NATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
Uttarakhand Police Launches ‘Mission Hausla’: The Uttarakhand Police has launched
a drive called “Mission Hausla” to help people get oxygen, beds, ventilators,
and plasma for Covid-19 patients. Besides these, police will also help the
public to get medicines meant for Covid-19 management as part of the mission
and rations. Delivering medicines, oxygen and ration at the doorsteps of
families battling the coronavirus and coordinating between plasma donors and
those in need of it will also be some of the activities to be taken up by the
police as part of the mission. Police stations will serve as nodal centres for
managing crowds in market areas and ensuring COVID- appropriate behaviour by
people like wearing masks and social distancing in public places, he said.
Stern action will be taken against those who violate the norms.
Note: Chief Minister of Uttarakhand: Tirath
Singh Rawat; Governor of Uttarakhand: Baby Rani Maurya.
2.
Cyclone Taukate hits many states: Cyclone Taukate has obtained its maximum
intensity in the wee hours of Sunday and has now become a Very Severe Cyclonic
Storm (wind speed of 118 to 166 km/hr). The latest cyclone alert issued by the
India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that this storm would reach
close to Gujarat coast, Maharashtra, Goa. Light to moderate intensity rainfall
is expected to continue over coastal Karnataka and Kerala till Monday.
Note: India Meteorological Department
Headquarters: MausamBhavan, Lodhi Road, New Delhi; India Meteorological
Department Founded: 1875.
3.
Chhattisgarh Govt to Fund Education of Children Orphaned Due to Covid-19: The Chhattisgarh
government said it will bear education expenses of the children who have lost
parents to COVID-19. The state government has decided to launch the
‘Chhattisgarh MahtariDularYojna’ for such children. Under the scheme, a stipend
of Rs 500 per month will be paid to such children from Classes 1 to 8 and Rs
1,000 per month from Classes 9 to 12. Children studying in both government and
private schools will be entitled to this stipend. The state government will
also fund the education of the children who have lost breadwinner of the family
to COVID-19.
4.
Union Agriculture Ministry has allocated Rs 2250 Crore for realizing the huge
potential of horticulture sector in 2021-22: To further promote and for holistic
growth of the horticulture sector in the country, the Ministry of Agriculture
and Farmers Welfare has provided an enhanced allocation of Rs. 2250 Crore for
the year 2021-22 for ‘Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture’
(MIDH), a centrally sponsored scheme. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers
Welfare is implementing MIDH with effect from 2014-15.MIDH is implemented under
Green Revolution – Krishonnati Yojana. Under MIDH, Government of India (GoI)
contributes 60% of total outlay for developmental programmes in all the states
except states in North East and Himalayas, 40% share is contributed by State
Governments.
INTERNATIONALUPDATES:
1.
WHO classified Indian coronavirus variant as a “global variant of concern”: The World Health
Organization has classified a coronavirus variant found in India as a global
“variant of concern”. This variant has been named B.1.617. According to World
Health Organization, this variant is already spread to more than 30 countries.
It is more transmissible than other variants. This variant is also called the
“double mutant variant”. It was 1st identified by the United Kingdom health
authorities.
About the B.1.617 variant: The B.1.617 variant
is the fourth variant of coronavirus classified by the WHO. It has two
mutations referred to as E484Q and L452R. Viruses create one or more variants
by mutating themselves. Viruses mutate themselves so that they can cohabitate
with humans. Scientists across the world are still studying the Vaccine effectiveness
against the B.1.617 variant.
Note: WHO was established on 7 April 1948;
WHO is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international
public health; WHO is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland; WHO current
President is DrTedrosAdhanom Ghebreyesus.
2.
New Zealand PM JacindaArdern Tops Fortune’s World’s 50 Greatest Leaders 2021: New Zealand Prime
Minister, JacindaArdern has topped the ‘World’s 50 Greatest Leaders’ list for
2021, released by Fortune Magazine. The ‘World’s 50 Greatest Leaders’ list for
2021 is the eighth edition of the annual list which celebrates leaders, some
well-known and others who aren’t so familiar, who made a difference amid the
“truly unprecedented times” of the Covid-19 pandemic.From India, Adar
Poonawalla, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Serum Institute of India (SII)
is the only Indian among the top 10 names. He is placed in the 10th spot.
