Russia claimed it had destroyed the last major warship of the Ukrainian naval forces, which it said was stationed in the southern port of Odesa.
A high-precision strike by the Russian Air Force on a ship anchorage site in the port of Odesa destroyed the last warship of the Ukrainian Navy, the 'Yuri Olefirenko'.
The Yuri Olefirenko is a medium-size landing ship for troops and vehicles.
First named 'Kirovograd', the ship was renamed in 2016 in honour of a Ukrainian marine killed near Mariupol in 2015.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had decorated its crew in June 2022.
BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Cape Town
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar joined fellow Foreign Ministers from the emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) in Cape Town, South Africa for a two-day meeting to discuss various issues, including local currency trading and a peace plan for the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The meeting, hosted by South Africa, will pave the way for the 15th BRICS Summit scheduled to take place in August 2023, which will bring together leaders from the member countries, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Formation: BRICS was initially known as "BRIC" and was formed in 2001 by Goldman Sachs economist Jim O'Neill. South Africa joined the group in 2010, expanding it to BRICS.
Economic Significance: BRICS countries represent about 42% of the world's population and contribute to approximately 23% of global GDP. They are considered major players in the global economy.
YES Bank unveiled its refreshed brand identity claiming it to resonate with the evolving needs and aspirations of customers.
The bank's new design is with the intent of going beyond just ticking the boxes and enabling people to live each day to the fullest.
During an event to launch the new campaign, "Life Ko Banao Rich," MD and CEO Prashant Kumar explained that the latest identity will be implemented across all client touchpoints of the bank, such as headquarters, branches, products, digital platforms, and communication materials.
TWE Group GmbH, Obeetee Textiles Set up Strategic JV for Nonwovens
TWE group GmbH, an international nonwoven solutions company, acquired a 50 per cent stake in Obeetee Textiles (OTL), a subsidiary of one of India's oldest and largest carpet makers, as part of a strategic joint venture.
TWE OBT, the 50:50 joint venture (JV), will seek growth in the Indian market for nonwovens, which are engineered fabric products. For the 50 per cent holding in the JV, TWE has invested 11.5 million euros in cash.
The JV will set up a new facility to manufacture nonwoven products for the health and hygiene sector, a fast-growing segment.
TWE was in 2022 the fifth biggest importer of nonwovens for the Indian market and the JV would allow it to enter manufacturing in the country. TWE will provide technical knowledge for the hygiene business to the JV.
Union Cabinet Approves CITIIS 2.0 with a Focus on Circular Economy
In a push to support projects promoting a circular economy and climate-oriented reform actions, the Union Cabinet approved the City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain 2.0 (CITIIS 2.0). The scheme will run for a period of four years from 2023 to 2027.
CITIIS 2.0 aims to leverage and scale up the learnings of CITIIS 1.0, which was launched in 2018 by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs with a total outlay of Rs. 933 crore.
Announcing the scheme, Union Minister Anurag Thakur said that the programme would include the construction of a circular economy with related projects such as combined waste management, climate change observatories, and institutional strengthening and knowledge dissemination at the national level. The three components of CITIIS 2.0 include financial and technical support for developing projects focused on building climate resilience, adaptation and mitigation in up to 18 smart cities.
The funding for CITIIS 2.0 would include a loan of 200 million euros or Rs. 1,760 crore with AFD and German development bank KfW contributing 100 million euros each, and a technical assistance grant of 12 million euros or Rs. 106 crore from the EU.
Private Astronaut Crew, Including First Arab Woman in Orbit, Returns from Space Station
An all-private astronaut team of two Americans and two Saudis, including the first Arab woman sent into orbit, splashed down safely off Florida, capping an eight-day research mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
The Axiom 2 crew was led by retired NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, 63, who holds the U.S. record for most time spent in orbit with 665 days in space over three long-duration missions to the ISS, including 10 spacewalks. She now serves as Axiom's director of human spaceflight.
Savitribai Phule Pune University Clinches First Gold Medal with Win over Osmania University in Women's Tennis Event
In Khelo India University Games, Savitribai Phule Pune University conquered their final quest with a 2-0 victory over defending champions Osmania University and clincheed their first gold medal in the women's tennis event in Ekana International Tennis Stadium Lucknow.
