Weekly Current Affairs April 2024 Points to Remember(23rd to 29th Apr, 2024)

 

Current Affairs April 2024

Read this post to know about Weekly Current Affairs in short for the Week April 23 to 29, 2024. If you’re getting ready for entrance exams in India, it’s really important to know what’s happening around you. Whether you want to study UPSC, SSC, Bank Exams, Defence Exams or something else, keeping up with current events is a must. The exams often have questions about what’s going on in the world – like news about our country, other countries, or new discoveries. Being aware of these things not only helps you do well in the exams but also makes you smarter in general. It’s like having a wider view of the world, which is good for interviews and discussions too. So, it’s not just about passing the exams but also about being informed and ready for whatever comes your way.

In this post, you can see the headlines of current happenings categorised for your convenience. The categories of weekly current affairs of Week 4 of April are given below:

• Section A: INDIA
• Section B: INDIA & THE WORLD
• Section C: WORLD
• Section D: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
• Section E: AWARDS
• Section F: BANKING & FINANCE
• Section G: ECONOMY
• Section H: CORPORATE
• Section I: STATES
• Section J: SPORTS

 

Weekly Current Affairs Update

For the Week: April 23 to 29, 2024

HEADLINES

 

Section A: INDIA

• SC rejects pleas seeking 100% cross-verification of votes cast using EVM and VVPAT
• Husband has no control over wife’s ‘stridhan,’ rules Supreme Court
• SC to interpret Article 39(b) of the Constitution
• Indian Historical Records Commission (IHRC) adopts a new logo and motto
• Rampage Missiles inducted by Indian Air Force, Navy
• DRDO develops country’s lightest bulletproof jacket
• Mandatory linking of CGHS beneficiary ID with ABHA for central govt employees
• AFMS, IIT-Delhi ink MoU for collaborative research
• DGCA directive to ensure kids are seated with guardian, parent
• BJP candidate in Surat Lok Sabha seat declared winner
• Author and Indian psychoanalyst Sudhir Kakar dies at 85
• Nothing in excess of Rs 600 can be charged for enrolling law graduates as lawyers: SC

 

Section B: INDIA & THE WORLD

• Indian company to manage Sri Lanka’s China-funded airport
• India-China border situation at present ‘generally stable’: Chinese military
• India becomes 2nd-largest source country for new United States citizens
• US top choice for Indian students: Student Global Mobility Index
• Significant human rights violations in India, says U.S. government report
• India 4th-largest military spender: SIPRI report
• Indian passport ‘second cheapest’ in the world
• Marking shift in policy, Germany speeds up arms sales to India
• China launches first of the 8 Hangor-class submarine built for Pakistan
• US imposes sanctions on 3 Indian companies for trade and ties with Iran
• Russian Chamber of Commerce & Industry opens office in Mumbai
• Indian PM speaks with the Italian counterpart
• India’s CPGRAMS recognized as a best practice in Commonwealth
• NIA arrests UK resident for 2023 London high commission attack
• SCO Defence Ministers meet in Astana
• International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure
• World Energy Congress 2024 held in Netherlands
• Navy rescues Panama tanker after missile attack by Houthis
• A Pakistani boat containing 86 Kg of contraband seized off Gujarat coast
• CDS Gen Anil Chauhan visits France

 

Section C: WORLD

• UN report says 282 million people faced acute hunger in 2023
• UNRWA wins back support from some donor countries
• UK’s parliament passes “Safety of Rwanda” bill
• Senate passes bill forcing TikTok’s parent company to sell or face ban
• US reinstates open access internet rules rescinded under Trump
• Pak government extends deadline for deportation of Afghans
• IAEA inspects treated radioactive water release from Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant
• France and Germany sign deal to co-develop ‘tank of the future’
• TikTok halts reward feature on new app in France and Spain
• International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day observed on April 26
• World Intellectual Property Day celebrated on April 26
• Portugal marks the 50th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution
• World Day for Safety and Health at Work observed on April 28
• International Girls in ICT Day celebrated on April 25
• World Malaria Day observed on April 25
• International Delegate’s Day observed on April 25
• World Immunization Week from April 24 to 30
• International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace celebrated on April 24
• World Book and Copyright Day celebrated on April 23
• English Language Day, Spanish Language Day celebrated on April 23
• Earth Day celebrated on April 22
• World Penguin Day celebrated on April 25
• Asia world’s most disaster-prone region in 2023: WMO
• Western Pacific Naval Symposium held in Qingdao
• Philippines, U.S. launch drills in South China Sea
• Israel’s military intelligence chief resigns over failure to prevent Hamas attack on Oct. 7
• Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar appointed as Deputy PM

 

Section D: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

• China launches three-member Shenzhou-18 crew to its space station
• Climate Clock activated at CSIR

 

Section E: AWARDS

• 14th Managing India Awards of AIMA
• Locarno Film Festival to honour Jane Campion
• Moscow International Film Festival

 

Section F: BANKING & FINANCE 

• Lending service providers may have to provide digital view of all offers: RBI
• RBI sets eligibility rules for SFBs seeking universal banking licence
• RBI issues Master Direction for Asset Reconstruction Companies
• RBI issues FEMA norms for direct listing on international exchange
• RBI bars Kotak Bank from adding customers digitally
• PSU lenders do not have the power to issue Look Out Circulars: Bombay HC
• All-in-one insurance product: Irdai prices Bima Vistaar at Rs 1,500 per policy
• FSIB Recommends Rana Ashutosh for State Bank’s MD Post
• Axis Bank re-appoints Amitabh Chaudhry as MD & CEO
• New MD & CEO appointed at Srei Infrastructure Finance under NARCL management
• Former banker Abhay Aima dies at 63

 

Section G: ECONOMY

• TRAI releases “Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicator Report”
• Penalty deadline extended for those who haven’t linked PAN & Aadhaar
• REC avails Green Loan of Japanese Yen (JPY) 60.536 billion
• CII brings out new corporate governance charter for startups
• SJVN inaugurates India’s First Multi-purpose Green Hydrogen Pilot
• India’s forex reserves down by $2.8 bn to $640.33 bn as of April 19
• India’s gem and jewellery sector gets AEO status from Finance Ministry
• India’s services exports grow 11.4% in 2023: UNCTAD report
• IREDA granted ‘Navratna’ status
• Centre allows export of 1 lakh tonnes of onion to 6 countries
• CCI launches market study on AI and competition
• National Statistical Commission gets two more members

Section H: CORPORATE

• Patanjali case: SC intensifies focus on misleading ads by FMCG companies
• Everest denies reports of its products being banned in Singapore, Hong Kong
• Nestle, Dr Reddy’s to form JV to market nutraceutical brands in India
• Reliance tops India Involved Ranking 2023
• Reddys merge Keimed with Apollo’s unit
• Happiest Minds to buy PureSoftware for $94.5 million
• Cybersecurity firm Darktrace accepts $5 billion takeover
• Microsoft introduces image-to-video model called VASA-1
• RIL launches consumer electronics brand Wyzr
• InterGlobe’s Rahul Bhatia, CP Gurnani launch AI company AionOS
• Aston Martin launches new Vantage
• Welspun Living Limited launches Wel-Krishi
• JSW to spend ₹100 cr for a big leap into gymnastics
• ITC Hotels makes first overseas check-in with Colombo property
• Swiggy launches Smart Links
• HUL withdraws ‘health’ label from Horlicks
• Vodafone Idea Limited FPO listed
• Reliance Jio is world’s largest consumer of mobile data traffic
• NCLT orders insolvency proceedings against Subhash Chandra
• Coromandel International names Alagappan Chairman
• RJ Corp’s succession plan finalised

 

 

 

 

 

Section I: STATES

• Calcutta High Court cancels teachers’ recruitment of 2016
• Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan clears 5 pending Bills
• Centre releases disaster relief funds for Karnataka and T.N.
• N. law on eviction from waqf property unconstitutional: Madras HC’
• NCBC to summon Karnataka Chief Secretary over Muslim OBC reservation
• Nagaland to hold civic polls after 20 years, adds women’s quota
• MP’s Gandhisagar wildlife sanctuary to get 5-8 cheetahs from South Africa
• Uttarakhand: Forest fires in Kumaon region
• Haryana: SC stays construction of 4 dams in Kalesar Wildlife Sanctuary
• Indian Army unveils selfie point at Hombotingla Pass
• Loan for Kiru Hydro Electric Project in Kishtwar, J&K approved
• Vizhinjam Port receives Centre’s nod to run as India’s first transshipment hub
• Naima Khatoon appointed as AMU’s first female Vice Chancellor in over 100 years
• Yakshagana exponent Subrahmanya Dhareshwar passes away at 67

 

Section J: SPORTS

• India win 8 medals at Archery World Cup in China
• Sailor Nethra Kumaran earns Paris Olympics quota
• Sreeja Akula becomes top-ranked Indian woman table tennis player
• Gukesh wins Candidates, becomes youngest ever challenger for world title
• Football: Inter Milan win Serie A title
• Saurav Ghosal retires from professional squash
• ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 ambassador
• TCS World 10K Bengaluru
• Maheshwari Chauhan wins silver at ISSF Final Olympic Shotgun Qualification Championship
• Rutuja Bhosale wins at ITF women’s tennis tournament
• Hamdard Squashters Northern Slam 2024
• Velavan wins Batch Open Challenger Tour squash
• Francesco Bagnaia wins Spanish MotoGP

 
 

Section A: INDIA

 

SC rejects pleas seeking 100% cross-verification of votes cast using EVM and VVPAT

The Supreme Court on April 26, 2024 rejected the pleas seeking 100 per cent cross-verification of votes cast using Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) during elections.

 

A petition filed by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and activist Arun Kumar Agarwal seek counting all VVPAT slips.

 

The VVPAT is a mechanism that ensures that voters are given visual confirmation that their vote has been cast. Paper slips show in a display on the VVPAT machine with the candidate’s serial number, name, and party symbol for seven seconds so that the voter can verify their vote.

 

The apex court also rejected the plea for going back to paper ballot instead of EVMs. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta, pronouncing the order, said they have elaborately discussed the protocols and technical aspects before rejecting all the pleas.

 

During the hearing, the bench extensively interacted with an official from the ECI to understand the workings of the EVMs and VVPATs and their security features.

 

The ECI asserted that the EVMs cannot be tampered with under any circumstance and that the complete counting of the VVPAT slips was not practically feasible.

 

Current practice

Currently, the ECI randomly verifies the VVPAT slips of EVMs from five polling booths per assembly segment in a Parliamentary constituency. The process is in terms of a direction passed by the Supreme Court in 2019 which directed the ECI to increase the verification from one polling booth to five polling booths per assembly segment.

 

Directions for EC

The court passed two directions to be followed by the Election Commission of India (ECI). They are:

 

The bench asked for the completion of symbol loading process in VVPATs undertaken on or after May 1, 2024, the Symbol Loading Units (SLU) shall be sealed and secured in container. The sealed container would be kept in strong room along with EVMs for at least 45 days the post results.

 

The top court opened a window for aggrieved unsuccessful candidates securing second and third places in poll results and allowed them to seek verification of microcontroller chips embedded in five per cent of EVMs per assembly constituency on a written request and upon payment of a fee to the poll panel.

 

Husband has no control over wife’s ‘stridhan,’ rules Supreme Court

A husband has no control over his wife’s ‘stridhan’ (woman’s property) and while he may use it during the time of his distress, he has a moral obligation to return it to his wife, the Supreme Court has reiterated while directing a man to pay Rs 25 lakh to a woman in return for her lost gold. The woman in this case claimed that 89 sovereigns of gold were gifted to her by her family at the time of marriage. Additionally, after the wedding, her father gave a cheque for Rs 2 lakh to her husband.

 

According to the woman, on the first night of their marriage, the husband took custody of all her jewellery and entrusted the same to his mother under the garb of safekeeping. She alleged that all the jewellery was misappropriated by the husband and his mother to discharge their pre-existing financial liabilities.

 

The Family Court, in 2011, held that the husband and his mother had indeed misappropriated the appellant’s gold jewellery and that she was entitled to recoup the loss caused to her by the said misappropriation.

 

The Kerala High Court, while partly setting aside the relief granted by the family court, held that the woman had not been able to establish misappropriation of gold jewellery by the husband and his mother.

 

The woman then moved the Supreme Court against the high court order. The SC said that said ‘stridhan’ property does not become a joint property of the wife and the husband, and the husband has no title or independent dominion over the property as its owner.

