Current Affairs Today 16th & 17th May 2019 | Current Affairs News

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Daily Current Affairs PDF of 16th and 17th May 2019

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS

International Day of Living Together in Peace

• The International Day of Living Together in Peace is held on 16th May every year since 2018.
• The Day speaks about accepting differences and having the ability to listen to, recognize and respect others and promote peace, moderation, tolerance, inclusion, understanding and solidarity.
• The United Nations General Assembly decided to celebrate 16th May as the International Day of Living Together in Peace on 8th December 2017.

World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 

• World Telecommunication Day is observed every year on 17 May. It marks the founding of ITU when the first International Telegraph Convention was signed in Paris on 17 May, 1865.
• It is also known as World Telecommunication and International Society Day. Since 1969, it has been celebrating annually.

USEFUL INFO
Theme 2019	Bridging the standardization gap

World Hypertension Day

• World Hypertension Day is celebrated by World Hypertension League (WHL) on 17 May annually.
• It also promotes awareness about hypertension and to encourage people to prevent and control this silent killer epidemic.
• The theme of aims at increasing high blood pressure (BP) awareness in all the populations around the world.

USEFUL INFO
Theme 2019	Know Your Numbers

 National Endangered Species Day

• Every year on the third Friday in May Endangered Species Day is celebrated annually
• This year it falls on May 17^th to raise awareness about the importance of wildlife conservation and restoration efforts for all imperilled species. Endangered Species Act 1973, focuses on the protection of wildlife and several other methods to protect it.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL

India to co-chair Consultative Group (CG) of Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR)

• India has been unanimously chosen as co-chair of the Consultative Group (CG) of Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) for the fiscal year 2020.
• The decision was taken during the meeting of GFDRR held in Geneva, Switzerland
• GFDRR is a global partnership that helps developing countries better understand and reduce their vulnerability to natural hazards and climate change.  It is is a grant-funding mechanism, managed by the World Bank, that supports disaster risk management projects worldwide.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE

NMCG, HCL Foundation and INTACH inked MoU for Rudraksh Plantation in Uttarakhand

• A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between National Mission for Clean Ganga, HCL Foundation and INTACH for taking up a project of Plantation of Rudraksh Trees in Uttarakhand as a part of CSR initiative under the Namami Gange Programme.
• The project aims at planting 10 thousand Rudraksh trees in the catchment area of river Ganga in Uttarakhand.

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Uttarakhand Capital	Dehradun
CM	Trivendra Singh Rawat
Governor	Baby Rani Maurya

Navy Service Selection Board inaugurated in Kolkata

• Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba Tuesday inaugurated the Navy’s first full-fledged Service Selection Board (SSB) at the Diamond Harbour near Kolkata.
• Vice Admiral Karambir Singh, the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, has attended the inauguration.
• This is the fifth SSB of the Indian Navy and caters for selection of both permanent and short service commission officers
• The other boards are located in Bhopal, Bengaluru, Visakhapatnam and Coimbatore.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND FINANCE

RBI releases ‘Vision 2021’ for payment systems for ‘cash-lite’ society

• Aiming at a ‘cash-lite’ society, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released a vision document for ensuring a safe, secure, convenient, quick and affordable e-payment system as it expects the number of digital transactions to increase more than four times to 8,707 crore in December 2021.
• The ‘Payment and Settlement Systems in India: Vision 2019 – 2021’, with its core theme of ‘Empowering Exceptional (E)payment Experience’, envisages to achieve “a highly digital and cash-lite society” through the goal posts of competition, cost effectiveness, convenience and confidence (4Cs).
• The previous vision document covered the period 2016 to 2018.
• The latest vision document said payment systems like UPI/IMPS are likely to register average annualised growth of over 100% and NEFT at 40% over the vision period (period up to December 2021).
• The number of digital transactions is expected to increase more than four times from 2,069 crore in December 2018 to 8,707 crore in December 2021.

RBI directs NBFCs with asset size of Rs 5,000 crore must have chief risk officers

• A non-banking finance companies (NBFC) with an asset size of at least Rs 5000 crore must appoint a chief risk officer (CRO).
• The CRO is required to function independently so as to ensure highest standards of risk management.
• the CRO shall be a senior official in the hierarchy of an NBFC and shall possess adequate professional qualification and experience in the area of risk management.