Meanwhile, women tennis players of Jain University outdid the University of Madras 2-0 to clinch the bronze medal.
Defending champions Anna University had to sweat it out against Bharthiar University as it went to a decider double where ultimately they pulled off a win in the super tie-break.
For the bronze medal as well it was a nail-biting finish for Gujarat University as they overcame Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (Deemed to be University) (KIIT) by 2-1.
Junior Asia Cup: India Storm into Final
The Indian hockey team produced a dominant performance to outclass South Korea 9-1 and entered the final of the Junior Asia Cup. In the title clash tomorrow, India will meet Pakistan, who beat Malaysia 6-2 in the second semi-finals
The Men's Hockey Junior Asia Cup is a men's international under-21 field hockey tournament organized by the Asian Hockey Federation. The tournament has been held since 1988 and serves as a qualification tournament for the Men's FIH Hockey Junior World Cup.
The tournament has been won by four different teams: India and Pakistan have the most tiles with three. Malaysia and South Korea have both won the tournament once.
Angshumali Rastogi is India's Representative to Council of International Civil Aviation Organization
Senior bureaucrat Angshumali Rastogi was appointed India's representative to the council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Montreal, Canada, according to a Personnel Ministry order.
Rastogi, a 1995 batch officer of the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME), was appointed in place of Shefali Juneja for three years.
Hemang Jani, Secretary of the Capacity Building Commission, was named Senior Adviser to the Executive Director, World Bank, Washington DC, for three years.
Jani, who has earlier worked as a senior private sector specialist at the World Bank headquarters in Washington DC, was appointed in place of Ritesh Kumar Singh.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved 12 appointments for filling up various foreign posts.
Amarendu Prakash Takes over as SAIL Chairman
Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) said that Amarendu Prakash took charge as the company's new Chairman.
He succeeded Soma Mondal, who retired from the post in April 2023.
A B.Tech in Metallurgy from BIT Sindri, Prakash is an accomplished technocrat and possesses over 30 years of experience, comprising 24 years in plant operations at BSL, 4 years at the Chairman's office in SAIL, and 2 years as a Director on SAIL Board as an In-charge of BSL.
He began his career at SAIL in 1991, with a posting in rolling mills.
SAIL, under the Ministry of Steel, is the country's largest steel-making company, with an annual capacity of around 21 million tonnes.
Ummalaneni to Head DRDO Missiles and Strategic Systems
Distinguished scientist and Director, RCI, Ummalaneni Raja Babu was appointed the Director General (missiles & strategic systems), DRDO, Hyderabad.
He replaced B.H.V.S. Narayana Murthy following the latter's superannuation.
Babu, a graduate in mechanical engineering from Andhra University, obtained his Master's from IIT Kharagpur and MBA from JNTU.
He started his career with the Indian Air Force in 1988 and joined DRDO in 1995. In his 35-year aerospace career, he has worked on aircraft, helicopters and was a key member in the development of many missile systems.
It was under his leadership that 'Mission Shakti', India's first anti-satellite missile test (A-SAT) was demonstrated successfully.
Babu is a recipient of several prestigious awards, including the 'Path-breaking research & outstanding technology development' award, Agni award, DRDO Scientist of the Year and Vigyan Pratibha Samman awards.
Sachin Tendulkar Now 'Smile Ambassador' for Maharashtra Govt
The Maharashtra government named cricket great Sachin Tendulkar as Maharashtra's 'Smile Ambassador' under the state's 'Swachh Mukh Abhiyan' to spread awareness about oral health and hygiene across the state. The batting legend will be the face of the state medical education and drug department's Swachh Mukh Abhiyan (SMA) and has offered his association free of cost, and for the entire duration the government wishes to run the programme.
The SMA campaign has been conceptualised in association with the Indian Dental Association (IDA) in order to promote oral hygiene. The SMA aims to educate people about the importance of good oral hygiene by spreading awareness about the same.
The IDA is hoping that this campaign is able to lead India to optimal oral health and pave the way for a new model of oral health care.
World Milk Day is observed every year on June 1 to create awareness among people about the benefits of milk and its significance as a global food.
The day is recognised to highlight the nutritional value of milk and the dairy products, and their contribution in enhancing the livelihoods of people.
