Daily Current Affairs- 25 May 2024

Daily Current Affairs- 25th May 2024

INTERNATIONAL

University of Tokyo inaugurates world’s highest observatory in Chile

• The University of Tokyo has inaugurated the Atacama Observatory (TAO) built on the summit of Cerro Chajnantor in the Antofagasta Region, at 5,640 meters above sea level.
• TAO also houses a 6.5-meter optical-infrared telescope. The telescope will focus on understanding the nature of the universe, according to Emol’s academic section.
• After 26 years of planning and construction, TAO is officially now the highest observatory in the world, and has been awarded a Guinness World Record.

NATIONAL

India’s project ISHAN to streamline air traffic, benefit airlines and passengers

• ndia has initiated the process of consolidating its four airspace regions into a single entity spanning the entire nation, in order to refine and strengthen air traffic management (ATM).
• The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has called for expressions of interest to prepare a detailed project report for the Indian Single Sky Harmonized Air Traffic Management (ISHAN) initiative, centered in Nagpur.

SPORTS

ICC names Shahid Afridi as Men’s T 20 WC 2024 Brand Ambassador

• The International Cricket Council (ICC), the world cricket governing body, has appointed Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi as the brand ambassador of the forthcoming 9th ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The tournament will be co-hosted by the West Indies and the United States of America from 1 to 29 June 2024.
• Shahid Afridi joins Indian Yuvraj Singh, Chris Gayle of West Indies, and Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt as brand ambassadors for the event.

SCIENCE &TEHNOLOGY

DD Kisan channel to launch AI anchor Krish and Bhoomi

• The government of India-run public broadcaster Doordarshan has announced that its channel DD Kisan will launch two artificial intelligence (AI) anchors, Krish and Bhoomi, on 26 May 2024. The DD Kisan channel was launched on 26 May 2015 and is celebrating the 9th year of its foundation.
• From 26 May 2024, the DD Kisan channel will become the first government TV channel to use AI anchors to broadcast information related to the latest prices in agricultural mandis, weather updates, and the latest research in agriculture done in India and abroad, The two anchors, which are basically computers that look like human beings, can speak in 50 languages.

L&T Technology Services Launches Simulation Centre of Excellence for Airbus in Bengaluru

• L&T Technology Services inaugurated a simulation centre of excellence (CoE) for Airbus at its Bengaluru campus. The CoE is designed to provide engineering support for Airbus aircraft structural simulation activities across its business units in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain.
• Launched about 18 months ago with a specialised core team, the CoE is likely to be scaled up over the next two years, The establishment of the simulation CoE marks a decade of collaboration between LTTS and Airbus India.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories 25-31 May

• The U.N. commemorates International Week of Solidarity with Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories annually from May 25 to May 31.
• The U.N. describes a Non-Self-Governing Territory as a territory “whose people have not yet gained a complete degree of self-government.” This day aims to request the administering Powers to protect and respect the rights of the peoples in these territories to their natural resources and their property rights. Currently, there are 17 non-self-governing territories left in the world.

SUMMIT'S & MOU's

The 10th World Water Forum Officially Begins in Bali

• Indonesian President Joko Widodo officially opened the 10th World Water Forum on Monday (5/20/2024) at the Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center (BNDCC). In his speech, Jokowi introduced the Balinese Subak irrigation system, which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2012.
• The forum focused on four critical topics: water conservation, clean water and sanitation, food and energy security, and mitigation of natural disasters.
• On the same day, the political sessions began with the Parliamentary Meeting which was officially opened by the Chairperson of the Indonesian House of Representatives Puan Maharani. She stated that the Parliament will support the agenda to achieve water security through diplomacy.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

NHPC conferred with - The Economic Times HR World Future Ready Organization Award 2024-25

• NHPC, India’s premier hydropower company, has been conferred with the prestigious ‘The Economic Times HR World Future Ready Organization Award 2024-25’. The Award has been given to NHPC in recognition of its preparedness in the areas of upskilling of employees, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) interventions, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) initiatives, constant technological upgradations, Employee Engagement processes, robust Corporate Governance strategies etc. which establish it as a trusted brand amongst all its stakeholders.

Thiruvananthapuram International Airport Becomes India’s First Airport to receive Zero Waste To Landfill  Accolade

• Thiruvananthapuram International Airport became India's first airport to receive the famous zero waste to landfill (ZWL) certification. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII-ITC) Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development has recognized the airport's dedication to ecologically friendly practices.
• Thiruvananthapuram International Airport has adopted exceptional waste management measures, as evidenced by an impressive 99.50 percent trash diversion from landfills. This achievement demonstrates the airport's commitment to sustainability and establishes a high example for others to follow.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

Mahindra Finance gets IRDAI nod to sell insurance as corporate agent

• Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services has received corporate agency licence from insurance regulator IRDAI, which will enable it to sell life and general insurance policies offered by various insurers, The registration shall be valid from May 21, 2024 to May 20, 2027.
• As a subsidiary of the Mahindra Group, Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services is renowned for its focus on the rural and semi-urban sectors. With a customer base exceeding 10 million and assets under management (AUM) surpassing $11 billion, the company offers vehicle and tractor financing, loans to SMEs, and fixed deposits. Despite a slight decline in standalone net profit in Q4 FY24, Mahindra Finance remains a key player in India’s NBFC landscape.