11th-13th May, 2024

1. India will remain a leading player in the world rice market despite restrictions, according to a recent projection by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
2. Microsoft to launch its own mobile game store in July
3. India’s first kamikaze drone has been developed by Kadet Defence Systems in collaboration with Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO).
4. The Indian Army has planned to stop all imports of ammunition from the next financial year (FY26).
5. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has taken a significant step toward the uniform implementation of military justice across the joint-service organizations.
6. Astronomers using the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have found a new planet named 55 Cancri e, also known as Janssen, a hot rocky planet 41 light-years from Earth.
7. The Research Institute (CMFRI) in Kochi (Kerala) has identified 2 new species of needlefish named “Ablennes joseberchmansis” and “Ablennes gracalii”
8. Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)- National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (NBFGR), the apex institute for fish genetic resources in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, discovered a new catfish species
9. Punjab Agricultural University has come up with biocontrol agent named “Trichoderma asperellum” to combat ‘foot rot’ disease, prevalent in Basmati rice varieties.
10. On May 10 every year, the International Day of Argania is organized.
11. 8th & 9th May: Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War
12. The Netherlands will host the UNESCO International Conference “Cultural Heritage and Peace: Building on 70 years of UNESCO Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict”, from 13-15 May 2024.
13. Mumbai City Beats Mohun Bagan SuperGiants by 3-1 to Win the 10th edition of Indian Super League 2023-24
14. Kami Rita Sherpa, a legendary Nepali mountaineer, has achieved an incredible feat by scaling Mount Everest for the 29th time.
15. The UAE-India CEPA Council (UICC) and the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) have signed a MoU.
16. Mr. Rizwan Koita, Director of Koita Foundation and co-founder of CitiusTech, has been appointed as the chairperson of the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH).
17. Russian President Vladimir Putin has reappointed Mikhail Mishustin as the country’s Prime Minister.
18. Nepal President’s economic advisor and Former Governor of Nepal’s central bank (Rastra Bank) Mr. Chiranjivi Nepal has recently resigned from the post of Nepal President’s economic advisor.
19. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed Shri R. Lakshmi Kanth Rao as its new Executive Director, effective from May 10, 2024.
20. Former bureaucrat and educationist Moosa Raza passed away
21. Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary

National News

1. India likely to export almost 18 million tonnes of rice in 2024-25: USDA
   • What: India will remain a leading player in the world rice market despite restrictions, according to a recent projection by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
     • It accounts for almost 18 million tonnes of rice exports in 2024-25, which is around two million tonnes more than the previous year.
   • Why: The demand is primarily driven by an increase in production in India, China, Bangladesh, and Indonesia.
   • The global consumption is projected at a record 526.4 million tonnes, on the back of higher use in India, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Bangladesh, offsetting a reduction for China.
   • Tell me more:
     • India’s rice exports will be a sizeable chunk of the global trade, but it will still be much lower than the record 22 million tonnes it exported in 2021-22.
     • Supplies increase year-to-year on record production at 527.6 million tonnes, which offsets the lower beginning stocks.
     • “With the production and consumption gains projected in many of the same countries, global trade is forecasting up only slightly at 53.8 million tonnes, but still lower than levels of trade before India first imposed restrictions on rice exports in 2022,
       Source: Business Standard

Banking and Economy

Microsoft to launch its own mobile game store in July

• What: Microsoft has announced that it will be launching a web based mobile game store in July 2024.
• Why: The step has been taken to break the dominance of Google and Apple.
  Source: Indian Express

