1. 2nd G20 Culture Group (CWG) Meeting in Odisha
Tags: Summits National News
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second G20 Culture Group meeting, also known as the CWG meeting, took place on 14 May in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
Purpose of the meeting
The CWG meeting aims to facilitate discussion and cooperation among G20 member states on cultural issues, heritage conservation, creative industries and cultural diplomacy.
Cultural Heritage Protection
The meeting addressed the importance of preserving and protecting cultural heritage, including tangible and intangible cultural properties.
The discussions included topics such as heritage conservation, cultural tourism and promotion of cultural diversity.
Creative Industries and Economic Development
The meeting explored the role of creative industries such as art, design, film, music and fashion in economic growth, job creation and innovation.
Participants shared best practices and discussed policies to support the growth of the creative sectors.
Cultural Diplomacy and Soft Power
The meeting recognized the role of cultural diplomacy in building bridges between nations and enhancing mutual understanding.
Youth Engagement and Cultural Education
The meeting emphasized the importance of involving youth in cultural activities and promoting cultural education.
Outcome and Collaboration
The outcome of the CWG meeting will be the adoption of joint statements, recommendations or action plans for cultural cooperation among G20 member states.
These outcomes may include collaborative projects, capacity building initiatives, or cultural exchange programs.
What is the G20 Culture Group?
The G20 Culture Group is a forum within the G20 framework that focuses on cultural cooperation and exchange.
It brings together representatives of G20 member states to promote dialogue and cooperation in the cultural field.
2. S Jaishankar meets Sweden’s Defence, Foreign Ministers during his Stockholm trip
Tags: International Relations International News
During his visit to Stockholm, Sweden, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar held a meeting with the Defense Minister and Foreign Minister of Sweden.
Purpose of meetings
Discuss bilateral relations
Strengthen diplomatic ties
To explore opportunities for cooperation between India and Sweden in defense and foreign affairs.
Highlights of the meeting
Bilateral Relations
Discussion on enhancing overall bilateral relations between India and Sweden including areas such as trade, investment, defense cooperation and cultural exchanges.
Defence Cooperation
Defense cooperation, joint military exercises, defense equipment procurement and sharing of defense technologies discussed in the meeting with the Defense Minister of Sweden.
Security Cooperation
The discussions included issues of regional and global security concern, counter-terrorism efforts and information sharing to address common security challenges.
Foreign Affairs and Diplomacy
Discussion on regional and global issues of mutual interest, multilateral cooperation and coordination on matters such as climate change, sustainable development goals and human rights.
Economic and trade relations
Ways were explored to enhance economic and trade ties between India and Sweden including investment opportunities, technology partnership and trade facilitation.
Cultural and people-to-people exchanges
The meetings emphasized the importance of cultural exchanges, academic cooperation and people-to-people interactions to deepen mutual understanding and strengthen ties between the two countries.
About Sweden
It is located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in northern Europe.
The ancient name of the country was Svitiod.
Prime Minister - Ulf Kristersson
Capital - Stockholm
Currency - Swedish krona
King - Carl XVI Gustaf
3. Ministry of Defence approves fourth positive indigenization list
Tags: Defence National News
The Defence Ministry approved the fourth positive indigenization list, which includes 928 strategically important line replacement units, sub-systems, spares and components.
An Overview of the News
The list aims to promote self-reliance ('self-reliance') in the defence sector and reduce imports by Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs).
The import substitution value of the approved list is Rs 715 crore.
The Defence Public Sector Undertakings will indigenize these items through various routes including 'Make'category and in-house development through the capabilities of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and private Indian industry.
Ministry of Defence (India):
Formed - 1776
Predecessor Ministry -Department of Defence (1938–47)
Headquarters - Secretariat Building Raisina Hill, New Delhi
Defence Minister - Rajnath Singh
4. MInister of State Dr L Murugan to lead delegation to Cannes Film Festival
Tags: Festivals International News
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr L Murugan will lead the Indian delegation to the Cannes International Film Festival from May 16 to 27.
