Dear Readers, Here we have given the list of Important Weekly Current Affairs of 3rd week May 2020. Candidates those who are preparing for Upcoming SBI Clerk 2020 and other competitive exams can make use of it.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS
Armed Forces Day (Third Saturday of the May)
- Armed Forces Day is celebrated on the third Saturday of every May. This year it falls on May 16th.
- This day is celebrated to pay tribute to the men and women who served the United States Armed Forces.
National Dengue Day
- India observes National Dengue Day on May 16 as suggested by the Union Health Ministry to create awareness about the disease.
International Day of Living Together in Peace
- The UN General-Assembly declared 16 May the International Day of Living Together in Peace, as a means of regularly mobilizing the efforts of the international community to promote peace, tolerance, inclusion, understanding and solidarity.
International Day of Light
- The International Day of Light is celebrated on 16 May each year, the anniversary of the first successful operation of the laser in 1960 by physicist and engineer, Theodore Maiman
World Hypertension Day
- World Hypertension Day is observed on May 17 every year to help raise awareness about high blood pressure.
- The expanded theme for World Hypertension Day 2020 isMeasure Your Blood Pressure, Control It, Live Longer, to increase high blood pressure (BP) awareness in all populations around the world
World Telecommunication and Information Society Day
- World Telecommunication and Information Society Day is observed every year on 17 May since 1969 to raise awareness about the use of technology and the importance it plays in the current scenario.
- The theme for World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2020 is “Connect 2030: ICTs for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”
International Museum Day
- Every year on 18 May International Museum Day is observed to raise awareness among people about the museums as an important means of cultural exchange and development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among people.
- Thetheme for International Museum Day 2020 is Museums for Equality: Diversity and Inclusion
World AIDS Vaccine Day
- World AIDS Vaccine Day or HIV Vaccine Awareness Day is observed on 18 May to spread awareness regarding the importance of a vaccine to prevent HIV.
World Metrology Day
- World Metrology Day is an event occurring on 20 May celebrating the International System of Units.
- The theme for World Metrology Day 2020 is Measurements for Global Trade.
World Bee Day
- May 20 was officially named World Bee Day by the United Nations in a bid to raise awareness for the role bees play in keeping the planet healthy.
- World Bee Day 2020 theme is “Save the Bees”
National Anti-Terrorism Day
- May 21 marks the death anniversary of former PM Rajiv Gandhi. The day is also observed as Anti-Terrorism Day. Rajiv Gandhi was the sixth PM of India after his mother Indira Gandhi’s assassination in 1984.
International Tea Day
- The world will join hands to celebrate its first Tea Day on May 21, 2020. The day is observed primarily with a view to increasing consumption of tea.
World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
- The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development is a United Nations–sanctioned international holiday for the promotion of diversity issues. It is currently held on May 21.
International Day for Biological Diversity
- The International Day for Biological Diversity also called the World Biodiversity Day is observed on May 22 every year.
- The theme for this year’s celebration of International Day of Biological Diversity 2020 is “Our solutions are in nature.”
CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL
MHRD develops SAMARTH Enterprises Resource Planning to provide quality education
- Department of Higher Education, M/o Human Resource Development, has a mission to provide quality education to students across all Universities & HEIs. For this, M/o HRD has developed an e-Governance platform, SAMARTH(Enterprises Resource Planning) ERP, under the National Mission of Education in Information and Communication Technology Scheme (NMEICT).
Tribal Affairs Ministry in partnership with Facebook launches ‘Goal’ programme for Digital Skilling of Tribal Youths
- Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda launched the “GOAL (Going Online As Leaders)” programme of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) in partnership with Facebook at a Webinar in New Delhi.
Govt introduces Interest subvention on Working Capital Loans for Dairy sector
- Handholding the Dairy Sector during the Covid-19 crisis, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has introduced a new scheme “Interest subvention on Working Capital Loans for Dairy sector” for Supporting Dairy Cooperatives and Farmer Producer Organizations engaged in dairy activities (SDC&FPO) for implementation during 2020-21.
Centre launches online dashboard to monitor movement of migrant workers
- Union Home Secretary, Ajay Bhalla stated that to capture the information regarding movement of migrants and facilitate the smooth movement of stranded persons across States, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has developed an online Dashboard- NMIS on the existing NDMA-GIS portal.
Government implements Shekatkar Committee recommendations related to creating border infrastructure
- Union Government has implemented General D B Shekatkar Committee’s recommendations related to creating border infrastructure. These were related to speeding up road construction leading to socio-economic development in the border areas.
Centre reduces EPFO contributions from 12 per cent to 10 per cent from May to July this year
- The Centre has notified the reduction in statutory rate of contributions from 12 per cent to 10 per cent for wage months period from May to July, 2020 for all class of establishments covered under the Employees Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 .
