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CURRENT AFFAIRS : BANKING & FINANCE

HDFC Bank Offloads Entire 3.20% Stake in Protean eGov Technologies for Rs 150 Crore via Open Market Transaction

• HDFC Bank, a private sector lender, sold its entire 3.20% stake in Protean eGov Technologies for Rs 150 crore through an open market transaction.
• This transaction involved the sale of 12,94,326 shares.
• Nippon India Mutual Fund purchased 12.78 lakh shares, equivalent to a 3.16% stake in Protean eGov Technologies, for Rs 148 crore.
• This acquisition indicates Nippon India Mutual Fund’s interest in investing in the company.

Key Highlights :

• Protean’s Financial Performance: In the January-March quarter (Q4FY24), Protean eGov Technologies witnessed a significant 39% year-on-year decline in its net profit, which amounted to Rs 19 crore.
• This decline in net profit highlights a potential challenge or issue impacting the company’s financial performance during that period.

About Protean eGov Technologies :

• Incorporated : December 1995
• Protean eGov Technologies, previously known as NSDL e-Governance Infra, is involved in developing citizen-centric and population-scale e-governance solutions.
• The company’s focus on e-governance solutions indicates its involvement in technology-driven initiatives aimed at enhancing government services and citizen engagement.

About HDFC Bank Limited : 

• Founded : August 1994
• Headquarters : Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• MD & CEO : Sashidhar Jagdishan
• Tagline : We Understand Your World

HSBC and Standard Chartered Obtain Stakes in Clearing Corporation of India-IFSC for Real-Time Foreign Currency Settlement System at GIFT City    

• British lenders HSBC and Standard Chartered have acquired stakes in the Clearing Corporation of India-IFSC (CCIL IFSC), the proposed entity to operate a real-time foreign currency settlement system at GIFT City.
• Through its branch in GIFT City, HSBC executed transaction documents on May 17, 2024 for the acquisition of a 6.125% stake in the CCIL IFSC
• HSBC holds similar minority shareholdings in the National Payments Corporation of India and the Clearing Corporation of India through earlier investments.
• Standard Chartered Bank also picked up a 6.125% stake in the CCIL IFSC.
• Over the last few months, HSBC, and Standard Chartered Bank – the only two banks to execute these so far – have been carrying out trades in an offshore derivative instrument (ODI) called TRS through the GIFT City.
• Standard Chartered Bank is the only other foreign bank which has also acquired a stake in the CCIL IFSC.
• On the domestic side, HDFC Bank and State Bank of India have also invested in the CCIL subsidiary.
• SBI too acquired a 6.125% stake, while HDFC Bank informed exchanges on May 17 that the bank has agreed to subscribe to equity shares of face value ₹10 for a consideration aggregating to ₹ 12.25 crore over two or more tranches.

About HSBC :

• Established : 1865
• Headquarters : London, England, United Kingdom
• Group Chairman : Mark Tucker

CURRENT AFFAIRS : INTERNATIONAL NEWS

4th Meeting of ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement Joint Committee Held in Putrajaya,Malaysia             

• The 4th Joint Committee meeting for the review of AITIGA (ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement) was held in Putrajaya, Malaysia from 7-9 May 2024 .
• The Committee finalised its Terms of Reference and the Negotiating Structure for the review negotiations in its first two meetings and initiated the negotiations for review of AITIGA from its third meeting held from 18-19 February 2024 in New Delhi.
• The delegates from India and all 10 ASEAN countries participated in the discussions.
• A total of 8 Sub-Committees have been constituted for dealing with different policy areas of the Agreement in the review and out of these, 5 Sub-Committees have started their discussions.
• All the 5 Sub-Committee reported the outcomes of their discussions to the 4th AITIGA Joint Committee.
• Four of these Sub-Committees dealing with ‘National Treatment and Market Access’, ‘Rules of Origin’, ‘Standards, Technical Regulations and Conformity Assessment Procedures’ and ‘Legal and Institutional Issues’ also met physically in Putrajaya, Malaysia alongside the 4th AITIGA Joint Committee.
• The Sub-Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary had met earlier on 3rd May 2024.
• The Joint Committee provided necessary guidance to the Sub-Committees.
• ASEAN is one of the major trade partners of India with a share of 11% in India’s global trade.
• The bilateral trade stood at USD 122.67 Bn during 2023-24.
• The upgradation of AITIGA will further boost bilateral trade.
• Both sides would next meet for the 5th Joint Committee meeting from 29-31 July 2024 in Jakarta, Indonesia.
• The 3rd meeting of AITIGA Joint Committee for undertaking the review of ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) was hosted by India in Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi from 16-19 February 2024.

