Current Affairs Updates - 16th April 2018

Current Affairs Updates - 16th April 2018 

Current Affairs Updates for 16th April 2018 consists of the Latest and Current News headlines which are very important for the upcoming government examinations like Bank , IBPS PO, IBPS CLERK, SSC CGL, SSC CHSL and Railway. These are very important for these exams and are completely based on the current pattern. Some of the important headlines in today's Current Affairs include L&T and  BEL ink MoU for defence products, Saina Nehwal returns to form, beats P.V. Sindhu for gold, Pooja Dhanda wins silver, Divya Kakran bags bronze as India's medal rush in wrestling continues. We hope aspirants will find this article useful and shall also follow the  Daily Current Affairs  Quiz and One Liner and GK Note Down Points for better performance in the examination.

Banking, Economic & Financial Affairs

State-run Punjab National Bank (PNB) today launched new products such as pre-approved credit card and UPI solution to mark its 124th foundation day.

• Besides, the bank announced its UPI partnership with the expense management app WALNUT that comes embedded with features such as bill reminders, bill-split and instant paperless loans, PNB said in a statement.

India's economic growth is expected to rebound to 7.3 per cent this fiscal and further to 7.6 per cent in 2019-20 with increased productivity post GST and investment revival due to banking reform, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) 

• The economy grew 6.6 per cent in the last fiscal as it battled the lingering effects of demonetisation in 2016, businesses adjusting to Goods and Services Tax (GST) in 2017, and a subdued agriculture.

International Affairs

US, UK and France launch Syria strikes targeting Assad's chemical weapons

• The US, UK and France launched strikes against targets at three sites in Syria in the early hours of Saturday morning, following a week of threats of retaliation for an alleged chemical weapons attack on civilians in the Damascus enclave of Douma.

Agreements/ MoUs Signed

L&T and  BEL ink MoU for defence products

• In line with the efforts to indigenise the defence sector under the 'Make in India' initiative, Larsen & Toubro (L&T), India's multinational engineering conglomerate, and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), a leading public sector enterprise in defence electronics and tactical systems, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cater to the needs of evolving domestic and export markets for defence products and systems.

Aiming to contribute towards economic and sustainable development of communities, the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) to provide skill training to 500 youth and women at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu.

• The skill development project will be executed by NSDC through its approved training partners near Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP), the single largest nuclear power station in India, situated in the Tirunelveli district of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

Sidbi announced a plan to promote micro enterprises in 115 aspirational districts across the country. 

• According to Mohammed Mustafa, chairman, the bank has decided to focus on 115 aspirational districts to run micro enterprises promotion program (MEPP), which will be run with the help of CSC.

Summit /Conference / Events

The second edition of India Mobile Congress (IMC-2018) will be held in New Delhi on October 25-27, 2018. Theme: NEW DIGITAL HORIZONS Connect, Create, innovate.

• It will be organised by Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI). IMC was launched in 2017 to provide platform for policy makers, industry and regulators to engage in meaningful deliberations to drive the future direction of telecom sector.

Awards & Honours: Sports

Saina Nehwal returns to form, beats P.V. Sindhu for gold

• This was not Saina Nehwal of the old. Once in a fish-bowl, open to public scrutiny, this was a “new” Nehwal, looking fitter, fresher and more relaxed, and ready to push new boundaries at 28.

MC Mary Kom becomes 1st Indian woman boxer to win gold

• The legend of M C Mary Kom (48kg) grew larger as she added the Commonwealth Games gold to her packed medal cabinet, thrashing Northern Ireland's Kristina O'Hara in the final here on Saturday.

Neeraj Chopra wins historic gold with season-best throw

• Neeraj Chopra won gold in the Javelin throw event at the Commonwealth Games on Saturday after a best throw of 86.47m. 

Indian boxer Gaurav Solanki won the gold medal in the men's flyweight (52-kilogram) category at the 21st Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia 

• Gold Coast: Indian boxer Gaurav Solanki won the gold medal in the men's flyweight (52-kilogram) category at the 21st Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia on Saturday.

Haryana-born wrestler Mausam Khatri adds another medal in India's bag

• Indian wrestler Mausam Khatri failed to make use of his wealth of experience as he settled for a silver medal after losing his final bout against South Africa's Martin Erasmus in the men's freestyle 97 kg event at the 21st Commonwealth Games.

Mannika Batra and Mouma Das lost in the final of women’s doubles Table Tennis match to the Singapore duo of Tianwei Feng and Yu Mengyu in the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

• Manika Batra and Mouma Das missed a chance to add to India’s team gold in Table Tennis as they lost 5-11,4-11,5-11 to the Singapore duo of Tianwei Feng and Yu Mengyu in the Table Tennis women’s doubles final to settle for silver in the 2018 Commonwealth Games 

Indian boxer Gaurav Solanki won the gold medal in the men's 52kg category at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia 

• Meanwhile, India's Manish Kaushik (60kg) and Amit Panghal (46-49kg) had to be content with silver after losing the final bouts of their respective weight-class.

Pooja Dhanda wins silver, Divya Kakran bags bronze as India's medal rush in wrestling continues

• India's medal rush in wrestling continued at the Commonwealth Games 2018 at Gold Coast in Australia as Pooja Dhanda settled for silver in the women's 57 kg freestyle wrestling after losing to Nigeria's Odunayo Adekuoroye 7-5 in the final at the Carrara Sports Arena 1.

Naman Tanwar hands India first boxing medal, bags 91 kg gold

• India secured their first boxing medal in the ongoing 21st edition of the Commonwealth Games, with Naman Tanwar settling for bronze in the men's 91kg category here at the Oxenford Studios

Awards & Honours: Miscellaneous

The late actor Sridevi won her first National Award posthumously, in the category of Best Actress for her performance in the movie MOM.

• The nation’s Chandni, late actor Sridevi has posthumously won her first National Award in the category of Best Actress for her performance in the movie MOM.