Coir geo-textiles to be used in rural road construction under PMGSY-III
- The government stated Coir geo-textiles will be used in the construction of rural roads under the third phase of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY-III)
Defence Ministry approves procurement of 26 defence items from local suppliers to boost ‘Make in India’
- Ministry of Defence has approved procurement of 26 defence items only from local suppliers to boost Make in India. The government has issued Public Procurement (Preference to Make in India) Order 2017 to encourage Make in India and to promote manufacturing and production of goods and services in India.
Cabinet approves Rs 20,050cr Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana for boosting fisheries sector
- The Cabinet has approved the “Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana – A scheme to bring about Blue Revolution through sustainable and responsible development of fisheries sector in India”with highest ever investment of 20050 crores in fisheries sector comprising of Central share of Rs. 9407 crore, State share of Rs 4880 crore and Beneficiaries contribution of Rs. 5763 crore.
Union HRD Minister launches IGNOU’s Online MA Hindi Programme
- Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ has launched IGNOU’s Online Programme, MA (Hindi) through Facebook Live session.
Textiles Ministry releases a list of labs equipped to conduct test and certification of PPE Body coveralls
- Textiles Ministry has released a list of laboratories equipped to conduct test and certification of Synthetic Blood Penetration Resistance Test required for Body coveralls for COVID 19.
Cabinet approves Scheme for Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises
- Union Cabinet gave its approval to a new Centrally Sponsored Scheme named Scheme for Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises for the Unorganized Sector on All India basis with an outlay of Rs. 10 thousand crore. The expenditure will be shared by Centre and the States in ratio of 60:40.
Centre launches scheme to solarise entire Konark Temple, Konark town
- The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has launched a scheme for solarisation of Konark Sun Temple and Konark town in Odisha.
Centre clears OIL plans for drilling in Assam’s Dibru Saikhowa Park
- Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change accorded environment clearance for extension of drilling for hydrocarbon exploration inside Dibru Saikhowa National Park in eastern
Govt extends ‘Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana’ by 3 years till March 2023
- The Union Cabinet extended the Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY), a social security scheme for senior citizens, for three years till March, 2023.
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MHRD
- Minister of Human Resource Development-Ramesh Pokhriyal.
- Constituency- Haridwar, Uttarakhand.
MoTA
- Minister- Arjun Munda(Khunti, Jharkhand)
- Minister of State- Renuka Singh Saruta
Border Roads Organization:
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Director General: Lt. Gen.Harpal Singh
EPFO:
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Sunil Barthwal : Central Provident Fund Commissioner
MoD
- Union Minister- Rajnath Singh
- Constituency- Lucknow, UP
Minister of Fisheries
- UnionMinister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying- Shri Giriraj Singh
- Constituency- Nawada, Bihar
Ministry Of Textiles:
- Smriti Zubin Irani: Minister of Textiles
- Constituency : Amethi
MNRE
- Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power and New & Renewable Energy- Raj Kumar Singh
- Constituency- Arrah, Bihar.
MoEF&CC
- Union Minister– Prakash Javadekar
- Constituency- Maharashtra
UNESCO
- Headquarters– Paris, France.
- Director-General– Audrey Azoulay.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL
Kokeshi dolls one of Japan’s popular cultural icons
- Japanese Kokeshi dolls, one of the oldest forms of dolls in the world, have become a famous icon of Japanese culture.
- Made from a single piece of wood, these dolls are made in a variety of styles, ranging from traditional designs to modern cultural references.
Japan launches new unit to step up defence in outer space
- Japan launched its new space defence unit to monitor and counter threats to the country’s satellites.
- The Space Operations Squadron, part of Japan’s Air Self-Defence Force, starts with 20 members and is expected to grow to about 100 members once the unit is fully operational in 2023
Nepal to publish maps showing India’s Kalapani, Lipulekh as its territory
- The Nepal government decided to publish new maps showing Lipulekh and Kalapani, the subject of disputes with India, as part of Nepalese territory amid an escalating border row between the two countries.
India gives $2 million aid to UN agency working for Palestinian refugees
- India has given $2 million in aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency working for the welfare of Palestinian refugees in support of its core programmes and services, including education and health, amidst the coronavirus crisis.
UNICEF, Airtel Africa to support children, families affected by Covid-19
- UNICEF has entered into a partnership with Airtel Africa to provide children with access to remote learning and enable access to cash assistance for their families via mobile cash transfers.
Estonia starts testing digital immunity passport for workplaces
- Estonia has started to test one of the world’s first digital immunity passports, created by a team including founders of global tech startups Transferwise and Bolt, seeking a safer return to workplaces following the coronavirus lockdown.
