Current Affairs Quiz - May 2022

Notes:
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal launched the India-UAE Startup bridge in Mumbai, as a part of Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed between the two countries recently.
The bridge will facilitate joint training sessions for incubators in India and the UAE, to provide market access information to start-ups in sectors such as textiles, gems, jewellery and leather. This is one of the fastest trade agreements to be signed between two countries.

Notes:
World Bee Day is observed annually on 20 May, to raise awareness about the essential roles bees play in supporting people and the environment.
It is organised by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on the birth anniversary Slovenian beekeeper Anton Janša- the pioneer of modern beekeeping. This year, World Bee Day will be celebrated under the theme – ‘Bee Engaged: Celebrating the diversity of bees and beekeeping systems’.

Notes:
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken chaired the high-level Ministerial meeting on ‘Global Food Security-Call to Action’ in New York.
India’s Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan expressed concern over global food insecurity in the meeting. He said that India welcomes the UN Secretary General’s initiative of establishing a Global Crisis Response Group on Food, Energy and Finance (GCRG) and exemption of food purchases by WFP for humanitarian assistance from food export restrictions.

Notes:
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed the Himachal Pradesh Town and Country Planning Department to put on hold the Draft Development Plan, Shimla Planning Area 2041.
The Development Plan was prepared under the AMRUT sub-scheme and it proposes to permit construction of more floors, new constructions in core area as well as constructions in green area. An environmental activist had filed the application in the NGT against the draft development plan.

Notes:
After severe protests by tribals, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel announced that the Par-Tapi-Narmada river-link project has been scrapped.
The project had proposed to transfer water from the water surplus regions of the Western Ghats to deficit regions of Saurashtra and Kutch. It also involved seven reservoirs proposed in north Maharashtra and south Gujarat.

Notes:
Government e-Marketplace [GeM] signed a MoU with Self Employed Women’s Association [SEWA] for mobilization and capacity-building of women-led micro and small enterprises, women entrepreneurs, SHGs among others as sellers and service providers in public procurement.
GeM will train SEWA members to assist the above-said with GeM processes related to seller registration and on-boarding on the platform, acceptance of orders, participation in bids floated by buyers, fulfilment of orders and invoice generation to receive payments.

Notes:
Union Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the excise duty cut of Rs 8/litre on petrol and Rs 6/litre on diesel.
She also announced a subsidy of Rs 200 for those buying LPG cylinders under the Ujjwala Yojana. The cuts have been made in Road & Infrastructure Cess (RIC), which is not shared with states and so, the burden lies with the Centre. This duty cut has a revenue implication of Rs 1 lakh crore annually for the Centre.

Notes:
World Turtle Day is celebrated on 23 May globally, to raise awareness about the ways to help turtles to survive in their natural habitat.
The theme for World Turtle Day 2022 is – ‘Shellebrate!’, to ask everyone to love and save Turtles. This special day was founded by the American Tortoise Rescue (ATR), a non-profit organisation in 1990.

Notes:
A new venomous green snake has been recorded simultaneously in Meghalaya as well as Mizoram. It was first found near the Meghalaya capital of Shillong, in October 2020.
The new species was relatively common in Meghalaya, Mizoram and even in Guwahati. But it used to be referred to as either the Pope’s Pit Viper or Gumprecht’s Green Pit Viper so far.

Notes:
Russia has deployed the Terminator tank support system-the BMPT, also called as the BMPT Terminator.
The Terminator or the Boyevaya Mashina Podderzhki Tankov (BMPT), is a tank support fighting vehicle developed by Russia. These weapons are capable of firing in multiple directions in quick succession and are used as replacement for mechanised infantry troops.