DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

By admin: May 5, 2023

56th Annual General Meeting of Board of Directors of ADB

Tags: Economy/Finance International News

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman attended the 56th Annual General Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Incheon, South Korea on May 2.

An overview of the news

• Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman led the delegation from the Indian side.

• The meeting was attended by official delegations of ADB members, observers, non-governmental and civil society organizations, financial institutions and banks, and other private sector companies.

• Sitharaman also participated in the annual meeting and focal events such as Governors Business.

• She also participated as a panelist in the ADB Governors' Seminar on Policies to Support Asia's Rebound.

The functions of the Union Finance Minister included the following components:

• Interaction with global economists, governors/finance ministers of ADB member countries, etc.

• Bilateral engagement with countries and international organizations.

• Interact with global business leaders and investors in roundtables.

• Engagement with community diaspora.

Asian Development Bank (ADB)

• It is a regional multilateral financial institution which focuses on the countries of Asia and Pacific region.

• It was set up after a resolution was passed at the first Ministerial Conference on Asian Economic Cooperation held by the United Nations Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East in 1963.

• It started functioning from 19 December 1966 with 31 member countries.

• At present it has 68 members—of which 49 members are from within Asia and the Pacific and 19 outside.

• Japan is the largest shareholder of the ADB and a Japanese has always been the head of the ADB.

• President of ADB: Masatsugu Asakawa 

• Headquarters: Mandaluyong City, Manila, Philippines

Ukraine apologises for ‘Devi Kali’ tweet

Tags: International News

Ukraine's Deputy Foreign Minister Emin Zhaparova expressed regret over the "misrepresentation" of Goddess Kali by the country's Defense Ministry. 

An overview of the news

• Apologizing for this act, he said that this country and its people respect the 'unique Indian culture'.

• In this illustration, a distorted picture of Goddess Kali was written 'Work of Art' amidst the smoke of the explosion.

• This picture was tweeted on April 30, about which objection was expressed on the social media platform.

• Jhaparova visited India on 9 April. This was the first official foreign trip by a minister from the Eastern European country (Ukraine) since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February last year.

About Ukraine

• Ukraine is a country located in Eastern Europe and the second largest country in the continent after Russia.

• Its capital is Kiev, located on the Dnieper River in north-central Ukraine.

• Prime Minister: Denys Shmyhal

• President: Volodymyr Zelensky

• Capital: Kyiv

• Official Language    : Ukrainian

• Currency : Rryvnya (UAH)

21st meeting of Bangladesh-India Joint Steering Committee on Cooperation in Power Sector

Tags: International Relations International News

The 21st meeting of the Bangladesh–India Joint Steering Committee (BIJSC) on the power sector was held on 4th May at Khulna, Bangladesh.

An overview of the news

• Bangladesh's Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Secretary Habibur Rahman and his Indian counterpart Alok Kumar led their respective sides at the meeting.

• The meeting reviewed the progress of ongoing activities related to mutual cooperation in the power sector between Bangladesh and India.

• The meeting also examined the possibility of power generation projects in India through BIFPCL including power export from Bangladesh to India and setting up of solar power projects.

• The delegation also discussed the signing of an agreement to import 500 MW of hydro power from Nepal by GMR to Bangladesh through India.

• The progress in the management of the first unit and the implementation of the second unit of the 1320 MW Maitri Super Thermal Power Project construction project was also reviewed.

People’s Republic of Bangladesh 

• Capital: Dhaka 

• Prime Minister: Sheikh Hasina Wazed 

• President: Mohammad Shahabuddin

• Currency: Taka 

National Mission For Clean Ganga Organizes River-Cities Alliance Global Seminar

Tags: National National News

The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) in association with the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) organized the ‘River-Cities Alliance (RCA) Global Seminar: Partnership for Building International River-Sensitive Cities’ on 4th May in New Delhi. 

An overview of the news

• The RCA Global Seminar was presided over by G. Asok Kumar, Director General (NMCG).  

• The aim of this global symposium was to provide a platform for officials from member cities and international stakeholders to discuss and learn from good practices for managing urban rivers.

• The RCA Global Symposium saw the participation of Embassies/High Commissions of select countries and their respective river cities.

