Daily Current Affairs and GK | 2 May 2023

Topic: State News/ Haryana

1. Tiger spotted for the first time in Haryana in the last 110 years.

• A tiger has been spotted in the Kalesar National Park in Yamunanagar.
• The tiger was captured on April 18 and 19 in camera traps installed near the Gugga Fire Line of the park.
• The last reference to a tiger was recorded in 1913 in Undivided Punjab.
• Kalesar National Park:
  • It was established in 2003.
  • It is situated in the Yamunanagar district of Haryana.
  • It is spread over 11,570 acres in the foothills of the Shivalik range.
  • It shares border with Himachal Pradesh’s Simbalbara National Park and Uttarakhand’s Rajaji National Park.
  • It is named after the Kalesar Mahadev temple located in this national park.
  • Leopards, panthers, elephants and red jungle fowl are mainly found in this national park.

Topic: National News

2. NITI Aayog in association with UNDP released “Best Practices in Social Sector: A Compendium, 2023”.

• This compendium includes 75 case studies across 14 key social sectors.
• The case studies have been taken from all States and Union Territories and 30 Ministries and Departments of the Government of India.
• The cases identified are based on different themes, including education, health and nutrition, e-governance and digitization, agriculture, women’s empowerment, sports, and financial inclusion.
• This document's major goal is to synthesise lessons for the future in order to grow, enrich, and improve life at the grassroots level.
• It gives an opportunity for peer-to-peer learning among states and to adopt best practices.
• This compendium will be used as a tool for innovation and scale-up. It is also an important source for other countries to learn from India’s success.
• The seventy-five best practices profiled in this compendium highlight models that are innovative, sustainable, exemplary, and impactful.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Defence

3. DRDO and Indian Navy conducted successful maiden test trial of indigenous Air Droppable Container ‘ADC-150’.

• The successful maiden test trial of ‘ADC-150’ has been conducted from IL 38SD aircraft off the coast of Goa.
• ADC-150, an indigenously designed and developed Air Droppable Container, has a payload capacity of 150 kg.
• The trial was conducted to enhance the naval operational logistics capabilities.
• This would reduce the need for ships to come closer to shore to obtain spares and stores.
• Three DRDO laboratories - Naval Science & Technological Laboratory (NSTL), Visakhapatnam; Aerial Delivery Research & Development Establishment (ADRDE), Agra and Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), Bengaluru was involved in the development of this container.
• Regional Center for Military Airworthiness (RCMA), Kanpur, headed by the Centre for Military Airworthiness & Certification (CEMILAC), Bengaluru has given the crucial flight clearance certification.

Topic: Sports

4. ISSF Shotgun World Cup: Mairaj Ahmed Khan and Ganemat Sekhon won gold for India.

• On 30 April, Indian duo Mairaj Ahmed Khan and Ganemat Sekhon have won their maiden gold medals at the ongoing ISSF World Cup Shotgun in Cairo, Egypt.
• On the fourth day of the tournament, the Indian mixed doubles pair defeated Luis Raul Gallardo Oliveros and Gabriela Rodríguez 6-0 in the final of the skeet mixed team event.
• Italy won the bronze through their crack pairing of Simona Scoschetti and Gabriele Rossetti.
• It was the second gold medal in the mixed team event for young Indian shooter Ganemat Sekhon, as well as the fourth senior World Cup medal.
• Veteran shooter Mairaj won his fifth senior ISSF medal after winning the gold.

