CURRENT AFFAIRS OF 20th FEBRUARY, 2023

CURRENT AFFAIRS OF  20^th FEBRUARY, 2023

1. World Day of Social Justice is observed annually on 20 February across the globe to raise a voice against social injustice. The theme of World Day of Social Justice 2023 is “Overcoming Barriers and Unleashing Opportunities for Social Justice”. 
2. Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh Foundation Day was celebrated on 20 February.
3. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the day of Shiv Jayanti (19 February, 2023) inaugurated the first phase of ‘Shiv Srishti’ theme park in Pune, Maharashtra.
4. Indian-origin photographer Karthik Subramaniam won National Geographic’s ‘Pictures of the Year’ contest 2023 with his photograph titled ‘Dance of the Eagles’. 
5. England Test captain Ben Stokes became the player to hit the most number of sixes in the history of Test cricket, surpassing England coach and former New Zealand cricketer Brendon McCullum in the match against New Zealand on 18 February, 2023.
6. Safran Helicopter Engines and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) have signed an agreement for the development of the engine of the future Indian Multi-Role Helicopter (IMRH) and its naval version.
7. The Pangong Tso Lake in Ladakh hosted the first-ever frozen lake marathon on 20 February 2023, at an altitude of roughly 13,862 feet.
8. On 18 February 2023, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) India announced the appointment of National Award-winning Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana as a National Ambassador for Child Rights.
9. The 12^th World Hindi Conference, which took place from 15-17 February 2023, in Nadi, Fiji, decided to promote Hindi as a language of contact-dialogue among all people around the world who speak, understand, and are fond of it.
10. The Indian Air Force has developed an innovative solution ‘Vayulink’ that would aid pilots in dealing with bad weather and also provide jammer-proof uninterrupted communication with the base station.
11. The United Nations Security Council held its first-ever debate on sea level rise titled ‘Sea-Level Rise: Implications for International Peace and Security’.
12. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on 19 February 2023, inaugurated the 33^rd Police-Public Mela at Gulshan Ground in Jammu.
13. The Serum Institute of India (SII) has announced the establishment of a Dr. Cyrus Poonawalla Centre of Excellence in Infectious Diseases and Pandemic Preparedness in the Indian Institute of Public Health, Hyderabad.
14. The Madhya Pradesh Government has approved a new excise policy discouraging liquor consumption and taking a step closer to prohibition. Under the new policy, ‘ahatas’ or drinking areas attached to liquor outlets, and shop bars will be closed.
15. BCCI’s Chief selector Chetan Sharma has resigned from his post following a sting operation conducted by a TV news channel, where he shared internal information about the team and selection process.
16. Ministry of Textiles is organising ‘Technotex 2023’ from 22-24 February, 2023 in Mumbai.