Excellence by Saikat Sir: Daily Current Affairs May 05 2022

Daily Current Affairs May 05 2022

CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

World Press Freedom Day- 3rd May

Every year, 3^rd May is celebrated as World Press Freedom Day.
It is also known as World Press Day.
The day acts as a reminder for the government to uphold the right to freedom of expression.
The theme for this year is ‘Journalism under Digital Siege’, focusing on the digital era’s impact on freedom of expression, the safety of journalists and access to information.
In 1993, 3 May was declared World Press Freedom Day.
This declaration came after a recommendation was made in 1991 at the 26th General Conference session of UNESCO.

World Asthma Day -3rd May

World Asthma Day (WAD) is observed every year on the first Tuesday of May to raise awareness of asthma and to educate people about the issues that might arise as a result of the disease.
This year, the day is observed on May 3.
This year, theme is ‘Closing Gaps in Asthma Care’.
Asthma is a condition in which there is a narrowing of the airways due to swelling of mucosa.
The Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), a World Health Organization collaboration organisation created in 1993, was the first to establish World Asthma Day.
The organisation works with doctors and public health officials all across the world to reduce asthma prevalence, morbidity and mortality.
In 1998, on the sidelines of the World Asthma Meeting in Barcelona, Spain, the first Asthma Day was observed.
A total of 35 countries were represented during the gathering. With each year’s commemoration since then, the day has grown in importance as one of the world’s most important asthma awareness and education events.
Since that day, the first Tuesday in May has been designated as World Asthma Day.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

Cochin Shipyard to build India’s first home made Hydrogen-fuelled electric vessel:

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways will to build the first indigenous hydrogen-fuelled electric vessels at Cochin Shipyard Limited(CSL).
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced this while unveiling the government’s plan for building the vessels in keeping pace with the global maritime green transitions at a workshop on green shipping organised by the Ministry jointly with CSL and The Energy and Resources Institute.
The hydrogen fuel cell vessel based on Low Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Technology (LT-PEM) called Fuel Cell Electric Vessel (FCEV) is expected to cost around ₹50 crore of which 75 per cent would be funded by the Government.
The project is expected to augment the efforts of the nation in achieving the Prime Minister’s ambitious target of becoming carbon neutral by 2070 and also in complying with the standards set by International Maritime Organization (IMO) that envisages a reduction in carbon intensity of international shipping by at least 40 per cent by 2030 and progressively to 70 per cent by 2050.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : INTERNATIONAL NEWS

PM Modi, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz co-chair sixth edition of IGC in Berlin; Also hold bilateral discussion

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz co-chaired the sixth edition of the India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations-IGC in Berlin.
This was the Prime Minister’s first IGC with Chancellor Scholz and also the first such Government-to-Government consultations of the new German Government, which assumed office in December last year.
Both leaders reviewed the full range of bilateral ties between India and Germany, including giving an impetus to trade as well as cultural linkages.
Prime Minister Modi and Chancellor Scholz signed the Joint Declaration of Intent establishing the Green and Sustainable Development Partnership.
This Partnership envisages a whole-of-government approach to India-Germany cooperation on SDGs and climate action, under which Germany has agreed to make an advance commitment of 10 billion Euros of new and additional development assistance until

PM Narendra Modi attends second India-Nordic Summit in Denmark:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in the 2nd India-Nordic Summit along with Prime Ministers of Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Sweden and Norway.
The summit is being hosted by Denmark.
Mr Modi will also hold bilateral meetings with Prime Minister of Iceland Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Støre, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and Finland Prime Minister Sanna Marin.
The India Nordic Summit will help in expanding India’s multifaceted cooperation with the Nordic region.
It will focus on subjects like post-pandemic economic recovery, climate change, innovation and technology, renewable energy, the evolving global security scenario and India-Nordic cooperation in the Arctic region.

About India-Nordic Summit

The 1st India-Nordic Summit took place in 2018 in
The 2018 India-Nordic Summit reiterated the six countries’ commitment to global security, economic growth, innovation and climate change.

About Denmark

Capital: Copenhagen
Currency: Danish krone
Prime Minister: Mette Frederiksen

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

Assam signs tripartite agreement with AFD, ONFI for wildlife protection

A Tripartite Park and Biodiversity Partnership MoU between Government of Assam, Agence Francaise de Development (AFD) and Office National des Forets International (ONFI) for exchanging of expertise and sharing of knowledge between the partners on various aspects of wildlife protection management was signed.

The MoU was signed in presence of Environment and Forest Minister, Parimal Suklabaidya and Council General of France in India, Didier Talain and other officials.
The Assam Cabinet on April 2 this year approved a MoU between the environment and forest department of the state and Agence Francaise de Development, a French funding agency, to foster bilateral dialogue in the field of environment.

