CURRENT AFFAIRS SNIPPETS 02nd and 3rd April 2022

 

CURRENT AFFAIRS SNIPPETS

02nd  and 3rd April 2022

National News

 

Chandrapur district of Maharashtra records third hottest place in the world

According to the El Dorado weather website, Chandrapur was the third hottest city in the world, with a maximum temperature of 43.2 degrees Celsius.  According to the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Nagpur was also the hottest city in Vidarbha, with a maximum temperature of 41.6 degrees Celsius, followed by Akola.  As per the El Dorado Weather, Kayes city of Mali is the hottest place on earth with 44.4 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, Segou of Mali is second in the list with 43.8 degrees Celsius whereas Chandrapur

Anurag Thakur launches logo, mascot jersey & anthem of Khelo India University Games 2021 

Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Singh Thakur and Governor of Karnataka, TC Gehlot launched the logo, jersey, mascot and anthem of the Khelo India University Games 2021 (KIUG 2021) on April 01, 2022, at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru.  The theme song has been composed by Kannada rapper Chandan Shetty. The KIUG 2021 will be held in Karnataka between April 24 and May 3, 2022. This will be the second edition of KIUG.  The first edition was hosted by Odisha in 2020. KIUG 2021 was postponed for 2022 due to the Covid crisis. A Khelo India App for live updates on the Games has also been launched by Karnataka. Around 4500 athletes, representing 20 sports from across the country will participate in the KIUG 2021.

UP becomes India’s top vegetable producer

Uttar Pradesh has become the top producer of vegetables, getting back its first position by demoting West Bengal to the second position, with a difference of a million tonnes in production in 2021–22 Crop Year (CY) (July–June), after two years since 2020.  Vegetable production in Uttar Pradesh is expected to be 29.58 million tonnes (mt) in the 2021–22 crop year (July–June), down from 29.16 mt in 2020–21, while West Bengal output is expected to dip to 28.23 mt in 2021-22 from 30.33 mt in 2020-21.  Other top producers of vegetables as per the data in the current year 2021-22 include Madhya Pradesh at 20.59 mt, Bihar at 17.77 mt and Maharashtra at 16.78 mt.  Andhra Pradesh remains the top fruit producer. India’s horticulture output is likely to drop marginally by 0.4% to 333.25 mt in 2021–22 from the previous year (2020–21) as production of vegetables, spices, and plantation crops is set to decline.  In 2021–22, Andhra Pradesh is expected to produce 18.01 million tonnes of fruit, up from 17.7 million tonnes in 2020–21. Maharashtra is anticipated to produce 12.3 million tonnes of fruit, up from 11.74 million tonnes in 2020–21.

Dr. S Raju takes charge as DG of Geological Survey of India 

Dr S Raju has taken over as the Director-General of the Geological Survey of India (GSI) with effect from April 01, 2022. He succeeds R. S. Garkhal who superannuated on March 31, 2022. Prior to this, Dr Raju was holding the post of Additional Director General and National Head, Mission-III & IV at GSI HQ.  Dr.S. Raju joined the Geological Survey of India in 1988. During the initial period of his career, he was instrumental in geological mapping of Bundelkhand Granitic Complex in Uttar Pradesh and also executed an investigation on gold mineralization and carried out a geo-environmental appraisal of Jhansi district of Bundelkhand Region, Uttar Pradesh.  With his expertise, he has also supplemented in the geology of Tamil Nadu especially, establishing the metamorphic and techtono-magmatic history of the Satyamangalam Group of rocks.

