1 Prime Minister Narendra Modi conferred with Fiji and Papua New Guinea’s highest civilian award for global leadership
Prime Minister Narendra Modi co-chaired the 3rd Summit of the Forum for Indo-Pacific Islands – FIPIC with James Marape , Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, in Port Moresby . Leaders of about 14 countries attended the summit held at the APEC House on Elabeach in Port Moresby. FIPIC was launched during the visit of Shri Modi to Fiji in 2014 . Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with Fiji’s highest civilian award “ The Companion of the Order of Fiji ” for his global leadership. Shri Modi received the medal from the Prime Minister of Fiji , Siti Veni Rabuka . The Governor General of Papua New Guinea , Bob Dade, honored Mr Modi with his highest civilian award, the Grand Companion of the Order of Logohu . Mr. Modi received the award for his contribution to the unity of the Pacific island nations and to the cause of the Global South.
2 Ministry of Education and PARAKH (National Assessment Center) organized the first national level workshop on assessment with States and Union Territories
Parakh has been established as an organization under NCERT . It will work to bring the school boards of the states and union territories on a common platform. In this context, as a first step, Ministry of Education and PARAKH organized a workshop on uniformity of school evaluation, examination practices and boards from across the country in New Delhi . The Parakh will act as a common platform for consultations with all concerned stakeholders with a view to evolve a holistic approach. Thereby ensuring a fair evaluation system, which promotes equity in assessment of students and equity in performance.
3 World Food India 2023 to be held on November 3-5, 2023 in New Delhi
To mark the International Millet Year 2023, India’s Ministry of Food Processing Industries will organize the second edition of ‘ World Food India 2023 ‘, which aims to showcase India’s rich food culture and attract global investment in diversified food processing sector. To attract The event will be held on November 3-5, 2023 in New DelhiWill be in World Food India 2023 is a gateway to the Indian food economy, facilitating partnerships between Indian and foreign investors. It will be a one of its kind gathering of manufacturers, producers, food processors, investors, policy makers and organizations from the global food ecosystem. It is a platform to showcase, engage and collaborate across the global food value chain in retail, processing, technology transfer, manufacturing and cold chain logistics. It will showcase investment opportunities in backward linkages, processing equipment, research and development, cold chain storage, start-ups, logistics and retail chain.
4 Geographical Indication (GI) protected for Kangra tea in the European Union
Himachal Pradesh ‘s Kangra tea is the second product of the country to be registered as a Protected Geographical Indication (GI) in the European Union . has been made. This has paved the way for the producers of Kangra tea to sell in European countries. The registration of Kangra tea under EU will prove to be important to recognize the quality, genuineness and reputation of the product in the European markets. The decision will benefit the ‘Kangra tea’ growers of Palampur, Baijnath, Kangra and Dharamshala in Kangra district, Jogindernagar in Mandi district and Bhatiyat region of Chamba district. Kangra tea is famous all over the world for its unique taste. The abundant presence of pyrazine in it gives it a distinct aroma. In addition, it also has medicinal properties which are derived from antioxidants, phenolic compounds, tryptophan, amino acids, theanine, glutamine, and catechins. Kangra Tea was registered in the year 2005 by the Registrar Geographical Indications, Chennai, The GI status was granted by India and now after registration with the European Union, the sale of Kangra tea is expected to increase which will benefit the Kangra tea growers of the state. Kangra tea was exported to European markets during the British period. Due to its quality, various awards were given to Kangra tea by the markets of Amsterdam and London between the years 1886 to 1895.
5 3rd meeting of G-20 Tourism Working Group begins in Srinagar, J&K
The third meeting of the G-20 Tourism Working Group began in Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar . The proceedings of the meeting started with discussion on film tourism for economic growth and cultural preservation. It included Union Minister for Tourism and Culture G. Kishan Reddy , Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Dr. Jitendra Singh , India’s G-20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant , G-20 Chief Coordinator Harsh Vardhan Shringla , Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Apoorva Chandra , noted actor Ram Charan Teja and Other dignitaries were present.
6 Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the newly constructed Census Building in New Delhi
Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the newly constructed Census Building in New Delhi . Speaking on the occasion, Shri Shah said that development plans can be made only when accurate data is available. He expressed confidence that the next census data would help in making India a developed nation. The Home Minister said that now the entire process of census is going digital. Shri Shah said that the online sale of all Census related publications has started from today and this will bring great relief to the researchers. The foundation stone of Janganana Bhavan was laid in September 2019. Shri Amit Shah launches web portal for birth and death registration , upgraded SRS mobile application with geofencing and online sale of census publications Also launched the web portal of The Union Home Minister also released the Census Compendium (forthcoming census since 1981).
