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Daily & Latest Current Affairs in 2023

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A)
UAE
B)
Netherlands
C)
United States
D)
United Kingdom

Correct Answer : Option (B) - Netherlands


The Netherlands has emerged as India's third largest exports destination after the US and UAE during 2022-23, showed commerce ministry's data on Sunday.

* This can be attributed to a surge in shipment of goods such as petroleum products, electronic items, chemicals, and aluminium goods, reported PTI, citing commerce ministry. India's trade surplus with the Netherlands has also increased from USD 8 billion in 2021-22 to USD 13 billion in 2022-23.

* The Netherlands has taken over major destinations such as the UK, Hong Kong, Bangladesh and Germany, the data showed.

* India's exports to the Netherlands rose by about 48 per cent to USD 18.52 billion during 2022-23 as against USD 12.5 billion in 2021-22.

* In 2021-22 and 2020-21, the outbound shipments to the European country stood at USD 12.55 billion and USD 6.5 billion, respectively. The exports are registering healthy growth continuously since 2000-01, when India's exports to that nation was USD 880 million.

* Further, in 2021-22, the Netherlands was the fifth largest destination for Indian exports as against ninth in 2020-21..

Source : India Times

Published On : May 15, 2023
A)
$300 Million
B)
$400 Million
C)
$500 Million
D)
$600 Million

Correct Answer : Option (C) - $500 Million


Electronics major Foxconn Interconnect Technology on Monday (15th May 2023) laid the foundation for a new electronics manufacturing facility in Telangana as part of its USD 500 million investment in the state.

* The foundation-laying ceremony took place in the presence of Telangana Minister for Industries and Commerce K T Rama Rao, Foxconn Interconnect Technology Chairman and CEO Sidney Lu and other dignitaries, a joint statement by Foxconn and Telangana Government said.

* The proposed electronics manufacturing facility at Kongara Kalan near here is a milestone for the Taiwanese firm's global expansion strategy – diversifying its global manufacturing base, it said.

* "Demonstrating the 'Telangana Speed', I am happy to announce the groundbreaking of THE first of Foxconn's plants in Telangana at Kongar Kalan today. With an investment of over $500M it shall create 25,000 direct jobs in the first Phase," Rama Rao tweeted.

* Speaking on the occasion, he said there is a need to work in a manner that validates the confidence placed on Telangana by the Foxconn chairman. "…I would like to thank Foxconn company for investing USD 500 million in Telangana," the minister said..

Source : Newsdrum

Published On : May 15, 2023
A)
TDB
B)
TDSAT
C)
TDAB
D)
TDSBT

Correct Answer : Option (A) - TDB


National Technology Day is celebrated every year on 11th May to commemorate the country's technological advancements. It was on this day in 1998, India had the prideful accomplishments of ‘Operation Shakti’ and ‘Hansa 3 Test flown’.

* For this year (2023), to mark this momentous occasion of 25th anniversary of these landmark events, Technology Development Board along with 12 Ministries/Departments viz.

* Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) -NITI Aayog, Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Defence Research and Development Organisation - Ministry of Defence, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Department of Biotechnology, Department of Atomic Energy, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Education, Indian Space Research Organisation and Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) organised National Technology Week, 2023 with primary focus on Atal Innovation Mission, programs and showcase innovations from different sectors of the innovation lifecycle with a central theme of ‘School to Startup- Igniting Young Minds to Innovate’.

* The event was inaugurated by Hon’ble PM, Shri Narendra Modi.

* Theme 2023 : Praising the theme of event ‘School to Start-ups - igniting young minds to innovate,’ the Prime Minister said that India's future will be decided by the youth and children of today.

* He said that the passion, energy and capabilities of the children and youth today are India’s big strengths.

* Quoting Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, the Prime Minister underscored the importance of knowledge and said as India is developing as a knowledge society, it is acting with equal force. He elaborated on the strong foundation that has been created in the country during the last nine years to ignite young minds.

* The Prime Minister said that more than 10 thousand ATAL tinkering labs in 700 districts have become innovation nurseries. More importantly, 60 percent of these labs are in government and rural schools. He informed that over 75 lakh students are working laboriously on more than 12 lakh innovation projects in Atal Tinkering Lab..

Source : PIB

Published On : May 15, 2023
A)
India
B)
China
C)
Russia
D)
Australia

Correct Answer : Option (B) - China


China will launch pilot projects in more than 20 cities to create a "new-era" marriage and childbearing culture to foster a friendly child bearing environment, the latest move by authorities to boost the country's falling birth rate.

* China's Family Planning Association, a national body that implements the government's population and fertility measures, will launch the projects to encourage women to marry and have children.

* Promoting marrying, having children at appropriate ages, encouraging parents to share child-rearing responsibilities, and curbing high "bride prices" and other outdated customs are the focus of the projects.

