Current Affairs May18

CURRENT AFFAIRS COMPENDIUM - MAY 2018
INTERNATIONAL
Israel withdraws from race for UN Security Council seat
Israel announced its withdrawal from the contest for a non-permanent seat at the
UN Security Council (UNSC) for the 2019-2020 term. Israel has been competing
with Germany and Belgium for one out of the two seats assigned to the Western
European and Others Group. The UNSC has five permanent members and 10 non -
permanent members who are elected for a two-year term.
Trump announces US withdrawal from Iran nuclear deal

US President Donald Trump announced withdrawal of US from Iran Nuclear Deal.
After years of tension over Iran's alleged efforts to develop a nuclear weapon, in
2015, Iran agreed a long-term deal with the US, UK, France, China, Russia and
Germany. As per the deal, Iran agreed to limit its sensitive nuclear activities if the
economic sanctions imposed on it were lifted. US President Donald Trump
withdrew from this deal and re-imposed sanctions on Iran, saying that it was a
poorly negotiated deal by his predecessor Barack Obama-led administration and
the agreement had not prevented Iran from its quest for nuclear weapons.
International Buddhist Conference concluded in Lumbini

International Buddhist Conference concluded in Lumbini, Nepal, which is the birth
place of Gautama Buddha. It was organised as part of 2562nd Buddha Jayanti
celebrations. The basic objective of the conference was to disseminate teachings of
Gautam Buddha and spread the messages of nonviolence, brotherhood, co-
existence, love and peace to the international community.
Nobel Literature Prize W ill Not Be Awarded This Year

Swedish Academy said that, the Nobel Prize in literature will not be awarded this
year due to sex-abuse allegations and other issues. The Swedish Academy said
that, the Nobel Literature Prize 2018 will be given in 2019. The Nobel Literature
Prize is postponed for the first time in 70 years. The Swedish Academy has
previously reserved the prize on seven occasions in: 1915, 1919, 1925, 1926, 1927,
1936 and 1949. The Swedish Academy has been in stress due to the #MeToo
campaign since November 2017.
About Swedish Academy:
 Location – Stockholm  Established – 1786
India ranks 11th in AT Kearney FDI Confidence Index

India has slipped by three notches to 11th position in the FDI Confidence Index
2018 of global consultancy firm A T Kearney. It said that India fell out of the top 10
for the first time since 2015. India was ranked 8th in 2017, while it was at 9th rank
in 2016.
Putin sworn in for another six years in office Russia

Vladimir Putin was sworn in for another six years as Russian president. Putin
swore to serve the Russian people, safeguard their rights and freedoms, and defend
Russian sovereignty. Putin was inaugurated for his fourth term as president
India ranks 4th in Asia-Pacific on power index

India has ranked fourth out of 25 nations in the Asia-Pacific region on an index
that measures their overall power. The Lowy Institute Asia Power Index measures
power across 25 countries and territories in the Asia-Pacific region.
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Beijing to hold World Robot Conference

The 2018 World Robot Conference will be held in Beijing from August 15 to 19. The
event will see over 12,000 competing teams and 50,000 participants from more
than 10 countries and regions.
Narendra Modi ranked 9th among 75 most powerful globally in Forbes list
Prime Minister Narendra Modi figures among the 10 most powerful people in the
world in US magazine Forbes' 2018 list that is topped by Chinese President Xi
Jinping, while Reliance Industries (RIL) Chairman Mukesh Ambani is the only
Indian businessman to feature in the list of 75.
Modi, who is ranked 9th and Ambani at 32, are the only two Indians on the Forbes
World's Most Powerful People list. Xi tops the list for the first time, replacing
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who drops to second place after being named the
most powerful person in the world for four years in succession.
Nepal to hold BIMSTEC 2018

Nepal's Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli announced to host the 2018 Bay of Bengal
Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC)
summit. During his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Nepali Prime
Minister said Nepal will hold the BIMSTEC summit, while expressing commitment
towards building the Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal initiative.
WHO launches 'REPLACE' to eliminate Trans fat in foods by 2023

The World Health Organisation (WHO) launched a campaign called „REPLACE‟. It is
aimed to eliminate industrially produced Trans-fat from global foods by 2023.This
campaign has six strategic elements that are to be implemented for it‟s success.
Trans-fat are used in hardened vegetables fats such as in ghee, margarine and are
often present in snacks, baked foods and fried foods. These are mainly used by the
manufacturers because they have longer shelf life. Trans-fat are known to cause
5,00,000 death every year worldwide and is the main cause for cardio vascular
disease. In light of the above effect WHO has decided to implement this campaign
targeting low and middle income countries where provision for control is often
weak. Denmark was the first country to implement such restrictions and following
its success New York has also eliminated Trans-fat a decade ago.
Guatemala opens embassy in Jerusalem after US

Guatemala officially moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, becoming the
second country to do so after the U.S. inaugurated its embassy in Jerusalem.
At the inauguration, which was attended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,
Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales said his country is bringing a message of
"love, peace and fraternity" to Israel.
Guatemala was one of seven countries to vote with the Trump administration and
Israel on the Jerusalem embassy issue at the United Nations. The others were
Honduras, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and Togo.
Russia unveils world's first floating nuclear power station

Russia has unveiled the world's first floating nuclear power station in the port of
the city of Murmansk, where it will be loaded with nuclear fuel before heading to
eastern Siberia. Constructed by the state nuclear power firm Rosatom, the 144 by
30 metre holds two reactors with two 35 megawatt nuclear reactors that are similar
to those used to power icebreaker ships.
It will be primarily used to power oil rigs as Russia pushes further north into the
Arctic to drill for oil and gas and needs electricity in far-flung locations.

Venezuela's Maduro wins re-election

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro was re-elected for a second six-year term in
presidential elections, according to the National Electoral Council (CNE).
Some 14,638 voting centers have been set up nationwide for Venezuela's more than
20.5 million eligible voters.
Harsh Vardhan leads Indian delegation in Mission Innovation (MI) Ministerial

30 months ago on November 30th, 2015, leader of 20 countries came together to
launch Mission Innovation (MI), a landmark 5 year commitment to accelerate the
pace of innovation and make clean energy widely affordable and accessible
worldwide. India is the founding member of this forum and is a partner in the
Steering Committee.
MI now comprises 23 economies and the European Commission, representing the
European Union, and collectively accounts for more than 80 percent of the world‟s
total public financing of clean energy R&D. Indian delegation was lead by Dr. Harsh
Vardhan, Union Minister for Science, Technology and Earth Sciences. India
announced its plan for hosting MI clean energy materials Workshop in October-
November, 2018 at New Delhi.
India moves one notch up to 44th rank in IMD's competitiveness rankings

India has moved one notch higher, to the 44th place in terms of competitiveness, in
the annual rankings compiled by International Institute for Management
Development (IMD). This year 63 countries are ranked with Cyprus and Saudi
Arabia making their first appearance.
The US became the most competitive economy globally driven by its strength in
economic performance and infrastructure, followed by Hong Kong and Singapore in
the second and third place, respectively.
5th India CLMV Business Conclave held at Phnom Penh, Cambodia

The Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India along with Ministry of
Commerce of Cambodia organized the 5th India-CLMV Business Conclave in
Phnom Penh on 21-22 May 2018. After four rounds of the Business Conclave in
India, this initiative was brought by Department of Commerce of Government of
India to Cambodia, for greater participation from the region. CLMV is a group of
Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam and Lao PDR.
Nepal: first country in South-East Asia validated for eliminating trachoma

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared Nepal the first country to eliminate
Trachoma. Trachoma was the second leading cause of preventable blindness in the
Himalayan nation in the 1980s. The disease puts more than 190 million people in
41 countries at the risk of blindness. It is responsible for the blindness or visual
impairment of around 1.9 million people worldwide. In 1998, the World Health
Assembly had resolved to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem.
About Trachoma: Trachoma is a Chlamydia infection which happens due to lack of
hygiene, unclean water supply and can spread by contact with eye, nose, or throat
secretions of a person suffering from the disease or indirectly via flies. The infection
is particularly common among children.
Columbia the first Latin American nation to join NATO

The president of Columbia Juan Manuael Santos announced that Columbia has
formally joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The formalization will take
place in Brussels and that Columbia will be a global partner of NATO. Columbia is

the only country of Latin America to be a part of NATO. Apart from Columbia
Afghanistan, Pakistan, South Korea, New Zealand, Iraq, Mongolia and Japan are in
the same ranks. Columbia also announced to be a partner of Organization for
Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
About NATO: It is an inter-governmental military alliance between 29 North
American and European Countries. It was founded based in North Atlantic Treaty
that was signed in April 4, 1949.
Netherlands joins Solar Alliance

The Netherlands has become the 64th signatory member of the International Solar
Alliance (ISA). The joint statement issued hailed the Netherlands as India‟s
“Gateway to Europe”. India also welcomed the Netherlands as the Partner Country
for the Tech Summit in 2019.
India launches 2nd IT corridor in China

India launched its second IT corridor in China to cash in on the burgeoning
Chinese software market which remained elusive despite the presence of top Indian
technology firms. The National Association of Software and Services Companies
(NASSCOM) established one more Digital Collaborative Opportunities Plaza
(SIDCOP) platform in China in an effort to provide market access to Indian IT firms
in the huge Chinese market. Last December, the NASSCOM established its first
SIDCOP platform in the Chinese port city of Dalian, which is India's first IT hub in
China. Agreements worth RMB 36 million (about $6 million) were signed between
Indian service providers and Chinese customers at the launch of the corridor by
China's Guiyang Municipal government and the NASSCOM.
Hamburg to host 2018 Global Wind Summit

The first edition of the Global Wind Summit will be held in Hamburg from
September 25-28, 2018. The organisers of the four-day event are expecting
speakers from about 100 countries, including India, China, the US, Spain and
Denmark. The conference on wind is the largest and most important meeting of the
wind industry worldwide.
International Conference on the TRIPS CBD Linkage 7-8 June 2018 in Geneva
India has taken the lead in seeking to revive WTO discussions on issues related to
preventing theft of traditional knowledge. Government of India, along with the
Centre for WTO Studies, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade and the South Centre (an
inter-governmental organisation based in Geneva), are organising an International
Conference on TRIPS- CBD Linkage in Geneva on 7-8 June 2018. Brazil and South
Africa are some of the other countries that have joined hands with India on this
crucial initiative.
Alicia Pucheta to be the first woman president of Paraguay

Paraguay will have a woman president for the first time in its history, at least
temporarily, after outgoing leader Horacio Cartes stepped down ahead of schedule.
Vice President Alicia Pucheta will complete Cartes's mandate after he resigned to
become a senator.

