Today in History (May 17th, 1865)
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) was established on 17th May 1865. It is one of the specialized agencies of the United Nations, which aims to promote the shared global use of the radio spectrum, facilitates international cooperation in assigning satellite orbits, and develops technical standards for improving telecommunication infrastructure. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
Summary of Today’s News
World Telecommunication Day
World Telecommunication and Information Society Day is annually celebrated on 17th May to highlight the impact of the internet and other communication technology on society. It also commemorates the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention in Paris on 17th May 1865. The theme of World Telecommunication Day 2023 is “Empowering the least developed countries through information and communication technologies.”
Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Sri Manoj Soni was sworn in as the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Chairman. He joined the UPSC as a member in 2017 and has been serving as the Chairman-in-charge since April 2022. He had served as the Vice-Chancellor of M.S. University of Baroda and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University, Gujarat.
NHRC flags rise in child abuse content on social media.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken a suo moto cognizance of a media report that cited a 250-300% increase in the circulation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on social media in India. It has called for a detailed report on the steps taken to prevent it from all States and the Union Territories, NCRB, and the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity.)
Monsoon to set in over Kerala on 4th June 2023: IMD
According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), monsoon will set over Kerala with a ‘slight delay’ on 4th June 2023. The usual onset of monsoon over Kerala is 1st June, within a seven-day window. IMD had forecasted a normal monsoon during the June-September period, though at 96% of the Long Period Average (LPA), which denotes the average monsoon rainfall over India of 89 cm. The development of El Nino, a cyclical phenomenon of warming in the Central Pacific Ocean, is likely to cause diminished rain in India in 2023.
