NATIONAL:
1. GI Tagged Products
Why in news - 3 One District One Product (ODOP) crafts from Uttar Pradesh got GI tag.
Key Points –
• New ODOP Crafts –
(a) Mainpuri Tarkashi
(b) Mahoba Gaura stone craft
(c) Sambhal horn craft
• Maximum GI tags - Tamil Nadu (55) > Uttar Pradesh (48) > Karnataka (46).
• UP is first in terms of GI-tagged handicrafts with 36 crafts.
About the Crafts –
• Tarkashi - A technique of inlaying brass, copper or silver wires in wood. It is used for decorating jewellery boxes, name plaques etc.
• Gaura stone craft - It is made of radiant white-coloured stone used for making various craft items that are used for ornamental purposes.
• Sambhal horn craft - Horn and bone products.
INTERNATIONAL:
1. Ludovit Odor
Why in news - Ludovit Odor was made Slovakia’s caretaker Prime Minister.
Key Points –
• He would lead the country until early elections are held in September 2023.
• Slovakia is a member of the European Union, the euro zone and NATO.
• Slovakia President - Zuzana Caputova.
SUMMITS & CONFERENCES:
1. National Homeopathic Conference 2023
Why in news - Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated the conference “Homeocon-2023’” in Dehradun.
Key Points –
• Homeopathy - second most practiced system of medicine in the world.
IMPORTANT DAYS:
1. World Telecommunication Day 2023
Why in news - World Telecommunication and Information Society Day is observed every year on May 17.
Key Points –
• Theme - Empowering the least developed countries through information and communication technologies.
• May 17, 1865 - International Telecommunication Union was formed in Paris.
APPOINTMENTS:
1. Manoj Soni
Why in news - Manoj Soni took oath as the chairman of Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
Key Points –
• He was administered the oath of office and secrecy as chairman, UPSC by Smita Nagaraj, senior most member in the Commission.
About Appointment –
• Article 316 - Appointment and the term of office of the members.
• Article 316(1) - Chairman and other members of the Public Service Commission will be selected by the President.
• Article 316(2) - Member of a Public Service Commission shall hold office for a period of six years from the date of his appointment, and in the case of a Union Commission, the age limit is 65 years.
• Article 317 - Removal and suspension of a member of the Public Service Commission.
APPS & PORTALS:
1. Meri LiFE App
Why in news - Ministry for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change launched a mobile application called “Meri LiFE” (My life).
Key Points –
• Inspired by the concept of LiFE.
About Mission LiFE –
• LiFE - Lifestyle for Environment.
• It emphasizes mindful and deliberate utilization instead of mindless and wasteful consumption.
• Launched by – PM Modi on October 20, 2022 at Kevadia, Gujarat.
• 7 themes of Mission LiFE - Save Energy, Save Water, Say No to Single Use Plastic, Adopt Sustainable Lifestyle, Reduce Waste,Adopt Healthy Lifestyle and Reduce E-Waste.
2. UTSAH Portal and Professor of Practice Portal
Why in news - University Grants Commission (UGC) has launched 'UTSAH' portal and Professor of Practice Portal.
Key Points –
• Aim - to transform higher education by making UGC website more user-friendly, informative and dynamic.
• UTSAH - Undertaking Transformative Strategies and Actions in Higher Education.
• UTSAH –
(a) to keep close track of the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020 and its strategic initiatives in HEIs.
Value Addition –
• University Grants Commission (UGC) is being replaced by Higher Education Commission of India (HECI).
BOOKS & AUTHORS:
1. Book “Supreme Court on Commercial Arbitration”
Why in news - The book titled “Supreme Court on Commercial Arbitration” by Dr. Manoj Kumar was released.
Key Points –
• Foreword is written by Shri R.Venkataramani (Senior Advocate in the Supreme Court).
• It is a compendium of 3 volumes with Judgments spanning from the year 1988 till 2022 covering Arbitration Act 1940 and 1996.
SPORTS:
1. 37th National Games 2023
Why in news - The Indian Olympic Association has included “Gatka” in the 37th National Games.
Key Points –
• 37th National Games is scheduled to be held in Goa in October 2023.
• Gatka Federation of India (GFI) was founded in 2008.
About Gatka (Wooden Stick) –
• A type of martial art of Punjabi Sikhs.
• It's a stick-fighting style in which wooden sticks are used to imitate swords.
• It instills self-control and sword and sticks combat abilities.
• It is thought to have begun when the sixth Sikh Guru Hargobind embraced “Kirpan” for self-defense.
BIHAR:
1. Makhana Research Centre
Why in news - The Research Centre of Makhana (RCM) at Darbhanga has been redesignated as National Research Centre for Makhana (NRCM).
Key Points –
• It got back national status through an official notification issued by Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR).
• It would now operate under the administrative control of the ICAR.
About NRCM –
• Established in 2002.
• Focuses - Conservation, research, and development of Makhana.
• Its mandate has now been expanded to include other aquatic crops including fish.
Value Addition –
• Mithila region accounts for approximately 90% of global production of Makhana (fox nut).
• It is a highly nutritious aquatic crop.
• In August 2022, it got GI tag making it the 15th GI tagged commodity in Bihar and the 5th agricultural product in the state to receive this recognition.
• In recognition of its outstanding implementation of the One District One Product scheme (ODOP) for Makhana, Darbhanga district was awarded the prestigious Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in 2021.
• Central Institute of Post-Harvest Engineering and Technology (CIPHET) - Ludhiana.
POINTERS:
• Which became the first city in India to adopt the localisation of the United Nations-mandated sustainable development goals (SDG) – Bhopal.
• 3rd Energy Transitions Working Group (ETWG) meeting under India's G20 Presidency held in which city – Mumbai.
• Which Indian pair won the ISSF Won the final in the Shotgun World Cup - Divya TS and Sarabjot Singh.
• Which is the only airport in the world to cross the 90% On-Time Performance mark - GMR Hyderabad International Airport.
• Who took over as Deputy Chief of Air Staff - Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit.
• According to a study by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), which tiny flightless midge (small fly) has colonized Antarctica’s Signy Island and driving fundamental changes to the island’s soil ecosystem - Eretmoptera murphyi.
• The Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) has organized a month-long “Tibet Matters March” in which country – India.
• Whose birth anniversary will be celebrated as 'AIFF Grassroots Day' - Pradip Kumar Banerjee.
• Which former deputy PM of Nepal been arrested for his alleged role in the fraud of millions of rupees by duping Nepali citizens - Bahadur Rayamajhi.
• World Migratory Bird Day 2023 is observed on which date - May 13.