 

SC to interpret Article 39(b) of the Constitution

The Supreme Court initiated proceedings on April 23, 2024 to interpret Article 39(b) of the Constitution. This constitutional provision, falling under the directive principles of state policy, is under scrutiny to determine whether it empowers the government to redistribute privately owned properties in the name of serving the greater common good.

 

The bench, led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud along with Justices Hrishikesh Roy, B V Nagarathna, S Dhulia, J B Pardiwala, Manoj Misra, R Bindal, S C Sharma, and A G Masih, is delving into the interpretation process. The impetus for this examination can be traced back to the dissenting opinion of Justice V R Krishna Iyer in the Ranganatha Reddy case of 1977. Justice Iyer argued that community resources encompass privately owned properties, a perspective that has influenced subsequent judicial deliberations.

 

Article 39(b) of the Constitution articulates the state’s directive policy to ensure that the ownership and control of material resources are distributed in a manner that best serves the common good. Senior advocates Devraj, Zal Andhyarujina, and Sameer Parikh presented arguments contesting the inclusion of privately owned properties within the ambit of community resources. They criticized Justice Iyer’s viewpoint as reflective of a Marxist socialist ideology incompatible with the democratic principles enshrined in the Constitution.

 

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta emphasized that the central issue before the court pertains solely to the interpretation of Article 39(b) and not Article 31C, which offers protection to laws enacted in alignment with directive principles. Chief Justice Chandrachud reiterated the necessity for a nine-judge bench to interpret Article 39(b) due to conflicting judicial interpretations over the years.

 

The Supreme Court’s interpretation of Article 39(b) holds implications for the balance between individual property rights and the state’s responsibility towards societal welfare. The outcome of this process will shape future policy on property rights and redistribution in India.

 

Indian Historical Records Commission (IHRC) adopts a new logo and motto

The Indian Historical Records Commission (IHRC), an apex advisory body on archival matters, acts as an all-India forum of creators, custodians and users of records to advise the Government of India on the management of records and their use for historical research. Established in 1919, the IHRC is headed by the Union Minister of Culture.

 

In order to visually communicate the unique identity of IHRC and the ethos that it represents, an online competition was launched in 2023 on MyGov portal to invite the designs for logo and motto, and in response a total 436 entries were received.

 

The following entry for logo and motto submitted by Shaurya Pratap Singh (Delhi) was selected for the logo as well as the motto of the IHRC.

 

The logo signifies the theme and uniqueness of IHRC entirely. The pages in the shape of lotus petals represent IHRC as the resilient nodal institution for maintaining historical records. The Sarnath pillar in the middle represents India’s glorious past. Brown as the colour theme reinforces the organization’s mission of preserving, studying and honouring India’s historical records.

 

The motto translates as “Where history is preserved for the future.” The motto holds great significance for the IHRC and its work. The IHRC plays a vital role in identifying, collecting, cataloguing and maintaining historical documents, manuscripts other sources of historical information. By doing so the Commission ensures that valuable historical knowledge is conserved for future generations. The motto, therefore, reflects the Commission’s commitment to ensuring the safeguarding of historical documents and making these accessible for the benefit of present and future generations.

 

Rampage Missiles inducted by Indian Air Force, Navy

The Indian Air Force (IAF) inducted Rampage long-range supersonic air-to-ground missiles boosting its air combat capabilities. These missiles, capable of striking targets at approximately 250 kilometers, have been integrated into the IAF’s fleet of Russian-origin aircraft, including the Su-30 MKI and MiG-29 fighters, as well as the Jaguar fighter jets. The Rampage is an air-to-surface missile developed by Israel Military Industries. The missile is also known as ROCKS or Crystal Maze 2.

 

DRDO develops country’s lightest bulletproof jacket

A unit of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully developed the lightest bulletproof jacket in the country for protection against the highest threat level 6, an official statement said on April 23, 2024. This jacket is based on a new design approach where novel material along with new processes has been used, the statement issued by the Ministry of Defence said.

 

“DRDO’s Defence Materials and Stores Research and Development Establishment (DMSRDE), Kanpur has successfully developed the lightest bulletproof jacket in the country for protection against 7.62 x 54 R API (level 6 of BIS 17051) ammunition. Recently, this bulletproof jacket was successfully tested at TBRL, Chandigarh as per BIS 17051-2018,” it said. The jacket’s front hard armor panel can withstand multiple hits and is ergonomically designed for enhanced wearability and comfort. This achievement marks a significant advancement in India’s defense technology capabilities.

 

Mandatory linking of CGHS beneficiary ID with ABHA for central govt employees

The linking of the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) beneficiary ID with the Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) number has been extended for 120 days from June 30, 2024 for the central government employees. In an Office Memorandum dated April 15, 2024, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said, “To assist the CGHS beneficiaries, KIOSKS shall be made operational at all the wellness centers by 30.06.2024.” Earlier, the Union Health Ministry said that central government employees have to mandatorily link their CGHS beneficiary IDs with ABHA numbers from April 1, 2024. The linking must be completed within 30 days, the ministry added.

 

AFMS, IIT-Delhi ink MoU for collaborative research

Armed Forces Medical Services and IIT-Delhi on April 22, 2024 joined hands to undertake collaborative research to develop novel medical devices and focus on solving health issues specific to serving soldiers in varied terrains. AFMS signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for collaborative research and training with the Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi.

“The scope of this MoU includes undertaking research and innovation to develop novel medical devices and focus on solving health issues specific to serving soldiers in varied terrains,” the defence ministry said in a statement.

 

DGCA directive to ensure kids are seated with guardian, parent

Airlines will now have to ensure that children up to 12 years of age are seated with at least one of their parents or guardians on flights without being required to pay extra for seat selection if travelling on the same PNR. Following complaints from passengers travelling in groups about being seated separately — especially from their children — if they choose not to pay extra for seat selection, the DGCA on April 23, 2024 issued a directive to airlines on this issue. Regulations on “unbundled services and fees by scheduled airlines” allow airlines to charge extra for services like zero baggage, preferential seating, meals, snacks, beverages, and carriage of musical instruments. On an opt-in basis, passengers can choose to pay for these extra services if they desire to do so.

NEWSMAKERS

 

BJP candidate in Surat Lok Sabha seat declared winner

Even before the state goes to polls, India got its first elected member to the 18th Lok Sabha from Surat as BJP’s Mukesh Dalal got elected unopposed after BSP candidate and independents withdrew their nominations on April 22, 2024. This is the first instance of any Lok Sabha candidate being elected unopposed in Gujarat’s electoral history. Earlier, Congress candidate Nilesh Kumbhani and his substitute candidate Suresh Padsala’s nomination forms were rejected by the district’s election officer leaving Congress out of the electoral race in the city.

 

Section 33 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (RP Act) contains the requirements for a valid nomination. A candidate can file up to four nomination papers with different set of proposers. This is to enable the acceptance of nomination of a candidate even if one set of nomination paper is in order.

 

Section 36 of the RP Act sets out the law with respect to the scrutiny of nomination papers by the Returning Officer (RO). It provides that the RO shall not reject any nomination for a defect that is not of a substantial character. However, it specifies that signature of the candidate or proposer found not genuine is grounds for rejection.

 

In the present case, the candidate of the Congress party for the Surat constituency, Nilesh Kumbhani had filed three sets of nomination papers. The proposers for these three nomination papers were his brother-in-law, nephew and business partner. A BJP worker objected to Kumbhani’s nomination alleging that the signatures of his proposers were not genuine. The RO also received affidavits from the proposers claiming that they had not signed the nomination papers of the candidate. He sought reply/clarification from the candidate within a day on the objections raised. As the proposers could not be produced before the RO within the stipulated time for scrutiny, all three sets of nomination papers were rejected.

 

The election rules allow for a substitute candidate to be fielded by a political party. The nomination of this substitute candidate would be accepted if the nomination of the original candidate is rejected. In this case, the Congress party had fielded Suresh Padsala as its substitute candidate. However, the nomination paper of the substitute candidate was also rejected for the same reason, that is of the proposer’s signature not being genuine. The other nominations were either rejected or withdrawn paving the way for BJP candidate Mukesh Dalal to be declared winner.

 

There have been at least 35 candidates who have been elected unopposed to the Lok Sabha. Majority of them were in the first two decades after independence with the last being in 2012.

 

In the instant case, however, the Congress party has alleged that the proposers were coerced to backtrack on their signatures. It has approached the Election Commission (EC) seeking to set aside the decision of the RO and restart the election process.

 

Author and Indian psychoanalyst Sudhir Kakar dies at 85

Sudhir Kakar, a pioneering Indian psychoanalyst, author, and cultural critic, passed away on April 22, 2024 at the age of 85. He obtained his doctorate in economics from the University of Vienna and later trained in psychoanalysis at the Sigmund Freud Institute in Frankfurt. His many honours include the Kardiner Award of Columbia University, the Boyer Prize for Psychological Anthropology of the American Anthropological Association, and Germany’s Goethe Medal and its highest federal award — the Order of Merit. He had been a lecturer in General Education at Harvard University, a research associate at Harvard Business School and a professor of organizational behaviour at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. Kakar was also an author of fiction. His novels, including “The Seeker” (1995) and “A Book of Memory” (2016), explored themes of identity, family relationships, and the complexities of modern Indian life.

 

Nothing in excess of Rs 600 can be charged for enrolling law graduates as lawyers: SC

The Supreme Court said on April 22, 2024 that not more than Rs 600 can be charged for enrolling law graduates as advocates across the country, as it reserved its verdict on pleas challenging “exorbitant” fees being levied by state bar bodies for the purpose. Reserving the judgement on as many as 10 petitions, a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice JB Pardiwala referred to Section 24 of the Advocates Act, 1961 and said the fee for a law graduate to be enrolled as a lawyer is Rs 600 and Parliament alone can increase it by amending the law.
 
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Section B: INDIA & THE WORLD

 

Indian company to manage Sri Lanka’s China-funded airport

Sri Lanka will hand over management of its $209 million Chinese-built airport to two Indian and Russian companies, a cabinet statement said on April 26, 2024.

 

The Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) is located in the town of Mattala, 18 km from Hambantota. It was funded by China EXIM Bank and has stoked controversy since its opening in 2013 due to a low number of flights, environmentally sensitive location and persistent financial losses.

 

The airport’s management will be handed over to Shaurya Aeronautics (Pvt) Ltd. of India and Airports of Regions Management Company of Russia for 30 years, a cabinet statement said, without mentioning the deal value.

 

The airport was built during the tenure of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa and is located in his home town.

 

India-China border situation at present ‘generally stable’: Chinese military

The Chinese military on April 25, 2024 said the situation along the India-China border “at present” is “generally stable” and both sides have maintained “effective” communication to resolve the military standoff in eastern Ladakh. Defence Ministry spokesman

 

Senior Colonel Wu Qian was reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent interview with Newsweek magazine in which he had expressed hope that through positive and constructive bilateral engagement at the diplomatic and military levels, India and China will be able to restore and sustain peace and tranquillity at their borders.

 

Relations between India and China are frozen except for trade ever since the eastern Ladakh border standoff erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong Tso (lake) area.

 

The two sides have so far held 21 rounds of corps commanders-level talks to resolve the standoff.

 

According to the Chinese military, the two sides so far agreed to disengage from four points, namely the Galwan Valley, the Pangong Lake, Hot Springs, and Jianan Daban (Gogra).

 

India is pressing the PLA to disengage from the Depsang and Demchok areas, maintaining that there cannot be restoration of normalcy in its relations with China as long as the state of the borders remains abnormal.

 

India becomes 2^nd-largest source country for new United States citizens

India emerged as the second-largest source country for new United States citizens, with 65,960 Indians officially becoming US citizens in the fiscal year 2022, according to the latest Congressional report by the independent Congressional Research Service (CRS). This positions India just behind Mexico, the leading source country for new American citizens.

 

The US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey data indicates that in 2022, approximately 46 million foreign-born individuals resided in the United States, making up around 14 percent of the country’s total population of 333 million. Of this foreign-born population, 24.5 million—or about 53 percent—reported their status as naturalized citizens.

 

In its “US Naturalization Policy” report dated April 15, CRS revealed that in the fiscal year 2022, 969,380 individuals became naturalized US citizens. “Individuals born in Mexico represented the largest number of naturalizations, followed by persons from India, Philippines, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic,” the report noted. Among these, Mexico accounted for 128,878 new US citizens, while the Philippines had 53,413, Cuba had 46,913, and the Dominican Republic had 34,525.

