Daily Current Affairs Quiz 19 May 2023

d) Ministry of Communications

The portal aims to provide various reforms and services related to mobile connections and telecommunications.
· It has been developed by C-DoT under the Department of Tele-communications (DoT) to prevent frauds such as identity theft, forged KYC, banking frauds etc.

The portal allows mobile phone users to:

· Check the connections registered on their names,

· Report fraudulent or unrequired connections,

· Block the mobile phones which are stolen/lost,

· Check IMEI genuineness before buying a mobile phone

The three reforms are being introduced as part of the portal’s framework:

· CEIR (Central Equipment Identity Register): It enables the tracking and blocking of lost or stolen phones anywhere in the country.

· Know your mobile connections: It allows users to check the number of mobile connections issued in their name by logging in using their mobile number. This feature helps identify any unauthorized or unwanted connections, which can be blocked immediately.

· ASTR (Artificial Intelligence and Facial Recognition powered Solution for Telecom SIM Subscriber Verification): This AI-based technology facilitates mobile connection analysis and includes features such as IMEI-based phone theft information messaging to law enforcement agencies and the owner. It also enables blocking of any number associated with a particular IMEI and the tracking of stolen mobile devices.

The portal and its reforms aim to enhance transparency, security, and accountability in the telecom sector.

Union Minister of Communications recently launched a citizen-centric Sanchar Saathi portal.

b) Sustainable Development

The environment performs four vital functions (i) it supplies resources: resources here include both renewable and non-renewable resources. (ii) it assimilates waste (iii) it sustains life by providing genetic and bio diversity and (iv) it also provides aesthetic services like scenery etc. The environment is able to perform these functions without any interruption as long as the demand on these functions is within its carrying capacity. This implies that the resource extraction is not above the rate of regeneration of the resource and the wastes generated are within the assimilating capacity of the environment.

Absorptive capacity means the ability of the environment to absorb degradation.

b) Bangladesh

The 6th Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) is being organized to bring together states and principal maritime partners of the region to discuss the prospects of regional cooperation for Security And Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).
It is being held in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) was started in 2016.

d) 1, 2 and 3

The UNFF is an intergovernmental policy forum which promotes “management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests and to strengthen long-term political commitment to this end.
· UNFF was established in 2000 by the UN Economic and Social Council.

· The Forum has universal membership, and is composed of all Member States of the United Nations.

UNFF18

· The eighteenth session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF18), held in New York from May 8-12, 2023, brought together delegates from around the world to discuss the relationship between sustainable forest management (SFM), energy, and the achievement of the United Nations-mandated Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Highlights:

Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) in Tropical Region:

· In a recent development, experts have underscored the significance of practicing SFM in tropical regions. With the surge in bioenergy consumption since 2013, there has been a mounting strain on forests, making the need for sustainable sourcing of tropical timber even more crucial.

Forest Ecosystems and Energy:

· Forestry director of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), highlighted the significant contribution of forest ecosystems to renewable energy requirements.

Forests and Climate Change Mitigation:

· The Emissions Gap Report’s findings underscore the immense climate mitigation potential that forests hold. Through processes such as carbon sequestration, forests act as carbon sinks, absorbing and storing substantial amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

* The eighteenth session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF18), held in New York from May 8-12, 2023, brought together delegates from around the world to discuss the relationship between sustainable forest management (SFM), energy, and the achievement of the United Nations-mandated Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

c) New Delhi

The third edition of the SCO startup forum was held recently. It was organized in New Delhi by the Department of Promotion for Industry and Internal Trade.
It is aimed at expanding the startup interactions amongst the SCO Member States, nurturing innovation, generating employment and encouraging young talent to build innovative solutions.