Daily Current Affairs May 18 2023 | Latest News

 

CURRENT AFFAIRS : BANKING & FINANCE

NSE Launches WTI Crude Oil & Natural Gas Futures Contracts 

• The National Stock Exchange of India Limited (NSE India) launched rupee-denominated futures contracts on underlying New York Mercantile Exchange’s (NYMEX) West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil and natural gas in its commodity derivatives segment.
• This came after the exchange, in March, 2023 received approval from markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to launch these contracts.

Key Highlights :

• The addition of these contracts has expanded NSE’s product offering in the energy basket as well as its overall commodity segment.
• The launch of these contracts will provide effective trading and hedging opportunities to the market participants, with the availability of key energy products on a single trading platform.
• WTI is the underlying commodity of the NYMEX oil futures contract.
• Further, crude oil derivatives (Brent and WTI) are the most traded products in the commodity derivative space.
• All Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) categories are permitted to trade such as individual, family office and corporate FPIs.
• In February,2023 NSE had signed a data licensing agreement with CME Group.

About NSE India :

• Founded : 1992
• Headquarters : Mumbai, Maharashtra
• MD & CEO : Ashishkumar Chauhan

IRDAI Directs Insurers To Provide Full Insurance Coverage For Surrogacy

• The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has directed all insurers to comply with the provisions outlined in the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021, and the Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Act, 2021.

What is Surrogacy?

• Surrogacy is a legal and regulated arrangement in which a woman (the surrogate mother) carries a pregnancy and gives birth to a child on behalf of another individual or couple (the intended parents).
• The surrogate mother agrees to nurture the embryo or fetus until birth and transfer parental rights to the intended parents.
• By incorporating surrogacy into health insurance policies, the IRDAI aims to enhance affordability and accessibility for prospective parents seeking to build their families through this method.

About IRDAI :

• Established : 1999
• Headquarters : Hyderabad, Telangana
• Chairperson : Debasish Panda
• The IRDAI is a statutory body under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance (MoF), Government of India (GoI) and is tasked with regulating and licensing the insurance and reinsurance industries in India.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

India and EFTA make progress in talks on new trade agreement

• The modalities of engagement for working towards a comprehensive TEPA discussed by India and the EFTA states.
• Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has discussed the modalities for Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) with representatives of EFTA states.
• A free trade agreement between India and EFTA will enhan ce two-way commerce, investment flows, job creation and economic growth.
• A free trade agreement between EFTA and India is officially called as TEPA.
• Under TEPA, trading partners eliminate or reduce customs duties on highest number of goods traded between them. They also ease norms to promote trade in services and investments.

About EFTA

• European Free Trade Association (EFTA) is a four-nation bloc involving Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
• It was founded in January 1960.
• EFTA countries are not part of the European Union (EU).
• EFTA is an inter-governmental organisation created for the promotion of free trade. Its secretariat is in Geneva.

Centre cuts windfall gains tax on domestic crude oil to nil

• Centre reduces windfall levy on domestically produced crude to nil.
• Windfall gain levy will not be applied to domestically produced crude oil with effect from 16 May 2023.
• Before this change, rate of windfall gain levy was Rs4,100 per tonne.
• Government may again impose the duty with increase in demand and consequent rise in prices.
• The reduction in windfall gain levy will benefit companies like Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC).
• Windfall gain levy is technically known as Special Additional Excise Duty (SAED).
• SAED is not applied to entities whose annual crude oil production is less than 2 million barrels in the previous financial year.
• India first imposed windfall profit tax last July.
• The tax rates are reviewed every fortnight on the basis of the average oil prices in the previous two weeks.
• The total collection of SAED for FY23 is estimated at ₹25,000 crore.

NMC announces common National Medical Register for all practitioners across the country

• All medical practitioners will now be covered under a common National Medical Register.
• National Medical Commission (NMC) released a notification titled “Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medicine Regulations, 2023”.
• As per the notification, the passing of the National Exit Test (NEXT) has become mandatory for both Indian and foreign medical graduates for registration with the National Medical Register.
• There will be a common national medical register for all the registered medical practitioners of the country.
• It will contain all the entries of the registered medical practitioners of all State Registers, which are maintained by the State Medical Councils.
• The license to practice medicine will be granted for five years.
• After five years, the medical practitioner will have to renew the license through the State Medical Council.
• The NMC has also laid down the process of denial of the license, transfer of license, removal and restoration of registration, etc.

