Today in History (May 3rd, 1993)
The first World Press Freedom Day was celebrated on May 3, 1993, and it has been observed annually since then to raise awareness about the importance of press freedom and to promote the fundamental principles of press freedom, including freedom of expression and access to information, as enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Summary of Today’s News
De-dollarisation
De-dollarization refers to the replacement of the U.S. dollar with other currencies as the global reserve currency. A reserve currency is widely used in cross-border transactions and is commonly held as reserves by central banks. The U.S. dollar’s international acceptability has been primarily attributed to the popularity of U.S. assets among investors.
Gig-worker
Under Section 2(35) of the Code on Social Security, a ‘gig worker’ is defined as ‘a person who performs work or participates in a work arrangement and earns from such activities outside of a traditional employer-employee relationship. The code mandates the compulsory registration of all gig workers to avail benefits of social security schemes framed by the Central and State Governments.
U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent commission created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to monitor and advocate for religious freedom worldwide and make policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress. The India section of the report alleged ‘serious violations’ of religious freedom in the country.
Karnataka ranked the most innovative State in manufacturing.
As per the National Manufacturing Innovation Survey 2021-22, Karnataka emerged as the most innovative State in manufacturing, followed by Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu (DNH&DD), Telangana, and Tamil Nadu. Telangana, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu had the highest share of innovative manufacturing firms, while Odisha, Bihar, and Jharkhand reported the lowest percentage of such firms. The survey was conducted by the Department of Science and Technology and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO.)
Brecel wins World Championship in snooker.
Luca Brecel of Belgium became the first player from continental Europe to win the World Snooker Championship after defeating four-time champion Mark Selby in the final of the Championship 2023 held in Sheffield, England.