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Japan :
- Capital: Tokyo
- Currency: Japanese yen
- Prime Minister: Shinzō Abe
Nepal
- Capital– Kathmandu
- Currency– Nepalese rupee
- President– Bidhya Devi Bhandari
UNRWA:
- Headquarters: Amman, Jordan
- Commissioner-General: Christian Saunders
UNICEF:
- Headquarters: New York, United States
- Head: Henrietta H. Fore
Estonia :
- Capital: Tallinn
- Currency: Euro
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND FINANCE
FM announces third tranche of COVID-19 relief package, amends Essential Commodity Act
- Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced Rs 1.63 lakh crore package for agriculture, fisheries and allied activities, and paved the way for amendment of Essential Commodity Act and interstate trade for farmers.
Digital Health EMI Network Card
- Bajaj Finance Limited, the lending and investing arm of Bajaj Finserv offers a Digital Health EMI Network Card to make medical expenses affordable.
Kotak Mahindra Bank launches India’s 1st zero-contact, video KYC savings account
- In a major development, Kotak Mahindra Bank (Kotak) announced the introduction of Video KYC to open a full-fledged Kotak 811 savings account – a first in Indian banking.
BSE, NSE cut annual listing fee for SMEs by 25 per cent
- The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and National Stock Exchange (NSE) decided to reduce the listing fee for their SME platforms by 25 per cent amid challenges faced by small and medium enterprises due to coronavirus pandemic.
FSS launches eFinclusiv AEPS 2.0
- Digital payments player FSS (Financial Software and Systems) announced the launch of eFinclusiv AEPS 2.0, which is expected to strengthen last-mile banking services.
Nabard extends Rs.20,500-cr special liquidity facility to co-op banks, RRBs
- The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard), stated it has extended 20,500-crore special liquidity facility to co-operative banks (Rs.15,200 crore) and Regional Rural Banks (Rs.5,300 crore) in various States.
Canara Bank launches special gold loan biz vertical
- Bengaluru-based public sector lender Canara Bank, has launched a special gold loan business vertical.
- The bank’s latest business vertical is aimed at helping resolve these issues and support livelihoods in the current challenging times.
Fino Payments Bank to partner with NBFCs to source loans in rural areas
- Fino Payments Bank (FPB) is planning to partner with two-three non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) to source loans for them in rural areas.
ICICI Bank launches special FD scheme for senior citizens
- Named ‘ICICI Bank Golden Years FD’, the scheme offers senior citizens an interest rate of 55 per annum for deposits up to Rs.2 crore with tenure of more than five years to 10 years.
Edelweiss General Insurance launches pay as you go Motor OD floater policy
- Edelweiss General Insurance has launched an app based Motor Own Damage floater policy under the regulatory sandbox of IRDAI, Called Edelweiss SWITCH
Franklin Templeton appoints Kotak Mahindra Bank to assist in monetising assets of 6 wind-up schemes
- Franklin Templeton Trustee Services has appointed Kotak Mahindra Bank to work together with Franklin Templeton Asset Management (India) to assist the trustees in monetising portfolios of the six schemes that are being wound up.
RBI cuts repo rate by 40 bps to 4 pct
- The Reserve Bank of India cut the repo rate by 40 basis points from 4 per cent to 4 per cent, reducing the reverse repo rate at 3.35 per cent to maintain accommodative stance. The RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das stated that the six-member Monetary Policy Committee voted 5:1 in favour of 40 bps cut in interest rate.
Economy likely to contract by 5% in FY21: ICRA
- Ratings agency ICRA predicted that India’s economy is likely to witness a sharp contraction of 5 per cent during FY 2020-21, despite the massive stimulus given under the Self-Reliant India programme.
RBI extends moratorium for 3 more months
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has extended the moratorium on term loans and deferment of interest on working capital facilities by three more months to August 31, 2020. The three month moratorium and deferment was to come to an end on May 31.
RBI extends Rs.15,000 crore credit line for EXIM Banks
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) decided to extend a 15,000 crore line of credit to the Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM Bank) for 90 days to meet its foreign currency resource requirements. The central bank also stated it will rollover its Rs.15,000 crore special refinance facility for the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) by another 90 days.
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Ministry Of Finance:
- Nirmala Sitharaman, Cabinet Minister
- Constituency : Rajya Sabha, Karnataka
- Anurag Thakur, Minister of State for Finance
- Ajay Bhushan Pandey ,IAS, Finance Secretary & Revenue Secretary
Bajaj Finance Limited :
- Headquarters: Pune
- CEO: Sanjiv Bajaj
kotak Mahindra bank:
- CEO: Uday Kotak
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Tagline: Lets make money simple
Bombay Stock Exchange:
- Location: Mumbai, India
- Chairman: Vikramajit Sen;
- MD & CEO: Ashishkumar Chauhan;
National Stock Exchange:
- Location: Mumbai, India
- Chairman: Girish Chandra Chaturvedi
- MD & CEO: Vikram Limaye
Nabard:
- Founded: 12 July 1982
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Chairperson: Harsh Kumar Bhanwala
Canara Bank:
- CEO: Lingam Venkat Prabhakar
- Headquarters: Bengaluru
- Tagline : Together we Can
Fino Payments Bank:
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- CEO: Rishi Gupta
ICICI:
- CEO: Sandeep Bakhshi
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Tagline : Hum Hai Na, Khyal Apka
Edelweiss General Insurance:
- Chairman & CEO : Rashesh Shah
- Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
Franklin Templeton
- Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board– Gregory E. Johnson
- President, India– Sanjay Sapre
RBI:
- Governor: Shaktikanta Das
- Headquarters location: Mumbai
- Founded: 1 April 1935
ICRA:
- Headquarters :Gurgaon
- Arun Duggal, Non-Executive chairman and independent director.
