Current Affairs Quiz - May 2022

Notes:
Atal New India Challenge is a flagship program of Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog. The program aims to seek and support technology-based innovations that solve sectoral challenges of national importance and social relevance.
Atal Innovation Mission recently launched the phase 1 of the 2nd edition of the Atal New India Challenge (ANIC 2.0) for 18 challenges from 7 sectors.. The program works in collaboration with NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, ISRO and Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

Notes:
The US Food and Drug Administration issued a proposal to ban menthol cigarettes and flavoured cigars.
It aims to reduce smoking in the American population as well as to reducing tobacco-related health disparities. As per a US government survey 85 per cent of African Americans smoke menthol cigarettes. The proposed ban does not cover electronic cigarettes.

Notes:
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) constructed- Atal Tunnel, built in Rohtang in Himachal Pradesh, received the Indian Building Congress’ (IBC) ‘Best Infrastructure Project’ award.
The IBC jury selected the strategic tunnel as the ‘Best Project for Excellence in Built Environment’ in 2021. Built using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM), it was dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 3, 2020.

Notes:
Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) launched M15 petrol on a pilot basis in Assam’s Tinsukia district. It has a 15 per cent blend of methanol with petrol.
Methanol is being manufactured by Assam Petrochemical Ltd near the Digboi refinery. The government had earlier extended the timeline for the disbursement of loans and completion of projects related to ethanol. The Government also provides financial assistance in the form of interest subvention.

Notes:
Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) hosted the International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (ICDRI), in New Delhi, in both offline and online modes.
It is being hosted in collaboration with the United States government. The conference was attended by the Prime Ministers of India, Australia and Japan, as well as Presidents of Ghana and Madagascar. India launched the initiative on ‘Infrastructure for Resilient Island States’ at COP26 2021

Notes:
Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution announced that the second phase of the mandatory hallmarking of gold jewellery and gold artefacts will come into force from June 1, 2022.
The second phase will cover additional three caratages of gold jewellery namely 20, 23 and 24 carats. 32 new districts under the mandatory hallmarking regime where an Assaying and Hallmarking Centre (AHC) has been set up post implementation of the first phase. A consumer can get the purity of their unhallmarked gold jewellery tested in AHCs.

Notes:
Construction and engineering major Larsen & Toubro (L&T) announced the merger of its two software companies, Larsen & Toubro Infotech (LTI) and Mindtree.
The combined entity will be known as “LTIMindtree” and will be headed by the Head of Mindtree. By market capitalisation, the combined entity will surpass Tech Mahindra to become the fifth-largest IT services provider. Currently, TCS ranks first among IT firms with the highest market valuation, followed by Infosys, HCL Tech, Wipro.

Notes:
The 19th Asian Games, which was originally scheduled to be held in Hangzhou, China from September 10 to 25, 2022, has been postponed amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in China.
The Olympic Council of Asia has postponed the Games, which is also the second biggest sporting event after the Olympics in size.

Notes:
A person in the United Kingdom (UK) has been diagnosed with the rare viral infection Monkeypox. The patient recently came back from Nigeria and has been receiving treatment at the hospital.
Monkeypox occurs predominately in central and west Africa. Most of its infections last till two to four weeks and result in swelling of the lymph nodes as well as causes rashes on the body.

Notes:
The 19-year-old Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz has become a sensation in Tennis after his two Masters 1000 titles, including the Madrid Open.
Alcaraz beat defending champion Alexander Zverev in the Madrid Open final, after beating Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in previous rounds. It is his fourth title of the year including victory at the Miami Open in April. He became the first player since David Nalbandian in 2007 to defeat three top-four players at a single Masters 1000 event.