Shri Bhupender Yadav launches Meri LiFE App

• A mobile app called Meri LiFE (My life) has been launched by Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav in New Delhi.
• The app is inspired by the concept of LiFE envisioned by the Prime Minister at COP 26, which emphasizes on conscious and deliberate use rather than mindless and wasteful consumption.
• On October 20, 2022, the Prime Minister launched Mission LIFE (Lifestyle for Environment) at Kevadia, Gujarat.
• It focused on bringing about a change in the behavior of each individual through simple actions.
• The nodal ministry for implementation of Mission LIFE is the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.
• To further catalyze pan-India support and awareness about LiFE, a month-long mass mobilization campaign is currently underway and will culminate on World Environment Day (5 June 2023).
• Two dedicated portals for LiFE have been developed by the Ministry, to create a structured reporting format that can track the progress being made on LiFE.
• The Mission Life Portal is open access and can be used to download 100+ creatives, videos and knowledge materials.
• To upload event reports and capture the progress of the mass mobilisation drive, the Meri LiFE Portal has been developed for ministries and institutions.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : INTERNATIONAL NEWS

First-ever direct international flight connecting Bhubaneswar-Dubai started

• First-ever direct international flight service from Bhubaneswar to Dubai has been started.
• IndiGo’s direct flight service shows the growing importance of Bhubaneswar as a major destination.
• The inaugural flight, carrying a delegation of representatives from the Government of Odisha, civil society, and members of the business & sports community and self-help groups reached Dubai International Airport.
• The travel to Dubai by the delegation coincides with the upcoming Odisha Dibasa program showcasing the state’s rich culture and heritage
• The Odisha Dibasa program is scheduled to be held on May 16 and 17, 2023.
• Operating 3 times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, the state-of-the-art Airbus A320 aircraft will ensure seamless travel between Bhubaneswar and Dubai, enhancing convenience for both business and leisure travellers.
• The launch of the first international flight from Bhubaneswar to Dubai reduces the flying time from 12 to 4 hours.

World Health Organisation launches framework on reducing anaemia in women of reproductive age              

• The World Health Organisation (WHO) launches its first-ever comprehensive framework on reducing anaemia, calling on countries to accelerate action to halve anaemia prevalence in women of reproductive age by 2025.
• Anaemia is a serious global public health problem, affecting 571 million women and 269 million young children worldwide.

Key Highlights :

• The new framework sets forth ways to address the direct causes, risk factors and broad social inequities that are fundamental drivers for anaemia.
• In 2019, anaemia affected 40% of children between 6 months and 5 years of age, 37% of pregnant women and 30% of women 15–49 years of age.
• It is most prevalent in low- and middle-income countries.
• Anaemia increases the risk of infections and death, impairs cognitive performance, and causes extreme fatigue, poor pregnancy outcomes, loss of earnings, and poor growth and development.
• It is a strong indicator of overall health.

About WHO :

• Established : 7 April 1948
• Headquarters : Geneva, Switzerland
• Director General : Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
• The WHO is a specialised agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : STATE NEWS

Andhra Pradesh launches ‘e-Chits’ app to regulate funds through online transactions      

• Andhra Pradesh (AP) Revenue Minister Shri Dharmana Prasada Rao launched ‘E-chits’ application of the Registration and Stamps Department.

Aim :

• To ensure better regulation of the chit fund businesses in AP.

Key Highlights :

• All the chit-fund transactions will be done through the mobile app, which was developed by the Registration and Stamps Department, keeping in view the increasing number of fraud cases.
• The E-chits application would usher in transparency in the chit fund business and prevent duping of customers.
• This policy helps prevent fraud by chit fund companies and avoid loss to subscribers.
• The app will also ensure that subscribers know which registered companies are operating in the chit fund business.
• Further details on e-Chits can be obtained from https://echits.rs.ap.gov.in.

