Daily Current Affairs- 22nd May 2024

Daily Current Affairs- 22nd May 2024

INTERNATIONAL

Elon Musk Launches Starlink in Indonesia, Aims to Bridge Connectivity Gap

• Elon Musk traveled to Bali, Indonesia's resort island, to launch Starlink satellite internet service in the world's largest archipelago nation. Photos showed Musk greeting officials at a community health clinic where the launch event occurred.
• Starlink aims to provide fast, affordable internet access to remote regions lacking connectivity. Speed tests were conducted with health workers in remote regions to demonstrate the service. An agreement was signed to enhance connectivity for Indonesia's health and education sectors. 

RITES signs pact with Bangladesh Railway to supply 200 passenger coaches

• State-owned RITES Ltd signed a contract with Bangladesh Railways to supply 200 broad-gauge passenger carriages to the neighbouring country, The export arm of Indian Railways, RITES has won the USD 111.26 million (approx. Rs 915 crore) contract, funded by European Investment Bank (EIB), through a global competitive bidding process.
• RITES will offer its expertise in design, spare parts support and training, under the terms & conditions. The contract has a supply with commissioning period of 36 months, followed by a warranty period of 24 months. The agreement was signed by officials of RITES and Bangladesh Railway in the presence of Minister of Railways, Bangladesh, Md. Zillul Hakim in Dhaka on 20 May, 2024. 

Luis Abinader Re-elected as President of Dominican Republic for second term

• Luis Rodolfo Abinader Corona has been re-elected as the President of the Dominican Republic for 2^nd four-year term from 2024 – 2028, He has been serving as the President of Dominican Republic since 2020.
• With around 38% of votes counted, Abinader held 59.24% of the vote, followed by three-time former President Leonel Fernandez with 26.97%, according to preliminary data from the nation's central electoral board. 

NATIONAL

Tata Motors partner with Bajaj Finance to finance their passenger and electric vehicle dealers

• Tata Motors’ subsidiaries, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles (TMPV) and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility (TPEM), have partnered with Bajaj Finance to offer a financing programme for authorised passenger and electric vehicle dealers.
• TMPV and TPEM have been leading the Indian automotive market with their innovative efforts in both the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) and Electric Vehicle (EV) segments. 

APPOINTMENS & RESIGNATIONS

BARC India appoints Dr Bikramjit Chaudhuri as chief of measurement science & analytics

• Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India has appointed Dr Bikramjit Chaudhuri as its new chief of measurement science & analytics. He will succeed Dr Derrick Gray, a veteran audience measurement and advanced analytics executive, who has been a well-respected member of the BARC India family for six years.
• Chaudhuri is a Ph.D. from IIT Bombay and holds a Master of Statistics degree from the Indian Statistical Institute, Delhi. He comes in with a rich experience spanning over three decades in the areas of Statistics, Stochastic Modelling, Market Measurement, Consumer Segmentation, AI & ML, Demand Forecasting and Big Data Analytics. He has several research papers, publications, and patents in these aspects under his belt. 

John Slaven Appointed Vice-Chairman of International Aluminium Institute

• Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of aluminium, today announced the appointment of its CEO Mr. John Slaven as Vice-Chairman of the International Aluminium Institute (IAI), In this capacity, Mr Slaven will spearhead global initiatives aimed at fostering the sustainable transformation of the aluminium industry and promote the critical role of aluminium in enabling the energy transition to a zero-carbon modern world.
• Established in 1972, the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) is the sole organization representing the primary aluminium industry worldwide. It is tasked with enhancing awareness of the industry’s operations, advocating for responsible production, and emphasizing the significant benefits of using aluminium in building green technologies. 

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day for Biodiversity (IDB)

• The International Day for Biodiversity (IDB) is celebrated every year on 22 May. This universal observance commemorates the adoption of the text of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on 22 May 1992 and provides a unique opportunity to foster wide support for the Convention, its Protocols and related action frameworks.
• The Theme of Biodiversity Day 2024, is "Be part of the Plan" the theme of IDB 2024, is a call to action for all stakeholders to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity by supporting the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, also referred to as the Biodiversity Plan. 

SUMMIT'S & MOU's

DAHD and UNDP signs MoU on Digitalization of Vaccine Cold Chain Management

• The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD), Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) India on Digitalization of Vaccine Cold Chain Management, Capacity Building, and Communication Planning.
• The MOU was signed today at “We the People Hall”, UNDP Country office, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi between Smt. Alka Upadhyay, Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Ms. Caitlin Wiesen. UNDP Resident Representative in India. This strategic partnership aims to enhance the digitalization of vaccine cold chain management, capacity building, and communication planning in India. 

Airbus Helicopters and SIDBI sign an MoU for helicopter financing in India

• Airbus Helicopters and Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), the Government of India’s principal financial institution for promoting, financing and developing the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) sector, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for financing the purchase of Airbus’ helicopters in India.
• The MoU was signed by Rahul Priyadarshi, Chief General Manager, SIDBI and Sunny Guglani, Head of Airbus Helicopters, India and South Asia. Under the MoU, both Airbus Helicopters and SIDBI will identify potential civil helicopter operators in India who are interested in financing solutions for purchasing Airbus helicopters. 

RANKING

India Climbs to 39th Position in World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index 2024

• India has climbed to the 39th position in the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index 2024, while US topped the list. India also ranks the highest in South Asia among the lower-middle-income economies. Earlier, India was ranked 54th in 2021 published index.
• On an overall index score of 7, where 1 is the worst, and 7 the best, India scored 4.25. India’s significant leap in the rankings underscores its growing competitiveness in the global tourism landscape. The biennial index analyzed the travel and tourism sectors of 119 countries, evaluating them on a range of factors and policies that foster tourism development. 

BANKING AND ECONOMY

SBI acquires 6.125% stake in CCIL IFSC, strengthens presence in GIFT City

• State Bank of India (SBI) has executed transaction documents to acquire a 6.125 per cent stake in CCIL IFSC Limited for ₹6.125 crore. CCIL IFSC, which will be incorporated with an authorized and paid-up capital of ₹200 crore and ₹100 crore, respectively, will operate the foreign currency settlement system and act as a clearing house and system operator at the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) within the Gujarat International Finance Tec City (GIFT City).