Mahesh Verma named as chairperson of NABH

Vice-Chancellor of Indraprastha University, Mahesh Verma has been appointed as the new chairperson of the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH).  NABH is a constituent board of the Quality Council of India (QCI). This is responsible for setting benchmarks for quality and certifying hospitals and other health facilities. NABH is also a member of the board of the Asian Society for Quality in Healthcare (ASQua).  Dr Verma is a recipient of Padma Shri as well as Dr. B. C. Roy award. He has also received the National Science and Technology award. He is currently the vice-chancellor of Delhi’s Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, and Professor Emeritus at Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences.  He is the president of the India chapter of the International Association for Disability and Oral Health and the Indian Academy of Restorative Dentistry. He is also the president-elect of the International Association of Dental Research, India Division, and the Indian Society of Dental Research.

India’s Aprajita Sharrma selected for the prestigious ITU position

An Indian official has been selected as vice-chairperson of the International Telecommunication Union's (ITU) Council Standing Committee on Administration and Management, giving India a leadership position.  Ms Aprajita Sharma, an IP&TAF Service officer, has been appointed vice-chair of the Standing Committee on Administration and Management at the International Telecommunication Union's Council sessions in Geneva from March 21 to March 31, 2022.  Aprajita will continue to serve as vice-chairperson of the Council Standing Committee in 2023 and 2024, and as chairman in 2025 and 2026.  The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is the United Nations' information and communication specialised organisation. The Plenipotentiary Conference and the Administrative Council manage the ITU.

 

Punjab to recruit 10,500 teachers to fill shortage of staff: Minister

The Punjab government will recruit 10,500 teachers soon to fill the shortage of teaching staff, Education Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer said on Sunday. "AAP government in Punjab led by Bhagwant Singh Mann is committed to transforming education as well as sports scenarios in the state in letter and spirit," Hayer further said.

 

BJP, Cong criticise Delhi govt for allowing 25% discount on liquor

BJP and Congress on Saturday criticised the Delhi government for allowing liquor stores to offer up to 25% discount. Delhi Congress president Anil Kumar said that the government allowed the discount on liquor to "hurt the sentiments" of people observing Navratri. Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said that such a scheme would increase liquor consumption amongst the youngsters.

Chandigarh was, is & will remain Haryana's capital: CM Khattar

Two days after the Punjab assembly passed a resolution seeking immediate transfer of Chandigarh to the state, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday said that Chandigarh was and will remain Haryana's capital. "We will not let Chandigarh go anywhere. As long as the people of Haryana are with us, nothing can happen," he said.

.

 

International News

India to send 5 more aid consignments to Sri Lanka till May

India will send five more consignments of aid to Sri Lanka till May amid a severe economic crisis, Gopal Baglay, the Indian High Commissioner to the South Asian country, announced. Four consignments totaling over 1,50,000 tonnes of jet fuel, diesel and petrol have been delivered by India since March, he said. Currently, Sri Lanka has imposed a curfew.

No Pakistani Prime Minister has ever completed a full 5-yr term in office

In Pakistan’s history, no Prime Minister has ever completed a full 5-year term in office. While the first PM Liaquat Ali Khan, was assassinated, others left due to the imposition of martial law or their governments getting dissolved. Notably, the no-confidence motion against PM Imran Khan was rejected and fresh elections will be held in 90 days.

Lithuania becomes 1st EU country to end Russian gas imports

Lithuania will no longer import gas from Russia to meet its domestic needs, becoming the first European Union (EU) member country to break its energy dependence on Moscow, the Lithuanian energy ministry said on Saturday. All gas for Lithuania's domestic consumption will be supplied via Klaipeda’s liquified natural gas (LNG) terminal. The terminal, called 'Independence', was inaugurated in 2014.

Ban on girls' education is damaging entire Afghanistan: UN chief

UN chief Antonio Guterres has expressed concern over the Taliban's move to keep high schools closed to girls, stating that such a ban will damage the entire country. Guterres added that the decision is an unjustifiable violation of equal rights. Taliban issued a decree last month banning girls studying in grade six and above from attending school until further orders.

 

US to give $50 million to Moldova to cope with Ukraine crisis

US will give an aid of $50 million to Ukraine's neighbouring Moldova to help the latter cope with impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, US Ambassador to UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said on Sunday. The aid will support programmes, training and equipment for border management, she said. The US had earlier pledged $30 million to Moldova to assist refugee relief efforts.

