Exam Power: 30 April 2018 Today Current Affairs

Exam Power: 30 April 2018 Current Affairs

Sikkim Chief Minister Becomes India's Longest-Serving Chief Minister

Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling became the longest-serving Chief Minister in India, surpassing the record of Jyoti Basu, was Chief Minister of West Bengal for 23 years from 21st June 1977 till 6th November 2000.

Chamling became the Chief Minister in December 1994 and belongs to the Sikkim Democratic Front.

Former PM Manmohan Singh Launches Economist Rao's Book

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh released a book titled ‘My Journey from Marxism-Leninism to Nehruvian Socialism’ by former Planning Commission and Finance Commission member C H Hanumantha Rao.

Mr Rao is presently one of the most creative thinkers, social activist, and distinguished economist in India.

Gujarati Poet Sitanshu Yashaschandra Chosen For Saraswati Samman 2017

Gujarati poet, playwright and academic Sitanshu Yashaschandra were selected for 2017 Saraswati Samman for his collection of verses (poetry) titled “Vakhar” published in 2009. I

It was 27 edition of the award.

Sitanshu Yashaschandra was born in 1941 in Gujarat’s Bhuj district.

He has three poetry collections Odysseusnu Halesu, Jatayu, and Vakhar to his credit.

He is also a recipient of the Padma Shri and Sahitya Akademi Award.

LCA Tejas Successfully Fired Air-To-Air BVR Missile

Indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas successfully fired an air-to-air beyond visual range (BVR) missile.

With this, Tejas has demonstrated its overall capability as an effective combat jet and inched closer to receive final operational clearance.

The test firing of the missile from a Tejas jet was carried off the Goa coast and it met all operational requirements.

The successful launch of the BVR missile will expedite issuance of the Final Operational Clearance to the aircraft developed by state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

HDFC Bank Launches IRA 2.0

HDFC Bank launched IRA 2.0, its interactive humanoid at the Koramangala Branch in Bengaluru.

The interactive humanoid in its advance version is aimed to enhance user experience for customers visiting in the branch.

HDFC Bank has developed IRA (Interactive Robotic Assistant) 2.0 in collaboration with its technology partners Invento Makerspaces and Senseforth Technologies.

It became the first bank in India to introduce a humanoid IRA 1.0 for customer service at the Kamala Mills Branch in Mumbai. Currently, IRA 1.0 is stationed at the Palarivattom Branch in Kochi.

Paytm introduces 'Tap Card' offline payments solution

One97 Communications Limited, the owner of digital payment major, Paytm, announced the launch of its offline payments solution - the Paytm Tap Card, in line with the company's vision to provide seamless payments solutions for non-internet customers.

->This card uses Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to enable safe and convenient digital payments, completely offline at Paytm-issued, NFC PoS terminals, in under a second. 

->Payments, users can add money from their Paytm account by scanning the QR code on the Tap Card and by authenticating it at any of the add value machines (AVM).

->Paytm Tap Card is a solution that also addresses any network-related concerns at the consumers' or merchants' end. In the endeavour to ease out payments, Paytm is partnering with events, educational institutes and corporates in the first phase to enable quick digital payments using this card. The customer has to simply tap the card at a merchant terminal to pay, offering them a mode of payment through Paytm even while they are not carrying their phones.

COO of Paytm. -  Kiran Vasireddy

Rafael Nadal Wins 11th Barcelona Title

Rafael Nadal won his 11th Barcelona Open title on clay.

He defeated the 19-year-old Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas to clinch the title. Nadal who also won his 11th Monte Carlos Masters title recently.

This was his 55th title on clay - and the 77th overall in his illustrious career.

The 63rd-ranked Tsitsipas was trying to become the first Greek to win an ATP Tour title.

He was the first Greek to make it to an ATP final since Nicholas Kalogeropoulos in 1973.Tsitsipas was the youngest finalist in Barcelona since 2005.

56th Belgrade International Boxing Tournament In Serbia

The 56th edition of Belgrade International Boxing Championship was held at Belgrade in Serbia.  

Indian boxers won three gold, five silver and five bronze medals at this championship. Among Gold medal winners, Sumit Sangwan won the final bout by defeating Ecuador’s Castillo Torres in 91 kg category.

Indian woman boxer Nikhat Zareen won the Gold medal in 51 kg by defeating Greece’s Koutsoeorgopoulou Aikaterini in the final bout. Himanshu Sharma (49 kg) too won a Gold medal by defeating Algeria’s Mohammed Touareg in the final bout.

North Korea to rejoin South's time zone in conciliatory gesture

North Korea will move its clocks 30 minutes forward to unify with the South's time zone starting this Saturday as a conciliatory gesture after last week's inter-Korean summit, the North's official news agency said.

The two countries on the divided peninsula have had different time zones since 2015 when the North suddenly changed its standard time to 30 minutes behind the South.

Pyongyang cited a nationalistic rationale, saying it would return the North to the time zone used before Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of the peninsula to mark the 70th anniversary of its liberation from Tokyo.

But North Korean leader Kim Jong Un promised to change the time zone back during the historic summit with South Korean President Moon Jae In.

Sources : TOI, Business Standard, The Hindu, ANI, Economic Times