IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day for Countering Hate Speech 2024 observed on June 18

• On June 18th, nations worldwide observe the International Day for Countering Hate Speech, aiming to raise awareness about the detrimental impacts of hate speech and to promote strategies for its identification, address, and counteraction.

• This year’s theme, “The Power of Youth for Countering and Addressing Hate Speech,” emphasizes the pivotal role of young people in fostering a more inclusive and harmonious society.

• UN’s Concern: The United Nations acknowledges the rise of hate speech globally, particularly its rapid spread through social media platforms.

• UNESCO’s Findings: According to UNESCO, hate speech manifests as xenophobia, racism, antisemitism, anti-Muslim hatred, anti-LGBTQI+ hatred, misogyny, and other forms of intolerance, becoming increasingly common both online and offline.

• Key Focus: The day focuses on empowering youth to counter hate speech and promotes a united effort to create a tolerant and respectful global community.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Strengthening India-US Bilateral Relations: Jake Sullivan's Visit

• Jake Sullivan's Visit: The US National Security Advisor's visit to India aims to fortify the bilateral relationship between the two nations.

• The visit focuses on expanding cooperation in crucial areas between India and the US.

• Sullivan briefed Prime Minister Modi on the advancements in various sectors of bilateral collaboration, particularly under the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET).

• Dates and Engagements: Sullivan is in Delhi from June 17 to 18 for a series of bilateral engagements.

• Sullivan and his Indian counterpart, Ajit Doval, co-chaired the US-India tech initiative, iCET.

• This marks the second meeting of the India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology since its launch in January 2023.

• A significant highlight of the meeting was the inaugural India-US-ROK Trilateral Technology Dialogue held in Seoul in March.

INDEX AND RANKINGS

India's Ranking in the Environmental Performance Index 2024

• EPI 2024 Ranking: In the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) 2024, India is ranked 176th out of 180 countries.

• Low Ranking Factors: As the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, India is among the lowest-ranked countries due to poor air quality, high projected emissions, and challenges in biodiversity and habitat conservation.

• The composite index, released on June 5 by the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy and the Columbia Center for International Earth Science Information Network, places India just above Pakistan, Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar.

• The EPI 2024 evaluates countries across three primary categories: ecosystem vitality, environmental health, and climate change, using 58 indicators including biodiversity, air and water quality, waste management, and emissions.

• Performance in Climate Change: India's performance in climate change metrics is slightly better, keeping it out of the bottom ten countries in this category.

• New Biodiversity Category: The 2024 EPI introduced a Biodiversity and Habitats category to assess countries' efforts in protecting biodiversity and ecosystems, revealing that protected areas are often encroached upon by development or agriculture.

• Contributing Factors: India's reliance on coal significantly contributes to its greenhouse gas emissions and poor air quality, impacting its EPI ranking.

• Air Quality and Emissions: India ranks 177th in air quality, ahead of only Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal, and 172nd in projected emissions by 2025.

As per the UN, the world is falling behind on environmental, health and hunger goals.

• According to the UN's annual Sustainable Development Report, the world is falling behind on achieving environmental, health, and hunger goals.

• Ranking Performance: The report ranks the performance of 193 member states in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

• The report revealed that none of the 17 SDGs are on track to be met by 2030, with most targets showing limited or reversed progress.

• Political objectives, such as press freedom, have also experienced a decline.

• Top Performers: Finland, Sweden, and Denmark lead in implementing SDG goals, while China has shown faster-than-average progress.

• The report urges countries to address chronic funding gaps and overhaul the UN system to better support SDG implementation.

• Developing nations require greater access to international finance to meet their development goals.

• Key areas of concern include tackling hunger and protecting biodiversity both on land and in water.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

Alia Bhatt Launches Children's Picture Book

• Alia Bhatt has embarked on a new journey as a storyteller.

• First Book: The actress launched her debut children's picture book, "Ed Finds A Home," on June 16.

• Alia is working on a series of books, with "Ed Finds A Home" being the first installment.