 

The data also showed that as of 2023, the foreign-born American population from India totaled 2,831,330, which makes India the second-largest source of foreign-born Americans after Mexico’s 10,638,429. China followed with 2,225,447 foreign-born Americans.

However, the report also mentioned that as many as 42 percent of India-born foreign nationals living in the US are currently ineligible to become US citizens. Despite this, about 290,000 India-born foreign nationals on Green Card or Legal Permanent Residency (LPR) status are potentially eligible for naturalization.

 

US top choice for Indian students: Student Global Mobility Index

Indian students who aspire to pursue education abroad have a clear preference for the US, with a significant majority of 69% expressing their interest in studying there.

 

The US surpassed other popular choices such as the UK (54%), Canada (43%), and Australia (27%), despite concerns about affordability, safety and security, revealed the second edition of Oxford International’s Student Global Mobility Index (SGMI) report. The report released on April 22, 2024 shed light on the evolving trends in student migration, particularly among Indians seeking higher education abroad.

 

The primary driving force behind Indian students’ decision to study in the four most popular overseas destinations—the UK, the US, Canada, and Australia—is the prestigious reputation of the universities in these countries, a trend that is consistent with students from other nations.

 

Significant human rights violations in India, says U.S. government report

The U.S. State Department, in its 2023 Human Rights Report (HRR), a country-wise compilation of human rights practices, has flagged “credible reports” of more than a dozen different kinds of human rights abuses in India.

 

These include extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrest or detention, torture to coerce confessions, repeated impositions of Internet shutdowns and blocked telecommunications, surveillance of civil society activists and journalists, and “crimes involving violence or threats of violence targeting members of ethnic and caste minorities”.

 

The report, released by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, highlighted that “the outbreak of ethnic conflict between the Kuki and Meitei ethnic groups” resulted in “significant human rights abuses”.

 

It also noted that “the government took minimal credible steps or action to identify and punish officials who may have committed human rights abuses”.

 

Stating that “there were several reports that the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings, including extrajudicial killings, during the year, the report pointed out that “the country registered 813 cases of extrajudicial killings between 2016 and 2022, with the most reported in Chhattisgarh, followed by Uttar Pradesh”.

 

Documenting “credible reports of militant groups killing Muslims and Dalits for transporting or slaughtering cattle,” the report noted that “the Supreme Court issued guidelines in 2018 to reduce these acts of vigilantism”.

 

India 4^th-largest military spender: SIPRI report

India was the fourth largest military spender globally in 2023, think-tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said on April 22, 2024. At $83.6 billion, the country’s military expenditure was 4.2 per cent higher than in 2022. Meanwhile, global military expenditure rose by 7 per cent to $2,443 billion in 2023, the steepest annual rise since 2009.

 

As per the report, the 10 largest spenders in 2023, led by the United States, China and Russia, all increased their military spending. The largest percentage increase in military spending by any country in 2023 was seen in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (+105 per cent), where there has been protracted conflict between the government and non-state armed groups. South Sudan recorded the second largest percentage increase (+78 per cent) amid internal violence and spillover from the Sudanese civil war, the report says.

 

Indian passport ‘second cheapest’ in the world

A recent study has revealed that the Indian passport ranks as the second cheapest passport to obtain worldwide. It holds the distinction of being the most cost-effective in terms of “cost per year” of validity.

 

Notably, an Indian passport holder can travel to 62 nations visa-free.

 

The UAE passport clinches the top spot as the most affordable passport globally, surpassing all others in terms of both acquisition cost and the number of countries offering visa-free access.

 

In its study, Australian firm Compare the Market AU conducted comparison of passport acquisition costs across various countries. It evaluated their cost-effectiveness per year of validity and their value based on the number of nations offering visa-free access.

 

The Indian passport incurs a cost of $18.07 for a validity period of 10 years, whereas the UAE passport requires a fee of $17.70 for a 5-year validity period.

 

While the Indian passport boasts a lower cost, its visa-free access is comparatively limited. This stands in contrast to countries like Australia, the USA, and Canada, where passports come at a higher expense but offer greater passport power with broader visa-free access.

 

The travel insurance comparison experts compiled a list of passport fees, evaluating them based on price, validity period, and passport power. Their findings revealed that while some nations offer significant passport power, it often comes with a higher price tag.

 

When considering the cost per year of validity, India emerged as the most economical passport option, with a mere $1.81 expenditure per year. Following closely behind are South Africa and Kenya, with charges of $3.05 and $3.09 respectively.

 

Marking shift in policy, Germany speeds up arms sales to India

Germany has speeded up clearances and simplified the licensing regime for military sales to India, which include lifting restrictions on the sale of small arms and their spare parts. German govt recently approved a request by the Indian National Security Guards, or the “Black Cat commandos”, to buy spare parts and accessories for its MP5 submachine guns, manufactured by Heckler and Koch. This represents a shift in German policy, which till now had strict regulations in place about sale of small arms to non-NATO countries.

 

China launches first of the 8 Hangor-class submarine built for Pakistan

China has launched the first of the eight Hangor-class submarines to be built for its all-weather ally Pakistan to provide it with state-of-the-art warships, adding a new dimension to their growing bilateral military cooperation. The launch ceremony, held at Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group’s (WSIG) Shuangliu Base on April 26, 2024, was attended by Pakistan Navy chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf. Out of the total eight vessels, four are to be built by WSIG, while the remaining four are being built at KS&EW (Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works) under the Transfer of Technology (ToT) agreement.

 

US imposes sanctions on 3 Indian companies for trade and ties with Iran

The United States slapped on April 25, 2024 sanctions on over a dozen companies, individuals and vessels, including three from India, for facilitating illicit trade and UAV transfers on behalf of the Iranian military. The US Department of Treasury said these companies, individuals and vessels have played a central role in facilitating and financing the clandestine sale of Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Russia’s war in Ukraine. While Sahara Thunder has been identified as the main front company that oversees Iran’s commercial activities in support of these efforts, the three India-based companies to have been slapped with sanctions for supporting Sahara Thunder are Zen Shipping, Port India Private Limited, and Sea Art Ship Management (OPC) Private Limited.

 

Russian Chamber of Commerce & Industry opens office in Mumbai

Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has opened its office in Mumbai to give a boost to the bilateral trade between Russia and India amid big number of Russian entrepreneurs seeking partners in the country. The Honorary Representative of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) of Russia on April 25, 2024 opened the new office in Mumbai.

 

Indian PM speaks with the Italian counterpart

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephone conversation on April 24, 2024 with Georgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy. Italy invited India to the G7 Summit Outreach Sessions to be held in June 2024 in Puglia, Italy.

 

India’s CPGRAMS recognized as a best practice in Commonwealth

The Commonwealth Secretariat has recognized Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System(CPGRAMS) of India as a best practice in Commonwealth Secretaries of Public Service/ Secretaries to Cabinet meeting that took place from 22 to 24 April, 2024 in Marlborough House, London.  In the outcome statement of Third Biennial Pan-Commonwealth Heads of Public Service Meeting issued on April 24, 2024, the commonwealth Secretariat Shared with member countries the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) of India, the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics System (CVRS) and identity management systems of Namibia, Human Resource Management and E-Citizen models of Kenya as future-ready governance best practices from across the Commonwealth.

 

NIA arrests UK resident for 2023 London high commission attack

National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a key accused involved in violent attack on Indian high commission in London in 2023. The suspect — identified as Inderpal Singh Gaba, a resident of Hounslow in the United Kingdom — was arrested upon arrival in Delhi on the basis of a look-out circular issued against him earlier. The development is significant given the agency, in a first, has arrested a British resident for a crime that happened under the UK’s jurisdiction. NIA’s investigation in the case so far has revealed that the incidents in London on March 19 and 22, 2023, were parts of a larger conspiracy to unleash vicious attacks on Indian missions and its officials.

 

SCO Defence Ministers meet in Astana

Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane led the Indian delegation to Kazakhstan for the annual meeting of the defence ministers of member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Astana on April 25-26, 2024. The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan became its permanent members in 2017. In July 2023, Iran became the new permanent member of the SCO at an India-hosted virtual summit of the grouping.

 

International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure

The International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure was organised in New Delhi on April 24-25, 2024. The theme of the conference was ‘Investing today for a more resilient tomorrow’. The two-day hybrid conference brought together governments, the global infrastructure community, multilateral development banks, and the private sector to agree on a roadmap for putting ideas to action to mobilize public and private investment in disaster-resilient infrastructure. PM addressed the Conference via video message on April 24.

 

World Energy Congress 2024 held in Netherlands

India showcased its innovative technologies and power generation practices at the 26th World Energy Congress held in Rotterdam, Netherlands, from April 22 to 25, 2024, under the theme ‘Redesigning energy for people and planet’. The aim was to drive action to progress clean, fair and inclusive energy transitions in all world regions. The Congress was co-hosted by the World Energy Council and the Netherlands Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy.

 

Navy rescues Panama tanker after missile attack by Houthis

The Indian Navy has guided a Panama-flagged crude oil tanker with 30 crew members, including 22 Indians, out of troubled waters after the vessel came under missile attack from Houthi militants. Indian Navy destroyer INS Kochi responded to the attack on MV Andromeda Star, which is a Panaman-flagged and Seychelles-operated vessel, on April 26. All crew members are safe.

 

A Pakistani boat containing 86 Kg of contraband seized off Gujarat coast

A Pakistani boat containing 86 Kg of contraband worth around ₹600 crore was apprehended by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) off Porbandar coast in Gujarat on April 28, 2024 along with 14 Pakistani crew members. The overnight operation in the Arabian Sea was carried out by the Indian Coast Guard, the Narcotics Control Bureau and the Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad.   ICG ship ‘Rajratan’ was used to identify the suspect boat with the help of NCB and ATS officials on board.

NEWSMAKERS

CDS Gen Anil Chauhan visits France

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan visited France and reaffirmed the long-standing strategic partnership between New Delhi and Paris and further reinforced the bilateral defence cooperation between the two nations, according to.

During his visit, General Anil Chauhan exchanged views on areas of common interests and mutual security concerns with his French counterpart. The CDS also paid tributes at the War Memorials of Neuve-Chapelle and Villers-Guislain, to the bravery of soldiers of the Indian Expeditionary Force who fought on the Western Front during the First World War.
 
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Section C: WORLD

 

NEWS ROUND UP

 

UN report says 282 million people faced acute hunger in 2023

Nearly 282 million people in 59 countries suffered from acute hunger in 2023, with war-torn Gaza as the territory with the largest number of people facing famine, according to the Global Report on Food Crises released April 23, 2024.

 

The U.N. report said 24 million more people faced an acute lack of food than in 2022, due to the sharp deterioration in food security, especially in the Gaza Strip and Sudan. The number of nations with food crises that are monitored has also been expanded.

 

According to U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization, 705,000 people in five countries are at Phase 5, the highest level, on a scale of hunger determined by international experts – the highest number since the global report began in 2016 and quadruple the number that year.

 

Over 80% of those facing imminent famine – 577,000 people – were in Gaza. South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Somalia and Mali each host many thousands also facing catastrophic hunger.

 

The report is the flagship publication of the Food Security Information Network and is based on a collaboration of 16 partners including U.N. agencies, regional and multinational bodies, the European Union, the U.S. Agency for International Development, technical organizations and others.

 

UNRWA wins back support from some donor countries

Germany, one of the largest donors to UNRWA, UN agency for Palestinian refugees, decided to resume its contributions to the organization, which had been frozen after Israel accused it of being infiltrated by Hamas. Germany praised the “vital role” played by UNRWA, a major humanitarian player in the Gaza Strip, which has been bombarded for over six months by the Israeli army.

 

On April 22, a report published by a group of independent experts, chaired by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, swept aside many of Israel’s accusations. While acknowledging problems of “political neutrality,” the report found that UNRWA “has more mechanisms to ensure” this neutrality “than other UN agencies.”

 

It also noted that Israel had still not provided any proof of its accusations. The report also stated that UNRWA remains “irreplaceable and indispensable,” without convincing the US, which has frozen its contribution until 2025, while granting massive new military aid to the Israel.

 

UK’s parliament passes “Safety of Rwanda” bill 

United Kingdom’s House of Lords and House of Commons, the British Parliament approved the “Safety of Rwanda” bill on April 23, 2024; paving the way for asylum seekers who had arrived illegally in the UK to be deported to the East African country.