Sri Lanka PM office denies reports of PM's resignation amid economic crisis

Amid the economic crisis, Sri Lanka PM's Office has dismissed reports of PM Mahinda Rajapaksa’s resignation. Earlier, a media report mentioned possible resignations of the PM as well as Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa. Sri Lanka has declared a countrywide emergency amid escalating protests over the economic crisis that has led to a shortage of fuel, and food among other things.

Imran Khan de-notified as Prime Minister of Pakistan

In a circular issued by the Pakistan Cabinet Division, Imran Khan has been de-notified as the PM of Pakistan. This comes as the President dissolved the National Assembly after it rejected a no-trust move against Khan. According to Article 224 of Pakistan's Constitution, Khan can continue as the PM for 15 days till the appointment of a caretaker PM.

World’s Biggest Electric Cruise Ship made its maiden voyage in China

The largest electric cruise ship in the world has returned back to port in Yichang in central Hubei province, China after travelling up and down the Yangtze River for its maiden voyage.  This cruise ship has been powered by a 7,500-kilowatt-hour massive-sized marine battery. This battery has been provided by Contemporary Amperex Technology, the No. 1 battery manufacturer for electric cars in the world.  The developer of this ship, China Yangtze Power has plans to use this electric ship as the starting point for expanding the marine electric vehicle market in China.  The name of the ship is Yangtze River Three Gorges 1 and it is a 100 per cent electric cruise ship that has been developed and built in China. This ship is 16 meters wide and 100 meters long and has the capacity to carry around 1,300 passengers.

 

 

Banking, Business and Economy

 

India's exports touch record high of $417.8 bn in FY22, govt calls it 'historic'

Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday announced that India's exports touched a record high of $417.8 billion in FY22, and called the milestone "historic". "It's the first time that the country's yearly exports have reached this figure and the exports were 5% above the set target," Goyal said. Goods worth $40 billion were exported in March 2022 alone.

Talk of stagflation in India is 'overhyped': NITI Aayog VC

India is on the cusp of a major economic recovery and talks of possible stagflation are "overhyped", said NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar. "I am sure that the RBI is well in control of [inflation] and will take necessary steps if and when required," Kumar said. Despite the Russia-Ukraine war, "India will remain the fastest growing economy", he added.

 

Nepal becomes 4th country to launch India's e-payment system RuPay

Nepal on Saturday became the fourth country in the world to operationalise India's e-payment system RuPay. The three other countries that have the RuPay card are Bhutan, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. The Indian External Affairs Ministry said the launch of the card in Nepal would open new vistas for cooperation in financial connectivity and further strengthen people-to-people linkages.

Axis Bank takes Citibank’s India consumer business in a Rs 12,325 crores

Citigroup has announced that Axis Bank will be acquiring Citibank’s India consumer business for an amount of USD 1.6 billion (Rs 12,325 crores) in an all-cash deal. This transaction will be including Citibank India’s consumer banking businesses, which include retail banking, credit cards, consumer loans, and wealth management.  This transaction will also be including the sale of Citibank’s non-banking financial company consumer business, Citicorp Finance (India) Limited, which comprises a financing business that is asset-backed and also includes construction equipment and commercial vehicle loans, and a portfolio of personal loans.  It is an exchange of assets or a single asset for cash and no other monetary means, such as exchange of stocks or financing are used. The most common way of settling all-cash deal are wire transfers or check and the physical form of cash is generally avoided.