About Financial Assistance:

This Indo-Pacific initiative between the AFD, the Assam Forest Department and the ONF International — a subsidiary of the French National Forest Office (ONF).
The AFD had granted Rs.2.50 crores in kind to the state government to carry out an exchange programme for forest officials of France and Assam to similar landscapes and increase the abilities of forest officials in wildlife management.

About Agence Francaise de Development

Founder: Charles de Gaulle
Founded: 1941, France
Headquarters: Paris, France

Bihar boasts of India’s first greenfield grain-based ethanol plant

Bihar has the distinction of being the first state in the country to set up a greenfield grain-based ethanol production plant.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar inaugurated the state’s first ethanol production plant in Purnia district.
This is among the 17 ethanol units proposed to be set up in the state.
the chief minister stated that ethanol production would help reduce the cost of petrol and generate employment opportunities in the state.
The state industries minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain declared that the government has received investment proposals worth Rs.30,382 crore for setting up ethanol production plants.
Spread over an area of 15 acres and estimated cost of about Rs.105 crore, the Purnia plant is expected to produce 65,000 litres of ethanol per day.
The Purnia production plant will need 150 tones of maize and rice every day. It is stated to be the country’s first green field grain based ethanol production unit.

About Bihar

Governor : Phagu Chauhan
Capital: Patna

CURRENT AFFAIRS : APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

RBI gives nod for appointment of Rajiv Ranjan as MPC ex-officio member

The central board of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved the appointment of executive director Rajiv Ranjan as an ex-officio member of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).
Ranjan will be succeeding Mridul Saggar, who is understood to have retired.
The 595th meeting of the central board was held through video conferencing under the chairmanship of RBI governor Shaktikanta Das.
The other attendees were deputy governors Mahesh Kumar Jain, Michael Patra and M Rajeshwar Rao, apart from directors Satish Marathe, S Gurumurthy, Revathy Iyer and Sachin Chaturvedi. Ajay Seth, secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, was also present.
Regulations Review Authority (RRA) has recommended the withdrawal of an additional 225 redundant circulars stated by RBI.

About RRA

The RBI had set up the Regulations Review Authority (RRA 2.0) with an objective to reduce the compliance burden on regulated entities.
Regulations Review Authority (RRA 2.0) has recommended withdrawal of additional 225 circulars in the third tranche of recommendations,” announced by RBI.
The RRA had recommended the withdrawal of 150 circulars in the first tranche of recommendations in November 2021, and 100 circulars in the second tranche of recommendations in February 2022.

About RBI

Governor: Shaktikanta Das

Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata

CURRENT AFFAIRS : BANKING & FINANCE

FidyPay partners with Yes Bank to foster financial inclusion

One of the industry’s leading Financial Inclusion and Digital Payment company FidyPay has partnered with Yes Bank to extend the digital facilitation to a wide array of businesses, comprising fintechs, SMEs, and start-ups.
FidyPay will also be the solution provider for UPI services.
The association will be an enabler for FidyPay to strengthen its existing product line and emerge as a trusted tech partner for banks, corporates, MSMEs, SMEs, start-ups and more.
FidyPay is working with the private sector lender on multiple use cases which includes UPI, API banking, prepaid cards, escrow accounts, PA licensing, eRUPI, amongst others.

About FidyPay :

Established : 2017
Headquarters : Indore, Madhya Pradesh
Founder & CEO : Manan Dixit

About Yes Bank :

Founded: 2004
CEO: Prashant Kumar
Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra

CURRENT AFFAIRS : AWARDS & HONORS

Indian wildlife conservationist Charudutt Mishra won Whitley Gold Award 2022

Charudutt Mishra, a snow leopard conservationist, was awarded the Whitely Gold Award at the Royal Geographical Society in London.
Princess Anne presented the award to Mishra.
He was awarded for his contribution to involving indigenous communities in the conservation and recovery of big cat species in Asia’s high mountain ecosystems.
Mishra was given the award for his work in 12 snow leopard range countries including Afghanistan, China, and Russia.
This is Mishra’s second Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN) Award & he had won the award previously in 2005.

About Charudutt Mishra :

He is the first international Executive Director of the Snow Leopard Trust (SLT), founded and headquartered in Seattle in 1981.
Mishra, who is also the co-founder of Bengaluru-based Nature Conservation Foundation, established India’s first community scheme to save snow leopards over a decade ago.
He serves on the editorial boards of the journals Animal Conservation and Oryx, on the winner selection panel of the Whitley Awards, and is a member of the IUCN’s Cat Specialist Group.
Mishra was also instrumental in helping establish the intergovernmental Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Programme, which for the first time has brought authorities together in an alliance across all 12 snow leopard range countries to enhance protection.