• The seminar highlighted RCA's objectives, achievements and potential collaborative outcomes.

About River Cities Alliance (RCA)

• It was launched in 2021 as a dedicated platform for river cities of India for discussion and exchange of information for sustainable management of urban rivers.

• It was started with 30 cities in 2021 and currently has 95 cities as members across India.

• It is formed by the successful partnership of the two Ministries - Ministry of Jal Shakti and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

• It focuses on three broad themes - networking, capacity building and technical support.

• It will enable cities to learn from each other's success and failure and connect people to rivers.

National Mission for Clean Ganga(NMCG) 

• It was registered on 12 August 12, 2011 as a society  under the Societies Registration Act 1860.

• It serves as the implementing arm of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA), which was constituted under the provisions of the Environment Protection Act (EPA), 1986.

• It was established to address pollution challenges in the Ganga river.

• The operational area of the project covers the Ganga basin and all the states through which the river flows, including Delhi.

• The objective is to reduce pollution and ensure rejuvenation of the Ganga river. 

India’s First International Multimodal Logistics Park at Jogighopa, Assam

Tags: National National News

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal reviewed progress of India’s first International Multi Modal Logistics park in Jogighopa, Assam.

An overview of the news

• The park is likely to be completed within this year.

• The Union Minister expressed satisfaction at the pace of work as the road and railway connectivity is also aimed at completion by the end of this year.

About India’s First International Multimodal Logistics Park 

• The park is being developed under the ambitious Bharatmala Pariyojana.

• First such MMLP, it is being made by NHIDCL in Jogighopa of Assam.

• The park will be connected to road, rail, air and waterways.

• This is being developed in 317-acre land along the Brahmaputra.

• The MMLP will have all the facilities like, warehouse, railway siding, cold storage, custom clearance house, yard facility, workshops, petrol pumps, truck parking, administrative building, boarding lodging, eating joints, water treatment plant, etc.

Olympic and world title winning star athlete 'Tori Bowie' passes away

Tags: Person in news Sports News

Star athlete Tori Bowie's management company informed on 3 May 2023 that the US sprinter and long jumper, who won three Olympic medals and two world titles, died at the age of 32.

An Overview of the News

• For the past few days neither Tory was seen anywhere in public nor there was any news of her. Later, when police officers went to his Orlando (Florida) residence to inquire about her news, Bowie was found dead.

• The sheriff's department informed that Bowie's death was not being investigated as a suspicious death. That is, the officials are considering Tori's death as a natural death.

Career of Tori Bowie

• Bowie was raised by her grandmother in the rural environment of Mississippi (USA). She switched to long jump in 2014 and became the fastest woman in the world that year.

• Bowie also took silver in the 100m, bronze in the 4x100m relay and gold in the 200m at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

• Bowie became world champion in 2017 by winning the world 100m title in London.

• She finished fourth at the 2019 World Long Jump Championships in Doha, her last major competition.

• President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC): Thomas Bach.

Sports Minister launches logo, mascot of Khelo India University Games 2022

Tags: Sports Sports News

Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur launched the Logo, jersey, mascot, torch and anthem of the Khelo India University Games 2022 (KIUG 2022) in Lucknow 5th May. 

An overview of the news

• The 3rd edition of the Khelo India University Games will take place from May 23 to June 3. 

• The opening ceremony is scheduled on May 25 at the Babu Banarasi Das University in Lucknow.

• Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Nisith Pramanik and Sports Minister of Uttar Pradesh Girish Chandra Yadav were present at the launch ceremony. 

• The upcoming edition of the KIUG is expected to have participation of more than 4700 athletes from more than 200 universities across the country, with total participation reaching to over 7000.

 About Khelo India

• Khelo India, which translates to 'Let's Play India', was proposed by the Government of India in 2017.

• It aims to revive the sporting culture of India by connecting with children at the grassroots level.

• Under this, Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG), Khelo India University Games (KIUG) and Khelo India Winter Games were established as annual national sports competitions.

• Top sprinter Dutee Chand and archers Parth Salunkhe and Komalika Bari are some of the big names participating in these events.

