Daily Current Affairs May 18

Dear Champions, as you all know that a lot of competitive exams have been notified consequently. Candidates have to prepare themselves according to the level of competition and expectation of the Recruitment board. Regarding that one of the most important topic is Daily Current Affairs May 18. Current Affairs in the form of contemporary events of national & international play a crucial role in almost every competitive exams like Banking, Insurance, SSC, UPSC, TNPSC, Railway etc.

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May 18| Daily Current Affairs 2023

Important Days – Daily Current Affairs May 18

1. Which date is annually marked as International Museum Day?
A) January 1
B) April 15
C) May 18
D) September 30
E) December 25
Answer: C) May 18

• International Museum Day is celebrated May 18 2023.
• Every year, since 1977, the International Council of Museums (ICOM) has organised International Museum Day, representing a unique moment for the museum community, worldwide.
• The theme for 2023 International Museum Day is Museums, Sustainability and Well-being.

World AIDS Vaccine Day 2023

• World AIDS Vaccine Day is observed on May 18 to highlight the need to develop a vaccine for the incurable disease.

History

• On May 18, 1997, former US President Bill Clinton delivered a speech at the Morgan State University in Maryland.
• He said that only a “truly effective, preventive HIV vaccine” would help control the spread of and eradicate HIV. Honouring the president’s speech, May 18 was marked as World AIDS Vaccine Day.
• The day was first observed a year later in 1998.

Global Accessibility Awareness Day

• Global Accessibility Awareness Day is observed on the third Thursday of May every year to raise awareness of the importance of digital accessibility, falling on May 18 this year.
• Global Accessibility Awareness Day launched in May 2012. It was inspired by a blog post from November 2011 by Los Angeles-based web developer Joe Devon.

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Obituary – Daily Current Affairs May 18

2. Rattan Lal Kataria passed away. He is related to which field?
A) Politician
B) Sports
C) Author
D) Journalist
E) Actor
Answer: A) Politician

• Former Union minister and the BJP’s Ambala MPRattan Lal Kataria passed away. He was 71.
• Kataria served as a minister of state in the Union ministry of jalshakti and the Union ministry of social justice and empowerment from May 2019 till July 2021.
• He was elected to the Lok Sabha from Ambala in 1999, 2014 and 2019, losing in 2004 and 2009 to Congress leader KumariSelja.
• Kataria served as the party’s Haryana unit chief from 2001 to 2003. During this time, he had also launched a magazine — BhajpakiBaat. He was also a minister in the Haryana government. Prior to that he had served as vice president of the BJP’s YuvaMorcha in 1980
• As a 13-year-old, Kataria had received an award from Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru for his singing skills.

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Banking and Finance – Daily Current Affairs May 18

3. Which financial services platform has recently gone live on the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC)?
A) Paytm
B) Google Pay
C) PhonePe
D) MobiKwik
E) Airpay
Answer: E) Airpay

• Integrated financial services platform airpay has gone live on the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).
• This will enable airpay’svyaapaaris to have access to an array of local businesses offering multiple products and services on ONDC to consumers.

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4. Which payments and financial services company has partnered with SBI Card to launch Paytm SBI Card on the RuPay network?
A) Paytm
B) Google Pay
C) PhonePe
D) PayPal
E) Amazon Pay
Answer: A) Paytm

• Payments and financial services company Paytm has partnered with SBI Card to launch Paytm SBI Card on the RuPay network.
• The Paytm and SBI Card partnership, which began in 2020, is now expanding with the addition of National Payments Corporation of India’s RuPay, as all three home-grown brands join forces to further drive the growth of inclusive, digital-first financial services in the country.
• Cardholders of either variant will be entitled to 2 per cent cashback on all Paytm ecosystem spends and 1 per cent cashback on all other purchases except wallet reloads and fuel expenditures.
• They will also receive the added benefit of a 1 per cent fuel surcharge waiver and Rs 1,00,000 cyber fraud insurance coverage in the case of ‘Platinum’ cardholders.
• As a welcome benefit, customers can enjoy exclusive privileges worth up to Rs 75,000 with a complimentary Paytm First membership that also includes OTT platform membership, flight ticket discounts through Paytm app.
• Cardholders will receive a cashback of 3 per cent on Paytm SBI card on booking movie and travel tickets on the Paytm app, 2 per cent cashback on all other purchases on Paytm app, and 1 per cent cashback on spends elsewhere.