List of Top 10 Fortune’s World’s 50
Greatest Leaders 2021:
1.
JacindaArdern,
Prime Minister of New Zealand
2.
mRNA
Pioneers
3.
Dan
Schulman, CEO of PayPal
4.
Dr
John Nkengasong, director of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention
5.
Adam
Silver; Michele Roberts; Chris Paul, NBA Rescuers
6.
Jessica
Tan, founder of Ping An Group
7.
Justin
Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury for the Church of England/Anglican Church
8.
Stacey
Abrams, founder of Fair Fight
9.
Reshorna
Fitzpatrick, pastor for Proceeding Word Church, Chicago
10. Adar Poonawalla,
CEO of Serum Institute of India
3.
Harley-Davidson launches all-electric motorcycle brand ‘LiveWire’: Harley-Davidson
Inc. has launched an all-electric motorcycle brand “LiveWire,” the latest
effort by the company to ramp up bets on the rapidly growing electric vehicle
market. The company would create a separate electric vehicle-focused division,
as it aims to attract the next generation of younger and more environmentally
conscious riders. Named after Harley’s first electric motorbike, which was
unveiled in 2019, the “LiveWire” division is slated to launch its first branded
motorcycle in July.
Note: Harley-Davidson Inc. CEO: JochenZeitz
(Mar 2020–); Harley-Davidson Inc.
Founded: 1903.
4.
World Telecommunication and Information Society Day: 17th May: The World
Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) is observed every year on
17 May since 1969, to commemorate the founding of the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU). The theme of 2021 is “Accelerating Digital
Transformation in challenging times”.
History of the day: The ITU was
founded on 17 May 1865, when the first International Telegraph Convention was
signed in Paris. The main objective of the day is to raise global awareness of
the changes brought about by the Internet and new technologies in societies and
economies, as well as of ways to bridge the digital divide.
Note: International Telecommunication Union
Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland; International Telecommunication Union
Founded: 17 May 1865; International Telecommunication Union Secretary-General: Houlin Zhao.
5.
World Hypertension Day: 17th May: World Hypertension Day (WHD) is celebrated
on 17 May worldwide to promote public awareness of increasing high blood
pressure (BP) and to encourage citizens of all countries to prevent and control
this silent killer. The day was held for the first time in May 2005. World
Hypertension Day (WHD) is an initiative of the World Hypertension League (WHL),
an affiliated section of the International Society of Hypertension. The theme
for World Hypertension Day 2021 is Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately,
Control It, Live Longer.
6.
6th UN Global Road Safety Week: 17th-23rd May 2021: The 6th UN Global
Traffic Safety Week, which this year is celebrated between 17 and 23 May, call
for 30 km/h (20 mph) speed limits to be the norm for cities, towns and villages
worldwide. UN Global Road Safety Week (UNGRSW) is a biennial global road safety
campaign hosted by WHO. Each UNGRSW has an advocacy theme. The theme for the 6th UNGRSW is Streets for
Life, under the tagline #Love30. It brings together individuals, governments,
NGOs, corporations, and other organizations from around the world to raise
awareness of road safety and make changes that will reduce the number of road
deaths.
Note: WHO was established on 7 April 1948;
WHO is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland; WHO current President is
DrTedrosAdhanom Ghebreyesus.
OTHER UPDATES:
BANKING AND FINANCE
1.
RBI cancels licence of United Co-operative Bank: Reserve Bank of
India (RBI) has cancelled the licence of United Co-operative Bank Ltd over
inadequate capital, regulatory non-compliance, based in Bagnan, West Bengal.
Through an order dated May 10, 2021, the central bank has prohibited the
co-operative lender from carrying on banking business, with effect from the
close of business on May 13, 2021. RBI said it cancelled the licence as United
Co-operative Bank did not have adequate capital and earning prospects. “As
such, it does not comply with the provisions of section 11(1) and section
22(3)(d) read with section 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
Note: RBI 25th Governor: Shaktikant Das;
Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata.
