1. ISRO chairman flags off shipment of India's largest liquid hydrogen storage tank

• ISRO Chairman K Sivan flagged off the shipment of India's largest liquid hydrogen storage tank at the VRV Asia Pacific's manufacturing plant at Sri City in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.
• The storage capacity of the tank is 120 kilo liters. Liquid hydrogen is used as fuel for satellite launch vehicles
• VRV Asia Pacific manufactured the storage tank with a (LIN) shield, in a collaborative effort with SDSC SHAR, under the Make in India initiative.

Foot Notes:

2. Asian Development Bank to provide USD 750 million loan to India for railway track electrification project

• Multilateral funding agency Asian Development Bank (ADB) said it has signed an agreement to provide USD 750 million equivalent in Indian rupee long-term financing to electrify railway tracks in India.
• It is the largest single non-sovereign loan ever committed by ADB to Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) to fund the railways track electrification project, ADB said in a release.

Foot Notes:

About Asian Development Bank
♦ Founded: 19 Dec 1966
♦ Headquarters: Mandaluyong, Philippines
♦ President: Takehiko Nakao

3. Shakib tops ODI all-rounders list, no Indian in top 10

• Senior Bangladesh cricketer Shakib Al Hasan jumped to the top of the latest MRF Tyres ICC ODI rankings for all-rounders, which doesn't feature a single Indian in the top-10 chart.
• In the three matches of the series, Shakib totalled 140 runs, including two unbeaten half-centuries and also picked up two wickets.
• Shakib now has 359 points, 20 clear of Afghanistan's Rashid Khan, the previous holder of the top ranking, who has now slipped to No. 2.

Foot Notes:

About Bangladesh
♦ Capital: Dhaka
♦ Currency:Bangladeshi taka
♦ Prime Minister:Sheikh Hasina

4. IAF successfully test fires aerial version of BrahMos missile

• The Indian Air Force has successfully test fired the aerial version of the supersonic BrahMos cruise missile from a Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft.
• The 2.5 tonne air-to-surface missile has a range of around 300 km, and it will significantly enhance the IAF's combat capability, military officials said.
• The BrahMos cruise missile travels at a speed of Mach 2.8, nearly three times that of sound.

Foot Notes:

About Indian Air Force
♦ Founded: 08 Oct 1932
♦ Headquarters: New Delhi, India
♦ Air Chief Marshal :S. Krishnaswamy

5. Amazon likely to get the .amazon domain name

• Jeff Bezos-led Amazon has bagged a seven-year dispute over the '.amazon' domain name from the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). The Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation (ACTO), a group with member countries including Brazil backed the dispute.
• The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) decided to proceed with designation requested by Amazon pending a 30-day period of public comment.
• Amazon intends to use the domain with its multiple business streams so internet addresses like ‘books.amazon’ and ‘alexa.amazon’ can be used by 2019.

Foot Notes:

About Amazon
♦ Founded: 05 Jul 1994
♦ Headquarters: Seattle
♦ CEO: Jeff Bezos

6. World Tortoise Day is observed on 23rd May

• World turtle day is observed on 23rd May. It is sponsored yearly since 2000 by American Tortoise Rescue.
• The aim is to bring attention to, and increase knowledge of and respect for, turtles and tortoises, and encourage human action to help them survive and thrive. This year the day spotlights on freshwater turtles.
• The herpetologists, one who studies about amphibians and reptiles, have launched a unique initiative to gather more information about India’s freshwater turtles and tortoises.

Foot Notes:
♦ American Tortoise Rescue (ATR) is an animal rescue organization dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, adoption and protection of all tortoise and turtle species, and the protection of their environments. Located in Malibu, CA, ATR is a United States nonprofit corporation.
♦ Founded: 1990

7. UAE launched the Gold card visa scheme for expatriates

• The UAE has launched a Golden Card visa scheme, a permanent residency scheme, for expatriates. The announcement was made by the country’s Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.
• The scheme is open to investors and exceptional talents such as doctors, engineers, scientists, students and artists as it will grant permanent residency.
• The scheme will attract greater foreign investment and stimulate the local economy, making it more efficient and attractive for investors.

Foot Notes: