Current Affairs in English – April 29, 30 2023

Current Affairs in English – April 29 2023

April 29-30, 2023

National Events:

LIC:

The government announced the appointment of Siddhartha Mohanty as the Chairperson of the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) until June 29, 2024.
Following this, he will serve as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer until June 7, 2025, as stated by LIC in a release.
Mohanty, who is currently the Managing Director, had been serving as the interim Chairperson of the state-run life insurance company since March 14, replacing M R Kumar, whose term ended on March 13, 2023.

Department of Social Justice & Empowerment:

The Department of Social Justice & Empowerment signed an MoU with Art of Living to enhance the effectiveness and reach of the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan.
The objectives of Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan include creating awareness about substance abuse through activities such as awareness generation programs, targeting schools and universities, identifying dependent populations in communities, providing counseling and treatment facilities, and capacity building for service providers.

Ministry: – Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.

Launch Year: – 2020.

Implementing Body: – Department of Social Justice & Empowerment.

Global Gold Award:

The Green Organization has awarded Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. (PGCIL),a Maharatna CPSU of Ministry of Power, Government of India, with the Global Gold Award for their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) work.
The recognition was given at the Green World Awards 2023 function held in Miami, USA.
This award is a recognition of PGCIL’s efforts to improve agriculture productivity and rural livelihood through watershed management, community participation, and better crop management practices in 10 villages of Jaipatna Block of Kalahandi District in Odisha.

Immigrant Achievement Award:

Neeli Bendapudi, the current president of Penn State University, is set to receive the Immigrant Achievement Award for her significant contributions to higher education in the United States.
The award recognizes immigrants who have made significant contributions to their communities and professions, and Bendapudi’s innovative leadership and extensive career in academia have earned her this prestigious recognition.

Kalesar National Park:

Wildlife enthusiasts and conservationists are thrilled following the discovery of a tiger captured by a camera-trap in Kalesar National Park situated in Yamunanagar district, Haryana.
This rare occurrence after more than a century has made the state proud. Haryana’s Forests and Wildlife Minister, Kanwar Pal, shared two images of the tiger, stating that it had been spotted in the Kalesar region for the first time since 1913.

Rajasthan government:

The Rajasthan government’s recent declaration of three areas as conservation reserves has brought a ray of hope for wildlife conservation efforts and ecotourism in the state.
As the state government declared three areas — Sorsan in Baran, Khichan in Jodhpur and Hamirgarh in Bhilwara — as conservation reserves.
The new reserves are expected to protect rare and endangered species and provide a safe haven for migratory birds.

ITC:

ITC, one of India’s largest FMCG conglomerates, has surpassed IT major Infosys to become the country’s sixth most valuable company on the stock exchanges.
With a market capitalization of Rs 5.11 lakh crore, ITC overtook Infosys after overtaking HDFC Ltd.
This achievement comes after ITC’s share price rose 59% over the past year and 24% so far in 2023, making it the best performer in the benchmark Nifty50.
Meanwhile, Infosys shares have fallen by 20% in 2023, wiping off Rs 1.80 lakh crore of investors’ fortunes, following its March quarter earnings below street estimates.

Delhi government:

Delhi government has approved a draft policy to lay down some labour laws.
The draft Delhi Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Rules, 2023, was vetted and approved by the labour department on 28 April 2023.
As per the draft rules, women, if they choose to, can now work from 7 in the night to 6 in the morning.

Sinthan Snow Festival-2023:

The Directorate of Tourism, Jammu and Kishtwar Tourism Development Authority (KTDA) is organising a two-day Sinthan Snow Festival-2023 at Sinthan Maidan, Kishtwar on 29-30 April 2023.
The snow festival is being organized in collaboration with the District Administration Kishtwar, the Jammu & Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture, and Languages (JKAACL), and the Army.

MEC:

Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar launched the first of its kind ‘Millets Experience Centre (MEC)’ at Dilli Haat in New Delhi on 28 April 2023.
National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED) has established it in collaboration with the Agriculture Ministry.
It aims to raise awareness of Millets and encourage its adoption among the general public.

International Events:

NASA scientists:

NASA scientists have successfully extracted oxygen from simulated lunar soil in a vacuum environment, which could pave the way for future human colonies on the Moon.
The ability to extract oxygen from lunar soil is crucial for providing breathable air for astronauts and can also be used as propellant for transportation and space exploration.

Sara:

Sara, the world’s first robotic check-in assistant, has been unveiled by Dubai-based airline Emirates. Sara is part of a new City Check-in and Travel Store which recently opened in Dubai’s financial district.
The robot uses facial recognition technology to match customer’s faces with scanned passports, check them in, and guide them to the luggage drop area.
The Emirates airline is focused on enhancing the customer experience and leading the way in the aviation industry through technology and innovation.

World Dance Day:

World Dance Day, which occurs every year on April 29th, is a yearly celebration of dance that aims to increase awareness about its importance in diverse cultures and societies worldwide.
The event, also known as International Dance Day, honors the birth anniversary of Jean-Georges Noverre, a French dancer and ballet instructor recognized as the father of contemporary ballet, and encourages the promotion of this artistic expression.

UNESCO:

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has designated April 30th as International Jazz Day to bring attention to jazz and its ability to unite people worldwide in a diplomatic manner.
UNESCO Director General, Audrey Azoulay and renowned jazz pianist and composer, Herbie Hancock, who is also a UNESCO Ambassador for Intercultural Dialogue and Chairman of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, are responsible for leading and overseeing International Jazz Day.
The Institute, a non-profit organization, is tasked with organizing, promoting and executing this annual celebration.

ADB & Pakistan:

Pakistan has become the largest recipient of the Asian Development Bank(ADB)-funded programmes/projects in the year 2022.
According to the ADB Annual Report 2022, out of total disbursement of over USD 31.8 bn to 40 countries, Pakistan received loans of USD 5.58 billion.
Out of the total lending of USD 5.58 bn, Pakistan received concessional funding of USD 2.67 bn from the bank in 2022.

World Veterinary Day: 29 April

World Veterinary Day is celebrated on the last Saturday of April. In 2023, it was observed on 29 April.
The day is observed to mark the importance of veterinary doctors who serve to protect animals. These veterans work on improving animal lives and thus human lives.
The theme of World Veterinary Day for 2023 is ‘Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusiveness in the Veterinary Profession’.

Europe’s investment strategy:

Europe’s investment strategy for partner countries, Global Gateway, will receive a financing boost of 18 billion euros as announced by the European Commission and the European Investment Bank.
The projects funded by this investment aim to address the global climate finance gap and promote efforts to prevent, adapt, and mitigate climate change.