1 Kerala’s Thiruvapanna Vellatom festival celebrated with fervor in Ajman, UAE
Kerala ‘s Thiruvapanna Vellatom festival was celebrated with pomp in Ajman, UAE . This two-day long festival is organized by the Malayali community in honor of Lord Muthappan . More than 25 thousand people participated in the festival which ended on Sunday. Most of them were from the Malayali community. Similar rituals and rituals are performed during this festival as in the Parasinikadavu temple of Kerala.
2 Defense Minister Rajnath Singh approves deployment of women officers of Territorial Army along the Line of Control
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh deploys women officers of Territorial Army (TA) along the Line of Control has been approved. It aims to enhance employment opportunities and fulfill professional aspirations of women officers. Thereafter, women officers will also get the same training as their male counterparts in all units and postings and will be able to serve in the same conditions as them. The Territorial Army has been commissioning women officers into the Ecological Task Force Unit, TA Oil Sector Unit and TA Railway Engineer Regiment since 2019. Based on the experience gained during this period, it has been decided to appoint women officers in TA also. The concept of the Territorial Army is modeled on the civilian army and its officers undergo basic military training annually while remaining in civilian service the rest of the time.
3 Prime Minister’s National Apprenticeship Fair will be organized in more than 200 districts across the country
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship will organize the Prime Minister’s National Apprenticeship Fair in more than 200 districts across the country . Relevant apprenticeship training opportunities to local youth, the ministry said in a statement Many local businesses and organizations have been invited to be a part of this Apprenticeship Fair to provide. The event will witness the participation of a number of companies representing various sectors. Through a single platform, the organizations participating in the fair can connect with potential trainees and select them according to their qualifications, while strengthening livelihood opportunities for the youth. People can register for the fair on the website and find out the nearest location of the fair. Those candidates who are class 5th to 12th pass or having skill training certificate or ITI certificate holder or diploma holder or graduate can apply in this apprenticeship fair. Apprenticeship fairs are organized across the country on the second Monday of every month. In these fairs, apprenticeship opportunities are offered to the selected persons,
4 Uttarakhand Police is running a special campaign “Operation Maryada” to maintain cleanliness in pilgrimage and tourist places in Uttarakhand.
Uttarakhand Police is running a special campaign named ” Operation Maryada ” to maintain cleanliness in pilgrimage and tourist places in Uttarakhand . Under this campaign, 67 people were arrested, while two thousand 703 people were fined. Director General of Uttarakhand Police Ashok Kumar said that under this campaign hooliganism and drug addicts are being arrested immediately on the banks of Ganga. Orders have been issued to impose fines on people polluting tourist places. He said that since April 29 till now, a total of seven lakh three thousand eight hundred and fifty rupees have been collected as fine from two thousand 703 people under Operation Maryada.
5 “Is an End to Child Marriage Within Reach?” report issued
UNICEF recently launched ‘ Is an End to Child Marriage within Reach? Released a report titled ‘ Latest trends and future prospects ‘. Currently, one in five young women aged 20 to 24 was married as a child, according to this latest analysis , compared to nearly one in four a decade ago. Report states that the practice of child marriage is on the decline globally continues, but warns that even what little progress has been made towards ending this practice is at risk in the face of ‘multi-crisis’ conditions caused by war, climate change and the ongoing Covid pandemic. West and Central Africa has one of the highest rates of child marriage, with one in three women in these parts of the continent being married before the age of 18. Child marriage rates are somewhat lower in East and Southern Africa, South Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East and North Africa. Roughly 115 million children around the world were married before the age of 18.
6 Global Report on Food Crises 2023 report released
Recently Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC) for 2023 , prepared by Food Security Information Network (FSIN) and released by Global Network against Food Crises (GNAFC) . The Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC) for 2023 highlights that the number of people experiencing acute food insecurity and in need of urgent food and livelihood support is increasing. The report suggests that more than a quarter of people are facing acute hunger, with economic shocks and the Ukraine war contributing to the increase. In 2022, about 258 million people from 58 countries and regions faced acute food insecurity at crisis or worse levels (IPC/CH stage 3-5), affecting more than 193 million people in 53 countries and territories in 2021.
