Daily Current Affairs 25th & 26th May 2017

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS: 25TH & 26TH MAY 2017
(DAILY NEWS INDIA)
SHARED BY: WWW.DAILYGK.IN

1. WORLD’S SMALLEST NATION, NAURU HAS RATIFIED THE INTERNATIONAL SOLAR ALLIANCE FRAMEWORK PACT.
i. Aaron Cook, Nauru’s Commerce, Industry and Environment Minister handed over the ratification document to Union Finance, Defence and Corporate Affairs Minister Arun Jaitley.
ii. The highest point on Nauru’s terrain is only 65 metres above sea level. Thus it is extremely vulnerable to rising sea level due to climate change.
iii.  30% of the Nauru’s energy needs are met through solar power installations. Its Government has set a target to attain 50% of energy production from renewable sources by 2020.

2. 3RD RCEP INTER-SESSIONAL MINISTERIAL MEETING
i. 3rd Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Inter-sessional Ministerial Meeting was held in Hanoi, Vietnam.
ii. Trade Ministers of all 16 RCEP countries participated in this meeting. Indian delegation to this meeting was led by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
iii. As Philippines is currently holding the Presidency of ASEAN, the RCEP Inter-sessional Ministerial Meeting was chaired by Trade Minister and Industry Minister of Philippines - Ramon Lopez.

3. START UP INDIA SUMMIT HELD IN UAE
i. A two-day ‘Startup India Summit’ was held in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
ii. This summit was held by the Consul General of India in Dubai and Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi in partnership with iSPIRIT, a nonprofit think tank and was supported by TiE Dubai, a nonprofit association dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship.
iii. The summit aimed to provide a shared platform for the Startup eco system in both, India and UAE for greater collaboration, interaction with academia, exchange of ideas, investors and industry and for having access to funding from the venture capitalist in the UAE.
iv. 17 Startup companies from India in the space of artificial intelligence, digi medicine, financial technology, health care technology, innovative technology and software services took part in the summit.


4. IFFCO LAUNCHES DEBIT CARD FOR FARMERS IN COLLABORATION WITH BANK OF BARODA
i. Bank of Baroda has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with IFFCO. The MOU has signed to launch their 1st set of co-branded debit cards for the farmers.
ii. This step has been taken to promote more digitalization and cashless economy. The debit cards has a facility of overdraft of Rs 2,500 in special savings bank account.
iii. It is used for purchase of various agri-products at IFFCO sale counters. Bank of Baroda is engaged in providing various services, such as personal banking, international banking, corporate banking, small and medium enterprise banking, rural banking, non-resident Indian services and treasury services.

5. ASHWIN WINS INTERNATIONAL CRICKETER OF THE YEAR AWARD
i. Ravichandran Ashwin an Indian spinner was bagged with International Cricketer of the Year award at the CEAT Cricket Rating International awards 2017.
ii. The ceremony was held at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai. The award was presented by a former Indian Cricket Captain Sunil Gavaskar and Chairman of RPG Enterprises Harsh Goenka.
iii. Ashwin has won the award 2nd time as he had won the ICC Cricketer of the Year award in 2016 as well. With this, he has joined the ranks of Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar.

6. KIREN RIJIJU UNVEILS WORLD’S 1ST PHILOSOPHICAL NOVEL ON GOD IN DELHI
i. The world’s 1st philosophical novel on God was presented by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju.
ii. IAS officer Haulianlal Guite has published a philosophical novel for God titled “Confessions of a dying mind: the blind faith of atheism. The book is termed as “the world’s first philosophical novel for God“.
iii. Haulianlal Guite is from Churachandpur district of Manipur. He is hailed as the 1st civil servant to write on Philosophy after John Stuart Mill’s work titled “On Liberty” published in 1858.
iv. The book defines interesting arguments against atheism. It also explores the nature of science, religion, evidence and love in light of latest findings of modern science and the solid theories in philosophy.

7. “A NEW BOOK “WINNING LIKE VIRAT: THINK & SUCCEED LIKE KOHLI” BY ABHIRUP BHATTACHARYA”
i. A new book “Winning like Virat: Think & Succeed like Kohli” is written by Abhirup  Bhattacharya.
ii. The book discloses the secrets of the cricketer’s consistent form, while attempting to decode his philosophy towards life.
iii. Bhattacharya writes in his book if we focus on Virat, the cricketer and the man, we will find some extraordinary traits. His leadership skills, the ability to keep his cool under pressure, a fearless attitude and a desire to win every game.