• Book Theme: The book is part of a series designed to inspire a love of nature in young readers.

• Brand Extension: This marks the first venture into publishing for her kid's wear brand, Ed-a-Mamma.

• Publishing Collaboration: Ed-a-Mamma collaborated with Puffin, an imprint of Penguin Random House India, for this project.

AWARDS

Vinod Ganatra Receives Nelson Mandela Lifetime Achievement Award

• Renowned children's filmmaker Vinod Ganatra has been awarded South Africa's esteemed 'Nelson Mandela Lifetime Achievement Award' for his contributions to cinema.

• Historic Achievement: Ganatra is the first Indian to receive this prestigious accolade.

• The award was presented at the 7th Nelson Mandela Children’s Film Festival in recognition of his exceptional work in children's films.

• Ganatra's work in children's cinema has been widely acclaimed, earning him this distinguished honor.

• Nelson Mandela is perhaps the most famous personality in South Africa who has the distinction of being the first black President of South Africa.

Subbiah Nallamuthu Receives 18th V. Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award

• Renowned wildlife filmmaker Subbiah Nallamuthu has been honored with the prestigious 18th V. Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award.

• Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, L Murugan, presented the award to Nallamuthu during the inaugural ceremony of the 18th Mumbai International Film Festival in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

• Nallamuthu received this accolade for his exceptional contributions to non-feature and wildlife documentary filmmaking.

• Award Background: Instituted in 1990 by the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the V. Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award honors filmmakers who have significantly contributed to documentary films, in memory of the legendary filmmaker V. Shantaram.

• First Recipient: The inaugural recipient of this award was Ezra Mir in 1990.

Gujarat Achieves Top Rank in Wind Power Installed Capacity

• Gujarat has been awarded the “1st-rank” for the highest installed wind power capacity.

• The award was presented at an event organized by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) to celebrate Global Wind Day on June 15, 2024.

• Event Theme: The central theme of the event was “Pawan–Urja: Powering the Future of India.”

• By the end of May 2024, Gujarat had an installed wind power capacity of 11,823 MW.

• State Comparisons: Tamil Nadu followed with 10,743 MW, and Karnataka ranked third with 6,312 MW.

• Solar Power Ranking: In solar power, Gujarat ranks second to Rajasthan, with an installed capacity of 14,182 MW compared to Rajasthan’s 22,180 MW.

• Gujarat led all states with the highest renewable energy capacity, totaling 28,200 MW at the end of May 2024.

• Gujarat aims to achieve a cumulative 100 GW of installed renewable energy capacity by 2030.

RBI Receives 'Risk Manager of the Year Award 2024'

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has been honored with the "Risk Manager of the Year Award 2024."

• The award is presented by Central Banking, a London-based publication.

• The RBI was recognized for its efforts in enhancing risk culture and awareness.

• Award Acceptance: Executive Director Shri Manoranjan Mishra accepted the award on behalf of the

• The RBI established a regulatory sandbox to support controlled experimentation with new financial technology products and services.

• Digital Mission: As part of its digital strategy, the RBI promoted the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in crucial areas such as infrastructure, payments, risk management, audit, and analytics

BANKING, ECONOMY AND FINANCE

Growth in India’s Textile and Apparel Exports for May 2024

• In May 2024, India's textile exports increased by 9.59%, despite challenging conditions in major markets such as the EU, US, and West Asia.

• Apparel exports from India also rose by 9.84% during the same period.

• The combined exports of textiles and apparel saw a 9.70% growth in May 2024 compared to May 2023.

• India's total exports for May 2024 reached 68.29 billion US Dollars, marking a year-on-year increase of 10.2%, as reported by the Commerce Ministry on June 14.

• Growth in April-May 2024: During April-May 2024, textile exports grew by 6.04%, while apparel exports increased by 4.46% over the previous year.

• Top Export Markets: The US, UAE, Netherlands, UK, China, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Germany, and France were among India's top ten export destinations.

• Merchandise exports grew by 9.1%, reaching USD 38.13 billion, while service exports increased by 11.7%, totaling USD 30.16 billion.