The World Economic Forum (WEF) will hold its Annual Meeting 2022 in the Swiss ski resort town of Davos from May 22-26 as the first global in-person leadership event since the start of the pandemic.

• The theme of the WEF Annual Meeting 2022 will be "Working Together, Restoring Trust".
• The annual meeting was earlier scheduled to start in January but had to be deferred due to the outbreak of the Omicron variant of Covid-19.
• At least 100 Indian CEOs, as well as hundreds of business and political leaders from across the world have already registered for the WEF 2022 five-day event.

Manik Saha takes oath as new Tripura Chief Minister on Sunday, May 15, ahead of the state assembly election to be held early next year.

• Saha was named as the CM after Biplab Kumar Deb called it quits on Saturday.
• Deb is now likely to take over as the BJP Tripura chief.
• After he was declared as the CM, Manik Saha took to microblogging site Twitter to announce that he met the state governor with the letter of support from MLAs.

Buddha Purnima is traditionally celebrated to commemorate the birth of Siddhartha Gautam on the full moon night of the month of Vaisakh. This year, it is being celebrated on May 16.

• On Buddha Purnima people celebrate Siddhartha’s choice to renounce worldly pleasures and embrace the spiritual path to become a holy man.
• As per common belief, Buddha was born in a place that is now known as Lumibini in Nepal.
• This day is celebrated in accordance to the full moon day of the Vaisakha month of the Buddhist calendar.

The date 15 May 2022 will go down in India's sporting history as one of the most memorable ever as the men's badminton team of the country lifted the prestigious Thomas Cup for the first time in the event's 73-year-long history. Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts on phone with Indian Badminton team on its historic win; Sports Minister Anurag Thakur announces cash award of 1 crore rupees.

• The tournament held in Bangkok. 
• The Indian shuttlers defeated 14-time champions Indonesia 3-0 in the final of the event.
• India were off to a perfect start as Lakshya Sen defeated Anthony Ginting by 8-21, 21-17, 21-16 in a thrilling tie.
• India’s doubles pair Satwik and Chirag defeated Ahsan-Sukamuljo! 18-21, 23-21, 21-19, the most sensational victory of their career, to give India a 2-0 lead.
•  In the third game, Kidambi Srikanth defeated Jonatan Christie 21-15, 23-21 to make it 3-0.

The first lunar eclipse of the year 2022 has started. The eclipse began at 7:02 a.m. IST on May 16 and will end at 12:20 p.m. IST, according to Indian time. The moon eclipse, however, is not visible from the Indian subcontinent. 

• As per Hindu Mythology, the Lunar Eclipse always falls on Full Moon (Purnima Tithti).
• This lunar eclipse, the moon will turn a deep, rusty red color during this eclipse, hence, the name blood moon lunar eclipse.
• The eclipse can be seen in the eastern portion of the United States as well as throughout South America. According to NASA, totality will be visible across much of Africa, western Europe, Central and South America, and most of North America.
• There are, however, global livestreams available, including one from NASA that shows the whole lunar eclipse. Because the moon takes on a reddish colour during a total lunar eclipse, it’s also known as a blood moon.

For effective functioning of district judiciary and to render speedy justice the Telangana State government has decided to convert the existing 38 fast-track courts into permanent regular courts.

• The Telangana government has also sanctioned 1,098 posts to 22 fast track courts and 308 posts to the courts of the additional district and sessions judges.
• This will ensure smooth and effective functioning of district judiciary and help render speedy justice to the litigants ,
• It will also facilitate the establishment of courts in the newly carved out revenue districts, according to an official release.

The Finnish government has officially announced its intention to join NATO, and Sweden’s ruling party followed shortly after in a twin development that paves the way for a possible joint application to the military alliance.

• Less than three months after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, the announcements first by Finland and then Sweden were a stunning reversal of their traditional and long-standing policies of military non-alignment.
• “This is a historic day. A new era is opening,” Finnish President Sauli Niinisto told reporters at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Sanna Marin.
• The Finnish parliament is expected to endorse the decision in the coming days. A formal membership application will then be submitted to NATO headquarters in Brussels, most likely at some point next week.

Adani Group becomes India’s 2nd largest cement maker with $10.5 billion acquisition of Ambuja-ACC

• The Adani Group won the race to acquire 63.19 per cent stake in Swiss cement major Holcim Ltd's India operations, Ambuja Cements Ltd and ACC, in a $10.5 billion deal.
• This deal makes Adani second largest cement player after UltraTech Cement of the Aditya Birla Group

The first phase of excavation at Vembakottai on the banks of Vaipar river near Sivakasi, which is expected to be one of the most revealing archaeological sites in the region, was launched by minister for archaeology Thangam Thennarsu on Wednesday.

• Two decorated pendants — one ivory and the other terracotta — were found during the archaeological excavation under way near Vembakottai.
• The first phase of excavation, being undertaken by Tamil Nadu State Department of Archeology, began in March.
• So far, over 700 antiquities have been discovered during the excavation being held at Uchimedu along the left bank of Vaippar river.

Chief Minister, N Biren Singh has launched MOMA Market mobile application for home delivery of fresh vegetables. The application can be downloaded from  www.momamarket.com and it will also be available on Google Play Store soon. The app version for iOS will also be released shortly.

• MOMA a unit of the state horticulture and soil conservation department launched the app under the CM’s supervision to make fresh vegetables available for day-to-day consumption and to reduce the distress sales of farm produce during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.
• MOMA has been assigned to work in the area and channel farm produces to consumers via home delivery in order to prevent vegetable losses and COVID-19 spread.
• Farmers Producer Companies (FPCs) working with MOMA will harvest vegetables from various farms. It will then be transported to cold storage and warehouses at the department’s complex in Sanjenthong and other locations.
• Finally, the consumer’s MOMA Market order will be shipped to their doorstep.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Nepal for a one-day visit to mark Buddha Purnima. The prime minister has arrived in Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha. This is PM Modi's fifth visit to Nepal as Prime Minister, and his first to Lumbini.

• On Buddha Purnima, PM Modi will attend the 2566th Buddha Jayanti celebration and address a gathering of people from Nepal and India, including the Buddhist monks and scholars. 
• President Ram Nath Kovind arrives in Kingston on a two-nation visit to Jamaica and Saint Vincent & Grenadines.
• Nepal on Buddha Purnima 2022 aims at promoting the close, comprehensive, and multidimensional ties between the two neighbouring countries.