NATIONAL
Swachh Bharat Summer Internship
Following the Prime Minister‟s clarion call on 2nd October 2014 for each individual
to devote at least 100 hours to Swachhata through the year, Ministry of Drinking
Water and Sanitation (MDWS) in association with Ministry of Human Resource
Development (MHRD) and Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) has
launched the Swachh Bharat Summer Internship – a novel and first of its kind
initiative.
The internship period commences from May 1, 2018 and ends on July 31, 2018.
The programme aims to engage millions of youngsters across the country, to
encourage them to contribute to the Swachh Bharat Mission in the spirit of a true
Jan-Andolan. Under the internship, all interns who complete at least 100 hours of
sanitation related work in villages would be given a Swachh Bharat certificate.
Swachh Bharat Mission launches GOBAR-DHAN

Union Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation, Uma Bharti launched the
GOBAR (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources - DHAN scheme at the National
Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) Auditorium, Karnal. The scheme aims to positively
impact village cleanliness and generate wealth and energy from cattle and organic
waste. The scheme also aims at creating new rural livelihood opportunities and
enhancing income for farmers and other rural people.
The Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) comprises two main components for creating
clean villages – creating open defecation free (ODF) villages and managing solid and
liquid waste in villages.
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2019 to be held in Varanasi

The 15th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas will be held in the holy city of Varanasi in
January 2019. The event would be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi
and his Mauritian counterpart Pravind Jugnauth. It would be held in Varanasi
from January 21 to 23.
South Western Command‟s Exercise Vijay Prahar

South Western Command is carrying out Exercise VIJAY PRAHAR employing more
than 20000 troops in the Mahajan Field Firing Ranges close to Suratgarh in
Rajasthan. The exercise is aimed to orchestrate wide spectrum of threats which are
planned to be tackled through high tempo joint air and land operation.
The month-long exercise is essentially to practice the troops in penetrative
manoeuvres across the obstacle ridden terrain under a nuclear umbrella.
14 of world's 15 most polluted cities in India

The WHO global air pollution database reveals that India has 14 out of the 15 most
polluted cities in the world in terms of PM 2.5 concentrations, with the worst being
Kanpur. Kanpur topped the 2016 list with a PM 2.5 concentration of 173
micrograms per cubic metre, followed by Faridabad, Varanasi and Gaya. 14 out of
top 15 cities are Indian. Ali Subah Al Salem (Kuwait) ranked 15th.
Cabinet approves Doubling of Investment Limit for Senior Citizens PMVVY

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval
for extending the investment limit from Rs 7.5 Lakhs to Rs 15 Lakhs as well as
extension of time limits for subscription from 4thMay 2018 to 31stMarch, 2020
under the Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandan Yojana (PMVVY) as part of Government's
commitment for financial inclusion and social security. The PMVVY is being

implemented through Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) to provide social

security during old age and protect elderly persons aged 60 years and above
against a future fall in their interest income due to uncertain market conditions.
Biggest Airport, after Mumbai, to be developed in Mopa, Goa

A joint team of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Commerce Logistics
Department will visit Goa on 7th-8thMay 2018 to facilitate the development of
cargo hubs at the new airport to be constructed at Mopa in Goa.
The four coastal states in the western part of the country, Maharashtra, Karnataka,
Kerala and Goa, will benefit greatly from the biggest airport, after Mumbai, to be
constructed in Mopa.
PMSSY approved beyond 12th Five Year Plan

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its
approval for continuation of Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Y ojana (PMSSY)
beyond 12th Five Year Plan for a period 2017-18 to 2019-20 with a financial outlay
of Rs. 14,832 crores.
Cabinet approves continuation of Umbrella Scheme „Green Revolution

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister
Narendra Modi has given its approval for the Umbrella Scheme, "Green Revolution
– Krishonnati Yojana" in agriculture sector beyond 12th Five Year Plan for the
period from 2017-18 to 2019-20 with the Central Share of Rs. 33,269.976 crore.
The Umbrella scheme comprises of 11 Schemes/Missions. These schemes look to
develop the agriculture and allied sector in a holistic and scientific manner to
increase the income of farmers by enhancing production, productivity andbetter
returns on produce.
Maharashtra first to issue land document online

Maharashtra has become the first state to issue a crucial land ownership document
online and accept a digital signature on it as valid. The state government's plan of
digitizing the 7/12 extract is thus complete. It went a step ahead and generated
eight Lakh documents with space for digital signatures. The facility was
inaugurated by the chief minister.
Exhibition -„India and the world: a history in nine stories‟

First of its kind, mammoth exhibition on Indian Civilisation, was inaugurated by,
the President, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, (IGNCA), Ram Bahadur
Rai, at National Museum, New Delhi.
Delhi to host six-day Festival of Bharat

National capital Delhi will host a six-day-long Festival of Bharat between May 9 and
May 14 as a 21st century tribute to the majesty and depth of India's civilization.
Scholars, Grammy award winning artistes, rising new stars and prominent public
figures will also be in attendance.
Andhra Pradesh gets its state symbols after 4 years of bifurcation

After 4 years of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and Telengana, the state of Andhra
Pradesh gets its own symbol. This was announced by the Principle Secretary of
Environment Forests G. Anantha Ramu. Neem and Black Buck have been declared
as the state tree and the state animal respectively. Rose -ringed Parakeet will be the
State Bird. Jasmine will be the state flower.

Border Roads Organisation to celebrate Raising Day

Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is celebrating its Raising Day on 07 May 2018.
BRO, a leader in the arena of infrastructural development in the border areas of the
country is celebrating its 58 years of glorious service to the nation.
Since its inception in 1960, so far the Organisation has grown from 02 to 19
projects. Its focus shall remain enhanced productivity and quality construction.
First organised census for Indus dolphins to be carried out in India

For the conservation of Indus dolphins, one of the world‟s rarest mammals, the
Punjab government along with WWF-India are conducting the first organised
census on their population.
Found only in India and Pakistan, the Indus dolphins are confined to only a 185
km stretch between Talwara and Harike Barrage in India‟s Beas River in Punjab.
The Government of India signed a loan deal worth $ 200 million with the
World Bank
The Government of India signed a loan deal worth $ 200 million with the World
Bank for the National Nutrition Mission (POSHAN Abhiyaan). The loan would help
the Government of India in achieving its goal of reducing stunting in children 0-6
years of age from 38.4% to 25% by the year 2022.
The POSHAN (PM‟s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment) Abhiyaan was
launched by the Prime Minister on 8th March 2018 at Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan.
Ram Nath Kovind becomes second president to visit Siachen base camp
Ram Nath Kovind became the second president of India to visit Indian Army‟s
Siachen base camp. Siachen base camp is also known as the “Third Pole” where
temperatures drop to minus 50 degrees Celsius sometimes. He was accompanied
by Army Chief General Bipin Rawat. Ram Nath Kovind paid his respects at the
Siachen war memorial to the martyrs. Ram Nath Kovind is the second Indian
president to visit Siachen base camp. Former president APJ Abdul Kalam is the
first Indian President who visited Siachen base camp in 2004.
China to organise film festival in Kolkata in July

China will organise a film festival at Kolkata's Nandan in July this year. "A week-
long film festival will be organised at Nandan, the film and cultural centre in
Kolkata, in which seven Chinese films will be screened".
3rd Edition of UNPCAP Inaugurated in New Delhi

The third edition of the United Nations Peacekeeping Course for African Partners
(UNPCAP) was inaugurated in New Delhi to build and enhance the capacity of the
African Troop Contributing Countries to the UN.
The course is conducted by the Centre for United Nations Peacekeeping in India
(CUNPK) in partnership with the US. The first and second editions of the course
were held in New Delhi in 2016 and 2017, respectively.
Madhya Pradesh Gets India's First Smart Cities Control Centre

In a major step towards realising the centre's smart city mission (SCM), the
Madhya Pradesh government has launched the country's first Integrated Control
and Command Centre (ICCC) for all seven smart cities of the state in Bhopal. The
ICCC would enable the authorities to monitor the status of various smart civic
amenities in real-time through the sensors connected to it. Bhopal, Indore, Ujjain,
Gwalior, Jabalpur, Satna, and Sagar are the seven smart cities under SCM in
Madhya Pradesh.

Fifteenth Finance Commission constitutes an Advisory Council

The Fifteenth Finance Commission has constituted an Advisory Council to advise
and assist the Commission. The role and functions of the Advisory Council will be:
 To advise the Commission on any issue or subject related to the Terms of
Reference (ToR) of the Commission, which may be of relevance;
 To assist in the preparation of any paper or research study which would
enhance the Commission's understanding on the issues containing in its ToR;
 To help in broadening the Commission's ambit and understanding to seek best
national and international practices on matters pertaining to fiscal devolution
and improving the quality and reach and enforcement of its recommendations.
Advisory Council will have following members:
 Arvind Virmani, President, Forum for Strategic Initiatives
 Surjit S. Bhalla, Part-time Member of PMEAC and Sr. Indian Analyst for the
Observatory Group and Chairman of Oxus Research and Investments
 Sanjeev Gupta, Ex-Deputy Director (Fiscal Affairs Department), IMF
 Pinaki Chakraborty, Professor (NIPFP)
 Shri Sajjid Chinoy, Chief India Economist, JP Morgan
 Shri Neelkanth Mishra, Managing Director and the Credit Suisse India
Economist and Strategist
Modi, Oli jointly inaugurate Janakpur-Ayodhya direct bus service

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepalese counterpart K P Sharma Oli jointly
inaugurated a direct bus service between Janakpur and Ayodhya - the two sacred
cities for Hindus. Modi flagged off the bus after visiting the famed 20th century
Janaki temple, dedicated to the Hindu goddess Sita, where he offered special
prayers. Janakpur is known as the birth place of Sita, the wife of Lord Rama.
Janaki temple was built in memory of Sita in 1910.
Madhya Pradesh to be declared ODF by October this year

The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced that
the State will be declared as open defecation free (ODF) by Gandhi Jayanti this
year. This will mean that the State will become ODF one year before the national
timeline of October 2nd, 2019, the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
Indian Army Women Officers‟ Mountaineering Expedition to Mt. Bhagirathi-II

