NATIONAL:
1. Cheetah Project Steering Committee
Why in news - The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has constituted a Cheetah Project Steering Committee.
Key Points –
• Chairman - Dr. Rajesh Gopal (Secretary General, Global Tiger Forum).
• Aim - reviewing progress, monitoring and advice on the Cheetah introduction to the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department and NTCA, opening the Cheetah habitat for eco-tourism etc.
2. Little India
Why in news - Sydney's Harris Park area in Parramatta has been officially named as “Little India”.
Key Points –
• Harris Park is home to a large Indian community and a unique destination for Indian cuisine, and Indian-owned businesses.
• The first proposal for officially naming the Harris Park area 'Little India' was made in 2015
INTERNATIONAL:
1. Recession in Germany
Why in news - Germany slipped into recession after its economy shrank in the first three months of 2023.
Key Points –
• Its GDP declined by 0.3% in the period from January to March 2023.
• It marked the second quarter of contraction (1st, Oct-Dec – 0.5% contraction).
• Germany is Europe’s largest economy.
• Recession - Two consecutive quarters of contraction.
Value Addition –
• Economic cycle –
(a) Expansion - Prosperity, Boom, Upswing of economy.
(b) Recession - From peak prosperity to moving downwards. Continuous negative growth rate for 2 successive quarters (=6 months). E.g., Subprime crisis (2007-09) in USA.
(c) Depression - Severe and long-lasting Recession. Great fall in GDP, income, employment etc. e.g., USA 1929-39.
(d) Recovery - From recession / depression towards prosperity.
• Recovery Types-
(a) V-Shaped - If GDP growth suffers a sharp decline, then quickly recovers.
(b) U-shaped - If GDP growth takes more time to recover, then rises.
(c) W-shaped - If GDP growth rises, then falls and again rises.
(d) K-shaped - If GDP growth rises for some sectors e.g. E-Learning, E-Commerce sectors while GDP growth declines in some sectors e.g. Tourism, Restaurants, Gyms, Theatre.
GOVERNMENT SCHEMES:
1. GRSE Accelerated Innovation Nurturing Scheme – 2023 (GAINS)
Why in news - Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd launched GAINS to nurture innovation.
Key Points –
• It is a two-stage process to help generate a large number of ideas.
• Thematic areas - Artificial intelligence, renewable energy, energy efficiency and efficiency enhancement.
• GRSE is a Kolkata-based defence PSU.
• Kolkata Port - Only major riverine major port in India.
SCIENCE – TECH:
1. Jugalbandi Chatbot
Why in news - Microsoft launched AI-based multilingual chatbot for rural India called “Jugalbandi”.
Key Points –
• It uses a completely indigenous AI model developed by IIT Madras' AI4Bharat.
• Aim - to help farmers and people in rural India to access information about farming and government schemes on their phones.
• It is available in 10 of India’s 22 official languages.
• It can be accessed through WhatsApp.
• It combines AI models from AI4Bharat and Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service.
2. Topaz
Why in news - Infosys revealed generative AI platform Topaz.
Key Points –
• It is AI-first set of services, solutions and platforms using generative Artificial Intelligence technologies.
• Topaz leverages Infosys applied AI framework to build an AI-first core that empowers people to deliver cognitive solutions.
• Infosys is India’s second-largest IT services company.
SUMMITS & CONFERENCES:
1. International Supercomputing Conference (ISC 2023)
Why in news - International Supercomputing Conference (ISC 2023) was held in Hamburg, Germany.
Key Points –
• It declared the 61st edition of Top 500 Global Supercomputing List.
• From India - AI Supercomputer ‘AIRAWAT’ (rank – 75th).
• Other Indian supercomputers in the Top 500 list –
(a) PARAM Siddhi (131st) - Installed at C-DAC, Pune.
(b) Pratyush (169th) - Installed at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune.
(c) Mihir (316th) - Installed at National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting, Noida.
About ‘AIRAWAT’ –
• AIRAWAT - AI Research Analytics and Knowledge Dissemination Platform.
• Installed at C-DAC, Pune.
• Airawat PSAI - India’s largest and fastest AI supercomputing system (Speed - 13,170 teraflops).
• Manufactured by - Netweb Technologies.
AWARDS & HONOURS:
1. Double-Amputee Climber
Why in news – Hari Budha Magar conquered the world's highest Mount Everest with artificial legs.
Key Points –
• He is a double-amputee ex-British Gurkha soldier from Nepal.
• In 2010, he lost his legs during a mission in Afghanistan when he stepped on an Improvised Explosive Device (IED).
• Other summited peaks by him - Mt Blanc (4,808.72 m), Kilimanjaro (5895 m), Mera Peak (6,476 m) and Mt Toubkal (4,167 m).
IMPORTANT DAYS:
1. World Thyroid Day
Why in news – It is celebrated on May 25 since the year 2007.
Key Points –
• Theme 2023 - “Thyroid Health: Nurturing Well-being.”
About Thyroid Gland -
• Butterfly-shaped gland in the neck below the throat (Adam's Apple).
• Hormones produced - T3 (Triiodothyronine) and T4 (Thyroxine).
• TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland. It controls the secretions of the thyroid gland.
Value Addition -
• Hypothyroidism - low production of thyroid hormone.
• Hyperthyroidism - increased production of thyroid hormone.
• Goitre - enlarged thyroid gland due to iodine deficiency. Common in Himalayan regions.
• Hashimoto's disease - an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune cells attack the thyroid gland.
POINTERS:
• The Taliban regime in Afghanistan appointed whom as its caretaker Prime Minister - Maulvi Abdul Kabir.
• Who won his first clay court title by winning the Italian Open men's singles title 2023 - Daniil Medvedev.
• Russia signed an agreement with which country to build the Rasht-Astara railway corridor – Iran.
• Where was the Quad Summit 2023 held after the cancellation of Sydney - Hiroshima, Japan.
• Who became the first Indian to become world number one in men's javelin throw - Neeraj Chopra.
• Goa and which state government have signed MoU to promote tourism between the states under 'Dekho Apna Desh' initiative – Uttarakhand.
• The joint naval exercise 'Tiger Shark 40' has started between Bangladesh and which country – America.
• Who has recently been elected as the President of the 'Swimming Federation of India' - RN Jaiprakash.
• Who has recently been elected as the President of India Taekwondo - Namdev Shirgaonkar.
• Which state's Kapileshwar temple has been included in the ASI's list of protected monuments - Odisha.