In a bid to cut carbon emissions, France formally imposed a ban on domestic flights on short routes that can be covered by train. Under the new law, any journeys that are possible in less than two-and-a-half hours by train cannot be taken as a flight.
The change will mostly rule out air trips between Paris and regional hubs such as Nantes, Lyon and Bordeaux, with connecting flights unaffected.
Clement Beaune, France's Transport Minister said that this is an essential step and a strong symbol in the policy of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The law specifies that train services on the same route must be frequent, timely, and well-connected enough to meet the needs of passengers who would otherwise travel by air. People making such trips should also be able to make outbound and return train journeys on the same day, having spent eight hours at their destination.
The country is also cracking down on the use of private jets for short journeys in a bid to make transport greener and fairer for the population.
However, the move has irked the aviation industry.
PM Modi, Australian Counterpart Rename Sydney Suburb as 'Little India'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese renamed the Sydney suburb as 'Little India' during the mega community event at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney Olympic Park.
Both Prime Ministers jointly unveiled the foundation stone for a 'Little India' Gateway to be built in Harris Park in Parramatta, Western Sydney, which is home to a large Indian community.
Tim Scott Joins 2024 Presidential Race
In a bid to secure the Republican nomination and prevent Donald Trump from facing off against Joe Biden once again, sole Black Republican Senator Tim Scott formally launched his presidential campaign. Speaking at Charleston Southern University in South Carolina, Scott expressed concerns about the current state of the nation under President Biden and the radical left.
The announcement added Scott's name to the growing list of candidates vying for the top post, signalling an intensifying race for the 2024 presidential election.
IDBI Bank Appoints Jayakumar S. Pillai as Deputy Managing Director
The Board of Directors of IDBI Bank approved the appointment of Jayakumar S. Pillai as Deputy Managing Director on the Bank's Board for 3 years.
Pillai's appointment is with effect from the date of his taking charge as specified in the RBI approval received in this regard.
IDBI Bank has two Deputy Managing Director (DMD) positions. It currently has one DMD -- Suresh Khatanhar. The other DMD -- Samuel Joseph Jebaraj -- moved to the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) as Deputy Managing Director (Lending & Project Finance) in early April 2023.
Pillai has about 32 years experience in the public sector bank.
He has headed branches in various scales across different geographies and has rich experience in branch banking, mobilisation of retail resources, Credit delivery in sectors like Retail, Agriculture, MSME and Recovery.
Paytm Payments Bank received RBI nod to reappoint Paytm CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma as part-time Chairman.
The approval of RBI for reappointment of Vijay Shekhar Sharma as part-time Chairman of PPBL, for a third term is from May 23, 2023, for a period of one year.
Tata Group Only Indian Firm in BCG List of Top 50 most Innovative Firms
Boston Consulting Group (BCG) released a report of the top 50 companies in 2023 that are most innovative in their operations. The report looked into various aspects of these companies including their ability to develop new products, and processes, enter into new markets, establish new revenue streams etc.
Tata Group is the only Indian company to feature in the Top 50 list.
BCG highlighted that the most innovative companies were generating greater financial rewards for their shareholders. A global survey conducted by the BCG highlighted the benefits of innovation and how measures such as Mergers and acquisitions (M&A), portfolio planning, and technology like AI were helping companies to innovate past their competition.
The top ten on the list are: Apple, Tesla, Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft, Samsung, Huawei, BYD Company and Siemens.
TCS Announces Generative AI Partnership with Google Cloud
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a leading global IT services company, expanded its partnership with Google Cloud and unveiled a new offering called TCS Generative AI. This collaboration aims to leverage Google Cloud's generative AI services to develop customized business solutions that drive growth and transformation for clients across various industries. With its extensive domain expertise and investment in research and innovation, TCS built a robust portfolio of AI-powered solutions, including AIOps, Algo Retail™, smart manufacturing, digital twins, and robotics.
TCS Generative AI harnesses the capabilities of Google Cloud's Generative AI tools, such as Vertex AI, Generative AI Application Builder, and Model Garden, alongside TCS' own solutions. By combining client-specific contextual knowledge, design thinking, and agile development processes, TCS collaborates closely with clients to ideate, rapidly prototype, and build transformational solutions with accelerated time to value.
The Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT)-World Squash Federation (WSF) Squash World Cup will be held at the Express Avenue Mall and the Indian Squash and Triathlon Academy (ISTA).
The last edition of the World Cup was also held in Chennai in 2011.
This event is to be sponsored by the Tamil Nadu Government will bring together top squash players from around the world to compete for the coveted trophy.
The Squash World Cup, now in its fourth edition, has undergone significant changes since its last staging in 2011. This event will inspire a new generation of squash enthusiasts and contribute to the sport's development in India.
