Foreign ministers of eight member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meet in Goa on May 4-5. This meeting has set the stage for the SCO Leaders’ Summit to be held in July in New Delhi.
The theme of India’s Chairmanship of SCO in 2023 is ‘SECURE-SCO’.
India became a member of the SCO in 2017
SCO:
HQ: Beijing, China;
Secretary General: Zhang Ming.
Indian full-service carrier Vistara has become the first Indian airline to operate a commercial, wide-body aircraft on a domestic flight using Sustainable Aviation Fuel(SAF).
Vistara's Boeing 787-9 flew from Delhi to Mumbai using a blend of 17% SAF with 83% conventional jet fuel.
It was able to reduce approximately 10,000 pounds of CO2 emissions on this flight.
Vistara CEO: Vinod Kannan.
As per Reuters report, Italy is highly unlikely to renew China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) deal, set to expire early next year.
In 2019, Italy signed up to the BRI — China’s massive infrastructure and investment plan aimed at boosting its influence across the world.
When Mario Draghi took power in 2021, the agreement was frozen.
Italy's Prime Minister: Giorgia Meloni.
Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar was accorded a warm welcome as he arrived in London to attend the majestic Coronation ceremony of King Charles III at Westminster Abbey.
Dhankhar, accompanied by his wife Dr Sudesh Dhankhar, will join an estimated 100 Heads of State and government from around the world invited to the historic crowning of Britain’s new monarch.
The World Health Organisation on May 5th declared that Covid-19 is no longer a global public health emergency.
This represents a major step towards ending the pandemic & comes 3 years after it first declared its highest level of alert over the virus.
However, that does not mean COVID-19 is over as a global health threat as it claimed a life every 3 minutes in last week.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the guest of honour at France’s traditional military parade, held during Bastille Day on July 14.
PM Modi’s visit coincides with the 25th anniversary of the “strategic partnership” between France and India.
Bastille Day is named after the fall of a fortress that symbolised the French revolution of 1789.
PM Modi will be 2nd Indian PM to be the guest of honour after Manmohan Singh in 2009.
Global IT and consulting major Accenture said that Ajay Vij has been appointed to the newly created role of country managing director India.
After a 20-year career at Accenture, Rekha M Menon, senior managing director and chairperson for Accenture in India will retire on June 30.
National Green Tribunal has levied Rs 4,000 crore in environmental compensation on Bihar for failing to scientifically manage solid & liquid waste.
NGT noted that there was legacy waste of more than 11.74 lakh metric tonnes as well as unprocessed urban waste of 4072 metric tonnes per day, & the gap in liquid waste generation and treatment was 2,193 million litres per day.
NGT:
Chairperson:AK Goel;
Principal Place of sitting New Delhi.
Capital markets regulator SEBI introduced Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) system for issuers that have listed or planning to list non-convertible securities, securitised debt instruments and security receipts.
LEI is a unique 20-character code to identify legally distinct entities that engage in financial transactions.
The circular would come into force with immediate effect.
JP Morgan emerged as the winning bidder in a weekend effort to sell First Republic Bank, the latest US-based lender to fail.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) said JP Morgan had bought all of First Republic’s deposits, and would take over the bank’s 84 branches across the US.
The seizure of First Republic resulted in the biggest bank failure since the 2008.
As part of the transaction, JPMorgan was making a payment of $10.6 billion to FDIC.
Tokyo 2020 Olympic javelin throw champion Neeraj Chopra started his season by winning the Doha Diamond League 2023 with a world-leading effort of 88.67m on his first attempt at the Qatar Sports Club.
Athletes competing in Diamond League are awarded points instead of medals and top eight athletes at the end of the Diamond League series qualify for the Diamond League final.
His personal best and national javelin record is 89.94m.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 3, 2023, approved the world’s first respiratory syncytial virus vaccine called Arezvy manufactured by British pharmaceutical company GSK.
Arexvy is an adjuvanted respiratory syncytial virus vaccine, which means that it has an adjuvant, or an ingredient that helps create a stronger immune response to vaccination.
It has been approved for use in individuals aged 60 years and above in the United States.
Cristiano Ronaldo became the world’s highest-paid athlete after his move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr nearly doubled his annual playing salary while Paris St Germain duo Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe round off the top three, according to Forbes.
Ronaldo, who joined the Saudi soccer club on a deal until 2025 after leaving Manchester United last year, earned $136 million.
Ronaldo signed with Al Nassr until 2025 on a reported $200 million per year contract.
Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched the game’s mascot Jitu the Barasingha, an incredible mammal along with Shakti (the official torch), logo, anthem and jersey.
The games Anthem titled “Khelo India – Har Dil Mein Desh” is composed and sung by renowned singer Palash Sen.
The opening ceremony is slated for May 25, 2023 in Lucknow.