NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. ADIF and IIT Guwahati incubation center sign MoU to boost startup ecosystem: The Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF) has signed MoU with IIT Guwahati Technology Incubation Centre (IIT Guwahati TIC) to promote entrepreneurship and provide support to technology startups. Under the agreement, ADIF will provide alliance membership to IITG TIC’s portfolio startup companies, giving them access to ADIF’s startup toolkit of discounted services, resources and mentorship opportunities.
2. India’s services exports grow 11.4% in 2023: UNCTAD report: India’s services exports jumped 11.4 per cent to USD 345 billion in 2023 despite global economic uncertainties, according to a UNCTAD report. While China’s shipments from the sector contracted by 10.1 per cent to USD 381 billion. Sectors that contribute to India’s services export growth include travel, transport, medical and hospitality. With an 8.9 per cent annual rise in current dollar value terms, the world services exports surpassed USD 7.9 trillion in 2023.
3. Tamil Nadu Conducts Nilgiri Tahr Survey with IUCN Observer: The Tamil Nadu government is conducting a three-day synchronised survey of the Nilgiri Tahr (Nilgiritragus hylocrius), the State animal. The survey aims to estimate the population of the endangered species, which once roamed the Anamalai and Nilgiris landscape. The International ..
4. Ozone Depletion and Its Impact on Antarctic Biota: A recent study published in the journal Global Change Biology has raised concerns about the persistent ozone depletion over Antarctica and its potential consequences for the region’s plant and animal species. The study highlights that the ozone hole, which forms ..
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Arun Alagappan appointed as executive chairman of Coromandel International: Agricultural solutions major Coromandel International, a part of Chennai-based Murugappa Group, has appointed Arun Alagappan as executive chairman of the company. Alagappan has been the executive vice chairman of the company since February 2021. His appointment comes as A. Vellayan retires from the position of chairman and non-executive director.
2. The Winner’s Mindset authored by Shane Watson: Shane Watson witnessed one of cricket’s greatest tragedies unfolding on the field. He was one of the players at the Sydney Cricket Ground when Phillip Hughes was felled by a bouncer during a Sheffield Shield match in late 2014. The talented opener, who played for Australia in 26 Tests and 25 ODIs, died at a hospital two days later. Watson feared it could happen to him, too. All it could take is just one ball. Watson overcame that trauma. He became an even better cricketer than he was before, in fact. In the book, The Winner’s Mindset, he tells us how.
3. 27 April – World Veterinary Day: World Veterinary Day is celebrated every year on the last Saturday of April. This year it will fall on April 27, 2024. The day aims to mark the importance of veterinary doctors who work on improving animal lives. It is observed globally through various activities such as seminars, workshops, educational sessions, and campaigns. It provides an opportunity to recognise and appreciate the veterinarians towards animal health, welfare, and the general well-being of society.
4. World’s First Personalised mRNA Vaccine for Melanoma Undergoing Trials: A groundbreaking personalised mRNA vaccine for melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is currently undergoing Phase III clinical trials in the United Kingdom. The vaccine, developed by Moderna and Merck Sharp and Dohme (MSD), is designed to help a ..
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1. Sana Mir named Ambassador of ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the appointment of Pakistan cricket legend Sana Mir as the ambassador for the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier. Mir represented Pakistan in 226 international games, with 137 of them as captain, will bring her invaluable experience to the event. The Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier will witness 10 teams battling it out for two coveted spots at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in Bangladesh.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Sunita Williams Set to Pilot Boeing Starliner Spacecraft: Sunita Williams, a veteran Indian American astronaut, is preparing for her third space mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). She will be piloting Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft on its inaugural crewed flight, known as the Crew Flight Test (CFT) mission, ..
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. AU SFB launches multiple products like credit cards with exclusive features: AU SFB launches multiple products like credit cards with exclusive features Among the latest offerings are two innovative credit cards: the AU SPONT Rupay Credit Card and Secured Credit Card – NOMO (No Missing Out), developed in collaboration with NPCI and VISA, respectively. The NOMO Credit Card marks AU SFB’s debut into the realm of secured credit cards, backed by a fixed deposit.
2. NIPFP forecasts India’s FY25 GDP growth at 7.1%: Economic think-tank National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP) has estimated India’s GDP growth at 7.1 per cent for the current fiscal, using high-frequency models. NIPFP, in a series of tweets, said the Centre is on a fiscal consolidation path through buoyancy in taxes and revenue expenditure compression. While NIPFP’s forecast stands at 7.1%, other entities such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Fitch Ratings estimate a growth rate of 7%.
3. RBI Releases Digital Lending – Transparency in Aggregation of Loan Products from Multiple Lenders: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued draft guidelines titled “Digital Lending – Transparency in Aggregation of Loan Products from Multiple Lenders” to promote transparency in the digital lending space. The guidelines propose that Lending Service Providers (LSPs) should.
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