DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

By admin: May 30, 2023

China launches 3 astronauts to Tiangong space station

Tags: Science and Technology International News

In China, three astronauts, including a civilian, were launched to the Tiangong Space Station on Shenzhou-16 on 30 May.

An overview of the news

• The civilian, Professor Gui Haichao of Beihang University, was the first to be placed in orbit in space.

• This is the first mission for Shenzhou-16 Tiangong since it entered the application and development phase.

• Tiangong is the crown jewel of China's space program, which has also landed robotic rovers on Mars and the Moon. The launch was a complete success and the astronauts are in good condition.

• The Shenzhou-16 crew was launched aboard a Long March 2F rocket at 9:31 a.m. local time from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China.

• China's first manned space mission in 2003 made it the third country after the Soviet Union and the United States to send a man into space from its own resources.

Telangana achieves 100% coverage of PMJDY

Tags: Government Schemes State News

The state of Telangana achieved 100 percent household coverage of banking services through the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY).

An Overview of the News

• According to the Social Security Administration survey, the state achieved 100 percent coverage of 135 welfare schemes and programs in 20 departments.

• Telangana has more than 1 crore 11 lakh Jan Dhan bank account holders with a total balance of over Rs 3 thousand crore.

• Around 61 lakh people in rural areas have opened Jan Dhan accounts, while in urban areas around 50 lakh people have zero balance accounts.

• Over 84 lakh Jan Dhan account holders in Telangana actively use RuPay cards, which provide additional benefits like credit facilities.

About Telangana

• It is a state located in south-central India on the high Deccan Plateau.

• It is the eleventh largest state of India by area.

• Telangana was carved out of the northwestern part of Andhra Pradesh on 2 June 2014 and became the newly formed state of Telangana with Hyderabad as the capital.

• Telangana is bordered by Maharashtra to the north, Chhattisgarh to the northeast, Karnataka to the west, and Andhra Pradesh to the east and south.

• As of 2019, the state of Telangana is divided into 33 districts.

Governor - Tamilisai Soundararajan

Chief Minister - K Chandrasekhar Rao

Council - (40 seats)

Legislative Assembly - (119 seats)

Rajya Sabha - 7 seats

Lok Sabha - 17 seats

India extends $1 billion credit line to Sri Lanka till March 2024

Tags: International Relations International News

India on May 30 extended its $1 billion line of credit to Sri Lanka till March 2024 to help purchase essential food, medicine and other essential commodities as Sri Lanka grapples with an unprecedented economic crisis.

An overview of the news

• This agreement is an important step towards continuation of financial assistance provided by the Indian side to the Sri Lankan Government for procurement of essential items.

• The signing ceremony took place in the presence of Sri Lanka's Minister of State for Finance, Shehan Semasinghe, senior officials from Sri Lanka's Ministry of Finance and representatives of the Indian High Commission in Colombo.

• The credit line was extended last year when Sri Lanka was passing through its worst economic crisis.

• The facility has been instrumental in prompt procurement of critical supplies such as fuel, medicines, food items and industrial raw materials for the island nation.

• This extension of financial assistance further underscores the strong commitment of the Government of India as it continues to assist Sri Lanka with a comprehensive package of approximately USD 4 billion in line with India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy.

About sri lanka

• The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a tropical island nation located off the southeast coast of the Indian subcontinent.

• Sri Lanka is separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Munnar and the Palk Strait.

• Capital: Colombo (Executive and Judicial) and Sri Jayawardenepura (Legislative).

• Official languages: Sinhala and Tamil

• President – Ranil Wickremesinghe

• Prime Minister – Dinesh Gunawardena

• Currency: Sri Lankan Rupee

Tele-law program achieves new milestone

Tags: National National News

Tele-law program achieved a significant milestone by empowering 40 lakh beneficiaries with pre-litigation advice.