• The initiative started with the Khelo India School Games in 2018 held in New Delhi.

Olympic silver medalist Nigel Amos banned

Tags: Sports Person in news Sports News

Nigel Amos, the Olympic silver medalist in the men's 800 metres at the 2012 Olympics, received a three-year ban for doping by the Athletics Integrity Unit.

• An Overview of the News

• Nigel Amos, from Botswana, tested positive for the banned substance GW1516 in the lead-up to last year's track world championships, which is known to cause cancer in rodent tests.

• The ban has been reverted to his provisional suspension in July 2020 and will last until 2025, meaning he will not be able to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU):

• It was established in April 2017 by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

• The primary objective of the AIU is to prevent, detect and investigate doping in athletics.

• The AIU operates independently of the IAAF to ensure fairness and transparency in its work.

• The AIU is responsible for enforcing the World Anti-Doping Code in Athletics and has the authority to ban athletes who violate the code.

About Botswana

It is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa.

The country is defined by two distinctive landscapes: the Kalahari Desert and the Okavango Delta.

Capital and largest city - Gaborone

President - Mokgweetsi Masisi

Vice President - Slumber Tsogwane

Establishment (Constitution) - 30 September 1966

Dubai to host inaugural edition of Global Chess League

Tags: Sports Sports News

The Global Chess League (GCL) announced Dubai as the inaugural edition of the world's largest and first franchise-based chess league.

An Overview of the News

• The league is a joint venture between FIDE and Tech Mahindra, and will be organised in association with the Dubai Sports Council as the host partner.

• The vision of the league is to bring the game of chess to new audiences and create an ecosystem for the game, providing a platform for champions from around the world to showcase their chess potential.

• The announcement was made in the presence of key dignitaries including Consul General of India in Dubai Dr. Aman Puri, five-time World Chess Champion and FIDE Vice President Viswanathan Anand and several members of the Global Chess League Board.

About United Arab Emirates (UAE)

• Location: It is located in Western Asia.

• Geographical Boundaries: It shares borders with Oman and Saudi Arabia.

• Maritime Borders: It also has maritime borders with Qatar and Iran in the Persian Gulf.

• Religion: Islam is the dominant religion in the UAE, with the majority of the population being Sunni Muslim.

Capital - Abu Dhabi

Official language - Arabic

Government - Federal Islamic parliamentary elective semi-constitutional monarchy

President/Crown Prince - Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Prime Minister - Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Vice President - Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Uttar Pradesh government plans to develop a theme park on the lines of Disneyland

Tags: Government Schemes State News

The Uttar Pradesh government plans to develop a theme park named 'Ramland' in Ayodhya on the lines of Disneyland to showcase the story of Lord Ram and attract tourists.

An Overview of the News

• The park aims to provide visitors a unique learning experience with entertainment, catering to both children and adults.

• The development of Ayodhya as a global tourism hotspot is part of the 'Ayodhya Vision 2047' initiative, which includes around 260 projects covering various sectors such as tourism, infrastructure, housing, medicine, energy, culture, urban development and transport.

• Around Rs 30,000 crore is expected to be spent on the rejuvenation of Ayodhya, and this expenditure will be borne by the Center and the UP government.

• Some of the projects under the initiative include Smart City Mission, modernization of bus terminals, widening of roads, cleaning of overhead power supply cables, beautification of ghats and setting up of cultural centres.

About Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh is a state located in the northern part of India.

It is the most populous state in India as well as the most populous subdivision in the world.

The state was officially established in 1950.

Chief Minister - Yogi Adityanath

Capital - Lucknow (Executive Branch)

Governor - Anandiben Patel

Rajya Sabha - 31 seats

Lok Sabha - 80 seats

India and Israel sign MoU for cooperation on industrial research and development

Tags: International Relations International News

India and Israel signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance industrial research and development cooperation in high-tech areas such as AI, quantum, semiconductors, healthcare, aerospace, sustainable energy and agriculture.

An Overview of the News

• The partnership aims to facilitate collaborative initiatives for industrial research and development in a diverse range of high-tech domains, including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, semiconductor technology, synthetic biology, healthcare, aerospace, sustainable energy and agriculture.

