Home » Current Affairs Date: 16 August 2022

Current Affairs Date: 16 August 2022

National

National Conference on Cyber Safety and National Security

⇒ A National Conference on Cyber Safety and National Security (Cyber Apradh Se Azadi – Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav) held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on 20 June 2022.

Organized by:

The conference was organized by Ministry of Home Affairs.

» The Union Minister for Home and Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah addressed the National Conference on Cyber ​​Safety and National Security as Chief Guest in New Delhi.

» The conference was part of the efforts to create mass awareness for prevention of cyber crimes in the country.

For the conference, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), in the MHA in coordination with the Ministry of Culture, Government of India had also organized functions at 75 places in different States/Union Territories under the banner “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav”.

    • The function was organised from 8 to 17 June on Cyber Hygiene, Prevention of Cyber Crimes, Cyber Safety and National Security.
The prevention of cyber-crimes is being handled through seven pillars under I4C and CIS Division of Ministry of Home Affairs:
    1. National Cyber ​​Crime Threat Analytics Unit
    2. National Cyber ​​Crime Reporting Portal
    3. National Cyber ​​Crime Training Centre
    4. National Cyber ​​Crime Research and Innovation Center
    5. Joint Cyber ​​Crime Coordination
    6. National Cyber ​​Crime Ecosystem Management Unit
    7. National Cyber ​​Crime Forensic Laboratory

5G test bed to be set up at MCTE, Mhow

⇒ An Indian 5G test bed is to be established at the Military College of Telecommunication Engineering (MCTE), Mhow in collaboration with Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT-M).

    • An MoU to facilitate the same was signed between MCTE & IIT-M at a function in Chennai on 20 June 2022.

» The test bed will facilitate Indian Army to utilise the 5G technology for its operational use, especially along its borders.

Key Points:
    • The MoU signed will give an impetus to induction of systems, devices & equipment using niche technology and also use of AI based algorithms for enhancing capabilities of our Armed Forces.
    • It will also promote collaborative and cooperative research and facilitate exchange of ideas for development of new technologies.
    • It will encourage students, faculties and scientist for research in area of 5G communications and development of military applications.
    • Under the ambit of the MoU, IIT Madras will provide consultancy, duly supported by research for feasibility studies and prototype development on 5G enabled future communications.

37th Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the IAF’s Maintenance Command

⇒ Air Marshal Vibhas Pande on 14 June 2022 assumed charge as the 37th Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the IAF’s Maintenance Command headquartered in Nagpur.

    • Air Marshal Pande succeeded Air Marshal Shashiker Choudhary, who superannuated on 31 May.

» Air Marshal Pande was commissioned in the Aeronautical Engineering (Mechanical) branch of the IAF on August 29, 1984, and is trained on MiG-23 BN and AN-32 aircraft as well as MI-17 helicopters.

International

United Nations Chief's Envoy on Technology

⇒ Senior Indian diplomat Amandeep Singh Gill has been appointed by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as his Envoy on Technology.

The world body describing him as a “thought leader on digital technology” who has a solid understanding of how to leverage the digital transformation responsibly and inclusively for progress on the Sustainable Development Goals.

About Gill:
    • Amandeep Singh Gill is the Chief Executive Officer of the International Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence Research Collaborative (I-DAIR) project, based at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva.
    • Gill was India’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva from 2016-to 2018. He was the Executive Director and Co-Lead of the United Nations Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation (2018-2019).
    • Gill holds a PhD in Nuclear Learning in Multilateral Forums from King’s College, London, a Bachelor of Technology in Electronics and Electrical Communications from Panjab University, Chandigarh and an Advanced Diploma in French History and Language from Geneva University. He joined India’s diplomatic service in 1992.

Sports

India’s 74th Grandmaster

⇒ Rahul Srivatshav P of Telangana has become India’s 74th Grandmaster, achieving the title after breaking the 2500 (Elo points) barrier in live FIDE ratings during the 9th Cattolica Chess Festival 2022 in Italy.

    • The 19-year-old player reached the 2500 Elo live rating mark after drawing his 8th round game against Grandmaster Levan Pantsulaia in the Cattolica event.
    • His current Elo rating is 2468. Srivatshav had already secured five GM norms and achieved the title when he crossed the rating threshold of 2500 on 10 June 2022.
Other Points:
    • Bharath Subramaniyam had become the country’s 73rd GM in January.
    • To become a GM, a player has to secure three GM norms and cross the live rating of 2500 Elo points.

Important Day

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2022

⇒ The World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) is observed every year on 15 June.

    • It represents the one day in the year when the whole world voices its opposition to the abuse and suffering inflicted to some of our older generations.
Theme:

The UN theme for World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2022 was “Combatting Elder Abuse”.

This year, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) coincides with two important events.
    1. The first is the start of the United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030). This marks the beginning of ten years of concerted, catalytic and sustained collaboration with diverse stakeholders on improving the lives of older people, their families and their communities.
    2. The second is the 20th milestone of the Second World Assembly on Ageing and the fourth review and appraisal of the implementation of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA). These provide an opportunity to generate renewed momentum for international action to advance the ageing agenda.
Background:
    • It was officially recognized by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution 66/127, December 2011, following a request by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA), who first established the commemoration in June 2006.

Source: PIB & Other News Reports

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