Today's Current Affairs - 25th October 2022

INTERNATIONAL

Actress Anna May Wong Becomes First Asian-American To Feature On US Currency

• Anna May Wong was born with the name Wong Liu-Tsong. Wong began her film career at the age of 14 as an extra in The Red Lantern. Anna May Wong was born in Los Angeles to second-generation Chinese immigrants (1919).
• Anna May Wong, only three years later, in one of the earliest Technicolor movies, The Toll of the Sea (1922), in which she starred, received critical praise.
• Anna May Wong was also The Gallery of Madame Liu-first Tsong’s Asian American lead actor on television (1951).
• The four-year American Women Quarters Program honours the achievements and contributions made by women to the growth and history of the United States of America.
• Up to five new reverse designs will be released by the U.S. Mint each year starting in 2022 and continuing through 2025.

Cyclone Sitrang slammed into densely-populated, low-lying Bangladesh late Monday

• Cyclone Sitrang ploughed into heavily populated, low-lying parts of Bangladesh on night, killing at least nine people. The districts of Barguna, Narail, Sirajganj, and the island district of Bhol all reported death. Officials warned that as more casualties are reported from other districts, the death toll could rise.
• Cyclone Sitrang quickly degraded into a deep depression after crossing Bangladesh, and as of Tuesday morning, it had further degraded into a low pressure region.
• Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura may experience widespread moderate to heavy rainfall on Tuesday due to the system, which is now moving towards northeastern areas of India.
• In West Bengal’s coastal districts of South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, and East Midnapore, the cyclone caused moderate to heavy rain between 9.30 p.m. and 11.30 p.m. on Monday, dampening Diwali and Kali Puja celebrations.

 NATIONAL

Country's first Migrant Monitoring System launched for information on migrant women –

• India’s first ‘Migration Monitoring Systems’ was inaugurated by the Maharashtra Women and Children Development Minister Mangalprabhat Lodha in Mumbai. The website-based Migration Tracking System will track the movement of vulnerable seasonal migrant beneficiaries. The Migration Monitoring Systems aims to provide information about migrant pregnant women, lactating women, and children.
• The system provides updated information about migrant pregnant women, lactating women, and children in a single system.
• Maharashtra Women and Children Development Minister Mangalprabhat Lodha launched the ‘Migration Monitoring Systems’.
• The state department has created website-based Migration Tracking System (MTS) to track the movements of vulnerable seasonal migrant beneficiaries through individual unique identification numbers.
• The information about seasonal migrant women and children will be available on a single platform with the ‘Migration Monitoring Systems’.

In Kerala, ‘honesty shops’ on school campuses help inculcate virtues among children

• Honesty Shops have been opened in 15 schools in the Ernakulam district of Kerala. The Honesty Shops are a part of the Student Police Cadet (SPC) project which aims to provide valuable lessons on truth, and integrity for students. In these honestly shops there is no salesman at the counters and students can drop the money for each item in the collection box kept in the shop.
• The honesty shops have been launched under the Student Police Cadet (SPC). The SPC project was conceived to inculcate better civic sense among students and mold them as responsible youth.
• The objective of the Honestly shops is to provide students a chance to experience the virtue of honesty.The schools have switched off the CCTV facilities towards the shop to instill confidence among the students.

Hon'ble Prime Minister launches the first phase of “Rozgar Mela”

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 22 launched the Rozgar Mela recruitment drive to hire 10 lakh personnel. In the first tranche, 75,000 new appointees will be given jobs. The new recruits, selected from across the country, will join 38 government ministries and departments. They will be appointed across various levels viz. Group A, Group B (Gazetted), Group B (Non-Gazetted) and Group C.
• The Prime Minister’s Office said this will be a significant step of the government towards providing job opportunities for the youth and ensuring the welfare of the citizens. It said that as directed by the prime minister, all ministries and department are working towards filling up existing vacancies against sanctioned posts. The recruitment will take place across central armed forces personnel, sub-inspectors, constables, LDCs, Stenos, PAs, income tax inspectors, MTS among others.

