Correct Answer :   Amit Shah

---

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday (5th May 2023) inaugurated a training programme on Legislative Drafting here in the national capital, stressing the need to draft a very “simple and clear law”.

* Addressing the gathering at the event, Shah stressed the need to draft a “simple and clear act” to avoid interference from the court and any kind of dispute.

* Noting that legislative drafting is an ongoing process, the Home Minister also emphasised upgrading the skill while drafting any act.

* “We should focus on drafting a very simple and clear act so that it should be beyond any dispute and it avoid the intervention of the court,” Shah said.

* “Drafting of legislation is an ongoing process so there is a necessity for skill upgradation. If we fail to do so we would be irrelevant,” he added.

* The Programme, being organized by the Institute of Constitutional and Parliamentary Studies (ICPS) in collaboration with the Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE), aimed at creating an understanding of the principles and practices of legislative drafting among officers of Parliament, State Legislatures and various ministries, statutory bodies and other government departments.

* The Legislative drafting has a major impact on the interpretation of the policies and the regulations implemented for the welfare of society and the state.

* Since legislative draftsmen are responsible for producing legislation which promotes democratic governance and gives effect to the rule of law, so it is necessary that they are imparted training from time to time to sharpen their skills. The training programme will help them in their capacity building...

Source : The Print

Correct Answer :   Ministry of Corporate Affairs

---

* The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has set up the Centre for Processing Accelerated Corporate Exit (C-PACE) to centralise the process of striking off companies from the MCA Register.

* According to the ministry, the C-PACE will reduce the burden on the registry and provide stakeholders with hassle-free filing, timely and process-bound striking off of their company’s names from the register. The establishment of C-PACE is part of MCA’s efforts towards ease of doing business and ease of exit for companies.

* The C-PACE institution, established under sub-section (1) of section 396, will be operational through the Registrar of Companies (RoC) for the purpose of processing and disposal of applications.

* R.K. Dalmia, director, inspection and investigation, MCA, inaugurated the Office of C-PACE on May 1, 2023. Harihara Sahoo, ICLS, has been appointed as the first registrar of the office of C-PACE, which will work under the supervision of the Director General of Corporate Affairs (DGCoA), New Delhi.

* The C-PACE will help keep the registry clean and provide stakeholders with more meaningful data. With the establishment of the C-PACE, companies can look forward to a hassle-free exit process...

Source : Mint

Correct Answer :   India & Bangladesh

---

The first group of 10 start-up companies under the 50 start-ups exchange programme between India and Bangladesh returned to Dhaka after completing a successful five-day visit to India from 8 May to 12 May 2023.

* These Start-ups belong to sectors such as e-commerce, health, transport and logistics, energy, education and skill development.

* Under this programme, 50 Start-ups from Bangladesh and 50 Start-ups from India will exchange visits to each other’s countries for exploring partnerships, expanding business relations, sharing experience and knowledge and expanding youth and entrepreneurial cooperation. The framework of the programme was decided by the Prime Ministers of the two countries during their recent bilateral summits.

* During their stay, they were introduced to India’s ‘Start-up India’ initiative. They participated in interactive sessions focused on establishing a Start-up and business model creation process, role of incubator, marketing of projects and services, cyber security and artificial intelligence including data protection, start-up evaluation and methods to secure funding.

* The High Commission of India in Bangladesh organised an interactive session in Dhaka on Sunday (14th May 2023) with the group of 10-startups who visited India.

* During the interaction High Commissioner Pranay Verma highlighted the vibrant start-up ecosystems in both India and Bangladesh based on their growing emphasis on innovation and technology.

* He underlined the potential for the Bangladeshi Start-ups to tap into the Indian markets, especially in the North-Eastern states of India. He emphasised that the start-up community in both India and Bangladesh had the opportunity to enhance cooperation as the two countries explored ways to further enhance ease of doing business, including trade settlement in local currencies and collaboration in digital payment platforms..

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   Ashutosh Dixit

---

Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit on Monday (15th May 2023) took over as the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff, according to the Minister of Defence.

* Ashutosh Dixit, an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, was Commissioned in the fighter stream on December 6 in 1986.

* He is a graduate of the Staff Course, Bangladesh and National Defence College, New Delhi.

* Mr Dixit is a qualified flying instructor as well as an experimental test pilot, with over 3,300 hours of flying experience on fighter, trainer and transport aircraft.

* He participated in operations 'Safed Sagar' and 'Rakshak'.

* Air Marshal Dixit commanded a Mirage 2,000 Squadron, a frontline fighter base in the Western sector, as well as a premier fighter training base.

* He has earlier served as Principle Director of Air Staff Requirement, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Projects) & Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Plans) at Air Headquarters..

Source : NDTV

Correct Answer :   Bhupender Yadav

---

Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Minister "Bhupender Yadav" 15th May 2023 launched a mobile application, called Meri LiFE (My life) in New Delhi.

* This app is inspired by the concept of LiFE, envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at COP 26, which emphasizes mindful and deliberate utilization instead of mindless and wasteful consumption.

* Speaking on the occasion, Mr Yadav said that this app will showcase the power of citizens, especially young people in saving the environment.

* He also mentioned that through this app, simple actions in daily lives can have a larger climate impact. The Minister expressed hope that the portal and app together drive a national movement for LiFE.

* Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) was launched by the Prime Minister in October 2022 at Kevadia, Gujarat and focuses on bringing about behaviour changes in individuals through simple easy to do actions.