Eight countries will vie for the 2023 Squash World Cup trophy. Hosts India will be joined by Hong Kong, China, Japan, Malaysia, Egypt, South Africa, Australia and Colombia.
Ganemat Sekhon, Darshna Rathore Bag Silver & Bronze
Indian shooters Ganemat Sekhon and Darshna Rathore struck a silver and a bronze, respectively, medal in the women's individual skeet event at the ISSF World Cup Shotgun Almaty 2023. It was for the first time that India won two individual medals in women's skeet at the senior ISSF World Cup.
Ganemat Sekhon was on track to win a gold medal but settled for silver with 50/60 points after missing five of her last 10 shots. Tokyo Olympian Assem Orynbay, an Asian championships silver medallist from Kazakhstan, also shot 50/60 but went on to bag the gold medal after winning the shoot-off 2-1.
Darshna Rathore, meanwhile, won her maiden ISSF World Cup medal, a bronze. She shot 39/50 and could not progress to the gold medal round.
Third G-20 Tourism Working Group Meeting at Srinagar in J&K Concludes
The city of Srinagar, the summer capital of J&K, hosted 3rd tourism working group meeting of G20 members from the May 22 to 24, the first such international event since J&K became a Union Territory in 2019.
The event was part of a series of meetings ahead of a G20 summit in New Delhi in September this year (2023). The event, which tooke place at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) on the banks of the famous Dal Lake, had a positive impact on the tourism and trade sectors of the region.
India holds the presidency of the G20 from December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2023.
Srinagar hosted the G20 event for the first time under India's presidency amid tight security cover.
GRSE's Launches 'GAINS' Start-up Challenge
Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd took a significant step towards promoting innovation and technological advancements in shipbuilding. With the launch of their initiative called GAINS 2023, GRSE aims to harness the potential of start-ups and encourage the development of innovative solutions in the ship design and construction industry.
GRSE's latest endeavor, the GAINS 2023 (GRSE Accelerated Innovation Nurturing Scheme – 2023) initiative, is a significant leap towards fostering innovation and technological advancements in shipbuilding. It aims to leverage the ecosystem and address present and emerging challenges in the ship design and construction industry.
Garuda Aerospace and Naini Aerospace Collaborate to Manufacture Make in India Drones
Garuda Aerospace, a leading drone manufacturer, joined hands with Naini Aerospace, a subsidiary of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence, to establish a joint development partnership. This collaboration aims to enable Garuda Aerospace to manufacture Advanced Precision Drones within India for various applications. The partnership signifies a significant step towards achieving the Indian government's vision of producing 1 lakh Made in India drones by 2024.
Naini Aerospace Limited (NAeL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of HAL, brings its expertise in the production of aerostructures and aircraft loom manufacturing to the collaboration. NAeL was established in 2016 with the vision of sustainable manufacturing operations in the aerospace and aviation sector.
With Garuda Aerospace establishing its presence in Uttar Pradesh (UP), the collaboration will enhance delivery and access to clients across North, West, East, and Northeast regions of India. The factory's strategic location on the Prayagraj-Mirzapur highway, near Prayagraj city center, provides ease of transportation, which translates into cost efficiencies. Moreover, Naini, Prayagraj, is being considered for inclusion in the proposed defense industrial corridor of Uttar Pradesh, further enhancing the partnership's potential.
Sarath Babu worked predominantly in the Tamil and Telugu cinema. He appeared in more than 200 films, including Hindi films too. He made his debut in 1973 but gained fame in 1978 through the Tamil film Nizhal Nijamagiradhu, directed by K. Balachander. He received eight state Nandi Awards. Sarath was last seen in Malli Pelli as Peddayana this year (2023). He also appeared in Vasantha Mullai. Sarath Babu has also worked extensively in the television industry.
Industrialist Karumuttu T. Kannan Passes Away
Veteran industrialist Karumuttu T. Kannan passed away at the age of 70. Kannan was the chairman of Tamil Nadu-based Thiagarajar Mills and a board member of TVS Motor.
Kannan was also a leading educationalist and the president of Thiagarajar College, Madurai, and chairman and correspondent of Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai.
Kannan was a graduate in business administration from Madurai University and had a wide range of experience in the textile industry. He held the position of chairman of the Textiles Committee, Mumbai, the Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council, Mumbai, and Chairman of the South India Mills' Association during 1990-92. He was also the chairman of the Confederation of Indian Industry, Southern Region, Chennai, and a member of the Southern regional board of the Industrial Development Bank of India.
He was the recipient of the Perunthalaivar Kamarajar award which was presented by the Tamil Nadu government for promoting education and social service.
Commonwealth Day is celebrated to honour the nations that come under umbrella of Commonwealth. It is marked by people all over the Commonwealth in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Americas, the Pacific and Europe.