Indian Army Women Officers‟ Mountaineering Expedition to Mt. Bhagirathi -II (6512
metres) consisting of nine women officers, was flagged off by Director General of
Military Training on 14 May 2018. The team also plans to set a new world record of
practicing Yoga at 21000 ft on the occasion of Yoga Day 2018.
UNDP to set up skill development centre in Hyderabad

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will soon set up a skill
development centre at 'Bharosa,' an integrated support centre for distressed women
and children in Hyderabad. Last year, the Hyderabad Police had signed an
agreement with UNDP under the 'Disha' project to build capacities and skills of
women affected by violence to help make them economically self-sufficient.
'Bharosa,' an initiative of Hyderabad City Police, is a state -of-the-art centre to
support women and children who are victims of violence.
Cabinet approves setting up of a Central University in Andhra Pradesh

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister 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.
Establishment of National Institute of Mental Health Rehabilitation at Bhopal

The Union Cabinet Chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the
establishment of National Institute of Mental Health Rehabilitation (NIMHR) at
Bhopal as a Society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 under the aegis of
the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities. The main objectives
of the NIMHR are to provide rehabilitation services to the persons with mental
illness, capacity development in the area of mental heal th rehabilitation, policy
framing and advanced research in mental health rehabilitation.
Suresh Prabhu launches Intellectual Property mascot – IP Nani

The Minister of Commerce and Industry 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 IP mascot will spread awareness about the
importance of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) among people, especially children,
in an interesting manner.
Delhi projected to become world's most populous city around 2028: UN report
Delhi is projected to become the most populous city in the world around 2028,
according to new United Nations estimates, which said India is expected to add the
largest number of urban dwellers by 2050. The 2018 Revision of World
Urbanisation Prospects produced by the Population Division of the UN Department
of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) said that 68 per cent of the world
population is projected to live in urban areas by 2050. Currently, 55 per cent of the
world's population lives in urban areas.
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. Around 2352
solar modules with a capacity of generating 700 kwp have been set up over the roof
of the Guwahati railway station. Solar panels have been installed at the roof -top
solar power plant.
Pakyong airport in Sikkim to become the 100th functional airport in India

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha stated that Pakyong airport in
Sikkim, which is scheduled to be commissioned in June 2018, will be the 100th
operational airport in the country. Currently, Sikkim is the only state in India that
does not have an airport. Post commissioning, low-cost airline SpiceJet will be
operating flights to Pakyong in Sikkim from Kolkata under Civil Aviation Ministry‟s
regional connectivity scheme, UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik).
About UDAN Scheme:
Civil Aviation Ministry launched Regional Connectivity Scheme „UDAN‟ in October
2016. It is aimed towards making flying a reality for common people residing in
Tier-II and Tier-III towns and thereby developing the regional aviation market.
Joint Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Surveillance of Maldives

Indian Naval (IN) ship Sumedha, a Naval Offshore Patrol Vessel (NOPV), has been
deployed to undertake joint EEZ surveillance of Maldives from 09 to 17 May 18, as
part of Indian Navy‟s „Mission Based Deployments‟.

Cabinet approves setting up of a new AIIMS in Deoghar, Jharkhand

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved setting
up of a new All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Deoghar, Jharkhand.
Shivangi Pathak becomes youngest Indian woman to scale Mount Everest

India's Shivangi Pathak has become youngest women of the country to scale Mt
Everest from Nepal side. Born in Hisar of Haryana Shivangi climbed Mt Everest to
spread the message that women could overcome any obstacle to achieve their goals.
In 2014, 13 year old Malavath Poorna from India had climbed Mt Everest from
Tibet side and became youngest girl in the world to summit at Everest.
“AYUSH” finds a place in English Language

The Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology has decided to adopt the
word „AYUSH‟ in Hindi and English languages for scientific and technical purposes.
The “AYUSH” became popular as the acronym for five traditional and
complementary systems of medicine, namely Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy,
Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy and successfully adopted and used in all
Government communications.
Modi inaugurates hydro project in Kashmir

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated a hydroelectric power plant in the
state of Jammu and Kashmir, amid protests from neighbour Pakistan which says
the project on a river flowing into Pakistan will disrupt water supplies. The 330
megawatt Kishanganga hydropower station, work on which started in 2009, is one
of the projects that India has fast-tracked in the volatile state amid frosty ties
between the nuclear-armed countries.
„Green Good Deeds‟ Movement Gets Global Recognition

Green Good Deeds, the societal movement launched by the Union Minister for
Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Dr Harsh Vardhan, to protect environment
and promote good living in the country, has found acceptance by the global
community. The ongoing BRICS Ministerial on Environment at Durban, South
Africa, has agreed to include “Green Good Deeds” in its official agenda in the next
Ministerial in Brazil and another meeting in Russia”.
Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala

As the death toll in the virus-induced fever in north Kerala rises to nine, the
National Virology Institute in Pune has confirmed that the deceased were infected
with Nipah virus. This is the first time the virus, which has high fatality rate and
spreads mainly through bats, pigs and other animals, has been detecte d in the
state. Nipah virus infection is a newly-emerging zoonosis (a disease which can be
transmitted to humans from animals) that causes severe disease in both a nimals
and humans. Nipah Virus was first identified during an outbreak of disease that
took place in Kampung Sungai Nipah, Malaysia in 1998. On this occasion, pigs
were the intermediate hosts.
India to host the ASEAN India Film Festival

In association with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Directorate of Film Festival
is organizing the ASEAN India Film Festival in Delhi from 25th to 30th May 2018,
celebrating completion of 25 years of ASEAN India Relations.
Union Minister, Col Rajyavardhan Rathore inaugurate d the Film Festival in Siri
Fort Auditorium on 25th May 2018. The Film Festival will be non-competitive. The

tagline of the Festival is proposed to be „Friendship through Films‟. Jassari Movie

Sinjar will be the opening film for the festival. During the festival, 32 films from 11
countries will be displayed.
Points to Remember:
 The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a regional
intergovernmental organization comprising ten Southeast Asian countries
(Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia,
Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam).
 ASEAN is an official United Nations observer, as well as an active global partner.
Cabinet nod to ordinance to set up country's first sports university in

Manipur
The Union Cabinet approved an ordinance to set up the country's first national
sports university in Manipur. Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said a bill to set
up the university in Imphal (west) is already pending in Parliament.
Rajasthan launches „Nidaan‟ software for disease monitoring

New software, „Nidaan‟, has been launched in Rajasthan for presumptive diagnosis
and monitoring of seasonal and non-communicable diseases as well as the trends
of ailments found in specific areas. It is expected to help in formulation of specific
action plans for control of diseases. “Nidaan” will facilitate online entries of as
many as 46 diseases and healthcare services available for their treatment in
different institutions.
Ministry of HRD launches „Samagra Siksha‟ scheme

The Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Prakash Javadekar
launched the „Samagra Shiksha‟ - an integrated Scheme for school education
extending support to States from pre -school to senior secondary levels for the first
time in New Delhi. The Scheme is a paradigm shift in the conceptual design of
school education by treating „school‟ holistically as a continuum from pre -school,
primary, upper primary, secondary and senior secondary levels
PM Modi, Sheikh Hasina inaugurate Bangladesh Bhavan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina
arrived at Santiniketan to attend the convocation of Visva Bharati University. The
two leaders inaugurated the Bangladesh Bhavan within the campus here, as a
symbol of the cultural ties between the two countries.
Yogi govt to change name of Allahabad to Prayag

Allahabad is set to be rechristened as „Prayag‟, a long pending demand of Sadhus
and Saints of the Sangam City. The new name is likely to be approved by the state
cabinet soon, sources in the government said in Lucknow. During his recent visit to
Allahabad to release dates of Shahi Snan (royal bathing), Akhil Bharatiya Akhara
Parishad has urged Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to rename Allahabad as Prayag
before the coming Kumbh Mela in 2019.
List of dirtiest railway stations in country

Kanpur Central station tops this list. Three most busy stations of Mumbai‟s
suburban railways, Kalyan, Kurla, and Thane are among the ten dirtiest stations in
the country. Indian Railways conducted a survey between May 11 and May 17,
assessing railway stations of the country, according to which, Mumbai is the only
city with three stations in the list.

Manipur Becomes First State in Northeast to Have Solar Toilet

Manipur has become the first state in the Northeast and the third state in India to
have solar toilets. The solar panel, connected to the toilets, absorbs the heat to
generate power and is also efficient to transform waste material.
9th edition of „Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav‟

Ministry of Culture has organised 3 day long diversified cultural festival „Rashtriya
Sanskriti Mahotsav‟ festival which was inaugurated by Chief Minister of
Uttarakhand, Trivendra Singh Rawat near Tehri Lake, Uttrakhand.
4th International Yoga Day Celebrations Main Event to be Organized in

Dehradun
The main event of 4th International Yoga Day celebrations (IDY -2018) will be held
on 21st June 2018 at Dehradun in Uttrakhand. Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary,
Ministry of AYUSH announced that Dehradun (Uttarakhand) has been selected as
the venue for Main Event of 4th International Day of Yoga on 21st June, 2018.

