1 ICC made Yuvraj Singh the brand ambassador of T20 World Cup
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the appointment of Indian cricket legend Yuvraj Singh as an ambassador for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 . Only 36 days are left for the much-awaited global event for T20 cricket to begin. Yuvraj Singh had hit six sixes during the 2007 T20 World Cup. At the same time, he has also scored a half-century in the T20 World Cup in just 12 balls. This is also the fastest half-century of this tournament. The tournament will be held between June 1 and June 29, co-hosted by the US and West Indies .
2 India on US priority monitoring list for IP protection
The US on Thursday said India remains one of the world’s most challenged major economies with respect to intellectual property (IP) protection. America has decided to keep India on the watch list in the matter of IP security. Along with India, Argentina, Chile, China, Indonesia, Russia and Venezuela are also included in the watch list in the 2024 Special 301 report released by the US Trade Representatives (USTR). Dominican Republic has been removed from the monitoring list. This report is an annual review of the global state of IP protection. The report said that although progress has been made under the US-India Trade Policy Forum in resolving some cases with trademark infringement investigations, some long-standing concerns remain. These include high rates of online piracy. US Trade Representative Katherine Tai said the patent issue in India is of particular concern. Patent applicants face long waiting periods to receive a patent grant.
3. Discovery of 5,200 year old Harappan settlement in Padta Bet
Archaeologists from the University of Kerala have recently discovered a 5,200-year-old Harappan settlement at Padata Bet . It is located about 1.5 km from Juna Khatiya , an Early Harappan cemetery, in the Kutch district of Gujarat . It is one of the largest Harappan cemeteries with potentially 500 graves. The tombs discovered at the site date back to 3,200 BCE to 2,600 BCE, which is earlier than Dholavira and many other Harappan sites in Gujarat. The site is important because others like Dholavira have a cemetery in and around the city, although no major settlement has been found near Juna Khatiya.
4 Kerala’s Jeena Justus nominated for Cambridge Teacher Prize
Jeena Justus from Thiruvananthapuram , Kerala has been nominated for the Cambridge Teacher of West Asia and North Africa Award . She is a teacher at Our Own English High School, Sharjah , in the United Arab Emirates . Ms. Justus received this nomination for her outstanding leadership and dedication to charitable work. This year’s Global Teacher Competition received a record 14,840 nominations from 141 countries. Primary and secondary school teachers are honored in this competition. Now voting will be held to select the winner of this award, which will be announced on May 29.
5 Adani’s Vizhinjam Port approved as India’s first transshipment hub
Adani Group ‘s Vizhinjam Port in Kerala has received government approval to operate as India’s inaugural transshipment port . This designation is important as it allows cargo to be transferred from larger ships to smaller ships , contributing to India’s goal of becoming a manufacturing hub. At present, a large portion of India’s transshipment cargo is handled by foreign ports such as Colombo and Singapore. Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ) started the Vizhinjam Transshipment Project in 2015, which was planned to be completed by 2019. However, it is now expected to commence operations within the current financial year.
6 RBI directs Talkcharge to shut down PPI operations and refund balance amount
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has ordered Gurugram -based TalkCharge Technologies Pvt Ltd to stop issuing prepaid payment instruments (PPI Wallet) without the permission of the central bank and the prepaid amount lying in the wallets of customers. Refund . Further RBI cautioned the public to exercise utmost caution while using websites/applications and giving money to any such unauthorized entities.
7 External Affairs Minister Jaishankar received a copy of the book ‘India’s Nuclear Titans’
Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar received a copy of the book ‘ India’s Nuclear Titans ‘ edited by Soumya Awasthi and Shrabhana Barua . This book is written by Homi Bhabha, Vikram Sarabhai, Abdul Kalam and K. Traces India’s evolution as a nuclear state, highlighting the important roles played by famous personalities like Subramaniam.
8 Government of India gave AEO status to gems and jewelery sector
Gem and Jewelery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) has announced an important milestone for the Gem and Jewelery (GJ) industry of India as it has received Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) status from the Ministry of Finance. This status, which was previously denied, now simplifies export-import procedures, reduces cargo release times, and reduces bank guarantees by 50%, all aimed at enhancing ease of doing business. .
