March 30, 2025
Daily Current Affairs of 16 Apr 2022. Follow Current Affairs on daily Basis in on post. Current Affairs PDF for Competitive Exams

Save the Elephant Day 2022: 16 April

Save the Elephant Day is celebrated on April 16 every year to raise awareness about the dangers elephants face and the various difficulties they have to overcome to live. Save The Elephant Day aims to change this alarming trend by educating people about elephants and the plights they face, encouraging everyone to do their bit and helping save them from extinction.

The Day is established by the Thailand-based Elephant Reintroduction Foundation, to spread awareness among the general people about the significance and consequences of their actions, or inactions on the future of elephants. According to WWF data, at present, the population of Pachyderms in India is around 20,000 to 25,000.

About the Elephant:

Elephants are known as the most enormous land animal and a surprisingly gentle giants in the animal kingdom. Emotional, intelligent and beautiful in the wild, sadly elephant populations have been rapidly decreasing due to various threats, perhaps most significantly poaching.


Israel successfully tests ‘Iron Beam’ new laser-based air defence system

Israel successfully tested a new laser missile-defence system ‘Iron Beam‘ which can destroy any airborne object including drones. Iron Beam is the world’s first energy-based weapons system that uses a laser beam to shoot down incoming UAVs, rockets, mortars, long-range missiles, anti-tank missiles etc. The Iron Beam which is developed by the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems is using a directed-energy weapon system and can go a long way in providing aerial defence.

Iron Beam: How it works

  • Iron Beam works on a fibre laser system to destroy any airborne object.
  • Iron Dome defense system has been a great success, with a 90% interception rate against incoming rocket fire.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Israel Capital: Jerusalem;
  • Israel President: Isaac Herzog;
  • Israel Prime minister: Naftali Bennett;
  • Israel Currency: Israeli Shekel.


PM Modi Dedicates K. K. Patel Super Speciality Hospital in Bhuj

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has dedicated to the nation, a 200-bed KK Patel Super Speciality Hospital in Bhuj in the Kutch district of Gujarat, via video-conferencing. This hospital has been built by Shree Kutchi Leva Patel Samaj, Bhuj and is the first charitable super speciality hospital in the Kutch region.

It will guarantee quality medical treatment for the people of Kutch including lakhs of soldiers, par military personnel and traders. This initiative is in line with the policy of the Central government to set up at least one medical college in every district of the country so that India gets a record number of doctors in the next 10 years.



Prabhat Patnaik named for Malcolm Adiseshiah Award 2022

Well-known Indian economist and political commentator, Prabhat Patnaik has been selected for the Malcolm Adiseshiah Award 2022. The award is annually given by the Malcolm and Elizabeth Adiseshiah Trust to an outstanding social scientist selected from nominations received by a specially constituted national jury. The award includes a citation and prize money of Rs 2 lakh.

Dr Patnaik has taught at the Centre for Economic Studies and Planning in the School of Social Sciences at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi and was the Vice Chairman of the Kerala State Planning Board.


Tamil Nadu beat Punjab in National basketball championship final

Tamil Nadu defeated defending champion Punjab 87-69 in the final to win the men’s title in the 71st Senior National Basketball Championship. The formidable Indian Railways team won the women’s title, beating Telangana 131-82 in convincing fashion, riding on Poonam Chaturvedi’s 26 points.

In the men’s summit clash, Tamil Nadu pulled ahead after a slow start when Punjab kept pace and never looked back. At half-time, the host had widened the lead to 17 with a 50-33 scoreline. An Aravind with 26 points and M Arvind Kumar (21) were in the fine nick for the home team as they stamped their authority against their arch-rival.


Elon Musk: Great Lessons You Can Learn From Elon Musk Biography

Elon Musk (born June 28, 1971 in Pretoria, South Africa) is a South African-born American entrepreneur who co-founded PayPal and established SpaceX, a launch vehicle and spaceship manufacturer. He was also one of the original major investors in and the CEO of Tesla, an electric car company.

Elon Musk Early Life:

  • Musk was born in Canada to a Canadian mother and a South African father.
  • He showed an early interest in computers and business.
  • He produced a video game at the age of 12 and sold it to a computer magazine.
  • Musk left South Africa in 1988 after getting a Canadian passport because he refused to support apartheid through compulsory military duty and wanted to pursue the higher economic prospects offered in the United States.

