Current Affairs for BANK, IBPS Exams - 19 March 2022

::National::

In Dalai Lama's 1st public appearance in 2 years, Nehru remembered

Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama on Friday made a rare public appearance in Himachal Pradesh's Dharamshala, which was said to be the first in two years since March 2020. In his speech, he also remembered former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Thousands of Tibetans, including monks and members of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), were part of the gathering, news agency PTI reported.
Before he began the teachings of the Jataka Tales, part of the sacred Buddist literature, he said he was "strong and healthy". He was addressing an event in the Tsuglagkhang, the Main Tibetan Temple, to celebrate "the Day of Miracles that commemorates an episode in the life of the Buddha", the CTA wrote on Twitter. “I had thought to go to Delhi around now to have a medical check-up. However, I don’t feel unwell, in fact I feel fit for anything, so I decided not to go. Usually, during the winter, I go to Bodhgaya, but again, this year I decided to relax and take things easy here in Dharamsala. I also threw a ‘mo’ that indicated that this would be the better thing to do."
Addressing some school chilldren, Dalai Lama said he had sought the help of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to "establish dedicated schools where Tibetan pupils could study in Tibetan". Although they are “physically in exile”, he said, "Tibetans in India and elsewhere continue to feel close their own traditions, religion and culture," a statement of the CTA website read. He said he does his best and that they too should do their best to preserve this legacy. "As a guest of the Government of India. I live here in exile, but my thoughts always dwell on Tibet and our Tibetan cultural traditions," Dalai Lama said.

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::International::

Syria's Assad visits UAE, first trip to an Arab state since war

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad held talks in the United Arab Emirates on Friday, his first official visit to an Arab country since civil war erupted in 2011, UAE state media said.
The meeting is the latest sign of warming relations between Syria and the UAE, which had broken ties with Damascus in February 2012.
Assad met with the UAE's de facto ruler, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, discussing "fraternal relations" between the two countries, the WAM news agency reported.
They also discussed efforts to "contribute to the consolidation of security, stability and peace in the Arab region and the Middle East", it added.
Sheikh Mohammed said he hoped the visit would "pave the way for goodness, peace and stability to prevail in Syria and the entire region", WAM said.
The pair also discussed ways of "preserving the territorial integrity of Syria and the withdrawal of foreign forces from the country," it said, as well as means of providing "political and humanitarian support for Syria".
Photographs released by the Syrian presidency also showed Assad meeting with Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum during the one-day visit.

::Economy::

Moderna requests FDA to authorize second Covid-19 booster shot for adults

American biotechnology company Moderna submitted a request to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Thursday for emergency use authorization (EUA) on a fourth dose of its COVID-19 vaccine for adults 18 years of age and older, who already received a booster dose of any approved or authorized shot.
The request to include adults over 18 years of age was made to provide flexibility for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and healthcare providers to "determine the appropriate use of an additional booster dose," including for those at higher risk of COVID-19 due to age or comorbidities, said the company in a statement.
Currently, a booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at the 50 microgram dose level is authorized by the FDA for emergency use in the United States for adults 18 years and older.

Tamil Nadu Budget aims to cut revenue deficit by Rs 7,000 crore

The DMK government in Tamil Nadu on Friday presented the Budget for 2022-23 in the Assembly and Finance Minister PalanivelThiagaRajan said for the first time since 2014, the revenue deficit is set to decrease by over Rs 7,000 crore.
Tthe main opposition AIADMK staged a walkout and boycotted the Budget presentation, the second by the DMK government after it assumed power in May 2021.
Citing the pandemic, the floods, and the government action to tackle the situation, ThiagaRajan said such aspects had a negative impact on the stressed state’s finances.
In view of the prudent fiscal management, the overall revenue deficit has decreased to Rs 55,272.79 crore in revised estimates against the budgeted Rs 58,692.68 crore.

::Science and tech::

ISRO successfully conducts ground test of solid booster stage for SSLV

THE INDIAN Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Monday successfully completed the ground test of the solid-fuel based booster stage (SS1) of its new Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), completing the ground testing of all three stages of the launch vehicle. The new launch vehicle is now ready for its first development flight, which is scheduled for May this year.
“The successful test of solid booster stage has given sufficient confidence to proceed with the first developmental flight of SSLV (SSLV-D1), which is scheduled in May 2022. The remaining stages of SSLV i.e. SS2 & SS3 stages have successfully undergone necessary ground tests and are ready for integration,” the space agency said in a statement.
The space agency usually declares a launch vehicle operational after two successful development flights.
The SSLV launch, which was initially planned for 2020 end, has been repeatedly pushed as the pandemic resulted in fewer missions for ISRO – just four launches in the last two years. The delays, experts say, will result in India losing its global market share.
“Companies must have already booked their slots for the first development flight, but the problem is that they have been waiting for long. If the first launch is not followed by quick successive launches of the SSLV, the customers might move to other launch providers. ISRO will have to be ready with the manufacturing and assembly capacity before the first launch itself,” said AjeyLele, senior fellow at ManoharParrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses.

::Sports::

Lakshya Sen, Treesa-Gayatri pair reach All England Open semis

Unseeded Treesa Jolly and GayatriGopichand on Friday became the first Indian pair to reach the semifinals of All England championships, joining in-form LakshyaSen, who too reached the last four round of the men's singles competition in Birmingham.
Playing their first Super 1000 event, Treesa and Gayatri, world no 46, recorded the biggest win of their career, a stunning 14-21, 22-20, 21-15 win over world championship silver medallists and second seeds Lee Sohee and Shin Seungchan of Korea.
World Championship bronze medallistSen had earlier in the day advanced to the men's singles semifinals after his opponent Lu GuangZu of China gave a walkover due to an injury suffered in the last match.
Prakash Padukone and PullelaGopichand are the only Indians to have reached the semifinals before in the prestigious event.