CURRENT AFFAIRS 16TH APRIL 2018

1. Reliance Jio raises Rs 3250 crore from Japan-based banks

• Reliance Jio has signed an agreement to raise nearly Rs 3,250 crore as samurai term loan from Japanese banks.
• It had signed approximately JPY 53.5 billion samurai term loan with 7 year bullet maturity.
• This deal is said to be the largest samurai loan (low interest loans from Japanese investors) for an Asian corporate company.
• This facility has been sponsored by Mizuho Bank, Ltd., MUFG Bank, Ltd. and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Singapore Branch. It will be launched into syndication soon.

2. Dharmendra to receive Raj Kapoor Lifetime Achievement award

• Veteran Bollywood actor Dharmendra will be conferred with the reputable Raj Kapoor Lifetime Achievement award at the 55th Maharashtra State Marathi Film Festival. The famous filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani will get Raj Kapoor Special Contribution award in the same event.
• Announcement was made by Maharashtra Education and Cultural Affairs Minister Vinod Tawde.
• The lifetime achievement awards carry a citation and cash reward of five lakh rupees while the special contribution awards carry a citation and three lakh rupees cash prize each.
• “He-Man”, “Sholay”, “Chupke Chupke”, “Yaadon Ki Baaraat”, “Satyakam” and “Seeta Aur Geeta” are some of the popular movies in which Dharmendra played the lead role.

3. 7th Edition of Home Expo India 2018 inaugurated by Smriti Irani

• The 7th edition of Home Expo India 2018 was inaugurated at India Expo Centre & Mart in Greater Noida by Union Minister of Textiles Smriti Irani.
• It was organised by Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH).
• Minister of State for Textiles Ajay Tamta was the guest of honour.
• Home Expo India 2018 is expected to generate business deals for direct import.

4. L&T and BEL signed MoU for defence products

• Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) signed MoU to serve the needs of export markets for defence products.
• The MoU seeks to support the capabilities of both firms for meeting the growing requirements of the Indian Armed Forces (IAF).

5. President of India received the first copy of book ‘Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar: Vyakti Nahin Sankalp’

• President Ram Nath Kovind received the first copy of the book ‘Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar: Vyakti Nahin Sankalp’ from Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, who released it at a function at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.
• This book covers the inspiring life of Dr Ambedkar and several dimensions of his ideas and personality.
• It also referenced how Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been inspired by the life and message of Dr Ambedkar.

6. NPCIL signed MoU with NSDC to spur Centre's Skill India mission

• The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) to provide skill training to 500 youth and women at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu.
• This project will be executed by NSDC through its approved training partners near Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP).
• This is the largest nuclear power station in India situated in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu.

7. Saina Nehwal won 2nd CWG Gold in CWG 2018

• Shuttler Saina Nehwal defeated PV Sindhu in the first-ever all-Indian women's singles final at the Commonwealth Games.
• Nehwal won her second Commonwealth Games singles gold medal after having won it at the 2010 Delhi Games.
• She is the only Indian female badminton player to win singles gold in Commonwealth Games history.

8. Kidambi Srikanth won his 1st CWG Silver in CWG 2018

• 25-year-old Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth won his career's first Commonwealth Games singles Silver medal.
• In finals, he lost to Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei.
• Only three Indian shuttlers have won CWG men's singles title– Prakash Padukone (1978), Syed Modi (1982) and Parupalli Kashyap (2014).