7 Amit Shah laid the foundation stone of the National Academy of Coastal Policing campus in Gujarat’s Dwarka
Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah recently laid the foundation stone for the permanent campus of the National Academy of Coastal Policing at Dwarka in Gujarat . Established in 2018 , the National Academy of Coastal Policing is the first national academy dedicated to providing intensive training to marine police personnel. It caters to the training needs of nine coastal states, five union territories as well as central police forces. The Academy plays a vital role in enhancing the capabilities and skills of the Marine Police, thereby enabling them to effectively deal with the security challenges in the coastal areas.
8 India to host the 44th edition of the prestigious annual consumer policy forum – ISO COPOLCO Open House
India will host the 44th edition of the prestigious annual consumer policy forum – ISO COPOLCO Open House. This conference is being organized in New Delhi till 26th May. Union Minister of Consumer Affairs Piyush Goyal will inaugurate the event. The topics of deliberations at the conference included challenges related to involving consumers, protection of their rights and legal modalities. ISO COPOLCO or the Committee on Consumer Policy is a committee of the International Standards Organization – ISO whose responsibility is to promote the interests of consumers in the standardization process.
9 Himadri Emporium outlet inaugurated in Rudraprayag
Himadri Emporium outlet was inaugurated in the premises of Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam with the objective of selling locally produced products in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand and providing a proper recognition at the national level. This outlet has been opened to give a proper recognition to the locally produced products in the district. Locally produced coarse cereals, buransh, malta, juices and other products will be available at the outlet. Along with this, products prepared from locally prepared incense, incense sticks, ringal etc. will be available for sale, which will also provide employment opportunities to local women and youth.
10 Age of First Smartphone and Mental Wellbeing Outcome Report released
A study titled ‘ Age of first smartphone and mental wellbeing outcome ‘ across more than 40 countries looked at the potential psychological problems associated with children with smartphone addictionhas been highlighted. The study included 27,969 adults aged 14–18 from different countries, including 4,000 adolescents and young adults in India. Early attainment of a smartphone has been linked to a higher likelihood of experiencing psychological problems in adulthood. Girls who received smartphones at age 6 reported greater emotional upheaval and “serious mental health challenges” as young adults. On the other hand, those who got their first smartphone after age 18 were less likely to experience mental distress. The study revealed that excessive smartphone use, especially for social media and virtual interactions, contributed to a poor sense of social understanding.
11 Calcium-41 for radiometric dating as a substitute for carbon-14
Scientists have suggested using calcium-41 for radiometric dating as an alternative to carbon-14 to determine the age of fossilized bones and rocks . He used atom-trap trace analysis as a solution. A technique called Atom-Trap Trace Analysis (ATTA) is suggested because ATTA is sensitive enough to detect calcium-41, a rare isotope. Calcium-41 is a rare long-lived radioisotope of calcium with a half-life of 99,400 years. When cosmic rays from space collide with calcium atoms in soil or rocks, calcium-41 is produced in the Earth’s crust. This isotope has the potential to be employed in dating methods for objects that can be accurately determined using carbon-14 dating.
12 DRI busts ambergris smuggling ring
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has made a significant breakthrough by busting an ambergris smuggling racket, which is threatening the flora and fauna of the country. DRI is an Indian intelligence agency under the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) , Ministry of Finance works under. It was formed in the year 1957 as the apex anti-smuggling agency to combat the menace of smuggling and commercial frauds relating to international trade and customs evasion. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) also serves as the lead agency for the National Anti-Smuggling Coordination Center (SCord), which coordinates the efforts of various agencies involved in anti-smuggling activities. DRI has a network of regional and zonal units across the country, as well as foreign liaison offices in some countries. ambergris, often called whale vomit is referred to as. It is a solid, waxy substance produced in the intestines of sperm whales. Only 1% of sperm whales produce ambergris. Chemically, ambergris contains alkaloids, acids, and a specific compound called ambrane, which is similar to cholesterol. It floats around the surface of the water body and sometimes gets collected near the shore. Due to its high value it is called floating gold. The main use of ambergris is in the perfumery industry, especially in the manufacture of musk. It is believed that in countries like Dubai where there is a big market for perfumes, There is more demand for it. The ancient Egyptians used it as incense. It is also believed to be used in some traditional medicines and as a spice. However, due to its high value, it has been a target of smugglers, especially in coastal areas.
13. TCS exemption on annual foreign exchange expenditure up to Rs.7 lakh
Following widespread protests from taxpayers and businesses, the Indian government has reversed its decision to impose a 20% tax on foreign credit card spending. Finance Ministry has announced exemption from levy on payments up to Rs 7 lakh per financial year to individuals using their international debit or credit cards to eliminate any procedural uncertainty. will be given. The decision comes in response to concerns raised regarding the application of Tax Collection at Source (TCS) for small transactions under the Liberalized Remittance Scheme (LRS) from July 1, 2023. It clarified that expenditure up to Rs 7 lakh per annum would neither come under LRS nor be subject to TCS. Necessary changes to the Foreign Exchange Management (Current Account Transactions) Rules, 2000 will be issued separately to facilitate this relaxation. Additionally, the ministry emphasized that the existing beneficial TCS treatment for education and health payments would continue, with a TCS rate of 5% for such payments up to Rs 7 lakh per annum. In addition, the Reserve Bank of India has recently introduced a new provision under the LRS, allowing individuals to make foreign exchange remittances up to US$ 2.5 lakh annually.
