DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

By admin: March 24, 2023

World Happiness Report 2023

Tags: Reports INDEX

Recently the 11th edition of the World Happiness Report, 2023 was released by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN).

An overview of the news

• The report says that between 2020 and 2022, the world will see a 'significant' increase in resilience.

• Two significant events affected the world during this period – the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

• According to the report, during this time of crisis, global citizens became increasingly philanthropic and built stronger social ties.

• There are 25 percent more "charitable acts" worldwide in 2022 than before the pandemic.

Key Highlight of the report

Top Performing Countries

• Finland continues to be the happiest country around the world for the sixth consecutive year. 

• Denmark is at number two, followed by Iceland at number three.

Worst Performing Countries

• Afghanistan is ranked as the unhappiest nation, followed by Lebanon, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe respectively.

India’s Performance

• India ranks 126 out of 136 countries, making it one of the least happy countries in the world.

• In 2022, India was ranked 136 out of 146 countries.

• India's neighbors ranked Sri Lanka (63), China (74) and Pakistan (108), among others.

About World Happiness Report

• It has been published annually since 2012 by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

• The ranking uses key factors to measure happiness - real GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, generosity and perceptions of corruption.

• The report ranks global happiness based on survey data from people in more than 150 countries.

Urban Climate Film Festival, 2023

Tags: Festivals

The National Institute of Urban Affairs is organising the first Urban Climate Film Festival under U20 engagement events from 24 March.

An overview of the news

• The Urban Climate Film Festival was launched on 24 March at the ML Bhartia Auditorium in New Delhi.

• The festival is being organized with the support of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India, the French Development Agency (AFD) and the European Union.

• A curated selection of 11 films from 9 countries will be screened to create wider awareness of the impact of climate change on life in cities and engage the public in the dialogue on sustainable urban development.

• Selected films will be screened at the festival in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Ahmedabad.

• The event, to be held from 25 to 26 March 2023, includes 11 award-winning films and interactive sessions from countries such as India, France, Germany, Belgium, Poland and USA.

About National Institute of Urban Affairs

• It is a central autonomous body under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

• It is a national think-tank undertaking cutting-edge multidisciplinary research, knowledge exchange and capacity development, policy planning in the area of urban development.

• It is also serving as the technical secretariat for the U20, the urban engagement group of the G20.

Anti-submarine craft INS Androth launched

Tags: Defence National News

The INS Androth, second in a series of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC), was launched in Kolkata on 21 March.

About INS Androth 

• It is built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd for the Indian Navy.

• It is 77.6 meters long and 10.5 meters wide.

• It is powered by three diesel propellers, these ships can reach a top speed of 25 knots.

• Its primary Role is to conduct anti-submarine operations in coastal waters, low-intensity maritime operations, and mine-laying operations. 

• The first ship was delivered in December 2022.

• The contract for construction of eight ASW SWC vessels was signed on April 29, 2019.

• The commissioning of two ships of the same class within three months reinforces the Prime Minister's commitment to indigenous shipbuilding as part of the vision of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'.

Amit Shah chairs regional conference on 'Drug Trafficking and National Security' in Bengaluru

Tags: Summits National News

Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the Regional Conference on 'Drug Trafficking and National Security' in Bengaluru on 24 March. 

An overview of the news

• Representatives from 5 southern states and 3 union territories participated in the conference.

• The Union Home Minister also supervised the destruction of 9,298 kg of seized narcotics worth Rs 1,235 crore during the meeting.

• The Home Minister focused on aspects such as zero tolerance in the regional conference on ways to reduce drug trafficking through sea routes and consequential stringent punitive action on drug traffickers.

Drug addiction in India

• India is situated between the world's two largest opium producing regions (the 'Golden Triangle' on one side and the 'Golden Crescent' on the other).

• The 'Golden Triangle' region includes Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam and Laos.

• The 'Golden Crescent' region includes Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran.

• According to the World Drug Report 2021, prescription drugs and their ingredients are increasingly being converted into recreational use in India (the world's largest producer of generic drugs).

• India is also linked to shipments of drugs sold in the 19 major darknet markets analysed in 2011-2020.