2.
Airtel Payments Bank launches Digigold: Airtel Payments Bank has launched
“DigiGold”, a digital platform for customers to make investments in gold. This
has been rolled out in partnership with SafeGold, a provider of digital gold.
With DigiGold, Airtel Payments Bank’s saving account customers can invest in 24K
gold using the Airtel Thanks app. Customers can also gift DigiGold to their
family and friends, who have a savings account with Airtel Payments Bank.The
gold purchased by customers is stored securely by SafeGold at no additional
cost and can be sold through the Airtel Thanks app at any time in a matter of
few clicks. There is no minimum investment value requirement and customers can
start with as low as one rupee. Airtel Payments Bank recently increased its
savings deposit limit to ₹2 lakh in line with RBI guidelines. It now offers an
increased interest rate of 6% on deposits between ₹1-2 lakh.
Note: Airtel Payments Bank’s MD and CEO:
Nubrata Biswas; Airtel Payments Bank Headquarters: New Delhi; Airtel Payments
Bank Founded: January 2017.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
1.
Care Ratings Projects India’s GDP Forecast to 9.2% for FY22: The domestic
rating agency, Care Ratings, has revised the GDP growth forecast of India for
the current fiscal year 2021-2022 (FY22) to 9.2 per cent. This is lower than
10.2 per cent estimated earlier in April 2021.
Note: CARE Ratings Founded: 1993; CARE Ratings:
Mumbai, Maharashtra; CARE Ratings Managing Director & Chief Executive
Officer: Ajay Mahajan.
2.
World Bank report: India was largest recipient of remittances in 2020: India was the
largest recipient of remittances in 2020, as per the report, “Migration and
Development Brief “ released by the World Bank. India has been the largest
recipient of remittances since 2008. However, the remittance received by India
in 2020 was over USD 83 billion, which is a drop of 0.2 per cent from 2019 (USD
83.3 billion). Globally, the remittance flow was USD 540 billion in 2020, which
is 1.9% lower as compared to that of 2019, when it was USD 548 billion.
Top Five Countries: (1) The top five
remittance recipient countries in 2020, in current US dollar terms, were India,
China, Mexico, the Philippines, and Egypt.
(2) The top five recipients in 2020, as a
share of gross domestic product (GDP), were, by contrast, smaller economies:
Tonga, Lebanon, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and El Salvador.
Top Source Country For Remittance: (1) The largest
remittance-sending country in 2020 was United States (USD68 billion).
(2) It was followed by the UAE (USD43
billion), Saudi Arabia (USD34.5 billion), Switzerland (USD27.9 billion),
Germany (USD22 billion), and China (USD18 billion).
(3) From India, the Remittances outflow in
2020 was USD 7 billion, against USD 7.5 billion in 2019.
Note: World Bank Headquarters: Washington,
D.C., United States; World Bank Formation: July 1944; World Bank President:
David Malpass.
OBITUARIES
1.
Arjuna Award Winning Former Table Tennis National Champion V Chandrasekar
passes away: Three-time
National table tennis champion and former International paddler
VenugopalChandrasekar has passed away following COVID-related complications. He
was 63. Chandra, as he was popularly called, was a pioneer both as a player and
a coach. He was one of the most popular paddlers of his time, winning three
national championships. Chandra had reached the semifinals of the Commonwealth
Games in 1982. He won the Arjuna Award in 1982. Apart from this, he helped
India to progress to category I from II in the 1983 Tokyo World Championships.
2. Times Group Chairperson Indu Jain Passes Away: Pioneering philanthropist and Times Group Chairperson, Indu Jain has passed away due to Covid-related complications. The prominent Indian media personality, Indu Jain was the chairperson of India’s largest media group, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd., which is popularly known as the Times Group, which owns the Times of India and other large newspapers. Being a spiritualist, Jain had a deep knowledge of ancient scriptures and was the follower of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and SadhguruJaggiVasudev. Besides this, Jain was also passionate about women’s rights and was the founder president of Ficci Ladies Organisation (FLO).
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