The day aims to achieve various shared objectives and shed light on the issues and find ways to solve them. India and some other countries celebrate Commonwealth Day on May 24. Meanwhile, the rest of the world marks it on the second Monday of March.
Commonwealth Day dates back to 1901, when it was established to pay tribute to Queen Victoria after her death on January 22, 1901. This important day was inaugurated on May 24, 1902 coinciding with the birthday of Queen Victoria. In 1958, Harold Macmillan, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom at the time, acknowledged the changing dynamics of relations between Commonwealth member states. As a result, they decided to change the name of Empire Day to Commonwealth Day.
Thalapathy Vijay Wins Best Actor Award at Osaka Tamil Film Festival, Japan
Thalapathy Vijay is one of the most popular actors in the South Indian film industry with an illustrious career spanning more than 30 years. He started his career by working as a child artist in many films. The actor has a huge fan following in South India and has proven his acting mettle through various films. Now, he won the Best Actor Award at the Osaka Tamil International Film Festival held in Japan.
According to reports, the awards for the Tamil films released in 2021 were held, and Thalapathy Vijay was awarded the Best Actor Award for his performance in Master. The Tamil action-thriller film Master was released in 2021 and was directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. The project had Thalapathy Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi in the lead roles.
Apart from Vijay, there were several other awardees at the film festival. The film Sarpatta Parambarai was chosen as the Best Film of 2021. Kangana Ranaut won the award for Best Actress for her performance in Thalaivii. Yuvan Shankar Raja was named the Best Music Composer for the film Maanaadu and Venkat Prabhu was awarded the Best Screenplay award for Maanaadu.
XED, an ed-tech firm in Asia, joined hands with Oxford University's Saïd Business School to launch the "Senior Executive Leadership Programme" (SELP) for senior leaders and C-suite executives.
The course is scheduled to begin on November 15, 2023.
This programme is a nine-month course, which has been tailored to CXOs and senior leaders seeking to enhance their operational and strategic skills from a global perspective. The experts are hoping that this will enable candidates to navigate emerging business challenges. The programme includes intensive in-class learning at Oxford's UK Campus, industry immersion in Dubai and live-online modules.
On successful completion of the programme, aspirants will join the Oxford Business Alumni Network and gain a certificate at the graduation ceremony at Oxford, UK.
Education Ministry Calls First Meet Aimed at Unifying 60 School Boards
The Ministry of Education organised a workshop in New Delhi with the aim of unifying the 60 school examination boards operating in different States and union territories under one umbrella. The workshop will study school assessments, examination practices and equivalence of boards across the country.
The main component of this plan is PARAKH or the National Assessment Centre which has been set up as an organisation under the National Council of Educational Research and Training.
The mandate of PARAKH is to work on bringing the school boards across the States and the Union Territories to a common platform.
As a first step, a workshop on PARAKH will act as a common platform for interaction of all concerned stakeholders in order to develop a holistic approach that ensures a fair assessment system which promotes equity in performance and equivalence in assessment of students.
Sourav Ganguly is Brand Ambassador of Tripura Tourism
Cricket icon Sourav Ganguly was appointed the brand ambassador of Tripura tourism, Chief Minister Manik Saha announced.
The announcement came after Tourism Minister Sushanta Chowdhury met Ganguly at his residence in Kolkata along with state officials, and discussed the proposal.
Manik Saha was confident that his participation in the campaigns would give an impetus to the state's tourism sector.
Gujarat High Court Stays Criminal Trial Proceedings against Delhi LG Vinai Kumar Saxena
The criminal trial proceedings against Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) Vinai Kumar Saxena in a 2002 assault case got a stay by the Gujarat High Court.
The complaint was lodged against the Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) Vinai Kumar Saxena by activist Medha Patkar [Vinai Kumar Saxena vs State of Gujarat].
The Vacation judge Justice Moxa Thakker gave interim relief to Saxena on his plea for setting aside an Ahmedabad Magistrate Court order that had refused to keep the trial against him in abeyance.
CJI Chandrachud Condemns 'Forum Shopping'
The Chief Justice of India (CJI) D. Y. Chandrachud said that he will not permit 'forum shopping'.
The CJI made this remark to a litigant appearing before him, who sought a hearing, however, he (the litigant) mentioned the same case a day ago before Justice K. M. Joseph.
When litigants or lawyers attempt to deliberately move their case to a particular judge or Court where they think the judgment could be more favourable, they are said to be 'forum shopping'.
The Supreme Court in its 1988 ruling in 'Chetak Construction Ltd. vs. Om Prakash' said that a litigant cannot be permitted choice of the forum, and that every attempt at 'forum shopping' must be crushed with a heavy hand.
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