 

Backed by a new treaty between London and Kigali, which provides for the payment of substantial sums to Rwanda in return for receiving the asylum seekers

 

The “partnership” with Kigali, first made official in April 2022, when former prime minister Boris Johnson was in office, aims at deporting foreign nationals who arrive via “illegal, dangerous, and unnecessary journeys” and transited through “safe countries” after January 1, 2022, regardless of where they come from, sending them to Rwanda.

 

The consideration of asylum applications is entrusted to Kigali. If approved, applicants will be allowed to stay in Rwanda. If not, they can apply to settle there on other grounds, or apply for asylum in another “safe third country.” Whatever the outcome of this process, applicants will have no possibility of returning to the UK. It is a complete delegation of the UK’s responsibility for processing such applications.

 

Senate passes bill forcing TikTok’s parent company to sell or face ban

The US Senate passed legislation on April 23, 2024 that would force TikTok’s China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban

 

The TikTok legislation was included as part of a larger $95 billion package that provides foreign aid to Ukraine and Israel and was passed 79-18. The legislation was signed by President Joe Biden on April 24.

 

The revised legislation extends the deadline, giving ByteDance nine months to sell TikTok, and a possible three-month extension if a sale is in progress. The bill would also bar the company from controlling TikTok’s algorithm that feeds users videos based on their interests and has made the platform a trendsetting phenomenon.

 

For years, lawmakers and administration officials have expressed concerns that Chinese authorities could force ByteDance to hand over U.S. user data, or influence Americans by suppressing or promoting certain content on TikTok.

 

At issue is the Chinese government’s alleged ability to use the app to spy on American citizens or influence their opinions.

 

So far, the US authorities have provided little concrete evidence to back up their accusations. In December 2020, however, ByteDance admitted that some of its employees had been able to track journalists using data from the app.

 

For years, TikTok has maintained that it has no links whatsoever with the Chinese Communist Party and that it has taken every measure to ensure the security and privacy of its American users. Above all, the company certifies that all its US users’ data is stored in the US and inaccessible to Chinese authorities. The company has built gigantic dedicated data centers across the Atlantic, an important part of what it refers to as “Project Texas.”

 

US reinstates open access internet rules rescinded under Trump

The US Federal Communications Commission voted on April 25, 2024, to reinstate tougher rules to guarantee open access to the internet, reversing a decision made during the Trump administration.

 

According to the new rules, broadband provider will not have the right to block websites, slow services, or censor online content.

 

The 2015 net neutrality rules were backed by then-president Barack Obama, but the election of Donald Trump reversed the FCC party majority and it quickly scrapped the changes.

 

The rules bring back government oversight for internet providers by classifying broadband as a utility-like service, regulated like water and phone companies. The commission voted 3-2 to reinstate the open internet rules.

 

Pak government extends deadline for deportation of Afghans

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on April 26, 2024 extended the deadline till June 30th for the deportation of Afghan refugees residing in the country with Proof of Registration (PoR) cards. The deportation of illegal Afghan refugees staying in Pakistan has been going on since the government gave an ultimatum to all refugee Afghan nationals to leave Pakistan by November 1, 2023.

 

The PoR is an identity card for Afghan refugees that entitles them to remain in Pakistan legally and is issued by the country’s National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA). PoRs are issued to Afghan refugees after they get themselves registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

 

According to Amnesty International, since November 2023, a total of 5,27,981 Afghan refugees have returned to Afghanistan-leaving behind their homes, properties and community in Pakistan.

 

IAEA inspects treated radioactive water release from Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant

A team of experts from the U.N. nuclear agency inspected the tsunami-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant on April 24, 2024 for a review of its discharge of treated radioactive wastewater into the Pacific.

 

The International Atomic Energy Agency inspection is its second since the water discharge began in August 2023 despite strong protests from fishing groups and neighboring China, which has banned Japanese seafood.

 

The Japanese government and the plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, or TEPCO, say the discharges are diluted to better than international standards, and IAEA chief Rafael Mariano Grossi said in March that they were being carried out safely.

 

A 2011 earthquake and tsunami damaged the Fukushima plant’s power supply and reactor cooling functions, triggering meltdowns of three reactors and causing large amounts of radioactive wastewater to accumulate. After more than a decade of cleanup work, the plant began discharging the water after treating it and diluting it with seawater on Aug. 24, starting a process that’s expected to take decades.

 

The US Senate on April 23, 2024 passed $95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan in 79-18 vote. The House of Representatives, the lower house of US parliament, had approved the package on April 20. President Joe Biden signed it on April 24. This will start the process of sending weapons to Ukraine, which has been struggling to hold its front lines against Russia.

 

France and Germany sign deal to co-develop ‘tank of the future’

France and Germany on April 26, 2024, firmed up plans to jointly develop a next-generation battle tank equipped with artificial intelligence and laser technology. During a ceremony in Paris, the defence ministers of France and Germany, Sebastien Lecornu and Boris Pistorius, signed a memorandum of understanding that seals a 50-50 split in the industrial production of an advanced battle tank dubbed the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS). In 2017, Germany and France agreed to jointly develop the next-generation battle tank as a successor to the French Leclerc and German Leopard tanks, starting in 2040.

 

TikTok halts reward feature on new app in France and Spain

TikTok said on April 24, 2024 that it’s halting a feature on its new app rewarding users in Europe for watching videos, after facing pressure from regulators worried about its addictive features. The European Union had threatened to order the suspension of features that pose a risk to kids. TikTok Lite, which was rolled out in France and Spain, is a slimmed-down version of the main TikTok app that lets users earn rewards. Points earned by watching videos, liking content and following content creators can then be exchanged for rewards including Amazon vouchers and gift cards on PayPal.

 

International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day observed on April 26

International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day was observed by UN on April 26, 2024. An explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in 1986 spread a radioactive cloud over large parts of the Soviet Union, now the territories of Belarus, Ukraine and the Russian Federation. Nearly 8.4 million people in the three countries were exposed to the radiation.

 

 

World Intellectual Property Day celebrated on April 26

The World Intellectual Property Day was celebrated on April 26, 2024. This year’s theme focuses on ‘IP and the SDGs: Building our common future with innovation and creativity’. The World Intellectual Property Day is celebrated every year on April 26. The global campaign offers a unique annual opportunity to join with others around the globe to celebrate inventors and creators around the world and to explore how IP contributes to a thriving music and arts scene and drives the technological innovation that helps shape our world.

 

Portugal marks the 50th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution

People in Portugal on April 25, 2024 celebrated the so-called Carnation Revolution, which ended a four-decade dictatorship established by Antonio Salazar.

 

World Day for Safety and Health at Work observed on April 28

The World Day for Safety and Health at Work was observed on April 28, 2024 to raise awareness of how to make work safe and healthy and of the need to raise the political profile of occupational safety and health. The ILO launched a new report titled “Ensuring safety and health at work in a changing climate,” which reveals alarming new data on the impact of climate change on workers’ safety and health. 28 April is also the International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers organized worldwide by the trade union movement since 1996.

 

International Girls in ICT Day celebrated on April 25

The International Girls in ICT Day was celebrated on April 25, 2024. The Day is marked annually on the fourth Thursday in April. For girls and young women to thrive in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers, they need to acquire skills to become both ICT users and creators in the digital world. This year’s theme for the Girls in ICT day celebrations is “Leadership”, to underscore the critical need for strong female role models in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers.

 

World Malaria Day observed on April 25

The World Malaria Day was observed on April 25, 2024 with its theme as: ‘Accelerating the fight against malaria for a more equitable world’. The day recognizes global efforts to control malaria. British doctor Ronald Ross received the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1902 for his work on malaria. This year, WHO and partners will mark World Malaria Day by celebrating the achievements of countries that are approaching – and achieving – malaria elimination. They provide inspiration for all nations that are working to stamp out this deadly disease and improve the health and livelihoods of their populations.

 

International Delegate’s Day observed on April 25

The International Delegate’s Day was observed on April 25, 2024 to raise awareness of the role of the representatives and delegates of the Member States to the United Nations. International Delegate’s Day marks the anniversary of the first day of the San Francisco Conference, also known as the United Nations Conference on International Organization. On 25 April 1945, delegates from fifty countries came together for the first time in San Francisco.

 

World Immunization Week from April 24 to 30

World Immunization Week is being celebrated from April 24 to 30, 2024 by the World Health Organization (WHO) to highlight the collective action needed and to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against disease.

 

International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace celebrated on April 24

The International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace was celebrated by the UN on April 24, 2024 to disseminate the advantages of multilateralism and diplomacy for peace, including through educational and public awareness-raising activities. Multilateralism is often defined in opposition to bilateralism and unilateralism. Strictly speaking, it indicates a form of cooperation between at least three States. Multilateralism has achieved tangible results that have led to major advances, such as for example the eradication of smallpox in the health sector. Important international agreements have also been concluded to limit arms control and to promote and strengthen human rights.

 

World Book and Copyright Day celebrated on April 23

World Book and Copyright Day was celebrated by UNSECO on April 23, 2024 with its theme as “Read Your Way”. 23 April is a symbolic date for world literature. It is on this date in 1616 that Cervantes, Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died. It is also the date of birth or death of other prominent authors, such as Maurice Druon, Haldor K. Laxness, Vladimir Nabokov and Manuel Mejía Vallejo. The city of Strasbourg in France has been recognised as UNESCO’s World Book Capital for 2024.

 

English Language Day, Spanish Language Day celebrated on April 23

English Language Day was celebrated at the UN on April 23, 2024. 23 April is the date traditionally observed as both the birthday and date of death of William Shakespeare. The Day is the result of a 2010 initiative by the Department of Global Communications, establishing language days for each of the Organization’s six official languages. Spanish Language Day was also celebrated on April 23 by the UN. The day is chosen to pay homage to the great Spanish novelist, poet and playwright Don Miguel Cervantes Saavedra, who passed away on April 23rd, 1616.

 

Earth Day celebrated on April 22

International Mother Earth Day was celebrated by the UN on April 22, 2024. Each year on April 22, the world celebrates Earth Day to create awareness about the vital need to protect our planet from pollution by taking part in activities like planting trees or picking litter. The theme for Earth Day 2024 is “Planet vs. Plastics.” This theme emphasizes the need for collective action to repair and heal the planet’s ecosystems, combat climate change, and preserve biodiversity.

 

World Penguin Day celebrated on April 25

World Penguin Day was celebrated on April 25, 2024. It is celebrated every year on 25th April. This day was established at McMurdo Station, an American research facility located on Ross Island. World Penguin Day honours the Adélie Penguin, a species of penguin that begins its annual migration northward toward Antarctica on April 25. This migration occurs so that the penguins have access to food throughout the winter months.

 

Asia world’s most disaster-prone region in 2023: WMO

Asia continued to bear the brunt of weather, climate and water-related hazards in 2023, making it the world’s most disaster-hit region, according to a new report by the World Meteorological Organization. Floods and storms led to the highest number of reported casualties and economic losses, and the impact of heat waves intensified, said the World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) State of the Climate in Asia – 2023 report.

 

Western Pacific Naval Symposium held in Qingdao

The 19th biennial meeting of the Western Pacific Naval Symposium was held in Qingdao, China on April 22-23, 2024. The two-day talks saw participants from Australia, Cambodia, Chile, France, India and the US and comes amid heightened tensions over China’s assertive actions in the Taiwan Strait and the East and South China seas.

 

Philippines, U.S. launch drills in South China Sea

Militaries of Philippine and USA launched the Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder”) combat exercises in years on April 22, 2024 in a show of allied firepower near the disputed South China Sea that has alarmed Beijing.

NEWSMAKERS

 

Israel’s military intelligence chief resigns over failure to prevent Hamas attack on Oct. 7

Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva, the head of Israeli military intelligence, resigned on April 22, 2024 because of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, becoming the first senior figure to step down over his role in the stunning failure to anticipate or quickly respond to the deadliest assault in Israel’s history.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar appointed as Deputy PM

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was on April 28, 2024 appointed as the country’s Deputy Prime Minister. Dar, 73, a chartered accountant and a veteran politician, belongs to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party.
 
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Section D: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

 

China launches three-member Shenzhou-18 crew to its space station

China on April 25, 2024 sent three astronauts to its permanently inhabited space station for a six-month stay, in a regular rotation of Chinese astronauts onboard the “Tiangong” orbiting high above the Earth’s atmosphere.

