Current Affairs 19th May 2016

1. Moody's pegs India's growth rate at 7.5% in 2016 & 2017

2. Centre to postpone NEET by a year

i. Buckling under pressure, the Centre has decided to defer the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for medical college admission by a year through an ordinance or executive order.

3. Bonded labour rehab to be made Central sector scheme by Labour Minister (Independent) Bandaru Dattatreya


4. Govt approves three pharma FDI proposals worth Rs. 60.73 crore
i. The Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) has approved Rs.60.73 crore worth of foreign direct investment (FDI) proposals of Wockhardt, Aurobindo Pharma and Advanced Enzyme Technologies.

5. SBI seeks to take over 5 associate PSBs, Bhartiya Mahila Bank

6. Nepal SBI Bank launches payment gateway

7. PNB tops list of worst losses in Indian banking history

8. Apple announces opening of its map development centre in Hyderabad

9. Ola signs MoU with government to benefit 'Safai Karamcharis'

10. BHEL commissions 250 MW thermal unit in Maharashtra

11. Tata Power bags 100 mw solar projects in Karnataka

12. Nomura exits mutual fund JV with LIC
i. The Japanese financial company Nomura has announced fully departure of its mutual fund joint venture with insurance giant Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC). As a result, LIC Nomura Mutual Fund has now been renamed LIC Mutual Fund.

13. Five Indian car models fail NCAP crash test
The cars that failed the crash tests are the Renault Kwid, Maruti Suzuki’s Celerio and Eeco, Mahindra Scorpio and Hyundai Eon.

14. Ola sign MoU with KIAB
i. App-based cab service provider Ola has launched a unique initiative for travellers arriving at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA).

15. Rakesh Kumar Mishra appointed as CCMB director
i. Rakesh Kumar Mishra, a noted expert in the study of function of genes, has been appointed as the new Director of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

16. Scientists develop world’s first Zika virus clone

17. UN-Habitat releases World Cities Report 2016, Urbanization and Development: Emerging Futures
i. As per United Nations report, India is projected to add 300 million new urban residents by 2050 and it will also need to build Climate Friendly cities to deal the challenge of accommodating the needs of the Population growth.

18. UN Secretary-General appoints Patricia Espinosa Cantellano Executive Secretary of UNFCCC
i. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Patricia Espinosa Cantellano of Mexico as Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

19. Indian-American Rupa Iyer awarded for teaching in US

20. Sevilla win 3rd consecutive Europa League title