Skip to content
Free updates Login

Daily Current Affairs: 17 & 18 May 2026

Current affairs of 17 & 18 May 2026: WHO Declares Ebola Bundibugyo Outbreak a PHEIC; Anaimangalam (Leiden) Copper Plates Return to India From Netherlands; Rajasthan’s First Semiconductor Plant: Sahasra ATMP in Bhiwadi, and 18 more topics. Key facts for every exam, with a quiz.

Take the quiz (15 questions)May 2026
21 TOPICSDaily CurrentAffairs17 & 18 May 2026In focus: WHO Declares Ebola Bundibugyo…safalsetu.com

In this issue: 21 topics

National Affairs

  1. Committee on Empowerment of Women 2026-27 Reconstituted
  2. Ahmedabad-Dholera rail project and Nagpur airport PPP cleared
  3. Tripura First State to Finish Deregulation Phase I and II
  4. Sudhanshu Sil, Veteran CPI(M) Leader and Ex-MP, Dies at 81

Government Schemes

  1. Karnataka Integrated Portal to Track NSQ and NDPS Medicines

Banking & Finance

  1. IDPIC Real-Time Risk Scores for Deposits: Mule Account Curbs
  2. NPS Retirement Income Scheme: SPR and SUR Payout Options
  3. RBI Ends IFR for Banks Holding Market Risk Capital, May 2026
  4. IDFC FIRST Bank Business Multiplier Metal Card: FD-Backed Features
  5. ICICI Bank and Visa USD Debit Card for NRIs via GIFT City

Economy

  1. EU Now India’s Third-Largest Seafood Export Market in FY26
  2. Morgan Stanley Lifts FY27 India GDP Growth Forecast to 6.7%

International Affairs

  1. WHO Declares Ebola Bundibugyo Outbreak a PHEIC
  2. Anaimangalam (Leiden) Copper Plates Return to India From Netherlands
  3. Living Together in Peace Day 2026: Theme and UN Resolution

Science & Technology

  1. Rajasthan’s First Semiconductor Plant: Sahasra ATMP in Bhiwadi
  2. India Chairs Common Criteria Development Board 2026-28

Defence & Security

  1. Army-Navy MoA Signed to Boost Armed Forces Jointness
  2. Kaal Bhairava AI Combat Aircraft to Be Built in Portugal
  3. L&T and Exail Team Up on Mine Countermeasures for Navy
  4. RS-28 Sarmat: Russia’s Successful ICBM Test

National Affairs

Economy

2. Ahmedabad-Dholera rail project and Nagpur airport PPP cleared

  • A Gujarat rail link between Ahmedabad and Dholera, costing Rs 20,667 crore, got CCEA clearance as a semi high-speed project.
  • Planned as a 134 km double track, it will rely on home-grown technology with a ceiling of 220 kmph.
  • The line is expected to be ready by 2030-31.
  • Separately, the Union Cabinet cleared a PPP upgrade of the Nagpur airport named after Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar.
Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Government Schemes

Banking & Finance

Banking & Finance

6. IDPIC Real-Time Risk Scores for Deposits: Mule Account Curbs

  • IDPIC, the nodal entity for digital payment intelligence, will roll out real-time risk scoring of digital bank deposits.
  • This is Phase 2 of an RBI Innovation Hub project; Phase 1 produced the MuleHunter.AI mule-account detector.
  • Six banks (four public, two private) are linked so far to the shared suspects registry.
  • Banks reported 5.83 lakh payment frauds worth ₹3,588 crore between FY22 and September 2025, with about 6.7% recovered.
Full notes and 3 MCQs ›
Economy

7. NPS Retirement Income Scheme: SPR and SUR Payout Options

  • PFRDA launched the Retirement Income Scheme (RIS), extending NPS into the post-retirement withdrawal phase for the withdrawable 60% of the corpus.
  • The Steady Life Cycle starts at 35% equity up to age 60 and falls to 10% equity with 75% government securities from age 80.
  • Two payout routes exist: SPR (Systematic Payout Rate, maximum end age 85) and SUR (Systematic Unit Redemption).
  • Annuity surrender is now allowed on critical illness of the annuitant or a family member, subject to contract terms and charges.
Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Economy

International Affairs

International Relations

13. WHO Declares Ebola Bundibugyo Outbreak a PHEIC

  • After over 300 suspected cases and 88 deaths, WHO labelled the DR Congo-Uganda Ebola outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
  • The outbreak centres on Ituri province in eastern DRC; two cases were reported in Uganda.
  • The cause is the rare Bundibugyo virus, with no approved therapeutics or vaccines.
  • WHO said it does not meet pandemic-emergency criteria and advised against closing international borders.
Full notes and 3 MCQs ›
International Relations

14. Anaimangalam (Leiden) Copper Plates Return to India From Netherlands

  • The Netherlands returned the Anaimangalam (Leiden) copper plates at The Hague, with PM Modi and Dutch PM Rob Jetten present.
  • Leiden University held them for almost 200 years; no earlier Chola-era plates had ever been brought back to India.
  • The set has 21 large plates (5 Sanskrit, 16 Tamil) and 3 small Tamil plates.
  • They record a land gift near Nagapattinam for a Buddhist vihara, the Chulamanivarma Vihara.
Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Science & Technology

Economy

16. Rajasthan’s First Semiconductor Plant: Sahasra ATMP in Bhiwadi

  • Sahasra Semiconductors inaugurated Rajasthan's first ATMP/OSAT plant at Bhiwadi, the first SME-led such facility in India.
  • It sits in the Electronics Manufacturing Cluster at Salarpur, Khushkhera, with over ₹150 crore invested under SPECS.
  • Capacity starts at 60 million units a year, targeted to reach 400-600 million units in 2-3 years.
  • Products include micro SD cards, flash storage, LED driver ICs, eSIMs and RFID items.
Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Defence & Security

Test yourself

15 questions from the news of 17 & 18 May 2026, with answers and explanations.

Start the quiz