Current Affairs - May 27, 2018 Current Affairs

United States President Donald Trump awarded a Medal of Honor to retired Master Chief Special Warfare Operator Britt K. Slabinski, at the White House, United States. Britt K. Slabinski is a former member of the Navy's SEAL Team Six. He was awarded for leading a rescue mission on a mountaintop in Afghanistan in 2002. He retired from the Navy in 2014 after completing more than 25 years of service.

Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) asked its field offices to credit 8.55% rate of interest for 2017-18 into the Provident Fund accounts of around 5 crore subscribers. According to an order issued by the EPFO, the Labour Ministry conveyed approval to credit 8.55% rate of interest for last fiscal. The finance ministry had ratified 8.55%rate of interest on EPF for the last fiscal, but it could not be implemented because of model code of conduct for Karnataka elections.

Japanese women's badminton team has clinched the Uber Cup for the first time since 1981 when they defeated hosts Thailand 3-0 at the IMPACT Stadium on May 26, 2018. Ranked two in world singles, Akane Yamaguchi began Japan's title got off to a flying start as she beat World No. 4 Ratchanok Intanon 21-15, 21-19. Earlier Japan lifted this coveted cup in 1966, 1969, 1972 and 1978. China won the title 14 times. The Uber Cup is also known as the Women's World Badminton Championship. It is second in prestige only to the Olympics as a national team event.

HDFC Bank has launched its Digital Loans against Mutual Funds in partnership with transfer agent CAM. Customers will be able to leverage their mutual fund portfolio to avail funds for any emergencies without liquidating their investments. The ticket size of the loans will range from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1 crore at an interest rate of 10.5 -11%.

Prof. Ganeshi Lal has been appointed as the new Governor of Odisha.ce March 2018. Bihar Governor Satya Pal Malik was additionally discharging the duties of Odisha Governor since March 2018.

Nima Jangmu Sherpa of Nepal made a world record by scaling three highest mountains in a single climbing season. She made her ascent on Mt Kanchenjunga, which is the third highest peak of the world. She is 28 years old. She has become the only woman in the world to climb three highest peaks in Nepal above 8,000 meters in one seasonwithin 25 days.

According to the RSA Quarterly Fraud Report for the period between January 1 to March 31, 2018, phishing accounted for 48 per cent of all cyber-attacks. The report that contains fraud attack and consumer fraud data and analysis, noted that Canada, the United States, India and Brazil were the countries most targeted by phishing. Other most phishing-targeted countries include Brazil in the fourth place, Netherlands (5th), Colombia (6th), Spain (7th), Mexico (8th), Germany (9th) and South Africa (10th).

The ASEAN India Film Festival 2018 has started in New Delhi on May 25, which will be inaugurated by Information and Broadcasting Minister Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore. During the 6-day event, 32 films from 11 countries will be screened. It includes 2018 Best Film in the National Film Awards Village Rockstar, Singaporean film Maker Kirten Tan's film Pop Aye, first female director of Brunei Darussalam Siti Kamaluddin's movie Yasmine. The Directorate of Film Festivals is organising the Film Festival in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs as part of the series of events to commemorate the 25 years of ASEAN and India relations.

CSC SPV and Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) signed an MoU to offer financial support to CSCs all over India. As per the MoU, SIDBI will offer financial support to the Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) of Common Services Centers, with minimum one year of operation, under the Direct Financing Window of SIDBI. Through Direct Financing Window, CSC SPV will approve the list of VLEs, within 25 km distance of SIDBI Branch Offices, who are in need of financial support. In order to receive the loan, the VLEs should submit their CSC project, with maximum project outlay of Rs. 3.50 lakh and term loan requirement under Rs. 2 lakh per project. This tie up will also improve financial viability of CSCs by providing additional services in their range of products.

China has successfully tested its first drone-carried meteorological data monitor to undertake atmospheric observations. Dropsonde also known as meteorological data monitor will gather data such as temperature, humidity, and wind direction and transmit them to ground receiving devices in real time. Dropsondes can be widely used in meteorological emergency, disaster & ecological monitoring.

A new software, 'Nidaan', has been launched in Rajasthan for presumptive diagnosis and monitoring of seasonal and non-communicable diseases. "Nidaan" will facilitate online entries of as many as 46 diseases and healthcare services available for their treatment in different institutions. It is expected to help in formulation of specific action plans for control of diseases.

Finance ministry has appointed non-executive chairpersons at Punjab & Sindh Bank, Dena Bank & Central Bank of India, as part of its agenda to reform public sector banks. Charan Singh, Anjali Bansal & Tapan Ray were appointed as non executive chairperson of Punjab & Sind Bank, Dena Bank & Central Bank of India, respectively. These banks have been plagued by mounting bad loans & massive losses.

Union Minister of Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurated an Incubation centre and Food Testing Laboratory at NIFTEM in Sonipat, Haryana. It includes Pilot Plant for Ready-to-Eat and Traditional Food, Pilot Plant for Milk and Dairy Product, Pilot Plant for Fruits and Vegetable processing, Pilot Plant for Meat and Poultry Processing, NIFTEM Centre for Food Research and Analysis.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina jointly inaugurate Bangladesh Bhawan at Shanti Niketan in West Bengal. The two leaders then paid floral tributes to Rabindra Nath Tagore. This is the first time in Indian history, that two prime ministers attended a convocation ceremony.

The UNICEF has launched a 'data visualisation app' which provides a user-friendly visual representation of complex analytics of the education scenario in India. The app has been made with technical inputs from the UNICEF, in collaboration with the National Institute of Education Planning and Administration (NIEPA) and the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT). It uses the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE), the National Assessment survey (NAS) and demographic data and can be used as a visual tool by policy makers, senior government officials, academia, and researchers to address gaps and monitor programs in the field of education.