* In order to further catalyze pan-India advocacy and awareness about LiFE, a month-long mass mobilisation drive is currently underway. This drive will culminate on 5th June this year (2023) in a mega celebration of World Environment Day..

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   Laos

---

* The annual ASEAN Tourism Forum will be hosted by Laos in January 2024.

* Theme : The theme of the forum will be "Quality and Responsible Tourism -- Sustaining ASEAN Future".

* The forum will include a tourism exhibition and serves to spur tourism and further service improvement in associated businesses.

* Previously, Laos hosted the ASEAN Tourism Forum in 2004 and 2013.

* The Lao government is working to promote the country’s potential as a nature-based tourism destination..

Source : Economic Times

Correct Answer :   France

---

The 76th Cannes Film Festival will begin in France Today (16th May 2023). The festival will officially commence with the world premiere of the Johnny Depp starring film Jeanne Du Barry.

* Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr L Murugan will lead the Indian delegation at the 12-day event.

* Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur will address the inaugural session through a video message to showcase India as a global hub for content creation.

* Ahead of his visit to the Cannes Film Festival, Dr Murugan said, India has cleared its first incentive grant for an international film and more such projects are in the pipeline.

* Dr Murugan said, ‘India will participate in the Cannes Film Festival in the spirit of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' (One Earth, One Family, One Future), showcasing our rich culture under the powerful creative economy’...

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   $69 Billion

---

The European Union on Monday (15th May 2023) approved Microsoft’s $69 billion purchase of video game maker Activision Blizzard, deciding the deal won’t stifle competition for popular console titles like Call of Duty and accepting the US tech company’s remedies to boost competition in cloud gaming.

* The blockbuster deal is still in jeopardy because British regulators have rejected it and U.S. authorities are trying to thwart it.

* The deal, sweetened by Microsoft's promises to free up licensing conditions for cloud gaming, “would no longer raise competition concerns and would ultimately unlock significant benefits for competition and consumers," said the European Commission, the 27-nation bloc’s executive arm and top antitrust watchdog.

* The all-cash deal announced more than a year ago has been scrutinized by regulators around the world over fears that it would give Microsoft and its Xbox console control of Activision’s hit franchises like Call of Duty and World of Warcraft.

* Fierce opposition has been driven by rival Sony, which makes the PlayStation gaming system.

* Microsoft sought to counter the resistance by striking a deal with Nintendo to license Activision titles like Call of Duty for 10 years and offering the same to Sony if the deal went ahead.

* The European Commission dismissed the possibility that Microsoft would cut off its games from PlayStation, saying that excluding the most popular gaming console would put a big dent in its profits.

* The emerging cloud gaming market received closer scrutiny from Brussels. Cloud gaming frees players from buying expensive consoles and gaming computers by allowing them to stream games they own to tablets, phones and other devices, typically through a cloud platform that may charge a fee.

* The commission approved the deal after accepting Microsoft’s offer to modify its licensing agreements to allow users and any cloud gaming platforms to stream its titles without paying any royalties for 10 years.

* Microsoft has already announced deals to bring Xbox PC games to cloud gaming platforms operated by chipmaker Nvidia and independent player Boosteroid.

* The EU’s decision could enhance Microsoft’s chances as it faces down U.S. regulators. The Federal Trade Commission is taking the company to court to block the deal, with a trial before the FTC’s in-house judge set to begin Aug. 2..

Source : Mint

Correct Answer :   Ravneet Kaur

---

* The government has appointed "Ravneet Kaur" as the Chairperson of the Competition Commission of India (CCI), according to an official order. There has been no full-time Chairperson for the competition regulator since Ashok Kumar Gupta demitted office in October 2022.

* Meanwhile, Moneycontrol has learned that Kaur may not be able to immediately assume charge as she is still serving in her capacity as an IAS officer and may take some time to take charge at the CCI.

* CCI Member Sangeeta Verma has been acting as the Chairperson since October 2022.

* The appointment of Ravneet Kaur, a 1988 Punjab cadre IAS officer, will be for a period of five years from the date of assuming charge or till the date of attaining the age of 65 years or until further orders, whichever is the earliest, as per the order dated May 15, 2023.

* Currently, Kaur is serving as the Additional Chief Secretary and Financial Commissioner at the Department of Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management in Chandigarh.

* The CCI chairperson will get a consolidated salary of Rs 4,50,000 per month without house and car, the order added...

Source : Moneycontrol

Correct Answer :   Manoj Soni

---

Educationist "Manoj Soni" will take oath as the chairman of Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Tuesday (16th May 2023).

* Soni, who joined the Commission as the member on June 28, 2017, has been performing the duties of the UPSC chairman since April 5, 2022, he said on Monday.

* “He will be administered the oath of office and secrecy as chairman, UPSC on Tuesday (16th May 2023) by Smita Nagaraj, senior most member in the Commission,” the official said.

* The UPSC conducts civil services examination to select officers of Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) among others.

* The Commission is headed by a chairman and it can have a maximum of 10 members.

* These include two consecutive terms from August 1, 2009 to July 31, 2015 as VC of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University (BAOU), Gujarat; and one term as VC of The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda (The MSU of Baroda) from April 2005 to April 2008, according to his official biodata.

* At the time of his joining the MSU of Baroda, Soni was the youngest ever Vice-Chancellor in India and the MSU, it said.

* A scholar of political science with specialisation in international relations studies, he has taught international relations at Sardar Patel University (SPU), Vallabh Vidyanagar between 1991 and 2016, except for the period when he served as Vice-Chancellor of the two universities..

Source : The Print