Daily Current Affairs and GK | 15 and 16 May 2022

Topic: International Appointments

1. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan becomes new President of UAE.

• Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has been elected the President of the UAE in place of Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
• Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan died recently at age of 73.
• He was unanimously chosen as President by a council of the rulers of the seven emirates.
• Sheikh Mohammed has been ruling the Emirates since 2014.
• Sheikh Mohamed is the third son of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahayan. He was named crown prince of Abu Dhabi in 2004.
• United Arab Emirates:
  • It is located in Western Asia at the northeast end of the Arabian Peninsula.
  • Abu Dhabi is the capital and UAE Dirham is the currency of UAE.
  • Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the Prime Minister of UAE.

Topic: Personality in News

2. Australian Cricketer Andrew Symonds died in a car accident.

• He was a two-time World Cup winner for Australia.
• He played 198 ODIs. He scored six centuries and 30 half-centuries.
• He was the third former Australian cricketer who passed away in 2022.
• Leg-spinner Shane Warne and wicketkeeper Rod Marsh also passed away in 2022.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Space and IT

3. Scientists have for the first time successfully grown plants in lunar soil.

• This soil was brought to Earth by astronauts in the Apollo Missions.
• This is the first step toward growing food and creating oxygen on the Moon and during future space missions.
• The researchers at the University of Florida in the US have grown the plants in lunar soil.
• The researchers also planted Arabidopsis in JSC-1A, a terrestrial substance that mimics real lunar soil.
• Moon's soil is also called lunar regolith. It is very different from soil found on Earth.
• Apollo program:
  • Apollo program or Project Apollo was third US human spaceflight program.
  • It was conducted by NASA from 1968 to 1972. Apollo 11 for the first time landed humans on the Moon in 1969.

Topic: Important Days

4. Sikkim Statehood Day: 16 May

• Sikkim Statehood Day is observed on 16 May. Sikkim became 22^nd state of India on 16 May, 1975.
• 16 May 2022 marks 47 years since Sikkim became a state of India.
• Sikkim became 22^nd state of India through 36^th Amendment Act in 1975.
• Sikkim was for the sometime having a status of protectorate state within Union of India as per the treaty signed between Sikkim and Union of India in 1950.
• Sikkim:
  • It is a state in northeast India. It borders Bhutan in the east, Tibet in the north and northeast, West Bengal in the south and Nepal in the west.
  • It is the second smallest state of India in terms of area. Its capital is Gangtok.
  • The Chief Minister of the state is Prem Singh Tamang and Governor is Ganga Prasad.
  • The state animal of Sikkim is the Red Panda. Khangchendzonga National Park – a UNESCO World Heritage Site is located in Sikkim.

Topic: State News/ Tripura

5. Manik Saha sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Tripura.

• Dr. Manik Saha, a Rajya Sabha MP from BJP, has sworn in as Tripura's new Chief Minister a day after his predecessor Biplab Kumar Deb resigned.
• Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya administered the oath of secrecy to Dr. Saha.
• 11 councils of Ministers were sworn-in in his cabinet.
• Biplab Kumar Deb was the first BJP Chief Minister of Tripura.
• Chief Minister:
  • Chief Minister is the elected head of the government of a state.
  • Article 164 states that the Chief Minister shall be appointed by the Governor and the other ministers shall be appointed on the advice of the Chief Minister.
  • He advises the Governor regarding the appointment of other Ministers and decides the portfolios for them.

Topic: State News / Telangana

6. National Cyber Forensic Laboratory inaugurated at the CFSL campus in Hyderabad.

• The 'National Cyber Forensic Laboratory' (NCFL) has been inaugurated at the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) campus in Hyderabad by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
• In Telangana's Thukkuguda municipality in the Tukkuguda area, the Home Minister addressed "Praja Sangram Yatra" (Phase-2).
• On the occasion of Dr. BR Ambedkar Jayanti, the second part of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) 'Praja Sangrama Yatra' began in April 2022.
• The first phase of the Yatra was conducted for 36 days in August 2021 covering 19 assembly constituencies in eight districts.
• Central Forensic Science Laboratory, Hyderabad was established in 1967 and it is one of the six Central Forensic Science Laboratories in India.

Topic: Sports

7. Indian Men's Badminton team has won Thomas Cup for the first time ever.

• It has defeated 14 time Champions Indonesia in Bangkok on 15 May 2022.
• India had never reached the Thomas and Uber Cup final before now.
• It has become 6^th nation to win the Thomas Cup title after China, Indonesia, Japan, Denmark, and Malaysia.

