NATIONAL NEWS

Bihar’s Nagi and Nakti Bird Sanctuaries Takes India’s Ramsar Site

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change have notified Nakti and Nagi bird sanctuaries in Bihar as the newest wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar convention. Both the sites are man-made and situated in the Jhajha forest range of Jamui district of Bihar.

Bihar now has three wetland sites under the Ramsar convention, and the total number of Ramsar sites in the country has increased to 82.

Nagi Bird Sanctuary was notified as the 81st Ramsar Site of India.

The Nagi wetland area, spread over 791 hectares in the Jamuai district of Bihar, is a man-made site created by constructing a dam on the Nagi River.

Nakti Bird Sanctuary is the 82nd Ramasar site in India. It is also a man-made site created by Nakti Dam and is spread across 332 hectares.

It is near the Nagi Bird Sanctuary and is also located in the Jamuai district of Bihar. The dam's lake is a habitat for over 150 species of birds, mammals, fish, aquatic plants, etc.

 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

First IPEF Clean Economy Investor Forum Meeting

Singapore hosted the first Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) Clean Economy Investor Forum meeting on 5and 6 June 2024.

The meeting was held along with the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) Ministerial meeting.

The Indian delegation was led by Sunil Barthwal, Secretary of the Department of Commerce.

The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) Clean Economy Investor Forum was organised to bring together the Asia Pacific region’s top investors, clean economy companies, and start-ups to mobilise investments into renewable energy projects, sustainable infrastructure and climate technology.

The IPEF Catalytic Capital Fund was launched at the forum meeting.

The IPEF Catalytic Capital Fund has been set up by IPEF member countries Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the United States, as well as by a private company, Infrastructure Development Group.

These countries have committed to providing USD 33 million as a grant for the fund.

The IPEE Catalytic Fund will provide concessional loans, technical assistance, and capacity-building support to expand the pipeline of quality, resilient, and inclusive clean economy infrastructure projects in emerging and upper-middle-income economies like India and the Southeast Asian region.

The IPEF Catalytic Capital Fund will be managed by the Infrastructure Development Group.

Denmark, Pakistan, Greece and Panama Elected to UN Security Council

The United Nations General Assembly has elected Pakistan, Somalia, Panama, Denmark, and Greece as the new non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

They have been reelected for a two-year term starting 1 January 2025.

The election to elect five new members of the UN Security Council was held on 6 June 2024 in the UN’s headquarters in New York,the United States of America.

The newly elected members Pakistan, Somalia, Panama, Denmark, and Greece will replace Japan, Malta, Mozambique, Ecuador and Switzerland. These countries' terms will end on 31st December 2024.

The newly elected members will join Algeria, Guyana, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone and Slovenia as the other non-permanent members of the UN Security Council. The terms of Algeria, Guyana, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone and Slovenia started on 1 January 2024 and will end on 31st December 2026.

The terms of the newly elected Pakistan, Somalia, Panama, Denmark, and Greece will start on 1 January 2025 and end on 31st December 2027.

The UN Security Council is the most important body of the United Nations, and it is primarily responsible for maintaining international peace and security. The decision of the Security Council is binding on all the members of the United Nations.

India Launches Biopharmaceutical Alliance

India, the United States of America, South Korea, Japan and the European Union have launched a Biopharmaceuticals Alliance.

The first meeting of the Alliance was held in San Diego, the United States of America, during the Bio International Convention 2024, the world’s largest pharmaceutical exhibition.

Biopharmaceuticals are a type of medical drug which is produced by using a living being's organs and tissues, microorganisms, animal fluids, or genetically modified cells and organisms. It is different from drugs that are manufactured using different chemicals.

It uses biotechnology to produce drugs, which are mainly proteins and nucleic acids (DNA, RNA, or antisense oligonucleotides).

It is estimated that in the next 5 to 10 years, around 50 per cent of the medical drugs to be developed will be biopharmaceuticals.

The alliance aims to prevent the occurrence of such a scenario in the future.

The alliance seeks to diversify and build a detailed pharmaceutical supply chain map.

 

BANKING

NPCI International and the Central Reserve Bank of Peru

NPCI International has announced a partnership with the Central Reserve Bank of Peru (BCRP) to implement a UPI-like real-time payments system in Peru.

Peru will be the first country in South America to integrate UPI technology into its digital payment ecosystem.

