Current Affairs 23rd May 2019

Current Affairs 23rd May 2019 - Important Points

• International Day for Biological Diversity observed on - 22nd May 2019
• Celestial Bodies  secures Man Booker International Prize 2019 on - 22nd May 2019
• India adopts new standard definition of Kg, kelvin, mole and ampere on - 20th May 2019
• UN Dag Hammarskjöld Medal awarded to -  Late  Sh. Jitender Kumar
• Formula One’ Legend Niki Lauda dies at - 70  Years of age
• Golden Card’ PR Scheme launched by UAE for - PR Scheme

Current Affairs 23rd May 2019 - Details

International Day for Biological Diversity observed on - 22nd May 2019

UN has accepted May 22nd as The International Day for Biological Diversity to upsurge understanding and  awareness of biodiversity matters. Aim of celebrating this day is to increase awareness about species turning endangered/going to extinct.
Theme
1st Biological Diversity International Day was celebrated by 2nd Committee of the United Nations
General Assembly on December 29th, 1993. Few years later in year 2000, United Nations General
Assembly accepted 22nd May as International Day for Biological Diversity.
Observations of this year’s International Day for Biological Diversity emphasis on biodiversity as the
foundation for our food and health and a important catalyst to transforming food systems and improving human health.
It goals to influence knowledge and spread awareness of the dependency of our food systems, nutrition, and  health on biodiversity and vigorous ecosystems.
Other attention areas of this years’ theme are, diversity issued by our natural systems for human existence & well-being on Earth, while contributing to other SDGs, together with climate change extenuation and  adaptation, ecosystems restoration, cleaner water and zero hunger, among others.
Significance of the day
During past 100 years, above 90 percent of yield varieties have disappeared from farmers’ lands. 
Above 50 percent of the breeds of many domestic animals have been vanished, and all of the world’s
17 main fishing grounds are now being fished at/above their sustainable parameters.
Local food production systems are also under danger, including connected indigenous, traditional
& local knowledge. 
Due to this impairment, agricultural biodiversity is vanishing, as well as vital knowledge of
traditional medicine and local foods.

Celestial Bodies& secures Man Booker International Prize 2019 on - 22nd May 2019

Oman author Jokha Alharthi on May 22nd, 2019 secured the admired ‘Man Booker International Prize 2019’ for her novel ‘Celestial Bodies’.
With this, Alharthi became the 1st Arabic writer to secure the prize and the 1st woman writer from Oman to have her work translated into English.
Alharthi got the award from Historian Bettany Hughes, the chairwoman of the judging panel, at a
ceremony at the Roundhouse, London. While giving the award, Hughes stated that the novel
secures ‘over the head and the heart in equal measure.’
She also secured the ‘Best Omani Novel Award’ for Celestial Bodies in 2010. 
About Celestial Bodies Novel
The ‘Celestial Bodies’ novel is the story of 3 sisters Mayya, Asma, and Khawla. The novel, established
in the Omani village of al-Awafi, confronts Oman’s history of slavery, which was eradicated in the
nation only in 1970.
Following misery a heartbreak, Mayya marries into a rich family; Asma marries for duty; and Khawla
is revealed waiting for a man who has moved to Canada.
The novel was 1st published in 2010 as ‘Ladies of the Moon’.
Man Booker International Prize

The Man Booker International Prize is an international literary award held in the UK, and is a counterpart to the ‘Man Booker Prize’ that is presented only for English-language novels.
The Prize is open to books in any language that have been further translated into English and is circulated in Britain.
The award was earlier from 2005 until 2015 was presented every 2 years to a living author of any nationality for a body of work printed in English/available in English translation.
Subsequently 2016, the award became open to books in any language that have been translated into
English language.
The award conveys prize money of 50000 pounds that is divided equally between the writer and translator.

India adopts new standard definition of Kg, kelvin, mole and ampere on - 20th May 2019

India on May 20th, 2019 linked several countries worldwide in applying the new definition of 4 of the 7 base units including kilogramme, kelvin, mole and ampere. With this, the definition of the basic units will modify in the national records, including in the textbooks. 
The resolution to redefine 4 of the 7 base units was approved by representatives of 60 nations including
India at the 26th meeting of the General Conference on Weights and Measures, which was organised from November 13th-16th, 2018 in Versailles, France.  The resolution was planned to effective on May 20th, 2019.
Significant Highlights

• The definition of the base units, also known as the International System of Units, has been altered from being connected to artefacts to being grounded on the fundamental constants on nature.
• Generally, the definition of 7 base units including second, metre, kilogram, ampere, Kelvin, mole and candela has been reformed.
• The significant goal behind redefining the system units is to permit universal coherence of measurements.
• The new change in the definitions will result in even and universal accessible International System of Units system for international trade, high technology production, human healthcare and safety, shielding the environment, global climate studies and the basic science sustaining these.
• The SI was found in 1960 and has been reorganized several times to account for proress in measurement technology.