* Cities included in the pilot include the manufacturing hub Guangzhou and Handan in China's Hebei province. The association already launched projects in 20 cities including Beijing 2022.

* The projects come amid a flurry of measures Chinese provinces are rolling out to spur people to have children, including tax incentives, housing subsidies, and free or subsidised education for having a third child.

* China implemented a rigid one-child policy from 1980 until 2015 - the root of many of its demographic challenges that have allowed India to become the world's most populous nation. The limit has since been raised to three children..

Source : India Times

Published On : May 15, 2023
A)
Jai Ram Thakur
B)
Bhagwant Mann
C)
Anurag Thakur
D)
Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu

Correct Answer : Option (D) - Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu


Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday (12th May 2023) said that the need of the hour is that all the state government agencies should collaborate, connect, and respond to the needs of the public more efficiently by accessing accurate and real-time data.

* He was addressing a conference organised by the Bharti Institute of Public Policy of the Indian School of Business (ISB) on governance and technology at Mohali.

* The Chief Minister also launched the ‘Him Data Portal’ a common digital platform to integrate data of all organisations for the deliverance of welfare schemes and to better serve the public.

*From July 2023, the Himachal Pradesh government would start the Him Parivar project which will give a special digital identity to the people of the State. This will strengthen the state’s benefit delivery systems through Him Pulse which will support and enhance the capacity of Him Parivar in linking digital identity to the delivery of benefits to the targeted population,” said Sukhu.

* He said that information about essential facilities like ration cards, family registers, electricity, drinking water etc would be available with a single click through the Him Parivar Project.

* He said that the people associated with the Him Pariyojna project would get information about various welfare schemes easily..

Source : The Print

Published On : May 15, 2023
A)
Bruges
B)
Brussels
C)
Copenhagen
D)
Berlin

Correct Answer : Option (B) - Brussels


The first ministerial level meeting of India-European Union Trade and Technology Council (TTC) will be held on 16th May 2023 in Brussels.

* To discuss ways to increase cooperation in strategic technologies, digital connectivity, clean energy, trade and investments, an official statement said on Sunday.

* Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal is one of the co-chairs along with external affairs minister S Jaishankar and Union minister of state for electronics and information technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the commerce ministry said in a statement.

* The EU side is co-chaired by Executive Vice Presidents (EVPs) Dombrovskis and Vestager.

* It said that three working groups under the mechanism will report on roadmaps for future cooperation between the two sides -- Working Group on Strategic Technologies, Digital Governance and Digital Connectivity; Working Group on Green and Clean Energy Technologies; and Working Group on Trade, Investment and Resilient Value Chains.

* "The first ministerial meeting will lay the roadmap for the cooperation under all three working groups and provide direction to achieve desired outcomes before the next ministerial meeting in the coming year," it added.

* During the high level meetings with senior leadership of the European Union as well as Belgium various issues would come up for discussions and that include ongoing negotiations for Free Trade Agreement (FTA), addressing issues of mutual market access, reforms in the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

* The working group on trade, investment and resilient value chains is steered by the Department of Commerce and the first meeting of the working group was co-chaired by commerce secretary Sunil Barthwal and Sabine Weyand, Director General for Trade, from respective sides.

* The formation of the TTC was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission in New Delhi, in April, 2022 with the objective of creating a high-level coordination platform to tackle strategic challenges at the nexus of trade, trusted technology and security.

* The ministry said that on May 15, Goyal will have a bilateral meeting with EVP Dombrovskis followed by stakeholder consultations in the presence of business leaders of both the sides..

Source : Business Standard

Published On : May 15, 2023
A)
Ravi Gupta
B)
Sudhir Saxena
C)
Praveen Sood
D)
Rajendranath Reddy

Correct Answer : Option (C) - Praveen Sood


Praveen Sood, a 1986 batch IPS officer and the current Karnataka DGP, was appointed as the new CBI director on Sunday (14th May 2023) for a period of two years.

Sood will replace current CBI Director Subodh Jaiswal when his tenure ends on May 2025.

Praveen Sood’s name was finalised in a meeting of high power committee comprising of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Leader of Opposition Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had raised his objection to the candidates of Praveen Sood during the meeting, sources said.

Who is Praveen Sood?
* Praveen Sood, who is currently serving as DGP of Karnataka Police, is a graduate from IIT Delhi. He joined the Indian Police Service (IPS) in 1986 and started his career in Mysore as Assistant Superintendent of Police in 1989. He later served as Superintendent of Police, Bellary and Raichur before being posted in Bengaluru as Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP).

* Praveen Sood has also work on deputation in Mauritius for three years from 1999.

* Later, Sood studied Public Policy and Management from Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore and Maxwell School of Governance, Syracuse University, New York.

* The IPS officer also served as a Commissioner of Police of Mysore city from 2004 to 2007. During his tenure, he work extensively on terrorists network including those of Pakistan origin. Later, till 2011, he worked as additional police commissioner in Bengaluru’s traffic police.