 

The spacecraft Shenzhou-18 (“Divine Vessel”) and its three passengers lifted off atop a Long March-2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China.

 

The three astronauts are: 43-year-old Ye Guangfu, Li Cong (34) and Li Guangsu (36).

 

Completed in late 2022, Tiangong can house a maximum of three astronauts for months at an orbital altitude of up to 450 km. It has a designed operational lifespan of at least 15 years.

 

Shenzhou-18 marks China’s 13th crewed mission to space since Yang Liwei’s solo spaceflight in October 2003. Yang was the first Chinese national ever to reach space.

 

Climate Clock activated at CSIR

Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), as a part of the Earth Day Celebrations, installed and activated India’s biggest Climate Clock on the CSIR Headquarters Building in New Delhi on April 23, 2024. The event signifies CSIR’s aim to spread awareness about climate change and its ill effects. Dr Shailesh Nayak, Director, National Institute of Advanced Studies, delivered the CSIR AMRIT Lecture on “Unravelling the Secrets of Triggered Earthquakes: The Lighthouse Project of Scientific Drilling in Koyna”. The CSIR Accelerating Modern Research, Innovations and Technologies (AMRIT) Lecture Series aims to learn from the ideas and thoughts of India’s foremost S&T leaders that can help pave the way for actions by R&D organisations in general and CSIR in particular. Dr N Kalaiselvi, DG-CSIR, also addressed the gathering.
 
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Section E: AWARDS

 

14th Managing India Awards of AIMA

14th Managing India Awards of AIMA (All India Management Association) were given to the winners in New Delhi recently. ‘Business Leader of the Year’ was won by Sanjiv Puri, Chairman & Managing Director, ITC Ltd. ‘Lifetime Contribution to Media’ award was given to N Ram, Director, THG Publishing Pvt Ltd. ‘Outstanding PSU of the Year was won by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. ‘Transformational Business Leader of the Year’ was won by Gopal Vittal, Managing Director & CEO of Bharti Airtel Ltd. ‘Emerging Business Leader of the Year’ was given to Ashish Bharat Ram, Chairman and Managing Director of SRF Ltd.

 

Locarno Film Festival to honour Jane Campion

Oscar-winning director Jane Campion (69) will be honoured with the Pardo d’Onore Manor Award for lifetime achievement at this year’s Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland. The New Zealand-born filmmaker will receive the tribute on August 16 during the 77th edition of the festival. Two of Campion’s films “An Angel at My Table” (1990) and 1993 Palme d’Or winning global breakthrough “The Piano” will be screened at the festival.

Moscow International Film Festival

A Mexican film has won the top prize on April 26, 2024 at the Moscow International Film Festival. “Shame,” a film by director Miguel Salgado and co-produced by Mexico and Qatar, was the most highly awarded film at the festival, which began in 1935 and which has been held annually since 1999. This year’s edition included more than 240 films from 56 countries.
 
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Section F: BANKING & FINANCE

 

Lending service providers may have to provide digital view of all offers: RBI

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on April 26, 2024 proposed asking lending service providers (LSP) to share information in digital form about all the loan offers available to the borrower from all the willing lenders with whom they have lending arrangements.

 

The banking regulator proposes this in a draft guideline on ‘digital lending – transparency in aggregation of loan products from multiple lenders.’

 

The RBI draft stated, “The LSP shall provide a digital view of all the loan offers available to the borrower, as per his/her requirements, from all the willing lenders with whom the LSP has arrangements with.”

 

The RBI move follows an observation that many LSPs offer aggregation services for loan products, wherein an LSP, or a Regulated Entity (RE) acting as an LSP.

 

RBI observed that many (LSPs) connect borrowers with multiple lenders, but the borrower might not know which lender they’re matched with upfront.

 

The draft suggested that the digital view must include the name(s) of the RE(s) extending the loan offer, the amount and tenor of the loan, the annual percentage rate (APR), and other key terms. This should enable the borrower to make a fair comparison among various offers. The regulator stated that a link to the key facts statement (KFS) shall also be provided in respect of each of the REs. The RBI also stated that LSP should display unbiased content and shall not directly/indirectly promote or push a product of a particular RE.

 

RBI sets eligibility rules for SFBs seeking universal banking licence

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on April 26, 2024 said that small finance banks willing to seek universal banking licence need to have at least ₹1,000 crore of net worth while the regulator laid down a detailed set of eligibility rules for such transition.

 

RBI said that listed and profitable small finance banks with gross non-performing assets ratio less than 3% for last two fiscals can apply for universal banking licence. Additionally, they need to have a net non-performing assets ratio less than 1% for the last two financial years. They also need to be profitable for the last two fiscals.

 

“Such conversion (from SFB to commercial bank) shall be subject to the SFB’s fulfilling minimum paid-up capital/ net worth requirement as applicable to universal banks, satisfactory track record of performance as an SFB for a minimum period of five years and RBI’s due diligence exercise,” the regulator said.

 

A bank with a diversified loan portfolio will be preferred for such transition. RBI has not set any mandatory requirement for an eligible SFB to have an identified promoter. However, the existing promoters of the eligible SFB shall continue as the promoters on transition to universal bank.

 

RBI issues Master Direction for Asset Reconstruction Companies

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued Master Direction to the Asset Reconstruction Companies. An Asset Reconstruction Company (ARC) is a financial institution that buys the Non Performing Assets (NPA) or bad assets from banks and financial institutions so that the latter can clean up their balance sheets.

 

“ARCs play a critical role in the resolution of stressed financial assets of banks and financial institutions, thereby enhancing the overall health of the financial system. To ensure prudent and efficient functioning of ARCs and to protect the interest of investors, Reserve Bank of India hereby issues the Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Asset Reconstruction companies) Directions, 2024” said a release by the RBI.

 

According to the directions, to commence the business of securitisation or asset reconstruction, an ARC is required to have a minimum net owned fund (NOF) of Rs 300 crore and thereafter, on an ongoing basis.

 

Additionally, before commencing the business of securitisation or asset reconstruction, an ARC shall apply for registration and obtain a certificate of registration (CoR) from the RBI

 

The directions also state that no ARC shall invest in land or building, except for investment for its own use up to 10% of its owned funds.

 

Furthermore, ARCs are prohibited from raising money by way of deposit. They are also mandated to maintain a capital adequacy ratio of a minimum of 15% of its total risk-weighted assets.

 

Regarding leadership positions, the directions specify that no person shall continue as MD/ CEO or Whole-time Director (WTD) beyond the age of 70 years. Additionally, the tenure of MD/ CEO or WTD shall not exceed five years at a time, with a maximum tenure of fifteen years continuously.

 

Moreover, ARCs are required to report to the Indian Banks Association (IBA) the details of chartered accountants, advocates, and valuers who have committed serious irregularities in the course of rendering their professional services for inclusion in the IBA database of third-party entities involved in fraud.

 

These directions aim to streamline and regulate the functioning of Asset Reconstruction Companies in India, ensuring transparency, accountability, and integrity in the financial system.

 

In the Union Budget 2021-22, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the setting up of Asset Reconstruction Companies in India to take care of Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) of stressed banks. ARCs in India have been set up by state-owned and private-sector banks. Also, there is no equity contribution from the government.

 

ARCs help banks clean up their balance sheets by acquiring financial assets from banks and financial institutions through auctions or bilateral negotiations. They securitize and reconstruct the assets to bring liquidity into the system.

 

RBI issues FEMA norms for direct listing on international exchange

Listing of an Indian company on international stock exchanges got a push with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) coming out with regulations under Foreign Exchange Management (FEMA).

 

“The proceeds of purchase/subscription of equity shares of an Indian company listed on an International Exchange shall either be remitted to a bank account in India or deposited in a foreign currency account of the Indian company,” the notification said.

 

Further, the sale proceeds (net of taxes) of the equity shares may be remitted outside India or may be credited to the bank account of the permissible holder.

 

Reporting about transaction in foreign exchange will be done by the investee Indian company through an authorised dealer. In case an FPI makes investment through stock exchange, the authorised dealer will report to the RBI.

 

The other regulation said that in case the fund has been raised through ECBs, American Depository Receipts, Global Depository Receipts or through direct listing of shares of companies incorporated in India on International Exchanges but yet to be utilised or repatriated, then it will be held in foreign currency accounts with a bank outside India.

RBI bars Kotak Bank from adding customers digitally

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on April 24, 2024 stopped Kotak Mahindra Bank from signing up new customers through its online and mobile banking channels, and issuing fresh credit cards, among the toughest curbs imposed on a scheduled bank. The regulator said Kotak had failed to fix its IT systems after being asked to do so continuously over the past two years.

 

The regulator cited “serious deficiencies and non-compliances” by Kotak in a statement and asked the private bank to stop the functions cited “with immediate effect”.

 

The action follows an examination of the bank’s IT systems in 2022 and 2023 and “continued failure on the part of the bank to address these concerns in a comprehensive and timely manner”.

 

In 2017, the bank had launched a zero-balance digital bank account, Kotak811, named for November 8, 2016. Onboarding was digital. The latest available public data showed nearly 17.5 million savings accounts were opened under Kotak811, as of March 31, 2023.

 

In FY23, Kotak811 accounted for 72% of new savings accounts. More than 50% of credit cards, unsecured loans, trading accounts and recurring deposits were cross-sold to Kotak811 customers, the bank’s FY23 annual report stated.

 

“In the absence of a robust IT infrastructure and IT risk-management framework, the bank’s core banking system (CBS) and its online and digital banking channels have suffered frequent and significant outages in the last two years, the recent one being a service disruption on April 15, 2024, resulting in serious customer inconveniences,” the regulator pointed out.

 

PSU lenders do not have the power to issue Look Out Circulars: Bombay HC

The Bombay High Court on April 23, 2024 ruled that public sector lenders do not have the power to issue Look Out Circulars (LOCs) against citizens and foreigners under the office memoranda (OM) of the Central government.

 

The division bench of Justice GS Patel and Madhav Jamdar ruled this in a clutch of petitions challenging the LOCs issued to restrain people who are indebted to public sector banks from travelling abroad. A detailed order is awaited.

 

The court, however, while terming empowerment of the managers of public sector banks to issue LOCs as ‘arbitrary’, clarified that OMs of the central government were not ultra vires to the Constitution. With this ruling, all such LOCs issued at the request of the public sector banks were quashed and set aside by the high court.

 

All-in-one insurance product: Irdai prices Bima Vistaar at Rs 1,500 per policy

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) has proposed to price Bima Vistaar, its all-in-one affordable mass product aimed at the rural areas of the country, at Rs 1,500 per policy.

 

The regulator made an announcement regarding the launch of Bima Vistaar and its prices at a summit of insurance CEOs, addressed by IRDAI chairman Debasish Panda on April 25, 2024. The product is designed to provide a basic social safety net cover with combined features of life, health, personal accident and property insurances.

 

The product includes life cover with a premium of Rs 820, health cover at Rs 500, personal accident cover at Rs 100 and property cover at Rs 80. If taken for the entire family on a floater basis, the policy will cost Rs 2,420, with an additional Rs 900 charged for the rest of the family members.

 

The sum assured for life, personal accident and property covers is Rs 2 lakh each, while the health cover, known as hospi cash, offers a sum assured of Rs 500 for 10 days, with a maximum amount of Rs 5,000 available without producing bills or documents. Agents selling Bima Vistaar policies stand to earn a commission of 10 per cent, incentivising wider distribution and adoption of the product.

In the financial year 2022-23 (FY23), India’s overall insurance penetration was down at 4 per cent from the level of 4.2 per cent in FY22, according to a Swiss Re Sigma report. This is much below the global insurance penetration of 6.8 per cent. In FY23, the insurance density in India increased from $91 in FY22 to $92.

NEWSMAKERS

 

FSIB Recommends Rana Ashutosh for State Bank’s MD Post

The Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB), the nodal body to select directors and CEOs in public sector financial institutions, has recommended Rana Ashutosh Kumar Singh to take over as managing director (MD) at State Bank of India (SBI) when the position becomes vacant later this year. Separately, Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) executive director Asheesh Pandey has been recommended to take over as the CEO of Chennai-based Indian Bank, FSIB said on its website. The final decision on the FSIB recommendation would be taken by the Appointments Committee of Cabinet headed by Prime Minister.