• According to the report released by the Ministry of Social Justice and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on the quantum of substance abuse in 2019.

• There are 31 million cannabis users in India (of which 2.5 million were dependent users).

• There are 23 million opioid users in India (of which 2.8 million were dependent users).

PM Modi addressed 'One World TB Summit' at Varanasi

Tags: National National News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 24 March addressed the 'One World TB Summit’ at Rudrakash Convention Centre, at Varanasi.

An overview of the news

• To mark World Tuberculosis Day, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the Stop TB Partnership are organising the summit.

• On the occasion of World Tuberculosis Day, the PM addressed the One World TB Summit.

• International delegates from more than 30 countries participated in the event.

• During the event, PM launched various initiatives including TB-free Panchayat Initiative

• The official pan-India rollout of Abbreviated TB Preventive Treatment (TPT). Family Centered Care Model for TB and India's Annual TB Report 2023 released.

• In March 2018, during the 'End TB Summit' held in New Delhi, the Prime Minister called for India to achieve SDG targets related to TB by 2025, five years ahead of schedule.

• The One World TB Summit will provide an opportunity to further discuss the goals.

About Stop TB Partnership

• Stop TB Partnership was founded in 2001. 

• This is a United Nations-hosted organisation that amplifies the voices of the people, communities, and countries affected by TB.

• It aims to eliminate tuberculosis as a public health problem.

• Secretariat - Geneva, Switzerland.

Other projects launched by PM

• The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of the Passenger Ropeway from Varanasi Cantt Station to Godaulia.

• The PM also laid the foundation stone of a 55 MLD sewage treatment plant at Bhagwanpur under the Namami Gange scheme. It will be built at a cost of over Rs 300 crore.

• Under the Khelo India scheme, the foundation stone for Phase 2 and 3 of the redevelopment work of Sigra Stadium was laid by the Prime Minister.

• The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of an LPG bottling plant at Iswar village in Sewapuri.

World Tuberculosis Day

Tags: Important Days

World Tuberculosis Day is observed every year on 24 March to raise awareness about tuberculosis and encourage timely action to combat the global TB epidemic.

An overview of the news

• The theme of the year 2023 is - "Yes! We can end TB!".

• It aims to urge leaders from around the world to act to stop the TB epidemic. 

• The theme emphasizes the importance of increased funding, rapid action, multi-sectoral collaboration, rapid adoption of new WHO guidelines, and adoption of innovation to eliminate tuberculosis.

What is Tuberculosis (TB)?

• It is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

• The bacteria generally attack the lungs, but TB bacteria can attack any part of the body, such as the kidneys, spine, and brain.

• Tuberculosis infections began increasing in 1985 because of the emergence of HIV.

• HIV weakens a person's immune system, so it can't fight the TB germs.

Transmission

• Its bacteria spread from person to person through the air.

• When people with pulmonary (Lung) TB cough, sneeze or spit, they spread TB germs into the air.

Symptoms of TB

• Cough for three or more weeks

• Coughing up bloody sputum

• Chest pain, pain with breathing and coughing

• Weight loss, Fatigue, Fever and Night sweats etc.

Government Initiatives to Combat TB

• National Strategic Plan (NSP) for Tuberculosis (TB) Elimination (2017-2025)

• Nikshay Poshan Yojana (NPY- financial support)

• TB Harega Desh Jeetega Campaign

• Universal Immunisation Programme

• The government of India aims to have a TB-free India by 2025.

• Revised National TB Control Program under National Health Mission

• Ending the TB epidemic by 2030 under United Nations SDG target 3.3.

• Every year World TB Day is celebrated on 24 March.

• TB Burden
  Every year one crore people fall ill with TB and 1.5 million people die from TB every year.

• About half of all people with TB are found in eight countries – Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and South Africa.

• It is one of the top 10 leading causes of death worldwide.

• India accounts for 30 percent of the world's TB cases, the highest in the world, followed by Indonesia and China.

India, UK hold joint maritime exercise 'Konkan' in Arabian Sea

Tags: Defence International News

The annual bilateral maritime exercise 'Konkan' between the Indian Navy and UK's Royal Navy was held off the Konkan coast in the Arabian Sea from March 20-22. 