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5. ICICI Lombard has partnered with which company to introduce revolutionary insurance solutions?
A) actyv.ai
B) Google
C) Microsoft
D) Amazon
E) Apple
Answer: A) actyv.ai

• ICICI Lombard, India’s leading private general insurance company, has announced a strategic partnership with actyv.ai, a Singapore-based enterprise SaaS platform with embedded B2B, BNPL (Buy Now Pay Later) and insurance.
• This collaboration aims to co-create innovative insurance products specifically tailored for enterprises and their supply chain partners, empowering sustainable growth and mitigating business risks in the evolving market landscape.
• Under this partnership, ICICI Lombard will collaborate with actyv.ai to design comprehensive insurance offerings for the entire supply chain ecosystem, encompassing distributors, retailers, and suppliers.

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6. Which bank has partnered with IKEA India to offer a hassle-free consumer financing option for its customers?
A) HDFC Bank
B) State Bank of India
C) ICICI Bank
D) Axis Bank
E) Punjab National Bank
Answer: A) HDFC Bank

• IKEA India joins hands with HDFC Bank by launching a hassle-free and convenient consumer financing option for all its customers. The partnership aims to give customers a convenient and cost-effective method to buy their favourite home furnishing products.
• As part of the collaboration, IKEA will provide its customers with an EMI-based financing option. This would help the customers to purchase the furniture and home decor products in instalments without facing any financial challenges.
• The financing option includes a combination of no-cost (0%) and low-cost (up to 10%) EMI options with terms ranging from 3 months to 30 months which will accommodate all kinds of home furnishing needs of the customers.
• The customers must provide their KYC information to the HDFC bank agent at the IKEA stores if they wish to redeem this financing option.

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Appointments – Daily Current Affairs May 18

7. Who has been assigned the independent charge as Minister of State in the Ministry of Law and Justice?
A) Narendra Singh Tomar
B) SmritiIrani
C) Dharmendra Pradhan
D) Arjun Ram Meghwal
E) Piyush Goyal
Answer: D) Arjun Ram Meghwal

• Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Culture Arjun Ram Meghwal has been assigned the independent charge as Minister of State in the Ministry of Law and Justice.
• Mr Meghwal will replace Union Minister KirenRijiju.
• Mr Rijiju who was serving as Law and Justice Minister will now hold the portfolio of Ministry of Earth Sciences.
• Union Minister Jitendra Singh was holding charge of the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
• Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel has been assigned as Minister of State in the Health and Family Welfare Ministry.
• Prof.Baghel was serving as Minister of State in the Law and Justice Ministry.
• Rijiju took over as the Law and Justice Minister on July 8, 2021. Prior to this, he served as the Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Youth Affairs and Sports from May 2019 to July 2021.

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8. Who is serving as the caretaker prime minister and interim head of the cabinet of Afghanistan?
A) Mawlawi Abdul Kabir
B) Ashraf Ghani
C) Hamid Karzai
D) Dr. Abdullah Abdullah
E) Amrullah Saleh
Answer: A) Mawlawi Abdul Kabir

• In Afghanistan, the Taliban regime has appointed Mawlawi Abdul Kabir as the caretaker prime minister and interim head of the cabinet.
• The decision was taken by the supreme leader of the Afghan Taliban, Mullah HaibitullahAkhund, owing to the ill health of Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, the acting head of the Taliban regime.
• Mullah Hassan Akhund and MawlawiKabir had both served as members of the Supreme Council as deputies to the Taliban’s prime minister late Mullah Rabbani between 1996 and 2001.

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International Affairs – Daily Current Affairs May 18

9. Where did the first meeting of the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) take place?
A) New Delhi
B) Mumbai
C) Brussels
D) Paris
E) London
Answer: C) Brussels

• The first meeting of the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) in Brussels marks a significant milestone in the strategic partnership between India and the European Union due to its focus on critical domains.
• The meeting, co-chaired on the Indian side by the EAM, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, and Communications, Electronics and IT Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, covered key focus areas of strategic technologies, digital governance, and green energy technologies.
• The TTC was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, during her visit to India in April last year.
• It led to the creation of three Working Groups under the TTC: Working Group on Strategic Technologies, Digital Governance and Digital Connectivity; Working Group on Green and Clean Energy Technologies; and Working Group on Trade, Investment and Resilient Value Chains.
• India and the European Union (EU) have agreed to coordinate their policies in the strategic semiconductor sector with an aim to conclude an agreement by September.

