Daily Current Affairs and GK | 14 May 2024

Topic: Sports

1. Indian Gymnast Srishti Khandagale won the silver medal at the Asian Trampoline Gymnastics Championships.

• India’s Srishti Khandagale became the first-ever Indian to win a medal at the Asian Trampoline Gymnastics Championships.
• She clinched the silver medal in the Women’s Individual Age group category at the 6th Asian Trampoline Gymnastics Championship.
• Kazakhstan’s Dolgopolova secured the gold medal, while Hong Kong’s S Hung won the bronze medal.
• Asian Trampoline Gymnastics Championships was held in Hong Kong, China,
• More than 120 elite trampoline athletes from 12 Asian countries and regions participated in the event.
• It was hosted at the Tsuen Wan Sports Centre on May 11^th and 12^th.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Indian Economy

2. China was the largest trading partner of India with $118.4 billion trade in 2023-24.

• According to the data of economic think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), US was India’s second largest trading partner with $118.3 billion.
• US was the top trading partner of India during 2021-22 and 2022-23.
• As per the data, India’s exports to China increased by 8.7% to $16.67 billion in the last fiscal.
• Imports from China increased by 3.24% to $101.7 billion.
• India’s exports to the US declined by 1.32% to $77.5 billion in 2023-24 in comparison to $78.54 billion in 2022-23.
• India’s imports from US declined by about 20% to $40.8 billion, the data showed.
• India’s exports to China declined marginally by 0.6% from $16.75 billion to $16.66 billion.
• India’s imports from China increased by 44.7% from $70.32 billion to $101.75 billion.
• Trade deficit between India and China has increased from $53.57 billion in FY2019 to $85.09 billion in FY2024.
• India’s exports to US increased significantly by 47.9% from $52.41 billion to $77.52 billion.
• Imports from the US increased by 14.7% from $35.55 billion to $40.78 billion.
• As a result, trade surplus for India grew from $16.86 billion to $36.74 billion.
• In 2023-24, the UAE was India’s third largest trading partner with USD 83.6 billion.
• It was followed by Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore.

Topic: Sports

3. Aman Sehrawat has become first Indian male wrestler to qualify for 2024 Paris Olympics.

• He has become the first Indian male wrestler to secure a quota place for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
• He got a Paris quota in the men’s 57kg freestyle category at the World Wrestling Olympic Qualifiers in Istanbul, Turkiye.
• He defeated Chongsong Han of Korea 12-2 in the semi-final for India’s 6th quota in wrestling for the 2024 Olympics.
• Indian women wrestlers obtained all of the previous five quotas.
• Aman Sehrawat is an Indian freestyle wrestler from Haryana.

Topic: Sports

4. Japan becomes first time champion of Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2024.

• Japan and Pakistan played the 2024 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup final.
• Japan defeated Pakistan 3–1 in the shoot-out following a 2–2 draw.
• The bronze medal was won by New Zealand after defeating Malaysia 3-2. The hosts Malaysia were the defending champions.
• They were not able to defend their title because they did not qualify for the final. 
• The 2024 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup was the 30th edition of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.
• It was held in Ipoh, Malaysia from 4 to 11 May 2024.
• Sultan Azlan Shah Cup is the annual men's international field hockey tournament. It was postponed in 2023.

Topic: Indian Economy

5. Retail inflation in India decreased slightly in April, hitting an 11-month low of 4.83%.

• According to government data released on May 13, India's retail inflation eased marginally to an 11-month low of 4.83% on an annual basis in April, from 4.85% in the previous month.
• A Reuters survey of 44 economists had projected that number to decline to 4.80%.
• The number remains within the 2-6% tolerance range set by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• According to National Statistical Office (NSO) data, inflation in the food basket rose by 8.7% in April from 8.52% in March.
• Sequentially, the inflation rate in April stood at 0.48%.
• India's vegetable inflation stood at 27.80% on an annual basis, compared to 28.30% in March.
• Meanwhile, inflation rates of cereals and pulses, which form a significant part of India's staple diet, came in at 8.63% and 16.84% respectively.
• The fuel and light inflation rate declined by (-)4.24% in April.