About ASEAN:

• Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a political and economic union of 10 states in Southeast Asia.
• Member countries: Brunei Darussalam, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : STATE NEWS

Uttarakhand Initiates ‘Pirul Lao-Paise Pao’ Scheme to Tackle Forest Fires                    

• The Uttarakhand government has launched the ‘Pirul Lao-Paise Pao’ campaign to address the issue of forest fires.
• Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated the campaign in Rudraprayag district.
• The campaign encourages active participation from cooperatives, Yuva Mangal Dal, and Van Panchayat.

Key Highlights :

• Campaign Mechanics : Local youth and villagers will collect dry Pirul (Pine tree leaves) from forests and deliver them to designated Pirul collection centers.
• The Tehsildar, supervised by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, will manage these centers.
• The collected Pirul will be weighed, and villagers/youth will receive Rs 50 per kg, directly transferred to their bank accounts.
• Utilization of Pirul : The collected Pirul will be processed, packed, and sold to industries.
• Pirul has traditionally been used as bedding for domestic animals, fertilizer, and fruit packaging, but it poses a fire hazard due to its burning capacity.
• Power Generation Initiative : Uttarakhand has established a 25-kilowatt power plant in Chakori Dhanari village, Uttarkashi district, using Pirul as a raw material.
• The state produces an estimated 23 lakh metric tonnes of Pirul annually, with the potential to generate about 200 megawatts of electricity.
• Oversight and Funding : The Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board oversees the campaign, operating Pirul collection centers, and processing the collected material.
• The state government has allocated Rs 50 crore for the campaign, funding the payments to Pirul collectors.
• Forest Area Statistics : According to the Indian State of the Forest Report 2021, Uttarakhand’s total recorded forest area is 24,305 square kilometres, covering 45.44% of the state’s geographical area.
• The state has 5,055 square kilometers of very dense forests, 12,768 square kilometers of moderately dense forests, and 6,482 square kilometers of open forests.
• Pine Tree Abundance : Pine trees, introduced by the British, are abundant in Uttarakhand districts such as Almora, Bageshwar, Chamoli, Champawat, Dehradun, Garhwal, Nainital, Pithoragarh, Rudraprayag, Tehri, and Uttarkashi.

About Uttarakhand:

• Capital: Dehradun
• Chief Minister: Pushkar Singh Dhami
• Governor: Gurmit Singh
• National Parks: Govind National Park, Nanda Devi National Park, Gangotri National Park, Rajaji National Park, Jim Corbett National Park

CURRENT AFFAIRS : APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Vedanta Aluminium CEO John Slaven Named Vice-Chairman of International Aluminium Institute     

• Vedanta Aluminium announced that its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), John Slaven, has been appointed as Vice-Chairman of the International Aluminium Institute (IAI).
• In his new role, Slaven will lead global initiatives aimed at promoting the crucial role of aluminium in enabling the energy transition to zero carbon.

About John Slaven :

• Slaven is a respected global leader with over 30 years of experience in the metals, mining, and modern manufacturing industries.
• He has held diverse positions in top companies within these sectors, contributing to transformative advancements.
• As CEO of Vedanta Aluminium, he oversees the company’s growth strategy while prioritising environmental, social, and governance (ESG) efforts and promoting sustainable practices.
• Under his leadership, Vedanta Aluminium has been recognised as the most sustainable aluminium company in the world.

About IAI :

• Established : 1972
• The IAI is the sole organisation representing the global primary aluminium industry.
• Its mission is to increase awareness of the industry’s operations, advocate for responsible production, and emphasise the significant environmental benefits of aluminium.
• The IAI’s membership includes the world’s leading bauxite, alumina, and aluminium companies and maintains extensive global data on the industry, with over 40 years of analysis on production, consumption, energy use, and environmental impact.

About Vedanta Aluminium :

• Vedanta Aluminium is a leading producer of aluminium, manufacturing 2.37 million tonnes in FY24.
• It also produces value-added aluminium products that are critical in core industries.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS NEWS

HP rebrands consumer, commercial PC portfolios, launches new AI logo

• Global personal computer (PC) manufacturer HP has announced the rebranding of its consumer and commercial PC portfolios to simplify and streamline its product offerings.
• The company has also introduced a new logo for its artificial intelligence (AI) computers.
• Henceforth, HP’s consumer PCs will come with a prefix of ‘Omni’, while its commercial PCs will be named ‘Elite’, followed by signifiers representing their respective product categories.
• HP has also unveiled a new Helix logo, which it said resembles the structure of deoxyribonucleic acid to show its commitment to advanced AI capabilities in next-gen AI PCs.
• The new next-gen AI PCs announced recently carry the new logo.
• The new naming nomenclature, however, does not apply to gaming PCs that will continue to operate under the OMEN brand.

About HP

• HP Inc. is an American multinational information technology company headquartered in Palo Alto, California, that develops personal computers, printers and related supplies, as well as 3D printing services.

Market cap of BSE-listed companies hits $5 trillion first time ever

• The market capitalisation of companies listed on BSE crossed $5 trillion for the first time, turning the spotlight on valuations.
• This makes India the fifth country/region to join the exclusive $5-trillion m-cap club, alongside the US, China, Japan and Hong Kong.
• The Indian stock market is ranked at the fifth spot in terms of market cap in the world.
• United States ofAmerica is in first place with a m-cap of $55 trillion.
• China is in second place with a m-cap of $9.4 trillion, Japan is in third place with $6.4trillion and Hong Kong’s stock market is in fourth place with a m-cap of $5.4 trillion.
• However, on a closing basis, India’s mcap, which represents the combined market value of all firms listed on the BSE, stood at $4.97 trillion (Rs 414.6 trillion).
• India’s market cap-to-GDP ratio (on a trailing 12-month GDP basis) is now at 154 per cent compared to 120 per cent in November 2023, when it first hit the $4 trillion mark.
• BSE’s total market cap had touched $4 trillion in November 2023. It has soared past $5 trillion in just six months.
• BSE-listed firms reached the $1 trillion market cap in May 2007, doubling in over a decade to $2 trillion in July 2017 and then reaching the $3 trillion mark in May 2021.

About BSE

• Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) is the oldest and largest stock exchange in India.
• In 1875, eminent businessman Premchand Roychand officially founded the Native Share and Stock Brokers Association which was later renamed the Bombay Stock Exchange.
• It is located on Dalal Street, Mumbai, and lists over 6000 companies.
• Investors can trade on the BSE share market via a brokerage fir For this, they need to pay a pre-determined price to the broker.
• Sensex is the benchmark index of the BSE.
• It was launched on January 1, 1986, as a basket of 30 stocks representing the country’s largest, financially-sound companies listed on the BSE.
• An important milestone was achieved with the shipment of the first set of R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine by Serum Institute of India (SII) to seven to eight countries in Africa.
• An important milestone was achieved with the shipment of the first set of R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine by Serum Institute of India (SII) to seven to eight countries in Africa.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

International Booker Prize 2024 goes to Kairos, a romance amid the fall of the Berlin Wall