 

Axis Bank re-appoints Amitabh Chaudhry as MD & CEO

Private lender Axis Bank’s board on April 25 approved the re-appointment of Amitabh Chaudhry as the Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of the company for another three years, it said in a stock exchange filing. Chaudhry’s reappointment is subject to the approval of the Reserve Bank of India, it said. Post the central bank nod, Chaudhry would serve as the MD & CEO of Axis Bank for another three years with effect from January 1, 2025 up to December 31, 2027.

 

New MD & CEO appointed at Srei Infrastructure Finance under NARCL management

Under the new management of the state-owned National Asset Reconstruction Company Limited (NARCL), Srei Infrastructure Finance Limited (SIFL) on April 23, 2024 announced the appointment of Hardayal Prasad as its new Managing Director and CEO. Prasad, with 36 years of experience, is a former Managing Director & CEO of SBI Cards & Payment Services Ltd and PNB Housing Finance Ltd, a company statement said.

 

The Kolkata-based Kanorias previously controlled the twin companies of SIFL and Srei Equipment Finance Company till RBI superseded their boards over alleged mismanagement in October 2021 and subsequently initiated IBC proceedings.

 

However, NARCL acquired the companies under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) initiated by RBI to resolve over Rs 32,000 crore debt of the NBFCs.

 

Srei began its journey in 1989 as an asset financing NBFC, with Hemant Kanoria as the key face of SIFL.

 

Former banker Abhay Aima dies at 63

Abhay Aima, the original doyen of private banking in India, passed away at the age of 63 in Mumbai on April 27, 2024. He was with HDFC Bank for 25 years and used to head its private banking and equities businesses. Before joining HDFC Bank in Jan 1995, he was with Citibank.
 
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Section G: ECONOMY

 

TRAI releases “Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicator Report”

TRAI on April 23, 2024 released the “Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicator Report” for the Quarter ending 31st December, 2023. This Report provides a broad perspective of the Telecom Services in India and presents the key parameters and growth trends of the Telecom Services as well as Cable TV, DTH & Radio Broadcasting services in India for the period covering 1st October, 2023 to 31st December, 2023 compiled mainly on the basis of information furnished by the Service Providers.

 

Total number of Internet subscribers increased from 918.19 million at the end of Sep-23 to 936.16 million at the end of Dec-23, registering a quarterly rate of growth 1.96%. Out of 936.16 million internet subscribers, number of Wired Internet subscribers are 38.57 million and number of Wireless Internet subscribers are 897.59 million.

 

The number of telephone subscribers in India increased from 1,181.13 million at the end of Sep-23 to 1,190.33 million at the end of Dec-23, registering a rate of growth 0.78% over the previous quarter. This reflects Year-On-Year (Y-O-Y) rate of growth 1.70% over the same quarter of the last year. The overall Tele-density in India increased from 84.76% as in QE Sep23 to 85.23% as in QE Dec-23. With a net increase of 8.34 million subscribers during the quarter, the total wireless subscriber base increased from 1,150.15 million at the end of Sep23 to 1,158.49 million at the end of Dec-23. Wireline subscribers were 31.84 million.

 

Penalty deadline extended for those who haven’t linked PAN & Aadhaar

In a relief for those dealing with taxpayers who have not linked their PAN and Aadhaar, the income tax department has relaxed the deadline for imposing penalties.

 

PANs of those who had not linked the two ID proofs by the June 30, 2023 deadline had become inoperative and anyone deducting tax at source (TDS) or transactions requiring collection of tax at source had to withhold a higher amount. For instance, in case of individuals whose PAN became inoperative, the TDS on house rent allowance doubled to 20%.

 

Since many of the deductors or collectors did not know the PAN was inoperative, they continued to deduct or collect tax at the lower level, and faced a penalty from the tax department. A large number of them had petitioned govt, which has now relaxed the rule, exempting deductors or collectors of any liability for transactions that took place up to last March, provided the PAN becomes inoperative before the end of May.

 

REC avails Green Loan of Japanese Yen (JPY) 60.536 billion

In a significant step towards sustainable development in India, REC Limited, a Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprise and leading NBFC under the Ministry of Power, has successfully availed a Green Loan of Japanese Yen (JPY) 60.536 billion to finance eligible green projects in India. The green loan facility benefits from an 80% guarantee by Italian Export Credit Agency, SACE (Italy) under their innovative Push Strategy programme. The arrangement between SACE and REC is a breakthrough and a first-of-its-kind collaboration between an Indian government entity and SACE.

 

REC Ltd. provides loans of various maturities to State, Central and Private Companies for creation of infrastructure assets in the country. REC Ltd. has been a nodal agency for Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (SAUBHAGAYA), Deen Dayal Upadhaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY), National Electricity Fund (NEF) Scheme which resulted in strengthening of last-mile distribution system, 100% village electrification and household electrification in the country.

 

REC has also been made the nodal agency for certain States and Union Territories for the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS). The loan book of REC stands at Rs 4.97 Lakh Crores and Net Worth at Rs. 64,787 crores as on 31st December, 2023.

 

CII brings out new corporate governance charter for startups

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has launched a corporate governance charter for startups. It will provide suggestions on corporate governance tailored for startups and offer guidelines suitable for different stages of a startup which is aiming to enhance governance practices.

 

The charter includes an online self-evaluative governance scorecard that startups can use to evaluate their current governance status and its improvement over time. The tool allows startups to measure their governance progress, with score changes indicating improvements in governance practices as assessed against the scorecard from time to time.

 

The guidance provided to startups will be structured across four key stages: inception, progression, growth and going public. Each stage emphasises particular governance principles that may need extra focus during that phase of the startup journey.

 

SJVN inaugurates India’s First Multi-purpose Green Hydrogen Pilot

PSU SJVN Limited inaugurated India’s first Multi-purpose (Combined Heat & Power) Green Hydrogen Pilot Project at SJVN’s 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri Hydro Power Station (NJHPS) in Jhakri, Himachal Pradesh. The green hydrogen produced from the project will be utilized for High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) Coating Facility of NJHPS for meeting its combustion fuel requirements. In addition, it will also generate electricity through its fuel cell of 25 kW capacity. Green Hydrogen Pilot Project is set to produce 14 kilograms of Green Hydrogen daily during 8 hours of operation. Besides generating power, the green hydrogen will also be used for High Velocity Oxygen Fuel Coating of turbine underwater parts.

 

India’s forex reserves down by $2.8 bn to $640.33 bn as of April 19

India’s forex reserves declined by $2.83 billion to $640.33 billion for the week ended on April 19, data published by the Reserve Bank of India showed on April 26, 2024. According to the Weekly Statistical Supplement released by the RBI, Foreign currency assets (FCAs) contracted by $3.79 billion to $560.86 billion. Expressed in dollar terms, the FCAs include the effect of appreciation or depreciation of non-US units like the euro, pound and yen held in the foreign exchange reserves. Gold reserves increased by $1.01 billion to $56.81 billion, whereas SDRs were down by $43 million to $18.03 billion. Reserve position in the IMF dipped by $2 million to $4.63 billion.

 

India’s gem and jewellery sector gets AEO status from Finance Ministry

The country’s gem and jewellery sector has received an Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) status from the finance ministry which will facilitate exports and imports of gem and jewellery with shorter cargo release time, reduction in bank guarantee by 50 per cent compared to non-AEO entities and expedite resolution of customs, central excise and service tax cases. The sector has received this status following the efforts by the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) to take up the matter with the finance ministry.

 

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, while China’s shipments from the sector contracted by 10.1 per cent to USD 381 billion, according to a UNCTAD report. 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, a quarterly bulletin of UNCTAD said. The leading exporters among developing economies include India, China, Singapore, Turkiye, Thailand, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia. India’s services exports include IT and IT-enabled services, travel, engineering, architecture, legal and accounting services and research and management consulting services.

 

IREDA granted ‘Navratna’ status

Public sector Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) on April 26, 2024 said the government had granted it the ‘navratna’ status. This takes the total number of navratna PSEs to 17. As a “Navratna” company, a PSU has the authority to invest up to Rs 1,000 crore without explicit government approval. IREDA is a Non-Banking Financial Institution engaged in promoting, developing and extending financial assistance for setting up projects relating to new and renewable sources of energy and energy efficiency/conservation.

 

Centre allows export of 1 lakh tonnes of onion to 6 countries

The Union government on April 27, 2024 announced its decision to permit shipments of 99,150 tonnes of onion to six countries — Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, UAE, Bahrain and Mauritius. Despite the ban on onion exports since 2023, the government has been allowing shipments of specific quantities in response to diplomatic requests. The ban was imposed to ensure adequate domestic availability as kharif and rabi harvest in 2023-24 was lower. The move to open up exports assumes significance considering the reported discontent among growers over the continuing ban. The National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL) has been the nodal agency for export of all prohibited agri produce including onion, sugar and rice.

 

CCI launches market study on AI and competition

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) on April 22, 2024 floated an open tender for engagement of an agency to conduct market study on ‘artificial intelligence (AI) and competition’. The objective of the proposed study is to gather insights from all relevant stakeholders, to develop a comprehensive understanding of the evolving landscape of AI and application of AI in markets in India. CCI Chairperson Ravneet Kaur had in January this year said that CCI would soon float a tender for conducting a study on the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on businesses and services. She had also then emphasised that a regulator cannot take a “one size fits all” interventions in technological markets, which required nuanced assessments.

 

National Statistical Commission gets two more members

The National Statistical Commission now operate at full capacity with the appointment of two members. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has appointed A Ganesh Kumar and Debasis Kundu as members of the commission. The appointments will take the panel’s strength to the mandated five, including its chairman.

 

The National Statistical Commission was set up in 2005 on the recommendations of a panel headed by former RBI governor C Rangarajan, with an objective to provide “strategic direction and leadership to the national statistical system in MoSPI, line ministries and state governments”.

 

The commission’s purpose is to serve as the country’s nodal body for core statistical activities, suggest standards for statistical surveys and ensure coordination with other departments.

 

The commission, chaired by RL Karandikar, also has Asit Kumar Sadhu and Mukesh Mohania as members since December 2022.

 

Ganesh Kumar is currently a professor at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai. Kundu is a professor at the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur.
 
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Section H: CORPORATE

 

Patanjali case: SC intensifies focus on misleading ads by FMCG companies

The Supreme Court on April 23, 2024 widened its scope to look into misleading advertisements by Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies, even as it asked the three Union ministries to explain what action they have taken so far to curb this practice of false campaigns that adversely affect the lives of public.

 

The apex court also took a dig at Patanjali Ayurved’s public notice tendering unqualified public apology, asking if the size of the apology put out in 67 newspapers was similar to its full-page advertisements that it normally issued for its ayurvedic products. It asked Patanjali to bring on record within two days the “original” apology published in newspapers so as to check the size of the advertisement.

 

“Cut the actual newspaper clippings and keep them handy. For you to photocopy by enlarging, it may not impress us. We want to see the actual size of the ad. When you issue an apology, it does not mean that we have to see it by a microscope,” a bench comprising justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah said.

 

However, the top court clarified that the issue related to misleads ads was not limited to Patanjali only but extended to all FMCG firms that have been indulging in misleading advertisements and misrepresenting their products and taking the “public for a ride, in particular affecting the health of babies, school-going children and senior citizens who have been consuming products on the basis of the said misrepresentation”.

 

Everest denies reports of its products being banned in Singapore, Hong Kong

Masala maker Everest currently facing heat for allegedly containing cancer-causing pesticide on April 23, 2024 denied news reports which claimed that its products have been banned in Singapore and Hong Kong. “Reports of Everest products being banned in Singapore, Hong Kong are false. Singapore’s food safety authority has asked our Singapore importer to recall and temporarily hold product for further inspection,” the company said. “One out of 60 Everest products held for examination in Singapore,” it said. Following action from regulatory agencies in Singapore and Hong Kong, India’s food safety authority Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) will now reportedly check quality of spices sold in India. The FSSAI does not regulate the quality of spices that are exported out of India. However, India’s spices export regulator has sought details from MDH, Everest of quality checks done by them.

 

Nestle, Dr Reddy’s to form JV to market nutraceutical brands in India

Nestle India and Dr. Reddy’s on April 25, 2024 announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement to form a joint venture (JV) to bring innovative nutraceutical brands to consumers in India and other agreed territories. The Nestle Group will license brands such as Nature’s Bounty, Osteo Bi-Flex, Ester-C, Resource High Protein, Optifast, Resource Diabetic, Peptamen, Resource Renal and Resource Dialysis. Dr. Reddy’s will license brands such as Rebalanz, Celevida, Antoxid, Kidrich-D3, Becozinc in the nutrition, and OTC segments. The JV company will be headquartered in Hyderabad.

