1. 2 more Indian wetlands added to Ramsar List: India has added two bird sanctuaries from Bihar, Nagi and
Nakti, to the ‘Ramsar Sites’ list, taking the tally to 82. The newest ‘Wetlands
of International Importance’, both man-made reservoirs situated in the Jhajha
forest range of Jamui District in Bihar, were added to Ramsar Sites as part of
World Environment Day. The two catchments feature dry deciduous forests
surrounded by hills. With the two sites, India now equals China in terms of
Ramsar Sites. Both countries have 82 recognized waterlogged ecosystems in the
country. The UK with 175 has the highest number of such sites, followed by
Mexico, 144.
2. Raj Priy Singh (IFoS) appointed as Director in
Department of Rural Development: Raj Priy Singh (IFoS) has been selected for the appointment as
Director in the Department of Rural Development under the Ministry of Rural
Development. According to an order issued from the Department of Personnel
& Training (DoPT), Singh has been selected for the appointment under the
Central Staffing Scheme (CSS) for a period with effect from the date of taking
over charge of the post until further orders, whichever is earlier.
3. India Among Top Five Global
Destinations for Real Estate Investment: India has become one of the best places to invest in real estate across
borders. By March quarter, it was ranked among the top five places in the
world to buy land and build on it. According to a study by ..
4. India Exim Bank Opens Nairobi Office
to Boost East Africa Trade: The
Export-Import Bank of India (India Exim Bank) recently opened its East Africa
Representative Office in Nairobi, Kenya. This is part of a plan to grow its
business around the world. The goal of this project is to improve India’s ..
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. India launches Biopharmaceutical Alliance with US,
Japan, & South Korea: India, South Korea, Japan, the US, and the European
Union has launched an alliance to put joint efforts to build a
resilient supply chain in the biopharmaceutical sector. The announcement
was made at the inaugural meeting of the Biopharmaceutical Alliance, held in
San Diego, California, during the Bio International Convention 2024, the
world’s largest biopharmaceutical exhibition. The participants emphasized the
importance of a reliable and sustainable supply chain and agreed to coordinate
the respective countries’ bio policies, regulations, and research and
development support measures.
2. First IPEF Clean Economy Investor Forum meeting held
in Singapore: Singapore hosted the first Indo-Pacific Economic
Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) Clean Economy Investor Forum meeting. The
meeting was held along with the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity
(IPEF) Ministerial meeting. The Indian delegation was led by Sunil Barthwal,
Secretary of the Department of Commerce. The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework
for Prosperity (IPEF) Clean Economy Investor Forum was organised to bring
together the Asia Pacific region’s top investors, clean economy companies, and
start-ups to mobilise investments into renewable energy projects, sustainable
infrastructure and climate technology.
3. European
Commission Excludes Tanzania From Conservation Grant: The European Commission (EC) changed the requirements
for getting a conservation grant through the NaturAfrica program on June 5,
2024. This was a big change that affected Tanzania in particular. This choice
was written down in “CORRIGENDUM NO. 4” on.
4. Panama Evacuates
Island Due to Climate Change:
As a result of higher sea levels, Panama is currently dealing with a major
effect of climate change by moving a whole island community. The native Guna
people of Gardi Sugdub, an island in the Guna Yala archipelago in Panama’s ..
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
Global Farewell
for Football Icon Sunil Chhetri: An important player in Indian football, Sunil Chhetri,
has officially retired from international football. His farewell match, which
was a World Cup Qualifier against Kuwait, took place recently in Kolkata’s Salt
Lake Stadium. This marked the end of his illustrious ..
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. RBI keeps Repo Rate unchanged for 8th consecutive time
at 6.5%: The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Reserve Bank of India
(RBI) has decided to keep the repo rate unchanged at 6.5%. The
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has voted by a 4:2
majority to keep the policy repo rate unchanged at 6.5% for eight consecutive
times. The MPC had last changed rates in February 2023. The MPC has
revised its GDP growth forecast upwards from the earlier 7% estimate to
7.2% for the financial year 2024-2025. It has also decided to remain focused on
withdrawal of accommodation to ensure that inflation does not accelerate, while
supporting growth.
2. RBI set up a committee to Mitigate Payment Fraud: The Reserve
Bank has constituted a committee under the Chairmanship of
former MD and CEO of National Payments Corporation of India, A P Hota to
examine various aspects of setting up a digital public infrastructure for
Digital Payments Intelligence Platform. RBI is mulling to set up a Digital
Payments Intelligence Platform to mitigate payment fraud risks. The Committee
is expected to give its recommendations within two months. Domestic payment
frauds jumped by 70.64 per cent to Rs 2,604 crore during the six-month period
ended March 2024 from Rs 1,526 crore in the same period of last year. The
volume of frauds also rose to 15.51 lakh during the March 2024 period from 11.5
lakh in the previous six-month period, RBI data shows.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. Sebi Wins ‘Best Business Regulator’
Award in Asia Pacific: According to The Asian Banker, the
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) was recently given the “Best
Conduct of Business Regulator” award for the Asia-Pacific area. This award,
which was given in an event in Hong Kong, shows how ..
2. Bihar Bird Sanctuaries Gain
International Ramsar Status