ECONOMICS
Maharashtra government signs MoU with British Council
The government of Maharashtra has signed a memorandum of understanding
(MoU) with the British Council to strengthen educational and cultural cooperation
between the two nations. Under this new agreement, British Council would be
training 30,000 teachers in the English language in the state. The training will be
funded by Tata Trusts, the Tata group's philanthropic organisation.
51st Annual Meeting of Asian Development Bank

An Indian delegation headed by Subhash Chandra Garg, Secretary, Department of
Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance is currently on a tour to Manila to attend the
51st Annual Meeting of Asian Development Bank. Garg held bilateral meeting with
the Premier of Niue, Sir Toke Talagi on the sidelines of the 51st Annual Meeting of
Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila.
NITI Aayog to Collaborate with IBM to develop Precision Agriculture

NITI Aayog and IBM signed a Statement of Intent to develop a crop yield prediction
model using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to provide real time advisory to farmers in
Aspiration Districts. The partnership aims to work together towards use of
technology to provide insights to farmers to improve crop productivity, soil yield,
control agricultural inputs with the overarching goal of improving far mers‟ incomes.
ADB projects India‟s growth at 7.3% in 2018

Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Takehiko Nakao said India‟s growth in
2018 would pick up to 7.3%. China is expected to grow by 6.6% in 2018, even as
its growth continues to gradually moderate.
Patanjali ranked as most trusted FMCG brand in India

Patanjali Ayurved Limited has been ranked as India's most trusted Fast Moving
Consumer Goods (FMCG) brand in the TRA's Brand Trust Report 2018. The
Patanjali Ayurved Limited was established in 2006 by Ramdev, along with Acharya
Balkrishna.
India will be world‟s fastest growing economy in coming decade

India tops the list of the fastest growing economies in the world for the coming
decade and is projected to grow at 7.9 per cent annually, ahead of China and the
US, according to a Harvard University report.
GST Council approves turning GSTN into a government entity

The GST Council has approved making GST Network (GSTN) a government entity
by taking over stakes held by private entities, Arun Jaitley said the GST Network or
GSTN currently is 24.5 per cent owned by the central government and a similar
percentage is held by state governments collectively. The remaining 51 per cent is
with five private financial institutions: HDFC Ltd, HDFC Bank Ltd, ICICI Bank Ltd,
NSE Strategic Investment Co and LIC Housing Finance Ltd.
IMF expects India to grow at 7.4% in FY 2018/19

According to International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Indian economy is expected to
grow at 7.4 per cent in the current fiscal and accelerate further to 7.8 per cent as it
recovers from the impact of demonetisation and Goods and Services Tax (GST)
rollout.

Walmart acquires 77% stake in Flipkart

The world‟s largest retailer Walmart will acquire a 77 percent holding in Flipkart
Group for $16 billion. Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal and other shareholders
will hold the remainder. Japan's Softbank to exit Flipkart by selling entire 20 per
cent stake to Walmart. Flipkart co-founder Sachin Bansal to exit company by
selling his 5.5 pc stake to Walmart.
About Flipkart:
Flipkart was co-founded by Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal in 2007. The
company opened its first office in Bengaluru in 2008, followed by offices in Delhi
and Mumbai in 2009. Sachin Bansal served as Flipkart CEO for nine years till
2015 and then took over as Executive Chairman. In 2016, Binny Bansal took over
as the CEO of the company. Coming to acquisitions, Flipkart acquired online
apparel retailer Myntra at about USD 300 million in 2014 and another fashion
retailer Jabong for USD 70 million and payment startup PhonePe in 2016.
About Walmart:
Walmart is an American multinational retailer that operates a chain of
hypermarkets, discount department stores, and grocery stores. Headquartered in
Bentonville, Arkansas, the company was founded by Sam Walton in 1962 and was
incorporated on October 31, 1969. The company operates under the name Walmart
in the United States and Canada, as Walmart de Mexico y Centroamerica in Mexico
and Central America, as Asda in the United Kingdom, as the Seiyu Group in Japan
and as Best Price in India. It has wholly owned operations in Argentina, Chile,
Brazil, and Canada. Walmart opened its first wholesale store in India in 2009.
New monetary limits for public sector banks to report frauds to CBI
The monetary threshold for public sector banks to report frauds to different
departments of the CBI for a probe has been revised, according to the Central
Vigilance Commission (CVC). Frauds of minimum Rs 3 crore to Rs 25 crore, up
from Rs 15 crore, have to be reported to either the CBI's Anti-Corruption Branch (in
case staff involvement is prima facie evident) or to the Economic Offences Wing (if
employees involvement is prima facie not evident) respectively.
Cases of frauds involving more than Rs 25 crore and up to Rs 50 crore should be
given to the CBI's Banking Security and Fraud Cell (BSFC). The cases of more than
Rs 50 crore should be lodged with the Joint Director (Policy), CBI.
India's growth will accelerate to 7.3 pct: Fitch

As per Credit rating agency Fitch, Indian economy is projected to grow at 7.3
percent in current fiscal i.e. 2018-19 and 7.5 percent in next fiscal. The above
projection has been made in Fitch‟s second-quarter Sovereign Credit Overview for
Asia Pacific region. Fitch has outlined that India‟s economic growth is likely to
accelerate as money supply has recovered to its pre -demonetisation level (pre -
November 2016) and disruptions related to the rollout of the Goods and Services
Tax (GST), in July 2017 have diminished.
About Fitch Ratings:
 Founded in – 1914  Headquarters – New York, US
 Current President and CEO – Paul Taylor
India largest remittance-receiving country in the world

India was the largest remittance -receiving country in the world, with migrant
workers from the country sending home USD 69 billion in 2017. The report 'Remit
SCOPE-Remittance markets and opportunities - Asia and the Pacific' said India
(USD 69 billion), China (USD 64 billion) and the Philippines (USD 33 billion) are
the three largest remittance -receiving countries in the world in 2017.

DoT approves Bharti Airtel and Telenor India merger

The telecom department has approved the merger of Norwegian telecom major's
India arm - Telenor India, with India's leading carrier Bharti Airtel. The telecom
department has transferred all licenses be longing to Telenor India, and its liabilities
to Bharti Airtel as well. The Competition Commission of India, Securities &
Exchange Board of India, the stock exchanges and National Company Law Tribunal
have already approved the acquisition.
Indian economy projected to grow 7.6% in 2018-19: UN

India's economy is projected to grow 7.6 per cent in fiscal year 2018-19, remaining
the fastest growing economy in the world, according to a UN report. The UN World
Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) as of mid-2018 said GDP growth in India
is expected to climb to 7.5 and 7.6 per cent in fiscal years 2017-18 and 2018-19
respectively. This is a substantial recovery from the 6.7 per cent growth India
registered in fiscal year 2017.
GDP growth in Q4 of FY18 seen at 7.4%: ICRA

Rating agency ICRA expects GDP growth in January-March 2017-18 at 7.4 per cent
on account of good Rabi crop harvest and improved corporate earnings, up from
7.2 per cent in the third quarter. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) is scheduled to
come out with GDP estimate for the fourth quarter (Q4) of fiscal 2017-18 and
provisional annual estimates for the year 2017-18 on May 31. As per ICRA, the
growth of the Indian gross value added (GVA) at basic prices in year -on-year terms
is likely to record a considerable recovery to 7.3 per cent in Q4 FY2018.
TCS becomes first company to achieve Rs 7 lakh crore m-cap milestone
Tata Consultancy Services' market valuation briefly crossed the Rs 7-lakh crore
mark, making it the first company to achieve this milestone. The market valuation
of TCS jumped to Rs 7,03,309 crore during the intra-day session on the BSE. The
Mumbai-headquartered TCS had last month become the first Indian company to
close the trading session with over USD 100 billion market valuation.
Ramdev's Patanjali ties up with BSNL
After becoming India's most trusted Fast Moving Consumer Goods brand, Ramdev's
Patanjali entered the telecom sector. Ramdev launched Swadeshi Samriddhi SIM
cards, in alliance with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL). Initially, only the
employees and office bearers of Patanjali will be able to avail the benefits of the SIM
card. After its full-fledged launch, people will get discount of 10 per cent on
Patanjali products with this card.
Microsoft Is Now Third Most Valuable Firm Globally
Microsoft has surpassed Alphabet, the parent company of Google, in the market
capitalisation for the first time in three years, becoming the third most valuable
firm after Apple and Amazon globally. Microsoft had a market cap of $753 billion at
the close of trading, almost $14 billion ahead of Alphabet.
Aditya Puri in Barron‟s list of top 30 CEOs
HDFC Bank MD Aditya Puri has been named in Barron‟s list of top 30 Global
CEOs, for the fourth consecutive year. Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Warren Buffett of
Berkshire Hathaway, Jamie Dimon of JP Morgan Chase, Satya Nadella of Microsoft
and Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook figure in the list. Mr. Puri was featured as a
„Growth Leader‟. The other categories are „Visionary Founders‟ and „Turnaround
Experts‟.

APPOINTMENTS
Uday Kotak re-designated as MD & CEO of Kotak Mahindra Bank
The board of directors of Kotak Mahindra Bank has re-designated Uday Kotak as
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer with effect from 1 May, 2018. Mr.
Kotak was earlier executive Vice Chairman and Managing Director. Mr. Kotak was
the only official among private banks to have a Vice Chairman designation.
Kotak Mahindra Bank also said Shankar Acharya, part-time Chairman, will retire
on 19th July 2018 and he is not seeking reappointment as he has completed 70-
years-of-age. The bank's board had appointed Prakash Apte as part-time Chairman
of the Bank.
Sitanshu Kar takes over as DG, PIB

Sitanshu Ranjan Kar took over as the 27th Principal Spokesperson of the
Government of India and Director General of Press Information Bureau in New
Delhi. He succeeds Mr Frank Noronha.
Radhakrishnan Nair appointed ICICI Bank independent director

Former IRDAI member Radhakrishnan Nair has been appointed to ICICI Bank‟s
board as an Additional (Independent) Director. His appointment will be for a period
of five years and is subject to shareholders‟ approval.
Subhash Chandra Khuntia is new IRDAI chairman

Former IAS officer Subhash Chandra Khuntia is the new chairman of the
Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI). The
Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) approved the appointment of Mr.
Khuntia to the post of chairperson of the insurance regulator. His appointment will
be for a period of three years or till the age of 65 years, whichever is the earliest. He
will replace TS Vijayan.
Ashok Lahiri appointed full-time member of 15th Finance Commission

Former chief economic adviser Ashok Lahiri has been appointed as full -time
member of the 15th Finance Commission. The Appointments Committee of the
Cabinet has approved Lahiri's appointment as the full-time member.
Justin Langer Appointed Australia's Head Coach in All Formats

Cricket Australia has appointed former Test opener Justin Langer as the new coach
of the national cricket team. He replaced Darren Lehmann who resigned in the
wake of the ball-tampering scandal that rocked Australian cricket team in March.
Two Group of Ministers Constituted

Two Group of Ministers (GoMs) have been constituted in the 27th GST Council
meeting. The first GoM shall consider the issues relating to “Incentivizing digital
payments in the GST regime”. Shri Sushil Kumar Modi, Deputy Chief Minister,
Bihar is convenor of this GoM. The Second GoM shall consider issues relating to
“Imposition of Cess on Sugar under GST”. Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma, Finance
Minister of Assam is convenor of this GoM. Both the GoMs shall submit their
reports within a period of 15 days.
Govt. Appoints Justice AK Mittal as Acting Chief Justice of Punjab & Haryana
HC
The Centre appointed Justice A.K. Mittal as Acting Chief Justice of Punjab &
Haryana High Court, The post is vacant due to Justice S.J. Vazifdar‟s retirement.