(Source: news on Air)

Topic: Defence

5. India handed over the Maldives a fast patrol vessel and landing craft.

• On May 1, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reached the Maldives on his maiden visit.
• He is on a three-day official visit at the invitation of the Maldivian Defense Minister Ms. Maria Ahmed Didi.
• Defence Minister held bilateral delegation level talks with Maldivian Defense Minister.
• Issues of mutual defense cooperation and new initiatives to further strengthen the defense and security partnership were discussed in the meeting.
• On May 2, 2023, India handed over a Fast Patrol Vessel along with an assault landing craft to the Coast Guard of Maldives in a formal ceremony.
• Defence Minister also held discussions with the Foreign Minister of Maldives, Mr. Abdulla Shahid.
• Issues of bilateral defense and infrastructure development cooperation being run by India in Maldives were discussed.
• Defence Minister also met with the President of Maldives, Mr. Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

(Source: News on Air)

Topic: Sports

6. Red Bull's Sergio Perez won Azerbaijan GP.

• On 30 April, Sergio Pérez took a remarkable victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku after defeating his teammate and championship Max Verstappen.
• The Mexican driver took his sixth career win.
• Perez is now just six points behind Verstappen, with both drivers having won two races each after four rounds of the championship.
• Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc finished third, claiming his team's first podium appearance of the year.
• The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is a Formula One motor racing event. It was organized at the Baku Formula One city circuit in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Topic: National Appointment

7. BARC director AK Mohanty appointed as new Atomic Energy Commission's Chairman.

• Ajit Kumar Mohanty, a renowned scientist and director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), has been named the Atomic Energy Commission's chairman and the Department of Atomic Energy's secretary.
• Mohanty will replace KN Vyas and will strive to harness nuclear power for civilian needs.
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved his appointment for a tenure up to the age of 66 years i.e. up to 10.10.2025 or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
• In March 2019, Mohanty was appointed as BARC director.
• Atomic Energy Commission:
  • It was formed on 10 August 1948.
  • It is the governing body of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).
  • It is responsible for doing research in atomic science.

Topic: International News

8. Conservative Colorado Party candidate Santiago Peña won the Presidential election of Paraguay.

• Santiago Peña of Paraguay's ruling conservative Colorado party has won the Presidential election defeating a centre-left challenger.
• Election officials say that after almost all ballots have been counted, Mr. Peña, had more than 42% of the vote.
• The candidate of the Concertación Nacional coalition, Efrain Alegre had about 28% of the vote.
• For more than 70 years, the Colorado Party has dominated the political scene in the landlocked South American nation.
• Paraguay's economy is expected to grow by more than 4% this year, but poverty and corruption levels remain relatively high in the country.
• Paraguay:
  • Paraguay is a landlocked country in South America.
  • It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest.
  • Its capital is Asuncion. Its currency is Guaraní.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Indian Polity

9. Supreme Court ruled that it can grant divorce using special powers in case of ‘irretrievable breakdown’ of marriage.

• The Supreme Court has given an important verdict on divorce. A five-judge bench of the court said that if it is not possible to mend the relationship, then the court can dissolve the marriage under Article 142.
• SC bench ruled that under certain conditions it can waive the six-month waiting period mandated under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955.
• The court said that it can allow the couple seeking divorce by mutual consent to live separately without sending them to the family court.
• Article 142 empowers Supreme Court to pass orders and decrees which are necessary for “doing complete justice” in any matter pending before it.
• According to Article 142(1), a decree passed or an order made by the apex court is executable across the territory of India.
• The main issue in the case referred to the Constitution Bench was whether the waiting period required for divorce by mutual consent under Section 13B of the Hindu Marriage Act can be dispensed.
• SC states that the grant of divorce on the ground of irretrievable breakdown of marriage is not a matter of right.
• Nearly five years ago the case was referred to a five-judge bench. It was originally filed in 2014 with the title Shilpa Sailesh vs. Varun Sreenivasan.
• Section 13-B of the Hindu Marriage Act is related to divorce by mutual consent.

