Today's Current Affairs 13th April 2023

NATIONAL

World's 'most criminal countries' ranking: India behind US, UK at 77 spot

World of Statistics has shared the ranking of the world's "most criminal countries". On the list, Venezuela has been ranked top, followed by Papua New Guinea (2), Afghanistan (3), South Africa (4), Honduras (5), Trinidad (6), Guyana (7), Syria (8), Somalia (9) and Jamaica (10), respectively.

India stood at 77 spots while the US and UK were ahead of India in the criminal ranking country. The USA was at 55th number and the UK at 65th rank, according to the World of Statistics.

Turkey, Germany, and Japan were among the least criminal countries, ranking at 92nd, 100th, and 135th ranks.

Overall crime rate is calculated by dividing the total number of reported crime of any kind by the total population, then multiplying the result by 100,000 – Because the crime rate is typically reported as ‘X’ number of crime per 100,000 people.

Solar Energy Corporation Gets Miniratna Category-I Status

State-owned Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd (SECI) has got the status of Miniratna Category-I Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE). A communication to this effect has been issued by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, a ministry statement said on Wednesday.

SECI has been accorded the status of Miniratna Category-I Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) on Monday, 10th April, 2023, it stated. Incorporated in the year 2011, SECI is the primary implementing agency for renewable energy schemes/projects of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy towards fulfilment of India's international commitments.

Till date, SECI has awarded Renewable Energy (RE) project capacities of over 56 GW. SECI is also active in setting up of projects through its own investments as well as for other public sector entities as Project Management Consultant (PMC).  SECI enjoys highest credit rating of AAA by domestic rating agency ICRA.

SPORTS

India’s Antim Pangal clinches silver at Asian Wrestling Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan

India’s Antim Panghal has won the silver medal at the 2023 Asian Wrestling Championships after losing to Japan’s Akari Fujinami in the 53-kg category in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Fujinami, the reigning world champion, successfully defended her Asian crown in a comfortable fashion. The 19-year-old led 4-0 in the opening minute before closing out the match in the first round.

Four other Indian wrestlers including Anshu Malik (57kg), Sonam Malik (62kg), Manisha (65kg) and Reetika (72kg) added to India’s medal tally by winning their bronze medal bouts.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 

BrokerApp, A New Face Of The Real Estate World

Neeraj Sharma, a leading businessman in the real estate business, has launched India’s first social media platform for brokers called BrokerApp, a cutting-edge mobile application designed exclusively for real estate brokers.

The app can be a revolutionary platform in the world of real estate as it comes with various features such as free property listing, access to high slabs, a global presence with a wide network of real estate agents, intelligent search to find brokers, projects, and more. The app is available for Android and iOS users, and users can download it from their respective App / Google Play store.

When asked the founder, Neeraj Sharma about this app, he said- "We're thrilled to launch BrokerApp and provide brokers with a powerful tool to grow their businesses. Our goal is to make the process of buying and selling in the real estate market as seamless as possible, and BrokerApp is a big step in that direction. In the upcoming time, we are expecting BrokerApp to become one of the world's best real estate apps."

BrokerApp has set a very high benchmark in its launch event for sure but we're yet to see how it performs in the market and whether the realtors and real estate agents will grow with the help of the app or not. 

OBITUARY

Veteran Actor Uttara Baokar Passes Away At 79

Veteran film and television actor Uttara Baokar passed away in Pune. She was 79. Sources close to the actor's family told news agency PTI that she left for the heavenly abode following a prolonged illness. Baokar, who was ailing since the last year, breathed her last at a hospital on Tuesday. Her last rites were performed on Wednesday morning, reported PTI.

Baokar, who studied acting at the National School of Drama (NSD), played various roles in different plays such as 'Padmavati' in 'Mukyhamantri', 'Mena' in 'Mena Gurjari', 'Desdemona' in Shakespeare's 'Othello', mother in playwright Girish Karnad's 'Tughlaq', among others. She also worked in TV shows as well namely 'Udaan', 'Antaral', 'X Zone', 'Rishtey Kora Kaagaz', 'Nazarana', 'Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin', 'Kashmakash Zindagi Ki' and 'Jabb Love Hua'.

Additionally, She won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for Mrinal Sen's 'Ek Din Achanak.

IMPORTANT DAYS

104 Years Of Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

More than a century ago on April 13, 1919, India witnessed its deadliest massacre when General Reginald Dyer's forces opened fire on an unarmed crowd which had gathered in Jallianwala Bagh of Amritsar to protest against the Rowlatt Act. Between 400 to 1,000 people were murdered and over 1,200 injured before the soldiers ran out of ammunition after around ten minutes of fire.

The Rowlatt Act was a repressive law passed by the British colonial government in the same year which gave them the power to imprison anyone suspected of sedition without trial. The Act sparked massive outrage among people and thousands of protesters had gathered in the Jallianwala Bagh on April 13, 1919 to oppose the law. Hundreds of people were killed when Dyer and his forces invaded the venue and blocked the sole exit, trapping the crowd inside.

After the incident, General Dyer was removed from the duty after the Hunter Commission submitted its report. He died July 23, 1927, due to a cerebral haemorrhage. Dyer reportedly said on his deathbed, "So many people who knew the condition of Amritsar say I did right...but so many others say I did wrong. I only want to die and know from my Maker whether I did right or wrong."

In 1951, the government of India built a memorial to honour the victims of the massacre. Today, India marks the 104th anniversary of the dreadful day.

World Sarcoidosis Awareness Day

On April 13th, World Sarcoidosis Day draws attention to this inflammatory disease. It takes place during Sarcoidosis Awareness Month, every April. The rare disease is characterized by the growth of tiny collections of inflammatory cells in any part of your body, generally the lungs and lymph nodes. Even today, the cause of Sarcoidosis is unknown, but experts believe it might result from the body's immune system responding to a particular substance, perhaps infectious agents, chemicals, or dust. As it is too often misdiagnosed, the day aims to better understand how Sarcoidosis impacts people.

In April 2008, the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research declared Sarcoidosis Awareness Month. Eleven years later, the organization launched World Sarcoidosis Awareness Day in conjunction with the April observance. They hosted the first World Sarcoidosis Awareness Day on April 13th, 2019.

SUMMIT'S & MOU's

Second W20 meet begins under India’s G20 Presidency in Jaipur

A two-day Second Women 20 International Meeting has started today (April 13) in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Women 20 is an official G20 engagement group, and the meeting is focusing on the theme of “Women-Led Development: Leveraging Women’s Untapped Potential to Accelerate an Inclusive and Sustainable Future. Addressing the inaugural session, Sherpa of India in G 20 Amitabh Kant said that women led development is the key priority of India because we see women as drivers of prosperity and inclusive development. He said that women must set the agenda of development and they should be agents of growth.

Talking to the media, Mr. Amitabh Kant said that India has set new dimensions in digital inclusion. Women’s bank accounts were opened, those accounts were linked with Aadhaar, and money for various schemes is being directly transferred to their accounts. A large number of women are also getting loans under Mudra Yojana. This has empowered women. He said that these experiences are being shared in the meeting so that other countries also get the benefit of this experience.

About 120 women leaders from 18 G20 countries are participating in the meeting.