EXIM:
- CEO: David Rasquinha
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Founded: 1 January 1982
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
Infosys Selected as the Digital Transformation Partner for GLOBALFOUNDRIES’ Digital Leadership Program
- Infosys , a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, has been selected by GLOBALFOUNDRIES® (GF®), the world’s leading specialty foundry, as its partner for the company’s Digital Transformation program.
India GDP to fall 45 per cent in June quarter, predicts Goldman Sachs
- Goldman Sachs now expects India’s gross domestic product (GDP) to contract by a record five per cent during 2020-21 against a contraction of 4 per cent estimated earlier. The -5% growth forecast for FY21 would be deeper compared to all recessions India has ever experienced.
Flipkart ties up with Bajaj Allianz General Insurance for digital motor cover
- Flipkart and Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company have partnered to offer a digital motor insurance policy to customers of the e-commerce major.
Facebook launches ‘Shops’ for Facebook and Instagram
- Facebook launched Facebook shops, a new e-commerce venture to help small businesses.
- The feature allows businesses to set up storefronts on Facebook and Instagram for free.
Edelweiss Mutual Fund to launch second tranche of Bharat Bond ETF
- Edelweiss Asset Management announced the launch of the second tranche of Bharat Bond ETF in July with two new series after initial series in December last year.
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Infosys:
- CEO: Salil Parekh
- Headquarters: Bengaluru
Goldman Sachs:
- CEO: David M. Solomon
- Headquarters: New York, United States
Bajaj Allianz General Insurance:
- CEO: Tapan Singhel
- Headquarters: Pune
Facebook :
- CEO: Mark Zuckerberg
- Headquarters: California, United States
CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATES
Centre, WB govt, AIIB sign agreement for USD 145 million project to improve irrigation in West Bengal
- Government of India, West Bengal Government and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, AIIB signed a loan agreement for a 145 million dollar project to improve irrigation services and flood management in the Damodar Valley Command Area in West Bengal.
Tamil Nadu govt’s ‘Aarogya’ scheme complements AYUSH Ministry schemes for boosting immunity through traditional medicines
- ‘Aarogya’ scheme (Health scheme) of the Tamil Nadu government, a scheme to use traditional medicines for boosting immunity, is being taken up in various Cauvery Delta districts like Trichy, Karur, Ariyaloor and Perambaloor, as a complement to schemes being popularized by the AYUSH Ministry.
J&K promotes e-learning under Samagra Shiksha programme
- In Jammu and Kashmir, the Union Territory Administration has initiated a slew of measures under Samagra Shiksha programme to facilitate students with complete access to education through technological interventions and other viable means in wake of COVID-19 lockdown.
Rajasthan-based company develops robots to screen people amid Covid-19
- A Jaipur-based company has developed robots to help health workers in conducting a thermal screening of the people amid Covid-19 crisis. These robots can also identify if a person is wearing a mask or not.
- The robot which is 95 per cent made in India is the first in the world to be based on spine technology
Madhya Pradesh launches Charan Paduka initiative for migrant labourers ICS
- In Madhya Pradesh, in a first of its kind of initiative, Charan Paduka campaign has been started for the migrant labourers passing through the state. Under this campaign, the migrant labourers going barefoot are being providing shoes and slippers to reduce their pain.
Punjab govt promulgates ‘Punjab Good Conduct Prisoners Amendment Ordinance, 2020’
- Punjab Government promulgated ‘The Punjab Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Amendment Ordinance, 2020. As per new provisions, the temporary release of the prisoners has been allowed beyond the maximum period of 16 weeks in a calendar year.
Maharashtra govt approves formation of AYUSH task force
- The Maharashtra government has approved the formation of a task force which will give recommendations to it to incorporate AYUSH treatment modalities specifically for increasing immunity against COVID-19, stated the state medical education and drug department. Tatyarao Lahane, Director, Medical Education and Research, Maharashtra, will head the task force
India Post Mumbai releases Special Postal Cover dedicated to Migrant Workers
- India Post, Mumbai paid tribute to migrant workers, by releasing a Special Postal Cover dedicated to them at the Bicentennial Hall of the historic Mumbai GPO building.
Karnataka launches incubator for cyber security startups in India
- Karnataka launched its first cyber security-specific accelerator programme ‘H.A.C.K’ for start-ups recently.