SIDBI ‘s pilot scheme for fintech NBFCs to boost digital lending

• Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)has launched a Scheme for Assistance to New Age Fin-Tech NBFCs registered as Investment and Credit Company (ICC) with the RBI. It has been launched on pilot basis.
• SIDBI will extend financial assistance of up to ₹10 croreto new-age fintech non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) engaged in financing small businesses and other income-generating activities
• Fintech NBFCs are digital loan companies. They leverage information technology to provide fast and convenient access to funding.
• Minimum Net Owned Fund: Rs 20 Crore
• Minimum Asset Size: Rs 50 Crore
• Maximum Exposure/Maximum Assistance: Rs 10 Crore

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

Anil Kapoor to be felicitated by European Chambers of Commerce for promoting children’s rights

• Actor Anil Kapoor will be felicitated by the Council of European Chambers of Commerce (CEUCC) in India and an European Union delegation as part of the Europe Day celebrations in Mumbai.
• The actor will be the chief guest for the celebrations, which will also be attended by EU Ambassador to India Tomasz Kozlowski, EU Member states Consuls and senior representatives from the European and Indian corporate world.
• Europe Day is celebrated every year on May 9 to mark the formation of the European Union (EU).

Nepali sherpa scales Mt. Everest for 23rd time

• A 49-year-old veteran Nepali sherpa has scaled Mount Everest for the 23rd time, breaking his own record in reaching atop the world’s highest peak.
• Kami Rita Sherpa from Thame village of Solukhumbu district successfully climbed Mt Everest from Nepal side breaking his own record for most summits on the roof of the world.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATION

Major General A K Dhingra appointed as the first Special Operations Division Commander 

• Ace Special Forces operative and Sri Lanka war veteran Major General AK Dhingra has been appointed as the first head of country’s first tri-services Special Operations Division comprising commandos from all three services.
• The Armed Forces Special Operations Division has been set up by the government to undertake joint operations by three services and will have elements from the Army’s Parachute Regiments SF, Marine Commandos (MARCOS) of the Navy and the Garud Commandos of the Indian Air Force.
• Maj Gen Dhingra is a Special Forces veteran and is from the elite 1 Para Special Forces Regiment.

Cyril Ramaphosa re-elected as President of South Africa

• Cyril Ramaphosa’s party,African National Congress (ANC) won South African elections with majority and secured 57.51 percent votes and Cyril Ramaphosa elected as South African President. Last year in February 2018.
• Cyril Ramaphosa elected as South African President after President Jacob Zuma resigned from the post due to charges of corruption.
• The South African president was the Chief Guest for India’s Republic Day ceremony this year.

RBI appoints R. Gandhi as additional director on Yes Bank’s board

• The banking regulator RBI has appointed former RBI Deputy Governor R. Gandhi as an additional director on YES Bank’s board. The appointment is for a period of two years with effect from May 14, 2019, to May 13, 2021, or till further orders.
• The RBI has the powers conferred under sub-section (1) of Section 36AB of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 to appoint additional directors on the board of a bank if it feels it is in the interest of the banking company or its depositors.

USEFUL INFO
Yes Bank CEO	Rana Kapoor
Tagline	Experience our Expertise
Headquarters	Mumbai

Justice A. K. Sikri Appointed As Chairperson of the News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA)

• Former Supreme Court Judge Justice A. K. Sikri has been appointed as the Chairperson of the News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA).
• He will assume office on May 26, 2019.
• Justice Sikri will succeed Justice R. V. Raveendran, who completes his term on May 25, 2019.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SUMMIT AND CONFERENCE

Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations to open in Beijing

• Conference on Asian Civilizations Dialogue (CDAC) will be held in Beijing, China. The conference will host the opening ceremony and six parallel sub-forums around the theme of Asian civilization exchanges and mutual understanding.
• The Asian Cultural Carnival, Asian Civilization Week, Asian Food Festival and other activities are planned to be organized alongside this conference.
• Around 1500 experts from around the world, including heads of state and high-level governmental representatives, are invited to attend the conference which seeks to promote intercultural dialogue in view of building an “Asian Community of Shared Future”.
• As part of this conference, the Ministry of Education of China in collaboration with UNESCO will organize the parallel panel:Safeguarding the Diversity of Asian Civilizations.