Jagdish Mukhi sworn-in as acting Manipur Governor

Jagdish Mukhi has sworn in as the acting governor of Manipur by the Acting Chief
Justice of Manipur High Court, Justice N Kotiswar Singh. Mukhi, who is the
governor of Assam and Meghalaya, will hold office in the absence of Governor
Najma Heptullah.
Putin appoints Medvedev as Russian prime minister

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree to appoint Dmitry Medvedev as
head of the government following a parliamentary approval. Earlier in the day, out
of 430 deputies present at the State Duma, Russia's lower house of the parliament,
374 voted for Medvedev's post as prime minister and 56 voted against it. Medvedev
is also the chairman of the United Russia party, took office in 2012.
Nikol Pashinyan elected as new prime minister of Armenia

Armenia's parliament has elected opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan as the new
prime minister. The move comes two weeks after Serzh Sargsyan resigned following
widespread anti-government demonstrations. His protest movement began with a
non-violent march on March 31, demanding that Sargsyan step down.
Carlos Alvarado sworn in as Costa Rican president

Journalist Carlos Alvarado was sworn in as Costa Rica's president through 2022,
promising a "plural" and inclusive government. During an inauguration ceremony
at Democracy Square in the capital, San Jose, Alvarado accepted the sash of office
from his predecessor and ally, Luis Guillermo Solis.
Pawan Kumar Agarwal gets extension as CEO FSSAI

Pawan Kumar Agarwal was has given three months extension as Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The
tenure of Agarwal has been given three-month extension beyond May 15, 2018. He
was appointed as the CEO of the FSSAI in December 2015.
Malaysia's Mahathir Mohamad to become world's oldest leader

92-year-old Mahathir Mohamad will become world's oldest elected leader after he
will be sworn in as Malaysia‟s Prime Minister following a fiercely contested 14 th
General election. Earlier, Mahathir governed Malaysia for 22 years from 1981 to
2003 as strongman leader of the Barisan Nasional coalition. The opposition
coalition under Mahathir managed to get the simple majority and defeated
incumbent PM Najib Razak, who came to power in 2009. Najib‟s defeat also marks
the ouster of ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, which has been in power since
Malaysia‟s independence in 1957.
Mohit Chauhan nominated as Green Ambassador of Sikkim

The Sikkim government has nominated Bollywood singer Mohit Chauhan as the
Green Ambassador of the state. The state government had earlier this year roped in
AR Rahman as its ambassador to promote tourism in Sikkim.
Sikkim is known for its rich biodiversity and abundant natural resources due to
environment-friendly policies being followed by the state government for more than
two decades.
Nirmal Singh elected J&K Assembly speaker

BJP legislator and former deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh, who is an MLA from
Billawar constituency in Jammu region, was elected as the speaker by a voice vote
in a one day special session of the Assembly. The motion to elect Singh was moved

by Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Basharat Bukhari and seconded
by Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta.
Mukul Rohatgi appointed eminent jurist in Lokpal panel

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi has been appointed as an eminent jurist in the
selection committee for appointment of anti-graft ombudsman Lokpal, the Centre
told the Supreme Court. Selection committee is chaired by the Prime Minister.
Rohatgi was appointed the Attorney General of India after the Narendra Modi
government assumed power in May 2014. He resigned from the post in June 2017.
The post of eminent jurist in the Lokpal selection panel was lying vacant since the
death of senior advocate P P Rao on September 11, 2017.
Cabinet reshuffle:
The Union government announced a cabinet reshuffle. Minister of Railways Piyush
Goyal has been given the additional portfolios of Minister of Finance and Minister
of Corporate Affairs. He will hold this portfolio till Arun Jaitley recovers from the
kidney transplant he underwent. Smirti Irani has been moved out of Ministry of
Information and Broadcast (I&B). Now she will only be responsible for the textile
ministry. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore has been given independent charge as
Minister of State in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. SS Ahluwalia
has been made the new Minister of State for and Information Technology. He has
been relieved from his Minister of State position of Ministry of Drinking Water and
Sanitation. Alphons Kannanthanam, has been relieved from Minister of State
position in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
Shashank Manohar elected unopposed to serve 2nd term as ICC chairman

Former BCCI president Shashank Manohar will serve a second term as the
independent chairman of the International Cricket Council after he was elected
unopposed by the governing body's Board. Manohar, who became the first
independent ICC Chairman in 2016, will continue for a second two-year term
following his unopposed election.
Uttam Pacharne appointed regular Chairman of Lalit Kala Akademi

The President of India has appointed Uttam Pacharne, as regular Chairman of Lalit
Kala Akademi. Pacharne is an eminent artist and sculptor. He is the recipient of
National Lalit Kala Award 1985, Maharashtra Gaurav Puraska 1985 from
Government of Maharashtra, Junior National Award 1986 and Jeevan Gaurav
Puraskar 2017 from Prafulla Dahanukar Foundation.
Yudhvir Singh Malik given additional charge as NHAI chairman

Deepak Kumar, the chairman of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), was
sent back to his cadre state Bihar before completion of his tenure. Yudhvir Singh
Malik, the Secretary of Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways, has been given
additional charge of the post of NHAI chairman.
Ambika Sharma to head USIBC India office

The U.S India Business Council named Ambika Sharma as its head for India. Ms.
Sharma was Director General for International at the Federation of Indian
Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). As Director General of FICCI,
Sharma is the highest ranked female executive of an Indian industry body, the
USIBC said in a statement.

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. Anandiben,
became the Governor of Madhya Pradesh in January 2018, replacing Kohli, who
even at that time held the same position.
Rajinder Singh named Hockey India president

Rajinder Singh was named president of Hockey India (HI), following Mariamma
Koshy's resignation from the post. He was earlier the Treasurer of HI and currently
serves as the Treasurer of Hockey Jammu & Kashmir.
Anil Kumar Jha appointed CMD of Coal India

Anil Kumar Jha has been appointed as the chairman-cum-managing director
(CMD) of Coal India Limited. Jha, at present the CMD of Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd,
has been appointed to the post till his superannuation i.e. 31 January 2020. CIL is
a state-owned coal mining company headquartered in Kolkata.
Kumaraswamy sworn-in as 24th CM of Karnataka

Janata Dal (Secular)'s H D Kumaraswamy took oath in Bengaluru's Vidhan Sabha
as the 24th Chief Minister (CM) of Karnataka. Congress' G Parameshwara took oath
as Deputy CM. The oath ceremony was administered by Governor Vajubhai Bala.
Airtel Payments Bank appoints Anubrata Biswas as MD, CEO

Airtel Payments Bank has appointed former ICICI Bank senior executive Anubrata
Biswas as its Managing Director and CEO.
Dena Bank, Punjab & Sindh Bank, Central Bank of India gets new chairpersons
The finance ministry has appointed Charan Singh, Anjali Bansal, and Tapan Ray
as non executive chairperson of Punjab & Sind Bank, Dena Bank and Central Bank
of India, respectively.
Charan Singh has served at IMF as senior economist and at Reserve Bank of India
as director. Anjali Bansal is founder of Spencer Stuart's India and had worked with
McKinsey and Company. Tapan Ray has served as Secretary in the Ministry of
Corporate Affairs.
New governors appointed for Odisha, Mizoram

Ganeshi Lal and Kummanam Rajasekharan have been appointed as Governors of
Odisha and Mizoram respectively. Prof. Ganeshi Lal will take over from veteran
Naga leader S C Jamir, who has completed his tenure. Kummanam Rajasekharan
will replace Lt. General (Retd.) Nirbhay Sharma.
Justice C K Prasad appointed PCI chief for second term

Former Supreme Court judge C K Prasad has been appointed the chairman of the
Press Council of India (PCI) for a second term. Prasad headed the media watchdog
for three years from November 2014. He had succeeded Justice Markanday Katju.
CBDT Chairman Sushil Chandra gets one-year extension

Sushil Chandra will continue to be Chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes
(CBDT) for one more year as he gets one-year extension. CBDT is the top policy-
making body for personal income tax and corporate tax and i s part of the Finance
Ministry.

NITI Aayog signs on Sushant Singh Rajput to promote the WEP

NITI Aayog announced the signing of a Statement of Intent with Bollywood actor
Sushant Singh Rajput, to collaborate and support NITI‟s flagship initiative, the
Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP). He would also be supporting NITI Aayog
in promoting the Women Transforming India Awards 2018, the theme for which is
„Women and Entrepreneurship‟ and whose nominations are currently ongoing.
Barbados elects Mia Mottley as first woman PM

The Caribbean island of Barbados has elected its first woman prime minister since
gaining independence from Britain in 1966. Mia Mottley led her Barbados Labour
Party (BLP) to a crushing victory over the Democratic Labour Party (DLP). The BLP
won all 30 seats up for grabs in the House of Assembly.
Saad Hariri appointed as Lebanon's prime minister for third time

Lebanese MPs elected Saad Hariri as prime minister for a third time, with the
Future Movement leader vowing to keep his country out of regional conflicts. Hariri
will assume the premiership after winning the backing of 111 out of 128 MPs in
official consultations. The post of prime minister is reserved for a Sunni Muslim in
Lebanon's sectarian power-sharing system. Another Hezbollah ally, Elie Ferzli, was
elected as his deputy.
Former IMF official Carlo Cottarelli nominated as Italian Prime Minister

The Italian President nominated Carlo Cottarelli, a former official at the
International Monetary Fund, to form an interim government. President Sergio
Mattarella called Cottarelli to the Quirinale, the Italian presidential palace, after
previous attempts by Italy's populist parties to form a government failed.
Sudha Balakrishnan appointed first CFO of Reserve Bank of India

NSDL executive Sudha Balakrishnan has been appointed the first ever chief
financial officer (CFO) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) effective May 15. She will
be the 12th executive director of the RBI, and will have a three year term.
Former Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk named Pakistan's caretaker PM

Pakistan's former Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk was named as the country's caretaker
Prime Minister for a two-month period, ending the political wrangling between
ruling PML-N and the Opposition ahead of the general elections. The present
government will complete the tenure on May 31 and the caretaker government will
remain in office until a new government is set up through elections.
Indian ambassador to Russia, Pankaj Saran appointed deputy NSA