J&K starts an initiative SUKOON’ – COVID-19 Beat the Stress
- In order to spread awareness about psychological impact of lockdown and measures to be adopted to overcome them, Department of Information and Public Relations, J&K has started an initiative ‘SUKOON’ – COVID-19 Beat the Stress”
Chhattisgarh to launch Rajiv Gandhi Nyay Yojana for farmers on May 21, former PM’s death anniversary
- Chhattisgarh is set to launch the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana in the state to encourage farmers to produce more crops and help them get the right price for it.
- The scheme will see a sum of Rs 5,700 crore being transferred directly to the accounts of 19 lakh farmers of the state in four instalments
‘Tatpar’ Scheme In Ranchi To Transport Migrant Workers
- ‘Tatpar’ programme was launched by the Ranchi district administration to ease their tiresome journey on foot. Under the programme, officials collect information about those walking on national highways or on any other road to provide them transport facilities.
‘Mee Annapurna’ – An Inclusive Program for Welfare of Farmers, Bhoomiputras Launched Across Maharashtra
- Department of Agriculture, Govt. of Maharashtra announced a three year empanelment of insurance companies and intermediaries for implementation of crop insurance scheme across the state. The tender was issued on the guidelines of Revamped Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.
- Post-launch of the guidelines, Integrated Risk Insurance, an IRDA Licensed insurance intermediary, announced ‘Mee Annapurna’, an initiative that integrates three critical aspects of livelihood and comprehensive engagement.
UP govt launches ‘Startup Fund’ to encourage youth for entrepreneurship
- Uttar Pradesh government has launched the ‘Uttar Pradesh Startup Fund’ to encourage the youth of the state for entrepreneurship. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath handed over the first installment of 15 crore rupees to Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) at a function in Lucknow.
Rural Livelihood Mission begins Didi Vehicle Service for safe delivery of rural women in Madhya Pradesh
- In the tribal-dominated Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh, the women of Rural Livelihood Mission have started Didi Vehicle Service for rural women for the safe delivery. This vehicle service is completely free.
AP to help revive MSMEs with Rs.1,110-cr ‘ReSTART’ package
- Factoring the hardships faced by the MSMEs during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Andhra Pradesh government has come up with a 1,110-crore ‘ReSTART’ policy boost.
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West Bengal:
- Governor :Jagdeep Dhankhar
- Chief Minister:Mamata Banerjee
- Capital : Kolkata
AIIB:
- Headquarters:Beijing, China
- President: Jin Liqun
Tamil Nadu:
- Capital : Chennai
- Governor :Banwarilal Purohit
- Chief Minister: Edappadi K. Palaniswami
Jammu & Kashmir:
- Capitals: Jammu (Winter), Srinagar (Summer)
- lieutenant governor : G.C. murmu
Rajasthan:
- Governor: Kalraj Mishra
- Capital: Jaipur
- Chief minister: Ashok Gehlot
Madhya Pradesh:
- Capital: Bhopal
- Chief minister: Shivraj Singh Chouhan
- Governor: Lalji Tandon
Punjab:
- Capital: Chandigarh
- Chief minister: Amarinder Singh
- Governor: V. P. Singh Badnore
Maharashtra:
- Capital: Mumbai
- Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari
- Chief Minister: Uddhav Thackeray
Karnataka:
- Chief minister: B. S. Yediyurappa
- Capital: Bengaluru
- Governor: Vajubhai Vala
Chhattisgarh :
- Governor: Anusuiya Uikey
- Chief minister: Bhupesh Baghel
- Capitals: Bilaspur, Raipur
Jharkhand
- Capital- Ranchi
- Chief Minister- Hemant Soren
- Governor- Draupadi Murmu
UP
- Capital- lucknow
- CM-. Yogi Adityanath
- Governor- Anandhiben Patel
Andhra Pradesh:
- Governor: Biswabhusan Harichandan
- Chief minister: Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy
- Capitals: Amaravati
CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPS AND PORTALS
Union HRD Minister launches AI-powered mobile app for mock tests for JEE Main, NEET 2020
- Union Human Resource Development Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank launched a new mobile app called the ‘National Test Abhyas’.
- The App has been developed by NTA to enable candidates to take mock tests for upcoming exams such asJEE Main, NEET under the NTA’s purview.
Baba Ramdev Led Patanjali To Launch E-Commerce Platform ‘OrderMe’ To Supply Swadeshi Goods
- Baba Ramdev led Patanjali Ayurved is in the process of launching an e-commerce platform to supply made-in-India items and swadeshi solutions.
- The proposed e-commerce site, named OrderMe
CURRENT AFFAIRS : MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS
Facebook acquires GIF-making website GIPHY
- Facebook has acquired the popular GIF website GIPHY and is planning to integrate its GIF library to its photo-sharing app, Instagram.Facebook acquired the GIF-making and sharing website for reportedly $400 million
Accenture acquires Ahmedabad-based Byte Prophecy
- Accenture has acquired Byte Prophecy, an automated insights and big data analytics company based in Ahmedabad, to meet the growing demand for enterprise-scale AI and digital analytics solutions across the region.