• German author Jenny Erpenbeck and translator Michael Hofmann won the International Booker Prize for fiction for “Kairos,” the story of a tangled love affair during the final years of East Germany’s existence.
• The International Booker Prize is awarded annually for the finest single work of fiction from around the world which has been translated into English.
• This prize began life in 2005 as the Man Booker International Prize.
• It was initially a biennial prize for a body of work and there was no stipulation that the work should be written in a language other than English.
• The prize celebrates the vital work of translators, with the £50,000 prize money divided equally between the author and the translator.
• In addition, the shortlisted authors and translators each receive £2,500.
• Last year’s winner was another novel about communism and its legacy in Europe, ‘Time Shelter’ by Bulgarian writer Georgi Gospodinov and translated by Angela Rodel.
• Erpenbeck is the first German winner of the International Booker Prize, and Mr. Hofmann is the first male translator to win since the prize launched in its current form in 2016.
• The book has also been depicted in “The Lives of Others,” the Academy Award-winning 2006 film about pervasive state surveillance in the 1980s.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : DEFENCE NEWS

Indo-Russian Joint Venture Delivers 27,000 Ak-203 Assault Rifles to Indian Army      

• The Indian Army has received 27,000 Kalashnikov AK-203 assault rifles, produced at the Russian-Indian joint venture IRRPL (Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited) in the Indian central state of Uttar Pradesh (UP).
• An additional 8,000 rifles will be handed over in the next two weeks.
• Currently, the indigenisation level is around 25%.

Key Highlights :

• Production Phases: The first 70,000 rifles will be produced in India with phased localisation increasing from 5% to 70%.
• The remaining rifles will be produced with 100% localisation.
• Full-scale Production Timeline: Full-scale production is expected to be reached within 2-3 years.
• As many as 27,000 rifles have been handed over to the Army so far by the Indo-Russian joint venture established at Korwa in UP.

Background and Context:

• Replacement of INSAS: The Indian Army is replacing the indigenous INSAS (Indian National Small Arms System) rifles with modern rifles.
• Previous Procurement: The Army has already inducted 66,400 of the 72,400 SIG-716 assault rifles procured from Sig Sauer (U.S.) in February 2019 for ₹700 crore.
• Under an over ₹5,000-crore contract signed in July 2021, over 6.1 lakh AK-203 assault rifles are to be manufactured in India with technology transfer from Russia, by a joint venture Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL).

About IRRPL :

• The IRRPL was set up in 2019 between the erstwhile Ordnance Factory Board [now Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited (AWEIL) and Munitions India Limited (MIL)] from India and Rosoboronexport (RoE) and Kalashnikov concern of Russia.

About Indian Army :

• Established : 1st April, 1895
• Headquarters : New Delhi, Delhi
• Chief of the Army Staff : GeneralManoj Pande

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Serum Institute of India ships its inaugural batch of malaria vaccine doses to Africa      

• Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), has shipped its first batch of malaria vaccines- R21/Matrix-M to Africa.
• The initial shipment will be sent to the Central African Republic (CAR), followed by other African countries such as South Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo in the next coming days.

Key Highlights :

• Allocation Details:In total, 1,63,800 doses of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine have been specifically allocated for the CAR region.
• Out of this, only 43,200 doses will be dispatched today from Serum Institute of India’s facility.
• Manufacturing Capacity:To date, Serum Institute of India has manufactured 25 million doses of the vaccine.
• The institute has the capacity to scale up production to 100 million doses annually.
• Collaborative Development:The vaccine has been developed in collaboration with the University of Oxford and Novavax’s Matrix-M adjuvant.
• Authorization and Efficacy:This is the second malaria vaccine authorized for use in children in malaria-endemic regions.
• The R21/Matrix-M marks the culmination of 30 years of malaria vaccine research at the University of Oxford’s Jenner Institute.
• It received support from various organizations including the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), the Wellcome Trust, and the European Investment Bank (EIB).
• WHO Recommendation:The vaccine received World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation for use in children last year in October.
• This followed by the announcement of the high efficacy of its Phase-III trial data results this year.
• Impact and Future Prospects:This achievement is seen as a step towards paving the way for the vaccination of children in populations most at risk.

Recent News :

• In May 2024, The World Health Organization (WHO) prequalified the second dengue vaccine developed by Japanese drugmaker Takeda Pharmaceuticals.