Centre extended foreign trade policy till Sept 30

The Foreign Trade Policy 2015-20 has been extended by six months, until September 30, 2022. The present Foreign Trade Policy 2015-20, which is effective through March 31, 2022, has been extended until September 30, 2022, according to a notification from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade.  Following the Covid-19 outbreak, the policy was first extended for a year, until the end of March 2020, and subsequently for another year, until September 30.  The strategy lays out recommendations for boosting exports to boost economic growth and create jobs, as well as incentives under various programmes like Duty-Free Import Authorisation (DFIA) and Export Promotion Capital Goods (EPCG) (EPCG).  Tea, steel, chemical, and pharmaceutical exporters to Russia are pleading with the government and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to intervene, as millions of rupees are at stake.

Sports News

 

Praggnanandhaa can become future world champion: Viswanathan Anand

Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand said he feels that 16-year-old chess Grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa can become a "world champion" in the future. "It's a big deal to beat... Magnus Carlsen. Praggnanandhaa has done it, so he has got talent," Anand said. "I am working with some young talents including Praggnanandhaa...All have the potential...[to] become World Champions," he added.

Congratulations for yet another WC: Jaffer after Aus Women's 7th title

Following Australia's record-extending seventh Women's World Cup title in Christchurch, Wasim Jaffer took to Twitter and wrote, "Congratulations to Australia Women for winning yet another World Cup...commiserations to England." Australia Test captain Pat Cummins tweeted, "Congratulations to Meg [Lanning], Motty [Matthew Mott] and the team. Huge. What a win and tournament, enjoy accordingly."

MS Dhoni becomes second Indian to feature in 350 T20 matches

Former CSK captain MS Dhoni has become the second Indian cricketer to feature in 350 T20 matches. The CSK-PBKS IPL 2022 clash is Dhoni's 350th match in T20 cricket. MI captain Rohit Sharma has played the most number of T20 matches (372) among Indians. Rohit and Dhoni are followed by Suresh Raina, who has played 336 T20 matches.

CSK bowled out for lowest total of IPL 2022 against PBKS, lose 3 matches in a row

PBKS defeated CSK by 54 runs in their IPL 2022 encounter on Sunday. PBKS put up a total of 180/8 and bowled CSK out for 126 runs in 18 overs. CSK's 126 is the lowest total of IPL 2022 so far. CSK have now lost three matches in a row and they are currently ninth on the points table.

 

Meghalaya would be hosting the 83rd National Table Tennis Championship 2022

Meghalaya is geared up to host the 83rd National Table Tennis Championship 2022, which will take place at the SAI Indoor Training Centre, NEHU in Shillong from April 18 to 25. This is the second time the Northeast has hosted the world's largest table tennis tournament.  The State is expecting around 650 people to attend, with 450 of them being players and the rest being coaches and support personnel. He went on to say that the state is expecting a variety of officers from several states, including Haryana's Deputy Chief Minister.  This tournament is being hosted in honour of the State's 50th anniversary of statehood, he said, adding that the cost of hosting the tournament is projected to be 1.5 crore rupees, with a total of 10 players from the State scheduled to compete.

Important Days

International Children’s Book Day celebrates on 02 April

The International Children’s Book Day (ICBD) is organised annually on the 2nd of April since 1967, by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY). IBBY is an international non-profit organization, to inspire a love of reading and to call attention to children’s books.  In 2022, Canada is hosting International Children’s Book Day with this chosen theme: “Stories are wings that help you soar every day.”  Every year, a different international section of IBBY hosts a children’s books event on or around April 2 (which is the birthday of classic children’s book author Hans Christian Andersen). The host country picks a theme and invites a well-known author and illustrator to create a message for children around the world.

World Autism Awareness Day Observed on 2nd April 2022

World Autism Awareness Day is observed annually on 2nd April by the member states of the United Nations.  The day is observed to raise awareness among its citizens about people with Autism Spectrum Disorder throughout the world. World Autism Awareness Day is organized by the UN Department of Global Communications and UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, with the support of civil society partners including the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, the Global Autism Project and the Specialisterne Foundation.  The theme for ‘World Autism Awareness Day 2022’ is "Inclusive Quality Education for All". Access to education that was made easy for years, especially for autistic persons was disrupted after 2020 with the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@