Current Affairs in English – May 22 2023

May 22, 2023

National Events:

Meri LiFE, Mera Swachh Shehar:

• The “Meri LiFE, Mera Swachh Shehar” campaign, launched by Union Minister Shri Hardeep S. Puri on 15th May 2023, has gained significant momentum across urban India. With the aim of transforming waste into wealth, this nationwide campaign encourages cities to establish Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (RRR) Centres.
• These centers serve as one-stop collection points where citizens can contribute items such as clothes, shoes, old books, toys, and used plastic for reuse or recycling. Since its inception, thousands of RRR Centres have been set up, fostering a spirit of sustainability and better living.

LRS:

• The government, in collaboration with the RBI, has proposed a modification to the Foreign Exchange Management (Current Account Transaction) Rules.
• This amendment involves including credit card transactions within the limit of $250,000 under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS). Any foreign remittance or purchase exceeding this limit will require prior approval from the RBI.

Ministry: Ministry of Finance, Government of India

Launch Year: 2004

Implementing Body: Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

National Anti-Terrorism Day:

• India observes the National Anti-Terrorism Day on May 21 every year. The day is observed to commemorate the death of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, who was assassinated on this day in 1991.
• The day is also observed to spread awareness about the dangers of terrorism and to reaffirm India’s commitment to combating terrorism.

Ministry of Education and the World Bank:

• The Ministry of Education and the World Bank held a unique workshop on School-to-Work Transition under the STARS Program.
• The workshop was led by co-chairs Shri Sanjay Kumar, Secretary of School Education, and Shri Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
• Also in attendance were the Secretaries of Education and Skill Department of the six STARS states and representatives from the World Bank.

Uttarakhand Forest Department:

• The Uttarakhand Forest Department has released a 4th annual report on the conservation of 2035 plant species.
• The report, which was released on the occasion of International Day for Biological Diversity. Out of the total species conserved, 107 species are currently listed under threatened/endangered categories, of which 63 species are in the red list of IUCN.

Maharana Pratap Jayanti: 22 May

• Maharana Pratap Jayanti 2023 will be celebrated on May 22 to mark the birth anniversary of Maharana Pratap.
• He was a Rajput king who ruled the kingdom of Mewar in Rajasthan, India from 1572 to 1597. He was born on May 9, 1540, in Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan. The Battle of Haldighati was fought between Maharana Pratap and Akbar’s forces in 1576.

Quad Summit in 2024:

• India will host the Quad Summit in 2024, as announced by Prime Minister NarendraModi at the Quad Summit 2023.
• The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD), commonly known as the Quad, is a strategic security dialogue between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States of America.
• It aims to help countries mitigate the effects of climate change and strengthen their climate resilience.

Gevra project:

• Gevra project of South Eastern Coalfields Ltd (SECL) in Chhattisgarh in May 2023 became the first mine in the country to achieve 50 Metric Tons of coal production.
• The expansion of Gevra coal mine will help SECL achieve its goal of increasing coal production to 250 million tonnes per annum by 2025. The expansion of the Gevra coal mine will make it the largest coal-producing mine in Asia.

Union Health Ministry:

• The Union Health Ministry has launched an initiative to provide standard care to 75 million individuals suffering from hypertension and diabetes by 2025.
• The initiative will be the world’s largest expansion of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in primary healthcare. India has established over 150,000 Health and Wellness Centers (HWCs) at the primary healthcare level to battle against NCDs.

Madhya Pradesh:

• Madhya Pradesh becomes the first state to provide government-funded air travel for pilgrimage under the Mukhya Mantri Teerth-Darshan Yojana.
• 32 senior citizens were flagged off by CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan on a pilgrimage to Prayagraj from Bhopal on 21 May 2023.
• The scheme aims to make the benefits of Mukhya Mantri Tirth-Darshan Yojana by air easily available to elders of the state.

‘One Earth One Health’:

• The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the 76th Session of the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland on 21 May 2023.
• India shipped almost 300 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to over 100 countries including many countries from the Global South.
• India’s vision for good health is ‘One Earth One Health’, which extends to the entire ecosystem including animals and plants.

International Events:

IGI:

• Blackstone India acquired International Gemological Institute (IGI) from Shanghai Yuyuan Tourist Mart for $535 million on 22 May 2023.
• IGI operates 18 gemology labs in India out of 20 worldwide and certifies lab-grown diamonds made in India for sale to the US retail market.
• The global lab-grown diamonds retail market is worth $7 billion. Blackstone manages assets worth $50 billion in India.

INS TARKASH and INS SUBHADRA:

• Marking a significant milestone in the growing defense cooperation between India and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the INS TARKASH and INS SUBHADRA have arrived at Port Al-Jubail to commence the second edition of the naval exercise, ‘AL-MOHED AL-HINDI 2023’.
• The visit of these Indian naval ships signifies the beginning of the harbor phase, highlighting the deepening defense ties and promoting regional stability in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf region.

Mount Etna:

• Mount Etna, Europe’s most active volcano, erupted again on 21 May 2023. It is an active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily, Italy, between the cities of Messina and Catania.
• It lies above the convergent plate margin between the African Plate and the Eurasian Plate. It is one of the tallest active volcanoes in Europe with a current height of 3,357 m.

Metrology Day:

• To commemorate the anniversary of the signing of the Metre Convention in 1875, Metrology Day is celebrated on 20 May each year.
• Metre Convention was an international treaty signed in Paris which established the basis for international agreement on units of measurement.
• The World Metrology Day project is an idea jointly by the BIPM and the OIML. The theme for World Metrology Day 2023 is Measurements supporting the global food system.

International Day for Biological Diversity:

• Every year on May 22, the world marks the International Day for Biological Diversity to increase understanding and encourage the preservation of the Earth’s diverse ecosystems.
• This significant day serves as a reminder of the crucial role biodiversity plays and emphasizes the urgency to safeguard and revive it.
• In 2023, particular attention is given to moving beyond mere pledges and translating them into tangible measures that actively restore and conserve biodiversity.
• The theme for International Day for Biological Diversity 2023 is “From Agreement to Action: Build Back Biodiversity”.

Sports Events:

Manchester City:

• Manchester City was crowned the English Premier League champion for the third consecutive time following second-placed Arsenal’s 0-1 loss at the hands of Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
• This is City’s ninth League title overall and the fifth under Pep Guardiola. Guardiola’s side is now four points clear atop of the league standings with 85 points in 35 games.

Adidas:

• Adidas has been revealed as Tem India’s kit sponsor, in partnership with BCCI. India will be hosting the ICC Cricket World Cup this year from October-November.

13th Sudirman Cup:

• China claimed a record 13th Sudirman Cup title defeating South Korea 3-0 at Suzhou. Chen Yufei defeated World No.2 An Se Young 21-16,22-20, in the women’s singles to seal victory. In the men’s singles, Korea’s Lee Yun Gyu was easily outmatched by Shi Yuqi.
• The tournament is one of badminton’s most important, because performances will count towards qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics.