Daily Current Affairs and GK | 11 May 2022

Topic: International Appointments

1. Yoon Suk Yeol takes oath as President of South Korea.

• Yoon Suk Yeol is the leader of the country's first conservative government in five years.
• US second gentleman Douglas Emhoff and Japan's Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa attended the oath-taking ceremony.
• Yoon relocated the Presidential office from the Blue House to a building once used by the Defense Ministry.
• US second gentleman is informal title of spouse of vice president of the United States.
• South Korea:
  • It is a country in East Asia. It shares its land border with North Korea.
  • Its capital is Seoul. Its Prime Minister is Kim Boo-kyum.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Awards and Prizes

2. Fifth Romain Rolland Book Prize has been won by Bengali translation of Meursault, contre-enquête.

• “Meursault, contre-enquête” (The Meursault Investigation) is a French novel.
• The award was announced on 07 May 2022 during the French LitFest 2022.
• The award was given to translator Trinanjan Chakraborty and publisher Patra Bharati.
• Kamel Daoud is the author of the novel, which is a retelling of Albert Camus’ 1942 novel, “The Stranger”.
• Hindi translation of Marjane Satrapi’s cult comic “Persepolis” was also shortlisted for the prize.
• Tamil translation of the French novel “Le mariage de plaisir” won the prize last year.
• French LitFest 2022 was part of ‘Bonjour India’. Bonjour India is an art and culture summer festival. It celebrates the relationship India and France share.
• Romain Rolland Book Prize was started in 2017. It aims to reward the best translation of a French book in any Indian language, including English.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

3. Photojournalist Danish Siddiqui won the Pulitzer Prize for ‘images of COVID’s toll in India’.

• He is one of the four Indians honoured with the Pulitzer Prize 2022 in the feature photography category.
• His colleagues Adnan Abidi, Sanna Irshad Mattoo and Amit Dave are other three Indians honoured with the Pulitzer Prize 2022.
• Some other winners of Pulitzer Prize 2022 are given in next table.

• Danish Siddiqui and his colleagues are from the Reuters news agency. Siddiqui died last year when he was on an assignment in Afghanistan.
• He has won the Pulitzer Prize for the second time. He won the prize in 2018 as part of Reuters team for their coverage of Rohingya crisis.
• Pulitzer Board awarded a special citation to the journalists of Ukraine.
• Pulitzer Prizes were started by Joseph Pulitzer, a Hungarian-American journalist. They were first awarded in 1917. 

Topic: State News/Maharashtra

4. India’s first organic waste-powered Electric Vehicle (EV) charging station has been inaugurated. 

• Maharashtra Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray inaugurated it at Keshavrao Khadye road near Haji Ali in Mumbai.
• The station will generate 220 units of electricity from food waste collected from its nearby areas.
• The project is a joint venture between Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and AeroCare Clean Energy.
• The setting up of organic waste-powered EV charging station in each of the 24 administrative wards is being planned by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

Topic: National News

5. Union Minister Bharati Pawar launched Atal Innovation Mission- Prime Playbook.

• Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Dr Bharati Pawar launched Atal Innovation Mission- Prime Playbook in New Delhi.
• It has been launched to help entrepreneurs in growing and expand their businesses.
• Its main objective is to promote early-stage science-based, deep technology ideas to market through training and guidance over a period of 12 months using a blended learning curriculum.
• Its main aim is to make scientists, startups and incubators aware of the steps after their technical ideas.
• Atal Innovation Mission – Prime Programme will help India in becoming an innovation hub with strong indigenous manufacturing capabilities.
• Atal Innovation Mission (AIM):
  • It was launched in 2016.
  • It is a flagship initiative of NITI Aayog to promote innovation and entrepreneurship.
  • Atal Tinkering Labs is a major initiative under Atal Innovation Mission to promote a creative, innovative mindset in schools.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Personality in News

6. Odia Writer Rajat Kumar Kar passed away.

• Eminent Odia writer Rajat Kumar Kar passed away at the age of 88 years.
• He was conferred Padma Shri in 2021 for literature and education.
• He was known for his commentary during the annual Ratha Jatra on TV and radio for six decades.
• He has also written a few books on Lord Jagannath and has written seven non-fiction books.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

7. Prasar Bharati and ORTM (Office de la Radio et de la Television) signed MoU.

• The MoU is on cooperation and collaboration in broadcasting between Prasar Bharati and ORTM.
• It was signed in Madagascar’s capital Antananarivo on 10 May 2022.
• Madagascar National Television (TVM) will broadcast programmes of Prasar Bharati.
• They will both explore co-production opportunities and arrange training for TVM personnel in India.
• Prasar Bharati was formed in November 1997. It is headquartered in New Delhi. Its CEO is Shashi Shekhar Vempati.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Important Days