About AP :

• Governor: S. Abdul Nazeer
• Chief minister: YS Jagan Mohan Reddy
• National Park : Papikonda National Park, Rajiv Gandhi (Rameshwaram) National Park, Sri Venkateswara National Park
• Wildlife Sanctuaries : Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary, Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary, Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary, Gundla Brahmeswaram Wildlife Sanctuary

Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu launches HimCare scheme for jail inmates  

• Himachal Pradesh (HP) Chief minister (CM)Shri Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu introduced the Himcare scheme for jail inmates by providing Himcare cards to the prisoners at Model Central Jail Kanda in

Aim :

• To cover the cost of premiums for inmates, easing their financial burden during their time in prison.
• The launch also included the Integrated Sexually transmitted infections (STI), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV),Tuberculosis (TB), Hepatitis (ISHTH) campaign in prisons and other closed settings at Kanda Jail, which will screen and treat inmates across HP.

Key Highlights :

• The integrated campaign, ISHTH, aims to screen and treat 3,218 inmates in 14 jails in the state, and 1,278 inmates of Juvenile Homes, Nari Niketan and Drug Rehabilitation Centres across HP by June 14, 2023.
• To make the campaign successful, teams have been formed at the district level, consisting of various medical professionals like district AIDS programme officer, ICTC, ART, counsellor, lab technician, freezer peer mobiliser and paramedical staff.
• The health department would provide free counselling, treatment and medicines for HIV, TB, STI and Hepatitis to the jail inmates during the campaign.
• The HP government was ensuring proper care of HIV-infected persons by providing them free of cost medicines at 6 antiretroviral centres besides financial assistance of Rs 1,500 per month and free bus pass facility for treatment.
• The CM awarded the winners of the AIDS awareness competition organised for jail inmates on occasion.
• The HP government has given legal backing to the Mukhya Mantri Sukh Aashray Scheme, which provides comprehensive support to orphaned children up to 27 years of age.
• This includes covering their education and hostel expenses, providing them with a pocket allowance of ₹4,000 and offering financial assistance to construct homes.

About HP :

• Governor : Shiv Pratap Shukla
• Chief Minister : Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu
• Capital : Shimla (Summer), Dharamshala (Winter)
• Wildlife Sanctuary : Daranghati Sanctuary, Kanwar Sanctuary,Rupi Bhawa Sanctuary

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS NEWS

Goods exports decline 12.7% in April to $34.66 billion

• India’s goods exports have fallen 12.7% in April 2023 to $34.66 billion according to the Commerce & Industry Ministry.
• Imports during the month have fallen 14% to $49.9 billion according to quick estimates released by the government on 15 May 2023.
• Trade deficit have declined to $15.2 billion in April 2023 from $18.4 billion in April 2022.
• The decline in exports and imports is due to recessionary trends in some developed economies, the effect of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the cooling down of commodity prices, especially petroleum prices.
• Government has revised the export numbers for 2022-23 for goods and services upwards to $776 billion.
• This is $100 billion more than the previous fiscal.
• Goods exports for 2022-23 have increased from $447.46 billion to $450 billion.
• Services exports for 2022-23 have increased from $320 billion to $325.44 billion.
• India’s top export items in April 2023 were engineering goods, petroleum products, gems and jewellery, drugs and pharmaceuticals, and chemicals, while its top imports comprised petroleum, electronic goods, machinery, coal, and chemicals.

WPI inflation of April 2023 dips into negative of -0.92%

• WPI inflation declined to minus 0.92% in April 2023.
• It stood at 1.34% in March 2023 and 15.38% in April 2022.
• The WPI inflation has declined into negative for the first time since July 2020.
• The decline in prices of basic metals, food products, mineral oils, textiles, non-food articles, chemical and chemical products, rubber and plastic products, and paper products has mainly contributed to the decline in inflation in April 2023.
• The Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation has been declining continuously for the last 11 months.
• The month-over-month change in WPI for April 2023 over March 2023 remained unchanged at 0.0%.
• Earlier, Consumer Price Index (CPI)-based retail inflation declined to 18-month low level of 4.7% in April.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOUR

Prof. Jayant Vishnu Narlikar gets the first Astronomical Society of India Govind Swarup Lifetime Achievement Award in Pune