8. RECENT APPROVALS BY CENTRAL GOVERNMENT: MAY 25, 2017
i. Union Cabinet has been apprised of the Memorandum of Understanding between India and Bangladesh on cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space.
ii. Cabinet has given its approval to raise Bonds of Rs. 2360 cr for renewable energy through the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency during the 2017-18.
iii. Cabinet approves Joint Declaration of Intent between India and Germany regarding cooperation in the sector of alternative medicine. Union cabinet has approved phasing out of Foreign Investment Promotion Board.
iv. Cabinet has approved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Directorate General of Health Services under Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare National Transplant Organization, Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality, Spain on cooperation in the organ and tissue procurement and transplantation services.
v. Union Cabinet has given its approval for establishment of new All India Institute of Medical Sciences at Kamrup, Assam.

9. J&K AGRICULTURE MINISTER LAUNCHES E-PLANT CLINICS
i. The J&K government has launched an e-clinics service for farmers. It is being launched with an aim to double farmers’ income by 2022.
ii. The Department of Agriculture, in collaboration with Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International, has set up 15 plant clinics in Samba, Kathua and Jammu.
iii. By setting up of these clinics will also help in achieving the goal of doubling the famers’ income by 2022. It also helps in protecting the crops from diseases.

10. RBI ALLOWS CO-OPERATIVE BANKS TO ISSUE MOBILE WALLETS
i. Reserve Bank of India announced that it has decided to permit all licensed co-operative banks having their own ATM network to issue semi-closed prepaid payment instruments PPIs like mobile wallets.
ii. A notification has been issued by RBI which enlists strict norms and conditions to be followed by co-operative banks before permitting them to issue wallets for utility bill payments and other activities up to a limit of Rs 10,000.
iii. RBI has also laid down following criteria:
a) Banks should be core banking or CBS compliant, The net non-performing assets should be less than 3%, There should be no monetary penalty being imposed on the entity during the last two financial years.
b) The bank should be profitable in the previous financial year, A comprehensive customer grievance redressal mechanism should be set up and The bank should have internal and audit inspection processes both for its branches as well as the head office.

11. BHEL COMMISSIONS 270 MW THERMAL UNIT IN MAHARASHTRA
i. BHEL has commissioned a 270 mw thermal unit in Maharashtra. The project is owned by Maharashtra State Power Generation Company.
ii. The unit has been commissioned at Parli Thermal Power Station, located in Beed district in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra.
iii. BHEL has been a major partner in the power development programme of the state. It has commissioned 16,000 mw of power generation capacity in Maharashtra.

12. SOCIALIST LENIN MORENO SWORN IN AS PRESIDENT OF ECUADOR
i. Lenin Moreno was sworn in as President of Ecuador. The Lenin Moreno is  a socialist.
ii. Moreno is one of the world’s few paraplegic heads of state and he said in his speech that he will continue anti-poverty programs.

OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS BASED ON TODAY’S NEWS

Q1. WHICH AMONG THE FOLLOWING NATION RATIFIED THE INTERNATIONAL SOLAR ALLIANCE FRAMEWORK PACT?
a)  Nauru
b)  Kenya
c)  Morocco
d)  Algeria
Q2. 3RD REGIONAL COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP INTER-SESSIONAL MINISTERIAL MEETING WAS HELD ON 21-22 MAY 2017 IN:
a)  Colombo, Sri Lanka
b)  Hanoi, Vietnam
c)  Wellington, New Zealand
d)  Kathmandu, Nepal
Q3. _________ AND IFFCO HAVE ROLLED OUT THEIR FIRST SET OF CO-BRANDED DEBIT CARDS FOR FARMERS AS PART OF A NOVEL INITIATIVE TO PUSH DIGITALISATION AND CASHLESS ECONOMY.
a)  Punjab National Bank
b)  State Bank of India
c)  Bank of Baroda
d)  Corporation Bank
Q4. WHO AMONG THE FOLLOWING HAS WON THE COVETED INTERNATIONAL CRICKETER OF THE YEAR AWARD AT THE CEAT CRICKET RATING INTERNATIONAL AWARDS 2017?
a)  Rohit Sharma
b)  Virat Kohli
c)  Brendon McCullum
d)  R Ashwin
Q5. WHO IS THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK “WINNING LIKE VIRAT: THINK & SUCCEED LIKE KOHLI”?
a)  Abhirup Bhattacharya
b)  Rajdeep Sardesai
c)  Charu Sharma
d)  Harsha Bhogle

ANSWERS: 

1 - A    2 - B    3 - C    4 - D    5 - A