Topic: Space and IT

6. A rocky planet has been finally detected by astronomers with an atmosphere.

• Astronomers have for years been searching for rocky planets beyond the Solar System with atmospheres, which are thought to be essential for any possibility of life.
• But this hellish planet – with a surface of apparently molten rock – offers no hope of being habitable.
• Researchers said the planet is a "super-Earth" – a rocky world that is much larger than our planet but smaller than Neptune.
• It orbits a dim star dangerously close and slightly less massive than our Sun, rapidly completing an orbit every 18 hours.
• Using two instruments aboard the James Webb Space Telescope, infrared observations indicated the presence of a substantial atmosphere, possibly being continuously formed by gases escaping from a vast ocean of magma.
• The atmosphere is probably rich in carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide, but it may also contain other gases such as water vapor and sulfur dioxide.
• The planet, known as Janssen or 55 Cancri e, has a diameter that is roughly twice that of Earth and is 8.8 times more massive than Earth.
• It orbits its star at one-twentieth the distance between Mercury, the innermost planet in our solar system, and the Sun.
• As a result, its surface temperature is approximately 3,140 °F (1,725 °C/2,000 °K).

Topic: International News

7. India and Iran have signed long-term deal for Chabahar Port operations.

• The two countries signed a long-term deal to operate the Shahid-Beheshti Port Terminal.
• Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal led the Indian delegation to Iran.
• He saw the signing of a new 10-year deal between India Ports Global Ltd (IPGL) and the Ports & Maritime Organisation of Iran.
• Under the deal, IPGL will operate the port for the duration of the Contract.
• After the end of the 10-year period, India and Iran would further extend their cooperation in Chabahar.
• IPGL will invest approximately 120 million USD in the port. India has also offered an IN credit window equivalent to USD 250 million.
• The Chabahar Port is an India-Iran flagship project.
• It serves as an important transit port for trade with Afghanistan and Central Asian countries.
• In August 2022, Sarbananda Sonowal visited Chabahar Port in Iran. He visited it to review its work progress.
• He handed over 6 mobile harbour cranes to Indian Ports Global Chabahar Free Trade Zone (IPGCFTZ) at the port then.
• Chabahar is a deep water port. It is located in the Sistan-Baluchistan province of Iran.
• It is the closest Iranian port to India. It is located in the open sea.
• In May 2016, India, Iran and Afghanistan signed a trilateral agreement to establish the International Transport and Transit Corridor (Chabahar Agreement).
• On December 24, 2018, India Ports Global Limited (IPGL) assumed control of the Chabahar Port operations through its fully owned subsidiary, India Ports Global Chabahar Free Zone (IPGCFZ).

Topic:  Personality in News

8. Sushil Kumar Modi passed away at the age of 72.

• He was a senior Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister.
• He was suffering from cancer. He became Deputy Chief Minister for the first time in 2005.
• He also served as 4th Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar.
• He had earned the sobriquet “Bhamashah” from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
• He was a member of four legislative Houses - Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, the Bihar Assembly and the Legislative Council.

Topic: Space and IT

9. ISRO Chief Somanath unveils the Zero emission initiative of SFO technologies.

• Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) Chief Somanath unveiled the carbon reduction initiative of SFO Technologies, the flagship company of the NeST Group.
• The Carbon Reduction initiative of the NeST Group aims to achieve a 50 per cent reduction by 2035 and zero emissions by 2040.
• Around 400 enterprises in the country have benefited from the technologies developed by ISRO for its various missions.
• The Indian space sector is supposed to become a USD 9-10 billion business in the next 5-10 years from the current 2 billion dollars.
• SFO Technologies has worked closely in association with ISRO for many years. Both have worked on multiple programmes, such as the RF sub-systems for Chandrayaan and Aditya Missions.
• SFO Technologies and NeST Group are committed to protecting the environment and reducing carbon emissions.