• Jayant Vishnu Narlikar received the first Astronomical Society of India Govind Swarup Lifetime Achievement Award.
• President of the ASI, Prof. Dipankar Banerjee presented the award to Prof. Jayant Vishnu Narlikar.
• The award was announced at the 41st meeting of the ASI held at IIT Indore.
• Narlikar has dedicated his life to the study of the Universe and contributed to understand various aspects of Astrophysics including the Narlikar-Hoyle theory.
• He was one of the first who started cosmology research in India. He gave the idea to introduce the astronomy curriculum and research in Indian Universities.
• He played a key role in the formation of the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA).
• Govind Swarup Lifetime Achievement Award was instituted by the Astronomical Society of India (ASI) in 2022 to honour eminent Indian astronomers for their valuable contributions.
• The award carries a citation and plaque, and a cash prize.
• The award is named after Prof. Govind Swarup.
• Govind Swarup is considered as the founder of Indian radio astronomy. He was also the founding director of the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA), Pune.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING AND INDEX

MoPSW ranked 2nd amongst the Ministries / Departments in the Survey Report on Data Governance Quality Index

• In the assessment for the December quarter (Q3) of FY23, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) has been ranked second among 66 ministries in the Data Governance Quality Index (DGQI).
• Shipping Ministry secured a score of 4.7 out of 5 in data governance.
• The assessment has been conducted by the Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO), NITI Aayog.
• The objective of the DGQI survey is to measure the maturity level of administrative data systems and their use in decision-making of various ministries and departments on the implementation of Central Sector Schemes (CS) and Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS).
• The DGQI assessment encompasses six pivotal themes: Data Generation, Data Quality, Use of Technology, Data Analysis, Use and Dissemination, Data Security and HR Capacity, and Case Studies.
• National Technology Centre for Ports, Waterways, and Coasts, IIT Madras assisted in DGQI assessment.
• It will help policymakers in identifying trends, opportunities, and areas for improvement.
• A data-driven approach enables policymakers to accurately identify trends, opportunities and areas for improvement.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Centre Appoints Ravneet Kaur as Chairperson Of Competition Commission Of India

• The central government has appointed Ravneet Kaur, as the Chairperson of the Competition Commission of India (CCI).
• She is the first woman in India to be appointed to this position and will serve for a period of 5 years or until reaching the age of 65.
• She will be the fifth full-time Chairperson of the CCI, which started functioning in 2009.
• Since the retirement of Ashok Kumar Gupta in October,2022 the position of CCI Chairperson has remained vacant.
• On 25 October 2022, Sangeeta Verma was appointed by the centre as interim chairperson of CCI.

About Ravneet Kaur :

• Ravneet Kaur is a Punjab cadre Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer.
• She has worked at the Centre from 2006 to 2012, including as Joint Secretary in the Department of Financial Services and again during 2015-2019 period.
• She served as the Chairman and Managing Director of the India Tourism Development Corporation from July 2017 to July 2019.
• Currently, Kaur is serving as the Special Chief Secretary at the Cooperation Department in the Punjab government.

About CCI :

• Established : 14 October 2003
• Headquarters : New Delhi, Delhi, India
• The CCI is the chief national competition regulator in India.
• It is a statutory body within the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
• CCI consists of a chairperson and 6 members appointed by the Central Government.

Amy E.Pope elected as 1st Woman Director General of the UN’s International Organization for Migration

• The Member States of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Migration Agency, elected Amy E. Pope as its next Director General during the 6th Special Session of the IOM Council.
• She will be the first woman & 11th person to head the IOM.
• Pope will assume the duties of Director General for a 5-year term beginning on 1 October 2023.
• She defeated the incumbent Director General of IOM António Vitorino of Portugal.
• Prior to joining IOM, she served as the Senior Advisor on Migration to President Biden in 2021, Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Homeland Security Advisor from 2015-2017, and as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director on Transborder Security from 2013-2015.

About IOM :

• Headquarters : Geneva, Switzerland
• Membership : 175 member states and 8 observer states
• The IOM is a United Nations agency that provides services and advice concerning migration to governments and migrants, including internally displaced persons, refugees, and migrant workers.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : DEFENCE NEWS

Indian Navy successfully test-fired BrahMos supersonic missile from INS Mormugao warship 

• A BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was successfully test-fired from the Indian Navy’s frontline guided missile destroyer Indian Naval Ship (INS) Mormugao.
• The ship and her potent weapon, both indigenous, mark another shining symbol of ‘AatmaNirbharta’ and Indian Navy’s firepower at sea.

About BrahMos supersonic cruise missile :

• BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd, is a joint-venture (JV) between the Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Russian Federation’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya, who together have formed BrahMos Aerospace.
• It produces the supersonic cruise missiles that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms.
• The missile flies at a speed of 8 Mach or almost three times the speed of sound.
• The BrahMos missiles are also exported by India.
• In January,2022 India sealed a USD 375 million deal with the Philippines for supplying three batteries of the missile.