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10. Who co-chaired the 17th meeting of the India-US Defence Policy Group (DPG) in Washington DC?
A) Shri GiridharAramane and Dr. Colin Kahl
B) Shri GiridharAramane and Mr. Lloyd Austin
C) Shri Rajnath Singh and Dr. Colin Kahl
D) Shri GiridharAramane and Dr. Mark Esper
E) Shri Ajay Kumar and Dr. Colin Kahl
Answer: A) Shri GiridharAramane and Dr. Colin Kahl

• Defence Secretary Shri GiridharAramane and US Under Secretary of Defence for Policy Dr Colin Kahl co-chaired the 17th meeting of India-US Defence Policy Group (DPG) in Washington DC.
• The meeting was cordial and productive. The two sides reviewed the progress made in furthering defence industrial cooperation and operationalising the India-US Major Defence Partnership.
• Important aspects such as military-to-military cooperation, implementation of foundational defence agreements, exercises and the ongoing & future cooperative activities in the Indian Ocean Region were discussed
• The DPG is the apex official-level mechanism between Ministry of Defence, India and US Department of Defence. It comprehensively reviews and guides all aspects of bilateral defence cooperation with a focus on policy.

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National Affairs – Daily Current Affairs May 18

11. Which route was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for India’s 17th Vande Bharat Express?
A) Delhi-Agra
B) Mumbai-Ahmedabad
C) Chennai-Bengaluru
D) Puri-Howrah
E) Kolkata-Darjeeling
Answer: D) Puri-Howrah

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off India’s 17th Vande Bharat Express on the Puri-Howrah route via video conferencing.
• The inauguration ceremony of the train took place in the presence of Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and CM Naveen Patnaik.
• Odisha now has its first Vande Bharat train with this flag-off, while West Bengal has its second train.
• He laid foundation stone and dedicated several railway projects worth more than Rs 8,000 crore in Odisha.
• The prime minister also laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of Puri and Cuttack railway stations.
• He dedicated 100 percent electrification of the rail network in Odisha, doubling of the Sambalpur-Titlagarh rail line, a new broad gauge rail line between Angul-Sukinda, the third line connecting Manoharpur-Rourkela-Jharsuguda-Jamga and a new line between Bichhupali-Jhartarbha.

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12. Who inaugurated the International Museum Expo 2023 at PragatiMaidan in New Delhi?
A) President Ram NathKovind
B) Prime Minister Narendra Modi
C) Minister of Culture Prahlad Singh Patel
D) Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal
E) Minister of State for Culture MeenakshiLekhi
Answer: B) Prime Minister Narendra Modi

• The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the International Museum Expo 2023 at PragatiMaidan in New Delhi.
• He also inaugurated a virtual walkthrough of the upcoming National Museum at the North and South Blocks.
• The Museum is a comprehensive effort to highlight and showcase historical events, personalities, ideas and achievements related to India’s past that have contributed to the making of India’s present.
• The Prime Minister also took a walkthrough of Techno Mela, Conservation Lab and the Exhibitions showcased on the occasion.
• The International Museum Expo is being organized as part of AzadikaAmritMahotsav to celebrate the 47th International Museum Day with the theme of the year ‘Museums, Sustainability and Well Being’.
• The Museum Expo is designed to initiate a holistic conversation on Museums with museum professionals to enable them to evolve as cultural centers that play a pivotal role in India’s cultural diplomacy.
• The Prime Minister also unveiled the mascot of the expo, an image of the prehistoric dancing girl (found from Mohenjo-daro) stylized in Channapatna toys form, a graphic novel on museum, a directory of Indian museums, a pocket map of Kartavya Path, and a deck of 75 cards featuring various museums in India.
• The Mascot of the International Museum Expo is a contemporized version of the Dancing Girl made of wood in the Chennapatnam art style. The Graphic Novel portrays a group of children visiting the National Museum where they learn about the different career opportunities that are available at the museum.

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13. Where was the 8th All India Pension Adalat organized?
A) VigyanBhawan, Delhi
B) RashtrapatiBhavan, Delhi
C) Raj Bhavan, Mumbai
D) Parliament House, New Delhi
E) Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, Delhi
Answer: A) VigyanBhawan, Delhi

• Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Dr.Jitendra Singh inaugurated the 8th All India Pension Adalat in Delhi, where chronic cases will be taken up and resolved.
• Till date 7 All India Pension Adalats have been organised by the Department, in which 24,218 cases have been taken up and 17235 cases have been resolved.
• The Minister will also preside over the 50th PRC (Pre-Retirement Counselling) Workshop. Conducted by Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare, this PRC is being organised for 1200 officers of all ministries and departments who are going to retire in next 6 months.

