Daily Current Affairs and GK | 19 and 20 May 2024

Topic: Art and Culture

1. First evidence of rock art in Mangaluru city is discovered by Archaeologist.

• Archaeologist found the first evidence of rock art in Mangaluru City near Boloor Panne Koteda Babbu Swamy shrine.
• The rock art has a pair of human footprints, found on a natural stone boulder near the shrine.
• These footprints might have been made in the first or second century AD.
• This discovery work is part of recreating the history of Babbu Swamy.
• The rock art form discovered near Babbu Swamy shrine in Boloor does not have any relative evidence.
• Rock art refers to paintings and rock paintings, which were unquestionable cognitive evidence of illiterate societies.

Topic: Important Days

2. World Bee Day: 20 May

• World Bee Day is celebrated every year on 20 May.
• It is commemorated mainly to raise public awareness about the role of bees in biodiversity preservation.
• To commemorate the birth anniversary of beekeeping pioneer Anton Jansa, the United Nations declared May 20 as World Bee Day.
• Anton Jansa in the 18th century pioneered modern beekeeping techniques in Slovenia.
• World Bee Day 2024 is focused on the theme "Bee engaged with Youth."
• The honey bee is the only insect that produces food for humans.

Topic: International News

3. Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi dies in helicopter crash.

• The helicopter crash occurred near Jolfa. It is a city on the border with Azerbaijan.
• It is located in the northwest of the Iran’s capital, Tehran.
• Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian have also died in same helicopter crash.
• Some called the helicopter crash was caused by heavy rains, fog, and wind. Some called it as a “hard landing.”
• The helicopter crashed while en route to Tabriz (an Iranian city) after the inauguration of the Qiz Qalasi Dam on the Iranian-Azerbaijani border.
• Bell 212 helicopter was carrying Iran's president and foreign minister.
• After Raisi’s death, Vice President of Iran Mohammad Mokhber is serving as the acting President of Iran.
• In April 2024, Iran under Mr. Raisi and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei launched a drone-and-missile attack on Israel, which was unprecedented.

Topic: Indian Economy

4. According to India Ratings and Research, India’s GDP growth rate for the March quarter is expected at 6.7%.

• India Ratings and Research expects India’s GDP growth rate at around 6.9-7% for the 2023-24 fiscal.
• Its principal economist said low base benefitted the growth rate in first two quarters and 8.4% growth rate in October-December 2023 quarter was surprising.
• Gross Value Added (GVA) was 6.5 per cent in the third quarter,
• As per the schedule, government will release the GDP data for 4th quarter (January-March 2024) and the provisional estimates for the 2023-24 fiscal on 31 May.
• In the June quarter, India’s economy grew 8.2%. It grew 8.1% and 8.4%, respectively, in September and December quarter of 2023-24.
• GDP is the total value of goods and services produced in a given period.
• GVA is GDP minus net taxes (gross tax collection minus subsidy).

Topic: MoUs and Agreements

5. Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to settle disputed parts of their shared border.

• On May 16, Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to a deal on disputed parts of their shared border, a new step toward normalizing relations between the historical rivals.
• The agreement between the two former Soviet republics, includes the return to Azerbaijan of four border villages seized by Armenia in the 1990s.
• The move will bring four border villages – Baghanis Ayrum, Asshaghi Askipara, Khairimli and Ghizilahajili – back under Azerbaijani control.
• It comes after Azerbaijan in 2023 recaptured its breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, which was controlled by Armenian separatists for decades.
• An anti-government protest in Armenia has been triggered due to this premier's decision.
• The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was an ethnic and territorial conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Topic: Sports

6. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty won the men's doubles final at Thailand Open 2024.

• On 19 May, they defeated the Chinese pair of Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi in the Badminton final.
• In 2019, Satwik and Chirag had won the title for their first Superseries/Super 500 level.
• After this win, Satwik-Chirag are also set to regain the world No. 1 ranking.
• This is Satwik and Chirag's second title of 2024 after winning the French Open in March.
• This badminton tournament was held at the Nimibutra Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand from 14 to 19 May 2024.

Topic: International Appointments

7. William Lai Ching-te has become the new President of Taiwan.

• William Lai Ching-te won the presidential election in January.
• New Vice President Hsia Bi-khim also took the oath of office along with Lai on 20 May 2024 in a ceremony in Taipei.
• During the ceremony, outgoing President Tsai Ing-wen also bid farewell.
• During the last four years of the second term of outgoing President Tsai Ing-wen, Lai has held the office of Vice President.
• Taiwan is a country in East Asia. It is officially called the Republic of China.
• Taipei is its capital. The type of government is Unitary semi-presidential republic.
• The main island of Taiwan is also known as Formosa.

Topic: Sports

8. Nikhat Zareen has won gold medal at Elorda Cup 2024 in Kazakhstan.

• Another boxer Minakshi has also won gold medal at the same event in Astana, Kazakhstan.
• Nikhat won over Zhazira Urakbayeva of Kazakhstan in the women’s 52 kg category.
• Minakshi won over another Uzbekistan boxer Rahmonova Saidahon in the women’s 48 kg category.
• Anamika and Manisha won silver medals. Anamika was defeated by world champion China’s Wu Yu in the 50 kg category.
• Manisha faced defeat against Kazakhstan’s Viktoriya Grafeeva in 60kg category.
• Indian professional boxers won total 12 medals at Elorda Cup 2024. These included two gold, two silver and eight bronze medals.