About WHO :

• Established : 7 April 1948
• Headquarters : Geneva, Switzerland
• Director General : Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
• Parent Organisation : United Nations Economic and Social Council
• The WHO is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health.

Astronomers Successfully Identify Rocky Planet with Atmospheric Composition         

• Astronomers identified rocky planets beyond our solar system with an
• 55 Cancri e is classified as a super-Earth, meaning it is larger than Earth but smaller than Neptune.
• It is an exoplanet also known as Janssen and is a super-Earth.
• It is located in our Milky Way galaxy about 41 light-years from Earth, in the constellation Cancer.

Key Highlights :

• Orbit and Temperature: It orbits its star at one-25th the distance between our solar system’s innermost planet Mercury and the sun. As a result, its surface temperature is about 3,140 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Mass and Diameter : It completes a full orbit every 18 hours or so.55 Cancri e has a mass about 8.8 times that of Earth and a diameter approximately twice the size of our planet.
• Discovery : 55 Cancri e was discovered in 2004.
• At the time scientists thought that it was a gas giant, similar to Jupiter or Saturn.
• But in 2011, researchers found that it is a lot smaller and denser than a gas giant, meaning it is a rocky exoplanet, much like the Earth.
• Atmospheric Composition : The JSWT data indicate that 55 Cancri e atmosphere is probably rich in carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide and has a thickness that is “up to a few per cent’ of the planet’s radius.
• NASA’s James Webb Telescope : NASA’s James Webb Telescope: The telescope has been in the works for years. NASA led its development with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency.
• It was launched aboard a rocket on December 25, 2021.
• Light-Year Conversion: One light-year equals approximately 9.5 trillion kilometres, serving as a significant unit of distance measurement in astronomy.

Japan and United States Ink Deal to Collaborate on Hypersonic Missile Interceptor Development      

• Japan and the United States (US) are planning to develop interceptors to shoot down hypersonic missiles by the 2030s under a contract signed by the two countries.
• The plan, which will reportedly cost more than $3 billion, was first announced in August when the nations’ leaders met at a summit with South Korea in Camp David outside Washington.
• The Japanese government has already included 75 billion yen ($480 million) in its 2024 budget for development of the interceptors.
• Hypersonic missiles fly at more than five times the speed of sound and have irregular trajectories, making them difficult to intercept.
• The 75 billion yen is part of a record defence budget of 7.95 trillion yen approved last year, as tensions rise with China and North Korea.
• Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has pledged to double defence spending to the NATO standard of 2% of GDP by 2027.

About Japan :

• Prime Minister: Fumio Kishida
• Capital: Tokyo
• Currency: Japanese yen

About United States :

• President : Joe Biden
• Capital : Washington, D.C
• Currency : U.S. dollar

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOUS AND AGREEMENT

Amazon India to bring tribal artisans from Visakhapatnam on its e-commerce marketplace

• Amazon India announced signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Visakhapatnam Forest Tribals to help tribal artisans from Visakhapatnam sell authentic handcrafted products to a global audience via its e-commerce platform.
• The key focus of the tie-up is to offer visibility and enable revenue generation through the forest produce manufactured by the tribals through listing on Amazon, thereby generating job opportunities.
• Through its Karigar programme for artisans and weavers, the company said it will train tribal members in packaging and branding of goods to be sold online.
• Launched in 2017, the Amazon Karigar program enables small businesses and specialized micro-entrepreneurs like weavers, artisans, and artisans to benefit from e-commerce, grow their businesses.

DAHD and UNDP signs MoU on Digitalization of Vaccine Cold Chain Management, Capacity Building, and Communication Planning

• The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD), Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on digitalisation of vaccine cold chain management, capacity building, and communication planning.
• India is the most populous country in the world with 142.86 Crore people,53.57 Million farm animals and 85.18 Million poultry.
• To keep these animals healthy, the government has started a vaccination programme.
• The UNDP will support and strengthen India’s first animal vaccine supply chain management system to protect communities and animals and prevent the spread of zoonotic diseases.
• The vaccine cold chain management process, will be monitored with the help of new age technology and artificial intelligence through the Animal vaccine Intelligence Network (AVIN) developed by UNDP.
• Notably, UNDP and DAHD will jointly work on Strengthening Animal Health with One Health approach at centre.
• The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) was set up by the United Nations in 1965 by merging United Nations Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance with the United Nations Special Fund.