Defence News

1. Kadet introduces India’s pioneering Loitering Aerial Munitions (LAM) for the armed forces
   • What: India’s first kamikaze drone has been developed by Kadet Defence Systems in collaboration with Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO).
     • Also known as Loitering Aerial Munitions (LAM) or Suicidal drone (crashes onto target).
   • Tell me more:
     • The indigenous LAMs are designed and manufactured entirely in India.
     • Over 90% of components of LAM are domestically sourced.
     • KDS has secured a contract to deliver 50 LAM systems by the end of 2024 meeting the operational requirements of the Indian armed forces.
     • KDS aims to increase LAMs production and deliver an estimated 5000 systems in next 2 to 3 years.
       Source: Financial Express
2. No import of ammunition from next year: Army
   • What: The Indian Army has planned to stop all imports of ammunition from the next financial year (FY26).
   • Why: This decision comes as the domestic industry has significantly increased its capacity to meet demands and potentially gain a share of the global market.
   • Tell me more:
     • The army has already found indigenous sources for nearly 150 of the 175 ammunition types it uses, and it aims to completely cut off imports by 2025-26.
     • Gradual curbs on imports mean that currently only 5-10% of requirements are met from foreign suppliers.
     • The army currently spends between Rs 6,000 and Rs 8,000 crore a year on ammunition, all of which would now come from Indian manufacturers.
       Source: Economic Times
3. Ministry of Defense notifies Act for uniform tri-service military discipline
   • What: The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has taken a significant step toward the uniform implementation of military justice across the joint-service organizations.
     • The same will be achieved by merging elements from the army, navy, and air force into Inter-Services Organizations (ISOs).
   • Why: The Act aims to promote discipline, expedite case disposal, and enhance integration among armed forces personnel.
     • Presently, the Commander-in-Chief or Officer-in-Command of Inter-services Organisations are not empowered to exercise disciplinary or administrative powers over the personnel belonging to other services.
   • Tell me more (History)
     • The Inter-services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Bill, 2023, was introduced in 2023.  
       • it empowers Commanders-in-Chief (CIC) and Officers-in-Command (OIC) of ISOs to exercise disciplinary and administrative control over service personnel.
       • This Act empowers commanders-in-chief and officers-in-command of ISOs with disciplinary and administrative powers.
       • It will govern the personnel serving in or attached to these organizations.
     • Central government may constitute an ISO with personnel belonging to at least two of the three services: Army, Navy and Air Force.
       • Existing ISOs (Andaman & Nicobar Command, Defense Space Agency, and National Defense Academy) shall be deemed to be constituted under the Act.
     • Till now, military personnel were governed by their own service acts like the Air Force Act, 1950, the Army Act, 1950 and the Navy Act, 1957.
     • Note: The act will also pave the way for creation of the long-pending unified theatre commands.
       • A theatre command, also known as a unified or joint command, is a military structure designed for a specific geographical area. Under this system, all military assets in that region, including the army, navy and air force, are placed under the command of a single senior officer.
         Source: Business Standard

Science and Technology

1. Scientists have discovered a rocky planet, 55 Cancri e, beyond our solar system 
   • What: Astronomers using the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have found a new planet named 55 Cancri e, also known as Janssen, a hot rocky planet 41 light-years from Earth.
   • Tell me more:
     • This discovery marks the first time an atmosphere has been identified surrounding a terrestrial planet outside our Solar System.
     • The research results are published in the scientific journal “Nature” titled – “A secondary atmosphere on the rocky Exoplanet 55 Cancri e”
     • About 55 Cancri e:
       • The planet orbits its star at a distance of only 1.4 million miles (0.015 astronomical units) and completes one full orbit in less than 18 hours.
         Source: NDTV

Agriculture and Rural Development

1. Scientists of CMFRI identify 2 new needlefish species
   • What: The Research Institute (CMFRI) in Kochi (Kerala) has identified 2 new species of needlefish named “Ablennes joseberchmansis” and “Ablennes gracalii”

• Needlefish, also known as long toms, are slender fish with long, beak-like jaws filled with sharp teeth
• Tell me more:
  • Research headed by: Toji Thomas, a research scholar at CMFRI,
  • Characteristics and Habitat:
    • The study focused on the specimens collected from Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu.
    • These commercially valuable fishes are known for their palatability and nutritional value.
    • These fishes identified by their green spines and elongated beaks with sharp teeth.
    • These fish species are found abundantly along the Indian coast and are pelagic resources available in upper waters (0-20 meters).
      Source: Indian Express

