22th May CURRENT AFFAIRS IN ENGLISH

1. Venezuela's Maduro wins re-election

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro was reelected for a second six-year term in presidential elections, according to the National Electoral Council (CNE).

• Some 14,638 voting centers have been set up nationwide for Venezuela's more than 20.5 million eligible voters.

2. India sixth wealthiest country with total wealth of $8,230 billion

   

India is the sixth wealthiest country in the world with a total wealth of $8,230 billion, while the U.S. is the richest nation globally, says a report.

• According to the AfrAsia Bank Global Wealth Migration Review, the US is the wealthiest country in the world with a total wealth of $62,584 billion, followed by China ($24,803 billion) in the second place and Japan ($19,522 billion) in third.
• Total wealth refers to the private wealth held by all the individuals living in each country. It includes all their assets (property, cash, equities, business interests) minus any liabilities.
• Government funds are excluded from these figures. Larger countries have an advantage due to higher populations.

3. May 21st is observed as Anti Terrorism Day

All over India, May 21st is observed as Anti Terrorism Day in the  memory of former Indian PM Mr Rajiv Gandhi who passed away on this day.

• On this day in the year 1991, former India’s PM Rajiv Gandhi was killed brutally by terrorist attacks.
• On this day Anti- terrorism pledge is taken in all government offices, PSU and in other public organisations.

4. Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala

As the death toll in the virus-induced fever in north Kerala rises to nine, the National Virology Institute in Pune has confirmed that the deceased were infected with Nipah virus (NiV).

• This is the first time the virus, which has high fatality rate and spreads mainly through bats, pigs and other animals, has been detected in the state.
• Nipah virus (NiV) infection is a newly-emerging zoonosis (a disease which can be transmitted to humans from animals) that causes severe disease in both animals and humans. The natural host of the virus are fruit bats of the Pteropodidae Family, Pteropus genus.
• NiV was first identified during an outbreak of disease that took place in Kampung Sungai Nipah, Malaysia in 1998. On this occasion, pigs were the intermediate hosts.

5. India drags US to WTO over steel, aluminium duties

 

India has dragged the US to the World Trade Organisation's dispute settlement mechanism over the imposition of import duties on steel and aluminium, an official said.

• India has stated that the decision will impact exports of these products to the US and it is not in compliance with global trade norms.

• The country has sought consultations with the US under the WTO's dispute settlement mechanism.

6. Anil Kumar Jha appointed CMD of Coal India

Anil Kumar Jha has been appointed as the chairman-cum-managing director (CMD) of Coal India Limited.

• Jha, at present the CMD of Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd, has been appointed to the post till his superannuation i.e. 31 January 2020.
• CIL is a state-owned coal mining company headquartered in Kolkata.

7. T.K. Ramanathan award for Prajnesh

Prajnesh Gunneswaran won the prestigious T.K. Ramanathan award for the year 2017-18 at the Tamil Nadu Tennis Association (TNTA) annual day function.

• He received a cash prize of Rs. 30,000.
• TNTA president M.A. Alagappan gave away the prizes.

8. Lionel Messi Wins European Golden Shoe for The 5th Time

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has won the European Golden Shoe for a fifth time.

• The Argentina international claimed the prize after scoring 34 goals in La Liga this season, helping his club to a 25th league triumph.
• Messi also won the award last year, as well as in 2010, 2012 and 2013.

9. Telugu writer Yaddanapudi Sulochana Rani dies

The famous pulp fiction writer Yaddanapudi Sulochana Rani passed away after suffering massive heart stroke in US.

• She was popular for her romantic novels. She was a rage from 60s to 80s.
• Many Telugu hit films were based on her novels.