In the year 2001, the World Milk Day was first proclaimed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. The event was started to showcase the importance of milk as a global food and to highlight the role of dairy sectors in promoting nutrition and supporting the livelihoods. FAO held its first ever World Milk Assembly on June 1, 2001 and that is why the World Milk Day is celebrated on June 1.
According to worldmilkday.org, the theme of World Milk Day 2023 is 'Showcasing how dairy is reducing its environmental footprint, while also providing nutritious foods and livelihoods.'
Global Day of Parents
The Global Day of Parents is celebrated annually on June 1 to highlight the important role of parents in the lives of their children.
The inception of the Global Day of Parents can be traced back to 1983 when the Economic and Social Council and the Commission for Social Development called upon the Secretary-General to prioritise family-related issues. Subsequently, in 1989, the United Nations General Assembly declared 1994 as the International Year of the Family, highlighting the significance of families. Finally, in 2012, June 1 was officially designated as the Global Day of Parents through a proclamation by the General Assembly. The inaugural observance of the Global Day of Parents took place in 2013, marking a significant milestone in recognising and celebrating the role of parents worldwide.
RINL Awarded Prestigious "Greentech Safety Award 2023"
Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (RINL) bagged the prestigious 'Greentech Safety Award 2023' under the Safety Excellence category. The organization has received this award for its outstanding contribution towards improving workplace safety in the year 2022-23.
Director (Projects) AK Bagchi and Additional In-Charge Director (Operations) received the prestigious award on behalf of RINL from former Governor of Assam Jagdish Mukhi at the 21st Annual Greentech Awards presentation ceremony held in New Delhi.
The 21st 'Greentech Safety Awards 2023', organized by Greentech Foundation, recognise and honour outstanding organizations that continue to define the business future by adding value through excellence in corporate citizenship, transparent accountability, fire safety, health and safety management for the lifecycle taking responsibility. Conducting sound business with leadership, strategic stability and disciplined manner that provides a shared future for all stakeholders through commitment, dedication with the goal of zero injuries.
FICCI Presents Award to Mumbai's BEST for Excellence in Smart Mobility
The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the largest and oldest apex business organisation in India, awarded the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking top honours in the 'Smart Mobility category' for BEST's transformation towards progressive mobility.
BEST general manager Lokesh Chandra said that the award was due to the transformation in the bus transport undertaken in the past two years.
10,000 Electric Buses – Convert the entire fleet to electric and grow it to 10,000 buses to meet global standards. The fleet will double from 3,219 to 7,000 by 2023, and grow to 10,000 by 2026.
100% Renewable Energy – The entire fleet will be powered by renewable solar energy. The 700 MW of solar energy needed for this has already been procured. In addition, 330 public EV charging points are also being set up to encourage citizens to migrate to electric vehicles.
Digital Tickets on NCMC and BEST Chalo App – BEST's digital tickets initiative has been India's most successful ever. The app offers mobile tickets, passes, live tracking and live seat status, and is used by 1 in 3 bus passengers daily. BEST has also launched India's first National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) by any city/ state bus utility.
Odisha Government Announces 'Mo Ghara' Housing Scheme
In a major relief to economically and socially weaker households, the Naveen Patnaik Government announced the launch of 'Mo Ghara' (My House) to provide credit-linked financial assistance to beneficiaries who face fund crunch to complete or upgrade their houses.
The scheme, which coincided with the completion of fourth year in fifth term of Mr. Patnaik, will cover all such families who were left out in the existing housing schemes either due to stringent eligibility criteria or insufficient allocation, and those who had received housing assistance of smaller amount in the past and now want to upgrade or expand their houses.
"Under the scheme, a beneficiary can avail housing loan up to Rs. 3 lakh which can be repaid in 10 years excluding one year moratorium period in easy instalments. They can opt for one of the four slabs of loan amount – Rs. 1 lakh, Rs. 1.5 lakh, Rs. 2 lakh and Rs. 3 lakh.
Cabinet Approves Scheme to Boost Grain Storage Capacity in Cooperative Sector
The central cabinet approved a scheme to boost the capacity for storage of food grains across the country.
