Daily Current Affairs for State Exams: 05 May 2022

Daily Current Affairs 05 May 2022

Important News: World

NASA to shut down SOFIA telescope that found water on Moon

Why in News

The United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has decided to shut down the world’s largest flying telescope “Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA)” that confirmed the presence of water on the Moon.

Key Points

SOFIA is a 2.7-meter infrared telescope sitting inside a Boeing 747SP airplane, flying at an altitude of 38,000-45,000 feet above the surface.
SOFIA is a collaboration between NASA and the German Space Agency (DLR).
Since its inception in 2014, SOFIA has been collecting data to understand star birth and death and the formation of new solar systems.
It has also been keeping a close eye on planets, comets and asteroids in solar system.

Important discoveries of SOFIA:

In 2020, NASA announced that SOFIA discovered water molecules (H2O) on the sun-facing side of the Moon.
In 2019, SOFIA also discovered helium hydride — the first molecule formed in the Universe almost 14 billion years ago.
SOFIA also identified atmospheric circulation patterns in Jupiter.

Note: India’s Chandrayaan-1 mission and NASA’s ground-based Infrared Telescope Facility found evidence of hydration in the sunnier regions, they couldn’t confirm whether hydrogen was in the form of H2O or OH.

Source: DTE

Important News: India

PM Modi participates in Second India-Nordic Summit in Denmark

Why in News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the Second India-Nordic Summit on 04 May, 2022 at Copenhagen in Denmark.
The summit was hosted by Denmark.
PM Modi arrived in Denmark after concluding his visit to Germany where he held extensive talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and attended the sixth India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations.

Key Points

The Prime Ministers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden and Norway also participated in the Second India-Nordic Summit.
The summit focused 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.
Nordic countries are important partners for India in sustainability, renewable energy, digitisation and innovation.
The first India-Nordic summit was held in Stockholm in 2018.

Note: Prime Minister Narendra Modi also held delegation-level talks with Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in Copenhagen of Denmark. Both leaders reviewed the progress of the Green Strategic Partnership which was the first of its kind arrangement between India and Denmark.

Source: TOI

India logs 6.2 percent hike in death rate during 2020: CRS data

Why in News

The Central government has released the Civil Registration System (CRS) report 2020 based on birth and death reports.

Key Points
Findings of the Report:

The Vital Statistics of India based on the Civil Registration System’ for 2020 report said that case of registered deaths, the number has increased from 76.4 lakh in the year 2019 to 81.2 lakhs in 2020 showing an increase of 6.2 percent.
Out of the total registered deaths, the share of males is 60.2 percent and the female share is 39.8 percent.
Some states and union territories namely Maharashtra, Bihar, Gujarat, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, and Haryana have contributed significantly to the increased number of deaths registered from 2019 to 2020.
The number of registered births has decreased from 2.48 crore in 2019 to 2.42 crore in the year 2020 showing a decrease of about 2.40 percent.
The number of births and deaths incorporated in the report are actual numbers which are collected from around 3 lakh registration units across the country.
Civil Registration System (CRS) is a universal, continuous, compulsory, and permanent recording of birth, death, and still birth.
Registration of birth and death is done under Registration of Birth and Death Act (RBD), 1969. These figures include deaths due to COVID-19 and other reasons.

Source: newsonair

Important News: Economy

LIC IPO worth Rs 21,000 crore opens for public subscription

Why in News

The Initial Public Offering (IPO) of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has opened for public subscription from May 04, 2022.
It will remain open for subscription till 9th of May.
LIC IPO is the biggest public offering in the country.

Key Points

An Initial Public Offering (IPO) refers to the process of offering shares of a private corporation to the public in a new stock issuance.
LIC has fixed the price band of 902 to 949 rupees per Equity Share for its maiden public offer.
With this IPO, the government is looking to divest its 3.5 percent stake in the insurer by selling 22 crore 13 lakh shares.
The Government aims to raise around 21 thousand crore rupees through IPO.

About Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC):

It is an Indian statutory insurance and investment corporation.
Chairperson: M R Kumar
Headquarters: Mumbai
Founder: Government of India
Founded: 1 September 1956

Note: LIC is recognized as the third-strongest and 10th most-valuable global insurance brand as per the Insurance 100 2021 report released by Brand Finance.

Source: newsonair

Important News: State

Nitish Kumar inaugurates India’s first greenfield ethanol plant in Bihar

Why in News

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar inaugurated the India’s first greenfield grain-based ethanol plant at Purnea.

Key Points

The Rs 105-crore plant by Eastern India Biofuels Pvt Ltd is the first one developed since the Centre gave a go-ahead to Bihar’s ethanol production and promotion policy-2021.
The project is a part of Bihar’s ambitious foray into ethanol production using sugarcane, maize and rice to meet the country’s fuel needs.
The ethanol plant has been built using the latest technology and will not discharge any waste, making it a zero-liquid discharge plant that is completely environment friendly.

Source: ET

'Miyan ka Bada' railway station renamed as 'Mahesh Nagar halt' in Rajasthan's Barmer district

Why in News

The ‘Miyan Ka Bada’ railway station of Rajasthan's Barmer district has now been renamed as ‘Mahesh Nagar Halt'.

Key Points

Earlier in 2018, the name of the village was changed from ‘Miyan ka Bada’ to Mahesh Nagar.

Earlier, the names of the following railway stations have been changed:

Manduadih Railway Station is now known as Banaras Railway Station
Mughalsarai Junction is now Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Railway Junction
Robertsganj Railway Station was renamed Sonbhadra Railway Station
Allahabad Junction is now Prayagraj Junction
Faizabad Junction is now known as Ayodhya Cantt
Dandupur Railway Station is renamed Maa Barahi Devi Dham Railway Station
The Uttar Pradesh government has also renamed Jhansi Railway Station as 'Veerangana Laxmibai Railway Station' after Rani Laxmibai.
The Habibganj railway station in Bhopal was renamed after Gond queen Rani Kamlapati in 2021.

Source: HT

Important News: Appointment

Former petroleum secretary Tarun Kapoor appointed adviser to PM

Why in News

The Central government appointed former petroleum secretary Tarun Kapoor as adviser to the PM Narendra Modi.

Key Points

Tarun Kapoor’s appointment will be initially for a period of two years from the date of joining.
Kapoor, a 1987-batch IAS officer of the Himachal Pradesh cadre, superannuated as the secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on November 30, 2021.

Note: Sangeeta Singh, a 1986 batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer has been given additional charge of Chairman, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).

Source: TOI

Important News: Sports

Ronnie O'Sullivan wins record 7th World Snooker Championship 2022 title

Why in News

England's Ronnie O'Sullivan has won record 7th World Snooker Championship 2022 title.

Key Points

Ronnie O'Sullivan joined Stephen Hendry in holding the modern-day record, adding to his world titles from 2001, ’04, ’08, ’12, ’13 and '20.
The 2022 World Snooker Championship (officially the 2022 Betfred World Snooker Championship) was a professional snooker tournament that took place at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England.

Source: HT