Tata Steel signs grid agreement to make its UK project green

• Tata Steel has signed an agreement with National Grid Plc’s Electricity System Operator to build the power infrastructure required to switch its Port Talbot site to a green steel project.
• The deal will see the British grid operator build the new electrical framework capable of powering the Indian company’s 3.2 million-ton electric arc furnace by the end of 2027.
• Last year, the UK agreed to pay up to £500 million ($635 million) to help Tata Steel overhaul the country’s biggest steelworks and keep it running – one of several hefty subsidies to persuade companies to stay in Britain.
• In April, Tata Steel said it will proceed with its planned investment of £1.25 billion to build the electric arc furnace at Port Talbot after months of national-level discussions with the UK’s trade unions who threatened industrial action over expected job losses.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING AND INDEX

India Climbs To 39th Position In World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index

• India has climbed to the 39th position in the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index 2024, while US topped the list.
• India also ranks the highest in South Asia among the lower-middle-income economies.
• Earlier, India was ranked 54th in 2021 published index.
• On an overall index score of 7, where 1 is the worst, and 7 the best, India scored 4.25.
• After the US, Spain, Japan, France and Australia figure among the top five in the 2024 list.

Key Highlights

• The index, prepared in collaboration with the University of Surrey, showed India is highly price-competitive (18th) and boasts competitive Air Transport (26th) and Ground and Port (25th) infrastructure.
• In particular, India’s strong Natural (6th), Cultural (9th) and Non-Leisure (9th) Resources help drive travel, and the country is only one of three to score in the top 10 for all the resource pillars.
• As a result, the country’s overall TTDI (Travel and Tourism Development Index) score is 2.1 per cent below its 2019 level.
• The Middle East had the highest recovery rates in international tourist arrivals (20 per cent above the 2019 level), while Europe, Africa and the Americas all showed a strong recovery of around 90 per cent in 2023.
• The biennial index analysed the travel and tourism sectors of 119 countries around a range of factors and policies.
• The index is comprised of five dimensions, 17 pillars and 102 individual indicators, distributed among the 5 different pillars – Business Environment, Safety and Security, Health and Hygiene,Health and Hygiene, Human Resources and Labour Market, ICT Readiness.
• In 2024, Japan (3rd) is the top performer in the APAC region, with Australia (5th) and China (8th) ranking in the global top 10.
• China also has the region’s largest and the world’s second-largest T&T economy, while India (39th) has the largest T&T sector in South Asia and scores as the TTDI’s top lower-middle-income economy.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

Italian Open: Iga Swiatek wins third title after beating Sabalenka in the final

• Iga Swiatek defeated Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka in the final by 6-2, 6-3 to win her third Italian Open title.
• After Serena Williams, Swiatek became the first woman to win the Madrid and Rome titles back to back.
• It is the 21st title of Iga Swiatek’s career.
• Alexander Zverev of Germany won the Men’s title after defeating Chile’s Nicolas Jarry by 6-4, 7-5.
• Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos clinched Men’s doubles while Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini won the Women’s doubles title.
• Italian Open also known as the Rome Masters is a professional tennis tournament.