The scheme, that will cost Rs. 1 lakh crore, will utilise funds already allocated to other schemes, said Anurag Singh Thakur.
The scheme will use cooperatives across India to set up new warehouses, aiding food security and reducing imports.
'The scheme has been dubbed as the 'world's largest grain storage plan in cooperative sector', according to a statement by the Press Information Bureau.
Kerala High Court Rejects Vacation Classes in Schools
In a significant ruling, the Kerala High Court has refused to allow schools in the state to conduct vacation classes for students. This decision came in response to a petition challenging an order issued by the Director of General Education (DGE) that directed all government primary, secondary, and higher secondary schools to refrain from conducting vacation classes.
The High Court, in alignment with the DGE order, dismissed the plea. The petitioners argued that the DGE does not possess the authority to issue such an order against CBSE schools.
The court emphasised the significance of allowing students to enjoy their vacations and rejuvenate before the next academic year. The holiday break provides students with an opportunity to divert their attention from traditional study materials and explore their other interests in extracurricular activities, which often go unaddressed during the school year.
University of Edinburgh Collaborates with Indian Consulate to Develop Climate Change Course in Hindi
The Climate Change Institute of University of Edinburgh in a partnership with Consulate General of India in Edinburgh, Scotland announced its first open access course in Hindi.
The Climate Solutions course is available in English, Arabic and Hindi, with versions focused on Egypt, the UAE, India and the UK. It is designed and delivered by award-winning climate change experts, including Executive Director of the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute (ECCI) Professor Dave Reay.
The Climate Solutions: India (Hindi) course, unveiled, looks at the science, impacts and solutions of climate change in the country as a valuable resource for many thousands of Hindi-speaking students and educators across India and the rest of the world.
The university said that the collaboration between the government of India and the university was instrumental in the launch of the new Hindi course, having been carefully curated with the help of expert translators.
Canada Becomes First Country to Put Health Warnings on Individual Cigarettes
Canada came out with a regulation that would soon require health warnings to be printed on individual cigarettes, making it the first country to implement such kind of initiative as it aims to reduce tobacco usage to less than 5 per cent by 2035.
The new tobacco products appearance, packaging and labelling regulations will be part of the Government of Canada's continued efforts to help adults who smoke to quit, to protect youth and non-tobacco users from nicotine addiction, and to further reduce the appeal of tobacco.
These labels would be printed on the tipping paper, which is the outermost paper of the filter section, of individual cigarettes, little cigars, tubes, along with other tobacco products. The warnings would be written in English and French.
Retailers who sell tobacco product packages will have to feature the new warnings by the end of April 2024.
Justice Nitin Jamdar Appointed as Acting CJ of Bombay HC
The central government issued a notification appointing Justice Nitin Jamdar as the Acting Chief Justice of Bombay High Court. Justice R. D. Dhanuka, who was sworn in as Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court retired on May 30.
Born into a family of lawyers, Justice Jamdar is the third generation to pursue a career in the legal field. After receiving school education from across Maharashtra, Justice Jamdar completed graduation in Commerce from Sydenham College and thereafter LLB from Government Law College, Mumbai.
Justice Jamdar practised in the Bombay High Court in diverse fields, primarily in administrative and constitutional law. He represented various public bodies, including zilla parishads, municipal councils, municipal corporations and universities. He also represented the Bar Council of India and the High Court administration and was Senior Standing Counsel for the Union of India.
Justice Jamdar was appointed as a judge of the Bombay High Court in January 2012.
Karnataka High Court Rejects Challenge to Conversion of Circuit Benches at Dharwad, Kalaburagi into Permanent Benches
The High Court of Karnataka rejected a public interest litigation that challenged the Presidential Order of 2008, which converted the Circuit Benches of High Court at Dharwad and Kalaburagi into permanent benches.
The Division Bench of Justice B. Veerappa and Justice K. S. Hemalekha dismissed the petition on the grounds that the petition served absolutely no public interest as the Benches had rendered 'distributive justice' to all the regions.
The High Court observed that the plea was against the public interest and people starving for justice, which ignored the dictums of this Court as well as the Supreme Court.
Noting that the idea of speedy and quality justice dispensation system could not be treated with a status quo approach, the Division Bench observed that the establishment of these two benches was the need of the hour.
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