OBITURY

Red Bull co-owner Dietrich Mateschitz dies, aged 78, after long-term illness

• Austrian billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz, the co-founder of energy drink company Red Bull and founder and owner of the Red Bull Formula One racing team, has died. He was 78. Officials with the Red Bull racing team at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, announced Mateschitz’s death. The Red Bull Racing team has enjoyed success in Formula 1, winning the constructors’ championship in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013.
• Mateschitz was born on 20 May 1944, in Sankt Marein im Mürztal, Styria, Nazi Germany (now in Austria). Mateschitz was co-founder of the Wings for Life foundation which supports spinal cord research together with Heinz Kinigadner. Since 2014, the foundation has organised the Wings for Life World Run to raise funds. He also initiated the World Stunt Awards, an annual fundraiser to benefit his Taurus Foundation, which, according to its website, helps injured stunt professionals.

 APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Yuvraj Singh becomes the brand ambassador for 3rd T20 World Cricket Cup for the Blind

• The Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) has announced former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh as their brand ambassador for the 3rd T20 World Cup for the Blind to be held in India in December. Ajay Kumar Reddy B2 (Andhra Pradesh) will lead the Indian team while Venkateswara Rao Dunna – B2 (Andhra Pradesh) will be the vice-captain.
• The World Cup matches will be held from December 6 to 17. The participating countries for the 3rd T20 World Cup for the Blind are India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Australia, South Africa, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The opening match will be played between defending champions India and Nepal on December 6 in Faridabad.
• Samarthanam’s sports wing, Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI), was established in 2010 to foster the cricketing dreams of visually impaired cricket players and to provide a platform to portray their unbound talent in the game of blind Cricket. CABI is affiliated with World Blind Cricket Council (WBC).

 IMPORTANT DAYS

World Polio Day 2022: 24^th October

• World Polio Day 2022 is observed every year on October 24 to raise awareness about the polio vaccination and eradication of polio from every corner of the world. The day is observed to commemorate the progress made by the world towards polio eradication. The day to raise awareness of the importance of polio vaccination to protect every child from this devastating disease, and to celebrate the many parents, professionals and volunteers whose contributions make polio eradication achievable.
• This year, the overarching theme of World Polio Day is “World Polio Day 2022 and Beyond: A healthier future for mothers and children”. The theme urges the world to acknowledge the progress made in the battle to eradicate polio in children and the work to provide a healthier future for mothers.
• On World Polio Day, global organisations such as Rotary International, WHO and others host several events to raise awareness about polio. Events range from rallies, walks, and webinars to organising competitions in schools and clubs. In the global fight to eradicate polio, no member is too small to contribute.
• To ensure a polio-free future for everyone, efforts must continue to maintain high immunization coverage, implement high-quality surveillance to detect any presence of the virus, and prepare to respond in the event of an outbreak.

 BANKING AND ECONOMY

CCI Fines Google Rs 936 Crore For Anti-Competitive Play Store Policies

• The nation’s competition watchdog has fined Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., Rs 1,337 crore for engaging in anti-competitive behaviour with regard to Android mobile devices. Google was penalised by India’s Competition Commission (CCI) for “abusing its dominant position in numerous regions within the Android mobile device ecosystem.”
• The decision to fine Google for alleged anti-competitive practices was described as “a major setback for Indian consumers and businesses” by Google.
• Google Company said it would review the decision to determine its next course of action.
• The Android OS (operating system) is run and managed by Google, and the company also grants licences for its other proprietary programmes. In their mobile devices, OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) employ this OS and Google’s apps.
• The commission identified five relevant markets in the current case to serve this purpose. There was a market in India for licensable mobile operating systems for smart devices, an app store for Android mobile operating systems, general web search services, non-OS specific mobile web browsers, and an online video hosting platform (OVHP).