US-Based General Atlantic To Buy 1.3% Stake In Jio Platforms For Rs 6,598 Crore
- Reliance Industries announced that US-based private equity firm General Atlantic will invest Rs 6,598.38 crore for a 34 per cent stake in Jio Platforms. That marked Jio Platforms’ fourth major deal with a US-based technology investor within a month, following investments from internet major Facebook and private equity companies Silver Lake and Vista Equity Partners.
Tata Consumer to acquire PepsiCo’s stake in NourishCo Beverages
- Tata Consumer Products Limited (TCPL) stated it will acquire PepsiCo’s stake in NourishCo Beverages Limited—a 50:50 joint venture between the two companies as it moves to build a strong play in the packaged beverages market.
Airtel acquires 10 per cent stake in AI startup Voicezen
- Bharti Airtel has acquired 10 per cent stake in Gurgaon-based start-up Voicezen, which focusses on conversational artificial intelligence technologies, in an all-cash deal, the private operator stated
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Accenture:
- CEO: Julie Sweet
- Headquarters: Dublin, Ireland
General Atlantic
- Chief Executive Officer New York- Bill Ford
- Managing Director Mumbai- Sandeep Naik
Reliance
- Corporate Office– Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Chairman & Managing Director(MD)– Mukesh D. Ambani
Tata Consumer Products:
- Headquarters: Kolkata, West Bengal
- CEO & MD: Sunil D’Souza
- Chairman: Natarajan Chandrasekaran
Bharti Airtel:
- CEO: Gopal Vittal
- Headquarters: New Delhi
CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOU
NRAI partners with DotPe to build tech platform for online payments
- National Restaurants Association of India (NRAI), the apex body of the F&B industry, has partnered with fintech start-up DotPe to build its own tech platform that would enable them with online payments for digital ordering, bill settlements, and contactless dining.
Flipkart joins Vishal Mega Mart to deliver essentials at home in 26 cities
- Homegrown retailer Flipkart announced a partnership with retail store chain Vishal Mega Mart for the home delivery of essential items through a safe supply chain in 26 cities.
- A Vishal Mega Mart Essentials store has been created on the Flipkart platform.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATION
WTO chief Azevedo to step down on August 31 before term expires
- Geneva-based World Trade Organisation (WTO) chief Roberto Azevedo will step down on August 31, a year before his term ends.
Zubair Iqbal Appointed as the New MD of J&K Bank
- The J&K Government has nominated Zubair Iqbal, Senior Vice President (SVP) of HDFC Bank to be elected as Managing Director of the J&K Bank.
Benjamin Netanyahu to lead Israel with historic 5th term as prime minister
- Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has secured a historic fifth straight term to form his government, after a controversial power-sharing deal with rival-turned-partner Benny Gantz.
Alibaba’s Jack Ma resigns from SoftBank board
- SoftBank Group Corp stated that Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma will resign from its board, in the latest departure by a high-profile ally of CEO Masayoshi Son.
Keva Bain of Bahamas is new president of World Health Assembly
- Keva Bain, the permanent representative of Bahamas to the UN, has been elected as the president of the 73rd World Health Assembly.
Rajesh Goel appointed as director general of NAREDCO
- Realtors body National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO) has appointed Rajesh Goel as director general (DG) of the association.
Thomas Thabane resigns as Lesotho’s prime minister
- Lesotho Prime Minister Thomas Thabane has formally resigned after his coalition government fell apart, in a move that could help end a long-running political crisis in the country.
Indian Steel Association names Dilip Oommen as next President
- Indian Steel Association (ISA) appointed Dilip Oommen CEO, Arcelor Mittal Nippon Steel Indiaas its new President with immediate effect.
Govinda Rajulu Chintala appointed NABARD chairman
- Govinda Rajulu Chintala has been appointed the chairman of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)
Former IAS Officer appointed as Chairman of J&K PSC
- J&K Government has appointed B R Sharma, former IAS Officer, as Chairman Public Service Commission for the UT of J&K.
World Bank names Carmen Reinhart as chief economist and vice president
- The World Bank named former Bear Stearns executive Carmen Reinhart as its new vice president and chief economist, tapping an expert on financial crises who also serves on the advisory board of the New York Federal Reserve.
India’s new Permanent Representative to UN presents credentials virtually
- TS Tirumurti, India’s new Permanent Representative to the UN, presented his credentials virtually as he assumed charge as the Ambassador amid the coronavirus pandemic.
- A 1985-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, Tirumurti succeeds Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin, who retired on April 30 and returned to Hyderabad.
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WTO
- It was established on January 1st1995
- 164 members which represent 98% of world trade.
- Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland
Jammu & Kashmir Bank
- Headquarters– Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.
