12th May CURRENT AFFAIRS IN ENGLISH

1. India Pavilion Inaugurated at Cannes Film Festival 2018

The inaugural session of the Indian Pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival 2018 was held at Cannes, France.

• Hosted by noted actor Shri Sharad Kelkar, the Indian delegation present consisted of H.E. Vinay Mohan Kwatra, Ambassador of India to France.
• The agenda of the delegation from India this year is to showcase diversity in films of our country while furthering collaborations with various other countries.

2. Joint Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Surveillance of Maldives

Indian Naval (IN) ship Sumedha, a Naval Offshore Patrol Vessel (NOPV), has been deployed to undertake joint EEZ surveillance of Maldives from 09 to 17 May 18, as part of Indian Navy’s ‘Mission Based Deployments’.

• The ship would undertake an Operational Turnaround (OTR) at Male from 11 to 12 May 2018, during which the ship would interact and impart training to Maldives’ National Defence Forces (MNDF) personnel.
• Sumedha would also embark MNDF personnel onboard and undertake joint EEZ surveillance of Maldives from 12 to 15 May 2018.
• The MNDF personnel would be disembarked at Male, on completion of the EEZ surveillance.

3. RBSM-India 2018 to commence on May 15

Commerce Secretary of the Government of India, Rita A Teaotia, will inaugurate the two-day second Reverse Buyers Sellers Meet (RBSM) commencing from May 15 in Mumbai for promoting export of mangoes and other tropical fruits and products.

• The Meet is being organized by the APEDA Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, in association with the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
• Its objective is to promote and give a fillip to exports of Indian mangos and other tropical fruits like pomegranate, pinesapple, banana and jackfruits from the country and to develop new markets for promotion of these fruits and processed products.

4. National Technology Day: 11 May

National Technology Day is observed every year on 11th of May in India, acting as a reminder of the anniversary of Shakti.

• Shakti is the Pokhran nuclear test which was held on 11th of May, 1998.
• The day highlights the important role of Science in our daily lives and encourages students to embrace Science as a career option.

5. Modi, Oli jointly inaugurate Janakpur-Ayodhya direct bus service

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepalese counterpart K P Sharma Oli jointly inaugurated a direct bus service between Janakpur and Ayodhya - the two sacred cities for Hindus.

• Modi flagged off the bus after visiting the famed 20th century Janaki temple, dedicated to the Hindu goddess Sita, where he offered special prayers.
• Janakpur is known as the birth place of Sita, the wife of Lord Rama. Janaki temple was built in memory of Sita in 1910.

6. YES Bank to launch water-security programme

 

YES Bank is all set to roll out a capacity building project with farmers in Haryana and Rajasthan under its ‘Livelihood and Water Security’ CSR initiative.

• This initiative is aimed at improving farmers’ access to finance, ensuring effective use of digital banking resources, and imparting good agricultural practices.

7. India's growth to accelerate to 7.3% in FY19, says Fitch

India's economic growth will accelerate to 7.3 per cent in the current fiscal and 7.5 per cent in the next fiscal.

• Fitch said that the money supply has recovered to its pre-demonetisation level and disruptions related to the rollout of GST have diminished.
• The Indian economy continued to bounce back in the final quarter of 2017, growing 7.2 per cent.

8. Bharat Biotech receives National Technology Award for Rotavac

Leading vaccine maker Bharat Biotech has received the National Technology Award for 2018 from the Central government's Technology Development Board for its Rotavac vaccine.

• This prestigious award for innovative technologies, successfully developed and commercialized from India, was presented by President Ram Nath Kovind at the Technology Day ceremony held at Vigyan in New Delhi.
• Launched in 2015 Rotavac was introduced into the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) in India during 2016, with initial implementation in 9 states.

9. Book Release By Chief of Army Staff

Gen Bipin Rawat, Chief of Army the Staff released the book 'Across the Bench - Insight into the Indian Military Judicial System' by Lt Gen Gyan Bhushan, former Army Commander and Member 'A', Armed Forces Tribunal, Lucknow Bench.

• The book deals with military judicial system vis-a-vis command and management issues within the military establishments besides the whole gamut of issues relating to veterans, their families and dependents.