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14. How many equipment and items were indigenised by December 2022 as part of the ‘positive indigenisation list’?
A) 152
B) 176
C) 164
D) 185
E) 140
Answer: C) 164

• A total of 164 equipment and items identified under the import restrictions as part of the ‘positive indigenisation list’ has been indigenised by December 2022.
• It put the annual import substitution values of the items at Rs 814 crore.
• The defence ministry has issued four lists so far comprising components and subsystems which were to to be procured from domestic industry after a ban on their import kicks in under a staggered time-line spanning till December 2028.
• The first list was brought out in December 2021, second one in March 2022, third in August 2022 and fourth one with 928 items was issued on May 14.
• The aim of the positive indigenisation list (PLI) is to minimise imports by the defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs).
• DDP has notified four PILs consisting of 4,666 items, including line replacement units (LRUs), sub-systems, spares and components for DPSUs.
• The first PIL comprised 2,851 items, second one had 107, third PIL comprised 780 items and fourth one had 928.

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15. Who delivered the inaugural address at the National AYUSH Mission Conclave organized by the Ministry of AYUSH?
A) Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya
B) Dr. Harsh Vardhan
C) Dr. Rajesh Bhushan
D) Dr.Harshvardhan Pandey
E) Dr. Mansukh L. Mandaviya
Answer: A) Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya

• Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya delivered the inaugural address at the National AYUSH Mission Conclave organized by Ministry of AYUSH.
• Comprehensive Ayush Health Management System and Education Learning Management System launched by Dr.Mandaviya and Shri SarbanandaSonowal.
• Health and Ayush Ministers from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Assam and Mizoram and representatives from Jammu and Kashmir among others participated in the event.
• NAM is the flagship programme of the Ministry of Ayush and with active cooperation of states and Union Territories, it is changing the health and wellness landscape of the country.
• The NAM was launched in 2014.
• It aims to enhance the availability, accessibility, and quality of Ayush healthcare services across the country through AHWCs as part of the government’s Ayushman Bharat scheme.
• The Union Cabinet approved the operationalisation of 12,500 AHWCs by upgrading existing Ayush dispensaries/Health sub-centres in centrally sponsored scheme mode and under the broad umbrella of NAM.
• To date, more than 8,500 AHWCs have been set up across India.

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16. Who launched the SagarParikramaYatra Phase-V in Karanja, Raigad, Maharashtra?
A) Shri ParshottamRupala
B) Shri GiridharAramane
C) Shri Narendra Singh Tomar
D) Shri Rajnath Singh
E) Shri Nitin Gadkari
Answer: A) Shri ParshottamRupala

• The Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Shri Parshottam Rupala launched the SagarParikramaYatra Phase-V in Karanja, Raigad, Maharashtra.
• The SagarParikramaYatra Phase-V would be proceeding towards coastal regions are like Gateway of India, Karanja (Raigad District), Mirkarwada (Ratnagiri District), Devgad (Sindhudurg District), Malvan, Vasco, Mormugaon, Canacona (South Goa).
• Journey of SagarParikrama is an evolutionary, envisaged in the sea across the coastal belt demonstrating solidarity with all fisherfolks, fish farmers and concerned stakeholders.
• It is an initiative by Government of India, with an aim to resolve the issues of the fishers, other stakeholders and facilitate their economics upliftment through various fisheries schemes and programs being implemented by the Government of India such as Pradhan MantriMatsyaSampadaYojana (PMMSY) and Kisan Credit Card (KCC).
• Phase I Programme of ‘SagarParikrama’ was organized in Gujarat, started on 5th March 2022 from Mandvi and ended on 6th March 2022 at Porbandar, Gujarat.
• The voyage SagarParikrama as Phase –II programme started on 22nd September 2022 from Mangrol to Veraval and ended at MulDwaraka, on 23rd September 2022 from MulDwaraka to Madhwad.
• Phase III Program of ‘SagarParikrama’ started on 19th Feb 2023 from Surat, Gujarat, and ended on 21st Feb 2023 at Sasson Dock, Mumbai.
• Phase IV program started from Mormugao Port, Goa on 17th March 2023 and ended on 19th March 2023 in Mangalore.

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