Current Affairs Updates - 18th May 2018

Current Affairs Updates - 18th May 2018

Today we have brought to you the most Important News Headlines in Current Affairs Updates - 18th May 2018. These are important for the upcoming examinations of IBPS PO, IBPS CLERK, SSC CGL, SSC CHSL, Railway ALP and other similar Competitive Examinations. Aspirants should go through all the details that we have mentioned here as they will find this useful in their preparation. Also do not forget to pick out any GK Pointers which are also vital. We request our readers to go through the Daily Current Affairs Quiz and One Liner and Static GK Points on a regular basis.

Important Days

World Telecommunication and Information Society Day observed on 17th  May. 2018 Theme: "Enabling the positive use of Artificial Intelligence for All"

• The purpose of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) is 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.

New Appointments: National

Artist Uttam Pacharne appointed Lalit Kala Akademi chairman

• Currently, he is member of the advisory committee, Kala Academy, Goa and member of advisory committee, P L Deshpande State Lalit Kala Academy and director, Janseva Sahakari Bank, Borivali.

B S Yeddyurappa takes oath as Chief Minister of Karnataka

• BJP legislature party leader B S Yeddyurappa on Thursday took oath as the Chief Minister of Karnataka. 
• This is the third time that he was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Karnataka.

New Appointments: International

Indian American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal's sister Susheela Jayapal has been elected as a member of the Board of Commissioners of Multnomah County in Oregon 

• Susheela Jayapal, 55, won the District 2 seat on the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners with 57 per cent of the vote, the results of which were declared last night. 

Banking, Economic & Financial Affairs

The Union Cabinet approved a mechanism to strengthen commercial dispute resolution between central public sector enterprises (CPSEs) through an institutionalised framework.

• At the first level, such commercial disputes will be referred to a committee comprising Secretaries of the ministries or departments to which the disputing parties belong, along with the Legal Affaris Secretary.

National Affairs

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.

Indore inspires a Swachh Bharat by topping cleanliness survey to become India's cleanest city

• Termed 'Swachh Survekshan', the survey was started in 2016 by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs with the aim of encouraging cities to improve urban sanitation.

India’s foodgrain production is forecast to grow to a record in the crop year ending June 2018 after a normal monsoon and wider planting in winter 

• Foodgrain output is expected to increase 0.9% to 277.49 million tonnes, exceeding the previous record of 275.11 million tonnes during 2016-17 .

BSE is first Indian exchange to get US SEC recognition

• According to the exchange, the recognition will also enhance the attractiveness of Indian Depository Receipts (IDRs) amongst US investors while providing additional benefits to companies whose securities are traded both in the US and on BSE.

Mangaluru city adjudged best in solid waste management

• The Swachh Survekshan-2018 results that minister for housing and urban affairs Hardeep Puri announced on Wednesday brought good tidings for Karnataka. 

Delhi Projected To Become World's Most Populous City Around 2028: UN Report

• The 2018 Revision of World Urbanisation Prospects produced by the Population Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) and released Wednesday said that 68 per cent of the world population is projected to live in urban areas by 2050.

Gujarat Governor to hold additional charge of MP

• Gujarat Governor Om Prakash Kohli was given the additional charge of Madhya Pradesh as the incumbent Governor, Anandiben Patel is on leave.

Union Cabinet okays Rs 5,000-crore micro-irrigation fund

• The Union Cabinet approved a dedicated Rs 5,000-crore fund to bring more land area under micro-irrigation, as part of its objective to boost agriculture production and farmers income.

V.K. Singh makes surprise visit to North Korea

• In a surprise development, Minister of State for External Affairs Gen. (Retd.) V.K.Singh has reached Pyongyang for talks with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) government

The Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Suresh Prabhu 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. 

The Centre approved setting up of an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Deoghar in Jharkhand.

• The facility will be a 750-bedded hospital along with trauma center facilities.
• The AIIMS at Deoghar will have 20 speciality/super speciality departments, including 15 operation theatres.

International Affairs

Guatemala, Following The U.S., Opens Its Own Embassy In Jerusalem

• Images of the Guatemalan, Israeli and U.S. flags were projected on walls of the Old City Tuesday night, in anticipation of Wednesday's inauguration.

Defence & Railway News

An international rail coach expo, displaying rail coaches and train-sets, will be held in Chennai from May 17 to May 19

• The expo is being hosted by the Integral Coach Factory, popularly known as the ICF, under the Ministry of Railways, in coordination with the CII (Confederation of Indian Industries) and RITES Ltd, a PSU under the Ministry of Railways.

Schemes / Programme

The Cabinet approved the National Policy on Biofuels which allows doping of ethanol produced from damaged foodgrains, rotten potatoes, corn and sugar beet with petrol to cut oil imports by Rs 4,000 crore this year alone.

• A meeting of the Union Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the new policy which categorises biofuels as First Generation (1G), which produce bio-ethanol from molasses and bio-diesel from non-edible oilseeds.

Agreements/ MoUs Signed

Cabinet approves MoU between India and Morocco in the legal field

• The MoU will give an opportunity to the Lawyers, Law Officers and law students to discuss issues in the field of law and justice in seminars, symposiums and workshops arranged by authorities of India and Morocco.

Centre approves agreement between India, Brunei in exchange of information and assistance

• The agreement enables the competent authorities of India and Brunei to provide assistance through the exchange of information that is foreseeably relevant to the administration and enforcement of the domestic laws of the two countries concerning taxes covered by the agreement.

Merger & Acquisitions

Tata Steel to acquire Bhushan Steel through its step-down subsidiary Bamnipal Steel

• Tata steel, whose bid for debt-ridden Bhushan Steel was approved by NCLT, would implement the resolution plan through its step-down subsidiary Bamnipal Steel Ltd.

Awards & Honours: Miscellaneous

NPCIL wins Russian award for 'Atom on Wheels' campaign

• NPCIL received the award that the organisation won beating the two other finalists from Hungary and Kenya.