The current ambassador to Russia Pankaj Saran was appointed deputy National
Security Advisor by the Appointment Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) for a period of
two years. Saran was appointed Indian ambassador to Russia in January last year.
Justice R K Agrawal to be next NCDRC President

Former Supreme Court judge Justice R K Agrawal has been appointed the
President of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC). The
NCDRC, which deals with consumer rights and addresses their disputes and
grievances, is a quasi-judicial commission set up in 1988 under the Consumer
Protection Act of 1986. Justice Agrawal was sworn in as a judge of the top court on
February 17, 2014.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

InSight: NASA to launch its first mission to study deep interior of Mars
NASA will be launching „InSight‟, the first-ever mission dedicated to exploring the
deep interior of Mars. „InSight‟ will be launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in
California, US aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket. InSight will
be NASA‟s first mission since the Apollo moon landings to place a seismometer (a
device that measures quakes), on the surface of another planet. It will carry a suite
of sensitive instruments to gather data. These instruments built by a multinational
team led by France‟s Centre National d‟Etudes Spatiales and a thermal probe,
developed by German Aerospace Center (DLR) that can bury itself up to five metre s
underground and measure heat flowing from inside the planet.
Blue Origin Launches New Shepard Space Capsule

Blue Origin, a US aerospace company, launched the suborbital New Shepard rocket
and space capsule from the Blue Origin's West Texas launch site. This is the
second flight of the New Shepard 2.0 spacecraft. New Shepard was launched to a
target height of 351,000 feet. Blue Origin's dummy astronaut is named "Mannequin
Skywalker". The payloads consist of an experiment for NASA's Johnson Space
Center, few others from European universities funded by the German Aerospace
Center, and a "Schmitt Space Communicator" for Solstar Company.
China launches "APSTAR-6C" satellite

China launched a new communication satellite named "APSTAR-6C" at the Xichang
Satellite Launch Center, China. APSTAR-6C was sent into orbit by the Long March-
3B carrier rocket. This was the 273rd mission of the Long March rocket series.
APSTAR-6C satellite and Long March-3B carrier rocket were developed by the
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. The satellite will offer TV
transmission, communication, Internet and multimedia services to customers in
the Asia-Pacific region.
China launches new satellite Gaofen-5 to monitor air pollution

China successfully launched Gaofen-5, a hyper-spectral imaging satellite, as part of
the country‟s high- resolution Earth observation project. The Gaofen-5 satellite was
launched off the back of a Long March 4C rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch
Centre in northern Shanxi Province. The satellite, launched as part of its high-
resolution Earth observation project, was developed and produced by China
Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation can be used for comprehensive
environmental monitoring. It is the world‟s first full-spectrum hyper spectral
satellite for comprehensive observation of the atmosphere and the land.
Yahoo Squirrel Group Chat App Unveiled for Android and iOS
Yahoo has launched its own new group chat app named Squirrel. It is available on
Google Play and the App Store. If you need to start using the app, you need a friend
who already uses the app to invite you into a group. Squirrel focuses on group
chats. It has features that enable you to organise conversations with several people.
SpaceX launches most powerful Falcon 9 rocket

SpaceX launched its most powerful Falcon 9 rocket named Block 5, carrying the
first high-orbit communications satellite for Bangladesh named “Bangabandhu
Satellite-1” from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The rocket is designed for less
maintenance and refurbishment between flights. It has been certified to carry
humans to space. The Block 5 Falcon 9 rocket‟s main aim was to propel

Bangabandhu Satellite-1 to a geostationary transfer orbit nearly 35,000 km above

earth. Bangabandhu Satellite -1 is a communications satellite for Bangladesh. It
will provide video and communications coverage over Bangladesh and its territorial
waters in the Bay of Bengal, and in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, the
Philippines, and Indonesia. It will also offer broadband connectivity to rural areas
in Bangladesh. It has been named after the father of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. It has been designed and manufactured by Thales Alenia
Space, France. SpaceX said that the mission would last for a minimum of 15 years.
China launches Queqiao satellite to explore dark side of Moon

China launched Queqiao satellite to explore dark side of Moon. The relay satellite
Queqiao has been designed to set a communication link between earth and a
planned lunar probe that will explore the dark side of the moon. Queqiao was
launched on a Long March-4C rocket from Xichang launch centre, China. Queqiao
is also known as Magpie Bridge.
India successfully test fires supersonic BrahMos missile off Odisha coast
India successfully test fired the Indo-Russian joint venture BrahMos supersonic
cruise missile from Launch pad 3 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur,
Odisha. Objective is to validate its „life extension‟ technologies developed for the
first time in India by DRDO and team of BrahMos. BrahMos variants can be
launched from land, air, sea and under water .Currently the Army is equipped with
three regiments of Block111 version of BrahMos missile. The air launch version
and the submarine launch version of the missile system are in progress.
Solar system's first interstellar immigrant discovered

Scientists have discovered the first interstellar immigrant. An Asteroid named
(514107) 2015 BZ509 has a different origin other than our solar system because
the object moves in a direction opposite to that of all the objects in our solar
system. This is the second asteroid that is causing stir after the „Oumuamua‟
asteroid. The discovery could shed light on a range of mysteries about how our
solar system, planets and perhaps even life itself were formed. Dr. Fathi Namouni
is the lead in this study group.
FB set to launch WhatsApp Pay with 4 major banks in India

Facebook will be launching Whatsapp Pay, a payment service for its Whatsapp
platform. It will be partnering with HDFC, AXIS, ICICI and SBI banks. A pilot
version of Whatsapp Pay has started in February with 1 million users in India.
More than 200 million Indians use Whatspp and that is about 60% of US
population.
Vijay Prahar exercise underway in Rajasthan

20000 troops of Indian Army's South Western Command are participating in the
ongoing „Vijay Prahar‟ exercise near Suratgarh in Rajasthan. The exercise
emphasises on testing fighting capabilities by launching mock offensives with
fighting equipment and armed helicopters.
In context of this news, it is important to note that in April 2018, Indian Air Force
conducted 'Gagan Shakti 2018', the biggest ever war combat game exercise along
Indo-Pakistan and Indo-China borders.
India-Malaysia's joint exercise 'Harimau Shakti' enters phase two

The second phase of the Indian and Malaysian armies' joint military exercise
'Harimau Shakti' began in Hulu Langat forest of Malaysia. The Harimau Shakti

exercise was held under harsh and humid conditions. It aims to share the expertise
of Indian and Malaysian contingents in conducting counterinsurgency operations
in a forest area.
India into world's top five defence spenders

India has joined the U.S. and China as one of the world‟s five biggest military
spenders, reflecting geopolitical tensions as well as the country‟s reliance on
imported weapons and sprawling personnel costs. India‟s defence spending rose by
5.5 percent to $63.9 billion in 2017 and has now passed France, the Stockholm
International Peace Research Institute said in a report According to the arms
watchdog, the five top military spenders in 2017 were the US, China, Saudi Arabia,
Russia and India.
India-Nepal Joint Battalion Level Exercise SURYA KIRAN-XIII

Joint Military Exercise SURYA KIRAN-XIII between India and Nepal will be
conducted at Pithoragarh from 30 May to 12 June 2018. The exercise will comprise
of nearly 300 soldiers from both Indian and Nepal Army who would be sharing their
experiences. Exercise SURYA KIRAN is a biannual event which is conducted
alternatively in Nepal and India.
India, US, Japan start 22nd Malabar exercise in Guam

India, US and Japan will take part in Malabar exercise in Guam. The exercise will
mainly focus on the anti-submarine warfare. From India‟s side, its stealth frigate
INS Sahyadri, missile corvette INS Kamorta and fleet tanker INS Shakti and a P-8I
long-range maritime patrol aircraft will take part in the exercise. From the US side,
a nuclear powered super carrier USS Ronald Reagan of 10000 tonne and F/A 18
fighters and a nuclear attack submarine and P-8A patrol aircraft.
About Malabar exercise:
It is a trilateral exercise between India, US and Japan and past non-permanent
participants were Australia and Singapore. The annual exercise began in 1992.
World's second oldest rock is from Odisha

A rock sample found eight years ago in Champua, in Kendujhar district of Odisha
has been declared the world's second oldest rock. Scientists have found a grain of
magmatic zircon (a mineral that contains traces of radioactive isotopes) in the rock.
Through which it has been estimated to be 4,240 million years old. The discovery
was made by researchers from University of Calcutta and Curtin University,
Malaysia, and Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing. The findings were
published in the journal Scientific Reports. Presence of zircon older than this was
found only in Jack Hill, Western Australia, which is 4,400 million years old,
making it the oldest known rock sample.

AWARDS
Nisha Bhalla conferred with 'WEF 2018' award
Nisha Bhalla, a holistic coach and consultant from Mumbai was felicitated at the
concluded Annual Women Economic Forum 2018 Awards. The event was held at
Vivanta by Taj, Dwarka in Delhi. Nisha was presented the 'Excellent Woman of
Excellence' award for her spiritual service at the event. Women Economic Forum is
the largest global gathering of women entrepreneurs and leaders worldwide.
Bharat Biotech receives National Technology Award for Rotavac

Leading vaccine maker Bharat Biotech has received the National Technology Award
for 2018 from the Central government's Technology Development Board for its
Rotavac vaccine. This prestigious award for innovative technologies, successfully
developed and commercialized from India, was presented by President Ram Nath
Kovind at the Technology Day ceremony held at Vigyan in New Delhi.
Launched in 2015 Rotavac was introduced into the Universal Immunization
Programme (UIP) in India during 2016, with initial implementation in 9 states.
Sulabh International founder Dr Bindeshwar Pathak honoured with Nikkei

Asia Prize
Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, the founder of Sulabh International, has been chosen for
the Nikkei Asia Prize in Japan for his contribution to the development of Asia. Dr
Bindeshwar Pathak is one among the three persons who have been selected for the
award. Nikkei Inc., is one of the largest media corporations in Japan. It has been
presenting the awards since 1996. It honours people in Asia who have made
remarkable contributions in: Economic and Business Innovation, Science,
Technology and Environment and Culture and Community. The Sulabh
International foundation has built Sulabh flush composting toilets all over India,
which has helped in providing better sanitation, safety for rural women and
freedom from the manual labour of removing human waste.
About Sulabh International:
 Founder: Dr Bindeshwar Pathak  Founded: 1970
 Type: NGO (Non-governmental organization)
 Purpose: to promote human rights, environmental sanitation and other social
services.
Indore is the cleanest city: cleanliness survey

