NATIONAL:
1. Government slashed excise duty Petrol price and diesel
Why in news - The government cut excise duty on petrol by Rs 8 per litre and diesel by Rs 6 per litre.
Key Points –
• Also, gave Rs 200 per cylinder subsidy to the poor who got connection under the Ujjwala scheme.
• Reduction has been done out of the road and infrastructure cess (RIC).
• It would cost Union ₹2.20 lakh crore revenue loss.
• WPI reached to a record high of 15.08% in April and CPI to 7.79%.
2. Nechiphu Tunnel
Why in news - India completed the excavation work of the Nechiphu Tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh (AP) with the final ‘breakthrough blast’.
Key Points –
• It is a 500-metre-long ‘D-shaped, single tube double lane tunnel’ in the West Kameng district in Arunachal Pradesh.
• Located at an altitude of 5,700 feet.
• Foundation was laid by DM Rajnath Singh on 12th October,2020.
• Sela Tunnel is also located in AP.
3. Gama Pehlwan
Why in news - Google’s doodle celebrated the 144th birth anniversary of wrestler Ghulam Mohammad Baksh Butt.
Key Points –
• Title - Rustam-e- Hind (Champion of India) and Rustam-e-Zamana (Champion of the world).
• Ring name – ‘The Great Gama’.
• He was undefeated in his 52 years career.
• He won World Heavyweight Championship (1910) and the World Wrestling Championship (1927).
INTERNATIONAL:
1. Highest Weather Station
Why in news - The world's highest meteorological station has been established on Mount Everest.
Key Points –
• Height - 8,830 meters.
• Installed by NatGeo.
• Team was led by climate scientist Baker Perry.
2. G5 Sahel force
Why in news - Mali to quit a West African anti-jihadist force called ‘G5 Sahel’.
Key Points –
• The G5 Sahel includes Mauritania, Chad, Burkina and Niger.
• It was launched in 2017.
• Sahel is a semiarid region of western and north-central Africa extending from Senegal to Sudan.
ECONOMY:
1. UN projects India to grow 6.4% in 2022
Why in news - UN-DESA in its ‘World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) 2022’ report has lowered India’s GDP growth projections from 6.7% to 6.4%.
Key Points –
• Global growth rate - 3.1%.
• India is still the fastest-growing major economy.
• US economy is expected to grow by 2.6%. China - 4.5%.
AWARDS & HONOURS:
1. Amazon Smbhav Entrepreneurship Challenge 2022
Why in news - Subhash Ola has won the 1st prize for the Amazon Challenge 2022.
Key Points –
• He won the award for saving energy in boilers by recycling steam.
• His enterprise ‘Geniusenergy Critical Innovation Private Limited’ has won the Start-up of the Year award.
IMPORTANT DAYS:
1. International Day for Biological Diversity 2022
Why in news - World Biodiversity Day is observed on 22nd May every year.
Key Points –
• Theme for 2022 – ‘Building a shared future for all life’.
• MoEFCC minister Bhupender Yadav inaugurated Biological Diversity Exhibition at Chennai on 22nd May 2022.
SPORTS:
1. SAI National Centre of Excellence (CoE)
Why in news - Foundation stone of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) National Centre of Excellence was laid in Cooch Behar, WB.
Key Points –
• An MoU was signed between SAI and the Ministry of Railways.
• It would help over 1,000 athletes get training.
• With this, SAI now have 24 National CoEs across the country.
2. Archery World Cup 2022
Why in news - India men's compound team wins gold.
Key Points –
• India defeated France 232-230 in the final.
• Winners - Abhishek Verma, Aman Saini and Rajat Chauhan.
• Venue - Gwangju, South Korea.
• This was the trio's 2nd World Cup gold after Antalya in Turkey.
3. Adani Group acquired a team in UAE's T20 League
Why in news - Adani Sportsline has acquired the rights to own and operate a franchise in the six-member UAE T20 League.
Key Points –
• It became the 4th Indian group after Reliance, GMR group and Capri Global to own teams in the tournament.
• The six-team league would comprise 34 matches.