An overview of the news

• The joint exercise by both the navies demonstrated operational readiness, enhanced interoperability and improved capability to conduct joint operations.

• INS Trishul, a Guided Missile Frigate, and HMS Lancaster, a Type 23 Guided Missile Frigate, participated in 'Konkan 2023' and conducted several maritime exercises to enhance interoperability and imbibe best practices.

• The exercise covered all domains of maritime operations, air, surface and subsurface.

• India and the UK agreed on new cooperation on maritime domain awareness, including new agreements on maritime information sharing,

• The UK has been invited to join India's Information Fusion Center in Gurugram.

About 'Konkan' exercise

• It is a bilateral naval exercise conducted between India and the United Kingdom.

• The Konkan series of exercises was started in 2004.

• Since then, the exercise is conducted by both the navies in rotation.

• The exercise provided excellent training to the personnel of both the navies.

Other Exercises between India and UK

• Exercise ‘Indradhanush’ (Air Force Exercise)

• 'Ajeya Warrior' (Joint Military Exercise)

MoU signed between Ministry of Ayush and Department of ex-servicemen welfare, Ministry of Defence

Tags: National National News

The Ministry of Ayush and Department of Ex-servicemen Welfare/ECHS, Ministry of Defence  on 24 March signed a MoU to integrate Ayurveda in ECHS Polyclinics as an OPD service for a five year period. 

An overview of the news

• These will be set up in 10 polyclinics located at Ambala, Mysore, Ranchi, Nagpur, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Meerut, Danapur and Alleppey (Alappuzha).

• Ayurveda centers already exist in 37 Cantonment Hospitals, 12 Military Hospitals of AFMC and AH R&R.

• The Ministry will provide technical guidance from time to time and empanel Ayurveda doctors and pharmacists for their appointment and provide a list of essential Ayurveda medicines and other technical support.

• The Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, Ministry of Defense will provide necessary infrastructure (room/furniture/other facilities) at a suitable location in the concerned polyclinic.

• Both the Ministries have agreed to form a Joint Working Group (JWG) comprising representatives from Ministry of AYUSH and Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare to take forward the proposal for setting up OPD as per the MoU.

NASA-ISRO to jointly build NISAR Earth Science Satellite

Tags: Science and Technology

In a significant event in the field of Earth Sciences, NASA and ISRO have come together to build a satellite named NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar).

Mission Objectives of the Satellite

• Design, Develop and launch a Dual Frequency (L and S band) Radar Imaging Satellite. 

• Explore newer applications areas using L & S Band microwave data, especially in surface deformation studies, terrestrial biomass structure, and natural resource mapping. 

• monitoring and studies related to dynamics of ice-sheets, glaciers, forests, oil slick etc.

About NISAR satellite

• It is jointly developed by NASA and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) under a partnership agreement signed in 2014.

• It is a 2,800 kg satellite that includes L-band and S-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) instruments, making it a dual frequency imaging radar satellite.

• NASA provided L-band radar, GPS, a high-capacity solid-state recorder, and a payload data subsystem to store the data.

• ISRO has provided the S-band radar, Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) launch system and the spacecraft.

• It will map the entire globe in 12 days.

26 % of world's population does not have safe drinking water: UNESCO report

Tags: Reports

According to a report published by UNESCO at the United Nations 2023 Water Conference in New York, 26 percent of the world's population does not have access to safe drinking water.

An overview of the news

• As per the report, 46 per cent of the population does not have access to safely managed sanitation.

• According to the report, two to three billion people experience water scarcity for at least one month per year, which poses serious risks to livelihoods, especially food security and access to electricity.

• The global urban population facing water scarcity will double from 930 million in 2016 to 1.7 to 2.4 billion in 2050.

• The report states that the increasing incidence of extreme and prolonged drought is affecting ecosystems, causing severe consequences for plant and animal life.

• There is an urgent need to establish strong international mechanisms to prevent the global water crisis from spiraling out of control.

UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization)

• It is a specialized agency of the United Nations.

• It was established on 16 November 1945.

• Headquarters: Paris, France

• UNESCO members - 193 countries

• UNESCO Head - Audrey Azoulay