An Overview of the News

• Objective of Tele-Law: This program serves as an e-interface mechanism for obtaining legal advice and consultation at the pre-litigation stage.

• Connectivity: Needy persons can connect with panel lawyers through video conferencing/telephonic facilities at Common Service Centers (CSCs) located at Panchayat level.

• Launch: The Tele-Law program was launched in 2017.

• Accessibility through Mobile App: The Tele-Law service is now directly accessible through the Tele-Law Mobile App available on Android and 10S.

• Accessibility and Convenience: The program ensures convenient access to legal aid, regardless of geographical location.

• Empowerment: This program empowers disadvantaged individuals by providing pre-litigation advice, enabling them to make informed decisions and understand their rights.

• Holistic Support: Tele-law also provides information on legal matters, rights awareness and alternative dispute resolution methods.

• Collaboration: The success of the program is due to the collaborative efforts between the Department of Justice, Ministry of Law and Justice, Panel Lawyers and CSCs.

• Impact: The achievement of 40 lakh beneficiaries reflects the significant impact of the program in promoting access to justice and legal empowerment.

Mukesh Ambani joins advisory committee of global climate change panel COP28

Tags: Person in news

Indian business tycoon Mukesh Ambani has been nominated to the Consultative Committee for the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

An overview of the news

• This committee will work to guide and advise the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) on Climate Change.

• Apart from Sunita Narayan, director general of the Center for Science and Environment, Ambani is the only Indian to be included in the COP28 President's Advisory Committee.

• It is noteworthy that Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is promoting renewable energy.

• Along with this, he is diversifying his conventional crude refinery and petrochemical business. For this reason, Ambani has been included in the committee's 31 international experts.

Other global leaders included in the COP28 Advisory Committee

• BlackRock Chairman and CEO Larry Fink

• Arctic Circle President Olafur Grimsson

• Laurent Fabius, President of the Paris Agreement

• Francesco La Camara, Director General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)

• Bob Dudley, President of the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI)

About COP28

• The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change convention is known as the Conference of the Parties (COP).

• The COP28 conference will be held in Dubai from 30 November to 12 December 2023.

• The COP28 UAE Advisory Committee brings together climate experts from 6 continents, representing policy, industry, energy, finance and civil society.

• There are 31 members in this committee.

Kheer Bhavani Mela celebrated

Tags: State News

Every year on the day of Jyestha Ashtami, Kashmiri Pandits visit Mata Ragneya Devi Temple, also known as Kheer Bhavani Temple, for darshan.

An overview of the news

• This year the mela was celebrated with great enthusiasm not only by the Kashmiri Pandits but also by the local people of the Kashmir Valley on 28th May.

• The Kheer Bhavani fair held on Jyestha Ashtami in Kashmir holds a sacred place in the spiritual realm of Kashmiri Pandits.

• More than 25 thousand devotees participated in the fair.

• The Kheer Bhawani Mela started on 26th May and concluded on 28th May i.e. Jyestha Ashtami.

• Kheer Bhavani is considered to be the deity of Kashmiri Pandits, who have a lot of recognition there. 

• Over the years, the Kheer Bhawani Mela has become a symbol of communal harmony and brotherhood in Kashmir.

XPoSat

Tags: Science and Technology

The X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) mission is a collaborative effort between the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the Raman Research Institute (RRI) in Bengaluru.

An Overview of the News

• XPoSat aims to develop and launch the X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) later this year.

• XPoSat aims to study the polarisation of X-rays emitted by celestial sources.

• The study of X-ray polarisation can provide valuable insight into the nature and behaviour of astrophysical sources such as neutron stars, black holes and active galactic nuclei.

• XPoSat is India's first and world's second polarimetry mission.

• NASA's Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE), the only other major mission of its kind, is slated to launch in 2021.

