NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Sachidananda Mohanty appointed as member of UGC: Sachidananda Mohanty has been appointed as Member, University Grants Commission (UGC) for three years with immediate effect. Mohanty is the former Professor and Head of the Department of English, University of Hyderabad and former Vice Chancellor of Central University of Odisha. Winner of many national and international awards such as the Katha, British Council, Fulbright(twice), Charles Wallace and the Salzburg, he has published extensively in the field of British, American, gender, translation and post-colonial studies. His books have appeared in Oxford, Sage, Routledge and Orient Ĺongman, among other notable publishing houses.
2. Election Commission Eases Voting Process for Kashmiri Migrant Voters: The Election Commission of India has eliminated the requirement for Kashmiri migrant voters in Jammu and Udhampur districts of J&K to fill out ‘Form M’ to vote in the Lok Sabha polls. This decision comes after years of demand from ..
3. Dr. Ambedkar Jayanti 2024: Ambedkar Jayanti 2024, celebrating the birth anniversary of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar, the “Father of Indian Constitution,” was observed on April 14, 2024. This year marks the 134th birthday of the iconic figure, who dedicated his life to eradicating discrimination
4. Siachen Day 2024 Observed: Siachen Day, observed on April 13, commemorates the bravery and sacrifice of Indian Army soldiers serving at the highest battlefield in the world, the Siachen Glacier. ‘Operation Meghdoot’ was launched on the same day in 1984 to secure the glacier, .”
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Former Pakistan PM Yousuf Raza Gillani elected Senate Chairman: Senior Pakistan Peoples Party leader and former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani was elected unopposed as chairman of the Senate amidst protest from lawmakers from jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s party. Saidal Khan Nasir of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was elected as the deputy chairman. No one had filed nomination papers against the two candidates supported by the ruling alliance led by the PML-N. The Senate is the upper house of Pakistan’s bicameral Parliament. The senators are elected for six-and-a-half-year with half of the house up for election every three years. They are elected by the provincial and National Assemblies.
2. Plastic Overshoot Day Report: According to the Plastic Overshoot Day report by Swiss non-profit EA Earth Action, India has one of the lowest per capita plastic waste production rates globally. However, global plastic waste generation has increased by 7.11% since 2021, with an estimated.
3. South Korea Opposition wins Landslide Parliamentary Vote: Legislative elections were held in South Korea recently, to elect all 300 members of the National Assembly. The main opposition Democratic Party and its satellite party won a combined 175 seats, while another small liberal opposition party obtained 12 seats. ..
4. Taliban to Restore Land Rights to Afghan Hindus, Sikhs: India has welcomed the Taliban regime’s decision to restore private land rights to Afghan Hindus and Sikh minorities as a positive development. The Taliban administration has set up a commission to ensure the return of property rights to the Hindu ..
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. Defence Ministry issues 65,000cr tender to HAL for buying 97 LCA Mark 1A Fighter Jets: The Defence Ministry has issued a tender to the public sector firm Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for purchasing made-in-India 97 LCA Mark 1A fighter jets expected to be worth over Rs 65,000 crore.
This is set to be the largest order for indigenous military hardware to be placed by the Indian government ever. The programme will help the IAF to replace its fleet of MiG- 21s, MiG-23s and MiG-27s which have been either phased out or are set to be phased out or are set to be phased out in near future. The last order for LCA Mark1A was for 83 aircraft and the first plane is poised to be delivered in a few weeks from now. LCA Mark 1A is the advanced version of Tejas aircraft.
2. HAL Secures Budget for 97 LCA Mark 1A Fighter Jets: The government has placed a record Rs 65,000 crore order for 97 LCA Mark 1A fighter jets with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the largest ever order for indigenous military hardware. The advanced version of the Tejas aircraft, LCA Mark 1A ..
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Pilot Gopi Thotakura becomes first Indian space tourist to fly with Blue Origin: Gopi Thotakura, an entrepreneur and a pilot, is set to become the first Indian to venture into space as a tourist on Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin’s NS-25 mission. Thotakura was selected as one of the six crew members for the mission, making him the first Indian space tourist and the second Indian to venture into space after the Indian Army’s Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma in 1984. Gopi Thotakura, an entrepreneur and a pilot, is set to become the first Indian to venture into space as a tourist on Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin’s NS-25 mission. Thotakura was selected as one of the six crew members for the mission, making him the first Indian space tourist and the second Indian to venture into space after the Indian Army’s Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma in 1984.
2. Indian Entrepreneur Gopichand Thotakura to Join Blue Origin Space Mission: Blue Origin, the space company founded by Jeff Bezos, has announced that Indian national Gopichand Thotakura will be part of a six-member crew on the next New Shepard mission. If successful, Thotakura will become the second Indian citizen in space ..
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. BharatPe to launch ZeroPe app: BharatPe co-founder and former Managing Director Ashneer Grover will launch a new app called ‘ZeroPe’, an app designed for medical loans. ZeroPe, currently in its testing phase, has been developed by Third Unicorn, according to its Google Playstore listing. The ZeroPe app is set to provide instant pre-approved medical loans of up to Rs 500,000 in collaboration with Delhi-based Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) Mukut Finvest. The service is exclusively available at partnered hospitals.
2. Japan-based MUFG to acquire 20% stake in HDFC Bank’s non-banking arm: The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ (MUFG) will to acquire a 20 per cent stake in HDB Financial Services, a non-banking subsidiary of HDFC Bank, at a valuation of $9-10 billion. HDFC Bank, the country’s largest private lender, currently owns around 95 per cent of HDB Financial Services, with the remaining 5 per cent held by employees under an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). The acquisition will be executed at a valuation of around five times the book value of HDB Financial Services. HDB Financial Services is expected to fetch a valuation in the range of USD 9 billion to USD 12 billion (₹75,000 crore to ₹1 lakh crore) during its upcoming initial public offering (IPO)
3. UPI Rule Change: Money in PPI Wallets Can Be Spent Using Any UPI:
Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and wallets have become an integral part of our daily lives in recent years, thanks to the efforts of companies like Paytm, PhonePe, and Amazon. However, users have often complained about the limitation of using wallet ..
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. Lokesh Muni honoured with American President’s Volunteer Award 2024: Jain Acharya Lokesh Muni has become the first Indian monk to be honoured with the American President’s Gold Volunteer Service award in recognition of his contribution to the public good and humanity. Acharya Lokesh Muni is the founder of a non-governmental organisation, Ahimsa Vishwa Bharat and the World Peace Center in India. Jain Acharya Lokesh received the Presidential award, a Certificate of Honour, a Golden Shield, and a citation bearing the signature of American President Joe Biden.
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