9 India’s GDP growth rate expected to be 7.1% in FY 2025: NIPFP
The National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP) estimates India’s GDP growth at 7.1% for fiscal year 2024-25. Using high-frequency models, NIPFP outlines the government’s fiscal consolidation efforts, emphasizing tax buoyancy and compression of revenue expenditure.
10 Microsoft’s Fi 3 Mini
In an unprecedented move, Microsoft unveiled its latest innovation – Phi 3 Mini . This compact yet powerful AI model is set to revolutionize various sectors from healthcare to finance with its advanced capabilities. Microsoft has been at the forefront of AI research and development for a long time. With the unveiling of the Phi 3 Mini, the tech giant has solidified its position as a leader in the field. The Phi 3 Mini has several impressive features that set it apart from previous AI models. Its compact size belies its enormous processing power, making it ideal for a variety of applications where space is limited. Applications across industries: From healthcare diagnostics to financial forecasting, the Phi 3 Mini has the potential to transform multiple industries. Its ability to analyze vast amounts of data in real time opens up new possibilities for efficiency and innovation.
11 Air India expands partnership with Japan’s ANA
Air India has entered into a codeshare partnership with All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan ‘s largest airline . The agreement, effective from May 23, 2024, will allow passengers from both airlines to combine flights between India and Japan using a single ticket . Under the codeshare agreement, Air India will add its ‘AI’ designator code to ANA’s flights between Tokyo Haneda and Delhi as well as Tokyo Narita and Mumbai. Similarly, ANA will add its ‘NH’ code to Air India flights between Tokyo Narita and Delhi.
12 SBI Card Miles offers three travel-focused credit card variants
SBI Card has introduced three variants of its travel-centric credit card, SBI Card Miles, catering to different travel needs . The variants – SBI Card Miles Elite, SBI Card Miles Prime and SBI Card Miles – are designed to offer exclusive benefits to travelers ranging from frequent travelers to travel enthusiasts. The annual fee for SBI Card Miles ranges from Rs 1,499 to Rs 4,999 before taxes.
13 NABARD-RBI Innovation Hub partnership will accelerate digital agricultural loans
In a strategic collaboration, NABARD has joined hands with RBI Innovation Hub to revolutionize agricultural lending through digitization . The partnership aims to streamline loan processing and increase access for farmers across India. NABARD will integrate its e-KCC loan origination system portal with RBI Innovation Hub’s Public Tech Platform for Frictionless Credit (PTPFC), thereby facilitating seamless credit processing. This integration promises faster loan approvals and better efficiency for cooperative banks and regional rural banks (RRBs).
14 SEBI approves Crisil’s ESG rating unit
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has approved CRISIL ESG Ratings & Analytics as a Category 1 provider of environmental, social and governance (ESG) ratings . Crisil ESG Ratings, a unit of Crisil, was incorporated last year after the SEBI (Credit Rating Agencies) Regulations, 1999 were amended to include provisions on ESG rating providers (ERPs). The ratings provider launched its ESG scoring business in 2021 and now tracks more than 1,000 companies across 65 sectors. The company said that this business will now be transferred to subsidiary CRISIL ESG Ratings.
15 Archery World Cup: Jyoti Surekha Venam, Aditi Gopichand Swamy and Praneet Kaur won gold medal by defeating Italy.
India’s Jyoti Surekha Venam, Aditi Gopichand Swamy and Praneet Kaur won the gold medal by defeating Italy in the women’s final at the ongoing Archery World Cup in Shanghai . The Indian women’s team defeated sixth seed Italy by losing just four points. The pair of Jyothi Surekha Venam and Abhishek Verma won their third gold medal by defeating Estonia in the mixed team gold final. The men’s team of Abhishek Verma, Priyansh and Prathamesh Phuge won the gold medal by defeating Netherlands in the final. Today itself, there will be an individual match between Priyansh in the men’s category and Venam in the women’s category in the semi-finals.
