Current Affairs in Short: 5 April 2022

Prime Minister Modi congratulates musician Ricky Kej on the second Grammy Award

• Prime Minister Modi congratulated musician Ricky Kej for winning his second Grammy Award on April 3, 2022.
• Prime Minister tweeted congratulations for Kej’s remarkable feat and best wishes for future endeavours.
• Bengaluru-based Rickey Kej won the trophy along with Stewart Copeland for ‘Divine Tides’ in the Best New Age Album Category at the 64^th Annual Grammy Awards.
• Ricky Kej had won his first Grammy Awards back in 2015 for his album ‘Winds of Samsara’ in the Best New Age Album Category.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal leaves for Australia for a 3-day visit

• Union Minister Piyush Goyal left on April 5, 2022, for a 3-day visit to Australia. His visit has come days after the two countries signed the ‘Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement’.
• Piyush Goyal, during his visit, will take the significance of ECTA to the people and will interact with the business leaders, Indian diaspora, and Indian students in Australia.
• Goyal will also hold wide-ranging discussions with his Australian counterpart on carrying forward the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement.
• ECTA is the first trade agreement of India with a developed country after more than a decade.

President of Sri Lanka Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s ruling coalition loses majority

• The ruling coalition of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa lost its majority in Parliament on April 5, 2022, after at least 41 lawmakers walked out of the alliance.
• However, the President has said that he won’t resign and is ready to hand over the government to whoever proves 113 seat majority.
• An emergency health situation has been declared in Sri Lanka because of the severe drug shortage in the country.
• Earlier, the Finance Minister of Sri Lanka Ali Sabry had resigned just a day after he was appointed by the Sri Lankan President as the country suffers a crippling economic crisis.

Chandigarh continues to be the Capital of Haryana

• The Chief Minister of Haryana Manohar Lal Khattar passed a resolution and said that Haryana will continue to retain its rights to the Capital Territory of Chandigarh.
• The Chief Minister, in the resolution, also urged the Central Government to not take any steps that will disturb the existing balance till all the issues emanating from the reorganization of Punjab are settled.
• The resolution also states that the resolution by Punjab Assembly to reiterate the state’s claim on Chandigarh is in defiance and contrary to the directions and agreements under Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966.
• On April 1, Chief Minister of Punjab Bhagwant Singh Mann had moved a resolution in the assembly seeking the transfer of Chandigarh to the state.