NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Indian Historical Records Commission adopts a new logo & motto: Indian Historical Records Commission (IHRC) adopted a new logo and motto. The design for logo and motto submitted by Shaurya Pratap Singh from Delhi was selected by the IHRC. The commission received a total 436 designs for logo and motto through an online competition that was launched in 2023 on MyGov portal. The logo signifies the theme and uniqueness of IHRC. The pages in the shape of lotus petals represent IHRC as the resilient nodal institution for maintaining historical records.
2. Manoj Kumar appointed as CVO of JNPA: Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer Manoj Kumar has been appointed as new Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of Jawahar Lal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA).
Kumar has been appointed as CVO of JNPA for an initial period of three years from the date of assumption of charge of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier. Kumar is IRS officer of 2003-batch. With his new assignment, Kumar will replace Vidyadhar A Malegaonkar (IRTS), who is presently serving as CVO of JNPA.
3. Sarvadanand Barnwal appointed as Director in Department of Land Resources: Sarvadanand Barnwal (ISS) has been selected for the appointment as Director in the Department of Land Resources. Barnwal has been selected for the appointment under the Central Staffing Scheme (CSS) for a period of five years from the date of taking over charge of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier. Barnwal is an Indian Statistical Service (ISS) officer of 2010-batch. He was recommended for the Central deputation by the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Iran unveils new ‘kamikaze’ drone: The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has introduced a new “Kamikaze drone” resembling Russia’s Lancet drone. According to the state Tasnim news agency, the new Iranian drone — which has not yet been publicly named — is similar to the Russian Zala Lancet drone, which was first produced in 2020. The Iranian drone, akin to the Lancet, boasts flight durations of 30 to 60 minutes and can carry payloads ranging from 3 to 6 kg, covering distances of up to 40 km.
2. Pakistan PM appoints Ishaq Dar as Deputy PM: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has appointed Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar as Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ishaq Dar is currently serving as Pakistan’s Foreign Minister. He has been also included in the Council of Common Interests (CCI). Earlier in March, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved the reconstitution of the Council of Common Interests (CCI), replacing the finance minister with the foreign minister.
3. 28 April – World Day for Safety and Health at Work: The World Day for Safety and Health at Work is observed every year on 28 April. This day is dedicated to preventing work-related accidents and diseases. It is a global commitment to ensure safe and healthy working conditions for all workers. It is now an opportunity for workers, employers, and governments to come together and commit to taking steps towards creating safer workplaces. This day was first observed in 2003 to raise awareness about the toll that work-related accidents and diseases were taking on workers’ lives. The day was established on a date coinciding with the International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers.
4. 28 April 2024 – World Pinhole Photography Day: World Pinhole Photography Day is observed every year on last Sunday of April. This year was celebrated on 28 April. The day aims to encourage people to pick up pinhole photography as a hobby and profession, and to share their techniques and pictures with the pinhole photography community.
5. 29 April – International Dance Day: International Dance Day or World Dance Day is celebrated on 29 April every year. This day is devoted to the fine art of dance, and promoting dance as a widespread value. The day also aims to promote dance in all its forms globally. The International Dance Committee of the UNESCO International Theatre Institute first introduced the concept of World Dance Day in 1982.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1. Bismah Maroof announces retirement from international cricket: Bismah Maroof, one of Pakistan’s most high-profile women cricketers and former captain, has announced retirement from all international cricket. Bismah, 32, was forced into a long break from cricket, first due to a fitness issue in 2020 and then after giving birth to a baby girl in August 2021. Bismah had grabbed headlines when she took her baby to the 2022 World Cup in New Zealand. She was the first Pakistani woman cricketer to avail a 12-month maternity leave with pay policy.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. Hitachi Payment Services launches India’s first upgradable ATM: Hitachi Payment Services has launched an upgradable ATM machine in India. These ATMs can be upgraded to a Cash Recycling Machine (CRM) at any time. Manufactured under the ‘Make in India’ initiative, these ATMs offer flexibility and efficiency to banks. Hitachi Payment Services claims that this is the first upgradable ATM in India. Out of the current 2,64,000 ATMs/CRMs currently operational in India, Hitachi manages over 76,000. The company estimates a potential market of around 1,00,000 upgradable ATMs in the next eight years.
2. NABARD & RBI Developed Innovation Hub to fasten digital Agri lending: The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has partnered with Reserve Bank’s arm RBIH to put in place a system which will enable faster processing of agricultural loans. NABARD will integrate its e-KCC loan origination system portal with the Public Tech Platform for Frictionless Credit (PTPFC) of Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the RBI. NABARD has developed the loan origination system portal to facilitate digital Kisan Credit Card (KCC) loan processing for cooperative banks and Regional Rural Banks (RRBs).
3. RBI open on Tap Licensing for Small Finance Bank: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has allowed the Small Finance Banks (SFB) to apply for Universal Bank licenses as per the on tap licensing norms of the RBI. The SFBs can apply for a universal bank license after fulfilling the norms laid by the RBI.
4. Deloitte projected India’s FY25 growth forecast at 6.6%: Deloitte India has estimates India’s GDP growth at 6.6 per cent in the current fiscal helped by consumption expenditure, exports rebound and capital flows. The rapid growth of the middle-income class has led to rising purchasing power and even created demand for premium luxury products and services. Deloitte has revised India’s economic growth prediction for last fiscal to a range of 7.6 to 7.8 per cent. In January, the firm had projected growth for 2023-24 fiscal in the range of 6.9-7.2 per cent.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. India Today Group’s AI anchor Sana wins global media award: India Today Group’s AI news anchor, Sana has won the International News Media Association (INMA)’s 2024 Global Media Award for AI-led newsroom transformation. India Today Group has been selected as the best in South Asia for ‘AI-led newsroom transformation’. The company’s human-collaborative AI anchor, Sana, won first place among national brands for the ‘best use of AI in customer-facing products’.
2. Gina Justus wins 2024 Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards: Gina Justus, a teacher at Our Own English High School, Sharjah Girls’ Branch, has been named the regional winner for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in the 2024 Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards. Justus, originally from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, has been working in the UAE since 2005 and was recognised for her outstanding mentorship and dedication to charity. This year’s competition saw a record-breaking number of nominations, with over 14,840 submissions from 141 countries.
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