An overview of the news
They will also be joined by filmmaker Guneet Monga of The Elephant Whispers fame, Indian actresses Manushi Chhillar, Esha Gupta and acclaimed Manipuri actor Kangabam Tomba.
The India Pavilion is being conceptualised and designed by National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad with the theme - ‘Showcasing India’s Creative Economy’ to the global community.
The pavilion design has been inspired by the Saraswati Yantra, the abstract representation of goddess Saraswati.
Four Indian films,including Kanu Behl’s Agra and Anurag Kashyap’s Kennedy, have made it to the official selection in the Cannes Film Festival.
Apart from these, many Indian films will be screened in Marche du Films.
A Manipuri film ‘Ishanhou’ will be showcased in the ‘Classics’ section.
About Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Film Festival is one of the most prestigious international film festivals held annually in Cannes, France.
History and significance
The festival was first established in 1946 and has since become a prominent event in the global film industry.
It serves as a platform for showcasing and promoting a wide range of films from different countries and cultures.
Film screenings and competitions
The festival includes various competitive sections, such as the Palme d'Or for the best film, which is one of the most coveted awards in the industry.
Impact on filmmakers and films
The Cannes Film Festival serves as a launching pad for many acclaimed films and emerging talents.
Winning an award or receiving critical acclaim at Cannes can significantly boost a filmmaker's career and bring global recognition to their work.
5. G7 Ministerial Meeting on Health Innovation in Nagasaki, Japan
Tags: Summits International News
Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya addressed the G7 Health Ministerial meeting on Global Health Architecture in Nagasaki, Japan on 13th May.
An overview of the news
The meeting was organized to discuss the global health challenges and ways to ensure preparedness, prevention and response to future health emergencies.
The health ministers of the G7 countries and the "Outreach 4" countries of India, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand were invited to the meeting.
Objectives of the meeting
To foster collaboration and exchange ideas on health innovation.
Addressing global health challenges, and promoting advancements in healthcare research, technology, and policies.
Topics discussed
The G7 health ministers discuss various pressing health issues such as infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, vaccine development, healthcare accessibility, digital health, and the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare.
Sharing best practices
The meeting provides an opportunity for G7 countries to share best practices, success stories, and lessons learned in healthcare innovation and delivery.
About G7
The G7 is a group of seven major industrialized countries, including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The G7 holds annual meetings to discuss various global issues, but these meetings are usually held in different locations each year.
The 48th G7 summit was hosted by Germany in 2022.
6. PM Modi visits ‘Jana Shakti Art Exhibition’ at National Gallery of Modern Art in Delhi
Tags: National National News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 14th May visited 'Jana Shakti Art exhibition' at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Delhi.
An overview of the news
Amazing samples of art based on some episodes of Mann Ki Baat have been displayed in the exhibition.
This is an exhibition of wonderful samples of art based on some episodes of Mann Ki Baat. He congratulated all the artists who have enriched the exhibition with their creativity.
Artists who have contributed to Jan Shakti include top names like Manu and Madhavi Parekh, Atul Dodiya, Paresh Maity, Iranna GR, Jagannath Panda and others.
About National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA)
NGMA is a prominent art museum located in New Delhi, India.
NGMA aims to preserve, document, and promote modern and contemporary art in India.
It serves as a platform for showcasing and appreciating various forms of artistic expression.
NGMA houses an extensive collection of artworks, including paintings, sculptures, prints, photographs, and installations.
NGMA organizes regular exhibitions and educational programs to engage visitors and promote art appreciation.
Apart from the main gallery in New Delhi, NGMA has regional branches in Mumbai and Bengaluru. These branches showcase regional art and provide a platform for local artists.
7. RINL launches "Open Challenge Program (OCP) 2.0"
Tags: National National News
On 11th May 2023 Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) launched “Open Challenge Program (OCP) 2.0” as part of a series of OCP programs by Kalpataru-CoE (Center for Entrepreneurship).
An Overview of the News
The objective of this program is to select startups specialising in Industry 4.0 technologies for collaboration with RINL.