Elon Musk Business:

  • Elon Reeve Musk FRS is a billionaire businessman, entrepreneur, and investor.
  • He is the co-founder of Neuralink and OpenAI, as well as the founder, CEO, and Chief Engineer of SpaceX.
  • He is also an early-stage investor, CEO, and Product Architect of Tesla, Inc., and the founder of The Boring Company.

Elon Musk Education:

  • Musk began his studies at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, before moving to the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia in 1992 and completing bachelor’s degrees in physics and economics in 1997.
  • He enrolled in physics graduate school at Stanford University in California, but he dropped out after only two days, believing that the Internet had far more potential to revolutionise society than physics.
  • Zip2, a startup that provides maps and business directories to online newspapers, was started by him in 1995.
  • After Zip2 was purchased by computer manufacturer Company for $307 million in 1999, Musk launched X.com, which later became PayPal, an online financial services company that specialised in online money transfers.
  • PayPal was purchased for $1.5 billion in 2002 by the online auction site eBay.

Elon Musk Philosophy:

Musk has long believed that mankind must evolve into a multi planet species in order to survive. He was, however, concerned with the high cost of rocket launchers.

SpaceX:

  • He founded Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) in 2002 with the goal of making more economical rockets.
  • The Falcon 1 (first launched in 2006) and the bigger Falcon 9 (first launched in 2010) were the company’s first two rockets, both of which were planned to be substantially less expensive than rival rockets.
  • The Falcon Heavy (first launched in 2018) was designed to carry 117,000 pounds (53,000 kg) to orbit, roughly twice as much as its closest competitor, the Boeing Company’s Delta IV Heavy, at a third of the price.
  • The Super Heavy–Starship is the successor to the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy, according to SpaceX.

Tesla

  • Musk has long been fascinated by the potential of electric vehicles, and in 2004 he became one of the primary investors in Tesla Motors (later renamed Tesla), an electric vehicle startup created by entrepreneurs Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning.
  • Tesla debuted its first automobile, the Roadster, in 2006, with a range of 245 miles (394 kilometres) on a single charge.
  • It was a sports car that could travel from 0 to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometres per hour) in less than four seconds, unlike most earlier electric vehicles, which Musk considered were stodgy and uninspiring.
  • The company’s Initial public offering (IPO) in 2010 raised $226 million. Tesla released the Model S sedan two years later, which was praised by automotive critics for its performance and design.


Odisha CM unveils logo of 2023 Men’s Hockey World Cup

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has unveiled the logo of the 2023 FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup at the Kalinga stadium in the capital Bhubaneswar. To be held in the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Rourkela, the prestigious quadrennial tournament is scheduled from January 13 to 29.

Hockey India and its official partner Odisha will host the marquee event for the second consecutive time in the country after 2018. The 15th edition of the showpiece will be staged in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela, where the country’s largest hockey stadium is being constructed.


Fino Payments Bank to buy 12.19% stake in Paysprint Pvt Ltd

Fino Payments Bank announced that its board of directors has approved a 12.19 percent minority strategic investment in New Delhi-based fintech Paysprint Pvt Ltd. Fino Payments Bank is making its first strategic investment since becoming public. This is in addition to the bank’s Fino 2.0 projects, which include many internal programmes aimed at creating a digital ecosystem for its customers.

About Paysprint:

  • Paysprint, a profitable fintech, is a fast-growing financial technology firm that provides next-generation application programming interfaces (APIs) in banking, payments, travel, lending, insurance, and investment, among other fields.
  • Paysprint’s co-founder and CEO, S Anand, said the fintech company is excited to collaborate with Fino Payments Bank and combine technical knowledge to develop innovative banking products and solutions that will increase consumer acceptance.
  • Paysprint completed its first full year of operations in FY22, with an annual GMV of Rs 5,500 crore.

In FY23, the robust growth pace is likely to continue. During the year, it also onboarded over 600 partners from banks, NBFCs, MSMEs, fintech, and other start-ups.


(e-NAM) National Agriculture Market Completed 6 years

e-NAM marks the sixth anniversary of the National Agriculture Market (e-NAM), a pan-India electronic trade network. To ease online trade of agricultural commodities, the flagship programme incorporates physical wholesale mandis and markets from several States and Union Territories. The Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium is implementing e-NAM, which was launched on April 14th in 2016 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is completely funded by the Central Government.

What is eNAM?