Note :

SLT is the largest and oldest organisation dedicated to promoting ecosystem and wildlife conservation across the high mountains of South and Central Asia, with the endangered snow leopard as the flagship.
6 other conservationists were awarded prizes during The 2022 Whitley Awards Ceremony. They are:
Emmanuel Amoah from Ghana, for work on the West African slender-snouted crocodile
Micaela Camino, Argentina, for empowering communities to defend their human rights and conserve Argentina’s Dry Chaco
Pablo Hoffmann, Brazil, for nurturing wild plant diversity in the Araucaria Forest region
Sonam Lama, Nepal, for work done on red pandas
Estrela Matilde, São Tomé and Príncipe, for efforts to save sea turtles
Dedy Yansyah, Indonesia, for work on the Sumatran rhino

About Whitley Gold Award :

Each year a Whitley Award alumnus is chosen to receive the Whitley Gold Award in recognition of their outstanding contribution to conservation.
Whitley Gold Award winners are international advocates for biodiversity with the passion and ambition to inspire large-scale change.
The award is worth £100,000 in project funding, and recipients join the Whitley Awards judging panel as well as mentoring new winners.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : MOU & AGREEMENTS

India and Germany sign joint declaration of Intent on Indo-German Hydrogen Task Force,Forest Landscape Restoration

India and Germany have signed joint declaration of Intent on Indo-German Hydrogen Task Force.
The declaration was signed virtually between Power and New and Renewable Energy Minister R.K Singh and German Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Change Dr. Robert Habeck.
India has huge ambitions for energy transition and it will add 500 GigaWatt of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030.
India and Germany have signed joint declaration of Intent on Forest Landscape Restoration.
The joint declaration was signed virtually between Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav and Minister for Environment and Nature Conservation of Germany Steffi Lemke .
Speaking on the occasion, Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav stated, the joint declaration will provide the platform to further advance our partnership and support in areas like conservation and restoration, climate protection, and conservation of biodiversity.
This will also help in strengthening Indo-German Cooperation. He mentioned that the joint declaration will enable both the countries to successfully partner with each other and expand the bilateral cooperation in the areas of forest landscape restoration, environment, and climate change.

About Germany

Capital-Berlin, Currency-Euro
President-Frank-Walter Steinmeier

India, Germany sign agreements on Triangular Development Cooperation and Renewable Energy Partnership

External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar held a meeting with German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Svenja Schulze in Berlin .
Dr Jaishankar said, they discussed climate action, resilient and reliable supply chains, third-country partnerships and the economic impact of the Ukraine conflict.
They also signed agreements on Triangular Development Cooperation and Renewable Energy Partnership.
India and Germany signed a joint declaration on agroecology and sustainable management of natural resources.
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Germany’s Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development Svenja Schulze signed the declaration in a virtual meeting. Through this, joint research, knowledge sharing and innovation will be promoted between academic institutions of both countries and practitioners including farmers.
The transfer of technology and scientific knowledge will be promoted by encouraging exchanges, partnerships and research collaboration with the private sector.

Under this initiative, Germany’s Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development will provide up to 300 million euros by the year 2025 for financial and technical cooperation for projects.

OPEC fund to finance $ 14.3 million for Nigeria-Morocco gas Pipeline

Moroccan Ministry of Finance stated that the agreement was signed by the Moroccan Finance and Economy Minister, Nadia Fettah and the General Director of the OPEC Fund, Abdulhamid Alkhalifa
The OPEC Fund for International Development will finance $14.3 million for the second phase of the studies in the submarine Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline project.
In January, the Islamic Development Bank has signed an agreement with Morocco to provide $15.45 million to the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline studies.
This gas pipeline project would cover 7,000-km long through 13 west African countries, and extend to Europe, according to WorleyParsons.

About OPEC :

Headquarters: Vienna, Austria
Founded: September 1960, Baghdad, Iraq

NGSL Signs MoE with LREB to Develop Floating Solar Projects in Kenya

NTPC GE Power Services Limited (NGSL) has inked a tripartite Memorandum of Engagement (MoE) with The Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB), Kenya and Procorp Enertech Private Limited (PEPL) to work towards the development of Ground Mounted & Floating Solar PV Projects in The Lake Region of Kenya.
The MOE was signed by a high-ranking delegation of 20 members from The Lake Region Economic Bloc, Kenya.
The MoE was signed by Shri Sanjeev, MD, NGSL and Victor Joash Oginga Nyagaya CEO, LREB and Dr. Raju Singh Gannavarapu, PEPL.
The MoE envisages also extending support to adoption of affordable housing, efficient lighting and development of mini-grid options.
It will also help build the capacity of Kenyan professionals in the power sector.
High-ranking Kenyan officials also visited the 100 MW floating PV plant at NTPC Ramagundam in India, India’s largest solar plant.
They also visited the 250 MW NTPC Ananthapuram Ground Mounted Solar PV plant in Andhra Pradesh.