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China Capital	Beijing
Currency	Renminbi, Yuan
President	Xi Jinping

2019 Meetings of the COPs to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions

• The fourteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention (BC COP-14), the ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention (RC COP-9) and the ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention (SC COP-9) will be held from 29 April to 10 May 2019 in Geneva, Switzerland.
• The meetings will include joint sessions covering matters of relevance to at least two conventions and separate sessions of the meetings of the each of the three COPs.
• The theme of the meetings will be “Clean Planet, Healthy People: Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste”.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOU

HDFC partners with IMGC to provide mortgage-guarantee-backed home loan

• Housing finance major HDFC Limited has partnered with India Mortgage Guarantee Corporation (IMGC) to offer a mortgage-guaranteed home loan product.
• The partnership aims to make it possible for HDFC to further penetrate home loan market and access an enlarged customer base, helping them to own a home of their choice.
• This product will help HDFC to offer more loan to a home loan customer on an enhanced eligibility.
• It also helps customers to avail loans beyond their retirement period. The finer details of the product are being worked out and will be known to market soon.

USEFUL INFO
HDFC Bank CEO	Aditya Puri
Headquarters	Mumbai

Ola launches credit card in partnership with SBI

• The ride-hailing company unveiled Ola Money SBI Credit Card in partnership with SBI Cards, one of the largest credit card issuers in the country.
• The card is powered by payments technology company Visa.
• The SoftBank-backed cab aggregator is targeting 10-million Ola Money SBI Credit Cards to be issued by 2022.

USEFUL INFO
State Bank of India Headquarters	Mumbai
State Bank of India Tagline	The Banker to every Indian
State Bank of India Chairperson	Rajnish Kumar

SRFI-HCL tie-up for improving Indian squash

• The Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) announced a tie-up with HCL with an aim to improve the health of the sport in the country.
• Through ‘HCL Squash Podium Programme’, multiple tournaments will be organised at both the senior and junior level besides clinics for the existing coaches.
• SRFI president Debendranath Sarangi plan to conduct 12 PSA World Tour and Challenger Tour events every year across the country.

Tech Mahindra partners with French digital content solutions firm Rakuten Aquadas

• IT services firm Tech Mahindra and French digital content publishing firm Rakuten Aquafadas signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) to collaborate on building enhanced customer experience offerings.
• Rakuten Aquafadas and Tech Mahindra aim to build a Customer Experience Offering leveraging the suite of software that Rakuten Aquafadas provides for digital publishing.
• Collaboration with Rakuten Aquafadas will help us further drive innovation in the Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Digital Transformation space, and enable us to enhance customer experience from the forefront

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS

Mumbai girl is world’s 1st to cross Atlantic Ocean in Light Sports Aircraft

• Captain Aarohi Pandit, a 23-year-old pilot from Mumbai became the world’s first woman to cross the Atlantic Ocean solo in a Light Sports Aircraft (LSA) christened as ‘Mahi’.
• when she landed her tiny aircraft at Iqaluit Airport in Canada, after a gruelling 3,000 km long flight, under adverse and extreme weather conditions following take-off from Wick, Scotland (United Kingdom), with brief stopovers in Greenland and Iceland.
• The journey is part of Pandit’s ongoing year-long global circumnavigation flight from UK to Canad, which was launched with her friend Keithair Misquitta on July 30, 2018 and they will return back to India by July 30 , 2019.

China set to host 2023 AFC Asian Cup after South Korea withdrawal

• China has been confirmed as the hosts for the 2023 Asian Cup soccer tournament after its only bidding rival, South Korea, withdrew from the bidding process.
• The Korean Football Association (KFA) informed the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the governing body for Asian soccer, of its decision to withdraw its bid and thus allow China to run unopposed.
• Last time China hosted Asian Cup in 2004 when China lost to Japan by 3-1 in the final held in Beijing.
  This year the Asian Cup was held in UAE in which Qatar defeated Japan by 3-1 in the final.

 CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARY

Former Austrlian PM Bob Hawke passes away

• Bob Hawke, one of Australia’s longest-serving Prime Ministers and a former Labour Party icon, died at the age of 89.
• He was Australia’s Prime Minister from 1983 to 1991, winning four elections and becoming the country’s third longest-serving leader after Robert Menzies and John Howard.