Para Worlds: Deepthi Jeevanji Smashes World Record, Yogesh Kathuniya Clinches Silver

• Para-athlete Deepthi Jeevanji of India created a world record of 55.07 seconds in the category of women’s 400m T20 at the ongoing Para Athletics World Championship 2024 in Kobe, Japan.
• Jeevanji won the gold medal in the women’s 400-meter T20 category with a timing of 55.06 seconds.
• She broke American Breanna Clark’s previously held world record of 55.12 seconds, set during last year’s edition of the championships in Paris.
• In the World Para Athletics Championships, with 55.19 seconds, Aysel Onder of Turkey was second and with 56.68 seconds, Lizanshela Angulo of Ecuador was third with 56.68 seconds.
• During her qualifying round, Jeevani booked her place in the final of the women’s 400m T20 heats by setting a new Asian record with a timing of 56.18 seconds.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : OBITUARIES

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi Passed away in Helicopter Crash   

• Iran’s 8th President Ebrahim Raisi tragically died in a helicopter crash in the mountainous northwestern region of Iran.
• Along with Raisi, his foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian was also killed.
• In the aftermath of his death, Mohammad Mokhber, 68, was appointed as the Interim President of Iran for a period of 50 days
• Raisi, who was seen as a prominent figure in Iran’s political arena, was often considered a potential successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

About Ebrahim Raisi :

• Ebrahim Raisi was born on 14 December 1960 in the Noghan district of Mashhad.
• He was appointed Deputy prosecutor of Tehranin 1985 and moved to the capital.
• He held various prominent positions, including Deputy Chief Justice (2004–2014), Attorney General (2014–2016), and Chief Justice (2019–2021).
• He was Custodian and Chairman of Astan Quds Razavi, a bonyad, from 2016 until 2019.
• He was a member of the Assembly of Experts from South Khorasan Province, being elected for the first time in the 2006 election.
• He served as the 8th president of Iran from 2021 until his death in 2024.

Daily CA One- Liner: May 23, 2024

• Global personal computer (PC) manufacturer HP has announced the rebranding of its consumer and commercial PC portfolios to simplify and streamline its product offerings.
• The market capitalisation of companies listed on BSE crossed $5 trillion for the first time, turning the spotlight on valuations
• German author Jenny Erpenbeck and translator Michael Hofmann won the International Booker Prize for fiction for “Kairos,” the story of a tangled love affair during the final years of East Germany’s existence
• Amazon India announced signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Visakhapatnam Forest Tribals to help tribal artisans from Visakhapatnam sell authentic handcrafted products to a global audience via its e-commerce platform.
• The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD), Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on digitalisation of vaccine cold chain management, capacity building, and communication planning
• Tata Steel has signed an agreement with National Grid Plc’s Electricity System Operator to build the power infrastructure required to switch its Port Talbot site to a green steel project
• India has climbed to the 39th position in the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index 2024, while US topped the list
• Iga Swiatek defeated Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka in the final by 6-2, 6-3 to win her third Italian Open title
• Para-athlete Deepthi Jeevanji of India created a world record of 55.07 seconds in the category of women’s 400m T20 at the ongoing Para Athletics World Championship 2024 in Kobe, Japan.
• HDFC Bank, a private sector lender, sold its entire 3.20% stake in Protean eGov Technologies for Rs 150 crore through an open market transaction.
• British lenders HSBC and Standard Chartered have acquired stakes in the Clearing Corporation of India-IFSC (CCIL IFSC), the proposed entity to operate a real-time foreign currency settlement system at GIFT City.
• The 4th Joint Committee meeting for the review of AITIGA (ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement) was held in Putrajaya, Malaysia from 7-9 May 2024 .
• The Uttarakhand government has launched the ‘Pirul Lao-Paise Pao’ campaign to address the issue of forest fires.
• Vedanta Aluminium announced that its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), John Slaven, has been appointed as Vice-Chairman of the International Aluminium Institute (IAI).
• The Indian Army has received 27,000 Kalashnikov AK-203 assault rifles, produced at the Russian-Indian joint venture IRRPL (Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited) in the Indian central state of Uttar Pradesh (UP).
• Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), has shipped its first batch of malaria vaccines- R21/Matrix-M to Africa.
• Astronomers identified rocky planets beyond our solar system with an
• Japan and the United States (US) are planning to develop interceptors to shoot down hypersonic missiles by the 2030s under a contract signed by the two countries.
• Iran’s 8th President Ebrahim Raisi tragically died in a helicopter crash in the mountainous northwestern region of Iran.