NATIONAL NEWS

India to Host the 19th ICDRA Meeting

India is hosting the 19th International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities (ICDRA) meeting in New Delhi from 14 to 18 October 2024.

India was to host the event in 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was postponed and is now being held in 2024. India is hosting the ICDRA meeting for the first time.

The 18th International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities meeting was held in Dublin, Ireland in 2018.

The meeting will bring together drug authorities from World Health Organisation (WHO) member countries to strengthen collaboration and develop international consensus on regulatory priorities.

The 19th International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities is hosted by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO).

Smart Regulation: Delivering Quality Assured Medical Products for All is the theme of the 19th International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities meeting.

46th Foundation Day Celebration of Telecommunications Consultants India Limited

Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL) marked its 46th Foundation Day on 15th October 2024 at the SCOPE Convention Center, New Delhi.

The event was attended by esteemed dignitaries, former CMDs/Directors of TCIL, and employees, celebrating the company’s achievements and growth.

The event commenced with a traditional lamp lighting ceremony, followed by a recitation of Ganesh Vandana.

An audio-visual film was showcased, reflecting TCIL's journey from building communication infrastructure in remote regions to becoming a global leader in telecommunications across over 80 countries.

Shri Sanjeev Kumar, CMD of TCIL, delivered the keynote address, expressing gratitude to the employees for their dedication and contributions.

He highlighted TCIL’s alignment with the government’s 'Make in India' initiative and its ambitious plans for global expansion.

Gujarat Government Allocates ₹10 Crore for Caracal Breeding and Conservation Center

The Gujarat government has announced the creation of a Caracal Breeding and Conservation Center in the Chadva Rakhal region of Kutch.

A budget of ₹10 crore has been allocated for the establishment of this center.

The center aims to protect and breed the rare and critically endangered Caracal species found in Gujarat's Kutch district.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists Caracals as a species of 'least concern' due to their larger populations in Africa, but their numbers in India are significantly lower.

A study on the historical and current extent of Caracals in India reported 19 sightings in Gujarat, all within the Kutch district, with nine authenticated by photographs.

In India, the Caracal is referred to as "siya gosh," which translates from Persian as 'black ear.'

Caracals are nocturnal animals recognized for their agility, hunting prowess, and distinctive ear tufts. They typically inhabit dry, arid regions and moist woodlands and are known to live in small herds.

 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

President Droupadi Murmu Conferred An Honorary Doctorate In Algeria

President Droupadi Murmu was conferred the Degree of Honorary Doctorate in Political Science in Algeria.

President Droupadi Murmu is on a three-nation tour of the African nations of Algeria, Mauritania, and Malawi from 13-19 October 2024.

President Murmu is the first Indian President to visit these three African countries.

President Murmu was on a three-day official visit to Algeria from 13-15 October 2024.

President Murmu was received at the Algiers airport by the President of Algeria, Abdelmadjid Tebboune.

President Murmu held official talks with the President of Algeria, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, at the El Mouradia Palace in Algiers and discussed bilateral issues.

President Mumru was conferred an Honorary Doctorate in Political Science by the Scientific and Technological Hub, Martyr Ihaddaden Abdelhafid University of Algeria.

President Murmu also addressed the Algerian-Indian Economic Forum, jointly organised by the Algerian Economic Renewal Council and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

 

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

National Space Commission Approves India's Fifth Lunar Mission

The National Space Commission has cleared India's fifth lunar mission, named the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX).

LUPEX is a joint mission between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

It will also involve observation instruments from NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA).

The mission aims to explore the Moon's southern polar region, focusing on investigating the presence of water and other elements, potentially as surface ice.

The mission intends to showcase advanced surface exploration technologies, particularly in vehicular transport and lunar night survival.

The LUPEX mission is currently scheduled for launch in 2025.

It is expected to operate for up to 100 days on the lunar surface, significantly longer than Chandrayaan-3's operational period.

 

BANKING

Mastercard Launches New Technology Hub in Pune

Mastercard inaugurated a state-of-the-art Tech Hub in Pune,Maharashtra, India, aimed at supporting growth and innovation within the company.

The new campus covers nearly half a million square meters and is located at Bluegrass Business Park in Yerwada, Pune.

The Tech Hub will accommodate over 6,000 professionals, including technologists, engineers, and experts in fields such as software development, data architecture, finance, and cybersecurity, making it Mastercard’s largest workforce in a single city globally.

The Pune Tech Hub enhances Mastercard’s existing presence in India, which includes offices in Gurugram, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Vadodara.

The facility will support initiatives like the Community Pass financial inclusion platform and the Payment Passkey Service, which enhances secure online checkouts through biometrics and tokenization.

The Pune Tech Hub will facilitate collaboration to tackle complex technological challenges and ensure the reliability of critical infrastructure for secure payments worldwide.

The new facility aims to deepen cooperation between Mastercard’s global teams and the vibrant Indian technology ecosystem, fostering innovation and development in financial services.

International Finance Corporation Grants $500 million Loan to Axis Bank

International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank Group, has partnered with Axis Bank to provide a $500 million (approx. ₹4,200 crore) loan.

The purpose of the loan is to develop a blue finance market and scale up financing for green projects in India.

This is IFC's first blue investment in India and the first blue transaction by a financial institution in the country.

Blue loans are financing instruments that raise and earmark funds for investments such as water and wastewater management, reduction of marine plastic pollution, restoration of marine ecosystems, sustainable shipping, eco-friendly tourism, and offshore renewable energy.

India's water and wastewater treatment market was valued at $1.6 billion in 2022, with expectations to reach $3 billion by 2029.

 

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

First CM of UT Of Jammu And Kashmir

Omar Abdullah of the National Conference party was sworn in as the first chief minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, administered the oath of office to the chief minister and his council of ministers at a ceremony held at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar.

Omar Abdullah has been sworn in as the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir for the second time.

He became the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir for the first time in January 2009 and remained till 8th January 2014.

Chairman and Managing Director of AI Assets Holding Limited

Amit Kumar was selected by the Public Enterprise Selection Board (PESB) for the role of Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of AI Assets Holding Limited (AIAHL), a Schedule ‘B’ Public Sector Undertaking (PSU).

Kumar is currently serving as the Executive Director Asset Manager at ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation).

He was chosen from a pool of seven candidates for this position.

His appointment is subject to necessary clearances and approval from the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).

AI Assets Holding Limited is a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) established by the Government of India to provide unified asset holding services, as outlined in its Memorandum of Association.

 

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 2024 will be observed on October 17th, focusing on global efforts to eliminate poverty and uphold human rights.

The day was first commemorated on October 17, 1987, at the Trocadéro in Paris, where more than 100,000 people gathered.

It marked the unveiling of a memorial stone by Joseph Wresinski, a French priest and humanitarian activist.

The event honored those who had died from extreme poverty, violence, and hunger, and proclaimed that poverty is a violation of human rights. It emphasized the need for collective action to protect these rights.

On December 22, 1992, the United Nations General Assembly declared October 17th as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.