* Praveen Sood was awarded with Chief Minister’s Gold Medal for excellence in service in 1996, Police Medal for Meritorious Service in 2002 and President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service in 2011...

Source : India Today

Published On : May 15, 2023
A)
71 Million
B)
78 Million
C)
86 Million
D)
93 Million

Correct Answer : Option (A) - 71 Million


According to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC)'s annual report, the number of internally displaced people around the world reached 71 million as of the end of 2022.

* The number of movements in which people fled in search of safety and shelter was also unprecedented in 2022 with a figure of 60.9 million.

* The conflict in Ukraine triggered nearly 17 million displacements and monsoon floods in Pakistan triggered 8.2 million.

* Internal displacement is a global phenomenon, but nearly three-quarters of the world’s IDPs live in just 10 countries - Syria, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ukraine, Colombia, Ethiopia, Yemen, Nigeria, Somalia and Sudan - many as a result of unresolved conflicts that continued to trigger significant displacement in 2022.

* Conflict and violence triggered 28.3 million internal displacements worldwide, a figure three times higher than the annual average over the past decade. Beyond Ukraine, nine million or 32 per cent of the global total were recorded in sub-Saharan Africa. DRC accounted for around 4 million and Ethiopia just over two million..

Source : Times of India

Published On : May 14, 2023
A)
Rs. 2 lakh Crore
B)
Rs. 3 lakh Crore
C)
Rs. 3.4 lakh Crore
D)
Rs. 4 lakh Crore

Correct Answer : Option (D) - Rs. 4 lakh Crore


Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said that India's exports of agricultural and allied products have crossed 4 lakh crore rupees.

* He said, over the years, India has performed well in the agriculture sector and also contributed to global food security with food grain production. Mr. Tomar said this while chairing the 8th meeting of Agriculture Ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member countries through video conferencing 12th April 2023.

* Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, China and Pakistan also participated in the meeting. Under the chairmanship of India, SCO member countries adopted the Smart Agriculture project.

* Mr Tomar said, India is the largest employer globally in the agriculture sector, where more than half of the population is engaged in agriculture and allied sectors. He said that the welfare of the farmers and the overall development of the agriculture sector has been the top priority of the government.

* The Minister said that rich agricultural research has played an important role in solving the issue of food security, improving the income of farmers and agriculture workers and also for the sustenance of the people..

Source : AIR

Published On : May 14, 2023
A)
May 11th
B)
May 12th
C)
May 13th
D)
May 14th

Correct Answer : Option (D) - May 14th


Mother’s Day 2023 is a special day that honours and celebrates mothers worldwide. We will commemorate Mother’s Day 2023 on May 14th. The day holds a significant place in our hearts because it gives us a chance to express our gratitude, love, and appreciation for our mothers.

Honoring family members is a common theme in celebrations, and Mother’s Day is no exception. Similar to Father’s Day, Siblings Day, and Grandparents’ Day, it complements these events by recognizing the importance of mothers.

The modern American version of Mother’s Day originated from Anna Jarvis, who organized the first Mother’s Day service in Grafton, West Virginia, in the early 20th century. While it has no direct connection to traditional celebrations of motherhood, Mother’s Day continues to be significant in many countries.

Unfortunately, it has also been criticized for its commercialization, which was never Jarvis’s intention. In response, advocates like Constance Adelaide Smith have promoted Mothering Sunday as a broader commemoration of motherhood in the English-speaking world.

Mother’s Day 2023 Date : Mother’s Day is marked on varying dates across the globe. As per convention, in numerous nations like the United States, it is celebrated on the second Sunday of May. In the year 2023, people will celebrate Mother’s Day 2023 on May 14.

Mother’s Day 2023 History :
The origins of Mother’s Day date back to ancient Greece, where the festival of Rhea, the mother of the gods, was celebrated in mid-March. Christian traditions later adopted the celebration as a way to honour Mary, the mother of Jesus, and renamed it Mothering Sunday. In the United States, Mother’s Day was first celebrated in 1908 by Anna Jarvis, who wanted a day to commemorate her mother, who had died. Though it was originally celebrated on the second Sunday of May, International Mother’s Day is now a universal celebration across all countries.

Mother’s Day 2023 Significance : Mother’s Day 2023 celebrates and acknowledges the love and dedication of mothers, who sacrifice greatly in raising their children and contributing to their families and communities. It is also a time to remember and honor mothers who have passed.

The significance of Mother’s Day 2023 is to show gratitude and respect to mothers for their unconditional love, care, and guidance. It is a time to acknowledge the important role that mothers play in shaping our lives and to express our appreciation for their unwavering support and encouragement.

Mother’s Day 2023 provides an opportunity to celebrate the bond between mothers and their children and to strengthen family relationships. It is a day to express love and appreciation through various gestures such as gifts, cards, and special meals, and to spend quality time with mothers and mother figures.

Published On : May 14, 2023