- Tagline– Serving To Empower.
Israel
- Capital- Jerusalem
- Currency- Israeli Shekel
Softbank:
- Headquarters : Tokyo, Japan
- CEO: Masayoshi Son
NAREDCO
- Headquarters- New Delhi.
- Rajeev Talwar (Chairman) Niranjan Hiranandani (President)
Lesotho
- Capital– Maseru
- Currency– Lesotho loti
Indian Steel Association
- HQ- New Delhi
- Secretary General and Executive Head- Bhaskar Chatterjee
NABARD
- Founded-12 July 1982
- Headquarters- Mumbai
World Bank:
- Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States
- President: David Malpass
United Nations:
- Headquarters: New York, United States
- Founded: 24 October 1945,
- Secretary general: António Guterres
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SUMMITS AND CONFERENCE
Health Minister Harsh Vardhan To Represent India At WHO’s 73rd World Health Assembly
- World Health Assembly, organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) is set to commence on, May 18 and Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan will be representing India at the two-day meet.
- In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the WHO has announced that the 73rd World Health Assembly will be held virtually.
Ministry of Culture’s Development of Museums and Cultural Spaces hosts a webinar on ‘Revitalising Museums and Cultural Spaces’ on the International Museum Day
- Development of Museums and Cultural Spaces, Ministry of Culture, Government of India hosted a webinar on “Revitalising Museums and Cultural Spaces” to celebrate the International Museum Day(18th May).
Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan participates in NAM Health Ministers’ meeting
- Health Minister Harsh Vardhan participated in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Health Ministers’ meeting through video conferencing. The meeting was chaired by Health Minister of Republic of Azerbaijan Ogtay Shiraliyev.
STATIC GK
World Health Organization:
- Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
- Director-General: Tedros Adhanom
- deputy Director-General: Soumya Swaminathan
MoCD
- Minister of Culture and Minister of Tourism of India- Prahlad Singh Patel
- Constituency- Damoh, Madhya Pradesh.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS
Trump recognises 10-year-old Indian and Pakistani girls as ‘coronavirus heroes’ in the US
- Laila Khan, an American of Pakistani origin and Sravya Annappareddy, an Indian-American girl, were honoured by President Trump as ‘coronavirus heroes’ for donating cookies to doctors, nurses and firefighters and sending personalised greeting cards to healthcare workers fighting Covid-19 pandemic in the US.
India’s Chief Hydrographer Vice Admiral Vinay Badhwar wins UK award
- Vice Admiral Vinay Badhwar, the National Hydrographer to the government of India, has been honoured with the 2019 Alexander Dalrymple Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Indian hydrography and across the wider Indian Ocean region, the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) stated.
Star Rating of Garbage Free Cities: India’s 3-star and 5-star cities Announced
- Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MOHUA) has announced the results of the Star Rating of Garbage Free Cities.
- Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of State (I/C) for Housing and Urban Affairs, has informed that for the assessment year 2019-2020, a total of six cities have been certified as 5-Star (Ambikapur, Rajkot, Surat, Mysuru, Indore and Navi Mumbai), 65 cities as 3-Star and 70 cities as 1-Star.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING
Hindujas share second spot with Reuben brothers in UK Rich List 2020
- Two sets of Indian-origin siblings dominate the annual tally of Britain’s wealthiest as the Hinduja and Reuben brothers share the second spot with a fortune of 16 billion pounds each, while British inventor-entrepreneur James Dyson tops ‘The Sunday Times Rich List 2020’ with 2 billion pounds.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BOOKS AND AUTHORS
Union HRD Minister e-Launches seven titles on “Psycho-Social Impact of Pandemic & Lockdown and How to Cope With”
- Union HRD Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ e-Launched print as well as e-editions of the set of seven titles on “Psycho-Social impact of pandemic & lockdown and how to Cope With” under the corona studies series published by NBT India.
EBook ‘Wuhan Diary: Dispatches from a Quarantined City’ Releases in India
- ‘Wuhan Diary: Dispatches from a Quarantined City’ by well-known Chinese literary writer Fang Fang, has released in India in the ebook format.
Ruskin Bond’s new book ‘Hop On: My Adventures on Boats, Trains and Planes’ released on his 86th birthday
- Ruskin Bond is one of the most famous authors. He turned 86 and he celebrated it by releasing a new book which takes the audience through his adventures on boats, trains and planes. The book is titled Hop On: My Adventures on Boats, Trains and Planes
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NBT
- Chairman– Govind Prasad Sharma.
- Headquarters–New Delhi.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE
Rajnath Singh adds patrol vessel, 2 interceptor boats to Coast Guard strength
- Defence minister Rajnath Singh commissioned an offshore patrol vessel and two interceptor boats of the Indian Coast Guard, which will add muscle to operations of the maritime security agency.
