1) World Bee Day 2022 celebrates globally on 20th of May
•World Bee Day is observed worldwide on May 20. World Bee Day is to acknowledge the role of bees and other pollinators in the ecosystem. Raising awareness of the importance of pollinators in our environment, the threats they face and their important role in sustainability in the ecosystem is the key purpose behind the observance of this day. Also, it highlights how each individual can make a difference to support, restore and enhance the role of pollinators.
2) National Endangered Species Day 2022: 20th May
•Every year on the third Friday of May, people across the globe observe National Endangered Species Day. This year the day is celebrated on May 20. This year, it marks the 16th National Endangered Species Day. National Endangered Species Day is celebrated with the main emphasis on conserving our planet Earth’s flora and fauna.
•The day reminds human beings that they can do a lot to protect these species. National Endangered Species Day aim towards educating about the ways of conservation, restoration of the ecosystem and understanding of biodiversity.
3) International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia
•On May 17, the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia is commemorated, with the goal of coordinating international events to raise awareness of LGBT rights violations and inspire interest in LGBT rights work around the world. There had been commemorations in over 130 countries till now. Despite progress, consensual same-sex relationships are still illegal in nearly 70 nations. Only one out of every three countries protects people from discrimination based on sexual orientation, one out of every ten protects people based on gender identity, and a minority protect people based on sex characteristics.
•The IDAHO Committee was founded by the creators of the International Day Against Homophobia to coordinate grassroots actions in different countries, promote the day, and push for official recognition on May 17. That date was chosen to honour the World Health Organization’s (WHO) decision in 1990 to remove homosexuality from the International Classification of Diseases.
•In 2019, 69 countries have made same-sex partnerships illegal. Furthermore, transgender people face punishment in 26 nations, and they are disproportionately vulnerable to violence around the world. In many countries, including Uganda, where homosexuality is illegal, IDAHOBIT is regularly utilised as a platform for organising actions to further the struggle for LGBT+ rights.
4) WPI inflation at a record high of 15.08% in April 2022
•India’s wholesale inflation soared to a three-decade high in April as high commodity prices and supply-chain disruptions pushed up input costs for producers. The annual rate of inflation was 15.08% (Provisional) for the month of April 2022 (Y-o-Y) as compared to 10.74% in April 2021. The rate of inflation based on the WPI Food Index increased marginally from 8.71% in March 2022 to 8.88% in April 2022.
5) Rs 1,500 per acre incentive for farmers approved by Punjab Cabinet
•The Punjab Cabinet has authorised a Rs 1,500 per acre incentive for farmers who grow paddy using the direct seeding of rice technology. A total of Rs 450 crore has been set aside to provide incentives to farmers who promote the DSR (Direct Seeding of Rice) technique, which uses less water and is more cost-effective. The incentive scheme was approved by the Cabinet in a meeting headed by chief minister Bhagwant Mann.
6) Wesley Morgan won William E. Colby award for his book ‘The Hardest Place’
•Author and journalist, Wesley Morgan has won the William E. Colby Award 2022 for his military and intelligence writing. He was cited for his book “The Hardest Place: The American Military Adrift in Afghanistan’s Pech Valley.” The Colby Award, a $5,000 prize named for the former ambassador and CIA director William E. Colby, is given for “a major contribution to the understanding of military history, intelligence operations or international affairs.” The Colby Award is presented by Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont. The Colby award was established in 1999.
7) RBI: Public sector banks’ frauds down 51% to Rs 40,295 crore in FY22
•The Reserve Bank of India has said that public sector banks reported over a 51 per cent fall in the amount involved in frauds to Rs 40,295.25 crore during the financial year 2021-22 (FY22). As many as 12 PSBs (Public Sector Banks) had reported frauds worth Rs 81,921.54 crore in the preceding fiscal 2020-21, the central bank said in response to an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
•However, the number of fraud cases didn’t fall at the same pace as a total of 7,940 frauds reported by the PSBs in 2021-22, against 9,933 incidents reported in FY21, said the RBI’s reply to Madhya Pradesh-based RTI activist Chandrashekhar Gaur.
8) World bank sanctioned USD 350 million for SRESTHA-G project to Gujarat
•World Bank has approved USD 350 million as financial aid for the Systems Reform Endeavors for Transformed Health Achievement in Gujarat (SRESTHA-G) project. The SRESTHA-G project will be worth USD 500 million, with the World Bank contributing USD 350 million. The project will include transforming key health delivery systems in the state.