8. National Technology Day: 11 May

• National Technology Day is celebrated every year on 11 May in India.
• “Integrated Approach in Science and technology for sustainable future” is the theme for National Technology Day 2022.
• National Technology Day is celebrated to celebrate the achievements of innovations and technological excellence in the country.
• First National Technology Day was observed on 11 May 1999.
• Pokharan nuclear test was done on this day in 1998, in honor of which every year since the year 1999, National Technology Day is celebrated.
• The first indigenous aircraft ‘Hansa-3’ was successfully tested and also Trishul missile was test-fired on this day by DRDO.

Topic: India and its Neighbours

9. Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister resign amid economic crisis.

• Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa stepped down from his post after his supporters attacked anti-government protesters.
• Apart from the PM, two Cabinet ministers have also resigned. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa wants to form an interim administration to tackle the current economic crisis.
• The people of Sri Lanka are demanding the resignation of both the President and the Prime Minister.
• President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has announced that a national council would be appointed to name a new prime minister and Cabinet will be formed with all party members.
• Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis and the government is running out of money for importing essential items.
• Sri Lankan Political System:
  • It is the Democratic Republic and a Unitary State, which is governed by a semi-presidential system.
  • The President is the head of state, head of government, and commander in chief of the armed forces, directly elected for five years.
  • The President appoints and heads a cabinet of ministers responsible to Parliament.

Topic: Sports

10. Government notified Olympics Games, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games as events of national importance.

• The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has given several sporting events status of national importance under the Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act.
• All official One-Day, Twenty-20 and Test matches played by the Indian men’s and women’s cricket teams are also on the list of national importance events.
• All semi-finals and finals of the ICC Champions Trophy and semi-finals and finals of ICC Men’s and Women’s Asia Cup will be considered as events of national importance.
• Davis Cup, Grand Slam tournaments, Hockey India sub-junior national championship and Hockey India Academy National Championship, etc. have been recognized as events of national importance.
• In the football category, Santosh Trophy - semi-finals and finals, Asian Women’s Football Cup, etc. have been recognized as events of national importance.
• In Badminton, England Open Badminton Championship - all matches featuring Indian players, semi-finals and finals, Badminton World Federation World Cup Championship matches will be considered as events of national importance.
• The other events including International Shooting Sport Federation World Cup, Commonwealth Shooting Championship, etc. have been recognized by the Central government as events of national importance.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

11. Amit Shah conferred President's Colours Award to Assam Police in Guwahati.

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah presented the President's Colours Award to Assam Police at a Special Ceremony at Guwahati.
• Assam is the 10th state to receive the award for its exceptional service.
• Amit Shah said that Union Government has already removed Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) from the 23 districts of Assam.
• Amit Shah also laid the foundation stone of many development projects in Assam.
• President’s Colours:
  • The President’s Colours is the highest honour given to any military or police unit in recognition of exceptional service rendered to the nation.
  • So far, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Gujarat and Tripura have already received this prestigious award.
  • President’s Colours is also known as 'Nishaan'.

Topic: Personality in News

12. Santoor maestro Pandit Shivkumar Sharma passed away.

• Indian music composer and santoor player Pandit Shivkumar Sharma passed away at the age of 84 in Mumbai.
• Pandit Shivkumar Sharma played a key role in giving classical status to santoor.
• He had composed music for many films such as Silsila, Lamhe and Chandni, etc.
• He composed music for many Hindi films in association with Hariprasad Chaurasia.

Topic: Sports

13. D. Gukesh wins Chessable Sunway Formentera International chess tournament.

• D. Gukesh wins three back-to-back titles in recent weeks. Earlier, he won the La Roda tournament and the Menorca Open.
• He draws the match with Armenian GM Haik M Martirosyan in the final round and wins the title with eight points.
• For his final tally of eight points, D. Gukesh made six victories and four draws. He has now moved to 64th rank in the world rankings.
• Sasikiran ended the tournament in the ninth spot with 5.5 points.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

14. United Nations launched the “UN-Energy Plan of Action Towards 2025”.

• An Energy Compact Action Network has been also launched for achieving clean energy goals.
• UN-Energy Plan of Action Towards 2025 will set a framework for collective action by nearly 30 UN and international organizations.
• The Energy Compact Action Network has been established to connect nations with governments and organizations that will support clean energy initiatives.
• The UN-Energy Plan of Action will help in tackling current global energy and climate challenges.
• It is a significant step towards clean, affordable energy for all with net-zero emissions.