Current Affairs - May 29, 2018 Current Affairs

Quatar announced that it was banning products from United Arab Emirates (UAE) , Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt. To protect safety of consumers in the state of Quatar, to stop trafficking of goods. Quatar has developed new shipping routes through places like Oman and have started producing things locally including food.

The Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur (IIT-K) has signed a Rs 15 crore-Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the VTOL Aviation Pvt Ltd to develop prototypes for self-piloted Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft. These prototypes will be used as air taxis for civilians. The VTOL technology equips the aircraft to perform manoeuvres that are impossible with traditional aircraft, and also comes across as a big advantage for air combat and rescue. Other features like an ability to carry enough payload and minimal readiness time make it handy in emergency situations like rapid deployment of ground troops, precise location hovering for delivery of supplies. These aircraft will also be very useful for rapid medical evacuation of troops from difficult terrains.

Baba Ramdev, Co-founder of Patanjali, launched Swadeshi Samriddhi SIM cards, in alliance with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL). At the beginning, only the employees and office bearers of Patanjali can avail the benefits of the Swadeshi Samriddhi SIM card. After the full-fledged launch, people can avail a 10 % discount on Patanjali products using this card. A user can recharge for Rs 144, and can make unlimited calls all over India, use 2 GB data pack and send 100 SMSs. The card also offers medical and life insurance covers of Rs 2.5 lakh and Rs 5 lakh, respectively. The covers can be availed only in case of road accident.

The main event of 4th International Yoga Day celebrations will be held at Dehradun in Uttrakhand on 21st of June. Secretary AYUSH Ministry Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha announced that Dehradun has been selected as the venue for Mass Yoga Demonstration of International Yoga Day. Mr. Kotecha is in Dehradun to initiate the preparations regarding this mega event.

India, US and Japan will take part in Malabar exercise in Guam. The exercise will mainly focus on the anti-submarine warfare. 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.

Employees' Provident Fund Organisation's trustees had decided to cut the administrative charges to 0.50% from 0.65% of total wage paid by employers in its meeting this year. EPFO decided to cut the administrative charges in view of its expanding business and high recovery of such fees. According to EPFO estimates, the employers would save in total around Rs.900 crore annually after this move.

Yes Bank has received approval from National Stock Exchange to be empanelled as Settlement Bank for National Securities Clearing Corporation (NSCC), a wholly owned subsidiary of NSE. NSCC is responsible for clearing and settlement of all trades executed on NSE. The Bank is already an empanelled Clearing Bank for BSE, NCDEX & MCX.

United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) gave recognition to the Cochin International Airport as world's first fully solar energy-powered airport. It is the largest and busiest airport of Kerela and was constructed in 1999. This airport consumes 50000 units of electricity daily and is completely dependent on solar power. It has 46,150 solar panel across 45 acres of land in the cargo complex of the airport. It produces 15MWp solar power. It saves 3 lakh tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions and runs on green technology. This plant is equivalent to 30lakh trees.

The Himachal Pradesh government has launched the 'Prakritik Kheti Khushhaal Kisaan Yojana' to enhance agricultural income by adopting low-cost climate-resilient Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) system. Under the scheme farmers would be provided training, necessary equipments, bio-pesticides, bio-insecticides, etc. The purpose of the scheme is to promote organic farming in a big way and plans to adopt an integrated approach for promoting organic and zero budget natural farming system. At present, 39,790 farmers have already switched over to organic farming ensuring production of healthy food grains, free from harmful chemical ingredients.

Colombia has decided to formally join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). With this Colombia becomes the 1st Latin American nation to join NATO as a global partner.Colombia will join as a global partner, which means it will not necessarily have to take part in military action & will be fully accredited in Brussels. Other global partners include Mongolia, Iraq, Japan & Pakistan.

Tata Trusts, the philanthropic organisation, has signed a MoU with the Government of India (GoI) to provide development initiatives in 8 worst Naxal-affected districts in Chhattisgarh, which were covered under the "transformation of aspirational" districts programme of NITI Ayog. As per the pact, the Tata Trusts will help the government in conducting surveys and providing ground level and technical support in raising the living standards of citizens and ensuring inclusive growth for all. The 8 worst Naxal-hit districts, which were chosen for the programme and would be helped by the Tata Trusts are Rajnandgaon, Kanker, Bastar, Bijapur, Kondagaon, Dantewada, Narayanpur and Sukma.

Ireland has voted overwhelmingly in a referendum to overturn the abortion ban.Result was a landslide 66.4% 'yes' vote against 33.6% who voted 'no'. Currently, abortion is only allowed when a woman's life is at risk, but not in cases of rape, incest or fatal foetal abnormality. One of the key cases influencing the debate on abortion in Ireland was that of Indian dentist Savita Halappanavar.

PM Narendra Modi inaugurated India's first highway to be lit by solar power in Bagpat, Uttar Pradesh. Eastern Peripheral Expressway is 135 km long, stretching from Kundli on NH 1 to Palwal on NH 2. The highway has provisions of rainwater harvesting on every 500 metres on both sides and would showcase 36 national monuments and 40 fountains. It has been built in a record time of 17 months.

The Central Bank of India, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has instructed the Rupee Co-op Bank of Pune to continue its banking services keeping the limitations in mind. Restriction were first imposed on February 22, 2103 to August 2013 and that was extended 8 times till May 2018. Restriction were first imposed on February 22 ,2013 to August 2013 and that was extended 8 times till May 2018.

National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL) executive Sudha Balakrishnan has been appointed as the first chief financial officer (CFO) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Balakrishnan, a chartered accountant, was until recently a vice-president at the NSDL, India's first and largest depository. She will be the 12th executive director at RBI, and will serve a three-year term.