This strategic partnership enables the BCRP to establish a reliable and efficient real-time payment platform within the country.

The innovative system will facilitate instant payments between individuals and businesses, reducing reliance on cash transactions.

It aims to expand the use of digital payments, particularly benefiting Peru’s large unbanked population.

 

SPORTS

ISSF Munich World Cup 2024

Sarabjot Singh won India's first medal at the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) World Cup, which was held in Munich, Germany.

The ISSF World Cup will be held from May 31 to June 8, 2024.

The Indian shooter Sarabjot Singh scored 242.7 points in the final to win the gold medal in the men’s 10-meter air pistol event.

Shuaihang Bu of the People’s Republic of China won the silver medal, while the German Robin Walter had to settle for a bronze medal.

Sift Kaur Samra won the second medal for India in the women’s 50-meter Rifle event, the bronze. Seonaid McIntosh of Britain won the gold, while Han Jiayu of China won the silver.

 

RANKS, INDICES & REPORTS

QS World University Rankings

The QS World University Rankings 2025 highlight the remarkable progress of Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), with IIT-Bombay climbing 31 places to secure the 118th spot and IIT-Delhi surging 47 places to claim the 150th position worldwide.

MIT retains its position as the top university globally for the 13th consecutive year, while Imperial College of London surpasses Oxford and Cambridge to secure the second spot.

Harvard University and University of Oxford jointly hold the third rank.

Following IIT-Bombay and IIT-Delhi, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, ranks third in India at 211.

IIT Kharagpur advances from 271 to 222, with notable climbs by IIT Madras and University of Delhi.

Institutions were evaluated on parameters such as academic reputation, citations per faculty, employer reputation, faculty-student ratio, and international faculty and student ratios.

 

AWARDS & PRIZES

Krishna Prakash Receives Hindi Sahitya Bharati Award

Krishna Prakash, renowned as the head of Mumbai Police’s elite counter-terrorism unit, Force One, has been honoured with the prestigious Annual Hindi Sahitya Bharati Award.

Krishna Prakash's receipt of the Hindi Sahitya Bharati Award underscores his multifaceted contributions to society, blending exemplary service in law enforcement with a deep commitment to cultural enrichment.

The Hindi Sahitya Bharati Award celebrates outstanding contributions to literature and culture.

He serves as an inspiration for individuals to engage in cultural activities alongside professional pursuits.

 

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Cashfree Payments Names Abhaya Hota as Independent Director

Abhaya Hota, former Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NPCI, has been appointed as an Independent Director of Cashfree Payments.

Hota brings with him almost three decades of experience in the Reserve Bank of India and has played a significant role in shaping India's payment systems.

During his tenure at NPCI, Hota played a crucial role in the design, development, and implementation of payment systems and policies in India.

Notable contributions include the implementation of MICR technology in Cheque Clearing, the launch of UPI, and RuPay credit cards, India’s domestic card scheme

Additionally, he serves as an Independent Director at Federal Bank, NSE Clearing, Protean e-Gov Technologies, and the RBI Innovation Hub.

 

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

James Webb Space Telescope Discovers Earliest-Known Galaxy, JADES-GS-z14-0

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has identified the earliest-known galaxy named JADES-GS-z14-0.

The galaxy dates back to 290 million years after the Big Bang event that initiated the universe roughly 13.8 billion years ago.

It is the most ancient galaxy yet observed.

The galaxy measures approximately 1,700 light-years across.

A light-year represents the distance light travels in one year, equivalent to 9.5 trillion kilometres.

The discovery was made by an international team of astronomers, who used JWST to observe galaxies as part of the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES) program.

Prior to this discovery, the earliest-known galaxy was dated to around 320 million years after the Big Bang, as announced by the JADES team last year.

The James Webb Space Telescope, also called Webb or JWST, is a large, space-based observatory.

The telescope was launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in December, 2021.

 

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Food Safety Day

Every year on June 7th, World Food Safety Day is commemorated.

The major goal of this day is to raise awareness and empower people to recognize, prevent, and manage food-related dangers.

Theme for the day is “Food safety: prepare for the unexpected”.

World Food Safety Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2018.

It was first celebrated on June 7, 2019.

The day aims to raise awareness about the importance of food safety and to encourage actions that help prevent, detect, and manage foodborne risks. Food safety is crucial for ensuring that the food we eat does not cause harm to our health.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations play a key role in promoting this day and its activities.