The National Agriculture Market (eNAM) is a pan-India electronic trading system that connects the existing APMC mandis to form a unified national agricultural commodities market. Under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare of the Government of India, the Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) is the key agency for implementing eNAM.

VISION

To enhance agricultural marketing uniformity by streamlining procedures across linked marketplaces, eliminating information asymmetry between buyers and sellers, and encouraging real-time price discovery based on actual demand and supply.

MISSION

Farmers can sell their produce through an online competitive and transparent price discovery method on the e-nam platform, which encourages greater marketing prospects for them. Farmers are free to register and sell their produce on the e-nam site. A total of 1000 mandis from 18 states and three union territories have joined the e-nam platform, with over one crore 72 lakh farmers benefiting.

Integration of APMCs across the country via a shared online market platform to improve pan-India commerce in agriculture commodities, allowing for better price discovery through a transparent auction procedure based on product quality and quick online payment.


Puducherry LG inaugurated Beach Festival I Sea PONDY-2022

In the presence of Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, Lieutenant Governor Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan opened the Puducherry first-ever Beach Festival I Sea PONDY-2022.

  • Gandhi Beach, Pondy Marina, and Sandunes of Paradise Beach in Puducherry will host the festival for four days.
  • During the festival, there will be a variety of cultural events and competitions.

About Puducherry:

  • Pondicherry (or Puducherry) was a French colonial settlement in India until 1954, and is currently a Union Territory town bordering the Tamil Nadu state in the southeast.
  • The French Quarter, with its tree-lined avenues, mustard-colored colonial mansions, and stylish stores, preserves the city’s French heritage.
  • Along the Bay of Bengal, a beachfront promenade passes various statues, including a 4m-high Gandhi Memorial.

Important Takeaways for all Competitive Exams:

  • Puducherry Chief Minister: N. Rangaswamy
  • Puducherry LG: Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan


128th Foundation Day of Punjab National Bank

Punjab National Bank, India’s second-largest bank has celebrated its 128th Foundation Day on April 12, 2022. On the occasion of foundation day, MD & CEO of PNB, Atul Kumar Goel has launched a cardless cash withdrawal service and a virtual debit card for its customers. Bank also launched various services on its mobile app named PNB One for safe banking transactions.

PNB was established by the great freedom fighter Lala Lajpat Rai, proudly known as Sher-e-Punjab (Lion of Punjab) in 1894 as the First Swadeshi Bank after being influenced by the swadeshi movement.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

  • Punjab National Bank (PNB) Founded: 1894;
  • Punjab National Bank (PNB) Headquarters: New Delhi;
  • Punjab National Bank (PNB) MD & CEO: Atul Kumar Goel;
  • Punjab National Bank (PNB) Tagline: The Name You Can Bank Upon.



IIT Guwahati collaborated with NTPC to develop energy efficient tech to capture CO2

The Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, has teamed up with the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) to design and construct a highly energy-efficient CO2 collection system from power plants. A research team led by Prof. Bishnupada Mandal, Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Guwahati, developed this indigenous technique, which could be copyrighted soon.

Key Points:

  • The oil, natural gas, and biogas industries, as well as petroleum refineries, will benefit from the project’s outputs.
  • It also has the potential to save India money in terms of foreign exchange.
  • This project will also assist and strengthen the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through its research and education.
  • The pilot plant has been relocated to NTPC’s NETRA site following the successful completion of test investigations.
  • This development has the potential to aid in the fight against global warming.
  • The study’s next phase will entail pilot-plant testing using industrial flue gas.
  • This method, which uses a newly activated amine solvent (IITGS) to work on flue gas, uses up to 11% less energy than the commercial activated MDEA solvent and up to 31% less energy than the benchmark MEA (Monoethanolamine) solvent.
  • In the chemical sector, the MEA and other proprietary solvent-based CO2 collection systems are available.
  • This technology is used in coal and gas-fired power stations to produce modest amounts of food-grade CO2 (compared to CO2 capture in power plants).
  • However, if used for large-scale CO2 capture in power plants, the method is energy-intensive.
  • IIT Guwahati has devised an amine-based technique for CO2 extraction from flue gas that is both energy-efficient and cost-effective.
  • The expansion of the power sector is a necessity for India’s ambitious national aim of doubling its GDP by 2025.
  • Growth in the power sector is a requirement for India to meet its lofty policy goal of ‘Electricity for All’ while also maintaining considerable GDP growth.
  • India, on the other hand, is a strong supporter of worldwide efforts to reduce CO2 emissions through research and development.


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