• The MoU will focus on specific projects and will be monitored by a Joint Steering Committee to ensure effective implementation.

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU):

• It is a type of agreement between two or more parties that expresses a shared intention to take a common line of action.

• Memoranda of Understanding can be used in situations where the parties do not intend a legal commitment or cannot form a legally enforceable agreement.

• MOUs are often used by many companies and government agencies to define relationships between departments, agencies, or closely related companies.

About Israel

Israel is a Middle Eastern country on the Mediterranean Sea.

It is considered the Holy Land of the Bible by Jews, Christians and Muslims.

Tel Aviv is the financial centre of the country and is known for its beaches and Bauhaus architecture.

Capital and largest city - Jerusalem

Official language - Hebrew

Recognized Language - Arabic

Government - Unitary parliamentary republic

President - Isaac Herzog

Prime Minister - Benjamin Netanyahu

Chief Justice - Esther Hayut

4th edition of G20 TechSprint competition launched by RBI and BIS

Tags: Economy/Finance National News

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) launched the G20 TechSprint 2023 competition for cross-border payments innovation.

An Overview of the News

• The competition focuses on three problem statements: AML/CFT, sanctions technology and CBDC platform.

• The competition is open to global innovators and aims to showcase innovative technology solutions for cross border payments.

• Techsprint fosters collaboration between financial institutions, technology providers and stakeholders to develop innovative solutions for cross-border payments.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI):

• It was established on April 1, 1935 under the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.

• Its central office was initially in Kolkata, but in 1937 it was permanently shifted to Mumbai.

• It regulates banks and NBFCs under the Banking Regulation Act 1949 and RBI Act 1934 respectively.

• It issued currency for India and Myanmar till 1942, but was discontinued after 1947.

Headquarters - Mumbai

Current Governor - Shaktikanta Das

About the G20

• It is an international forum of the world's leading economies established in 1999.

• Its primary objective is to promote international financial stability and sustainable economic growth.

• The G20 serves as a forum to discuss and coordinate policies related to a wide range of economic and financial issues such as trade, investment, employment, energy and climate change.

Patna High Court directs Bihar government to stop caste-based survey immediately

Tags: State News

The Patna High Court has issued a direction to the State Government of Bihar, ordering an immediate stay on the caste-based survey.

An Overview of the News

• The court has further ordered the government to ensure that any data already collected is kept secure and not shared with anyone till the final order is passed in the writ petition.

What is caste based census?

• In independent India, figures for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes have been published in every census from 1951 to 2011, but figures for other castes have not been published.

• Until 1931 every census included caste data.

• However, in 1941, caste-based data was collected but not published.

• In the absence of such a census, the population of OBCs and others cannot be accurately estimated.

• The Mandal Commission estimated the OBC population at 52%.

About Bihar

It is a state located in the eastern part of India, which shares a border with Nepal.

The state is divided by the river Ganges.

Formation - 22 March 1912

Capital- Patna

Chief Justice - K Vinod Chandran

Chief Minister - Nitish Kumar

Official Animal - Gaur

Official Bird - House Sparrow

Official Flower - Bauhinia Variegata

Official Tree - Sacred Fig

Devendra Fadnavis unveiled the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Mauritius

Tags: International News

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis unveiled the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Mauritius.

An Overview of the News

• The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Jugnauth and members of the Mauritius Marathi Mandali Federation.

• Fadnavis highlighted Maharashtra's potential as a major industrial and investment destination in India.

• Fadnavis participated in the Indo-Mauritius Business Forum and signed an MoU to promote trade between Mauritius and Maharashtra.

• He also announced a grant of Mauritius Rupees 44 million for the construction of a multi-purpose hall and a scholarship for 10 students.

• Fadnavis also attended a cultural event with Prime Minister Jugnauth and interacted with members of the Maharashtrian community in Mauritius.

About Mauritius

It is an island nation located in the Indian Ocean.

The interior of the island is mountainous and contains the Black River Gorges National Park.

Capital - Port Louis

President - Prithviraj Singh Rupan

Prime Minister - Pravind Kumar Jugnauth

Mauritius currency - Mauritian rupee