APPOINTMENTS:
1. Anthony Albanese
Why in news - Anthony Albanese is set to become Australia’s Prime Minister (31st PM).
Key Points –
• He would succeed Scott Morrison.
• He belongs to Labour party.
• He won about 31.7% of the primary vote.
2. Prof Nilofar Khan
Why in news - Prof Nilofar Khan took over as the 1st woman Vice-Chancellor of the University of Kashmir for 3-year term.
BIHAR:
1. Bihar Old Age Pension Scheme
Why in news - The number of elderly people taking benefit of the CM’s Old Age Pension Scheme (launch - 2019), ran by the state’s own fund, has reached to 29,23,309.
Key Points –
• It is being run by Social Welfare Department.
• Top 5 beneficiary districts of this scheme are from North Bihar.
• Maximum benefit - East Champaran (1,48,366 people), Madhubani (1,37,674), West Champaran (1,22,211).
• Least benefit - Sheohar (17,459 people), Sheikhpura (19123), Arwal (20157).
• A pension of Rs 400 pm is given to the old man above 60 years and Rs 500 pm to the old man above 80 years, who do not get any kind of pension.
2. Autonomy to major hospitals of Bihar
Why in news - Preparations are going on to give autonomy to four government hospitals of Bihar.
Key Points –
• They would be operated under the Hospital Autonomy Society.
• Proposed hospitals are –
A. Rajendra Nagar Eye Hospital Patna - (eye specialist)
B. Loknayak Jaiprakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital Rajvanshi Nagar (bone specialist)
C. Mental Healthcare Koilwar - (mental illness)
D. Bhojpur and Indira Gandhi Institute of Cardiology Patna – (heart specialist).
3. Mithali Express:
Why in news - Mithali Express to start operating between India and Bangladesh from 1st June.
Key Points –
• It would run between New Jalpaiguri (Katihar Rail Division) railway station to Dhaka.
• Five links connecting India and Bangladesh are operational. These include
A. Petrapole (India) to Benapal (Bangladesh)
B. Gede (India) to Darshan (Bangladesh)
C. Singhabad (India) to Rohanpur (Bangladesh)
D. Singhabad (India) to Radhikapur (India)
E. Haldibari (India) to Chilahati (Bangladesh) (7.5 kms).
4. Ayushman Yojana in Bihar
Why in news – According to NITI Aayog, 85.4% people in the state are deprived of health insurance even after Ayushman Yojana.
Key Points –
• Only 14.6% of the people have health insurance. (Uttar Pradesh -15.9%), (National average – 41%).
• 6.5 crore people in the state are poor.
5. Bihar Kharif Maha-abhiyaan
Why in news – District level workshop would be held from 23rd May to 7th June.
Key Points –
• In Bhojpur, It would start with district level workshop cum training program on 23rd May at Nagari Pracharini Auditorium of Arrah.
• ‘Aatma Pariyojana’ is conducting the event.
6. Bihar Administrative Service Association (BASA)
Why in news – The BASA has got its organizational election concluded.
Key Points –
• Shashank Shekhar has been elected president of BASA for the second time.
• Sunil Kumar Tiwari was elected as General Secretary.
POINTERS:
• New Development Bank has announced to open its first regional office in India in which state - Gujarat.
• Who has been appointed as the new MD and CEO of Paytm - Vijay Shekhar Sharma.
• Who is the author of the novel 'Place Cold Home' - Preeti Shenoy.
• Which Asian country has declared itself bankrupt - Sri Lanka.
• Which bank will sell one-fourth of its share in Ages Federal Life Insurance - IDBI Bank.
• Which state government has announced to provide manure safety license to all the eateries in the state – Kerala.
• Which IIT-led 5G test band has been developed as a multi-institution collaborative by 8 institutes - IIT Madras.
• The Supreme Court has allowed mining companies to mine and export iron ore extracted from the mines of which state – Karnataka.
• Which IFS officer has been appointed as the new personal secretary of Prime Minister Narendra Modi - Vivek Kumar.
• Which day is celebrated across the world on 23rd May 2022 - World Turtle Day.
Click here to download the PDF