7 INS Magar was decommissioned
INS Magar , an amphibious assault ship of the Indian Navy , has served the nation for 36 years and was retired on May 6, 2023. The decommissioning ceremony was held at the Naval Base in Kochi . INS Magar, which was commissioned in the eastern Indian city on July 18, 1987 , was built by GRSE Kolkata . It was a significant achievement for the Indian shipbuilding industry as it was the first domestically built ship with a gross register tonnage of over 5,000. and was the first of the Landing Ship Tank (Large) class. INS Magar has been involved in several significant operations, including Operation Pawan in 1987, where it played a key role in moving troops and tanks of the army to the Sri Lankan peninsula to aid the fighting effort against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) . The ship was instrumental in assisting the relief efforts during the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and evacuating over 1300 persons from the disaster-hit Andaman and Nicobar Islands. During the COVID-19 pandemic, INS Magar was deployed as part of ‘Operation Samudra Setu’ and was tasked to evacuate Indian nationals and provide medical relief to friendly foreign countries.
8 Buland India Studies
The Indian Army conducted an integrated surveillance and firepower exercise under Buland Bharat at the High Artillery Range area in the eastern sector amid the standoff at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India and China . The exercise was conducted at the highest altitude artillery range in the eastern sector. The exercise went on for about a month. The exercise under Buland Bharat involved personnel of Special Forces, Aviation and Central Armed Police Forces deployed in West Kameng and Tawang districts of Arunachal Pradesh. Simultaneously, observation and firepower exercises were carried out in close coordination of Artillery and Infantry.
9 Nagaland sets up Directorate of Minority Affairs
The Government of Nagaland has recently set up a new Directorate of Minority Affairs under the Department of Planning and Transformation to manage schemes and programs related to educational, economic, infrastructural and special needs of minorities. The move was approved by the cabinet on April 6, 2023. The Directorate of Minority Affairs comes under the Department of Planning and Transformation, which aims to facilitate the overall development of the state by promoting economic growth, effective resource utilization and sustainable development.
10. C-DAC Transfers Technology for Power Quality Solutions to Grid and Electronics Solutions for Railways
C-DAC, a research and development organization under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) , has recently transferred its indigenous technology of power quality solutions and railway VCU solutions to industry partners. Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) was developed with adherence to PQ standard-IEEE519 and IEEE1459. STATCOM technology is engineered to reduce voltage fluctuations and instability caused by integrating renewable energy sources into the power grid. As the demand for renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power increases, the importance of this technology has increased. vcu : The VCU technology based on the standard IEC-61375 was developed to bring the existing C-DAC-VCU on par with the modern technology. This technology has been handed over to CLW Chittaranjan to deal with the daily and long term maintenance requirements of the locomotive fleet. The Loco Simulation Controller was developed to test and enhance debugging of the VCU and its application software in a locomotive. The objective of developing the rolling stack software was to increase the dependability of loco operation in case of processor board failure. This rolling stock application controls the locomotive functions and is distributed across the four processor boards present in the VCU set.
11 Government of India expanded the scope of PMLA
The Government of India has recently expanded the scope of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 to include transactions conducted by Chartered Accountants, Company Secretaries and Cost and Works Accountants. This step money laundering It is part of the Government’s efforts to tackle the issue of fraud and prevent misuse of professionals in the financial sector for illegal activities. The Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) is a law that was passed in 2002 to combat money laundering and other financial crimes. It was designed to prevent the use of illicit funds to finance terrorist activities and other illegal actions. The PMLA has been amended several times since its inception to expand its coverage and strengthen its provisions. Recent changes in the law have broadened its scope to include actions performed by chartered accountants, company secretaries, and cost and works accountants on behalf of their clients, including setting up a company, purchasing property, and carrying out financial transactions. Which is now to be covered under the Anti-Money Laundering Act. Chartered Accountant, Company Secretary, And cost and functions accountants have now become “reporting entities” and are responsible for verifying the identity of customers, checking their financial status, and recording the purpose of transactions. If they facilitate transactions that violate the law, they will be held liable under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
12 UNESCO releases Defending Creative Voices Report
UNESCO has recently published a report titled Defending Creative Voices which focuses on the issues of armed conflicts, political instability and natural disasters. highlights the need to increase protections for artists affected by The report comes in the light of the threats artists across the world are facing. In 2021, 39 artists were murdered in 12 different countries, while 119 were imprisoned in 24 countries. More than 1,200 violations of artistic freedom were reported globally in one year, which shows the extent of the problem. Individuals working in the arts face various threats such as harassment, loss of income, legal prosecution, violence, censorship and silencing. Emergencies such as armed conflict, political instability and natural disasters can exacerbate these vulnerabilities. The Convention on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions came into force in 2007 and 152 countries have ratified the treaty. however, Only 27% of these countries have created a safe environment for artists. UNESCO has allocated $1 million to projects promoting artistic freedom in more than 25 countries. The funding will support 13 projects led by the government and several other initiatives administered by non-governmental organizations. International cooperation is vital to protect artists and their freedom of expression, especially in areas currently experiencing conflict or natural disasters.