 

Reliance tops India Involved Ranking 2023

Reliance Industries has topped the India Involved Ranking 2023 that measures how India Inc is committed to Viksit Bharat. The ranking and the index has been put together by Skoch, an Indian think-tank dealing with socio-economic issues and focusing on inclusive growth, after a six month-long study, analyzing a number of companies across 231 indicators to rank the top-20 corporates on comprehensive ‘India Involved Ranking’. Reliance Industries is followed by Hindustan Unilever and Adani Group.

 

Reddys merge Keimed with Apollo’s unit

Wholesale pharma distribution company Keimed has merged with Apollo Health, a subsidiary of Apollo Hospitals. This takes the combined enterprise value of the two entities to Rs 22,481 crore. Apollo Health will benefit from Apollo promoter family (Reddys)-owned Keimed’s network of more than 70,000 pharmacies across the country.

Happiest Minds to buy PureSoftware for $94.5 million

IT company Happiest Minds Technologies said on April 24, 2024 it had signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Noida-based PureSoftware Technologies for a total purchase consideration of $94.5 million. Through this acquisition, Happiest Minds aims to strengthen its domain capabilities in BFSI, healthcare and life sciences verticals.

 

Cybersecurity firm Darktrace accepts $5 billion takeover

Cybersecurity firm Darktrace has accepted a $5.3-billion takeover bid from US private equity firm Thoma Bravo, which highlighted the British group’s “capability in artificial intelligence”. Darktrace, headquartered in the university city of Cambridge close to London, floated on the London stock market in 2021.

 

Microsoft introduces image-to-video model called VASA-1

Microsoft has introduced a new image-to-video model called VASA-1 that the company developed as a research project. Microsoft, in a blog, described VASA-1 as an AI model that produces ‘lifelike audio-driven talking faces generated in real time’. ‘VAS’ in the name stands for visual affective skill. All that the model needs is a single portrait photo and a speech audio track. The output is ‘hyper-realistic’ and can capture a large range of expressive facial nuances, it said, with precise lip sync and natural head motions. Microsoft said VASA-1 is only a research demonstration at this stage

 

RIL launches consumer electronics brand Wyzr

Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) is entering consumer electronics and home appliances market with a new made-in-India brand Wyzr. The retail unit Reliance Retail recently launched Wyzr air coolers and plans to extend the range to categories such as televisions, washing machines, refrigerators, air conditioners, small appliances and LED bulbs

 

InterGlobe’s Rahul Bhatia, CP Gurnani launch AI company AionOS

InterGlobe founder Rahul Bhatia and the former managing director of Tech Mahindra C P Gurnani have formed a joint venture to launch AionOS. The joint venture, launched on April 23, 2024, will offer AI-enabled solutions to the logistics, travel, transportation, and hospitality (LTTH) sectors.

 

Aston Martin launches new Vantage

British luxury sports car manufacturer Aston Martin on April 23, 2024 launched the new Vantage priced at Rs 3.99 crore. The Vantage can go from 0 to 96 kmph in just 3.4 seconds, with a top speed of around 325 kmph.

 

Welspun Living Limited launches Wel-Krishi

Welspun Living Limited (WLL), previously Welspun India Limited, has launched a project — Wel-Krishi — to encourage sustainable cotton cultivation by providing support and training to farmers to raise their income through higher productivity.

 

JSW to spend ₹100 cr for a big leap into gymnastics

Mumbai: JSW Group is looking to invest ₹100 crore in setting up 25 gymnastic centres over the next five years as part of its strategy to develop an ecosystem for the sport in the country. The centres will be developed by Leap Gymnastics, a new initiative launched by the JSW Group, which supports 6,000 athletes across disciplines through its sports arm, JSW Sports.

 

ITC Hotels makes first overseas check-in with Colombo property

ITC Ratnadipa, the Indian hotel major’s first international property, was inaugurated in Colombo on April 25, 2024. The hotel has been set up under WelcomHotels Lanka, a subsidiary of ITC.

 

Swiggy launches Smart Links

On-demand service platform, Swiggy, launched ‘Smart Links’, a tool designed for restaurants to enhance their online presence. Smart Links are free, customised links that restaurants can share on their social media profiles on platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook to direct customers straight to their menu page on Swiggy.

HUL withdraws ‘health’ label from Horlicks

Hindustan Unilever (HUL) on April 24, 2024 made a significant rebranding move in response to recent regulatory changes in the health drinks category. The company has renamed its ‘health food drinks’ category as ‘functional nutritional drinks’ (FND) and dropped the ‘health’ label from Horlicks. This alteration comes after the Ministry of Commerce and Industry instructed e-commerce platforms to remove drinks and beverages from the ‘healthy drinks’ category.

 

Vodafone Idea Limited FPO listed

Shares offered in the Vodafone Idea follow on public offer (FPO) listed at ₹11.8 apiece on the NSE on April 25, 2024, about 7.3% above the FPO price of ₹11. The shares were listed at ₹12 on BSE and closed at ₹13.8, after a gain of 5.3%. Vodafone Idea’s ₹18,000-crore follow-on public offer (FPO), India’s biggest, closed successfully earlier this week having been subscribed 7 times. Vodafone Idea had priced the issue at ₹10-11 a share.

 

Reliance Jio is world’s largest consumer of mobile data traffic

Reliance Jio surpassed China Mobile to become the world’s largest consumer of mobile data traffic. Jio’s network handled a massive 40.9 exabytes of data in the first quarter of 2024, compared to China Mobile’s 38 exabytes, according to Tefficient, a global analytics firm.

NEWSMAKERS

 

NCLT orders insolvency proceedings against Subhash Chandra

The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) on April 22, 2024 ordered insolvency proceedings against media baron Subhash Chandra on a plea filed by Indiabulls Housing Finance. A two-member Delhi bench of the NCLT directed initiation of personal insolvency proceedings against Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) Chairman Emeritus Chandra, who was a guarantor for a loan given to Essel group firm Vivek Infracon Ltd. Indiabulls Housing Finance Ltd (IHFL) had moved NCLT after Vivek Infracon had in 2022 defaulted a payment of around Rs 170 crore. Vivek Infracon is a part of Essel Group promoted by Chandra.

Coromandel International names Alagappan Chairman

Coromandel International Ltd. (CIL) has appointed and re-designated Executive Vice Chairman Arun Alagappan as Executive Chairman on the retirement of Chairman and Non-Executive Director A. Vellayan who was named Chairman Emeritus.

 

RJ Corp’s succession plan finalised

RJ Corp promoter Ravi Jaipuria formalised the succession plan with his son getting the food & beverages business, and his daughter taking charge on the healthcare and education side. RJ Corp runs PepsiCo’s second-largest bottler outside the US, Varun Beverages (VBL), as well as Devyani International (DIL), which is the operator of KFC, Pizza Hut and Costa Coffee outlets in India. Both companies, named after the founder’s children, Varun and Devyani, are listed. Varun, 36, has got VBL and DIL.

 

The group is also involved in healthcare and education. Sister Devyani, 39, has got the healthcare businesses, which include premium maternity hospital chain Cocoon and stem cell banking. She has also got Delhi Public Schools in Gurgaon and Jaipur, in addition to DPS International School in Gurgaon and Dharav High School in Jaipur.
 
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Section I: STATES

 

Calcutta High Court cancels teachers’ recruitment of 2016

The Calcutta High Court on April 22, 2024 directed the termination of the appointment of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff, which was done through a State Level Selection Test (SLST) in 2016, in West Bengal government-sponsored and aided schools.

 

A Division Bench comprising Justices Debangsu Basak and Md. Shabbar Rashidi declared the selection process “null and void” and directed the CBI to probe the appointment process and submit a report within three months.

The petitioners claimed that many candidates who received lower grades were placed higher on the merit list, raising concerns about the fairness of the selection process. Furthermore, there were allegations that individuals who did not even make the merit list received appointment letters.

 

In another case, in 2016, the West Bengal government directed the School Service Commission to hire approximately 13,000 Group-D employees for state-run and government-aided schools. By 2019, the panel tasked with making these appointments had expired.

 

“Persons who had been appointed outside the panel, after expiry of the panel as also those who submitted blank OMR sheets but obtained appointments, must return all remunerations and benefits received by them to the state exchequer along with interest calculated at 12% per annum, from the date of receipt thereof till deposit, within a period of four weeks,” the court said.

 

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan clears 5 pending Bills

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has signed five Bills passed by the Kerala Assembly, some of which had been under his consideration for over two years.

 

The Bills that the Governor signed are the Kerala Government Land Assignment Amendment Bill, Abkari Law Amendment Bill, Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Amendment Bill, Kerala Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill and Dairy Cooperation Bill.

The Governor has signed the Bills amid an ongoing legal fight with the State government approaching the Supreme Court arguing that the Governor was behaving like an adversary by keeping the Bills pending for years.

 

As per Article 200 of the Constitution of India, when a State legislature passes a Bill, the Governor can either give assent to the Bill or withhold assent or reserve the Bill for the consideration of the President. It does not specify a time limit for action on Bills submitted to the Governor.

 

The Kerala government had argued that the Governor subverted the Constitution and acted in a manifestly arbitrary manner by keeping the Bills passed by the State legislature for an indefinite period. It also sought to get a declaration from the top court that the Governor was bound to dispose of every Bill presented to him within a reasonable time.

 

The Supreme Court had observed in November 2023 that neither any reasons nor any justification was given by the Governor to keep the Bills pending for such an “inordinately long period”.

 

Centre releases disaster relief funds for Karnataka and T.N.

The Union government on April 26, 2024 ordered the release of ₹3,730.32 crore towards “relief assistance for natural calamity” from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The two states had moved the Supreme Court seeking relief funds for calamities such as Cyclone Michaung, floods, and drought in 2023.

 

The MHA had approved ₹3,498.82 crore for Karnataka in view of the drought faced by the State in 2023; however, the net assistance to be released stood at ₹3,454.22 crore.

 

For the damage caused by Cyclone Michaung in 2023 and the floods in December 2023 in Tamil Nadu, the Union Home Ministry approved an assistance of ₹285.54 crore and ₹397.13 crore respectively. However, the total funds disbursed under the NDRF stood at ₹115.49 crore and ₹160.61 crore.

 

As per Section 46 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the “NDRF supplements the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) in case of a disaster of severe nature, provided adequate funds are not available in the SDRF”. The States have to submit utilisation certificates, pending which no future allocation is made.

 

T.N. law on eviction from waqf property unconstitutional: Madras HC’

The Madras High Court has declared unconstitutional a 2010 amendment, which brought waqf properties under the ambit of the Tamil Nadu Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1976, and empowered the Tamil Nadu Waqf Board Chief Executive Officer to order eviction of encroachers as Estate Officer.

 

Chief Justice Sanjay V. Gangapurwala and Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy declared the amendment made by the State legislature repugnant to the Waqf Act of 1995, a Central legislation. The judges held that encroachers of waqf properties could be evicted only by waqf tribunals, constituted pursuant to an amendment made to the Central legislation in 2013.

 

The judges agreed with a battery of lawyers led by Senior Counsel V. Raghavachari and S.R. Raghunathan that the 2010 amendment had been brought in by exercising the power under List III (Concurrent list) and not List II (State list) of the Seventh schedule of the Constitution and, therefore, a Presidential assent ought to have been obtained for it in view of its repugnancy with the Central law.

 

The Bench refused to accept the State government’s contention that the State law, as well as the Central law, could coexist with the Tamil Nadu Waqf Board CEO being given the option of ordering eviction by invoking the State law against rank outsiders who had occupied waqf properties or to approach the tribunal, under the Central law, if there was a complicated dispute over title.

 

NCBC to summon Karnataka Chief Secretary over Muslim OBC reservation

National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) Chairperson Hansraj Gangaram Ahir on April 24, 2024 said it is going to summon the Chief Secretary of the Karnataka government over the State’s categorisation of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota, which provides for “blanket reservation” to Muslims under Category II-B.

 

Ahir said the Commission has been evaluating OBC reservations in Karnataka and in its correspondence with the State government it found that it listed Muslims under Category II-B of the OBC categorisation.