Additional Info :

LREB had previously signed a Memorandum of Understanding with NGSL, PEPL in order to explore opportunities for business in Kenya and other African nations.

About NGSL :

Founded : September, 1999
Headquarters : Uttar Pradesh
NTPC GE Power Services Pvt. Ltd. (formerly NTPC ALSTOM Power Services Pvt. Ltd) is a 50 : 50 Joint Venture Company between state owned Indian power company National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and GE Power India Limited with equal participation.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : DEFENCE NEWS

NATO Exercise – Defender Europe 2022 and Swift Response 2022 began

DEFENDER-Europe 22 is a multinational, regular joint and combined exercise organized by the United States Armed Forces to build preparedness and interoperability between Allies and partners of the USA and NATO.
The exercises are scheduled to run May 1-27, 2022 & it will be held in nine NATO countries including Poland.
During the exercise, the troops ability to cooperate in a joint combat operation will be put to test using various training episodes including long-distance tactical marches, bridging rivers and live fire training.
18,000 soldiers from over 20 countries were taking part in the Defender Europe 2022 and Swift Response 2022 exercises that are taking place in Poland and 8 other countries.
DE22 and SR 22 belong to a series of regular, defensive trainings.
Joint combined exercises such as these enhance the security of the NATO Eastern Flank through a training in accordance with NATO standards and procedures.
Also they allow for the adaptation of these rules and standards to meet new and emerging challenges at the contemporary battlefield in order to deter a potential aggressor.

About NATO :

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states, of which 28 are in Europe and the other 2 in North America.
Established : 4 April 1949
Headquarters : Brussels, Belgium
Secretary General : Jens Stoltenberg

INS Gharial delivers critical medical aid to Sri Lanka – Mission SAGAR IX

As part of Mission SAGAR IX, INS Gharial INS Gharial arrived at Colombo to provide critical medical aid to Sri Lanka during the ongoing crisis.
It delivered over 760 kgs of 107 types of critical life saving medicines.
The shipment was received by the Health Minister of Sri Lanka, Honble Channa Jayasumana, and would be supplied to the University of Peradeniya Hospital.
In line with GoI’s vision of SAGAR – Security And Growth for All in the Region – the Indian Navy undertakes several deployments titled ‘Mission SAGAR’ to assist friendly IOR littorals.
Since May 2020, Indian Navy has successfully concluded eight such missions, deploying ten ships to 18 Friendly Foreign Countries.

About Ministry of Defence :

Defence Minister : Rajnath Singh
Minister of State : Ajay Bhatt

INS Vikrant, India’s First Indigenous Aircraft Carrier to be handed over to Indian Navy

The Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) will hand over India’s first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) which will be named ‘INS Vikrant‘ to the Indian Navy by May 2022.
It will be commissioned on Independence Day Aug 15, 2022.
The IAC uses ski-jump technology for launching the aircraft from the carrier.
Around 60 per cent of the components of the aircraft carrier are indigenous while the remaining 40 per cent have been imported.
A new aircraft carrier of IAC specifications can be built by the shipyard in just five years.
The shipyard can also make aircraft carriers that use the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) deployed in the US Navy’s aircraft carriers.
CSL has obtained a contract for eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts.
CSL has been declared as the lowest bidder for the New Generation Missile Vessel (NGMV) project.
CSL is expecting to complete the work for the International Ship Repair Facility (ISRF) at Wellington Island in Kochi by 2023.

About CSL :

Founded : 1916
CEO : Paul Perreault
Headquarters : Melbourne, Australia

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

India becomes 1st country in Asia Pacific region to use LPV Approach equipped with GAGAN

The Airports Authority of India successfully conducted a light trial using an indigenous satellite based augmentation system (SBAS) called GAGAN (GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation) at the Kishangarh airport in Rajasthan.
With this India becomes the first country in the Asia Pacific Region to achieve this.
Including GAGAN, the others being US (WAAS), Europe (EGNOS) and Japan (MSAS).

About GAGAN :

GAGAN is an Indian Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) jointly developed by AAI and ISRO.
It is the first such system developed for India and neighboring countries in the equatorial region.
GAGAN System was certified by DGCA in 2015 for Approach with Vertical Guidance (APV 1) and en-route (RNP 0.1) operations.
There are only four Space-Based augmentation systems available in the world namely India (GAGAN), US(WAAS) Europe (EGNOS) and Japan (MSAS).
LPV (Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance) permits aircraft guided approaches that are operationally nearly equivalent to Cat-IILS, without the need for ground-based navigational infrastructure.
The service relies on the availability of GPS and GAGAN Geostationary Satellites (GSAT-8, GSAT-10 and GSAT-15), launched by ISRO.