• Thomas Cup (World Men's Team Championships):
  • It is an international badminton competition. It is currently held every two years.
  • It was first held in 1949 in Preston, England. The 2022 edition of Thomas Cup was 32nd edition of the Thomas Cup.
  • It was hosted in Bangkok, Thailand from 8 to 15 May 2022.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Sports

8. Liverpool Football Club defeated Chelsea Football Club and won FA Cup title.

• Liverpool Football Club has won the English FA Cup for the eighth time.
• Liverpool won by 6-5 in a penalty shootout at the Wembley stadium, London.
• Liverpool is now the most successful club in the world.
• The Football Association Challenge Cup is commonly known as the FA Cup. It is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football.

Topic: Agriculture and allied sectors

9. Government banned export of wheat after new output estimate.

• The government has banned the export of wheat with immediate effect.
• The heatwave in northern parts of the country has curtailed the output of wheat.
• The Directorate General of Foreign Trade said that the step has been taken in the interest of national food security.
• As per the government notification, the government will allow only those export shipments for which letters of credit have been issued before the notification.
• In April, Wheat prices have risen to record levels. India’s consumer inflation has reached an eight-year high of 7.79% in April 2022.
• India is the world’s second-largest wheat producer and it has 10 percent of the world’s grain reserves.
• Russia and Ukraine are two of the world’s biggest wheat suppliers. The war has interrupted wheat production.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

10. Department of Telecommunication launched the “GatiShakti Sanchar” Portal.

• “GatiShakti Sanchar” Portal has been launched to streamline the process of Right of Way (RoW) applications and permissions.
• This portal has been launched to achieve the “Broadband for All” goal envisaged in the National Digital Communication Policy-2.
• The Portal will help in achieving the objective of “Ease of doing business” for telecommunications infrastructure works.
• Applicants from various Telecom Service providers (TSPs) and Infrastructure providers (IPs) can now apply for Right of Way (RoW) through this single platform.
• Timely disposal of RoW applications will enable quick infrastructure creation which will also help in the timely launch of 5G networks.
• The portal has been developed by MP State Electronics Development Corporation.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: New Development

11. National Aerospace Laboratories approved Digital anti-skid brake management system developed for SARAS Mark 2.

• National Aerospace Laboratories has developed wire electro-hydraulic braking system for the first time in India for civil aircraft.
• The trials of the anti-skid brake system were conducted at a speed of about 30 knots.
• Digital Anti-Skid Braking System integration on SARAS Mark 2 will help in the operation of aircraft with short runways.
• SARAS Mark 2 is a 19 seater Light Transport aircraft. It is developed by National Aerospace Laboratories.
• It is the most versatile aircraft of its class for connecting remotely located Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.
• The government approved the SARAS-Mk2-19 seat Light Transport project to NAL in June 2019.
• Indian Air Force has already announced that it will induct 15 SARAS Mk 2 aircraft.
• The first flight of SARAS Mk 2 is scheduled to take place in December 2024.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: State News/ Chhattisgarh

12. Chhattisgarh becomes first state to restore old pension scheme.

• Chhattisgarh has become the first state to notify the restoration of the old pension scheme (OPS).
• The Chhattisgarh government has sent a detailed proposal to Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).
• The Old pension scheme will be effective from April 1, 2022.
• The 10% monthly contribution deduction from government employees' salaries as a contribution to the new pension scheme will be abolished from April 1, 2022.
• However, a minimum of 12 per cent of the basic salary will be deducted as per the General Provident Fund rule.
• The old pension scheme provided a pension equal to 50% of the employee's salary.
• National Pension System (NPS), was introduced for Central Government employees in 2003.

Topic: Important Days

13. International day of families: 15 May

• The International Day of Families is observed every year on 15 May.
• It is observed to raise awareness about the issues related to families.
• In 1993, UNGA (United Nations General Assembly) adopted 15 May as the International day of families.
• “Families and Urbanization” is the theme of this year’s International day of families.
• "Families and New Technologies" was the theme of International day of families in 2021.

Topic: Indian Economy/Financial Market

14. CPI-based retail inflation reached eight-year high level of 7.79% in April 2022.

• This is eight-year high level of retail inflation since May 2014. In May 2014, the retail inflation rate reached 8.33%.
• Inflation in oils and fats (edible oil), vegetable, spices, footwear and fuel and light reached to double-digit level in April.
• In April 2022, the gross GST collections were recorded at all-time high level of ₹1.68-lakh crore.
• Direct taxes collection also showed a growth of 49% in FY22.
• CPI-based retail inflation for rural areas is higher than for urban areas for four continuous months.
• In April 2022, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Haryana recording double-digit rural retail inflation.
• In Karnataka, Kerala, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi, urban inflation is higher than rural inflation.