2. Glyptothorax punyabratai: ICAR-NBFGR found New Catfish Species in Arunachal Pradesh
   • What: Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)- National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (NBFGR), the apex institute for fish genetic resources in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, discovered a new catfish species
   • Name of the species: Glyptothorax punyabratai
   • Discovered at: The species was found at the Tung Stream, a small tributary of the Tissa River, in the Brahmaputra River basin.
   • Named after: Dr. Punyabarata Das, the founding director of ICAR-NBFGR,
     Source: ICAR

   
   
3. PAU launched biocontrol agent Trichoderma asperellum to combat ‘foot rot’ disease
   • What: Punjab Agricultural University has come up with biocontrol agent named “Trichoderma asperellum” to combat ‘foot rot’ disease, prevalent in Basmati rice varieties.
   • Tell me more:
     • About Foot Rot Disease: 
       • It is a fungal disease that affects Basmati rice crops particularly at the seedling stage. It might also cause infection after transplantation in case infected seedlings are transplanted.
       • Caused by: Fungus Fusarium verticillioides, a soil-seed borne pathogen which spreads the infection through the root of the plant, and eventually leads to the colonisation of the stem base,
       • Symptoms: Infected seedlings first turn pale yellow, then elongate and dry up, and eventually (usually) die.
       • Current status: Currently, seedlings are treated with Trichoderma harzianum before sowing and transplantation. Seeds are also treated with fungicides such as Sprint 75 WS (carbendazim + mancozeb) before sowing. But these are the chemical treatments which are harmful for the soil, and can be toxic for consumers of the rice.
       • The fungicide carbendazim is already banned in Punjab because it leaves behind high residues.
     • What is Trichoderma asperellum?
       • It is a biocontrol agent offers a non-chemical alternative to traditional pesticides, aiding in disease management while minimising environmental harm.
         Source: Krishi Jagran

     
     

Important Days

1. 10 May: International Day of Argania 2024
   • What: On May 10 every year, the International Day of Argania is organized.
   • The theme for 2024: “The Argan Tree facing the challenges of climate change”

• This special day honors the Argan tree (Argania spinosa), an ancient species that has grown in Morocco.
  • The world-famous argan oil is extracted from the seeds
    Source: ETV Bharat

2. 8th & 9th May: Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War
   • What: The United Nations (UN) annually marks the 8th and 9th of May as the Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War, to pay tribute to all victims of the Second World War (WWII) (from 1939 to 1945).
   • 2024 marks the 79th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
   • The Second World War is known as the Great Patriotic War in Russia.
     Source: ETV Bharat
3. 70th anniversary of adoption of Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property
   • What: The Netherlands will host the UNESCO International Conference “Cultural Heritage and Peace: Building on 70 years of UNESCO Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict”, from 13-15 May 2024.
   • About Hague Convention:
     • First international legal framework entirely dedicated to protection of movable and immovable heritage.
     • It protects cultural property whether during peacetime or armed conflict.
     • Member states: 135 including India.
     • Convention and its two Protocols (1954 and 1999) have been adopted under the auspices of UNESCO.
       • 1999 protocol to the convention provides for the list of Cultural Properties under Enhanced Protection
         Source: UNESCO

   
   
   
   
   
   

Sports

1. ISL 2023-24 Final: Mumbai City FC beats Mohun Bagan SG 3-1 to win the ISL Cup
   • What: Mumbai City Beats Mohun Bagan SuperGiants by 3-1 to Win the 10th edition of Indian Super League 2023-24
   • Venue: Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium) in Kolkata, West Bengal (WB).
   • Tell me more:
     • This is the second ISL title for Mumbai City Football Club, it previously won the 2020-21 season against Atlético de Kolkata Mohun Bagan.
     • Total clubs in ISL: 12 clubs
     • ISL 2023-24 awards:
       • ISL Player of the League: Dimitrios Petratos (Mohun Bagan Super Giant)
       • Golden Glove: Phurba Lachenpa (MCFC)
       • Golden Boot: Dimitrios Diamantakos (Kerala Blasters FC)
       • Emerging Player of the League: Vikram Partap Singh (MCFC)
       • Golden Ball: Dimitrios Petratos (MBSG)
       • Best Pitch: Jamshedpur FC
       • Grassroots Award: FC Goa
       • Best Elite Youth Program: Bengaluru FC
         Source: SportStar