About ISRO

• It is the national space agency of India. It launches its space rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

• Establishment - 15 August 1969

• Founder - Vikram Sarabhai

• Headquarters - Bengaluru

• Chairman - S Somnath

ISRO to launch Chandrayaan-3 in July this year

Tags: Science and Technology National News

ISRO Chairman S Somnath has announced that Chandrayaan-3, the successor of Chandrayaan-2, will be launched in July this year.

An Overview of the News

• The announcement was made after the successful launch of second generation navigation satellite NSV-01 from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota.

• The primary objective of Chandrayaan-3 is to demonstrate India's end-to-end capabilities in lunar exploration and its ability to safely land on and orbit the Moon.

• The mission will consist of an indigenous lander module, a propulsion module and a rover.

• Both the lander and the rover will be equipped with scientific payloads, which will enable them to conduct experiments and collect valuable data on the lunar surface.

Important Points

Chandrayaan-1:

• It was the first Indian lunar probe launched by ISRO.

• It was part of the Chandrayaan program and was launched in October 2008 and the mission lasted till August 2009.

• Chandrayaan-1 consisted of a Lunar Orbiter and an Impactor.

• The Lunar Orbiter conducted scientific research and collected data about the Moon.

• The objective of the mission was to make a detailed map of the Moon's surface and study its composition.

• Chandrayaan-1 had advanced instruments to test the presence of water ice and minerals.

• The spacecraft carried both Indian and international scientific payloads.

• Chandrayaan-1 made important discoveries including evidence of water molecules on the lunar surface.

Chandrayaan-2:

• India's second lunar exploration mission developed by ISRO.

• Components: Lunar Orbiter, Vikram Lander and Pragyan Rover.

• Scientific Objective: Study the composition of the lunar surface and find lunar water.

• Launch: July 22, 2019, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre.

• Landing Site: Intended for the south polar region of the Moon at a latitude of 70°S.

• Planned Landing Date: September 6, 2019

• Landing Result: The lander crashed due to a software glitch.

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO):

• It was established on 15 August 1969.

• It is the national space agency of India. It launches its space rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

• Headquarters: Bengaluru

• Chairman: S Somnath

Chennai Super Kings win IPL 2023 beating defending champions Gujarat Titans

Tags: Sports Sports News

Chennai Super Kings won their fifth IPL title by defeating defending champions Gujarat Titans by 5 wickets in a rain-curtailed match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on 29 May.

An overview of the news

• Chasing a revised victory target of 171 runs in 15 overs against defending champions Gujarat Titans, Chennai Super Kings reached the target in the last ball of the final over with the loss of 5 wickets. 

• CSK equaled Mumbai Indians' record for most number of tournament wins.

• Chennai Super Kings won the toss and invited Gujarat Titans to bat first, scoring 214 runs in 20 overs.

• After this, Chennai got the target of 171 runs in 15 overs due to Duckworth-Lewis rule due to rain.

• In the last over, CSK needed 13 runs to win. Three runs came off the first four balls. After this, CSK needed 10 runs from the last two balls. Ravindra Jadeja was on strike. Jadeja hit a six on the fifth ball.

• Jadeja gave the victory to Chennai by hitting a four in the last ball. With this win, Chennai have equaled Mumbai's record of winning the title five times.

Highlights 

• MS Dhoni gets the winning cheque

• Hardik Pandya get runner up trophy

• Shubman Gill wins Orange Cap

• Purple Cap to Mohammad Shami

• Shubman Gill wins most valuable player of the season

• Devon Conway wins player of the match

• Chennai Super Kings: 171/5 (15)

• Gujarat Titans: 214/4 (20)

Praveen Kumar Srivastava has been appointed as the new Central Vigilance Commissioner

Tags: Person in news

President Draupadi Murmu (President Draupadi Murmu) administered the oath of office to Vigilance Commissioner Praveen Kumar Srivastava as the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) on 29 May.

An overview of the news

• Srivastava was serving as the acting Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) since December last year after the completion of Suresh N Patel's tenure as the Central Vigilance Commissioner.