About INS Mormugao :

• INS Mormugao is the second ship of the Visakhapatnam-class stealth guided-missile destroyers of the Indian Navy.
• The ship was built at Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL),Mumbai, Maharashtra & was launched on 17 September 2016.
• The ship was commissioned on 18 December 2022.

About Indian Navy :

• Founded : 26 January 1950
• Headquarters : New Delhi, Delhi
• Chief of the Naval Staff : Admiral R Hari Kumar

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

NASA Launches 2nd Super Pressure Balloon from New Zealand                                                                 

• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA’s) Scientific Balloon Program has launched a 2nd football-stadium-sized, heavy-lift super pressure balloon (SPB) from Wānaka Airport, New Zealand, on a technology mission aimed for 100 days or more of flight in the Earth’s upper atmosphere.

Goal of the mission :

• To test and qualify the super pressure balloon technology for flight.
• This balloon launch is the second and final for NASA’s 2023 New Zealand balloon launch campaign.
• The first balloon launched on 16th April 2023.
• That mission is performing nominally and has already completed three revolutions about the Earth’s southern hemisphere flying at about 108,000 feet.

Key Highlights :

• NASA conducts SPB launches from New Zealand in collaboration with the Queenstown Airport Corporation, Queenstown Lake District Council, New Zealand Space Agency, and Airways New Zealand.
• Flying on this second balloon is the Extreme Universe Space Observatory 2 (EUSO-2), a science mission from the University of Chicago that aims to build on data collected during a 2017 mission.
• EUSO-2 will detect ultra-high energy cosmic-ray particles from beyond our galaxy as they penetrate Earth’s atmosphere.
• The 8-million-cubic-foot (532,000-cubic-metre) balloon is helium-filled and about the size of a football stadium when fully inflated at its operational float altitude of about 110,000 feet (33.5 kilometers).
• Wānaka is NASA’s dedicated launch site for mid-latitude, long-duration balloon missions.
• NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia manages the agency’s scientific balloon flight program with 10 to 15 flights each year from launch sites worldwide.
• Peraton, which operates NASA’s Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility (CSBF) in Texas, provides mission planning, engineering services, and field operations for NASA’s scientific balloon program.
• The CSBF team has launched more than 1,700 scientific balloons over some 40 years of operations. NASA’s balloons are fabricated by Aerostar.
• The NASA Scientific Balloon Program is funded by the NASA Headquarters Science Mission Directorate Astrophysics Division.

About NASA :

• Established : July 29, 1958
• Headquarters : Washington, D.C, United States of America
• Administrator : Bill Nelson

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

ISSF World Cup Baku 2023: India ends campaign with four medals

• Indian pair won the gold medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event at the ongoing International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan.
• The Indian pair registered a 16-14 win over Serbian veterans Damir Micek and Zorana Arunovic in the final match.
• This was the second ISSF World Cup gold for Sarabjot, who won the individual air pistol in Bhopal in March 2023.
• Divya has won the first senior medal at the international level.
• Nancy also won the silver medal in the women’s 10m air rifle event with a score of 253.3.
• Rhythm Sangwan has won a bronze medal in the women’s 10m air pistol.

About ISSF:

• President: Vladimir Lisin
• Headquarters: Munich, Germany
• Founded: 1907
• Membership: 150 regions

CURRENT AFFAIRS : OBITUARIES

American economist & nobel laureate Robert E. Lucas Jr passed away                                 

• Nobel Prize-winning American economist Robert E. Lucas Jr Passed away at the age of 85 in Chicago, Illinois, United States of America (USA).

