Current Affairs in English – May 17 2023

May 17, 2023

National Events:

CCI:

• The government has appointed Ravneet Kaur as the Chairperson of the Competition Commission of India (CCI). There has been no full-time Chairperson for the competition regulator since Ashok Kumar Gupta demitted office in October 2022.
• CCI Member Sangeeta Verma has been acting as the Chairperson since October last year. The appointment of Ravneet Kaur, a 1988 Punjab cadre IAS officer, will be for a period of five years from the date of assuming charge or till the date of attaining the age of 65 years or until further orders, whichever is the earliest, as per the order dated May 15.
• The Chairperson will get a consolidated salary of Rs 4,50,000 per month without house and car.

Uttar Pradesh:

• Uttar Pradesh now holds the second position in the country in terms of having the maximum number of Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged goods.
• The state has received GI tags for three more One District One Product (ODOP) crafts, taking the total number of GI-tagged products in the state to 48. The three newly-tagged ODOP crafts are Mainpuri tarkashi, Mahoba Gaura stone craft, and Sambhal horn craft.
• The GI tag is a valuable asset for the state of Uttar Pradesh.It helps to promote the state’s traditional crafts and products, and also helps to boost the local economy. The GI tag also helps to create awareness about the state’s rich cultural heritage.

 ‘Pahal’:

• The online rural education initiative ‘Pahal’ was officially launched by Chief Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra at Government UP Sainik Inter College in Sarojini Nagar.
• This program, developed through a partnership between the Department of Secondary Education and IIT Kanpur, aims to provide education to rural communities through online platforms.

Sanchar Saathi Portal:

• The Union Minister for Communications, Ashwini Vaishnaw, launched the Sanchar Saathi Portal during a function held in New Delhi.
• This citizen-centric portal aims to empower mobile phone users by providing essential services, such as tracking and blocking lost mobile phones.
• The Department of Telecommunications has developed this initiative, which also allows citizens to control the connections associated with their names.

Mission Amrit Sarovar:

• A high-level meeting was held to review the progress, monitor, and ensure the quality of Mission Amrit Sarovar, chaired by Shri Shailesh Kumar Singh, the Secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development.
• The meeting was attended by the Additional Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary, and Secretary of Rural Development from all States/Union Territories (UTs), the State Nodal officer for the Mission Amrit Sarovar, DM/DC/CEOs of over 700 districts, and District Nodal officers of the Mission.
• As part of the celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, the Amrit Sarovar Mission was launched on 24th April 2022 with the objective of developing and rejuvenating 75 water bodies in each district across the country.
• The mission aims to create a total of 50,000 water bodies, each spanning an area of about an acre or more, contributing to the preservation and enhancement of water resources.

National Dengue Day:

• National Dengue Day is observed on May 16 every year to raise awareness about the mosquito-borne disease. Dengue cases usually surge in India during and after the monsoon season.
• The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare organises different events to observe National Dengue Day at several levels across the country.
• Dengue is caused by four distinct viruses and is spread by the female Aedes mosquitoes, which also transmit yellow fever, Zika viruses, and chikungunya.

European Union‘s proposal:

• According to government and industry sources, India is planning to lodge a complaint with the World Trade Organisation about the European Union‘s proposal to levy tariffs ranging from 20% to 35% on high-carbon goods like steel, iron ore, and cement from India.
• This move comes as part of New Delhi’s effort to resist the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), a measure intended to incentivize local industries to adopt cleaner technologies to reduce carbon emissions, while also being discussed in bilateral talks.

India & Bangladesh:

• The initial batch of 10 start-up companies participating in the 50 start-ups exchange program between India and Bangladesh have returned to Dhaka after a successful visit to India from May 8-12.
• These start-ups operate in various sectors, including e-commerce, health, transport and logistics, energy, education, and skill development. The exchange program facilitates visits between 50 start-ups from Bangladesh and 50 start-ups from India, aiming to foster partnerships, expand business relations, share experiences and knowledge, and promote collaboration among young entrepreneurs.
• The framework of this program was established during recent bilateral summits between the Prime Ministers of both countries.

Flying gecko:

• Researchers at Mizoram University and the Max Planck Institute for Biology in Tubingen, Germany, have discovered a new species of flying gecko along the Indo-Myanmar border. The creature has been named after the Northeastern state of Mizoram.
• Dubbed the Gekko mizoramensis, it is the name given to the new species after the state of Mizoram. Professor Hmar Tlawmte Lalremsanga led the team.

National Water Awards 2022:

• Regional News Unit of Akashvani Guwahati secures second place in the Best Media category at the National Water Awards 2022.
• The award recognizes their efforts in promoting water resources conservation and management through awareness programs and interactive discussions.
• Their efforts in water conservation include awareness programs. This marks their first win in this prestigious category.

Bihar government:

• Bihar State Archives to preserve one crore plus historical documents. These files and folio contain Mughal-age Firmaans and land records, including that of Raja Todarmal, one among the Navaratnas of Emperor Akbar.
• The Bihar government has planned conservation measures for important and confidential historical paper documents for a better and long-lasting life. It also has documents related to Babu Kunwar Singh, Mahatma Gandhi, and his Champaran Satyagraha.

International Events:

Libya’s parliament:

• Libya’s parliament voted to remove prime minister Fathi Bashagha on 16 May 2023. The chamber, backed by military leader Khalifa Haftar, had picked Bashagha in February 2022 to lead a government to replace that of Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah.
• Libya’s military chief Khalifa Haftar, fought a 2019-2020 campaign to seize the capital from a government and tried to run for president in 2021.

Security assistance to Taiwan:

• US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced additional security assistance to Taiwan through presidential drawdown authority.
• This expedites aid delivery, similar to Ukraine. President Biden’s administration plans to send $500 million worth of weapons aid to Taiwan. This highlights US commitment, influences US-China relations, and regional stability.

Apple:

• Apple has introduced new features for enhanced accessibility for people with cognitive, vision, or speaking disabilities.
• It has introduced a background sound feature that aims to minimize distractions and improve focus for individuals with cognitive disabilities.
• The assistive touch feature of Apple enables users with motor impairments to control devices using simple gestures.

World Telecommunication Day:

• World Telecommunication Day, now called World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, is observed on May 17 under the auspices of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
• This occasion serves to emphasize the influence of the Internet and various communication technologies on global communities. Numerous regions worldwide continue to encounter obstacles concerning connectivity, and the ITU endeavors to narrow this divide.

World High Blood Pressure Day:

• To create awareness about high blood pressure worldwide “World High Blood Pressure Day is celebrated on 17th May every year.
• Measuring your blood pressure accurately, controlling it, living longer is the theme for 2023.