Topic: MoUs /Agreements

10. MSDE signed a MoU with Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd for the Drone Didi Yojana.

• Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd inked a pact with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to conduct two Pilot Projects under the Drone Didi Yojana.
• Under this MoU, MSDE and M&M will conduct two Pilot Projects at the National Skill Training Institute (NSTI) located in Hyderabad and Noida.
• 500 women in exclusive batches of 20 women each will be imparted with skills.
• The 15-day curriculum, approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), will be delivered through Remote Pilot Training Organisation (RPTO) instructors at these Centres.
• Drone Didi Yojana was launched to train 15,000 women to operate drones for agricultural purposes.
• The drones will help in monitoring crop growth and planting seeds.
• This scheme will help in generating new livelihood opportunities for women by imparting skills in new technology areas.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Geography

11. On May 13, the Ibu volcano on Indonesia's remote island of Halmahera erupted.

• The Indonesia's volcanology agency said thick layers of brown ash were flying several kilometers into the sky.
• The volcano erupted for about five minutes, spewing ash as high as 5 km (3.1 mi) into the sky.
• On May 10, a small eruption was also recorded at the volcano.
• The volcano's alert status remains unchanged at the second highest level.
• Indonesia, which has about 127 active volcanoes, lies on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", where the meeting of continental plates causes high volcanic and seismic activity.
• Last year, more than 20 people were killed when Marapi Volcano, one of Sumatra's most active volcanoes, erupted and released a gray cloud of ash up to 3 km high.

(Source: DD News)

Topic: Personality in News

12. Famous Punjabi poet Surjit Patar passes away at the age of 79.

• On May 11, Padma Shri recipient, renowned Punjabi poet Surjit Patar passed away in Ludhiana, Punjab.
• Among Patar's noteworthy accomplishments are the Padma Shri and the Sahitya Akademi Award, which he received for his work writing in the regional language.
• Patar was a resident of Patar Kalan village in Jalandhar and retired as a professor of Punjabi from Punjab Agricultural University.
• In 2012, he received the Padma Shri and also served as the President of the Punjab Arts Council.

Topic: Personality in News

13. Nepal’s ‘Everest Man’ beats own record by climbing summit for 29^th time.

• Renowned Sherpa guide Kami Rita has broken his own record of scaling to the summit of Mount Everest.
• Kami Rita has reached on the top of Mount Everest for the 29th time.
• Kami Rita is known as "Everest Man", belongs to the ethnic Sherpa community.
• He has scaled Mount Everest peak almost every year since his first successful ascent in 1994.
• Rita had climbed Mount Everest twice last year, setting the record for most climbs on his first expedition.
• Nepal is home of eight of the world’s 10 highest peaks. Last year, more than 600 climbers reached to the summit of Everest.
• Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were the first male to climb Mount Everest.
• Junko Tabei was the first woman to climb Mount Everest. Mark Inglis became the first ever double amputee to climb Mount Everest.
• Mount Everest is Earth's highest (8,849 m) mountain above sea level.

Topic: State News/ Chhattisgarh

14. Chhattisgarh's first 15-Mw floating solar plant will be set by Bhilai Steel Plant.

• Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP) will install the Chhattisgarh’s first 15-megawatt (MW) floating solar project in its Maroda-1 reservoir.
• It will help in improving its carbon footprint. The steel plant is working on various projects to reduce its carbon emissions, conserve energy and promote renewable energy.
• This solar plant in Chhattisgarh will generate about 34.26 million units annually.
• The project is expected to reduce the CO2 emission of BSP by 28,330 tonnes annually.
• The tender process has been completed and the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction Contract (EPC) for the project are likely to be awarded shortly.
• The Maroda reservoir is spread across 2.1 square kilometers with a water storage capacity of 19 cubic milimetres (MM3).