9th May, 2022 Current Affairs

9th May, 2022 Current Affairs

NATIONAL
Supreme Court gets 2 new judges to regain full strength of 34

• The Union government of India has notified the appointment of Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia, the chief justice of Gauhati High Court, and Justice Jamshed Burjor Pardiwala, a judge of the Gujarat High Court, as judges of the Supreme Court.
• The Collegium headed by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana had recommended their names for appointment on May 5. The other members of the Collegium are Justices UU Lalit, AM Khanwilkar, DY Chandrachud and L NageswaraRao.
• At present, the Supreme Court has strength of 32 judges as against a sanctioned strength of 34 judges. The fresh appointments will help regain the 34-judge strength, but two other vacancies will arise soon with Justice Vineet Saran set to retire on May 10 and Justice Nageswara Rao on June 7.

Indian Navy’s P-8i Fleet host to Boeing and Air Works collaboration

• Air Works, an Indian maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) company, is partnering with the Boeing Company to conduct heavy maintenance checks on three Indian Navy P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft at Air Works, Hosur, demonstrating the success of the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) campaign.
• This significantly expands the scope and size of MRO in India, demonstrating both firms’ commitment to helping India achieve Aatmanirbhar status in aerospace and defence.
• The partnership between Boeing and Air Works has resulted in quicker turnaround times and increased operating capability for important defence platforms in India.
• The relationship began with checks on the P-8I Poseidon aircraft and has since expanded to include checks and MRO on the Indian Air Force’s Boeing 737 VVIP aircraft’s landing gear.

INTERNATIONAL
Agricultural imports from India suspended by Indonesia 2022

• Indonesia has stopped imports of agricultural products from India, citing a failure by New Delhi officials to register laboratories that evaluate food safety and issue Certificates of Analysis (CoA), causing worry among cereal exporters.
• In an order to the head of its Agricultural Quarantine Centre, the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture stated that its authority to accredited laboratories for testing the safety of fresh food from India and issuing the CoA has been revoked.
• CoAs issued by laboratories indicating that clear exports of fresh food of plant origin were certified in 2019 would not be recognised, according to the Ministry, although certificates issued on or before March 24 will be legitimate.
• Indonesian exporters have been notified of the order. The news came after Indonesia issued a notice to exporters requiring them to give extra information to the CoA.
• The notification was sent three to four months ago by Indonesia.
• While countries like Vietnam and Thailand were able to register their laboratories providing COAs well ahead of time, Indian authorities were unable to meet the deadline.
• The registration application should be submitted through diplomatic channels. However, the embassy in Jakarta failed to register on time.
• During the April-January fiscal year 2021-22, Indonesia accounted for 6% of India’s wheat exports. It bought 3.64 litres out of the 60.2 litres shipped out over the time period. In terms of rice, Jakarta purchased 2.07 lt from India, accounting for 2% of the total 13.9 million tonnes shipped by New Delhi from April 2021 to January 2nd, 2022.

G7 countries pledge to phase out imports of Russian oil; US announces new sanctions against Russia

• Group of Seven (G7) countries have pledged to ban or phase out imports of Russian oil over Ukraine row.
• The announcement came as the G7 held its third meeting of the year via video conference, with Ukrainian President VolodymyrZelensky participating. The meeting was called to discuss the conflict, support for Ukraine, and additional measures against Moscow, including on energy.
• The joint statement from the G7, France, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain, and the US, did not specify exactly what commitments each country will make to move away from Russian energy. The statement said, they will ensure that they do so in a timely and orderly fashion, and in ways that provide time for the world to secure alternative supplies.
• The G7 leaders also slammed President Vladimir Putin personally for his actions in Ukraine.
•  The leaders commemorated the end of World War 2 in Europe, which happened on this day in 1945, following the surrender of the German forces to the allied powers.
• Accusing Russia of violating the international rules-based order, particularly the UN Charter, the statement called on all partners to join their G7's support for the Ukrainian people and for refugees, and to help Ukraine to rebuild its future.

Pakistani President Arif Alvi summons National Assembly session

• Pakistani President ArifAlvi has summoned the National Assembly session on 10th May, the first after the change of guards in the country.
• The agenda for the meeting will be issued by this evening. The sitting of the National Assembly will be the first since the formation of the new Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's government, reported The News International.
• The session will be headed by the newly elected NA speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf. Shehbaz Sharif took oath as the 23rd Prime Minister of Pakistan after being elected by the National Assembly of the country.

APPOINTMENTS

John Lee, the former Hong Kong security chief is the new Chief Executive

• John Lee Ka-chiu, the sole candidate for Hong Kong’s leadership election, has been confirmed as the city’s next chief executive and will replace Carrie Lam.
• A former security minister who oversaw the crackdown on Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, Lee will be the first security official holding the Chief Executive position of a city which witnessed years of political unrest and recent debilitating pandemic controls.
• Lee, 64, resigned from his position as the city’s No 2 official last month to run and was the only contender to secure Beijing’s backing.

SPORTS

Nepal’s Kami Rita Sherpa climbs Mount Everest for 26th time

• Nepal’s legendary climber Kami Rita Sherpa has climbed Mt Everest, the tallest peak in the world for the 26th time to set a new world record. Leading an 11-member rope fixing team, Kami Rita & his team reached the summit, breaking his own previous world record.
• The climbing route used by Kami Rita was pioneered by New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and Nepal’s Sherpa Tenzing Norgay in 1953 and remains the most popular.
• Everest has been climbed 10,657 times since it was first scaled in 1953 from Nepali and Tibetan sides – many have climbed multiple times, and 311 people have died so far, according to the Himalayan Database.
•  The 52-year-old followed in his father’s footsteps and became a mountain guide, first summiting the peak in 1994. He has climbed Everest almost every year since.

Published date : 09 May 2022 05:39PM