Current Affairs Updates - 29th May 2018

Current Affairs Updates - 29th May 2018

Read Current Affairs Updates - 29th May 2018 as we have come up with a new set of news headlines which are very vital for the upcoming government examinations like IBPS PO, IBPS CLERK, SSC CGL and SSC CHSL. we pick out the best news for you which are important and can be asked in the examinations. Likewise we also bring to you the Daily Current Affairs Quiz and One Liner GK and Static Note Down Points which are equally important for your preparation and in fact can help boost your knowledge in the examination.

New Appointments: National

NSDL executive Sudha Balakrishnan has been appointed the first ever chief financial officer (CFO) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) effective May 15, in what is the biggest organisational change since Urjit Patel took over as RBI governor in September 2016 

• Balakrishnan, a chartered accountant, was till recently vice president with the National Securities Depository Ltd (NSDL), India’s first and largest depository, before joining RBI. 

National Affairs

The Election Commission will soon examine the New Zealand model, which allows eligible people to vote even if their names are not on the printed roll for valid reasons. 

• The suggestion came up at a recent round-table of former Chief Election Commissioners organised at the initiative of the incumbent, O.P. Rawat.

The standing committee of the Inter-State Council (ISC) today completed deliberations on the recommendations of the Punchhi Commission, which dealt with the responsibility and jurisdiction of the Centre during major outbreaks of communal and caste violence.

• A Home Ministry statement said the standing committee, headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, examined various recommendations of the commission.

The Tripura government has set August 15 as the deadline to phase out plastic carry bags.

• The government, as part of the 'Himalayan Cleanup' programme, urged people to replace their plastic bags with biodegradable ones.

The Himachal Pradesh government has decided to promote organic farming in a big way and plans to adopt an integrated approach for promoting organic and zero budget natural farming system

• The state government has introduced 'Prakritik Kheti Khushhaal Kisaan Yojana' to enhance agricultural income by adopting low-cost climate-resilient Zero Budget Natural Farming System (ZBNF).

International Affairs

Colombia to be NATO's first Latin American global partner

• Colombia will join as a “global partner”, Santos said, which means it will not necessarily have to take part in military action, and will be fully accredited in Brussels.

The Pakistani government and opposition named former chief justice Nasir-ul-Mulk the country's caretaker prime minister, ending weeks of political wrangling and giving the former judge the responsibility of holding a general election by the end of July.

• Mulk, 68, served as chief justice of Pakistan's Supreme Court for just over a year in 2014, and holds a reputation for being politically neutral.

Days after Netherlands Prime Minister visited India, the Queen Maxima of the Netherlands arrived here for a four-day visit, as per the Ministry of External Affairs.

• The Queen is scheduled to take part in a meeting with development partners at the United Nations house followed by a meeting with Co-Founder and Governing Council Member of iSpirit Sharad Sharma.

India launched its second "information technology corridor" in China to cash in on the burgeoning Chinese software market, which remained elusive despite the presence of top Indian tech firms in the large Asian nation. 

• The National Association of Software and Services Companies or NASSCOM has now set up one more digital collaborative opportunities plaza, also known as the SIDCOP platform, in China's Guiyang to give market access to Indian IT firms in the huge Chinese market.

Nasir-ul-Mulk, former Pakistan chief justice, appointed interim prime minister until General Election on 25 July

• Abbasi also said that his role as caretaker prime minister will be in favour of the country and the democratic process

China has invited the Iranian President to participate in the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit next month

• The invitation to Mr. Rouhani at a crucial time after the U.S. withdrew from the nuclear deal signed in 2015 between Iran, the European Union and the P5+1 group (five permanent members of the UN Security Council, plus Germany), of which China is a member.

Science & Technology

Researchers have discovered mountain ranges and three huge, deep subglacial valleys hidden beneath the Antarctica ice

• The findings, published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, are the first to emerge from extensive ice penetrating radar data collected in Antarctica as part of the European Space Agency PolarGAP project.

Brand Ambassadors

Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar has launched advertisement campaign for the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) in Delhi. 

• The campaign focuses on promoting the twin pit toilet technology in rural India, and also features actor Bhumi Pednekar along with Kumar. 

Schemes / Programme

Prime Minister of Netherlands Mark Rutte, who is in India on a two-day visit, launched the ‘Clean Air India Initiative’ in the national capital 

• The campaign aims to curb air pollution in Indian cities by promoting partnerships between Indian start-ups and Dutch companies and build a network of entrepreneurs working on business solutions for cleaner air.

Agreements/ MoUs Signed

The BCCI and United Nations Environment on May 27, 2018 signed an agreement to promote green' cricket in India.

• The letter of Intent was signed by BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary and Erik Solheim, Executive Director of UN Environment, at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai ahead of the IPL 2018 final between Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Summit /Conference / Events

The first edition of the Global Wind Summit will be held here from September 25-28, 2018 at Hamburg.

• The organisers of the four-day event are expecting speakers from about 100 countries, including India, China, the US, Spain and Denmark.

India to attend WTO members meet in Paris

• India and other key members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) will discuss ways to combat growing protectionism across the world, including recent actions taken by the Trump regime in the US, at an informal meeting of select Trade Ministers at the OECD meet in Paris later this month.

Awards & Honours: Sports

Monaco Grand Prix: Daniel Ricciardo fends off Sebastian Vettel for victory

• The Australian dominated the weekend and led from pole but shortly after his only pit stop suffered a power loss at one-third distance.

Awards & Honours: Miscellaneous

Sangeeta Bahl, 53, becomes oldest Indian woman to scale Mount Everest

• Bahl, who currently resides in Gurugram, was felicitated on Sunday at the Indian embassy in Kathmandu. She scaled the peak on May 19 with the help of two Sherpas. Her husband Ankur Bahl, who climbed Mt Everest in 2016, was also welcomed at the Indian embassy in Kathmandu.

Other Sports & Award Related News

Delhi Daredevils wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant was named Emerging Player of IPL 11

• It was a double delight for Pant, who also received the Stylish Player Award.