The Swachh Survekshan 2018 assessed 4203 Urban Local Bodies and was
organized by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, under the aegis of the
Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban). As compared to 2017 where Swachh Survekshan
was conducted in 434 cities, this year the scope was enhanced manifold. At the
national level, the Top 3 cleanest cities are: Indore, Bhopal, and Chandigarh
Jharkhand is the best performing State.
The awardees under various categories (Population above 10 Lakh) are:
 India's Cleanest City - Indore (Madhya Pradesh)
 India's 'Cleanest Big City': Vijaywada (Andhra Pradesh)
 India's 'Fastest Mover' big city: Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh)
 India's Best City in 'Citizens Feedback': Kota (Rajasthan)
 India's Best City in 'Innovation & Best Practices': Nagpur (Maharashtra)
 India's Best City in 'Solid Waste Management: Navi Mumbai (Maharashtra)
The awardees under various categories (Population of 3-10 lakh) are:
 India's Cleanest Medium City: Mysuru (Karnataka)
 India's 'Fastest Mover' Medium City: Bhivandi (Maharashtra)

 India's Best City in 'Citizens Feedback': Parbhani (Maharashtra)

 India's Best City in 'Innovation & Best Practices': Aligarh (Uttar Pradesh)
 India's Best City in 'Solid Waste Management: Mangalore (Karnataka)
 India's Cleanest Small City: Delhi Municipal Council
The awardees under various categories (Population of 1-3 lakh) are:
 India's 'Fastest Mover' Small City: Bhusawal (Maharashtra)
 India's Best City in 'Citizens Feedback': Giridih (Jharkhand)
 India's Best City in 'Innovation & Best Practices': Ambikapur (Jharkhand)
 India's Best City in 'Solid Waste Management: Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh)
 Cleanest State Capital/UT Capital Cities: Greater Mumbai (Maharashtra)
 Fastest Mover State Capital/UT: Jaipur (Rajasthan)
 Best State Capital/UT in Citizens Feedback: Ranchi (Jharkhand)
 Best State Capital/UT in 'Innovation & Best Practices: Panaji (Goa)
 Best State Capital/UT in 'Solid Waste Management': Greater Hyderabad
'Raaya' becomes India's official entry for Cannes

A short film, 'Raaya', about an autistic girl has been chosen as India's official entry
into the Cannes Film Festival 2018. The film is scheduled to exhibit at the 71st
Cannes Festival on May 18, second to last day of the festival. 'Raaya' has already
bagged the 'Special Festival Mention Award' at Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival
2018. Also, it has been shortlisted for other International film festivals in Los
Angeles and Romania. The film is produced by Rakesh Gupta and written by
hypnotherapist Richa Agarwal.
Sridevi honoured at the Cannes Film Festival

Veteran Bollywood actor Sridevi was honoured with the TITAN Reginald F Lewis
Film Icon Award at the ongoing Cannes Film Festival. The award traditionally
celebrates women of the film industry all over the world and also salutes the multi-
cultural impact on the world of cinema.
Asha Bhosle honoured with West Bengal's highest civilian award

Singer Asha Bhosle was awarded the Banga Bibhushan by West Bengal Chief
Minister Mamata Banerjee at an event in Kolkata. Writer Samaresh Majumdar,
Bengali superstar Prosenjit Chatterjee and Justice (retd) Shyamal Kumar Sen were
also awarded the Banga Bibhusan. Footballer Subrata Bhattacharya was presented
the Banga Bhushan. Banga Bibhushan is the highest civilian award of West
Bengal. Banga Bibhushan and Banga Bhushan were instituted by Mamata
Banerjee in 2011, to honour the services of popular personalities in various fields.
Poland's Olga Tokarczuk Is This Year's Man Booker International Prize Winner
Polish novelist Olga Tokarczuk won the prestigious Man Booker International Prize
for fiction for her novel Flights. Flights beat five other finalists, including Iraqi
writer Ahmed Saadawi‟s horror story Frankenstein in Baghdad and South Kore an
author Han Kang‟s meditative novel The White Book.
The prize is a counterpart to the Man Booker Prize for English-language novels and
is open to books in any language that have been translated into English.The
50,000-pound ($67,000) award is split evenly between the writer and her
translator, Jennifer Croft.
BRICS forum presents award to late actress Sridevi

Late veteran actress Sridevi was posthumously conferred with the BRICS Business
Forum Leadership Award for Lifetime Achievement in Indian Cinema. Reena
Marwah, sister of actor-producer Boney Kapoor, received the award and memento.

Nari Shakti Puraskar 2017 presented to the INSV Tarini Team

Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi
presented the prestigious Nari Shakti Puraskar 2017 to the members of the INSV
Tarini team in New Delhi. The Six-member all-women team comprising of Lt
Commander Vartika Joshi, Lt Commander Pratibha Jamwal, Lt Commander
Swathi Patarpalli, Lt Aishwarya Bodapatti, Lt SH Vijaya Devi and Lt Payal Gupta
have received the Puraskar from the Minister.
CEAT Awards
India skipper Virat Kohli won the International Cricketer of the Year Award at the
CEAT Cricket Ratings awards.
Here is the list of the award winners:
 CEAT International Cricketer of the Year: Virat Kohli
 CEAT International Batsman of the Year: Shikhar Dhawan
 CEAT International Bowler of the Year: Trent Boult
 CEAT T20 Bowler of the Year: Rashid Khan
 CEAT T20 Batsman of the Year: Colin Munro
 CEAT Outstanding Innings of the Year: Harmanpreet Kaur
 CEAT Domestic Player of The Year: Mayank Agarwal
 CEAT U 19 Player of The Year: Shubhman Gill
 CEAT Lifetime Achievement Award: Farokh Engineer
Kamaljit Bawa first Indian to receive Linnean Medal

Indian botanist Kamaljit S. Bawa, president of Bengaluru-based non-profit Ashoka
Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), received the
prestigious Linnean Medal in Botany from the Linnean Society of London.
Dr. Bawa is the first Indian to win the award ever since it was first constituted in
1888. The scientist is being recognised for his pioneering research on the evolution
of tropical plants, tropical deforestation, non-timber forest products.
Yuvraj Singh Awarded 'Most Inspiring Icon of the Year for Social Welfare'
Indian star cricketer Yuvraj Singh has been awarded the 'most inspiring icon of the
year for Social Welfare" award by the Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival
(DPIFF) for his exemplary contribution in the field of social welfare.
71st Cannes Film Festival:

The official festival poster of the Cannes Film Festival features Jean-Paul Belmondo
and Anna Karina from Jean-Luc Godard's 1965 film Pierrot le Fou. Australian
Actress Cate Blanchett acted as the president of the jury (for In-competition
Awards). Asghar Farhadi's psychological thriller Everybody Knows, starring Javier
Bardem, Penélope Cruz and Ricardo Darín, opened the festival. It was the second
Spanish film to open Cannes after Bad Education in 2016. The Closing Film was
The Man Who Killed Don Quixote. The event was hosted by Eduoard Baer.
 Palme d‟Or: Hirokazu Kore-Eda (Shoplifters)
 Grand Prix: Spike Lee (BlacKkKlansman)
 Jury Prize: Nadine Labaki (Capernaum)
 Special Palme d‟Or: Jean-Luc Godard (Image Book)
 Best Actor: Marcello Fonte (Dogman)
 Best Director: Pawel Pawlikowski (Cold War)
 Best Screenplay: 1. Alice Rohrwacher (Happy As Lazzaro)
2. Nader Saeivar (3 Faces)
 Best Actress: Samal Yeslyamova (Ayka)

SPORTS
India's Neeraj Goyat is WBC Asia Boxer of the Year
Indian pugilist Neeraj Goyat has been conferred with the WBC Asia Boxer of the
Year Award. Neeraj is the current WBC Asia champion in welter weight category.
Marshal Arjan Singh Memorial All India Hockey Tournament

Late Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh DFC was the first and the only
„Five Star‟ rank officer of the IAF and was a keen lover of the game of Hockey. To
propel the awareness of Hockey and also to reinstate its prominence, a national
level tournament uniting 16 teams is being held at Chandigarh from 07 to 12 May
18. The matches will be conducted at 3 Base Repair Depot (Air Force) and Sector
42 Astro Turf Hockey Grounds at Chandigarh.
FIFA to hold eClub World Cup in Paris

This year‟s FIFA eClub World Cup will be held at the AMP Studios in Paris, France
from May 19 to 20. FIFA eWorld Cup, virtual football's equivalent of the FIFA World
Cup.
Under-16 Indian football team wins title in Serbia

Indian colts pumped in as many as three goals in the first 10 minutes of the match
to outplay Tajikistan 4-2 and emerge champions in the four-nation Under-16
Tournament held in Serbia. Putting up an impressive show, the Indian drew 0-0
with the hosts, defeated Jordan 2-1 before beating Tajikistan in the final.
Lewis Hamilton wins Spanish Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton won for the second race in succession by dominating an eventful
Spanish Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver was supreme at the front in a race that
featured a heavy first-lap crash. Hamilton's win moves him into a 17-point
championship lead.
Kvitova wins third Madrid Open title

Czech 10th seed Petra Kvitova won the Madrid Open title for the third time with a
marathon 7-6 (8/6), 4-6, 6-3 victory over Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands. Kvitova,
who was also the champion in Madrid in 2011 and 2015, has now claimed four
titles in 2018 after triumphs in St Petersburg, Doha and Prague. In a big-hitting,
roller-coaster of a final, Kvitova claimed her 24th career title.
S Korea beat India to win Asian Champions Trophy

South Korea beat India 1-0 to win the fifth Women‟s Asian Champions Trophy at
the Sunrise Stadium in Donghae city. South Korea, thus, won the title for the third
time after 2010 and 2011. India finished runners-up for the second time after
having lost in the final to Japan in 2013.
Nadal beats Zverev to win Italian Open

Rafael Nadal won the Italian Open in Rome, Italy. Rafael Nadal defeated Alexander
Zverev in the final of the Italian Open. This is Rafael Nadal‟s eighth Italian Open
title. Through this victory Rafael Nadal will regain his No. 1 ranking from Roger
Federer.
About Italian Open:
 Surface: Clay(outdoors)
 Category: ATP World Tour Masters 1000