Rajnath Singh approves launch of Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme
- In order to give a boost to domestic defence and aerospace manufacturing, Defence minister Rajnath Singh has approved the launch of Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS) with an outlay of 400 crore rupees for creating state of the art testing infrastructure for this sector.
Indian Navy Commissions Seventh MK IV Landing Craft Utility, IN LCU L57
- The Indian Navy commissioned its seventh MK IV Landing Craft Utility (LCU) vessel, IN LCU L57.The low-profile ceremony, in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, was held in Port Blair in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
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Indian Coast Guard:
- Headquarters- New Delhi, India
- Director General– Krishnaswamy Natarajan
Defence Ministry
- Minister of Defence-Rajnath Singh( Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh)
- Minister of State -Shripad Yesso Naik ( North Goa)
GRSE (Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited)
- Headquarters– Kolkata,West Bengal
- Chairman & Managing Director– Rear Admiral Vipin Kumar Saxena
Indian Navy
- Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS)– Admiral Karambir Singh
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
IIT Gandhinagar ‘develops’ interactive dashboard to help contain COVID-19 community infection post lockdown
- Researchers at IIT Gandhinagar have developed an interactive COVID-19 dashboard that they say can help administrators, hospitals as well as public in planning optimised testing for the novel coronavirus, and containing community infection in various post-lockdown scenarios. The dashboard called “MIR AHD Covid-19 Dashboard”.
South Central Railway develops Rail-Bot to strengthen hospital care
- South Central Railway has developed a robotic device, “Rail-Bot” (R-BOT), that helps assist in hospital management functions towards patient care.
ZSI Lists 20 Species Of Amphibians As ‘critically Endangered’
- The Zoological Survey of India has posted an updated checklist of Indian amphibians on its website, listing 20 species as critically endangered and 35 as ‘endangered’, an. The 20 ‘critically endangered’ amphibians include some species of frogs found in the Western Ghats of Kerala, Maharashtra and Karnataka and in some hills of the north east.
Vanora Robots launches AI-powered product for hospital disinfection
- Vanora Robots Pvt Ltd, a Mangaluru-based robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) start-up, has launched an unmanned robotic platform to disinfect the rooms in hospitals, schools, etc.
Jaipur based company ‘Club First’ made robots to help masses
- A Jaipur based company made several types of robots to help the medical staff and masses amid coronavirus pandemic.
- ‘Club First’ have made robots which will be used for doing jobs such as sanitizing hospitals and delivering food in restaurants.
IIT Guwahati discovers new ways to prevent memory loss due to Alzheimer
- Researchers at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati has discovered ideas that can help prevent or reduce short-term memory losses associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
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Zoological Survey of India:
- Headquarters : Kolkata
- Director: Dr. Kailash Chandra
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS
NADA provisionally suspends Savita Kumari, Ankit Shishodia for violating anti-doping rules
- The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has provisionally suspended powerlifters Savita Kumari and Ankit Shishodia for violating anti-doping rules
Anil Kumble-led ICC Committee calls for ban on saliva to shine ball
- Anil Kumble-led panel ICC Cricket Committee recommended banning the use of saliva to shine the ball among several other changes to ICC regulations to mitigate the risks posed by the COVID-19 virus.
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National Anti-Doping Agency:
- CEO: Navin Agarwal
- Headquarters: New Delhi, India
International Cricket Council (ICC)
- Headquarters– Dubai, UAE.
- Chairman– Shashank Manohar.
- CEO- Manu Sawhney.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARY
Veteran Bengali author, Sahitya Akademi winner Debesh Roy passes away
- Veteran Bengali author Debesh Roy, who was conferred the Sahitya Akademi award for his novel ‘Teesta Parer Brittanto’, passed away.
Iran’s OPEC governor Hossein Kazempour Ardebili passes away from brain hemorrhage
- Iran’s OPEC governor Hossein Kazempour Ardebili passed away at age 67 after falling into a coma following a brain hemorrhage.
Former Australian rugby league captain Arthur Summons passes away
- Former Australian rugby league captain Arthur Summons, who is immortalized on the National Rugby League trophy, has passed away. He was 84.
Saleh Abdullah Kamel: Saudi billionaire passes away
- Saudi billionaire businessman Saleh Abdullah Kamel passed away.
- Kamel, who was 79, had a net worth estimated at $2.6 billion (Dh9.55 billion) as he had vast investments in 40 countries across the world.
Marathi writer, playwright, Ratnakar Matkari, passes away
- Veteran Marathi writer and playwright Ratnakar Matkari, 81, who tested positive for Covid-19, passed away.
Veteran Musician Purushothaman passes away
- Veteran Drums player, music conductor and percussionist Purushothaman passed away.
Spritual leader Dev Prabhakar Shastri, popularly called ‘Daddaji’ passes away
- Noted spiritual leader Dev Prabhakar Shastri, popularly called ‘Daddaji’, passed away after lung and kidney ailments. He was from Madhya Pradesh