA). Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte, is on a two days official visit to India at PM Modi’s invitation.

• The joint statement issued hailed the Netherlands as India’s “Gateway to Europe”.
• Prime Minister Modi said both countries have stood together on many an international forum and the Solar Alliance is a symbol of this strong partnership.
• India also welcomed the Netherlands as the Partner Country for the TechSummit in 2019.

Mission Innovation Ministerial Meeting Held in Sweden 

The 3rd Mission Innovation (MI-3) Ministerial was held at Malmo-Sweden during 22-23 May, 2018. The Ministerial was co-hosted by the European Commission, together with Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and the Nordic Council of Ministers.

• Union Minister for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, Environment, Forests and Climate Change Dr. Harsh Vardhan lead the Indian delegations.
• Mission innovation countries launched Mission Innovation Champions Programme to felicitate clean energy innovators.
• Dr Harsh Vardhan inaugurated Smart Grid Workshop at Copenhagen and Chaired public-private roundtable on Strategies on Decarbonisation through innovations in Smart Grids.
• India announced setting up of First International Incubator for clean energy in a public-private partnership at a total investment of around US $ 5 million in Delhi.

BANKING

Yes Bank empaneled as ‘Settlement Bank’ by National Stock Exchange 

Yes Bank has received approval from National Stock Exchange to be enrolled as ‘Settlement Bank’ for National Securities Clearing Corporation (NSCCL), a wholly owned subsidiary of NSE.

• YES BANK will provide comprehensive Settlement & Clearing services suitable to the members by leveraging its state-of-the-art Technology platform coupled with superior service excellence and constant innovation.
• The services will include electronic funds transfer (ETF) facilities and ‘anywhere’ banking. 
• YES BANK will provide facilities including issuing bank guarantees, credit facilities and inter-bank funds transfer as well as free of cost funds transfer across centers for NSE’ s members.
• YES BANK is already an empanelled Clearing Bank for the BSE, NCDEX and MCX.

BUSINESS

Government Notifies 8.55% Interest on PF for 2017-18

The Finance Ministry has ratified 8.55 per cent rate of interest on EPF for last fiscal.

• Retirement fund body, EPFO has asked its field offices to credit 8.55 per cent rate of interest for 2017-18, the lowest rate since 2012-13 fiscal, into the PF accounts of around 5 crore subscribers.
• The EPFO had provided 8.65 per cent interest for 2016-17. The members got 8.8 per cent in 2015-16 and 8.75 per cent each in 2014-15 and 2013-14.

DEFENCE NEWS

Indian Navy Commissions 4th Ship of Landing Craft Utility MK-IV

The Indian Navy commissioned IN LCU L54 – the fourth ship of Landing Craft Utility (LCU) MK-IV class at Port Blair.

• Vice Admiral GS Pabby, AVSM, VSM, Chief of Materiel commissioned the ship. Mk IV LCU class vessels are follow on class of Mk. III LCU operated by the Indian Navy.
• The ship has been indigenously designed and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, Kolkata.
• The Defense Ministry and GSRE had signed a $310 million contract for eight MK IV class ships in September 2011. The first LCU of this class was commissioned in March 2017.

APPOINTMENTS

President Kovind appoints Odisha, Mizoram Governors

President Ram Nath Kovind has appointed new Governors of Odisha and Mizoram.

• Professor Ganeshi Lal has been appointed as the Governor of Odisha. He will replace Satya Pal Malik. Ganesh Lal was the national President of discipline committee of BJP in Haryana.
• Besides, Kummanam Rajasekharan, current president of Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Kerala unit, has been appointed to be the Governor of Mizoram. He will replace incumbent Lt Gen Nirbhay Sharma, who is completing his tenure on May 28.

Barbados Elects Mia Mottley as 1st Female Prime Minister 

The Caribbean island of Barbados has elected its first woman prime minister since gaining independence from Britain in 1966.

• Mia Mottley led her Barbados Labour Party (BLP) won all 30 seats to gain victory over the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) and grab the House of Assembly
• With this, Ms Mottley, a 52-year-old lawyer, becomes Barbados’ eighth Prime Minister.

SPORTS

Munich Grand Prix: Tejaswini Strikes Gold

Former World Champion Tejaswini Sawant bagged the 50m rifle prone gold in the Grand Prix in Munich, a prelude to the World Cup.

Overall Result

• Men: 50m rifle prone: 1. Matthew Emmons (USA) 628.9; 2. Chain Singh 627.9; 3. Oleh Tsarkov (Ukr) 626.5; 32. Gagan Narang 621.7; 34. Sanjeev Rajput 621.2.
• Women: 50m rifle prone:1. Tejaswini Sawant 621.4; 2. Anjum Moudgil 621.2; 3. Olivia Hofmann (Aut) 621.1; 9. Shreya Saksena 619.1 .

• Former India captain Sourav Ganguly revealed this on Twitter, ahead of the official BCCI announcement and also thanked the ground staff for their contribution.
• This season, Eden Gardens went on to host nine matches of IPL 2018 after getting two bonus matches in the playoffs which were originally slated in Pune.

OBITUARY

Pakeezah Actress Geeta Kapoor Dies In Old Age Home At 57

“Pakeezah” fame actor Geeta Kapoor, passed away at a old age home in Mumbai. She was 57.

• The news was confirmed by Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) member Ashoke Pandit on Twitter. The 57-year-old actress was abandoned by her children last year.

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