The startups' technologies are expected to provide faster return on investment for RINL, contribute to energy savings and enhance process safety.
The "Center of Excellence (CoE) on Industry 4.0" project involves collaboration between STPI (Software Technology Parks of India), MeitY (Ministry of Electronics & IT), RINL and Government of Andhra Pradesh.
Over a period of 5 years, the CoE plans to incubate around 175 startup companies, of which 50 are incubated in physical mode and 125 are incubated in virtual mode.
Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL):
It is a government body that oversees the operations of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), India's first shore-based integrated steel plant.
The VSP plant was commissioned in 1992 and initially had a capacityto produce 3.0 MTPA of liquid steel.
Establishment -18 February 1982
Headquarters - Visakhapatnam, India
CMD - Atul Bhatt
8. UAE's Sharjah Police launches 'Stay in your lane' campaign
Tags: International News
On 11 May, theUAE's Sharjah Police launched a traffic campaigncalled "Stay in Your Lane"to tackle road violations.
An Overview of the News
The campaign aims to improve traffic culture among drivers and other road users by increasing awareness and promoting adherence to traffic rules and instructions.
The campaign includes the dissemination of awareness messages in three different languages through the social networking sites of Sharjah Police.
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
9. MyGov, IHM, Pusa launch 'Young Talent - Culinary Talent Hunt'
Tags: National National News
MyGov and IHM, Pusa collaborated to launch 'Yuva Pratibha - Culinary Talent Hunt' on 12th May, 2023.
An Overview of the News
The primary objective of this competition is to celebrate and promote the rich culinary heritage of India to a global audience.
It strives to revive lost recipes and to highlight the culinary talents of young chefs and home cooks.
The United Nations designated 2023 as the 'International Year of Millets'in response to India's proposal to establish itself as a global millet hub.
The objective of the competition is to increase the production and consumption of millets while creating awareness about the versatility and health benefits of millets.
Institute of Hotel Management Catering and Nutrition (IHM) Pusa:
It is a renowned hospitality management institute in New Delhi, India.
It is located in Pusa Institutional Area, New Delhi.
IHM Pusa has been consistently ranked as the top hotel management institute in the country for the last 10 years.
IHM Pusa is governed by the National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology under the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.
Establishment - 1962
10. RBI invites firms to participate in Greenwashing TechSprint
Tags: Economy/Finance National News
RBI has announced its participation in the Global Financial Innovation Network (GFIN) greenwashing techsprint.
An overview of the news
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has invited firms to participate in the Greenwashing TechSprint to develop technology solutions to detect incidents of greenwashing in financial products.
TechSprint is part of RBI's efforts to promote sustainable finance and ensure that financial products marketed as green or sustainable are actually aligned with environmental objectives.
TechSprint is open to firms and individuals who can provide innovative technology solutions to detect greenwashing in financial products using technologies such as natural language processing and artificial intelligence.
Techsprint can provide a platform for collaboration between tech firms, financial institutions and regulators to develop solutions that can increase transparency and trust in the market for sustainable finance.
The RBI has identified sustainable finance as a key priority area, and has taken several initiatives to promote green finance and integrate environmental considerations into financial decision making.
What is Greenwashing?
Greenwashing refers to the practice of making false or misleading claims about the environmental benefits of a product or service.
It is a marketing tactic used by companies to make their products appear more environmentally friendly or sustainable.
Greenwashing can take various forms, such as using vague or exaggerated language, making unsubstantiated claims, or highlighting minor environmental benefits while ignoring significant environmental harms.
Greenwashing can be harmful as it can mislead consumers into making purchasing decisions based on false or incomplete information, leading to negative environmental impacts.
About Global Financial Innovation Network (GFIN)
This is an international network of financial regulators that seeks to foster innovation in the financial services sector.
It was established in 2018 by a group of 12 financial regulators, including the UK Financial Conduct Authority, the Monetary Authority of Singapore, and the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
It aims to provide a platform for regulators to collaborate and share best practices on innovative financial products and services, as well as regulatory approaches to innovation.