Topic: International News

9. Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping agreed to deepen their "strategic partnership”.

• Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed on "the deepening of the comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation entering a new era" statement.
• Russia and China are committed to defending their legitimate rights and interests.
• Russia affirmed its commitment to the principle of ‘One China’. It recognised that Taiwan is an integral part of China.
• They agreed to enhance cooperation in information and communication technologies, including artificial intelligence, communications, software, the Internet of Things, etc.
• Under this statement, they will deepen their partnership in peaceful nuclear energy.
• They also discussed striving for the stability and sustainability of the global energy market.
• They will cooperate in civil aircraft construction, shipbuilding, carmakers, machine tool industry, electronics industry, etc.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin was on a two-day visit to China.

Topic: Sports

10. Cristiano Ronaldo has been named the highest-paid athlete for the fourth time.

• Cristiano Ronaldo topped Forbes' list of highest-paid athletes for the fourth time.
• He became the world's highest-paid athlete after he joined Saudi Arabia's Al-Nassr.
• As per the Forbes list, Ronaldo earned $260 million over the last 12 months including $200 million from his club contract with Al-Nassr and $60 million in off-field earnings.
• Spanish golfer Jon Rahm secured second position in the Forbes' list of highest-paid athletes.
• For the first time, the top 10 highest-paid athletes have each earned more than $100 million.
• NBA’s LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Steph Curry are also in the top 10 list.
• No woman has made a place in the top 50 of Forbes’ list for the first time since 2019.
• Forbes’ 10 highest-paid athletes in 2024:

Topic: Defence

11. Igla-S air defence system, partially assembled in India, will soon be provided to the Army.

• By the end of May or early June, another set of Russian Igla-S very short range air defense systems (VSHORAD) will be received by the Army.
• Due to fill a critical void in one of its air defense requirements, it has been repeatedly delayed in delivery.
• In addition, the payments issue between India and Russia that had stalled defense deals as well as crucial payments has been resolved.
• In June, the first of two Israeli Hermes-900 Medium Altitude Long Endurance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) assembled by ADSTL in Hyderabad will also delivered to the Army.
• In 2023, the Igla-S system was contracted under the fourth tranche of Emergency Procurement (EP).
• Under the transfer of technology from Rosoboronexport, the Igla-S system is being assembled by Adani Defense Systems and Technologies Limited (ADSTL) in India.
• Under a contract worth ₹260 crores, the Army has contracted 48 Igla-S launchers, 100 missiles, 48 night sights, and a missile testing station.

Topic: Art and Culture

12. To Mark the 250^th Birth Anniversary of Fakir Lalon Shah, the Indo-Bangla Baul music festival inaugurated.

• On May 17, to commemorate the 250th birth anniversary of mystic saint and humanist scholar Fakir Lalan Shah, the nine-day Indo-Bangla Baul Music Festival began from Dhaka.
• Lalan Biswas Sangh is organizing the event. This Sangh is a cultural and research organization working to popularize and promote research on the work of Lalan Fakir.
• Lalan is revered as a great mystic saint, philosopher and social reformer of his time.
• He is considered the most prominent figure of the Baul tradition of Bangladesh and India.
• In 1774, he was born in Horishpur in Jhenaidah district of modern Bangladesh.
• He had inspired and influenced people like Rabindranath Tagore, Kazi Nazrul Islam and American poet Allen Ginsberg.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

13. Between 2018 and 2022, more than 5 million large farmland trees vanished in India.

• About 50 lakh large farmland trees vanished between 2018 and 2022 in India due to altered cultivation practices.
• Large and mature trees within these agroforestry fields have been removed.
• Now, trees are being cultivated within separate block plantations with lower ecological value.
• Block plantations have increased in the villages of Telangana, Haryana, Maharashtra, and other states.
• The researchers of the University of Copenhagen and Denmark explained that the low benefits of the trees and their shading effect are the main reasons to remove trees.
• An increase in crop yield has expanded the area of paddy fields, which has decreased the tree area. 
• Agroforestry are a vital part of India's landscape. It generates socio-ecological benefits along with a natural climate solution.
• Researchers used AI-based deep learning models for detecting individual non-forest trees for each year.

Topic: State News/Sikkim

14. Sikkim will introduce an Artificial Intelligence-driven traffic management system on May 25.

• From 25 May, the Sikkim transport department will implement an Artificial Intelligence-driven traffic management system across the state.
• The main aim of this initiative is to modernize the traffic management system and improve regulatory efficiency.
• This artificial intelligence-driven traffic management system will automatically verify documents and detect violations.
• As per government notifications, all vehicle owners have to keep all their vehicle documents up-to-date.
• Any discrepancy arising due to e-challan has to be reported to the Superintendent of Police (SP)/Regional Transport Officer (RTO) of the concerned district.