Topic: International News

10. Iran reiterates its commitment to expand bilateral economic & trade relations with India.

• On 1 May, President of Iran Ebrahim Raeisi met with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Kumar Doval in Tehran.
• He repeated his commitment to enhancing bilateral economic & trade relations with India.
• He also said that regional and international organizations like Shanghai and BRICS can play a key role.
• The bilateral cooperation between Iran and India will help in resolving regional issues, including the Afghanistan issue.
• India-Iran relationship:
  • India and Iran established diplomatic ties on 15 March 1950.
  • The Iranian Revolution in 1979 started a new phase of engagement between India and Iran.
  • India-Iran bilateral trade during the FY 2021-22 was USD 1.91 billion.
  • Major Indian exports to Iran are rice, tea, sugar, fresh fruits, drugs/pharmaceuticals, soft drinks, industrial machinery, boneless bovine meat etc.
  • The trilateral Chabahar Agreement was signed between India, Iran, and Afghanistan in 2016.
  • India and Iran are trying to diversify their channels of payment to increase bilateral trade.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Sports

11. Indian duo Satwik-Chirag won gold medal in Badminton Asia Championship.

• On 30 April, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first Indian men's doubles pair to win a gold medal at the Badminton Asia Championships.
• The Indian duo beat the eighth-seeded Malaysian pair of Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi in the final in Dubai.
• In 2022, the sixth seeded pair had also won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games and a bronze medal at the World Championships.
• In this tournament, the previous best performance was a bronze medal win in 1971 by an Indian men's doubles pair, Dipu Ghosh and Raman Ghosh.
• Overall, this is India's second gold medal in this event.
• In 1965, Dinesh Khanna had won the men’s singles gold in Lucknow after beating Thailand’s Sangob Rattanusorn.
• Badminton Asia Championships:
  • The Championship is a tournament organized by the governing body Badminton Asia to choose the best badminton players in Asia.
  • In 1962, the tournament was started.
  • The 2023 Championships was held from 25 to 30 April 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
  • The 2023 championships was the 40th edition of the Badminton Asia Championships.
• The list of 2023 Badminton Asia Championships winners:

Topic: Science and Technology

12. AI-based solution developed by IIT-Mandi’s startup to detect respiratory, genetic disorders.

• An incubated startup from IIT-Mandi has developed a cost-effective artificial intelligence-based medical imaging solution.
• It has the potential to revolutionize the early detection of respiratory abnormalities, hepatobiliary diseases and genetic disorders in children.
• The innovators at Dextrocell Healthcare have created a platform where digital and analog chest X-ray images as well as images of children are uploaded.
• After that the algorithm quickly identifies respiratory abnormalities that have significant mortalities.
• According to the researchers, the developed tools would enable early detection, give people access to specialised medical care, lessen the instances of misdiagnosis, and address cost for the general population.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

13. India will join international climate action in civil aviation from 2027.

• India is set to join International Civil Aviation Organisation's (ICAO) Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) and the Long-Term Aspirational Goals (LTAG) from 2027.
• This decision has been announced at a meeting of the Parliament's Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Civil Aviation held in New Delhi.
• ICAO is responsible to reduce carbon emissions from international civil aviation.
• It has adopted several key aspirational goals to mitigate carbon emissions from aviation and its impact on climate change.
• Its goals include two percent annual fuel efficiency improvement by 2050 and carbon neutral growth and net zero by 2050.
• India will join CORSIA in 2027 because Airlines of India need time to grow more so that they do not face any financial consequences due to CORSIA.
• CORSIA will be implemented in three phases, out of which participation is voluntary in the first two phases (2021-2026).
• CORSIA applies only to international flights originating from one country to another.
• Earlier, India had joined ICAO’s Assistance Capacity Building & Training for Sustainable Aviation Fuels Programme.

Topic: Sports

14. Ding Liren became China's first male world chess champion.

• Ding Liren wins the World Chess Championship in Kazakhstan after defeating Russia's Ian Nepomniachtchi.
• He has taken the place of Norway's Magnus Carlsen, the five-time champion.
• Ding is rated higher than Nepomniachtchi in the faster formats of the game.
• Magnus Carlsen will remain the world's top-rated player.
• Since the 1990s, China is dominating in women's chess tournaments.
• Ju Wenjun will defend her Women’s World Chess Championship title in July against Lei Tingjie.
• Gambit, move, Stalemate, Check, Grandmaster, Castling, etc. are some important terms related to Chess.