Daily Current Affairs and GK | 17 May 2022

Topic: National News

1. Government working on comprehensive National Tourism Policy.

• Union Tourism and Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy said that the government is working towards creating a comprehensive national tourism policy.
• He said that Industry stakeholders will prepare a road map for the development of the cruise tourism industry.
• The Government has started several initiatives to promote river cruise tourism. It includes river front development, increasing the number of cruise ships, and infrastructure development of water parks.
• The eight MoUs have been signed between IWAI and Heritage River Journey Pvt Ltd for a river cruise between Varanasi to Bogibeel.
• The Delhi-based Waterways Leisure Tourism Pvt Ltd signed an MoU with Chennai Port Authority for porting cruise ships in Chennai for the upcoming cruising season.
• According to the Maritime India Vision 2030, 12 ports have been identified for Cruise Tourism. It will focus on using the untapped potential of river cruise across national waterways.
• In the last few years, the river cruise market has grown at around 5 percent globally.

Topic: International Appointments

2. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud becomes new President of Somalia.

• Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has been elected as the new President of Somalia.
• Hassan Sheikh Mohamud defeated three dozen candidates in three rounds of voting.
• Somalia is facing the challenge of high inflation and drought. It has suffered from civil wars, weak governance and terrorism.
• The real power in Somalia is in the hands of terrorists. Al-Shabab, a terrorist group, has a firm grip on Somalia.
• Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has earlier served as President from 2012 to 2017. He is a peace activist and an educator.
• Somalia:
  • It is a country in Horn of Africa.
  • It is bordered by Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.
  • It has the longest coastline on Africa’s mainland.
  • Its capital is Mogadishu.
  • Currency of Somalia: Somali Shilling
  • Prime Minister of Somalia: Mohamed Hussein Roble
  • The first permanent central government was established in 2012.

Topic: Defence

3. Defence Minister inducted two indigenously built frontline warships into Indian Navy.

• Two frontline warships of the Indian Navy, Surat, a Project 15B Destroyer, and Udaygiri, a Project 17A Frigate, has been launched at Mazgaon Docks Limited, Mumbai, simultaneously.
• The Chief Guest for both events was Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
• The Indian Navy's next-generation stealth guided-missile destroyers, the Project 15B class, are being built at Mazgaon Docks Ltd in Mumbai.
• Surat is the fourth ship of Project 15B Destroyers, and is named after Gujarat's commercial capital.
• The third ship of Project 17A Frigates, Udaygiri, is named after a mountain range of Andhra Pradesh.
• Shivalik class of P17 has improved stealth features, advanced weaponry and sensors, and a platform management system.
• A total of seven ships are being built under the P17A program.

Topic: Sports

4. Sift Kaur Samra of India won gold at the ISSF Junior World Cup in Suhl, Germany.

• Sift Kaur Samra of India won the individual women's 50m rifle 3P (Prone, Standing, and Kneeling) event at the ISSF Junior World Cup 2022 in Suhl, Germany, bringing India's gold medal count to ten.
• In the final, Sift Kaur Samra defeated Julie Johannessen of Norway 17-9.
• Ashi Chouksey of India won bronze in the event as well. India now leads the medals table with a total of 25 medals (10 gold, 12 silver, and three bronze).
• The next-best team, Italy, has four gold medals and three bronze medals.
• On May 19, the ISSF Junior World Cup will be concluded.

Topic: National News

5. PM Modi addressed the program organized on the occasion of TRAI's Silver Jubilee Celebrations.

• He also released a postage stamp on the occasion.
• PM Modi also unveiled a 5G Test Bed, which was developed as a multi-institutional collaboration project led by IIT Madras.
• The Test Bed will create a supporting ecosystem for Indian industry and start-ups, allowing them to validate their 5G and next-generation technologies products, prototypes, solutions, and algorithms.
• Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI):
  • The government of India had established TRAI under Section 3 of the Telecom Regulator of India Act, 1997.
  • It was formed on 20 February 1997.
  • Its headquarters is in New Delhi.
  • Its chairperson is Dr. P. D. Vaghela.

Topic: Sports

6. Novak Djokovic won the 38^th Masters 1000 title at the Italian Open.

• Novak Djokovic defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-0, 7-6(5) to win the Italian Open 2022 38^th ATP Masters 1000 title.
• When he defeated Casper Ruud in the semi-finals, he became the fifth man in the Open Era to win 1,000 matches, and he defeated Tsitsipas to win his first championship of the season.
• After winning the trophy six times in the Italian capital since his first success in 2008, Djokovic was playing his fourth consecutive final in the clay-court event.
• Italian Open: It is a tennis tournament held in Rome, Italy. It is played on Clay court.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

