Current Affairs Updates - 19th May 2018

Current Affairs Updates - 19th May 2018

We have included all the Important News for today in Current Affairs Updates - 19th May 2018. These are very important for the upcoming examinations of IBPS PO, IBPS CLERK, SSC CGL, SSC CHSL. Readers should go through them in details as all the news have been given in bullet points. Along with that we also have Daily Current Affairs Quiz and One Liner GK and Note Down Points. We really appreciate the feedback of our readers. 

Important Days

The World Hypertension Day is observed on 17th may

• 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.

RBI in News

The RBI issued detailed NSFR guidelines to ensure that banks maintain a stable funding profile in relation to the composition of their assets and off-balance sheet activities.

• In the backdrop of the global financial crisis that started in 2007, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) proposed certain reforms to strengthen global capital and liquidity regulations with the objective of promoting a more resilient banking sector.

The Reserve Bank had formulated a scheme for setting up of International Financial Services Centres (IFSC) Banking Units (IBUs) by banks in IFSCs.

• RBI said modification has been made based on suggestions from stakeholders to consider minimum prescribed regulatory capital at the parent level rather than at the IBU level.

The Reserve Bank of India has imposed a penalty of 50,000 on Universal Co-operative Urban Bank Ltd, Mancherial, Telangana with respect to violations on loans and advances.

• The apex bank in a release said the Cooperative Bank had violated its directive and guidelines on loans and advances to directors and their relatives. It had issued a show cause notice to the bank.

Banking, Economic & Financial Affairs

BSE is first Indian exchange to get US SEC recognition

• The DOSM status allows sale of securities to U.S. investors through the trading venue of BSE without registration of such securities with the U.S. SEC and thus eases the trades by U.S. investors in India

National Affairs

Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Suresh Prabhu has launched the government's Intellectual Property (IP) mascot – IP Nani – at the conference on National Intellectual Property Rights Policy in New Delhi. 

• Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said that protection of Intellectual Property Rights is critical for building a knowledge-based society. 

1,333 projects worth Rs 50,626 crores completed under Smart Cities Mission

• Overall projects worth Rs 2,03,979 crores have been identified for all 99 smart cities across the country.

Minister of State for External Affairs General VK Singh visits North Korea, first high-level visit from India in 20 years.

• In the first ministerial visit from India to North Korea in nearly 20 years, Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh held talks with his North Korean counterpart and a host of other leaders.

The India Meteorological Department issued an advisory to Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and the Lakshadweep archipelago over cyclonic storm 'Sagar'.

• The cyclonic storm lay centered over the Gulf of Aden, about 390 km east-northeast of Yemen's Aden city and 560 km west-northwest of Socotra Islands. 

The Himachal Pradesh government will spend Rs 25 crore on renovating and developing the historic British Raj 'Bantony Castle Estate' here as a major tourist attraction.

• He said the building was a fine example of the Anglo-Gothic architecture and since the commanding building was strategically located on Mall Road, it would be an added attraction for the tourists.

The Union Cabinet approved setting up of a National Institute of Mental Health Rehabilitation (NIMHR) at Bhopal as a society under the aegis of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.

• The Cabinet approved setting up of NIMHR under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 under the aegis of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.

The government said it has finalised the methodology for rationalisation of coal linkages for independent power producers (IPP). 

• Under the new methodology, dry fuel can be supplied to IPP plants by a coal company other than the one with which they have signed the pact. 

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has created history by establishing a road link to India's border with China beyond Limeking and along the Tama Chung Chung (TCC)-Taksing Axis recently.

• This achievement could be considered historic as the road reaches China border after the infamous 1962 China War.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the development of trunk infrastructure components for the integrated multi-modal logistics hub known as 'Freight Village' at Nangal Chaudhary in Haryana under the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Project

• The development of the Freight Village in Haryana will be on a 886.78 acres of land plot which will be implemented by the project Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) in two phases.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of Zojila Tunnel on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway in Leh

• The Prime Minister also has a packed program in Jammu, which includes being the chief guest at the convocation of the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences.

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its in-principle approval for establishing a Central University by the name of Central University of Andhra Pradesh in Janthaluru Village of Ananthapur District, Andhra Pradesh. 

• A provision of funds worth Rs. 450 crore has been approved for meeting the first phase expenditure towards establishment of the said University.

International Affairs

Guatemala has opened an embassy in Jerusalem two days after the U.S. moved its embassy to the contested capital city, sparking furious protests that ended in the killing of 60 Palestinians.

• Israeli troops opened fire on Palestinian protesters Monday 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. 

Science & Technology

China launched its first privately developed rocket , the latest milestone in its ambitious space exploration program.

• The launch of the Chongqing Liangjiang Star rocket, developed by OneSpace Technology, a Beijing-based private firm, marks the first time a private Chinese rocket has successfully entered orbit

Application / Portal 

Green Skill Development Programme will go a long way in reaping the demographic dividend of the country; GSDP to cover nearly 5 lakh people by 2021

• After launching the Mobile App of Green Skill Development Programme (GSDP) at the Ministry premises here today, Dr. Harsh Vardhan pointed out that more than 30 programmes have been identified, which will be conducted in 84 institutions across the country. 

Schemes / Programme

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 in Bengaluru.

• The tentative dates for the multi-sport event for para-athletes, to be competed among states, have been put at June 28 to July 7, according to the technical handbook issued by the sports ministry.

Summit /Conference / Events

The 15th Cultural Ministers' Meeting of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization was held in Sanya, Hainan province

• The meeting marks an important diplomatic event in the field of cultural and people-to-people exchange before the 18th summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organization scheduled in Qingdao, a coastal city in East China's Shandong province, in June.

Uttarakhand Cabinet holds meeting in a floating boat on Tehri lake

• Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat was also present during the meeting.
• The meeting was held on a boat named 'Marina' on Tehri Dam Lake, which is India's highest dam.

Awards & Honours: Miscellaneous

The ongoing 71st Cannes International Film Festival honoured late Sridevi, who died suddenly in February this year in a Dubai hotel, with a special salute to the Sadma star at the Titan Reginald F Lewis Film Honours 

• Sridevi’s daughters -- Janhvi Kapoor, Khushi -- with their father Boney Kapoor were supposed to be present at the function. However, filmmaker Subhash Ghai received the award on behalf of Sridevi’s family.

US-based Kathak dancer Anindita Anaam was honoured with the prestigious 'Shri Jayadev Rastriya Yuva Pratibha Puraskar 2018' for outstanding contribution to the field of art.

• The award was presented to the Kathak exponent during the 'Jayadev International Dance Festival' here last night.
• The four-day festival that began on May 13 has been organised under the aegis of Odisha's culture department and National Culture Mission.