14 CCI approves merger of Credit Suisse Group AG with UBS Group AG
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved the proposed merger of Credit Suisse Group AG with UBS Group AG on 18 May 2023 . UBS Group AG (UBS) is a multinational investment bank and financial services company. It is a Switzerland based company and is active globally. Credit Suisse Group AG (Credit Suisse) is a multinational investment bank and financial services company established in Switzerland.
15 Appointment for IPO of IREDA
Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) is all set to go public with an Initial Public Offering (IPO) in the near future . To oversee this momentous event, the government has appointed IDBI Capital, BOB Capital and SBI Capital as lead managers for the IPO. The IPO is expected to see 10% stake sale by the government and 15% fresh equity issuance by IREDA, aimed at funding the renewable energy project financier’s growth.
16 Profit of PSU banks at a record high of Rs 1 lakh crore in FY23
One lakh crore profit of public sector banks in the financial year 2022-23 has crossed the figure of More than half of this contribution came from the country’s largest public sector bank State Bank of India. Analyzing the results released by the bank, it was found that in the financial year 2017-18, a loss of Rs 85,390 crore has been registered by the government bank, while in the financial year 2022-23 this figure will reach Rs 1,04,649 crore. Has gone. A jump of 57 percent has been registered in the financial year 2022-23 in the profits of 12 banks of the country. In 2021-22, banks have registered a profit of Rs 66,539.98 crore. In percentage terms, Bank of Maharashtra’s profit has increased the most by 126 percent to Rs 2,602 crore in 2022-23. After this, UCO Bank’s profit increased by 100 percent to Rs 1,862 crore and Bank of Baroda’s profit increased by 94 percent to Rs 14,110 crore. At the same time, the profit of State Bank of India will increase to 50 in 2022-23.
17 India’s Shaili Singh won bronze medal at the Golden Grand Prix 2023 Athletics event in Yokohama, Japan
Indian athlete Shaili Singh won a bronze medal in the women’s long jump event at the Golden Grand Prix 2023 Athletics Meet in Yokohama, Japan . Shaili Singh attempted a jump of 6.65m , which earned her a third place finish on the podium at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold Label event, the Yokohama meet. Germany’s Maris Luzzolo won the gold medal with a jump of 6.79m , while Brooke Buschkuhl of Australia won the silver with a jump of 6.77m . Last month, Shaili Singh cleared 6.76m in the Indian Grand Prix. He did his best in the jump. This is the best Indian performance since Anju Bobby George ‘s 6.83m . Two years ago, Shaili Singh won a silver medal at the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Nairobi.
18 Daniil Medvedev defeats Holger Roon to win Italy Open tennis title
Daniil Medvedev of Russia, the world number three tennis player, won the men’s singles title at the Italian Open Tennis by defeating Holger Rune of Denmark 7-5, 7-5 in the final. This is Medvedev’s fifth title this year and he has reached second place in the world rankings. The men’s doubles title was won by Hugo Nice of Monaco and Jan Jelinski of Poland. In the final, the pair defeated the Dutch pair of Robin Hasse and Bottic van de Zandschulp 7-5, 6-1. In women’s doubles, Australian pair of Storm Hunter and Elise Mertens of Belgium defeated American pair of Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula 6-4, 6-4. Earlier, Kazakhstan’s Alina Rybakina won the women’s singles final over Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina. Kalinina could not play the whole match due to injury. Rybakina was leading 6–4, one–nil when the match was called out.
19 India finished second in the World Archery Cup in Shanghai
India has finished second in the World Archery Cup . India’s campaign in Shanghai ended at the second position in the table with three medals . The good performance of the compound archers could not be continued by the recurve archers in the ‘ World Cup Phase Two ‘. The team won four gold, two silver and one bronze in the recurve event of this World Cup, taking its total medal tally to 11. India won all its medals at this stage in the compound category. Prathamesh Javakar and Avneet Kaur won individual gold and bronze, while the pair of Ojas Deotale and Jyoti Surekha Vennam won gold in the mixed team category.
20 22 May: International Biodiversity Day
Every year 22 May is observed as International Biodiversity Day across the world to promote the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity . Biodiversity refers to the variety of flora and fauna that make up an ecosystem. Conservation of ecosystem is important for natural balance and human survival. The theme of International Biodiversity Day 2023 is “ From Agreement to Action: Build Back Biodiversity ”.