About Robert E. Lucas Jr :

• Lucas was born on September 15, 1937, in Yakima, Washington, United States(US).
• He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1980, the National Academy of Sciences in 1981, and the American Philosophical Society in 1997

Awards & Honors :

• He received the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1995 “for having developed and applied the hypothesis of rational expectations, and thereby having transformed macroeconomic analysis and deepened our understanding of economic policy

Eminent singer Kalyani Kazi Passed away                                                

• Eminent singer and the youngest daughter-in-law of poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, Kalyani Kazi passed away at the age of 87 in Kolkata, West Bengal.
• She was a member of the advisory council of Poschimbongo Kazi Nazrul Islam Akademi.
• The West Bengal government had conferred on her the Sangeet Mahasamman award in

CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

International Museum Day 2023 – May 18

• International Museum Day is celebrated every year on May 18 to raise awareness about the museums in society.
• The IMD theme for this year (2023) is ‘Museums, Sustainability and Well Being’
• International Council Of Museums (ICOM) conducted a general meeting in Moscow, Russia to adopt the day for museums.
• After that, the first International Day Of Museums was first established in 1977.
• The theme for International Museum Day was first established in 1992.
• Several museums participate in this International Day Of Museums.
• Every year, museums are invited internationally to all the museums to participate in this special day.
• Before forming International Museum Day, in 1951, the International Council Of Museums (ICOM) gathered a meeting for the “Crusade For Museums” to generally discuss the development of museums.

World AIDS Vaccine Day 2023 – May 18

• World AIDS Vaccine Day or HIV Vaccine Awareness Day is observed every year on May 18 to raise awareness about the need for vaccines.
• The concept of World AIDS Vaccine Day was first introduced in 1997 at Morgan State University by President Bill Clinton.
• There is no accurate medicine for AIDS till now, but there is a medical treatment that exists.
• There is a treatment to control AIDS called Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART).
• People take HAART treatment lifelong so that AIDS can be controlled.
• Otherwise, it may affect the immune system.
• From 1995 to 2017, the number of HIV cases declined by 85%.
• AIDS can be spread by sharing needles, blood, etc..

Daily CA One- Liner: May 18

• The National Stock Exchange of India Limited (NSE India) launched rupee denominated futures contracts on underlying New York Mercantile Exchange’s (NYMEX) West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil and natural gas in its commodity derivatives segment.
• The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has directed all insurers to comply with the provisions outlined in the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021, and the Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Act, 2021.
• The modalities of engagement for working towards a comprehensive TEPA discussed by India and the EFTA states
• Centre reduces windfall levy on domestically produced crude to nil.
• All medical practitioners will now be covered under a common National Medical Register.
• A mobile app called Meri LiFE (My life) has been launched by Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav in New Delhi
• India’s goods exports have fallen 12.7% in April 2023 to $34.66 billion according to the Commerce & Industry Ministry
• WPI inflation declined to minus 0.92% in April 2023.
• Jayant Vishnu Narlikar received the first Astronomical Society of India Govind Swarup Lifetime Achievement Award
• In the assessment for the December quarter (Q3) of FY23, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) has been ranked second among 66 ministries in the Data Governance Quality Index
• First-ever direct international flight service from Bhubaneswar to Dubai has been started.
• The World Health Organisation (WHO) launches its first-ever comprehensive framework on reducing anaemia, calling on countries to accelerate action to halve anaemia prevalence in women of reproductive age by 2025.
• Andhra Pradesh (AP) Revenue Minister Shri Dharmana Prasada Rao launched ‘E-chits’ application of the Registration and Stamps Department.
• Himachal Pradesh (HP) Chief minister (CM)Shri Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu introduced the Himcare scheme for jail inmates by providing Himcare cards to the prisoners at Model Central Jail Kanda in
• The central government has appointed Ravneet Kaur, as the Chairperson of the Competition Commission of India (CCI).
• The Member States of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Migration Agency, elected Amy E. Pope as its next Director General during the 6th Special Session of the IOM Council.
• A BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was successfully test-fired from the Indian Navy’s frontline guided missile destroyer Indian Naval Ship (INS) Mormugao.
• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA’s) Scientific Balloon Program has launched a 2nd football-stadium-sized, heavy-lift super pressure balloon (SPB) from Wānaka Airport, New Zealand, on a technology mission aimed for 100 days or more of flight in the Earth’s upper atmosphere.
• Nobel Prize-winning American economist Robert E. Lucas Jr Passed away at the age of 85 in Chicago, Illinois, United States of America (USA).
• Eminent singer and the youngest daughter-in-law of poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, Kalyani Kazi passed away at the age of 87 in Kolkata, West Bengal.
• Indian pair won the gold medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event at the ongoing International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan
• International Museum Day is celebrated every year on May 18 to raise awareness about the museums in society
• World AIDS Vaccine Day or HIV Vaccine Awareness Day is observed every year on May 18 to raise awareness about the need for vaccines