13 Russia deploys world’s largest bomber Tu-160
Russia has used the world’s largest bomber Tu-160 in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has been deployed. The Tu-160, also known as the Blackjack in NATO countries, is a strategic bomber developed by Russia’s Tupolev Design Bureau in the 1980s. The Tu-160 bomber is propelled by four turbofan engines with afterburners, allowing it to reach a maximum speed of approximately 2,200 km/h or Mach 1.6. It has a range of over 12,000 km and is equipped with an in-flight refueling system, allowing it to remain in the air for extended periods. Additionally, this bomber aircraft has the capability to carry a variety of warheads such as nuclear and conventional warheads, cruise missiles and anti-ship missiles. The bomber can carry its weapons in its internal bomb bay or external pylon, with a maximum payload capacity of up to 40,000 kg.
14 US Democrats unveil China Competition 2.0 Bill
US senators have launched a new legislative campaign called the China Competition 2.0 Bill to counter China ‘s growing influence in various fields . China Competition 2.0 Bill 2.0 aims to limit the flow of technology to Beijing to protect US commercial interests and security. It also aims to prevent China from starting a conflict with Taiwan by tightening regulations. Additionally, the bill calls for funding for domestic investment in key technology sectors and provides a better American alternative to China’s Belt and Road global infrastructure initiative.
15 New York becomes the first US state to ban fossil fuels in new buildings
New York has taken a great step in the fight against climate change by becoming the first US state to ban natural gas and other fossil fuels from most new buildings. The decision has been hailed as a major victory for climate advocates. The law prohibits gas-fueled stoves, furnaces, and propane heating, while promoting the use of eco-friendly appliances, such as induction stoves and heat pumps. Additionally, fully electric heating and cooking will be mandatory for buildings of seven storeys by 2026 and for high-rise buildings by 2029.
16 Adani Group sold Myanmar port
India’s Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd recently said it has completed the sale of its port in Myanmar for $30 million , much less than its investment in the project. The Adani group company had announced the sale in May 2022 after a military coup in Myanmar. In May 2022 itself, Adani Ports had entered into a share purchase agreement to sell Myanmar Port. There was a condition in the purchase agreement that the project would be completed. Along with this, all necessary approvals will be taken so that the buyer does not have any problem in doing business.
17 Defense Ministry of Ukraine apologizes for objectionable tweet of Hindu goddess Kali
An objectionable picture of Maa Kali was tweeted by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine , on which Indians expressed strong objection on social media calling it Hinduphobic, after which the cartoon was deleted soon. Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Emin Zhaparova Has said in one of his tweets that he regrets the tweet made by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine regarding Maa Kali. The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine tweeted a collage of two pictures in a tweet from its official Twitter handle. In the first picture, a balloon of smoke was seen touching the sky. Actually, this picture is from Saturday when Russia attacked 10 oil tankers of Ukraine with drones in Crimea. There was a plume of smoke after the attack. On this picture, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry put an objectionable picture of Maa Kali and gave the caption – Work of Art.
18 India’s merchant payments through UPI estimated to reach $1 trillion by FY2026
According to a report by Bain & Company , merchant payments over Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in India are expected to grow by 40 to 50 percent to reach $1 trillion by FY2026. This growth will be driven by greater awareness, increased merchant adoption of UPI, new payment capabilities such as UPI Lite and UPI 123 Pay, and the introduction of international payment lanes on the domestic payment route. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) estimates that in March 2023, merchant transactions worth about $40 billion were done through UPI in a single month. The industry has already crossed the $500 billion payout mark.
19 Airtel Payments Bank launches face authentication for Aadhaar-enabled payment system
Airtel Payments Bank in collaboration with National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has announced to bring face authentication for Aadhaar-enabled Payment System (AePS) at its five lakh banking points . This is a first of its kind initiative in India where four banks have collaborated with NPCI to provide face authentication for AePS. AEPS allows customers to access their Aadhaar-linked bank account and perform financial and non-financial transactions at any banking point using their Aadhaar number or Virtual ID. Till now, transactions were being authenticated using fingerprint or iris matching of the customer’s Aadhaar number and UIDAI record. The new facility will enable customers to verify transactions by doing face authentication with Aadhaar number.
20 List Of World’s 10 Highest-Paid Athletes: Forbes 2023
International football stars Cristiano Ronaldo ($136 million) , Lionel Messi ($130 million) and Kylian Mbappe ($120 million) round out the top three highest-paid players . Ronaldo has an estimated net worth of $136 million, including $46 million from his playing salary and bonuses, and $90 million from endorsements, appearances, licensing income and other business interests