Current Affairs Updates - 23rd May 2018

Current Affairs Updates - 23rd May 2018

Once again Achieversrule Team has come up with another set of Latest News Headlines in our today's Current Affairs Updates - 23rd May 2018. We have picked out some of the most important topics such as Lionel Messi Wins Fifth European Golden Shoe, India has decided to include Artificial Intelligence in its defence forces, UAE to allow 100% business ownership to foreign investors and many more. Each of the news have been given in details and are put in separate sections of Banking, Schemes, Obituary, National Affairs and others. These are all very vital for the upcoming government examinations of Bank, IBPS, SBI, RRB, SSC and Railway. We would like to let our readers know that other than this we also bring a Daily Current Affairs Quiz and One Liner and Static GK and Note Down Points.

Important Days

International Day for Biological Diversity is observed on 22 May

• The United Nations has proclaimed May 22 The International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues. 

New Appointments: International

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) has named Stacey Cunningham its first female chief in the history of the 226-year-old exchange.

• Previously chief operating officer (COO), Cunningham replaces Tom Farley, who’s leaving the company, said Josh King, a spokesman for Intercontinental Exchange Inc., NYSE's parent company.

Committees in News

Justice BN Srikrishna, who heads the committee on framing new data protection norms for India, will chair a panel discussion on governance to be held here on May 24.

• The discussion on 'Future of Governance' will focus on various aspects related to data privacy, an issue that has become increasingly relevant in the digital era.

Banking, Economic & Financial Affairs

SBI posts Q4 loss of Rs 7,718 crore as provisions more than double

• The country’s largest bank State Bank of India reported a second consecutive net loss of Rs 7,718 crore for the March quarter, primarily due to a surge in provisions and bad loans.

NITI Aayog vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar today exuded confidence that Indian economy will achieve 9 percent growth rate on sustained basis by 2022

• Indian economy grew by 6.6 percent in 2017-18 and expected to grow at 7.5 percent this fiscal.

BoB launches MSME factory in Gurgaon to promote funding to small business

• State-owned Bank of Baroda (BoB) today launched its first integrated SME Loan Factory in Gurgaon to cater the needs of MSME segment in the NCR. This integrated SME Loan Factory will function as a ‘One Stop Shop' for MSME customers with competent staff and simplified processes

National Affairs

Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa will be embarking on a four-day visit to the State of Israel from May 21 to 24. 

• Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) would attend a conference themed 'Air Superiority as a Bridge to Regional Stability', as part of 70th-anniversary celebrations of the Israel Air Force. 

The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) is in the process of creating a national registry of crimes against women 

• The move comes against the backdrop of an around three-percent increase in crimes against women and a 12-percent rise in incidents of rape in 2016 as compared to 2015. 

The Indian shooting fraternity today got a shot in the arm as former shooter and national coach Pawan Singh has been appointed as the Chairman of the Result Timing Score (RTS) Jury by the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) for the ISSF World Cup in Munich.

• With this appointment, Singh became the first Indian to chair the RTS Jury at a senior World Cup.
• The duties of the RTS Jury Chairman involves maintaining administrative functioning and coordinating with the jury members and report to the Technical Director in order to felicitate free flow of the competition without any discrepancy

International Affairs

UAE to allow 100% business ownership to foreign investors

• The United Arab Emirates plans to allow full foreign ownership in companies and grant long-term visas to some investors and professionals as the second-biggest Gulf economy seeks to attract more investments.

Iraq is to host a West Asia Football Federation (WAFF) championship in the city of Basra in November, the first major regional tournament to be hosted in the Middle Eastern nation since 1979. 

• The country was prohibited from hosting international games since the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990.

Paraguay Officially Moves Embassy to Jerusalem

• Paraguay is now the third country to move its embassy to Jerusalem, following the United States and Guatemala. The inauguration ceremony took place at noon at the embassy’s new home in the Malkha technology park, which also houses the Guatemalan embassy.

Science & Technology

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-K) has set up first of its kind Centre for Energy Regulation (CER) in the country to strengthen policy and regulatory limitations in energy and power sector.

• PK Pujari, chairperson, CERC unveiled the centre’s logo and its web portal at the launch ceremony held in New Delhi on May 17.

China aims to land on far side of moon via launch of 'Magpie Bridge' satellite

• In a few days Queqiao will enter the moon’s orbit, about 455,000km (282,000 miles) from Earth. Queqiao – which means “Magpie Bridge” and comes from a Chinese folk story in which an arc formed by birds reunites two lovers separated by the heavens – will then act as a bridge between ground stations and the lunar probe.

Defence & Railway News

After Russia, China and US, India has decided to include Artificial Intelligence in its defence forces with an aim to enhance the operational preparedness of the armed forces.

• Ajay Kumar, Defence Secretary (Production), Ministry of Defence said that a task force has been set up under the chairmanship of Tata Sons chairman N. Chandrasekaran to finalise the specifics and framework of the project.

Application / Portal 

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched 'My MP Rojgar Portal' in 'Ham Chhu Lenge Asman' Mukhyamantri Career Counselling programme ‘Pahal' in Model School of Bhopal.

• This portal is equipped with providing jobs to youths as per their educational qualification, skills and interest and ensuring availability of able candidates to employers as per need of their business. 

Schemes / Programme

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned LED Solar Street Lighting system for Arunachal Pradesh under its Rural Infrastructure Development Fund 

• The project would be implemented in the four districts of the state Tirap, Longding, Namsai and Tawang.

Agreements/ MoUs Signed

Annual Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Ministry of Railway & Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) regarding financial & non financial targets for the company.

• Shri Ranjanesh Sahai, Secretary, Railway Board & Shri S.C. Agnihotri, Chairman & Managing Director, RVNL signed the MoU in Rail Bhavan today. The target for revenue from operations for RVNL has been set of Rs 7600 Cr for the FY 2018-19.

Awards & Honours: Sports

Bala Prasath, from Coimbatore, won Round 2 of the 2018 Formula Junior Racing Series held at the Kari Motor Speedway in his hometown

• Bala ended the first round with 91 points behind Bangalore's Sohil Shah, who had 120. The second round saw a turn of fortunes. With Bala winning three races and finishing second in the other two, he overtook Sohil who suffered a run of bad luck.

Rafael Nadal won the Rome Masters for the eighth time on Sunday when he defeated defending champion Alexander Zverev 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 after a stunning comeback.

• Rafael Nadal is right back where he wants to be heading into the French Open. Alex Zverev is in a good place entering Roland Garros, too.

Awards & Honours: Miscellaneous

Asha Bhosle to be conferred with Banga Bibhushan by West Bengal Chief Minister

• Veteran singer Asha Bhosle, Bengali superstar Prosenjit Chatterjee and Justice (retd) Shyamal Kumar Sen among others will be conferred with the highest civilian award of West Bengal, the Banga Bibhushan, by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at a function here on may 21.

Lionel Messi Wins Fifth European Golden Shoe

• Barcelona striker Lionel Messi has won his fifth European Golden Shoe after his team beat Real Sociedad 1-0 in its final La Liga Santander match of the season.