 

“This happened to be in addition to the 17 Muslim castes in Category I and 19 Muslim castes in Category II-A. We understand that there are many castes within Muslims that need to be included in the OBC category. However, we do not understand why there is a separate category just for Muslims,” Ahir said, adding that the State’s replies in this regard were not satisfactory.

 

Officials of the Commission said the Karnataka government had not been providing full information as sought by the NCBC.

 

In February, the Karnataka government had justified the presence of Muslims under Category II-B in a letter to the NCBC. In the letter, the government clarified that for this purpose, they are considering Muslims and Christians as neither caste nor religion but as backward classes, as recommended by various Commissions formed by the State government.

 

However, Ahir questioned the validity of the reports based on which the entire Muslim community had been declared as backward in the State.

Nagaland to hold civic polls after 20 years, adds women’s quota

The Nagaland Cabinet has approved the elections to the urban local bodies (ULBs) with 33% of the seats reserved for women. Scheduled on June 26, it will be the first-ever municipal elections in the State with a quota for women. The last ULB polls were held in 2004.

 

Nagaland has three municipal councils – Dimapur, Kohima, and Mokokchung – and 36 town councils. Six of the 19 wards in Kohima, eight out of the 23 wards in Dimapur, and six out of the 18 wards in Mokokchung have been reserved for women.

 

The Nagaland Municipal and Town Council Act was passed in 2001 without the provision of reserving 33% of the seats for women, as required under Article 243T of the Constitution. This was amended in 2006. The first election under the Act was conducted in 2004 without the reservation of seats for women, except in Mokokchung, as it was deemed to infringe upon the special provisions granted to Nagaland under Article 371A of the Constitution.

 

MP’s Gandhisagar wildlife sanctuary to get 5-8 cheetahs from South Africa

Five to eight cheetahs will be released into a fenced area in the Gandhisagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh possibly in the second half of the year with a focus on the breeding of animals and favourable weather. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) informed that a South African delegation reached India on April 23, 2024 to review preparations at Gandhisagar for the introduction of cheetahs and the progress of the project in the Kuno National Park. On April 24, the South African delegation met Indian officials in New Delhi, and discussions focused on strengthening collaboration between the two countries in species conservation, especially Project Cheetah which aims to reintroduce the only large carnivore species that went extinct in independent India. The first batch of eight cheetahs was introduced in India in September 2022, and the second batch of 12 cheetahs was flown in from South Africa in February 2024.

 

Uttarakhand: Forest fires in Kumaon region

Authorities on April 27, 2024 deployed an MI-17 helicopter from the Indian Air Force to douse forest fires in Kumaon region of Uttarakhand. Nainital and adjoining areas like Pines, Bhumiyadhar, Jeolikote, Narayan Nagar, Bhowali, Ramgarh, and Mukteshwar have been affected. Forest fires, which have ravaged Uttarakhand for last six months, have escalated to a serious concern, with 34.17 hectares of forest land gutted in 23 reported incidents on April 27 alone. Since Nov 2023, the state has lost nearly 720 hectares of forest area in 598 fire incidents. The worst hit area, Kumaon, reported the highest number of fires.

CM Pushkar Dhami said that help has been sought from the Army to douse the fires.

 

Haryana: SC stays construction of 4 dams in Kalesar Wildlife Sanctuary

The Supreme Court on April 24, 2024 stayed the construction of four proposed dams inside Kalesar Wildlife Sanctuary in Haryana’s Yamunanagar district. The court also issued notices to the Centre and the Haryana government seeking their replies. The top court noted that the dams will not only be detrimental to wildlife and population in Kalesar but also to the ecosystem and even the purpose for which the dams are proposed would not be achieved.

 

Indian Army unveils selfie point at Hombotingla Pass

In a tribute to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas, a new selfie point was unveiled at Hombotingla Pass in Ladakh on April 24. This initiative, a joint effort by the Indian Army and the Tourism Department of Kargil, honours the valour and sacrifice of the soldiers who fought in the Kargil War. On July 26, 1999, the Indian Army announced the successful culmination of “Operation Vijay,” declaring victory after a nearly three-month-long battle.

 

Loan for Kiru Hydro Electric Project in Kishtwar, J&K approved

REC Limited, a Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprise and NBFC under the Ministry of Power, on April 24, 2024 signed an agreement with Chenab Valley Power Project Private Limited (CVPPPL), under which REC will provide CVPPL with a financial assistance of ₹ 1,869.265 crores as Term Loan. The loan will be utilized for Development, Construction and Operation of the Greenfield 4 x156 MW Kiru Hydro Electric Project on River Chenab, in Kishtwar district of Jammu & Kashmir. The 624 MW Kiru Hydro Electric Project is a run-of-river scheme, which envisages construction of dam of height 135 metres and an underground Power House with 4 units of 156 MW each.

 

Vizhinjam Port receives Centre’s nod to run as India’s first transshipment hub

Vizhinjam Port has received the approval of The Port and Shipping ministry to operate as India’s first trans-shipment port. Presently, 75 percent of the country’s trans-shipment cargo is processed at ports overseas, including Colombo and Singapore. The Centre expects to turn Vizhinjam into a gateway for the country’s cargo movement.

NEWSMAKERS

 

Naima Khatoon appointed as AMU’s first female Vice Chancellor in over 100 years

Naima Khatoon Principal, Women’s College, has been appointed as the Vice Chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), becoming the first woman to hold the prestigious position in over a century. The appointment was confirmed following approval from President Droupadi Murmu, who serves as the Visitor to the University. Founded in 1875 as the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College, AMU received its university status in 1920 under the Aligarh Muslim University Act.  In 1920, Begum Sultan Jahan became the first chancellor of AMU, making her the only woman to have held the position prior to Khatoon.

 

Yakshagana exponent Subrahmanya Dhareshwar passes away at 67

Yakshagana thespian Subrahmanya Dhareshwar (67) passed away on April 25, 2024 in Bengaluru. Yakshagana, a unique dance form from coastal Karnataka, which involves distinct singing, dancing and drama style that has resemblance with the Theyyam art form of neighbouring Kerala.
 
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Section J: SPORTS

 

India win 8 medals at Archery World Cup in China

Indian archers returned from the Archery World Cup 2024 in Shanghai, China on April 28, 2024 with a record haul of eight medals including five gold.

 

Indian men’s recurve team of Dhiraj Bommadevara, Tarundeep Rai and Pravin Jadhav defeated South Korea 5-1 (57-57, 57-55, 55-53) to win the gold medal.

 

Ankita Bhakat and Dhiraj beat Alejandra Valencia and Matias Grande of Mexico 6-0 (35-31, 38-35, 39-37) to win bronze in mixed team recurve event.

 

Deepika Kumari won silver in the women’s individual recurve event. She lost 0-6 to South Korea’s Lim Sihyeon.

 

Jyothi Surekha Vennam won the individual women’s compound archery gold medal by defeating Andrea Becerra of Mexico in a hard-fought shoot-off. The scores were tied at 146 at the end of five sets.

 

In the men’s individual compound event, Priyansh settled for the silver medal after losing to Austria’s Nico Wiener 147-150.

 

Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Aditi Gopichand Swami and Parneet Kaur won the gold medal in women’s compound team event with a 236-225 win over Italy.

 

Abhishek Verma, Priyansh and Prathamesh Fuge beat the Netherlands 238-231 to win gold in men’s compound team event.

 

Abhishek Verma and Jyothi Surekha Vennam beat Estonia 158-157 to win gold in mixed-team compound event.

 

Sailor Nethra Kumaran earns Paris Olympics quota

Indian sailor Nethra Kumanan secured a quota for the Paris Olympics in the women’s one-person dinghy ILCA 6 event in the Last Chance Regatta in Hyeres, France, on April 26, 2024. By finishing fifth with 67 net points, she qualified via the Emerging Nation Program (ENP) quota. The quota is handed to the sailor who has the best finish outside the top-three among the ENP countries.

 

Sreeja Akula becomes top-ranked Indian woman table tennis player

Sreeja Akula on April 23, 2024 became the top-ranked Indian woman table tennis player after rising to career-high rank of 38 in the latest ITTF chart, replacing Manika Batra. Sreeja climbed a spot while Manika slipped two places to 39 in the latest update. Sharath Kamal continues to be the top-ranked male player, occupying the 37 spot in the rankings while G. Sathiyan and Manav Thakar have interchanged places to be 60th and 61st respectively.

 

Gukesh wins Candidates, becomes youngest ever challenger for world title

India’s 17-year-old Grandmaster Dommaraju Gukesh scripted history by winning the Candidates Chess Tournament in Toronto, Canada to become the youngest ever challenger to the world title, bettering a record created by the legendary Garry Kasparov 40 years ago. Gukesh finished with nine out of a possible 14 points in the tournament that is held to decide the challenger to the world champion. The triumph entitles Gukesh a clash against reigning world champion Ding Liren of China later this year. Gukesh also won a cash award of 88,500 Euros (approx Rs 78.5 lakh).

 

Football: Inter Milan win Serie A title

Inter Milan won Serie A on April 22, 2024 after taking a 17-point advantage over closest challengers AC Milan and secured their 20th league crown with five matches of the season remaining.

Saurav Ghosal retires from professional squash

India’s Saurav Ghosal (37), a former world No. 10 player, announced his retirement from professional squash on April 22, 2024. He was member of Indian men’s squash team that won gold medals at 2014 and 2022 Asian Games. He also won singles silver medal at 2014 and 2022 Asian Games.

 

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 ambassador

The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced former cricketer Yuvraj Singh as an ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 ambassador, which will be played in the West Indies and USA from June 1 to 29.

 

TCS World 10K Bengaluru

Kenyan runners Peter Mwaniki (28:15) and Lilian Kasait (30:56) won the international elite men’s and women’s titles respectively in the 16th edition of the Tata Consultancy Services World 10K Bengaluru on April 28, 2024. The results (top three): Elite men: 1. Peter Mwaniki (Ken) 28:15, 2. Hillary Chepkwony (Ken) 28:33, 3. Hagos Eyob (Eth) 28:39. Best Indian elite men: 1. Kiran Matre 29:32, 2. Ranjeet Patel 29:35, 3. Dharmendra 29:45. Elite women: 1. Lilian Kasait (Ken) 30:56; 2. Emmaculate Achol (Ken) 31:17; 3. Lemlem Hailu (Eth) 31:23. Best Indian elite women: 1. Sanjivani Jadhav 34:03; 2. Lilli Das 34:13, 3. Preenu Yadav, 34:24.

 

Maheshwari Chauhan wins silver at ISSF Final Olympic Shotgun Qualification Championship

Maheshwari Chauhan secured a Paris 2024 quota for India in the women’s skeet event at the ISSF Final Olympic Shotgun Qualification Championship in Doha, Qatar on April 28, 2024. The Doha meet is the final shotgun qualifying event for the Paris 2024 Olympics. The top two eligible shooters in each individual event (maximum one per country) secured quotas for Paris 2024. Maheshwari finished second in the women’s skeet event at Doha after Francisca Crovetto Chadid of Chile. Both scored 54 but the Chilean finished top after pipping the Indian shooter 4-3 in the shoot-off.

 

Rutuja Bhosale wins at ITF women’s tennis tournament

Rutuja Bhosale, in partnership with Paige Hourigan of New Zealand, defeated I-Hsuan Cho and Yi Tsen Cho of Taiwan 5-7, 7-6(5), [12-10] in the final to win women’s doubles title at $40,000 ITF women’s tennis tournament in Wuning, China, on April 27, 2024.

 

Hamdard Squashters Northern Slam 2024

Indian squash players Anahat Singh and Suraj Kumar Chand clinched the women’s and men’s singles titles, respectively, at the Hamdard Squashters Northern Slam 2024 tournament, which concluded in New Delhi on April 27, 2024. Anahat blanked South Korea’s Hwayeong Eum 3-0 (11-6, 11-4, 11-5) in the final to claim while Suraj defeated Sri Lanka’s Ravindu Laksiri 3-2 (11-13, 11-5, 7-11, 11-9, 11-3).

 

1. Velavan wins Batch Open Challenger Tour squash

India’s S. Velavan won the $12,000 Batch Open Challenger Tour squash event in Paris, defeating France’s Melvil Scianimanico 11-6, 11-9, 11-6 in the final on April 28, 2024.

 

Francesco Bagnaia wins Spanish MotoGP

Two-time defending world champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) won the Spanish MotoGP at Jerez on April 28, 2024. This was fourth of the 21 races in the 2024 season. Marc Marquez           (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) finished second followed by Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing).

 
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