7. Six MoUs and Agreements were signed between India and Nepal.

• The MoUs and Agreements are related to education and hydropower sectors.
• They include an MoU on the establishment of Dr. Ambedkar Chair for Buddhist Studies.
• This MoU is between Indian Council of Cultural Relations and Lumbini Buddhist University.
• Another MoU is between Indian Council of Cultural Relations and Kathmandu University on setting up of the ICCR Chair of Indian Studies.
• An Agreement between SJVN Ltd and Nepal Electricity Authority was also signed.
• This agreement is for development and implementation of Arun 4 Project.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: International Appointments

8. Elisabeth Borne has been named as new Prime Minister of France by French President Emmanuel Macron.

• Elisabeth Borne is former Minister of transport, ecology and labour. She succeeds Jean Castex.
• She is the second woman to hold this position. Edith Cresson earlier held this position under President Francois Mitterrand.
• France is a Western European country whose capital is Paris. Its currency is Euro. It is one of the five permanent members of the UNSC.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

9. V Muraleedharan to lead Indian delegation in First International Migration Review Forum.

• Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan will lead the Indian envoy in First International Migration Review Forum to be held in New York from 17th-20th May.
• The International Migration Review Forum will act as the primary intergovernmental global forum to discuss progress made in the implementation of all aspects of migration and Sustainable Development Goals.
• This forum will have four interactive multi-stakeholder round tables sessions, a policy dialogue and a plenary. The participating members will also adopt a Progress Declaration.
• Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan will also participate in a high-level Ministerial Meeting on Global Food Security.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Environment and Ecology

10. Ramgarh Vishdhari Sanctuary declared as India's 52nd tiger reserve.

• Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said that Rajasthan's Ramgarh Vishdhari Sanctuary has been notified as the 52nd tiger reserve.
• It is the fourth tiger reserve of Rajasthan after Ranthambore, Sariska and Mukundra. It will be spread over an area of 1,501.89 sq km.
• Ramgarh Vishdhari Sanctuary includes the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve in the northeast and Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve on the southern side.
• Last year, National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had given approval to make Ramgarh Vishdhari Wildlife Sanctuary and adjoining areas a tiger reserve.
• Indian wolf, leopard, striped hyena, sloth bear, etc. can also be seen in the Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve.
• According to the National Tiger Conservation Authority, there were 2,967 tigers in India in 2019.

Topic: National Appointments

11. Nidhi Chibber appointed as chairperson of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

• Senior IAS officer Nidhi Chibber has been appointed as the chairperson of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).
• Currently, she is an Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Heavy Industries.
• Vivek Kumar Dewangen has been appointed as Chairman & Managing Director, REC Ltd., Ministry of Power. He is currently serving as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Power.
• Rakesh Sarwal named as Managing Director of National Waqf Development Corporation Ltd.
• Shyam Bhagat Negi will be the Additional Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat.

Topic: India and its neighbourhood

12. PM Modi laid foundation stone of an International Centre for Buddhist Culture & Heritage in Lumbini.

• An International Centre for Buddhist Culture & Heritage will be constructed by the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), New Delhi, on a plot allocated by the Lumbini Development Trust (LDT).
• International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) and the Lumbini Development Trust (LDT) signed an agreement in March 2022 for the construction of this center.
• This center is being constructed with the financial support of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.
• This centre will consist of prayer halls, meditation centres, library, exhibition hall, etc. It will provide a world-class facility to pilgrims and tourists from all around the world.
• After laying the foundation stone, PM Modi and Nepalese PM Sher Bahadur Deuba Monday held bilateral talks in Lumbini.
• The Centre will be a modern building with NetZero compliant in terms of energy, water and waste handling.
• PM Modi also offered prayers at the Maya Devi temple.

Topic: Personality in News

13. Devasahayam Pillai becomes the first Indian to be declared a saint by Pope Francis.

•  Devasahyam Pillai converted from Hinduism to Christianity in the 18th century.
• A note prepared by the Vatican said that while preaching Christianity, Devasahyam emphasized equality by forgetting caste differences.
• Pillai converted to Christianity in 1745. After this, he got the name of Lazarus which means God is my help.
• Devasahayam was born in 1712 in Nattalam village in Kanyakumari district. He served in the court of Marthanda Varma of Travancore.
• On 2 December 2012, he was declared ‘Blessed’ by the Kottar diocese after 300 years of his birth.
• Nine others, including four women, were also declared saints along with Devasahayam.

Topic: Important Days

14. National Dengue Day: 16 May

• National Dengue Day is celebrated every year on 16 May.
• It is an initiative of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to spread awareness about dengue among people.
• Haryana, Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi & Jammu & Kashmir are the main infected state by this disease.
• Dengue:
  • It is a viral disease caused by the dengue virus (DENV, 1–4 serotypes DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, and DEN-4).
  • It transmits through the bite of Aedes aegypti female mosquito infected with any one of the four dengue viruses.
  • High fever, Headache, Pain in muscles, bones, and joints are some common symptoms of Dengue.
  • The first dengue vaccine Dengvaxia is developed by Sanofi Pasteur.

(Source: News on AIR)