UN Dag Hammarskjöld Medalawarded to -  Late  Sh. Jitender Kumar

Indian peacekeeper, Late Jitender Kumar, an Indian Police Officer, is amid the 119 military, police and
civilian troops who will be awarded with this year’s respected United Nations medal named Dag
Hammarskjöld Medal for courage and sacrifice in line of duty.
About Dag Hammarskjöld Medal
It is a posthumous award which is given to members of United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations
who have lost their life while serving in peacekeeping operations.
It was recognized in 22nd July 1997 by United Nations Security Council resolution 1121, accepted on
occasion of 50th anniversary of peacekeeping.
The medal is termed following Dag Hammarskjöld, who was the 2nd Secretary-General of the UN. He
passed-away in a plane crash in 1961 while en route to cease-fire discussions during Congo Crisis. The
1st Medal was given to the family of Dag Hammarskjöld in 1998.

More about Jitender Kumar

• Late Indian Police Officer Jitender Kumar laid-down while working in the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Central African nation of Congo.
• He will be bestowed retrospectively with Dag Hammarskjold Medal on celebration of International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers.
• On behalf of the dropped Indian peacekeeper the medal would be received by Syed Akbaruddin, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador at a solemn ceremony which will occur at the United Nations in New York.
• India is the fourth largest contributor of Blue Helmet to United Nations PKF.
• It is presently contributing above 6400 military and police personnel to United Nations peace operations in West Asia, Western Sahara, Congo, Lebanon, Abyei, Cyprus, Haiti, and South Sudan.

Formula One’ Legend Niki Lauda dies at - 70  Years of age

3-time Formula One- F1, World champion Niki Lauda decreased in Vienna at the age of 70. He suffered
with a lung transplant in August 2018.
More about Niki Lauda
The Austrian resident was one of the best-known figures in motor racing. He was born in Vienna in
February 1949 and grow into a motor racing legend.
He had secured 3 F1 world titles between year 1975 and 1984. He even secured the title for Ferrari in
1975 and 1977 and  McLaren in year 1984.
He suffered horrific damages at German Grand Prix in 1976 and will always be reminisced for his
remarkable recovery and return to motor racing after being seriously burned in the crash. He has total
competed in 171 races and secured 25 victories of them.
Following his retirement, he actively followed business interests counting his own airline later helped in
senior roles at F1 management as non-executive chairman at immensely successful Mercedes team since 2012, where he also assisted bring British world champion Lewis Hamilton on board.

Golden Card’ PR Scheme launched by UAE for - PR Scheme

The UAE released “Golden Card” Permanent Residency Scheme in an attempt to woo rich individuals and  exceptional talents from worldwide.
Significant Highlights
The ‘Golden Card’ program was revealed by United Arab Emirates PM Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum who is also ruler of Dubai.
The United Arab Emirates has always opened its door to masses of people pursuing for pursuing their
dreams and advancement of lives. The Golden Card is United Arab Emirates’ way to welcome all those
looking for to be a part of the United Arab Emirates’ success story and making it a 2nd home.
It is presented keeping in mind that Inhabitants are an essential part of nation and thus will be permanent partners in United Arab Emirates’ journey.
Emigrants in the United Arab Emirates are usually issued limited duration residence allows under a
sponsorship system.
About ‘Golden Card’ Programme

• It is open to stockholders and ‘exceptional talents’ including researchers, engineers, doctors, students and  artists.
• The Golden Card suggests permanent residency and unprecedented profits to cardholders and to their families while creating an attractive environment for growth and business.
• The advantages of Permanent Residency also include spouse and children of cardholder to make sure cohesive social relations.
• As part of initiative, the 1st group of 6800 stockholders from above 70 nations with investments of about 100 Billion Dirhams, were being issued PR.
• This new initiative will fascinate greater foreign investment and activate local economy, making it extra efficient and attractive for investors. It will also upsurge United Arab Emirates’ competitiveness on a worldwide scale and will reaffirm nation’s position as a global incubator.