Lionel Messi Wins European Golden Shoe for the 5th Time
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has won the European Golden Shoe for a fifth time.
The Argentina international claimed the prize after scoring 34 goals in La Liga this
season, helping his club to a 25th league triumph. Messi also won the award last
year, as well as in 2010, 2012 and 2013.
Iraq to host first international football tournament

Iraq is to host a West Asia Football Federation championship in the southern city of
Basra in November, the first international tournament to be staged in the country
since the 1990s. World football's governing body FIFA has lifted a three-decade ban
on Iraq hosting international football, this March.
AB de Villiers retires from international cricket

South Africa batsman AB de Villiers has announced his decision to retire from
international cricket with immediate effect. De Villiers finishes his career with a
staggering 20,014 international runs (8765 in Tests, 9577 in ODIs and 1672 in
T20Is) and signs off with a batting average over 50 in both Tests (50.66) and ODIs
(53.50).
Japan's women win the Uber Cup ahead of Asian Games: Bangkok
Uber cup held at Bangkok was won by Japan in the final match against Thailand
after 37 years. Japan won over Thailand by a score of 3-0. This was the second
time Japan won the Uber cup after 1981.
About Uber Cup:
It is the second most prestigious tournament after the Olympics. It is for
badminton.
IPL 2018
Shane Watson put up an exhibition of power-hitting in front of a packed Wankhede
crowd as he struck a memorable unbeaten century to power Chennai Super Kings
to their third Indian Premier League title. This was the 11th season of Indian
Premier League.
Points to Remember:
 Sun risers Hyderabad: Runner Up
 Sunil Narine: Most Valuable Player
 Kane Williamson: Orange cap with 735 runs
 Andrew Tye: Purple cap with 24 Wickets
 Rishabh Pant: Stylish Player of the Season
 Mumbai Indians: IPL Fairplay award
 Rishabh Pant: Emerging player of the season
China wins its 10th Thomas Cup title

Li Junhui and Liu Yuchen beat Japanese pair of Keigo Sonoda and Yuta Watanabe
17-21, 21-19, 22-20 to give China its 10th Thomas Cup men's badminton title. Li
and Liu fought back from trailing 18-20 in the decider to beat the Japanese duo in
a 70-minute encounter. China last won the tournament in 2012.
CWG gold medallist discus thrower Vikas Gowda retires

Top discus thrower Vikas Gowda has retired from the sport after competing at the
highest level for more than 15 years. He became the first and only Indian male to
win a Commonwealth Games medal in discus throw. He is a four-time Olympian,
who will turn 35 on July 5. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2017.

OBITUARY
Eminent physicist Sudarshan passes away
Ennackal Chandy George Sudarshan, popularly known as E.C.G. Sudarshan, who
made path-breaking discoveries in the realm of quantum optics died aged 86 in
Texas. Professor Sudarshan was a faculty at the University of Texas for the past 40
years. A globally-recognised theoretical physicist, Professor Sudarshan had often
pointed out that Physics meant everything to him. He was recommended for the
Nobel Prize for Physics nine times, but never awarded.
David Goodall, Australia's oldest scientist, ends his own life

Australia‟s oldest scientist David Goodall ended his own life at a clinic in
Switzerland. David Goodall was 104 years old. He was assisted to end his life by
Exit International, a right-to-die organization. As Euthanasia and assisted dying
are banned in Australia, he chose Switzerland to end his life.
Alan Bean: 4th man of Appollo 12 mission to walk on the Moon dead
The 4th man to walk on the Moon Mr. Alan Bean died at the age of 86. He was the
former test pilot of US Navy. He was the fourth person to walk on the Moon on Nov
19 1969. He was in the Apollo 12 mission with Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and
Charles „Pete‟ Conrad.
BOOKS
Book Release by Chief of Army Staff
Gen Bipin Rawat, Chief of Army the Staff released the book 'Across the Bench -
Insight into the Indian Military Judicial System' by Lt Gen Gyan Bhushan, former
Army Commander and Member 'A', Armed Forces Tribunal, Lucknow Bench. The
book deals with military judicial system vis-a-vis command and management
issues within the military establishments besides the whole gamut of issues
relating to veterans, their families and dependents.

DAYS
1 May: International Labour/Workers‟ Day
Purpose: To pay tribute to workers‟ sacrifices in achieving economic and social
rights all over the world.
Theme: “Uniting Workers for Social and Economic Advancement”
3 May: World Press Freedom Day

Purpose: To mark the international community that freedom of the press and
freedom of expression are fundamental human rights.
Organization: UN, UNESCO
Theme: „Keeping Power in Check: Me dia, Justice and The Rule of Law‟
8 May: World Red Cross day

Purpose: Anniversary of the birth of Henry Dunant (born 8 May 1828), the founder
of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
Organization: International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
Theme: Memorable smiles from around the world
11 May: National Technology Day

Purpose: The anniversary of first of the five tests of Operation Shakti (Pokhran -II)
nuclear test which was held on 11 May 1998 in Pokhran, Rajasthan.
Organization: Government of India
12 May: World Migratory Bird Day

Purpose: The World Migratory Bird Day is celebrated from now on twice a year, on
the Second Saturday in May and in October. It will also be observed on 13th
October 2018.
Theme: “Unifying our Voices for Bird Conservation” and also 2018 is the “Year of
the Bird”.
18 May: World AIDS Vaccination Day

Purpose: To promoting the continued urgent need for a vaccine to prevent HIV
infection and AIDS.
Organization: WHO
21 May: Anti-Terrorism Day

Purpose: 26th Death Anniversary of former Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi
Organization: Government of India
22 May: International Bio-diversity Day

Purpose: To increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues.
Theme: „Celebrating 25 Years of Action for Biodiversity‟
24 May: Commonwealth Day

Purpose: It is an annual celebration of the Commonwealth of Nations.
Theme: Towards a Common Future
29 May: International Day of UN Peacekeepers

Purpose: To pay tribute to all the men and women who have served and continue
to serve in United Nations peacekeeping operations for their high level of
professionalism, dedication, and courage and to honour the memory of those who
have lost their lives in the cause of peace

Organization: UN
Theme: 70 Years of Service and Sacrifice
31 May: World No Tobacco Day

Purpose: To draw attention to the widespread prevalence of tobacco use and to
negative health effects.
Organization: WHO
Theme: Tobacco and heart disease
World Immunization Week: 24 April- 30 April 2018

World Immunization Week 2018 is celebrated from April 24 to April 30.
Immunization is considered to be one of the most cost-effective and successful
plans in the health industry.
World Immunization Week aims at highlighting the collective effort which is needed
to ensure that every person gets protection from diseases which can be prevented
from vaccines. Theme for the year 2018 is “Protected Together, Vaccines Work”.

Current Affairs May18

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CURRENT AFFAIRS COMPENDIUM - MAY 2018

Trump announces US withdrawal from Iran nuclear deal

International Buddhist Conference concluded in Lumbini

Nobel Literature Prize W ill Not Be Awarded This Year

India ranks 11th in AT Kearney FDI Confidence Index

Putin sworn in for another six years in office Russia

India ranks 4th in Asia-Pacific on power index

COMPILED BY CLATPREP EDUCATION Page 1

Beijing to hold World Robot Conference

Nepal to hold BIMSTEC 2018

WHO launches 'REPLACE' to eliminate Trans fat in foods by 2023

Guatemala opens embassy in Jerusalem after US

Russia unveils world's first floating nuclear power station

COMPILED BY CLATPREP EDUCATION Page 2

Venezuela's Maduro wins re-election

Harsh Vardhan leads Indian delegation in Mission Innovation (MI) Ministerial

India moves one notch up to 44th rank in IMD's competitiveness rankings

5th India CLMV Business Conclave held at Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Nepal: first country in South-East Asia validated for eliminating trachoma

Columbia the first Latin American nation to join NATO

COMPILED BY CLATPREP EDUCATION Page 3

Netherlands joins Solar Alliance

India launches 2nd IT corridor in China

Hamburg to host 2018 Global Wind Summit

Alicia Pucheta to be the first woman president of Paraguay

COMPILED BY CLATPREP EDUCATION Page 4

Swachh Bharat Mission launches GOBAR-DHAN

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2019 to be held in Varanasi

South Western Command‟s Exercise Vijay Prahar

14 of world's 15 most polluted cities in India

Cabinet approves Doubling of Investment Limit for Senior Citizens PMVVY

COMPILED BY CLATPREP EDUCATION Page 5

implemented through Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) to provide social

Biggest Airport, after Mumbai, to be developed in Mopa, Goa

PMSSY approved beyond 12th Five Year Plan

Cabinet approves continuation of Umbrella Scheme „Green Revolution

Maharashtra first to issue land document online

Exhibition -„India and the world: a history in nine stories‟

Delhi to host six-day Festival of Bharat

Andhra Pradesh gets its state symbols after 4 years of bifurcation

COMPILED BY CLATPREP EDUCATION Page 6

Border Roads Organisation to celebrate Raising Day

First organised census for Indus dolphins to be carried out in India

China to organise film festival in Kolkata in July

3rd Edition of UNPCAP Inaugurated in New Delhi

Madhya Pradesh Gets India's First Smart Cities Control Centre

COMPILED BY CLATPREP EDUCATION Page 7

Fifteenth Finance Commission constitutes an Advisory Council

Modi, Oli jointly inaugurate Janakpur-Ayodhya direct bus service

Madhya Pradesh to be declared ODF by October this year

Indian Army Women Officers‟ Mountaineering Expedition to Mt. Bhagirathi-II

UNDP to set up skill development centre in Hyderabad

Cabinet approves setting up of a Central University in Andhra Pradesh

COMPILED BY CLATPREP EDUCATION Page 8

University of Andhra Pradesh” in Janthaluru Village of Ananthapur District,

Establishment of National Institute of Mental Health Rehabilitation at Bhopal

Suresh Prabhu launches Intellectual Property mascot – IP Nani

Guwahati now has India's first solar powered railway station

Pakyong airport in Sikkim to become the 100th functional airport in India

Joint Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Surveillance of Maldives

COMPILED BY CLATPREP EDUCATION Page 9

Cabinet approves setting up of a new AIIMS in Deoghar, Jharkhand

Shivangi Pathak becomes youngest Indian woman to scale Mount Everest

“AYUSH” finds a place in English Language