• The Commission is headed by the CVC and can have a maximum of two Vigilance Commissioners.

About Central Vigilance Commission 

• CVC is an apex vigilance institution, which is free from any executive authority.

• It is an independent body whose accountability is only to the Parliament.

• It was established in February 1964 on the basis of the recommendations of the Anti-Corruption Committee constituted under the chairmanship of K. Santhanam.

• The Central Vigilance Commission Act, 2003 (CVC Act) has been enacted by the Parliament conferring statutory status on CVC.

• It submits its report to the President of India.

Appointment of commissioners

• The Central Vigilance Commissioner and Vigilance Commissioners are appointed by the President on the recommendation of a committee consisting of the Prime Minister (Chairman), the Home Minister (Member) and the Leader of the Opposition (Member) in the Lok Sabha.

Tenure

• Their tenure is for 4 years or 65 years (whichever is earlier).

Goa Statehood Day - 30 May

Tags: State News Important Days

Goa Statehood Day is celebrated every year on 30 May.

An Overview of the News

• Goa is the smallest state of India in terms of area.

• Alfonso de Albuquerque conquered Goa in 1510, ending the rule of Adil Shah of Bijapur.

• India regained control of Goa from the Portuguese after 400 years.

• This year marks the 36th anniversary of Goa getting statehood.

• On 30 May 1987, Goa was declared a separate state from Daman and Diu.

• The official language of Goa is Konkani.

About Goa

Capital - Panaji

Chief Minister - Pramod Sawant

Official Sport - Football

Official Animal - Gaur

Governor - P.S. Sreedharan Pillai

India won the CAVA Women's Challenge Cup 2023 title

Tags: Sports Sports News

India won the NSC-CAVA Women's Volleyball Challenge Cup title held in Kathmandu.

An Overview of the News

• The final match was held at the National Sports Council covered hall at Tripureshwor, Kathmandu.

• India became the champion by defeating Kazakhstan in the final.

• India won 3-0 over Kazakhstan.

• India remained undefeated in the entire competition.

• The tournament was organised by the Nepal Volleyball Association.

• The National Sports Council provided support for the event.

• Eight countries participated in the competition.

• The final standings were as follows:

• 
  

  • Runner-up: Kazakhstan

  • 3rd place: Nepal

  • 4th place: Uzbekistan

  • 5th place: Sri Lanka

  • 6th place: Kyrgyzstan

  • 7th place: Maldives

  • 8th place: Bangladesh.

About Nepal

• The kingdom of Nepal was established by the Shah dynasty.

• It is a landlocked country in South Asia.

• Prime Minister - Pushpa Kamal Dahal

• President - Ram Chandra Paudel

• Capital - Kathmandu

Currency - Nepalese Rupee

CAG Girish Chandra Murmu re-elected as external auditor of WHO for a four-year term

Tags: Person in news

CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General) Girish Chandra Murmu has been re-elected as the external auditor of the World Health Organization (WHO) for a period of four years from 2024 to 2027.

An Overview of the News

• He has held this position at the WHO since 2019, with his current term set to end in 2023.

• The re-election took place during the 76th World Health Assembly in Geneva.

• Mr. Murmu secured a massive majority of 114 votes out of 156 in the first round of voting.

• The appointment of CAG Girish Chandra Murmu is a recognition of the position of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India among the international community.

• This is the second major international audit assignment for CAG Girish Chandra Murmu this year.

• Earlier in March, he was selected as the external auditor of the International Labor Organization.

World Health Organization (WHO):

• Established on 7th April 1948.

• Specialised agency of the United Nations.

• Responsible for international public health.

• Headquarters and Offices:

• 
  

  • Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

  • Operates through six regional offices.

  • It has 150 regional offices around the world.

• Mandate and Focus:

• 
  

  • To promote the highest standard of health for all people.

  • Addresses global health challenges.