2. Nepal’s ‘Everest Man’ beats own record by climbing summit for 29th time
   • What: Kami Rita Sherpa, a legendary Nepali mountaineer, has achieved an incredible feat by scaling Mount Everest for the 29th time.
   • Kami Rita first conquered Everest in 1994 and has been making the challenging journey nearly every year since.
     Source: Business Standard
   
   

Memorandum of Understanding

1. UAE-India CEPA Council Signs Agreement with Indian Chamber of Commerce
   • What: The UAE-India CEPA Council (UICC) and the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) have signed a MoU.
   • Why: To enhance economic and trade relations between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and India.
     • The MoU will also promote awareness of the UAE-India bilateral economic partnership and the benefits of the UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA)
   • About UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA)
     • Signed on: 2022, during the India-UAE Virtual Summit.
     • Aim: CEPA provides for an institutional mechanism to encourage and improve trade between the two countries.
   • What is CEPA
     • It is a kind of free trade pact that covers negotiation on the trade in services and investment, and other areas of economic partnership.
     • CEPA also looks into the regulatory aspect of trade and encompasses an agreement covering the regulatory issues.
       Source: Times of India

Appointments

1. Rizwan Koita, Director of Koita Foundation Appointed as the NABH Chairperson
   • What: Mr. Rizwan Koita, Director of Koita Foundation and co-founder of CitiusTech, has been appointed as the chairperson of the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH).
     • In 2019, CitiusTech became the India’s first Unicorn in Health tech sector.
   • Tell me more:
     • Mr. Koita has been a Board member of NABH over the past 2 years and has been actively involved with the Digital Health initiatives at NABH.
       Source: Koita Foundation

2. Russian President Vladimir Putin reappointed Mikhail Mishustin as the country’s PM
   • What: Russian President Vladimir Putin has reappointed Mikhail Mishustin as the country’s Prime Minister.
   • The State Duma (equivalent to Lok Sabha, the lower house in India) approved Mishustin as Prime Minister for a second term on May 10, 20243.
     Source: AP News
3. Nepal President’s economic advisor quits after remark on country’s Rs 100 notes
   • What: Nepal President’s economic advisor and Former Governor of Nepal’s central bank (Rastra Bank) Mr. Chiranjivi Nepal has recently resigned from the post of Nepal President’s economic advisor.
   • Why: He has resigned after his remarks on the government’s decision to issue new hundred-rupee notes with a map that includes three Indian territories.
   • The Rs. 100 note feature a map that includes three Indian territories: Kalapani, Lipulekh, and Limpiyadhura. The move has already been rejected by India
     Source: India Today

4. RBI appoints Shri R. Lakshmi Kanth Rao as new Executive Director
   • What: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed Shri R. Lakshmi Kanth Rao as its new Executive Director, effective from May 10, 2024.
   • Prior to this promotion, Shri Rao served as the Chief General Manager-in-Charge in the Department of Regulation.
   • As Executive Director, he will oversee the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation, the Right to Information Act (FAA), and the Department of Communication.
     Source: Economic Times

Miscellaneous

1. Former bureaucrat and educationist Moosa Raza passed away
   • What: Padma Bhushan Awardee Moosa Raza, who served as Chief Secretary of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) from 1988 to 1990, passed away.
   • He was honored with Padma Bhushan for Civil service in 2010.
   • Notable works:
     • He penned his autobiography titled “Of Giants and Windmills: An Autobiography” in 2023
     • His other noted works include, “Of Nawabs & Nightingales, In Search of Oneness”(1995); “The Smile on Sorrow’s Lips”(2015); and “Kashmir: Land of Regrets” (2019)
       Source: The Hindu
2. Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary
   • It is located in the foothills of the Himalayas in the Sonitpur district of Assam.
   • Together with Nameri National Park, it forms part of Sonitpur Kameng Elephant Reserve.
   • It is an Important Bird Area recognized by Birdlife International.
   • Perennial Rivers: Dolsiri, Gabharu, Gelgeli, Belsiri, and Sonairupai.

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