Current Affairs (22nd March, 2023)

Current Affairs

The 21^st of March is observed globally as World Down Syndrome Day, with the goal of raising public awareness and showing support for people living with this genetic condition.
The UN chose this date to emphasise the link between Down syndrome and the triplication (trisomy) of the 21^st chromosome, which distinguishes it. The day is intended to educate and raise awareness about Down syndrome.

The United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 2142 (XXI) on October 26, 1966, designating March 21^st as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
This day was chosen because, in 1960, 69 peaceful protesters were killed by police in Sharpeville, South Africa, while demonstrating against the apartheid "pass laws".
By establishing this day of remembrance, the General Assembly urged the international community to step up efforts to eradicate all forms of racial discrimination, particularly in relation to the struggle against apartheid in South Africa.

Following the withdrawal of Tata Consumer Products Ltd (TCPL) from the acquisition of Bisleri International, Ramesh Chauhan, the company's chairman, announced that his daughter Jayanti Chauhan will now lead the bottled water company.
He also stated that he has no intention of selling the company and is not currently in talks with any interested parties.
Jayanti Chauhan is the vice chairperson of Bisleri and has been involved with the company for many years.
She has been responsible for driving innovation and managing sales and marketing teams, with a focus on market penetration and brand value. TCPL confirmed that it has terminated negotiations with Bisleri and has not entered into any acquisition agreements.

A two-day workshop on “Human Factors Engineering in Military Platforms” was inaugurated by the Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan on March 15 in New Delhi.
The objective of the workshop is to establish a policy framework and practices that ensure the scientific implementation of Human Factors Engineering (HFE) in the defence sector, thus contributing to the vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat.’

N S Kannan, the current MD & CEO of ICICI Prudential Life Insurance, is set to retire at the end of his term in June 2023.
Anup Bagchi, an Executive Director at ICICI Bank, will succeed him as MD & CEO for a five-year term beginning June 19, 2023, subject to insurance regulatory approval.
Bagchi has been appointed Executive Director & Chief Operating Officer, effective May 1, 2023, subject to necessary approvals, to ensure a smooth transition.
ICICI Prudential Life Insurance made the announcement, stating that the board of directors approved Bagchi's appointment based on the recommendation of the board nomination and remuneration committee.

World Water Day is observed on March 22 each year to emphasize the significance of water and to create awareness about the global water crisis.
The primary purpose of celebrating this day is to promote the achievement of SDG 6, which aims to provide access to clean water and sanitation for everyone by 2030.
The day is dedicated to raising awareness about water-related issues, such as water pollution, water scarcity, insufficient water supply, and inadequate sanitation.
The objective is to inspire individuals to manage freshwater resources sustainably and take necessary actions to address these issues.

After a delegation-level meeting at Delhi's Hyderabad House, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida formally invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 Summit.
PM Modi stated that PM Kishida's visit will help to maintain the momentum of India-Japan cooperation. He emphasised the significance of respective countries leading two significant summits, the G20 and the G7.

In an annual report on human rights practices in India, the United States State Department has highlighted challenges to freedom of expression, cases of arbitrary arrests and detentions, extrajudicial killings, the confiscation and destruction of property without due process, discrimination against minority groups and infringement on the freedom of association, among other issues, in 2022.

Finland remains the world's happiest nation for the sixth consecutive year, according to the 2023 World Happiness Report.
The next most happy countries are Denmark, Iceland, Israel, and the Netherlands. Other European nations like Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, and Luxembourg also make the top 10.
The main life evaluation question in the Gallup World Poll, which asks people how happy they think they are, is the basis for the rankings.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the first submarine base of Bangladesh ‘BNS Sheikh Hasina’ at Pekua in Cox’s Bazar.
Hailing the newly inaugurated naval base as an ‘ultra-modern submarine base’, Prime Minister called the event a proud chapter in the history of Bangladesh navy.

100 participants from 23 African nations, including Botswana, Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Zambia, have begun the Africa-India Field Training Exercise (AFINDEX-2023).
The exercise aims to improve interoperability and operational readiness for UN peacekeeping missions, and focuses on Humanitarian Mine Action and Peace Keeping Operations.
The joint exercise is broken up into four phases: a validation exercise to evaluate the training's outcomes, a Humanitarian Mine Action and Peace Keeping Operations Phase, and trainer training.
The exercise aims to promote a collaborative approach to capacity enhancement of African armies, peace and security, ideas exchange, and The primary focus of the joint exercise is on tactical drills, procedures, and the capacity to work together seamlessly.